Last Lions

Lions are the stuff of legends. Revered and feared in equal measure, both majestic and terrifying, they once reigned supreme over an extensive domain. But this once-dominant beast’s original range has contracted by some 85%, and the world population is thought to have dropped to just over 20,000 individuals. The IUCN Red Data List now classifies lions as Vulnerable, and the West African subpopulation as Critically Endangered. Not only are lion numbers crashing, but the remaining populations cling to their existence on ever smaller, more fragmented pockets of land. Feared and despised by farmers trying to eke out a living on marginal land, lions are increasingly being exterminated or repurposed for commercial gain. Trophy hunters pay extortionate sums to bag specimens in their prime, and lion bones are being sold for the roaring Eastern trade in ‘tiger wine’. This landmark book aims to halt the downward spiral. It takes you on a journey across the continent and into the lives of rangers, scientists and communities, and the majestic creatures they work to conserve. Along with the bad news about today’s lions, it offers a message of hope, showing how innovative conservationists are rethinking our approach to human-lion coexistence. This book, with its searing, inspiring images and vivid accounts from the experts and foot-soldiers of conservation, brings the plight of lions to the attention of the world and is an urgent plea for the actions that need to be taken before it’s too late. Sales points: A must-have for anyone interested in wildlife, conservation and the environment. Text by a host of top scientists, conservationists and others in the field. Outstanding photography by award-winning photographers.

Dr Don Pinnock is a historian, criminologist, environmental journalist and photographer. He has served as editor of the travel magazine Getaway and is the author or co-author of 18 books, including The Last Elephants. He has won two Mondi Awards and the City Press Non-Fiction Award, and was shortlisted for the European Union Literary Award.Colin Bell landed his first job as a safari guide in Botswana in 1977, after completing an economics degree at Wits University in South Africa. He is a passionate wildlife conservationist and has co-authored two books on wildlife and the environment – Africa’s Finest and The Last Elephants.