What do you think?
Rate this book
The Big Conservation Lie
The Big Conservation Lie’ is a wake up call focused on a field that has been ‘front and centre’ of many people’s hearts and minds in recent years; The conservation of Africa’s wildlife. It is a pursuit whose power to inspire is only rivalled by it’s ability to blind it’s audience to reality. This book takes the reader through Kenya’s conservation ‘industry’ and the players therein with all their prejudices, weaknesses and commitment to causes, many of which are indistinguishable from their personalities. It is a call to indigenous Africans to claim their place at the table where the management of their natural resources is being discussed and invites well-meaning donors to look beyond the romantic images and detect the possible role of their money in the disenfranchisement of a people.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 15, 2017
90 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 11, 2018
This book is a critique of wildlife conservation in Africa, and Kenya in particular. The authors criticize the motives of NGO's who have economic incentives to sensationalize and even perpetuate crises to keep their donations of money flowing. They also criticize the government of Kenya, especially the Kenya Wildlife Service, for failing to address true conservation with science, and instead relegating their workforce to what amounts to wildlife security, deferring the science to outsiders. They also point out the marked racial divide in African conservation ecology, especially among the scientists. Most poignantly for me, they also acknowledge the traditional forms of conservation practiced by Kenyans since time immemorial (before colonialists arrived), and bemoan the erosion of some of this culture, in some cases partially replaced by a conservation culture fraught with the problems identified above.
Many or all of these criticisms are probably valid, but the book does a poor job of really laying out the case for them. The book rambles untethered in places and reads to me like it could use some more vigorous editing for cogency. A lot the prose winds its way to claims against NGOs and personal attacks on the motives of prominent players in the government or conservation groups, usually without substantiation. Thus, the reader is left with a string of personally biting assertions, and often little evidence. The book also only sometimes offers anything resembling a solution or preferred alternative. The last chapter attempts this, but too often falls back on motherhood statements.
Nonetheless, I found the chapter entitled “Prostitution/Tyranny of Science” engaging and in places wincingly accurate. Though evidence is again scant, my own experience is consistent with many of their claims, and I’m sorry to say I’m guilty of some of them. Conservation scientists would do well to heed their warnings and acknowledge the validity of their criticism. This chapter is a strong wake-up call. The conservation community can do better, and it can start by better working with, learning from, in some cases deferring to, African scientists. And in all cases, we must recognize that, as the authors put it, “any conservation work that does not have environmental, social, and economic sustainability built into it is fundamentally flawed.”
Many or all of these criticisms are probably valid, but the book does a poor job of really laying out the case for them. The book rambles untethered in places and reads to me like it could use some more vigorous editing for cogency. A lot the prose winds its way to claims against NGOs and personal attacks on the motives of prominent players in the government or conservation groups, usually without substantiation. Thus, the reader is left with a string of personally biting assertions, and often little evidence. The book also only sometimes offers anything resembling a solution or preferred alternative. The last chapter attempts this, but too often falls back on motherhood statements.
Nonetheless, I found the chapter entitled “Prostitution/Tyranny of Science” engaging and in places wincingly accurate. Though evidence is again scant, my own experience is consistent with many of their claims, and I’m sorry to say I’m guilty of some of them. Conservation scientists would do well to heed their warnings and acknowledge the validity of their criticism. This chapter is a strong wake-up call. The conservation community can do better, and it can start by better working with, learning from, in some cases deferring to, African scientists. And in all cases, we must recognize that, as the authors put it, “any conservation work that does not have environmental, social, and economic sustainability built into it is fundamentally flawed.”
November 19, 2020
I read this book and it made me remember all what the ICCN and WWF is doing to people in DRC in the name of conservation. People are killed, put to jail, raped and persecuted for their own lands. We are sick and tired of being sick and tired
April 19, 2017
I was quite hooked when I started and it came at an important time: 'land invasions' in Kenya and serious conflicts over areas occupied by wildlife. The authors name names and seem unafraid. But as it progressed, certain issues started to bug me: the awful formatting in the Kindle edition (this is a real gripe!) was just one. There is also a romanticisation of pre-colonial Africa that rubbed me the wrong way (this a matter for me to explore, obviously) and the fact that it is badly edited didn't help.
