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Cries of the Savanna: An adventure. An awakening. A journey to understanding African wildlife conservation
Her first night in a Tanzanian tent began with a prowling lion’s roar. Will the savage terrors open her eyes to an unseen world?
Sue Tidwell lived in awe of Africa’s extraordinary wildlife. After years spent appreciating the animals in her imagination, the tenderhearted American hated the idea of joining her husband on a big game hunt. And getting attacked by blood-sucking tsetse flies the moment she stepped off the plane gave no hint of the mind-blowing change of perspective in her future…
With her initial animosity turning into curiosity as they breathlessly tracked dangerous beasts, Sue formed a surprising bond with their young, government-assigned game scout. And as she became entranced by the tales and wisdom from the Masimba Camp crew, she was humbled by the mystery of the vilified safari and the people who relied on it for survival.
Supplementing her own experiences on the elephant-rutted roads with local insights and scientific research into conservation efforts, Tidwell explores how her preconceived beliefs sluiced away under the deluge of reality. And with an evocative narrative peppered with self-deprecating humor, vivid imagery, and over ninety photos and illustrations, you’ll emerge forever changed by the truths this greenhorn found buried in a rugged and romantic landscape.
Cries of the Savanna is an unflinching and passionate memoir. If you like awe-inspiring adventures, truth revealed through laughter, and life being stranger than fiction, then you'll adore Sue Tidwell's brush with the wild.
Buy Cries of the Savanna to put boots on the ground today!
Sue Tidwell lived in awe of Africa’s extraordinary wildlife. After years spent appreciating the animals in her imagination, the tenderhearted American hated the idea of joining her husband on a big game hunt. And getting attacked by blood-sucking tsetse flies the moment she stepped off the plane gave no hint of the mind-blowing change of perspective in her future…
With her initial animosity turning into curiosity as they breathlessly tracked dangerous beasts, Sue formed a surprising bond with their young, government-assigned game scout. And as she became entranced by the tales and wisdom from the Masimba Camp crew, she was humbled by the mystery of the vilified safari and the people who relied on it for survival.
Supplementing her own experiences on the elephant-rutted roads with local insights and scientific research into conservation efforts, Tidwell explores how her preconceived beliefs sluiced away under the deluge of reality. And with an evocative narrative peppered with self-deprecating humor, vivid imagery, and over ninety photos and illustrations, you’ll emerge forever changed by the truths this greenhorn found buried in a rugged and romantic landscape.
Cries of the Savanna is an unflinching and passionate memoir. If you like awe-inspiring adventures, truth revealed through laughter, and life being stranger than fiction, then you'll adore Sue Tidwell's brush with the wild.
Buy Cries of the Savanna to put boots on the ground today!
568 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2021
178 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Sue Tidwell
1 book9 followersSue Tidwell is the multiple-award-winning author of her debut title Cries of the Savanna. Tidwell’s thirst for travel and adventure took her to the wilds of Tanzania where she was infected with an extreme case of African fever, a condition that grips a person’s heart like a vice and never lets go. Tidwell is determined to light that fire in the heart of her readers as well.
Awards Won:
Readers Favorite 2022 Gold Medal (Animal Category)
Professional Outdoor Media Association’s 2022 Pinnacle Award
Kindle Book Review 2022 Non-fiction Semi-finalist
The Wildlife Society’s 2022 Conservation Education Award
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 15, 2023
Could only read a bit each day and had to skim a lot. Whenever an animal was spotted, the next 20 pages would be facts and figures about this animal and anything related to it. While I enjoyed bits and pieces, there was just too much that came across as a textbook in school. The author does make a good case for "trophy hunting" as a way to actually help conservation.
January 22, 2023
Sue Tidwell makes a convincing case for controlled hunting of wildlife, be it in Africa, Idaho or somewhere else on earth. She discusses in detail how human habitat has disturbed the balance of the world’s wildlife to such an extent that it is impossible for Mother Nature to restore and keep that balance. When subsistence farmers in Africa experience elephants, lion and other large animals solely as destroyers of their crops and lives, they will join poachers in killing the pest. If, on the other hand, village leaders are convinced that controlled legal hunting of mature wild animals can provide their villages with employment, meat and income, they will join governments and NGOs in the protection of these species against poachers and other threats.
Originally a tree-hugger, Ms. Tidwell sheds tears over each victim of her husband’s successful hunts, but she also shows through a well-researched narrative, that legal and well-managed hunting is a crucial element in managing and preserving Africa’s magnificent wildlife.
