It started 40 years ago, for four decades Maya the elephant was exploited by a circus. But on Friday the 6th of July after a fierce and long struggle, the association One Voice, which had been attending to the animal since the end of 2016 announced with pride that the Asian elephant has been released!
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Relocated to a park
Now this elderly elephant, aged forty-nine and suffering from various health problems, will be able to enjoy a peaceful retirement.
Thanks to the excellent care provided by the association One Voice and their partners LAV, an Italian association for animal defence, the large mammal is now being pampered in a wildlife park near Milan.
In recent photos and videos published by One Voice you can see the elephant playing in water, lying in the mud, covering herself with straw, strolling around and trumpeting happily.
Joy rediscovered
This attitude reflects the happiness of the animal but contrasts sharply with images shot at the time the elephant was in the hands of the circus that exploited her for its traveling shows.
A few weeks ago Maya appeared dejected and betrayed, her head hanging and no light in her eyes. She was also suffering from stereotypy, which is a persistent repetition of a movement, a common characteristic of wild animals that have been in captivity for too long.
A happy ending
This outcome is therefore a beautiful conclusion and a relief for the association One Voice, which has been fighting since the end of 2016 to have Maya placed within a sanctuary adapted to her needs, so that she could live out the rest of her days without having to perform tricks in a traveling circus.
By calling the public administration to action, demanding for justice and raising public awareness through social media, One Voice has managed to change Maya the elephant’s fate.
Sick, suffering from joint problems and leg pain, Maya quickly had a place reserved for her in the Elephant Haven sanctuary currently under construction in the Limousin region in France.
However the park for retired elephants is not yet finished at the time of writing, so a temporary spot had to be found for the large mammal, hence her placement in a wildlife park in Italy.