I went on a mini-rant on Twitter when I was done (of course). The book has some great points but it does a middling job of putting the point across. I've read some - not a lot - of non-fiction in my time and the thing I found missing here was a strong set of core ideas and structure. This book would have been better as essays.
I went on a mini-rant on Twitter when I was done (of course). The book has some great points but it does a middling job of putting the point across. I've read some - not a lot - of non-fiction in my time and the thing I found missing here was a strong set of core ideas and structure. This book would have been better as essays.
September 1, 2022
I encourage, everyone, whether interested or not in conservation in Kenya and Africa in general, to read The Big Conservation Lie. It is not the full gospel, it could even be half-truths, but reading it will definitely open your mind to a different perspective on what is happening in the conservation world. Hopefully, another conversation will start and in the end a much bigger CONVERSATION on CONSERVATION.
not-finished
December 17, 2018Denunciation of how big business and international conservation NGOs are dispossessing local communities, including Indigenous peoples, in the name of wildlife conservation, ignoring the skills of those same communities developed over generations. And often, ironically, in some cases making money from big-game hunting, justified as "controlling" dangerous species, which are a threat to humans or other species, or which have become too numerous in specific locations. However the book often fails to provide convincing evidence.
November 8, 2018
Might change the rating when I've had time to think about this one a bit more. Sociology non-fiction is always hard to rate because there are the seperate elements of the theory and the writing style, bot of them not necessarily good.
August 18, 2020
‘The Big Conservation Lie’ is specifically based on conservation structure and history in Kenya. Correctly pointing out the many flaws and mistakes that have been made and continue to be made in conservation. Throughout the book the theme of greedy caucasians is often not so subtly expressed. As well as, how imperialism was the first step in upsetting the natural equilibrium between people and animals prior to colonisation.
Overall, I agreed with many of the points in the book. Particularly that there should be stricter and more objective regulation/monitoring of NGOs/Individuals to make sure that a small minority of people with power do not bend legislation and spread fake news in order to generate revenue at the cost of wildlife. Those caught exploiting the ecology should be banned form owning land, extradited/jailed and heavily fined.
It would be an excellent idea to have a new bottom up approach fully integrating all cultures of the country together to conserve as many species as possible ranging from large animals to the smallest plants and insects.
This being said the book in my opinion was horrendously one sided and refused to believe that there are NGOs and foreign conservationists who are not self-centred and are passionate about learning and preserving the incredible wildlife in Africa (of which there are many of these people!). From my experience these are also the same people who are often working on short and long term sustainable projects while cooperating heavily with local subject matter experts incorporating customs and cultures into conservation for a holistic and positive outlook and methodology of preservation and conservation.
Finally the book was poorly structured and seemed to collapse into long prose, rambling on in an aggressive and subjective manner which did not flow properly and seemed to offer little data to back up many of its points.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book as it offers a very interesting insight into Kenyan Conservation and highlights how it is easy to fly under the radar and use charity and animals as a money maker. However, it must be taken with a pinch of salt!
Overall, I agreed with many of the points in the book. Particularly that there should be stricter and more objective regulation/monitoring of NGOs/Individuals to make sure that a small minority of people with power do not bend legislation and spread fake news in order to generate revenue at the cost of wildlife. Those caught exploiting the ecology should be banned form owning land, extradited/jailed and heavily fined.
It would be an excellent idea to have a new bottom up approach fully integrating all cultures of the country together to conserve as many species as possible ranging from large animals to the smallest plants and insects.
This being said the book in my opinion was horrendously one sided and refused to believe that there are NGOs and foreign conservationists who are not self-centred and are passionate about learning and preserving the incredible wildlife in Africa (of which there are many of these people!). From my experience these are also the same people who are often working on short and long term sustainable projects while cooperating heavily with local subject matter experts incorporating customs and cultures into conservation for a holistic and positive outlook and methodology of preservation and conservation.
Finally the book was poorly structured and seemed to collapse into long prose, rambling on in an aggressive and subjective manner which did not flow properly and seemed to offer little data to back up many of its points.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book as it offers a very interesting insight into Kenyan Conservation and highlights how it is easy to fly under the radar and use charity and animals as a money maker. However, it must be taken with a pinch of salt!
