Nat Geo WILD: Watching Big Cat Week With Kids

Longtime readers know I’m a huge fan of wildlife. (I’ve traveled to see both polar bears and Alaskan brown bears in their native lands to prove it.) This week, there’s an opportunity to learn a little more about a group of one of our family’s favorite wild critters: Big Cats.

Nat Geo WILD’s 3rd annual Big Cat Week features five nights of premieres putting the spotlight on the world’s big cats. Here’s a promo to set the mood.

Unfortunately, the picture isn’t all pretty for these guys. For instance, Africa’s lion population has declined by more than 90 percent in the last 50 years. And there are now more tigers living in captivity than in the wild. Ugh.

That’s where National Geographic Society and Nat Geo WILD come in. Big Cat Week is an extension of the Big Cats Initiative (BCI), a long-term commitment by the National Geographic Society and Nat Geo WILD to stop poaching, save habitats and get out the message that big steps are needed to save big cats around the world.

Episode Guide
You can see a complete listing of show air times and episode guides for the entire Big Cat Week lineup here. Here’s a brief rundown of my take on the five episodes that premiere this week.

Photo by Aditya Singh

Attack of the Big Cats
Consider this an intro to the few wild cats that make it into the big cat club: the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar. This episode answers the question: What makes a big cat a big cat? Tons of great footage and interesting facts.

Fatal Instinct
This is the story of one big cat mother as she struggles to teach her cubs how to survive their first year of life on the African savannah. Comes complete with some amazing high-speed camera footage of cheetah chasing prey. (Warning: Lots of cute, furry cubs in this episode don’t survive.)

Fight for Life: Born Predator
The story of single lioness mother Nyota and her 5-month-old cub Moja eeking out a fragile existence in the Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya. Lots of stalking and eating.

Snow Leopard of Afghanistan
Hands down, a must-see for any wildlife enthusiast. Watch big cat tracker Boone Smith (and others) as they set out on a mission in the middle of a war zone: to find, capture and collar a snow leopard and release it back into the wild. This one was my favorite for its behind-the-scenes feel and footage rarely seen before. Boone’s narration is clear and simple enough for even young explorers to follow.

Tiger Dynasty
A look at the reign of Machli, longtime leader of a legendary Tiger Dynasty in India’s Ranthambhore National Park. There’s footage covering Machli’s entire lifespan and mention of the very real threat of poachers on the existence of wild tigers.

A note for those without cable (or TV): Although you cannot watch the five premiere episodes online yet, you can currently watch some of the other Big Cat Week specials.

Watching Big Cat Week With Kids
While there is no recommended viewing age, I suggest you use your best judgment here. Big Cat Week features what you might expect from most nature shows – amazing footage capturing the struggle to survive, dramatic, to-the-death hunting scenes and footage of animals mating. Some episodes cover heavy topics for kids, like poaching and war.

I only had a few days’ time to preview the episodes in preparation for this review, so neither of the kids watched with me. That turned out to be a good thing, giving me a chance to preview the episodes and think about which I’d want them to see (if any).

My vote? Not appropriate for the 4.5-year-old Little Explorer; possibly okay for the 8-year-old Big Explorer. Two episodes in particular might interest him: Attack of the Big Cats and Snow Leopard of Afghanistan.

Whether or not you decide to watch part, all or none of Nat Geo WILD’s Big Cat Week with your kids, it’s a good time to learn more about big cats. You might want to:

• Plan a visit to a local zoo to see some big cats in real life.
• Learn more about big cats online at National Geographic Kids.
• Consider making a donation to support the Big Cats Initiative – any amount will make a difference.
• Check out some books from a local library to learn more about a favorite big cat.

The Giveaway
In an effort to spread the word about big cats, I’ve got a great prize pack for one lucky reader. The winner gets:

• A plush lion
• A tiger or leopard hat scarf
• A Big Cats calendar
• A hat

To enter, leave a comment sharing one way you and your young explorers can learn more about big cats in 2013.

• This giveaway will run through midnight PST on Sun., Dec. 16, 2012.
• You must include an email address with your comment. Entries without an email address will not be included.
• This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
• The winners will be chosen using the nifty random number generator at random.org.
• Winners will have 24 hours to reply to my notification. If I don’t hear back after that, I’ll pick another winner.

Note: I was able to preview the premiere episodes airing during Big Cat Week for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed here are my own. You can read my disclosure policy for more information.