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MerlianNews.com Animal World
All photos and quotations used with permission The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.
Life at The Elephant Sanctuary has settled into a beautiful routine for the eight former circus elephants rescued in 2006, now called the Divas. Each one of them has the space, and the freedom to choose how, when, where, and with whom they spend their day. The social lives of elephants are quite complex. When the Divas arrived they formed two groups dubbed the Fabulous Five and the Threesome (Liz, Billie and Frieda). The split into two separate groups was not a disintegration of relationships of the past but the forging of new relationships which is something these elephants had never before had the opportunity to experience. Although some of the Divas had been together as circus performers for four decades, they were never before free to forge the deep relationships typical of their species. By splitting into groups and joining others they are comfortable sharing time with, their recovery is hastened. Liz, Frieda and Billie stay closer to home which provides them the desired security that their life as a performer did not provide. The other five explore the great expanses of the Sanctuary, free to make choices and live as their wild nature directs them.
The Fabulous Five are often to be found cooling down in the Upper Pond; this is one of the most frequently captured images on the Sanctuary ele-cam . Minnie can often be seen nearly on top of Lottie, delighting both of them with the buoyancy and cooling effects of the water. Late nights are devoted to target training with Carol, which is a positive reinforcement technique where the caregiver says a body part like “trunk” and the elephant touches their trunk to the target which is simply a ball at the end of a long pole. This makes routine medical procedures like trunk washes and blood draws, an easier procedure, with both elephant and caregiver understanding what is expected. The process is mutually respectful, which is at the core of the Sanctuary’s management philosophy.
It is amazing to recall the two difficult years spent trying to gain custody of these elephants. It seems like a lifetime ago. It certainly was for these magnificent Divas, who spent the years waiting for placement, chained in a line in a windowless barn. For the second time as I write about the Divas, my thoughts turn to Jenny, the Sanctuary’s third elephant resident. October 17, 2007 marks the one year anniversary of her passing. We remember and honor how an elephant’s spirit can remain strong and brilliant through years of abuse. Carol speaks of the beginning of Jenny’s journey to the Sanctuary:
As I proofread this in the sun on the Q-Barn deck, the Divas trumpet and squeak, their songs ringing out over the entire valley. They are greeting Julia, (their lead caregiver) who is on her way back through the valley on her four- wheeler. We must help them, protect them, love and respect them, but most of all look what we can learn from these amazing elephants. What gifts they bestow.
Related Stories: Delightful Dulary Arrives At The Elephant Sanctuary Space and Freedom Heal These Ex-Circus Divas at The Elephant Sanctuary Rabbits Who Grunt and Bunny (an elephant) Who Chirps and Squeaks Elephants are Guides for the Soul
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It is the second day of cool weather following months and months of brutal heat and drought.
Mornings find Frieda in the mud of the lower pond, soaking her feet, with her best friend Liz close at hand. Liz feels relaxed and safe enough to take long naps each day, knowing that Frieda is near. Billie spends many of her days at the top of the hill, where she can monitor the goings on of all the other 
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From that moment until her passing, Jenny continued to bless all she met. Her enthusiasm for life and adventure was contagious. She wasted no time sulking about her past, which had been seriously abusive. Instead, she lived her life as if she were free. From day one she was pure joy; playful, enthusiastic, and ready for any adventure. Tarra and Barbara were her first companions, and then Shirley arrived. What followed was nothing less than miraculous. Jenny and Shirley were united after a 23-year separation. Their recognition was documented in the award-winning PBS documentary. The Urban Elephant. Their joy was contagious, and their love for each other the beginning of the elephant family they were responsible for creating.