Pangea Trust

Pangea Trust
Formation2017
TypeCharitable organisation
Registration no.1177137 (England and Wales); 517038110 (Portugal)
Location(s)
  • Alentejo, Portugal (sanctuary); registered in the United Kingdom and Portugal
Key people
Kate Moore (managing director)
Websitepangeatrust.org

The Pangea Trust is a charitable organisation, registered in the United Kingdom and Portugal, that operates the Pangea Elephant Sanctuary in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. The trust was founded in the United Kingdom in 2017 and established an associated Portuguese non-profit in 2022. The sanctuary, located between the municipalities of Alandroal and Vila Viçosa, has been described in Portuguese and international news reports as the first large-scale sanctuary in Europe for elephants previously kept in zoos and circuses.[1][2]

Julie, the last circus elephant in Portugal, became its first resident at the end of June 2026.[3][4][5] A second elephant, Kariba, is expected to arrive from Belgium later in the year.[6][4]

History

The Pangea Trust was founded in 2017 and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales in February 2018.[7][8] According to the organisation, a feasibility study covering potential sites across Europe identified Portugal as having suitable habitat and climate conditions for an elephant sanctuary.[9] The trust was incorporated in Portugal in 2022 as Associação Natureza Pangea, a private-law non-profit association.[7] It purchased an estate in the Alentejo in 2023 and began restoring the habitat, with construction of the first barn and enclosure starting in 2025.[1]

The project was publicly presented in November 2025, when the trust said it expected to receive its first elephants in early 2026. The municipal councils of Alandroal and Vila Viçosa are partners in the project, which also has support from Portugal's Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV) and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF).[1][10] Construction was reported in February 2026 to be running about a month behind schedule after a period of heavy rainfall; the trust said the first phase was completed in March 2026.[11][12]

In December 2025, the comedian Ricky Gervais named Pangea among 22 animal charities sharing £2.43 million in donations from platinum ticket sales on his Mortality stand-up tour.[13][14] Pangea was among 17 of the charities that received £100,000 each.[14][15]

In early 2026, the trust assisted with the rehoming of Sona, Portugal's last circus tiger, to a sanctuary in Spain.[16] The sanctuary opened at the end of June 2026, when Julie arrived as its first resident.[6][4][5]

Sanctuary

The sanctuary covers 405 hectares (about 1,000 acres) of a former cattle estate between Vila Viçosa and Alandroal, around 200 kilometres east of Lisbon.[2][17] The first phase comprises 28 hectares, with plans to expand across the full site. The facility is not open to the public, and the land is being managed for nature restoration alongside elephant care.[17][2] The trust has said it plans annual visits by small groups of donors, school programmes, volunteering and research activity, and an open day for local residents.[18]

The trust has said the site could eventually house between 20 and 30 elephants, depending on habitat space and welfare studies, and that the project is funded by donations from organisations and the public.[1] At the project's public presentation in November 2025, Kate Moore, the trust's managing director, said the organisation expected to invest about €15 million in the sanctuary over roughly ten years.[19][6][4]

The sanctuary is modelled on large-scale elephant facilities in Asia, Africa and the Americas. According to the trust, more than 600 elephants live in captivity across Europe, and a shortage of rehoming options has left governments unable to enforce welfare laws.[9] The Guardian reported in May 2026 that 36 elephants were living alone in zoos across Europe and that about 40 continued to perform in circuses, and that captive female African elephants live an average of 17 years, compared with 56 in the wild.[2]

Elephants

The sanctuary's first two intended residents are Julie and Kariba, both female African elephants in their forties.[17]

In May 2026, the Pangea Trust and Circo Víctor Hugo Cardinali jointly announced a voluntary agreement to relocate Julie, Portugal's last circus elephant, to the sanctuary. Julie was captured in southern Africa as a calf and, according to The Guardian, was acquired by the Cardinali circus from a German zoo in 1988.[2][20] She was retired from performing in 2024.[20][16] Portugal's parliament had approved a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses in 2018, with the measure taking full effect in 2025.[2][21] Samba, the elephant she had lived alongside at the circus, died in 2024, leaving Julie without the company of other elephants.[22][23] Following veterinary health assessments, Julie was moved to the sanctuary on 29 June 2026, becoming its first resident.[3][6] The trust said its specialist team would oversee her care, that Cardinali would remain involved during her adaptation, and that she would need support for health and mobility problems common in elephants of her age.[6][4] Her relocation completed the implementation of the 2018 Portuguese law prohibiting wild animals in circuses, leaving no wild animals in any circus in the country.[24][25]

Kariba was captured in Zimbabwe as a calf in 1984 and spent years in zoos across Europe. She arrived at Olmense Zoo in Belgium in 2012, where she lived with another African elephant, Jenny; the zoo was renamed Pakawi Park in 2019. After Jenny died in 2022, Kariba was left alone, and the zoo began seeking a new home for her.[26] Her transfer was scheduled for late May 2026 but was postponed after an abscess was found on her foot in the days before she was due to travel. The Born Free Foundation, which raised funds for the move, said the condition was treatable and that the relocation was delayed rather than cancelled.[27][28] As of July 2026, the trust expected Kariba to join Julie later in the year.[6][4][5]

