Asia

Kaavan's first contact: ‘former loneliest elephant in the world’ makes a friend in Cambodia

The 36-year-old bull elephant spent much of his life alone but has been resettled at a wildlife sanctuary after a campaign led by Cher

The National

December 01, 2020

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Kaavan the elephant interacted with another elephant for the first time in years after being taken from Pakistan to Cambodia on Monday.

He was resettled following a global campaign led by American singer Cher.

Animal welfare organisation Four Paws moved Kaavan – an overweight, 36-year-old bull elephant – from Islamabad Zoo to a wildlife sanctuary in Oddar Meanchey province in northern Cambodia and announced the meeting between the animals on Twitter.

US pop singer Cher gestures in front of the crate of Kaavan the Asian elephant upon his arrival in Cambodia from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport on November 30, 2020. AFP
US pop singer Cher gestures in front of the crate of Kaavan the Asian elephant upon his arrival in Cambodia from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport on November 30, 2020. AFP
Cher arrives at Siem Reap International Airport, Cambodia. EPA
Cher arrives at Siem Reap International Airport, Cambodia. EPA
Cher watches as rescued elephant Kaavan arrives at the international airport in Siem Reap, Cambodia. AP
Cher watches as rescued elephant Kaavan arrives at the international airport in Siem Reap, Cambodia. AP
Kavaan is offloaded from the plane in Siem Reap airport arrival in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws
Kavaan is offloaded from the plane in Siem Reap airport arrival in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws
Kavaan arrives in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws
Kavaan arrives in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws
Cher holds a welcoming sign for rescued elephant Kaavan in Siem Reap, Cambodia. AP
Cher holds a welcoming sign for rescued elephant Kaavan in Siem Reap, Cambodia. AP
Cher and Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra await the arrival of a crate containing Kaavan the elephant from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport. AFP
Cher and Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra await the arrival of a crate containing Kaavan the elephant from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport. AFP
Cher and Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra await the arrival of a crate containing Kaavan the elephant from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport. AFP
Cher and Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra await the arrival of a crate containing Kaavan the elephant from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport. AFP
Cher reacts as the crate containing Kaavan the Asian elephant is opened for his release into his new home in the Kulen Prom Tep Wildlife Sanctuary in Oddar Meanchey Province. AFP
Cher reacts as the crate containing Kaavan the Asian elephant is opened for his release into his new home in the Kulen Prom Tep Wildlife Sanctuary in Oddar Meanchey Province. AFP
Cher arrives at Siem Reap International Airport in Cambodia. EPA
Cher arrives at Siem Reap International Airport in Cambodia. EPA
Cher at the arrival of Kavaan in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws
Cher at the arrival of Kavaan in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws
Elephant Kaavan is finally relocated from Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad to Cambodia. Four Paws
Elephant Kaavan is finally relocated from Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad to Cambodia. Four Paws
Elephant Kaavan is finally relocated from Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad to Cambodia. Four Paws
Elephant Kaavan is finally relocated from Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad to Cambodia. Four Paws
Amir Khalil, a veterinarian and director of the project development for Four Paws International, feeds Kaavan, Pakistan's only Asian elephant, in a crate prior to transport it to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad. AFP
Amir Khalil, a veterinarian and director of the project development for Four Paws International, feeds Kaavan, Pakistan's only Asian elephant, in a crate prior to transport it to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad. AFP
Pakistani wildlife workers, officials and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, pose for photograph next to a crate holding an elephant named Kaavan before he is transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. AP
Pakistani wildlife workers, officials and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, pose for photograph next to a crate holding an elephant named Kaavan before he is transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. AP
Veterinarians from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws inject medicine to an elephant named Kaavan before transporting him to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP
Veterinarians from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws inject medicine to an elephant named Kaavan before transporting him to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP
Pakistani wildlife workers and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, use a crane to move a crate carrying an elephant named Kaavan before transporting him to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP
Pakistani wildlife workers and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, use a crane to move a crate carrying an elephant named Kaavan before transporting him to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP
Pakistani wildlife workers and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, arrange an elephant named Kaavan into a crate before he is transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP
Pakistani wildlife workers and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, arrange an elephant named Kaavan into a crate before he is transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP
American Iconic singer and actress Cher visits the elephant named 'Kaavan' at Maragzar zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
American Iconic singer and actress Cher visits the elephant named 'Kaavan' at Maragzar zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
American Iconic singer and actress Cher visits the elephant named 'Kaavan' at Maragzar zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
American Iconic singer and actress Cher visits the elephant named 'Kaavan' at Maragzar zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting with American pop icon Cher, in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting with American pop icon Cher, in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting with American pop icon Cher, in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting with American pop icon Cher, in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA
A photographer takes a picture of an elephant named "Kaavan" waiting to be transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Maragzar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. AP
A photographer takes a picture of an elephant named "Kaavan" waiting to be transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Maragzar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. AP
Officials of Four Paws International and wildlife rangers move Kavaan, Pakistan's only Asian elephant, into a crate prior to transport it to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad. AFP
Officials of Four Paws International and wildlife rangers move Kavaan, Pakistan's only Asian elephant, into a crate prior to transport it to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad. AFP

"Seeing Kaavan interacting with other elephants is a huge moment for us but more importantly for Kaavan. We are extremely moved," the organisation tweeted on Tuesday, along with a photo of Kaavan reaching through the bars of a fence to touch trunks with another elephant.

Kaavan arrived in Cambodia by cargo plane to start a new life with 600 other elephants.

Cher wrote songs that urged authorities to release Kaavan from grim, isolated conditions in the zoo where he spent much of his life alone.

She spent time with the animal in the days before he was flown to his new home.

The singer was also on the tarmac at the airport of Cambodia's second-biggest city, Siem Reap, to greet the elephant and met the vets who accompanied him on his long journey in a custom-made crate, with more than 200 kilograms of food to keep him busy.

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Cher greets ‘world’s loneliest elephant’ after seven-hour flight to Cambodia

Cher visits 'world's loneliest elephant' before its move to Cambodia

Dozens of wildlife workers and experts used a winch and rope to pull the sedated elephant into the crate before he was loaded on to the Russian-built cargo plane.

His crate had the words #FreeKaavan painted on the side.

Neth Pheaktra, Secretary of State and spokesman for Cambodia's Environment Ministry, praised Four Paws and Cher for their efforts to help Kaavan and said Cambodia would be the ideal home for him.

"Cambodia is pleased to welcome Kaavan. No longer will he be the world's loneliest elephant," he said at a welcome ceremony.

Sole survivors
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  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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