充滿野性的非洲大草原
兩頭獅兄弟剛稱王不久
流浪獅就已對其領地虎視眈眈
獅王能否經得住考驗 捍衛自己的王位
它們的孩子究竟是被誰奪取了生命
它們的家園究竟是被誰所侵佔
敬請收看獅子狩獵場
本期關鍵詞：
pride 獅群
This is a story about two lion brothers. We see how they protect their homeland from danger, and how they give birth, raise their babies, and hunt for food. A group of fierce nomadic male lions are the greatest threat to the pride, and are the direct competitors for survival.. In order to hunt for food, fighting and struggling are unavoidable. This is a realistic story, in which the events will decide whether or not the cubs can survive. They are the future masters of this stretch of land.
Their responsibility is to protect these two cubs until they are two years old and can live independently. Every day they encounter all sorts of unexpected dangers, and they must be on their guard at all times. Each pride of lions has its own territory. So how are they able to differentiate their own territory from that of other troops?
One kilometer away, we see the younger brother patrolling by himself. On the border of their territory, they leave a series of messages to warn the roaming lions to stay away. The bush is full of their smell, which functions as a warning, saying “This is our territory.” The younger brother leaves this kind of message every 30 meters along the border. This smell is also his claws, so that each step he takes proclaims the troop’s ownership of this territory. These two 5-year-old lions constantly leave their smell wherever they go. And the lion kings of other troops do the same, carving up the length and breadth of land as their own territory. But, outside of these territories, the nomadic lions roam.
One of the two brothers is emitting the most sonorous sound to be heard on the African grassland. With this aggressive roar that splits the grassland, he proclaims that he is the master of this land, and he is ready anytime to fight to protect it. Other lions with a 10-square kilometer radius can easily hear the roar. The sound travels to territorial borders far, far away, and other lion kings echo the roar. As one roar falls, another rises, and lions can judge the exact position of the others by the sound. At this time, only the nomadic lions are stand there motionlessly listening, awaiting any opportunity to attack the holders of these territories. Today, however, everything appears to be quiet and normal.
The second day, the lions awaken. Having not eaten in a long time, they prepare to go out for a hunt, an activity that requires cooperative teamwork. The pioneer is good at hunting, and the others follow closely on his heels. Two female lions stay behind to protect the cubs. Collective hunting increases the odds for a successful hunt. They must capture 200 preys each year to satisfy the needs of the troop. Lions cannot run as fast as a zebra. How are they able to capture such faster prey?
It is impossible for a lion to catch a zebra who is 30 meters away. One female lion walks to one end of bush, preparing for an ambush. Four other female lions wait for the attack. Once a zebra wanders within 30 meters, they will make their move. Attackers on two sides cut off the zebra’s only escape route. The poor zebra is completely surrounded by the lions, and a female prepares for the fatal attack. Within 30 seconds, the female lions have killed the zebra with deadly bites on the throat. Thus the lion troop nets more than 200 kilos of food. The young cubs also receive their share of the fruits of victory, but the children are not the only ones to be fed. The males also arrive to take their share, perhaps to be considered as their protection fee. Surprisingly, the males do not take part in the hunt, which is entirely the work of the females.
Having eaten their fill, the lion troop rests contentedly on the grassy plains, enjoying the afternoon sunshine. However, they are unaware of the danger that is approaching ever nearer.
The next day, the two lion cub brothers go out separately to patrol the outer borders, still keeping track of each other’s location by roaring. But these roars are also heard by two nomadic lions.
The two lion brothers split up to patrol the borders of their territory. As usual, they use their roars to keep track of each other’s location. However, their roaring is also heard by two nomad lions.
The nomad lions now realize that the two brothers are 3 kilometers apart, and this is the opportunity they’ve been waiting for. They cross over the boundary line marked by the brothers’ scent, and enter their territory. The first ones to discover the presence of the intruders are the watchful females, who are very clear about the implications of the intrusion.
