1
00:00:07,007 --> 00:00:09,551
- [birds tweeting]
- [animal coos]

2
00:00:09,635 --> 00:00:14,348
[narrator] The birth of a baby animal
is always special.

3
00:00:14,431 --> 00:00:16,725
- [birds tweeting]
- [purring]

4
00:00:16,808 --> 00:00:19,478
But for those on the brink of extinction,

5
00:00:20,437 --> 00:00:21,813
every new life…

6
00:00:21,897 --> 00:00:24,399
- [exhales]
- …brings hope.

7
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[chirping]

8
00:00:26,109 --> 00:00:28,445
Six endangered youngsters

9
00:00:29,279 --> 00:00:31,240
raised in our world…

10
00:00:31,323 --> 00:00:32,698
[meowing]

11
00:00:32,783 --> 00:00:36,078
…are on the journey of a lifetime…

12
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[man] Follow me.

13
00:00:37,538 --> 00:00:38,914
[narrator] …back to theirs.

14
00:00:39,706 --> 00:00:41,959
Are you inquisitive? Yeah.

15
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[narrator]
But they can't do it on their own.

16
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He lost his mother.

17
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- [elephant snorts]
- [hisses]

18
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[narrator] With human foster parents
helping them on their way…

19
00:00:53,762 --> 00:00:55,931
[man] You don't need to be scared,
I'm here with you.

20
00:00:56,014 --> 00:00:56,849
[bear whines]

21
00:00:56,932 --> 00:01:01,395
[narrator] …can these little ones
help save their species…

22
00:01:01,478 --> 00:01:04,188
[woman] If you love something,
you have to let it go.

23
00:01:05,107 --> 00:01:09,027
[narrator] …and return to the wild?

24
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[orchestral swell]

25
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[woman vocalizing, music climaxes]

26
00:01:19,496 --> 00:01:22,499
[dramatic drumroll]

27
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[narrator] In a special breeding center
in Southern Spain…

28
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…three tiny kittens are taking their
first steps into the world.

29
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[melodic guitar music playing]

30
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Iberian Lynx.

31
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Some of the rarest cats…

32
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[shrieking]

33
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…on the planet.

34
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[squeaking]

35
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[sneezes]

36
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[narrator] 25 years ago there were fewer
than 100 of them left.

37
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[high-pitched mewing]

38
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[narrator] Once hunted for their fur,
we were about to lose them forever…

39
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[mewing]

40
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…until…

41
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[music fades]

42
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…a hugely ambitious
wildlife rescue mission was launched.

43
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To breed lynx in four centers
across Spain and Portugal.

44
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And return them to the wild.

45
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[birds chirping]

46
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[narrator] The biggest is La Olivilla,

47
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run by head vet, Mariajo Perez.

48
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She's dedicated nearly 20 years
to raising these precious cats.

49
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[Mariajo] When I see the eyes of the cubs
I still feel excited. [laughs]

50
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It's very special to work
in a place like this.

51
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[narrator] Already, she's seen
numbers rise to over 2,000.

52
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- [man, in Spanish] Look at this, Mariajo.
- [lynx kittens crying]

53
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[Mariajo, in Spanish] What beautiful cubs!

54
00:03:00,222 --> 00:03:02,224
- [Mariajo laughs]
- [kittens continue to cry]

55
00:03:02,307 --> 00:03:06,186
[Mariajo, in English] Every cub
is a treasure to be released to the wild.

56
00:03:06,270 --> 00:03:08,564
[narrator] Like all the kittens born here,

57
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the first thing they need to do
is pass a health check.

58
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Disease is one of the biggest
threats to lynx.

59
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[growling softly]

60
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[narrator] So, the team must get suited
and booted to protect them.

61
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[Mariajo, in Spanish] What special cubs.
[laughs]

62
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They're beautiful.

63
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[narrator] They start their lives
with piercing blue eyes…

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[purring]

65
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…that darken as they get older.

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[woman, in Spanish] Do you want us
to weigh them first?

67
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[Mariajo] Yes, weigh him.

68
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- [woman responds in Spanish]
- [lynx kitten meows]

69
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[kitten shrieks]

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[narrator] And each weighs little more
than a bag of sugar.

71
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[Mariajo] 1.14 kilos.

72
00:03:53,650 --> 00:03:55,235
[conversing in Spanish]

73
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[Mariajo] This one
is climbing in the bag.

74
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[kitten growls]

75
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[Mariajo] They are really strong.

76
00:04:04,620 --> 00:04:06,455
[woman, whispering] Don't eat it.

77
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[narrator] Mariajo gives each
of the kittens a thorough examination.

78
00:04:15,589 --> 00:04:18,091
[squeaking softly]

79
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[Mariajo] 6cm, the tail.

80
00:04:20,928 --> 00:04:22,846
[conversing in Spanish]

81
00:04:22,930 --> 00:04:26,808
[narrator] And some medicine
to keep them safe from infections.

