The Elephant Sanctuary | Artie's Travels to Tennessee

Artie, The Sanctuary's first permanent bull resident, has now called The Sanctuary home for over three weeks. Artie has spent much of his time exploring his new habitat, enjoying enrichment provided by Care Staff, and even downing small pine trees! Many months of planning and preparation for Artie’s arrival, including his safe transport, was no small feat. The Sanctuary had the pleasure of working closely with the care staff at North Carolina Zoo to ensure a safe journey for Artie and a smooth transition into his new home. Read more about his transport in our EleNote: elephants.com/news/elenotes/p...
About The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee:
Located 85 miles southwest of Nashville in Hohenwald, Tenn., The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee provides elephants retired from performance and exhibition with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being. The Sanctuary also works to raise public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild. The Elephant Discovery Center, The Sanctuary’s educational center with exhibits focused on elephants’ role as a keystone species, is open to visitors in downtown Hohenwald. The elephants’ habitats are closed to the public.
Connect with The Elephant Sanctuary:
Website: www.elephants.com/
Facebook: / elephantsanctuarytn
Twitter: / elephantstn
Instagram: / theelephantsanctuary

[@anniemac3075]

Freedom from a boring unfulfilled life at last, enjoy your new home Artie.

[@benneferrell9489]

So happy Artie has found his home here in Tennessee, safe and in nature with elephants.

[@careyostrer6193]

I can’t wait for him to finish quarantine and see how he reacts to his long lost baby friend Nosey and she to him

[@davesuiter]

Welcome to the Volunteer State Artie; the good life is now yours.

[@catherinebreitfeller669]

You’re in good hand now Artie. Now you can live like a real elephant 🐘🐘❤️❤️

[@janomalley]

I'm sure the North Carolina Zoo did not mistreat Artie or any of their other elephants. They have a big outdoor area for them.

[@careyostrer6193]

@@janomalley the more we know about elephants the more we learn how they should not be in zoos, not even the best zoos in the world. You’re right North Carolina Zoo a relatively big natural out door area shared by a number of grazing animals, and this is a highly prized and a great asset. However there is more to being an elephant than just the physical luxury of outdoor space, one of the biggest is having autonomy and Artie will have much more autonomy at sanctuary. There is a lot we don’t know about elephants, but specific to North Carolina zoo it is remarkable how, even with that amount of space, the staff have to do exercise programmes with certain elephants (like the oldest male) to keep their muscles from wasting, something diminishes their drive to walk and fully exercise in all that outdoor space. Another major thing is that fundamentally zoos are businesses, NC zoo is wanting to be a breeding centre for captive African elephants and they need physically healthy “breeding stock”. I don’t know if any babies born their will stay there forever, quite possibly the zoo doesn’t know that. The elephants are the zoos property and can be moved sold bought or bred as the zoo chooses. Global Sanctuary for Elephants in Brazil has a fascinating educational arm to its work and you might find it interesting to learn about how complex elephants really are, and how nuanced their behaviours. I highly recommend a new podcast called Global Rumblings which is an exploration of how much they have learned about elephants and captivity and character changes in elephants that sanctuary brings out, some quickly and others over years. The sanctuary in Brazil was founded by Scott and Kat Blais who also founded the sanctuary in Tennessee in 1995. There are videos on KZbin but most of the material is on their website and on Facebook.

[@janomalley]

@@careyostrer6193 Thank you for all this information - much appreciated.

[@careyostrer6193]

@@janomalley you’re very welcome

[@careyostrer6193]

@@janomalley you’re very welcome

[@Cechil55]

Thank you for all you do. I have watched 2 elephants in 1980 in the Sanctuary first time. It changed my life forever since.

[@careyostrer6193]

How nice, which sanctuary? 1980 was very early for elephant sanctuaries

[@andreawalker7138]

Welcome, Artie! May your days at the Sanctuary be filled with peace, happiness, and friendship.

