1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:09,280 [crickets chirping] 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,200 [lion exhales slowly] 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,480 [birds chirping] 6 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:28,600 [narrator] In this land, 7 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,120 family is everything. 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:33,440 [growling playfully] 9 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:35,040 [dramatic music playing] 10 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:37,880 [insects chittering] 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,560 [narrator] It's the bonds within the pride, 12 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:44,240 the pack, 13 00:00:46,160 --> 00:00:47,120 and the herd… 14 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:48,240 [elephant trumpets] 15 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,240 …that allow each member to succeed. 16 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:53,840 [growling playfully] 17 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,200 [narrator] Nowhere are these bonds tested more fiercely 18 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,480 than in the great Kalahari Desert. 19 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,080 Here families are shaped 20 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,560 by courageous mothers… 21 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:12,200 wise elders… 22 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:13,880 [growls] 23 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,080 …and tenacious underdogs. 24 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:18,760 [panting] 25 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,520 [narrator] All drawn to the immense oasis that lies at the desert's very heart. 26 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:28,360 [music swells] 27 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,000 [narrator] The Okavango Delta. 28 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,000 Home to more wildlife than any other wetland on Earth… 29 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,520 it is seeing some of the most extreme seasonal change 30 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,040 on the planet. 31 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:55,760 [thunder crashes] 32 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:57,040 [wildebeest lowing] 33 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,200 [narrator] Through the chaos and hardship of the coming year… 34 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,080 fates will entwine, 35 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,880 and incredible relationships will be forged. 36 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,440 Not just within families but between families. 37 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:18,680 [elephant growling] 38 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:20,080 [hyenas cackling] 39 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:24,920 And even with the land itself. 40 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:33,000 [calm music playing] 41 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,080 [birds chirping] 42 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:49,240 [cub grunts] 43 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,360 [narrator] For a two-year-old lioness, 44 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,720 the strength of family comes from her pride. 45 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,440 She and her sisterhood control this territory… 46 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:08,320 [growls] 47 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,560 …and their lead male reigns as warrior king. 48 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:22,040 But in the Delta, change can come suddenly 49 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,360 and upend a family's peaceful existence. 50 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:32,720 [bird calling] 51 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,520 [narrator] The chink in her pride's armor is the king himself. 52 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:40,880 [flies buzzing] 53 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,560 Years of fighting to defend his family and territory 54 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:47,120 have taken their toll. 55 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,840 His weakness puts the lioness at risk. 56 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,440 [ominous music playing] 57 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,240 [narrator] And presents an opportunity 58 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,920 for two ambitious young males. 59 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:06,840 [growling deeply] 60 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:16,080 [narrator] The old warrior marks his territory. 61 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:32,800 [panting] 62 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:39,880 [narrator] But he's frail. 63 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:49,240 And outnumbered. 64 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:21,160 Every year in the Okavango is a new and dangerous journey, 65 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:23,920 but for the lioness, 66 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,520 this year will be the most uncertain she's ever faced. 67 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:31,280 [upbeat music playing] 68 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:36,440 [sniffs] 69 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,680 [narrator] Every family confronts the challenges of the Delta 70 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:43,880 in its own way. 71 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:47,680 [painted wolves whining] 72 00:05:50,280 --> 00:05:52,280 -[insects chittering] -[panting] 73 00:05:55,280 --> 00:05:56,880 [birds chirping] 74 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,520 [narrator] A pack of painted wolves, 24 strong. 75 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,360 Their strength, a testament to their great leader, 76 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:12,520 the alpha female. 77 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,200 [dramatic music playing] 78 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,120 [narrator] She's trained them to think and hunt as one. 79 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:27,560 And to provide for all. 80 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:37,880 But the alpha is pregnant. 81 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:42,440 [zebras braying] 82 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,360 Her team will lose their leader, 83 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:53,720 just as the Delta faces its greatest upheaval. 84 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,440 [elephants trumpeting] 85 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:03,520 [narrator] It's May. 86 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:09,880 And the surrounding Kalahari Desert is facing the worst drought in decades. 