0:00:02 > 0:00:04The world is full of amazing animals.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07Tales of life and death happen daily.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12For the youngest members, growing up is tough...really tough.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15These stories recreate their roller-coaster lives.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Here, on Wild Tales.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28We're following the fortunes of three fantastic animal characters.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Yogi, our clever grizzly bear, will soon have to face a future alone.
0:00:35 > 0:00:41Kumi, our cheeky leopard cub, is about to get into trouble again.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47And brave Rooney, the newest recruit to the meerkat team,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50is about to face his biggest challenge yet.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55But, where do we start?
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Well, hold on, you're about to find out.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05First stop is the Katmai National Park in Alaska.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Last time we visited Yogi,
0:01:09 > 0:01:14his mum was teaching him all the skills needed to survive on his own.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18That was over a year-and-a-half ago.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25Now, Yogi's much bigger and hopefully bolder.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27He's done well to get this far,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30but now he's got a big challenge ahead of him.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36Like most bears of his age, he's all on his own.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Grizzly mums look after their cubs for the first three years,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44but soon after that, the cubs are expected to go it alone.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Up until today, Yogi's always had Momma Bear by his side,
0:01:50 > 0:01:54but now she's nowhere to be seen.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57This must be a really difficult time for poor Yogi.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Hang on. Who's that? Is it Momma Bear?
0:02:06 > 0:02:10No, it's another mum and she's got two cubs.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Yogi could do with some company. Maybe he could join this family.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21But this female's already got two big mouths to feed.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23She's not gonna take on another cub.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Though that's not going to stop Yogi trying.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30They're checking each other out. Careful, Yogi!
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Thank goodness, Yogi's backing off.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38With two cubs to protect, this female could get nasty,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41especially if Yogi gets too close.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Yikes, Yogi's got to make a run for it.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58He's obviously not wanted round here.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Poor Yogi. He must be feeling pretty lonely.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13He's been looking for Momma Bear, but she's definitely left him.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16She's gone off to start a new family.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Now that Yogi's nearing his fourth birthday,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Momma Bear's job of raising him is done.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25She's taught him everything he needs to know.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28He just needs to learn one final lesson -
0:03:28 > 0:03:32how to live alone, like all other big bears.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37It's a tough lesson, but let's hope he's up to the job.
0:03:44 > 0:03:50Our next destination is 10,000 miles away in Africa's Kalahari Desert.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57And when we last visited the meerkats, Rooney showed his mettle
0:03:57 > 0:04:02as he led the team to victory against a lethal puff adder.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07Today, it's another big test for Meerkats United.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12They've gobbled up all the tasty bugs and grubs on offer in this patch.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15For Mum and Dad, the solution is to up sticks
0:04:15 > 0:04:17and move the whole team to a new home.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23This is an exciting time for Rooney. He's never moved house before
0:04:23 > 0:04:27and this is his first trip into pastures new.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30But he's gotta be careful.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Moving to a new home ground brings with it the risk of the unknown.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39The team are looking tense.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Uh-oh! Here's trouble!
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Rooney's never seen one of these before.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52It's a rock monitor lizard, and it's massive.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Over a metre long and built like a dinosaur.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59Steer clear, Rooney,
0:04:59 > 0:05:04this guy can give a nasty bite and pack a punch with that heavy tail.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14It's quite capable of devouring a litter of young meerkats
0:05:14 > 0:05:16deep in a burrow.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20But this one just wants to avoid being hassled.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35This is what happens when you move from the safety of your home ground.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37You bump into scary strangers.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Look, brave Rooney's holding his ground,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59and the rest of the gang are backing him up.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02They've done it. The lizard's backing off.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04He's retreating underground.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11And now, our super-brave Rooney is making sure the lizard
0:06:11 > 0:06:14stays in his hole.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24Well done, Rooney! Another well-earned victory!