[@tresjolieme81]

o hes handsome

[@jeansinger7245]

Welcome Artie!!!!! Thank you to all that made this possible 💙

[@chasethecat3839]

I wish i had the funds to personally pay for all Artiss needs and wants anx then some. He has my heart

[@krissalouvae7513]

Welcome home, Artie! ❤ I'm SO happy for you!!! By now you already know how wonderful your life will be from now on. 😊 You will always have love and care and be treated with dignity and respect. And you'll get to enjoy life in peace and happiness. ❤🐘❤ ... Thank you TES for the wonderful care you give the elephants. And thank you to everyone who made this possible and who helped Artie move home. You all are the best! 💛🐘💛🐘💛🐘💛

[@alison__16]

Welcome home big boy! Your happily ever after has just begun Artie 💙💙

[@Dominick_Calvitto.]

Welcome Home Artie!

[@tammy421]

Welcome home Artie you handsome guy you! Here's to a long happy safe free life! 💞

[@anneterry3660]

I forward videos so folks know there is an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee--many small donations add up, great as gifts for birthdays, holidays, and even as sympathy, condolence cards, the gift of life, plus the recipients can watch online.

[@careyostrer6193]

bravo for saying, a great thing to do.

[@Maya-Alexdog]

This is the best charity that anyone can donate to in my opinion. Thank you for saving the elephants.

[@doug6259]

Welcome to Tennessee Artie! If only people on the highway knew there was an elephant traveling with them.

[@laurierouleau9245]

Welcome to your new home, Artie! You are loved!

[@ConservativeVeteran]

Looks like he adjusted well from the get-go! So happy you found a wonderful forever home, Artie! You'll love it in Tennessee!

[@kinderliving1]

I am so happy that you are at this wonderful place, Artie.

[@linda6987]

Wow! Very interesting! It’s amazing, you don’t realize how large they are until you see the overhead shot with the two keepers. I’d like to thank the zoo in North Carolina for letting (I think) him go to the sanctuary. Zoos are too small for these incredible animals - they need room and lots of friends! Thank you for the rescue and the share! Well done you! ♥️🐘♥️

[@judydarwin4342]

Awesome news, welcome Artie to your beautiful freedom😁💖🙏🏻🐘🙏🏻🐘🙏🏻🐘🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖

[@catherinebreitfeller669]

Such a precious delivery !! Thanks to all involved including that truck driver. Most valuable load he’s every delivered ❤️❤️🐘🐘

[@barbarawilson834]

Artie seems happy and eager to settle in

[@suezg8864]

Welcome Home Artie! 🎉❤

[@patreich8690]

I am so happy that he finally made it home! What a handsome boy! 👏😊👏😊

[@juliemoylan9697]

Way to go, Artie and Sanctuary. Live a long and happy life, big guy!

[@katrollins627]

I LOVE THIS!!!! Beautiful love, care and compassion for Artie along is travels to the best home in the world, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee!!!! God bless adorable Artie with a long healthy and happy life!!!!🥰🥰♥♥

[@Sara-rv7ds]

Welcome Artie ❤. You will love your new home! So happy for you!

[@sue8237]

What a lucky boy! He will have the best life possible here. So, so happy for him!

[@fastgurrrl]

What a magnificent team effort, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU GO, ARTIE

[@sophisimon8634]

So happy to see that Artie made a smooth trip and transition so far. You all are so wonderful to all the elephants. Thank you.

[@mbmurphy2819]

What’s Good Artie! Wishes for good health and a happy life!

[@liliasgordon3565]

So grateful places like this exist. We can't re-wild them but we can make sure there are no more "tricks" or billhooks. ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Dnvr8083]

I like this bull! He is so calm and peaceful! Truly majestic!

[@SparklesDClown]

Bravo! What a handsome fellow, welcome to Tennessee Artie! Hope we get many follow up videos of Arties transistion and history. 🐘🐘

[@math4U1234]

After a long day, these videos always make me feel good. Artie has a good home.

[@mrdaym]

I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we're ALL glad that Arties now with you guys.

