A few days ago, as part of the Big Cats Initiative (a National Geographic project), we were surprised by the news that a documentary by some well-known scholars of wild big cats was appealing to cat lovers to help preserve their larger cousins.
What will we see in the documentary?
In their latest documentary, «Getting to Know Felines», Beverly and Dereck Joubert invite us to see the similarities between cats and their relatives.
To do so, they follow the adventures and wanderings of Smokey, a neighbor of the Jouberts' tabby cat. They filmed him as they do the big cats. The documentary shows Smokey doing everything cats do. In their opinion, this is extraordinarily similar to what their feline cousins do: eat, groom themselves, sleep, occasionally nip at their fellow cats, mark their territory, train through play, court… In short, be adorable.
It also discusses the differences between cats and lions. Indeed, size is the first thing that catches the eye. They are also not as social as lions, but more similar to leopards. As a curious note, they tell us that cats are the only felines that truly purr, something whose scientific purpose is not very well understood (although, as ARISTOPADRES, we are sure they do it when they feel nice and comfortable).
When will the documentary be broadcast?
The documentary is being broadcast as part of Big Cat Month, the special programming this month on Nat Geo Wild intended to warn that most big-cat species are among the most endangered animals on the planet (there are 38 feline species in the world in total). In fact, they are caught in such a dramatic spiral of disappearance that if we hesitate today over what action to take, we will be responsible for their extinction worldwide. Only around 20,000 lions remain on the planet. And it is very likely that in 20 years they will no longer exist in the wild.
Who are the authors?
They are a famous South African media-savvy couple who specialize in studying and filming wild big cats from amazingly close range. Lions in particular. In fact, they have spent 35 years researching and observing lions, leopards, and cheetahs in the bush and savanna of Botswana and Kenya.
Both are National Geographic explorers in residence. And, as we mentioned, in their latest work they have taken an astonishing turn by comparing the behavior of these animals with that of their smaller cousins, cats. They poetically suggest that «there is a big cat in the soul of every cat».
And you may be wondering… Why are we talking about this at ARISTOPET?
To begin with, because we believe that in the heart of every ARISTOPADRE there is a lover of Mother Nature and of all the animals that inhabit the face of the earth. And because we believe that this project, by virtue of our shared affinity, may strike a chord with many of us.
Part of the Jouberts' dream is to involve ARISTOGATOS owners in defending big cats. They hope the documentary will help with this. As they say, «there are 600 million cats in the world; if their owners helped financially to save the big cats with which they share so much - lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars - of which there are fewer than one million, it would be a decisive gesture».
So if, after reading this article, you want to learn more or discover how you can do your bit to protect our cats' larger cousins, visit the Big Cats Initiative.
