Lethal Animal Battles Captured on Camera | MEGA Episode | Nat Geo Animals
Nat Geo Animals
0:02 NARRATOR: Along the tangled edge of a Brazilian river,
0:05 a hunter stalks the shadows.
0:11 He is a jaguar.
0:14 A male in his prime.
0:18 Those who know him call him Scarface,
0:21 from a wound he earned clawing his way to supremacy.
0:27 His territory crawls with monsters.
0:31 Caimans, cousins of the crocodile,
0:34 are waiting to grab almost anything that comes near the water.
0:38 (bird squawking) But it's Scarface they fear.
0:43 Because where the land ends, his hunting ground begins.
0:48 (purring) (bird calling) (music) (music) (music) (splash) (music) (music)
1:27 He is the top predator in a land of predators, the best of the best.
1:34 But every meal is a battle.
1:36 (bird squawking) We're only beginning to discover this part of a jaguar's life.
1:45 In this wetland hideaway,
1:47 the secrets of America's most mysterious big cat are now being revealed.
1:53 (music) (purring) (music) Dead center of South
2:02 America is a little-known slice of Eden.
2:07 It's a vast wetland that brims with wildlife,
2:11 rivaling the Amazon and the plains of Africa.
2:16 It's called the Pantanal, on Brazil's western edge.
2:21 Within this region is a cluster of protected reserves.
2:25 (music) This is the untouched heart of the Pantanal.
2:34 The land has been set aside to preserve all life here.
2:40 Especially the creature at the top of the food chain.
2:45 Jaguars.
2:48 Where these predators thrive, so does everything else.
2:53 They're the biggest cats in the Americas,
2:55 yet we're just beginning to understand their lives.
2:59 Jaguars are obsessively secretive, but in this special place,
3:04 they sometimes step out of the shadows.
3:07 (music) A team from National Geographic has
3:13 come here to catch them when they do.
3:18 Using the waterways,
3:19 they can penetrate deep into jaguar territory and track them where they hunt.
3:26 Steve Winter is a veteran photographer.
3:29 Big cats are his passion.
3:32 Bertie Gregory is a wildlife cameraman.
3:36 Both are looking for jaguar behavior
3:38 that's rarely been observed, let alone filmed.
3:42 STEVE: These animals are incredibly special.
3:45 They're only found in our Western Hemisphere,
3:48 from the U.S.-Mexican border all the way to northern Argentina.
3:52 BERTIE: And we've really come here in the dry season because
3:54 that's when all of the water is concentrated on the rivers,
3:58 that means all the prey is concentrated on these big main rivers,
4:01 and that's why the jaguars have come to these rivers,
4:03 because, well, it's a fast-food buffet all along it.
4:08 NARRATOR: They've come to the right place at the right time.
4:14 But there are miles of hidden waterways to search.
4:19 It's anyone's guess where a jaguar will turn up next.
4:24 Steve and Bertie need to maximize their chances of spotting one.
4:28 STEVE: Let's split up.
4:30 I would say let's just keep in touch by radio.
4:33 You see something, you call me, and if I see something,
4:36 I'll call you, you know, maybe we'll get lucky.
4:39 BERTIE: See you on the radio.
4:43 STEVE: Let's do it.
4:50 (music) NARRATOR: While Steve heads up the Cuiabá River,
4:55 Bertie tries his luck down a narrow side channel.
5:00 The strategy is simple: scan the riverbanks for any sign of cats.
5:08 The water is where they hunt, so the water's edge is where they'll often be.
5:15 Upstream, Bertie has an early stroke of luck.
5:21 It's a female, relaxing in plain view on the bank.
5:28 And she's not alone.
5:33 She's has a cub, an adolescent male about a year old.
5:39 Living in the protected reserve, they don't experience humans as a threat,
5:43 so they tolerate Bertie and his boat.
5:46 (music) Jaguar cubs stick with their mothers for the first few years.
5:54 (music) She weaned him six months ago.
6:03 But he still counts on her to catch his dinner and keep him safe.
6:07 (music) (music) He's going to be bigger than she is soon,
6:22 but inside he's still all cub.
6:25 (music) (music) (music) BERTIE: They are 15 meters away, less than 50 feet,
6:45 and they're so relaxed that I've managed to actually
6:48 get out of the boat and sit here.
6:50 (birds chirping) There's the female there, and there's the cub just over there.
6:59 (birds chirping) I'm just so grateful to them for giving us
7:09 just a little window into the secret life of the jaguar.
7:15 What an incredible experience.
7:19 (music) (music) NARRATOR:
7:27 It's her job to teach him everything he needs to survive in the Pantanal.
7:34 For the moment, he's learning a trick to keep
7:36 cool during the sultry days of the dry season.
7:42 By climbing into the treetops, they can catch the slight breeze over the water.
7:46 (music) (bird calling) (music) Right now,
7:58 mother and cub share the closest bond that any two jaguars can have.
8:03 (music) Yet, a little over a year from now,
8:09 she'll turn him away to live a solitary life.
8:13 (music) No one can say for sure who the father of this cub is;
8:22 because males and females don't stay together after mating.
8:26 (music) It's most likely she mated with the dominant male in her territory.
8:36 Around here, that means one male in particular.
8:39 (music) (bird squawking) Steve's been dead set on finding him.
8:50 The one with the distinctive battle scar.
8:54 STEVE: If there's any cat that looks like a beat-up prizefighter,
8:58 you know, it's this guy.
9:02 NARRATOR: If a male wants to grab territory and breeding rights,
9:05 he has to be intimidating and ready to fight.
9:10 Scarface is all that.
9:14 He now commands a territory of about 40 square miles.
9:20 Other males enter at their peril.
9:23 Females are permitted.
9:25 They'll seek him out when they're ready to mate.
9:29 But right now Scarface is thinking about food,
9:32 and Steve wants to get shots of him tackling a caiman.
9:37 The trick is figuring out when and where it's going to happen.
9:42 STEVE: There's got to be caiman down there.
9:43 (music) (camera shutter clicks) (music) NARRATOR:
9:54 It may be three or four days since Scarface last ate.
9:59 And he looks like he's getting serious about his next meal.
10:02 (music) (music) (music) (music) (growls) Even a skilled hunter
10:29 like him only scores about 15 percent of the time.
10:33 As the reigning male, he claims exclusive access to the best hunting spots.
10:39 Still, he can't keep track of it all at once.
10:43 While he's focused on food,
10:45 he's failing to notice something happening just upstream.
10:49 (music) There's an intruder.
10:55 A young male has sauntered into Scarface's territory.
11:01 Jaguars want to be close to water.
11:05 Now that it's the dry season,
11:07 they're gathering around the rivers that are still running.
11:12 These antisocial cats are starting to bump into one another.
11:16 (music) A dominant male like Scarface won't stand for it.
11:30 NARRATOR: A protected corner of Brazil's Pantanal has
11:33 opened a window into the lives of jaguars,
11:36 the most secretive big cat in the Americas.
11:40 National Geographic photographer Steve Winter and cameraman Bertie
11:44 Gregory have come to catch them in action.
11:48 STEVE: There's no place like this in the whole range of the jaguar.
11:54 This is the jewel in the jaguar's crown, right here, the Pantanal.
12:00 There's a future for the species in this incredible oasis.
12:04 (rustling) (music) NARRATOR: They've tracked a big male they call Scarface.
12:13 (music) But he's not alone.
12:19 They've also spied a younger male invading the older cat's territory.
12:24 (music) He can smell Scarface's presence all around.
12:34 But young males can get cocky.
12:38 He wants to claim a hunting ground of his own and get better access to females.
12:45 That's something he needs to earn.
12:50 The first step is becoming a strong hunter.
12:54 His mother gave him the basics, but the learning curve is steep.
12:59 (music) (music) When going after such dangerous prey,
13:10 a little hesitation is justified.
13:12 (music) Brazil's answer to crocodiles, yacare caimans,
13:21 have 74 teeth and one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom.
13:27 Caimans usually train their powerful jaws on fish.
13:33 This big river that keeps flowing in the dry season guarantees a steady supply.
13:40 Plentiful fish means plentiful caimans, which is good news for jaguars.
13:47 But catching them means diving into their realm, where they are the killers.
13:55 With one swipe of its tail,
13:57 a caiman can drag a victim to the bottom and stay for fifteen minutes or more.
14:03 (music) To become a caiman hunter, this young male has to master the ambush,
14:11 make a powerful attack and a swift kill.
14:20 (music) Proof that true hunters are made, not born.
14:26 (music) (music) (music) At least there are turtles, frogs,
14:43 and fish to tide him over while he gets the hang of it.
14:47 (music) (music) Right now, there are bigger things to worry about.
15:07 Scarface is closing in.
15:10 (music) The young male could decide to pick a fight.
15:21 It depends how ambitious he's feeling.
15:24 (music) Today is not the day.
15:29 (music) For Scarface, the scent of the intruder lingers like a personal insult.
15:42 He lays down a reminder that this is his turf.
15:48 A spray of urine is like planting a flag in the ground.
15:52 Other jaguars recognize his individual scent,
15:55 and they can tell he's dominant by how far and wide he leaves his mark.
16:01 So even if they never meet him, they definitely know he's a cat to reckon with.
16:06 (music) Swapping chemical calling cards is a lot safer than fighting.
16:13 (music) Scarface reclaims his favorite hunting spot without lifting a paw.
16:22 (music) (bird calling) Just upriver,
16:32 the mother jaguar is facing a challenge of a different kind.
