Introducing Ryan Hockley

We would like to introduce Pangea Trusts’ new Sanctuary Manager, Ryan Hockley! He brings decades of experience working with elephants and other wildlife, along with a genuine love for animal care and the occasional muddy work day. Ryan has worked with elephants for nearly 40 years. His journey began at Longleat Safari Park in the UK, where he oversaw the care of both African and Asian elephants, along with many other species including hoof stock, carnivores, and primates. This gave him the opportunity to really understand elephant behaviour, their unique personalities, and what good management means for animals of this size and complexity.   

Since leaving the UK, Ryan has been based in Vietnam for the past 5 years where he oversaw the Animals Asia Foundation’s elephant welfare programme in Dak Lak Province. Much of that project focused on transitioning elephants into more natural environments and helping the facility strengthen their overall welfare approach. 

  Ryan spent the last 5 years in Vietnam managing the Animals Asia Foundation elephant welfare programme. 

Managing the Sanctuary

For many years, Ryan believed Europe needed a large-scale sanctuary dedicated entirely to elephants. Zoos and circuses faced increasing challenges as animal welfare laws changed, but there was no clear answer for what came next. The dream was to be a part of a project in Europe that could provide this solution. Joining Pangea felt like reaching a long-held goal where a lifetime of experience finally found the perfect fit. 

So what does a sanctuary manager actually do? In simple terms, Ryan will ensure the sanctuary runs smoothly each day while also guiding its future growth. His work will include overseeing elephant care and welfare, as well as development of the sanctuary site and leading research and training programmes. He will also collaborate with local communities and partner organisations to develop education initiatives. 

 With nearly 40 years of experience working with elephants, Ryan will manage day-to-day sanctuary activities and help guide its future growth.

A Career Dedicated to Elephants

Ryan has worked with many species, yet elephants have always stood out to him. He describes them as intelligent, powerful, and deeply individual animals. Each elephant has its own personality; they form long lasting social bonds, and they are known to keep track of friendships better than most humans manage to. 

A particularly noteworthy achievement in his career includes rehoming the last circus elephant in the United Kingdom. The elephant was elderly and required specialised care, and the relocation relied on careful planning across many teams and organisations. The experience reinforced how important strong support systems are in elephant welfare, and how much work happens behind the scenes to give elephants the best chance to thrive. Ryan built on that experience during his time in Vietnam, where many of the elephants he worked with came from the traditional tourism riding camps before being relocated in a national forest. 

 “An elephant’s resilience never ceases to amaze me — they can be eternally optimistic and willing to seize the opportunity of a new life.”

We could not be happier to welcome Ryan to the Pangea team. As the sanctuary continues to grow, he will play an important role in shaping how it develops and operates. We have a feeling the elephants are going to take to him even faster than we did!