Kaavan, the ‘world’s loneliest elephant’ packs his trunk as he leaves Pakistan horror zoo for a new life at Cambodian sanctuary
- Overweight Kaavan the bull elephant has languished at Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan, for 35 years
- Animal-lovers threw a going-away party before he leaves on Sunday after years of campaigning by activists
- Pakistan’s only Asian elephant is set to be flown to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia on the weekend
The world’s loneliest elephant kept in a tiny enclosure in a Pakistan horror zoo is finally leaving for a new life at a Cambodian sanctuary.
With music, treats and balloons, friends of Pakistan’s only Asian elephant threw a farewell party for the creature ahead of his relocation from Islamabad after years of campaigning by animal rights activists.
The plight of Kaavan, an overweight, 35-year-old bull elephant, has drawn international condemnation and highlighted the woeful state of Marghazar Zoo,
Conditions are so bad at the zoo that a judge in May ordered all the animals to be moved.
Kaavan is set to be flown to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia on Sunday, said Saleem Shaikh, a spokesman for Pakistan’s ministry of climate change.
Kaavan, a 35-year-old bull elephant said to be the ‘loneliest in the world’ is leaving a tiny enclosure in a Pakistan horror zoo for a new life at a Cambodian sanctuary after years of campaigning by animal rights activists. Pictured: Pakistani band Khumaariyan performs at Kaavans leaving party
Friends threw a farewell party for Kaavan, Pakistan’s only Asian elephant, before he heads to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia on Sunday
The plight of Kaavan, an overweight, 35-year-old bull elephant, has drawn international condemnation and highlighted the woeful state of Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo
Kaavan is pictured being given a farewell ceremony yesterday surrounded by animal-lovers before his relocation to Cambodia on Sunday
It follows months of veterinary care and a special training regime to habituate the elephant to a huge metal crate he will travel in.
Medical exams in September showed his nails were cracked and overgrown apparently from years of living in an improper enclosure with flooring that damaged his feet.
But before flying out, the Islamabad’s animal lovers said goodbye, with performances from local bands who serenaded Kaavan ahead of the move.
‘We want to wish him a happy retirement,’ said Marion Lombard, the deputy mission leader for Four Paws International, an animal welfare group that has spearheaded the relocation effort.
Kaavan is set to be flown to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia on Sunday, said Saleem Shaikh, a spokesman for Pakistan’s ministry of climate change
The Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, where Kaavan has lived for decades since arriving from Sri Lanka, was decorated with balloons for the occasion and banners wishing the animal well
Kavaan was serenaded with music and spoilt with treats ahead of his relocation to a sanctuary in Cambodia as part of the celebrations
The Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, where Kaavan has lived for decades since arriving from Sri Lanka, was decorated with balloons for the occasion and banners wishing the animal well.
‘We will miss you Kaavan,’ read one of the signs.
Kaavan’s plight was given a boost over the years by American pop icon Cher, who publicly campaigned for the elephant’s relocation and called the decision to move him one of the ‘greatest moments’ of her life.
In May, Pakistan’s High Court ordered the Marghazar Zoo closed because of its abysmal conditions blamed on systemic negligence.
Kavaan has had months of veterinary care and a special training regime to habituate him to a huge metal crate he will travel in
Amir Khalil, a veterinarian and the director of project development for Four Paws International, feeds Kavaan (left) as he gets used to the space inside his container (right) before leaving for Cambodia on Sunday
Amir Khalil, head of project development at FOUR PAWS International, (right) and Frank Goeritz, head of the veterinary service at Leibniz Institute for zoo and wildlife research in Berlin, take measurements of Kaavan, an elephant at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan in September
Local wildlife officials and veterinarians of Four Paws International, feed Kavaan, in Islamabad in September
Zoo officials have in the past denied Kaavan was kept in substandard conditions or chained, claiming instead the creature was pining for a new mate after his partner died in 2012.
But Kaavan’s behaviour, including signs of distress such as continual head-bobbing, raised concerns of mental illness.
Activists also said Kaavan was not properly sheltered from Islamabad’s searing summer temperatures, which can rise above 40 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit).
Kaavan’s mate Saheli, who also arrived from Sri Lanka, died in 2012.
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