While a student at Moorpark College in 1974, Buckley noticed a baby elephant, Fluffy, that a local tire dealer had bought to market his wares.

[3] For their first 15 years together, Buckley lived with, cared for, trained, transported, and performed with Tarra in circuses and zoos in the US and Canada.

[6] In November 1994, Buckley, with a bank loan, bought 112 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee.

Buckley chose this site because it provides elephants 850 acres of species suitable habitat to wander and explore day and night, including pastures, forests, lakes, around 50 inches rainfall year-round, mild winters, hot humid summers.

In addition the site will provide live web cams for people to observe natural elephant behaviour in real time, and an international intern/education center.