Statements
Mission
Mission: Protecting, rescuing, and providing sanctuary for elephants worldwide.
Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create a nurturing home where rescued elephants feel safe, allowing them to process and heal from the emotional and physical traumas of their past.
The space, freedom, unconditional love and respect sanctuary provides simply cannot be duplicated. Sanctuary is the only true healthy option for elephants in captivity. That is why we need your support to make sanctuary life a reality for elephants around the globe.
Our pilot project, Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, is situated on 2,800 acres of incredibly diverse property in the municipality of Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil. It is the only sanctuary for elephants in Latin America and one of of only three worldwide accredited by Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.
Elephant Sanctuary Brazil is currently home to five resident elephants: Maia, Rana, Lady, Mara, and Bambi who live in the Asian female habitat. The intention of the sanctuary is to house elephants of both species (African and Asian) and gender. Each species will have their own habitat (due to issues with cross-species socialization) and the males of each species are housed separately from the females. In order to provide enough space for each species we must expand our steel fencing. The more fencing we build, the more elephants we can rescue. Elephants are waiting and we need your help in building their future.
Please make a donation today to help us purchase the equipment needed to build more fencing and save more lives.
Background
In 2012, our founding board and notable experts came together, initially to work on a solution to the growing crisis for captive elephants in South America, but they quickly realized that the struggle was global. Captive elephant health, internationally, is in a state of emergency. Severely restricted by a life on chains or extreme confinement, insufficient diet, and isolation from proper social groupings, elephants often develop severe health complications, exposure to and development of active tuberculosis disease, and psychological illness ranging from extreme aggression, self-mutilation, and withdrawal. Human awareness of the suffering of captive animals is increasing, creating a global desire for positive change. Many individuals want a better life for elephants, but few people have the experience and knowledge to move these efforts forward. Our organization was established with the goal of improving the lives of elephants around the world.
CEO and Board President Scott Blais has more than 20 years of experience managing African and Asian elephants in zoos, circuses, and at a natural habitat sanctuary. In 1995, Scott co-founded The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and, subsequently, worked for more than 16 years as Director of Operations. Scott was also in charge of managing and overseeing the development of this 2700-acre facility. His strong aptitude for design and construction was complemented by his knowledge and comprehension of the physical and emotional needs of captive elephants. Dr. Joyce Poole, one of the world's foremost authorities on elephants, has studied the social behavior and communication of African elephants for over thirty years, and has dedicated her life to their conservation and welfare. At the age of 19, she began her life's work in Amboseli National Park studying under mentor Cynthia Moss. Dr. Poole is a member of Amboseli Elephant Research Project, the world's longest study of elephants, which forms an unparalleled body of knowledge. The combined decades of knowledge between Scott and Joyce, along with that of other board members, allows the sanctuary to examine the health and well-being of elephants from all aspects. This type of partnership is unprecedented and ensures that we are providing the best possible home for elephants.
Impact
As an organization with niche expertise in elephant rescue and sanctuary development, GSE is uniquely positioned to increase awareness and amplify support for the rescue of these magnificent and beloved animals. Following careful analysis, Brazil was chosen as the location for our sanctuary pilot project (Elephant Sanctuary Brazil) to ensure that the growing number of elephants displaced by ongoing bans on performing animals across South America would be guaranteed compassionate care in an appropriate habitat.
To date, we have rescued and transported seven elephants to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil (ESB). While many of these elephants had been labeled "aggressive" by their circuses and zoos, we have observed positive behaviors since their arrival at sanctuary. Given space, understanding, and the ability to express themselves in a healthy way, these elephants have grown immensely. We have seen an increase in the elephants' confidence and problem-solving abilities, as well as physical improvements as their bodies begin to recover from severe weight loss, joint and foot issues, and bouts of colic. Healing may be slow, but that is what sanctuary is about -- offering time and support to the elephants as they overcome decades of struggle, at the pace they need to truly heal.
Needs
Our waitlist consists of six elephants -- male and female, Asian and African -- although there are dozens of others in need of sanctuary. Offering sanctuary space to these elephants is our way of giving back what others took from them by placing them in captivity. We are about to begin fundraising for the expansion of our Female African Elephant Habitat (Phase II), to fence another 67 acres for Kenya, and the other two female African elephants, Kuky and Pupy currently on our waitlist.
