Global Rumblings Podcast

Hosted by Global Sanctuary for Elephants

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Global Rumblings is a tri-weekly podcast dedicated to all things elephant. Featuring Global Sanctuary for Elephants co-founders Kat and Scott Blais, we’ll have in-depth discussions on sanctuary life, the ethics of captivity, physiology, and behavior. Hosted by Nadia Mari of Elephants in Japan, the wide-ranging, intimate conversations are sometimes fun, often frank, and offer listeners insight into the power of healing. We will bring you conversations that make you question what you know and leave you with powerful takeaways about animal and elephant welfare from a holistic point of view.

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60 recent

August 19, 2026Episode 7527 min

Episode 75: Baby's New Life

Before jumping into stories from Baby's first weeks at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil, we revisit a topic from our previous episode and put the sugar content of Gatorade into perspective by comparing it with sugar cane. We also say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who supported our Trunks & Treasures online auction. Together with an incredibly generous donation from a longtime dedicated supporter, the sanctuary's very first on-site medical building is now fully funded. Lastly, we share updates on how Baby is settling into her new home. We talk about her growing bond with her new caregivers, her love of hose baths, and most importantly, her increasing confidence as she explores her new world. LINKS: ❤️ Our first medical buildin g is funded. Thank you! ❤️ Give a little extra love & care by adopting Baby . ❤️ Shop for yourself, friends & the elephants ❤️ Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . The episode transcript can be found here . Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

July 28, 2026Episode 7432 min

Episode 74: Baby's Journey: Stories from the Road

In this week's episode, we join Scott on the three-day road trip that finally brought Baby from Beto Carrero World, the amusement park where she had spent decades, to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. Already accustomed to a crate from an earlier planned relocation to another zoo—before a court ordered that Baby would instead be transferred to ESB—Baby stepped confidently into her transport crate. But what should have been a straightforward departure soon presented unexpected challenges. Scott explains why the sanctuary's purpose-built elephant transport crates are very different from a standard overseas freight container, and how using the crate originally built for Tamy—a much larger male elephant—created unexpected challenges when transporting Baby, leading to delays before the journey could begin. Even with the judge's ruling in Baby's favor, there was still the possibility that last-minute legal intervention could have stopped the rescue altogether. Along the way, we also talk about the importance of keeping both Baby and her human care team well fed and hydrated during the long drive, and clear up a common misconception about why Gatorade is used on these relocation trips. Finally, Scott and Kat share an update on how Baby is settling into life at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil as she begins the next chapter of her healing journey. LINKS ❤️ Give a little extra love & care by ⁠adopting Baby⁠ . ❤️ ⁠Shop ⁠ for yourself, friends & the elephants ❤️ Stay connected on ⁠ Facebook⁠ , ⁠ Instagram⁠ , ⁠X⁠ , ⁠Threads ⁠ & ⁠YouTube⁠ . The episode transcript can be found here . Email: We’d love to hear from you ⁠podcast@globalelephants.org⁠ Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : ⁠ https://globalelephants.org/⁠ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can ⁠ support our work⁠ with a general donation, purchasing items from our ⁠ wishlist⁠ , or ⁠ adopting⁠ one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also ⁠ donate with Crypto!⁠ Thank you for your support! While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

July 7, 2026Episode 7333 min

Episode 73: Welcome Home Baby!

Elephant Sanctuary Brazil has a new resident! Baby, a 34-year-old female Asian elephant, arrived at the sanctuary on 20 June 2026, following a court-ordered relocation from Beto Carrero World in Brazil. In this episode, we look back at Baby’s life before sanctuary, and one thing becomes strikingly clear: her story reflects many of the themes we’ve explored throughout our Rethinking Elephants series. Born into captivity, separated from her mother before her first birthday, and sold into the entertainment industry, Baby spent more than three decades under human control before finally beginning a new chapter. Kat and Scott reflect on Baby’s past, discuss the medical challenges she now faces, and explain why patience and careful observation will be key to understanding who Baby truly is. Despite the sobering realities of her past, Baby’s story is ultimately one of hope. It is another reminder that sanctuary offers captive elephants the chance to finally live life on their own terms. Muito obrigado to everyone who helped make Baby’s rescue possible. LINKS ❤️ Give a little extra love & care by adopting Baby . ❤️ Shop for yourself, friends & the elephants ❤️ Watch Baby get a big bath from Scott. ❤️ Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . The episode transcript can be found here . Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

June 24, 2026Episode 7229 min

Episode 72: Trumpets, Rumbles & Squeaks – Elephant Communication

We’ve all heard an elephant trumpet, but what does a rumble or a squeak sound like? Where in the body are these sounds produced, and what do they mean? In this week’s episode, we explore the fascinating world of elephant communication. From audible vocalizations to infrasonic and seismic communication beyond human hearing, we discuss the many ways elephants share information with one another. We also explore how captivity may influence communication. How do elephants who have spent years—or even decades—in isolation learn to “talk elephant” when they finally get the chance to live with other elephants? Is communication instinctive, learned, or a combination of both? Actually, our conversation starts with a surprising, and rather funny, misunderstanding over the word “torch”, proving that communication can be complicated even when humans are speaking the same language. PS: No slugs were harmed during or after this recording. 💚 Links : ❤️ Become a Pathfinder and support our work starting at USD10 a month. ❤️Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . The episode transcript can be found here . Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

