The Elephant Book - Tapa dura

The elephant is the world's largest land animal, serene and peaceful lord of the waving grasslands. A century ago, Africa had ten million elephants. Now there is only a fraction of that number. They have been destroyed for their ivory to make trivial trinkets and jewellery, and continue to be poached for ivory today. ELEFRIENDS, the Elephant Protection Group, is trying to end this cruel and mercenary practice. The Elephant Book is part of that campaign, seeking to draw attention to the elephant's plight and inspire a deep interest and respect for these extraordinary creatures. Glorious full-colour photographs by some of the world's finest wildlife cameramen accompany up-to-date, informative and comprehensive text. There are also contributions from many of the celebrities who have given their support to the campaign.

Ian Redmond is a wildlife biologist, lecturer, writer and photographer who has become increasingly involved in the worldwide campaign for wildlife conservation. He studied at Keele University and spent two years in Rwanda, assisting the late Dr Dian Fossey in her research and conservation work among mountain gorillas. The author of several books, articles and scientific papers, his work has been widely translated and he makes frequent radio and television appearances. He has also been a consultant on many television and film productions, including the film Gorillas in the Mist. One of the co-founders of ELEFRIENDS, Ian is a tireless campaigner on behalf of this and other wildlife charities. He lives in Bristol.