"Having observed my fair share of elephants, I've found them to be almost ineffably heart-wrenching. So I salute Stephen Alter for persisting, prevailing in the task. These radiant, galumphing, expressive animals are vanishing in the wild. But Alter has been to see them and telepathize." - Edward Hoagland
"One morning in Delhi I watched two tame elephants standing side by side -- a tusker and a cow. They leaned against each other, rubbing flanks and exchanging caresses with their trunks. Decorated by their owners and hired out for the night, these elephants provide an auspicious presence at wedding receptions. The celebrations were long over, though, and in the bright morning sunshine the two looked like a pair of exhausted partygoers. The female nuzzled the male, who flapped his ears contentedly as she pressed her head against his shoulder. They swayed together for a few moments, caught up in their own internal tempo, ignoring everyone around them. Then with sensuous intimacy, the tusker curled his trunk and brushed the female's cheek before he put the end in her mouth. For several seconds she held the tip of his trunk between her lips, as close to a kiss as an elephant can come.