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00:14The male lions from the Kudum Pride are fighting to protect their whole family and are battling
00:23with aggressive intruder males.
00:25Oh, jeez, this could be a fight to the death.
00:28If Madumu and Bikto lose their power, that just changes everything.
00:37The Okavango Delta in Botswana, one of Africa's last wildernesses.
00:45The Okavango Delta is an oasis in the desert, it's a miracle in itself.
00:49And it's a stronghold for Africa's big cats, lion, cheetah and leopard.
01:00This is nature at its absolute finest.
01:04Now, for the very first time, a team of local and international wildlife filmmakers
01:11is working together to record the cat's lives like never before.
01:20Using the latest technology.
01:23We're going to be able to see things in a completely different light and tell stories in a completely different
01:27way.
01:28They'll follow individual big cats for six months.
01:33Through the day.
01:34This is crazy. This is a battle.
01:37And the night.
01:39This is a military-grade thermal imaging camera.
01:42Lions have got amazing night vision, but it's not as good as this.
01:46Capturing their behavior.
01:48He's got the cub. He's got the cub.
01:5124 hours a day.
01:53Welcome to the Okavango Delta.
01:55It's a...
01:56It gets crazy.
02:09It gets crazy.
02:10Morning, Craig.
02:11Are you having any luck with Dumo and Victor at all?
02:14No, not as yet, sir.
02:16Seriously, for a couple of hours, he's gone.
02:18Vanished.
02:20Wildlife cameraman Gordon is searching for the Kudum Pride males after losing them during the night.
02:26There's absolutely no sign of Victor and Madumo.
02:30I'm beginning to get a little bit worried.
02:33Hope that we come across them.
02:38Here we go.
02:39Big tracks.
02:42Two sets.
02:45Look, look, look, look.
02:46There.
02:51They look absolutely exhausted.
02:56Big Toll hasn't even raised his head.
03:03It almost looks as if he's no longer with us.
03:08Is he okay?
03:14Okay.
03:18These boys are looking very, very tired.
03:22They don't have the swagger that they had before.
03:26Last night, Big Toll and Madumo fought with intruder male lions for over an hour.
03:32Right, Madumo is up.
03:36Whoa, look at this.
03:39Very pronounced limp.
03:43Oh, yeah.
03:44One of our boys is getting properly roughed up and it must have been Madumo.
03:48Look at how he's walking.
03:52He's in real pain.
03:57It just shows you that there are other lions out here that can match them pound for pound.
04:04As dominant pride males, Madumo and Big Toll's main role is to protect their family.
04:11If Madumo and Big Toll lose their power, that just changes everything for the entire pride.
04:20For the cubs especially.
04:23For the cubs especially.
04:23If new males came in, they would kill them without a shadow of a doubt.
04:34Because the Kudum territory is rich, it's a lion paradise, someone's going to show up and going to knock the
04:43crowns clean off their head.
04:45And those days may be upon us.
04:55With Madumo and Big Toll injured,
04:59the threat of intruder male lions hangs over the pride.
05:09At particular risk are these inexperienced youngsters.
05:22These two are absolute clowns.
05:26Colin and Nkone are two-year-old sub-adult males.
05:32That is a wobbly tree.
05:35Nkone is joining.
05:37That doesn't look like a good idea.
05:40These teenagers are physically bigger than the cubs.
05:43But they're not behaving like adults yet.
05:47I suppose his belly is resting on the trunk.
05:52He looks so uncomfortable.
05:54I can hear the entire male population going,
05:59Ooh!
06:00You can definitely see a lot of Colin's character.
06:05He's always a bit more outlandish than his brother in the coin war.
06:12What is your next move?
06:15I think I'm very careful about this one.
06:21Oh!
06:22He's falling, he's falling!
06:26No!
06:30It is utterly hilarious to think that these two are supposed to be nearly independent.
06:36And yet, here they are, lolling around like two big cubs.
06:46Colin and Nkone are at a critical stage in their lives.
06:52The team is following them to see how things play out.
06:59The Big Cats film crew is covering 150 square miles of the Okavango Delta.
07:06It's the middle of the dry season.
07:09After the biggest wildfire in five years, the land is bone dry.
07:19Despite this, it's a good time of year for leopards to breed.
07:24My rats are showing less teeth.
07:27I think they have any head of me.
07:32I'm crying, you are here.
07:39kudum is the resident female leopard at five years old she's ready to have cubs
07:47she's been eating well but she's becoming quite a stocky leopard really filling out
07:53like an adult female which is quite nice she's coming on as a cat it's a beautiful thing to see
08:00i just want her to have cubs kudum has recently mastered hunting from trees
08:07brad and tristan are with her in one of her favorite spots
08:11like clockwork she's just got up another eboni tree positioning herself for potential ambush
08:27this whole big-headed imponer just tear us off
08:33wait one second she's just sat up
08:40she's twitching
08:43and there she goes
08:48and she's jumped
08:49okay
08:51yeah brad she's just jumped out of the tree
08:54she's got one
09:10last time she made a kill
09:12she's settled it for a long time before she started to eat this time it looks like she's
09:18not wasting any time to get stuck in
09:23mating season is physically demanding on female leopards
09:28i think it's going to be a stressful time for kudum
09:31because she's got her work cut up for her
09:34so kudum is ensuring she keeps her meal
09:38leopards are solitary and quite small so
09:41they're rank quite low when it comes to losing their kills to other predators
09:47good girl
09:49she's done well she's pushed it up into the fork of a tree
09:56the challenge for kudum now is finding the right mate
10:14at camp
10:16gordon is teaming up with lion specialist dr robin kotzer from oxford university
10:22um so that point over there that's got his gps collar number
10:27robin has known the kudum pride for more than a decade
10:30so if we open that
10:32that gives us his latest location
10:35and has fitted colin with a satellite collar
10:38let's go
10:42dominant pride males bigto and madumo haven't been seen for days
10:47with intruder males still around
10:50yeah they are success
10:52teenagers colin and nkone are particularly vulnerable
10:58so you collared him how long ago
11:00for about a year
11:01we had to fit his collar with space so that he could grow
11:05obviously he's still a growing boy
11:06but we also don't want to fit it too loosely that he can pull it over his head
11:10we kind of try and monitor them from about two years old
11:15expecting that at any point if the big males decide they're out
11:18that they're going to leave
11:20why would they not want to keep another male in the parade?
