South Africa’s final zoo elephant has been liberated and returned to the wild after spending 40 years in captivity.
The elephant, named Charlie, was originally captured from Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park in 1984 at the age of two.
Charlie was first sent to the Boswell Wilkie Circus in South Africa, where he was trained to perform tricks. In the early 2000s, he was moved to South Africa’s only national zoo. Recent years have seen growing pressure from animal welfare advocates who raised concerns about his well-being.
On Tuesday, the EMS Foundation, dedicated to wildlife rights, announced that Charlie had arrived at his new sanctuary, the Shambala Private Reserve in Limpopo province, following a tense four-hour journey. This significant milestone came after years of negotiations with the South African government, supported by scientific evidence demonstrating the detrimental effects of captivity on elephants.
During his time at the zoo, Charlie witnessed the deaths of four other elephants, including a calf that died shortly after birth. By 2019, signs of distress commonly associated with captivity were observed in Charlie. Despite the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s denial of these claims, asserting they were a result of his circus background, the EMS Foundation challenged this view as inaccurate.
Animal welfare group Four Paws, which worked alongside the EMS Foundation, hailed Charlie’s release as a crucial step for both the elephant and animal welfare in South Africa. “Charlie’s retirement is not just a victory for him, but a significant advancement for animal welfare standards in South Africa,” stated Josef Pfabigan, CEO of Four Paws.
Charlie will now reside in a 10,000-hectare reserve with a healthy population of elephants, which has a track record of successfully reintegrating captive elephants into the wild. Veterinary and behavioral experts will monitor his adaptation process closely, with hopes that he will gradually learn to thrive in his new, species-appropriate environment.
South Africa’s wild elephant population exceeds 25,000, according to SANparks. However, African elephants continue to face severe threats from poaching and habitat loss due to human expansion.
