Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 a hyena pup, a couple of lion cubs, and a meerkat.
00:04 Friends?
00:06 Okay, real talk.
00:07 Hyenas and lions aren't exactly known for getting along.
00:11 And under normal circumstances,
00:13 a meerkat would merely be a snack for these guys.
00:16 No, this isn't a Disney film.
00:19 It's Lobe's Predator Park in South Africa.
00:21 True story.
00:23 These guys met when they were just babies.
00:25 Kala arrived as an orphan
00:28 after her mom was caught in a farmer's trap.
00:30 Safari and Susie were rejected by their mother at birth.
00:34 And little Pakal here was found
00:37 wandering alone without his family.
00:39 - He was very cold.
00:42 He was almost on the edge of dying.
00:44 And I pulled him through.
00:47 - He might not be an apex predator like his pals,
00:49 but you'd have to tell him that.
00:51 - I think Pakal thinks he's in charge.
00:55 He's rough with him, he likes to play.
00:58 But if they get rough with each other,
01:00 like the lion cubs and the hyena,
01:02 then he will come in between.
01:05 - After a couple sad twists of fate,
01:07 rather than hunt each other,
01:08 these would-be foes would sooner share a plate.
01:11 At least when Pakal has his way.
01:14 - When he's hungry, he will turn around
01:16 and push his butt towards them.
01:18 So he's pushing them out of the way so he can eat first.
01:22 And they must be submissive.
01:25 Yeah, he's the dominant one.
01:28 - Pakal's become somewhat of an intake coordinator
01:32 for the sanctuary.
01:33 When Carla first arrived here alone,
01:36 it was Pakal who made her feel at home.
01:38 - Pakal.
01:40 Pakal, come, Pakal.
01:41 Pakal and Carla like to play with each other.
01:48 Pakal likes to jump on top of Carla's on his neck
01:51 or he will clamp down on him
01:53 and think he can hold him back.
01:55 - And when activity time rolls around,
01:57 you can really see the Napoleon complex come out.
02:00 To stimulate curiosity,
02:02 the cubs and pup are given large ostrich eggs
02:05 and Pakal, the much smaller chicken egg.
02:08 But of course, the little one wants
02:10 what the bigger kids have.
02:12 And what Pakal wants, Pakal takes.
02:14 Ah, it won't last long.
02:18 The orphans are growing fast
02:20 and soon their predatory instincts may kick in.
02:22 Pakal's managed to avoid injuries so far,
02:27 but Carla's starting to try out her strong jaws,
02:29 which are designed to crush bones.
02:32 Once she's full grown,
02:33 her bite will be five times stronger than ours.
02:37 So just imagine what it could do to a meerkat,
02:39 even by accident.
02:41 Meanwhile, the twins will soon be 200 times
02:44 bigger than Pakal,
02:45 which means their wrestling days are numbered.
02:48 In a few weeks, the natural born predators
02:50 will be relocated to larger enclosures
02:53 fit for larger carnivores.
02:54 - Carla and the lions and Pakal,
02:58 they all stay together now.
03:00 They are friends.
03:01 But when they're a bit bigger,
03:03 size is going to be a big issue.
03:06 They need to go back with their own species.
03:11 So that's difficult for them to be together forever.
03:14 - Okay.
03:16 So they're not destined for your typical
03:18 run-of-the-mill Hollywood ending.
03:20 But come on,
03:21 even Disney couldn't script a friendship quite like this.
03:24 (upbeat music)
03:28 (lion growling)
03:30 (upbeat music)
03:33 (lion growling)
03:37 (upbeat music)
03:39 (lion growling)
03:42 (upbeat music)
03:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]