—Meet The Planet's Ultimate Cats—
In this three-part series, uncover the secret lives of big cats who thrive in all four corners of the globe, from the solitary snow leopard to the nimble black-footed cat, seen through the latest camera technology and science.
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Pumas (Puma concolor) are the widest ranging mammal in the Americas, thanks to extraordinary adaptability and an eye for opportunity. They even stalk the most unlikely of prey – penguins. © BBC/Paul Williams
© BBC/Paul Williams
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Jaguar (Panthera onca), South/Central America. Jaguars are the largest cat in the Americas and have a bite to match. For their size, it's the strongest of any cat, allowing them to dispatch monstrous prey such as caiman crocodiles. © BBC/Paul Williams
© BBC/Paul Williams
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A caracal (Caracal caracal), Namibia. Their long powerful legs enable them to leap as high as 10 feet and hunt birds on the wing. © BBC/Paul Williams
© BBC/Paul Williams
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A serval (Leptailurus serval), South Africa. Proportionally, servals have the longest ears and legs of any cat, and are adapted to detect and leap for prey amongst tall savanna grass. The world’s densest population of these small cats have made their home in a secure wasteland that surrounds Africa’s biggest industrial complex. © BBC/Paul Williams
© BBC/Paul Williams
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A fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) in Bangladesh, hunting for fish. Their long whiskers detect fish moving in the shallows, helping to gauge the exact striking distance. © BBC/Paul Williams
© BBC/Paul Williams
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A young mountain lion cub (Puma concolor) is fitted with a GPS collar so scientists can follow its early life. Over time her striking blue eyes will darken. © BBC/Anna Place
© BBC/Anna Place
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A jaguar (Panthera onca), Central America. The biggest cat in the Americas. For their size, they have the strongest bite of any cat. On the coast of Costa Rica, they leave the jungle to hunt turtles on a beach. © BBC/Paul Williams
© BBC/Paul Williams
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Tigers (Panthera tigris) are the biggest of all the cats - from the giant Siberian tigers that roam the frozen boreal forest of Russia, to the secretive swamp tigers of the Indian Sundarbans that bathe in seawater and patrol muddy shores. In the early 20th century, 100,000 tigers reigned across Asia and Europe, but today there are fewer than 4,000 in the wild. © BBC
© BBC
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Lion (Panthera leo). Lions are the only cat to live in groups. In numbers they find the strength and audacity to hunt the most formidable prey. © BBC/Paul Williams
© BBC/Paul Williams
EPISODE GUIDE:
“Extreme Lives” repeats Wednesday, July 28 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV + Sunday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Meet the planet's ultimate cats. Cheetahs are the fastest animal on land. A snow leopard searches for a mate in the Himalaya. The Canada lynx lives farther north than any cat. An African leopard fights to raise a cub in the worst drought in decades.
“Cats In Every Corner” repeats Wednesday, August 4 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV + Sunday, Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Discover how cats have conquered the world, thriving in almost every landscape on Earth, from fishing cats in the wetlands of Asia, to a pregnant jaguar in Costa Rica, to margays in Central American treetops, to a swamp tiger on the Indian shore.
“Science and Secrets” repeats Wednesday, August 11 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV + Sunday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - See how new technologies help uncover some cats' most intimate secrets, including the cheetah's gymnastic abilities and why lions are able to hunt cooperatively. Conservationists are fighting to protect the most endangered species around the globe.
WATCH ON YOUR SCHEDULE:
All three episodes are available to stream on demand with KPBS Passport, video streaming for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.
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