1 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,320 Nearly half of the world's land surface 2 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,480 is covered by desert or grassland. 3 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,960 These are the most exposed habitats on our planet. 4 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:59,360 Nowhere else is the tension between predators and prey more obvious. 5 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:17,240 Out here, the element of surprise scarcely exists. 6 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:36,440 A cheetah, superbly adapted to hunt in the open. 7 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,360 Only from the air can you truly appreciate 8 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,680 its incredible agility and speed. 9 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:13,280 But even for the fastest animal on land, speed is not enough. 10 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,640 To be successful out here requires more than physical ability. 11 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,560 It requires strategy. 12 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,280 A cheetah's takeoff point is critical. 13 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:38,960 Her top speed can only be maintained for just a few seconds. 14 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:44,560 To be successful, she must get within just 30 metres of her prey... 15 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:47,720 ..undetected. 16 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,480 Picking the right target is vital. 17 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,480 Something small enough to handle. 18 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,800 The final stalk begins. 19 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:05,400 The mothers block her path. 20 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:15,480 But in a flat-out chase, nothing can outrun a cheetah. 21 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,240 Too lightweight to jump on top, she must trip her prey. 22 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:44,760 Missed! 23 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,440 But having timed her run to perfection, 24 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,640 she still has energy to try again. 25 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:30,480 This cheetah hunt may have been successful, 26 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,240 but nearly 60% of hunts end in failure. 27 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,640 Few can hunt by stealth on the open plains. 28 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,880 But where the grass grows a little longer, there is opportunity. 29 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:07,960 One specialist predator is able to use every centimetre of cover 30 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:09,840 to get close to its prey. 31 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:19,640 CHIRRUPS 32 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,880 Guinea fowl. 33 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,920 Always on edge. 34 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,240 PANICKED SCREECHING 35 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,200 FOWL SCREECHES 36 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:33,680 Hunting by stealth in open grassland is a challenge. 37 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,680 But if anything can do it, a caracal can. 38 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,560 She is the finest bird hunter on the plains. 39 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:57,360 Her outsized hind legs can launch her three metres into the air, 40 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:02,400 and her magnificent ears can detect the slightest rustle of prey. 41 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,920 Even in the longest grass, there is no hiding from a caracal. 42 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,920 A solitary bird should be easier to creep up on. 43 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,760 A caracal's hit rate is just one in ten. 44 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,000 But the day is not over yet. 45 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:06,720 BIRDS TWEET 46 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,280 If only she could fly. 47 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:01,800 Not all predators of the plains must rely on not being seen. 48 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,080 There is no hiding a honey badger. 49 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,400 Hunting in the open, in broad daylight, 50 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,760 she's anything but subtle. 51 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:25,640 She doesn't need to be. 52 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:29,120 Most of her prey live out of sight, underground. 53 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:36,880 With long claws and powerful front legs, she is a digging machine. 54 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,920 She can dig 50 holes in a single day. 55 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:49,560 It's worth it, to get to highly nutritious rodents. 56 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,520 Following her nose, she can sniff out almost anything. 57 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:09,200 Even the most well-armed prey are not safe from a honey badger. 58 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,360 She's immune to the scorpion's stings, 59 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:20,000 but it's not a very enjoyable experience. 