How Animals Learn To Hunt | Deadly Game | Real Wild

paper was light gold in medieval times [Music] oh no tobacco sugar [Music] that everything we thought we knew about the world might turn out to be completely wrong [Music] from cute to killer it's no mean feat but many monsters are born in all shapes and sizes before them all lies a long tough path of training they must master their mother's skills until they too are equipped to go in for the kill [Music] many killers start out cute [Music] despite their predatory inheritance fluffy cheetah cubs and polar bears would melt the hardest hearts [Music] so [Music] the cubs are a fraction of the size of their mother and with barely a glimpse of weapons that will someday be used to grapple prey [Music] while others emerge as miniature versions of their parents [Music] the nile crocodile hatches ready to hunt and with a face that only its mother could love [Music] she's a diligent parent and for all our babies it will be the encouragement and protection of mum and sometimes years of training that will push them to develop to become the ultimate killing machines uh [Music] around the globe babies of all shapes and sizes are born to a predetermined destiny [Music] to live grow and have babies of their own they are all obliged to kill [Music] it will be an intense childhood there will be time for fun and games but also failure and grave danger but for those who succeed a glorious future awaits at the top of the food chain [Music] not much of a training pen for the biggest and most feared land predator polar bears are born in arctic winter in a time of perpetual darkness when they start out the cubs are smaller than a stick of butter blind and helpless they spend their first few months suckling from their mother the milk is 35 percent fat one of the richest power drinks on earth on this diet the cubs quickly fill out in just a few months they are 10 times heavier and ready to explore the world outside the den the mother starts to dig [Music] their first fresh air and for the first time they can gaze out on their windswept arctic home though the youngest daughter seems unsure about stepping outside [Music] there is no tougher environment on earth to make a living among the ice the cubs will need to toughen up here anything is a potential food source though every other arctic animal lives in fear of polar bears right now the cubs are bottom of the food chain and will need their mother's protection for several years while they learn to stand their ground they don't seem in any rush to grow up [Music] the snow-capped tundra is a giant playground that the kids are keen to explore these early days seem carefree with their mum on guard and with her rich milk on tap they have little to worry about despite living on easy street the cubs still squabble perhaps the first hint of their killer instinct right now their main hunting quarry is mum's milk supply [Music] it's enough to test any mother's patients [Music] but the cubs need to build up their strength ready for the challenges of the arctic [Music] [Music] amid huge game herds on the african plains a pride of lions are on the prowl [Music] they fan out looking for a likely victim [Music] the cheetah has inadvertently found herself in the middle of the lion's hunting party this is a dire position to be in with five young cubs [Music] the lions are distracted from the hunt when they pick up the scent of a competitor many predators will attack other hunters they don't want to have to share their prey the cubs are active now but not very fast they spread out trying to hide in the bush but the lions are persistent it calls for drastic measures the mother must lure them away and that means putting her own life on the line [Music] but she's outnumbered and she can't be everywhere at once [Music] [Music] as quickly as it started the attack stops frightened mother leads her infants away but there's one that didn't make it [Music] a grim reality of life on the plains but as far as the lioness is concerned the dead cheetah cub means one less competitor to threaten the success of her own offspring [Music] the cheat is lucky not to have lost more of her family it's been a tough lesson for them all in these lion ruled lands as few as 10 of cheetah cubs will make it to adulthood [Music] predatory animals start out small and vulnerable but keeping your babies safe when they start out as defenseless eggs is a full-time job the nests attract egg thieves from far and wide nile monitor lizards intent on scrambled egg skirt the banks [Music] she moves surprisingly fast but there's trouble on all sides after a near miss from the jaws of death the monitor needs a drink even cold-blooded reptiles can get too hot in africa soon he's back on his game but while he's been away a new enemy has arrived to torment mother croc baboons [Music] baby killers can come in all shapes and sizes [Music] [Music] our closest relatives are often thought of as fruit-loving vegetarians but that's far from the truth like us chimps are omnivores and enjoy the taste of meat they can truly be considered primate pack hunters but they don't start out that way newborn chimps are totally helpless and dependent on their mother's care right from birth the little ones are carefully coaxed [Music] to become successful members of the troop they must prove themselves as worthy team players [Music] chimp society is led by several dominant males they rule with an iron fist and everyone lowered down the social ladder is expected to follow their command [Music] but although they can be heavy-handed and aggressive