Carol Buckley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carol Buckley
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Buckley and Winkie, 2004
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| Born | May 18, 1954 Oakland, California, US
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| Education | Exotic Animal Training & Management Program, 1974 Moorpark College, California |
| Occupation | Elephant Welfare Consultant |
Carol Buckley (born May 18, 1954) is an American expert who helps elephants. She specializes in helping elephants recover from difficult pasts and provides them with ongoing physical care. She focuses on elephants that have lived in captivity.
In 1995, Carol Buckley made a long-time dream come true. She retired her elephant, Tarra, to their own farm in Hohenwald, Tennessee. This farm later became The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. In 2010, Buckley started a new group called Elephant Aid International. Through this group, she began helping elephants and their caregivers (called mahouts) all over the world.
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Carol Buckley's Early Life and Learning
While Carol Buckley was a student at Moorpark College in 1974, she saw a baby elephant named Fluffy. A local tire seller had bought Fluffy to advertise his business. Carol volunteered to feed and care for the elephant.
A year later, she borrowed $25,000 and bought Fluffy. She changed the elephant's name to Tarra. Then, Carol started her own company called Tarra Productions.
Carol Buckley's Work with Elephants
Tarra Productions and Circus Life
By 1980, Tarra was six years old. She was a playful, young elephant. Carol Buckley taught Tarra how to roller skate. For their first 15 years together, Carol lived with, cared for, trained, moved, and performed with Tarra. They performed in circuses and zoos across the United States and Canada.
In 1984, Carol began to feel that the life she and Tarra were living was not good enough for Tarra's feelings and mind. She started looking for a better life for Tarra. Carol worked and gave advice at different zoos and animal parks. However, Tarra still seemed bored in those places. So, Carol began searching for a completely different option.
Creating a Safe Home for Elephants
In November 1994, Carol Buckley used a bank loan to buy 112 acres of land in Hohenwald, Tennessee. She built a barn for Tarra. Carol also helped start The Elephant Sanctuary (Hohenwald) in Tennessee. This was the first natural home for elephants that were sick, old, or needed help.
Today, The Elephant Sanctuary (Hohenwald) is much larger, covering about 2,700 acres (about 1,093 hectares). It is home to both African and Asian elephants. The sanctuary has three separate areas with four barns. It is surrounded by about 20 miles (32 kilometers) of fencing.
Elephant Aid International: Helping Elephants Worldwide
After some disagreements with the other people who started The Elephant Sanctuary, Carol Buckley left the organization. She kept Tarra with her. In 2010, she started a new group called Elephant Aid International (EAI).
Since starting EAI, Carol Buckley has spent many months each year in countries like Nepal, India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. She helps by giving advice and providing care for elephants' feet. She also teaches "target training" and "Compassionate Elephant Management" (CEM) to elephants and their mahouts. CEM is a kind and gentle way to work with elephants. Carol also creates special solar-powered corrals that do not use chains. This helps working elephants in Asia get off chains.
In 2016, she went to Japan to check on the care of Hanako. Hanako was an old elephant who had lived alone for many decades.
Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA)
Carol Buckley used all the knowledge she gained from starting and running The Elephant Sanctuary (Hohenwald). She also learned a lot from her "Chain Free Means Pain Free" projects and other elephant welfare work in Asia. With all this experience, she created Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA) in 2016.
The new Elephant Refuge in North America is located in Attapulgus, Georgia. This is a few miles north of Tallahassee, Florida. Carol chose this place because it offers elephants 850 acres of land that is perfect for them to wander and explore day and night. This land includes open fields, forests, and lakes. It also gets about 50 inches of rain each year, has mild winters, and hot, humid summers. The refuge will also have live webcams so people can watch elephants behaving naturally. There will also be a center for international interns and education.
Books by Carol Buckley
Carol Buckley has written several books about her experiences with elephants:
- 2002 – Travels with Tarra, Tilbury House Publishers.
- 2006 – Just for Elephants, Tilbury House Publishers.
- 2009 – Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog who became best friends, Putnam Juvenile. This book tells the story of the special bond between an elephant and a dog. This story was shown on CBS News and then featured on news and internet sites around the world.
Awards and Special Recognitions
- 1998 – Time for Kids magazine named her a "Hero for the Planet."
- 2012 – Her book TARRA and BELLA was chosen to represent the state of Tennessee at the 12th Annual National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.
