Elephants can Fly …
Jul 20th, 2012 by Autumn Sunshine
yes, they really can it seems …
For elephants to fly, you have to do more than load trunks on a plane.
Pat Derby, co-founder of the Performing Animal Welfare Society, has been working for two years to get three 10,000-pound elephants in the air. The elephants are scheduled to take off on Aug. 2 in what could be a million-dollar move.
The African elephants, Iringa, 42, Toka, 41, and Thika, 31, are being retired from the Toronto Zoo and moved to PAWS’ 2,300-acre sanctuary in San Andreas.
To get the elephants ready to fly, the animals had to undergo crate and noise training. A Russian cargo jet and two fleets of trucks had to be rented; pilots, drivers and crews hired; crates built and fitted for each elephant; hydraulic gates reinstalled at the sanctuary; and barn space cleared.
The amount of red tape rivaled only the green involved, but former game show host and animal activist Bob Barker is paying the bill, expected to be between $750,000 and $1 million.
Zookeepers have been teaching the animals to walk in and out of their travel crates, finished in January. “We rattle the crates and make all kinds of sounds so they are used to noise,” Derby said, because “there are no test flights.”
Happy Landings
I hope all goes well on the flight and I say kudos to Bob Barker! That is a very wonderful thing he is doing. Their new home sounds like it’s a good place for them. Given the fact that African elephants are endangered it’s helping to keep them alive and well.
Sometimes I wish that all the people in all the world would get a wake up, and really understand how many animals are endangered! We don’t want to lose them forever.
you know what i loved the most was they were giving elephants a pre-flight training..treateing them at par with humans…this is how an elehant becomes he or she rather than an it..
beautiful write up..salute the people who are so caring
Soma Mukherjee’s latest blog is … Trigger to Tigger
I really got a smile over that pre-flight training
I’m so glad there are people that care so much for the animals to do this.
Beautiful writeup ,There are so many people who really care about animals and really love them. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you liked this, and I am glad I shared
Thank you for continuing my elephant sightings…I see elephants everywhere
Hi Cynthia
I’m glad you stopped by then to see the elephants 
We’re in Colorado Springs, next to Garden of the Gods where the recent Waldo Canyon fire raged, destroying over 300 homes and burning landmarks. Your blog is beautiful, a lovely reminder of those concerned about the elephants out at Cheyenne Mtn. Zoo during the fire. One report had the adults circle the two younger ones, standing firm to protect them. Thank you.
Hi Marylin, thanks so much for stopping by! I found your blog and it just touched my heart. Anyway, I love the elephants, all animals really. I know the wildfires were horrible. I won’t stop or give up helping the animals or those in need