Correspondence with PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society)

I am sharing this correspondence I had recently with PAWS. See below.

Hi PAWS,

I wonder if you might straighten me out on something. I read where an elephant named 71 came as a small sickly African elephant and was rescued by PAWS. Then later I see 71 is the tallest elephant. What happened? I hope it is the same elephant .

Sharon Raphael
Long Beach

Dear Sharon,

You are correct on both accounts. In the early 1980's, 71 was small and
sickly. Pat Derby and Ed Stewart brought 71 to PAWS and cared for her
twenty-four hours a day, feeding her a special diet, sleeping near her,
and monitoring her health constantly. After a few months, 71 began to
show improvement and thrived. Today, 71 is the tallest elephant of the
PAWS almost-a-herd family.

The best depiction of 71's story can be found in Pat Derby's book, "In
the Presence of Elephants." You can purchase this book online at the
PAWS gift shop. Please click on the following website link to view this
book and other PAWS items
http://pawsweb.org/paws_gift_shop_home_page.html.

Sincerely,

The Performing Animal Welfare Society