Lions Defending Their Territory (Wildlife Documentary) | A Year In The Wild | Real Wild

[Music] life on Earth is a mosaic of inter woven events the year dictates a natural rhythm animals around the globe respond to the changing seasons that trigger extraordinary cycles of life and death in July it's midwinter in southern Africa landscapes turn into dust bowls but the Okavango Delta remains a green oasis [Music] ragged-tooth sharks gather to breed in the Indian Ocean in Indonesia a massive lizard stalks its prey [Music] and to lion prides clash in pursuit of a buffalo herd [Music] this is the story of a single year on our planet [Music] in July and August but SWANA is locked in the grip of its dry winter months much of its landscape turns into a dusty wasteland only the Okavango Delta is greener than ever [Music] the summer rains in Angola took a whole month to work their way down the thousand kilometer course of the Okavango River before it enters the deltas Panhandle for four months the water has traveled down to the farthest reaches of the Delta as a huge slow-moving wave now in July water levels have increased by two meters flooding channels swamps and land the flood has reached its fullest extent and the Delta swells to sixteen thousand square kilometers about twice its permanent size it's like a gigantic watering hole in the dust of the surrounding Kalahari Desert the Panhandle is the Delta's entrance a strip of land 95 kilometres long and 15 kilometres wide ancient fault lines in the Earth's crust channel the Okavango River before it spills onto the Delta plains this is the realm of swamped specialists like hippos and crocodiles and predatory fish now in July and August the backwater lagoons and channels of the Panhandle clear up enough to reveal an alien underwater world papyrus swamps cover large areas forming loose and spongy floating mats little light penetrates through the jungle of stems and roots crocodiles hide in deep papyrus caves [Music] here in the Panhandle the ready supply of prey allows them to reach enormous sizes of up to five meters long but right now during Botswana's winter months the cooler water temperatures make these cold-blooded reptiles sluggish and less likely to attack the mass of vegetation in the water means there are large amounts of decaying plant matter it creates a buildup of acidic waters low in oxygen yet many fish have found ways to cope with the difficult conditions top minnows stay near the top where oxygen supplies are highest here they catch small insects at the water's surface even though this exposes them to predators the payoffs of a rich food supply and plenty of oxygen render the risks worthwhile tiger fish prowl the lagoons and channels during the height of the flood season they feed on robber and cichlid fish too large to escape to the safety of backwater swamps they also take catfish like squeakers but they are well protected by sharply barbed spines on their fins tiger fish and even small crocodiles have been found dead with the three-pronged bars of a squeaker locked firmly in their gullets everywhere waterlilies provide welcome shelter for small fish [Music] the lily stems grow long and thin until the flower but has reached the surface air canals in their long stalks keep them afloat but after just four to six days the stems retract pulling the flowers back into the water where the fruits ripen and eventually disintegrate [Music] but perhaps the most important residents of these waters are hippos they are the architects of the Delta and helped to keep this enormous wetland in shape purely by pushing their bulk through the dense undergrowth they create and maintain hippo highways that allow water and life to flow from one area to the next this is what maintains the dynamics of the deltas seasons and preserves one of the largest wetlands in the world eleven and a half thousand kilometres away in Ecuador July is the height of the rainy season quia Beno is an area of dense tropical rainforest flooded swamps and murky rivers that forms part of the great Amazon basin the northeast coast of South America is home to some of the wettest places on earth and the cuyabeno reserve receives a whopping four thousand millimeters of rain every year right now in July rain falls almost every day humidity is at as stifling 85 to 95 percent and temperatures hover around 25 degrees Celsius but despite the extreme conditions the area has an incredibly rich diversity of life with at least 12,000 plant species hundreds of different birds reptiles and amphibians [Music] many trees reach sixty meters in height but the dense leafy green of the forest is misleading the soils are very nutrient poor and shallow plants rely on recycling decaying plant and animal matter quickly like the plants animals have to find ways of coping the hot and wet conditions it is their specialized diet that defines many of the animals living here howler monkeys are among the biggest primates found in South America and have the loudest call of any land animal [Music] they've specialized on the most abundant food source here leaves and leaves contain a high proportion of difficult to digest cellulose little energy and toxic compounds so howler monkeys have a low metabolism and have to conserve the little energy they get from their food so they rest much of the day that's why they have such loud calls instead of wasting energy by patrolling their territory boundaries they declare their positions by calling to each other intruders and competitors are warned off and the monkeys can dedicate themselves to digesting their leaves another bizarre leaf specialist is the prehistoric-looking Hartson it too has developed ways of coping with it's tough diet bacterial fermentation in their gut helps to break down the leaves they consume their crop is so large as to displace their flight