PETALING JAYA: The Taiping Municipal Council has denied claims that three elephants transferred to a zoo in Japan have been abused or neglected.
Council president Akmal Dahalan said the three elephants — Darao, Amoi and Kelat — were in good health and had become used to the new environment at the Tennoji Zoo in Osaka.
In a statement, he said they were placed together again on Sept 20, after initially being isolated following the transfer and have been given free access to the entire enclosure at the zoo.
Responding to concerns on social media over the elephants depicting behaviour such as head swaying, zoochosis and musth episodes, Akmal said such behaviours cannot be directly linked to stress, depression or neglect.
"Head swaying is also a typical behaviour when elephants anticipate food. On the other hand, the frequent episodes of musth experienced by Kelat is caused by the animal being fed highly nutritious food.
"Both behaviours are normal for elephants put under the care of zoos.”
He also said the zoo is carrying out enrichment programmes for the animals to ensure their wellbeing.
The transfer has been the subject of controversy since the elephants were sent to Japan earlier this year.
The Taiping Municipal Council has maintained that the arrangement was a non-commercial zoo-to-zoo programme and that the elephants remain the property of Taiping Zoo.