“Are elephants your thing? Do you know Echo? Echo is perhaps the most famous elephant in the world. The story of her life, as well as those of her family members (herd) are recorded in the historic three documentaries presented in this fascinating set from BBC. ” - Monsters & Critics
” Possessing elephants was a status symbol and now it is a big source of income. The author states that if one has an elephant, an annual net income of Rs.15 lakh is assured. The cruelty meted out to domestic elephants is legion, and of late the media have strongly taken this up, but without much result. During the festive season, chained elephants subjected to brutalities are common.” - The Hindu
“Jumbo and his devoted handler lived a strange tale of celebrity, tragedy, and love.” - csmonitor.com
“It is quite a feat to get inside an elephant’s mind, to discover without interaction with the imposing and intimidating animal, the trials and tribulations it faces in daily life; its wants and needs. “Tranquil Footsteps” is one man’s effort to help us achieve that. Through his book, which follows one herd of elephants living within the sanctuary of the Uda Walawe National Park, Srilal Miththapala not only affords the reader valuable and interesting information about this most majestic member of the animal kingdom, but also gives him insight into the creature’s mind and heart.” - The Sunday Times Online
“Originally conceived as a coffee-table book, wildlife photographer David Paynter wanted to tell the story of an elephants life but from the elephants point of view. He has created something far more fascinating than a mere collection of excellent photographs in this written and pictorial biography of the young African bull, Tembo Ndhlovu.” - The Times
It is fairly common in parts of Asia to encounter elephants in captivity. Note that the term used is “elephants in captivity”, not “domesticated elephants”. One typically finds elephants involved in strange situations: caparisoned and leading religious processions, moving heavy loads like tree trunks in forest camps, and playing football or riding bicycles in circuses. But these large, powerful and intelligent animals do not indulge in these alien activities of their own volition or for love of the mahout. They have been overpowered through the use of fetters, the ankus, other elephants and possibly starvation. - The Hindu
Blogcritics.org - a book review.
“The stories of deprivation, of mothers who have lost offspring or vice versa, are among the most difficult to read as well as the most powerful. The baby moose who would not leave her dead mother’s bones, the chimpanzee who literally died of grief after his mother?s death, the elephants apparently paying homage to their dead ancestors: The stories truly tug at the heartstrings.”Human Nature
