Valentin Grüner: Löwenland

Valentin Grüner leaves Germany behind for the wilderness of southern Africa. His goal: to protect animals as a game warden and contribute to conservation efforts. But once there, he encounters a reality that makes him have second thoughts. Rescue centers where lion cubs are bred for tourists and staged animal encounters. He decides to take a different path. Amid these experiences, a situation arises that will shape his future path: A lion cub just a few days old is rejected by its mother, and he is faced with the question of whether he should intervene. He decides to raise the lioness Sirga, lives with her in the bush, and tries to give her as wild a life as possible despite human proximity. Over the years, an extraordinary relationship develops, marked by trust, mutual learning, and their shared daily life in the Kalahari. At the same time, Valentin’s work evolves into a comprehensive nature conservation project. The goal is to restore the old migration routes of animal herds, connect habitats, and ensure stable populations in the long term. “Löwenland” chronicles this development over more than 15 years—in a personal, unvarnished way and with a nuanced perspective on the reality of nature conservation.

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