Making room for elephants

"It's Pigtail," she whispered, stroking the tranquilized elephant's trunk and nodding to the distinctive tail that prompted its nickname.

The team works fast — the dart's sedative effects last only half an hour, and the herd can still be heard nearby. Overhead, lightning flashes as a tropical thunderstorm approaches.

As soon as the collar is securely fastened and blood samples are taken, the team retreats into the forest before Pigtail rouses.