16:37 (music) (music) She has to hunt for two.
16:46 (music) Her cub hangs back in the forest while
16:54 she heads toward the river in search of a target.
16:57 (music) Caimans are her top choice, too,
17:05 but the wetland also offers a less toothy alternative: capybaras.
17:12 (music) They're the largest rodent on Earth, like a giant guinea pig.
17:21 (music) Where the riverbanks are low and green,
17:27 they graze on fresh grass and aquatic plants.
17:32 And cattle tyrants graze on them.
17:36 These birds hitch a ride to catch any insects the capybara stirs up.
17:42 In turn, the capybara gets relief from ticks and biting flies.
17:47 (music) Munching peacefully, with a bird riding piggyback,
17:53 a capybara looks like it's just waiting to become a jaguar's dinner.
17:58 But they're no easier to catch than a caiman.
18:01 (music) Their feet are partially webbed for fast swimming.
18:09 And they hang out in big family groups for protection.
18:14 Anyone that spots a jaguar lets out an alarm bark.
18:17 (capybara barking) And they all dive for deep water.
18:21 (music) (music) Ears, nose and eyes are all set high,
18:36 so they can swim with just the tops of their heads exposed.
18:39 (music) Once they're in the river, there's no catching them.
18:48 (music) The mother jaguar has spotted one, high and dry on a sandbar.
19:00 (music) It's a male on his own, without a group to sound the alarm.
19:10 (music) It's just a bit out of range, and she's built for power more than speed.
19:20 It all comes down to who's faster on the draw.
19:24 (music) (music) NARRATOR: For a jaguar,
19:33 life and death boils down to skill as a hunter.
19:37 They learn to gauge the odds of success, versus a waste of precious energy.
19:46 This mother decides the odds are too low to justify the effort.
19:51 Her hungry cub will have to wait.
19:55 (music) Along the Cuiabá River,
20:02 the dominant male, called Scarface, is also struggling.
20:06 (music) (music) He hasn't caught a meal in nearly a week.
20:21 (music) (music) His streak of bad luck is no less frustrating
20:31 to the photographers who have come here to film him on the hunt.
20:36 STEVE: We're up to about 14 failures with Scarface now.
20:42 So we're getting closer to the one that's gonna work.
20:50 BERTIE: Steve?
20:51 STEVE: Yeah, yeah.
20:52 BERTIE: This isn't working.
20:53 What's going on?
20:54 STEVE: How many times can this guy fail?
20:57 (laughter) BERTIE: I mean,
20:59 in the last few days that means he's now lost what, three or four kills?
21:03 STEVE: He's friggin' hungry, so.
21:05 BERTIE: He's gonna start getting desperate.
21:06 STEVE: I mean, getting pictures of splashes is fine, but we need the real deal.
21:11 So we'll just go.
21:13 (music) NARRATOR: They leave Scarface to catch
21:16 up with the mother jaguar, who's also hungry.
21:21 By the time they reach her, she's already got a capybara.
21:24 (music) It's good news for her cub, waiting somewhere in the forest.
21:34 (music) At around 90 pounds, it will hold both of them for two or three days.
21:42 For Bertie and Steve, another day ends without catching a complete hunt.
21:48 (music) For humans and big cats, success demands patience.
21:56 (music) It's morning, and Steve and Bertie set out to check
22:03 the spots where they've sighted jaguars before.
22:06 (music) There's so much more to see along the river than just cats.
22:12 BERTIE: Check it out!
22:14 Jabiru stork on the beach!
22:17 They're absolutely massive.
22:20 (music) NARRATOR: So many animals find a home
22:24 here because the land has been preserved for jaguars.
22:28 (music) (birds chirping) (music) (bird squawking) BERTIE:
22:45 The best thing about protecting the jaguar, you know, this big apex predator,
22:49 is that by protecting it, you protect everything underneath.
22:52 (music) NARRATOR: Preserving jaguar habitat even
22:58 helps to save an endangered rival predator.
23:02 Where jaguars thrive, so do giant river otters.
23:06 (squeaking) This whole family spent the night in a den under the riverbank.
23:11 Now they're out for the day.
23:13 (music) (music) BERTIE: Giant otters are a really good indicator species,
23:23 you know, one that shows the health of the ecosystem,
23:25 'cause if you think if there's 20 individuals in a family,
23:29 each of them is six feet long.
23:31 They each need about eight pounds of fish every single day.
23:34 That's a lot of fish that they need to support themselves,
23:37 so if you got giant otters,
23:40 that means you've got a really, really healthy ecosystem.
23:42 (music) NARRATOR: The river brings a steady supply of catfish,
23:48 perch and piranha to their doorstep.
23:52 Their sloppy eating attracts freeloaders.
23:56 Some can get pretty aggressive.
23:58 (music) Others try to be a bit more subtle about it.
24:05 (music) Even the young otters aren't above begging.
24:15 But these pups are old enough to do their own fishing,
24:18 so they get no special favors.
24:21 (music) Breakfast over, they haul out and relax on the bank.
24:31 (squeaking) It's a chance to socialize and strengthen family bonds.
24:37 (music) On solid ground, they're like sitting ducks.
24:44 (music) Jaguars wait for a chance like this.
24:55 (music) (music) (bird chirping) (music) NARRATOR:
25:19 The sight of a jaguar shatters the peaceful morning at the otter pond.
25:23 (music) (squeaking) It's red alert!
25:28 (squeaking) (music) The youngsters duck into the den
25:42 while the adults form a battle line.
25:44 (music) The female jaguar is torn between her hunter's instinct and caution.
25:52 If she caught one on its own, especially a young one, she might go after it.
25:57 (squeaking) But the otters let her know they're way ahead of her.
26:04 Sure, she's bigger, but they're much better swimmers.
26:08 And they'll attack as fiercely as a pack of dogs.
26:12 (squeaking) Jumping into this pool would be a huge mistake.
26:20 She sees their point.
26:23 (squeaking) They send her off with a few final insults.
26:27 (squeaking) BERTIE: The jaguar here doesn't have many enemies.
26:36 But when they come face to face with giant otters,
26:39 giant otters are one of the few animals
26:41 here that can put up a pretty good fight.
26:44 NARRATOR: An experienced jaguar doesn't usually bother with otters.
26:49 So Steve sticks to the main river channel,
26:52 where Scarface is sure to be hunting caimans.
26:56 His guide, Piu, grew up on this river and knows every bend.
27:00 STEVE: He's got eyes like you wouldn't believe.
27:02 We'll be flying along, and he'll just stop and go 'jag.' I'm like,
27:06 'How did you see that?' Amazing.
27:10 We've been at this tree so many times in this area,
27:14 where jags have been hunting right in there, 'cause caiman hang out in there.
27:21 STEVE: Yes, I can hear you fine.
27:23 What's up?
27:31 STEVE: Yeah.
27:33 (music) NARRATOR: This jaguar was spotted where Scarface often hunts.
27:42 It's a good lead.
27:44 But if they don't get there fast, they could miss the moment.
27:47 STEVE: He's really intent on hunting, which is what we want.
27:51 So, it's a ways downriver,
27:52 but we're just gonna go full bore and get there as fast as possible.
27:57 (music) NARRATOR: Upriver, Steve finds Bertie.
28:00 (music) Now, it's just a matter of finding the cat.
28:10 BERTIE: Hey, Steve.
28:11 STEVE: What's the scoop?
28:12 BERTIE: Um...so the fishing boat just said that they saw a big male jump
28:16 in, and they went on to go fishing and he's in the forest somewhere.
28:20 STEVE: I mean, it's a tough area...
28:24 to follow him in.
28:25 BERTIE: Yeah, I mean, we saw Scarface here, what,
28:27 a day ago, two days ago, hunting right here.
28:30 STEVE: Yeah.
28:31 BERTIE: And now he's hunting again.
28:35 NARRATOR: If he wanted to, a jaguar could
28:37 disappear in the forest just a few feet away.
28:43 But Scarface is hungry.
28:46 And that brings him out into the open.
28:50 (music) (music) (music) (music) (music) (music)
29:27 Yet another caiman slips from his grasp.
29:32 But today, Scarface seems different, more intense.
29:36 (music) He's a cat on a mission, and that mission is survival.
29:45 He hasn't eaten in a week,
29:47 and his hunger drives him to an extreme hunting strategy.
29:51 (music) (music) So far, he's done his stalking from land.
30:03 But now he's hunting completely in the water,
30:07 battling the powerful current, searching for any hidden caiman.
30:14 He's truly a master of two worlds.
30:19 Bertie and Steve have never seen this tactic before.
30:22 STEVE: Scarface is absolutely incredible.
30:26 He's swimming, looking for a caiman.
30:31 He's beast master.
30:34 (camera shutter clicks) (music) He's just relentless.
30:41 BERTIE: I always think of, you know,
30:42 big cats as being terrestrial animals, you know.
30:45 They live in jungles and forests.
30:47 But this guy's almost like a marine mammal.
30:50 To think that he's hunting, mainly swimming in the river,
30:54 with the focus and the strength to swim upstream,
30:59 yeah, it's pretty mind-blowing.
31:00 (music) NARRATOR: Steve Winter and Bertie Gregory are
31:13 on the trail of a very hungry jaguar.
31:17 They know he can unleash a powerful attack,
31:20 but this is a sheer test of endurance.
31:24 He's battling the current, searching for any caiman on the riverbank or bottom.
31:31 They've never seen anything like it.