there is also a tender side to the powerful primates they live by the rule you scratch my back and i'll scratch yours they spend much of their time grooming each other they are doting mothers sharing a close bond with their infants for six years like humans the young are helpless totally dependent on their mothers and will learn everything through her guidance and teaching the whole troop plays a role in guarding and educating babies and they need to to hunt they must work as part of an efficient team the troop are acutely aware of the other creatures of the forest [Music] they patrol their territories listening for signs of life and keeping a close eye on the trees they are looking for their neighbors [Music] especially monkeys red calabas monkeys are their favorites but this is not a friendly invitation to dinner the older wiser animals are the sentinels and they know exactly what to do [Music] this monkey may regret his morning excursions when a group is spotted excitement spreads around the troop they know the drill each animal has a role to play and like a well-oiled machine they slip into place light fast animals head to the trees to drive the monkeys older slower ones block their escape routes and the big powerful males get ready to make the kill the columbus know they are in danger one false move and the troop will be ready chaos breaks out as they go in for the kill uh the dominant animals eat first lower ranking individuals beg for scraps the meat is only shared strategically in return for favors like grooming or helping to defend the troop for now the little ones stay out of the way they'll master the plant part of their diet first but sooner or later they'll need to take their places with the truth driving monkeys to dinner little killers have a lot to learn about the dangers of their world they must learn which fights they can win [Music] but the jaguar cub a hunt in the amazon is a frightening prospect his mum favors hunting another killer the caiman but for now the little one needs to steer clear of the lethal jaws in east africa it's crocodiles who rule the banks and for the hard-working mother her little killers are finally making their first appearance she gently ferries her babies to the water tenderly carrying them between her killer teeth but now another danger threatens to cut their hunting potential short a larger female she grabs the hatchlings in her mouth but she's not out to kill them she wants to mother them perhaps the rare behavior has been triggered because she lost a clutch of her own mum's not happy about it this is a deadly embrace if she bites too hard she risks harming the babies in the intruder's mouth she has to back down and let the intruder muscle in on her brood they each grab a mouthful of hatchlings so a few eggs didn't hatch giving the monitor lizard a lucky break [Music] [Music] normally young crocodiles would have their mother watching over them for their first year or two of life these chicks have double security bodyguards are something the cheetah family could use cheetahs are the smallest of the large predators on the plains they must learn not only to catch their prey but avoid the bigger bullies as well [Music] now three months old her cubs are strong walkers they have no fixed den and wander the planes camouflaged by their shaggy juvenile manes [Music] for them to go from cub to killer they have some vital life lessons which can only be fueled by their mother [Music] gazelles are one of the fastest animals on the plains but mum makes it look easy she barely seems to break a sweat [Music] she drags the carcass to cover where the cubs can feed though they still drink milk they are developing a taste for flesh for little hunters it can be frustrating they know what they want they just don't know how to get it the lion cubs have found a meaty treat but it's wrapped in tough packaging their baby teeth can't penetrate the tortoise's thick shell the killer instinct is there but not the skills to go with it the cubs need to do some serious training there would be no killers in the making without the hard work of killer mothers at around five weeks old red foxes are ready to make the milk to meat transition so mum hunts regularly bringing goodies back to the burrow and fueling their taste for blood they are clearly enthusiastic for this new food other cubs are into even fresher meat [Music] high in the andes aguanaco the llama's wild ancestor drops her calf into the cold and rugged land [Music] but even on the ceiling of the world predators lurk watching for the weak and vulnerable [Music] there's no sport in it the newborns easy prey small game like this is perfect for training purposes the calves delivered alive the next step in making killers of her cubs mum won't help but by trial and error the cubs manage to finish the job and can enjoy their first self-killed meal and who can resist playing with their food it will take them a few more months of training but the cubs have taken their first big step towards graduating killer school uh polar bears on the other hand take their time opportunistic by nature the family rely on their noses to find food only two of the three cubs have survived but in the arctic this family is beating the odds typically only half of polar bear cubs make it to maturity a reminder of the challenges of their hostile world during the arctic summer the ice sheets retreat and the bear family is left high and dry without ice they can't get out and hunt their usual seal prey so have to beachcomb for scraps the family struck it lucky the carcass of a walrus another mother