Tennessee's Elephant Sanctuary

In Hohenwald, Tennessee, there is a 2,700-acre stretch of land like no other in the United States. It is the Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee. This vast stretch of land is home to numerous African and Asian elephants and their understanding caregivers. It is the largest place like it in the country and its reach is global.

The Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee was founded by experienced elephant trainers and elephant enthusiasts Carol Buckley and Scott Blais. Their mission was to create a place where elephants that need special care can get it, while enjoying a life that is as free from stress as possible where they can roam in a natural habitat created for them. All of the animals Carol and Scott take in are former circus and zoo animals that have spent their lives cooped up and handled extensively. The Elephant Sanctuary gives them a life that is free from those hindrances.



The Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee contains three separate sanctuaries for the animals. There are specially designed barns and elephant "houses" on the property. Six years after the sanctuary opened, a 700-acre parcel was added, which includes a 25-acre lake. Eighteen hundred and forty acres were added in July of 2003. Since that time, no more land has been added, but the most recent purchase is being improved for pastures. Elephants are known to roam tens of miles each day in the wild. The land at the Sanctuary allows them to do so comfortably, whereas zoos and circuses often do not provide space for their elephants to roam.

If you want to see animals in captivity, go to the zoo, the circus or Las Vegas. The Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee has no such animals. The environment they create there is as noninvasive to the creatures' lifestyle as possible. The Sanctuary is not open to the public and the animal caregivers are not there to interfere with or control the natural behavior of its inhabitants.

The caregivers at the Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee use a technique called "passive-control" in the handling of the Sanctuary's elephants. The animals do not perform and are not asked to bend to the will of the humans who care for them. No negative reinforcement is used and the animals are never denied food, water, shelter or social interactions. They are allowed to express themselves, as elephants are wont to do, without interference from caregivers. The animals are never chained, either. In fact, Sanctuary leaders are vocal in their opposition of this tactic, which is common in elephant handling.

The Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee is home to only female elephants. At this time, there are 13 living there. They keep only females because male and female Asian elephants do not live together in the wild. Nonetheless, the Sanctuary is open to taking in male elephants that are in dire need of care and has done so in the past. Sadly, their only male inhabitant was very ill when he was confiscated from his owner and brought to the sanctuary. Despite every effort from the Sanctuary, he passed away within months of his arrival.

The Sanctuary is involved in several education programs, both locally and globally. Part of their mission is to educate children about elephants and the plight of the endangered Asian elephants. These animals will not be around forever if we do not take responsibility for our part in their population decrease. Keeping them in zoos and circuses is not enough. In fact, it is only more of an affront and those elephant-lovers at the Sanctuary want to spread that message.

Try to catch a glimpse of Sanctuary elephants on their EleCam.


Sources

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, retrieved 11/3/10, elephants.com/about/aboutSanctuary.php

Passive Control Elephant Management, retrieved 11/3/10, elephants.com/management.php

*This establishment is run entirely on donations and is a non-profit organization.

Elephants: Do They Have Human-Like Emotions?

Elephants drinking water
Courtesy of Bernard Dupont

Elephants are the largest land mammals on Earth. They are also credited with having relatively large brains, great memory and almost human characteristics, despite the obvious physical differences. Among elephants' human qualities is the ability to create art, made possible by their observation skills and dexterous trunks. This in itself is amazing. However, their ability to display emotions is even more so.

It is a common belief that only humans experience emotions like happiness, sorrow and compassion. This is a misconception, judging by the behavior of animals like dolphins and elephants. Every day, elephants prove that humans are not the only animals capable of caring for other individuals, despite the lack of personal gain. Their behavior proves that they can display, at the very least, happiness, grief and compassion.

Elephants Displaying Elation

Elephants have been observed countless times doing something that can only be described as celebrating a birth. When a calf is born, members of the herd are attentive of the new mother and calf, but what is interesting is the noisy party that follows. Elephants will trumpet and make all sorts of sounds after a healthy baby is born. Judging by the fact that these noises obviously are not for survival or necessary communication, it must be concluded that they are celebrating. Well, there can only be one reason to celebrate and that is happiness. Therefore, it is assumed by many that these birth celebrations are a sign that elephants experience happiness.

Another elephant behavior obviously speaks of happiness, or at least relief. It is known as an elephant "greeting ceremony." When an elephant family member or close individual is reunited with its acquaintances or relations, the previously absent elephant and its loved one(s) will start communicating from a distance. As the distance closes, the elephants begin running to greet each other. Once the distance has been gapped, a celebration of noise, holding trunks (something like holding hands) and ear flapping ensues. This celebration can involve up to 50 elephants and lasts up to five minutes. There is the possibility that this is some sort of important communication that humans have yet to decipher. However, it seems to be that the elephants are simply celebrating the return of a lost loved one. After all, what survival benefit is there to expending this much energy?

Elephants Displaying Grief

An elephant display of grief is a touching thing to behold. If you have never seen it, click here to watch a video of elephant grieving behavior. It shows clearly a behavior that must be brought on by emotions, because there is no need for it in the context of what we think of as animal behavior. In other words, it does nothing to feed them, keep them from being eaten or aid in mating.

Elephant expert Joyce Poole is one of the many who has witnessed and documented the grief of elephants. In her case, it was the death of an infant elephant and its mother's reaction to the stillbirth that made elephant grief obvious. Joyce wrote in her "Coming of Age with Elephants" that she watched elephant Tonie try to revive her dead baby for several days. The mother seemed dejected and unwilling to face the fact that her baby was dead.

Tonie's behavior is not the only example of elephant grief. Whole herds will return to the scene of an elephant death days later to stand over the remains of the dead elephant and touch it. If the remains are reduced to bones, the elephants will pick up, investigate and move the bones while keeping vigil over them.

Elephants Displaying Compassion/Empathy

Given the above behavior characteristics of elephants, it is easy to believe that elephants are also capable of compassion and empathy. They are known to assist sick or fallen members of the herd, orphaned elephants and even members of other species. This suggests that they know the animal is hurting and are aware of the implications. That is the essence of empathy. It takes awareness of illness and death to feel these feelings. Many other animals appear to lack this awareness. Apparently, elephants do not.

It is often said that people look for human behavior in animals so they can relate. There is some truth to this notion. Just look at people who dress their animals in human clothes or swear that it is not food, but love, that brings their cats home to them. Nevertheless, we cannot let this fact keep us from recognizing emotions in intelligent animals. After all, who are we to label these things as "human" behavior when they could very well be shared with other creatures?

Sources

MacKenzie, Paul, Grieving, retrieved 2/25/11, elephant.ehost.com/About.Elephants/Senses/Grieving/grieving.html

Elephant Emotions, retrieved 2/25/11, pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/unforgettable-elephants/elephant-emotions/4489

Greeting Ceremony, retrieved 2/25/11, elephantvoices.org/elephantvoices-calls-database-context-types.html?catid=86