Big Cat Week: Get the Full Schedule, Including ‘Betty White Goes Wild!’

Big cats are once again taking center stage on Nat Geo WILD, for the 11th time.

TV Insider can exclusively reveal the schedule, as well as images (above and below), for the 11th annual Big Cat Week, highlighting National Geographic’s commitment to conservation and showcasing some of the biggest and rarest cats to date. The event begins Sunday, January 30, and runs through Thursday, February 3, and will include 11 in-depth programs, each exploring a different big cat species, their struggles facing extinction, and rare, never-before-seen footage in their natural habitats, from the Okavango Delta to the Serengeti to Thailand.

Check out the full schedule (and show descriptions) below, including a special with Betty White and a series from award-winning filmmakers, National Geographic Explorers and wildlife conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, who have been filming, researching and exploring in Africa for over 35 years.

Betty White Goes Wild!

We take a rare look into one of White’s true passions — big cats! Celebrate her life and advocacy for animals as we remember when she headed to the Los Angeles and San Diego zoos to get up close to big cats. White weaves her natural wit as we look at the cats’ individual behavioral traits and learn where they live, how many are left in the wild, and the challenges they face. January 30 at 8/7c

Russia’s Wild Tiger

Records the battle for the survival of the big cats and reveals intimate details of their lives. The animals they prey on are also in the film: tigers couldn’t survive without sika deer, Altai wapiti, wild boars and Asian black bears. Guiding the viewer through the film, an elder tiger tells the story of his cub, born in a conservation area, the year after he leaves his mother. His search for a territory reveals the problems facing tigers in Russia’s Far East and the conflicts that arise when he strays into human settlements. The young tiger takes the viewer to places where the fate of Siberian tigers will be decided: vast forests, remote villages and the cities at the edge of the wilderness. January 30 at 9/8c

Russia’s Wild Tiger (Interspot Film/Franz Hafner)

The Way of the Cheetah

Set in Kenya, the story tells of how Immani protects her four cubs against other male cheetahs and other predators. By Dereck and Beverly Joubert. January 30 at 10/9c

Tree Climbing Lions

Big cat biologist Alexander Braczkowski returns to Uganda to embed with the mysterious tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park. He sets out to uncover their unique climbing culture, but along the way, he gets to know them one on one and reveals the prides’ dramatic fight for survival and their determination to help their cubs survive their first year of life. January 30 at 11/10c

Living with Big Cats: Revealed

Dereck and Beverly Joubert lead viewers on their incredible journey with big cats — from the first time big cats captured their hearts through their boundless dedication to protecting these iconic predators. This story explores how the Jouberts got started and delves into their personal lives as National Geographic filmmakers and Explorers. January 31 at 9/8c

Living with Big Cats: Revealed (Credit: Wildlife Films)

Big Cat Odyssey: Revealed

Dereck and Beverly Joubert dive deeper into the issues that surround big cats, specifically African lions and leopards. What challenges do these iconic big cats face? How have these lions and leopards survived and adapted over the decades? The Jouberts lead viewers on an epic journey through the lives of big cats and their most iconic moments. January 31 at 10/9c

Relentless Enemies: Revealed

A buffalo herd of over 1,200 is forced to move through three lion territories while being confined by the floodwaters on a small island in the Okavango. As the buffalo strategize their advancements, the lions react to each and every move they make. From the Joubert’s home base in Botswana comes the epic story of buffalo and lions surviving and adapting to each other. Narrated by Jeremy Irons. February 1 at 9/8c

Ultimate Enemies: Revealed

National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert explore how some animals are thrust together by the forces of nature — sometimes through a millennium of evolution or even last year’s drought. In the aftermath of strange elephant deaths, they piece together a visually stunning story that confirms their theory that lions were hunting elephants. Narrated by Jeremy Irons. February 1 at 10/9c

War of the Lions
(© Kalyan Varma)

Eye of the Leopard: Revealed

National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert set out to create a film on leopards but never imagined they would be seduced by a small, eight-day-old cub named Legadema. EYE OF THE LEOPARD follows Legadema’s journey from a playful cub to a skilled huntress. Narrated by Jeremy Irons. February 2 at 9/8c

Eternal Enemies: Revealed

Joubert’s Emmy®-winning film is back with stunning remastered footage. Propelled by Jeremy Irons’ gripping narration, ETERNAL ENEMIES reveals the story of conflict between lions and hyenas, relatively unknown or even suspected in the scientific world before this. The intense relationship and enduring rivalry between the two species play out in a battle of survival. February 2 at 10/9c

War of the Lions

From savannahs bursting with game to deserts with not a drop to drink, all lion kingdoms are not created equal … so who is the REAL king of the beasts? February 3 at 9/8c

Related

'Life Below Zero: Next Generation' & 'Port Protection Alaska' Set Return Dates (PHOTOS)

The Real Black Panther

The hot, dry, deciduous jungles of South India are no place for a melanistic leopard — but Saya is different. He is the only black panther in the entire Kabini Forest, and he’s got one thing on his mind: to take over this leopard paradise. But Scarface, the current ruler, won’t give it up easily. This is a story of astounding adaptability and success, the journey of Saya — THE REAL BLACK PANTHER. February 3 at 10/9c