The LION'S share

SIMON KING and JONATHAN SCOTT on the pressures facing the lions of Big Cat Diary fame

- CAREN CLARK

LION: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MARSH PRIDE

NEW TUESDAY, 9PM, BBC2 WILDLIFE

After capturing the hearts of viewers in wildlife documentaries such as Big Cat Diary and Dynasties, the Marsh Pride, who live on the edge of Kenya's Masai Mara reserve, have arguably become the best-known lions on Earth.

Now, their remarkable history is told in the BBC2 documentary Lion: The Rise and Fall of the Marsh Pride, which sees presenters Simon King and Jonathan Scott join members of the Masai community and conservationists to reflect on the epic changes the lions have undergone.

The film includes archive footage of the likes of pride leader Scar and brave lioness Bibi, who fought to protect her cubs. But it also looks at the increasingly deadly relationship between the majestic predators and their human neighbours.

Here, Simon, 59, and Jonathan, 73, tell us more...

You both feel a special connection to the Marsh Pride, don’t you?

SIMON Yes, I’ve had the good fortune to chart the progress of lions for some time. I first touched shoulders with them – metaphorically – back in the late 80s, when I was making a film for the BBC called Kali the Lion. That’s where I first met Johnny, which was lovely. We’ve been friends ever since.

JONATHAN I came to the Mara in 1977. [ Journalist] Brian Jackman and I wrote a book, The Marsh Lions, in 1982, after we’d watched the lions for five years. And they used some of the names of the lions from the book in [1994 film] The Lion King, which is wonderful.

But since that movie came out, the lion population has halved. Now, lions everywhere are under threat and the Marsh Pride are a key example.