North pride is on the move
Raptors hover over all withered carcass, but there is scent of fresher meat in the wind
Ticking has been slim from the bamba's pride since her fight for the startled warthog
The lioness is limping from the encounter
and even the prides big male juggle
Wanders when his next meal will come
There's been no cure for three days and no bumpers Cubs are hungry
Survival is tough across this tawny continent
And for the Lions are Pinter Reserve itched into the heart of zululand only those with speed and cunning will eat
For this pride anyway, it's been a long time between meals
Shadaloo had waited too long for his lioness to feed him
Overnight his stealth carried him into the path of a careless zebra
the rest of the herd is still skittish
One animal had already lost his tail to a holy pride, but for the dazed stallion, it was all over in seconds
The big male watches his kill from a distance exhausted by the chase exhilarated by the sport
Jabo will feast later tired from the hunt he needs to rest
But is pray you'll be safe few scavengers will risk a sudden return of the Lima Zulu
Trekkers follow the spoor of the bamba's pride the Crossman Ziggy Marsh
This vast attractive savanna is flavored by the Lions in the dry here in winter
But it's a region also shared by Pindus giraffe and white rhino population
Most of southern Africa's wildlife has been ravaged by hunting and habitat loss
Family over grazed and buffeted by domestic stuff has ripped the heart out of the original bush
The open broad-leaved woodland
acacia bush veldt and wetland habitat had all but disappeared taking with it the word land a
Few years ago the Pinder project was born
Seventeen thousand hectares of farmland brought up in kwazulu-natal along south africa's eastern seaboard
But followed was the largest game restocking program
Never seen on the subcontinent
The land was over grazed to a certain extent and it wasn't in very good shape
They put all these farms together put a perimeter fence around it and then brought in a lot of game
Very important elephant reporting Breiner we started off with those sort of own words and they started with this cheetah
bringing a Cheeto into the reserve managed to get them used to the area before the Lions came on because the line is a
More superior predator such and would dominate the Cheetahs. We wanted to get to him settled first before the Lions came in
Andrew Lewis is habitat manager at pinda one of those committed to the restoration of southern Africa seeker sister
Linda is the Zulu word for return
And the aim of his company Conservation Corporation Africa is to return the land to its traditional wildlife and at the same time
Restore the habitat to its original state
Pinda is cautiously open to top-level tourism limited and luxurious
dreams of extending the green frontier require funds and the reserves lion pride has already earned its keep
The lands on this property are actually generating revenue for the property through ecotourism
And that there are a benefit to the wildlife because of the draw card and few animals lions elephants with Auburn and rhinos
I mean possibly Jarrah's but those your main ones that people come to see
and we were very fortunate about to have lines on the property and I think
Those lines that we have and given us an amazing value before I guess and by getting a guest in here
We're getting revenue into the area and that's benefiting wildlife as a whole
Jabu has returned to his kill. He leaks the photos carcass, but still there is no feeding
Lions will gloat over their prey
delaying the first bite until the meat ripens a
Jabu, the prospect of the meal is to be relished as much as the eventual feast
Meanwhile November's pride is on the prowl
The older cups at ten months now weaned it's still dependent upon the bambo for food
The Cubs are learning to stalk
They won't kill for another six months
Young male lions are usually ejected from the pride when they are about two years old fending for themselves
They form hunting groups with other isolated males
November's Cubs, not sure what to do with prey. So close the lioness isn't far behind there time for hunting will come
November's four year old daughter also lives with a pride
She is the mother of the Brits youngest offspring
seven-week twins and belly in Dimona
The little Cubs have been hidden since birth and now stay close within the protective circle
Geppu has little time for his small cub
When he is older the Manor will hunt with his father
But for the moment the big male has nothing to do with his young son
Dejected the cab find solace among his siblings
a
Young giraffe lies helpless in the grass
The animals complicated vertebra means it is unable to rest its neck for any length of time
Lack of mobility means blood to the brain slows leaving it el amor disabled
Efforts to lift the head fail and rather than leave the giraffe vulnerable to predators the young bull is shot by Rangers
Enterprise
No, Bombo is typical for most big cats?
