Summer in Tennessee brings an abundance of tall, lush grasses, and African elephant Nosey can often be seen grazing throughout her habitats. In recent months, she has also been exploring Woodland and the Buckeye habitats more extensively. On several occasions, she has traveled throughout Woodland long enough that Caregivers needed additional time to locate her. These behaviors reflect an increase in the amount of time she is spending exploring these habitats.
Nosey, has also been utilizing Buckeye Barn and Habitat while Artie and Osh are off exploring the 137-acre (Woodland) habitat. This provides her access to habitat areas she has had fewer opportunities to explore in the past, as well as the barn's sand stalls, where Caregivers frequently see her resting.
During routine care sessions, Nosey continues to participate in Protected Contact training and has taken part in garden hose baths and scrub brush sessions with Caregivers. She has also been documented lying in sternal recumbency during some of these sessions, allowing Caregivers access to her back and head.
Socially, Nosey is frequently seen interacting with Edie and Mikki across habitat barriers. These affiliative interactions often occur overnight, and Caregivers have documented several occasions in recent months when all three elephants were active at the same time, moving throughout their habitats and vocalizing.
Space-sharing opportunities continue to be introduced gradually. During some shared space opportunities with Mikki and Punch, Nosey has shown behaviors that suggest reduced confidence, including moving away quickly, which can result in chasing. Across habitat barriers, however, affiliative interactions between Nosey, Edie, and Mikki continue to occur regularly. As with all introductions at The Sanctuary, opportunities for shared space are guided by each elephant's behavior and comfort level.
Following Sissy's move to Willow Barn, Nosey continued visiting Sissy through the connected habitat areas during the early months after her move. As Sissy's mobility declined, she spent more of her time close to Willow Barn, where the terrain and nearby veterinary support best met her needs. Because Sissy was living independently at Willow Barn at the time of her passing due to the need for close monitoring, the circumstances surrounding her end-of-life care were different than for elephants living within an established herd.
Throughout her time at Willow, Sissy continued to have opportunities to see, hear, and smell neighboring elephants. While Nosey shared a unique relationship with Sissy, she also continues to have opportunities for social interaction with other elephants at the Sanctuary. As always, the Elephant Care Team continues to monitor Nosey, along with all resident elephants, and support opportunities for social interaction.