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Forget talking with the animals - a new National Geographic DVD series allows viewers to see through the eyes of an animal.

The Ultimate Wildlife Film Collection - available exclusively to readers of The Advertiser and Sunday Mail - goes beyond borders to take a look at the lives of big cats, crocodiles and marine life in Africa, the Arctic and the Caribbean.

In fact, one DVD, Crittercam: "Be The Beast" promises "revolutionary camera technology goes where no human is safe".

One fan of the series is Zoos SA chief executive Chris West.

The vet and zoologist could get his fill of animal life in his day job, but he admitted going home at night to watch more animal documentaries. "It's amazing, and it takes people really close to the animals. I think it's
great," Dr West said.

He added that documentaries went a long way in encouraging conservation.

"I can remember speaking to David Attenborough about TV documentaries about 10 years ago, and he said the films get people to connect with the animals. If they can't connect, how can they care?

"It's so important."

Walking with Lions, the first DVD out this Saturday with a coupon from The Advertiser, will give an insight into the nature of the 13 lions living in South Australia - two lionesses and a male lion at Adelaide Zoo, and four lionesses, two cubs and two male lions at Monarto.

Vulnerable to extinction, there are now between 16,000 and 30,000 lions in the world today.

Lions are now only found in the wild south of Africa's Sahara Desert, and in a critically endangered sanctuary in the Gir Forest, north-western India.

Dr West said he hoped the DVDs would inspire more people to visit the zoo.

"A good film really should leave you feeling some emotion - it's not all about biology, it's about caring.

"Think of our zoos as a conservation organisation helping to support endangered species."