Title: Giant Steps
Subtitle: A true story from Africa about exploitation and the meaning of freedom
Author: Richard Peirce
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Imprint: Struik Nature
Cape Town, South Africa 2016
ISBN 9781775843306 / ISBN 978-1-77-584330-6
Softcover, 14 x 19 cm, 160 pages, throughout colour photographs
Elephants have long been targeted by humans: not only are they killed for their ivory, but their extraordinary strength, intelligence and charisma have seen some of them captured, chained and effectively jailed for life. Bully and Induna are two African elephants, both orphaned in organised culling operations and destined for lives in captivity. Growing up far apart and quite differently, Bully, a former animal film star, and the less fortunate Induna were both driven to react to their circumstances, Induna even killed one of his carers. Their individual situations reached a point where both were considered to be dangerous animals and were under threat of being put down. This is the true story of their lives. Conservationist Richard Peirce presents their individual narratives and the twists and turns of their fortunes: the exploitation of these majestic but sensitive animals, how they each came to be trapped in unsuitable ‘employment’ and shunted about from one venue to the next, before finding one another, free at last, on a farm in southern Africa. Giant Steps is a gripping story, full of drama, danger, sadness and ultimate rescue.
Forewords
Acknowledgements
African elephant facts
The Kruger National Park
Grey clouds gather
Darkness, the cull
Skukuza and Glen Africa
Growing up - a new family
Films and TV commercials
A giant toothache
Induna (2003-2010)
Three, Hanna and Marty
Jonathan says goodbye
Elephants of Eden
Inverdoorn
The elephant whisperer
Giant steps
Living free
Elephants in captivity
The African elephant today
Population management
Epilogue Elephants never forget
Acronyms
Useful websites