87 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,760 Thousands of animals are fleeing the parched outer regions… 88 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:23,280 traveling for weeks. 89 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,480 All drawn here for one reason. 90 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,880 [wildebeests lowing] 91 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:48,240 [serene music playing] 92 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:49,760 [narrator] Water. 93 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,600 Rainwater that fell four months ago 94 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,960 in the Angolan Highlands to the north 95 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,560 has finally made its way down, 96 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:05,880 across the Kalahari and into the flatlands of the Delta. 97 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:07,360 [birds chirping, calling] 98 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,840 [dramatic music playing] 99 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,680 [narrator] Over nine trillion liters of fresh water 100 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,200 floods the vast desert… 101 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:00,880 creating 102 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,240 the greatest oasis on the planet. 103 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:20,720 [water buffalo lowing] 104 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,040 [narrator] In the flood's wake come the great herds… 105 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,000 joining those who live here year-round. 106 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,440 Everyone has a role to play 107 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,600 in shaping and maintaining this land. 108 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:07,960 [elephants roaring] 109 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,120 [narrator] Even a six-month-old elephant 110 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:17,320 on her first visit. 111 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,160 She's never seen so much water… 112 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:24,680 [elephant roars] 113 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:27,480 …and food. 114 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,360 [elephant trumpeting] 115 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,120 [narrator] With endless floodplains to munch their way through, 116 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,280 elephants become the natural gardeners of the Delta… 117 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,600 uprooting far more than they can eat. 118 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:17,080 But over-pruning can clog the waterways, 119 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:19,240 halting the water's spread. 120 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,560 What the gardeners have blocked up, 121 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,160 families of hippos bulldoze through. 122 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,680 Not being swimmers, they tiptoe along the bottom. 123 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,760 And in their wake, leave hippo-sized highways… 124 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,680 that connect rivers to pools and pools to floodplains… 125 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,520 allowing the water to keep flowing, 126 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:08,000 feeding the vibrant growth of the entire Delta. 127 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,840 [moaning] 128 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,440 [narrator] But the flood isn't good news for all. 129 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:25,520 For the lioness, 130 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,640 it means a loss of hunting grounds. 131 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:33,080 And the old warrior king is nowhere to be seen. 132 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:35,600 [ominous music playing] 133 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,640 [narrator] Whether he fled or was killed, 134 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:43,240 the young invaders have usurped his throne. 135 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,040 [growls deeply] 136 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,120 [growls deeply] 137 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:07,440 [narrator] Only lionesses of breeding age are allowed to stay now. 138 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:08,520 [growls] 139 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:15,880 [narrator] And she's not one of them. 140 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,640 To these new males, she's just an extra mouth to feed, 141 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,320 with little to contribute. 142 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:29,720 [growling] 143 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,320 [birds chirping] 144 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,080 [moaning] 145 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:06,960 [narrator] Banished and alone, 146 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:10,680 she'll need all her skill just to stay alive. 147 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,040 [flies buzzing] 148 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,720 [narrator] The alpha female has been housebound for weeks. 149 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:31,880 [moans] 150 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:35,560 Because… 151 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,240 Well, who would leave this scruffy bunch? 152 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,480 [pups whining] 153 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,520 [narrator] At four weeks old, her pups venture out for the first time. 154 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:49,840 [pups yipping] 155 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,240 [narrator] All 14 of them. 156 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,920 Unable to hunt for herself, she must rely on her pack 157 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,880 to bring the meat she needs to keep her milk flowing. 158 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:29,680 [pups yipping] 159 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:43,680 [narrator] But her stay-at-home work is nonstop. 160 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:51,480 Sweeping out the den… 161 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,160 three weeks' worth of ticks and fleas… 162 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,560 landing right back where they started. 163 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,080 [pups whining] 164 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:14,080 [dramatic music playing] 165 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:16,640 [narrator] Her pack is on patrol… 166 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:21,560 without their leader. 