Save Samrat Gaj the Baby Elephant and all Asian babies!

Dear Bhim Acharya Hon'ble Minister;

Samrat Gag was the symbol of hope in Nepal. He was the first private baby elephant born in captivity that had a chain free corral. He had probably the finest life a small elephant in Nepal could have and it all changed this December. 

He lives at the Sapana Village Lodge in Chitwan with his mother. He was trained in his first year using positive reinforcement. The training stopped and the baby grew up without any kind of training. His corral is gone and now at 3 years old he has been sent for traditional training at the Government Breeding Center in Chitwan. 

He has been separated from his mother who has been forced to watch her baby be trained in the old way of dominance and cruelty. She was so distressed she smashed a tree, but she is captive elephant she had no chance to protect her baby. Samrat's front legs are hobbled together so that when he is not in training he has to hop around. This is right in front of all of the tourists who visit this park. He has been forced to have a mahout ride him and he does so carrying many weapons. He strikes Samrat Gaj on the head repeatedly on both sides of his head and then stabs the center of his forehead to get him to perform. 

This baby elephant suffered with the Herpes Virus one year ago; he is not that strong. It is time for positive training to take place at the Breeding Center; it is time to put the fire away, the nasty weapons and train your elephants with love and compassion. There are experts that are willing to help. 

Samrat Gaj a beautiful loving elephant now is a symbol of abuse and shows the world that Nepal has not yet embraced compassion for their animals. Please legislate laws to protect elephants in Nepal; support appropriate training and take your elephants off chains.