In last month’s newsletter, AES President, Linda Reifschneider and Volunteer-Extraordinaire, Cynthia Christison took you on the road as they visited friends at Memphis, Tulsa and Oklahoma City Zoos. This newsletter, they wrap up that journey seeing old friends and making new ones along the way, while spreading the word about the work AES is doing to care for and conserve Asian elephants. So here we are…on the road again!
ABQ BioPark – Truly great day at the Albuquerque Zoo on October 24th.
Lindsey Eagan met us at 10 a.m. on her day off, so she spent it with us, showing us her zoo. A most special treat was time with Matilda, a wee hippo born in July to a nearly 50-year-old dad. Quite a dad, eh? Talk about darling….the baby that is! A little sausage on legs but with very wiggly ears and cute written all over. Dad’s a good looker, too! We had lunch with Lindsey and visited the elephants for an update and opportunity to enjoy watching them being elephants. Later that evening we had dinner with the entire elephant barn crew. This is the group where everyone stepped up to support AES by buying a tee shirt when we had our Chang Vet Aid campaign earlier this year. How humbling is that? They have also participated in our CPK events and as we were meeting some of their staff for the first time, I was again asked to talk about our founding and work. Always a topic I’m glad to share, as well as the opportunity to say thanks in person for their great support.
Another full day’s drive on the 25th, but at least no disastrous detours.
Circus Fans of America Convention – Here we were, the 25th-28th at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. I believe this audience may well include members who will want to help Asian elephants, even with all our work being in Asia. While the convention was a smaller group than I expected, everyone was very welcoming and Cynthia and I enjoyed the talks by some of their members who are former circus people. They all confirmed my thoughts: hardworking, artistic, athletic, and close knit. A career more of a lifestyle than a job. Those who left the circus also attributed their further success in life to their circus background. AES was asked and happily agreed to write an article about our founding, the work we do, and how their members can help us. That should be in the next edition of White Tops and we look forward to sharing our story with them.
October 29th and 30th had us heading home – and the scenery from Vegas through Utah and across Colorado woke up so many wonderful memories of many trips I was fortunate to make, first with my parents and then with my husband and son. New snow on the peaks made the drive picture perfect and a couple of times we were tempted to pull over and make a snowball!
Topeka Zoo – Our last stop and on Hallowe’en! Topeka Zoo has been a generous supporter of AES’ work for several years and it is always a pleasure to visit. There is something special about smaller zoos where everyone tends to know everything about all their residents. Well, at least Wrylie Guffey, their Elephant Manager does! She and I became friends many years ago, so it is always good to say hi, talk zoo and zoo animal stuff, and just have a good day. Visiting Asian elephant Cora and African elephant Tembo is always special, too. People always ask me which is my favorite species, Asian or African, and I’m thankful for my standard reply, “And which is your favorite child?”. They are each elephant, they are each different. And we need both in healthy populations in zoos where children can see them in person and learn about them, as well as healthy populations in the wild where their successful survival can mean the difference between survival and extinction for so many other species that share the same habitats. It is always a rewarding time spent visiting zoos and the wonderful staffs who care for these magnificent creatures not 8 hours a day but, without hesitancy, as many hours in a row as necessary – theirs is a lifestyle, not a ‘job’ and when they also step up to help us help Asian elephants in range countries, how thankful and humble I am for their total commitment: for the elephants in their care, those in range countries, and the future of both species everywhere.
Thanks to all of you at each institution we visited for all you do; to Cynthia Christison for always being ready to pack a suitcase and come along and to the Board of AES who decides how best to use the resources and support of those who back us to best help todays and tomorrow’s Asian elephants.
It definitely “takes a village”!