167 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,200 And the floodwaters are slowing them down. 168 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:32,920 [birds chirping] 169 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:36,560 [lechwe lowing] 170 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:38,520 [growls] 171 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:41,320 [narrator] Lechwe. 172 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:49,720 Just one would feed the entire pack. 173 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:54,880 [painted wolf growling] 174 00:16:57,760 --> 00:16:59,080 [music intensifies] 175 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,480 [lechwe lowing] 176 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:25,920 [painted wolf whining] 177 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,080 [narrator] With splayed hooves and powerful legs, 178 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,880 they can drive on through the flood. 179 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,200 Without the guidance of the alpha, 180 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,200 the pack follow them into the deeper water. 181 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:04,240 It's futile. 182 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:12,520 [whines] 183 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:14,480 [narrator] And then… 184 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:21,840 a lone impala. 185 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:24,000 [suspenseful music playing] 186 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:29,360 He lacks the paddle-like hooves and long legs of the lechwe. 187 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:00,080 [music swells] 188 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,440 [painted wolves whining] 189 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:21,560 [narrator] They finish the job quickly to avoid a clash with competitors. 190 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,640 [painted wolves yipping] 191 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:27,240 [impala moaning] 192 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,120 [narrator] The pack often take out the weak or injured in a group, 193 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:33,560 easier prey, 194 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:38,000 with the added benefit of reducing disease in herds. 195 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,080 [pups yipping] 196 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:41,840 [birds chirping] 197 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:43,920 [calm music playing] 198 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,040 [painted wolves yipping] 199 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:14,280 [narrator] The hunters deliver their meals in the safest way possible. 200 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:17,480 In their stomachs. 201 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,400 Until the pups can hunt themselves, 202 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,080 they eat first. 203 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,840 Generosity is a core principle of their pack. 204 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,440 Though learning to share doesn't come easily. 205 00:20:42,120 --> 00:20:45,720 Retiring to the den with your very first piece of meat 206 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:47,880 is about as good as it gets. 207 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,000 [birds chirping] 208 00:20:55,120 --> 00:20:57,200 [narrator] With water levels at their highest, 209 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:00,560 the Okavango becomes a true paradise. 210 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,000 Aquatic life from the surrounding rivers and swamps 211 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,840 spreads into the grassland to spawn. 212 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,080 Branches and trees knocked down by elephants 213 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,320 create protected nurseries for young fish. 214 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,320 [birds chirping, squawking] 215 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:31,880 [narrator] During peak flood, 216 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,160 the Delta swells to twice its original size, 217 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:39,600 and anywhere high and dry becomes prime real estate. 218 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,520 Water fig trees provide perfect nesting 219 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,920 for an astonishing variety of fish-eating birds. 220 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,000 [birds warbling] 221 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:04,520 [narrator] For these families, it's not so much about where you build. 222 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:06,480 It's what you build. 223 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,000 [whimsical music playing] 224 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,200 [narrator] Only the finest construction materials will do. 225 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:16,520 [birds squawking] 226 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,880 [narrator] If you can't find the exact fabric you're looking for… 227 00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:52,320 just steal it from your neighbor. 228 00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:00,960 They can always steal it back again. 229 00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:06,560 [bird squawks] 230 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:16,400 [narrator] Finally, 231 00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:21,240 a nest ready to hold their most treasured possessions. 232 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:25,480 Gently turned… 233 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,480 and shaded from the scalding sun. 234 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,400 [calm music playing] 235 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,280 [narrator] Eggshell? Snail shell? 236 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:44,960 He's a first-time dad. 237 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,280 Everyone is in a race to raise their young 238 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:56,240 before the floodwaters recede… 239 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,880 and the nests lose their island protection. 240 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:03,600 [birds squawking] 241 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,560 [ominous music playing] 242 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,320 [narrator] The lioness has been struggling to make a kill. 243 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:22,280 [painted wolves barking] 244 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:25,800 [yipping] 245 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,440 [breathing heavily] 246 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:36,200 [lechwe grunts] 247 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:47,240 [narrator] In drier conditions, a reedbuck or lechwe would be a good bet. 248 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,320 [dramatic music playing] 249 00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,080 [narrator] But not in the flood, 250 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:00,920 not by herself. 