December 28, 2004
Delhi has fit right in as if she has been with the other elephants
forever. Contrary to her reputation, Delhi
is not too submissive and the other elephants
do not pick on her. Instead, she is wise
regarding her interactions and appears
to be quite comfortable in the herd environment.
Her time spent inside the barn at night
has strengthened her relationships and
caused a shift in her behavior while outside.
Instead of always going off on her own
during the day, Delhi now spends time in
the company of her sisters, both in the habitat and at night in the
barn.
Jenny, Shirley, Sissy, Winkie &
Delhi
December 24, 2004
The ice storm left the trees covered with a thick coat of ice which
glistened in the sunlight. Delhi found
the winter wonderland to be
quite inviting. All of the elephants went
outside and explored the glittering habitat.
The sun shone bright, warming the girls
during their hours in the snow.
December 18, 2004
Delhi has been a member of the herd for
several months already, but seasonal change
can prompt a shift
in herd dynamics, especially when the seasonal
change motivates the elephants to come
inside the barn. We are always hypersensitive
to the possibility of a herd dynamics shift
when the elephants first begin returning to the barn in the winter
months. Delhi has been with the entire herd in
the open spaces of the habitat but not
inside the barn for an extended period
of time. Confinement is the situation
that can be problematic; elephants that
are insecure can become stressed and exhibit
aggressive behavior.
How each elephant relates to one another inside the barn demands
careful monitoring to determine who should be left in what
stall, with whom, overnight. It would be
easy to separate the elephants out into
different stalls but not necessarily the
most effective thing to do. In
an effort to assist their ongoing social
bonding processes we watch for the slightest
shift in behavior to tell
us what bonds are strengthening, warranting
less separation. If we interfere by being
overly protective, our actions can harm
the bonding process. As the
herd grows, the existing members remain
stable and
new additions, such as Delhi, are monitored closely. If the elephants feel
safe, their relationships will form more
quickly. If they do not feel safe they
may display aggressive behavior towards
another elephant. Such aggression will undermine the bonding
process, which is built on trust, and negatively
impact the process for all of the elephants.
Although the herd operates as a unit, it is comprised of individuals who
relate to each other on an individual basis. That means when Delhi entered
the herd she multiplied the relationships not by one but by six, since she
would be relating to six other individuals. Additionally there is the combinations
of relationships, such as Jenny and Shirley, Bunny, Jenny and Shirley, Sissy
and Winkie and so on. Multiply all of the individuals and all of the combinations
of relationships and you have the number of relationships developing simultaneously. From
all indications Delhi has become a viable member of the herd, both outside in
the habitat and inside the warm barn.
Shirley, Delhi, and Jenny
See
Slide Show!
November 23, 2004
It's Delhi's one-year anniverary at the Elephant Sanctuary. We celebrate
her!
See
Slide Show!
November
18, 2004
An ele-cam fan captured a mingling of
friends - Delhi, Jenny,
and Shirley. Click
to see image.
November 2, 2004
We received very sad news today. As we worked diligently to
retrieve Lota and Misty from the Hawthorn Corporation, we were informed
that Tess had died. Tess is one of the 6 elephants USDA had designated
to be moved to the Sanctuary. We regret that we were not able
to give Tess a few weeks or months of Sanctuary
before she passed away.
October 23, 2004
Delhi discovered Jenny's custom-dug mud wallow which, in an elephant's
world, is nature's spa. This mud wallow is spring fed, making
it useful year round.
See
Slide Show!
October 21 , 2004
Tarra and Delhi had fun checking out the 4-wheeler together. Later
in the day they were found napping side
by side with Bella, the dog, sleeping right next to them.
Delhi is no longer shy about stealing goodies out
of the basket of the 4-wheeler (as shown
in the Ele-cam capture below).
October 16 , 2004 - A Convergence
October
15 , 2004 — Delhi Weighs Herself
When Delhi arrived at the Sanctuary in November 2003, she was suffering
from chemical burns on her feet and
was slightly underweight; she weighed
7100 pounds. Today was the first day since
her arrival that Delhi was weighed. In
her calm and confident manner, Delhi walked
right up to the scale and after only a
minute or two stepped onto the platform.
