I had a toy hippo. Its body was a very hard plastic shell and it stood about 6cm high. It marched stiffly down slopes on wide flat feet, heel toe heel toe, mouth agape, stumpy teeth gleaming. It was one of the marvels of my tiny life.
There were many animals in the small, battered cardboard case: cheetahs – captivating (though easily misplaced) in their minuteness; a lion whose patchy mane did not reduce his magnificence in my eyes, a solid rhino and others.
One morning my grade one teacher handed out squares of white paper. She assigned everyone in the class (4 – 8 years old) an animal from the pictures hanging on the wall. I stared at my giraffe, high up on the other side of the room. Overwhelming as the task was, it was also rather thrilling. I had been directed to something that, until then, had simply been part of the decor.
African animals: many of us were raised on them. Through happenstance we develop a kinship with particular species. And we gather more, even into adulthood: we see a film featuring a friendly warthog; we receive an elephant calendar for Christmas; we are likened to a meerkat.
We take them into our psyche. They become part of our notion of what the world is and, subtly, they are woven into the fabric of who we are.
They become special (sometimes without us realising the extent). They call us.
A far cry from the narrow, brown plastic elephant, upright only because of its rectangular base.
We want to see them, to visit ‘our animals’ roaming freely.
And we pay to do so.
The plastic animals have brought the BB and me to Kruger. Our money helps conserve the real animals and support people who are fighting to that end.
The relationship forged through plastic animals renders the experience of seeing the real ones richer and deeper than it would otherwise have been and, in that sublime moment of tenderness, awe and recognition when we sight them in the wild, the memory of that first contact dances at the edges.
Give a child a plastic animal (or a picture or a zoo visit or a movie or…) and give them roots to life.
To be continued.
The World is My Cuttlefish 
Great shots … and to think your journey to Kruger started so long ago.
Thank you. I took hundreds of photos.
I had no idea, when I played with those animals and drew that giraffe, that decades later I would see them up close in the wild. Tracing back can be fun.
Now that you mention, I had those same little plastic animals growing up. You make an interesting point about our young imaginations, and the links we forge to the ‘real thing’. Makes me think about all the other less known animals that aren’t as often in the toy collection – like Australia’s many little endangered marsupials. But what an amazing experience, to see those big powerful creatures in the wild!
How about a gift package for every newborn of (recycled) plastic indigenous animals? That might help conservation efforts.
It was a stunning experience – a real privilege – and one thought I would not have.
ooooooh I love these! the animals and your shots! you’ve rendered a great portrait of them all! I hope you enjoy more and share more of your tip in Africa!
and I’ve nominated you to the Liebster Award! Learn more here: http://lespetitspasdejuls.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/everyone-is-someone-favorite/
Cheers! Enjoy your vacation!
Jul’
Thank you Jul’. Very sweet of you to award me. Yes, there is another post coming on Africa. I have more photos to share and things to tell about.
I like it as it is, I don’t think photos would have added a lot.
Yes, photos of plastic animals couldn’t really compete with the real thing.