NAAAAANTS INGONYAMA BAGITHI BABA! World Lion Day is here – an opportunity to celebrate these iconic cats and raise awareness about the need to protect them (it's also the one day a year when it's acceptable to play the Lion King soundtrack at full volume). While we would love to tell you some good news about these iconic cats, sadly, things are not all hakuna matata for lions. In just five decades, lion population numbers in Africa have declined by as much as 75% and the big cats have lost much of their historic range. Illegal bushmeat trade, habitat loss, unsustainable trophy hunting, and conflict with humans have all contributed to their decline in numbers.
To celebrate Africa's biggest cats and to remind ourselves what we stand to lose if we do not protect them, here's a lineup of lion viewing to fill your day.
Pride in Battle
'Pride in Battle’ is the epic story of the rapidly growing Xakanaxa pride as it battles to survive through one of the Okavango’s harshest winters. Twenty-one adults and cubs now make up the group, and because of such a rapid expansion in their numbers, the adults concentrate their hunting efforts on the prey guaranteed to provide the most food – buffalo. Available free on Earth Touch TV and via our video on demand platform.
Turf War: Lions & Hippos
Zambia's Luangwa Valley is the setting for a dramatic standoff between lions and hippos as they struggle to survive through the dry season. Forced to share a rapidly disappearing river, both species turn on each other in a desperate fight over territory. For two lion cubs growing up in the constant presence of agitated hippos, a dangerous world awaits. Available free on Earth Touch TV and via our video on demand platform.
Lion Brotherhood
When two male heirs of a powerful pride come of age, they’re exiled from their family and must survive as nomads. Cast into the wilderness, they struggle to hunt and starvation is a daily threat. Battles with pride males teach harsh lessons and they must rely on each other. Can they beat the odds and win a kingdom? Available via our video on demand platform.
Lethal Attractions
For both predator and prey, evolution has equally honed their tools to kill and their skills to defend – it’s levelled the playing field, maximising the chances at survival on either side. Even in the African wilderness, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Available via our video on demand platform.
Cute to Killer
‘Cute To Killer’, is a fascinating one-hour special showcasing the development of four cubs in the heart of the Zimbabwean bushveld as they encounter whatever life throws at them. Documented by two cameras for three years from their birth, these four cubs have gone on to hunt impala, wildebeest and zebra. Catch the drama, action and stunning interactions in glorious high definition as these incredible cubs go from ‘Cute To Killer’ (Available free on Earth Touch TV).