Moving in the Right Direction

Mara and Rana have been side by side since Mara’s arrival. Whenever we saw one, the other was usually right there, mere feet away. Lately, they’ve been showing comfort being a little further apart.

Scott recently went to feed and found Rana along the fence that separates Yard 4 & Yard 5. Mara was nowhere in sight. He turned off the 4wheeler to listen for a few moments.

In the silence, he heard anything but quiet. Rana and Mara were rumbling back and forth. Mara was using her deep-frequency rumbles that resonate over long distances. Mara was in the trees, so Rana turned around to head that way. They ended up reuniting in the bushes, and there were lots of vocalizations and rumbles. Once they came out of the bushes, they both followed Scott quite quickly for breakfast.

The team – especially those who live on the sanctuary property – can frequently hear Rana and Mara “reuniting” in the middle of the night and throughout the day. There will be lots of rumbling and airy trumpets. More rarely, there are bellows. As we go out to check on the girls, we are starting to see that they regularly are not side by side. They are becoming more comfortable wandering away from each other, yet still celebrating when they come back together. It’s great to see that independence in both of them. It’s a positive step for Mara and Rana that they can be apart but still maintain communications through trumpets and squeaks, even when they aren’t in sight of each other. It shows that their relationship is moving in the right direction.

August 28, 2020

Comments(11)

Nancy Shaw says
August 28, 2020 at 4:22 pm
That has got to be wonderful !!
Wim says
August 28, 2020 at 5:05 pm
Isn’t it lovely and wonderful when you have so much love and trust in each other giving space and privacy comes natural.
Real sentient behaviour in which Elephants outdo many other creatures. ????
Lori Hoover says
August 28, 2020 at 5:17 pm
Aww, there is a part of me that loves them attached at the hip (as I am sure they do, too), but I know it is best for them to have comfort with coming and going, but keeping track of each other. And, on that note, I’ll go check on my husband, in the other room, LOL
Elizabeth Dill says
August 28, 2020 at 5:23 pm
I wondering what they are communicating to each other? Elephants are so intelligent.
Paula says
August 28, 2020 at 5:29 pm
Es una excelente noticia!
Rana & Mara están creciendo mucho en poco tiempo, me alegro tanto por ellas!❤
Hermoso poder oír las “reuniones ” de ellas!
Sheila says
August 28, 2020 at 8:58 pm
Oh yes! I think mara ?is becoming more comfortable and not so needy as she knows ?rana is her dear best sister friend its becoming a mature solid comfort for both ladies! Im sure they r both desiring a bit of quiet munching time! And relaxing time??❤️
Patricia says
August 28, 2020 at 9:46 pm
Thank you for sharing news about Rana and Mara, love seeing these
beautiful animals, in their natural habitat, seeing your Love of
affection for them, makes my heart smile.
Bo says
August 29, 2020 at 12:44 am
Perhaps they are practicing ‘long’ distance calling with each other. Or lung distance in this case because of the volume they can produce coming out of their lungs or belly.
Lovely sounds!
arie says
August 29, 2020 at 1:32 am
A little game of hide and seek ?❤️
Rosie P says
August 29, 2020 at 2:40 am
Fascinating! I so enjoy learning about the girls and their developments. This is very positive for both Rana and Mara that Mara is now relaxing into her new world and the wonders therein. Rana knows her friend is never far away and they reinforce that by their low rumbles. It’s amazing that these sounds can be heard over long distances, that’s incredible. I can just imagine what it must be like hearing those sounds across the habitat at night……..Heaven on Earth. I am never more relaxed than when I am in the company of animals. At night I may hear the hoots of owls and howls of foxes and drift off to sleep in the comfort of the sounds of the wild….. but to hear in the distance the rumbles and trumpets of elephants? Wow.
JoAnn Merriman Eaton says
August 29, 2020 at 6:31 pm
A wonderful, positive and uplifting post about this sister-friend that Mara and Rana have with each other. It would be perfect if Lady would take Maia under her wing so they could enjoy this same companionship.

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