Filming cheetahs & Hyenas of Liuwa Plain National Park
The fire-orange sunsets of Liuwa Plains create endless silhouettes of wildebeest as we laugh and bounce along in the wildlife filmmaking vehicle after another 13 hour day. This is a 2 year seasonal project with BBC filming cheetahs and hyenas for 2 episode of the series Dynasties 2. Little did we know how attached we would get to the park and the wildlife that call it home.
A Little bit about liuwa:
- Seasonality is key to finding the cheetahs and viewing hunts
- The 45 000 wildebeest migrate southwards towards the calving season
- Hyena clans use familiar den sites and knowing where these are helps a great deal with tracking their movements
- The park floods from February to April and the wildebeest migrate northwards again
- Whether filming or on a photographic safari it is key to have a knowledgeable guide
- The region is known for its spring wild flowers, birdlife and endless plains
- The major predators found are Painted Wolf, Cheetah, Lion and Hyena
Back to Wildlife Filmmaking...
We spent seemingly countless days from exploring the plains with the added support of telemetry tracking on key hyenas and cheetahs from the Zambian Carnivore Program (ZCP). This advantage allowed us to learn the habits of the predators and stay with them.
The wildlife filmmaking crews consisted of a producer, a camera operator ina custom filming vehicle and a supporting spotter vehicle with another expert guide and national park ranger. We had hours of laughs, liters of coffee and many conversations while sitting with he predators waiting for action.
We watched hunts and kills, cubs growing up and learning skills from their mothers, hyena dominance displays and clan battles and hundreds of hours of social behaviour. In this time we came to know the park, and each other, intimately.
The results:
The hyena interactions we witnessed gave new insight for me into this carnivore. Gentle and nurturing until under threat and far more than a scavenger – their intelligence and ability to hunt and adapt stood out.
Following Kali and her offspring was a career highlight for me – her resilience and dedication amongst the challenges of the wild would bring the whole crew to tears. I have reunited with her on recent photographic safaris and am always humbled by her presence.
Where is Liuwa Plains?
In Conclusion
It is a beautiful privilege to spend so much time with a single species – learning their subtle behavioural cues and understanding their place in the eco-system. The years of filming offer new research and support conservation through funding and monitoring. The bond between humans and wild animals has diminished in recent centuries – and living alongside them whether for 2 days on a safari or 2 years on a film project helps to reconnect us.
4 Responses
This is rad!
Thanks! It truly was an enriching time!
Amazing footage. Very interesting.
Thank you!