Heart Of The Okavango: Island Of Lions [African Predators & Preys Documentary] Real Wild

[Music] this is a vision of Africa as we imagine it to be for this the exception not the rule such a pristine sanctuary is where they found in today this is a special oasis where wildlife is isolated never managed or controlled a man here endangered animals like the wild dog thrive in greater numbers and larger plants but anywhere else in Africa this place is a window on the past Africa as it used to be but where is this rare erasers it's on an island in Botswana large tracts of Kalahari sanger part the waters of the Okavango Delta to form wooded islands the largest and most isolated disease lies in the deltas heart Chiefs traditionally it was the exclusive hunting ground to the chief of the battle wanna trying but for seldom hunted because of its remoteness today it's 500 square miles makeup class of the morenae game resumes and the only hunting that happens here now is by the Predators of the island Chiefs Island is the heart of the Okavango an echo of Africa and it used to be the cool Twilight hours of dawn and dusk provide the best hunting on Chiefs Island so this is the time when most predators are active lions are a major predator on the island and each lion has its own preference of what and when it hunts some are just setting out others have been busy all night cheetah and wild dog hunt mainly by daylight so dawn brings the first chance to scout the islands of prey the elephant is one of the few animals that the Predators ignore antelope and zebra feed in the rich grasslands night and day they need to stay in the open is there to catch a glimpse of approaching danger shallow floodplains skirt the island but present no problem to the nimble dog it's the deeper channels they must be very are venturing across these can be a one-way journey the Jekyll's barks mean that large predators are on the prowl the grazing animals attuned to the hunters moves so it's a constant effort for predators to surprise them head slung low the dog stalkers one sizing up their chances the wildebeest have strength in numbers and can withstand the dogs towards if they stick together perhaps this is just a warm-up the morning light reveals three young lines feeding on an adult cape buffalo they also killed the buffalos car but eventually had to abandon it to the hyenas so they could feed on the adder the arrival of a large male lion brings new problems few predators give up the chance of a free meal the strong male can easily assert his authority it took the Young Lions most of the night to bring down the Buffalo they'll be reluctant and let it go but it's clear that the male won't share with scavenger or kin except for a younger male associate who claims the calf for himself the young lions are powerless against the mature male they won't fight him for the carcass and he won't give them the chance to try alone with two kills the younger male is faced with a dilemma he can't eat floated once but his instincts won't let either go [Music] the return of the large male scatters the scavengers and puts an end to the game of cat and mouse the young lions take a chance and return to the kill once the males start to eat they may become more tolerant so far so good but they're still cautious a sixth flyer enters the scene the mother of the three youngsters easily recognizable by her half tail Lions are instinctively protective of their killings and strength over rules family ties their old mother approaches with caution this is not a pretty picture of family life but it is typical LAN behavior the young adults won't admit their aging mother until they've eaten enough to satisfy their initial hunger the conflict of attracted attention and they're driven off once again the dominant male cannot eat the whole Buffalo but he needs to assert his authority he eats first and when he satisfied his hunger the younger lands will be allowed to return they will wait until the mature male is ready and until her young already the mother wait to when she's near them she remains submissive and cautious this waiting game may last for hours but the hyenas will wait the longest compared to the Lions the wild dogs are even-tempered and cooperative they hunt as a group share their kill and even take food back to feed their injured their success of hunters relies on this cooperation and hunting in a large pack gives them the strength to overpower and it was much bigger than themselves the dog stay alert as they travel through the shallows crocodiles take many dogs but the reptile needs deep water to drown them if the water is even off the hippos then it's definitely deep enough for crocodiles and the dogs take the long way round [Applause] hippos are fiercely territorial but sometimes they take their duties a little too far [Music] [Music] the Egyptian geese retreat to the scanty protection of some floating foliage the very large packs of wild dogs found on Chiefs Island are a formidable force they act as individuals and as a pack to outwit and overwhelm their prey kudu have sharp hearing but the dogs stalk in silence once they've targeted their prey they seldom give up death comes swiftly when it's dealt by so many blows rows of sharp teeth open up the kudos belly and whip out its vital organs it happened so quickly that the kudu dies in seconds the Lions suffocating bite looks cleaner but may take more than half an hour to have the same attack the wild dogs gorged themselves they're also feeding for their puppies back at the dam once their fall they return straight to the dam in stark contrast to the hunt life here is noisy yelping puppies eagerly greet the adults and lick their muscles to encourage regurgitation the adults file is impossible to resist them Guardians look after the puppies while the other adult comes they also bake the food and get the same response the public soon learn to protect their food from each other adults often play strong social bonds tie them together Oh [Music] hoodude vultures are a facts of life around the dam and live in close association of the dogs as well as clearing up the scraps and waste the vultures provide a constant source of amusement and amusement for the pups [Music] play-fighting of this early age tests their strength and helps set their rank in later life [Music] the dominant female suckles all the young even if they're not her own she may suckle as many as 18 [Music] the morning is heating up