BORN In AFRICA -- Episode 1 - SURVIVAL SCHOOL - HD 1080p
All newborns must immediately assimilate two fundamental notions: recognizing their mother as individuals of their own species, and learn to master the body they are discovering.
Show: Born in Africa
Directors: Eric Gonzalez, Marie Pilhan
Show: Born in Africa
Directors: Eric Gonzalez, Marie Pilhan
Transcript
00:00Baby predators are born into a dangerous world.
00:06While meerkat pups are watched by many eyes,
00:10baby lions are born blind,
00:14and mother must hide them from the wrath of killer males.
00:19Cheetah siblings need to stick together to survive.
00:24But the daughter of the queen hyena
00:26is born with instant power in her clan.
00:32The African savannah is wild and full of traps.
00:37Whether with a single goaty mom or communal care,
00:42these little hunters are in good hands.
00:47But there's still a lot to learn for the pups and cubs that are
00:52Born in Africa.
00:57The First Downpours
01:03Following weeks of drought, the first downpours have fed the soil
01:08and revived the vast African plains.
01:13The perfect time to raise young.
01:18In the middle of this pile of rocks, five lion cubs have just been born.
01:27While these baby big cats are helpless and still blind at birth,
01:34their sense of smell is strong enough to guide them to their mother's teats.
01:44Like all feline species, the lioness has isolated herself to give birth in secrecy.
01:52This keeps the newborns away from potential violence within the pride
01:58and also hides them from unpredictable nomadic males.
02:13Weighing in at only around three pounds, they're still very vulnerable,
02:18especially when she has to leave them alone to go hunting.
02:27But in the heart of this rocky outcrop, they're shielded from hyenas, their main enemies.
02:35Other baby predators hide in different ways.
02:40Deep in the savannah, three cheetah cubs are born.
02:45At four weeks old, the little cats are still incapable of following their mother.
02:51So they must remain hidden in the grass and stay very quiet to avoid unwanted attention.
03:00These three inseparable cubs are featherweights,
03:04barely five ounces at birth, ten times less than a lion cub.
03:14They're not afraid of humans.
03:23Ever since the birth of her cubs, their mother lives in a permanent state of stress.
03:30She never knows if she'll find them safe and sound when she returns from hunting.
03:44Before going back to the lair, the cheetah does everything she can
03:49to stay as far away as possible from the hyenas.
03:54Time goes by slowly when you're waiting for your mom.
04:05In order to find her little ones buried in the tall grass,
04:09the cheetah mother calls out to them first.
04:15The cubs have already learned how to recognize her call,
04:20and they'll only answer when they're sure it's hers.
04:45They can only count on their mother.
05:04Cheetah cubs need her milk for the first six months,
05:08and with at least eight teats available,
05:10they'll never have to fight for it.
05:29For these three siblings, the first lesson in the school of life
05:33is to learn how to strengthen bonds between each other.
05:36The siblings need to stick together, because for these first few months,
05:41it's them against the rest of the savannah.
05:52Here, no two baby animals grow at the same speed.
05:58Unlike the lone cheetah mom, meerkat pups are raised by an expert.
06:06They're an extended family.
06:09Today, the newborns are growing impatient down in their burrow.
06:13And while their parents are away,
06:16two babysitters are left in charge of watching over them.
06:20Their job is to make sure there's no danger when the pups come out.
06:24While the first one joins the sentry post,
06:27the second one blocks the burrow's exit.
06:30You can never be too cautious around here.
06:34But this hornbill's not a threat.
06:40No danger in sight, the coast is finally clear.
06:46The baby meerkats can finally come outside for the first time.
06:54At barely ten days old and weighing in at less than four ounces,
06:59overcoming their fear of the unknown is a challenge.
07:04But curiosity gets the better of them.
07:14The babysitters have to be twice as vigilant
07:17because these aren't just any old babies.
07:20They belong to the dominant female.
07:34It only takes a few moments to assert their personalities.
07:39This pup seems to be the most fearless.
07:56Driven by curiosity, fearless dares to move away from the burrow first.
08:04But the other pups are more cautious.
