No animal in the world deserves to carry the title of the “World’s Loneliest Elephant.” Unfortunately, Kaavan, a 36-year-old elephant, was given this name. Due to captivity at a Pakistani zoo in diminishing conditions, Kaavan was known for being alone. Although this story has a sad beginning, the ending is one we were all hoping for.

At Bright Side, we’re all about sharing truly inspiring stories. We hope you also feel inspired by this journey to freedom.

Kaavan was originally from Sri Lanka and then given as a gift.

Few people know this, but little Kaavan was actually a gift to a Pakistani general’s daughter named Zain Zia. He was first kept at a Sri Lanka orphanage but was later transferred to Islamabad and lived at a local zoo.

Since then, Kaavan had lived for 30 years in this zoo. As companions are essential for these animals, he had another elephant friend named Saheli. Unfortunately, after 22 years, she passed away, leaving Kaavan by himself.

As conditions were poor, a movement to free Kaavan took place.

A series of movements and fundraisers then took place on the Internet. An organization called Free The Wild, which was co-founded by the famous singer, Cher, improved its efforts to make the whole process legal. Thanks to people who are working toward making this planet a better place, it was a success!

Bureaucracy slowed down the progress of Kaavan’s freedom as it finally reached Islamabad’s High Court. The plan was to fly Kaavan from the zoo he was kept in to a Cambodian sanctuary. With the help of veterinarian Dr. Amir Khalil and his team, Kaavan was successfully fed properly and treated. Just look at how cute he is!

1