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The Last Rhinos: The Powerful Story of One Man's Battle to Save a Species
When Lawrence Anthony learned that the northern white rhino, living in the war-ravaged Congo, was on the very brink of extinction, he knew he had to act. If the world lost the sub-species, it would be the largest land mammal since the woolly mammoth to go extinct. In The Last Rhinos , Anthony recounts his attempts to save these remarkable animals. The demand for rhino horns in the Far East has turned poaching into a dangerous black market that threatens the lives of not just these rare beasts, but also the rangers who protect them. The northern white rhino's last refuge was in an area controlled by the infamous Lord's Resistance Army, one of the most vicious rebel groups in the world. In the face of unmoving government bureaucracy, Anthony made a perilous journey deep into the jungle to try to find and convince them to help save the rhino. An inspiring story of conservation in the face of brutal war and bureaucratic quagmires, The Last Rhinos will move animal lovers everywhere.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
253 people are currently reading
5395 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Anthony
8 books397 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Lawrence Anthony
Lawrence Anthony (17 September 1950 – 2 March 2012) was a South African conservationist, environmentalist, explorer and bestselling author. He was the long-standing head of conservation at the Thula Thula animal reserve in Zululand, South Africa, and the Founder of The Earth Organization, a privately registered, independent, international conservation and environmental group with a strong scientific orientation. He was an international member of the esteemed Explorers Club of New York and a member of the National Council of the Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of Science, South Africa's oldest scientific association.
Anthony had a reputation for bold conservation initiatives, including the rescue of the Baghdad Zoo at the height of the US-led Coalition invasion of Iraq in 2003, and negotiations with the infamous Lord's Resistance Army rebel army in Southern Sudan, to raise awareness of the environment and protect endangered species, including the last of the Northern White Rhinoceros.
Details of his conservation activities appeared regularly in regional and international media including CNN, CBS, BBC, Al Jazeera and Sky TV and featured in magazines and journals such as Reader's Digest, the Smithsonian, the Explorers Journal, Africa Geographic, Men's Journal, Shape magazine, Elle magazine and others.
Anthony died of a heart attack at the age of 61 before his planned March 2012 conservation gala dinner in Durban to raise international awareness for the rhino-poaching crisis and to launch his new book, The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures. Following his death, there were reports that some of the elephants he worked to save came to his family's home in accordance with the way elephants usually mourn the death of one of their own.
source: Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Telegraph obituary
Please see: Lawrence Anthony
Lawrence Anthony (17 September 1950 – 2 March 2012) was a South African conservationist, environmentalist, explorer and bestselling author. He was the long-standing head of conservation at the Thula Thula animal reserve in Zululand, South Africa, and the Founder of The Earth Organization, a privately registered, independent, international conservation and environmental group with a strong scientific orientation. He was an international member of the esteemed Explorers Club of New York and a member of the National Council of the Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of Science, South Africa's oldest scientific association.
Anthony had a reputation for bold conservation initiatives, including the rescue of the Baghdad Zoo at the height of the US-led Coalition invasion of Iraq in 2003, and negotiations with the infamous Lord's Resistance Army rebel army in Southern Sudan, to raise awareness of the environment and protect endangered species, including the last of the Northern White Rhinoceros.
Details of his conservation activities appeared regularly in regional and international media including CNN, CBS, BBC, Al Jazeera and Sky TV and featured in magazines and journals such as Reader's Digest, the Smithsonian, the Explorers Journal, Africa Geographic, Men's Journal, Shape magazine, Elle magazine and others.
Anthony died of a heart attack at the age of 61 before his planned March 2012 conservation gala dinner in Durban to raise international awareness for the rhino-poaching crisis and to launch his new book, The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures. Following his death, there were reports that some of the elephants he worked to save came to his family's home in accordance with the way elephants usually mourn the death of one of their own.
source: Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Telegraph obituary
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews
January 20, 2022
Spoiler Alert: Human beings aren't able to get their acts together, and the Northern white rhino goes extinct. Unless drastic changes happen soon, the Southern white rhino and the black rhino will suffer the same end.
https://vfapu.com/poaching/commercial...
https://vfapu.com/poaching/commercial...
September 1, 2012
As soon as I finished The Elephant Whisperer, I began eagerly awaiting The Last Rhinos. Then, when Lawrence Anthony passed away in March, my waiting became bittersweet. I knew that this would be the last time I would get to enjoy a new book by one of my favorite conservationists.
I expected that The Last Rhinos would, like Babylon's Ark and The Elephant Whisperer, focus on Anthony's work with endangered species and the day-to-day life of his South African wildlife preserve, Thula Thula. Instead, it was as much about the trials and tribulations he went through negotiating with the Lord's Resistance Army in order to get to the rhinos as it was about the animals themselves. Also unlike Anthony's previous two books, this one's ending is not entirely uplifting because his quest is largely unsuccessful (though there ARE positives).
The book provides insight into the political culture of subsaharan Africa as well as the precarious situation of wild rhinos and several other endangered species. It's also the last we will hear of Anthony's unique and fearless voice. The Last Rhinos probably isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's a must-read for everyone who cheered for Lawrence Anthony and his extraordinary work during his lifetime.
I expected that The Last Rhinos would, like Babylon's Ark and The Elephant Whisperer, focus on Anthony's work with endangered species and the day-to-day life of his South African wildlife preserve, Thula Thula. Instead, it was as much about the trials and tribulations he went through negotiating with the Lord's Resistance Army in order to get to the rhinos as it was about the animals themselves. Also unlike Anthony's previous two books, this one's ending is not entirely uplifting because his quest is largely unsuccessful (though there ARE positives).