251 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,360 And she's got competition. 252 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,920 Time to push back on her rivals. 253 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,320 [tense music playing] 254 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:39,720 [music swells] 255 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,080 [painted wolf whimpers, cries] 256 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,040 [painted wolves yipping] 257 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:50,440 [barking] 258 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:52,520 [somber music playing] 259 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,280 [barking] 260 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,680 [barking, yipping] 261 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,000 [narrator] It's pure intimidation. 262 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,120 She won't eat the carcass. 263 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,680 The pack would be wise not to test her patience again. 264 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:37,600 [growls] 265 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,600 [animal screeching] 266 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,280 [lions roaring] 267 00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:51,960 [insects chittering] 268 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:04,040 [narrator] By September, the temperatures rise, 269 00:27:04,120 --> 00:27:06,120 and water levels begin to drop, 270 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:11,000 leaving shrinking pools crowded with fish. 271 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:16,640 Perfect timing. 272 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:17,800 [chick squawking] 273 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:21,280 [chirping] 274 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:23,640 [calm music playing] 275 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,040 [trumpeting] 276 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,720 [birds chirping, warbling] 277 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:51,280 [narrator] The adults get to work… 278 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:56,120 feeding their precious little monsters. 279 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:03,600 [warbling] 280 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:12,160 [narrator] New pools form each day as the flood recedes. 281 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:15,320 [birds warbling, trilling] 282 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:17,800 [narrator] Everyone has their own special technique 283 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,080 to go with their own special bill. 284 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:24,680 [whimsical orchestral music playing] 285 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,480 Pelicans favor the fishing net. 286 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,240 [squawking] 287 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,200 [narrator] Pied kingfishers… 288 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:45,960 use the dive-bombing system. 289 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:52,280 [bird warbling] 290 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:56,560 [narrator] Openbill storks have snail-plucking down to a science. 291 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:10,200 And the rather theatrical black egret 292 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:14,360 uses its cape to mimic shady spots where fish like to hide. 293 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:18,920 Bravo. 294 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,760 Different approaches with one purpose. 295 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:27,160 [chicks chirping] 296 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,680 [warbling] 297 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:31,960 [narrator] To build up their chicks' strength 298 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:33,320 as quickly as possible. 299 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,400 [warbling] 300 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,200 [chicks moaning] 301 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,560 [narrator] Pelican chicks are the greediest. 302 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:05,000 They need up to 30 feeds a day. 303 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,120 The tireless adults all know 304 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,560 the golden rule of family life in the Delta. 305 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:32,800 [chirping, calling] 306 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:43,400 The stronger your young, the greater their chances of survival. 307 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:51,720 [birds chirping] 308 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:57,640 [dramatic music playing] 309 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,200 [narrator] As the floodwaters recede 310 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,280 and the desert heat builds, 311 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:13,240 hunting grounds dry out… 312 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:14,360 [zebras braying] 313 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:18,520 …shifting the balance of power back to the predators. 314 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:25,840 But alone, the lioness' kill rate is still dangerously low. 315 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:29,120 [wildebeests lowing] 316 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,400 [narrator] She's growing weaker by the day. 317 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,000 To complicate matters, 318 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:46,720 she's come into season. 319 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:51,120 Her scent will carry to any lions in the area. 320 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:00,440 Including those she most wants to avoid. 321 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:02,520 [ominous music playing] 322 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,680 [narrator] The young males who destroyed her family. 323 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,560 [insects chittering] 324 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,200 [birds chirping] 325 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:33,440 [narrator] But with the hunting grounds opening up, 326 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:37,880 another even bigger male is drawn to the area. 327 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:43,640 [suspenseful music playing] 328 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,760 [narrator] His dark mane and deep call 329 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:09,200 are signs he's in his prime. 