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00:24Two years ago, a strange new creature
00:27started to creep about the East African grasslands.
00:31Odd it might look, but it had a serious purpose.
00:49This, as you may have guessed, is no ordinary film about lions.
00:54Some of its sequences were gained in the most extraordinary way.
00:58This remote camera, disguised as a boulder,
01:02has been able to go into the very heart of the pride.
01:06Guided by these controls, it could follow a lion wherever it went,
01:10often where no camera has ever been before.
01:13And all the time, it was sending back pictures
01:15of the most intimate moments in the life of the pride.
01:18So this spy in the den shows just how lion cubs learn to become adult lions.
01:29The lionesses' cubs are just six weeks old,
01:33but already the strange one-eyed rock is part of their lives.
01:46Ever since they were born, she's kept them hidden.
01:49Now they're ready to meet her extended family.
02:06There are six lionesses in this pride,
02:09and three have cubs.
02:11By synchronising their births,
02:13the mothers can form a creche
02:15and share the workload.
02:27We will keep them under close surveillance for 3,000 hours.
02:33The aim is to record the key events
02:36that turn them from cubs into proficient hunters.
02:52In half of all hunts,
02:54lions cooperate using techniques learned as cubs.
03:00They vary their strategy
03:02according to the prey they seek.
03:07One lioness waits.
03:15Others fan out
03:17in a flanking manoeuvre.
03:45Their strategy has the herd surrounded.
04:03The zebra's kick saves its life,
04:06but other lions lie in ambush.
04:13The zebra's kick saves its life,
04:17but other lions lie in ambush.
04:22A neck bite finally subdues her prey.
04:29The cubs also have less violent skills to master.
04:39Using the tongue as a scoop needs practice.
04:42At this age,
04:44At this age,
04:44the cubs have a very great deal to learn.
04:57The most fleeting event is still a discovery.
05:08The most fleeting event is still a discovery.
05:23Cubs are usually a few weeks old before their mother risks introducing them to their father.
05:29He tends to be a bit rough with the kids.
05:49The cubs are mesmerized by this 200-kilo goliath.
05:53He may be 100 times bigger than they are but lying down he seems relatively harmless.
06:00Even so, touching him is playing with fire.
06:15His fuse can be even shorter than their mother's.
06:41The cubs are mesmerized by the cubs are mesmerized by the cubs are mesmerized by the cubs.
06:48It's not something quite like putting your head in the lion's mouth.
06:55In parenting,
06:57lions are from the old school.
06:59They aren't afraid of discipline.
07:09Like human children,
07:11cubs are more restless than their parents,
07:13but they soon learn to relax for 20 hours each day.
07:22And life is about to get even easier.
07:26The yearly wildebeest migration brings several months' supply of regular meals.
07:35Three-monteries,
07:36Four-letter games,
07:36One day,
07:36One day,
07:45Two years later,
07:47Three- sinister games on generate break 1 of свою.
07:47Three-meter games,
07:47Fourny- avatar games,
07:48Fourny- optimize.
07:48The everyday nanoisms de finis for about 21 hours.
07:49Three-meter games,
07:49One day,
07:50Three-meter games during action.
07:51Fourny-ä shape
07:51Veg İnsan ritма!
08:01Fourny-
08:10Catching prey is only half the battle.
08:13The male expects the lion's share.
08:27Males are half as big again and invariably win.
08:37Bouldercam catches the moment the lioness returns with her cubs.
08:48It seems a risky tactic.
08:51The male is still on edge.
08:54She wisely gives him space.
08:56Hyped with high-octane aggression, he'll erupt at the slightest provocation.
09:20But the cubs are safe.
09:23They carry his genes.
09:25And anyway, tiny mouths aren't really competition.
09:28Mum spots an opportunity.
09:31She can use her cubs as a living shield.
09:38She inches closer.
09:47Dangerously close.
09:59She uses her tail as a flag to lead her cubs away.
10:13A rock coppy offers welcome shelter from the relentless heat of the plains.
