Two Tails Ranch Two Tails Ranch News

Sarus Crane

Sarus Crane

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
This is a thread for news from Two Tails Ranch. Currently as far as I know the ranch holds 6 Asian Elephants (Bunny, Roxie, Marie, Patty, Shell and Tika). I have heard on the North American Asian Elephant Population 2023 thread that Luke passed away from a heart condition. It also states that Smokey has passed away but says its from Elephant.se that he's still at Ringling's place near Orlando which is incorrect. Is Smokey still there alive and well? Two Tail's website currently shows 8 elephants including Luke. Perhaps someone can fill me in on the details??? I was last there in 2017 and wrote a review of this unique facility. I was supposed to go for their elephant appreciation weekend last September but got sick right beforehand and wasn't able to go. This video that I found showcases the elephant activities at Elephant Appreciation Day last September:

 
Last edited:
This is a horrid place that needs to be closed. Their elephants are still actively used in circuses, at fairs, etc. so something may just not be up to date. They're also pretty secretive about when their animals die.
 
Highly doubtful. Smokey went there because he was not owned by Ringling but a private individual that wanted him kept in free contact and not part of the White Oak transfer. The owner of Two Tails has very strong ties with the circus world but that's basically it. Since there are not many elephants left in circuses in the U.S. (let alone males) I would say it's likely the remaining individuals will be the last on the property
 
I believe C&B/ Endangered Ark is the only private holder that actually has animals capable of breeding left in the US, and given the general age of most of their herd, I highly doubt they’d be willing to give any of them up (especially cows).

Assuming circuses with elephants and other free contact elephant related events are still a thing in 10-20 years time, they’ll pretty much have a strangle hold on the industry as all the other private holders animals age out of the population.
 
Hyak_II said:
I believe C&B/ Endangered Ark is the only private holder that actually has animals capable of breeding left in the US, and given the general age of most of their herd, I highly doubt they’d be willing to give any of them up (especially cows).

Assuming circuses with elephants and other free contact elephant related events are still a thing in 10-20 years time, they’ll pretty much have a strangle hold on the industry as all the other private holders animals age out of the population.
Click to expand...
Endangered Ark has Tommy who's a proven breeder and numerous cows so it looks hopeful at least for now.
 
PSO said:
There is high speculation that the CB elephants especially the viable breeders will be moving to another facility in the not too distant future
Click to expand...
White Oak or AZA facility? I'm guessing Tulsa or Cincinnati since they are renovating their elephant exhibits and have two underrepresented breeding bulls.
 
Tusla wouldn't surprise me, they're also quite close to each other if nothing else.

Also Cinci wouldn't make sense. They're already getting a steady mother+daughter unit from Europe, both of whom are good and proven mothers, and they have one of the most valuable bulls in the nation. None of the Endangered Ark animals are particularly genetically valuable besides their younger bull Obert, and it would also be pitting two established matrilines against each other, which doesn't usually end particularly well for elephants.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top