by Thinus Ferreira
National Geographic has released the programming rundown for its annual Big Cat Month for 2022 that roars with legendary local filmmaking labour and that will run on weekends during February on the Nat Geo WILD (DStv 182 / StarSat 221) channel.
Nat Geo's WILD's 11th annual Big Cat Month will once again showcase visually impressive and powerful stories from around the world about lions, tigers, cheetahs and leopards on Saturdays and Sundays at 18:00 during February, including the premiere of legendary big cat filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert's first film on cheetahs.
Narrated by the award-winning actor Jeremy Irons, The Way of the Cheetah will premiere on Nat Geo WILD on Sunday 6 February at 18:00, following Immani, a cheetah female with 4 new cubs who must navigate the plains of the Mara ecosystem.
Living here is also a coalition of 5 males, and to save her cubs, Immani must avoid them. The Way of the Cheetah goes under the cover of darkness with thermal cameras, and the Joubert’s capture the lush colours of Africa. However, when it comes to the hunting scenes, these shape-shifting cats appear from nowhere in a blur, captured in ultra-high-speed motion and the battles turn epic.
In Big Cat Odyssey (Revealed), premiering on Sunday 6 February at 18:45, Dereck and Beverly Joubert dive deeper into the issues that surround big cats, specifically African lions and leopards.
What struggles do these iconic big cats face? How have these lions and leopards survived and adapted over the decades? The Joubert’s lead viewers on a journey through the lives of big cats and their most iconic moments.
On Saturday 5 February on the day that Nat Geo WILD's 2022 Big Cat Month starts, Relentless Enemies will be the first show of the month-long event. It chronicles an epic story of how buffalo and lions survive and adapt to each
other.
A buffalo herd of over 1 200 is forced to move through three lion
territories while being confined by the floodwaters on a small island in the
Okavango. As the buffalo strategize their advancements, the lions react every
move they make, all captured through the Joubert's lens from their home base in
Botswana.
The Big Cat content continues
throughout February with various premieres, culminating in War of the Lions on Sunday 27 February at 18:45. From Savannahs bursting with game to deserts with not a drop to drink, all
lion kingdoms are not created equal - so who is the real king of the beasts?
"Big Cat Month continues to be an exciting annual television
event, and certainly a firm fan-favourite. This year we are delighted to honour
prolific local filmmakers Beverly and Dereck Joubert, whose lifetime of
impactful and thought-provoking documentaries have brought viewers a greater
appreciation for Africa’s big cats," says Christine Service, senior vice president and general manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa.
"Families can look forward to a
month of 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."
Here is the 2022 Big Cat Month programming line-up:
Relentless Enemies, Saturday 5 February, 18:00
A buffalo herd of over 1 200 is forced to move
through three lion territories while being confined by the floodwaters on a
small island in the Okavango. As the buffalo strategize their advancements, the
lions react to each and every move they make. From the Joubert's home base in
Botswana, comes the epic story of buffalo and lions surviving and adapting to
each other. Narrated by Jeremy Irons.
The Way of the Cheetah, Sunday 6 February, 18:00
There really is no other big cat on
the planet that is like a cheetah. These are the most fragile cats
physically and in numbers, now under 7 000 left in the world. Our story tells
of Immani, a sleek female with 4 new cubs as they navigate the vast plains of
the Mara ecosystem. But living here is also a coalition of 5 males, and to save
her cubs Immani must avoid them.
Big Cat Odyssey (Revealed), Sunday 6 February, 18:45
Dereck and Beverly Joubert, dive
deeper into the issues that surround big cats, specifically African lions and
leopards. What challenges do these iconic big cats face? How have these lions
and leopards survived and adapted over the decades? The Joubert’s lead viewers
on an epic journey through the lives of big cats and their most iconic moments.
Ultimate Enemies, Saturday, 12 February, 18:00
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, 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. 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, 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.
Thailand’s Wild Cats, Saturday 19 February, 18:00
Hidden in the jungles of Thailand lies an ancient
kingdom, a last refuge for Thailand’s wild cats. Apex hunters, nearly
invisible, they bide their time as they search for prey, pursue mates and
protect their young. Within this tangled forest, a world of drama and unbridled
power awaits the clouded leopard, the Asian fishing cat and the king of the
jungle, the Tiger.
Eye of the Leopard (Revealed), Sunday 20 February, 18:00
Dereck and Beverly
Joubert set out to create a film on leopards but never imagined they would be
seduced by a small, eight-day-old cub named Legadema. Eye of the Leopard
follows Legadema's journey from a playful cub to a skilled huntress. Narrated
by Jeremy Irons.
Shadow Cats, Saturday
26 February, 18:00
The serval, caracal and black-footed cat prove
they are just as extraordinary as their African wildcat counterparts, the
cheetah, lion and leopard.
Eternal Enemies (Revealed), Sunday 27 February, 18:00
The Joubert's Emmy winning film is back with
stunning remastered footage. Propelled by Jeremy Irons gripping narration,
Eternal Enemies reveals the story of conflict between lions and hyenas,
relatively unknown or even suspected in the scientific world before this. The
intense relationship and enduring rivalry between the two species play out in a
battle of survival.
War of the Lions, Sunday 27 February, 18:45
From savannahs bursting with game to deserts with
not a drop to drink, all lion kingdoms are not created equal - so who is the real King of the Beasts?
