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Maia Loves Yard 5

Maia in Yard 5

While Rana, Mara, Bambi, and Lady have all fallen into a routine, Maia has shown no interest in leaving Yard 5 or doing much socializing with the others, which is a routine in itself.

She spends most of her time across the creek, in the area that burned during the fire. As we’ve mentioned previously, with regrowth, that section is covered in incredibly luscious grass. She does leave that area sometimes. There is no water trough across the second creek, so she comes closer at times for a drink. Since the last big rain, the second creek has been running, so she most likely drinks from that spring-fed creek as well. She seems light and looks great. She doesn’t seem to have much interest in her humans or the other elephants, which is the beauty of sanctuary: it’s her choice and we appreciate when our elephants embrace nature over their care staff.

In the dry season, her routine is to be a pond blob every morning. In the rainy season, it’s cooler and wetter, and she pond blobs less frequently. We hadn’t seen her sleeping in the ponds—nor any signs of her doing much more than a brief splashing—since the fire. A few days ago, she was standing next to the pond in Yard 5, soaking wet, at breakfast. We don’t know if she blobbed or played, but, either way, it was nice to know that the ponds are still providing her joy. Later that day, she returned to the very back of the yard, enjoying the grass again.

Photo of Maia near the pond in Yard 5.

Comments(10)

  1. REPLY
    JoAnn Merriman Eaton says
    December 9, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    Ahhhhhhhh the freedom of sanctuary. Maia is enjoying freedom of choice, and just being.

  2. REPLY
    Wim says
    December 9, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    Looking great gorgeous Maia. Protecting your space is a beautiful daytime job. Wonderful you’re building your own castle. ??

  3. REPLY
    Julie says
    December 9, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    This is a beautiful post and a gorgeous picture. The idea of Maia embracing solitude and oneness with nature is very comforting to me. It sounds like a most beautiful, organic elephant vacation, and I’m sure Maia is getting a lot out of it. She knows her humans and elephant sisters are there, and she’ll show up when she’s good and ready! Lovely!

  4. REPLY
    Carey says
    December 9, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    I do love her so, and so pleased she seems content after her saddest loss. Well done All

  5. REPLY
    Pamela Schulz says
    December 9, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    So content and happy even if by herself. What a beautiful lady.

  6. REPLY
    Tammy says
    December 9, 2020 at 8:31 pm

    Much love to you sweet Maia so happy you are enjoying all that sanctuary life has for you to enjoy wherever or whenever your lil heart desires ???

  7. REPLY
    Debbie Sides says
    December 9, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    She’s so plump and happy and that fuzzy head and cheeky grin is so adorable!

  8. REPLY
    SHEILA says
    December 10, 2020 at 1:39 am

    YES! ❤️ MAIA,? LOVES THE POND STREAM AREA! AND THE NICE GRASSES OUT THERE! IS THIS NOT THE YARD WHERE GUIDA IS BURIED? GLAD TO HEAR MAIA IS VERY HAPPY! LOOKING HEALTHY AND NOT REQUIRING HUMANS TOO MUCH! IM SURE SHES LOOKING IN ON THE OTHER LADIES DURING THE NIGHT OR EARLY AM.! SHE LIKELY DOING HER COUNT?

  9. REPLY
    FRANCINE FORD says
    December 10, 2020 at 12:40 pm

    Sanctuary=freedom of choice! What a wonderful gift all these GGs(Golden Girls) have been given after so many years of their freedoms being taken from them. Thank you all for giving them this gift & allowing us all to be a part of their journeys in Sanctuary. Maia is so darned cute. I love her fuzzy head!❤?❤?❤?❤?

  10. REPLY
    Lori Hoover says
    December 11, 2020 at 9:19 am

    This photo is beautiful in so many ways. It shows Maia looking lovely, with a spring in her step, it shows the greenery of the Sanctuary, with the rebirth and renewal of nature after the fire. Each of these are beautiful, but put together, this picture shows it all in one, and it is just about perfection. I just realized, I love a good Maia head tilt, LOL, I’m so glad I stopped for a second and third look at this picture and post today. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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