Explore the Wildlife Kingdom | Lions: Kings of Africa | Full Movie | Grant Goodeve

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] africa's most powerful hunter terrifying and fierce over the course of one year on an african plane we followed a family of lions and witnessed their loyalty for each other we saw their strength their playfulness and their savage force [Music] but even this hunter of hunters must struggle to survive [Music] join us now for lion africa's king of the beasts [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] wow [Music] in the chronicles of narnia by c s lewis the king of all narnia is aslan the great lion lions have always evoked images of kingliness majestic and powerful the great lions have no equal on this edition of explore the wildlife kingdom we traveled to the nagoro nagoro crater in northern tanzania where for a full year we witnessed the struggle for life and death among africa's kings 100 square miles of untouched african wilderness tanzania's nagoro nagoro crater is a steep-sided bowl formed when an ancient volcano collapsed this is the kingdom of lions and the stage for a drama of life and death [Music] the crater echoes with a call this place is mine a lioness answers she belongs to a large family group over which this male rules at 11 years old the lioness has already had several cubs her year-old sons show the fluffy beginnings of a mane the bonds between female lions are strongest her four-year-old daughter greets the old lioness by rubbing heads and touching noses just as house cats do the signal for that's enough also seems to be understood by cats large and small [Music] when one of the young approaches his father the greeting is uneasy the adult male the largest african cat always demands caution the females in the group are related and spend their lives together lions are the only cats to live in such families known as prides [Music] it is the end of the dry season seven months since the last rains and most of the prey animals have gone but one that lives here year round drinks and grazes at a small lake within the lion's territory the cape buffalo one of the largest and most dangerous animals in africa it has been a long time since the pride's last meal only very hungry lions will take on the powerful beast the buffalo have not yet seen the hunting party all females a veteran hunter the old lioness leads the attack her daughter moves around one flank while the third lioness takes the other [Music] still unaware of the lions two bulls spar in a test of strength horns are their greatest weapons the old lioness turns toward the smaller cows [Music] her daughter inches forward [Music] with the third lioness in place the ambush is set [Music] [Music] oh with its massive bulk and sharp horns a buffalo could prove deadly even to a [Music] lion [Music] one lioness has been badly hurt [Music] she has suffered severe internal injuries as the rest of her family begin to feed she disappears into the night in the cool clear air of an african dawn the old lioness and one of her pride mates moved through the misty reeds [Music] slowly they are drawn by the scent and sight of a motionless form it is the injured lioness the buffalo's victim has died what an animal understands of death is impossible to know but one thing seems clear these lions recognize one of their own and at some level experience her loss [Music] the lions make their way back to the pride now they are reunited minus one the two young males see their mother approach and their sister calls to her [Music] the old lioness greets her daughter they communicate through sound smell facial expressions and body language the pride has lost one of its numbers the dry season has been harsh after seven long months life-giving rain clouds hover at the crater's rim [Music] for the old lioness and her family the wet season means the time of hardship is over in the normal cycle of feast or famine the good times are near within a few short days the dry earth will be lush and green attracting animals by the thousands but for now the rains are something simply to wait out [Music] it is the season of renewal and the crater teems with life african crown cranes are joined by thousands of migrating flamingos dry stream beds catch the precious water and once again begin to flow [Music] creeks become rivers ponds swell to lakes for hippos wallowing pools are full to overflowing to feed on the sweet new grasses herds of zebra and wildebeest migrate across the crater floor and back into the pride's territory the old lionesses daughter is now mature and lets the adult male know she is ready to mate the male has mating rights with all the females in his pride though highly unusual this male is also dominant over another pride with whom he enjoys the same privileges when a lioness is in heat the male and female stay together constantly for about four days incredibly they mate on average every 30 minutes day and night nearly 200 matings [Music] so this long courtship may help strengthen the bonds between male and female [Music] but it also leaves him exhausted soon the pride will hunt again alert the lions wait the reins have returned prey to the hunters the old lioness is the bride's most expert hunter even in times of plenty surprise is [Music] essential experienced lions rarely charge from more than 30 yards [Music] despite their fearsome reputation lions actually kill only once in every four or five tries but they will quickly strike again all eyes turn to a nearby marsh the old lioness's daughter leads the attack she has spotted some distance from the herd one animal that is alone and vulnerable trapped by the mud the zebra cannot [Music] escape like most cats lions hate water [Music] but the members of the pride must maneuver