Original subtitles

Jonathan: THE KEY TO WORKING WITH BIG CATS --

YOU'VE GOT TO BE BEFORE DAWN,

AND YOU'VE GOT TO STAY OUT TILL AFTER DARK.

BUT THAT'S ONLY HALF OF IT.

YOU NEED PLENTY OF SPOTTERS OUT THERE TO FIND THE BIG CATS.

SO, WE'VE GOT SUPPORT VEHICLES

FROM GOVERNORS CAMP WHERE WE'RE BASED.

WE'VE GOT SIX CAMERAS OUT THERE ACTUALLY FOCUSING ON THE CATS,

AND, OF COURSE, YOU WANT TO BE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

BEFORE THE SUN COMES UP.

♪♪

THERE'S SOMETHING TRULY EXTRAORDINARY

ABOUT LIVING A LIFE ALONGSIDE THE BIG CATS.

WE'RE JONATHAN AND ANGELA SCOTT

AND WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE LIONS, LEOPARDS,

AND CHEETAHS OF THE MASAI MARA FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

THEY'RE NOT JUST BIG CATS TO US, WE KNOW THEM AS INDIVIDUALS.

ALONGSIDE US IS OUR GOOD FRIEND JACKSON OLE LOOSEYIA.

HE'S SPENT HIS LIFE IN THE MARA, AND THESE CHARACTERS

ARE AS SPECIAL TO HIM AS THEY ARE TO US.

JOIN US AS WE DRAW BACK THE CURTAIN

ON THE INTIMATE STORY OF THEIR LIVES.

♪♪

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Angie: GOSH, WHAT AN AMAZING MORNING TO FIND THE TWO MOTHERS

AND THEIR CUBS AND CHARM ALL TOGETHER.

I MEAN, I JUST COULDN'T HAVE WISHED FOR MORE.

I REALLY ALMOST CAN'T BELIEVE HOW LUCKY I AM

BECAUSE THIS IS A TOTAL FIRST FOR ME.

I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH CUBS SO SMALL.

I MEAN, THESE CUBS OF CHARM'S ARE ONLY ABOUT SIX WEEKS OLD,

AND NORMALLY, THEY WOULD BE TUCKED AWAY

AND WE'D JUST WOULDN'T BE SEEING THEM.

THEY'RE JUST COMPLETELY ADORABLE.

THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE, TINY, FLUFFY TEDDY BEARS.

WHEN YOU SEE CHARM'S LITTLE ONES FIGHTING AND PLAYING,

THEY'RE ALREADY GOING FOR THE NECK.

YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY INSTINCT

RIGHT FROM SUCH AN EARLY AGE.

I WAS SO CONCERNED WHEN KABEBE AND DADA FOUND CHARM'S DEN

AND BROUGHT THEIR THREE CUBS OVER

BECAUSE CHARM'S LITTLE CUBS WERE WAY TOO SMALL,

BUT ACTUALLY, OUR TWO LITTLE CUBS ARE SHOWING

THAT THEY CAN COPE WITH THIS.

[ CHUCKLES ] I CAN'T HELPING LAUGHING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHEN YOU'RE A KID,

COUPLE LITTLE PLAYMATES A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN YOU --

YOU CAN PUSH THEM AROUND, YOU CAN WRESTLE WITH THEM,

BITE THEM, YOU KNOW, DO ALL THE THINGS LIONS LOVE TO DO.

BUT, ACTUALLY, THE LITTLE CUBS NOW LOOK

AS IF THEY'RE CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING THAT.

IN FACT, SOMETIMES, THEY ACTUALLY FIGHT BACK.

THEY'RE FEISTY LITTLE THINGS.

THEY'LL PROBABLY GROW UP TO BE THE TWO TOUGHEST CUBS

ON THE BLOCK.

AND, OF COURSE, THE BENEFIT TO CHARM IS THAT SHE'S NOW PART

OF AN ENLARGED GROUP, AN ENLARGED CRASH.

WE'VE GOT FIVE CUBS NOW, WHICH WILL BE RAISED TOGETHER,

AND WE'VE GOT THREE MOTHERS

ACTUALLY WORKING IN COORDINATION TOGETHER.

THEY WILL HUNT TOGETHER.

THEY WILL DEFEND THESE CUBS TOGETHER.

YOU ARE NOW SEEING THE BENEFIT FOR LIONS

OF BEING PART OF A GROUP.

THEY CAN'T REALLY SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN.

THEY CAN'T GO BACK TO BEING A SOLITARY CAT LIKE THE LEOPARD,

DOING EVERYTHING FOR THEMSELVES.

THEY NEED SUPPORT IF THEY ARE GOING TO RAISE CUBS

SUCCESSFULLY.

SO CHARM HAS BACKUP NOW.

♪♪

SO, THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY,

A DAY OF CELEBRATION FOR THE MARSH PRIDE.

♪♪

WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIMES IN OUR VEHICLES

TRYING TO FIND BIG CATS.

IT'S THE BEST WAY.

IT'S LIKE A MOBILE HIDE, BUT ONCE ON A WHILE,

YOU GET A CALL THAT SAYS YOU CAN BE ON FOOT.

