Synopsis
To have a chance of mating, any new male in the river must first defeat the overlord, the current dominant male.
- Programme: Life
- Episode: Challenges of Life
- Channel: BBC One
- Broadcast year: 2009
- Biology
Licence: ERA Licence required
UK only
Staff and students of licensed education establishments only
Cannot be adapted
Add Notes
More clips from Life
1: Challenges of Life | Life
1: Challenges of Life | Life
David Attenborough examines how living long enough to breed is a monumental struggle, and how many animals and plants go to extremes to give the...
10: Primates | Life
10: Primates | Life
The nature documentary examines primates, including armies of Hamadryas baboons battling on the plains of Ethiopia, and macaques in Japan lounging in the...
2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life
2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life
David Attenborough reveals the strategies used by reptiles and amphibians to conquer their shortcomings, whether for safety, breeding or ca...
3: Mammals | Life
3: Mammals | Life
David Attenborough looks at how mammals dominate the planet through having warm blood and caring for their young, including Weddell seals, caribou and hump...
4: Fish | Life
4: Fish | Life
Nature documentary looking at the fish that dominate the planet's waters through their variety of shapes and behaviours, some like creatures from a fairytale.
5: Birds | Life
5: Birds | Life
The nature documentary looks at birds and, with slow-motion cameras and aerial photography, reveals some of the extraordinary things that having feathers all...
6: Insects | Life
6: Insects | Life
The nature documentary looks at the most successful animal group, with 200 million insects for each human. The key is an armoured covering that takes on al...
7: Hunters and Hunted | Life
7: Hunters and Hunted | Life
The nature documentary explores mammals' ability to learn new tricks to survive, and features unique footage of a killer whale hunting elephant ...
8: Creatures of the Deep | Life
8: Creatures of the Deep | Life
Nature documentary series looks at marine invertebrates, some of the planet's most bizarre and beautiful animals, including Humboldt squid an...
9: Plants | Life
9: Plants | Life
The nature series turns to plants and looks at the ingenious solutions that they employ to counter life's challenges, such as spring-loaded traps, suckers a...
A resilient forest | Life
A resilient forest | Life
Two species of tree weather incredibly harsh conditions and seasonal change to ensure their survival.
Baboon society | Life
Baboon society | Life
It's like a battle scene from Lord of the Rings, except these aren't orcs fighting humans, these are hamadryas baboons fighting each other. Living in t...
Bouncing toads | Life
Bouncing toads | Life
A toad deploys its defence mechanism in order to evade a toad eating tarantula.
Chameleon challenge | Life
Chameleon challenge | Life
While searching for a mate across the huge barren Namib desert, a female Namaqua chameleon seeks shade in the knowledge that tasty desert beetles ...
Cross-dresser | Life
Cross-dresser | Life
Some male cuttlefish are too small to fight for a mate, so have to come up with a sneaky plan if they are to get their way with the girls. Approaching a...
Cunning Cacti | Life
Cunning Cacti | Life
This cacti deploys a variety of methods to maximise its chances of successful seed dispersal.
Dancing dragons | Life
Dancing dragons | Life
As part of their courtship, sea dragons perform a graceful dance.
Fantastic fishing | Life
Fantastic fishing | Life
The greater bull dog bat is a fine mammal, and a fisherman.
Flower power | Life
Flower power | Life
Flowers lure pollinators to ensure that plants can reproduce.
Forest education | Life
Forest education | Life
In the Sumatran rainforest, a female orangutan still looks after her 6-year-old daughter; it will be another three years before her education is comp...
More resources about Living Things and Their Habitats
01: The Living Forest | Landmarks
01: The Living Forest | Landmarks
The Living Forest looks at all the animals & plants that live in the forest on the ground to the forest canopy, & shows how they live in ba...
02: People of the Forest | Landmarks
02: People of the Forest | Landmarks
People of the Forest looks at the Baka of the Cameroon & the Kayapo of South America & how their lives work in balance with the rainforest.
03: Destroying the Forest | Landmarks
03: Destroying the Forest | Landmarks
By the next century, the rainforests of the world could have disappeared for ever, destroyed by outside influences and economic pressur...
04: Saving the Forest | Landmarks
04: Saving the Forest | Landmarks
Despite the destruction, there are ways to save the forest, by careful harvesting, protecting, learning, replanting, policing - and campaig...
1: Cauldron of Life | Galapagos
1: Cauldron of Life | Galapagos
Liz Bonnin joins a scientific team aboard the research vessel the Alucia on an expedition across the Galapagos Islands.
1: Island of Marvels | Madagascar
1: Island of Marvels | Madagascar
Series exploring Madagascar and its unique wildlife. David Attenborough reveals the most bizarre places and their inhabitants on this ecolo...
1: One Ocean | Blue Planet II
1: One Ocean | Blue Planet II
Wildlife documentary series presented by David Attenborough, revealing new worlds and animal behaviours throughout the planet's oceans.
1: The Cold Blooded Truth | Life in Cold Blood
1: The Cold Blooded Truth | Life in Cold Blood
David Attenborough reveals the surprising truth about the cold-blooded lives of reptiles and amphibians.
1: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth
1: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth
The first ever episode of the landmark natural history series Life on Earth. David Attenborough explores the wildlife and landscape t...
1: Travelling | The Private Life of Plants
1: Travelling | The Private Life of Plants
David Attenborough begins his incredible journey into the world of plants with a look at how plants move from place to place.
10: Primates | Life
10: Primates | Life
The nature documentary examines primates, including armies of Hamadryas baboons battling on the plains of Ethiopia, and macaques in Japan lounging in the...
10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth
10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth
David Attenborough looks at some of the huge variety of mammals. The tree shrew has attracted great interest as it shows how mammal...
11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth
11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth
David Attenborough explores the eternal duel between the hunters and the hunted - one of the driving forces of evolution.
12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth
12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth
David Attenborough's now-legendary encounter with young gorillas is featured in this episode as he looks at the history of primates.
13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth
13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth
David Attenborough seeks to explain how we came to dominate life on earth, tracing the African origins of humans to nearly t...
2: Building Bodies | Life On Earth
2: Building Bodies | Life On Earth
Sir David Attenborough presents a revised version of the original wildlife series about the remarkable evolution of life on our planet. Th...
2: Civilisations | H2O: The Molecule That Made Us
2: Civilisations | H2O: The Molecule That Made Us
This episode travels to the Congo, Egypt, China and Mexico to reveal how water changed humanity's footprint on the planet.
2: Growing | The Private Life of Plants
2: Growing | The Private Life of Plants
David Attenborough continues his incredible journey into the world of plants. Remarkable time-lapse photography reveals how new leave...
2: Land Invaders | Life in Cold Blood
2: Land Invaders | Life in Cold Blood
David Attenborough reveals the bizarre adaptations which have helped amphibians break their ties with water as he meets marsupial frogs...
2: Lost Worlds | Madagascar
2: Lost Worlds | Madagascar
David Attenborough looks at the island's eastern coast, home to cyanide-eating lemurs and leaf-tailed geckos.
More from Sir David Attenborough
8: Heroes | Planet Earth III
8: Heroes | Planet Earth III
Sir David Attenborough introduces conservation heroes fighting to save the world's wildlife, from exploring remote jungles to going undercover t...
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
Nutrients from the deep provide sustenance for a large gathering of sea life.
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
The super colony unites in a spectacular attack to defend their nest from curious cows.
3: Jungles | Planet Earth II
3: Jungles | Planet Earth II
Jungles provide the richest habitats on the planet - mysterious worlds of high drama where extraordinary animals attempt to survive in the most ...
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Wall lizards take advantage of foul-smelling dead-horse arums.
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
Naturalist Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world faces a population crisis and if it is the duty of indiv...
7: Great Plains | Planet Earth
7: Great Plains | Planet Earth
Documentary series which celebrates Earth in its natural glory. A look at the great plains - wildernesses which support the greatest gathering...
Weighty wanderers | Life in the Freezer
Weighty wanderers | Life in the Freezer
With a wingspan of over 3m, the wandering albatross has the biggest feeding range of any bird. Throughout the winter they remain in n...
Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
David Attenborough celebrates the rich variety of habitats in our wild isles, the existence of which is critical for the survival of species ...
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough speaks about the environment. Also, includes footage of the drones that turn into animals.
2: Water Worlds | The Green Planet
2: Water Worlds | The Green Planet
A look at the beautiful, bizarre worlds created by water plants. Flowers smother rivers and lakes. Plants fight and hunt. A river bubbles ...
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough discuss their hopes for the future of the planet.
COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts
COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts
COP26 delegates and climate scientist Hannah Cloke discuss their hopes for the COP26 conference.
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
A poison dart frog fights off a contender until he's sufficiently warned off.
The People v Climate Change
The People v Climate Change
Meet the 108 ordinary Brits who Sir David Attenborough says we should listen to. This warm and honest documentary reveals how everyday people fee...
Self-sacrificing fish | Life
Self-sacrificing fish | Life
Flying fish can leave the water and soar great distances on their elongated fins to escape from predators below the waves. But finding a place t...
Leopard seal vs penguin | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Leopard seal vs penguin | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Glaciers crumbling more quickly, due to climate change, give the advantage to leopard seals hunting penguins.
How human impact on the environment is increasing the emergence of new diseases | Extinction: The Facts
How human impact on the environment is increasing the emergence of new diseases | Extinction: The Facts
An explanation as to why pandemic diseases are becoming more common d...
David, The Ruler | Dynasties
David, The Ruler | Dynasties
One strong and determined leader, David, rules the land, but can trust no one.
Marine predators and scavengers | The Blue Planet
Marine predators and scavengers | The Blue Planet
The scavengers of the deep ocean rely on predators at the surface to provide their nutrition.