African Elephants

Book excerpt: Renowned wildlife photographer Reinhard Kunkel long ago succumbed to the irresistible appeal of the elephant. He has spent three decades creating the magnificent images in this book, which take readers right into the world of the powerful beasts. Kunkel captures elephants at close range. He has watched the combat of rival bulls and witnessed the drama of a mating. He has caught the first steps of elephant young and even joined a group of swimming elephants, one arm holding his camera above the water. Kunkel's opening text raises the ultimate question: will these friendly giants survive? Driven from the wild into national parks and game reserves, they remain in danger from the poachers who have drastically reduced their population in the last 50 years. These sobering thoughts make even more precious the wild beauty of Kunkel's photographs.