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The duels between hunters and hunted
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00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,560
are as dramatic as any event
in the natural world.
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00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,360
The stakes could not be higher.
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00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:05,480
For both,
it's a matter of life and death.
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00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,360
Yet, surprisingly,
it's the hunters that usually fail.
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00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,280
To have any chance of survival,
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00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:25,360
predators must be perfectly tuned
to their own hunting arenas.
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00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,880
Every habitat brings
a different challenge.
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This series will reveal,
as never before,
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the extraordinary range of strategies
predators use to catch their prey.
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00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:15,560
But even for the most skilful...
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..success is never guaranteed.
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SCREECHING
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SNIFFS
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BARKS
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00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:15,160
BARKS
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00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:17,840
BARKS
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BARKS
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A female leopard on the prowl.
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00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,640
Few predators instil more fear.
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SNIFFS
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00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,360
Yet, out in the open,
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she has little chance
of catching anything.
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To succeed, she must get within
a few metres of her prey...
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undetected.
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00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,800
Her strategy is to use cover,
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wearing it like a cloak
of invisibility.
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She's an expert in stealth.
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Impala are her favourite prey.
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This one is just out of her range.
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SNIFFS
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She needs to get closer,
within four metres.
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She only has a short burst of speed.
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00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:11,160
She must stay hidden
until she's in the strike zone.
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00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:21,960
TWIG SNAPS
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00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,480
But out of sight
doesn't mean out of mind.
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00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,160
Impala have acute hearing
and a superb sense of smell.
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00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:36,760
SNIFFS
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00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:52,360
Now the only prey she can see
is right out in the open.
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00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:03,000
But leopards are the most versatile
of all the big cats,
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adept at finding cover
in the most unpromising places.
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00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:29,480
The steep walls of the gully
are now her cover for an ambush.
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00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:38,720
The male puku is close enough,
but he's too big to tackle.
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She needs to slip past him
without being seen.
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If he spots her,
he'll blow her cover.
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00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:00,480
SNIFFS
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Slowly does it...
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00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,920
To succeed here,
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she needs to find prey
grazing close to the edge.
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00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:35,000
Or better still,
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in the gully itself.
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00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:24,600
Frustration.
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00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,560
Success would have staved off hunger
for a week.
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00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,080
But while there's prey around,
there's hope.
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00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,560
Peeking over the top is a risk,
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but it's the quickest way
to find a new target.
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00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:09,360
SNIFFS
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00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,320
A burst of speed of 40mph
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00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,040
and it's all over
in less than six seconds.
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00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,520
Except...it isn't.
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Dazed and disorientated,
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the impala
makes a miraculous escape.
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It's been the perfect stealth hunt
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and she's nothing to show for it.
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00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:12,240
But then, six out of seven
leopard hunts end in failure.
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00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,040
A leopard's hunting strategy
depends on finding cover.
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00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,480
But how do you catch your prey
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in a place where there's
literally nowhere to hide?
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00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:33,280
That's the challenge facing
Zambia's wild dogs.
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00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,880
This close-knit pack
is made up of one adult female
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and her 12 offspring from last year.
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Unlike the solitary leopard,
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wild dogs depend for their survival
on teamwork.
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00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:13,520
Dogs that play together...
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00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:15,200
work together.
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00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,200
Each morning, the pack heads
out across the open plain,
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00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:28,920
prospecting for prey.
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00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,680
Mother decides
which direction they go.
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The rest stay close.
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00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:52,040
They'll keep going for miles until
they find the right kind of prey.
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00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,960
Adult zebra are too big a challenge.
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And the same goes for tsessebe.
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An oribi is an easier target.
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00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,400
But is it worth the effort,
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especially on an oribi
that's as fit and bouncy as this one?
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Better to save their energy
for something bigger.
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00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,080
A wildebeest.
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It's what they've been looking for.
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00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,720
The dogs need to make
the wildebeest run.
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00:12:55,920 --> 00:13:00,400
Their success will depend on
wearing him down in a long chase.
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00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,360
While the prey's running,
the dogs have the advantage.
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00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,880
But when the wildebeest stand
their ground, the tables are turned.
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Faced with a wall of horns,
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the pack is powerless.
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But not all the wildebeest
have had the courage to stop.
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00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,920
Now the real contest begins.
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00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,320
The wildebeest are big and strong.
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00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,040
But the dogs have stamina.
