Wildlife Laws: The Better Hunter Wins | Free Documentary Nature

baby animals beguiled with their innocent charm but while some remain harmless others have deep rooted instincts it may take weeks or months of training to hone their skills but in every corner of the globe predators emerge their landscapes and lifestyles may be very different but these babies are born to height [Applause] [Music] those lazy hazy days of summer the lean winter months are finally over there is an explosion of life whether you're on the African plains the swamps of the Amazon or the Arctic tundra it's a season to recharge the batteries and enjoy this time of Plenty [Music] there's been a baby boom with cute animal babies finding their 50 [Music] but it's in these bountiful months while the goings good that life's lessons must be learned some babies that means they must learn to hunt [Music] Iceland the very edge of the Arctic Circle here the summer season is short and animals waste no time in setting up a home known as Kitts the arctic fox babies will have just a few short months to master the skills they will need to survive one of the harshest locations on earth they've got a long way to go right now they are blind deaf virtually toothless and totally dependent on their parents but they will have to be self-sufficient in just nine weeks their biggest concern is wrestling with their siblings for the best access to milk arctic foxes have bigger litters than any of their wild dog cousins so there can be a lot of sibling rivalry they've been born into a den built by their mother that will keep them safe and warm while they grow their parents wait on them hand and foot during the first most vulnerable days their mother stays by their side and dad does most of the hunting before long their mother will need to leave the den and support the father's efforts it's not easy providing for a big family to keep up the milk supply for the large litter she needs more food during the winter months she's completely white camouflaged against the snow but now as it warms up she molds to match the ice free rocky beaches she's had a Lucky Strike beachcombing is a favorite way to forage and today it's paid off with a stranded fish while she feeds her pups remain safely underground perhaps dreaming of their next meal in this land of scarcity every resource is worth protecting she urinates on the remains to claim them as her own so that she can later return for more the fox litters arrival has been timed to coincide with the delivery of other babies on the tundra these are not hunters but the hunted snow geese return to the place of their birth and nest in flocks to try and keep their youngsters safe from the many hungry eyes prowling around the breeding grounds another Arctic predator the snowy owl nests high above the goose colony perfectly placed to spot feeding opportunities while the Fox parents are doing all they can to raise their whole litter the owls have a much tougher first-come-first-served policy the little chick was born a week later than his brother and is constantly bullied out of the way when dinner arrives with such tough competition his chances of survival are far from assured but while his life hangs in the balance others are enjoying a teddy bears picnic throughout the Northern Hemisphere babies are getting to know their landscapes and the challenges they bring these three cubs were born in the heart of winter in an underground den now five months old they play while they're doting mother stands guard they have a lot to learn but seem skilled and turning lessons into play time the Cubs are close always looking to be near each other even if a sibling is waiting to pounce from behind a tree [Music] the babies games help strengthen their bodies and what better way to get to know their environment [Music] wherever they are in the world and whenever summer arrives it triggers a baby boom in the Masai Mara millions of births occur in just a few short weeks [Music] and wherever vulnerable youngsters arrived hungry predators are not far behind the plant-eaters here are born to a never-ending March having to move with the seasons seeking fresh pastures their only protection from predators on the open plains is to live in vast herds animals are at their most vulnerable when they are babies and in this open landscape wildebeest must grow up fast just a few minutes old and the baby must find its feet within an hour it will be ready to run with the herd lions on the other hand can take their time growing up they had the benefit of a pride a family group to hunt for them and protect them while they learn to fend for themselves [Music] the abundance of prey seems to trigger the pride leaders into making more lion cubs [Music] with food in good supply they are not limited to a short breeding season they may mate up to 40 times a day top predators on the plains lions can boldly lie in the open enjoying the Sun living in their shadow a cheetah mother must be more careful when she delivers her new brood it's a catty cat world and if her little ones are discovered by a larger hunter they will be destroyed it's instinct for all predators to get rid of the competition [Music] it takes around ten days before the Cubs eyes open and will be several more before they can start to walk though they are often born harmless and looking more like lovable pets than vicious killers predatory animals are all born with the desire to hunt and it becomes apparent at a young age the rough-and-tumble games of wild cat kittens look like innocent fun but every stalk and pounce is a practice run that will hone their skills and take them closer to being able to make a kill for themselves the cuddly kittens have just half a year to toughen up before long every pounce will need to produce food right now though when they get hungry they can just go back to Mum mums must work tirelessly to keep themselves well fed and in good shape in order to be able to provide for their little ones after she killed this red deer and ate her Phil the diligent mother Lynx drags the carcass to a safe spot it weighs five times more than she does but it's worth the effort it will keep her family fed for a week or more though they have been supplementing their milk diet with meat since they were six weeks old they won't be fully weaned until they reach six months for all baby hunters there is a ticking clock before long their mother will need to move on and start a new family and they will have to fend for themselves for the Lynx tucking into the carcass is good practice the Lynx are lucky their