Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, founded in 1995, is a refuge and retirement home for elephants rescued from circuses, zoos, and private owners in the United States. This natural-habitat refuge sprawls over 3,000 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee, and is specifically designed to meet endangered elephants' needs and promote public education and advocacy. Unlike traditional zoos, the Sanctuary is not open to the public, ensuring a stress-free, undisturbed habitat for its residents to live in peace.

Unlike traditional zoos, the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee offers a unique visitor experience, focusing on education and advocacy rather than physical interaction with the animals. While the Sanctuary itself is not open to the public, there is an offsite Elephant Discovery Center in downtown Hohenwald where visitors can learn about elephants, their natural habitats, and the work of the Sanctuary. They also provide digital and interactive resources, including the EleCams, that allow the public to observe the elephants in their habitats in real time from the comfort of their homes.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is lauded for its impactful conservation efforts. It provides a crucial haven for elephants that have been retired from circuses and zoos, allowing them to live in an environment tailored to their needs. It helps promote the conservation of elephants through education, raising awareness of the challenges facing elephants in captivity and the wild. The Sanctuary participates in extensive research collaborations, contributing to the global understanding of elephant healthcare, behavior, and communication, which in turn helps conserve wild populations.