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In the gallery forests of the Serengeti, a phantom lurks: the elusive Leopardess. With her five-month-old cub, she navigates the shadowy ...
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00:02The Serengeti and its labyrinth of gallery forests.
00:11Territory of Alepides.
00:15Shadow-like, she sets off to hunt in her domain.
00:22To her family, she's both caring provider and fearless defender.
00:32That means sudden death for many denizens of the bushlands.
00:37And his only chance of survival in an unforgiving habitat.
00:48This is her story.
01:05Northern Serengeti.
01:10A quiet brook.
01:15Its banks are lined with gallery forest.
01:18A confusion of waterways, tangled undergrowth and tall trees that covers kilometers.
01:33It's the home of a lepidess.
01:37She has brought up a son here.
01:39Now, roughly a year old, he looks almost like a fully grown leopard.
01:44But he's still playful and boisterous.
01:51He's survived the toughest and most dangerous months.
01:54Now, he confidently explores his surroundings, interested in everything.
02:06In late July, the great wildebeest migration crosses the border from Tanzania into Kenya.
02:13Streaming into the Masai Mara Reserve.
02:16And into the Lepidesses territory.
02:32Mother and son are on high alert.
02:36Wildebeest calves are valuable prey.
02:41Not only for leopards.
02:44Lions hunt in the bush too.
02:52Big cats can take each other by surprise here.
02:57All the big predators are deadly rivals because they compete for the same resources.
03:06Right now, the leopard is concentrating on her primary task.
03:15So is the lioness.
03:24At the last moment, she senses something is wrong.
03:32The lioness got there first, but that may have saved the lepidess.
03:37She wouldn't win a fight with a lion.
03:42Her son does the right thing, slinking away unnoticed.
03:48Bad luck with the hunt.
03:50Good luck to emerge unscathed.
04:10No feast today.
04:12They make do with the remains of an earlier kiln.
04:26Even though they hunt together, the older her son gets, the less she will tolerate him.
04:34Caring for him is hard work, as he needs more and more food.
04:41When the cupboard is bare, and they're on short rations, every sliver of bone counts.
04:55But for the next three months, there are enough successful wildebeest hunts for the lepidess to feed herself and her
05:02son.
05:05And he spends much of his time high in a tree, observing the sea, looking out for smaller prey.
05:25In September, when the migration continues on its circuit, bringing the wildebeest back towards the southern Serengeti,
05:34it's time for the lepidess to return to local prey.
05:45An adult reed buck is plenty of food for two leopards.
05:50The male can eat to his heart's content.
06:02Now a year and a half old, he's an impressive young leopard, almost as big as his mother.
06:12If it were up to him, their relationship could continue like this forever.
06:27But the comfortable stay at Hotel Mama will soon come to an end.
06:41She has a gentleman caller.
06:47An imposing figure with the powerful neck muscles of an adult male in his prime.
06:59Males cruise their territories, covering those of multiple females, on the lookout for opportunities to mate.
07:08Scent marks she's been spreading guide him.
07:20Around this time, the lepidess loses interest in her son and often roams alone.
07:31She even loses interest in hunting.
07:45She could easily have crept up on this hair from her cover in the bushes, but she ignores it.
07:56She wanders through her domain for days, regularly spraying her scent.
08:05Changes are on the way for the leopard family.
08:18And a few days later, a rare sight.
08:23A leopard couple in peaceful harmony.
08:27Leopards join lepidesses only for a few days when the female is receptive.
08:33It's almost the only chance to see an elusive male out in the open.
08:59In a glade of the gallery forest, they start mating.
09:27They're made frequently for days.
09:30Multiple couplings are necessary to stay.
09:32To stimulate ovulation.
09:34So for a few days, there's plenty of action in the thicket.
09:58Her son is still at their base near the river.
10:01He now has his mother's last kill to himself.
10:11The mighty male mating with his mother may well be his own father.
10:16The youngster is wise to keep out of the way.
10:24His neighbours, the grey-backed fiscals, are not thrilled by his presence here.
10:31He's gorging himself right next to the brooding female on her nest.
10:38With these fiscals, the last brood stay with the parents and help to raise the next generation.
10:44That's why so many birds are squawking around here.
10:49He's had enough.
11:05While he looks for a shady place for an afternoon rest, the food delivery is picked up again, undisturbed.
11:26He finds a secluded spot on the cool bank of the brook.
11:31While kilometres away, at a denser stretch, his mother and her mate are taking a break.
11:43Leopard mating is not a silent affair, in contrast to their stealthy hunting.
11:59And they haven't finished yet.
12:02Not by a long way.
12:19The noisy honeymoon is audible far and wide.
12:31And it draws the attention of a lioness.
12:39What she hears is two competitors.