330 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:13,280 [growls] 331 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,280 [low moaning] 332 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:26,320 [moaning] 333 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:37,960 [narrator] It's risky. 334 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:41,760 But if they join forces, 335 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:45,640 he could offer protection and hunting support. 336 00:33:57,720 --> 00:33:59,320 [growling] 337 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,240 [bird squawking] 338 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:38,080 [zebras snorting] 339 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:42,240 [growling] 340 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:44,320 [birds warbling] 341 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:52,360 [breathing heavily] 342 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:58,440 [narrator] Her newfound alliance is short-lived. 343 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:03,480 The stranger moves on after only a few days. 344 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:05,680 [moaning] 345 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:09,280 Alone, once more, 346 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,160 but this time pregnant. 347 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,480 She won't be hunting for just herself anymore. 348 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:29,560 [wildebeests lowing] 349 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:31,640 [dramatic music playing] 350 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:44,760 [wildebeest panting] 351 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:09,680 [music crescendos] 352 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:44,200 [bird chirping] 353 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:46,120 [narrator] Every family in the Delta 354 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:50,160 is intimately connected to the rhythms of the changing seasons. 355 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,960 The water levels are plummeting, 356 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:01,360 turning to mud. 357 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:08,880 Fun for a calf… 358 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:11,520 [snorts] 359 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:18,480 …but it's a sign her herd should move on. 360 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:20,560 [whimsical music playing] 361 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:23,280 [elephants growling] 362 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,240 [narrator] With the dry season taking grip, 363 00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:33,800 the herds need to make the most of whatever grazing is left. 364 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:46,320 She learns from watching. 365 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:54,960 But some things, she has yet to perfect. 366 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:56,880 [panting, grunting] 367 00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:01,720 [narrator] Such as paying attention, so as not to get left behind. 368 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:20,600 She's being taken to a special place. 369 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:22,440 [snorts] 370 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,120 [wondrous music playing] 371 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:30,000 A stand of fan palms. 372 00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:34,200 They thrive where salts have been left behind 373 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:35,880 by the evaporating flood. 374 00:38:38,720 --> 00:38:40,800 And the fruits that sit at the top 375 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:43,200 are revered by elephants. 376 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:46,640 Harvesting such lofty treats 377 00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:50,840 is a trick that only a four-ton bull can pull off. 378 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:22,160 Each shake releases hundreds of fruits at once. 379 00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:24,400 [breathing deeply] 380 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:36,040 [narrator] He knocks down enough for everyone. 381 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:50,160 [growling] 382 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:55,680 [narrator] This precious meal 383 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:59,800 is not just for this family and not just for today. 384 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:04,200 Elephants are the chief distributors 385 00:40:04,280 --> 00:40:06,120 of fan palm seeds. 386 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:11,040 -The calf's ancestors left this fruit. -[whines] 387 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:12,840 [growls] 388 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:17,320 [narrator] And now she will do the same for those to come. 389 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:25,880 The herd will carry the seeds for many miles. 390 00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:32,400 Wherever they release them in their dung, they can take root. 391 00:40:33,160 --> 00:40:36,720 Just another of the herd's vital contributions 392 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:37,840 to the Delta. 393 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:40,080 [dramatic music playing] 394 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:52,880 [growling] 395 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:55,520 [narrator] It will be their last decent meal. 396 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:56,880 From here on, 397 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:02,400 the increasing scarcity of food and water will drive their every move. 398 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:03,760 [birds chirping] 399 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:05,680 [painted wolves panting] 400 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:18,760 [pups yipping] 401 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:26,560 [narrator] The painted wolves have made it through the flood, 402 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:29,040 but not entirely intact. 403 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,040 One team member already killed, 404 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,880 and now the best hunters have deserted the alpha and her pups. 405 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:39,960 [pups whining, yipping] 406 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:43,920 [narrator] Too many new mouths to feed 407 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:46,720 and not enough food to go around. 408 00:41:57,120 --> 00:42:00,320 It's time for the rookies to move out of the den 409 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:02,160 and begin searching for food. 410 00:42:02,240 --> 00:42:03,720 [yipping] 411 00:42:03,800 --> 00:42:05,320 [whimsical music playing] 412 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:12,080 [narrator] The pups' first great adventure. 