82
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[Mariajo] Delicious!

83
00:04:28,602 --> 00:04:29,645
[staff laughing]

84
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- Okay, this one is done.
- [woman responds in Spanish]

85
00:04:33,565 --> 00:04:34,858
A little male.

86
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[narrator] Of the three,
there are two brothers…

87
00:04:37,653 --> 00:04:40,364
[Mariajo] This one is a girl, a female.

88
00:04:40,447 --> 00:04:45,536
[narrator] …and a smaller baby sister,
who's been named Una.

89
00:04:45,619 --> 00:04:47,788
[purring]

90
00:04:50,123 --> 00:04:53,961
As the only female, Una's extra special.

91
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She may one day have kittens of her own.

92
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Boosting the population.

93
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[continues to purr]

94
00:05:00,467 --> 00:05:04,304
[Mariajo] Everything seems perfect,
everything looks good.

95
00:05:10,394 --> 00:05:13,313
[narrator] To keep them
as wild as possible,

96
00:05:13,397 --> 00:05:16,900
this is one of the last times
Mariajo will handle the triplets.

97
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[kitten meowing loudly]

98
00:05:18,151 --> 00:05:20,112
There's the mother, Junquinha.

99
00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:24,825
[narrator] For the next 12 months,
they'll stay with their mum,

100
00:05:25,492 --> 00:05:26,952
learning to climb,

101
00:05:27,911 --> 00:05:29,246
defend themselves,

102
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and, most importantly,
catch their own food.

103
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[hisses]

104
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[yowling]

105
00:05:40,591 --> 00:05:42,342
[playful music playing]

106
00:05:43,177 --> 00:05:45,971
To keep an eye
on the youngsters as they grow,

107
00:05:46,054 --> 00:05:50,225
the team runs a covert operation.

108
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[man laughs]

109
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[narrator] Mariajo and her right-hand man
Ruben can watch every move…

110
00:05:59,693 --> 00:06:02,863
[Mariajo] They can barely stand up yet.

111
00:06:04,323 --> 00:06:06,825
[narrator] …without ever being seen.

112
00:06:08,285 --> 00:06:11,997
Dozens of cameras
capture the kittens' private lives

113
00:06:12,539 --> 00:06:14,333
and their mischievous antics.

114
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[music ends]

115
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[Mariajo] Look at that! [chuckles]

116
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[narrator] Even the dens
have built-in baby monitors.

117
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- [kitten shrieks]
- [Mariajo laughs]

118
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[narrator] Nothing goes unnoticed.

119
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[purring]

120
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This is Big Brother…

121
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[snorts with laughter]

122
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…lynx style.

123
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[Mariajo laughs]

124
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Oops, she messed it up!

125
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[Mariajo, in English] It's very fulfilling
to be able to see all these behaviors.

126
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And knowing that you are not interfering.
You are not disturbing them.

127
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[kitten meows]

128
00:06:57,584 --> 00:07:01,463
[narrator] It's been a few days since
Una first emerged from her den.

129
00:07:06,802 --> 00:07:10,138
And she's still finding her feet.

130
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- [Ruben exclaims in Spanish]
- [Mariajo laughs]

131
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[meowing]

132
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[narrator] Having rarely
stepped on grass before,

133
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she seems keen to avoid it all together.

134
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[meowing]

135
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[narrator] With mum watching on…

136
00:07:35,539 --> 00:07:37,541
[purring and low snarling]

137
00:07:37,624 --> 00:07:40,294
…the siblings start to explore…

138
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using all their senses.

139
00:07:51,597 --> 00:07:55,767
At a month old, their eye sight
and hearing are still developing.

140
00:07:56,226 --> 00:07:59,521
[gentle music playing]

141
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Baby lynx spend about
a fifth of their day playing.

142
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[low growling]

143
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[in Spanish] Look how curious they are.

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[Mariajo, in English] All of the cubs
learn by playing.

145
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[narrator] But at this age,
there's one thing Mariajo's looking for.

146
00:08:19,499 --> 00:08:21,460
[suspenseful music playing]

147
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Their instinct to hunt.

148
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In the wild, they'll need
to catch rabbits and birds.

149
00:08:34,932 --> 00:08:38,227
But maybe a beetle's
a better place to start.

150
00:08:38,309 --> 00:08:40,520
[playful music playing]

151
00:08:45,484 --> 00:08:47,236
[loud buzzing]

152
00:08:49,112 --> 00:08:50,948
[music fades]

153
00:08:51,031 --> 00:08:55,285
[narrator] Hunting's the most important
skill Una will need to crack.

154
00:08:55,369 --> 00:08:57,246
[insect buzzing]

155
00:08:57,329 --> 00:08:59,498
Only if she can do this…

156
00:09:00,374 --> 00:09:02,668
will she be released into the wild.

