The Last Lion of the Liuwa Plain | Free Documentary Nature

[Music] i live here on zambia's lower plains a remarkable place a remote and unspoiled african wilderness it is a dramatic landscape where heavy rains transform the golden grasslands into a flood plain this is the source of the mighty zambezi each year it bursts its banks and the land becomes a lake survival here depends on an ability to adapt to extremes and life in lore is always a challenge for some more than others my story is true i have survived more than the storms and the floods i am the last lion [Music] i have lived here all my life those that share my home call me lady lua i'm alone now but i once belonged to the mighty lure pride we were strong and successful and had hunted these planes for many years [Music] i am the last survivor y will become clear but first i will show you how we live our lives in lua [Music] on these planes the hunter and the hunter face enormous challenges [Music] i have had to adapt more than most each year the landscape changes as the rains arrive the grazing herds begin to leave i watch these storms transform the golden grasslands into a lake for the predators that stay behind there's less to eat you could say i'm fortunate i have only one mouth to feed it is not so easy for the hyena they live in large clans and are always ravenous they are my great rivals and we fight constant battles over food and territory nothing stands between a pack of hyena and food they never stop trying to scavenge and steal where they can they make life very tough for a lone lion the hyenas may dominate the luana but it was not always like this in the old days when we lines were together and strong things were different we always had plenty of food and there were enough of us to keep the hyenas away from our precious kill we ate well and never went hungry but we only ever took what we needed [Music] i see that the humans who live here do the same like us they adapt and make a home of the savannah and the lake the lawsi people have lived here as long as we have for many years they were the only people i ever saw they leave us alone because they don't see us as a threat the lure is remote and isolated not many people come here from outside [Music] each year we are overrun by huge herds in the dry season we are spread far and wide across the plains as the wildebeest arrive to graze on the rich grassland their arrival is eagerly anticipated hungry predators hunt out the weak and the young when they arrive the herds are full of pregnant cows that have come to the lure to give birth at the edge of the plane is king's pool this place is the only home i've ever known set among the trees it was safe and provided the pride with welcome shade but today the trees of king's pool help you to hide and keep watch over the vast plane unlike most lions i'm a good climber from here i can view the whole of the lure and up here i feel secure i can also see the first storms approaching they bring the heavy rains that will so dramatically transform my home in the months ahead this is a time when the peace and the quiet of the plane is suddenly broken as the downpour begins parched ground absorbs every drop the relentless rain gradually begins to fill the pans why my enemies go to brown the wildebeest can only huddle together and wait the storm out the storms in lieu are always violent and unsettling for us but to me they are even more frightening because they bring back bad memories from the past [Music] you'll see that king's pool has not always been such a safe place once the first rains pass the planes appear even more vivid and the wildebeest herds are more vigorous [Music] i spend most of my time watching the grazing herds from the safety of king's pool when i need to i hunt but for a loner like me hunting takes a lot of valuable energy without the teamwork of a pride to back me up i have to be careful when i try for a kill [Music] most of the time i have to watch the wildebeest gorging on the lush grassland while i sit here getting hungrier being alone has taught me how to be patient this is not the right time but i know that is all about to change [Music] the plane will soon provide for me as soon as the wildebeest female start giving birth this strategy is no secret we predators all know how to take advantage of the weak just as it brings new life to the herds the liu also brings great danger these marauding packs of hyenas are their greatest threat and mine they outnumber me and soon the pungent scent of the breeding herd attracts them like flies to a corpse [Music] the mood becomes uneasy as vulnerable mothers to be must try to get their calves out of their bellies as fast as possible but no longer hidden in the middle of a herd they are suddenly exposed and the loping hyenas are clearly anticipating a mighty feast [Music] i watch one car struggle even more than usual her calf is taking its time and she's drawing unwelcome attention every minute of this exhausting labor makes her more vulnerable then just in time the baby calf emerges and the mother is free now it is the tiny cough that is at risk [Music] but typical hyenas they are distracted by the promise of an even easier kill another cow weak from giving birth she has no chance of escape her struggle gives the calf crucial time to get on its feet and time for the herd to help get the little female walking every second the hyenas are distracted helps the little calf's chances of survival with a clan the cow is a bigger feast and easier to share out meanwhile the calf seems to be gaining in strength despite the difficulty she had coming into the world the others encourage her to walk knowing she must soon keep up with the herd but as she gains in strength i see that her mother has been weakened by the drawn out bell my hunger grows more intense as i watch the clan finish off their feast until the last morsel start a squabble and the challenge that must be dealt with firmly those lower down the ranks are pushed away while the all-powerful female of the clan and her closest relatives will continue to feed the rest will have to wait for the next opportunity in the hope of being satisfied i can only watch as the hyena go on the prowl yet again [Music] there are plenty more calves