The Last Lions: Official Companion to the Motion Picture

The last Lions is a book worthy of inclusion in the library of every naturalist & every hunter, whatever s/he hunts & whatever s/he uses; gun or camera. The photographs & the text pull no punches. The reader cannot fail to appreciate the reality of life for the lions & their prey, which is strenuous and brutal, but without cruelty as humans know it. You come to a better appreciation of lion psychology & the social system of the pride, which operates like a single organism as much as a collection of individuals. Individuals & prides live on a knife edge.The authors are passionate about their lions & present compelling evidence that their continued existence is really threatened. The single argument that hunting helps fund conservation in Africa is undoubtedly true for many herbivores, but not for lions.Dereck Joubert's descriptions of lions hunting are strikingly similar to how I feel as a deer hunter in the field. He has put into words what I have many times tried & failed to do. There is a similarity in the true hunting experience which early man could not have failed to recognise; could not have failed to admire in the lion. Not since reading Aldo Leopold's "A Sand County Almanac" have I felt this way about a book.This is possibly not a book for young children, but it's worth keeping a copy for them to read later. It dispells the Disney nonsense image of life in the wild which has done so little to conserve wildlife.

I gave this book 4 stars and not 5 because I already have their previous book,  Relentless Enemies: Lions and Buffalo . Of the 175 pages in this book, 146 pages are exactly the same as in that book. The different pages in this book are "diary" pages, some photographs, and a page of how to help save the lions.

We saw the TV special related to this book, loved it and had to have it to remind us of our times in Africa -- gorgeous, gorgeous

Fabulous work, Amazing photos. I enjoy looking at this book repeatedly. I wish everyone would pay attention to what is happening with the lions. Sad title.

One of my favorite documentaries all time. Have enjoyed this added depth

I received this book as a surprise gift from my husband. I love lions. This book brought me to tears, it was so beautiful.

such amazing photography... I hope to see this film come to DVD since it is not playing in Canada :(

Best book

This book was first published in 2006 (2011), has 175 pages, 13 chapters, numerous beautiful colour pictures and 2 maps. A portion of this book was printed as 'Relentless Enemies' in 2006, and it is an official companion book to the film 'The Lost Lions', now available as a DVD. The foreword is by Seretse Khama Ian Khama, President of Botswana. BEVERLY and DRECK JOUBERT have been filming, researching and exploring in Africa for over 30 years, which has resulted in 22 films, 10 books, 6 scientific papers and many articles for National geographic Magazine. They have also been honoured by President of Botswana and won many international awards. Their Company 'Great Plains Conservation' has set aside 1.8m acres in Africa for the wildlife and have won awards for best safari accommodation and safari destinations.In DUBA PLAINS, Okavango delta, the lions face challenges from their water logged territory and their prey, the water buffalo. This book tells their story and a story of a lone lioness 'MA-Di-TAU (mother of lions) and her cubs and their struggle for survival. Duba is an island, formed only 25 years ago by termites and rivers and channels and it is full of lions. This film is about two TSARO Prides and the collapse of lion numbers, from 450,000 to 20,000. If the lions disappear, who would want to go to Africa for safari? The lions and buffalo act as 'Relentless Enemies' on this Duba Island. In July 2000, Jouberts drive through this swamp, with water inside their Land Cruiser. The lions and buffalo attack each other like an 'eternal dance'. Lions specialise hunting buffalo in Duba. Try lifting a set of buffalo horns over your head, when on safari, and see how much you strain! The lionesses of Tsaro Pride are possibly formed by different prides coming together to hunt this large prey. The 2 large male lions and 9 lionesses dominate the Tsaro Pride, and are one of the largest lions seen. However, there is a cub killer amongst them. Female buffalo fall easy to these lions but a male buffalo will defend itself for hours.Lion cubs soon get used to the waters. The buffalo flick their tongues into their nostrils to keep them moist and enhance their sense of smell. The Tsaro pride try to keep the buffalo in their territory, away from neighbouring PANTRY pride. There are now few male lions left as the trophy hunters take many. The neighbouring SKIMMER pride lionesses are good mothers and have many cubs and successfully hunt the buffalo. Lion prides have a life span and sooner or later, they disappear. The lions here hunt again and again, until they fail or succeed. Here there is only one predator and one prey, day and day. A kill is violent, but their is no malice or cruelty involved, unlike what man does. The lions do it to eat and the buffalo do it to stay alive. When a calf is attacked, it is normally the immediate kinship group that returns to rescue it.13 hyenas attack the lions with their aggression and intimidation, and take over the kill. The buffalo don't leave the area. Their best defence is to sleep! Lion won't attack sleeping bunched up buffalo with their horns facing outwards. Watch the DVD film of this book as it is outstanding with a sad end.Some other books by Beverly and Dereck Joubert are:-(1) Hunting with the Moon, 1997(2) The Africa Diaries, 2000(3) Elephant in the Kitchen, 2006(4) Face to Face with Elephants, 2008(5) Eye of the Leopard, 2009(6) Face to Face with Lions, 2010(7) Face to Face with Leopards, 2010(8) Relentless Enemies, 2006(9) African Animal Alphabet, 2011Having born in Kenya, I enjoyed reading this book.

This is a great book describing the work of Derek and Beverly Joubert with Lions in Duba. Derek has a very vivid way of describing their interactions, full of acute observations and empathy, it feels like you are in the bush with them. Beverlys pictures, while some of them published before are impressive as well.

Je donne cette note maximum,car les images et les textes son fantastiques.Dommage que ce livre ne soit même pas traduit en français.