Background Story on Tarra and Bella from The Elephant Sanctuary:
"Bella Always Guarded Large Noisy Things"
excerpts:
Hohenwald, TN (February 12, 2009)
Tarra was born in Burma in 1974. Shortly after Tarra's arrival in the US, the Asian elephant was declared an endangered species, and all future importation of Asian elephants into America was halted. For the next two decades, Tarra traveled throughout the world entertaining audiences in circus, amusement parks, zoos, on television, and in motion pictures with Carol Buckley.
On March 3, 1995, Tarra’s growing disenchantment with an entertainment lifestyle inspired the creation of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee to rescue old, sick and needy elephants. While she may not be aware of her influence, the Sanctuary has now grown to become the largest of its kind in the nation. In 2002, Tarra again entered the spotlight as the subject of the children’s book “Travels with Tarra” that told the story of her life, written by Carol Buckley.
Bella, the canine half of this odd couple was found abandoned on some newly purchased Sanctuary land, apparently guarding a bulldozer. Bella continued to show her propensity for guarding large “noisy” things, as she then fixated on a 4-wheeler and finally on Tarra. Tarra was ecstatic and the two became inseparable. Bella finds shelter from the heat under Tarra’s ample belly, and they share a stall in the barn with Bella sleeping on a pile of hay. In April of 2007 Bella suffered a spinal injury chasing wildlife in the habitat and spent several weeks immobile in the barn office. In the second week of Bella’s recovery, Tarra returned to the barn and uncharacteristically stood silently under the office/recovery ward balcony window. Caregivers picked up Bella and took her to where Tarra waited, and their reunion was sweet and respectful. This daily reunion took place over the next several days until Bella was able to return to the habitat with Tarra.
To find out more about the plight of captive elephants, and to monitor the progress of Tarra and Bella and all the residents of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee please visit our website at sydneyst
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