that could be separated from their mothers so it is crucial for the young wildebeest to learn quickly how to run fast one day they will be able to outrun the hyenas but while they are this small and unsteady they are easy prey i watch the hyenas skulk amongst the herd looking for another victim and i see the skies begin to fill with the first of the scavengers [Music] with no chance of a kill today it is time for me to return to an old meal i too have learned how to scavenge it is crucial for my survival i feed over and over from the same carcass in between the vultures get to eat their fill but though i scavenge i always prefer to dine alone even though they have torn at the flesh there is more than enough meat left for later i know they'll be back all i can really do is show them i have first pick at a kill of course being a lion i did not always scavenge we were a family of great hunters back in the days of the lure pride i was the only female cub born in my litter that year my older cousins were my teachers i learnt as we played together these games we all enjoyed built my strength and taught me how to stalk and catch prey [Music] the pride always felt like it was in safe hands my father was our leader he was a magnificent and distinctive black main lion there were no other rivals here to challenge him so from the moment he set foot in lua he made it his own [Music] we stood out and we became well known because we were the only lions that lived here [Music] and we may be the last [Music] back then my family had nothing to worry about our territory was secure and the lure provided everything we needed [Music] in those days i was never alone because the pride were always there [Music] but since they've gone and i've been on my own i've never seen another line most of my life i've had to learn how to survive alone when i look at the others who share my home watching how they spend their lives together it reminds me of what i once had the young wildebeest carbs are always eager to feed on their mother's milk [Music] this is also an important time for the new calves to bond with the rest of their herd [Music] and a time for us predators to stay alert by the young calf i saw struggling to be born is unable to suckle [Music] although her mother is weak and has no milk the calf does not leave her side sensing this as another opportunity the hyenas are already on the move but hunger finally forces the calf to leave her sick mother without an adult to watch her she strays from the safety of the herd and towards the hyenas den where a young pup has been left alone the wandering calf is soon spotted the hyena pup calls out the mother is not far away and i watch as the calf makes its first and perhaps last mistake without an adult to look after her she's heading into terrible danger seeing his mother is close the inquisitive pup is a little braver [Music] then just in time warning and the calf realizes how far she's straight instinct takes her back to the safety of the herd at this age all youngsters are vulnerable she'll need careful watcher for now the calf and pup eye each other from a distance one day they might meet again as predator and prey roles they will grow into as they get older the hyena guides her adventurous pup to the safety of the den [Music] i watched the calf now back among the safety of her herd and she's searching desperately for her mother was nowhere to be seen as other calves stay close to their mothers she's left alone even among so many it seems you can still feel isolated and abandoned [Music] with so many young calves around the approaching hyena are even more predatory than before [Music] still calling the calf seems desperate to find its mother as the herd starts to move on [Music] as i shadow them keeping my eye on things i see that the calf's mother is finally losing her battle she is stranded [Music] as the herd watch helplessly i see the hyena working out its best chance of another meal the hyena moves in on the sick car still calling in vain the calf must stay with a herd this is the savage face of life in lua i wish it could be me taking advantage of this opportunity but all i can do is watch from the sidelines as my arch enemies secure another valuable feast for themselves [Music] while i am hungry for fresh meat the hyena makes another kill and wins again and i see the lure inherit another orphan like me she loses her mother violently with only one hyena doing all the work the kill is not quick [Music] the orphaned cough has learned a hard lesson in life but she can fight the survival odds too she can still try to find her place among the herd [Music] while the other cops latch onto their mothers and feed hungrily not being able to suckle just means she must learn to graze earlier than most even without her mother she still has the herd to protect her but for me it was different i only had my pride and when they had gone there were no others i look at this young car and i see similarities in my own life [Music] without a family my future was also uncertain surviving here alone was always going to be a huge challenge the greatest threat i face is from the hyenas these powerful residents of the plains are my rivals for food and my enemies for territory for as long as i have lived in lua [Music] they challenged me time and time again hyenas always see your vulnerable side and know just how to take advantage of it so i must put on a show of strength to reinforce my power and superiority over them a routine i must constantly carry out is to stake my claim on this land strengthening my fading sent boundaries and confronting the hyenas who come to challenge me sometimes i can keep them happy with the scraps i leave after feeding unlike me they'll even steal the bones of the carcass to crush and eat it's a clever distraction i have learned to use when there's food on offer they forget about fighting me for this land it's a battle of wills we play out time after time saving our energy to hunt and watching each other for the slightest sign of weakness if i had my pride with me the hyena would never dare come this close [Music] i'd never have to fight these battles alone but for now at least a lion still rules the lure as long as i can keep the dreaded hyena at bay scavenging