Into the Lion's Den (2004)

How it feels

A zoologist uses body language and behavioral cues to earn the trust of a wild lion pride in South Africa. He hopes to prove that humans and lions can safely coexist.

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What happens

Into the Lion's Den is a Discovery Channel documentary about zoologist and big cat trainer Dave Salmoni, armed only with a camera on a pole, carefully conditioning a wild pride of lions to accept his presence using behaviorial cues and body language. The footage has been published as a 90-minute movie (2004) directed by Anton Truesdale and narrated by Robert Jimenez. It is set in the Thornybush reservation in South Africa and depicts Salmoni's initial attempt to confirm his theory of safe cohabitation alongside a wild pride. The movie was followed by a 5-part series called "Into the Pride" (2009) ("The Bush Rules", "A Tale of Two Alphas", "Queen Cleo", "The Breakthrough", "Homeward Bound") directed by Richard Slater-Jones. It is set into the Erindi reserve in Namibia and documents Salmoni's efforts to reintegrate a cattle-raiding pride so they won't have to be put down. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

• Investigation Earth with Jeff Corwin (2008)
• African Cats (2011)
• Lions and Giants Living on the Edge (2008)
• Social Lion (1954)
• The African Lion (1955)
• Mia and the White Lion (2018)
• The Human Animal (1994)
• Mein Herz in Afrika (2007)