Junta claims rare white elephant found in Burma
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A rare white elephant, historically considered in Burma to herald good fortune, has been captured in the west of the military-ruled nation, state media reported.
The female elephant was captured by officials on Saturday in the coastal town of Maungtaw in Rakhine state, the New Light of Burma newspaper said.
The animal is aged about 38 and seven feet four inches tall, the English-language paper said, although it did not mention where it would be kept.
Kings and leaders in Burma, a predominantly Buddhist country, have traditionally treasured white elephants, whose rare appearances in the country are believed to herald good fortune, including power and political change.
Two private planes for Burma's Senior General Than Shwe and four other top leaders were named "White Elephant" this year on the advice of astrologers, according to the Irrawaddy, a respected Thailand-based magazine on Burma.
The junta chief is described by critics and some experts on the regime as deeply superstitious. A popular Rangoon astrologer told the Irrawaddy that the name was not only designed to avert bad luck but also a portent to defeat enemies.
Burma, which has been military-ruled since 1962, is due to hold its first elections for two decades later this year, although a date has not yet been announced.
Despite their name, the elephants' skin is more pink than white.
- AFP
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