In The Elephant's Secret Sense, the internationally renowned field scientist Caitlin O'Connell tells the fascinating story of her unexpected discovery of a previously unknown mode of elephant communication. One day, while observing elephants at a waterhole in Namibia, O'Connell saw the matriarch suddenly turn, flatten her ears, and lift a leg off the ground. Several other females then turned to face the same direction, and soon another elephant appeared. Could elephants feel vibrations through the ground, literally 'listening' with their feet?
This book is a fascinating memoir of the relationship between O'Connell and the animals she has studied for fourteen years. Her discovery and subsequent research in this area has resulted in numerous articles and popular media coverage: her work has been featured by the BBC, National Geographic, Science, and Discover.
Caitlin O'Connell is a research associate at Stanford University. Her discoveries have been publishied in various journals including Science, Natural History, Scientific American, National Geographic, and Discover. She lives in San Diego, CA, and runs, with her husband, a charity to promote elephant conservation and scientific discovery around the world. She is currently in discussions with several documentary makers about a possible film based upon her discoveries.
A tightly-woven story of human warmth, strange cultures, fabulous wildlife, and scientific discovery. Only the best science and nature writing draws you into a whole different world, and this remarkable book does it right from page one with grace, humility, and all the exotic splendor of Africa. Carl Safina - Author of Song for the Blue Ocean and Voyage of the Turtle "With admirable modesty, but gripping clarity, Caitlin describes the trials and dangers of her studies in the wild ... Her story brims with passion for Africa - there are echoes of Jane Goodall with chimpanzees and Dian Fossey with gorillas - and make this book required reading for anyone even thinking of going on safari." The Daily Mail