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(GROWLlNG)
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NARRATOR: There are predators
and there are prey.
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And then, there are enemies.
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(THUNDER RUMBLlNG)
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From ancient times,
Africa has been the place
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where huge cats ruled the flooded forests
and swamps of prehistory.
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lt was a violent time,
when the nightmare of massive predators
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stalked the land and nothing was safe.
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(BUFFALO BELLOWlNG)
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Well, those nightmares are back.
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There is an unusual pride of lions
stalking these swamps.
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Cats that live in water and hunt a single herd
of Cape buffalo.
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Evolution favors predators
that can hunt a range of prey,
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but these lions are defying that trend
by becoming specialists,
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relentless hunters of this one prey.
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The explosive sky spitting fire
from the heavens
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is an unsettling prelude to the battle ahead.
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(THUNDER CRACKlNG)
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When two old adversaries
come head to head,
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the conflict is a war of wills.
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The outcome will hang in the balance.
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There is an island in Africa,
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a place where the ghostly shapes
of over 1 ,000 buffalo
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drift over the domain
of the resident pride of lions.
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The Tsaro pride are buffalo hunters,
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made up of nine lionesses of enormous bulk.
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Thick necks and heavy chests define them,
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features that serve them well
for this unique hunting.
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Amongst them, a silver-eyed female,
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possibly blinded in combat with the buffalo.
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She carries her battle scars well
and leads many of the hunts.
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The heaviest set is a skew-eared female.
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And the twins.
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Two identical lionesses that often give birth
to cubs at the same time
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and always hunt together.
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Then there is the large older female,
a good huntress,
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but there is something different about her.
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She sits off to the side,
watching the pride, always distant.
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The skew-horned buffalo bull
is the herd's pathfinder,
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and he has led it around
the Tsaro territory for years.
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He is a survivor
and senses the trouble ahead.
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There is a magical moment
in any hunt, each time,
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just one first moment,
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a time somewhere between the initial
stalking approach of individual lions
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and the coordinated run-in of a unified pride.
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At that moment, the decision is made,
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"We will attack, and we will attack together."
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(BUFFALO BELLOWlNG)
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There is no fight like the fight for survival
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and for the life of your offspring.
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But these lions will not accept failure.
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A charging buffalo doesn't strike fear
in their hearts.
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lt spurs them into a deadly game
of attack and counterattack,
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thrust and parry, a relentless duel.
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(BELLOWlNG)
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This hunt is far from over.
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Blood has been tasted,
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and like some invisible thread,
it will lead them back
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to the injured calf time and time again,
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day after day after day.
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For this is an island surrounded
by an intricate web of thick papyrus swamps
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and deep water to the south and west.
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The buffalo are unable
to cross the fast-flowing
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and crocodile-infested rivers.
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And to the north,
deep channels carved out by hippos
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make it difficult for the herd
to swim to safety in that direction.
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There is no escape for the buffalo.
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When they do wade into the maze
of channels that ring fence Duba lsland,
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they get entangled, confused,
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and ultimately are forced to return
to the waiting lions.
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So, what to us may seem a watery paradise
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is for the buffalo a deadly confinement,
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shrinking during the seasonal floods
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before drying out to a faded savanna,
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where two great warriors rule,
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the males of the Tsaro pride.
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They are masters of all on this island,
in particular the buffalo,
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they and their Tsaro females
seldom let out of their sight.
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There is a significant
new addition to the pride.
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(GROWLlNG)
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Growing up against this backdrop of buffalo,
he needs to be nimble
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and confident on his feet
to become a Tsaro lion,
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a specialist buffalo hunter.
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Because lions are cooperative killers,
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he must also learn
how to be part of the pride
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and obey the harsh rules that govern it.
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(GROWLlNG)
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(WHlMPERlNG)
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He has a brief window,
while under his mother's intense protection,
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to memorize the personality
of each pride member.
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The lone female is his first study.
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(BOTH GROWLlNG)
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The mother's explosive defense
only increases the tension in the pride
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and sets in motion a further
and ominous isolation of the old female.
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As a Tsaro lion,
his world is now a world of buffalo.
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Slowly, the clicking horns
and occasional bellows
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will become as common to his ears
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as the sound of flood waters
rippling on the sand.
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Each day brings him closer to the time
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when he'll be ready to propel himself
into the midst of the herd,
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unflinchingly throwing himself,
just like his mother does,
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against the terrifying wall of horns.
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The buffalo must walk their own
knife-edged path of survival,
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finding food and water
while all the time avoiding the dangers
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that will leave their bones scattered
in the indignity of death.
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The buffalo are crossing back
into his mother's territory.
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She has anticipated the path
of the herd's return perfectly.
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(SQUAWKlNG)
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The technique, flush the herd
and scan for the weak.
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This time she is alone.
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But she knows the gifts
of this summer season,
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the newborn calves.
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Buffalo's senses, both of sight and smell,
are well developed.
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Their hearing is excellent.
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These are intense and alert animals,
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but a sixth sense creeps through her now.
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She knows there is a lion nearby
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and she knows it is coming for her calf.
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(SPLASHlNG)
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All cats have an instinctive fear of water.
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But when the mother leads
her day-old calf into the swamp,
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the Tsaro lioness doesn't hesitate to follow.
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(BELLOWlNG)
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There is iron-fisted determination
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in a female with a hunger and a cub to feed.
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(BELLOWlNG)
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lt is the trade-off that Africa must make
from time to time.
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Under the lions' inescapable surveillance,
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it is a constant effort just to survive.
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So each precious life
that slips into existence
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in this game of life and death
is a victory against the sentinels
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that scan the bushes
for any sign of opportunity.
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Every delicate first step silently bolsters
the herd against their decline
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under the relentless onslaughts they endure.
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00:14:22,903 --> 00:14:28,366
Each wobble during the agonizing hour
it takes to stabilize,
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is a celebratory yell against the fates.
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And each successful birth is a tiny contract
that keeps the system alive.
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The synchrony of births overwhelms
the Tsaro pride with a flood of calves
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that outdoes their capacity
to kill all the newborn.
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They are limited to what they can eat today,
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one calf at a time.
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(BELLOWlNG)
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Although many are killed,
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the majority of the baby buffalo survive.
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As the buffalo start to move,
the lions of the Tsaro pride
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feel their pangs of hunger begin to stir.
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Ahead will be a fast-moving game
of life and death,
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for they must know that taking on
a fully grown buffalo
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with nothing but claws and teeth
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has to be the most dangerous game of all.
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(BUFFALOES BELLOWlNG)
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On this unique Okavango island,
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with its one herd of buffalo
and three prides of lions,
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one would expect the nights to be filled
with bloodcurdling bellows.
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But strangely, these lions seldom hunt
under the cover of darkness.
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So nighttime is the herd's chance to
slip away to the far side of the island,
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or even across the river, if they can.
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The lions' diligence
has kept the herd contained
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within the Tsaro territory for weeks.
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While there has been a feast on this side
of the channel,
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there has been a famine on the other.
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The lions to the north, the Skimmer pride,
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has been without food for too long,
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and now their hunger
drives them through the water.
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(GROWLlNG)
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They are nowhere near the size
of the Tsaro lionesses,
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but they have other skills.
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Now, the Skimmer pride has to risk
making an insurgent sortie.
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Just four small adult females
with 1 0 hungry and ineffectual cubs,
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they have to do this stealthily.
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They are taking a huge risk.
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lf they panic the herd too early,
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the Tsaro females are bound to
hear the chase and react.
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Too vigorous an attack, and the cubs
could fall underfoot of a stampede.
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When a single female sees her target,
the risk increases even more.
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The only option now is a frontal attack.
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This is almost suicidal.
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(BELLOWlNG)
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lncredibly, she fells
an adult cow buffalo unaided,
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and drowns its muffled bellows in the water.
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(GROWLlNG)
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Their desperation sees off any intruders.
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(HlSSlNG)
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A hurried meal is all they can risk for now.
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To the south, the big Tsaro females
are ready and waiting.
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00:19:31,879 --> 00:19:33,379
(BUFFALO BELLOWlNG)
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ln a sophisticated and well-honed tactic
of herding the buffalo,
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they first panic them with
a strange, growling charge.
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(GROWLlNG)
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The object is not to attack,
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but to stampede the herd into the water.
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Only then do they pick off
the struggling young
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as they flounder out of their depth.
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00:20:05,329 --> 00:20:07,705
lt is Silver Eye who makes the first contact,
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dragging her prey underwater
to deliver mortal wounds
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before the mother can retaliate
and rescue her calf.
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00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,261
Then the hunt goes into phase two.
