Mammoth Translocation Effort to Rewild the Last Remaining Elephant at the Pretoria Zoo​

On the morning of August 19th, 2024, the world witnessed a monumental moment in rewilding from captivity and wildlife conservation. Teams from across the globe gathered to oversee the intricate operation of moving Charlie, the lone African elephant from Pretoria National Zoological Gardens, to his new home at Shambala Private Game Reserve. The 10-ton operation involved Charlie walking into his specially designed crate, being hoisted by a crane onto a specialized transportation truck, and embarking on his journey to freedom. Charlie, now 43 years old, was born in 1982 in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. He was captured and sent to South Africa’s Brian Boswell Circus in 1984 before being transferred to the National Zoological Gardens on July 30, 2001. African bush elephants can live up to 60-70 years, so Charlie still has plenty of time to enjoy his newfound freedom. WeWild Africa partnered with the EMS Foundation, Shambala Private Game Reserve, and Conservation Solutions, in the translocation effort which was one of the most challenging elephant translocations undertaken to date in South Africa. Charlie is on a very specific diet which needed to be managed by WeWild Africa as well. The loading process took 3 hours to complete with numerous elephant capture and translocation specialists from WeWild Africa and Conservation Solutions, providing input and technical skills. Once loaded, Charlie’s trip to Shambala Private Game Reserve took about 4 hours after which he was released into a specially designed holding enclosure which allowed the veterinary team to monitor him closely. He will then be released into larger areas as he settles. Dereck Milburn, Managing Director of WeWild Africa, states, ’We are thrilled to see Charlie embark on this new journey back into the wild today. We have assembled the best logistical and veterinary teams from around the world to ensure Charlie’s safe relocation to his new home at Shambala. WeWild Africa has a long history of supporting rewilding projects globally, and we are honored to be part of Charlie’s retirement milestone, allowing him to roam freely in a beautiful game reserve for the rest of his days’. We are happy to confirm that Charlie is doing well and his progress to becoming a wild elephant again is superseding the expectations of the rewilding team. Learn more on our website: Thank you to: Conservation Solutions EMS Foundation Shambala Private Game Reserve Provet Animal Hospital CMK Crane Hire #conservationsuccess #conservation #elephants #elephant #africa #wildlife #wildlifeconservation