Strange

Heroin addicted elephant kicks habit

by Terri Potratz | September 4, 2008 at 09:00 am

614 views | 4 Recommendations | 9 comments

The plot line has all the characteristics of a dramatic Hollywood thriller: villians capture an innocent victim, who they forcibly control with drugs; when police bust the renegade group, the victim is liberated and celebrated. Except in this case, the victim is a 5,000 lb elephant by the name of Xiguang, or "Big Brother."

Big Brother, an Asian elephant hooked on heroin after drug traffickers fed him smack-laced bananas, is finally heading home after three years in rehab, Reuters quoted the Xinhua news agency as saying.

Authorities identified the elephant as suffering from withdrawal when he was discovered with 6 other captured elephants in southwest China, and promptly sent him to a protection and rehabilitation center on Hainan Island for 3 years.

Xinhua [News Agency] said Thursday that Xiguang received daily methadone injections in doses five times larger than those given to a human and had fully recovered.

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Yuliya Talmazan

at 09:20 on September 4th, 2008

This is really sad. I heard of similar animal intoxications in Russia and other Asian countries where they drug exhibition animals to display them and make money off them. I have not heard of their owners going as far as feeding them heroin though.

Terri Potratz

at 09:32 on September 4th, 2008

I read on a blog that Big Brother was so wired during the withdrawal process that he actually broke through his chains. It took the methadone, plus daily baths and massages to get him straight.

Any time an animal is abused it wrenches my heart strings - whether it be for exhibitionist purposes or, in this particular case, traffickers using the animals for "work" purposes - so it's nice to see that there are still protection and rehabilitation agencies out there working for these animals and ensuring that news outlets hear about it.

eastvanray

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:17 on September 4th, 2008

Terri Potratz, I like this story. It's good stuff.

The Chinese government treats elephants better than it's human population.

altrugon

at 13:59 on September 4th, 2008

This is super sad :_( Happy ending but sad story

kristinemailaddress

at 14:34 on September 4th, 2008

I took this photo when I was on a safari in Kenya in the maasai mara national park. I have not heard of news of any elephants being addicted to heorin until now. I will gladly share my picture to help in the effort to stop the abbuse of the animals!

kristinemailaddress has contributed a photo to this story.

the rainbow chaser

at 21:50 on September 4th, 2008

the rainbow chaser has contributed a photo to this story.

The photo was taken in Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, India. Gladly, the sanctuary is maintainded well by the government and no such incidents were rreported in India.