11:24at this age these males will be quite useful in terms of hunting
11:28but now the females will start mating again
11:31and obviously the next litter of cubs will come in
11:34and when that happens they don't really want these boys around
11:37because they're a competition for food
11:39but presumably if colin had his own way
11:42he'd just stay exactly where he was
11:45male lions they for sure choose the path of least resistance
11:49and so it's really easy for him to kind of hang around
11:51let the moms do all the work
11:53and still be able to have good meals
11:56at two years old male lions are often pushed out of the family
12:00to find a pride of their own
12:03she's not too happy with him being around
12:05and this is kind of what happens now when he's this age
12:09is even the adult lionesses will start showing a little bit of discomfort
12:15until they reach their prime five, six years old
12:18they've basically got to stay out of the way
12:20from not only their dads but also big males from other prides
12:23there's a high likelihood that if they clash they could get killed
12:32to see how the females behave towards colin and conne at night
12:36gordon is rigging the thermal camera
12:46is there somebody out there
12:50something here
12:53oh it's a female
12:54is that the cubs coming in
12:56oh my god that's great
12:58look at them
12:59how many
13:00one two three four five six
13:02oh and the older one
13:03yeah
13:03that's great
13:04that's beautiful
13:09the cubs are sticking close to their mums for safety
13:13but the females are on edge
13:17oh it's not a very warm welcome
13:19no
13:20no these cubs are going to approach
13:22yeah they're actually walking this way
13:25they are
13:25right what's going to happen here
13:29has anyone seen the cubs interacting with colin and conya before
13:33i haven't
13:34it seems like they're trying to introduce them
13:44oh
13:46that's not good
13:47that is not good
13:52maybe they're just kind of saying the babies are here
13:55you guys better behave
13:56be careful be on your best behavior
14:03is he gone
14:04or he's sloped off
14:06yeah he's a bit unsure
14:14colin's just over here
14:16my left
14:19he's keeping a low profile
14:21he's making like small vocalizations
14:24i've never actually witnessed this interaction
14:27this really awkward stage
14:29so this is kind of typical now
14:30of what will happen
14:31as they keep getting pushed to the periphery
14:34colin is in a very submissive position
14:37can you see him there
14:38he's like head down
14:39non-threatening
14:40i'm not even
14:41i'm not even aware of you being there
14:44as the females become more aggressive
14:46towards colin and connie
14:48their time within this pride seems to be running out
14:52right i think we can leave them
14:53night boys
15:09while searching for kudum the female leopard
15:12what a nice surprise brad has found a male in her territory
15:22i suspect that this is
15:25miswayo
15:27miswayo means pale colored
15:29and you can see from his pelt
15:31he's much lighter than most of the males
15:34that we see around the area
15:36no one has seen him for months
15:37so it's like he knows
15:39kudum's in season
15:40and he's come home to do the deed
15:49we know he's an aggressive guy
15:51he's quite aggressive around the females
15:52he's a fighter
15:55miswayo
15:56the brute
15:59as the dominant male in the area
16:03miswayo will kill any cubs he finds that are not his own
16:13i think i'm quite insane
16:15the leopard is looking
16:17straight at you
16:18from this angle
16:19i mean it looks like he's looking into my soul almost
16:25there's not many leopards that we have
16:28that are just relaxed
16:31so special being able to get that close to any big cat that met leopards
16:36especially male leopards are normally quite timid compared to females
16:42hey big quarry
16:48that looks really really cool
16:52muswayo is an ideal breeding partner for kudum
16:56all he has to do now
16:58is find her
17:10we've just got a call on the radio
17:12of a dead elephant bull
17:14so we're just going to go and try and investigate this
17:19we have a visual
17:21wow okay he's a huge guy
17:24huge guy
17:25huge tusk
17:27the bull elephant died at least three days ago
17:32he's a male in good shape
17:34it could have been a territorial fight here
17:36this will provide plenty food for our cats
17:40if they do find it
17:41it could easily feed the entire pride
17:43which could be good for them in these times of drought
17:48the carcass might also attract the intruder male lions
17:57Vianney and Anna are setting up the thermal cameras to see what unfolds
18:02that's a hyena
18:09definitely making his presence known
18:15this technology reveals some sights
18:22that are better left in the dark
18:28that is the most disgusting thing I could have seen
18:38there are now five hyenas
18:40so I don't think there's any chance
18:41that another predator is going to give it a go
18:44they're all sort of fanned out
18:46around the carcass
18:47it's like they're all acting security
