The Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania is one of the last remaining great wilderness areas in Africa. Added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1982, the Selous is Africa’s oldest and largest protected area and remains one of the continent’s greatest undisturbed ecosystems. Teeming with life—including one of the largest elephant populations remaining on the African continent, more lions than any other protected area on the continent, large packs of wild dogs, and vast herds of buffalo—the Selous is a crown jewel of biodiversity and wilderness preservation.
A new book, The Selous in Africa: A Long Way From Anywhere (Officina Libraria, November) by Robert J. Ross, features nearly 400 photographs of this extraordinary place. Not only the large mega-fauna typically seen in a photographic book on African wildlife, but also the fantastic and often overlooked smaller creatures, birds, insects, and dramatic landscapes are captured in these breathtaking images.
Original essays on the history and ecology of the Selous are complimented by generous excerpts from Sand Rivers, Peter Matthiessen’s beautifully written book about a safari he undertook in the Selous. But the story of the Selous Game Reserve is best experienced through Ross’ photography. Culled from over 100,000 photographs shot over four years, the images featured in the pages of The Selous of Africa offer readers an intimate glimpse into the diverse landscapes, flora, and fauna to be found in this cherished reserve.
Dramatically increased poaching and other threats to the Selous which have emerged in recent years have resulted in efforts being implemented today to preserve the reserve’s unique resources and withstand future threats. As Kishore Rao, Director of UNESCO/World Heritage Centre writes in the book’s Foreword, “The Selous World Heritage Site is our common heritage. Its magnificence is captured through Robert J. Ross’ great pictures. We cannot let the Selous die, it is our common responsibility to save it. Together we can make it happen.”
The Selous in Africa: A Long Way From Anywhere will appeal to anyone interested in Africa, wildlife, world- class photography, or armchair travel to one of the last great wilderness areas on Earth. Here’s a taste of what to expect from this book that will give readers throughout the world a rare look at this extraordinary part of the world. (To learn more about purchasing the Deluxe Edition, visit Robert J. Ross’ website)
About Robert J. Ross
Robert J. Ross has spent the past decade capturing colorful moments in Africa and elsewhere around the world. Rob’s work has been published in National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, Getaway Magazine, Africa Geographic, Islands, Travel Africa and many other leading travel and environmental journals. Rob has also undertaken photographic assignments for, The Wildlife Conservation Society, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the Global Fund for Children. Rob now divides his time between bases in the mountains of Colorado and at the southern tip of his beloved Africa in Cape Town.