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00:07The Big Cats 24-7 team is facing the largest seasonal wildfire in five years.
00:15They're fighting to save their base camp.
00:18Adam, back up, please.
00:20I can feel the heat coming off that fire.
00:22Really terrifying. It's really, really scary.
00:25We can hold it.
00:26Seems to be working.
00:29After hours of battling, the wildfire finally passes and moves south.
00:36It's heartbreaking to look at this because fire like this is going to affect...
00:40It's going to affect everything.
00:44For the Big Cats here, the impact could be life-changing.
00:55The Okavango Delta in Botswana.
01:00One of Africa's last wildernesses.
01:03The Okavango Delta is an oasis in the desert.
01:06It's a miracle in itself.
01:07And it's a stronghold for Africa's big cats.
01:14Lion, cheetah, and leopard.
01:19This is nature at its absolute finest.
01:23Now, for the very first time, a team of local and international wildlife filmmakers
01:29is working together to record the cats' lives like never before.
01:38Using the latest technology.
01:41We're going to be able to see things in a completely different light and tell stories in a completely
01:45different way.
01:46They'll follow individual big cats for six months.
01:51Through the day.
01:53This is crazy.
01:54This is a battle.
01:56And the night.
01:57This is a military-grade thermal imaging camera.
02:00Lions have got amazing night vision, but it's not as good as this.
02:05Capturing their behavior.
02:07He's got the cub.
02:08He's got the cub.
02:0924 hours a day.
02:12Welcome to the Okavango Delta.
02:14It gets crazy.
02:28The big cats 24-7 base camp is out of danger.
02:37Overnight, the wildfire continues to burn south of the camp.
02:44Let's roll.
02:47Before dawn, the team is heading out to see its impact.
02:52And to find out if the big cats are okay.
03:04Just left the safety of the camp.
03:07And I think the only words I have for this are total devastation.
03:17We're just about to cross where there used to be a bridge.
03:21And there's absolutely nothing now.
03:23It's completely going down pretty crazy.
03:25Everything has been turned upside down.
03:29A lot of the habitat that these predators are using is gone.
03:34There's going to be a bit of chaos.
03:38All of the big cats will be just trying to find their place
03:42and readjust to a whole new burnt landscape.
03:46It's sort of learning a new map to this area now
03:52that there's been such a lot of change.
03:59The big cats team is working in a 150-square-mile patch
04:03of the Okavango Delta.
04:07This prime territory for lions is controlled by the Kudum prime.
04:15There's lion tracks going up the Kudum road forward to main access from camp.
04:19And the fire's pretty close by.
04:22OK, we're just sort of up near the bit of the forest
04:24that's actually burning at the moment.
04:29Wildlife camera team Gordon, Vianney, and Sets
04:32is searching for the lions.
04:38The blaze has terrorized all the animals around here.
04:43Finding them will calm me down,
04:46make me feel a bit more happy.
04:53The prides, mothers, and cubs
04:55were last seen just metres away from the wildfire.
05:05These cubs, they've never experienced this before,
05:08and they will not have a single clue what to do.
05:12When you've got a fire so close,
05:14that's really very concerning.
05:17So I think we'll just get down and see if we can find them.
05:19But it's not...
05:21Not good.
05:23The fire's not far away.
05:27I'm going to move, but it's getting a bit close here.
05:30Getting stuck and breaking down,
05:32that's...
05:32Yeah, this close to the fire line's not a good situation.
05:38Right, this is not good.
05:40Not good.
05:41OK, don't panic.
05:45Nice and easy.
05:46In reverse.
05:47Out she goes.
05:52See, in this situation,
05:54you just try and move gently.
06:00As gently as you can.
06:02There we go.
06:03So that was...
06:04Aye, aye, aye.
06:15That was a whole wheels' worth
06:18in a burrow.
06:19But that really is the worst-case scenario,
06:23being stuck in a hole
06:26so close to the fire.
06:31But we are no longer stuck in a hole.
06:35I didn't like that.
06:40Away from the wildfire,
06:42Gordon is narrowing his search
06:44to a row of termite mounds.
06:50It's a kind of process of elimination.
06:53Everything kind of west of here
06:55is already burned.
06:56But thicker places like this,
06:58these are the places I'm most interested in.
07:02Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:08See a cup?
07:11Here you go.
07:12Definitely a cup.
