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Marsh Lions: The Story Of An African Pride Paperback – May 1, 2012
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBradt Travel Guides
- Publication dateMay 1, 2012
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
- ISBN-101841624284
- ISBN-13978-1841624280
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Editorial Reviews
Review
‘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
‘For more than 30 years Brian Jackman has been one of Britain’s finest nature and travel writers... There is no continent and scarcely a country that has not basked in the glow of his elegant, evocative prose, in which details of landscape, people and – especially – wildlife are touched in with painterly exactitude.’ Richard Girling, The Sunday Times Magazine
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
‘Scar, too, was ill at ease. Increasingly he was torn between the need to remain near his lionesses and his urge to drive out the nomads. Night after night he patrolled his territory, reasserting his ownership by visiting all his regular scrapes and scent-markings, until hunger compelled him to look for his pride. But the Marsh lionesses were no longer so easy to find. They, too, could sense the rising tension as pride males and intruding nomads manoeuvred for dominance, and they seldom remained in the same spot for long. They behaved like fugitives in their own territory, and Scar went hungry when he could not find them at their kills.
The task of guarding the entire range was becoming too much for Scar on his own. Some of the younger challengers had retreated without a fight, backing down the moment they glimpsed his massive frame trotting towards them. But the four Wageni were still there. Recently, too, Scar had begun to be aware of two more arrivals. These latest newcomers were not inexperienced sub-adults, but a pair of mature lions whose heavy pug-marks could only belong to large males well into their prime. Their presence added to his growing discomfort. He was tired but he did not sleep. Oblivious to the heat, he would lie out in the open grasslands, not bothering to seek the shade, twitching irritably at the crawling flies and gazing stonily into the distance with eyes that seemed to close less often. Unconsciously he missed the support of Mkubwa and Brando – still pursuing their amorous adventures on Miti Mbili Plain. For the first time in two years, his confidence had begun to waver. The nomads were all around him; their spoor was everywhere. But he was a pride male. This was his territory, where he belonged, and he would not relinquish it easily.’
Product details
- Publisher : Bradt Travel Guides; First Edition (May 1, 2012)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1841624284
- ISBN-13 : 978-1841624280
- Item Weight : 9.9 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,538,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,638 in General Africa Travel Books
- #8,395 in Travelogues & Travel Essays
- Customer Reviews:
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2014I loved Jonathan Scott's "Big Cat Diary" so this book was especially wonderful as it seems to set up some of the history of the animals who star in that series. It is written in a style that is reminiscent of old "adventure" books about safaris and the wilderness. The writing is so evocative at times that it actually made me cry -- especially at some of the sad details about the very hard lives animals lead in the wilderness. A beautiful literary trip to a beautiful place on earth. I will treasure this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022A very detailed but wonderful book about the Marsh Pride.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2012This book was not only well written, it also took me back to the most fabulous place on earth... the Maasai Mara. Anyone who has been there should read this captivating life of the Marsh Lions. I found it to be educational, enjoyable and a perfect escape from the reality of today in our "civilized and crazy" world.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2013THE most insightful animal book EVER. Thought I knew much through my art and support activities. This remarkabke book provides an entire new level. A beautiful, sometimes heart wrenching story. Many books 'pass through' my library; Marsh Lions will remain forever.
Top reviews from other countries
- Dr S S Nagi (NYROBE)Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 29, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars THE MARSH LIONS
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.
- APReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
For those that are passionate about Africa and wildlife as well, this is a must have, must read and probably re-read book. The detail sometimes pushes to underlining sentences or facts.First published in 1982 and revised 30 years after (2012), and lived well before that, we sense that the problems that face wildlife are the same, over time, and either in Africa( e.g., lions in Kenya) or somewhere else ( e.g.,wolves in the US), and still, we have not managed to learn and preserve what we "own".
- S.HewittReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story of a pride
Loved it
- T. HutchinsonReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Bought my son in law this before his visit to ...
Bought my son in law this before his visit to the Masai Mara - the Marsh Pride descendants are still there!
- W.D.MichieReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars the Marsh Lions
This was an excellant read thoroughly reccomend it.It was nice to see that while it was factual it made good reading.