A baby elephant named Fah Jam recently took her first tentative steps into a pool for hydrotherapy treatment in Thailand after being caught in a trap that injured her front left foot.
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Fah Jam, which translates to ‘Clear Sky,’ was only three months old when she was ensnared by a trap set by villagers in Chanthaburi province, 155 miles southeast of Bangkok.
Now five months old, the young elephant has been showing signs of improvement under the care of veterinarian Padet Siridumrong at a veterinary clinic in Chonburi province.
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Watch the video at the end.
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The hydrotherapy treatment aims to help Fah Jam regain strength in her injured leg, which suffered muscle atrophy as a result of the accident.
Despite her initial fear of water, Padet is optimistic about the progress she will make through the therapy. He believes that within a few sessions, Fah Jam will grow to enjoy swimming as most elephants naturally do.
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The treatment could last up to two months, but the hope is that it will ultimately enable the young elephant to walk again. Fah Jam is the first elephant to receive hydrotherapy at the Chonburi animal hospital.
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Elephants hold great significance in Thailand, where they were once used to carry soldiers into battle and for logging.
However, since logging has been banned, many domesticated elephants have been integrated into the tourism industry, leading to concerns about their treatment and welfare.
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According to EleAid, a British organization focused on the conservation of the Asian elephant, there are approximately 3,700 wild elephants and up to 4,000 domesticated elephants remaining in Thailand. Factors such as deforestation, rapid urbanization, and ivory poaching have contributed to the decline of the wild elephant population.