One Cat to rule them all - Is the Lion the true King of Beasts?

they say the lion is king  of beasts but is he alone there are 41 species of cat the  embodiment of feline grace and power   spectacular top predators that command our respect but who is top cat the one to rule them all to start let's consider what it is to be a cat   ranging from pussy-sized  wild cats a mere five kilos   to the three and a half meter 300 kilo siberian  tiger there are special traits that set them apart to help with their agility cats  have elongated flexible spines essential if you're going to take a dive and long tails that help them  balance on high speed turns though the lynx family manages  without very much at all   cats are secretive solitary ambush predators  their success lies in their technique   killer claws are attracted so the  cats can stalk silently on padded feet tried and tested hunting methods unite the family crouch unseen stalk within range and strike finally the kiss of death from dagger-like teeth cats usually work alone but there are exceptions lions don't just ambush they  combine their skills to set a trap flankers get into position others go behind to drive the herd the trap is set frightened zebras run from their  attacker but straight into the flankers the cheetah has a different  strategy it's a sprinter more dog-like in its long-legged  anatomy it can't retract its claws   they are not the sharp meat hooks of other species  instead worn spikes that help it grip the ground   and it's not difficult to  see why it would need them with top speeds of over 100 kilometers per  hour it's the fastest of all land animals like the lion the cheetah has a trait that sets  them apart from other cats it's not uncommon to   see them in groups bands of young males often from  the same litter forming what is called a coalition when they are just starting  out as adults on the planes   having company gives them more elbow defending  a patch two young trespassers are in trouble the brothers are six times more likely to be  able to secure a territory than a single male with backup from a bro a cheetah also  has a better chance of scoring a date these three litter mates have surrounded  a female penning her in against the bushes all will help keep her here  until she's ready to mate   though it's likely that only one  brother will father her offspring the territory of male cheetahs  overlap with several females   so there will be other chances  for the brothers to breed it's a typical cat strategy for the males to have  very large territories that incorporate a number   of female home ranges the south american pumas  home range may be a whopping 700 square kilometers   or more three times bigger than the females  which means the tom must do a lot of walking and in the andes over quite a challenging terrain while some must contend with mountains  others have to negotiate dense jungle in the amazon there is only one top cat large territories mean the  male cats like this heavyset   jaguar must be always on the  move patrolling their perimeters   checking up on their ladies and making sure no  other toms are trying to muscle in on their patch at first glance the cats are  following invisible boundaries   but they have their own special  methods of staking land claims at regular and prominent points around  the borders the male cats scentmark urine carries important information like  a message board that others can read   it says how many animals are present  and how fit and healthy they are   the message to other males is  clear this spot is taken keep out in the amazon rainforest love is in the air when a female is ready the male will escort her  for several days so they can mate repeatedly oh it's hard to tell if the she  cats are enjoying themselves   the males have barbs on their  penises that scrape their insides she often seems unhappy with the sensation but it's believed this scratching may trigger  ovulation and ensure a successful mating when it comes to libido the lion  really is the king of beasts this big boy can put out every 20 minutes you might think these lovers would be exhausted  after such a mating marathon but think again   day and night the studs at it when the  lioness is in season they may mate up to   40 times a day for three or four days in a  row the ultimate example of feline stamina if having pack mates makes you uncat-like the lion  is one species that moves the cat clan onto a new   level the ultimate pack hunter lions form prides  centered around related females in their offspring the larger males take over and try to  retain exclusive access to the girls there may be just one male or a male coalition  who take over a group of five to thirty lionesses being social means that lions have multiple  mothers to protect and raise their young   and of course their combined strength  means they can tackle some pretty big prey thanks to their adaptability  the cat clan have conquered the world this young jaguar will grow up to  be the top predator in the amazon from steamy lush rainforests to frigid mountain tops cats are everywhere at nearly 600 metres above sea level   the puma still finds rich pickings from the herds  of native guanaco a wild relative of the llama the cats of dense woodland can  be secretive and hard to spot   the wild cat's stripes help  it to blend into the shadows   while the great plains offer a wealth of prey  animals if you are big enough to tackle them each landscape brings new challenges  including changing seasons some species   must move with the time of year  trailing the migration of their prey but it could be hard to keep up with the herds so others sit it out using their thick  coats to survive the bleakest snow the siberian tigers winter often drops to 30 below walking