The book provides insight into the political culture of subsaharan Africa as well as the precarious situation of wild rhinos and several other endangered species. It's also the last we will hear of Anthony's unique and fearless voice. The Last Rhinos probably isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's a must-read for everyone who cheered for Lawrence Anthony and his extraordinary work during his lifetime.
April 17, 2020
What happened should never have happened. Conservationist Lawrence Anthony has written a memoir centered around his extraordinary efforts to save the last northern white rhinos in the wild from extinction.
Look at the website of the African Parks, an NGO tasked with oversight of African wildlife parks in partnership with the parks' respective national agencies (https://www.africanparks.org/ ). Take a look at the website of the Institute Congolaise pour la Conservation de la Nature or ICCN (https://www.iccnrdc.org). The ICCN is the governmental conservation arm of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Your perspective will go beyond the lofty sentiments and stunning photography of these agencies and their “partnership” after reading this book.
The northern white rhinos in question lived in the Gobisa National Park, part of a conflict zone overrun by poachers and a northern Uganda rebel force that called themselves the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) headed by Joseph Kony and were feared as ruthless terrorists. Anthony describes a frantic logistical effort to rescue the rhinos before the flooded waters of the Dungu and Garamba rivers recede. He demonstrates the importance of expertise and his vast network of local contacts.
Much of the book describes Anthony's outreach to the LRA during the Juba Peace Talks (2006-2008). Anthony negotiates an agreement with the LRA to refrain from attacking the Gobisa National Park rangers and report on any rhino sightings. That agreement is the fruit of reclusive meetings with suspicious delegates surrounded by armed escorts and a meeting with the top LRA leadership in a secret jungle encampment so frightening that even veteran journalist Frank Nyakairu bristles with concern over Anthony's safety.
I have to admit, however, that the most engaging parts of the book were Anthony's times spent on his Thula Thula Reserve. The Reserve sustains itself through ecotourism while managing the safety of the wildlife and aiding a variety of orphaned animals who even when released back into the wild maintain an attachment to Anthony and his wife. Some of the most moving incidents involve Anthony's sense of connection to Nana, the matriarch elephant.
Anthony paints a disturbing picture of poaching. What they covet is the rhinoceros horn, a structure composed essentially of the same material as your fingernails – keratin. The horn fetches astronomical prices, is ground up, and is sold as a traditional medicine in China. The poachers are no longer locals struggling for subsistence. Poaching has morphed into big business, part of a global network. It supplies its killers with a military-grade arsenal of aircraft, AK-47's and grenades. It circumvents prosecution through widespread bribery that even infiltrates the ranks of rangers hired to protect the animals. It colludes with government officials to insure an unbroken distribution chain of smugglers. Anthony describes some heart-breaking incidents of poaching that occur at Thula Thula, incidents that persuade the reader to agree that poachers and their enablers are guilty of war crimes. “Until the leaders of some Asian countries, China, Vietnam and Thailand in particular, take responsibility for the terrible consequences of illicit horn buying, we will be in a fight to the death to save the last rhinos from extinction. And if they do not take responsibility, history will define these great nations not by their scientific achievements, but by the destruction of entire species for a superstitious medicine.” (p.316) His only means of protecting the rhinos at Thula Thula is to hire armed guards on duty 24/7.
This book is written in the style of a memoir. Readers will need to dig deeper to learn details about the on-going conflict in Uganda with atrocities committed by both sides. Yoweri Museveni remains president of the country. There is no sense of closure. However, Anthony's brother-in-law, Graham Spence, provides a lovely and hopeful tribute to Lawrence Anthony's work, and Anthony's lifelong creations, the Earth Organization (www.earthorganization.org) and the Thula Thula Private Game Reserve continue to thrive.
Look at the website of the African Parks, an NGO tasked with oversight of African wildlife parks in partnership with the parks' respective national agencies (https://www.africanparks.org/ ). Take a look at the website of the Institute Congolaise pour la Conservation de la Nature or ICCN (https://www.iccnrdc.org). The ICCN is the governmental conservation arm of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Your perspective will go beyond the lofty sentiments and stunning photography of these agencies and their “partnership” after reading this book.
The northern white rhinos in question lived in the Gobisa National Park, part of a conflict zone overrun by poachers and a northern Uganda rebel force that called themselves the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) headed by Joseph Kony and were feared as ruthless terrorists. Anthony describes a frantic logistical effort to rescue the rhinos before the flooded waters of the Dungu and Garamba rivers recede. He demonstrates the importance of expertise and his vast network of local contacts.
Much of the book describes Anthony's outreach to the LRA during the Juba Peace Talks (2006-2008). Anthony negotiates an agreement with the LRA to refrain from attacking the Gobisa National Park rangers and report on any rhino sightings. That agreement is the fruit of reclusive meetings with suspicious delegates surrounded by armed escorts and a meeting with the top LRA leadership in a secret jungle encampment so frightening that even veteran journalist Frank Nyakairu bristles with concern over Anthony's safety.
I have to admit, however, that the most engaging parts of the book were Anthony's times spent on his Thula Thula Reserve. The Reserve sustains itself through ecotourism while managing the safety of the wildlife and aiding a variety of orphaned animals who even when released back into the wild maintain an attachment to Anthony and his wife. Some of the most moving incidents involve Anthony's sense of connection to Nana, the matriarch elephant.
