The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures

This book is an excellent read and one really develops much empathy for the plight of the White Rhino. The determination of Lawrence Anthony to conserve not only the White Rhinos but also the other wild animals in danger of extinction. One can view this book as a sequel to his previous book "The Elephant Whisperer" another excellent book which I read before I started and finished reading this book. Lawrence went to incredible lengths, even negotiating with rebels in the Congo in order to save the rhinoceros which is now an endangered species because of heavy poaching. The indiscriminate killing of rhinos for their horns which are made into powder and used as an aphrodisiac in the Far East. It is an immense tragedy that rhino horn is very expensive and profitable for the poachers and their partners. As the author says, rhino horn is keratin, the same chemical that human finger nails are composed. Eating finger nail clippings would have the same affect as rhino horn which is no affect at all as an aphrodisiac.He tells us about the poachers cruel methods to kill rhinos. While reading of his experiences and his great love and passion for the animals he tried to save, one develops a hate for poachers, and in my honest opinion, they should be shot in the same way as they killed animals for money and nothing else. Not only do poachers deserve the death sentence for murdering animals they also destroy the ecosystems and balance on which every living creature depends.If only there were more people of the caliber of Lawrence Anthony,the earth would be a far better place and wild life would abound unhindered. The personal sacrifices that he had made to achieve the goal of saving endangered animals had taken its toll on his health and unfortunately he passed away suddenly just before receiving an award for his wonderful endeavors. He has left a rich legacy to the world of conservation and it is my wish that there would be many people who would follow his great example in preserving animals.This book is an exciting read and it is very difficult to put down. One almost feels as if one is accompanying him on his challenging crusades at great financial cost to himself to achieve the noble goal of his belief in assisting animals in distress because of poacher cruelty.

Great book if you’re into conservation and helping endangered animals! Highly recommended.

Uplifting,sad, heroic. A fantastic read, but be warned. It is not easy. Highights the horrors of poaching, but how belief can make things happen.

I hesitated to give this book a high rating because it wasn't what I was hoping for: an account of the way intrepid humans saved a bunch of rhinoceroses, filled with charming anecdotes about rhino behavior. I don't know what I was thinking when I expected that, because I know the situation for all the rhino species is unspeakably dire. Co-author Graham Spence says he thought of calling the book "Blood Horn" and that might have been a more direct approach to indicate that this book is, at least in part, an outraged call to action. The Last Rhinos as a title feels contemplative and wistful, as if there is nothing left to be done, and unfortunately, that is the attitude that too many people are already taking. There are only three rhinos in this entire book. Lawrence Anthony never even gets to meet a single member of the subspecies he's trying to save before they're utterly gone. Instead of the happy stories I somehow expected, this book is a fact-and-experience-based indictment of the fatal disregard humans have for the other species on this planet.A single anecdote about the rhino who lives in Thula Thula, Anthony's reserve in South Africa, serves to belie the idea that rhinos are not intelligent or adaptable, and I will treasure that. Perhaps to try and make up for the general lack of rhino experiences, Anthony intersperses what becomes a bizarre and scary narrative of human politics with incidents involving elephants, bushbabies, buffalo, and other wonderful animals. All the stories point to his deep belief that animals are as worthy as humans to occupy their space and live undisturbed. At a couple of points, he comments that any person who spends enough time with animals will witness evidence of their intelligence and sociability. There are also many examples that make the reader appreciate the difficulty of the life of conservationists in the wild and the talent and bravery of people who work with endangered animals.The beginning and much of the rest of the book kept me on the edge of my seat with exciting, suspenseful and true occurrences, definitely material for the cinema. Please, someone, make a movie of this book (perhaps with a few more darling rhinos in the film version) and show it to people who consume rhino horn.Because Anthony does not accomplish any of his goals for the rhinos. Absolutely everything goes badly wrong, often causing physical reactions in this reader. To top it all off, before the book was published, Lawrence Anthony passed away, and the animals lost their incredible champion. We're still here, and we need to step in for them because, incredibly, these half-ton, armored creatures with giant swords on their heads can't defend themselves from human greed. There's still a chance to turn this sad story around for the remaining rhinos.The Northern White Rhino is the largest animal to go extinct since the woolly mammoth.

Authors description of the game preserves makes me want to visit Africaa. My compassion for their lives, animal and human knows no bounds. And thanks for the photos.

The book was well written and it felt like you were right there with the writer .A great twist and side story in the middle of the story ... a small bit of history that made a difference for a moment . I have gone and purchased the Elephant Whisperer now . I have travelled to Africa and saw every animal except the rhino . When the rhinos and elephants are gone then how do these people that pay huge dollars get what they think they need to have a better quality life? . There needs to be better education in those countries first and for the world to stand up and say enough is enough !!!

Book was phenomenal - explaining all the intricacies about navigating the systemic barriers to animal conservation while still providing hope and encouragement for the readers. Truly a book that needs to be shared to spur people to take action and save species before they are extinct!

This is one of the best accounts of a determined conservationist’s lifelong work against tremendous odds. Written in such an easy to read manner. This book is a must read for people who dare to dream.

Its a confronting but excellent read.

Well written , interesting and a couldn’t put it down book. Excellent . Really enjoyed it and gives a first hand truthful insight into this magnificent and dangerous and different world. Thank you

Everyone shuld be educated to know about these faculties. This might serve to lead to a better understanding on the part of humans and a better life for many illtreated animals.Alain

Der "Elephant Whisperer" vom selben Autor war für mich eines der bewegendsten Bücher, das ich in den letzten Jahren gelesen habe.Deswegen habe ich "the Last Rhinos" mit hohen Erwartungen bestellt. Es ist zwar ein komplett anderes Buch, das ich nicht mit dem "Elephant Whisperer" vergleichen möchte, aber die Geschichte ist mindestens genauso spannend. Meine Faszination für Lawrence Anthony ist noch deutlich gewachsen. Wenn er etwas erreichen will, setzt er die ganze Welt in Bewegung, egal ob er Kampfhubschrauber der UN benötigt oder einen Deal mit den meistgesuchten Terroristen der Welt schließen muss.Eines der besten Bücher, die ich gelesen habe. Sechs Sterne! ;-)