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Up to now our star player has been winning every time.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34But out here, your luck can change in an instant.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Travelling north, we're back in Kenya's Masai Mara.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44Last time we saw Kumi
0:06:44 > 0:06:49he was hanging around with Mum, relying on her for his every meal.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56A year has passed and look at Kumi now.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59He's larger, but he's still a mummy's boy.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03At two-and-a-half years old, it's high time Kumi
0:07:03 > 0:07:06started showing some signs of looking after himself.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09He can't stay with Mum forever.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12As soon as she meets another male, he'll be chased away.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Oh, what's he doing?!
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Ah, he's marking that bush with his scent.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Now, this is a really big step for Kumi.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32It's a real sign that he's growing up.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36By spraying the bush with his urine,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39he's sending a message to other leopards -
0:07:39 > 0:07:41"This is my patch. Keep out!"
0:07:41 > 0:07:44He's trying to establish his own territory.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49But if he really wants to survive on his own,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52he's got to start hunting for himself.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56And it looks as though he's spotted something.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Oh, no! He can't be going for those giraffe?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Kumi's got no hope of catching those guys.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13They're way too big for any leopard.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20But that's not gonna stop Kumi. He's still just a big kitten
0:08:20 > 0:08:24and it looks like he'll chase anything that moves.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32The giraffe don't look too bothered.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35No point in trying to hide. They can see you!
0:08:40 > 0:08:45Kumi's realised that these guys are a bit out of his league!
0:08:45 > 0:08:50It's a good start, but goodness knows what he'll be up to next!
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Yogi's still getting used to life on his own.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05But it's all part of growing up.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Hey, look! Another youngster is headed over his way.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19How exciting! A bit of company at last.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Yogi can't wait to meet him.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Grizzlies lead solitary lives once they leave their families,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31but single bears do get together to test their strength.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Yogi and the other youngster are having a play-fight.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43This is a great way for them to build up their muscles.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47And it's all good practice
0:09:47 > 0:09:51for when they're older, with territories to defend.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04But Yogi can't spend too much time hanging out with other bears.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09He needs to get back to the day-to-day business
0:10:09 > 0:10:11of looking after himself...
0:10:12 > 0:10:15..starting with finding his next meal.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20It's the time of year that Yogi loves best -
0:10:20 > 0:10:23summer, when the salmon begin their migration.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30Thanks to Momma Bear, Yogi's had plenty of fishing lessons.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34But will he be able to catch any fish now that he's on his own?
0:10:47 > 0:10:50For the meerkats, moving house is full of dangers.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Although they've arrived at their new home,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56they've still got to be on their guard.
0:10:58 > 0:11:04The team usually take over left-over burrows, dug up by ground squirrels.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07But they've gotta be really careful
0:11:07 > 0:11:11as some holes can also be home to deadly snakes.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16But right now, the meerkat team aren't worrying about hidden dangers.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20They're too excited about all the bugs and grubs on offer.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Rooney's now eight weeks' old,
0:11:23 > 0:11:28and is getting really good at digging up desert delicacies,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30especially scorpions!
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Hang on...
0:11:33 > 0:11:37The meerkat on guard duty isn't chirping. The team are in danger.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39THEY CHIRP
0:11:45 > 0:11:49And now he's signalling the bird alarm.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52THEY CHIRP
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It's a goshawk!
0:12:04 > 0:12:08The team are scarpering. Rooney knows he's got to dive for cover,
0:12:08 > 0:12:10but where's he gonna go?
0:12:10 > 0:12:13He's found a hole. He's first down.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17What was that?!
0:12:17 > 0:12:21The goshawk has gone. The team can come back out now.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Oh, no, look at Rooney. He's limping.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37This is really serious. He's got a nasty scratch on his shoulder.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48If that's a snake bite, then he could be in real trouble.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55ROONEY WHIMPERS
0:13:05 > 0:13:09It's the end of August. The salmon have reached their peak.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Yogi seems to be doing OK so far,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18but he's got a lot more eating to do.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23As he grows bigger and bigger, he needs to eat more than ever before,
0:13:23 > 0:13:27otherwise he won't make it through the winter.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33This first year after leaving Mum is the most dangerous for Yogi.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36One in three bears will die.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Either they don't eat enough or they get killed by bigger bears.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Yogi's checking for the best fishing spot.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56But all those fish have attracted lots of bigger bears too,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59so he's got to be careful.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Yogi's looking a little intimidated by all those other bears.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11He's going for it, though.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Oh, missed it!
