BORN In AFRICA () Episode 3 - HUNTING LESSONS - HD 1080p
The babies now know their place within the family and now these “teens” are armed to face the new dangers that lie in wait in the savannah.
Transcript
00:00Baby predators are born into a dangerous world.
00:06Females rule in the hyena clan, especially the firstborn daughter of the queen.
00:16Leopard cubs are stuck in trees while their moms hunt for food down below.
00:23Lion mothers work together to care for their young, even the ones that struggle to keep up.
00:30Jackal pups have mom and dad to bring home dinner,
00:34while mother cheetahs struggle alone to keep their cubs fed, together, and alive.
00:43The African savannah is wild and full of traps.
00:46Even with a doting single mom or communal care, these little hunters are in good hands.
00:55But there's still a lot to learn for the pups and cubs that are born in Africa.
01:02Out on the savannah, the zebras and wildebeests are moving on now,
01:06constantly on the lookout for greener pastures.
01:21The wildebeest is the only wild animal in the savannah.
01:26The lions have never stopped tracking this moving meat buffet.
01:32But journeys like this can be tiring for the cubs,
01:40especially for Brokenback.
01:44The injured cub never gives up on following her family, but she's holding them back.
01:55She's not alone.
02:10Up until now, she's been able to count on their support.
02:15But for how much longer?
02:18She tires quickly, and her disability makes it difficult to keep up with the other cubs.
02:28At six months old, they're energetic and curious,
02:32and constantly looking for opportunities to build up their predator skills.
02:38And a little mongoose should be perfect for a game of cat and mouse.
02:49Here's where they get to practice the art of stalking, chasing, and killing.
02:55Skills they'll need for survival.
02:59Mongooses are quick and tricky to catch.
03:15But this morning, these cubs have had beginner's luck.
03:20Running, leaping, pouncing on their prey is a daily routine for the cubs.
03:25But they're not just running and leaping.
03:28They're also running and pouncing on their prey.
03:34And this is what a real monkey does.
03:38They're not just running and leaping.
03:42They're also hunting.
03:46Running, leaping, pouncing on prey, or taking part in lion cub games.
03:53These are things Brokenback will never be able to do.
03:57Instead, she prefers to avoid the rough and tumble, and enjoy her mother's attention and affection.
04:06The intense heat settles in around midday.
04:10The pride won't move now for the whole afternoon.
04:16The mother cheetah takes advantage of the lion's siesta.
04:22While her enemy rests, she has more chance of keeping any kill she might make.
04:28At six months old, the cheetah cubs are still taking hunting lessons.
04:38Rule number one.
04:40Choose an animal separated from its herd.
04:43One that's perhaps less vigilant than the others.
04:53Rule number two.
04:55Focus only on one target at a time.
05:05Rule number three.
05:07Try and get to within 150 feet of the prey before charging at full speed.
05:27The Thompson gazelles have more stamina than their pursuer.
05:31But cheetahs are super sprinters that can reach speeds of just under 70 miles per hour against the gazelle's mere 55.
06:02After this extreme sprint, it's important the mother cheetah catches her breath and lowers her body temperature before anything else.
06:12Her cubs, however, start eating immediately.
06:19The cheetahs are not afraid of the heat.
06:23They are not afraid of the cold.
06:26Their cubs, however, start eating immediately.
06:40They must consume the carcass quickly before hyenas catch the scent of a fresh kill.
06:50These scavengers can detect the carcass at a distance of nearly two miles downwind.
06:57But right now, their keen sense of smell leads them to the leopard's tree.
07:12At the age of two and a half months, this lone cub will soon be weaned.
07:18And right now, that bone is looking pretty tasty.
07:33Mother leopard has recently killed a wildebeest and hung it in her tree.
07:38But the hyenas want it.
07:52The carcass is well out of their reach.
07:56As a general rule, hyenas don't climb trees.
08:01But what goes up, must somehow come down.
08:10She has no intention of sharing her prize with the prowlers below.
08:17But the further she climbs with the heavy load, the more dangerous it gets.
08:22The cub watches and learns.
08:29She is not afraid of the cold.
08:34But she is afraid of the heat.
08:38She is afraid of the cold.
08:43She is afraid of the cold.
08:47The cub watches and learns.
08:51And yearns for perhaps one of those legs.