31:32 BERTIE: Scarface must have swam, I don't know,
31:35 a mile, two miles straight into this really strong current.
31:40 STEVE: Jaguars are like body builders, you know.
31:42 Some cats are built for speed, like the leopard, the cheetah.
31:47 But a jaguar is built for power.
31:49 And this guy shows it.
31:53 NARRATOR: He's tough, but fighting the river takes a toll.
31:57 After two hours, Scarface looks exhausted.
32:02 BERTIE: Can you see him now?
32:03 I lost him.
32:03 STEVE: No, no, he's lost.
32:06 BERTIE: Okay, so what's the plan?
32:07 'Cause he went in here,
32:08 so are we waiting here and you're going round the corner,
32:11 or you want to go around the corner and we'll wait here?
32:13 STEVE: I don't really care who does what.
32:16 All I want to do is get him.
32:17 (music) NARRATOR: Bertie and Steve aren't about to give up.
32:23 But they can only guess the jaguar's next move.
32:27 About 100 feet upstream, there's prey.
32:30 STEVE: Oh, there's a caiman.
32:32 NARRATOR: But has Scarface seen it?
32:34 STEVE: We see food.
32:36 It doesn't mean he does.
32:38 We'll just wait.
32:40 BERTIE: Where are you, big boy?
32:47 (music) (music) (music) (music) (music) (music) (music) (music) (music) (music)
33:46 (music) (music) (music) (music) (music)
34:22 (music) (music) (music) (music) NARRATOR:
34:42 The deadliest aquatic predator in the Pantanal is no match for Scarface.
34:48 After a battle to the death, the struggle isn't quite over.
34:54 (bird chirping) (music) Like all jaguars, Scarface is a secretive cat.
35:04 He won't rest until he hides his kill from scavengers and thieves,
35:08 somewhere up the bank and in the forest.
35:12 But the caiman is 120 pounds of dead weight.
35:16 (music) (music) (music) (music) (music)
35:45 (music) (music) One final Herculean effort, and he gets his meal.
35:58 (music) (music) Bertie and Steve have also gotten their reward.
36:13 STEVE: That moment was absolutely one of a kind.
36:18 BERTIE: The craziest thing to me was how he hits that caiman,
36:21 the bomb goes off, water goes everywhere.
36:26 And then there was that eerie silence when
36:28 he'd gone in the water with the caiman.
36:30 He'd obviously got it somehow, he's under the water, and then, voobooosssh!
36:36 Out the water, jaws around that thing's neck.
36:39 I genuinely think that was the most incredible thing I've ever seen.
36:42 STEVE: Yeah.
36:44 That was one of the most incredible displays
36:47 of power by an animal I've ever seen!
36:50 Way to go, Scarface.
36:52 (camera shutter clicks) (music) NARRATOR:
36:58 Scarface keeps his dominance on this stretch of river,
37:02 but even that's just a means to an end.
37:06 The ultimate prize is still elusive.
37:14 NARRATOR: On the banks of the Cuiabá River, Scarface has sated his hunger.
37:20 But now he's feeling an urge of a different kind.
37:26 There's an alluring new presence lurking nearby.
37:29 (music) Her territory overlaps his, but she's been waiting
37:37 for the right time to make her presence known.
37:40 (music) Jaguars usually avoid one another,
37:48 but when she comes into estrus, it's like a switch gets flipped.
37:55 (music) These two tough loners turn into lovebirds, if only for a short time.
38:05 (music) For the next week or two, they think of little else.
38:12 (music) (growling) They could mate up to 100 times a day,
38:22 then again it only takes nine seconds.
38:24 (music) Scarface's legacy grows a little bit more.
38:32 In this reserve, their offspring will grow up safe, with plenty of prey.
38:39 (music) In other parts of the Pantanal, jaguars don't have it so good.
38:46 Steve and Bertie have just received news of jaguar activity to the south,
38:51 outside the reserves.
38:53 With Scarface occupied, they follow the trail.
38:57 Out here, the cats confront dangers that Scarface seldom has to face.
39:04 Most of the Pantanal is open to cattle ranching.
39:08 Jaguar territory is filled with an unnatural, irresistible prey.
39:15 Killing a jaguar is illegal in Brazil.
39:18 But when a jaguar preys on livestock,
39:21 ranchers take revenge to protect their livelihood.
39:26 (music) On one of the ranches, a jaguar has killed a cow.
39:35 It's a bad situation, but also an opportunity to see how jaguars
39:40 live on the fringes of the human world.
39:45 BERTIE: Whoa.
39:55 NARRATOR: Where humans are close by, jaguars appear
39:58 to be more wary of coming out in daylight.
40:03 Whatever killed this cow is probably waiting until nightfall to come back.
40:09 So Steve and Bertie settle in to wait.
40:11 (music) BERTIE: Steve and I aren't very patient people.
40:19 What keeps us sitting here is, as Steve said, the passion,
40:24 it's knowing that by sitting here maybe,
40:28 maybe we'll get to see something incredible.
40:32 Maybe not.
40:33 Maybe we'll see nothing other than this very, very dead cow.
40:40 (music) NARRATOR: As evening falls, they get a surprise.
40:49 It's not the hunter that appears.
40:53 It's a cub...
40:56 followed by another.
40:58 (music) (music) They're about 16 months old,
41:08 a bit older than the cub back in the reserve.
41:14 Their mother made this kill.
41:18 She keeps a watchful eye as her young ones eat their fill.
41:24 (music) As night falls over the Pantanal,
41:29 Bertie switches to a new low-light camera.
41:35 For the first time, he's able to see
41:37 what these secretive cats get up to at night.
41:40 (music) Under the cover of darkness, the cubs relax.
41:52 Well-fed and protected by mom, they share a moment of carefree contentment.
41:58 (music) (music) (purring) (music) But they don't
42:17 know this meal comes at a huge price.
42:20 (music) They're learning from their mother to hunt cows,
42:29 and they're developing a taste for it.
42:34 One day, this behavior may cost them their lives.
42:38 (music) (music) This is why the preserved areas
42:49 of the Pantanal are so critical for jaguar survival.
42:53 (music) Inside the borders there are no cows,
43:00 no human threats, and plenty of natural prey.
43:05 The mother and her single cub can rest easy.
43:08 (music) Under her care, he will grow to become a powerful caiman hunter.
43:17 (music) The young male that invaded
43:24 Scarface's territory has retreated to the fringes.
43:27 (music) He's just beginning to find his place.
43:34 One day he may prove a worthy adversary to Scarface.
43:39 But not just yet.
43:43 For now this tough, battle-scarred male hangs on to his rule...
43:49 and to his role as guardian of the Pantanal.
43:53 Jaguars will care for the land for as long as the land keeps jaguars.
44:03 NARRATOR: Caught on tape in Africa's wild Serengeti,
44:07 a stunning act of violence between two top predators.
44:13 A run-in between lions and cheetahs so rare,
44:16 this is the first time it's ever been documented.
44:19 Leo: Look at the energy, the fury...
44:23 NARRATOR: Like a back-alley ambush,
44:25 the assault sends survivors scattering...and leaves bodies battered.
44:32 Filmmaker Leo Kuenkel witnessed the attack, and is trying to make sense of it.
44:40 Was this a once in a lifetime perfect storm event?
44:44 Or do these iconic African cats have a deep-set,
44:47 sinister reason to fight to the death?
45:09 The players in this incredible savannah
45:11 attack are well-known on the African scene.
45:18 The perps: lions.
45:21 King of the cats and fiercest of predators.
45:25 Hunting the biggest prey...
45:30 challenging the most persistent rivals...
45:36 and commanding the most impressive prides.
45:43 They also have great hair!
45:52 Cheetahs are the marks in this bizarre and brutal showdown.
45:58 They're top hunters in their own right,
46:00 but often considered the underdogs of the big cat world.
46:08 Their thin, lanky bodies and long legs are built for speed, not power.
46:19 They can do 0 to 50 in under three seconds.
46:24 And reach top speeds over 65 miles per hour.
46:37 But they lack the firepower to defend against aggressors,
46:41 and generally choose flight over fight when threatened.
46:56 The scene: Ndutu, a compact, bountiful corner of Tanzania's famous Serengeti.
47:06 It's home to all the top predators a tough neighborhood where lions,
47:14 cheetahs, leopards and hyenas often cross paths.
47:21 They come for the plentiful prey,
47:23 and a permanent water source that stays wet even in the dry season.
47:36 Witness to the attack is filmmaker Reinhard Leo Kuenkel.
47:43 Leo has been living and filming in Africa for more than three decades,
47:47 and is passionate about cheetahs.
47:51 But in all his years following the spotted cats,
47:54 he's never seen an event like this.
48:06 It's an attack so peculiar, so complex,
48:09 and so unexpected he's invited world-renowned lion
48:13 expert Craig Packer to help him decipher it.
48:18 Leo: It's such a long time, huh?
48:20 NARRATOR: Craig is studying the way top predators
48:23 interact on the other side of the Serengeti.
48:27 Leo hopes he can shed light on what motivated the assault.
48:33 Base camp for the investigation is Leo's edit suite-with-a-view.
48:42 Leo: Craig, I would like you to have a look at that scene,
48:45 and I thought I got some very unusual stuff.
48:52 NARRATOR: On the day of the attack,
48:53 Leo was out filming on the southern edge of the Serengeti
48:56 when he gets an urgent call from his wife.
49:00 Leo: She called me on the radio saying come over here,
49:03 something very interesting is happening.
