African Wildlife & Environment Issue 78

GOOD READS

unavailability of fuel in Zimbabwe's dark days. He has returned to his country of birth several times, and shares the deep emotions that he experiences during these visits – a visit to his beloved father's grave is particularly moving.This is a good book that tells a good story about a good man caught between continents by the history of an ever-restless Africa.

Graham as he travelled the length of the valley in his role as the National Parks Chief Investigations Officer. Colin realised his dream of becoming a game ranger after joining National Parks at the age of seventeen. Two years later, after completing a Diploma in Protected Area and Wildlife Management at the Mushandike officers' training college, he was awarded the Directors Award for the best student, with weaponry and law enforcement emerging as his strong points. At nineteen he became one of the youngest rangers in the history of the department in charge of the Matopos Rhino Intensive Protection Zone. During Operation 'Safeguard our Heritage', he was chosen along with nine other rangers from the frontline of the rhino war for training and anti-poaching operations with Zimbabwe’s Special Forces. Later he took on the responsibility of being theWarden of Matopos National Park. After leaving National Parks he established a safari company and became a professional guide, specialising in leading walking safaris throughout Zimbabwe for eleven years. But unrelenting political turbulence and finally the economic disintegration of Zimbabwe signalled the end of Colin's wildlife career, and he emigrated to Australia where he now lives with his family. This is a very readable book that recounts Colin's personal journey as a young game ranger, living in a beautiful country wracked by war, politics and racial intolerance. He has put together a collection of captivating African stories that provide an insight into the challenges of preserving wildlife in Zimbabwe. Among the tales of confrontations with armed poachers and undercover deals in the illegal trafficking of rhino horn and ivory, is the heart-warming story of 'Samantha' the rhino calf and her release back into the wild. Colin also describes some hair-raising encounters with wild animals of different kinds, and one gets the impression that he was more than a little reckless in his younger days! Like many others in the diaspora, he has a deep love for Africa and the country in which he was born. His affection for Zimbabweans also shines through, and his descriptions of exhausting, long bus journeys, crammed with passengers, their possessions and livestock tied to the roof of the vehicle, are vivid and evocative. These bus rides were necessitated by a lack of money and the

Hiking Magagula, Hlengiwe & Denis Costello (2021). Walking Safaris of South Africa. Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. Soft cover, 15x21 cm, 184 pp, illustrated in colour throughout with photographs, diagrams and a map. ISBN 978-1-77584-680-1. R277. The authors are both seasoned hikers and they have identified 59 guided walking experiences across 18 parks and reserves in South Africa plus one in eSwatini and one in Botswana for inclusion in their book. They present the choices available in each park, from short dawn and dusk walks to wilderness trails from dedicated base camps, to multi-day back-packing trails. The accommodation they describe ranges from ultra-luxurious to camping under the stars, providing alternatives to suit every pocket. A series of first-hand accounts illustrate the profound impact of encountering nature on foot. These personal accounts are illustrated with black and white images that appear to be held in place

8 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 78 (2021)