A protest organised by the Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE) in conjunction with the Canadian advocacy group Lucy’s Edmonton Advocacy Project (LEAP) took place yesterday outside the Canadian High Commission in Colombo in support of Lucy, a 46-year-old Sri Lankan elephant currently housed at the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Canada. Lucy is a Sri Lankan elephant who was sold by to the Edmonton Zoo in Canada at the age three and has since remained there for the past 44 years. At the zoo, Lucy resides alone in a small enclosure with painted trees. RARE stated that her unsatisfactory living arrangements coupled with the unnatural cold climate have resulted in Lucy suffering from several captivity-related health issues such as arthritis, foot disease, obesity, sleep disorder, stereotypy, and an undiagnosed respiratory condition. Picture by Dushmantha Mayadunne