Burma captures ninth rare white elephant in western jungles

Myanmar’s forestry department has captured a rare white elephant in the jungles of the country’s western Ayeyarwaddy region. The 7-year-old female was captured Friday, six weeks after it was initially spotted in a reserve in Pathein township, forestry official Tun Tun Oo said It’s the ninth white elephant in captivity in the country. White elephants, which are actually albinos, have been revered for centuries in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and other Asian nations.

We had to be careful. It’s wild. We didn’t want the elephant or the forestry department officials to get hurt.

Forestry official Tun Tun Oo

Often pinkish in color, with fair eyelashes and toenails, the animals were normally kept and pampered by monarchs as symbols of royal power and prosperity — and many people still believe they bring good luck to the country. Myanmar already has eight white elephants in captivity, most from the Ayeyarwaddy region. Five are in the zoo in the capital, Naypyitaw, and three are in Yangon’s zoo. It was not immediately clear where the recently captured elephant will be housed.

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