All language subtitles for Predators.2022.S01E03.720p.

NARRATOR:
Predators across the planet.

Unmatched in strength...

(ROARING)

...speed, strategy,

stealth, and teamwork.

But staying on top
is never easy.

As the world
around them changes,

they must adapt faster
than ever before

to maintain their rule.

In Botswana's Okavango Delta,

a legendary lioness
and her pride

attempt to raise
ten vulnerable cubs.

But in a changing world
where croc-infested floods

consume their land...

...and rival prides
are out for blood...

...the family face
the fight of their lives.

In the heart of Africa's
Kalahari Desert...

...lies a vast and
vibrant wilderness...

...the Okavango Delta.

Teeming with life, this oasis
is a predator's paradise.

But for a young lioness
starting out,

it can be a cruel
and unforgiving world.

This is Nikki.

She's just four years old

and already the most promising
predator in her pride.

But for all her strength
and power,

Nikki has had
a very difficult year.

Three and half months ago,

she fell pregnant
for the first time.

A week ago, she left
the pride to give birth.

Four days ago,
Nikki lost her newborns.

She's still calling
for her cubs.

(GROWLING LONGINGLY)

It may take her a week or more to
realise they're not coming back.

Like many young lion mums,

Nikki was anxious to return to
her pride after she gave birth.

Her mistake was that she left
her cubs alone for too long.

(GROWLING LONGINGLY)

(CONTINUES GROWLING)

It's likely her den
was discovered by a leopard.

She's paid the ultimate price
for her inexperience.

For now, at least,
Nikki is not alone.

She shares a close bond
with her family.

Nikki lives with her mum, Nan,

her sister, Lil,

and her aunt, Uma.

These four females are the backbone
of the Matata pride.

Their territory
is 11km long

and 6km wide.

It's packed with lush forests,

permanent swamps,

floodplains

and treacherous river crossings.

For the Matata
and all lionesses,

their land is their lifeline.

But every inch
of the Okavango Delta

is fiercely contested.

(HYENA SHRIEKING)

Hordes of hyena, wild dog,

cheetah and leopard

are competing for the same prey.

But the greatest threat
to the Matata...

...lurks 8km to the north.

On the furthest edge
of the prey-rich territory,

they share a border
with a six-strong pride

known as The Breakaways.

These aggressive rivals
were once part of Nikki's pride.

But four years ago
a family split

led to broken bonds.

The divide has left the Matata

the smallest and most
vulnerable pride in this arena.

Here, survival is a numbers game,

and bigger prides do better.

The Matata must increase
their numbers

or they risk being wiped out.

Key to that is not one,

but two impressive males.

This is Jango...

...and Atlas.

Jango has the darker mane and a more
aggressive personality.

Atlas is physically stronger.

He fathered Nikki's lost litter.

But these powerful males
are not a permanent fixture.

They come and go as they please.

Jango and Atlas rule over
four other female prides...

...including
the Matata's archenemy,

The Breakaways.

The males' motives are simple -

father as many cubs as they can.

For now, they keep their distance.

The lionesses are hungry
and eager to hunt.

It's Nikki's supreme confidence
that makes her

the best hunter of the pride.

Like all lionesses,
she's capable of killing alone.

But when this sisterhood
hunts together,

their odds of success increase,

and nothing is off the menu.

Not even elephants.

As the hot dry season
starts to take hold...

...these last few watering holes

are the perfect place
to find prey.

Stealthily, the lionesses
get into position...

...while the boys lay low.

Most prey can spot the males'
enormous manes a mile off.

Despite their size and power,
these kings of the jungle

rely almost entirely on the
lionesses to catch their food.

(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)

(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS LOUDLY)

But today, the matriarch
is on high alert.

She's clocked the pride.

The mothers rally together
to shield the vulnerable calves.

(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS LOUDLY)

Her trumpet sends a clear warning
to the lionesses to stay back.

(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)

Once spotted, the game is up.

Lions rely on the element
of surprise to catch prey.

Nikki must return home.

There are young cubs
waiting for them.

But the pride can't afford to go
without a meal for much longer.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

Tired and hungry, the hunters near
their destination.

(GROWLS)
Nikki's sister, Lil, calls out.

(SOFT GROWL)

(LION CUBS CALLING SOFTLY)

From the long grass,
ten eight-month-old cubs emerge.

The lionesses have kept
their young safe

by hiding them
in the thick grass.

The mums, Lil, Uma and Nan

are greeted with face rubs...

...a welcome where the pride
shares their scent

and secures their family bonds.

Nikki gets an enthusiastic welcome.

