Return of three elephants from Osaka zoo cannot be rushed
MERSING, May 19 — The process of bringing home three elephants, Dara, Amoi and Kelat, from Tennoji Zoo in Osaka, Japan, cannot be rushed as it involves several procedures that must be followed, said Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh.
He said the welfare and safety of the animals must be prioritised to prevent any untoward incidents.
“It’s not a case of deciding today and bringing them back tomorrow. There is also an existing agreement between Zoo Taiping and Night Safari (ZTNS) and Tennoji Zoo.
“So the matter needs to be carefully considered and assessed. As for when they might be brought home, I’m not in a position to say as I do not have the details,” he told reporters after launching the Biodiversity Exploration Programme within the Central Forest Spine (CFS) ecological network at Lenggor Forest Reserve and Mersing Forest Reserve, held at Mersing Polytechnic here today.
He said the ministry has entrusted ZTNS and the Taiping Municipal Council with handling matters related to the elephants, including any necessary follow-up action.
Previously, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said that proposals from various parties, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to bring the elephants home should be given serious consideration.
The three elephants were previously transferred to Tennoji Zoo under a conservation collaboration, a move that has recently drawn public concern over their welfare.
Meanwhile, Syed Ibrahim said the five-day exploration, which began yesterday, involves 120 participants, including researchers from higher learning institutions, government agency officials, NGOs and various experts.
“The main objective of the exploration is to better understand forest functionality and connectivity, as well as ecological corridors, while supporting efforts to conserve habitats and manage biodiversity resources in a more integrated and sustainable manner,” he said.
