Mara the Lioness are quite convinced that we did the right thing in opposing her release and that for many years to come in Whipsnade Park she will be well-fed, contented and ... safe."" (Irene Grindlay, 1966) It is not known how long Mara resided at Whipsnade Park. The life span of a lion in the wild is approximately 12 years, while those in captivity have been known to live for more than 20. If Mara was fortunate she would have died in the mid to late seventies. Mara the Lioness Mara the Lioness is an animal actor who appeared as Elsa in
The Band of Holy Joy Their "City Of Tales" release has been likened to David Bowie's "1. Outside" and the work of Pere Ubu. Jason Ankeny, writing for Allmusic, described the band as "urban folk". Rob Young, in the book "Rough Trade", described their music as "a bohemian mix of inner city guignol, Brechtian street song, and soaring romanticism". Chart placings are from the UK Independent Chart. The Band of Holy Joy The Band of Holy Joy are an English band formed in New Cross, London, and initially active between 1984, and 1993, releasing several albums. In 1992, they abbreviated their name to Holy Joy.