0:00:06 > 0:00:08So far on Life Story,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10we've seen animals learn
0:00:10 > 0:00:12the lessons of childhood...
0:00:15 > 0:00:17..enter the adult world...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24..and find a safe home.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Now they must battle for dominance.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31CHIMPS SCREAM
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Because those with power get privileges.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38The best food, the best territory...
0:00:40 > 0:00:43..and the chance to beat rivals for a mate.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50But only a lucky few will ever reach the top.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19BIRDS CHIRP
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Senegal, West Africa.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30A forest water hole offers this group of chimpanzees
0:01:30 > 0:01:33a rare respite from the heat of the day.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42They are the lowliest members of their 30-strong troop.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Advanced age has robbed this old male of the standing
0:01:52 > 0:01:54he once enjoyed.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56CHIMP HOWLS
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And the youngsters are not old enough to really
0:02:00 > 0:02:03worry about status while still protected by their mothers.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13But this teenage male is too old to play with the babies any more.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18CHIMP GRUNTS
0:02:25 > 0:02:28The time has come for him to leave them behind
0:02:28 > 0:02:32and try to break into the ranks of the powerful adult males.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36This is particularly hard for a young male,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40because competition for top spots is so intense.
0:02:42 > 0:02:48And worse, he's an orphan, without friends, protection or guidance.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09These males are the troop leaders.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11They hold all the power here.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Joining them is every young male's ambition.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33To be accepted into this elite is the path to privilege,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35but it's a dangerous journey.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49CHIMPS GRUNT
0:03:52 > 0:03:55The youngster decides to follow.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00At first, he has enough sense to keep his distance.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04These males are twice his size.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11CHIMPS HOWL AND SCREAM WILDLY
0:04:15 > 0:04:17The low-ranking chimps retreat
0:04:17 > 0:04:20before the troop leaders arrive at the water hole.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Dominant males have a highly stressful life,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35as they constantly squabble to protect their position.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38CHIMPS HOWL AND SCREAM
0:04:39 > 0:04:42The youngster can't take his eyes off them.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46CHIMPS HOWL AND SCREAM
0:04:54 > 0:04:58This is his chance to get himself noticed.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01If he can impress even one of the big males with
0:05:01 > 0:05:05a show of strength, he might just be accepted into their ranks.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21His best attempt at a macho display has certainly
0:05:21 > 0:05:22caught their attention.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24CHIMP HOWLS
0:05:24 > 0:05:27CHIMPS HOWL AND SCREAM
0:05:29 > 0:05:31But they are not impressed.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34CHIMPS BEAT ON WOOD
0:05:41 > 0:05:45In fact, this drumming means they're getting rather angry.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51And they attack.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54CHIMPS HOWL AND SCREAM
0:05:57 > 0:05:59The youngster is not quick enough.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05CHIMPS HOWL AND SCREAM WILDLY
0:06:09 > 0:06:12He gets a short, sharp lesson about how hard it can be
0:06:12 > 0:06:15to break into this close-knit gang.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19CHIMPS BARK
0:06:19 > 0:06:22He's lucky to escape with just an injured hand.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25CHIMP WHINES
0:06:31 > 0:06:35For the moment, he's neither big enough nor strong enough
0:06:35 > 0:06:37to be taken seriously by the troop leaders.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46Without status, he will never enjoy the privileges of the best
0:06:46 > 0:06:48food or the attention of females.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56But aggression may not be the only route for a youngster to gain power.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Being at the bottom of the pile doesn't just mean a lack of status.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19For some, it can mean the difference between life and death.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29By midwinter, several hundred Alaskan bald eagles
0:07:29 > 0:07:31have gathered on the Chilkat River.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37They're here because it is the only source of food for miles around.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46This river holds the last of the year's spawning salmon.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58Battles amongst adult eagles establish who holds the power,
0:07:58 > 0:08:03and here, power means who gets food and who doesn't.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05EAGLES SQUAWK
0:08:09 > 0:08:11EAGLES SQUAWK
0:08:14 > 0:08:17EAGLES SQUAWK AND CHIRP
0:08:28 > 0:08:32So, what can a low-ranking, powerless juvenile do
0:08:32 > 0:08:34if she isn't going to starve?
