- 21 hours ago
The reign of Alan as the troop leader is suddenly threatened when the younger baboon attempts to invade. During this tense clash, chaos erupts, leaving Alan's harem with the task of stepping in to keep the intruder in check....
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AnimalsTranscript
00:03Imagine a place where the world's most endangered creatures can roam free.
00:10He's warming up his legs.
00:12Oh, there he goes.
00:14A vast wilderness, brimming with the intimate dramas of its inhabitants.
00:22As they take their first steps, learn to get along and confront their rivals.
00:30In the shadow of Mount Kenya, Olpegeta is one of the few untamed places left on Earth.
00:37On Olpegeta, the wild really, really is the wild.
00:42It's home to 13,000 animals.
00:46Let's get ready to ramble.
00:50Watched over by a dedicated team of rangers.
00:53Just like you take care of your kids. These are our kids.
00:55Who every day must decide if they should intervene in a wild animal's life.
01:00Oh, I want to see who will win on this.
01:03Or let nature take its course.
01:05It's a tough one, it's a tough one.
01:07As these extraordinary creatures strive to survive in the wild.
01:38It's mid-afternoon in Olpegeta.
01:42And in their own way, everyone is relaxing in the sun.
01:48Including one elderly resident, who long ago mastered the art of taking it easy.
01:53Baboon Alan.
02:00You see him hanging on the branches of trees with his belly out.
02:09He's relaxed.
02:11Known for his laid-back outlook, Alan is alpha male of the Sweetwater troupe.
02:17One of five in Olpegeta.
02:20Unusually in baboon society, Alan has kept the piece as leader for several years.
02:28Alan's troupe is quite unique.
02:31A typical baboon troupe is led by the alpha male.
02:36And this dominant male, on most occasions, is really assertive.
02:41There's a lot of squabbles.
02:43There's a lot of discipline.
02:44You'll always hear squeals and cries and a lot of fighting amongst each other.
02:52Alan is nothing to fight for.
02:54He has already commanded respect for the group.
03:02Ranger James has known Alan for much of his long reign.
03:07And thinks he knows the secret to his success.
03:12The fact that Alan has this very distinguishing tooth could be an advantage of him over the other males.
03:21You know, the tooth looks so scary.
03:26He really can inflict injury to anyone who is daring.
03:30Maybe try to overthrow him or misbehave or something like that.
03:36My opinion, I don't think he looks so handsome.
03:39But who knows, in the baboon world, maybe he looks handsome to the females.
03:46One of the benefits of leadership is a personal hareem.
03:51Today, Alan is enjoying the attentions of Kandi, one of his favourites.
04:04But while Alan's distracted, a stranger arrives.
04:10Upsetting the usual peace and quiet in the troop.
04:13Stan.
04:19Like many young males just coming of age, Stan has left his own troop to seek his fortune elsewhere.
04:29Stan is a young, aggressive male who is a new challenge for Alan.
04:36He will have to try to keep this male at bay.
04:40There are a number of ways that an incoming baboon will have to do when it comes to a new
04:46group.
04:48If he is able to win the female's heart, then he will become accepted.
04:55If there is so much opposition against him, maybe he has to fight.
05:07Alan hasn't faced a serious challenge in a while.
05:14But Stan seems intent on muscling in on him and Kandi.
05:36We are fighting each other.
05:39Stan wants a piece of the mating rights.
05:58Alan has seen Stan off, for now.
06:04But with age catching up with him, Alan's days as leader may be numbered.
06:10Stan wants to show him by example, like, this is what I am going to take over and this is
06:14what I am going to do.
06:15I will be the next leader.
06:18Alan has to fight.
06:21And he really has to stand his ground.
06:26Stan is really strong.
06:29He is more muscular.
06:30He has got all this vigor and energy.
06:35You think about a 30-year-old fighting a 70-year-old man.
06:41Honestly, it's a big challenge.
06:52Every day across Al Pejeta, young animals are reaching maturity and testing the authority of their elders.
