Just saw ad on TV for an expanded Battle at Kruger on tonight on National Geographic at 9 EST. This was the incredible fottage of a herd of buffalo fighting off lions and then a big croc comes in. Thought you might want to watch. Hopefully it will not be too tree hugger factored.

Without all the fairy tales:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM&eurl=http%3A...tle%2Dat%2Dkruger%2F

Here's the full story. Looks as if the quality will be much better than the youtube version...

Regards
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When Animals Attack

By Judith S. Gillies
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 11, 2008; Y03



Seeing a pride of lions during the day was very lucky, their guide told them, and because they didn't have to be back at camp for a couple of hours, they might as well sit and see what happened.

"And nothing happened for 20 to 30 minutes," said David Budzinski, "but when I saw [a herd of] buffalo start to walk right toward the lions, I pulled my camera out."

For the next 8 minutes and 23 seconds the amateur videographer recorded the unfolding life-and-death drama at a watering hole, centering on a baby African buffalo, six young lions, a 600-pound crocodile and a herd of 150 to 200 buffalo.

The video was shot in Kruger National Park in the northeast corner of South Africa in the fall of 2004, and Budzinski and his wife, Cheryl, of the Woodlands, Tex., mainly had shown it to family and friends.

But he also had given a copy to Jason Schlosberg and his wife, Donna Lombardo, of Arlington, whom the Budzinskis had met that day on the safari. Schlosberg had taken still photos as Budzinski videotaped.

Last year, when a friend asked to see the video, Schlosberg posted it on YouTube.

The video, titled "Battle at Kruger," "took off on its own," said Julie Supan, a YouTube spokeswoman.

Several hundred thousand people watched it within the first few weeks of its posting, Schlosberg said.

And like the nature event itself, the life of the video took several twists and turns.

Erik Nelson, president of Creative Differences, a production company, said a friend sent him a link to the video. "The moment I saw it, I thought it was, quote, the greatest nature clip of all time, unquote," Nelson said. "It unfolds as a three-act drama with the buffalo as a Greek chorus."

So Nelson contacted National Geographic Channel about making a documentary. The result is a one-hour special airing Sunday that tells the story behind the video; reunites the four travelers with their safari guide, Frank Watts, in Kruger Park at the site where the struggle had taken place; and provides commentary from wildlife experts.

One of the reasons the video is rare, Nelson said, is because it takes place in real time and is complete in its unedited form.

"And the grand finale is to watch the clip in all of its widescreen glory, technically enhanced," Nelson said. "It's not any less gripping to show it in its entirety at the end."

Nearly 30 million viewers had seen "Battle at Kruger" by the end of April, and it was named YouTube's best eyewitness video for 2007.

ONLINE: To watch the original video, search "Battle at Kruger" on http://www.youtube.com or go to http://www.battleatkruger.com.

BATTLE AT KRUGER
Sunday
9 p.m.
National Geographic

Mother nature at her finest!
PS Don't know about the rest of you guys but I think I would have to bust that lead bull...

Did anyone notice the park's female Animal Research Manager referring to that same bull as "an inexperienced bull 4-5 years old"?

Cheers

Is it possible to purchase the one-hour special? I would LOVE to get a copy asap.

Where did it happen, what´s the precise location? I have been to Kruger countless times, most likely I have been there as well.

Just saw that they are replaying it Wednesday at 10 EST on National Geographic.

We watched it last night on the National Geographic channel followed by the documentary on the super cat pride of lions in Tanzania. Both were good.

quote:

Originally posted by David Culpepper:
Just saw that they are replaying it Wednesday at 10 EST on National Geographic.

Now I need someone who could record it on an CD...

You'll find the entire NGC video here
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/player.html?channel=1797

Regards

Thanks Tim, I´m still hoping to get the video on a CD. My Internet connection is quite fast but it takes ages to load the video.

I was hoping to see whether the very fact that this whole film was made at or very near a "Park" might get some comment from old Africa hands - This one time hunter for buff (who pretends to no experience) wondered if the buff were not "set up " by the lionesses. I just can't believe that lionesses could terrorize and panic buff in such fashion - and yes, the buff at the river being seized both by lioness and croc didn't look exactly mature. I know nothing about how predator and prey live together in a "Park" but I sure have a gut feeling that the film is not what goes on in Zimbabwe and Tanzania between buff and lions. Just my offhand opinion as a strictly one time visitor to Africa - but I was there for some 5 weeks in the bush.

quote:

wondered if the buff were not "set up " by the lionesses. I just can't believe that lionesses could terrorize and panic buff in such fashion

You have got to be kidding.