Finding Africa's Most Elusive Big Cats - Leopards Of Dead Tree Island Documentary
Witness the struggles and triumphs of dominant male leopard Buddha, his mate Mosweo, and their son Tipa as they navigate the challenges of survival in the harsh Okavango Delta in Botswana. From tense confrontations with rivals to heart-wrenching losses and unexpected encounters, follow the gripping journey as Mosweo raises her new born cubs in this captivating wildlife documentary.
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AnimalsTranscript
00:00Deep in Botswana's Okavango Delta lies an island.
00:07It's a place of permanent water and rich grazing.
00:14Desirable territory for many.
00:18In its shadows lurk Africa's most secretive big cats.
00:30Here, three leopards are forced to share the same territory
00:36and live an increasingly uneasy co-existence.
00:42They are drawn together by the shifting seasons,
00:46leading to tensions and conflict.
00:50The undisputed ruler of this territory is the dominant male leopard, Buddha,
00:55a five-year-old male leopard.
00:59He is the only male leopard in the world.
01:04He is the only male leopard in the world.
01:09He is the only male leopard in the world.
01:15The undisputed ruler of this territory is the dominant male leopard, Buddha,
01:20a five-year-old sturdy individual in the prime of his life.
01:26Moving in and out of Buddha's domain is one of his females.
01:31She specializes in climbing the tall ebony and cagalia trees of Maremi.
01:39And Mosweo, the pale one.
01:49Tipa, their three-year-old son, walks a dangerous line within his parents' territory.
01:55According to leopard law, he should have moved on by now to fend for himself.
02:00But he's still around.
02:03Lingering between Buddha and Mosweo can only lead to trouble.
02:07He seems blissfully unaware of his predicament.
02:14But it is Mosweo's life that has undergone a dramatic change recently.
02:20She has just given birth to two cubs.
02:24And Tipa poses a potential threat to them.
02:30Her litter emerges from her carefully concealed den.
02:35She has fared well so far.
02:38Her two cubs were born in a bountiful summer.
02:52Leopards are solitary creatures.
02:56And as a mother, Mosweo relies on all her skills to raise her cubs.
03:02In general, leopard cub survival rate is below 50%.
03:07The majority of losses happen during the cubs' first year of life,
03:11while the leopard mother leaves to hunt.
03:15It's a harsh reality that leopards have to contend with every time they give birth.
03:22Mosweo has no choice but to leave her cubs to find food.
03:31From her last litter, Tipa is the only survivor.
03:36He's an adolescent.
03:39He still lingers near the densite, familiar with his birthplace,
03:45frequenting the paths of his youth.
03:50Up to now, Mosweo has tolerated his presence in her territory.
03:56But the time has come for him to move on.
04:02Mosweo is on the warpath.
04:07He has no choice.
04:11She walks with purpose, her tail held high.
04:25The time has come for her to sever the bonds between them forever.
04:41Mosweo marks her territory near his tree.
04:50The hostility towards her son is plain to see.
04:55Their relationship has degenerated into open conflict.
05:02Tipa still bears the wounds from an earlier clash.
05:06Even though he is now bigger than his mother, as her son,
05:10Tipa remains relatively submissive.
05:14Reluctantly, he leaves the area.
05:17But unwisely, he'll continue to linger on the edge of his mother's territory.
05:25As he moves into a neighboring woodland, he stumbles on a mortal enemy.
05:37The lion's scent carries, and he's alerted.
05:43He needs to be careful.
05:50His first few days in unfamiliar territory are dangerous,
05:55and he's extremely vulnerable.
05:59Lions are the leopard's biggest threat.
06:04Lions are the leopard's biggest threat.
06:07Not only would they kill cubs, but they'd tear Tipa limb from limb.
06:13He has to skirt around them silently.
06:20With the threat to her cubs dealt with,
06:23Mosweo can now concentrate on the one thing she does best, hunting.
06:34She's an excellent climber.
06:37She likes a good vantage point, seven or eight meters above the ground.
07:04The leopard is the only big cat that uses gravity to hunt.
07:10Mosweo is an expert at it.
07:24This technique is quick, quiet, and efficient.
07:34But the impala alarm calls are a dead giveaway that a predator is operating in the forest.
07:49The hyenas have heard the commotion.
07:53She needs to hide the kill before they see her.
07:57They hunt in packs. They're strong and aggressive.
08:03Worse, they are the number one killer of leopard cubs.
08:08She cannot let them find her den.
08:21In a risky move, she fetches the cubs and leads them back to feed,
08:26using the secret pathways she knows so well.
