KATHMANDU: The government has bid farewell to two elephants, Khagendra Prasad and Rudrakali, set to be presented as a gift to the Government of Qatar.
The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation formally sent off the elephants from their habitat at Chitwan National Park on Monday.
According to authorities, the elephants will be officially handed over to Qatar on December 17 in Bhairahawa. The handover is being arranged from Bhairahawa considering climatic suitability and logistical convenience for transportation.
Chitwan National Park Chief Conservation Officer Dr. Ganesh Pant said the elephants will be transported by truck from Chitwan to Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa. They will then be flown directly to Qatar on a Qatar Airways charter flight on Decmber 17.
Speaking at the farewell program, Chitwan Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal said gifting elephants would play an important role in promoting Nepal internationally and there was no reason for concern over the decision.
Khagendra Prasad, a male elephant, is six years old, while Rudrakali, a female elephant, is seven. The Nepal government had announced its decision 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 2024.
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