Cambodia sanctuary ‘best option’ to relocate Kaavan

Committee of experts examined health of animals, logistics and facilities

ISLAMABAD:

A committee of experts has recommended that the lone elephat at the Islamabad Zoo, Kaavan, should be shifted to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia.

An eight-member committee of experts has recommended that the 25,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia can be a suitable area for the relocation and retirement of the pachyderm.

“The committee has argued that the sanctuary already houses elephants and is equipped with experts, who have relocated and rehabilitated over 80 elephants so far, would be the best choice,” said Muhammad Saleem, a deputy director at the Ministry of Climate Change.

He said that a meeting of the IWMB had been convened earlier in the week which reviewed various options for the safe relocation and retirement of the elephant in light of the Islamabd High Court’s (IHC) judgment issued on May 21.

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“The meeting participants were of the view that the re-location options for the elephant Kavaan must be considered after examining all parameters, such as the health of the animal, the logistics, suitability and facilities at the proposed re-location site and the agreement with the new site authorities amongst others,” said Saleem.

He added that after elaborate examination of various viable options and recommendation of the experts, the board decided to relocate Kavaan to a sanctuary in Cambodia under the required agreements.

Following directions from the IHC, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) had on June 9 constituted an eight-member committee for the relocation of the Kavaan and other animals at the Marghzar Zoo to sanctuaries.

The committee includes World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan’s senior programme director as its chairman and biodiversity specialist ZB Mirza as its co-chairman. Other members of the committee include Khyber-Pakhtukhwa (K-P) Wildlife Chief Conservator Dr Mohsin Farooq, Islamabad Zoo veterinary officer Dr Bilal Khilji, Bahria Zoo’s Dr Masoodul Haq, Ard Save the Elephant Foundation’s Dr Tom Channarong Srisa, IUCN’s Nilanga Jaysinghe, Save the Elephant Foundation Co-founder Derek Thompson and representatives from the climate change ministry as well as the Islamabad Zoo.

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Saleem added that Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam had stressed that any proposal for relocating the elephant must be backed by adequate research and consideration of all factors. Moreover, he said that Aslam had assured the ministry’s support for all decisions relating to the wellbeing of animals.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2020.