09:09If scavengers have mastered one thing on the African savannah,
09:13it's patience.
09:16Hyenas never give up.
09:19The mother leopard has secured her prey.
09:23Or has she?
09:32The leopard cub messes with the carefully balanced carcass.
09:37Mother could lose dinner, her baby, or both.
09:44Saved.
09:58And the determined cub got what he wanted.
10:02One of those wildebeest legs.
10:14One of those wildebeest legs.
10:26But not for long.
10:29The hyena's patience pays off.
10:32The cub dropped his bone.
10:35And these guys take what they can get.
10:43As for baby princess and her posse,
10:46they've had few opportunities to eat meat themselves.
10:50The other adults rarely bring any back to the den.
10:53And the hyena cubs won't go hunting with their mother
10:56until they're about a year old.
11:06They've rarely crossed the boundaries of the burrow.
11:09And each visitor that walks by piques their curiosity.
11:14The guineafowl are certainly not afraid of these little rookies.
11:18The savannah
11:36At six months old, princess is ready to explore the savannah.
11:49The meerkat
11:58Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,
12:00the meerkat mob wakes up eager to start their search for food.
12:06At the first rays of sunlight,
12:08the guards and babysitters participate in the pups' training program.
12:19As usual, their first task is to dig
12:23in order to drive the edible, hidden critters out.
12:27Just scratching the surface is not enough.
12:30They sometimes have to dig as deep as four inches.
12:39As for shy, she continues exploring at her own gentle pace.
12:49Meanwhile, her siblings have moved on from digging to play fights.
13:10These daily combats are relatively harmless for now.
13:14But later, as adults, territorial gang fights can end up in tragedy.
13:35On the great plains of the African savannah,
13:38the zebra and wildebeest columns are pushing to the south.
13:45The lions continue to follow them for as long as possible.
13:49Because in a few days from now, these large herds will be gone.
14:08For brokenback, it's becoming increasingly difficult to travel.
14:13At the age of six months, she's still not weaned and needs her mother to wait.
14:33With three hungry cubs, the cheetah mother must hunt constantly.
14:38The cubs need a good meal of fresh meat every day.
14:47But one cheetah is no match for these big 500-pound herbivores.
14:56And the wildebeest herd is too dense to attack.
15:01Their strength is in their numbers.
15:04At just under 80 pounds, the mother cheetah knows to pick on prey more her own size.
15:12And with three hungry mouths to feed, she needs to catch something fast.
15:25While the mother cheetah plans her next move, the three cubs make their own.
15:35She's trained them well, but the cubs are still inexperienced.
15:46Mother steps in.
15:49The cubs sit back and watch the expert as she brings home dinner.
15:54The cubs sit back and watch the expert as she brings home dinner.
16:25And as usual, they need to eat it in a hurry.
16:36There's not a minute to lose before scroungers want to crash the party.
16:41The weather is changing, and for cats that live in trees, they'll need to ride out the storm in the branches.
16:52Much to the excitement of the leopard cub.
17:11Down below, the mother cheetah senses a presence.
17:20A large male cheetah has suddenly appeared.
17:24He's moving in.
17:36And from the top of his termite mound, he appears aggressive and determined.
17:42A cheetah male doesn't normally kill other cheetah cubs, but just in case, mother moves her three away.
17:53His intentions are unclear.
18:09Is he interested in her or is he just looking for an easy meal?
18:37Female cheetahs are not sexually receptive when they're still raising their cubs.
18:47They move further away until their mother can escape the mystery male's unwanted attentions.
19:04The wind and rain drown out sounds and smells.
19:24The mother cheetah can't find her three cubs.
19:35One of them has disappeared and the other two are just lost.
19:44They're still very dependent on her for food and protection.
19:49If they don't find her, they won't survive.
20:06For the mother lions and their creche, mornings often start the same way, a flurry of cuddles
20:12to reinforce bonds between family members.
20:26Broken back especially needs attention.
20:30Her future is uncertain.
20:32Day by day, her increasing weight causes her malformed spine to collapse, little by little.
20:41Her back muscles haven't developed enough to act as a brace.
20:54But her brother sticks close by to encourage her.
21:07Broken back can't turn over or roll around like the others.
21:14And if she makes a wrong move, she could slip a vertebra and cause paralysis in her back
21:20legs.
