NARRATOR:
 Zambia's Luangwa Valley
has a new queen.
 Olimba.
 This audacious,
young leopard
has just usurped Kamuti,
 the aging monarch who ruled
this place for ten years.
 Olimba has won
her first territory.
 Now, she's got to keep it.
 Challenges are everywhere.
 She must keep other
female leopards out.
 And avoid predators
more powerful
 and more numerous.
 Olimba must work
tirelessly, day and night.
To keep her territory intact.
 And secure her future.
 And she must do this,
all on her own.
(GROWLING)
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
 Somewhere, hidden deep
in the woods,
 is a very tired,
 young leopard named Olimba.
 She's been a nomad
for the past year,
 scouring the Luangwa Valley
 for a territory
to call her own.
 At just three years old,
she's finally claimed one.
 Now she can settle down.
 And her new home
is every leopard's dream.
 Covering just
four square miles,
 it's relatively small,
 but this is no ordinary
hunting ground.
 It has everything
Olimba needs.
 And what this furtive feline
needs most of all
 is to stay hidden.
 She must slink through
the shadows unnoticed.
 Here, she can do just that,
 thanks to a very
special feature
at the heart of her territory.
 The gully.
 Carved by a river
that only flows
for a few months of the year,
it meanders from east to west,
 cutting a swathe
 through the finest
grazing grounds
 in the Luangwa Valley.
 In this secret hideaway,
Olimba can melt into the land,
 until she's ready
to launch an ambush.
 The grass around here is
irresistible to hundreds
of animals,
 including Olimba's
favorite food, antelope.
 Lilian's Lovebirds,
Africa's smallest parrot,
 flock here in their hundreds
to pick up seeds.
 Baboons cherish
this place too.
 Grass accounts
for half their diet.
 These primates are
very much on Olimba's menu.
 She can hunt them at night,
 whilst they sleep
in the tree-tops.
 But out here,
in the daylight,
 they can relax.
 There are eagle-eyed
sentries everywhere.
 A seasoned leopard knows
 to avoid baboons
in daylight at all costs.
 Security is always
on high alert.
 But Olimba is young,
hungry and green.
 All she must do
is find a spot
 where the antelope are
close to the gully's edge.
 Every predator has
an optimal distance
 from which they can
launch an attack,
 otherwise they'll be outrun
by their prey.
 Olimba must get
to within 15 feet
before pouncing.
 Close is
never close enough
 for a hunting leopard.
 A male puku is
almost within range.
 All she must do
is wait for him to edge
 just that little bit closer.
(BABOON BARKS)
 But her cover's blown,
 thanks to the prying eyes
of a baboon.
(BABOONS BARKING)
 It's a rookie error.
 She's lost a potential meal,
 and now, she's
the centre of attention.
 There's no point
staying put
 but the baboons won't
let her out of their sight.
 A posse forms,
 armed with
razor-sharp canine teeth
two inches long.
(BABOONS BARKING)
 Olimba can
overpower one baboon,
 but she's no match
for an army.
 And she knows it.
(BABOONS BARKING)
 Right now, she's
extremely vulnerable.
 She mustn't show fear,
or they will attack.
(GROWLING)
(BABOONS BARKING)
 The three large males
leading the advance
could kill her.
 But they're wily enough
to know that
 in the inevitable flurry
of teeth and claws
 they wouldn't
come out unscathed.
(OLIMBA GROWLS)
 It's stalemate.
 Olimba holds her ground
 and the baboons
station guards
to keep an eye on her.
 She'll keep a low profile
and wait until nightfall,
 when under the cover
of darkness,
 she'll regain her advantage.
 It's been a valuable lesson
for the young leopard
 who's still learning
to fend for herself.
 Her predecessor here
was ten years older.
 Kamuti was a wise,
old leopard
 who had honed her
hunting skills in the gully.
 She knew every inch
of her territory inside out.
 From the endless patchwork
of antelope-filled plains,
 to the mighty
Luangwa River that
borders them to the west.
(CALLING)
 Using guile and stealth,
 Kamuti reigned
supreme here for ten
extraordinary years.
 But she was no match
for her rival.
 With youth on her side,
 Olimba took over the reins.
 She has a lot
to live up to.
 Like Kamuti,
 she must get
to know every inch
 of her new territory
 like the back of her paw.
 If she rests on
her laurels, she risks
a rude awakening.
