Pakistan Mission in Bangkok has issued visas to three veterinary experts for health assessment of the elephant Kaavan of the Islamabad Margazar Zoo and declare him fit to travel to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia, according to a statement issued here on Tuesday by Ministry of Climate Change.
The experts, which are expected to arrive Islamabad before Augsut-end are namely: Mr. Srisaard Channarong (Thailand), Mr. Pratumdee Wichian (Thailand)
Mr. Thomson Darrick Lome (Canada), said Muhammad Saleem, deputy director and media focal person at the climate change ministry.
The information has been conveyed by the by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the climate change ministry through its letter, requesting onward transmission to the Islamabad High Court for the information, he said.Kaavan will move to a sanctuary in Cambodia after 35 years in captivity in Islamabad.
He recalled that the Islamabad High Court in writ petition no 1155/2019 titled Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Vs Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and others had directed to make necessary arrangements for the relocation of the Kaavan, the elephant.
Later, the climate change ministry had approached the foreign affairs ministry and requested to take up the matter with the concerned authorities/officials at the Pakistan Mission in Bangkok for the issuance of visas to the veterinarians for medical examination of the elephant before its retirement and relocation to the 25,000-acre wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia for retirement, Mr. Saleem elaborated.
“It may be recalled here that in compliance with the direction of the Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah, IWMB had notified on June 9 an eight-member committee for relocation of the elephant Kaavan and other animals of the Marghzar Zoo to some other sanctuaries,” the media focal person said.
It comprised WWF-Pakistan’s senior director programme Pakistan as its chairman and biodiversity specialist Z. B. Mirza as co-chairman.
The Committee’s other members include Khyber Pakhtukhwa Wildlife Chief Conservator Dr Mohsin Farooq, Islamabad Zoo veterinary officer Dr Bilal Khilji, Dr Masoodul Haq of Bahria Zoo, Dr Tom Channarong Srisa of Ard Save the Elephant Foundation, Ms Nilanga Jaysinghe of IUCN, co-founder of Save the Elephant Foundation Derek Thompsan and representatives from M/o Climate Change as well as the Islamabad Zoo.
The climate change official said further that a meeting of IWMB, convened on July 13, reviewed various options for safe relocation/retirement of the elephant to comply with the Honorable Islamabad High Court’s judgment issued on May 21.
IWMB in the meeting had decided that the Kaavan should be retired to the Cambodian Wildlife Sanctuary after its health assessment by the veterinarians.
“The meeting participants were of the view that the re-location options for the elephant Kaavan 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.
“However, after elaborate examination of the various viable options the Board has decided, based on expert committee’s recommendations, to relocate/retire Kaavan to a sanctuary in Cambodia under required due diligence and agreements,” said the ministry official.
Later, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was conveyed of the expert committee’s decision, which on July 18 disposed of the case related to the implementation of its order for releasing Kaavan from the zoo to a sanctuary.
The case was disposed only after the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and the climate change ministry informed the court that Kaavan may be relocated to a sanctuary in Cambodia.
It is pertinent to metntion here that the IWMB’s representative had told the court during the hearing on July 18 that the expert committee formed to consider relocation options for Kaavan agreed to send him to a sanctuary in Cambodia that already houses elephants and is equipped with experts to have relocated and rehabilitated more than 80 elephants so far.
The representative had further informed the court that three sanctuaries in Cambodia, Nepal and Sri Lanka were considered, and the one in Cambodia was finally chosen because it was more effective and economical.
Earlier, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam, had earlier hailed the decision of the Islamabad High Court and acknowledged that under the circumstances, relocation and retirement of the lone elephant of the Islamabad Zoo is a very sad step to take but the right one for the betterment of the Kaavan.
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