Nepal is set to send two elephant calves to Qatar on December 17 as a goodwill gesture, marking the first time the country is gifting elephants to another nation.
The two calves-Rudrakali (seven years old) and Khagendra Prasad (six years old), were born and raised at the Elephant Breeding and Training Centre in Khorsor, Chitwan National Park, and are currently housed at Sauraha Hattisar.
According to Dr Haribhadra Acharya, Information Officer at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the elephants will be transported to Qatar via a chartered cargo aircraft from Gautam Buddha International Airport, Bhairahawa, on December 17.
Preparations are underway to move the elephants from Sauraha to Bhairahawa a day earlier, following coordination with flight schedules and an assessment of road conditions. The calves will be kept at the Al Khor Park Zoo in Doha, Acharya said.
A team led by park animal technician Dinesh Dhakal, along with two mahouts, will accompany the elephants to Qatar. The team will return after ensuring that proper management and care arrangements are in place for the calves.
Nepal has previously gifted wildlife, including one-horned rhinoceroses, tortoises, a wolf, and leopards, to friendly nations as part of its efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and highlight the country’s rich biodiversity. However, this marks the first instance of elephants being gifted.
The Elephant Breeding and Training Centre, established in 2044 BS, initially housed elephants brought from India, Myanmar, and Thailand. To date, the centre has bred 68 elephants, of which 61 have been successfully trained, while six have died.
Since 1985, Nepal has gifted 26 rhinos, 10 tortoises, one wolf, and two leopards to various countries. Nepal had committed to gifting elephants to Qatar during the official visit of then-President Bidya Devi Bhandari to Qatar in 2018.
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