FIVE YEARS AGO  in Lopburi, Thailand, the local population of macaque monkeys rioted in an internecine battle that spilled out into the surrounding streets and brought traffic to a standstill.  The old alpha male of the troop, now aged and nearly blind, had either died or been killed.  The troop had then split into two…

LIKE MANY PEOPLE preparing for a trip abroad, I’d first picked up a guidebook for the country.  In my case, the country was Thailand.  One of the things I was interested in seeing was Thailand’s national symbol: the Asian elephant.  Having lived and worked in the Yellowstone/Grand Teton area for over twenty years, I was curious…