The Elephant Sanctuary | Donna's First Anniversary at The Sanctuary

Today marks the one year anniversary of Donna’s arrival at The Sanctuary! Volunteers from our most recent Volunteer Day helped Care Staff decorate and prepare enrichment for her, including bamboo, banana leaves, melons, and braided firehose, which Donna always shows a preference for. Stacked tires filled with hay made it a true “reTIREment” party! She devoured her vegan birthday cake made from oranges, bran, and pumpkin, went for the banana leaves next, and then finished by rolling the hay balls out of the way to munch on the bamboo. Flora later came by to clean up the left over browse and remnants of hay.

Staff's favorite things about Donna include her preference for pumpkin as a snack, perfect for the upcoming fall season, and that she is always muddy! Since Donna's arrival, she has excelled at digging wallows and mudding — two natural behaviors crucial to mental and physical health. “She makes an adorable raspberry noise that is more similar to a purr,” says Madeline M. Lead Caregiver at Africa Barn. “It's very quiet at times, but it happens when she's eating, drinking, or interacting with Caregivers.” The Sanctuary is honored to have cared for Donna this past year, and we look forward to the years ahead.

About The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee:
Located 85 miles southwest of Nashville in Hohenwald, Tenn., The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee provides elephants retired from performance and exhibition with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being. The Sanctuary also works to raise public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild. The Elephant Discovery Center, The Sanctuary’s educational center with exhibits focused on elephants’ role as a keystone species, is open to visitors in downtown Hohenwald. The elephants’ habitats are closed to the public.

Connect with The Elephant Sanctuary:
Website: https://www.elephants.com/
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