Original subtitles

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

NARRATOR: In the middle of Southern Africa,

there's a vast uncharted sea of golden grassland.

(WILDEBEEST GRUNTING)

NARRATOR: Remote and wild, it was once home to huge herds

grazing the savannah.

And predators lurking, waiting to take their pick.

(BIRD SQUAWKING)

But 30 years of civil war

decimated the abundant wildlife.

Now peace has returned to this damaged yet beautiful Eden.

(ZEBRAS CALLING)

NARRATOR: An extraordinary band of conservationists

is trying to restore these grasslands

to their former glory.

(LOW GROWL)

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

NARRATOR: For over 100 years, Zambia's Liuwa Plain

was preserved by the Lozi people

as a royal hunting ground.

Now a national park,

it is one of the oldest wildlife reserves in Africa.

Its grasslands stretch for over 1,400 square miles

in the old kingdom of Barotseland that straddles

the remote northwest frontier of Zambia and Angola.

Historically, lions were the rulers of these plains.

But not any more.

Almost 30 years of civil war

in neighboring Angola changed that.

The effects of the war,

which began after independence in 1975,

spilled over into Zambia,

and Liuwa's lions paid a high price.

They were shot and their prey killed for meat.

(GRUNTING)

NARRATOR: In the end, just one solitary lioness survived.

Liuwa's ecosystem teetered on the edge.

(GRUNTING)

NARRATOR: Given time, nature can usually heal itself.

But replacing the missing pieces

of the ecological jigsaw often requires human intervention.

(ENGINE REVVING)

NARRATOR: Understanding what's going on in an ecosystem this huge

is the first challenge.

The solution is to concentrate on the apex predators.

In Liuwa, that now means the hyena.

(HYENAS LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: Normally, hyenas and lions are mortal enemies,

competing for prey.

But here the absence of lions has allowed the hyenas

to be the heavyweight champions of hunting.

(HYENAS LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: If the food chain's top carnivores are doing well,

it normally means all the animals are recovering.

So the Zambian Carnivore Program

closely monitors the apex predators

to check on the health of the whole ecosystem.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

NARRATOR: It's 6:00 a.m. A new day.

The scientists' first task is to find the predators.

It requires a head for heights.

Large carnivores are elusive

and range over thousands of square miles

so researchers track them using radio collars.

(SENSOR BEEPING)

NARRATOR: From the top of the radio tower,

it's possible to pick up the signal from any collar

within four miles.

For the last seven years, the Zambian Carnivore Program

has been studying hundreds of individual predators

and detailing their impact on their prey,

making this one of the most comprehensive studies

of predation ever undertaken.

(WIND WHOOSHING)

NARRATOR: Having got a rough fix on a hyena from the radio tower,

senior researcher Daan Smit heads out.

This is a vast land with no roads

and few landmarks.

It's parched and empty.

There's a drought and food is in short supply.

Most of the great herds of migratory prey

are still way up north,

where there is more water and food.

They will only come south with the rains.

Then, the rivers will rise and flood the plains,

transforming Liuwa into a green land of life and water.

Following the wildlife in the wet season

becomes much more difficult

so the scientists need to gather as much data now as possible.

At ground level, the range of Daan's receiver

shrinks to one mile.

(BEEPING)

NARRATOR: Homing in on the target takes trial and error.

(ENGINE REVVING)

NARRATOR: Every day, the scientists seek out the predators.

Daan takes pictures to identify the hyenas

and he records their position and activity.

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING)

NARRATOR: Liuwa's hyenas are some of the biggest in Africa.

Having spent years in the field with them,

Daan thinks they're misunderstood.

SMIT: Some people look at hyenas, and...

Like they're the... They still steal kills

and they...

They don't look pretty like a lion or a cheetah.

Yeah, hyenas do have a bad reputation

but I think everybody who has...

Who has come to Liuwa

and has seen hyenas here, you will...

Everybody will change their...

their opinion about hyenas.

NARRATOR: While rarely a threat to humans,

hyenas are still dangerous predators

and shouldn't be approached, except by experts.

Daan knows that during the heat of the day

the hyenas aren't in hunting mode.

But later on, when the sun goes down,

it will be a different story.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

NARRATOR: In the cool of the evening, researcher Teddy Mukula

finds a small group of hyenas emerging from the long grass.

He's been studying Liuwa's hyenas for the last two years.

(HYENAS WHINING)

NARRATOR: They look like they're getting ready to go hunting.

Teddy will attempt to stay with them.

Hyenas are much underrated.

(HYENA LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: Most people think they're mainly scavengers.