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00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,240
Right now, hunters and hunted
are clocking 40mph.
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00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,720
The pack can keep this pace up
for miles.
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00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,600
The wildebeest can't.
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One wildebeest peels off.
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00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,480
Then another two.
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00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:04,880
The split confuses
the inexperienced pack,
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00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,160
sending them in different directions.
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00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:13,080
The mother and one youngster
continue on.
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00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,520
The rest of the pack stop,
believing they have an easier target.
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It's a mistake.
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00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:43,520
Like a beast with two heads,
each bull protects the other's rear.
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00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:46,800
And the dogs can do nothing.
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00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,480
Ahead, the chase continues.
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00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:59,200
Another wildebeest peels off.
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00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,000
Now the mother has just one
in her sights.
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00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,760
But it will mean nothing without
the help of the rest of the pack.
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00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,320
The situation here
has reached stalemate.
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00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,800
The young dogs
have lost valuable time.
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00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:22,160
They must try and catch up
with their mother.
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00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:35,320
Back at the front,
the mother is beginning to tire.
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00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:39,880
And the wildebeest knows it,
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00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,520
bouncing to show he's still strong
and not worth chasing.
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00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,080
But fresh, young legs
are catching up fast.
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00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:04,600
When one dog tires,
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00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:08,000
there's always another member
of the team to take up the lead.
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00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,360
The dogs now have the numbers
to bring the wildebeest down.
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00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,640
Each bite risks a broken jaw,
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00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,400
but going for the legs
is the only way to stop it.
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00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,920
And they must do so before it reaches
the safety of the herd,
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00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,040
a few hundred metres ahead.
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00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:10,960
After a 20-minute chase,
the bull's energy is near spent.
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00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,120
This time there will be no sanctuary
within the herd.
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00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,800
The dogs' stamina has been rewarded.
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00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:28,400
All they must do now is to bring
their quarry to the ground.
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00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,240
Working as a pack
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00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,640
allows wild dogs to take on prey
ten times heavier
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00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,000
than any one of them.
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00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,840
But many mouths need a lot of food.
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00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:57,520
The price they pay for these numbers
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00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:01,560
is knowing they'll have to attempt
the same thing again tomorrow...
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00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:03,400
and every day.
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00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,560
Teamwork and stamina
on Africa's open plains
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have proved to be
a winning combination.
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00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,640
But in the dense and complex world
of the jungle,
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hunting is a never-ending game
of hide and seek.
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00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,960
Here, it pays to sit still...
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00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:42,920
..and blend in...
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00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,920
..because you just never know
who's watching.
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00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,200
The Parson's chameleon is an expert
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in the see-and-not-be-seen game.
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00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:15,920
It lets its eyes do all the work...
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00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:21,400
..while the rest of its body
moves in slow motion,
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00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,840
so as not to scare possible targets.
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00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,720
The problem is that
it can only see prey if it moves.
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00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,280
So is this a stick insect...
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..or a stick?
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00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:39,680
Ah-hah...
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00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,960
Time to unleash its secret weapon...
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..a tongue longer than its body.
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00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,560
The Parson's close cousin,
the nasutum chameleon,
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has the same weapon,
but in miniature.
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00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:16,320
As small as a matchstick, he needs
to get much closer to its prey.
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00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,360
But even with eyes
as big as its stomach,
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this isn't the meal deal
he was hoping for.
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00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:41,320
In the jungle, it's hard finding
the right-sized prey
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when you're a tiny predator.
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Promising opportunities
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can quickly turn to disappointment.
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00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,680
Spotting any kind of prey
in this dense, green world
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is hard.
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00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:11,000
If you do find something, you want
to make sure it doesn't escape.
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00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:14,520
The praying mantis has arms
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that can strike ten times faster
than a blink of the eye.
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And it's the only insect
known to see in 3D.
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Perfect for judging strike distances.
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00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:37,680
But like the chameleon,
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her problem is seeing prey
when it freezes.
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She needs some movement
to be sure it's food.
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00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,080
Just the tiniest sign of life.
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00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,120
Yep, that's done it.
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00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:07,320
The lightning strike has given her
the edge over her insect prey,
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00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:11,000
but it doesn't pay to be complacent.
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00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:20,800
In the jungle arms race,
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only too often there's someone else
with a more powerful weapon.
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00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,920
And there's one predator
that has, perhaps,
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00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:35,600
the most ingenious answer of all
to the jungle's challenge.
