National Geographic rolls out 10th Big Cat Month on Nat Geo Wild in February 2021 with 7 premiere specials including Tiger Queen of Taru.

by Thinus Ferreira

National Geographic is doing its 10th Big Cat Month in February 2021 and will again broadcast a lot of special appointment programming on its Nat Geo Wild (DStv 182 / StarSat 221) channel, featuring various big cats in the wild, including 7 premiere specials.

Besides the specials, National Geographic's month-long event will include several interstitials that will be broadcast in-between programming, featuring National Geographic Explorers who are working to protect big cats around the globe.

"Big Cat Month is an exciting television event for us every year and a firm viewer-favourite. This year is particularly special as we will be broadcasting no less than seven premieres highlighting the incredible lives led by these ferocious felines, to many of whom, Africa is home," says  Evert van der Veer, vice president, media networks, The Walt Disney Company Africa. 

"Even more remarkable is that many of the filmmakers are actively involved in wildlife conservation themselves, including  Aishwarya Sridhar, who makes her debut on the channel with the premiere of Tiger Queen of Taru".

The National Geographic Society is partnering its Big Cats Initiative with National Geographic Wild for Big Cat Month.

Nat Geo Wild's Big Cat Month starts on 7 February 2021 with the premiere of Jade Eyed Leopard, narrated by actor Jeremy Irons and directed by the acclaimed local big-cat filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert.

In this one-hour special National Geographic cameras capture the story of a young leopard, Toto, during the critical first three years of her life. 

Viewers getto follow this cub with deep aquamarine eyes – an exceptionally rare trait – and experience her challenges and triumphs firsthand as Toto learns the fundamental skills of survival and makes her passage to adulthood. 

Cecil: The Legacy of a King, premieres Sunday, 14 February at 18:00. This special follows the life and legacy of one of the world's most famous lions - Cecil. 

The ultimate big cat king, Cecil was a warrior, a father and a loyal brother. But his untimely death at the hands of an illegal hunt in Zimbabwe - spelt the end of his extraordinary reign; evoking feelings of fury and sadness to all who hear his tale across the globe. 

Still in Africa, Serengeti Speed Queen tells the story of cheetah Nzuri, the speed queen of the Serengeti – for whom being fast isn’t enough – on Sunday, 21 February at 18:00m.

She is constantly bullied by hyenas on the grassland and hunted by lions in the marsh. When two of her cubs are killed, the family is exiled to the forest. There, she learns to adapt her hunting methods and adds strategy to speed in order to outwit her enemies and steer her remaining cubs successfully to adulthood.

Nat Geo Wild's Big Cat Month 2021 culminates in the premiere of Tiger Queen of Taru, by filmmaker Aishwarya Sridhar on Sunday, 28 February at 18:00. 

This unique special that was filmed over six years tells the story of Maya the tigress in a tiger reserve in Tadoba, Central India. 

Here, Bengal tigers chase wild dogs, fight sloth bears and feud among themselves over bloodlines and territory in never-before-seen footage. Maya writes her own rules when it comes to raising a litter, yet motherhood doesn’t come easy. However, one thing is clear, Maya will do whatever it takes to secure her bloodline within the Kingdom of Taru.  

"We partnered with the Jouberts 11 years ago to create National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative to shed light on these vital and vulnerable wild felines," says Colby Bishop, senior director of wildlife programmes at National Geographic Society.

"More than a decade later, the initiative continues to make major strides in its mission to protect big cats in the wild, including the removal of 13 000 life-threatening snares from their habitats; building more than 2 100 livestock enclosures to reduce human-wildlife conflict with big cats, and providing funds for grantees to work in more than 300 communities."

"National Geographic Wild is the perfect platform to premiere Jade Eyed Leopard as part of Big Cat Month 2021 and to inspire further protection for these majestic creatures around the world," says Colby Bishop.

Nat Geo WILD's 9th annual installment of Big Cat Month coming in February 2019 with 5 big cat specials.

Nat Geo WILD (DStv 182 / StarSat 221 / Cell C black 262) is doing its 9th annual Big Cat Month in February with 5 new premiere programmes that will be broadcast during the course of the month, featuring surprising behaviours and inspiring stories of big cats around the world.

February on Nat Geo WILD will start will Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s Birth of a Pride which follows the journey of lions returning to a reserve in Botswana as they grow from a single female and her cub into a fully formed, majestic hunting pride. 

Next up, Leopard Kingdom tells the tale of Karula the leopard, who ruled her South African kingdom for over a decade, and the struggles among her successors.

Showcasing rarely seen behaviour in Man vs. Puma, presenter Boone Smith observes pumas hunting penguins in Patagonia. 

Clash of the Tigers follows the extraordinary tale of a strong-willed mother tiger who risks everything to rear her young cubs, and Regime of the Queen puts a spotlight on the role of the lioness in a pride.

Big Cat Month is an extension of National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative, a long-term commitment by the National Geographic Society to halt the decline of big cats in the wild.

Birth of a Pride

3 February at 18:00

In Selinda, Bostwana, lions had been hunted to near extinction but, thanks to conservation, the number of lions has grown from two to over 60. 

Witness an incredible and heartwarming story of survival through the eyes of the lions that beat the odds. Follow six cubs as they navigate the world and learn to hunt, socialise and survive in the now flourishing wilderness.

