Myakka Elephant Ranch puts guests to work, not elephants

Growing up with elephants, Lou Barreda said he wanted a dog. 

The CEO and founder of the Myakka Elephant Ranch doesn't prefer dogs. That's simply how normal it is for him to be around elephants.

His parents, Jorge and Louann Barreda, brought home an elephant named Lou years before they brought home their own Lou in 1992. They owned a business, first in Oklahoma and later in Florida, that rented elephants to birthday parties, weddings, documentaries, theme parks, state fairs, circuses, and zoos.

Lou, the elephant, died at 40 in August 2023 in Myakka from a heart attack. On average, Asian elephants can live to almost 50 while African elephants can live to 70. Lou was born in Zimbabwe, where she was orphaned by ivory poachers.

The difference between having an elephant instead of a dog is that long lifespan. And not only does an elephant eat more, it requires more care than a dog, too. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

“You’re just constantly with them all day, so you build a special bond,” Barreda said. “Their intelligence is amazing, and their personalities are all so unique. You get attached to each one.”

The elephants get attached to people, too, so outside of volunteers, the staff is either made up of paid employees or family members. 

Barreda’s sister, Julia Braren, serves as chief operating officer of Myakka Elephant Ranch. Louann Barreda serves as vice-president, and Jorge Barreda was front and center during the Spa Enrichment experience Aug. 30, making sure visitors got a chance to brush and hose off each elephant.

Lou Barreda, a marketing major, formed the nonprofit in 2019. Instead of looking to volunteers to help care for the animals on Aug. 30, he offered the opportunity to visitors.

Three out of the four experience packages put paying visitors to work. They can help feed, bathe or examine the elephants. Hands-on experiences are priced between $130 to $199 for adults and start at $79 for children. 

The elephants that end up on the ranch are retired from the entertainment industry, so it’s their time to rest.

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

Susie, an African elephant, nodded in and out as she was hosed down and massaged with a couple of long-handled scrub brushes by the visitors. She was so relaxed, her eyelids seemed to be the heaviest feature of her 7,845-pound body. 

That was until Susie saw the bucket of mineral oil come out. When it was time for a pedicure, her eyelashes batted straight up. She immediately lifted one foot onto the foot rest. 

Two little girls were chosen from the audience to paint the elephant's toenails — Winter Park’s 3-year-old Mia Krauser and Sarasota’s 5-year-old Alona Hymel. Paint brush in hand, Hymel took great care to paint the mineral oil within the lines of each nail. 

The mineral oil helps to prevent the nails from getting dry and then cracking. Elephants have sensitive skin, too. Jorge Barreda told the crowd that an elephant can feel a mosquito land. They often throw hay on themselves to shoo them away.

Their skin is so sensitive that the United States Department of Agriculture requires that the elephants receive daily baths.

After the pedicure, Susie went outside to finish the spa treatment by rubbing her sides against the closest tree. Barreda said that's how elephants exfoliate. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

The ranch sits on 30 acres and can host up to 10 elephants. Only three live at the compound now. The elephant amenities include weather-protected stalls, fenced-in outdoor habitats, a watering hole, 2-acre pond, a medical stall and quarantine area.

The nonprofit not only looks after elephants under its care, it looks after all elephants. 

“Almost a hundred a day go down from poaching in the wild,” Barreda said. “We’re raising money to combat that.” 

The nonprofit also gives back to other local nonprofits as 10% of proceeds from experiences benefit the ranch’s local community partners. 

Elephant therapy is offered to veterans through Operation Warrior Resolution. And organizations, such as the Loveland Center, The Haven and Manatee Children’s Services, are invited to the ranch free of charge because education is at the heart of the ranch's mission. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

During the educational encounter, guests are informed that over 10 million elephants roamed wild in Africa in 1930. Only about 400,000 African elephants remain today.

“When guests get to connect on a more personal level, that contributes to the conservation efforts,” Barreda said. “In turn, they want to preserve elephants for the future."

Jasmine Lewis was so moved by the experience, she walked away from Patty, an Asian elephant, in tears. She traveled from Virginia just to see the Myakka Elephant Ranch.

“I watch them on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet,“ Lewis said. “I’ve just always loved elephants, so I wanted to see them in real life. I don’t really support zoos, so my sister found this place.“