Portugal’s Last Circus Elephant Is Thriving In Her New Home

Julie, Portugal’s last circus elephant, is thriving in her new sanctuary home at Pangea Elephant Sanctuary in Portugal’s Alentejo region. Run by a UK-based charity, Pangea is Europe’s first large-scale, dedicated elephant sanctuary, and Julie is the first resident to arrive. The sanctuary has shared photos and videos of Julie enjoying her new life, including dust baths, splashing in water, and eating fresh produce like apples and onions.

After performing for more than 40 years with the Victor Hugo Cardinali circus, Julie retired in 2024 when Portugal banned wild animals in circuses. She arrived at Pangea in July and has since become confident and comfortable in her new surroundings. The sanctuary has the capacity for 30 elephants, with Kariba, a wild-caught female from a Belgian zoo, expected to join Julie this year. Other countries, like Belgium and Hungary, have also implemented bans on wild animals in circuses, showing a positive trend for the well-being of elephants in captivity.