The Amazing Life of Flora the Elephant

An excited hush falls over the audience in the red-and-white circus tent. 

It’s May 2000 in St. Louis, Missouri, and the show is about to begin. Red velvet curtains slowly part, revealing the entrance to the stage. The crowd erupts into cheers. Finally, here’s the famous performer everyone came to the circus to see. The star of the show: Flora the elephant!

The massive creature lumbers into the ring in the center of the tent. Next to her is her caretaker, David Balding. At last, it’s showtime. 

The elephant catches a flying bowling pin with her long, powerful trunk. She circles around the ring as a clown sits high up on her back. Acrobats leap 8 feet into the air over her towering body. 

After about two hours, Flora raises a red handkerchief in her trunk and waves goodbye. The audience claps and whoops as she leaves the stage. And why wouldn’t they? To the untrained eye, Flora has just given a spectacular performance. 

But a closer look might have revealed something else about her: a faraway expression in her eyes. A nervous swish of her whiplike tail.

To anyone who knows elephants, including Balding, the signs are clear: Something is wrong with Flora. 

The excited audience in the circus tent goes quiet. 

It’s May 2000 in St. Louis, Missouri. The show is about to begin. Red curtains part, showing the entrance to the stage. The crowd cheers. Finally, here’s the famous performer everyone came to the circus to see. The star of the show: Flora the elephant!

The huge creature walks into the center of the tent. Next to her is her caretaker, David Balding. At last, it’s time for the show. 

The elephant catches a flying bowling pin with her trunk. Acrobats jump 8 feet into the air over her body. 

After about two hours, Flora raises a red scarf in her trunk. She waves goodbye. The audience claps as she leaves. And why wouldn’t they? To most people, it seems Flora has just given an amazing performance. 

But a closer look might have shown something else about her: a sad look in her eyes. A nervous swish of her tail.

To anyone who knows elephants the signs are clear: Something is wrong with Flora. 

By the time Flora performed on that day in 2000, elephants had been dazzling audiences in America for more than 200 years. Starting in the late 1700s, these majestic creatures were taken from their natural homes in Africa and Asia. They were packed into crates and shipped by boat to the United States.

There, elephants were paraded through towns as if they were celebrities. People eagerly plunked down quarters to gaze up at the largest land animal on Earth. Legs as wide as tree trunks! Ears as big as umbrellas! People could hardly believe such an enormous creature existed.

In the early 1800s, the first circuses started opening in the U.S. Elephants—together with other wild animals like tigers and lions—soon became the biggest attraction. The gentle beasts could be trained to perform many tricks, from balancing on a tightrope to cradling humans in their trunks. Forget silly clowns, flying acrobats, and skilled jugglers. It was elephants that ensured a packed audience. 

Between 1800 and 2000, hundreds of elephants were snatched from the wild and put to work in circuses. Flora was one of these elephants. 

By the time Flora performed on that day in 2000, elephants had been dazzling audiences in America for more than 200 years. Starting in the late 1700s, these majestic creatures were taken from their natural homes in Africa and Asia. They were shipped by boat to the United States.

There, elephants were brought from town to town. They were like celebrities. People gladly paid quarters to look at the largest land animal on Earth. Legs as wide as trees! Ears as big as umbrellas! People were amazed.

In the early 1800s, the first circuses started opening in the U.S. Elephants—together with other wild animals like tigers and lions—soon became the biggest attraction. Elephants could be trained to perform many tricks. They could balance on a rope. They could hold humans in their trunks. Elephants could bring in audiences better than clowns, acrobats, or jugglers. 

Between 1800 and 2000, hundreds of elephants were taken from the wild and put in circuses. Flora was one of these elephants. 

Flora was born in 1982 in Zimbabwe, a country in Africa. She spent her early days peacefully munching on leaves and stomping through grasslands with her herd. 

But when Flora was 2, her mother died. The small, helpless calf was taken to the U.S. That’s when David Balding came into her life. Balding had worked in theaters and circuses in New York for years. But he dreamed of opening a show of his own. When Balding heard about Flora, he realized she could be his big star. He purchased the young elephant and got to work. 

Day after day, Balding and other trainers taught Flora to follow commands (“Down!”, “Catch!”) and perform her amazing tricks. Quickly, the two grew inseparable. “She would always come looking for me, sticking her trunk through the door,” Balding said. 

By 1985, Flora had started to perform in shows across the U.S. The name of her circus? Circus Flora.

Flora was born in 1982 in Africa. She spent her early days peacefully eating leaves and stomping through grass with her herd. 

But when Flora was 2, her mother died. Flora was taken to the U.S. That’s when she first met David Balding. He dreamed of opening a circus. When he heard about Flora, he thought she could be his big star. Balding bought the young elephant and got to work. 

