Winners and Losers in the Animal Kingdom | Animal Fight Night MEGA Episode | Nat Geo Animals

♪ ♪ All over the world, millions of species clash in nature's savage battle of survival. Across every continent... [screeching] ...all are locked in deadly conflict. [screaming] Creatures fight tooth and claw to win food, territory, and rights to the bloodline. From the outback of Australia to the mountains of central Asia, there are no rules. This is Animal Fight Night. Africa. The kingdom of the lion. [roaring] Unlike many cats, lions are social. And males can form coalitions to rule prides. When females are present, it will test any partnership... [growling] ...especially when matched pound for pound. When a lioness is receptive, she may separate from the other females. She's got two suitors, but only one can get the date. They are companions, but that may not last. One confident male makes his move. But the lioness is not ready for him yet and lets him know. [snarling] A brawl breaks out over courting rights. Usually males will look elsewhere if a lady has been taken, but not this time. Each of their two front paws has four inch-and-a-half claws. That's like 16 box cutter blades between them, tearing at the face. Canine teeth up to 4 inches long are designed for ripping chunks off prey or taking a bite out of an opponent. She is clearly not impressed with either big cat, which puts the fight on hold for now. Conflict over mating can get rough, but when it comes to fighting starvation, only the most brutal survive. Alaska. Home to one of the biggest concentrations of grizzly bears on the planet. Some can weigh in at over 1000 pounds-- that's the same as a jet ski. Bears are hungry when they come out of hibernation. Spring roots and berries will give them some nourishment. It's not enough for a big bear, and they can lose more weight in these lean times. Come July, the salmon run is in full flow, bringing nourishing food upriver. It's a much needed calorie boost for this angler... if he can catch them and keep them. Thieves also prowl around. They need calories, too. He may not have Angler's size, but his appetite is just as keen. Hungry bears don't ask-- they take. Angler isn't a sharer. Thief lashes with sharp 4-inch claws. That's 10 switchblades, sharp enough to strip bark off a tree. Angler holds on to the salmon, but Thief gets his ear. This is one bone-crunching bite, but Angler's not out for the count just yet. Thief tries to sink some of his 42 teeth into Angler's spine. Two insulating layers of fur help absorb the bite. Finally, Angler's weight counts. Thief will have to make do with berries tonight. [birds squawking] Bears will fight for food that lives in the water. For other animals, the fight is for water itself. For the hippo, water is not a luxury, it's a necessity, and they'll fight for it. They have notoriously hot tempers and are estimated to kill up to 300 people a year. They weight up to 5 tons-- equivalent to two Hummer vehicles. Their mood doesn't improve when average summer temperatures reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit here in South Africa. The hippos need the cool water to keep from overheating. [bellowing] Hippos can live for up to 55 years and spend half their lives in protective rivers and lakes... where males keep a close eye on the ladies. The guys will jealously mark their territory by poop spraying! But when river levels drop, tensions rise. And trespassers face prosecution. Even the cooling water won't stop the titanic battle ahead. Two hippos come to the boil over precious water. The resident fires a warning shot. The trespasser fires back. The name hippopotamus comes from the Greek words 'river horse.' It fits. Despite its bulk, a rounded, barrel-shaped body enables it to move quickly in water. Four webbed toes help propel the hippo. And eyes, ears and nostrils on top of its head allow it to sense its surroundings, even with its body submerged. Hippos can fight just as well on land as in the water. They don't care about their neighbors; their roar reaches 115 decibels-- as loud as a clap of thunder. Trespasser snaps with self-sharpening 20-inch tusks. A massive bite could land a mutilating blow. Resident hippo launches a move to gain some height. It's a winning strategy. He goes for the tail, nipping this trespasser right in the butt. This is one pool that's closed for the summer. Teeth come in all shapes and sizes, and biggest doesn't always win. On the plains of Africa, wild dogs roam in packs. Nearly always on the move, their range can extend over hundreds of square miles. Male wild dogs weigh up to 80 pounds. And like our pet pooches, these dogs form strong family bonds. They even feed injured family members. [barks] In the hunt, they work together to wear down their prey. They prefer to feed on fresh kills, so have to hunt most days. On this rare occasion, the pups are left on their own-- vulnerable. Another ferocious creature stalks these same plains: the hyena, the most numerous predator on the savanna. Bigger than the wild dogs, at up to five feet, they're fearless, and have the guts to fight off lions. They need 20 pounds of meat a day. That's 90 hot dogs. They'll take their meat anyway they can--dead or alive. Mostly they hunt in groups or clans, but they are more than happy to go solo. This hyena isn't scavenging; she's hunting. The loner smells something sweet close by. Over on the hunting range, the wild dog pack has brought down a wildebeest. Now they race back to regurgitate food for the pups, and surprise the hyena prowling nearby. Exhausted from the hunt, they have to chase her off. She can easily run at up to 35 miles per hour. While they may not match her on speed, wild dogs have high levels of endurance. Their metabolism allows them to breathe faster and pump blood around their body quicker. A light build and long legs help cover greater distances. And their intestine absorbs as much moisture from food as possible, preventing dehydration. Using their signature teamwork, the wild dogs wear the loner down, going for her hindquarters with their 42 teeth. [yipping] More animals equals multiple bites, but Loner's jaws are strong enough to crack the femur of a giraffe. Wild dogs chase a predatory hyena away from their pups. [yowling] The hyena's jaws could pierce the skull of any one dog. [yipping and howling] Avoiding the jaws of death up front, the dog family gnaw her rear... ...making the sore loser say 'Uncle.' They finally offer a feast to the hungry pups. Teamwork protects your young, but what happens when team defense meets team offense? [antelope crying] In the bushland of South Africa, lionesses hunt for the pride. They have cubs to fatten. A lioness needs