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It lives along rivers
in the rainforests of Madagascar.
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The insects it hunts fly down
the same jungle corridors.
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But there's a problem.
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It's a web-building spider.
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00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,320
So how does it get over the river
to hunt?
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00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,960
It's called Darwin's bark spider
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and the female
has a remarkable strategy.
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00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,400
Like a real-life Spider-Woman,
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00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:31,360
she sprays strands of silk
in one long, continuous flow.
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00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,840
The threads fan out like a sail
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00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,960
and drift on air currents
blowing across the water.
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00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,680
Every few seconds,
she crimps the strands together
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00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,000
to stop them spreading too widely.
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00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:52,960
The breeze will do the rest,
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00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,920
blowing the threads into
a single line and a 25-metre bridge.
200
00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:05,600
Now she must reinforce her bridge,
because her web will hang from it.
201
00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:15,720
But there's something bouncing
the line at the other end.
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00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:20,800
Another Darwin's spider is trying
to take advantage of her hard work.
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00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,760
She must deal with the intruder
head on.
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00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,880
The cut line is an inconvenience,
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00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:39,480
but no more than that.
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00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:46,200
With hooks on the tips of each leg,
she gathers in the thread.
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00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:54,640
It won't go to waste,
as she'll eat it later.
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00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,080
When it's all reeled in,
she sprays again.
209
00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:12,840
Out streams another
25-metre bridging line.
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00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,920
How a spider,
no bigger than a thumbnail,
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00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,000
can produce so much silk so quickly
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00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,040
has baffled scientists.
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00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:34,120
And it's no ordinary silk.
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00:26:34,120 --> 00:26:36,800
It's the toughest natural fibre
on the planet,
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00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:38,200
tougher than steel.
216
00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:45,040
And it needs to be tough
to span the wide river.
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00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,280
With the bridge taut
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00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,240
and the ground anchor in place,
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00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,560
it's time to construct her trap.
220
00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:10,280
These spiders can build
the world's largest orb webs,
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00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,200
up to two metres wide.
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00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,960
A few hours from the first spray
of bridging line,
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00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:20,480
the job is done.
224
00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,960
Now her strategy is simple...
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00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,200
..sit and wait.
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00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,760
And there's one final bout
of silk production...
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00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,600
..shrink-wrapping her food for later.
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00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,560
Not all rivers
provide their predators
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00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,600
with a steady supply of prey.
230
00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,560
On the Grumeti River in Tanzania
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00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,400
lives the planet's
most patient predator.
232
00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:21,000
A Nile crocodile.
233
00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,240
Five metres long,
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00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,160
700 kilos
235
00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,120
and very hungry.
236
00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:34,720
His last square meal
was nearly a year ago.
237
00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,120
The river's other residents
aren't food...
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00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:47,000
..just a distraction.
239
00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,640
He is waiting for something bigger
240
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,880
from over the horizon.
241
00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,160
But beyond the big croc's
isolated river,
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00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:00,600
there's still no sign
of the migratory herds
243
00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,600
he depends on for survival.
244
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,360
Other, smaller crocs
are waiting, too...
245
00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:19,160
..but their meal ticket depends on
the hunting skills of the big guy.
246
00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,800
The herds could be here in a week,
or a month.
247
00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,480
In rare years, not at all.
248
00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,560
Until then,
the crocs must conserve their energy.
249
00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,680
GRUNTING AND MOOING
250
00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:05,280
Finally, the sound
they've all been waiting for.
251
00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,520
The herds have arrived.
252
00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:25,320
It's time for the crocs
to get into position.
253
00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,920
All eyes will be on the big guy.
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00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:45,080
Only he has the power
to tackle a full-grown wildebeest.
255
00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,480
The year-long wait is almost over.
256
00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:05,280
After months on the march, the
wildebeest are desperate to drink.
257
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:15,280
But experience has taught the adults
to be cautious.
258
00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,920
The water is just too inviting
for a calf,
259
00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,040
unaware of the dangers within.
260
00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:41,280
But every wildebeest
must take its chances...
261
00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,320
..and hope that its reflexes
are faster
262
00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,200
than what many know
lurks in the murky waters.
263
00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:59,160
Just a harmless hippo.
264
00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,480
That was no hippo.
265
00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:29,440
It's put the wildebeest more on edge.
