Lion: The Rise And Fall Of The Marsh Pride | Preview (BBC Two)

This groundbreaking documentary tells the epic story of the most filmed lions on Earth - The Marsh Pride, documented for the last 40 years by the BBC and other broadcasters around the world.

In a world where conflict between humans and animals is increasing, this pride is a powerful symbol of the catastrophic decline of lions in the wild.

In this first of a new series of feature-length films from BBC Science and BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the Marsh Pride’s battle for survival is told in incredible detail by those who live alongside them, those who tried to protect them, and some who ultimately wanted them dead.

Over the past decades well over half of Africa’s lions have been wiped out, leaving only around 20,000 in the wild. Habitat loss and huge population growth have increasingly put them in direct confrontation with humans.

In this one-off film, the Maasai, who live and graze their cattle in close proximity to the lions, speak - some for the first time - about the struggles of living close to these dangerous predators.

The lions’ dramatic tale of shifting loyalties, bloody take-overs and sheer resilience is told through archive dating back to the 1970s, alongside specially shot interviews with naturalists, guides, vets and conservationists in Kenya and the UK.

Whilst deepening our understanding of the violent and precarious life of this pride of lions, this film charts how the lion population has catastrophically declined. Today, threats to Marsh Pride’s survival are increasing as they are for lions across the continent. Their very future hangs in the balance.

The Pride, a 1x90’ for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, airs Tuesday 23rd August.