BC episode 4
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00Yesterday, I crossed this, there was no water.
00:05Look at it now, the pride is here, the full spectrum, and of course the cubs.
00:13The annual flood has finally arrived.
00:22This is a very risky situation.
00:24And with the water comes a dangerous prey.
00:45The Okavango Delta in Botswana.
00:50One of Africa's last wildernesses.
00:53The Okavango Delta, it's an oasis in the desert, it's a miracle in itself.
00:58And it's a stronghold for Africa's big cats, lion, cheetah, and leopard.
01:09This is nature at its absolute finest.
01:13Now for the very first time, a team of local and international wildlife filmmakers is working
01:20together to record the cats' lives like never before.
01:29Using the latest technology, we're going to be able to see things in a completely different
01:33light and tell stories in a completely different way.
01:36They'll follow individual big cats for six months, through the day, this is crazy, this
01:44is a battle, and the night.
01:47This is a military-grade thermal imaging camera.
01:50Lions have got amazing night vision, but it's not as good as this.
01:54Capturing their behavior.
01:57He's got the cub, he's got the cub.
01:5924 hours a day.
02:02Welcome to the Okavango Delta.
02:04It gets crazy.
02:17Look at the birds, look at the stork.
02:26From a completely sober atmosphere to a burst into life.
02:33V&A is following the Kudum Pride's mothers and cubs.
02:38There they are.
02:40As the flood transforms their home.
02:51That's Matata, right there.
02:54At seven months old, Matata is the eldest cub.
02:58Look at Matata, he sees me, he knows who I am.
03:06Matata is very curious about everything.
03:11He's so bold.
03:14Look at the other cubs following him.
03:18He's always up for it.
03:24Matata in Congo Brazzaville, where I come from, means trouble.
03:32Eight weeks older than the other cubs.
03:35He's so much bigger.
03:36Look at his belly.
03:39Matata needs to eat at least 10% of his body weight every day.
03:45He has reached that sort of age where he's starting to be very inquisitive
03:49about anything that he can eat.
03:56Look at the distance he's left his mother.
04:01The first two years of a lion's life are its most vulnerable.
04:06Ah, Matata.
04:11Only one in five cubs survive to adulthood.
04:20Look, he's going.
04:28He will drag his siblings or his mates into danger.
04:36To see how Matata copes with his first flood, V&A is sticking with him.
04:45The Big Cats team is working in a 150 square mile area of the Okavango Delta.
04:53Trillions of litres of rainwater are now flowing into the delta from the north.
05:01The flood relieves months of drought, bringing in animals from miles around.
05:09That's a lot of dust on there.
05:13One arrival is drawing Anna's attention.
05:19It's like an army approaching.
05:24I can see the big herd of buffalo.
05:29I'm going to get the drone up.
05:36Wow.
05:38We just have not seen this number of animals together since being in the delta.
05:45So it is really something special.
05:50At this time of year, thousands of Cape buffalo move through the Okavango Delta.
05:58Oh, our lions are going to be licking their lips when they see this.
06:06Weighing nearly a tonne, one buffalo could feed the mothers and cubs for a week.
06:13These are some of the most dangerous African mammals.
06:16They are formidable.
06:20Even a solitary buffalo could seriously hurt or even kill a lion.
06:26Not only are they absolutely huge, they also have safety in numbers.
06:36To hunt this new prey, the lions must be careful,
06:42especially with inexperienced cubs around like Matata.
06:46It's going to be a real challenge for our lions to take down any of these.
06:51It's almost like unlocking a new level on your video game.
06:57The buffalo have entered the game.
07:07To the north.
07:09All the cubs are walking with purpose with their mothers towards the buffaloes.
07:17The lions are approaching another huge herd.
07:23Could be about a hundred.
07:27Actually a few more buffalo than I thought, yeah.
07:31With this many buffalo, the cubs are at risk.
07:36V&A is joined by Raya and Sets.
07:42Buffaloes are a good prize for lions.
