The Soul of the Rhino:
A Nepali Adventure with Kings and Elephant Drivers, Billionaires and Bureaucrats, Shamans and Scient

by Hemanta R. Mishra

Copyright 2008 by Hemanta Mishra. All Rights Reserved.

Categories:  Contemporary  Environmentalism  Memoir  Nature  Non-Fiction

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Description

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.

Praise for The Soul of the Rhino

"The Soul of the Rhino is unusual, fascinating and important. It provides not only a rare insight into the personality and behavior of the highly endangered and little known Asian rhino, but an equally absorbing picture of the people who share its habitat...[It] is also a commentary on the way in which wildlife management can be helped or tragically hindered by revolution, politics and the commitment, or lack of it, of those in power. Most important, it will surely inspire other young people in Asia to follow in [Mishra's] footsteps. I hope you will buy and read this book."
—Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace

"The Soul of the Rhino is the first book of its kind that proves that nature conservation in Asia does not only depend upon good Western science. But like politics in America, it is an art—an art of the possible—an art that puts human needs and culture in the forefront of environmental conservation."
—Rimpoche Lodi Gyari, Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

"For anyone in wildlife, the Himalayan region, Hindu and Buddhist culture, this book is a delight...Many well-meaning, dedicated conservation supporters have written enthusiastically about environmental, species, and cultural conservation—but Mishra has not only 'talked the talk,' he has really 'walked the walk,' as the reader will learn."
—Kenneth Nebenzahl, director of the American Himalayan Foundation, and member of the World Wildlife Fund—U.S. Council

"From the unique perspective of a Nepali dealing with conservation battles in his own country, [Mishra] describes his contacts with everyone from poacher and foreigner to bureaucrat, royalty and rhino. I enjoyed The Soul of the Rhino immensely for its potent conservation message as well as its insights into a culture and the soul of the author."
—George B. Schaller, Wildlife Conservation Society

Extended Copyright Information

Copyright 2008 by Hemanta Mishra. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to The Lyons Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.

Previously published by The Lyons Press, an imprint of The Globe Pequot Press.

Cover design by Georgiana Goodwin.
Cover image Bridgeman Art Library.

About the Author

Hemanta Mishra began his field career in 1967 with the Nepalese government and has worked with the Smithsonian Institution, the World Wildlife Fund, the World Bank, and Asian Development Bank and other major conservation groups. He has made extensive scientific studies of large Asian wild animals. 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.

Opening Lines (Experimental)

with Jim Ottaway, Jr.
PROLOGUE:
"What have you done, my son!" were the last words mumbled by the bespectacled God-King before he died on the dining table at a family dinner at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace in Kathmandu on June 1, 2001.
The death of King Birendra, a gentle, humble, Harvard-educated ...

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