An enjoyable and educational book. Highly recommended to armchair and other travelers to exotic lands.
Originally a tree-hugger, Ms. Tidwell sheds tears over each victim of her husband’s successful hunts, but she also shows through a well-researched narrative, that legal and well-managed hunting is a crucial element in managing and preserving Africa’s magnificent wildlife.
An enjoyable and educational book. Highly recommended to armchair and other travelers to exotic lands.
December 21, 2022
Man I am blown away.
The amount of depth Sue goes into with her and her husband’s journey on an African safari hunt is a wild ride, literally! From hesitant participant to respectful understanding, Sue portrays glimpses of this world in a way that changed mine completely.
I really relate to Sue’s love for animals and I hate to admit that I am also one of those people she described as “loving animals to death.” One of those people seeing a photo of a proud white man holding a gun and posing with a dead animal that just would get so infuriated! How could anyone want to do that??
But the hard to swallow pill? people are allowed to want things that are different than the things you want. Especially things on the other side of the world in cultures you have no business or understanding to insert your opinion into.
After learning more about how thoroughly regulated hunting exotic wildlife is with only being allowed to shoot the animals that are at the end of their life cycle and would have died of starvation or being eaten alive if they weren’t hunted, how many jobs hunting provides with having to hire a whole crew to manage your trip and help make sure the hunt is done safely and legally, how allowing Americans that can afford hunting provides protection for animals from the inhumane and indiscriminate poaching from illegal poachers or the land being cleared of wild habitat and converted to farm fields, and how the animals that are hunted provide protein for the locals and the hunters don’t take any of the meat with home them, I feel much more understanding than I did before reading this book.
It’s easy to see how myself and so many others can sit in our safe and cozy beds, sign out trophy banning petitions and turn our noses up to countries that allow trophy hunters to assist in managing wildlife. As if our opinion should weigh more than the opinion of those who live side by side with giant and fearsome animals simply because WE wouldn’t do that.
After reading this book, I see how vital it is that the people of Africa should have the fundamental right to manage their own land the way they have done for millennia without the misguided thoughts and opinions of a people that have absolutely no idea the damage they are causing and I am ashamed that I have been one of them.
I can definitely say I never would have thought any different if I hadn’t read this book. This is just a really good example of how there are two sides to every coin and how much more to every story there really is.
Definitely a book that challenges your perspective. Thank you Sue for such a thought provoking adventure!!
The amount of depth Sue goes into with her and her husband’s journey on an African safari hunt is a wild ride, literally! From hesitant participant to respectful understanding, Sue portrays glimpses of this world in a way that changed mine completely.
I really relate to Sue’s love for animals and I hate to admit that I am also one of those people she described as “loving animals to death.” One of those people seeing a photo of a proud white man holding a gun and posing with a dead animal that just would get so infuriated! How could anyone want to do that??
But the hard to swallow pill? people are allowed to want things that are different than the things you want. Especially things on the other side of the world in cultures you have no business or understanding to insert your opinion into.
After learning more about how thoroughly regulated hunting exotic wildlife is with only being allowed to shoot the animals that are at the end of their life cycle and would have died of starvation or being eaten alive if they weren’t hunted, how many jobs hunting provides with having to hire a whole crew to manage your trip and help make sure the hunt is done safely and legally, how allowing Americans that can afford hunting provides protection for animals from the inhumane and indiscriminate poaching from illegal poachers or the land being cleared of wild habitat and converted to farm fields, and how the animals that are hunted provide protein for the locals and the hunters don’t take any of the meat with home them, I feel much more understanding than I did before reading this book.
It’s easy to see how myself and so many others can sit in our safe and cozy beds, sign out trophy banning petitions and turn our noses up to countries that allow trophy hunters to assist in managing wildlife. As if our opinion should weigh more than the opinion of those who live side by side with giant and fearsome animals simply because WE wouldn’t do that.
After reading this book, I see how vital it is that the people of Africa should have the fundamental right to manage their own land the way they have done for millennia without the misguided thoughts and opinions of a people that have absolutely no idea the damage they are causing and I am ashamed that I have been one of them.
I can definitely say I never would have thought any different if I hadn’t read this book. This is just a really good example of how there are two sides to every coin and how much more to every story there really is.
Definitely a book that challenges your perspective. Thank you Sue for such a thought provoking adventure!!
Currently reading
November 1, 2022Dear Readers, I am so excited to take you on a grand adventure to share the magic and wonder of Africa. Hopefully, you too will fall under its spell.
