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in the last hours of dark
this young male lion took down a buffalo
calf
an impressive feat for a two-year-old
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and unusual too lions generally hunt as
a well-organized team
he was forced to leave his pride and
search for a territory of his own
now he's proved he has what it takes to
survive
but his success wasn't entirely due to
skill
the winter drought has left the buffalo
weak
and susceptible to predation making them
easier targets
while his future is secure for now
not far off his mother is facing more of
a struggle
she's raising a new litter of cubs
at six weeks old they have just left the
safety of their den
and are totally reliant on her rich milk
for sustenance
feeding four hungry cubs is taxing on
her energy reserves
but if she wants to eat she's going to
have to leave them
to hunt for herself
because unlike most lionesses who can
rely on their pride to bring them food
while they're nursing
she's a single mother and has no such
help
her pride split up recently
the young adult male lions from her last
litter
were forced by their father to move off
and find territories
of their own the big male then departed
to patrol his range
which is roughly 40 square miles of
prime hunting ground
it will take him several days or longer
to make the round trip
without him around his adult daughter
has struck out on her own
leaving the lioness to fend for herself
and her vulnerable cubs
she's still producing milk for now
and keeps her cubs within the safety of
dense bush thickets
but she'll have to eat soon and to do
that she'll have to leave her babies
alone
the lioness is on the move
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she has decided to relocate to avoid
drawing attention to her cubs by
remaining in the same place for too long
so
a small mud hole contains just enough
water
for a brief respite
it's welcome refreshment for the thirsty
mother
the cubs join her in drinking deeply
although at this age they still get most
of their moisture from milk
in a few months she'll wean them and by
a year and a half
they'll have to look after themselves
now in the early stages of life they
rely on the leadership of the lioness
knowing little of the challenges she's
facing at the moment
in the lions territory the cub's father
arrives
back from his sojourn
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he announces his presence with a
bellowing roar
which can be heard for up to five miles
his return bodes well for the lioness
and her cubs
who have struggled without the support
of a strong leader
the lioness hears his call from a
distance and heads towards it
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after a moment the cubs realized they
had better catch up
mum leads the way joined by her adult
daughter
who has also returned for the reunion
for the cubs it feels like any other
afternoon
to be filled with raucous rough and
tumble
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but their father is still several miles
away
mum keeps the train moving
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they don't know it yet but this is a
significant moment in their young lives
as they have never met their father who
left when they were still
in the den
on arrival the cubs wait cautiously
at a distance
for mother and daughter the meeting is
an affectionate moment
and a long-awaited revival of their
pride
the cubs are intrigued by their father
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they've not yet learned how to act
around the big male
and his rebuke is as gentle as he can
manage
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so
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so
for the first time since the cubs were
born almost two months ago
the pride is together again
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things are looking up for this family of
africa's most
powerful predators
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