muscles much to the detriment of their flight capacity leafcutter ants also exploit cuiabá nose rich green foliage their gardeners and cultivate a specialized fungus on the green leaves they transport to their nests it is the fungus that feeds them but in order to grow enough of it these tiny insects have become the dominant herbivores of the South American tropics [Music] living in large societies of up to eight million individuals per nest leaf cutter ants use a strict division of labor to ensure their work is carried out swiftly and effectively some of the smaller workers hitch rides on the leaves carried by their sisters they're tasked with defending the tireless workers against marauding flies each one of these cuttings can weigh up to ten times more than the ant itself leafcutter ants have been cultivating the same fungus lineage for more than 20 million years in the extremely humid conditions of the tropical wet season it is virtually impossible to keep anything disease-free so leaf cutter ants even use antibiotic secretions as a fungicide in their gardens to keep persistent and ravaging molds in check the relationship between the leaf cutter ants and their fungus is of mutual benefit they manage to grow vast quantities of food while the fungus survives well protected and disease-free [Music] like Ecuador Indonesia also straddles the equator on the other side of the planet this archipelago of over 17,000 islands is surrounded by year-round warm waters and has a tropical climate rainfall defines the seasons unlike the northwest coast of South America July is the middle of the dry season when the islands are parched by arid winds from the Australian desert to the south Rinka island is one of the driest regions in Indonesia right now temperatures saw to around 40 degrees open savanna marks the islands landscape team or deer water buffalo and wild boar are among its residence but they're exposed to a mighty predator the Komodo dragon this is the largest lizard in the world growing up to 3 metres in length and weighing in at a formidable 70 kilos apart from Rinker they're found only on a handful of neighboring islands Komodo dragons often eat carrion but they also take live prey and they're well-equipped to hunt sixty serrated teeth combined with a potent venom can make short work of animals as large as a water buffalo bad vision and hearing means the Komodo dragon uses its forked tongue to detect taste and smell prey its sense of smell is so acute that it can hone in on carrion from a distance of up to ten kilometers this dragon has sensed a buffalo on its way to a watering hole now during the dry season the last dwindling water poles make excellent hunting spots at the waterhole there's even easier prey a small team or deer preoccupied with quenching its thirst in the heat of the July Sun it's failed to notice the approach of the massive lizard to other killers are hard on the heels of the first they pay little attention to the larger and more dangerous Buffalo all the deers escape routes are now cut off it makes desperate attempts to defend itself but too late a quick bite has already been delivered the Komodos venom is very potent it's now only a matter of time before the dear sir comes to its injury at the beginning of July an extraordinary gathering takes place of the kwazulu-natal coast in South Africa [Music] about five kilometers from the coast lies a reef known as the annual show an ancient fossilized sand dune that was flooded when sea levels rose around 80 thousand years ago [Music] today it is a fertile reef system home to an abundance of marine life at this time of year it harbors the world's biggest gathering of ragged-tooth sharks [Music] having spent June in pursuit of vast shoals of sardines during their annual migration up to 80 ragged-tooth sharks arrived at the alley well show they're in prime condition as a result of the sardine feast they've been enjoying they're in the best possible shape for their mating season [Music] ragged-tooth sharks follow a seasonal migration and between July and October they spend their time here in the warm waters of the Agulhas current even now in the middle of the South African winter water temperatures remain at a comfortable 20 degrees now in July they're ready to mate mating ragged-tooth style is a rough affair and the females show telltale signs that the mating season has started scars on their bodies and bite wounds to their heads and fins the females appear to gather inside these underwater caverns of the alley well shoal to get some respite from the male's prowling the reef in search of mating opportunities females will mate with more than just one male and are ready to breed every other year once fertilization has taken place an almost unbelievable reproductive cycle is set in motion ragged-tooth sharks don't just have one uterus they have two and once the females eggs have been fertilized as many as ten embryos settle in each uterus but about halfway through the nine-month gestation period things change the embryos develop precocious teeth grotesque oversized heads and eyes and they can swim now the largest and strongest embryo in each uterus turns on its siblings vigorously attacking and consuming them until only it survives it is one of the few known cases of cannibalism within the mother's uterus this macabre strategy has a number of advantages the two remaining young will be about a meter long at birth big enough to deter most would-be predators what's more they're already experienced killers able to fend for themselves from the word go on rinca island in Indonesia the timor deer has lost its fight for life cornered by three Komodo dragons at one of the last dry season watering holes it had no chance of escape Komodo dragons don't have to battle with their victims instead they quickly deliver a deep bite loaded with venom