07:44It ranks up there in one of their favourite meals.
07:49But getting a buffalo comes at a great cost because a buffalo puts up a fight.
07:54They have dangerous horns.
07:56So they really need to be cautious when approaching a buffalo herd.
08:03The lionesses, they have to play very careful here simply because they've got cubs.
08:10All the lions are moving out from this grass.
08:14The posture they're taking right now is literally saying that we're going for it.
08:19These cubs are close.
08:26Matata is here.
08:27He's trying to get a go at the buffalo, which is quite risky.
08:33This is how they learn to hone their skill, like seeing their mums in action.
08:40I can see one, two, three, four, five cubs.
08:43Five cubs having a little stare down with the buff.
08:48What they should do is eventually fall back.
08:50I'm actually pretty surprised how close they are to the buffalo right now.
08:53It's dangerous.
08:54If the buffalo were to charge, you wonder if the cubs will get away in time.
08:59As soon as they break, one of them from the herd is finally going to pounce.
09:10Lion M coming.
09:12My heart is beating.
09:29The buffalo just charging to the lions here.
09:36Very close to the cubs.
09:37The cubs are scattering.
09:42Got the buffalo again with another charge.
09:47The prey is chasing the predator.
09:51One, two, three, four cubs.
09:54Super close to Matata.
10:08The buffalo pushed off the lions.
10:11The lions have waved the flag of defeat.
10:24It's tough out here.
10:28It's a lucky escape for Matata.
10:33Buffaloes are too big for them to get involved with.
10:39But the pride hasn't eaten in days.
10:43With more buffalo arriving, the danger to the cubs is building.
10:54So much game now all around us with the arrival of the flood.
10:57Leaving the lions, Reija is joining Anna on the search for cheetahs.
11:02This is actually the first time I've done a water crossing.
11:07It's been days since the team last had a sighting.
11:11Once we go through the water like now, tracks are completely gone.
11:16Makes it pretty difficult for us to track these animals.
11:20Makes it pretty difficult for us to track these cats of ours.
11:37What?
11:39OK, hang on.
11:44No way.
11:46I've actually found a cheetah.
11:51Reija, Reija, for Anna.
11:54Go, Anna.
11:57I have finally found a cheetah.
12:00No way.
12:01It's a young male, really small.
12:04I don't think it's one that I've seen before.
12:06If it's a young male, it could be...
12:09Mushimani, or Mushi.
12:11It means little boy.
12:13Oh, that's really cute.
12:16He's on the move, he's on the move.
12:18He's going south.
12:33There's definitely Mushi over here.
12:35He's like between two to three years old.
12:38So he could have just recently departed from his mum.
12:43It's amazing how much energy he's got and he's clearly hungry
12:47because he's not resting as much as I would expect him to.
13:00There's no question about whether he's hungry or not,
13:02he is definitely hungry.
13:06Young males need to eat every two to three days
13:10You can really see how skinny he is right now.
13:17The flood is drawing plenty of prey in.
13:21There's a couple of lettuces just here on the flood plain
13:23where Mushi's heading to.
13:26But it's making it hard for cheetahs to hunt.
13:30That's where I'm going.
13:32That's where I'm going.
13:34But it's making it hard for cheetahs to hunt.
13:38Lechwe are on the water.
13:45Lechwe are wetland specialists.
13:48They're the fastest antelopes in water.
13:52There's no way he's getting them.
13:56Mushi must be patient if he's going to catch a meal.
14:05Staff has reported a young male lion moving past camp.
14:09With thousands of dangerous buffalo in the area,
14:12really badly limping,
14:15Gordon and Sets are investigating.
14:20I can see this lion is obscured,
14:22so I'm just trying to get a better view.
14:25I'm going to put the drone up.
14:34He's looking in a bad way.
14:36A really bad way.
14:41OK.
14:43Who are you, boy?
14:46Looks as if he's taking his last breath.
14:50I can still see him moving a little bit.
