A private central Florida elephant preserve offers a unique, hands-on experience to visitors. The Elephant Ranch allows tourists to get up close and personal with the majestic animals.
The Two Tails Ranch located near Gainesville lets people feed, bathe and even ride the eight elephants living at the ranch.
The nonprofit group All About Elephants, Inc. owns and runs the ranch with an objective of teaching people about pachyderms.
It was founded in 2008 “to start educational programs for private sectors and professionals to learn about elephants.”
The organizations said it has helped more than 250 elephants over the years. “Some stayed temporarily while their own exhibits were being remodeled or built. Others stayed for retirement, medical needs, behavior problems or even emergencies after hurricanes destroyed their zoos,” the company said on its website.
The ranch focuses on elephants, but it houses other exotic animals, as well, including a pair of zebras, African spurthighed tortoises, red foot tortoises, an ostrich, emu and a camel.
Shelby Lin Erdman contributed to this report.
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