African Wildlife & Environment Issue 83

GOOD READS

“one of my most hair-raising experiences” writes Willie. He conducted research on Cheetahs in the Kruger Park and in the Kgalagadi National Park for his Masters degree and then changed direction in 1971 and accepted an appointment as

with the world. He writes of his love for his father, his mentor , and of his friendship with the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. This is a wonderful read, a captivating historical record of the adventurous life of a young zoologist in southern Africa. Highly recommended!

Zoologist with the Johannesburg Zoo. Four years later, at the relatively young age of 31, he became Curator (later renamed Director) of the institution. Here the Labuschagne family hosted a number of orphaned animals that became favourites until they grew into potentially dangerous carnivores. Some of Willie’s stories from the Joburg Zoo are very amusing, and a number of historical events happened during his watch. With the changing politics and societal relationships in South Africa, he had to deal with some die hard old racists on the zoo staff, and he banned the use of

Discover Nature Now Series Young, Joan ( 2023). Mammals of Kruger. Discover Nature Now Series. Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. Soft cover, 13 x 17 cm, 176 pp, 1 map, illustrated with colour photographs. ISBN 978-1-7758- 4819 -6. RRP: R230. This is a new, compact, no -frills series of ‘Nature Now’ guides to the biodiversity of the Kruger National Park. The author has lived and worked in the African bush for 37 years and has spent nearly two decades as a tour guide and environmental

derogatory epithets for people of colour (which did not deter some intransigent employees!). The zoo pioneered night tours, and celebrated the births of a baby African elephant and a white lion. Willie had to play politics with members of the City Council, and developed relationships with the Johannesburg public in various activities and fund raising efforts, such as the Polar Bear Trust. And here the current story ends, but it will hopefully be taken up in further publications, for we know that Willie went on to head up the South African National Zoo in Pretoria, and was honoured to be elected as the President of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. After retiring from the National Zoo he spent time in the United Arab Emirates, developing a department of nature conservation. This book is hard to put down, as one shares the escapades of an energetic and fascinating man, who writes in a refreshing and candid style. He comes across as a thoughtful and caring person, a mensch who is not afraid to share his emotions

educator in the KNP. There are no scientific or alternative language names, no mammal distribution maps and just the bare essentials for the tourist visiting the park for the first time. This formula works very well and introduces some 80 species of the mammals that may be encountered here. ‘Successful Safaris’ and ‘Game viewing Tips’ offer good advice, and locations where the visitor might spot certain mammals are suggested. There is a glossary at the end, picture credits and an index. Did you know that leopards are more dangerous than lions, elephants use their trunks as snorkels while under water, giraffes give birth while standing up and no two zebras have the same stripe pattern? Wild dogs, cheetahs and leopards likewise have colour patterns that are unique to individual animals. The photos are superb and the text is terse but packed with relevant facts, without unnecessary verbiage. The images are not restricted to one photo per species, but multiple

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