at least 7,000 calories a day to survive. But only 30% of hunts end in a kill. That only increases with more mouths to feed. So these moms are after the jackpot-- one of the toughest prey in nature's kitchen: the buffalo. Lions can run up to 35 miles per hour in short bursts, but that's not going to make the difference in this battle. Nor will their slashing claws-- four on each paw. [zebra braying] The buffalo is as heavy as a vintage VW Beetle. They can easily disembowel or mutilate any attacker who gets in their way. [lowing] The buffalo spread out on open savanna. As long as they stick together, they're practically invulnerable. On the sidelines, a herd member wanders off and into an ambush! [buffalo bellowing] One lioness makes her bold move... taking her right under the hooves of the one-ton buckaroo. The other risks the buffalo's powerful back legs. It looks like two against one. But team buffalo is riled! The cavalry seals the deal. And the herd goes back to the day job: grazing. For the lionesses, the job just got harder. They've used up energy. Her young ones will go hungry until they make their next kill. In the wild, it's common to feud over status. But hierarchy comes with a hair trigger. Olive baboons live in groups ranging from 40 to 100, with males coming and going between communities. When they do, political favor wins friends, safety and females. [shrieking] Dominant males can weigh in at 55 pounds-- the weight of five bowling balls... [shriek] with 32 teeth. Resident males don't welcome strangers dropping by checking out their ladies. Today, in the forests of Kenya, a male tries to ingratiate himself. Males can score points from the females by babysitting. A challenger approaches. With multiple males in a troop, there are disputes over dominance. The youngster can smell trouble. The babysitter is confident. He pinches the challenger where the sun doesn't shine to signal his dominance, but the reply is anything but submissive. Olive baboons use a number of different sounds to communicate emotion, including anger. Now they're going to communicate...with teeth! A turf war erupts on the forest floor. A babysitter's goodwill gesture is not welcomed by another male in the troop. Olive baboons have adapted to life on the open savanna with arms and legs that are equal length-- good for running. They can move like a dog and beat a human athlete at speed. For attack, they have sharp canines, 1 1/2 inches long. Strong arms for running make strong arms for grabbing. Babysitter lands his canines. The challenger is faster on the retreat than he was in the fight. The babysitter moves on from the kids to the ladies. Having smarts can overcome teeth, claws, horns and even gravity. The Altai Mountains, central Asia-- stretching a third as long as the Rocky Mountains. They're one of the toughest environments on Earth, where only the toughest animals exist. Like the argali: the biggest sheep on the planet. They can live at up to 14,000 feet, where humans would find it hard to breathe. Males weigh up to 400 pounds-- the weight of an all-terrain vehicle. Most of the year, they live in same-sex groups, but come breeding time, males will seek out herds of likely wives. And that may cost Lucky overtime. When in heat, the females will mate with a challenger that comes along, and Lucky knows it! He can taste the air. The females are ready and willing. But a fragrance this strong means other males can smell it, too. A fortune hunter moves in. His horns, uncurled, would be 6 feet in length-- as wide as a compact sedan-- giving argali some of the biggest horns in the sheep family. The fortune hunter has the higher ground. Lucky needs something special. [bang] He's got it! He can charge uphill on just two legs. The extra thick necks of the argali males absorb impacts. Lucky has powerful legs for climbing steep terrain. He launches another two-legged uphill attack. Victorious Lucky makes his own luck...for now. But it doesn't last. Another male steps up to the challenge. The carpetbagger rolls in. Lucky's lust overcomes gravity again. Facing too much competition, Lucky herds his ladies out. The carpetbagger stays hot on their tail. Lucky won't give in. Lucky has a head for heights and legs for the battle; a good combo for a winning bloodline. Horns can ram a point home, but a sting can spell death. Australia's bull ant. One of the world's most ferocious ants. Armed at both ends. Massive jaws at the head attached to bodies 3/4 of an inch long, and at the rear, a vicious sting that can stab repeatedly. Their larvae are carnivores, keeping the bull ant workers busy collecting live food. They are one of the largest ants in Australia. Unchallenged, until a stowaway snuck in with visitors in the 1950s: the European wasp. These fierce insects have flourished in their new home. The tail sting can be used over and over. So when the bull ant targets the wasp as prey, it's a battle for top dog Down Under. A bull ant takes down a wasp. The yellow stripy insect has a potent sting. But bull ant Chopper has an equally powerful armory and a body designed to maximize them. She has exceptional vision for an ant and can see up to three feet away to home in on her prey. Huge chopping mandibles are used for holding down victims, while a long flexible body enables this ant to curl around and inject venom into its victim multiple times. In the battle of the stingers, only one will make it out alive. Chopper has the wasp on his back. While Stripy's bolt-cutter jaws are clamped around Chopper's leg! The ant's flexible body means she is the champ. She can reach around and deliver her deadly sting into Stripy's abdomen. Stripy can't bend enough to pay back. Two repeated stings weaken the wasp. It's over. Hauling this wasp home is nothing more than a light workout. Ants can carry over 1,000 times their weight. Australia 1...Europe 0. When two adversaries are evenly matched, it takes a special trick to turn the tide. Across the southern US a ferocious predator lurks. It eats rattlesnakes for breakfast, and pursues prey... even up trees. The coachwhip snake! Named for its coloring and its length. The biggest reach 8 1/2 feet. When it catches its prey, it will swallow it alive. Usually coachwhips will slip away from danger, but not when facing each other. [hissing] One of them strikes first... his enemy bleeding out. Coachwhip snakes are cannibals, so Striker and Slither are playing for high stakes. Wrapping around each other, it's a wrestling match of strength and flexibility. Each snake has around 300 vertebra with ribs attached to each, making it ultra-bendy. A flexible jaw allows the snake to swallow its prey whole. Where some snakes have hollow fangs for injecting