0:00:02 > 0:00:05The world is full of amazing animal families.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Tales of life and death happen every day.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11For the youngest members, growing up is tough, really tough.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17These stories recreate their rollercoaster lives on Wild Tales.
0:00:23 > 0:00:29We're following the fortunes of three fantastic animals characters.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Yogi, our little bear cub,
0:00:31 > 0:00:36is about to wake from his first big winter sleep.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Kumi, our cheeky leopard cub, has a scary encounter
0:00:40 > 0:00:44with his dangerous neighbours.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48And brave Rooney shows off his star qualities as he steps
0:00:48 > 0:00:53into the front line to fight off a lethal puff adder.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56But where do we start?
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Well, you're about to find out.
0:00:59 > 0:01:05First stop is Kenya's Masai Mara in East Africa.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Last time we visited, Kumi and his mum Mila were on their way to
0:01:09 > 0:01:13a wildebeest kill and were ambushed by ferocious lions.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20They dashed for safety up a tree.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25We left them under siege knowing any attempt to climb down
0:01:25 > 0:01:27could end in a fatality.
0:01:29 > 0:01:34Next morning, and they've stayed up in the tree the whole night.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39They're safe up there, as, luckily, lions aren't very good at climbing.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43But if Kumi makes a wrong move now,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45there's a chance he could get killed.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Lions just hate other big cats, especially leopards.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52They see them as unwelcome competition.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Sit tight, Kumi!
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Uh-oh, he's looking very nervous.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07He's pacing up and down the branches checking out the lions below.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Let's hope he's not looking for an escape route.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Mila and Kumi are desperate to get down.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20They haven't had a drink all night.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23This is a real test of their patience.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30At last, the lions seem to be backing off.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33This could be a big chance to escape.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37But they've gotta be careful. The lions may not have gone far.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46Mum's leading the way. She's got to stay on her guard.
0:02:53 > 0:02:59Now Kumi's coming down. So far, so good.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01But they can't hang around here.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04The lions could be back at any moment.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Travelling 1,000 miles south across Africa,
0:03:17 > 0:03:22our destination is the Kalahari desert and our meerkat Rooney.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27Like most deserts, it gets very cold at night.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Now, as the sun rises, the whole team needs to warm up.
0:03:31 > 0:03:38For the adults, that means the usual sunbathing. But what's Rooney up to?
0:03:38 > 0:03:44He's found another way of keeping warm. It's playtime!
0:03:58 > 0:04:03Rooney and the pups love to muck about and they're not the only ones.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Look, Dad's joining in too.
0:04:11 > 0:04:17There are arms, legs and tails everywhere. This is great fun.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Where's Rooney gone?
0:04:21 > 0:04:24He must be stuck down that hole.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Whoa! There he is! Wow!
0:04:30 > 0:04:31Let's see that again.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38But there's more to play than just fun and games.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Meerkats are very social animals.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Living in a big group means you have to have some order.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48By play-fighting, they work out who's strong and who's weak.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50And look at Rooney go.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53He's keen to climb up the ranks.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Hopefully, he'll follow in Dad's footsteps
0:04:58 > 0:05:00and lead his own team.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Now to the chillier climes
0:05:09 > 0:05:12of Alaska's Katmai National Park.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14SNORING
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Yogi and his family, have been snoozing
0:05:17 > 0:05:19away through the winter.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24It was the first proper hibernation for the two little cubs.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29But after one of the coldest winters ever,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32it's touch and go if Yogi and his sister will survive.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36WIND HOWLS
0:05:36 > 0:05:38There's Mama Bear.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40But what about the cubs?
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Have they made it?
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Oh, what a relief. There's Yogi.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52This is fantastic. He's survived his biggest test yet.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54But what about his sister?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56This isn't looking good.
