04x02 - Lion, King of the Beasts?

[bunniefuu]

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Iarriba, arriba!
Iandale!

[Allison]
zimbabwe, malawi, tanzania...

Where did I put that map?

Africa has got an incredible
number of creatures

Spread out over
a whole bunch of countries--

Botswana...kenya!

That's the one
I was looking for.

Chris and martin said
they were going to...

[Martin]
man's earliest days
on earth

Are shrouded
in a great deal of mystery.

What's this?

[Martin]
the dawn of man.

Man's earliest days
on earth

Are shrouded
in a great deal of mystery.

We know how
he survived and evolved,

But we don't know
what he thought.

But we do know
that early man

Felt the need
to explore his world.

No matter
how confused, weird,

And, let's face it,
funny-looking he was,

That early man
was inquisitive.

He was awed by the wonder
of the natural world,

And he expressed his wonder
in many ways.

[Grunting]

Ooah!

Ooah!

Before long,
he developed the ability

To capture
the majesty of animals

In his art...

And in his storytelling.

And that how warthog
become smartest beast.

[Martin]
o.k., So he and his pals
weren't rocket scientists,

But they were
into creatures,

And some animals held greater
fascination than others.

Uh?

[Martin]
I'll explain it this way.

Since humans began telling
stories, myths, and fairy tales,

They've assigned
humanlike traits to animals,

Like the snake,
who we're told

Is deceitful and crafty,

Or the owl, who we're told
is wise and all-knowing,

The elephant, who we're told
never forgets...

And wolves, who we're told
howl at the moon.

But no creature has been
more talked about

And mythologized
as panthera leo...

Aah! Aah!

[Martin]
the lion.

[Growling]

Lions! This is going to be
absolutely cool.

Of all the big cats
in africa,

Lions are definitely
one of the most amazing--

The crowning achievement
of super catdom.

Lions aren't the biggest cat
in the world.

The siberian tiger
holds that title.

But clocking in
at up to 550 pounds,

Lions are
no lightweight contenders.

The lion is the top predator
of the savanna.

He's numero uno,
predator number one,

Hunter supreme,
the hunting cat's hunting cat.

His size, power,
and amazing predatorial skill

Means that he's got
no end of dining options.

He can eat anything from
antelope, zebras, wildebeest,

Up to giraffes.

Few animals are safe
from a lion att*ck.

Combine his hunting reputation
with his feline grace and beauty

And it's easy to agree
when people call the lion

"The king of the beasts."

[Ttark]
hold it! Hold it!

What's wrong?

What's all this
"king of the beasts" stuff?

Since when do creatures
have kings and queens?

It's just
an expression,
ttark--

One of those
human things,
like queen bee.

Lion,
king of the beasts?

So, hyenas are what--
the court jesters?

Leopards, the fashion
consultants of the savanna?

It's ridiculous!

Hey, I love the lion.

I would never say
anything bad about them--

Not when they're around,
anyway.

It's just
this "king of the beasts" stuff

Has got to go.

Talk about
creature misconceptions.

And that's what
we're going to do--

Clear up those
misconceptions.

We'll do it
by first finding,

Then going on the prowl
with a bunch of lions.

Lions live in groups
called prides,

And they survive
in a variety
of habitats

Throughout africa.

In order
to find them,

You need a good
creature jeep...

And you have to be
smart, careful...

And quiet,

Because if
you're not quiet...

You could scare away
the lion's dinner.

Which is exactly
what we don't want
to do,

Because over
behind those bushes

Is a whole herd
of impala.

They could be
our best chance
of finding the lions.

[Chris]
impala are one of the lion's
favorite prey,

And with so many around...

[Martin]
lions could be nearby,
staking them out,

Waiting to att*ck.

[Chris]
I think something's up.
They seem nervous.

Bingo!
Lions at 2:00.

They must be
on the hunt.

[Martin]
the pride often splits up into
groups of two or three to hunt.

[Chris]
it's going down.

