All language subtitles for Africas.Hunters.S01E03_English

Meet the Nsefu pride.

Two brothers,
defending their territory.

Three mothers,
raising the next generation.

They hunt together
and protect their young,

from Africa's
most dangerous animals.

The biggest threat
is from rival lions.

A coalition of cub killers.

(Mews)

(Bellowing)

(Roars)

New technology reveals
extraordinary behavior.

And tragic drama.

This is a story of new life.

And loss.

If their cubs are to survive,
the pride must work together.

One family, bound by blood.

(Roaring)

Roars of confidence and power

travel along an
five mile riverfront,

in Zambia's
South Luangwa National Park.

The Luangwa River
flows through

the heart of this landscape.

But it's drying up.

It hasn't rained
for four months.

Elephants trek
for miles each day

to drink, or find food.

The dry season is
an even more stressful
time for hippos.

For the opportunists
of Africa, it's perfect.

This male lion is reluctant
to share with the vultures.

His pride has eaten and slept
for 24 hours at the carcass,

so there's not much left.

But he's not yet ready
to give it up.

He and his brother
are seven years old.

Young rulers
of the Nsefu pride.

They won the right
to three lionesses -

two sisters and a daughter.

The females were born here

and know every nook and
cranny of this territory.

The males arrived
a few years ago,

from across the river,
and took over.

The Nsefu pride
is now 14-strong,

with teenagers,

and even an embattled
old grandmother.

They're full to bursting.

But it's not just with hippo.

All three lionesses
are pregnant

and about to give birth.

They'll face daunting odds
to keep their cubs alive

over the next few months.

The males are their
first line of defense

against leopards,
hyenas and other lions.

The two males advertise
their strength with smell,

as well as sound.

They wipe their feet
in their urine,

which contains hormones

revealing their health
and age.

They leave a trail
as they walk.

A message to all
who encroach on their turf.

The most
heavily-pregnant lioness

is about to give birth,

and heads off into the bush.

Choosing a good den
is a mother's first task.

Hyenas
and the resident leopard

are a serious danger to cubs.

So the den must be
well-hidden in dense brush.

At birth, her two cubs are
about ten centimeters long,

and weigh about
half-a-pound each.

They are blind and helpless.

After a day or two,
their eyes open.

Each time
the mother visits her cubs,

the chances of discovery
increase.

So she moves the cubs
frequently.

Her new den is in woodland,
further from the river.

Elephants, too,
prefer the shade and secrecy

of the woods.

But this one is nervous.

He can sense a lioness
is hiding nearby.

Only when the elephant moves
on can the mother relax,

with her cubs.

She has two -
a male and a female.

They're now six weeks old.

The two cubs differ
from each other.

The female is more playful.

Her brother, more timid.

And there's no disputing
who's the boss.

It may have been
just an accident,

but sibling rivalry

will be an important part
of their lives

as they grow up.

Lion cubs are characters
from the start,

whether bold,
playful or nervous.

Within a litter,

cubs' behavior is more
varied than between litters.

Scientists now understand

that being different to your
siblings must be important.

At least, in lions.

Perhaps it means
they are less likely

to compete with each other.

She's moving den again,

so that other animals
don't notice a routine.

For the first few weeks,
she's had to carry them,

but now they're just
strong enough to walk.

The timid male hardly seems
ready to face the world.

(Screeching)

Cautiously, they follow her.

An ebony grove provides
the perfect cover.

Lions rarely go up trees.

But here the cubs climb
towards a hollow den.

It's safer from hyenas

and there's no sign
of leopards in the area.

They'll be safe hiding here

until they're ready to be
introduced to the pride.

Their mother can't stay long.

She's on the hunting team,

and needs to provide meat for
herself and for the pride.

Each day, she returns to join
the pregnant lionesses.

They're canny, and know how
to play the males.

Even heavily pregnant,
or having just given birth,

they present themselves
as though ready to mate.

Flirting keeps the males
fired up.

(Roaring)

They need the two brothers
to defend the family,

from outside males
that would kill their cubs.