14:54He's got such a beautiful face.
14:59He just looks like a cub.
15:02One thing's for sure is,
15:04he is not of the golden pride.
15:08He's a lion.
15:11He's a lion.
15:14He's a lion.
15:16He's a lion.
15:19This guy, he's only a youngster,
15:22but he's got a story to tell.
15:26It's sad to see a youngster like this,
15:29not just on his own, but in a really bad way.
15:34He is as skinny as skinny can be.
15:38Yeah, looks like he hasn't eaten in a while.
15:40Yeah, from where I'm sitting, he just looks like a bag of bones.
15:44In a situation like this, you can learn about lions.
15:49If they don't make the right decisions,
15:51this is how they could end up.
15:59Gosh!
16:02Gosh!
16:12It seems like the elephant has
16:16caught wind of the lion,
16:19but he is oblivious.
16:21He doesn't know
16:23that he's being approached by these three elephants.
16:28He is fast asleep.
16:32He is fast asleep.
16:41Oh, he's spotted them now.
16:44He has spotted them now.
16:52Oh, poor guy, look at him.
16:56Oh, he can't even use his leg.
16:59Oh, my goodness me.
17:01Oh, there's hardly anything of him.
17:11And that's not a cut, a scratch or a bite,
17:14so stamped by or kicked by a buffalo.
17:20It's catastrophic for this lion.
17:24That's a leg that's completely out of action.
17:29If this is the damage a buffalo can do to a grown male lion,
17:34poor boy,
17:36it would be fatal for a cub like Matata.
17:41It's heartbreaking.
17:51Where? Where, Anas?
17:54Go, go, lion, go.
17:56Young male cheetah Mushi...
17:59Where? Has he got a general direction that he's looking in?
18:02..is still hunting for a meal.
18:05He's looking back where he came from.
18:09He's definitely looking hungry and like he's going to go for something.
18:16It is such a shame that the majority of the prey around is quite large,
18:21so I think he's going to have to really focus on the smaller prey items.
18:27All it takes is for one lechwe or for one impala
18:31to wander in front of him and he's got a good chance of getting it.
18:36This could be his spot,
18:39right here on this open floodplain.
18:52Oh, I can see a young lechwe in there.
18:54That's much smaller than the others.
18:58On dry land, cheetahs are almost twice as fast as lechwes.
19:03I reckon that's going to be his target.
19:07But the flood is levelling the playing field.
19:12I reckon there is about 150 metres between him and the lechwe
19:18and there's a really big body of water behind them as well.
19:23So he's going to have to get to them before they get to the water
19:26because once they're in the water they definitely have the advantage.
19:38It's gone.
19:41Ooh.
19:44Those lechwe have just bolted for water.
19:58Oh, he's missed.
20:03That was a real close one.
20:11I honestly thought that that was going to be a successful hunt.
20:16You've got to remember that she's really young.
20:19It's not been long since he left his mum
20:22but every one of those failed attempts is a learning experience.
20:28And cheetahs have a really steep learning curve.
20:33It was a really good attempt but he's going to need to do a little bit better next time.
20:41MUSIC
21:06She's so beautiful.
21:10V&A is with Matata and some of the family.
21:19Matata is on the top of the fallen tree.
21:24He's playing the king of the castle with other cats.
21:30Look, he's blocking everybody else.
21:34So cute.
21:41It's just coming up to sunset now.
21:46As night falls, V&A switches to the thermal imaging camera.
21:53Something caught their attention and I'm wondering whether they want to hunt.
22:01Some mothers go on a hunt, some stay and look after the cubs.
22:11Gordon, Gordon, do you copy?
22:14Go ahead.
22:15Three lionesses here to be actively hunting.
22:18Roger, roger.
22:22V&A is sticking with the babysitters and cubs.
22:26This is a formidable trio.
22:30Gordon starts tracking the hunting lionesses.
22:34They're the hunting elite.
22:38At the moment, all of these lions, they're kind of holding a kind of constant path.
