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everywhere it's tough to raise a family these days in the wilds of South Africa
two lionesses sisters are single mothers with two cubs each their mate and
protector has gone missing leaving them vulnerable to marauding males who will
kill their cubs and claim their territory
two of their cubs are extraordinary they're almost completely white the
result of an unusual genetic twist how will this strange coloring affect their
survival and the fate of their struggling family together they must
face every danger in the African bush to play it safe they must play it smart and
it will take all the courage
in South Africa's wild Bush country there are coats of many colors some
stand out others blend in each coat has a purpose to distract to communicate to
hide
anything new or unusual is tested every moment
this will be the case for some very special liens
that were born as white as snow only three such Cubs have survived to
adulthood in the wild since white lions were first documented here in Timbo
Vaati in 1975 their cousins are two months
older so these white cats will always be the
underdogs
but it's their high-visibility that may become their greatest challenge any cub
is in danger if spotted hyenas catch one alone she's only four months old too
young to fend for herself the hyenas will try to kill her they don't see her
better camouflaged mother underneath the dirt is a white lion cub
she and her sister are bound to attract attention their mother is Matilda the
powerful one both of their parents carry the rare gene that produces white
offspring the tawny Cubs mother is almost white herself rangers call her
Konya the pale one
this is a small pride just two adult lionesses sisters and therefore ***
the little white Cubs have a fighting spirit they are eager to take on their
bigger cousins the males are stronger but these younger females are feisty
little lions
the Cubs will need to be both brave and cautious for the only had their mothers
to rely on their father and defender of the pride has disappeared rival males
may have killed him but whatever the cause his disappearance is a crisis for
the pride without him the little family is a magnet for marauding males the two
mothers have already detected intruders who are attacking and nearby herd of
buffalo
one of their calves is down Buffalo will defend their young ferociously but this
young male doesn't fear them he has a brother to back him up and another
brother to back him up these lions are nomads in search of a pride of lions is
to take over at five years old they are in peak fitness a strong coalition like
this is ready to claim its own pride and territory not even a herd of buffalo can
stop them but they will try
the mother Buffalo swings back desperate to rally our fallen calf but it's too
late the breeze carries a sharp warning to the two mothers Matunga can smell the
intruders scent they're out there somewhere
a deep maternal instinct directs the two mothers they must take their cubs away
far from the approaching danger
far from the familiar mountains that overshadow their home deeper into
unknown territory
Kruger National Park is vast more than twice the size of Yellowstone it's
covered by dense woodland that supports great herds of plant eaters all of these
creatures are adapted to the bush in their own special ways and all of them
are prey for lions Kruger is ruled by 2,000 lions each pride with its own
distinct territory matenda and Konya will not be welcome on other lions land
they can only keep their four cubs alive if they stay out of these territories
from now on this family must live in the shadows but wherever they go they will
still leave signs behind
one of the three nomads is on their trail
you can smell their scent if the nomads catch up to them they will kill the Cubs
that will bring with timba and Konya back into estrus so they will bear the
nomads offspring soon after
rival predators pose another lethal threat if the cubs are found unattended
by a keen-eyed *** it will kill them
hyenas will too predators don't want rivals around heavy rain clouds marked
the onset of summer
the empty river now comes back to life
waterbug thrive in wetlands but even they are captivated by the spectacle
from all around animals come to the river
it gives wild dogs a chance to cool off
but none enjoyed more than the elephants
the white Cubs are now eight months old their tawny cousins
Tenma's this is unfamiliar territory for the two mothers they don't know the best
hunting spots and the Bush here is so dense it hides prey well sharp eyes will
see the white Cubs against the bright green leaves long before the Lions see
them
after weeks with little to eat the Cubs are skin and bones
mother Lions do abandon weak Cubs but metemma weights
yet without better hunting the Cubs won't make it
so the mother's lead their offspring back to familiar territory
home to tim bhavati up ahead half a day's journey is the favorite water hole
of a huge herd of buffalo the strongest and meanest of lion prey to feed the
Lions will have to get past aggressive bulls and a herd of horns a wounded