and the dogs are full maybe even well and may not need to hunt again today [Music] calm settles on the pack as they drift off in the dappled Sun [Music] the hyenas are still waiting but seem relaxed at last the young lions have left their mother on to the kill Buffalo can weigh up to a ton so there's enough to feed all the Lions if they let each other feed it'll be a few hours yet before the hyenas get a looking at the carcass a pair of cheetahs warm themselves on a termite mound as they scan the floodplains for prey read Lech way a type of swamp antelope are prolific in the floodplains around the island but they're easily spooked and can leap quickly through the shallow waters a higher termite mound provides a better view the Delta and islands are studded with the slowly growing mounds which provide the only dry ground and cover at the height of the floods at the moment the open floodplains seem distinctly lacking in cheetah prey northern Botswana is famed for the largest free-ranging herds of African elephant it's estimated that over 100,000 elephants populate these lands more than 15% of the whole African population in the wet season the elephants roam the surrounding the Pawnee woodlands but in the dry season they move into the Delta to take advantage of the lush foraging on the islands but elephants can be very destructive to their habitat some believe that Botswana is already overpopulated by elephants and the government faces a dilemma should they allow controlled hunting or culling in order to protect this pristine habitat a habitat up to now unregulated by Meryn the annual flood waters from the Okavango and fertilizer deposited by huge herds of elephants buffalo and antelope keep the floodplains fertile and each year as the waters recede a fresh supply of food is revealed Chacma baboons pick their way through the exposed beds of drained lagoons collecting the tubers of slowly sinking water lilies to read Waterman is pepper the waterways with thousands of pink stars and provide the main source of food to the pygmy goose [Music] this beautiful water bird is tied to the lily covered back waters where it feeds on the seeds of a submerged lily fruit [Music] waterlilies on just a source of food there a habitat in their own right but jacanas or more aptly than Lily Trotter only the male's bring up the young on the females mate and lay eggs with the succession of others [Music] [Applause] the chicks are mobile from hatching but a vulnerable on the exposed pads [Music] when they're under threat the adult exhibits a remarkable defense strategy [Music] [Music] [Applause] only the deposit the chicks when danger has passed [Music] these lily lagoons are just one of the many unspoiled habitats that make Chiefs Island so special and sustain such a wide range of Wildlife most of the wildlife on the island is the bend of on water so the shores of the major channels are busy with life's essential routines drinking feeding and raising young crocodiles are plentiful and the deep channels they ambush their prey by stealth approaching an inch at a time until they're ready to strike the boons are often targets for crocodile's so they send very little time in the water this one is rooted to the spot [Music] it's troop is unnerved by its behavior the baboon's neck is held fast in the jaws of a crocodile but since the floodwaters have society the channel is too shallow to drown the eighth [Music] when danger is out of sight it's often out of mind [Music] the crocodile releases the highly stressed baboon expecting it to be drowned [Music] and it hasn't escaped without injury it probably lost some other blood in the water and looks like it's in shock [Music] the crocodile moves to deeper water baboons are one of the most plentiful mammals on the island and crocodiles taken many at this point [Music] the crocodiles are only dangerous while they're lurking in the water their relationship with baboons on land is very different [Music] up after a warning bark the baboons continue their daily routine almost oblivious to the reptile they seem more concerned with something stalking the other side of the inlet [Music] the injured baboon retreats to the islands woods the spotted hyena heads in the same direction [Music] although Chiefs Island is now part of the Marais me game reserve its wildlife is not controlled or maintained by man wildlife flourishes here as it has always done giving us a glimpse of an ancient Africa there's a natural balance between predator and prey and their instincts are home to respond to each other's every move the Lions have broken cover to drink so they give up the chance to surprise the wildebeest but they wouldn't be in the open if they'd intended to attack everywhere the lion pride walks the prey animals read the signals and assess the risk of danger lands seem to miss a lot of opportunities but they only hunt when they have a reasonable chance of success these kudu Bulls are as wary of creditors of the wildebeest they see the Lions approach and move on prey animals escape predators more often than we think cheetahs hunt the same ground as lions but specialize in smaller prey like in parlor and young niche way but this pair have not been successful today adult zebra too large for the small cheetahs but there may be foals amongst the herd oftens cheetahs walk boldly up to their prey rely on their speed to overhaul their victim when the chase begins some of the Zebras spot the cheetah and watch for signs the cheetah targets the other end of the herd but there are no fools here and an adult is beyond the Cheetahs strength it must look for smaller prey somewhere else the second cheetah is nervous Lions have settled down nearby but no point hunting when Lanzo around they steal the kills of smaller predators especially cheetahs cheetahs are in direct competition with the other predators on the island but they're at the small end of the scale even the wild dogs use their numbers to Harris cheetahs most lions avoid the strain of hunting in the heat of midday instead they take time to relax they're not on the threat by any predator [Music] [Music] giraffes are very common on the island and use their long necks and short horns to spa [Music] when fighting in earnest their heads become powerful battering rams capable of killing an opponent but mostly they engage in stylized mock fights [Music] lion cubs seem unaffected by the heat that overpowers their family [Music] suckling is one of