0:08:37 > 0:08:41She must grab any opportunity that presents itself
0:08:41 > 0:08:43before adults stake their claim.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45EAGLE CALLS
0:08:56 > 0:08:59She tries to sneak in, unnoticed by the adults.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15But she's been spotted.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32EAGLE SQUAWKS
0:09:32 > 0:09:34The juvenile has done all the hard work.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41But her success is short-lived.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43CHIRPING AND SQUAWKING
0:09:49 > 0:09:52EAGLE SQUAWKS
0:09:52 > 0:09:55She can't afford to give up just yet.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09EAGLE CHIRPS
0:10:37 > 0:10:40The youngster may not be strong enough to fight for her fish.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45But other adults will.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54The adults' power games might just help her.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Now is her chance.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01EAGLE CAWS
0:11:04 > 0:11:09The squabble rapidly escalates into a full-blown fight.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12FRANTIC CHIRPING
0:11:28 > 0:11:31This isn't about the fish any more.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35This is about one adult enforcing dominance over another.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47The reclaimed fish is enough to keep the juvenile alive
0:11:47 > 0:11:49for at least a few more days.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53But there's a long, hard winter ahead.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Dawn in Africa's Kalahari Desert.
0:12:11 > 0:12:12In meerkat society,
0:12:12 > 0:12:16the success of the troop depends on decisions made by the leader.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Where to feed, where to sleep
0:12:20 > 0:12:22and how to deal with danger.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25MEERKAT CHATTERS
0:12:25 > 0:12:28No individual can hope to climb the hierarchy
0:12:28 > 0:12:30unless it accumulates knowledge.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36MEERKAT CHATTERS
0:12:42 > 0:12:44MEERKAT CHATTERS
0:12:44 > 0:12:46As the others wake up and emerge,
0:12:46 > 0:12:51this young meerkat is already up and on his way to his lookout post.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Being on watch is an excellent time
0:13:11 > 0:13:14to learn about the complexity of the troop's world.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Where they forage...
0:13:19 > 0:13:21..and who is friends with who.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23MEERKATS CHATTER
0:13:23 > 0:13:27But it's important not to lose concentration.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55A quick scramble back into position before anybody notices.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Scanning the skies is a lookout's most important task,
0:14:08 > 0:14:14because the troop is vulnerable to aerial attack by birds of prey.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15BIRDS CHATTER
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Youngsters quickly learn that weaverbirds are no danger.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24The more he watches, the more he learns,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28and the easier it becomes to distinguish friend from foe.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Or plain nuisance.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54But there's only so much even a keen student can take in
0:14:54 > 0:14:57at one sitting, especially on an empty stomach.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03So, this watcher abandons his post and heads off to feed.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24MEERKAT SCREECHES
0:15:26 > 0:15:27A cobra.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33There is no greater test for a young meerkat
0:15:33 > 0:15:37than how it deals with danger like this face to face.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49In the next few minutes, he's going to get the most important
0:15:49 > 0:15:51lesson of his young life.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01BIRDS CRY
0:16:03 > 0:16:05For kangaroos,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09the greatest challenges come from within their own society.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21For a male, there's only really one key lesson to learn in his life.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28To get to the top, he must become a fighter.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36The battles are so brutal that males need years of training to prepare.
0:16:41 > 0:16:42The effort is worth it,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46because a champion fighter wins privileged access to the females.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54This meadow is a boot camp for aspiring boxers.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Training starts as soon as a youngster is out of the pouch.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10Its mother is a handy opponent for a young joey learning the basics.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23But he's soon off in search of more sparring partners.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37The other grown-ups are not so tolerant of this lightweight.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58This male alone rules the meadow.
0:18:04 > 0:18:05He stands eight feet tall,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08his muscles hardened by years of sparring.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Today, a challenger for his title has come forward.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Full-blown fights are so dangerous, they're not entered into lightly.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30But when two males square up, it's time to clear the arena.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Anything goes in these power struggles.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Eye gouging is entirely within the rules.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04So is kicking below the belt.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15The dominant male's skill is already telling.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30The stakes are high.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33They risk broken bones and internal injuries.
0:19:46 > 0:19:47Suddenly...
0:19:49 > 0:19:50..it's all over.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54The champion has beaten off the challenger, at least for now.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04Only a few of the youngsters looking on will ever reach the top.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09And they've just seen exactly what it takes to get there.
0:20:24 > 0:20:30This young meerkat is facing a much more immediate and pressing test.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Nothing can really prepare a youngster for such a moment.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Should he attack or run?
0:20:43 > 0:20:45COBRA HISSES AND MEERKAT GROWLS
0:20:45 > 0:20:49For the good of the troop, there is only one right choice.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52He sounds the alarm to summon help.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55MEERKAT SCREECHES FRANTICALLY
0:20:59 > 0:21:03The rest of the clan, some 20 strong, rush to the scene.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07MEERKATS BARK AND SCREECH
0:21:15 > 0:21:17COBRA HISSES
0:21:37 > 0:21:39MEERKAT GROWLS
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Once these reinforcements arrive,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45the confrontation becomes completely one-sided.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48MEERKATS GROWL
0:21:55 > 0:21:57MEERKATS GROWL AND BARK
0:22:16 > 0:22:18COBRA HISSES
0:22:20 > 0:22:22The cobra is fast,
0:22:22 > 0:22:23but meerkats are faster.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27MEERKATS GROWL AND BARK
0:22:27 > 0:22:29COBRA HISSES
0:22:33 > 0:22:37A clash like this is not as dangerous as it might appear.
0:22:37 > 0:22:38COBRA HISSES
0:22:38 > 0:22:39MEERKATS BARK
0:22:39 > 0:22:41The cobra is on the defensive,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44and is now simply trying to get away from the baying hordes.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54The situation quickly turns into an open-air lesson, as the adults
0:22:54 > 0:22:57show the youngsters how to deal with a snake.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Danger averted,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13the older meerkats drift away to resume feeding.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34Meeting a cobra for the first time is a valuable lesson,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38which leaves a young meerkat a good deal wiser!
0:23:53 > 0:23:55MEERKAT CHIRPS
0:24:10 > 0:24:14In Senegal, it's been several weeks since the young chimp made
0:24:14 > 0:24:19his disastrous attempt to break into the elite group of dominant males.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31He's still at the bottom of the hierarchy, and alone.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40He uses a stick to winkle out a few termites for his lunch.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54While he feeds, he's being watched.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05It's another subordinate male, larger and a few years older.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16He doesn't appear threatening or aggressive.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31This male seems keen for the youngster to follow him.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50The older chimp leads the way up into the canopy.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55The youngster hesitates.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Perhaps his last encounter with older chimps is still
0:25:58 > 0:26:00fresh in his memory.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Does he follow or turn his back on what may be an opportunity?
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Finally, he climbs up towards the older chimp.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33One false move could lead to another beating.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44He makes an appeasing smile.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04It seems to be accepted.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15Emboldened, he takes a big risk and moves closer
0:27:15 > 0:27:17and reaches out to the older male.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31His instinct was right.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Grooming is a sign of acceptance and trust.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40The youngster has made a friend and perhaps gained a mentor.
0:27:42 > 0:27:47Now he has someone he can learn from, someone to look out for him.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57With this new-found partnership, the orphaned youngster has taken
0:27:57 > 0:28:00that crucial step onto the social ladder.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06For the first time, he has some status within the troop.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11It will change his life.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30Among Asian archerfish, it's the biggest that gets the most food.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37And they have an extraordinary method of catching prey.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49They fire a powerful jet of water at their target.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07The best shooters will grow quickest.
