Skip to main content Skip to footer site map
S34E14: India's Wandering Lions | Clip

Lion Cubs Playing with Mom and Dad

Before you watch videos on this webpage, please take a moment to review and respond below:

By clicking “Accept,” you agree that WNET and its affiliates (“The WNET Group”) can share your video viewing activity with third parties as set out in our Privacy Policy in order to facilitate use of our sites and enrich your online experience. Your consent to such sharing is valid for two years or until you withdraw your consent by removing the associated browser cookie. To learn more about how we use cookies on our sites and how to revise your cookie settings, please visit the “Cookies” section of our Privacy Policy. If you click “Decline,” we will not share your individual viewing activity, but may still share aggregated and/or anonymized viewing activity in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

SHARE

Half a mile from an Indian village, two cow-killing male lions rest in the shade. A lioness approaches with several small cubs. In order to help spread their genes, male lions will often kill cubs that aren’t part of their direct bloodline. However, these males begin playing with the cubs, indicating they are probably their fathers.

TRANSCRIPT

Half a mile from the village, the two cow killers are resting in the shade.

Lions need to drink after feeding, and this is the only water nearby -- a cattle trough.

But there are lions here already with small cubs.

The killers move closer.

These cubs could be in great danger.

Two mothers, both limping from thorns in their feet, bring the defenseless cubs out into the open.

These males must be their fathers, or the cubs would be dead by now.

They share the water all together.

♪♪♪ For two lionesses to bring up four healthy cubs is a great achievement.

To do it so close to a village is a miracle.

People are their neighbors.

These lions are not refugees from the forest.

This is their home.

But how does a pride survive here?

And with such small cubs?