CHITWAN : Two elephant calves born at the Elephant Breeding and Training Centre at Khorsor, Chitwan National Park, are to be sent to Qatar on December 17.
The two calves named as Rudrakali and Khagendra Prasad, raised and trained at the breeding centre, and sheltered in Sauraha Hattisar, are about to be transferred to Qatar. Rudrakali is seven years old and Khagendra Prasad is six years old.
Dr Haribhadra Acharya, the Information Officer of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, said that the two elephant calves are to be sent to Qatar on 17th December, via a chartered cargo plane from Bhairahawa International Airport.
Acharya said that preparations are being made to send the elephants to Bhairahawa from Sauraha a day earlier after coordinating with the plane’s flight schedule and assessing the road conditions. These elephants are going to be kept at Al Khor Park’s zoo in Doha, Qatar.
According to Information Officer Acharya, two mahouts are also going to Qatar under the leadership of park animal technician Dinesh Dhakal, accompanying the calves. They will return home after ensuring the management of the elephant calves there.
Previously, Nepal has been presenting various wild animals such as the one-horned rhinoceros and elephants to different friendly nations as gifts. These wildlife gifts have been presented to strengthen the bilateral relations and to project the importance of Nepal’s biodiversity at the international level.
Acharya said that this is the first time that Nepal is sending elephants as present to another country.
The elephant breeding centre, established in 2044 B.S. with 16 elephants brought from India, two from Myanmar, and two from Thailand, has so far bred and raised 68 elephants. Six of those born here have died. It is said 61 elephants have been trained here.
Previously, Nepal has gifted 26 rhinos, 10 tortoises, one wolf and two leopards to various countries since 1985.
Nepal had expressed its commitment to gift elephants to Qatar during the official visit of then President Bidya Devi Bhandari in 2018.
