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CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS ARE IN CRISIS

Throughout the world, captive elephants face abuse, neglect, and lack of proper care. This can result in health problems that range from minor to near-catastrophic. Untold elephants are severely restricted by a life in chains or in extreme confinement. Most captive environments are not suitable for elephants, who need to be able to walk acres and graze for up to 20 hours a day, have a balanced diet, and receive specialized, holistic health care. 

ELEPHANT SANCTUARY BRAZIL (ESB) OFFERS ELEPHANTS A SECOND CHANCE

Located in Mato Grosso, Brazil, Elephant Sanctuary Brazil spans 2,800 acres of Cerrado landscape with miles of trees, creeks, streams, and hills. Our sanctuary uses positive reinforcement training to teach the elephants techniques for receiving medical care, and we have a protected contact approach, where there is always a barrier between caregiver and elephant–which is safer for both the human and the animal. Elephants who live at the sanctuary receive daily supplements, customized diets, frequent evaluations, and lots of time on their own to simply be elephants. ESB is the only elephant sanctuary outside the United States, and one of only three in the world, accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF PROLONGED INADEQUATE CARE

Recently, two African elephants–Kenya and Pupy–were brought to ESB, each after decades in zoos (now ecoparques). Both elephants passed away after a few months at sanctuary, and their necropsies (which were completed within hours of their passing) both showed evidence of long-term illness. With all of the elephants who came to the sanctuary, only two of them received evaluations and regular veterinary care prior to sanctuary. The remaining nine did not have proper health care and there are no records that indicate those individuals were ever evaluated for injuries, had blood tests done to diagnose established or emerging conditions, or received essential, and  life-saving foot care for chronic ailments. 

Captivity has a dire effect on the wellness of every elephant taken from their home. No elephant we have ever welcomed has been free from some form of ill health. We take all elephants, regardless of their health status, even though we know it’s possible that an individual could die at any time. Sometimes sanctuary is compared to a hospice situation–and that’s not an unreasonable assumption. The reality is that we provide end-of-life care for so many, and that’s our honor.

UNFAIR SCRUTINY THREATENS SANCTUARY WORK

After the deaths of Pupy and Kenya, a collective of agencies and individuals, including reportedly the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and others who support and profit from the confinement of elephants while opposing the relocation of elephants to sanctuary joined together to file a complaint with the local governing body, SEMA. As a result, our license to receive additional elephants was suspended without fair and balanced review. After SEMAs review was completed, our license was reinstated. 

DOUBLE STANDARDS FOR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS

Elephant Sanctuary Brazil welcomes representatives from any governing agency, including SEMA and Ibama. Agents from both departments have regularly visited the property to ensure that our procedures are thorough and the elephants we care for are well. However, there has been significantly more attention given to the elephant deaths at ESB than other comparable, or more traumatic, deaths at animal facilities in the country. 

In the past, the following elephant deaths have been recorded at non-sanctuary facilities and, in these situations, the facility in question was not required to submit similar documentation to what ESB is being asked to provide. 

• A 29 year old male African elephant was initially announced as having died of suspected poisoning had necropsy findings listed as cardiac arrest;
• A 41 year old female African elephant died of poisoning;
• A 41 year old female African elephant needed an ‘expert’ to come in to help care for her since her keepers were unable to test and/or treat her. She eventually died of her illness;
• A 49 year old female Asian elephant was lifted by a crane repeatedly after falling and was left in the sun with no shade or water until she was reported to a news channel. She was eventually reported dead;
• A Brazilian zoo oversaw 3 stillborn deaths, the last of which killed the mother as well;
• A 29 year old male African elephant died at a facility after an infection in his foreleg

An investigation from the authorities is welcomed and essential for governing agencies to fully understand the depth, complexity, and rigor of the care provided for elephants at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil.  

However, it is imperative for the governing and responsible agencies to investigate the source, where many elephants remain, living in facilities that do not meet the minimal yet largely unregulated standards established by the government. Elephant Sanctuary Brazil is operating at a higher standard, and we are being unfairly held to an even higher level of scrutiny.   

Please join us in urging Ibama and SEMA to conduct a fair evaluation of all organizations that house elephants; the same rigorous standards should be applied to all facilities that care for elephants. By signing and sharing this petition today, you are urging the governing entities to investigate and hold accountable the facilities where elephants continue to suffer. It is time for the truth to be unveiled and for a proactive, positive response—not for social and political agendas—but for the elephants who need and deserve better, the elephants who have failed to be protected for decades.  

Please sign and share the petition today.

Learn more about our work at globalelephants.org.

*Please note that donations made through the change.org petition platform go directly to change.org and not to Global Sanctuary for Elephants.