Original subtitles

The wildest places on our planet have always been

home to powerful leaders.

But now a new hero is rising.

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

Fierce...

Smart...

Resilient...

And...

female.

♪ Where's she from ♪

♪ Where does she go? ♪

We don't call her Mother Nature for nothing.

♪ Do you know, can you know so ♪

♪ Where's she from ♪

♪ Where does she go? ♪

All hail...

the Queens.

The Ethiopian Highlands,

where mountains touch the sky.

A world of endless plateau,

and sheer cliffs.

Ruled by two mothers raising daughters.

One will make great sacrifices,

the other must be ruthless to protect her legacy.

This is Tar,

an Ethiopian Wolf.

She leads a pack of nine.

Three daughters, four sons,

and her current mate.

These wolves are sociable, affectionate,

and all fiercely loyal,

to Tar.

She's been the alpha female for over ten years,

and she will be until the day she dies.

Tar's got three new pups.

To be leader and a full-time mom,

Tar needs help.

So she relies on her daughter Seti to babysit.

With her pups taken care of,

Tar leads the pack out on patrol.

She checks the perimeter twice a day, every day,

looking for intruding wolf-packs.

Scent marking is a message to stay away.

Tar has carved out a prime territory,

full of food.

Tar's success has been hard won.

The wolves share their territory with humans

and the invisible threat they bring.

Their dogs can carry fatal diseases.

When Tar was just a year old,

her family was almost decimated by rabies.

She was the only female to survive.

Tar didn't choose to lead,

but she rose to the challenge.

And during the longest reign of any wolf

in these mountains,

she's brought her pack back from nothing.

♪ I'm a survivor ♪

♪ I'm not gonna give up ♪

♪ I'm not gonna stop ♪

♪ I'm gonna work harder ♪♪

Now Tar has a new problem,

her territory can only support so many wolves,

and as her pups grow,

resources will be stretched.

For Tar to keep the pack at peak condition,

she needs adults to leave.

Tar's eldest daughter will stay

to lead the pack when she dies.

But Seti's old enough to leave

and start her own pack.

Despite their close bond,

it makes sense that Seti be the first to go.

The wolves patrol the high plateau,

but where this gives way to sheer rock face,

is the world of another queen.

Diarra, a gelada monkey,

and her troop.

Diarra also has a daughter on the cusp of adulthood.

Zeudi, her first-born.

And soon there'll be a new baby to raise,

Diarra's pregnant, by her mate, Negash.

He's also Zeudi's father and

the only adult male in the troop.

He might look like he's in charge,

but it's Diarra who shoulders the responsibility,

for an extended family of 12 females,

and their kids.

They all look to Diarra to lead.

She's the heart of the sisterhood,

the center of their attention.

But her family is just one of many in these mountains.

Every morning, multiple gelada families move from

the cliff face where they sleep to be safe from predators.

Diarra's family joins the morning commute,

as they head up in search of the best feeding grounds.

Combined, they form a herd of over 500.

Geladas are the only grass-eating monkey...

among the most vocal in the world!

The sisterhood is relaxed,

chatter affirms their bonds as they graze.

Negash is on edge,

the position of the resident male is never secure.

A gang of single males, known as the bachelors,

each wants a sisterhood to father their own babies.

This bachelor is strong...

Fit, and in his prime.

Zeudi can't keep her eyes off him.

Negash needs to act quickly,

show the females he's in charge.

So he taunts the rival and his gang into a chase.

A display of strength might avert a take-over.

But Diarra's nervous, their baby will be born soon,

and a new male would likely kill it

to make way for his own.

She needs Negash to be ready for a fight.

For the future of her family,

Tar needs her daughter to leave.

But Seti's far too comfortable in the pack,

Tar's going to need to give her a push.

The pups run to their mother,

Seti follows.

But for the first time,

Tar rejects her.

She's breaking their mother-daughter bond,

in front of the whole pack.

♪ What are you here for? ♪♪

As soon as Seti's alone...

Her older siblings turn on her.

♪ What are you here for? ♪

♪ Now I'm your decay... ♪♪

Their loyalty is to Tar...

Seti's pushed away from her mother and the den.

Diarra's daughter, Zeudi,

will have the support of the sisterhood for life.

But there's one thing Zeudi doesn't have,

female geladas are baby crazy!

Sons will eventually leave their families,

but daughters stay.

Diarra will soon have her own baby to fuss over

and Zeudi doesn't want to be left out.

This baby belongs to her aunt.

Zeudi grooms a nearby cousin,

but it's the baby she wants.

Not exactly subtle...

Or successful.

Diarra's seen it all.

Her daughter wants her own baby.

But while Zeudi's dad is the resident male,

that can't happen.

Unless...

The rival bachelor is back.

He could be a mate for Zeudi.

But Diarra must do what she can to protect her unborn baby,

she stands by Negash.

The bachelor is younger and stronger.

Zeudi is captivated.

Until she remembers herself,

and loyalty wins out.

Mother and daughter back up Negash.

♪ Rolling with the rain ♪

♪ Boy, you better run to your mama now ♪

♪ Lightning in the sky ♪

♪ Boy, you better run to your mama now ♪♪

With the girls in his corner,

Negash comes out on top.

He tries to reassure his mate.

But Diarra knows from experience that

bachelors don't give up so easily.

♪ Too far a way to go ♪

♪ Can't see the light ♪

♪ Light, light ♪♪

Weeks have passed in the Mountain world.

The moment has come for one mother to let her daughter go.

Tar is watching Seti out on the plateau.

Seti's continued to be rejected by the pack,

and now spends much of her time alone, hunting.

Her target?

Grass rats.

