Sir David Attenborough has embarked on a mission to redeem the reputation of the animal kingdom’s unsung heroes.
Dynasties II, the BBC’s spring natural-history blockbuster, will explore the genetic line of animals that have often been overlooked, such as the hyena and puma, because of their negative portrayal in popular culture.
Part of that mission, producers have said, is to reverse the image of hyenas as “cackling scavengers”, a reputation that has followed the carnivorous mammals ever since Disney’s 1994 film The Lion King. Simon Blakeney, the series producer, told The i: “For many years hyenas, in a similar way to sharks, have had a bad press in everything from wildlife films to children’s stories.
“However, there is so much more to their lives than the stereotype of cackling scavengers. What we hope we have shown in Dynasties is not only their sophisticated social lives, but also the softer side of their characters — whether that is the care of their vulnerable cubs, the support shown between individuals, and even their love of a refreshing splash in a pool!”
Narrated by Attenborough, 95, the series reprises the format that consistently won eight million viewers in 2018. One episode follows the dramatic story of a group of spotted hyenas, also known as the laughing hyena, living on the vast grasslands of Zambia’s Liuwa Plain. When their queen dies during a severe drought, a power struggle ensues between rival females for leadership of the clan.
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The programme will also show displays of stunning physical force, including a rare battle between two puma mothers fighting over vital territory.
Of course, an Attenborough documentary would not be complete without a few heart-wrenching moments. Blakeney said: “Sometimes it is difficult to watch when animals, often the characters we have spent many months with, are struggling. However, it is important to remember that these are mainly natural challenges that the animals are dealing with, and it would often be counterproductive, or simply impossible, to intervene.”
Mike Gunton, the executive producer, said he hoped the programme will cast animals such as hyenas in a new light, prompting viewers to support conservation efforts to better protect them in the wild. Despite their low numbers, hyenas are unique and vital components of most African ecosystems.
“Competition for space and resources between people and animals is one of the biggest challenges for many of the species featured in Dynasties, and in fact for wildlife right across the globe,” he said. “If at least some of the viewers come away with a similar level of passion for these species that we have, then hopefully this will support global conservation efforts to protect them in the face of the mounting challenges of our modern world.”
Dynasties II begins with pumas on BBC1 on Sunday at 8pm.
