Lion: The Rise and Fall of the Marsh Pride
A new film charts the lives of a remarkable pride of lions…
Tuesday, 9pm, BBC2 Factual
Meet the most-filmed pride of lions in the world in this epic wildlife saga. It will show how the Marsh Pride have battled for survival in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, plus how each family member has its unique story. Through news archive and testimony from those who have filmed them over the years, the film will also chart how the lion population has declined catastrophically.
The lions of the Marsh Pride, who live on Kenya’s Masai Mara plains, have become the world’s most famous big cats, thanks to their appearance in countless documentaries.
In this new BBC2 film, conservationists who have worked closely with the pride look back at their highs and lows.
‘Only lions raise cubs as a family – none of the other cats do,’ explains zoologist Jonathan Scott, who’s followed the pride for decades and showcased their lives in BBC1’S long-running Big
Cat Diary. ‘They’re complex.’
The film explores how, in the late 1990s, pride leader Scar was ousted by newcomers Simba and Blondie, before Simba later faced his own challenge to the throne. Meanwhile, courageous lioness Bibi fought to protect her cubs from incoming males.
‘New males kill cubs and mate with females to start their own pride,’ says naturalist Simon King, who co-presented Big Cat Diary with Jonathan. ‘You want the cubs to come out the other side.’
While the Marsh Pride has experienced danger from other animals, the biggest threat has come from local herdsmen, who have killed lions for eating their livestock. Several lions, including Bibi, have been poisoned, placing the family’s future in jeopardy.
‘Lions are a wonderful natural heritage for Kenya,’ explains Jonathan. ‘But we either think that’s precious enough or we’re going to lose it.’