In the heart of Zambia's
Luangwa Valley
lives a wise old
female leopard.
She's reigned
over her territory
for more than a decade.
- (Roars)
- But now she's in trouble.
Her neighbors, the lions,
are making her life hell.
Stealing her kills.
During the day, it's
impossible to hunt.
She's on everyone's radar.
(Calls)
And things don't get much
easier after dark.
For the first time, a
military-grade thermal camera
follows a leopard's
night-time struggles.
And captures behavior
never seen before.
Finally, the world of
these secretive nocturnal
predators is revealed.
As the days pass,
the leopard is pushed to the
brink of starvation.
She'll need all her skill
and determination...
..to survive.
Meet Kamuti.
At 13 years of age, she's one
of the oldest known leopards
in the African bush.
Kamuti means "twig" in the
local language
after her thin, frail frame.
Her age is beginning to tell.
She's not as fast or strong
as she used to be
and she's struggling
to catch prey.
She hasn't eaten
for more than a week
and is now having to hunt in
broad daylight.
She may be old, but she's a
perfectly designed predator.
Her forward-facing eyes
are set slightly apart,
enabling her to
judge the exact distance
between her and her prey.
With hearing five times
more sensitive than ours
and an acute sense of smell,
she doesn't miss a thing.
But a little elephant shrew
is hardly worth the effort.
Kamuti lives in South Luangwa
National Park in Zambia.
An area of unspoiled
wilderness,
at the southern end of
Africa's Great Rift Valley.
Though she lives
a solitary life,
she shares her home with
a huge range of animals.
Large...and small.
(Bird cries)
Hunters...
..and the hunted.
It's a land of open plains...
..and ebony groves.
This diverse mix of habitats
supports a dazzling variety
of life.
More than 60 species
of mammals...
..and 400 species of birds.
It's the perfect
hunting ground
for this experienced
predator.
Kamuti has reigned over
two square miles
of prime territory here
for ten years.
Antelope are her
favorite prey.
Among them, puku and impala.
But despite their abundance,
she's finding it hard
to get a decent meal.
And that's not just because
of her age.
She has to contend with some
neighbors from hell.
The Nsefu pride.
They share Kamuti's
territory.
Lions are the only
truly social cats.
Unlike Kamuti,
these predators
have strength in numbers.
14 big cats.
A force to be reckoned with.
The Nsefu lions are the bane
of Kamuti's life.
They frequently steal
her hard-earned kills.
And if they see her, they
won't hesitate to attack.
This isn't because
they see her as prey.
It's to protect the youngest
members of the pride.
The Nsefu lions have
recently welcomed
two new cubs
into their family.
Just over two months old,
they're starting to venture
out into the wild.
But when their mother
goes hunting,
they're left alone and are
extremely vulnerable.
Many cubs are killed
and even eaten by leopards.
It's a rivalry
that cuts both ways.
Though Kamuti's a threat
to the cubs,
she's no match
for their mother.
And she knows it.
Weighing 280 pounds,
the lioness is more than
three times Kamuti's weight.
With lions on the prowl,
she'll spend the rest of
the day well-hidden.
At sunset,
a huge flock of quelea
gathers together to roost.
These tiny sparrow-like
birds huddle together
as the evening
begins to cool.
(Animal calls)
In the pitch black,
a military-grade camera
that senses heat
rather than light
reveals a magical world.
(Chirrup of insects)
The nocturnal creatures
emerge
to lay claim to the night.
Honey badgers forage
for small mammals,
reptiles and insects
guided by their
keen sense of smell.
Up in the trees, a wood owl
is on the hunt.
And bush babies awake
from their slumber.
The wilderness comes alive
with creatures
from the tiny
elephant shrew...
..to Luangwa's
largest mammal.
(Low growl)
(Bird calls)
Millions of hot,
thread-like capillaries
transform the elephant's skin
into a moving work of art.
(Chirruping of insects)
Puku and other antelope
are on high alert.
And with good reason.
Kamuti's excellent
night vision
gives her the advantage.
This is the first time
a leopard's every move
has been followed after dark.
Because the revolutionary
camera picks up heat,
not color,
it doesn't register Kamuti's
spotted coat.
But right now, she has
no need for camouflage.
She's taking full advantage
of the cover of darkness.
Impala, her favorite prey.
She must stay downwind.
She's not as fast
as she used to be.
She needs to
close the distance before
launching her attack.