07:02Tricky, tricky youth or experience.
07:05Quite a tricky, tricky subject.
07:08Some teenagers in the wilderness start becoming hot-headed.
07:16As animals are developing, so are their hormones.
07:19You know, they have that perception that they are now strong and they might try to beat off or mash
07:26up an adult.
07:29As animals are coming to maturity, they want to act like the big strong males or females or whatever it
07:34is.
07:35You know, they are trying to fit into those big shoes.
07:38But they still have quite a bit to learn.
07:43So sometimes they need to step back and kind of be taught by the older ones how to survive, how
07:49to hunt, how to feed or whatever it is.
07:53It's that kind of a battle between thinking they know it all versus needing to learn what they need to
07:59learn.
08:10Two teenagers who have more to learn than most are southern white rhinos Lucky and Harry.
08:19They spent a sheltered childhood together in an enclosure protected from predators.
08:25Lucky and Harry, they are pretty much best friends from childhood.
08:30They are one month apart, so they are more like they are twins.
08:34They have grown up together. They are always together.
08:39Lucky is larger in size.
08:42It's a big deal and a big plus in the animal kingdom.
08:46The bigger you are, you have more chances with the ladies compared to Harry who is smaller in size.
08:53They are in that transition stage from being young boys to now teenage stage.
08:59Their hormones are up, their testosterone are up.
09:03It's really become a dilemma.
09:09Harry and Lucky share their enclosure with ten females, including their mothers,
09:14who have been chosen as potential surrogates to help save their nearly extinct cousins,
09:20the northern white rhino.
09:23But now, at five years old, Harry and Lucky are beginning to jeopardize the breeding program.
09:36Ranger Abraham is investigating.
09:40What sort of behavior has your team observed so far with them?
09:45They have become mature and now they want to mount with the mother and also aunts and what have you.
09:54Can you see? I see that so much interesting. Everyone wants to mount on them.
09:59They are at the age where they are now ready to pair up.
10:02Yeah.
10:05The best idea going forward is to come up with a plan to move out these young lads to the
10:13greater conservation area.
10:16To protect the females, it's time for these two teenagers to leave home.
10:25Yeah, five years, that's a good end. Comparing it to humans, it's like a young man who has just completed
10:30college,
10:31so he's pretty much ready to go into the wild.
10:34And it's about time now that they go and try to look for mates and establish their own territory.
10:43To survive in the wild, Lucky and Harry will have to grow up fast.
10:48It's really going to be a big deal for them once they are going to be introduced to the wilderness
10:53area.
10:56For the first time they are going to see animals they have never seen in their life, like lions, elephants.
11:02And I'm hopeful that they are going to stick together because it's going to be them against the wild.
11:22This afternoon at the Sweetwater Baboon Troop, Alan is in more need of his nap than usual.
11:29He's been keeping an eye on challenger Stan, who has his eye on Alan's crown.
11:37It's a big challenge for him, the father that he's been the leader of the group for a long time.
11:43And I am not sure now how he's going to counter this invading male.
11:52An important symbol of rank in baboon society are mating rights.
11:57The most dominant male mates first.
12:01Today, a young female has just come into season.
12:05Jenny is sort of the upcoming star.
12:11She has some bit of elegance and charm that is really attracting every male of this troop, including the leader
12:20himself, Alan.
12:31Alan is facing a bit of opposition from Stan who wants us to get the meeting right.
12:39So he's being followed very closely.
13:00After their first encounter, Stan has grown in confidence.
13:11Pushing ahead of Alan, he claims Jenny before the leader.
13:27The biggest implication with Stan taking the female away from Alan is that he is not very careful.
13:33Stan to stand might lead to his downfall.
13:36He really has to stand his ground.
13:42Sensing weakness, Stan readies to establish his dominance.
14:06This time, Alan backs down first.
14:15It's really sad for Alan.
14:20He's been the leader of the group for a long time and I am not sure now how he's going
14:25to work around this.
14:42Youthfulness brings strength and sometimes strength is what is needed.
