A bestseller when first published in 1982, The Marsh Lions portrays a vivid picture of life and death on the African savannah through the story of a pride of lions in Kenya's world-famous Masai Mara game reserve. The story is essentially a true one. All the central characters are real, and most of the incidents described actually happened. For five years, Brian Jackman and Jonathan Scott followed the Marsh pride and their progeny, painstakingly recording the daily drama of life and death on the African plains. In time they came to regard them as old and familiar friends and real individuals - the big resident males, Scar, Brando and Mkubwa and three lionesses known as the Marsh sisters. Their lives, together with the leopards and cheetahs that shared their wild paradise, offer a unique insight into the unforgiving world of these magnificent carnivores. The Marsh Lions were the most successful group to be filmed for Big Cat Diary, the BBC's hugely successful TV series. With Jonathan Scott as co-presenter, The Big Cat Diary camera teams allowed millions of viewers to observe the ongoing saga of the Marsh pride at a time when lions are fast disappearing all over Africa. The Marsh Lions is a powerful reminder of what the world stands to lose if the big cats were to vanish forever and highlights the need to cherish the Mara as one of the most beautiful of the earth's wild places. This edition of the book includes a new chapter bringing the story up to date with the pride as it is now, alongside photos of the new lions. The book is illustrated with photographs and drawings by Jonathan and Angela Scott.
The Marsh Lions (Bradt Travel Guides (Travel Literature))
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'Brian Jackman writes with a lyrical immediacy of the lions, the wider wildlife and landscapes transformed by the changing seasons .... This descriptive tour de force is required reading for Africa hands both young and old.' BBC Wildlife 'Absolutely stunning...It reeks of Africa. It smells of Africa. The whole thing is just living Africa. It’s a lovely book for the armchair naturalist.' Living World, BBC Radio Four 'I've been reading what is probably the great lion book....This is a book about the real wild lives of lions... Now it's been published again emerging in a fine new dress as a classic.' Simon Barnes -The Times ‘This brand new edition brings the tale right up to date’ The Traveller msafiri “ ..... The pages contain so much magic that you will lose yourself. Read it slowly, indulge yourself in the pictures, it is a palpable piece of work keeping all of your senses gainfully employed: smell the approaching storm after months of drought, hear the deep groan of the lion, taste the wild basil and feel the thundering hooves of the returning herds. A picture is worth a thousand words; in Brian’s case I beg to differ. Buy this book. Now." Paul Goldstein www.wildlifeextra.com 'This updated version reads like a novel, but traces the real-life movements of Masa Mari's lions, gazelles, hyenas, cheetahs and leopards.' Food & Travel ‘...this beautifully written history of the different generations of this pride over thirty years is both astounding and remarkable.’ Good Book Guide
About the Author
Brian Jackman is an award-winning journalist and author and Britain's foremost writer on African wildlife safaris. He writes for The SundayTimes, and his work appears in The Daily Telegraph, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Travel Africa, Country Living and Conde Nast Traveller, where he is a contributing editor. Jonathan and Angela Scott are award winning wildlife and travel photographers, and the only couple to have won as individuals the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award. Jonathan Scott's television presence has blossomed since his early days as a presenter on American television. He has presented his own television series for the BBC, including Big Cat Diary and has also presented wildlife stories for Wild Things, an American television series.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Dr. S. S. Nagi
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was first published in 1982(2012), has 210 pages, 24 wonderful colour pictures by Angie Scott, 13 beautiful B/W line drawings by Jonathan Scott and 1 map of northwest of Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The book is dedicated to Brian Jackman's wife Annabelle and Jonathan Scott's mother Margaret Scott. This book was followed by TV Big Cat Diary 15 years later and this volume brings the story of Marsh Lions upto date. The story started in 1978 and ended in 1981.
Mara (spotted) was declared a National Reserve in 1948 and its boundry was extended in 1961. Recently, Mara lion numbers have dropped by 30%. Water level of Mara River is also lower. In 1984, Mara lost 10% of its area to the Maasai. However, in 2000, vast areas were set aside with the help of the Maasai for wildlife as wildlife conservancies. Mara is still one of the best places to see African big cats.
