Leopards are considered to be extremely shy big cats. Only a few animals can match the elegance of these feline predators. The cautious hunters are rarely seen in the wild for more than a few seconds. The cats can be observed more extensively when they rest asleep in a tree and recover from the mostly nocturnal hunt. But a leopardess has switched to hunting in broad daylight. Its home along the brook bed of the Olare Orok offers everything a mother needs to protect and nourish its offspring: picturesque rocks and dense bush, a landscape in which the big cat can disappear in seconds to sneak up on potential prey, which includes warthogs and antelopes. But hyenas and lions are always ready to contest for its territory and nourishment. The renowned wildlife filmmaker Reinhard Radke managed to capture astonishing insights into the social life and hunting tactics of the ambush hunters in the Maasai Mara.
Four top predators are compared, each champion in a type of environment, with key adaptations. On the ground, the cheetah outruns prey (approached in masterly stealth) and enemies. In the air, the peregrine falcon is a flight and diving machine. In sweet water, the Nile crocodile survives since the Dino age, without natural enemies, with several amazing metabolism stunts. Lurking under water, it snaps blindly at migrating wildebeest, then waits underground. In the oceans, the equally ancient shark, notably the great white, migrates seasonally to find abundant prey, such as young seals around South Africa.
The dry season in northern Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park is as deadly as any predator. The rains stop, the temperatures rise, and the water sources evaporate, pushing herbivores past the normal boundaries of caution and into dangerous territory. Two lion families patiently await their arrival, one, a team of rookies, the other, seasoned pros, each with one shared goal: to hunt the thirsty herds. Get a remarkable look at their daily battles for survival as we take you on an action-packed journey into one of the wildest springs in Africa
Lions, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog and crocodile - extraordinary scenes of super predators hunting. The Super Predators was filmed over three years at Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa and on Kenya's Masai Mara. It captures some of the most extraordinary scenes ever seen on film of these super predators hunting and killing. Dramatic slow-motion action replays allow the viewer the opportunity of observing all the subtleties of these magnificent hunters in action. The film includes a plea for the world's most notorious predator, man, to work in closer partnership with nature for our mutual benefit and survival.
The charismatic Snow Leopard is the least understood of all the big cats and one of the most challenging to film. Over a period of five years, veteran Indian wildlife filmmakers, Naresh and Rajesh Bedi endured extreme cold and the thin air of the Himalayas in their daunting quest to reveal the secret lives of these elusive predators, ultimately with great success.
A story told with no words but with the power of sound and visuals of unspoiled Patagonia.
Pemba is a Mamma's Boy. At two-years old, he should be independent, but he's still living at home. Like most teenagers, he's impatient and headstrong, which makes him bad at stalking and hunting, so Mom provides all their meals. But when Mom is injured Pemba is forced to grow up fast in order to survive.
In the heart of southern France there is a fog-prone area where, according to legend, a bloodthirsty creature wreaked havoc 250 years ago. A rumor is spreading again in this legendary place, as eyewitnesses report an animal with large paws and a long tail that crosses roads in a single leap - powerful enough to tear down a horse and leave it mutilated in the pasture. Is the Beast of Gévaudan back? The animal photographer Bruno Loisel has a supposedly more rational explanation. The animal that fits the descriptions could be a cougar, but this species of big cat is only native to America. In order to learn the proper techniques for tracking down the puma, he travels to Canada, where he accompanies a team of researchers dedicated to studying the shy, almost invisible predator. Will Bruno be able to use his findings to solve the mystery of the new beast of Gévaudan?
On the edge of the Namibian desert, cattle farmers are looking for new land to graze their animals. The lions, who occupied these previously wild spaces, are hunted by herd guards, or even slaughtered when they attack cows. Will and Lianne Steenkamp lived for two years in a territory occupied by a 17-year-old lioness - a "queen" -, her two daughters and their five lion cubs. This film traces the process of empowering the young: after learning to hunt alone, they will have to leave the family pack and find young females to reproduce. A necessity all the greater as their species seems threatened.
