The Last Elephants

The Last Elephants
Author: Colin Bell
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Total Pages: 563
Release: 2019-03-01
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1775846830

The Africa-wide Great Elephant Census of 2016 produced shocking findings: a decimated elephant population whose numbers were continuing to plummet. Elephants are killed, on average, every 15–20 minutes – a situation that will see the final demise of these intelligent, extraordinary animals in less than three decades. They are a species in crisis. This magnificent book offers chapters written by the most prominent people in the realm of conservation and wildlife, among them researchers, conservationists, film makers, criminologists, TV personalities and journalists. Photographs have been selected from among Africa’s best wildlife photographers, and the Foreword is provided by Prince William. It is hoped this book will create awareness of the devastating loss of elephant lives in Africa and stem the tide of poaching and hunting; that it will inspire the delegates to CITES to make informed decisions to ensure that all loopholes in the ivory trade are closed; and that countries receiving and using ivory (both legal and poached) – primarily China, Vietnam, Laos and Japan – ban and strenuously police its trade and use within their borders, actively pursuing and arresting syndicate leaders driving the cruel poaching tsunami. This book is also a tribute to the many people who work for the welfare of elephants, particularly those who risk their lives for wildlife each day, often for little or no pay – in particular the field rangers and the anti-poaching teams; and to the many communities around Africa that have elected to work with elephants and not against them. The Last Elephants – is the title prophetic? We hope not, but the signs are worrying.

The Last Giants

The Last Giants
Author: Levison Wood
Publisher: Grove Press
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2020-11-03
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 080215848X

From the award-winning explorer, “an entertaining summary of what we know about the elephant, and a call to change our behavior to ensure its survival” (Daily Mail). The Last Giants satisfies British explorer Levison Wood’s lifelong desire to learn more about the majestic African elephant. These giants trek through some of Africa’s most magnificent landscapes as they go in search of life-giving waters and pastures. El Nino’s droughts and an insatiable ivory trade have cut African elephant numbers by a third in the last decade alone, and if elephants disappear entirely, Africa’s entire ecosystem could collapse. But Botswana has become a safe haven, where one-sixth of the world’s elephants now reside. Each year their numbers grow and an incredible migration takes place, which Wood witnesses and records. He teams up with local trackers to gain insight into how this iconic species survives, camps out in the wild, meets the people and tribes living on the migration’s path, and joins the park rangers whose job it is to protect these land goliaths, equipped with his “good eye for detail and better ear for dialogue” (The Wall Street Journal). “Adventurer Wood followed elephants on a 650-mile migration across Botswana for a British television program. This fascinating companion volume to that series examines the past, present, and future of the African elephant.” —Library Journal (starred review) “A smart, inviting portrait of elephants from a keen-eyed observer.” —Kirkus Reviews “A rewarding look at the habits and habitats of the African elephant . . . Comprehensively yet accessibly conveying Wood’s lifelong fascination with African elephants, his discussion will appeal to anyone keen on learning more about them.” —Publishers Weekly

Last Chain on Billie

Last Chain on Billie
Author: Carol Bradley
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
Total Pages: 314
Release: 2014-07-22
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1250025702

The “powerful and haunting” biography of a star circus elephant who rebelled against her handlers and finally found freedom (Jane Goodall). Against the backdrop of a glittering but brutal circus world, Last Chain on Billie charts the history of elephants in America, the inspiring story of Tennessee’s Elephant Sanctuary, and the spellbinding tale of a resilient elephant who survived a decade of captivity. Left in the wild, Billie the elephant would have been free to wander the jungles of Asia with her family. Instead, traders captured her as a baby and shipped her to America, where circus trainers taught her to carry humans, stand on a tub and balance on one leg. For decades, Billie crisscrossed the country under miserable conditions—chained, beaten, and forced to perform stunts under harsh lights and blaring music. Finally, she got a lucky break. As part of the largest elephant rescue in American history, Billie wound up at a sanctuary for performing elephants in Tennessee. But, overcome with anxiety, she withdrew from the rest of the elephants and refused to let anyone remove a chain still clamped around her leg. Her caregivers began to wonder if Billie could ever escape her emotional wounds.

Save the...Elephants

Save the...Elephants
Author: Sarah L. Thomson
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 97
Release: 2022-09-13
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0593404246

Elephants have roamed and trumpeted their ways into kids' hearts. With this book, readers can become elephant experts and learn how to save the animals they love. Featuring an introduction from Chelsea Clinton! Did you know that elephants can't jump? How about that no two elephants have ears that are exactly alike? Or that elephants all walk on tiptoe? Perfect for all animal lovers--and elephant fans in particular--this book is filled with information that young readers will love to learn. From where elephant habitats are found to what it's like to be an elephant to why elephants are endangered and who has been working hard to save them, this book gives readers all the facts they know to become elephant experts. Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun elephant facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save elephants from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

Elephants!

