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in the heart of Africa a unique story is unfolding this is no ordinary lion tale
this is the story of seven pioneers
for 15 years Lions have been extinct here thanks to a brutal civil war
now they're back
but their existence is on a knife-edge
this is a tale of hope courage
failure and rebirth
for seven brave life chance to write the future of Rwanda
today the people of Rwanda celebrate the return of their royalty seven lions the
first lions on Rwandan soil in 15 years
the return of the lion is a huge milestone in the rejuvenation of their
land and picked in South Africa these seven lions are strangers to each other
the hope is that they will form a pride but there's no guarantee thousands of
miles from home they reach their destination a Kagera Miranda's largest
national park it's been a long haul but for these seven pioneers the journey is
only just beginning
their new home is an alien landscape
it's a tapestry of habitats
we're rolling mountains rise from savannas and sparkling lakes support
year-round life on the open plains for the last two decades the herds of
antelope here have thrived in peace and harmony in a habitat free of lions
they've roamed the plains and marshes unhindered this is eaten for any
herbivore but without Lions it's an ecosystem out
of balance
to succeed in this new kingdom the Lions face a barrage of challenges this is the
starting stool of their race for survival
and the firstly a free meal Schama leads the way it's in her nature
at 11 years she's the oldest lioness she was picked for her experience back home
she was the matriarch at a strong healthy family but these other lionesses
aren't her siblings they're strangers brought together by fate and the hope is
that shimmer can pull them together as a pride a stable pride of lions is made up
of related females to hunt as a team and raise their young together before they
can qualify as a pride they will need to bond as a sisterhood and work as a team
right now it's just hunger that unites them
nearby the two males away to their release
Endora is a three year old male a young brawler
who lost his right eye in a fight
his brother is suka relax his savvy but he's in Doros only a lie they don't know
the females yet but they'll need to bond with them if they want to survive here
for these two young rookies that's a tall order
binti the youngest female is the last to exit she still wears the dark spots of
childhood and is the most nervous at only 18 months
she's the lowest ranking member to survive she'll need the support of the
older females both us hunters and as teachers in a pride bound by blood these
lionesses would each know their role and their place but this ragtag bunch will
have to work that out from scratch
colonel and as the Sun sets they feel confident enough to venture in Shama
takes the initiative and the loosen it sisterhood follows
it's a good start scheana's maturity might just hold this band of strangers
together the brothers are also on the move but they're disoriented they head
north away from the females it's the wrong move they are earmarked as the
future kings of a Kagera but they've got a lot to learn back home they relied on
their females to bring home the bacon
his lack survival skills Jemma follows her instincts south towards her former
homeland at the tip of Africa she's about to have her first brush with the
locals a gang of hyenas rules this turf
like most of the local wildlife these young mobsters have never seen a
lion before
their amazement is clear they have no idea that shimmer is a rival but scheme'
has a lifetime of high
the age-old rivalry runs deep in her veins she stands her ground as a lone
lioness the gang of hyenas could easily take her on for now they're ignorant is
her only Ally
it's day 2 you naka Guerra
GEMA at the helm the five lionesses reached the high peaks in the south of
the park it's the end of the dry season and a recent wildfire scorched of the
landscape exposing rocky ground this is strange new terrain for these lionesses
the plains of their homeland of flat grassy savannas with no high vantage
points for the first time in their lives they can look out into the distance down
valleys past Lakes and across a vast wilderness
it may be alien territory but the true bounty of their new kingdom is suddenly
cleared
GEMA leads the lionesses deeper into uncharted territory this is now lion
country and shimmers going to prove it hunting here should be dead easy a
hundred and fifty kilograms of topi would make a good meal for five
lionesses it looks like that looks can be deceiving they are the fastest
antelope in a Kagera he can reach speeds over 70 kilometers per hour faster than
any prey they hunted back home it will take skill and strategy to bring one
down
the topi is surrounded but his flight instinct hasn't kicked in binti breaks
