National Geographic Channel's 'Predators at War' Puts You Inside
the Mind and on the Battlefield with Five Fearsome Predators

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- What happens when five great carnivores
are forced to compete in excessively close quarters? What becomes of their
natural order during catastrophic circumstances? Who hunts and who is hunted
on this hotly contested battleground?
On Sunday, January 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the National Geographic Channel
(NGC) premieres "Predators at War," an innovative look at some of Africa's
most fearsome predators as they battle the environment and each other during a
brutal drought. This two-hour special employs military metaphors to cover this
deadly competition as a military operation, putting the viewer virtually on
the super-predator battlefield. From weapons systems to troop movements, the
show utilizes military-like production techniques, including thermal image
graphics, night vision cameras and simulated satellite mapping of action on
the ground.
Debilitating conditions have led to the evaporation of normal behaviors
and territorial boundaries, pressing animals to wage war just to stay alive.
To survive on the frontlines, five highly evolved super predators -- the lion,
leopard, hyena, cheetah and African wild dog -- must now compete for the same
resources by using every weapon in their arsenals. From the perspective of
each combatant, viewers will witness the visceral and sometimes startling
behavior that erupts among the wildlife in South Africa's Mala Mala Reserve.
Audiences will gain insight about each combatant's battlefield strengths,
combat weaponry, warfare vulnerabilities and motivations. You will see from
the animal's point of view as it decides whether to leap into battle or starve
without a fight. And you'll better understand each predator's motivations --
which have families to feed, territories to defend, dominance to secure and
even vengeance to take.
The raw beauty of the struggle is captured with riveting footage shot by
South African game ranger-turned-filmmaker Kim Wolhuter, who was raised in the
bush and whose grandfather was the first game warden of Kruger National Park.
Wolhuter captures extremely up-close images of this rarely seen animal
behavior by literally embedding himself with the troops. Whether dangling from
trees alongside a lone leopard with its kill, sitting next to a pack of hyena
as they feast on their prey or facing down an irritable pride of lions looking
to pilfer their competitor's catch, the unflappable Wolhuter provides
breathtaking documentation of the brutal realities on the Mala Mala
battlefield.

Hey Kathi,

Thanks for the info, I just posted a note on my PC and next to my TV. Sounds like a good one to watch!

Kathi,

Appreciate the post, I will be watching.

CFA