is such a change from the life i once led as one of the great lure pride before my family were taken food was never a problem my mother hunted and she always made sure of a kill she brought the carcass back for the whole pride to feed from my father would always be the first to eat only after he had finished feeding we'd hear our mother calling out to us that was our cue to join the feast [Music] our mother brought us what was left our father would stay and watch over us as we took our place at the carcass he wanted to see us develop our taste for fresh meat these family feasts always left us full they also helped us to bond as a pack feeding together as a pride help us to know our placenta position in the ranks it is what makes align pride one of the strongest families there is and help to make us great hunters one day i thought i would join my mother she went hunting but i never did i don't get much fresh meat now but there's still enough to scavenge and keep me well fed looking at the young orphaned calf i think things will be different for her wildebeest have the advantage of strength in numbers she will grow up as one among many thousands if she lives that long it looks like she's about to learn another difficult lesson she's become separated from the herd again the hyenas are never far from these breeding herds there are just too many good opportunities so the wildebeest must be constantly on the lookout i watch the hyena provoke the herd they move as one packed as close together as possible then the hyenas start to circle the grazing herd i know the way they work i've been forced to watch them year after year the orphaned calf is suddenly confused and the hyena makes its move suddenly zebra and wildebeest both make a dash for safety and the calf's instincts kick in as it follows them but in all the panic she has joined the zebra herd by mistake the stampede is sudden and confusing then the calf gets another break the two herds have bolted in the same direction she soon safely back with her own kind and something else has distracted the hyena yet again they have been drawn by the lure of an easier opportunity one of the zebra is injured and has fallen behind if there's one thing any predator knows can lead to a meal it's a straggler zebra is not getting away [Music] so there's no need to hurry [Music] but zebras are big and the hyena calls for help [Music] [Laughter] [Music] their hunting cry makes the rest of the herd uneasy even the little calf seems to sense that the hyenas are back on the attack they begin to work as a team maneuvering their victim away from the safety that's heard the hyenas take their time careful not to risk being injured zebra may be lame but it is still able to put up a fight this doesn't stop them it is a prime opportunity no hyena would give up but this is the lure and the zebra's fate is far from sealed [Music] hmm the lame zebra is not as alone as it appears and the other zebras have seen the danger it's in if the injured one can't get back to the herd then the herd can always come to the rescue the zebras have won the day they have saved this one's life for now at least and i can enjoy the look of defeat on the hyenas face once i don't need to watch them enjoy another fresh kill with their faces bloodied and their bellies full i'm not the only one celebrating the calf is in high spirits too [Music] perhaps because she has also survived another dangerous encounter with the clan i'm beginning to see she has every chance of being a survivor [Music] practicing the distinctive sprints and leaps it will help her to stay out of the hyenas reach [Music] but she still has to settle into her life among the herd such massive numbers need good organization and strong leadership [Music] i see how the biggest males of the herd keep order and how they work hard to stay at the top out in the plane the adults fight their battles for power and the young ones mimic them games that will one day decide who will lead the herd i have no one to play these games with anymore it's just not the same on my own even the hyenas want to play sometimes of course their games often involve bits of prey carried as some sort of post-hunt trophy at least now they're not trying to steal from me or take my territory [Music] the games they play are like those i learnt as a cub the youngest of the pride when we had time together we could indulge in innocent games they helped us prepare for adult life on the lure a life where the females would hunt for the whole family [Music] we prepared for when we were grown and would hunt as a team our mother would keep an eye on us and just one look would keep us in line as playful as it was this time was crucial we did not know then but the games we played as cubs were important for our growth for strengthening our muscles and for honing our skills that we would need later on in life as adults [Music] these games are also important because they helped us to develop individual bonds and alliances that are so important to the strength of a lion pride as the only female cub my place in the pride was crucial not only for the cubs i would bear but also to hunt we were such a magnificent family but i am the last one and the lion bloodline of lua will die with me as the days pass i see more storms approaching it will bring heavier rains the skies are heavy with dark clouds and in the coming weeks the plane will become a lake the herds are grazing harder than ever they must take what they can of the rich grass before it disappears under the water most of the calves are weaned now and feeding along with the rest of the [Music] herd while the early rains are providing us all with plenty to drink the real flood is about to hit then the only place left for the herds to graze will be the higher ground above the pans but the herds must leave these small islands of grass before the water becomes too deep the young calves become nervous this is their first rainy season and they sense something is about to happen a sense of unease sweeps through the entire herd as the skies darken even more even the hardy hyena are looking for cover with the first drops of rain the lure itself comes to life the rains are such a powerful and unstoppable force that they will soon reshape