Description

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Françoise Malby-Anthony's The Elephants of Thula Thula is a powerful, gripping story about an extraordinary herd of elephants and the woman dedicated to keeping them safe.

‘Somehow, the elephants got into my soul, and it became my life’s work to see them safe and happy. There was no giving up on that vision, no matter how hard the road was at times.’

Françoise Malby-Anthony is the owner of a game reserve in South Africa with a remarkable family of elephants whose adventures have touched hearts around the world. The herd’s feisty matriarch Frankie knows who’s in charge at Thula Thula, and it’s not Francoise. But when Frankie becomes ill, and the authorities threaten to remove or cull some of the herd if the reserve doesn’t expand, Françoise is in a race against time to save her beloved elephants . . .

The joys and challenges of a life dedicated to conservation are vividly described in The Elephants of Thula Thula. The search is on to get a girlfriend for orphaned rhino Thabo – and then, as his behaviour becomes increasingly boisterous, a big brother to teach him manners. Françoise realizes a dream with the arrival of Savannah the cheetah – an endangered species not seen in the area since the 1940s – and finds herself rescuing meerkats kept as pets. But will Thula Thula survive the pandemic, an invasion from poachers and the threat from a mining company wanting access to its land?

As Françoise faces her toughest years yet, she realizes once again that with their wisdom, resilience and communal bonds, the elephants have much to teach us.

About the Author

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Françoise Malby-Anthony was born in the south of France, brought up in Paris, and has lived in South Africa since 1987. She founded the Thula Thula game reserve in 1998 with her late husband, the renowned conservationist and bestselling author Lawrence Anthony. When Lawrence died in 2012, Françoise took over the running of the reserve and is equally passionate about conservation. She was the driving force behind setting up a wildlife rehabilitation centre at the reserve to care for orphaned animals. Her first book, An Elephant in My Kitchen, was an international bestseller.

Praise For…

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Praise for The Elephants of Thula Thula:

“A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Malby-Anthony blends the beauty of the African bush with the nuts and bolts of running a game preserve in this welcome continuation of the story of Thula Thula.” —Booklist

"Malby-Anthony’s story is a model of what an individual can do when united with a community, fueled by a dream and a passion for animals, toward rewilding a small part of the world." —The Explorers Journal

Praise for An Elephant in My Kitchen:

"A moving and often amusing account of a life filled with compassion and resolve." —Wall Street Journal

"Malby-Anthony offers a book of great inspiration and wide appeal to nature-loving readers." —Publishers Weekly

"Full of vivid descriptions that place readers in the middle of the action...An engrossing eye-opener on the fragility of South Africa's fauna." —Kirkus Reviews