Africa's Super Seven Page #3

has settled down for the night ...

He's fast asleep.

Now the lions have found the spot

where the buffalo calf was born,

and they have the young

baby in their sights.

This is a snatch and grab operation.

First send the buffalo into a panic,

then rush in and pick off the baby.

They close in.

And the buffalo scatter-

leaving the baby out front and vulnerable.

But the mother's instincts

won't let her leave her baby behind...

... and in just a few more moments

the herd rallies round.

The larger buffalo have

had enough of the lions ...

and now turn on the hunters.

The Buffaloes are too

strong to penetrate

without the help of one

of the Lion Brothers.

The lions have missed their opportunity.

The calf is safe.

Meanwhile the leopard is in

hot pursuit of the impala...

now that its night and

theypre in thicker bush,

he stands a good

chance of making a kill.

And the hyena is now tailing the leopard.

Sheps big and strong enough

to steal a kill from him

much easier than catching one herself.

All she has to do is wait.

The impala know something's up.

But they canpt see the danger.

When they finally do ...

It's too late.

The leopard tries to kill silently

but the impala's cries

echo through the night.

Just what the hyena's been listening for.

Leopards often take their kills up

into the trees, to avoid other predators.

But this cat is so hungry;

he starts his meal on the ground.

A mistake.

Not only has he angered the elephant

with all this commotion ...

... the Hyena is also onto him.

The leopard won't argue with a hyena.

All he can do is watch her steal his meal.

But the Hyenaps headed

for a nasty shock... with the elephant ...

... and she drops the prize.

The leopard acts quickly ...

... and regains his meal.

Heps not going to

waste this second chance...

Only leopards are strong enough

to carry a kill into the trees.

A Hyena may be fierce, but it canpt climb.

In no time the leopard is

onto his second course.

Thereps nothing the hyena can do

but hope for a few scraps from the table.

The leopard thinks heps safe-

and he should be

but now several tons of trouble

are bearing down on him.

The disturbed elephant is on the warpath...

...to the delight of the hyena.

Now itps time for her

to do what hyenaps do best

and steal an opportunity!

Not quite a whole impala

but better than nothing.

The elephant has made his point ...

The leopard is left shaken

but still in possession of his meal.

The lions may have been

thwarted by the buffalo,

but they now have a new target to

round off their eveningps entertainment...

wildebeest.

This is what makes the lion the most

fearsome ofAfricaps Super Seven ...

the pride working together to bring down

an animal much bigger than any single lion.

One cat secures the stranglehold

which will kill the wildebeest.

The others keep her pinned down.

This is a big kill.

The whole pride will feed tonight.

Right on cue the male lion shows up.

The lion pride doesnpt have

a strong hierarchy,

so with the wildebeest dead,

itps now every cat for itself.

Gone is the single minded

cooperation of the group hunt...

replaced by raw competition for a bite

By the end of the night

they will all have their fill.

There is only one predator

who has lost out tonight ... the hyena.

She is still hungry.

The Leopard has learned his lesson

and will keep his kill in the tree.

The hungry hyena is determined.

She needs to eat if

she is to feed her cubs.

This will be a long night.

Itps six am.

A new day for some animals.

Others have been active all night.

Some have been fortunate.

Others are still searching for a meal.

The lions are satisfied.

Their evening meal has gone down well.

The cool morning is

another good time to hunt,

but these cats arenpt going anywhere.

Not even the territorial male

can be bothered to begin his daily patrol.

Itps only been a few hours but already

the young buffalo calf is up and moving.

Heps past a big test

to survive the critical

first few hours of life

With food on tap, hepll

grow quickly into a fine bull

and take his own turn

at defending the herd.

His mother has done well

to get him to this point.

The cheetahs are up early,

and they're hungry.

They had no success hunting yesterday...

...but today is already looking better.

The cheetah studies her prey.

Which one is weak,

where is the best place to attack?

Which one looks the slowest?

But suddenly- trouble appears.

The Hyena Mum has picked up

the scent of the lion kill

and is desperate for a scrap.

The cheetahs have a natural

suspicion of other predators

and need to keep a watchful eye on her.

The hyena is happy to

steer clear of them .

Sheps focused on her next meal.

Her plan is to feed quickly

and then return to her cubs.

However she doesnpt yet know

the lions have left nothing for her.

Back at the den,

the hyena cubs are stirring.

And so hungry theypll try to eat

any scrap they can find.

Theypre used to their mother's absences

but with no other

hyenaps to protect them ,

they are vulnerable.

Not surprisingly, the cubs are eager

for their mother to return.

Up in his tree, the leopard is

enjoying his victory over the Hyena.

He can relax,

knowing that his kill is safe.

The only annoyance are his neighbors,

who don't take kindly to

a killer in their midst.

Perhaps it'll be quieter on the ground.

Butjust when he thought it was

safe to come out of the branches,

his old enemy turns up.

The Leopard does his best to put her off.

But it's no good.

The Hyena may have won this battle

but she hasnpt won the war.

The leopard still has his prize ...

and she is still hungry.

Shepll have to move on.

And leave him with the noisy neighbors...

This morning their growing hunger

should make the cheetah

cubps better students.

They follow their mother obediently ...

until one of them spots

something tantalizing ...

A large male Kudu.

The young cheetah thinks heps got

what it takes to bring down the Kudu.

His mother knows better.

But the youngster is determined.

The chase is on.

In just a few bounds

the kudu brushes him off.

A humiliating defeat ...

...but perhaps now the young cheetah

will take on something more his own size.

Better return to Mom.

By 10 am a pool party's in full swing.

Elephants love water.

When theypre not drinking it,

theypre bathing in it.

Young and old all throw themselves

into the fun.

The bull elephant is also

in the mood for a bath ...

but he has to find his own pool.

The rhino and her family are

just emerging from a good wallow.

The mud helps protect their skin.

The elephant's sensitive nose

helps him track down the water hole.

And once again the rhino's

are scrambling for cover.

The bull elephant is getting used

to having his own way.

By late morning the sun is high,

but before it gets too hot to run

the cheetahs are

onto another opportunity ...

A large herd of impala.

The cheetah mother looks at them carefully

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