Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 (dramatic music)
00:02 Ragged and balding, she's the oldest female in the troop.
00:05 Erica used to rule this troop,
00:10 but she lost her crown to Crystal five years ago
00:14 and fell to the bottom of the female hierarchy.
00:18 Weakened by five years of bullying and hunger,
00:22 she still managed to have a baby, Kit.
00:29 He was born a week ago, like all the other infants.
00:32 Socially outcast, Erica has only one friend
00:37 among the troop mothers, Pam.
00:40 Pam's also at the bottom of the heap.
00:45 She and her infant Jamie wait for food with Erica and Kit.
00:51 Pam and Erica know they can't fight
00:54 the queen and her cronies.
00:57 This is how Crystal rules.
00:59 Get plenty of food to keep most of her troop strong,
01:02 but ration it to keep her would-be challengers weak
01:05 and maintain her iron grip on power.
01:08 Finally, the favorites have had their fill.
01:18 Erica and Pam dive in to finish up the scraps.
01:23 Thanks to Crystal's bullying,
01:26 these two low-ranking mothers are growing hungrier
01:29 and weaker by the day.
01:30 The effect on their babies is clear.
01:34 Kit and Jamie are scrawny,
01:38 while the rest of the troop's infants
01:41 are healthy and alert.
01:43 Isolated and ignored, Pam and Erica are victims
01:49 of the rules that govern a ring-tail gang.
01:52 (birds chirping)
01:55 Erica's off on the sidelines again,
02:02 this time suckling two scrawny babies.
02:08 During the night, her only friend Pam disappeared,
02:13 abandoning Jamie.
02:17 (gentle music)
02:19 Erica's trying to keep him alive
02:25 as well as her own youngster, Kit.
02:27 Jamie calls for his mother.
02:33 A young female responds to his calls.
02:39 It's normal for ring-tails of all ages
02:45 to babysit others' infants,
02:47 and it gives old Erica a break.
02:50 It's not just females who babysit.
02:56 Males do it too, to impress potential mates.
03:01 This one's got his eyes on the prize.
03:03 It's Travis.
03:05 He's a low-ranking male on the fringes of the troop.
03:14 Babysitting Jamie could be a great chance
03:16 to improve his social standing.
03:18 He makes his move,
03:22 but Erica's wary.
03:27 Erica turns her back to sunbathe
03:34 and doesn't notice that the babysitter has abandoned Jamie,
03:39 the infants attracting an unwelcome crowd.
03:43 (gentle music)
03:46 He seeks safety with Travis after all.
03:50 This time, Erica lets him help.
03:57 If Jamie sticks with Travis,
04:04 at least he'll have a ride if the troop moves on,
04:06 but Travis can't give Jamie what he needs most,
04:09 milk.
04:13 Neither can Erica.
04:15 She barely has enough left for her own baby.
04:20 Jamie won't survive the day without his mother.
04:25 Pam has to come back, and soon.
04:27 Jamie's hungry calls are making her anxious.
04:34 Travis is still carrying Pam's little one,
04:38 watched by a trio of curious juveniles.
04:41 Jamie's used to suckling on demand.
04:43 He stumbles off, desperately searching for his mother.
04:49 And totters precariously along the edge
05:00 of the tortoise pen.
05:01 Erica sees the danger
05:05 and calls out a warning.
05:11 Too late.
05:12 He's too little to climb out on his own.
05:17 A hungry sparrowhawk eyes him up.
05:23 (dramatic music)
05:27 Travis leaps to the rescue.
05:38 (gentle music)
05:41 Jamie's still hungry, but at least he's safe.
05:46 Then a familiar figure appears.
05:57 It's Pam.
05:59 At last, Jamie can eat.
06:08 (gentle music)
06:10 With Crystal and her cronies still sleeping,
06:17 Pam snatches a drink.
06:19 While the hero of the hour, Travis, keeps watch.
06:25 The drama's over, and the ruins gang heads out on patrol
06:34 with Pam and Jamie bringing up the rear.
06:37 (gentle music)
06:39 (upbeat music)
06:42 (gentle music)
06:44 [BLANK_AUDIO]