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00:20:22,304 --> 00:20:26,599
Now, like sheepdogs,
the lions herd the buffalo together,
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00:20:26,683 --> 00:20:28,434
relentlessly pushing in.
200
00:20:41,114 --> 00:20:45,284
lt is clinical, this constant probing
for weakness,
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00:20:45,369 --> 00:20:49,789
the following through the flood waters
for up to seven hours at a time.
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00:21:02,344 --> 00:21:04,971
The lone female hangs back for a moment,
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00:21:05,013 --> 00:21:10,142
but the cub is eager to join in
despite his instinctive fear of water.
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00:21:10,644 --> 00:21:13,062
Water is an element that all Tsaro lions
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00:21:13,146 --> 00:21:17,358
must conquer early to become what they are,
true swamp cats.
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00:21:22,030 --> 00:21:24,740
And then, the stabbing attacks begin.
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00:21:48,849 --> 00:21:51,726
Each attack weakens the spirit of the herd.
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00:21:51,810 --> 00:21:54,311
This is the hunt they were born to.
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00:22:03,822 --> 00:22:05,614
And this is when the blood races,
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00:22:05,699 --> 00:22:09,368
adrenaline coursing through their muscles,
throbbing in their heads.
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00:22:20,630 --> 00:22:24,425
The young are jostled between
anxious mothers and defensive bulls,
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00:22:24,509 --> 00:22:28,179
and this is what the lions
have been waiting for, mistakes,
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00:22:28,221 --> 00:22:32,933
that given time and constant pressure,
are bound to happen.
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00:22:35,103 --> 00:23:13,140
(BELLOWlNG)
215
00:23:25,529 --> 00:23:29,156
And this is what the masters
have been waiting for.
216
00:23:31,284 --> 00:23:34,620
Each kill is eagerly observed from a distance.
217
00:23:36,790 --> 00:23:39,542
(LlON ROARlNG)
218
00:23:42,587 --> 00:23:45,881
Ready to add more battle scars
to his profile if need be,
219
00:23:45,966 --> 00:23:47,967
he is here to claim his bounty.
220
00:23:48,051 --> 00:23:49,468
(GROWLlNG)
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00:23:54,182 --> 00:23:57,810
The lionesses have come to accept
this unchivalrous behavior.
222
00:23:57,894 --> 00:24:02,231
lt is their sacrifice for the protection
that the males give to the pride.
223
00:24:02,816 --> 00:24:06,318
And knowing that the buffalo
are about to escape across the river,
224
00:24:06,403 --> 00:24:08,154
they continue the hunt.
225
00:24:18,665 --> 00:24:23,544
The females that have run and hunted hard
will need the next kill to be theirs.
226
00:24:30,927 --> 00:24:36,849
This kill must be large enough to both feed
those that stayed back protecting the cub,
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00:24:36,933 --> 00:24:42,605
and sustain the lionesses
that have been injured in this last attack.
228
00:24:42,939 --> 00:24:47,401
For the females,
the next hunt had better succeed.
229
00:24:52,657 --> 00:24:57,161
The buffalo on this island have developed
an unusual tactic for defense.
230
00:24:57,204 --> 00:24:59,288
lt seems to baffle the lions.
231
00:25:03,335 --> 00:25:07,630
Under threat, they present
an impenetrable wall of horns
232
00:25:07,672 --> 00:25:10,174
by simply dropping down to sleep.
233
00:25:14,429 --> 00:25:17,598
There are just a handful of hyenas
on the island.
234
00:25:18,350 --> 00:25:21,518
When a new mother tries to move her cubs
out of the way of the herd,
235
00:25:21,603 --> 00:25:26,023
she is well aware that she is being watched
from both sides.
236
00:25:34,074 --> 00:25:37,034
She doesn't want to be caught
in the middle of this battle.
237
00:25:40,497 --> 00:25:43,082
The unruly cubs had better head for cover.
238
00:25:43,166 --> 00:25:46,752
Lions will hunt down and kill hyenas
even though they don't eat them.
239
00:25:46,836 --> 00:25:50,047
But these lions are focused on killing
something edible,
240
00:25:50,340 --> 00:25:53,008
so, for today at least, there's no danger.
241
00:25:59,015 --> 00:26:00,266
(CHlRPlNG)
242
00:26:06,106 --> 00:26:10,234
When the herd finally sets off,
the lions slip into place.
243
00:26:10,944 --> 00:26:13,487
Only half the females are here today,
244
00:26:13,571 --> 00:26:16,323
injuries from the last hunt
have taken their toll,
245
00:26:16,408 --> 00:26:20,160
and the mother has gone off
to search for her missing cub.
246
00:26:21,538 --> 00:26:23,497
Expert buffalo hunters that they are,
247
00:26:23,581 --> 00:26:27,084
the Tsaro females don't always
get it right the first time.
248
00:26:29,838 --> 00:26:32,131
The remnants of the pride are hard-pressed
249
00:26:32,215 --> 00:26:35,426
to outmaneuver the young male
they have selected.
250
00:26:35,510 --> 00:26:37,928
Now the real hunt begins.
251
00:26:37,971 --> 00:26:39,305
(BELLOWlNG)
252
00:26:55,447 --> 00:26:58,365
Defiant young bulls,
determined to make it to their prime,
253
00:26:58,450 --> 00:27:01,618
are filled with the confidence
the testosterone gives them.
254
00:27:01,661 --> 00:27:03,120
(GROWLlNG)
255
00:27:24,476 --> 00:27:28,604
The bull refuses to give ground
to this handful of irritating lions.
256
00:27:28,646 --> 00:27:31,607
He will turn and fight another day.
257
00:27:43,870 --> 00:27:48,248
The buffalo are moving east again,
out of the Tsaro territory.
258
00:27:48,666 --> 00:27:51,335
lt is their chance to cross off the island.
259
00:27:52,545 --> 00:27:56,298
ln their path, other lions, the Pantry pride,
260
00:27:56,341 --> 00:27:58,217
look forward to their arrival.
261
00:28:05,016 --> 00:28:07,351
These are the risk-takers.
262
00:28:20,740 --> 00:28:23,575
Once a formidable hunting coalition
of eight lions,
263
00:28:23,660 --> 00:28:26,870
this pride could take down a buffalo
whenever they were hungry.
264
00:28:26,913 --> 00:28:29,081
Fortune smiled on them.
265
00:28:29,165 --> 00:28:33,335
But then, one day fate turned against them.
266
00:28:37,465 --> 00:28:40,884
They would take on even the largest
in a battle of the titans,
267
00:28:40,969 --> 00:28:45,222
they'd take risks, frontal attacks,
wrestling the bulls to their knees.
268
00:28:46,015 --> 00:28:48,559
They'd collapse their prey forward,
269
00:28:48,601 --> 00:28:53,439
unlike other prides who will avoid injury
and stay well clear of the sharp hooves.
270
00:28:54,315 --> 00:28:56,567
These were the bold lions of Duba,
271
00:28:56,609 --> 00:28:59,111
to whom the slashing points of a bull's horn
272
00:28:59,195 --> 00:29:03,157
were nothing more than an obstacle
to be overcome with brute force.
273
00:29:03,241 --> 00:29:05,284
(BELLOWlNG)
274
00:29:08,246 --> 00:29:12,249
Their raids on this buffalo pantry
were like medieval duels
275
00:29:12,584 --> 00:29:17,588
in which they seemed invincible,
but the injuries took their toll.
276
00:29:19,424 --> 00:29:20,883
(GROWLlNG)
277
00:29:30,518 --> 00:29:34,855
The pride withered away from eight to four,
278
00:29:34,939 --> 00:29:38,901
and finally, after this kill, just three.
279
00:29:41,946 --> 00:29:44,573
The Pantry pride is doomed.
280
00:29:49,287 --> 00:29:50,996
(CHlRPlNG)
281
00:29:57,086 --> 00:30:00,964
By contrast, the buffalo are steadily
building in strength.
282
00:30:01,925 --> 00:30:04,968
Within this seemingly chaotic mass
283
00:30:05,011 --> 00:30:08,430
is a surprising, almost military organization.
284
00:30:08,473 --> 00:30:11,808
Kinship groups like small regiments
making up brigades
285
00:30:11,893 --> 00:30:13,977
in their clans and herds.
286
00:30:16,064 --> 00:30:19,107
As they hone their weapons
against trees and shrubs,
287
00:30:19,150 --> 00:30:21,318
they signal their aggression.
288
00:30:25,490 --> 00:30:28,408
Constantly reinforced bonds
protect the young
289
00:30:28,493 --> 00:30:30,827
and bolster their group strength.
290
00:30:30,912 --> 00:30:34,498
The buffalo are more than just prey for lions.
