As the oldest elephant at The Sanctuary, Billie has exemplified how true, individualized geriatric care can positively impact the well-being of an aging elephant.
The Sanctuary's Facilities and Maintenance Team consistently collaborate with Husbandry and Care Staff to provide Billie and the others with easier access to larger portions of the habitat and upgraded barn accommodations to better provide comfortability, like extended fence lines, new trails, and soft rubber flooring. Recently, with significant effort, the construction of "Billie's Breezeway" was successfully completed and is now available for her use year-round. Similar to previous extensions, such as Daniel’s Pond Trail, this “breezeway” offers Billie smoother slopes and terrain, enhancing her overall roaming abilities to farther areas of her habitat. Upon her first entry into the Breezeway, she navigated with confidence, indulging in exploration, staying away from the barn until the early hours of the morning. The introduction of this more accessible route has undoubtedly afforded Billie a comfortable means of traversing her surroundings.