413 00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:17,760 Their first patrol with the grown-ups. 414 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:26,280 Though, they are more of a hindrance than a help. 415 00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:41,240 Their little legs will carry them up to 15 kilometers a day. 416 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:47,760 [yipping] 417 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:58,840 The alpha must rebuild her team into a peak hunting machine… 418 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:04,840 and teach her pups the ways of the pack hunter. 419 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:09,360 [birds chirping] 420 00:43:12,240 --> 00:43:14,080 [insects chittering] 421 00:43:26,240 --> 00:43:28,080 [narrator] The receding floodwaters 422 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:33,200 have created perfect conditions to unleash a plague. 423 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:35,160 [dramatic music playing] 424 00:43:36,560 --> 00:43:37,600 [narrator] Locusts. 425 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:42,240 The building heat triggers a mass hatching. 426 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:50,640 Ten million greedy mouths devour the drying vegetation. 427 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:07,280 Ancient termite mounds seem to be the only things impervious 428 00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:10,800 to the great forces now at play in the Delta. 429 00:44:34,920 --> 00:44:36,320 It's October. 430 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:39,440 In two short months, 431 00:44:39,960 --> 00:44:43,040 the drought has transformed a verdant paradise 432 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:46,080 into a barren dust bowl. 433 00:44:53,080 --> 00:44:56,080 All the herds are searching for water 434 00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:57,800 wherever they can find it. 435 00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:00,080 [birds warbling] 436 00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:01,880 [water buffalo lowing] 437 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:06,160 [dramatic music playing] 438 00:45:13,840 --> 00:45:15,120 [lowing] 439 00:45:23,080 --> 00:45:26,560 [narrator] They are easy pickings for the two young males. 440 00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:34,840 Who grow bigger and stronger every day. 441 00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:40,040 [ominous music playing] 442 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:45,720 [narrator] They follow the buffaloes' every move. 443 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:01,440 Tracking the same herds, 444 00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:05,080 the lioness must stay a safe distance from the males. 445 00:46:05,920 --> 00:46:07,760 [water buffalo growling] 446 00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:11,480 [narrator] In her delicate state, she desperately needs to eat. 447 00:46:12,760 --> 00:46:13,880 [lioness growling] 448 00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:16,840 [water buffalo growls] 449 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:23,400 [narrator] But taking on prey the size of a buffalo all by herself 450 00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:25,680 is next to impossible. 451 00:46:26,440 --> 00:46:27,520 [snorts] 452 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:30,400 [somber music playing] 453 00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:42,440 [narrator] At best, she can pick up scraps left by the males, 454 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:47,640 scavenging the bare minimum she needs to stay alive. 455 00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:07,920 [water buffalo lowing] 456 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:16,520 [narrator] All the herds and their predators 457 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:18,720 are being drawn in by the drought, 458 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:22,640 coming together in the heart of the Delta, 459 00:47:23,760 --> 00:47:26,280 where the last water sources remain. 460 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:28,160 [whimsical music playing] 461 00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:32,240 [narrator] The calf and her herd 462 00:47:32,320 --> 00:47:35,360 have to travel further with each passing day. 463 00:47:35,880 --> 00:47:37,880 [growling] 464 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:44,120 [groans] 465 00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:50,720 [narrator] Their eyesight may be poor, but with highly attuned hearing and smell, 466 00:47:50,800 --> 00:47:54,600 elephants can sense danger from miles away. 467 00:47:59,720 --> 00:48:01,800 [ominous music playing] 468 00:48:05,840 --> 00:48:07,440 [narrator] Nile crocodiles. 469 00:48:09,080 --> 00:48:13,840 Some up to six meters long, weighing three-quarters of a ton. 470 00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:23,200 But most are pretty small, only a meter or so. 471 00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:24,760 [elephant barks] 472 00:48:25,880 --> 00:48:27,800 [elephant trumpets] 473 00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:30,120 [whimsical music playing] 474 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:40,760 [elephant growls, trumpets] 475 00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:56,360 [narrator] The older elephants show the calf how to get to the water 476 00:48:56,440 --> 00:48:59,960 by navigating this strange obstacle course. 477 00:49:04,120 --> 00:49:06,000 [elephant trumpets] 478 00:49:18,560 --> 00:49:19,520 [elephant snorts] 479 00:49:28,920 --> 00:49:30,280 [narrator] At last. 480 00:49:34,280 --> 00:49:37,080 And if you still haven't mastered the art of the trunk, 481 00:49:37,760 --> 00:49:40,480 face drinking is always a good fallback. 482 00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:43,400 [elephant growls] 483 00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:46,560 [narrator] The calf is learning… 484 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:50,560 the hard way. 485 00:49:57,120 --> 00:50:00,120 This water hole is the herd's savior. 486 00:50:07,000 --> 00:50:10,720 Elephants also use it to protect their skin from the sun. 487 00:50:15,720 --> 00:50:17,720 [elephant growls] 488 00:50:19,120 --> 00:50:22,880 [narrator] The mud cools their overheated bodies as it evaporates. 489 00:50:31,560 --> 00:50:35,400 And the dust settles in the cracks and crevices of their skin, 490 00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:36,880 acting as sunblock. 491 00:50:51,560 --> 00:50:55,200 A spot like this is highly sought-after. 492 00:50:56,320 --> 00:50:57,760 [elephant barks] 493 00:51:01,080 --> 00:51:02,120 [elephant snorts] 494 00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:11,440 [narrator] But the herd aren't ready to move on from their mud spa just yet. 495 00:51:12,480 --> 00:51:13,560 [elephant trumpets] 496 00:51:17,960 --> 00:51:20,320 [elephant trumpeting] 497 00:51:27,200 --> 00:51:29,680 [screeching] 498 00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:34,160 [narrator] Such difficult times teach the growing pups many things. 499 00:51:35,600 --> 00:51:40,600 Harassing a well-fed vulture must be a good lesson in… something. 500 00:51:40,680 --> 00:51:42,560 [vulture trilling] 501 00:51:43,960 --> 00:51:45,280 [pups yipping] 502 00:51:56,440 --> 00:51:58,080 [narrator] A lone hyena… 503 00:52:00,280 --> 00:52:02,840 makes for a more serious education. 