Blog

The care team at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil has been working to strengthen relationships between caregivers and different individual elephants, and they’re doing a great job at building bonds and developing deep, mutual understanding. The work is intensive, but once caregivers learn how best to relate to the elephants, they feel more comfortable managing treatments or footwork on their own. As they become more confident, trust among the whole team solidifies. 

Mara has been getting treatment for years, but one of the things we’re working on with her is trunk placement. For example, when we’re cleaning the old pressure wound on the side of her face, it would be easier for those treating her if she’d keep her trunk at the front of the bars throughout the process. Often, Scott will hold the end of Mara’s trunk or Mateus will ask her to lift her nose. Everyone has their own technique, but trunk forward is the ideal position for some, especially those who are new to her and are still building trust. But overall, Mara’s willingness to learn a new way of doing things shows her openness to giving her caregivers the comfort they are searching for, which will strengthen the relationship on both sides.

Photo of Mara meeting us at the fence