157
00:09:06,505 --> 00:09:10,133
But across Spain, lynx face a big problem.

158
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Their land is shrinking,

159
00:09:14,930 --> 00:09:18,851
as farms and roads crisscross
even the most remote places.

160
00:09:25,148 --> 00:09:31,238
It's the job of vet Guillermo Lopez
to make sure Una has a safe future home.

161
00:09:33,657 --> 00:09:35,200
With his colleague, Javi.

162
00:09:36,785 --> 00:09:39,496
Okay, let's crack on. [chuckles]

163
00:09:40,372 --> 00:09:41,957
[narrator] Over the last ten years,

164
00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,836
they've released
nearly a hundred of these precious cats.

165
00:09:47,129 --> 00:09:50,090
And today, they're scoping out
a remote region

166
00:09:50,174 --> 00:09:52,259
of the Sierra Arana Mountains.

167
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[Guillermo] We select areas
that have shelter

168
00:09:55,220 --> 00:09:57,973
and there are bushes and places to hunt.

169
00:09:59,433 --> 00:10:03,478
[narrator] It's all about
location, location, location.

170
00:10:04,062 --> 00:10:07,149
We are going to go to a spot

171
00:10:07,232 --> 00:10:11,612
where we have
a direct view of a huge area.

172
00:10:11,695 --> 00:10:13,947
[bird of prey calling]

173
00:10:19,536 --> 00:10:20,871
[Guillermo] This place is very special.

174
00:10:20,954 --> 00:10:22,998
[in Spanish] Those hills over there?

175
00:10:23,081 --> 00:10:27,252
[in Spanish] Yes, yes, yes.
The pine forest area, too.

176
00:10:28,170 --> 00:10:31,381
[narrator] Una needs somewhere
far from roads.

177
00:10:31,465 --> 00:10:32,966
And, vitally,

178
00:10:33,050 --> 00:10:35,636
if she's going to one day have cubs,

179
00:10:35,719 --> 00:10:38,847
she'll need some potential male partners.

180
00:10:39,765 --> 00:10:41,767
[speaking in Spanish]

181
00:10:42,726 --> 00:10:44,978
[narrator] Guillermo sets up
remote cameras

182
00:10:45,062 --> 00:10:47,523
to see where the cat hot spots are.

183
00:10:47,898 --> 00:10:51,068
[Guillermo, in English] The camera trap
is the best tool we have.

184
00:10:51,777 --> 00:10:53,862
[narrator] These cameras
can run for months.

185
00:10:54,530 --> 00:10:56,657
[camera bleeps]

186
00:10:56,740 --> 00:10:59,993
And could help choose
the perfect release site.

187
00:11:09,586 --> 00:11:12,589
[low meowing]

188
00:11:12,673 --> 00:11:16,635
- [Una meows]
- [Junquinha purrs]

189
00:11:16,718 --> 00:11:19,096
[narrator] Una is piling on the pounds.

190
00:11:20,556 --> 00:11:24,017
And will feed on her mother's milk
for the next few months.

191
00:11:24,101 --> 00:11:26,103
[insects buzzing]

192
00:11:27,521 --> 00:11:28,647
Breakfast over…

193
00:11:30,774 --> 00:11:31,733
it's playtime.

194
00:11:31,817 --> 00:11:33,068
[insects buzzing]

195
00:11:34,695 --> 00:11:35,904
[buzzing continues]

196
00:11:38,907 --> 00:11:43,036
Of the three,
she's becoming the most adventurous,

197
00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,582
using her tiny claws to practice climbing.

198
00:11:48,750 --> 00:11:50,711
A skill she'll need in the wild…

199
00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:53,338
to escape danger.

200
00:12:00,929 --> 00:12:01,763
[insect buzzes]

201
00:12:01,847 --> 00:12:05,142
And the triplets aren't just
playing with things in their pen.

202
00:12:05,225 --> 00:12:07,728
They've started playing together.

203
00:12:07,811 --> 00:12:09,313
[Mariajo laughs]

204
00:12:09,396 --> 00:12:10,856
[in Spanish] Look at that jump!

205
00:12:11,565 --> 00:12:13,066
Looks like a kangaroo there!

206
00:12:13,150 --> 00:12:15,235
[Mariajo replies in Spanish]

207
00:12:15,319 --> 00:12:19,740
[narrator] Rough and tumble is how lynx
build their strength and coordination.

208
00:12:21,783 --> 00:12:27,039
But for Mariajo, it's an early sign
that things are about to get dangerous.

209
00:12:28,624 --> 00:12:30,667
[growling]

210
00:12:31,793 --> 00:12:33,420
Because soon,

211
00:12:33,504 --> 00:12:35,297
this harmless fun…

212
00:12:35,839 --> 00:12:39,009
will turn into a fight for survival.

213
00:12:41,970 --> 00:12:43,972
[insects chirping]

214
00:12:45,098 --> 00:12:47,100
[in Spanish] Does anyone else
want a coffee?

