AllMovie

Originally aired on the National Geographic Channel, this hour-long documentary explores the remarkable complexities of the animal kingdom by means of a simple safari vacation video that exploded into a bona fide YouTube phenomenon. September, 2004: Texas tourist David Budzinski was on an African safari in Kruger National Park when a pride of lions pinned down a buffalo calf on the side of a river. His camera rolling, Budzinski maintained a steady hand as a crocodile surfaced in the water and attempted to claim the calf as its own. Incredibly this life or death struggle was only beginning, because in the following minutes an angry herd of buffalo returned to the scene to fend off the hungry predators and rescue the terrified calf. When Budzinski returned home and inquired about selling the footage to Animal Planet and National Geographic, he was informed that neither network accepts amateur footage. Thankfully for nature enthusiasts everywhere, that wasn't the end of the story. Jason Schlosberg had also been on the safari that day, and requested that Budzinski make him a copy of the footage. Soon after Schlosberg uploaded the clip to YouTube to share it with a friend, the so-called "Battle of Kruger" became one of the most popular video clips on the site. Recognizing the value of this unique clip, the filmmakers at the National Geographic Channel ultimately made an exception to their own rule. In this film, nature experts and members of the safari analyze the clip while offering expert insight into the methodology of the lions' attack and the herd behavior of buffalo.