Understanding the Don and His Territory

Thailand Highway 3259 is crucial for sugarcane transport, used by many farmers to reach refineries. The highway is controlled by the Don, an elephant who collects tolls from trucks carrying sugarcane. The Don is skilled at detecting trucks and assessing their loads using his sense of smell. He is accompanied by younger elephants, learning his techniques. This interaction highlights elephants' adaptation to human-dominated landscapes, emphasizing the need for mutual understanding for their future survival.

What is the primary purpose of Thailand Highway 3259?

• To serve as a tourist attraction

• To transport sugarcane to the refinery

• To connect major cities

• To facilitate wildlife crossing

How does the Don determine the size of the load on delivery trucks?

• By weighing the trucks

• By using his sense of smell

• By visual inspection

• By asking the drivers

What is the daily caloric requirement of the Don?

• 80,000 calories

• 60,000 calories

• 70,000 calories

• 50,000 calories

Who accompanies the Don in his toll collection activities?

• Tourists

• Other local farmers

• Younger bulls

• Refinery workers

What is the benefit for drivers in paying the Don's toll?

• The Don and his group stay out of their fields

• They receive a discount on sugarcane prices

• They avoid damage to their trucks

• They get priority access to the refinery

How have elephants adapted to a human-dominated landscape?

• By forming larger herds

• By migrating to remote areas

• By observing and understanding human behavior

• By becoming nocturnal

What might the long-term future of elephants depend on?

• Reducing their caloric intake

• Building more highways

• Understanding them as individuals

• Increased sugarcane production