Ibama (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) said this Friday (19) that it is investigating the death of animals at the Brazilian Elephant Sanctuary, in Mato Grosso. The place is home to elephants who have spent decades in captivity.
From 2019 to 2025, four pachyderms that lived in the sanctuary died within a year of being transferred to the site. The most recent case is that of the elephant Kenya, who died last Tuesday (16), five months after being transferred from an Argentinian zoo.
“In principle, it is not possible to state that these dead animals were (or were not) recent victims of mistreatment or mismanagement. However, the number of deaths that occurred did not go unnoticed by the institution and is under investigation,” the environmental agency said in a note. “Ibama will continue to follow this matter and conduct the necessary investigations.”
The Brazilian Elephant Sanctuary did not respond to requests for comment on the investigation report.
The environmental agency points out that the majority of the animals were sent to the sanctuary for a better quality of life and appropriate management, and that many come from circuses or other countries: “It is known that a good number of these elephants are old, have comorbidities and have a delicate history.”
African elephant Kenya was brought from the Mendoza Ecopark, Argentina, where she had lived for about 40 years, with a series of health problems, according to sanctuary documentation.
Pupy, another recent loss, arrived at the sanctuary in April from the Ecoparque in Buenos Aires. The elephant died in October, aged around 35. Pocha had been transferred in May 2022 and died in October of the same year, aged around 57.
Ramba died in December 2019, two months after being taken to the shrine, aged between 60 and 65.
On the other hand, the elephant Guida lived in the sanctuary for almost three years: she was transferred in October 2016 and died in June 2019, at the age of 44. Lady stayed even longer: she arrived in 2019 and died in 2024, at the age of 52.
Five females of the Asian species currently live on the site: Maia, Rana, Mara, Bambi and Guillermina.
Ibama said she had already inspected the facility and identified that the captivity had a much larger area than determined for zoos, as well as adequate structures and strong fencing to keep the animals restricted to the boundaries. “In this assessment, the presence of qualified technicians, biologists and veterinarians working on the site was also verified.”
According to the agency, the term “sanctuary” is generally linked to categories of use and management of captive wildlife, such as wildlife holding facilities or scientific breeding areas, subject to a 2015 normative instruction.
According to Ibama, the word does not exist in Brazilian environmental legislation and “it is a fanciful name, just like the name ‘bioparc’ which is linked to zoos.”
In the case of the establishment in question, “it is a scientific breeding ground for wildlife and the term sanctuary, informally, refers to the place where the animals would not be subject to commercial exploitation”, according to the agency.
The Mato Grosso Environment Department, responsible for authorizing activities at the site, did not respond to the report.
The shrine refused to show the Leaf necropsy reports of dead and unresponsive animals on causes of death and veterinary care protocols. After questions from the report, the entity posted a note on social media regarding the deaths of Kenya and Pupy.
“We know that many of you support the sanctuary, understand the devastating impact of captivity, and recognize that the elephants at the Brazil Elephant Sanctuary receive a level of veterinary care that is not offered anywhere else in South America,” the statement said.
The institution says preliminary autopsy data from Kenya indicates a high likelihood of late-stage tuberculosis. Pupy’s autopsy, the results of which have not yet been released, did not reveal the disease, according to the sanctuary.
“The more data we have at our fingertips, the better we can continually improve our care and offer them the freedom to reconnect with themselves – something they may never have had the opportunity to experience otherwise,” he also said.
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