The Elephant Men

India's population has quadrupled in this century and the places where wild elephants can live undisturbed by human pressure on their habitat are dwindling. In Northest India, entire villages desperately battle herds of wild elephants, which storm their fields and raid their crops, driven by hunger. It is a life or death situation for both the men and the elephants. But what can the men do? In India, the elephant is revered as the living reincarnation of the Hindu deity, Ganesh. And it is unthinkable to kill a god.

One possible solution lies in the ancient and honored knowledge of the "mahouts," the "elephant men" of India. Understanding and experience based on 5,000 years of tradition allow them to safely capture and domesticate these otherwise threatened Asian elephants. However, their unique skills are all but lost today, and as man and elephant compete for survival, old traditions and new generations must adapt to the changing needs and circumstances of modern India.