Cries of the Savanna wasn’t written out of a desire to see my name in print or to fulfill a lifelong goal, it was written because of a promise to Lilian, our Tanzanian game scout -- and because, as corny as it sounds, I believe that I was meant to write it.
As the backdrop to my story is a big game hunting safari, many people will immediately discount it or wrinkle their noses in displeasure, disgust, or even rage. This I understand. I, too, am a non-hunter. However, I only ask that you give the book a chance. Experience Africa through the eyes of a greenhorn experiencing is charm – and peril – for the first time. Get to know the people of Masimba camp while learning about the spectacular creatures they share their home with. Travel with me to the wilds of Africa so that you too can discover the haunting cries of the savanna.
“The use of traveling is to regulate imagination with reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, see them as they are.” – Samuel Johnson
Cries of the Savanna is free on Kindle Unlimited and, if you want to test the waters before diving, several chapters are available on Amazon’s “Look Inside feature.”
Thank you…and Happy Adventures!
September 20, 2022
Mesmerizing, captivating, raw. Sue Tidwell’s debut book is a must-read to understand Africa’s conservation model.
As a non-hunter, Tidwell lays out the paradoxes and hard truths about wildlife management on the continent while showcasing the human side to natives she met and befriended.
It’s unsurprising the book is raking up awards. Readers are captured by Sue’s writing and vivid details.
We, in the outdoor industry, should welcome voices like Sue’s and let her work reach new audiences. It’s imperative those in the middle to understand and open their minds to how ethical hunting is an effective tool to maintain balance here in the US and abroad—benefitting people, wildlife, and nature.
Highly recommend “Cries of the Savanna” and hope you read it in earnest and open your heart to better understanding wildlife conservation efforts.
As a non-hunter, Tidwell lays out the paradoxes and hard truths about wildlife management on the continent while showcasing the human side to natives she met and befriended.
It’s unsurprising the book is raking up awards. Readers are captured by Sue’s writing and vivid details.
We, in the outdoor industry, should welcome voices like Sue’s and let her work reach new audiences. It’s imperative those in the middle to understand and open their minds to how ethical hunting is an effective tool to maintain balance here in the US and abroad—benefitting people, wildlife, and nature.
Highly recommend “Cries of the Savanna” and hope you read it in earnest and open your heart to better understanding wildlife conservation efforts.
September 23, 2023
If you care about the conservation of wildlife, please read this book. Sue takes the reader along on her first safari, dissecting her own thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and then compares and contrasts them with (sometimes hard to swallow) fact-based conservation truths and practices.
In a sense this could be two separate books - one recounting the big adventure she and her husband went on, and the other covering the vast and complex topic of conservation. By way of her writing, Sue seamlessly blends all of these subjects into one stellar book.
While this nonfiction work is set in Africa, the conservation models, tenets, and issues surrounding them are applicable anywhere in the world.
I cannot recommend this stellar book enough. Anybody that is interested in Safari and/or the plight of wildlife anywhere…PLEASE read this book. It is written in such a manner that it appeals to just about any audience. Moreover, it is an exciting read, well researched, written from the heart, and incredibly informative.
In a sense this could be two separate books - one recounting the big adventure she and her husband went on, and the other covering the vast and complex topic of conservation. By way of her writing, Sue seamlessly blends all of these subjects into one stellar book.
While this nonfiction work is set in Africa, the conservation models, tenets, and issues surrounding them are applicable anywhere in the world.
I cannot recommend this stellar book enough. Anybody that is interested in Safari and/or the plight of wildlife anywhere…PLEASE read this book. It is written in such a manner that it appeals to just about any audience. Moreover, it is an exciting read, well researched, written from the heart, and incredibly informative.
March 20, 2023
Sue's book was a very enjoyable and informative book about Africa. It covers the real conservation needs for the people and wildlife. A must read for hunters and non hunters alike.
January 11, 2023
Important Information and Enjoyable Writing I thoroughly
I thoroughly enjoyed the realistic and down to earth written descriptions most of the time, I did have to skip chunks of pages. I did not realize that these adventures included big game hunting. The author’s descriptions were quite detailed so I just could not read the pages about the kills. What I did learn about this type of trophy hunting turned my thinking around about 180 degrees. Being such a tender hearted animal lover I have , until this book, been entirely against African trophy hunting. I have learned about the positive effects of a highly controlled trophy hunt, a position I never believed I could hold!
