   |
||||||
|
The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee
Phil Snyder, regional director emeritus of The Humane Society of the United States has stated, "The Elephant Sanctuary represents the future of enlightened captive elephant management."
Development of The Elephant Sanctuary's facilities began in March 1995. Phase I includes a heated barn, a 200-acre steel pipe and cable elephant corral, and a 222-acre perimeter "people" fence. Phase II was completed December 1999, adding a 6-stall, 9000 square foot, state-of-the-art elephant barn to the facility. Land expansion began Oct 2001 with the acquisition of a parcel of wilderness known locally as the Highland Lake Land—a 700-acre parcel of land with a 25-acre lake. July 2003 marked the final land acquisition which constitutes our expansion. This 1840–acre parcel of wilderness was owned by International Paper company prior to becoming Elephant Country. This 1840-acres parcel of land was purchased from International Paper Company in order to provide more space for our elephants. Prior to the sale nearly half of the land was clear cut. Our plan is to heal the land from the ravages of this activity by creating seeded pastures in some areas and allowing other sections to regenerate the indigenous forest. Look closely and you will see the 25-acre spring fed lake in the upper left portion of the photos. As far as the eye can see—Asian Elephant Country. Click here to contribute to Acres For Elephants using our on-line form. The form is located towards the end of the page you will be accessing and our server is secure. The African Elephant Habitat was completed January 2004. This 300-acre facility with its award-winning elephant house is a showcase for innovative solar use. Renovation of the Phase I barn was completed Nov 2004, creating a Quarantine Facility for sick elephants. In September 2005 we completed construction of our new Asian elephant house.
View our 10-year timeline. Click on any of the events or photos, you will be taken to a page which describes that particular entry in more detail. Funding for all of these projects came from public contributions, membership support and in-kind donations. As a true sanctuary, The Elephant Sanctuary is not intended to provide entertainment. Patron-level donors are invited to tour the facility through our VIP Pledge Program, but the Sanctuary is closed to the general public. Education, however, represents a key component of the Sanctuary's ongoing mission. Since its inception, the Sanctuary's outreach program has taught thousands of school children around the globe a respect for wildlife while learning about the endangered Asian elephant. One of the most exciting in-kind donations we have received is distance-learning teleconferencing equipment from PictureTel Corporation and membership in Project DIANE (Diversified Information and Assistance Network). This is a collaborative effort to promote educational, economic, and community development. Through interactive telephone, video, and multimedia computer technology, the Sanctuary teleconferences live with schools, libraries, community centers, etc., nationally and internationally. Video teleconferencing uses high-tech digital telephone lines and surveillance type cameras to create a connection that transmits live pictures and sound. The Sanctuary has an extensive camera system; in the offices, barns, and outside in the elephants' habitat. The cameras are rotated by remote control, displaying the elephants, their entire habitat and their barn facilities. The Discovery Channel, PBS, 20/20, CNN, and many others have made people aware that elephants are majestic creatures who are highly intelligent, complex, social, and sensitive individuals. In the wild, elephants are migratory, walking 30 to 50 miles each day, and form intricate family structures. They grieve for their dead in a more-than-instinctive way. They show humor and express compassion for one another with intense interactions. The reality of their lives in captivity is that many are in chains up to 18 hours a day. They are enclosed in steel pens—often alone—broken and controlled by fear and intimidation.
Goals of The Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee Goals Achieved Since March 1995
Immediate Goals
Long-term Goals
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
The
Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, is
the nation's largest natural-habitat refuge developed specifically
to meet the needs of endangered elephants. It
is a non-profit organization, licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and accredited by the Association of Sanctuaries, designed
specifically for
old, sick or needy elephants who have been retired
from zoos and circuses. Utilizing more than 2700
acres, it provides three
separate and protected,
natural-habitat environments for Asian and African
elephants. Our residents are not required to perform
or entertain for the public; instead, they are
encouraged to live like elephants. 
See
slide show detailing construction.