...our herd...

Butch and Buffy are two African Elephants that were a part of a petting zoo company back East. They traveled with the zoo giving rides to children. The company shut down some time ago and their owner did a very responsible thing in allowing E.A.R.S. to adopt the animals and move them to California. Butch spent some time in Southern California before coming up to re-join Buffy at the Northern California E.A.R.S. facility. Both Butch and Buffy have adjusted nicely to their new permanent home at Vision Quest.

This was EARS’ first BIG project and it could not have gone more smoothly or seen greater success. We 110% of ourselves now to keep our promise to Butch, Buffy and Lisa by giving them the quality of life we feel all captive elephants should enjoy. We are constantly on the watch for additional animal that we can offer the same promise to.

Paula & Kristi are two other female African elephants that have lived with a circus in the Eastern United States for the majority of their lives.

In January of 2007, the owners of that circus allowed EARS to purchase the elephants and retire them at our Northern California facility.

This project was the second of its kind for the director of EARS and every bit as rewarding for all concerned to include the Paula and Kristi, their previous owners, Butch and Buffy and the directors of EARS.

Paula and Kristi were the results of a promise we made to our beloved little elephant Lisa, who we lost in in Dec. of 2006. Our promise was to continue offering a home and a retirement to captive elephants in need of such. The kind of home Lisa enjoyed and benefitted from.

Yesterday, Buffy was standing outside the empty barn, hoping and waiting for Lisa to come out. Upon the arrival of Paula and Kristi, Buffy is now teaming up with both wherever they go. She has taken a special interest in Kristi who coincidentally, has a very similar appearance to Lisa. Butch remains the typical male elephant. He dines on his own and visits the females occasionally but the bottom line is that our herd is very happy and healing well from our tragic loss.

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS to EARS director Suzi Greenburg and her husband Bobby Greenburg for being the key ingredient to making this project possible.

All our now extremely well aclimated to eachother. All are now enjoying the wide open spaces of our facility as well as the companionship and care they receive from each other and their human caretakers.