07:18that's a huge relief
07:25this is the highlight of my day
07:32don't uncle gordon's been worried about you
07:38so this termite mound is the perfect little play fort for a little group of lion cubs
07:46it's like a castle it's ideal they're so well protected in there
08:01this parade has done exactly the right thing
08:04i think having such a big threat so close these cubs kind of seem to shrink in in size
08:14they look smaller and more vulnerable than they do on a normal day
08:24eighty percent of cubs won't make it to their second birthday
08:27so yeah i think that my concerns are quite legitimate
08:39the name sets for gordon i've got good news found the cubs they're all alive
08:44that's wonderful all right i should see you shortly thank you again
08:48copy that
08:52whoo look at that
08:55what a joy to find those lions
09:00these experienced mothers have kept their cubs safe
09:05the entire family is here
09:08but in this burnt landscape the safety of the whole pride is now up to these two lions
09:17this is big toe and maduma
09:23they are the pride males
09:31big toe and maduma's presence is reassuring for the pride
09:36maduma and big toe they're nearly 10 years old for half a decade they've been at the at the very
09:43top
09:45and they're two lions but they are one one force of of nature
09:51because of the bond that they that they share that is what it's all about
10:06the main role of the dominant pride man is protection
10:12and look at the cubs are really happy they're climbing climbing the tree
10:18especially in a time of crisis
10:22when we had only the cubs and the females they wouldn't be out in the open like this
10:28they will stay in long grass and now that the maduma and big toe are here
10:37they're completely in the open as if there's nothing to fear
10:43unlike other big cats male lions stick around throughout the raising of their young
10:51together big toe and maduma have fathered over a dozen cubs
10:59i'm proud of what these two dominant males have accomplished
11:05big toe and maduma are a prime example of
11:10males that do a very good job at protecting their pride and their territory no matter the cost
11:20but they have a problem the wildfire has wiped out the territorial scent markings
11:27that big toe and maduma use to ward off intruder male lions
11:34inevitably some other lines are going to want to take all of this away from them
11:40now the pressure is on these two males to protect their territory and their young cubs
11:54and at this distance that is quite something to behold
12:03it makes your stomach rumble and your toes twitch
12:09so that's like a lion dropping a a pin letting everyone know this is exactly where these two these two
12:18lines are
12:24a lion's roar can travel more than three miles
12:27a lion's roar can travel more than three miles
12:46other than three miles a lion's roar can travel talia because the brutal reality is that if
12:50a male from another pride was to come here he will kill
12:56those cubs and make his own cubs with these females
13:05with big toe and madumo asserting their dominance
13:11the team is sticking with them
13:30closer to camp leopard specialist Brad is concerned for his favorite cat
13:37you can just see the devastation leopard would be really exposed in this
13:47Brad is searching the remaining patches of bush that offer the cover she needs to survive
13:53my guess is that she would have followed the unburnt section heading south
14:01issues definitely couldn't oh I'm so glad could have been still alive at five years old
14:13goodham is the area's resident female leopard
14:22but she's battling to navigate in this area because it's just so open and and sparse from
14:27the fires leopards prefer to stay hidden typically using undergrowth to travel unseen
14:39it's interesting she's cut out right across the bend
14:49she basically just heard these impalas running through
14:59but with no cover to conceal an ambush
15:09everything happens so quickly in this place
15:13goodham hasn't had a meal since before the wildfire to get food now she must change her tactics
15:37as she's been moving she's been looking up like she's looking for something
15:49the fish is nice and high on the nebony
15:51it's free to love it
15:56the few remaining unburnt patches of green are drawing everyone in
16:07all in fruit from the surviving trees is a lifeline and an opportunity for could have
16:18been a good idea and that it's a great position and it's an ideal set up to ambush in poda
16:31here in the okavango leopards have learned to hunt in an extraordinary way tree jumping
16:41leaping up to 10 meters onto unsuspecting prey with the fires taking out a lot of the cover
16:48and the grass underneath it's harder for a leopard to hunt so fruiting trees and making
16:54the connection will be a valuable asset to the challenge for kudum is mastering this dangerous
17:10skill she's definitely positioning herself for jumping this has got to be the
17:18the most supreme predator doing its ultimate feat skydiving on top of the impala
17:35greg for anna hey greg i'm just at the side of kudum lagoon are you looking at this hippo
17:43yeah it's shocking just shows really tough times for everyone
