There is more story telling involved in these films. These films can have a tremendously positive impact on animal conservation programs around the world. Years from now I am sure we will learn the stories of great conservationist who were deeply inspired by these filmmakers. I grew up being fascinated and enthralled with Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. I was plastered to my parents television in silence watching these far away places with these monumental stories of life, death, and survival. The stories often featured a lot of love, tenderness, and family. It seems Mother Nature is the world's finest screen-writer, the stories she writes have it all and the stories are as real as it gets. These types of shows helped to create my love and passion for animals and they continue to help it grow.
The story line of African Cats revolves around a pride of lions and a cheetah mother and her young. They are all trying to survive "in the wildest place on Earth". Like every great story each has their antagonist. The Cheetah family faces problems with lions, leopards, baboons, and hyenas. The pride of lions from crocodiles, buffalo, and other lions. They both struggle with the harsh elements of Africa and the need to feed large families while remaining safe.
The National Geographic film The Last Lions narrated by Jeremy Irons tells the story of a lioness and her surviving cubs as they flee their territory in search of a safe haven. Their pride was taken over and the mother took all of her cubs that she could rather then see them killed. It is a very difficult feat for a lone lioness to raise cubs on her own. She must leave them without protection to hunt to feed them. They do not have the benefit of other lionesses to help to feed or protect them nor does this mother have her own territory for them to live. Being a nomadic lion is dangerous because other lions may attack if they catch a nomad in their territory.
Morgan Freeman narrates the IMAX 3D film Born Wild. The film features orphan orangutans and orphan elephants. It discusses how something simple like the Palm Oil used for cooking is leading to the murder and mutilation of the orangutan's habitat in the forest of Borneo. The local farmers burn down their ancient forest often burning the animals to death or will kill them in order to plant more palm trees that produce the oil. Two girl scouts recently began petitioning their own organization to stop using palm oil in their cookies. While palm oil does provide income for the local farmers there are numerous alternatives for cooking.
The other orphans in Born Wild are Kenyan Elephants. Wild elephants face most of their dangers from humans poaching, trophy hunting, and in land disputes. Elephants follow the same paths their ancestors have for thousands of years. There aren't many city planners in Africa who thoughtfully research the best place for new human developments where there will be minimal conflict with wild animals. In Africa settlements and farms often crop up in wild places where they should not be. Loss of habitat is the most dangerous issue for all animals in the world and must be controlled.
The new generation of films owe a great deal to the film makers who came before them. I remember watching Tarzan films on Saturdays as a boy and enjoying everything about them. I was fascinated how Tarzan lived with the animals. The shots and sequences were brilliant for the time. I think in a way I wanted to be Tarzan. I try to help animals now because of the example Tarzan set in the films.
The movie Born Free has an enormous impact on me. Born Free tells the story of Elsa the Lioness, who was raised by George and Joy Adamson. They would later be forced to either send her to the zoo (like her sisters) or release her into the wild. Although Elsa was indeed born a wild lion, she did not posses the necessary skills or knowledge of lion behavior. George and Joy went through a traumatic and ultimately triumphant journey with Elsa in helping her to be a wild lion again. Elsa never lost her love or bond with the George and Joy. Even when she lived in a wild pride and had cubs she brought the cubs to visit her human friends.
The actors in the film would grow to love and be devoted to their animal costars and George Adamson who managed the lions on the film. The lions came from a variety of backgrounds but were all hand reared. George, Bill, and Virginia could not understand the logic in making a movie about a lion getting her freedom and then returning lions (and a now famous elephant) used in the filming to captivity. They fought to have has many of the lions from the movie given to George Adamson who would attempt to turn them into a wild pride. Bill and Virginia decided to move into the producers chair and make a documentary film about it to help finance George's cost. Sadly they were only given 7 lions but all seven went onto great success as a wild pride. The remaining lions were sent to Zoo's and circuses. One of the male lions named Boy would become Adamson's closest friends.
George and Boy would later star in another movie entitled Christian the Lion.
Bill and Virginia found Christian living in a London furniture shop ironically named Sophistocat. Christian's owners wanted a better life for him and new the time was nearing when he would be unable to live in London. Bill and Virginia moved Ace, John, and Christian to their country estate to give him a better life while they worked with George and the Kenyan government to get Christian to Africa. Bill and Virgina used the proceeds from the movie they were filming about Christian to again provide funding to George and his lions. Boy did not provide Christian with a warm welcome but they did become the best of friends.
These films all show the tremendous capacity for love. They illustrate the best potential relationships between humans and many animals. We can live in trust and friendship with many of them and many good natured humans do. These films illustrate the need to educate more people on animals and how our decisions impact them in a matter of life-and-death. It shows how the good people of the world must stop the evil people and those who act without thought before entire species of animals are extinct. Since the 1950's the lion population in Africa has dropped by over 80%! The people of Africa would be wise to protect the creature who most signifies Africa. If the lions and elephants are all gone it is doubtful anyone would visit Africa as a tourist.
All of these films are currently in theaters or available on DVD and will touch you deeply. Please share them with your friends and consider making a donation of any amount to The Born Free Foundation
or Wild Life Now Foundation & George Adamson/Tony Fitzjohn Trust.
All photos courtesty of Derek Cattani, Drew Fellman/Warner Brothers Pictures, Disney Films, National Geographic Entertainment and the Father of Lions website.
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