the proteins in the toxins stop blood clotting relaxed blood vessel walls and drop blood pressure like a stone the result is loss of consciousness and death all the killers had to do is deliver a bite and retreat while the victims succumbed to its injury now they can approach and consume the little deer at their leisure although they live largely solitary lives Komodo dragons sometimes share kills their eating habits are vicious and messy they tear large chunks of meat and swallow them whole able to consume up to 80% of their own body weight in a single sitting combined with a slow metabolism means they can live on as little as 12 meals a year [Music] this dragon will probably not have to eat again until next month it is now August in the Okavango Delta like Winker Island Botswana is also in the grip of its dry season and the last rains here in the Peconic area fairly in April but the Okavango rivers flood waters still provide plenty of water for plants and animals at 27 degrees August is one of the cooler months of the year but temperatures are set to rise over the next few weeks and even the Okavango rich water supply then begins to dry up it is now that the animals in the Delta have to make the most of the season of Plenty and prepare for the approaching drought soon after sunrise a troop of baboons is already busy searching for food they're looking for seeds insects and other treats among the grasses the Boone's are gregarious animals living in large groups with strong social bonds grooming is a welcome opportunity to take a break from the tire in search and serves to cement bonds with other group members the youngsters take this chance to continue their exuberant games it is a peaceful scene in a clue can occur area until a group of banded mongooses arrives although much smaller than baboons they show no fear and approach the large monkeys confidently and even playfully mongoose is often seek the company of the Boone's for extra security more eyes on the lookout for potential predators and some big male baboons on your side makes for more relaxed foraging since their diet largely overlaps with that of the baboon's they're often out in the same areas looking for food for the young baboons the mongooses are clearly a source of entertainment and Wonder alike but as the morning drags on the Sun gets hotter and the mongooses leave to seek shade for the baboon's it's going to be a long day of intense foraging to stock up for the drier months ahead the dry season is also in full swing nan Indonesia's lombok island it's scenery and microclimate is dominated by the imposing mount rinjani at 3726 metres one of the highest volcanic peaks in Indonesia forested slopes rise straight from the sea to create their own weather pattern for the entire island it has several different ecosystems from lowland tropical forests - alpine scrub the summit itself is a barren place marked by the destruction of recent eruptions yet life clings on even here despite the difficult terrain and lack of water and it isn't just Hardy alpine flora that ekes out a living here at a surprising 3,000 meters altitude a troop of long-tailed macaques searches for food these gregarious monkeys are usually found in forests where they live on fruit perhaps the ongoing dry season has forced this troop up the slopes in search of other foods Mount Rinjani is a popular destination for hikers and they offer a plethora of food raiding opportunities as opportunistic foragers long-tailed macaques have learnt to exploit their human neighbors in some areas over 20 percent of their diet is made up of human sourced foods competition for limited resources can lead to aggression and bullying among troop members since they live in a hierarchy driven society members of the lower ranks often fare worst in times of food shortages this can have particularly severe consequences for mothers with young babies given their lack of control over already sparse dry season resources their chances of bringing up a surviving infant are greatly reduced for this mother it has resulted in the death of her baby unwilling to accept her fate she cradles the dead infant in her arms until the end of the dry season in September signals more plentiful food supplies for the entire troop the likelihood of further deaths among the nursing infants of this troop is high in the can occur area of the Okavango Delta the flood waters of the Okavango River are still providing enough water for all animals soon things will change when the floodwaters recede around September the land will dry up water will become more scarce Buffalo will then leave in search of better grazing leaving the resident lion pride short of food [Music] so they're busy making the most of the big buffalo herds while they're still in their territory the prides hunters are in pursuit of a herd stalking the Buffalo carefully before launching an attack working closely together they concentrate on sneaking as close to their prey as possible unable to sustain long assaults the Lions have to get within 30 meters their concentration is entirely devoted to the hunt so they don't notice another lion pride in pursuit of the same herd these lions are trespassing on the Kirk Anika prides territory then the residents noticed their rivals under no circumstances will the pride tolerate the intruders on their patch they abandon the hunt and herd them towards the buffalos it's a tight spot for the trespassers buffaloes are not to be trifled with but if caught by the resident lions they're in for a beating managing to break through the techinical liens ring of Defense they make good their escape but in the confusion one of the unwanted visitors is mistaken the residents for her own pride and follows them when she realizes her mistake she quickly turns back but having noticed the impostor one of the Kanaka females gives