Portugal’s Last Circus Elephant Julie Moves to Europe’s First Large‑Scale Sanctuary

Context Portugal ended the use of wild animals in circuses in 2025, leaving Julie as the final captive performer. The animal charity Pangea has spent a decade converting a degraded cattle ranch into a refuge that will eventually span 405 hectares. The site lies 200 km east of Lisbon, near the Spanish border, and will not be open to the public.

Key Facts - Julie’s relocation is scheduled for next month; she will join Kariba, a 40‑year‑old African female elephant arriving from a Belgian zoo. - The sanctuary starts with 28 hectares (70 acres) of fenced habitat and aims to expand to 405 hectares once additional funding is secured. - At full size, the reserve could support 20‑30 elephants that can roam, graze, and bathe in natural‑like conditions. - Studies show African female elephants live an average of 17 years in zoos versus 56 years in the wild when human‑caused deaths are excluded. - First‑year mortality for captive‑born Asian elephants in North America and the EU is about 30 %, compared with 10‑15 % for wild African calves.

What It Means Moving Julie and Kariba to a semi‑wild environment addresses two critical welfare gaps: limited space and social isolation. In the wild, African elephants travel tens of kilometres daily and live in complex, multi‑generational herds. Captivity compresses this range to a few hundred metres and often forces solitary confinement, which correlates with reduced lifespan and higher disease risk.

Pangea’s plan to let elephants influence land restoration mirrors rewilding practices, where large herbivores help regenerate vegetation. If the sanctuary reaches its 405‑hectare goal, it could become a model for balancing animal welfare with ecosystem benefits, potentially prompting other European zoos and circuses to seek similar solutions.

The next milestone will be the official transfer of Julie next month, followed by fundraising drives to secure the land expansion. Watch for updates on the sanctuary’s growth and any additional elephant relocations that may follow.