Rescued Elephant Returns to Thailand on Jumbo Flight

A Thai elephant named Muthu Raja, gifted to Sri Lanka in 2001, has been flown back to Thailand after allegations of mistreatment and neglect. Thai authorities demanded the return of the 29-year-old elephant last year. The repatriation, costing $700,000, involved a one-way commercial flight and the elephant will be quarantined upon arrival in Chiang Mai. Animal welfare groups had raised concerns about the elephant's condition, including wounds allegedly inflicted by its handler. Sri Lankan activists are petitioning for those responsible for neglecting the elephant to be prosecuted.