their venom, coachwhip fangs are needle-tipped for lacerating flesh. [hiss] Slither now moves bite by bite up Striker's body toward his head. But Striker gets in first! His jaws clamp down over Slither's entire skull. With fangs embedded in each other, it's a stalemate. Striker breaks the deadlock with a stranglehold. If Slither doesn't get out of Dodge City, he could bleed to death. But coachwhip by name, coachwhip by nature. Slither unwinds himself in a flash. In a surprise move, he spins his body with such force, he's unstoppable, and unravels himself out from Striker's grip. With Slither showing no sign of defeat, this is one stunt too much for Striker, and he bails out while he still can. Snakes have to fight dirty down at ground level, whereas some animals have a head for a fight at a height. Queensland, Australia. After a wet night, this koala is grouchy. Grouchy sleeps for up to 19 hours daily. He has just five hours for everything else: fighting and family. He's got a whole lotta loving to do for his own bloodline. Each year, females give birth to just one young, and with no more than 8,000 in the wild, the race is on to reproduce. Females choose males by size. A grown male like Grouchy can weigh up to 20 pounds. Grouchy is at the top of his tree. He's won the affection of some girls. But with other males in the vicinity, there are eyes on one of his damsels up above. He'll need to fight to keep her! There's a prowler in the trees. Up above, a female raises the alarm. [squawking] Her grouchy husband is fast up to protect her. Koalas strike first, and don't even ask questions later. He slashes at the prowler using sharp claws. A thick coat absorbs the punishment. The koala can hold his ground in the face of gravity. Grouchy's wide hand, designed for holding branches, strangles his opponent. He forces him under the branch and slashes, Freddy Kruger-style. A wound to the face! The prowler makes a run back to the shadows. There'll be no sleeping on duty now for Grouchy. He seeks reward from his damsel in distress, but she's got a headache. He'll be even grouchier next morning--rain or not. [squeaking] When the fight is for your bloodline, failure is as fatal as death itself. In the springtime, across Sweden, a weird noise fills the air. [cooing] It's show time, starring the male black grouse. It's all about attracting hens. Males battle each other in what's known as the lek. The best-looking male, with healthy plumage, a five-star comb on his head, and holding the center of the lek, gets the girls. A lek: 50 to 100 yards across where 5 to 10 males will battle for the center spot. This leading man basks in the limelight. He has won breeding rights. But a good-looking challenger storms the stage. He wants a close-up scene with the ladies all to himself. Warning pecks would normally be enough. But this challenger is set for a hostile takeover. The leading man rips at the plumage of his adversary. But the challenger comes back with an attack on the eye, potentially blinding. And attempts to tear off his opponent's decorative comb. He'll need it intact. Females will assess him on its quality. Now it's out with the claws. Black grouse have strong, robust legs. Thick, powerful toes are well-developed from perching and scratching the ground for seeds. This gives the bird a solid kick with three forward-facing clawed toes, allowing the black grouse to rake into his adversary's all-important plumage. An unhealthy-looking male will not make the grade in the lek spotlight. The challenger goes for the leading man's comb again. But he's outdone by a volley of kicks. Then a knockdown. It's not a good look. Show's over! Leading man keeps the stage... and his ladies. [trumpets] On land, in the sea, and in the air, all are locked Animals fight tooth and claw From the Arctic Circle to Africa and the temples of Thailand, As a grizzly, you're one of the largest carnivores on Earth and can overpower anything-- except maybe another grizzly. So when grizzlies clash, you can't rely on just pure brute strength. You need smart moves. It's July, grizzly mating season. This female's current mate is Caesar. With his home range covering almost 500 square miles, it took him a long time to track his girl. And he's not going to share her. Brutus isn't looking to share. He's taller, almost seven feet, and bulkier, around 800 pounds. Caesar is smaller, but by extending his neck, flattening his ears and baring his teeth, he shows dominance. By getting his front legs up high, Caesar stops Brutus from using his height. The hump behind Caesar's neck hides a mass of muscle, used to dig his hillside den. It gives him the strength of up to five humans. But Brutus is just as strong, and he's got height as an advantage. Caesar bites the bigger bear's ear with his two-inch, super-sharp canines. It's a bite that can crush a bowling ball, and forces Brutus to lose his foothold. Kicking out with his 16-inch-long feet, Caesar hits Brutus hard in the windpipe. Again, Caesar gets his front legs on top. At five inches, a grizzly's claws are the longest of any bear. Caesar uses his to inflict the killer blow to the face. It's enough for Brutus to back down. He's escorted off the premises. Caesar has kept his girl... In the wild, anything can happen when two expert executioners meet. On the African plains, each cat has developed unique killing skills. Cheetahs are flat-out sprinters. In short bursts, they can outrun any animal. At top speed, their stride is 23 feet long. Their hard foot pads act like tire treads, giving them traction in their fast, sharp turns. The African serval is a different kind of athlete. Relative to her size, her legs are the longest of any cat. Her ears, which would be the same size as dinner plates on a human, are one of her key hunting tools. [squeak] When prey approaches, she springs into action. The cat's long feet, coupled with its powerful hind legs, allow her to leap up to nine feet vertically. These same muscles also propel her up to 12 feet horizontally. Searching for dinner, this serval enters someone else's territory. Different species of cat rarely tolerate each other as they compete for food. The serval wants to make herself look bigger. She arches her back. But size is not an issue for these cheetahs. They could kill her, but are curious when the serval doesn't run. Lashing out with sharp claws, she reveals their weakness. Cheetahs can't risk injury... ...or they're finished as hunters. The cheetahs are fast, but not foolish. The serval outplays them. This time, the springer trumps the sprinter. Dinner that fights back is not worth the trouble. And even if you're commander in chief, things don't always go your way. [roars] If lions bring down