Charging At Life

One of the unsung heroes of nature conservation in southern Africa, Peter Hitchins was truly someone who charged at life. From his childhood adventures catching snakes and hunting for birds' eggs in the veld, he developed a passionate interest in and attachment to all forms of wildlife. In the early 1960s, Peter joined the then Natal Parks Board. Working in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi complex, he soon made a name for himself as an unusually observant field ranger.

But it was his innovative work with the black rhinoceros that really singled him out. Conscious of the need for more precise data on rhino populations, Peter pioneered the use of radio telemetry to track rhino movements and numbers. After leaving the Natal Parks Board, he continued to work in conservation throughout southern Africa, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Rhino and Elephant Foundation (REF) and the Game Rangers' Association of Africa (GRAA). In later life, he embarked on a project to restore the natural environment of Cousine Island in the Seychelles.

Drawing on the detailed field diaries he kept throughout his life, and with contributions from close friends and colleagues, Charging at Life presents a picture of a conservationist devoted to protecting wildlife but sometimes at odds with the prevailing orthodoxy.

A wonderful biography of a remarkable man who walked hundreds of kilometers in the African bush, a man who knew more about Black rhinos than anyone else. His love of nature knew no bounds, as he left his footprints across South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya and the Seychelles islands. Peter Hitchins left a legacy as one of the finest and most knowledgeable game rangers the continent has ever seen. - Dr John Ledger, Former Director, Endangered Wildlife Trust