266
00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:39,040
But here,
fear always gives way to thirst.
267
00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,640
Catching the wildebeest
is all about timing.
268
00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:37,760
The big croc's technique is rusty.
269
00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:39,880
It's been a whole year
since his last hunt
270
00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:41,960
and he's out of practice.
271
00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:51,240
But this isn't the end of the drama,
just an intermission.
272
00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:54,680
For the next two weeks,
273
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:57,760
waves of wildebeest
will pass through the Grumeti.
274
00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,760
Time for the big croc
to try a different tactic.
275
00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:09,760
The floating log.
276
00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,400
He's hoping the wildebeest won't
notice him until it's too late.
277
00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,240
Now the smaller crocs move in.
278
00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:48,960
The big croc will need their help
to tear off chunks.
279
00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,600
Crocs can't chew,
so they have to spin together
280
00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:55,680
to tear pieces off the carcass.
281
00:34:57,640 --> 00:34:59,320
Everyone gets their share...
282
00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:03,360
..and it's all thanks to the big guy.
283
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:10,440
He won't feed again until
the wildebeest return next year.
284
00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:19,240
Across the globe, millions of animals
are continuously on the move
285
00:35:19,240 --> 00:35:22,680
in search of seasonal food.
286
00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,920
But it's not just prey animals
that must migrate.
287
00:35:27,240 --> 00:35:29,560
Some predators have to journey, too.
288
00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:41,200
Amur falcons are one of the world's
greatest long-distance travellers.
289
00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:49,080
As their prey dries up
in their breeding grounds in Siberia,
290
00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:53,160
they embark on an epic migration
to Southern Africa,
291
00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:57,800
crossing 14 countries,
two continents and one ocean.
292
00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:04,600
Only here, in this remote valley
in northeast India,
293
00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:06,320
do they join forces.
294
00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:19,560
A million falcons
295
00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:22,800
and the greatest gathering
of birds of prey on the planet.
296
00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:42,480
This valley is a vital pit stop
on the falcons' migration.
297
00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:47,400
The tiny raptors can go no further
298
00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,920
until they build up
their fat reserves...
299
00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:55,320
..and they've timed
their arrival here perfectly.
300
00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:05,680
For just a few weeks each year,
winged termites, alates,
301
00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:09,600
leave the safety of their mounds
in millions.
302
00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:30,040
High in calories, these alates
are exactly what the falcons need
303
00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:33,080
to fuel their oceanic crossing,
304
00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:36,520
the longest made
by any bird of prey.
305
00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:03,360
To have any chance
of surviving their journey,
306
00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:07,400
they must nearly double their weight
in just two weeks.
307
00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:13,960
Those that make it to South Africa
308
00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:17,760
will have to do the whole trip
back again in four months' time.
309
00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:21,840
For Amur falcons,
310
00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:26,720
survival means flying 14,000 miles
every year of their lives.
311
00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:41,000
For some predators, it's not
the distance they have to travel
312
00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:42,760
that's their greatest challenge,
313
00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:44,280
but the size of their prey.
314
00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:49,080
And few challenges come bigger
than the one in this ocean.
315
00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,920
Each year, female humpback whales
316
00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:57,800
journey from their feeding grounds
in Antarctica to Australia
317
00:38:57,800 --> 00:38:59,640
to have their calves.
318
00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:04,240
These calm, warm waters
are a perfect nursery.
319
00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:08,040
Perfect, but for one thing.
320
00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,040
Orcas, killer whales.
321
00:39:15,280 --> 00:39:18,320
They appear
just as the migration begins.
322
00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:21,560
And they're on the hunt for calves.
323
00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:28,040
Highly intelligent, orca are
the ocean's most successful predator.
324
00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:34,760
When hunting,
they can travel at 30mph...
325
00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:40,440
..twice as fast
as a mother and calf.
326
00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:06,880
The hunters close in silently.
327
00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:17,240
It's only now that the mother
realises they've been followed.
328
00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:19,360
The orca have the advantage
of numbers,
329
00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:20,960
but they need to be cautious.
330
00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:26,520
The mother's rear is protected
by a five-metre-wide tail
331
00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:28,360
that could slice through them.
332
00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:37,000
Her flanks are defended by a pair
of long, barnacle-covered flippers.
333
00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:40,600
And in the middle is the calf,
334
00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:43,400
riding high on its mother's back
and out of reach.
