Smithsonian Channel to Premiere BIG CAT COUNTRY

In Zambia's Luangwa Valley, two neighboring prides have held their land for generations - the Hollywood pride, consisting of six female lions and the once-powerful MK pride, made up of 17 lions. Both prides now face a gang of young males aggressively looking to takeover new territory. Smithsonian Channel's BIG CAT COUNTRY exposes every triumph and tragedy as the two prides struggle to withstand the young males' invasion and maintain control of their land. Can they survive the greatest challenge of their lives? Find out when the captivating six-part series premieres Wednesday, February 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

Working in one of the most remote and brutal wildernesses in Africa, wildlife filmmakers Nathan Pilcher and Sam Davies are in the middle of the action, offering insight and emotion as they bring viewers unprecedented footage of the ultimate lion soap opera.

Each episode brings viewers spectacular imagery and follows the lions day and night as the drama unfolds. With the use of military-grade thermal imagery, their cameras capture remarkable night-time behavior, including predation and the dramatic plight of a lost cub. But some of the most surprising action plays out in broad daylight, as Nathan and Sam witness the astonishing feminine tricks employed by the MK lionesses to manipulate the young male invaders through distraction mating, showing false signs of being sexually receptive for several days to minimize the aggression of the invading males.

In the premiere episode, THE INVASION BEGINS, the long rainy season ends and the lions gather along the Luangwa River. A powerful family, known as the MK pride, dominate the land south of the river headed up by two aging brothers - the Punks. To the north lives the Hollywood pride, existing peacefully with the MK pride until the arrival of the young gang of males, known as the Nomads, who are looking for a pride takeover. With no males for breeding, the Hollywood pride is on the verge of collapse and by the end of the first week of the Nomad's invasion, Ava, the Hollywood leader and best hunter, is brutally attacked and injured.

Subsequent episodic descriptions of BIG CAT COUNTRY can be found here.

BIG CAT COUNTRY was originally commissioned by Love Nature, a joint venture between Smithsonian Networks and Blue Ant Media. Kate Beetham and Martha Holmes are the executive producer for Plimsoll Productions. Tria Thalman and David Royle serve as executive producers for Smithsonian Channel.

Smithsonian Channel™, a ViacomCBS Inc. network, is where curiosity lives, inspiration strikes and wonders never cease. This is the place for awe-inspiring stories, powerful documentaries and amazing factual entertainment, available in HD and 4K Ultra HD across multiple platforms. Smithsonian Channel, winner of Emmy® and Peabody awards for its programming, is the home of popular genres such as air and space, travel, history, science, nature and Pop culture. Among the network's offerings are hit series including Aerial America, America in Color, America's Hidden Stories, Apollo's Moon Shot, THE PACIFIC WAR IN COLOR and Air Disasters, as well as critically-acclaimed specials that include The Green Book: Guide to Freedom, Black Hole Hunters and Princess Diana's Wicked Stepmother. Smithsonian Networks also operates Smithsonian Channel Plus™, a subscription video streaming service delivering over a thousand hours of the Channel's stunning and diverse library of documentaries and series in HD and 4K Ultra HD. Smithsonian Channel is also available internationally in Canada, Singapore, Latin America, the UK and Ireland. To learn more, go to smithsonianchannel.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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