They conserve energy 20 hours a day waking only to groom and happy
The lioness shows little sign of the injured leg
But the tasks of the waterhole of torn sinew and muscle slowing her in a pursuit of prey
Once again, the bamboo inner pride will go hungry
But the big lioness senses another kill nearby a young giraffe slain by humans will provide me for her counsel
Leaving the pride the bamboo follows the scent
Left alone the older Cubs know the drill they will wake from the mumblers call to take them to the kill
The day moves into shadow the cats are restless and a little afraid
Adult Lions have few enemies, but Cubs, even those 10 months old are at the mercy of leopards and other predators
No bambo has reached the kill but her daughter is not first, even those females hunt together rivalry for the prey is fierce
Hmm the big lioness begins the trek back for her cubs, but the youngsters have heard her call and they meet halfway
The bamboo settles herself in the long grass the Cubs are unfamiliar with her behavior a
Female will usually head the charge with any kill splitting the hide of the victim and leading the way for the pride to eat
But there is human scent around the giraffe in the big lioness is cautious
She watches her cubs
alert to any potential threat
The Cubs are curious confused by this new smell
The lioness moves in for a final check
That she has already made up her mind. The carcass is tainted. There are foreign traces a dangerous alien
Instinct tells her this is not food fit for her cubs
Disappointed the bamboo moves away the scent of another night stalk already in the wind
After two days
jabu has returned to his kill with another young girl a
Three year old hindi is a son from a previous liaison with November and the to Peter art until he was ousted from the Prime
Pride males are lazy and will gladly that the females track down prey
But the theory that Laos went hunting as a fallacy
Anyhow, we mayor will hunt for himself when no free lunch is provided by the lioness hyenas or other predators
Smaller creatures scatter in the vicinity of the two lions. There will be no hunting for a while
Bloated after the zebra kill. Both layers will sleep for the next day oblivious of their surroundings
He
Lives hunting in pairs or groups have a success rate of around 30% in daylight
But studies show single hunters are more successful at night
Lions are sociable cats the only group to take part in communal hunts
Ambush is an important part of the lion strategy
Often one pride theme home will round up the prey from the front
Driving it towards a second
As in most cases the pride male will only get involved using Hester
Accidents involving humans are rare in Southern Africa's game reserves
Our primal fear of being eaten has been well-documented. But in fact lion seldom attack if they're not provoked
They're Pinder great care is taken to limit the number of people viewing game
Emphasis is placed on causing the animal as little stress as possible
That isn't a part of their natural food sources, they don't normally go out and hunt people
I think your lions are opportunists err and I certainly think that if your line is very hungry fine distress
But only on this regard to hunt you down, but if you interfere with and they'll certainly kill you
There's a good chance. They might eat you at the same time
With all animals is how you treat them as what's the reaction you get back from them certainly
There are guides go through a training of course, and they're all brought up to a certain standard
That is a certain operating ethic with regards to viewing animals, and we certainly try and be as sensitive to the animals as possible
Vital within the arms of the evolve a mountains in the Indian Ocean
Pinder covers one of the most diverse regions of Africa
Here, I found seven different ecosystems
From ponds of error and bushnell to rare sand forest and dense thorn bush for restored from the pastoral belt
Which has swept down the East Coast
We're cotton pineapple when cattle farms once stood lion now roam their habitat again
alongside some traditional neighbors
Pinder sees its responsibilities to the region extending beyond restoration of habitat and Wildlife
It provides schools and a clinic for the local Zulu community as well as employment Lee in the eyes of Andrew Lewis
essential ingredients for a successful operation
Very important to involve the communities around your reserve because they have to benefit as well
There's no point in just taking land get some investors to invest
And if you don't allow the people that sit on the periphery of that reserve to benefit from it
You can have a amaze problem with poaching and they're gonna catch your fences down and you just gonna have an uphill battle
In 1992 the Pinder lines were among the first of the big five terminals to be relocated to the reserve
The original product came from the northern province of South Africa a vast scrubby region flanked by the ragged drakensberg mountains
neither Muslim peak border
Peter Rogers help round up Pinder's first pride
handling the Lions capture and subsequent move south
Today is head vet for the hood sprite research and breeding center for endangered species
overseeing its cheetah breeding program
But it's the discovery of what's believed to be a long extinct strain of lion that has put Peters Center on the map
We were involved in the rescue of these circus animals have climbed down through Africa
And we're abandoning my put - we were just founded by an animal welfare group called Animal Defenders based in London
And they said, you know, I could we just keep these animals temporary first
I mentioned Tigers and then I came back and said early six lines as well
So we said yeah, we could tell them temporary just - until I found permanent times for them
But basically get them out of that predicament that they were and the shocking conditions that they were in Maputo Mozambique
When the lines arrived at the breeding center this size
Pale coloring and the male's thick black belly main put them into the category of the cape or Barbary lion
not seen in the wild since the early 1920s a
Few still exists in captivity and the male and female were brought to South Africa from an Italian Zoo for breeding purposes
But it tends to mate active the big male from the ill-fated Mozambique circus with the Italian female are proving difficult
Market is overprotective even preventing the lioness from eating when the meat truck arrives
Finally though Cece makes her breakthrough
We'll see up in the front em up you go to that set of little scintillate and we're gonna go
In the next enclosure dr. Oh the Italian barber email is about to be sedated
His attention to his sister see see through the fences hampering making efforts and Peter Rogers is keen to move the big male