14:47But in many cases, strength on its own might not be very sustainable.
14:55When it comes to starting adult life, a young animal learns the harsh reality that life is not as simple
15:03as they'd expected.
15:05And there's so much that they need to learn.
15:09A young animal now has to fend for itself.
15:13You have to be alert at all times.
15:19Everywhere you go, everything you do, it's a risk from predators or territorial males.
15:28There's no comfort zone here now going onwards.
15:32And experience is the best teacher.
15:44Teddy and Freddie are two youngsters who still have a lot left to learn.
15:50Just a year old, they're teenagers in jackal years.
15:57Steve has been studying the two brothers and their family.
16:04It's a free adventure for me.
16:05I don't have to pay anything to come and see how my jackals are faring on.
16:11You get to see how they live within a family.
16:13It's amazing.
16:17John and Mary have seven pups.
16:20Two are teenagers.
16:23The other five are small pups.
16:26About three or two weeks old.
16:30Today is a big test for the two teenagers.
16:35What happens within a jackal family is that the adults, that is John and Mary,
16:42will go out and try to hunt and look for food.
16:46While Teddy and Freddie, they'll remain behind and look after the pups.
16:51They'll be like the nanny to the siblings.
16:57It's the first time Teddy and Freddie have been left in charge of all five pups.
17:03It's a big responsibility.
17:06Jackals mate for life and only have one litter a year, so every pup is precious.
17:13But many are picked off by predators in the first few weeks of life.
17:20The main risk to these pups would be the lions.
17:25Lion cubs even might try to take advantage of the whole situation.
17:28Hyenas.
17:30We have snakes and also we have enemies from above, such as the hawks, the eagles.
17:37All these are looking to feed their families and this would be a good opportunity.
17:48It's only been five minutes and the teenage babysitters are already struggling to keep control.
18:03Teddy and Freddie will wonder, what am I supposed to be doing at this point?
18:06Am I supposed to put my siblings to sleep? Am I supposed to play with them? Am I supposed to
18:12do something with them?
18:18They look a bit clueless. They don't know really what they are supposed to be doing.
18:27Unfortunately for them, their pups seem to be super and hyperactive.
18:34It's like they have taken sugar. They have a sugar rush and they are really a headache now to Teddy
18:41and Freddie.
18:44But instead of actually looking after their siblings, they'll actually try and bully their siblings,
18:51which is mostly what teenagers will do.
18:54I mean, my sister has done that to me so I would understand how their siblings are feeling about Teddy
19:01and Freddie.
19:12Exhausted, Teddy and Freddie eventually give up trying to keep the pups under control.
19:25Now, where is Teddy and Freddie honestly?
19:29You'd expect the teenagers to be with the pups but they know how to be seen.
19:35It's actually very risky for them because top predators such as the lion can come and make them a meal.
19:43Teenagers, teenagers.
19:44They just...
19:53In the thousand acre predator proof enclosure, childhood is about to come to an abrupt end for teenage southern white
20:00rhinos Harry and Lucky.
20:13It's a big day for Harry and Lucky and we are now pulling them out from the mother's comfort zone
20:17and now out into the wilderness to live, to be their own men and live their own life now.
20:25So far, Harry has lived in the shadow of his bigger, stronger friend Lucky.
20:30But life in the wild will be a shock for both of them.
20:35Comparing them to humans, these are naive young lads who are not streetwise at all.
20:42Brought up in the rural areas now, bringing them straight to the big city.
20:46Personally, I'm a rural kid. I think I relate very well with them.
20:57The rangers start with the larger, more confident Lucky.
21:02We don't need all this convoy to approach the animal because we don't want to spoke it away.
21:07That's why you're only having one vehicle going in, that's the vet to dart the animal.
21:12Then once the animal has been darted, he's going to call us in.
21:18There are complications with any darting.
21:21There's a lot of caution to be taken when you're approaching these animals.
21:30The vets get close enough to dart Lucky.
21:42But before the sedative can take effect, he disappears into the bush.