Buffalo is a perfect target as long as the herd stays put he is safe
but after satisfying its thirst the large herd must move on to find good
grazing the lame buffalo is left behind
the injured buffalo has taken shelter in the river in an attempt to forestall his
fate its Konya
metemma is by her side with the Cubs
this will be their first buffalo hunt
Matunga can see that she has no need to hide
the Buffalo is helpless
but he's still too far from shore
the Buffalo is playing it's only car in water matumbo loses the advantage
she's weary and now there's a bigger problem approaching
the stalkers are now stopped themselves
the elephant ensures the buffalo lives a little bit longer but the family is too
hungry to give up on a sure thing now matumbo settles in to wait while kanye
chooses a spot in full view of the Buffalo the Cubs are learning one
lioness distracts the prey while the other waits to attack hours later the
Buffalo changes position but not wisely
it's just what my team ba has been waiting for the Buffalo is too weak to
fight
the Cubs take it all in the lionesses show the Cubs exactly what to do
at last the hungry Cubs can fill their bellies the pride will eat and rest eat
and rest all through the night
the white Cubs are now 10 months old at this age everything's a target for finer
Konya never refuses an invitation to play
as forma timba she's always on duty guarding her family still kanya always
tries to lighten the tempest spirit the Cubs join in asthma timba approaches
spotted hyenas are searching for food they will follow lions especially groups
without males after the lionesses have hunted they will gang up to push them
off their kills our pride has taken down a zebra the Cubs are not old enough to
hunt but they're not so small and helpless anymore the hyenas move in the
Cubs are big enough to learn how to confront hyenas
Souma timber takes them forward
the atmosphere is charged with aggression by scuffing the ground
metemma stakes their claim to this place and the zebra kill behind them matumbo
allows the Cubs to lead the confrontation
the Cubs advanced to the limit of their confidence but it's still a standoff
now matumbo how to end the dispute a day like this
turns a cub into a lion
Kruger's hot summer days are time to rest animals need to get out of the
baking Sun leopards take shelter up in the trees and the Lions in the shade
beneath them
the leopard goes unnoticed until she moves
and that gives the Cubs an idea
it's May the beginning of autumn in Kruger National Park the Cubs are now 11
months old they're strong and fit their mothers have raised them well they can
now follow on Hunt's watching their mothers every move everything is fair
game for these Lions even the tallest of prey
they've taken the young giraffe and have dragged it under a bush out of sight
from vultures for extra precaution the mothers bury anything that sends out
a strong odor but there's a good breeze today the scent may not remain in this
secluded spot something is approaching a vervet monkey sounds the alarm
whatever it was seems to have gone
the mothers decide it's safe to return to their meal by dusk the Cubs have had
their fill now all they want is sleep
but tonight there will be no rest
it's one of the Nomad brothers he charges again but Mathilda and Konya
risked their lives to protect the Cubs
every second they stall him buys time for the Cubs to get away the mothers
hold their own against him but now his brother arrives he moves in on the
giraffe kill and that stops the attack
the mothers have no chance against two males but the nomads attention is
shifted they'll settle for the giraffe kill the Cubs can wait
now the two mothers have only one goal find their cubs
they're soft calls tell their Cubs it's safe to come out
the family is reunited they will leave the nomads to their stolen meal and
quietly slip away
by August the dry winter transforms the bush the grass dies back trees lose
their leaves winter opens up the landscape it's an excellent time for
young lions to have a hunting lesson
the hunter must be patient quiet focused in these conditions a
tawny colored lion blends beautifully into the bush not so a white lion the
kudu sponsor and escapes
lesson over but will these big white Cubs begin to impact the prides ability
to hunt
it's now November new clouds uh sure in the wet season
the bush bursts back to life the Cubs are growing larger and stronger by the
day the white Cubs more visible than ever
by December the White Cubs are 18 months old the male's 20 months they're real
lions now and their play looks more like real hunting the pride has another
giraffe kill and their meal is attracting attention for the next month
the hyenas are never far away shadowing the pride waiting for them to bring down
prey
but today something's not right
the hyenas have suddenly disappeared
dawn finds the family shaken by another attack by the nomads they gather in
close for comfort and to reaffirm their bonds the mothers
and white Cubs are unharmed but only one tawny male cub is participating the
other isn't responding
