hope elephants

I very much enjoyed our visit to the Hope Elephant sanctuary. It was fascinating to learn about elephants in this forum and watch this site at work to rehabilitate these two injured, retired elephants. This is not a "show" - you are simply witnessing the day unfold here, and getting a great, off the cuff lecture from one of the specialists who works with the elephants. It's a bit out of the way but not too much- Definitely worth the 20 minute ride up from the coast. Everyone in Maine should make the trip and visitors who are in the Rockland/ Camden area should take the side trip. Your donation helps the site run, but a portion also goes to conservation efforts in Asia to support this endangered animal! Tip: You have to make reservation in advance!

I know that no one comes to Maine expecting to get an education in elephants, but as long as you are here, why not? If you are looking to escape the crowds and do something entirely different, come to Hope and learn how fascinating these creatures are. Katy, an intern for this summer, gives a very professional and entertaining talk with Rosie and Opal as backup, there are plenty of very friendly and helpful volunteers to answer questions and a nice informative display for your review. Really, a very pleasant change of pace, highly recommended for all but very young children. As a plus, very accessible to the physically handicapped.

A fabulous outing. Highly recommend it. We have been talking about it non stop. Not to be missed. Very interesting trip.

I brought my mother and my almost 4 year old son to see Rosie and Opal today. We all loved it! It was a wonderful educational experience for us all. My mom and I both learned a lot and had fun taking pictures. When my son was getting antsy he was able to go play with toy elephants and fossils in the sandbox. Great work is being done here!! Don't miss it.

We have been waiting over a year to visit these beautiful ladies, Opal and Rosie. IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT... I could have sat and watched them for HOURS. The young man that talked about the girls was very informative and was very patient with questions. Jim, the Vet, should be awarded a kings ransom for what he is doing for these two magnificent elephants, and Katie was so good about answering questions and sharing stories. PLEASE...if you are going thru the Camden/Rockland area...these wonderful girls are just a short drive to Hope. It is very costly to care for Rosie and Opal and a good part of your admission goes towards just that. DON'T MISS IT!

We stumbled upon the storefront in Camden and were intrigued by the idea of visiting elephants in an area nearby. Reservations are required in order to visit. Visitors get a chance to be up close and personal with Rosie and Opal (the elephants) while learning more about Asian elephants. Dr. Jim's nephew and son provided a detailed presentation about their two elephants and the therapy/care they are receiving. It was a very interesting and educational experience!

Hope Elephants is open by reservation to those who want to see elephants up close and learn a great deal about them. Opal and Rosie are two retired circus performers who have come to this specially designed facility in Hope, Maine to live out their remaining days. What a wonderful experience it is to visit them! Their caretakers are very intelliegent and well-informed and take time to explain all about the elephants habits and needs. They clearly love these animals. How lucky Mainers are to have this facility in their state!

Hope Elephants is very educational. I took the family as a home school field trip. The 1 on 1 education was more than I had expected. The children enjoyed seeing the elephants, and they also had plenty of questions - which were welcomed with many smiles!

It was a great experience. Both informative and fun. Opal and Rosie were themselves... (they're elephants...). We knew more about elephants when we left than when we came. The guys working there were friendly, fun and really helpful. What an effort they're making to take care of the animals. Impressive!

I feel the need to clear up some of what seem like misunderstandings in the two "Terrible" ratings. I am not an elephant expert or vet, but I listened carefully to the presentation and have followed documentaries about elephants because I find these animals very interesting and emotionally and socially complex. I feel there are some gross misunderstandings written into those reviews. The elephants do NOT perform "tricks". For most of the presentation time they eat part of the 500 lbs a day that each elephant needs to eat. While they are eating, their feet are soaked in a warm bath of iodine and something else that I believe was an epsom salt if I'm not mistaken, to try to treat specific problems with their feet. Dr. Jim also treats Rosie's feet more specifically while she eats. They do a few reps of their physical therapy to increase their range of motion of Opal's legs (when she first came she could barely move her left front leg forward), and of Rosie's largely paralyzed trunk (when she first came she couldn't feed herself with her trunk alone, now, just over a year later, she can). They in no way "threaten" the elephants or make them perform any kind of tricks. And as was said in the presentation, elephants naturally sway on their feet because the fat pads in their feet are important parts of their circulatory system and keep their blood pumping. Everything is centered on the elephants, which is why visitors are not allowed to touch them and as Dr. Jim told us, all visits were shut down for a week a while back when the elephants were having a normal elephant "spat" about dominance. Both elephants were attacked by other circus elephants in addition to the usual injuries suffered by circus elephants. They were both pretty low on the hierarchy in their circus herds, which is specifically why Dr. Jim chose to bring them to Hope, because they would likely again be bullied in larger herds. He told us he had planned to bring another elephant but she did not get along with Rosie, so he didn't. Finally, as is said in the presentation, Asian elephants naturally migrate to permanently snowy areas in the foothills of the Himalayas. O & R play in the snow up in Maine. They cold has not seemed to bother them or damage their health at all. And no other sanctuary has a heated-floor barn despite not always tropical temperatures. All in all, the feeling at Hope Elephants is very centered on Opal and Rosie and their well-being as well as elephant conservation and protection worldwide, not on money-making (optional donation), nor on circus performance.

Uplifting story...circus juggler who also tended to the elephants, becomes a veterinarian then returns to bring his favorite elephants home to Maine for a dignified retirement. The visit includes a brilliant commentary on the unique capabilities and social behaviors of elephants -- easy to comprehend why we should work to save this species from extinction.Elephants have daily therapy, heated sand, and lots of human friends. Very much worth the visit.

Hope Elephants are adorable. Rescued from years of a circus career these girls and crew had a awesome story and great exhibit. Artifacts, dun beetles and educational games are just part of our visit. Meeting the elephants up close and personal was exciting. Great educational fun for the whole family. Very much worth my donation amount of my choice at the front door. Can't wait for visiting family to go again.

What a lovely retirement home for the elephants, and valuable educational resource! They have done an amazing job! Highly recommended!

While walking through the beautiful town of Camden, Maine we walking into the Hope Elephant store. We had no idea that they had elephants in Maine. After hearing their story we had to visit Rosie & Opal. So drove to Hope, Maine. We enjoyed spending an hour to hear about the elephants and the mission of Dr. Jim. The exhibit shows the living quarters and the outdoor area. We found it very interesting hearing about the rehabilitation of Rosie & Opal. What a wonderful thing Dr. Jim and his staff are doing. If you visit Maine you need to visit these two wonderful animals! Please donate too this is a great cause.

Rosie and Opal are two rescued circus elephant that now live in Hope, Maine. They have conditions related to their age and life experiences. The exhibit shows the living quarters and outdoor range. What I found to be very interesting is the details of the treatment to rehabilitate them. There is a lecture on the history of the elephants and how the volunteers take care of them.There is a donation expected for entry and a gift shop for souvenirs.