291
00:30:48,846 --> 00:30:51,181
Tsaro in action again,
292
00:30:51,808 --> 00:30:55,727
coordinated and working as
a unit to fell a young cow.
293
00:30:57,272 --> 00:31:00,148
But the fallen cow belongs.
294
00:31:00,191 --> 00:31:02,150
lt is her saving grace.
295
00:31:05,947 --> 00:31:09,366
Time and time again, when the lionesses
separate her out of the herd,
296
00:31:09,450 --> 00:31:12,119
her clan rallies to find her.
297
00:31:15,623 --> 00:31:19,209
And it is here that the whole pride is needed
to distract and counter,
298
00:31:19,294 --> 00:31:24,256
to face down the charging family
and to outflank the injured cow.
299
00:31:27,510 --> 00:31:29,428
But not today.
300
00:31:29,512 --> 00:31:32,055
Three lionesses haven't
shown up for the hunt
301
00:31:32,098 --> 00:31:34,683
and the buffalo are getting stronger.
302
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:43,567
(lNSECTS BUZZlNG)
303
00:31:51,284 --> 00:31:52,993
The Skimmer pride,
304
00:31:53,077 --> 00:31:56,163
hungry again on the northern bank
and with nothing to do.
305
00:31:56,664 --> 00:31:59,291
The cubs urge their mothers
towards the channel,
306
00:31:59,375 --> 00:32:01,960
ready for another insurgent adventure.
307
00:32:02,587 --> 00:32:04,254
The mothers take the bait
308
00:32:04,297 --> 00:32:08,342
even though they're wary of alerting
the resting Tsaro lionesses.
309
00:32:28,404 --> 00:32:31,531
This time they bring
their own male with them.
310
00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,202
Slightly younger than the old Tsaro males,
311
00:32:35,286 --> 00:32:40,207
he looks ahead and swims on
into forbidden territory.
312
00:32:46,506 --> 00:32:47,881
(GROWLlNG)
313
00:32:52,887 --> 00:32:56,723
Now, in the tense world of a forbidden land
314
00:32:56,808 --> 00:32:58,892
on the wrong side of the river,
315
00:32:58,976 --> 00:33:02,979
the Skimmer cubs are intrigued
by anything that moves.
316
00:33:03,064 --> 00:33:06,149
lt's an exciting
and prohibited world for them.
317
00:33:10,488 --> 00:33:13,907
Their mothers let the teenagers
experiment with the porcupine.
318
00:33:13,991 --> 00:33:16,243
lt could be a painful lesson.
319
00:33:16,285 --> 00:33:19,162
Lions are often disabled
by those sharp quills.
320
00:33:20,415 --> 00:33:23,166
The barbed point will cause infection,
321
00:33:23,251 --> 00:33:26,586
and with lions that are constantly in and out
of swamp water,
322
00:33:26,629 --> 00:33:28,964
these infections could kill them.
323
00:33:29,465 --> 00:33:33,218
But this play gives the cubs
experience they need to have.
324
00:33:46,441 --> 00:33:47,774
(HlSSlNG)
325
00:33:56,784 --> 00:34:00,287
Perhaps this is the day
for teaching the cubs about life,
326
00:34:00,371 --> 00:34:03,623
even though it is a strange place to do it.
327
00:34:15,511 --> 00:34:19,222
The buffalo are an ideal canvass
for that education,
328
00:34:19,974 --> 00:34:22,809
and this is what they came for.
329
00:34:36,240 --> 00:34:38,658
(BELLOWlNG)
330
00:34:41,037 --> 00:34:42,913
(GROWLlNG)
331
00:34:44,582 --> 00:34:46,708
Sound carries forever here,
332
00:34:46,792 --> 00:34:50,378
especially to ears attuned
to the one prey species they know well
333
00:34:50,463 --> 00:34:53,715
and the one signal of distress
they know intimately.
334
00:34:55,718 --> 00:34:58,094
The cow is an easy target,
335
00:34:58,179 --> 00:35:01,056
but the herd has been emboldened
by a wave of successes
336
00:35:01,140 --> 00:35:03,183
in seeing off such attackers.
337
00:35:03,226 --> 00:35:06,436
With each success
they develop more confidence.
338
00:35:17,907 --> 00:35:20,700
Their triumph further enrages them
339
00:35:20,785 --> 00:35:25,789
and, as it does, the scales are tipped
against the splintered Skimmer pride.
340
00:35:26,290 --> 00:35:30,752
There is a subtle power shift
that sends the hunters fleeing for cover.
341
00:35:31,128 --> 00:35:34,881
lt is a turning point in this relationship.
342
00:35:36,842 --> 00:35:39,261
With the pride scattered and running scared,
343
00:35:39,345 --> 00:35:44,432
now the buffalo have a real chance
of skewering a lion at last.
344
00:35:49,146 --> 00:35:50,897
(GROWLlNG)
345
00:35:50,940 --> 00:35:56,611
lt turns into a chaotic scramble for safety
for the surprised young lions.
346
00:36:01,242 --> 00:36:04,202
Far across the open grassland
from the fleeing pride,
347
00:36:04,245 --> 00:36:07,455
one of the insecure
teenage males is isolated.
348
00:36:07,540 --> 00:36:09,958
The herd has cut off his escape.
349
00:36:15,756 --> 00:36:18,508
The Tsaro pride has heard the commotion.
350
00:36:18,593 --> 00:36:20,260
They are here.
351
00:36:27,977 --> 00:36:31,021
Skew Ear is always quick on the offensive,
352
00:36:31,689 --> 00:36:34,274
and slowly they appear from everywhere.
353
00:36:36,736 --> 00:36:39,070
Now they are united.
354
00:36:48,623 --> 00:36:51,458
The Skimmer lions are too shaken
by the buffalo's aggression
355
00:36:51,542 --> 00:36:56,171
to notice that the lions coming at them
from all directions are not from their pride.
356
00:36:56,881 --> 00:37:00,175
lt takes a moment to notice
the fire in their eyes.
357
00:37:05,931 --> 00:37:08,642
The Skimmer pride has no heart for a fight.
358
00:37:17,568 --> 00:37:19,944
The strength of being on their own territory
359
00:37:19,987 --> 00:37:23,239
weighs heavily on the side
of the resident males.
360
00:37:25,159 --> 00:37:28,995
The Tsaro males focus on any foreign male,
361
00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,790
leaving the females to their own battles.
362
00:37:32,333 --> 00:37:36,127
This is male business now, one on one,
363
00:37:36,170 --> 00:37:39,089
or if possible two on one.
364
00:37:50,976 --> 00:37:53,770
(ALL GROWLlNG)
365
00:37:54,855 --> 00:37:59,693
When these huge males fight,
it is at enormous risk to both.
366
00:38:00,277 --> 00:38:02,987
Even the victors have to
guard against a stray bite
367
00:38:03,030 --> 00:38:07,909
or defensive swipe that could sever a jugular
or slice open a fatal wound.
368
00:38:08,536 --> 00:38:10,578
Slowed down by the water,
369
00:38:10,663 --> 00:38:13,456
the cubs are taking a risk
of their own in crossing.
370
00:38:13,541 --> 00:38:17,001
The incensed Tsaro females
could easily cross right in behind them
371
00:38:17,044 --> 00:38:19,379
and take the fight to the far shore.
372
00:38:20,214 --> 00:38:23,174
So even though the odds
are stacked in their favor,
373
00:38:23,217 --> 00:38:26,886
this attack is not driven to the point of death.
374
00:38:26,971 --> 00:38:29,472
This time their point has been made,
375
00:38:29,557 --> 00:38:32,225
"This is our land and we will defend it.
376
00:38:32,309 --> 00:38:34,602
"The boundary has been secured."
377
00:38:35,354 --> 00:38:38,398
(LlONS ROARlNG)
378
00:39:04,633 --> 00:39:07,886
The Tsaro pride's
aggressive defense is extreme
379
00:39:07,928 --> 00:39:11,681
because at last they have
a new set of cubs to defend.
380
00:39:11,932 --> 00:39:16,603
Hunters by nature, they seem to know
what they are born to.
381
00:39:17,605 --> 00:39:22,525
Their play is a dress rehearsal
for what will one day not be a game.
382
00:39:38,459 --> 00:39:41,294
And already they smell of lion.
383
00:39:49,637 --> 00:39:52,847
lt is a scent that drives the lead bulls wild.
384
00:39:58,062 --> 00:40:01,481
The buffalo are incensed by the wafting,
invisible smell of lions,
385
00:40:01,524 --> 00:40:05,860
and they push deeper into the Tsaro palms,
stomping at any movement.
386
00:40:12,409 --> 00:40:14,619
(BELLOWlNG)
387
00:40:40,604 --> 00:40:42,689
The twin mothers have arrived,
388
00:40:42,731 --> 00:40:46,192
drawn back to their cubs
by the weight of the milk they carry.
