The Myth of Wild Africa: Conservation Without Illusion - Softcover

"The 'Myth of Wild Africa' . . . is the false notion that Africa was ever a continent untouched by the hand of man, and that its wildlife can be conserved without winning the support of its people. . . . It is a brave attempt to take sentimentality out of conservation."--"The Economist

Most people would feel a great loss if elephants, rhinos, or gorillas were to become extinct, but would we willingly move our families, change our means of earning a living, and disrupt our culture to prevent their extinction? People living in rural Africa are being asked to do just this by the world community. The Myth of Wild Africa explores a joint African/Western approach to conservation with the goal of returning control to the African nations.