WEBVTT

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Meet the Nsefu pride.

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Two brothers,
defending their territory.

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Three mothers,
raising the next generation.

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They hunt together
and protect their young,

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from Africa's
most dangerous animals.

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The biggest threat
is from rival lions.

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A coalition of cub killers.

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(Mews)

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(Bellowing)

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(Roars)

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New technology reveals
extraordinary behavior.

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And tragic drama.

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This is a story of new life.

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And loss.

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If their cubs are to survive,
the pride must work together.

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One family, bound by blood.

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(Roaring)

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Roars of confidence and power

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travel along an
five mile riverfront,

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in Zambia's
South Luangwa National Park.

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The Luangwa River
flows through

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the heart of this landscape.

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But it's drying up.

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It hasn't rained
for four months.

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Elephants trek
for miles each day

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to drink, or find food.

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The dry season is
an even more stressful
time for hippos.

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For the opportunists
of Africa, it's perfect.

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This male lion is reluctant
to share with the vultures.

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His pride has eaten and slept
for 24 hours at the carcass,

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so there's not much left.

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But he's not yet ready
to give it up.

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He and his brother
are seven years old.

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Young rulers
of the Nsefu pride.

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They won the right
to three lionesses -

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two sisters and a daughter.

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The females were born here

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and know every nook and
cranny of this territory.

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The males arrived
a few years ago,

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from across the river,
and took over.

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The Nsefu pride
is now 14-strong,

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with teenagers,

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and even an embattled
old grandmother.

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They're full to bursting.

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But it's not just with hippo.

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All three lionesses
are pregnant

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and about to give birth.

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They'll face daunting odds
to keep their cubs alive

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over the next few months.

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The males are their
first line of defense

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against leopards,
hyenas and other lions.

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The two males advertise
their strength with smell,

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as well as sound.

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They wipe their feet
in their urine,

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which contains hormones

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revealing their health
and age.

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They leave a trail
as they walk.

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A message to all
who encroach on their turf.

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The most
heavily-pregnant lioness

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is about to give birth,

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and heads off into the bush.

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Choosing a good den
is a mother's first task.

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Hyenas
and the resident leopard

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are a serious danger to cubs.

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So the den must be
well-hidden in dense brush.

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At birth, her two cubs are
about ten centimeters long,

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and weigh about
half-a-pound each.

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They are blind and helpless.

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After a day or two,
their eyes open.

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Each time
the mother visits her cubs,

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the chances of discovery
increase.

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So she moves the cubs
frequently.

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Her new den is in woodland,
further from the river.

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Elephants, too,
prefer the shade and secrecy

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of the woods.

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But this one is nervous.

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He can sense a lioness
is hiding nearby.

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Only when the elephant moves
on can the mother relax,

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with her cubs.

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She has two -
a male and a female.

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They're now six weeks old.

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The two cubs differ
from each other.

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The female is more playful.

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Her brother, more timid.

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And there's no disputing
who's the boss.

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It may have been
just an accident,

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but sibling rivalry

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will be an important part
of their lives

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as they grow up.

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Lion cubs are characters
from the start,

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whether bold,
playful or nervous.

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Within a litter,

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cubs' behavior is more
varied than between litters.

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Scientists now understand

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that being different to your
siblings must be important.

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At least, in lions.

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Perhaps it means
they are less likely

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to compete with each other.

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She's moving den again,

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so that other animals
don't notice a routine.

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For the first few weeks,
she's had to carry them,

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but now they're just
strong enough to walk.

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The timid male hardly seems
ready to face the world.

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(Screeching)

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Cautiously, they follow her.

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An ebony grove provides
the perfect cover.

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Lions rarely go up trees.

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But here the cubs climb
towards a hollow den.

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It's safer from hyenas

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and there's no sign
of leopards in the area.

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They'll be safe hiding here

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until they're ready to be
introduced to the pride.

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Their mother can't stay long.

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She's on the hunting team,

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and needs to provide meat for
herself and for the pride.

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Each day, she returns to join
the pregnant lionesses.

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They're canny, and know how
to play the males.

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Even heavily pregnant,
or having just given birth,

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they present themselves
as though ready to mate.

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Flirting keeps the males
fired up.

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(Roaring)

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They need the two brothers
to defend the family,

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from outside males
that would kill their cubs.

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Humans aren't the only ones
to use sex to manipulate.

