From the kitchen of his family’s Italian restaurant in Johannesburg to the front lines of Africa’s most dangerous anti-poaching operations, this is the story of a man who always belonged to the wild. Raised on Sicilian family stories and the constant bustle of his father’s Italian restaurant in the heart of Johannesburg, Mario Cesare grew up rooted in tradition, but his heart was elsewhere.

From an early age, he was drawn to open spaces and the untamed edges of the world beyond the city. Nature was never a passing fascination; it was a calling that refused to be ignored. That calling led him deep into South Africa’s most prestigious game reserves – Thornybush, Mala Mala, Olifants – where beauty and brutality exist side by side.

As a game ranger on the front lines of conservation, Mario faced the grim realities behind Africa’s wildlife tourism: armed poachers, mutilated animals, and the constant emotional toll of protecting what cannot protect itself. From rescuing orphaned rhino calves beside their poached mothers to tracking dangerous criminals with his trusted K9 partner, Saba, Mario’s journey is one of courage, heartbreak and unwavering commitment.

This is not a romanticised tale of the bush, but a raw, honest account of what it truly means to live the life of a game ranger in South Africa. Deeply human and powerfully told, Tracks in the Dust: A Game Ranger’s Journey is about purpose, sacrifice, and answering a call that was always there.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mario Cesare is a former wildlife manager and award nominated conservationist, and the author of four books including Man Eaters, Mambas and Marula Madness (2010), The Man with the Black Dog (2011) and Heart of a Game Ranger (2017). He lives in Cape Town with his wife, Meagan.

'Tracks in the Dust: A Game Ranger's Journey' is published by Jonathan Ball Publishers