Anthony paints a disturbing picture of poaching. What they covet is the rhinoceros horn, a structure composed essentially of the same material as your fingernails – keratin. The horn fetches astronomical prices, is ground up, and is sold as a traditional medicine in China. The poachers are no longer locals struggling for subsistence. Poaching has morphed into big business, part of a global network. It supplies its killers with a military-grade arsenal of aircraft, AK-47's and grenades. It circumvents prosecution through widespread bribery that even infiltrates the ranks of rangers hired to protect the animals. It colludes with government officials to insure an unbroken distribution chain of smugglers. Anthony describes some heart-breaking incidents of poaching that occur at Thula Thula, incidents that persuade the reader to agree that poachers and their enablers are guilty of war crimes. “Until the leaders of some Asian countries, China, Vietnam and Thailand in particular, take responsibility for the terrible consequences of illicit horn buying, we will be in a fight to the death to save the last rhinos from extinction. And if they do not take responsibility, history will define these great nations not by their scientific achievements, but by the destruction of entire species for a superstitious medicine.” (p.316) His only means of protecting the rhinos at Thula Thula is to hire armed guards on duty 24/7.
This book is written in the style of a memoir. Readers will need to dig deeper to learn details about the on-going conflict in Uganda with atrocities committed by both sides. Yoweri Museveni remains president of the country. There is no sense of closure. However, Anthony's brother-in-law, Graham Spence, provides a lovely and hopeful tribute to Lawrence Anthony's work, and Anthony's lifelong creations, the Earth Organization (www.earthorganization.org) and the Thula Thula Private Game Reserve continue to thrive.
August 5, 2018
I love this autobiographical story of Lawrence Anthony and his journey to save the Northern white rhinos.
Lawrence was an international conservationist and environmentalist who has done so much to save animals in need, animals on the verge of extinction and to help people understand the importance of his works.
He has put himself in dangerous situations to achieve his aims and he seems to have had a wonderful personality. This story is very moving and a must read for everyone, especially animal lovers.
I have also read The Elephant Whisperer by this author (and Graham Spence) and loved it.
I think there is a third book about the rescue of some animals from a Baghdad zoo which is an earlier book that I would also like to get to.
Lawrence was an international conservationist and environmentalist who has done so much to save animals in need, animals on the verge of extinction and to help people understand the importance of his works.
He has put himself in dangerous situations to achieve his aims and he seems to have had a wonderful personality. This story is very moving and a must read for everyone, especially animal lovers.
I have also read The Elephant Whisperer by this author (and Graham Spence) and loved it.
I think there is a third book about the rescue of some animals from a Baghdad zoo which is an earlier book that I would also like to get to.
August 6, 2012
The Last Rhinos goes far beyond a story about rhinos. Lawrence Anthony, in his attempt to stop the northern white rhinos from going extinct, finds himself as an unlikely go-between trying to stop a war that has been raging in Africa for decades. The local government and the Lord's Resistance Army (one of the most dangerous and deadly group of guerilla mercenaries in the world) are attempting peace talks but no one really expects them to pan out. The LRA turns to Anthony to try to help them achieve peace. The LRA believes the government is the one that doesn't want there to be peace so they can continue receiving aid from the US and Great Britain. It's hard to know which side is telling the truth. The story is fast paced and completely fascinating. The work conservationists do in Africa is often impeded by government and to see what they go through to save our planet's animals is truly amazing. My respect for them is immense. I highly recommend this book.
Read
December 10, 2019When you read this book (which I hope all of you will) I would love you guys to look at this book and compare it to your own life. While you all may not have to do very hard things every day like people in this book, I believe every. Single. Person. Reading this post. Has struggles in their everyday life. And while these may not be physical that is most definitely there. And this is an amazing example of how not to judge yourself compared to others.
July 23, 2012
I hesitated to give this book a high rating because it wasn't what I was hoping for: an account of the way intrepid humans saved a bunch of rhinoceroses, filled with charming anecdotes about rhino behavior. I don't know what I was thinking when I expected that, because I know the situation for all the rhino species is unspeakably dire. Co-author Graham Spence says he thought of calling the book "Blood Horn" and that might have been a more direct approach to indicate that this book is, at least in part, an outraged call to action. The Last Rhinos as a title feels contemplative and wistful, as if there is nothing left to be done, and unfortunately, that is the attitude that too many people are already taking. There are only three rhinos in this entire book. Lawrence Anthony never even gets to meet a single member of the subspecies he's trying to save before they're utterly gone. Instead of the happy stories I somehow expected, this book is a fact-and-experience-based indictment of the fatal disregard humans have for the other species on this planet.
A single anecdote about the rhino who lives in Thula Thula, Anthony's reserve in South Africa, serves to belie the idea that rhinos are not intelligent or adaptable, and I will treasure that. Perhaps to try and make up for the general lack of rhino experiences, Anthony intersperses what becomes a bizarre and scary narrative of human politics with incidents involving elephants, bushbabies, buffalo, and other wonderful animals. All the stories point to his deep belief that animals are as worthy as humans to occupy their space and live undisturbed. At a couple of points, he comments that any person who spends enough time with animals will witness evidence of their intelligence and sociability. There are also many examples that make the reader appreciate the difficulty of the life of conservationists in the wild and the talent and bravery of people who work with endangered animals.
The beginning and much of the rest of the book kept me on the edge of my seat with exciting, suspenseful and true occurrences, definitely material for the cinema. Please, someone, make a movie of this book (perhaps with a few more darling rhinos in the film version) and show it to people who consume rhino horn.
