Elephas Maximus
Revered in Indian religion as the source of life, respected in Indian culture as a bringer of good fortune, and coveted by poachers for its ivory tusks, the majestic Asian elephant has lived, worked, and even fought side by side with humans for more than four thousand years. Stephen Alter first encountered Elephas maximus when he was a child. Now he has traveled to every corner of India to create an unabashed celebration of these compelling, powerful creatures. Alter`s search takes him from the depths of wildlife preserves to a tempting elephant auction, from a dazzling festival dedicated to Ganesha the elephant-headed god to a remote valley filled with ancient carvings of the revered animals. He finds conservationists fighting to protect the elephants habitat, mahouts who are as close to their elephants as they are to their own families, and even ivory poachers, whose ongoing assault on the animals may be contributing to the evolution of tuskless males. Tracking the elephant in history, art, religion, and folklore, Alter draws a vivid, gorgeously written portrait of its past and its troubled present while offering hope for its future.

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