All language subtitles for Africas Hunters Series 1 6of6 Survivors of the Plains 1080p

NARRATOR: On the grasslands
of Southern Africa lives
a remarkable family,

a hyena clan, ruled by
their queen.

(SQUEALING)

But their home is
suffering an intense
drought.

Prey is hard to find,

and the clan must travel vast
distances in search of food.

In the harsh conditions,
with young to feed,
they face a tough decision,

do they leave their cubs
and head north to hunt?

Or do they wait for the
rains, and the herds,
to come to them?

The clan must be bold...

Cunning...

And strong...

If they are to make it
through the drought,

the toughest time of all.

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

Meet the north clan.

An extended family of
12 spotted hyenas.

This is the first meal
they've had
in almost a week.

They're hungry and it's
only a tiny antelope.

They need a decent meal
at least every three days.

There isn't enough to go
around, and tensions rise.

(GROWLING)

(GROWLING, SQUEALING)

The clan is struggling.

Their queen has two
cubs to feed.

A prince and princess

six weeks old,

and they'll rely almost
entirely on her milk

for up to a year
and a half.

Keeping them alive is her
top priority.

Their home is an
underground den

in the north of an
area of wilderness

known as the Liuwa Plains.

The queen and her clan
rule over a huge patch
of the plains

extending 20 miles
in every direction
from their den.

Located in the far west
of Zambia,

Liuwa Plains
National Park is
1400 square miles

of open grassland.

There are only a handful
of lions here,

and the queen and her clan
have risen to the top of
the food chain.

Here they are hunters,
not scavengers.

In good years, there's
plenty for the clan to eat.

Herds of zebra.

Small antelopes,
called oribi.

And the clan's favorite
prey, wildebeest

and their calves.

(GRUNTING)

(THUNDER ROLLING)

In the rainy season,

thousands of wildebeest
normally converge
on the plains,

in the center
of the hyena's territory.

(MOOING, GRUNTING)

But this year the rains
are more than a month late.

Not a single drop has
fallen for more than
six months

and Liuwa Plains
is suffering
a severe drought.

Without fresh green grass
to attract them,

there are no wildebeest herds
anywhere near the north
clan's territory.

The herds are now
scattered far to the north,

and the clan has
to travel vast distances
to find them.

Several weeks ago,
a hunting party from
the clan went north

and never returned,

leaving this
small yearling an orphan.

(SQUEALING)

The clan has a strict
hierarchy and the
yearling's been pushed

to the bottom of
the social pile.

(CHIRPING AND GROWLING)

Even the two young cubs
take turns to boss her around.

(SQUEALING)

(GROWLING)

Born to a queen, they have
high ranking in the clan.

For the orphan, without a
mother to protect her and
give her status,

life is a daily struggle.

(SQUEALING)

She needs to grow up fast
and gain respect.

She is barely old enough
to eat solid food and has
no mother to provide milk.

Now she has little choice.

She must fight,
even for a tiny scrap
of the kill,

to keep herself alive.

And when the clan goes out
hunting, she must follow,

otherwise she won't survive.

Like all hyenas,
this clan is matriarchal.

Females are in charge.

They're as big and strong
as male hyenas.

(GROWLING)

All of the adult females
can potentially have cubs,

but they will usually only
tolerate one adult male
at the den.

And they use him for one
purpose only...

Mating.

The clan females have
unusually high levels of
testosterone

and this results in
the growth of
external genitalia,

a pseudopenis, that looks
almost identical to a
male phallus.

It's very hard to tell
them apart.

In a few years when the
prince and princess grow up,

she'll stay with the
clan but he'll be pushed
out of the den

to fend for himself.

He might become a
satellite male,

guarding the den from
a distance.

Or he will leave his home
and travel far to find
a new clan.

For now though he's indulged,

and all the clan helps out
with the cubs.

There's even a babysitter
to watch over them

when the queen goes
out hunting.

Or when she just needs
to take a break.

(SQUEALING)

When the cubs are around
18 months old they will
start to eat solid food.

But for now, their mother's
milk gives them
everything they need.

Hyena milk is some of
the richest in the
animal kingdom,

with the highest
level of protein and fat
of any African carnivore.

It's so rich, one feed
can keep the cubs going
for days at a time.

But when their mother
goes hunting she can't be
gone too long.

If left for more than a week,
the cubs would die.

For the queen, producing
such nutritious milk
requires a lot of energy.

And she hasn't had a
decent meal in over a week.

The clan begins to stir
in anticipation of the
cool of the night.

(SQUEALING)

They have conserved their
energy for night-time,
when they typically hunt.

Hyenas can hear sounds up
to seven miles away and have
excellent night vision.

They scour their home
territory for food.

They can cover their
entire range, walking
20 miles in one night.

The queen stays at the
den to feed the cubs,

but listens out for any sound
of the clan making a kill.

But even highly adapted
senses are no help when
there's so little to be found.