12:44And they're distracted.
12:51The male takes a break.
12:59For a while, it's quiet in the forest.
13:07The lioness may lose track for a moment.
13:19But it won't be silent here for long.
13:33Are those bitten ears still listening out?
13:48Since lions and leopards hunt the same prey, this could be just the moment to be rid of a rival.
14:27That was close.
14:41For now, the honeymoon is over.
14:55For now, the honeymoon is over.
14:57At the end of October, the rainy season once again has its grip on the land.
15:04The blazing coat trail may eventually
15:08on a seat of böylelijk 8,000 Euro.
15:11And though all around they're not able to compliqué, this could be a bit better.
15:16Than many times they hit the end of October.
15:25The new Yano way has their sighted near 150 o'erお願いします
15:25From the wind, the unity around the road can go beyond and decay in the sand.
15:26How they can be contaminated by the riverny?
15:39The great leopard male is far away, patrolling his huge territory.
15:46His range covers those of several leopardesses.
15:50He will keep moving to find one of them in Istres.
15:56His task in life is to survive and reproduce.
16:10But in weather like this, even he needs a bit of shelter.
16:42The downpour transforms the gallery forests in just a few days.
16:49Used to crossing dry riverbeds, this giraffe now encounters deep pools.
16:57It looks like it needs a while to think it over.
17:04This could be why.
17:07The crocodiles spend their dry season in hollows in the riverbanks.
17:11Now they're about again.
17:17But they're patient.
17:22A giraffe is a lot of work.
17:29The leopardess now spends plenty of time alone.
17:33She still needs to look after her son, but he's beginning to fend for himself.
17:39Leopards are loners.
17:44As the rain falls, tiny rivulets fill up and merge, new waterways form day by day.
17:55Linking the different branches of brooks, they become highways for crocodiles.
18:02An irresistible scent, borne by the water, tempts the ancient reptile into a sidearm.
18:10A hippo has died here, a mountain of meat, that the giant catfish would love to share, but
18:17the hippo's skin is too tough, they'll have to wait.
18:25At first even the crocodile can tear off only a toenail.
18:35It's better than nothing, and his digestive juices will soon get to work on it.
19:01The leopardess' territory now offers enough food for mother and son.
19:06High water levels and rich vegetation draw plenty of animals to the riverbanks.
19:17The pools are cloudy from sediment washed down from the banks, water full of fish, frogs,
19:25and insect larvae.
19:27The saddlebill stalk senses fishy prey with its powerful beak, extra attuned to movement.
19:40It can't expect to see prey in this muddy brood.
19:47It can't expect to see prey in this muddy brood.
19:58The hammercop seeks its victim just below the surface, or wherever there's the chance of a delicacy.
20:15The little, lesser-striped swallows are busy collecting mud for the nests they build under rock overhangs.
20:32Meanwhile, grey-headed kingfishers have long been feeding young in their nests.
20:39And the Egyptian geese let their chicks get on with it on their own.
20:52Everyone works with their own tools, and in the way that suits them.
21:08In the succulent green bushland, the young leopard is surrounded by feasting herbivores.
21:34The fig trees, above all, attract fruit lovers in hordes, like these African green pigeons.
21:46That's nothing for him, but the tree is a great lookout point and a good place to rest.
21:54All around him, animals are enjoying the rich gifts of the generous season.
22:06And that's not only true of the herbivores.
22:11Insects offer an inexhaustible supply of nourishment.
22:38And beyond the bush, on the savannah grasslands, it's the high point of the year for the ungulates.
22:47The impalas roam far and wide with no shortage of grass.
22:58Right now, they have no need to venture into the dangerous thicket.
23:03The quarry bustard just wants attention.
23:07Specifically, for females to admire his mating plumage.
23:29Everywhere, fawns and calves take their first unsteady steps.
23:48This Thompson's gazelle comes into the world in the heat of the day when the predators are resting and won't
23:54be out.
24:01It will spend the next few weeks pressed against the grass, in an environment entirely without cover.
24:10Impala mothers have another way to deal with the same problem.
24:15At first, they hide their young in thick vegetation, leading them out for short visits to the herd.
24:22On the return journey, she's on her own.
24:26There's no time to waste to get the baby back to cover.
24:32For the young leopard, these weeks are a time of opportunity.
24:36But he still has a lot to know.
24:44That fawn has disappeared as though swallowed up by the earth.
24:53He knows the baby must be somewhere near.
25:04But the mother antelope knows exactly where he is.
25:09The young leopard isn't paying attention to the wind.
25:17Cleverly, the mother tempts him further and further away from the hiding place.
25:24He tries to cut her off, but then a diptyk gets in the way.
25:45No good.
25:47The experienced Impala mother is leaving the field.
25:52Now he'd need a huge amount of luck to find the fawn.
