How Lions Hunt Africa's Most Dangerous Prey | Pride In Battle | Real Wild

[Music] lion territories in the okavango delta are brutal environments in the kikanika area two powerful males exert their rule over a rapidly expanding pride with many mouths to feed these lions specialize in killing africa's most dangerous prey but their feast turns to famine drought pushes their food source out of the area leading to a ferocious confrontation with a neighbouring pride on the brink of starvation they are forced to find an alternative a dangerous strategy that will test their skills in every way this is the story of a pride in battle [Music] [Music] at the beginning of summer two lion brothers take ownership of one of the most sought after pieces of land in southern africa [Music] in the heart of botswana's okavango delta kikanika is a lush area of islands and floodplains its abundance of water and food make it a summer paradise previously the resident pride had been unsettled by a long-running battle for dominance between competing males as a result the six lionesses had not given birth for over a year but when the two powerful brothers took over the kikanika pride things changed the result of this new stability is a rapid expansion in numbers [Music] in december the first two females have five cups three months later another three of the lionesses give birth to a further eight cubs in such a short period of time the pride increases by a total of 13 cubs [Music] each female keeps our own litter isolated from the pride for the first two months born at the height of summer these cubs the future of the pride are off to a good start but this unusual bounty of healthy young will cause problems in the long term at three months old they start to eat meat and all of a sudden the adults have an extra 13 mouths to feed their mothers have to provide a meal every three or four days [Music] welcomed into the pride the cubs thread their way into the social fabric [Music] their life skills are sharpened by their fathers and the games they play with each other [Music] the kikanika brothers are extremely patient and tolerant fathers [Music] but it's the lionesses that form the core of the pride they're bound by a collective purpose to hunt in summer they target cape buffalo abundant in this part of the ocavango [Music] with plenty of green grass the buffalo move in huge groups each herd is at least 400 strong the perfect balance of numbers where the births outweigh the killings by the lions they are one of the most sought after and yet most dangerous prey to hunt desirable because the meat of a one-ton buffalo can feed the entire pride for a week dangerous because they are aggressive and their formidable horns inflict fatal wounds and if the herd stampedes the lions can't outrun them but the six kikanica lionesses are experienced buffalo hunters [Music] they know the rules of engagement they single out a buffalo one they can separate from the herd [Music] this time they choose a mother concentrating their power on bringing her down [Music] they ignore her newborn calf but it provides a perfect prey item on which the six-month-old cubs can practice their hunting skills every chance they get to kill brings them closer to independence by the age of two years they'll be expected to pull down much bigger buffalo than this the younger three months old cubs are led to the kill by their mother at this age they find the mountain of meat both tasty and entertaining adults and cabs gorge themselves at every meal feeding side by side the kokanika pride is unusual in this respect lions normally eat according to hierarchy males first cubs last perhaps the abundance of food allows the pride males to relax the rules although at times a little discipline is needed during summer while the buffaloes graze in the kikanika territory the pride is guaranteed regular meals but as winter sets in the rains stop and the lion's fortune starts to change breeding herds of elephants herald this shift in season [Music] they arrive from the surrounding kalahari desert and spread into the forests and flood plains of the wet okavango their presence here indicates that the water holes in the surrounding desert have dried up and the vegetation is shriveling in the heat for them the main attraction in cacannica is the permanent water these large animals need to drink between 100 and 200 liters of water a day they can drink this in five minutes by filling their trunks and squirting the water down their throats for the elephants a lack of water is the killer not starvation [Music] the cubs are oblivious of the hardship to come for them every day is a play day with so many siblings and cousins they keep themselves entertained while the adults try to rest a cup can usually demand attention and milk from any of the lactating mothers but with so many sharp teased little mouths looking for milk the mothers show irritation towards cubs that are not their own going into winter the cubs grow along with their demand for food the pressure increases for the lionesses to provide more meat and even the pride males