The Soul of the Rhino: A Nepali Adventure with Kings and Elephant Drivers, Billionaires and Bureaucrats, Shamans and Scientists and the Indian Rhinoceros - Hardcover

Mishra, Hemanta

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1599211467 ISBN 13: 9781599211466

Publisher: Lyons Press, 2008

Synopsis

The story of a Nepalese who has spent his entire life safeguarding an endangered species
This new release is a spirited yet humble account of one man's scientific career and personal journey to save the endangered rhinoceros in his native Nepal. Fresh out of university, Mishra began his work with aboriginal tribes, the Nepalese royal house, the World Wildlife Fund, and the World Bank to protect the animal in its Himalayan habitat. In spite of decades spent political arm-wrestling, traveling and fund-raising, Mishra is still fearful to this day that Maoist insurgents and poachers will kill off the Asian rhinoceros for good―a tragedy after all his hard-won gains. This is the first book about saving the Asian one-horned rhinoceros, and the only one to delve into the multi-layered political labyrinths of wildlife conservation in South Asia. Filled with candor and bittersweet humor, Mishra recreates his journey on behalf of the rhino, an ugly yet enchanting, terrifying yet delicate creature. In the tradition of Leakey and Fossey, Mishra will be hailed by the media as the animal's advocate, and SOUL OF THE RHINO will quickly engage the soul of the reader.
Hemanta Mishra now lives in Virginia. This is his first book.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Selected as one of the best books of 2008 by Publishers Weekly

In early 2006, National Public Radio reported that “A promising conservation effort to save one of Nepal’s signature endangered species is now in serious trouble, due primarily to poachers taking advantage of fighting between government forces and Maoist insurgents.” This was devastating news indeed to author and scientist Hemanta Mishra, who has spent the better part of his adult life struggling to save the Indian Rhino from extinction in his native Nepal.

 The Soul of the Rhino is the spirited yet humble account of Mishra’s unique personal journey. Fresh out of university in the 1970s, Mishra embarks on his conservation work with the help of an ornery but steadfast elephant driver, the Nepalese royal family, and handfuls of  like-minded scientists whose aim is to protect the animal in the foothills of the Himalayas. Yet, in spite of decades spent creating nature reserves and moving rhinos to protected areas, arm-wrestling politicians, and raising awareness for the cause, Mishra is still fearful about the future of the Indian Rhino. To this day, Nepal is overrun by armed insurgents, political violence, and poachers who could kill off this magnificent creature for good.   Filled with candor and bittersweet humor, Mishra re-creates his journey on behalf of the rhino, an ugly yet enchanting, terrifying yet delicate creature. The first book of its kind to delve into the multi-layered political labyrinths of South Asian wildlife conservation, and one man’s endurance in the face of it all, The Soul of the Rhino is sure to win over your heart and soul.

About the Author:

Hemanta Mishra has worked with the Smithsonian Institution, the World Wildlife Fund, the World Bank, and Asian Development Bank and other major conservation groups. He was a key player in the international team that preserved and stabilized the habitat and is credited with halting the extinction of the rhino and Tiger populations in Nepal. He lives in Vienna, Virginia.

About this edition

• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1599211467
• ISBN 13: 9781599211466
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256
• Editor: Ottaway Jim