Former Circus Elephant Finally Gets Moved to Sanctuary

A former circus elephant will now spend the rest of her life at a sanctuary in Tennessee after leaving the San Antonio Zoo.

Source: KENS 5: Your San Antonio News Source/Youtube

Nicole, the Asian Elephant, was. apart of an older trio of zoo pachyderms, but unfortunately, the rest of her herd died last year. Nicole is now 48 years old, and her senior trio, dubbed the Golden Girls, included Karen, who died in March of 2022 at the age of 52, and Lucky, who died at the end of 2022 at the age of 62. Nicole had been living with her elderly herd at the San Antonio Zoo since 2016, but the zoo announced that she will be transported to a sanctuary in Tenessee.

Source: KENS 5: Your San Antonio News Source/Youtube

The Texas zoo has reportedly been acclimatizing Nicole to a crate over the past month since she will have to make the long 800-mile journey to the sanctuary. Unfortunately, being a former circus animal, Nicole is used to traveling.

“Before joining the Golden Girls in Bahiti Waters, Nicole was part of a traveling circus. She was naturally curious and quickly comfortable when we introduced her to the transportation crate. I have no doubts that the trip will go smoothly, and this sweet elephant will feel right at home when she arrives,” said Rachel Malstaff, director of mammals at the San Antonio Zoo

The sanctuary has nine other elephants aged 37 to 60, who Nicole will get to live out the rest of her days with. Sanctuaries that provide expansive habitats, opportunities for socialization with other elephants, and naturalistic features like trees, water, and varied terrain are considered the most appropriate settings for captive elephants.

The Asian elephant is currently classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While the exact number of Asian elephants remaining in the wild is uncertain, it is estimated that there are only around 30,000 to 50,000 individuals left in the wild, with populations declining due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-elephant conflicts.

Read and learn more about why zoos are not happy places for animals:

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• Zoochosis and the Many Ways We Have Failed Zoo Animals
• Zoochosis: What Really Happens to Animals in Captivity (VIDEO)
• The Truth About the Lives of Animals in Captivity Versus the Wild
•  How Zoos are Distorting Our View of the Natural World
• These Were the 10 Worst U.S. Zoos for Elephants in 2017 – Let’s Change This In 2018! (VIDEO)
• 7 Lessons We Really Should Be Learning From Zoos
• Think Zoos Are Fun Places? You Need to Watch This Video
• Stunning Photos Showcase the Suffering of Animals in Zoos, Aquariums, and More

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