L’intermission – Swimming Elephants

Before 2002, ten Asian elephants were brutally forced to learn how to swim in the Indian Ocean to bring logged trees to nearby boats off the Andaman Islands. Logging was banned in the area in 2002, and the elephants, including Rajan, who is pictured here, lived out their retirement walking through the forest and swimming in the ocean on their terms. Award-winning photographer Jody MacDonald remarkably captured sixty-year-old Rajan on one of his weekly swims several years ago. Rajan passed away in 2016. He likely was one of the last swimming elephants in the world.

Renowned photographer Jody MacDonald spent a week with Rajan and his caretaker, Nazroo. The pair had been together for over thirty years. She remarks how their strong bond left an indelible impression on her. Visit JodyMacDonaldPhotography.com to read more of Rajan’s story. | Photo by Jody MacDonald