The world’s most ferocious animal predator, the lion, is on the road to extinction at the hands of the world’s most ferocious predator, the human being. Lions kill only what they need to eat. Humans kill for a range of reasons – none of which align with their need to live.
London photographer, George Logan, has collaborated with creatives at adam&eveDDB, AMV BBDO, Amp London, Arthur London, BBH, CDM London, Engine, Grey, Iris, McCann, Ogilvy NY, Savage & King, VCCP, Wunderman Thompson and 11 London, to produce powerful imagery which confronts and highlights the dangers that the last remaining lions still face. These have been released as a 176-page hardback book of photography to support and raise awareness for Africa’s dwindling’s lion population for The Born Free Foundation, and will be followed by a short film, exhibitions and social media campaigns, all aimed at raising awareness for Lion conservation.
All profits from the book, Lion: Pride Before The Fall, will support, protect and help re-establish The Last Lions of Meru in Kenya, a major conservation initiative in collaboration with The Born Free Foundation.
Meru National Park was tragically decimated by poachers in the 1980s. In the 2000s, concerted efforts were made to restock the park with wildlife and manage it effectively. In 2014 Born Free, working alongside Kenya Wildlife Service, launched its Pride of Meru initiative to further revitalise the park and now it is not only home to a stable population of 60-80 lions, but also a whole host of other wildlife including 35 mammals, 400 bird and 40 reptile species.
Logan commented, “This work, the culmination of over 10 years following and photographing Africa’s lion prides, brings their dramatic narrative to life in all its natural beauty and raw ferocity. It’s difficult to articulate the depths of what we stand to lose, but I hope that through this book, the lions will help tell that story – because with fewer than 20,000 left, time is running out to safeguard their future. All profits from this book will raise vital funds to support, protect and help re-establish the Last Lions of Meru in Kenya.
“Uniquely for a wildlife book, we’ve collaborated with some of the best creative minds at London’s top agencies to produce powerful imagery which confronts and highlights the dangers that the last remaining lions still face, such as habitat-loss, canned hunting, trophy hunting, human-wildlife conflict and the real possibility of extinction. These images will spearhead campaigns to raise awareness and accompany the book launch.”
Logan and The Born Free Foundation raised the money to publish the book through a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign which totalled £78,000 to fund the print run, production costs and distribution.
The foreword to the book was written by Born Free founder and actress, Virginia McKenna OBE. She stated, “No one, in my view, more strikingly has caught the multiple dimensions of lions’ behaviour and depth of character than George Logan. He has an unfailing sensitivity and admiration for the individual animal. This, for me, shines through each page of the book and is deeply moving in so many ways.”
The 176-page book, priced at £45, is available to buy here.
Register for the free online book launch here.
Find more information about George Logan here.
