Janie Chodosh

" Dramatic, moving, and packed with fascinating elephant facts, young readers will find inspiration and excitement on every page.” —Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus and Kakapo Rescue The true story of the last viable Asian elephant population and the man dedicated to saving them. Early on a January morning in 2015, a young bull elephant touched on a sagging electric line in the Paneri Tea Plantation in the Udalgari District of Assam, India. The elephant’s soft-padded feet conducted the current and the animal fell, kicking in the mud. The local veterinarian called to the scene thought the tusker was going to die. The forest department warden called the one person who could help: Dr. Kushal Konwar Sarma, India’s beloved elephant doctor. The Elephant Doctor of India brings the middle-grade reader into the heart of Assam, a remote land of tea plantations, paddy fields, and ancient forests, to tell the true story of the last viable population of Asian elephants and one man who is dedicated to saving them. Brings Dr. Sarma’s incredible story—and the lives of these magnificent animals—to readers in classrooms everywhere.

Today we are faced with the alarming possibility that as many as 50 percent of species alive will become extinct within this century. This statistic is so staggering that scientists have begun to refer to the twenty-first century as the ?sixth extinction.” But while this is alarming, all hope is not lost; conservation experts across the globe are working tirelessly to preserve our planet for future generations. In Wild Lives, twenty of these pioneers share their stories via exclusive interviews. Coming from different countries, diverse cultures, and a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and specializing in different species, all of these conservationists have an important characteristic in common: they have committed their lives to saving our planet and the majestic species that call it home. These esteemed contributors include: ?Beverly and Dereck Joubert, National Geographic filmmakers and big cat experts ?Ric O’Barry, dolphin advocate and trainer of Flipper ?George Schaller, famed field biologist and author ?Yossi Leshem, Israeli ornithologist ?Dominique Bikaba, gorilla activist ?Paul Hilton, award-winning wildlife photographer Passionate and inspiring, Wild Lives is an important and timely reminder of the beauty and fragility of our world and the obligation that every person has towards preserving it.