Help take extra special care of an elephant that is close to your heart. 
PUPY
Female African Elephant
REBIRTHDAY: APRIL 18, 2025
It is with a heavy heart that we announce Pupy passed away on October 10, 2025. Please visit her tribute page.
Pupy's New Sanctuary Life
Pupy’s long-awaited relocation to sanctuary culminated in her arrival at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil on April 18, 2025. Follow her first days of sanctuary life and catch up on the stories from her travels on her relocation page.
Age
35 years old – Born in 1990.
Relocated From
Ecoparque Buenos Aires, Argentina
Personality
Curious and peaceful
History
Arrived at the zoo in 1993 from Africa and has lived at the zoo most of her life. Relocated to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil on April 18, 2025.
Health
Assessments are underway.
Body Conditions
She arrived at sanctuary having joint issues with her back right ankle and noticeable weakness in her trunk.
Factoid
Pupy arrived in Buenos Aires in 1993 with Kuky, another African elephant who has since passed away. In 1995, they were joined by Mara. They lived in the same enclosure until Mara was relocated to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil in 2020.
Above: Pupy Ecoparque Buenos Aires
Photo credit: Tomás Francisco Cuesta
PUPY'S STORY
Pupy is a former enclosure mate with our beloved Mara and resided for 30 years in the Buenos Aires Ecoparque. According to records, Pupy arrived at the ecoparque in 1993 with Kuky, a female African elephant, from Kruger National Park in South Africa. There is no known reliable documentation confirming whether she was related to Kuky, or Pupy’s date of birth, but she’s believed to be in her 30s. Pupy and Kuky were deeply bonded, and were referred to by ecoparque staff as “the Queens” before Kuky’s passing in October of 2024.
Pupy will eventually share a space at the sanctuary with Kenya, the female African elephant from Mendoza.
Pupy is very curious about anything new in her environment. As with most African elephants, she has strong character. Even so, she has been patient and calm during the entire time we’ve known her.
Pupy loves watermelon and especially is drawn to fruit popsicles in the summer. She also enjoys dry tree branches, bamboo, and she especially loves grass hay.
Though Pupy is new to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, she is acclimating well. We are looking forward to seeing how she blossoms.
