Add
Private Notes
There's a gang war happening in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, a battle among hippos for territory, dominance, mating rights, and survival. The reason? Dry season: a seven-month drought that forces over 30,000 hippos to the deepest part of the river to stay wet and cool. Follow these three-ton beasts as they fight lions, crocodiles, and other hippo gangs, struggling to stay alive until the next rainfall. Only then can they return to the lush paradise they once called home.
During the dry season in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, there isn't enough water. There isn't enough food. The fifty thousand elephants that live there need to migrate. We follow one gang of fifteen on their journey to the Chobe River in Botswana. Led by its matriarch, the gang is completely made up of her offspring and it's her responsibility to get her family safely to the river. Despite all the dangers, the matriarch's gang makes it. She didn't give up. She did her best to protect her offspring. They are her family. And to an elephant, family is everything.
The Okavango Delta in Botswana is so large it is visible from space. This is home to an alphabet of wild animals, from aardvark to zebra. And some of the smallest mammals live here. Meet the Mongoose gang. They may look cute and cuddly but they'll do whatever it takes to protect themselves. And it's a never-ending battle. Snakes, birds of prey and other predators are always lurking, dive-bombing or attacking. Survival is tenuous - especially being so little, and vulnerable. Preservation of the gang depends on keeping up the numbers. As many as eight generations of mongooses live together. We follow one gang as it struggles to endure. Besides predators, they have to deal with the threat of nature. A flood forces them to evacuate the abandoned termite mound they inhabit in search of another safe haven. The journey becomes a gauntlet of peril. They risk injury... and death. But nothing will stop them from reaching their new home. If they can keep growing in numbers this gang will beat the odds. More than anything, they are a loving and caring family. It's what has kept them going. And it will keep them going. They're small but they're feisty. They're survivors. They're banded brothers.
They're not called wild dogs for nothing. They're ruthless. Relentless. Unmerciful. But they're also loving, caring and protective. They look after their young, injured and elderly. More than anything else, they're a team. A pack. A gang. They live together, hunt together and are completely dependent on each other. There are no outsiders. Everyone is related. It's one big family. And they are led by an alpha male and an alpha female. We follow a gang in the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana as they are forced to migrate when its den has been compromised by hyenas. The survival of the pups is at risk. Two of the youngsters grow up together, nurtured, taught and protected. They learn to hunt but, tragically, the inexperience of one of them leads to his death. The surviving brother eventually grows to adulthood. One day he may even take over as the alpha male. But the pack is too large. It's forced to split up. By doing so, a new gang is formed. Thus, the cycle continues
Tucked right next to the famous Kruger National Park is one of the largest private game reserves in South Africa - Mala Mala. Its home to a bounty of wildlife, including the Big Five. They're the most ferocious animals to hunt on foot. And the buffalo... is the most aggressive. And yet, all that these otherwise placid bovines want is to be left alone. To graze in safety. To celebrate new life. And live their lives in peace. But there is no peace. They are hunted and killed by lions. Always lions. Only lions. The slaughter is relentless. A lone lion won't attack a buffalo. But when an entire pride targets a victim, there's no hope. The lions kill... and kill again... and again. But there's only so much a buffalo gang will take. Only so much death they will endure. And when they've finally had enough, the buffalo's frustration explodes into rage. It's time for payback! Don't ever mess around with an angry Buffalo Gang.
Spotted Hyena. Thief, coward, scavenger... That's the reputation that precedes them. It couldn't be further from the truth. Hyenas are opportunists. If they need to steal, they will. If caution is the better part of valor then they're cautious. And they're never going to say no to a free meal - even if it's the scraps left behind by other predators. When they're finished with a carcass, all that's left on the ground is a wet spot. A large enough gang can completely consume a wildebeest in 15 minutes - skin, flesh and bones. Waste not want not is the rule by which they live. And unlike some other predators, hyenas are dominated by females. Preserving the Matriarch's bloodline is everything. We follow a gang as it strives to thrive. The oldest female in a new litter will be the successor to the 'throne'. She will be the new matriarch when her mother eventually dies. Sadly, her mother dies before her time, and the young female becomes the gang's new leader. But not for long.
