THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
JAMNAGAR (GUJARAT), AUG 22, 2026
Joymoti, a 53-year-old female elephant rescued after being
swept away by devastating floodwaters in Nagaland last month, has been
airlifted to Vantara in Jamnagar for immediate and specialised veterinary
treatment, officials said.
Joymoti was swept away by floodwaters in Nagaland during the
second week of July and was subsequently rescued by local communities with the
assistance of government agencies. The elderly elephant suffered multiple
injuries in the incident, including wounds on her forehead, right ear, the area
above her tail, left inner thigh and abdomen, besides a deep, maggot-infested
wound around her external genital area.
Her right eye has been severely damaged, leaving her blind in
that eye and causing persistent tearing. She also suffers from longstanding
lameness in her left hind leg following a fracture sustained during logging, a
condition that affects her ability to walk normally and makes it difficult for
her to access food and water.
Following her rescue, Joymoti received first aid and primary
veterinary care locally, including wound dressing, pain medication,
multivitamin and mineral supplements and supportive treatment. However, given
the severity and multiple locations of her injuries, her advancing age and
existing mobility challenges, veterinarians determined that she required
immediate care in a specialised hospital.
Her transfer to Vantara is solely for medical treatment and
does not constitute a permanent relocation. The decision to airlift her was
taken with her welfare and medical needs at the centre, enabling her to reach a
specialised elephant hospital while reducing the duration and physical demands
of long-distance ground transportation.
Upon arrival at Vantara, Joymoti will undergo a comprehensive
veterinary assessment and receive specialised treatment for her injuries and
eye condition, along with nutritional and supportive care as required.
The air transfer itself is a first-of-its-kind undertaking in
India involving an elephant requiring intensive hospital care and has involved
extensive veterinary, animal-care and logistical preparations. Particular
attention is being given to Joymoti's health, comfort and safety at every stage,
from her pre-flight veterinary assessment and preparation to loading,
monitoring during the flight and her arrival at the hospital.
For an animal suffering from serious injuries, chronic health
conditions and mobility difficulties, reducing travel time and avoiding
prolonged ground transportation can be an important welfare consideration,
officials said.
Joymoti's case has also highlighted the need for specialised
elephant veterinary facilities closer to areas where wildlife emergencies
occur, particularly in regions affected by floods, human-wildlife conflict and
other emergencies.
Vantara has proposed the establishment of three wildlife
veterinary care centres in Assam, including a dedicated elephant care centre,
to strengthen local capacity for wildlife emergency veterinary care. The
proposed centres would have species-specific facilities and veterinary support
to enable animals to receive timely and appropriate treatment closer to the
areas where emergencies occur.
The centres would be operated completely independently by the
Assam Forest Department, with the broader objective of strengthening local
veterinary capacity so that elephants and other wildlife can receive
high-quality care closer to home and avoid long-distance transportation
whenever specialised treatment is required.
Joymoti's journey to Vantara is an urgent medical transfer undertaken solely to provide the specialised lifesaving treatment she currently needs. Her case underscores both the importance of strengthening local veterinary infrastructure and the need to ensure that animals requiring advanced care can access it safely and without delay.
At Vantara, the immediate priority is to provide Joymoti with specialised treatment and give the elderly elephant the best possible chance of recovery and a healthy, safe and dignified life.
