Julie, an elephant who spent 40 years performing in circuses, has embarked on a new chapter at a sprawling 1,000-acre sanctuary in Portugal. The move, orchestrated by the Suffolk-based charity Pangea, follows Portugal's ban on wild animals in circuses, which came into effect in 2024. Julie, believed to be the last wild animal remaining in any Portuguese circus, arrived at her new home on 2 July, marking a significant milestone for animal welfare advocates.
Taken from her natural habitat in southern Africa at the tender age of five, Julie joined the Cardinali Circus, where she remained for four decades. Her release to Pangea's dedicated elephant sanctuary in the Alentejo region represents a long-awaited opportunity for her to experience a more natural life. Although she cannot be returned to the wild due to her extensive time in captivity, the sanctuary aims to provide her with the most authentic environment possible.
Kate Moore, Managing Director at Pangea, expressed immense pride in Julie's rapid adjustment to her new surroundings. "It was absolutely wonderful to see; she was in the mud wallow, she was giving herself a dust bath," Moore stated, noting Julie's increasing confidence daily despite some initial health concerns. Julie is the first elephant to reside at the sanctuary, which has the capacity to house up to 30 elephants. Plans are already in motion for Kariba, another wild-caught female elephant currently alone in a Belgian zoo, to join Julie later in 2026.
Julie's compelling story has also resonated with pupils at Wenhaston Primary School near Halesworth, Suffolk. The children, who have officially adopted Julie, have been closely following her journey as part of their science curriculum, learning about the history of circuses and the plight of elephants in captivity. Their teacher, Emma Skinner, highlighted the children's difficulty in comprehending the sheer length of Julie's captivity but noted their overwhelming joy at her newfound freedom.
The pupils' emotional connection to Julie underscores a broader public sentiment against the use of wild animals for entertainment. Eight-year-old Zoe articulated this, saying, "Lots of people used them for entertainment, but it's not very good to do that because if you were an elephant and you were in a circus, and you kept being trapped, you would be upset and you would want to get out." The charity hopes Julie's story will inspire further efforts to rehome other elephants currently in captivity across Europe.