Elephant Aid International

Category: Tarra

  • While daydreaming about Tarra……

    While daydreaming about Tarra……

    I recalled our first romp on a pristine beach in Santa Barbara, CA. Tarra was a spunky youngster, small by elephant standards, full of playful energy. It was early morning, the sun was just lighting up the southern California sky and the beach was surprisingly empty. Like kids off on a grand adventure we climbed over the dunes that divided the highway from the beach beyond. Tarra sunk to her knees in the dry sand with each gangly step, leaving cavernous holes in her wake.

    Abandoned volleyball courts lay down the beach to the left. The water’s edge was active with sandpipers plunging their beaks into the sand like tiny oil derricks. With an excited trumpet blast Tarra bolted toward the big blue ocean, dragging her toes in the wet sand as she ran. The resulting gouges filled in with each consecutive wave, erasing any trace of her presence.

    Tarra enthusiastically ran toward the ocean as the water receded. But when an underdeveloped wave crashed at her feet, she screeched to a halt and back peddled awkwardly. Squeaking gleefully, trunk curled up under her chin, head pulled down low, she got eye level with the wave. As it once again receded, her confidence returned. Ankle-deep in the foamy swirl of sand and salt water, she did not notice the new wave building. It formed quickly, rising like a cobra from the ocean floor and slapped her broad side with a crack. Caught by surprise, Tarra’s eyes flashed wide. She stood frozen for a split second, staring straight at me. I could not help it, I broke up with laughter.

    Recognizing the mischievous look on her face, I started running down the beach to get the jump on our ever familiar foot race. Tarra came tearing out of the water, running as fast as her stocky legs could drive her, trunk and tail fully extended like a bird dog on point. Our foot race ritual was a bonding exercise. Sometimes I let her win and other times she let me. This time it appeared that she was determined to be the winner. Slowed by the soft sand caressing our ankles, we raced down the beach, neck-in-neck, until she surged forward in a final sprint, leaving me in her dust clinching my sides in laughter.

    Only then did I notice we were being watched. A uniformed man standing some distance away called out, “Miss, you cannot have an elephant on the beach.” Jokingly I responded, “Sorry, I didn’t see the sign.”

  • out in the field

    I am in Sri Lanka, more fabulous experiences, elephant related of course. I realize my internet access will be slim to none over the next few days and want to wish Tarra a Happy 37th Birthday.

    Namaste my sweet girl,
    Carol

  • BLES

    It was a pleasure to be back at BLES. The simple elegance of the sanctuary results in a brilliant function: a peaceful haven for elephant and human alike. Oh yes — the many dogs and cats find the place heavenly as well.

    A feeling of maturity has permeated the sanctuary since my last visit only seven months ago. There is a calm that the mahouts, house-keeping staff, nanny and maintenance staff exude. Needless to say, the comfortable calmness is most obvious with the elephants.

    Tong Yui and Bong Bing have experienced a growth spurt in my absence, both several inches taller, lankier, less calf-like. They are both growing into impressive elephants, healthy and full of promise.

    Tong Yui is a bundle of energy each morning. Her enthusiasm for the new day threatens to explode, making it nearly impossible for her to get through her morning bath without a playful crash through the trees by the wash area.

    I have such fond memories of Tarra at this magical age of seven, not yet fully confident but blossoming into the glorious individual she would grow to be. Full of adventurous energy, eager to explore life and her surroundings, quickly shedding the restraints of childhood. Even her face indicated that little Tong Yui is entering puberty and promises to be a magnificent elephant in her own right.

    I am sure you remember baby Mee Chok, the calf who made such a powerful impact on me the last time I was in Thailand. My last day at BLES during my last visit, we searched for a calf reported to be in distress. Katherine was desperate to find and rescue him. His conditions were devastating. Even though he was corralled with an adult female, it was obvious she was not his mother and they meant nothing to each other. With identical blank stares, their eyes void of life, and identical leg shackles, they did their best to block the unbearable pain they were experiencing.

    Helpless to make a difference in the life of this suffering elephant, I took a single haunting photo of Mee Chok with his head pressed against the wooden posts of his corral. The desperate look in his eyes tells it all. I posted the iconic photo on my site as a reminder of the continued suffering of elephants used for tourism in Thailand.

    You would not recognize Mee Chok today. His recovery is no less than miraculous and testament to the nurturing bestowed upon him at BLES. My sincerest thanks go to Katherine, Anon, the mahouts and all the staff for making BLES such a special place. The environment of love that is BLES revives the life force energy, for elephants and people alike, that in so many cases is near extinguished.

  • CBS Assignment America

    After the recent airing of a CBS Assignment America piece by Steve Hartman, many of you were seeking clarification.

    The statement that has caused confusion is toward the end of the piece when I seem to say that elephants don’t need people or human interaction. The sound bite was an excerpt from an interview done two years earlier for the Tarra and Bella story.

