Backstage Pass to the Zoo!!!

We went to the zoo again last month. It had been a while, and Karina was missing her elephants. Every time we go, we always find a way to go see the elephant keeper's talk - it's Karina's favorite by far, and even though they say roughly the same things each time, she just loves it.

Over time, we've come to know Russ, one of the elephant keepers who has worked there for almost 20 years. He's usually the one doing the talks, and Karina always talks to him during or after the talk.

On this particular visit, he spotted us as we waited for the talks to begin. Today's talk was going to be at the elephant barn, and as we stood there, Russ suddenly appeared behind us. As we said hi, he told us there were still a few minutes before the talk was to start, and asked if we'd like to come around back and go in to the staff entrance to the elephant barn with the zoo keepers!

Of course we said 'yes'! He took us past the roped off area, and we headed around back into the barn. He showed us the office, where he and the other 4 elephant keepers work behind the scenes. Hanging up on the wall were 3 different cards Karina has made over the last year and mailed in to Russ! We also got to see some art that Chai, one of the elephants, had just finished painting. The art is going to one of the supporting agencies that help provide for the elephants.

We then got to walk out into the actual barn and watch as they let in the elephants for the talk. Russ stayed with us for a bit, and then asked if we'd like to stay there while he went out and around the front to give the talk to the crowds that had gathered. So we got to stay with Joanna, another elephant keeper, and watch the talk from inside the barn! It was so cool!

Karina's eyes were lit up the entire time, and Jadyn and Makenzie were loving it, too. We were so close to the elephant that we had to stand behind a blue line drawn on the ground to make sure they could not reach out and touch us. We were within 10 feet of the elephants, and got to watch them eat, walk over and sniff us, talk to them, and so much more.

Afterwards, Russ came back around and gave the girls some carrots to feed to the elephants by hand. There was another part of the fence that the elephants could not reach through, so the girls were able to stick their carrots through the holes in the fence to the elephants.

We then went back into the office, and Joanna showed us different things about the elephants. We got to hold some hair from the elephants tails, hold pieces of tusks that had broken off, and see and feel so many other things. They even gave us a video all about Hansa, the baby elephant that lived at the zoo for about 6 years before she died.

It was such a neat experience, and so special to be remembered. As Russ introduced us to Pat and Joanna, he said, "these are some of the members of the elephant fan club, and this one, Karina, is the president of the club." We laughed at that, but it was so neat to be recognized and invited to experience such a priviledged moment with the keepers and elephants. The other keepers even said that each time we had been there recently, Russ had seen us and then ran to get the other keepers after his talks, excitedly saying, "they're here! The family that loves the elephants so much and keeps sending all the cards. You have to come see!" But by the time they would get there, we were gone.

All in all we spend about an hour in the barn with the keepers - something we've never seen anyone do before. It made Karina's year.