Animals, Africa and Other Secrets - True Short Stories by Bob Golding
Most of the short stories below were written during the last three or four years and are based on my experiences in Nigeria, West Africa, between 1963 and 1979 when I was Curator, then Director, of the Zoological Garden at the University of Ibadan. The stories tell something of my work and life in West Africa. They also demonstrate that, as is evidenced by emails and other messages I receive to this day, a properly targeted zoological garden can be highly effective in stimulating an interest in animals, and indeed the natural world, in people from many different backgrounds. The stories are mostly between 14 and 22 pages long with photographs. They include accounts of some of the (sometimes extraordinary) activities and events involving the Zoo, the staff, zoo visitors and some of the animals. The accompanying photographs feature many West African animal species, some rarely photographed, as well as the many people and places I encountered.
Each story is available here as a PDF document which can be downloaded, printed and read when convenient. Simply click the required title/image and it will appear on-screen with perhaps a very brief delay.
Bob Golding, Bristol, UK, December 2020.