17:48it's just odd seeing a hippo that should be wandering around in water just walking around in a burning
17:56burning land hippos are most active at night it's rare to see one moving around in the heat of the
18:05day
18:06this this hippo is just really caught between a rock and a hard place
18:12this fire has completely devastated this land has dried up a lot of the lagoon that he'd normally be
18:19hanging out in
18:23it's desperate times it's hostile and dry and harsh
18:32he just followed our desperate epo and he's he's managed to find a little bit of water
18:40he's led us right to some lions
18:48hey greg these two sub-adult males i don't recognize them are they from our pride you know what honestly
18:55i don't recognize them either
19:00they're definitely in the wrong place because we're within the pride territory
19:07the dominant males from our pride are going to want them around
19:14these intruder male lions have wasted no time after the wildfire to infiltrate big toe and madumo's territory
19:24it's a little bit worrying if there are males from other prides encroaching on our guys territory
19:31go ahead an interesting situation two sub-adult males are on the west side of the lagoon and
19:44i don't really know who these guys are so there's a good chance that
19:47these males are infringing on the couldn't pride territory i'll come and check in with you nice
19:53that sounds like a plan i'll see you in a minute
20:06oh look at this guy hello hello hello i've just spotted one of your lions
20:13i don't know who these two are bold bold move moving into this area because they'll know exactly
20:20that they've overstepped the line it'll be interesting to see what happens if our two males
20:25move up into this area that's when things can get really interesting we'll have to see how the next few
20:31days pan out
20:41greg is joining brad on leopard watch brad got on the radio to let us know that
20:46kudum the leopard s has climbed up into an ebony tree and it sounds like there's a good chance she's
20:52going to try and hunt from the tree literally dive out of the tree and uh and tackle impala
20:59brad is also calling in wildlife cameraman tristan who's been tracking kudum for the past year
21:06we haven't seen her do it yet so yeah we wait and see and hopefully we get lucky she does
21:15kudum hasn't eaten since the wildfire she's fully intent on hunting from the treetops exciting times
21:25to catch a meal she needs to master the art of tree jumping
21:31she couldn't be in a better place so fingers crossed it's going to be a
21:35be a waiting game but uh worth the wait i think
21:42mastering a new skill though it's gonna come down takes trial and error you're jerking
21:53for the team it's going to take patience
22:00first kudum must find the right tree
22:08tree stops before the tree looks up to see that it's fruiting looks around
22:15and then bolts up the tree
22:17as soon as she gets up she freezes
22:23and she inspects the tree
22:27kudum needs camouflage good footing and the perfect height of the ground
22:37now looks like we've got another dud tree
22:41she's going from frenetic walking to the bush
22:45to up a tree
22:47to sitting for two hours and nothing happening
22:49it's now a wait for the right sized impala
22:56but things are not falling into place
23:00please don't come down
23:02it's a high maintenance cat this one time to shift trees
23:08we've been pretty much with her now for about five six hours
23:21it's like a little leopard chess game she moves that move she moves that move
23:28more trees she tries the more chance she has
23:36after a full day of searching it's getting all stacked up pretty two pounds
23:42kudum seems to have finally found the right tree
23:47who's looking down that thing must be close now
23:57jumping is quite tricky with the rams because we've got really sharp horns so she's really got
24:01her time it right
24:13this could happen
24:16this is uh not good for my heart
24:22if you're up and do it now you're never gonna do it
24:35you're not gonna do it now
24:35i cannot believe this it's such a perfect opportunity
24:39she had impala underneath her
24:42it's the closest we've come
24:46just perfect setup and she just let them walk by
24:51maybe the impala were just out of range
24:55maybe she didn't have a good footing
24:58makes a mistake she gets hurt badly
25:00and lots of get hurt after you don't survive very long
25:07kudum must master this new skill soon
25:11she's definitely very very keen and very hungry it's already probably been four or five days without
25:15kill i feel more for her than anybody else in this situation her it's you know it's life and death
25:22i feel like this was not good for us
25:33you know it's so light
25:35maybe i don't feel like this but
25:35you know i don't know
25:45you know it's so light
25:51because we're here to go
25:52Everyone and every living thing.
25:58That they're the kings.
26:16Bigto and Madumo could be picking up the scent of the intruder male lions.
26:29Through the night, they stay close to the cubs and are on high alert.
26:52More than a mile away, Anna and Greg are following the intruder males, who are showing no signs of leaving.
