A UK-based charity has purchased land in Alentejo, Portugal with a vision to transform it into a rewilding project and sanctuary for former circus elephants.

The Pangea Trust announced the acquisition of 1,000 hectares of land this week, planning to establish the elephant sanctuary given it is estimated that more than 100 circus elephants may still be used for performances across the continent.

Twenty-four countries in the EU have adopted restrictions on the use of wild elephants in circuses. Portugal’s ban comes into force in 2024, as currently the country only has an active ban on breeding the animals.

Returning wild animals to the country of origin can often cause excessive distress and danger, and so several European countries are working on how to accommodate them through sanctuaries. In 2020, Denmark transferred four circus elephants to the Knuthenborg Safari Park on the island of Lolland, after the government purchased the animals for 11 million Danish kroner ($1.6 mln).

“Rewilding with elephants in Portugal, and in the process creating a sanctuary for the last circus elephants of Europe. Could this be the most exciting nature restoration project in Europe?” Ben Goldsmith, one of the organisation’s advisors, said on Linkedin.

In an announcement, the charity said it secured a combination of funding through traditional donations and “philanthropic loans”, which aim to provide a more viable funding vehicle for not-for-profits to acquire land for nature restoration projects.

The site is currently made up of rolling grassland with areas of scrub and woodland, natural springs, and streams expected to provide suitable habitat for the animals’ needs. However, the ecological impact of placing elephants on such habitat in the Iberian Peninsula remains unclear.

The charity highlighted the remote location in southern Portugal outside of protected areas enabling flexibility to tailor the site to the animals’ needs with fewer construction restrictions.

This project will now look to fund a development phase that will establish fencing, secure vehicles, and build an elephant barn for their sizeable enclosure.

Portugal is also home to the Greater Coa Valley rewilding project in the northwest of the country, which covers 120,000 hectares.

By Tom Woolnough – tom@carbon-pulse.com

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