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Pupy’s Social Development

July 29, 2025

Female African elephant Pupy stands in some greenery having gotten her skin wetMany of you may know that Pupy spent most of her life with a companion, Kuky, who sadly passed away before she could make the trip to sanctuary. In their lives together, Pupy tended to be the more submissive of the two, following Kuky’s lead and allowing her to make most of the decisions. After Kuky’s death, Pupy’s caregivers at the ecoparque noted that they started to see a more independent side of Pupy, but after some observation, we are starting to see something different. What we’re recognizing is that Pupy doesn’t necessarily seem to have grown in self-confidence, but rather she appears to have grown in self-reliance–which is not the same thing at all. 

At the ecoparque, Pupy may have wanted to show that she was a “big girl” after Kuky died, that she was someone who had it all put together. That’s a protective approach to moving forward, but one that may not allow for the healing that needs to occur. We’re seeing something very similar here in Pupy’s interactions with Kenya. She doesn’t put off signs of being self-confident; it seems she’s still trying to figure out who she is without Kuky, and that’s okay. Kenya’s entire world is also new to her right now, but she seems to be approaching it differently from Pupy, as though it’s enhancing her more formed sense of self that she began discovering with Walter and Marcos. Finding the wild elephant inside is likely making Kenya more of who she is, and Pupy can get there, too. It just might take her some time to make her way through complicated emotions. 

It may be a slow process for Pupy to build up courage so she can make a true connection with Kenya and feel safe approaching her. There could be an emotional wall still in place because she was in the shadow of another elephant who was dominant over her, for so long. Pupy is doing exceptionally well, is open to this new environment, and is super cooperative during treatments, but on the individual development front, there just seems to be a piece that’s missing. As she becomes more independent and assured, we will likely see some of her hesitancy go away. Pupy is still searching for her true spirit and we have no doubt that sanctuary can bring out the best in her.

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Comments(15)

  1. REPLY
    Johnny says
    July 29, 2025 at 2:05 pm

    You all are incredible with your understanding and compassion for these creatures. I so look forward to seeing the wild elephant in each of them.

  2. REPLY
    Katherine says
    July 29, 2025 at 2:22 pm

    Let’s hope she does that

  3. REPLY
    Katherine says
    July 29, 2025 at 2:22 pm

    Let’s hope !

  4. REPLY
    Ada says
    July 29, 2025 at 2:34 pm

    The last sentence, “Pupy is still searching for her true spirit…” I love that and I definitely believe that.

  5. REPLY
    Doe Fowler says
    July 29, 2025 at 5:15 pm

    Thank you for this heartfelt, thought-provoking post. The “emotional wall” comment really is relatable ; although, could this be to protect herself from emotional pain/trauma of future loss? Kuky and Pupy were together for how long? The bond was strong. So , could this be more about grieving? Just some thoughts… thanks for caring and sharing. 🐘🫶

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      July 29, 2025 at 5:24 pm

      It could be about grief. It could be the uncertainty of not knowing yourself. Emotionally she does seem unsure, but we are proud of how far she’s come.

  6. REPLY
    Susana Tejedor says
    July 29, 2025 at 5:22 pm

    Buenas tardes.
    Tengo curiosidad de saber si Mara y Pupy tienen algun contacto visual o sonoro
    Gracias

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      July 29, 2025 at 5:25 pm

      They can hear each other depending on where they’re located and may very well have been communicating in ways we can’t see or hear, but we’ve not noticed them vocalizing to each other.

  7. REPLY
    Zoi says
    July 29, 2025 at 8:04 pm

    Thanks to your profound knowledge on elephants you can see beyond their needs. Humans hunt a being, separating him/her from family and friends and exhibit it as an object in a totally different enviroment without even think the tremendous pain caused. May Pupy and Kenya heal and live a happy life for a long time.

  8. REPLY
    Julie says
    July 29, 2025 at 10:58 pm

    Sweet Pupy, your growth at sanctuary will be on your terms, and we all will be very patiently cheering you on. We love you, sweetie.

  9. REPLY
    Gayle Janzen says
    July 30, 2025 at 3:11 am

    It can be the same for humans. Some people know who they are when young adults and for others, it can take a lifetime to discover who they are and accept themselves. She’s so lucky to have wonderful human therapists to support her emotional journey. And living in paradise will make it so much easier to connect with her inner Pupy. ❤️

  10. REPLY
    Maureen says
    July 30, 2025 at 2:47 pm

    Kenya has always only had herself so knows better who she is, whereas Pupy has never had the opportunity to really understand herself and know who she is without someone else. Her short time at the sanctuary is already showing her that she can take care of herself and I would guess she is enjoying that new found knowledge. Her confidence will continue to grow (at her own pace) and when she is ready, she will most likely reach out to Kenya on her own terms. Sanctuary has shown us many times over, that things progress on elephant time and not our time, LOL. Take your time sweet Pupy, Kenya will still be there.

  11. REPLY
    Babette says
    July 30, 2025 at 3:16 pm

    The day Kenya arrived, Pupy was standing by the fence and watching her for a long time. Pupy seemed more curious then, maybe she even had more confidence. Has there been a change in Pupy since that day?

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      July 30, 2025 at 3:19 pm

      Pupy has always been curious about Kenya, which she showed pretty quickly. The only changes we’ve seen are positive ones, where she’s opening up more and more to Kenya all the time.

  12. REPLY
    Jane says
    July 30, 2025 at 5:05 pm

    I sometimes think if she could periodically share a fence with Rana, it could help things speed up positive vibes. All without upsetting Mara of course But at the they’d probably need to take an elephant sign language class first! On a serious note, I would think she just needs time and mental stimuli to grow into herself confidently.

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