Last year, the Smithsonian Channel announced it was making a documentary that followed Cher in her quest to rescue an elephant from a lonely and unhealthy existence in the Pakistan Zoo. Now, the project has an official title, and a premiere date.

Cher & The Loneliest Elephant will premiere on Earth Day, April 22, on Paramount+ in the U.S. For those without that streaming platform, it’ll arrive on the Smithsonian Channel on May 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

As previously reported, several years ago, Cher was made aware of Kaavan, an elephant that had spent nearly 20 years in chains in a dilapidated zoo in Islamabad.  His unhealthy living conditions led to depression and angry psychosis, and when his only mate died of neglect, he became even more isolated.

Cher promised to help and co-founded the charity organization Free the Wild to work to relocate Kavaan.  In May of last year, Pakistan finally ordered him freed, and in November, Cher flew to Pakistan to retrieve him and relocate him to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia.  The mission was successful, despite many obstacles along the way.

“People want a happy ending. People don’t want to see animals suffer,” says Cher in a statement. “And I know people are suffering too, but this is a story that can brighten their lives.”

By Andrea Dresdale
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