Pupy the elephant arrived at her new home in a sanctuary in Mato Grosso, Brazil, on Friday following a 2,700km (1,680-mile) overland journey from a zoo converted into an ecological park in Argentina’s capital where she had spent 30 years in conditions criticised by activists.
The Buenos Aires mayor’s office said in a statement that the last elephant living in the Argentine city’s “Ecopark” arrived at her destination in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest “in perfect health”.
The 35-year-old African elephant was transported in a large iron crate with thick bars strapped to a truck, a mission for which she had been trained for several months. The truck was flanked by vans filled with caretakers and veterinarians.
Pupy (pronounced Pooh’-pee in Spanish) did not require sedation during the five-day journey to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, the first refuge for elephants in Latin America located in the municipality of Chapadas Dos Guimarães in Mato Gross state, Argentine authorities said.
Upon arriving at the sanctuary, her veterinary escorts opened the door for her, but Pupy was reluctant to leave the iron crate. They said they fed her sugar cane and watermelon, her favourite food, and gave her a bath to refresh her.
Pupy will remain in an outdoor shed while she begins to adapt to her new home, without rushing.
“Everything will happen at her own pace,” said the Buenos Aires mayor’s office.