Three Elephants Relocated from Malaysian Zoo to Osaka Spark Animal Welfare Controversy
Social media users express concern over elephants' enclosure in Japan, with some claiming one appeared to be 'weeping'
L'essentiel
- Three elephants from Malaysia's Zoo Taiping and Night Safari have been relocated to Tennoji Zoo in Osaka under a breeding and research programme, sparking backlash over animal welfare concerns.
- Social media footage shows Dara, Amoi, and Kelat responding to Malaysian visitors, with users claiming one appeared to be weeping.
- Critics have also raised concerns about concrete enclosures and damage to Kelat's tusks, turning the relocation into a wider debate over wildlife welfare and Malaysia's responsibility for animals sent overseas.
Résumé généré par IA
Pourquoi c'est important
The three elephants – Amoi (9), Dara (14), and Kelat (20) – were transferred from Zoo Taiping and Night Safari in Perak to Tennoji Zoo in Osaka in March 2026 under a Malaysian Elephant Conservation programme for breeding and research purposes. The programme was intended to support elephant conservation efforts.
The footage showed the three pachyderms – Dara, Amoi and Kelat – responding to the Malaysian visitors, while another widely shared clip led social media users to claim one of the elephants appeared to be "weeping". Other clips and images circulating online have fuelled concern over what viewers described as a concrete enclosure, while earlier criticism centred on damage to one of Kelat's tusks, which Malaysian wildlife authorities later said had been treated for veterinary reasons. The backlash has turned the animals' relocation from Zoo Taiping and Night Safari (ZTNS) in Perak to the Tennoji Zoo in Osaka into a wider debate over wildlife welfare and Malaysia's responsibility for animals sent overseas. The elephants were relocated in March under a Malaysian Elephant Conservation programme for breeding and research, according to Perak officials. Amoi, aged nine, Dara, 14, and Kelat, 20, remained the property of the state zoo, Perak Housing and Local Government Committee chair Sandrea Ng said in April, adding that they had not been sold or changed owners.
À surveiller
Perspective IA — des possibilités, pas des certitudes
More footage and information about the elephants' conditions will likely emerge as visitors continue to monitor their welfare
Probable · En quelques semaines
Malaysian authorities may issue further statements clarifying the elephant welfare situation
Probable · En quelques semaines
Questions ouvertes
- Were proper welfare assessments conducted before the relocation?
- What are the exact conditions of the enclosure at Tennoji Zoo?
- Will there be ongoing monitoring of the elephants' welfare?
- What are the breeding and research objectives of the programme?