Elephants!
Author: Laurence Pringle
Publisher: Astra Publishing House
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2021-08-03
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1635924790

Learn all about the elephant in this nonfiction picture book that explores every aspect of these giant mammals. This latest title in the Strange and Wonderful series allows young readers to journey into the lives of elephants in various habitats throughout the world. Kids will learn how elephants use their trunk, how they communicate, what they eat, and about their family groupings. The book also shows how we can ensure that elephants continue to live and thrive. Combining careful research and beautiful illustrations, this book is perfect for those who have an interest in animals and conservation.

Wild Elephants

Wild Elephants
Author: Samuel Wasser
Publisher: Earth Aware Editions
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019-10-29
Genre: Photography
ISBN: 9781683833826

In Wild Elephants, Art Wolfe seeks to capture on camera just what makes elephants so special and so worth saving. Legendary for their size and intelligence, elephants are one of the most charismatic of megafauna. That they are under siege from poachers is no secret, and the rapidity of their declining numbers is horrifying. However, amidst the steady stream of bad news, all is not lost. Ivory prices are declining, global education seems to be succeeding, and recent government crackdowns are beginning to stem the flow of illegal ivory. While Wild Elephants features photographs of both African and Asian species, the emphasis is on the African savanna or bush elephant. Samuel Wasser's informative text focuses on his current groundbreaking research on the impacts of the illegal trade in elephant ivory along with legal culling practices as a means of population control of this highly intelligent, tightly knit social species. Wild Elephants is a celebration of these wondrous gentle giants, of the renewed efforts countries are taking to protect their natural heritage, and of what we can do to empower local populations to safeguard the survival of a magnificent species.

Pennies for Elephants

Pennies for Elephants
Author: Lita Judge
Publisher: Hyperion
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2009-06-09
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 9781423113904

/DIVExtra, Extra! Three Trained Pachyderms for Sale! When Dorothy and her brother Henry learn that three beloved local circus elephants will soon be retiring, they are shocked and dismayed—but also inspired! The owner has agreed to sell the elephants to the children of Boston if they can raise the $6,000. They have two months. They'll have to contribute every penny they have, but they're determined to do it. Soon, more and more children are joining in, donating eveything they have to the cause. Fourteen cents from Roger from washing windows. Five cents from Jimmy from the tooth fairy. Even the local cinema makes a contribution—after the children decide to stop spending their money on movies. Eventually, kids from up and down the whole east coast are chipping in! In the end, it's the elephants themselves—Mollie, Waddy, and Tony—who are most grateful for the children's resolute and generous spirit. DIVFollowing the immense critical success of One Thousand Tracings, Lita Judge has written and illustrated an inspiring and heartwarming picture book, based on a true story of compassion and believing.

Flowers for Elephants

Flowers for Elephants
Author: Peter Martell
Publisher:
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2022-03-10
Genre:
ISBN: 9781787386938

When northern Kenyans find elephant bones, they lay down blossoms and branches as a mark of respect, honouring their crucial connection with the wildlife they live alongside. In our changing world, these values are vitally important. For decades, northern Kenya was one step away from a warzone, on the frontlines of climate change and habitat loss. People slept with their shoes on, fearing attack. Wildlife was decimated. Yet, facing the most extreme challenges, people united. What began as a last-ditch effort to save rhinos from extinction sparked a remarkable return of wildlife, with the once-struggling cattle ranch Lewa named a UN World Heritage Site for its outstanding value to humanity. This served as a catalyst for much broader action. Communities created a network of protected lands across an area larger than Switzerland. Through conservation, they built peace, driving social, environmental and political change. From tracking elephants through the bush to gun battles with bandits and treks through Al-Qaeda territory, Peter Martell tells the exciting story of a conservation movement that gives hope. At a time when humanity is reassessing its broken relationship with nature, these communities offer an inspirational blueprint, proving that environmental change does not have to divide, but can bring us together.

Maggie

Maggie
Author: Jennifer Keats Curtis
Publisher: Arbordale Publishing, LLC
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2018
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9781607184614

Elephants are social animals. Maggie and Annabelle used to live together at the Alaska Zoo. But after Annabelle died, Maggie was all alone. For years, zookeepers tried to keep her happy (and warm). But ultimately they sent Maggie to live at a sanctuary (PAWS). Now she is happy and at home with her new herd of other elephants. This is a heartwarming story of how zoos ensure the best for the animals in their care'even if the best is not at their zoo. This work of narrative nonfiction includes a 4-page For Creative Minds section in the back of the book and a 30-page cross-curricular Teaching Activity Guide online. Maggie, Alaska's Last Elephant is vetted by experts and designed to encourage parental engagement. Its extensive back matter helps teachers with time-saving lesson ideas, provides extensions for science, math, and social studies units, and uses inquiry-based learning to help build critical thinking skills in young readers. The Spanish translation supports ELL and dual-language programs. The interactive ebook reads aloud in both English and Spanish with word highlighting and audio speed control to promote oral language skills, fluency, pronunciation, text engagement, and reading comprehension.