A ceremonial reception will be held Thursday at the Tbilisi Zoo of the Georgian capital city.

The elephant named Hrant will arrive in the zoo from the Yerevan Zoo in the Armenian capital city. Hrant’s “bride,” Malka, eagerly awaits him, the Tbilisi Zoo Facebook account reported.

The “bridegroom,” accompanied by the delegations from the two zoos, is transported to his new place of residence with a special trailer.

“Hrant will stay in Tbilisi; we will send a little elephant to Yerevan in his stead,” Tbilisi Zoo Press Secretary Mzia Sharashidze informed.  

But the Tbilisi Zoo will be closed for visitors on the day of Hrant’s arrival because, according to the Zoo press statement, not solely Malka, but the veterinarians await him. Hrant suffers from a tusk disease for eight years, and he needs to undergo a surgery in the Georgian capital.