The warthog, a creature known for dwelling in burrows across vast territories, shares these plains with the cheetah and their young.
Displaying territorial behavior, the warthog sometimes exhibits extreme hostility. In a dramatic encounter, the warthog caught sight of the young cheetahs nearby and launched an attack.
This pioneering series follows the interconnected stories of a cast of iconic savannah animals over one year. With unique access to a pristine and unspoilt corner of the Serengeti deep in the heart of Africa, this series captures the drama of the animals’ daily lives and the emotional moments they face. Join the lonely lioness, exiled from the pride, the passionate baboon desperately trying to win back his lost love and the cheeky, fun-loving mongoose family on the lookout for a free lunch.
Packed full of humour, heartbreak and nail-biting tension, their captivating adventures will keep you hooked. Using groundbreaking filming techniques and an original music score to put you at the heart of the action, Serengeti brings this incredible world of real-life animal drama to the screen in intimate and breathtaking detail.
Deep in the forests of New Guinea there is a rich variety of life, each more bizarre than the last. One such spectacle is the male Bird of Paradise who appears to go to extraordinary lengths to attract a mate.
“At the scene near camp Khwai, we saw two lionesses lying in the shade on a blistering hot day. After a while we returned to camp for brunch and around 40 min later we returned to the lions to see if anything had changed. Upon arrival, we noticed there were no lions in the shade, but when we looked to the other side of us we saw the lions already on the roan antelope less than 15 meters from us. The initial attack was only witnessed by the people in our car and we were the only people that witnessed everything from start to finish.”
“Initial emotions were emotions of excitement at being able to see such a rare sighting in broad daylight. However, as the day unfolded feelings of sorrow and heroics developed towards the struggling roan. Battered and bruised, the roan was fighting for survival.”
“By the time we had to leave late afternoon both the roan and lions were lying in the shade, mere meters away from each other. It seemed as if there was a truce between them. We returned to the scene the next morning, but didn’t see anything. I am of the opinion that the roan died somewhere during the night, but no one knows for sure. One can only assume what happened in the end.”
“I have been privileged to see many rare animal sightings and behaviours throughout Southern Africa, but this tops the list as the most touching and memorable sighting. Almost as if there was an emotional connection”.
This is rare footage captured by the Campbell-Harris family while on holiday to the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
This sighting was spotted on the S1, 300m West of the S65 turnoff West of Skukuza.
Gorillas, the gentle giants of the primate world, have long fascinated humans with their intelligence, social structures, and striking similarities to our own species.
These magnificent creatures, found in the dense forests of Central Africa, are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, sharing a staggering 98.3% of our DNA. This article will delve into the fascinating world of gorillas and explore the remarkable connections we share with them.
First, let’s take a closer look at the different gorilla species:
Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): The smallest of the gorilla subspecies, western lowland gorillas are found in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Angola.
Eastern Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla graueri): Also known as Grauer’s gorillas, they are the largest of the gorilla subspecies and are native to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei): Famed for their appearances in documentaries and conservation efforts, mountain gorillas inhabit the montane forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda.
Cross River Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli): The rarest and most endangered gorilla subspecies, Cross River gorillas are found in a small region along the border between Nigeria and Cameroon.
Gorillas and humans share a multitude of similarities, including:
DNA: As mentioned earlier, gorillas share 98.3% of our DNA, making them our closest relatives after chimpanzees and bonobos.
Social Structure: Gorillas live in stable, cohesive groups called troops, which are led by a dominant silverback male. These troops can consist of several females, their offspring, and other males. Similarly, humans are also social creatures that form families and communities.
Intelligence: Gorillas are highly intelligent, with the ability to use tools, learn sign language, and even recognize themselves in mirrors. They have been observed using sticks to gauge water depth, rocks to crack open hard-shelled fruits, and leaves as napkins to wipe their mouths.
Communication: Gorillas communicate using a complex system of vocalizations, body language, and facial expressions. They have been documented using over 25 different vocalizations to convey various messages, from expressing contentment to warning off potential threats.
Emotions: Gorillas experience a wide range of emotions, including joy, sadness, anger, and fear. They have been observed engaging in play, grooming, and even showing empathy towards one another.
Kim Hathway, a consultant broker for Discovery, saw the entire scene play out in Etosha National Park.
Kim and her friends were the only people at the Aus waterhole on the day, having no luck with their sightings, they were just about to move on to their next location. Then, out of nothing but luck, a lioness stuck her head over the hill.
The pride of lions made their way toward the waterhole, filling the atmosphere with excitement. Kim had a feeling that they were ready for action.
A few minutes on, a large black rhino came galloping over the very same hill. Exhausted by the Namibian heat, it headed straight for the little that remained in the waterhole. It instantly plonked itself down, trying to cool off in the muddied water.
Kim couldn’t believe her luck. At the time the rhino couldn’t seem to care about the nearby predators, it was too set on getting a drink, but the lions were certainly aware of it.
The pride inched their way closer and closer, but the rhino didn’t let out much of a reaction. It was almost as if it couldn’t…
This is when Kim realized that something was wrong. The waterhole was quite deep and with the thick mud at the bottom, the rhino was simply stuck and became a sitting duck for the hungry pride of lions.
