Rescued from years of abuse for human entertainment, Charley the elephant is step-by-step prepared for his life in the wild by animal welfare organisation Four Paws’ expert team and his future caretakers at Shambala Private Game Reserve in Limpopo.
After being saved from life-long abuse for human entertainment in a circus and zoo, elephant Charley who was released into a new enclosure at Shambala Private Reserve in Limpopo, is rapidly adapting to his newly won liberties, according to animal welfare organisation Four Paws.
Born in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, Charley was captured as a youngster along with nine other elephants and was imported by the Boswell Circus in 1984. For 16 years Charley performed in the circus before being transferred to the Natal Lion Park in May 2000.
He arrived at the zoo on July 30, 2001. Over the past 23 years, Charley has witnessed the deaths of his four elephant companions and has shown signs of distress, including repetitive head-swaying, a behaviour commonly found in captivity.
His captivity has left deep wounds that are now starting to heal. Charley’s nails have deep cracks from inappropriate keeping and need special attention.
“Charley is a very special elephant. He is a fast learner and adapts really well to his new environment. Charley has already built a strong bond of trust with the new caretakers. With every day, he is starting to behave more and more like a wild elephant. It is simply beautiful to see that he has already started communicating with the other elephants in the reserve from afar.
Last week, he trumpeted for the very first time and used his trunk to pour water over his head. On Tuesday, he enjoyed his first mud bath since being in captivity for over four decades. It is with great joy that we are watching him settle in so well,” said Four Paws veterinarian Dr Marina Ivanova.
The organisation said the African elephant is step-by-step prepared for his life in the wild by its expert team and his future caretakers in Shambala.
To get Charley ready, a lot still needs to be done. He is currently taught to come back to his safe space in the enclosure, which is important for example for future veterinary examinations.
“In the wild, elephants walk up to 150km per day. We are helping Charley to slowly build up the needed muscles for his big release into the entire reserve. He is on a special diet to gain weight for his life in the wild.
We are teaching him how to pick fresh branches from trees, which are important for his digestion. His favourite food is pumpkins, which he absolutely loves and devours rapidly”, said Ivanova.
Cape Times