Because Anthony does not accomplish any of his goals for the rhinos. Absolutely everything goes badly wrong, often causing physical reactions in this reader. To top it all off, before the book was published, Lawrence Anthony passed away, and the animals lost their incredible champion. We're still here, and we need to step in for them because, incredibly, these half-ton, armored creatures with giant swords on their heads can't defend themselves from human greed. There's still a chance to turn this sad story around for the remaining rhinos.
The Northern White Rhino is the largest animal to go extinct since the woolly mammoth.
A single anecdote about the rhino who lives in Thula Thula, Anthony's reserve in South Africa, serves to belie the idea that rhinos are not intelligent or adaptable, and I will treasure that. Perhaps to try and make up for the general lack of rhino experiences, Anthony intersperses what becomes a bizarre and scary narrative of human politics with incidents involving elephants, bushbabies, buffalo, and other wonderful animals. All the stories point to his deep belief that animals are as worthy as humans to occupy their space and live undisturbed. At a couple of points, he comments that any person who spends enough time with animals will witness evidence of their intelligence and sociability. There are also many examples that make the reader appreciate the difficulty of the life of conservationists in the wild and the talent and bravery of people who work with endangered animals.
The beginning and much of the rest of the book kept me on the edge of my seat with exciting, suspenseful and true occurrences, definitely material for the cinema. Please, someone, make a movie of this book (perhaps with a few more darling rhinos in the film version) and show it to people who consume rhino horn.
Because Anthony does not accomplish any of his goals for the rhinos. Absolutely everything goes badly wrong, often causing physical reactions in this reader. To top it all off, before the book was published, Lawrence Anthony passed away, and the animals lost their incredible champion. We're still here, and we need to step in for them because, incredibly, these half-ton, armored creatures with giant swords on their heads can't defend themselves from human greed. There's still a chance to turn this sad story around for the remaining rhinos.
The Northern White Rhino is the largest animal to go extinct since the woolly mammoth.
August 31, 2020
Anthony reports his battles against animal poachers across Africa in a way that is action-packed, simply stated, shocking, and heart-warming. You have to love this guy, who shoots it out with armed gangs, stays up all night protecting rhinos, attempts running the maze of Congolese bureaucrats, and tries brokering peace deals with the Lord's Resistance Army in their jungle hideouts. This, it seems to me, is the spirit of South Africa at its most glorious.
May 8, 2012
An extraordinary book by an extraordinary man. Shows what can be achieved if someone just follows the path in front of them wherever it leads. I learnt so much - about rhinos, about Africa, about the complexities of of trying to conserve animal and human life in this magical but highly challenged continent. A must read for anyone interested in conservation or Africa, or life.
January 15, 2024
“How such incredibly powerful creatures could be so vulnerable was a crime against the universe. The tragic futility of it all was what really got me. The rhino’s brilliant million-year evolutionary effort to build up three tons of muscle, bone and horn to defend itself meant nothing in a modern technological world that didn’t care a fig about them. The fact that our grandchildren may never see a rhino in the wild again was a pivotal reason to continue to try and save them.”
What an affecting book. In the epilogue of the book Graham Spense talks about how Lawrence Anthony wanted to call this book as "Blood Horns" and I felt it would have been a much more appropriate name given the results to show. The intent of one man's determination to conservation efforts stands out as he gets pulled into the unchartered territory of African politics and syndicate of armed poachers.
I started reading this book with my daughter till she started crying after the first chapter where poachers brutally kill a rhino for it's horn and one of the game rangers was involved. Her anger and sadness made it impossible for me to continue reading with her. I restricted myself to retell some interesting anecdotes like Shifu ants, the herd mentality of elephants and how Pythons hunt. The description of the African forests and Thula Thula game reserve gives you goosebumps and have been captured brilliantly in words. The elephants become the real hero of the book in the absence of Rhinos.
The frustrating (even for a reader) bureaucracy and politics of Africa occupies most of the pages in this book. In a sense the South white Rhinos take a back seat - as if they have already become extinct. The Lord's Republic Army (LRA) as a terrorist group and Lawrence Anthony's role in giving voice to their story made for an interesting reading.
The conservation efforts change over to 24/7 armed guard with WWII guns and Lawrence Anthony firmly believes this is what is necessary in the absence of support from South East Asian countries who still consume Rhino horns. This book opens up new important dialogues that are not had today. Lawrence Anthony was definitively the hero the earth deserves and wish his legacy is carried on and some of us could do something about it.
What an affecting book. In the epilogue of the book Graham Spense talks about how Lawrence Anthony wanted to call this book as "Blood Horns" and I felt it would have been a much more appropriate name given the results to show. The intent of one man's determination to conservation efforts stands out as he gets pulled into the unchartered territory of African politics and syndicate of armed poachers.
I started reading this book with my daughter till she started crying after the first chapter where poachers brutally kill a rhino for it's horn and one of the game rangers was involved. Her anger and sadness made it impossible for me to continue reading with her. I restricted myself to retell some interesting anecdotes like Shifu ants, the herd mentality of elephants and how Pythons hunt. The description of the African forests and Thula Thula game reserve gives you goosebumps and have been captured brilliantly in words. The elephants become the real hero of the book in the absence of Rhinos.
The frustrating (even for a reader) bureaucracy and politics of Africa occupies most of the pages in this book. In a sense the South white Rhinos take a back seat - as if they have already become extinct. The Lord's Republic Army (LRA) as a terrorist group and Lawrence Anthony's role in giving voice to their story made for an interesting reading.
