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Rudrakali ( left) and Khagendra Prasad

Kathmandu, Dec 15: Rudrakali and Khagendra, a pair of elephants raised at Chitwan National Park, are being sent to Qatar as a goodwill gift. The elephants will be formally seen off from Sauraha on Monday.

They are scheduled to fly to Qatar on Poush 2 from Bhairahawa International Airport, according to Chitwan National Park information officer Abinash Thapa Magar.

The decision to gift a pair of elephants was taken by the Nepal government during the state visit of Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal on Baisakh 11 and 12, 2081.

In line with that decision, Rudrakali and Khagendra, both born at the elephant breeding and training centre in Khorsar, Sauraha, are being sent to Qatar. Khagendra Prasad is a male elephant, and Rudrakali is a female. Both are six years old.

Park officials say the transfer took time due to the need to complete procedures, including compliance with rules under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Nepal has a long practice of gifting wildlife to friendly countries since it began formal conservation efforts. This marks the first time the country is gifting elephants.

So far, Nepal has gifted 47 species of wildlife and hunting trophies to various countries. It has also gifted 120 gharial and mugger crocodile eggs.

The government has previously gifted one-horned rhinoceroses to several countries, including China, India, the United States, Germany, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Austria.

People’s News Monitoring Service