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00:08They travel hundreds of miles and paths carved by their ancestors.
00:14They carry irreplaceable knowledge and they embody a world of contradictions,
00:21breathtaking power, and remarkable sensitivity.
00:26With tusks each weighing over 100 pounds, these special males have been nearly obliterated by human greed.
00:37Fewer than 30 of these super tuskers remain in all of Kenya.
00:46Three magnificent tuskers eat on his own path,
00:50carry us into a world rarely glimpsed, highly social, even affectionate.
01:01Their alliances run deep.
01:06This is a brotherhood.
01:31Here we go!
01:46These tusks bear 34 million years of evolution.
02:02And etched into them is a lifetime.
02:09For over half a century, this elephant, known as craig, has followed the tracks of his
02:26ancestors.
02:29Tusks that reach the ground are rare, but craig is far more valuable than the ivory he carries.
02:38He is a keeper of knowledge.
02:40He knows the migratory routes carved by generations.
02:47He knows where to find food and water when the land is parched.
02:55Tuskers, like craig, are guardians of an ancient lineage.
03:04This wise old tusker has just survived a deadly drought.
03:10And now, Kenya is green again.
03:34Elephants are pouring in from miles around.
03:45Families are gathering on the open plains of Amboseli.
03:53In this time of abundance, elephants can reunite and renew their social ties.
04:13The grasslands are flush with life.
04:17And scattered reminders of those who couldn't hold on until the rains arrived.
04:23No species escaped.
04:27Mothers lost young.
04:30Families lost matriarchs.
04:34For those who survived, this moment of celebration holds the promise of new life.
04:45The springs and water holes are full.
04:52For this immense gathering of the matriarchy, it's a time of pure joy.
05:08The night for the matriarchs.
05:32The matriarchies, with their sisters and daughters and young sons, are the cornerstone
05:38of elephant society.
05:41But they are only part of the story.
05:45The rest are miles away and well aware of the gathering.
05:55Elephant rumbles vibrate through the air and ground, carrying messages from afar.
06:07Esau travelled through the night.
06:10At 33, this magnificent tusker is not yet fully grown.
06:16But already, his tusks nearly touch the ground.
06:21They're a genetic gift from his parents.
06:26He was born here in Amboseli.
06:29But he's here now for only one reason.
06:33He is ready to mate.
06:38Isau is just entering his breathing prime.
06:42And his hormones are raging.
06:45He is in must, a heightened sexual state.
06:55Testosterone is surging through his system.
07:00Pheromones stream from his swollen glands, and he leaves a scent trail of pungent urine.
07:08As impressive as he is, it's still years before he'll reach his peak as a breeding male.
07:18While Isau broadcasts his status, he listens for others.
07:27Through sound and scent, he's aware of a much larger male to the west.
07:36On the far boundary of the park, another tusker is in must.
07:44At 44, Pascal is in his breeding prime.
07:50He is massive, built like a tank, with hulking shoulders and stout tusks.
08:05His right ear was damaged in a long-ago battle, or so it's believed.
08:16He's been in Amboseli for the past month, searching for females ready to mate.
08:29He's a highly successful male, a favorite among the females.
08:36Few males would dare challenge Pascal when he's in must.
08:46Pascal is at his peak.
08:53Miles away, Isau will continue to monitor and keep a safe distance from Pascal.
09:02Key to Isau's survival is knowing his strength.
09:07He must pick his battles carefully, because on this playing field, other males are also
09:14in must.
09:15And they're looking for mates.
09:19They're listening, they're searching for scent, and they're pumped with testosterone.
09:41At every moment, stories are playing out, all across the plains of Amboseli.
09:49This labyrinth of swamps and savannah is a haven for wildlife.
10:10The swamp lands of Amboseli are fed by the waters from Mount Kilimanjaro.
10:16Africa's tallest peak sits just across the border in Tanzania.
10:22This vast ecosystem contains Amboseli National Park at its heart.
10:28But it spans over 3,000 square miles, reaching across Kenya's border.
10:37Elephants depend on this entire ecosystem.
10:42Grasslands alone aren't enough to sustain bulls like Isau.
10:48They need woodlands to support their massive bodies.
10:55To find them, they travel well-worn paths that often lead beyond protected areas.
