Beverly and Dereck Joubert on Life Lessons From Big Cats

Beverly & Dereck Joubert live in the bush, filming and photographing lions and leopards in their natural habitat.

With stunning footage (some never before seen), they discuss their personal relationships with these majestic animals -- and their quest to save the big cats from human threats.

Documentary filmmakers Beverly and Dereck Joubert have worked to conserve wildlife for more than 25 years. As National Geographic Explorers in Residence, the couple influences public policy and perceptions.

For nearly three decades, conservationists Beverly and Dereck Joubert have celebrated nature and wildlife in documentaries, books, scientific journals, photographs and magazine articles.

The couple’s arresting visual work—which includes the widely viewed film Eternal Enemies: Lions and Hyena -- has earned them five Emmys and many other awards.

The Jouberts, both National Geographic Explorers in Residence based in Botswana, are dedicated to understanding and preserving key species throughout the African continent.

The couple is particularly interested in large predators, and lead the Big Cats Initiative, a campaign to stop dwindling populations and bolster public awareness.

Beverly and Dereck are also building a new model for preservation as partners in Great Plains Conservation. Striking a balance of preservation, community and commerce, GPC aims to save endangered habitats in Africa and surrounding the Indian Ocean through low-impact tourism and the sale of carbon credits and villas or bush homes.

Susan notes: Thanks to TED for making TED Talks downloadable and embeddable, and for providing the biographical information that goes along with them.