|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skilful hunters and terrifying man-eaters, but devoted parents. Lions are the most studied of all big cats, yet most of us are only familiar with their hunting behaviour and know little of their intricate life. Lions are strangely social, the only wildcats to live in family groups. The truth about lions on Animal Planet on Sunday at 9 p.m. travels beyond the stereotypes, bringing together the work of dozens of scientists and decades of research to offer a completely new perspective on lions’ behaviour and their unique lifestyle.
Over the past 30 years, Animal Planet presenter and Big Cat Diary series host, Jonathan Scott has been watching, sketching, photographing and filming big cats’ behaviour. In this programme, Jonathan presents an up-close explanation of the workings of the lions’ pride. With the help of the latest lion research from Professor Craig Packer and his team at the Serengeti Lion Project, Jonathan takes a fresh look at the lions. Scott investigates the most famous lion pride in the world — the Marsh Pride of the Masai Mara in East Africa. He discovers that unlike many big cats, lions are incredibly sociable creatures. The show explores the lion’s world from their point of view. Within the pride it’s the females who run the show, while males have a warrior role. This social structure allows prides to control large areas where game is abundant. In the last century lion numbers have declined by as much as 90 per cent. With the encroaching threat to the survival of the species, the truth about lions reveals how a new understanding of their lives is the secret to ensuring this a successful future for this fascinating animal. — TNS
|