389
00:40:46,235 --> 00:40:48,570
And when they see the chaos around them,
390
00:40:48,654 --> 00:40:51,197
the low growls of displeasure begin.
391
00:40:55,411 --> 00:40:56,953
(LlONESSES GROWLlNG)
392
00:40:57,037 --> 00:41:00,540
These are angry lions now,
not calculating hunters.
393
00:41:01,208 --> 00:41:02,876
Flinging themselves at the buffalo
394
00:41:02,918 --> 00:41:05,003
takes them beyond
the simple contest for food.
395
00:41:05,045 --> 00:41:07,046
Now they are enemies.
396
00:41:12,511 --> 00:41:16,055
But when their thrusts are countered,
the scales are tipped
397
00:41:16,098 --> 00:41:20,059
in the delicate confidence game
that drives everything in nature.
398
00:41:20,144 --> 00:41:22,729
But any retreat would mean
sacrificing their cubs.
399
00:41:22,813 --> 00:41:24,397
(GROWLlNG)
400
00:41:24,481 --> 00:41:27,233
Not these two mothers. Not the twins.
401
00:41:34,283 --> 00:41:37,619
But when the mothers check for their cubs
among the palms,
402
00:41:37,703 --> 00:41:41,414
nothing but a disturbing silence greets them.
403
00:41:49,423 --> 00:41:50,757
(YELPlNG)
404
00:41:54,261 --> 00:41:56,220
(CUBS MEOWlNG)
405
00:42:07,191 --> 00:42:11,611
Only half of the cubs seem to have
survived the buffalo onslaught,
406
00:42:11,695 --> 00:42:14,447
but then, from the safety of the palms,
407
00:42:14,490 --> 00:42:18,409
three more and finally
all of them come tumbling out.
408
00:42:19,787 --> 00:42:22,080
With only one casualty.
409
00:42:23,374 --> 00:42:27,919
Most lions recover well from the deep cuts
they endure in their violent life
410
00:42:27,962 --> 00:42:30,046
because of their thin skins
and the dry climate.
411
00:42:30,130 --> 00:42:31,965
But in the swamp,
412
00:42:32,007 --> 00:42:36,302
injuries are kept moist and raw,
open to infection.
413
00:42:39,139 --> 00:42:41,975
The twins decide as one
to move the litter away
414
00:42:42,017 --> 00:42:44,102
from the aggressive herd of buffalo.
415
00:42:44,144 --> 00:42:45,436
For the injured cub,
416
00:42:45,479 --> 00:42:47,814
this may be the worst time
to have to go on a long march,
417
00:42:47,856 --> 00:42:51,150
especially when the only way
ahead is through water.
418
00:42:58,367 --> 00:43:02,286
And as their whiskers touch
the still unfamiliar water,
419
00:43:02,329 --> 00:43:07,375
they feel their future as swamp cats
for the first time on their skins.
420
00:43:07,459 --> 00:43:12,005
lt is a future that is extremely precarious
for the whole pride,
421
00:43:12,089 --> 00:43:15,049
not just the one lagging cub.
422
00:43:15,134 --> 00:43:16,926
With such extreme hunting,
423
00:43:17,011 --> 00:43:19,846
it's inevitable that at least
one of the Tsaro lionesses
424
00:43:19,888 --> 00:43:22,265
will be injured or killed at some time.
425
00:43:22,349 --> 00:43:26,853
When that happens, the pride will be
in desperate need of some of their cubs.
426
00:43:35,029 --> 00:43:37,613
lt is essential that they keep
the hunting numbers
427
00:43:37,698 --> 00:43:40,408
at the ideal eight or nine lionesses.
428
00:43:41,201 --> 00:43:43,911
This then is a precious cargo.
429
00:44:20,407 --> 00:44:22,533
This wet, swampy world they live in
430
00:44:22,576 --> 00:44:25,787
makes up an intricate part of
the lions' hunting strategy,
431
00:44:25,871 --> 00:44:28,081
where the buffalo are slowed down.
432
00:44:28,165 --> 00:44:30,374
But it also wears out the lions.
433
00:44:30,417 --> 00:44:34,045
Both they and their prey
are more vulnerable in the swamp.
434
00:44:51,271 --> 00:44:55,108
Beyond the ebb and flow
of this unpredictable relationship,
435
00:44:55,150 --> 00:44:57,443
a strange set of patterns emerge.
436
00:44:58,070 --> 00:45:02,698
The lions start to show signs
of understanding much more,
437
00:45:02,783 --> 00:45:06,494
and going much further
in their strategies for hunting buffalo.
438
00:45:07,996 --> 00:45:11,082
The season change brings
new wanderers through their territory,
439
00:45:11,125 --> 00:45:14,335
big herds of elephants from the dry interior.
440
00:45:15,420 --> 00:45:19,882
To the north, no more than
a few dozen pride territories away,
441
00:45:19,967 --> 00:45:23,344
other lions have specialized
in killing elephants,
442
00:45:23,428 --> 00:45:24,804
but not these lions.
443
00:45:25,222 --> 00:45:28,808
Even though their bulk would be valuable
in an elephant hunt,
444
00:45:28,892 --> 00:45:31,144
they show no interest at all.
445
00:45:32,688 --> 00:45:34,564
Lions learn quickly,
446
00:45:34,648 --> 00:45:37,817
but they most often stick to what they know.
447
00:45:39,736 --> 00:45:43,197
And here, that is buffalo hunting.
448
00:45:52,166 --> 00:45:57,128
When the buffalo are woken and scattered
into the 1 1 0-degree heat,
449
00:45:57,171 --> 00:46:01,132
Skew Horn looks north
and picks out a landmark.
450
00:46:02,509 --> 00:46:04,719
The Tsaro lionesses follow.
451
00:46:05,012 --> 00:46:06,470
They've seen this before.
452
00:46:06,513 --> 00:46:08,431
They know exactly where the herd is going,
453
00:46:08,515 --> 00:46:12,143
almost before the last members
of the herd know themselves.
454
00:46:13,312 --> 00:46:16,147
From their memory of past successes
455
00:46:16,190 --> 00:46:18,608
and an intimate knowledge of the terrain,
456
00:46:18,692 --> 00:46:20,776
the lions now do something
457
00:46:20,861 --> 00:46:24,864
that shows the precise calculation
of their hunting strategies.
458
00:46:27,868 --> 00:46:29,368
They position themselves,
459
00:46:29,453 --> 00:46:34,207
ready to play out the same game plan
they have used many times before.
460
00:46:35,042 --> 00:46:38,753
When the lionesses ignore the herd
and circle ahead of it,
461
00:46:38,837 --> 00:46:42,256
it is because they are drawing on
memory from past battles.
462
00:46:42,799 --> 00:46:46,469
They know where the buffalo
will be the most vulnerable.
463
00:46:48,513 --> 00:46:53,601
Up ahead is where the herd will wedge itself
against the deep water's edge.
464
00:46:54,561 --> 00:46:57,897
All the lions have to do
is to position themselves,
465
00:46:57,981 --> 00:47:00,107
ready for the herd to turn back.
466
00:47:15,916 --> 00:47:17,833
The cubs are along as well.
467
00:47:18,877 --> 00:47:22,004
The Tsaro lionesses
may be this enormous size
468
00:47:22,089 --> 00:47:26,384
because of some genetic trait
that the cubs will inherit.
469
00:47:26,426 --> 00:47:28,636
The constant wading may also be a key
470
00:47:28,720 --> 00:47:31,973
to developing these huge chests
and upper legs,
471
00:47:32,057 --> 00:47:34,684
an exercise the cubs will get used to,
472
00:47:34,768 --> 00:47:37,436
even though now the soft mud
and the small creatures
473
00:47:37,479 --> 00:47:40,273
that scurry away underfoot unsettle them.
474
00:47:40,857 --> 00:47:44,277
The sheer volume of buffalo meat
these specialist cubs will eat
475
00:47:44,361 --> 00:47:49,031
may be a further factor in making them
into these enormous Okavango swamp cats.
476
00:47:51,201 --> 00:47:55,621
Somewhere along the way,
the injured cub fell behind and disappeared,
477
00:47:55,914 --> 00:47:58,791
a bitter reminder to any cub that lags.
478
00:48:03,630 --> 00:48:06,132
The old loner is also along today,
479
00:48:06,174 --> 00:48:10,928
hanging back and weary of the unruly cubs
splashing noisily among them.
480
00:48:10,971 --> 00:48:16,225
This hunt has all the signs
of being chaotic and dangerous.
481
00:48:22,566 --> 00:48:24,608
Their plan is working.
