Rewilding giants: captive elephants rehomed in Europe’s first sanctuary | Animal welfare

EEurope’s first large-scale elephant sanctuary, which is opening its doors to provide a more natural environment for some of the 600 animals still held in captivity across the continent, is set to welcome its first arrivals.

Julie, Portugal’s last circus elephant, will be moved to charity Pangea’s multi-million pound sanctuary in Alentejo, 125 miles east of Lisbon, near the border with Spain, next month.

She will join Kariba, another female African elephant in her forties, who has just been transferred from a Belgian zoo where she lived alone.

“Kariba and Julie will live in a large natural habitat where they can move freely, bathe and socialize in compatible groups,” said Kate Moore, managing director of Pangea. “That autonomy is really essential, but they will also benefit from expert care. Elephants are one of the most sensitive and intelligent animals on earth and so they have very complex needs.”

The sanctuary will initially occupy 28 hectares (70 acres), and additional fundraising will be needed to expand the enclosures on the 405 hectares of the former cattle ranch. The sanctuary’s priority is to provide the elephants with as natural a life as possible and will not be open to the public.

There are 36 elephants living in isolation in zoos across Europe and around 40 of them are still required to perform tricks in circuses. Many, including Kariba and Julie, were captured from the wild and brought to Europe in the 1980s and are reaching the end of their lives.

Elephants in captivity are limited to smaller-than-wild herds, greatly reduced roaming – they travel dozens of miles each day in the wild – and are susceptible to disease and lameness.

Anne, Britain’s last circus elephant, was housed at Longleat Safari Park in 2011. She is now 70 and lives alone. In 2022, Paignton Zoo decided to stop keeping elephants because it could not meet their complex needs.

Studies have found reduced life expectancy and increased infant mortality rates in captive elephants. One study found that African females lived an average of 17 years in zoos, compared to 56 years in the wild if human-caused deaths were excluded.

Another study estimates the first-year mortality rate of Asian elephants born in captivity in North America and the EU at around 30%. Mortality of wild African elephants in the first year is 10-15%.

Although the use of wild animals in circuses is now banned in most EU countries – with the exception of Germany, which has regional restrictions but no national ban – many circuses struggle to let go of large animals like elephants because there are no refuge spaces. Likewise, governments cannot confiscate animals from circuses if there is nowhere for them to go.

In Portugal, the ban on wild animals in circuses came into full force in 2025, with Julie the latest wild animal to be resettled after a voluntary agreement between the Cardinali Circus and Pangea.

Vítor Hugo Cardinali, the circus director who has cared for Julie since her acquisition from a German zoo in 1988, said: “This has not been an easy decision, as she has been a deeply loved member of our family for decades, but we believe this is the right decision for Julie. Working closely with Pangea on her transition to her new home has been a crucial factor in our deliberations.”

Moore said: “Across Europe, circuses and zoos are reaching the point where keeping elephants is no longer possible or appropriate – whether due to a change in legislation, the loss of a companion or a decision to leave. Working in partnership with owners to find the right solution is at the heart of how we operate, as has been the case with the Cardinali family. Elephant movements are complex and their continued involvement is invaluable.

“Our priority is to provide spaces for elephants in circuses or isolation in zoos, but we are very happy to work with anyone looking to get away from elephants.”

The sanctuary, which took 10 years to build, is on the site of a degraded cattle ranch, where elephants will also play a role in nature restoration. The region was once home to straight-tusked elephants that crossed the Iberian Peninsula 40,000 years ago.

“It’s really important that it’s a diverse environment for them,” Moore said. “We’ve put a lot of effort into helping nature recover on what was once a degraded cattle ranch, following the basic principles of rewilding. We know that elephants can normally strengthen ecosystems if we get the right elephant stocking density. It gives us this really interesting opportunity to see how elephants respond to the land and vice versa.”

When the sanctuary is expanded to 405 hectares, it could accommodate 20 to 30 elephants living “naturally”, roaming, grazing and wallowing in the lakes.