Fantastic news as Sandra the orangutan will finally have a chance at sanctuary and happiness!
Sandra is a 33-year-old orangutan who lives in a solitary enclosure at the Buenos Aires Zoo in Argentina. As some of you may remember back in 2015, a judge in Argentina’s high court ruled that Sandra is a “non-human person” who has a right to a life with dignity.
“With that ruling I wanted to tell society something new.” said judge Elena Liberatori, “That animals are sentient beings and that the first right they have is our obligation to respect them.”
A year later, in 2016, the Buenos Aires Zoo announced that they would close and send all remaining animals to sanctuaries. Since then the zoo has been trying to find the most appropriate facility for Sandra to retire in. Now TIME Magazine reports that she will go to the Center for Great Apes in Florida because of the state’s warm climate.
In this July 5, 2016 photo, Sandra the orangutan sits in her enclosure at the zoo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Sandra was born in a zoo in Germany in 1986, and moved to Argentina in 1994. Since then she has lived her life in a basketball court-sized cell. During her time at the zoo, Sandra had a baby girl who was taken away from her and sent to a zoo in China, and Sandra has spent the last several years all alone.
There is now much hope that she will adapt to her new home. The facility is an accredited sanctuary that provides a permanent home for orangutans and chimpanzees rescued or retired from the entertainment industry, research, and the exotic pet trade. Over 20 rescued orangutans already live at the sanctuary.
Sandra will arrive in the United States by plane and undergo a quarantine period at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas. Once determined healthy, she will make the trip to her forever home at the sanctuary in Florida. To help Sandra stay at ease during the transition, her caretakers from Buenos Aires will accompany her during the entire journey.
Lady Freethinker will stay on this story as we follow Sandra’s journey to happiness. Stay tuned for an update with pictures once she is finally safe and sound at sanctuary.
THANK YOU — THANK YOU — for the consideration — for the respect — for fighting for this wonderful, noble cause — Now, Sandra can lead a happy, healthy life as an normal Orangutan — I hope she’ll be happy.
PURE AWESOMENESS…YOU GO SANDRA…
Bon Voyage Sandra! Wishing you a safe journey to sanctuary!
I know Center for Great Apes, and it’s a wonderful place for orangutans. Great for this orang, Sandra!
This news brings so much joy to my heart! I have been following Sandra’s story for several years now, and at one point almost completely lost all hope that she would ever make it to sanctuary. All you have to do is look at the picture in the middle of the article to understand the dire circumstances of this precious creature. Sending love to Sandra!
Good news for Sandra. Sanctuaries are the best place for all animals who have been captive and away from their native environment. May she live a long, happy life.
HOW WONDERFUL!
Heartbreaking-over 30 years in captivity and isolation. She has given birth to a baby- and they separates mum and baby? For what? Money? This is sick, reckless and cruel- bad ideas born in degenerate brains! Shame on you, German zoo for taking her away from her family and selling her to USA! Such a great distance!!
I pray, that her coming years will present her friends, social contacts with other OU and the love she deserves. May God be with you, poor Sandra!
According to the article the German zoo sold her to a zoo in Argentina, which is in South America. Now she is coming to a sanctuary in the USA. But yes I agree with you, she deserves love and companionship of other orangutans.
Hope they don’t put anymore orangutans in there.
I remember this orangutan! Her story was all over the news a couple years ago. And I agree that all orangutans should be classified as “non-human persons”. We share 98% of our DNA with orangutans, they are sentient beings!
Very glad to hear this good news. Let’s hope other animals will be released as well.
I cannot wait until she goes to a sanctuary. She needs the companionship of other orangutans. May she adapt well!! Thank you Judge Elena Liberatori for realizing that Sandra should be considered more than property!
It doesn’t say much for us as humans to imprison an ape like Sandra in a cage the size of a basketball court just so that we can ogle at it when it’s home should be the jungles and rainforests of our planet…disgraceful!
Bless this sweet animal and may she have a wonderful remainder of her life!