08:15Their babysitter takes advantage of this first outing
08:19to clean and stimulate them to make their first bowel movements.
08:34Their first outing is tiring and kept short.
08:46It's definitely time for a nap.
08:52While waiting for the rest of the colony to return,
08:56the sentinel must fight off the heat and fatigue to stay awake.
09:04NIGHT
09:18Every day around noon, stifling temperatures bear down on the plain.
09:25To prevent exhaustion, the animals slow down their pace.
09:30The larger predators won't budge until the end of the afternoon.
09:39Which means, for a few hours,
09:42the cheetah and her cubs have nothing to fear from their enemies.
09:49But a mother who raises her cubs alone never gets much of a break.
10:00NIGHT
10:07Her three little ones must feed quickly so she can keep them moving and out of sight.
10:21Finding a new hideout before sunset is vital for their safety.
10:29NIGHT
10:44Darkness brings out famished carnivores ready for dinner.
10:54So for those who live out on the open savanna,
10:57it's best to lie low.
11:03A baby cheetah is an easy target for a hungry hyena with an excellent sense of smell.
11:19The mother lion has found the perfect rocky hideout for her babies.
11:24Somewhere hyenas will never find.
11:31A week after birth, the lion cubs open their eyes.
11:40And at three weeks, their milk teeth grew in.
11:54Up until now, they've never dared stray away from their mother.
12:05But at one month old, they're finally capable of moving around.
12:17So, the lioness invites them to follow her to the next hiding place.
12:24NIGHT
12:31From now on, the mother lion will move them every three or four days to avoid the cubs' scent attracting predators.
12:40NIGHT
12:52Staying at their mother's side for the first few weeks of life allows them to reinforce bonds with their mother and siblings.
13:00NIGHT
13:08Since their birth, they've gained nearly four ounces a day and now weigh close to nine pounds.
13:22But the little lions aren't ready to join the family clan yet.
13:26They still need more strength and confidence.
13:35By six to eight weeks old, they should be brave enough to follow their mother onto the savanna and join the creche of other cubs and the rest of the pride.
13:57NIGHT
14:09The lioness has spotted a threat.
14:15Her worst enemy has just entered her territory.
14:26She must remove the hyena before it smells the cubs.
14:56NIGHT
15:27NIGHT
15:30Hidden in the tall grass, the lion cubs remain safe.
15:38Now, the pressure is on to find a new shelter.
15:48By taking one cub in her mouth, it shows the others that they must obey and follow their mother.
15:56NIGHT
16:01Hyena families operate differently.
16:05Rather than change hideouts regularly, they live together with their cubs in a community burrow.
16:12It's probably more relaxing this way, especially for the mothers.
16:17Well, almost.
16:20Because here comes Princess, a true little troublemaker.
16:25Princess is the daughter of the dominant female, and she's quickly caught on that she can get away with anything.
16:33Unlike most young carnivores, hyena cubs are born already equipped with sharp teeth and their eyes wide open.
16:47Princess is a little killer in the making.
16:51And she'll do whatever it takes to oust her siblings and monopolize her mother's milk.
16:58Hyena mothers only have two teats, so competition between cubs is fierce.
17:10Princess will always have priority over her brother.
17:15And she's so merciless that he needs to watch his back.
17:22Hyena cubs will kill their siblings.
17:32After the cool of the night, the cheetah mother rests on a termite mound to warm up and keep an eye on her surroundings.
17:45She spent the night watching her cubs and didn't catch enough sleep.
18:06Unlike the hyena siblings, cheetah cubs have little tension or rivalry between them.
18:12They treat each other equally.
18:27For the little family, purring and licking are efficient ways to strengthen bonds.
18:37The trio will remain inseparable until adulthood.
18:43Cheetah Cubs
18:55The cheetah cubs' favorite game is predator and prey.
19:00Chasing and tripping each other like their mother might do with her prey.
19:13Predator
19:20Programmed to kill, these harmless play fights train them for their future career as predators.
19:42Their mother takes a break from sentry duty to join in the fun.
20:12Cheetah Cubs
20:25But for cheetahs, breaks don't last long.
20:42It's already time to round up the three cubs and move on, find shelter and go hunting.