49:09 NARRATOR: Rushing to her location, he arrives just ahead of the chaos.
49:16 Three male cheetahs are hot on the heels of a female who is coming into heat.
49:22 They've been pursuing her for hours.
49:26 Trying to keep her close until she's ready to mate.
49:32 They're also competing with each other for her favor.
49:37 Leo: These are three territorial males and this is one of your guys.
49:45 NARRATOR: One of his guys is a large male lion,
49:48 who's just appeared on the scene.
49:51 But the testosterone-fueled male cheetahs are not initially impressed.
49:58 Craig is surprised by the cheetah's reaction as the lion approaches.
50:06 Craig: It looked like he had just lost his balance,
50:09 but it's very clear that he slaps the ground.
50:11 I've never seen a cheetah threaten a lion before.
50:13 Leo: I've never seen that either.
50:16 Usually, cheetahs would simply run away from the lions in that situation.
50:20 But this guy put up a really strong determined show.
50:24 And that lion is three times its own weight.
50:29 NARRATOR: It's a macho move, but fleeting.
50:33 Craig: It's definitely out of his league, and then he kind of realizes,
50:39 Oh, that was silly, I just threatened a lion.
50:46 NARRATOR: The female cheetah has a different response.
50:50 Three randy males are bad enough-she's not about to take on a lion as well.
50:58 Feeling threatened, she's taken cover in an awkward location.
51:02 Leo: And up there you see a female cheetah,
51:06 which has tried to escape from the lion and from the male cheetahs.
51:15 NARRATOR: Cheetahs often seek out high spots when they're scanning for prey,
51:19 but this is extreme.
51:21 Leo: She was standing there, she was shivering.
51:24 I could see her legs, they were really shivering fast while she was watching
51:28 the lion and she was also watching the three males.
51:34 NARRATOR: Terrified, the female decides to make a run for it.
51:39 Leo: And when she saw a chance, she actually jumped down from up there,
51:43 jumped down and then raced off at 100 miles an hour,
51:50 and all we could do then is to follow her because
51:53 the three males were also chasing her, trying to catch up with her.
52:03 I revved up the engine and raced after them,
52:07 but they were so fast it was really hard to keep up with those guys.
52:18 NARRATOR: By the time he catches up, the action has resumed.
52:24 The males have tracked the female to her new hiding place in a bush.
52:31 They're so intent on getting the girl,
52:33 they cast their coalition relationships aside
52:35 and compete fiercely for her attention.
52:43 Craig: It's like they got this once chance
52:44 with this female and instead of making a good first impression,
52:49 they're really rude and they're really aggressive
52:51 and they really try to grab them.
52:53 So presumably they're trying to make sure that they mate
52:55 with her before she moves on to a different area.
53:02 NARRATOR: The males are desperate to seal the deal.
53:09 Leo: And now is when the noise started,
53:11 she protested and they just jumped on her...
53:15 NARRATOR: In their excitement,
53:16 the males fail to notice that they're still being stalked.
53:22 The lion is following...albeit at his own, more stately pace.
53:32 Leo: They were calling and calling and making a big noise
53:36 and fighting each other and that attracted and motivated that lion.
53:46 NARRATOR: Leo was as surprised as the cheetahs.
53:50 Leo: I was filming, from the car, and suddenly on my left hand side,
53:54 the lion came in and I was very lucky my camera was on when he rushed in.
54:12 NARRATOR: Somehow positioned perfectly in the middle of a maelstrom,
54:14 filmmaker Leo Kuenkel finds himself bearing witness to a brutal attack.
54:22 NARRATOR: Three male cheetahs have chased a female into a bush,
54:24 and the group is now being stalked by an aggressive male lion.
54:31 As the male cheetahs noisily attempt to mate
54:33 with the frightened female, the lion rushes in.
54:49 Leo: The lion came out with that female in its teeth
54:53 and by that time you could tell she was already dead.
55:09 Craig: He's crushing her skull; this is the same way they kill lion cubs.
55:16 NARRATOR: It's a gruesome hit.
55:18 A fearsome display of force.
55:35 But strangely, the male cheetahs barely seem to notice.
55:40 Leo: And those guys are fighting again
55:42 while he is still busy killing the female.
55:45 What an incredible situation.
55:52 NARRATOR: Right there at the scene,
55:53 the male cheetahs continue to squabble-madly vying for the attention
55:57 of their dead companion while her killer is still on the prowl.
56:10 Leo can't believe what he's seeing.
56:13 Not even in his wildest imagination could
56:15 he have conceived of an event like this.
56:19 And what he didn't know at the time: the violence was just getting started.
56:33 Seeing the attack on tape, Craig is as surprised as Leo was.
56:39 Craig: Typically what I see is just
56:41 the lions show up and the cheetahs skedaddle.
56:44 NARRATOR: There's no simple reason why a powerful male lion should feel the need
56:48 to track and attack four adult cheetahs who were minding their own business.
56:56 Before getting to the rest of the encounter,
56:58 Craig wants some background on both perpetrator and pursued.
57:04 Craig: So this is the three males after the female...
57:06 Leo: Yeah, this is the coalition of three males.
57:09 They would have been in their prime, say four or five years old.
57:14 NARRATOR: The three were probably brothers,
57:16 who had stayed together when they left their mother.
57:23 Cheetah males form these coalitions to improve
57:25 their chances of getting and holding good territory.
57:39 A good range means lots of prey, and is also likely to attract more females,
57:43 who travel great distances looking for worthy mates.
57:56 When a female enters their territory,
57:58 the males try to assess if she's coming into heat.
58:02 If she is, they'll keep on her until she's ready to mate.
58:11 Leo: I've seen a male cheetah mate with a female and it's a very short,
58:17 very unromantic affair.
58:19 She crouches down, he grabs her at the nape and he pulls as hard,
58:25 as if he wants to take her coat off,
58:28 and they basically part within half an hour or so.
58:33 Craig: And he may never see her again.
58:34 Leo: Never see her again and that's it.
58:44 NARRATOR: With mates and quality real estate hard
58:46 to come by, competition between cheetah coalitions can be fierce.
58:59 Skirmishes between groups get nasty, sometimes leading to injury or even death.
59:20 Once dominance is established, the victors keep the territory.
59:26 The losers beat a careful, submissive retreat.
59:42 In the case of Leo's cheetahs, it's not coalitions battling for territory,
59:46 it's blood brothers squabbling over a female.
59:52 There's no doubt that can drive males of most species to distraction,
59:55 but Leo has never seen a sibling
1:00:00 rivalry cause such blatant disregard for mortal danger.
1:00:08 This one-of-a-kind video is changing our understanding of just how irresistible
1:00:12 a female can be...and just how irrational her suitors can get.
1:00:19 Leo: What's puzzling is how strongly the hormones effect their brain
1:00:26 in such a way that they totally neglect the danger.
1:00:31 I mean, something must be happening there, something strong.
1:00:36 NARRATOR: Their testosterone levels are
1:00:38 peaking-their need to mate all-consuming.
1:00:46 It's putting them in danger,
1:00:47 but at least it's a biological explanation for the cheetahs' recklessness.
1:00:53 Craig is not so sure the same can be said about the lion's strange behavior.
1:01:00 He's not looking for sex-he's out for blood.
1:01:05 Craig: So right here he's making no attempt to conceal himself,
1:01:08 so this is the way they would behave towards a stranger in their territory.
1:01:13 NARRATOR: But Craig sees no motive for the display of dominance.
1:01:19 He thinks brothers like this should have had more
1:01:22 important things to do than harass a few scrawny cheetahs.
1:01:33 Most males of their stature would be busy trying to take over new prides,
1:01:37 or protecting their own prides from the fierce advances of other males.
1:01:47 These clashes can be vicious.
1:01:50 Male lions have been known to fight each other to the death.
1:02:02 The battles are winner take all: territory...prey...
1:02:11 and, most importantly, females.
1:02:20 The victors get mating rights to the lionesses-a
1:02:23 chance to sire the next generation of lions.
1:02:48 Sadly, it's not a happy ending for everyone.
1:02:55 When a takeover succeeds,
1:02:56 the conquerors engage in one of the most brutal acts in the animal kingdom.
1:03:02 They chase down and kill any cubs from the previous pride males.
1:03:22 It's a grizzly but effective way to ensure that their genes will be passed on.
1:03:29 And, it's the quickest way to get the pride females back in heat.
1:03:53 With such high stakes in the world of lions,
1:03:55 it's amazing Leo's lion is wasting his time
1:03:58 with the cheetahs-exhibiting unusual persistence for little apparent gain.
1:04:06 Craig: This is a very unusual situation.
1:04:09 NARRATOR: As Craig scrolls back through the footage,
1:04:12 he's intrigued by the lion's uncharacteristic determination.
1:04:16 Craig: Usually, it's like always against one.
1:04:18 NARRATOR: Lions are notoriously lazy, especially during the heat of the day.
1:04:26 Yet, he's just watched this one follow the cheetahs in the blazing sun,
1:04:30 dive headlong into a bush to take them
1:04:35 on, then crush the skull of the unfortunate female.
1:04:43 Now, he's going after the survivors, and he's about to get some help.
1:04:57 NARRATOR: For this determined lion, persistence is paying off.
1:05:01 He's got one cheetah down, and is still on the hunt.
1:05:07 What Craig hasn't seen a hint of...is why he's going to all that trouble.
1:05:13 That's the big mystery he and Leo are trying to solve.
