Taiping council denies Osaka zoo elephants abused, says head swaying and musth normal in captivity

The three Malaysian elephants Dara, Amoi and Kelat at the Tennoji Zoo in Osaka, Japan under a 25-year deal with the Taiping Zoo in Perak. — Picture from Facebook/Tennoji Zoo

By Malay Mail

First Published: Friday, 23 Oct 2026 9:03 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — The Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) has rejected claims that the three Malaysian elephants sent to Japan’s Tennoji Zoo in Osaka are being abused or neglected, insisting the animals are healthy and have settled into their new surroundings.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported MPT president Mohamed Akmal Dahalan as saying that Dara, Amoi and Kelat were reunited on September 20 after being kept apart for a period following their transfer, and now have free access to the whole enclosure.

He was responding to concerns raised on social media that the elephants were displaying behaviour such as head swaying, zoochosis and frequent musth episodes.

Mohamed Akmal said in a statement that such behaviour could not be directly attributed 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 was quoted as saying.

He added that Tennoji Zoo is running enrichment programmes to safeguard the animals’ wellbeing.

The elephants were sent to Osaka in March under a 25-year cooperation agreement between Taiping Zoo & Night Safari and Tennoji Zoo, a move that has drawn criticism from animal welfare groups and members of the public.

MPT has consistently maintained that the arrangement is a non-commercial, zoo-to-zoo programme and that the elephants remain the property of Taiping Zoo.