a buffalo, it's a huge win. 1,900 pounds of prime meat. But a prize like this can be costly. Because when provoked, Cape buffalo, with their three-foot horn span and massive bulk, can be the angriest vegetarians on the planet. This herd of buffalo is looking for new pastures. Adults surround the vulnerable young calves. The male pathfinder keeps a lookout for predators. The lions want to get as close as possible... so they can spring a surprise attack... if the buffalo don't smell them. [heart beating] Standing still, he signals alarm. [snorts] Decision time: stand firm or retreat. A nervous buffalo decides for him. Buffalo can outrun lions, but only just. The pace is too fast for one of the calves. The lions win dinner, but there's gonna be a price to pay. A lion takes down a buffalo calf. The pride has had its fill. But the buffalo, known to retaliate when threatened, circle the lions. A lioness spots them. [growls] She tries to distract them. But three cubs are alone and exposed. They're chased down. One cub escapes. Another buffalo finds a second cub, but misses it. When the third is found... ...the cub is crushed by the weight of two pool tables. The buffalo retreat. With one cub dead, the buffalo meal sure was costly for the lions. In nature, there is no timeout, so you should never let your guard down. The little egret. A two-foot-tall heron that hunts in shallow waters. Normally, he has nothing to fear. But on this Mediterranean island, the river's edge harbors danger. The blunt-nosed viper: a five-foot-long, muscular, venomous snake, who normally has a taste for much smaller birds. Here, this viper's bitten off more than she can chew. Her venom kills her usual victims in minutes. But the snake's bite has nothing but feather and bone, so her poison hasn't entered the egret's bloodstream. The egret's bigger cousins, herons, kill snakes with their sharp bills. The egret's beak is long and sharp, but is unable to pierce the snake's scaly armor. So he goes for the eye, but it's protected by a hard, clear lens. Moving into deeper water may be the egret's only chance of survival. Except this blunt-nosed viper is a strong swimmer. The egret's bite isn't strong enough to force the snake to release. And it's the viper's instinct to hold on to birds until they're dead. The egret tries his claws. But he has no strength in his legs. The viper bites again... ...and hits home. Her fangs, like two hypodermic needles, pump venom into If she hits an artery, the egret will die in minutes. If it's a smaller capillary, it will take longer. Either way, the viper doesn't care. The egret's too big to eat. For the victim, it's all too late as the venom takes its toll. To survive, you must be fit and find food. But sometimes food means a life-threatening fight. In Madagascar, troops of ring-tailed lemurs patrol their turf, looking like a bunch of felons who just escaped the pen. If a rival gang crosses the boundary, it's war. This gang's domain is an exclusive neighborhood, full of tamarind trees. Tamarind pods are ring-tailed lemurs' favorite food. Roxy is their female leader. Her gang guards their rich supplies. They scent-mark the boundaries, warning rivals to keep out. Just on the edge of their lush territory, another gang scrabbles to survive on small, leathery leaves. Their female boss, Rizzo, wants an upgrade. She leads her gang across the enemy's line to the tamarind pods. Roxy's gang spot the invasion. She and the girls pick up their youngest kids. Vulnerable to attack from predators and other lemurs, up to half of lemur babies die in infancy, so mothers always keep their young close, even in battle. And tamarind seeds are worth a fight. A gang of lemurs raids neighboring turf for food. [crying] The landowners aren't in a sharing mood. Their alarm calls should scare off the looters. But the looters are hungry. So landowner Roxy leads an attack. She targets the looters' head honcho, Rizzo. With long heel bones which act like springboards, they leap up to 30 feet in each bound. Now Roxy is cornered! Holding arms outstretched and screaming, the looters challenge her to a jump fight. Lashing out with sharp, claw-like nails, they lacerate her skin. As Roxy retaliates, her baby tries to cling on with tiny hands. But she falls off! Looking for safety, she tries a rival. She will be abandoned or killed by anyone except her mom. She finds her. Roxy is riled. Her gang forces the intruders to back off. The young all survive this time. As a defense, some pretend to be dangerous. But who's bluffing and who's holding the aces? In the Pacific Northwest lives one of the most toxic animals on the planet... a rough-skinned newt. He's usually only a threat to the small invertebrates he eats. But he carries deadly toxins. This species can have enough poison to kill up to 25,000 mice. So, he comes with 'don't eat me' warnings. But this is also the land of the bullfrog, the largest of all North American frogs. He's an ambush predator with a voracious appetite. His bulging eyes with their 180-degree vision help him spot prey from his seated position, Catching it with his short, sticky tongue. Right now, he's got his dinner in his sights. Sensing trouble, the newt reveals his underbelly. To most predators, his bright orange color signals danger. The frog has color eyesight, but he's thinking only with his belly. The newt is only poisonous when ingested. Inside the frog, the newt's defense kicks in. His poison paralyzes the frog's muscles by blocking electrical signals to nerve impulses, stopping his diaphragm and his heart. It takes just a few minutes. And then... Unscathed, the newt lives to die another day. Some animals hunt, and some just steal. Even in the Caribbean Sea, there are thieves-- birds too lazy to do their own fishing. [squawk] Around Little Tobago, red-billed tropicbirds soar above the water, searching for fish. It's breeding season, and parents split their duties. While one protects the chick, the other travels far offshore to gather food. With a fish safely stored in his crop, the tropicbird has to get back to the island. But he's being followed. This red-billed tropicbird is trying to deliver food to his hungry chick, but he's being pursued by a pirate. The magnificent frigatebird. With the largest wing area-to-body mass ratio of any bird, they silently glide the thermals, snatching their prey from the sea's surface and the seashore. They are the real pirates of the Caribbean. They force other birds to give up their catch. Their scissor-shaped tail and long, angular wings make frigatebirds masters of aerial combat. This one is after the red-billed tropic's baby food. [warbles] By holding the tropic's tail, he can force it to drop its fish. It's 