Powerful. Deadly. Elusive. Manana is a wild leopard. She could kill a man with ease. Yet besides her sits JV, unarmed and unharmed no bars, no cage. She gently brushes past him, almost touching. Today she will allow him to join her as a hunter, a privilege rarely bestowed on fellow leopards, let alone a human. John Varty, wildlife cameraman, has a unique friendship with this wild cat and has gained access to the mysterious world of one of nature's most enigmatic animals.

The complex dynamics between predator and prey are carefully examined through the use of modern technology. Prey are constantly finding new ways to avoid being eaten by predators it is thus crucial for the predators survival that he too finds mechanisms to outsmart his prey- it's an ever-evolving world on the African Savannah. This show examines this evolutionary process - are predators today fitter, faster and stronger than their predecessors? What gives one animal the edge over another? And how much of the animals behavior is instinctive and how much is learnt? It's a fine balance out on the Savannah grasslands- a world that demands the very best from predator and prey.

In a land reduced to sand and water, every day is a struggle for survival. But one creature has conquered these two elements: crocodiles have learned to thrive.

Peter Lamberti sets out to try and discover the secret lure that Wild Coast wields. He will investigate and film how Raggies, Blacktips and Tiger Sharks behave towards each other. What are their secrets, and are they really to be feared.

The rivers of Africa bring life and abundance to their inhabitants, but they can also be the arena for some of nature's greatest challenges and dramas. Harsh seasonal cycles dictate life - and death - along the rivers. Only the fittest survive crossing the crocodile-infested Mara, the extreme drought of the Luangwa Valley or any of the many other perils harboured by waterways all over the continent. Africa's Rivers is a predator's world with cunning and opportunistic hunters of all sizes lurking in the waters or prowling the banks.

Cameraman John Varty spent five years making this documentary about Africa's elusive, silent hunter, the leopard. Footage of leopards mating at night, raising a litter of cubs, interacting with hyenas and going for the kill.

On Zambia's Liuwa Plains, two star-crossed spotted hyenas begin their lives. A little female we have named Nasanta, and a male we named Twaambo, are born to warring rival clans. In the female-dominated hierarchy of spotted hyena society, males are doomed to harassment, abuse and rejection by their clan; whilst females fight for rank in a comparatively charmed existence. We watch as Twaambo and Nasanta, grow up worlds apart because of this unique dynamic, as their clan's struggle for food and territory in the extreme Liuwa environment. Desperate drought, raging fires, relentless flooding and territorial warfare are just a few of the challenges Twaambo and Nasanta's clans must overcome, as the cubs grow to adulthood in the Realm of the Bonecrusher's.

Witness a remarkable coming-of-age story as we track a young leopard's journey from rookie to royalty in South Africa's lethal Big Five landscape. When we first meet Jack, he's clumsy, fearful, and weak, but he's a fast learner - and he'll need to be. He's destined for a showdown with the area's current leopard monarch, an alpha male with a real mean streak. We follow Jack as he hones his skills and builds up muscle for the ultimate catfight. It's a battle where only the winner will walk out alive.

Fascinating mating and courting rituals and the ongoing struggle for survival on the African Savannahs.

Africa's Deadly Kingdom delves deep into the complex lives of the continent's most remarkable species and their never-ending struggles to survive.

Leeus, jagluiperds en luiperds: hulle het hul eie jagstrategieë, opvoeding en oorlewingstegnieke ontwikkel. Ons ondersoek hul gedrag en mededingende interaksie om uit te vind wie die uiteindelike jagter is.

Following Lucy, through the major challenges of her life, we witness her first steps out of the nest, her first swim and her triumphant journey to independence - out on her own - in the dangerous ocean.

Documentary about the trials and tribulations of rearing Jamu, an orphaned leopard cub in the Luangwa Valley. Jamu was orphaned at two weeks old after her mother was killed in a snare. Under the care of John Varty and his team, Jamu survived severe dehydration and slowly began to explore her world.

A story of survival against the odds in one of the world's most hostile environments. The harsh environment of an arid desert, cannibalism, deadly snakes, and territorial struggles may not seem an ideal place to rear young, but this Namaqua Chameleon is a ferocious little dragon, defending her patch against all comers. Our brave little chameleon endures many hardships to successfully see her eggs hatch. The tiny infants are less than 5cm long, but thanks to their protective mother, they will start off life in the safety of her territory, a place where few other animals will dare to walk, a place of dragons.

The world's tropical waters are inhabited by a fish that dwarfs all others, yet the tiniest creatures fuel it. The whale shark spends its life pursuing rich upwellings of microscopic plankton. Off the east coast of Africa, the warm currents of the Indian Ocean carry with them a seemingly infinite supply of food. Each year, with the onset of spring, the gentle giants leave the equatorial waters of Seychelles and follow these currents southwards, on a remarkable journey, unique in nature, thousands of miles along the ocean's highways. Our story follows one whale shark on its trip to the southernmost tip of the continent to unravel the mystery of the whale shark's incredible journey.

Die wêreld se tropiese waters word bewoon deur 'n vis wat alle ander verdwerg, maar tog maak die kleinste wesens dit brandstof. Die walvishaai bestee sy lewe aan ryk opgraderings van mikroskopiese plankton. Aan die ooskus van Afrika dra die warm strome van die Indiese Oseaan 'n oënskynlik oneindige voedselvoorraad saam. Met die aanvang van die lente verlaat die sagte reuse elke jaar die ekwatoriale waters van die Seychelle en volg hierdie strome suidwaarts, op 'n merkwaardige reis, uniek in die natuur, duisende kilometers ver langs die snelweë van die oseaan. Ons verhaal volg op een walvishaai op reis na die mees suidelike punt van die kontinent om die raaisel van die walvishaai se ongelooflike reis te ontrafel.

This is the story of Ella Addison, an extraordinary 12-year-old girl who swims with sharks. It is a family tradition. But something strange is happening around her Shark Rock playground. Blacktip sharks are multiplying, and tiger sharks are disappearing. Curious by nature, Ella starts a school project to solve this mystery. Usually, blacktips migrate to Shark Rock for the sardine run and then move on. But in recent years, they are staying put, which means tiger sharks are being forced out. So, where do the blacktips come from? Jessica Escobar, a feisty Columbian marine biologist, doing her doctoral thesis on blacktips, and Ella makes a formidable team. While Jessica compiles and analysis the genetic information, Ella compiles a visual diary of her dives on Shark Rock to present to her school.

Africa's Deadly Kingdom delves deep into the complex lives of the continent's most remarkable species and their never-ending struggles to survive.

Die riviere van Afrika bring lewe maar hulle kan ook die arena wees vir van die natuur se grootste uitdagings.

The grasslands of Africa are a banquet spread for feline predators. Explore the hunting and nurturing habits of lions, leopards, and cheetahs of the African Savannah, as well as the overlooked grasses that lay the foundation for the amazing array of wildlife flourishing among its leaves.