11:02And sometimes those paths cross invisible boundaries.
11:08Just across the border in Tanzania, trophy hunting is legal.
11:20With his hypersense of smell, Isau is following the scent trail of a family with several females.
11:38He'll check to see if any of the females are in oestrus, a time when they're receptive to mating.
11:45This one has a youngster in tow.
11:49Kibo is four years old.
11:51He'll study Isau's every move.
12:01Females have only a two-day window of peak fertility.
12:07She allows him to test her, and Kibo moves in to catch the scent.
12:18Isau allows Kibo to move even closer.
12:22This is how young males learn.
12:24This is how Isau learned.
12:37Despite his size, Isau is extremely patient with the youngsters.
12:42But he's not so tolerant of a nearby bull.
12:47It's the must-manifesto to maintain supremacy.
13:01Isau's performance has inspired the boys.
13:10Even at this age, they're hard-wired males, full of bravado and bluster.
13:18These boys are building alliances that will serve them on their journey ahead.
13:26Like Isau, they will face a gauntlet of tests.
13:33Searching for females, while fending off males, holding their place in the hierarchy, all while simply surviving.
13:48Miles away, Pascal is also searching for receptive females.
13:53But in this vast landscape, they are few and far between.
13:59He won't bother checking this young mother.
14:02However, she won't come into oestrus for a year or two, if her calf survives.
14:10The odds are tough for male calves.
14:13One in ten won't make it through their first year.
14:17Males grow faster and need more milk.
14:23In times of scarcity, many don't survive.
14:29Males who make it to forty-four, like Pascal, are rare and precious.
14:35Not only for their genes.
14:38The presence of an older male, no matter how brief, is invaluable.
14:44Pascal can teach these boys what their mothers can't.
14:55Play fighting is key to male development.
15:00These boys are forming their future peer group.
15:03metabolize single�� Messieurs together…
15:04It's a time to socialize and bond.
15:18They challenge and test their strength….
15:27Sizing up their opponents, they sharpen their skills for the battles ahead.
15:34But elephant girls are different, even as infants.
15:41She'll join in the game, but only for a moment.
15:46Then it's back to mom.
16:01It will be years before these teenagers experience their first must.
16:06For now, it's still just a game.
16:17On the eastern boundary of the park, Craig, one of Amboseli's oldest and most revered males, is taking advantage of
16:26the grasses.
16:28He's still thin from the recent drought, but he's been putting on weight since the rains arrived.
16:36Craig is considered a super tusker, a rare giant whose tusks each weigh more than 100 pounds.
16:46He's one of fewer than 30 in all of Kenya.
16:53Like other tuskers, Craig uses his ivory for protection and to access food.
17:02What should be an asset became a liability when hunters and poachers targeted bulls with the largest tusks.
17:13Amboseli National Park offered a safe haven.
17:19It continues to be a rare stronghold, where super tuskers like Craig can still exist.
17:29Craig is a living legend, as is every tusker following in his footsteps.
17:42On the salt flats by Lake Amboseli, another tusker has fulfilled his mission.
17:51Pascal is following a female with a crooked tail.
17:55She's at the peak of oestrus, and they've been mating for the past two days.
18:02But opportunistic males are circling.
18:08Pascal guards her from behind.
18:11Until she falls out of oestrus, he'll keep the other males at bay.
18:18Pascal's mere presence is so intimidating.
18:22A subtle gesture, or a must-rumble, is often all it takes.
18:37But even the highest-ranking males do need to be cautious.
18:42Pascal's must cycle is coming to an end.
18:45A younger male at the peak of must could soon challenge him and win.
19:04Isau has caught wind of a competitor to the south.
19:08Even from a distance, he can read the scent.
19:13The other male is also in must.
19:17Isau listens for further clues.
19:29Adult males never take fighting lightly.
19:33It can lead to injury, or even death.
19:38It's crucial to size up your opponent, to calculate the risk.
19:46As they approach, they assess.
19:51The other male has a similar build.
19:54Shorter tusks, but in good condition.
20:08If neither retreats, there will be a fight.
20:38But there if needed, they may be a fucile.
20:42He wasn't the rest in the blood橋 until it 터 listed.
20:46Esau claims victory, and the loser retreats.
20:56Esau trails him.