1-nothing to the frigate. With a new fish in his gullet, the tropic tries again, outmaneuvering the bigger bird. But now there are two. 2-nothing to the frigates. If the chick's ever gonna get fed, dad must become top gun. He's going for third time lucky. But this time, the dad flies close to the water to force the frigatebird low. With very little oil in her feathers, the frigatebird isn't water-repellent. She can't afford to dip her wings in the sea. It works! Once the tropic reaches the cliffs, his catch is safe. [warbling] But this red-billed tropic chick is hungry. It's still 2-1 to the frigate. Top gun dad has many more missions to fly. In a fight, if you're the little one, it's all about defense-- hard armor, deadly poison, or sharp quills! This Cape porcupine is a nocturnal vegetarian. His hunting ground is a dangerous place, but he's battle ready. He comes with three lines of defense. The first: 20-inch-long, pliable, black and white quills around his head and shoulders. Each quill has a muscle at its base that makes it stand up when the porcupine is threatened. It makes him look up to three times bigger. But that doesn't deter these young lions. So the porcupine fires up his next weapon. At the base of his tail are short, hollow quills that rattle when he shakes them. [rattling] In the animal world, it's a sound that signals pain. Again, it doesn't work. Lions will only eat porcupines if they are starving. But curiosity could kill these cats. Across his back are densely packed, eight-inch-long, rigid, sharp quills. If he can hit his target, the quill will detach from his back and pierce flesh. He hits at least two lions. They're trying to remove the quills, so the porcupine continues his attack. The youngsters have had enough. But one of the lions has a quill pointing directly at his heart! If he can't remove it, it may snap, cause an infection, and could eventually kill him. The porcupine wins, proving attack is the best form of defense. Some animals steal your food. Others make you food while you're still alive. It's a scene from a science fiction movie. [woman screams] A giant tarantula hawk wasp searches for a living host for her young, armed with her quarter-inch stinger that, for humans, delivers one of the world's most painful stings. This female carries fertilized eggs. She will lay each of them on the stomach of a living creature, and they will slowly eat it from the outside in. Now she hunts down her preferred prey, tarantula. Her antennae lead the way. Below ground, a large, venomous baboon spider. A specially woven silk curtain keeps intruders out of the burrow. But the wasp is no ordinary visitor. She wants the spider to attack and chase her. Outside, the wasp can deliver a debilitating sting to the abdomen. A second dose of her venom ensures the spider is paralyzed, but still alive. The wasp prepares the spider's grave. Once in place, the wasp will deposit a single egg on the spider's abdomen. The larva will feast off its living host for several weeks. And now this wasp prepares to search for her next victim. To improve your status, you have to play for high stakes, and you might lose everything. In Thailand, thanks to heroic actions of an ancient monkey deity, macaques are revered as bringers of good fortune. In this temple, they enjoy daily bounty. These macaques are strong and healthy. [whistle blows] But a busy road acts as a class divide. On the wrong side of the tracks, Romeo is a market macaque. His living space is overcrowded. Every scrap of food is hard-won. Now six years old, Romeo must leave his birth group and find a new troop. There, he'll have to work his way up the ranks to gain dominance so he can continue his bloodline. Romeo has his eye on the temple troop over the road. [screech] The troop's dominant males fight hard to keep their positions. They breed with all the available females. But there are a lot of girls in the troop, and this young female, Juliet, isn't getting much lovin'. Under cover of night, Romeo crosses over to the temple. He needs allies. If he gains Juliet's support, it may help fast track him to a dominant position. By grooming her, he wins her over. But in the morning, a temple guard spots the intruder. The dominant males don't tolerate young male upstarts. Romeo is fast, but not fast enough. Bigger and stronger than Romeo, the temple males send a clear message: Don't come back. They bite him where it hurts-- his face and testicles. But it's not enough. In a show of strength, the temple monkeys go nuclear. And the market macaques face off the unwelcome invasion. Young market macaque Romeo tries to infiltrate his neighboring temple troop, but is chased back across the divide. The temple macaques mob the market troop's buildings. And now the two troops go head to head! These monkeys fight dirty. Slapping and grabbing, they can break fingers and snap tails. One-inch-long sharp canines rip through flesh like steak knives. The battle rages for 20 minutes. There are serious casualties on both sides. But for the temple troop, it's job done. The young male market macaques will stay away from the temple. Romeo escapes with his life. But he's no longer welcome in his troop. Outcast and injured, he searches for a new home. When your battle is for the bloodline, a good game plan is crucial. Australia is home to over 50 million kangaroos. Nearly 23 million of them live in the state of New South Wales. And they don't all get along. It's November, mating season. This young male is in the mood for love. But in this mob, the dominant male is first in line. Old Boomer has fought many battles to earn his position. Up to 80% of his frame is pure muscle. But Young Buck has been practicing boxing with his peers. He has muscle power, too, and technique. He gets Old Boomer on the ropes, but not for long. Old Boomer ups the ante. Balancing on his stiff, powerful tail, he lashes out. It's a kick that can disembowel. Young Buck's stomach has a thick skin which acts as a protector, but it's not enough. He is badly winded. And Old Boomer takes advantage... ...landing his weight on the youngster's forelimbs. He then throws out the boxing rules... ...and turns wrestler. Through years of fighting, Old Boomer has exceptional forelimb muscle strength. And there's no referee to call time. Old Boomer shows mercy. Young Buck won't be spreading the love here this year. On land... in the water... and in the air... [bellows] From the Arctic tundra to Southern Europe, Lions are the most sociable of the big cats. Prides can number up to 30, made up of related females, their cubs, and one or more males. This Kalahari pride in South Africa is lorded over by two. They're both colossal-- four feet tall at the