0:29:12 > 0:29:13With food scarce,
0:29:13 > 0:29:18there's a race among small fish to master the water-jet technique.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29But it's difficult to perfect.
0:29:38 > 0:29:43A fish must adjust its jet based on the prey's size and distance,
0:29:43 > 0:29:47and then compensate for the way light bends as it passes
0:29:47 > 0:29:48through the water surface.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Getting it right can take hundreds of attempts.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59But there is a way to shortcut the learning process.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05A youngster can seek out a larger archerfish.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15It'll stick close to the sharpshooter, spending its days
0:30:15 > 0:30:17studying the master's technique.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36When they part company,
0:30:36 > 0:30:40the young fish will resume his search for food.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Somehow, in a way not yet understood,
0:30:48 > 0:30:52a young fish can imitate the adult's aiming and firing technique
0:30:52 > 0:30:54and shortcut the need to practise.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04Unfortunately, becoming a sharpshooter is only half the story.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11There's another reason why big fish get the lion's share.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13They're bullies.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18But, armed with this newfound skill,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21a young fish's future will be brighter.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30THUNDER RUMBLES
0:31:36 > 0:31:40In Arizona, a desert storm triggers a ruthless campaign for dominance.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48A honey ant queen digs into the sand
0:31:48 > 0:31:50before the sun bakes it hard again.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04She needs to make a nest, but she can't manage to do that alone.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06Another queen appears,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09and in a rare example of cooperation,
0:32:09 > 0:32:11they start digging together.
0:32:23 > 0:32:24A third queen.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Soon, a number of royals are working together,
0:32:33 > 0:32:35but such harmony will be short-lived.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44When the nest is ready, they seal themselves in.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57None of the queens will ever see sunlight again.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06This bunker is a nursery.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Each queen begins to lay hundreds of tiny eggs, no bigger than a pinhead.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26In a matter of weeks, the first cycle is complete.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30Tiny, pale workers emerge from the cocoons.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40Their arrival signals the end of all regal cooperation.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44This colony can only have one ruler.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52After helping create this army of workers,
0:33:52 > 0:33:54the queens have served their purpose
0:33:54 > 0:33:56and they are now expendable.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04And it's the workers that do the dirty work.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13The queens are captured,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16stretched and dismembered.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24It's a brutal assassination.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37But one queen remains unharmed
0:34:37 > 0:34:40whilst the purge continues around her,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43until all competition is eliminated.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56The royal carcasses don't go to waste.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58The workers feed them to the larvae.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04Now one queen reigns supreme
0:35:04 > 0:35:07and the army of workers answer only to her.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15She has manoeuvred her way to power.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Now she will set about establishing an empire.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23THUNDER RUMBLES
0:35:29 > 0:35:32In Senegal, the wet season has arrived.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48The chimps' home is transformed.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14The young male and his new friend have become constant companions.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24The chimps have been starved of protein
0:36:24 > 0:36:28during the long dry season and are now desperate for meat.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42The young chimp's mentor knows where to look for it.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50There may be something hiding deep inside this hollow tree trunk.
0:36:54 > 0:36:59And the older chimp has a remarkable skill that enables him to find out.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Stripping the twigs off a branch,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14he fashions it into what looks like a spear.