accustomed to waiting on the sidelines will need to help hunting requires a team effort each lioness knows her role in a well-thought-out plan but this strategy has forced the pride to depend on buffalo alone despite the other choices around them hunting giraffes would demand a completely different method of attack these four and a half meter tall animals are more alert than buffalo and would spot the lions from far away the hunters would have little chance to strike although giraffes do not have the horns of a buffalo they possess a kick that can kill a lion instantly so while the buffaloes are in the kicanika territory the lions concentrate on hunting them but the season has changed as the buffalo exhaust each field of grass they move on forced to progress to the next [Music] [Music] every day they move a little further from the heart of the kikanika territory [Music] the male lions follow the herd constantly watching the females and cubs are close by but nowhere to be seen on their slow march the buffalo never notice more than one or two lions they have no clue of the looming threat [Music] for several days the predators follow sizing up their options searching for any weak link in the herd eventually they get an opportunity to attack one of the males and a lioness chase random victims to fragment the herd unwittingly the cubs get in the way adding to the confusion at risk of being trampled the second male and remaining females attack the intended target using all his strength the male tries to suffocate the buffalo but its straining muscles form a steel barrier around its throat the lionesses do their part trying to immobilize it by piercing its spine once the buffalo is down the hunt should be over but the herd returns in an attempt to rescue their comrade they confront the pride with their formidable armor they lick the fallen animal encouraging it to stand and form a barrier between the injured buffalo and the predators then one buffalo challenges the pride and behind their fallen fellow tries to rise another buffalo goes on the offensive behind the injured one stands and disappears with the herd the buffalo win this battle the herd rushes away putting as much distance as possible between them and their attackers days of shadowing the herd have come to nothing though hungry and tired from the failed attack the lions cannot rest they must close in on the herd as soon as possible to hunt again there is no time to take the driest route the cubs cross reluctantly they have to keep up with the adults but every day that goes past without food weakens them even more the smallest ones may not be able to keep the pace and times are about to get tougher the buffalo are approaching the boundary of the lion's 50 square kilometer territory it is now the middle of winter this is the peak of the dry season and the buffalo's quest for better grass is about to lure them away as the cold grip of winter draws the lion food source almost beyond their grasp the pride constantly looks for a chance to strike but as the buffalo rest the lions regroup despite their hunger in the harsh climate the cubs seem untroubled [Music] the lionesses assert their presence [Music] a group raw warns surrounding prides of the power that they hold on this turf [Music] the five mothers take time to bond with their own cubs the reason for the pause in their pursuit of the buffalo lies hidden beneath a bush [Music] the sixth lioness has given birth to two more cubs this edition brings the numbers of youngsters to an overwhelming 15. [Music] 15 demanding hungry mouths that need to be nurtured and fed during a time when cocanuca is at its most desperate and the lion's main source of food is slipping away meanwhile more and more elephants arrive forced here by the drying of the edges of the okavango they are not fussy eaters so they can feed on anything that the buffalo leave behind they dig to uproot bulbs and roots during these desperate times the two species cross paths one comes from water while the other leaves in search of sweeter grass [Music] the buffaloes move through fields of dust the grasses here will not grow again till the next season's rains so this is the border of the kikanika territory an invisible line the lions cannot cross because another pride rules the other side [Music] so but there's nothing to stop the buffaloes from crossing desperation drives the kikanika pride to follow trespassing in enemy territory they don't get far before the other pride spots them the kikanika female sizes up the situation one of the kikanika brothers prepares for a confrontation now the buffalo are forgotten the kikanikas must make a stand even though they're on foreign ground the rival pride is at a disadvantage their dominant male is not with them so they turn back the kickanika male gives chase the resident pride must make a run for it without their father the youngsters of the other pride cannot stand up to him the larger male asserts his dominance [Music] even though the resident pride retreats from the intruders they're still the winners [Music] crucially their territory now