1:05:16 Craig: See I don't think there's any reason to expect lions to want to remove
1:05:20 cheetah from an area because the way they occupy the habitat is so different.
1:05:26 The lions like to stay in adequate cover and they
1:05:29 stay hidden and they don't actually go where the herds are.
1:05:33 NARRATOR: Though they patrol the same general territories,
1:05:36 the two predators have very different hunting techniques,
1:05:39 so they're not even competing for the same prey.
1:05:46 Lions use their strength, size and numbers to go after the big boys-buffalo,
1:06:00 zebra, wildebeest and even giraffes.
1:06:19 Their hunts are masterpieces of teamwork when they attack on masse...
1:06:30 or exhibitions of pure power when they venture out alone.
1:06:48 Cheetahs, on the other hand, are specialists.
1:06:53 They lack a lion's heavy artillery,
1:06:56 instead relying on their unparalleled speed to catch their prey.
1:07:07 On the open plains, they use their tails as rudders
1:07:10 and their long hind legs and flexible spines to generate massive forward thrust.
1:07:22 Their technique works.
1:07:28 They actually take down close to 50 percent of the prey
1:07:31 they go after a far higher success rate than lions.
1:07:40 But for the most part, lions couldn't be bothered with the prey cheetahs hunt.
1:07:46 Too small.
1:07:49 Not worth the effort.
1:07:51 And, usually, too fast and agile to catch.
1:07:56 What lions will do is steal a meal from a cheetah after it's killed.
1:08:07 This is a primary point of conflict between
1:08:10 the two species But it's never an even fight.
1:08:15 Cheetahs have no chance against the bigger, stronger marauders.
1:08:21 And lions aren't the only culprits.
1:08:26 Cheetahs often lose kills to other predators
1:08:29 and scavengers before they can eat their fill.
1:08:38 It's for this reason Craig doesn't believe
1:08:40 lions would see cheetahs as competitors worth killing.
1:08:45 Why Leo's video is so uniquely disturbing.
1:08:49 Craig: It makes no sense to me that lions
1:08:51 would want to kill an animal that can capture gazelle.
1:08:55 NARRATOR: To the contrary, he thinks lions benefit from having cheetahs around.
1:09:01 Craig: The cheetah is a great source of a free meal.
1:09:05 If I were a smart lion, I would keep a pet cheetah,
1:09:08 'cause then they could catch me dinner.
1:09:12 NARRATOR: But if that's the case, why is this lion so intent on putting
1:09:14 a further dent in Africa's dwindling cheetah population?
1:09:22 He's already killed the female,
1:09:23 and is now turning his attention back to the oblivious males,
1:09:27 who-to Craig's continued amazement-are showing
1:09:30 no concern about the lion's approach.
1:09:35 Is there something they're missing?
1:09:38 Some reason the cheetahs don't feel the need to run for their lives?
1:09:42 Leo: They used to be the best of brothers
1:09:43 and now they have this deadly fight going on.
1:09:45 Craig: So this is within seconds or?
1:09:47 Leo: This is within seconds,
1:09:48 this would be 50 meters away from where the lion is killing the female,
1:09:53 and then these guys fighting each other to the death over a dead female.
1:10:03 NARRATOR: It's as if they don't know the female is dead.
1:10:07 If anything, they become even more aggressive.
1:10:13 And even less concerned about the presence of the lion...
1:10:20 or lions...
1:10:23 because the threat has suddenly doubled.
1:10:30 The first lion, a bit winded from his slaughter of the female,
1:10:33 is quietly joined by a second impressive male.
1:10:39 Leo: He was still fresh.
1:10:40 He was still curious.
1:10:42 NARRATOR: More than just curious.
1:10:45 The cheetahs scramble out of reach,
1:10:53 then quickly resume their excited squabbling.
1:11:02 It's a bad move, and they'll soon pay the price.
1:11:12 NARRATOR: With their mate dead only yards away
1:11:14 and two threatening lions now on their trail,
1:11:18 the male cheetahs have every reason to flee the scene.
1:11:22 Instead, they continue squabbling amongst themselves as if nothing has happened.
1:11:39 They're playing a dangerous game,
1:11:41 and the new arrival wants a piece of the action.
1:11:47 After his initial exploratory charge, he goes in for the kill.
1:12:05 Craig: Whoa...
1:12:06 Leo: Isn't that incredible?
1:12:10 I didn't believe it when I saw it through the viewfinder.
1:12:15 And now look-the two lions are tearing that poor fellow apart.
1:12:22 Craig: No, it's incredible, just incredible.
1:12:26 Leo: He's using all his strength, that lion, to kill that cheetah.
1:12:31 Craig: He's doing a good job.
1:12:37 NARRATOR: As if the action isn't rare enough,
1:12:39 Leo and his wife were able to capture it on two separate cameras.
1:12:45 Watching the attack from all angles,
1:12:48 Craig marvels at the lion's potent technique.
1:12:53 Craig: Look how he uses his claws to lift up the neck and curl it in.
1:12:57 He's grabbing him, he's holding him in such a position that now he can,
1:13:00 he needs to get the back of the neck.
1:13:03 Once he does that then he can snap its spine.
1:13:06 But then the way the other guy came up and held on to the other end,
1:13:09 that's like a gang attack on another lion.
1:13:11 So they're obviously treating the cheetah like a dangerous animal.
1:13:15 And they're not going to eat it; they just want to kill it.
1:13:20 NARRATOR: They do that with little trouble,
1:13:22 while still keeping track of the remaining two cheetahs.
1:13:35 Incredibly, it takes yet another charge to convince
1:13:37 the survivors to head for safer ground.
1:13:43 And even then, the saga isn't over.
1:13:51 Not completely satisfied, one of the lions returns to the dead cheetah.
1:14:17 For Leo, who has known these cheetahs for many months,
1:14:20 the violence is hard to watch.
1:14:23 And he still can't believe that when push finally came to shove,
1:14:26 the agile cheetah couldn't evade the bigger, slower lion.
1:14:32 Until, he notices something strange in the footage.
1:14:37 Something he hadn't noticed when he was shooting the horrific attack.
1:14:40 Leo: One has to realize that normally cheetahs are so fast they can easily
1:14:47 outrun any lion so in that way they can handle a situation like that.
1:14:55 NARRATOR: But in this case, the cheetah seems slow to react.
1:15:01 Leo only sees the anomaly when they look at the footage in slow motion.
1:15:09 There is something peculiar about the cheetah's movements.
1:15:14 Leo: It looks to me as if this one was wounded.
1:15:17 This cheetah there was injured.
1:15:19 What do you think?
1:15:21 Craig: Could be.
1:15:22 He's slow to get up; he doesn't have huge strength in his back end.
1:15:27 Leo: You see what I mean?
1:15:29 Craig: Yeah, maybe, he got a swiped at.
1:15:30 See the lack of acceleration;
1:15:32 he's getting good pull in the front, but not in the back.
1:15:37 NARRATOR: The question is, can they find out when he got injured?
1:15:42 Was it an old injury, or a fresh wound from the day's brawling?
1:15:51 Craig: So I think what happens here is that one is okay.
1:15:55 He's coming over to join the other two,
1:15:58 and this one, he's not well, he's down, he's staying there.
1:16:01 The other one comes in, he stays down, the other one leaps over,
1:16:04 so he stays down, and this is the one that's gonna die, right?
1:16:11 This is the one you've got,
1:16:12 so when the lion comes up and catches up, that's the one that's most exhausted.
1:16:17 That's the one, that's the one that gets killed.
1:16:22 NARRATOR: But did the injury happen then,
1:16:24 or was he already hurt when his brothers jumped him?
1:16:29 Leo: Could it also be that when
1:16:31 the lion rushed in and eventually killed the female,
1:16:35 he hit one of the escaping males?
1:16:41 NARRATOR: Two of the males scamper away quickly,
1:16:43 but the other takes longer to extract himself from the bush.
1:16:51 Craig: So one possibility is that this guy gets a swipe
1:16:53 at the male as he goes and gets the female.
1:16:56 I think that might have been the same one.
1:16:58 Leo: Could be the case, yeah.
1:17:02 NARRATOR: Whether it was dodging the lion or scuffling with the other cheetahs,
1:17:06 the soon-to-be victim had ample opportunity to sustain a hit.
1:17:11 And the injury-however it was caused-may explain his final inability to escape.
1:17:19 But it still doesn't solve the biggest puzzle of all:
1:17:23 why the lions were so committed to killing the cheetahs in the first place.
1:17:27 Unless...the lions were just lumping cheetahs
1:17:30 in with their true mortal enemies-hyenas and leopards.
1:17:38 And if they had reason to do that, the violence might be warranted.
1:17:50 NARRATOR: The video shot by Leo Kuenkel is one of a kind.
1:17:54 He's documented lions versus cheetahs in a way no one else has,
1:17:58 which is why the events are so difficult to comprehend.
1:18:05 But both Leo and Craig are familiar
1:18:06 with the way lions interact with the other top predators,
1:18:10 and believe these relationships might hold the key to understanding the attack.
1:18:17 Although their survival in the wild is threatened,
1:18:19 we think of lions as the top predators on the African plains.
1:18:23 And they are.
1:18:26 Proud, powerful, deadly.
1:18:37 But just because they're bigger and stronger than
1:18:40 everyone else doesn't mean they don't have enemies.
1:18:48 Enemies who are willing to engage when the odds are in their favor.
1:19:01 It's an aspect of lion life Craig and his field team have
1:19:04 been studying extensively at the Serengeti Lion Project, not far from Ndutu.
