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Guillermina Doesn’t Want to Cross the Creek

April 10, 2024

When Maia and Bambi went across the creek in Yard 5, Scott tried to encourage Guillermina to join them for the afternoon. For some reason, she gets nervous and is not interested in heading to the other side of the creek. We’re not sure why she’s so hesitant, but it seems she’s just not ready to make the trek. 

It’s interesting that she’s so tentative about it, since on one of the first nights that Pocha and Guillermina stayed in the large yards, we found them in the creek bed by the border of Yards 4 and 5. They ended up walking down the creek bed, almost to the crossing in Yard 4. It’s an area that’s quite easy to cross; we can drive the 4-wheeler with a trailer through it safely. So, we know she’s been in the creek and across it, but not in Yard 5. Perhaps Pocha was the more daring of the two on that evening and Guillermina was just following her mother. 

Guille has access to join Maia and Bambi should she decide to do it. But, instead she’s been hanging out with Mara and Rana since they are in the part of Yard 4 she is comfortable in. She seems content and doesn’t appear to be stressed that her friends are away. Things have been calm between her and the other two girls, so that’s a nice positive step for Guillermina. She once would not have been able to tone down her energy enough to spend entire days with Rana and Mara. At this point, she is going off for walks at times but returning to them after. Perhaps one day she will get up the nerve to cross over the creek in Yard 5, but she doesn’t seem ready now – and that’s just fine.

Photo of Guillermina in the tall grass

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Comments(10)

  1. REPLY
    Melinda says
    April 10, 2024 at 2:29 pm

    Phobias are odd things. I have a few and don’t really know how some of them started. G has a phobia about crossing water, for some reason. Hopefully, watching her friends successfully cross will give her the emotional strength to follow in their paths.

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      April 10, 2024 at 2:45 pm

      It may not be a phobia, but there’s definitely a hesitancy. She’s crossed the creek in Yard 4, so we don’t know what’s keeping her from joining the others across the creek in Yard 5.

  2. REPLY
    Debra moore says
    April 10, 2024 at 6:50 pm

    Do you think it might be possible that she remembers being there, with her mom. Trying not to attach too much human experience here but I wonder. May I say that the ‘baby’ is absolutely stunning! What a beauty. Thank you all for your care of these souls.

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      April 10, 2024 at 7:00 pm

      It’s always possible, but she’s a real traveler. Perhaps once she’ll make it there.

  3. REPLY
    SHEILA says
    April 10, 2024 at 8:50 pm

    Somehow I think Guille has memories of her Muma Poacha and her crossing the creek. Perhaps she cant face that memory that her Muma is in ELEPHANT💟 Heaven!! GUILLE 💖MAY FEEL SHE SHOULD HAVE MUMA ONLY CROSSING THE CREEK. This hesitancy could pass in near future and I’m sure 💝MAIA will be guiding this event

  4. REPLY
    Terry says
    April 10, 2024 at 9:49 pm

    Did Guilles mom pass in that area? Obviously, she just isn’t ready whatever it may or may not be. Letting them all be is so healing, lovely, and so beautiful to follow!

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      April 11, 2024 at 10:48 am

      Pocha passed near the barn, which is on another side of the habitat.

  5. REPLY
    Bonnie says
    April 10, 2024 at 10:01 pm

    I agree with the others Elephants are not only smart and protective they remember things she will cross the creek all in do time plus she’s a cutie

  6. REPLY
    Patricia says
    April 11, 2024 at 3:05 am

    My darling Guille, you will cross if and when you’re good and ready! Love you more than ever, precious and special girl. xoxoxo

  7. REPLY
    Richard Chiger says
    April 11, 2024 at 1:50 pm

    I knew an elephant named Fritha,, with whom I had a very close relationship. She was very frightened of going into a small pond that was in her yard. She was born in Viet Nam where American troops napalmed herds of elephants. Her herd was burned to death by the napalm. She was a tiny baby and was burned where she did not have full use of her trunk. She had apparently fallen into a body of water as a young calf, according to her owner, and she could not keep her trunk up to use as a snorkel as elephants do and she panicked. She had a fear of bodies of water after that.

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