MUMBAI: In conjunction with World Animal Day, Animal Planet celebrates the beauty and diversity of the big cats of the wild.
The channel says that these endangered species around the world face the possible threat of extinction. For one week, viewers can leap into the lives of the stealthiest predators on the planet during this special programming event. Viewers will learn about the hidden feline beneath these ferocious creatures, and find out how our efforts at conservation could keep them alive for our future generations.
Action Big Cat Week airs till 6 October at 8 pm and will repeat next day at 3 pm.
Wild cats the channel says continue to amaze researchers, wildlife documentary filmmakers and viewers around the world with their incredible abilities and ever-changing behaviours. Animal Planet showcases these magnificent beasts as they hunt prey, battle threats and develop relationships in some of the most dangerous communities in the world.
The special shares stories of crisis, tragedy, success, compassion and strength while bringing exclusive looks at the most exciting feline predators in the world directly into viewers' homes.
A team employs remote-control buggy cameras, buried periscopes and state-of-the-art night vision technology to truly enter the lion's den in the one-hour programme Lion - Spy In The Den. When a lion charges, the viewers charge with it; when it rests, viewers lie alongside. In what is a new achievement for lion specialists the show is able to examine the fragile alliances between pride males and their relationships with neighboring rivals.
Leopard Hunters explores the magnificent and mysterious cats of Sri Lanka in . Yala National Park is the jewel of Sri Lanka. Ancient temples and Buddhist dagbas - ruins of a lost civilisation - remain scattered throughout the wild jungles. The stretches of golden sands along the coast and miles of steamy jungle make the park one of the most beautiful sights on the island. This untouched wilderness is home to herds of elephant, buffalo, sloth bears, crocodiles, jungle cats and elusive leopards.
It is the leopards of Yala National Park that have fascinated two young men. Ravi - a newly qualified doctor - and Jehan - a businessman - were so captivated by the leopards that they have dedicated the last three years of their lives to studying them. The special reveals their unique and amazing behavior and brings the leopards of Yala to the screen as never before.
Return of the Cheetah airs tonight 3 October 2006
Wildlife expert Peter Gros heads to Namibia for a week's assignment at the Cheetah Conservation Fund - a uniquely ambitious project aimed at safeguarding the world's fastest sprinter. In an action-packed visit, Peter teams up with Namibia's "Cheetah Lady," Dr. Laurie Marker, and finds out how science, diplomacy and a dash of imagination can turn a situation of despair into one of hope.
Alphonse Roy's Great Cats of India airs on 4 October 2006. Roy captures documentary portraits of all of India's four great cats - lion, tiger, leopard and the ever-elusive snow leopard. Viewers follow Alphonse throughout the whole filmmaking process, from the often-arduous journeys to remote locations, to setting up specialized field equipment and, of course, the actual filming. Along the way viewers meet the many friends and colleagues that Alphonse has worked with over the years to help with his task, from local feudal overlords to leading scientific experts and conservation officers.
