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The ‘big five’
Elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino – are so named not for their size but for being the most difficult game to hunt. Earth-Touch, of course, has nothing to do with hunting or killing. Instead, we call upon the wildlife knowledge, patience and photographic skill of the film crew to be there when these magnificent animals reveal themselves and allow us into their lives – or warn us off.
Leopard
A female leopard stalks and chases a jackal, and later sees a male leopard sharing her territory.
After resting through the day, a leopard climbs down from its tree and encounters some lions.
A leopard in a tree waits for impala to approach.
The kill is taken up into a tree to be eaten.
A leopard moves gracefully even though it’s being harassed by jackals.
Young cubs emerge from the den when their mother arrives with a kill.
Lion
A pair of magnificent males drink after their meal.
Lions must communicate in some way when they plan a hunt.
Licking and touching each other is an important part of social interaction.
Playing gives cubs the skills they need for hunting as adults.
Two males move as one.
A lion roars at close range.
Lionesses launch attacks on buffalo.
African elephant
A large herd of about 60 elephants in family groups cool off in a muddy waterhole on the way across a floodplain in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Six elephant bulls run towards a waterhole at the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana.
See this great creature in detail as it comes close to the camera.
A big bull charges out of the bush.
More often, elephant communication is gentle and subtle.
Rhinoceros
White rhinos were recently reintroduced to the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana – all three are in this clip.
Two female white rhinos with calves and one male were filmed in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
A white rhino bull investigates what it is that he can smell.
A black rhino charges.
African buffalo
The herd stirs in the early morning.
The scent of lions agitates the buffalo.
Old and young move across the floodplain in a big herd.
The force of the buffalo herd comes up against the team work and strength of the lion pride in a hunt.