[@kathyjakary7269]

So wonderful! Thank you for all you do!

[@user-wk1pq8vd4j]

Thank you for saving Artie please show more on Billie

[@k80did2]

Welcome home boo! 💖🐘💖🐘💖

[@debbie7526]

Welcome home Artie🥰💚🐘

[@alissamiche]

Really impressed how that big guy confidently walked backwards into his new surroundings like it was no big deal, he knew he was in good hands :)

[@fflubadubb]

I'm so happy Artie is in a good place in Tennessee ❤ Welcome ❤

[@michaelangelo7511]

He can’t imagine what a great life he’s in for. A truly lucky elephant. Thanks to the entire operation . The BEST!👍🏻🇺🇸

[@rahabvon-horn9152]

You have A Lovely Home now, an lots of New Friends

[@kathybrandt6060]

Dear Artie, I hope your retirement is wonderful. Enjoy the snow, Kathy.

[@Suleclo]

Yes -welcome Artie! So glad he is safe at the sanctuary. A story with a happy ending! 🐘❤

[@annehaight9963]

That's a hell of a drive over the mountains, too. You guys made pretty good time considering how slow that truck must have been moving going uphill!

[@kingy002]

An elephant is a lite load for a decent truck.

[@tammy421]

Sending a huge shout out with many thanks to this amazing transport team you all are incredible people with hearts of gold! I so wish I could do what you do just once oh what a joyful happy feeling that would be! Keep up the fantastic work we will be watching and waiting for the next gentle giants to get their forever freedom home!

[@IlluminatedWings]

So wonderful! Beautiful elephant!❤🐘

[@Nitka022]

I am over the Moon, Artie's trip was easy going and he is finally in this amazing place!! So many eles to communicate with and sniff..:-))) from a distance of course! Space, freedom, choices...new life for sure! THANK YOU!!!

[@gwenn1970]

Welcome Artie!!

[@chasityravenwolf8521]

Welcome home Artie!! You are beautiful 😍❤️

[@laurendoerr]

Glad to see him in a great new home. Also excited for the old female Asian that will be arriving in the next couple of weeks from the San Antonio Zoo.

[@Anita-ji5hr]

So surprised to see an Ellie coming from my neighbohood ( Raleigh NC)! Pls keep us posted on all the goings on in his new habitat.

[@careyostrer6193]

Did you know that Artie and Nosey knew each other as babies? Both were part of the same huge import of 63 babies captured from the wild in 1984 and kept at Jumbolair Florida until they were sold away from each other? I am very much looking forward to them meeting, and hope they like each other

[@akissfantos7224]

Love you all

[@sheilagimino6685]

More on Martiie please!

[@eugeniaskelley5194]

What a chill dude. Took a whiff of the air, probably could smell the females and he walked in had dinner and a nice dust bath.

[@MH-pz8wf]

I hope the elephants can stomach the bamboo, these are tough veggies to digest. So happy that the zoo let Artie go to such a wonderful sanctuary! Artie, with you best of life ahead!

[@lynnhathaway3755]

They also strip bark from trees and eat it. So I guess they don't mind some roughage.

[@vivb.6625]

Welcome Artie! Hope the concrete floor isn’t permanent, and you have a softer floor soon. I was led to believe concrete was a no no for elephants everywhere.

[@debbie7526]

I think the floors are padded. It looks different compared to where the care staff are standing. And I see he was dusting himself so looks like plenty of sand in his space.🥰

[@cacatr4495]

Concrete *is a no-no for elephants everywhere. Here's hoping Debbie is right about the elephants' substrate being soft, as it should be.

[@ccoop3774]

Hello, Artie! I have seen you in some episodes of the TV show filmed at your old home! I hope you'll be very happy in Tn.

