If you loved The Elephant Whisperer by the late Lawrence Anthony, you will lap up the new sequel An Elephant in My Kitchen, written by his widow Françoise Malby-Anthony after his death.
The Anthonys became well-known for their conservation efforts at Thula Thula in KwaZulu-Natal and then – out of the blue – Lawrence died of a totally unexpected heart attack.
His widow Françoise was totally unprepared as she had only until then taken care of the business side of Thula Thula, managing the lodge and dealing with guests.
Then, just two weeks after Lawrence’s death, a baby rhino was shot by poachers and she realised she also had to take on the mantle of protecting the animals on the reserve.
It’s a big challenge – and a wonderful story which is also particularly relevant to what is happening right now in South Africa as poachers threaten to decimate the rhino population.
Although the book does feature the most lovable baby elephants – hence the title of the book, as they are hand-reared in her home to start – it also covers this ugly facet of life on a game reserve, along with much more.
As Françoise writes, when she arrived in South Africa more than 30 years ago, poaching was not an issue. However, by the time Lawrence died in 2012, the reserve had 23 full-time guards.
“Back then, it didn’t really exist. There were no armed guards, no GPS tracking collars on rhinos, no surveillance drones ... being in the bush was simple, more primitive and pure,” she writes.
“If rhino continue to be killed at the current rate, there won’t be a single one left in 20 years.”
An Elephant In My Kitchen not only shows how she has come to be the main protector of the gentle giants but also how Thula Thula became a rescue centre for orphaned rhinos and other wildlife.
In Françoise’s words “giving up isn’t in my genes” and her story of perseverance despite the odds makes a life-affirming read.

An Elephant in My Kitchen by Françoise Malby-Anthony with Katya Willemsen is published by Pan Macmillan...