Memories of a Game Ranger Author: Harry Wolhuter
Memories of a Game Ranger
The Iconic and Definitive Chronicle of Early South African Wildlife Conservation and Bushveld Lore
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Memories of a Game Ranger
- Author: Harry Wolhuter
- Publisher: Central News Agency (CNA), Johannesburg (For the Wild Life Protection Society of South Africa)
- Publication Date: November 1970
- Edition Details: Tenth Edition, Deluxe Hardcover Release.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium full-cloth hardcover boards, featuring robust spine lettering and a distinct wildlife motif.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 316 pages. Enriched with legendary scratchboard illustrations by C.T. Astley Maberly, photographic plates, and a fold-out regional reference map.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Boards: The original publisher's hardcover cloth binding shows excellent preservation, standing completely upright and true. Corners are square and flat, with only minor shelf rubbing along the extreme bottom edges.
- Interior: The inner text block is robustly bound, tight, and exceptionally clean. Page margins are free of ink names, dealer pricing stamps, or highlighting. Displays light, entirely uniform paper toning, characteristic of early 1970s South African printings.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG)
- Condition Detail: The vintage illustrated dust jacket is complete and visually striking, showing typical handling and storage edge wear, including tiny, minor chips at the spine tips and corners. Now professionally stabilized and protected within a brand-new, archival clear plastic sleeve to stop future wear and elevate its appearance.
Synopsis & Historical Value
First published in 1948, Memories of a Game Ranger is widely regarded as the ultimate foundation text of South African wildlife literature. Harry Wolhuter recounts his forty-four remarkable years as one of the very first game rangers in the Sabi Game Reserve (later transformed into the Kruger National Park).
The book is filled with gripping encounters against poachers, rogue wildlife, and the raw elements of the lowveld, highlighted by his legendary, miraculous survival after being dragged into the bush by two lions—a feat accomplished using only a small pocket knife. Enhanced by the iconic sketches of C.T. Astley Maberly, this 1970 edition is an essential addition for any serious collector of classic Africana bushveld adventures, militaria, and conservation history.
Author Profile: Harry Wolhuter
Harry Wolhuter (1877–1964) was a legendary South African conservationist, pioneer ranger, and folk hero. Appointed by Colonel James Stevenson-Hamilton in 1902, Wolhuter helped shape early wildlife management policies and combat extensive commercial poaching. His absolute dedication to the lowveld terrain laid the groundwork for modern eco-tourism and wildlife preservation in Southern Africa, making his name synonymous with the history of the Kruger National Park.
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