| WHITE MAN'S GAME Saving Animals, Rebuilding Eden, and Other Myths of Conservation in Africa Stephanie Hanes New York: Metropolitan Books, July 2017 |
Rating: 5.0 High |
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| ISBN-13 978-0-8050-9716-0 | ||||
| ISBN-10 0-8050-9716-3 | 287pp. | HC | $28.00 | |
Stephanie Hanes chronicles a number of conservation debacles in Africa — such as the one organized by wealthy libertarian hobbyist James Blanchard, who aided anti-communist rebels during Mozambique's long civil war and later promised to develop in the cash-strapped country's Matutuine district a game preserve graced with such tourist-pleasing features as a golf course and a casino. Three years after signing the contract, Blanchard was found dead in a motel room near his Louisiana home. Although his associates claimed some progress had been made, Mozambique shut down the project and reclaimed the land in 1999.
But the focus of Ms. Hanes's book is Greg Carr and his restoration of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. This was established early in the twentieth century as a hunting preserve. Later it became a national park that was ravaged during Mozambique's twelve-year civil war when both sides used the wild game stocks as a food supply. Later, poachers decimated whatever large animals that remained. Greg Carr and his allies mean well, and they have a coherent plan, by western standards, to restore Gorongosa's wildlife and employ local Mozambicans.
Ms. Hanes, however, observes that western intervention too often fails to comprehend the native perspective on Africa: the residual resentment of colonialism, the spiritualism, and also the simple fact that elephants and other large animals so beloved of western conservation organizations compete with African villagers for food and living space, and sometimes run amuck. She relates the harrowing struggle to save G5, a bull elephant imported from Kruger National Park in South Africa in hopes of stabilizing the herd in Gorongosa. After a few months, for whatever reason, G5 left the unfenced park and headed south. Was he homesick? No one can say. But his trek took him to the town of Nhamatanda where local citizens became alarmed over his presence. Gorongosa park officials, hampered by lack of resources, captured him and tried to transport him back to the park, but he died en route.
Greg Carr has encountered many setbacks in his project, including opposition on the part of many locals and a recent resurgence of Renamo rebels on the slopes of Mount Gorongosa. Still he continues to press ahead with vigor, and important figures like Dr. Edward O. Wilson have rallied to his cause.1 In stark contrast to his persistent optimism is the situation Ms. Hanes observed over five years on on-the-scene reporting (2005-2009) and during subsequent communication with Carr and independent observers. Her findings resulted in this book — which, even before it was published, became the target of harsh criticism from Carr and his supporters, including a "noted lawyer" whose literary agency represents Dr. Wilson.2
Although disturbing to advocates of western-style conservation like myself, Ms. Hanes's account rings true. It is a well-researched one, and cites many independent observers3 as well as many conversations and interactions with Carr and his associates at Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa Park's restored headquarters. Her thesis is that western efforts at helping Africa too often turn out to impose western views of what is best for the locals while ignoring what the locals would prefer — and in some cases resemble the practices they remember from the bad old colonial days.4 In her afterword, she calls for westerners to listen to the stories of the dwellers on Mount Gorongosa, for as it tuns out they know its ecology best and have for centuries been responsible for its preservation.5
Ms. Hanes's narrative is longer than it might be, and ranges widely: from Zimbabwe to the Kalihari Desert, and south to a Live8 concert and shark-watching tours in South Africa. But it is easy to read, and always coherent. This is a story everyone concerned about wildlife preservation needs to heed. The index is excellent; useful maps and suggestions for further reading are provided. I rate it a keeper and give it full marks.
"We live in a time of shouting. And so, although I was taken aback at first by the reaction to this book from people who had not read it, I soon recognized that it was just a microcosm of what is happening in our larger society. We deny the right of other stories to exist. We find them threatening and offensive. We want to build a powerful alliance to destroy or at least discredit them. But this doesn't move us toward any solutions. For real change, we need to grapple with others' viewpoints, however uncomfortable they may be." – Page 261 |
To contact Chris Winter, send email to this address.