22:45They're heading straight towards the floodplain.
22:51Right, I think there might be a hold on a buffalo.
23:00Oh my word, possibly the biggest herd that I've seen.
23:08Without the cubs getting in the way.
23:12Holy moly.
23:15The lionesses are hunting with more focus.
23:25That is a lot of horns.
23:29They're alive.
23:32Things can change very quickly.
23:35But the buffalo are not backing down.
23:41Oh man.
23:43Every time a lion runs, the buffalo chases.
23:50Big bull coming in.
23:54Lions are scattering.
24:01Super close.
24:04Super close.
24:09That's not how it's supposed to be.
24:14It seems that this plan, it hasn't worked out.
24:22The hunting party is returning empty handed.
24:27Lions are tough and lions can put up with food scarcity.
24:31And they can go hungry for a very, very long time.
24:34Cubs can't.
24:37Matata and his siblings haven't had meat for days.
24:43We really want to get some milk right now.
24:49But with so many aggressive buffalo close by.
24:53It looks like the mothers are on the move.
24:57The females are moving the cubs to a safer location.
25:07Determined to find food.
25:11The hunting party splits off again in search of more prey.
25:18The cat is walking straight towards those lechwe.
25:26This is when things get potentially very interesting.
25:33My goodness, somebody's going wide.
25:38In position.
25:41Lechwe typically use water for safety.
25:45The lechwe doesn't know that the lion's there.
25:49But these lions have a strategy that Gordon doesn't like.
25:53But these lions have a strategy that Gordon has never seen before.
25:59Maybe, maybe, maybe.
26:02She is creeping through that water.
26:06They're hunting in water.
26:09She doesn't want to make a sound, make a mistake.
26:14One is right in the deep water.
26:16My goodness, look at that.
26:19These lions really are clever.
26:22Hunting lechwe in water, especially at night time.
26:27I mean, this is just amazing.
26:30That is real skill and strategy here.
26:39Whoa.
26:41Running.
26:42Running.
26:48Oh my goodness, they're running straight towards her.
26:53Come on girl.
26:55Is there something you can do?
26:58Whoa, right over her head.
27:05Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
27:07Whoa.
27:11Oh, you are so unlucky.
27:19It hasn't worked out.
27:22That was an amazing, amazing dash.
27:29Hard luck, ladies.
27:32This is just truly extraordinary.
27:38Aquatic lions.
27:41And they're not giving up.
27:45These girls are blowing my mind.
27:52If these cats stay this side of the water, I'd be very happy.
27:56They cross over, leaving Gordon behind.
28:00Options, options.
28:03The only option I have at the moment is just to
28:09go as fast as I can through that water
28:12in the hope that I'll make it to the other side.
28:17Okay, let's give that a go.
28:27Deep breath.
28:31Oh, aye.
28:35We're up to the gunwales.
28:38Feet are getting wet.
28:41Oh, ****.
28:43****, we're raking it.
28:45Ah, flat.
28:48I'm stuck.
28:50I'm stuck.
28:52I'm stuck.
28:54I'm stuck.
28:56I'm stuck.
28:58Right, let me just scan around.
29:01Make sure there's no dangerous beasts.
29:06Cats are making their way away from me.
29:12We're good. We're kind of just on the dry stuff.
29:15Trying to get as many sticks as possible to put under the tyres.
29:19Some nice ones over there.
29:22Beautiful.
29:23Just want to get as much traction,
29:27as much wood under the wheels as I can.
29:32Just keep an eye behind you, Mark.
29:37That's enough.
29:39This is going to work.
29:41Guaranteed.
29:43I hope.
29:45Low range.
29:47First.
29:49Slowly, slowly, slowly.
29:55Come on, baby, baby.
29:57Oh, my word, there is a god.
30:02Hooray!
30:04Oh, thank the Lord.
30:06Back on to hunt.
30:09But Gordon has another problem.
30:12I can't see the lions.
30:15Where are you guys? Come on.
