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Predators across the planet.

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Unmatched in strength...

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...speed, strategy,

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stealth...

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...and teamwork.

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But staying on top is never easy.

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As the world around them changes,

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they must adapt faster
than ever before

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to maintain their rule.

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In Tanzania's Serengeti,
a notorious brotherhood of cheetahs.

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They command
this vast hunting territory.

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But their status is under attack.

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Rivals are closing in.

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The battle is no longer
just to stay on top...

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...but to stay alive,

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as they try to cling on
to their mighty alliance.

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For the past six years,

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male cheetahs Luka and Kovu

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have held their territory here

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in the southern plains
of Africa's Serengeti.

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Kovu, with his scarred nose,

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is a cunning and meticulous hunter.

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The brains of the operation.

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While Luka, with his muscular frame,

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is a creature of brute strength.

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They're always at each other's
side...

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...but they're not brothers.

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They were born 80 kilometres apart.

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As young males, their paths crossed.

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And through many years learning
the rules of the savanna together,

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their unbreakable bond was forged.

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While females are solitary,
male cheetahs band together.

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But Luka's raw power,
combined with Kovu's sharp mind,

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has made them a double act
like no other,

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seeing off all rivals
and dominating the largest prey.

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Now eight years old,

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the pair are fiercely territorial.

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The hunting grounds they hold

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are 50 square kilometres
of rolling savannah.

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There are rocky outcrops
for cover...

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pools to drink from...

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and every year
it floods with herds of zebra,

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wildebeest, and gazelle.

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They fiercely defend this territory
from neighbouring males,

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so any females that come here
are theirs alone to mate with.

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They are the epitome
of an apex predator,

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and the success
of the entire population

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relies on strong males like them

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mating, and passing on their genes.

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Luka and Kovu have become
masters of this game.

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But the rules of their world
are changing.

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It's August,

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and the Serengeti's dry season
is kicking into gear.

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The sun scorches the grass,

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herds are heading north
to find water,

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and the predators that remain are
fighting over a shrinking supply of food.

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But the twist of the knife

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is that, for three years, the region
has been plagued by drought.

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The dry season months
of June to October

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have been getting hotter and hotter.

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As Luka and Kovu's world
becomes a hostile tinderbox,

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guarding their patch
is more crucial than ever.

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So their rules are clear:

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intruders keep out, or be killed.

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But eight kilometres away...

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...at their territory's
western boundary...

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...there's been a breach.

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A gang of four powerful sons,

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led by their imposing mum,

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known as the Solaro family.

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They have swagger and strength
in numbers.

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Even the hyenas seem
to sense their power.

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Watching Mum stalk gazelle,

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the sons are fast learning
the ways of the hunter.

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For now, the four sons
remain at Mum's side.

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But any day now,

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this band of brothers
will leave as a coalition,

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to stake their own territory.

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There's no way Luka and Kovu
can allow the Solaro sons

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to share their patch.

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In this drought, there won't be
enough food to feed them all.

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But against four males,

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they'll be dangerously outnumbered.

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The one thing that could help them

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is far from here...

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...160 kilometres to the north,

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over rivers, and valleys...

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...a mega-herd of 1.5 million wildebeest...

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and zebra are on the move.

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The pregnant females need to
graze constantly to make milk.

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When the rains return,

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the plains
in Luka and Kovu's territory

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are where the sweetest grasses
will grow,

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so the herd must travel there.

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When the herds arrive, there'll
be enough zebra and wildebeest...

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...to feed all the cheetahs
across this region...

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...and no need for the Solaro sons
to encroach.

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But it's not that easy.

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Blocking the herd's path
like a slick, black serpent...

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...the Mara River.

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Steep banks...

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...deep water...

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...no way round.

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As the bankside swells with bodies,

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their migration may
have reached its limit.

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If the herd can't reach
the southern plains,

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Luka and Kovu won't just go hungry,

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they may face a turf war
with the Solaro brothers.