Balding and other trainers taught Flora to follow commands and do tricks. The two became inseparable. “She would always come looking for me, sticking her trunk through the door,” Balding said. 

By 1985, Flora had started to perform in shows across the U.S. The name of her circus? Circus Flora.

Yet even as Flora was delighting crowds, concerns for circus elephants were growing. Some said that forcing them to work in circuses was inhumane.

In the wild, elephants roam across many acres of land, eating a variety of plants. Females like Flora live in tight family units all their lives. Over time, scientists have realized that elephants are extremely intelligent. They communicate with each other in their own language, mourn their dead, and use tools like tree branches to swat away annoying flies.

But in the circus, elephants often live alone, chained inside tight pens. They are fed unhealthy foods. Many trainers use sharp sticks to get elephants to perform their stunts, poking the animals when they mess up. 

This stressful lifestyle can make many elephants sick—or worse. Research has shown that an elephant in the wild will live decades longer than an elephant living in captivity, like at a circus.

As Flora was delighting crowds, worries about circus elephants were growing. Some said that making them work in circuses was inhumane.

In the wild, elephants walk many miles. They eat many different kinds of plants. Females like Flora spend their lives with their herds. Over time, scientists have realized that elephants are very smart. They communicate with each other. They feel sad for their dead. They use tools like tree branches to swat away flies.

But in the circus, elephants often live alone. They are chained in small rooms. They are fed unhealthy foods. Many trainers use sharp sticks to get elephants to do tricks. They poke the animals when they mess up. 

This stressful lifestyle can make many elephants sick—or worse. An elephant in the wild will live decades longer than an elephant living in captivity, like in a circus, research shows.

Flora was relatively lucky. Her caretakers treated her with more kindness than most elephant owners. They rarely chained her up. And they made sure she spent most of her time on soft grass rather than hard concrete. Balding even thought of Flora as his own daughter. “I loved her, and she loved me,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.”

But by 2000, Balding had come to realize that performing in a circus was not the right life for Flora. The elephant often seemed lonely or bored. And she had started to ignore his commands. At times during shows, Flora would continue to lie down even when Balding asked her to stand up.

Balding also worried she could accidentally injure someone. At 18 years old, Flora weighed 8,000 pounds, as heavy as two cars. “She was so big it was dangerous,” Balding explained.

With a heavy heart, Balding decided Flora had to move on. She needed a new home. There was only one question: Where?

But Flora was pretty lucky. Her caretakers treated her more kindly than most elephant owners. They rarely chained her up. And they made sure she spent most of her time on soft grass, not hard concrete. Balding even thought of Flora as his own daughter. “I loved her, and she loved me,” he said.

But by 2000, Balding realized that performing in a circus was not the right life for Flora. The elephant often seemed lonely or bored. She had started to ignore his commands. At times during shows, Flora would keep lying down even when Balding asked her to stand up.

Balding also worried she could accidentally hurt someone. At that time, Flora weighed 8,000 pounds. She was as heavy as two cars. “She was so big it was dangerous,” Balding said.

Balding decided Flora needed a new home.But where could she go?

Across the country, other circus owners were facing a similar problem. Throughout the 1900s, as our knowledge about elephants grew, more and more people had become uneasy with the idea of elephants performing for entertainment. As a result, by the early 2000s, many circuses began to retire elephants. 

But there was a big problem: Most of these animals could not simply be returned to the forests and grasslands of Africa and Asia. After years of depending on humans for everything—food, shelter, even friendship—they wouldn’t survive in the wild. Yet the elephants couldn’t truly be happy in captivity either.

This is how the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee came to be. In 1995, a team of experts opened the place with one goal in mind: to give a natural home to elephants that had spent their lives performing in circuses or being displayed in zoos.

When Balding visited the sanctuary in the early 2000s, he loved it right away. It was spread over hundreds of acres of rolling green hills, with large ponds for elephants like Flora to wade in and thick forests to explore. Caretakers would help Flora adapt to her new home and look after her if she got sick or injured. 

By the time Flora arrived at the sanctuary in 2004, 11 other elephants were already living there. Balding hoped that, in Tennessee, Flora might finally find her new family.

Across the country, other circus owners had a similar problem. Throughout the 1900s, our knowledge about elephants grew. And more people became uneasy with the idea of elephants performing in circuses. As a result, by the early 2000s, many circuses began to retire elephants. 

But there was a problem: Most of these animals could not be sent back to nature in Africa and Asia. The elephants had spent years needing humans to give them food, a home, and even friendship. That meant the elephants couldn’t survive in the wild. Yet they also couldn’t really be happy in captivity.

This is why the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee opened in 1995. A team of experts opened it to give a natural home to elephants that had performed in circuses or were shown in zoos.

