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Story by Angela

I have been blessed to share the lives of many elephants so far, and more to come. The first elephant I “met” at TES was Liz, but this story is about one of her sisters, sweet Lottie. Although I adored every single one of the Girls, somehow I was drawn to Lottie and her gentle nature. She was such a beautiful soul, and she left us way too soon back in 2010. Every day, watching her bond with Queenie and Minnie, her support of Minnie after Queenie’s passing, and even her kind and gentle interaction with the other groups over the fence was a privilege. Lottie was a peace keeper, and peace maker. If other eles were being pushy, she placed herself between them and just chirped and tiny-trumpeted quietly, and she had a calming effect on the entire herd. If someone knocked down a fence and went off exploring in an area they shouldn’t be in, she waited patiently (mostly) at the broken spot until her friend returned, or one of us spotted her “telling on them” as she gazed in the direction where they disappeared into the woods. She had the kindest eyes, long eyelashes, and a precious nature. She was soft and easy with her human caregivers, and she was protective, patient, and calm with her ele sisters. She was all of these things, thus being a wonderful balance for Minnie, who is big, strong, very dominant. Even with these qualities, I never once saw Minnie be the slightest bit aggressive toward Lottie. She allowed Lottie to step between her and others if things were getting a bit too rambunctious, and she accepted her friendship and support when they lost Queenie. To see how Lottie could soften another elephant in most any situation was very enlightening, and she taught me every single day. Her long face, tiny flapping ears, and pointy belly will always make me smile when I see her in my mind. I loved all the eles, but Lottie was special, and I still miss her. I am very grateful to her for all she taught elephants and people alike. If only more people could witness this kind of thing, it is something you just can’t quite explain in words. She’ll always be a part of everyone she touched.