A Naturalist's Diary : 1

I intend to begin a new series here which I will update on a regular basis. I am currently in exile in Gurgaon, a suburb of Delhi, and am reading Don't Look Behind You: True Tales of a Safari Guide by Peter Allison, a collection of adventures and hilarious mishaps in the line of work. Allison also touches upon some serious points, such as the politics played by the private lodges around Kruger National Park, and I feel the book would have been more effective has he concentrated on these points.

Here is one telling passage from the book which stuck in my mind:

While I loathed the poachers, hated them for their cruelty and their methods, I knew that most were not doing this for commercial reasons. My rage was hypocritical, because I was perfectly aware that you rarely meet a starving conservationist.