early a rookie error
but OB escapes without breaking a sweat
it's a big fail even though the prey is ignorant the lionesses lack teamwork
it's time to go back to square one and set their sights on smaller targets
warthogs make a good bite sized meal and these ones aren't
streetwise but they're still fast Jenna we'll need backup with the help of her
teammates her stealth tactics could be the difference between fasting and
feasting
no strategy and no communication once again the lionesses look like
amateurs it's another hopeless attempt another day with empty bellies across
the lake the brothers track down from the north
they're approaching the marshes from the opposite side but this is hippo country
these three ton beasts rule the waterways and they don't welcome
visitors a territorial bull will take on any interloper and there's a body count
to prove it four hungry scavengers a hippo carcass is a feast fit for a king
but there's no such thing as a free meal
this cantankerous creature is the deadliest grazer on the planet there
before the Lions were wiped out and he remembers the smell of a dangerous
predator Mindoro also picks up on the scent it's the stench of rotting flesh
and he's hungry but to get to this feast he'll need to brave the hippo and
negotiate the marshy terrain his hunting skills are sorely lacking and he won't
turn his nose up at a scavenged meal but the sticky mud is a whole new challenge
all that stands between endure oh and his feast is 5 centimeters of tough
hippo hide out of his depth in the thick mud
Endora backs up defeated the suka tries next but he faces the same conundrum
uneasy and vulnerable in this unfamiliar Marsh
the boys will go hungry for another night their best bet is to go back to
basics find the females and hope that they'll do the hunting on the outskirts
of the marshland a zebra has succumbed to old age nearby The Undertaker's are
already on their way for 15 years the hyenas of a Kagera have had first option
on all the easy meat in this territory they've lived a life of peace and
prosperity but those halcyon days are over
the lionesses are nearby after two failed hunts their energy is at an
all-time low and they're starving
gemma is weary back home the hyenas were ruthless and aggressive but these poor
chumps have a lot to learn bewildered the hyenas surrender their meal the five
lionesses enjoy their feast alerted by the commotion the brothers call into the
night it's a sound that hasn't been heard in Rwanda for almost two decades
five kilometers away Shama replies
throughout the night they call to each other and in the morning
Gemma sets off to heed their rules she's in heat and her instincts are driving
her
GEMA and indoor Oh rub heads it's a positive greeting and an important
moment
for scheme' it could mean a mate and for the males a useful hunter
as matriarch of her old pride scheme' provided for the young males and true to
form now she wastes no time in setting off to
hunt and she has no backup but at least she has no amateurs to bungle her plan
of attack she needs to prove her worth to the males but stalking upwind and in
broad daylight the odds are stacked against her
the innocent water buck doesn't recognize the smell of danger
it doesn't run and to scheme' that's too confusing
she backs up
but changes her mind
it's too good to pass up
GEMA does it she proves that she even on her own more significantly she proves
herself to a potential mate her kill will feed three hungry bellies and
solidify her alliance with the males
the brothers are starving but it's no free-for-all feeding is all about
hierarchy and it's indoor OHIM takes his place at the top of this food chain his
actions confirm that he's the alpha male
suka must the meal Jana the breadwinner must wait
but her contribution won't go unnoticed
for indoor Oh an allegiance with a strong Huntress is essential
he can't rely on his brother for food their sibling bond is only useful when
fighting rival males Chema has proven herself as a good provider and she's
still in heat Andorra's instincts drive him to form a pride and sire offspring
Chema is the key at daybreak indoor Oh takes his new queen to the leaving
azúcar defend for himself
high above their New Kingdom they forge a future generation for Rwanda x' lion
population over the next few days they will be inseparable mating up to 100
times per day
four days later the courting couple returns to the plains and it seems they
have company the other lionesses
and order reunites with his brother he's full of vigor and showing the confidence
of an alpha male for the very first time all seven lion on their new turf this is
the key to their success in Rwanda five strong lionesses with a dominant male as
mate and Guardian but they still need to bond they won't be a pride until they
hunt as a team and produce Cubs of their own - these lionesses a dominant male is
