Anthony Ham - The Last Lions of Africa: Stories from the frontline in the battle to save a species

An elephant crosses the plains of Amboseli National Park, in southern Kenya; the view extends west towards Tanzania. Every night, elephants leave the park and head north into the Maasai communal lands that encircle it.

ANTHONY HAM

Around 1500 elephants inhabit Amboseli, compared with 600 in the late 1990s. Most feed within the fertile swamps in the park by day.

ANTHONY HAM

The cubs of Nempakai and Nolakunte play in the relative safety of Amboseli National Park in October 2011. Life for lions outside the park is far more complicated.

ANTHONY HAM

Meiteranga Kamunu Saitoti, the Maasai warrior who killed five lions before becoming a Lion Guardian, on the Eselenkay Group Ranch in the Amboseli Basin in October 2011.

ANTHONY HAM

Beaded bracelets and sometimes hand mirrors are an important adornment for the Maasai, including for Mingati, killer of three lions before he became a Lion Guardian.

ANTHONY HAM

Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 metres), Africas highest mountain, rises in Tanzania but is seen here from Kenyas Amboseli National Park, with acacia trees in the foreground.

ANTHONY HAM

The view north-west from the heart of Amboseli National Park. Beyond this acacia lie the hills and plains of Maasailand, which extend across southern Kenya to the Masai Mara in the countrys far south-west.

ANTHONY HAM

Cecil drinking after having just seen off two leonine intruders in 2012. When this photo was taken, Cecil had ruled over Linkwasha in Hwange National Park for nearly three years.

BRENT STAPELKAMP

In 2012, Cecil was nearly nine years old, at the peak of his fame, popularity and power, lording it over a pride of more than twenty lions. By this time he had sired eighteen cubs.

BRENT STAPELKAMP

Cecil in May 2015. At the time, he ruled over Ngweshla with Jericho, and the pride had four females and seven cubs. He was eleven years and eleven months old.

BRENT STAPELKAMP

One of the last photos of Cecil, taken as he walked towards the Hwange National Park boundary and into the hunting concession where, on 2 July 2015, he would be shot by Walter Palmer.

BRENT STAPELKAMP

Cecil lying next to Jericho on the last morning that Brent Stapelkamp saw them. Cecil was killed not long after.

BRENT STAPELKAMP

Elephants and baboons at Mbiza, an area of Hwange National Park between The Hide and Linkwasha, held by Phobos in late 2019.

ANTHONY HAM

The Madison region, between Makalolo and Ngweshla, was occupied in September 2019 by two of Cecils former wives, a four-year-old son of Cecil and four cubs.

ANTHONY HAM

The Ngamo pride crosses the railway line that marks the boundary between Hwange National Park and the hunting concessions where many lions have been shot.

PAUL FUNSTON

Ngqwele patrols his territory close to Linkwasha Camp in September 2019. At the time, he ruled over both the Linkwasha and Ngamo prides.

ANTHONY HAM

Netsayi, born in December 2014, and his half-brother Humba ruled Cecils former pride into early 2020. Here Netsayi plays with one of the prides cubs.

PAUL FUNSTON

Females and cubs of the Ngweshla pride including Cecils grandchildren wait at a waterhole hoping that a stray elephant calf will come to drink.

PAUL FUNSTON

Ngqwele surveys his territory near Linkwasha Camp in September 2019. As a lone pride male, he was vulnerable to incoming coalitions of male lions.

ANTHONY HAM

Netsayi at Madison in September 2019. Charismatic and beautiful, Netsayi has become one of Hwanges most famous lion celebrities among safari-goers and park guides.

ANTHONY HAM

Humba hangs out with one of the cubs of the Ngweshla pride. When not patrolling their territory, Humba and Netsayi are often seen in the company of their cubs.

PAUL FUNSTON