Chifungwe: An African Adventure

Steeped in magic and superstition, Africa is a land in which man and nature form an inseparable bond. This lesson struck home for wildlife biologist David R. Patton as he tracked elephants as part of a land use survey in the Luangwa Valley, Africa. Little did he realize that Chifungwe, the first elephant marked with his ingenious tagging system, would upset the balance between nature and man by playing upon the superstitions of the native people. While trying to track and protect Chifungwe, Patton discovers the true dichotomy between the African way of life and man’s selfish pursuits.

Developed from the author’s daily diary from the time, Chifungwe: An African Adventure relates Patton’s eye-opening encounters in a foreign land. The dramatic backdrop of the African plains reflects the power inherent in a land where animals possess magical powers and man strives to benefit from them in a multitude of ways.

A wildlife ecologist and Professor Emeritus at Northern Arizona University, David R. Patton holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry from West Virginia University, a master’s in wildlife from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in watershed management from the University of Arizona. He is a certified wildlife biologist and a member of the Society of American Foresters and the Wildlife Society. Patton naturally enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities.