It’s been said that you learn something new every day — well, if you’re not living in a man cave surrounded by Doritos and Netflix.
If you are one of the brave few who do venture outside of “Breaking Bad” binges and MTV reruns featuring 16-year-olds failing to master adulthood, then maybe you’ll be excited to learn that six Asian Elephants contribute to the population in Alachua County.
That’s right my fellow Gainesvillians, elephants Bunny, Luke, Patty, Roxy, Rajah and Tika are chillin’ on a ranch in Williston.
Two Tails Ranch, located on 18655 NE 81 St., was founded in 1984 by Theodore H. Svertesky and Patricia L. Zerbini and has been home to around 300 elephants.
This weekend is your chance to meet the elephants of Alachua.
In honor of Elephant Appreciation Day that takes place on September 22, Two Tails Ranch will be hosting an event this Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. that is open to the public for $10 per person. (Children under 2 years old have free admission.)
The event, which serves as the ranch’s yearly fundraiser. will include other animal facilities across the state who bring their exotic animals, educational talks, a small vendor village, a moon bounce, pony rides, elephant feedings and camel rides.
Via: pixabay
If you’re anything like me, your head is racing with a million different questions about how north Florida ended up with these majestic beasts. So, before I pack my bag of peanuts and head over to the ranch to feed an animal who makes John Cena look like an infant, I had a chat with Patricia L. Zerbini, the CEO of Two Tails Ranch, about these amazing creatures.
What gave you the idea to bring elephants to the Gainesville area?
It (Gainesville) was more rural, it was more agricultural. We were looking for some place quiet, away from the bustle and stuff, but I still needed the warm, humid climate for the elephants. This was about as far north as I wanted to go.
I read that you successfully breed and helped deliver two elephants in 1990 and 1991. What was that experience like?
Well, the birth of any species is exciting. When it’s a species so endangered, it makes it more exciting.
My elephants become family, so it’s kind of like my children have children.
I think the main thing was the successfulness of it.
It took us 10 years to accomplish. There was not a whole lot of elephant breeding going on and not a lot was known about it and my late husband and I thought it was very important that we start a conservation project. And although those elephants did not belong to me and did not get to stay here, they have moved to a facility that had another 25 successful births. So the program that we put together has continued on.
Via: Flickr
What are some other goals you wish to reach?
I hope to successfully start a breeding program.
My goal right now is to try to bring in elephants from areas that are over populated throughout Asia and Africa and continue conversation because, as their wild habitats diminishes, they’re diminishing. Right now statistics, last one I read online, in five to seven years, they would be extinct. I think it’s extremely important to have active conversation projects going so that we can keep the species from going extinct.
If we don’t have them in captivity, then when they diminish in the wild, we won’t be able to preserve the species.
If we don’t start putting our heads together, we will watch them disappear.
What is the best part about having elephants in your life and what is the most difficult part?
The hardest part is not having any time to yourself. You are basically here 24/7, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There are no days off, no vacations. The commitment has to be 150 percent.
The coolest part is being able to share my life with animals that become part of my family basically. They do form a social structure and you are basically just a big happy family at that point.
Via: pixabay
You take care of elephants every day, there has to be some funny stories you can tell.
They each have their own little personalities, their little quirks, their little flaws, if you like, and their little things. I wouldn’t know where to start, I mean, having lived with them for over 50 years now.
Their characteristics…you can’t compare it to anything else.
They share their life with you and it becomes such an intertwined relationship that I probably have a better relationship with my elephants than I do any human being I have ever come across.
Since we will be celebrating Elephant Appreciation Day this weekend, what do you appreciate most about these animals?
I just appreciate the fact that we have them.
I could not imagine my life without elephants in it. I just appreciate them period.
I think they are wonderful creatures, I think they’re smarter than most of the people I deal with, their social structure is phenomenal and I just appreciate the fact that I have been able to spend my life with them.
I appreciate that I have been able to do something I love my entire life.
If you want to visit the elephants of Two Tails Ranch another time, private appointments and tours are available on a weekly basis with the exception of Thursdays.
Featured photo courtesy of: Flickr
