Changing A Leopard's Spots

by Alex Van Den Heever, Renias Mhlongo

Paperback

Published March 1, 2020

Reviews

[Ed Stoddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a herd of books out there by white South Africans about game ranger reminisces or elephants in kitchens and that sort of thing. These books tend to romanticise African wildlife, often blithely missing the point that for many Africans the continent's wildlife is a curse rather than a blessing. (I have put forward the notion of the "faunal poverty line" elsewhere as one explanation for Africa's underdevelopment). Things have improved since Joy Adamson, a vile racist, spewed anthropocentric nonsense about lions in "Born Free". But Africans in much of the wildlife musings by white - for they are always white - writers are generally airbrushed out of the landscape, hang menacingly in the background, or find themselves objects of pity who stand to benefit from "eco-tourism" projects which require their cheap labour.
"Changing a Leopard's Spots" stands out from this pack in a number of ways. In it Alex van den Heever, who pursued a career as a game ranger, describes the arc of his relationship with tracker Renias Mhlongo. The pair have worked together for years, have forged a deep friendship across cultures, and established a tracking academy together. Van Den Heever learned to speak Mhlongo's Shangaan language and along the way, explores South Africa's lingering racial and cultural divides. He offers a refreshingly honest assessment of his own views and prejudices, one that moves beyond the standard white liberal guilt prattle that can also be a feature of South African writing.
His and Mhlongo's efforts to protect and nurture the ancient art of wildlife tacking, which they have both mastered, are laudable, even if this reviewer is not quite swayed by arguments about the job creation and economic benefits of eco-tourism. This crisply written book is a nice "lockdown" read while dreaming - dear I say romanticising - about escaping to the bush.

[Mrs Fun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

I learnt so much about trackers in the bush and how highly skilled they are to track animals in a place that is skyways changing.

The story is about a true friendship across racial barriers, a story of education and one of empowerment.

A lovely, engaging and informative read.

[Stacey R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about a partnership made of gold. The stories of their adventures and their lessons learnt were beautifully intertwined. I would love to go on a tracking adventure with these two!

[Erica Smythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and informative read on the skill of tracking which requires time and effort to master. Two very special people telling their story. I'm ready to head to the bush to track lions and leopards!

[Kristy Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the life of a Safari Guide and a tracker. It was good to get a little bit of insight into what goes on behind the scenes! Also, nice to read about the developing friendship between the two.