Animal rights groups and netizens have expressed concern over the welfare of the elephants – Dara, Amoi and Kelat – which were transferred to the zoo in Osaka in March as part of a conservation collaboration and breeding programme.

Wan Rosdy said he will obtain further clarification on the matter and find the best way to bring the elephants back, following questions asked over their welfare and survival in Japan’s four-season climate.

“I will hold discussions with the Taiping Zoo authorities in the near future, even earlier than the meeting previously planned by the Perak government.

“We are worried that something will happen to the elephants. We are working on bringing them back to Malaysia and we hope the people will support this effort,” Bernama reported him as saying today.

Wan Rosdy had earlier proposed that the elephants be returned to Malaysia and placed at the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre in Temerloh, which he described as more suitable for their natural habitat and needs.

Natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Arthur Joseph Kurup also previously said that while his ministry is not a party to Taiping Zoo’s transfer agreement with Tennoji Zoo, there are legitimate grounds for the demand that the elephants be brought home.

Last Friday, Perak housing and local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng said a meeting would be held this week to discuss the issue of relocating the three elephants.