30:19He's lost the lionesses.
30:30I'm stuck.
30:32I'm stuck.
30:34I'm stuck.
30:36I'm stuck.
30:45Leopard specialists Brad and Tristan are looking for their favourite cat.
30:51We're heading out nice and early to go and find Kudum.
30:56She's the prominent female leopard that lives opposite our camp.
31:01And I haven't seen her for quite a while.
31:04So quite excited to get back on her trail.
31:15Is that a leopard?
31:18That is a leopard.
31:21All right, OK, cool, we're in business.
31:24Brad, Brad, Brad for Tristan.
31:27I've got a leopard just off the camp west of the hippo pool.
31:31OK, copy.
31:34This is very, very, very promising stuff for so early in the morning.
31:47Yeah, it's definitely Kudum.
31:54Three months ago, the team witnessed Kudum mating with an unknown male leopard.
32:00She got up and turned around and you could just see a little bit of a bulge.
32:10There's something there, eh?
32:14See this?
32:17Interesting.
32:23She is pregnant from that mating.
32:26It's like next week.
32:28It's a really good start to the day.
32:32If she's going to have a cub, I'd love to get an idea of where she's hanging out.
32:37I want to see her moving around a little bit.
32:39I don't want to see her start looking for dens.
32:48I wonder where we're going now.
32:51It looks like she might be on a territorial mission today.
32:59She's just really trying to nail down the heart of her territory
33:04and make sure it's all safe before she drops.
33:08This behaviour that we're seeing now really seems to tie in with all of that.
33:13Leopard, leopard, leopard.
33:15This behaviour that we're seeing now really seems to tie in with all of that.
33:20Leopards regularly scent Mark to communicate with other cats.
33:27Let's hit the road.
33:31She just darted into the long grass.
33:34It just looks like Kudum's really reacting in a territorial sense
33:39to the presence of other cats in the area.
33:42Fresh markings help secure her borders.
33:46Kind of just doing her due diligence before she goes denning.
33:58She's in one of the favourite spots in the house.
34:01She's in one of her favourite trees.
34:05Close to home, close to camp.
34:11I would have put money on the fact that Kudum would den very, very close to our camp.
34:16It's where she was born, you know, this is really the centre of her world.
34:23This feeling like she's kind of coming home and she's becoming more localised
34:27for this process if she's about to give birth.
34:31She's smelling, she's advertising, she's making a statement, really.
34:36This is my place, this is my deal.
34:42Kudum's not the only animal getting close to the team's film camp.
34:48V&A is setting up camera traps.
34:52Such a warm day.
34:55To find out what's visiting Kudum.
35:00Visiting camp at night.
35:08Triggered by movement, these cameras will capture any activity after dark.
35:25Let's see what we've got.
35:31Oh.
35:38Oh, that's Anna.
35:42Oh, what have we got here?
35:47Hippopotamus.
35:50The amount of traffic you get every night is unbelievable.
35:53Oh.
35:58You see that?
36:01Wow.
36:06They're so close to the nest tent.
36:11Oh, leopard, leopard, leopard.
36:14That's Kudum.
36:17Brad's suspicions that Kudum will give birth near camp look promising.
36:23I've got Kudum, the leopard, prowling beneath my cabin.
36:28I'm not sure I'm going to sleep tonight.
36:48Anna, Anna, Fred, do you copy?
36:50What was that for, Anna, Fred?
36:52You will not believe it.
36:53Believe it. I'm just here close to Cheetah Pan and I've got a very full stomach mushy.
37:03No way.
37:06Well, I'm glad that he has had a meal, but I'm also slightly gutted that we missed that.
37:11I'm going to come and have a look at him.
37:18Oh, mushy.
37:19Mushy.
37:21Mushy's got a massive belly.
37:25Oh, mushy.
37:27A male cheetah can eat up to 14 kilos of meat in one sitting.
37:34There you are. I can't believe it.
37:37What's the chances of that?
