The Elephant Sanctuary, Hohenwald, Tennessee

Goodbye, dear Calle
March 7, 2004

Early this morning the San Francisco Zoo made the decision to euthanize Calle. Everyone connected with Calle in any way is devastated. There is no doubt that people will react passionately to the news and many will criticize the zoo for their decision. Regardless of your position, now is the time to be grateful that Calle is released from her pain and is reunited with her family. Don’t grieve for her, she is free. Our concern should be for those who fail to recognize that the needs of this magnificent species cannot be met in a traditional captive environment.

Tinkerbelle is the individual who is suffering the most right now. Her pain is real. She has lost a dear friend and companion. Her anguish will be obvious for some time. She needs our compassion and sensitivity, not our rage over her loss.

I sincerely hope that anyone visiting the San Francisco Zoo will be sensitive to Tinkerbelle's fragile condition at this painful time. Her heart is shattered. She desperately wanted Calle to get better, as Calle did; neither wanted to let go. In the end the decision was not theirs to make. No matter how disheartening a loss this is, blame and judgment will not bring Calle back. Now is the time to grieve quietly with Tinker for Calle, to honor Tinkerbelle and be sensitive to her fragile condition.

Calle and Tinker's zoo exhibit should be treated as a shrine. Bring flowers, cards and gifts and an outpouring of love and compassion for Tinker, her keepers, her vets and everyone whose lives she has touched so profoundly. Now is the time to focus only positive energy on Tinkerbelle.

March 10, 2004

The afternoon before Calle was euthanized, a crowd of well-wishers gathered outside of her exhibit at the San Francisco Zoo. No less than 100 hundred people were there to get a final glimpse at their beloved Calle who reportedly was so ill she would soon be euthanized. In the crowd was one person who was later identified as an animal activist. He too was there to say one last goodbye to Calle. He was not with a group of activists and from the audio you can hear that there was no protest taking place at the time. As he camera zoomed in for a close up of Calle's toes, a young boy's voice could be heard saying, "Look, Mom, they are fighting; look, the elephants are fighting, they are fighting." The camera zoomed out in time to capture what has to be one of the most incredible pieces of elephant behavior footage, equal to that of the Jenny and Shirley reunion footage which was captured by National Geographic and included in the award winning documentary, The Urban Elephant.

When you view this video you will see Tinkerbelle on your left lunging forward into Calle. At first it appears that Tinkerbelle is being aggressive without cause. Calle resists Tinkerbelle's forceful pushes by placing all four legs out as far as possible, to brace herself from falling over. As you continue to view the video watch closely. Tinkerbelle is very capable of knocking Calle right off of her feet; it would take little effort, but she does not. Calle continues to resist Tinkerbelle's pushing but finally Tinkerbelle is able to get Calle to lie down.

Without question it is clear that Tinkerbelle wanted Calle to lie down on her side. It is also painfully clear that Calle resisted Tinkerbelle. Perhaps Calle thought that if she were to lie down she might not be able to get back up again. No matter how brutal the physical exchange appears, this was not an aggressive attack by Tinkerbelle, instead it was an effort by her to get her dear friend to lie down. Notice that once Calle was on her side Tinkerbelle stood over her watchfully. Even when Calle got back onto her feet Tinkerbelle stood close by touching her tenderly.

This video is yet another powerful example of the depth of understanding and consciousness elephants possess towards their environments and their fellow elephants.