He shoots the dart into our tourism
Arturo has been sterilized. But while his breeding days are finished
He'll live out his days at the center often his female companion
Another Barbary from the Mozambique Circus is drawn away by the neat track
It's 20 minutes before the anesthetic takes effect
You need want to help at the bottom just to put him back into the cage, okay
The anaesthetic gives Peter Rogers and his team a chance to check over the 12 year old line
He'll spend a few weeks in this cage before being returned to his enclosure for observation
He's very excited be part of this project because I feel that it perhaps not many barbers if any that are really pure and left
Even in captivity they feel that over time
Other genetic basis as a brought inside
There's a big project afoot Oxford University to do the genetics and it's just getting off the ground now
Just put under the skin on the neck if we can find this given her this big B arabes
Know me Lions wouldn't have this many ticks but being a pump you Toledo European light. I don't have it
You might go inherent resistance to take some does come with time
To get these
I'm up take a day by day for me and then see how it goes
But the prime object initially was just to get these animals back in the good health and its develop into something look again
Why the breeding centers lines are healthy it's not the case a few kilometres away in the Kruger National Park
where TB has ravaged half the population
Infected Buffalo have been blamed for the outbreak
Primarily in the south of the park and attempts are being made to fence off the diseased area
And aligns a preying on infected Buffalo causes an exotic disease another an indigenous disease
The lines are totally naive and there is at least it's a big problem
It's a it's a very difficult decision to make as to what to do. It's a very topical and heated subject at the moment
Beckon Pinder the night stalk has begun
Annabelle keeps her cubs close they hungry but tonight any Impala can be tracked down a morsel for the lioness
Food is scarce at this time of year. So the prides territory covers a large area
Lions can only afford to be territorial where there is a reliable supply of game
Jabu wants to mate
He's been with his pride for nearly a year. Now that the bamboo would prefer a larger group of males around her
Eventually, though jabu will have to join forces with other males to have a chance of keeping this pride
The big male is only seven years old than a fine specimen
weighing in at just under 200 kilograms
for the moment insecure
Although tonight the bamboo has hunting on tonight
Adams farther than the lionesses wake
If there is a kill she will feed first
Often weak Cubs lose out to a hungry mother
Hi juvenile. Mortality rates are the result of lean times
Jabu has had enough. He's been walking for hours
Sleep is more important and the zebra. He ate two days ago will suffice for another night
Nough bamboo has made a kill the young moon Jana Buck
Has been three days since the pride is eaten and this will provide meat for them all
The lioness will eat first
The Cubs know the routine they will get their turn
Button, alcoci is hungry
He creeps towards his mother as the biggest of the cub
In kasi watches a
Lioness can eat more than 20 kilograms in a single city
This could be a long wait for a little cub
And kasi approaches the cure cautiously
Sometimes a lioness will turn on the curse. But today the bamboo is pleased with her efforts
The bambo has had her fill for the moment anyway
Lions never eat the stomach of a killed
She will bury it before dragging off the curse
This way hyenas and other predators have thrown off the scent. The evidence has been buried the carcass is no more
The members daughter here's the cave
It is the second this morning
The first was a strangling cry of an Jana as November brought the young bucks back
There was no struggle
The big lioness is a seasoned hunter
The rest of the pride will feast on the carcass after November retired
But first they will drag it into the bushes
Away from prying eyes
11 Raptors are already circling the kill scene
The killer has created a nervous age
Even the hippo it's bad temper heidemarie is flustered anxious to protect its waterhole
Build a base for a favourite prey for lions naturally they feel vulnerable but for the pride there is no agitation
Gorged they will sleep for the next day
Even unfairly in the manner the seven-week twins have tasted blood for the first time
but it will be many months before they take part in a hunt for
The moment they just want to play with a pussy
The older cub is beginning to take on the shaggy mane of the bigger males
Within 18 months, he will be hunting with them competing for his own pride
In the meantime though. He has to contend with a young Sydney
Jabu rejoins the pride
He has missed out on the kill, but he didn't share his zebra with the rest of the pride the previous day
a
Half-hearted attempt making but the big lines attention is drawn to a curious onlooker
With the pride so close the giraffe won't be sitting for long drinking and sitting is when they are at their most vulnerable
Jabo keeps an eye on his group
Pride takeovers by other males are common and savage fights can occur between the pride male and the intruder
Hip a takeover is successful. The new mayor will usually kill or the suckling young of his former rival
When a nursing mother loses her cubs, she comes into heat within a few weeks
The normal interval between Cubs is about two years with a gestation time of 3 to 4 months
Jabu marks his territory
But it may soon be all invade a fresh infusion of lion genes is necessary to avoid the effects of long term inbreeding
It's likely jabu and his son Tim B will be swapped for males from another game reserved
This will broaden the bloodlines of future lions and avoid the genetic risks currently facing the pride of Pinder
Vultures have found that they abduct but there is little left of the carcass
November and her pride have eaten
The big lioness tries to dislodge Indiana fur from her teeth
Tomorrow the next day, there will be another kill the Bombers Cubs will grow up strong
The lion is the greatest of all predators the essence of all that is Africa and yet there are fewer than
50,000 left in the world
The future for the species lies in managed reserves such as Pinder
here in Zululand the lion roams free for the first time since the beginning of this century that
Pinder the philosophy has always been simple
Africa's wildlife land undervalued and underutilized is the continents most precious natural resource
Focusing on the animals their habitat and local communities is just the beginning of an African renascence
Pinder is after all the Zulu word for return
Maybe two it's a chance for man to redeem himself