60 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:23,720 IT SCREECHES IN PAIN 61 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,480 And all for quite a small reward. 62 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,560 With an incredibly high metabolism, 63 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:39,400 the honey badger needs constant refuelling. 64 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,480 An ostrich egg would be a rich reward, 65 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:50,520 but they're the strongest eggs on the plains, and very hard to break into. 66 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,880 This will require all her ingenuity. 67 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:18,680 EGG CRACKS 68 00:12:18,680 --> 00:12:21,360 Finally, she's cracked it. 69 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:31,360 Honey badgers have over 50 known prey. 70 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:36,640 Their success depends on their willingness to take on anything. 71 00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:49,440 It's not just predators that have strategies 72 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:51,480 to cope with life in the open. 73 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,440 Their prey have also risen to the challenge. 74 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,760 On plains across the world, there is one kind of soft-bodied prey 75 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,440 that has a dramatic solution for living in the open. 76 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:13,600 They build themselves fortresses. 77 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:23,520 Termites, hard at work. 78 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:26,880 It can take five years 79 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:31,240 and several generations for a mound to grow to its full size. 80 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,520 It's a triumph of collective engineering. 81 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,880 Safe within their castles of clay, 82 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,720 they're protected from nature's extremes. 83 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,080 THUNDER CLAPS 84 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:56,800 FLAMES ROAR 85 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:03,400 Wildfires can reach temperatures of 800 centigrade. 86 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,800 But on Brazil's vast Cerrado grasslands, 87 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,880 the mounds provide such good protection that here, 88 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,760 termites are the most abundant form of animal life. 89 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,720 Within the thick walls of their fortress, 90 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,800 they live a complex social life. 91 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,160 At the centre is the queen. 92 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:35,520 Over the course of her life, she will produce several million eggs. 93 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:45,360 Deep inside, the members of the community are safe and undisturbed. 94 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:51,680 But once a year, some are compelled to leave. 95 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,880 The rainy season triggers a spectacular event. 96 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:16,720 A new generation of winged termites - alates - emerge in their millions. 97 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,880 Their mission - to start a new colony. 98 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:28,200 But so much abundance doesn't go unnoticed. 99 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:35,480 Predators lurk in the fabric of the mound's outer walls. 100 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:39,560 Headlight beetle larvae. 101 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,240 They've been waiting all year for this moment. 102 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:54,600 As night falls, they make their way to the surface of the mound. 103 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,400 There are hundreds of them. 104 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,120 Their lights are lethally attractive. 105 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,160 Like moths to a flame, 106 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:40,000 the termites cannot resist their bioluminescent glow. 107 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,680 For just two weeks each year, 108 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,440 the Cerrado is alight with glowing mounds. 109 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,360 The beetle larvae must stock their larders for the leaner months ahead. 110 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,680 With food in such infrequent supply, 111 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:18,120 it will take two years for each larva to grow into an adult beetle. 112 00:17:28,120 --> 00:17:31,400 The synchronised emergence of a million alates 113 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,560 makes these casualties insignificant. 114 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:41,440 Only a single pair are needed to start a new colony. 115 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:47,720 BIRDS CAW 116 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,520 There is safety in numbers. 117 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:02,480 Flocking is a key defence strategy for birds that live in the open. 118 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:13,120 Few sights illustrate this better than America's snow geese 119 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:14,920 on their annual migration. 