215
00:12:47,184 --> 00:12:48,227
Coffee?

216
00:12:50,938 --> 00:12:54,525
[narrator] Mariajo and the team are
getting ready to work through the night.

217
00:12:55,692 --> 00:12:58,737
[low-pitched meowing]

218
00:12:59,404 --> 00:13:03,367
Because at any moment,
these cute looking kittens…

219
00:13:04,451 --> 00:13:06,912
will turn into little killers.

220
00:13:07,579 --> 00:13:10,165
[dramatic drums playing]

221
00:13:10,249 --> 00:13:15,295
For just 24 hours, young lynx
become highly aggressive.

222
00:13:16,547 --> 00:13:19,091
Sometimes fighting each other
to the death.

223
00:13:21,134 --> 00:13:23,720
It's a bizarre right of passage,

224
00:13:24,221 --> 00:13:25,973
unique to lynx.

225
00:13:26,056 --> 00:13:30,394
[Mariajo] He is staring.
Something must be going on.

226
00:13:31,937 --> 00:13:35,774
It won't be long now.

227
00:13:40,612 --> 00:13:42,656
[growling]

228
00:13:42,739 --> 00:13:44,157
[narrator] The two brothers…

229
00:13:44,241 --> 00:13:45,242
[hissing and snarling]

230
00:13:45,325 --> 00:13:46,827
…kick things off.

231
00:13:47,786 --> 00:13:49,246
[snarling continues]

232
00:13:49,621 --> 00:13:51,415
Mum tries to break it up.

233
00:13:51,790 --> 00:13:54,751
[growling and shrieking]

234
00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,131
[Mariajo, in English] The fighting period
has to happen.

235
00:13:59,214 --> 00:14:01,383
[cubs continue to shriek]

236
00:14:05,637 --> 00:14:06,680
[cubs snarling]

237
00:14:06,763 --> 00:14:10,976
It's hard, but we have to
leave the cubs to develop,

238
00:14:11,059 --> 00:14:13,478
and the mother to do her work.

239
00:14:18,358 --> 00:14:22,571
[narrator] It's thought this is how
kittens learn to defend themselves.

240
00:14:23,989 --> 00:14:25,449
[yowling]

241
00:14:26,575 --> 00:14:29,036
So the team has to leave them to it.

242
00:14:29,119 --> 00:14:31,163
[intense growling and snarling]

243
00:14:32,497 --> 00:14:33,415
[Una meows]

244
00:14:33,498 --> 00:14:37,586
As the smallest of the three,
Una's in the biggest danger.

245
00:14:42,341 --> 00:14:45,594
[Una's brothers continue to fight]

246
00:14:47,012 --> 00:14:49,014
[dramatic music continues]

247
00:14:50,599 --> 00:14:52,935
[fighting continues]

248
00:14:54,895 --> 00:14:56,647
[hissing and snarling]

249
00:14:56,730 --> 00:14:59,483
The boys battle it out through the night.

250
00:14:59,566 --> 00:15:01,777
[music fades]

251
00:15:01,860 --> 00:15:03,862
[shrill growling]

252
00:15:05,906 --> 00:15:08,659
By dawn, they're exhausted.

253
00:15:09,284 --> 00:15:11,078
[growling continues]

254
00:15:12,454 --> 00:15:14,122
It's the perfect moment…

255
00:15:15,457 --> 00:15:19,211
for crafty Una to launch her attack.

256
00:15:21,839 --> 00:15:24,758
[suspenseful music playing]

257
00:15:37,145 --> 00:15:39,189
[cubs snarling]

258
00:15:39,273 --> 00:15:40,983
[Mariajo, in Spanish] Look,
they're over here.

259
00:15:41,066 --> 00:15:43,193
[man, in Spanish] Yes, I am looking.

260
00:15:43,986 --> 00:15:46,697
[shrieking and meowing]

261
00:15:46,780 --> 00:15:49,116
[hissing and growling]

262
00:15:52,786 --> 00:15:54,746
[narrator] After 18 hours,

263
00:15:55,914 --> 00:15:58,500
the fighting eventually stops.

264
00:15:59,501 --> 00:16:01,503
[music fades]

265
00:16:02,087 --> 00:16:04,381
[man, in Spanish] She is as placid
as anything.

266
00:16:06,216 --> 00:16:09,761
[narrator] And the siblings
return to being friends.

267
00:16:11,388 --> 00:16:13,015
They've all survived.

268
00:16:14,099 --> 00:16:17,352
But Una is the only one unscathed.

269
00:16:19,855 --> 00:16:20,689
[Mariajo laughs]

270
00:16:20,772 --> 00:16:24,443
[narrator] Now Mariajo
can breathe a little more easily.

271
00:16:25,277 --> 00:16:28,488
[in English] We feel a bit relaxed
when this passes over.