The lions are moving in,
setting up their ambush.

[Martin]
yeah, but the impala
know something's up,

And I bet they won't stick
around to find out what it is.

[Martin]
they're out of there.

When you see creatures
like impalas

Trying to get away
from a lion,

It just doesn't seem fair,

But lions don't have it all
their own way.

A healthy impala can zig faster
than a lion can zag.

It's amazing what
a little zigzagging
can do.

[Martin]
zigzagging is a great means
of defense.

It can make the predator's job
a lot harder.

[Chris]
taking down prey

Is all about knowing
where your prey will move next.

[Martin]
if your prey is zigging
and zagging all over the place,

Their next move
can be hard to predict.

[Chris]
the faster you can zigzag,

The better chance you have of
escaping a predator like a lion.

[Martin]
that gives healthier,
faster prey an edge on survival.

So when the lion
catches its dinner,

It gets the slow, older,
sick animals,

Which means only the fastest
and fittest survive.

A lot of animals
out here are lion bait.

But each of them
has their own way
of evading the lion.

[Martin]
zebras are patterned
and power-packed.

[Chris]
their pattern is
a cool form of camouflage

That blurs their form together
with the rest of the herd,

Confusing the lions.

[Martin]
their power is packed
into their haunches,

Giving them expl*sive speed.

[Chris]
if they need to,
they can boot out of trouble

At 50 miles per hour.

[Martin]
you have to keep your eyes
and ears open out here.

[Chris]
this wildebeest
has spotted a lion.

You might think he'd run,

But he'll actually
approach a lion

And sometimes
even follow it.

[Martin]
the chances of a successful hunt
are much lower

If the lion has
lost the element of surprise.

[Chris]
the wildebeest is really close
to the lion.

He's just staring at him!

If he knows where
the lion is, he's safe.

[Martin]
the wildebeest
is going to move on.

With the element
of surprise lost,

The lions
have lost interest.

Warthogs,
on the other hand,

Rely on communication,
like grunting,

To warn other hogs
of approaching predators.

[Chris]
if danger is near,
a mom gives a warning call...

[Martin]
"kids, let's get out of here!"

[Chris]
but there's another way
warthogs deal with predators.

You know that old saying,

"You can run,
but you can't hide"?

Well, that's true
for a lot of creatures,

But for others,
like the warthog,

It's another story.
They go underground.

Except warthogs can't dig
their own burrows.

They have to find
an abandoned aardvark hole.

[Chris]
when warthogs
detect a predator,

They go into red alert
and b*mb for the burrows.

Mom goes into the burrow
after her young,

Turning around to defend
the burrow's entrance hole

With her tusks,

Because a hungry lion
will sometimes take the trouble

To try and dig a warthog
out of its burrow.

And it's not just the prey
who are frightened of lions.

All the other predators have to
keep a sharp eye out as well.

[Allison]
that's absolutely right.

Lions have to compete
with hyenas, leopards,

And cheetahs for food...

Because the name
of one of the games

Out here
on the savanna is...

Holding onto lunch.

[Martin]
lions will steal food from
hyenas, leopards, or cheetahs.

[Chris]
but that doesn't make
the lion their king.

These guys
are not pushovers.

[Martin]
they all have
their own strengths

That let them
compete for food.

The hyena
has pack strength.

[Chris]
the leopard has
stealth on her side.

[Martin]
and the cheetah
has unmatched speed.

[Chris]
hyenas are one of the most
successful predators out here.

[Martin]
they operate
in hugely efficient packs

And are fierce hunters

And really crafty scavengers,
too.

[Chris]
now, lions will steal food
off hyenas...

[Martin]
but hyenas are just as likely
to steal food off lions.

[Chris]
if all this stealing of food
sounds underhanded,

You got to remember
that the only rule out here

Is eat what you can...

[Martin]
any way you can.

[Chris]
if a lion tries to steal
a leopard's food,

She does the smart thing--
she lets him have it.