1:19:10 Leo hopes their results might provide some
1:19:13 useful information about the rare attack he witnessed.
1:19:18 The team is trying to learn exactly how
1:19:20 predators coexist...or don't, as the case may be.
1:19:28 Led by graduate student Ali Swanson,
1:19:30 Craig's study uses camera traps to capture predator interactions.
1:19:38 Ali: We have 200 cameras set up across the study area,
1:19:41 which is 1000 square kilometers.
1:19:44 And we have so many trees because, you know,
1:19:47 a few pictures can give us an anecdote about what these animals are doing,
1:19:52 but hundreds or thousands gives us a story.
1:19:57 And these trees seem to catch the full suite of species.
1:20:00 Like this one tree has caught lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas.
1:20:05 Just at different times.
1:20:08 Huh, hyenas...ah, we got a leopard.
1:20:22 NARRATOR: Like surveillance cameras at a 24-hour convenience store,
1:20:25 the traps reveal the comings and goings of all the local residents.
1:20:37 The hyenas are the most frequent shoppers.
1:20:40 Ali: There's an aardvark and then hyenas.
1:20:43 Um, hyenas after hyenas after hyena.
1:20:54 NARRATOR: Hyenas outnumber lions three-to-one in this part of Africa...and
1:20:56 are quick to use their numbers to their advantage.
1:21:05 They even go after each other's young.
1:21:20 It's easier to take out the competition before the competition can fight back.
1:21:31 This infanticide is a large part of what makes lions and hyenas mortal enemies.
1:21:42 It's also at the heart of lions' hatred for leopards.
1:21:49 Like cheetahs, leopards often find themselves out-muscled by adult lions.
1:22:00 So they try to pick off cubs to lessen the competition.
1:22:11 Lions are quick to return the favor.
1:22:15 They'll kill any leopard they can catch in order to protect their own young.
1:22:26 Craig believes lions might extend their loathing
1:22:28 for leopards to other spotted cats as well.
1:22:33 Craig: I think it's quite possible that lions can't
1:22:36 really tell the difference between a cheetah and a leopard.
1:22:41 NARRATOR: If all spotted cats are created equal to a lion,
1:22:45 it might explain why the Ndutu lions were pursuing the cheetahs with such vigor.
1:22:52 But Leo's not convinced.
1:22:55 He's sure lions can tell the difference,
1:22:57 and isn't comfortable explaining away the attack as a case of mistaken identity.
1:23:05 But he does think there are some relevant
1:23:07 similarities in the relationships between the three cats.
1:23:11 One last missing link that could provide a clear motive for the attack.
1:23:22 NARRATOR: Trying to understand the brutal scene he captured on tape,
1:23:25 filmmaker Leo Kuenkel has examined every frame of his extraordinary footage,
1:23:30 and together with lion expert Craig Packer,
1:23:33 he's dissected the complex web of animosity between Africa's top predators.
1:23:41 For lions, hyenas and leopards, it's a volatile mix of competition for prey,
1:23:51 overlapping territories, and perhaps of utmost importance, attacks on the young.
1:24:07 But does the same hold true for cheetahs?
1:24:11 Could an instinct for cub-killing have played
1:24:13 a role in the attack Leo witnessed, even though there were no cubs around?
1:24:23 To find out, Leo and Craig will have
1:24:25 to look at both sides of the deadly equation.
1:24:33 First up are cheetah cubs, and they are never safe.
1:24:42 In fact, experts believe that in areas where other large predators abound,
1:24:47 up to 90 percent of all cheetah cubs
1:24:49 are killed before they reach three months of age.
1:24:57 So that leaves only one last crucial question: Craig:
1:25:02 We know that hyenas can kill lion cubs and we know that leopards
1:25:06 can kill lion cubs and kinda the gap in our knowledge has always been:
1:25:11 do cheetah ever kill lion cubs?
1:25:16 NARRATOR: If they do, it would explain why Leo's lions felt such
1:25:19 a persistent urge to destroy the cheetahs they were following.
1:25:25 In the lions' eyes, it would elevate cheetahs
1:25:27 to the same detested category as hyenas and leopards:
1:25:31 mortal enemies to be killed at any opportunity.
1:25:39 Problem is, Craig has never seen or heard of a cheetah taking out a lion cub.
1:25:45 Neither has Leo, though he once came close.
1:25:49 Leo: I haven't seen a cheetah killing a lion cub,
1:25:51 but I've seen a cheetah, a female cheetah chasing two lion cubs.
1:25:56 NARRATOR: Leo remembers it well.
1:25:59 A female cheetah pursuing the two small lion cubs with deadly intent.
1:26:04 Leo: If they had been two weeks younger and their mother hadn't been around,
1:26:09 I'm sure that particular female would have killed them.
1:26:16 NARRATOR: It's not quite a smoking gun,
1:26:18 but it's enough to suggest that lions might,
1:26:21 after all, have good reason to treat cheetahs
1:26:23 the same way they treat the other top predators.
1:26:27 Chase...catch...and kill.
1:26:32 Craig: If cheetah can kill lion cubs and do kill lion cubs,
1:26:36 it would make a lot of sense that these males who are resident
1:26:39 in a pride would want to be
1:26:42 eradicating any potential predators for their own babies.
1:26:46 Leo: I think so, too.
1:26:47 Yeah.
1:26:48 And I think that would explain the behavior that we've seen here.
1:26:54 NARRATOR: It's the final piece of the puzzle,
1:26:57 and lets us finally watch the rare events unfold
1:26:59 with a true understanding of what went down and why.
1:27:07 A female cheetah in heat...trapped by her suitors
1:27:15 ...in the wrong place ...at the wrong time.
1:27:31 Three male cheetahs blinded by lust and an inborn drive to mate at all costs.
1:27:48 A battle wound that limited mobility...
1:27:55 and two powerful male lions,
1:27:58 ruthlessly pursuing rivals who might be a threat to their young.
1:28:08 A perfect storm on the African plains,
1:28:11 and a lucky filmmaker in the perfect position to capture it all on tape.
1:29:03 [howl] [squeal] [yip] [yipping] [thunder] I am life.
1:29:30 I am death.
1:29:36 I give everything.
1:29:42 But I take all.
1:29:47 I am the Savage Kingdom.
1:29:55 [birds squawking] [wildebeest lowing] [grumbling]♪♪ Call her Zalika.
1:30:14 The outlaw queen.
1:30:29 [zebra braying]♪♪ Hated by everyone just for being alive.
1:31:03 [yipping]♪♪ But Zalika plays the long game...
1:31:30 ...slowly building an army to take the great marsh.
1:31:42 No killing grounds are richer, and to the victor the bloody spoils.
1:31:56 [hyenas yipping] They have ruled for too long.
1:32:06 Under protection of the king, Sekekama.
1:32:18 Zalika is planning a revolution to overthrow the lions on their own ground.
1:32:34 [squawking] [snorts]♪♪ [braying] The marsh pride governs with violence.
1:32:59 [braying] Zalika lacks brute force, but she works harder, thinks faster.
1:33:14 Why do the killing...
1:33:27 ...when you can wait and take the leftovers?
1:33:35 [screeching]♪♪ Just one rule.
1:34:00 [growling] Never cross the king.
1:34:06 Sekekama will snap your spine.
1:34:09 No hesitation.
1:34:11 No remorse.
1:34:15 [snarls]♪♪ Their feast ends, and our banquet begins.
1:34:42 [bird squawks]♪♪ Zalika knows the true value of skin and bone.
1:35:22 [growls] Beyond the far edge of the great marsh lies a barren ridge of sand.
1:35:35 Hidden from murderers, welcome to Zalika's secret lair.
1:35:57 The scraps brought back feed tomorrow's hyena soldiers.
1:36:03 [yipping]♪♪ [yipping] A battle-hardened clan of mothers,
1:36:16 the sisterhood is raising an army.
1:36:21 [yelping] Growing their numbers is the only hope against lions.
1:36:36 [yip]♪♪ [yipping] Lose, and a generation will starve.
1:37:05 Armies need discipline.
1:37:17 Zalika's rule is absolute.
1:37:24 Only females can rule the hyena clan.
1:37:30 Only a princess inherits the queen's throne.
1:37:40 And this is Zalika's heir.
1:37:53 It's for her Zalika will win this kingdom.
1:38:00 [squawk] Keep her safe.
1:38:08 [thunder] Soon, Zalika's princess will enter the killing fields,
1:38:19 where a deadly battle will be lost or won.
1:38:26 The battle for the great marsh.
1:38:31 [thunder]♪♪ [wind howling]♪♪ Rains flood new life into the kingdom.
1:39:12 The marsh rewards its rulers.
1:39:16 [squeal] [growling] Enjoy it while it lasts.
1:39:37 We will drag you from your throne.
1:39:54 Zalika will risk her life for her clan.
1:40:00 Her growing army needs more food.
1:40:05 Who will provide?
1:40:08 [yipping] Hunting dogs.
1:40:16 [snorts] Small but lethal.
1:40:26 Find their weakness, Zalika.
1:40:37 [lowing] Fool them with a grin.
1:41:08 Get it wrong, and they'll kill you.
1:41:14 [squeaking] [yelps] [yipping]♪♪ This is a game of deception.
1:41:44 Looking weak is easy.
1:41:48 But the dogs have opened the door to a thief and let her live.
1:42:01 Give this hyena queen an inch, and in time, she will take it all.
1:42:22 The new hyena army grows restless.