hot property and suddenly scheme' must fight for her place in this hierarchy
she mounts a young female Kazi in a display that shows she's the top cat
Kazi is in heat to an Endora will take every opportunity to pass on his genes
Endora is showing all the hallmarks of a dominant male throwing his weight around
and mating repeatedly this frequent coupling maximizes his chances of siring
a new generation only one in three attempts a successful Endora has come of
age and he's forging the pride dynamics
but just as the group comes together something changes Jemma sets off alone
leaving the lion politics to the others a deep instinct calls her away survival
on her own is risky but of the seven only shimmer is a proven huh her
departure could spell disaster for them all
it's been a week since Jenna left the rest of the pride ten kilometers north
of the marsh she finds the perfect habitat to strike out on her own it's a
hunter's paradise flat grassy plains and an abundance of prey
she sorted out for a reason and it's the same reason she set out on her own
she's carrying the future heirs of a Kagera and that's an honour worth
killing for
the Impala of a Kagera a larger and stronger than those scheme' hunted back
home their horns tower over them like great masts Schiller is undaunted as a
loner her only option is ambush
Shanna's jaws clamped down on the impalas windpipe suffocating him this
broken hind leg seals his fate Jemma no longer needs to share her kills but
hunting on her own comes at a very high price one spear sharp horn punctured her
leg
the wound is small but deep into her muscle
alone and unable to hunt her future looks bleak the familiar rumble echoes
through the rolling hills and grassy plains it's the start of the rainy
season in Rwanda the heavy rains last several months flooding the plains and
changing the landscape for the seven Lions of a Kagera this is a miserable
time cats notoriously hate water the rains come and go restoring this Eden's
lush plains the Lions survive the wet and established their home in this new
kingdom gemma is still gone but new bonds are forming between the remaining
four lionesses she has taken binti under her wing and the dynamics of a pride
start to show but there's still one critical milestone to qualify as a true
pride they need to hunt as a coordinated team
in a maternal pride each lion learns a specialized hunting role from birth
they're either a wing who stalks and encircles prey or Center is in ambush to
trap it these six lions know their roles they just can't figure out how to pull
together as a team back home Buffalo was a staple on their menu but until they
can synchronize their hunting strategy they'll make do with humble pie across
the marsh a surprise awaits
it's been tough but Gemma is alive
then she's a single mom to three healthy Cubs
going solo was a risk but she needed to find a safe hi dad to give birth to her
offspring as fragile newborns she couldn't introduce them into an unruly
group of non-related lions
right now their survival depends entirely on her
she needs to hunt and that means leading her babies alone
scheme' waits for nightfall for the best chance to kill hunting on her own she
has limited options she needs to ambush and she can't pit
herself against anything too big staking out a warthog burrow is a good plan
she's *** on target she goes for the throat but this prey has lethal tusks in
front one good headbutt could maim her
back in their den Gemma's Cubs await their first solid meal there are mixed
reactions one cub digs in well another seems daunted for some mother's milk is
still the meal of choice in Rwanda scheme' means pride and for this proud
lioness her three cubs are the first generation of a new bloodline in a
Kagera soon they will join forces with the others and cement the foundations of
a true maternal lion pride within d'Oro as their King Yemma has proven herself
there's a true matriarch
not far from scheana's nursery the rest of the Lions are also gaining prowess
they formed strong bones and grown from their failures hunger has forced their
learning curve and they're finally working as a unit
the impala are still largely ignorant of the Predators in their midst they
haven't learned much from their mistakes
Kanzi is an expert wing she comes in from The Blind Side the brothers take
the opposite flank
the Impala never stood a chance when there's a strategy even an amateur can
make a kill
binti takes down a young water buck it's her first solo kill under Cassie's
guidance comes of age but she's still the youngest female and her glory
doesn't last long the male's lay claim to her prize the leaders always eat
first this is lion law
the Lions instincts are taking over the females are hunting successfully the
males are stepping up to the plate establishing a hierarchy and producing
Cubs
