Larry Laverty

  As a youngster, I learned of Borneo's primitive nature. In my mind, the island was not only a far away place, but a place too far for modern-day human beings to populate. During my visit there, I learned otherwise. Yes, it does have pockets of land where nothing has changed in centuries. But for a majority of the land of Sabah, the once pristine island has been taken over by humans and their money-making schemes. I wasn't prepared for just how extensive the planting of the oil palm has become. This domination by humans meant that I had to go deeper into the landscape to find the remaining elephants who call the island home. Pictured, my friend Akhmal Aron and I are making our way out of a remote hideaway where a family of elephants had been spending several days. The going was tough going in and coming out. Humid heat over 90 degrees, thick jungle vegetation, flowing water, slippery river rocks, and leeches. But as I prepare for my next book on elephants, I know that some of