When Ringling Bros. Retires Its Elephants, This is Where They Live | National Geographic

in March of 2015 we announced that we

in March of 2015 we announced that we were going to transition all of the

were going to transition all of the

were going to transition all of the elephants on our three Ringling Brothers

elephants on our three Ringling Brothers

elephants on our three Ringling Brothers touring units to the Center for elephant

touring units to the Center for elephant

touring units to the Center for elephant conservation so those 13 animals will

conservation so those 13 animals will

conservation so those 13 animals will come and live here the reason it takes

come and live here the reason it takes

come and live here the reason it takes three years as we need to determine do

three years as we need to determine do

three years as we need to determine do we have enough water supply do we have

we have enough water supply do we have

we have enough water supply do we have enough staff do we have enough barn

enough staff do we have enough barn

enough staff do we have enough barn spaces we have a two year old elephant

spaces we have a two year old elephant

spaces we have a two year old elephant and a 69 year old elephant so the

and a 69 year old elephant so the

and a 69 year old elephant so the decisions we make today will have

decisions we make today will have

decisions we make today will have decades of repercussions

it’s a 200 acres working facility that

it’s a 200 acres working facility that was designed to this day still is

was designed to this day still is

was designed to this day still is specifically for the care of these

specifically for the care of these

specifically for the care of these magnificent animals

a lot of the cities that we play in are

a lot of the cities that we play in are not allowing the tools that we use to

not allowing the tools that we use to

not allowing the tools that we use to work with the elephants so it’s just too

work with the elephants so it’s just too

work with the elephants so it’s just too hard for a business to conduct itself

hard for a business to conduct itself

hard for a business to conduct itself that way basically all it is is it’s

that way basically all it is is it’s

that way basically all it is is it’s just an extension of our hand there’s a

just an extension of our hand there’s a

just an extension of our hand there’s a point at one end and then it curves at

point at one end and then it curves at

point at one end and then it curves at one end so I can like say Mysore come

one end so I can like say Mysore come

one end so I can like say Mysore come here and I can pull her towards me with

here and I can pull her towards me with

here and I can pull her towards me with part of it or I can say get over and

part of it or I can say get over and

part of it or I can say get over and then I can push her over and everybody

then I can push her over and everybody

then I can push her over and everybody is trained to use them properly so it’s

is trained to use them properly so it’s

is trained to use them properly so it’s just it’s a very very good tool just

just it’s a very very good tool just

just it’s a very very good tool just like using a collar and leash on a dog

like using a collar and leash on a dog

like using a collar and leash on a dog and a bit and bridle on a horse since

and a bit and bridle on a horse since

and a bit and bridle on a horse since 1976

1976

1976 you can’t import elephants or export

you can’t import elephants or export

you can’t import elephants or export elephants from countries where they live

elephants from countries where they live

elephants from countries where they live the best thing about our elephants here

the best thing about our elephants here

the best thing about our elephants here they’re never in danger from poachers

they’re never in danger from poachers

they’re never in danger from poachers they’re never as you can see going to go

they’re never as you can see going to go

they’re never as you can see going to go hungry they don’t have to walk 3040

hungry they don’t have to walk 3040

hungry they don’t have to walk 3040 miles a day to forage for food water so

miles a day to forage for food water so

miles a day to forage for food water so we think that this is an ideal

we think that this is an ideal

we think that this is an ideal environment to be an elephant well

environment to be an elephant well

environment to be an elephant well everything that you see now in a

everything that you see now in a

everything that you see now in a Ringling Brothers performance is a part

Ringling Brothers performance is a part

Ringling Brothers performance is a part of their natural behaviour elephants do

of their natural behaviour elephants do

of their natural behaviour elephants do stand on their heads I’ve seen it here

stand on their heads I’ve seen it here

stand on their heads I’ve seen it here on many occasions I’ve seen them balance

on many occasions I’ve seen them balance

on many occasions I’ve seen them balance on balls that they play with their

on balls that they play with their

on balls that they play with their training will continue because there’s

training will continue because there’s

training will continue because there’s used to being around people and you have

used to being around people and you have

used to being around people and you have to work with them and they have to be

to work with them and they have to be

