Over the last few weeks, Artie has roamed his habitat with a quiet determination – to knock down the towering loblolly pine tree rooted in the middle of his habitat.
Curiosity ignited, Artie decided to put his strength to the test, slowly working to down this pine for some time, only to succumb to the tree's strong and tall stature most days. Finally, on a recent sunny afternoon, with a final powerful push, Artie succeeded in downing his tree. With great satisfaction, he indulged on the many nutrient-dense branches and roots, showcasing his ability to fertilize, repopulate, and foster the tree's growth for generations to come.
While The Sanctuary's Facilities Team went to work removing Artie's large and heavy tree trunk "leftovers", they also installed a soft sand hill to provide Artie with a comfortable resting area in his habitat. It wasn't soon after that Care Staff noticed Artie put his new napping spot to good use, leaving an Artie-sized imprint in his freshly fluffed sand pile. Recumbent sleep is essential for elephants of Artie's heavy size, so a big thanks to the Facilities Team for the continual habitat modifications to make the elephants comfortable!
