DisneyNature which is part of the Disney Studio recently produced a new film, set in Kenya’s Masai Mara. Called African Cats it is an epic story about the real lives of the Big Cats that live in the African savannah. Being Disney it is also a story rather than a documentary and it follows several big cat characters through their lives focussing on several lion and cheetah families. It aims to capture their love, determination and adventures as they live out their lives in front of the cameras. The stories featured in African Cats are all true and represent a condensed retelling of the actual events that took place during that time.
Narrated by Oscar nominated actor Samuel.L.Jackson the main story is that of Mara, an endearing cub who strives to grow in the footsteps of her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom. Mara is a lively and curious six-month-old lion cub who is devoted to her mother, Layla. Mara prefers to spend her days playing with her female relatives who make up the River Pride. Layla is an experienced lioness and Mara is learning to follow in her footsteps. But she must learn quickly for Layla is suffering from an injury that is beginning to slow her down. Mara’s future is in question and she will face many challenges.
Other main characters are also introduced. Fang is the leader of the River Pride but it’s the lionesses who surround him that give the pride its real strength. Fang is being challenged by Kali and has become battered and bruised by their encounters. He relies on the females to keep the pride intact and to support him but Kali continues to threaten him.
Sita is a tough female adult cheetah and a mother who’s fiercely protective of her newborn cubs. She faces a truly tough juggling act as she must leave her brood to hunt for food, but being vigilant against possible attacks on them from other big cats including lions, hyenas and adult male cheetahs. She travels for miles and spends hours every day hunting for food before returning at dusk to share her precious milk with the cubs. Eventually as the cubs grow bigger and more demanding she has to lead her brood away from the safety of their den across Kali’s land in search of food.
Kali is a powerful and agressive lion who leads the group of lions north of the river. But Kali and his sons cross out of their land to visit the River Pride again and again, testing Fang’s strength with the aim of one day gaining control of the pride. Mara, Layla and Sita will all be tested by Kali and will need to stand up to him to protect their families.
African Cats was filmed in the Masai Mara Ecosystem in Kenya from August 2008 to October 2010, and all animals appearing in the movie were filmed entirely in the wild. All the filming takes place within the boundaries of Mara North Conservancy – which is home to 5 prides of lion (amounting to 56 family members), 7 cheetah, and many leopards. This is area is one of the best in the world for viewing Big Cats – hence both Disney and the BBC filming in the area.
The film was released in the US last year but will be arriving in the UK shortly.