27:07Oh, these boys are getting a bit too close to our car.
27:10Oh, my God.
27:24Oh.
27:44Oh my God, that was terrifying.
27:48Greg, these boys enjoy getting quite close, don't they?
27:52No, there's one coming up to your vehicle.
27:54I was just thinking, oh gosh, how's it going?
27:58I'm pretty sure a little bit of peak came out.
28:03That was so scary.
28:09That could well have been them sort of giving us a little warning,
28:13but we are giving them their space and they'd walk literally right towards us.
28:21Now, just a few hundred metres away, Zets and Gordon are trailing Bigto and Maduma.
28:37Okay, so what's happening right now is that the Gordon Mills are on the intruders' tracks.
28:42They have got a warning that they are here and they are closing the gap between them.
28:50We are going to show them who's boss.
28:54One thing that the fire has done is it opened this whole area.
28:58So for these young intruding males are going to be able to see Maduma and Bigto from half a mile
29:04away.
29:06Take appropriate action.
29:07The appropriate action is to get out of here.
29:10Look on it.
29:13Oh, hear that?
29:16So that's Bigto and Maduma.
29:19They're just roaring and they're just making it known that they're nearby.
29:31They're roaring, what that does, it serves a dual purpose.
29:35It lets everyone know that they're around, but also it can avoid physical confrontation.
29:41What every single male lion wants to do is avoid a fight.
29:46The risk of injury is very serious.
29:51So Maduma and Bigto both calling.
29:59At least a quarter of lion fights end in serious injury or death.
30:06If I was a young male lion and I heard that thunderous roar, I wouldn't be hanging around.
30:18Bigto and Maduma's scare tactics are working.
30:23These boys are quickly leaving.
30:26The intruders have gotten the message and are leaving.
30:31These young boys know that they've pecked a long fight and they're making a very swift exit.
30:37They get to live another day without knowing the fury of the quarter of males.
30:45Bigto and Maduma have protected their territory and their family for now.
30:53But these intruders are unlikely to be the last.
31:03Leaving the lions behind.
31:06Greg, Hannah, any sign of cheetahs?
31:10No, nothing so far.
31:13Hannah and Greg are turning their attention to finding the Okavango's most elusive big cat.
31:22Greg and I have decided to think more like a cheetah, so we've come to this burnt open space.
31:30Cheetahs, even though they do rely on a little bit of cover, when approaching prey, they also really utilise huge,
31:39flat, open areas to chase prey.
31:43I'm hoping it pays off when we do find a cheetah here.
31:59After hours of searching, Greg's local knowledge is proving invaluable.
32:05If there was a predator around, we would expect to get a sign from the other animals as well.
32:20His lechers are taking off at full speed.
32:23Lechers would react like that to wild dogs and potentially cheetahs.
32:29So that's an interesting sign from the lechers. Let's just go a bit further up and have a look.
32:34Oh, I'm sorry to get excited.
32:38Yeah, come on, surely.
32:40I think I can see something.
32:42It's like it could be grass, but it could also be a cheetah lying flat looking up.
32:46Please be a cheetah.
32:49Our trait is just going up.
32:53But I'm scared. I'm scared that this is all just for so long.
32:58Yes!
32:59Yes!
33:01Finally!
33:03Woo!
33:04Hello, hello, Greg.
33:06We've got it. It's the female that we know.
33:09With the grey patch on the side of her left cheek.
33:13Amazing years.
33:16Here we go.
33:18I'm extremely excited to have a cheetah on the end of my lens.
33:23Oh, she's a beauty.
33:27Seven-year-old Pobbe is the area's only resident female cheetah.
33:35Cheetahs are special in so many ways, and the fact that they're so hard to find.
33:40The most recent stats on cheetahs that I'm aware of is there's only about 7,400 left in the world.
33:47So we're incredibly fortunate.
33:55A savvy, experienced cheetah, Pobbe has survived many wildfires.
34:02But this is the worst in her lifetime.
34:09Very active. She's looking for prey.
34:14She's just stopped in the floodplain, and there's baboons on the ground.
34:21Well, she definitely does not want to get spotted at this point.
34:25Well, she's running, actually. She's moving out. She's pulling out.
34:28Baboons are barking at her, and she's like, I'm out of here.
34:32She's so exposed. No trouble spotting her, and just immediately sounded the alarm.
34:40Shame.