chase closely followed by the alpha male they want to make sure that their rivals are well and truly gone from their territory with the annual drought around the corner they can't afford to share the prey in their area with anyone and to advertise who's boss around here the alpha male loudly lays claim to his pride and his territory along the east coast of South Africa a colorful community benefits from the warmth of the Agulhas current as it works its way south from Mozambique the extensive coral reefs just off sodwana bay it is now winter in kwazulu-natal and August is one of the coldest months when temperatures drop to around 20 degrees its southerly location and seasonal weather makes sodwana bay an unlikely home for tropical coral reefs yet water temperatures remain high all year round [Music] corals are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and are confined to areas where the water never gets colder than 16 degrees the reefs at sodwana bay can only survive here due to the warm ocean current from the north that keeps their corals alive and thriving [Music] korells are ancient invertebrate animals related to jellyfish they tend to live in nutrient-poor waters and survive with the help of tiny algae that live in their tissues these microscopic plants supply about 90% of the coral polyps nutrient requirements by turning sunlight into sugars [Music] but the algae come at a price it is they that cannot live in waters that are too warm or too cold here at sodwana bay the corals and their algae thrive in the surprisingly warm waters of the Agulhas current despite the cooler winter weather coral reefs are like ocean oases [Music] about a quarter of all marine life lives here [Music] [Music] colorful fish dart in and out of nooks and crannies while predators prowl the reef for prey occasionally the traditional roles of predator and prey become obsolete these tiny shrimp might make a welcome snack for this potato bass but here they fearlessly crawl all over the predator this is a reef cleaning station the shrimp are known as cleaner shrimp all sorts of fish drop in here and are willing to allow the tiny crustaceans to give them a makeover by removing irritating parasites [Music] seein enemies are regulars at the reef they're primitive animals and use their tentacles to capture prey inside each tentacle a myriad of tiny stinging cells discharged on contact with potential quarry the poison Laden stings include neurotoxins to paralyze prey it is thought to be highly toxic to fish and crustaceans but there is an exception the clownfish these colorful little fish are immune to the sea an enemy's poison possibly through the protection of a special mucus layer in fact clownfish have made Sein enemies their home taking advantage of the protection offered by the enemy's stinging tentacles in return the clownfish keep their hosts scrupulously clean and their fecal matter provides nutrients for the sea anenome clownfish live in small groups within a single and enemy usually a breeding pair and a few juvenile males old clownfish a born male so when the female dies the dominant male changes sex and becomes a female this breeding pair has laid a neat field of eggs next to their hosts and enemy and carefully fusses over them they'll aggressively defend their offspring in the face of any predator in about six or ten days the eggs will be ready to hatch to become the newest additions to the multicolored world of sod Juana's coral reef in the Kanaka area of the Okavango Delta the resident lion pride has had to abandon their hunt their confrontation with a neighbouring rival pride has alerted the Buffaloes their cover is blown but lions need around five to seven kilos of meat a day so not eating as a bad option especially in the run-up to the deltas ruthless dry season although liens tend to hunt life prey they're not averse to scavenging especially when times are tough the alpha male has caught the scent of a dead animal following his nose he finds an Impala corpse hidden in the long grass but this animal hasn't died of natural causes [Music] it is the precious Killman Leopard sensing the Lions approach the killer quickly sought refuge in a tree for him it isn't worth taking on a lion the lion would undoubtedly have the upper hand what's more an injury could impair the leopards ability to hunt and a disabled leopard rarely survives for long so all he can do is watch as the kaka'ako lion picks up his kill and tucks him male lions rarely share their kill with other pride members so this male keeps quiet about his lucky find he is able to gorge himself and eat up to 30 kilos in a single sitting but eventually he's eaten his filled and leaves the meager leftovers in the grass he's in best shape to face the oncoming drought the leopard has watched the lion keenly throughout his meal now he feels safe enough to leave the tree carefully he approaches the remains of his kill he grabs what's left and builds back up the tree at least the scraps left on the carcass can provide him with some energy to go on the hunt again soon as August draws to a close the seasons on planet Earth continue to change triggering new phases in the lives of many creatures weather and climate change constantly as the year progresses life responds to these subtle signals with some of the most incredible spectacles on earth [Music]

Channel: Real Wild

Views: 486,089

Rating: 4.2941175 out of 5

Keywords: nature documentary, full documentary, documentary movie, big cats, wildlife documentary, discovery channel, national geographic, natgeo wild, Nature documentaries - topic, Animals - topic, planet earth, david attenborough, Full Animal Documentary, wild animals, wild animal, lion, lion doc, lion documentary, african animals

Id: qBwuzP2VgRo

Length: 42min 42sec (2562 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 23 2020