The Elephant Whisperer; Lawrence Anthony

Title: The Elephant Whisperer: Learning about life, loyalty and freedom from a remarkable herd of elephants
Author: Lawrence Anthony
Genre: Adult Non-Fiction, Zoology
Reviewed by: Brian, Athy Library

The Elephant Whisperer is a very unconventional book. It is not too often that you hear about somebody who can communicate with and develop a relationship with the planet’s largest land mammal. But this is exactly what Lawrence Anthony did, and then he went and turned it into a book that is a genuine page-turner.

Anthony ran a game reserve in South Africa, and one day he was contacted about a small elephant herd that had gone rogue and was causing trouble. If he didn’t take them, they would be disposed of. He agrees to take them even though they have become very hostile to humans, largely because some of their number have already been killed. The book tells the story of how he effectively ends up having to live with the herd in order to gain their trust. The title of the book reveals whether he was successful or not. Despite this, there are many dangerous moments along the way, and the story is not without its sense of tragedy. To further complicate matters, the author finds himself having to deal with the complications of Zulu tribal politics, poachers and on one occasion snakes in the bedroom!

What I learnt from this book, which was given to me by my aunt who lives in South Africa, is a greater appreciation of animal psychology, of how they think and how they feel. Elephants really are remarkably intelligent and sensitive, and the author allows us to have an opportunity to learn how they communicate with each other and with humans. Sadly, he passed away shortly after it was written.

This isn’t the type of book I would normally choose; nevertheless, I found reading it an enriching experience.

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