0:05:56 > 0:05:57There's no sign of her.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Oh, no, they're not hanging around.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06If she was alive, they would definitely have waited for her.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09This is really bad news.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12She must have died in hibernation.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Starvation is one of the biggest killers in wintertime.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Bears can lose up to half their weight during their long sleep.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27Little Sis didn't eat enough to keep her going for all that time.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30But at least we've got Yogi.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33He's got to make sure he does everything
0:06:33 > 0:06:37to give himself the best chance of making it through the next winter.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40As he gets bigger, he needs to pile on more pounds,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43so he's got to start eating.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51It's very early in the season,
0:06:51 > 0:06:56and there's not a lot of food, so Mama Bear's brought Yogi
0:06:56 > 0:06:59to the coast to teach him how to catch clams.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07It involves getting your nose dirty.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12With his amazing sense of smell, Yogi can sniff out the clams
0:07:12 > 0:07:15buried a foot below the surface of the sand.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19But he's gotta tread carefully.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22The clams can detect vibrations and
0:07:22 > 0:07:26will dive deeper into the sand if they feel a bear is coming.
0:07:26 > 0:07:27Just watch Mama.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31She's sniffing and being very quiet.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Nothing there.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Ah. She's sniffed one out.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Bingo! One fresh clam.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54All you need to do now is prize it open.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Clams are a source of protein,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01and Yogi's trying to find some of his own.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04His claws are good at shifting that wet sand.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12It looks like you've scared that one away.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21That's better. He's nabbed one!
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Thanks to Mama, he's learning a new way of finding food.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29If he doesn't want to end up the same way as his sister,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32he's got to find as much as he can right now.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46The lions seem to have gone, so it's finally clear for our leopards.
0:08:46 > 0:08:51They're both starving, so Mila's leading Kumi
0:08:51 > 0:08:56to the spot where she stashed away her latest kill, a wildebeest.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00But he'll have to find it.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04It's all part of his training to be a grown-up.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Ooh, look. Kumi's sniffing around.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10That must be where the kill is stashed.
0:09:10 > 0:09:16Mila's watching on. She's got to let Kumi find the wildebeest by himself.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Oh, look, he's got it!
0:09:18 > 0:09:22He's keen to get it out. Look at him struggling.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23It must be pretty heavy.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36Kumi's managed to pull it out and... Kumi, you've dropped your dinner!
0:09:36 > 0:09:37Never mind.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Kumi was never one for table manners.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Leopards are solitary cats, and so they tend to eat alone.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Kumi needs to learn that.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53It means he gets a bigger portion.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57But he can't rely on Mum for all his meals.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01To become independent, he's got to fend for himself.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03First he's to discover what's
0:10:03 > 0:10:06on a leopard's menu other than wildebeest.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Yogi and Mama have been
0:10:18 > 0:10:22tucking into clams and anything else they can get their paws on,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26but it's summer and time for Yogi to learn a new skill,
0:10:26 > 0:10:28fishing.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Mama's taking Yogi to a spot where
0:10:30 > 0:10:34the salmon are literally jumping out of the water.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41But with so many fish about, it's very hard to concentrate.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Yogi's gonna have to try a few
0:10:48 > 0:10:51clever fishing techniques if he wants a catch.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55First off, the belly flop.
0:10:56 > 0:11:02Mm, not so successful. Let's go upstream to some shallower water.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06The fish are nearer the surface, so should be easier to catch.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Now, time to watch Mama, Yogi.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14She's showing him another technique, wading. What you've got to do is
0:11:14 > 0:11:17put your nose close to the water, look for the fish
0:11:17 > 0:11:22and then try to grab one between your paw and a rock.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Got one. That's how you do it, Yogi.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Mama Bear makes it look easy, but it takes a lot of skill.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40That's cheating, Yogi.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Catch your own!
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Here he goes.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50First he's got to wrestle with the rapids.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57And then he's got to find some fish.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00It's touch and go.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Wow! Nice one, Yogi. He's caught his first salmon!
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Now he's taking it so he can scoff it down and...
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Oh, no, quick, catch it, Yogi, don't let it get away.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Slippery suckers, aren't they?
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Yes! He's got another.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26He's on a roll now.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31Learning to fish is a vital skill for Yogi to master,
0:12:31 > 0:12:33as soon he'll be on his own.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37So far, he's making good progress,
0:12:37 > 0:12:39but he's got lots more learning.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53After all that playing and mucking about, Rooney needs a break.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Time for something more relaxing, like grooming.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02This is a good way of team bonding,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05but it's also a great way to keep everyone clean.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09They're removing ticks and parasites from each other.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Look at Rooney.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13He's getting a lovely bath.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21But not everyone on the team can relax. For these meerkats,
0:13:21 > 0:13:26there's always someone on guard duty, looking out for danger.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Uncle Bob's currently on the lookout.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33He's doing a good job so far, keeping up a nice loud chirp
0:13:33 > 0:13:36to let everyone know the coast is clear.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39HE CHIRPS
0:13:43 > 0:13:46He's been on duty since dawn and is a bit tired.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Whoa, steady there, Bob! Whoops!
