5 Elephants

Book excerpt: Part of the "5 Animals" series! Elephants are truly remarkable, unmistakable animals. Their huge size, giant ears, amazing trunk and incredible intelligence make them unique in the natural world. They are highly active, complex, wideranging animals who play a key role in the ecosystems they inhabit. 5 Elephants will provide you with some fascinating elephant facts and figures, as well as introduce you to some of the serious challenges that wild and captive elephants face. To truly understand elephants, though, we must also get to know them as individuals. We must learn their stories. In 5 Elephants, you'll read the stories of five famous elephants: You'll meet Echo, a wild elephant who thrived in her natural environment, surrounded by her family. You'll also read about Lucy, an elephant living alone in a Canadian zoo, and Tarra, an entertainment elephant who is now living out her days at a sanctuary. You'll discover why Tusko, a travelling entertainment elephant, had such a tragic life, and you'll meet Thandora, a zoo elephant who was given a new life in the wild. Explore the lives of these elephants: Understand what elephants need to be happy and healthy. Examine the differences between zoos and sanctuaries. Learn about the challenges of captivity and endangerment in the wild. Discover what you can do to become an Elephant Guardian.