December 18, 2021
A decent if unspectacular read on the issues with conservation, specifically in Kenya
Much of the book is spent detailing and taking apart hero worship of white men and women in wildlife conservation, posing the counterpoint of native Africans who have lived in harmony with the biosphere for centuries without needing to attach a monetary value to wildlife or forests, instead they were kept intact by the beliefs locals had in their sanctity, the reluctance of locals to offend the deities and spirits that were once believed to own and exist within these resources
Although the book touches upon the power structures that have not been questioned in conservationism, it didn't delve into it as deep as I would have liked
I thought the book did well in looking at the contradictions and hypocrisy behind Christian missionaries during colonialism who taught antimaterialism, but continued to accumulate the same wealth they discouraged converts from acquiring, and tracing this to the present in which modern day white settlers destroy wildlife through hunting parties or clear forest to pave way for a destructive and manipulative neo-colonial order, the particular example of Douglas-Hamilton who worked alongside well-funded NGOs and established tourism businesses to frustrate and hinder the emergence of new economic ventures that would have meant more meaningful benefits to local through income generation and new employment, highlighting the hypocrisy of white settlers in asking others to obey laws that they had broken in the past
I also thought the book's chapter on conservation as a means for resource extraction was interesting and how the British have continued preserving and extracting minerals from Kenyans under the cover of conservation and hiding this fact from the natives
Much of the book is spent detailing and taking apart hero worship of white men and women in wildlife conservation, posing the counterpoint of native Africans who have lived in harmony with the biosphere for centuries without needing to attach a monetary value to wildlife or forests, instead they were kept intact by the beliefs locals had in their sanctity, the reluctance of locals to offend the deities and spirits that were once believed to own and exist within these resources
Although the book touches upon the power structures that have not been questioned in conservationism, it didn't delve into it as deep as I would have liked
I thought the book did well in looking at the contradictions and hypocrisy behind Christian missionaries during colonialism who taught antimaterialism, but continued to accumulate the same wealth they discouraged converts from acquiring, and tracing this to the present in which modern day white settlers destroy wildlife through hunting parties or clear forest to pave way for a destructive and manipulative neo-colonial order, the particular example of Douglas-Hamilton who worked alongside well-funded NGOs and established tourism businesses to frustrate and hinder the emergence of new economic ventures that would have meant more meaningful benefits to local through income generation and new employment, highlighting the hypocrisy of white settlers in asking others to obey laws that they had broken in the past
I also thought the book's chapter on conservation as a means for resource extraction was interesting and how the British have continued preserving and extracting minerals from Kenyans under the cover of conservation and hiding this fact from the natives
June 10, 2018
This book takes on a number of the important issues facing conservation today, both from within and from without, which are critical for the survival of the movement going forward.
They question the motives of NGO's who have strong economic incentives to milk crises for donor money. These organizations' stated purpose is to solve conservation problems, but their salaries are paid by the existence of ongoing threats. And most of them do their own marketing campaigns and set their own salaries - a dangerous combination.
They criticize weak governance in Kenya of bioprospecting. Foreign companies have made hundreds of millions of dollars from products derived from Kenyan biota without returning much of that wealth.
They examine the myth of altruism in conservation with a critical lens. Many of the charismatic figures in conservation in Kenya make a very good living and travel the world going to conferences. All of the people working in conservation are humans with material desires and needs, and to try to turn them into the heroic good guys in a two dimensional war between conservationists and poachers is not helpful.
They point out the very real and prevalent racial divide in conservation in Africa today. Given that conservation in Africa is about conserving African nature, Africans are starkly underrepresented in the leadership. And there's a severe gap in the distribution of praise. The men and women at the front lines of conservation, eco guards and park rangers, often putting their lives on the line for much less impressive salaries, rarely get the acclaim afforded to charismatic CEO’s of well funded NGO’s who are seen as almost single handedly preserving entire populations or species.
And they decry the erosion of African culture and with it the traditional forms of conservation enshrined in rituals and belief systems that protected wildlife in Kenya for centuries before foreigners came along.
