Giants of the Monsoon Forest: Living and Working with Elephants

Humans have been using elephants for thousands of years, from the kings of the Indus Valley to Hannibals Alpine cavalry. In Giants of the Monsoon Forest, Jacob Shell explores the communities that still rely on this ancient partnership, including those in Indonesia and India-Burma. The documentary showcases the intelligence and collaboration between elephants and humans in preserving wild spaces.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 09 July 2019
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

For millennia, humans have coexisted with elephants, from the rulers of the Indus Valley to Hannibal's Alpine cavalry. In Giants of the Monsoon Forest, Jacob Shell explores communities that continue to rely on this ancient bond. Following the 2004 tsunami, Indonesian authorities utilized trained Sumatran elephants to clear debris. Thousands of elephants are employed in the logging industry along the mountainous Indian-Burmese border, coexisting with Kachin rebels who traverse a secret network of trails atop elephant mounts.

Giants of the Monsoon Forest, a captivating blend of history, science, and reportage, presents a fresh perspective on animal intelligence and unveils an unexpected connection between the evolution of the natural world and political conflicts in the human realm. Through their collaborative efforts, fugitive elephants and humans contribute to the preservation of the wild spaces essential for their survival.

Weight: 604g
Dimension: 167 x 242 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780393247763