21:13On the African savanna, some baby animals are more precocious than others.
21:18Meerkat pups start their training at top speed.
21:22Each morning, the sentinels must give the green light before the pups are allowed to exit the burrow.
21:32When the coast is clear, the most confident pup, fearless, can get out and explore.
21:43His sister is more careful and is not quite ready to follow him yet.
22:03The babysitter's presence helps to encourage all of the pups to come outside and watch their brave brother.
22:11At a distance.
22:17But fearless needs to be careful.
22:20He should think twice about wandering too far away from his burrow.
22:24If danger is near, he won't make it back in time.
22:29He's taking too many risks.
22:32At this age, he should stay close to the adults like his brothers and sisters.
22:41The sentinels have detected a bird of prey and give the alert.
22:58The pups have learned to identify this alarm call, which signals the arrival of a predator.
23:05The pups have learned to identify this alarm call, which signals a threat from above.
23:16They all take cover.
23:19But fearless has wandered too far.
23:23Guided by instinct, fearless manages to huddle against a tree and become invisible.
23:41As the threat moves away, fearless hears his sister's call.
23:47As the threat moves away, fearless hears his mother returning from the hunt.
24:01He's brought back to the burrow just in time to be reunited with her.
24:06This pup had a close call.
24:09He needs to learn to stay closer to the adults.
24:17It was a tough day for fearless.
24:20Suckling time is the only moment when the pups can enjoy a mother's tenderness.
24:51Because with so many mouths to feed, she has to be out looking for food most of the time.
25:04The meerkat family takes these moments of peace and quiet when they can.
25:21Just like the meerkats, the hyena cubs have also spent the night warmly huddled at the bottom of their burrow.
25:31Princess's brother quickly caught on that if he wants to suckle, he needs to wake up before his sister.
25:40Even if he's the son of the highest-ranking female, his sister is the only one who can help him.
25:50His mother still has priority.
25:53But if he survives the next few weeks, he will eventually acquire a social rank,
25:59just below that of his mother and sister, and will ultimately live a privileged life just like them.
26:13It's clear that the early bird catches the worm, especially when princess is nearby.
26:21But not for long.
26:26Princess is ruthless in asserting her status as the young dominant.
26:38She's the strongest and therefore suckles more than the others.
26:50Princess has no intention of letting her little cousins near her mom's milk supply either.
26:55And her technique is extreme.
27:00By flattening the milk supply, she is able to suckle more than the others.
27:05And she is able to suckle more than the others.
27:10She is able to suckle more than the others.
27:15And she is able to suckle more than the others.
27:20And her technique is extreme.
27:24By flattening herself against her mother's belly, she blocks the other cubs from the teats.
27:43In the end, princess lets her brother have one, rather than an outsider.
27:50And mom gets some peace for a moment.
27:55And mom gets some peace for a moment.
28:18For the lion cubs, the time has come to socialize.
28:22At six weeks old, they can join the pride that their mother left before they were born.
28:33But it's a risky move.
28:37If during her absence, another male lion took over the group, he will kill all unweaned cubs.
28:43The big rock pride lives on this rocky outcrop called a copier.
28:48A natural stronghold that provides a convenient lookout for its residents.
28:56The pride is made up of several lionesses and headed by a large territorial male.
29:01The pride is made up of several lionesses and headed by a large territorial male.
29:32As the mother lioness approaches with her cubs, she makes sure to announce herself.
29:38It's a good way to check that the father of her cubs has not been dethroned and replaced.
30:02The little family passed the big male's test.
30:07They're free to return to the pride.
30:12The hard part is over.
30:32After being isolated from the group for several weeks to hide and protect their newborns,
30:38other lionesses have also returned with their cubs.
30:42For these social cats, the synchronization of births makes it possible to raise the little ones in a community creche.
30:50The tension melts away.
30:55The five little lion cubs can now meet their aunts and cousins.
31:05Little lion cubs can now meet their aunts and cousins.
31:11Little lion cubs can now meet their aunts and cousins.
31:16Lionesses are usually tolerant toward other females' cubs.
31:25But this cub doesn't know all the rules yet.
