An Elephant that was kept in captivity for 50-years in Uttar Pradesh, was rescued 5-years-ago and is now celebrating his first 5 years of freedom with a cake.

Raju, the elephant, spent almost 50 years in roaming the streets of Uttar Pradesh and was performing for his owner.

5-years-ago (2014), Raju was rescued by the Wildlife SOS, an NGO that rescues animals from being placed in captivity.

A statement was released by Wildlife SOS, they said, “Years of mistreatment, abuse, and inadequate care had left him gaunt and miserable. He was tightly restrained with spiked chains, and his withering body bore multiple scars and chronic abscesses-evidence of repeated jabs with a bullhook.”

Wildlife SOS brought Raju to the Elephant Conservation and Care Center in Mathura, which is also being managed by the Wildlife SOS.

The group says Raju has his own enclosure and gets a lot of “love” and medical attention from the staff.

Earlier this month, the group treated Raju for his first 5 years in freedom.

The statement that was released by the group added, “Delighted to find the treat, Raju scooped up every bite of the cake with his trunk and stuffed it all into his mouth within minutes!”

Watch Raju enjoy his cake below:

Kartick Satyanarayan, the CEO of the NGO Group Wildlife SOS, said, “The past five years with Raju has been an incredible journey for all of us. His determination to get better has accelerated his recovery to an extent that nobody was sure, was possible.”

The staff at the group also made a “5” number statue for Raju.

Kartick added, “Watching Raju enjoy his retirement in peace fills our heart with happiness and keeps us motivated to help other elephants that continue to be treated with such cruelty, as he was.”