National Geographic Lecture Series February 26, 2007

Relentless Enemies: Lions and Buffalo
Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 2 p.m., and Monday, February 26, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. ticket info

Dereck and Beverly Joubert (top); a photo from Relentless Enemies (bottom)
Photographs by Graham Boynton (top) and Beverly Joubert (bottom)
Award-winning filmmakers and naturalists Dereck and Beverly Joubert lead a life of adventure that most people can only imagine. For over 25 years they have made the African wilderness their home, dedicating their lives to understanding and protecting its majestic creatures. Through their research, filmmaking, photography, and writing, this amazing couple has brought us new insights into the lives of the lions, elephants, zebras, and other African animals that have long fired the human imagination. Almost entirely self-taught as filmmakers, the Jouberts have four Emmys, two Chris Awards, and a Peabody Award to their credit for documentaries including Reflections on Elephants, Eternal Enemies: Lions and Hyenas, and Journey to the Forgotten River, all produced for National Geographic Television. Beverly’s stunning photography and Dereck’s lyrical prose have also been showcased in books, such as Hunting With the Moon: The Lions of Savuti, and four articles for National Geographic. In May 2006, the Jouberts were named National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence.

Romantic as their life in the bush may seem, it also includes more than its share of hardship and danger. Living far from modern medical facilities, the Jouberts have been stranded by vehicle breakdowns, narrowly avoided attack by lions, and have nearly drowned in mudholes while attempting to get as close as possible to the animals they document.

For their recent National Geographic book/film project, Relentless Enemies: Lions and Buffalo, the Jouberts spent two years in the Duba region of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, documenting the deadly ballet between Duba’s lions and buffalo. The Jouberts will tell the story of their work in Duba, sharing remarkable images from a struggle that has been playing out for eons in the Okavango.

Official Website: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/nglive/seattle/