The Last Lions
ByGiovanna Palatucci
December 14, 2011
2 min readIt’s Big Cat Week on Nat Geo Wild. Tune in tonight and through the weekend for a full slate of cats programming. Here on Intelligent Travel, we offer a glimpse of the National Geographic Film: The Last Lions, which will air this Friday, December 16, at 8 p.m. EST.
In a moving film released in theaters earlier this year, National Geographic Explorers-In-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert chronicle the everyday challenges lions must overcome in order to survive. The Last Lions follows the story of a lioness named Mau Di Tau in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. After the death of her husband, Mau Di Tau struggles to protect herself and her cubs. Caught between encroaching human civilization and a rival pride, she must secure shelter, food, and protection for her family in new and innovative ways.
This isn’t your typical wildlife film. The Last Lions is a true and captivating story with a strong narrative; it brings to light the perilous and unforgiving landscapes in which these cats must survive. The reality is harsh. In the past 50 years the lion population has fallen from 450,000 to 20,000.
The film’s goal is to raise awareness about the diminishing cat population. Proceeds go to the Cause An Uproar campaign, which supports National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. “We no longer have the luxury of time when it comes to big cats,” says Dereck. “They are in such a downward spiral that if we hesitate now, we will be responsible for extinctions across the globe. If there was ever a time to take action, it is now.”
Check the film clip (above), and watch The Last Lions on Nat Geo Wild this Friday, December 16, at 8 p.m. EST.
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