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If you are reading this post, you’re probably a regular follower of the elephants here at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. You may have read every EleFact and soaked in the experiences of the girls (and now boy!) to the point where you’re the resident expert on all things elephant in your family. Today, on National Elephant Appreciation Day, we want to take the time to celebrate the healing that can take place when elephants are merely able to choose what happens in their day. As part of our sanctuary family, this is likely a holiday that you want to be a part of.

Sandro, the first male to reside at the sanctuary, has only been here for a few days. But, he’s already deciding where to go, what to do, and how to spend his time. Individuals of just about every species make thousands of tiny decisions a day and, until now, Sandro’s list of things he could choose was incredibly limited. He lived in a small enclosure and had a limited amount of space to roam. It makes sense that he would be curious about his transport crate, since it was probably the first new thing he’d seen in a while. The fact that Sandro entered right away shows he was perhaps ready to make those long-awaited decisions on his own. It’s possible he was looking for something new and his curiosity was piqued. As he explores farther and farther into his habitat, there will be even more options unfolding ahead of him. 

On this National Elephant Appreciation Day, we’re celebrating the resilience the elephants here demonstrate every day. We’re grateful that the elephants are able to finally, after years of living at the whims of others, seek out what makes them happy and content; there is so much variety and Sandro, like the other sanctuary elephants before him, can indulge his preferences to his heart’s content. 

P.S.: We’re thrilled that Sandro finally has his chance at sanctuary. But his ongoing care will be costly. Your gift today helps make his new life possible—and this week, Stews 4 Elephants is matching donations for Sandro’s care up to $2,500. Give a gift today, and your support will go twice as far.

Photo of Sandro under a palm tree