WE JUST HEARD FROM REKERO CAMP

THAT BAHATI'S CUBS ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ONE OF THEIR TENTS.

[ BIRDS SINGING ]

WE'VE HAD BABOONS WALKING UP AND DOWN THE TALEK RIVER ALL DAY.

BAHATI IS FURTHER BACK,

DOWNSTREAM THERE WITH A KILL IN THE TREE,

AND SHE'S GOT HER THREE CUBS STASHED AT THE BASE OF HER TREE

AMONGST THE ROOTS, BUT EVERY SO OFTEN, THEY COME OUT.

THEY START PLAYING, THEY MOVE AROUND, AND RIGHT NOW,

ONE OF THEM HAS GONE RIGHT UP IN THE TOP OF A TREE,

AND I AM CERTAIN THE BABOONS KNOW HE'S THERE.

[ BABOON GRUNTING ]

AND EVERY SO OFTEN, BARKING, ALARM CALLING --

THE BIG MALE'S LETTING ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TROOP

KNOW THERE IS A PREDATOR AROUND HERE.

OH, NO, LOOK AT THAT.

ONE OF THE BABOONS HAS GONE UP IN THE TREE.

AND A SECOND ONE.

AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE IS THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT

THE FEAR OF GOD INTO THAT LITTLE CUB,

AND SO FAR, IT'S HOLDING ITS GROUND.

I MEAN, IT'S LITERALLY JUST LYING AGAINST

ONE OF THE BRANCHES.

THEY'RE THREATENING THAT LITTLE CUB,

AND YOU CAN SEE EVERY SO OFTEN, HE'S HISSING.

HE'S SNARLING.

HE'S DOING HIS BEST TO SAY "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

I WILL ATTACK BACK."

OH, LOOK. DID YOU SEE --

THAT ONE BABOON JUST LEAPT,

BUT THE LITTLE CUB'S BRAVE.

I MEAN, HE'S JUST HOLDING HIS GROUND,

AND, OF COURSE, IN SOME WAYS, THAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO

BECAUSE IF YOU PANIC IN THIS SITUATION,

YOU CAN GET YOURSELF KILLED.

LEOPARDS KILL BABOONS,

AND SOMETIMES, BABOONS KILL LEOPARDS.

OH, HE'S COMING DOWN.

I THINK HE'S TRYING TO COME DOWN.

YOU CAN SEE -- JUST HEAD DOWN ON THE STEM.

OH, NO.

OH, MY GOD, HE JUST FELL.

BOOM -- JUST LIKE THAT.

TWO BABOONS ON HIS TAIL.

LOOK AT THE ONE JUST GOING RIGHT UP TO THAT CAVE,

JUST LOOKING IN THERE.

THESE ARE TOUGH CUSTOMERS.

WELL, THAT'S A DAY I DON'T THINK THAT LITTLE LEOPARD CUB'S

GONNA FORGET IN A HURRY.

BUT IT JUST LETS YOU SEE WHAT A DANGEROUS LIFE IT IS

FOR LEOPARDS OUT HERE IN THIS KIND OF TERRAIN,

ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE BABOONS AROUND.

♪♪

WHEN WE STARTED FILMING THE MARSH PRIDE,

ONE OF OUR YOUNG FEMALES --

WE CALL HER KALI -- WAS HEAVILY PREGNANT.

WE, THEN, HAD A TERRIBLE TIME ONE AFTERNOON WITH HER

WHERE SHE WAS BEING SICK.

WE WERE WORRIED WHETHER, PERHAPS,

SHE WAS GONNA LOSE HER LITTER.

WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

TO OUR SURPRISE AND OUR DELIGHT, SHE HAD HER CUBS,

BUT A FEW DAYS LATER, SHE MOVED THOSE CUBS TO AN AREA,

JUST HERE, WHICH IS WHERE CHARM, HER MOTHER,

ALSO BROUGHT HER CUBS.

[ CUB CRIES ]

IT'S NOT IDEAL.

THE BUSHES WHERE SHE'S GOT HER CUBS ARE REALLY QUITE SPARSE,

SO NOT A GREAT PLACE FOR HER,

AND SHE'S BEEN HAVING A REAL NIGHTMARE OF A TIME.

HER FOUR LITTLE CUBS, AT SOME POINT, SCATTERED FROM THE DEN.

WE THINK THERE WAS AN INTERACTION BETWEEN HER

AND ONE OF THE BIG MALES.

SHE GOT DEFENSIVE, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE,

AND THE CUBS JUST SIMPLY SPREAD OUT IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

AND THEN KALI WAS DESPERATELY

TRYING TO RETRIEVE THE SITUATION.

THESE CUBS ARE FAR TOO SMALL TO BE IN THE OPEN.

THEIR EYES HAVE JUST OPENED.

THEY'RE STILL SORT OF MILKY BLUE.

THEY CAN SQUAWK, AND THEY HAVE BEEN,

WHICH, AGAIN, IS NOT IDEAL.

COULD ATTRACT HYENAS, DANGER.

