Hawthorne Elephants #1 (From Wade Burck)

scan0001, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Buckles, I have had a number of requests of late for information about the Hawthorn elephants and facility, and pleasant dialog with "zoo colleges" about different procedures, practices, protocol, commands, etc. etc. I think your blog might be a good way to respond to everyone. My son's have been "schooling" me on how to down load and send pictures, so I can assure you, it has been a very unpleasant afternoon. The pictures have been provided by Mrs. Susan Lacey, former Hawthorn tiger trainer. The elephants were put outside at 8:00AM, into 3 "hot fence paddocks", and brought back into the barn at 4:00PM, after a 1 hour trek around the compound, which Col. Herriott has described appropriately as "hard assing. That way they got the "required" exercise that lounging free in the sun apparently didn't provide. Photo #1 The start of the daily trek, with Nic supervising on the left from the bull barn. I sure would have loved to include him, but as you would suggest Buckles, it didn't seem prudent. "Tails going away."