Mato Grosso's Environment Secretariat lifted the suspension, allowing the Elephant Sanctuary Brazil to receive new animals after a technical assessment found no health risks. The decision followed the death of the elephant Kenya a week earlier in December 2025. Ibama plans a joint inspection in the coming weeks.
Mato Grosso's Environment Secretariat issued a technical opinion on February 12, 2026, reauthorizing the Elephant Sanctuary Brazil in Chapada dos Guimarães to accept new animals. The suspension was enacted on December 23, 2025, shortly after the death of the 44-year-old elephant Kenya, who had arrived five months prior from an Argentine zoo with inadequate conditions.
The state government gave the sanctuary 60 days to provide clarifications on the incident. In January 2026, the institution formally requested reconsideration of the ban. The opinion determined no health risks at the site.
In a statement, the sanctuary welcomed the approval. "The decision reinforces the technical capacity of our work and validates the transparency and ethics that guide all our daily practices and procedures," the entity stated, emphasizing commitment to authorities and protocols.
Ibama, monitoring the case complementarily to the state secretariat responsible for licensing, said it will conduct a joint inspection in the coming weeks after reviewing submitted documents.
Other deaths have occurred at the sanctuary over the years: the 35-year-old elephant Pupy arrived from Argentina in April 2025 and died in October; Pocha, aged 57, transferred in May 2022, passed away in October of that year; and Ramba, estimated 60-65 years old, died in December 2019, two months after arrival.
The sanctuary explained that these deaths spanned nearly a decade, with distinct causes, no epidemiological link, involving elderly animals rescued from inadequate captivity, including humane euthanasias. Ibama noted that most elephants originate from circuses or other countries, many elderly with comorbidities, sent to the site for improved quality of life and handling.
The ban affected the sanctuary's reputation and transfer processes for other animals, such as Sandro in Sorocaba (SP) and Baby at the former Beto Carrero zoo in Penha (SC).