We now know more about elephants thanks to recent research. They are kind, gentle creatures with genuine feelings, as we have learned. They can remember other elephants and even people they may not have seen in years and are able to create significant bonds.
Humans have learned that much of the way we have kept elephants over the years might be deemed quite harsh as we learn more about these gentle giants and their social behaviors. Even those living in zoos, who have been given the best care zoos are able to provide, are unable to lead lives that resemble those found in the wild.
More importantly, they do not have other elephants to associate with in zoos, and they lack space to roam. Since they are very gregarious creatures, companionship is crucial for their emotional well-being.
Shirley, an elephant, was taken in by the Louisiana Purchase Zoo after suffering an injury while participating in a circus. They did their best to take care of her, but she was the only elephant living there. Her human caretaker, Solomon James, had been her ᴄʟᴏsᴇst companion for 22 years. He gave the elephant as much time as he could to show her how much he cared.
In 2003, Shirley was given permission by the zoo to go to the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary. As a result, Solomon would have to bid his pal farewell. He said with tears in his eyes that he was going to miss her. However, after seeing the location, he assured her that there would be no more shackles. He was not sure who was the first to adorn her with a chain, but he was relieved to know that he was the last to remove it. She was finally liberated.
Shirley is reunited with Jenny, an elephant she knew from the circus years ago, when she gets at the sanctuary. They can no longer be separated.
source: dailylifeworld.com