Life on the savannah of southern Tanzania is a study in contrast between rainy and dry seasons. When water is abundant, the wildebeest at the rivers provide food for the lion population, while the buffalo graze contentedly on the succulent grasses in the hills. The two great adversaries -- lion and buffalo -- can keep their distance. Intimate Enemies is a film about the relationship between these two great animals as a drought forces them into a titanic battle
The Serengeti is one of the most brutal environments on the planet. It's also home to the tough Vumbi lion pride. Using ground-breaking new tools (including a lion-proof peeping Tom robot), National Geographic explorers Michael "Nick" Nichols and Nathan Williamson embed with the lions to reveal a never-before-seen view into a world with razor thin margins between life and death.
In the jungles of north west India, there lives a remarkable wild tiger family. Now, using 50 years of footage, the story of their matriarchal clan is pieced together.
Sir David Attenborough presents and narrates this wildlife series, a visual encyclopedia of the natural world. This episode looks at the fast, sleek and elegant cheetahs - supreme athletes and hunters of the animal world. Also the leopard, another deadly hunter, is observed in its natural habitat.
Cheetah and Leopard... no animal can match the intensity of their power and grace. On the horizon, the next victim draws near, crouched in the grass, senses honed, an explosive rush, claws extend and then the final clamp of fangs in a jugular embrace. Discover what separates these predators from all others. The cheetah, the ultimate tactician, single minded in its abandon for the lightning-fast gazelle. And the leopard, an invincible opportunist lying in wait for the unwary. Both driven by pure instinct and the constant pressure to kill.
Nearly 500 lions roam the vast land of Etosha National Park in Namibia, each pride guarding territory, raising young, and feasting on prey. Filmmakers Des and Jen Bartlett spent nearly five years filming the Ombika pride, a family of 19, resulting in this 1 hour documentary. They tracked their special pride of lions to record the rivalries, loyalties, and complex animal relationships. Catch a rare glimpse into the pride system, from family interactions and shared responsibilities to raising cubs and teaching them to hunt. Watch the pride's success and failures, battles and births, and encounters with elephants and the rarely seen black rhino
Nakuru National Park in Kenya is rather like a reform centre for wayward youth. Take Scarface: as a young lioness with a reputation for killing sheep and cattle, she was due to be shot. Instead, she was chosen to establish a new pride in Nakuru. Wildlife film-maker Barbara Tyack chronicles the life of this special lion family with a weakness for climbing trees. Fabulous camerawork captures great chase sequences, some gory ones, and the odd romance
Kenya's Musiara marsh is prime lion country. Lush tall grasses, scrubby brush, and an abundance of watering holes attract a vast array of big game and smaller wildlife to this lowland valley. Yet during the lean winter months, before the great migration of wildebeest and zebra, the resident lions live on the edge of starvation. Everything rides on the success or failure of a few critical hunts. The fate of the young cubs hangs in the balance as the bond that holds the pride together is stretched to the limit. Now enter the domain of Kali the lion and her pride as they face the daily challenge to survive on the African plains
1) Extreme Lives Uncover the secret lives of big cats who thrive in all four corners of the globe, from the solitary snow leopard to the nimble rusty-spotted cat 2) Cats in Every Corner Discover how cats have conquered the world, thriving in almost every landscape on Earth 3)Science and Secrets New approaches and technologies help uncover some of the cats’ most intimate secrets, including the cheetah’s remarkable gymnastic abilities and why lions are able to hunt so cooperatively.
Jhalana’s refuge, India's urban leopard habitat, is controlled by the strong and experienced Bahadur. But his dominance is being challenged – by his son, Rana! Once a quiet youngster, Rana has grown into an ambitious young male. But in the animal kingdom, power is not inherited – it is fought for with strength and persistence. Rana is not content with just securing his place; he wants more. To fulfill his ambitions, he forms a bond with one of his father's females, and what begins as a simple interaction soon turns into a powerful partnership. The aging Bahadur has held his territory for six years and will not tolerate his son's claim. Rana faces a decision: retreat or fight. But Rana follows his instincts.
The true story of the birth, growth and coming of age of a leopard cub in Africa's Serengeti plain. The journey of "The Leopard Son" begins at his mother's side where he discovers, through play, essential skills for survival in the wild. As it is with humans, there inevitably comes the day when a child must leave his mother to go out on his own.