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Scientists
have also discovered

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that lionesses have
bigger brains than males,

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particularly the part
for conscious thinking

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and suppressing
their emotions.

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It seems they plan,

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they scheme and they control.

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The males head off
to do their job,

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guarding what
they imagine is theirs.

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Lion life is a battle
of alliances.

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And the Nsefu pride's
biggest danger

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is from
the surrounding lion prides.

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Their territory
is 25 square miles

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on the southern side
of the Luangwa river.

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The river curves around
their domain,

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providing a natural barrier
to intruders.

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The greatest threat is from
a lion pride to the north.

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Here, three males -

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the mane-less three,

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form a powerful coalition.

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They not only outnumber
the two brothers,

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they are older
and battle-hardened.

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So far,
the river has kept them out.

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But, as the dry season
intensifies,

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the current is slowing,
and the water evaporating.

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If the mane-less three cross,

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they'll overthrow
the two males,

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and kill
all the cubs they find.

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For the three lionesses,
all starting new litters,

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the falling river couldn't
have come at a worse time.

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The second of the lionesses
to give birth

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is the youngest -
the daughter.

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She's a first-time mom,

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new to the challenges
of motherhood.

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She's made a den
in some thick bushes.

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But she's chosen badly.

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It's too near the river,

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which is a magnet
for wildlife,

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including leopards
and hyenas.

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The pride needs to control
rival predators.

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(Roaring)

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The males
are playing their part,

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building walls of sound
and smell around the pride.

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The youngest mother, on her
way to her den, is nervous.

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She can smell that a leopard
passed by recently.

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A dried gully provides
a hidden roadway,

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used by the female leopard
as cover.

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There's no shared
maternal understanding

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between these two predators.

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They'll both kill
to protect their cubs.

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The leopard is focused on
hunting impala.

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But the hunter
has become the hunted.

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The lioness has made it clear
who's boss around here.

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She returns to feed her cubs
in the den.

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Something's wrong.

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Hyenas. She can smell them.

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One is still around and has
something in the grass.

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The den is empty.

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With hyenas around,

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her three cubs would
instinctively keep quiet

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and stay hidden.

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She patrols the line
of bushes, back and forth.

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After hours
of desperate searching,

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she finally gives up.

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Most first litters die.

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It's tough,

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but what shapes a good mother
is bitter experience.

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(Roaring)

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She roars...

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for her pride,

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for her dead cubs...

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..in frustration,
or loneliness,

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..or despair.

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(Roaring)

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(Continues roaring)

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The twins,
the pride's first litter,

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are still safe in their tree

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when their mother
collects them.

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She's taking them to meet
the rest of the family

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for the first time.

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The bereaved mother
returns to the pride.

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- (Snarling)
- She snarls
at the newcomers,

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as if to express that
they are a poor substitute

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for her own.

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Her teats are still swollen
with unused milk.

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She could suckle
her sister's cubs.

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But instead,
turns her back on them.

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The third and eldest lioness

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is the last
to have given birth.

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She's the most experienced,
and is very wary.

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Heading off to feed her cubs,

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she vanishes into the bush
like a ghost.

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That evening,
a thousand buffalo arrive.

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They're the Nsefu pride's
favorite food.

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But they're dangerous
to hunt.

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Hyenas follow the buffalo,

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hoping to benefit
from any lion kills.

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In the river, falling water

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is forcing hippos
into close proximity.

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There's no longer any room
for peaceful coexistence.

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Some members of the pride

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are having a sundowner.

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With the males on patrol,

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and the mothers nursing
in well-hidden dens,

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the old grandmother lioness
stays with the adolescents.

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(Bellowing)

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The granny
has a role to play.

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She helps the teenagers
get to meals

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and watches out for them.

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But she sometimes struggles
to keep up.

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A non-breeding female, a
helper, is rare in mammals.

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A pride is an extraordinary
system for survival.

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Cooperation among
the extended family

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helps to keep
the vulnerable members alive,

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in a world full of enemies.

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Hunting together is a skill
that takes years to finesse.

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Lions, like most cats,
are creatures of the night,

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and can see
in almost pitch darkness.

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The night
is much more dangerous.

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Hyena and leopard are more
active and more confident.

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(Cackling and screeching)

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The two sisters will be
busy through the night,

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driven by maternal instinct.

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The twins need
feeding and guarding.

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The bereaved daughter will
come into estrus soon,

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despite her grief.