in old footprints speeds his passage and there's another specialist  in the northern forests the lynx has huge snowshoe-like  feet so that it can even stalk deer their compact hooves sink deep into the snow one road deer wasn't fast enough the wildcats acute hearing picks up the  sounds of prey even mice beneath the snow with sharp claws virtually nothing is out of reach hunting is at the core of being a cat the felines family has invented different  body forms for different hunting strategies the size and build of each  species determines its target   for the more petite members of the  family the prey is small and sneaky for the biggest virtually  anything can be on the menu for a 200 kilo bengal tiger a  300 kilo sambar deer is easy prey plant eaters deer antelope zebra   these are the standard fare for many big cats but  some species specialize in more challenging prey meals that can bite back one of the toughest hunters is the elegant jaguar  pound for pound it's the strongest of big cats   stocky and muscular and with its preferred prey  it's easy to see why this [ __ ] needs muscle cayman features surprisingly  high on the big cat's menu but even the ancient reptiles are fast and alert getting within striking range  requires stealth and patience with his plan foiled he tries  easier more typical prey with his rosettes of spots the jaguar disappears   in the dappled shadows of the forest but  the pig like peccaries are super alert so he tries the riverbanks and the  capybara the world's biggest rodent only half his hunts will be successful and like   other predators he must adapt to  whatever feeding opportunity he can find hunting these crocs is not without  risks those toothy jaws can slam   shut with over 900 kilos of pressure  but still the hunter persists he must disable the huge reptile  before it has the chance to bite the jaguar's long canine teeth try to pierce the  thick leathery skin attempting to damage the spine   and push the croc down to drown it anything  he can do to weaken his deadly dinner after the titanic battle the exhausted  cat still isn't in the clear he must   drag the 100 kilo cayman before any of  the crocodiles kin come to investigate a huge effort but finally  the big cat will eat well back to the cheetah family and mom needs to hunt it is not easy to hunt with cubs in tow but a  quick call and the cubs know to sit aside and wait   the pressure's on the success of the hunt  could dictate the fate of the entire family because of their light build cheaters  do have size limits on their prey base   favoring the delicate thompson's gazelle only around half of attacks result in a kill the bachelor boys of course  have numbers on their side they stalk the herd moving the wildebeest around   while they select a target an  animal with any sign of weakness quick uh even the biggest cheetah weighs only 70 kilos   a third of the wildebeest's bulk it will  take all three brothers to bring it down   once subdued a cat characteristic suffocating  bite to the throat will finish it off   a single cheetah could never  manage a kill of this size the mother cheater must try again  only with slightly lower ambition gazelles are fast and with stamina she can only  sprint over short distances so must get close nought to 95 in three seconds now the kids are allowed to come and  sample the dish of the day it's very fresh a sad loss for the gazelle herd  but cheetahs have got to eat   whether predator or prey life is a  constant battle on the african plains   in the bushes another cheetah mother has  much younger cubs just a few days old it's a tough challenge to grow up in the cat  family there is a lot of learning before a   kitten can become the ultimate killer  at birth all cats are pretty helpless small litters of blind wobbly kittens is the norm after 10 days or so their eyes  are open and limbs stronger   but are still totally dependent on  their mothers for food and protection however young cats grow fast it'll be two months before they are old  enough to join their mothers on hunts   but already they practice on each other contrary to the cat's solitary  reputation the bond is strong   at this age nothing can drive the family apart though boisterous kittens are  a handful to all species of cat as they grow and get more sure on  their feet kittens start to play   the perfect way to hone their skills   wrestling and chasing improve their  coordination and ability to judge distance all this activity will encourage  the cat's basal instinct to hunt though it will take a bit of practice and for all cats kittenhood's  a very dangerous time   they say it's a doggy dog world but cats  can be pretty mean to each other as well it's instinctive for one predator to want to get  rid of another to remove the competition for food   so when lions pick up the scent of our  cheetahs cubs it means serious trouble the cubs must lay low the lions scour the scrub of the litter there is little their mother can do the lions  are almost three times her size she's powerless bravely she decoys the lioness  trying to draw her from the cubs she doesn't have the lion's bulk  but she does have speed on her side the plan seems to be working  she draws their attack two kittens make a dash for cover but for one it's too late the lioness doesn't want  to eat the cub just get rid of the competition only 1 in 20 cheetah make it to adulthood  70 percent are killed by lions it's a blow   to the cheetah family but thanks to  the mother's bravery two have survived with most species of cat the father is  nowhere to be seen during a kitten's kitten   of course the exception is the lion with his bulk he can protect his family from  most dangers except perhaps another lion a rival male would want to get rid  of the genes of his predecessor   