This is the story of the adventurous life of Mario Cesare as a game ranger and conservationist – spanning both pre- and post-1994 southern Africa – interwoven with the tale of an intense, loving 14-year relationship between himself and his dog Shilo. This relationship between man and dog was clearly meant to be from the day Mario first took the tiny newborn pup into his hands. It has lasted through innumerable adventures of duck-hunt and killer crocodile, wounded buffalo, lion, leopard and poacher.