I love reading about interesting people and animals. How could I not love elephant speak?
Melissa Crandall first met elephant keeper, Roger Henneous while she was a volunteer at Oregon Zoo towards the end of his career. The story is based on interviews she conducted with him after his retirement. During the interviews he recounts his life story. Crandall turned these interviews into and an absorbing, emotional and engaging story.
Put simply Elephant speak is the biographical story of elephant keeper Roger Henneous and the elephants at Oregon Zoo. But it is much more. I rarely shed tears when reading but with Elephant Speak there were parts when I openly wept – for sadness and joy.
Roger was born in Iowa. Being raised on a farm he learned early in his life about the importance of animal care.
He was down to earth but insecure with no real goals in life but whatever job he did it was with diligence no matter how boring.
His marriage to RoseMerrie seemed to be a turning point. When Roger applied for a job at the Oregon Zoo, giving him an opportunity to leave a boring job, she supported him completely encouraging him to follow his dreams.
His first job at the zoo in 1967 was as a rover working in a variety of locations and jobs. He thrived on the arduous work and the variety of tasks always demonstrating his compassion for the animals and strong work ethic. In a short time, he was allocated to work with the elephants and takes on the position of head keeper following the retirement of his boss and mentor.
His decision to retire in 1997 from the job he loved came only after a series of devastating losses in both his two-legged and four-legged families, and the pain he went through on the way to that parting is told with sensitivity and compassion.
But Roger is not the only star of the story. He shares the centre stage with his beloved elephants.
We are introduced to the individual personalities of the elephants and the reciprocated love for Roger. Their intelligence, moods, love for the keepers, playfulness, curiosity, and cheeky sense of humour are described so well we develop a respect and love for each of them.
Also included is an elephant family tree.
This is not just a bio or an animal story. It highlights the plight of elephants worldwide and today’s conservation efforts to protect them and describes how zoos have gone from a place of entertainment for the public to institutes of conservation and preservation where the animals, not the public, are the priority.