18:50making sure no one gets through
18:53hyenas calls
18:53can travel up to five kilometers
18:56so they're just going to keep coming
18:58I think the only thing that's going to change the dynamics here
19:02is if the good and pride turn up in force
19:07I can hear when the hyenas focalizing
19:11they're facing the opposite direction to the actual carcass
19:17something must be going on now
19:22two male lions
19:26oh
19:28I think that might be
19:29yeah
19:30that's Colin
19:30and his brother and Kone
19:32this is so interesting
19:34this is so exciting
19:38hyenas calling
19:45oh
19:45powerful
19:48one hyena is no match for Colin and Kone
19:52but numbers can level the playing field
19:55three hyenas
19:57four chasing them away
19:59I don't know where to focus
20:00it's coming closer
20:02God
20:02what are you doing this for
20:05they stood there ground
20:10oh my God
20:13the big male chased them
20:17after claiming the carcass
20:19Colin and Kone
20:20are joined by some of the pride females
20:25it started to get quite busy
20:33and Kone just went and
20:36really sweetly rubbed his forehead on Colin
20:40recently
20:41they've had quite a lot of friction
20:42with the lionesses and the pride
20:44it looks like they've done a really good job
20:46but shifting these hyenas
20:47off the carcass
20:50so I think
20:51they've clearly still got a place in the pride
20:55and they're both now just having a snooze together
21:00they really are the best of brothers
21:08at dawn
21:09Gordon finds Colin and Kone
21:12still at the carcass
21:13and still with the females
21:17everyone's in a very playful mood this morning
21:25this is an interesting situation
21:31because although Colin and Kone
21:33have got the clear message
21:34that they're not wanted around the rest of the pride
21:38with this elephant carcass
21:39it's brought all of these lines together
21:43it seems that the females have definitely shifted
21:46their attitude towards these two boys
21:49it might be an inconvenience at times
21:53but in this scenario
21:55it's good to have Colin and Kone around
22:01if I was Colin and Kone
22:02I'd probably feel a little bit used
22:05it's like yeah we don't want you around
22:07actually hang on
22:09a couple of big boys like you
22:10that's quite handy
22:11so yeah stick around here
22:21the dominant pride males
22:23Big Toe and Madumo
22:24haven't been seen for over a week
22:30now Sets
22:31has found the intruder male lions
22:33on patrol
22:44less than 100 meters away
22:46are Colin and Kone
22:47and one pride female
22:50incoming
22:51two intruders
22:53Sets is with them
22:54and there could be an encounter
22:56with Colin and Kone
22:58they seem to be up
22:59and moving towards
23:00where Gordon has
23:02Colin and Kone
23:03and the other female
23:04we might have a confidence
23:06because the intruder males
23:07don't belong here
23:15so the female
23:18has started calling
23:20the lioness is contact calling
23:22trying to find the rest
23:24of the Kodum pride
23:29she's risking alerting
23:31the intruder males
23:32to her exact location
23:35they will hear that call
23:37the call of a female
23:40and they may well come this way
23:42not knowing that this female
23:44is backed up by two males
23:46Colin and Kone
23:51she's picked up the volume
23:53of that call
24:04they seem to be trotting
24:05something seems to be brewing
24:07the interaction is imminent
24:20so if you can see my vehicle
24:21I'm sitting with the female
24:23she's up on a termite mound
24:25the males are coming
24:26straight towards her
24:27Colin and Kone
24:27they're behind me
24:30the intruder males are within 50 metres
24:32of the female
24:34and probably like 70 metres
24:36from Kone and Kone
24:43the intruder's seen the female
24:45but he's ignoring her
24:46I think he's recognised
24:48that there's a bigger lion behind him
24:50oh my goodness me
24:53these intruders
24:55are walking straight into trouble
24:59what on earth is gonna happen
25:03Colin and Kone are behind me
25:05Colin and Kone might look imposing
25:09but they're only half the weight
25:11of an adult male lion
25:18Kone is moving
25:20right this is gonna come to something
25:23two of Kudum boys against
25:25two intruders
25:28okay
25:28heads are up
25:40what's happening
25:45it's like they're pulling out man
25:50the trouble is at your back
25:52what are you doing
25:55Colin and Kone are moving out
25:57they're pulling out
26:00intruders are over here
26:01they're moving in
26:02this is
26:03an aggressive approach
26:05and Colin and Kone have
26:07bottled it
26:09one of the intruder males
26:11is chasing
26:11Colin and Kone away
26:15this is the territory
26:17that Colin and Kone
26:18are not prepared to fight for
26:21at least not with these two guys
26:25intruders
26:25chasing them out
26:27and they're going
26:29off they go
26:30off into the distance
26:35my word
26:36who'd have thought it
26:39just with the last of the light
26:40I'm seeing that this female
26:42is not giving
26:42the intruder
26:43a warm welcome
26:47I think Colin and Kone
26:48as soon as they got their eyes
