Original subtitles

Southern Africa's bush -filled region.

An untamed landscape, home to the icons of the African continent.

On this ancient battleground, there is no place for weakness.

Animals must draw on speed, brute strength, teamwork or tenacity to stay

top.

The fight for survival is never -ending.

and each generation must rise to the challenge or die trying.

The Bushveld region of the Kruger National Park.

It's as large as the country of Wales and a stronghold of wildlife in huge

concentrations.

It's winter and the landscape lies dry.

The grass is the perfect colour for Africa's biggest cat.

Lions blend in here.

But the patchwork cover means that they must cross bare, open sections without

being spotted by their prey.

Wildebeest prefer to eat shorter grass.

In the open, a sneak attack must be precisely executed.

The pride strategy?

Teamwork.

These lionesses have a lifetime of practice together and are perfectly in

to each other's body language.

In silence, they encircle their prey until they are within the 30 -meter

striking range.

They can cover 100 meters in six seconds.

Enough to catch a straggler off guard.

The lion's vice -like jaws crush its victim's airway, suffocating the

to death.

Females may share food, albeit begrudgingly.

But the arrival of a male changes the dynamic.

Each lion can devour a quarter of its own body weight in meat.

And as the amount dwindles, the male's temper flares.

the lionesses concede, retreating to the cool sand of a nearby river.

In the dry season, the river holds the last remaining water for kilometers,

attracting

a steady stream of hunting opportunities.

The dense bush veld at the river's edge gives the pride cover.

But the impalas are fast and agile, and catching one is not easy.

While males use brawn to assert dominance, the females' smaller stature

them an important advantage.

Speed.

They are almost 30 % faster than the males.

Lions have a talent for spotting the weak, the old or the preoccupied.

When smaller antelope are the target, each lioness may single out her own

victim.

The impact of her 120 kilograms means death is swift for the impala.

It may not be a large meal, but out in the open, it's enough to draw the

attention of some of the best eyes in the sky.

Vultures can spot a carcass this size from six and a half kilometers away.

Other predators and scavengers use circling vultures as a beacon to home in

nearby kills.

Dragging the carcass under the canopy of a tree helps conceal it from above.

Unlike lions, warthogs are neither fast nor particularly sharp -sighted.

But they can be deadly.

This large male warthog's lower tusks are longer than a lion's canines and

considerably sharper.

Even predators like hyena know to steer clear of him.

As night falls, he retires to his burrow.

He always reverses in.

If any opportunistic hunter attempts an attack, they're met with his 60cm tusks,

something most predators avoid.

But not all.

Lions are the only creatures here that dare take on a warthog fortress.

Lions are best suited for hunting at night.

With nocturnal vision about eight times better than a human's, they'll often

wait until the moon sets, making use of total darkness.

While male lions refrain from the hunt up to 90 % of the time, if the

opportunity arises, they're more than capable of killing their own food.

He picks up the fresh scents of warthog and begins to dig.

These burrows can be meters deep.

The arrival of his brother doubles the danger.

The warthog's hole.

is now a trap.

There's enough meat for the brothers to share without the brawl breaking out,

but it doesn't mean they're welcoming dinner guests.

Females usually give feeding male lions a wide berth, but one inexperienced

young lioness tries her luck.

They could easily kill her.

But fights over food rarely escalate beyond flapping and snarling.

She's let off with a warning.

Not all of Africa's deadliest come equipped with killer jaws and claws.

Cape buffalo are some of the most dangerous animals here thanks to their

weaponry and famously short tempers

Weighing

in at up to 800 kilograms each only one creature dares hunt them

This pride occupies the territory along the Sand River, an important resource

for the water -dependent buffalo.

Not all lions have what it takes to hunt them, but these lions are buffalo

specialists.

There are risks to taking on Africa's most formidable bovine.

Both males and females are armed with enormous horns that can span a metre

across.

And the herd can turn deadly, often preferring to attack rather than flee.

To hunt them, The pride needs a strategy.

By trailing the herd, the pride pick out the weaker, lower ranking buffalo.

They wait until most of the herd move on.

A smaller group is less likely to launch a counter -attack.

The pride gets into position.

A healthy buffalo can outrun the lion in open terrain.

But the attack causes panic.

In the mayhem, an old cow becomes separated from the herd.

It takes the whole pride to bring her down.

Their jaws aren't just for crushing.

They're premolars and molars, known as carnassials.

Slice through the buffalo's two centimeter thick skin to open the

Opening 28 centimeters wide, their mouths are like a pair of razor sharp

scissors.

Their rough barbed tongues scrape off even the smallest pieces of meat,

nothing goes to waste.