A lone African wildcat is
the only creature they see.

They will continue the
search until sunrise.

Despite their nocturnal
efforts, the clan's
hunters return

to the den empty-handed.

But the cubs are still
pleased to see their
family safe and well.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

It's one of the worst
droughts in decades.

By now, the rains
should have come

and the clan would have
thousands of wildebeest
to hunt all around them.

But with no sign of rain
or large wildebeest herds

on the horizon, the queen
faces a tough decision.

Does she take a risk
and lead another
hunting party north

or does she wait
and hope the herds
come to her?

She makes a brave call
and gathers the best
hunters in the clan.

They could be gone for days,

so a babysitter stays behind
to guard the cubs.

The lowly orphan
has no option.
She must join the hunters.

The cubs must wait
patiently, without food,
for their mother to return.

After a few hours, the
hunting party is already
15 miles from the den.

They find a single
wildebeest.

But no sign of the large
herds with calves
they're looking for.

Lone male wildebeest hold
territories in this part
of the plains year round.

When the rains return,
bringing the big herds
with females,

they'll be in prime
position to breed.

They spend their days
fighting with their

neighbors in a
display of strength.

For the clan, attempting
to bring down one of these
aggressive beasts

is not worth the risk.

(GRUNTS)

They push on further
to the north.

Another hour on and
the temperature climbs
to 100 degrees.

(GROANING)

Most of the hunters
stop and rest.

So far, the orphan has
managed to keep up.

It's been a tough trial
and she's exhausted.

But the hungry queen
pushes on further. Alone.

She eventually finds what
she's looking for,

a small herd of wildebeest.

This time with more
vulnerable mothers
and calves.

Tired, thirsty,
hungry and alone,

her odds of making a kill
are next to none.

To hunt, hyenas usually
rely on teamwork.

But the hyena queen has
no option. She takes them
on singlehanded.

To have any chance,
she needs to find
a vulnerable target,

the old, the young,
the weak or the injured.

She sets the herd
running and looks for
any sign of weakness.

But a lone hunter
presents no danger to
these massive beasts.

Now the queen faces
another challenge,

she must cool down.

There's not a
single tree in sight.

With no shade,
in the middle of
the afternoon

the temperature is a
baking 110 degrees.

Salivating and wetting
her forelegs helps reduce
her body temperature.

As the liquid evaporates,
blood in the veins just
below the skin cools down.

It's an ingenious system
of thermoregulation, but
a sign of desperation.

The queen has run
all day in the heat
without food or water.

Lowering her temperature
could mean the difference
between life and death.

Separated from the rest
of the hunting party,

her day has gone from
bad to worse.

(BIRD CHIRPING)

(CHIRPING)

The hunting party is
five miles back.

They've slept through the
worst of the heat.

Now rested, they turn
their attention to
finding water.

Dotted across the dry
plains are tiny circles
of green,

remnants of the last rains.

Waterholes.

The orphan is the first
to find water and leads
the hunters to drink.

It's a precious oasis in
an otherwise parched land.

This is the only water
source for miles around,

and is a magnet for all life.

The orphan and the
hunters may not have
found anything to eat,

but they've at least
found somewhere to drink
and keep cool.

It's welcome relief.

Even the elusive wildebeest
come here to drink.

Drawing the attention of
the hunting party.

A brave and thirsty
wildebeest tests
the waters.

It's understandably
nervous.

(YELPS)

But the hyenas seem to
barely acknowledge
it's presence.

It's still too hot to hunt.

They'll take their
chances after dark.

In the cool of the night,
the queen has regained
her strength

and travelled back to rejoin
the hunting party.

More and more
wildebeest are gathering
at the waterhole.

But they aren't easy prey.

The wildebeest have
strength in numbers

and a well organized
defensive strategy.

They spread out in a line
to avoid becoming
surrounded.

But any stragglers
are vulnerable.

And the hyenas keep
watching, looking for a
weak link.

The clan makes a
successful kill.

The queen asserts
her dominance

and has her
choice of the meat.

She can eat one third of
her bodyweight in just
one sitting.

Shared between the
hunting party,

the entire kill is gone
in a matter of minutes.

(SQUEALING)

Finally,
their bellies are full.

(HOWLING)

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

Fifteen miles to the
south, back at the den,

the prince and princess
are getting hungrier.

But there'll be no relief
until their mother returns
to feed them.

In their mother's absence,

and blissfully unaware
of any danger,

the cubs are starting to
venture further afield.

Exploring their world is
a vital part of growing up,

so there's no rest
for the babysitter.

Every day left alone,
they are becoming bolder.

She keeps a watchful eye
and makes sure the cubs
don't stray too far.

Far to the north,
clouds build on the horizon.

The hunting party begins
its long journey home.

The queen needs to get
back to her cubs.

But progress is slow.

One of the clan was injured
in last night's hunt and
will have a tough time

making it back to the den.

These storm clouds hold
false promise.

