Original subtitles

[instrumental music playing]

[narrator] Lion territories in the Okavango Delta are brutal environments.

[buffalo grunting]

In the Xakanaka area

two powerful males exert their rule over a rapidly expanding pride.

With many mouths to feed,

these lions specialize in killing Africa's most dangerous prey...

[lions roaring]

But their feast turns to famine.

Drought pushes their food source out of the area,

leading to a ferocious confrontation with a neighboring pride.

[lions roaring]

On the brink of starvation, they are forced to find an alternative.

A dangerous strategy that will test their skills in every way.

[lions roaring]

This is the story of a pride in battle.

[ominous music playing]

At the beginning of summer two lion brothers take ownership

of one of the most sought-after pieces of land in Southern Africa.

In the heart of Botswana's Okavango Delta

Xakanaka is a lush area of islands and floodplains.

Its abundance of water and food make it a summer paradise.

Previously, the resident pride had been unsettled

by a long-running battle for dominance between competing males.

As a result, the six lionesses have not given birth for over a year.

But when the two powerful brothers took over the Xakanaka pride, things changed.

[emotive music]

The result of this new stability is a rapid expansion in numbers.

[birds chirping]

In December, the first two females have five cubs.

Three months later, another three of the lionesses give birth to a further eight cubs.

In such a short period of time,

the pride increases by a total of 13 cubs.

Each female keeps her own litter isolated from the pride for the first two months.

Born at the height of summer,

these cubs, the future of the pride,

are off to a good start.

[cub purring]

[lioness growling]

[upbeat music playing]

But this unusual bounty of healthy young will cause problems in the long term.

At three months old, they start to eat meat.

And all of a sudden the adults have an extra 13 mouths to feed.

Their mothers have to provide a meal every three or four days.

[cub purring]

Welcomed into the pride, the cubs thread their way into the social fabric.

Their life skills are sharpened by their fathers and the games they play with each other.

The Xakanaka brothers are extremely patient and tolerant fathers.

But it's the lionesses that form the core of the pride.

They're bound by a collective purpose...

To hunt.

[buffalo grunting]

In summer, they target Cape buffalo,

abundant in this part of the Okavango.

[buffalo grunting]

With plenty of green grass, the buffalo move in huge groups.

[birds calling]

Each herd is at least 400 strong.

The perfect balance of numbers where the births outweigh the killings by the lions.

[buffalo snorts]

They're one of the most sought-after, and yet most dangerous prey to hunt.

Desirable,

because the meat of a one-ton buffalo can feed the entire pride for a week.

Dangerous, because they're aggressive

and their formidable horns inflict fatal wounds.

[buffalo grunting]

And if the herd stampedes, the lions can't outrun them.

[buffalo grunting]

But the six Xakanaka lionesses are experienced buffalo hunters.

They know the rules of engagement.

[buffalos grunting]

They single out a buffalo.

One they can separate from the herd.

[buffalos grunting]

This time, they choose a mother,

concentrating their power on bringing her down.

[lion growling]

They ignore her newborn calf.

But it provides a perfect prey item

on which the six-month-old cubs can practise their hunting skills.

[buffalo grunting]

Every chance they get to kill, brings them closer to independence.

[buffalo grunting]

By the age of two years

they'll be expected to pull down much bigger buffalo than this.

[buffalo grunting]

[lion growling]

[ominous music playing]

The younger, three-month-old cubs are led to the kill by their mother.

[insects buzzing]

[lions roaring, cubs meowing]

At this age, they find the mountain of meat both tasty and entertaining.

Adults and cubs gorge themselves at every meal,

feeding side by side.

The Xakanaka pride is unusual in this respect.

Lions normally eat according to hierarchy...

Males first, cubs last.

Perhaps the abundance of food allows the pride males to relax the rules.

[lion growls]

Although, at times, a little discipline is needed.

[lion growling]

During summer, while the buffalos graze in the Xakanaka territory,

the pride is guaranteed regular meals.

But as winter sets in, the rains stop,

and the lions' fortune starts to change.

[birds singing]

[emotive music playing]

Breeding herds of elephants herald this shift in season.