21:01A most amazing thing has happened.
21:05Esau has forced the loser out of must.
21:09It just shut off, like a faucet.
21:15He's become submissive.
21:27To be certain, Esau tests the defeated for signs of testosterone.
21:38Satisfied, he allows the loser to retreat.
21:54There's now one less male to contend with.
22:03To make sure there was no damage, Esau checks his precious tusks.
22:31Amidst the dramas of Amboseli, one ancient being stands tall against the horrors.
22:55For nearly 500 years, she has borne witness to life's ebbs and flows.
23:03She is home, shelter, shade, even sustenance.
23:12Creatures of the night find calm within her thorns.
23:35Her trunk is worn smooth by generations of elephants.
23:41They leave sent messages for others on and all around her.
23:48She is a hub of information and opportunity.
23:59There's an order in this natural world.
24:02It is full of unlikely alliances and hidden possibilities.
24:16For hundreds of years, this ancient acacia has witnessed Amboseli's dramas,
24:23large and small, and the constant tide of elephants as they come and go.
24:37There's an order in this natural world.
24:38Pascal is leaving the park.
24:47Despite his heft, he carefully avoids disturbing the bones of another creature.
25:00Elephants display a remarkable respect for both life and death.
25:12With Must behind him for another year, he heads east.
25:17On a journey that will take him from the safety of Amboseli into a landscape that is rapidly changing.
25:29Land is being reshaped by human hands.
25:33What once belonged to wildlife is falling prey to the plow.
25:39Highways are carved across age-old elephant paths.
25:59Elephants are intelligent and adaptable.
26:04But change is coming quickly.
26:1820 years ago, this town was little more than a cluster of Maasai homesteads.
26:25As it grows, it eats into land where Pascal's ancestors once roamed.
26:35Within this rising sea of human development is a fertile patch of land.
26:40A small but vital sanctuary called Kimana.
26:46As long as the elephants stay within this conservancy, they are safe.
26:54Pascal has returned to this small oasis.
27:00No longer in Must, his demeanor has changed dramatically.
27:11Pascal is a highly social being.
27:14And he's come to convene.
27:17With friends.
27:19All of them males.
27:30If they were in Must, these males would avoid one another.
27:34Or possibly engage in battle.
27:38But now, they're tolerant.
27:42Even affectionate.
27:48These connections run deep.
27:50Some of them since childhood.
27:54They confirm their friendship through rumbles and touch and subtle gestures.
28:00A glance.
28:01The flap of an ear.
28:03The twist of a trunk.
28:06They've even taken in a young orphan.
28:11Eight-year-old Theo recently lost his mother in the drought.
28:16By mentoring and watching over him, this bachelor group has become his family.
28:30The mãe who has offered to himself and his master's goal.
28:30And the chug in the encounter with his father's lover.
28:32Great!
28:33The front of the child of the child is a father's beloved.
28:39And he is a secret and a subpobs.
28:39The child of the child of the child.
28:39The star of the child.
28:47He is a man.
28:47He is a daughter to see the child of the child.
28:52The child of the child.
29:15They move as a group, a brotherhood, 60 tons strong.
29:26Just beyond this small fever tree forest lies land that was once wild.
29:34It's now a tomato plantation.
29:39With the encroachment of humans, the elephants are learning to adapt.
29:44The elders are teaching the younger males, like Theo, how to survive in this shrinking
29:50landscape.
29:53But for now, they rest up.
29:56They have big plans for the night.
30:06They wait until dark.
30:10With their extraordinary hearing and sense of smell, darkness gives them the upper hand.
30:38It's well-planned and well-coordinated.
30:44But it's also risky.
30:46It's risky.
30:49It's risky.
30:50It's risky.
30:53It's risky.
31:20It's risky.
31:48In clashes throughout Africa, elephants,
31:52elephants, and humans are lost every year.
31:56This time, no one was hurt.
32:05Back in Amboseli, Esau's luck has finally changed.
32:13He's found a female at the peak of Istres.
32:22Her son naps, oblivious to the events about to unfold.
32:29Of course, Esau's not the only male to catch her scent.
32:34He needs to clear the stage.
32:39There are multiple males circling, hopeful.
32:52As Esau approaches, he's exceptionally gentle, even as he blocks the other males.
