Nonprofit · EIN 62-1587327
THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE
Also known as DBA THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY
Tax-exempt · HOHENWALD, TN 38462
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $10,746,410 | $8,147,475 | $2,598,935 | $111,441,209 | $9,911 | $111,431,298 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $9,362,485 | $7,500,875 | $1,861,610 | $100,441,631 | $244,299 | $100,197,332 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $11,769,683 | $6,850,060 | $4,919,623 | $89,425,790 | $27,182 | $89,398,608 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $9,626,856
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $1,083,229
- Net gain from sales of assets
- -$633,798
- Net income from sales of inventory
- $36,178
- Other revenue
- $36,325
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $266,985
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $461,926
- Other salaries and wages
- $2,296,370
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $3,435,591
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $56,087
- Accounting fees
- $36,195
- Occupancy
- $129,637
- Travel
- $147,037
- Depreciation
- $2,092,302
- Program services (functional)
- $7,325,504
- Management and general (functional)
- $514,935
- Fundraising (functional)
- $307,036
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $100,441,631
- Total assets, end of year
- $111,441,209
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $9,911
- Net assets, end of year
- $111,431,298
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $25,644,559
- Publicly traded securities
- $76,561,047
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $106,650,914
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $4,780,384
- Gross receipts
- $136,500,173
- Employees
- 73
- Volunteers
- 200
- Year formed
- 1995
- State of legal domicile
- TN
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JANICE ZEITLIN | PRESIDENT / CEO Officer | 40 | $170,000 | $6,445 |
| STEVE SHURTER | COO Officer | 40 | $132,905 | $26,097 |
| STEPHANIE MCCAIN | VETERINARIAN Highest-paid employee | 40 | $116,769 | $14,863 |
| DEBORAH PERRY | CFO Officer | 40 | $111,819 | $14,660 |
| DR RICHARD RHODA | BOARD CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| DR WILLIAM SCHAFFNER | VICE PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| ALBERT AMBROSE | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 4 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL STAGGS | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| SHARON LANGFORD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 8 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JANICE ZEITLIN | VICE PRESIDENT / CEO Officer | 40 | $170,000 | $6,454 |
| STEVE SHURTER | COO Officer | 40 | $130,075 | $14,805 |
| DEBORAH PERRY | CFO Officer | 40 | $112,200 | $13,671 |
| DR RICHARD RHODA | BOARD CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| DR WILLIAM SCHAFFNER | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 4 | $0 | $0 |
| ALBERT AMBROSE | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 4 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL STAGGS | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| SHARON LANGFORD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 4 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 8 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JANICE ZEITLIN | VICE PRESIDENT / CEO Officer | 40 | $170,000 | $6,452 |
| DEBORAH PERRY | CONTROLLER Officer | 40 | $105,077 | $13,204 |
| STEVE SHURTER | COO Officer | 40 | $78,634 | $8,294 |
| RICHARD RHODA | BOARD CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| DR WILLIAM SCHAFFNER | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 4 | $0 | $0 |
| ALBERT AMBROSE | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 4 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL STAGGS | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| SHARON LANGFORD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 4 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 804 DARBYTOWN RD, HOHENWALD, TN 38462-5331
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- ALBERT AMBROSE, PO BOX 393, HOHENWALD, TN 38462
- Signed the 990
- ALBERT AMBROSE, TREASURER
- Phone
- (931) 796-6500
- Website
- WWW.ELEPHANTS.COM
- Return prepared by
- BAKER TILLY ADVISORY GROUP LP
Mission
PROVIDE A NATURAL HABITAT REFUGE DEVELOPED AROUND THE NEEDS OF ASIAN AND AFRICAN ELEPHANTS WHERE ELEPHANTS ARE PROVIDED WITH LIFETIME CARE; TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE ELEPHANT WELFARE AND CONSERVATION; TO PROVIDE AND SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION REGARDING THE COMPLEX NEEDS OF ELEPHANTS AND THE CHALLENGES FACING ELEPHANTS IN THE WILD.
Program accomplishments
- SHELTER & CARE PROGRAM- THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ELEPHANTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES IN A SAFE HAVEN DEDICATED TO THEIR WELL BEING. INDIVIDUALIZED CARE HAS BEEN ENHANCED BY ADDING LASER THERAPY, NEW DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT, ALLERGY TESTING AND OTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 14 ELEPHANTS INHABITING THE FACILITIES DURING THE YEAR.Expenses $6,225,369 · grants $266,985
- EDUCATION PROGRAM- THE ORGANIZATION SEEKS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE COMPLEX NEEDS OF ELEPHANTS AND THE CRISIS FACING ELEPHANTS IN THE WILD BY PROVIDING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC RELATING TO ELEPHANT CARE AND HABITAT, INCLUDING MATERIALS AND PROGRAMS WITHIN THE ELEPHANT DISCOVERY CENTER AND ON-LINE DISTANCE LEARNING.THESE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES RESULTED IN:*12,615 STUDENTS IN 40 STATES AND 6 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATED IN DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS; 121 VOLUNTEERS ONSITE WHICH INCLUDED 2 COLLEGE ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAKS AND 12 VOLUNTEER DAYS.*3,100 VISITORS CAME TO THE ELEPHANT DISCOVERY CENTERExpenses $1,100,135 · revenue $36,178
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 62-1587327
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1995
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Animal-related (D310)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $111,441,209
- Income (IRS master file)
- $136,500,173
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $10,746,410 | $8,147,475 | $111,441,209 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $9,362,485 | $7,500,875 | $100,441,631 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $11,769,683 | $6,850,060 | $89,425,790 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $4,598,007 | $6,275,784 | $77,157,503 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 62-1587327).
Questions about THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE
- What is the EIN of THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE is 62-1587327.
- Is THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1995.
- Are donations to THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names ALBERT AMBROSE.
- Who are the officers and directors of THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 9 people; 4 received compensation from the organization, the highest $170,000 (JANICE ZEITLIN, PRESIDENT / CEO).
- How much revenue does THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $10,746,410, expenses of $8,147,475 and total assets of $111,441,209 at year end.
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