But they'd be wrong.

The researchers have found that Liuwa's hyenas

are highly efficient predators

and the Zambian Carnivore Program is working

to understand what impact this has on the other animals here.

Hyenas are so successful,

they're the most common large carnivores in Africa.

(HYENAS WHINING)

NARRATOR: They have complex societies

based on status and female dominance.

MUKULA: Hyenas have a great social interaction.

You know, they have just that

social interaction that is really

unique from other carnivores, and...

Their hierarchy is very, very highly respected.

And, uh...

Everyone knows what their place here...

They know what they're supposed to do.

They know what they're not supposed to do.

And they are just... They... They look out for each other very well, yeah.

NARRATOR: And hyenas are very inquisitive.

(ENGINE STARTING)

NARRATOR: Luckily there are better things to eat than Teddy's tires.

To understand a predator, you have to see it hunt.

(THUNDERING)

NARRATOR: But tracking hyenas at night is a challenge.

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

NARRATOR: The hyenas are stalking a herd of wildebeest.

(THUNDER CRACKING)

NARRATOR: An electrical storm, a precursor to the imminent rains,

helps camouflage their approach.

(WILDEBEEST GRUNTING)

NARRATOR: Suddenly, the hyenas give chase.

(WILDEBEEST GRUNTING)

NARRATOR: Running at 35 miles per hour...

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

NARRATOR: It's impossible to keep up.

MUKULA: Yeah.

MUKULA: Yeah.

MUKULA: Ah, (BLEEP).

NARRATOR: Teddy drives with one hand

and tries to keep track of the hyenas with the other.

The hyenas target adult wildebeest,

often picking out the old or the weak,

and chasing them to exhaustion.

(THUNDERING)

(HYENAS LAUGHING))

NARRATOR: Success.

The hyenas quickly pull the wildebeest to the ground,

devouring their prey as fast as they can.

(WILDEBEEST GRUNTING)

NARRATOR: With their acute hearing, any hyenas within five miles

could hear the commotion

and try to grab a share of the kill.

Observing hyena kills gives a wealth of information on what they eat,

and how this affects both clan and prey.

By putting all this together, Teddy's building up

a detailed picture of the hyenas' role in the ecosystem.

(HYENAS LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: Whereas big cats can leave up to 40% of a carcass,

hyenas eat their way through skin and bone.

In little over an hour,

there will be virtually nothing left.

(THUNDERING)

NARRATOR: With so much to do before the rains finally arrive,

keeping their bikes going is essential.

Teddy is teaching new researcher Shadrach

some field maintenance.

In the middle of nowhere,

you really don't want to break down.

Yeah.

MUKULA: We don't have a mechanic to do this for us.

So what we do is, we learn this ourselves.

We have to do this ourselves.

NARRATOR: The researchers spend

long hours, alone on their bikes in the middle of the plains.

Breakdowns can attract attention of the four-legged variety.

MUKULA: The hyenas are very inquisitive.

Very inquisitive and curious at the same time.

They can come as close as possible.

They would want to sniff your handlebars

while you're still holding them.

And, uh...

Yeah, they've got teeth, you just need to be careful, yeah.

NARRATOR: The spare bikes also need to be checked

because the team is getting reinforcements.

SMIT: So this year, we have

received probably...

NARRATOR: Jassiel M'soka is one of the project's co-founders.

In 2009, he helped set up the Liuwa Research Program.

He's now a senior ecologist

for the Zambian Department of Parks and Wildlife

based in Lusaka.

But he returns to Liuwa regularly to help out.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

(ENGINE STARTING)

NARRATOR: Jassiel heads out onto the plains to search for predators.

(VULTURES CAWING)

NARRATOR: Circling vultures lead the researchers to a kill.

A hyena is eating what's left of a wildebeest.

With almost no lions to worry about,

Liuwa's hyena numbers are increasing.

They're organized into super clans up to 80 strong.

This female is from North Clan,

one of five hyena families in the study.

She's a long way from home, scavenging a kill.

M'SOKA: This is a hyena that, uh,

we've known from before.

She's been in the study for at least, uh, five years.

It's good to know that... That it's still alive and still in the study.

NARRATOR: Jassiel knows some of the hyenas so well,

he can recognize them by their markings.

At about 150 pounds,

this female is bigger than the approaching male

and she outranks him.

The male will have to make do with the leftovers.

(HYENAS LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: Jassiel and Shadrach want to take a closer look

at the remains of the kill.

The hyenas here are wary of people and back off.

They collect samples to gather data.

There's not much left, but teeth and hair samples

will reveal the wildebeest's age and condition.

