October: Jam-Packed with Special Events for Elephant Awareness
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This Week: Global March for Elephants and Rhinos
On Saturday, October 4th, concerned global citizens will march to demand an end to wildlife trafficking in cities all over the world. The Global March for Elephants and Rhinos is a movement to unite people on six continents as one voice, asking governments to apply political will and leadership toward halting the wildlife trade. In the U.S. alone, 36 Marches are planned, so there may well be one happening near you! The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee sends a special shout-out to marchers in our nearby southeastern states, including efforts organized in: Louisville, KY; Atlanta, GA and Augusta, GA; Charlotte, N.C.; Charleston, S.C.; and New Orleans, LA.
Why march?
- The illegal trade of ivory increased 300% from 1998 to 2011.
- 100,000 African elephants have been poached for their ivory in the past three years.
- In 1930, as many as 10 million elephants roamed wild in Africa. Today, we estimate there are between 300 and 500 thousand remaining.
- Due to habitat loss and poaching, less than 25,000 Asian elephants remain.
Visit these sites to learn more about conservation efforts underway in native-elephant habitats:
Join the crowd on October 4th and let your voice be heard.
October is Elephant Awareness Month in Tennessee
City of Hohenwald and Lewis County officials, accompanied by Sanctuary staff,
sign Elephant Awareness Month proclamation.
In recognition of the commitment, perseverance, and milestones achieved by The Elephant Sanctuary, the State of Tennessee, Lewis County, and the City of Hohenwald have declared October 2014 as Elephant Awareness Month. State, county, and city officials all signed official proclamations stating, “The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee continually sets and reaches goals to better the lives of all elephants worldwide.”
Elephant Awareness Month is a busy one for The Sanctuary… and busy is a great thing! You are invited to join us at any of the following exciting Tennessee-based events:
- October 10th-11th: The Sanctuary’s Welcome Center will be open 9:00 AM–5:00 PM for Hohenwald/Lewis County Oktober Heritage Festival.
- October 11th: Billie's Birthday 5K & Fun Run will begin at 8:00 AM. Registrants will receive a T-shirt and tote bag. Register now online, as the fee will increase for walk-ups on the day-of.
- October 11th: There will be a presentation at the Welcome Center, beginning at 2:30PM, about elephant Billie and her journey from the wild, to captivity, and finally to sanctuary.
- Also happening on October 11th: Carol Bradley, author of the new non-fiction book Last Chain on Billie, returns to speak at Nashville's fabulous (and FREE!) Southern Festival of Books. Copies of the book are available through our online store, with all proceeds benefiting our mission.
- October 17th: “Art for Elephants” event will take place at Third Coast Clay in Franklin, Tenn., with proceeds benefiting The Elephant Sanctuary.
- October 21st: New York Times best-selling novelist Jodi Picoult will be in Nashville to discuss Leaving Time, a novel set against the backdrop of a fictional sanctuary whose elephants are based on those residing at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Admission includes a hardback copy of the book, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting The Elephant Sanctuary.
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