Tarra turns 30 today (Feb. 14, 2004), the BIG 3-0. Her life began in the safety of her biological family but that lasted only a few months. An animal enthusiast contracted to purchase a baby elephant. An exotic animal broker paid a few hundred dollars in exchange for this baby elephant, separated her from her family and removed her from the wild.

The life of this little elephant and her entire family would forever be altered by this action. Tarra was shipped to California where her new owner anxiously awaited her arrival. Little did Tarra know the huge accomplishments that she alone would be responsible for.

Not only did she impact the life of nearly every single person who had the good fortune to meet her, she instilled her lifetime guardian, Carol Buckley, with a purpose in life and inspired the creation of the nation's only natural habitat refuge for her species.

Tarra has much to show for her 30 years and there is no doubt that she will continue to raise the awareness of many people over the course of her lifetime.