[Martin]
better to lose your lunch
than your life.

[Chris]
but to avoid that happening,

She drags her catch
up into the trees,

Where lions and hyenas
can't get it.

[Martin]
that's even smarter.

[Martin]
the cheetah is the smallest
of the big cats out here,

And because of that,

He really can't put up
much of a fight.

[Chris]
but that's cool.
These cats are built for speed.

Achieving maximum velocity
is what they do best.

[Martin]
no animal can run faster
than a cheetah.

They're the land speed
specialists,

Clocking up
to 70 miles per hour.

[Chris]
wow. That was amazing.

[Martin]
but the downside
is that after all that,

The cheetah's so tired

That a lion could swipe
his catch, no problem.

[Allison]
hold it!

Sounds like we're still saying
everybody's afraid of lions.

Hey! We didn't
say everyone
on the savanna

Was afraid of lions.

Matter of fact,
there are plenty
of creatures here

Who don't think about
the lion at all.

We need a quick cutaway
to illustrate this.

If you want to see
an animal

Who doesn't worry about lions,
look down here.

[Chris]
in the water,

Hippos are safe
from lions 100%,

First of all, because they weigh
about 7,000 pounds

And have powerful jaws
and huge canines.

Second of all,

Because lions are
pretty hopeless in the water.

On land, adult hippos
have been taken down by lions,

But only very rarely.

A baby hippo, though,
is an easy mark for a lion.

A mother watches
her baby constantly

And will defend it
fiercely.

What about this creature?

When it comes to
being afraid of lions,

He's way above it all.

It's true that lions
will hunt a baby elephant

If they get a chance,

But then
they'll have to answer

To the whole herd.

If att*cked, the herd
circles the young,

And if pressed,
they'll charge.

If they do, watch out.

Elephants weigh
up to 11,000 pounds,

And they are
serious towers of power.

[Chris]
talking about power,

I can think of a creature

The lion could never
sink his teeth into--

The nile crocodile.

A lion's no worry
to this reptile.

The savanna is full
of all sorts of creatures

Who aren't afraid of lions.

These termites have no worries
when it comes to lions.

They build rock-hard mounds
up to 14 feet high

To protect them from predators
and the elements.

And even a lion
will move in a hurry

If a marching horde of vicious
driver ants comes through.

And then there's thousands
of birds on the savanna

Who a lion could never
get his paws on.

Birds like this hornbill

Have a great defense
against lions--they fly!

But they still have to

Keep their eyes peeled
for predators.

Even the lion's not immune
to pesky flies.

In the old days,
no one worried about lions,

Because they were just
these little itty-bitty guys

That we all
used to step on.

You're telling me
that lions were once little?

Hey, who wasn't?

Practically the whole g*ng
started out as miacids

Back in the old eocene days.

I mean,
bears, weasels, lions--

All of these creatures
have miacids in their closet.

But then
by the pleistocene period,

Everyone started
to look different.

What was happening?

Evolution mania!

Rhinos with fur coats,
giant deer,

And this guy
was the lion--

Or at least
an ancestral lion.

This is felis atrox.

It means "fierce cat,"

For those of you
not in the know.

That's what the lion
used to look like.

And to see what the lion
looks like today,

All we have to do
is look through
those bushes.

Because we have found
a whole pride of lions.

The pride
is resting now,

But soon
it will be nightfall,

And that means
hunting time.

Tonight we're going
to join the lions
on the prowl.

[Martin]
nighttime on the savanna,
and it's no time to sleep.

The nocturnal predators
are on the move

Preparing
for the night hunt.

[Chris]
the lions are rousing themselves
and stretching their muscles.

They seem a little restless.

[Martin]
they saved a lot of energy up
from resting all day.

[Chris]
that looks like a yawn,

But what he's doing is
actually closer to smelling,

Sort of like
tasting the air.

It's called
the flehmen response.

[Martin]
chris, the lions
are heading out.

Looks like they're trying
to pick up signs of prey.

