Joyce Poole was lucky enough to experience the beauty of Africa from an early age, and as soon as she had the opportunity she decided to make Africa - and more importantly elephants - her life. Aged just 19, she was living alone in the bush in Kenya studying elephants. There - as well as the very real dangers of living in the wild - she faced the challenge of trying to unravel the behavioural patterns and communication of this extraordinary species. She spent 14 years living in a tented camp in Amboseli National Park in order to carry out her research. Her scientific discoveries are renowned throughout the world and have made a significant contribution to our understanding of elephants.