120 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,440 One and a half million birds, 121 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,320 stopping to refuel in Squaw Creek, Missouri. 122 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,080 GEESE CAW 123 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:01,200 Bald eagles have been gathering, waiting for this opportunity. 124 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,240 It might look like a lot of food, 125 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,360 but these are a winter prey of last resort. 126 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:18,360 Almost as big as an eagle, a goose is a large and difficult prey. 127 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,480 And the flock takes on a life of its own. 128 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:34,680 An impenetrable wall of beating wings. 129 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:47,480 In the visual confusion, picking a single target is almost impossible. 130 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,120 The eagles must wait for conditions to change. 131 00:20:27,120 --> 00:20:31,440 At this time of year, the lake can freeze overnight. 132 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,280 This is what the eagles have been waiting for. 133 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:49,960 As the open water shrinks, 134 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:54,280 the geese are forced closer and closer together. 135 00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,360 The eagles send the flock into the air. 136 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,520 GEESE SCREECH 137 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,720 Diving to the bottom causes panic. 138 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,400 Now being in the flock is a liability. 139 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,200 In the crammed chaos, geese collide. 140 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:45,520 Some are injured. 141 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:51,800 Separated from the safety of the flock, 142 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:53,760 they're far more easy to catch. 143 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:11,040 Despite the vast numbers, the eagles have only managed a few kills. 144 00:22:14,120 --> 00:22:17,600 For the geese, travelling in a flock has paid off, 145 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,840 and the vast majority continue their migration. 146 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,920 Even the toughest rely on the safety that comes from numbers. 147 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:44,720 Herding is an important defence for animals that graze in the open. 148 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,280 Weighing up to 800 kilos, 149 00:22:56,280 --> 00:23:02,720 massive cape buffalo form super-herds, over 1,000 strong. 150 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:20,000 An impenetrable mass of muscle and horn. 151 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,240 Only Africa's largest predator can tackle buffalo. 152 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:36,200 And even they know better than to attempt a herd. 153 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,920 Highly aggressive, even unprovoked, 154 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,400 buffalo will trample lions, given the chance. 155 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,240 Usually, the relationship is one of mutual respect. 156 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:09,840 At the end of Zambia's dry season, grasslands can turn to dust. 157 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,680 For the buffalo, it's an endless search for new pasture. 158 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:28,840 With the temperature rising to over 50 degrees centigrade, 159 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,840 an adult bull risks leaving the safety of the herd 160 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,400 to find fresh grazing alone. 161 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:05,080 Lions will normally avoid hunting in such heat. 162 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,600 But they're also opportunists. 163 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,720 The lions will need to bring him down quickly, before they overheat. 164 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,560 GROWLING 165 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:13,800 Even away from the herd, a bull is a formidable opponent. 166 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,120 It could gore and kill a lion. 167 00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:13,120 Close to overheating, 168 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:16,800 they finally succeed in bringing him to the ground. 169 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:30,000 BULL BAYS 170 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,120 But the massive bull is not giving up. 171 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:48,640 Against the odds, and the full weight of the lions, 172 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,680 he regains his feet. 173 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:00,760 And it is now that the tables turn. 174 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,280 The lions are exhausted. 175 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:11,480 After a 20-minute struggle, 176 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,080 only the bull has the energy to finish the fight. 177 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:41,440 In such exposed and extreme conditions, 178 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:46,400 the challenge for predators and their prey is at its most intense. 