They arrive from the surrounding Kalahari desert

and spread into the forests and floodplains of the wet Okavango.

Their presence here indicates that the waterholes

in the surrounding desert have dried up,

and the vegetation is shriveling in the heat.

For them, the main attraction in Xakanaka, is the permanent water.

These large animals need to drink between 100 and 200 liters of water a day.

Remarkably, they can drink this in five minutes by filling their trunks

and squirting the water down their throats.

For the elephants, a lack of water is the killer, not starvation.

[birds singing]

[cubs growling]

The cubs are oblivious of the hardship to come.

For them, every day is a play day.

With so many siblings and cousins, they keep themselves entertained,

while the adults try to rest.

[lion growls]

[birds calling]

A cub can usually demand attention and milk from any of the lactating mothers.

But with so many sharp-teethed little mouths looking for milk,

the mothers show irritation towards cubs that are not their own.

[lioness roars]

[cub moaning, growling]

Going into winter, the cubs grow, along with their demand for food.

[cub growls]

The pressure increases for the lionesses to provide more meat.

And even the pride males, accustomed to waiting on the sidelines,

will need to help.

Hunting requires a team effort.

Each lioness knows her role in a well-thought-out plan.

But this strategy has forced the pride to depend on buffalo alone,

despite the other choices around them.

[insects chirping]

Hunting giraffes would demand a completely different method of attack.

These four-and-a-half meter tall animals are more alert than buffalo

and would spot the lions from far away.

The hunters would have little chance to strike.

Although giraffes do not have the horns of a buffalo,

they possess a kick that can kill a lion instantly.

So while the buffalos are in the Xakanaka territory,

the lions concentrate on hunting them.

[ominous music playing]

But the season has changed.

As the buffalo exhaust each field of grass, they move on...

forced to progress to the next.

[birds chirping]

Every day they move a little further from the heart of the Xakanaka territory.

[lion roars]

[birds calling]

The male lions follow the herd, constantly watching.

The females and cubs are close by, but nowhere to be seen.

On their slow march, the buffalo never notice more than one or two lions.

They have no clue of the looming threat.

For several days the predators follow...

sizing up their options,

searching for any weak link in the herd.

Eventually they get an opportunity to attack.

[music intensifies]

One of the males and a lioness chase random victims to fragment the herd.

Unwittingly, the cubs get in the way,

adding to the confusion at risk of being trampled.

[buffalo grunts]

The second male and remaining females attack the intended target.

Using all his strength, the male tries to suffocate the buffalo,

but its straining muscles form a steel barrier around his throat.

[buffalo grunting]

The lionesses do their part,

trying to immobilize it by piercing its spine.

Once the buffalo is down, the hunt should be over.

But the herd returns in an attempt to rescue their comrade.

They confront the pride with their formidable armor.

[buffalo grunting]

They lick the fallen animal, encouraging it to stand.

And form a barrier between the injured buffalo and the predators.

Then, one buffalo challenges the pride...

And behind, their fallen fellow tries to rise.

Another buffalo goes on the offensive.

Behind, the injured one stands,

and disappears with the herd.

The buffalo win this battle.

[instrumental music playing]

The herd rushes away...

putting as much distance as possible between them and their attackers.

[birds singing]

Days of shadowing the herd have come to nothing.

Though hungry and tired from the failed attack, the lions cannot rest.

They must close in on the herd as soon as possible to hunt again.

[water gurgling]

There is no time to take the driest route.

The cubs cross reluctantly.

They have to keep up with the adults,

but every day that goes past without food, weakens them even more.

The smallest ones may not be able to keep the pace.

[birds singing]

And times are about to get tougher.

The buffalo are approaching the boundary of the lions' 50 square kilometer territory.

[insects chirping]

It is now the middle of winter.

This is the peak of the dry season,

and the buffalos' quest for better grass is about to lure them away.

As the cold grip of winter draws the lion food source almost beyond their grasp,

the pride constantly looks for a chance to strike.

But as the buffalo rest, the lions regroup.

