A Place For Hopefully Happy Endings Plus A Book Chat . . .

The Elephant Sanctuary "founded in 1995, is the nation's largest natural habitat refuge developed specifically for endangered African and Asian elephants. It operates on 2,700 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee — 85 miles southwest of Nashville.

The Elephant Sanctuary exists for two reasons:

• To provide a haven for old, sick or needy elephants in a setting of green pastures,
  dense forests, spring-fed ponds and heated barns for cold winter nights.
• To provide education about the crisis facing these social, sensitive, passionately intense,
  playful, complex, exceedingly intelligent and endangered creatures."

If you have a fondness for animals, and especially elephants, this is a site to check out. You can learn much about these amazing creatures, read the sanctuary's annual reports, watch videos of the elephants, sign up for their e-newsletter, visit the gift shop, sponsor an elephant, watch the ele-cam, learn how you can volunteer at the sanctuary (it's the only way you can actually visit), and more.

One of my favorite stories is about Dulary (that's her on the left) who lived at the Philadelphia Zoo for 43 years. You can watch the videos of her farewell in Philly and her arrival (click on "Dulary's arrival" in the drop down box) at the Sanctuary. It is really touching to watch her first tentative steps & the start of a new friendship in her new home.

You can also find out about the extra special bond between Tarra (an Asian elephant) & Bella (a chow-mix dog) ( click here).

And of course you can follow news about all the girls (they all have their very own pages) and their activities. How cool is that?




AND since the Elephant Sanctuary reminds me of a wonderful book, here is an
Impromptu Book Chat:


Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

"As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie.

It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival."

Book Bytes: LOVED this!!! Highly recommended!