335
00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:46,880
To separate mother from calf,
336
00:40:46,880 --> 00:40:49,720
the orca must use
all their intelligence.
337
00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:52,960
They take it in turns
338
00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,120
to try and wave wash the baby
away from its mother.
339
00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:04,960
In a month, the calf would be strong
enough to withstand the onslaught.
340
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:08,600
Not now.
341
00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:15,320
But then the tables are turned.
342
00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:21,000
A male humpback arrives, driving
the orca away with its flippers.
343
00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:33,600
And the situation worsens
when a second male appears.
344
00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:39,560
Now the pod face the power
of three 40-tonne whales,
345
00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:42,320
and the escorts
make their weight count.
346
00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:55,880
The bubbles are like a smokescreen,
347
00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:58,360
blocking the orcas' vision
and sonar.
348
00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:03,040
There's a real danger
of being injured
349
00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:05,640
by an unseen fluke or flipper.
350
00:42:17,240 --> 00:42:20,320
With the escorts defending
both sides of the mother,
351
00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:22,960
the killer whales
have been outmanoeuvred.
352
00:42:31,320 --> 00:42:35,200
As the orca retreat, the escorts
drive home their advantage,
353
00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:37,080
pushing the hunters further away.
354
00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,600
It's an error of judgment.
355
00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:50,720
With mother and calf unprotected,
356
00:42:50,720 --> 00:42:54,000
the orca double back
before the humpbacks can react.
357
00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:19,800
The killer whales separate the calf
from its mother.
358
00:43:22,640 --> 00:43:24,880
They push the calf underwater
359
00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:27,640
and drown it.
360
00:43:33,240 --> 00:43:37,880
The intelligent hunters
have turned defeat into victory.
361
00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:50,000
The orcas' prize is so large that
sharks are quick to take advantage.
362
00:44:01,240 --> 00:44:04,920
Through intelligence,
stamina and teamwork,
363
00:44:04,920 --> 00:44:08,560
the orca have mastered
the ocean's greatest challenge.
364
00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:13,440
Yet even they fail
as often as they succeed.
365
00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:26,040
Most predators fail
most of the time.
366
00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:30,520
It's what makes them
the hardest-working animals
367
00:44:30,520 --> 00:44:32,320
on the planet.
368
00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:44,120
The pressure is even greater
when they have other mouths to feed.
369
00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:54,080
At eight months old,
370
00:44:54,080 --> 00:44:58,120
these cubs are still
totally dependent on their mother.
371
00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:05,640
To support them she must kill
something large, like a gazelle,
372
00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:07,440
nearly every day.
373
00:45:10,960 --> 00:45:13,200
But these youngsters are proof
374
00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:16,280
that she has overcome the challenge
of their habitat.
375
00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:24,320
Few cheetah mothers get this far
with four cubs.
376
00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:41,960
If the cubs are to survive
without her,
377
00:45:41,960 --> 00:45:44,040
they must watch their mother
carefully
378
00:45:44,040 --> 00:45:48,120
and learn the strategies for hunting
on the open plains.
379
00:45:51,720 --> 00:45:53,600
There's a lot to take in.
380
00:46:15,120 --> 00:46:16,680
They'll need to learn
381
00:46:16,680 --> 00:46:20,400
that their top speed can only
be sustained for a few seconds.
382
00:46:31,800 --> 00:46:36,080
They'll have to master how to match
the twisting turns of the prey,
383
00:46:36,080 --> 00:46:38,280
so they get close enough to trip it.
384
00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:02,240
And they will soon learn
the margin for error is tiny.
385
00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:09,560
The odds are against them.
386
00:47:15,240 --> 00:47:18,080
90% of cheetah cubs
387
00:47:18,080 --> 00:47:20,720
never make it
to their second birthday.
388
00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:26,200
Even with this experienced mother,
389
00:47:26,200 --> 00:47:29,360
the future for this family
is far from certain.
390
00:47:33,480 --> 00:47:38,120
All any predator can do
is to keep on trying.
391
00:47:54,040 --> 00:47:55,880
For The Hunt team,
392
00:47:55,880 --> 00:47:59,120
filming a Nile crocodile
capturing a wildebeest
393
00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:03,200
would require the same skill,
patience and reactions
394
00:48:03,200 --> 00:48:05,440
as the five-metre reptile.
