Kaavan is a poor elephant, who had the bad luck of falling into the worst hands of unscrupulous politicians and soulless humans, who never cared about the deplorable conditions in which he lived, not for 365 days, but for THIRTY FIVE eternal! years!
Kaavan was called the loneliest elephant in the world
Initially, it was a donation from the Sri Lankan government to Pakistan, in 1985, a gift that should last 1 year, and ended in the cruelest and most ruthless captivity of almost 4 decades.
In addition, an elephant that was sent to keep him company died in 2012, leaving him in deep mourning for 8 years, which almost took him to the grave.
The sad, languid and helpless pachyderm was kept in a minimal enclosure at the Maragzar Zoo in Islamabad (Pakistan).
After the outrageous case of Kaavan’s confinement drew the attention of activists, animal advocates, non-governmental organizations, the international press and artists, since 2016 a media campaign has vociferously sought to achieve a single goal: “Free Kaavan”. .
The American singer Cher was one of those who, thanks to her tweets and all the campaigns she joined, managed to put pressure on the long-awaited response from the Pakistani government.
Until finally, last May, advocates and activists claimed victory.
The High Court of Pakistan ordered the closure of the Marghazar zoo, due to its appalling conditions, attributed to obvious negligence and the systematic mistreatment to which dozens of animals were subjected.
It was then that the organization Four Paws International was given the rights to come to the rescue of Kaavan.
“Under the strictest safety precautions, our team led by Dr. Khalil and Dr. Goeritz, from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin (IZW), performed a thorough medical examination on Kaavan , ” Four Paws wrote in a post.
After sedating him, blood samples were taken, measured, and a microchip was inserted into his left shoulder for proper recognition. But what they found was more unfortunate than they imagined.
Although he showed advanced signs of malnutrition, he was severely obese because he had almost no ability to move in such a small space.
Additionally, its nails were cracked and misshapen, which can be attributed to the inappropriate flooring and structure of its enclosure.
“The lack of nutrition, as well as the absence of a partner, have given rise to stereotypical behavior: he shakes his head from side to side for hours, that is because he is extremely bored and lonely,” they add.
But despite his serious condition, Martin Bauer, a spokesman for Four Paws, delivered the best of news. Kaavan finally received medical clearance to travel, probably to Cambodia, where she will find company and better conditions.
“Unfortunately, the rescue comes too late for two lions who died during a transfer attempt in late July after local animal handlers set their enclosure on fire to force them into their transport crates ,” Bauer said in a statement. release.
A vet was caught comforting Kaavan before his exam
Bauer is happy that Kaavan can finally be transferred, but assured that he still has a long way to go, not only because of his physical problems but also because of the deep psychological consequences that are already being observed.
Kaavan has struggled against confinement and then against loneliness after losing the love of his life
We celebrate with great joy the happy ending for a poor elephant who only knew human evil and loneliness. He shares to raise awareness so that once and for all all the zoos in the world are closed.