Tree Climbing Lions

3 February at 18:45

Big cat biologist Alexander Braczkowski is on a mission: He's got 90 days to count lions in Uganda and learn how the population is doing. But these aren't ordinary lions. 

The prides in Queen Elizabeth National Park spend most of their lives up in the trees, a rare and mysterious behaviour unique to this part of Africa. 

On his journey, he'll witness mothers battling the odds to raise cubs through their first year of life, and the threats tree climbing lions face as the human population expands. Alex's experience will become more personal than he could have imagined, and he'll learn that saving lions can be about much more than counting cats.

Leopard Kingdom

10 February at 18:00

Karula, the Queen of Djuma, reigned over South Africa's Sabi Sand Reserve for over a decade. 

Throughout her rule she endured droughts, attacks on her territory, and staved off hunger. She had three suitors, six cubs, and five grand-cubs. Her kingdom was strong, but now she is gone. 

Between Thandi, Shadow, and Xongile - three of Karula's eldest daughters - a new queen will take the throne. But when an interloper finds his way into their domain and aims to take the thrown for himself, will the sisters put family first?

Leopard Huntress

10 February at 18:45

When a vicious fight with the male leopard results in her cub's death, Malika must reinvent herself after the loss. In the battle to survive, she faces dangerous enemies and must hunt way outside her comfort zone. Her desperation inspires ingenious new ambush techniques and each success slowly rebuilds her confidence till she has the courage to face her enemies and regain her former glory.

Clash of the Tigers

17 February at 18:00

Two royal Bengal tigers in Ranthambore, India, are sisters, natural born killers, granddaughters of the most famous queen tiger in the world and heirs to her magnificent throne. 

They live in a paradise that is one of the last tiger sanctuaries on Earth. And they want only one thing: to remove their mother, destroy the other sister and reign supreme. 

Man vs. Puma

24 February at 18:00

Big cat expert Boone Smith travels to Patagonia to observe pumas thriving in the wild under increased conservation efforts. The cats have not learned to fear humans, making this the one area in the world where people can observe their behaviour up close. 

Once there, Boone is fascinated to watch the pumas hunting penguins, an incredibly rare behaviour. The tables are turned when a big cat starts to stalk him and he comes face to face with a hungry mother on the hunt.

Regime of the Queen

24 February at 18:45

The lion is the king of beasts but it is the lioness that is the real power behind the throne. She is 135 kilograms of predator, part of a pride that forms family groups that work together to strike down prey and ferociously patrol the boundaries of their territory. 

The lioness will let nothing threaten her family’s rule. Through creating alliances and ruthlessly eliminating enemies, the land is hers to rule.

Nat Geo WILD's 8th annual installment of Big Cat Month starting in January 2018 with roaring big cat specials.

Nat Geo WILD's 8th annual "Big Cat Month" programming strand starting on the channel in January 2018 will be covering jaguars in Brazil, lions in Tanzania, cheetahs in Kenya and tigers in India.

Big Cat Month on Nat Geo WILD (DStv 182 / StarSat 221 / Cell C black 262) will broadcast several visually stunning specials during January 2018 aimed at raising awareness of the plight of big cats around the world.

Some of the Big Cat Month programming highlights include the National Geographic photographers Steve Winter and Bertie Gregory tracking down and capturing incredible footage of Brazil's top predator in Jaguar vs. Croc.

There's also the wildlife filmmaker Bob Poole telling the intimate story of a cheetah mother and her cubs in Man Among Cheetahs, while three prides of lions battle over territory, food and power in the 3-part series, Lion Kingdom.

Nat Geo WILD will also broadcast the new special, The World's Most Famous Tiger, tracking the life of a tigress that lived in a western region of India.

Lion Kingdom

7 January 2018, 18:00

This three-part series follows the intense dramatic story of three lion prides battling each other for territory, food and power along the Mwagusi River in Tanzania. Destiny conspires to bring the prides together, leaving a bold lioness fatally wounded and devoured by hyenas. A teenage son is excommunicated and unlikely to survive.

Man Among Cheetahs

14 January 2018, 18:00

Veteran wildlife filmmaker Bob Poole sets out on a madcap adventure following a formidable cheetah mother who is determined to keep her cubs alive. Along the way, watch him negotiate the risks and realities of filming in the African wilderness while trying to keep up with the fastest animal on four legs. 

The World’s Most Famous Tiger

21 January 2018, 18:00

Known as “Queen Machli,” “Lady of the Lake” and ruler of her territory in western India’s Ranthambore National Park, Machli was a legendary tigress that went down in history as one of the most well-known wild tigers in the world. 

Machli - whose name is the Hindi word for fish because of fish-like markings on her face - was a beautiful and powerful tigress that played a key role in the regeneration of the tiger population in Ranthambore and Sariska National Parks.  

Jaguar vs. Croc

28 January 2018, 18:00

World-renowned wildlife photographer Steve Winter and cameraman Bertie Gregory capture the rarely seen, remarkable lives of jaguars in the Pantanal of Brazil. 

Follow a mother jaguar as she teaches her cub survival, while a determined male jaguar, appropriately named Scarface, dives headfirst into a river to tackle the deadliest of opponents - a 1.8 metre-long caiman.