08:31With such small cubs, she cannot move the carcass into the safety of a tree,
08:36since they cannot climb.
09:00Down on the ground, they are all exposed to danger.
09:04Staying well hidden is their only option.
09:13This is the realm of the leopard.
09:17Camouflaged in the broken and dappled scrub, they can feed, undisturbed, for a while.
09:30But the hyenas can smell the kill.
10:01Their circle around the scent tightens.
10:06Oswego has to act quickly and decisively.
10:10She has a plan.
10:12Get the hyenas to focus on her, and draw them far away enough for the cubs to leave the kill.
10:19Leopards constantly walk a fine line between safety and danger.
10:24As solitary cats, they have struck a perfect balance.
10:29But for a mother, this balance can mean sacrifice.
10:34Let the hyenas have their prize.
10:49For the powerful buddha, life's a little different.
10:58He is double the weight of Oswego.
11:02He's much stronger, and much more confident.
11:06But in the wet season, he has a worthy adversary.
11:10He is the king of the jungle.
11:14But in the wet season, he has a worthy adversary.
11:31Baboons are strong and intelligent omnivores.
11:34And the troops are led by several big dominant males.
11:45They are loud and active within the troop.
11:49A marked characteristic of the species.
11:52Sometimes they direct their collective aggression towards predators.
12:04Their incessant barks stir Buddha from his rest, challenging him.
12:14Arrogant in their approach, the troop moves noisily through the forest.
12:45At first, Buddha slinks away from the taunting crowd.
13:08But the provocation becomes too much, and he retaliates.
13:14Arrogant in their approach, the troop moves noisily through the forest.
13:35He confirms his hold as lord of this territory, and then leaves.
13:45But the provocation becomes too much, and he retaliates.
14:06Dead Tree Island changes radically with the seasons.
14:10It's one of the few places with permanent drinking water.
14:13But in summer, its herbivores rely on the rains for good grazing.
14:18The effects of these storms are felt across the Okavango and beyond.
14:49The result is a welcome flourish of green.
15:00Fresh leaves, grasses and shoots sprout,
15:03and animals leave the forest and spread out into the surrounding floodplains.
15:19This abundance of water and food brings on the birthing season for impala,
15:24one of the leopard's favorite prey.
15:32It happens during a time guaranteed to supply the best in nourishing the animals.
15:37The animals are fed on a daily basis,
15:40and this is the best time to feed them.
15:48This is a time of nourishment and protection,
15:51minimizing the stress on the young, their mothers and the herd.
16:02But the newborn impalas are highly vulnerable, and face a variety of threats.
16:08The African rock python is another of Dead Tree Island's expert hunters.
16:26Muscular coils squeeze the life from its prey, asphyxiating it.
16:31It swallows the calf whole,
16:34by extending its jaws using specialized hinges.
17:05The wandering impala herds provide a reliable source of food.
17:14Mosweo has killed one during the night,
17:17and has hidden the fresh carcass in a thicket where she feeds quickly.
17:25To make this kill, she's had to leave her young alone and vulnerable.
17:34Now, she needs to get back to the den.
17:51As Mosweo approaches the den, she senses danger.
17:56Hyenas have been busy nearby.
18:10Her gentle calls are low, and don't carry far,
18:14meant only for the ears of her cubs.
18:25Only one responds.
18:56The nightmare of all mothers now falls on Mosweo.
19:20Her calls seem desperate,
19:22and at the same time hopeful.
19:27Her own flesh and blood has been taken from her,
19:30in just one night.
19:41She has no option but to move on.
19:53In a leopard's life, there is no time to mourn the dead.
19:59The cub is growing, and it needs meat in its diet.
20:03The well-being of this lone cub now hinges on Mosweo's intimate knowledge of this area of the Okavango.
20:34The rains have stopped, and all around Dead Tree Island,
20:38the vegetation is beginning to brown.
20:42The animals sense this.
20:52Seasons determine behavioural patterns,
20:55and each species responds to this.
21:03Each one responds differently.
21:13Kudu males choose a suitable female,
21:16courting her with gallant displays.
21:25Tipa lurks in the undergrowth.
21:27He's strayed back into his original territory.
21:33The kudu are distracted, and oblivious to any threat.
22:03But Tipa's lack of experience is plain to see.
22:11Perhaps he's still too young to realise he shouldn't expend energy on the unattainable.
22:16Prey the size of a kudu is out of his league.
22:21Flocks of kwilias announce the onset of winter, the dry season.