As ever, her niece, Brook,
gets a little carried away.

Of all the cubs,
she's the most tenacious.

But nothing fazes Nikki.

She's a very playful
and protective aunt.

The games, however,
will have to wait.

With so many hungry mouths
to feed right now,

Nikki is focused
on moving the pride

to their best hunting ground
in the north of their territory.

But getting there
with young cubs

is a major risk...

...because the Matata aren't
the only lions heading that way.

Their arch enemies,
The Breakaways,

have breached their border

and they're heading straight for
The Matata's best hunting grounds.

Nikki is unaware she's put
her family on a collision course

with their most fearsome enemy.

After an exhausting journey
to the north of their territory...

...the lionesses are recovering
with their cubs.

Nikki has company.

Atlas has always had a soft spot
for the Matata's strongest hunter.

His interest reveals the door
hasn't completely closed

on Nikki becoming a mother.

But romance will have to wait.

Nikki has more pressing matters
to deal with.

The cubs are getting thinner.

At last, a little bit of luck
is coming their way.

A family of warthogs

are unwittingly walking
right into the lion's den.

This is the closest the cubs have
ever come to a potential hunt.

Tyke, the most timid of the cubs,

nervously lays low,

but wide-eyed Brook
is taking it all in.

Nikki is first to make a move.

Inch by inch, she edges closer.

Stealth is her first weapon
of choice.

On the far side, Nikki's mother Nan
creeps around the back.

It's a tactical play.

All four lionesses work together
to surround the prey.

They are blocking
every angle of escape.

Nan makes her move.

(WARTHOGS SQUEALING)
The prey bolts.

With razor-sharp reflexes,
Nikki gives chase.

Now, a top speed
of 65km per hour

allows her to close in.

(WARTHOG SHRIEKING FRANTICALLY)

Everyone races
to get a mouthful.

But before the females
get a morsel of meat,

the cub's father, Atlas,
comes bounding in.

(ROARING LOUDLY)

The lionesses give way.

This is the price they pay
for child protection.

Atlas puts on
a forceful display of dominance.

But despite his snarls,

he is allowing his cubs to eat.

Jango hasn't moved a muscle.

He's still full
from his last free meal.

The females won't eat
until Atlas is finished.

It's a relief to have food
for the cubs.

But while the youngsters
tuck in...

...trouble is heading their way.

It's The Breakaways,

and they're poised to attack.

Although this mob
outnumbers the Matata,

Nikki's instinct
is to protect her pride.

Fearlessly, she squares up
to the closest intruder,

a plucky young female.

Nikki puffs up to make herself
look as threatening as possible.

The rest of the Matata
are filling their stomachs.

Atlas isn't lifting a finger.

He mates with females
from both sides.

He has no reason to get involved
in their territorial disputes.

The young female backs down.

But behind her, her imposing mother
holds her ground.

(GROWLING AND ROARING FIERCELY)

Both females take
a vicious blow,

but it is the intruder
who concedes.

Nikki gives chase.

The rest of The Breakaways
flee for their lives.

Nikki has single-handedly
seen their enemies off...

for now.

With full bellies,

the pride males leave.

They have other females to visit.

For the Matata, today's win
couldn't be more important.

With ten young cubs to feed, they
cannot afford to lose land.

But this victory comes
at a heavy price.

(WHIMPERS)

Nikki can barely walk.

Her injury could be a disaster
for the Matata.

With their best hunter
out of action,

the cub's future hangs
in the balance.

It's been two months
since Nikki's injury,

and the Matata have struggled
to make ends meet.

Nikki's injured foot
is starting to heal...

...but time is running out.

Brook, Tyke and the rest
of the cubs are skin and bone.

This is the thinnest
they have ever been.

They have days, not weeks.

On the far side
of their territory...

...a chance to change
the family's fortunes.

Standing over 5m tall...

...giraffe are among
the toughest prey to take down.

And what's worse,
it's high noon.

Lions rarely hunt
in this crippling heat.

Nikki needs to soldier
through the pain.

Suddenly, the giraffes spook.

They've spotted the lions.

A large male has split
from the herd.

Nan is first to close in.

The pride is boldly attempting

to take down
the biggest giraffe they can.

But Nikki is lagging behind.

Her mother Nan drives their
target towards the tree line.

For the giraffe,
it's a dead-end.

In searing heat, the lionesses
take it in turns to attack.

With her injury,
Nikki can barely keep up,

but the pride needs her
to bring down this giant.

Nikki leaps again...

...and again...

...to throw him off balance.

