Supporters go behind the scenes at India's bear and elephant rescues
The 2026 Founders' Trip took 22 wildlife lovers behind the scenes at its bear and elephant facilities.
Twenty-two wildlife supporters from around the world joined a nine-day journey into the heart of India's animal rescue work as part of the 2026 Founders' Trip.
The group visited two remarkable facilities dedicated to the care of rescued animals: the Agra Bear Rescue Facility and the Elephant Hospital Campus. Both centres are run by Wildlife SOS, an Ecoflix partner.
At each site, visitors were taken well beyond the public-facing areas to witness the specialised treatment and daily care that keep rescued sloth bears and elephants healthy.
From observing medical routines to learning about the rehabilitation programmes in place, the trip offered a rare and privileged look at what it truly takes to support animals that have often endured significant hardship before reaching safety.
For the 22 participants, the experience was more than a visit. It was an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the patience, expertise and resources that meaningful wildlife rescue demands day after day.
Sloth bears and elephants alike arrive at these facilities carrying the physical and psychological weight of their pasts. The dedicated teams at both centres work steadily to help each animal recover, stabilise and thrive within a carefully managed environment.
Trips like these matter because they connect supporters directly with the conservation work happening on the ground. Seeing the reality of rescue operations — the quiet routines, the careful observations, the long-term commitment — brings the mission to life in a way that words alone cannot.
That connection, between people who care and the animals who need them, is precisely what sustains the work of organisations like Wildlife SOS over the long term.