African elephants Toka, Lulu and Maggie

Maggie was born in 1980 in Zimbabwe, into a tight-knit family where her mother, aunts and siblings lovingly cared for her. Her life was shattered when her mother was shot to death in a cull - which she surely witnessed - and Maggie was captured and sold into captivity.

The Alaska Zoo in Anchorage acquired Maggie in 1983, and she spent the next 24 years there, the last 10 years of that time alone in a small enclosure. Following impassioned public protest, and some serious health issues, the zoo decided to send Maggie to the PAWS sanctuary. 

Today Maggie strolls the hills of her spacious natural habitat, foraging on green grass and trees with friends Lulu and Toka. When she lies down to nap in the sun, her friends stay nearby, keeping an ever-watchful eye on her.

At PAWS, we work to heal elephants' bodies and hearts through excellent care, respect, and immersion in nature. We cannot erase the elephants' past traumas, but we can give them a new beginning.

It costs more than $70,000 to care for Maggie for just one year. This does not include significant costs for special dental procedures that Maggie requires to correct deformed teeth.

We hope you can donate $35, $50, $75 or more today to provide for Maggie's care, as well as for the other seven elephants that call PAWS home.

Won't you please make a donation today in honor of Maggie?

Thank you.