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The eldest,
and last to give birth,

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sneaks off to feed
her well-hidden cubs.

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The rest of the pride
comes together to hunt.

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They try to ambush
some impala and puku.

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But the antelope are fast
and their senses keen.

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The Nsefu lions
turn their attention

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to the newly-arrived buffalo.

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They are strong,

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and it'll take almost the
whole pride to take one down.

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And that's what the hyenas
have been waiting for.

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The pride feasts on the kill.

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What's left
can go to the hyenas.

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The river falls
by inches each day,

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creating new land.

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And drawing all animals
closer to the water.

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(Low bellow)

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(Trumpeting)

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(Trumpeting)

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The lioness is no threat
to this elephant.

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But lions do kill calves.

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And elephants have long
and unforgiving memories.

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Lions can relax more
during the day.

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The twins head over to
investigate one of the males.

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But after a soft warning
from their mother,

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they leave him alone.

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Male lions
are instinctive cub-killers.

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And it may take him some time
to accept these as his own.

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The first few months
of an animal's life

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are the most fragile.

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And it takes the whole family
to protect them.

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Today, the elephants
have cause for concern.

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One of the calves is down,
exhausted and hungry.

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With lions around,
the herd wants to move on,

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and the calf tries to stand.

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Sometimes, all it takes
is a little encouragement.

00:28:38.784 --> 00:28:41.086
While the pride relaxes,

00:28:41.086 --> 00:28:43.589
the grandmother sets off.

00:28:43.589 --> 00:28:46.458
She's unlikely
to be hunting antelope,

00:28:46.458 --> 00:28:49.261
but can help the pride
in other ways.

00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:57.502
She arrives at the resident
leopard's favorite haunt.

00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:03.375
The vengeful nature
of rival predators

00:29:03.375 --> 00:29:05.644
is the darker side
of motherhood,

00:29:05.644 --> 00:29:09.448
and scientists are only
beginning to understand it.

00:29:10.515 --> 00:29:12.784
Maybe she lost
litter after litter

00:29:12.784 --> 00:29:15.587
to successive generations
of leopards.

00:29:17.055 --> 00:29:20.626
Elephants aren't the only
ones to carry long vendettas.

00:29:23.061 --> 00:29:26.365
The old lioness
can't see the leopard,

00:29:26.365 --> 00:29:28.734
but the puku pinpoint it
with their alarm calls.

00:29:28.734 --> 00:29:30.335
(Whistle)

00:29:35.307 --> 00:29:38.143
The cunning leopard
cuts around

00:29:38.143 --> 00:29:40.312
behind the old lioness.

00:29:53.258 --> 00:29:55.427
She calmly walks away.

00:29:55.427 --> 00:29:57.796
She needs to look
unconcerned.

00:29:57.796 --> 00:30:00.732
That way, fewer animals
will alarm call.

00:30:09.541 --> 00:30:12.110
She's hidden a kill
in a thorn bush.

00:30:24.256 --> 00:30:27.592
But granny is not so easily
thrown off the scent.

00:30:29.494 --> 00:30:31.530
The leopard
could stay hidden,

00:30:31.530 --> 00:30:34.533
but the safest thing
is to exit out the back,

00:30:34.533 --> 00:30:37.035
and hope the lioness
doesn't find her kill.

00:30:38.804 --> 00:30:42.474
Of course, granny knows
exactly where to look.

00:30:52.217 --> 00:30:56.221
The impala isn't fresh, and
it's already decomposing.

00:30:57.289 --> 00:30:59.357
Like many grandmothers,

00:30:59.357 --> 00:31:01.660
she is not
the most elegant of eaters.

00:31:04.396 --> 00:31:07.299
The meal is its own reward.

00:31:07.299 --> 00:31:09.334
But by taking on leopards,

00:31:09.334 --> 00:31:13.004
the old lioness is helping to
protect the pride, as well.

00:31:17.175 --> 00:31:19.344
The river continues to fall,

00:31:19.344 --> 00:31:22.514
and the threat from the lions
of the north comes closer.

00:31:24.483 --> 00:31:26.518
The mane-less three:

00:31:26.518 --> 00:31:29.221
older and stronger
than the two brothers.

00:31:30.489 --> 00:31:34.126
If they cross,
they will kill the cubs,

00:31:34.126 --> 00:31:36.795
in order to bring the females
back into estrus,

00:31:36.795 --> 00:31:39.030
so they can start
their own families.