to work with them and they have to be used to people for us to be able to

used to people for us to be able to

used to people for us to be able to continue the valuable research

you put two elephants in this section

you put two elephants in this section three elephants to the other or regular

three elephants to the other or regular

three elephants to the other or regular you have one one and two on the other

you have one one and two on the other

you have one one and two on the other side most trains have at least two of

side most trains have at least two of

side most trains have at least two of these cars if not more depending on

these cars if not more depending on

these cars if not more depending on Rebellion’s they have maybe there’s like

Rebellion’s they have maybe there’s like

Rebellion’s they have maybe there’s like rain seatbelts you can keep them

rain seatbelts you can keep them

rain seatbelts you can keep them tethered if it isn’t going through an

tethered if it isn’t going through an

tethered if it isn’t going through an area with a lot of curves so that

area with a lot of curves so that

area with a lot of curves so that obviously you don’t want them because

obviously you don’t want them because

obviously you don’t want them because they weigh enough that’s why you would

they weigh enough that’s why you would

they weigh enough that’s why you would have them in this way rather than this

have them in this way rather than this

have them in this way rather than this way they can move around throughout

way they can move around throughout

way they can move around throughout their area can we make sure we can clean

their area can we make sure we can clean

their area can we make sure we can clean up behind them

up behind them

up behind them refresh feed in front of them make sure

refresh feed in front of them make sure

refresh feed in front of them make sure the ventilation if you look above you

the ventilation if you look above you

the ventilation if you look above you we also pop up within doors all of this

we also pop up within doors all of this

we also pop up within doors all of this can open

our primary goal is to ensure that the

our primary goal is to ensure that the Asian elephant does not go extinct and

Asian elephant does not go extinct and

Asian elephant does not go extinct and also to make sure we have better care

also to make sure we have better care

also to make sure we have better care and welfare for the Asian elephant by

and welfare for the Asian elephant by

and welfare for the Asian elephant by using the animals here we’re learning so

using the animals here we’re learning so

using the animals here we’re learning so much from them whether it’s our

much from them whether it’s our

much from them whether it’s our physiology their reproduction their

physiology their reproduction their

physiology their reproduction their endocrinology ehv is actually a very

endocrinology ehv is actually a very

endocrinology ehv is actually a very fatal hemorrhagic disease and Asian

fatal hemorrhagic disease and Asian

fatal hemorrhagic disease and Asian elephants so fortunately for us we have

elephants so fortunately for us we have

elephants so fortunately for us we have a resource of so many elephants so what

a resource of so many elephants so what

a resource of so many elephants so what it enables us to study whether why

it enables us to study whether why

it enables us to study whether why certain elephants are more prone for

certain elephants are more prone for

certain elephants are more prone for this disease or what kind of immunity

this disease or what kind of immunity

this disease or what kind of immunity they have when they eventually come here

they have when they eventually come here

they have when they eventually come here we’re really excited because all 42

we’re really excited because all 42

we’re really excited because all 42 elephants will be here on one side and

elephants will be here on one side and

elephants will be here on one side and many of them are younger females so that

many of them are younger females so that

many of them are younger females so that way we can’t either naturally breathe em

way we can’t either naturally breathe em

way we can’t either naturally breathe em or be part of the artificial

or be part of the artificial

or be part of the artificial insemination herd we’ve had 26 bursts so

insemination herd we’ve had 26 bursts so

insemination herd we’ve had 26 bursts so far and these two females here Mysore is

far and these two females here Mysore is

far and these two females here Mysore is 69 she’s our oldest and Sarah is 58 they

69 she’s our oldest and Sarah is 58 they

69 she’s our oldest and Sarah is 58 they spent a lot of time on the circus when

spent a lot of time on the circus when

spent a lot of time on the circus when they were younger and they’re retired

they were younger and they’re retired

they were younger and they’re retired here what our company would like to do

here what our company would like to do

here what our company would like to do is just make it so that the Asian

is just make it so that the Asian

is just make it so that the Asian elephant is existing in the Western

elephant is existing in the Western

elephant is existing in the Western Hemisphere for everyone to see we want

Hemisphere for everyone to see we want

Hemisphere for everyone to see we want our grandkids to be able to see an Asian

our grandkids to be able to see an Asian

our grandkids to be able to see an Asian elephant