Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #234452 in Books
• Published on: 1993-12-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 306 pages

Synopsis
Two naturalists describe how a battle to save the elephants of Africa turned into a fight for their lives when commercial poachers heard of their work.

Customer Reviews

Incredible reading.
This is a superb, very initimate description of trying to set up a National Park under very harsh conditions in Zambia. It makes excellent reading and is not only an interesting and easy read but also gives you some insight into the progression of governments control over elephant poaching. I definitely recommend it.

Painful and thought provoking read
A very thought provoking read and one that I found in places too painful to digest at times ... the mass slaughter of elephants day after day after day! I don't think any book has moved me in quite the way this one did, provoking huge anger and frustration at the painstaking methods that Mark used to try and erradicate the illegal poaching of these beautiful creatures. I almost felt that Mark and Delia should have done more research before they went out to Africa before implementing the kind of bribes they used to try and enforce change amongst the African people. It was quite obvious from very early in the book that the scouts, wardens and officials they were trying to co-erce into working with them were never going to change their practices with offers of food, guns/ammunition, new tents, etc., etc., and yet Mark just couldn't see that, even Delia gave up on him at one point. However, they did manage to implement change eventually but it was only by going into the villages, talking to the people, educating the children and providing the support these people needed to build an alternative future that they were finally able to do it. I almost never finished reading the book because I became so frustrated with the same old ploys used by Mark and the same old excuses used by the scouts, wardens and officials through the entire book. However, I am glad I did because at least now I know that something good did come out of Mark and Delia's determination.

great read
Good accounts of Africa and the pace of life, the problems and solutions that are so unique to Africa. Well worth a read.