The lions eventually realized what was happening too and decided to make the most of their luck. Although they knew it was stuck, they were still fully aware of how dangerous a rhino can be. They approached with caution and used hunting tactics to try and finish the job.
Sadly, there wasn’t much that the immobile rhino could do, but all the commotion created by the lions amazingly gave the helpless rhino a lifeline! A passing herd of elephants saw what was happening and acted immediately. They charged at the pride as a unit, and the lions were forced to back off.
With the threat out of sight, most of the herd continued on their way, but one elephant wasn’t happy to leave the rhino at the mercy of the lions. It desperately tried to get the rhino out of the waterhole. Using its tusks and foot, it pushed and pushed, without any luck. At one point the ellie even looked like it was on top of the poor rhino.
This lasted for hours and it unfortunately came to the point where the elephant could simply do no more. It had to move on, even knowing that the lions were still around.
It didn’t take long for the pride to swing back into action. The elephant herd was still around, and they chased them off a few more times, but the ellies soon realized that the case was hopeless and that there was nothing they could do. Leaving the rhino all alone once more.
The lions came back in and eventually managed to flip the rhino on its back, leading to its inevitable drowning. The rhino’s fight was over, and the predators came out as the victors in this unbelievable wildlife story.
This footage was shared with LatestSightings.com by Shannon Finnegan after she took it while on a safari in the Kruger National Park.
Shannon tells us the story:
“We had been driving along this quieter dirt road in Kruger Park one hot afternoon. This particular road was not as popular with visitors, which is why we decided to give it a try.”
“After about two hours of very little wildlife sightings, we were taken by surprise when two lionesses walked out on to the road in front of us. Everyone in the car perked up and we felt so incredibly lucky to have such a close lion sighting and with no other cars around at the time. We followed slowly behind the lions for while they made their way along the road. It appeared that this was a mature lioness accompanied by a sub or young adult female.”
“We already felt things couldn’t get much better, but we were in for a heck of a show. Out of nowhere, a warthog walked out onto the road maybe 90-100 meters ahead. The lions behavior instantly switched to hunting mode and they jumped into the tall grass to start their ambush.”
“The direction and strength of the wind was at the advantage of the lions and the warthog never stood a chance. It was grazing along the center of the road and slowly making its way in the direction of our car.”
“It was incredible to see the lions hunting tactics. The younger female started to make her way around to position herself behind the incoming warthog. Every move was steady and she kept glancing back to the older female as if almost for approval of her approach.”
“The older female remained hidden close to our car and waited for the right moment to strike. Once the warthog was in reach, the younger female hopped out behind it and frightened it forward right into the jaws of the mature female. We could not believe what we had just witnessed. The lions quickly dispatched the warthog and the air filled with the smell of its now exposed intestines. The two females made quick work of their fresh meal. This is truly an encounter I will never forget and feel so grateful to have witnessed.”
The rivalry over territory can become an ugly one at times. And, when wild animals clash, you can be sure that there are never 2 winners, there will always be one between the two that pulls the shortest straw.
“When we heard the strange hyena calls, we quickly headed off to find out what was going on. Two hyenas were in the river – battling it out! One was the dominant and the other one trying to retreat.”
“We were all shocked as it was the first time any of us had seen such a vicious struggle between hyenas. It was harsh to watch as the hyena being struck was already badly wounded and looked exhausted and in pain. We felt obligated to watch though, as this was fascinating, especially being a field guide and never having seen something like this before – although –not pleasant to watch.”
“After about 2 hours of on and off fighting, we saw the original dominant and 2 other hyenas heading down the road towards the injured hyena, and at that stage, we knew that the hyena would not survive the last fight, so we decided to leave it in peace. We later found out from the office that the hyenas had finished the hyena off after we left.”
“We sent our footage through to a hyena expert to find out what they thought could have been the reason for such a battle. She explained that the 4 hyenas involved were all males. The young hyena (she could tell by the teeth) being pushed had probably recently left his clan to find another clan to join, as males will do to ensure genetic variation. The 3 males of this territory weren’t happy about it, which is something that happens from time to time.”
“This was the worst hyena encounter I have ever seen. Usually, you get the normal scuffle at food, but never an intense ongoing battle like this one. Even though it’s never pleasant watching any animal in distress, it is nature, which always has a purpose, and if you can stomach it –it’s a sighting you will never forget and probably never get to watch again! So take as much video and photos as possible, because it could be educational to others. “
When I met this capybara there was an instant bond. We were so happy to see each other. Listen to the noises he made when I have him attention. It was a wonderful feeling of oneness and kindness.
Fun Fact about Capybaras: They are so relaxed that they literally do not care what you do around them or to them as long as you don’t hurt them. You can often find them hanging out with predators like crocodiles or with small animals sitting on their backs and riding them. They also have a symbiotic relationship with birds as the capybaras will roll around in dirt and get insects all over them and the birds will land on them, eat the insects, and clean the capybara. Super cool rodents.