The Kazan Zoo will receive two elephants as a gift from the President of Laos in honor of the ASEAN summit.

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       The Kazan Zoo will receive two elephants from the President of Laos in honor of the ASEAN summit

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       The Kazan Zoo will receive two elephants from the President of Laos in honor of the ASEAN summit

      

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      The Kazan Zoo will receive two elephants from the President of Laos in honor of the ASEAN summit (photo: pxhere.com)

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       Two baby elephants will soon arrive at the Kazan Zoo and Botanical Garden, which will be transferred to Russia as a gesture of friendship and partnership by the Lao People's Democratic Republic. This news was shared by the mayor of the capital of Tatarstan, Ilsur Metshin, at a government meeting, as clarified by "Tatar-inform." According to him, the valuable gift, which the President of Laos previously personally informed the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, about, is timed to coincide with a major international event that Kazan will soon host – the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In his comments, Metshin explained the deep symbolism of the gesture: in Laos, the elephant is considered a sacred animal, symbolizing prosperity, wisdom, strength, and royal dignity. The mayor expressed immense gratitude to the President of Laos and personally to Vladimir Putin for the honor of receiving such a valuable gift, which has fallen to Kazan and its zoo. In addition, the mayor emphasized that this gift is primarily addressed to the children of Kazan, as well as to all residents and guests of the capital. At the same time, he acknowledged that the transportation of two exotic animals from Southeast Asia to Russia represents an extremely complex logistical procedure, comparable to a military operation, as it is an equation with many unknowns and requires colossal preparation. Metshin expressed hope that the elephants would safely arrive in the city either the day before or directly during the days of the summit, which will take place from June 17 to 19 in Kazan. He emphasized that such a generous gift imposes special responsibility on the city and its authorities for the fate and health of the animals, and the zoo team has already prepared all the necessary maximum comfortable conditions for their swift adaptation to the new place.

       Arina Mikhaylova

      

      

      

      

      

       Published: 01.06.2026 11:59

       Edited: 01.06.2026 11:59