Cher greets ‘world’s loneliest elephant’ after seven-hour flight to Cambodia

Kaavan the elephant was met by his biggest celebrity fan at Siem Reap airport on Monday

US pop singer Cher gestures in front of the crate of Kaavan the Asian elephant upon his arrival in Cambodia from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport on November 30, 2020. AFP

Cher arrives at Siem Reap International Airport, Cambodia. EPA

Cher watches as rescued elephant Kaavan arrives at the international airport in Siem Reap, Cambodia. AP

Kavaan is offloaded from the plane in Siem Reap airport arrival in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws

Kavaan arrives in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws

Cher holds a welcoming sign for rescued elephant Kaavan in Siem Reap, Cambodia. AP

Cher and Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra await the arrival of a crate containing Kaavan the elephant from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport. AFP

Cher and Cambodia's Deputy Minister of Environment Neth Pheaktra await the arrival of a crate containing Kaavan the elephant from Pakistan at Siem Reap International Airport. AFP

Cher reacts as the crate containing Kaavan the Asian elephant is opened for his release into his new home in the Kulen Prom Tep Wildlife Sanctuary in Oddar Meanchey Province. AFP

Cher arrives at Siem Reap International Airport in Cambodia. EPA

Cher at the arrival of Kavaan in Cambodia. Courtesy Four Paws

Elephant Kaavan is finally relocated from Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad to Cambodia. Four Paws

Elephant Kaavan is finally relocated from Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad to Cambodia. Four Paws

Amir Khalil, a veterinarian and director of the project development for Four Paws International, feeds Kaavan, Pakistan's only Asian elephant, in a crate prior to transport it to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad. AFP

Pakistani wildlife workers, officials and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, pose for photograph next to a crate holding an elephant named Kaavan before he is transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. AP

Veterinarians from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws inject medicine to an elephant named Kaavan before transporting him to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP

Pakistani wildlife workers and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, use a crane to move a crate carrying an elephant named Kaavan before transporting him to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP

Pakistani wildlife workers and experts from the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, arrange an elephant named Kaavan into a crate before he is transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia. AP

American Iconic singer and actress Cher visits the elephant named 'Kaavan' at Maragzar zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA

American Iconic singer and actress Cher visits the elephant named 'Kaavan' at Maragzar zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting with American pop icon Cher, in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting with American pop icon Cher, in Islamabad, Pakistan. EPA

A photographer takes a picture of an elephant named "Kaavan" waiting to be transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Maragzar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. AP

Officials of Four Paws International and wildlife rangers move Kavaan, Pakistan's only Asian elephant, into a crate prior to transport it to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad. AFP

Latest update: 'Former loneliest elephant in the world' makes a friend in Cambodia

An elephant flown from captivity in Pakistan to Cambodia on Monday will no longer be the “world’s loneliest” after a rescue that took years to arrange.

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 the singer Cher, who travelled to Pakistan to see him off.

Wearing a black face mask, the singer was also on hand at Siem Reap airport and waved excitedly at the plane after it landed about 2.30pm.

"I am so proud he is here," she told AFP, after greeting Kaavan through an opening at the base of the crate. "He's going to be really happy here."

Kaavan's flight took seven hours, during which he remained calm, according to Four Paws, the animal welfare group that organised his rescue. Amir Khalil, a veterinarian working with the Austria-based group, said he behaved "like a frequent flyer".

"Kaavan was eating, was not stressed – he was even sleeping a bit, standing, leaning against the crate wall," he said

Four Paws said Kaavan’s next stop would be his new home, a wildlife sanctuary in Oddar Meanchey province where he will live with about 600 other elephants.

"Cambodia is pleased to welcome Kaavan. No longer will he be 'the world's loneliest elephant'," deputy environment minister Neth Pheaktra said.

"We expect to breed Kaavan with local elephants – this is an effort to conserve the genetic fold," the minister told AFP.

Before he was transported to the sanctuary, monks offered him bananas and watermelon, chanting prayers and sprinkling holy water on his crate to bless him.

Kaavan's journey is the culmination of years of campaigning by animal rights groups, who say the animal's behaviour demonstrated "a kind of mental illness" probably a result of the woeful conditions at the zoo.

In May, a Pakistani judge ordered that all the animals at the zoo be moved.

Cher had tweeted that the decision marked "one of the greatest moments" of her life.

A team of vets and experts from Four Paws spent months working with Kaavan to get him ready for the trip – a complicated process because of his size and the amount of food needed en route.

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

Four Paws, with Islamabad authorities, also safely moved three wolves and some monkeys from the zoo. Currently only two Himalayan brown bears, a deer and a solitary monkey remain.