mother will still watch over them during the tough northern winter but after that they are on their own there is no such luxury for the arctic fox kids their paternal period will last only three months just long enough to see them through the summer when the Bleak Arctic winter rolls in they'll need to fend for themselves there are just four weeks old but are already exploring the world beyond the den like all young predators they play fight constantly getting in all the hunting practice they can mum is finished molting and is barely distinguishable from her kids she's getting tired of feeding them and was soon stopped for now she tries to enforce a bit of order when the hungry young rush in for milk [Music] mealtimes cut short when the father appears [Music] she barks expectantly hoping he's bringing food to relieve her hunger but he has nothing to offer even in summer food would be thin on the ground the outcome of his hunting will affect the success of the whole family tundra babies must grow fast or fail it's a tough reality the kids still have a few months to get their act together but for the snowy owl chick it's too late snowy owl breeding success is determined by the lemming population when lemmings are abundant they can raise large clutches but when the rodents numbers are down the birds feel the pinch this year food is in short supply dire times call for drastic measures the mother knows that if she's to successfully raise a chick this year a sacrifice must be made [Music] now she can put all of her effort into raising just one baby greatly increasing his chances of survival bears like to take their time over things [Music] the Cubs will stay with their mother for several years picking up survival tips as they go though they have the hunting instinct bears are omnivores and enjoy roots berries and beetles as much as meat but when mum sniffs out an elk carcass a family feast begins like the arctic foxes the little ones need to prepare for a long tough winter unlike the foxes they will hibernate but they will only endure if they can build up enough body fat they're not the only ones wanting to bulk up and a prize like this soon attract some unwanted attention another single mum is looking for food for her family bears are very protective mothers and try to keep their cubs from any perceived threats even another family the mum's bark warnings and all the Cubs follow their instincts and dash up the nearest trees the mums draw a truce and call to their youngsters to lead them their separate ways but the smallest of the litter has panicked and doesn't want to risk a return to the ground it takes mum and her siblings to gently coax her back down the game it's not until she has mum's reassuring presence that she plucks up the courage to descend [Music] but while the two families have been arguing they've both lost out to a large male he's taken over the meal and for the mums it would be too risky to try and take it back but more importantly they've survived the attack and find a safer spot [Music] a woodpecker building its winter stores has attracted the attention of the tenacious wild cat kittens going from strength to strength they boldly pursue anything they see even if it does lead them into challenging situations [Music] mum doesn't seem particularly impressed but she won't interfere if her kittens are to make it she knows they need to figure it out for themselves [Music] [Applause] [Music] the cheetah cubs are really finding their feet learning through play the agile maneuvers they will need to chase down prey [Music] as they become bolder exploring further afield life gets tricky for their mother with them roaming it's much harder to keep them safe they do have camouflage on their side already spotted to break out their outline and talk with a golden Mane that matches the dry summer grasses as their bodies grow they need to start supplementing their diet with meat which means mum must start hunting for four extra mouths being the lightest of the big cats cheetahs are limited by prey choice a zebra would be too challenging gazelles on the other hand are favored prey the mother is a refined model built for the kill her lean body poised her Ford facing eyes judging distance to her prey she's a coiled spring ready to pounce timing is everything nor to 100 km/h in just three seconds but she can only sustain it for 50 meters or so if she gets the timing wrong she'll lose and the gazelles know it they weave and died until they wear the big cap down [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] though she's the fastest animal on land still only half a hunts result in a kill now in danger of overheating she must drink and get to a shady spot while she gets her strength back the Cubs know the drill and follow her every move though napping may not be that easy it's really quiet in her neighborhood lions are on the prowl [Music] with the herd locked firmly in their sights the pride fan out to set an ambush the prides Cubs watch and learn lion hunting strategies are among the most complicated of any predator something it's going to take a while to master [Music] but they're being watched by a nosy neighbor [Music] [Music] the games are the lioness tries to salvage the hunt but the herds got the upper hand after all that effort the Lions are not best pleased you win some you lose some [Music] but to keep their families healthy both the Lions and the cheetah will need to try again it's a never-ending struggle both to provide for the young and to equip them with the life skills they'll need when they leave home and for the arctic fox kids that time is near luckily when the kids are at their most needy the other Tundra wildlife comes within easy reach young kitty wait gulls not yet competent Flyers are sitting ducks mums not so keen on suffering the youngsters now take away goal is their best bet [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] though they lost their big elk carcass there bear cubs are doing well thanks to their opportunistic diets making the most of the rich forest vegetation [Music] though they are older than the fox pups they still have milk on tap [Music] the mother sibling bonds are close and this is the key to survival the little Bears in a big forest everything their mother does they copy going where she goes eating what she eats [Music] building a body of knowledge that they will draw on for the rest of their lives [Music] [Music] the peat book offers rich plant pickings and their mum is keen to teach them which species to eat in which to ignore but it leaves them out in the