Kaavan, a 31-year-old Asian elephant, has been unchained in its enclosure at the small zoo of the federal capital Islamabad three years after the beast was enshakled.
Kaavan was put in chains by the Islamabad Zoo administration for security of the zoo’s visitors after the death of its female companion, Saheli, in 2012. The elephant was set free within its enclosure after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif intervened in the issue following a global outcry over the animal’s plight.
However, animal rights campaigners, who have been pursuing the issue vigorously, have announced that they would continue their campaign until Kaavan was released to an elephant sanctuary. They have also criticised a decision – announced by MNA Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday who visited the zoo on the prime minister’s directions – of bringing a female partner for Kaavan from Sri Lanka to address his loneliness-related issues.
A strong online petition, Help Free Kaavan – backed by over 265,000 animal-lovers – is now demanding its release to a sanctuary.