The conservation efforts change over to 24/7 armed guard with WWII guns and Lawrence Anthony firmly believes this is what is necessary in the absence of support from South East Asian countries who still consume Rhino horns. This book opens up new important dialogues that are not had today. Lawrence Anthony was definitively the hero the earth deserves and wish his legacy is carried on and some of us could do something about it.
June 12, 2024
I like this author, his message and his mission. In this one, he goes to great lengths to save endangered animals, namely rhinos, but also others as well. And he gives them a home on his game reserve.
It sounds like a labor of love, but it sounds incredibly heartbreaking at times.
This book wasn't just about the animals. He had some interesting tangents in this one. Overall, I enjoyed this one as much as I did his other 2 books. So 4 stars.
It sounds like a labor of love, but it sounds incredibly heartbreaking at times.
This book wasn't just about the animals. He had some interesting tangents in this one. Overall, I enjoyed this one as much as I did his other 2 books. So 4 stars.
August 23, 2012
Well, first off there wasn't a whole lot of talk about rhinos and their predicament. The vast majority of the book was about what the author went through in order to get protection for some white rhinos with the help of the Lord's Resistance Army. Now, don't get me wrong, hearing about the whole Invisible Children and LRA dilemna from a different point of view was definitely very, very interesting to me, which is why I rated the book three stars. But I was pretty disappointed that I didn't get to hear more about the rhinos themselves and maybe even what goes into conservation work, besides making risky moves and contacting a rebel army for help. There were more stories about his elephants in the book than the rhinos (which I also loved to hear about!). So I would say if you're thinking about reading this book, expect to learn more about African government and their way of justie, the LRA, and a little about poaching prevention instead of learning about the rhinos themselves.
Quotes I liked:
"I remember one time when Nana and the elephant herd deliberately rescued some antelope that we had captured to relocate to other reserves. We had placed the antelope in a holding boma, or pen. Nana came out of the bush with the herd in tow, opened the clasp and gate with her trunk and then stood back as they escaped to freedom. We had to spend the next day recaputuring the animals, but it was worth every ounce of sweat after watching one species go the aid of another. A herd of wildebeest befriending a lonely rhino orphan was another example of this amazing connection all creatures are capable of." p. 62
"It has always interested me that people will spend more time practising a golf stroke than connecting with their own dogs or cats - and then say that communication with animals is all hocus pocus." p. 245
Quotes I liked:
"I remember one time when Nana and the elephant herd deliberately rescued some antelope that we had captured to relocate to other reserves. We had placed the antelope in a holding boma, or pen. Nana came out of the bush with the herd in tow, opened the clasp and gate with her trunk and then stood back as they escaped to freedom. We had to spend the next day recaputuring the animals, but it was worth every ounce of sweat after watching one species go the aid of another. A herd of wildebeest befriending a lonely rhino orphan was another example of this amazing connection all creatures are capable of." p. 62
"It has always interested me that people will spend more time practising a golf stroke than connecting with their own dogs or cats - and then say that communication with animals is all hocus pocus." p. 245
October 19, 2020
Book on CD narrated by Simon Vance
3.5***
Subtitle: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures
Alternate Subtitle: The Powerful Story of One Man's Battle to Save a Species
Lawrence Anthony has been called the Indiana Jones of conservationism. He certainly lives up to that moniker in this memoir of his efforts to save the last remaining Northern White Rhinos in the wild.
Anthony went to great lengths to plan a rescue of these magnificent beasts. But he was up against a growing market for the illegally gotten rhino horns (which are nothing more than keratin … the same basic material that makes up our fingernails), the increasingly military-style training and equipped poachers, the inane bureaucratic hoops he had to jump through (repeatedly), and a civil war with one of the most feared, ruthless rebel groups, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Still, he would not give up. The stories of his meetings with official leaders, and then with LRA generals are fascinating.
Of course, he also writes about the animals … from rhinos to elephants to bushbabies to spitting cobras. No living creature will be killed by man on his reserve, Thula Thula in Zululand, South Africa. I only wish that more of the book was focused on the animals rather than on the negotiations with government officials and rebel group leaders.
Simon Vance does a wonderful job of narrating the audiobook. He really brings this memoir to life; I felt as if Anthony, himself, were telling me about his adventures.
3.5***
Subtitle: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures
Alternate Subtitle: The Powerful Story of One Man's Battle to Save a Species
Lawrence Anthony has been called the Indiana Jones of conservationism. He certainly lives up to that moniker in this memoir of his efforts to save the last remaining Northern White Rhinos in the wild.
Anthony went to great lengths to plan a rescue of these magnificent beasts. But he was up against a growing market for the illegally gotten rhino horns (which are nothing more than keratin … the same basic material that makes up our fingernails), the increasingly military-style training and equipped poachers, the inane bureaucratic hoops he had to jump through (repeatedly), and a civil war with one of the most feared, ruthless rebel groups, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Still, he would not give up. The stories of his meetings with official leaders, and then with LRA generals are fascinating.
Of course, he also writes about the animals … from rhinos to elephants to bushbabies to spitting cobras. No living creature will be killed by man on his reserve, Thula Thula in Zululand, South Africa. I only wish that more of the book was focused on the animals rather than on the negotiations with government officials and rebel group leaders.
Simon Vance does a wonderful job of narrating the audiobook. He really brings this memoir to life; I felt as if Anthony, himself, were telling me about his adventures.
May 16, 2023
"The Last Rhinos" was more than about saving the rhinos. What an engrossing read, and I have learned so much more about the continent and issues relating to the conservation in Africa. I've read news here and there about the LRA and Museveni. Little did I know the political situation was related to the saving of the rhinos. The author's love for the animals and nature definitely touched hearts. Highly recommended!
