[Helena Bonham Carter] In remote Zambia,
a desperate search is underway by the mothers of the river pride.
Last night,
the invading nomadic males attacked the females,
and little Minnie, with the older cubs, fled.
[tense music plays]
Now, they're missing.
Minnie's mom has a deep gash on her shoulder,
but her immediate concern is for Minnie's safety.
[tense music continues]
The cubs are lying low.
Alone, they're highly vulnerable.
[tense music continues]
And a powerful hyena is heading straight for them.
[tense music continues]
Minnie's most at risk.
[tense music continues]
She's less confident than the others
and wouldn't stand a chance against this dangerous enemy.
[tense music fades]
[hopeful music plays]
But help is here.
[hopeful music continues]
Minnie's safe for the moment.
But there's a point when all youngsters have to step up,
gather their courage,
and master the skills they need to make it to adulthood.
[hopeful music continues]
That time for Minnie has come.
[hopeful music fades]
[country guitar music plays]
It's summer in British Columbia, on the Pacific Northwest coast.
[country music continues]
Hidden amongst the steep fjords,
this rich wilderness is a haven for one of the largest bears on Earth.
The mighty grizzly.
[country music fades]
It's a busy time for one-year-old Spruce and his mom.
They emerged from their den two months ago.
And the teenager must learn to find food before they hibernate again.
[bear growls]
However, Spruce isn't used to hard work.
He still gets to top up with rich milk.
But today, that's going to change.
His mom must prepare him for a future life on his own.
[jaunty music plays]
For now,
the most abundant food on offer is sedge grass.
[jaunty music continues]
But Spruce isn't too keen on his greens.
And all that chomping is exhausting for a little bear.
[tranquil music plays]
Maybe just a little snooze.
It's not a promising start on his journey to independence.
[tranquil music continues]
[tranquil music fades]
Refreshed after his nap,
his mom leads him to shore in search of something a little tastier.
At first glance, it doesn't look too promising.
But what his mom's after is buried treasure.
[bear growls]
Other hungry bears have already made a start.
They're digging for clams.
Small mollusks that make a rich treat.
Hopefully, Spruce will show a little more enthusiasm
for this challenge.
But trouble is heading their way.
A big male.
[tense music plays]
[bear growls]
It's breeding season,
and he would kill a cub to mate with the female.
[tense music continues]
The fiercely protective mom springs into action.
It's a brave move.
The male could easily overpower her.
[tense music continues]
[tense music fades]
One threat has disappeared.
But now little Spruce is all alone.
[cub whimpers]
He leaves the beach in the opposite direction of his mom.
It's a move he could regret.
[tranquil music plays]
In Central Africa,
the reunited river pride is taking a break in the heat of the day.
[tranquil music continues]
But ten-month-old Minnie is struggling.
[tranquil music continues]
At kills, she isn't confident enough to get to the meat
amongst the family rush to eat.
[tranquil music continues]
She must be fierce and fight for her fair share.
[tranquil music continues]
Right now, she's starving, with barely the energy to move.
She needs to eat today.
[tranquil music continues]
[tranquil music fades]
Her mom is the pride's best hunter, and she's determined to make a kill.
Her daughter's survival depends on it.
[tense music plays]
And a waterbuck would be perfect.
[tense music continues]
[dramatic music plays]
[growling]
[dramatic music continues]
[dramatic music fades]
She's done it.
[tranquil music plays]
She covers her tracks
where she dragged the kill to a more secluded spot.
[tranquil music continues]
She doesn't want another animal to find it before she can fetch Minnie.
[tranquil music continues]
Vultures are already circling.
The pride needs to be quick.
[tranquil music continues]
[tranquil music fades]
The older cubs arrive first.
If Minnie is to eat, she must stand up for herself.
[lions growl]
Last to arrive, there's no space left for her.
Everyone's more interested in getting what's theirs.
[lions growl]
But this time, Minnie's determined.
[lion growls]
[hopeful music plays]
She pushes through the gaps to get right on top.
[hopeful music continues]
Her sister tells her off.
[lion growls]
But Minnie refuses to budge.
[uplifting music plays]
[lion growls]
She's finally learned to stand her ground.
[uplifting music fades]
But Minnie's challenge is not over,
if she's to become a powerful member of the pride.
Some young animals are reluctant to step up,
while others can't wait.
[jaunty music plays]
In the Atlantic Ocean,
Kai, a young bottlenose dolphin, is enjoying some pod time.
[jaunty music continues]
They're a sociable bunch, and he's eager to be part of the gang.
But at two years old,
he has more to learn before he's ready to leave his mom.
[jaunty music continues]
[jaunty music stops]
They've come to the creeks and inlets of South Carolina.
They're full of fish migrating to the sea to spawn.
Kai has caught fish in the open ocean,
but in these murky, shallow estuaries,
the pod must use a dangerous technique.