26:49on these guys
26:50and saw how big they were
26:52they weren't taking any chances
27:10in the morning
27:11Raya and Vianney are with the Kudum Pride's mums and cubs
27:15they've been looking behind continuously
27:18we've had intruder males
27:21coming into the territory of our cats
27:23and if these intruders were to find these cubs
27:26they would kill all of them
27:29there's still no sign of Big Toe and Madumo
27:31and now Colin and Nkone have gone too
27:38can I see one
27:39two
27:40three
27:41four
27:42cab
27:43and five
27:44slightly hidden
27:47it's really strange
27:48I can't see six
27:51but let's see what
27:52Raya might say
27:53I could only count
27:55five
27:56cubs
27:57how many did you count today
27:59this morning
27:59I'm not so sure
28:01I saw this one
28:02suckling over there
28:05yeah
28:05I am seeing five
28:10it's not a very good sign
28:12there is a possibility
28:14this could be the work of
28:15some of the intruder males
28:16we've been having
28:17I mean the worst case is
28:19he could be dead
28:20we really want it not to be
28:22the reality here
28:23it would be a hard thing for them
28:25to lose one cub
28:27to lose one member of
28:29pride
28:31lion cub mortality is naturally high
28:34with eight out of ten
28:35lost in their first two years
28:38one of the biggest dangers
28:40is adult male lions
28:42from outside the pride
28:45I'm Vianney to the team
28:47this could be
28:48the worst news
28:50to break to everybody
28:52there's only five
28:53cubs
28:55that I can see
29:00I'm not sure
29:03whether we lost one
29:07but um
29:08it looks like it
29:09over
29:12yeah roger that Vianney
29:14yeah sorry to hear that
29:23I think it's always
29:24wise to kind of just
29:26if you can
29:27take a step back
29:28sort of emotionally
29:29from
29:29from any wild animal
29:31but particularly
29:32when it comes to young
29:34young cubs
29:35because bad things
29:36happen
29:37that's why lionesses
29:38give birth to so many
29:40because the majority of them
29:41actually don't
29:42don't make it
29:44but it's obviously
29:45you spend
29:46days
29:47watching these animals
29:49and watching them grow
29:50you can't not
29:51have
29:51hopes and aspirations
29:53for
29:54for their futures
29:54as you would with any
29:56you know
29:56youngster
29:57so yeah
29:58it's
29:58it is sad
30:03but it does
30:03it does happen
30:20Greg
30:20has found
30:21Kudum the leopard
30:22further north
30:23than he's ever
30:24seen her before
30:29she's scent marking
30:30letting male leopards
30:32know she's ready
30:33to mate
30:35this is an interesting
30:36area that Kudum's in
30:37because she's right
30:38on the edge
30:39of her northern
30:40boundary
30:42Kudum is crossing
30:43into disputed
30:44territory
30:44her main rival
30:46is a female
30:47called Bonsu
30:53nearby
30:53Greg finds
30:55Bonsu
30:56you can see her
31:00she's resting
31:00on a branch
31:01of a tree
31:07she's much bigger
31:08than Kudum
31:09which is interesting
31:10she's an impressive
31:11female
31:12very impressive
31:14Bonsu
31:19Bonsu's a powerful cat
31:21one swipe
31:22or one bite
31:23in the wrong place
31:23and Kudum
31:24could be injured
31:25to the point
31:25where she wouldn't
31:26be able to
31:26sustain herself
31:33leaving Bonsu
31:34Greg finds
31:35Kudum again
31:36she's even further
31:38into the disputed
31:39territory
31:39she's on a little bit
31:41of a mission
31:41doing a bit of a patrol
31:43what's really interesting
31:44is Bonsu's
31:46not far from us
31:47just in the tree line
31:48above us
31:48so it's a bit close
31:53Kudum ding
31:54she's just
31:54stopped
31:55and she's staring
31:56into a
31:57into a bush
31:58what's she doing
32:02she's running now
32:05why are you running
32:06why are you running
32:06oh no
32:07oh my word
32:08oh it looks like
32:09Bonsu
32:10Kudum's off
32:11she's just jumped
32:12into a tree
32:16Bonsu's following
32:24Kudum is so scared
32:26she's planted herself
32:27right up at the top
32:28of this tree
32:30and
32:31Bonsu's holding
32:33holding the middle
32:34I don't know
32:34I hope
32:35if Bonsu goes further
32:36up here
32:36Kudum's gonna be in trouble
32:40she's coming down
32:41what
32:42they're close
32:43they're close
32:43they're getting
32:44close
32:47oh my gosh
32:48they just jumped
32:49down
32:51both of them
32:59they're kind of
33:00doing a parallel run
33:01which is a classic
33:01leopard behaviour
33:04they're arching
33:05their shoulders
33:05and their neck
33:06and trying to look
33:07big and intimidating
33:08and it's a step
33:09just before physical
33:10contact
33:12Kudum definitely
33:13wants to avoid
33:14getting into
33:15an altercation
33:16with Bonsu
33:16because Bonsu's
33:17so much bigger
33:20Bonsu's like
33:20frothing
33:21from the mouth
33:22she's pushing
33:22Kudum a little bit
33:23further down
33:24south
33:26Kudum's not
33:27hanging about
33:32Kudum is heading
33:32back towards
33:33her own territory
33:34and safety
33:37what a wild
33:38situation
33:39that was
33:39intense
33:43Kudum is lucky
33:44not to have
33:45been hurt
33:46her search
33:47for a mate