272
00:16:29,239 --> 00:16:32,451
And begin to, to enjoy more,

273
00:16:32,534 --> 00:16:36,663
seeing the development of the cubs.

274
00:16:36,747 --> 00:16:39,625
- [cubs meowing]
- [bird cooing]

275
00:16:48,717 --> 00:16:51,178
[narrator] Back in the Sierra Arana
mountains,

276
00:16:51,261 --> 00:16:53,305
Guillermo's collecting the cameras

277
00:16:53,388 --> 00:16:55,891
to find out what they've captured.

278
00:16:56,558 --> 00:16:58,894
[Guillermo, in Spanish] Wow! There are
so many rabbits here, mate.

279
00:16:59,895 --> 00:17:03,482
[narrator] Rabbits
make up 90% of a lynx's diet.

280
00:17:04,650 --> 00:17:07,819
[Guillermo, in English] Iberian lynx
can prey on many other things

281
00:17:07,903 --> 00:17:12,532
but they cannot live or breathe
if they don't have wild rabbits.

282
00:17:14,576 --> 00:17:17,663
[narrator] But what makes this place
particularly attractive…

283
00:17:18,747 --> 00:17:21,208
[Guillermo] Wow. A lynx.

284
00:17:22,459 --> 00:17:24,586
[in Spanish] He's gorgeous, isn't he?

285
00:17:25,170 --> 00:17:27,673
[narrator] …Lynx
seem to be thriving here.

286
00:17:28,464 --> 00:17:32,344
And some are cats Guillermo
has previously released.

287
00:17:32,427 --> 00:17:35,931
[Guillermo, in Spanish]
This is a male, he looks fat.

288
00:17:39,434 --> 00:17:43,230
[narrator] This could be the perfect spot
for Una to meet a mate.

289
00:17:45,941 --> 00:17:51,905
[in English] I hope Una can become one of
the territorial females of Sierra Arana

290
00:17:51,989 --> 00:17:55,325
and live for many years
and have many cubs.

291
00:17:55,409 --> 00:17:56,451
[chuckles]

292
00:18:05,878 --> 00:18:09,298
- [insects chirping]
- [birds tweeting]

293
00:18:10,549 --> 00:18:11,842
[narrator] It's July.

294
00:18:13,260 --> 00:18:15,762
[cubs panting]

295
00:18:16,597 --> 00:18:21,810
The cubs are now 16 weeks old
and have lost their fluffy coats.

296
00:18:23,687 --> 00:18:25,147
Just as well.

297
00:18:25,230 --> 00:18:28,650
Spanish summers can hit
a hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

298
00:18:28,734 --> 00:18:30,777
[in Spanish] He's putting
his little snout in the water.

299
00:18:36,158 --> 00:18:38,160
[flies buzzing]

300
00:18:41,246 --> 00:18:42,873
[fly buzzes loudly]

301
00:18:42,956 --> 00:18:47,211
[narrator] Now, Una's once
bright-blue eyes have darkened.

302
00:18:49,046 --> 00:18:52,549
Acting like sunglasses,
protecting her from the glare.

303
00:18:56,220 --> 00:19:00,766
At this age, the kittens take
their climbing skills to new heights.

304
00:19:03,644 --> 00:19:05,521
But when you're just one foot tall…

305
00:19:08,065 --> 00:19:09,525
it's a long way up.

306
00:19:10,025 --> 00:19:12,361
[adventurous music playing]

307
00:19:14,363 --> 00:19:19,493
With sharp, curved claws,
lynx are excellent climbers.

308
00:19:28,252 --> 00:19:29,878
But it still takes practice.

309
00:19:40,055 --> 00:19:41,181
Finally up…

310
00:19:44,685 --> 00:19:45,727
[kitten growls softly]

311
00:19:45,811 --> 00:19:47,437
…her brother follows.

312
00:19:48,355 --> 00:19:49,648
[kitten meows]

313
00:19:50,148 --> 00:19:52,234
It's cooler in the treetops,

314
00:19:52,317 --> 00:19:53,986
with a gentle breeze.

315
00:19:54,486 --> 00:19:56,488
[music continues]

316
00:20:02,494 --> 00:20:05,122
Now, for getting down.

317
00:20:06,790 --> 00:20:08,250
Her brother takes the lead.

318
00:20:11,128 --> 00:20:13,130
There's a technique for a soft landing.

319
00:20:17,009 --> 00:20:18,719
And it's not this.

320
00:20:21,638 --> 00:20:22,764
[music ends]

321
00:20:22,848 --> 00:20:23,849
[meows]

322
00:20:23,932 --> 00:20:26,768
Luckily, Una's a fast learner.

323
00:20:27,603 --> 00:20:30,063
[music resumes]

324
00:20:36,778 --> 00:20:38,780
[music intensifies]

325
00:20:42,159 --> 00:20:45,245
Reunited, they celebrate with a head bump.

