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In the Forest with the Elephants
Across Asia, elephants and the forests where they live are rapidly disappearing. But in the small country of Myanmar, the magestic Asian elephant continues to thrive. There, thousands of elephants work alongside humans harvesting teak and other valuable woods using environmentally sensitive foresting methods. This inspiring environmental success story reveals how elephants and humans are working to preserve the endangered Asian elephant and its habitat.
Hardcover
First published March 1, 1998
35 people want to read
About the author
Roland Smith
153 books842 followersRoland Smith is an American author of young adult fiction as well as nonfiction books for children.
Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. After working to save wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in 1990, he published his first book, Sea Otter Rescue, a non-fiction account of the process of animal rescue. Smith continued to draw upon his zoo experiences for other non-fiction titles, including Journey of the Red Wolf, which won an Oregon Book Award in 1996.
In 1997, Smith published his first novel, Thundercave. The book continues Smith's theme, as teenage protagonist Jacob Lansa follows his biologist father to Africa where the father is researching elephants. The Lansa character also appears in 1999
s Jaguar and 2001's The Last Lobo. Other novels by Smith include The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach's Lie, Jack's Run, Cryptid Hunters, Sasquatch (novel), about a boy who searches for Bigfoot. Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains, Elephant Run and Tentacles(novel). In 2008, Smith published the first book in the series I, Q, titled Independence Hall. Smith's books have won "Book of the Year" awards in Colorado, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in his native Oregon. Smith lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife and stepchildren.
Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. After working to save wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in 1990, he published his first book, Sea Otter Rescue, a non-fiction account of the process of animal rescue. Smith continued to draw upon his zoo experiences for other non-fiction titles, including Journey of the Red Wolf, which won an Oregon Book Award in 1996.
In 1997, Smith published his first novel, Thundercave. The book continues Smith's theme, as teenage protagonist Jacob Lansa follows his biologist father to Africa where the father is researching elephants. The Lansa character also appears in 1999
s Jaguar and 2001's The Last Lobo. Other novels by Smith include The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach's Lie, Jack's Run, Cryptid Hunters, Sasquatch (novel), about a boy who searches for Bigfoot. Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains, Elephant Run and Tentacles(novel). In 2008, Smith published the first book in the series I, Q, titled Independence Hall. Smith's books have won "Book of the Year" awards in Colorado, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in his native Oregon. Smith lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife and stepchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 2, 2025
The topic made me uncomfortable, as I don't think wild elephants should be dragooned into being beasts of burden for humanity's sake.
That said, I'm grateful this book exists. It explains how to get teak out of the wild, wild Myanmar back country using elephants.
It's an interesting read for young people. I would pair it with Saving H'Non: Chang and the Elephant, by Trang Nguyen (Author), Jeet Zdung (Author, Illustrator) to show how elephants should be safely treated.
People should not be riding on elephants' backs. But I know what's best for the elephant isn't what this book is about. It's about elephants being used by humans to do work that would be hard for humans and machines to do. This book contains excellent explanations and terrific photos. Still, I feel sad for the animals.
That said, I'm grateful this book exists. It explains how to get teak out of the wild, wild Myanmar back country using elephants.
It's an interesting read for young people. I would pair it with Saving H'Non: Chang and the Elephant, by Trang Nguyen (Author), Jeet Zdung (Author, Illustrator) to show how elephants should be safely treated.
People should not be riding on elephants' backs. But I know what's best for the elephant isn't what this book is about. It's about elephants being used by humans to do work that would be hard for humans and machines to do. This book contains excellent explanations and terrific photos. Still, I feel sad for the animals.
November 15, 2011
The at times uncomfortable paradox of elephant friendship and captivity is on display in this unique juvenile nonfiction book. In the Forest profiles Indian timber workers who employ elephants to help them harvest trees. The mahout families have been working with elephants for generations, and few could envision a life that doesn’t include an elephant at their side.
The affection the mahouts have for the elephants is obvious. The animals serve as beasts of burden, pets, and friends. In the past, nearly all working elephants were snatched from the wild. Today, many are bred in captivity; however, some do continue to be captured in the forests.
And while the mahouts and the elephants do seem to have an affectionate working relationship, one must wonder exactly how much of this institution the elephants would enter into had they a choice in the matter. Even captive-bred elephant calves are still wild creatures with strong independent wills. Their training includes a “breaking” process which involves what I hate to say looks like an enormous veal crate.
Young elephants do not know their own strength. So for the first few weeks of training, they are securely tied into a log chute called a crush.
Even after the “crush” process, young elephants are still not trusted not to leave the village. Baggage elephants, we learn, need to be tethered or they will wander away. And while older elephants are trusted to roam the nearby forests, even these elephants are hobbled with chain fetters around their front feet.
Rapidly shrinking habitat and increasing conflicts with landowners may indeed mean that if Indian elephants are to survive, most will have to enter into a semi-domesticated state. There’s really no good solution here.
The affection the mahouts have for the elephants is obvious. The animals serve as beasts of burden, pets, and friends. In the past, nearly all working elephants were snatched from the wild. Today, many are bred in captivity; however, some do continue to be captured in the forests.
And while the mahouts and the elephants do seem to have an affectionate working relationship, one must wonder exactly how much of this institution the elephants would enter into had they a choice in the matter. Even captive-bred elephant calves are still wild creatures with strong independent wills. Their training includes a “breaking” process which involves what I hate to say looks like an enormous veal crate.
Young elephants do not know their own strength. So for the first few weeks of training, they are securely tied into a log chute called a crush.
Even after the “crush” process, young elephants are still not trusted not to leave the village. Baggage elephants, we learn, need to be tethered or they will wander away. And while older elephants are trusted to roam the nearby forests, even these elephants are hobbled with chain fetters around their front feet.
Rapidly shrinking habitat and increasing conflicts with landowners may indeed mean that if Indian elephants are to survive, most will have to enter into a semi-domesticated state. There’s really no good solution here.
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December 15, 2013AR Quiz No. 28491 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 5.9 - AR Pts: 1.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 5.9 - AR Pts: 1.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews