FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Suzanne Carr 229-465-3115
[email protected]
Bo Marks Five Years of Freedom at Elephant Refuge North America
ATTAPULGUS, GA, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026: Five years ago on September 23rd, a 12,000-pound Asian elephant named Bo stepped off a transport trailer and into a completely unknown world. Today, Elephant Aid International (EAI) is proud to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its founding resident’s retirement to Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA). This milestone marks half a decade of pure autonomy, free choice, and quiet joy.
Before his arrival in South Georgia, Bo’s 34 years were tightly bound by human schedules, hard labor, and a sterile circus environment. When he first encountered the refuge’s 850 acres of rolling hills, pastures, and forests, the sheer scale of choice was entirely unfamiliar. Rehabilitation at ERNA meant introducing Bo to the most basic elements of a natural life from scratch. Caregivers initially had to walk alongside him, guiding him into the shade of trees when he became overheated—a simple survival instinct he had never been permitted to learn as a growing calf.
But Bo proved to be as resilient as he is smart. Over the past five years, his transformation from a performance animal into a wild-spirited elephant has been a rewarding privilege to witness. Today, Bo is defined by a calm, trusting confidence. He is neither submissive nor domineering. Delightful is rarely a word used to describe an animal of his immense size, but it describes Bo perfectly.
"Watching Bo discover his own agency over the last five years has been incredibly moving," said Carol Buckley, Founder and CEO of Elephant Aid International. "He has learned to embrace his freedom completely, choosing his own paths, forming bonds with two adoring herd mates (Tarra and Mundi) and teaching us what true resilience looks like."
Bo's daily life is now full of quiet, heartwarming routines. When caregivers arrive with his daily supplements, he frequently "chirps" in appreciation. If a meal is even five minutes late, he unhesitatingly bellows across the pasture to announce his location—fully aware that in a territory this vast, he can sometimes be hard to find.
As the pioneering resident of ERNA, Bo’s legacy is paved in every trail he walks and every night he chooses to sleep outside his heated barn and instead, in the habitat under the stars. His retirement stands as a living testament to what is possible when captive elephants are finally given space, time, and the dignity of choice.
To learn more about Bo’s journey or to support his ongoing care, visit https://elephantaidinternational.org/elephant-bo/.
###
About Elephant Aid International (EAI): EAI is a nonprofit organization that develops innovative approaches to caring for and managing elephants worldwide. We unchain elephants in Asia, teach humane methods of training and handling elephants, and provide a natural habitat refuge for retired elephants in the U.S. Learn more at https://elephantaidinternational.org.
Press Releases
BO PHOTOS
Click thumbnail for full size image.