21:52It's a problem because he might get strangled in between two branches,
21:56which is something that we are really cautious about.
22:03And if left too long under sedation, Lucky could develop potentially fatal breathing problems.
22:10We are trying to scatter so that we can get it quickly.
22:12Is it dangerous if it doesn't get found?
22:14That's right, it may die, it may die, it may die.
22:30In the wild, when one animal comes of age,
22:34it often means another finding their days at the top of the tree or coming to an end.
22:41At the Sweetwater Baboon Troop, Alan seems powerless to stop young challenger Stan from taking over.
22:50Once you're overthrown from your territory, this is the worst part.
22:55Comparing it to humans, it's like you have this family, you've brought up your kids,
22:59then once you've grown old, someone else comes and takes over.
23:06Takes over your wife and your kids.
23:09You live a solitary life.
23:12It's a very lonely life.
23:14The only thing you have to prove of the life you've lived is the scars that you have in your
23:19body.
23:23But today, while Alan sits on the sidelines, Stan's youth and inexperience as an alpha male are beginning to show.
23:37Stan is aggressive by nature and can be a bully.
23:43We see the way he addresses the other members of the troop, biting and fighting everyone.
23:51Believers of other baboons' welfare.
24:01Wemales don't comprehend such a way of governance because they have been used to a calm sort of leadership from
24:10Alan.
24:15Stan's aggressive attitude may be backfiring.
24:24The females are seeing the need of joining hands to stop Stan reaching to the top.
24:32He has clearly shown in the way he's conducting himself that if he takes the leadership role of the troop,
24:38then it's going to be rough time for everyone.
24:53A female pushed too far turns on Stan.
25:02Suddenly, more females are chasing him off.
25:09Spurred on, Alan joins in.
25:22It's been a hard lesson for the young Stan.
25:25Driven out, he'll have to find another troop to accept him.
25:37For now, Alan is restored to his rightful place.
25:44It is a magical sighting just watching all the positive energy and love that is around Alan.
25:53He's being surrounded by all these female infants playing with him.
26:01I think Alan is a good example of a leader.
26:06He uses peace as a way of governing the truth.
26:10It's just a simple way of just being loving and kind.
26:17There's some other cool ways of solving conflicts that as Alan is teaching us,
26:23that can be replicated to us as humans.
26:35In the predator-proof enclosure, the rangers have finally found Rhino Lucky,
26:42collapsed in a bush.
26:51He's still breathing, but heavily sedated.
27:00He's still breathing, but heavily sedated.
27:10Weighing over a ton,
27:12Lucky's too heavy to be manhandled into the crate.
27:16The only option is to reverse the effects of the tranquilizer,
27:19wait for him to wake up,
27:22and coax him in.
27:24Once the animal is about to be woken up,
27:28the crate has to be very close,
27:29and we have to use very large ropes around it to push it in.
27:36They're wondering what's going on,
27:38and they're really pissed off.
27:43The worst case in here is if it cuts off the ropes,
27:47and turns on us,
27:48it would break one's bones,
27:50or it would even be fatal.
27:58It's really important that everyone plays their role,
28:02and we don't really be in any room for her.
28:29And we don't really be in any room for her.
28:45It's quite intense, the adrenaline pumping, we are concerned for the animal and again
28:50for the welfare of the staff as well, so it's quite an intensive activity.
28:58Lucky is leaving the enclosure he's known all his life to start the journey to becoming an adult wild rhino.
29:28He's going to come out very aggressive and agitated, really, really agitated.
29:34He's going to be quite wild. He wouldn't want to stand on his way.
30:02Lucky isn't happy. A good sign for the Rangers.
30:09You know, that's the best characteristic of a survivor.
30:12We don't want it to be, like, lazy or sluggish. We have released it and it is running, so it
30:19is out of danger.
30:26This is pretty much a boy becoming a man. We are hopeful that he's going to find a mate and
30:33reproduce.
30:41Back in the enclosure, the smaller, less confident Harry is almost ready for his journey into the wild.