African elephants tend to be more active and harder on the environment than Asian elephants (stripping bark from trees, for example); as a result, they need more space in order to maintain a healthy environment. It is imperative that we expand the Female African Elephant Habitat, so that the land can continue to thrive while allowing the elephants to also flourish.
CEO Statement
Elephants across the globe are in crisis. Elephants in captivity around the world face a life of isolation, living within substandard facilities facing boredom, neglect and in some cases direct abuse at the hand of humans. One of the most tragic realities is that drastic impact captivity has on an elephant's longevity. In the wild elephants can live to be 60-70 years old, in captivity, the average life is cut in half. What's worse is the primary cause of their early demise; the number one killer of captive elephants is foot disease, infections in the bones of their feet that lead to systemic infections are crippling. Other causes of premature death for elephants in captivity include digestive issues (which stem from an unnatural diet) and heart issues (stemming from increased weight and decreased exercise). All of these issues are easily corrected when elephants are given natural substrates to stand on, miles to walk, and the ability to naturally forage for food. Sanctuary life can literally add years to an elephant's projected longevity as fear and psychological burdens, decades-old, melt away. We know we can make a difference, we know the direct benefit that sanctuary life can bring to an elephant's life. We still have time to make a substantial difference for elephants around the globe. We can develop sanctuaries for captive elephants, providing them with an opportunity to experience a level of freedom and peace they haven't known since infancy. With our knowledge, we can encourage and reinforce progressive legislative measures to create a compassionate future. Together we can impact the lives of hundreds if not thousands of elephants and we can help protect a species from irreversible decline. It is up to all of us to walk through life, educated about the repercussions of our decisions, to use the knowledge that we have for the greater good of the world around us and to share what we know to create a positive change.
Board Chair Statement
The biggest struggle our organization will face will be the early days. People love to support the rescue of elephants, but the reality is, without the development of facilities, there is nowhere for these elephants to go. There are several organizations that have tried to start new elephant sanctuaries, but their efforts have stagnated in the conception phase due to a lack of people being able to see the bigger picture. There are currently 5 elephants we are discussing bringing to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, with others waiting for space to be available. All of these elephants are living in unsuitable conditions, ranging from deplorable to inadequate, and the current facilities are willing to give them up, but we aren't at a point in construction that allows us to take them. In order to make a difference in the lives of captive elephants, we have to build the facilities first. We need people to donate towards 'unexciting' things like building fences and care centers, without them, there is no forever home of respect and healing for them. When Scott Blais developed his first elephant sanctuary in Tennessee, many people don't realize it was the same way. Personal money was used, neighbors would lend their tractors and bulldozers for Scott to use for different projects and Scott would make trips to the junkyard to gather scrap metal to be used wherever he could. It was a dream that he and his partner weren't sure the world would support. The day he was going to go out to apply for a part-time job, to keep the dream alive, was the morning they got their first big donation check in the mail. It literally brought tears to Scott's eyes in the middle of the post office parking lot. That sanctuary is now very successful and well supported, but it took time. Elephants around the world don't have that kind of time anymore. People are more aware now, they realize the negative impact that captivity has on such intelligent and social beings. There is more support available, and we know support will come. Two groups of people are incredibly important for this project at the early stage: those who know Scott's dedication, knowledge, and passion for elephants and would support any venture he is involved in. They already know what it means for the elephants we are able to rescue. The other group is the visionaries who know that the dream scenario we all want for elephants isn't possible unless you support the bricks and mortar. Elephants are literally waiting, we can save them, but first we have to build the facilities needed to bring them home.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Animal Related - Wildlife Sanctuaries |
| Secondary Category: | Animal Related - Alliances & Advocacy |
| Tertiary Category: | Animal Related - Animal Protection & Welfare |
Areas Served
GSE provides the necessary expertise, hands-on assistance and pivotal funding to aid in the development of elephant sanctuaries internationally and provide support for the global welfare and well being of elephants wherever the need exists. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, located in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil.
| International |
