How old is tara the elephant

Get Involved Related Links. Shop Donate. Home Elephants Tarra. Adopt Tarra and Contribute to her Care. About Tarra Born Birthplace Myanmar. Retired March 3, Habitat Asia Habitat.

Height 8' 0. Favorite Food Watermelon. She looked at that moment, exactly what she was — a beggar — a beggar with a pronounced limp due to deep-rooted ulcer caused by the wicked metal-spiked shackles the mendicants had used to hobble her.

But I know that I was never in control. She chose me. It was karma. After some complicated negotiations, Mark rescued the elephant and named her Tara. Blessed by priests, entertained by princes, they shuffled happily through towns and villages, Tara sucking up rice and bananas from roadside stands and Shand scattering rupees in compensation.

Everywhere they went, Shand and his unusual steed, and his five eccentric Indian companions drew an inquisitive crowd of admirers. The idea of coming to Sonepur was to find a kind home for Tara. At Sonepur, Mark dressed in a dhoti and prepared himself to sell Tara to the highest bidder. He received a number of offers — Tara was a particularly docile creature who stood out among the many difficult elephants that were for sale.

Carol Buckley, founder and former president of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, first filed a lawsuit over Tarra's ownership in Buckley, once a circus performer, raised the Asian elephant after she bought the thenyear-old calf in In , Buckley purchased land in rural Tennessee to establish a home for other old and retired elephants, including Tarra, to remove them from circuses and zoos that were not suitable for their care, court records show.

Tarra, who once performed roller skating and painting tricks with Buckley, retired in She became somewhat of a celebrity and was featured on CBS with her friend Bella, a dog, who died in She still lives at the Sanctuary, which was created largely as a safe space for her in particular.

Tarra lost another of her friends earlier this year when Shirley, then the second-oldest elephant in North America, died age 72 in February. Under Tennessee law, the permit to keep Tarra is under the name of the Sanctuary, although Buckley maintains she retains ownership of the elephant herself.

After a falling out among leadership at the Sanctuary in , Buckley was demoted and resigned from daily duties. She claims she was then blocked from seeing Tarra for several years, court documents show.