1:42:27 [yipping] Hunger ignites their bellies.
1:42:32 [yipping]♪♪ Zalika needs to take a new generation
1:42:55 to scavenge the killing fields of the great marsh.
1:43:09 [chattering] [chirping]♪♪ Where the queen leads,
1:43:21 the sisterhood's new soldiers will follow, her precious princess among them.
1:43:36 Here is your birthright.
1:43:52 For a wide-eyed princess, this is a land of endless opportunity.
1:44:04 [yipping]♪♪ It's all meat, and it's all for eating.
1:44:33 This will all be yours, Princess.
1:44:40 [screeching]♪♪ New soldiers spread out beyond the marsh...
1:44:55 [yipping] ...to size up the battleground.
1:45:02 [squeal] The sisterhood's resolute queen pursues a special mission.
1:45:16 [squawking] Got to get close to a kill.
1:45:32 [yipping] [yipping] [squealing, yipping] Take it step by step.
1:46:18 Too many dogs.
1:46:24 Safer in the water.
1:46:41 Risk a theft.
1:46:43 See what happens.
1:46:45 [yipping] [yipping] Just a little bone, but a big victory.
1:47:10 Zalika can steal from the dogs.
1:47:17 Now it's all about how much.
1:47:25 The scavenger queen is turning the tables.
1:47:37 But power is greedy...
1:47:41 and must be fed constantly.
1:48:02 The clan is growing fast.
1:48:05 [yipping] And their hunger is ravenous.
1:48:20 More demands more.
1:48:25 Only one place left to exploit— the north.
1:48:31 Overgrown...
1:48:33 uncharted...
1:48:36 unpredictable.
1:48:54 Death is coming.
1:49:03 [growls] Death is here.
1:49:15 [roar]♪♪ [yipping]♪♪ Nowhere to hide?
1:49:44 The hyena's curse...
1:49:50 [growling] ...is back.
1:50:03 [roaring]♪♪ Muscle power alone can win battles.
1:50:18 [yipping] But to win the long game demands brains.
1:50:33 The pride of the north.
1:50:36 They look strong, but Zalika sees through them.
1:50:47 Why does the leopard not run?
1:51:00 With no spine-snapping king, these lionesses are weak.
1:51:10 [flies buzzing]♪♪ [sniffs] A plan is forming.
1:51:39 For one clan to rise, another must fall.
1:51:51 If Zalika can defeat the lions of the north, she can feed her army.
1:52:22 [squawking] [squawks]♪♪ Trust your instincts, Zalika.
1:52:41 Strike now.
1:52:52 [squawking] You can beat this pride.
1:53:05 They're alone.
1:53:11 Take this kill from them.
1:53:15 This belongs to the sisterhood.
1:53:20 [groaning]♪♪ No one wants to spill blood.
1:53:41 The lions lose their nerve.
1:53:48 You are weak.
1:53:58 [chattering] Advantage, Zalika.
1:54:25 [growls] [yipping]♪♪ Hyenas do not eat alongside lions.
1:54:38 This is heresy.
1:54:40 [screeching] But the deed is done.
1:55:00 [yipping]♪♪ Victory swells the sisterhood's confidence.
1:55:14 The northern lions are beaten.
1:55:18 Zalika has opened a gateway to the north.
1:55:27 The change of season will bring new riches to them.
1:55:39 [buzzing] The dry season.
1:55:54 When the water is all gone, all thunder north.
1:56:08 Meat follows the water.
1:56:15 Predators follow the meat.
1:56:25 Battle lines are redrawn.
1:56:37 Zalika is waiting.
1:56:45 There will be blood.
1:56:53 Who kills most is no longer important.
1:56:57 Who steals most will win the day.
1:57:00 [barking] [lowing] And theft is Zalika's special power.
1:57:24 [growling]♪♪ Put the dogs in their place.
1:57:44 This is ours.
1:57:47 [growling, yipping]♪♪ Another success, another rival thwarted.
1:58:26 The hyenas are on the rise.
1:58:50 The north belongs to Zalika and her sisterhood.
1:58:55 [squawking] [flies buzzing] Another crop of soldiers comes of age...
1:59:10 as the heat strikes the weak.
1:59:21 Zalika's lucky break.
1:59:26 Perfect timing...
1:59:33 ...for scavengers.
1:59:36 [yipping] The day of the hyena has dawned.
1:59:45 [thunder] Who needs the marsh when you have all this?
1:59:58 And all the casualties that come with drought.
2:00:03 [groan]♪♪ Zalika's princess grows bold, feeding off a kingdom in crisis.
2:00:28 With each carcass the clan claims, her confidence rises.
2:00:36 But when everyone is desperate, watch your back.
2:00:56 [snarls]♪♪ [barks]♪♪ Confidence can kill, Princess.
2:01:38 [growls] [growls]♪♪ Just walk away.
2:02:04 Don't push too far.
2:02:07 [growls]♪♪ [low growling] [roars] [squealing]♪♪ Only fight battles you can win.
2:02:55 [grumbling]♪♪ The movement of meat concentrates old enemies.
2:03:09 [trumpeting] The smell of death lures the sisterhood closer to the marsh.
2:03:28 But always check what lies in the shadows.
2:03:36 The marsh pride.
2:03:43 This carcass is taken.
2:03:53 Careful, Zalika.
2:03:57 Don't you see Sekekama?
2:04:03 He's watching!
2:04:26 Zalika's confidence blinds her to danger.
2:04:43 [growling] [yipping] [growls] [yipping] Wherever Sekekama goes,
2:05:15 death stalks behind.
2:05:19 [elephant grumbling]♪♪ Just as night follows day,
2:05:30 the pride will follow the herd.
2:05:35 Zalika's hard-won north is now no home for hyenas.
2:05:50 The sisterhood has no choice.
2:05:54 They must retreat.
2:06:08 The sun rises on the once-lush marsh.
2:06:16 Now Zalika's only refuge...
2:06:30 ...is a place of desolation and memory.
2:06:39 [squeak]♪♪ But the sweet stench of suffering brings the hyenas hope.
2:06:56 Their only chance is a choked water hole...
2:07:03 guarded by giants.
2:07:08 [bellows] [birds cooing]♪♪ Tragedy is always somebody's good fortune.
2:07:40 [trumpets] Scavengers are never welcome at funerals.
2:07:50 The sisterhood needs this meat, Zalika.
2:07:54 There is nothing else.
2:08:06 Giant mourners can't deter the overeager princess forever.
2:08:13 [elephant bellows] [trumpets] [trumpets] [bellows] [yipping]
2:08:28 [bellows]♪♪ Feed while you can, Princess.
2:08:38 [bellow] Savor the lull before the storm.
2:08:49 [screeching]♪♪ [squawking] On this desolate plain, there is no greater prize.
2:09:13 And with the guardians gone, rivals will surely come.
2:09:25 [squawking] [yipping] Keep hold of your carcass.
2:09:47 Keep hold of this water hole.
2:09:49 It is all you have left.
2:09:52 [grumbling] And so it begins.
2:10:03 Hunting dogs.
2:10:29 We have beaten them before, Princess.
2:10:34 Hold your ground.
2:10:35 [grumbling]♪♪ [grumbling]♪♪ But this time, the pack doesn't back down.
2:10:59 Something is different.
2:11:02 Something's not right.
2:11:06 The reckless princess is playing with fire.
2:11:10 [yipping] You should know, Zalika,
2:11:26 when the dogs have pups, they fight to the death.
2:11:40 [growls, yips] [yipping]♪♪ Zalika knows when to stay and fight...
2:12:27 ...and when to run for her life.
2:12:38 The defiant princess does not.
2:12:56 [growling]♪♪ Her reign will never come.
2:13:21 [grumbling] [trumpets] [sniffing] [bellow]♪♪ Your clan in exile...
2:13:53 your daughter dead.
2:13:59 These are dark times, Zalika.
2:14:04 There is nothing left for your clan here.
2:14:08 [calling] But Zalika always holds on to her cunning, her undying ambition.
2:14:26 [screech] True queens are made on the heels of failure.
2:14:41 [squawking] Zalika has one more chance.
2:14:55 Vultures mean an opportunity is close.
2:15:05 But they are in her way again.
2:15:11 The marsh pride, of course.
2:15:17 Only this time, no king.
2:15:30 Zalika may have lost her daughter, but the sisterhood stands firm behind her.
2:15:40 [growling] We can take them!
2:15:47 [whooping]♪♪ [yipping] [growling] [whooping]
2:16:28 [growls] [yipping]♪♪ [growling] [yipping]
2:17:11 [roars] This is not about food, this is revolution.
2:17:18 [whooping] [growling] Tear them apart!
2:18:30 A new power is unleashed on the kingdom.
2:18:45 These are the moments of legend.
2:18:51 Under Zalika's rule, the sisterhood carries the day.
2:19:07 [growls] [yipping] [chirping]♪♪ I am life.
2:19:25 I am death.
2:19:27 [growling] I give everything.
2:19:35 [thunder] But I take all.
2:20:13 Satau knows the dangers of buffalo.
2:20:20 [snorts]♪♪ Her six young sons and daughter do not.
2:20:38 But this is the moment they have been training for.
2:21:08 [growls]♪♪ Work together.
2:21:28 Take this beast down.
2:21:56 A skillful defense by the old bull.
2:22:03 Satau has yet to teach her young family how to kill in water.
2:22:15 They will learn...
2:22:20 or they will starve.
2:22:47 Two mothers run the pride of the north.