179 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,720 On the roof of Africa, one predator has adapted 180 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:02,080 its entire hunting strategy to suit its unusual home, and prey. 181 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,200 HOWLING 182 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,040 A wolf that looks like a fox. 183 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:25,560 The Ethiopian wolf lives an isolated life, 184 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:29,920 cut off in a bleak world, 3,000 metres above sea level. 185 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,720 As with other wolves, the whole pack must work together 186 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,480 if young are to be reared successfully. 187 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,400 The alpha female must stay and nurse the pups. 188 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:59,880 But every morning, the rest of the pack set out together. 189 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:07,360 Jointly, they patrol the perimeter of their highland territory. 190 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:25,520 But unlike other wolves, they split up when it comes to hunting. 191 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,760 These wolves face their prey alone. 192 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:42,640 A giant mole rat. 193 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:44,280 RAT SQUEAKS 194 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:47,160 It might look like strange prey for a wolf, 195 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:51,240 but it's the best food to be had on these high plains. 196 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:56,080 Better than the smaller grass rats. 197 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:02,960 There are rodents everywhere, but hunting here is no picnic. 198 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:07,840 There's no hiding an orange-coloured wolf in this open landscape. 199 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:12,200 And the grass rats are hyper-vigilant. 200 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:16,280 RAT SQUEAKS 201 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:30,680 The mole rats are careful to never fully leave their burrows. 202 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:43,160 Every wolf has its own unique strategy to catch these rodents. 203 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,720 This one plays a waiting game. 204 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:55,600 IT BARKS EXCITEDLY 205 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:01,200 RAT SQUEAKS 206 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,520 This one tackles the challenge head-on. 207 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:15,560 But they're no honey badgers when it comes to digging. 208 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:20,960 IT GROWLS 209 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:36,760 This wolf doesn't care if the prey go underground. 210 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,880 He has a different technique for grass rats. 211 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,920 He huffs, and puffs. 212 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,400 HE EXHALES 213 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,400 Blowing down the holes like this, 214 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:09,960 he hopes to flush his prey to the surface. 215 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:17,720 Genius! 216 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:22,280 But it's only a meagre grass rat. 217 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:28,880 Catching the larger mole rat requires a bit more craftiness. 218 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,200 Their eyesight is poor, 219 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:11,040 but the wolf still needs to tread carefully. 220 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:16,240 Mole rats are acutely sensitive to vibrations in the ground. 221 00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:34,040 Grandmother's footsteps seems to be working. 222 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:35,440 RAT SQUEAKS 223 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:38,360 Oh, dear. 224 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,160 Outwitted by a mole rat. 225 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:46,320 Luckily for the wolf, 226 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:50,200 there's always one that's tempted to go a bit too far. 227 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:56,560 At last. 228 00:35:08,240 --> 00:35:12,600 The more extreme the habitat, the more extreme the challenge. 229 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:23,520 The Namib Desert - one of the most exposed places on Earth. 230 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:34,720 As the sun climbs high, everybody takes cover from the extreme heat. 231 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:42,640 Everybody except the hotrod ant. 232 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:52,560 As others take refuge, their day is just beginning. 233 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:58,040 Cleaning out the nest. 234 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:10,000 The sand can reach a scorching 70 centigrade. 235 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:13,480 The ants' long legs raise their bodies above the surface, 236 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:15,840 where it's ten degrees cooler. 237 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,120 But if they stand still, they will fry. 238 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,800 They must keep moving or risk the same fate as their quarry - 239 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:31,840 the creatures that have collapsed from heat stroke. 240 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:36,720 Too deeply buried, but a good place to cool off. 241 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:42,880 Foraging decisions must be fast. 242 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:44,160 Too big... 243 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:48,760 Perfect. 244 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:55,120 Back to the nest before they also die. 245 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:03,680 But they've strayed into a minefield. 246 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:14,160 Each of these strange, cone-shaped pits is a deathtrap... 247 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:21,840 ..with a brutal predator at its centre. 248 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:27,440 Here lie antlion larvae - 249 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:31,560 tiny ambush predators with venom-filled pincers. 250 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:59,000 Some ants manage to escape, but the antlion has other tricks. 251 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,160 Flinging sand into the air, it creates an avalanche. 252 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:10,200 In this cone of death, 253 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:14,360 the walls are so angled that the sand slips beneath the ant's feet. 254 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:23,480 As boulders rain from the sky, escape seems almost impossible. 255 00:38:40,040 --> 00:38:41,480 Phew! 256 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:48,160 Some have been lost, but the hotrods are still going. 257 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:52,520 At last, a decent prize. 258 00:38:53,720 --> 00:38:56,160 But carrying it off is another matter. 259 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:03,040 The race is on to dismember the prey 260 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:05,440 without getting heatstroke themselves. 261 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:36,920 Another trap. 262 00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:39,760 A silken snare. 263 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:49,680 A spoor spider has spun a sticky cloak of sand, 264 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:51,960 and hides in the cool beneath. 265 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,360 Vibrations bring it to the surface. 266 00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:11,720 Reeled in, escape is impossible. 267 00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:22,160 Bound into the sandy web, the ant is cooked in the heat of the sun. 268 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:29,560 Unable to move, death comes fast. 269 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:44,320 By late afternoon, the troops face one last problem. 270 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:51,560 It's now so hot 271 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:55,800 that convection winds have sprung up across the dunes. 272 00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:21,480 Finally, home, and with enough food for the whole colony. 273 00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:27,360 They have endured the midday sun and reaped the reward. 274 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:42,880 One habitat is even more exposed than the Namib. 275 00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:51,800 2,000 square miles - the vast salt pan of Etosha 276 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:56,360 in southern Africa. The most extreme open arena. 277 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:15,760 It's hard to imagine anywhere with less cover. 278 00:42:28,680 --> 00:42:32,400 Nonetheless, there are animals here. 279 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:15,480 A meagre waterhole brings everyone close together. 280 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:26,520 Lions can survive alone, 281 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:31,360 but in Etosha's dry season, cooperation is vital. 282 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:38,480 Living here requires teamwork. 283 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:52,360 This extreme landscape has forced them to up their game. 284 00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:08,800 For now, hunting is impossible. 285 00:44:11,600 --> 00:44:13,720 Eyes are everywhere. 286 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:29,040 There is absolutely nowhere for these ambush predators to hide. 287 00:44:34,920 --> 00:44:37,200 The prey know they are safe. 288 00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:41,800 Lions are not good sprinters. 289 00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:45,200 The herds stay easily out of range. 290 00:44:51,160 --> 00:44:53,600 But change is in the air. 291 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:20,960 This is the lions' time. 292 00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:27,520 THUNDER CRACKS 293 00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:40,280 A vast storm gathers, blowing dust into the air. 294 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:46,720 Unease spreads amongst the herds. 295 00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:07,040 Their senses muffled, they're suddenly vulnerable, 296 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:10,360 unable to hear or smell their predator. 297 00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:18,560 Each lioness takes her place, undetected. 298 00:46:26,400 --> 00:46:27,720 ZEBRA SNORTS 299 00:46:29,000 --> 00:46:30,800 ZEBRA BRAYS 300 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:07,720 With nowhere to hide, 301 00:47:07,720 --> 00:47:13,600 this pride has learnt to exploit the fleeting cover nature provides. 302 00:47:17,200 --> 00:47:19,760 All will share the meal. 303 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:31,600 Only by working together can they provide for the next generation 304 00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:37,880 and survive in the most exposed habitat on the planet. 305 00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:54,480 The Hunt team wanted to film the plain's two fastest predators 306 00:47:54,480 --> 00:47:56,760 in a totally fresh and immersive way. 307 00:47:58,320 --> 00:48:01,560 Kenya's Masai Mara is the hunting ground of the cheetah. 308 00:48:03,200 --> 00:48:06,560 Zambia's Liuwa Plain is home to packs of hunting dogs. 309 00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:13,960 Each animal presented the team with a unique and different challenge. 310 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:15,120 Here she comes. 311 00:48:15,120 --> 00:48:17,880 Cheetah are the fastest predators on land, 312 00:48:17,880 --> 00:48:20,280 and being in the right place at the right time 313 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:24,520 to catch their explosive burst of speed is not easy. 314 00:48:24,520 --> 00:48:27,120 No, can't get round. Guy was out of space. 315 00:48:27,120 --> 00:48:29,560 I don't know what I got. In and out. 316 00:48:29,560 --> 00:48:32,600 Wild dogs rely on extraordinary stamina, 317 00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:36,360 and keeping up with their marathon hunts is nearly impossible. 318 00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:44,400 But in Zambia, the wild dog team have a revolutionary solution 319 00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:47,760 to keep up with a pack running at over 40mph. 320 00:48:50,200 --> 00:48:53,160 On this shoot, we've got a Cineflex, which lets you get stable shots 321 00:48:53,160 --> 00:48:54,840 while flying around in a helicopter. 322 00:48:54,840 --> 00:48:57,320 And we've attached it to a stabilising arm 323 00:48:57,320 --> 00:48:59,200 and a few other clever bits of kit. 324 00:48:59,200 --> 00:49:01,800 Basically, we've got the camera at dog height. 325 00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:04,800 We're with the dogs as they're hunting and they're running. 326 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:07,840 And we should be able to show a hunt as you've never seen it before. 327 00:49:09,560 --> 00:49:12,680 This new rig would also be vital in Kenya. 328 00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:17,760 It's allowed Jamie to track with the cheetah 329 00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:20,040 as she stalks at the start of a hunt. 330 00:49:22,240 --> 00:49:25,480 But that is only half the story. 331 00:49:25,480 --> 00:49:29,600 There's a critical five to ten-second moment during a hunt 332 00:49:29,600 --> 00:49:32,960 where she, the cheetah, is at absolute top speed. 333 00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:36,360 And this camera slows everything down 20, 40 times. 334 00:49:36,360 --> 00:49:38,880 And it'll hopefully just reveal... 335 00:49:38,880 --> 00:49:41,480 It's almost a hidden world for the viewer. 336 00:49:43,640 --> 00:49:46,640 Another factor crucial to the success of this shoot 337 00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:49,200 was choosing the right cheetah to work with. 338 00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:57,160 I've worked with many cheetahs before, but Malika is fantastic. 339 00:49:59,400 --> 00:50:07,160 She's a good hunter, good mother, who always keeps her cubs happy. 340 00:50:07,160 --> 00:50:10,600 Sammy and his team of spotters had to put both cameras 341 00:50:10,600 --> 00:50:14,000 in the best positions to catch all the action. 342 00:50:14,000 --> 00:50:16,640 Filming cheetah, you don't follow the hunter - 343 00:50:16,640 --> 00:50:19,680 you have to second-guess which prey they'll target. 344 00:50:22,080 --> 00:50:25,120 So we've got a group of wildebeest coming up the hill. 345 00:50:27,120 --> 00:50:29,440 There's two small calves in the group. 346 00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:30,880 We're in the right place. 347 00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:36,320 Sophie was in front of the herd, locked onto the wildebeest calves. 348 00:50:36,320 --> 00:50:40,440 And Jamie was off to the side, ready to film the stalk. 349 00:50:40,440 --> 00:50:43,320 Yeah, she's about to go. She's going, she's going. 350 00:50:50,680 --> 00:50:52,160 We got some really nice shots 351 00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:54,160 of the mayhem of her trying to pick a target. 352 00:50:54,160 --> 00:50:56,080 She couldn't lock onto a single calf, 353 00:50:56,080 --> 00:50:57,480 and they all made it up the hill. 354 00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:01,560 While the team had made a promising start, 355 00:51:01,560 --> 00:51:04,120 Malika was yet to hunt successfully. 356 00:51:08,160 --> 00:51:13,520 In Zambia, the wild dog team was focusing on a 13-strong pack. 357 00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:17,840 Even though a female was fitted with a radio collar, 358 00:51:17,840 --> 00:51:20,040 the team kept losing the dogs. 359 00:51:24,720 --> 00:51:27,200 They could have been anywhere within their home range, 360 00:51:27,200 --> 00:51:28,920 which is the size of Cornwall. 361 00:51:30,680 --> 00:51:33,040 It's been about eight hours since we've seen them last, 362 00:51:33,040 --> 00:51:36,560 and this is the point we last had them. 363 00:51:36,560 --> 00:51:38,440 So now we have to find them again. 364 00:51:46,400 --> 00:51:48,560 Negative, we are not with the dogs. 365 00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:50,400 When nothing seems to be going right, 366 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:53,440 there's always an old favourite to lift the spirits. 