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Lady’s Deep Connection to the World

Lady has had a much softer vibe surrounding her lately.  She also appears calmer and has been gentler in interactions with others, and is more engaged and connected to us during treatments. 

For instance, Kat has been the primary person to administer foot treatments to Lady out in the habitat. Scott has recently been working with her more and Lady has been exceptional and responsive. When she is most comfortable she makes the effort to lift her foot above the higher fence bars, and she has been presenting it readily to him, even making gentle rumbles along the way. 

She spent a couple of days exploring Yard 5 again recently. This time, Lady traveled into unexpected territory. Perhaps she felt drawn to go a different way because of her increased self-confidence. She ended up across the creek in an area where only Maia generally passes over (though not in the spot where Maia makes her adventurous slides). This is not an easy trail; it’s quite steep in places and a challenging trek. Lady surprised us by coming back across the creek in the same way, which is an even greater undertaking than the initial crossing. 

We don’t always understand why elephants make the decisions they do, but watching Lady go into harder terrain is fascinating. Two days later, she went back across a different part of the creek via her usual path and into the middle of nowhere in Yard 5. Her wanderlust seems to continue, even though her foot pain is present. Perhaps her calm frame of mind is allowing her to face more of her mental and physical challenges head on and with a new outlook.

Comments(28)

  1. REPLY
    Charlotte Hansen says
    June 21, 2021 at 3:08 pm

    thank you–this post makes me so happy for our Lady!!

  2. REPLY
    Carol says
    June 21, 2021 at 3:12 pm

    The seeming complexity of thought process is stunning. Praying for Lady’s continued foot healing and increasing comfort.

  3. REPLY
    elaine richard says
    June 21, 2021 at 3:35 pm

    Good for her. Hoping walking on grass and soft surfaces will help her feet.

  4. REPLY
    Debbie Sides says
    June 21, 2021 at 3:37 pm

    So happy Lady is there to take her time and explore and build relationships if she chooses.

  5. REPLY
    Alana says
    June 21, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    Sounds like she’s taking a major step in healing. Such good news.

  6. REPLY
    Beji says
    June 21, 2021 at 3:54 pm

    Sweet girl. I know when my feet hurt, everything else hurts. Such a brave gal!

  7. REPLY
    Julie says
    June 21, 2021 at 4:18 pm

    This is good news! So happy for you Lady-girl! Your future could surprise us all!

  8. REPLY
    Suzanne says
    June 21, 2021 at 4:27 pm

    I look forward to posts about Lady probably most…. I wonder what has made her a lone adventurer, although I believe such deep healing is taking place…daily & I pray a friendship for her, only when she’s open and able. Until then sweet Lady, love for all your days.

  9. REPLY
    Katie Howard says
    June 21, 2021 at 4:34 pm

    I am thrilled to hear about Lady’s adventures – and her continued improvement. The phrase “Still waters run deep” has always seemed to me to be fitting, when it comes to Lady! Thank you , thank you! You’ve made my day! Oorah, Ladybug!

  10. REPLY
    Carey says
    June 21, 2021 at 4:44 pm

    What wonderful news of Lady, with her soft rumbles for Scott 😁

  11. REPLY
    Melinda Barnett says
    June 21, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    I love Lady. Wish I could heal her, and the others’, physical and emotional trauma at the vicious hands of humans. But I can’t. So I will continue to support and advocate for these precious ellies.

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      June 21, 2021 at 5:13 pm

      Thank you for your sensitivity. Spreading kindness and knowledge is a wonderful way to help.

  12. REPLY
    John says
    June 21, 2021 at 5:11 pm

    What a great post! It makes me smile a smile almost as big as Lady’s!

  13. REPLY
    JoAnn Merriman-Eaton says
    June 21, 2021 at 5:33 pm

    So wonderful to read this post about our Lady. Just to know she is branching out, and exploring new areas speaks to her emotional healing journey. This is encouraging also because the more walking and exploring she does, the better it i for her troubled feet. THANK YOU GSE for your insight and understanding of this complex girl.

  14. REPLY
    Bertica Valdes Suarez says
    June 21, 2021 at 7:11 pm

    This post made me think Lady is embracing a high degree of gratitude–how she is doing her very best for Scott. : ))) So sweet. I love her

  15. REPLY
    Anita Janusz-Wong says
    June 21, 2021 at 7:24 pm

    Beautiful narration and absolutely beautiful capture of our sweet Lady…:-)) She sooo belongs in that place! Her explorations even alone are amazing to watch and hear about..:-) Hope she has many, many years in this piece of paradise…:-)

  16. REPLY
    Melinda Barnett says
    June 21, 2021 at 7:44 pm

    God bless you for all you do to heal these wondrous beings.

