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Update on Mara’s Road Trip and the Girls at the Sanctuary

Mara seems to prefer more frequent stops; so, the caravan will be stopping more often today. During a recent stop, Scott cut some palms, banana leaves and mango branches to try. As you can see, Mara thought her palms were delicious and entertaining! It’s raining heavily at times, but she is still doing well, and things are going smoothly.

We should have a better idea of arrival later tonight, but for now, it is still too soon for us to estimate when they will arrive. Right now, Mara is determining the schedule.

Back at the Sanctuary, all is good and quiet. Lady came back to the barn on her own and spent a few days near the barn earlier in the week. She returned to Yard 4 yesterday and seems to be loving spending time there.

Maia and Rana have been hanging out in the back of Yard 5, but are checking in at the barn. It’s rare for them both to return to the barn – especially when they are so far away from it. But the past few days, they have made the trek to stop by the barn and scope things out. They seem to know something is up, but it is unclear if they know THE something is a someone, a new elephant named Mara. ?

Video of Mara in her transport crate, snacking on fresh-cut palms, on her way to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil

May 12, 2020

 

MAPS!

  • Click here for a map of where Mara is.
  • See below for a sanctuary habitat map of the yards where Maia, Rana, and Lady are spending time today.

asian habitat map may 12, 2020

Comments(11)

  1. REPLY
    Barb says

    Love the updates! Love the habitat map! Thanks for sharing with all that love ESB .

  2. REPLY
    Sheila says

    Awesome u cut palmsfor mara! Thank you scott . Mara likely likes human contact during this journey for assurance! Hope shes not fearful she going on a circus gig‼️ when she sees her new home she will be astounded? oh I pray?? mara. Will be so happy. She squeeks , trumpets and rumbles all the time‼️ god bless u scott and all ur team! Police also for safe road trip that remains.

  3. REPLY
    Margaret says

    Mara seems to enjoy swatting herself a few times with bamboo or palm branches before eating them. It is kinda cute! So how do you know when Mara wahts to stop? Does she start seeming restless?

    • REPLY
      EleComposer says

      Scott watches her closely on the camera to see if there are any changes in behavior – in the way she is standing, in the way she is supporting herself, in her face, is she looking more tired. It’s also assessing how she behaves/appears when they do stop – does she eat more when you do stop, does she relax more, does she shift her weight to get off a certain part of her body that is holding up a lot of her weight when she is moving. So does she need those breaks more because of what is going on when she stops versus what is going while she is moving. So it’s every little thing that she shows us that we create into this big picture to see what he needs and when she needs it. That’s why we have a camera and why we have someone (Scott) who has worked with elephants since he was 15 – and has moved over 50 of them.

  4. REPLY
    Jillyp says

    Lovely Mara, I just want to stoke that beautiful skin and feel the folds and wrinkles and texture of it. So fun to see you flapping the palms on yourself, perhaps it feels nice. Thanks for the habitat map it’s great to see the layout and also the resting places of Guida and Ramba, sweet girls ??? I wonder where Mara will be.

  5. REPLY
    Susan says

    Thank you for the update and especially the habitat map!!!!

  6. REPLY
    Carol Anderson says

    It was great to see the map of the habitat, It will help in the future when you say where they are that day. Maybe you can include the other parts of the habitat like where you call home and a picture. Loved all the pictures taken on the trip. Nice to know Mara is doing so well on the trip. Thanks for all the updates.

    • REPLY
      EleComposer says

      Sorry, we did the best we could given the amount of sheer territory and structures at the sanctuary. There’s just not room to include it all.

  7. REPLY
    Sallie Robbins-Druian says

    The map is a genuine piece of artistry. LOVE IT! So fun . . . LOVE the progress! LOVE the progress of Mara! She will be a GREAT addition to The Girls Club! Yippee!

  8. REPLY
    Nancy says

    All of you are just wonderful making this happen for Mara. Scott you are an exceptional person and your love for these magnificent elephants is off -the -scale-massive.

  9. REPLY
    Rosie P says

    Thank you so much for the in depth reports and videos each day on Mara’s journey. It can’t be easy taking care of an elephant as well as coodination of the team AND keeping the supporters happy! LOL! Well done to everyone for the care you are giving Mara…..you are all outstanding. I look forward to the arrival! Good wishes and love to everyone. BTW, love the map of the sanctuary! XXXXXXXXXXXX

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