22:36Many animals gravitate to the Dead Tree Island area for the permanent water.
22:42This harsher season allows for at least one miracle.
22:47The kigalia tree blossoms to life.
22:54It offers a precious winter treasure.
23:11Flowers filled with nectar.
23:14Baboons drink from the crimson chalice.
23:37Tipa needs to be more flexible in his hunting strategy.
23:41He has to learn to anticipate his potential prey's movements.
23:47Baboons are messy eaters, and soon the impala move closer,
23:52to feed on the flowers that carpet the ground.
23:58He silently watches, and waits.
24:06He needs the impala to come to him.
24:12But the marauding baboon troop has singled out his tree.
24:34He's not as powerful as Buddha,
24:36they will not tolerate Tipa's presence.
24:38If they catch him, they'll try to kill him.
24:51He cannot risk a confrontation.
24:53An injury may cost him dearly.
25:06But he will not give up.
25:23Mosweo watches from a safe distance,
25:27keeping track of the conflict.
25:36She follows Tipa's prey now.
25:39Quietly, she begins her own hunt.
25:55She finds a tree ahead of the herd,
25:58hoping that the flowers will draw the impalas beneath her.
26:07Mosweo shows great patience.
26:11She watches the antelope's moves, and identifies her target.
26:37This time, her signature high dive is off the mark.
26:55With her cover blown, the impalas keep a watch on her.
27:07Her annoyance is obvious.
27:10So much energy wasted for nothing.
27:24But she has to keep moving.
27:26She's out in the open, and the baboons are still in the area.
27:32But things only get worse.
27:34The impala alarms have alerted the lions.
27:48Mosweo is forced to play a game of cat and mouse,
27:51to get back to her den without giving his position away.
27:59Tipa's reluctance to stay away from his mother's territory
28:02is causing chaos.
28:05His blundering kill attempts have multiplied the pressure on her.
28:19She is relieved to find her cub safe and well.
28:33She decides to move to a new den site.
28:36The lions were far too close for comfort.
28:48Her remaining cub, now five months old, is showing her character.
28:54She loves playing with her mother's tail.
28:57It's a good test of rehabilitation.
29:02She flexes.
29:18Hidden in the dry grass, Mosweo rests,
29:21regaining her strength before she starts hunting again.
29:25For the moment, all is well with mother and cub.
29:29They're secure in the new den.
29:41Winter forces the elephants in from the surrounding desert.
29:56Lechwe gather here too.
29:58Water is their ally.
30:00In these last pools, they are safe from most predators.
30:07They're larger than impalas,
30:09but a big cat like Budha should be able to pull them down.
30:26They're not afraid of the cold.
30:28They're not afraid of the cold.
30:30They're not afraid of the cold.
30:32They're not afraid of the cold.
30:34They're not afraid of the cold.
30:36They're not afraid of the cold.
30:38They're not afraid of the cold.
30:40They're not afraid of the cold.
30:42They're not afraid of the cold.
30:44They're not afraid of the cold.
30:46They're not afraid of the cold.
30:48They're not afraid of the cold.
30:50They're not afraid of the cold.
30:52They're not afraid of the cold.
30:54They're not afraid of the cold.
30:56They're not afraid of the cold.
30:58They're not afraid of the cold.
31:00They're not afraid of the cold.
31:02They're not afraid of the cold.
31:04They're not afraid of the cold.
31:06They're not afraid of the cold.
31:08They're not afraid of the cold.
31:22The lechwe turn and watch their attacker.
31:25The lechwe turn and watch their attacker.
31:35They take in his smell,
31:37burning it into their brains for future reference,
31:40making sure Buddha leaves the area.
31:52Within this changing season,
31:54Mosweo needs to move greater distances,
31:57passing the open floodplains
31:59to find the cover that she needs to hunt.
32:04She's following the movements of her prey,
32:06but so are the other predators.
32:15Relocation for a leopard is always risky,
32:19but she soon finds a tree in an area that she likes.
32:25From this vantage point,
32:27she can see the breeding herds of elephants
32:29steadily moving into the delta.
32:34It's October now, and the heat is intense.
32:44The floods that brought life to the region
32:47have almost all evaporated now.
32:49Dead Tree Island draws the inhabitants of the Okavango
32:53closer to the last remaining water.
33:19The last flooded pans now hold the fate of all these characters.
33:29They're drawn together in one group,
33:32and the paths of the predators cross dangerously close.
33:50TIPA
34:11Tipa is the first victim of this heightened competition.
