The Author is making fun of western peoples ideas of efforts to provide conservation areas in Africa and how they are praised. While in reality, conservation areas are exploited as a tourist destination which is distinct from a real conversationalist effort. Which would seek to totally cease the disruptive impact humans have.

Here the Author is sarcastically asserting that Western Authors generally describe Africa as a singular homogenous civilization and ecosystem. While only depicting the suffering/lack of modernization and the ecosystems which draw the most excitement.

These words create the façade of an untouched, undeveloped world when describing Africa. Poking at the more outlandish preconceived ideas westerners portray Africa as.