We may only have domestic cats here at Katzenworld HQ but we are still very interested in their larger (and wilder) cousins like tigers, cheetahs and the kingly lions. As we don’t live in a country with access to areas where these big cats still run wild, how else can we get to see them in their natural habitat as opposed to a zoo? Well luckily for us the good old BBC has made a fabulous series of Big Cats on DVD.
The runtime of nearly 3 hours is packed with fascinating footage taken using the latest technology to capture the cats in all their glorious detail. Not only is the content visually stunning (as you would expect), the series includes information on the most recent research on wild felines. In all there series covers around 40 species of cat (I lost count at 35. How many can you count?) filmed over a number of different continents and you can see some of them on the BBC website.
Now usually when we think of wild cats we think of an animal that is somewhat larger than the felines we have invited into to our homes to share our lives with. There is one however, the rusty-spotted cat, which weighs in at between 1 and 1.5 kg. That’s about the weight of our little Freya and 4kg less than Rennie. The BBC have decided to include these unrepresented small cats is one of these reasons that makes this series so special. The rusty-spotted cat may look like a kitten in size, but the two species manage to live in the wild grasslands and forests of southern India and Sri Lanka. This clip shows a young male curiously investigating his surroundings;
Here’s what the BBC has to say;
From the excutive producer of Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II Mike Gunton, narrated by Bertie Carvel (Doctor Foster), the BBC’s latest natural history television hit Big Cats was released on DVD on the 12th February.
Big Cats provides an unprecedented close-up look and never-before-seen behaviours of almost every big hunting cat on the planet – from cheetah to lion to jaguar to the more obscure Black-footed cat and the Pallas cat.
Using the latest developments in filming technology, and a surge in cat research, Big Cats bring these feline superstars into the spotlight. Combining fascinating behaviours with amazing stories, the series reflects the true nature of cats – and reveals how they still have the power to surprise.
If you were wondering what “latest technology” has to do with filming cats, then you’ve obviously never had to try and video Rennie when he’s running around full-speed with a toy 🙂 We’re lucky if we can capture his movements on our fairly hi-tech camera as he flings himself all the over the place to get that feather dangler in his mouth. We invested in what we thought was a fast camera and found that even then most of our shots were blurred as he flew past the lens in hot pursuit of his favorite toy. We may think Rennie is fast but not sure that he could outrun what is regarded as the fastest feline; the slim and leggy cheetah. This clip shows how the BBC managed to keep up with this feline athlete and produce some stunning images of its prowess in action;
These series of movies on DVD is for you if you ‘d like to spend some time watching your kitties’ wilder cousins from the comfort of your living room and spot some of the similarities between them, available from most online shops and retail shops.
Madame Colette believes herself to be one of the larger cats. Simone and the human, wisely, keep quiet.
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That was a beautiful series. ?
This looks likes my kind of thing! The Rusty-Spotty Cat looks adorable, so kitten like. ? The footage about buggy-cam was fascinating too. It’s great when they show us behind the scenes, and what they have to do to get us these amazing pictures/film. ?
BIG squiiishy!!!!
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That Rusty Spotted Cat is too cute for words. YAY BBC!
well done!
Love all of them but the black with white tiger is my favorite.
Super cool. Wow!
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So beautiful.