Ciências ULisboa marks its presence at a historic moment: the presentation of Europe’s first Elephant Sanctuary – Pangea

The Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) was present at the official presentation of Pangea Elephant Sanctuary, which celebrated the arrival of Julie, its first resident. The event, held at the Joana Vasconcelos’ atelier in Lisbon, also marked the inauguration of Europe’s first large‑scale elephant sanctuary and the end of the presence of wild animals in Portuguese circuses.

The event brought together a select group of guests and journalists to learn about the project, located in the Alentejo region, as well as the story of Julie, the sanctuary’s first resident. After more than four decades linked to the circus, the elephant is now beginning a new chapter in a habitat of over 400 hectares, designed to meet the physical, behavioural and social needs of these animals.

The sanctuary aims to establish itself as a European reference in the management of elephants that can no longer remain in circuses or zoos, while also creating opportunities for collaboration with the scientific community in areas such as ecology, veterinary medicine, animal behaviour and other fields of research.

With Julie’s arrival, Portugal also completes the implementation of the legislation that banned the use of wild animals in circuses, closing a cycle that began in 2018 and opening a new chapter in the protection of these animals.

Credits: The Sanctuary; Pangea Elephant Sanctuary