A new experiment at The Sanctuary is giving elephants another opportunity to dig, dust, and, in Punch’s case, get a little messy! The Elephant Care Team recently began trialing clay as an additional substrate for elephants who sometimes consume dirt and rocks. Consuming soil is a natural behavior for elephants, and elephants in the wild may dig for clay and other soils containing minerals. At The Sanctuary, however, the naturally occurring soil contains mostly chert rather than clay, so we wanted to explore an alternative.
The trial began with the elephants in Hickory Habitat, along with Osh, Artie, and Asha. While some elephants have consumed the clay as intended, others have discovered different uses for it. Osh has shown particular interest, while Punch seems to prefer wearing it!
“We’ve seen some consumption of the clay, which was our goal, but we also love that it provides another dusting material and can help with sun and bug protection,” says Senior Manager of Elephant Care, Kristy Eaker. “It’s valuable to offer the elephants different types of substrates and see how each elephant chooses to interact with them.”
The team is now expanding the trial to Debbie and Ronnie and will continue offering clay to other elephants to learn who uses it and how. Those observations will help determine how much clay The Sanctuary may want to purchase in the future. There is just one challenge: finding it! Good-quality clay has proven difficult to source locally in Tennessee, and the clay currently being trialed must be brought in from another state.
From Clay to Browse, You Can Help!
Providing elephants with opportunities to interact with natural materials extends well beyond clay. The Sanctuary is also always looking for donations of fresh, local browse—tree branches, leaves, and other vegetation that provide elephants with opportunities to forage, explore, and engage in natural feeding behaviors.
Browse is especially valuable as we head into the cooler seasons,when naturally available vegetation begins to change. Donations help provide additional variety and opportunities for elephants to choose how and when they forage.
Fresh browse should come from approved tree and shrub species found here, and all cuttings and trimmings should be no more than two weeks old.
Browse donations can be brought to The Sanctuary’s Elephant Discovery Center at 27 East Main Street in Hohenwald, where a designated drop-off location is available behind the building next to the “re-tired” elephant statue. Donors are also invited to visit the exhibits inside The Elephant Discovery Center, open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For large or heavy delivery arrangements, please contact Browse Coordinator Kristy at kristy@elephants.com.