Update on Pelusa: Thursday night, myself (Kat) and another caregiver will be flying out to the La Plata Zoo in Argentina, to go see Pelusa. I will only be staying for five days, but Suz will be staying for a couple of months to help care for Pelusa. We are hoping that will be all of the time needed to get her to sanctuary here in Brazil, but it is still all dependent upon Ibama and how long they take to approve the final step in the permit process.
When visiting Pelusa last December I actually thought about Suz and how good she would be for her. We trained and worked with Suz in Tennessee. She is one of the most selfless people when it comes to elephants. For most, it is hard to not want something from elephants- for them to be happy to see you, for them to like you, for them to vocalize, the list goes on. Some people have a hard time seeing when they are truly doing something for the elephant, versus something that may make the elephant happy, but it’s actually about the response and the way it makes the person feel. Not Suz. She is incredibly giving of herself in a way that allows her to support every aspect of the elephant she is caring for.
Every elephant, their personality and their needs are different. Looking at Pelusa, this was something that I felt she needed. She loves her caregivers and they love her, but they also have many other animals to take care of at the zoo. Suz will be able to concentrate solely on Pelusa and spoil her to the best of her ability while respecting that she’s not her new best friend. A hard balance to achieve, but we know she is able to find the balance.
This doesn’t guarantee that Pelusa will be able to travel to sanctuary once her CITES permits go through, but it does allow us to know we are doing everything possible to support her through this part of her journey.
Ale from Fondation Franz Weber will be waiting at the airport to greet us, go with us to La Plata and make sure Suz is comfortable and settled in her temporary home. Ale loves Pelusa and has been integral in her rescue, so not only is it nice to see her, but she enjoys seeing Pelu as well. We will try and keep you posted on the trip. Hopefully Suz’s stay will allow us to share more updates on how Pelusa is doing so everyone can get a better glimpse into who she is once you look past the fragile shell that holds her spirit.
Thank you all for your continued support and please keep Pelusa in your thoughts and prayers.
April 17, 2018
RELATED ARTICLES:
December, 2017 Visit To Pelusa At The Zoo from GSE Co-founder Kat Blais and Dr.Rinku Gohain
The First Visits to Pelusa At The Zoo from GSE Co-founder and CEO Scott Blais
Post a comment