326
00:20:47,122 --> 00:20:49,875
The lynx equivalent of a high five.

327
00:20:55,339 --> 00:20:57,466
[music fades]

328
00:20:57,549 --> 00:20:59,551
[intense buzzing]

329
00:21:01,220 --> 00:21:02,638
[bird shrieks]

330
00:21:02,721 --> 00:21:05,432
As summer comes to an end,

331
00:21:07,351 --> 00:21:09,853
Una goes from strength to strength.

332
00:21:13,774 --> 00:21:17,152
Cooler temperatures
bring a flurry of activity.

333
00:21:19,112 --> 00:21:21,114
[playful music playing]

334
00:21:24,993 --> 00:21:27,287
[growling]

335
00:21:29,831 --> 00:21:33,126
Explosive leaps
are practice for catching prey.

336
00:21:35,963 --> 00:21:37,005
[Una growls]

337
00:21:37,089 --> 00:21:39,633
She's now an expert climber.

338
00:21:44,638 --> 00:21:47,474
And has proved she can defend herself.

339
00:21:47,558 --> 00:21:48,976
[growling]

340
00:21:49,685 --> 00:21:54,106
But there's one last thing to master
before she can be released…

341
00:21:54,189 --> 00:21:55,274
[music slows]

342
00:21:55,357 --> 00:21:57,651
[birds shriek and tweet]

343
00:21:59,027 --> 00:22:00,070
…hunting.

344
00:22:00,153 --> 00:22:01,154
[music ends]

345
00:22:01,822 --> 00:22:03,949
[Mariajo] If an animal doesn't hunt,

346
00:22:04,449 --> 00:22:08,328
it would not be possible
to release them into the wild.

347
00:22:10,205 --> 00:22:13,584
[narrator] The only way to learn,
is to practice.

348
00:22:16,587 --> 00:22:19,214
Her brothers seem to know
what they're doing.

349
00:22:25,220 --> 00:22:26,972
[galloping footsteps, scuffle]

350
00:22:27,055 --> 00:22:29,808
For once, Una's lagging behind.

351
00:22:33,312 --> 00:22:35,939
In the wild, lynx are solitary.

352
00:22:40,736 --> 00:22:42,654
So she needs to catch up.

353
00:22:43,572 --> 00:22:44,489
And quickly.

354
00:22:45,032 --> 00:22:47,576
[in Spanish] She's looking for prey,
it would seem.

355
00:22:52,664 --> 00:22:54,374
Prey detection.

356
00:22:54,458 --> 00:22:55,667
[Mariajo] Mm-hm.

357
00:22:56,293 --> 00:22:59,087
[narrator] Una starts to pick up
the technique.

358
00:23:01,131 --> 00:23:02,257
Ah.

359
00:23:02,341 --> 00:23:04,134
Goodness, look at that stalking.

360
00:23:06,011 --> 00:23:10,098
[narrator] With soft foot pads,
lynx can stalk prey,

361
00:23:10,766 --> 00:23:12,559
barely making a sound.

362
00:23:13,977 --> 00:23:17,356
[Mariajo] She goes behind the tree.

363
00:23:24,988 --> 00:23:27,032
[tense music playing]

364
00:23:30,994 --> 00:23:33,121
[music intensifies]

365
00:23:36,458 --> 00:23:37,459
[music fades]

366
00:23:37,543 --> 00:23:38,377
Wow.

367
00:23:39,127 --> 00:23:41,004
What a good hunting display.

368
00:23:42,172 --> 00:23:44,550
[padding footsteps]

369
00:23:48,345 --> 00:23:51,765
[narrator] It's the sign
Mariajo's been waiting for.

370
00:23:58,897 --> 00:24:02,401
Una and her brothers
are ready for the wild.

371
00:24:02,484 --> 00:24:03,902
[purring]

372
00:24:03,986 --> 00:24:06,738
And will soon be released.

373
00:24:07,948 --> 00:24:10,158
[purring continues]

374
00:24:13,829 --> 00:24:17,833
Wild lynx this age would also
be preparing to leave home.

375
00:24:18,750 --> 00:24:21,545
To live the rest of their lives alone.

376
00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:26,091
They don't know it yet,

377
00:24:27,050 --> 00:24:31,221
but this is the last night
the triplets will ever spend together.

378
00:24:33,098 --> 00:24:36,268
[purring]

379
00:24:38,270 --> 00:24:40,272
[birds chirping]

380
00:24:44,193 --> 00:24:46,236
After a year at the center…

381
00:24:48,322 --> 00:24:51,074
Una is ready to leave Mariajo's care.

382
00:24:54,077 --> 00:24:56,622
It's time for Guillermo to take over.

383
00:24:57,998 --> 00:25:01,043
[Mariajo, in English] So, Una,
it's the moment to say goodbye to us.