So, having noted all of the important points they address, I have to say that it's extremely disappointing that the authors do such a poor job of critically engaging the material.
The book on the whole isn't well structured and in desperate need of a good editor. Much of the book comes down to claims against individual NGO's and ad hominem attacks against prominent individuals in conservation. There are almost no references or citations provided for any of the assertions or facts provided. The majority of their 77 references are books written by the people they're castigating or news articles written by the author. So it's impossible to tell how much of this book is personal opinion and how much is verifiable fact. In addition, they make a great many leading statements without any evidence to substantiate their implied claims. They incite the reader to ask many questions about the motivations or effects of individuals and NGO's without doing the relevant research to actually answer any of these questions. I find this to be a highly disreputable sort of journalism. If you have evidence to support your claims you should cite it. If you don't, you shouldn't imply that your assertions are fact.
Being somewhat familiar with many of the conservation issues faced in Kenya, I still found that the book didn't provide adequate context for me to get a grasp on many of the specific instances they cited as evidence of NGO corruption. The book is also almost exclusively negative, so it's difficult to get a sense of what the authors themselves stand for and support in conservation. The 2 page solution they offer at the end of a 200 page book is to have a national dialogue to figure out what the solutions should be.
Overall this was a book that had a lot of potential to take on some of the issues in conservation that need to be addressed. I had hoped to get some insight into the specific problems faced by conservation in Kenya. Though the authors do a good job addressing the overarching issues, the lack of thorough research or clear and well organized argumentation leaves me underwhelmed.
They question the motives of NGO's who have strong economic incentives to milk crises for donor money. These organizations' stated purpose is to solve conservation problems, but their salaries are paid by the existence of ongoing threats. And most of them do their own marketing campaigns and set their own salaries - a dangerous combination.
They criticize weak governance in Kenya of bioprospecting. Foreign companies have made hundreds of millions of dollars from products derived from Kenyan biota without returning much of that wealth.
They examine the myth of altruism in conservation with a critical lens. Many of the charismatic figures in conservation in Kenya make a very good living and travel the world going to conferences. All of the people working in conservation are humans with material desires and needs, and to try to turn them into the heroic good guys in a two dimensional war between conservationists and poachers is not helpful.
They point out the very real and prevalent racial divide in conservation in Africa today. Given that conservation in Africa is about conserving African nature, Africans are starkly underrepresented in the leadership. And there's a severe gap in the distribution of praise. The men and women at the front lines of conservation, eco guards and park rangers, often putting their lives on the line for much less impressive salaries, rarely get the acclaim afforded to charismatic CEO’s of well funded NGO’s who are seen as almost single handedly preserving entire populations or species.
And they decry the erosion of African culture and with it the traditional forms of conservation enshrined in rituals and belief systems that protected wildlife in Kenya for centuries before foreigners came along.
So, having noted all of the important points they address, I have to say that it's extremely disappointing that the authors do such a poor job of critically engaging the material.
The book on the whole isn't well structured and in desperate need of a good editor. Much of the book comes down to claims against individual NGO's and ad hominem attacks against prominent individuals in conservation. There are almost no references or citations provided for any of the assertions or facts provided. The majority of their 77 references are books written by the people they're castigating or news articles written by the author. So it's impossible to tell how much of this book is personal opinion and how much is verifiable fact. In addition, they make a great many leading statements without any evidence to substantiate their implied claims. They incite the reader to ask many questions about the motivations or effects of individuals and NGO's without doing the relevant research to actually answer any of these questions. I find this to be a highly disreputable sort of journalism. If you have evidence to support your claims you should cite it. If you don't, you shouldn't imply that your assertions are fact.
Being somewhat familiar with many of the conservation issues faced in Kenya, I still found that the book didn't provide adequate context for me to get a grasp on many of the specific instances they cited as evidence of NGO corruption. The book is also almost exclusively negative, so it's difficult to get a sense of what the authors themselves stand for and support in conservation. The 2 page solution they offer at the end of a 200 page book is to have a national dialogue to figure out what the solutions should be.
Overall this was a book that had a lot of potential to take on some of the issues in conservation that need to be addressed. I had hoped to get some insight into the specific problems faced by conservation in Kenya. Though the authors do a good job addressing the overarching issues, the lack of thorough research or clear and well organized argumentation leaves me underwhelmed.