[Chris]
I think they found something.

[Martin]
it's a herd of impala.

The search for the prey
is over.

[Chris]
they're moving in,
setting up the ambush.

The impalas' senses are telling
them something's out there,

But they don't know what.

[Martin]
this guy up front will chase
the impala into an area

Where the lions
are waiting.

[Chris]
then they'll spring out
and ambush them.

[Martin]
the chase is on!

Oh, they're breaking left!

[Chris]
right into the jaws
of a lion ambush.

[Growling]

[Martin]
once the lions get their jaws
around an impala's neck,

It's all over.

[Chris]
wow. We saw
the lions at work.

[Martin]
and we saw them use
their key to success--teamwork.

That was pretty impressive.

[Chris]
what's more impressive

Is how quickly
they'll devour their prey.

[Chris]
oh, man.
That's all that's left?

[Snoring]

[Chris]
martin, it's morning.
Wake up.

They're on the move.
Let's go.

Oh.

The pride's k*lled
a young male impala.

[Whistles]

[Allison]
wow. They're really
chowing down.

[Chris]
definitely.

This feast is
a real free-for-all.

They all get in there

And try to eat
as much as they can.

[Martin]
as you can see,

Feeding time is a first-come,
first-served affair.

[Chris]
if you're the biggest
and strongest,

You're first served.

The rest just get
what they can.

This is amazing!

It says here that it's
the females, the lionesses,

Who make most of the kills,
up to 90%.

They're the greatest hunters
of all.

But the male still gets
first dibs on all the grub.

That sounds like
a total ripoff.

This can't be right.

The guy gets all the glory
for doing nothing?

Factual unreality,
al.

Yeah. Male lions
contribute a lot more
than most people think.

They do help out
with the hunting,

Especially with big animals,
like a buffalo.

And once the k*ll
is made,

They defend the carcass
from packs of hyenas.

They also
protect the pride

From
other male lions

Who try to
take over the pride
and k*ll the cubs.

There really is
nothing more intimidating

Than the roar
of a large male lion.

[Imitates roar]

That was awful,
martin.

Can you do better?

Sure.

[Lion roaring]

Not bad!

Another way the lion
gives a warning

Is with its mane.

[Chris]
lions start growing
their manes

When they're about 3 years old
and finish growing them at 5.

[Martin]
you know,
their big, fluffy manes

Domake them look regal.

Maybe that's where that "king
of the beasts" thing came from.

[Chris]
to another lion,

A big mane
can be intimidating,

Making him look large
and powerful.

[Martin]
lions size up the other guy
by checking out his mane.

A big, healthy mane
means a big, healthy lion.

[Chris]
and that means it might
be better to back off.

[Martin]
when lions do get
into a scrap,

Their manes protect
the head and neck

From claws and bites.

[Chris]
there's no question that with
their huge roars, big manes...

[Martin]
and incredible size
and power,

Lions are
one intimidating creature.

Manes are pretty impressive.

I mean, I know
I'dbe impressed.

No, I'd be scared if a lion
with a mane roared at me.

But what's still
got me confused

Is how could a hyena
possibly challenge a lion?

[Martin]
well, hyenas are a lot bigger
and stronger than they appear.

They weigh
up to 170 pounds,

And their bodies pack
a lot of power.

[Chris]
but the real
hyena power secret

Is the old
strength-in-numbers trick.

A clan of hyenas
is pretty fearsome.

[Martin]
these impala know all about
how fierce hyenas can be.

[Chris]
and so do lions.

They've been stepping
on each other's paws for years.

Hyenas, lions.
Lions, hyenas.

It's simple, al--

Lions are big and strong,
and hyenas are fast and fierce.

But I thought for sure
a lion could take down
a hyena.

A single hyena,
but not a pack of hyenas.

Don't forget--

Hyenas have one of the strongest
jaws in the world.

One chomp, and you're
minus a paw or a leg.

So who usually wins?