482
00:48:24,651 --> 00:48:27,570
The buffalo are exactly
where the lions want them.
483
00:48:35,287 --> 00:48:37,121
The setup is perfect.
484
00:48:38,790 --> 00:48:41,375
Now the hunt turns to the straggling bulls,
485
00:48:41,460 --> 00:48:45,129
old, fiercely independent fighters,
aggressive and tough.
486
00:48:45,672 --> 00:48:48,007
This will be a battle of giants.
487
00:49:07,861 --> 00:49:08,986
(SNARLS)
488
00:49:53,698 --> 00:49:55,407
This is the object of every hunt,
489
00:49:55,492 --> 00:49:58,911
continually add pressure
and cause something to unravel.
490
00:49:58,995 --> 00:50:01,122
Mistakes are then inevitable.
491
00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:06,085
A single cow stands out among the bulls,
an easier target.
492
00:50:06,878 --> 00:50:11,132
But as she turns back,
it is into the path of a waiting lioness.
493
00:50:11,216 --> 00:50:12,299
(BELLOWS)
494
00:50:22,227 --> 00:50:24,395
The lion conquers her hesitation.
495
00:50:24,437 --> 00:50:26,480
She has unlocked the puzzle
496
00:50:26,565 --> 00:50:29,567
and found the weak spot
in the buffalo's defense.
497
00:50:31,361 --> 00:50:32,736
(BELLOWlNG)
498
00:50:46,543 --> 00:50:49,170
The activity is like a magnet.
499
00:50:49,254 --> 00:50:53,757
Even the lone lioness hazards the depths
to get to the flaying cow.
500
00:50:55,719 --> 00:50:56,969
(GRUNTlNG)
501
00:51:07,022 --> 00:51:10,941
But these may be waters
too much even for a Tsaro female.
502
00:51:21,411 --> 00:51:26,373
The crystal clear waters allow
frightening glimpses of what lurks below.
503
00:51:26,458 --> 00:51:28,626
And when the buffalo starts to sink,
504
00:51:28,668 --> 00:51:31,629
the lioness makes the decision to swim for it.
505
00:52:03,495 --> 00:52:05,663
Making for the river bank
before the crocodiles
506
00:52:05,747 --> 00:52:08,165
she knows are down there can surface,
507
00:52:08,250 --> 00:52:10,834
she leaves the buffalo cow
to her own devices,
508
00:52:10,877 --> 00:52:13,212
a more vulnerable bait.
509
00:52:32,649 --> 00:52:36,026
The herd has outmaneuvered
the lions again today,
510
00:52:36,111 --> 00:52:39,154
perhaps because it was the cubs' first hunt.
511
00:52:39,197 --> 00:52:44,076
Females were scattered, and the chaos
didn't quite work in their favor.
512
00:52:46,788 --> 00:52:49,373
lnstantly, the buffalo settle,
513
00:52:49,457 --> 00:52:52,543
quick to let go of the stress of the attack.
514
00:52:52,585 --> 00:52:56,297
Their way of dealing with the lions'
relentless predation
515
00:52:56,381 --> 00:52:58,132
is to put it all behind them.
516
00:53:03,179 --> 00:53:08,142
lt takes the lions some time to notice
that none of the cubs is with them.
517
00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:15,566
(GROWLlNG)
518
00:53:46,723 --> 00:53:51,602
Hours later, they find one dead in the grass.
519
00:53:53,438 --> 00:53:56,315
The distance from water
absolves the crocodiles.
520
00:53:56,399 --> 00:53:59,151
This may be something more insidious.
521
00:53:59,235 --> 00:54:02,279
For Silver Eye, the distress is too much,
522
00:54:02,322 --> 00:54:06,575
and she slowly and deliberately
eats the remains of the cub.
523
00:54:08,078 --> 00:54:10,704
Whether lions can mourn or not,
524
00:54:10,789 --> 00:54:13,707
there is an air of desperation
around the pride now.
525
00:54:14,125 --> 00:54:17,961
At least one of these females knows
exactly what has happened to the cubs.
526
00:54:18,254 --> 00:54:20,381
One female was always behind.
527
00:54:25,720 --> 00:54:28,972
Others are more determined
to defend their young.
528
00:54:29,015 --> 00:54:31,183
ln the case of the Blacksmith plovers,
529
00:54:31,267 --> 00:54:35,104
it is at risk of death,
against overwhelming odds.
530
00:54:35,146 --> 00:54:36,605
(PLOVERS SQUAWKlNG)
531
00:54:37,690 --> 00:54:40,484
lt is the time of the angry bulls.
532
00:54:41,903 --> 00:54:46,615
Monsters filled with aggression
and exploding with testosterone
533
00:54:46,658 --> 00:54:49,952
find any reason to knock down an opponent.
534
00:54:52,747 --> 00:54:54,164
(BELLOWlNG)
535
00:54:59,170 --> 00:55:02,214
And while these beasts engage in combat,
536
00:55:02,298 --> 00:55:06,718
the plovers stand their ground
in amongst the thrashing hooves.
537
00:55:30,869 --> 00:55:32,870
There is nothing delicate about this.
538
00:55:32,954 --> 00:55:37,207
These are battles of brute force
that male buffalo are built for.
539
00:55:39,794 --> 00:55:44,465
Their heavy necks are able to withstand
tons of head-to-head impact.
540
00:55:44,549 --> 00:55:49,553
Without these gnarled and impossibly heavy
horny bosses for protection,
541
00:55:49,637 --> 00:55:52,890
the repeated shocks would most likely
shatter their skulls.
542
00:55:58,813 --> 00:56:01,231
With the upturned hooks on their horns,
543
00:56:01,316 --> 00:56:04,610
the Cape buffalo
slash savagely at each other.
544
00:56:05,487 --> 00:56:09,281
These blood-soaked rapiers
are an indication ofjust how easily
545
00:56:09,365 --> 00:56:12,034
a thin-skinned lioness could succumb,
546
00:56:12,076 --> 00:56:15,954
let alone a plover
weighing less than a pound.
547
00:56:29,844 --> 00:56:33,222
And underfoot, those plovers
have made their point,
548
00:56:33,723 --> 00:56:36,975
just in time for their own additions
to Duba plains.
549
00:56:46,110 --> 00:56:50,322
Despite the heavy predation by lions,
the buffalo here have broken through
550
00:56:50,406 --> 00:56:52,950
the threshold where the lions
can destroy the herd.
551
00:56:53,034 --> 00:56:56,745
They have started to breed
faster than the lions can kill them,
552
00:56:56,788 --> 00:56:59,790
and the herd swells each year,
staying together
553
00:56:59,832 --> 00:57:02,292
instead of fragmenting, as you would expect.
554
00:57:06,005 --> 00:57:10,425
Now sleeping within five or six paces
of the accepting herd,
555
00:57:10,468 --> 00:57:13,971
the lions have moved this
to a new level of intimacy,
556
00:57:14,722 --> 00:57:19,977
perhaps an indication of where
this unusual relationship may go.
557
00:57:25,984 --> 00:57:30,028
The two old males of Duba
have seen many a battle together
558
00:57:30,113 --> 00:57:33,282
and stolen many a kill from their lionesses.
559
00:57:33,950 --> 00:57:37,536
But at nearly 1 3 years old,
their time is coming to an end.
560
00:57:38,121 --> 00:57:42,958
When they are overthrown,
life will be even more unstable for the pride.
561
00:57:44,502 --> 00:57:47,671
And in this bizarre display of familiarity,
562
00:57:47,755 --> 00:57:51,800
the Tsaro females have
so imbedded themselves with the buffalo
563
00:57:51,843 --> 00:57:55,596
that they have become almost
an extension of the herd.
564
00:58:09,193 --> 00:58:12,487
As the herd gets closer
to the Tsaro territory boundaries,
565
00:58:12,572 --> 00:58:17,326
the lions are even more attentive,
not letting their buffalo out of their sight.
566
00:58:20,330 --> 00:58:23,999
When the herd moves closer to the water
and possible escape,
567
00:58:24,042 --> 00:58:26,752
the lions look ahead
and comb their memories
568
00:58:26,836 --> 00:58:30,172
for strategies and plans
of action they can use,
569
00:58:30,214 --> 00:58:32,007
and then decide on one.
570
00:58:37,555 --> 00:58:39,681
The buffalo find their direction.
571
00:58:40,016 --> 00:58:42,267
They plan to cross the river.
572
00:58:45,688 --> 00:58:48,190
This calls for a different tactic altogether.
573
00:58:59,994 --> 00:59:04,206
Hunting here is not only a physical effort,
it is a mind game.