They bring only thunder
and lightning.

But none of the rains
that are so desperately
needed.

With the plains tinder dry,

it's the perfect conditions
for a deadly force of nature.

(THUNDER ROLLING)

Bushfires.

In a strong wind, flames
can sweep across the plains
at 50 miles per hour,

and reach temperatures
of nearly 2000 degrees,

consuming everything
in their path.

The fires are between the
hunters and the den.

Cut off, the queen leads
her hunting party around
the flames.

They'll have to take the
long route home,

adding a day to their journey.

Bad news for them,
but a bonanza for others.

Swarms of insects
flee the flames,

providing a feast
for birdlife.

Pratincoles have flown
5000 miles,

all the way from Russia,
to feed on these plains.

They are quick to take
advantage of any
food they can get.

The fires look destructive,

but they cleanse
the grasslands,

converting dry vegetation
to fertile ash.

All the land needs
now is rain.

Three days after it set off,
the hunting party finally
returns to the den.

The pups greet their
mother and the hunters.

Each time
clan members reunite,
they perform rituals,

nuzzling each other's
genitals and scent marking.

This strengthens family
bonds and reenforces
hierarchies.

As a low status member of
the clan, the babysitter
initiates a greeting.

The orphan has grown up a
lot on the hunting trip,

and is slowly starting to
gain the respect of the clan.

For the cubs, who survive
totally on their
mother's milk,

the queen has
arrived just in time.

And there is another
welcome arrival
for the clan.

(THUNDER ROLLING)

After months of drought
and struggle, the rains
finally arrive.

(THUNDER ROLLING)

In just a few hours,
over a billion gallons
of water flood the land.

In a matter of days,
Liuwa transforms from

dry, dusty plains
to green grassland.

Dry waterholes begin to fill,
and some areas become
a wetland paradise.

All creatures here
have been waiting
for this moment.

From the biggest,

to the smallest.

The first drops of rain
trigger a remarkable event.

As the earth softens
in the rain,

termites emerge
in their thousands.

Filling the sky in a
beautiful but brief
breeding display.

It's the termites' once
in a year chance to reproduce.

Winged queens and males
fly out to establish
new colonies.

In the air, females
release pheromones

to attract males from
neighboring mounds.

Pairs mate on the wing,
then land to burrow

underground and begin
a new colony,

only a few feet from
where they started.

It's the first sign on
the Liuwa Plains that a
new cycle of life has begun.

And the new green grass
prompts the long awaited
return

of the great herds
of wildebeest.

The herds know exactly
where to go.

Walking for days to arrive
just in time

for fresh green shoots
to spring from the ground.

And traveling with them,
are their young calves.

Their arrival in the
clan's territory is a
turning point for the family.

The hyenas are rested,

and with thousands of
wildebeest now on
their doorstep,

they should
have more chance
of success.

One by one, they test the
herd by charging at them.

Hyenas are slower than
wildebeest over short
distances,

but they are patient,
cunning hunters.

They appear to
give up the chase,

but this is
a deliberate ploy.

They watch the fleeing
animals closely,

looking for any sign
of weakness.

The commotion of the hunt
draws the attention of
other opportunists,

lappet faced vultures.

They can zero in on a
potential meal from
20 miles away.

The clan sets the wildebeest
and zebra running
again and again.

It's a strategy of
observation and persistence.

Success at last.

The vultures know exactly
when a kill takes place

and gather on the sidelines,
waiting for an opportunity

to steal a
share of the spoils.

It's a welcome meal
for the queen and
her hunters.

There's plenty to go round,

but they still have to
fend off the vultures.

When it comes to eating,

the clan, like all hyenas,
are perfectly adapted
carnivores.

They have an extraordinary
anatomy and physiology.

With thick jawbones and
powerfully developed muscles,

their bite force is immense,

one of the strongest in
the animal kingdom.

Their teeth are specially
designed to grind down
even the toughest bone.

And they eat
the entire carcass,

only hair and horns remain.

Their digestive system
has strong acids to
dissolve bone,

using up
every part of the kill.

Stomachs finally full,

they lie down, allowing
their gut to get to work.

This efficient eating is
what's enabled them to
survive on little food

during one of the toughest
droughts on record.

It's the key to their
success, and what's made

hyenas one of Africa's
most abundant carnivores.

The orphan has had her fill.

Against the odds, without
a mother to feed her,

she has established herself.

A huge achievement for a
hyena just over a year old.

She's now proven herself
to be a valuable member
of the clan

and is growing in confidence.

She's no longer at the
bottom of the pile.

The prince and princess
are growing up fast.

They're digging themselves
a new burrow
at the back of the den.

An expansion is needed

to make space for the
newest member of the family.

One of the other females
has given birth

and is introducing her
two-week-old cub to the clan.

Together, the hyenas
have got through
the toughest of droughts.

And the family is growing.

With wildebeest streaming
down from the north,

there are good times
ahead for these survivors
of the plains.