National Geographic Channel ready to release a documentary of Rwanda Lions
Rwanda will in March feature on the prestigious National Geographic channel – in a hour-long documentary depicting the return of Lions in the country’s Akagera national park.
The documentary ‘Return of the Lion’ owned by Nat Geo Wild will be screened on March 9 in Kigali by Akagera Management Company.
It will also be screened in UK on March 10, then in South Africa on March 12 before it goes on air.
Sarah Hall, Tourism and Marketing Manager for Akagera Management Company told KT Press that the film narrates a story of reintroduction of lions from South Africa to Rwanda, in a ground breaking conservation initiative.
“In the past twenty years Rwanda has worked hard to maintain peace and restore its wildlife. Today the rainforests and plains are flourishing, but there’s still one thing missing – lions,” Hall said
She added that the Seven lions are now making the arduous journey from South Africa to Akagera National Park. To thrive in their new home, the lions will need to come together as a pride to hunt and support each other.
“Follow the lions in their journey for survival in Return of the Lion – a tale of hope, courage, challenges and rebirth,” Hall says in attempt to summarize the documentary.
Image shooting started quite after arrival of lions from South Africa in July 2015 with an intention to see how the big cats adapt to the tropical savannah. They were only seven but have now grown to 16 units, despite a loss of one adult lioness, Garuka – Literally ‘Come Back’ in December 2016.
A clip KT Press has seen already shows a lioness smartly catching its prey.
“The documentary will create awareness of Rwanda; it will bring more tourists in the country,” Hall told KT Press.
Lions disappeared from Akagera National Park in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi following human activity and were only reintroduced in the park in July 2015.
The documentary will be screened in Kigali on Thursday, March 9, 2017 at Century Cinema.
There has never been a documentary on Akagera National Park that was aired at such a big TV channel before.