574
00:59:04,707 --> 00:59:08,794
Now the lionesses maneuver themselves
carefully into key positions,
575
00:59:08,878 --> 00:59:12,130
poaching just a little into
the Skimmer pride territory.
576
00:59:17,553 --> 00:59:20,305
The ambush is a bold tactic
to frighten the buffalo
577
00:59:20,390 --> 00:59:22,224
back to where they came from.
578
00:59:53,464 --> 00:59:56,007
With the buffalo back in Tsaro territory,
579
00:59:56,092 --> 00:59:58,760
the lions can now hunt them
on their own terms.
580
01:00:20,283 --> 01:00:24,578
At first, the front line of cats
moves in shoulder to shoulder.
581
01:00:26,748 --> 01:00:28,248
They still need the buffalo
582
01:00:28,291 --> 01:00:31,293
a little further away from the water
and possible escape,
583
01:00:32,003 --> 01:00:35,213
so they shift them
with short, stabbing attacks.
584
01:00:40,303 --> 01:00:42,679
But each individual lioness who attacks
585
01:00:42,764 --> 01:00:45,807
is vulnerable to the bad-tempered old bulls.
586
01:00:45,892 --> 01:00:50,812
As the forays continue,
the herd senses a lack of conviction
587
01:00:50,855 --> 01:00:53,857
and slowly the power shifts again.
588
01:01:15,922 --> 01:01:18,048
And then, quite suddenly,
589
01:01:18,132 --> 01:01:21,009
it seems as though the lions
have lost their advantage.
590
01:01:21,719 --> 01:01:25,764
Their attacks become
uncoordinated and sloppy
591
01:01:25,848 --> 01:01:28,683
as they get lost in the choking dust.
592
01:01:42,782 --> 01:01:45,242
But then, the break happens.
593
01:01:45,326 --> 01:01:47,202
The herd skirts the palm islands
594
01:01:47,245 --> 01:01:50,705
and a Tsaro lioness sees
her target through the dust.
595
01:02:03,052 --> 01:02:04,386
(BELLOWS)
596
01:02:29,161 --> 01:02:30,579
These are running attacks.
597
01:02:30,663 --> 01:02:33,415
Deep chests filled with air, heavy upper legs
598
01:02:33,457 --> 01:02:37,752
give them the stamina they need to keep up
and to launch themselves into battle.
599
01:02:37,795 --> 01:02:42,924
For the lions now, it is a race to survive,
one day at a time,
600
01:02:42,967 --> 01:02:45,886
a struggle they are determined to win.
601
01:02:54,061 --> 01:02:56,479
Six months after the rain in the highlands,
602
01:02:56,522 --> 01:02:59,649
the flood waters arrive in the Okavango.
603
01:02:59,692 --> 01:03:02,986
The surface area of the island
is suddenly reduced,
604
01:03:03,029 --> 01:03:06,823
and the lions and buffalo are forced together
even more intensely.
605
01:03:14,874 --> 01:03:19,753
Today the lions are using the water
to work the buffalo into a frenzy.
606
01:03:22,715 --> 01:03:25,884
Once in the water, the cats target the calves.
607
01:03:26,552 --> 01:03:30,305
The drag effect slows the weaker,
young animals down.
608
01:03:31,432 --> 01:03:34,851
Lions are expert
in recognizing that weakness.
609
01:04:51,429 --> 01:04:53,304
(BELLOWlNG)
610
01:04:56,851 --> 01:05:01,021
The confidence of these buffalo
has now reached a level
611
01:05:01,105 --> 01:05:03,314
where any attack is challenged.
612
01:05:05,317 --> 01:05:06,526
(SNARLlNG)
613
01:05:11,240 --> 01:05:14,659
ln other places, buffalo usually flee in panic
614
01:05:14,702 --> 01:05:16,828
to the furthermost parts of their range.
615
01:05:17,288 --> 01:05:20,457
But here, they stay as close
to the lions as possible,
616
01:05:20,499 --> 01:05:23,793
circling around the attacking lions they know
617
01:05:23,836 --> 01:05:26,046
rather than running away wildly,
618
01:05:26,130 --> 01:05:29,424
which they've learned
will only attract other prides.
619
01:05:32,094 --> 01:05:36,431
The Tsaro pride needs all their resources
and concentration now.
620
01:05:37,099 --> 01:05:41,061
Any distractions will shift the power
away from them again,
621
01:05:41,145 --> 01:05:42,854
in favor of the buffalo.
622
01:06:01,624 --> 01:06:05,001
ln the continued attacks,
the injured calf is embraced
623
01:06:05,044 --> 01:06:08,338
behind a wall of buffalo
and once again the lions,
624
01:06:08,380 --> 01:06:12,217
only reluctant and uneasy
when their whiskers touch the water,
625
01:06:12,259 --> 01:06:13,927
continue the hunt.
626
01:06:14,887 --> 01:06:17,180
Once again, they have to
spur the herd into panic
627
01:06:17,223 --> 01:06:20,475
before they can search out the injured calf.
628
01:06:20,559 --> 01:06:22,894
This is where they need
all of their pride members
629
01:06:22,978 --> 01:06:24,854
to keep the herd under pressure.
630
01:06:27,399 --> 01:06:28,900
And then, they see it.
631
01:06:48,754 --> 01:06:53,424
But surprisingly for this area,
a small raiding party of hyenas arrives,
632
01:06:53,509 --> 01:06:56,594
attracted by the commotion
within the stampeding herd.
633
01:06:56,679 --> 01:07:00,348
These huge lions don't have the experience
of hyenas very often
634
01:07:00,432 --> 01:07:02,725
and their reactions are astonishing.
635
01:07:02,768 --> 01:07:04,269
(GROWLS)
636
01:07:04,311 --> 01:07:06,104
(HYENAS LAUGHlNG)
637
01:07:17,324 --> 01:07:18,783
(GROWLlNG)
638
01:07:25,416 --> 01:07:26,666
(HYENA LAUGHlNG)
639
01:07:35,509 --> 01:07:40,138
Just one of these lionesses
outweighs a hyena three times over,
640
01:07:40,181 --> 01:07:42,724
and yet the small handful of attackers
641
01:07:42,808 --> 01:07:45,226
manages to gain
the psychological advantage
642
01:07:45,311 --> 01:07:48,313
simply with posture and intimidation.
643
01:07:54,612 --> 01:07:57,071
Today the lions seem to think better
644
01:07:57,156 --> 01:07:59,407
of provoking the hyenas or evoking the wrath
645
01:07:59,491 --> 01:08:01,910
of their vicious teeth and darting demeanors.
646
01:08:03,162 --> 01:08:07,123
The hunt is over for the lions,
another failure,
647
01:08:07,833 --> 01:08:11,336
although the hyenas
can still smell opportunity.
648
01:08:12,504 --> 01:08:15,215
When the herd nuzzles the wounded calf,
649
01:08:15,299 --> 01:08:17,842
they taste the blood and sense his fear.
650
01:08:18,844 --> 01:08:20,220
(HYENAS HOWLlNG)
651
01:08:27,978 --> 01:08:31,731
The day is not yet over for the buffalo
and their injured calf.
652
01:08:31,815 --> 01:08:36,653
Now he is left to the more persistent dogging
by these new predators on the scene.
653
01:08:36,695 --> 01:08:38,029
(HYENAS LAUGHlNG)
654
01:08:40,282 --> 01:08:41,616
(BELLOWS)
655
01:08:41,700 --> 01:08:43,284
(HYENAS LAUGHlNG)
656
01:09:24,243 --> 01:09:27,578
When Skew Ear and Silver Eye
regroup with the twins
657
01:09:27,621 --> 01:09:31,207
and decide to move off,
it is not to hunt again,
658
01:09:31,250 --> 01:09:35,670
but to retire from the field, beaten,
and to find the other females.
659
01:09:35,754 --> 01:09:38,631
Something in their strategy
just isn't working.
660
01:09:39,133 --> 01:09:42,635
After the cub deaths,
the pride has been distracted,
661
01:09:42,720 --> 01:09:46,055
females joining loosely
and disbanding again.
662
01:09:49,184 --> 01:09:50,935
But just as the hunting party breaks up,
663
01:09:51,020 --> 01:09:54,564
the hyenas drive the buffalo
right in behind the departing lions.
664
01:10:23,010 --> 01:10:27,388
And now, all they must do is to reach out
and take what is rightfully theirs.
665
01:10:31,143 --> 01:10:33,144
lt's an intoxicating moment,
666
01:10:33,228 --> 01:10:37,440
that instant of a lion's explosive
and determined rush at its prey.
667
01:10:52,623 --> 01:10:55,291
The water drags at any movement,
668
01:10:55,334 --> 01:10:58,336
slows their responses
and magnifies the effort
669
01:10:58,379 --> 01:11:01,130
each has to make to escape
or capture their prey.
