How are elephants trained, and how do you train two elephants who have never been separated before? Scott and Kat share insights into the training of Pocha & Guillermina, working within the limitations of enclosure size, weather, and the resources available at the zoo. Relocations are often far from straightforward, and GSE faces severe challenges as they get entangled in a game of politics and personal greed when export permits are withheld, with third parties suddenly claiming that Pocha and Guillermina should remain in Argentina.

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

Join us as we talk about Pocha and Guillermina, the mother and daughter rescued in May 2022 from the Mendoza Eco-Parque in Argentina. Kat and Scott recall their first encounters with these two elephants and the challenges of preparing them for their journey to a new life at the Elephant Sanctuary Brazil.

Amidst the zoo's transformation into an eco-parque, Scott highlights the challenges of training two elephants who had never been separated before, while also navigating the obstacles posed by bureaucratic hurdles. Once again, the GSE team rose to the challenge, paving the way for this double rescue while also managing to treat a tusk infection in Kenya, the zoo's female African elephant.

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

In this episode we conclude our series on Bambi. Kat and Scott recall how her first months revolved around building friendships. We talk about her role in the trio that were eventually nicknamed Powerpuff Girls, and how after her first rejection by Mara, she learnt to respect the emotional space of the other elephants. We catch up in the present and talk about Bambi’s rise in insecurity due to her gradual vision loss, but stay on a positive note as we learn how Maia has stepped up to be there for her. There’s also a feathery update on the seven barn owls in the care of ESB.

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

This week we take a detour to talk about the individual recovery stories of our elephants. Sparked by comments from supporters on videos of Guillermina and her interactions with the other elephants, Kat reminds us that, just like with humans, no recovery from trauma is linear or the same. We must not deny each elephant their right to recovery, however different and complex it might be.

Guillermina was born into one of the most deprived environments Kat and Scott have ever witnessed in their careers. We talk about how far she has come in the past two years at the sanctuary, and her trauma of not only living in a concrete pit for 22 years but also losing her mother after only 5 months at the sanctuary.

Listen to Guille being more vocal in this video: https://globalelephants.org/guillermina-is-gradually-more-vocal/

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

Arriving at the zoo in Ribeirao Preto Scott recalls how much Bambi had changed not only physically but also mentally since he and Kat met her in 2013. She was curious but was spooked by the slightest noise and returned to the darkness of her barn.

Scott and Dr. Trish let things flow at Bambi’s pace, letting her know that everyone is listening to her, seeing her insecurities, and respecting her need to take things slower. Eventually in the crate, the team set off on the short 1-2 day trip to the sanctuary. Kat recalls Bambi stepping off the crate very quickly and like all arrivals taking a dust bath embracing the sounds and smells of her new home. We also talk a little bit more about Maison, the zoo’s second elephant, who is still there.

Check out our blog posts & videos on Bambi’s rescue.

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

Bambi is the seventh elephant to call Elephant Sanctuary Brazil her home. Confiscated from the circus, she was first sent to the Leme Botanical Gardens and later on to a zoo in Ribierão Preto; both cities are located in São Paulo state, Brazil.

Scott recalls how they first heard about Bambi during their exploratory trip to Brazil in 2013, and how the Leme Botanical Gardens asked them to take Bambi right then. But at the time, the soon-to-emerge non-profit GSE didn’t have a property. Bambi and GSE’s paths cross again several years later, when a judge rules that Bambi is to be sent to sanctuary. With an increase in the tension between Bambi and the zoo’s other elephant, Maison, Bambi needed a more permanent solution.

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

In the first of our “Brazilian edition” episodes - our host Nadia is currently in Brazil at the sanctuary - we pick up from last time and continue to talk about Mara’s health. While her GI issues seemed to be getting better and her poop improving in quantity, size & consistency, she started to go off her food. After weeks of limited food intake, Mara laid down, making a large round shape in her abdomen visible.

With both Bambi and Rana at her side, Mara recovers and is able to stand again. Today, she is doing well but, as Kat explains, she is one of the elephants they monitor the closest. Nadia also offers listeners an insight into her daily work at the sanctuary, giving you all a look behind the scenes.

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

Decades of unnatural captivity have left their mark on Mara, and in this week’s episode we talk in detail about elephant poop! From the differences in consistency of African and Asian elephant poop, to size and smell, all topics are on the table.

Kat and Scott explain how Mara’s stool was not normal for an Asian elephant, showing that she had GI (gastrointestinal) issues going on. Scott recalls the amazement of Mara’s zoo care team when noticing a change in her digestion just a few days after arriving at the sanctuary.

Not only did Mara’s physical health begin to improve, but her mental health did as well. Her stereotypic swaying stopped almost immediately. With her new friend, Rana, at her side, Kat and Scott recollect Mara’s first days and months of discovery in her new home, Elephant Sanctuary Brazil.

Videos mentioned in this episode:

Mara & the Ani: https://globalelephants.org/mara-and-the-ani/

Mara peels & trades a banana: https://globalelephants.org/mara-peels-and-trades-a-banana/

Rana expresses her joy: https://globalelephants.org/rana-expresses-her-joy-to-mara/

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, currently home to six female Asian elephants.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.