The Eye of the Elephant

An Epic Adventure in the African Wilderness

De: Mark Owens, Delia Owens

Narrado por: Donna Postel, Sean Runnette

Duración: 11 h y 31 m

Resumen del Editor

The authors of Secrets of the Sahara battle the elephant poachers of Zambia in this "exciting...part adventure story, part wildlife tale" (The Boston Globe).

Intelligent, majestic, and loyal, with lifespans matching our own, elephants are among the greatest of the wonders gracing the African wilds. Yet in the 1970s and 1980s, about 1,000 of these captivating creatures were slaughtered in Zambia each year, killed for their valuable ivory tusks. When biologists Mark and Delia Owens, residing in Africa to study lions, found themselves in the middle of a poaching fray, they took the only side they morally could: that of the elephants.

The Eye of the Elephant recounts the Owens' struggle to save these innocent animals from decimation, a journey not only to supply the natives with ways of supporting their villages, but also to cultivate support around the globe for the protection of elephants. Filled with daring exploits among disgruntled hunters, arduous labor on the African plains, and vivid depictions of various wildlife, this remarkable tale is at once an adventure story, a travelogue, a preservationist call to action, and a fascinating examination of both human and animal nature.

©1992 Delia and Mark Owens (P)2019 Tantor

Talk about dedication!

These two make a good team ! They sure took some chances ! Brave or passionate! Which ever they didn’t give up! I hope they are retired and happy somewhere ! They earned it!

So important!

Wow. This story was beautifully told. From the opening sentence, I was drawn in. The authors told such an important story with necessary transparency. The heartbreaking story of the wildlife in Africa needs to be shared.

Hard to listen

If I had read the description more carefully, I would have realized this is not a "feel good about animals" book. The truth is tough sometime.

Narrators were monotonous

Loved this book!

If you love animals and learning about other cultures you will love this book too.

Blair

I enjoyed both of these books. My wife is from Africa and we have been there but would like to be able to spend time in the bush like these folk did.

Brilliant narration makes all the difference

Thank you Donna Postel for such a pleasurable listen. Her narration put to life the vivid description of the authors as if I was indeed watching a movie.

Fascinating events and noble cause written in an appealing format.

An true, and accurate, way to get into the day to day of antipoaching, conservation, and Africa itself.

The transformation of Zambia through a HUGE journey using the locals help, government backing, and actively fighting poachers. Pilot's flying, guns shooting, lions in their camp, constant dead elephants, poachers arrests, it could be an action movie! great read!

The main guy, Mark, doesn't have a nice voice. His S's whistle and it gets annoying. Although he's half the narrative (his wife narrates the other half), it's not the worst thing.

Real Life Heroes

Having recently been to Botswana and Zimbabwe I observed many elephants close up. They are magnificent and gentle animals. I loved their book and applaud them for their efforts. I wish the country of South Africa would recognize the importance of these animals and cease dealing in Ivory and other elephant parts.

I hope the Owens will update this wonderful book and let us all know the current state of affairs in Africa.

Great story that increases awareness

I loved this book. The story is very interesting and informative. My only criticism is that the male reader was far less engaging to me and sometimes my mind drifted during his sections. I much preferred the parts read by the female.

Definite read for conservationists

This was a difficult and sometimes depressing book to read as it journals the struggle of two "die-hard" conservationists in 1980's Zambia fully caught up in the shocking slaughter of Elephants in the Luanga Valley by commercial poachers.

Initially their plan was to continue studying Lions as they have in the Kalahari (journalled in a previous book titled "Cry of the Kalahari"), but from the start it is clear that they have a wildlife war on their hands.

Not shying away from controversy, Delia and Mark Owens are also the subjects of a New Yorker article titled "The Hunter" (April 5, 2010) about the death of a poacher during this tumultuous time.
I am certain the author of this article did not fully read this book, as anyone who has will feel the frustration of trying to save these beautiful animals only to be met with opposition, lies and even corruption at the highest levels of government.

Definitely a must read for anyone interested in Conservation of Elephants/ other animals in Africa.