[@Globally1201]

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW FOREVER HOME 🏡 ARTIE!!!🥰😍😘🦣🦣🦣🦣🌳⛰️🌊 WHAT A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN AND RESCUE 👏🏾 BUT HIS WELCOME HOME 🏡 PARTY WAS THE BEST PART BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAD A PILE OF DIRT ⛰️ IN HIS TEMPORARY QUARTERS!!! AND PLENTY OF EVERY GOOD FOOD 🥭 🌳 AND THAT MADE ARTIE FEEL VERY RELAXED AND NO PRESSURE AT ALL!!! HE CONFIRMED IT BY IMMEDIATELY EATING AND DUSTING HIMSELF WITH THE DIRT!!!😂 I LOVED❤ WATCHING THE WHOLE VIDEO!!! BEAUTIFUL AND SMOOTH SAILINGS!!!💜💜💜😃👍🏾🙋🏾‍♀️🔥🙏🏽👑➕📖🔥

[@sennstrato7281]

Beautiful

[@yolandathomas6452]

Happy Tears!!

[@issamitzi5832]

❤️

[@janomalley]

The Elephant Sanctuary is a wonderful place for elephants for sure, but I hope people don't think he was mistreated at the North Carolina Zoo. We've been there and their elephants have a big outdoor area. So glad Nancy Kaufman from the North Carolina Zoo was there during Artie's transition along with many others. I'd love to know why he was moved though. Just curious. The video was wonderful to see. Such a great team effort.

[@arielthepom]

Agreed, the outdoor area just isn’t large enough though. Elephants need more

[@ruthcummings588]

So wonderful! Thank you all....just please stop with music on the video

[@tracyslover7302]

Magnificent creature! What happened to his tusks?😢

[@hundo9314]

Love the new elephant. When are other ones coming from Knoxville Zoo?

[@rennierad]

❤💕

[@Bowhead31]

Will he have to be permanently kept away from the other females or are there plans to allow them to be together?

[@rualert1602]

'All of us at The Sanctuary are so happy to have you here.' Now that's funny. The Sanctuary is Fort Knox for elephants and you can no more get in there than The Sanctuary.

[@karenstafford724]

He needs another elephant. Don't leave him on his own.

[@careyostrer6193]

Surely bound to be a joint fence line, I would imagine he will be following rules about quarantine at the mo, so have to wait a while for him to be mixing. But I understand that he has an old friend there - Nosey - from back when they were newly captured babies and lived together for a couple of years in Jumbolair (63 of them in total : ( so sad ) but they will remember each other, and hopefully will be very happy to be loving together again

[@jojobegood]

💐🤝🌞🇨🇭

[@None-685]

A farm in Africa grows banna grass as a crop to feed their elephants at a sanctuary. Maybe it will grow there too

[@racheledwards2352]

3:27 😆😆

[@13howlsalot]

Can anyone tell me why this beautiful boy has no tusks?

[@irenecerri6750]

Hay algo que no entiendo. Por que no lo filman ingresando a un lugar al aire libre.

[@maryh1421]

I thought the Elephant Sanctuary only took in females. I know there was a male named Ned there for a while but he was in bad shape and didn't live long after arrival. Is this a change?

[@TlanImass]

I don't think it was strictly a policy (to just allow only females). Maybe the opportunity just never came along. There aren't a lot of captive Bulls (Asians nor Africans ) around.

[@maryjohughes6455]

ZACH BETH

[@kepckatherinec805]

Artie is fabulous! And he couldn’t be in a happier home setting. His transfer process was well planned and executed. The video was great to watch, but not as enjoyable to listen to. After a while I had to mute the sound. That constantly repeating series of notes started out pleasant but soon became irritating.

[@maryjohughes6455]

ZACH RYAN

[@karenstafford724]

I hope he is not going to be on his own. Elephants are group animals and he will need other elephants to be put happy.

[@careyostrer6193]

These are experts, they know sociability is fundamental. But he will have to be in quArantine for a while, meaning no mixing yet.

[@elainedecker7186]

Stop that horrible music...

[@Malvictis]

Glad to see you finally home Artie!

[@UnboundCrow]

Welcome home Artie!

[@susans9617]

Welcome Artie!