33:48continues
33:57after fleeing
33:58the intruder
33:58male lions
33:59hello boys
34:01teenagers
34:02Colin and
34:03Nkone
34:03have been found
34:04by lion scientist
34:05Robin
34:06after the
34:07altercation
34:08when we had a
34:09look at the
34:09GPS data
34:10we actually saw
34:11that Colin
34:12had beelined
34:14straight to an
34:15area where they
34:15seemed to be
34:16hanging out
34:16quite a lot
34:17he moved
34:18about 15
34:19kilometers
34:19and that's
34:20usually an
34:21indication that
34:22you know
34:22they've had an
34:23altercation with
34:24bigger males
34:26moving away from
34:27the main pride
34:28suggests Colin
34:29and Nkone
34:30are finally heading
34:31out on their
34:32own
34:33this is a really
34:35tricky time
34:36period I think
34:36in Colin
34:37and Nkone's
34:38life
34:38they're gonna
34:39have to dodge
34:40the adult males
34:41that's gonna be
34:42their biggest threat
34:42and obviously
34:43they're gonna have
34:44to continue to
34:45hunt on their
34:45own and build
34:46strength
34:48life can be
34:48quite tough
34:49for a male
34:50especially if
34:50they end up
34:51on their own
34:54their chances
34:55of success
34:56is much higher
34:57when they're
34:58together
35:13the annual flood
35:14is on its way
35:16at last
35:19Anna and Greg
35:20are driving north
35:21to check its
35:22progress
35:24hey Greg I'm
35:25starting to notice
35:26huge numbers of
35:28game around
35:28is that a sign
35:30that we might be
35:31close to the flood
35:33it's quite
35:33extraordinary
35:34isn't it
35:34there's so many
35:35more animals
35:36in this area
35:36we must be
35:37very close
35:38to the edge
35:40I think I can
35:41also hear fish
35:42eagles
35:42and fish eagles
35:43are a good sign
35:45that you're near
35:45water
35:45so yeah
35:48then we're
35:48close
35:51okay I don't
35:53think this is a
35:54mirage
35:54this is actually
35:55water
36:05that is
36:06beautiful
36:10I never knew
36:11it would feel
36:12so good
36:13to see water
36:14at the driest
36:16time of year
36:16this landscape
36:18is transformed
36:20rainwater
36:21from mountains
36:22hundreds of miles
36:23away
36:23is flowing
36:24down the
36:25Okavanga river
36:26surging out
36:27across the dry
36:28land
36:30what starts
36:31as a trickle
36:32swells
36:33to a flood
36:37creating one
36:38of the largest
36:38inland river
36:39deltas
36:40in the world
36:45I really
36:46really hope
36:46this reaches
36:47camp
36:47because
36:48I'm related
36:49to see the
36:49water
36:49so I can't
36:50even imagine
36:50how all the
36:52big cats
36:52are going to
36:53feel
36:53when they
36:53finally set
36:54their eyes
36:54on that
37:00we made it
37:01what a
37:02spectacle
37:03hey
37:03it is
37:04absolutely
37:04stunning
37:05it's going to
37:06transform the
37:07whole place
37:07it's a river
37:08that just
37:08empties into the
37:09desert
37:09at the driest
37:10time of the
37:10year
37:11so it's like
37:11perfect timing
37:12I mean it
37:13couldn't be better
37:13really for the
37:14life here
37:15it takes
37:16it takes this
37:16water
37:16two months
37:17to fan out
37:18across the
37:19delta
37:19and it
37:20spreads out
37:21through a
37:21thousand
37:21kilometers
37:22of channels
37:22beneath us
37:24is literally
37:24just ancient
37:25kalahari
37:26sand
37:30the flood
37:30brings new
37:31challenges
37:32for all
37:33of the
37:33big cats
37:36could
37:36him
37:37the leopard
37:37is going to
37:37have a big
37:38shift
37:38because
37:38the floodplains
37:40are not
37:40unavailable to
37:41leopards
37:41so there will be
37:42a lot more
37:42competition
37:43for the
37:43remaining
37:43dry land
37:44areas
37:44over the
37:45cheetah
37:46how she's
37:46going to
37:46move
37:47will also
37:47change
37:48the lines
37:49I suspect
37:51won't have
37:51to adapt
37:52and shift
37:52as much
37:53strange how
37:54it's beneficial
37:55for some
37:56cats
37:56and complete
37:57disadvantage
37:57for others
37:58that's going
37:59to be
37:59really fascinating
38:00to see
38:00that play
38:01out in front
38:02of us
38:08Rhea is also
38:09checking out
38:10the progress
38:10of the flood
38:12and has found
38:14one of the
38:14Okavango
38:15Delta's
38:15most elusive
38:16big cats
38:18got a
38:19cheetah
38:19just over
38:20here
38:20not sure
38:20yet
38:21who
38:21though
38:29it's
38:29Nello
38:29Pobbe's
38:30daughter
38:30we've not
38:30seen her
38:31for over
38:32a year
38:35how cool
38:36is that
38:36she's actually
38:37back in the
38:38area that
38:38she grew
38:38up in
38:40Nello
38:40is two
38:41years old
38:41the only
38:42cub of
38:43resident
38:43female
38:44cheetah
38:44Pobbe
38:46now
38:47mature
38:47Nello
38:48lives
38:48separately
38:49from her
38:49mother
38:51that's
38:51fantastic
38:52she's still
38:52here
38:52she's still
38:53alive
38:53she's with
38:54us
38:54and she's
38:55come back
38:55home
38:56she's looking
38:57super keen
38:58hey
38:58and pretty
39:00motivated
39:00as non-stop
39:01she's just
39:02looking around
39:02scoping out
39:04seeing what's
39:04in the area
39:06couple of
39:06impala
39:07in the distance
