As 2025 comes to a close, we are reflecting with deep gratitude on this milestone 30th anniversary year, a year filled with new beginnings, meaningful partnerships, and unforgettable moments for the elephants in our care.
The video above captures only a glimpse of what was made possible because of you. This year, your generosity helped welcome new residents Punch and Mikki from Louisville Zoo, supported milestone socializations like Punch and Nosey sharing space, and marked an important first for our male elephants: Osh and Artie, after months of sustained relationship building guided by our Care Staff, shared the same space for the first time. Your support ensured every elephant received optimal care and protected habitat.
You also helped advance major improvements across Sanctuary habitats and facilities. In the spring, we announced the renaming of our barns and habitats after Tennessee trees to honor the environment as well as create a way for habitats to be flexible and grow with The Sanctuary. The Cow-Bull Habitat Expansion, a connected 137-acre corridor designed to support both male and female elephants, was completed this year and now provides new opportunities for movement, exploration, and socialization. At Redbud Barn, your generosity supported continued upgrades to expand and enhance the indoor spaces used for socialization, specialized care, and seasonal shelter. This project is well underway and will further strengthen our ability to provide safe and appropriate spaces for elephants who need specialized support.
In honor of this 30-year milestone, you helped elevate The Sanctuary’s story to audiences near and far. Coverage in Scholastic, Tennessee Magazine, NPR, and WKRN’s Hometown Hero highlighted the importance of lifelong refuge and increased awareness of elephant welfare and conservation.
You also strengthened the international and educational partnerships that shape our mission, from learning programs at The Elephant Discovery Center to global collaborations that support elephants around the world. More students than ever discovered the wonder of elephants through our Distance Learning Program, with over 12,500 learners across 44 states and 6 countries joining us for a virtual field trip. In-person learning flourished at The Discovery Center, with over 3,100 stepping inside to interact with our exhibits. Around the globe, The Sanctuary partnered with 11 like-minded international organizations to protect elephants in the wild.
It was also a year of meaningful recognition. The Sanctuary received the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Sustainable Performance, earned special state resolutions commemorating our anniversary, and was honored as GFAS’s Outstanding Wildlife Sanctuary for 2025. These recognitions reflect the high standards you help us uphold in compassionate, ethical, and lifelong care.
Amid the many accomplishments of this year, we also felt the sadness of losing one of our longtime elephant residents. This fall, we said goodbye to Asian female Minnie, whose remarkable strength, playful spirit, and long companionship with habitat mates touched so many. Thank you for honoring her memory with such heartfelt messages of support.
Thank you for being integral to this work for elephants. Your kindness and commitment make all the difference for Artie, Osh, Punch, Mikki, Edie, Nosey, Sissy, Tange, Sukari, Flora, Debbie, Ronnie, Billie, and those to come. We are truly grateful to enter a new year with you by our side.
Happy new year 2026!