2:22:55 Satau is our noble leader.
2:22:59 Her sister always has her back.
2:23:11 They shared an unbreakable bond.
2:23:48 The same cannot be said for their absent kings.
2:24:00 Sekekama and his brother deserted Satau's family long ago...
2:24:11 ...drawn away from their northern home by the great marsh in the south;
2:24:19 seduced by the abundance of prey it holds...
2:24:28 ...and by the cunning queen, Matsumi.
2:24:39 [roaring]♪♪ Satau's nemesis now builds an army with her new lord.
2:25:09 [thunder]♪♪ With or without a king,
2:25:47 the abandoned sisters train their fatherless family for greatness.
2:25:57 In time, they could become a formidable pride.
2:26:21 With so many mouths to feed, Satau skirts the edge of the great marsh.
2:26:37 [roars]♪♪ This is a dangerous place to trespass, Satau.
2:27:25 [zebra braying] The great marsh belongs to Matsumi.
2:27:33 [growling] Sekekama and his brother are back.
2:27:58 Who is he here for?
2:28:04 He is no longer your king.
2:28:09 No longer a father to your sons.
2:28:17 And what he disowns, he kills.
2:28:33 [growls]♪♪ Satau tries to distract her old king.
2:28:43 She is playing with fire to save her sons.
2:28:58 But Sekekama is not taken in.
2:29:01 Any males are a threat to his throne.
2:29:12 [growling]♪♪ The princes have a choice.
2:29:46 Exile or execution...
2:29:52 ...at the jaws of their brutal father.
2:30:07 [roars] [roaring] Satau and her sister will never see their sons again.
2:30:37 [thunder]♪♪ Bloodlines run deep.
2:30:52 [thunder] But power is the king's master.
2:31:00 [thunder] [thunder] [rain falling] [roars]♪♪ Sekekama
2:32:08 leaves a shattered family in his wake.
2:32:12 [roars] Satau needed her sons to build her pride.
2:32:33 Once they were nine, and now they are three.
2:32:41 They wander alone...
2:32:45 in a dangerous place where numbers matter.
2:32:58 [bird chirps] Satau, you are now vulnerable.
2:33:03 [growls] You need all your strength just to survive.
2:33:24 Your last remaining cub is unaware of the dangers.
2:33:48 North of the great marsh, the rains have kept the forest lush.
2:34:00 Between the hills and along the river channel,
2:34:04 there are still good places to hide and regroup.
2:34:15 With so few of you left, Satau, you'd do well to lie low.
2:34:27 Hard times lie ahead.
2:34:40 You need to kill.
2:34:58 [zebra braying]♪♪ [braying]♪♪ [braying] With fewer claws and jaws,
2:35:36 it is more miss than hit.
2:35:46 Prey is plentiful.
2:35:50 But without a full pride, Satau needs a new strategy.
2:36:19 The smell of death lingers around Leopard Rock.
2:36:29 Another's kill will have to do.
2:36:41 [growl] Nothing is beyond your dignity now.
2:37:15 [hissing] If stealing from another cat allows you
2:37:21 to cling onto life in this kingdom, so be it.
2:37:41 [yipping] Everyone knows...
2:37:56 hunters that cannot hunt...
2:38:02 ...their days are numbered.
2:38:28 A marauding pack of 20 wild dogs invades Satau's river.
2:38:37 Their strategy— to drive and corner their victims against the bank...
2:38:43 [squeaking]♪♪ ...then eat 'em alive.
2:39:18 [growling] Another opportunity for an ever-hungry Satau to pull rank.
2:39:32 A chance to steal.
2:40:00 Satau knows that lions always trump dogs...
2:40:04 [growls] ...regardless of numbers.
2:40:29 [thunder]♪♪ Our noble queen is now a full-time thief.
2:40:53 Living on leftovers from one day to the next.
2:41:05 Big prides don't rely on scavenging.
2:41:16 Matsumi certainly does not.
2:41:23 [bellows] On the great marsh, her army grows strong.
2:41:31 [bellows]♪♪ Soon, they'll be ready for war.
2:41:57 Satau must steal when and where she can.
2:42:03 Starvation is only a meal away.
2:42:11 A new enemy breaches the north.
2:42:15 Something wicked this way comes.
2:42:18 [whoop]♪♪ Take it while you can.
2:42:35 You never know when you'll get the chance again.
2:43:19 [snarling] The northern sisters do well off the backs of others.
2:43:28 [growling] [yipping] But how long can it last?
2:43:55 [growls] Without a king, they are exposed.
2:44:05 Hyenas smell weakness.
2:44:08 They lose their fear and push closer than ever before.
2:44:21 They know you have no kings.
2:44:27 Watch your back.
2:44:30 [whooping]♪♪ [screeching]♪♪ Scavenging is the pride of the north's new normal.
2:45:35 But now even this risks being taken.
2:45:42 [whooping, yipping] Her tormentors are already here.
2:45:58 [yipping] [snarls] Hyenas' confidence feeds on her uncertainty and fear.
2:46:16 [yelps] [growling] Satau now sits at her enemy's table.
2:46:35 [growls] [yipping]♪♪ From queen to scavenger to nothing.
2:47:10 If they keep losing to hyenas...
2:47:17 they will starve.
2:47:24 [squawk]♪♪ The great marsh dries.
2:47:56 The herds move north.
2:48:23 In their dusty tracks, Matsumi's army follows.
2:48:48 [bellowing]♪♪ Fearless Sekekama makes it look easy,
2:49:04 killing and gorging along the way.
2:49:23 Matsumi's marsh pride seems invincible.
2:49:28 They edge ever closer to Satau's domain, without a fear or a care in the world.
2:49:40 [roaring]♪♪♪♪ The Savage Kingdom grants nobody any favors.
2:50:17 [growls] Every living thing must pay.
2:50:37 The herds flooding north offer Satau one last chance.
2:50:52 You can do this.
2:50:55 You need to do this.
2:51:06 [zebra braying]♪♪ [braying] [growling] [wildebeest snorting] Finally.
2:51:42 A moment of relief.
2:51:49 Not a day too soon.
2:52:06 While there's food, there's hope.
2:52:20 Now you face the toughest challenge to your existence, Satau.
2:52:26 The great thirst is coming.
2:52:42 [grumbling] Water is disappearing.
2:52:56 The drought has begun.
2:53:00 All now jostle for what remains.
2:53:09 [trumpets]♪♪ [roars]♪♪ Satau's place of hiding is crowded,
2:53:37 and this attracts unwelcome company.
2:53:58 [roaring] Nomads drift in from the dry margins.
2:54:23 It is not Sekekama, nor his murderous brother.
2:54:34 These are outsiders here to wrestle power from a kingdom in crisis.
2:54:50 And what aspiring kings want most are queens.
2:55:01 Could this be Satau's salvation?
2:55:05 [roar]♪♪ [growls] They could protect you.
2:55:15 With them, you could build a pride again.
2:55:26 You must win them over.
2:55:39 Lion courtship is a dangerous business.
2:55:54 Done wrong, it would be deadly.
2:56:24 Never trust nomads.
2:56:34 [growling] [roars]♪♪ Aspiring kings take what they want.
2:57:07 But just as this is not Sekekama or his brother...
2:57:15 ...nor is this Satau or her sister.
2:57:28 It's Satau's nemesis, Matsumi.
2:57:33 [roars]♪♪ And where Matsumi goes, Sekekama follows.
2:58:07 [growls]♪♪ [snarling]♪♪ [roaring]♪♪ [snarling]♪♪ [growls]♪♪ Defeated,
2:59:00 the nomads are banished.
2:59:11 Nobody steals from the king.
2:59:21 Satau is left with nothing.
2:59:28 No king.
2:59:31 No home.
2:59:50 Matsumi's pride already hunts the river as if it's their own.
3:00:14 Satau must flee.
3:00:23 One long, last look at her kingdom,
3:00:28 as her conquering enemy takes possession, with Sekekama on its bloody throne.
3:00:47 You have lost everything.
3:01:00 There is nowhere else to go.
3:01:04 The badlands are your only choice.
3:01:15 Sekekama and Matsumi take what's theirs.
3:01:43 [roaring]♪♪ Satau's cursed pride is now homeless
3:02:14 and wanders a harsh and barren wasteland.
3:02:25 You are still alive.
3:02:30 Trust your instincts.
3:02:41 Satau has no idea where she is going, nor when her next meal will come.
3:02:50 Everything is so unfamiliar...
3:03:01 ...frightening, hostile.
3:03:29 [roaring] They've escaped one death trap and now head into another.
3:03:47 It's the exiled nomads...
3:03:52 bruised and belligerent.
3:04:08 [snarls]♪♪ [grunts] It is the most dangerous situation for any lioness.
3:04:36 If you surrender, you may just stay alive.
3:04:49 [birds chirping] You have nothing left to lose.
3:05:06 It is now your turn.
3:05:13 [growls]♪♪ [roaring]♪♪ [growls] Satau will make kings of these nomads.
3:05:53 They will enable her to grow her pride again and protect them all.
3:06:10 A royal alliance to secure the pride of the north's future.
3:06:34 [growls]♪♪ [roaring]♪♪ Fortunes can change overnight.
3:07:28 A king's protection is everything.
3:07:32 [roaring]♪♪ From life's darkest depths,
3:07:59 Satau rises and starts to build the pride of the north anew.
3:08:14 One day soon, Satau will grow her pride strong enough to go
3:08:19 and retake her place as a rightful queen of the Savage Kingdom.