This week's Big Cat Month shows include a forensic journey to show how lions have learnt to prey on elephants, a sobering insight into the plight of Russia's tiger and an intimate portrait of how two filmmakers fell in love with big cats.
Big Cat Month continues on National Geographic Wild channel this weekend as the 11th edition celebrates the conservation, storytelling and work of world-renowned local filmmakers Beverly and Dereck Joubert.
This Emmy-award winning couple have made more than 35 films for National Geographic over the last 40 years. Additionally, they founded the Big Cats initiative that has funded on-the-ground research and innovative conservation projects to safeguard big cats and their critical habitats, while leading efforts to shine a light on the challenges these species face. This initiative is supported by the National Geographic Society.
This week, award-winning Jeremy Irons narrates Ultimate Enemies, the fourth film in this year's Big Cat Month programming. This suspense-filled film follows the Jouberts as they piece together evidence to suggest that a pride of lions were, in fact, hunting elephants.
Moving continents, Russia's Wild Tiger follows a young tiger's first year away from its mother as it seeks territory, runs into human settlements and preys on an array of animals in its habitat.
Completing this weekend's installment is Living with Big Cats, an intimate portrait of how Dereck and Beverly Joubert came to develop their decades-long love affair with Africa's big cats and their journey to save these animals from extinction.
"Families can look forward to fascinating, premiere, in-depth programming that reveals astounding new insights into these remarkable creatures, as well as highlighting the threats they face and the urgent action needed to conserve and protect our big cats for future generations," said Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa.
Set the timer for these wild premieres this weekend:
Ultimate Enemies – Saturday 12 February at 18:00
National Geographic filmmakers, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, explore how some animals are thrust together by the forces of nature—sometimes through a millennium of evolution or even last year's drought. In the aftermath of strange elephant deaths, they piece together a visually stunning story that confirms their theory that lions were hunting elephants. Narrated by Jeremy Irons.
Russia's Wild Tiger - Sunday 13 February at 18:00
Russia's Wild Tiger records the battle for survival of the big cats and reveals intimate details of their lives. The animals they prey on are also in the film: tigers couldn't survive without sika deer, Altai wapiti, wild boars and Asian black bears. A young tiger, born in a conservation area, will guide the viewer through the film. Russia's Wild Tiger accompanies him throughout the year after he leaves his mother. His search for a territory reveals the problems facing tigers in Russia's Far East, and the conflicts that arise when he strays into human settlements. The young tiger takes the viewer to places where the fate of Siberian tigers will be decided: vast forests, remote villages and the cities at the edge of the wilderness.
Living with Big Cats - Sunday 13 February at 18:45
Dereck and Beverly Joubert lead viewers on their incredible journey with big cats - from the first time big cats captured their hearts, through their boundless dedication to protecting these iconic predators. This story explores how the Jouberts got started and delves into their personal lives as National Geographic filmmakers and explorers.
Watch Big Cat Month on DSTV: Channel 182 or StarSat: 221 on DTH, 210 on DTT (250 on DTT in Uganda)
Learn more about the Big Cats Initiative and how you can help safeguard big cats in the wild by visiting natgeo.org/bigcats.
