{"id":4646,"date":"2018-09-19T08:39:24","date_gmt":"2018-09-19T06:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/travelbucket.co.za\/?p=4646"},"modified":"2019-02-20T11:45:04","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T09:45:04","slug":"lions-of-the-namib-desert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelbucket.co.za\/lions-of-the-namib-desert\/","title":{"rendered":"VANISHING KINGS \u2013 LIONS OF THE NAMIB DESERT"},"content":{"rendered":"

Right from opening the cover of the book the golden glowing pages spells out that a high quality research work complimented with breath taking photos awaits.\u00a0 Even if you take off the dust cover no effort was spared \u2013 you are greeted with the same high quality images as on the dust cover \u2013 a magnificent male lion with a waving mane posing in the desert wind.<\/p>\n

So, let us \u00a0start turning the 360 pages of the book.<\/p>\n

It is evident that a lot of love and dedication were put into the research for this book by Philip Stander who has a lifelong interest in the lions of the Namib.\u00a0 Philip literally lived in his equipped vehicle in the desert to follow the roaming desert kings.\u00a0 The journey takes you through the history of the lion species (Panthera Leo).\u00a0 As with Philip Stander these magnificent beasts also captured the mind of Ernest Hemingway in his memoirs.<\/p>\n

Although a lot of research statistics are shared throughout the book it is easy to follow and understandable which contributes to the success of this high quality book.\u00a0 The reader gets to know lions like Adolf and Rosh and their mates. \u00a0You learn about their identification marks, home ranges and eventually how each king came sadly to its end.\u00a0\u00a0 There is the amazing story of the \u00a0lion that swam across the Kunene and roamed Angola for 15 days and in the process covered 330 kilometers.<\/p>\n

The \u201cbehind the scenes\u201d snippets give you a glimpse on what challenging filming conditions (think dust, extreme temperatures, long hours, shivering nights, a nomadic existence in the desert) Will and Lianne Steenkamp endured, but still accomplished an outstanding job to capture the enigma of the desert lions.\u00a0 Dedicating your life to capture the desert lions, it is hard not to become emotionally involved with them.\u00a0 Throughout the book a special relationship, based on respect,\u00a0 between man and beast is noticeable.<\/p>\n

Today, lion tourism is an essential yet sensitive tourist activity in Northern Namibia which brings a valuable revenue to continue the ongoing research projects.\u00a0 The biggest challenge to date is to find the balance between tourist activities (i.e. off road driving by people in search of the elusive lions in drive riverbeds) and giving God\u2019s creation space to roam free.<\/p>\n

Thank you EC Meet Up and HPH Publishing for a First Edition (2018) prize we received.\u00a0 For some more outstanding publications visit HPH Publishing\u2019s website at:\u00a0 www.hphpublishing.co.za<\/a>.\u00a0 If you want to learn more about the desert lions of Namibia then head over to:\u00a0 www.desertlion.info<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I think this is a bucket list trip as I have never seen the desert lions and wild horses of Namibia.\u00a0\u00a0 Time to start planning on that 2019 trip \u2026..\u00a0 Have I mentioned that I just LOVE planning trips?<\/p>\n

THE FINER DETAIL<\/strong><\/p>\n