    If there had been more time for the expansion of my statement, you would have heard me say something like…..“Elephants don’t benefit from public visitation by strangers. But elephants thrive on relationships with caregivers with whom they form deep bonds.”

    The media has limited time to report on any single subject, which can result in misunderstandings. Without a doubt, Steve Hartman knows of Tarra’s capacity to bond with another individual of a different species. He was the one who first introduced Tarra and Bella’s endearing relationship to the world.

    My intention for the Sanctuary was to provide a rich captive environment for elephant rehabilitation: an environment where elephants have autonomy, can rediscover themselves and form deep bonds with others.

    The Sanctuary is not the wild; caregivers are an essential part of the equation.  The goal is to train caregivers how to develop sincere relationships with the elephants.  The deeper the relationship between the elephant and caregiver, the more effective the caregiver can be in his/her job. Without a deep and respectful relationship, the caregiver could be a source of stress for the elephant.

    The “people” I referred to in my comment are strangers. Of course elephants living in captivity will form strong bonds with their caregivers. It is an elephant’s nature to form deep relationships with other herd members. For elephants in captivity their relationships extend to the caregivers who provide for them on a daily basis. Caregivers are an elephant’s extended family and their relationships should be strong and healthy.

    Provided that an elephant in captivity lives in a healthy environment with ample space, the freedom to make his/her own choices, other individuals to bond with and access to an abundance of live vegetation, s/he doesn’t need the distraction of and interaction with strangers. (Some zoo and circus elephants live in such a deprived environment that they benefit from such distraction and interaction.)  Elephants in healthy environments thrive on mutually respectful long-term relationships with elephants and other individuals they consider members of their family.

  • Among Friends

    Among Friends

    Last November, Kix and Barbara Brooks graciously hosted a Sanctuary fundraiser at their home in Nashville. The guests were treated to a fabulous party with delicious food, fun and a live performance by Kix Brooks and friends.

    When it was time to auction off the exquisite art pieces and trips to places like Telluride and the Sanctuary, Kix stepped up to the auctioneer challenge, and what fun it was! Everyone was in stitches and the bids kept going higher.

    Kix got serious when the Sanctuary VIP tour was on the auction block. Obviously he planned to make this a big ticket auction item. The crowd broke into a roar when Kix offered up his tour bus to the “highest bidder” for the trip from Nashville to Hohenwald. But when he said he would be joining the group, the room broke out in yelps and whistles. Kix made it clear that this VIP tour would be like no other. Then he announced that I would be accompanying the group as well, to give them the entire story of the Sanctuary while in route. The auction was a huge success! Kix and Barbara outdid themselves, raising a significant amount of money for the Sanctuary. Their generosity and efforts were sincerely appreciated.

    Many months later Kix and Barbara and friends scheduled their VIP tour for September 22. I was invited to join them to share information about elephants, the story of my life with Tarra and the creation of the Sanctuary. Imagine having 90 minutes to share information about my obsession while cruising in Kix Brooke’s tour bus from Nashville to Hohenwald. We had a fabulous time!

    When we arrived at our destination at the city parking lot in Hohenwald, I wished everyone a memorable tour of my beloved Sanctuary.  Group photos were taken, thanks and goodbyes were exchanged, with hugs all around. There was electricity in the air. The group was anxious to tour the Sanctuary. The exchange of glances confirmed that they had already been touched by elephants, even before entering the sacred grounds.

    As I left I asked them for a favor. “If, during your tour, Tarra makes an appearance, and you’ll know her because she will have a feisty dog at her feet, please tell her I love her.” The smiles and knowing glances told me they planned to fulfill my request.

  • full circle

    full circle

    When Tarra was twelve we participated in an elephant training course offered by Smokey Jones and Gary Johnson. Gary had purchased two wild caught baby elephants from Africa. For a fee, keepers were invited to attend the course to learn how to train an elephant.

    When we arrived Tarra joined Gary’s elephants. A short distance away stood a tiny African calf, chained and alone.

    Tarra and I stayed for a week. During this time the baby elephant was trained several times a day. She was kept separate from the other elephants. Tarra never had an opportunity to meet her close up and personal. But I did. I still remember thinking how tiny her trunk was and how she hardly uttered a sound the entire time I was there.

    When her training was completed she was loaded up into a trailer to begin her life as a performing elephant. She was the namesake of a newly formed circus.

    Nearly twenty years later our lives came full circle when Flora arrived at the Sanctuary. Without question she had grown into one of the most magnificent elephants I had ever seen. As she gracefully stepped from the trailer onto sanctuary grounds, I flashed back to the first day we met and thought…another miracle.

  • Dondi

    Everyone knows how painful it is to experience the loss of a loved one, especially one we raised, nurtured and protected.

    Last month Phil and Francine Schacht faced a terrible loss. Dondi, the elephant they raised from infancy, died of tuberculosis. When I heard the news, my heart went out to Phil and Francine. I thought of Tarra because the two were the same age. And I immediately flashed back to the time that Tarra and I met Dondi in Arkansas.