I thoroughly enjoyed the realistic and down to earth written descriptions most of the time, I did have to skip chunks of pages. I did not realize that these adventures included big game hunting. The author’s descriptions were quite detailed so I just could not read the pages about the kills. What I did learn about this type of trophy hunting turned my thinking around about 180 degrees. Being such a tender hearted animal lover I have , until this book, been entirely against African trophy hunting. I have learned about the positive effects of a highly controlled trophy hunt, a position I never believed I could hold!
December 22, 2021
How many of us can say that our dreams have come true? Sue and Rick dreamed of going to Africa, for different reasons, and they made it happen. Growing up with hunters didn't necessarily mean Sue was pro-hunting, and the fact that Rick intended to hunt the gorgeous beasts of Africa, gave her mixed feelings. The questions that are raised about the pros of hunting are thought-provoking. I also learned that animals aren't the only thing that are illegally poached in Africa: wood, honey, charcoal, and bushmeat being the other items. It's also incredible to me the things you can actually get a permit for, like cutting off a rhinos horn; it's baffling to me what humans put themselves in charge of... I suppose it's like having a permit to fish, though. This book isn't just about hunting and the wildlife, it talks about the African people, the government, tourism, and conservation; so if you want to feel smart and worldly, pick up this book. I can't imagine my life holds an adventure like this. And I don't know if I'm fine with that or not.
The best thing about this book is that I saw the author's heart and soul. You can tell when reading a book if the author's heart was truly in it, or if they are just writing a book to say they wrote one. This is the definition of a passion project, and it shows in every word.
And I will say in closing, Tidwell, you did a wonderful job of fulfilling your promise to Lilian.
The best thing about this book is that I saw the author's heart and soul. You can tell when reading a book if the author's heart was truly in it, or if they are just writing a book to say they wrote one. This is the definition of a passion project, and it shows in every word.
And I will say in closing, Tidwell, you did a wonderful job of fulfilling your promise to Lilian.
April 2, 2022
I finished reading this book, and I will admit it was a difficult read for me. Not because of how it is written, but because it is in fact very well written; highly accessible, and Tidwell's humor shines throughout. What made the read challenging for me was the hunting. I'll be honest, I still cover my eyes (I have been doing this since "Bambi") when I watch nature movies. Do I agree with and understand everything Ms. Tidwell discusses in her book? No. Yet this is the beauty of a book, any book: One is never required to agree with the words on a page. What is noteworthy about these 400+ pages is the extensive research, interviews, facts, and figures woven throughout the book. In other words, this book is not merely pages filled strictly with Tidwell's passion and opinion. As a matter of fact, she never asks her reader to agree with her stance. What she does do however is to invite the reader to consider, weigh and examine all that she has to offer in her book--nothing more. She is simply offering up information. The reader is free to reach a personal conclusion, as in any book.
October 27, 2022
Well written, eye-opening, powerful. Tidwell takes us out of suburbia to a place many of us dream of, but don't really understand. I'm impressed by her honesty and also compassion for the reader, as well as for the animals and people she introduces us to. I admire her courage: both for going, enduring, and for her openness. Especially as a woman, her gift to us is a compelling story and a gentle education. As a seasoned backcountry camper, I know Tidwell is reaching out to an audience who would not casually go with her on this journey, but should. I hope this book is shared far and wide, and I thank the author for sharing.
July 9, 2023
This book is so exciting that I’m on the edge of my seat. Sue Tidwell’s vivid details in Cries of the Savanna make me feel like I’m there with her seeing Africa for the first time. Like Sue, this has been one of my lifelong dreams. While it’s easy to understand killing endangered animals if you are starving and it becomes necessary for survival, it’s terrible to think of poachers killing them for money—Sue has opened my eyes to this. If you’ve ever wondered about Tanzania, Tidwell does a great job vividly describing everything, including the many animals and conservation issues.
October 1, 2022
Loved this book! I felt like the author did a wonderful job describing just how interconnected hunting and conservation is and I loved all the details about the camp, the people, and the adventures each day brought them! Highly recommend this book!
June 13, 2025
I am writing this as someone who enjoys hunting and agrees with the premise of the book. I am also writing this review as someone currently living in Africa.
The author does a good job of presenting hunting as normal and trophy hunting as a viable alternative to no kill conservation, however that’s basically where the good ends and the bad begins. The book has a few problems. The most offered occurring one is that whenever the author spots an animal in the book, the next few pages are just filled with the same generic stats and figures that you could find in Wikipedia article the book is also laced with the very cringe scenes where the author speaks Swahiliand living in Africa right now another annoying thing about the book was that the author constantly speaks about Africa whole when their only experience with the continent was for three weeks in Tanzania. There are also a few weird rants, including poorshaming eco tourists, generic boomer social media hate, and rants about the ethical Hunter versus the dumb non hunter.