33:06She allows him closer.
33:14Lifting six tons and finding his target takes remarkable skill.
33:22Fending off interlopers is another challenge.
33:30Her calf stays close.
33:43Isau will stay with this female for the next few days, guarding her from the other males.
34:01The morning's events have been very instructive.
34:08Young males practice endlessly, building the skills they'll need when they're old enough
34:14to mate.
34:23Juveniles from other families join in.
34:27This young teen is testing the boundaries with a female.
34:38Juveniles from other families.
34:38He sorely lacks Esau's decorum.
34:44Just as Esau did at his age, this 12-year-old is taking his first steps towards independence.
34:52In the coming years, he'll wander farther and farther from his family.
35:01It's a dangerous time for young males.
35:03When they strike out on their own, lack of experience and bad choices can be lethal.
35:12Eventually, they'll find a group of bulls, like Pascal's.
35:20There's safety in the company of experienced elders.
35:28Mature males, like Pascal, provide stability and guidance, helping them adjust to life outside
35:36the family.
35:40With decades more experience, older males know how to navigate the environment.
35:47This is critical for a young orphan like Theo.
35:58Older bulls can help keep younger males calm and help regulate aggression.
36:07Once they come into must, they'll leave their companions to mate.
36:12But when must has passed, they'll return.
36:31The dry season is moving in, and Ambercelli's grasslands have turned gold again.
36:38When the pendulum of season swings, everyone must adapt.
36:46This expert survivor has an advantage.
36:50Her long roots help her reach water buried deep underground.
36:56She has witnessed five centuries of seasonal swings.
37:00But in recent decades, the extremes have become more pronounced.
37:05Dry spells are lasting longer.
37:14Now, more than ever, the accumulated memories and knowledge held by the elders is crucial.
37:29Kibo's family has remained in Ambercelli.
37:33At four years old, he's still very dependent.
37:37It will be years before he starts to venture off on his own.
37:46As the morning heats up, his family heads to the swamps.
38:00Last night, lions brought down a cape buffalo.
38:06The scent of a fresh kill is a magnet.
38:24As Kibo's family heads east, the feast is directly on their path.
38:35They are immediately agitated.
38:47Lions or hyenas can take down a young elephant, but not when there's a protective family.
38:54Still, this emotionally complex species has been known to be troubled by a kill.
39:03Perhaps the carnage is disturbing.
39:08Kibo is fascinated.
39:11He manages to get swept up in the chaos.
39:22The females are highly protective.
39:31A young mother makes one final charge before the family moves on.
39:38Kibo will be under close watch for years to come.
39:42He still has much to learn.
39:53On the southern border of the park, Esau is badly hurt.
40:03With dust, he tries to soothe the pain.
40:09He's survived a battle with another bull, but the wound is serious.
40:20He's fallen out of must, and his demeanor is now slower.
40:33He's headed to his bachelor range, where he'll find the comfort of companionship and familiar terrain.
40:49He's fighting the pain, but the gash is becoming infected.
40:59With a serious injury and highly coveted tusks, he's heading southward to Tanzania, a country that allows trophy hunting.
41:14Each time he crosses the border, his growing tusks increase his risk.
41:22But to Esau, there are no borders.
41:27This is where elephants have traveled for thousands of years, following the paths of their ancestors.
41:42Craig has chosen a different path.
41:44He remains on the outskirts of Ambocelli.
41:51In his older, wiser years, he no longer takes the risks he did at Esau's age.
42:01Craig is still a viable breeder, but he didn't come into must this year due to the drought.
42:11He lacks the physical bulk of Pascal.
42:15It's harder to eke out of living here, but it's far less risky than raiding crops.
42:22Their distinct choices reflect a deep intelligence and individuality.
42:29Like us, no two elephants are exactly alike.
42:36Craig is a rarity.
42:39While so many tuskers have been lost to the lust for ivory and human conflict, Craig has survived for over
42:46fifty years.
42:48And he's sharing his wisdom.
42:52These young bulls have also chosen to stay near Ambocelli.
42:57Here, they have a well-seasoned mentor.
43:01And Craig has companionship.
43:05This wise old tusker could live into his sixties.
43:10A remarkable feat, considering the threats facing these elephants.