21:25How long can broken back keep up with her brother and family?
21:37The mother cheetah still hasn't found her three cubs.
21:41And her home range is vast, as much as 280 square miles.
21:50The lost cubs took the wrong path and are now disoriented.
21:59At long last, a familiar call echoes out across the plain.
22:09Exhausted from wandering around all morning, the cubs finally find their mother.
22:21But where's the third?
22:33The chances are high it crossed paths with another predator.
22:43The three inseparable cubs are now two.
22:51Back at the meerkat burrow, the young ones are on a scorpion hunting exercise, an extremely
22:56dangerous test.
23:01Meerkats are perfectly built for burrowing.
23:04Their eyes are covered with a protective membrane, and when they dig in the sand, their ears
23:09seal over.
23:21They spot a scorpion, the final step in their training program.
23:28But at just three months old, the bold fearless is not quite ready for this one.
23:36The teacher steps in and shows him how to tear out the stinger without being stung.
23:54Being so attentive and brave certainly merits a reward, but which part of a scorpion do
24:00you eat first?
24:25In a few days, the young meerkats will be able to join the adults on the bigger hunts.
24:31And when they're six months old, these little hunters will become the helpers and babysitters
24:36for future newborns.
25:00Meerkats enjoy the precious stew that coats each leaf and twig.
25:06A Thompson's gazelle calf has just been born.
25:10It only has a few seconds to find its balance, feed, and walk before it becomes the target
25:17of predators and scavengers, like the jackal.
25:24Or in this case, an adorable litter of them.
25:33These pups spent the first three weeks of their lives with their mother in the warmth
25:37of a burrow dug underneath a termite hill.
25:43After ten days, they opened their eyes and their milk teeth started to come in.
25:50Over a month, they're already able to explore the den's surroundings, because they often
25:55have an older sibling looking out for them, if mom and dad are away.
26:04But it still takes the little ones a while to figure out what's a threat and what's not.
26:28Jackal pups grow fast, because along with the milk their mother gives them, she also
26:32regurgitates small, pre-saved pieces of meat.
26:47The little carnivores may eat well, but are yet to learn the brave and wily ways of a
26:54jackal.
27:16The mother lions feast on this morning's freshly killed buffalo, the perfect meal to satisfy
27:22appetites and appease tensions in a large family of predators.
27:35As usual, Brokenback arrives late to the party, accompanied by her ever-loyal brother.
27:45For a nine-month-old lion cub, she's weak and scrawny.
27:52Mother's milk is not enough anymore, and she works her way into the feeding frenzy.
28:03But she must respect the hierarchy of the pride.
28:13At the dinner table of a lion pride, the hunters go first, followed by the other females.
28:21The young ones go last, but the stronger ones get first dibs on the leftovers.
28:44Brokenback only managed to grab some scraps this time, but she'll return when the rest
28:51of them are full.
28:53She can only satisfy her thirst for now.
29:21At five months old, the leopard cub has mastered the art of living in a tree, balancing on
29:26branches, and at the same time, practicing his stealthy hunting techniques.
29:38His mother, meanwhile, is still rolling with the punches, but she has her limits.
29:53He still needs to know who's boss.
30:09Mother cheetah keeps her remaining two cubs in line, too.
30:20By nine months old, they've managed to overcome many obstacles.
30:25But today, it's time for some real work and a serious lesson.
30:39The art of the kill.
30:49So far, the cheetah cubs have made huge progress.
30:53They've learned to get close to their prey without frightening them off.
30:58They spot the perfect target, a young gazelle.
31:15The cheetah cub is still too slow and is quickly outrun by his mom.
31:20Within five seconds, she's able to accelerate to around 60 miles per hour, enough to catch
31:26the fawn.
31:30The cubs still have many more months of training ahead of them, if they're to become as expert
31:36a hunter as their mother.
31:38But her job is to seize every opportunity possible to put them to the test, starting
31:45with the task of finishing the job with a fatal bite.
31:55Not as easy as it might seem.
32:12Normally breathless after the hunt, mother is in good shape to make sure she gets her
32:43But it doesn't take long for the scavengers to join in.
32:50A gang of lappet-faced vultures are the first to arrive.
32:57A jackal arrives on the scene.
