Pakistan: elephant Kaavan saved from abuse thanks to the support of singer Cher
The elephant Kaavan has become the symbol of animal abuse in Pakistan.
AFP - AAMIR QURESHI
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
An elephant mistreated for more than thirty years at the Islamabad zoo, Kaavan will be transferred to Cambodia.
The result of a long campaign led by an Austrian NGO for the defense of animal rights supported by the American singer Cher, who campaigned a lot for Kaavan.
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With our correspondent in Islamabad,
Sonia Ghezali
After several attempts, pulled by a dozen men with ropes attached to his hind legs, Kaavan finally entered the metal box.
“
I am so happy
,” says Zenobia.
It is the happiest day of my life and that of Kaavan, of course.
I hope he will have a wonderful life in Cambodia.
No one will torture him there.
"
A teacher, Zenobia came to watch the departure of Kaavan.
This animal advocate has been visiting Islamabad Zoo since she was a child.
“
I remember when he was a kid people used to ride him
,” she says.
You could see in his eyes how sad he was.
A few years ago he amused people.
He paraded in front of them and the visitors gave him money which he took with his trunk and then gave to the healers.
I hated to see this.
"
Force-fed to become obese
Kaavan, who arrived in Pakistan shortly after his birth in the 1980s, lived 35 years of abuse, chained, force-fed to become obese, isolated after losing his companion Saheli in the enclosure who died in 2012 from gangrene.
The authorities ended up reacting to the mobilization of NGOs and the singer Cher.
"
We are embarrassed because we are not paying attention to animal welfare
," said Senator Faysal Jawed.
We want to ask Kaavan's forgiveness for not being able to take care of him.
Today, we are here to say goodbye to him
”.
🐘Kaavan's journey to freedom from captivity in Islamabad to Cambodia will be a 2021 @SmithsonianChan documentary ❤️ Help us build Kaavan's forever home 🏡 https://t.co/dzdl4Ew4gn 🙏🏻 @ ftwglobal #KaavansJourney pic.twitter.com/iTxdzfndNB
- Dear (@cher) November 27, 2020
If Kaavan flies away for a better future, the life of animals in zoos in Pakistan does not change.
Many wild animals die of abuse every year in the country.
► (Re) listen: Pakistan: felines at home
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