43:20Esau has crossed back to Kenya.
43:23He's only thirty-three, but already his future is fading.
43:28His wound is severely infected.
43:33Perhaps he's returned to find help.
43:37Is it possible?
43:39He knows that desperate measures are underway to save his life.
44:07ESAF faces much more than threat from infection.
44:12A satellite collar, evidence of a scientific study, might be his only hope of surviving
44:19trophy hunters.
44:23These magnificent tusks are both a blessing and a curse.
44:31When Esau awakens, his world will have shifted.
44:36.
44:38.
44:54.
45:08With an unfamiliar weight around his neck, Esau heads back across the invisible line.
45:16Losing Esau would ripple far beyond a single life.
45:21It would sever an ancient lineage that is irreplaceable.
45:30Esau has crossed this border for decades, as have thousands of elephants.
45:35But the rules have changed.
45:39To survive, elephants must be able to migrate.
45:45On the far edge of Chimana Sanctuary, Pascal drinks from a stream that has served migrating elephants for millennia.
45:57It's a favorite stopover between Amboseli and the national parks to the east.
46:07This very scene could have been glimpsed a thousand years ago, but not if you widen your gaze.
46:15The stream lies on the outskirts of a town that sits directly on the elephant's migratory path.
46:24A highway has grown from a footpath, and now vehicles hurtle across Pascal's route to Amboseli.
46:36Just beyond the stream, a corridor has been created for elephants like Pascal.
46:42It funnels them across the highway and past the encroaching farms.
46:49The corridor is just 80 meters wide.
46:53Flanked by electric fences, it's the last viable link between Amboseli and the parks to the east.
47:00Absolutely crucial habitat for elephants and all wildlife.
47:06Big Life Foundation created the fences as a buffer between humans and elephants, like Pascal.
47:15With high voltage electricity and speed bumps, this narrow corridor is a lifeline for wildlife.
47:23Cameras offer proof that it's working, not just for elephants.
47:40This strange, severed landscape is not the world Pascal was born into 44 years ago.
47:58Pascal knows this land by heart.
48:02Every hill, every path.
48:09In the final blaze of the dry season, he knows the best acacia tree for shade.
48:20He knows where to find the few small mud holes that won't dry up if the rains are late.
48:28And now, these younger males know as well.
48:39The day is hot, but the rains will soon arrive.
48:44The elephants are well aware.
48:47They picked up its scent from miles away
48:49and caught the rumble of distant thunder through the soles of their feet.
49:06The wire is always Mor Totally
49:08and we'll see that behind thisな.
49:10We will eitherən call the пусть.
49:10Unlike the windaxis, the snow Ils' TX
49:11You andCOM
49:12The storm line goes last night.
49:16The storm line goes last night.
49:16The thunder vector
49:16And�� yes, doesn't matter.
49:19The sea of της
49:21The errand backend
49:27The rains have turned ambuseli green again.
49:33Elephant families are pouring back to the park
49:36to celebrate and reunite.
49:46Another year has passed,
49:48and infants have turned into young boys
49:51with big bluster and tiny tusks.
49:56Females are carrying new life.
50:04Craig is taking advantage of the abundance.
50:08He'll soon turn 53.
50:14Flanked by his comrades,
50:16this venerable male is sharing his wisdom.
50:28Pascal has returned to the park.
50:32He's back in must,
50:34and is more impressive than ever.
50:43Ambuseli is at its finest.
50:45Green and teeming with elephant families.
50:52But it's missing one crucial character.
51:07It's Esau, back from Tanzania.
51:12His tusks and his collar are intact.
51:16His wound has healed.
51:21Each of these great tuskers is a miracle of survival,
51:25and a key to the future.
51:31Although they may not know it,
51:34their impact is profound,
51:37and it's already taking shape.
51:40because right now,
51:43somewhere on the plains of Ambuseli,
51:46growing and learning every day
51:50are the world's next great tuskers.
51:55the tuskers.
51:56Ah!
52:13The Matsuri for the foremaster is to remain
52:16We could not find other mentors.
52:16Right after a fever of death,
52:19I don't know.
52:20It is special about here.
52:21But we should be Kent with Fox.
52:21The future is found...
52:22A magnificent learningší.
52:23Let's run through North江se.
52:27The next day,
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