Mahlatini Book Review - The Last Rhinos

The Last Rhinos

By Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence.

An exhilarating account of conservation undeterred by callous war and bureaucratic crises, The Last Rhinos will move animal lovers everywhere.

Written by Lawrence Anthony, the favourite conservationist author of many, The Last Rhinos is the eagerly awaited sequel to The Elephant Whisperer. When the author learned that the northern white rhino was on the very brink of extinction in a war-ravaged part of Congo, he knew he had to act immediately. The Last Rhinos is a fast paced and completely fascinating recount of his attempts to save these remarkable animals.

A dangerous black market has developed in the Far East, where the extensive demand for rhino horns has caused poaching to become a life-threatening affair, not only for these rare beasts, but also for the rangers who protect them. This illegal trade to obtain rhino horns for traditional medicine in Asian countries is described by the writers as a strong, lucrative rival for drugs trafficking.

The final refuge for these northern white rhinos was in an area controlled by one of the most ferocious rebel groups in the world, the infamous Lords Resistance Army. Affronted with an inert government, Anthony makes a high-risk journey into the wilderness in an attempt to gain their support and help in saving the rhino.

The Last Rhinos differs from Anthony's previous work as it concentrates more about the trials and tribulations he went through negotiating with the Lord's Resistance Army in order to get to the rhinos themselves rather than his personal connections with endangered species and daily life in his South African wildlife preserve, Thula Thula. The ending of this book is inspiring yet realistic in a hope to motivate readers, and animal lovers alike, to continue the positive conservation work that has been started.

“A riveting account by a compassionate, dedicated man.” - Kirkus Reviews

“This inspiring story of courage and conservation is a moving testament of the good that can be done when there is a will.” - Tucson Citizen