Heartwarming video shows the moment the 'world's loneliest elephant' makes his first friend in years

A video has gone viral on social media this week showing the moment the "world's loneliest elephant" made his first friend in years.

Per a report by the Daily Mail, the gentle giant in question is a 36-year-old male bull Asian elephant named Kaavan.

Originally from Sri Lanka, the plight of Kaavan caused an uproar among animal rights activists after it was revealed that he had spent 35 years in captivity.

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Raised in Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Kaavan was left without proper socialization after his partner died in 2012. The elephant's tragic story even caught the attention of music icon Cher, who kickstarted a campaign to better his living conditions.

After languishing alone in Pakistan for so long, Kaavan was adopted by workers from the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary in Siem Reap province and has now settled comfortably into his new home.

Take a look at the heartwarming moment in the video below: 

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Now, in a recent heartwarming video, Kaavan can be seen stretching out and touching trunks with another elephant neighbor named Di Poh, in what has been his first real social contact with another member of his species in years.

He then went on to enjoy a cooling mud bath, before getting used to his new surroundings, in touching footage which was captured by camera crews at the sanctuary.

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Per Stuff.co.nz, a sanctuary worked named Pedro commented on Kaavan's new living situation by stating:

"All three of our ladies seem a bit intimidated by him, he is a big boy... We will give them time to get to know each other, and the girls will let us know if or when they want further interaction."

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Per Sky News, Amir Khalil, a vet who accompanied Kaavan on the trip from Pakistan to Cambodia that he was not stressed during the flight and spent most of it eating and sleeping.

Khalil stated: "He behaves like a frequent flier. The flight was uneventful, which is all you can ask for when you transfer an elephant."

This story comes just a few days after an adorable ultrasound image of a baby elephant went viral on social media after being shared on Facebook by Oklahoma City Zoo.