COULD GET THEMSELVES KILLED.

[ CUB CRYING ]

BUT THE PROBLEM IS SHE'S NOW GOT FOUR CUBS

IN THREE DIFFERENT DENS.

TO ME, THAT IS A DISASTER.

I JUST HOPE THAT BY THE END OF THE EVENING,

SHE WILL HAVE BROUGHT ALL OF THOSE CUBS

BACK TO THE ONE DEN SITE AND THINGS WILL SETTLE DOWN,

AND IF SHE DOES, WHEN WE COME BACK IN A FEW MONTHS TIME,

WHAT A WONDERFUL SITUATION IT WILL BE IF WE FIND

KALI WITH FOUR BEAUTIFUL CUBS

AND THAT EVERYTHING HAS TURNED OUT FINE FOR HER.

BUT RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S GONNA BE THE CASE.

[ CUB CRYING ]

WE USED TO HAVE MASSIVE HERDS OF BUFFALO HERE IN THE MARA.

I MEAN, YOU COULD SEE 500 ANIMALS TOGETHER.

BUT OVER THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, EVERY SO OFTEN,

YOU GET A REALLY TOUGH DROUGHT,

AND BUFFALO ARE VERY PRONE TO DROUGHT.

THEY HAVE TO DRINK EVERY DAY.

THEY NEED NICE, LUSH VEGETATION,

AND SO, GRADUALLY OVER THE YEARS, THE NUMBER OF BUFFALO

THAT YOU SEE WITHIN THE RESERVE HAVE DIMINISHED.

THE BENEFIT OF LIVING IN A HERD IS SORT OF OBVIOUS.

THERE'S MORE OF YOU, AND IF LIONS WERE TO TRY

AND ATTACK A HERD LIKE THIS IN THE DAYTIME,

THE REST OF THE HERD WILL GATHER AROUND AND DRIVE THE LIONS AWAY.

BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE THIS IS NOT EASY FOR LIONS

TO TRY AND ATTACK A HERD,

SO THERE'S BENEFIT OF THESE BIG ANIMALS ALL BEING TOGETHER.

♪♪

OKAY, THERE'S THE MOTHER OF ALL STORMS BREWING.

I THOUGHT I JUST HAD TIME FOR A QUICK SHOWER.

HA HA! AND THE WORD CAME THROUGH.

LIONS HUNTING BUFFALO.

THIS IS THE BIG ONE. THIS IS THE BIG ONE.

LIONS AGAINST BUFFALO.

♪♪

[ BUFFALO GROANS ]

♪♪

[ BUFFALO GROANING ]

WOW, WHAT A BATTLE.

I MEAN, TALK ABOUT THE A-TEAM.

THESE FEMALES, THESE LIONESSES,

THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT BUFFALO, AND THEY ARE A GREAT TEAM,

AND IT TAKES TEAMWORK, COOPERATIVE HUNTING,

EACH PLAYING A PART IN THIS WHOLE BATTLE.

OKAY, BUFFALO ARE COMING.

BUFFALO -- BUFFALO ARE COMING, GUYS.

♪♪

THIS IS WHAT THESE ANIMALS DO.

WHEN THEY HEAR A FELLOW BUFFALO BELLOWING LIKE THAT

AND THEY RESPOND ALL TOGETHER, COLLECTIVELY, THE HERD INSTINCT,

"ONE OF US IS DONE. LET'S GET THERE.

LET'S RESCUE IT."

NOW IT'S CAT AND MOUSE.

THIS BULL LOOKS OLD, HE'S HOBBLING,

AND HE'S SURROUNDED BY LIONS.

MY GOD, WHAT ARE THEY DOING?

IT'S LIKE THEY'RE ATTACKING HIM.

OR ARE THEY TRYING TO LIFT HIM?

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING? LOOK.

THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY.

ARE THEY TRYING TO HELP HIM AND SWEEP HIM AWAY?

AT FIRST, IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE ATTACKING HIM.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

LOOK.

MY GOD, LOOK!

THAT IS THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY THING.

THEY'LL ALMOST CARRYING THAT BUFFALO ALONG WITH THE HERD.

I MEAN, HE COULD BARELY STAND AT ONE POINT.

THEY HAVE JUST SWEPT HIM UP.

MY GOODNESS, ME.

[ BUFFALO GRUNTING ]

LISTEN TO THESE SOUNDS.

I MEAN, WOULDN'T THAT PUT THE FEAR OF GOD INTO YOU?

YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE ON A DARK NIGHT,

OR WALKING THROUGH A FOREST --

A BUFFALO WHO'S REALLY, REALLY UPSET ABOUT LIFE.

WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS OLD BULL NOW FOR DAYS.

WE SPOTTED HIM. HE'S GOT AN INJURED BACK LEG.

HE CAN BARELY MOVE AT TIMES.

HE GETS LEFT BEHIND BY THE HERD,

SO HE WAS AN EASY TARGET FOR OUR LIONS.

THEY ARE MASTER HUNTERS,

BUT THE WAY THE BUFFALO CAME IN --

I MEAN, HE IS SO WEAK.

