Pharrell Williams interacted with the Wildlife SOS team of elephant care staff and veterinarians to understand the threats that Asian elephants face in India. (L-R) A portrait of rescued elephant Sanjay signed by Pharrell Williams; Pharrell Williams and wife Helen Lasichanh at the Wildlife SOS. (Source: Wildlife SOS)
Award-winning musician Pharrell Williams, who recently celebrated his first Holi in India, visited the Wildlife SOS-run Elephant Conservation and Care Center (ECCC) for a conservation education tour to meet rescued elephants and help promote elephant conservation in India. The centre is located near the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh.
Williams interacted with the Wildlife SOS team of elephant care staff and veterinarians to understand the threats that Asian elephants face, while extending his support to elephant protection & conservation in India. The American singer-songwriter was in India to unveil a new ‘Holi-inspired’ apparel collection.
Geeta Seshamani, co-founder of Wildlife SOS welcomed the musician along with Dr Ilayaraja, Deputy Director Veterinary Division. Pharrell interacted with the team to learn about the history of Wildlife SOS and the background of the various elephants, followed by an interactive session with the elephant veterinarians and caretakers who shared insight about the organisation’s elephant protection efforts. Rescued from illegal captivity and circuses where they were ill-treated and subjected to cruelty, these gentle giants are now living a life of freedom under the care and treatment of expert veterinarians.
Talking about his experience with the elephants, Williams said, “Congratulations Wildlife SOS and good luck for the universal work that you do here and the effect you have on anyone who sees this!”
Seshamani said, “This visit by Pharrell Williams to the ECCC brings global attention to the plight of elephants in India. He was visibly moved by the story of the rescued elephants and what they had endured before they were rescued by Wildlife SOS. We hope for his continued support for the cause.”
Wildlife SOS runs the world’s Largest Sloth Bear rescue centre in Agra and an Elephant rescue centre in Mathura. The charity’s ECCC was established in 2010 in Mathura and provides critical medical treatment and lifetime care to 24 rescued elephants.
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