The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

National Geographic's The Last Lions

Your support helps protect precious habitats including the grasslands and savannas of East Africa — crucial to both wildlife and humans. "The Last Lions," a new movie by National Geographic, showcases on-the-ground efforts to protect the land to create a safe-haven for lions, leopards, zebras and rhinos in East Africa.

From 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 new wildlife adventure, "The Last Lions," filmmakers follow the epic journey of a lioness as she battles to protect her cubs against a daunting onslaught of enemies in order to ensure their survival.

Watch the trailer of this real-life saga of a determined lioness ready to try anything — and risk everything–to keep her family alive.

Decreasing Populations

The lion population is rapidly decreasing, estimated at between 16,000 and 25,000, down from an estimated 100,000 in the 1990s. The majority of the population lives in protected national parks. The greatest threats to the lion include habitat loss, limited availability of wild prey, and contact with humans. Most lions drink water daily if it is available, but can go without it for five days.

The Nature Conservancy's Work in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Africa seeks to preserve key wildlife corridors that link established protected areas while maintaining the pastoralist way of life. With a strong network of partners, the Conservancy is working to conserve Kenya's forest reserves, national parks, communal lands and private ranches for the wildlife and people that rely on them.

Nearly half the land surface of Africa is covered by some variety of savanna or grasslands. In the East African savannas, lions stalk their prey across grassy plains punctuated by scattered baobab and acacia trees.

The biggest threats to this landscape include habitat fragmentation, fire suppression and invasive species. Moreover, few alternatives exist for conserving non-park grasslands, so the Conservancy is working with Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Northern Rangelands Trust and other partners to enhance protection for private land and expand the influence of a successful community-based conservation model.