We have received many requests from Maggie's many human friends around the globe for another update. My, you are an impatient crowd!

We are happy to report that Maggie, Lulu, Ruby and Mara have settled into a daily routine that is, happily, almost boring. It is also difficult to keep the web cam on them for long because they are moving so rapidly across the habitat, pushing down trees and grazing on the new grass which has cropped up during the recent warm rains.

The four elephants move and function as a cohesive group with Mara in the lead, backed by Ruby, and Lulu and Maggie tagging eagerly along behind the two leaders. They are beginning to expand their daily forays to include longer trips to the lake area. They move in single file across the ridge and down to the lake which is now over fifteen feet deep. It is still a little too cool for any serious bathing, but they all seem to be waiting for a warm day to test their aquatic skills.

Maggie is the spoiled darling of the group. They treat her almost as they would treat a young calf, allowing her to steal their food and displace them when they are drinking. Mara often pushes her when she becomes too overbearing, but not seriously enough to prevent a reccurrence of her brash behavior. Maggie is a little con artist, and she has manipulated all of the elephants and humans who live with her, charming all of us into giving her anything she wants. She bats her long eyelashes and scampers around, knowing she is a very privileged individual.

Lulu (behind tree) Maggie and Ruby

Pat Derby
President