Dances with Elephants, Part III - Still more elephants. 7/24/2006
I spent the weekend with the elephants. Looks like I’m getting to be a semi-regular there. 3 visits in a week. Little Mados is doing ok. I’ve worked on the design for the rig, and it looks like there’s going to be two rigs made up, if we can find the funds.
One will be a permanent rig, to be set up in the infirmary, which will be used for the elephants in the sanctuary. The other will be a portable lifting rig, for use in the jungle, in the rescue of wild elephants. The portable rig was an idea that came to me on Saturday night, playing around with some construction toys, and Legos. Telescoping legs, chain block, tackle, screw on pad feet. If anyone doesn’t know what I’m talking about, stay tuned. And who ever said being in touch with your inner child, or at least playing with toys, doesn’t pay off?
The day was hot and sunny, and the river certainly looked very inviting. Unfortunately, having neglected to bring a change of clothes with me, I refrained from jumping in. But I could just imagine how cold the water was.
I have just about finished the design for the lifting rig, and will be heading out tomorrow to see some suppliers about getting the materials priced up. Hopefully it won’t cost too much. The price of the rig is an issue, because it will entirely be a project funded by donations and contributions. The sanctuary doesn’t have the disposable funds for a project of this size, and approvals for a larger allocation of funds from the government will take too long. And little Mados is not going to wait for the wheels of government to start rolling.