An apple and two scoops
of grain were the enticement to get her
to "try something new." Delhi
stood on the scale for several minutes,
giving her caregivers a chance to record
her weight. After more than nine months
in quarantine, 10 weeks in the habitat
exploring the mountain, tens of miles of
activity, and the
trek back to the barn, Delhi weighed in
at 8140 pounds. She
has gained an appropriate amount of weight while consuming live
vegetation and engaging in muscle building
activity. Delhi is
doing great!
See
Slide Show!
Napping in the sun.
October 14 , 2004
Delhi came into the barn tonight. She wandered around
the entire barn, ate some hay and then went back outside
for the evening.
October 8, 2004 - 11:00 a.m. CST
After spending eight weeks exploring her forest wonderland,
Delhi made her way down the hill and went
directly into the pond. EleCam viewers watched as Delhi demonstrated
her joy for life. After her "dip" in
the pond, Delhi leisurely grazed across
the pasture to the creek. After a few minutes
she settled in for her afternoon nap with
Winkie and Sissy near by. Even Tarra showed up to check on Delhi.
What an amazing day! Not only did Delhi come down the hill, she met
up will all of her elephant sisters. It
was awesome. Delhi has been spending time
with Jenny, Shirley, Bunny and Tarra up on the hill but Sissy and
Winkie have been down in the pasture and have not had the opportunity
to interact with Delhi...until today.
See
Slide Show!
October 7, 2004 — The Tree Planting
After months of anticipation the trees have arrived. Earlier this
year the Ele-Fans got together and designed
a thoughtful surprise for the Sanctuary. They
purchased several trees to be donated to the Sanctuary in honor of Carol's
(the director) birthday, and in memory of both Barbara and Tina. Marcella
Smith spearheaded the plan—managing the fundraising and arranging the purchase
and planting of the trees.
Today was the day, and Marcella was on hand to orchestrate the planting.
The trees were planted in a formation that, once the trees are mature,
will create the image of two elephants walking behind a magnificent magnolia
tree. The imagery is powerful, as is the intent. Everyone at the Sanctuary
is touched by this kind and compassionate gesture and are pleased that the
trees, in their thought provoking formation, can be viewed from the road that
borders the Sanctuary property. Everyone can be inspired by their beauty.
See
Slide Show!
October 4, 2004
Today was a big day for Delhi. When Carol went out to feed at 1:00 a.m.,
she found Delhi, Jenny, Shirley and Bunny
all standing close, calming munching on vegetation. A few minutes
later Tarra and Bella arrived. This was the first time that Delhi
remained in the midst of all the elephants while they were fed.
Usually she wanders a few feet away, but this time she did not move
at all. Even when Shirley crowded her, Delhi paid no attention. At
the 8:00 a.m. feeding it was the same
scene - all the girls hanging our together.
Delhi is now an official member of the herd!
See
Slide Show!
September 29, 2004 - Bunny's 5th Anniversary at the
Sanctuary
Bunny has been with us for five enchanting years. She is a blessing
to everyone. Her days are filled with adventure, ele-sisters
and freedom. She wants for nothing.
See
Slide Show!
September 27, 2004
Watching Tarra Play
We needed a gentle reminder
of the joys we have in life.
After being constantly bombarded
by sadness, death and strife .
Tarra playing and singing ,
such a beautiful sight to see!
Knowing she's loved, accepted,
living her life happy and free .
Sparks memories from over a lifetime
a joyous day, some special thing .
When great happiness bubbles forth
making each of our own hearts sing .
With my spirit feeling lighter ,
there is only one thing i can say .
"All is well in my own world,
I was watching Tarra play !"
Laura Linklater
Sept. 27, 2004
September 15, 2004
Scott was bush-hogging today and Sis and Winks thought it was
great fun! The bush hog is a giant lawn
mower that cuts the pastures,
keeping them lush and healthy. (Composite
photo from the EleCam)
September 12, 2004
Winkie's anniversary is today.
See
Slide Show!
September
11, 2004 - Jenny's Anniversary
Jenny celebrates 8 years at the Sanctuary.
A poem for Jenny...
See
Slide Show!