a maze of streams and puddles to reach the kill some are better than others [Music] but the effort provides a rude shock for this youngster and perhaps an even greater one for the regal male the pride gathers to feed the zebra is large enough to feed them all throughout the wet season while the herds are in their territory food for the lions remains plentiful along with the time of plenty comes the cycle of birth [Music] more than fifteen thousand wildebeest live in the crater and in the course of just a few weeks hundreds of calves are born lions and other predators target the young so calves must develop quickly to keep up with the herd the old lionesses sons grow strong and her daughter is now a mother herself [Music] after a pregnancy of three and a half months she has given birth to two male cops at first she keeps her cubs well hidden by seven weeks they have begun to explore their world like house kittens the cubs still need the nurturing comfort of their mother [Music] nearby because this male is their father he will be extremely protective if rather fearsome at times as dominant male he will also fight to defend the pride but the actual care and feeding of the cubs is left to the females by age three the cubs will have left the family by five they will be as strong as their father and will have to establish prides of their own suddenly danger rhinos and lions are natural territorial rivals highly unpredictable these two-ton beasts can pose a real threat to lions and their cubs the male guardian of the pride tries to intervene but frightened off he beats a hasty retreat the momentary danger passes whether or not it had anything to do with the mail peace and calm return with boundless energy the young play while elders rest apparently enjoyable in its own right play may also help young lions perfect the hunting and fighting skills they will need as adults [Music] for now the cubs survive on milk alone at three months meat is gradually introduced into their diet but they will continue to nurse until they are six months old an extended family of aunts cousins older sisters and grandmothers will all care for each other's cubs even suckle them if they have milk even so the youngsters have the best chance of survival if there are no older cubs around to compete at feeding [Music] time [Music] among the most inactive of animals lions rest or does up to 20 hours a day by the ripe old age of 13 that means a lion may have spent almost 11 of those years flat on its back for a hunting animal sleep is essential to restore energy and they seem happiest in close contact with the family group there are only two seasons in the crater wet and dry five months of rain are about to end [Music] the searing african sun dries and cracks the earth the prey herds begin to leave in search of better grazing outside the lion's [Music] territory territorial animals lions do not migrate with or without the herds they will remain and protect their home range the lean days of dryness have only just begun here they will stay here they wait before the next rains their very lives will be at risk without let up the scorching sun bakes the crater for seven months the pride is always on the lookout for food at four months the cubs are bolder and more adventurous in their play the adult male almost never plays [Music] but he is tolerant and gentle even indulgent but only to a point females are much more likely to play not only with the cubs but with each other but the male remains nearby even while sleeping although the cubs are still nursing they now also must have meat to survive a few prey animals remain in the lion's territory too young to hunt for themselves the cubs rely on their mother and other females the old lioness takes the lead [Music] asleep the male is totally unaware of the hunt but alert hyenas have missed nothing hyenas often hunt for themselves but they are legendary scavengers eager for whatever the lions leave behind but they know better than to tangle with an adult male lionesses normally give way to the male but when this hungry not without a fight it is often the small cubs who suffer most especially at the time of year when food is scarce but their father having just forced the females away allows the cubs to eat right by his side once he has eaten his fill which may be up to a hundred pounds of meat the male is content to leave the carcass to the rest of the pride soon little remains and the lions move away from the kill always competitors the hyenas seize the opportunity and move in though no longer hungry the lions are quick to spot their rivals moving toward the kill [Music] the theft will not be tolerated [Music] [Applause] [Music] ah [Music] great the water holes by now are nearly dry with most of the prey animals gone the lions have the pools to themselves but soon even they may have to travel for water regardless of the season the cubs are always ready to play under its mother's watchful eye the larger cat must show some restraint no matter how bold the young cub much like domestic kittens cubs bite swat wrestle and tease and finally coax others into the game but with the mother looking on it only goes so far the male now leaves the females and cubs and goes in search of his other pride in another territory where hunting may be better this year the dry months are exceptionally cruel within the lions territory there is little edible for the zebra and wildebeest soon only the other permanent residents remain including buffalo and hippos forced from their shrinking pools in the midday heat to graze on what's left of the grass on average lions need more than 10 pounds of meat a day to survive but it may be many days between meals adult hippos can weigh up to four tons but to the young hungry males they are the