Lions drinking water
Lions on a mound
Male and female lion at sunset
Lions drinking water
Dr Paul Funston
African Lion Conservation
Conservationist. Lion Expert.
Wildlife Consultant. Photographer
Let Lions Roar
Donate to support
The African Lion Expedition
For a sponsorship of R10 000 you will receive a free 23" print of your choosing from my gallery. Larger sponsorships will receive much larger prints.
Coming Up
What's next for Paul and African Lion Conservation
A PLACE FOR US
Film and Audio Documentary
The Film
Follow Dr Paul Funston and filmmaker Bruce Donnelly on a soul-searching road trip through lion country as they seek strongholds of the African lion and the people fighting to protect them.
The Podcast Series
Complementing the film is a 7-part immersive audio documentary. This isn’t just a podcast—it’s an auditory journey through Africa’s lion landscapes.
The African Lion Expedition (TALE)
In 2026, Dr. Paul Funston and Sally Franz will set off across Africa to visit lion conservation projects, offering Paul's world-class expertise for free, and telling the untold stories of those working to protect Africa’s most iconic predator through YouTube and social media.
TALE is science in action | Conservation through storytelling | A heartfelt gift back to the wild
DELTA KINGS PHOTO SAFARI
A LION CONSERVATION SAFARI
27 November to 4 December 2025
With C4 PHOTO SAFARIS
This exclusive 8-day Botswana safari combines wildlife photography and conservation, led by photographer Isak Pretorius and lion expert Dr. Paul Funston. Explore the Okavango Delta, capturing predators like lions, leopards, and wild dogs in the Big Cat Diary filming site. Enjoy expert guidance and unforgettable encounters with a focus on conservation.
Coming Soon
The African Lion Conundrum
Blood on the Mane
The upcoming book is the deeply personal and professionally urgent account of Dr Paul Funston’s 30-year journey in African lion conservation. Told through four transformative decades, from passionate student to global authority, this book is both memoir and manifesto. Three decades in the dust, one decade at a time, now rising from the ashes in decade four.
Paul shares the raw truths about what it really takes to work with lions: the victories, the failures, and the lessons earned from rolled-up sleeves and stubborn persistence.
This book challenges long-standing assumptions and proposes a sharper, more honest path forward. Lions, Funston argues, aren’t just another species to save, they are the ultimate measure of whether conservation is truly working.
Partners
Working With the Best