the few activities the adults have energy for [Music] but suckling doesn't keep Cubs busy for long they want to play [Music] [Music] in every little snarl and every tiny strike the Cubs are honing their hunting skills [Music] it's hard to believe that one day they'll be wrestling with the backs of Buffalo [Music] and now it's just a little rough and tumble [Music] [Music] a shadowing - a palm shed disprove this is no earthquake but the skilled manipulation of a strong trunk a few elephants become particularly skillful with this operation each falling nut is about the size of a cricket ball and just as hard the nutritious outer husk is highly prized by elephant bulls and large numbers invade the palm rows each year to shake down the ripening crop [Music] Chiefs island was a piece of the Kalahari sand belt isolated amidst the Okavango floodwaters although its sandy soil is light and dusty it actually makes great mud elephants love to bathe in the dust and mud and they turn the shore into an island spa their skin is tough but sensitive dust helps rid it of parasites and mud cells more scattered cooling the elephants as it dries out this treatment is a welcome respite from the mid afternoon Sun it's also good fun [Music] even big old bulls enjoy the benefits of the spa [Music] but this youngster is not so sure about the soothing qualities of the sticky mud it refers to seek the cool shade only to be found under its mother the sparse benefits aren't confined to the elephant's warthogs also enjoys stinky suits of mud dust-bathing can go right over your head if you're too young to cope with headwinds and this tiny cart is left out altogether it's too young to control its trunk properly it can't wait to get out of the heat and into the shady Woodlands [Music] [Music] the spa is left open for the smaller animals will enjoy this sycamore fig tree is also the scene of some health treatments some baboons engage in healings while other members of the troop are more interested in what's on offer above fat green marilla's Chiefs island is weed than fruit trees they provide a nutritious addition to the baboon's varied diet the fruit trees also sustain many other animals like birds and proof maps fruit that's made as many as 20 figs a night each but the benefits of fruit are still unknown to this suckling baby baboon baboons benefit from many of the islands habitats forest floodplain and grassland but they're always wary of danger and post lookouts to protect their troops the lookout barking is triggered by the arrival of a lioness in the grasslands different lions hunt at different times of the day many will hunt at night but this female chooses the late afternoon as the heat begins to subside the baboon seems very bold but he's not putting himself in any danger he maintains his distance from the lion and would escape into a tree if she got closer his alarm calls are reducing her chances of surprising any prey the object of her intention comes into view a herd of wildebeest they've seen her and quickly assess the danger while she still they slowly file on but she's not alone the wildebeest are alert primed by the baboons calls and easily escaped perhaps tonight when the baboons are asleep the Lions chances will be better there's only an hour of daylight left until dusk but sundown approaching the wild dogs are getting frisky and eager to hunt they had a lot of mouths to feed they greet each other with face licks and rally around the packs if left undisturbed wild dogs seldom changed ends while rearing young but something maybe a lion has disturbed this pack and now they must move their passes to another den the puppies are very vulnerable in the open and the changeover has to be quick older pups run with the pack but the younger ones are carried by mouth detection of the pups is paramount and adults regularly stop the stragglers the cheetah has heard the distress calls of the puppies it knows better than to approach the pack but could pick up a straggler and the smaller puppies do seem to have a problem keeping up but nothing is that simple for cheetahs the dollars have spotted it and the little puppy knows when it's time to run for cover wild dogs are one of the fastest land predators and are on the cheetahs tail in no time but they abandon the chase daylight is fading and they must get the puppies to the new bend before dark The Guardian sees their safely underground and stands over the dens entrance the puppies are very excited after their excursions and the Guardian will have a hard time keeping them down elephants consume vast quantities of vegetation each day and may spend up to 18 hours foraging in the wooded areas of the islands they can feed on roots creepers bark and leaves another dust raker is making use of the cooler evening the honey badger forages for insects and grubs in the dusty Kalahari sand a successful kill brings the large pack into the grasslands the elephants will spend the night foraging in the woods wild dogs can strip a carcass in a few minutes and soon devour most of a kill hyenas are respectful of the dogs while they're feeding the dogs are fast and have needle-sharp teeth and more said about the hyenas if they're interrupted the pack will return to the puppies when the Sun Goes Down but the hyenas have the whole night to feed even so one of the bolder hyenas can't resist a quick recce and the dogs tolerance evaporates [Music] [Music] sheesh Island has witnessed conflicts like these for thousands of years as predators pursue prey and compete with each other in an endless game of survival [Music] this is a rich but rare paradise isolated by the watery wilderness of the Delta its fortune lies in this isolation let's hope that its recent discovery by tourism does not endanger the beating heart of the Okavango [Music]

Channel: Real Wild

Views: 2,057,668

Rating: 4.5826888 out of 5

Keywords: nature documentary, full documentary, documentary movie, animals attack, big cats, wildlife documentary, deadly lions, english, hd, discovery channel, national geographic, bbc, natgeo wild, attack of the big cats, Nature documentaries - topic, Animals - topic, lions, lions vs wildebeest, lions vs hyenas, kalahari desert, chief's island, botswana wild kingdom, elephants, animal fights, lion cubs, leopards, african nature, crocodile vs hippo, wild hippos, wild animal documentary

Id: Nu9ic7lC4bc

Length: 51min 52sec (3112 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 22 2017