Nine Lives: The Story of Jacob the Lion

Nine Lives addresses the urgent need to protect Africa’s lions, a species facing extinction due to poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. A recent national survey of lions in Uganda (led by Dr Braczkowski and with the help of over 100 Ugandan collaborators) shows that less than 300 lions remain in the country, with isolated populations under increasing pressure from human expansion. Jacob’s survival story personalizes these broader threats and and highlights the critical need for inclusive, community-driven conservation, showcasing efforts led by Ugandan scientists and communities to build national monitoring systems that empower local people as partners in wildlife protection.

Nine Lives aspires to shift global public consciousness around lion conservation, by showcasing the power of resilience in the dwindling lion numbers in parallel with the challenges facing the communities living alongside them. By intimately portraying Jacob’s survival and the grassroots science efforts tied to it, we aim to inspire individual action, support community-driven conservation, and advocate for stronger protections of Africa’s last wild lions and their ecosystems. The film will provide the ‘tentpole’ showcase to generate global attention, followed by a linked social media campaign that will directly highlight the day-to-day work of the local Uganda lion conservationists and local community grassroots efforts.

Through Jacob’s charismatic story, we aim to catalyze donations and support for conservation efforts in Uganda. The world-famous tree-climbing lions provide a an iconic ‘keystone’ species that can generate awe and wonder globally and raise awareness that protects wider habitats. Beyond the much-loved yet severely degraded Queen Elizabeth National Park the film aims to promote the adoption of community-inclusive wildlife monitoring frameworks across Africa and influence decision-makers to prioritize lion-habitat protection. The film will also educate audiences globally about the complex realities facing big cats and highlight solutions being co-designed with local communities.

Dr. Alex Braczkowski has worked extensively across Uganda’s protected areas, collaborating with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Ministry of Antiquities and Wildlife, the Uganda Carnivore Program and nearly three years ago founded a community-based lion program: the Kyambura Lion Project. Through partnerships built over nearly a decade of field and policy work, he has built trust with park rangers, community leaders, and policymakers, enabling privileged access to monitor lions and build inclusive conservation initiatives alongside frontline communities. The most recent example of this was the Minister of Environment, Tom Butime’s endorsement and launch of the new National Action Plan for Large Carnivore Conservation in Uganda, the plan Dr Braczkowski led with the government of Uganda.

Nine Lives will inspire audiences to take action for lion conservation by supporting frontline community-driven programs in Uganda and across Africa. Viewers will be encouraged to donate to organizations building inclusive monitoring systems, advocate for the protection of lion habitats and wildlife corridors, sponsor individual lions and camera traps, and amplify Jacob’s story through educational outreach and social media. The film will also call for broader systemic change, asking audiences to support anti-poaching initiatives, responsible tourism, and policies that prioritize coexistence between people and wildlife. Jacob’s survival is a testament to resilience—but his story also serves as a rallying cry for urgent conservation action.