384
00:25:01,627 --> 00:25:04,129
And she's going to have
a fantastic life there…

385
00:25:04,213 --> 00:25:06,507
- [truck door closes, engine starts]
- …for sure.

386
00:25:13,847 --> 00:25:16,892
It has been a very long
and a fantastic year.

387
00:25:18,644 --> 00:25:20,229
It's her time.

388
00:25:24,441 --> 00:25:29,905
I hope she's going to have
a lot of cubs in the future years.

389
00:25:33,116 --> 00:25:35,118
[narrator] She's on her way
to the new home

390
00:25:35,202 --> 00:25:38,622
Guillermo and the team
have carefully chosen for her.

391
00:25:44,670 --> 00:25:48,590
And she's been fitted with
a lightweight GPS collar.

392
00:25:49,007 --> 00:25:50,509
So they can track her.

393
00:25:53,053 --> 00:25:55,722
[Guillermo, in English]
For the first time, Una is going to be

394
00:25:55,806 --> 00:25:57,182
without her siblings.

395
00:25:57,266 --> 00:26:00,310
She's going to face life on her own.

396
00:26:04,565 --> 00:26:05,399
[straining]

397
00:26:05,482 --> 00:26:08,735
[in Spanish] It's incredible
how heavy these cages are.

398
00:26:08,819 --> 00:26:09,945
[men speaking in Spanish]

399
00:26:10,028 --> 00:26:13,532
[narrator] Having spent her whole life
hidden away from humans…

400
00:26:14,283 --> 00:26:16,243
[Guillermo, in Spanish] Up with her.

401
00:26:17,452 --> 00:26:20,330
[narrator] …she's suddenly
surrounded by them.

402
00:26:21,039 --> 00:26:23,041
[cage clanking]

403
00:26:24,293 --> 00:26:26,044
[men conversing in Spanish]

404
00:26:26,128 --> 00:26:28,714
[Guillermo] There are
so many people here right now.

405
00:26:31,133 --> 00:26:34,595
[narrator] With over 20
organizations involved,

406
00:26:34,678 --> 00:26:36,430
and a proud local community,

407
00:26:37,347 --> 00:26:42,477
the release of one of the world's
rarest cats always draws a crowd.

408
00:26:45,063 --> 00:26:47,232
[Guillermo, in English] We have
all the hopes

409
00:26:47,316 --> 00:26:50,903
put in this new and growing population.

410
00:26:53,238 --> 00:26:54,281
[in Spanish] Here.

411
00:26:55,032 --> 00:26:56,325
There, perfect.

412
00:26:57,451 --> 00:27:00,329
Okay, ready when you are.

413
00:27:01,246 --> 00:27:03,957
[Guillermo, in English]
Now her real life begins.

414
00:27:08,545 --> 00:27:10,047
[background chatter]

415
00:27:19,181 --> 00:27:21,183
[people exclaiming]

416
00:27:21,850 --> 00:27:24,520
[chatter in Spanish]

417
00:27:25,854 --> 00:27:26,730
Wow.

418
00:27:26,813 --> 00:27:28,690
- [woman laughs]
- [man speaking Spanish]

419
00:27:28,774 --> 00:27:31,860
[people continue talking excitedly]

420
00:27:37,533 --> 00:27:39,868
[Guillermo, in English] I am
a little bit nervous.

421
00:27:39,952 --> 00:27:43,080
It's a mix of excitement and fear.

422
00:27:44,998 --> 00:27:48,919
Like when you leave your child
in school for the first time.

423
00:27:49,002 --> 00:27:50,420
Yeah. [chuckles]

424
00:27:53,590 --> 00:27:57,594
[narrator] These first weeks in the wild
will be make or break for Una.

425
00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:05,936
She must figure out how to hunt
in this strange new world.

426
00:28:08,522 --> 00:28:09,731
And fast.

427
00:28:16,405 --> 00:28:18,448
[wind whooshing]

428
00:28:22,452 --> 00:28:24,037
[thunder clapping]

429
00:28:25,789 --> 00:28:30,169
[narrator] Since Una's release,
the team hasn't set eyes on her.

430
00:28:30,252 --> 00:28:33,338
- [thunder continues to rumble]
- [rain pattering]

431
00:28:42,389 --> 00:28:47,769
The weather is awful.
It has been raining for 48 hours.

432
00:28:48,687 --> 00:28:52,608
[narrator] One in five lynx don't survive
their first year in the wild.

433
00:28:53,609 --> 00:28:56,862
[Guillermo] Hunting
is more difficult in this weather.

434
00:28:57,988 --> 00:29:02,910
And the first two weeks
after the release are the most critical.

435
00:29:05,787 --> 00:29:09,708
[narrator] Guillermo can track
her position using a radio antenna.

436
00:29:11,877 --> 00:29:14,338
But to find out
if she's getting enough food,

437
00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:16,965
he needs to see her for himself.

438
00:29:18,675 --> 00:29:22,888
[Guillermo] So, we want to find her
and see her body condition.

