Pupy, the last elephant living in the former Buenos Aires Zoo since 1993, is preparing for a 2,700-kilometer journey to a sanctuary in Mato Grosso, Brazil. This move marks a significant step towards her freedom after decades in captivity.
For five days, specialists from the Ecoparque and the sanctuary worked to train Pupy to enter a custom-made iron box for her transport. Unlike Mara, another elephant who was accustomed to travel due to her circus background, Pupy is more accustomed to the zoo environment, making the process challenging.
The training involves positive reinforcement, using fruits, alfalfa, and bamboo as rewards to encourage her to enter the box. The journey will be undertaken with a team of caretakers, veterinarians, and experts, including the director of the Elephant Sanctuary, Scott Blaise, and Ramiro Reyno, from the Ecoparque.
Pupy's relocation is part of a broader movement to end the exhibition of elephants in captivity, championed by the Franz Weber Foundation (FFW). The move is not just about Pupy, but about how we choose to relate to nature and the legacy we leave as a society.