Original subtitles

[narrator] In battle, some animals sport sleek manoeuvres.- They have this ability to turn on a dime.

Jab, hook, uppercut, all manner of techniques.

[narrator] Waging dangerous dance-offs.

It's like dancing with the cranes.

[narrator] And attacking artful dodgers...

You don't want to get knocked off the side of the mountain.

[narrator] Whether fighting their own,

or they're an Apex Alpha...

Basically, if they can catch it and kill it,

they will eat it.

[narrator] These fights are fast and flexible. Every day, everywhere, our planet is a battleground.

Turf wars,

food fights

and mating mayhem rage on

as animals outwit and outmanoeuvre their own kind

in Battle of the alphas.

Every spring

the lazy, English countryside transforms

into an agility arena.

There's fur flying, there's paws everywhere.

It's punching, it's jab.

It's a hook, it's an uppercut.

Back fist, all manner of techniques.

[narrator] There's a lot riding on this matchup.

The right to mate is on the line.

And this fight is not actually between two males,

this is actually the female saying,

"Oh no, we are not mating right now."

It's ultimate female power.

[narrator] But how did it come to this?

[squealing]

Well to start, she's the type - who likes her space. - Brown Hares are solitary creatures.

They're much happier on their own.

And the only time really they seek company

is in the spring when they want to mate.

[narrator] They learn to fly solo from a young age.

Babies are called leverets,

a mom will have three to five in each litter.

As soon as she gives birth to them,

she will split up her litter

and have them in specific areas

and only ever go to feed them once a day.

Having them all together

would increase their chances of getting preyed upon.

[narrator] Beyond feeding, there's not much maternal care.

A mom's life yoyo's between boxing matches

and quickly raising her litter.

Something astonishing is that females can become pregnant

with another litter when they're already pregnant.

But not only that, they also can potentially have a litter,

some buns in the oven,

while they are taking place in these boxing matches.

She is one tough cookie.

[narrator] By six months,

the leverets are fully grown

and have reached sexual maturity.

That's when their love brawls begin.

It's springtime. The testosterone is building up.

They're starting to get into mating mode

and females who actually physiologically

don't come into estrus quite as early as males do.

They are not interested.

And so it's kind of a matter of not only,

"No, thank you. Not tonight, honey. I have a headache."

It's, "Hi, honey. You're going to have a headache

because I'm going to punch your lights out

if you try and have sex with me right now."

[narrator] This female is on high alert.

Unlike smaller rabbits that we think of in burrows,

these ones live out on the plains.

Exposed to predators and whoever else is out there.

[narrator] And there's a lot out there,

including multiple suitors.

There's usually more than one male

who's interested in mating with a female,

so she may have to fight off several suitors

at one time in a given day.

These fist fights in the hare world

are really a result of quite a big biological phenomenon,

and that is sperm is cheap and abundant,

eggs are expensive and rare.

[narrator] Her ears are standing at attention.

They're like satellite dishes.

They can actually rotate them in all different directions.

And they're one of the most important tools

for listening for other predators,

but also for listening for other hares as well.

[narrator] And she's using her ears to send warning signals.

When their big, long, flat ears

are laying flat on their body, it's an aggressive sign.

It's essentially a way for the hare to say,

"Stay away from me."

[narrator] This male doesn't get the hint.

What's really clever about this is

whilst the female is rebuffing these males,

she's actually gauging which male is the strongest,

which is in the best condition, which one has the best genes.

And then and only when she's ready to mate,

she will effectively say, "You."

[narrator] Between sparring matches,

courtship looks like an agile game of tag.

Brown hares are incredibly fast,

in fact, they are the fastest land mammal in Britain.

They can attain speeds of up to 70 kilometres an hour.

And they're not just fast.

They have this ability to turn on a dime,

to be able to switch directions in an unpredictable way.

[narrator] Hares can run at speeds of 37 body lengths a second.

Trumping cheetahs that can only achieve

23 body lengths a second.

To be able to run at such speed, they've got enormous feet.

And so when people say they see hares boxing,

they'll also use their feet as well,

which are really big, incredibly powerful weapons.

So it's not only boxing, it's kickboxing as well.

[narrator] The boxing match ends in one of two ways,

either the male gets the hint and backs off...

Or it can end like this.

Certainly, the female hare is mightily impressive.

But let's give a shout out to the males.

They're the ones getting rebuffed.

Imagine just trying to get lucky

and getting punched in the face every time.