439
00:29:22,971 --> 00:29:25,474
And how she's doing

440
00:29:25,557 --> 00:29:29,228
and if she's doing well,
hunting and everything.

441
00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,860
[narrator] Iberian lynx
are masters of stealth.

442
00:29:38,779 --> 00:29:39,780
[radio chirps]

443
00:29:39,863 --> 00:29:42,491
[Guillermo] We have a strong signal
in this direction.

444
00:29:43,575 --> 00:29:45,536
And the signal is increasing.

445
00:29:46,411 --> 00:29:49,581
[radio continues chirping regularly]

446
00:29:52,084 --> 00:29:55,462
[narrator] Using a drone
fitted with a special thermal camera…

447
00:29:58,298 --> 00:30:01,426
they hope to pick up
the heat of Una's body

448
00:30:01,510 --> 00:30:03,929
even through the thickest forest.

449
00:30:08,809 --> 00:30:10,644
Perhaps… this?

450
00:30:11,103 --> 00:30:13,146
- This is the densest bush.
- [operator sighs]

451
00:30:13,647 --> 00:30:14,648
[equipment beeps]

452
00:30:17,568 --> 00:30:19,987
[operator] Was that a glimpse just there?

453
00:30:20,070 --> 00:30:20,904
[Guillermo] Maybe.

454
00:30:21,613 --> 00:30:22,447
[operator] Yeah.

455
00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:26,159
[equipment beeps]

456
00:30:26,243 --> 00:30:27,369
Yeah.

457
00:30:29,037 --> 00:30:30,038
[equipment beeps]

458
00:30:31,123 --> 00:30:32,416
It must be an animal.

459
00:30:33,166 --> 00:30:34,626
[operator] Do you think that's her?

460
00:30:35,127 --> 00:30:36,920
[Guillermo] It could be her.

461
00:30:37,629 --> 00:30:39,047
Everything is so dense.

462
00:30:39,131 --> 00:30:43,093
Yeah. That's definitely the collar.

463
00:30:43,177 --> 00:30:44,803
- I think so, yeah.
- Ah.

464
00:30:44,887 --> 00:30:45,929
Just in there.

465
00:30:46,013 --> 00:30:47,222
[Guillermo] Yeah.

466
00:30:48,223 --> 00:30:49,141
[equipment beeps]

467
00:30:49,224 --> 00:30:50,434
[operator] I think you're right.

468
00:30:50,517 --> 00:30:51,810
- Hey, I think that's it.
- [Guillermo chuckles]

469
00:30:51,894 --> 00:30:53,478
- We found her.
- Wow.

470
00:30:56,231 --> 00:30:58,233
- She's moving.
- [operator] Yeah.

471
00:31:00,319 --> 00:31:01,403
Yes!

472
00:31:03,363 --> 00:31:05,824
[joyful music playing]

473
00:31:15,918 --> 00:31:19,588
[narrator] Una seems completely at ease
in her new home.

474
00:31:23,383 --> 00:31:28,013
[Guillermo] Seeing her is great and
I can see her body condition,

475
00:31:28,096 --> 00:31:31,141
and I can be sure that she is, uh, well.

476
00:31:31,850 --> 00:31:35,854
The first week, all lynxes we release,
they lose weight.

477
00:31:36,230 --> 00:31:41,693
But now, it seems like she's…
fat again. [laughs]

478
00:31:42,653 --> 00:31:46,281
[narrator] And she's been putting
all she's learned into practice.

479
00:31:46,782 --> 00:31:47,616
[Guillermo] Wow!

480
00:31:47,699 --> 00:31:51,954
She's carrying a rabbit.
Probably one she killed before.

481
00:31:52,037 --> 00:31:58,418
And she is covering the rest
she cannot eat to go again to feed later.

482
00:31:59,127 --> 00:32:01,797
She looks like she's at home.

483
00:32:07,636 --> 00:32:11,390
[narrator] Once there were fewer
than a hundred Iberian Lynx.

484
00:32:13,058 --> 00:32:18,480
But now, thanks to the dedication
of people like Mariajo and Guillermo,

485
00:32:19,314 --> 00:32:24,194
this amazing species is being
saved from extinction.

486
00:32:26,196 --> 00:32:28,490
One cat at a time.

487
00:32:28,574 --> 00:32:29,783
[Una sniffs]

488
00:32:29,867 --> 00:32:33,579
- [speaks Spanish]
- [both laugh]

489
00:32:36,081 --> 00:32:37,583
[in Spanish] It's powerful, mate.

490
00:32:38,166 --> 00:32:40,169
[music slows]

491
00:32:41,170 --> 00:32:42,671
[bird of prey calling]

492
00:33:16,288 --> 00:33:19,833
[cheerful theme music playing]

493
00:33:53,325 --> 00:33:56,245
[orchestral swell, music fades]