395
00:48:10,120 --> 00:48:12,720
The timing of the shoot
would also be critical,
396
00:48:12,720 --> 00:48:14,760
since this behaviour only happens
397
00:48:14,760 --> 00:48:18,320
when the crocs' river
is at its lowest point.
398
00:48:21,880 --> 00:48:25,320
But things get off
to the worst possible start -
399
00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:29,520
the river in flood
in the middle of the dry season.
400
00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:33,040
What we hoped for
was that the Grumeti River
401
00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:34,680
would be just a series of pools
402
00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:36,680
full of crocodiles.
403
00:48:36,680 --> 00:48:39,560
They're probably scattered over
30 or 40 miles of river.
404
00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:41,200
So we've got to wait
for two things -
405
00:48:41,200 --> 00:48:43,320
the crocs to bunch up
and the wildebeest to come.
406
00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:49,080
As well as Mark,
this small crew includes son Jacca
407
00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:51,560
and camerawoman and wife Vicky.
408
00:48:52,840 --> 00:48:54,360
Are you keeping watch?
409
00:48:54,360 --> 00:48:57,800
I am. I'm watching my son
and my husband
410
00:48:57,800 --> 00:49:01,360
in a very deep, muddy river
with lots of crocodiles!
411
00:49:01,360 --> 00:49:04,560
You could lose a large part of your
family here if you're not careful.
412
00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:06,520
Yeah. Basically, half of us
could be wiped out.
413
00:49:06,520 --> 00:49:09,000
These crocs hunt by stealth
414
00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:11,760
and they can sneak up
in this dark, murky water
415
00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:13,240
right to the edge of the bank.
416
00:49:13,240 --> 00:49:16,920
So the golden rule of filming here
417
00:49:16,920 --> 00:49:20,120
is to be one metre from the water.
418
00:49:25,040 --> 00:49:27,680
Not to be outdone by the floodwater,
419
00:49:27,680 --> 00:49:30,680
the team sets up the first hide.
420
00:49:34,520 --> 00:49:38,200
But any idea of filming
is soon swept away.
421
00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:41,480
Literally, within half an hour,
an hour,
422
00:49:41,480 --> 00:49:43,080
I felt water around my ankles.
423
00:49:43,080 --> 00:49:46,160
If I was still in that hide, then he
definitely wouldn't be on the bank.
424
00:49:46,160 --> 00:49:48,360
We're not going to go in and get it.
425
00:49:48,360 --> 00:49:49,840
The water the colour it is
426
00:49:49,840 --> 00:49:52,520
and knowing that
he's got friends around,
427
00:49:52,520 --> 00:49:55,080
who could be literally
just at the base there.
428
00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:57,560
With a flooded river
and no wildebeest,
429
00:49:57,560 --> 00:50:01,160
the wait was going to be longer
than expected.
430
00:50:01,160 --> 00:50:02,640
Crocs are used to being patient.
431
00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:05,280
But now we've got to show
equal patience.
432
00:50:10,040 --> 00:50:11,960
Leaving the raging river,
433
00:50:11,960 --> 00:50:15,040
the team go in search
of the migrating wildebeest,
434
00:50:15,040 --> 00:50:19,280
to see just how far they are
from the Grumeti.
435
00:50:21,120 --> 00:50:22,760
I think we should go over
the other side
436
00:50:22,760 --> 00:50:24,600
and then we'll get a sense
of the number.
437
00:50:24,600 --> 00:50:27,600
Should be up here.
Do you want to take the controls?
I'll take the controls.
438
00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:30,640
It's some time
before they find the wildebeest
439
00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:33,240
on the Serengeti's vast plains.
440
00:50:34,520 --> 00:50:36,400
Loads there. Loads?
441
00:50:36,400 --> 00:50:38,600
Yeah, spread all the way across...
Oh, OK!
442
00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:40,240
Fantastic. How far away are we?
443
00:50:40,240 --> 00:50:42,800
70 miles away.
444
00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:44,680
Still a long way from the Grumeti,
445
00:50:44,680 --> 00:50:48,520
but at least the wildebeest
were heading in the right direction.
446
00:50:48,520 --> 00:50:51,440
MARK TALKS INDISTINCTLY
447
00:50:57,720 --> 00:51:00,920
but, in the meantime,
we can hopefully pick up
448
00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:04,160
these intimate moments
with these really huge crocs.
449
00:51:06,360 --> 00:51:09,040
Finding the biggest
and most dominant croc
450
00:51:09,040 --> 00:51:11,280
would be key to the team's success.