Bunny and Jenny
Bunny is seldom seen on the EleCam this time of year because she
spends so much time in the wooded areas
outside of camera range. The keepers see
her several times a day when they go out
to feed and give supplements and treatments.
She is always happy to see them and content
to continue foraging and exploring her
habitat. Sometimes she is alone but most
of the time she is with Jenny, Shirley,
Tarra, and Delhi.
See
Slide Show!
The Peanut Butter Arrived!
After weeks
of anticipation we received the donation
of a 55 gallon drum of peanut butter. Jane
Hardin, an avid supporter and dedicated letter writer contacted Unilever
Incorporated of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey requesting that they
donate peanut butter for the elephants. Walter Taylor responded and
agreed to provide the Sanctuary with a 55 gallon container of peanut
butter.
The staff was challenged to transfer the contents from
the drum into smaller buckets to be stored
in the produce cooler. The 55 gallon drum
was too bulky for the cooler and once the peanut butter got cold it
would have proven difficult to get the last of it from the bottom
of the drum. Bill Cowan came to the rescue with a donation
of buckets, lids and plastic utensils to
scoop and transfer the peanut butter. Caregiver
Barbara Anderson and volunteer Kate Elliott "jumped" right
into the project and came out covered with
peanut butter from head to toe...for a good cause.
Another group project with a happy ending.
Thanks to Jane, Bill, Walter, Unilever
Incorporated, Barbara and Kate for a
job well done
See
Slide Show!
September 9, 2004
Today marks one month that Delhi has been a free elephant. What an
inspiration!
See
Slide Show!
Everyone loves the orange barrel. Winkie
entertained herself for some time today
playing with the suspended
toy.
September 8, 2004 - 11:35 p.m. CST
A milestone event...Winkie slept for
the first time since her arrival to the
Sanctuary. Many captive elephants never
lie down and Winkie has been one that resisted
the vulnerable position for nearly 4 years. What a joyous sight to
see Winkie rise from the ground, waking from her nap. We have all
waited for the day that Winkie would finally lie down to sleep. There
is no doubt that the soft pasture bed brought a welcomed
relief. Some things simply cannot be
explained, but what we know is that Winkie
took her very first nap in a very special
place, right on top of Tina's grave.
Tina continues to bring hope and comfort to all of our lives.
August 22, 2004
Delhi and Tarra have become
very good friends.
August 16, 2004
Delhi is enjoying
her freedom, immersed in nature
August 14, 2004
Delhi has settled into her freedom amazingly well.
She has taken to life in the "wild" with a instinctual
sense shown in her comfort level with everything she encounters.
She is calm, content, at peace. The way we know how well she is
doing is because we monitor her continually. We know when and what
she eats, where and when she sleeps, when and how much she drinks
and where she wanders. This is one of the benefit of the Sanctuary;
the elephants do what they want and we monitor.
Although we know Delhi is very aware of the locations
of the different water troughs, until we are confident that she
is drinking from them well, we will continue to bring her fresh
water several times each day. Delhi has always been a "good
drinker" and we know her normal in take. Her first two
days out she did not drink to her normal capacity but now she is
settled in and drinking 40-50 gallons a day, which is normal
for her.
At her 8pm check up we found Delhi nestled way back
in the pine forest, nearly a half mile from where she was earlier
in the afternoon. The sun was beginning to set. An orange glow was
peeking through the pines over Delhi's shoulder. She was calm, munching
away on the vegetation. Scott brought her a bale of hay and several
buckets of fresh water; she leisurely drank 25 gallons. We left
her with three more buckets just in case she got thirsty before
our next visit at 1am.
See
Slide Show!
August 12, 2004
Message from Joanna to fellow staff members:
As I rounded the corner of pines up the
hill behind the pond this morning, Delhi
and Tarra, and Bella, of course, stood together up in the trees. All
very content, they
ate breakfast together. It was so wonderful to see Delhi
and her new sister together with the sun
coming up in the pines behind them.
Tarra and Bella are a phenomenon.
August 10, 2004
— Delhi's first day of freedom
At 1am, Sissy and Winkie discovered that Carol was
camping out with Delhi and approached
the creek. After some lively chatter
from both Sissy and Winkie, they found
a convenient spot on the embankment where
they could see
Delhi in the dry creek bed below. For
more than an hour the three silently
watched each other while calmly grazing.
