1 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,280 Zambia's Liuwa Plain. 2 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,280 These vast grasslands are home 3 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,760 to one of Africa's most successful predators... 4 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:36,400 ..spotted hyenas. 5 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,160 For over a decade, 6 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:47,800 radio collars have provided a unique insight into 7 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,520 the lives of one formidable group... 8 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:56,400 ..the South Clan. 9 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,800 In hyena society, it's the females that dominate. 10 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,760 Every member has its own rank, 11 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,920 and the most powerful of all is their queen. 12 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,400 From getting the most food to the chance of having 13 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,760 a larger family, she gets the best of everything. 14 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,000 But now, it's a critical time for the South Clan. 15 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,600 Their queen is dead, 16 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,720 and her throne is for the taking. 17 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,200 HYENAS YELP 18 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,000 The Clan faces a power struggle. 19 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,480 Who will be the new hyena queen? 20 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,080 With the death of the South Clan's old queen, 21 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,040 her two-year-old daughter, Sia, should be next in line. 22 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,200 The crown normally passes from mother to daughter... 23 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:54,040 ..but Princess Sia is too young to take power. 24 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,520 The throne has been seized by another. 25 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,720 This is Suma... 26 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,480 ..the South Clan's new queen. 27 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:51,000 The support of allies is vital for not only taking power, 28 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,520 but holding on to it. 29 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,000 Suma has managed to gather enough 30 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,360 backing to take the top spot. 31 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,120 But it's the worst possible time to become queen. 32 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:20,760 Liuwa is in the grip of 33 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,800 the most extreme drought in living memory. 34 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,200 There's been little rain for 18 months. 35 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:56,160 The herds are long gone, and with little to hunt, 36 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,080 the South Clan are starving. 37 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:08,600 At the den, only two cubs have survived. 38 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,320 One of them is Suma's son. 39 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,480 She's managed to keep him alive this far... 40 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,400 ..but if her cub is to survive much longer, 41 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,760 the new queen needs to find food. 42 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:52,720 Her best chance is to head north, in search of the herds. 43 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,360 But beyond the safety of the clan's territory, 44 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,560 she'll be vulnerable and exposed. 45 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,640 But Suma is not alone. 46 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:35,840 Her allies have followed. 47 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,360 They're stronger together, 48 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:48,120 and the group are banking on Suma to lead them to food. 49 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:06,240 Checking for scent 50 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,360 tells them if rivals have passed this way. 51 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:18,240 They're now far beyond the boundary of their territory. 52 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,600 They need to be on their guard. 53 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,320 These small pools are worth the risk. 54 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:39,400 They exist even in the driest of times, 55 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,480 a draw for herds from miles around. 56 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,320 This is why Suma has brought them here. 57 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,040 Within days, 58 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,720 a wildebeest calf can run as fast as the herd. 59 00:08:32,560 --> 00:08:35,400 But hyenas are built for endurance. 60 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,160 A charging adult wildebeest could kill her... 61 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,160 ..but Suma won't give up. 62 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,720 A precious meal. 63 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,960 By allowing them to feed with her in peace, 64 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,880 Suma reinforces the support of her allies. 65 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:02,240 By seizing the throne, she and her dynasty should now have 66 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,440 the best chance of survival. 67 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,120 Back at the den, 68 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,960 in the heart of the Clan's territory, 69 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,240 Suma can now nurse her son, Shay. 70 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,160 DISTANT THUNDER 71 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:46,000 Thankfully, relief from this drought is finally on its way. 72 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,160 The rains recharge pools with fresh water... 73 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,680 ..bringing life back to the plains. 74 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:57,960 The herds return, 75 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,760 and the South Clan gather to make the most of this season of plenty. 