Born: 1974
Birthplace: Burma

Tara, The Elephant Sanctuary.

• Captured from the wild: 1974
• Life before the Sanctuary: privately owned, performed in circuses and zoos
• Reason for coming to the Sanctuary: inspiration and founding member
• Moved to The Elephant Sanctuary March 3, 1995

Height: 8′ 2″
Favorite Food: Watermelon

Tarra the first resident and inspiration for the Sanctuary. She is short and stout with a dark complexion, typical of elephants from her region. Her tail is quite long; the end is covered with thick hair, quite effective for swatting insects! Her small ears fold back at the top. She has lovely eyelashes and “fuzzy” hair on the top of her head, although it is becoming thinner with age. Tarra walks more than any other elephant at the Sanctuary—exercise that gives her a more muscular build.

Tarra and Bella

Tarra is almost always seen with her dog Bella, Although Tarra is a “social butterfly” and likes to visit with all the members of her elephant herd, you are most apt to see her in the company of Shirley, and with Misty and Dulary. When Tarra greets other elephants or caregivers, she is often silly, playful and very vocal.

The Elephant Sanctuary, opened in 1995. It has twenty-four elephants on 2700 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee. Check out the elephant cams.