Sloth Bear Family Surprise Reunion with Grandma Bear Love Nature
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AnimalsTranscript
00:00 These plains are fast becoming a harsh wasteland.
00:05 Even Beebe's clearing is starting to dry out.
00:08 But it's still a magnet for other animals seeking sanctuary.
00:12 An old female ambles slowly into the area.
00:17 She's blind in one eye,
00:24 and her scars tell the tale of a tough and eventful life.
00:30 It's always a fight for survival.
00:35 Sloth bears can live well into their twenties.
00:46 And life is hard for this old-timer.
00:52 Walking isn't as easy as it used to be.
00:58 Nearly blind, she must rely solely on her sense of smell to search for food.
01:04 There are ants under this cactus.
01:17 But she can't quite reach them.
01:24 She's hungry and exhausted.
01:28 In the relentless heat, today everything is just too much effort.
01:34 Beebe and her cubs return to the clearing from foraging nearby.
01:42 They immediately catch the scent of the intruder in their patch.
01:50 (music)
01:54 But Beebe needn't be worried.
02:03 Female bears rarely attack each other's cubs,
02:07 and with her failing health, this old lady is no threat.
02:14 They can peacefully share the clearing and the food it provides.
02:19 There's another reason for Beebe to relax.
02:23 This elderly female is actually her mother.
02:28 Their home ranges overlap, and she's been coming to the clearing for years.
02:34 It's the old female who taught her daughter how to find food in this precious place.
02:41 Just as Beebe is now passing this knowledge on to her own cubs.
02:45 In years when the monsoon rains fail completely,
02:50 this handed-down wisdom could mean the difference between life and death.
02:56 But even in the oasis of the clearing, groundwater is now harder to find.
03:11 Without water to drink, none of these bears will make it through.
03:17 If the monsoon doesn't arrive soon, Beebe may have to make a difficult decision.
03:36 Leaving her small sanctuary may give her the chance to find food and water elsewhere.
03:42 But it's a risk.
03:47 The land beyond the boundaries of her home range is an unknown.
03:52 Over recent years, increasing human population has led to significant habitat loss
03:59 and forest fragmentation across India.
04:04 It's a huge problem for all the sloth bears.
04:08 Their numbers are declining as they struggle to find a safe, secure place to live that will provide all they need.
04:16 So leaving their home and everything they know could put Beebe's cubs at much greater risk.
04:31 For now, she decides they're better off staying put.
04:35 But if the rains don't come, her clearing won't remain a safe haven for very much longer.
04:46 The next day, the wind has picked up.
04:50 It could be a sign that the weather is changing.
04:54 But right now it's causing problems for some of the animals in the clearing.
05:02 The sloth bears are not used to the cold.
05:07 They're not used to the cold.
05:10 But right now it's causing problems for some of the animals in the clearing.
05:15 Peacocks struggle with their outrageous tails.
05:20 The prime male managed to mate with a harem of three peahens.
05:27 His tail has worked its magic.
05:30 But it now shows signs of wear and tear.
05:37 It's two months since the bio-weavers started to build their nests.
05:42 But not all of them have survived.
05:45 The weaker structures have been blown down, while others stand unfinished and abandoned.
05:52 But those that have survived are nearly complete.
05:57 Their entrance tunnels have been painstakingly elongated to deter potential predators like snakes.
06:07 [Music]
06:11 The female made the right choice with the dedicated architect.
06:16 He's putting the finishing touches to his nest, which has withstood the wind.
06:22 Inside, the female makes sure that the nest chamber is just right.
06:32 She'll soon lay her eggs, which will take just over two weeks to hatch.
06:38 So she can't take any chances with the preparations.
06:43 In a normal year, the monsoon rains would already have triggered an explosion of insects.
06:53 Enough to provide their chicks with all the food they need to survive.
06:58 But without the rains, there are fewer insects, which means their chicks will starve.
07:04 And right now, they have more immediate worries.
07:08 Their finished nest is prime real estate for other birds.
07:14 Given half a chance, Indian silverbills would love to move in.
07:25 After all their hard work, the pair must keep a close eye on these potential housebreakers.
07:32 As the days without rain drag on, life for everyone is reduced to the bare necessities.
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