39:07I actually
39:08think she's
39:09going to
39:09go for it
39:13she started
39:14she's
39:15going right
39:16through the
39:16water
39:17they're
39:17splashing
39:17all around
39:23bit of a
39:24tussle
39:35I think
39:36she's
39:36going to
39:36get
39:36it
39:36down
39:37up
39:37it's
39:37oh man
39:38you can
39:38just
39:38see
39:38how
39:38strong
39:39she
39:39is
39:39to
39:39do
39:39this
39:44she's
39:45got it
39:45down
39:45she's
39:45got
39:45them
39:46pilo
39:46down
39:46this
39:47is
39:47her
39:47kill
39:57loads
39:58of
39:58vultures
39:59just
39:59incoming
39:59here
40:02it's
40:03crazy
40:03how fast
40:04that
40:04they
40:05react
40:05that
40:06they've
40:06seen
40:06it
40:06and
40:06they're
40:07coming
40:07up
40:08to
40:08the
40:08kill
40:08the
40:09vultures
40:09pose
40:10little
40:10threat
40:12the
40:12problem
40:12is
40:13who
40:13they
40:13alert
40:15the
40:15lion
40:16coming
40:16in
40:16there
40:18it's
40:19colin
40:19it's
40:19colin
40:19i can
40:20see
40:20the
40:20color
40:20there
40:20it's
40:20colin
40:21he's
40:21coming
40:24there's
40:24another
40:24one
40:25there
40:26it's
40:27colin
40:27and
40:27in
40:27conne
40:28they're
40:29headed
40:29straight
40:29to
40:30nello
40:30crossing
40:31through
40:31this
40:32channel
40:32who
40:32cares
40:33about
40:33crops
40:33there's
40:34food
40:34the
40:34other
40:34side
40:40without
40:40the
40:41pride
40:41to
40:41help
40:41them
40:42hunt
40:42colin
40:43and
40:43and
40:43conne
40:44need
40:44to
40:44take
40:44any
40:45opportunity
40:45to
40:46find
40:46food
40:50we're
40:51not
40:51sure
40:51when
40:51nilo
40:51is
40:52gone
40:52i
40:52actually
40:52didn't
40:52even
40:52see
40:53her
40:53run
40:53off
40:54but
40:55i don't
40:56think
40:56she's
40:56going
40:57to
40:57stay
40:57close
40:57knowing
40:58that
40:58these
40:58big
40:58lions
40:58in
40:59the
40:59area
41:04they're
41:04having
41:05a little
41:05bit
41:05of a
41:05tussle
41:06there
41:06now
41:12swinging
41:12the
41:12impala
41:19around
41:19they're
41:20social
41:20cats
41:20until
41:21food
41:21is
41:21involved
41:21then
41:22it's
41:22every
41:22man
41:22from
41:23south
41:28colin
41:29and
41:29conne
41:29survival
41:30outside
41:30the
41:31pride
41:31isn't
41:31guaranteed
41:33but
41:34sticking
41:34together
41:35gives
41:35them
41:35both
41:36a
41:36better
41:36chance
41:59mating
42:00leopards
42:00overnight
42:01is
42:01exactly
42:02the
42:02news
42:02brad
42:02has
42:02been
42:03waiting
42:03for
42:11the
42:15trail
42:16leads
42:16into
42:17wild
42:17sage
42:18bush
42:18a
42:18perfect
42:19hiding
42:19place
42:20for
42:20mating
42:20leopards
42:22my
42:22hope
42:23is
42:23that
42:23it
42:23is
42:24good
42:26neither
42:27of us
42:27have
42:27got a
42:28visual
42:28yet
42:28it's
42:29really
42:29really
42:29thick
42:29here
42:30we
42:31don't
42:31want
42:31to
42:31push
42:32them
42:32too
42:32hard
42:40that
42:40was
42:40mating
42:42they're
42:42just
42:42moving
42:43slowly
42:43and
42:43slowly
42:44away
42:44from
42:44us
42:45it's
42:46right
42:46in
42:46the
42:47heart
42:47of
42:48kudum's
42:48territory
42:50so
42:51I'm
42:51almost
42:52certain
42:52it is
42:53so
42:53if
42:53brad
42:54is
42:54right
42:54it's
42:55important
42:56that
42:56kudum
42:56is
42:56mating
42:57with
42:57musweo
42:58the
42:58dominant
42:59male
42:59here
42:59the
43:00mating
43:00process
43:01has to
43:02happen
43:02repeatedly
43:03before
43:03she
43:03can
43:04conceive
43:05they'll
43:05mate
43:06hundreds
43:06of
43:06times
43:06normally
43:07every
43:0830 minutes
43:09every 45
43:09minutes
43:10for several
43:11days
43:11at a
43:12time
43:20before
43:20Brad can
43:21identify
43:22the
43:22leopards
43:27three
43:28lionesses
43:28from the
43:29pride
43:29interrupt
43:30the
43:30mating
43:30pair
43:32what
43:32what the
43:33hell
43:35they
43:36likely
43:36heard
43:36the
43:37leopards
43:37mating
43:40chaos
43:41chaos
43:42chaos
43:43chaos
43:43chaos
43:44all
43:45I
43:45wanted
43:45to
43:45find
43:46was
43:46leopards
43:46mating
43:46to
43:48shows
43:48you
43:48never
43:48know
43:49what
43:50to
43:50expect
43:50aren't
43:50you
43:51one
43:52of
43:52the
43:52lions
43:52targets
43:53a
43:53particular
43:54patch
43:54of
43:54wild
43:55sage
43:56she's
43:57pretty
43:57determined
44:00right
44:00where
44:01Brad
44:01spots
44:02Kudum
44:02and her
44:02mate
44:06trist
44:06trist
44:07so the
44:07leopards
44:08are mating
44:08right on
44:08the edge
44:09of the
44:09sage
44:10and
44:10we've
44:11got a
44:11lioness
44:11going
44:11into
44:12it
44:13lions
44:17can be
44:18three times
44:18bigger
44:19than
44:19leopards
44:23Kudum
44:23could easily
44:24be killed
44:24in a
44:24fight
44:28this
44:29lioness
44:29heard
44:30these
44:30leopards
44:30mating
44:31and is
44:31now
44:33zoning
44:34in on
44:34them
44:38rains
44:38of
44:39pause
44:41things
44:42get
44:42even
44:43more
44:43complicated
44:49I
44:50trust
44:50we're
44:50in
44:51three
44:51leopards
44:51here
44:51so we've
44:52got
44:52three
44:52leopards
44:53here
44:53there's
44:53another
44:53male
44:53leopard
44:54following
44:54these
44:54do
44:54their