Humans aren't the only ones
to use sex to manipulate.

Scientists
have also discovered

that lionesses have
bigger brains than males,

particularly the part
for conscious thinking

and suppressing
their emotions.

It seems they plan,

they scheme and they control.

The males head off
to do their job,

guarding what
they imagine is theirs.

Lion life is a battle
of alliances.

And the Nsefu pride's
biggest danger

is from
the surrounding lion prides.

Their territory
is 25 square miles

on the southern side
of the Luangwa river.

The river curves around
their domain,

providing a natural barrier
to intruders.

The greatest threat is from
a lion pride to the north.

Here, three males -

the mane-less three,

form a powerful coalition.

They not only outnumber
the two brothers,

they are older
and battle-hardened.

So far,
the river has kept them out.

But, as the dry season
intensifies,

the current is slowing,
and the water evaporating.

If the mane-less three cross,

they'll overthrow
the two males,

and kill
all the cubs they find.

For the three lionesses,
all starting new litters,

the falling river couldn't
have come at a worse time.

The second of the lionesses
to give birth

is the youngest -
the daughter.

She's a first-time mom,

new to the challenges
of motherhood.

She's made a den
in some thick bushes.

But she's chosen badly.

It's too near the river,

which is a magnet
for wildlife,

including leopards
and hyenas.

The pride needs to control
rival predators.

(Roaring)

The males
are playing their part,

building walls of sound
and smell around the pride.

The youngest mother, on her
way to her den, is nervous.

She can smell that a leopard
passed by recently.

A dried gully provides
a hidden roadway,

used by the female leopard
as cover.

There's no shared
maternal understanding

between these two predators.

They'll both kill
to protect their cubs.

The leopard is focused on
hunting impala.

But the hunter
has become the hunted.

The lioness has made it clear
who's boss around here.

She returns to feed her cubs
in the den.

Something's wrong.

Hyenas. She can smell them.

One is still around and has
something in the grass.

The den is empty.

With hyenas around,

her three cubs would
instinctively keep quiet

and stay hidden.

She patrols the line
of bushes, back and forth.

After hours
of desperate searching,

she finally gives up.

Most first litters die.

It's tough,

but what shapes a good mother
is bitter experience.

(Roaring)

She roars...

for her pride,

for her dead cubs...

..in frustration,
or loneliness,

..or despair.

(Roaring)

(Continues roaring)

The twins,
the pride's first litter,

are still safe in their tree

when their mother
collects them.

She's taking them to meet
the rest of the family

for the first time.

The bereaved mother
returns to the pride.

- (Snarling)
- She snarls
at the newcomers,

as if to express that
they are a poor substitute

for her own.

Her teats are still swollen
with unused milk.

She could suckle
her sister's cubs.

But instead,
turns her back on them.

The third and eldest lioness

is the last
to have given birth.

She's the most experienced,
and is very wary.

Heading off to feed her cubs,

she vanishes into the bush
like a ghost.

That evening,
a thousand buffalo arrive.

They're the Nsefu pride's
favorite food.

But they're dangerous
to hunt.

Hyenas follow the buffalo,

hoping to benefit
from any lion kills.

In the river, falling water

is forcing hippos
into close proximity.

There's no longer any room
for peaceful coexistence.

Some members of the pride

are having a sundowner.

With the males on patrol,

and the mothers nursing
in well-hidden dens,

the old grandmother lioness
stays with the adolescents.

(Bellowing)

The granny
has a role to play.

She helps the teenagers
get to meals

and watches out for them.

But she sometimes struggles
to keep up.

A non-breeding female, a
helper, is rare in mammals.

A pride is an extraordinary
system for survival.

Cooperation among
the extended family

helps to keep
the vulnerable members alive,

in a world full of enemies.

Hunting together is a skill
that takes years to finesse.

Lions, like most cats,
are creatures of the night,

and can see
in almost pitch darkness.

The night
is much more dangerous.

Hyena and leopard are more
active and more confident.