They're going to hunt on land.
His mom will show him how.
With another dolphin,
she creates a wave big enough to push fish up the bank,
where they're an easier target.
Then they deliberately strand themselves to snatch their prey,
before sliding back down.
Getting stuck on land is a serious risk.
Kai's mom is an expert.
But now it's his turn.
[dramatic music plays]
She places Kai in the middle to give him as much help as possible.
[dramatic music continues]
She's got one.
But Kai hasn't beached far enough up and misses out.
[dramatic music continues]
This time, he needs to go higher.
[dramatic music continues]
But he's gone too far.
[foreboding music plays]
The slippery mud has saved him.
Getting it wrong again could prove deadly.
But he's going to have to keep trying.
In Western Canada,
teenager Spruce has left the beach where he last saw his mom.
[country music plays]
And now he's lost.
[country music continues]
[cub whimpers]
He should be trying to find her.
But walking around is so tiring.
[tranquil music plays]
And Spruce just can't resist another little nap.
[tranquil music fades]
For his mom, there's no time to rest.
She's well aware of the dangers her cub faces.
And at last,
she spots him.
[bear growls]
[cub snores]
[bear growls]
[tranquil music plays]
His mom isn't giving up on teaching Spruce to dig for clams.
Luckily, now there are no other distractions.
Let the lesson begin.
But why bother when it's so much easier to swipe Mom's leftovers?
[jaunty music plays]
[bear growls]
He needs to start doing things for himself.
[jaunty music continues]
But Spruce is all about shortcuts.
[jaunty music continues]
Someone's already beaten him to these washed-up clams.
There's just one left.
[jaunty music continues]
But scrounging a few here and there isn't going to be enough
for a growing bear.
[jaunty music fades]
Hungry Spruce can't put it off any longer.
He's going to have to dig.
[tranquil music plays]
Finally, he does it all by himself.
[tranquil music continues]
He's shown his mom he's got what it takes.
He's a big bear now.
Well, almost.
[tranquil music fades]
In Zambia's Luangwa Valley, Minnie's in much better shape.
[jaunty music plays]
Now she's eaten well, she's full of beans.
[jaunty music continues]
And the feeling is infectious.
[lions yelp]
[jaunty music continues]
[jaunty music fades]
The family is back at the river.
It's their favorite place to hang out.
Plenty to drink with a great view over their territory.
But not everyone's pleased to see them.
[tense music plays]
The Luangwa River is home
to the densest population of hippos in the world.
And these males are getting nervy.
[tense music continues]
They don't like anyone to come close.
The pride is cautious.
[tense music continues]
[growling]
But their smallest cub needs to learn when to fight and when to flee.
[tense music continues]
Minnie decides to place herself between the hippos and the pride.
She's not going to be pushed around so easily anymore.
But this hippo's a whole different ball game.
Showing off his sharp tusks,
it's an aggressive threat.
[suspenseful music plays]
[hippo growls]
[suspenseful music continues]
Minnie's first to read the signs.
And the others follow her lead.
[hippo growls]
[uplifting music plays]
[hippo roars]
[uplifting music continues]
She's learning to navigate the difficulties life will throw at her.
[uplifting music continues]
Develop the confidence she'll need to succeed.
And with a close-knit family to support her,
Minnie's future is looking bright.
[uplifting music fades]
In the estuaries of South Carolina,
dolphin Kai is learning a dangerous way to fish.
And he must perfect the technique or risk his own safety.
His pod moves a mile round the corner to a new location.
The beach is already busy with novice fishermen.
And Kai is keen to join their ranks.
His mom checks the landing site is clear.
And they're good to go.
[upbeat tense music plays]
Kai is still finding it hard to get the timing right.
But his mom knows you need to hang around
to hit the jackpot.
[upbeat tense music continues]
Kai's raring to try again.
[upbeat tense music stops]
[upbeat tense music resumes]
This time, he's the one waiting.
[uplifting music plays]
His first catch.
By learning from his mom, he's mastered it.
And now there's no stopping him.
[uplifting music continues]
[uplifting music fades]
Success all round.
[tranquil music plays]
Kai has learnt the skills to hunt on land
and proved himself to his mom.
[tranquil music continues]
[uplifting music plays]
Every baby born wild faces a steep learning curve from day one.
The odds are not on their side.
Danger lurks at every turn.
[lion roars]
[uplifting music continues]
But most don't have to struggle alone.
Dedicated parents give their all to help them survive.
[uplifting music continues]
To prepare them as best they can for the trials they must tackle.
[pups squeal]
And if these babies master the skills they've been taught…
[uplifting music continues]
…learn to stand up for themselves,
and fight their corner,
they'll have the best chance of making it to adulthood.
And one day,
starting a family of their own.
[uplifting music continues]
[uplifting music fades]