(CHIRPING)
 There are many dangers here
to contend with.
 She unwillingly shares
her territory
with numerous lions.
 They're a force
to be reckoned with.
 At 330 pounds,
 an adult male weighs
five times what she does.
 And, unlike
the solitary leopard,
 these predators have
strength in numbers.
 There are 16 lions
on Olimba's patch,
 the Nsefu Pride.
 And, if they cross paths,
she's as good as dead.
(BARKING)
 The opportunities
for carnivores here
 mean that it's
rife with thieves.
(TRUMPETS)
 Hyenas are
proficient hunters
 but are scavengers, too.
 Although they're
less of a threat
to Olimba's life,
 they'll take any opportunity
they can to steal her kills.
 Wild dogs also
roam this valley,
 each half the size
of a leopard.
 What wild dogs
lack in stature,
 they make up for
in strategy.
 Working together as a pack,
 they hunt the same prey
as Olimba
 and won't tolerate her
if she gets in the way.
 She can avoid most danger
 by using her exceptional
climbing skills.
 But there's one threat
she can't escape
by taking to the trees,
 another leopard.
 Just like Kamuti, she could
face a challenger any time.
She may have won a territory,
 but now she needs
to hang on to it.
 Every day she sets off
to patrol her borders
 to lay-out,
 in no uncertain terms,
where her land begins.
(CALLING)
 Her call is a warning
to any rival
 within a couple of miles.
 But it won't reach
the extremities
of her domain.
 Most communication
is chemical.
 Urine infused
with secretions
from her anal glands
 leaves a pungent reminder
that this land
 is hers.
 Her messages last
for several days.
 But it'll take her
that long to patrol
the perimeter.
 The Luangwa Valley has
the densest population
of leopards in Africa,
 averaging three
for every 10 square miles.
 Doing her rounds
takes time
 that could otherwise
be spent hunting.
 But with so many
other leopards nearby,
 it's a job that simply
can't be ignored.
 She must stake
her claim to every
important landmark.
 The patrols help her
to get to know
her new territory.
 But, as sunset
approaches,
 she finds herself
somewhere
 she's never been before.
 A small ebony grove
by the river.
 It's been a tiring day.
 It's almost too much
bother to hunt.
 A genet takes
full advantage of
the cover of darkness.
 It can eat lizards
and rodents,
 but insects such as
grasshoppers and moths
 make up half its diet.
 Olimba's not above
eating insects either,
 but she's hungry
and sets her sights
on something a little bigger.
 Impala.
 She needs to close the gap
to within 15 feet
of her prey.
 Her soft paw pads
let her move
in almost total silence.
 And her eyesight is
eight times more powerful
than a human's.
 So she can see well
in the dark.
 But there are some things
she has no control over.
 A change in wind
betrays her scent.
 It's unfortunate
for the young leopard.
 And now, alarm calls
mean that
 every animal around here
will be on high alert.
 To stand any chance
of eating tonight,
 she needs to move on.
 Even if it means
moving deeper into
unchartered territory.
 She ventures beyond her
own scent-marked border.
 With only two hours
till sun-up,
 she locates another herd.
 This time,
she waits for her prey
to come to her.
 She's learning.
 Patience must
be part of every
leopard's playbook.
 She sees an opportunity.
 The adult Impala could
keep her going for a week.
 If she gets to keep it.
 The Nsefu Pride
is on the prowl.
 If the lions
get wind of her kill,
they'll steal it.
 But they're focused
on something else.
 A pair of sleeping warthogs,
 oblivious to the danger.
(WARTHOGS GRUNT)
(WARTHOG SQUEALING)
 With the lions distracted,
 Olimba seizes her chance
to make a getaway.
 A warthog is already
a small meal
 for a large family.
 And there are some
unwelcome guests.
(HYENAS CRYING)
 Hyenas have been trailing
the lions all night.
 They're bold, and now
they want in on the action.
 Excited hyenas are
the noisiest animals
in Luangwa.
 Their calls will draw other
hyenas in like a magnet.
 Olimba's in trouble.
 She's exhausted
from her hunt,
 her kill weighs
over 100 pounds,
 and the place will soon be
swarming with scavengers.
 She must move it
to safety now.
(HYENAS CRYING)
 Even the lions aren't safe
with hyenas in numbers.
(HYENAS CRYING)
 Time is running out.
 Olimba's made it
to the edge of the clearing
 but the impala carcass
is far too heavy
to take up a tree.
 She quickly eats
what she can.
 More and more hyenas
arrive by the minute.
 It's only a matter of time
 before they sniff out
her kill too.
 It's not worth the fight.
 For her own safety,
 she must abandon it,
 and head back to a place
she knows better.
(HYENAS HOWLING)
 The previous night's
outing will provide
another valuable lesson.
 Olimba must quell
the urge to explore
 beyond her boundaries.
 Her territory has
everything she needs.
 And by straying too far,
 she left the door open
to neighboring leopards.
 She doesn't know it yet
but there's a stranger
 in one of her favorite
resting places.
 Three years older
than Olimba,
 this female is strong
and on a mission.
 She's in estrus,
 and has trespassed
onto Olimba's patch
 in the search for a mate.
 Hormones and pheromones
mixed with her urine
 make her intentions clear.
 By spreading her scent
far and wide
she broadcasts her presence
to any males passing through.
 And, judging by the smell
on this dead tree,
 there's a good prospect
very close by.
(BABOONS GRUNTING)
 It's a male
 with a huge territory
that overlaps with Olimba's.
 He's a successful hunter,
 and the father
of many cubs already,
 but he's always
looking to sire more.
 Other leopards can detect
his pungent calling cards
 from 100 feet away.
 The trespassing female
is already on his trail.
 It's only a matter of time
before she tracks him down.
 Two miles away,
 Olimba has yet to discover
she's got company.
 She has more fundamental
problems to deal with.
 She's made another kill,
 but how do you get
 a cumbersome carcass
up a tree
 when it doesn't seem
willing to comply?
 She knows only too well
 that leaving it on
the ground risks losing it
to scavengers.
 Leopards are immensely
strong for their size
 but it's a lot of effort
for a tired, young female.
 The prospect
of a little nap
is just too tempting.
 The female trespasser is
only a mile and a half
north of Olimba,
 and she's making herself
very much at home.
 A lone male puku
hasn't spotted her.
 Without the eyes and ears
of the herd to protect him,
this should be a simple hunt.
 But it's the puku's
lucky day.
 She's more intent
on finding a mate.
 Her search is taking
her deep into
Olimba's territory.
 Suddenly, she senses danger.
 Survival instincts kick in,
 her dappled coat
blending with the grass.
 The hyena seems to be
guarding something,
 possibly a den.
 It can smell the leopard
but can't see her.
 She mustn't move a muscle.
 More trouble turns up.
 Wild dogs, mid-hunt.
 There's no chance
of staying hidden now.
 She must make a break
for the trees.
 Wild dogs and leopards
are fierce competitors
 and therefore enemies.
 But she's beyond
their reach.
 For the dogs,
this is a useful game.
 A spot of leopard baiting
reinforces the bonds
between pack members.
(GROWLING)
 But it also wastes
precious hunting time.
 Eventually they move on,
 and she's free to go.
 She edges ever closer
to Olimba.
 In the Luangwa Valley,
 every leopard has
leopard neighbors.
 Over time they get
to know each other by smell
 and learn to respect
each other's borders.
 But Olimba has only
recently gained control
of this territory.
 The scent of any female
is a major concern.
 Especially when it's fresh.
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
The invader is very close-by.
 Olimba may have to fight
 to keep this land.
 The trespassing female
has finally found the male.
 For these,
usually solitary cats,
 it's a rare moment
to spend some time together.
 And this won't be
a one night stand.
 While the courting
couple cosy-up,
 Olimba must get to grips
with life here on her own.
 She left her mother's side
 little more than a year ago
 and she still shows
signs of naivety.
 Valuable opportunities
pass her by.
(HYENA CRIES)
 But she's a fast learner.
 And with every passing day
 she hones the skills
she needs to survive.
 But even a grown-up leopard
has a playful side.
 The gully has provided
the perfect training ground.
 And today looks
like a good day
 to put what she's learned
into practice.
 Rolling in dust infused
with the urine of her prey
 helps cover her scent.
 No two hunts
at the gully are the same.
 She must adapt
her technique according
to the environment.
 Today everything's
in her favor.
 There's very little wind.
 There are no baboon
sentries on duty.
 And most of
the impala have
their backs to the gully.
 Sometimes it's good to wait.
 But today, it's about
seizing the opportunity.