(Cackling and screeching)

The two sisters will be
busy through the night,

driven by maternal instinct.

The twins need
feeding and guarding.

The bereaved daughter will
come into estrus soon,

despite her grief.

The eldest,
and last to give birth,

sneaks off to feed
her well-hidden cubs.

The rest of the pride
comes together to hunt.

They try to ambush
some impala and puku.

But the antelope are fast
and their senses keen.

The Nsefu lions
turn their attention

to the newly-arrived buffalo.

They are strong,

and it'll take almost the
whole pride to take one down.

And that's what the hyenas
have been waiting for.

The pride feasts on the kill.

What's left
can go to the hyenas.

The river falls
by inches each day,

creating new land.

And drawing all animals
closer to the water.

(Low bellow)

(Trumpeting)

(Trumpeting)

The lioness is no threat
to this elephant.

But lions do kill calves.

And elephants have long
and unforgiving memories.

Lions can relax more
during the day.

The twins head over to
investigate one of the males.

But after a soft warning
from their mother,

they leave him alone.

Male lions
are instinctive cub-killers.

And it may take him some time
to accept these as his own.

The first few months
of an animal's life

are the most fragile.

And it takes the whole family
to protect them.

Today, the elephants
have cause for concern.

One of the calves is down,
exhausted and hungry.

With lions around,
the herd wants to move on,

and the calf tries to stand.

Sometimes, all it takes
is a little encouragement.

While the pride relaxes,

the grandmother sets off.

She's unlikely
to be hunting antelope,

but can help the pride
in other ways.

She arrives at the resident
leopard's favorite haunt.

The vengeful nature
of rival predators

is the darker side
of motherhood,

and scientists are only
beginning to understand it.

Maybe she lost
litter after litter

to successive generations
of leopards.

Elephants aren't the only
ones to carry long vendettas.

The old lioness
can't see the leopard,

but the puku pinpoint it
with their alarm calls.

(Whistle)

The cunning leopard
cuts around

behind the old lioness.

She calmly walks away.

She needs to look
unconcerned.

That way, fewer animals
will alarm call.

She's hidden a kill
in a thorn bush.

But granny is not so easily
thrown off the scent.

The leopard
could stay hidden,

but the safest thing
is to exit out the back,

and hope the lioness
doesn't find her kill.

Of course, granny knows
exactly where to look.

The impala isn't fresh, and
it's already decomposing.

Like many grandmothers,

she is not
the most elegant of eaters.

The meal is its own reward.

But by taking on leopards,

the old lioness is helping to
protect the pride, as well.

The river continues to fall,

and the threat from the lions
of the north comes closer.

The mane-less three:

older and stronger
than the two brothers.

If they cross,
they will kill the cubs,

in order to bring the females
back into estrus,

so they can start
their own families.

(Grunting)

This morning,
the two Nsefu brothers

are not making
much of an effort

to stand up for the pride.

The cubs themselves

seem blissfully unaware
of the dangers.

The more timid male cub
has gained in confidence,

and is now giving his sister
as good as he gets.

They are practicing hunting
and throttling moves.

The two males
are still roaring

and marking the territory...

occasionally.

The cubs seem to court
the two brothers,

making all the effort
to form a bond.

Scientists think that
only if males care enough

will they lay down their
lives for these cubs.

And it takes tremendous
courage from the cubs

to cement that bond.

For the little male,

bonding with his father
and uncle is equally vital.

But he has another reason.

Males only succeed
as adults in coalitions,

usually brothers.

And he only has a sister.

He faces a bleak future
as a lone male.

Even though his father

can't help forge
a future coalition,

the cub is instinctively
drawn to the older male,

as his only option.

(Low roar)

The bereaved mother
is flirting.

Scientists think
that lionesses

feel the loss of cubs deeply,

remembering it
all their lives.

But they also need
to mate again,

as quickly as possible.

The Luangwa River
continues to fall.

For a female in estrus
and for a lone male cub,

time is running out,

as the threat looms
from the opposite bank.