It's got to be tough.

Nobody likes to be rejected.

[narrator] All is fair in love and war.

And for the nimble brown hare,

love and war are two sides of the same coin.

[dramatic music]

While Brown hares leave their lightning-fast moves on the field,

these strutting birds take their battle to the dance floor.

This is a dancing competition.

[narrator] Why the dance off?

When North America's Sandhill Crane goes looking for love,

the stakes are high.

Because these birds can mate for life.

So it's a really important decision they have to make.

[narrator] When two males set their sights on the same female

a boogie battle begins.

They don't fight to the death;

it's their killer moves that matter.

It's like dancing with the cranes.

They all do different things to try to stand out,

the head held high, wings out,

making themselves look tall, jumping up as high as they can.

The Sandhill Crane has quite a repertoire of dance moves.

They are assessing each other.

They've got to look in peak fitness

and that shows that they're healthy.

They've got good genes.

It's not just about looking good.

It's about dancing good.

It's almost like a kind of 70s disco floor

like Saturday Night Fever.

Showing off to females, "Look how strong I am,

look how flexible and manoeuvrable I am.

I'm going to be a great mate."

[narrator] Eyeing up the competition,

things get interesting when two males are evenly matched.

Don't forget these are really big birds.

They can easily reach up to five feet.

So using that height to make themselves look as imposing

as possible, spreading their wings out.

Quite often they'll drop their bill

in a really aggressive, gaping pose.

[narrator] Their intimidation isn't just physical...

it's audible.

They use the sounds as a means

of intimidating potential rivals.

They sound how you would imagine

a pterodactyl would have sounded.

They've got this beautiful bugling rolling call

that sounds like a...

[rolling tongue] A series of rolled Rs.

To show off to the other males

that they're going to be the better fit here

because look how amazing I sound.

[narrator] When neither bachelor backs down,

things escalate.

That's when the feathers really get ruffled

and they have this procedure called a ruffled bow.

They'll actually puff out their neck feathers

and they'll do this aggressive bow to the other male

and they do everything to make themselves look as big

and as menacing as possible.

[narrator] When the intimidation tactics fail,

this competition gets physical.

So when things really get to the boiling point

they will actually jump out in the air.

It's a move that's called the jump rake,

and leap at the other male with their feet first

to try to get them right in their chest.

The toes are actually long, and the claws are sharp.

All the time, the females watching,

seeing what's going on, saying,

"I wonder which male I'm going to choose."

[narrator] Where the females see suitors,

the males see red...

They've got that bright red forehead crowned.

Those aren't feathers, that's actually their skin.

But when they get really excited or agitated,

it becomes more vibrant

and that really is that red warning flag

that says this crane means business.

[narrator] Out-danced, this rumba rumble is done.

Now the champion dancer and mat need a place to nestle down,

but that's no easy task.

They can also be extremely territorial and aggressive.

They may well use the exact same territory each year.

It's important real estate.

That's where they find their food.

That's where they're going to raise those chicks.

So if you have a rival pair crowding in on your home,

you have to do something about it.

[narrator] And the only thing worse than being attacked

by one of their own

is being attacked by two of them.

The pair will work together

to defend their territory from other rival pairs.

Of course, their amazing repertoire of dance moves

are not just used between males to fight for females,

male and female will use them in concert

to protect their nesting territory.

They'll do lots of posturing, lots of vocalization.

They'll pop out the neck feathers,

they'll spread out the wings, they'll flare the red crown.

So they'll have all of these signals to tell

the other pair, "You need to leave."

[narrator] But if the intruders don't take off,

things really kick-off.

If that pair does not take the hint,

then it's a pair working together,

they will go after them and they will jump rake at them.

The final nuclear option

involves the animal throwing up its two-metre wingspan.

This jump rake is a high energy manoeuvre,

it only lasts two or three seconds,

and it may do a number of times before it finally beats its competitor.

The X-ers beating up on the millennials.

That's what's happening here.

Those are the ones they know how to work together.

They know how to dance together, they know how to fight together.

But year on year, it will get more and more difficult

as you get older to hold that territory.

[narrator] For now, the limber couple

can get back to their own special slow dance.

[***]

Sandhill Cranes may have some fancy fighting footwork,

but this nimble animal is a battling balancing act.

High on a hill stood a lonely goat.

A wild Ibex goat, to be precise.

