ISLAMABAD: Iconic singer and actress Cher was set to visit Pakistan on Friday to celebrate the departure of Kaavan, dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant,” who will soon leave a Pakistani zoo for better conditions after years of lobbying by animal rights groups and activists.
Because of security concerns, Cher’s schedule was not made public but “she is on her way,” said Martin Bauer of Four Paws International, a Vienna-based animal welfare group that’s led the charge to save Kaavan.
The elephant has languished in the zoo for 35 years, and lost his partner in 2012. He was diagnosed by veterinarians as both overweight and malnourished earlier this year, and also suffers behavioral issues. He’s set to leave for a sanctuary in Cambodia on Sunday.
Cher took up Kaavan’s cause and has been a loud voice advocating for his resettlement. Four Paws, which often carries out animal rescue missions, has provided the medical treatment needed before Kaavan can travel. The battle for his relocation began in 2016.
“Thanks to Cher, but also local Pakistani activists, Kaavan’s fate made headlines around the world, and this contributed to the facilitation of his transfer,” Bauer told The Associated Press on Friday.
Even after he’s in Cambodia, he’ll require years of physical and even psychological assistance, Bauer said.
Because of the abysmal living conditions blamed on systemic negligence, Pakistan’s high court in May ordered the closure of Marghazar Zoo in the capital of Islamabad, where Kaavan has lived for much of his life.
A medical examination in September showed Kaavan’s nails were cracked and overgrown — the result of years of living in an improper enclosure with flooring that damaged his feet.
The elephant has also developed stereotypical behavior, shaking his head back and forth for hours, which the medical team of wildlife veterinarians and experts blamed on his utter boredom.
For the past three months, a Four Paws team including veterinarian Dr. Amil Khalil and the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board has been readying Kaavan to leave. Members of the welfare group will also accompany him to the sanctuary.
Bauer lauded the powerful impact celebrity voices can have for animal rights.
“Celebrities lending their voices to good causes are always welcomed, as they help starting public discourse and raising pressure on responsible authorities,” he said.
“Around the globe there are animal lovers, famous and not famous, and the support of every single one of them is crucial,” he added.
Cher to visit Pakistan to help ‘world’s loneliest elephant’
https://arab.news/j2gq7
Cher to visit Pakistan to help ‘world’s loneliest elephant’
- Kaavan has languished in the Islamabad zoo for 35 years and lost his partner in 2012
- Cher has campaigned for years for the elephant’s better treatment and freedom
Pakistan’s northwest issues weather alert as rain, snowfall forecast from Jan. 31
- Warning follows deadly avalanche that killed nine people in KP’s Chitral district earlier this month
- Authorities have already warned of possible landslides, avalanches in the country’s upper districts
PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Pakistan’s northwest on Friday directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) authorities to take precautionary measures ahead of a fresh spell of rain and snowfall expected from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3.
The alert follows a warning issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Jan. 25 of possible landslides and avalanches in hilly areas, urging residents, travelers and tourists to exercise caution.
The PMD issued the warning after at least nine people were killed and a child was injured in an avalanche that struck a house in KP’s Chitral district earlier this month on Jan. 23.
“According to the Meteorological Department, a new spell of westerly weather is likely from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3,” KP’s PDMA said in a statement.
“Snowfall is expected at a few locations in upper areas, with a possible drop in temperatures.”
The statement added that rain and snowfall were expected in mountainous areas of upper districts including Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Upper and Lower Chitral, Upper and Lower Dir, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Battagram, Shangla, Upper and Lower Kohistan and Kolai Palas.
The PDMA said intermittent rain was also likely in Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, North and South Waziristan, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan.
It warned that rain and snowfall could cause road closures and slippery conditions in upper tourist areas, including Naran, Kaghan, Kalam, and Chitral.
Tourists were advised to avoid unnecessary travel and exercise caution, it added.
Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Pakistan’s scenic northern and northwestern regions every winter to witness snowfall, often neglecting warnings from disaster management authorities.
In Jan. 2022, at least 21 people, including children, died after getting stuck in freezing temperatures during a snowstorm in the Pakistani hill station of Murree.