451
00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:16,960
Only the top croc would be
powerful enough to grab a wildebeest.
452
00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:20,640
To find their star,
453
00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:23,960
Mark and Vicky would need to look out
for territorial behaviour.
454
00:51:25,520 --> 00:51:29,160
Today it's sunny
and it's early in the morning.
455
00:51:29,160 --> 00:51:30,360
I'm full of hope.
456
00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:36,280
But at the end of the day,
all Mark sees is one static croc.
457
00:51:37,560 --> 00:51:41,040
He lay on the sandbank all day,
I guess, seven hours.
458
00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:44,640
Urgh! Patience.
459
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:47,240
And Vicky wasn't having
much luck, either.
460
00:51:47,240 --> 00:51:50,560
When we first found it, there were
crocs all over the bank over there
461
00:51:50,560 --> 00:51:53,360
and now I've been in here
several hours and there's not one.
462
00:51:54,960 --> 00:51:56,400
After a week,
463
00:51:56,400 --> 00:51:59,520
Mark and Vicky are no closer
to finding their dominant croc.
464
00:52:00,600 --> 00:52:04,320
But at least the news
on the wildebeest was more positive.
465
00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:06,640
34 miles. Getting closer.
466
00:52:06,640 --> 00:52:09,760
Back on the river,
it was like Groundhog Day.
467
00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:12,920
Crocs are all-or-nothing creatures.
468
00:52:14,440 --> 00:52:16,680
And I'm afraid it's been another day
of nothing.
469
00:52:17,720 --> 00:52:21,520
With no sign of any action, the hours
of watching motionless crocs
470
00:52:21,520 --> 00:52:23,600
were beginning to take their toll.
471
00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:27,440
It's like watching paint dry.
472
00:52:32,720 --> 00:52:34,520
Well, that was useless.
473
00:52:34,520 --> 00:52:35,800
Utterly useless.
474
00:52:37,680 --> 00:52:39,240
The crocs just didn't come.
475
00:52:39,240 --> 00:52:42,480
The team needed something to change
476
00:52:42,480 --> 00:52:44,920
and the falling water
seemed a good omen.
477
00:52:45,960 --> 00:52:48,760
This is what the floodwaters
left us - the lower jaw of a croc.
478
00:52:48,760 --> 00:52:50,800
And look at that.
I mean, it's...it's heavy.
479
00:52:50,800 --> 00:52:53,680
This has come from a croc
who must be at least five metres.
480
00:52:56,160 --> 00:52:57,720
And they're down there.
481
00:52:57,720 --> 00:53:00,360
Don't step too close to the water,
sweetheart.
482
00:53:00,360 --> 00:53:02,600
I got too excited by the jaw!
483
00:53:05,360 --> 00:53:06,880
And with the water dropping,
484
00:53:06,880 --> 00:53:10,080
excitement was finally rising
amongst the crocs.
485
00:53:16,640 --> 00:53:18,640
Well, that felt so different
this morning.
486
00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:21,400
It really felt like
there was an energy there...
487
00:53:23,200 --> 00:53:25,360
..that hasn't been there for weeks.
488
00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:29,960
And it isn't long before the team
find their dominant croc.
489
00:53:29,960 --> 00:53:34,480
The big territorial male, who we
hope will do most of the hunting,
490
00:53:34,480 --> 00:53:36,320
has been very active this morning.
491
00:53:36,320 --> 00:53:39,440
He's been displaying,
really patrolling this stretch.
492
00:53:41,960 --> 00:53:44,040
With a big croc to focus on,
493
00:53:44,040 --> 00:53:46,880
all they needed now
were the wildebeest.
494
00:53:48,240 --> 00:53:52,240
Mark and Vicky take to the skies
to check on their progress.
495
00:53:52,240 --> 00:53:54,600
Look, right as far as you can see...
496
00:53:54,600 --> 00:53:57,240
The crocs might actually get a meal.
That's great, Vick.
497
00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:03,320
The wildebeest were, at last, less
than a day away from the Grumeti.
498
00:54:07,800 --> 00:54:11,600
Mark and Vicky take up positions
on either side of the river.
499
00:54:11,600 --> 00:54:14,080
WHISPERS: We can see wildebeest
500
00:54:14,080 --> 00:54:15,920
just trying to come down,
501
00:54:15,920 --> 00:54:18,240
but they're just so nervous.
