It doesn’t seem like 19 years have passed since Shirley the elephant was first welcomed into her new home at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. That was 6 July 1999 (on the very day Shirley turned 51!) and that milestone was her retirement to a place where she could roam free and live like an elephant, as all elephants should.
The milestone Shirley recently celebrated, on her 6 July 2018 birthday, was turning 70 years old & Shirley had a grand time savoring “a vegan carrot cake, with bamboo enrichment” along with an abundance of “hay and fresh produce”.
As for elephants in captivity, 70 is quite an advanced age. Shirley the elephant now has the distinction of being “the third oldest Asian elephant in North America & the oldest elephant at The Elephant Sanctuary” in Tennessee.
It seems sanctuary life has brought harmony into this sweet elephant’s life. And Shirley, you deserve every bit of that care & pampering, especially on your birthday.
Happy 70th Birthday Shirley!
Learn more about Shirley the elephant at Elephant Spoken Here:
“Shirley : Elephant of the Week at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee : Elephas maximus sumatranus Part 1”
& Shirley and Jenny: Long Lost Elephant Friends
Fav Food is bananas
Shirley is a Sumantran elephant “one of three recognized sub-species of the Asian Elephant”
Shirley the elephant is 8′ 5 So she is taller than the average Asian elephant
According to one of Shirley’s caregivers: “All elephants are amazing, but Shirley possesses a keen intelligence that is astounding.”
Donate to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee & support Shirley and other elephants “retire with dignity, roam free in a natural habitat, and receive a lifetime of individualized care”…”Join The Herd”
Images: from Nashville PR; birthday celebration , Shirley at The Elephant Sanctuary in TN from #Shirleyturns70 Twitter
See photos of Shirley the elephant’s birthday celebration here at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee Facebook
#Shirleyturns70 see photos & Shirley’s elephant birthday greetings on Twitter
Resource: “Oldest Elephant at Tennessee Sanctuary Turning 70” at The Daily Mail
“Elephants in Captivity: Do They Really Live Longer” Penn State
Videos:
YouTube Video “The Elephant Sanctuary | Shirley Turns 70” on elephantsanctuarytn Channel
WJHL tv YouTube Video “Shirley the Elephant”