30:54There's a lot of mixed feelings in here.
30:58To see such a big animal being immobilized.
31:02It's the first time being this close to humans and now we have tranquilized him.
31:06He's wondering what's really going on.
31:13The Rangers are releasing Harry in the same place as Lucky.
31:17Though Lucky is now nowhere to be seen.
31:26To be here, the Rangers is a friend.
31:32To be a friend of the Rangers.
31:41The Rangers is an incredible story.
31:43To be able to find a man of his friends and friends.
31:44To be able to find him.
31:44To be able to find his friends and family.
31:48To be able to find him if he was a man of his friends.
31:50Unlike Lucky, Harry's first steps are uncertain.
32:20It's going to attract hyenas and other predators.
32:37Change is difficult for everyone.
32:39But again, it's inevitable, so you have to man up.
32:45It's a big world that is not fair to anyone, so, yeah.
32:50You have to get by, and it's in the wild survival for the fittest.
33:07Coming of age often means having to leave the familiar comforts of home.
33:13But not for jackals.
33:18Steve is hoping to see signs that teenagers Teddy and Freddie
33:22are improving at babysitting their younger siblings.
33:30If Teddy and Freddie are going to raise the next generation,
33:33and this is what they're really instilling in their children,
33:36it's going to be disastrous.
33:40I wish I can school them.
33:43I'm not a jerk.
33:49With both parents out late hunting, their next big test is bedtime.
33:58They're putting one to sleep, the other is jumping off.
34:02It's funny actually watching it.
34:05One pup is proving more trouble than most.
34:09There is one that is very, very naughty.
34:11He's called Rick.
34:12He's very, very, very, very demanding, because he always wants to be noticed.
34:23I really don't envy Teddy and Freddie's work right now.
34:28Especially if you're dealing with siblings who are just super curious, super naughty,
34:34always want to get out of the house and play out there.
34:37They are honestly not aware of the lacking dangers in the wilderness.
34:43Teddy and Freddie are old enough to understand the dangers.
34:47But they seem too exhausted to care.
34:52An enemy might find the perfect opportunity to attack these five young pups,
34:56and Teddy and Freddie will feel like the world has crumbled on them.
35:01You know, unity is strength.
35:03So if they are together, the hawks or the eagles that are flying around might decide not to attack.
35:10But if one tries to stray, the hawk might take advantage of the situation,
35:15and this might be kaput for him.
35:19While most stick close to the den,
35:24one inquisitive pup is wandering off.
35:32Rick is starting to grow more brave,
35:35and he goes off into the wilderness on his own.
35:38It's like a baby crawling out of the house and just veering off.
35:42It's dangerous.
35:45Rick has strayed nearly 100 metres from the safety of the den.
35:51His teenage brothers, unaware he's missing.
35:59It's dangerous.
36:03It's dangerous.
36:06It's dangerous.
36:06If Ondigo swoops in, there's literally nothing you can do.
36:14If they don't find Rick before dark,
36:18the chances of Rick surviving again are slim to none.
36:37So, first priority, Lucky and Harry.
36:41I and Will will be in the ground.
36:42Maybe if you saw them, then you can call us over the radio.
36:46A week ago, rhinos Lucky and Harry took their first steps into the wild.
36:51The rangers usually check newly released animals are doing okay,
36:55but they haven't been able to find them.
36:58Everyone's really concerned because finding a quiet rhino,
37:02it's never been this challenging.
37:05And now everyone's worried about what could be the problem
37:08or worst-case scenarios.
37:15While a spotter team take off to search from the air,
37:23Ranger Willy and the ground team are following up a possible sighting of Harry,
37:27the smaller less confident of the two rhinos,
37:30and the one the rangers were most worried about after he was released.
37:36We hope it is there because the guys spotted it.
38:04You can see Harry lying there on the ground.
38:08It is scared now because you were just walking all over the world.
38:12Just walking here and there.
38:14Long last you are tired, now you are sleeping.
38:17And it is good because it's right there.
38:20It's lucky for us to get it.
