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The formula It is an elephant that was born in Sri Lanka in 1985. At the age of one year it was sent to Pakistan as a gift to the leader of the country at that time. From there, he has spent his entire life in a zoo where he used to be routinely chained by the legs to remain in a pen that was barely 90 by 140 meters.
For several years, thousands of activists requested to relocate the elephant, explaining that the prolonged social isolation that it suffered had generated a mental illness, and that relocation would be a great option to give it a better life. Islamabad Zoo officials, for their part, explained that Kaavan was being held in chains for having “violent tendencies”, but that he was no longer being held.
A petition to rescue the elephant was started in 2012, stating that after Kaavan’s companion, Saheli, died that same year due to gangrene and lack of care, the surviving elephant was left alone, something especially concerning considering that elephants are, by nature, sociable creatures that need to interact with each other. Kaavan and Saheli were together for 22 years, starting in 1990.
In 2016, a new elephant would supposedly arrive at the zoo to be Kaavan’s new companion. However, this never came, and it was then that the reputation of being “the loneliest and saddest elephant in the world” was consolidated. Experts believe that spending so much time alone, with nothing to do, could have disastrous consequences for Kaavan. In the years following Saheli’s death, the elephant displayed “behaviors that evidenced some form of mental illness,” said Safwan Shahab Ahmad, vice president of the Pakistan Wildlife Foundation, who has been studying Kaavan for nearly 30 years. . The elephant used to swing, move, and bang its head inside its pen. Safwan added that “If you just give Kaavan dense scrub and an artificial shower, you can watch him enjoy”.
After the death of his partner, several animal associations complained about the conditions in which the animal was found, arguing that they were deplorable and that he felt lonely and depressed after losing Saheli, in addition to having spent his entire life in captivity . In fact, in 2019 his keepers were suspended for stealing the mammal’s food, and a few months ago it was discovered that Kaavan was severely dehydrated and that wild boars had broken into his enclosure and eaten his food.
In this way, Kaavan’s case became famous around the world, being supported by various celebrities who campaigned to gather signatures demanding his release, such as the renowned singer Cher, among others, who in 2016 even sent a representative to the zoo.
After years of contention, Kaavan’s defenders can finally celebrate as the 35-year-old pachyderm is confirmed to be transferred to a 10,000-hectare animal sanctuary in Cambodia. The official statement was made through the Islamabad High Court, whose president, Athar Minallah, on May 21 this year, formally condemned the conditions of the zoo, ordering the release of the elephant.
After Kaavan’s release was confirmed, Cher shared a series of tweets celebrating and stating that she was “so excited I had to sit down.”
WE JUST HEARD OF
SUPERIOR COURT OF PAKISTAN
THE SCHEME IS FREE– Search for) May 21, 2020
THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.
I CAN’T STOP, 🥰, BE SICK 2 MY STOMACH. (I ate in the evening and was VERY sick, I still am. Can you overdose on too much?) ⁉️
BUT 🐘KAAVAN IS FREE🙏🏻
😭 DOWN MY CHEEKS, BUT IT’S FREE, AND @markcowne 🕊 HE DID🙌🏻.GINA, 👑JEN👑👏🏻– Search for) May 21, 2020
Recently, Euronews reported that his relocation to Cambodia will take place in the coming weeks, where he will remain for the rest of his life at the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary for rescued animals run by elephant expert Lek Chailert. They initially planned to take him back to Sri Lanka, but the committee that evaluated Kaavan found that there are no sanctuaries suitable for retired elephants, so Cambodia is the best option.
A four-person team from the US Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) examined Kaavan on Friday, stating that everything was fine and the elephant is fit to travel.
However, moving such a large and powerful animal is not easy. “Despite being declared fit to travel, transporting an animal of its size by plane can be very dangerous” stated Anees-ur-Rehman, head of the State Wildlife Management Board.
Another challenge for Kaavan will be rehabilitation, said Rab Nawaz, the director of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) program. “He has been alone, chained and beaten. Like any living creature with a high sense of intelligence, it may take him a while to get used to his new environment, “Nawaz explained, clarifying that he hopes” that everything will be in his favor during the relocation. “
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