PAKISTAN-ELEPHANT

Headline

Lonely elephant Kaavan leaves Pakistan for new life in Cambodia.

Intro

The lonely Asian elephant of Islamabad Marghazar Zoo, Kaavan, leaves Pakistan amid joyful fanfare for new life in Cambodia. 

Story

SHOTLIST: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (NOVEMBER 29, 2020) (VNA – ACCESS ALL)   

1.      PEOPLE ARRIVING AT ZOO

2.      SEURITY PERSONNEL LINED UP

3.      MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARRIVING

4.      TRANSPORT CRATE, CARRYING LONELY ELEPHANT KAAVAN, BEING LIFTED BY CRANE/PEOPLE WATCHING

5.      CRATE BEING PLACED ON TRUCK

6.      TRUCK, CARRYING CRATE MOVING

7.      PEOPLE WATCHING

8.      PEOPLE WATCHING, SOME FILMING FROM CELL PHONE CAMERAS

9.      TRUCK LEAVING ZOO

10.   VARIOUS OF MEMBER OF ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION STANDING

11.   VARIOUS OF TRUCK PASSING THROUGH ISLAMABAD ROADS AS IT HEADS FOR AIRPORT

 

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (NOVEMBER 30, 2020) (VNA – ACCESS ALL)  

12.   TROLLEY CARRYING CONTAINER ON TARMAC

13.   WORKERS PREPARING TO LOAD CONTAINER ONTO AIRCRAFT

15.   PLANE ON TARMAC/ WORKERS GUIDING CRATE

 

Story: Kaavan, the lonely Asian elephant of Islamabad Marghazar Zoo, which entertained children and parents for 35 years, left Pakistan amid joyful fanfare for new life in Cambodia early on Monday (November 30), according to a press statement issued here from the Ministry of Climate Change.    

The elephant set off on a nearly 10-hours journey from Pakistan to Cambodia in the wee hours of Monday morning on a specially chartered cargo plane from Russia.

In Cambodian wildlife sanctuary, Kaavan would initially be kept in a small designated section of the park with separating barrier between his place over 10-acre and the place where he could see other elephants in the wildlife sanctuary.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, who bade farewell to the elephant along with hundreds of people with their eyes wet and members of civil society organisations, wished Kaavan more joyful days throughout his rest of the life in Cambodia’s wildlife sanctuary.

Following the Islamabad High Court’s order in May this year for Kaavan’s relocation to safer place, the eight-member expert committee was formed to propose a safer and more suitable place for relocation and retirement of the elephant.  

The committee recommended an elephant sanctuary spanning over 25,000-acres in Cambodia as the most suitable place for relocation and retirement of Kavaan of the Islamabad Marghzar Zoo after giving joy to thousands of visiting children and parents since the elephant was gifted by the Sri Lankan government in 1985.

The elephant sanctuary in Cambodia already houses elephants and is equipped with experts, who have relocated and rehabilitated over 80 elephants so far.

Pakistan appreciated the role of American iconic pop singer and musician Cher, Free the Wild and Four Paws INGOS for playing instrumental role in safe relocation of the elephant to Cambodia, the PM’s aide Malik Amin Aslam said.

A team of vets and experts from Four Paws spent months, working with Kaavan to get him fit and ready for the mammoth trip to Cambodia, which involved training the elephant to enter the massive metal transport crate that was placed in a cargo plane for the hours-long flight.

Before departing for Cambodia to welcome Kaavan there, Cher spent three days in Islamabad to provide moral support to the elephant. During her stay, she also called on Prime Minister Imran Khan, thanking him for supporting the safe relocation of Kaavan to Cambodia.

The ministry said later in the day that Kaavan had safely arrived in Cambodia.