Despite their hunger and the harsh climate, the cubs seem untroubled.

The lionesses assert their presence.

A group roar warns surrounding prides of the power that they hold on this turf.

[lionesses roaring]

[roaring continues]

[emotive music playing]

The five mothers take time to bond with their own cubs.

The reason for the pause in their pursuit of the buffalo

lies hidden beneath a bush.

The sixth lioness has given birth to two more cubs.

This addition brings the number of youngsters to an overwhelming 15.

Fifteen demanding, hungry mouths...

that need to be nurtured and fed during a time when Xakanaka is at its most desperate.

And the lions' main source of food is slipping away.

Meanwhile...

more and more elephants arrive,

forced here by the drying of the edges of the Okavango.

[birds singing]

They are not fussy eaters,

so they can feed on anything that the buffalo leave behind.

They dig to uproot bulbs and roots.

During these desperate times, the two species cross paths.

One comes for water,

while the other leaves in search of sweeter grass.

[music intensifies]

The buffalos move through fields of dust.

The grasses here will not grow again till the next season's rains.

[wind blowing]

This is the border of the Xakanaka territory.

An invisible line the lions cannot cross

because another pride rules the other side.

[ominous music playing]

But there's nothing to stop the buffalos from crossing.

Desperation drives the Xakanaka pride to follow...

trespassing in enemy territory.

They don't get far before the other pride spots them.

The Xakanaka female sizes up the situation.

One of the Xakanaka brothers prepares for a confrontation.

Now the buffalo are forgotten.

The Xakanakas must make a stand, even though they're on foreign ground.

The rival pride is at a disadvantage.

[lion roaring]

Their dominant male is not with them, so they turn back.

The Xakanaka male gives chase.

The resident pride must make a run for it.

Without their father, the youngsters of the other pride cannot stand up to him.

[lion roaring]

The larger male asserts his dominance.

[roaring continues]

Even though the resident pride retreats from the intruders, they're still the winners.

[lion roaring]

Crucially, their territory now holds the buffalo herd.

The Xakanakas amble back to their own turf.

Despite all the posturing, the pride can’t follow the buffalo.

Moving their cubs into enemy territory would be too dangerous.

The buffalo have left Xakanaka for the rest of the season.

[birds singing]

For the next four months

the lions will share this land with breeding herds of elephants.

The pride keeps moving.

Now they're looking for anything they can chase down and eat.

For the moment, they ignore the elephants because they're too large and difficult to hunt.

[instrumental music playing]

The elephants linger in the barren landscape,

bound to the water that is their only lifeline.

As the herd moves,

mothers guard the youngest calves,

small enough to be attacked by predators.

The adults protect their babies closely for four years.

Then they're on their own.

[elephant blowing]

Tasting independence for the first time,

juveniles risk wandering off...

and getting lost.

The hungry lions return to the sixth lioness and her newborn cubs.

Up to now

they've been too small to follow the pride on their long journeys in search of food.

[cub growling]

Now two months old,

the lioness brings the tiny additions to meet their father.

[lion growling]

But he's grumpy.

[cub growling]

So small, and weighing only 4kg each,

they will compromise the movements of the pride.

Their little steps will not be able to keep up.

Eventually some of them will pay the ultimate price.

Already some of the older cubs show signs of weakness.

[emotive music playing]

They can't rest for long.

The lionesses take the lead.

The pride must keep moving in search of food.

It takes a toll on the smallest and weakest members.

[gentle music playing]

The starving lions start to look at the elephants with interest.

With nothing else to eat, perhaps it's time to reconsider.

Too tired and weak to keep up with their mothers, the cubs remain together...

waiting.

They're on the brink of starvation.

More than half of them have already died.

[emotive music playing]

Only the fittest will have a fighting chance.

But without food, they too are in imminent danger.

Their mother's return brings no relief, just some affection.

The cubs try to drink,

but the starving lioness' milk has dried up.

They move from mother to mother to try to suckle,

but their desperate tugs only irritate the lionesses.

[lioness roaring]

[cub growls]

At this point,

even the strongest cubs only have a few days left to live.