0:14:19 > 0:14:24He's trying again. Look at him go. He's full of beans.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27He's caught something.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34But he doesn't want anyone else to see,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37in case they grab it off him.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Whoa! That's not a salmon.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51It's a flounder. Better than nothing, I guess.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Uh-oh, here comes another bear.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Watch out, Yogi.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Oh, no, he's dropped his fish.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07And look! The other bear's stolen it.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12Poor Yogi. He's got to learn to hold onto his catch, cos if he doesn't,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16there's no way he'll survive through the next winter.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31Has Rooney's luck finally run out? It looks like he has a snake-bike
0:15:31 > 0:15:36and the venom's pumping through his body and sapping all his strength.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42He's in a bad way. He's struggling to keep up with the others
0:15:42 > 0:15:46as they go back on the hunt for food.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Come on, Rooney! It's not safe out here.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52The goshawk could still be nearby.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Oh, look at that. Thank goodness!
0:15:57 > 0:16:01He's made it back to the burrow, and just in time.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03He's too weak to move a muscle.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07He's only just clinging onto life.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12The venom's knocked him for six. Is he gonna make it?
0:16:16 > 0:16:20The rest of the gang are finally returning to the burrow.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24They can sense something's wrong.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Poor little Rooney - he's not looking good.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33But if he can get enough rest, he might just stand a chance.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52After Kumi's ridiculous attempt at stalking giraffes,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55his mum, Mila, is off to do some proper hunting.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57She'll show him how it's done.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04There she is, hiding in a bush next to the river crossing.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11And this is what she's waiting for - Thomson's Gazelle.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17And they're running right in front of her. She's going for it.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Ooh! The gazelle went right into that rock!
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Mila's jumped into the water after it.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Wow! She's done it. What a catch!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Yes, she's got it!
0:17:35 > 0:17:38That's dinner sorted.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40So where's Kumi?
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Uh-oh, he's getting himself into trouble again.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53He's heading straight for a crocodile.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55And it's a big croc.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00Easy does it, Kumi. He must have picked up its scent.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03He's being more careful now.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Oh, no, he's getting too curious for his own good.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17He's walking straight up to it and sniffing it.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22This monster croc could snap Kumi in half!
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Phew. What a relief. He's backing off.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31That was a close shave,
0:18:31 > 0:18:36but hopefully Kumi's learnt not to mess with crocodiles.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43If Kumi is to survive as an adult, he's got to knuckle down
0:18:43 > 0:18:47and start doing some proper hunting for himself.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Yogi wasn't having too much luck with fishing last time we saw him,
0:18:59 > 0:19:04but after practising, he's going to brave the best fishing grounds...
0:19:05 > 0:19:07..the falls.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11The salmon are literally leaping into the bear's mouths.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21But to get the best fishing spot, you need to be big.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24And this place is full of big bears,
0:19:24 > 0:19:29who aren't afraid of getting into a scrap to protect the best spots.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Uh-oh, Yogi's trying to muscle in on the biggest bear here.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42Yikes! If he doesn't back down, he'll get ripped to pieces.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Phew, he's got the message.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Now the big guy's taking up his position.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Yogi could still get lucky, but he has to be patient.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Oh, the big guy's caught one.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21And now, number two got one as well.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27At last, Yogi's got the top of the falls all to himself. Fantastic!
0:20:28 > 0:20:30But is he gonna catch anything?
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Yes! And it's a whopper!
