Can lions count? Do low-ranking hyenas purposely deceive dominant pack members? Do dark manes drive lionesses wild with desire, and if so, why? Animal behaviorist Kevin Richardson and some of the world’s leading wildlife experts run a series of experiments on these predators. They test their cooperation and coordination, see how they work in teams to tackle unfamiliar tasks and enemies, and reveal the similarities and differences in these remarkable creatures. Lions and Spotted Hyenas are highly social predators that evolved under the same environmental pressures and share the same habitat, yet have come up with varied solutions to overcome similar challenges in the wild. What does this tell us about the specialist skills and the behavioral flexibility they have developed to survive?
In Part 2 of the series, “Lion Whisperer” Kevin Richardson and a team of wildlife experts are handing out the final exams to their students. Viewers will see up close how the Welgedacht Game Reserve’s lions and hyenas measure up to tests designed to explore their ability to learn, recognize, and hunt in new and unfamiliar settings. Each puzzle is designed to test a specific aspect of behavior. How important is sense of smell to the lions and hyenas and what information do they gather from it? Witness the last of these remarkable experiments as these apex predators attempt to use a mirror maze to their advantage, play a numbers game deciding what prey to attack and how, and cooperate to survive in their natural environment.