Chitwan bids farewell to two Qatar-bound elephants

KATHMANDU: A pair of elephants, born and raised in Chitwan National Park (CNP), is leaving for Qatar on Wednesday.

Officials of Chitwan National Park (CNP) and locals of Chitwan on Monday bade adieu to the jumbos—Khagendra Prasad and Rudrakali—who are being gifted to the Government of Qatar.

The two elephants were formally sent off from their habitat on Monday, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.

The government has announced that the elephants will be officially handed over to Qatar in Bhiahrawa on Wednesday.

Chief Conservation Officer of CNP, Dr Ganesh Pant, said the elephants will be transported by truck from Chitwan to Bhairahawa International Airport and then flown directly to Qatar on a chartered Qatar Airways flight.

Speaking at the farewell program, Chitwan Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal said the elephant gift would help enhance Nepal’s image in the global arena. He added that there was no reason for the public to be disheartened by the decision

Khagendra Prasad, a male elephant, is six years old, while Rudrakali, a female, is seven.

The government had expressed a commitment to gift a pair of elephants to Qatar during the official visit of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Nepal in April last year.

As the young elephants embark on their overseas journey, the episode stands out as an odd yet symbolic chapter in Nepal’s diplomacy—where jumbo-sized ambassadors carry goodwill across continents.