All language subtitles for New Kids In The Wild 06

[NARRATOR] Meet Frida,
the jaguar cub.

For this youngster,
growing up wild

is one giant adventure.

To survive in Brazil's
iconic wetlands,

Frida must learn
the laws of the land.

Like when to hide...

and when to fight.

[GROWLS]

She has her mother
to teach her.

But her greatest test,

will be using
those skills alone,

in this fierce land.

All across South America,

baby animals are taking
their first steps,

and tackling
their first challenges.

Their generations

are the future
of their species.

They are,
the New Kids In The Wild.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[JAGUAR HUFFS]

This is Gatuna.

She's a 7-year-old jaguar,

one of the most elusive cats
on the planet.

[SNIFFING]

Her home
is Brazil's Pantanal,

the largest tropical wetland
in the world.

It stretches along
the western border of Brazil

and is crisscrossed
with rivers.

Gatuna, lives in a pocket
of this wild land

called Caiman Ecological Refuge,

a protected area
rich in wildlife.

It's over 500 square kilometres
of wetland,

grassland, and small
pockets of forest.

Jaguars are increasingly rare
across South America.

But not here.

Caiman Ecological Refuge,
floods every year.

[SNORTING]

With its huge range
of habitats,

the wildlife is diverse.

This means, plentiful prey

for Gatuna
and the other jaguars

who live in this hotspot.

[SNIFFING]

Gatuna has a GPS collar,

to help people learn more
about these elusive hunters,

and keep them protected.

She's a solitary predator,

with a wealth of experience
on her side.

And today, she has
vital work to do.

She's marking her territory.

Spraying urine,
and leaving droppings.

It's a warning
to other jaguars.

This is her domain.

[GROWLING SOFTLY]

It's especially important
right now,

because she's hiding
something precious.

Tucked away
in the undergrowth,

Gatuna has cubs.

[PURRING]

This is Frida,

and her sister, Alma.

They're six months old,

and starting
to explore the world.

Like all jaguar cubs,

Frida and her sister
were born blind and deaf.

[CRYING]

They're so vulnerable,
the early weeks were spent

in remote dens, out of sight.

Frida was three months old
when the family set off

into Gatuna's wider world.

She'll stay close to her mum
for two years

as she learns the skills
to be a successful jaguar.

She needs
her mum's protection.

There are
many dangers here.

The biggest,
is from other jaguars.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Now, at six months,
the family are in a wood

at the edge
of Gatuna's territory.

Day by day, Frida gets
to see more of her home.

There's lots of new sights.

New smells to sniff.

New animals to discover.

It's very exciting.

[FLIES BUZZING]

But her first
jaguar lesson,

definitely isn't exciting.

How to stay safe and hidden
when Gatuna heads off.

Her mum
has a busy morning ahead.

Female jaguars
raise their cubs alone,

and it's breakfast time.

There's a lot of choice
on the menu.

Like this pampas deer.

But sneaking up on herbivores
is no easy task.

They're constantly wary.

Gatuna is an expert
in ambush.

The tall grass
is the perfect cover.

Gatuna's built for strength,
not speed.

She needs to get close

before making her move.

Spotted.

She's an expert huntress,
but even she

will regularly miss her targets.

Gatuna has had
no breakfast,

but Frida
can definitely have hers.

[GATUNA GRUNTING]

Her mum's milk
is so rich and filling,

Frida can go for days
without nursing.

Very handy.

Frida is eating meat
now, too,

as she's almost weaned.

With breakfast finished,
there's no time to rest

for our jaguar mum.

Frida and her sister
are left to hide. Again.

Already, they're
very different cats.

Frida is curious
and bold.

Alma is much more cautious.

But Frida can usually
coax her sister to play.

[FRIDA GROWLING]

These games are a vital part
of growing up.

[GRUNTING GENTLY]

They're helping Frida
get strong and coordinated.

[BOTH HUFFING]

She'll need those skills,
very soon.

