The End of the Big Cats

Prosecuted for many decades, Africa's lion population has declined to only twenty thousand. Many biologists and conservationists are starting an international campaign to save these extraordinary animals, provide space for them to live, and fund research into understanding their behavior. What would a safari be like without the king of the jungle? Planet Earth will not be the same without them.

Leopards are more resistant to extinction because of their elusive behavior. Leopards are solitary creatures, the quintessential ambush-and-stalking predator, able to find the most remotes places on earth to avoid human contact. This gives it a better chance of survival than lions and cheetahs. Planet Earth would not be the same without this keystone species.

Cheetahs have already survived one extinction, estimated to have been around 10,000 years ago. Now, seen as a pest by farmers, and hunted vigorously, the cheetah is perilously close to a second exit without preserving their wilderness. Planet Earth would not be the same without this keystone species.

Big Cat Survival traces the disastrous journey into near extinction for the Big Cats. Can these endangered species be saved? And what needs to be done? Scientists and conservationists review the prevailing wisdom of today. Planet Earth would not be the same without these keystone species.