shoulder and weighing close to 500 pounds. [roar] When dominant males share the rule, it's known as a coalition. The added muscle means extra protection for the pride's territory, and power over rival predators. But lion prides are constantly changing structure. Today, one male's instinct to carry on his own bloodline trumps teamwork. One of them overpowers his adversary... ...and bites him hard on the muzzle. Lions have a bite force of 400 pounds, so it could shred a fleshy nose and mouth. The weaker lion pulls away before he's badly injured. A serious face wound would end in starvation. Animals up to five miles away hear the two kings fighting. Lions can roar at 114 decibels. That's louder than a jackhammer. The weaker lion gets back up, but is shaken, and his ruthless enemy knows it. The pride is his for the taking. And he terminates their coalition with a parting shot to the face. The victorious lion runs toward the females. The loser faces exile. His only hope to cement his own bloodline will be to find a pride where he comes out on top. In the never-ending battle for survival, animals must be ready to spot and seize an opportunity. Whether it's for power, territory, or food, fortune favors the bold. A lone spotted hyena gorges on a kill. A warthog is a feast, and she'll eat it all, flesh and bone. Hyenas are able to eat almost every scrap of a carcass. But before she can finish, she's interrupted by a leopard. [hyena whooping] These big cats are expert hunters. With hearing five times more sensitive than a human, and vision up to seven times sharper, leopards are perfectly adapted to ambush the most nervous prey, pouncing from above, or bursting from tall grass. Leopards can catch their own food, but when a tasty-looking dinner comes along, it's hard to resist. The hyena has done the hard work already. It won't be easy to steal. At 130 pounds and 2.5 feet tall at the shoulder, the hyena outclasses her in weight and height. Stealing the scraps may be safer. But the hyena has no intention of sharing. The leopard could inflict deadly damage to her. Despite the risk, she drives the thief into the bush. Round one to the hyena. And by nightfall, she has gorged herself on half the carcass. Hyenas are some of nature's most effective binge eaters. Ultra-powerful jaws close her scissor-like incisors, slicing through the toughest parts of the carcass, strong enough to crush thick bone. Inside her stomach, hydrochloric acid breaks down matter effectively. In one sitting, a hyena can consume up to 40 pounds of food; the equivalent of 10 average-sized roast chickens. By now, she's bloated with meat. Even a hyena can only eat so much. A shadow approaches. It's round two! Hunger drives the leopard, and this time it doesn't back down. The thief's patience pays off. The hyena is slow and weak. She has no more fight in her. [whooping] There's plenty of meat left. It's sure to attract other thieves. So the leopard takes her prize to where few animals can follow. When a fight over food breaks out, raw muscle power is often the secret to success. But when it's a battle for territory, experience can win the kingdom. The Scottish Highlands are home to one of nature's most majestic beasts... red deer. On open ground, the two sexes live in separate groups for most of the year, but late September marks a change. It's the rut. Males duel for dominance. They force out their rivals, and gather a harem of females, if they can. One male already claims this stretch of land and these females. He has 12 points on his antlers-- a royal stag. At 7 years old, he's in his prime. The females are now in season, and males are coming in thick and fast to fight for them. The royal is ready to defend his claim. But as he charges around the battlefield, he's being watched. It's another royal, but he's older. Time is not on his side. This could well be his last rut. What he lacks in energy, he makes up in cunning. The river marks the boundary of the royal's land. The old stag waits and watches the royal burn up more energy. What happens next is UFC-worthy. An old stag watches for his moment to challenge a dominant royal male. His younger enemy is tiring. The old male makes his move. It's risky. The royal is younger and stronger, and he's seen him. Fired up from his other challenges, the royal charges. He drives his antlers into the old stag's head and forces him backwards. For the old stag, it's now or never. He gives it everything he has. The royal slips. The old stag drives his deadly antlers into his rival's side, skewering him. The royal is beaten. He bleeds heavily, and can no longer fight. The old stag claims the throne. Some animals use strategy to give them the best chances of victory, but when giants are in the mood for a fight, it's a case of the three A's-- aggression, aggression, aggression. Madikwe, South Africa. This elephant herd is made up of females and juveniles. But big males are coming in close. They usually live on their own, but something is drawing them to the herd, and it could mean trouble. [grumbling] A male reaches maturity at around 10 years old. Their heads are massive, with a wide brow, and thick, curved tusks that bulge out by the mouth. But there's a sign that they could snap at any second-- a swelling behind the eye that's discharging liquid. This is called the temporal gland. It swells when his testosterone levels rocket by 50 times. A condition called musth. The gland creates pressure behind the elephant's eyes, potentially causing intense headaches. Bulls in musth can push trees over and attack other animals. Tempers rest on a hair trigger. This raging bull in musth is gigantic-- 11 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing in at over 12,000 pounds, the weight of an RV. His urge to mate is in overdrive. And he'll crush anything that gets in his way, especially other males. But one of them won't budge, because he's also in musth. This is nature's ultimate test of strength. They try to fend each other off with their trunks, which can lift 600 pounds, the weight of a ride-on lawn mower. Suddenly, the raging bull finds himself on the back foot. He's being outmuscled. If he loses, his dreams of mating are at risk. It's a cruel dilemma. His rampaging hormones scream at him to fight on, but the other male is stronger. A final threat makes the raging bull think again. He's lost this battle, but he's not been seriously injured, and his fighting days aren't over. On average, mature males will go into musth at least once a year. The raging bull will be back. When an animal wants to establish itself as the toughest beast out there, all-out aggression is the only way to go. But when it comes to finding food, sometimes good things come to those who wait. Summer temperatures on the African plains regularly hit 80 degrees. And if animals are to survive, they must have water. A migrating herd of wildebeest and zebras. Over a million and a half strong, and they're thirsty. The noise of countless hooves running toward the river can be heard for miles around. But water is not the only thing that awaits them... colossal Nile crocodiles. 