Shane Visser wrote: Getting back to my orginal post though, how do you feel about the current trend of blood and gore that seem to make up the mainstay of wildlife soapies?

I think it is nature and that's what people want to see.
Have you witnessed a kill before? Not many people have seen one in real life.
A few years back, I witnessed 4 hyena tearing a kudu into pieces 10m from me. They don't suffocate their prey like lions do, so the kudu was alive and screaming as they were tearing its stomach out and legs off. It was an experience I will never forget.
Yes, it is gruesome, but so is nature. People want to see animals doing what they do in nature.
If you were upset with shows showing how they shoot animals I would understand, but the documentaries just show the natural circle of life.

My father manages the Royal Gruger Lodge in Marloth Park and he's also a qualified guide, the last time I was there, there was a 90something year old German gent who has been reading books on Africa since he was 8. My father took him out for a morning drive and found him the Big5 by 11am. The man was a changed person. He could have dropped dead with a smile on his face. It was amazing.

Shane Visser wrote: By that same logic, nothing new will ever be shown?

Being in a related industry, I'm willing to concede you probably have a better understanding of the topic. I do love a good debate though.

Maybe in 10 years if every European and American have been to Africa and seen the Big 5 then there might be space for more shows like that.
Not saying the idea won't work (Look at the crocodile hunter), it is just a huge financial risk that someone will have to take. Pretty sure for every show that we see regarding the smaller animals, there have been quite a few failures.

When I win the lotto tomorrow, I will invite Scarab to be the face of the new show called: "The Tarantula Hunter".

Surely Scarab could get a few sponsors? I don't have R250,000 lying around but it really doesn't seem like that much money to produce a series. So if u haven't underestimated the cost, 1/4 bar is viable in terms of sponsorships. I'm sure media houses like Struik House would sponsor?

From what I remember, that was for the pilot episode.
Scarab might be the right person to talk to regarding the show and the costs though. What I have written down here is from conversations after a few dops at his place.

I don't think animal channel is watched by that many tourists....

If you imagine which kinda people watch those channels there are only two types. Those that wanna see the spca and those that wanna learn something. The okes that watch the dog shows are not lekker. They seem to forget that they have a live one they can watch throught the window. The rest of us wanna see any animal in great detail but ja we have seen enought of the big 5.