This carcass is one of hundreds

the researchers will study.

Each provides clues to the intricate dynamics

of the ecosystem.

(CAR ENGINE STARTING)

To be ranging so far into another clan's territory,

the North Clan must be struggling.

To find out why,

Jassiel wants to take a look at the clan's den.

Hyenas rear their cubs in underground dens.

The area around the den is communal

and at twilight, it's the centre of the clan's social life.

But the hunting adults of the North Clan are out,

still searching far and wide for food.

All the cubs can do

is wait at the relative safety of the den.

With the drought caused by El Nino, this is a tough year.

The researchers have already discovered

the drought's first victims.

A neighboring den abandoned with seven cubs dead inside.

When times are tough,

the mothers don't always make it back to the den

to feed their cubs.

If the North Clan adults don't return in the next couple of days,

these cubs will die.

(CAR ENGINE STARTING)

The researchers head back to camp

to record the day's findings.

It's 7:00 a.m.

Project leader Matt Becker is out surveying

the grasslands' eastern sector.

Seven years ago, Matt helped Jassiel

set up the Carnivore Research Program.

He spots an old friend.

She's Lady, the world famous last lioness of Liuwa.

Potentially as old as 16, she's ancient for a lion

but she's in remarkably good shape.

For nearly a decade,

she lived all alone on these vast plains.

(LIONS GROWLING)

NARRATOR: Lions are the only truly social cats.

Lionesses typically live together,

raising cubs and sharing kills.

In the absence of any other lions,

Lady became so lonely

that she started going into the Liuwa field camp.

MATT BECKER: It was quite common to have her come in to camp and just

be hanging out at camp.

At a level that you wouldn't typically be comfortable with

or, um, wouldn't be wise for...

To have a lion in that close a vicinity.

But she's just accustomed to that. She, uh,

has never, um, endangered anyone.

NARRATOR: Out of respect, the lioness became known as Lady Liuwa.

You can't not find her remarkable.

And, uh...

And that doesn't have anything to do with

science or research or conservation or anything.

It's just a remarkable animal.

NARRATOR: Liuwa is being protected

and restored by the African Parks Network.

To cure Lady's loneliness, in 2009,

African Parks introduced two males.

But Lady failed to conceive

so Matt's team worked with African Parks

to introduce a new lioness.

They called her Sepo, the local word for hope,

as she'd hopefully kick-start a new generation

while learning from Lady.

In 2013, in the thick undergrowth by the camp,

Sepo had three cubs.

With Lady's help, she safeguarded them

from the hyenas and now there's a glimmer of hope

that lions might be returning to the grasslands.

BECKER: Lady Liuwa's story

is... Is very emblematic of the story

of Liuwa Plain in general.

Uh, something that, um...

Sort of renewal and recovery.

Uh, we now have in the twilight years of her life

a, uh...

The first pride, um, in over a decade in Liuwa.

And you can see them interacting with her.

Even though they're not hers,

she is obviously the matriarch of this pride.

She's a special lion, and it's...

She really symbolizes what Liuwa Plain is about.

NARRATOR: Being so few in number,

the new pride needs intensive levels of care and monitoring.

There's a problem.

There are only three lions.

Lady, Sepo and one of the juveniles.

Two youngsters are missing.

(ENGINE STARTING)

They're not wearing radio collars

and they could be anywhere.

All the researchers will have to keep their eyes peeled

for the missing lions.

Back at camp, Jassiel heads out again

to see if any hyenas from the North Clan

have returned to the den.

(ENGINE REVVING)

Hyenas can easily range 30 miles a night

looking for food.

If they made a kill, they should have returned by dawn.

(ENGINE TURNS OFF)

NARRATOR: The females are back.

At long last, the cubs can suckle again.

The cubs owe their survival

to the richness of their mother's milk.

Hyena milk has some of the highest levels

of protein and fat of any terrestrial mammal.

(CUBS WHINING)

NARRATOR: Each female only nurses her own cubs.

This high-ranking female

is one of the leaders of the clan.

She gets the pick of the food and produces richer milk.

Her two cubs will grow faster and bigger

than the other cubs in the clan.

One day, they'll try to take their turn to be the boss.

(HYENA WHINING)

NARRATOR: Social interactions teach the cubs the clan's hierarchy.

(HYENAS WHINING)

NARRATOR: Only high ranking males and juveniles

are allowed anywhere near.

(HYENA WHINING)

NARRATOR: All other lowly males have to keep their distance.

Jassiel photographs each individual

so the study can keep track

of the changing fortunes in the clan.

