A few days ago we received with great sorrow the news that Maya had died. Maya was a wild-caught elephant who was made to perform from circus to circus for 40 years.
Maya worked for a German circus for many years with her constant companion Nanda. However, due to her almost complete blindness and overall poor health condition, Nanda was unable to keep performing so she was given by the circus to German zoo Zoologischer Stadtgarten Karlsruhe in 2016. The zoo was willing to take in Maya as well so that she and Nanda would not be separated.
Elephants are highly gregarious animals who form very complex social structures and strong bonds. They mourn the death of their companions. Life in solitude and separation from their family and social groups is a great cause of suffering for elephants.
Maya and Nanda had been together for a long time and being together was probably the only consolation they found in the terrible life they were forced to lead. But the circus wanted to keep making Maya perform so they refused to give her up to the zoo.
In Germany it is forbidden to keep lone elephants so the authorities allowed the circus to keep Maya on condition that they would find another elephant companion for her. Otherwise, they would have to give her to the zoo. However, a year later Maya was still alone and when her confiscation was ready to take place, she disappeared from Germany and appeared soon after with another circus in Romania, later on in Ukraine and finally in Belarus, where Maya has died alone, working till the end.
Many voices throughout Europe spoke out for Maya and a great number of animal welfare organisations fought for Maya to spend her last years with her dear friend Nanda. Sadly, this was all in vain. Maya died alone and Nanda will carry on waiting for her. She will never know that Maya won’t be able to ever join her.
This is the sad life of animals in circuses. Until the end.
Rest in peace, beautiful Maya.
Stories like this should not keep happening. Together we can stop this. Please help us urge the European Commission to ban the use of wild animals in circuses across Europe. EVERY SIGNATURE IS IMPORTANT. We are in the final stretch of our campaign and we need more signatures. It is time to raise our voices for animals in circuses. PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE.