Worth the Drive :: The Preserve in Fredericksburg, Texas
My first experience with an elephant encounter was at the Baton Rouge Zoo. I can only remember this experience by a photograph that I took as a toddler perched on top of a huge elephant with a big smile on my face. After that, I loved weekend visits to the local zoo to see all the animals and loved to see these majestic creatures from afar.
I became fascinated with elephants when I worked as a trainer abroad in Mumbai, India. The elephant is considered a sacred animal in India. They are a symbol of protection, compassion, strength, wisdom, stability, and power. One of my greatest memories of my work trip was on a night when my driver was bringing me back to the hotel and as we stopped at a red light, a man was riding an elephant on that same highway right beside me. My driver shouted out “Elephant!” at the same time as I did, and we laughed. It was like a fever dream. I never forgot that night and I still have the two wooden carved elephants given to me as a goodbye gift from my employees, in my home as a precious token of this experience in Mumbai.
The Preserve
When I found out there was an elephant sanctuary called “The Preserve” less than eight hours away where I could have a real Elephant Encounter Experience, I immediately got excited and set a plan into action. I wanted to learn more and get an up-close encounter.
Hands On Experience
The audience was first introduced to the three female Asian elephants named Kitty, Rosie, and Becky as they walked trunk to tail to the covered pavilion. We then got to learn more about them and the conservation of this endangered species and the differences between African and Asian elephants in general.
Everyone then got a turn to help give one of the elephants a bath after she was hosed down with water, we picked up a sponge from a bucket of soapy water and got to scrub down this beautiful creature as she slowly fell asleep. She was then rinsed off. She showed off some of her fancy yoga moves as she shifted her weight off the ground.
Next was learning how the nails and feet are taken care of, and the tools used for the process. These elephants require this “manicure” once a month to make sure they walk properly and have no issues. We were given a chance to feel the padding on the feet, like a heavy-duty built-in sneaker provided naturally through their design. 
We then were gathered back at the Pavilion where we learned how the elephants were trained with positive reinforcement. These three female elephants showed off their skills by painting onto a canvas, hula hooping, kicking a soccer ball and even playing harmonica. More education followed where we got to see how they pick up both the small and the big items with their trunks. An elephant has over 40,000 muscles in their trunk.
Getting to bathe and hug these magnificent beings gave me a greater appreciation of them and the efforts needed to prevent these endangered animals from becoming extinct. Money provided by the encounter experiences and the paintings done by the elephants provide for their well-being and care. It was such a wonderful and educational experience, and I highly recommend to anyone who loves animals and wants to learn more about them. It is very family friendly and unique experience for both adults and children alike and less than an 8-hour drive from Baton Rouge. These special girls will always hold a special place now in my memories and I am so grateful for this experience. 
