Sandro was born in the wild and, after being captured, spent the first few years of his life as a circus elephant; he was eventually sold to the Sorocaba City Zoo in Brazil, where he lived for approximately 40 years. For some of that time, he shared his enclosure with another elephant, Raisa. She was his only long-term elephant companion, and she passed away in 2020. After that, Sandro lived on his own in exhibition, regularly faced with the bustle and noise of spectators.

He spent decades in an enclosure that provided very little room to move and spent 16 hours every single night in one section of an enclosed barn that was only inches taller than he was. He displayed stereotypic swaying behavior, which is often present in elephants who have spent years in restrictive captive environments.

At approximately 54 years old, Sandro is a geriatric elephant with apparent health issues that have never been adequately investigated. We do know he has not received any medical testing at the zoo, and he spent recent years without an appropriate space for evaluations or a caregiver who could touch him or work with him on any behaviors necessary for testing and treatment. From the records we’ve been able to review and from our observations, he appears to have digestive issues, potential dental problems, significant foot concerns, joint issues, and notable weight and muscle loss over the past few years. His back right foot is of particular concern, although we don’t yet know the full extent of the issues.

Before we can safely begin examinations and treatments, our team will have to gain Sandro’s trust. And after a short time at sanctuary, Sandro is already demonstrating what appears to be an understanding that his caregivers are here to help him. Medical exams require positive reinforcement training to teach the elephants the physical movements and postures  they’ll need to be treated. Sandro is in the very early stages of this process, but his gentle nature carries over into his sessions. 

So far, Sandro has shown that he’s open to the newness of sanctuary life.

Since arriving, Sandro has spent much of his time exploring the woods and the larger habitat around him. His second night at sanctuary was spent sleeping under the stars even though the covered barn was easily accessible. He has access to water throughout his habitat and has made a pastime out of covering himself thoroughly in mud. 

We’re still discovering his favorite foods, monitoring his digestion, getting him started on supportive supplementation, and exploring his unique preferences. There is  so much we don’t know about Sandro, but we’re seeing different parts of his personality emerge every day. We don’t yet know what we will discover about his health once we are able to assess him properly, but his wellbeing has noticeably improved with the return to a natural life where choice is restored and his voice is respected. 

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Read more about Sandro in his diary.

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