20 feet long and 2,200 pounds of armor-plated killing machine. They've been waiting for the migration, and they move into position below the surface. Like an iceberg, now only a tiny proportion of these prehistoric creatures can be seen. Crocodiles adjust their buoyancy by controlling the amount of air they hold in their lungs. Deflating them means they sink. Once submerged, they can divert blood away from the lungs and recirculate it around the body again, ensuring they use up every scrap of oxygen to feed their vital organs. This adaptation allows them to stay under for up to six hours. The crocodiles have countless wildebeest to choose from, and they are masters of patience. The adult wildebeest do not see the danger, but danger sees them. A thirsty herd drinks from croc-infested water. A full-grown wildebeest can drink more than six gallons of water at one time. But with each passing second, the danger increases. When the crocodile has its prey, it drags it into deeper water. At the back of the reptile's throat, a special valve closes to create a seal, stopping water from flowing into its stomach and lungs. This enables the crocodile to hold the prey tightly in its jaws and drown it without drowning itself. Once snared, there's almost nothing that a wildebeest can do. They are outsmarted, outsized and overpowered. The crocodiles take anything that gets too close-- wildebeest or zebra. But this feisty stallion isn't going to go as easy as the wildebeest. The croc grabs it by its front leg. The zebra's jaws are strong enough to break a human hand. It bites whatever it can, and finds an eye-- the reptile's weak spot. The zebra escapes the jaws of death by the skin of its teeth. But the lucky stallion is just one drop in an ocean of prey. For animals the world over, success depends on finding food and finding a mate. But there are some species where the line between eating and mating is dangerously blurred. The golden fields of Southern Europe seem like a paradise, but they are home to an aggressive cannibal. This female praying mantis is a real-life femme fatale. She's on the lookout for a mate... or a meal. As well as two large compound eyes that see rapid movements and depth, she has three simple eyes in the center of her head that detect changes in light. All bugs, including other females, are at risk of attack, and if caught, will be eaten alive. Male mantises are in a Catch-22. They actively seek out these killer females for mating. If she has recently eaten, she'll accept his advances. But if she's feeling hungry, she'll eat him alive, too. It has been known for a female to mate with a male and still eat him. It's one of the animal kingdom's deadliest first dates. Another mantis lands on a nearby plant. But is it male or female? Size differs greatly among the thousands of mantis varieties, but there's a general rule that separates the sexes. Males have a slender abdomen made up of eight distinct segments which get shorter toward the tail. Females have a wider abdomen made up of just six segments of roughly uniform length. This new mantis is the same build-- six segments long-- another female. The femme fatale grabs her with a lightning strike, clamping her head tight in her viciously spiked forearm. If she can, the femme fatale will start snacking. The newcomer forces the femme fatale off, and turns the tables. The sharp spines of her forearm dig into her enemy's vulnerable eye. It takes all of the femme fatale's strength to wrestle the arm away. This fight could go either way. There are easier meals to be had, so they both plunge from the battleground to safety, fleeing on an empty stomach, but with their heads still attached. Sometimes the only safe way out of a situation is to turn and run. But when an animal's young is at stake, running is not an option. For many months, the Arctic tundra is a sparse, icy desert. But with the arrival of spring, it becomes a bloody battleground. The snow geese are coming. As many as 15 million of them migrating to the tundra from the south. They're here to breed. [honking] Snow geese partner up for life. Pairs need space and easy access to vegetation and water. Competition for the best nesting site is fierce. And when it comes to fighting over territory, they battle in tag team formation. And snow geese have adaptations that make them fighting fit. Their legs are positioned centrally under their bodies, providing greater balance and agility on land and in shallow water, ideal for feeding and fighting. Their muscular necks give power to a useful tool, a sharply serrated bill designed for cutting up roots, or to shred a rival's feathers. A male and female drive off another pair. With the ideal nest site secured, the female gets on with laying. The eggs will need to be incubated for three weeks before they're ready to hatch. But now she faces a new threat. A ruthless predator has been waiting for this moment. To her, every goose egg is a golden opportunity for dinner. A mating pair of snow geese must protect their vulnerable, newly laid eggs. But there's a predator here who's been waiting months for the snow goose migration. It's an Arctic fox. She's small--about 12 pounds and just 2.5 feet long-- but she's still deadly and tenacious. She's spoiled for choice. She forgoes stealth in approaching the huge flock. The birds see her coming. They can't abandon their eggs. If they want their chicks to survive, they'll have to fight. The geese bombard the fox. They spread their wings to intimidate the attacker, their serrated bills ready to deal a painful bite. The nests are densely packed here. The fox doesn't stand a chance against so many angry parents. She spots a nest on the edge of the community. This mother is alone. The goose does her best to shield the nest from the hungry fox, but the attacker is relentless. She drives the mother away from the eggs. The Arctic fox will steal as many as she can. All the snow geese can do is sit and wait. And when the predator attacks again, they must fight. When a home is under threat, it can bring out the beast in any animal. But some creatures are so protective of their territories that if an intruder comes close, all hell breaks loose. The grasslands of India are home to a giant. The great Indian rhino. [grunts] [grunting] They're easily identified by their single horn and a tough hide resembling the armor plating of a warrior knight. In places, it can measure nearly two inches thick. Just like a knight, they must maintain their armor. The rhinos are more than happy to let birds pick out any parasitic insects that hide in the folds. These beasts are 10 feet long and weigh in at 6,000 pounds. As vegetarians, they have to consume about 1% of their body weight every day. That's 60 pounds of grass. Adult males use the waste to mark out their territory. Tall dung stacks make good boundary walls. But sometimes it's not enough. A rival knight invades occupied land. He's looking for females, but his intrusion won't be tolerated. Like their African cousins, they use their horn to drive at their rivals. But these giant knights have a special weapon. All rhinos have a set of premolars and molars, used for breaking down vegetation. But Indian rhinos also have a pair of razor-sharp incisors. These teeth can grow more than three inches, and when used in a fight can inflict serious flesh wounds. The two giant knights charge at each other, mouths open ready to clamp on to their rival's armor. The invader is determined to force a way through and lunges. But the defending knight holds firm. This land and the females within it are his. He drives the invader off with a final insult-- a bite to the butt. He must now get back to his extreme vegetarian diet. His dung-lined borders are constantly under threat. When a wild animal challenges a rival, the outcome is never guaranteed. to picking battles, some learn their lessons the hard way. The African bush is home to some highly intelligent animals-- baboons. They spend much of their time on the ground, foraging and socializing. But they must be on constant alert. The area is packed with predators. Hyena, leopard, and wild hunting dogs lurk. And this baboon family suddenly find themselves running for their lives. But this time, the killers are kittens. Three juvenile lions are practicing their hunting skills. The baboons flee to the trees. The lions are close behind. They may be novices, but the cubs are still members of one of the most powerful predator species in Africa. The cubs are already five feet from nose to tail and weigh 100 pounds-- twice the weight of the average male baboon. And they're packing the same weaponry as their parents. Razor-sharp retractable claws and flesh-puncturing canines. And these young lions are ready to use them! Three juvenile lions besiege a family of baboons. [growl] They're novices, but even a young lion can inflict deadly injury. Their biggest problem is knowing their limits. Unlike leopards, lions are not natural climbers. The baboons watch as the cubs try, and fail, to follow them. Time to turn around. Just like domestic cats, climbing up is easier than getting down. And now the killer kittens learn another lesson. Intelligent baboons have their own weapons. The cats are beaten. And just in case there are any sore losers, the mischievous primates help them cool off. [shrieks] An animal may only learn its limits through mistakes, But in the wild, a single mistake can be the difference between life and death. The rooftops of Jodhpur, India, are a primate playground. Hanuman langurs have claimed them. Individual families are watched over by a dominant male, the captain of the troop. This one has ruled for several years, an unusually long time. High up in his tree, the captain keeps watch. He has to. There are many other males in the area-- potential challengers. When they come into maturity, males are banished from their family troop. Out on their own, they wouldn't last long. The only way they can survive is to form their own renegade group, like a pack of Lost Boys. But living in this way is no picnic. Males can be highly aggressive. They're always on the lookout for groups of females to mate with, like the beauty belonging to the captain. Today, this rooftop playground will become a warzone. If the Lost Boy leader can, he'll take over the group and banish or kill the babies. He'll see that the captain's bloodline stops dead. But the captain has no intention of letting them get near. He performs an acrobatic warning display. Langurs can leap up to 15 feet horizontally. And their legs can absorb drops of up to 40 feet-- the height of four stacked school buses. The captain's show of strength stops the younger males in their tracks. But their leader has had enough of bachelorhood. He wants the females. And he'll stop at nothing to get them. A pack of Hanuman langurs attacks an established family troop. If the family captain can't fight off these rogue Lost Boys, he'll be overthrown, and his children will be at risk. He gives chase across the rooftops. The captain is stronger, but he's surrounded by the Lost Boys, each one of them armed with razor-sharp canines. The young challenger corners the captain. [barking] It's all over. The captain is badly wounded. There's a new alpha, and he claims the throne. But he's not done. He needs to end the old captain's bloodline. The older children flee as the females try to protect them. But many of the babies are doomed. It's a harsh reality for the females. But now they have a new captain. Several youngsters lose their lives, and the vultures are circling. Across the globe, on all kinds of terrain, animals fight for dominance. But when the survival of the bloodline is at stake, sometimes even a muddy pool is worth a war. The mudflats of eastern Africa are home to a truly unusual animal-- the mudskipper. When this slippery customer feels the need to stretch its fins, it has more options than most other fish. Mudskippers can leave their watery home. They're able to absorb air through their skin and keep a store of oxygen trapped in their gill chambers. This male is on a mission to find a mate. He uses his strong pectoral fins like legs. But his nimble fins walk him straight into trouble. This territory belongs to another male, and he's not happy. The homeowner moves in fast... ...and raises his dorsal fin like a warning flag. But to the trespasser, it's like a red rag to a bull. They use the same powerful muscles designed for skipping over the mud to smash into each other. The fighter that wins gets the rights to the land. The intruder gets a sucker hold on his rival's face. If he's strong enough, he can manhandle the homeowner into giving up the keys to the crib. But it's not going to plan. This is one proud homeowner. He uses all his energy to fling the intruder up and off, like a slippery bucking bronco. Just so the intruder understands he's got no chance of moving in, he's shown the door. The homeowner has won the right to stay up on dry land. But it's an early bath for his rival.