Okay, I admit it, I am an animal lover. I have always thought that elephants were just about one of the most amazing animals to ever walk the earth. Did you know there is an elephant reserve only about an hour and a half from Texarkana?

Seriously I been eyeing this place for a while and I think it could be a fantastic trip to take this summer especially if you have kids. The place is called Endangered Ark Foundation and it's located in Hugo, Oklahoma. This privately-owned non-profit sanctuary is a retirement area for circus elephants. The Foundation also is helping to preserve Asian elephants. They have the 2nd largest elephant herd of Asian Elephants in the nation consisting of 15 elephants in all.

According to their website:

 As of 2000, there were only 285 captive elephants in North America and only 35 of these are breeders.

Endangered Ark Foundation is one of those that breed the elephants as well.  According to their website, their youngest one right was born in 2015 and the oldest one is sixty-five years old.

The foundation offers tours on Fridays and most Saturdays and Sundays but you must have a reservation. They also have private encounters, elephant expeditions and there are also cabins to rent nearby too. Coming up on May 8 they are having their 2nd Annual Open House on the Reserve.

Below is a great news story about the reserve and all it has to offer. I think my bucket list just got bigger.

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