A baby elephant hit by a speeding train in northern India has completed her one year of recovery, showing miraculous results.
Named Bani, the nine-month-old elephant was hit by a speeding train in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. The elephant was thrown off the tracks, and landed with grievous injuries in an adjacent field.
The elephant was paralysed and brought in for treatment at India’s first elephant hospital in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
After being provided with critical care by veterinarians, Bani has shown remarkable recovery and just celebrated her one-year anniversary since her rescue, according to her caregivers.
Struck with spastic paraparesis or limited mobility in the back or hind limbs, Bani was unable to move for months. Her recovery journey was being closely followed by many in India as her caregivers continued sharing her videos.
The veterinary team experimented with many treatment methods including ayurveda, hydrotherapy and even acupuncture, to help Bani recover.
Following several weeks of oil massages and visits to the hydrotherapy pool, Bani was finally able to stand up in February 2024.
When she started walking, her videos of playing with water and grabbing a snack were widely shared.
She has now progressed to be able to walk short distances and explore the greenery around her.
“It is both heartwarming and emotional to witness Bani marking her first rescue anniversary with us,” said Debbie Haynes, Manager of UK Wildlife SOS, said. The organisation is engaged in Bani’s recovery efforts.
“A year ago, she arrived as a severely injured calf, her condition critical. However, our team left no stone unturned and ensured that she received the care needed to regain her strength and take confident steps once again.”
However, Bani has an abnormal gait that limits the distances she is able to walk. She is also currently wearing shoes on her hind legs to protect her feet.
There are several caregivers attending to the 2-year-old pachyderm to keep the lively and spirited calf engaged, with sufficient nutrition, care and attention. The caregivers created a mud hole for Bani where she likes to play, as mud baths are one of her favourite activities.
“We have prepared several structural enrichments for Bani, so that her muscles are constantly engaged and there’s no obstruction in her movement,” Dr Ilayaraja S, deputy director of veterinary services at Wildlife SOS said. “We tried all sorts of attempts to accelerate her healing, including getting an acupuncture specialist and performing the first ever acupuncture treatment known in India, on an elephant.”
“Bani shares a special bond with her keeper and the Wildlife SOS staff, finding comfort in their care and companionship,” Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS said.
“Her strength has become an inspiration to all our resident elephants. It’s just the beginning of the celebration, and the entire centre is filled with joy as we honour her journey and spirit.”
India is home to the largest number of Asiatic elephants, about 60 per cent of the total population. Official records suggest nearly 200 elephants were killed in train collisions between 2010 and 2020, an average of 20 a year.
The Indian government is exploring ways to reduce such accidents, including introducing an AI-powered system in Tamil Nadu to detect and locate moving elephants up to five metres away.
