The Lion Man is 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,NZ Companies Office 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,The Lion Man IMDB page 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 ex-wife 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.
The show highlighted the activities of the park, including the birth of cubs from different species, and the filming of lions for television adverts and other promotions. As well as its visitor income and these promotions, the series itself became a source of vital funding for the park.
The Lion Man was broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky3 (now Pick) but no longer does.
Episodes
Series One Series One aired in 2004. Ep No. Description 1 In Whangarei, Northland, we meet New Zealand's 'Lion man', Craig Busch, a self-taught cat 'trainer'. He runs the Zion Wildlife Gardens with his partner Karen. The large safari park-type private zoo is devoted to wild felines, with twelve lions and six tigers, notably the nearly extinct Barbary lions (North African), starring male zoo mascot Zion, and five white Bengal tigers. His dream is to add the rare African white lion to this collection. Other species include serval cats, deer and a rascal baboon, Foxy. Today is memorable: the first new Zealand birth of a Bengal cub; he's ten days early, but Craig manages to get mother Shikana (both have orange fur, but carry white genes) to suckle. 2 The one year young park has two resident builders, Tony 'Shrek' Organ and John 'Moses' Davis, who work on the permanent facilities, sometimes with external contractors. They must trust Craig to prevent them ending up as cat food. Tiger mother Shikana did well, despite the stress caused by neighbouring males as the early birth prevented moving away, but at night accidentally crushed the cub fatally. 3 Unlike mascot Zion and his mate, Samson's pride is rather wild and rowdy. Two cubs, Aslan and sister Narnia, have so far lived alone, but are now exposed to their notoriously mischievous big sister Savannah. Now tigress Shikana has recovered from losing her cub, she's introduced to Tygo, a white Bengal male, given her genes a one out of five chance of adding to the world's population of white tigers. Eight weeks later, resident vet Didier Poot, who brings his little son Matthieu, confirms she's already lactating. Resident artist Gordon Howard helps with feeding time. Moses and Shrek continue work on the birthing den. Craig and Shrek walk Shikana on a leash. 4 Craig, training lion mascot Zion for acting in a commercial, makes unique lunch entertainment. Bengal tigress Shikana has another orange cub, more relaxed now the birthing den was ready. Sampson defends his siring privilege in the pride's cage. Savannah is toppled by Narnia in the lion trio enclosure. Aslan gets his first walk on a leash. 5 Craig finally gets an opportunity to legally bid on a white lion cub in South Africa, but must leave in two weeks. Meanwhile, tigress Shikana has grown so protective of her cub Sita that only he can still approach her, and bonding early is crucial for her training later. The father, white tiger Tygo, also needs his and vet Didier's attention. The lion cubs come along on a beach walk. 6 On his expedition to acquire Gandor, a 3-4months old white lion cub, Craig visits the Lion and Rhino Park, near Johannesburg. An, exchange for a white tiger appeals to both zoos chiefs. Craig finds the park well run, Gandor in perfect condition and good-natured. 7 Craig's cats are quite happy in their daily routine back home, the high-points including feeds. Meanwhile, Craig's South African tour continues at White River Cheetah and Rhino Park, where he makes contacts to get involved in breeding the fastest, perfectly adapted feline. 8 On his South African trip, Craig visits Timbavati park, where ranger Dave's team show him the natural habitat of the African white lions, amidst elephants, rhinos and other wildlife. He proves himself more knowledgeable than the traditionally reputed 'lion queen' dynasty, an able tracker and animal handler and even the tribal rangers. 9 Just back from South Africa, Craig bonds again with his 'cats', though Zion is Grumpy having missed his 'dad'. he hopes Abu and Rewa will mate and produce a white tiger cub he can exchange with Ed Hern for a white lion. Since this reality show is on TV, all Whangarei is proud of 'their' rather shy Craig, who returns from his rare night out to check up on tiger Abu's stomach trouble. The park gets ever more visitors, today New Zealand Idol stars Ben and Michael, but will have to close for three months to complete extension phase two. 10 This season finale recapitulates how Craig and his small staff started his New Zealand endangered big cats park. It overviews how the various felines -lions and Bengal tigers- fared, individually and/or as enclosure companions. Special stars are the tigress new mother Shikana and Craig's mascot actor, lion Zion. Finally there's the breeding program, and Craig's South African trip to arrange swapping white lion cub Gandor his next white tiger cub.
Series Two Series Two aired in 2005.