Delhi paid little attention to the on
lookers as she was so intent on feeding on the lush vegetation all
around her. Sometime in the early hours of the morning Sissy and
Winkie wandered off further Delhi into the pasture.
At sun rise Carol woke to a gentle warm breeze on her face. When she opened her eyes all she could see was grey. Winkie was standing over Carol with her trunk hovering over her face, gently smelling. When Carol greeted her, Winkie began to flap her ears wildly and gave her signature greeting; placing the tip of her trunk on the side of her trunk with a soft tap,tap,tap, while inhaling. The effect is a unique noise reminiscent of a suction cup being removed. Winkie's eyes were dancing with delight obviously pleased that she was able to wake Carol. As it turns out Sissy was fast asleep in the pasture and Delhi was snoring in the creek bottom; the only one Winkie could wake was Carol.
After 30 minutes Sissy woke and joined Carol and Winkie. Shortly after that Delhi was fully awake as well. Breakfast was served and Delhi eat ravenously. Once breakfast was over Delhi began to explore. Winkie came into the creek bottom to investigate while Sissy watched from the embankment above. Winkie and Delhi stood close but there was no urgency to interact. Then Delhi walked off down the creek bed, deeper into the habitat. Winkie returned to Sissy in the pasture, they both followed along the edge of creek where they could watch Delhi closely.
Delhi found tasty vegetation and trees to scratch on. At one point she came to a tree which was blocking her way. At first she tried to push it but this was a large tree, much too large for her to move. She was distracted for a few minutes as she discovered this tree made a great scratching post. Then she attempted to climb over the tree. That was not going to work either, so she did the reasonable thing, she turned around climbed out of the creek bottom. With ease she pulled her body up the embankment into the pasture. She immediately found a fantastic tree where she spent nearly 30 minutes scratching every inch of her body.
Next she crossed the pasture, heading directly toward the pond. By this time Scott had joined in the adventure. It looked like Delhi was going to take a swim but instead, without even a sideways glance at the pond, she walked right past it and straight up the hill. This is a steep hill, one that Sissy and Winkie have not yet mustered the courage to climb, but one that Jenny, Shirley, Bunny and Tarra climb regularly. Delhi climbed the hill like she had done it a million times.
As she neared the top she met up with Jenny and Shirley. It was awesome. All three elephants interacted with Jenny being the most interested. Delhi took a submissive posture. It was wonderful to see how receptive all three were to getting to know each other. Jenny began to be more forward then Delhi was comfortable with so she left to continue her climb up the hill.
Exhausted from the mornings adventure Delhi found a soft place to take a nap. When Carol and Scott left Delhi was fast asleep and Jenny and Shirley were off in another direction.
See
Slide Show!
July 27, 2004
In the days following Tina's death we have
observed that the elephants are spending more time together throughout
the day and night. Notice Bella, Tarra's faithful dog friend, in the
mix.
EleCam composite
July 23, 2004
At dusk the herd gathers. Tina's passing
has seemed to bring the family closer together.
July 22,
2004
When we dug the wells in the habitat for
the elephants, we made sure to add a
solar pump. The idea was to be sure
we would have the ability to provide
a garden hose for elephants like Sissy
and Delhi, who both have partially paralyzed
trunks. Obviously all of the elephants
like drinking from the hose, regardless
of whether they have 100% use of their
trunk. (Ele-cam composite)
July 21, 2004
Delhi grazes happily in her corral.
July 19, 2004
Thanks to one of our avid EleCam viewers,
Delhi's supervision of fence painting
was caught in a series of screen captures.
Delhi stood close as the new fence and gate were painted. She would
have helped if we would had given her a paint brush but she is retired!
July 15, 2004
Tarra and Bella continue to amaze us with
their unconventional relationship. Surprisingly,
the other elephants have accepted their
relationship unconditionally. Today Bella
and Tarra were spotted moving from the
back 60 towards the barn, ambling along
together, ever conscientious of the other's
need to either graze on some tasty vegetation
or plop down in a
puddle of water to cool off. What an endearing relationship they
share.
