Deadly Instincts

The law of the wild is kill, or be killed – but how do different creatures execute this most grisly of tasks? From solo slayers like tigers, who rely on stealth, speed, and strength, to team players like orca, who use their intelligence to work together and kill against the odds, this is a new and unique exploration of how animals kill.

For any animal, growing up is tough. Young life is riddled with seminal moments and momentous mistakes. A baby elephant discovers the perils associated with keeping up with the herd. A young grizzly bear learns the importance of being able to fight for yourself, and a duck takes a huge step when he’s only hours old. All animals are born with the instinct to survive, but in the journey to independence, only the strongest make it.

In the animal world, mating is serious business. Reproduction is key to passing on genes and keeping the species alive, so it is no surprise that some animals go to astonishing lengths to find, keep, and defend their mates.

A look at the tactics, trials, and tribulations of a vast array of different species in their fight to further their bloodlines. From the capybara mother who chooses to lose one baby to save seven, to the elephants standing vigil over an unknown calf, this is a journey into what really makes animal parents behave as they do.

In the animal kingdom, survival is a numbers game, and the odds are rarely in your favor if you are at the bottom of the food chain. Whether through courage, wisdom, or strength, these survivors make it out alive against all odds.

Whether it’s getting the most food, the best territory, or the chance to mate, all animals compete against each other to survive. We examine some of the most intense power struggles in the animal kingdom. A group of bachelor baboons conspire to overthrow an alpha male, but it doesn't quite turn out as planned. An alpha female meerkat ousts her daughter from the clan when she becomes a threat, and worker bumblebees attack their queen.