Kenya embarks on a journey to freedom and has become the sole elephant resident of the former provincial zoo. After 8 years of dedication to her training, she finally heads towards a future of freedom, following the sad departure of Tamy.
After more than four decades of captivity, the elephant Kenya, the last specimen of her kind living in the Ecoparque de Mendoza, began a land journey on Friday afternoon that will last 5 days and cover 3,600 kilometers. Her destination is the Global Elephant Sanctuary in Brazil.
The 44-year-old African elephant departed in a container specially conditioned for her species, complying with rigorous safety and animal welfare standards.
She was accompanied at all times by her caretaker and two veterinarians. Throughout the journey, all necessary stops will be made to ensure her comfort.
“It is the closure of a cycle for this institution related to the end of captivity,” stated the Minister of Energy and Environment, Jimena Latorre.
Closing a cycle of captivity with Kenya
This long-awaited news comes just 10 days after the death of Tamy, the only male elephant at the Ecoparque and father of Guillermina.
Guillermina had previously traveled with her mother Pocha to the same Brazilian sanctuary. Tamy was also being prepared for his release and was 55 years old at the time of his passing.
In her new home in Brazil, Kenya will enjoy a spacious natural environment, receive all the veterinary care she needs, and most importantly, have the opportunity to interact with other elephants.
This represents a monumental change after years of loneliness and frustration in captivity, which even led to behaviors considered “unfriendly”.
How she arrived in Mendoza
Kenya is 44 years old and arrived in Mendoza through an exchange in 1985 through an agreement with the German zoo Tierpark Hagenbeck. Born in 1981, she arrived at the then Zoo de Mendoza at only 4 years old. Today her case makes history in Argentina.
“For more than eight years we have worked with the Government of Mendoza to make possible the transfer of the elephants that have lived on this site to the Elephant Sanctuary in Brazil,” stated Leandro Fruitos, advisor of the Biodiversity and Ecoparque Directorate on behalf of the Franz Weber Foundation.
A strict protocol that took 8 years of work
The operation to transfer the elephant Kenya was the result of arduous work that extended over 8 years.
During this lengthy period, her trainers specifically prepared her to be able to tolerate the journey inside the transport crate.
But the preparation went even further: she also underwent all kinds of exhaustive health analyses.
Simultaneously, a complex series of national and international permits were processed, and agreements were established with various organizations to ensure every detail of the transfer.
In the weeks prior to her departure, the elephant Kenya constantly practiced entering and exiting the cage, guided by a team composed of experts from both the sanctuary and the Ecoparque, ensuring she was as comfortable and prepared as possible for the big journey.
Journey to freedom with guaranteed well-being at the Elephant Sanctuary in Brazil
The Global Elephant Sanctuary, located in the lush Mato Grosso jungle, is considered a true “paradise” for elephants who have endured years of captivity.
This santuary has enclosures ranging from 40 to 400 hectares, offering abundant natural vegetation, permanent veterinary care, and specially designed diets for each animal.
Once there, Kenya will have the invaluable opportunity to regain behaviors typical of her species and, fundamentally, socialize with other elephants.
This was completely impossible during her prolonged stay in Mendoza, a place she inhabited for 40 of her 44 years of life.
