Lankan jumbo to Armenia

Sri Lanka will donate a she elephant to Armenia in response to a request by the Armenian Government to consolidate bilateral friendly relations between the two countries.

The Cabinet has approved a memorandum submitted in this connection, the Government Information Department said.

Director General National Zoological Gardens H. Dissanayake said accordingly a nine-year-old she elephant named 'Asokamala' from the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage will be sent to Armenia shortly.

He said as a reciprocal gesture Armenia has pledged to offer further training to Sri Lankan veterinary surgeons and gift a set of its endemic animals to Sri Lanka.