After more than half a century, Tibet has once again welcomed an elephant, whose name is "Nipu” (formerly known as "Dengdan"), a 28-year-old Asian elephant that is 2.9 meters high and weighs 5 tons.

The first elephant coming to Tibet was one from Nepal in 1936, which died in the 1960s.

At two o'clock in the morning on April 21, in order to welcome Nipu, the Quxu Animal Protection Park drew images of the eight auspicious symbols, which represent happiness on the ground in front of the entrance gate in accordance with Tibetan customs. A chema box and barley wine were also arranged to the side.

"When Nipu set out from Kunming, we had already started thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting its residence area," a staff member of the park said.

It is said that after several years of preparation, the Quxu Animal Protection Park will officially open at 12:30 on May 1.

After the park opens, there will be many activities for visitors to enjoy. The park will also exhibit animals such as lions, tigers, red pandas, and ring-tailed foxes.

On the park's opening day, visitors will be able to enter for free. From the second day, tickets will continue to be free for residents of Quxu County while it will cost 20 yuan (3.2 US dollars) for residents of the Tibet Autonomous Region and 80 yuan (12.6 US dollars) for visitors from outside the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The Quxu Animal Protection Park already has a combination of leisure park, animal watching park, and children's play area.

The tulips planted at the entrance of the park have already begun to open, and the flowering season is expected to begin after a few days. Recreational facilities in the park's children's playground are also in place. When it opens, the park will be a top choice for residents of Lhasa to spend their weekends.

Editor: Tommy Tan.