Zee Plus, the co-production and development arm of India’s Zee Entertainment, has partnered with UK factual prodco Talesmith for new docuseries The Lion’s Last Roar.

TVF will distribute the 2 x 60-minute series, which is currently in production and will be available in March 2023.

The documentary explores the topic of lion conservation and how the population of the ‘king of the jungle’ is in freefall – with 96% lost in just the last 50 years.

Conservationists have been increasingly worried and struggling for solutions to halt the decline, including the contentious practice of trophy hunting as a way of raising money to protect the survival of the species.

With unprecedented access, in-the-moment action, observational documentary filming, incisive interviews and cinematic photography, the series hears from all sides of this story.

The Lion’s Last Roar is the latest collaboration between Zee Plus and Talesmith, which previously partnered on Life of Earth: From Space and Life of Earth: The Age of Humans, for Zee Entertainment and Smithsonian Networks.

Sunita Uchil,CBO of Zee Plus, said: “We are pleased to partner once again with Talesmith for The Lion’s Last Roar. They bring an extraordinary expertise into this sensitive & pertinent subject of “conserving lions’.

“Outside Africa, India is the only other country where Lions can be seen in their natural habitat. The Gir Forest offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience this wildlife in its most raw, beauteous form.  We are also pleased to announce TVF as our international distribution partner for this series.”