    Tarra and I were driving cross-country from Quebec, Canada, to our home in Ojai, California. It was the end of a long circus season and we were anxious to get home. As was our practice, late in the evening we found a rural campground to spend the night.

    These campgrounds were perfect because at this time of year they were empty of other travelers and usually backed up to a wildness area, a perfect playground for Tarra and her dogs.  Campground services seemed to be tailor made for a traveling elephant: a private parking space with a personal dumpster and water faucet plus bathroom, shower and phone for her caregivers.

    On this mid-fall evening driving through Arkansas, I spied a campground sign and followed the dark country road to the entrance. In front of me lay a vast pasture with a large wooden barn nestled way in the back of the property. The place was completely empty. I pulled Tarra’s rig into the prime space off the main road, adjacent to a large pond, between a few midsize shade trees.

    As usual, Tarra was excited to exit her trailer. With Ace and Tasha, our constant canine companions, Tarra and I took off towards the woods. It was always part of the fun to remind Tarra to contain her excitement until we were under the cover of the woods. Her squeals and boisterous trumpets had been known to cause alarm in areas unaccustomed to pachyderm visitors. Allowing Tarra the freedom to play with full abandon is what enabled us to deal with circus life. In the woods Tarra no longer had to curb her vocalizations. Admittedly a few trumpets and series of dog-like barks echoed from deep in the woods. That night she played until spent, which took close to 45 minutes and left many young trees wondering what had just blown through.

    In the morning, Tarra wasted no time plunging into her personal pond for her morning bath. The amenities at this campground were excellent. When I saw a man approaching I assumed he was the campground owner. So I braced myself for the reprimand I was about to receive. Boy — was I ever surprised. With a firm grip, the stocky man shook my hand and introduced himself as Phil Schacht, “owner of Dondi the elephant”.

    Dondi, an Asian elephant of Tarra’s age, emerged from the wooden barn at the far end of the campground. Who would have guessed that our travels would bring us to her doorstep? Phil and his wife Francine ran the campground and lived there with Dondi when not on the road traveling with the circus.

    What transpired a few minutes later forged an unforgettable bond between elephant guardians and newly acquainted elephants. We invited both elephants to “go see” the other. Like the slow motion commercial where two lovers gracefully run across an open filed into each other’s arms, Tarra and Dondi sprinted several hundred yards towards each other. They had never met before but they did not hesitate for a moment to engage in full-on pachyderm play.

    As their guardians stood by, beaming with pride at their foster children, these two adolescent elephants played like litter mates. Perfectly matched, they had no fear of each other, nor desire to dominate or be submissive. They rubbed their big bodies up against the other, wiggled and gently pushed, entwined trunks, rolled around on the ground together like pigs in mud, squeaked, squealed and trumpeted in delight. Dondi would freeze and then race over to Phil, vocalizing madly. Tarra would imitate, hovering her trunk centimeters from my nose, barking incessantly. Dondi lovingly slobbered all over Phil with her trunk and tongue and quickly dashed back to Tarra. They were a whirlwind of pure joy. These two played and played and played, until finally their energy was spent and they decided that grazing was the next activity of the day.

    This experience will be forever etched in my heart. Tarra and Dondi never met again, something I had always hoped for. But perhaps such magic is not repeated. Dondi will be sincerely missed.

  • connected is a feeling

    connected is a feeling

    Tarra continues to be my inspiration and mentor. We don’t have to be together to influence each other’s lives. I know that Tarra is fine because I know how Tarra looks at life. She obviously believes that dogs are meant to be an elephant’s best friend. Her eating habits suggest that she thinks a few extra pounds look fabulous on the right pachyderm lady. Tarra’s playful antics clearly indicate her preference for the lighter side of life. And without a doubt, Tarra’s love of adventures proves that she knows how to keep herself and Bella entertained. Clearly Tarra knows that I find her to be the most inspirational being on this planet. That works for her because she loves feeling special.

    Tarra is strong and wise, with the open heart of a child with angel eyes.

  • Visiting Tarra

    July 22

    I know you are all wondering when I will see Tarra. I share your curiosity.

    Mary Baker, acting CEO, responded to my request to see Tarra with an email. She said, “Since your attorney has threatened legal action against the Sanctuary, I am unable to respond to this email [request to see Tarra]. Please ask your lawyer to communicate with the Sanctuary attorney, Bob Boston, on any matter related to the Sanctuary.”

    My attorney tried to contact Bob Boston immediately after I received this email (July 22, 2010-10:14 AM) and was told that Bob Boston is out of town.

    I suggest that you not get angry.  This unwillingness to communicate and discuss the issues is how Baker and the Board have handled this situation from the beginning.

    This is what attorneys are for; I will let mine handle it.

    In the meantime, I will continue to think positive thoughts for Tarra and all of the girls. The idea that the Board would hold any of them hostage is quite telling.

    Distance is irrelevant when two hearts are joined. Tarra knows I love her.

    Carol