Save The Elephants Day: Senior Elephant From Zoo Knoxville Retires to Sanctuary for End-Of-Life Care Plan

As part of her end-of-life care plan, a senior elephant from the Zoo Knoxville will retire to a Tennessee sanctuary on April 16, which happens to be Save the Elephants Day.

An African elephant named Jana, now 42 years old, is expected to relocate to the Hohenwald sanctuary in Tennessee, according to Zoo Knoxville.

She is the first of the herd to relocate after it was revealed that all three senior elephants in the zoo would do so as part of the animals' end-of-life care plan.

The announcement was made in 2022 to better cater to the needs of the senior elephants, according to Knox TN Today.

Zoo Knoxville Senior Elephant Retires

Moving to the sanctuary, according to Zoo Knoxville, will guarantee that their particular social and individual needs will be taken care of for the rest of their lives.

They will be able to join a larger elephant herd at the sanctuary, ensuring that Jana and the other two elephants, Edie and Tonka, will always have company.

The elephants at Zoo Knoxville have thrived, according to Lisa New, president and CEO of the zoo, but it is time for them to move to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where they will receive the companionship they are used to for the duration of their lives as part of the team's commitment to caring for them from birth to death.

Zoo Knoxville is hosting a public farewell weekend for Jana that runs through April 16 to commemorate her big move.

Visitors can sign an elephant-sized postcard during the Farewell weekend.

Sanctuary: End-Of-Life Care Plan for Elephants

The Elephant Sanctuary is home to a herd of ten elderly elephants. A spokesperson for the sanctuary announced that Jana would soon be joining them.

Over 3000 acres of the sanctuary are set aside for the herd.

According to Phil Colclough, the Zoo Knoxville Director of Animals, Jana has been training with Zoo Knoxville's skilled elephant caregivers to willingly enter an elephant-sized crate, which will be transferred onto a flatbed truck in preparation for the five-hour journey.

Colclough said that the crate has a camera to monitor Jana via phones during her journey.

Although Jana's precise departure date is unknown, Zoo Knoxville stated that it will happen soon.

Updates on her relocation will be given by The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and Zoo Knoxville, ABC6 WATE.com reported.

April 16: Save The Elephants Day

Jana's last day of farewell weekend falls on April 16, which happens to be Save the Elephants Day.

The purpose of this celebration is to raise awareness of the problems that elephants face and to motivate efforts to protect these magnificent creatures.

Save the Elephant Day was created as a day of inspiration, awareness, and action for people all over the world.

Its goal is to raise awareness of the significance of these magnificent animals and to implore individuals, organizations, and governments to take action to protect elephants and their environments.

Over the years, Save the Elephant Day has received a lot of support and acceptance from people and organizations all over the world.

It has developed into a crucial annual occasion for the conservation of elephants, and it is observed through a variety of initiatives, such as educational programs, awareness-building campaigns, and fundraising activities, Adda 247 Current Affairs reported.