'She's home': Tarra the elephant reunited with longtime owner after 11-year custody battle

Show Caption

ATTAPULGUS, Georgia — After a more than 11-year legal battle, Carol Buckley and Tarra, a 47-year-old Asian elephant who Buckley calls her best friend, were reunited at a Georgia elephant refuge last month.

Upon her arrival at Elephant Refuge North America, Tarra seemed hesitant at the ramp overlooking her new, moon-lit home, said Buckley, 67. 

But once Tarra heard her longtime owner's soothing voice, she began to talk – just like Buckley always remembered.

"She just started chirping," Buckley said between laughs. "She's always been a chatterbox."

Tarra wrapped her trunk around Buckley's waist and pulled her close as she purred. Memories of their years together filled Buckley's mind, and she began to cry. 

This was the first time Buckley saw Tarra in person, apart from two brief court-ordered visits since 2010.

"In that moment, I knew she's home, and I knew she's OK," Buckley said.

Their reunion comes after a decade-spanning custody battle over Tarra between Buckley and the Elephant Sanctuary, which she founded in 1995 before she was ousted by its board of directors 15 years later. 

Buckley initially sued for visitation privileges, but later petitioned for custody.

The decade-spanning legal clash made its way to the Tennessee Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case in early November – upholding a previous ruling in Buckley's favor and officially granting her custody of Tarra.

"I was so grateful that it's all over now," Buckley said. "All of that worry about her has melted away." 

When Carol met Tarra

The pair first met in 1974 while Buckley was attending Moorpark College in California.

Tarra, who was named Fluffie at the time, was the main attraction for a tire shop's exotic animal collection. After their first interaction, Buckley became a constant presence at the shop.

Eventually, Bob Nance, the owner of the business, allowed Buckley to bring Tarra home with her before he eventually hired her to be Tarra's caretaker.  

Soon, Buckley purchased Tarra and the two traveled the country as Buckley gained a reputation as one of the planet’s leading elephant rehabilitation experts.

More: Some African elephants are evolving to have no tusks. Is it from years of poaching?  

New friends

Tarra, who could live more than 70 years, joined two other residents: Bo, a 34-year-old retired circus elephant, and Mala, a stray dog who first arrived at the sanctuary in July. 

Buckley said the three have been getting along great and sometimes play together.

"Oh, they are just so happy," Buckley said. "Mala loves the elephants and Bo has a companion."

The three are in the sanctuary's 150-acre (about 0.25-square mile) enclosure, but will eventually be let into the 700-acre (about 1.1-square mile) space once they deepen their relationship, Buckley said.

Video: Adorable baby elephant plays on dusty road near tourists in Africa   

Buckley visits the trio three times a day to feed them. But, between these food-runs she's glued to her computer, watching a livestream of the three animals roaming the refuge that was completed in March 2019. 

"It brings me so much joy to see them," she said. "It's amazing."

Follow Christopher Cann on Twitter: @ChrisCannFL.