The mother of the twins

guides them away
to their den,

to keep them out of danger.

(Overlapping animal calls)

(Roars)

The males roar more
enthusiastically at night.

And their declaration carries

five miles along
the Luangwa valley.

The youngest lioness, with no
cubs to demand her attention,

is hunting puku
for the pride.

Behind her, one of the males
makes a rare appearance,

to help with the hunt.

Or so it seems.

Lions are renowned
for their night vision.

But they've not seen or heard
the puku by their side.

His attention lies elsewhere.

(Snarling)

She's coming into estrus,

but she's not ready to be
jumped on just yet.

(Roars)

He returns to his roaring.

(Continues roaring)

The elephants have been
trekking all night,

in search of food
away from the river.

The little one is thin,
but he's alive.

The twins survived the night,

and by dawn,
are back with the pride.

But this morning,

the two cubs' lives
are about to change.

The elder sister,
the most secretive,

returns with four cubs.

All males.

They're a week or two younger
than the twins.

Three are full of confidence.

But one holds back.

He might have been called
the runt of the litter
in the past.

But he's probably just
a more tentative character.

Each lioness has four teats.

Nevertheless, the new cubs
are keen to suckle

with their older cousins.

For the original,
confident female twin,

it's an inconvenience.

But for her brother,
a lone male, it's salvation.

Four new males - cousins.

If all survive, they could
form a powerful coalition.

And he's the eldest.
Potentially, the leader.

Lions share suckling duty,

called allosuckling.

It forges bonds
between litters

and is the foundation
for future prides.

All six
trying to suckle at once

is too much for the mother.

She sends the whole lot
of them off to explore.

The cubs immediately form
a gang of six.

But it's now that they face
the greatest danger.

The Luangwa River has fallen
to a few feet of water.

The barrier is down.

The mane-less three,
on the north bank,

have ambitions to the south.

And are closing in on the
Nsefu pride's territory.

They set out across
no man's land.

Their mission -
defeat the two brothers,

drive out
the male adolescents,

kill all the cubs,

and mate with their mothers.

Now...they are in
enemy territory.

They have strength
in numbers.

But the brothers have
the home team advantage.

They can smell the resident
males' pungent odor.

For years, the brothers
have laid their scent

along their boundary.

The mane-less three
are not intimidated,

and mark themselves.

They keep to the river's
edge - safer for them.

But their eyes turn inland,
searching for the pride.

Half-a-mile away,
the Nsefu lions are resting,

oblivious to the
approaching threat.

But there seems to be
a new tension.

The cubs' little teeth
are sharp.

And the two mothers become
increasingly short-tempered.

The gang of six
is a real handful.

They want to feed together.

But with only four teats on
offer, that's impossible.

(Growling)

Milk changes over time,

from high-fat
to high-protein.

So it may be that the cubs

prefer one mother
over another.

The young lioness
has finally come into estrus,

and the males are in
attendance.

For four days,
she mates 30 times a day,

mainly with
the elder brother,

just to make sure
any offspring are his.

(Grunting)

She'll quickly
become pregnant,

and in 110 days,
she'll give birth.

Her hormones
fire up the males.

Their roars tell of strength
and vitality.

Their urine reeks of
power and sexual prowess.

(Roaring)

Already fired up
by courting cubs and mothers,

and now by the hormones
of a successful mating,

the brothers set out
with renewed confidence,

determined to defend
their pride.

They are two champions
in their prime.

Kings of the river.

A change in the wind
brings these smells

and sounds
to the three invaders.

They seem to reconsider
their options.

They already have a pride
of their own to control

on the north bank.

And if they become trapped on
the wrong side of the river,

they could lose everything.

Their confidence evaporates.

They return north,
to their own kingdom,

and their own battles
at home.

The Nsefu pride
has triumphed.

The two sisters
have six healthy cubs.

And the youngest lioness

has a replacement litter
on the way.

With five new males, the
pride's future seems secure.

In a few years' time,

these young lions
may cross the river,

to rule over
new prides of their own.

**

**

**