September 6, 2024
Book Review: The Big Conservation Lie by John Mbaria and Mordecai Ogada
I first stumbled upon "The Big Conservation Lie"
What makes "The Big Conservation Lie" stand out is its boldness. John Mbaria and Mordecai Ogada pull no punches in exposing the uncomfortable truth that conservation in Africa—particularly Kenya—has been hijacked by foreign interests. They argue that the very people who should be custodians of their lands and natural resources are sidelined, their voices drowned out by powerful Western organizations with ulterior motives. The book makes it clear that conservation has become less about saving wildlife and more about controlling vast swaths of African land, often under the guise of "helping" the continent.
The narrative makes one thing glaringly evident: the system is rigged, and many conservation efforts are a smokescreen for land grabbing, exploitation, and the silencing of indigenous communities. These foreign powers, in collaboration with complicit local elites, dictate how conservation is done, leaving the very communities who have coexisted with wildlife for centuries marginalized and disempowered.
The harsh reality is that ordinary citizens are rarely informed of the real state of affairs. This begs the question: How much do we really know about what's happening in our own country? Are we merely spectators to the decisions that deeply affect our land, heritage, and future? The book is an eye-opener, exposing just how much is concealed from the public under layers of bureaucracy and greenwashing.
For anyone considering reading this book, be warned—it will ignite anger and frustration as you uncover the truth. Each page brings new revelations that challenge the carefully crafted narrative of Western-led conservation efforts. You will find yourself asking: If this is happening in the open, what else is being hidden from us? The anger is justified because we’ve been led to believe in a lie, a conservation model that often does more harm than good.
Mbaria and Ogada provide a well-researched critique, filled with examples of how conservation has become a tool for economic and political control. The book is both a call to action and a sobering reminder of the challenges we face if we are to reclaim our land, our resources, and our voices.
“The Big Conservation Lie” is not just a book; it’s a wake-up call. It’s an invitation for Kenyans and Africans to take back control of our narrative and hold those in power accountable for their actions. So, if you’re looking for a book that will challenge your perceptions, expose the corruption within the conservation sector, and make you rethink everything you’ve been told, this is the book for you. Be prepared to feel enlightened, but also enraged, as every chapter unravels layers of deceit that have been woven into the fabric of African conservation.
I highly encourage you to pick it up—it's not just a book, it’s a truth that demands to be heard.
I first stumbled upon "The Big Conservation Lie"
What makes "The Big Conservation Lie" stand out is its boldness. John Mbaria and Mordecai Ogada pull no punches in exposing the uncomfortable truth that conservation in Africa—particularly Kenya—has been hijacked by foreign interests. They argue that the very people who should be custodians of their lands and natural resources are sidelined, their voices drowned out by powerful Western organizations with ulterior motives. The book makes it clear that conservation has become less about saving wildlife and more about controlling vast swaths of African land, often under the guise of "helping" the continent.
The narrative makes one thing glaringly evident: the system is rigged, and many conservation efforts are a smokescreen for land grabbing, exploitation, and the silencing of indigenous communities. These foreign powers, in collaboration with complicit local elites, dictate how conservation is done, leaving the very communities who have coexisted with wildlife for centuries marginalized and disempowered.
The harsh reality is that ordinary citizens are rarely informed of the real state of affairs. This begs the question: How much do we really know about what's happening in our own country? Are we merely spectators to the decisions that deeply affect our land, heritage, and future? The book is an eye-opener, exposing just how much is concealed from the public under layers of bureaucracy and greenwashing.
For anyone considering reading this book, be warned—it will ignite anger and frustration as you uncover the truth. Each page brings new revelations that challenge the carefully crafted narrative of Western-led conservation efforts. You will find yourself asking: If this is happening in the open, what else is being hidden from us? The anger is justified because we’ve been led to believe in a lie, a conservation model that often does more harm than good.
Mbaria and Ogada provide a well-researched critique, filled with examples of how conservation has become a tool for economic and political control. The book is both a call to action and a sobering reminder of the challenges we face if we are to reclaim our land, our resources, and our voices.