What day is it?
It goes back and forth.

They have what it takes
to mix it up with lions.

[Chris]
no doubt about that.

A lot of people think
hyenas are cowardly scavengers

Who steal
other creatures' food.

[Martin]
which is crazy!

Hyenas aren't
just scavengers.

They are great hunters,
too.

[Chris]
there's a lot of misconceptions
about these guys.

There's so much attention
given to lions

And so little to hyenas.

[Martin]
but one thing that does
get a lot of attention

Is the rivalry
between enas and lions.

[Chris]
exactly.

Because they're
in such direct competition,

Lions and hyenas
aren't exactly buddies.

They'll even k*ll
each other's young on sight.

[Hyena laughing]

Some nights on the savanna,
you can't even sleep

For all of the noise
those two make at one another.

[Allison]
did you know that one way
lions and hyenas are similar

Is that they both
live in groups?

In fact,
the lion is the most social

Of all the cats
in the world.

Their prides are made up

Of anywhere
from 3 to 12 adult females,

Two to four adult males,
and cubs of varying ages.

They do share territory,

Although they're rarely
all together at once.

When they meet, they'll rub
their heads and bodies together,

Moaning and humming.

You know,
if that sounds familiar,

It's because house cats
do the very same thing.

[Chris]
one of the reasons
living in a pride

Works so well
for the lion

Is that it makes raising
the cubs a whole lot easier.

[Martin]
within the pride,

The females become synchronized
with their breeding,

Having their babies
at the same time.

[Chris]
all the lionesses in the pride
care for the cubs.

When a lioness leaves
for the hunt,

She can trust other lionesses
to care for her cub.

[Martin]
cubs are born
pretty helpless,

And they won't start hunting
until they're 11 months old...

[Chris]
which gives them some time
to play, rehearse, and practice

The moves they'll be using
when they're old enough to hunt.

But baby lions grow up...
Big,

Like 400 pounds and up.

Think of that as the size
of two hungry chrises

And one well-fed martin.

So what we've found out

Is that while lions
are one of the toughest
creatures on the planet,

They're still really not
the king of beasts.

And there are
so many real reasons
to think lions are cool,

We don't need to
make up any others.

All you have to do
is take a closer look,

Get to know them,
and you'll see exactly
what we mean.

[Martin]
so here we are again,
lounging with the lions.

Chris, I hope nobody thinks
we've been knocking lions.

[Chris]
yeah. Lions are
amazing creatures.

It's just that
this "king of beasts" title

Has got to go.

The creature world
doesn't have royalty.

[Martin]
exactly. No creature
is more important than another.

Giving creatures human titles
like kings and queens

Is just crazy.

[Chris]
you know one thing
about lions?

I can see why
they rest so much.

[Martin]
yeah. All this activity
in the hot sun

Is enough to tire
anyone out.

[Allison]
one thing we forgot to mention

Is that lion yawning really
is as contagious as they say.

What do you think, guys?
Guys?

Guys, are you all right?

Well, there's
another mystery solved.

That's why it's called
a catnap.

"So it turns out

"That although the lion
might be a pretty good hunter,

It doesn't rule supreme."

But it's still one
of the coolest animals around.

When you see it
out in the wild

Looking stately and regal
and totally magnificent,

It's not surprising
people call it

"The king of the beasts."

[Martin]
dusk, a time when early man
took to considering

What he had learned that day,

Especially what he had
discovered about the creatures

With which he shared
the earth.

Every day,
he learned more.

He was beginning
to find the wisdom

To see the creatures
as they really were

And not as others
professed to see them.

Was the lion the king of beasts?

Of course not.
He knew better than that.

I do.

[Martin]
he knew that
no creature was king.

He knew...

Giraffe!
King of beast!
High one.

[Martin]
no. He knew that
no creature was king.

Flamingo?

[Martin]
come on, buddy.
Aren't you listening?

Frog?

[Martin]
you're out of here.

Slug?

[Martin]
show's over, pal.