00:31:47.739 --> 00:31:49.741
(Grunting)

00:31:51.877 --> 00:31:54.479
This morning,
the two Nsefu brothers

00:31:54.479 --> 00:31:56.381
are not making
much of an effort

00:31:56.381 --> 00:31:58.383
to stand up for the pride.

00:32:02.821 --> 00:32:04.689
The cubs themselves

00:32:04.689 --> 00:32:07.392
seem blissfully unaware
of the dangers.

00:32:08.760 --> 00:32:12.497
The more timid male cub
has gained in confidence,

00:32:12.497 --> 00:32:16.268
and is now giving his sister
as good as he gets.

00:32:17.836 --> 00:32:20.705
They are practicing hunting
and throttling moves.

00:32:31.616 --> 00:32:33.785
The two males
are still roaring

00:32:33.785 --> 00:32:35.787
and marking the territory...

00:32:35.787 --> 00:32:37.789
occasionally.

00:32:44.830 --> 00:32:47.799
The cubs seem to court
the two brothers,

00:32:47.799 --> 00:32:50.435
making all the effort
to form a bond.

00:32:52.771 --> 00:32:56.608
Scientists think that
only if males care enough

00:32:56.608 --> 00:32:59.511
will they lay down their
lives for these cubs.

00:32:59.511 --> 00:33:02.781
And it takes tremendous
courage from the cubs

00:33:02.781 --> 00:33:04.983
to cement that bond.

00:33:38.483 --> 00:33:40.352
For the little male,

00:33:40.352 --> 00:33:43.688
bonding with his father
and uncle is equally vital.

00:33:44.456 --> 00:33:46.691
But he has another reason.

00:33:47.759 --> 00:33:51.730
Males only succeed
as adults in coalitions,

00:33:51.730 --> 00:33:53.565
usually brothers.

00:33:53.565 --> 00:33:56.034
And he only has a sister.

00:33:58.703 --> 00:34:01.973
He faces a bleak future
as a lone male.

00:34:02.574 --> 00:34:04.142
Even though his father

00:34:04.142 --> 00:34:06.278
can't help forge
a future coalition,

00:34:06.278 --> 00:34:10.081
the cub is instinctively
drawn to the older male,

00:34:10.081 --> 00:34:11.650
as his only option.

00:34:11.650 --> 00:34:13.652
(Low roar)

00:34:24.362 --> 00:34:26.564
The bereaved mother
is flirting.

00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:29.668
Scientists think
that lionesses

00:34:29.668 --> 00:34:31.770
feel the loss of cubs deeply,

00:34:31.770 --> 00:34:34.272
remembering it
all their lives.

00:34:35.106 --> 00:34:37.208
But they also need
to mate again,

00:34:37.208 --> 00:34:39.210
as quickly as possible.

00:34:42.447 --> 00:34:45.083
The Luangwa River
continues to fall.

00:34:48.520 --> 00:34:52.090
For a female in estrus
and for a lone male cub,

00:34:52.090 --> 00:34:55.093
time is running out,

00:34:55.093 --> 00:34:58.530
as the threat looms
from the opposite bank.

00:35:17.048 --> 00:35:18.717
The mother of the twins

00:35:18.717 --> 00:35:20.719
guides them away
to their den,

00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:23.154
to keep them out of danger.

00:35:23.154 --> 00:35:25.223
(Overlapping animal calls)

00:35:34.699 --> 00:35:36.568
(Roars)

00:35:40.105 --> 00:35:43.174
The males roar more
enthusiastically at night.

00:35:43.174 --> 00:35:45.210
And their declaration carries

00:35:45.210 --> 00:35:47.612
five miles along
the Luangwa valley.

00:35:53.752 --> 00:35:58.023
The youngest lioness, with no
cubs to demand her attention,

00:35:58.289 --> 00:36:00.058
is hunting puku
for the pride.

00:36:05.463 --> 00:36:09.601
Behind her, one of the males
makes a rare appearance,

00:36:09.601 --> 00:36:11.603
to help with the hunt.

00:36:14.706 --> 00:36:16.741
Or so it seems.

00:36:32.490 --> 00:36:35.427
Lions are renowned
for their night vision.

00:36:35.427 --> 00:36:39.397
But they've not seen or heard
the puku by their side.

00:36:53.511 --> 00:36:56.414
His attention lies elsewhere.