Lions may hold the title of kings and queens of the Buchtfeld.

But when it comes to hunting success, another animal holds top spot.

Wild dogs' close -knit bonds are some of the strongest in the animal kingdom.

They are not territorial but rather have huge home ranges which they roam in

search of food sometimes hunting twice a day

The dogs lean bodies are built

for the chase not brutal displays of strength

They are capable of killing a zebra, but only if it flees, giving them a chance

to run it to exhaustion.

The pack won't risk tangling with the 350kg zebras if they stand their ground,

or go on the offensive.

No weaklings here.

The dogs will have to search for prey that's more inclined to bolt.

Like Impala.

Unlike big cats, wild dogs have no use for stealth.

Their strategy is simple and effective.

get their prey to run.

As the dog pack spots the impala, the importance of hunting as a team becomes

pivotal.

While one dog takes the lead, the pack streams out from his flanks.

The impalas zigzag across the bushveld in their attempt to outrun the leader.

But the pack cuts across, narrowing the gap and closing in from all sides.

Until one exhausted victim runs out of escape routes.

In ten minutes, All that will remain is scraps of bone and skin.

In the wet season, wild dogs are bush veiled nomads, wandering far and wide in

search of food.

In the dry season, they pick a home base for a very special reason.

While dog packs are led by a male and female pair and once a year in the

they have puppies

Lots of puppies

The

alpha female is usually the one to breed and she can have up to 16 pups in a

single litter.

While the alpha female is out on the hunt, a lower -ranking babysitter is

in charge.

On her return, she's met by a frenzy of excited and ravenous pups.

They'll rely on mom's milk until they're about 10 weeks old.

But as early as just two weeks, they begin to eat meat.

The rest of the pack is completely devoted to keeping their bellies full by

emptying their own.

The pups relentlessly beg for food by mobbing the returning hunters until they

produce the goods.

Partially digested meat, regurgitated by the adults, is delivered to the pups in

the safety of the den.

Even wounded, old or sick adults are treated to a share of the meat in the

way.

Stomachs empty, the adults must hunt again.

Even at the distance of two kilometers, impala flee if they suspect the pack is

hunting them.

For good reason.

A wild dog's superpower is its stamina.

Relentlessly, they can chase prey at speeds of 60 kilometers per hour for up

five kilometers.

Impalas are fast and agile but are no match for the dogged determination of

pack.

About 80 % of their hunts end in a kill, making them one of the most successful

carnivores on the planet.

While dogs rely on speed and endurance to survive, others bank on sheer size

impressive weaponry.

Weighing over two tons, they're the biggest land mammal after the elephant.

South Africa's Bushveld region is one of the last remaining strongholds of white

rhinoceros in Africa.

But they're not the only Titans here.

Exceptional hearing and a superb sense of smell make up for their extremely

eyesight.

When the wind is swirling, a rhino can easily wander uncomfortably close to

Africa's largest cat.

White rhino have no natural predators.

Neither do adult lions.

But when faced with possibly the largest grazer that ever lived, it's best to

get out of the way.

A lion's claws and jaws can't penetrate a rhino's four and a half centimeter

thick skin.

They could also be skewered by a rhino's meter long horn.

It's an uneasy truce.

The lions move reluctantly.

And the rhinos won't escalate the tension.

But this isn't the case with all neighbours.

At five tonnes, with tusks as long as three metres, elephants have what it

takes to be the most deadly creature in the bushveld.

In must, A bull's testosterone levels can be 50 times higher than normal, with

violent results.

A protective mother can be even more aggressive.

The matriarchs here have little tolerance for lions, quickly showing

boss.

Lions aside, elephants are true gentle giants.

Most of the time.

In the dry season, the few remaining pools are magnets for pachyderms.

For white rhino, mud wallowing keeps their skin free of parasites, and

drink twice a day if they can.

It's usually a peaceful affair, but occasionally having to share precious

resources can bring on a temper tantrum.

The elephant sighs.

means they dominate the waterhole.

A young rhino who doesn't follow the rules finds itself in a dangerous

situation.

The elephant is heavier and stronger but this rhino isn't backing down.

His lack of experience around aggravated elephants could have deadly

consequences.

Luckily for the rhino, the elephant's charge is just for show.

A final display of strength is all the warning the young rhino needs.

His tail curled in alarm, he leaves before the elephant changes his mind.

As elephants move through the bushveld, they shape the very landscape they call

home.

Their giant footsteps create pathways for others to follow, and the seas they

disperse germinate in far -flung corners of their home range.

When an elephant walks, anything in its path must move or be squashed.

One creature has learned to take full advantage of this.

