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The Lion Man

Season 3

  • TVNZ 1
  • 30m
  • New Zealand
  • English
  • Documentary
The Lion Man was a New Zealand television documentary series about a New Zealand big cat park called Zion Wildlife Gardens. The series was named after Craig Busch, the park's founder, who had styled himself as "the Lion Man". The series followed Busch and the park's employees as they managed the park and its collection of approximately 30 lions and tigers of various species, and other animals. As well as first-hand comment from Busch and his staff, the series was narrated throughout by Paul Casserley in New Zealand and actor Miles Anderson in the United Kingdom. The series also showed Busch during related promotional activities as well as his various wildlife missions abroad, including trips to Africa and Thailand. The Lion Man was one of New Zealand's most successful television series, showing in 93 countries worldwide, including Sky1 in the United Kingdom. Three series were produced, the first of which began screening in New Zealand on 17 June 2004. The first two series were commissioned by state broadcaster TVNZ, but a third series looked in doubt following Busch's conviction in 2007 for assaulting his partner at the park in 2005. Independent funding was found to produce the third series and TVNZ decided to broadcast it after determining that there was still popular demand for the show. The show was produced by Great Southern Television. All three series' music was composed by Peter Blake and the theme tune lyrics written by Bob Smith.

20 episodes

Season Premiere

3x01 Episode 1

Season Premiere

3x01 Episode 1

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Craig travels to South Africa to deliver 2 white tiger cubs to Ed Hern in return for Gandor and Shakira.

Shanti has injured herself playing, leaving Craig to call out the local vet.

Baby Khan is soon to be off to the vets as well, to treat an injury from just after he was born, which left him with a hernia.

3x02 Episode 2

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Evoula, the white lioness is in labor, about to give birth to 2 white lion cubs, with Craig playing midwife.

The wild barbary lions are trying to break into the white lion enclosure.

Baby Khan visits the vets to treat his hernia.

3x03 Episode 3

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Shakira has a visit from the dentist to treat a broken fang, as well as treatment to try and take her out of heat.

The newborn lions get to experience the outdoors for the first time.

3x04 Episode 4

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Shakira's contraceptive is tested by Gandor and Zion.

There are more new arrivals, with the birth of 3 more white tiger cubs to Rewa, will she accept them, or reject them like her last cubs?

Bad weather taxes the parks infrastructure, flooding the drains, and causing damage.

Craig has a close call while playing with Indra and another tiger.

3x05 Episode 5

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Megan and Michelle are caring for Rewa's 3 newborn tiger cubs. Meanwhile 3 Lion cubs meet recovered tigress Shanti.

Shanti and Chaka travel to Auckland for an appearance at a pet store opening, but they find show business tiring.

Back at the park, Michelle discovers Zion and Gandor fighting once more over in heat lioness Shakira, leaving Gandor injured.

3x06 Episode 6

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Craig must separate Zion and Gandor to prevent their fighting over Shakira. The only option is to quickly build a new enclosure.

The 3 baby tiger cubs are doing well, and starting to open their eyes to see the world for the first time.

Indra causes problems for keeper Dalu while out for a walk.

The 2 white lion cubs get to meet this dad Nadouma for the first time, face to face.

3x07 Episode 7

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Amafu is about to give birth, and has been moved into Invoula's old den in preparation, however she catches everyone by surprise.

The 3 tiger cubs are growing fast, and have been named as Khala, Asra, and Aneela, and are already starting to eat meat.

Megan now has seven cubs to look after, while Craig goes fishing to try and get some treats for the park's tigers. Will the tigers appreciate his efforts?

3x08 Episode 8

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Craig and Dalu try to get Amafu to take care of her 4 cubs.

Kali pays a visit to the builders working on a new enclosure. Tigo has badly injured a paw, and Dalu is trying to get him weighed, ready for when the vet comes.

Amafu continues to show little interest in her cubs, so the decision is made to release her back into her enclosure with Nadouma and Invoula, leaving Megan to care for the 4 cubs.

The 3 baby tigers get to go outside for the first time, accompanied by Megan and Michelle.

3x09 Episode 9

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Tigo is still recovering from the operation to repair his damaged paw. Tiger cub Khan is causing concern among the staff following his hernia operation several weeks ago.

Craig is preparing Kali, and several other cats to travel to Hamilton for the yearly show.

The 3 baby tiger cubs experience their first meal on solids, before finding out they will soon be sharing their barn with the 4 lion cubs.

Tragedy strikes the park, with the loss of a tiger cub.

3x10 Episode 10

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Craig and his team round up the cats for the road trip to Hamilton. Nadouma, Invoula and their 2 cubs, Kali, Indra, Amafu's 4 cubs, as well as Chaka and Shanti find themselves on the road to make their appearance at the Small Block Expo.

3x11 Episode 11

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Craig visits the 4 white lion cubs, and feeds them with Megan, however one of the cubs doesn't want him to leave.

The 3 tiger cubs, Khala, Asra, and Aneela, are doing well, and growing fast.

Amafu is back with her pride, however she still hasn't learnt all her mothering skils, and is put swiftly in her place by Invoula.

Chaka and Abdullah go for a walk with Craig and Dalu.

3x12 Episode 12

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Craig is back in South Africa with Ed Hern, to obtain a pair of Cheetah cubs to add to the park, but first he gets a chance to catch up with Kiwi and Rongo, the tiger cubs he brought over a year earlier. Before they can be exported, they need a checkup from the vet.

While the cheetahs get checked out, he travels to the Timbavati, to try and see his first love in the wild, the rare White Lion.

3x13 Episode 13

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Craig is still in South Africa continuing to try and find the white lion in the wild.

Back at the park, Dalu is tasked with feeding the big cats while Craig is away. He also has the job of trying to dart Gandor for a visit from the dentist.

The 2 cheetahs Craig hopes to ship to New Zealand are getting a final checkup, and an identity chip, prior to entering quarantine.

3x14 Episode 14

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Craig is back at the park after spending several weeks in South Africa, and is catching up with Zion, followed by Rewa's cubs.

Later, Amafu's 4 lion cubs get to meet Rewa's 3 tiger cubs in person for the first time.

The Lion Man get to meet the Tiger Man, to surprise a group of school children.

The park is undergoing more building work, preparing a new enclosure.

The 2 older lion cubs, Timbo and Tamba, join the other 7 cubs in their pen, will they react well to their new friends?

3x15 Episode 15

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Craig is back in South Africa to try and collect the 2 cheetah cubs, but tragedy strikes.

3x16 Episode 16

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Craig help Dalu take the tigers for a walk for the first time.

The dentist visits for an operation on Shumba's tooth.

More building work is needed on a temporary wet weather enclosure for the lion cubs, as they keep escaping from their pen

3x17 Episode 17

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Craig is back in South Africa to collect the 2 older cheetahs that he wants, after the tragedy that took the life of the younger cheetah earlier in the series.

Unfortunately, once more, there are problems, but Craig clears them up, before arriving back in New Zealand with the new cheetahs.

3x18 Episode 18

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Craig and his team catch up with the cheetahs, on their first morning in quarantine.

Zion and Shya will have to move enclosure to make way for the cheetahs, but they're moving next to Craig himself to feel more at home.

3x19 Episode 19

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The 2 cheetahs are settling into their new enclosure.

It's time for the wild deer's yearly healthcheck, and Craig and the team have to round them up.

The new enclosure for the 4 lion and 3 tiger cubs is finished for them to move into.

The big cats get a visitor courtesy of "Make a Wish", leaving Chaka with a new girlfriend.

3x20 Episode 20

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A lookback at the past season at the park.

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