az. „For the love of the wildlife", by Chris Mercer and Beverley Pervan – A homage to the beauty of Bushmanland, a vast and remote paradise which had been in most parts destroyed by the occupation of mankind. The story about Simba, the lonely lion in southern Bushmanland who was attacked and persecuted by mankind , Baghira the disabled cheetah and all the other "wild people" who found shelter at the Harnas Lion Farm situated about one hundred kilometres from Gobabis.

A tale about the Van der Merwe family. About Marieta and Nic Van der Merwe, their passion for the "wild people" and their whole life’s ambition– the Harnas Lion Farm. But also about their three children who had grown up with "wild people" as friends.

But it’s more than a story about the Harnas Lion Farm in Namibia and the great efforts and exceptional experiences of the Van der Merwe family, it’s also an appeal for the protection of the wilderness and by this also for the conservation of the "wild peoples" homeland.

By reading the story, one can perfectly feel what the spirit of Africa means. It’s a tale about "a world where all life listens to a rhythm like a wave" as Andrew Mercer described it in one of his fantastic poems in the book.

Written in a very sensitive and emotional style, "For the love of the wildlife" is an absolutely successful arrangement of personal experiences and background information. A story that invites for dreaming about the magic of wilderness but also reminds us how cruel and ruthless this wonderland has been destroyed.

All in all an absolutely fascinating story which should be highly commended for all who have a sense for our environment.

This book of 252 pages has been published by The Kalahari Raptor Centre in 2000 and can only be obtained at Namibia Book Marketing in Windhoek, Almuth Henrichsen, P. O. Box 3759, Tel./Fax: 061-232621.