Both sides are struggling
for their lives,

but who will give up first?

The lionesses target the soft

and vulnerable parts of his body.

If they can inflict enough pain,

they will weaken his resolve.

It's been an exhausting,
hour-long battle.

Brook, Tyke
and the rest of the cubs

nervously approach.

Lions are the only big cats
who hunt together like this.

Working as a team,

they've given their young
a fighting chance of survival.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

The lionesses' brave decision
to take down a larger male

will mean more food
for the days ahead.

With the pride males away,

everyone gets a fair share.

The cubs are so full
they can hardly move.

This giraffe will feed
the family for a week.

But what Nikki and her family
don't know...

...is that an even greater
challenge lies ahead.

As the Delta gets hotter...

...in a flash, a fire breaks out.

The inferno blazes
through the night,

consuming the Matata's land

and destroying everything
in its wake.

As they flee in darkness,

it's easy to get separated.

In a matter of hours,

the Matata's best hunting
grounds have been torched.

But Nikki has bigger problems.

She can't find the cubs.

As they tried to escape,
the pride split up.

Nikki and Lil scour
their territory.

The big males are back,

but there'll be no free meals
until the cubs are found.

Hours pass, and nothing.

There's no sign of life.

Finally, at the edge
of the devastation,

they hear a loud
and familiar sound.

(GROWLING)

It's Nikki's mother, Nan,
and some of the cubs, too.

(GROWLING)

(LION CUBS CALLING)

But not all the young
are accounted for.

6km away, one-year old Brook
and her brother Tyke are lost.

They were separated from the pride
during the chaos of the fire.

All alone, with no one
to protect or hunt for them,

the cubs' chances of surviving
are frighteningly low.

(CALLING LONGINGLY)

Brook sends out
a distress signal.

(CALLING) She needs her mother
to hear her call,

but out here, it's a risk.

The Matata share their territory
with many other predators.

Two little lost cubs would be an
easy meal for most of their rivals.

Leopards are known
for killing cubs in these parts.

But young lions
have many enemies.

On the furthest edge
of the forest,

a hyena mother and her young.

If she hears the cubs calling,

she will claim their lives.

The following day, there's still
no sign of Tyke and Brook.

(CALLING)

Nikki and Lil call out.

(CALLING)

But their calls are met
with deafening silence.

(CALLING)

It's a huge loss,

but the females still have
eight hungry mouths to feed.

They must focus on them now.

A few days later,
the pride take down

one of the strongest prey
they hunt...

...a 350kg buffalo.

As the pride feasts,

their growls can be heard
up to 5km away.

All this commotion has brought
about an unexpected reward.

Brook, one of the missing cubs,
has heard the pride feeding

and by some small miracle,
it's guided her home.

Incredibly,
she has survived four days

and four nights on her own.

Her brother, Tyke,
was too weak to make it.

Mum Lil greets
her little survivor.

She's had a lucky escape.

But if the pride
is going to succeed,

they can't afford to lose
any more cubs.

It's been five months since Brook's
remarkable return to the pride,

and the great annual flood
has arrived.

This year, it's claimed a third
of the Matata's precious patch,

and it's made their world
a much more dangerous place.

Now, there are deadly corridors for
crocodiles to enter their territory.

But the killer crocs
aren't their only problem.

(HOWLS)

With far less dry land
for everyone,

the competition between neighbouring
predators is at an all-time high.

(HYENA LAUGHING)

Violent clashes over the
last remaining hunting grounds

are erupting.

(ROARING FIERCELY)

The cunning Breakaways
have taken the opportunity

to push deep
into the Matata's land.

Doing her best
to avoid the conflict,

Nikki is keeping a low profile

in a secluded corner
of the north.

She has been separated from
the pride for several months,

the longest
she has ever been away.

(SOFT WHIMPERING)

And this is the reason why.

Nikki has given birth
to three little lionesses.

She's left the pride
to protect them.

Young cubs can be accidently
killed by older siblings.

A single swipe in play or a fight
for food is all it takes.

For now, Nikki's keeping
her cubs safe in the forest,

away from her family
and the flood.

Her girls are four months old

and full of mischief.

But until her cubs are safely back
with the rest of the Matata,

it's too soon to celebrate
their arrival.

At first light, Nikki sets off.

She must find food
for her family.

Despite the danger,
she has no choice

but to leave her cubs behind.

They're too small
to keep up with Mum.

Nikki heads to the floodplain
in search of prey.

But this time
she's being stalked...

...by an aggressive lioness
from The Breakaways.

Nikki turns to face
the intruder.

