For decades, Kaavan, often called “the loneliest elephant in the world,” lived in heartbreaking conditions at a rundown zoo in Pakistan. Alone, chained, and without proper care, his story drew the attention of animal lovers worldwide. This past week, however, his life finally changed forever.

Earlier this year, Pakistan’s High Court ruled that Kaavan must be released from Islamabad’s Murghazar Zoo, which has since been ordered shut down. It was a decision celebrated around the globe, especially by those who had campaigned tirelessly for his freedom. Among them was the legendary singer Cher, who publicly rejoiced at the news, calling it “one of the greatest moments of my life.”

Behind the scenes, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and the animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS worked around the clock to prepare Kaavan for a new chapter. The search for his new home led to the lush, expansive grounds of Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary, a place where he could finally live as nature intended.

The rescue mission was no small task. At over 4 tons, Kaavan had to be trained to calmly enter and exit an air-shipment crate — a process that took weeks of patient preparation by veterinarians and elephant experts. With military escort, he was carefully transported to Islamabad International Airport, where a Russian Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane awaited. After a long journey, including a stopover in India, Kaavan touched down in Cambodia’s Siem Reap.

What greeted him there was nothing short of magical. As the crate doors opened, Kaavan stepped into his new sanctuary. Waiting for him was a special welcome: a fruitcake and a trail of banana tree leaves prepared just for him. For the first time in years, he tasted freedom, walking out not into a cage, but into open land and green space.

Even more moving, Kaavan was introduced to another elephant, marking his first real companionship in nearly a decade. Soon, he will meet three female elephants and have over 25,000 acres to roam — an area fifty thousand times larger than the cramped enclosure he once knew.

Cher herself was there to witness the moment, singing softly to calm him during the transition. Her years of advocacy, alongside the tireless work of animal rights groups, had finally paid off.

For Kaavan, the years of loneliness and chains have ended. His future now holds freedom, companionship, and peace — the life he should have always known. FOUR PAWS summed it up best: Kaavan will finally live a “species-appropriate and peaceful life.”