On arrival in Ngorongoro, George moved into a derelict farmhouse located between the crater and the Lerai forest. He was optimistic that he could own the crater, home to more than 50,000 zebra and wildebeest. He, therefore, made an application to be allocated the land by the Custodian of Enemy Property, a government department tasked with reallocating assets seized by Britain upon the defeat of Germany in WWI.