44:55mating
44:56it's
44:56Musueo
44:57male leopards
44:58got his nose
44:59to the ground
44:59trying to pick up
45:00the scent of the
45:00mating pair
45:02Kudum is with
45:03another male
45:04on Musueo's turf
45:07but before he can do
45:09anything about it
45:11this lioness is just
45:12sneaking in on them
45:15she's going to chase
45:16she's going to chase him
45:18she's going to chase him
45:19Musueo is driven off by the lioness
45:22while Kudum and her mate
45:25disappear
45:29got a mating pair
45:30got a mating pair
45:31Kudum and a male
45:31finally
45:58let's keep an eye on the lioness
46:00let's keep an eye on trees
46:01because Kudum
46:01that'll be her default I think
46:05fish is
46:06up a tree
46:07as predicted
46:11what a morning
46:13with no sign of either male leopard
46:16the pairing is over
46:18this male wasn't that scared
46:20I had a look at him
46:22I got a shot of him
46:23he looked like Musueo
46:24and me too
46:25I also thought that
46:34he's got that
46:35what just happened
46:36expression
46:39I think she
46:39even she can't believe this
46:44leopard pregnancies
46:45last just over three months
46:47so the team will have to wait
46:49to find out
46:50if Kudum
46:51will be a mum
46:53all I want is
46:55her to mate properly
46:56and have
46:56cups
46:59but what I'm warning
47:00one of the most
47:01insane mornings I've had
47:03in years
47:14the intruder male lions
47:16are back
47:16and right in the heart
47:18of the Kudum Pride territory
47:21they're looking
47:23they're looking
47:25they really look like baddies
47:28with dominant males
47:30Big Toe and Madumo
47:31still missing
47:33the intruders
47:34could be moving in
47:35to take over
47:36the pride
47:38I don't know
47:39what's caught their attention
47:39but I think
47:41they're going to be
47:41hyper alert
47:43hyper aware
47:43being inside
47:44this territory
47:46something
47:47they've seen
47:47something off
47:48to the north
48:11we've got all of the
48:13Kudum
48:13cubs here
48:14this could be
48:16a complete disaster
48:19wow
48:20see really
48:21some of the cubs
48:21seem oblivious
48:22to the danger
48:23can see them
48:24playing
48:26behind the females
48:28the future
48:29of this pride
48:30is in those
48:31tiny cubs
48:36in the mind
48:37of a male
48:38is if you
48:39kill cubs
48:40it brings the mother
48:41into oestrus
48:42and you can mate
48:42with her
48:43it's a simple
48:44but brutal
48:45process
48:46and it's just part
48:47of lying behaviour
48:48they don't want
48:49to become friends
48:50with these females
48:51they want to get rid
48:52of any trace
48:53of Big Toe
48:55and Madumo
48:58but the pride
48:59females
49:00are not backing
49:01down
49:03you know what
49:04one part of me
49:06saying
49:06those four females
49:08they're not to
49:09mess about with
49:10they're not young
49:11females
49:12they're very
49:13experienced
49:13very disciplined
49:16and very powerful
49:17okay one of them
49:18is up on his feet
49:19he's got that
49:20kind of
49:21arrogant posture
49:23they were able
49:24to intimidate
49:25Colin
49:25and then Connie
49:26but I think
49:27it's going to be
49:27a very different
49:28story with these
49:28females
49:29they've got
49:30so much
49:31too much
49:32to lose
49:41okay he's moving
49:42in
49:44his coalition
49:45partner
49:46is over
49:46there
49:47where the hell
49:49are we doing
49:49more in Big Toe
49:50she's burying her teeth
49:51oh I've never seen
49:52this before
49:53bearing her teeth
49:55facing towards
49:56those guys
49:57I think they can
49:57see each other
49:58this is bloody
49:59intense
50:02hell hath no fury
50:04like a lioness
50:06protecting her cubs
50:10in my time
50:12in my time as a wildlife
50:13filmmaker
50:13I've never
50:14witnessed this level
50:16of threat
50:16to cubs before
50:19hours pass
50:20and the standoff
50:22continues
50:23I'm going to switch
50:24to the night time
50:25camera just in case
50:25things kick off
50:26after dark
50:30we can see much
50:31clearer with
50:32this camera
50:33so we've got
50:34the two males
50:35in the foreground
50:36and I can see
50:37females
50:38and cubs
50:40on the termite mound
50:55he's moving out
50:58this is encouraging
51:03the pride's mothers
51:05have kept the intruders
51:06at bay
51:09for now
51:10this could be
51:12the best case scenario
51:14as if these boys
51:16just move along
51:18I think this guy's
51:23about to walk
51:24close to you
51:29god he's showing
51:30me his teeth
51:31just right
51:32behind my car
51:36what do you mean
51:36he's behind the car
51:37he's showing me his teeth
51:38he's showing me his teeth
51:39oh f***
51:40stand up
51:41guys he's right
51:42by the car
51:42yeah stand up
51:43stand up
51:44stand up
51:45does he drive
51:46the car forward
51:46no he's going
51:47he's going
51:51f***
51:51V&A
51:52is your heart
51:53pumping
51:54which was too scary
51:55he was burying his teeth
51:57it's just a big
51:58breathing cat
51:59no problem
52:03this is one of the top
52:04predators
52:05you know
52:06on the planet
52:08the females
52:09were just
52:10too big
52:11a challenge
52:11too much risk
