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 elephant expert. She helps elephants who have been hurt or need special care, especially those living in zoos or sanctuaries. She also works to improve the lives of elephants and their mahouts (people who train and care for elephants) around the world.
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Learning About Elephants
While Carol was a student at Moorpark College in 1974, she saw a baby elephant named Fluffy. A local tire store owner had bought Fluffy to help advertise his business. Carol offered to feed and care for the elephant. A year later, she borrowed money to buy Fluffy, changed her name to Tarra, and started her own company called Tarra Productions.
Working with Elephants
Tarra Productions and The Elephant Sanctuary
By 1980, Tarra was six years old and a very playful elephant. Carol taught Tarra how to roller skate! For the next 15 years, Carol lived with, cared for, trained, and performed with Tarra in circuses and zoos across the US and Canada.
Over time, Carol began to feel that this life wasn't the best for Tarra. She noticed Tarra seemed bored in small spaces. So, Carol started looking for a better place for Tarra to live.
In 1994, Carol bought a large piece of land in Hohenwald, Tennessee. She built a barn for Tarra and helped create The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. This was the first natural home for elephants who were sick, old, or needed special care. Today, this sanctuary is very big, covering about 2,700 acres (about 1,093 hectares). It has different sections for African and Asian elephants, with four barns and about 20 miles (32 km) of fencing.
Elephant Aid International
After some time, Carol decided to start a new project. In 2010, she founded Elephant Aid International (EAI). She kept Tarra with her.
Since starting EAI, Carol spends several months each year in countries like Nepal, India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. She helps elephants and their mahouts with important things like foot care and special training methods called "Compassionate Elephant Management" (CEM). She also helps create "chain-free corrals" that use solar power, so working elephants in Asia don't have to be chained up.
Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA)
In 2016, Carol used all her experience from building The Elephant Sanctuary and working in Asia to create a new place called Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA).
ERNA is located in Attapulgus, Georgia. Carol chose this spot because it has 850 acres (about 344 hectares) of land perfect for elephants to roam freely, day and night. This includes open fields, forests, and lakes. The area also gets plenty of rain and has mild winters and warm, humid summers. ERNA will also have live webcams so people can watch the elephants, and an international center for learning.
Books About Elephants
Carol Buckley has written several books:
- 2002 – Travels with Tarra: This book shares stories about her journey with Tarra.
- 2006 – Just for Elephants: This book is also about elephants.
- 2009 – Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog who became best friends: This book tells the amazing true story of an elephant and a dog who became best friends. Their story was even shown on CBS News and became famous around the world!
Awards and Recognition
- 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 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.