0:13:56 > 0:13:59As Bob makes his way back up,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Rooney's come to check out what's going on.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08His hero, Uncle Bob, is having some trouble staying upright.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Time for a change of guard.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14But climbing back down isn't that simple.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Ow! Time for Auntie Mavis to take over.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33To Rooney, being on guard duty looks kind of intriguing.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36So he's keen to give it a try.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44That's it. You've got the right idea.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51Now you just gotta go a bit higher, like Auntie Mavis.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Ooh, now even she's having a wobble.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Maybe this guard-duty lark isn't for Rooney after all.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15Yogi and Mama are fishing
0:15:15 > 0:15:19and Yogi's really mastering his technique.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24After catching lots of salmon,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26he can at last take some time out.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Grizzlies are intelligent and inquisitive,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34and Yogi's no exception.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41He's found a new toy -
0:15:43 > 0:15:46a makeshift seesaw made from driftwood.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03Right, enough fun and games, Yogi. Time to get back to business.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10At this time, grizzly bears have a special ability.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14They can eat as much as they like without ever feeling full.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19But eating for bears isn't about how many fish you can gobble down,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22it's about which bits you choose.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27The skin, brains and eggs are the most nutritious bits of all.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30And this is where bears get really clever.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Yuck! Look at that. Yogi's learnt the quickest way
0:16:37 > 0:16:41to get at the best bits, the eggs, with a gentle squeeze.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47With that mastered,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Mama Bear is keen to push on with more fishing lessons
0:16:51 > 0:16:56for Yogi, and they involve a bit of snorkelling and diving.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01Let's hope Yogi doesn't mind getting out of his depth!
0:17:09 > 0:17:14Kumi's really tucking in to Mila's latest catch, a wildebeest.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17But Mum can't look after Kumi forever.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21She'll want to start another family before long,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23and when she gets pregnant,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25she'll chase Kumi out of her territory.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32As the day draws to a close, Kumi's heading down to the river.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36To survive and become a successful adult leopard,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39he's got to master some key hunting skills.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46The leopard is the ultimate stalker,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50especially at night, under cover of darkness.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Look how it creeps up on its prey,
0:17:54 > 0:17:59staying low to the ground so it doesn't get spotted.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Then it moves into position, within striking distance.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Now it's Kumi's turn.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Two Egyptian geese have flown down to the river for a drink.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15This ain't gonna be easy.
0:18:15 > 0:18:20For a start, Kumi's got no cover, especially as it's still daylight and
0:18:20 > 0:18:23these birds could easily fly away.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Look, he's trying a bit of stalking.
0:18:28 > 0:18:35This is really good practice. He's getting closer and closer.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45Oh, no, he's given the game away. The goose has spotted Kumi.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49You were never really gonna hide behind those tiny blades of grass.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54It was a long shot, but hey, at least he gave it a go.
0:18:54 > 0:19:00All good practice. But Kumi's still got plenty of learning to do.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07THUNDER RUMBLES
0:19:08 > 0:19:13In the Kalahari, there's a change in the weather.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19It's the start of the rainy season.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25The meerkat team are making a beeline for the burrow.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28THUNDER CRACKS
0:19:28 > 0:19:30They're not too keen on getting wet.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39Stormclouds pass over Rooney's home for three weeks,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42bringing nearly 20cm of rain.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53But this stormy weather isn't all bad news.
0:19:53 > 0:20:00As the heaviest rains pass by, the Kalahari is springing to life -
0:20:00 > 0:20:06new grass, fresh flowers and lots of yummy creepy-crawlies.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09What a difference three weeks makes!
0:20:09 > 0:20:15And look at the difference it's made to Rooney. He's really grown.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20At seven-weeks-old, he's nearly as big as all the grown-ups.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23But he still hasn't yet acquired
0:20:23 > 0:20:27all the skills he'll need as an adult meerkat.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29After being cooped up,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32he's like a big kid and can't wait to explore.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35He's never seen flowers before.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Rooney can really become part of the team.