Convergence by the upper pond.
EleCam screen capture.
July 13, 2004
Sissy and Winkie appeared to be the focus of the EleCam today. Luckily
one of our avid fans in England compiled these great screen captures.
July 10, 2004 - 4:35 p.m.
The convergance, a scene that is becoming more and more common
on the EleCam. Jenny, Shirley, Sissy,
Winkie and Tarra all share in a relaxing
afternoon by the pond. They are truly a family.
July 8, 2004
Lots
of composite photos from the Elecam
of Sis and Winks swimming!
July 6, 2004
Today is Shirley's five year anniversary.
We are fortunate to have her in our
lives and blessed by her wisdom and nurturing
nature. Shirley
is the glue that holds this family together.
See
Slide Show!
Messages and Cards for Shirley from her friends to
commemorate her 5th anniversary at the
Sanctuary
Anniversary card from Jac.
For Shirley
I am a mighty pachyderm,
As true a friend can be.
I am the matriarch of my herd,
A gentle giant for all to see.
I am the mentor for all my children,
An ambassador of good will.
I am the minstrel for those who listen,
The chronicler of all our ills and thrills.
I am the strength, unity, and tutelary,
The inspiration for those in need.
I am Shirley,
A protectress and confidant indeed.
From Barbara |
Shirley
If I could look
through Shirley's eyes
oh the beauty I would see.
Open sky, grass and trees
a herd, no HER family !
If I could walk
in Shirley's place
oh the joy it would bring !
Matching steps with her baby girl
making her spirit sing .
If I could listen
through Shirley's ears
the beautiful music I would hear.
Rumbles, trumpets, elephant song
and caregivers ever near .
If I could feel
with Shirley's heart
oh to finally know pure love .
This gentle and proud matriarch
guided by Barbara up above .
Laura Linklater, July 6/2004
|
July 2, 2004
Sissy and Winkie have been spending more
and more time outside at night. Of
course they never want to come inside
during the day but nights are a different story. We notice that
elephants that have spent a lifetime living in a zoo
are less comfortable staying outside
at night then circus elephants. This is understandable since circus
elephants have experience being outside at night where many zoo
elephants do not. Most zoos lock their elephants inside their barns
at night. Now Sissy and Winkie are spending most of the night time
outside, even staying out all night on many occasions. This night
Winkie came in to say hi to Tina who appeared to be very excited
to see her as well.
June 28, 2004
Tarra and Bella ~ just being together.
Jenny naps as Shirley and a world of
cyberspace viewers stand watch.
May 29, 2004
Dr. Tapp had the chance to see all of
the girls today; Tina in the barn,
Delhi in her quarantine yard; Sissy and
Winks in the back 60 acres; Jenny, Shirley and Bunny up behind the
small pond in the pine forest
and Tarra on the other side of the hill near Barbara's grave. She
was just getting up from a nap and still had wrinkles on her face
where she had been lying down in the grass. Everyone is doing exceptionally
well.
See
Slide Show!
May 28, 2004
Several weeks ago we
installed an additional water trough
deep in the habitat. As result, Bunny,
Jenny, Shirley and Tarra have spent weeks
immersed in the forest, a magical world
of trees and wildlife. At night the moonlight
streams through the trees casting dancing
shadows on the elephants and the forest
floor below. For weeks now the girls
have engaged in their elusive behavior,
content to spend day and night in the
woods. During this time Sissy and Winkie
have spent a great deal of the daylight
hours in the back of the habitat, known
as the back 60. Only yesterday
did Scott discover that Tarra had forged
a trail from her forest hideaway with
Bunny, Jenny, Shirley, to the back 60
where Sissy and Winkie were grazing away.
A new direct route was now opened and
within hours Bunny, Jenny and Shirley pooped out from the forest
cover into the lush pasture and began to graze side by side with
Sissy and Winkie. Oh, what a sight.
Tonight was the first time in this family's
history that Sissy and Winkie stayed
out in the habitat all night with the
other elephants. When Carol went out for the late night feeding, there was the
happy group peacefully grazing. They rumbled as Carol approached and accepted
their late night snack. As Carol drove away Shirley trumpeted and Jenny
joined in the cheerful vocalization.