'Dark Mane' was the big black maned lion of Musiara Marsh. He shared the area with 2 males and 4 female lionesses. One of the females was a bit aggresive - 'Notch'. Her sister is 'Shadow' and their mother- 'Old Girl'. Other prides in north Mara were 'Kichwa Tembo', 'Miti Mbili' and 'Paradise' prides. One day Notch charged a Maasai one early morning. Soon they called her 'Mama Kali' - fierce woman. 'Makubwa', 'Scar' and 'Brando'- male lions, took over Marsh and Miti Mbili areas. The Marsh lionesses had their litter at the same time, during the wildebeeste migration. Notch was now the oldest lioness and her boys were growing into handsome big males with heavy manes. As the Miti Mbili pride approached the Marsh Pride territory, they were chased off by the Marsh Lions. By 1978, wild dogs - wolves of Africa, were disappearing from Mara. These lions roar boomed across the Mara.
Even though some cubs had died, most of them were now subadults and powerful. Then in 1980, nomadic lions(WAGENI-strangers) started coming into this territory. The cats and other animals were monitored for further 2 years, with many surprises. 5 years of studing them came to an end in 1981. For next 10 years, Jonathan Scott, kept an eye on the Mara Lions. Here, he met his wife Angie and they were married on the top of Siria Escarpment, with local Maasai as friends. The Miti Mbili(Two trees) had fallen and the area was named 'Bila Shaka'(without fail). The book ends with the story brought upto date in 2011.
Brian Jackman narrates the scenes and life of the Maasai Mara, like a beautiful poem, enriched by colour photos by Angie Scott and B/W drawings by Jonathan Scott. Having visited Mara 5 times and lucky enough to witness it from the balloon 4 times, it is truely a magical place to enjoy the natural beauty of Kenya and its wildlife.
Some other books by Angie and Jonathan Scott are:-
(1) Kingdom of Lions 1992
(2) Roaring at Dawn 1995
(3) Dawn to Dusk 1996
(4) Safari Guide to East African Animals 1998
(5) Mara Serengeti 2000
(6) Stars of Big Cat Diary 2009
Having born in Kenya, I enjoyed reading this book.
Read and ENJOY.
Mara (spotted) was declared a National Reserve in 1948 and its boundry was extended in 1961. Recently, Mara lion numbers have dropped by 30%. Water level of Mara River is also lower. In 1984, Mara lost 10% of its area to the Maasai. However, in 2000, vast areas were set aside with the help of the Maasai for wildlife as wildlife conservancies. Mara is still one of the best places to see African big cats.
'Dark Mane' was the big black maned lion of Musiara Marsh. He shared the area with 2 males and 4 female lionesses. One of the females was a bit aggresive - 'Notch'. Her sister is 'Shadow' and their mother- 'Old Girl'. Other prides in north Mara were 'Kichwa Tembo', 'Miti Mbili' and 'Paradise' prides. One day Notch charged a Maasai one early morning. Soon they called her 'Mama Kali' - fierce woman. 'Makubwa', 'Scar' and 'Brando'- male lions, took over Marsh and Miti Mbili areas. The Marsh lionesses had their litter at the same time, during the wildebeeste migration. Notch was now the oldest lioness and her boys were growing into handsome big males with heavy manes. As the Miti Mbili pride approached the Marsh Pride territory, they were chased off by the Marsh Lions. By 1978, wild dogs - wolves of Africa, were disappearing from Mara. These lions roar boomed across the Mara.
Even though some cubs had died, most of them were now subadults and powerful. Then in 1980, nomadic lions(WAGENI-strangers) started coming into this territory. The cats and other animals were monitored for further 2 years, with many surprises. 5 years of studing them came to an end in 1981. For next 10 years, Jonathan Scott, kept an eye on the Mara Lions. Here, he met his wife Angie and they were married on the top of Siria Escarpment, with local Maasai as friends. The Miti Mbili(Two trees) had fallen and the area was named 'Bila Shaka'(without fail). The book ends with the story brought upto date in 2011.
Brian Jackman narrates the scenes and life of the Maasai Mara, like a beautiful poem, enriched by colour photos by Angie Scott and B/W drawings by Jonathan Scott. Having visited Mara 5 times and lucky enough to witness it from the balloon 4 times, it is truely a magical place to enjoy the natural beauty of Kenya and its wildlife.
Some other books by Angie and Jonathan Scott are:-
(1) Kingdom of Lions 1992
(2) Roaring at Dawn 1995
(3) Dawn to Dusk 1996
(4) Safari Guide to East African Animals 1998
(5) Mara Serengeti 2000
(6) Stars of Big Cat Diary 2009
Having born in Kenya, I enjoyed reading this book.
Read and ENJOY.
By W.D.Michie
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was an excellant read thoroughly reccomend it.It was nice to see that while it was factual it made good reading.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Alsman
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As I sent it on for a present, I cannot comment on the content, all I can say is that it looked oK
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