76 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,360 Surrounded by her allies, 77 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,240 Queen Suma's position looks comfortable. 78 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,800 But troubles are never far away. 79 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:32,280 Princess Sia is becoming an increasing threat to Suma. 80 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,040 Growing bolder and claiming as much food as she can. 81 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,440 She continues to edge closer to adulthood. 82 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:04,960 The higher ranking a hyena is, the more food they get. 83 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,400 Suma gets her pick at any meal. 84 00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:20,400 Low-ranking males have to wait their turn 85 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,360 at the dinner table. 86 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,080 Having eaten her fill, 87 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,360 Suma stashes the leftovers. 88 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,840 This male can't resist a game of hide and seek. 89 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,240 With failing eyesight, 90 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:01,320 he'll have to rely on his other senses to find the prize. 91 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:08,720 Nope. 92 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,880 He's getting closer. 93 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,720 Suma doesn't seem particularly bothered. 94 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,480 By tolerating his impertinence, 95 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,640 she might gain his allegiance. 96 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,760 It's got to be here somewhere. 97 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,040 And he's nothing if not persistent. 98 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,240 Bingo. 99 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,720 Suma lets him get away with it. 100 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:27,960 They're only scraps after all. 101 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,440 And perhaps now she'll have one more supporter. 102 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:47,040 One of the queen's most important allies is the clan's best hunter, 103 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:48,680 Sarah. 104 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:52,200 She's large, 105 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:53,680 fast... 106 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,440 ..and powerful... 107 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:04,680 ..but she's also patient. 108 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:25,560 The best time to hunt is after nightfall. 109 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,720 While Suma spends time nursing her cub at the den... 110 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,480 ..Sarah heads up a night hunting party. 111 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,160 They test the herds for weakness, 112 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,520 charging at them to create confusion and panic. 113 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,960 An adult wildebeest is a good meal. 114 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:00,680 As dawn breaks, 115 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,000 the queen follows the sound of their feasting. 116 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,560 Her trusted ally, Sarah, has provided. 117 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:19,560 And now Suma can claim her royal share. 118 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:50,760 The queen's son Shay is now a year old, 119 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,640 and growing in confidence. 120 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,920 He has inherited high status from his mother, 121 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:16,040 and tries his luck suckling from another female. 122 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,000 SHE WHINES 123 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:22,760 SHE YELPS 124 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,200 Not today. 125 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,240 He's also starting to explore his surroundings, 126 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,600 as youngsters do at this age. 127 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,560 But for any young hyena, 128 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,200 the plains are packed with dangers. 129 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,040 And here in Liuwa, 130 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,640 there's no greater risk than rival hyenas. 131 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,240 The South Clan territory is being 132 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,240 constantly raided by them at this time of the year. 133 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,760 The last thing any young hyena wants to do is to cross their path. 134 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,920 Shay has been attacked. 135 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,840 For a youngster, wounds like these can be fatal. 136 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,120 He's lucky to have made his way back. 137 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,520 Suma makes sure her son gets to feed... 138 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,400 ..using her status to force all the others away, 139 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:45,320 even hunter Sarah. 140 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,480 Sarah will have to wait her turn. 141 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,680 Shay is Suma's priority. 142 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:36,800 But soon, her attention will need to turn to her allies. 143 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:47,160 Princess Sia, daughter of the old queen, 144 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,000 is coming of age. 145 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,240 She may just be playing with her brother... 146 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,160 ..but she is a threat to the new queen. 147 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,320 Suma keeps an eye on proceedings. 148 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:29,320 It's time for her to remind them that she is still boss. 149 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,840 Sia, despite her growing strength, 150 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,160 has been made well aware of the queen's power. 151 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:28,000 Suma's support base is continuing to grow. 152 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,160 One of her close allies, Sitale, has had twins. 153 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,480 These are the first cubs to be born since the drought. 154 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:59,840 Like their mother, these cubs will be Suma's allies too. 155 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:15,720 But for now, the twins' demands are rather exhausting. 156 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,720 Whilst they're distracted playing, 157 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:27,120 Sitale can grab a little relaxation time. 158 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,880 Pure bliss. 159 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:52,320 The perils of falling asleep in the bath. 160 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:17,320 All too soon... 161 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,560 ..it's time to get back to feeding duty. 162 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,000 On the other side of the pool, 163 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,760 the queen is ready to keep growing her own dynasty. 164 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:43,080 She's choosing her mate. 165 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,680 It's a long, drawn-out process that can last weeks. 166 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:06,280 Until she makes her decision, 167 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:10,160 Suma will be followed everywhere by potential suitors. 168 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:25,040 Meanwhile, her son Shay is continuing 169 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,520 his journey towards independence. 170 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,560 But he is still injured and weak. 171 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:54,280 This is one of the hardest times for hyena cubs. 172 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:13,000 Suma can't look after him forever. 173 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:33,760 Only half of all hyena cubs make it to adulthood. 174 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:15,560 Four months have passed and it's still a time of plenty. 175 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:43,800 Although apparently alone, Suma still holds on to power. 176 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:49,920 And what is more, 177 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:53,720 she's done something that may help secure her legacy. 178 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,960 For weeks, she's kept away from the group, 179 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,360 hiding a secret... 180 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,400 ..two tiny cubs. 181 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:30,520 Now, it's time to introduce them to the rest of the clan. 182 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:38,160 She carefully carries each one of them to the den. 183 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,240 These little cubs are precious. 184 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:09,920 Even more so, 185 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:12,800 as one day either could become queen. 186 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:04,320 Meanwhile, Princess Sia has been busy 187 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:08,000 building support of her own. 188 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,560 She seems to be deliberately spending more time 189 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,160 in the company of potential allies. 190 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:00,360 Out on the plains, the queen's crucial ally, Sarah, 191 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,680 is leading another hunting party. 192 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:29,520 Wildebeest bulls are an ambitious target. 193 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:49,360 But as they fight for territory, these two have dropped their guard. 194 00:34:12,240 --> 00:34:16,280 Head on, a bull is well-armed and dangerous. 195 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:25,640 Sarah, however, is undeterred. 196 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:39,160 But they're all heading towards danger. 197 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:48,600 A deep pool, full of matted weeds. 198 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:56,640 A potential deathtrap. 199 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:06,200 Understandably, the hunting party keeps back. 200 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,360 All except Sarah. 201 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:19,040 She won't give up. 202 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:22,920 SHE WHINES 203 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,840 Out of their depth and tangled in weeds, 204 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,440 both hunter and hunted are in peril. 205 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,720 The wildebeest takes its last breath. 206 00:35:43,720 --> 00:35:45,840 EXHALES WATER 207 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,920 Sarah is lucky to escape with her life. 208 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:22,960 Another of Suma's loyal supporters, 209 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:27,600 Sitale, has reached an important moment for her family. 210 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:33,680 Her twins are on their first trip away from the safety of the den. 211 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:45,520 But female hyenas can sometimes harm or even kill cubs 212 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:47,920 that aren't their own. 213 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:57,240 It's a nervous time for both cubs and mother. 214 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,680 Princess Sia arrives. 215 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:29,600 Without the queen around, she immediately starts to harass 216 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,480 both the twins and Sitale. 217 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,440 THEY WHINE AND CHATTER 218 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:13,600 With this aggression, 219 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:17,240 Sia is reminding everyone here of her growing status... 220 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:23,160 ..and perhaps of her ambitions. 221 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:28,440 The twins flee, 222 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:30,240 followed by their mother. 223 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,480 Sitale tries to calm her cubs, 224 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:45,600 by encouraging them to feed. 225 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:00,520 By her actions, 226 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:03,560 Sia is now sending a message to the clan. 227 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,200 She has a claim to the throne. 228 00:39:29,240 --> 00:39:33,240 Queen Suma has remained at the den, 229 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:35,200 leaving Sia unchecked. 230 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:46,560 The threat Sia poses continues to grow. 231 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,880 The dry season is coming again. 232 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:16,760 As the water recedes, 233 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:19,760 Liuwa transforms once more. 234 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:27,440 And the herds are on the move. 235 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:39,120 Queen Suma should be mother to a growing family... 236 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:55,920 ..but her den is empty. 237 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:07,080 We'll never know what fate befell them, 238 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:08,720 but here on the plains, 239 00:41:08,720 --> 00:41:12,560 life for hyena cubs is a constant challenge. 240 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:34,680 Being a mother hasn't come easily to Suma... 241 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:40,440 ..and now her position as queen is at risk, too. 242 00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:46,720 Princess Sia is coming into her own. 243 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:56,200 She's now a fully grown adult, 244 00:41:56,200 --> 00:41:59,120 dominating a kill made by hunter Sarah. 245 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:02,320 To strengthen their bond, 246 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:04,680 Sia allows her to feed in peace. 247 00:42:13,720 --> 00:42:16,680 She gets a sign of respect from Sarah. 248 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:27,520 One by one, the most powerful females join and greet Sia. 249 00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:45,440 It is Queen Suma. 250 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:53,360 As she moves in to feed, 251 00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:55,520 she pushes off hunter Sarah. 252 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:05,080 But Sia challenges. 253 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:09,120 Her confidence has grown, 254 00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:11,840 especially with her new-found support. 255 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:18,560 Even Sarah's loyalty appears to be shifting. 256 00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:30,840 It's an uneasy truce 257 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:33,880 as both queen and princess feed side by side... 258 00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:38,160 ..for now. 259 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:50,120 Just one year has passed since Suma became queen. 260 00:43:53,920 --> 00:43:56,280 She was once surrounded by allies, 261 00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:59,000 but now her support is dwindling. 262 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:10,720 Hunter Sarah is no longer on her side. 263 00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:17,360 This crucial ally has switched loyalties. 264 00:44:26,960 --> 00:44:30,360 The story of this clan is about to change. 265 00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:17,040 THUNDER RUMBLES 266 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:37,200 Several months have passed on the plains. 267 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:45,240 And the struggle to become the South Clan's queen 268 00:45:45,240 --> 00:45:47,240 has reached its final act. 269 00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:53,840 Sia is approaching the den. 270 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:01,440 Flanked by her trusted allies. 271 00:46:14,600 --> 00:46:16,960 Suma is waiting. 272 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:23,120 Sia heads directly towards her. 273 00:46:30,640 --> 00:46:33,520 Without strong enough alliances to back her up... 274 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:35,800 BARKING 275 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:39,160 ..Suma submits. 276 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:47,280 She is no longer queen. 277 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:55,800 There is a new order in the South Clan. 278 00:47:07,200 --> 00:47:12,560 But Sia and the strength of her alliances are soon tested. 279 00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:18,680 Under the light of the full moon, 280 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:20,840 the clan are feasting. 281 00:47:29,880 --> 00:47:33,480 All too soon, they have company. 282 00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:37,520 A rival clan. 283 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:45,280 They have invaded the South Clan's territory 284 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:46,840 to steal their food. 285 00:47:56,720 --> 00:47:59,240 The rivals continue to advance... 286 00:48:05,240 --> 00:48:07,480 ..But that is close enough. 287 00:48:13,680 --> 00:48:15,800 Sia charges. 288 00:48:19,720 --> 00:48:21,920 And her allies unite behind her, 289 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:24,800 driving the rivals out of her territory. 290 00:48:38,920 --> 00:48:42,720 Together they have the strength to defend their kill. 291 00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:49,960 And the South Clan have the territory to themselves once more. 292 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:02,280 For Sia, it's been two years since her mother, 293 00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:04,840 the old queen, passed away. 294 00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:10,960 Now, finally, 295 00:49:10,960 --> 00:49:13,760 her dynasty is returning to the throne. 296 00:49:16,120 --> 00:49:18,880 Sia is a princess no more. 297 00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:27,880 Suma has lost the crown and all that goes with it, 298 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:30,720 but there is a silver lining... 299 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:42,800 ..a new cub. 300 00:49:44,760 --> 00:49:49,000 She has another chance of raising a family. 301 00:49:56,000 --> 00:50:00,400 One day, her dynasty may rise again. 302 00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:26,040 The Dynasties team spent two years 303 00:50:26,040 --> 00:50:28,800 in Zambia's Liuwa Plain National Park, 304 00:50:28,800 --> 00:50:33,640 following and filming the resident hyena clans. 305 00:50:33,640 --> 00:50:37,480 Hyenas have typically had quite a bad press. 306 00:50:37,480 --> 00:50:41,720 They're often portrayed as just scavengers, 307 00:50:41,720 --> 00:50:43,880 but they are incredible animals, 308 00:50:43,880 --> 00:50:45,640 and that's why we're doing this. 309 00:50:45,640 --> 00:50:47,680 Amazing predators, amazing mums, 310 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:51,600 and they have really fascinating social groups. 311 00:50:51,600 --> 00:50:55,000 Each individual has so much character, so much personality. 312 00:51:00,440 --> 00:51:03,080 Liuwa is one of the best places in the world 313 00:51:03,080 --> 00:51:05,200 to film hyena. 314 00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:15,040 But they are facing one of the hardest times in recent memory. 315 00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:19,400 We're just getting set up to go and see the hyena 316 00:51:19,400 --> 00:51:20,640 for the first time this trip. 317 00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:23,680 Obviously, we're really excited to get out see how they're doing, 318 00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:27,040 but we had some really worrying reports last night 319 00:51:27,040 --> 00:51:29,640 to say that they're in a terrible condition, 320 00:51:29,640 --> 00:51:32,160 because there is nothing for them to eat, 321 00:51:32,160 --> 00:51:33,880 and there's just no water. 322 00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:39,040 This corner of the continent has endured one of 323 00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:42,120 the worst droughts on record. 324 00:51:42,120 --> 00:51:43,760 For generations, 325 00:51:43,760 --> 00:51:46,960 people have lived alongside wildlife here, 326 00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:50,040 but with fishing now difficult and crops failing, 327 00:51:50,040 --> 00:51:53,480 local communities look to other sources of food. 328 00:51:55,400 --> 00:51:58,120 Hunters set crude wire traps, 329 00:51:58,120 --> 00:52:02,240 snares to catch antelope. 330 00:52:02,240 --> 00:52:04,800 But snares don't discriminate, 331 00:52:04,800 --> 00:52:07,760 and an increasing number of hyena are falling victim 332 00:52:07,760 --> 00:52:09,560 to their deadly grip. 333 00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:16,040 The Zambian Carnivore Programme have been working 334 00:52:16,040 --> 00:52:20,600 with Liuwa's wildlife for over a decade, 335 00:52:20,600 --> 00:52:24,080 but more and more of their time is now spent rescuing, 336 00:52:24,080 --> 00:52:25,840 rather than studying the animals. 337 00:52:40,800 --> 00:52:44,960 So we're going to dart this hyena now, and remove the snare, 338 00:52:44,960 --> 00:52:48,200 and then hopefully she or he will heal from her wounds. 339 00:52:51,560 --> 00:52:55,240 The team must get close enough to fire a tranquiliser dart. 340 00:52:57,480 --> 00:53:00,520 But the hyena is moving into an area of long grass, 341 00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:03,960 which conceals some unwelcome obstacles. 342 00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:16,240 With the vet stuck, 343 00:53:16,240 --> 00:53:20,000 a second team keeps an eye on the hyena's location. 344 00:53:20,000 --> 00:53:23,440 Can you see us? We've got visual. 345 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:30,240 Just be ready for a lot of bumps. 346 00:53:33,280 --> 00:53:35,720 A little helping hand from the film crew, 347 00:53:35,720 --> 00:53:37,560 and the team are back on track. 348 00:53:52,760 --> 00:53:56,680 She's stable. Temperature is fine, respiration is good. 349 00:53:56,680 --> 00:53:58,920 They must work quickly. 350 00:53:58,920 --> 00:54:00,560 It's very deep. 351 00:54:00,560 --> 00:54:05,600 It's gone like two, to two and a half centimetres inside. 352 00:54:05,600 --> 00:54:09,560 The snare is a wire noose that tightens as an animal struggles, 353 00:54:09,560 --> 00:54:11,400 and digs into their necks. 354 00:54:12,360 --> 00:54:15,240 If it had pulled too tight, it could have killed her. 355 00:54:21,600 --> 00:54:23,760 Now we have just, we removed the snare, 356 00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:25,840 and then we're just cleaning it up a little bit, 357 00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:28,360 and then she will be fine. 358 00:54:28,360 --> 00:54:30,680 Hyenas have a remarkable ability 359 00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:34,000 to heal from such seemingly horrific injuries. 360 00:54:39,680 --> 00:54:43,680 With the wound cleaned, the vet administers a reversal drug. 361 00:55:05,720 --> 00:55:09,560 She can finally rejoin the rest of her clan. 362 00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:24,200 Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. 363 00:55:24,200 --> 00:55:28,360 Just heard on the radio that another snared hyena's been spotted. 364 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:35,800 Although no members of the South Clan were snared during filming, 365 00:55:35,800 --> 00:55:39,800 four hyenas from other groups had to be rescued in a single week. 366 00:55:42,120 --> 00:55:45,840 If this would've been on her much longer, she would have died. 367 00:55:48,600 --> 00:55:51,680 With climate change, droughts will become more frequent. 368 00:55:51,680 --> 00:55:54,200 They will become more severe. 369 00:55:54,200 --> 00:55:57,280 Animals will have to move to find food. 370 00:55:57,280 --> 00:56:01,320 There will probably be more clashes between animals and humans. 371 00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:05,480 Increased contact with humans inevitably puts 372 00:56:05,480 --> 00:56:07,880 hyena under even greater threat. 373 00:56:20,360 --> 00:56:22,720 But, despite all of this, 374 00:56:22,720 --> 00:56:25,680 through collaboration between researchers, 375 00:56:25,680 --> 00:56:28,720 park management and the wildlife authority, 376 00:56:28,720 --> 00:56:30,200 over the last decade, 377 00:56:30,200 --> 00:56:34,280 the Liuwa hyena population has actually been increasing. 378 00:56:38,000 --> 00:56:40,520 And finally, for crew and hyena, 379 00:56:40,520 --> 00:56:43,720 there are promising signs on the horizon. 380 00:56:43,720 --> 00:56:45,640 The rains are coming. The grass is coming up, 381 00:56:45,640 --> 00:56:47,720 and the wildebeest are starting to return. 382 00:56:47,720 --> 00:56:52,640 The females are going to calve soon, so everyone's coming back together. 383 00:56:52,640 --> 00:56:56,720 The sense of relief for everything and everyone just is palpable. 384 00:56:56,720 --> 00:56:59,080 Here's our buddy. 385 00:56:59,080 --> 00:57:00,960 Hello, little champ. 386 00:57:04,240 --> 00:57:06,240 With continued vigilance, 387 00:57:06,240 --> 00:57:09,160 hopefully this place will remain a sanctuary 388 00:57:09,160 --> 00:57:13,080 for these often misunderstood animals for many years to come.