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Hurrican Michael damages ERNA fences

Hurricane Michel was a storm for the ages - the third strongest ever to hit the Florida panhandle.
 
We chose Attapulgus as the location for Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA) partly because experts said the geography of the Florida coast would shield us from the worst storms. But then Michael defied all expectations.
 
ERNA weathered the storm better than many of our neighbors. Unfortunately, many of our friends and local volunteers who live in Gadsden County, Florida (south of us) suffered catastrophic damage - downed trees and power lines, flattened homes, flooding and more. We are thankful they're safe and send them our best wishes as they repair and rebuild.
 
Elephant barn spared from hurrican damage
 
ERNA's buildings, including the elephant barn, were undamaged and initially we thought the fencing sustained only minor damage. But after clearing access to more remote forested areas of the property, we found that fallen trees had damaged the fences extensively.  
 
Fix Mundi_s Fences campaign 
 
We want to repair the damage ASAP and have just received our initial quotes for repairs.
 
Our tree man estimates it will take him 7 days to remove fallen trees from the fence line. 7 days @ $2,000 per day = $14,000 
 
Then, we have 5,000 feet of perimeter and elephant fencing that need repairing, at $10 per foot. 5000 feet @ $10 per foot = $50,000
 
The sooner we can make the repairs, the sooner Mundi can take up residence. Can you help us?
 
Here's what your donations will fund:  
  • $10 repairs one foot of fence
  • $50 buys 3 days of gas for the chainsaws
  • $100 keeps the tractor running for a half-day
  • $200 removes 2 huge trees from the fences
  • $500 removes an entire section of trees and re-stretches the fence
  • $2,000 funds a 12-hour (7 am to 7 pm) workday, allowing us to remove trees from one-seventh of the damaged fence line!
With your help, we'll say "Good-bye, Michael" and "Hola, Mundi!" in no time.
Chain Free Success at Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary

Gossip Girls at BLES

Our friends at Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (BLES) in Sukhothai, Thailand, recently provided a status report on our collaborative Chain Free Corral Project.
 
BLES reports that, after more than three years in operation, the project is a success, giving the elephants freedom of self-determination, improving social bonding, increasing natural behaviors and meeting the physical and mental needs of their 13 rescued elephants.
 
Read the report for more observations about the elephants and to learn about the important role BLES mahouts have played in the success of the project.
 
Helping Captive-Held Elephants Heal

elephant playing in dirt
 
EAI Founder and CEO Carol Buckley recently completed a comprehensive guide to rehabilitating captive-held elephants so they can be released into a wild environment. The guide draws on Carol's four decades of hands-on experience to present detailed instructions for facility construction and assessing, interacting with and healing traumatized elephants. Although the paper is written for caregivers and those working in direct contact with elephants, anyone interested in the rehabilitation process will find it of value.  
 
For Your Calendar: This year's #GivingTuesday is on November 27th. Stay tuned for our plans and how you can make a difference!
As always, we greatly appreciate your interest, commitment and help. You make our work for elephants possible. Thank you!
Ways to Support EAI
Elephants Remember and We Do Too!
One World... One Elephant at a Time 
Elephant Aid International | elephantaidinternational.org