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Maia, an Asian elephant who spent most of her life as a circus performer, looks out from her new home at the first elephant sanctuary in Latin America in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. Maia is one of two elephants who will get veterinary care as they live out their lives in forested areas, pasture lands with hills, large boulders, streams and springs in western Brazil. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_top1]()
A sanctuary technician observes the movements of Asian elephant Maia in her new home, Latin America's first elephant sanctuary in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. Figuring out what to do with aging elephants has become increasingly difficult as their natural habitats come under attack on the two continents they come from. In Asia, the biggest threat is dwindling land. In Africa the animals are often illegally hunted for their ivory tusks. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_top2]()
Asian elephant Guida walks into her new living space, the first elephant sanctuary in Latin America in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. ââ¬ÅSocieties around the world are starting to become more aware of the trauma we have caused these animalsââ¬Â in captivity, said Scott Blais, an American who drew on his experience co-founding a similar sanctuary in Tennessee in 1995 to help get this one off the ground. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_top3]()
Asian elephant Maia roams in her new home, the first elephant sanctuary in Latin America in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. ââ¬ÅSocieties around the world are starting to become more aware of the trauma we have caused these animalsââ¬Â in captivity, said Scott Blais, an American who drew on his experience co-founding a similar sanctuary in Tennessee in 1995 to help this one off the ground. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_3]()
This Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016 photo shows the convoy transporting Asian elephants Maia and Guida to their new home, Latin America's first elephant sanctuary in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil. The two, along with possibly dozens more elephants in the future, will get veterinary care as they live out their lives in forested areas, pasture lands with hills, large boulders, streams and springs in western Brazil. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_7]()
Asian elephant Maia scoops up a tree branch in her new home, in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. Brazil opens its first elephant sanctuary in Latin America with the arrival of Maia and Guida. The two Asian elephants that previously were circus performers will out their lives on about 2,800 acres of land in the western part of the country. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_2]()
In this Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016 photo, Asian elephant Maia dust bathes at her new home, Latin America's first elephant sanctuary in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil. Here, there are no gawking crowds for the Asian elephant that has spent her life in captivity. The sanctuary on about 2,800 acres in the western Brazil will allow Maia and Guida, another Asian elephant that arrived this week, to simply roam. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_8]()
In this Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016 photo, children from the Rio da Casca community react to seeing an elephant for the first time, as they watch the convoy transporting Asian elephants Maia and Guida to their new home, Latin America's first elephant sanctuary in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil. Circus animals Maia and Guida, both over 40 and unable to perform, spent several years languishing on a farm about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) away in the state of Minas Gerais. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_1]()
Scott Blais, a sanctuary technician, talks about the arrival of Asian elephants Maia and Guida at Latin America's first elephant sanctuary in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. Blais and local partners set out to create the sanctuary on a piece of donated land in the northern part of Mato Grosso. But the absence of deeds for all the land in that area made creating the sanctuary there impossible. So the search continued, finally ending with the purchase of land in the stateââ¬â¢s southern part for roughly $1 million to be paid over five years. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_4]()
In this Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016 photo, a gas station attendant makes a photo of the Asian elephant Maia in her transport cage during a fuel stop on the road to her new home, the first elephant sanctuary in Latin America, in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil. ââ¬ÅThese days, itââ¬â¢s absurd to have elephants in captivity,ââ¬Â said Junia Machado, president of Brazil Elephant Sanctuary, a local group driving the project. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)![Brazil_elephant_sanctuary_6]()
Maia and Guida, two Asian elephant who spent most of her life as a circus animals, explore their new home, the first elephant sanctuary in Latin America in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. No blows from bull hooks and no more demanding tricks for these two elephants who will now live their lives in forested areas, pasture lands with hills, large boulders, streams and springs in western Brazil. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)Latin America's first elephant refuge opens in Brazil
The first elephant sanctuary in Latin America, on about 2,800 acres in the western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, will allow Asian elephants to get veterinary care as they live out their lives in forested areas, pasture lands with hills, large boulders, streams and springs.
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- Latin America's first elephant refuge opens in Brazil
