Pat de la Harpé Reihenfolge der Bücher (Chronologisch)

The subcontinent remains of Africa's great drawcards - it is home to vast numbers of endemic wildlife, the setting of some of the continent's most inspiring vistas and proud host to some of African's greatest game reserves and national parks. And herein lies southern Africa's most promising contribution. Together, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique have made the most of their spectacular scenery, the indigenous wildlife and the warm hospitality of their peoples. The enormous range of their wild spaces and natural habitats, from coastal wetlands and bushveld landscape to mountains and even desert sands, means that there is an equally varied flora and fauna.Birds abound in every form, their mammals include the largest, the smallest and certainly in the case of the Big Five, for example, the most impressive. Yet it is the people of southern Africa - in every face, on every city street and in every dusty village - who are the true reflection of Africa.

Lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant have for centuries been heralded as the Big Five, not, as one would assume, in order to lure visitors to the continent's conservation areas, but because in the hunting era of days gone by, these animals were considered to be the most difficult and dangerous of Africa's 'trophy' species. Today, however, there is no denying that they are collectively the continent's most effective magnet for tourism. And with good reason. The majestic and sociable lion and the stealthy and solitary leopard are the most handsome of Africa's 10 cat species. Rhinos -- in particular the black rhino -- have been hunted almost to extinction for their impressive horns, but through careful conservation efforts, they have staged a remarkable recovery. The hefty buffalo, alone an irascible beast, yet docile and calm in a herd, has a presence all its own. And the elephant, the epitome of Africa, is well known not only for its size, but for its fiercely protective matriarchs, which put the human animal to shame.These then are Africa's Big Five, and here they are portrayed in their natural surroundings in various locations across the continent -- at leisure and on the hunt, in family groups and alone -- in a series of magnificent photographs, complemented by colourful and informative text.

The Zulu are a proud nation with a reputation for their warlike past. Except for ceremonial occasions, the old ways of the Zulu are fast disappearing under the pressures of Western culture.