Photos: 'World's loneliest elephant' Kaavan lands in Cambodia, greeted by Cher

A wildlife sanctuary in Oddar Meanchey with about 600 other elephants will be his new home

Published: November 30, 2020 13:46 AFP and compild by Balaram Menon, Senior Web Editor

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Buddhist monks perform a ceremony to bless the crate containing Kaavan the Asian elephant upon his arrival in Cambodia from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport in Siem Reap. Image Credit: AFP

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An elephant dubbed the "world's loneliest" landed in Cambodia Monday from Pakistan, receiving a warm welcome from American superstar Cher (centre) who will accompany it to a sanctuary housing potential mates. Image Credit: AFP

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Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra catches a glimpse of Kaavan. The case of Kaavan - an overweight, 36-year-old bull elephant - sparked global uproar from animal rights groups, who petitioned for his move from an Islamabad zoo accused of substandard care and conditions. Image Credit: AFP

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Kaavan's cause was boosted by a spirited social media campaign by Cher, who travelled to Pakistan to see him off. | Above: The crate containing Kaavan the Asian elephant is loaded onto a vehicle after his arrival in Cambodia. Image Credit: AFP

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Kaavan's much-anticipated journey was "uneventful", said Amir Khali, a veterinarian from animal welfare group Four Paws, adding he behaved "like a frequent flyer". "Kaavan was eating, was not stressed - he was even a little bit sleeping, standing, leaning at the crate wall," he said. Image Credit: AFP

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Once the sole Asian elephant in Pakistan, Kaavan will be transported from Siem Reap to neighbouring province Oddar Meanchey where a wildlife sanctuary with about 600 other elephants will be his new home. Image Credit: AFP

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Members of the animal welfare group Four Paws check on Kaavan the Asian elephant upon his arrival in Cambodia. Image Credit: AFP

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"Cambodia is pleased to welcome Kaavan. No longer will he be 'the world's loneliest elephant,'" deputy environment minister Neth Pheaktra said. "We expect to breed Kaavan with local elephants - this is an effort to conserve the genetic fold," said the minister. Image Credit: AFP

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Kaavan's journey is the culmination of years of campaigning from animal rights groups, who say the animal's behaviour demonstrated "a kind of mental illness" likely due to the zoo's woeful conditions. Image Credit: REUTERS

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A crane lifts a crate carrying Kaavan, an elephant to be transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad. Image Credit: REUTERS

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This aerial photo shows the under-construction enclosure for Kaavan at the Kulen Prom Tep Wildlife Sanctuary in Oddar Meanchey province. Image Credit: AFP

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A team of vets and experts from Austria-based Four Paws has spent months working with Kaavan to get him ready for the trip - a complicated process due to his size and the amount of food needed en route. Image Credit: REUTERS

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US pop singer Cher walks past the crate containing Kaavan upon his arrival in Cambodia at Siem Reap International Airport. Image Credit: AFP

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Upon hearing about Kaavan's freedom, Cher had tweeted that the decision marked "one of the greatest moments" of her life. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Photos: 'World's loneliest elephant' Kaavan lands in Cambodia, greeted by Cher

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Photos: 'World's loneliest elephant' Kaavan lands in Cambodia, greeted by Cher

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