Gonçalvesandherteamcameuponamotherandherinjuredcalfoneday.Thecalfwaslimping.Itsleghadbeencaughtinasnare.Thewoundwasveryserious.Gonçalvesknewthebabyneededtreatmentoritwouldnot survive.

Shecalledinreinforcements.Avetflewinonahelicopterwithmedicinesandsupplies.Unfortunately,themothersawpeopleasthreats.Asheragitationgrew,shetoretwosmalltreesfromtheground.Thenshepickedupalargestickwithhertrunkandbeganwildlythrashing it.

Lookingpastthemother,theteamcouldseethebaby,hiddeninthebrush.Theteamstayedinplaceforhours,hopingthatthemotherwouldletthemapproach.Itwasnottobe.Shefinallyboltedintothebrushwithherwounded baby.

Fourdayslater,themotherwasspotted.Shewasalone.Gonçalvesknewthebabyhadnotsurvivedbutwasstruckbyhowfiercelythemotherhadfoughttoprotecther.Itwas,Gonçalvesthought,muchlikehowahumanmothermight behave.

Asfearfulastheelephantsareofpeople,thepeoplehaveahealthyfearoftheelephants,too.Andnoonewantsanunpredictableelephantdestroyingtheir crops!

Gonçalves’goalisforpeopleandelephantstopeacefullycoexist.Avoidingconflictsbetweenpeopleandelephantsisimportanttobothspecies!So,akeypartofherjobistokeeptrackofwheretheelephantstravel.Thatinvolvescollaringandtrackingalloftheir movements.

Collaringanelephantiseverybitashardasitsounds.First,youhavetofindanelephant.Gonçalvessaystheyoftensearchforelephantsby helicopter.

Adedicatedteamisinplaceforthetask.Whentherightelephantisfound,theteamgoesinto action.

Theteamfiresatranquilizerdartattheelephant,whichmakestheanimalsleepy.Onceit’sasleep,theteamcanland.Theteamdoesn’twastetime.“Theeventshappenquickly,”Gonçalvessays.“Everyonehasa role.”

Somemembersoftheteamtakemeasurementsofandsamplesfromtheelephant.Othershelpfitthecollararoundtheelephant’sneck.Theteamworkstogetherandtakesnotesontheirwork.Thentheywaitfortheelephanttowakeupandgetbackonher feet.

Oncethecollarisinplace,theteamwillreceivedatafromiteveryhour.Thebatteriesarelong-lastingandwillyielddatafortwoyears.Gonçalveshascollared10femaleelephantssofar,andshemonitorseverywherethey go.