Survival of the Fittest | Race of Life | Episode 1 | Free Documentary Nature

Race of Life - Episode 7: Hunter & Prey | Wildlife Documentary Predator versus prey: in this installment, we analyze three attack-escape scenarios involving bird predators and their prey. One is the climbing flight escape, another is horizontal speeding, and thirdly, there is turning and diving to avoid capture. Predator and prey attack-escape behavior is another outcome of the evolutionary arms race. There is something about birds of prey that make us pay attention – maybe it is the inherent fear we all have that one will attack us – or perhaps it is just because they are seldom seen by most Westerners. Regardless, birds of prey are fascinating and in this episode, we examine some of the largest, mightiest, and most spectacular raptors from around the world. We’ll watch with fascination the Eagle, a large bird of prey that is a skilled hunter and highly efficient killer. These elegant predators work in large open spaces, where they can fly high and see for miles and miles. Meanwhile, the fastest living animal on land, sea, or sky is also a

Race of Life - Episode 6: Run Like the Wind | Wildlife Documentary With predators practically always on the lookout for a meal, prey must constantly avoid being eaten. Any defensive adaptation that prey can utilize adds to the chances of survival for its species. Some adaptations are defense mechanisms which can give the prey an advantage against their enemies. The first is very direct and comes naturally. Animals can use speed as a very effective means of escaping predators. In the evolutionary history of big herbivores and the carnivores that prey upon them, the phrase “arms race”is only technically a metaphor. Antelope are literally born to run, and many of the things that chase them, such as the cheetah, are either masters of endurance or champion sprinters. The evolutionary story almost writes itself: over millions of years of chasing, and being chased, wherever predators evolved to move quickly, their prey were selected to run even faster. Except of course there’s more to life than running for your life. An antelope’s frame is under more demands than evading cheetahs—it also

Race of Life - Episode 5: Natural Warriors | Wildlife Documentary Males and females of most species will fight viciously in self-defense. And females can be even more aggressive than males when defending their young. In this episode we'll explore the Race of Life from the point of view of food, territory, social status, and mates. Though some fights occur between two different species, most battles are fought between members of the same species. Though the wildlife warriors in these battles usually are not trying to kill each other, the fighting can result in death. Why would members of the same species fight with such ferocity? Food is one reason. Animals that store and hoard food for survival will aggressively protect their pantries. Animals are also willing to fight to protect their food indirectly. For example, predators will defend a territory that provides them with enough prey, or food, to survive. This territorial aggression serves to space out members of a species across their range in a way that maintains sufficient food within each territory. But it also may limit

Race of Life - Episode 4: Herbivores - Nature's Battle Tanks | Wildlife Documentary These are nature’s own battle tanks, and (with the exception of the Indian Elephant), all endemic to the African continent. The African Savannah is the stage for thousands of battles every day. How do elephants, these large, cumbersome creatures survive and even prosper on a diet that even the strictest vegetarian would pass on! Well for one thing, most other animals get out of their way. But lions and hyenas are not always so easily moved – they prey on young, sick and old elephants in particular. This seemingly gentle giant has been revealed to have a darker side in the last few years too. They may survive on just plant life, but that doesn’t mean they don’t like a fight – to the death. Elephants have been observed attacking and killing Rhinos in the last 20 years. It’s a savage clash. Meanwhile, the Rhino, a tough looking customer if ever there was one, is an endangered species. When the great herds go on the search

Race of Life - Episode 3: The Great Desert Race | Wildlife Documentary Deserts are dry. Deserts are extreme. True deserts get less than 18 cm of rain per year. True deserts have very few plants. Semi-desert habitats have enough rainfall to support more plant and animal life. Either way, deserts are not easy places for animals to live. Desert animals have evolved to handle the desert's heat and lack of water. They have adapted their bodies and behaviors to the desert climate. Most can survive on small amounts of water and many get all of their water from their food. Some drink maybe once a week and travel considerable distances to find isolated waterholes and springs. Large animals seek shade during the hottest part of the day. Some animals dig a hollow depression into the ground and lie in the cooler soil while others are nocturnal. Many reptiles and other animals protect themselves from the extreme temperature by spending their time in burrows. The scorpion is one of the most ancient creatures on earth, in existence since life first

Race of Life - Episode 2: The Big Cats | Wildlife Documentary Sleek, dangerous, fast, and vicious. Revered for their beauty and vitality. No-one runs the Race of Life faster than the Cheetah, and yet it is on the endangered species list. The Leopard is perhaps the best equipped survivor for the long run, with its population spread far beyond Sub-Saharan Africa. This success is probably to do with the fact they are ‘opportunistic hunters’. And what of the Lion? Known as the King of the Jungle, (even though they don’t live there), lions hunt buffalos, giraffes, warthogs, wildebeests and zebras, and antelopes when the opportunity presents itself. Lions are high up on the food chain, the very centre of their food web, so have almost no predators. Another loner in the race of life, the snow leopard prefers to inhabit steep cliff areas, rocky outcrops and ravines. To survive, the snow leopard must be a clever and resourceful hunter. Next, we leave the Snow Leopard and the great Asian mountains behind, and travel to the Americas, where the Cougar