Well hello there...
Hello. I'm James Hendry - thanks for visitng. If you are here by mistake, it is probably because you are bored doing something like work so read on, you might have a laugh or, better still, find something useful I might do for you.
The point of this site is flagrant self-promotion. Apparently these days, one has to have a personal brand.
I've been lucky enough to make a living in and around African wildlife areas for the last 25 years. Right now, I work for WildEarth.tv inbewtween guiding safaris, writing, presenting, taking pictures and speaking. Most of this is on hold as every spare moment is currently occupied by my wee daughter. My training was in biology, conservation and human development (masters). I am inspired by the wilderness and fascinated by why we are, who we are, how we are. My greatest joy is giving people laughter and pleasure through telling stories about nature and the wild.
If you'd like to contact me about any of these things send me a mail.
WHo am I?
I’d like to be a renaissance man. That means I want to know and do a lot of things in lots of different fields. (A bit like Leonardo Da Vinci although I'll probably not design a helicopter or paint a dodgy-looking woman with creepy eyes).
Right now, I am publicising a new book (Return to the Wild), taking privately guided safaris, and presenting wildlife shows - I have hosted and presented 50 odd TV shows to Nat Geo Wild, SABC (South Africa) and CGTN (China). With my long-suffering wife, we also make YouTube series about our amusing adventures in various wild parts of Africa. I also play the guitar to anyone who will listen - often live on the web.
So that, in a nutshell, is who I am at the moment.
For those who find these things important, I have a masters in development studies from Cape Town University and an honours in wildlife science from the KwaZulu-Natal University.
My working life has been varied. It began at the Spur - a lamentable South African steakhouse franchise. This was a mercifully short three week experience for which my surly character was ill-suited. After university I spent eight years at various game lodges in southern Africa working as a ranger, ranger trainer, head ranger, land manager, researcher, lodge manager and entertainer. I spent two years being blasted by the howling winds of the ‘fairest’ Cape working for a wildlife film production company, studying and starving.
I have also dabbled as a professional musician, guitar teacher and porridge mogul. Yes a porridge mogul but that’s another a long story.
I like to play the guitar, run, sing, drink good scotch, read books, swim in the sea, watch rugby and play golf. (The last of these is the most farcical part of my existence). I speak passable isiZulu, Xitsonga (Shangane) and appalling Afrikaans. I’ve written and co-written four books.