got there first our female approaches carefully she doesn't want to risk losing another cub but the carcass is fresh with lots of rich blubber for both groups it's better to share than risk bloodshed [Music] summer is tough on the ice bears and they rely more and more on their ability to eat anything a huge carcass of a whale is a rare find a valuable resource that will bring bears from far and wide [Music] polar bears prefer to be solitary but a bear jam soon forms [Music] there is stiff competition but the carcass is huge so as long as a hierarchy is observed with the big males eating first then everyone can get a share by the end of summer hungry bears are lining up along the coast waiting for the sea ice to form [Music] excitement spreads when the first snow storms roll in the big males are restless this is a dangerous time for young bears male polar bears often kill cubs to take away the offspring of other males so they can try to mate with the mothers or even sometimes for food but bears are some of the most fearless and devoted mothers [Music] at the first hint of trouble she gives the intruder the clear message to back down [Music] [Music] to relax the family have a snow bath [Music] they'll soon have thousands of miles of sea ice to spread out over with plenty of new opportunities to hunt and the chance to get away from other bears [Music] with their two giant bodyguards the crocodile hatchlings thrive as long as the truce between females lasts the babies are safe from the dangers of the riverbank like monitors and even other crocs they can focus on their main purpose in life [Music] [Applause] [Music] while other babies need years of training to become killers crocs are good to go straight from the egg miniature monsters they stalk any small creatures they can swallow as they get bigger so too will their tastes two years have passed and as our polar bears venture onto the ice for their third winter something's changed there is no longer a sense of camaraderie the squabbles are a sure sign that it's time for the youngsters to go their own ways this will be a baptism of fire six months of cold and darkness lie ahead but after three years of watching and mimicking their mothers the bears are ready to make a stand the first heavy snow storm finds the young male out on the ice flows a seal locked into his sights [Music] [Laughter] [Music] another killer is made the female cheetah cub also now two years old is alone her brothers on the other hand have a huge advantage they are still together in what's known as a coalition together they sent mark presenting a united front by working as a team they are better able to defend a home range from other males giving them a monopoly on females and the prey animals within their patch there are other advantages of group hunting as well [Music] [Music] one brother distracts the aggressive male ostrich leaving his chicks unguarded crocodiles are not warm blooded like the mammal killers and grow a lot slower it will take the hatchlings 10 years to reach maturity meanwhile they have a hard time fitting into a crowded river now without protection from an adult they have spread out trying to claim patches where they can hunt but all the best bits are already taken by bigger aggressive adults [Music] but dashing between the jaws this youngster manages to snatch a catfish so far just a catfish killer the solitary croc has a long way to go but now the cheetah gang is moving on to larger prey [Music] no single cheetah would dare risk an attack on the wildebeest herd [Music] a single animal can weigh 180 kilos three times more than the agile cats the brothers fan out looking for a suitable target and strike [Music] [Music] [Music] with four against one it's soon over if there is ever a symbol of becoming a killer it has to be in tackling another predator as prey after several years of intense training the jaguar has come a long way he now weighs over 80 kilos and it's mostly muscle and with the meal he has in mind he'll need his strength the great reptiles are wary timing is everything and patience is his greatest ally this could make or break either killer the jaguar can't let go of the cayman's neck if he does he could receive a fatal bite but if he holds on he risks drowning it takes all of his strength to push the cayman under working his canine teeth into its spine paralyzed the victim drowns and the killer gets its stripes [Music] a huge meal like this ensures that this big cat will be well fed for a week but it's just a matter of time before he'll need to confront this dangerous dinner again not all crocodiles are such pushovers finally the crocs in africa have gone full circle now as big and powerful as their killer mum the drying planes are bringing game animals to drink and perhaps leading them to a watery grave [Music] they have little idea of the stealthy ambush hunters that lie in wait [Music] with their eyes ears and nose high on their heads the great reptiles can lie alone [Music] the highly strong gazelles seem nervous about the murky water but to reach fresh grazing they will eventually need to cross it took nurturing and practice but from the day they hatched the crocodiles were born to do this they were killers in the making [Music] foreign

Channel: Real Wild

Views: 140,344

Rating: 4.6453056 out of 5

Keywords: full documentary, wildlife documentary, wild animal, real wild, animal documentary, animals, big cats, animals hunting, animals fighting videos, wild animals, polar bears, cheetahs, crocodiles

Id: IOE6ktPABcE

Length: 48min 21sec (2901 seconds)

Published: Sat Oct 23 2021