An Elephant's Journey Soon Can End in Portugal

Kariba has spent 40 years in European zoos. Born in Zimbabwe, her family was lost to an ivory cull in the mid-1980s. She was sent to a zoo in Germany. In 2012, she was moved to Pakawi Park in Belgium, where she found companionship with Jenny, who was retired from circus life. When Jenny died in 2022, Kariba was left alone again. Now, Pangea plans for her to become the first elephant at its sanctuary in Alentejo, Portugal, next year. (Photo by Pakawi Park)

---

In the middle of the 16th century, King João III of Portugal offers his cousin, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, an extraordinary wedding gift -- an elephant.

From fragments of testimony by scholars, historians and ordinary people, the Portuguese Nobel Prize-winning author José Saramago assimilates The Elephant's Journey (2008), a fantastic novel of compassion, humor and depth.

Saramago takes the elephant, Suleiman, and his companion and mahout, Subhro, on a storied expedition. The two already had made a long sea voyage from Goa and spent a couple of years in Portugal, where Suleiman was a treasure on display.

On leaving Lisbon, in 1551, they were first escorted by officers of King João III and then by those of Archduke Maximilian. They journey on foot from Lisbon to the Spanish city of Valladolid, to the Catalonian region in northeastern Spain, by sea to Genoa, on to Venice, over the Alps, arriving at Innsbruck on the feast day of the Epiphany, before continuing by barge down the rivers Inn and Danube toward Vienna, according to The New York Times (September 17, 2010).

An amazing journey. Strangers are astounded by the travelers. Conversations touch on what, at first, seem to be cultural differences but turn out to be similarities. The friends arrive safely at their destination, where they are warmly received by everyone.

Two years later, Suleiman, called Solomon by Maximilian, dies in Austria over Christmas.

Subhro, called Fritz by Maximilian, receives a tip from the Archduke. He reclaims his name, leaves for Lisbon on a mule and vanishes from record.

Suleiman's corpse is desecrated as the elephant that he would always be no matter his name.

"Suleiman's body parts were taken as trophies and relics. His bones were made into a chair for the abbey at Kremsmunster. His bulletproof hide (bulletproof at least to early modern bullets) was stuffed and presented to Albert V of Bavaria. This apparition of him stood in the Old Academy in Munich and then in the Bavarian National Museum until it was blown apart in a Second World War bombing raid, when he passed at last out of history's archives and into the consolations of literature."

Today, a Sanctuary

Nearly 500 years later, Portugal is slated to become the first major sanctuary for elephants who have lived in captivity, reported SIC Notícias (November 7).

An elephant from a zoo in Belgium is scheduled to be the first to arrive in early 2026 at the sanctuary on a huge lot in the municipalities of Vila Viçosa and Alandroal, Évora District, in Alentejo, according to SAPO (November 6).

Developed by the non-profit organization Pangea, registered in Portugal and the United Kingdom, the project was presented on November 6 in Vila Viçosa. The municipal councils are partners in the initiative, which is supported by the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Medicine and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), reported SIC Notícias.

Kate Moore, the director-general of Pangea, said that the organization expects to invest €15 million over 10 years, according to SAPO. ("Pangea" was the supercontinent which existed millions of years ago before the continents broke apart.)

Moore declined to specify current investment but said that it was "significant" and resulted from "donations made by organizations and the public", reported SIC Notícias.

Largest Land Animals

She said that the organization bought a 402-hectare (993-acre) plot of land in 2023 to establish the refuge, which will have a capacity for up to 30 elephants, the largest land animals in the world.

Elephants, of which there are three species, are some of the most endangered animals on the planet, according to International Fund for Animal Welfare (September 30). IFAW is a global non-profit organization helping animals and people thrive together since 1969, according to its website.

Elephants have varied lifespans depending on whether they live in the wild or in captivity, according to Britannica. Wild elephants can live up to 60 or 70 years.

In captivity, their lifespan is shortened as recent studies show that captivity induces stress in elephants. Captive female Asian elephants in Europe have a median life expectancy of about 41.9 years compared to 35.9 years in North America.

Pangea's principal technical consultant, biologist Miguel Repas emphasized that the sanctuary will provide animals with "tranquility, peace and freedom" and, therefore, will not be open to the public, reported SAPO.

However, he pointed out that initiatives involving the public are planned such as programs for schools and the local community. Also, a "discovery center" will offer interactions with the elephants.

The sanctuary will have stables, a central support services area and fences, said Miguel Repas.

He added that the project will create 10 direct jobs and 30 to 50 indirect jobs.

João Grilo, the mayor of Alandroal, highlighted the project's economic and conservation benefits.

Inácio Esperanca, the mayor of Vila Viçosa, stressed that the sanctuary land was previously unused and now will be restored environmentally and put to use.

"Ideal Habitat and Climate Conditions"

Portugal was selected for its "ideal habitat and climate conditions" following a feasibility study, reported SIC Notícias.

Kate Moore, the director-general of Pangea, added that the property in Alentejo was considered "the best due to its topography, very gentle hills that are good for elephants to walk on, very diverse habitat and private area with plenty of water".

An adult elephant drinks about 100 liters (26 gallons) of water per day. The herbivore consumes about 100 kilograms (200 pounds) of food per day. These amounts can double if the animal is particularly thirsty or hungry.