Plot Synopsis

BIG CAT WEEK focuses on the disappearance of lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, and other felines, and the goal of this series of documentaries is to promote awareness of this issue as part of the National Geographic Society's Big Cats Initiative. Lions are dying off rapidly across Africa. These cats once ranged across the continent and into Syria, Israel, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, and even northwest India; 2,000 years ago more than a million lions roamed the Earth. Since the 1940s, when lions numbered an estimated 400,000, lion populations have blinked out across the continent. Now they may total as few as 20,000 animals. Scientists connect the drastic decreases in many cases to burgeoning human populations. The Big Cats Initiative aims to halt lion population declines and to restore populations to sustainable levels. For the inaugural BIG CAT WEEK in December 2010, Nat Geo Wild aired the following documentaries: BIG CAT ODYSSEY; LEOPARD QUEEN; LION WARRIORS; LIONS ON THE EDGE.

In December 2011, BIG CAT WEEK included episodes of series from PLANET CARNIVORE, NIGHT STALKERS and TIGER MAN OF AFRICA as well as premieres of the following specials: STALKING THE MOUNTAIN LION; AMERICAN COUGAR; CAT WARS - LION VS. CHEETAH; HUNT FOR THE SHADOW CAT; SWAMP LIONS; and RETURN OF THE CLOUDED LEOPARDS.

The 3rd annual event, which premiered Sunday, December 9, 2012, featured these five new specials during the week: SNOW LEOPARD OF AFGHANISTAN; ATTACK OF THE BIG CATS; TIGER DYNASTY; BORN PREDATOR; and CHEETAH - FATAL INSTINCT.

On Friday, November 29, 2013, Nat Geo Wild premiered the 4th annual BIG CAT WEEK, which included the following new specials: MAN V. CHEETAH; SUPER CAT; KILLER QUEEN; COUGAR V. WOLF; GAME OF LIONS; and BETTY WHITE GOES WILD.

The 5th annual BIG CAT WEEK debuted on Friday, November 28, 2014 at 8pm ET/PT on Nat Geo Wild, featuring eight nights of feline programming, including the premieres of the following six specials: MAN V. LION, LEOPARD - ULTIMATE SURVIVOR, FUTURE CAT, TIGER'S REVENGE, LION GANGLAND, and TIGER WARS.

BIG CAT WEEK returned for its sixth run on Friday, November 27, 2015 on Nat Geo Wild, with daily broadcasts of SAFARI LIVE and a series of specials, including: COUGARS UNDERCOVER; THE LAKESHORE KILLERS; CAT FIGHT; THE ULTIMATE PREDATOR; and BIG CAT GAMES.

The eight annual BIG CAT WEEK premiered on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT on Nat Geo Wild, with a series of specials highlighting the stories of jaguars in Brazil, lions in Tanzania, cheetahs in Kenya, tigers in India, and more: JAGUAR VS. CROC (Premieres Sunday, Dec. 10 at 9pm ET/PT); MAN AMONG CHEETAHS (Premieres Monday, Dec. 11 at 9pm ET/PT); THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS TIGER (Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 9pm ET/PT); LION KINGDOM (Premieres Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 9pm ET/PT); SAFARI LIVE (Premieres Thursday, Dec. 14 at 10pm ET/PT); and SAVAGE KINGDOM: UPRISING (Season finale premieres Friday, Dec. 15 at 9pm ET/PT).

In BIG CAT WEEK's ninth year, Dereck and Beverly Joubert's BIRTH OF A PRIDE (Dec 1) follows the extraordinary journey of lions returning to a reserve in Botswana as they grow from a single female and her cub into fully formed, majestic hunting pride. Viewers will also witness the incredible story of Uganda's tree-climbing lions in National Geographic Explorer Alex Braczkowski's new special TREE CLIMBING LIONS (Dec 2); follow the extraordinary tale of a strong-willed mother tiger who risks it all to rear her young cubs, in REGIME OF THE QUEEN (Dec 1); head to South America with big cat expert Boone Smith to witness the rare behaviors of pumas preying on penguins in Argentina, in MAN VS. PUMA (Oct 30); and join wildlife filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade as he reveals jaguars' unique hunting behaviors along Costa Rica in JAGUAR BEACH BATTLE (Oct 30). More than a television event, BIG CAT WEEK is an extension of the Big Cats Initiative, a long-term commitment by the National Geographic Society to halt the decline of big cats in the wild. This global initiative actively supports on-the-ground research and conservation projects to protect the planet's top felines. This year's BIG CAT WEEK debuted on Friday, October 30, 2018 on Nat Geo Wild.

