Donated Cambodian elephants to be flown to S.Korea

A man and a boy riding on an elephant in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh

via Khmer NZ

SEOUL — Two elephants donated by Cambodia will be flown to South Korea Thursday to swell the country's depleted ranks of the endangered species, a zoo official said.

A South Korean air force cargo plane has left for Cambodia to collect a 20-year-old bull and a 27-year-old cow elephant after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen approved the donation, the Seoul Children's Grand Park official said on condition of anonymity.

They will join a 36-year-old bull elephant called Taesan, who has been leading a lonely life at the park zoo since his mate died of colitis 14 years ago.

There are hopes the female will become pregnant from either Taesan or the 20-year-old bull.

South Korea currently has only 11 elephants including five females past breeding age.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species bans the buying and selling of elephants, sparking off a round of diplomacy by Seoul which led to the donation.

The Cambodian elephants weigh a combined 5.5 tons and to ensure they have a comfortable ride aboard the C-130, air force officials prepared two large shockproof containers, the JoongAng Daily said. Three Cambodian elephant experts will accompany them to South Korea.

Following acclimatisation, the Cambodian pair will be on public view later this month.