(ANTELOPE GRUNTING)
 With her growing success,
 the hyenas have learned
 this is the place to come
for an easy meal.
 They're becoming
the bane of Olimba's life.
She may have mastered the kill
 but she has yet to learn
how to defend it.
 Bigger, and with
bone-crushing teeth,
 the hyena could do her
serious harm.
 But Olimba's getting
much more savvy.
 This isn't over yet.
 Now it's the hyena's turn
 to try to move
the meal to safety.
 Olimba watches...
 ...and waits.
 The hyena could eat
 a third of its body weight
in one sitting,
 but instead moves off,
 taking only
what it can carry,
 an impala stomach,
full of grass.
 For Olimba,
 reclaiming a kill
from a hyena
 is a major success.
 Not far away,
 the male leopard
takes a short break
 from his courtship
with the female interloper.
 To ensure ovulation
 and increase his odds
of fertilization,
 he must mate her
as many times as possible.
 Over the past five days,
 that's been more
than 200 times.
(CALLING)
 Calling to her
signals he's ready for more.
 But drawing attention
to yourself out here
is dangerous.
(LEOPARD CALLING)
 The approaching lions
will kill him
 without hesitation.
 So he makes a dash
for his safest option...
 Up!
(GROWLING)
 The female
slinks off as well.
 The lions have
her mate trapped.
 And with their
proclivity for sleeping,
 up to 18 hours day,
 he could be there sometime.
 She's enjoyed
five days with him.
 For a leopard, that's
a long relationship.
 It's time to leave
and head back
 to the relative safety
 of her own territory.
 In the afternoon,
guinea fowl
 head towards the river
near the gully.
 Groups of up to 20 birds
move as one unit.
 They never get tired
of walking or talking.
 If one gets separated,
it panics,
 making a racket
 loud enough to rouse
a sleeping leopard.
 Not a clever move
 when you're
potential cat food.
 By sundown,
the guinea fowl
 are all heading
for their roost.
They choose the outer branches
 of the very tallest trees.
 Beyond the reach
of a hungry cat.
 These thin twigs should
keep them safe tonight.
 A new moon
will provide Olimba
 with a cloak of darkness
 to hunt under.
 She attempts a short nap
before the long night ahead.
 But the noisy neighbors
get her up for work.
 Olimba's learned that
to hold on to her throne
 she must scent mark
day and night.
 She sprays
the largest trees.
 Or any with
comfortable branches
 more than ten feet
from the ground.
 They're the ones
most likely
 to be visited
by another leopard.
 Something
in the biggest tree
 piques her interest.
 She's found
the guinea fowl.
 They've settled down
for the night,
 and are more than
100 feet up.
 It's a long way to go
for a midnight snack,
 but Olimba
 makes scaling
the vertical trunk
 look effortless.
 Her body is built
for climbing.
 Her short back legs are
packed with muscles
 that propel her upwards.
 And her strong,
two-inch claws
 grip the bark.
 Guinea fowl have
lousy night-vision,
 and they
can't fly very far.
 But they do have
lightning-fast reactions.
 It's a wasted effort.
(LEOPARD CALLING DISTANTLY)
 The call
of another leopard
 cuts through
the night air.
 This is something
she cannot ignore.
 It's the male.
 Since escaping the lions,
 he's been trying
to re-establish contact
with his mate.
The last thing he's expecting
 is Olimba.
 She flirts provocatively.
She's coming into estrus too,
 and keen to impress.
 But after a marathon
bout of mating,
 over 40 times a day,
for five days straight,
 he could be forgiven
for seeming less
than motivated.
 She tries
everything she can
 to make this
opportunity count.
 For Olimba,
every encounter
 with a male
will be fleeting.
 But try as she might,
he's having none of it.
 He has a huge territory
to defend.
 Four times that
of Olimba's,
 and decides to move on.
 She's been unlucky
this time,
 but one day,
she'll be a mother.
 She's already
an accomplished hunter,
 and by then
 will have plenty
of skills to pass on.
 From a young,
nomadic female
 with no territory
of her own,
 Olimba has come
a long way.
 She's claimed,
and maintained,
 one of the best territories
in the Luangwa Valley,
 and she has no intention
 of giving it up.
 There will always be trials
 but with every passing day,
 she gets stronger
 and wiser.
 She's mastered the gully,
 and is learning to hold on
to her hard-won gains.
 She's all set
to rule this place
 for many years to come.
♪♪