[emotive music playing]

Weak, hungry and thirsty, they lie defeated.

But the lionesses never give up.

They scan the horizon hungrily, looking for something edible.

All they see are elephants, travelling in tight groups.

And the ones small enough to kill, are too well-guarded.

[birds calling]

The lionesses can't wait any longer and start following the herd,

hoping for an opportunity.

Perhaps a youngster will get injured or drop behind.

For the young elephants, this is no time to be alone.

Eventually, this last-ditch change in strategy

pays off for the lions.

[ominous music playing]

During this desperate time

nature gives the pride a lucky break.

But at the same time, it deals its cruelest hand.

[elephant trumpeting]

[music intensifies]

[lions roaring]

[emotive music playing]

The lionesses drive the two-ton animal to the ground and hold it down.

[elephant trumpeting]

The lionesses are expert buffalo killers,

but they've never tried to kill an elephant.

Their teeth can't penetrate the thick skin.

[elephant trumpeting]

And the neck is too wide to strangle.

So they attack the soft and vulnerable spots.

Without a muzzle to suffocate, they try to crush the trunk.

[elephant trumpeting softly]

Unable to kill the elephant,

they start to eat it alive.

[lions growl]

[growling continues]

This first real taste of meat, after almost a month of starvation

revives their stamina and they fight for their right to every mouthful.

[insects chirping]

Twice the size of a buffalo,

the young elephant keeps the pride well fed,

and introduces them to a new and bountiful source of food.

[birds singing]

Over the next weeks the lions work on their elephant-killing techniques.

[elephants trumpeting]

But when the elephants retaliate and stampede,

the lions have no choice but to run for their lives.

[trumpeting continues]

The lions refine their strategy with every hunt,

and killing elephants starts to become routine.

[elephant trumpeting]

[lions growling]

But their success does not go unnoticed.

[lions growling]

The buffalo have abandoned the entire area,

and the neighboring pride, now desperate for food, risk a confrontation.

The Xakanakas, with their food and territory to protect, won't tolerate it.

Chasing the intruders isn't enough.

[music intensifies]

[lions roaring]

Cornered by the big male, the young trespasser doesn't look him in the eye.

A direct stare would mean a challenge...

and certain death.

Too young to stand his ground against the powerful, older male,

the intruding lion submits.

The victor struts around,

basking in the glory that victory brings.

[ominous music playing]

The young male is lucky to have escaped with his life.

But he's branded forever.

His genitals mutilated in an ultimate act of dominance.

The other Xakanaka male concentrates on the trespassing female.

[lioness roaring]

Brutally enforcing his genetic rights.

[lion roaring]

Under the washed out skies of an excruciatingly hot, dry October,

wave after wave of tired elephants move through the lions’ territory.

Winter has also taken its toll on the herds.

[birds calling]

Although Xakanaka provides an endless supply of water,

the dry vegetation offers little nutritional value.

[elephant blows]

Mothers and calves are weak.

And older youngsters stray away from the herd...

and get lost.

The lionesses continue to exploit every opportunity to kill.

[insects buzzing]

What started as a desperate season for the lions,

turns into a time of gluttony.

In one month, they kill five elephants,

which will see them safely through to the approaching summer.

[thunder rumbling]

It starts off as a flicker.

The smell of rain is on the wind.

As soon as the drops hit ground, Xakanaka comes alive...

and the animals return.

The breeding herds of elephants travel back to their summer feeding grounds

in the outlying Kalahari.

Almost magically, the harsh season past, seems forgotten

in the new spray of green.

[thunder rumbling, rain falling]

In their battle for survival during the most desperate season in decades,

only 7 of the 15 cubs survived.

[buffalo grunting]

But the spread of fresh, sweet grass tempts the buffalo herds

back into Xakanaka.

The lions eagerly watch their favorite prey arrive.

A ton of meat, with a softer hide to pierce

and a short snout, easy to smother.

The familiar game of cat and mouse resumes.

The biggest buffalo walks aggressively towards the lions,

hoping to frighten them away.

But the lions are familiar with this game.

