After more than four decades in captivity, Charley is having the time of his life at a private reserve.
Charley the elephant, released into a new enclosure at Shambala Private Reserve in Limpopo on Tuesday, can now roam one hectare in the savanna and start foraging for food by himself.
Charley is curious about the grass in the savannah around him but still gets his favourite foods, like pumpkin. With this special feeding and trust-building programme, the African elephant is being prepared for his life in the wild by an expert team from the global animal welfare organisation, Four Paws, and his future caretakers.
“Last week, he trumpeted for the first time and used his trunk to pour water over his head. On Tuesday, he enjoyed his first mud bath since being in captivity for over four decades. It is with great joy that we are watching him settle in so well,” she adds.The enclosure serves as an important step for his later release into the 12 000-hectare reserve, where he can decide to join one of the two elephant groups or live alone.
She says that his captivity, first as a circus animal and then at the zoo, has left deep wounds that are starting to heal.In Shambala, Charley has already started caring for his feet, shaping them by rubbing on rocks, as wild elephants do.
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