our home the flat plain holds onto the water and the land that has been grazed starts to slowly disappear over the coming days i watch as the plane becomes a lake we must change and adapt to the new landscape it is not just the animals of the plain who can find a way to live here for the lossy people who share this place with us the flood is a special time they have their own legend about it it tells of the first great flood they call the maya lalungua or the waters that swallowed everything it is said the people were afraid to escape in their leaky dugout canoes the first great canoe was built and loaded with seeds and animal dung where it landed they scattered the seeds along with a dung and it is said this is where all plants and animals come from [Music] [Music] the waters that pour into the lure bring so much nourishment to the land that the grasslands are among the richest of all [Music] the biggest challenge to us predators who remain after the flood is how to stay well fed the herds we depend on leave the plane for dry land we predators must find other prey often harder for us to hunt and even those we usually chase cannot run us in the grip of the rising waters even the hyena have a tough season ahead as their bulky powerful bodies make them heavy and slow compared with the nimble lich where gazelles back when the pride was here we learned how to stalk our prey across the flooded plain when we were old enough we would follow our mother when she went hunting even though we cats instinctively shy away from water we have developed the necessary skills that enabled us to navigate our way over the watery plane these useful skills were passed on to each of us we learned how the water made it harder to sneak up on prey and get close enough for a lion to strike [Music] those early years taught me everything i needed to know about living here [Music] we learned how to get a higher ground with a flood could not reach and where we might find our prey [Music] these days i can only keep control of a small territory to hunt him i use the streams and rivers as borders but i also see how the lossy people use them as highways through the lower floodplain the beginning of the kamboka meaning out of the water it begins as the river starts to swell and cover the grassland this is the way the people of the plain adapt to the floods they build their boats and prepare for the water like us their lives are shaped by the changing mood of the zambezi river as it bursts its banks and floods the laws you know that i live here alone but they are no threat to me all of us are left in peace by them i see how they respect animals the ceremony marks their move to higher ground at the start of the rainy season the festival is led by a great barge powered by a hundred paddlers followed by a fleet of smaller boats this is the barge that carries the king or the latunga it is symbolized by a huge elephant the queen's barge follows bearing a peacock during the procession they move to higher ground away from the lower plane that is flooded i know i will see them again after the waters disappear [Music] the great flood has become a part of the way we live it brings to the land a rich variety of color and new life [Music] and for all that abandon it in search of dry land new animals arrive [Music] the water attracts thousands of birds that come here to breed on the banks of the lake we see as they perform a ballet of colors calls and displays to attract mates i look out over the huge shallow lake that covers the savannah and see how the lousy people have learned how the lake provides just as the grassland did even though the lousy villages are now abandoned they will come alive again next year meanwhile they still return to fish the lake ever since i was born they have done this we always knew why they came and felt sure that they were no threat to us [Music] we lived in peace [Music] i had never seen anyone else apart from the people of the plane until that terrible day at almost two years of age i began hunting and being the only female in my litter i found myself spending many hours away from king's pool practicing my stalking skills and learning how to hunt [Music] i was out on the planes when i saw the strangers moving across the grassland they were not like the lawsy people they were different they were heading towards king's pool towards my pride [Music] loud noises frightened all the birds and the animals it was like nothing i'd ever heard before i returned to king's pool [Music] ever since that day i have been alone [Music] my family had been shot none of them survived you could say i was lucky not to have been killed that part of me died that day afterwards i grew up fast at least i had been well taught how to survive here and for all of us who hunt these planes the lure still provides [Music] it is peaceful again now the luau is full of survivors including the young cough she has grown now and seemed settled in the mighty herd she's going with them as they leave once again [Music] most of the rich luer grass is now covered and the wildebeest use the last of the high ground to make their escape but they will be back next year and my rivals the hyena will be waiting for them and as the grassy plains change into a vast lake and then back again into a lush carpet of succulent greenery i will witness the dramatic changes of the season where i am the last line of lure and it is my destiny to wait here until as before more lions journey to this place [Music] and once again reclaim their rightful status as the lower pride but until this happens i am content to stand guard over my beloved planes [Music] [Music] hmm [Music]

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 904,436

Rating: 4.5887494 out of 5

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Free Documentary Nature, Wildlife, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife Documentary 2020, Animals, Animal Documentary, Liuwa Plain, Zambia, Lion, Lion Documentary, Lions Documentary, Big Cats, Big Cat Documentary, Endangered Mamals, Africa, Africa Documentary, Lioness, Hyeana, liuwa plain national park, lady liuwa, safari, national park

Id: U7LaRZqLb0U

Length: 50min 3sec (3003 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 20 2020