WITHOUT THE HERD, HE WOULD BE FINISHED.

THIS SHOWS YOU THE POWER OF THE HERD.

GET ISOLATED AND YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.

STICK WITH THE HERD, HAVE THE HERD AS BACKUP TO SUPPORT YOU,

AND YOU'VE GOT A CHANCE.

♪♪

Jackson: MALAIKA IS HUNGRY.

WHILE THE CUBS ARE PLAYING,

MALAIKA IS REALLY WEIGHING HER OPTIONS.

THERE'S A THOMSON AND ONE IMPALA THERE.

JUST LOOKING, THERE'S MORE IMPALAS THERE.

WHERE CAN SHE GET CLOSER EASILY?

SHE'S UP, AND SHE'S ABSOLUTELY STILL.

SHE'S REALLY, REALLY, REALLY THIN.

UNBELIEVABLE.

NEARLY THREE DAYS, SHE HAS NOT HAD A MEAL.

WELL, THE THING IS, SHE'S GOING TO BE REALLY FAST

BECAUSE SHE'S LIGHT.

♪♪

MALAIKA IS RIGHT THERE IN REALLY NICE GRASS

WHERE SHE CAN APPROACH AS MUCH AS SHE CAN.

PLENTY OF COVER.

LOOK AT HER.

SHE'S ABSOLUTELY FROZEN.

THAT ONE.

FOCUS ON THAT ONE.

RIGHT THERE! RIGHT THERE! RIGHT THERE!

SHE'S COMING STRAIGHT TOWARDS US.

♪♪

SHE'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

WOW!

LOOK AT THAT.

♪♪

THIS IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE KILL I'VE EVER SEEN.

IF YOU THINK, IT'S TAKING NEARLY A MINUTE

BEFORE SHE CAN PULL THAT IMPALA DOWN.

♪♪

REALLY, SHE IS STRUGGLING BECAUSE IT'S A BIG ANIMAL,

BUT IT'S A BIG PRIZE.

♪♪

THAT IS A VERY TOUGH POSITION.

YOU KNOW, SHE DOES NOT NEED AN INJURY RIGHT NOW

'CAUSE SHE'S GOT CUBS TO LOOK AFTER

AND THIS IS IMPALA IS NOT GIVING UP.

ALMOST. ALL RIGHT, GOT IT.

GOT IT ON THE THROAT.

♪♪

AND THE BABIES ARE COMING FROM BEHIND.

THAT IS BRILLIANT. THEY ARE HELPING.

♪♪

WHEN YOU SEE THE IMPALA DOWN, VICTORY AT THE END.

WOW!

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

ONE OF THE BEST CHASES I HAVE EVER SEEN.

SEEING A BIG ANIMAL DOWN ON THE GROUND, YOU'VE GOT A MEAL.

NOW YOUR JOB BEGINS.

SHE'S SEARCHING.

LOOK -- EVERYWHERE, LOOK AT HER HEAD.

SHE'S GOT SO MUCH FEAR OF OTHER PREDATORS ARRIVING,

AND SHE NEEDED TO REST,

AND SHE NEEDED TO EAT IMMEDIATELY

JUST IN CASE VULTURES, JACKALS, OR ANY OTHER PREDATORS SEE IT.

THEY CANNOT COMPETE WITH THE REST OF THE BIGGER PREDATORS.

HYENAS, CERTAINLY, LION, AND LEOPARD.

IN THE CASE OF AN ATTACK FROM ANOTHER PREDATOR.

IT'S ONLY HER AND HER CUBS.

RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE ATTACKING IN THE FOOD

THAT THEY JUST BROUGHT DOWN.

EAT, EAT, EAT QUICKLY, REST, AND THEY'LL CONTINUE EATING

AND RESTING FOR THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON TODAY.

♪♪

YOU KNOW, ANIMALS HAVE TO GIVE A LIFE FOR THE OTHERS.

LIKE US, WE NEED SOMETHING WITH LIFE TO KEEP US GOING,

TO LIVE,

AND THEREFORE, THE CHEETAHS, AS TOUGH AND BRUTAL

THEY CAN BE, FOR THAT IMPALA, HE IS GIVING LIFE TO MALAIKA

FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE CHEETAH FAMILY.

♪♪

Jonathan: ALL HELL'S BROKEN LOOSE THIS MORNING.

WE HEARD THAT BAHATI AND THE THREE CUBS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED.

YES, THREE CUBS.

AS SHE MOVED ALONG THE EDGE OF THE BANK,

TWO LIONESSES AND A YOUNG MALE LION ATTACKED.

THERE WAS A HELL OF A RACKET.

I HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE IF THE CUBS ARE SAFE OR NOT.

[ BABOONS GRUNTING ]YOU HEAR THAT?

A WHOLE TROUPE OF BABOONS NOW MOVING WITH PURPOSE

JUST ALONG THE SAME PATHWAY AS BAHATI WAS TAKING.

BAD DAY FOR LEOPARDS ISN'T EVEN THE BEGINNING OF IT.

♪♪

OKAY, WE'RE JUST GONNA CROSS THE TALEK.