Organisation and partnerships

Kate Moore, formerly a director at the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust in Malawi, is the trust's managing director.[20][29]

The trust identifies the Born Free Foundation, the Fondation Brigitte Bardot, the Olsen Animal Trust and the Danish arm of World Animal Protection as founding members of the sanctuary, each represented on its board of trustees.[5][30] Born Free has raised funds for Kariba's relocation.[31]

Diana d'Orléans, Duchess of Cadaval, is the trust's royal patron.[30] The artist Joana Vasconcelos is an ambassador for the trust and was described in the joint announcement by Pangea and the Cardinali circus as "a key force behind" the agreement to relocate Julie.[32][33] A development board supports fundraising. It is chaired by Anna Isserman; its members include the financier Ben Goldsmith and the former Portuguese culture minister Graça Fonseca.[29][30]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Europe's first captive elephant sanctuary to open in Alentejo". Portugal Resident. 6 November 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rewilding giants: captive elephants rehomed in Europe's first sanctuary". The Guardian. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Depois de 40 anos no circo, Julie está livre. Santuário de elefantes no Alentejo já abriu" [After 40 years in the circus, Julie is free. The elephant sanctuary in the Alentejo has opened]. NiT (in Portuguese). 2 July 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Portugal's last circus elephant becomes Alentejo sanctuary's first resident". Portugal Resident. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Our First Elephant Has Arrived at Pangea" (Press release). Pangea Trust. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Julie. Último elefante de circo em Portugal já mora em santuário no Alentejo" [Julie. Portugal's last circus elephant now lives in a sanctuary in the Alentejo] (in Portuguese). RTP. Lusa. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 "About us". Pangea Trust. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "The Pangea Trust, registered charity no. 1177137". Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Portugal to open first major European elephant sanctuary". Macao News. 10 November 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Serafim, Teresa (6 November 2025). "Alentejo vai ter um santuário para elefantes reformados. O primeiro chega da Bélgica em 2026" [The Alentejo will have a sanctuary for retired elephants. The first arrives from Belgium in 2026]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Winter Construction Update". Pangea Trust. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Phase One Construction Completed at Pangea". Pangea Trust. March 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home receives bumper donation from comedian Ricky Gervais". Edinburgh Evening News. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Ricky Gervais donates £2.5m to animal charities". British Comedy Guide. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Ricky Gervais Backs Pangea". Pangea Trust. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Portugal closes chapter on wild animals in circuses". The Portugal News. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 "First elephants to be moved to elephant sanctuary in Portugal". The Animal Reader. 10 May 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "O último elefante de circo em Portugal vai para santuário no Alentejo" [Portugal's last circus elephant goes to a sanctuary in the Alentejo]. Público (in Portuguese). 7 May 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Último elefante de circo vai mudar de vida no Alentejo" [Last circus elephant will change its life in the Alentejo]. SOL (in Portuguese). 7 May 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 Mitchell, Bea (7 May 2026). "Portugal's last circus elephant to move to Europe's first large-scale sanctuary". Blooloop. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Portugal's last circus elephant to move to Alentejo sanctuary". Portugal Resident. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Santuário no Alentejo vai acolher o último elefante de circo de Portugal" [Sanctuary in the Alentejo will take in Portugal's last circus elephant]. NiT (in Portuguese). 7 May 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Julie, o último elefante de circo em Portugal, será dos primeiros a começar nova vida no santuário do Alentejo" [Julie, Portugal's last circus elephant, will be among the first to begin a new life at the Alentejo sanctuary]. Green Savers (in Portuguese). 7 May 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "Cardinali cede último elefante de circo em Portugal a santuário alentejano" [Cardinali hands over Portugal's last circus elephant to an Alentejo sanctuary]. Alentejo Ilustrado (in Portuguese). Lusa. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  25. ↑ "Último elefante-fêmea de circo em Portugal já mora no santuário no Alentejo" [Portugal's last female circus elephant now lives in the sanctuary in the Alentejo]. Observador (in Portuguese). Lusa. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "Announcing One of Our First Elephant Arrivals". Pangea Trust. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  27. ↑ "Kariba the elephant: Relocation update". Born Free Foundation. May 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  28. ↑ "Portugal's last circus elephant re-homed". Euro Weekly News. 29 May 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  29. 1 2 "Team". Pangea Trust. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  30. 1 2 3 "Patrons & Board". Pangea Trust. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  31. ↑ "Portugal's last circus elephant to begin new chapter at Pangea". Born Free Foundation. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  32. ↑ "Portugal's Last Circus Elephant is Coming to Pangea". Pangea Trust. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  33. ↑ "O último elefante de circo em Portugal encontra refúgio em Alandroal" [Portugal's last circus elephant finds refuge in Alandroal]. Perspetiva (in Portuguese). 7 May 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.

Further reading

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