SAFARI - The Romance and the Reality

National Geographic. 2003. Hard cover. 199 pages. Very good condition. Tightly bound, neat and clean. The cover has a small mark. Under 1kg.

In an effort to halt this negative eco-publicity, countries like Uganda and Kenya outlawed professional hunting in the 1970s. The results were unexpected and appalling. According to Richard Bonham, owner of the Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge near spectacular Mount Kilimanjaro, "When the hunters moved out, the poachers moved in. Nearly 90 percent of Kenya's elephants were slaughtered in the following decade."

The clash, as always, involves human economics vs. animal need. Fifty-three African nations are, like much of the world, trying to buy into The Great Dream symbolized by our Western lifestyle standards. The Masai farmer/ cattle rancher wants greater wealth for his children. Accordingly, he is willing to set out poison for the lions that prey upon his livestock.

One method of bridging the gap between the needs of man and nature is ecotourism. Preservation of wildlife is necessary to bring in tourist dollars. Where once the wealthy few went on safari (with the express purpose of killing) today's travelers are from a broad cross-section of middle and upper class households. Thankfully, the emphasis has shifted to image capture, the deathless commitment of picture to film or digital memory.

Despite the brevity of this book, Buchanan manages to state succinctly the myriad problems facing attempts to preserve this continent's uniqueness. Mentioning the superlative photography seems nearly unnecessary since stunning pictures are synonymous with the words "National Geographic." Even if all one does is thumb through the photos and read the occasional paragraph (you will be doing yourself and the book a disservice if you choose this shorter course) it is still well worth the time.