She follows her instincts
to chase the female off.

But Nikki has drastically
misjudged the situation.

She hasn't clocked
the rest of The Breakaways.

She is dangerously outnumbered,

and now they're coming for her.

(GROWLING)

If The Breakaways catch her,
they will kill her.

She heads for thick cover.

For the sake of the cubs,

Nikki must get away.

5km to the south
and beyond the deep channel

that divides the pride's territory
in two,

the rest of the Matata
are on the move.

With Nikki away, the pride is
missing a key protector.

Nan has moved the nine cubs
to a safe haven

in the south of their territory,

away from The Breakaways.

But now the cubs are 18 months old,
and not so little.

They've grown into
impressive young adults,

with appetites to match.

But the land here in the south
is nowhere near as rich.

It's time the Matata return
to their best hunting grounds

beyond the channel, to claim back
their prey-rich land.

But this flood is more menacing
than last year's.

The current is
far more dangerous.

And worse still,

this channel is home
to hundreds of Nile crocodiles.

Only the strongest swimmers
will make it.

To survive, they'll need
to reach the other side

as quickly as possible.

Brook is the first
to burst into the river.

The pride races in behind her.

They've got to protect
their territory,

but every crossing
carries a major risk.

Grimacing faces reveal
their discomfort.

The pride is out of their depth

and extremely vulnerable
in water.

At last, they reach
the safety of dry land.

This time, the crocs weren't quick
enough to catch their prey.

Back in the north,

Nikki has barely survived

her terrifying ordeal
with The Breakaways.

She's had a lucky escape,

but with her rivals
out for blood,

her young are now
in grave danger.

She heads straight back
to her den...

...but her new cubs
are nowhere to be seen.

Nikki scours the surroundings...

...but she can't find them.

Experience has taught her
cubs this small

are hopelessly vulnerable.

She sends out
a bellowing contact call.

(DEEP CALL)

It's a beacon
for her infants to follow...

and her last hope.

(CALLING)

(CALLING)

Eventually, her cubs emerge
from the long grass.

(GROWLING SOFTLY)

With a flick of her tail,

Nikki signals to her young
to follow.

She's leading them south,

in the direction of the Matata.

It is time for her cubs
to join the pride.

But out in the open,
her infants are at risk.

And it's a long journey
for little legs.

To keep her cubs moving,

Nikki won't feed them until
she gets them safely home.

Finally, she spots her family.

It's an anxious moment.

Nikki does not know
if her cubs will be accepted.

Nan is first to welcome
the new arrivals.

As her granddaughters, one day they
will inherit the land

she and the Matata females
have fought so hard to protect.

Nikki's cubs are now part
of what's become

the largest pride
in this region.

But elsewhere across Africa,

lions are seriously struggling.

Almost half the population has
disappeared in the last 30 years.

It is estimated there are
just 20,000 lions left...

...making Nikki's young
more precious than ever.

Their mother has overcome
the most challenging of years.

She's given more to the pride
than anyone else...

...and now, Nikki finally has
her own family to protect.

With Mum there to guide them,

Nikki's cubs will learn the
skills they need to survive...

...and become the next generation
of formidable lionesses.

To tell Nikki and
the Matata's story...

WOMAN: There we go.

...director Anne Sommerfield
and camera crew

spent over a year filming
in the Okavango Delta.

(LAUGHING) This is a lot fun.

This is what 12 lions fighting
over a carcass sounds like.

(GROWLING FIERCELY)

As an apex predator,

lions usually dominate
the areas in which they live.

But in a changing world,

these iconic big cats
are on a losing streak.

To find out more,

the crew were joined
by lion expert, Robynne Kotze.

People often see them
on game drives

or they see them on TV
and they tend to think that,

well, the populations
must be doing really well.

But the harsh reality is that the
numbers are actually going down.

To gain a better understanding
of lions in the Okavango,

Robynne and her team are deploying
several thousand camera traps

in one of the largest predator
surveys ever conducted in Botswana.

(CAMERA BEEPING)

The cameras are triggered
by an infrared sensor,

so as soon as
an animal walks past,

the camera detects the motion
and then it takes a picture.

Given the vast areas
lions roam in,

several of the Matata
have not yet been picked up

on any of Robynne's camera traps.

With their powerful lenses,
the film crew could get

the missing close-up shots
Robynne needs to ID individuals.

Each lion has its
own unique whisker spot pattern.

So whenever
we are monitoring individuals,

we will take photos of the
left-hand and the right-hand side

so that we can basically create
a whisker pattern formula

that we use to identify them.

