Kaavan, the loneliest elephant in the world, has found happiness in his new home, far away from years of harsh captivity.
Formerly known as the “loneliest elephant in the world,” Kaavan, a 37-year-old male Asian elephant, has been “reborn” into a new life.
The story of Kaavan has made headlines worldwide after a six-year campaign to rescue him from the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan, where he lived in harsh conditions for over three decades.
After a lengthy rescue operation, Kaavan was finally granted freedom and relocated to the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary in November 2020.
To this day, over a year since arriving at his new home, Kaavan roams freely in a 12-hectare land near Angkor Wat, harmonizing with nature, befriending three female elephants, and forming a bond with his new caretakers, Pedro Vella and Mut. Kaavan’s favorite pastime is eating.
But what did Kaavan have to endure to achieve this happy life? The story of Kaavan is sure to bring tears to many.
OVER 30 YEARS LIVING IN CAPTIVITY… Kaavan arrived in Pakistan in 1985, shortly after his birth, as a gift from Sri Lanka to the daughter of the President of Pakistan, and spent 35 years in captivity.
Kaavan was confined to a small enclosure with a female elephant named Saheli. They both suffered from frequent bouts of illness due to the cramped environment and inadequate food and water supply. In 2012, Saheli died of gangrene caused by an infected chain, leaving Kaavan alone. He became the last remaining Asian elephant there.
That is why he was called the “loneliest elephant in the world.”
For the next four years after the death of his companion, Kaavan continued to live in extremely harsh conditions. The majority of his life was spent in a cramped enclosure, deprived of the freedom to roam, forage, and find new companions. Like many captive elephants, Kaavan became obese and developed abnormal behaviors, repeating patterns of aggression due to confinement.
One day, his aggression resulted in the death of two of his caretakers, leading the zoo to permanently chain him.
Then came a global campaign strongly supported by American singer Cher, aimed at fighting against the neglect of the world’s loneliest elephant.
Cher’s campaign caused a social media storm as photos and videos of the lonely, chained, and malnourished elephant at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad went viral worldwide. International veterinary communities, the owners of the sanctuary, animal rights groups, and wildlife experts flooded the internet with their concerns, calling on authorities worldwide to help end this alarming situation.
In May 2020, the Islamabad High Court closed down the Marghazar Zoo due to its poor care conditions. It also ruled in favor of the animal welfare organization Four Paws, allowing them to relocate Kaavan and 38 other animals from the Marghazar Zoo to other sanctuaries.
In the same year, Free The Wild, a nonprofit organization co-founded by American singer Cher, announced on Instagram that Kaavan was being airlifted and embarking on a journey to Cambodia. It was a challenging journey to transport a severely malnourished 4-ton mammal over 3,700 kilometers across Asia amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary, a nonprofit conservation organization, shared on Facebook that Kaavan now resides in a vast forest area where most of his food is provided naturally. Of course, Kaavan does not reject the food given to him by humans, given his preference for eating.
Singer Cher learned about Kaavan on Twitter after a flood of “Free Kaavan” appeals filled the social media platform in 2016, according to a statement from the Smithsonian Channel, which is producing a documentary about the heartwarming rescue story of the lonely, unfortunate elephant.
Titled “Cher & The Loneliest Elephant,” the documentary tells the story of American singer Cher’s journey to ensure Kaavan’s freedom as she overcomes legal obstacles and the unique challenges of the mission. The film takes viewers on “an emotional journey about humanity, animals, and our connection to all species on Earth.”
Cher, known as the “Goddess of Pop,” also personally wrote and performed a new song called ‘Walls’ for this documentary.
As of May 2022, Kaavan is likely to have shed the title of the “loneliest elephant in the world” as he is living the best life possible in the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary. He is happy, free, harmonious with his kind, and enjoys spending time bathing in water.