37:41I know, though. His belly's very full. It kind of looks quite freshly full.
37:44He could have hunted this morning, I guess.
37:47Oh, he's got blood on his nose.
37:49Huh. Then, yeah. Maybe, yeah. Then it is from today.
37:56He's clearly very clever and he knows what he's doing.
37:59What a little dude.
38:01He just came down from the termite mound. He's in the shade there.
38:05I think his plan for the rest of the day is just relax.
38:10I know he's just a young boy, but I'm thinking we should have given him a little bit more credit.
38:14Clearly. I mean, the evidence is there with his massive stomach.
38:20I think he's got a pretty bright future.
38:23A really bright future and a really big belly.
38:25Yeah.
38:36If anyone's picking this up, I've got a big herd of buffalo on the western floodplain.
38:41There are a few cats here as well.
38:45Greg is with the Kudum pride and a large herd of buffalo.
38:51If there was ever a place that I wouldn't want to be as a lion, it's here.
38:55Stuck between all of those buffaloes and a big river channel.
39:03Despite the fact that buffaloes are food for the lions, they're also very much foe.
39:09They can kill lions and they often kill lions.
39:15But the stakes are even higher now with the cubs here.
39:23A lot of the big bulls and more aggressive buffaloes are at the front here, which is not good.
39:28If they can get their hooves on a cub, there's going to be problems.
39:34The lions still haven't eaten and now they're the ones being challenged.
39:45It's a wall of horns.
39:50Imagine what my tata feels like right now, looking at that.
39:56Lionesses have made their way with the cubs right onto the water's edge.
39:59They have nowhere to go.
40:06Dominant pride male Big Toe moves in to slow the buffalo advance.
40:15Big Toe has parked himself off right in between the buffalo and the rest of the pride.
40:21He's trying to hold his ground here.
40:34But the buffalo have the upper hand.
40:39Here comes a bull.
40:45You almost squashed my tata.
40:49Everyone's in the water.
40:53Okavango lions are capable swimmers.
40:56But this is Matata and the cubs' first flood.
41:00They're swimming, oh my gosh.
41:03They've never had to swim before.
41:06The cubs are panicking.
41:08It can easily attract crocodiles.
41:13We could lose one of these lions or cubs.
41:17The lionesses are hesitating, they don't want to get into deep water.
41:28They're swimming after them.
41:39Two of the mums are with the cubs.
41:44Even a big lion like him is vulnerable to crocodiles.
41:49They're still in deep water now, still deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep.
42:03Yo, that was close.
42:05Yo, that was close.
42:16They've made it across to this side of the channel.
42:25Oh, that was too much.
42:28Oh, that's amazing.
42:30With the lions in retreat, the buffalo are leaving.
42:35That has been proven.
42:37That was insane.
42:42You can see that everybody's just so pleased that we're all safe and sound and across the channel.
42:50Matata has survived his closest call yet.
42:54But he's still without a meal.
42:57He doesn't look like a cat that's just had a run-in with buffaloes and crocodiles.
43:06It's danger every day for these cubs.
43:10But look at them now.
43:15All's well that ends well, hey?
43:23Close to camp,
43:27Kudum is still looking for a den site.
43:35Hey, girl.
43:38How you doing?
43:42Brad and Tristan are following her every move.
43:47Come say hello to us.
43:54She's definitely very relaxed with us.
43:56I mean, it's of her own free will in her own domain.
43:59And, yeah, it's a very, very beautiful thing to happen.
44:06We are a leopard, guys, a random one.
44:09There's a leopard in the middle of the floodplain, moving through the water.
44:14Just a few hundred meters from Kudum,
44:17So weird.
44:19Greg spots something unusual.
44:22Broad daylight and there's a leopard just, you know,
44:26in the middle of the floodplain.
44:28It's a leopard.
44:30It's a leopard.
44:32It's a leopard.
44:33Broad daylight and there's a leopard just walking through the water.
44:40You're on it, hey, Greg?