open with little cover the Cubs seem wary this is the first time they've left the dark safe cover of the trees [Music] they soon relax and make the most of the new resources they quickly forget about any risk luckily though mum remains alert a male bear this is the biggest danger to young bear cubs the male's will sometimes kill Cubs in order to breed with their mothers the Cubs seek the safety of the trees but bears are very protective mothers she stands her ground warning the intruder if he doesn't back down she's ready to fight back [Music] the bluff seems to work they boldly strut past the in truth [Music] Mumm seems keen to put a bit of distance between the male and her cubs so she moves them to a new part of the forest crossing a river is another new experience but following their mother's lead they take to it like ducks to water [Music] [Music] the forest echoes with the bellows of testosterone-fueled Red Deer stacks they are in rut the breeding season a sure sign that autumn has arrived in a forest [Music] the Wildcats are now almost as big as their mother [Music] they're growing independence causing more friction play fights start getting rougher and the kittens are increasingly distracted by the other animals of the forest though some remained tantalizingly out of reach and there is a clear sign family bonds are deteriorating when mother returns home with a rat she's no longer willing to share the youngest of her daughters puts a poor where it doesn't belong and all hell breaks loose [Music] no longer kittens these young cats are old enough to take care of themselves it's time to leave home they need to spread out and find territories of their own the baby predators are feeling the pressure to grow up and none more so than the arctic foxes already their playground has a light dusting of snow a foreboding reminder that winter is just around the corner they are trying harder than ever to hunt for themselves trying to flush rodents from under the snow though they are still easily distracted by games [Music] [Music] mum still provides most of the dead birds but every so often they get lucky and manage to catch a straggler for themselves as the seasons pass the great herds of the African plains are on the move [Music] the cheetah cubs are almost unrecognizable as they watched the departing herds three of the four have made it a good number for a creature often persecuted by the other hunters of the bush in the Serengeti cub mortality is as high as 90 percent but before the youngsters can leave home they must master the art of hunting the instinct to chase runs deep it's identifying prey and judging distance to strike that takes practice agile and alert warthogs remain out of reach but a young gazelle not yet steady on its legs is the perfect target practice [Music] even once they lose their mothers protection the Cubs will probably stay together for another six months or so maybe even longer in the case of the brothers the cheaters will be spared a tough winter for other youngsters it will be a time of fasting the arctic foxes need to double their body weight if they are to stay alive during the long tough months of winter the success of the hunt comes down to good prey choice a pair of Whooper swans are more than any single fox could manage [Music] but luckily there are still Kitty weights hanging around the colony a few late Fletch's are weak and vulnerable and now it seems the kids know exactly what they are doing [Music] [Music] luckily for many bear populations autumn brings salmon back to their spawning grounds in the forests the ideal opportunity for young bears to bulk up before their winter sleep [Music] baby bears spend up to three years with their mothers and at salmon runs Cubs of all ages emerged together the pickings are so rich they'll tolerate each other's company there is food for all [Music] it's easy to spot first year's trying to grapple the slippery fish for the first time from more experienced Cubs who have mastered their fishing skills [Music] though even adults have a few tales of the one that got away [Music] after the salmon have laid their eggs they become weaker and easy to pick off they usually die after breeding anyway their bodies returning nutrients to the river systems that will support their legacy the next generation of fish thanks to their sacrifice the whole forest will benefit including the Bears winter quickly sweeps across the northern forests [Music] there is no sign of the Bears now they are hibernating in dens beneath the earth [Music] the forest seemed silent but even the snow isn't holding back the young wild cat [Music] her mother taught her well and now she uses her hunting expertise to eke out a living from the creatures of the forest you ha the time has come for the arctic foxes to go their separate ways in this tough landscape the mother will have enough pressure to feed herself during the long months of darkness she aggressively drives her pups away luckily the youngsters have been brought up well they will need all of their inherent hunting skills to make it through the winter a cold dawn breaks over a misty African plain the temperature drop won't be as extreme as in the northern hemisphere but it will make a few sunbathers shiver but these animals will experience the same kind of trials food becomes scarce err water dries up animals have to travel longer and further to get what they need [Applause] the cheaters have left their mother now but the brothers still have each other forming what is called a coalition a cheetah gang by working together they have the muscle to defend a home range and can even set their sights on larger prey [Music] [Music] the young wildebeest is a lot bigger and heavier than they are but by working together it succumbs to their teeth and claws the power of the pack no matter whether they are born to the forest or Plains or even the frigid tundra every landscape has its predators and now it may not be easy at first with a little help from their mothers all are born to hunt [Music] [Music]

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

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Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, wildlife, Nature, ecosystem, Africa, Savanna, African Savanna, Hunters, fastest animal, cheetah, big cats, Documentary, Africa Documentary, Hunter and Prey, prey, fastest animals in the world, fastest hunter in the world, Lion, Lion Documentary, Bears, Bear Documentary, wildlife documentary, documentary

Id: iQnvNd6wTj4

Length: 50min 1sec (3001 seconds)

Published: Fri May 15 2020