Big Cat Diary

9.0

1996•25m

Big Cat Diary, also known as Big Cat Week or Big Cat Live, is 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.

Production

Seasons

6 Episodes • Premiered 1996

1. Day One

A series of wildlife reports from Kenya's Masai Mara. Simon King and Jonathan Scott follow a cheetah and her cubs, a pride of lions and the elusive leopard.

2. Day Two

A series of wildlife reports from Kenya's Masai Mara. The Big Cat Diary team watch the animals' night-time routine.

3. Day Three

Fundi the cheetah and her two cubs go missing and the search is on to find them and two impressive new male lions have moved in on the territory of one of the prides.

4. Day Four

Wildlife reports from Kenya's Masai Mara. After four weeks of filming, the cats are becoming more familiar and the team captures some footage of Half-Tail the leopard and her cub.

5. Day Five

Jonathan Scott gets his first view of Half-Tail's new leopard cubs, and watches some lions stalk a zebra. Meanwhile, Simon King watches Amber the cheetah and her brood trying to overpower a wildebeest calf.