When Balding visited the sanctuary in the early 2000s, he loved it. It was big and had grassy hills. It had ponds for elephants to swim in and forests to explore. Caretakers would help Flora adjust to her new home. They would look after her if she got sick or hurt. 

By the time Flora arrived at the sanctuary in 2004, 11 other elephants were already living there. Balding hoped that Flora might finally find her new family at the sanctuary.

At first, adjusting to her new life wasn’t easy for Flora. The problem was the way she had been raised. 

In the wild, baby elephants learn many skills—like how to find the most nutritious plants to eat—from their mothers and other elephants in their herd. Because Flora lost her mom when she was 2 and lived with humans afterward, she didn’t know how to do many of these things. In other words, she didn’t really know how to be an elephant.

The caretakers at the sanctuary understood that the best way for Flora to learn was from other elephants. But Flora was uneasy around them. She could be aggressive, which scared the others away. She knocked down fences and lashed out dangerously with her trunk.

“She used to make people nervous when they worked with her,” recalls Kristy Eaker, who has taken care of Flora for 11 years. 

At first, adjusting to her new life wasn’t easy for Flora. The problem was the way she had grown up. 

In the wild, baby elephants learn many skills from their mothers and other elephants in their herd. Because Flora lost her mom when she was 2 and lived with humans afterward, she didn’t know how to do many of these things. That meant she didn’t really know how to be an elephant.

The caretakers at the sanctuary knew that the best way for Flora to learn was from other elephants. But Flora wasn’t comfortable around them. She could be rough, which scared them away. She knocked down fences. She lashed out with her trunk.

“She used to make people nervous when they worked with her,” recalls Kristy Eaker, who has taken care of Flora for 11 years. 

Slowly, however, Flora started to adjust. Eaker and the other caretakers taught Flora to stay calm by rewarding her with treats like watermelon and popcorn. They encouraged her to explore by hiding her favorite foods around her new home. 

As Flora grew more comfortable, she was introduced to other African elephants, like 31-year-old Tange (TAN-jee). Tange had been on display in an animal park for 26 years and had arrived at the sanctuary right before Flora. Caretakers had noticed Tange was social but a little insecure, while Flora seemed more confident and independent. 

Would the two get along?

The caretakers placed Flora’s and Tange’s homes right next to each other. They started feeding them together. Over time, Flora and Tange grew closer. They spent time sniffing one another, rumbling softly. And they started to play together by wrapping their trunks around each other and locking their short tusks.

The caretakers were ecstatic: It seemed that Flora had found a true elephant friend at last.

Slowly, Flora started to adjust. Eaker and the other caretakers taught Flora to stay calm by rewarding her with treats like popcorn. They helped her explore by hiding her favorite foods around her home. 

As Flora grew more comfortable, she was introduced to other elephants like Tange (TAN-jee). Tange had lived in an animal park for many years. She had arrived at the sanctuary right before Flora. Caretakers had noticed Tange was social but a little insecure. Flora seemed more confident and independent. 

Would the two get along?

The caretakers put Flora’s and Tange’s homes next to each other. They started feeding them together. Flora and Tange grew closer. They sniffed one another, rumbling softly. They started to play together by wrapping their trunks together.

The caretakers were very happy. It seemed that Flora had found an elephant friend.

While Flora was growing into her new life, a lot was changing across the U.S. In 2016, America’s biggest circus—Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey—stopped using elephants in its shows. Other circuses soon followed. Today it’s hard to find a circus in the U.S. with performing elephants—or tigers or lions. Many cities and states have banned the use of wild animals in circuses altogether.

As for Flora? She still lives at the sanctuary—and she’s fully embraced her life as an elephant. She’s known for using her powerful head to knock down trees so she can reach more leaves to eat—something wild elephants do in nature. (This skill has earned Flora a special nickname with her caretakers: Hurricane Flora.) 

And her friendship with Tange has grown to include two other retired zoo elephants, Sukari and Donna. The four elephants have formed a small herd and live like a family. They can be seen playing, eating, and exploring together.

“To see Flora change and really become an elephant has been so rewarding,” says Eaker. “Today Flora is one of our wildest elephants.”

While Flora was growing into her new life, a lot was changing across the U.S. In 2016, America’s biggest circus—Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey—stopped using elephants in its shows. Other circuses soon did the same. Today it’s hard to find a circus in the U.S. with performing elephants. Many cities and states don’t allow circuses to have wild animals.

As for Flora? She still lives at the sanctuary. She’s fully embraced her life as an elephant. She’s known for knocking down trees so she can reach more leaves to eat—something wild elephants do in nature.

And Flora and Tange are now friends with two more retired zoo elephants, Sukari and Donna. The four elephants have made a small herd. They live like a family. They can be seen playing, eating, and exploring together.

“To see Flora change and really become an elephant has been so rewarding,” says Eaker. “Today Flora is one of our wildest elephants.”