Sissy and Winkie added their percussion with trunks tapping and popping in unison. Glorious!
May 18, 2004
This photo was captured on the Elecam by an ele-fan
who turned it into a birthday card for
Carol.
May 10, 2004
Scott
installed a new water trough for the girls. So far only
the Asians have been to this part of the
habitat but it shares a common fence line
with the Africans so we expect the two
groups will meet each other in the next few weeks.
As usual, the girls, Bunny, Jenny, Shirley
and Tarra were on hand to lend assistance
and ensure that the project went smoothly.
See Slide Show!
April 26, 2004
Many EleCam viewers have commented on seeing
the elephants together in larger groups
for extended periods. You are witnessing
the evolution of the herd. Each day, week
and season, the herd continues to grow
closer. For those who watch the EleCam,
is it happening right before your very
eyes.
Sis, Winks, Jenny & Shirley
April 20, 2004
The girls gathered by the upper pond, a
common occurrence these days. Winkie,
Sissy, Jenny and Shirley all spend a
great deal of time together, interacting as Carol
gave Jenny her supplements. Winkie has
come a long way in learning how to relate to other
elephants and the entire herd has benefited
as result. Another glorious day.
February 16, 2004
Snow is very unusual for our neck of the woods, and 5 inches is something we have not seen in the nine years that Sanctuary has existed. The girls loved it. The snow was deep enough to be fun and the temperature was warm enough to melt it in 24 hours.
See Slide Show!
January 22, 2004
What an EleCam day! Scott spent all day installing fiber optic cable for our new AfriCam in anticipation of the arrival of our new African elephants. EleCAm viewers got an eye-full as they watched the herd congregate around the track hoe that was digging the trench. As soon as the fresh dirt was exposed the girls gathered it in their trunks and proceeded to cover their bodies, filling in the newly dug ditch in the process. It was a full day of behavioral enrichment which included Winkie chasing Maggie the dog, endlessly. NO it was not poor Maggie, she is a cattle dog and sees the management and movement of the elephants as her sole responsibility. Of course the only elephant that really takes her seriously is Winkie. They played chase back and forth across the pasture until Maggie finally was too tired to "herd" Winkie anymore. Winkie still had lots of energy left and continued to encourage Maggie to play, to no avail. Joanna had to come to Scott's rescue several times throughout the day when the elephants were "really getting in the way". With a 4-wheeler full of treats and hay Joanna would distract the girls long enough for Scott to make a little progress.
January 1, 2004
It was a beautiful day again; warm with clear skies. Jenny decided that today would be a good day for a hike...straight up the hillside. She disappeared from the pasture into the woods. Shirley patiently waited in the pasture with her unfaltering focus on the woods. Jenny blended in so well with the trees that the EleCam could barely find her as she climbed what appeared to be an impossible incline, several hundred feet up the hill. After browsing on some tree branches and root plants she turned to make her descent. Being crippled does not prevent Jenny from the most exertive activities. She loves life and is determined to enjoy every moment of it. Shirley greeted Jenny with her usual gentle caresses as Jenny folded to the soft grass for her well deserved nap.
Tributes from Viewers
There
is a day called Judgement,
all creatures great and small;
Will come to God and whisper,
we've come, please hear us all;
We served man faithfully,
we're food and clothes and shoes;
We've fought in battles honorably,
Searched hills and become glue;
The elephants all trumpeted in unison,
In praise and honor to God;
On bended knee they pleaded,
Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Our God;
Now Tarra she stepped forward,
a spokesman for all;
With Shirl and Jen and Bunny,
all the girls were there;
She spoke so soft and whispered,
Lord, please, make them care;
We walked the earth in peace and calm,
Not a creature did we slay;
We drank
and ate the food you grew,
But yet, man came, the day turned gray;
My Mother and Father, they stood their ground,
With their trunks they did warn;
But their efforts were no match for them,
Man culled, it's called, and did them great harm;
We come to ask, not revenge Lord,
But, please, your judgement on;
Those who came to do us harm,
On field, in sky and farm;
Blessings on those who kept us safe,
Who fed, kept us warm, with love and respect;
Love to all who watched and prayed,
And kept of safe while we grazed;
Our lives were full with love and peace,
Please reward those who kept;
The love you gave to all mankind,
And gave it back to us with respect.
