African Wildlife & Environment Issue 85

GOOD READS

”a series of evasive excuses, deceptions, delays, etc.” and by the Oxford dictionary: “to treat somebody badly by not telling them the truth, or by not giving them the help or the information they need, and sending them somewhere else.” South African-born (in Pietersburg) Ray visited the Kruger National Park as a youngster and became a wildlife enthusiast while pursuing a successful career as an IT specialist until he and his family emigrated to Australia in 1987. Rhino poaching and the cruel, relentless killing of these iconic animals for their horns made world headlines, and greatly disturbed Ray. In 2013 he received a message from a former client at IBM in South Africa who was likewise concerned about the plight of rhinos. Knowing Ray to be a ‘mover and shaker’ he suggested that Dearlove should set up a breeding herd in Australia – so with the support of his family he decided to ‘give it a go’! The Australian Rhino Project (TARP) was born on 1 June 2013. His years in business had taught Ray the value of personal contacts, and he set about establishing communications and friendships with any and all people he thought might be sympathetic to the cause of a safe haven for African rhinos in Australia. The book is like a Who’s Who of scientists, politicians, businessmen, veterinarians, landowners, sportsmen, media personalities, millionaires and other people of influence and fame in Australia. He even got George Gregan (former Wallabies rugby captain) and Dame Jane Goodall to write a joint Foreword to the book. Ray was unashamedly bold in approaching anyone in the world for support, and although he never received responses to his letters to the Presidents of the USA and China, he did get friendly replies from the Princes Charles and William, Sir David Attenborough, former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Sir Richard Branson. But despite his heroic efforts, and the backing of numerous people who supported him, including those who were prepared to donate significant amounts of money, free air transport for rhinos, and free tracts of land in Australia, Ray was thwarted by bureaucrats, media megalomaniacs, academics, red tape, sceptics and ultimately by the members of his own Board of TARP. Australia is well known for its very strict rules about importing any plants or animals into

much less threatened, but in their final chapter Gus and Margie discuss the various challenges facing Cheetahs in the modern world, opening with the following stanza: Species extirpation, habitat degradation Global warming, climate change We really find it very strange That people haven’t contemplated The reason is we’ve over-mated Human population growth is the real ‘Inconvenient Truth’ This is a book that everyone interested in wildlife will want to read, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. All South Africans should be extremely proud of this outstanding couple, who have devoted so much time and effort to their research in the field, often under very difficult and trying conditions. They have made their work accessible to the world, not only to academics and scientists, but to ordinary people who are interested in natural history and the secrets of the diverse animals that share our beleaguered planet. In between all the research and writing and other activities, they have reared two children and now have three grandchildren. Thank you, Gus and Margie – you have made our world a better place! Rhino Runaround

Dearlove, Ray (2020). The Crash of Rhinos. Soft cover, 15 x 23 cm, 354 pp, illustrated with black and white photographs and maps. ISBN 978-0-648725- 780-1. Published by www. rhinoray.com.au. For South African orders visit this website RRP: R221.25.

All proceeds from sales will be donated to the South African all-female anti-poaching group,The Black Mambas. After reading this epic story of Ray Dearlove’s strenuous efforts to establish a breeding group of African rhinos in Australia, I reached the conclusion that he was the victim of a big ‘runaround’, defined by the Collins dictionary as

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