Stability is essential to the Ibex,

living and fighting high in the mountains,

up to 4500 metres on rocky cliffs.

Fighting here takes nerve and sure footing.

Ibex are impressively agile.

They often stay on slopes that are typically

30 to 45-degree angles.

You have to be so smart about your footing,

you don't want to get knocked off the side of the mountain.

[narrator] They live on rugged mountain slopes in Europe,

Asia and Africa, but these animals aren't loners.

Ibex actually live in,

they call it sexually segregated populations.

Females and offspring hang out at one place

and males hang out somewhere else.

They try their best to be as peaceful as possible

just because of the sheer danger that they face every day.

[narrator] But each year before the females come into season

these buds...

become arch-rivals.

Access to females is determined by dominance.

The alpha male will be at the top spot

and he will get the most access to females

and the most possibility for reproduction.

[narrator] In early winter,

as the breeding season approaches,

it's time to figure out who is the alpha.

And this is how it's decided.

[***]

Males start to compete with each other as part of their rut.

Just before mating season begins.

[narrator] But prior to getting physical...

Male Ibex will size each other up,

they'll walk in parallel to each other,

hold themselves up high.

They'll hold their horns up high,

just kind of showing each other, you know, "This is how big I am.

This is how strong I am."

[narrator] Because when the threats don't work,

the battles commence...

head-on.

Their prime weapon is their horns.

They're not like antlers that continue to regrow.

They have one set of horns through their entire life.

Each year, another ridge appears on these horns.

It's sort of like the growth rings on a tree.

But you can also look at their social status

and the types of interactions that they've had

over their lifetime by looking at their horns

because you'll see some damage in there,

some older males will probably have the tips of their horns missing.

[narrator] Made up of a core of bone

and covered by a layer of keratin,

They can grow to over a meter in length.

They impress the females,

make good back scratchers,

and are essential for fighting and defence.

When an Ibex is preparing to attack,

the entire posture of the individual is quite tensed up.

Their head will be low and they will try to maintain

a very strong position for any forces

that are about to come their way.

Then they'll kind of raise up on their hind legs

and they'll but each other with their big, big horns.

[narrator] Where a prizefighter would be knocked clean out,

Ibex seem resilient to head trauma.

A clash between two Ibex heads can be really loud.

It's enough to make you think

they are scrambling their brains.

But the horns are attached to the skull in such a way

that there is a buffer.

So that these immense blows are actually not reaching

the delicate tissues of the brain.

The Ibex will hit each other right on the front of their heads.

The sides are much more delicate,

so concentrating all the force at the front of their brain

looks a whole lot worse than it actually is.

[narrator] With tough skulls for protection,

it takes tactics to win.

The Ibex will interlock horns with each other

during these fights.

Any possible way to get the advantage on your opponent,

even to tire out your opponent.

Not to mention that you are on a mountainside

when all of this is taking place.

[narrator] Even on these treacherous terrains,

falls are extremely rare.

They're specially equipped to avoid a deadly slip.

Their hooves are split into two toes that can work independently.

This helps climbing steep inclines,

as they're able to grab onto rock edges.

The outer edge of the toe is hard for strength,

while the sole is soft and rubbery,

which allows it to absorb irregularities in the terrain.

Working a bit like a suction cup.

If one individual can be higher on the rock face,

this is a distinct advantage.

Positioning is huge.

He can just drop down with the full force of his body.

And that gravity is going to help him,

it puts the other one at a greater risk

of falling off of the rock face.

[narrator] In battle, the best defence is to be prepared

and look the competition up and down.

Ibex have excellent eyesight.

Their horizontal pupil shape gives them a panoramic view

of the habitat around them.

[narrator] When Ibex look down,

their pupils stay parallel to the ground,

like a spirit level.

This means their view of the world stays the same, no matter how they move their head around.

Having a wide field of vision is critically important,

not only for watching out for predators,

but also watching out for fellow Ibex

that are coming to knock you off your game.

[narrator] These duels can last for an hour.

Usually the way that this ends, they're not too proud.

They are capable of determining, "I've lost this fight.

I need to just back off and I need to try another day."

[narrator] The loser may not be too proud to walk away,

but the triumphant Ibex isn't so humble.

You'll often see the winner kind of, just really rubbing it in, like,

"Hey, I'm the winner. Remember that."

[narrator] No ifs ands or butts,

the gravity-defying champion's prize is to be first in line

to the fertile females.