♪ Yay, aye, yay, aye, aye ♪

♪ Yay, aye, yay, aye, aye ♪

♪ Yay, aye, aye, yay, aye, aye ♪

♪ Aye, aye, aye ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪♪

She's pretty good, no surprise,

she learned from her mother.

Tar approaches with her youngest daughter.

The pup has grown, and she wants the rat.

Seti gives it up willingly.

But the gesture gets her nowhere.

Her mother doesn't need her to babysit anymore,

there's no place in the pack for Seti.

She has no choice but to leave,

to search out her own territory.

♪ World, I want to leave you better ♪

♪ I want my life to matter ♪

♪ I am afraid I have no purpose here ♪

♪ I want to leave you better ♪

♪ I want my life to matter ♪

♪ I am afraid I have no purpose here ♪♪

She slips away.

And her mother watches her go,

Tar's losing a daughter but protecting the pack.

♪ Have I the courage to change? ♪

♪ Have I the courage to change? ♪

♪ Have I the courage to change today? ♪

♪ Have I the courage to change? ♪

♪ Have I the courage to change? ♪

♪ Have I the courage to change today? ♪♪

Seti crosses over the territory border,

leaving home for the very first time.

Diarra and Zeudi are side by side,

as Negash continues to fight the bachelor.

No longer a display of strength,

this is war.

This fight takes them dangerously close

to the cliff edge.

In the face of the steep drop,

the rival backs down.

Negash is injured,

but he holds on to his family for another day.

But the fighting is taking its toll.

Negash is worn down.

Some of the sisterhood cozy up to the rival,

they're shifting their allegiance,

they want this young strong male to win.

Diarra is torn.

She won't have her baby for another eight weeks,

and Negash might not hold on that long.

Tar's family is already split.

Seti is on her own.

Lone females rarely survive.

Many territories are taken.

But for Seti to find a mate,

might be that bit easier.

She's never met a male that wasn't family before.

She needs to play this carefully,

he could be the start of her new life.

He seems interested.

The male's not here to mate,

just defending his pack's territory.

She never had a chance.

Body and confidence bruised,

Seti just wants to go home.

But she's exhausted.

Tonight, she'll sleep alone.

As the sun sets, Diarra has a decision to make.

Negash has given everything to fighting the bachelor,

and she's stayed by his side,

to protect their unborn baby.

But his rival won't leave them alone.

Diarra can give the sisterhood and her daughter

a new strong male if she stops supporting Negash.

In the mountains where queens wear the crown for life,

a long rule demands stamina and sacrifice.

As a new day dawns,

Diarra has made her decision.

♪ I am not alone ♪

♪ Though it feels like it in my bones ♪

♪ I surrender you ♪

♪ I surrender ♪♪

The rival has brought reinforcements.

♪ Hey, yoo... ♪

♪ Ni-yoo... ♪♪

They drive Negash over the precipice...

Diarra watches her old mate fall,

to his death.

The rival has won.

Diarra won't greet him yet.

Something profound is happening inside her.

The takeover has triggered a biological reaction,

so powerful,

it will stop her unborn baby from developing.

This phenomenon saves Diarra from

the trauma of carrying a baby,

only for it to be killed.

The new stronger male

offers a new life for her only daughter.

Tar has also done the best for her family.

The pack is secure,

and her daughter is out in the mountains,

starting her own pack.

Or so Tar thought.

Seti's made it back to the territory border,

looking for Tar and the safety of the pack.

She approaches with caution,

unsure how they will react,

the welcome's not warm.

Tar's at the top of the bank,

and Seti wants to get to her.

They drive her away from her mother.

Tar stays removed...

While the others treat Seti like an intruder.

Seti won't give up.

Desperate to reach her mother,

she tries another route.

Tar can't welcome or comfort her.

Her daughter has what it takes to become

the alpha female of her own pack.

It's tough love, but Seti must leave,

and this time there'll be no coming back.

Diarra's sacrifice brings a period of stability

to the sisterhood,

and a new beginning for her daughter.

Hormones, triggered by the takeover,

have transformed Zeudi's body,

red bumps cover her chest,

a signal she's sexually mature and can have her own baby.

The new male reads them loud and clear.

Diarra's successfully guided her only daughter to adulthood.

This male may stay with the family for years,

but Diarra knows that sooner or later,

he'll be challenged,

and replaced.

Males will come and go, but she'll make sure that she,

her daughter, and the sisterhood stay together.

Almost a year has passed since Tar gave birth to her pups,

they're barely recognizable,

the same size as their mom.

♪ Here I go out to sea again ♪

♪ The sunshine fills my hair ♪♪

For over 12 years,

Tar has given everything for her family.

♪ Gulls in the sky and in my blue eyes ♪

♪ You know it feels unfair ♪

♪ There's magic everywhere ♪

♪ Look at me standing ♪

♪ Here on my own again ♪♪

She won't live much longer,

but she will leave her pack at full strength.

♪ No need to run and hide ♪♪

Secure and content,

the family can play.

♪ No need to laugh or cry ♪

♪ It's a wonderful, wonderful life ♪

♪ And I need a friend, oh, I need a friend ♪

♪ To make me happy ♪♪

And Seti?

She's not far away,

but she's in her own world,

her own territory...

♪ Here on my own again ♪♪

And this time, she's been luckier in love.

♪ No need to run ♪♪

Everything that Tar taught her,

has brought Seti here.

♪ It's a wonderful, wonderful life ♪

♪ No need to laugh or cry ♪♪

She will start her own family,

another pack that will carry Tar's genes,

and help secure the future of wolves

throughout these mountains.

♪ It's a wonderful life ♪♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪

♪ Guess who is the mother ♪♪