Rewilding giants: captive elephants rehomed in Europe’s first sanctuary
Summary
Europe is opening its first large elephant sanctuary in Portugal to give captive elephants a more natural and spacious home. Two elephants, Julie from a Portuguese circus and Kariba from a Belgian zoo, will be the first to move into this protected area where they can roam and socialize freely.Key Facts
- The sanctuary is run by the animal charity Pangea and is located in Alentejo, Portugal, near the Spanish border.
- Julie, Portugal’s last circus elephant, and Kariba, a female African elephant from Belgium, will be the first residents.
- The sanctuary covers 28 hectares initially, with plans to expand into 405 hectares, a former cattle ranch.
- Elephants in captivity in Europe often live alone or in small groups, far smaller than in the wild, where they walk many kilometers daily.
- Many captive elephants in Europe, including Julie and Kariba, were captured from the wild in the 1980s and are now elderly.
- Circuses in the EU are mostly banned from using wild animals, but some countries like Germany still allow limited use regionally.
- The sanctuary is not open to the public to focus on the elephants’ wellbeing and complex needs.
- Studies show captive elephants have shorter lifespans and higher infant mortality compared to wild elephants.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.