Page 88 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #11

WILD AT HOME

Once spear-hunting
humans arrived on Earth,
STREAMING EVENT sabre-tooths dwindled
into extinction while most
Age of Big Cats big cats, including the

snow leopard (pictured),
CURIOSITYSTREAM.COM survived to modern day.

We can’t get enough of big cats, and
there’s no shortage of series looking at the
behaviour of the world’s most charismatic
felines. Offering a whole new slant on this
well-pawed genre is Age of Big Cats,
available via CuriosityStream, an online
hub of science and nature documentaries.
Using a blend of new footage
(including an evocative and heart-stopping
snow leopard hunt in part one) and CGI
animation, this three-parter unravels the
ascent of all seven big cats, looking at the
physical traits, hunting adaptations and
geographical factors that allowed them to
survive alongside – and eventually outlive
– the larger and more ferocious sabre-
tooths that dominated the Pleistocene two
million years ago. We learn how cheetahs
developed speed, why snow leopards
retreated into the mountains and how
jaguars made it to the “ends of the Earth”.
“Modern big cats represent some of the
most spectacular creatures of this or any
era in our planet’s history, but today are in
danger of disappearing,” says director
Martin Dohrn. “We hope that by telling
their stories in the most compelling way Martin Dohrn/Ammonite
possible, we can increase the appreciation
of these amazing animals.” SM

BOOK HOUSE AND HOME

WILD STREAM The Wonderful Advent Calendar

Mr Willughby WOODLAND TRUST, WOODLANDTRUST.ORG.UK, £4.99
TV
Drowning in Plastic
Liz Bonnin travels the world to BY TIM BIRKHEAD, BLOOMSBURY, £25 Obviously we’re not talking about
reveal the extent of the plastic Christmas yet, but one festive tradition we
problem and discover what If you ever thought the history can justifiably mention at this point is the
solutions are in the pipeline. of natural history might be old chestnut of the advent calendar. If you
BBC iPlayer, until 30 October dull, this wonderful book, a think you can convince your children that
masterpiece of biographical they really don’t need a morsel of (often
TV sleuthing, will quickly dispel tasteless) chocolate to mark each passing
Super Small Animals that illusion. Renowned ornithological December day, here’s a lovely traditional
Biologist Patrick Ayree writer Tim Birkhead has rescued the calendar designed exclusively for the
investigates the miniature charismatic and brilliant young 17th Woodland Trust by Amanda Loverseed,
marvels of the natural world. century naturalist Francis Willughby where a green woodpecker, jay, tawny owl,
BBC iPlayer, until 29 October from being considered second in stature badger and pair of red squirrels
to his more famous tutor and are among the
ONLINE collaborator, John Ray, giving him the motifs hiding
How Does Sea Life Survive accolade of first true ornithologist, a behind each
in the Antarctic? genius whose groundbreaking door. Count
Find out all about the wonder investigations are still relevant today. The down to
of animal antifreeze – in under author’s passion for his subjects, both Christmas and
four minutes. human and avian, shine through as he help our trees
BBC Earth Unplugged, YouTube brings history to life and relates past to at the same
present. Jonathan Elphick Ornithologist time. SM

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