00:37:00.218 --> 00:37:02.220
(Snarling)

00:37:08.493 --> 00:37:10.562
She's coming into estrus,

00:37:10.562 --> 00:37:14.132
but she's not ready to be
jumped on just yet.

00:37:17.702 --> 00:37:19.671
(Roars)

00:37:19.671 --> 00:37:21.706
He returns to his roaring.

00:37:23.141 --> 00:37:25.143
(Continues roaring)

00:38:16.294 --> 00:38:18.663
The elephants have been
trekking all night,

00:38:18.663 --> 00:38:20.698
in search of food
away from the river.

00:38:22.767 --> 00:38:26.104
The little one is thin,
but he's alive.

00:38:38.216 --> 00:38:40.185
The twins survived the night,

00:38:40.185 --> 00:38:43.021
and by dawn,
are back with the pride.

00:38:43.655 --> 00:38:45.356
But this morning,

00:38:45.356 --> 00:38:48.393
the two cubs' lives
are about to change.

00:39:01.606 --> 00:39:04.342
The elder sister,
the most secretive,

00:39:04.342 --> 00:39:07.045
returns with four cubs.

00:39:07.045 --> 00:39:09.047
All males.

00:39:11.516 --> 00:39:14.052
They're a week or two younger
than the twins.

00:39:14.752 --> 00:39:17.288
Three are full of confidence.

00:39:17.288 --> 00:39:19.390
But one holds back.

00:39:21.192 --> 00:39:24.495
He might have been called
the runt of the litter
in the past.

00:39:24.495 --> 00:39:27.432
But he's probably just
a more tentative character.

00:39:42.780 --> 00:39:45.717
Each lioness has four teats.

00:39:45.717 --> 00:39:48.786
Nevertheless, the new cubs
are keen to suckle

00:39:48.786 --> 00:39:50.622
with their older cousins.

00:39:53.057 --> 00:39:56.227
For the original,
confident female twin,

00:39:56.227 --> 00:39:58.329
it's an inconvenience.

00:39:59.397 --> 00:40:04.002
But for her brother,
a lone male, it's salvation.

00:40:04.602 --> 00:40:07.572
Four new males - cousins.

00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:13.444
If all survive, they could
form a powerful coalition.

00:40:14.212 --> 00:40:18.116
And he's the eldest.
Potentially, the leader.

00:40:22.487 --> 00:40:25.089
Lions share suckling duty,

00:40:25.089 --> 00:40:27.191
called allosuckling.

00:40:27.191 --> 00:40:29.527
It forges bonds
between litters

00:40:29.527 --> 00:40:32.463
and is the foundation
for future prides.

00:40:39.737 --> 00:40:42.273
All six
trying to suckle at once

00:40:42.273 --> 00:40:44.342
is too much for the mother.

00:40:44.876 --> 00:40:47.812
She sends the whole lot
of them off to explore.

00:40:51.549 --> 00:40:54.519
The cubs immediately form
a gang of six.

00:41:06.297 --> 00:41:09.500
But it's now that they face
the greatest danger.

00:41:19.844 --> 00:41:24.449
The Luangwa River has fallen
to a few feet of water.

00:41:28.186 --> 00:41:30.288
The barrier is down.

00:41:43.835 --> 00:41:46.671
The mane-less three,
on the north bank,

00:41:46.671 --> 00:41:49.173
have ambitions to the south.

00:41:49.741 --> 00:41:53.778
And are closing in on the
Nsefu pride's territory.

00:42:07.392 --> 00:42:10.161
They set out across
no man's land.

00:42:39.223 --> 00:42:42.360
Their mission -
defeat the two brothers,

00:42:42.760 --> 00:42:45.363
drive out
the male adolescents,

00:42:45.363 --> 00:42:47.598
kill all the cubs,

00:42:47.598 --> 00:42:49.700
and mate with their mothers.

00:43:00.211 --> 00:43:02.980
Now...they are in
enemy territory.

00:43:03.514 --> 00:43:05.516
They have strength
in numbers.

00:43:06.417 --> 00:43:09.654
But the brothers have
the home team advantage.

00:43:12.190 --> 00:43:15.593
They can smell the resident
males' pungent odor.

00:43:15.593 --> 00:43:18.496
For years, the brothers
have laid their scent

00:43:18.496 --> 00:43:20.498
along their boundary.

