From political intrigue to a complex social system and unexpected intelligence, Jonathan Scott explores the secret lives of lions.
The Social Cat
Lions are strangely social, the only wild cats to live in family groups. Lion expert and BBC Big Cat Diary presenter Jonathan Scott investigates the reason why with the help of the most famous lion pride in the world - the Marsh Pride of the Masai Mara in East Africa. Jonathan's intimate knowledge of this massive pride and their various sub-groups helps him explore the possible reasons for the lion's social lifestyle. While there are some apparent benefits to living in prides, from co-operative hunting to raising cubs, none appear to be a reason enough to evolve social living. Now, after 30 years of intensive study, the Serengeti Lion Project, lead by Professor Craig Packer, may have finally found the answer and it could have direct consequences for the survival of the lion as a species.
The End of the Road?
The lion's social nature makes it both complicated and fascinating. Lion expert and BBC Big Cat presenter, Jonathan Scott, has lived in Kenya, in East Africa, and watched the most famous lion pride in the world, the Marsh Pride, for more than 30 years. With the help of the latest lion research from Professor Craig Packer and his team at the Serengeti Lion Project, Jonathan takes a fresh look at the lions he knows so well. He reveals why male lions have a mane, why murderous step-fathers are an important part of lion family life and discovers why being social brings unique challenges for the survival of the species as a whole. Living in prides once helped the lion to be the most widespread land mammal on Earth after humans, but now it could be their downfall as they are increasingly restricted to small parts of Africa.
Jonathan Scott
Presenter
Lion Country: Night and Day
2017
Tierkinder der Wildnis
2020
Attenborough's Life in Colour
2021
Evan Goes Wild
2019
Une saison en Indonésie
Akvariet
2007
Planet Carnivore
Louis and the Urban Jungle
2018
The Wild Canadian Year
Ultimate Zoo
2005
Wild Russia
2008
Mamas
2022
Animal Shelter
2016
Wild's Deadliest
Planet Earth
2006
World's Deadliest Animals
Really Wild Animals
1994
Life in Cold Blood
Into the Wild: India
Walking with Beasts
2001
