The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee Donation

The Elephant Sanctuary was founded in 1997 and covers 110 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee by Carol Buckley and Scott Blais. Tarra, a former performing elephant, is their first resident and the darling Elephant we sponsor here at Quirks & The Sideshow Gallery. 

Please consider making a donation to Tarra and her friends at The Elephant Sanctuary or visit their website to learn more about how you can help! 

With your support, The Elephant Sanctuary:

• Provides captive elephants with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their wellbeing;
• Raises public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild.

MEET TARRA, and find out why we chose her (HINT- she loves DOGS too!) - 

Tarra was born in Burma (now Myanmar) in 1974. When she was six months old, she was brought to the United States in a wooden crate via cargo plane. She was sold to a tire salesman in Southern California who kept her in a delivery truck. Shortly after Tarra’s arrival in the US, the Asian elephant was declared an endangered species, and all future importation of Asian elephants into America was halted. 

At two years old, Tarra was purchased by Carol Buckley. She was trained to perform, give rides and became know for roller skating and painting. Carol and Tarra traveled working in circuses, amusement parks, zoos, on TV and in movies for the next two decades.  In 1995, Carol Buckley partnered with Scott Blais to found The Elephant Sanctuary and Tarra  became the first resident.

In retirement, Tarra made new fans. The story and videos of her unlikely friendship with a stray dog named Bella at The Sanctuary was viewed all over the world. The duo were near-constant companions for eight years before Bella’s passing in 2011. 

Tarra has been at The Elephant Sanctuary for 21 years. She has welcomed many of the newly retired elephants, trumpeting and spinning excitedly as the transport trailer arrived at the barn with a new resident. Caregivers refer to Tarra as a social butterfly—an elephant that seeks out all the other elephants in the Asia habitat for visits and companionship. Although Tarra is most often seen with Shirley and Misty before her passing, she frequently spends time with Sissy and Winkie. It is common for Tarra to walk miles on any given day to visit other elephants or to explore on her own. Elecams have often recorded Tarra wading in the lake, sometimes stirring the water with one of many sticks that she carries with her during her travels.