CALL OF AFRICA

When you've acquired a taste for dust, 
The scent of our first rain, 
You're hooked for life on Africa 
And you'll not be right again 
Till you can watch the setting moon 
And hear the jackals bark 
And know that they're around you, 
Waiting in the dark. 

When you long to see the elephants
Or to hear the coucal's song, 
When the moonrise sets your blood on fire, 
You've been away too long 
It's time to cut the traces loose 
And let your heart go free 
Beyond that far horizon, 
Where your spirit yearns to be.

Africa is waiting - come! 
Since you've touched the open sky 
And learned to love the rustling grass, 
The wild fish-eagle’s cry. 
You'll always hunger for the bush, 
For the lion's rasping roar, 
To camp at last beneath the stars 
And to be at peace once more. 

C. EMILY-DIBB

Although I have made every effort to acknowledge, by way of quotations or notation, the many books written on Africa, I am aware that many of the ‘opinions’, ‘observations’ and ‘arguments’ expressed in this book have had their source in the many magazine articles, books and related texts written about Africa that I have read over the years. Each of these texts have inspired me with their insights and have added to my knowledge, or helped to reinforce my own observations. In part, I present this book as a précis of those works and trust that I have done so in accordance with their individual thinking. If I have misrepresented them in any way I apologise, and I would welcome any corrections to any stated ‘facts’ by anyone prepared to share their expertise.

I should also add that although I have expressed a number of opinions on a range of topics, none of these should be taken as the opinions of the safari profession at large, although some may be shared by others within the industry.

Author’s note

This book restricts itself predominantly to safaris conducted in east, southern and central Africa, with little reference to West Africa and virtually none to North Africa.  Countries north of the Sahara, including Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt, are not considered ‘safari’ destinations per se. West Africa, including Cameroon, Benin, Ghana, the Central African Republic, the DRC, and Mali specifically, although welcoming visitors, suffer from a lack of infrastructure and are generally not considered to be part of the mainstream safari circuit. Other countries, like Ethiopia, Gabon, Chad and the Republic of Congo have begun receiving the more adventurous tourists, and like other parts of West Africa, will surely be adding their unique attractions to the list of safari destinations in the years to come. I certainly look forward to visiting these countries myself, discovering new landscapes and unique habitats, and searching out those forest-dwelling species found nowhere else in the world.

DEDICATION

If any person, or group of people, deserves recognition for their tireless efforts it must surely be the many rangers (and their families) across the length and breadth of the continent. They are the unsung heroes, protectors and caretakers of Africa’s wildlife and wild places. So I dedicate this book to them; past and present, young and old; who, through their dedication and conviction, stand guardian over many of the world’s last wildlife sanctuaries at a time when we seem powerless to halt the progress of our own destruction.