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It has been one exciting year since Bambi joined us here at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. Her life story has taken twists and turns, as has her time here at sanctuary. 

Those of you who read our posts here or follow our social media channels have come into contact with Janna, our social media manager, whether you know it or not. She began working for Global Sanctuary for Elephants shortly before Bambi arrived, so she experienced her first rescue with all of you. We thought we’d share some of her feelings so you can see how deeply each elephant’s arrival affects us at GSE. While we have to focus on making sure everything happens just so, it is impossible not to be emotional knowing the promise of what lies ahead. 

Janna says, “Bambi’s rescue torpedoed me into the world of GSE. By the time Scott was on the road, it felt like I had barely familiarized myself with the four elephants that were already at sanctuary. The whirlwind of a rescue was exciting and brand new to me; it was fast paced, with so many updates and questions from every angle.”

If you watched any of Bambi’s rescue, you may have seen some of the live videos Scott made during that time. (The playlist below shows all of the videos in order.) Bambi was initially curious and eager to explore her transport crate, but not committed – then some of her insecurities seemed to take over, and she decided to take a step back into the comforting behaviors she’d known for years. Over the course of seven days, she began to reclaim a little bit of herself, eventually entering the crate for her trip home. 

From her home in the US, Janna was experiencing the effects of Covid-19 on the world and it impacted the way she saw Bambi’s move. She says, “For myself and for many others, I think Bambi’s journey is more than just a story of an individual who came from something bad and overcame it. In the middle of such an isolating year for so many people, Bambi gave us something positive and encouraging to focus on, to look forward to, and to love and give energy to.”

“The greatest thing that I have seen since Bambi’s rescue is the resonating, long-term effect that she has on so many people. I consider myself to be an animal lover, and I have a background in veterinary medicine, but I had never seen attention and love for one animal on a scale that I did during and since her rescue. Our supporters are some of the most dedicated individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of communicating with, even if it’s behind a screen. Some of the comments we get on a daily basis bring me to tears… I wish there was a way to tell Bambi that her story has touched so many. I would like to think that she can feel all of the love she receives from all over the world, and that the support she receives has helped her thrive and flourish.”

In honor of Bambi’s re-birthday here at GSE, we are doing a small fundraiser to give her back some of what she’s given to us. Janna has suggested that we treat Bambi to some of her favorite produce. If you would like to donate, you can choose any amount you are comfortable with – even a dollar makes a difference. If you are unable to give, we hope you will send kind wishes Bambi’s way as she continues to learn and grow here at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil. For those who would like to donate, you can click here. Thank you for following Bambi over the past year – and the many years to come. 

Watch Bambi’s journey to sanctuary. The videos play in order, back to back. If you want to skip around, you can open the videos into a new browser by clicking HERE.