0:37:28 > 0:37:33He then does something that takes hunting with tools to a new level,
0:37:33 > 0:37:35as he probes the hollow trunk.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50He checks the point for any signs of blood,
0:37:50 > 0:37:52then tries again.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23He flushes out a small mammal - a galago -
0:38:23 > 0:38:24and quickly despatches it.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36This is the first real meat he's had for several months
0:38:36 > 0:38:38but his success will test
0:38:38 > 0:38:41the growing friendship between the two males.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56Being willing to share meat
0:38:56 > 0:38:59reflects the strength of the bond between individual chimps.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09He hands a morsel to the younger male.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17With this decision, the older chimp has sealed an alliance
0:39:17 > 0:39:19that one day may make them strong enough
0:39:19 > 0:39:22to challenge the troop's dominant males.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30This growing partnership has not gone unnoticed
0:39:30 > 0:39:33by some of the other chimps.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39The young male's status in the troop is most definitely on the rise.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56In the Arizona desert, the honey ant queen has been busy.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05In her underground kingdom,
0:40:05 > 0:40:08this queen now commands thousands of workers.
0:40:13 > 0:40:19They can carve out a huge network of interlinked tunnels and chambers
0:40:19 > 0:40:22that may extend to a depth of nine feet.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Some of her subjects have become living storage barrels
0:40:27 > 0:40:31with their bodies grossly distorted as they're filled with honey,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33fuel for her growing army.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41In the quest for total domination, an army of workers
0:40:41 > 0:40:45is constantly on the offensive, eliminating any competition.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56They especially target rival honey ant colonies.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Underground in one chamber,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20the queen has been carefully nurturing a very special brood.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Hundreds of winged sons and daughters
0:41:31 > 0:41:35all carrying her genes and all waiting for the right moment.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46On a warm, still evening, they march to the surface,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49to a specially prepared launchpad
0:41:49 > 0:41:51from where they will take flight.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07They mate on the wing, then the females spread out
0:42:07 > 0:42:11across the desert, each carrying their queen's bloodline.
0:42:24 > 0:42:25Many perish...
0:42:28 > 0:42:31..but each that succeeds in establishing her own colony
0:42:31 > 0:42:35is spreading their queen's power further across this land.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47In an individual's climb towards power and privilege,
0:42:47 > 0:42:48there comes a point
0:42:48 > 0:42:51when the ultimate rewards are finally within reach.
0:42:57 > 0:42:58It's the time to find out
0:42:58 > 0:43:01if you really have what it takes to make the last step.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12It's winter in Montana.
0:43:13 > 0:43:18Mature male sharp-tailed grouse are getting in some pre-season training.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23Here, on their traditional display grounds
0:43:23 > 0:43:26they're practising their courtship dancing
0:43:26 > 0:43:29and staking a claim for the best spots
0:43:29 > 0:43:31on what will become their stage.
0:43:45 > 0:43:50But the real show begins with the arrival of spring.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08The females are looking for the perfect partner,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11choosing those males who are not just good dancers
0:44:11 > 0:44:17but who can fight for and hold the best spots on the dance floor.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30This young male is big enough to enter the contest
0:44:30 > 0:44:32for the first time.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35There is only one way to find out
0:44:35 > 0:44:37whether he's got what it takes.
0:44:37 > 0:44:38GROUSE CALLS
0:44:42 > 0:44:45He must go out there and dance.
0:44:54 > 0:44:58But his debut performance appears to have stopped the show.
0:45:07 > 0:45:12In fact, none of the others have noticed him at all.
0:45:14 > 0:45:16They've spotted approaching danger.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20A short-eared owl.
0:45:28 > 0:45:29BIRD CALLS OUT
0:45:29 > 0:45:35When the threat has passed, they can all pick up where they left off.
0:45:39 > 0:45:44But this youngster has now strayed into another male's space.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55He's about to find out whether he really has what it takes.
0:46:43 > 0:46:49It's a close-run thing, but the younger male is finally driven away.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03If he is ever to claim one of the top spots and attract a female,
0:47:03 > 0:47:06he will have to fight again and again
0:47:06 > 0:47:09until he is victorious.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32The young chimp has already learnt the dangers
0:47:32 > 0:47:34of having to fight for power,
0:47:34 > 0:47:39and has discovered that there may be a subtler path to privilege.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46He's back with the nursery group,
0:47:46 > 0:47:50but his attitude is now very different.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05Playing with youngsters is not a backward step for him.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23On the contrary, this is part of a plan.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40Because where there are babies, there are mother chimps.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53And they're now starting to take notice of him for the first time.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08With his growing status within the troop, he's becoming
0:49:08 > 0:49:10an attractive proposition...
0:49:13 > 0:49:17And that will one day prove critical
0:49:17 > 0:49:22because in nature, the ultimate expression of power is to win a mate
0:49:22 > 0:49:26and so have the chance to leave a legacy in the form of offspring.
0:49:30 > 0:49:35That is the next challenge to be faced in Life Story.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46COCKEREL CROWS
0:49:46 > 0:49:48Senegal, West Africa.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51The Life Story team are setting out to film
0:49:51 > 0:49:54a unique hunting behaviour in chimpanzees.
0:49:56 > 0:49:57For director Emma Napper,
0:49:57 > 0:50:01the chance to meet these chimps has been a long time coming.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05SHE WHISPERS: We first heard about this site about nine months ago.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08So I know the chimps' names, I've seen little videos of them,
0:50:08 > 0:50:10I've seen pictures of them.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13I've just now got to wait until it's light
0:50:13 > 0:50:16and I'll be able to see them. It's really...
0:50:16 > 0:50:18I can hear them in the trees. It's really cool.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23Field researcher Michel Sadiakhou
0:50:23 > 0:50:27has been tracking the chimps for the last four years.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32CHIMPS HOWL AND SQUEAL
0:50:32 > 0:50:34Oh, my God. They're so loud!
0:50:34 > 0:50:37But for Emma and cameraman Richard Jones,
0:50:37 > 0:50:42this is the first time they've been so close to wild chimpanzees.
0:50:53 > 0:50:55These first encounters can be risky.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59Humans and chimps are so closely related
0:50:59 > 0:51:03that the crew could introduce disease into the troop.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10There's a group about ten metres away from us
0:51:10 > 0:51:15in the tree, which is why we've got to wear the facemasks.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17CHIMPS HOWL
0:51:17 > 0:51:20There are 30 chimps in the troop.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22What?
0:51:22 > 0:51:24Joff.
0:51:24 > 0:51:25That's Joff? OK.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27- And Dawson.- Dawson.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30Michel can not only recognise and name them,
0:51:30 > 0:51:33but he knows their histories and social status, too.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40Making sense of this chaotic family
0:51:40 > 0:51:42is going to be key to the success of the shoot.
0:51:46 > 0:51:48And that means winning the troop's trust.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00Researcher Jill Pruetz has been studying the troop for ten years.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04And she knows that the key to earning their trust
0:52:04 > 0:52:06is adopting the right etiquette.
0:52:06 > 0:52:09It's not like with gorillas either, where you can't
0:52:09 > 0:52:12- look them in the eye or anything like that.- Oh, really?
0:52:12 > 0:52:14It's basically the same way you would look at a person.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16If you look too hard at a person, it's going to be rude.
0:52:16 > 0:52:19The same with the chimps.
0:52:19 > 0:52:20Over the next few weeks,
0:52:20 > 0:52:23the crew has to track the troop all over the forest.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27This means gruelling 18-hour days
0:52:27 > 0:52:30in temperatures above 40 degrees centigrade.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36The chimps are a volatile bunch, always squabbling among themselves.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39CHIMP SQUEALS
0:52:39 > 0:52:42Emma starts to pick out some of the characters.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46Looks like a lot of teenage boys I used to know,
0:52:46 > 0:52:47and they act like them, too.
0:52:51 > 0:52:52A young male called Dawson
0:52:52 > 0:52:56particularly catches the crew's attention.
0:52:56 > 0:52:58We've decided to follow Dawson
0:52:58 > 0:53:02because he's at an interesting point in his life because he is
0:53:02 > 0:53:05junior amongst the males here.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07So he's really trying to fight
0:53:07 > 0:53:11to get the respect of the other males and to climb the hierarchy.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13By concentrating on Dawson,
0:53:13 > 0:53:17the crew may be able to film a much richer story than they had expected.
