Portugal’s Last Performing Circus Elephant Retires

There comes a time in everyone’s life when it’s time to retire from the working world and that applies to animals too.  Legislation sweeping the globe that bans animal performance in circuses, has prompted a tsunami of animal retirements. 

For Julie, Portugal’s last performing circus elephant, that time has come, reports France 24. Julie, who joined the Victor Hugo Cardinali Circus in 1988, is moving to the new British-run Pangea Trust Sanctuary in Alentejo, southern Portugal, this summer to begin a new life. She will be free from the demands of entertaining circus audiences that ruled her working world.

First Pangea Resident Elephant
Julie will be the first resident of Pangea’s 1000-square mile elephant retirement sanctuary.  Eventually about 30 elephants will live out their retirement in the park. According to its website,  Pangea is modelled on large-scale elephant retreats in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Pangea’s habitat restoration program enables native wildlife to thrive. Elephants can roam, forage, and socialize freely in this natural habitat and receive expert, individualized healthcare services. Pangea’s website explains the sanctuary is not a visitor attraction, although a limited number of donors, schools and local residents will be allowed limited visits starting in 2027. But, for the most part, the elephants will be free from human interaction.

Response to Ban on Performing Animals
Julie is about 40 years old, according to CTGN. She was born in southern Africa and stopped performing in 2024, when Portugal joined many countries around the globe that have banned performing animals.

“This has not been an easy decision, as she has been a member of our family for decades,” Circus director Victor Hugo Cardinali told CTGN.  “But we believe it is the right decision for Julie. Working with Pangea on her transition to her new home was a critical factor in our deliberations.”

Blooloop reported that Julie will join Kariba, another female African elephant of a similar age, at Pangea. Kariba is currently living alone at a zoo in Belgium and is due to be transferred soon.

Six Hundred Elephants Need Homes
Julie is far from alone. “Many circuses and some zoos in Europe are reaching the point – through changing legislation, the loss of a companion, or simply a decision to move on – where keeping elephants is no longer possible or appropriate,” Kate Moore, Pangea’s managing director told Blooloop.

She added there are more than 600 elephants in circuses and zoos across Europe. Since captive elephants can live for around 60 years, there is a pressing need for sanctuaries.  

Pangea joins The Elephant Haven in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France as a European sanctuary for retiring elephants. The French site, however, is much smaller and can only shelter two elephants.

Starting this summer,  Julie and Kariba will be free  to roam over the plains of Pangea, indulge in river baths and romp with one another. After almost 40 years of bringing joy to circus-goers, they have earned their care-free retirement.