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PermalinkInside Nature’s Giants: Big Cats
Airs Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV
Above: The scientists prepare to dissect a lion and tiger at London's Royal Veterinary College. From the outside, a lion and tiger look very different, but once their skins are removed, even the experts find it hard to tell them apart.
Monday, February 6, 2012
A team of experts dissect the largest animals on the planet to uncover their evolutionary secrets in INSIDE NATURE'S GIANTS. In each episode, veterinary scientist Mark Evans, comparative anatomist Joy Reidenberg, biologist Simon Watt and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins explore the anatomy of a distinct giant predator to reveal how it works.
"Big Cats" - The experts dissect a lion and a tiger. From the outside, the two look very different, but once their skins are removed, even the experts find it hard to tell them apart. Biologist Simon Watt comes face to face with a liger — a cross between a lion and a tiger — proof of the two species’ similarity.
One of the most characteristic features of these magnificent animals — something that distinguishes them from the small cats — is their ability to roar. The team delves into the lion’s throat to find the voicebox and makes a discovery that helps explain the way the vocal apparatus works.
Richard Dawkins explains the evolutionary arms race between predators and their prey in the struggle to survive. Finally, the experts try to find out why male lions have a distinctive mane.
Up Next: The final two episodes, "Giant Squid" and "Camel," premiere in summer 2012 - dates TBA
Dr. Joy S. Reidenberg - INSIDE NATURE'S GIANTS & Raw Anatomy is on Facebook. Veterinary scientist Mark Evans is on Facebook.
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