670
01:11:07,096 --> 01:11:08,346
(GROWLS)
671
01:11:12,643 --> 01:11:14,852
lt is a contest to see which animal
672
01:11:14,895 --> 01:11:17,897
has developed the best weapons
to cope with the water.
673
01:11:17,981 --> 01:11:22,485
The heavy buffalo bodies pitted
against the wit and strength of the lions.
674
01:11:22,528 --> 01:11:26,823
The heroic defense of the clan
versus the instant damage of an attack,
675
01:11:26,865 --> 01:11:28,950
each racing against time.
676
01:11:29,034 --> 01:11:31,452
The time it takes to inflict a mortal wound.
677
01:11:32,496 --> 01:11:36,082
And the capacity to outsmart and outlast
the enemy in this battle
678
01:11:36,166 --> 01:11:38,543
is an art, a science,
679
01:11:39,586 --> 01:11:41,462
poetry in the face of death.
680
01:11:55,436 --> 01:11:57,186
(HYENAS HOWLlNG)
681
01:11:58,397 --> 01:12:01,065
Their new nemeses are quick to follow up.
682
01:12:13,245 --> 01:12:14,454
(GROWLS)
683
01:12:31,305 --> 01:12:34,515
Where this new confidence came from,
we will never know,
684
01:12:34,600 --> 01:12:37,393
but the psychological tactic
is overpowering.
685
01:12:38,145 --> 01:12:39,437
(ROARlNG)
686
01:12:41,899 --> 01:12:43,357
(LAUGHlNG)
687
01:13:19,978 --> 01:13:22,688
Both of the lions' kills are under threat now.
688
01:13:28,320 --> 01:13:32,823
A wall of attacking, demonic,
blood-splattered hyenas will intimidate
689
01:13:32,866 --> 01:13:35,576
even the strongest warriors of the plains.
690
01:13:44,336 --> 01:13:47,046
But the day is far from over.
691
01:13:55,097 --> 01:13:57,807
The buffalo have bounced back yet again
692
01:13:57,891 --> 01:14:00,935
and are heading for
the water-crossing to the west.
693
01:14:00,978 --> 01:14:03,187
The day's relentless demands
694
01:14:03,272 --> 01:14:05,731
have sent them back on a familiar path,
695
01:14:06,191 --> 01:14:09,860
and, as before,
the lions recognize the pattern.
696
01:14:35,304 --> 01:14:36,637
(BELLOWlNG)
697
01:14:38,640 --> 01:14:40,808
When they make their third kill of the day,
698
01:14:40,851 --> 01:14:43,311
the battered pride assembles at last.
699
01:14:47,274 --> 01:14:51,777
The besieged herd makes one last stand
for their injured calf.
700
01:14:54,865 --> 01:14:56,198
(LlONS ROARlNG)
701
01:15:13,884 --> 01:15:15,468
(ROARS)
702
01:15:16,053 --> 01:15:18,679
This has not been their day of glory.
703
01:15:18,722 --> 01:15:23,267
Their five hours of hunting has fed
almost every other predator in Duba
704
01:15:23,352 --> 01:15:27,396
and, but for a few mouthfuls,
the huntresses have gone unsated.
705
01:15:27,731 --> 01:15:31,275
The lionesses of the Tsaro pride
are finally exhausted.
706
01:15:31,360 --> 01:15:34,278
They cannot push the buffalo another step.
707
01:15:36,365 --> 01:15:39,909
The astonishing beauty
in their haunting relationship
708
01:15:39,951 --> 01:15:42,411
is what makes this island so special.
709
01:15:56,676 --> 01:16:01,597
At dawn, as the lions and the buffalo
gather for their daily interaction,
710
01:16:01,640 --> 01:16:05,935
it is difficult not to see them
as part of one whole.
711
01:16:06,937 --> 01:16:10,231
The buffalo herd is kept pruned
of the sick and the weak,
712
01:16:10,273 --> 01:16:13,359
a burden that weighs heavily
on their progress.
713
01:16:13,985 --> 01:16:17,363
And the lions could certainly
not live without them.
714
01:16:18,824 --> 01:16:20,241
They need each other.
715
01:16:22,869 --> 01:16:25,579
When individual buffalo step out at the lions
716
01:16:25,622 --> 01:16:29,875
and playfully leap back to safety,
it is a deadly game.
717
01:16:57,237 --> 01:17:01,657
The movements seem to lock these two
in an ageless dance,
718
01:17:01,700 --> 01:17:05,453
in perfect harmony
on that essential edge of life
719
01:17:05,495 --> 01:17:10,082
where heroism and bravery are tempered
by the constant risk of death.
720
01:17:17,507 --> 01:17:18,924
(GROWLlNG)
721
01:17:22,179 --> 01:17:24,221
The lions amble out of the way,
722
01:17:24,306 --> 01:17:29,185
but bounce back, and forjust a moment
the backwards and forwards movement
723
01:17:29,227 --> 01:17:31,770
takes on a fluidity that is much more
724
01:17:31,855 --> 01:17:34,356
than just predators and prey,
or even enemies.
725
01:17:35,358 --> 01:17:40,237
This is a deadly dance that can erupt
into violence in a heartbeat.
726
01:17:42,866 --> 01:17:45,951
And slowly, the lionesses are assembling.
727
01:18:26,409 --> 01:18:29,328
Just then, the old female stops.
728
01:18:29,996 --> 01:18:35,084
ln the distance, one of the missing females
appears with two new cubs.
729
01:18:39,798 --> 01:18:44,009
Like an expectant grandmother,
the old female is enraptured.
730
01:18:45,262 --> 01:18:48,389
But something bothers the mother
about her approach.
731
01:18:59,401 --> 01:19:02,111
lt sends the cubs back
towards their hiding place.
732
01:19:02,195 --> 01:19:04,780
Something in her body language instills fear
733
01:19:04,823 --> 01:19:08,534
and foreboding in their innocent,
but perceptive, minds.
734
01:19:08,827 --> 01:19:11,579
And then, her actions are clear to the mother.
735
01:19:11,621 --> 01:19:12,997
(BOTH GROWLlNG)
736
01:19:16,209 --> 01:19:18,836
She is the cub killer!
737
01:19:19,129 --> 01:19:20,546
(LlONESS ROARlNG)
738
01:19:25,176 --> 01:19:28,971
When the mother attacks her,
it is as if it is for all the mothers
739
01:19:29,014 --> 01:19:31,890
that lost their cubs in the past few years.
740
01:19:38,315 --> 01:19:41,817
Her attentive rearguard
while the mothers were off hunting
741
01:19:41,860 --> 01:19:45,321
gave her the opportunity
to finish off each and every cub
742
01:19:45,363 --> 01:19:47,156
in the past two years.
743
01:19:47,657 --> 01:19:49,491
Thirty-one in total.
744
01:19:49,868 --> 01:19:52,453
And at last, the cause is known.
745
01:19:53,121 --> 01:19:55,664
Now, these new cubs are under threat.
746
01:19:56,124 --> 01:19:59,752
And with each season of failures,
the pride itself is under threat.
747
01:19:59,836 --> 01:20:01,253
She must be controlled.
748
01:20:07,260 --> 01:20:10,387
Now, with the cub killer
known and warned off,
749
01:20:10,472 --> 01:20:12,598
these cubs may stand a chance.
750
01:20:14,809 --> 01:20:17,227
The pride needs them to survive.
751
01:20:36,539 --> 01:20:37,706
(SNEEZES)
752
01:20:49,052 --> 01:20:51,679
Each day these tiny jewels survive
753
01:20:51,721 --> 01:20:55,349
is another day towards preserving
the future of the pride.
754
01:20:59,229 --> 01:21:04,233
Against a permanent backdrop of buffalo,
their play is a dull pleasure.
755
01:21:04,901 --> 01:21:08,946
Every blow to each other while playing
is a risk in this environment.
756
01:21:09,739 --> 01:21:12,408
But it will be hard to control the killing.
757
01:21:12,450 --> 01:21:15,536
lt may even be more extensive
than just one female.
758
01:21:17,997 --> 01:21:22,584
lronically, the biggest threat to the lions
is not buffalo at all,
759
01:21:22,669 --> 01:21:25,087
but the stalking enemy within.
760
01:21:50,947 --> 01:21:53,824
lt is a new day, with new challenges.
761
01:21:56,369 --> 01:21:57,828
(GROWLlNG)
762
01:21:58,455 --> 01:22:02,666
The Tsaro females collapse a prime
male buffalo in seconds, with little effort.
763
01:22:03,334 --> 01:22:06,295
Their efficiency as a pride running at a peak.