44:42You're going to go for it.
44:44Yeah, I'm on it.
44:47If you need any backup with that leopard, just let me know.
44:50I'm not far from here.
44:52Anna's joining Greg with the drone.
44:57If you ask anyone, oh, yeah, a leopard's moving through water at noon,
45:00they'd say, oh, what do you mean, leopards are going to be sleeping?
45:03It's like 35 degrees.
45:05Why would a leopard be moving around now?
45:12It's something you see very often.
45:16Every weekend.
45:27This is Matsey.
45:28A young male leopard we've seen around a few times of late, actually.
45:33I wonder what he's up to.
45:35He's been paying so much attention to the smell of something
45:39underneath where he's been walking.
45:44He could be sniffing around and smelling kudum, actually.
45:47That's a possibility.
45:49Matsey's nose is leading him closer to kudum.
45:55Oh, there he is.
45:56Wow, so camouflaged.
46:02What he might be smelling is her scent.
46:05Considering that she's in a sausage tree only about 200 metres, 300 metres south of us.
46:11Really unlucky for kudum that at the moment, because we've got a flood coming in.
46:15It's pushing males onto these islands in higher densities.
46:22Which is a challenge.
46:27Especially, you know, with potential cubs on the way.
46:34Any male leopard who finds cubs that are on his is very likely to kill them.
46:39Yeah, we don't want him sniffing around after kudum.
46:44He looks beautiful, but he's also sinister.
46:57Luckily for kudum,
46:59Matsey is picking up the scent of something else.
47:04Those letchwe are cottoned on that something's not quite right.
47:11He's hunting.
47:15Trying to pick up on letchwe lambs.
47:19A young letchwe lamb would be probably a good choice.
47:24A young letchwe lamb would be perfect for him.
47:31Typically, a leopard wouldn't want to be so obvious.
47:34And Matsey is, I don't think a leopard could get more obvious.
47:40Amazing, amazing. I've never seen a leopard hunting like this before.
47:43Whoa.
47:53There's a female letchwe that has just followed this leopard onto an island.
47:59So I can't think of another reason why she would be following him,
48:04other than to protect her baby.
48:07Female letchwe hide their young after birth.
48:10She's not happy with him going in there.
48:18But just the fact that the letchwe is reacting like this
48:22tells me that her baby's in there.
48:25The lamb is stashed in deep vegetation to keep it safe.
48:30Hopefully for the baby, it's by the elephants,
48:33because I don't think Matsey is going to want to get too close to the elephants.
48:41It's too well hidden.
48:44And Matsey gives up.
48:47Oh.
48:49Well, that's a surprise.
48:51He's climbed the tree.
48:59Matsey's no threat to Kudum right now.
49:02But Brad has recently seen other male leopards
49:05swarming around the island.
49:07But Brad has recently seen other male leopards
49:10straying into her territory.
49:12There's a lot of male activity.
49:14We're on 11 males in this area,
49:17identified males.
49:19To raise her cubs successfully...
49:21It's not a good sign.
49:23Kudum must find a safe den.
49:26Going from bush to bush,
49:28sniffing, looking, being very delicate.
49:32She needs a spot that will keep her vulnerable new cubs
49:35well hidden.
49:41This is exactly the thick cover type of area
49:45that she would be looking to den in.
49:51She's definitely looking at den sites here.
50:02She marched very deliberately to this one.
50:06Disappeared inside and she hasn't emerged yet.
50:14Disappeared into a really thick blue bush forest.
50:17And she was very deliberate about it.
50:20It could be a den site.
50:22There's some nice structure in it and it's well hidden.
50:25She's got good access in and out of here.
50:28If this is the den site,
50:30Kudum's cubs will arrive any day.
50:33It's still too early to say for different.
50:38But the threat of male leopards still looms.
51:03OK.
51:05This is the biggest gathering
51:08of the pride that I've seen at night time.
51:12Gordon is back on the night shift with the lions.