May 29, 2022
The Last Rhinos is a true story of the efforts of the author and conservationist, Lawrence Anthony to save the last of the northern white rhinos in the war ravaged Congo. No simple undertaking. He had to deal with the leaders of armies of a 20 year war, government, political and cultural bureaucracies, and last but not least, deadly and murderous poachers of the rhinos’ keratin horn to satisfy the greed of wealthy easterners whose misguided beliefs are that the horn of the rhino has mystical powers.
Anthony passed away in 2012, but his wife and 2 sons continue his conservation efforts with the operation of the Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand South Africa which Lawrence started. Anthony was a native of Johannesburg, South Africa.
It is a powerful story, and I highly recommend it. I listened the Audible version. 5 + ⭐️’s.
Anthony passed away in 2012, but his wife and 2 sons continue his conservation efforts with the operation of the Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand South Africa which Lawrence started. Anthony was a native of Johannesburg, South Africa.
It is a powerful story, and I highly recommend it. I listened the Audible version. 5 + ⭐️’s.
November 16, 2012
A brillant follow-on book to Lawrence Anthony's best-seller "The Elephant Whisperer."
In this book Anthony continues to share stories about the happenings at his private game reserve Thula Thula. If the reader has read his first book, the continuation of the animal tales is an easy and enjoyable one.
He also talks about the plight of rhinos in South Africa who are being poached and pushed to the brink of extinction. His mission was spurred after the loss of Heidi, a rhino at Thula Thula who they had reared from young and whose death came as a devastating personal blow to him.
Anthony recounts his story of trying to coordinate a mission to DRC to save a handful of Northern White Rhinos left in the wild. The rhinos lived in an area of the Congo controlled by the infamous Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and were soon to be hunted into extinction.
The writers personal journey is one of adventure, learning lessons, fear, happiness and diasappointment. It was so interesting to read how he was not only a "man of animals" but also someone who some of the scariest and most wanted people in the world could turn to for advice.
He brings interesting insights into the Lord's Resistance Army and the book is well written in a very neutral fashion.
The Last Rhinos is peopled with unforgettable characters, both human and animal, and is a sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always exciting read.
In this book Anthony continues to share stories about the happenings at his private game reserve Thula Thula. If the reader has read his first book, the continuation of the animal tales is an easy and enjoyable one.
He also talks about the plight of rhinos in South Africa who are being poached and pushed to the brink of extinction. His mission was spurred after the loss of Heidi, a rhino at Thula Thula who they had reared from young and whose death came as a devastating personal blow to him.
Anthony recounts his story of trying to coordinate a mission to DRC to save a handful of Northern White Rhinos left in the wild. The rhinos lived in an area of the Congo controlled by the infamous Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and were soon to be hunted into extinction.
The writers personal journey is one of adventure, learning lessons, fear, happiness and diasappointment. It was so interesting to read how he was not only a "man of animals" but also someone who some of the scariest and most wanted people in the world could turn to for advice.
He brings interesting insights into the Lord's Resistance Army and the book is well written in a very neutral fashion.
The Last Rhinos is peopled with unforgettable characters, both human and animal, and is a sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always exciting read.
March 24, 2019
Lawrence Anthony was running a game reserve in South Africa when he heard that there were only about 15 northern white rhinos left in one reserve in the Congo. Unfortunately, the reserve had been abandoned by the people meant to protect the rhinos because of the presence of a terrorist group, the Lord’s Resistance Army. Lawrence was still worried about those rhinos, so he gathered a group of people who were willing to help and went to government officials to see if he could convince them to allow him and his people to rescue the rhinos to take them somewhere safe. In amidst all this, Lawrence ended up negotiating with the LRA for peace, while trying to enlist their help in protecting the rhinos.
I really liked this, even though there was more politics in the book than I’d expected. The start and end of the book focused on the rhinos and the animals in Lawrence’s own reserve, but most of the middle of it was his negotiations with the LRA. Even so, it was written in a way that I was quite interested in how it would all go, both with the animals and with the peace negotiations.
I really liked this, even though there was more politics in the book than I’d expected. The start and end of the book focused on the rhinos and the animals in Lawrence’s own reserve, but most of the middle of it was his negotiations with the LRA. Even so, it was written in a way that I was quite interested in how it would all go, both with the animals and with the peace negotiations.
February 23, 2021
Amazing to discover that when stumped by bureaucracy and politics, Lawrence Anthony would approach the Lord’s Resistance Army, no less! Again a book which reveals the intricacies and tenacity needed for wildlife conservation. Thrilling, inspiring and hopeful, a lovely legacy to imbibe.
August 27, 2014
This book is 3% rhinos, 27% elephants, and 70% african politics. Not really what I was looking for.
December 18, 2016
Another fantastic, real-life adventure by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence. Unlike thrillers found in the fiction section, The Last Rhinos dispenses with suspense and focuses on describing the full gamut of challenges faced by Anthony and his hand-picked team to save the Northern White Rhinoceroses in Garamba National Park. By reading the title the broader subject is already spoiled and those individuals that have read other memoirs by Lawrence Anthony will already be familiar with some of the cast – human and wildlife alike. But the charm and interest of all of these works remains in the warm, personable telling of the events, the hardships, and the humorous anecdotes.
However the deeper story is about the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army and the region’s struggle to find lasting peace even as the rebel group operates in wildlife reserves occupied by the last northern white rhinoceroses.