Meaning he will get to mate the most,

passing his genes on to future generations.

[***]

All species fight their own kind,

but for the top of every food chain, there is no contest

this is an apex alpha. [growling]

Don't be fooled.

This cat doesn't have a lazy bone in its body.

The leopard is an amazing apex predator,

and what just makes it stand apart is not only its strength,

but as big as is and as strong as it is,

it's so stealthy and agile.

Leopards are ambush predators.

They're in a prime perfect position to strike

before the prey even realizes the predator is there.

[narrator] They've got stealth, agility,

explosive power and herculean strength.

A combo that puts them firmly at the top of the food chain.

Whatever crosses their path is potentially on their dinner table.

[narrator] This leopard is hungry.

It hasn't eaten in days...

They eat a lot of calories at once,

and then that's what they'll live on for several days

until they get a little peckish.

[narrator] Every year a leopard feasts on about

400 kilograms of meat,

that's equivalent to more than 1000 steaks.

Leopards are not picky.

They have been seen feasting

on over 100 different kinds of species,

things like deer, birds, snakes, other mammals.

Basically, if they can catch it and kill it,

they will eat it.

[narrator] As the hunt begins,

the leopard moves with confidence,

it doesn't have to worry about being attacked,

it's the apex alpha here

and it's squarely focused on finding its next meal.

An apex, like the name implies,

is something that's at the top.

Nothing else is eating a leopard.

[narrator] The hungry cat scopes its target.

Its hunting strategy is built on silence and stealth.

It's a silent killer, but it also has an amazing sense of hearing.

They can hear a mouse squeak.

That's important because a leopard needs to listen out

for when prey items are coming by

so that you can sit still quietly

and catch them off guard.

[narrator] They're listening for prey 24/7.

They can hunt in the day, they can hunt at night.

They're really flexible and opportunistic.

And that is often the most dangerous characteristic

of any creature.

[narrator] It slinks undetected through the grass,

thanks in part to its coat.

They have these round splotches on their fur.

These are called rosettes. And what they help to do

is to play around with shadow and light.

And they're able to allow that leopard to blend into

a wide variety of settings.

[growling]

One of the things that really helps them sneak on their prey to pounce on them

is that amazing strength that they have in those back legs.

They can jump really, really fast and far.

The leopard is an amazing athlete.

[narrator] The hungry cat grabs its meal

and with laser precision, lands a fatal blow to the neck.

The neck is snapped.

They bite and choke and constrict.

All in the same millisecond,

they are so fast and swift and deadly.

It's not easy to get a killing bite

when both predator and prey are moving,

it's like shooting an arrow onto a moving target

[narrator] To hit that target, they use a secret weapon.

Their whiskers. Compared to other big cats,

the leopard's whiskers are much longer

and they play a critical role in bringing down prey.

Each hair has up to 200 nerve cells

and is set in a special follicle

that contains a capsule of blood.

When a whisker brushes against something,

the blood is pushed in one direction or another,

amplifying the movement like an extended sense of touch

This absolute precision is what can guide

its razor-sharp teeth directly to the jugular of its victims.

[narrator] Within seconds, the alpha carnivore gets the job done.

But its work isn't over yet.

Leopards don't eat their kills right on the spot.

They like to take it to somewhere

where they can enjoy it without having to worry

about anybody else trying to steal it from them.

Taking a prey item.

Sometimes that's twice its size

and it's already a big cat itself up these trees.

So going vertically, fighting gravity.

Leopards are excellent climbers,

their tail affords them a strong sense of balance

and their shoulder blades, and the associated musculature

really helps them to grip on to a tree and climb it effectively.

[narrator] But for dinner with a view

every part of the leopard must pull its weight.

Leopards have massive heads and skulls,

and this allows for these huge, strong jaws to evolve,

and this is a critical component

of their strategy as apex alpha predators.

[narrator] While the triumphant hunter wrangles its meal

to a branch where it can feast,

another leopard tries to get in on the action.

But after all that work,

who can blame the leopard for not wanting to share

its hard-earned prize!

Leopards are solitary creatures,

they enjoy their kills as solitary killers.

[narrator] At the end of an exhausting hunt

and a filling meal,

there's just one thing left for - this agile predator to do. - Cat nap.

Ready for next time.

In battle, these animals roll with the punches,

whether it's a dexterous dancer

a supple suitor,

a steadfast fighter

or a poised predator.

Because on the frontline, an agile alpha has the edge.