India's biodiverse landscapes range from vast deserts and dense forests to towering mountains, each contributing to the country's rich tapestry of life. The Himalayas, standing tall in the north, shelter rare and iconic species such as the elusive snow leopards and Himalayan brown bears. Among the dense canopies of the Western Ghats in the south, endangered lion-tailed macaques scour the trees for jackfruit. And lying in the heart of southern India, one of its largest protected woodlands harbours Indian elephants and Bengal tigers. Then finally transitioning to the west, the Thar Desert unfolds, challenging life to adapt to extreme arid conditions. Here, blackbuck antelope and Asiatic lions navigate the vast, sandy expanses in search of food. A tapestry of ecosystems, all within one country.
‘The Lions Rule’ is the saga of three lion families linked together by a strange, charmed place called the Glade: a beautiful oasis in Ruaha National Park where there is always water. The Glade is the territory of two old lionesses and their cubs. The Glade pride can bring down an adult giraffe – a remarkable skill. A magical Baobab forest spreads out beyond the Glade. This is the territory of the Baobab pride. They are the largest pride in all of Ruaha. The third pride are drifters – lean, mean and ruthless. They are the Njaa. The Njaa follow the buffalo. The herd is their territory and they are experts in the dark art of the buffalo kill. All three prides are lead by lionesses; there are no adult males in residence. This will play a major role in their fates