Bengaluru, July 26 (IANS) In a first-of-its-kind international transfer, four elephants from Bannerghatta Biological Park have been successfully relocated to Japan, where they have begun a new chapter of their lives.

Bannerghatta Biological Park authorities also shared videos showing the elephants being moved in trucks, resting, and eating at their new enclosures in Japan.

Four pachyderms – Suresh (8), Gauri (9), Shruti (7), and Tulsi (5) – were airlifted from Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru to Kansai International Airport in Osaka on July 24, aboard a Qatar Airways B777-200F cargo aircraft.

After a journey lasting over eight hours, they arrived safely in Japan on Friday.

From there, they were transported in specially designed cages by road to Himeji Central Park, their new home.

A team from Bannerghatta Biological Park accompanied the elephants throughout the journey to ensure their comfort and safety. Now settled in Japan, the elephants have started exploring their new surroundings freely in the spacious natural enclosures of Himeji Central Park, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

In preparation for the relocation, the elephants underwent three months of specialised training. A dedicated team, comprising two veterinary officers, four mahouts, a supervisor, and a biologist, accompanied them and will remain in Japan for 15 days to help the elephants adapt to their new environment.

The park is expected to soon welcome rare species such as cheetahs, jaguars, pumas, chimpanzees, and capuchin monkeys, in exchange for elephants from Japan, offering wildlife enthusiasts the opportunity to witness exotic animals in enriched habitats.

This exchange, in the planning stages since 2023, was made possible through collaboration between the Central Zoo Authority, the Embassies of Japan and India, and various other departments.

Bannerghatta Biological Park is a designated section carved out of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) in 2002. Located near Bengaluru city, within the hills of the Anekal range in Karnataka, Bannerghatta National Park spans across two districts: Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru South. It was declared a National Park in 1974.

The park is part of an important wildlife corridor for elephants, connecting the BR Hills and the Sathyamangalam forests. It is contiguous with the Talli Reserve Forest in the southeast and the Bilikal Forest in the south.

Bannerghatta Biological Park is also notable for being the first biological park in India to establish a fenced, forested elephant sanctuary. In 2006, it became home to India’s first butterfly enclosure.

–IANS

mka/svn