Lost Lion Cub Spotty Finally Reunites with Mom Part 3 Love Nature
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00:00 Sam's searching once more for Spotty.
00:02 Without her realizing, he wandered off
00:06 from his hiding place in the undergrowth.
00:08 - It's kind of hard to see inside.
00:11 It's a really, really thick bush.
00:12 - Sam, do you copy?
00:17 - We have no sign of the cub.
00:19 We've come to the next bush here.
00:21 Just have a look, maybe if he's returned to the old bush
00:24 that he was in before.
00:28 - With the light fading fast, she scours the area.
00:32 - Maybe we'll see eyes.
00:34 - She's worried that desperate Spotty
00:40 has tried to follow Sirabi's trail.
00:42 - That would be worst case scenario
00:46 because he'd be lost
00:48 and the mums would never know where he is.
00:50 - No sign of Spotty.
00:58 (birds chirping)
01:00 - Sam takes one more look by the river
01:12 for signs of Spotty or the mothers.
01:15 - Don't see anything.
01:18 There's no sign of them, no fresh tracks since the rains.
01:23 - It's likely that Spotty is lost forever.
01:27 (water gurgling)
01:30 - I am hoping that if Spotty didn't make it,
01:32 that it was swift and that he hasn't suffered for too long.
01:36 - The disappearance of Rosa, Zuri and the other four cubs
01:45 is also a mystery Sam would like to solve.
01:47 But time is running out.
01:50 - We're gonna have to be leaving soon
01:53 because the whole park shuts down in the rainy season
01:56 and it would be an amazing parting gift
01:58 just to see the mums and the cubs one last time
02:01 to make sure they're safe before we leave.
02:03 - Over the next few days,
02:10 the rains appear with more frequency.
02:25 - It's only been quite heavy showers
02:27 in sort of small localized areas
02:29 and puddles, huge puddles have developed on the road.
02:32 - The mothers have been missing for more than a week.
02:37 Sam and Nathan look everywhere.
02:39 - We're just in the area where the mothers and the cubs
02:43 have generally always been hidden,
02:46 trying to find tracks.
02:49 - The worst case scenario is that the mothers
02:53 have lost a number of the cubs.
02:55 Not looking very good at the moment.
02:59 - After days of searching,
03:03 there's no sign of the mothers and cubs.
03:09 But Nathan does find most of their pride by the river.
03:22 - So we've actually got pretty much the rest
03:24 of the MK pride here, all the youngsters,
03:26 Kimber and Mare and all the siblings.
03:29 So a lot of the younger sort of teenage lions.
03:32 But I think they actually seem to be hunting quite well,
03:36 which is great news 'cause it's kind of showing
03:39 that they're capable of going on to the next level.
03:41 - The pride is really going to need those skills
03:47 because their best hunter is absent.
03:51 - We've got most of the MK pride here together.
03:53 However, Sarabi's missing.
03:55 With Sarabi's wound, I really hope she's okay.
03:57 - Sarabi was last seen heading off into the night,
04:03 calling for Spotty's mother.
04:04 Sam and Nathan might never know
04:09 if that was her last act to protect her pride.
04:12 - Unfortunately, the end of the season is basically here.
04:17 So only time will tell.
04:18 We won't know for another six months.
04:20 - It's almost time for the team to leave.
04:30 Sam makes one last search for the four remaining cubs.
04:35 - So it's been a few days since we last saw Spotty,
04:41 the last cub.
04:41 Kind of just come to terms that he's probably
04:45 kind of just come to terms that he's gone.
04:48 Not seeing the mums and the cubs for so long now
04:52 does make us worried because where are they?
04:54 What's happened?
04:55 - But then.
05:03 - Oh, I think I can see something.
05:05 - There's movement in the distance.
05:09 - Oh, I can see cubs.
05:10 There's two.
05:11 Two cubbies playing.
05:14 Three.
05:15 Four.
05:16 Four cubs so far.
05:19 Is that Spotty?
05:27 I think this is Spotty.
05:30 Oh my goodness.
05:33 There's five cubs here.
05:38 - Against overwhelming odds,
05:45 Spotty has found his mother.
05:46 - Oh, Spotty.
05:49 This is literally the most amazing, amazing morning.
05:54 We have five cubs here.
05:55 To be honest, I was like, it's not gonna happen.
05:57 This cub is not gonna survive.
05:59 And somehow these mothers have managed to find the cub.
06:04 He's back with his mum.
06:08 I actually can't believe it.
06:10 (gentle music)
06:13 Spotty is looking so good.
06:17 He's looking fat.
06:19 He's looking healthy.
06:20 He's keeping up with the rest of the cubs.
06:22 Yeah, it's so, so sweet to see.
06:27 Thank goodness for Surabi,
06:29 for looking after him, grooming him.
06:31 And for calling mum,
06:33 letting the mums know where little Spotty was.
06:35 She really, she did a great job.
06:40 - Not only have all the cubs made it
06:41 to the end of the dry season.
06:43 - I can't get over this.
06:46 - But they finally properly met their fathers.
06:51 The punks are with them,
06:54 watching over the next generation of the MK pride
06:57 as they enter a new chapter in the Luangwa Valley.
07:01 - I think if anything, if the cubs are as strong as Spotty,
07:06 then they'll definitely make it
07:07 because he really survived against all odds.
07:10 - After months following the lions,
07:16 it's time for Nathan and Sam to leave.
07:19 - What an amazing season.
07:22 - It really has been.
07:23 I mean, we've got cubs, which we didn't expect.
07:26 - The boys coming in
07:29 and chasing all the prides all over the place.
07:31 (cubs growling)
07:35 - Yeah, let's hope that the Hollywoods do stick
07:37 with the nomads and we'll love to see Hollywood cubs.
07:40 It has been a season like no other
07:46 and I can't wait to see what happens next.
07:49 (upbeat music)
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