In the Forest With the Elephants

Describes how elephants are trained to help in the timber camps of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and their contribution to the selective and sustainable harvesting of teak there

Grade 4-7?In a unique relationship, "Timber" elephants and their oozies (trainer/handlers) have been working together in the forests of Myanmar for generations, snaking the logs of culled teak, padauk, and other valuable woods to jungle rivers and roads for transport to the outside world. This photo-essay, carefully researched by two experts, depicts this ecologically minded industry, describing the intensely personal relationships between the humans and elephants, the years of patient training, the care taken to maintain the animals' health and well-being, and the traditional lifestyles of the oozies and their families. Also included is specific information on climate, habitat, and logging methods. A uniting thread running through the book is a particular relationship between a majestic bull and his oozie of 20 years as they go about their daily routines, move a set of large, dangerously situated teak logs, and assist in the capture and preliminary training of several destructive wild elephants. In these days of increasingly mechanized logging operations that can cause immeasurable harm to entire ecosystems, this window into a world in which elephants are prized not for their ivory but for their strength, intelligence, and cooperation, and an industry that seriously fosters preservation may be an eye-opener to most readers. An informative and rich cultural experience.?Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

paper 0-15-201290-7 ``La,'' ``Yah,'' and ``Haw'' are not the gurglings of an infant but a string of commands that a timber elephant must learn in the southeastern Asian forest of Myanmar, formerly Burma. Smith and Schmidt document a day in the life of these hard- working, endangered elephants and the oozies, the men who ride and train them for logging. Readers interested in sled dogs, guide dogs, work horses and other specially trained animals will find themselves captivated with the training, care, and keep of these 7,000-pound animals that can work with logs weighing upwards of two tons. A chapter is devoted to the life of an oozie, Won Lin, following him as he bathes, saddles, works, and feeds his lifetime elephant companion, Toe Lai, the most intelligent and reliable elephant in the timber unit. Man and animal maneuver the 200-year-old teak to be harvested from a steep hillside near a treacherous cliff. Some concerns about the environment and sensitivity toward the elephants are mentioned; full-color photographs record dramatic events and minor ones in this unique partnership. (map) (Nonfiction. 7-12) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.