British TV Presenter and nature expert Chris Packham has unveiled a spectacular pop-up habitat for National Geographic WILD in Central London.
Bringing to life a hyper-realistic animatronic leopard in its natural habitat of the Okavango Delta, the live installation raises important awareness of the threat to the majestic species and marks the start of Big Cat Week on National Geographic WILD, with each episode prefaced by introductory narration from Chris Packham.
The four-dimensional scene, which was unveiled at Observation Point in London’s popular Southbank area, reveals the breathtaking wild habitat of leopards, highlighting that if we want to save big cat species like leopards, we must protect their homes, with human activity the biggest threat to the species.
Chris Packham, TV presenter and narrator of Big Cat Week UK, said “If we are to protect majestic creatures like leopards, we must stop the destruction of their natural habitat which is occurring at an alarming rate, with the latest research from the Big Cats Initiative showing leopards have lost over 75% of their natural habitat due to urban expansion, resulting in loss of food source and the ongoing threat to poachers and farmers.
“This spectacular installation marking the beginning of Big Cat Week on National Geographic WILD brings to life this natural habitat and asks passersby to consider how we can protect it.
“Big Cat Week is such a special event to be a part of, so it was a joy to narrate the programming this year. With nature and big cats being a huge passion of mine, I hope this visual representation of a leopard’s beautiful home will allow the public to see just how important it is to save their habitats.”
The animatronic leopard, named Lily, was created by animatronic expert John Nolan, whose previous projects include Mary Poppins Returns. The 50kg, 1.3 metre long leopard has over 40 moving parts and a terrifying roar, which came as a surprise to unassuming bystanders!
Additionally, Big Cat Week will include several interstitials featuring National Geographic Explorers who are working to protect big cats around the globe. Since 2009, the National Geographic Society has partnered with some of the world’s leading big cat experts, funding on-the-ground research and innovative conservation projects to safeguard big cats and their critical habitats, while leading efforts to shine a light on the challenges these species face.
Viewers are encouraged to learn more about how they can help safeguard big cats in the wild by visiting natgeo.org/bigcats.
Big Cat Week is a global annual programming event for National Geographic Wild, and started yesterday, kicking off over 70 hours of programming. In the duration of the week viewers will be able to see the power and beauty of big cats, as well as learn more about these majestic animals. It is the unmissable event for big cat and wildlife documentary enthusiasts.
New for this year, all premieres and reversions will include a brand-new introductory presentation by Chris Packham, prefacing each programme with contextual insight into the world of big cats and the work of Dereck and Beverley Joubert.
The pop-up habitat also features a waterfall, sculpted tree trunk and rocks, real jungle plants and foliage. Much like the nocturnal leopard, the installation will also come to life at nightfall, brought to life with internal lighting.
John Nolan, animatronic expert and creator of the leopard Lily, says “Creating Lily gave me an amazing insight into the intricacy and fluidity of these fascinating animals, so I’m really grateful to have been part of this project and hope it can do a good deal to raise awareness about the plight of the leopard in the wild.”
Dereck Joubert, National Geographic Explorer in Residence said: “As another year of Big Cat Week arrives, it’s brilliant that activations like this exist to continue to raise awareness of big cats and Big Cat Week on National Geographic WILD. With all Big Cat’s under threat due to loss of habitat, highlighted by Lions disappearing from 92% of their historic range in Africa and Cheetahs by 87%, it is critical that we protect their natural home if we want to see these majestic animals walk the earth for many decades to come.
It’s amazing to see the beauty of the Okavango Delta contrasting with the backdrop of urban London in this pop-up habitat, emphasizing further the amazing natural habitat of the leopard and how we should be doing all we can to protect it.”
Facts on Leopards, courtesy of National Geographic
● Leopards are extinct in six countries/regions: Hong Kong SAR of China, Kuwait, Libya, Singapore, Syrian Arab Republic, and Tunisia
● Amur leopards are the rarest big cat in the world, listed as critically endangered since 1996, there’s only around 100 Amur leopards in the wild
● The largest threat to leopards is human activity. Urban expansion results in habitat loss and a decrease in food sources, as well as the threat of poachers & farmers
● Estimated loss of 63-75% of the historical range of leopards, although certain subspecies have suffered range loss greater than 94% (P.p. orientalis, nimr, japonensis, and North and West African regional populations of P.p. pardus)
● Leopards are solitary creatures, with females only breaking their solitude when raising cubs
● Leopards can run at a speed of up to 60kmph (37mph) and have the ability to leap forward 5.5m
● Leopard spots are known as rosettes
● The origin of the Okavango River lies in the Angolan Highlands
● The Okavango Delta has been classified as one of the largest inland delta’s in the world
● Leopards are predominantly active at night and use the white tip of their tail as a marker or guide when leading their cubs
Big Cat Week will be broadcast on National Geographic WILD all this week.