25:57He knows better than to try.
26:08January.
26:10Four months on.
26:15The Lepidess has hidden her new arrivals in thick undergrowth.
26:20Licked clean, with no scent, and little danger they'll be discovered.
26:32She stays away as much as possible so as not to betray their hiding place.
26:37In the daytime, she's mostly out hunting.
26:39The two baby females are alone most of the day.
26:50It's the perfect nursery.
26:53Utterly inaccessible, completely inexpiguous.
26:55The branches pen the cubs against the steep slope like bars on the baby's cock.
27:15During the day, the Lepidess may be kilometers away.
27:19In the late afternoon, it's time to look after her young.
27:29She doesn't follow the winding river, but takes the direct route across the savannah.
27:39The last thing she needs is someone following her.
27:49But today, the danger is in front of her.
27:59The old adversaries are out on the plains again.
28:08The Lepidess is focused on her hungry cubs waiting for her in the thicket far away.
28:12It's late.
28:13She doesn't want to waste time.
28:25Again, at the last moment, her sharp senses register the danger.
28:38Neither cat is a particularly good runner, especially over long distances.
28:55They're too far apart for this to become an attack.
29:00The Lepidess runs.
29:06And the lioness chases.
29:09Just to make a point.
29:14The Lepidess won't risk returning to the nursery until her competitor has left the scene.
29:37The next morning, she's safely in the hideout.
29:40After suckling the babies, she licks them clean again, once more clearing their scent.
29:50The cubs are now ten days old.
29:53They have only just opened their eyes and can still barely walk.
29:56But they are house trained to poo outside.
30:22The trouble is, soiling outside the hideout could betray its location.
30:26So the mother moves the babies regularly.
30:44When she grips them on the neck, the babies fall into a carrying trance, so they don't struggle.
30:51She's in a hurry now.
30:53She wouldn't want to be caught outside with her cubs.
30:56It's always possible the lioness might still be around.
31:08With one done, she comes back for the second.
31:13But this was a good hiding place.
31:16In fact, it's quite tricky to extricate the second cub.
31:24Finally, she threads her out of the thicket.
31:27Now what are the best ones for the most?
31:27So let's head it back.
31:41The second cub is having a disregard of aгрay of the mud.
31:41I'm like, wow.
31:42What is it?
31:44It's okay.
31:47It's a good idea.
31:47It's good for the middle of the first nut.
31:48So let's get back into the mud.
31:48There's a good idea.
31:51If you want any paint on the sides,
31:51as it is a little bit,
31:51I'm just going to go on.
31:52I'm going to look for the next dog to go.
31:54And then the other hand will stop and take that out.
31:59She brings the young'un together with her sibling,
32:04this time in the safety of a warthog burrow.
32:11These holds are valuable as halfway houses
32:14where her young will be invisible during the day.
32:19They become very elusive now,
32:21disappearing for months in secret hiding places
32:24in the gallery forest.
32:25These are the most dangerous weeks for the cubs.
32:28Rain, cold and rival cats take a heavy toll of young leopards.
32:40Three months later,
32:41the young family has survived the critical period.
32:50Both cubs are healthy and in good spirits.
32:57But they're not used to open grassland and are easily scared.
33:02The impala buck is uneasy as well.
33:06These are leopards.
33:11Up to now the cubs have spent their whole life in the dense thicket of the gallery.
33:16Now, the lepidus takes them to the old hunting grounds she's avoided since the sudden end of her honeymoon.
33:28In the fissures of the jagged river banks,
33:31she knows dozens of places to hide where her offspring will be saved.
33:45The terrain around the brook is an exciting adventure playground for them.
34:05Irresistibly curious, they follow their mother around their new home.
34:20There's so much to discover.
34:29But their mother knows not every neighbour is harmless.
34:33They should stay close.
34:42And the lepidus is always on the lookout for trouble.
34:52For instance,
34:54baboons can be very aggressive towards leopards.
34:58Strong males can spell real danger for the cubs.
35:06Here, the monkeys haven't noticed the leopards yet.
35:10And the cubs have no idea how to behave towards their new neighbours.
35:19They're seeing these animals for the first time.
35:26The baboons have young too.
35:31With her cubs in tow, she'd better keep her distance.
35:38Now the baboons have noticed the leopards some way off.
35:43She hurries to make space, so the monkeys won't feel threatened.
35:57It's all a little much for the cubs.
36:00A kilometer on, she calls a halt.
36:02And revives them with a healthy dose of milk.
36:09They're being watched.
36:14Soon, the cubs are back on form, scampering around.
36:26A male leopard at the edge of the forest is keeping them in his sights.
36:42The leopard mother is fully aware of the intruder.
36:53Like all big cats, leopard males can be dangerous to young that are not their own.