Hugs and Kisses to all the girls,
Karen Wilson
Once again it's Christmas time, when good deeds
do abound,
But in one very special place, they always can
be found.
In a sleepy little valley in the hills of Tennessee,
You'll find a wooded paradise, we call a sanctuary.
While birds may flock here by the score, to eat
the bounty free,
It is a loving peaceful home for elephants, you
see.
Scott and Carol needed a very special place,
A home for their sweet Tarra with a vast amount
of space.
With Tarra being of such size and weight upon
her feet,
Here she would have nice soft grass and a barn
to offer heat.
But Tarra needed much much more, some friends
to make life grand,
To walk with her for endless days upon this
precious land.
And so it was that Barbara came, a frail and sickly gal,
To hopefully recuperate and be Tarra's first
pal
And then came little Jenny, dumped by some
wicked soul,
Years of neglect for this poor lass had taken
a great toll.
Shirley came next with crippled leg to finally
be free,
And recognized Miss Jenny, which filled her
heart with glee.
They since have been inseparable and at each
other's side,
While roaming through the meadows, ponds, and
wallows far and wide.
Next along came Bunny
with unbearable foot ills,
Her preferences soon helped her with her
love of climbing hills.
Then Sissy came who nearly drowned and
left with awful fear,
She found the love, and no more threats,
and comforting friends near.
Winkie with aggression and wild spirit to
be free,
Arrived and then found Sissy, side by
side they'll always be.
Tina rode a long long way, from north to south she came,
With deadly fatal foot disease, she did arrive quite lame.
And sadly only had great bliss for just one memorable year,
She left thousands to mourn her and many shed a tear.
At her side her friends did walk, to the gravesite place,
They stood a vigil, shed some tears, and guarded her new space.
Sissy left her "tire" to help Tina on her way,
As if to let her know, they would play another day.
Barbara too has left this Earth, without her warming sweater,
Her wasting illness took its toll, she couldn't get much better.
Delhi was the next to come, officials intervened,
Her health was much in jeopardy, at least that's how it seemed.
But months alone in quarantine and much intensive care,
Changed her to gleeful healthiness instead of sad despair.
Surviving water, belly deep, were Zula and Tange,
Who arrived together just as happy as can be.
Free at last to enter, the deepest, densest wood,
To knock down trees and have some fun as any elephant could.
Flora from the circus, had tired of the game,
Her owner wanted TES for her, and so along she came.
Misty living miserably, and chained from morn to night,
Had somehow managed to survive despite attempted flight.
She and Lota have arrived to this miraculous place,
And share a barn and yard for now, their very special space.
Lota is a shadow of what she used to be,
Both must conquer lung disease and then they will be free.
So join with me in wishing, these elephants long life,
Now free from stress, ankus, or chains, and any other strife.
God Bless The Elephant Sanctuary And All Who Reside There.
Merry Christmas, Laura Cotter
There was a day
in heaven,
when everyone came to play;
With earth's most precious angels,
the elephant, you say?
The elephants spoke softly,
but everyone could hear;
Thank you all for coming,
glad you all are here;
We came to praise and worship,
Our Lord, Our God you see;
So everyone please listen,
and we'll tell you what came to be;
Our load was hard and heavy,
we worked so long for man;
We gave our lives and children,
and crumbled under man's hand;
They never asked or pleaded,
they took and hit with hooks;
They sold us into slavery,
living their lives as crooks;
We climbed and danced and shouted,
In tents filled with guests;
But never did we ask of them,
What for? Was this a test?
A test of strength and courage?
A test no man could share;
A burden placed on us you see,
it seemed no one cared;
But wait, a truck is coming,
I'm going, can't you see;
To a place almost heaven,
The Elephant Sanctuary!
My Lord, I see neighbors,
with trunks and feet like me;
Oh Yes! my preciouhe sancs sisters!
I'm here at ttuary!!!
So friends stand up and listen,
please don't forget to write;
and say hello to all of us,
God Bless you all, Good Night.
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