Female elephant “Motala”, from Tak Province.

Keeper: Somchai Tikum

Condition: The elephant had stepped on a landmine across the Myanmar border, causing her front left leg to be severely damaged. (She became the world’s second elephant to wear a prosthetic leg.)

Date of admission: 18 August 1999 (The elephant was 38 years old.)

Motala was employed as a logging elephant across the Myanmar border. On the morning of the 15^th of August 1999, while she was foraging in the forest, she stepped on a landmine and was severely injured. It took her three days and three nights to walk ten kilometres back across the border to Thailand. After walking only a few steps, she had to lie down; this happened throughout her walk across the border, which also required her to cross a river. Once Motala reached the Thai border, the owner hired a truck to transport the elephant to Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation Hospital in Lampang Province. After a trip lasting nine hours, Motala arrived at FAE Elephant Hospital on 18 August 1999 at around 8 o’clock at night. Her front left foot that had been injured by the landmine exhibited a severe level of damage, with pieces of torn flesh attached to the wound site. The wound had a depth of 15 – 20 centimetres, and was beginning to generate the odour of rotting flesh. The elephant’s right leg had to take the burden of bearing her weight, even though her front right foot and ankle had also been injured by fragments of the explosion. The wound on her chest was also exhibiting the discharge of pus as well as signs of infection.

On the 22^nd of August 1999, Associate Professor Dr. Therdchai Jivacate from the Faculty of Medicine of Chiang Mai University (Secretary General of the Prostheses Foundation at the time) met with the Secretary General of Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation to express his interest in helping Motala. The Secretary General then extended an invitation to Dr. Therdchai as well as Dr. Aram Pongchiaoboon from the Faculty of Medicine of Chiang Mai University, requesting them to form a team for the care and treatment of Motala during her period of operation. If the surgical operation proved a success, and if infection could be prevented from spreading into the elephant’s bloodstream, we would proceed with the design and production of Motala’s prosthetic leg.  

On the 26^th of August 1999, the elephant’s owner offered to donate Motala to Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation. The Secretary General officially received the donation.

On the 28^th of August 1999, the surgical team, led by Associate Professor Dr. Therdchai Jivacate, cleaned the elephant’s wound, and removed the rotten parts of the flesh and broken bone pieces. The wound was then sewn and sealed. The operation lasted around three and a half hours. The anesthetic used on the elephant was enough to make 70 humans lose consciousness. (The amount of anesthetic used made an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.) The operation was a success. The 30 members of the surgical team included doctors, veterinarians, and nurses. Soldiers, police, and citizens offered support and assistance on a significant level. On the 5^th of November 1999, the wound was dressed and the elephant’s front left leg was operated on for the second time.  

From the 15^th to 16^th of August 2009, Associate Professor Dr. Therdchai Jivacate, Secretary General of the Prostheses Foundation (at the time), and his team carried out the production of Motala’s prosthetic leg. The elephant accepted her new prosthetic and wore it well while walking. Motala became the world’s second elephant to wear a prosthetic leg.