The 10th annual BIG CAT WEEK ran from Monday, September 7 through Friday, September 11, 2020 on Nat Geo Wild. This year's event begins with JADE EYED LEOPARD, from notable National Geographic filmmakers and founders of the Big Cat Initiative Beverly and Dereck Joubert. The one-hour special -- which premieres Monday, September 7 at 8pm ET -- follows a young leopard named Toto through the turbulent first three years of her life. Toto has aquamarine-colored eyes, which is an extremely rare trait in leopards. The documentary also uses the thermal-night-vision cameras to capture the seldom-seen night time activities of a young leopard. Programming includes a three-night premiere of SAVAGE KINGDOM (Season 4), alongside library content like SWAMP LIONS, JAGUAR: SUPERCAT, LION GANGLAND, CAT WARS: LION V. CHEETAH, BATTLE FOR THE PRICE, TIGER WARS, and more.
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The 11th annual BIG CAT WEEK debuted on Sunday, January 30, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT on Nat Geo Wild and runs through Thursday, February 3. This special event includes 11 in-depth programs, each exploring an entirely different big cat species, their struggles as they face extinction, as well as rare, never-before-seen footage in their natural habitats spanning from the Okavango Delta to the Serengeti to Thailand and more. Nat Geo WILD debuts BIG CAT WEEK with RUSSIA'S WILD TIGER. The one-hour special focuses on the Amur tiger, which was recently on the brink of extinction with only 30 cats in existence. Now, there are nearly 600. In order to film the essence of this special tiger, the program was filmed across two years from 80 different cameras located in each tiger sanctuary in the Far East, including the Sikhote-Alin mountains, Land of Leopards National Park, Bikin National Park, Anyuysky National Park and many more. Following RUSSIA'S WILD TIGER, the feline fun continues with THE WAY OF THE CHEETAH at 10pm and TREE CLIMBING LIONS at 11pm. Additionally, the week-long event will include several interstitials featuring National Geographic Explorers who are working to protect big cats around the globe. This year's BIG CAT WEEK features:

Russia's Wild Tiger (Jan. 30 at 9pm): Records the battle for the 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. Guiding the viewer through the film, an elder tiger tells the story of his cub, born in a conservation area, the year after he leaves his mother. His search for a territory reveals the problems facing tigers in Russia's Far East and the conflicts that arise when he strays into human settlements. 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.

The Way of the Cheetah (Jan. 30 at 10pm): Set in Kenya, the story tells of how Immani protects her four cubs against other male cheetahs and other predators. By Dereck and Beverly Joubert.

Tree Climbing Lions (Jan. 30 at 11pm): Big cat biologist Alexander Braczkowski returns to Uganda to embed with the mysterious tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park. He sets out to uncover their unique climbing culture, but along the way, he gets to know them one on one and reveals the prides' dramatic fight for survival and their determination to help their cubs survive their first year of life.

Living with Big Cats: Revealed (Jan. 31 at 9pm): 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.

Big Cat Odyssey: Revealed (Jan. 31 at 10pm): 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 Jouberts lead viewers on an epic journey through the lives of big cats and their most iconic moments.

Relentless Enemies: Revealed (Feb. 1 at 9pm): 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.

Ultimate Enemies: Revealed (Feb. 1 at 10pm): National Geographic filmmakers 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.

Eye of the Leopard: Revealed (Feb. 2 at 9pm): National Geographic filmmakers 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.

Eternal Enemies: Revealed (Feb. 2 at 10pm): Joubert's Emmy(R)-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 (Feb. 3 at 9p): 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?

The Real Black Panther (Feb. 3 at 10p): The hot, dry, deciduous jungles of South India are no place for a melanistic leopard - but Saya is different. He is the only black panther in the entire Kabini Forest, and he's got one thing on his mind: to take over this leopard paradise. But Scarface, the current ruler, won't give it up easily. This is a story of astounding adaptability and success, the journey of Saya - THE REAL BLACK PANTHER.