504 00:52:06,920 --> 00:52:10,400 Testing their stress levels helps prepare them 505 00:52:10,480 --> 00:52:14,280 for future confrontations with competitors. 506 00:52:14,360 --> 00:52:15,880 [pups shrieking] 507 00:52:20,840 --> 00:52:22,120 [hyena growls] 508 00:52:24,160 --> 00:52:25,320 [elephant growls] 509 00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:29,440 [narrator] But they still need to learn the most important lesson. 510 00:52:33,040 --> 00:52:35,040 [suspenseful music playing] 511 00:52:35,960 --> 00:52:36,960 [narrator] The art… 512 00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:42,600 of the hunt. 513 00:52:56,240 --> 00:52:57,720 [impalas grunting] 514 00:53:07,280 --> 00:53:08,560 [birds warbling] 515 00:53:08,640 --> 00:53:11,040 [narrator] With the alpha now back in charge… 516 00:53:15,960 --> 00:53:19,960 she directs the team to drive their prey into the thick mud 517 00:53:20,040 --> 00:53:21,840 to slow them down. 518 00:53:28,440 --> 00:53:31,080 [painted wolves barking, yipping] 519 00:53:31,160 --> 00:53:32,760 [impala shrieking] 520 00:53:36,760 --> 00:53:39,120 [narrator] Her coaching is paying off. 521 00:53:52,600 --> 00:53:55,080 They're learning who to target… 522 00:53:58,400 --> 00:54:00,120 and who to leave. 523 00:54:02,560 --> 00:54:04,560 [painted wolves yipping] 524 00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:11,400 [narrator] The pack is growing wiser and closer each day. 525 00:54:15,160 --> 00:54:17,160 [panting] 526 00:54:23,280 --> 00:54:28,960 [narrator] By late October, temperatures have soared to 45 degrees Celsius. 527 00:54:29,040 --> 00:54:30,840 [dramatic music playing] 528 00:54:30,920 --> 00:54:32,920 [narrator] Not a drop has fallen. 529 00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:34,320 [insects chittering] 530 00:54:34,400 --> 00:54:38,400 In recent years, the dry seasons here have been getting longer, 531 00:54:39,000 --> 00:54:41,200 the heat more severe. 532 00:54:42,240 --> 00:54:44,240 [elephant growling] 533 00:54:46,040 --> 00:54:50,600 [narrator] This year is fast becoming the drought of the century. 534 00:54:58,640 --> 00:55:00,640 Every day becomes a gamble 535 00:55:00,720 --> 00:55:04,400 to find enough water to keep the whole herd alive. 536 00:55:05,080 --> 00:55:07,080 [elephant growling] 537 00:55:11,560 --> 00:55:14,680 [narrator] The calf and her mother need it the most. 538 00:55:21,800 --> 00:55:24,400 She's a prisoner in these lands 539 00:55:25,040 --> 00:55:28,920 that only a few months ago offered her so much. 540 00:55:34,960 --> 00:55:36,800 [elephant growling] 541 00:55:39,800 --> 00:55:42,680 [narrator] Her survival is entirely in the hands 542 00:55:42,760 --> 00:55:45,480 of the wise, old leader. 543 00:55:45,560 --> 00:55:47,760 The herd's matriarch. 544 00:55:55,440 --> 00:55:58,000 She's been traveling these pathways 545 00:55:58,080 --> 00:56:00,240 since she, too, was a young calf. 546 00:56:07,160 --> 00:56:10,200 Her brain, infused with memories, 547 00:56:11,280 --> 00:56:13,200 holds an ancient internal map 548 00:56:13,800 --> 00:56:16,920 of where the last pockets of water might be found. 549 00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:18,640 [epic orchestral music playing] 550 00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:21,400 [elephant trumpeting] 551 00:56:22,080 --> 00:56:24,280 [elephant breathes deeply] 552 00:56:24,360 --> 00:56:25,280 [elephant barks] 553 00:56:25,360 --> 00:56:28,040 [narrator] Family is more than just the herd. 554 00:56:28,560 --> 00:56:30,560 Family is memory… 555 00:56:33,000 --> 00:56:35,400 and that's what's making the difference 556 00:56:35,480 --> 00:56:37,680 between life and death. 557 00:56:37,760 --> 00:56:39,760 [birds chirping, warbling] 558 00:56:41,680 --> 00:56:42,920 [elephant trumpeting] 559 00:56:43,000 --> 00:56:44,920 [narrator] The old family knowledge leads them 560 00:56:45,000 --> 00:56:47,120 to one of the last remaining water holes 561 00:56:47,200 --> 00:56:48,840 in the entire Delta. 562 00:56:59,880 --> 00:57:01,240 [calf whines] 563 00:57:10,720 --> 00:57:13,840 [narrator] Every muddy drop is a lifesaver. 564 00:57:34,480 --> 00:57:37,400 But their little one can't get to the water. 565 00:57:41,760 --> 00:57:43,520 [whimsical music playing] 566 00:57:44,200 --> 00:57:46,840 [narrator] So she simply gets into the water. 567 00:57:56,000 --> 00:57:58,640 Getting out, not so easy. 568 00:57:58,720 --> 00:58:00,400 [calf whines] 569 00:58:01,600 --> 00:58:03,560 [elephant growls] 570 00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:09,960 [elephant trumpeting] 571 00:58:17,600 --> 00:58:19,000 [elephant growls] 572 00:58:19,080 --> 00:58:21,080 [calf whining] 573 00:58:34,240 --> 00:58:39,600 [narrator] For a clumsy calf, a loving family is her most powerful ally. 574 00:58:47,160 --> 00:58:49,520 [elephant growls] 575 00:58:58,600 --> 00:59:00,600 -[wind whooshing] -[insects chittering] 576 00:59:02,000 --> 00:59:03,960 [narrator] There's no time to waste. 577 00:59:04,040 --> 00:59:05,800 They need more water, 578 00:59:06,840 --> 00:59:09,480 and they'll chase the storm front to find it. 579 00:59:13,600 --> 00:59:16,920 -Finally, clouds begin to form. -[thunder rumbling] 580 00:59:17,920 --> 00:59:19,920 Giant storm cells. 581 00:59:32,480 --> 00:59:35,600 [wind whooshing loudly] 582 00:59:43,800 --> 00:59:47,760 [narrator] Elephants are able to hear the low frequencies of distant thunder 583 00:59:47,840 --> 00:59:51,880 and detect storms up to 200 kilometers away. 584 00:59:51,960 --> 00:59:54,000 [thunder rumbling] 585 01:00:05,400 --> 01:00:07,000 [thunder crashing rapidly] 586 01:00:14,760 --> 01:00:19,160 [narrator] But in a region that's gone seven months with barely a drop of rain, 587 01:00:19,680 --> 01:00:23,720 the tinder-dry grasses are a ticking bomb. 588 01:00:23,800 --> 01:00:25,800 [suspenseful music playing] 589 01:00:30,920 --> 01:00:34,080 The adults in the herd have seen fire before. 590 01:00:35,040 --> 01:00:40,160 Each year, up to 4,000 square kilometers of the Delta burns. 591 01:00:43,280 --> 01:00:47,600 They know to stick close together as they try to navigate the flames. 592 01:01:10,840 --> 01:01:13,440 The fires are devastating… 593 01:01:13,520 --> 01:01:14,680 [somber music playing] 594 01:01:17,000 --> 01:01:19,120 …but don't devour everything. 595 01:01:22,600 --> 01:01:24,320 [wind whooshing] 596 01:01:31,840 --> 01:01:35,520 [narrator] The grazers have thinned the amount of fuel available to burn. 597 01:01:37,800 --> 01:01:40,800 And the scorched areas will create new pathways 598 01:01:40,880 --> 01:01:43,120 for next year's flood to access. 599 01:01:46,600 --> 01:01:50,080 The Delta has always found a way to heal 600 01:01:50,600 --> 01:01:54,280 because its residents never stop playing their part. 601 01:01:55,000 --> 01:01:57,000 [thunder rumbling] 602 01:02:04,960 --> 01:02:08,400 [narrator] At last, the skies yield. 603 01:02:12,200 --> 01:02:14,640 The greatest drought in living memory 604 01:02:15,400 --> 01:02:17,200 is finally broken. 605 01:02:17,920 --> 01:02:19,600 [dramatic music playing] 606 01:02:25,440 --> 01:02:27,560 [narrator] Over the next five months, 607 01:02:27,640 --> 01:02:30,240 half a meter of rain will fall here. 608 01:02:33,080 --> 01:02:35,600 Any ground scorched by the fire 609 01:02:35,680 --> 01:02:37,600 will be revitalized. 610 01:02:39,080 --> 01:02:40,600 [thunder rumbling] 611 01:02:59,640 --> 01:03:00,600 [wildebeest lowing] 612 01:03:03,480 --> 01:03:06,520 [narrator] The herds are released from their water holes. 