It also serves as a gentle criticism of the bureaucracy of modern conservation. With so many different non-governmental organizations at regional and international exerting different opinions on how to save wildlife, finding a common way forward that saves wildlife in an efficient and timely manner can be a struggle. Compounding the problem are local and national-level politics, corruption, and instability which make yielding results that much more challenging.
The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures focuses more on adventure than wildlife behavior and specific acts of conservation. Yet it’s suitable for a wide audience and is a very accessible and important glimpse of some of the conflict within Central Africa and all of the hope for a peaceful future that fuels the hearts of the people.
Lawrence Anthony passed away in 2012, but the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization continues his tradition and values of pursuing practical conservation projects aimed at making the world a better place for humans and wildlife.
Other Books:
Lawrence Anthony has written two other true stories, with the help of Graham Spence, chronicling his other personal adventures in conservation.
The Elephant Whisperer recounts his experiences and success in providing a home to an elephant herd recently traumatized after having one of its members shot for being a "problem elephant." Anthony does his best to create a situation that is suitable to the elephants on his Thula Thula Game Reserve and that does not endanger any of the people living or working nearby. He quickly finds that the elephants are both very clever and very determined not to be caged and deported from their natural homes and Anthony must contend not only with the will of the matriarch, but also the emotions of the herd itself. Along this journey he notes many amazing characteristics of elephants and emphasizes their capacity to interpret and understand the world around them.
Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo is worth reading for anyone impacted by the U.S.-led coalition's invasion of Iraq in 2003, or anyone with an interest in wildlife preservation. It adds another perspective to the conflict and highlights not only the lives led by the city's inhabitants during the inter-war period but also the lives of the animals in the Baghdad Zoo and those kept by the Saddam family in their lavish homes.
With more determination than a plan, Anthony set out to rescue animals who were as unaccustomed to warfare as the people of Baghdad. On his journey he meets an array of selfless individuals willing to help, these include zoo employees hoping to return to work even as fighting continues in the city, South African private security volunteering their own time to guard the dangerous area around the zoo, and American forces that volunteer their time, rations, and money to help Anthony on his quest to save all the remaining zoo animals -- and those across the city who have been caught up in illegal wildlife trafficking and are held in poor conditions.
Further Reading:
Readers who enjoy the topics of wildlife behavior and African wildlife conservation will also be interested in Gareth Patterson's several books on lion conservation, rehabilitation, and rewilding including: To Walk with Lions, Last of the Free, and My Lion's Heart: A Life for the Lions of Africa.
Kobie Krüger's The Wilderness Family is also highly recommended and depicts a warm and vibrant reality of the South African Lowveld as experienced by her game warden husband and their family living inside the world famous Kruger National Park in South Africa.
However the deeper story is about the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army and the region’s struggle to find lasting peace even as the rebel group operates in wildlife reserves occupied by the last northern white rhinoceroses.
It also serves as a gentle criticism of the bureaucracy of modern conservation. With so many different non-governmental organizations at regional and international exerting different opinions on how to save wildlife, finding a common way forward that saves wildlife in an efficient and timely manner can be a struggle. Compounding the problem are local and national-level politics, corruption, and instability which make yielding results that much more challenging.
The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures focuses more on adventure than wildlife behavior and specific acts of conservation. Yet it’s suitable for a wide audience and is a very accessible and important glimpse of some of the conflict within Central Africa and all of the hope for a peaceful future that fuels the hearts of the people.
Lawrence Anthony passed away in 2012, but the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization continues his tradition and values of pursuing practical conservation projects aimed at making the world a better place for humans and wildlife.
Other Books:
Lawrence Anthony has written two other true stories, with the help of Graham Spence, chronicling his other personal adventures in conservation.
The Elephant Whisperer recounts his experiences and success in providing a home to an elephant herd recently traumatized after having one of its members shot for being a "problem elephant." Anthony does his best to create a situation that is suitable to the elephants on his Thula Thula Game Reserve and that does not endanger any of the people living or working nearby. He quickly finds that the elephants are both very clever and very determined not to be caged and deported from their natural homes and Anthony must contend not only with the will of the matriarch, but also the emotions of the herd itself. Along this journey he notes many amazing characteristics of elephants and emphasizes their capacity to interpret and understand the world around them.
Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo is worth reading for anyone impacted by the U.S.-led coalition's invasion of Iraq in 2003, or anyone with an interest in wildlife preservation. It adds another perspective to the conflict and highlights not only the lives led by the city's inhabitants during the inter-war period but also the lives of the animals in the Baghdad Zoo and those kept by the Saddam family in their lavish homes.
With more determination than a plan, Anthony set out to rescue animals who were as unaccustomed to warfare as the people of Baghdad. On his journey he meets an array of selfless individuals willing to help, these include zoo employees hoping to return to work even as fighting continues in the city, South African private security volunteering their own time to guard the dangerous area around the zoo, and American forces that volunteer their time, rations, and money to help Anthony on his quest to save all the remaining zoo animals -- and those across the city who have been caught up in illegal wildlife trafficking and are held in poor conditions.
Further Reading:
Readers who enjoy the topics of wildlife behavior and African wildlife conservation will also be interested in Gareth Patterson's several books on lion conservation, rehabilitation, and rewilding including: To Walk with Lions, Last of the Free, and My Lion's Heart: A Life for the Lions of Africa.
Kobie Krüger's The Wilderness Family is also highly recommended and depicts a warm and vibrant reality of the South African Lowveld as experienced by her game warden husband and their family living inside the world famous Kruger National Park in South Africa.
