Pelusa Part I: her rescue update. This is Pelusa. She is strong yet frail, cooperative yet stubborn and stunningly beautiful although her body continues to betray her. We hope for her to be one of the next two elephants that come to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil (currently waiting on CITES permits.)
Pelusa is the lone elephant at the La Plata Zoo- she arrived at the age of three and has been there for over four decades. She is the poster child for the damage small spaces can inflict on an elephant. She has debilitating osteomyelitis, active and cyclical infections in both back feet and is extremely underweight. There are many people working to aid in her care, but some things simply can’t be fixed.
In December of 2017 Dr Gohain and myself (Kat) visited with Pelusa and other elephants in Argentina for several weeks. During this visit with Pelu we were required to decide if she was still able to travel, to assess her and make recommendations for her general and medical care and spend some time with her to get to know her.
There are many complicating factors that go into Pelusa’s rescue so we will write several posts, hoping to allow for people to understand the entire scenario as best we can.
We do ask one thing, and it’s not an easy one for some. Please try and resist feeling pity, sadness or worry for her. These are all emotions she doesn’t need to try and bear at this point. She is tougher than you know. Instead feel love, compassion and support for what she is going through and that she makes her journey to sanctuary. She needs all of the uplifting she can get.
THE PELUSA 4-PART SERIES:
Pelusa Part I: An Update
Pelusa Part II: Dr. Rinku Gohain and Kat Blais’ Visit
Pelusa Part III: Her Foot And Joint Issues
Pelusa Part IV: Where Does That Leave Us Now
Comments(3) 
Annette langley says
March 18, 2018 at 10:16 pmThis just shows what captivity can do to wild animals, she needs to be free and with other elephants. I pray that this majestic lady makes it god bless her
Gloria Jagus says
March 31, 2018 at 7:38 pmHello EVERYONE
WHY IS GETTING HER GOOD FOOD A PROBLEM.??? TO HELP HER.I WILL SEND HEALING ENERGY.I UNDERSTAND PAIN IN YOUR FEET.I HAVE ARTHRITIS IN IS HORRIBLE. JUST A QUESTION COUNDN’T THEY BRING ANOTHER ELEPHANT TO LIFT UP HER SPIRITS? SO SAD. I SORRY BUT THE PHYSICAL PAIN is TERRIBLE. CANT SHE GET ANYTHING FOR PAIN???????
Kat Blais says
April 1, 2018 at 6:55 pmHi Gloria,
It’s not a problem to get her food, but to get her quality grass hay. This is partially because of a drought in Southern Argentina and partly because most growers only grow alfalfa hay- which she gets, but it’s too rich for Asian elephants, especially older Asian elephants. She does receive pain medication and anti-inflammatories at times. As for bringing another elephant in, the zoo doesn’t want another elephant, nor would we bring another elephant into the situation that is the cause of Pelusa’s suffering. It will hopefully only be a couple of months and then we will try to bring her home.
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