Julie, the last circus elephant in Portugal, has begun a new life at a 1,000-acre elephant sanctuary located two hours east of Lisbon. Her arrival marks the end of 40 years spent living and working in a circus.
Taken from her mother in the 1980s when she was a calf, Julie was sold into the circus trade. She was purchased by the Victor Hugo Cardinali Circus, the largest in Portugal. While in the circus, she lived in a barn. Her new home, established by the British charity Pangea Trust, offers rolling hills, grassland, forest, and lakes.
Pangea Trust persuaded the Victor Hugo Cardinali Circus to allow Julie to retire at the sanctuary. This move comes as most European countries have banned wild animals in circuses, but until now, there has been no designated place for elephants to go. Julie is the first resident of this European sanctuary, which aims to provide a home for elephants from zoos and circuses.
For the past two weeks, Julie has been exploring her new environment, enjoying mud baths and grazing. Kate Moore, Pangea's Managing Director, believes the sanctuary's landscape and climate in Portugal's Alentejo region are reminiscent of Africa, Julie's native continent. Moore noted that Julie has been behaving like a wild elephant, engaging in natural behaviors such as grazing, playing with trees, and bathing in mud and dust.
"Elephants are incredibly intelligent, sociable creatures with complex needs and the most extraordinary memories," Moore stated. "Within days she was behaving just like a wild elephant – grazing, playing with the trees, wallowing in the mud, and giving herself a dust bath."
Another African elephant, Kariba, who currently lives alone in a Belgian zoo, is expected to join Julie in the coming months, with plans for more elephants to follow. Julie's former circus family has maintained contact, bringing her fruit baskets after dropping her off at the sanctuary.
It is estimated that over 600 elephants live in captivity across Europe, with approximately 40 still performing in circus-type settings. The United Kingdom retired its last circus elephant in 2011. Portugal's government voted to prohibit the use of wild animals in circuses in 2018, with the ban fully taking effect in 2024. Julie was not performing in her final years with the circus but was under the care of the staff. Earlier this year, Pangea assisted in rehoming Sona, Portugal's last circus tiger, to a sanctuary in Spain. Pangea Trust relies on donations to fund its work, with plans to develop an additional 70 acres of habitat for Julie and future residents.