it’s the dry season in Zambia the
lagoons either baked dry or the mud is
so thick animals get stuck with fatal
consequences this male hippo has been
living in one small Lagoon but as it
dries it’s turning into a death
understandably the females have once
shared it with him have all left even if
he wants to he can’t stay much longer he
needs water to keep cool and females to
mate with
and this is where they all are almost
all the hippos in the area are now in
what is left of the Luangwa River
because it’s the last place where
there’s still deep water this Bend is
controlled by an all-powerful male since
the drought many more females have
joined his herd they are happy to live
cheek-by-jowl but any male who comes
here in the hope of mating must first
defeat the overlord
the wandering male arrives and has a
decision to make
submit or fight
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[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
victory for the overlord his domination
of his channel in the river remains and
with it mating rights with the females
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[Music]
the loser is alive but is an outcast he
retreats to another part of the river
where it’s so shallow that no females
will follow his chance to father
offspring is over for now
[Music]
[Applause]