They have lived on this grassland for many years, hunting prey, mating, and raising their young. The females are the true masters of this piece of land. Just one year earlier, the two brothers had invaded this territory in the same fashion, killing all the cubs, and becoming the fathers of this new generation of cubs. Each time there is a power shift among the lion troops, the change is always bloody.
And now it seems this drama is about to be played out again. Will the invaders take over the lion kings’ domain, or can the brothers successfully defend their territory?
The battle begins. Though the courageous challengers lack experience, the fight is two-against-one, and so they have a numerical advantage. It looks like the scales of victory have already begun to tilt in one direction.
At the same time, the younger female lions hide the cubs in a safe place, and the older females prepare to help the males in combat, in order to turn the tide in their favor.
Things have changed in just a few minutes; the two invading males have been separated, and it seems the odds are turning against them. One of the challengers has been wounded. They are now faced with a choice: either retreat or be killed.
The fight ends. The mother lions and cubs are safe and sound. The two invaders have retreated to their original location to find a safe place to lick their wounds. They are lucky just to be alive. But this means they will live to challenge again another day.
Until that time, they can only continue to roam. The two brother lions retain their control over their territory. But this is all temporary; even more fearful danger could come tomorrow.
The fourth day comes. The silence and heat of the grasslands seem to forebode events more terrible than those encountered yesterday.
We are looking at what might be the animal with the most defensive instincts on earth: the water buffalo. The lions have just eaten their fill, and are now resting. When the water buffalo enter the lions’ territory, it looks like a large-scale hunting activity is about to begin. Surprisingly, several females hide the cubs in the bushes. Why would they do this?
Actually, this time it is the lions that are frightened. These cubs are too small, and they don’t understand that they are in great danger. The water buffalo see their advantage, and they have found a chance go on the offensive. The leader of the water buffalo discovers the cubs, and begins to fiercely rush toward them. The ten confused cubs try to hide, but it is too late. Can the cubs survive this threat?
The females try to distract the attention of the water buffalo, but aren’t able to carry it out. When the cubs stop fleeing, the water buffalo lose interest in them, and walk off satisfied. The female lions call to their children, and the few surviving cubs emerge from their hiding places.
But there are only 7 survive; the other three have died. It will be 18 months before the cubs will have the ability to fight themselves. Before that time, they can only depend on their instincts to hold on to survival in the midst of various dangers.
However, life changes constantly on the grasslands. On the fifth day, the lion pride, having just escaped from one disaster, are now faced with new troubles.
On the grasslands there is an animal with the ability to destroy everything in its path; namely the elephant. When the grasslands wither and dry out, the elephants are forced to eat tree leaves. These enormous animals attack the acacia trees with the destructive force of a bulldozer. Though the tree trunks are quite thick and strong, the elephants can snap them like twigs.
The elephants flatten everything in their path, and so the lions’ territory is again completely changed. The elephants can completely destroy a future forest in just a few hours. When they advance, nothing can block their path. The elephants’ actions make the lions furious. But what can the lions do? Can the cubs avoid danger this time?
Faced with the elephants, there is not much the male and female lions can do. All they can do is take their cubs and get out of there to a place far away from the elephants. Although their territory has been invaded, luckily the cubs are still safe and sound. Day two: As usual, the two lion brothers are patrolling their land. Seemingly everything has returned to normal.
But the two brothers should not be too overconfident. Disaster is about to befall them. At this moment, just beyond the borders of the territory, the two nomad lions are closing in on them, step by step.
The seventh day; a new day begins. The life of the female lions has undergone yet another drastic change. The nomadic male lions have taken over control of the pride. These new lion kings will protect the females and their two-year old female cubs. The other males have been driven away. The two lion brothers are taking their last breaths. After 8 years on this earth, their brief, turbulent lives are at an end. And thus the story of the lion brothers comes to an end.
But a new saga is just beginning. Their sons were lucky enough to escape alive, and are now on the nomadic path themselves. Four years from now, they will be able to be leaders of their own pride of lions.
責編：蘭華