only option it is unusual for a lion to kill an adult hippo but the young males are very hungry and extremely bold in an oddly matched and dangerous dance each partner struggles to seize control though frightened the giants hold their ground finally the lions see an opportunity size may be the hippo's main defense but this time a fast retreat proves even better submerged the hippo is safe the young lioness has remained at a distance with her cubs now in a desperate search for food she leads them on a journey miles from the rest of the pride to the farthest reaches of their territory [Music] the pride has noticed her absence and after several hours the old lioness calls to her vanished daughter and the cubs [Music] but they have moved too far away to here a mother and two small cubs brave unseen dangers alone the small family searching for food remains alone at the edge of their territory and far from the protection of the pride at the site of the buffalo the mother signals to her cubs and they scurry for cover but their mother must hunt she leaves her young behind well camouflaged as she pursues the buffalo calf then without warning she comes face to face with lions from a different pride also in pursuit of the same prey motionless she waits the calf is small and weak the other lions prepare to strike but they must separate the protective mother from her young as one lioness diverts her attention another moves in for the kill the buffalo has missed her moment defeated there is no reason to fight now the challenger the lone mother with hungry cubs comes to claim a share lions from different brides may occasionally share food but the kill is small she takes a great risk [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] the mother lioness is forced to retreat back into her own territory the strength of the other pride is clear [Music] for the cubs there is no food today but their mother has returned to them and she is relatively unharmed for the tired and hungry threesome it is time to head for home one of the young males sees them [Music] the old lioness calls to the daughter she could not find after the separation their greetings are especially affectionate one of the cubs moves past his mother to nuzzle his grandmother finally three generations of lions are together again [Music] but the comfort of reunion is overshadowed by ever-present hunger soon the lions must eat or die [Music] [Music] [Music] oppressive heat now chokes the crater the buffalo easily adapt to the short brittle grass but for the cunning lions it means a lack of cover no place to hide [Music] there is now nothing between the lions and their most fearful enemy if aroused to fight a buffalo would be nearly unstoppable in a charge it is a gamble against great odds every lion in the pride except the small cubs must work as one the adults shelter the young calves tense alert determined they form a nearly impenetrable wall [Music] suddenly their defensive position erupts briefly one of the cavs is exposed [Music] one of the adolescent males joins the assault [Music] [Music] amidst the onslaught the cow stays by the side of her calf [Music] um [Music] the buffalo triumph the lions are outdone but the exhausted lions will have one last chance though they haven't seen it yet in the chaos two adults have fallen behind in an instant the old female takes off the large bull attacks at the same time shielding the smaller female [Music] the lions managed to separate the two but surprisingly it's the big bull they tackle an adult female lion averages less than 300 pounds but a buffalo can weigh nearly two thousand only together do the lions stand a [Music] chance from behind the lions are safe from the buffalo's dagger-like horns but buffalo can turn quickly and suddenly in a spectacular display the lions bring the great creature down the hunters collapse exhausted giving the cubs an unusual first chance at the meal wow after long lean days the lions have triumphed together as a unit as a family they have accomplished what none could have done alone the pride has survived intact [Music] another dry season is ending soon new rains will sweep the crater amidst a crash of thunder the old lioness hears another familiar sound [Music] the adult male has returned [Music] he will continue to wander between his two prides of females and will be welcomed equally by both [Music] soon the young males will be old enough to have prides of their own they will leave their family and never again return for untold centuries these creatures of legend have called nagoro nagoro crater a home today as then they inspire wonder and awe noble and proud they reign supreme the pride of africa forever king of the beasts [Music] african male lions can weigh up to 550 pounds and can run a staggering 50 miles per hour lions have mistakenly been called the king of the jungle but the fact is lions do not inhabit jungles they live in a highly social structure on the african plain join us again for another edition of explore the wildlife kingdom as we journey into the kingdom of creation a place where nature tells its own story and reveals to us wildlife's incredible [Music] design [Music] you

Channel: Exploration Films

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Keywords: Film, Movie, Grant Goodeve, Steve Greisen, Explore the Wildlife Kingdom Lions Kings of Africa movie, Explore the Wildlife Kingdom Lions Kings of Africa full movie, Explore the Wildlife Kingdom Lions Kings of Africa documentary, documentary, Explore the Wildlife Kingdom Lions Kings of Africa, Kings of Africa, Explore the Wildlife Kingdom, Wildlife Kingdom, Wildlife, Ngorongorocrater Crater, Full Movie, Feature Film, Entertainment

Id: dSSydJT6BO8

Length: 49min 21sec (2961 seconds)

Published: Wed Dec 29 2021