31:29A lioness will never let another mom's cub suckle if she's already got a large litter.
31:46Persistence is pointless.
31:51He'll just have to move on and find his own mother.
32:03The lion cubs' life just got richer.
32:07They'll never be alone anymore.
32:11The lionesses will watch out for each other's cubs when they each go out to hunt.
32:30Not too far from the big rock pride, there's another mother that has no one to watch over her offspring.
32:41The cheetah cubs are quite a handful, bursting with energy and hijinks,
32:46as they build up their strength with playfights and climbing trees.
32:51But they'll soon learn that cheetahs aren't really designed for that.
32:56Without retractable claws like other cheetah cubs,
33:00the cheetah cubs will never be able to climb trees.
33:04Mom announces that playtime is over.
33:08She needs to hunt again to regain her strength.
33:11Climbing down the trees becomes a real challenge.
33:20Mom announces that playtime is over.
33:24She needs to hunt again to regain her strength.
33:42It's difficult for the cubs to watch their mother go,
33:46but they need to know when to obey her too.
33:54A mere glance from mother seems to be enough to show the cubs
33:59that they must stop playing and go hide.
34:03But at this age, climbing trees is irresistible.
34:17So there's nothing like a good scare to call them to order.
34:22The slightest carelessness could be fatal for these vulnerable cubs.
34:31If the hyena spots them, she'll kill them.
34:41The cubs will soon learn that playtime is over.
34:45But they'll soon learn that playtime is over.
34:51They'll soon learn that playtime is over.
35:07Meanwhile, the mother cheetah has found dinner.
35:15Today, her target is a small wildebeest.
35:21What she doesn't realize is that the search for prey
35:24has drawn her into her arch-enemy's territory.
35:38On the savanna, mother cheetah scores.
35:43But she's being watched.
35:52It's an opportunity too great for a lion to resist.
36:15The lioness takes her time approaching the cheetah.
36:21This is an easy way to get a meal.
36:24The cheetah knows she doesn't stand a chance against this powerful predator.
36:47She has no other choice but to fight.
36:54She has no other choice but to give up exhausted.
36:57She has no other choice but to give up exhausted.
37:18But this defeat has allowed her to arrive in time
37:21to save her cubs from an overly curious hyena.
37:27But this defeat has allowed her to arrive in time
37:30to save her cubs from an overly curious hyena.
37:38The cheetah cubs are no longer under the tree
37:41where their mother left them.
37:46She multiplies the calls.
37:58Turns out the cubs had hidden perfectly.
38:01Turns out the cubs had hidden perfectly.
38:06They're safe and sound.
38:27They're safe and sound.
38:43At only seven weeks old,
38:45their mother will be by their side for a lot longer yet.
38:49For the next year and a half,
38:51the cubs will follow their mom around her territory
38:54until they learn how to hunt and fend for themselves.
39:04The thieving lions have ripped open the cheetah's catch,
39:07allowing the whole pride to dig in.
39:25With their milk teeth,
39:27the cubs can only tear away at the most tender parts.
39:39But that doesn't prevent them
39:41from gnawing at the big bones like their elders.
39:50Licking, cleaning, and cuddles.
39:53This is not just grooming.
39:55It strengthens the bonds within the group.
40:18The new lion cubs have quickly integrated into the pride.
40:23In this community crash, they are all treated the same.
40:53But in this close-knit group,
40:55the arrival of an intruder is never a good omen.
41:23If this big male gains control of the pride,
41:26he could attack and kill the cubs
41:28to trigger the females to mate again.
41:31They must get rid of him.
41:50While the big males fight,
41:52the youngest cubs disperse in panic.
42:23Some stray too far.
42:34One of the cubs has lost his way in the tall grass
42:37and ventured into the hyenas' territory.
42:53On the savannah,
42:55death is often announced by dark messengers.
43:05The lioness calls out to her lost cub.
43:13The lioness is not afraid.
43:17The lioness calls out to her lost cub.
43:25But there's no response.
43:39On the African savannah,
43:41only one in two lion cubs will make it to their first birthday.
43:47But others live on
43:49to see another day
43:51and another adventure.