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1-Page Summary of The Elephant Whisperer

Overall Summary

Lawrence Anthony was a conservationist who worked with animals in Africa. He received an entire herd of elephants, but he didn’t know why they were given to him because the owner killed two of his herd members before giving them away. The remaining elephants were very aggressive and traumatized by the previous deaths, so he had to take care of them or they would be put down as well.

At first, Anthony was hesitant to take on the herd of aggressive elephants. However, he realized that it would be better for them to live in a safe place than to die. Therefore, he and his staff built a boma (confined area) for the elephants until they settled down before releasing them into the wilds of Thula Thula.

Anthony named the matriarch Nana. However, she was smart enough to break out of her enclosure and lead her herd into the bush. She broke out again and caused damage in another reserve, endangering people and animals. The authorities sent out armed rangers to kill the elephants if they found them before Anthony did. Luckily for the elephants, Anthony found them first and returned them safely back to Thula Thula Reserve so they wouldn’t be killed by mistake.

Anthony knew that he had to find a way to connect with the elephants and earn their trust. He decided that if he could make them feel safe, they would be able to live among people again. To do this, he needed to gain Nana’s trust first. Anthony showed her kindness and patience by spending time around her every day so she could learn not to fear him anymore. One day, she came up close and let him touch her face while sitting in his car. When Nana felt comfortable enough with Anthony, she went back into the herd where she told the others about what happened between them. They trusted him from then on because they saw how kind he was toward one of their own after all they’d been through together before coming here.

Anthony was a South African environmentalist, conservationist, explorer, and author who passed away in 2012. He founded The Earth Organization and was a member of the Explorer’s Club and the National Council of the Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of Science. Before he died, elephants visited his family home to mourn him. Anthony led an initiative to save animals at Baghdad Zoo during 2003 invasion—this inspired Babylon’s Ark.

Lawrence Anthony was recognized for his work over the course of his lifetime. He received multiple awards, including the Living Lakes Best Conservation Practice Award from The Global Nature Fund and at the United Nations he won The Earth Day medal for his work at Baghdad Zoo. He also won an award from Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship as well as IAS Freedom Medal. In South Africa he was given Umhlatuzi Mayoral Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Lawrence Anthony is the author of many books. They’ve been translated into different languages and have sold well all over the world.