The data is used
to estimate lion numbers

and to build a picture
of their movements.

Insight is key to protecting
these incredible big cats.

To learn more, the crew needed to
live alongside the Matata pride,

in the heart of lion territory.

We're camping in a national park
so there's no fences,

there's no guns,
there's no guards,

it's us and our tents,

a thin layer of canvas,
and then the wilderness.

With nightly visits
from the local wildlife.

(ELEPHANT GRUNTS)

This was here, this is just
outside main camp here.

The hyenas, in particular,
seem to be very interested

in their new neighbours.

We've had a hyena in camp
who likes to steal things,

and it's been escalating.

We've had shoes, buckets,
we've had binoculars,

most recently an axe.

The really good news
is that we've got it back.

I don't like the idea
of a clan of hyenas

wandering round with an axe.

Spending thousands
of hours in the field,

the team got to know
different personalities.

Nikki stood out
from the very start for me

because she had this really
strong female confidence.

You know, she is
tireless in her efforts,

whether it comes to hunting

or defending the borders

or just playing with the cubs
and being a fun aunt.

But despite being
the lynch pin of the pride,

Nikki's opportunities
to have her own family

had never worked out.

We started Nikki's story
at a very tragic place.

We filmed her during the process
of losing her cubs.

And knowing that
the cubs were gone,

that she was continuing
to search and call for them

and they weren't coming back...
(GROWLS LONGINGLY)

That was really actually
very hard to witness.

Although formidable
once fully grown,

lion cubs are very vulnerable.

Other animals will take
every opportunity

to eliminate a future threat.

60 percent of cubs die
before they get to adulthood.

Their young are targeted by all
the other predators in the area.

And living in the Delta,

the annual floods only add to the
threats the young cubs face.

You're holding your breath because
we know there are crocodiles

in the water. We know that the
current can be strong.

It's a really
vulnerable situation.

To capture this unique behaviour,

the crew faced
the same challenge.

I'm just going to take
the camera out

and keep it as high as possible,

just in case it gets
a bit deeper than we expected.

We have no idea
if we're going to make it.

We need to keep going.

Water's coming in!

Yeah, it's coming up
over the bonnet.

I might need to reverse
and try again.(CLUTCH SQUEALS)

Oh! My feet are wet.
My bottom's wet.

We made it through.

My nice warm clothing.

But despite soggy clothes...

We're going to put everything out
to dry, how's that?

...and waterlogged electronics...

That's not good.

Right, let's go find this pride.

...the team's determination pays off.

Right, they're all coming.
Stay where I am, eh?

Whoa!

We've gotten stuck
more times than I should admit.

But when you get
in the right position

and they're swimming towards camera,
it's just a spectacular shot.

After months of
analysing over 800,000 images,

Robynne and the
conservation team

could finally share
their results.

All indications show that the lion
population in the Delta is healthy.

Lionesses successfully
raising cubs to adulthood

is really key to the survival
of lion populations,

so if you look at Nikki's pride,

it's really great
that they've managed to raise

nine one-year-olds
to this point.

And that, in part,
is thanks to the floods.

The yearly influx of water limits
the number of human settlements.

But elsewhere,
it's a different story.

Given that lions are really, really
now struggling across Africa,

we think there may be
20,000 left,

every single cub counts.

With an ever-increasing
human population,

habitat loss is
one of their biggest threats.

They roam over really big areas
and they really need

large intact pieces of habitats
in order to do well.

Many of the current lion populations
have been fragmented

into smaller pockets,

and this is really not good
for long-term viability.

Robynne and other conservationists

are desperately trying to identify
and protect corridors of land

to connect these
isolated populations.

These are really areas that will
facilitate the movement of lions

between these
smaller populations

so that the population
as a whole

can remain genetically healthy
and self-sustaining.

But will it be enough?

In 50 years' time,
it's a real reality

that we could lose most of the lions

that we currently
have on the continent.

Outside protected areas,

one of the world's
most recognisable animals

is quietly slipping away.

I kind of can't imagine a world
where lions don't exist in the wild.

If we can't save Africa's
most iconic species,

we really are in trouble.

For the crew, the appearance of
Nikki with her three new cubs

gave some hope.

It feels like we've waited quite
a long time for this moment.

For Nik to finally have
cubs of her own.

She's such an exceptional lioness.

And those little cubs,

they couldn't have
a better teacher

and couldn't be luckier
to have Nikki as a mum.

Next time...

In South America,

pumas locked
in a brutal battle...

(SNARLS)

...as one brave mother fights
to protect her family.

(GUANACO SHRIEKING)

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