June 2, 2026Episode 7129 min

EP 71: When Elephants Choose Solitude

In this episode, we explore something that seems to contradict much of what we’ve discussed in past episodes: Why do inherently social, deeply bonded elephants sometimes choose solitude, even when given the opportunity to build relationships at a sanctuary? How can an elephant who has never — or only briefly — experienced life within a true herd suddenly be expected to behave the way we think they should? How much do trauma, captivity, and personal choice shape social tolerance and connection? And does physical separation really mean these elephants are disconnected, or are they still bonded in ways we humans cannot fully see, sense, or understand? PS: 📅 Save the date and join us from June 12–20 for Trunks & Treasures , our virtual silent auction supporting the construction of a new on-site medical facility for the elephants and wildlife at the sanctuary: https://globalelephants.org/trunksandtreasures/ Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

May 12, 2026Episode 7030 min

Episode 70: The Bonds That Shape An Elephant (Part 2)

In this episode, we explore one of the most profound qualities we see and admire in elephants: their ability to grieve. Kat and Scott share stories from decades of working with captive elephants, revealing that grief is not just a moment, but a process. For some elephants in captivity, especially those encountering loss for the first time, this process may need to be learned or reawakened. Yet once it surfaces, it appears deeply instinctive and becomes part of who they are. We also examine the growing conversation around elephant emotional intelligence and the gap that still exists between what we are beginning to understand and how elephants are treated in many captive environments. While this is a more somber topic, it also offers something hopeful, a reminder that in witnessing elephants, we may find a way back to our own capacity for connection, compassion, and love. 📅 SAVE THE DATE: Our online auction Trunks & Treasures runs June 12–20, 2026. Join us to support the elephants’ medical care and bid on incredible items, including a trip for two to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil! The episode transcript can be found here. Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! ❤️ Become a Pathfinder and support our work starting at USD10 a month. ❤️Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

April 21, 2026Episode 6929 min

Episode 69: The Bonds That Shape An Elephant (Part 1)

In this episode, we explore some of the traits we so admire in elephants: empathy, self-awareness, and their capacity for grief, and how these are shaped by the bonds they form over a lifetime. Scott raises an important question: Can we truly understand relationships that develop over decades within multi-generational herds, when our own lives are so far removed from that kind of social structure? We look at how bonds form and what happens when they are disrupted. How do elephants in captivity build relationships without the foundation of a natural herd? And how might their experience of loss differ from that of wild elephants? Drawing on their work at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil and The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, Kat and Scott share moving stories of friendship, leadership, and loss, offering a rare insight into the emotional lives of elephants. We also touch on moments that are harder to explain, instances that hint at a deeper awareness, a kind of “knowing” that challenges our understanding of connection and what it means to be an elephant. 🐘❤️ Become a Pathfinder and support our work starting at USD10 a month. The episode transcript can be found here . Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

March 31, 2026Episode 6828 min

Episode 68: The Lives We Overlooked: The Natural Lives of Elephants

In the first episode of our new Rethinking Elephants series, we begin by exploring the architecture of elephant societies. Scott and Kat give an overview of herd structure—from matrilineal families and the role of the matriarch to key differences between African and Asian elephants. While many of our listeners are already elephant-savvy, this episode asks a deeper question: what happens when these natural systems are missing? What does life look like for captive elephants who are missing the guidance of a matriarch or the support of a multi-generational herd? We also reflect on individual stories, like Pocha raising Guillermina alone, without the allomothering and social framework elephants rely on in the wild. This episode sets the foundation for the series, drawing on the architecture of elephant societies and the bonds that shape an elephant’s life. 🐘❤️ Become an aunt - or uncle - to one of our elephants. Adopt one or more of The Girls ! The episode transcript can be found here . Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

March 9, 2026Episode 6725 min

Episode 67: Rethinking elephants- The Bigger Conversation

In this week’s episode, we catch up with Kat and Scott. While they’re still busy providing documentation to SEMA, we’re happy to share that the temporary suspension of the sanctuary’s operating licence has been lifted. We also celebrate one very dedicated listener with our first-ever Global Rumblings Podcast Binge Award of 2025 — after listening to every episode in just one month. For the past three seasons, we’ve been catching up on the last ten years of Scott and Kat’s lives since arriving in Brazil. Now, it’s time to zoom out. We introduce a new multi-part series, Rethinking Elephants: The Bigger Conversation — a deeper exploration of who elephants are, what science now understands about them, and the larger ethical questions surrounding captivity. Over the coming episodes, we’ll explore elephant society and communication, trauma and social disruption, neuroscience and welfare research, the physical costs of confinement, the history of captivity, modern conservation debates, why society continues to accept it — and ultimately, what an ethical future for elephants could look like. Sign the petition The episode transcript can be found here. Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

January 27, 2026Episode 6635 min

Episode 66: Accusations, Manipulations & False Claims

In this episode, we discuss recent developments at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil (ESB) following the deaths of Pupy and Kenya, the sanctuary’s two female African elephants, in 2025. As we have seen in recent weeks, we are living in a time that is exposing a troubling side of our society — one where false and negative claims are more readily accepted than positive truth, and where it often seems easier to believe accusations of manipulation and corruption than to accept that honesty and integrity exist. In this conversation, we examine how anti-sanctuary narratives and the temporary suspension of ESB’s license to bring in new elephants have emerged in this climate — and why the impact extends beyond elephants, affecting wider wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts. At the same time, we explore why this difficult moment may also present an opportunity: to bring clarity through evidence-based review, and to highlight the vital — and too often misunderstood and ignored — responsibility sanctuaries around the world take on when they accept elderly, chronically ill, and end-of-life elephants into their care. We urge supporters to sign and share our petition calling for fair, transparent, and equal standards — ensuring that Elephant Sanctuary Brazil and zoos in Brazil are assessed by the same regulatory criteria. What we know so far about Pupy & Kenya’s passing Transparency and Accountability for All The episode transcript can be found here. Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where Asian and African elephants relocated from across South America live their best lives. Website : https://globalelephants.org/ Donate : Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist , or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto! Thank you for your support! Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X , Threads & YouTube . While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that… This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. © 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.