For thousands of years, in Sri Lanka, humans and elephants have lived side by side in a relatively peaceful coexistence. We discover how years of civil war and an expanding human population has affected that long-standing association. Very few animals on this planet are regarded both as an object of worship and as an enemy. The Asian Elephant is now defined by this paradox. As the total number of elephants in the wild continues to plummet, conservationists are developing some innovative solutions to preserve this legendary animal.—Anonymous