(ENGINE REVVING)

NARRATOR: Back at base, Jassiel reviews his data.

(CLICKING)

NARRATOR: First, he needs to identify the hyenas from his photos.

Their spots are as individual as a human fingerprint.

But the study has over 300 hyenas in its database,

so it requires an eye for detail.

M'SOKA: This looks like this could be the one.

Uh, this is Liuwa hyena 474.

Her nickname is "Bridget".

The sex says here it's male, but...

It's got a female name, and yet it's...

(LAUGHING) A male.

So that tells you a lot about sexing hyenas.

(HYENAS LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: Females lead hyena society,

and it's very difficult to tell the sexes apart.

The females have external genitalia

that appears to be almost identical to the males'.

Hence the confusion.

(WHINING)

NARRATOR: Having identified his hyenas,

Jassiel can update the records.

Thus the study builds up a long-term picture

of hyena survival, reproduction,

and their impact on the ecosystem.

The hyenas in the study area

live in five competing clans.

After two years in the field,

Daan is getting a picture of the differences between them.

(REVVING ENGINE)

NARRATOR: By using the radio collars,

and intensively watching the same individuals,

the researchers have been able to see why

the struggling North Clan are having to range

so far for food.

The drought is drying up

their already limited access to water.

And their prey is staying away.

The neighboring hyenas are getting more powerful

and they're squeezing the North Clan's territory.

Some of North Clan headed east, two months ago.

And they haven't returned.

Three are wearing collars,

but their signals are out of range.

To keep track of the remaining members of North Clan,

the scientists need to collar another high ranking female.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

NARRATOR: Teddy finds their target hyena cooling off.

To collar this wild female, they'll need to dart her.

Daan gets the veterinarian in position for a shot.

Their target is the one standing up.

They circle the hyena first,

so she gets used to their presence.

(SHOT FIRED)

(HYENA WHINING)

NARRATOR: Bullseye.

The drug quickly takes effect.

Project leader Matt isn't far behind.

Copy that, we'll hang back here.

Just let us know when to come in.

(RADIO STATIC)

NARRATOR: While working on the sedated animal,

there's little risk from the rest of the clan.

And there are no lions here.

All attention is focused on getting the job done

as quickly, and with as little discomfort

to the animal as possible.

MAN: (FROM DISTANCE) It's good but just keep an eye on it.

NARRATOR: They cover the hyena's eyes

to protect them from dust and sunlight.

Whilst unconscious, carnivores can't control

their own temperature well.

So the team must carefully monitor

the hyena's vital signs and keep her cool.

MUKULA: It's, uh...

A very big moment of uncertainty, because, uh...

You... You are not guaranteed of the outcome.

NARRATOR: Fitting the collar requires a lot of careful adjustment.

It must allow room for the hyena to grow,

but not be so loose that it might get snagged.

MUKULA: Uh, thread.

NARRATOR: They take full advantage

of the rare chance to check on the hyena's health

and gather more data.

Analysis of the DNA will tell them about

interrelationships in the clan.

Height, length and teeth help age the animal

and provide a profile of this member

of the Liuwa population.

(SHUTTER CLICKING)

NARRATOR: They secure the collar.

(DEVICE BEEPING)

Just gonna back up, just a little bit.

NARRATOR: Dr Banda injects the drug to revive the hyena.

And everyone quietly retreats to allow her a calm recovery.

Fifteen minutes later, the hyena comes round.

She's groggy, but she'll sleep off any after-effects

before joining tonight's hunt.

BECKER: Everyone has a job, everyone does it well, and, uh,

the safety and comfort of the animal

is of the utmost importance, and so...

Um, that is about as smooth as you could ask for.

BECKER: Well done, guys. That was a nice one.

(LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: For the next three years,

the lifespan of the collar,

the researchers will be able to keep track of this hyena

day and night.

They'll follow the fortunes of North Clan

and they'll get a better picture of these hyenas' role

in Liuwa's recovery.

The female lopes off,

unaware that her life will now contribute

to the annals of science.

All the researchers have their eyes peeled

for Lady and Sepo's two missing lion cubs.

Teddy is searching the southern part of the plain.

He knows a spot where the lions sometimes lay up.

He finds a cheetah family.

Their numbers also crashed during the civil war.

This mother is managing to raise four cubs,

a big litter for a cheetah.

It's another sign that the ecosystem is recovering.

There's hyena here.

But, so far, no young lions.

For a man on a motorbike, lions are dangerous.

Teddy will never forget the first time

he was riding his bike, and came across a lion.