38:27I'm happy.
38:29That's why we like this job.
38:36Harry seems to have overcome his fears and accepted his new life in the wild.
38:44But there's still no sign of the larger lucky.
38:50The problem we have is these rhinos, when they get lost,
38:54you don't know whether it's life or death.
38:59Time is of the essence.
39:01If he's injured, we don't know the extent of these wounds.
39:06You're really worried.
39:16Out on the savannah, runaway jackal pup Rick has wandered far from the safety of his den.
39:24Oblivious to the dangers.
39:28Though older brothers Teddy and Freddy still haven't realised.
39:34This is a typical example of how useless the Teddy and Freddy are in the family.
39:43With dusk approaching, predators are beginning to stir.
39:54That changes the whole subject.
39:56My guess is that Tony Ego.
39:59That's an enemy from above.
40:01They are really opportunistic predators.
40:05They have been rumoured to actually carry one into the next.
40:09It happens in an instant.
40:20Back at the den, Teddy and Freddy finally realise something is wrong.
40:43I've grown to, you know, love these jackal pups.
40:46I've seen them grow, I've seen them, you know, being born.
40:50Then Tony Ego, we just soup in for the kill.
40:55Don't kill my heart.
40:56Don't kill my heart.
41:23Don't kill my heart.
41:23Don't kill my heart.
41:37Don't kill my heart.
41:40Tell me to bear my heart.
41:41Rick is safe.
41:44And for Teddy and Freddie, another important lesson learnt.
41:53the fact that they are you know not so good at this job will actually shape them to be better
41:59adults because they might be reckless they might be not so up for the task but i i'm pretty sure
42:06it's shaping them in some way it might take a long time but in the end they will definitely
42:13be good adults out there search parties are still out looking for young southern white rhino lucky
42:27the team has now extended the area to over 30 miles from where he was released
42:41the spotters in the air catch sight of something and guide in the ground team
42:56so it's going this way so we have to follow this track
43:08it was sleeping
43:11wake up here because it sends us wake up left this way so we have to follow it
43:26it's there
43:34oh it's there come come come come that space you'll see it's crossing this
43:38so i have confirmed that it's lucky according to the ear knowledge this area is the territory for
43:52kalita there's a big male than him lucky is alive and well but he's stumbled into the territory of an
44:00older bigger male and it seems he's been hiding in the bush ever since it's really a twist to the
44:07story who thought the hurry is the timid one who'd go out into the bushes to hide but now it's
44:14lucky lucky
44:15who was trying to show how dominant he is how is how is the man is actually acting the opposite
44:21of what
44:21he's been displaying earlier on yeah i've been here that's why we search it for several days can't see it
44:28even the aircraft you can't see it because it's thick but today we make it we are lucky lucky lucky
44:38both rhinos have been found but for now many miles apart lucky and harry will have to face the challenges
44:47of
44:47growing up growing up in the wild alone it will really be i believe if the two
44:55team up at some point and form a coalition it's the best case scenario for them
45:02so it's up to time time will tell
45:23every time the sun goes down it becomes quite obvious that majority of the young ones are vulnerable
45:32they've not quite adopted to living on their own it's never safe it's a wild place it's designed
45:40to be such because nature wants to propel the best genes you have to be a survivor
45:47but just like when you first go to school it's scary at the onset until that animal gets used to
45:55some
45:55the dangers and learns that um it can actually survive on its own
46:07um i can only see three oh no a cheetah losing a cup to me the same experience like a
46:14human being
46:15losing a child there's a big fight brewing here trying to pull off the legs
46:22Bella's looking really scared right now remember this is a hunting ground for lions and cheetahs
46:29so it's not going to be safe for her
46:34walk alongside our wildlife and secret safari into the wild stream the entire series now on all four
46:40more now a windmill hideaway welcomes us tomorrow in kent actor jessica hines along for the trip and
46:47all new extraordinary escapes with sandy talks fig at nine 24 hours and a and e's up next
46:51so
46:52so
46:55you