Last captive elephant in South Africa freed

The last captive elephant in South Africa has been released back into the wild after 40 years in captivity. The animal, named Charlie, was captured from Zimbabwe in 1984 at the Hwange national park when he was just two years old. From there he was brought to Boswell Wilkie Circus in South Africa where he was trained to perform tricks before being transferred to the national zoo in the 2000s.

Recently, animal welfare groups have fought for South Africa’s last captive elephant to be freed following concerns for his health. The EMS foundation which advocates for wildlife announced that he has arrived at his new home at the Shambala Private Reserve in Limpopo province, following “a nail-biting four-hour trip to freedom.”

The “historic event” it said came after years of negotiating with the South African government after the organisation and its partners gave scientific evidence that showed how elephants suffered in zoos.

Charlie is said to have witnessed the deaths of four other elephants including his own calf which was less than a month old. Concerns were raised in 2019 that he was showing signs of distress common with captive animals.

South Africa’s National Biodiversity Institute which runs the zoo denied it. It attributed the behaviour to the years of life in the circus which it said could not be completely unlearned. The EMS foundation dismissed it as “inaccurate.”

His “retirement was an important milestone for elephant Charlie but also for better animal welfare in South Africa” said animal welfare organisation Four Paws which collaborated with thee EMS foundation.

“Together with our partners, we have been working tirelessly to end the loneliness of Charlie to see him thrive in his new species appropriate home,” said Josef Pfabigan, Four Paws chief executive.

Charlie’s new home is a 10,000-hectare reserve with a thriving population of elephants and has been known to successfully reintegrate animals into the wild.