Sunrise over Kuala Sepetang, Malaysia. A former centre of tin mining in a mangrove reserve, its tourist attractions include dancing fireflies at night and traditional charcoal factories.Sea eagles wheel overhead, ever ready to dive for fish. Boats return with tonnes of shrimp and prawns to the docks at the rear of fishermen’s homes, where the catches are hand-sorted by species and size. In front yards, anchovies and squid are hung up to dry in the sun.
It is a time-consuming, skilled and exhausting operation, manned by Malay families and Pakistani immigrants, some of whom have been working here for decades. One day, Larut went missing and when the elephant was found, three days later, Long Jaafar noticed tin ore embedded in the mud on its legs.