It deserves
to be thoroughly read and digested by every citizen of this planet. (Review by
Barry Meehan)
The Last
Elephants is compiled by Don Pinnock and Colin Bell. This
beautiful book is so much more than something given as a gift to adorn a
friend’s coffee table. It deserves to be thoroughly read and digested by every
citizen of this planet, whether he or she is concerned about our environment
and the destiny of the world’s wildlife, or – like so many people around the
world – hasn’t given it much thought.
Don Pinnock is a historian, criminologist,
environmental journalist and photographer. Colin Bell has worked throughout
Africa as a bush guide and environmental advocate. They got together to compile
The Last Elephants on the back of the Africa-wide Great Elephant Census
of 2016, which produced some shocking findings – a decimated elephant
population whose numbers were continuing to plummet.
The figures are frightening – there are fewer than
450,000 elephants left across the whole of Africa, compared to the 3 to 5
million just 100 years ago. The census found that an elephant is killed every
15 to 20 minutes of every day, every week and every month.
Over 40 writers have contributed to The Last
Elephants – researchers, conservationists, poets, activists and rangers.
Some of the content is heart-breaking, some uplifting, but all have something
to say about the sad plight of the continent’s largest and most majestic
animals.
The photographs that accompany the narratives are
truly magnificent, and have been selected from among Africa’s finest wildlife
photographers, showing every side of the personalities of these remarkable
creatures.
The quote below is from the foreword of the book,
by His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge:
“I am not prepared to be part of a generation that
lets these iconic creatures disappear and have to explain to our children why
we lost the battle when we had the tools to win it. We have the opportunity to
end the mixed messages we have sent for too long about the value and
desirability of wildlife products. We need to make it quite clear and broadcast
widely that ivory is a symbol of destruction, not of luxury and not something
that anyone needs to buy or sell. We must say that rhino horn does not cure
anything and does not need a legal market. We must send a message to the world
that it is no longer acceptable to buy and sell ivory, rhino horn and other
illegal products.”
The Last
Elephants is almost 500 pages, so it cannot be devoured in a
single sitting. It should be savoured and discussed as widely as possible,
especially the chapter towards the end as to how one can get involved in the
protection of elephants and other wildlife – what one should and should not do,
along with a listing of worthy organisations that need support in their quest
to preserve this “larger-than-life” but endangered species.
The Last
Elephants is published by Penguin Random House South Africa
- ISBN 9781775846840 and RRP R490.00 – Barry Meehan
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