10:26Pride females are almost always related and their ancestors have lived on the same land for generations.
10:34Males are always outsiders who took over the pride and evicted the previous males.
10:46Predators can't resist a view.
10:48And where their mothers go to spot prey, cubs follow.
10:52Or, at least, they try to.
11:12A rock-climbing may not be his forte, but he's learned that persistence pays.
11:28A cobra, one of the deadliest threats a lion cub could ever face.
11:47Fortunately, the cubs' curiosity is tempered by an innate caution.
12:07Faced by a threat, the pride join forces.
12:11Their first concern is to corral the cubs.
12:22Their enemy carries a concealed weapon.
12:28It spits venom.
12:37The poison jets from hypodermic fangs.
12:44The lions are lucky.
12:45One drop in the eye would blind them for life.
12:54With a spitting cobra at large, the cubs are at risk.
12:58Holding them by the scruff of the neck stops them struggling as they're carried to safety.
13:06The cubs are suckled as much as 15 times each day.
13:11Their milk supply is governed by the amount of food she eats.
13:18Bouldercam makes a useful footrest.
13:29Nursing mothers share breastfeeding duties.
13:32And if a mother dies, her sisters will often raise her orphans.
13:47With claws retracted, the paws' pads make a velvet cushion.
13:56The lions are now so at ease our spy in the den can often approach to within a whisker.
14:12The cubs have survived the most dangerous weeks of their lives.
14:17Many adventures lie ahead.
14:19In the next few months, they will grow rapidly in size and strength.
14:23And they'll spend more time within the security of the pride.
14:27As they interact with individuals, they'll learn the rules that govern life in the pride.
14:33And as they're gaining confidence, they'll play at stalking and hunting.
14:38To discover just what life holds for infant lion cubs,
14:42bouldercam goes back into the pride.
14:46The cubs practice tackling each other.
14:49One day, a trip kick will bring down prey.
14:59They still have problems recognising just what is prey.
15:09Things that run away, cry out to be chased.
15:18But a mongoose can perform a vanishing trick.
15:30And the illusion of popping up from nowhere.
15:34But they have an even better trick.
15:36It's a game that plays with numbers.
15:44They band together and conjure up a huge, sinuous creature.
15:48A super-organism too big to mess with.
15:58Then, as quickly as it formed, the creature fragments before her eyes.
16:08As the day heats up, they compete for shade.
16:12Filling every available space, their bodies trace a living imprint of the tree.
16:23Unlike the females, pride males are not necessarily related.
16:28And there's no real leader.
16:30They formed their brotherhood before they took over the pride.
16:37He marks his territory with a musky blend of urine and scent.
16:42A pungent calling card to both rivals and other pride members.
16:53His huge mane may be a handicap that prevents him from helping in the hunt.
16:57But in courtship, size matters.
17:06Females prefer big manes.
17:09They often make the first move.
17:17He needs to be careful.
17:19In case she turns, he uses the same scruff hold as a mother carrying cubs.
17:33This time, he was lucky.
17:45Lions mate once every 25 minutes.
17:49So the male soon needs encouragement.
17:52Especially as he has to keep up his performance for three days.
18:15He's most vulnerable when he releases his grip.
18:19He's most vulnerable.
18:21He's most vulnerable.
18:22He's most vulnerable.
18:24He's most vulnerable.
18:30Eating grass helps lions regurgitate fur balls that form when grooming, as it does for domestic cats.
18:43Lions have few enemies, but danger can materialize from unexpected quarters.
18:56A swarm of African bees.
19:00Far deadlier than any honey bee.
19:07One sting triggers the others into a frenzied attack.
19:20In seconds, Africa's greatest carnivore is seen off by an insect.
19:31She seems a willing partner in this sexual marathon, but she's also fickle.
19:37Tickle.
19:42Tickle.
19:46Boulder cam, caught in the crossfire, only just survived.
19:50She's still hyped with aggression.
19:56Tickle.
20:02As lions may mate 150 times in three days,
20:06the male needs to combine stamina with caution.
