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Maia – Our Resident Tank

Maia has continued to be on the move – and to be a tank. It feels like every time we check on her, she’s somewhere else. It’s not uncommon to see her in Yard 5, across the creek in Yard 4, and near the back of Yard 3… all in the same day. While we aren’t seeing her near Bambi, Rana, and Mara, we know that she is passing by them throughout the day, just from noting how she is moving around the property.

When Maia is on the move, she isn’t just strolling around paths. She tends to go whichever way she wants to go and, unlike our other residents, doesn’t always pick the easy way. She takes hills like no other Asian elephant we have known. Her “shortcuts” may be a direct line from Point A to Point B, but they sometimes involve going both up and down somewhat steep embankments. It’s impressive. Often, when we watch her climbing hills, we are amazed by the strength and power we see behind her movement.

Her tendency to take a direct path shows she isn’t intentionally avoiding the others, even if it means she isn’t intentionally seeking them out. We suspect that, at some point, Maia will be ready to try to socialize again with them. For now, we are happy to see signs of her passing near them and moving freely around the habitat however she wishes. We don’t hear much commotion or trumpeting as she moves, so we assume that her time near the others is relatively calm. We have also seen that sharing space with the others hasn’t deterred her from pond blobbing. The act of being a pond blob – to nap, lying down, submerged in water – is a vulnerable position. Maia continues to make herself vulnerable in that way, which is a good sign of a certain level of comfort around the others.

Photo of Maia exiting the pond in Yard 5

Comments(14)

  1. REPLY
    Cintia Abney says
    April 14, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    I imagine her legs have a very good muscular tone! She is beautiful and she feels so unthreatened that she can blob for hours without a companion to watch for “danger” while she skeep ❤️?

  2. REPLY
    Carol says
    April 14, 2021 at 4:13 pm

    Love our Maia girl???

  3. REPLY
    John says
    April 14, 2021 at 4:18 pm

    I’m no expert but that looks like one happy, contented elephant.

  4. REPLY
    Sallie says
    April 14, 2021 at 4:24 pm

    I LOVE the “Pond Blob” reference! Brilliant, and so is Miss Maia . . . She is definitely an “Independent” but caring creature! An unusual, and precious personality. You just keep doin’ your own thang, Girlfriend! You’ve already won the Elephant Olympics climbing hills, and we do get and appreciate, your athletic nature. Your Gal Friends respect your independence and admire you, even from a distance. You are just a butterfly that takes her own path, as the breeze directs you . . . Keep it up, Gorgeous Girl!

  5. REPLY
    Carole Kramer says
    April 14, 2021 at 5:18 pm

    Maia charts her own path through the sanctuary and through her life. She’s so amazing in her strength of character as well as body. What a gal! Love her to the moon and back to the pond! ??

  6. REPLY
    Audrey says
    April 14, 2021 at 5:34 pm

    I think something in her past gives her reservations about other elephants. When she’s ready she’ll seek out their company. Until “you go Maia” finally be yourself. ❤️ ?

  7. REPLY
    SHEILA says
    April 14, 2021 at 5:57 pm

    YES! MAIA ?❤️IS A VERY CHUNKY BUT SHE IS ALSO! SIGHSEEING! TOURING! EXERCISING! CHECKING THE TREES!?? BIRDS?! PONDS!? CREEKS! THINK MAIA IS ACTIVE BECAUSE SHE IS LONEY FOR A FRIEND! SHES KEEPING HERSELF BUSY BECAUSE THE OTHER. 3 GALS DIDNT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO HER! LADY IS FEARFUL! SHE MAIA HAS NO ONE! I THINK ESSENTIALLY SHE IS HAPPY AND CONTENT BUT SHE STILL GETS LONELY AS SHE HAD GUIDA FOR 40 YRS! I HOPE SHE CHOOSES THE 3 LADIES GROUP SOON‼️

    • REPLY
      Sara says
      April 14, 2021 at 5:59 pm

      Maia and Lady both seem content at the moment. If and when they are ready to join the others, they will.

  8. REPLY
    Sherry says
    April 14, 2021 at 6:15 pm

    This is girl power!??????

  9. REPLY
    Pat says
    April 14, 2021 at 7:44 pm

    Love to see her so content, exploring in her new home
    Thanks so much for sharing. Love all these girls ?

  10. REPLY
    Katie Howard says
    April 14, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    Such a Water Baby! ❤️?❤️

  11. REPLY
    Charlotte Hansen says
    April 14, 2021 at 10:28 pm

    Lovely photo of beautiful Maia!

  12. REPLY
    Carey says
    April 18, 2021 at 3:55 am

    Lovely to get more news of our Tank / Pond Blob, on her journey, delighted to hear of her hill climbing. Didn’t Guida have a reputation for taking the challenging routes also?

    • REPLY
      Kat Blais says
      April 18, 2021 at 9:49 am

      Yes, she did. Although Maia is built much better for it. 🙂

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