From the lush wetlands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta comes the suspense-filled tale of a determined lioness ready to try anything—and willing to risk everything—to keep her family alive. In the latest documentary by acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, The Last Lions follow the epic journey of a lioness named Ma di Tau (“Mother of Lions”) as she battles to protect her cubs against a daunting onslaught of enemies in order to ensure their survival.
The gripping real-life saga of Ma di Tau, her cubs, the buffalo, and the rival pride unfolds inside a stark reality: Lions are vanishing from the wild. In the last 50 years, lion populations have plummeted from 450,000 to as few as 20,000. Dereck and Beverly Joubert weave their dramatic storytelling and breathtaking, up-close footage around a resonating question: Are Ma di Tau and her young to be among the last lions? Or will we as humans, having seen how tough, courageous and poignant their lives in the wild are, be moved to make a difference?
Dereck and Beverly Joubert
It is the plight of big cats that attracts their major effort today. Dereck and Beverly established the Big Cats Initiative, a program with National Geographic designed as an emergency action fund to drive the world’s attention to big cats and to develop real solutions to stop the decline that has seen lion numbers drop from 450,000 to 20,000 in 50 years.
“We no longer have the luxury of time when it comes to big cats,” says Dereck. “They are in such a downward spiral that if we hesitate now, we will be responsible for extinctions across the globe. If there was ever a time to take action, it is now.”
Watch The Last Lions trailer above and National Geographic will contribute $.10 for each viewing until the video hits one million YouTube views. To find out more about The Last Lions as well as the declining population of lions in Africa, click here.
Filmmaking for them has always been a way to bring the message of conservation to audiences, and it is estimated that over a billion viewers have seen their film Eternal Enemies.
Their recent expansion into conservation tourism via their new company, Great Plains, is a venture into community/conservation partnerships in Africa, and Great Plains has received international awards for responsible tourism.
Great Plains Conservation
It is the Jouberts’ belief that while some areas need the wilderness to be maintained in isolation, other areas will disappear unless viable, extremely-light-ecological-footprint (low-volume, high-cost) benefits are generated for communities. The total amount of impacted conservation land under Great Plains influence is about 1.5 million acres (607,000 hectares). These projects all aim to rehabilitate the environment and return these vast tracts of land to nature.
To find out more about Great Plains, click here.
Most of all I encourage you to go and watch this profound movie. The incredible storytelling and wildlife sequences are combined with beautiful cinematography and a message which spoke directly to my conscience. It is clear: lion populations are diminishing in Africa and we need to do something about it. Both awareness and action are positive, vital steps in enhancing the awakening of a greater global consciousness towards our planet. By sharing this and encouraging those around you to see this movie, you are part of the tribe building momentum towards this global brain.
If any of you have already seen the movie, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Saw the movie last night in NYC. Very very beautiful, startling, and ended with a call to action! Having been to Londolozi this past summer, and understanding the life-death struggle the wildlife engage in daily, still the film brings it home in stark reality. I hope others in great numbers (like the wildebeests) will see this movie and be compelled to help in whatever way they can.
debby
Thanks for your comments Debby, I am glad that the movie had such a profound effect.
Dereck and Beverly Joubert are wonderful film makers – I am a huge fan! This movie is amazing….Any one who loves Africa or animals should see it!
Dereck and Beverly Joubert are not only wonderful film maker, they are also an extraordinary reference point for their scientific contribution, with an experience and competence that has few equals.
Best Regards
I’ll understand the poisoning by farmers, disease, loss of habitat and other internal factors within Africa, but what about the Great White hunters, the loser European and American ones that go to Africa and shoot some of the most spectacular lions or just about any for that matter for trophy? And the cowards do it from the safety of vehicles, hides, trees and what have you. Come on…lets face it, the Jouberts have lost some of the most prized subjects to hunters, some of the most beautiful maned lions in Botswana. Then there’s Namibia, East Africa (in Tanzania, although I’m acutely aware of the man-eating problem there). Much like the Chinese who have sworn to destroy/ harvest the wild tiger population in India, trophy hunting is destroying the gene pool of the great maned lions of the continent. Yes the permits and licenses and the fees, the rife corruption of hunt operators that shoot more than the quota, two or more males taken in a single day.
http://www.bushdrums.com/news/index.php?shownews=3136
Just like our loser Indian government that spends billions and billions of weaponry but cannot stop the Chinese from killing our tigers. Losers are losers and I’ve seen countless videos of a dozen hunters (Ph/ back up/gun bearers) trying to kill one lion. Call that fair sport? Nah….thats cowardice.
I saw the movie and it was beautiful. But was it just a movie? I have seen all the Joubert’s work before and most of the scenes were from their other work-from the eternal enemies and the relentless enemies(I think that is what it was called/-the one about the Tsaro pride and the buffalo).
I was just surprised, but I guess it was not a documentary and a movie so they were narrating a tale and added the scenes ?
But really enjoyed it. I am really looking forward to visiting s.africa and Botswana . I have been only to Ta zania and kenya -but the private reserves seem very attractive !
Yes, you are so right. You are the only one who discovered that the scenes are fake.
I downloaded three lion documentaries this week to watch during the holidays (Night of the Lions, Relentless Enemies and The Last Lions).
Half way into the movie The Last Lions, I knew something was not right. Many scenes were exactly the ones taken off Relentless Enemies. I know this because the scenes in Relentless Enemies flow and are continous. The ones in The Last Lions dont make sense because they are taken from other documentaries. I compared the two movies side by side and discovered it. Both produced by the Jouberts.
What’s more puzzling is both movies were narrated by Jeremy Irons (albeit 4 years apart). How could he not know?
It’s a shame because I felt cheated. I have no doubt that The Last Lions will create awareness of lion conservation & donations… but… it’s still fake….
Very disappointed. Ultimate Lions may have scenes from other documentaries but it does not tell an individual story.
Anyone of you reading this review – pls watch Relentless Enemies back to back with The Last Lions. I am sure you will agree with me and Kk. Thanks.
Hey Phil,
After watching The Last Lions I became a bit suspicious. I searched on google and found this comment of yours. I checked Relentless Enemies and I can’t believe it. It’s not just all put together in scenes to make it a movie instead of a documentary, they even use the same footage for two movies. How embarrassing!
Thanks for putting out the facts Phil!
Sybren, The Netherlands
I want to see this movie! I live in CA when will it be available?
I think it may have been shown already Victoria as it has been out for a couple of months already.
this is the bst program the first time i saw it it made me cry
this is just ammazing im just so happy bout it its just so sad as well i ……..:) im just so spech less thats all
Does the Last Lions film tie into the Relentlss Enemies film? Is it the same pride?? They both have a silver eyed lioness in it.. dying to know.
Just returned from a trip in Sabi Sands private reserve and had to watch this film again. It’s really so beautiful and inspiring. Does anyone know what happened to her last remaining cub and if he had been able to defend his territory against invading lions?