Title: Tsavo
Subtitle: Oddball Researchers Use Data and Guns to Save African Elephants
Author: Daniel B Botkin
Publisher: Book Vine Press
ISBN: 978-1949574036
Pages: 388
Genre: Science & Math/Environmentalism/Conservation
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Review
If there’s ever been a perfect example of the debate between conservationists and hunters, it’s the wild’s of Africa and the struggle to prevent poachers from hunting big game animals, most notably the African Elephant. Journalist David Attenborough said it best when he said, “The question is, are we happy to suppose that our grandchildren may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?” That is the kind of question that drives author Daniel B. Botkin in his novel Tsavo: Oddball Researchers Use Data and Guns to Save African Elephants.
This story revolves around a group of scientists from both Britain and America coming together in the 70’s to discover the truth behind the elephants of Tsavo. Once a thriving ecosystem, natural disasters led to a cataclysmic breakdown in the environment that led to a significant portion of the population being devastated. This book explores the people who go to discover the state of the elephant population, and the dangers both human and natural they must face to do so.
The author managed to capture the struggle of animal and man alike in this entertaining and informative read. The way the author managed to show the parallels in the elephants stories with that of the main characters of this novel really did a wonderful job highlighting the struggles of the wild and man’s imposition on nature itself. This passage said it best: “Before the big elephant die-off, when there were still plenty of tourists coming to Tsavo, that big bull even had his own police guards, around the clock, to protect him from poachers. Not anymore. He was on his own, just like Bruce.” It speaks to the changes the world goes through constantly, with policy dictating our stance on things like conservation and the environment as a whole.
This book is the perfect read for anyone who is interested in conservation efforts, the environment or the history of our world and it’s animal kingdom populations overall. This book is even more relevant than ever today, with the current political climate even affecting big game hunting laws and imports regarding the ivory and trophy trade. Where once the African elephant population was thriving and recovering, now about 415,000 elephants remain and are at risk for possible extinction. Readers can use this book to showcase the struggles, victories and mistakes made on the conservation efforts of the past, and what humanity’s role in the environment should really be.
Overall this was a thrilling read. Getting an in-depth look into the world of both the African elephant population and conservationists and how they both lived amongst one another back in the 70’s was a truly educating experience. While I would caution readers that this book is thorough and detailed and therefore a longer read, the overall story and the details of the conservation effort help highlight the struggle between man and beast throughout human history, and how it continues today. It’s a wonderful cautionary tale for anyone curious about conservationism and will thrill readers who enjoy nature and stories involving animals overall. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copies of Tsavo: Oddball Researchers Use Data and Guns to Save African Elephants by Daniel B. Botkin today!