Elephant that worked in circus for 40 years finally "retired"

In Portugal, an elephant named Juli, who performed in circus arenas for nearly 40 years, has been officially "retired". Now she will spend the rest of her life in the "Pangea" sanctuary located in the Alentejo region. This facility is recognized as Europe's first sanctuary specifically established for working animals.

Reports state that Juli was captured in Africa as a calf in the late 1980s and brought to Portugal. Since 1988, she had been participating in circus shows. Now, the elephant has begun living in a controlled free environment and, for the first time in her new shelter, has had the opportunity to take a natural mud bath.

In 2018, the Portuguese government passed a law banning the use of wild animals in circuses starting from 2024. Consequently, efforts to find a permanent shelter for Juli began. Negotiations between the sanctuary administration and the elephant's owner, along with preparations and the transportation process, took nearly a year and a half.

Experts cannot say for sure how long Juli's new life will last. While elephants can live up to 70 years in their natural habitat, their lifespan in captivity is usually much shorter.

Spanning 400 hectares, the "Pangea" sanctuary has the capacity to accommodate 20–35 elephants. All conditions have been created here for the animals to move freely, forage for food, and be cared for in an environment close to their natural habitat.

It is reported that Juli will not remain alone until the end of the year. She will be joined by another female African elephant named Kariba, who was also captured from the wild about 40 years ago. Currently, Kariba is kept in isolation at a zoo in Belgium.