52:13for them
52:14but I have thought
52:15but I have thought
52:15that maybe
52:16Big Tomodumo
52:17are losing
52:18their grip
52:19I think this is
52:20a sort of
52:21a clear sign
52:21that if they don't
52:23get their house
52:24in order
52:25they are going
52:25to lose
52:26they're going
52:27to lose
52:27their cubs
52:40the team
52:41lost
52:42the mothers
52:42and cubs
52:43during the night
52:45at first light
52:46they're out
52:46in force
52:47trying to track
52:48them down
52:50I'm
52:51south of
52:51boat station
52:52but I can't
52:53seem to find
52:54anything
52:54at the moment
52:56Rhea and Seth
52:57have found signs
52:58the intruder
52:59male lions
52:59are back
53:00yet again
53:01I have
53:03lion tracks
53:03with no trace
53:05of the females
53:06and cubs
53:07concern is growing
53:10Rhea Rhea
53:11just to double check
53:12have you found
53:12intruder tracks
53:13that is a
53:14confirmed
53:15Gordon
53:15just west
53:17of the
53:17bear bab
53:19Gordon
53:22I've got
53:22those big
53:23males
53:23here
53:28radio
53:29comms
53:29are quite
53:30broken
53:30but
53:31I think
53:31Madumo
53:32and Bigto
53:32have been
53:33located
53:41after 10
53:42days away
53:43the dominant
53:44pride males
53:45Bigto
53:45and Madumo
53:46are back
53:50they've shown
53:51up at a
53:52really important
53:53time
53:53because the
53:54threat
53:54from intruding
53:54males
53:55is something
53:55that never
53:56goes away
54:03right on
54:04cue
54:05intruders
54:05are spotted
54:06nearby
54:10all kicking off
54:13Madumo
54:14just spotted
54:15one of the
54:15intruders
54:16and we could
54:17be in for
54:17a showdown
54:18have you got
54:19visual of him
54:20jeez
54:20he's bombing
54:21he is bombing
54:23there are tracks
54:24on both sides
54:24of the road
54:25now in this
54:26instance
54:27Madumo
54:28is going to
54:28chase
54:29the intruder
54:31for quite a
54:32number of
54:33kilometers
54:35this situation
54:36has been brought
54:37about by the
54:37fire
54:38by the flood
54:39by the size
54:40of this
54:40pride
54:40by the size
54:41of the
54:41territory
54:42the number
54:43of lions
54:44want to move
54:45in here
54:45it's got to
54:46that point
54:47that it's
54:48absolute chaos
54:50it's a war zone
54:52Madumo
54:53is chasing
54:53one intruder
54:54north
55:00big toe
55:00is challenging
55:01the other
55:07that's big toe
55:08growing like
55:09like a king
55:15he's calling
55:16a hell of a lot
55:17it seems like
55:18he wants
55:18Madumo
55:19to come
55:19with him
55:21to teach
55:21this young male
55:22a lesson
55:23but Madumo
55:23has got his
55:24own things
55:25to deal
55:25with
55:26that is
55:27powerful
55:28that's basically
55:30a message
55:30to the intruder
55:32I will kill you
55:36Madumo
55:36is already
55:37two miles away
55:38and not giving up
55:41you've got this
55:42intruder
55:43just
55:43running past
55:45and Madumo
55:45behind
55:47is he going to
55:48pick up the pace
55:48I think he is
55:49he's starting
55:50to run again
55:52unless this
55:53intruder
55:54is completely
55:55insane
55:57he better
55:58keep running
56:08Madumo
56:09chases the intruder
56:10almost eight miles
56:12before finally
56:14letting him go
56:16the intruder
56:17the intruder males
56:17they realise
56:18that they are
56:19out of their
56:19deaths here
56:20and they're not
56:21ready to do
56:22a pride takeover
56:23keep going pal
56:30keep on walking
56:32they realise
56:34that the
56:35cruddle prize males
56:36are not to be
56:37messed with
56:38at all
56:40he must be
56:40knackered
56:41that right there
56:44is the look
56:45of defeat
56:46Madumo
56:47said
56:47we have a
56:49de-escalation
56:50on this fight
56:50looks like
56:51Bigto has pulled
56:52on
56:54Madumo's not
56:54managing to
56:55pick up the scent
56:56he's headed back
57:00dominant pride
57:01males
57:01Bigto and Madumo
57:02have won
57:03this battle
57:04and protected
57:05their family
57:09as Gordon
57:10and the team
57:10follow them
57:11back
57:14almost the
57:15whole pride
57:16comes to
57:17greet them
57:18oh wow
57:22how many
57:23individuals
57:24can you
57:24see
57:2615
57:29that's more
57:30than I have
57:30seen so far
57:31yeah
57:32what an
57:33incredible
57:33thing to see
57:34hey
57:34all of these
57:35lines together
57:36in one spot
57:36it's the first
57:37time in so long
57:41Madumo's just
57:42settled down
57:43into the grass
57:47I'm so chaffed
57:49now
57:49I'm really
57:49chaffed
57:50I know
57:52for sure
57:53the term
57:54the cops
57:55are safe
57:56let's just
57:57enjoy this
57:59while we can
58:07next time
58:09next time
58:09as the annual
58:10flood draws
58:11thousands of
58:12cape buffalo
58:12into the area
58:14uh oh
58:14these buffaloes
58:15are not happy
58:16the couldn't
58:16pride lions
58:17face their
58:18biggest challenge
58:19yet
58:19oh my word
58:21here comes
58:21the ball
58:22get out of there
58:24they're in the
58:24water
58:25the cops
58:26are panicking
58:26oh my gosh
58:29we could lose
58:30one of these
58:30lions
59:00I'm really
59:00happy to see you
59:00this is what I'm
59:00for sure
59:01to see you