20:14A family of warthogs gives the adults a chance to show just how it should be done.
20:30In long grass, the initial approach can be rapid.
20:33She aims to narrow the gap as fast as possible, ideally to less than 30 meters.
20:41Crucially, she matches each move to her prey's reactions.
20:49If it looks up, she stops.
20:54If it looks away, she goes on.
21:07In a series of fits and starts, she gradually closes the gap.
21:12As she gets closer, she moves more slowly and her profile melts into the grass.
21:23Lions find it hard to outrun their prey.
21:27Every inch nearer will tilt the odds in her favor.
21:43Only her tail betrays her emotion.
21:51Now, even padded soles are a liability.
21:55She turns her foot.
21:57Fur is quieter.
22:13In her charge, she reaches 35 miles an hour, but after 100 meters, her energies flag.
22:23Now, teamwork shows its value.
22:40One warthog won't go far, so they squabble for a share.
22:51But victory may be short-lived.
22:54But victory may be short-lived.
23:15The cubs are now regular meat-eaters.
23:23But they also eat far more.
23:26Scrounging from the male will prove harder.
23:53The cub rolls in submission.
23:59The aggression triggered by the kill affects them too.
24:08The pride is forced to bide its time.
24:12But their chance may never come.
24:14The cubs are now regular meat.
24:15The cubs are sucked into the와.
24:22The water.
24:24The trombone.
24:24The quarrel.
24:28The crumbones.
24:32The하, the grandfog.
24:38The fifth food.
24:42The crumbones.
24:44the male can't win.
24:52For cubs of this age, this was the last event witnessed by boulder cam.
24:57It was to return when the cubs were older.
25:07Now that cubs are one year old,
25:09they've learnt many of the rules that govern life in the prime.
25:13Soon, stalking and tackling prey will be added to their skills.
25:18But their first attempt at hunting
25:20are not only nearly always unsuccessful,
25:23but sometimes very comical.
25:25As with many youngsters,
25:27their enthusiasm outweighs their experience.
25:30But, as boulder cam discovered,
25:33on occasion, this over-exuberance can lead them into trouble.
25:44The first sign that things have changed
25:46is their reaction to boulder cam.
25:51The year-old cubs are stronger and far more confident.
26:01Remarkably, in all its encounters, boulder cam was never damaged.
26:10The adolescents are now totally relaxed again in its presence.
26:24But peace never reigns for long,
26:27and this is blatant provocation.
26:34At this age, they'll have a go at anything.
27:06Attempts the Phantom Advice
27:07to the Red 41
27:07by the Sacred
27:29The youngsters are still testing their limitations.
27:32Lions are not great climbers, despite having claws like retractable crampons.
27:45Each new foothold is a risk.
28:03The adolescents will eventually learn their limits. Adults rarely chase baboons.
28:33Going up is easier than coming down, as it is for domestic cats. But these cats are ten times heavier.
28:53The baboons also have a secret arsenal.
29:00Sticks make effective missiles.
29:04And as a last gesture, a baboon has her own way of expressing her feelings.
29:30Birds are just as tempting as they were when the youngsters were cubs. And just as hard to catch.
29:43Even at more than a year old, they're still learning by investigation.
29:50Is a dead catfish edible? If not, how about a bunch of water hyacinths?
29:59Something that moves has just got to be food. But it pays to be careful.
30:05The monitor lizard's movement is unlike anything they've seen so far.
30:20The lizard gives an impressive display of bravado, adding sound effects as it inflates.
30:32As a finale, it has a whip to crack.
30:38Faced with the unknown, even adult lions are natural cowards.
30:46At this age, real hunting is still a spectator sport.
30:53Faced with the unknown, even adult lions are natural cowards.
31:10Faced with the unknown, even adult lions are natural cowards.
31:28Faced with the unknown, even adult lions are natural cowards.
31:32Barely a mouthful for an adult, it's more use as a teaching aid.
31:42This rarely seen behaviour hones the cubs' hunting skills.
