If, at the time, Punch, the elephant of the Pinder circus, exhibited at the Natural History Museum in Toulouse, had known about this retirement home for elephants, he might have ended his life there
The idea is unique in Europe: two Belgians, Tony Verhulst and Sofie Goetghebeur, both with solid experience at the Antwerp Zoo, have imagined a "retirement home" for elephants in the Parc Naturel Régional Périgord Nord, in the commune of Saint-Nicolas-Courbefy.
Elephant Haven is a sanctuary for elephants from zoos and circuses because more and more European countries are banning wild animals in circuses.
There are more than a hundred elephants in circuses throughout Europe.
The designers of the project wanted to help them because it is not always possible to bring them back to their country of origin. However, it is possible to create a safe haven for them.
The house is called "Elephant Haven".
And if everyone found the idea a bit far-fetched at the beginning, the deed of purchase of the land signed, made the most reluctant understand that the project was well and truly launched...
The pachyderms will initially have a 7-hectare site but will also be able to enter heated sheds.
The land covers a total of 29 hectares and is equipped with a huge building, water points and sheds for an amount of 250,000 euros.
Ghandi has arrived...
EHEES, Elephant Haven European Elephant Sanctuary, recently welcomed its first resident, Gandhi, who arrived on the evening of October 14, 2021.
She is a female born in Asia, probably in Thailand, in 1969... She loves watermelons, cut nettles, plums, parsley and... lemon.
EHEES, Elephant Haven European Elephant Sanctuary
Saint-Nicolas-Courbefy
87230 Bussière Galant
http://www.elephanthaven.com/fr/
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