33:10And then the white-backed vultures are next.
33:15But the little canine is not prepared to let them cut the line.
33:43The jackal pups are fortunate to have both parents to take care of them.
33:50While their mother watches over them this evening, their father is out hunting for dinner.
34:12He also feeds them by regurgitating pieces of meat, an uncommon trait in mammals.
34:26Even with both parents looking out for them, the jackal pups are still vulnerable.
34:32With its multiple exits, their den provides a reassuring shelter.
34:36But sometimes the enemy can be sly and tenacious.
34:41The usual suspect, hyenas.
34:50But jackals have a proven tactic to get rid of them.
35:01Constantly nipping at their tendons.
35:05The hyenas eventually give up and move away.
35:13Until they can go out exploring with their parents at around three and a half months,
35:18The den is vital for the jackal cubs' survival.
35:39The hyena appears to have given up, but these hunters work best at night.
35:45And they are relentless.
36:01Dawn reveals the lives that were taken away during the night.
36:09The vultures ride the morning's thermal currents to join the nocturnal hunters' feeding frenzy.
36:20Both scavengers eat a lot and eat fast.
36:24In just a few minutes, a vulture can consume a couple of pounds of meat.
36:28And the spotted hyena can devour a good 30 pounds of flesh and bones in one sitting.
36:36Together, a hundred or so scavengers will easily make short work of a 650-pound zebra carcass.
36:46The breakfast banquet is over in less than two hours.
36:50And Princess's mother didn't leave without a special gift for her precious cub.
36:55A nice crunchy bone.
37:02It's time for Princess to experience this delicacy.
37:08Hyenas' jaws are built for crushing and grinding bones.
37:12And their stomachs are built to digest them.
37:19Princess isn't immediately impressed.
37:22She seems more focused on her mom's milk.
37:26But other hyenas are very interested in the delicious morsel.
37:32Despite her mother's encouragement, Princess prefers to leave the bone to her brother and
37:37the other cubs.
37:48For the first seven or eight months of her life, Princess depends almost entirely on
37:53her mother's milk.
37:55And she knows how to coax her mom into letting her drink it.
38:06While her brother enjoys the bone, she gorges on the high-protein milk, one of the richest
38:13in the animal kingdom.
38:29After eight months of being confined to the den, Princess and her brother are ready to
38:34travel with their mother to see more of the savannah and learn the tactics of the hunt.
38:55The mother leopard hunts alone and only has to share dinner with her son.
39:05Her victim is another wildebeest.
39:16A sub-adult weighing around 65 pounds, at least as heavy as its killer.
39:33It's a daunting task, but she has no choice.
39:37To keep this dinner for herself and her son, she must lift it to where others can't go.
39:53Exhausting work, especially after a long night of hunting.
40:01But she's going to make sure that no other carnivore can steal her prey.
40:31Her cub is nearly six months old and weighs around 18 pounds.
40:44Growing fast, he now needs about six pounds of meat every day.
41:03With this impressive catch safely stored, the mother leopard can now stay in the tree
41:09with her son for several days.
41:21Day or night, on the African savannah there are always greedy opportunists about, looking
41:28for easy prey and waiting for the weak to walk on by.
41:42Brokenback is still hanging on for her life.
41:47While a lion pride won't normally burden themselves with the injured or weak, her mother never
41:53abandoned her.
41:57It helps to be female.
42:00Unlike her brother, who'll have to leave the pride one day, she'll stay with the other
42:05lionesses and share the food from their successful hunts.
42:18Companionship and strong family bonds are very important in lion society.
42:24In this matriarchal structure, the ties between a mother and her daughter can last a lifetime.
42:34That's good news for Brokenback.
42:46And the two remaining cheetah cubs have also developed a strong bond with their mother.
42:53With her by their side, they've overcome the first challenges of life.
43:01And she'll stay with them for as long as it takes to perfect their hunting techniques
43:05and feed themselves.
43:08But one day, at around 18 months old, she'll up and leave them.
43:16Forever.
43:21The young leopard has a loyal mom, too, who'll stick by him until the time is right to leave.
43:27But he also has a long way to go.
43:35Perhaps another 15 months while he fine-tunes his hunting skills before becoming fully independent.
43:43These are the tough and precarious lives of the baby predators that are born in Africa.