34:43In this burnt landscape, Pobbe is struggling to find cover and prey.
34:50When you see her just slinking along like she is right now, she's just so thin.
34:58She must be really hungry. She's going to have to start taking risks.
35:06Pobbe needs to eat soon.
35:10Roughly losing light once again.
35:14But she's unlikely to catch a meal after nightfall.
35:21Of all the big cats, cheetah prefer to hunt by day.
35:25They're the ones that use vision the most in the hunting strategy.
35:35To stick with Pobbe, Anna and Greg will stay with her through the night.
35:42We've raided into the camp for them to bring out the thermal camera for us.
35:47I'm really hoping that with that, we're going to be able to follow her tonight.
35:50It's getting exciting, because I've never actually followed a cheetah through the night.
36:02We are about to see a cheetah on a thermal camera.
36:09Oh, that's so cool.
36:16I wonder how many people can say that they've spent a night 30 metres away from a cheetah.
36:21Oh, super cute.
36:24Oh, she's so sweet.
36:25She's just fast asleep, eh?
36:27Yeah, she's having a good sleep.
36:31It's going to be a good test of patience if we're going to watch her sleep until daybreak.
36:35Yeah.
36:40Anna and Greg are being rewarded with an intimate view of this elusive cat.
36:54One thing I've learned about Pobbe is that she is very, very cute when she sleeps.
37:02She was curled up in a little ball and she just kept getting up, having a stretch.
37:10Almost like she was getting the cold side of the pillow.
37:12She was finding a new little spot for herself.
37:29Kudum, the female leopard, is poised again to make a tree jump.
37:47Brad is determined to see her reach this important milestone.
37:55Amazing how things have developed.
37:59When we first started with her, we weren't certain she was a jumper.
38:02She clearly knows the deal.
38:04I've seen her with Impala underneath her tree several times, but we've yet to have that full execution.
38:13All the potentials there.
38:14It's just now up to Kudum to really master the skill.
38:20Got a slow trail of Impala arriving.
38:23And they're heading straight for where she is.
38:36It's gonna happen.
38:50Come on, Wiggo.
38:52Today's your day.
38:55In the right tree.
38:58The right tree.
39:00The right prey.
39:03The right prey.
39:22She's got it.
39:31Red Impala is probably one and a half times so wet.
39:54I hope she can hang on, she's worked hard for this.
40:11I'm very chuffed for Karim.
40:14She hasn't eaten in a few days and we're just talking about her really being able to nail
40:21it from her tree.
40:21She certainly has done that.
40:25She certainly has effected this tree hunting.
40:32She's a young cat.
40:34Long way to go.
40:37I can't wait until she has cups.
40:40That's going to be a special day and a special time.
40:43She is just such a gem and is healthy.
41:15Well done, my baby girl.
41:17Peter is struggling to find prey in this empty, burnt landscape.
41:28Seems like something in this tree line has made her stand to attention a bit more.
41:43Greg, Greg for Anna, we've got Pobbe stalking towards the Impala.
41:47Copy that.
41:50Oh, she's entered with a good purpose.
41:53She could easily just come bursting out of you with an Impala.
41:58I get a bit too stressed in these moments.
42:01I hope she makes a kill today.
42:04You can do it.
42:12She's trying to figure out where they are.
42:19She's going, she's going, she's going.
42:35Oh, she didn't get it.
42:38That was quick.
42:42The speed that she just went at.
42:44Hold on.
42:47She just bolted after some Impala and she went so quickly.
42:52We have no idea where she's gone.
42:53Greg, she's definitely in the other direction from where you're currently pointing.
42:57She went that way, but really, really fast.
43:00Like, I didn't see exactly where they went.
43:02We've lost visual.
43:03If you guys can pull through in this area and have a scratch with us, that'll be good.
43:06Copy, copy.
43:07See you just now.
43:11If Pobbe is ever going to have a successful hunt, all of the stars need to align.
43:16The cheetah needs to be in the right place.
43:19The prey needs to be in the right place.
43:22And she needs to get close enough without being seen.
43:26It's a lot of stars.
43:34Yes, they've been working on this road, I think.
43:39Yeah, I can see the clocks, yeah, so we follow that.
43:44Vianney is tracking Bigto and Maduma, who are on high alert after seeing off two invading
43:50male lions.
44:08Maduma and Bigto patrolling their territory confidently.
