Local Hopes His Latest Book Will Bring Attention to Plight of Rhinos
Rory Johnston of Swiss Alp area used to live in Zimbabwe
Author Rory Johnston, who now resides in the Swiss Alp area, knows the lay of the land through writing about his life while growing up in the safari business in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and is now helping his readers discover the true nature of the wildlife which he wants to continue to save.
Rory Johnston’s latest recently fourth published book, “The Last Rhino War: A Journey of Survival” encapsulates just that. The novel, a fictional love story, tells a story about an ex-professional rhino hunter’s journey to redemption and how he finds his true nature to protect the wildlife conservation of the endangered rhinos. He meets Eva, a poacher, who is on her own journey for survival. The two in the midst of saving each other in turn try to save the very thing they wanted to hurt. All things are wild and free so shouldn’t Africa’s rhinos be too?
“Rhinos are getting poached, illegally slaughtered, and we are losing two to three rhinos per day which means in about 10 years we will not have any rhinos left in the wild,” said Johnston. “I was leading a game reserve expedition in South Africa in 2015 I witnessed a poached pregnant rhino so we lost two rhinos and the enormity and honor of seeing that prompted me to write this book.” This fictional love story is actually very factual because Johnston returned to Africa many times to do research and track the routes poachers are using to get the rhino horns exported to the far east.
Along with “The Last Rhino War: A Journey of Survival” Johnston has written three short stories, “Growing Up in Africa,” “A Major Hoodwink,” “It Happened at Squeedunc Plantation” (with wife Virginia), and a trilogy: “The Sands of Katambora,” “Katambora Rising,” “Katambora Sunset.” For more information about these books and Johnston’s story you can visit, www.roryjohnston. org. Also if you would like to buy any of these books they are all available on Amazon, booklocker.com, and most major bookstores.
In addition to writing Johnston has continued to work in the safari business and also does photography when on safaris. “With COVID and everything else sadly it has been about a year since I have been back to Africa,” said Johnston. “I plan to go back as soon as I can.”
“I consider myself blessed in so many ways because I have been able to introduce so many people to Africa, the people, the geography, the animals are all part of a life-changing experience,” said Johnston. “I don’t think had one person who has not said Africa has not changed their life in some way. I encourage everybody to go because it will not be there forever.”
If you ever thought about going on a safari or just want to learn more about safaris, you can check out Johnston’s safari business and start to plan your trip to Africa at www.africasafaristyle.com.
Johnston and his wife Virginia decided to move to Fayette County for a quieter existence five years ago after moving from Houston where they lived for many years. “We had the good pleasure of finding a place out here and haven’t looked back,” said Johnston. Johnston, whose personal nature of preserving, showcasing, and restoring land, has now steamed into Fayette County. “I started the Fayette Prairie Chapter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas and it engages landowners to revert it to when the buffalo roamed.”
Johnston’s life and his books, particularly his latest one, will make you think past your own journey and encourage you to help protect and hope for the future of not only nature’s wildlife but the nature of human decency.