30 November 2020
DStv customers can continue to enjoy live safari shows on WildEarth (DStv 183), which launched 25 August 2020 as a pop-up channel and is now a permanent feature on DStv's Premium and Compact Plus packages.
DStv is delighted to announce that the popular wildlife channel WildEarth(DStv 183),will remain on the platform as a permanent channel.The channel, first introduced on DStv as a pop-up channel on 25 August 2020, brings viewers face to face with the thrill of nature in real time, twice-daily live safari shows from hotspots around Africa.
WildEarth has been broadcasting live and interactive virtual safaris from some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations to a very dedicated community of people around the world. The channel’s live safaris are also available on YouTube and Facebook as well as other content viewing platforms.
“We are always looking at how we can give our customers the best viewing experience as well as access to the best possible content,” says Nyiko Shiburi, CEO of Multichoice South Africa. “We are excited to have the WildEarth channel remaining on our platform as this gives our nature-loving customers access to some of the most exclusive and riveting wild life content this also bolster the channels on offer on our platform.”
As we reach the end of a very difficult year, there are many people who have been impacted by the terrible Covid-19 pandemic. It has made it extremely difficult to get out into nature, or even out of our homes at all. This at a time of increased stress and concern about our health and livelihoods.
Restoring this lost connection with nature, even virtually, is scientifically proven to have a strong
healing effect and to reduce stress and anxiety levels. An immersive nature experience has a hugely beneficial effect on our well-being.
Emily Wallington, Co-Founder and Executive Producer explains what WildEarth is trying to achieve editorially: "WildEarth is great if you are feeling stress or anxiety. Our mission is to allow you to escape, to slow down and give you the opportunity to look at the bigger picture. It’s not meant to be a high paced television show but rather an experience in nature".
There are so many fascinating stories to follow during the live safaris broadcasting twice-daily on WildEarth. Here are few to look out for on DStv’s newest permanent channel:
December in the Lowveld is an exciting time of the year. Some of the more noticeable highlights include the first summer rainstorms, the return of migratory birds such as the woodland kingfisher and the sudden arrival of hundreds of newborn impala lambs.
Within a period of about three to five weeks over December, almost 90% of all the impala lambs will be born.
At the same time, this is a very bittersweet time of year. Indeed, many real life bambi’s jumping and hopping around the bush is a heartwarming sight, but there are many predators that capitalise on the weak and inexperienced newcomers to the wild world.
From the usual suspects like leopards and African wild dogs to less likely candidates like hyenas and martial eagles, many different predator species adapt their hunting style to make use of the many impala lambs around.
However, the impala do have a brilliant natural solution to combating the pressure from the predators by essentially flooding the market with young. As a result, there are too many lambs running around for the predators to catch them all. 50% of impala lambs will survive their first year because of this.
Although this is very sad, it is part of the circle of life here in the wild African bush. Some solace we can take away from this situation is that due to the ingenious seasonal flood of young impalas, both the predators and the impalas somehow manage to come away from the situation flourishing.
Alert, agile and astute these Rock Stars are celebrities in their own right. In July, the alpha female gave birth to a new generation of coolkats into the burrow and she has just given birth again. The pups were born on 43 days ago and we will see their tiny head popping up from the den in the next few weeks.
Sadly, the celebrations do not last long in the world of the wild as danger lurks around every bolthole especially for meerkats.
Snakes and birds of prey are always looking out for a weak meerkat to pick off. However, the Rockstars have a bitter enemy in the form of another gang of meerkats known as the Gosa Gang. They live in a burrow system 500m away and regularly come over to terrorise the Rockstars.
It will be exciting to see the new pups as they emerge from the den over the coming weeks and to see if the alpha female is able to keep them safe from all the dangers that exist here in the Great Kalahari Desert.
The original dominant lion pride in one of locations called Eco-Training Pridelands was named the Ngati Pride. There was a large lioness who ruled this Pride. One day, new males arrived and she tried to fight them off but they killed and ate her.
The Pride stayed together and the remaining lionesses mated with the new males. However, one lioness named Legartha was disliked by the rest of the Pride. She never got any food and eventually went off on her own to see if she could survive. She’s been living like a leopard for about 7/8 months now against all odds.
We are all waiting to see if she can find a new pride to join or perhaps even create her own small pride. Named after the Shield Maiden who became Queen in the tv series Vikings because she’s a strong young independent female and we will be watching carefully over the next few months to see what happens.
Watch the live safaris twice daily on WildEarth (DStv 183)
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