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MAGGIE IS GROWING
STRONGER
The month of January has been one of the
rainiest months in the history of Calaveras County and
rain produces incredible opportunities for mischief and
raucous play among the elephants.
 71 and Mara, long-time residents, familiar
with tobogganing down the slippery, muddy hills
demonstrated their superior skills to novices, Ruby and
Lulu. Lulu, the smallest and most agile of the four,
soon mastered the technique of splaying two back legs
out behind and sliding down the steep hills while Ruby,
the tank, created her own freestyle routine, looking
like a small battleship floating into port as she
carommed down the hill.
The elephant paths have changed as 71, Mara,
Lulu and Ruby move farther up the hill to forage for
tree limbs and scrub oak. Since we were concerned about
Maggie's physical capability to move up the fence line
with them, we kept the gate closed into that part of the
habitat, preventing access to the very steep
terrain. After a few days, Maggie voiced her displeasure
with bellows of outrage as everyone moved out of sight
leaving her alone in the yard. We have learned that
Maggie does not tolerate separation from the group, so
we opened the upper gate and spent the day out
with her, monitoring her activities. 
Maggie surprised us as she moved quickly up the
hill, pausing to touch trunks and rumble at the others,
then rolling in the soft dirt hidden under the mud. That
day, Maggie moved all over the top habitat, eating scrub
brush, playing in a dead tree pile, throwing mud and
sticks at the other elephants, and, finally, attacking
and successfully taking down a big scrub oak.
At the end of the day, Maggie and the others
returned to the barn covered in mud, wearing huge
branches and rocks on their backs.
 Maggie's wounds are almost imperceptible now,
and she is certainly much stronger; if it ever stops
raining for a few days in a row, we will send her out
with her new friends. We did run a camera during her
outing, so new video will be appearing on our web
page shortly. Rain is predicted for the rest of
this week, so we hope everyone will be patient as we
wait for the perfect day to finish Maggie's introduction
to her loving (and impatient)
family.
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PAWScast Video
Updates
Stay in touch with Pat Derby's PAWS
video updates. Receive
the latest news of animals you support.
The elephants: Maggie's transition from
her life in the Anchorage Zoo; Nicholas and Gypsy's
progress and the status of the bull habitat construction
in San Andreas; as well as news of Ruby, Winky, Wanda,
Lulu, Minnie, Rebecca and Annie. As well as Manfried and
the bears, Sheba and the lions, Roy and the tigers,
Groucho and the monkeys, along with everyone else.
Please click here
to watch the latest Maggie,
Mara, 71, Lulu and Ruby PAWScast video update.
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