Dear John,
All month long, we’ve shared the difficult truths about what elephants endure in captivity—including and especially the harms caused by captive breeding programs—emphasizing the urgent need for justice. But as World Elephant Month comes to a close, there is one more message we want to share … and that is one of hope.
As we continue our work to secure elephants’ fundamental legal rights—building a future where their freedom is recognized and protected—we are joined by nonprofits across the world whose work shines a light on what’s possible: true conservation, true healing.
Take Pupy (35 years old) and Kenya (44 years old), for example—two elephants who were confined to small, barren exhibits for decades. Today, at the Global Sanctuary for Elephants (GSE), they have the opportunity to heal in a safe environment: walking freely across wide-open fields, forming bonds, exploring the natural world, and rediscovering what it means to live on their own terms.
As Scott Blais, GSE’s CEO and Co-founder, shared with us:
“The work that we—and other sanctuaries—are privileged to do is about the healing that can happen when one of the most intelligent and insightful animals in the world has the opportunity to make their own decisions. They have the chance to explore a vast space and, hopefully, discover who they really are and were always meant to be. But sanctuary isn’t only about the space; it is about respecting the process of recovery from years of trauma, and it is an opportunity for humans to see what is possible. The more we allow elephants to demonstrate their capacity for recovery, and the more education we can provide, the more people will understand the importance of true sanctuary.”
Sanctuaries like GSE show us what freedom makes possible. Through fundamental legal rights, like the right to liberty and access to justice, we can ensure that all elephants are protected from exploitation and given the opportunity to live freely and with dignity.
Hope is not passive. It requires action. Together—with your support, and alongside the inspiring work of advocates and elephant experts like Scott at the Global Sanctuary for Elephants—we are building a legacy of hope.
Thank you for taking action this month for elephants—for donating to our World Elephant Month campaign and for completing and sharing our action alerts.
With heartfelt gratitude,
The NhRP