0:20:38 > 0:20:44But has he got what it takes to prove himself in attack and defence?
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Yogi's mastered his fishing technique,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01and it's time for the next lesson.
0:21:07 > 0:21:13Mama Bear's taken Yogi far upstream to a massive lake,
0:21:13 > 0:21:18and she's gonna show him a brand-new way to catch fish, snorkelling.
0:21:23 > 0:21:24Peering underwater,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28Mama Bear can spot dead and injured fish and pick them off.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Now Yogi's having a go.
0:21:46 > 0:21:53Ah, he's got one. That's just too easy!
0:21:53 > 0:21:58He's OK in the shallows, so now it's time for the advanced class.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00They go to deeper water,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03where the fish are much harder to get at.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Mama Bear's showing Yogi how
0:22:06 > 0:22:11to dive for his dinner, but first she's gotta take a deep breath.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26That's amazing.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29She dived seven metres down to catch that -
0:22:29 > 0:22:32equal to a two-storey building.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Yogi's bobbing about on the surface.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38It's his go now.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40He can see the fish.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42He's just gotta dive down.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45What's he doing?
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Looks like he hasn't quite worked out what to do this time.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Learning to fish is really important for Yogi,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57as one day soon he'll be on his own.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Since his exciting wild-goose chase, Kumi's been busy exploring.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21He's nearly fully grown, but he's still a youngster
0:23:21 > 0:23:24and needs to be careful of bumping into strangers,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26especially dangerous ones.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32And here are two at the top of the list.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35They're buffalo.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Kumi's backing off, and just as well. Buffalo are big.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44They're almost eight times the size of Kumi, and they've got horns.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47In fact, they're one of the most dangerous mammals in Africa.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Kumi seems really intrigued.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Perhaps he's never seen buffalo before.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00But he's gotta be really careful.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03These guys will charge at him if they feel angry or threatened,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07and our curious leopard cub could even get trampled to death.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14One of them has gone up behind him on the bank.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Kumi's not looking too comfortable any more.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20But these big guys don't give up easily.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23They've got good hearing...
0:24:24 > 0:24:28..sharp eyesight...
0:24:29 > 0:24:32..and a keen sense of smell.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35They know where he's hiding.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41Watch out, Kumi, they could be after you.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Uh-oh, they're moving in.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48He's making a run for it!
0:24:53 > 0:24:55He seems to have escaped.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57But the buffalo are still close by.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03And there are plenty more dangers out there for young leopards.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Be careful, Kumi.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Thanks to the rains, the desert is bursting with life
0:25:15 > 0:25:17and there's plenty of food up for grabs.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Look at Rooney go.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23He's famished, and those bugs don't stand a chance.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28But little does he know he's got a massive test ahead of him.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29Danger is approaching.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35It's probably the most deadly snake in Africa,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38responsible for more deaths than any other reptile.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41It's the puff adder.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47This is one snake you really don't want to bump into.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49It's aggressive
0:25:49 > 0:25:54and armed with lethal venom that can dissolve your blood and tissues.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Rooney's encountered snakes before, first a mole snake.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and then a cobra...
0:26:02 > 0:26:05..but nothing as dangerous as this big killer,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07and this time Rooney's big enough
0:26:07 > 0:26:10to be in the front line.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15It's dangerously close to where Rooney and the team are foraging.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Auntie Mavis is on guard duty.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23She's spotted it. There's the alarm.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Rooney recognizes that call: a snake's invaded.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33The team launch an attack.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35They've got to keep it out.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41This is Rooney's big chance to prove himself.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44He's stepping into the front line.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Look at him go. He's leading the attack.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Whoa! Just as well these guys have got lightning reactions,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00otherwise they wouldn't stand a chance.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Phew, the snake seems to have got the message.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10It's backed off. Well done, Rooney! What a star player!
0:27:10 > 0:27:14He's just fought off the deadliest snake in Africa.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Surely nothing can harm him now.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18Or can it?
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Next time on Wild Tales,
0:27:24 > 0:27:29how will clever Yogi get on when Momma Bear leaves him all alone?
0:27:31 > 0:27:36Has cheeky Kumi got what it takes to catch his own dinner?
0:27:36 > 0:27:41And will brave Rooney survive his deadliest encounter yet?
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Find out next time on Wild Tales.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media