GIRL POWER!

Daisy Dobrijevic discovers the queen bees and alpha females of the animal kingdom.

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You might think male lions, with their big, impressive manes, are the true rulers of the wild. Take a closer look, though, and you'll see who's really in charge — the lionesses. They do most of the hunting and make the key decisions that keep the pride alive. They also raise the next generation, teaching their cubs all the survival skills they'll need.

Lions aren’t out on their own. Throughout the animal kingdom, females take charge in clever, surprising — and sometimes downright brutal - ways. From the grassy savanna to the deepest oceans and the tiniest forest floors, girl power reigns supreme.

Alpha females

High in the mountains of Ethiopia, there are around 450 Ethiopian wolves fighting for survival. They are the most endangered of all African carnivores (meat eaters), and the packs are led by strong females. The alpha female of the wolf pack is at the top of the chain. She calls the shots for the whole pack, and she alone breeds the next generation of wolves. Alpha females may also choose to breed with alpha males from another wolf pack to make sure that her babies have a wide variety of different characteristics.

Who's queen bee?

Let's lift the lid on the busy buzz of a thriving beehive. There's no time for rest in here — the hive is heaving with tens of thousands of female worker bees, all taking care of their highly valued queen. She doesn’t hunt like a lioness, but she does have one extremely important job: laying eggs. Lots of them. A queen bee can lay more than 2,000 eggs in a single day — that's more than her own body weight.

Peaceful power