00:43:20.832 --> 00:43:23.835
The mane-less three
are not intimidated,

00:43:23.835 --> 00:43:26.037
and mark themselves.

00:43:27.505 --> 00:43:30.741
They keep to the river's
edge - safer for them.

00:43:31.442 --> 00:43:35.413
But their eyes turn inland,
searching for the pride.

00:43:43.588 --> 00:43:48.192
Half-a-mile away,
the Nsefu lions are resting,

00:43:48.192 --> 00:43:50.528
oblivious to the
approaching threat.

00:43:54.732 --> 00:43:57.468
But there seems to be
a new tension.

00:43:58.870 --> 00:44:01.639
The cubs' little teeth
are sharp.

00:44:01.639 --> 00:44:05.009
And the two mothers become
increasingly short-tempered.

00:44:07.144 --> 00:44:10.381
The gang of six
is a real handful.

00:44:11.249 --> 00:44:12.783
They want to feed together.

00:44:12.783 --> 00:44:16.420
But with only four teats on
offer, that's impossible.

00:44:18.089 --> 00:44:20.091
(Growling)

00:44:22.393 --> 00:44:24.529
Milk changes over time,

00:44:24.529 --> 00:44:27.365
from high-fat
to high-protein.

00:44:28.065 --> 00:44:29.634
So it may be that the cubs

00:44:29.634 --> 00:44:32.003
prefer one mother
over another.

00:44:46.083 --> 00:44:48.819
The young lioness
has finally come into estrus,

00:44:48.819 --> 00:44:51.088
and the males are in
attendance.

00:44:52.290 --> 00:44:56.093
For four days,
she mates 30 times a day,

00:44:56.561 --> 00:44:58.429
mainly with
the elder brother,

00:44:58.429 --> 00:45:01.198
just to make sure
any offspring are his.

00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:05.002
(Grunting)

00:45:11.309 --> 00:45:13.444
She'll quickly
become pregnant,

00:45:13.444 --> 00:45:17.048
and in 110 days,
she'll give birth.

00:45:20.318 --> 00:45:23.054
Her hormones
fire up the males.

00:45:29.560 --> 00:45:32.997
Their roars tell of strength
and vitality.

00:45:33.664 --> 00:45:37.134
Their urine reeks of
power and sexual prowess.

00:45:38.502 --> 00:45:40.771
(Roaring)

00:45:51.649 --> 00:45:55.319
Already fired up
by courting cubs and mothers,

00:45:55.319 --> 00:45:58.689
and now by the hormones
of a successful mating,

00:45:58.689 --> 00:46:02.059
the brothers set out
with renewed confidence,

00:46:02.059 --> 00:46:04.428
determined to defend
their pride.

00:46:05.630 --> 00:46:08.499
They are two champions
in their prime.

00:46:08.499 --> 00:46:10.501
Kings of the river.

00:46:24.048 --> 00:46:26.484
A change in the wind
brings these smells

00:46:26.484 --> 00:46:28.719
and sounds
to the three invaders.

00:46:29.754 --> 00:46:32.690
They seem to reconsider
their options.

00:46:32.690 --> 00:46:35.693
They already have a pride
of their own to control

00:46:35.693 --> 00:46:37.662
on the north bank.

00:46:37.662 --> 00:46:40.498
And if they become trapped on
the wrong side of the river,

00:46:40.498 --> 00:46:42.767
they could lose everything.

00:46:43.434 --> 00:46:45.836
Their confidence evaporates.

00:46:45.836 --> 00:46:49.540
They return north,
to their own kingdom,

00:46:49.540 --> 00:46:52.076
and their own battles
at home.

00:46:57.181 --> 00:46:59.684
The Nsefu pride
has triumphed.

00:47:01.786 --> 00:47:04.722
The two sisters
have six healthy cubs.

00:47:05.623 --> 00:47:07.458
And the youngest lioness

00:47:07.458 --> 00:47:09.960
has a replacement litter
on the way.

00:47:11.328 --> 00:47:15.566
With five new males, the
pride's future seems secure.

00:47:19.036 --> 00:47:21.072
In a few years' time,

00:47:21.072 --> 00:47:24.141
these young lions
may cross the river,

00:47:24.141 --> 00:47:27.311
to rule over
new prides of their own.

00:47:29.780 --> 00:47:40.024
♪♪

00:47:40.024 --> 00:47:44.795
♪♪

00:47:44.795 --> 00:47:54.004
♪♪