44:16Generally, at this time of the day, lions are sleeping.
44:20It's hot, over 30 degrees, but Maduma and Bigto are still pressing on.
44:30They are both marking at the exact same place, right in front of me.
44:37To protect their family, they're working hard to re-establish the borders of their hundred
44:42square mile territory.
44:47They seem to be trying to detect something in the area.
44:54Right now, the threat of invading males remains very real.
45:14Greg and Anna are searching for Pobbe again after her failed hunt.
45:20Team morale hit an all-time low, that is for sure.
45:23I've never seen Greg look quite so sad, but he's got a big smile on his face because we've
45:30managed to find Pobbe again.
45:34A bit concerned that she's definitely slimming out a lot.
45:37And every time she attempts to hunt, she's using so much of that crucial energy that she needs.
45:44So, yeah, the pressure is definitely, definitely on.
45:57Oh, she's moving. Okay.
46:04There's a load of impala out in the open, and Pobbe's currently using the edge of the island
46:10as cover.
46:12And we think she's going to possibly give them a go.
46:21Greg, there's an apartment about to run straight past her.
46:34That is crazy.
46:38She is meters away currently.
46:44What?
46:47It's like she knows that if she's going to use that energy, it has to be the one.
46:55Greg, she's going for the right.
46:57She's going, she's going, she's going.
47:01Oh, my God.
47:17Oh, she didn't get it.
47:20Oh.
47:24I thought that was going to be it.
47:29Cheetahs need time to recover from a chase.
47:34But lying low is also the perfect hunting strategy.
47:40She's doing a game, she's going in.
47:51Oh, Lulu.
47:59Come on, Pobbe.
48:01Come on, Pobbe.
48:05Come on.
48:09Come on, Pobbe.
48:10She's got one.
48:11Oh, my God.
48:15Oh, she's got one.
48:17Pobbe's done it.
48:19She has done it.
48:20That was the most.
48:21Most.
48:22Hectic.
48:23Thing.
48:24Ever.
48:33It's a magical, magical scene.
48:36He was really happy for her.
48:38She's finally got a meal.
48:43Well done, Pobbe.
48:45Well done, Pobbe.
48:54After her successful tree jump, Kudun the leopard also has a much needed meal.
49:03Now coming into night, I don't know if she's exhausted, but the impala she killed, she's barely touched it.
49:12Leopards typically stash their food in trees to protect it from thieves.
49:17But Kudun hasn't done this.
49:25Carcass is still on the ground.
49:26There's a good chance that she's going to get robbed.
49:28I think it's a good idea to get Anna in here with a sort of thermal imagery.
49:34And we might just spend the night just watching and observing and seeing if she manages to hold on to
49:40this carcass.
49:43It's like the first proper feed she's had since you killed her.
49:46Oh, really?
49:47She's hungry.
49:51You can hear her cutting through the sinew in the bone.
49:59It's a hyena.
50:01Jesus, hyena's already got it.
50:03That's why we're hearing so much noise.
50:06Yeah, a hyena has an incredible crushing power.
50:09He'll go through bone, we can hear it.
50:12This guy's coming and there's nothing disturbing him.
50:14He's going to fill himself as fast as possible.
50:18Kudum is no match for a hyena.
50:24She's retreating to the bushes nearby.
50:31I mean, imagine having made the effort of killing us and them sitting in the grass listening to the guy
50:35eat your food.
50:36Yeah.
50:37Talk about where hatred develops.
50:40This guy really is gorging.
50:42Mm-hmm.
50:44I know it's hard to tell now, but do you think there'll be enough food left to sustain her?
50:48With the hyenas taking most of it, she's going to be on the hunt again in the next couple of
50:53days.
50:56I'll have to follow her quite closely then.
50:58We'll be on her at the best of our abilities.
51:00She doesn't make it easy, does she?
51:02She doesn't make it easy, but I feel sorry for her.
51:05We're losing it.
51:07Yeah.
51:20We've got lots of vultures in the trees around here, so I'm just going to have a little mooch around
51:23to see if there's anything dead.
51:27That's a good way of finding lines, is looking for vultures.
51:31Gordon is searching for Big Toe and Madumo.
51:40Vultures in the tree here, there's vultures here.
51:43The dominant pride males were last seen on a massive territorial patrol.
51:49Oh, my goodness. Look, look, look, look, look. Up ahead.
51:54Who is it?