Ultimately, I think another one bigger part of why I hated this book was at the two Americans lacked any kind of personality outside of hunting in the work. The Tanzanians were represented much better than the Americans.
The author does a good job of presenting hunting as normal and trophy hunting as a viable alternative to no kill conservation, however that’s basically where the good ends and the bad begins. The book has a few problems. The most offered occurring one is that whenever the author spots an animal in the book, the next few pages are just filled with the same generic stats and figures that you could find in Wikipedia article the book is also laced with the very cringe scenes where the author speaks Swahiliand living in Africa right now another annoying thing about the book was that the author constantly speaks about Africa whole when their only experience with the continent was for three weeks in Tanzania. There are also a few weird rants, including poorshaming eco tourists, generic boomer social media hate, and rants about the ethical Hunter versus the dumb non hunter.
Ultimately, I think another one bigger part of why I hated this book was at the two Americans lacked any kind of personality outside of hunting in the work. The Tanzanians were represented much better than the Americans.
December 4, 2024
Very well written, very well researched and not only an entertaining read, but very important for anyone wanting to understand the importance of conservation and human/wildlife conflict in Africa. The author makes you laugh, shares her fears of the unknown wilderness and wild animals, describes the beauty of her first visit to Africa and give you much to think about. Bonding with her guide Lilian, Sue Tidwell develops a deep understanding and empathy for the people she meets along the way.
We highly recommend this book - a full review can be read on https://www.africatalks.co.uk/africa/...
We highly recommend this book - a full review can be read on https://www.africatalks.co.uk/africa/...
January 7, 2024
I have not understood the fascination of trophy hunting until I read this book. Not only does the author continually remind us of the reasons her husband specialty hunts for certain African animals but she describes often in details the many ways that hunting supports the environment, the people in Africa and the means by which hunting the correct way, helps with managing the existence of the animals. I also appreciated her wonderful descriptions of the animals and their habitats. I’m still uncomfortable with hunting this way for myself but can better relate to the few hunters I know.
May 26, 2025
Eye opening
This book is so well written & the story well told. This opened my eyes to all aspects of reasons for poaching, how to get the impoverished citizens involved with conservation, and how anti-hunting policies are devastating to the wildlife of Africa. I highly recommend this book to everyone as the effects of anti-hunting policies not only affect Africa but also Europe and North America. Similar issues are affecting all 3 continents. Sue Tidwell did an excellent job explaining the issues.
This book is so well written & the story well told. This opened my eyes to all aspects of reasons for poaching, how to get the impoverished citizens involved with conservation, and how anti-hunting policies are devastating to the wildlife of Africa. I highly recommend this book to everyone as the effects of anti-hunting policies not only affect Africa but also Europe and North America. Similar issues are affecting all 3 continents. Sue Tidwell did an excellent job explaining the issues.
October 17, 2023
While some of her facts are true not all of them are correct. I loved that she wants to contribute in a conservation effort however everything in her book is a way to help conservation with hunting! Kinds of two different things. It is very hard to read all the time how she try to justify the “harvesting” hunting of different species and call it conservation. If you like to hunt this book is for you otherwise it is not!
May 15, 2024
I went along an African Safari right along with Sue & Crew. In addition, there were facts to learn, tidbits of information on several species, heart wrenching moments and plenty of laughs! It was like sitting down with an old friend as she recounts her past, present and future. It fanned the flames of a little spark of a feeling that I need to visit Africa too. It left me sad it was over and an urge to hear the ‘cries of the savanna’ in real life. Hunter or not it opens your eyes & heart.
October 1, 2023
a changed mind
I know hunting is apart of life in the PA. Deer will starve if not hunted. The same holds true anywhere there are animals. I didn’t realize how hunters can only harvest the old and mostly males on the safaris. This is a wonderful read and a very informative book. I hope to make it to Africa someday..
I know hunting is apart of life in the PA. Deer will starve if not hunted. The same holds true anywhere there are animals. I didn’t realize how hunters can only harvest the old and mostly males on the safaris. This is a wonderful read and a very informative book. I hope to make it to Africa someday..
November 1, 2024
I stumbled upon this book while on vacation in South Africa, exploring private game reserves. It offered a new perspective I hadn’t thought about and painted a compelling picture of the realities of rural Africans, animal conservation, and how the two are inextricably linked. Thanks for opening my eyes to a new world!
