Wed May 21 13:11:13 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the text:

**Karnataka Transfers Trained Elephants to Andhra Pradesh in Gesture of Cooperation**

**Bengaluru, India – May 21, 2025** – In a demonstration of interstate cooperation, the Karnataka government officially handed over four trained elephants, known as “kumkis,” to Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. The transfer took place at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, where Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre ceremonially presented the elephants to Andhra Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Forests and Environment, Pawan Kalyan.

The four elephants, named Deva, Krishna, Abhimanyu, and Mahendra, were welcomed with a Gaja Pooja and showered with flower petals by Mr. Pawan Kalyan. Forest officials from both states were present to finalize the handover. While six elephants were initially promised, the remaining two will be delivered at a later date, according to Karnataka officials.

To ensure a smooth transition, mahouts (elephant handlers) from Karnataka will remain in Andhra Pradesh for two months to train local counterparts in elephant care and management. The handover also included vital documentation, such as the agreement papers, licenses, and elephant care protocols.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah indicated Karnataka’s willingness to provide further assistance, stating that more elephants could be provided in the future if needed by Andhra Pradesh.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan assured that he would personally monitor the welfare of the elephants and expressed his desire for continued collaboration between the two states.

The transfer is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September 2024, focusing on collaborative efforts to address issues like human-elephant conflict, skill development for mahouts, real-time information sharing on elephant migration, and the prevention of illegal wildlife activities like red sanders and sandalwood smuggling. As part of the MoU, Karnataka will also train 25 Andhra Pradesh mahouts and assistants in kumki elephant management and share IT resources to improve forest and wildlife protection.

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