51:16We've got eight lionesses.
51:19We've got Matata
51:21and the rest of the gang.
51:23So we're going to have a big night shift.
51:26We're going to have a big night shift.
51:28We're going to have a big night shift.
51:29And the rest of the gang.
51:31So the pride have all converged on this one spot.
51:37So this is a big hunting party.
51:43I've never seen this many lions on a hunt.
51:48They're definitely very, very focused.
51:55All of the cats have suddenly got up and moved.
51:56They have seen or heard something.
52:01Oh my goodness.
52:03I've got a little herd of buffalo up ahead.
52:09There's five of them.
52:14There could be more.
52:16Yeah, there's more coming along behind.
52:19Such a big hunting party could finally provide a meal for the cubs.
52:23And there is a big, a big risk
52:27that these cubs bombing about the place, making a lot of noise,
52:31could ruin things.
52:35Matata and his siblings need to stay out of the way.
52:39Not a single one of these lions can make a mistake.
52:47This is real tenacity from these lions.
52:51Somebody's running.
52:56Whoa, we're really close.
52:59Lions come out of the woodwork.
53:01We've got sub-adult males in on this hunt.
53:06It's good to have a bit of muscle.
53:09And for every additional lion, it puts the buffalo at risk.
53:17The buffalo at more risk.
53:27Oh, this might be it.
53:34Buffalo spotted them.
53:37Buffalo's chasing them.
53:40Lions running towards the buffalo.
53:48OK, they've cornered it.
53:56OK, running.
53:59That's not going to end well for the buff.
54:04Oh, they got it, they got it. Well, no, have they?
54:08Been round.
54:13Oh, ran right past me.
54:15Where is it?
54:17Where is it?
54:19Where is it?
54:25Oh, man, that is a pile on.
54:31It's all over.
54:35So we've got a whole herd of buffalo.
54:38This one just made the mistake of splitting away from the herd.
54:41And with this many lions around,
54:45you know, they really don't, it didn't stand a chance.
54:51It's taken nearly the whole pride,
54:54but the lions finally have their ultimate prize.
54:58This is quite something for these cubs.
55:06Matata is getting his much needed meal.
55:09They're just clambering over this mountain that is this dead buffalo.
55:17So you're talking about life experiences for a lion cub.
55:22This is a moment to remember.
55:26I had a funny feeling about tonight.
55:29I had a good feeling.
55:40V&A for Gordon.
55:42Good morning, mate. How's it going?
55:45The night shift is still into the day, so I'm thinking we should...
55:49Copy, copy.
55:52V&A is joining Matata and the triumphant lions.
55:56I love mornings like this.
55:59I just love mornings like this.
56:02In four hours, they smashed through this buffalo.
56:11Something's moving inside it.
56:14And I'm wondering what that is.
56:19It's a lion cub.
56:21It's a lion cub.
56:23It's a lion cub.
56:25It's a lion cub.
56:27It's a lion cub.
56:28It is.
56:32Oh.
56:34This is so good for the cubs.
56:39Buffalo is the best you can get.
56:52All this prey will fuel Matata's latest growth spurt.
56:59They've pretty much finished it.
57:01Now look at their bellies.
57:03They look so full now.
57:07He's expected to double in size in the coming months,
57:11so he needs to make the most of this food supply while it lasts.
57:16I'd want to see you grow strong, strong, strong, strong, Matata.
57:21But the flood will soon dry up.
57:23The buffalo will leave.
57:25And Matata will face his next challenge.
57:30When I first met him, he lived up to his name, Matata.
57:36Which means trouble.
57:39But now he has developed so much into this sort of confident and calm young man.
57:46He's boisterous.
57:49Very protective.
57:51All these beautiful characters I expect to see from the future king of the savannah.
58:05Next time, there's a baby boom in the delta.
58:09Two little babies. It's too cute.
58:12But Matata threatens the lives of three new lion cubs.
58:17One of the cubs is going to get hurt. Or worse, killed.