(Impala screech)
She's missed...
but she keeps going.
Success.
A fully-grown male impala.
Weighing 130 pounds,
it's almost twice her weight.
What her aging body
lacks in speed,
she makes up for
with experience.
A meal this size will keep
her going for almost a week.
If she can eat her fill.
(Rustling)
She's nervous.
Eating out in the open
is risky.
Scavengers are
always on the prowl.
But her hunger is stronger
than her fear.
One of her neighbors,
a lion from the Nsefu pride,
has picked up the scent
and closes in.
(Growling)
(Roars)
Kamuti knows not
to put up a fight.
She can't risk
getting injured.
But the lioness isn't the
only thief out tonight.
(Roars)
(Low growl)
It's small
consolation for Kamuti.
A whole night's hunting and
Kamuti's patience and skill
only earned her
a few mouthfuls.
She often loses her kills
to lions.
Disappointment
is nothing new.
Exhausted,
she gives in to sleep.
(Chirruping)
As dawn breaks, Kamuti is
still trying to rest.
(Flies buzz)
But flies are
disturbing her peace.
It's vital she regains
her strength.
(Buzzing)
But it seems as if everything
is against her.
(Buzzing stops)
Peace at last.
Meanwhile, the lions are also
doing what lions do best.
Sleeping.
These top predators always
seem to be relaxed.
Females can sleep up to
18 hours a day.
With no risk from
a higher predator,
and a diet rich in calories,
these carnivores have no need
to expend unnecessary energy
alert and constantly eating.
Males, if well-fed, will
sleep right around the clock.
A full 24 hours.
Thanks to Kamuti's kill, this
male is out for the count.
While the big cats sleep
in the heat of the day,
other animals
take their chance to
venture out into the open.
Young baboons make the most
of their freedom.
It all seems like
enormous fun.
But there is a serious side
to these antics.
Baboons, like lions,
are highly social animals.
Playing is all part of
learning where each member
fits in the pecking order.
Their place in the
troop's hierarchy
will play a key role
in their later lives.
Adult baboons are never
off their guard.
And rightly so.
Nearby is a large
male leopard.
One fat cat.
A male's territory
usually overlaps
with a number of females'.
Although he's right inside
Kamuti's patch,
he's no threat to her.
It's the animals below
that should be worried.
Baboons and impala stick
together for good reason.
While antelope
have the keener sense
of smell and hearing,
baboons have the
better eyesight.
And the perfect
vantage points.
(Calls)
(Baboon replies)
Their teamwork pays off.
They spot the leopard.
(Baboons call out)
All this is more
than he can take.
Baboons are right
to be wary.
They're one of
the many animals on
a leopard's hit-list.
(Baboons continue
calling out)
They won't give up until
he's out of sight.
He'll have to find somewhere
more peaceful to rest.
Kamuti doesn't have the
luxury of a daytime nap.
She is still
desperately hungry.
Her last full meal
was eight days ago.
Though she can last up to
two weeks without eating,
she is visibly thinner
and weaker.
Daytime hunting is a last
resort for leopards.
Less than 1 in 20 hunts
are successful.
But Kamuti has no choice.
It's midday
and the temperature soars to
100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hardly the best time
for an energy-sapping
stalk-and-chase.
A herd of impala is wandering
through her territory.
It's an opportunity she can't
afford to miss.
Impala can run at
35 miles an hour
over long distances.
They're by no means
easy prey.
In broad daylight, it'll be
tough to surprise them.
She'll need to get within
twenty feet
before she can launch
an attack.
The closer, the better.
But the impala
are out in the open
and they're with a troop of
keen-eyed baboons.
Relying on experience,
she patiently sits and waits
for them to come to her.
This is more like it.
Now's her chance
to close the distance.
But it's not just
impala and baboons
that are on the lookout.
There are eyes and ears
everywhere.
Tree squirrels have some of
the keenest eyes in the bush.
- (Chatters)
- She's been spotted.
(Growls)
Kamuti growls in irritation.
The impala hear the warning.
(Continues chattering)
Kamuti is well
and truly rumbled.
And the hunt is over
before it really began.
Life for a solitary predator
is tough.
She holds her tail aloft
like a flag,
showing she's no longer
in hunting mode.
But the puku aren't taking
any chances.
They group together
as if to shepherd her away.
But their bravery
has its limits.
(Growls)
In the heat of
the midday sun,
the bush is quiet.