34:15He's finally killed an impala,
34:17but doesn't get to enjoy the fruits of his labour.
34:23Stooping to petty theft,
34:25the lions that have haunted his movements
34:28now steal his food.
34:39Tipa stares hungrily as the big male eats the ill-gotten gains.
34:48TIPA
35:02The lion eats the bulk of the impala, and leaves.
35:10Carefully, Tipa moves to reclaim his kill.
35:18TIPA
35:42Finally, he can enjoy what remains in peace.
35:48TIPA
35:55Mosweo's cub is now at an age where she begins to explore further.
36:01It's high time she learned how to climb.
36:11TIPA
36:18TIPA
36:22A little unsure of herself, she attempts to reach some babblers.
36:27She's small, and still vulnerable,
36:30even more so now that she's curious,
36:33and able to venture out of hiding,
36:35especially when her mother's not around.
36:44Mosweo is far off,
36:46hunting.
36:51She doesn't often come to this part of the island,
36:54and she leaves her mark to enforce her presence.
37:16She moves onto an open plain,
37:19where two side-striped jackal are foraging.
37:26In this season of hardship,
37:28Mosweo takes advantage of any opportunity that presents itself.
37:40Although not normally a prey item,
37:42the jackals quickly become a target.
37:47TIPA
38:12But the side-striped jackal is no fool,
38:15and has an impressive turn of speed.
38:32Irritated with her failure,
38:34she leaves her mark and moves on.
38:46TIPA
38:53The jackal's barks are echoed by vervet monkeys,
38:57chattering in the distance.
39:00These alarm calls alert Mosweo.
39:03They are coming from the direction of the den.
39:15TIPA
39:35Mosweo treads lightly,
39:37as she moves closer to the place pinpointed by the monkeys.
39:46TIPA
39:59She starts searching.
40:04But what she finds is shocking.
40:15Her cub has its back leg caught in a tree,
40:18and its pelvis has been broken.
40:45TIPA
41:16TIPA
41:24Nothing she tries can help her last remaining cub.
41:31No gentle nudge.
41:33No affectionate encouragement.
41:36Perhaps an invitation to a last game.
41:45TIPA
42:16TIPA
42:26TIPA
42:40TIPA
42:46TIPA
43:02Her voice is almost pleading.
43:06TIPA
43:13A last attempt, and the cub's leg is freed.
43:36TIPA
43:54There is no more that Mosweo can do.
44:05TIPA
44:11With all her remaining strength,
44:13the cub pulls herself to her final resting place.
44:19But her mother has already decided to leave this traumatic scene behind.
44:35TIPA
44:45Mosweo seems to try to rub away her sense of loss.
44:52Is this the way a leopard mourns?
44:56TIPA
45:03The heat builds. The rains are coming.
45:07Buddha treads on new ground.
45:10He is following an interesting scent.
45:15One that he cannot help but find irresistible.
45:19TIPA
45:24It comes from this leopard.
45:26A new female has entered his territory.
45:32She is larger and stronger than Mosweo,
45:35and she brings the promise of fresh genes to Dead Tree Island.
45:50TIPA
45:55On the fringes, Mosweo watches with alarm.
46:04Buddha's senses trigger an uncontrollable need to cloak himself in the new female scent.
46:11Hers is not any smell.
46:14It is the perfume of a female in oestrus.
46:20Mosweo follows his footsteps.
46:24His calls are low and clear, but she knows he's not calling her.
46:32What she smells is not appealing.
46:35The scent of another female, a rival.
46:41Instinctively, Mosweo tries to mask any hint of her challenger's presence,
46:46but she's too late.
46:55Buddha is already responding, laying a path of enticement.
47:11TIPA
47:18The new female is quick to take up his invitation.
47:25Mosweo retreats. Her efforts are futile.
47:41TIPA
47:52The rival has found her prize.
47:56She makes contact with Buddha.
48:01TIPA
48:09Mosweo leaves the place where she gave birth,
48:13perhaps to seek out another territory and a new partner.
48:31TIPA
48:36The dry winter finally breaks.
48:45And the changing season coaxes Buddha to mate.
49:00TIPA
49:22A new era begins for the leopards of Dead Tree Island.
49:28They mate for days, and by the end of it,
49:31the new female will hold the seed of new cubs.
49:41And so, tragedy gives way to hope,
49:46and the way of the wild shows its warmer side.
49:51Buddha is content that his job is done,
49:54and with the onset of another fruitful season,
49:57the legacy of Dead Tree Island's leopards is secure.
50:24TIPA