elephant sanctuary brazil

  • Launch of Global Sanctuary for Elephants - with ElephantVoices as founding partner

    As many of our supporters know, for the last couple of years ElephantVoices has been working with team members in Brazil to promote and support progressive legislation to end the antiquated practice of performing elephants. A connected strategy has been to explore the development of an elephant sanctuary in Brazil. Many captive elephants in Brazil and other South American countries are in dire need of better welfare and living conditions. To help put an end to their suffering, a sanctuary in Brazil is urgently needed.

    Recently, Scott Blais, co-founder of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, and his partner, Katherine Blais, have established a new non-profit entity, Global Sanctuary for Elephants (GSfE), with financial and other support from ElephantVoices.

    Dedicated to the development and support of progressive, holistic, natural habitat elephant sanctuaries internationally, GSfE will spearhead the exciting and, for elephants, important effort in Brazil. Brazil is for many reasons a well suited location for a sanctuary - with the climate, available habitats permitting natural foraging and social behavior, the potential of progressive policies and a our established team of enthusiastic volunteers being just a few.

    A collaborative initiative with ambitious goals

    Joyce (far left) and Petter with Ana Zinger and Junia Machado, ElephantVoices Brasil. Photo: ElephantVoices. With their vast experience with captive elephants, Scott and Katherine

  • Santuário de Elefantes Brasil

    In 2010, together with Junia Machado and other elephant friends in Brazil, ElephantVoices began working for the interests of captive elephants in Brazil and the South American continent as a whole. Part of our effort was to promote and support progressive legislation to end the antiquated practice of performing elephants.

    Several regions in Brazil offer the year-round temperatures that allow elephants to be outside, day and night, 365 days a year. Also the diverse flora and biodiversity, with a variety of grasses, vines, shrubs, bushes and trees, is ideal for elephants.We stated our objectives as:
    To create awareness about elephant conservation and the welfare needs of captive elephants in Brazil, and to ensure that a sanctuary for elephants in Brazil and elsewhere in South-America is established.

    One might ask, Why Brazil?

    During the launch of this initiative we declared that Brazil offers: a perfect climate for elephants; the possibility of obtaining a suitable sized parcel of land with habitat permitting natural foraging and social behavior; the potential to provide a home to the many captive elephants who are suffering in South America; the presence of a team of energized, committed people who want to work hard for the best interest of elephants.

    The dire need for an alternative to life in circuses

    To get a sanctuary in Brazil up and running was key to discussions about how to end the suffering of elephants currently in circuses and inadequate zoos. Without a