holds the buffalo herd the kikanikas ambled back to their own turf despite all the posturing the pride can't follow the buffalo moving their cubs into enemy territory would be too dangerous the buffalo have left kikanika for the rest of the season [Music] for the next four months the lions will share this land with breeding herds of elephants the pride keeps moving now they're looking for anything they can chase down and eat for the moment they ignore the elephants because they're too large and difficult to hunt the elephants linger in the barren landscape bound to the water that is their only lifeline as the herd moves mothers guard the youngest calves small enough to be attacked by predators the adults protect their babies closely for four years then they're on their own tasting independence for the first time juveniles risk wandering off and getting lost the hungry lions returned to the sixth lioness and her newborn cubs up to now they've been too small to follow the pride on their long journeys in search of food now two months old the lioness brings the tiny additions to meet their father but he's grumpy so small and weighing only four kilograms each they will compromise the movements of the pride their little steps will not be able to keep up eventually some of them will pay the ultimate price already some of the older cubs show signs of weakness [Music] they can't rest for long [Music] the lionesses take the lead the pride must keep moving in search of food [Music] it takes a toll on the smallest and weakest members [Music] the starving lions start to look at the elephants with interest with nothing else to eat perhaps it's time to reconsider too tired and weak to keep up with their mothers the cubs remain together waiting they are on the brink of starvation more than half of them have already died [Music] only the fittest will have a fighting chance but without food they too are in imminent danger [Music] their mother's return brings no relief just some affection [Music] the cubs try to drink but the starving lioness's milk has dried up [Music] they move from mother to mother to try to suckle but their desperate tugs only irritate the lionesses [Music] at this point even the strongest cubs only have a few days left to live [Music] [Music] weak hungry and thirsty they lie defeated but the lionesses never give up they scan the horizon hungrily looking for something edible all they see are elephants traveling in tight groups and the ones small enough to kill are too well guarded the lionesses can't wait any longer and start following the herd hoping for an opportunity perhaps a youngster will get injured or drop behind for the young elephants this is no time to be alone eventually this last ditch change in strategy pays off for the lions during this desperate time nature gives the pride a lucky break but at the same time it deals its cruelest hand the lionesses drive the two-ton animal to the ground and hold it down [Music] the lionesses are expert buffalo killers but they've never tried to kill an elephant their teeth can't penetrate the thick skin and the neck is too wide to strangle so they attack the soft and vulnerable spots without a muzzle to suffocate they try to crush the trunk [Music] unable to kill the elephant they start to eat it alive this first real taste of meat after almost a month of starvation revives their stamina and they fight for their right to every mouthful twice the size of a buffalo the young elephant keeps the pride well fed and introduces them to a new and bountiful source of food over the next weeks the lions work on their elephant killing techniques but when the elephants retaliate and stampede the lions have no choice but to run for their lives the lions refine their strategy with every hunt and killing elephants start to become routine but their success does not go unnoticed [Music] the buffalo have abandoned the entire area and the neighbouring pride now desperate for food risk a confrontation [Music] the kikanikas with their food and territory to protect won't tolerate it chasing the intruders isn't enough [Music] cornered by the big male the young trespasser doesn't look him in the eye a direct stare would mean a challenge and certain death too young to stand his ground against the powerful older male the intruding lion submits the victor struts around basking in the glory that victory brings the young male is lucky to have escaped with his life but he's branded forever his genitals mutilated in an ultimate act of dominance the other kikanica male concentrates on the trespassing female brutally enforcing his genetic rights under the washed out skies of an excruciatingly hot dry october wave after wave of tired elephants moves through the lion's territory winter has also taken its toll on the herds although kikanika provides an endless supply of water the dry vegetation offers little nutritional value mothers and calves are weak and older youngsters stray away from the herd and get lost the lionesses continue to exploit every opportunity to kill what started as a desperate season for the lions turns into a