36:59She'll keep a close eye on him.
37:03As evening comes, the male is still watching.
37:13Finally, the female decides to approach.
37:26The cubs don't seem to notice her tension.
37:34This is her older son, who has survived on his own in familiar territory.
37:40He's anything but welcome.
37:43Any male in the vicinity of her young is a threat.
37:52He is uncertain.
37:57Then something unexpected happens.
38:00One of the cubs simply goes up to its older brother,
38:04who it's probably seeing for the first time.
38:13Intimidated by his mother, he daren't accept the youngster's offer to play.
38:23He fears his angry mother, but wants to stay in this familiar environment.
38:37The second cub tries to win a playmate, but mother is not amused.
38:50The adult son mustn't make a mistake.
38:59The lepidess is uncertain too.
39:01She breaks eye contact.
39:04And in a peace offering, sits down.
39:15The cubs don't give up.
39:18Now, the first one rejoins the game.
39:24A difficult moment for big brother.
39:26His mother could interpret any movement as an attack.
39:32He must leave.
39:37She needs all her territory for herself to raise the new generation.
39:56The young male will spend the following weeks seeking a territory not claimed by another male.
40:06He'll make it through by killing small animals and is soon far away from his home area.
40:15He must obey strict rules on his way to independence.
40:19One is stay clear of hyenas and lions.
40:34There's no fooling with a big lion.
40:37And the hyenas judge the situation correctly.
40:44Not a good place for a young leopard.
41:03He moves on.
41:13On his way, he prefers areas that remind him of places used by his mother.
41:18So he mostly follows thickets alongside brook.
41:34It's harder for a young male to find a territory than for a young female.
41:39Daughters are often tolerated by their mother at the edge of her range.
41:43They may even take it over when she gets old.
41:56They may be trying for years, and many a hopeful youngster never succeed.
41:56Sons, though, seek their own hunting areas and at the same time look for mates.
42:01They need to travel far enough to meet unrelated females.
42:09They also have to conquer big territories that cover many female ranges.
42:14All this makes it harder for beginners.
42:17He may be trying for years, and many a hopeful youngster never succeed.
42:37He's distracted by a male impala,
42:42miserly trying to keep the females in his territory under control.
42:52If males really fight,
42:55there can be an exhausted or even a wounded loser.
43:12It's worth waiting for the result.
43:19But here the challenger thinks better of it pretty quickly,
43:22and the buck sees him off before blood is drawn.
43:29Nothing here for him.
43:31Nothing here for him.
43:36His search for a new home becomes an epic odyssey through the northern Serengeti.
44:10The
44:33In the Maasai Mara, ebony brushland has spread over huge areas in the past decades.
44:45That's why, though he is almost 20 kilometers from the thickets of his youth, the environment
44:50looks very familiar to him.
45:01These bull giraffes can't seem to settle their endless evening duel.
45:10They've been at it for hours.
45:16They're young, ardent and well-matched.
45:19Older bulls are hardly ever seen to fight, and certainly not for so long.
45:39He's fascinated strange creatures doing strange things.
45:53At dusk, many ungulates gather in the open, sharing eyes and ears to spot predators.
46:01The zebras seem to have picked up on the mood of the giraffes.
46:11In the last rays of twilight, the animals settle down for the vigil of the night.
46:17Even the combative giraffes call it a day.
46:23For the leopard, this is the most important time of the day.
46:28The herd of impala females is too much of a challenge.
46:32But there are young bachelor males and old, weak bugs.
46:37They might wander carelessly close to the edge of the brush.
46:53He may not yet have the massive muscles of a fully grown male, but by now he's an experienced,
47:00skilful hunter, and it could be time for his first attempt at an impala.
47:09The bucks are heavier than he is, and have sharp horns.
47:14But he can't ignore this chance.
47:36Perhaps he chose the wrong victim.
47:54But if this is a test, he will pass.
48:19This triumph will boost his confidence and greatly improve his chances of victory
48:24in the territorial disputes that lie ahead.
48:37Many kilometers away, beside the brook that was his home for so long,
48:41his mother is raising the twins as devotedly as she did their brother.
48:53The two cubs are healthy and strong.
49:08Once again, an impala is secured in a tree.
49:16The youngsters dig in, but they're not especially hungry, and they're in no hurry.
49:21Everything is fine.
49:27And even at this tender age, each spends plenty of time on its own.
49:32Leopard cubs play far less together than young lions.
49:40When they grow up, they will be loners like their mother.
49:45For a long time to come, she will work hard for her family.
49:49If all goes well, her daughters may one day inherit the realm of this Lepides.
49:55To become in their turn, the elusive queens of the gallery forest.
50:02The Lepides.
50:29Transcription by CastingWords
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