World’s loneliest elephant Kaavan finally leaves zoo and is welcomed to his sanctuary home by Cher

An elephant dubbed the ‘world’s loneliest’ landed in Cambodia on Monday, where it is heading for a sanctuary housing three potential mates, an official said. 

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.

His cause was boosted by a spirited social media campaign by American singer Cher, who travelled to Pakistan to see him off.

‘Cambodia is ready to welcome Kaavan,’ deputy environment minister Neth Pheaktra told AFP news agency on Monday, prior to the massive mammal’s arrival.

Kaavan, Pakistan’s only Asian elephant, has arrived in Cambodia where it will live in a wildlife sanctuary. Pictured: Buddhist monks perform a ceremony to bless the crate containing Kaavan upon his arrival in Cambodia

Monks and others take part in the blessing ceremony at Siem Reap International Airport on Monday

Monks and others take part in the blessing ceremony at Siem Reap International Airport on Monday

Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra catches a glimpse of Kaavan after his arrival

Cambodia’s Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra catches a glimpse of Kaavan after his arrival

US music icon Cher poses in front of Kaavan's container in Cambodia on Monday. Cher had also been in Pakistan to see the elephant off

US music icon Cher poses in front of Kaavan’s container in Cambodia on Monday. Cher had also been in Pakistan to see the elephant off 

Cher waited to greet Kaavan upon his arrival in Cambodia at Siem Reap International Airport

Cher waited to greet Kaavan upon his arrival in Cambodia at Siem Reap International Airport

The elephant was expected to land in tourist hotspot Siem Reap around 2 pm (0700 GMT), before being transported to neighbouring province Oddar Meanchey where a wildlife sanctuary awaits him.

‘We expect to breed Kaavan with local elephants – this is an effort to conserve the genetic fold,’ the minister said, adding that the sanctuary also houses three female elephants.

Dubbed the world’s loneliest elephant by the press, Kaavan was the only Asian elephant in Pakistan.

But the conditions at the Islamabad zoo were so bad that a judge in May ordered that all the animals be moved.

A member of the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary watches on as the crate containing Kaavan is loaded onto a vehicle after his arrival

A member of the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary watches on as the crate containing Kaavan is loaded onto a vehicle after his arrival

The lorry will take the elephant to his new home in a wildlife sanctuary in the neighbouring province of Oddar Meanchey

The lorry will take the elephant to his new home in a wildlife sanctuary in the neighbouring province of Oddar Meanchey

Kaavan left Pakistan in a custom-made metal crate, which he required months of training to learn how to enter and exit. Pictured: Wildlife workers affixing the crane to Kaavan's cage in Pakistan

Kaavan left Pakistan in a custom-made metal crate, which he required months of training to learn how to enter and exit. Pictured: Wildlife workers affixing the crane to Kaavan’s cage in Pakistan

A crane was brought in to hoist the 10-tonne crate onto a truck that would carry it to Islamabad's airport

A crane was brought in to hoist the 10-tonne crate onto a truck that would carry it to Islamabad’s airport

The transport mission on Sunday and into the early hours of Monday appeared to go off without a hitch after months of preparation. Pictured: The crate carrying Kaavan the elephant is hoisted onto a truck to leave the enclosure in Pakistan

The transport mission on Sunday and into the early hours of Monday appeared to go off without a hitch after months of preparation. Pictured: The crate carrying Kaavan the elephant is hoisted onto a truck to leave the enclosure in Pakistan

Workers affix Kaavan's crate to a lorry, ready to set off for Islamabad's airport where it was loaded onto a former Russian cargo plane

Workers affix Kaavan’s crate to a lorry, ready to set off for Islamabad’s airport where it was loaded onto a former Russian cargo plane

People took pictures of the truck carrying Kaavan to Islamabad's airport as it passed on Sunday night

People took pictures of the truck carrying Kaavan to Islamabad’s airport as it passed on Sunday night

A crate carrying Kaavan bearing the slogan #FreeKaavan, the Pakistani flag and the logos of Four Paws and Free the Wild animal rights groups was pictured being loaded into a plane at Islamabad's airport on Sunday night

A crate carrying Kaavan bearing the slogan #FreeKaavan, the Pakistani flag and the logos of Four Paws and Free the Wild animal rights groups was pictured being loaded into a plane at Islamabad’s airport on Sunday night

Workers gather to oversee the loading and to bid farewell to Pakistan's only Asian elephant

Workers gather to oversee the loading and to bid farewell to Pakistan’s only Asian elephant

A team of vets and experts from Four Paws, an Austria-based animal welfare group, 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.

Kaavan’s handlers took more than 200 kilograms of food including bananas and melons for him to munch on during the journey, according to Four Paws. 

The elephant also had to be taught to enter the massive metal crate that was placed in a cargo plane for the ten-hour flight. 

But ‘Kaavan quickly gained confidence in us and made great progress in a short time’, said Four Paws veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil in a statement Monday.

Four Paws veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil (pictured) said Kaavan required special training to get into his crate but 'quickly gained confidence' and 'made progress in a short time'

Four Paws veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil (pictured) said Kaavan required special training to get into his crate but ‘quickly gained confidence’ and ‘made progress in a short time’

Khalil hands the elephant some of the more than 200 kilograms of food wildlife workers had ready for the massive mammal's journey

Khalil hands the elephant some of the more than 200 kilograms of food wildlife workers had ready for the massive mammal’s journey

Dr Amir Khalil and his team have been working for months to prepare Kaavan for his journey to Cambodia [File photo]

Dr Amir Khalil and his team have been working for months to prepare Kaavan for his journey to Cambodia [File photo]

The case of the 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 [File photo]

The case of the 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 [File photo]

On Sunday morning, Four Paws led dozens of wildlife workers and experts used a winch and rope to pull the sedated elephant into his custom-designed crate.

Weighing more than 10 tons, the crate was then lifted by crane out of the enclosure and onto a truck. 

Later a military convoy escorted Kaavan to Islamabad’s airport from where he left for Cambodia in the early hours of Monday morning on a former Russian cargo plane. 

Four Paws, along with Islamabad authorities, also safely moved three wolves and some monkeys from the zoo. 

Currently only two Himalayan brown bears, one deer and one monkey remain.

Superstar Cher was in Cambodia to be part of Kaavan’s welcome entourage. She has been filming a documentary with the Smithsonian Channel covering the rescue, which is being facilitated by her animal welfare organisation Free the Wild.

‘I found out about Kaavan from the people on my Twitter,’ said Cher, according to a statement from the Smithsonian Channel. 

‘I thought how can I fix this? How can I save an elephant who’s been shackled to a shed for 17 years and who is a thousand miles away? This is Free The Wild’s first big rescue and I am so proud.’

Cher meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Friday while in Pakistan to oversee Kaavan's departure as part of a documentary she is filming

Cher meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Friday while in Pakistan to oversee Kaavan’s departure as part of a documentary she is filming

A singer performs for Kaavan during a farewell ceremony at his Islamabad enclosure on Monday 23 November

A singer performs for Kaavan during a farewell ceremony at his Islamabad enclosure on Monday 23 November

A zoo worker feeds Kaavan during the farewell ceremony which came just under a week before he left Pakistan for Cambodia

A zoo worker feeds Kaavan during the farewell ceremony which came just under a week before he left Pakistan for Cambodia

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