July 16, 2023
One of my favourite books ever. So well written and touching, it goes into the politics and events of the war happening in DRC quite heavily but It’s tackled in such a great way and I couldn’t put the book down when I was in that section. Lawrence’s connection to animals is amazing to read about and it really puts the importance of rhino conservation into perspective.
October 3, 2024
The Last Rhinos by Lawrence Anthony is a moving and sad account of the fight to save one of the world’s most endangered species. Anthony’s journey to protect the northern white rhinos in war-torn Congo is filled with moments of hopelessness as he faces their near extinction. Despite the sadness, the book offers hope through Anthony’s efforts, not only to save the rhinos but also to promote peace. His work with local leaders and warring groups shows the power of one person to make a difference, both for wildlife and for humanity.
March 2, 2015
Absolutely fantastic. Just as amazing as The Elephant Whisperer. Now I desperately want to find his first book. I am so very sad to hear that Lawrence is no longer with us, but am glad his family is keeping up the fight, and I truly hope to visit Thula Thula someday.
June 24, 2012
A must read for any South African or anyone remotely concerned about what poachers are doing in South Africa
February 7, 2023
was really fun to read but ended depressingly and very political
March 10, 2022
4.25. This is a riveting story about conservationist Lawrence Anthony's quest to save the Northern white rhinos in Africa. The book chronicles the long struggle with African politics and people to initiate a program to save the last remaining Northern white rhinos after removing them from their current location to the Thula Thula reserve, which Lawrence oversaw. When one realizes that rhinos are at such risk to poachers - who want the coveted rhino horn as "blood money" or for medicinal purposes (mind you, a horn is made of keratin, which is found in human fingernails and hair) - it makes the story more poignant and terrible. "I had unwittingly been dragged into this whole saga, thinking naively that all we had to do was provide money, resources, and good old-fashioned determination to save a species. I had no idea of the bureaucracy, contempt, arrogance, and hubris that we would encounter. I had no idea of the underlying cause of the myriad wars and conflicts in Africa that are also causing the collapse of conservation. And I had no real idea of the ruthlessness of rhino-poaching syndicates. It has been a bitter lesson." While Lawrence died prematurely in 2012, his wife, staff, and supporters took on his legacy in Africa. This book is the 2nd book I have read by Lawrence (The Elephant Whisperer"), and I will now look forward to reading his earlier book "Babylon's Ark" which details the story of his rescue efforts of the Baghdad Zoo during the Iraq War the early 2000's. Such important reads for all of us to become more informed and sensitized to the plight of the world's animals.
August 18, 2018
This is the second book by Lawrence Anthony that I have read. I truly enjoyed it and definitely recommend it. I was disappointed to learn that he passed away in 2012 as it means there will be no more books by him. Though I am looking forward to reading his first book, Babylon's Ark.
In this book, he shares his attempt to rescue the endangered northern white rhinos. It is an engrossing story that reveals a great deal about what Africa is like and the day to day life of a private nature reserve in South Africa. Lawrence was a larger than life character who cared deeply about conservation and had a innate capacity to relate to animals.
Lawrence wrote his books with Graham Spence, a journalist and editor, who was also his brother-in-law. At the end of this book, Graham writes about Lawrence and reveals much about him and their relationship.
In this book, he shares his attempt to rescue the endangered northern white rhinos. It is an engrossing story that reveals a great deal about what Africa is like and the day to day life of a private nature reserve in South Africa. Lawrence was a larger than life character who cared deeply about conservation and had a innate capacity to relate to animals.
Lawrence wrote his books with Graham Spence, a journalist and editor, who was also his brother-in-law. At the end of this book, Graham writes about Lawrence and reveals much about him and their relationship.
December 2, 2019
This was so different than The Elephant Whisperer! This story (that of a person meeting with the LRA) seems like a story that would get pitched and sold to a producer or editor for sure. But for some reason, the story felt less exciting to me than The Elephant Whisperer. I think I like Lawrence Anthony best when he tells short one-chapter plot arcs. But this did feel more poignant.
I think Lawrence Anthony is like an ideal poster boy for not being a white savior and really understanding and loving a culture that isn't his and becoming familiar with it and then helping create growth with his understanding of that culture and his knowledge from elsewhere. He is a very, very, very inspirational figure for me and I would love to keep learning about him. Maybe in the afterlife he can adopt me and be my grandpa?
I think Lawrence Anthony is like an ideal poster boy for not being a white savior and really understanding and loving a culture that isn't his and becoming familiar with it and then helping create growth with his understanding of that culture and his knowledge from elsewhere. He is a very, very, very inspirational figure for me and I would love to keep learning about him. Maybe in the afterlife he can adopt me and be my grandpa?
August 30, 2017
Stories of the plight of disappearing species will always touch my heart. In his attempt to save the white rhinos living in the Congo, Anthony ends up helping to broker an attempted peace deal between warring factions. There are some great animal stories, and we re-visit some familiar animal friends, but most of the book was about the LRA peace struggles.
Anthony helps us see the human side of this supposed violent group. We could all learn much from the Traditional African ways both in listening, treating others, and justice.
Particularity touching, was Graham Spence' s eulogy in the epilogue. I'm left feeling sad that the earth has lost Lawrence Anthony-a truly great man.
Anthony helps us see the human side of this supposed violent group. We could all learn much from the Traditional African ways both in listening, treating others, and justice.
Particularity touching, was Graham Spence' s eulogy in the epilogue. I'm left feeling sad that the earth has lost Lawrence Anthony-a truly great man.
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