[buffalo snorting]

During the next six months

the one-year-old cubs learn to hunt by trial and error.

They soon realize that it's not as easy as it looks.

[instrumental music playing]

[birds calling]

[thunder cracks]

Surviving the harshest season has made the cubs over-confident.

They blunder into the buffalo herd.

Their inexperience puts their lives in jeopardy.

Buffalo attack as a group

and can easily stampede over the lions, using their horns as lethal weapons.

[buffalos grunting]

The pride retreats,

leaving a cub behind.

[buffalo snorting]

He takes refuge on a fallen tree, but it's not high enough.

[buffalo snorting]

He's left in the line of fire.

[cub roaring]

Bravely, he hangs on for his life.

Lions hunt together, but if one gets in trouble, it's on its own.

[thunder cracks]

Eventually the buffalos lose interest...

and the pride returns to the traumatized cub.

Now that the herds are back,

the cubs will learn valuable lessons,

and eventually they'll become skilled hunters.

[insects buzzing]

The pride approach the buffalo with renewed confidence.

They know the drill.

As usual, the lionesses take the lead.

[ominous music playing]

[buffalo grunting]

They attack from the rear to avoid the dangerous horns.

[buffalo grunting]

They try to pierce the spinal cord.

[buffalo grunting]

[music intensifies]

By putting their entire weight on the back,

they attempt to pull the buffalo to the ground.

[buffalo grunting]

The cubs copy their mothers.

[grunting continues]

[grunting continues]

During the summer months

the constant supply of meat builds up the youngsters' strength.

In six months they will be self-sufficient killers.

[instrumental music playing]

With all the food on their doorstep, the lions don't have to move far to hunt,

so they spend most of their days resting.

Curiosity awakens the cubs when a pangolin wanders into the pride.

The curled up ball of scales provides some amusement for the bored young.

But the pangolin’s hard armour protects it from claws and teeth.

With its vulnerable parts tucked away,

the pangolin waits until the lions are gone.

[birds singing]

By the end of the rainy season, the cubs walk confidently with the adults.

The pride now has 14 hunters.

The young males' manes have started to grow.

[buffalo grunting]

They follow their father's every move...

learning when to strike,

when to wait,

when to hide,

and when to go out in the open.

They're approaching adulthood and they're ready to test their strength.

[ominous music playing]

[buffalo grunting]

They stride up front with the two Xakanaka brothers...

and attack, side by side.

The heavy male straddles the buffalo’s back

and the female tries to trip it to the ground.

When the buffalo retaliate, the cubs stand their ground with the adults.

Relentlessly, the entire pride attacks to weaken their prey.

[lions roaring]

The buffalo's leg breaks.

[buffalo grunting]

The herd abandons him.

Again, the lions attack from behind to avoid the horns.

[buffalo grunting]

One of the males starts to smother the buffalo.

The cubs help their mothers from the rear.

[buffalo grunting]

Even with a broken leg, the buffalo won't go down.

His comrades return,

but he cannot walk.

[lions roaring]

Adrenaline surges through him.

He uses his only weapons to inflict pain on his attackers.

[buffalo grunting]

Heroically, he tries to stand again.

But his efforts are in vain.

[buffalo grunting]

[grunting continues]

[lions roaring]

[buffalo snorting]

The lionesses and cubs keep him down.

[lions roaring]

Their objective...

to get the buffalo on his back so that the male can finish the struggle.

[buffalo grunting]

The epic battle finally ends.

The lions have won.

[instrumental music playing]

In this ever-changing landscape of prosperity and hardship,

the Xakanaka pride has found stability again.

With the two strong brothers in command,

and a healthy number of youngsters to ensure the pride's strength,

they have come full circle.

From desperation comes ingenuity...

switching prey to survive the harshest winter they've ever had to endure.

[water splashing]

But life in the Okavango will always be unpredictable.

And their future will never be certain.

Soon their fathers will expel the male youngsters

and they'll have to face these challenges on their own.

[lion roaring]

[roaring continues]

The struggle of the dry season is over.

But the struggle for survival never ends.

The Xakanaka lions will always be a pride in battle.