Ronnie by the pond
Ronnie and Me
Caregiver Kelly C (we have two Kellys) shared a nice moment with Ronnie last week, and we wanted to share it with you. From Kelly:
“Last Sunday, we invited Debbie and Ronnie into the barn to do some necessary maintenance on their feet (foot care is a big part of life with elephants). After Deb walked down the alley and went into the barn, Ronnie came over to the fence and allowed me to pet her through the protected contact barrier. Some days Ronnie likes the attention, and some days she doesn’t seem interested. I was lucky enough to catch her on a day she was in the mood for some affection from her caregivers.
She presented her tail and I started to pull on it and talk to her in a silly voice (the Girls will sometimes playfully tug at one another’s tails). She didn't walk into the barn, but stayed and hung out with me and Caregiver Melanie at the alley. She kept giving me her tail, and I went along with the game and kept pulling on it. Then she picked up her back foot, which is what she'll do with her “sisters,” Debbie and Minnie, when she is feeling spry. She then shook her whole body and then her head.
While I was pulling Ronnie's tail, Deb came back outside to see what was causing the commotion. We did eventually all make it into the barn, and Ron did her cute little noise she likes to make when she is in a good mood.
It is nice to know that even after all the Girls have been through during a lifetime of captivity, they can still let their guard down and be a little silly with us. As much as I enjoy interactions like these, it makes me even happier to see Ronnie enjoying the company having fun with her Sanctuary Sisters, such as we saw during a “play-date” with the trio of Deb, Ron, and Min earlier this month.
Debbie, Ronnie, and Minnie
Minnie “hugs” Ronnie while Debbie looks on.
Tarra’s Magic Wand
Our EleCams recorded Tarra playing with a stick at water’s edge recently. She twirls the stick in the water, then waves the “wand” over the surface of the water, maybe to check out its reflection.
After checking out this video, make sure to check in on all the Girls via our EleCams.