Even if you’re not particularly excited by the prospect of reading about wildlife and conservation, you might nevertheless enjoy The Elephants of Thula Thula, a memoir by Françoise Malby-Anthony (Pan MacMillan Publishers).
Françoise is the brave widow of the late ‘elephant whisperer’ Lawrence Anthony and is also the author of An Elephant in My Kitchen (2018). She owns and is the sole custodian of the Thula Thula reserve in KwaZulu-Natal and a remarkable and now world-famous herd of elephants.
At times, it reads like something out of Deon Meyer’s pen, as helicopters and security forces are either called to defend the reserve’s creatures or the lodge itself, as was the case during KZN’s unrest when rioters threatened to destroy and plunder everything in sight. But then that is juxtaposed with fairy-tale Out of Africa-like moments where she describes the impossible beauty of the land and nature’s miracles. A microcosm of the roller-coaster life in topsy-turvy South Africa, where we endure the bitter to enjoy the very sweet.
When Françoise meets and falls in love with renowned conservationist Lawrence Anthony in France and decides to follow him to South Africa, her life takes an unexpected turn. Blissfully happy during the first ten years, during which she and her husband buy, build and establish their 1500-hectare reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, she has no idea of how suddenly and unexpectedly her life would change. When Lawrence dies some years later, Francoise has a Herculean challenge as she faces the daunting prospect of running Thula Thula on her own.
Françoise details her journey of how she took ownership of what was essentially Lawrence’s dream: creating a haven for their treasured wildlife, particularly his beloved herd of elephants. Up until Lawrence’s death, Françoise took charge of marketing, hospitality, the running of the lodge and the training of the staff – a mountain of work in itself but a molehill, as she would learn when compared to what it entails carrying the full responsibility of the reserve.
Her memoir is an easy, unassuming account of what it took to lift herself out of the darkness of despair time and again: first losing her partner; then facing the pandemic and the harsh lockdowns in 2020, which almost destroyed the reserve; dealing with the consequent sharp increase in aggressive poaching posing daily threats; not to mention navigating a quagmire of bureaucracy and red tape. On top of this, she is confronted by a mining company wanting access to her land.
Eventually, Lawrence’s dreams became her own. As she says, ‘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’s story affirms the privilege and the joy – despite the many hardships – that characterise a life dedicated to conservation.
It brims with interesting anecdotes, including how Françoise has to find a girlfriend for their orphaned rhino Thabo – and then, as his behaviour becomes increasingly boisterous, a big brother to teach him manners; introducing Savannah the cheetah to the reserve, a species not seen in the area since the 1940s; and rescuing meerkats, rehabilitating them and rewilding them in the Kalahari.
But her elephants are her most precious. During Françoise’s toughest years, she realises that the elephants have much to teach us through observing their wisdom, resilience and communal bonds.
The Elephants of Thula Thula is a powerful, gripping story about an extraordinary herd of elephants and the woman devoted to keeping them safe. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
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