Horrendous picture of an elephant on a forest path
in Sabah on its side, the front of its head torn away by ivory hunters. Gruesome
and stunning. The lads at Muthu were
appropriate for sharing the horror. Not the sacredness of the cow of course
involved, but nonetheless a deep affront. The gaja. The shock was such that the
chaps were not in the least surprised by the usage in their own language. All
bent close to take the picture properly, the plate-collector asking, Where?
Could the same happen in Tamil Nadu one wondered. It seems the question is
unresolved whether the beasts were native or introduced by the East India Company. The endangered Borneo pygmy elephant, threatened by deforestation and
development; the incidence of poaching seems to be more recent.
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