OH, WELL, HERE COMES THE WATER.

WHOOPS. COMING IN. IT'S LIKE BEING AT THE SEASIDE.

THREE LIONS AGAINST ONE LEOPARD -- NO CONTEST.

AND THEY ARE RUTHLESS WHEN THEY ATTACK.

HERE THEY ARE RIGHT UP HERE.

FOR ANY LEOPARD, LIONS ARE THEIR GREATEST ENEMY,

THEIR GREATEST DANGER, AND IT'S JUST NO CONTEST.

LIONS ARE SO MUCH BIGGER.

THINK ABOUT A FEMALE LEOPARD LIKE BAHATI --

MAYBE 40 KILOS, 100 POUNDS.

A LIONESS -- MAYBE 250, EVEN 300 POUNDS A BIG ONE.

AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO HOW SERIOUS IT CAN BE

FOR A LEOPARD, BAHATI'S MUM, OLIVE, 12 YEARS OLD,

BITTEN THROUGH THE SKULL, ONE BITE, KILLED BY A LION.

♪♪

I CAN SEE BAHATI, OR AT LEAST, WHAT I CAN SEE

IS A TINY PATCH OF SPOTS.

OCCASIONALLY, HER EYE JUST SHROUDED BY THE CROTON THICKETS.

NOW, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDS RIGHT NOW.

SHE NEEDS TO KEEP HIDDEN FORM THOSE LIONS.

FROM WHERE SHE IS, SHE DOESN'T KNOW THE FACT THAT,

THAT YOUNG MALE ACROSS THE RIVER HAS COME BACK AGAIN.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE CUBS?

I KEEP THINKING IF SHE WAS WITH THE CUBS,

SURELY I'D SEE HER LICKING.

SHE'S LIE DOWN. SHE'D LET THEM SUCKLE.

THREE CUBS WITH THREE LIONS --

IT'LL BE A MIRACLE IF THOSE CUBS SURVIVED.

♪♪

OH! THERE'S A CUB.

ONE CUB JUST RUN TO MUM, OR SHE JUST FOUND IT.

♪♪

FOR A MOTHER LEOPARD TO RAISE THREE CUBS,

I'VE SEEN IT TWICE IN ALL MY 40 YEARS IN THE MARA.

VERY TOUGH CALL.

♪♪

OH, FANTASTIC.

A SECOND CUB.

SO, SHE'S GRADUALLY PICKING UP THE PIECES.

♪♪

SHE MUST BE LOOKING FOR THE THIRD CUB

'CAUSE SHE KEEPS MOVING.

SHE LET THE TWO JUST SUCKLE BRIEFLY,

BUT SHE'S GOT AN AGENDA.

SHE'S STILL LOOKING FOR ONE CUB.

♪♪

SHE'S SO NERVOUS, AND THIS IS BECAUSE

THIS IS WHERE THE LIONS WERE.

SHE IS VERY NERVOUS, VERY ANXIOUS.

IS SHE LEADING THE CUBS INTO TROUBLE?

♪♪

I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BETTER VIEW OF A MOTHER LEOPARD

WITH SMALL CUBS THAN THIS,

AND THE ONLY REASON WE'RE SEEING IT

IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE LIONS ATTACKED THIS MORNING.

YOU CAN HEAR MY VOICE IS SHAKING.

THAT'S HOW EXCITED I AM,

BUT I'M ALSO VERY ANXIOUS ABOUT THAT LITTLE CUB.

♪♪

[ CUBS CRYING ]

♪♪

HEAR THE LITTLE CUB?

THOSE LITTLE, TINY CALLS.

THAT LITTLE CUB WANTING REASSURANCE FROM MUM.

THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT A LEOPARD NORMALLY DOES.

NORMALLY, AS WE'VE SEEN, BAHATI WANTS TO BE IN THE BUSHES,

IN THE SHADOWS, UNSEEN.

LOOK! AND YOU SEE HOW VULNERABLE THEY ARE.

YOU SEE, AT THE SLIGHTEST THING, THE CUBS GO,

BUT THEY'RE LEARNING.

THIS IS ALL EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.

♪♪

OH, MY GOD! THE LIONS ARE RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S OUR LEOPARD WITH THE CUBS.

HERE'S THE LIONS THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE THIS MORNING.

JUST 100 METERS SEPARATING THEM.

SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE THERE.

BUT THEY HAVEN'T SPOTTED HER.

LOOK AT MUM. LOOK HOW ALERT SHE IS.

MAYBE SHE PICKED UP ON THE SCENT OF THE LIONS.

AND THE FURTHER SHE WALKS ALONG THE RIVER,

THE MORE I FEAR THAT, THAT LITTLE CUB --

THE THIRD LITTLE CUB -- GONE.

AND HERE IS THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.

FOR LEOPARDS, THERE IS NO GREATER DANGER,

NO GREATER THREAT.

SOME OF THE LEOPARDS THAT I'VE WATCHED RAISED

JUST 20% OF THEIR CUBS IN A LONG LIFETIME.

♪♪

BAHATI'S JUST DISAPPEARED INTO THIS CROTON THICKET

WITH THE TWO LITTLE CUBS,

AND I RECKON SHE'S GONNA KEEP ON SEARCHING, SEARCHING,

SEARCHING ALL DAY FOR THAT THIRD CUB.

AND PEOPLE SOMETIMES SAY, YOU KNOW, "DO THE CATS GRIEVE?

DO THEY HAVE A SENSE OF LOSS?"

YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT BAHATI AND SEE THE WAY SHE STOPS,

SHE LOOKS, SHE CALLS, SHE SEARCHES.

THIS COULD GO ON ALL DAY.

SHE'LL GO BACKWARD AND FORWARDS

AND JUST, I HOPE, SHE DOESN'T BUMP INTO THOSE LIONS.

♪♪

Jackson: THE CUBS, AFTER THEY KILL, THEY HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR FACES,

AND THEY'RE MASKING THAT BLOOD SO NO ANY OTHER PREDATOR,

NO ANY OTHER ANIMAL CAN SMELL THEM.

CHEETAHS ARE VERY CLEAN ANIMALS.

THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT NO SMELL WHATSOEVER CAN BE SMELLED

BY OTHER PREDATORS WHILE THEY ARE SLEEPING.

CHEETAHS HAVE TO WATCH THEIR BACKS ALL THE TIME.

UP IN THE SKY, THE VULTURES ARE STARTING TO ROLL IN.

MALAIKA IS LOOKING.

SHE KNOWS VULTURES MEANS

OTHER PREDATORS ARRIVING INTO THE SCENE,

SO MALAIKA WILL BE EVEN WORRIED TWICE AS MUCH.

I CAN SEE ON THE GROUND SHADOWS,

AND I CAN SEE ONE HAS BEEN ARRIVING REALLY CLOSE.

THEY'RE CIRCLING.

THEY CANNOT KILL ANYTHING THEMSELVES.

THEY ARE SCAVENGERS, THEREFORE THEY GO REALLY HIGH UP

AND WATCH THE MOVEMENT OF ALL THESE PREDATORS.

I BELIEVE WHEN MALAIKA WAS HUNTING

AND SHE WAS STRUGGLING AND FIGHTING,

THE VULTURES WERE LOOKING FROM ABOVE.

THEY CAN SMELL. THEY CAN SEE.

THEY'VE GOT THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE EYESIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY SURVIVE ON.

WITHOUT HAVING SUCH GOOD EYESIGHT,

THEY WOULD'VE BEEN EXTINCT YEARS AGO.

LOOK AT THE CUB.

NOW THEY ARE STARTING TO REALLY BECOME PROTECTIVE TO THE KILL.

LOOK AT THAT. SHE'S CHASING THE VULTURE.

LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.

SHE IS SURROUNDED.

JUST IMAGINE BEING A SINGLE MUM.

SHE HAS NO HELP.

NO ONE ABSOLUTELY ON SCENE TO HELP PROTECT THE KILL,

PROTECT THE CUBS IN TIMES OF DANGER.

IT'S ONLY MALAIKA ALONE.

SINGLE MOTHERS HAVE IT TOUGH.

MALAIKA FED REALLY WELL NOW.

YOU CAN SEE THE STOMACH IS FILLING UP.

RIGHT NOW IF SHE DROPS AND LEAVES, SHE'S DONE VERY WELL.

AND THE CUBS ARE QUICK TO GET IN.

THEY'RE VERY WELL-FED.

SHE NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM,

JUST A LITTLE BIT TO PUT THE DESSERT IN AND WALK AWAY.

VULTURES PILING IN.

VULTURES NOW ARE GOING TO FINISH THE KILL AND MALAIKA,

SHE'S GOING TO HIDE SOME IN THE BUSH FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

VERY HAPPY. WE ARE ALSO VERY HAPPY.

AND NOW, SHE'S OFF TO SLEEP SAFELY WITH HER CUBS.

♪♪

Jonathan: WHAT A LEGEND -- SCARFACE.

THIS IS A BIG DAY FOR ME

BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR MALE LION,

I JUST LOVE HIM.

HE'S SUCH A CHARACTER.

I MEAN, ALL THE YEARS

I'VE SPENT IN THE MARA, OBVIOUSLY, AT TIMES,

I'VE HAD FAVORITES.

AMONGST THE LIONS, THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

HE USED TO BE A PRIDE MALE WITH THE MARSH PRIDE.

HE'S ONE OF WHAT WE CALL THE FOUR MUSKETEERS.

THEY CAME INTO THE MARSH PRIDE IN 2011,

AND THIS PARTICULAR MALE HAD THE MOST APPALLING WOUND.

YOU COULD BARELY SEE THE EYE.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS HE HAD TAKEN A TERRIBLE BLOW,

WE THINK PROBABLY IN A FIGHT WITH OTHER LIONS.

2013 -- HE WAS SHOT.

THE VETS TREATED HIM.

HE RECOVERED, AND THOSE FOUR MALES MOVED

SOUTH AND TOOK OVER THE PARADISE PRIDE.

SO, THIS IS A GREAT SURVIVOR.

I MEAN, SCARFACE'S STORY -- WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LION THIS IS.

THE PARADISE PRIDE -- THEY'RE NAMED AFTER PARADISE PLAIN.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA WHICH BORDERS THE MARA RIVER,

AND THEY'RE NEIGHBORS OF THE MARSH PRIDE,

AND THIS PRIDE, IT'S A BIG PRIDE.

WHEN YOU COUNT ALL THE CUBS,

THERE'S PROBABLY MORE THAN 20 LIONS IN THIS PRIDE.

YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THE FEMALES THERE,

THEY WERE JUST INTENT ON THAT FOOD.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN PAY ANY RESPECT TO THE OLD BOY AT ALL.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY HE STOOD PROUD, AND THEN,

AS THE FEMALES WENT PAST, HE CAME AND SCRAPED HIS FEET.

HE'S MARKING THE PLACE.

IT'S PART OF HIS TERRITORIAL REPERTOIRE, SAYING

"THIS IS MY PLACE, THIS IS MY FOOD,

AND THESE ARE MY LIONESSES."

THE MARA AND THE SERENGETI TO THE SOUTH OF HERE

IS FAMOUS FOR ITS BIG BLACK-MANED LIONS.

SO, WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT A BLACK MANE?

WELL, THE SCIENTISTS TELL US THAT ACTUALLY,

IT'S A SIGN OF FITNESS.

FROM THE FEMALE'S POINT OF VIEW,

THESE ARE THE MALES THAT YOU WANT TO SIRE YOUR CUBS,

AND THERE IS NOWHERE RIGHT NOW IN THE MARA

WHERE THERE IS A MALE WITH A BIGGER BLACK MANE THAN SCARFACE.

JUST AS I'D HOPED, HERE THEY COME.

THE MUMS WITH THE CUBS.

OHH, WHAT A SIGHT.

WE CALL THE MARA A KINGDOM OF PREDATORS,

BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S A KINGDOM OF LIONS.

AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE VERY CLEARLY HERE

IS HOW WELL THE CRèCHE WORKS.

TWO FEMALES, SIX CUBS ALL A SIMILAR AGE.

AS THEY GROW UP, THEY'LL HAVE BUDDIES.

IF THEY GET PUSHED OUT OF THE BRIDE, YOU NEED BACKUP.

SO NUMBERS MEANS SUCCESS.

I THINK WHEN YOU LIVE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS

SO CLOSE TO NATURE,

WHERE LIFE AND DEATH ARE INSEPARABLE,

WHEN THEY'RE A NATURAL PART OF LIVING,

I THINK YOU DRAW STRENGTH FROM THE COURAGE OF THESE ANIMALS --

FROM THEIR STOICISM, FROM THEIR RESILIENCE.

THEY NEVER GIVE UP.

SO WHEN I LOOK INTO THE EYES OF AN OLD WARRIOR LIKE SCARFACE,

I CAN ONLY FEEL COMPASSION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT

FOR MOST LIONS, DEATH WILL BE A VIOLENT DEATH

AT THE HANDS OF OTHER LIONS, AT THE HANDS OF HYENAS.

AND I LOOK AT SCARFACE, AND I THINK TO MYSELF,

"WILL HE PERHAPS BE CHASED AWAY FROM THIS AREA,

BEATEN UP, KILLED?"

COULD BE.

THOSE ARE THE NATURAL CHANGES THAT TAKE PLACE.

BUT TODAY I SALUTE SCARFACE.

I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM FOR A YEAR, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC

FOR ME TO WATCH THIS INCREDIBLE LION.

♪♪

Jackson: THIS IS A SPOTTED HYENA.

WE CALL THEM THE SUPER HUNTERS.

IN TERMS OF THE HIERARCHY, WHERE THEY FIT,

THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TO OUR BIG CATS, THE LIONS.

THIS LITTLE DEN HAS GOOD CUBS.

WHEN THEY GROW UP, THEY CHANGE TO BE GOLD AND SPOTTED.

IN SWAHILI, WE CALL IT MATOPE CHUI,

THE DIRTY SPOTTED.

THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY CLEAN SPOTS LIKE A LEOPARD OR A CHEETAH.

IT'S GOT A LITTLE TOY.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE MALE THERE IS JOINING THEM AND SAID,

"I WANT TO PLAY, TOO."

THE HYENA CLAN -- IT'S LED BY A MATRIARCH.

SO THE FEMALE IS THE BOSS.

IF YOU COME BACK IN THE NEXT LIFE,

PLEASE DO NOT COME AS A HYENA MALE.

THEY ARE NOTHING.

THE MALES WILL DO THE HUNTING BECAUSE THEY'RE OFTEN HUNGRY.

THEY NEVER HAVE ENOUGH.

SO YOU'LL FIND THE MALES CHASING AND MAKING MOST OF THE KILLS.

AND GUESS WHO COME -- THE BOSS.

THE FEMALE HYENA.

EAT, BULLY, TAKE EVERYTHING THEY NEED,

AND LEAVE THE SCRAPS FOR THE BOYS.

OH, THIS IS A NICE, LITTLE PLAY OF THE HYENAS IN THE MORNING.

YOU SEE HOW SWEET THEY ARE AS A FAMILY.

THEY RUN AROUND. THEY PLAY TOGETHER.

AND THAT LITTLE FEMALE, EVEN THE MALE HYENA

HAVE TAKEN A HUGE INTEREST TO PLAY WITH HER.

AND THE LITTLE CUB CALLS AFTER HIM, SAYING,

"I'M THE FUTURE BOSS.

I'M THE FUTURE MATRIARCH.

LOOK."

AND THE MOTHER STARE, JUST SAYING, "RIGHT.

IT'S OKAY, KIDS.

NO TROUBLE HERE."

THEY'RE JUST LOVING, LOVELY FAMILY TO WATCH.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW ANIMALS THAT ARE BORN

WITH TEETH IN THEIR MOUTH, AND THEY CAN KILL.

HYENAS KILL AS MUCH AS 70% OF THEIR FOOD.

IF YOU THINK OF THIS KINGDOM, WHERE IT'S RULED BY LIONS,

AND HYENAS ARE ALWAYS KNOWN TO BE THE SCAVENGERS --

MEAN, UGLY ANIMALS.

IT'S NOT TRUE.

LOOK AT THESE CUBS.

LOOK AT HOW CUTE THEY ARE.

LOOK AT THE FAMILY.

♪♪

THEY'RE NOT THE BADDIES.

AND THEY ACTUALLY DO A FANTASTIC JOB

CLEANING UP THE ENVIRONMENT,

CLEANING UP THE WILDEBEEST CARCASSES.

THEY ARE THE REAL NUMBER-ONE CLEANERS.

WHEN PEOPLE COME TO THE MARA

AND THEY ARE ALL RUNNING AFTER THE BIG CATS,

THEY FORGET THE HYENAS ARE JUST AS SPECIAL.

♪♪

Jonathan: THIS HAS TO BE

WHAT EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME ON SAFARI

TO AFRICA IS DREAMING OF SEEING --

A PRIDE OF LIONS, LIONESSES, CUBS OF DIFFERENT AGES,

PLAY, INTERACTIONS.

AND AS A SETTING, AN OLD TREE STUMP LIKE THAT --

I TELL YOU, ANYBODY WHO IS HERE TODAY

WATCHING THIS IS GOING TO BE IN HEAVEN.

♪♪

WHEN I LOOK AT THESE LITTLE CUBS,

I'M REMEMBERING THAT ANGIE AND I HAVE KNOWN CHARM

SINCE SHE WAS THE SIZE OF THESE TWO TINY CUBS,

ABOUT SIX WEEKS OLD.

SHE'S PARTICULARLY SPECIAL TO ME.

SHE'S GOT SUCH PRESENCE.

THERE'S A SENSE OF WISDOM WHEN I LOOK INTO HER FACE.

THERE'S A SENSE OF EXPERIENCE.

♪♪

SHE'S AN OLD LIONESS.

MANY LIONESSES DON'T LIVE THIS LONG.

AND IT COULD BE THAT THESE TWO CUBS,

IF THEY SURVIVE, WILL BE HER LAST LITTER.

♪♪

EVERY DAY THAT THESE LITTLE CUBS SURVIVE,

IT WILL BE BETTER AND BETTER

BECAUSE THEY WILL BE MORE AND MORE MOBILE.

THEY'LL BE STRONGER.

THEY'LL BE MORE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE LIKES OF MOJA

AND BILLY, SOLO ROUGHING THEM UP.

♪♪

SO, THIS, FOR ME, IS JUST A WONDERFUL PIECE OF HISTORY,

AND I AM ROOTING FOR THOSE LITTLE CUBS' SURVIVAL.

IT'S THAT BIG-CAT LEGACY.

IT'S THAT SENSE OF CONTINUITY.

THE UNENDING STORY, AND IT'LL BE CARRYING ON,

HOPEFULLY, LONG AFTER I'VE DISAPPEARED THIS WORLD.

♪♪

JUST LOOK AT THIS.

SIX YOUNG NOMADS ON THE PROWL.

YOU CAN SEE THE INTENTION ON THEIR FACES, THE WAY THEY WALK.

THEY ARE REALLY PUMPED UP,

AND THEY'RE GONNA CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

ANY MALES IN THIS AREA, THEIR DAYS ARE NUMBERED.

AND WHAT ABOUT MOJA AND BILLY AND SOLO,

OUR THREE LITTLE MARSH CUBS?

IF THESE MALES CAME OVER THE RISE

AND TOOK OVER THAT PRIDE, THOSE CUBS WOULD BE TOAST.

AND CAN YOU IMAGINE IF YOU WERE PRIDE MALES

AND YOU SAW THESE SIX HEADED TOWARDS YOU?

BECAUSE THEIR MOMENT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

♪♪

NEXT TIME ON "BIG CAT TALES"...

AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS AWAY, OUR TEAM RETURNS TO THE MARA

DURING THE GREAT WILDEBEEST MIGRATION.

EVERYTHING IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.