Update!

We are excited to share that Muthu Raja's retirement is imminent. However, to ensure that Muthu Raja's future is secure and is not a repetition of his past, once he completes the required veterinary treatment, he must be retired to a chain-free sanctuary that uses only positive reinforcement. We recommend a World Animal Protection (WAP) endorsed sanctuary, in Thailand.

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Muthu Raja is a beautiful 30-year-old bull elephant who was born in Thailand and gifted by HRM the Queen mother of Thailand, Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, back in 2001 to Sri Lanka.

When he was 10 years old, he was chosen in honour of the then queen of Thailand and current queen mother, because of how beautiful he looked even as a calf, so that he can be gifted to the people of Sri Lanka.

Muthu Raja, however ended up serving a local Buddhist temple named Aluthgama Kande Viharaya in the south of Sri Lanka, chained, laboured, neglected and abused.

He was rented off by the temple to cultural parades all over the country and when he wasn’t, he was made to stand for hours blessing temple visitors for money as they walk under his belly or worse doing hard labour. He was simply over worked.

With no respite in sight, Muthu Raja’s life turned to the worst when he sustained an injury to his left leg, that got worse over 4 years as he never received the veterinary care he needed.

His left front leg is now permanently injured due to years of negligence and he has extremely thin foot pads and foot abscesses which can lead to a painful death. He has abscesses and bullhook wounds all over his body as well.

The temple sadly continues to employ ‘Muthu Raja’ for traditional peraharas/parades despite him struggling to walk.  

These injuries are so severe and complicated that Sri Lanka now doesn’t have the veterinary capacity to help heal Muthu Raja. This means if he stays in Sri Lanka it will lead to eventual death due to negligence and health complications.

President of Sri Lanka need to sign Muthu Rajas release. It’s the most important step in guaranteeing Muthu Raja’s safe retirement.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION NOW to save Muthu Raja.

At present Muthu Raja's health issues have become chronic. He suffers from leg complications including what is referred to as ‘foot rot’ in elephants, one of the major causes of deaths in captive elephants.

Since October 2021, we, at RARE- Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE Sri Lanka) and other animal organisations and thousands of animal lovers in Sri Lanka and around the world have been calling for the rescue of Muthu Raja, pleading for his immediate retirement.

He needs the medical help that is desperately required to save his life.

Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, in Lampang, Thailand is also a project initiated by HRM Queen Sirkit and is equipped with one of the best and most advanced elephant hospitals in the world.

We want to see Muthu Raja immediately transferred to Ridiyagama Safari Park, in Sri Lanka for urgent treatment and later when he is fit enough to fly he will need specialised intensive veterinary care in the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang. There, at home in Thailand he will have the chance to recuperate with the world’s best and experienced vets specialising in elephants.

Muthu Raja now has to limp his journey home; receive the veterinary care he needs to save his life and finally stride in peace at home, a born free elephant in Thailand, where he always belonged.

This can only happen when President of Sri Lanka Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe who is famous as a progressive liberal Buddhist visionary, sign the Presidential Decree for his release.