A herd of giraffe heads down
to the river to drink.
Legs spread wide, they're at
their most vulnerable.
But they know that the lions
will be asleep.
Other animals take advantage
of the lions' slumber
and get a little rest of
their own.
But one predator
is still hunting.
Kamuti's hunger
drives her on.
This is her favorite
hunting spot.
A dried-up river in the
heart of her territory.
It runs through a clearing
full of puku and impala.
Down in the gully,
she's hidden from view
even in broad daylight.
She'll only strike
when prey come close
to the gully's edge.
While she watches and waits,
the hunter
becomes the hunted.
A lioness from the Nsefu
pride is on her trail.
Kamuti is unaware of
the danger she's in.
The lionesses' gait
intensifies.
Her top speed is
36 miles an hour.
Almost as fast as Kamuti's.
The lioness stands guard,
confident she has Kamuti
trapped.
But Kamuti is wily
and sneaks off unnoticed.
Once again, she must hide
until darkness returns.
The baboons are settling
down for the night.
Time for some grooming.
This is as much about
strengthening bonds
as it is about removing
parasites.
And strong bonds
are all the more vital
when predators are about.
(Chirruping and growls)
Other hunters
are on the prowl.
A crocodile can smell a
carcass hundreds of feet away.
A civet cat
hunts for insects.
Leopards like Kamuti
have the most varied diet of
all the big cats in Africa,
eating more than
30 different prey species.
Kamuti will hunt animals
as large as impala...
..down to those
the size of a hare
or occasionally
even smaller.
Almost anything
is fair game.
Though a fully-grown hippo is
a little out of her league.
An Egyptian goose? Well,
beggars can't be choosers.
Timing is everything.
(Geese squawk)
Such an incredible hunt
has never been filmed before.
Watching again, it's clear
just how close she got.
At 13 years old,
she's an elderly cat
and not quite as fit
as she once was.
In her younger days,
the outcome
might have been different.
She heads back out
on the hunt.
The Nsefu pride is also
looking for a kill.
Together, they're
a formidable team.
(Snorts)
And this time the hippo
must defend itself.
When in doubt,
head back to the river.
(Grunting)
In the south of Kamuti's
territory,
the big male leopard
is on a baboon hunt.
Baboons' night vision
is similar to ours.
Vulnerable on the ground,
the safest thing to do is to
roost as high up as possible.
The tallest trees
are in the ebony groves.
Time to sleep.
(Screeching)
The leopard knows exactly
where they are.
He's now right in the middle
of the baboons.
It's almost pitch black.
This is all they can see,
but they can hear something.
(Baboons call out)
The baboons sound the alarm.
(Frantic calling)
But it's too late for one
female member of the troop.
Climbing up a tree
is one thing.
Getting down is another.
Especially with 25 pounds
of baboon in your mouth.
He's forced to release his kill
as he drops to the ground.
The commotion draws in
other hungry predators.
Hyenas.
He'll have to eat quickly.
(Chirruping)
The next day, thousands of
carmine bee-eaters
emerge from their
riverbank nests
on the edge
of Kamuti's territory.
Each new day brings new
hunting opportunities
for the old, experienced
leopard, Kamuti.
But despite
her best efforts,
she hasn't had a decent meal
for nine days.
It's critical
that she eats soon.
She returns to her favorite
hunting ground.
The antelope are right
out in the open.
She knows there's no point
trying here.
She needs to be down
in the gully.
She's in luck.
An impala drops down
into the dried-up river.
Just what she needs.
This time there are no lions
to distract her.
Now it's down to stealth,
speed
and above all...timing.
(Wind blows strongly)
But there's something
she can't control.
(Impala calls out)
A sudden change
in wind direction
may have given
her scent away.
But if there's one thing
Kamuti has learned,
it's perseverance.
She moves further up
the gully.
Slowly does it.
The impala edge ever closer.
Here's her chance.
(Impala calls out)
Success at last.
A good-sized meal
in the nick of time.
This will keep her going
for a few days.
Years of experience
have made Kamuti the hunter
that she is today.
Cunning and skill, patience
and determination,
are key to her ongoing
survival.
As is her favorite
hunting ground,
where she can be invisible,
even in daylight.
But Kamuti's age
is catching up with her.
Every hunt is getting
that little bit harder.
And it won't be long before
she's hungry again.
This is the life of a leopard
in the African wilderness.
♪♪
♪♪