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      June 22, 2021 at 1:13 pm

      Thank you.

  17. REPLY
    SHEILA says
    June 21, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    OH SWEET❤️🐘 LIL LADY IS AWAKENING IN HER SPIRIT THAT SHE IS SAFE! SHE IS LOVED AND HAS NO FEAR OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE AT SANCTUARY👍 LADY HAS BEEN STUDYING ALL THE OTHER GALS 🐘🐘🐘🐘 FROM A DISTANCE. IM CERTAIN SHE HAS NOTED THAT THE LADIES CHAT! AND ACT SILLY AND NEVER HARM EACH OTHER AS THEY MAY IN A CIRCUS DUE TO STRESS! CONFINEMENT! POSSIBILITY MZ LADY IS FALLING IN LOVE ❤️WITH KAT ALSO DEALING WITH HER FOOT SOAKS AND OF COURSE SHE AWAKENED TO LOVING ❤️SCOTT MORE FOR RESCUING HER FROM NEGLECT AND ZOO HELL👍ITS VERY EXCITING SEEING HER ADVENTURE STORIES IN THE OUTBACK AND HER EAGERNESS TO PUSH FORWARD TO CHALLENGES IN HER WALKABOUTS! I BELIEVE THRU LOVE PATIENCE MZ LADY IS TURNING A CORNER FROM FEAR VERY SOON WILL WANT OTHER LADIES COMPANIONSHIP😍👍👍🙏

  18. REPLY
    Sallie says
    June 21, 2021 at 10:47 pm

    YOU GO, GIRL! YOU DESERVE THIS PAMPERING! LOVE YOU TO BITS!

  19. REPLY
    Jacobs-Brown says
    June 22, 2021 at 6:17 am

    Beautiful Lady. She is so special, maybe because her damage, both physically and mentally, has been so obvious. It’s wonderful she has been allowed to experience her new life in her own time and in her own way. I think her suffering struck a chord in many of us and made us even more aware of how utterly wrong it is to enslave such sensitive, highly intelligent, freedom-needing, herd animals and brutalise and isolate them to the point where there is not one scrap of joy left in them. It is a nightmare existence and is shameful of humans to do this. Maybe that is why so many of us feel for Lady and love her so much. Thank you for this encouraging news. I hope her gentle rumbles are the start of many more, and as loud as she wants to make them.

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      June 22, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      Thank you for such a wonderful comment. Every moment of growth is cause for celebration.

  20. REPLY
    Carole Kramer says
    June 22, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    What a welcome note this is about Lady’s adventures and healing process. She is a fascinating lady to be sure. She is blessed to be at GSE and to have Kat and Scott looking after her. Thank you all for everything you do the way you do and how you let these precious ellies just be! 🍉🐘🐘🐘🥾🐘🐘🐘🍉💜💟☮️

  21. REPLY
    Anita Janusz-Wong says
    July 2, 2021 at 9:48 am

    I was thinking about Lady and this blog particularly about her damaged footpads. I follow Wildlife SOS who rescue Ellies from the streets with shocking damages to their feet. And from their videos they treat them with some paste made with turmeric and maybe other ingredients. You said before your treatments are also herbal. Did you try the Indian mixture for our girls especially Lady? Maybe exchange of recipes with other organisations for herbal treatments would work wonders…:-)
    And also creams with zinc. Zinc taken internally or in creams does wonders for wounds healing..:-)) all baby creams include zinc for nappy rush. Gentle and harmless..:-) My boys used to take zinc daily in their teens and not a single pimple was to be seen on their smooth faces..:-)) well, maybe one or two now and than…

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      July 2, 2021 at 1:22 pm

      Thank you for thinking about us. We talk to Wildlife SOS quite a bit and they’ve shared insights with us on things we might try. We are always looking for anything that might be beneficial for Lady – and all of the other girls. Lady does currently use a turmeric mixture for her feet. As far as herbs from India, there are some that we can’t acquire here in Brazil, but we are thankful for all of the experts that have collaborated with us on care issues.

  22. REPLY
    Anita Janusz-Wong says
    July 2, 2021 at 7:34 pm

    Thank you Sara for your reply! That is great to know..:-))) GL with your treatments..:-)) don’t forget about that zinc!…xoxox

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      July 2, 2021 at 7:41 pm

      Thank you so much for thinking of sweet Lady and all of our girls!

  23. REPLY
    Patricia Bamford says
    July 3, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    Every time I read about Lady I fall more and more in love with her, she has definitely become more relaxed and trusting. I love the mud bath story, I think she wanted Scott to join in 😂

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