Fork -tailed drongos are insectivorous birds that follow the giant as it mows

its way across the bushveld.

Insects flee as the elephant feeds.

All the beady -eyed drongo has to do is wait, watching for any sign of movement.

As the grasshopper moves, it swoops down.

Capturing its prey with the robust hook on its beak, the drongo returns to the

same perch to feed.

They'll shadow the moving buffet while the elephants are in their territory.

But once the herd moves off, they'll remain to protect their little patch of

bushveld.

The alarm call of a drongo is sometimes a sign that predators are near.

Hyenas are notorious scavengers.

In places with a high density of leopards, hyenas have learned to trail

cats, hoping to steal their meal.

But given the chance, a hyena won't hesitate to kill a cub.

Of the seven large carnivores in Africa's bushveld, the leopard is almost

bottom of the hierarchy, outranking only the cheetah.

Leopards usually back down from hyenas.

The exception is when a mother is protecting her cub.

She's half the weight of the hyena.

but it doesn't stop her.

Her attack gives her cub a chance to climb into the safety of a tree, where

hyena can't follow.

With the threat gone, the mother leopard returns to her catnap.

And the cub comes out of hiding.

He's nearly eight months old and growing fast.

He's fully weaned, but still relies on his mother for all his meat.

She must leave him to hunt.

Her territory spans a stretch of river.

Its tangled banks are prime hunting grounds.

She suddenly patrols her familiar pathways, laying

claim to her territory by scent marking as she goes.

A chemical trail from glands on her cheeks and sprays of urine let other

lepers know that this territory is taken.

At the sight of an impala herd, she switches to hunting mode.

The ultimate cat, she is a cunning, calculating and silent killer.

She needs to be within a few meters of her prey before she pounces.

Her back feet tread in the footprints of her carefully placed front paws,

helping her stay silent.

The alarm calls of the impala herd alert the lamb at the last second.

Leopards with cubs succeed in their hunt nearly 30 % of the time, about twice

the success rate of leopards without cubs.

The survival of her youngster depends on her ability to kill.

She'll start again.

The nutritious vegetation along the river attracts impala in great numbers.

And the thick reeds give her cover.

Impala are almost always in groups, meaning more eyes to watch out for

predators.

Out in the open, the leopard has almost zero chance of success, but she knows

when they're at their most vulnerable.

For Impala, a sip of water can turn deadly in the blink of an eye.

The ever -vigilant impala are rarely found further than a few kilometers from

water during the dry season, putting them squarely within the leopard's

territory for the winter months, something the leopard takes full

Impalas can leap three meters in the air at a moment's notice.

But so can the leopard.

Her five centimeter canines bite into the impala's windpipe, blocking off its

airway.

Her incredibly powerful shoulder muscles Help her drag a kill as heavy as she is

under thick brush, away from the prying eyes of scavengers.

She'll stash the carcass safely before fetching her cub and leading him to the

kill.

While big cats like leopards rely on cunning, another Bushveld resident does

things differently.

Honey badgers are nature's pocket rockets.

What they lack in size, speed, and stealth, they make up for in tenacity.

When nature was handing out attitude, the honey badger came back for a second

helping.

Either solitary or moving in pairs, they trot across the bushveld in search of

prey.

Their keen sense of smell helps them locate prey underground.

They'll blow into the victim's burrow and wait, listening for movement to

pinpoint its exact position.

Second only to the aardvark in digging ability, they unearth insects and grubs.

with their 3 .5cm front claws.

In nature, bright or conspicuous markings are often a signal that the

is dangerous.

The honey badger is a prime example.

The vivid contrast of steel grey and black act like a warning label to any

potential threats.

Their main line of defense is a good offense, no matter the size of the

No exceptions.

Honey badgers are known as the most fearless animal on earth.

Their courage is backed up by a vice -like bite, razor -sharp claws and an

almost impenetrable skin that is loose enough for them to twist and deliver a

savage bite even when pinned to the ground.

The young lions, having learned an important lesson, retreat.

While the badgers resume their foraging, completely unscathed.

Time to focus on dinner.

And they've got their eye on a monster of a meal.

A rock monitor.

Southern Africa's second largest lizard.

Adult rock monitors are accustomed to being the hunter, not the hunted.

With the exception of Marshall eagles and honey badgers.

Rock monitors are adept climbers.

Soaking up the sun in an acacia means the tree's needle -like spines give the

lizard an extra line of defense.

But not against the honey badger.

The sleeping monitor realizes the danger too late.

Dropping to the ground won't help now.

Sometimes in the African bush world, tenacity trumps size, courage trumps

and the never -say -die attitude can tip the scales in the ongoing fight for

survival.