encouraging the females to have his babies  instead even if it means killing cubs luckily this male's managing  to hold on to his throne as the kittens mature their lifestyles  will change starting with their diets for the first six months or so all cats  are dependent on their mother's milk but today instead of dishing up milk  the mother links calls to her cubs she has the remains of a deer she's buried  it's time for the cubs first taste of meat as well as a change in taste  there is a change in appearance lion cubs have faint spots when  they are younger to help them blend   into the grass as they get older these  will fade the sandy coats of the adults   being ideal camouflage on the dry grass  plains cats are masters of camouflage spots or stripes they have the unique ability  to vanish ideal for getting close to their prey the mother puma has spotted  a baby guanaco an easy target but this time she doesn't kill her  victim instead she calls in her cubs there is a lot to master in the art of death   the mother won't help only if the cubs  can figure it out will they get to feed a cruel death but vital to the young cubs training already the cubs are squabbling  over the kill a sure sign   that they are almost ready to  graduate from predator school the cubs have some great tools to get them started all the cat senses are fine-tuned radar ears  sniffer dog noses and above all eagle eyes in fact their eyes are so sensitive they can  hunt under the cover of darkness and cat's   eyes are uniquely suited to absorb what  little light is available intensifying it   so that they can see better  than their prey in the dark it's so dark only thermal  images reveal their skills uh even faint moonlight is enough to hunt by   despite the limitations of light lions are  still able to organize a coordinated attack the praise eyesight is far weaker but a feisty zebra can fight back the lions don't give up hmm twilight is the perfect time to  hunt with their sensitive eyes   the cats have a clear advantage but not all  conditions are conducive to their bloodlust a general rule of the cat world is to avoid water   for the most part they don't  like being caught out in the rain there's great enthusiasm when the damper  ends grooming to dry off their fur but there is one cat that likes water  even specializing in aquatic prey and in the rain-drenched forests  of the amazon it's just as well for the jaguar the waterways are  the perfect place to stalk its prey as big as pigs the capybara  is a super-sized guinea pig but living in family groups they are wary  many pairs of eyes look out for danger they hug the riverbanks ready to dive the  cover in the water if danger threatens go uh even in the water the predator's deadly  the young capybara didn't stand a chance hunting can be made harder by busybody  neighbours giraffes spy on a lion hunt the pride fans out surrounding a small  group of zebra and wildebeest on the marshes surprise will be the key to their attack their cover blown the lions  make a last-ditch attempt the nosy neighbor better watch it step and then when kills are successful there is  always someone wanting to share in your fortunes vultures have the sharpest eyes on the savannah   and it's never long before  there is a cue for dinner mother and cubs can cope  with the squabbling vultures   but there is another uninvited guest who makes  them more nervous with bone-crushing jaws the   spotted hyena would make short work of the  cheetah family so mum ushers them to safety without retractable claws  cheetahs are not the best climbers   but blessed with cat agility  they get out of harm's reach the hyena crashes the vultures party and  the cheetah can lead her cubs to safety so cats are committed mothers but the time  must come for every kitten to fly the nest   and mum's not exactly subtle in  encouraging them out of the door   the wild cat has caught a rat but her  five-month-old kids are in for disappointment no more mooching off mum wow it's time to leave home for young cats around the world  this is the moment to strike out   find new territory avoid bigger older competitors   refine their hunting skills a coalition of  cheetah litter mates look for an easy first target warthogs are surprisingly agile try again there's an ostrich family nearby but it's well guarded by a  two meter 140 kilo angry bird time for some teamwork one of the cubs decoys dad while his brothers sneak around the back these young cheaters are top cats in the making though all cats are different they are  runners water lovers or party people   they all have a lot in common the  family shares elegance agility strength   heightened senses luxurious coats  silent feet and the killer instinct and although they are top predators we  have let all of these traits into our homes even the domestic cat exhibits  these spectacular characteristics so which of these moggies has what it takes to  be a top cat the giant tiger the powerful jaguar   speedy cheetah or socialite lion each  has its own niche in which it excels   exhibiting the traits that make cats great  but each with a little spin of its own perhaps to be top cat just being a cat is enough you

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Keywords: Free High-Quality Documentaries, HD, Full HD, Quality, grace, power, predator, cats, family, acceleration, speed, prey, cheetah, jaguar, Siberian Tiger, camouflage, sneeak, crocodiles, assault, gazelles, death, wildcat, Northern lynx, lion, Plains zebra, puma, Guanaco, llama, Roe deer, mouse, Bengal tiger, Sambar deer, caiman, peccary, capybara, Thomsons gazelle, wildebeest, giraffe, spotted hyena, rat, warthog, ostrich, domestic cat

Id: EctlAlYVWwU

Length: 50min 0sec (3000 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 02 2021