764
01:22:06,379 --> 01:22:10,799
Everyone is here today, all except the cubs,
tucked away in a thicket.
765
01:22:13,762 --> 01:22:15,262
(BELLOWlNG)
766
01:22:15,930 --> 01:22:18,474
The bull's calls start to attract attention.
767
01:22:20,059 --> 01:22:22,102
Slowly, the numbers mount up.
768
01:22:22,187 --> 01:22:26,899
Eventually, dozens of stomping legs
and fierce, swinging, saber-sharp horns
769
01:22:26,941 --> 01:22:28,901
slash the air around their heads.
770
01:22:28,943 --> 01:22:30,277
(GROWLlNG)
771
01:22:34,032 --> 01:22:38,619
The bull must be a valued warrior
to attract the support of the whole herd.
772
01:22:40,455 --> 01:22:42,915
They are now rallying to his call.
773
01:22:43,416 --> 01:22:44,792
(BELLOWlNG)
774
01:23:01,142 --> 01:23:02,434
(ROARS)
775
01:23:02,644 --> 01:23:05,229
The lions are now desperate
to keep their prey.
776
01:23:09,818 --> 01:23:13,153
Their attack is relentless,
but countered over and over
777
01:23:13,238 --> 01:23:15,739
by an equally determined
gathering of buffalo.
778
01:23:31,130 --> 01:23:33,841
lt builds to a battle
reminiscent of an ancient duel
779
01:23:33,883 --> 01:23:37,302
between titanic forces of nature
where winner takes all.
780
01:23:37,887 --> 01:23:40,430
A large buffalo bull, the biggest of the big,
781
01:23:40,515 --> 01:23:43,892
or else injury or possible death
782
01:23:43,977 --> 01:23:47,312
that might finally send
the Tsaro pride into decline.
783
01:23:55,363 --> 01:23:59,449
The partially crippled male
is seen as weakened by a rival bull
784
01:23:59,534 --> 01:24:02,077
and mated as a show of dominance.
785
01:24:06,457 --> 01:24:09,251
And then, at the height of the battle,
786
01:24:09,335 --> 01:24:14,006
one lioness turns back
in the direction of the cubs.
787
01:24:15,091 --> 01:24:17,009
The others don't notice.
788
01:24:17,051 --> 01:24:20,095
They are caught up in their struggle
to outsmart the buffalo.
789
01:24:20,179 --> 01:24:22,723
They have no time to look back.
790
01:24:31,524 --> 01:24:33,901
Quite suddenly, the lioness reappears.
791
01:24:33,943 --> 01:24:36,570
lt is the mother with her two cubs.
792
01:24:36,905 --> 01:24:40,574
She couldn't take the chance
of leaving them alone in this confusion,
793
01:24:40,617 --> 01:24:44,745
but now this hunt has turned into
an ideal lesson for the cubs.
794
01:24:47,999 --> 01:24:53,003
These little hunters' eyes take it all in
and see their very first hunt.
795
01:24:54,005 --> 01:24:58,175
They will learn about buffalo
and the smell of blood
796
01:24:58,259 --> 01:25:00,552
when the air fills with that magic.
797
01:25:01,179 --> 01:25:03,055
The moment when lions suddenly slip
798
01:25:03,097 --> 01:25:06,767
into a coordinated attack,
and the hunt begins.
799
01:25:13,358 --> 01:25:18,320
But it must be a terrifying time,
when monsters turn and confront you
800
01:25:18,404 --> 01:25:21,949
and their giant shadows send
chills down your spine,
801
01:25:21,991 --> 01:25:25,953
making you question
the invincibility of your mother.
802
01:25:28,957 --> 01:25:30,499
lt is a dream.
803
01:25:30,583 --> 01:25:32,167
lt is a nightmare.
804
01:25:32,251 --> 01:25:37,130
lt is all things for them,
as this experience overpowers them.
805
01:25:37,632 --> 01:25:41,635
lt is the ultimate lesson
of where death fits into life,
806
01:25:42,136 --> 01:25:46,390
and how it is a part of life
and not just the end of it.
807
01:25:47,141 --> 01:25:50,852
lt is a vivid display of determination,
808
01:25:50,937 --> 01:25:55,649
of clutching on to life, this life,
against overwhelming forces.
809
01:26:27,932 --> 01:26:31,143
And the old bull turns
to confront his enemies.
810
01:26:31,185 --> 01:26:33,979
The cubs stare into his eyes.
811
01:26:34,647 --> 01:26:37,566
lt is a look of foreboding warning.
812
01:26:53,374 --> 01:26:56,168
And the buffalo front rank
rallies again and again,
813
01:26:56,210 --> 01:27:00,714
wearing down the lions,
circling them and chasing them to ground.
814
01:27:06,721 --> 01:27:12,559
And it is a riveting lesson of fortitude
and comradeship in the face of death,
815
01:27:12,602 --> 01:27:18,648
and finally the dignity of being able to turn
and confront your tormentors head on.
816
01:27:52,809 --> 01:27:54,267
(ROARS)
817
01:27:59,107 --> 01:28:00,273
(SNARLlNG)
818
01:28:04,612 --> 01:28:06,905
And while they stay just out of harm's way,
819
01:28:06,948 --> 01:28:09,991
they see an even more
confusing development.
820
01:28:12,662 --> 01:28:18,917
From an unexpected quarter, the rival bull
steps out and attacks his own,
821
01:28:18,960 --> 01:28:24,005
driving home his aggression and dominance,
upending his old adversary, and with that,
822
01:28:24,340 --> 01:28:28,552
tipping the scales of victory
in favor of the lions.
823
01:28:30,429 --> 01:28:34,975
lt is an unanticipated advantage
that the lions quickly move in on.
824
01:28:37,353 --> 01:28:38,770
And it is over.
825
01:28:39,480 --> 01:28:41,982
The Tsaro pride are back.
826
01:28:55,746 --> 01:29:00,333
Their first meat meal seems to hold
as much attraction as their mother's milk.
827
01:29:04,255 --> 01:29:06,715
Their curiosity only tempered
828
01:29:06,799 --> 01:29:10,343
by the fear of being mauled
within the confusion and aggression
829
01:29:10,386 --> 01:29:13,847
that makes lions unique
in cooperating on the hunt
830
01:29:13,931 --> 01:29:16,975
and yet fiercely competitive as they feed.
831
01:29:25,484 --> 01:29:26,610
(ROARS)
832
01:29:29,572 --> 01:29:34,826
ln the past few days, the cubs have met
the rest of the pride for the first time,
833
01:29:34,869 --> 01:29:41,374
seen their first hunt, and are experiencing
their first violent introduction to lion life.
834
01:29:59,477 --> 01:30:03,563
And in this magical world,
hidden by the delicate mists of time,
835
01:30:03,648 --> 01:30:05,732
there are questions to be asked.
836
01:30:07,068 --> 01:30:10,153
Will all this be here tomorrow
when we wake?
837
01:30:10,905 --> 01:30:13,573
Or will they have disappeared like ghosts,
838
01:30:13,991 --> 01:30:16,993
nothing but a dream remembered?
839
01:30:21,791 --> 01:30:25,168
Huge lions specializing in one prey,
840
01:30:25,253 --> 01:30:27,629
adapting and breeding in isolation
841
01:30:27,713 --> 01:30:30,924
on an island in a river that goes nowhere.
842
01:30:31,592 --> 01:30:36,012
Given time, could this lead
to the slow and continuous evolution
843
01:30:36,097 --> 01:30:38,974
of a distinct race or even species of lion?
844
01:30:39,517 --> 01:30:44,229
An island swamp cat, more precious
and rare than we can imagine.
845
01:30:44,981 --> 01:30:49,943
And, of course, vulnerable to the whims
of our own carelessness.
846
01:30:56,617 --> 01:31:00,954
The silent swish of grass
against their faces doesn't distract them.
847
01:31:00,997 --> 01:31:04,082
The amber coats and thick cushions
on their feet are meaningless
848
01:31:04,125 --> 01:31:06,584
as forms of concealment for these lions.
849
01:31:06,627 --> 01:31:08,670
They no longer need that.
850
01:31:08,754 --> 01:31:11,673
These are the cats of this marshy wilderness,
851
01:31:11,757 --> 01:31:15,552
stalkers, followers, and confronters.
852
01:31:15,636 --> 01:31:20,307
All relentless hunters of the buffalo,
masters of their craft.
853
01:31:39,577 --> 01:31:43,747
As they gather on
this ancestral playing field,
854
01:31:43,831 --> 01:31:49,336
they dance a dance that is unique
to this place and this time.
855
01:31:51,922 --> 01:31:55,175
And yet, it is forever.
69055
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