52:02Set sets for Gordon.
52:04Gordon what?
52:06It's a buffalo kill and it's Madumo in Big Toe.
52:11I'll be there shortly.
52:14This will keep them locked into this area for quite a while.
52:18Even for two big lions like these guys, that is a lot of food.
52:28This clearly shows how strong these boys are.
52:32That they can, two of them can bring down a buffalo between them.
52:37Gordon, I don't think this is a big Toe and Madumo.
52:40What?
52:40Yeah.
52:44Really?
52:45Especially the one that just got out.
52:47Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not.
52:52This isn't Big Toe and Madumo.
52:54Two completely different males.
52:57But well inside Big Toe and Madumo's territory.
53:02Big Toe and Madumo have another set of intruders on their back.
53:10They are big.
53:11I'd say same kind of size as Big Toe and Madumo.
53:17Goodness me, who are you boys?
53:21These males haven't snuck in.
53:25They've kicked down the front door and made themselves right at home.
53:31Yeah, if they're big enough to take down a buffalo,
53:34might be big enough to take on Big Toe and Madumo.
53:37It's just the clear sign of a challenge.
53:41Hmm.
53:43I was not expecting that.
53:54Every minute, every hour, every day, they stay here uncontested.
54:01Their confidence is going to grow.
54:04In their minds they're going to think,
54:05Ah, this is a place we could, we could set up home.
54:11What they are looking for is exactly what Madumo and Big Toe have.
54:17And Madumo and Big Toe, their reign has lasted a long, long time.
54:23And these guys look like the kind of lions that can topple kings.
54:28And these boys are moving on.
54:32They've pulled out.
54:35I thought they were going for a lie down, but they've actually moved.
54:39They're heading further in, they're heading closer towards Madumo and Big Toe.
54:46You are a huge lion, my word.
54:48I have two of both characters.
54:54We've been with these two intruding males on this buffalo kill,
54:57but they've moved, they've moved out, they're heading westward.
55:01Okay, stop with that.
55:03Let's go, here you go, and we'll check anything soon.
55:09Lights off.
55:14Got one of the males.
55:16He seems to have lost his brother.
55:22Being out here alone,
55:25solitary invading male lion.
55:28That is a really dangerous position.
55:31She needs to reunite with his pal and fast
55:34before Big Toe and Madumo find him.
55:41Making a low.
55:44Not a roar, but a low kind of rumbling sound.
55:52This type of vocalisation, it's a kind of short range call.
56:01So if his friend is within a couple of hundred metres, he should be able to hear.
56:08If you're an invading male, the type of calling that is avoidable is a full-on bellow, that big roar,
56:16because that's a noise that will carry far wide, right into the fluffy ears of Madumo and Big Toe.
56:23And if that happens, they would race here.
56:29Hear that?
56:31He's picked up the volume of that call.
56:34Because he hasn't been able to find his friend.
56:40So he's calling louder.
56:45The louder he calls, the more trouble he could be in.
56:53I think he's seen another lion.
56:56I think he doesn't know who it is.
57:01He's started trotting.
57:04And I presume that was in response to hearing something.
57:07Something that I couldn't hear.
57:09But he certainly did.
57:11So what have we got there?
57:14We've got both of them.
57:18They've got a bit of a spring in their step.
57:23Individually, Madumo and Big Toe have nothing to worry about, about one of these boys.
57:28But them together.
57:31That's where the danger comes.
57:37Hang on.
57:39It's another lion.
57:41Okay.
57:42Don't know who it is.
57:44Another lion.
57:45Another lion.
57:48What the f*** are you?
57:51I think this is Maduro and Big Toe.
57:53They've come in.
57:54They are in hot pursuit.
57:57Round up.
58:03Where have they gone?
58:05I don't see them.
58:08Okay.
58:09They're on them.
58:12They are on them.
58:13Oh my God. Oh my God.
58:16These boys were taking a huge risk coming into this area.
58:21And they have met the two lions that they really do not want to meet.
58:26They're on them.
58:27They've got them.
58:29This is gonna...
58:30Oh geez.
58:30This could be a fight to the dead.
58:32This could be a fight to the dead.
58:32Why are you laughing?
58:35You are right.
58:36What are the BARES?
58:38You are wrong?
58:42Oh Marian?
58:43Oh my God.
58:45Oh my God.
58:48Oh yeah.
59:03Transcription by CastingWords