613 01:03:11,920 --> 01:03:14,600 -And the predators spread out. -[growls] 614 01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:24,320 [narrator] Keeping the grazers on the move, 615 01:03:24,400 --> 01:03:26,840 giving the new shoots a chance, 616 01:03:26,920 --> 01:03:31,000 and preventing any one area from becoming depleted. 617 01:03:31,960 --> 01:03:33,280 [elephant grunts] 618 01:03:34,200 --> 01:03:36,320 [growls] 619 01:03:37,240 --> 01:03:38,320 [narrator] Balance… 620 01:03:40,640 --> 01:03:42,080 is maintained. 621 01:03:43,920 --> 01:03:47,520 [elephants growling] 622 01:03:56,080 --> 01:03:58,320 [narrator] And with the arrival of the rains… 623 01:04:00,400 --> 01:04:02,800 come four new cubs. 624 01:04:03,880 --> 01:04:04,920 [cubs whining] 625 01:04:19,880 --> 01:04:21,880 [peaceful music playing] 626 01:04:29,680 --> 01:04:31,400 [lioness purring] 627 01:05:06,040 --> 01:05:09,560 [narrator] The flush of green has prompted a baby boom. 628 01:05:16,200 --> 01:05:17,200 [bleating] 629 01:05:20,480 --> 01:05:22,000 [whining] 630 01:05:29,720 --> 01:05:31,040 [cubs whining] 631 01:05:36,160 --> 01:05:37,880 [lioness growling] 632 01:05:40,200 --> 01:05:42,720 [narrator] She moves her cubs every few days… 633 01:05:44,720 --> 01:05:47,280 to prevent their scent from attracting enemies. 634 01:05:47,920 --> 01:05:49,920 [birds chirping] 635 01:05:55,560 --> 01:05:57,200 [birds squawking] 636 01:06:04,840 --> 01:06:06,600 [cubs whining] 637 01:06:10,440 --> 01:06:14,320 [narrator] But her latest move hasn't gone unnoticed. 638 01:06:17,240 --> 01:06:19,800 [ominous music playing] 639 01:06:21,560 --> 01:06:24,560 [narrator] The young males have picked up their trail. 640 01:06:42,560 --> 01:06:46,520 They will not tolerate the presence of another male's cubs. 641 01:06:54,120 --> 01:06:55,120 [snorts] 642 01:07:21,680 --> 01:07:23,040 [cub whining] 643 01:07:23,120 --> 01:07:24,760 [intense music playing] 644 01:07:25,960 --> 01:07:27,080 [lion growling] 645 01:07:48,520 --> 01:07:50,680 [lions growling, roaring] 646 01:07:56,680 --> 01:07:58,680 [suspenseful music playing] 647 01:08:01,400 --> 01:08:05,080 [narrator] She's half their size and outnumbered. 648 01:08:05,160 --> 01:08:07,160 [breathing heavily] 649 01:08:11,080 --> 01:08:12,680 [growling fiercely] 650 01:08:20,160 --> 01:08:21,520 [lioness roaring] 651 01:08:48,920 --> 01:08:50,280 [narrator] They're trapped. 652 01:08:50,360 --> 01:08:51,920 [cubs whining] 653 01:08:55,520 --> 01:08:58,400 [moaning] 654 01:09:00,960 --> 01:09:04,400 [narrator] Her instinct is to lead her babies to safety. 655 01:09:12,160 --> 01:09:13,960 [cubs meowing] 656 01:09:18,080 --> 01:09:21,680 [narrator] But the cubs have no idea who they're up against. 657 01:09:23,240 --> 01:09:24,640 [cubs meowing] 658 01:09:48,840 --> 01:09:51,480 [cubs growling] 659 01:09:54,600 --> 01:09:56,480 [narrator] She's lost track of a cub. 660 01:09:57,800 --> 01:09:59,560 [cub meowing] 661 01:10:01,560 --> 01:10:02,760 [cub shrieking] 662 01:10:02,840 --> 01:10:04,760 [intense music playing] 663 01:10:06,720 --> 01:10:08,480 [lions roaring] 664 01:10:47,120 --> 01:10:49,120 [somber music playing] 665 01:11:12,800 --> 01:11:14,400 [lioness moaning] 666 01:11:24,440 --> 01:11:26,720 [growling] 667 01:11:35,200 --> 01:11:38,040 [narrator] She'll fight to the death for her family… 668 01:11:40,800 --> 01:11:42,120 [cub meowing] 669 01:11:44,120 --> 01:11:47,160 …but the males won't risk further injury. 670 01:11:58,280 --> 01:11:59,440 [lioness moaning] 671 01:12:06,160 --> 01:12:08,160 [moans, breathes heavily] 672 01:12:10,360 --> 01:12:12,640 [narrator] Thanks to their mother's bravery, 673 01:12:12,720 --> 01:12:15,120 three of her cubs have survived. 674 01:12:18,920 --> 01:12:20,400 [moans] 675 01:12:23,320 --> 01:12:25,080 [narrator] She can't rest for long. 676 01:12:27,880 --> 01:12:29,240 She's all they've got. 677 01:12:34,480 --> 01:12:36,080 [cub whines] 678 01:12:43,640 --> 01:12:45,360 [wind whooshing] 679 01:12:45,440 --> 01:12:47,240 [dramatic music playing] 680 01:12:51,680 --> 01:12:55,640 [narrator] For the painted wolves, life again is sweet. 681 01:13:03,400 --> 01:13:04,800 Their mother has risen 682 01:13:04,880 --> 01:13:07,800 to the greatest challenge she's ever faced. 683 01:13:09,800 --> 01:13:12,960 Bringing a pack cut to half its size 684 01:13:13,040 --> 01:13:15,040 through the perils of the drought 685 01:13:15,760 --> 01:13:18,960 and transforming a hapless bunch of rookies 686 01:13:19,040 --> 01:13:22,520 into a hardworking, successful team. 687 01:13:22,600 --> 01:13:24,600 [birds chirping] 688 01:13:29,360 --> 01:13:31,960 [narrator] Their comeback is complete. 689 01:13:32,040 --> 01:13:34,040 [painted wolves yipping] 690 01:13:44,520 --> 01:13:46,000 [narrator] The gutsy little calf 691 01:13:46,080 --> 01:13:49,080 has chalked up her first year in the Delta… 692 01:13:51,320 --> 01:13:55,000 and she herself has contributed to its upkeep… 693 01:13:57,040 --> 01:13:59,200 with every reed she's trampled, 694 01:13:59,720 --> 01:14:01,960 every palm seed she's left. 695 01:14:03,360 --> 01:14:07,080 If she can survive another 30 or 40 more years 696 01:14:07,160 --> 01:14:09,240 of increasing extremes, 697 01:14:10,880 --> 01:14:14,000 fires, floods, and famines… 698 01:14:14,720 --> 01:14:16,440 [calf bellows] 699 01:14:16,520 --> 01:14:19,920 …she will finally become a matriarch 700 01:14:20,920 --> 01:14:23,520 and pass on everything she's learned 701 01:14:24,120 --> 01:14:25,760 to the next generation. 702 01:14:26,320 --> 01:14:27,320 [cub meows] 703 01:14:36,200 --> 01:14:38,120 [narrator] Now, four months old, 704 01:14:38,200 --> 01:14:41,200 the lioness's cubs are getting stronger 705 01:14:41,280 --> 01:14:43,240 and more able every day. 706 01:14:56,320 --> 01:15:00,120 Single-handedly, she's kept them all well-fed. 707 01:15:11,800 --> 01:15:13,920 [cubs growling playfully] 708 01:15:15,160 --> 01:15:17,160 [zebras braying] 709 01:15:21,520 --> 01:15:24,400 [narrator] Their games are practice for real life. 710 01:15:24,480 --> 01:15:27,480 To teach them how to catch prey like their mother. 711 01:15:28,120 --> 01:15:30,120 [upbeat music playing] 712 01:15:31,080 --> 01:15:32,240 [wildebeest lowing] 713 01:15:38,160 --> 01:15:39,280 [meowing] 714 01:15:52,880 --> 01:15:56,120 [narrator] She once lost what was most precious to her. 715 01:16:02,680 --> 01:16:06,080 But now, has a little pride to call her own. 716 01:16:06,160 --> 01:16:07,400 [birds chirping] 717 01:16:08,200 --> 01:16:12,080 [narrator] Her cubs will soon learn the vital importance of family. 718 01:16:14,000 --> 01:16:19,800 Just one of a myriad of families whose presence sustains their land. 719 01:16:19,880 --> 01:16:21,720 [elephant trumpeting] 720 01:16:21,800 --> 01:16:23,560 [dramatic music playing] 721 01:16:23,640 --> 01:16:26,160 [narrator] These animals will continue to adapt 722 01:16:26,920 --> 01:16:28,400 as best they can… 723 01:16:32,880 --> 01:16:35,400 to the growing threats they face. 724 01:16:35,480 --> 01:16:38,440 The world's climate changing… 725 01:16:41,040 --> 01:16:43,400 becoming increasingly hostile, 726 01:16:43,480 --> 01:16:44,880 more extreme. 727 01:16:49,520 --> 01:16:54,280 Their greatest weapon in their fight to survive is each other. 728 01:16:55,920 --> 01:17:00,800 For their fates are bound together with this great wilderness. 729 01:17:03,640 --> 01:17:05,080 The magnificent, 730 01:17:06,040 --> 01:17:07,320 ever-changing 731 01:17:08,520 --> 01:17:10,320 Okavango Delta. 732 01:17:23,440 --> 01:17:25,440 [dramatic music playing] 733 01:18:29,840 --> 01:18:31,320 [music fades]