THE CAT'S OUT OF THE BAG!

NAT GEO WILD'S BIG CAT WEEK RETURNS WITH BIGGER, BOLDER SPECIALS HIGHLIGHTING THE WORLD'S FEIRCEST FELINES

Eighth Annual Big Cat Week Premieres Sunday, Dec. 10 at 9/8c, Highlighting Powerful Stories of Jaguars in Brazil, Lions in Tanzania, Cheetahs in Kenya, Tigers in India and More.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., November 14, 2017) - Nat Geo WILD knows that when it comes to saving our planet's big cats, catitude is everything. With incredible species like cheetahs, leopards and lions in decline, Nat Geo WILD's eighth annual Big Cat Week is roaring louder than ever with a fierce lineup of visually stunning and inspirational specials aimed to raise awareness of the plight of big cats around the world. Big Cat Week premieres on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 9/8c on Nat Geo WILD.

Big Cat Week will also premiere globally in 140 countries and 37 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeowild.com, or our press site www.natgeotvpressroom.com, or follow us on Twitter using @NGC_PR.

The buzzworthy Big Cat Week slate includes innovative new specials featuring world-renowned storytellers. National Geographic photographers Steve Winter and Bertie Gregory track down and capture incredible footage of Brazil's top predator in Jaguar vs. Croc; famed wildlife filmmaker Bob Poole reveals the intimate story of a Cheetah mother and her cubs in Man Among Cheetahs; three prides of lions battle over territory, food and power in the dramatic special Lion Kingdom; we reveal the secrets of a legendary tigress that famously reigned over her territory in Western region of India in the new special The World's Most Famous Tiger; and our expert safari guides return for a special Big Cat Week two-hour broadcast in Nat Geo WILD's innovative Safari LIVE.

More than a television event, Big Cat Week is an extension of the Big Cats Initiative, a long-term commitment by the National Geographic Society to halt the decline of big cats in the wild. This global initiative actively supports on-the-ground research and conservation projects to protect the planet's top felines. For more information on the Big Cats Initiative and how you can get involved, visit NatGeoBigCats.org.

Big Cat Week follows the premiere of the second installment of Nat Geo WILD's hit global event miniseries event Savage Kingdom, which the Wall Street Journal called "Nature Television as Shakespearean Drama". Savage Kingdom: Uprising premieres on Black Friday, Nov. 24 at 9/8c with a return to the remote wilderness of Africa, where mighty factions of lions, leopards, wild dogs and hyenas battle it out to become rulers of the realm. Follow all gripping drama as embattled kings and scheming princes vie for the savage throne. The drama continues as sons plot to overthrow fathers, clans seek revenge on their enemies and new arrivals enter the Savage Kingdom to stake their claim. There. Will. Be. Blood.

Eighth Annual Big Cat Week Premieres Include:

Jaguar vs. Croc Premieres Sunday, December 10 at 9/8c World-renowned wildlife photographer Steve Winter and cameraman Bertie Gregory capture the rarely seen, remarkable lives of jaguars in the Pantanal of Brazil. Follow a mother jaguar as she teaches her cub survival while a determined male jaguar, appropriately named Scarface, dives headfirst into the river to tackle the deadliest of opponents - a six-foot long caiman. Clever capybaras and playful giant otters stick with their family members to avoid being jaguar dinner.

Man Among Cheetahs Premieres Monday, December 11 at 9/8c Here kitty, kitty. Veteran wildlife filmmaker Bob Poole sets out on a madcap adventure following a formidable cheetah mother who is determined to keep her cubs alive. Along the way, watch him negotiate the risks and realities of filming in the African wilderness while trying to keep up with the fastest animal on four legs.. This firsthand account of a cheetah chase will have you rooting for the cats and the filmmaker.

The World's Most Famous Tiger Premieres Tuesday, December 12 at 9/8c Known as "Queen Machli," "Lady of the Lake," and ruler of her territory in Western India's Ranthambore National Park, Machli was a legendary tigress that went down in history as one of the most well-known wild tigers in the world. Machli - whose name is the Hindi word for fish due to fish-like markings on her face - was a beautiful and powerful tigress that played a key role in the regeneration of the tiger population in Ranthambore and Sariska National Parks. Discover the incredible stories behind Machli's rise to power and legacy.

Lion Kingdom Premieres Wednesday, December 13 at 9/8c Follow the intense dramatic story of three lion prides battling each other for territory, food and power along the Mwagusi River in Tanzania. Destiny conspires to bring the prides together leaving a bold lioness fatally wounded and devoured by hyenas. A teenage son is excommunicated and unlikely to survive. This is the story of family, death and revenge. This is war.

Safari LIVE Premieres Thursday, December 14 at 10/9c Join us as we head back to South Africa and Kenya to revisit the excitement of Safari LIVE for a special two-hour broadcast during Big Cat Week! Get up close and personal with Africa's most incredible animals - such as herds of elephants, thousands of wildebeest, prides of lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, among many others. Chat with our guides in real time using #safarilive.

Savage Kingdom: Uprising Miniseries Finale Premieres Friday, December 15 at 9/8c The Marsh Pride's aging king, Sekekama, is forced to lead his family into hostile territory on a mission to save them from a vicious drought gripping the kingdom. His great gamble leads him into a bloody contest against rivals old and new. But his control over one treacherous son will determine Sekekama's hold on power, and the future of his own legacy.

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About National Geographic Society's Big Cats Initiative

The National Geographic Big Cats Initiative was founded in 2009 with Dereck and Beverly Joubert - filmmakers, conservationists, and explorers-in-residence - as a long-term effort to halt the decline of big cats in the wild. The initiative supports efforts to save big cats through assessment, on-the-ground conservation, education, and global public-awareness campaigns. With your help, we've supported more than 100 innovative projects to protect seven iconic big cat species in 27 countries and built more than 1,700 livestock enclosures to protect livestock, big cats, and people. Together, we're helping big cats and communities thrive. For more information on the Big Cats Initiative and how you can get involved, visit NatGeoBigCats.org.

About National Geographic Partners LLC

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic's media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children's media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 129 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers ... and reaching over 730 million people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeowild.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.