MUKULA: When I come here in,

uh, November 2013,

I had run into a male.

And not knowing that my fuel levels in the bike

were actually very low,

I stopped.

Then the lion, you know, became inquisitive.

And I was, like, literally 40, 50 meters away from him.

And I'm like, "Okay, now this is the time to go."

And the moment I wanted to start the bike,

and the bike couldn't start. And I was like, "What?"

Eventually, I remembered and I turned to the reserve tank.

Turned the knob to open up the reserve tank.

And boom, there it was.

And I tell you, my heart was like...

Oh, I was carrying it in my hand.

(ENGINE REVVING)

NARRATOR: Teddy finds the thicket,

and his instincts prove right.

But he doesn't want to get too close.

It's hard to tell how many are in there.

Eventually, he's able to count five.

Papa Mike, Papa Mike for Z City.

(RADIO STATIC)

MAN: (OVER WALKIE-TALKIE) Control, control, control.

(INDISTINCT TALKING)

(RADIO SPEECH)

MUKULA: The lions are back.

NARRATOR: Lady and Sepo

are with all three juveniles.

The pride is reunited.

(ENGINE REVVING)

At base camp, the next morning, the team assembles.

They've got another collar to deploy,

but this involves much higher stakes.

It's Lady Liuwa's.

Lady is a very old lion,

so replacing her collar will be a delicate operation.

BECKER: Because of her role

in the pride, we really need to be able to find her

and follow her.

And make sure she and the pride,

particularly as she ages,

and may not be as adept of a hunter,

may potentially get into some trouble with livestock.

We need to be able to...

To find, follow,

and hopefully, avert any issues.

NARRATOR: They find the lions

sleeping off a kill.

They're used to the vehicle

and Matt's able to get the veterinarian in close.

(SHOT FIRED)

NARRATOR: It's an easy shot.

Lady is the leader of the pride.

(MAN TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

NARRATOR: So when she lies down,

her family initially stays with her,

which isn't ideal.

As the vehicle slowly approaches,

the lions wander off.

Matt parks the truck to screen Lady and the team

from the rest of the pride.

They keep a close eye on Lady's breathing

and temperature.

Lady's been limping,

so they check her paws for any signs of injury.

Big pads dampen the sound of a lion's approach.

Long hooked claws grip the fleeing prey

and pull it to the ground.

DR BANDA: Hold that. That's good.

Yes, that's good.

Okay, so I'll put the bag here...

NARRATOR: Lions rely on powerful jaws

to bite the throat

and suffocate their victims.

It's a cold morning and it looks like rain.

They have to keep Lady warm and dry.

To support the basic shelter,

a little improvisation is needed.

The vet doesn't want to stress Lady's system

by giving her any more drugs

so they let the sedative wear off naturally.

Matt keeps a close eye on Lady's recovery.

The rest of the pride becomes curious.

They want to come closer,

but they're unsure about the plastic sheet.

(THUDDING)

(GROWLING)

NARRATOR: One cub builds up courage

for a closer look.

The rubber foot on the camera tripod is too tempting.

NARRATOR: The commotion wakes the old lady.

She's not sure where she is.

Matt won't leave her side until she's fully recovered

and reunited with her family.

Without the reversal drugs, it could take hours.

It stops raining and the temperature rises.

Matt gets a ringside seat

as the pride re-joins Lady.

BECKER: You can see just from the way they interact,

uh, Lady is a very important member

of the pride, and, uh...

So it worked out as good as anyone could have hoped.

I think when you look out, and you see the pride,

um, despite all of the issues, um,

it is a great feeling that hopefully

lion recovery is on the right track.

If any lion could live a very exceptionally long

and rich life, I think it would be Lady.

I just... I hope she has many more years and

I know it's...

It's not forever but, uh...

It is hard to imagine Liuwa without Lady.

(THUNDERING)

NARRATOR: The long awaited rains arrive.

(THUNDER CRACKING)

NARRATOR: Quenched at last,

Liuwa blooms into life.

The plains throng with wildebeest,

zebra and their young.

The study has found that wildebeest numbers

have nearly tripled.

Liuwa is now home

to the second largest wildebeest migration

in Africa.

Carnivore heaven.

For the coming months, living will be easier

for the North Clan hyenas.

(WHIMPERING)

NARRATOR: In this time of plenty,

the cheetah family will grow fat.

With the years' collaring finished,

the scientists are now able to follow all the action.

Under their watchful eyes,

one of the great success stories in Africa

will continue to unfold.

The seasons change,

the natural order slowly restores,

and Liuwa National Park returns to its former glory.

♪♪

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