Oscar-winning singer Cher has written to Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan  and other top government officials, calling on them to secure the release of Bunka, the sole elephant now held at the Yerevan Zoo, and to have the animal relocated to a suitable sanctuary outside Armenia.

“His well-being is in your hands, and I believe the Armenian leadership has the heart to make the right decision,” Cher writes.

An online campaign for Bunka’s release has been underway for three years, initiated by travel and environmental writer, photographer, and Wanderlust Magazine contributing editor Mark Stratton.

The “Free Bunka” campaign is ongoing and has collected 85,000 signatures.

“This act of compassion will be a wonderful reflection on Yerevan Zoo, highlighting Armenia’s commitment to animal welfare and strengthening its position as a global leader in compassion,” writes Cher, a cofounder of the animal welfare group Free The Wild.

Bunka being fed at Yerevan Zoo

Despite international pressure to have Bunka relocated to a sanctuary, the Yerevan Municipality isn’t budging, claiming a new enclosure for Bunka will be built.

The municipality, however, confesses that elephants are social animals, and the zoo will work to transfer at least one more elephant to Yerevan.

Independent experts concluded in 2022 that Bunka was underweight, had unusually reddened eyes and significant foot issues, and showed signs of boredom.

Hetq wrote to Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, asking whether there were any expert studies regarding the psychological and physical condition of Bunka.

The Yerevan Municipality responded that the psychological and physical condition of Bunka is monitored daily by an “international specialist” and that elephant behavioral consultant Tobias Dornbusch is scheduled to visit Yerevan next year and will summarize his findings on Bunka for the zoo.

The 2025 Yerevan Municipal budget has allocated funds for the construction of a new elephant enclosure at the Yerevan Zoo, part of the AMD 200 million allocated for general renovations of the zoo.

“We do not have information about the petition by singer Cher to release Bunka,” the municipality said in response to Hetq’s inquiry.