October 15, 2023
Eye opening and at times heartbreaking, I learned a great deal. The author takes you on a journey that makes you laugh, learn, and think. I can see it being controversial, but only because people don't want to hear a perspective that may vary from their own.
May 19, 2024
Sue is an incredible writer and this is a great read for anyone taking an African wildlife safari trip or interested in conservation efforts. The level of depth on wildlife, policies and weaving it into her own adventures was phenomenal. Thank you for sharing this experience.
March 31, 2025
4.5 stars! I can't do five because it took me forever to get into the book. It was very informational while telling a story. I loved some of the author's expressions. I felt like I could hear her telling the story while we sat around a camp fire.
June 22, 2025
Absolutely loved this book! As a hunter one day wanting to travel to Africa I loved all the information
February 6, 2024
This was so much more than a travel story, it was a full education on wildlife conservation in Africa complete with biology lessons for each animal of the region. I loved learning! What an exciting and terrifying experience this must have been. I did feel the wildlife management through responsible hunting message was a bit heavy handed about midway through, but I understand the passion that drove the message. I loved how the author brought the principles back home and applied them to hunting in the US as well.
March 31, 2024
I found parts of this book quite interesting, but I was hoping for much more in terms of a critical analysis of the trophy hunting world. Having spent time in Africa, on camera safari, and having studied wildlife most of my life, Tidwell's chapters on the people she met and the ecology of the wildlife was not what drew me to the book (although they likely offer great appeal to many others). I was really looking for a more detailed breakdown of the pros and cons of trophy hunting across the globe (or even across Africa) versus a detailed case study of the hunt her and her partner went on. Do all countries monitor closely the types of animals harvested? Or in some places do people turn a blind eye on which animals are selected? Do we have trustworthy data on this? Economically, how much more $$ does trophy hunting bring in compared to say, camera safaris? If disparity is an issue, is there a way to equate the two more? And, what about trophy hunting in, say, North America and elsewhere? And then there's genetics: yes, if we are reliably taking non-breeding, aged males, that is good - but are there stats to show this is strongly enforced in all countries? Not all trophy hunts are looking for these older males - highly-prized showcase males may be used for raffling and bidding (and ideally the money still goes into conservation, but what about the genetical implications?).
Maybe this is a lot to ask of one book :), or rather, this has to be covered in a more scientific text. Nonetheless, I have selected this book for one of the 'book club' options in my senior wildlife course, and a relatively large number of students have signed up for the title. So, in about 5 months I'll have a larger number of critical evaluations to pass on. I'm very curious to see how they react to the book, especially as I have a large number of hunters in my course.
Overall, definitely worth reading.
- K
UPDATE MARCH 31 2024: About 20 out of 44 students in my senior wildlife conservation class elected to read this book over the current semester. The general consensus seemed to be that they all would've liked more 'digging' into whether money from trophy hunting truly finds its way into local coffers, and how that varies from nation to nation (a lofty thesis!). But there was also general agreement that the book serves to bring both sides of trophy hunting into the public realm.
Maybe this is a lot to ask of one book :), or rather, this has to be covered in a more scientific text. Nonetheless, I have selected this book for one of the 'book club' options in my senior wildlife course, and a relatively large number of students have signed up for the title. So, in about 5 months I'll have a larger number of critical evaluations to pass on. I'm very curious to see how they react to the book, especially as I have a large number of hunters in my course.
Overall, definitely worth reading.
- K
UPDATE MARCH 31 2024: About 20 out of 44 students in my senior wildlife conservation class elected to read this book over the current semester. The general consensus seemed to be that they all would've liked more 'digging' into whether money from trophy hunting truly finds its way into local coffers, and how that varies from nation to nation (a lofty thesis!). But there was also general agreement that the book serves to bring both sides of trophy hunting into the public realm.
April 28, 2024
Perhaps the most important book on wildlife and habitat conservation in the last 20 years. Sue Tidwell, a non-hunter, articulately and passionately documents her fascinating experiences on safari as well as her emotional and intellectual journey from her perceptions of African big game hunting to her awakening and understanding of it as a valuable and vital tool for the conservation of wildlife. While her text deals with Africa, many of the same arguments are applicable to other countries as well. This is a book that should be read by all people interested in wildlife and habitat conservation. Sadly it is one that will likely be ignored or trashed by those who refuse to listen to science and facts on these matters and who are quite likely to protect the animals they love right into extinction.
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