502
00:54:18,240 --> 00:54:21,320
After such a long wait,
it's a tense time.
503
00:54:23,840 --> 00:54:26,280
Success for crew and croc
504
00:54:26,280 --> 00:54:28,520
will depend on
split-second reactions.
505
00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:44,160
For the big croc,
the first session ends in failure.
506
00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:48,800
It's very easy to have empathy for
the animals that are being hunted,
507
00:54:48,800 --> 00:54:51,680
but I have to say that,
in this instance...
508
00:54:53,080 --> 00:54:55,920
..my sympathies are all with
the crocs.
509
00:54:55,920 --> 00:54:58,800
We've just seen how,
over the past month,
510
00:54:58,800 --> 00:55:00,400
they've had nothing to eat at all
511
00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:03,000
and that's been what they've
experienced for the last year.
512
00:55:05,480 --> 00:55:10,040
And it's a few days
before the wildebeest return.
513
00:55:10,040 --> 00:55:12,080
It's 12 o'clock.
514
00:55:12,080 --> 00:55:15,440
Very hot,
but I can hear the wildebeest again.
515
00:55:18,040 --> 00:55:19,960
There's a baby going in
a bit further.
516
00:55:19,960 --> 00:55:21,720
Come on...
517
00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:25,400
Something's got to happen.
518
00:55:25,400 --> 00:55:27,200
Yeah, now he's right out there.
519
00:55:28,720 --> 00:55:30,440
Croc's right there next to him.
520
00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:34,200
Oh, God, you can see the croc
underneath the surface.
521
00:55:34,200 --> 00:55:37,160
You can just see the swirl
and just the dark shape.
522
00:55:37,160 --> 00:55:39,080
And there he goes! Oh!
523
00:55:40,280 --> 00:55:41,520
Urgh!
524
00:55:43,880 --> 00:55:46,400
And he missed him again.
525
00:55:46,400 --> 00:55:49,040
Yeah, at this time of the year,
it's absolutely crucial for them.
526
00:55:49,040 --> 00:55:51,760
If they don't feed now,
then they're in dire straits.
527
00:55:55,200 --> 00:55:56,880
Oh, here they come.
528
00:55:56,880 --> 00:55:58,280
Thirsty innocence.
529
00:56:01,120 --> 00:56:02,760
Come on, guys. That's better.
530
00:56:02,760 --> 00:56:05,120
Come on, you can do it.
531
00:56:05,120 --> 00:56:09,040
Got two there now, coming down
on their knees next to them.
532
00:56:10,560 --> 00:56:12,520
Come on, you can do it.
533
00:56:12,520 --> 00:56:15,160
Just one footstep further out.
534
00:56:15,160 --> 00:56:16,960
That's all that croc needs.
535
00:56:18,000 --> 00:56:19,040
Oh, yeah, yeah.
536
00:56:19,040 --> 00:56:20,600
Go on...
537
00:56:20,600 --> 00:56:21,840
There he goes!
538
00:56:26,920 --> 00:56:28,960
Well, that was amazing.
I mean, just...
539
00:56:28,960 --> 00:56:31,080
It suddenly happened.
540
00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:34,680
Trying to work out where the crocs
were underwater was a nightmare!
541
00:56:34,680 --> 00:56:36,680
That was so intense.
542
00:56:36,680 --> 00:56:38,560
One minute, there was nothing.
543
00:56:38,560 --> 00:56:41,560
And the next minute, the bank was
covered in wildebeest and then...
544
00:56:41,560 --> 00:56:43,200
one was taken.
545
00:56:47,040 --> 00:56:48,480
But I got it!
546
00:56:52,720 --> 00:56:56,160
Next time, the hunt is on
in the frozen north,
547
00:56:56,160 --> 00:56:58,120
the High Arctic.
548
00:57:00,040 --> 00:57:03,840
One of the toughest places on Earth
in which to make a living.
549
00:57:05,920 --> 00:57:10,520
To succeed here, a predator
must exploit the few good times...
550
00:57:12,040 --> 00:57:14,360
..to endure the bad.
551
00:57:16,520 --> 00:57:24,600
For a free, interactive
Open University poster, call...
552
00:57:24,600 --> 00:57:29,080
or go to...
553
00:57:29,080 --> 00:57:31,120
and follow the links
to the Open University.
43865
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