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Yogi's really proved himself.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47He's not even four and look at him -
0:20:47 > 0:20:50he's catching fish with the best of them.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54With these fishing skills, he'll be able to pile on the pounds
0:20:54 > 0:20:58and make it through his first winter alone.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01And in a few years' time, who knows?
0:21:01 > 0:21:06He could grow enough to command his own territory and be a daddy bear!
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Kumi's starting to show signs of independence,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18but if he wants to survive on his own,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21he's got to start catching his own prey.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26After many failed attempts during the day,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29he's going to wait for darkness to fall.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35For leopards, this is THE best time to go hunting.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39QUIET HOWL
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Kumi notices a noise in the canopy.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46It's baboons.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52The last time he encountered these monkeys, he feared for his life.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56But now that he's bigger, the baboons should be fearful.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Leopards will eat almost anything they can get their claws on,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08even baboons.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Kumi's going on the attack.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Thanks to all his training from Mum, he's a master tree climber.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25He knows they've heard him.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28But Kumi's got the upper hand.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35A leopard's night vision is seven times better than a baboon's.
0:22:35 > 0:22:41Like us, these monkeys can see little at all in the darkness.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Kumi's going for it!
0:22:59 > 0:23:01BABOONS CHATTER
0:23:12 > 0:23:15BABOON SQUEALS
0:23:15 > 0:23:17He's caught one! This is incredible!
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Kumi's made his first kill.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25And at last he's proved that he can look after himself.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28CHEWING
0:23:34 > 0:23:38It's been two days since Rooney's fateful encounter with a snake.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44While the rest of the team are foraging nearby,
0:23:44 > 0:23:49Rooney's mustering all his strength to pull through.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Meerkats have some immunity to a snake bite,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55but it's not always enough.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57They can still die.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01But as long as Rooney can hold on,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04his chances of survival are good,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07and right now he's doing really well.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Oh, look! This is amazing.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20He's waking up. What a fighter!
0:24:22 > 0:24:26Against all the odds, brave little Rooney has pulled through!
0:24:26 > 0:24:29The worst is clearly over.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Through thick and thin,
0:24:35 > 0:24:39this little meerkat has certainly proved himself as a star player.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46And if he carries on his winning streak,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49he could be leading his own team one day.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Our Wild Tales have almost come to an end...
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Looking at our stars now,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09it's easy to forget how much they have all gone through.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It's been a rocky ride from the start.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18The moment they were born, they were facing a whole new exciting world.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24At just a few days old,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Rooney was taking his first steps outside the burrow.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33Soon after emerging from his den, Yogi was climbing trees.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41And at just three-months-old, Kumi was struggling up a river bank.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Growing up wild is never easy
0:25:46 > 0:25:50and our stars have certainly had their fair share of drama.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54From whitewater rafting...
0:25:54 > 0:25:57To outwitting dangerous baboons...
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And standing up to a deadly cobra.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03But they've have also had a great time.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Thanks to support from their families,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12they've learnt the lessons needed to survive.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18From tackling scorpions... to fishing bear-style.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22And learning where to hide from a gang of angry lions.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Each of our heroes has proved themselves.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Rooney has battled against snakes and giant lizards.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35He's even survived a lethal bite.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38This brave little fighter has earned his place
0:26:38 > 0:26:41as a star player on the meerkat team.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Yogi is now a master at finding his own food,
0:26:45 > 0:26:50whether it's by beachcombing, fishing or berry-picking.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54At last, this clever bear is finally able to look after himself.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00And Kumi has honed his tree-climbing and stalking skills,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03so it won't be long before he's on his own.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06But right now, he's still a mummy's boy!
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Growing up can be really tough, but Rooney...
0:27:14 > 0:27:20Yogi...and Kumi have all made it through the most challenging years.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25They've proved they can take on anything that's thrown their way.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29There will be more challenges for all of them in the future,
0:27:29 > 0:27:34but for now it's time to leave them. After all, the world's a big place.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38There'll always be more Wild Tales happening somewhere, every day.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:27:48 > 0:27:50E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk