From tame tabbies to wild lions, the Jouberts have tracked the feline family, writes
domestic cats’ movements — whether sharpening claws on trees, lapping water, jumping and grooming — mirrors those of big cats.
The couple are dedicated to the conservation of wild animals and started the Big Cat Initiative with National Geographic.
“We want to grow new young conservationists and there is no finer way than exposing them to predators. The best way to do this is starting with the domestic cat,” says Dereck.
Beverly says they also want people to learn from cats, about fearlessness and sharing, even empathy.
Early in one leopard cub’s life, the pair crossed its path one stormy day and it accepted them.
“When it was about 14 months old, it was kicked out by its mother and learnt to hunt by catching squirrels. One day it took a leap and caught a mother baboon. Instinctively it dragged it up a tree and out of the fur of the mother came a newborn baby.
“The young leopard’s nurturing instincts came out. It picked up the baboon by the scruff of the neck and took it with it. The leopard licked and groomed the baby and it fell asleep on its neck.”
The cub did not hurt the baboon baby, but it did not survive without its mother.
“We did not expect what we saw and the basic quality the cub showed was empathy. This behaviour has been evident in lions leopards and elephants we have filmed. Females will allow the cubs of someone else to suckle off them,” says Beverley.
The couple have made 25 films, three of which have won Emmy awards.
They captured on film a pride of lions in the Okavango Delta in Botswana hunting elephant and bringing one to its knees. The pachyderm looked as if it had given up when, in a last surge of courage, it got up off its knees and escaped the pride.
Beverly says people could learn about courage from wild animals. Apart from the feelings they evoke, big cats are vital to the