Lion Pride Hunts For Cubs Predator Perspective Love Nature
Transcript
00:00 The savannah is a complex web of life,
00:03 from the plants at the bottom of the food chain
00:05 to the predators at the top.
00:07 Stories of life and death have unfolded on these plains
00:15 for millions of years.
00:16 Grassland provides a feast for herds of grazers
00:22 and the carnivores that track them down.
00:28 (gentle music)
00:31 Lions are the savannah's definitive hunter.
00:40 The impala instinctively runs for cover.
00:56 But lions are masters of ambush.
00:59 The lioness's hunting partner greets her.
01:07 This is a shared success.
01:08 Most hunts end in failure.
01:13 This kill is good news for their pride.
01:20 This meal will feed the family,
01:22 including their growing cubs,
01:25 curbing their hunger for several days.
01:27 Plants eaten by the herbivores
01:30 ultimately also sustain the carnivores.
01:33 The word savannah conjures images of open grassy plains
01:40 devoid of trees,
01:41 such as those of Tanzania's famous Serengeti.
01:45 But these are not typical.
01:48 Most savannahs have many trees
01:52 growing in delicate balance with the grasses.
01:55 The key to the existence of savannah is light.
02:00 Its trees must be widely spread
02:06 so the canopy can't close over and shade out the grasses.
02:20 The other essential ingredients
02:22 are warm temperatures year round,
02:24 peaking in a hot season,
02:26 complete with summer rains.
02:31 During this wet season, a precise amount of water,
02:42 more than 20 inches, must fall for the grasses to thrive.
02:49 Last but not least, the savannah depends on its animals,
02:53 whose grazing habits encourage new shoots.
02:56 Harnessing the sun's energy is the first step in a cycle
03:05 that ultimately feeds all the hungry mouths
03:08 in this ecosystem.
03:09 But the savannah is not only somewhere to eat.
03:18 It's also a refuge,
03:20 providing shelter for animals.
03:23 (birds chirping)
03:26 (birds chirping)
03:29 (birds chirping)
03:33 (birds chirping)
03:36 (upbeat music)
03:39 (upbeat music)
03:42 (upbeat music)
03:44 (upbeat music)