he lies quietly a deep puncture wound on his side his mother
kanya knows something is wrong so too does his brother
he only moves deeper into the bush
the instinct of a wounded animal to hide
his brother turns to their mother and invites her to play but for the first
time tanya refuses an hour later the poor cub can no longer sit out his
condition is worsening
his brother encourages him tries to get him up
the cub is struggling
his mother is there
but there's nothing she can do
still his brother tries again
ten minutes later the poor cub has a painful seizure
and then he's gone
his family holds back unsure anima timba and Konya approach
in some quiet way they understand this tragedy to their family
one of his white sisters says goodbye and finally his brother his closest
companion
Canas cub was 20 months old when he died losing him is a profound blow
the Cubs death comes at the onset of summer rains and a new cycle of life
taking hold across Kruger
it's time for the courtship dance of quite a performer the red-crested cor
Han
it's been two months since Konya lost her cub but life goes on
and she still has one of her own and her sisters white cubs to care for every day
presents new challenges to the white pride after a failed hunt earlier in the
day the white sisters are hungry and pestering their mother to hunt again
then something catches their eye
vultures they've spotted a leopard with a fresh kill
a tall tree is the best place to keep it safe
the young lions have learned that where there are vultures there's often an easy
meal to steal if they can scare off the owner the Cubs spent their youth
climbing trees now they have their reward the white cub is not as graceful
as a leopard but she still gets what she wants
now it's Canas turn but it's not so simple for a full-grown adult she can't
climb like the Cubs but she can leap
after all that her reward is one very thin leg it's the tawny young males turn
he now weighs as much as Kayne only great strength will get him up this tree
he is as nimble as a leopard and gets a choice cut of the meal
and provides a nice morsel for his mother this tree climbing skill will
serve him well he won't have matumbo or Konya to hunt for him when he leaves the
pride stealing leopard kills could help him survive the hard times
it's June in South Africa a special date for the pride the white Cubs are two
years old and almost fully grown they have survived all the perils and all the
challenges of drawing up wild
they also have a new home range far away from the nomads a place called class
Eyrie it's rich in game they took down a buffalo in the night but once again
hyenas are onto them a brave white cub is ready to take them on one highness
you can handle but a whole clan is a different kind of challenge she moves to
confront them with a confident swagger
just like her mother no longer a cub
right from the start she takes charge intimidating the hyenas she scuffs the
ground claiming ownership of this territory just as her mother once showed
her she is so confident she lays down
the hyenas mistake fists for weakness and move forward
they come at her from all sides
13 hyenas she lets them come and then it's her turn the hyenas know they will
not get past this lion at sundown the hyenas are suddenly spooked and flee
it's a large male and he's heading for the pride metemma moves to defend her
family this male is new he's not one of the nomads
he calls a greeting not a threat
Matilda keeps up the aggressive defense and moves forward to intimidate him but
he doesn't want to fight a white youngster who's pretty
intimidating herself is there to support her mother now the whole pride moves up
to join with Matilda
the hyenas help themselves to the unguarded carcass time to get back to
their meal before the hyenas devour at all
Matilda seems to know this male is not like the others
so she returns to her pride and allows the male to follow her the family is
still on high alert
but he isn't here to attack some he's here to woo them but first he will
sample the fruits of their hunting
it will take some time before he wins their trust but the family now has a big
adult man to help defend them by the time summer returns to Kruger the new
male has secured his place with the white pride Konya is the first lioness
to mate a new chapter is now beginning for the white pride
matumbo & Canas new cups will be arriving soon
the Tony cousin will set out on his own and the white sisters have a whole new
life ahead of them they're the first white lions to reach maturity in the
wild in more than two decades their success so far has been remarkable they
began as scruffy little Cubs and grew into fine young lionesses
for the past two years they struggled to survive Krueger's fierce wilderness and
the challenges of their white coats but they've had two amazing lionesses
looking out for them teaching them everything they know
their future will soon depend on their own abilities their own teamwork and
their own wisdom
will they be strong hunters raising their own cubs in the years to come the
story of Krueger's white lions is just beginning