“The Big Conservation Lie” is not just a book; it’s a wake-up call. It’s an invitation for Kenyans and Africans to take back control of our narrative and hold those in power accountable for their actions. So, if you’re looking for a book that will challenge your perceptions, expose the corruption within the conservation sector, and make you rethink everything you’ve been told, this is the book for you. Be prepared to feel enlightened, but also enraged, as every chapter unravels layers of deceit that have been woven into the fabric of African conservation.
I highly encourage you to pick it up—it's not just a book, it’s a truth that demands to be heard.
September 8, 2017
Il colonialismo è stata una catastrofe dalla quale ancora oggi i paesi del terzo mondo non riescono a riprendersi. Il colonialismo non è finito, ma si ripropone in forme più sottili ma almeno altrettanto perniciose. Questo saggio affronta il problema delle politiche di conservazione in Kenya, con particolare riguardo alla gestione dei parchi che è, in maniera diretta o indiretta, appannaggio di persone di discendenza europea e di ONG, organismi che sempre più assomigliano alle devastanti opere missionarie che accompagnavano gli esploratori degli albori dell'espansionismo imperialista. Gli abitanti originari di quelle terre sono sempre più spesso allontanati in nome della tutela della natura e accusati di bracconaggio, dimenticando o facendo finta di dimenticare che, se qualcosa di questa natura è giunto fino a noi, è proprio grazie all'equilibrio ancestrale che questi popoli originari hanno saputo creare e non certo per le pelose politiche di gestione dei neocolonialisti degli ultimi cinquant'anni.
Un libro coraggioso; gli autori non trascurano di fare i nomi e addirittura icone dell'ambientalismo come Diane Fossey e altri vengono messi duramente in discussione.
Un libro coraggioso; gli autori non trascurano di fare i nomi e addirittura icone dell'ambientalismo come Diane Fossey e altri vengono messi duramente in discussione.
August 15, 2021
Eye opener. Must read
The book is great in highlighting and making it known the misinformation that conservationists in Africa use to pursue their own commercial interests while painting themselves as fairy godmothers who love wildlife unconditionally and their only life goal is conservation.
Conservation in Africa doesn't get a lot of attention and this book does a good job educating the reader about waking up to the misinformation African governments and donors are fed about the well meaning and kindly conservationists in particular NGOs that are almost always chasing donor funds while doing very little to help fix the problems they passionately swear they're trying to solve. Though to be sincere, this is a problem ailing the NGO model in all sectors rather than conservation alone.
The book didn't flow and the structure and progression wasn't done very well, nothing a little editing will not fix.
The book is great in highlighting and making it known the misinformation that conservationists in Africa use to pursue their own commercial interests while painting themselves as fairy godmothers who love wildlife unconditionally and their only life goal is conservation.
Conservation in Africa doesn't get a lot of attention and this book does a good job educating the reader about waking up to the misinformation African governments and donors are fed about the well meaning and kindly conservationists in particular NGOs that are almost always chasing donor funds while doing very little to help fix the problems they passionately swear they're trying to solve. Though to be sincere, this is a problem ailing the NGO model in all sectors rather than conservation alone.
The book didn't flow and the structure and progression wasn't done very well, nothing a little editing will not fix.
June 3, 2024
I struggled with reading the book on kindle but it seems to be a problem a few others experienced. That said, very interesting and informative issues were raised: especially the one about how missionaries came and preached against material wealth, all while getting the best pieces of land..,and how missionary work was purportedly separate from colonial-empire-building, but not really.
I was shocked to learn that some conservancies view a dead poached animal as perfect bait for boosting their fundraising efforts..wow,what a cruel world.
I feel like the traditional human-wildlife coexistence would have been impacted, with or without the conservationists. Conflicts among these communities have existed even long before, and eventually the wild animals would have suffered.
Would have been nice to heat a few recommendations or ways things can be done better, or is it a lost cause?
I was shocked to learn that some conservancies view a dead poached animal as perfect bait for boosting their fundraising efforts..wow,what a cruel world.
I feel like the traditional human-wildlife coexistence would have been impacted, with or without the conservationists. Conflicts among these communities have existed even long before, and eventually the wild animals would have suffered.