367 00:51:56,640 --> 00:51:59,200 We can't find the dogs, so we're going to have a cup of tea 368 00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:01,520 and have a look for them again in a minute. 369 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:08,240 With a helicopter arriving in the next few days to capture 370 00:52:08,240 --> 00:52:12,680 the dogs hunting from the air, they had to find the dogs, and fast. 371 00:52:17,800 --> 00:52:20,280 It's not meant to rain in February. 372 00:52:20,280 --> 00:52:21,880 It's meant to be sunny. 373 00:52:23,600 --> 00:52:27,280 Maybe it'll clear and she'll hunt straight after. That'd be great. 374 00:52:27,280 --> 00:52:30,320 That's what's going to happen. I know it. 375 00:52:30,320 --> 00:52:31,840 I'm going to wait. 376 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:36,200 When the rains finally passed, 377 00:52:36,200 --> 00:52:39,720 Sophie was again positioned in a perfect spot. 378 00:52:40,880 --> 00:52:43,640 There is a couple of calves in the wildebeest herd 379 00:52:43,640 --> 00:52:45,240 coming just behind us. 380 00:52:45,240 --> 00:52:48,840 She's really, really far away, but I think if she sees them, 381 00:52:48,840 --> 00:52:51,240 there's a good chance she's going to come straight at us, 382 00:52:51,240 --> 00:52:54,760 which is the shot we want, it's the impactful shot. 383 00:52:54,760 --> 00:52:57,520 - LAUGHING: - Unfortunately, as I look through my viewfinder, 384 00:52:57,520 --> 00:53:00,520 I see she's walking in the opposite direction. 385 00:53:03,200 --> 00:53:05,960 You can only do what you can do, hey. 386 00:53:05,960 --> 00:53:07,680 Come on, cheetah. 387 00:53:07,680 --> 00:53:10,080 Oh, I suspect she's going to lie down. Yep. 388 00:53:10,080 --> 00:53:12,280 Ach, great. Brilliant. 389 00:53:13,680 --> 00:53:19,720 When Malika did decide to hunt, she did it when it was too dark to film. 390 00:53:19,720 --> 00:53:23,480 We've been here for three weeks, and just for the last couple of days, 391 00:53:23,480 --> 00:53:25,760 she's been hunting before the lights come up. 392 00:53:25,760 --> 00:53:29,280 And we've only got a limited amount of time left to try 393 00:53:29,280 --> 00:53:31,720 and really get this, do it justice. 394 00:53:31,720 --> 00:53:33,600 So it's a little bit frustrating. 395 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:37,040 With the pack still missing, 396 00:53:37,040 --> 00:53:39,840 the wild dog team chartered a spotter plane. 397 00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:45,400 And before long, they relocated the pack. 398 00:53:48,520 --> 00:53:51,120 Just in time for the aerial filming. 399 00:53:52,960 --> 00:53:55,240 'OK, we've got the dogs. 400 00:53:55,240 --> 00:53:59,240 'OK, they're on the left-hand side of the vehicle.' 401 00:54:00,720 --> 00:54:02,080 'Oh, got it, yeah.' 402 00:54:09,480 --> 00:54:12,000 'That's good. That's a great shot.' 403 00:54:13,160 --> 00:54:15,960 This aerial perspective beautifully revealed 404 00:54:15,960 --> 00:54:19,400 how the wild dogs work together as pack. 405 00:54:19,400 --> 00:54:22,360 And although the critical ground shots were still to be filmed, 406 00:54:22,360 --> 00:54:24,840 this was cause for celebration. 407 00:54:26,360 --> 00:54:27,440 Fabulous. 408 00:54:34,400 --> 00:54:37,040 The cheetah didn't hunt this morning before dawn, 409 00:54:37,040 --> 00:54:38,680 which is always a good thing. 410 00:54:41,360 --> 00:54:44,000 I always feel a little bit insignificant next to Jamie. 411 00:54:47,280 --> 00:54:48,880 As the day heated up, 412 00:54:48,880 --> 00:54:52,040 migrating wildebeest moved into Malika's territory. 413 00:54:55,240 --> 00:54:57,360 And the team took up their positions. 414 00:55:00,080 --> 00:55:02,760 OK, she's moving, she's up. 415 00:55:02,760 --> 00:55:04,600 She's up. 416 00:55:04,600 --> 00:55:08,520 Just let us know, just shout "run". That's it. 417 00:55:08,520 --> 00:55:09,960 'OK, copy.' 418 00:55:13,040 --> 00:55:14,240 Come on, girl. 419 00:55:16,360 --> 00:55:20,920 'She's going, she's going, she's going, she's going, she going...' 420 00:55:20,920 --> 00:55:22,160 'She's on the move.' 421 00:55:23,440 --> 00:55:24,760 She's running. 422 00:55:28,200 --> 00:55:29,720 Oh, God, that's nice. 423 00:55:39,800 --> 00:55:41,080 I'm on her. 424 00:55:53,400 --> 00:55:56,360 I have to say, I love this job. 425 00:55:56,360 --> 00:55:58,560 Your adrenaline is just like... You have to keep it, 426 00:55:58,560 --> 00:56:00,840 you have to rein it in when everything is happening. 427 00:56:00,840 --> 00:56:03,560 But when the moment's passed, especially with this camera, 428 00:56:03,560 --> 00:56:06,400 cos it's a one-take wonder, you're just like...bfff! 429 00:56:08,400 --> 00:56:09,600 The wild dog team 430 00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:12,760 had been keeping pace with the pack for over two weeks... 431 00:56:14,720 --> 00:56:17,160 ..waiting to capture a hunt from the ground. 432 00:56:18,800 --> 00:56:21,120 And when it happened, they were ready. 433 00:56:25,920 --> 00:56:29,040 To be with the dogs from the moment they start stalking, 434 00:56:29,040 --> 00:56:32,560 right through to the full-on chase...it's just amazing. 435 00:56:33,640 --> 00:56:35,000 Just to be alongside them 436 00:56:35,000 --> 00:56:37,800 as they're trying to work out which animal they're going to go for, 437 00:56:37,800 --> 00:56:41,880 they were swapping places, different animals taking the lead in the hunt. 438 00:56:41,880 --> 00:56:44,080 It's an amazing thing to see. 439 00:56:44,080 --> 00:56:46,760 Yeah, just chuffed to bits. 440 00:56:49,520 --> 00:56:53,280 Next time, the hunt is on at the coast, 441 00:56:53,280 --> 00:56:57,680 where predators must go to extraordinary lengths to catch prey. 442 00:57:02,080 --> 00:57:05,200 Opportunities never last long here, 443 00:57:05,200 --> 00:57:10,040 so coastal hunters are always in a race against time. 444 00:57:13,000 --> 00:57:16,280 For a free, interactive Open University poster, 445 00:57:16,280 --> 00:57:25,000 call 0300 303 0552 or go to bbc.co.uk/thehunt 446 00:57:25,000 --> 00:57:27,800 and follow the links to the Open University.