Pianist performs classical music at sanctuary for ailing elephants

They may not be able to see Paul Barton, but they can hear his music, and the notes he plays are bringing them comfort.

Barton is a classical pianist, and he's been setting up his piano at the Elephants World sanctuary in Thailand. The sanctuary is home to older, ailing elephants, with many having lost their sight. When Barton and his wife first visited, he asked permission to play music for the elephants, which was granted. On his YouTube channel, Barton shared that the first piece he played was by Beethoven, and a blind elephant stopped what he was doing, turning his full attention to the music.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.