Would have been nice to heat a few recommendations or ways things can be done better, or is it a lost cause?
October 23, 2022
There are great points here but also a great amount of what feels like personal rage - the effect is certainly less convincing and more... concerning. The sounds of knives being sharpened are never pleasant. What makes the book difficult is that a great many of its positions are fundamentally valid, but they are trained like a weapon and not provided for discussion. A difficult book in more than a few ways.
November 5, 2025
Good read to understand the role of indigenous African tribal belief system in conservation and also eye opener for budding conservationist to understand the role of big conservation organisations and their questionable impact. Definitely Kenya is great example to what happens when too much power vests in the hands of NGOs. it was also insightful to understand about the usage of missionaries by Western world and also concept of bioprospecting.
July 27, 2020
The Big Conservation Lie is a searing and controversial critique of wildlife conservation in Africa, though it highlights many uncomfortable truths. See my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2017...
October 19, 2021
An essential read for any budding conservationist, wildlife lover, or safari goer. I love a critical book that calls people and organizations out by name and this one beautifully exposes the hypocrisy and imperialist undertones of the wildlife conservation industry in Africa.
May 15, 2023
This is a great read. Especially, for all those interested in and love wildlife and the connection of this precious natural heritage to our folklore, culture, totems, names and our very identity as Africans.
March 11, 2024
unbelievably well written and so eye opening
I owe the authors of this book the greatest of gratitudes for fearlessly confronting such a dirty and well hidden secret in conservationism
I owe the authors of this book the greatest of gratitudes for fearlessly confronting such a dirty and well hidden secret in conservationism
January 2, 2025
An emphatic book that pretty much eludes all that is wrong with conservation as a practice. As someone who works in the global South as a conservation manager, I share the same frustration about conservation still being a colonial profession. This book will ruffle feathers, and I am glad it does.
January 20, 2018
Thought-provoking and pulls no punches as it unpacks the ways in which the Western conservation model has acted as an arm of colonialism in Kenya and other counties in Africa.
July 30, 2018
an important book for those interested in ngo/conservation work and the unfortunate pitfalls/ prejudiced history behind it. i see why it's so controversial....
June 20, 2020
A must read for all
It calls
kinyanjuingugi. upon us to rethink conservation and how we are continuously manipulated and hoodwinked. Hope to meet you when next in kenya.
It calls
kinyanjuingugi. upon us to rethink conservation and how we are continuously manipulated and hoodwinked. Hope to meet you when next in kenya.
August 17, 2020
A must-read for every domestic tourist
December 18, 2022
Very important topic. Very useful data points. Convincing argument. But quite hard to read.
February 9, 2023
To quote Maya Angelou, anybody who can read in today's post colonial world, should read this.
April 30, 2025
very thought provoking. Really loved it.
June 18, 2025
I have never been more angered in my life. Mbaria and Ogada expound on hot mess that is conservation in Kenay and Africa in a digestible and open manner.
February 3, 2019
Some unneccessary muckraking along with major indictments and enlightening disclosures of denial and corruption that shine a light on a crisis. Well documented and described.
"His true mission is to make the world believe that wildlife in Africa can only survive if the ultra-wealthy from affluent countries are allowed to spend top dollar killing it."
" ...the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) is in a league of big-time NGOs operating in Kenya that have, at one point or another, come out to support the reintroduction of sport hunting in the country. Their game plan has been to prime Kenya's considerably big populations of diverse wildlife for pleasure hunts. But because of a national tide against such killings, they have attempted to be subtle."
"His true mission is to make the world believe that wildlife in Africa can only survive if the ultra-wealthy from affluent countries are allowed to spend top dollar killing it."
" ...the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) is in a league of big-time NGOs operating in Kenya that have, at one point or another, come out to support the reintroduction of sport hunting in the country. Their game plan has been to prime Kenya's considerably big populations of diverse wildlife for pleasure hunts. But because of a national tide against such killings, they have attempted to be subtle."
April 13, 2021
The first chapter was really intriguing and informative. After, the book felt a little bit flat. The kindle format was not great.
But all in all, it would be a great book for those who are really green in any information about conservationists
But all in all, it would be a great book for those who are really green in any information about conservationists
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews