Toronto Elephants Are on the Move!

Thika, Toka and Iringa, the three elephants from the Toronto Zoo are now on the road, heading for a new chapter in their life at an elephant sanctuary in California. Yesterday, after a long day of waiting for the journey to begin, the elephants were finally loaded onto two trucks, and left the zoo around 10:30. The elephants are doing well on their journey so far. To follow their trip, check out the CBC coverage. And stay tuned to the fifth estate on Friday October 25th to see the full documentary of the elephant trek. 

Sanctuary Song

Join Zoocheck Canada and Everyone Loves Elephants for a special celebratory fundraising performance on Saturday February 11th. A 1 hour performance of the Dora-award winning opera "Sanctuary Song", inspired by the moving true story of Sydney, a wild-caught Asian elephant and her journey from captivity to freedom at The Elephant Sanctuary, will take place at The Wychwood Theatre at the Barns. The evening also includes talk back with the creative team, additional entertainment, reception and silent auction. Contact Zoocheck for more information and for tickets: http://www.zoocheck.com/

New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year! Why not resolve to help animals this year? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1) Why not read a book about helping animals and put some of the suggestions into action? For kids, check out 50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals: Fun and Easy Ways to Be a Kind Kid, by Ingrid Newkirk. For adults, The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble, also by Ingrid Newkirk, is a great place to start.

2) Donate to an organization that works to help animals. Zoocheck Canada works to help wild animals, both in the wild and in captivity. (http://www.zoocheck.com/)

3) Visit an animal sanctuary this year. Maybe plan a trip this summer to the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, located near Guelph (http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.ca/). Take a picnic lunch and enjoy an afternoon grooming donkeys.

4) Volunteer with an organization that helps animals.

5) Visit a nearby shoreline, ravine, or greenspace and spend some time cleaning up wild habitats for the animals that live there.

Elephant Sanctuary

The elephants at the Toronto Zoo will be moving to an elephant sanctuary soon. If you want to learn more about elephant sanctuaries, check out these children's books about The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

Travels with Tarra
This book tells the tale of one captive elephant and her devoted human caretaker, who realizes that Tarra's needs as an elephant are more important than anything else in their life together.

Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends
After retiring from the circus, Tarra became the first resident of the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. When other elephants moved in and developed close friendships, only Tarra remained independent - until the day she met a stray mixed-breed dog named Bella.

Just For Elephants
Shirley spent years as a circus elephant and then a zoo elephant. When she is finally moved to the Elephant Sanctuary, Shirley recognizes another elephant, Jenny, and greeted her with great excitment and joy.  Jenny had been a baby elephant at the circus where Shirley had worked so long ago. (Elephants do remember!)

All the books were written by Carol Buckley who is the co-founder and president of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. She arranged for the release of and provided care for 24 elephants at the Sanctuary over 15 years. Learn more about her, the books, and elephants at: http://www.carolbuckley.com/