time of gluttony in one month they kill five elephants which will see them safely through to the approaching summer it starts off as a flicker the smell of rain is on the wind as soon as the drops hit the ground kikaneka comes alive and the animals return the breeding herds of elephants travel back to their summer feeding grounds in the outlying kalahari almost magically the harsh season past seems forgotten in the new spray of green in their battle for survival during the most desperate season in decades only seven of the 15 cubs survived but the spread of fresh sweet grass tempts the buffalo herds back into kikanika the lions eagerly watch their favorite prey arrive a ton of meat with a softer hide to pierce and a short snout easy to smother the familiar game of cat and mouse resumes the biggest buffalo walks aggressively towards the lions hoping to frighten them away but the lions are familiar with this game during the next six months the one-year-old cubs learn to hunt by trial and error they soon realize that it is not as easy as it looks [Music] surviving the harshest season has made the cubs overconfident they blunder into the buffalo herd their inexperience puts their lives in jeopardy buffalo attack as a group and can easily stampede over the lions using their horns as lethal weapons the pride retreats leaving a cub behind he takes refuge on a fallen tree but it's not high enough he's left in the line of fire bravely he hangs on for his life lions hunt together but if one gets in trouble it's on its own [Music] eventually the buffaloes lose interest and the pride returns to the traumatized cub [Music] now that the herds are back the cubs will learn valuable lessons and eventually they'll become skilled hunters the pride approached the buffalo with renewed confidence they know the drill as usual the lionesses take the lead [Music] [Music] they attack from the rear to avoid the dangerous horns they try to pierce the spinal cord by putting their entire weight on the back they attempt to pull a buffalo to the ground the cubs copy their mothers [Music] during the summer months the constant supply of meat builds up the youngsters strengths in six months they will be self-sufficient killers with all the food on their doorstep the lions don't have to move far to hunt so they spend most of their days resting [Music] curiosity awakens the cubs when a pangolin wanders into the pride the curled up ball of scales provides some amusement for the board young [Music] but the pangolins hard armor protects it from claws and teeth with its vulnerable parts tucked away the pangolin waits until the lions are gone [Music] [Music] by the end of the rainy season the cubs walk confidently with the adults the pride now has 14 hunters the young male's mains have started to grow they follow their father's every move learning when to strike when to wait when to hide and when to go out in the open they are approaching adulthood and they're ready to test their strengths they stride up front with the two kikanika brothers and attack side by side the heavy male straddles the buffalo's back and the female tries to trip it to the ground when the buffalo retaliate the cubs stand their ground with the adults relentlessly the entire pride attacks to weaken their prey the buffalo's leg breaks the herd abandons him again the lions attack from behind to avoid the horns [Music] one of the males starts to smother the buffalo the cubs help their mothers from the rear [Music] even with a broken leg the buffalo won't go down his comrades return but he cannot walk adrenaline surges through him he uses his only weapons to inflict pain on his attackers heroically he tries to stand again but his efforts are in vain the lionesses and cubs keep him down their objective to get the buffalo on his back so that the male can finish the struggle [Music] the epic battle finally ends the lions have won in this ever-changing landscape of prosperity and hardship the kikanika pride has found stability again [Music] with the two strong brothers in command and a healthy number of youngsters to ensure the pride strength they have come full circle from desperation comes ingenuity switching prey to survive the harshest winter they've ever had to endure but life in the ocavango will always be unpredictable and their future will never be certain [Music] soon their fathers will expel the male youngsters and they'll have to face these challenges on their own [Music] the struggle of the dry season is over but the struggle for survival never ends the cachanica lions will always be a pride in battle [Music] um [Music]

Channel: Real Wild

Views: 2,477,379

Keywords: full documentary, wildlife documentary, wild animal, real wild, animal documentary, animals, Pride In Battle, lions, lion documentary, lion documentary 2022, wildlife documentary lions hunting, animals attack, nature documentary, big cats, lion prides, lionesses, national geographic, baby animals, lions hunting, african lion, Xakanaxa pride

Id: 9yDqZsnEa5E

Length: 49min 49sec (2989 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 24 2022