0:53:22 > 0:53:26It's the low-ranking chimps like Dawson that use spears to hunt.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31It's such an unusual behaviour that many researchers
0:53:31 > 0:53:34couldn't believe it was true when Jill first reported it.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40Capturing it on film would be a real coup for the team.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50The crew have spent nearly 300 hours in the forest
0:53:50 > 0:53:52and covered hundreds of miles,
0:53:52 > 0:53:55before the more dominant chimps accept them.
0:54:04 > 0:54:09But to gain the acceptance of the shyer chimps will take more time,
0:54:09 > 0:54:12and Emma is starting to get to grips with the family.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16When we first came here, Michel was saying, "Dumbo,
0:54:16 > 0:54:18"that's the one with the big ears.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21"David, that's the one that's really black."
0:54:21 > 0:54:23And you're sitting there thinking,
0:54:23 > 0:54:25"Oh, the black chimp with the big ears?
0:54:25 > 0:54:29"Well, they've all got big ears, they're all black."
0:54:29 > 0:54:31But a couple of weeks later it's different.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33You can see really see the differences.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35They act different, they look different.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38It's just a matter of getting to know them.
0:54:40 > 0:54:44Finally, Dawson walks directly towards the crew.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46A sign of trust at last.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49They're able to film the critical moment
0:54:49 > 0:54:52when he makes friends with a chimp called Lupin.
0:54:54 > 0:54:58This friendship will bring about a change of fortune for Dawson
0:54:58 > 0:55:00and for the film crew, too.
0:55:00 > 0:55:02THUNDER RUMBLES
0:55:07 > 0:55:11After six long weeks in the bush, there's a change in the weather.
0:55:14 > 0:55:18It's what the crew have been waiting for.
0:55:18 > 0:55:19MICHEL LAUGHS
0:55:19 > 0:55:22The only times Michel has ever seen spear hunting
0:55:22 > 0:55:25is immediately after a downpour.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28And rainstorms are rare in this forest.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34The chimps' mood changes with the weather.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39Suddenly, they seem more serious and focused.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44It's a good sign.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54With the noise and the rain, it's hard to keep up,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57but it's vital that the crew stick close to Dawson.
0:56:10 > 0:56:11As the rain subsides,
0:56:11 > 0:56:15the chimps behave in a way the crew have not seen before.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20The youngsters probe inside hollow trees with sticks.
0:56:21 > 0:56:25Then suddenly Lupin starts to make a full-sized spear.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30Dawson watches from the sidelines.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37It's a remarkable moment.
0:56:39 > 0:56:40That's what we were hoping for,
0:56:40 > 0:56:44but it looks more deliberate than I could have ever imagined.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52That's absolutely amazing.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59Being able to capture this behaviour
0:56:59 > 0:57:03is the result of a decade of study by Jill and her team,
0:57:03 > 0:57:07and by the crew spending over 700 hours tracking the troop.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11Yet the hunt lasted just three minutes.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14It's hardly surprising only a handful of people
0:57:14 > 0:57:16have ever witnessed this before.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20When I still see it, I get really excited, you know?
0:57:20 > 0:57:25I still... Like, that newness of it hasn't worn off, that's for sure.
0:57:27 > 0:57:31The Life Story team have filmed more than they ever hoped -
0:57:31 > 0:57:34both the moving story of Dawson's climb to power
0:57:34 > 0:57:37and a remarkable new behaviour.
0:57:43 > 0:57:45In the next stage of Life Story,
0:57:45 > 0:57:48we will see animals attempt to win a mate.
0:57:49 > 0:57:51There'll be glamour...
0:57:53 > 0:57:54..naked aggression...
0:57:56 > 0:57:58..remarkable dance moves...
0:58:00 > 0:58:02..and extraordinary artistry.