Pooja the Protagonist

Meet Pooja, the elephant I am assigned during my time in Sri Lanka.

Pooja practicing standing on her hind legs

Pooja is the daughter of Lakshmi, another elephant being treated here at MEF. Pooja was the first elephant born to a domesticated elephant in Sri Lanka. Even at the age of 25, Pooja is commonly referred to as “the baby” to volunteers and workers.

While Pooja may be the smallest and youngest elephant on site, volunteers say she has a bigger appetite than all the others combined. I can attest to this as I am in charge of counting her dung each morning.

Not only is Pooja regarded as the baby, she is also recognized for being quite a ham. If a Mahout, (an elephant’s handler), is paying more attention to another elephant, Pooja makes it very clear she would like the focus back on her. When she is in the river, she will flap her tail against the water, splashing everyone in sight. If she is in the field, she will let out a loud yell, flap her ears and bob her head in order to catch your eye again.

Pooja practicing in her agility training 

Since Pooja is a younger elephant, MEF encourages her Mahout to train her on agility courses. Pooja’s Mahout will speak to her and touch her, instructing her do certain skills like standing on her back feet or balancing on all fours on a small rock. 

One of the most interesting aspects I have learned on this trip thus far is that elephants are extremely intelligent creatures. If Pooja is walking and she sees a volunteer holding a banana, she will walk over to the volunteer because she knows that type of food is for her. In the afternoons, Pooja starts to get excited by bobbing her head up and down because she knows the afternoon means “playtime.”

Lakshmi and Pooja snuggling up after a long day

Elephants are surprisingly human-like as well.  As the volunteers and I watch Pooja interact with her mother in the afternoons, we almost all tear up just seeing the two of them together. When they first see each other, it is like they have not seen one another in years; they both make a loud cry.  Lakshmi tenderly checks over Pooja with her trunk, ensuring her daughter is okay since the last time she has seen her. Then, the two eat, play and cuddle until it is time for bed.

Pooja goofing off next to her mother