Almost 400,000 people have backed a petition calling for a former circus elephant to be re-homed to a sanctuary.

Anne, ‘Britain’s loneliest elephant’ who lives at Longleat Safari Park, in Wiltshire, hasn’t seen another of her kind for almost two decades.

The Asian elephant was rescued by Longleat in April 2011 after Animal Defends International exposed footage of Anne being beaten, stabbed and forced to perform tricks for Bobby Robert’s Super Circus for more than 50 years.

Activists said Anne’s heated £1.2 million enclosure at Longleat was only meant to be a temporary home for her to recuperate and regain strength before finding her forever home.

But nearly 20 years on, Anne still lives a lonely existence at the park – a stark contrast from the life she would lead in the wild, as females live in large family herds.

Former Longleat employee Adrian Lanfear, who launched the petition, told ITV Westcountry: ‘She probably believes she’s the last elephant in existence.’

Animal activists are now calling for Anne to be removed to Elephant Haven in Limousin, France, so she can mix with other elephants.

They say the warmer climate in France will be kinder to Anne’s arthritis and living with other elephants will improve her quality of life.

But Longleat said Anne’s complex needs and age impact her ability to travel and that her custom-built enclosure has all the comforts she needs to live out the rest of her years.

It warned that introducing her to younger elephants at an old age could leave her at risk of being bullied or physically hurt.

Head of Safari at Longleat, Jon Merrington, added: ‘The importance is the distinction with what’s right for Anne the elephant, versus what’s right for an elephant.

‘Anne has got a very specific set of circumstances – she’s a very old lady and she’s got arthritis that comes with old age.’

The park denied the decision to keep their most famous animal is financially motivated, pointing out that the paying public often can’t even see Anne and that her heating bill alone is £20,000 a year.

On the possibility of introducing another elephant to Anne’s Wiltshire enclosure, Longleat said it does not want to risk halving her space if the two don’t get along and have to be separated.

In a statement, the safari park added: ‘We understand the sanctuary [in France] was launched in 2012 but, to date, is yet to actually look after any elephants and certainly not one with Anne’s complex care requirements.

‘Anne would be their first and only elephant.’

Anne’s severe health issues mean she is exempt from the guidance issued by the UK Elephant Welfare Group which says elephants should have constant contact with others of their kind.

The Government-backed British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) has backed Longleat’s decision.

It told ITV News: ‘In Anne’s case we are satisfied they are providing a good home for an elephant in a unique situation following from her difficult background circumstances.

‘Anne is inspected regularly by independent DEFRA-appointed elephant expert inspectors; these inspections show they are really pleased with the care provided by Longleat and the progress Anne is making.’

Anne’s story comes after Kaavan, dubbed the ‘world’s loneliest elephant’, touched trunks with another of her kind for the first time in almost a decade.

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