BULL ELEPHANT TIMBO, 48, DIES AT ACTON'S SHAMBALA PRESERVE ANIMAL SHOWED SIGNS OF HEALTH PROBLEMS IN LAST FEW WEEKS.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer ACTON - Timbo, the beloved 48-year-old African bull elephant that roamed at an Acton animal sanctuary An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death. and was featured in several films, has died, his owners said Wednesday. Timbo died of natural causes Saturday. The elephant had been brought to the Shambala Preserve Shambala Preserve is wild animal preserve established in 1972 and located in Acton, California, a desert community. About Shambala is maintained by the Roar Foundation, founded by actress Tippi Hedren in 1983 as a 501(C)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization . in 1972 from an animal park in Canada, a few months after the sanctuary was founded by actress Tippi Hedren Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren (born January 19, 1930)[1] is an American actress with a career spanning six decades. She is best known for her role as Melanie Daniels in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds . Hedren said Wednesday that those who work at the preserve and were close to the elephant remain in disbelief. Timbo had been having some health problems the past few weeks and was acting strangely. Veterinarians Veterinarians and veterinary surgeons (vets) are medical professionals who operate exclusively on animals. Well-known and notable veterinarians include:
A special corral corral a small fenced-in enclosure with high, wooden fences, suitable for holding cattle or horses. corral system a management system in which range cattle are put into corrals and fed hay for a period when the environment is most had been built for him, but Timbo was a little inattentive in·at·ten·tive adj. Exhibiting a lack of attention; not attentive. in  at·ten when he entered it. ``It's so difficult, because he was so much a part of Shambala,'' Hedren said. ``I frankly can't imagine this place without Timbo.'' Timbo had been featured in several movies, including a recent project by Berlin filmmaker Daniel Opitz, who made a documentary called ``Elephant Man'' about biker Chris Gallucci, who took care of Timbo for more than 30 years. The film was shown during a local film festival in May. Gallucci could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Hedren said Timbo was one of the oldest and largest African elephants in captivity in the nation. He had been allowed to roam a large part of the 80-acre wildlife habitat, 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or and bordering the Mojave Desert northeast of Santa Clarita. With the help of the ROAR Foundation, Shambala has become a sanctuary for endangered exotic big cats. But Timbo was the exception, and Hedren said when he was seen near the park's entrance on Soledad Canyon Road, unsuspecting motorists did a double take, wondering whether a wild elephant was on the loose. Timbo had been allowed to roam a large part of the Acton preserve. Almost 70 animals live at Shambala, including African lions, Siberian and Bengal tigers, leopards, servals, mountain lions, bobcats, a lynx, a Florida panther, a snow leopard and a cheetah cheetah (chē`tə), carnivore of the cat family, Acinonyx jubatus, native to Africa S of the Sahara and SW Asia as far east as India. . Many were born in captivity and are orphans or cast-offs from circuses, zoos and private owners who could no longer care for them, Hedren has said. On the preserve's Web site at Shambala.org, a tribute to Timbo reads: ``To never have the thrill of seeing that magnificent animal walk in the riverbed, observe the high intelligence with which he constantly amazed us, to be graced with his affection, to be in absolute awe of his power, laugh at his sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour , to never hear that rumble that told of his happiness, pleasure, or delight in seeing you is almost unthinkable,'' Hedren wrote. ``I'm thankful for the amazing memories that run through my mind. How fortunate we are to have lived with the mighty Timbo.'' Susan Abram, (661) 257-5255 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color in SAC edition) Bull elephant Timbo stands with Chris Gallucci, who took care of him for more than 30 years at the exotic animal sanctuary in Acton. (2 -- ran in SAC edition only) African elephant Timbo arrived at the sanctuary in 1972, shortly after it was founded by actress Tippi Hedren. 
i sure would have loved to seen him he was beautiful and i have always love elephants i have a mass collection of them the are my favorite and if i could ever get to africa then i would get a guide and have him take me out there to watch them and take great care not unset them |
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