31:49Fortunately for the piglet, they still have much to learn.
32:08Faced with the unknown, even adult lions are natural cowards.
32:22Although in need of more hunting practice, they're now strong enough to defend themselves.
32:27So the adults often leave them unattended for up to a day at a time.
32:37It's while unsupervised that trouble tends to strike.
32:42Buffalo are formidable prey.
32:45They kill more lionesses than any other animal does.
32:56But the youngsters are still learning by trial and error.
33:05The buffalo are quick to get the measure of their attackers and the tables turn.
33:09Goх, go!
33:33Her climbing practice pays off.
33:56It's now the adults that turn the tables.
34:13This adolescent has learnt another valuable lesson.
34:30Six months on and the young lions are a bigger and more muscular proposition.
34:43They've also improved their hunting techniques.
34:55Although their style lacks the adult subtlety, it can still trap the unwary.
35:14She won't be seen if she doesn't move.
35:17The mistake is to pounce too soon.
35:24The zebra's suspicious, but the lion holds her nerve.
35:28She's after the easiest target.
35:35But even foals are armed.
35:49An adult stages an ambush.
35:56She targets a full-grown zebra, but grabs it badly.
36:01Desperately, she attempts a neck bite.
36:11The young lions try to help, but are somewhat bewildered.
36:20Then, mostly by luck, their weight brings it down.
36:42Although they didn't actually perform the kill, this is their most successful hunt so far.
36:49But it's as well that they're eating fast.
36:52The male's tolerance to them has vanished with their coming of age.
37:13The female's daring raid gives them a chance, but not for long.
37:23For the young lions, the pressure is now on for them to catch their own meals.
37:42A hippo is unlikely prey, even if they were adult.
37:46But out of water, it's hard to resist.
37:51But it won't take it lying down.
38:03Its colossal size is challenge enough, but it's also armed with neck-crunching jaws.
38:09It could easily kill a young lion.
38:29In retreat, the hippo appears tantalizingly vulnerable.
38:42They're rehearsing moves that adults use on buffalo.
38:46But they've still got some growings to do.
39:05They hadn't a hope of success.
39:07But it's good practice.
39:20Their old enemy returns, but something has changed.
39:27Bigger and stronger, the lions are more inclined to hold their ground.
39:39They know they can outmaneuver an elephant, so they play a game of dare.
39:54Ultimately, it's a game no elephant could be seen to lose.
40:11The cubs are now two years old, and have learnt most of the rules that govern pride life.
40:17It will be two more years before they have cubs of their own.
40:20Through play and chasing, they've honed their predatory skills.
40:25But they still face their greatest challenge.
40:28They have yet to bring down prey.
40:33The cubs do a good behavior after they have manifested.
40:33I know it's a right mob.
40:37No one of a moons is the only one who has ever seen.
40:39The cubs are now for a geopie.
40:57The cubs are here.
40:59The cubs trying to make the same things yet.
40:59The cubs are now for an extra.
41:00The one of the cubs.
41:00The cubs.
41:23It's more a mob attack than a clean kill, but primal instincts have been woken.
41:29There's no looking back.
42:00There's no looking back.
42:00There's no looking back.
42:16There's no looking back.
42:50It's become a stop-start game of statues.
43:23There's no looking back.
43:24There's no looking back.
43:40There's no looking back.
44:06There's no looking back.
44:30There's no looking back.
44:42There's no looking back.
44:56There's no looking back.
45:17There's no looking back.
45:20There's no looking back.
45:25There's no looking back.
45:51There's no looking back.
46:10There's no looking back.
46:18There's no looking back.
46:59There's no looking back.
47:07There's no looking back.
47:09There's no looking back.
47:14There's no looking back.
47:27There's no looking back.
47:55There's no looking back.
47:55There's no looking back.
47:58There's no looking back.
48:51There's no looking back.
48:52There's no looking back.
48:58There's no looking back.
49:00There's no looking back.
49:02There's no looking back.
49:06Here's the choices.
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