First published in 1984, The Cry of the Kalahari is an autobiography on the pioneering research that Mark and Delia Owens conducted on the wildlife of the Kalahari in Botswana [139% larger than the UK] during the mid-1970s.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster and once I picked it up on recommendation from my sister, I just couldn’t put it down. It is truly inspirational for all, a journey of patience, determination, guile, fortitude, resoluteness, courage, bravery, sadness, horror, disdain, anger, peace, uncertainty… I could go on endlessly.
You may have watched documentaries by Sir David Attenborough or be aware of the amazing conservation work of Jane Goodall but this seven year journey of Mark and Delia Owens not only represents them as zoologists and researchers, but shows their concern and love for the environment and the species inhabiting our world.
The year is 1974 and Mark and Delia arrive in Botswana ready to start their journey with only $7000 in their pocket, which is the equivalent of about $40,000 in today’s money. That’s about the average yearly salary in the 1970s. It took them three years, in which they both scraped to save working two jobs and selling all their worldly possessions to make this research expedition a reality.
Financing the trip was an ongoing battle throughout their eventual 7 year stay in the Kalahari. When they first arrived they ended up working in Gaborone for several months before making their way up to Maun. It was to become their go to point for supplies before heading south to Deception Valley in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Throughout the book it alternates between Mark and Delia’s diaries where they share their intimate insights in to the relationships between animal and man, one to this day that continues to be fraught and fragile, as they try and piece together a better understanding on how animals thrive to live with limited resources while on a shoestring budget.
The primary study was centred around jackals, lions and the endangered brown hyena. One of the most incredible stories is about a lion they aptly named ‘Bones’ . Found with a life threatening leg injury, using their rudimentary skills, they conducted emergency surgery with whatever tools they had to save him. They would lose track of Bones for long periods of time only for him to suddenly reappear to their (and the readers) absolute delight. It turns out that Lions have an incredible natural recovery system.
For me it was fascinating to find out about how brown hyena’s such as ‘Star’ (what a story that is!) interact socially with their kind as well as Lions. Having travelled to the Ngorongoro Crater myself, further east in Tanzania, I was struck by the balance in which animals live, rely and depend on each other. Reflecting on it, it almost feels like most humans are completely not in tune with the flora and fauna that exists on this planet.
Living in the Kalahari also meant that Delia and Mark would go months without seeing another human being. It almost feels unreal that at times when they were at greatest distress, particularly when they came closest to running out of funding, suddenly somebody would come to the rescue.
Starting first with receiving relief from a South African Half American/Half Englishman by the name of Bergie Berghoffer who appears suddenly out of nowhere and keeps dropping them off supplies until - well I’ll leave that incredible story for you to find out more about.
Delia and Mark develop relationships with others on their occasional visits to Maun but overtime they find that due to their long stays in the Kalahari that they are becoming more and more distant from social relationships.
They are relentless in sending out applications for grants to allsorts of wildlife institutions across North America, Europe and South Africa. Over time their persistence leads to trickle of funds which allows them to invest in getting more sophisticated and occasionally troubled equipment.
This allowed them to pioneer research on brown hyenas, learning in detail where they went and how they lived with other hyenas. Their research gave us a greater understanding of the rather complex relationships that exist within these communities.
Despite their challenges with funding, building relationships, and tracking brown hyenas and lions with their limited capacity. Mark and Delia faced an incredibly harsh climate and extreme weather events together, often bearing extreme heat or alternating their study patterns to continue working on their research.
The threat of fires, drought but also the impacts of human encroachment and restriction had an impact not only on their scientific studies but also their social and emotional well-being. Fencing created by a handful of cattle ranchers restricted the flow of migrant wildebeest trying to find water during times of drought and resulting in unfathomable amount of death and extreme distress amongst their populations and ofcourse untold impacts on the habitats.
Their experiences would make them one of the biggest voices for animals of the Kalahari. Writing and pleading with local, national and international actors to intervene. Things would be made worse by incoming mining prospectors looking to find untold riches in this vast and pristine land.
Humans are by default meaning making machines. What's the point of all this? Whatever you define ‘this’ to be! This is something that you may have asked of yourself in different settings. Through reading this book you will be struck by the balance that the animal kingdom walks in, in sharp contrast to how as humans we interact and consume from this one precious and wonderful earth.
Mark & Delia’s commitment and love for what they do is truly inspiring. Coming from modest beginnings to living on the edge for the love of knowledge.I'm so grateful to have been recommended this book and humbled by Mark and Delia sharing their journey.
I think the Queen of Conservation, Jane Goodall said, 'For anyone interested in animals or in real life adventure, this book is a must' - I couldn’t have said it better. If you would like to find out more about the book click check out Delia’s website here where you’ll find out about her other internationally bestselling non fiction books too!
Struggling reading? Have you tried listening to books? There are quite a few platforms which you can do this on.
I find listening to books, particularly ones narrated by the authors, gives you a much more immersive experience. This book is incredible to listen to, where you might be, travelling by train, plane, yacht or car!
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