Sir David Attenborough's groundbreaking new BBC series, Kingdom, is set to broadcast what is being described as one of the most devastating moments in wildlife television history.
The episode features the heart-wrenching story of a three-legged wild dog named Flint and his pack's heroic but ultimately futile attempt to save him from a crocodile attack.
A Devastating Attack Captured on Film
The incident was filmed over five years with a wild dog pack in Zambia's Nsefu park. The crew followed the pack led by mother Storm, which included her son, Flint. Flint had previously lost a rear leg after being caught in a poacher's snare, leaving him slower and less capable as a hunter.
Despite his disability, the pack did not abandon him. He remained under the protection of his mother and contributed by guarding her latest litter of 11 puppies.
Sir David explains in his commentary, "Few animals have stronger bonds than wild dogs." This bond was put to the ultimate test when the pack went to a waterhole to drink. Sir David cautions viewers that the dogs "need to be careful," moments before a concealed crocodile seizes Flint in its powerful jaws.
A Heroic Rescue and Tragic Outcome
The entire assault was filmed from just 20 feet away. Demonstrating their incredible family ties, Storm and one of Flint's siblings immediately risked their own lives, grabbing him and trying to pull him to safety.
"The crocodile's grip is unbreakable," Sir David solemnly informs the audience. In a moment of miraculous hope, Flint manages to escape the water after several tense minutes submerged. He drags himself up the river bank, with his brother continuing to protect him.
However, the relief is short-lived. The injuries inflicted by the crocodile were too severe. "Flint has been gravely injured," Sir David announces. The family stayed by Flint's side until he took his final breath.
The Emotional Toll on the Film Crew
Wild dogs producer Anna Place revealed to the Mirror that this is the first time footage of a pack attempting to rescue one of their own from a crocodile has ever been captured.
She confessed that even after viewing the footage countless times, it still stirs her emotions. "I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen that footage but Storm's pack trying to save him, and standing there looking so forlorn, it really gets me still, every time."
She emphasised that Flint's story shows the profound care within the pack. "Flint was not the best hunter because of his injury but he's still a valuable member of the pack that they would risk their own lives over... It looks like those animals genuinely care about each other."
Cameraman Mark MacEwan, who had followed the pack for years, found it one of the most challenging sequences he has ever filmed. Despite the tragedy, Anna Place hopes viewers find a message of hope in the unbreakable bonds and caring nature of the wild dogs.
