Located in Portugal, Pangea is Europe’s first large-scale elephant sanctuary, offering Europe’s zoo elephants a second chance at life – a place where they can roam freely in 1,000 acres of natural habitat, surrounded by their own kind.
On 2 July 2026, Pangea welcomed its first resident: Julie, a 40-year-old African elephant. Her release marked the end of wild animals in Portuguese circuses. She will soon be joined by Kariba, another African elephant relocating from a Belgian zoo.
Julie was the first elephant to arrive at Pangea sanctuary, on 2 July 2026.
Pangea exists because Europe needs a large-scale elephant sanctuary.
The sanctuary provides a compassionate, lifelong home for elephants in need, offering a solution for European zoos, circuses, and governments looking to retire elephants into a more natural environment.
More than 600 elephants live in captivity across Europe. While most EU member states have banned the use of elephants in circuses, zoos seeking to end elephant exhibits face a shortage of suitable rehoming options. Governments are also limited in their ability to enforce welfare laws when there are no appropriate facilities to receive confiscated elephants.
Set within 1,000 acres in Portugal, the sanctuary is modelled on leading large-scale elephant facilities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Its management approach is informed by the expertise of respected captive elephant specialists and wild elephant biologists. Through an extensive habitat restoration programme, native wildlife is able to flourish, while elephants have the space to roam, forage, and socialise freely in a natural landscape, supported by expert, individualised care throughout their lives.