Elephants gifted to Qatar Amir await departure date

Chitwan, July 19: In the middle of the dark forests of Chitwan National Park, two elephants, Rudrakali and Khagendra Prasad, are regarded as special creatures. They will soon leave their birthplace, embarking on a journey far from home.

Even though this is not the first time elephants and rhinos have been gifted to foreign dignitaries as symbols of friendship and goodwill, this time, things look different. Three people each involved in raising Rudrakali and Khagendra Prasad are deeply connected to these animals, touching the hearts and minds of many families around Chitwan National Park.

With their wistful eyes and supple movements, these majestic creatures have become beloved residents of the park, charming all who visit with their extraordinary friendliness.

They greet people and express their love and their trunks extend out when they encounter visitors. When asked to sit, they sit, when asked to stand, they do so with an honest gesture, following their caretakers’ commands with firm loyalty.

When the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamas Al-Thani came on his official visit to Nepal on April 23, 2024, the government announced to give these mammals as a gift to the Amir as token of long-lasting friendship and goodwill between the two countries. They are still in the CNP awaiting the date to board as the paperwork is still going on.

Both the elephants which are set to be gifted are the babies of the wild elephant Ronaldo. Rudrakali, six years old, and Khagendra Prasad, five years old, were born and trained at the Elephant Breeding Centre at Sorsor in Sauraha. They are being gifted to Qatar under the Conservation Policy, said an official at CNP.

Bijay Das Tharu, 38, from Ratnanagar-4 Dewali, has been one of the riders of elephants for the past 12 years in Sauraha. Tharu has been taking care of Rudrakali since her birth, and he feels emotional when thinking about her departing abroad.

“Rudrakali has become like a family member. Can you imagine giving your daughter or son to others abroad? This is exactly how it feels for us. She is very kind and nice to us. It will be difficult for us to leave her. Even though there are talks about going together with her, it is not confirmed, and there is no exact information about whether we leave her in Qatar and return or stay there as well. Whatever the situation, it will be hard for us to part with her,” Tharu lamented.

Pachuka Tharu, of Parsa district, the mahout of Khagendra Prasad, the male elephant which is given to Qatar as a gift, has been training Khagendra Prasad for the past one and a half years.  Two other persons are also looking after Khagendra Prasad.

“It is a matter of pride for all Nepali people that our country is giving its precious creatures as a gift to the Amir of Qatar, making history. However, we do feel emotional about departure of a family member from the Elephant Breeding Centre. We have raised him since childhood, and it will be difficult for all of us in the area to stay away from him,” he said.

He added that Khagendra Prasad is very intelligent and empathetic and trained well inside the breeding centre.

What officials say

Shyam Kumar Shah, senior ecologist at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, said that they have prepared for the departure process from the government side. Both elephants have been fitted with chips for monitoring and have already been vaccinated to protect other animals from communicable diseases, he informed.

“This issue is connected with international law, so we need to complete all the formalities and paperwork. There should be a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two concerned ministries outlining the terms and conditions. We are waiting for the paperwork from the Qatari government as we have already completed our formalities,” Shah said.

People might be concerned about sending these elephants to Qatar, but they will be kept in a zoo with all the necessary facilities. “Qatar is a rich country and can provide a favourable environment for these elephants and their breeding. We need to trust in science because there have been many relocations of wild and domesticated animals from desert to forest and forest to desert, so we believe there will not be any difficulties for these adorable animals in a country like Qatar. It is also important for research, conservation, and education,” he added.

According to the CNP, transporting the elephants will require at least nine technicians and they will be translocated through air cargo. Also, the country is planning to send mahouts with the elephants to Qatar but it is not confirmed yet.

Even though many wild animals have been gifted to various countries, this is the first time elephant pairs have been gifted. To date, Nepal has gifted 47 wild animals to various countries, including 120 crocodiles and crocodile eggs, with 26 rhinoceroses (four each to India and China, six to America, two each to Germany, Singapore, the UK, Japan, and Austria), the most frequent gift. According to Shah, every country should update on the situation of the gifted animals every year but the situation of some is unknown.