Big Cat Diary
| Big Cat Diary | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Also known as | 'Big Cat Week (2003-2006) Big Cat Live (2008) |
| Genre | Nature documentary |
| Presented by |
Jonathan Scott (1996-2008) Simon King (1996-2008) Saba Douglas-Hamilton (2002–2006) Jackson Looseyia (2008) Kate Silverton (2008) |
| Composer(s) | David Poore |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 76 (including specials) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
Keith Scholey Robin Hellier |
| Location(s) | Kenya |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | BBC Natural History Unit |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Picture format | SD: 576i (4:3 and 16:9) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 11 September 1996 – 24 December 2008 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Big Cat Diary, also known as Big Cat Week or Big Cat Live according to the format of the show, was a long-running nature documentary series on BBC television which follows the lives of African big cats in Kenya's Maasai Mara. The first series, broadcast on BBC One in 1996, was developed and jointly produced by Keith Scholey, who would go on to become Head of the BBC's Natural History Unit. Eight further series have followed, most recently Big Cat Live, a live broadcast from the Mara in 2008.
The original presenters, Jonathan Scott and Simon King, were joined by Saba Douglas-Hamilton from 2002 onwards. Kate Silverton and Jackson Looseyia were added to the presenting team for Big Cat Live.
The BBC Natural History Unit originally wanted to film in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, but when this proved too expensive, they switched to Kenya. Filming is timed to coincide with the arrival of the annual wildebeest migration in the Mara, which is when the most predators gather to take advantage of abundant prey.
Each series has followed the daily lives of a lion pride, a cheetah family and a leopard family. The crew, which can number up to 60 people, use specially modified 4WD vehicles to travel around the Mara, tracking, spotting and filming the cats. The presenters also travel in the vehicles, addressing the camera as the action unfolds in front of them. They use names and develop personalities for particular cats to draw the audience into a relationship with them, creating empathy for the characters. The similarity to soap operas has led to Big Cat Diary being called "the original wildlife soap opera".
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Wikipedia