Although this reserve
is huge,

Gatuna's territory
overlaps with other jaguars.

Frida spots movement.

This is Luna, a neighbour.

She's a young mum,
with cubs of her own.

Frida knows to stay quiet
and hope she's not seen.

Without her mum,
she's an easy target.

Danger averted,

thanks to
her mother's teaching.

[YAWNING]

Frida was born
just before the rainy season.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[RAIN PATTERING]

The Pantanal, floods
every year.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

Rivers overflow their banks.

And immense lakes appear.

[INSECTS TRILLING]

Now, the cubs
are nine months old,

and it's the middle
of the dry season.

Water levels
are dropping daily.

Frida is a full-time
meat eater,

and she has
a growing appetite.

The good news is,
during the dry season,

lakes turn to ponds.

Animals congregate
in these smaller areas.

[WARTHOG GRUNTING]

So, with the cubs
hiding nearby,

Gatuna sets out to find lunch
for everyone.

But here,
there's fierce competition.

These are yacare caiman.

They're top ambush hunters,

constantly ready to kill.

These caiman
have few predators.

But Gatuna
is one of them.

She has a secret weapon.

Swimming.

Gatuna arrives unnoticed.

Caiman are quick.

Gatuna...

- [CAIMAN GROWLING]
- [WATER SPLASHING]

[BIRDS SQUAWKING]

...is quicker.

She carries the caiman
back to her cubs.

[GATUNA GRUNTING]

It's still safer for Frida
to eat takeout,

than go to a kill site.

[FLIES BUZZING]

A fresh carcass
attracts other predators,

and a young cub
could suddenly be on the menu.

Frida loves
the soft white meat.

It's her absolute favourite.

This is another great reason
to learn how to hunt.

[CRUNCHING]

So after lunch,
while Gatuna relaxes,

Frida practices
her takedown skills on Alma.

[BOTH GROWLING GENTLY]

She's watched her mother
pounce on her prey,

then bite through the skull,
or back of the neck.

Frida is getting stronger
and braver every day.

[BOTH SNARLING]

It's great fun
being able to wrestle

her sister to the ground.

Building the agility
to catch a caiman, though,

is going to take
some real practice.

The sun rises
on the Pantanal.

For Frida and Alma,

there's an exciting
morning ahead.

[BIRD WARBLING]

Each day, Gatuna
leads them deeper

into her 40-square-kilometre
territory,

and teaches them more
about being a jaguar.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Today, it's sniffing out
the nearest freshwater.

[FRIDA GROWLING]

It's a timely lesson.

As the sun burns through,
temperatures rocket.

It doesn't take them long
to find a watering hole.

It's the perfect spot
for Frida's coolest lesson.

Swimming.

Frida heads
straight to the edge,

while Alma and her mum
watch from the sidelines.

She can't resist a dip.

Frida is a natural,

paddling in the shallows.

Alma isn't so sure.

Frida looks to her sister
to tempt her in.

Following her mum,
Alma finds her courage.

But stays close.

Learning to swim will mean
Frida can catch more caiman,

a food she loves so much.

But Alma has already
had enough.

Looks like learning to swim
is going to take ages.

Early afternoon,
and it's still sweltering.

Everyone is resting
in the heat.

Gatuna can't sit around
all day.

She has two hungry mouths
to feed.

The sisters have to play
the waiting game, again.

Their mum, could be gone
for hours.

And they should stay put
and stick together.

Usually, Alma's the timid one.

But today, she's the first
to break the rules,

and head out on an adventure.

Frida is quick to follow.

Traveling with mum

has brought them
more confidence.

Soon, Gatuna will let them
hunt small prey, alone.

Their instincts tell them
to get exploring,

and test out
some new skills.

Frida has learned
from her mum.

But to find prey,
she must listen,

and sniff out clues.

[SNIFFING]

Her nose has found something.

It's a great chance
to try out some stalking.

She creeps
as close as she can.

Hmm. Definitely one
for the practice list.

[SNORTS]

Alma's following
a very different smell.

[SNIFFING]

She's not sure what it is.

Or, more importantly,
if it's tasty.

This giant anteater
is out on the hunt.

His strange shape is perfect
for eating ants and termites.

His long snout
fits into narrow holes,

with a tongue that can reach
up to 60 centimetres.

His sense of smell is superb.

It sniffs out prey,

and predators.

Curious Frida, can't resist
a closer look.

The anteater is alarmed
by their scent,

but stands its ground.

An adult jaguar
would be frightening.

But not these two cubs.

Undeterred, Frida tries
her new stalking technique.

[FRIDA GROWLING]

And gets firmly told off.

The sisters
have got the drive,

just not the size
or the skill.

[BIRDS SCREECHING]

While the cubs are off
getting into mischief,

Gatuna is nearby,

keeping an eye

on a squadron of peccary.

They're snuffling
for grubs and roots.

The shrinking lake
has lots of visitors.

More eyes to watch out
for danger.

[GRUNTS]

Gatuna needs to be
at her stealthy best.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

The peccary have babies.

But a baby
wouldn't make much of a meal

for a family of three.

So, Gatuna sets her sights
on something bigger.

[TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES]

An adult foraging alone.

[PECCARY SQUEALING]

[PECCARY GRUNTING]

Gatuna catches it...

[PECCARY GRUNTS FAINTLY]

...and carries it back
to the cubs.

Her daughters are tucked
in their hiding place

just in time.

[YAWNING]

[SNIFFING]

Frida emerges to find
a family-sized peccary,

and Alma's already pushing
her way to the front.

[MUNCHING]

These new adventures
really are making her braver,

and hungry.

[BONES BREAKING]

Frida lets her have
first dibs, for now.

The peccary has left its mark
on Frida's mum.

It's a reminder
of just how dangerous

hunting can be.

But right now, this cut

is the least
of Gatuna's worries.

With highly-tuned nose
and ears,

she senses
they have company.

Gatuna's biggest threat

comes from other jaguars.

She's on the edge
of her territory.

This could be a male
looking for a mate,

or a hungry neighbour.

Either way, her family
are at risk.

[BONES CRACKING]

Scratching the grass
where they were lying,

she covers their scent,

and sends them into hiding.

It's just in time.

The intruder is here.

It's Luna,

the young mum
from next door.

She's smelled the peccary,
and wants it for her family.

She's too close
for comfort.

They'll avoid fighting,
if they can.

Neither can afford
to get hurt.

Gatuna tries to push
her rival away.

Luna, stands her ground.

[BOTH SNARLING]

The younger cat,
backs down.

For now.

The battle is over,

but definitely not the war.

The following morning,

both mothers are battle-worn,

but haven't moved far.

Both have territories
and cubs to defend.

Both, want to
hold their ground.

Luna is back for round two.

By rolling, she indicates
some submission.

But she's not giving any ground.

Gatuna is having none of it.

Neither cat can afford
another fight.

Neither can they
sit here forever.

Their cubs need them.

Gatuna is the more experienced
and heavier cat.

Luna knows it.

Gatuna needs Luna gone.

She stalks the other cat.

Pushing her back
into her own patch.

She holds the pressure
when Luna pauses.

And then pushes again.

[GATUNA SNARLS]

Finally, the younger cat
accepts defeat.

With Luna gone, Gatuna hurries
back to her cubs.

She's been away
almost 48 hours.

They'll be hungry.

She heads towards
the peccary dinner spot,

calling as she gets near.

[GATUNA GRUNTING SOFTLY]

[GATUNA GRUNTING SOFTLY]

Alma appears obediently
from the hiding place.

Frida, is nowhere
to be seen.

Gatuna calls...

[GATUNA GRUNTING SOFTLY]

...but no second cub
bounces from the woodland.

Gatuna keeps calling.

[GATUNA GRUNTING SOFTLY]

But nothing.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

In fact, Frida is too far away
to hear her mum.

Bored with waiting,
she's headed off alone.

She's found a great new patch
of forest to explore,

but her solo adventure
has taken an unexpected turn.

Pumas also stalk
the Pantanal.

Normally, they give way
to the larger jaguars.

But at nine months old,

Frida is nearly the same size
as this prowler.

Frida's just witnessed
a catfight,

and it wasn't pretty.

She stays hidden.

But now, she has
a bigger dilemma.

Hide out here
with only a chance

that her mother will find her.

Or search for her family,

exposing herself
to more danger.

Frida decides
to stay put for now.

One prowling cat
is more than enough company

for an afternoon.

Gatuna has been calling
and walking for hours,

with no response.

[GATUNA GRUNTING SOFTLY]

The reality is harsh.

Alone, Frida's chances
are slim.

[GATUNA GROWLING SOFTLY]

Gatuna has to choose

between a lost cub
that may never be found

and a hungry cub
she still has.

She does what she must,

and heads south,
to her favourite watering hole.

They don't wait long.

There's a coati
on the bank.

Gatuna races in.

Alma is ravenous.

[BONES CRUNCHING]

Night rolls in.

A few kilometres to the north,

for the first time in her life,

Frida is sleeping alone.

In the morning, Frida decides
to leave the woodland.

Instinct and hunger
urges her to find her mother.

[FRIDA GROWLING]

She's still too young
to hunt alone.

Her sense of smell tells her

she's still
in Gatuna's territory.

But her scent markings
are old and faint.

By using her newly-trained
nose and ears,

there's a chance she could
track down her family.

If another jaguar
doesn't find her first.

Gatuna and Alma
are on the marshland.

They've headed north,

back towards
where Frida was lost.

Today, it's caiman
for breakfast.

Soon, this area
will be transformed.

When the rainy season comes,
the land will flood.

Then catching food,
will become harder again.

Frida hasn't had
any breakfast.

But she has avoided danger
so far.

Now, she stumbled upon
a brand-new sight.

[COW MOOING]

As well as being
a protected reserve,

Caiman Lodge
also has a cattle ranch.

These Pantaneiros herd cattle
through the wetland

all year round.

Jaguar mums prey on calves
to feed their cubs.

[COW MOOING]

In much of Brazil,
they'd be shot by ranchers.

[COWS MOOING]

But in this protected area,
jaguars are left alone.

As the ranchers head away,
Frida spots something else.

One of the herd has died.

It's an incredible
stroke of luck.

She hasn't eaten
since the peccary,

three days ago.

The carcass
could be a huge feast.

But she's learned
a kill site is dangerous.

Other cats
could be lurking.

She hangs back,
watching and listening.

Then, keeping alert,
as her mother has shown her,

Frida tucks in.

[BIRDS TRILLING]

Morning comes.

It's day two without her family.

Frida's done well
to survive this long alone.

But this morning,
her well-trained nose

has got a whiff
of something special.

A recent scent
from her mum and Alma.

She may be too late.

[SNIFFING]

But if she can follow the trail,

there's a chance.

[BIRDS WARBLING]

[SNIFFING]

Soon, she's not the only one
smelling something familiar.

Gatuna and Alma,
are catching it too.

This mum has taught
her bold cub well.

She calls out
to her daughter.

[GATUNA GRUNTING SOFTLY]

[FRIDA SNIFFING]

After days alone in the wild,

Frida is reunited
with her sister,

and her mum.

She's home.

It's been a big nine months
for this small cub.

From vulnerable beginnings,
she's become a bold explorer.

Beating the odds,
and making it home.

She's found
her love of climbing,

of water,

and of caiman.

There's still lots to learn.

[ANTEATER GROWLING]

But with a wise mum
to teach her,

she'll soon have
her own territory,

defending it,
when she needs to.

And in this protected land,

become a great mum herself one day.