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But right now,

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the boys have a bigger problem...

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Smoke.

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The drought
has left the grass bone dry.

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It ignites with terrifying ease.

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Luka and Kovu
have seen wildfires before.

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They know they can spread
with devastating speed.

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As the heat rises,

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they can only watch
the inferno in disbelief.

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There's nothing they can do.

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They need to retreat to a safe haven.

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As the fire blazes unchecked,

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those who can't run, hide...

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...while white storks descend

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to make a quick meal of the
insects escaping the blaze.

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The flames tear through the heart of
Luka and Kovu's hard-won territory.

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Everything they have worked for
may be about to slip away.

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By morning,
the fire's burned itself out,

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and their entire territory
is transformed.

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Just scorched earth remains.

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A hyena, singed
and blistered by the fire,

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slurps at a nest
of baked ostrich eggs.

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The mongoose emerge
to an empty landscape.

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The last of the gazelles have left.

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Until the rains return,

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this once-rich territory
will remain barren.

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The boys have no choice
but to abandon it.

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With no territory,

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finding food will be
a huge challenge.

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And their ability to attract females
is now near to none.

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They must try to find a new ground,

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but it's a crowded landscape.

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If they head east,

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they'll go beyond
the boundary of the grasslands,

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to where farmers kill cheetahs
to protect their livestock.

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So their only option
is to head west,

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deep into the Serengeti's heart.

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A place ruled by hyenas,

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lions and rival cheetahs,

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all vying for the same food.

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The duo's fate now rests
more than ever

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with the arrival
of the wildebeest and zebra.

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140 kilometres to the north,

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the herd calculates its next move.

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For their survival,
they need to cross.

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But a flotilla of crocodiles
is lying in wait.

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They are the apex predator
of this water world,

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and they've not eaten for months.

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The elders who have run this gauntlet
before know timing is everything.

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There are no second chances.

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The wet rocks become a perilous slick

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that can snap legs and crack bones.

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The walking wounded limp to safety.

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Those too badly injured

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are defenceless against
the advancing crocodiles.

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But while the crocodiles
have their mouths full...

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...hundreds of thousands more
make it through.

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With their noses to the wind,
they push on south.

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For Luka and Kovu,
these herds can't arrive soon enough.

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It's now September,

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and the drought
is tightening its grip.

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Lions shelter from the midday sun...

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marauding hyenas patrol the plains...

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...and the Solaro Family
are closing in,

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now skirting past
the scorched territory

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once held by Luka and Kovu.

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Oblivious to the threat
trailing them,

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the pair are now trying
to adapt to life on the move,

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as they continue searching
for a new home.

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Ordinarily,
they'd get the water they need

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from the prey they eat.

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But with hunting opportunities
so scarce,

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the boys are desperately thirsty.

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The problem is,

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the few watering holes
that haven't dried

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are now crawling with lions.

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There's no way the pride will share
this precious resource with cheetahs.

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Eventually, they reach
an unoccupied pool.

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But the drought
has impacted everything.

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A single drop is enough to tell Luka
that the water is putrid

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and not safe to drink.

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There's nothing for the boys here.

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Dust chokes the air...

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...and giraffes scour the trees
for the remaining green leaves.

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The duo's search for a new territory

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00:18:17,935 --> 00:18:20,560
brings them to a barren plateau.

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There's no sign of the large gazelles
they would ideally hunt,

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00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,045
but it's no time to be picky.

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These hungry boys will eat
whatever they can catch.

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Kovu senses there's food hiding here.

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They both scan the scrub,
searching for clues.

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00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:06,880
The black stripes beneath their
eyes absorb the sun's glare,

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00:19:06,915 --> 00:19:08,760
enhancing their vision.

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00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:17,720
Their hunting instinct is triggered
by the slightest movement.

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00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,480
So if the hare keeps still...

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00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,440
...it could go unnoticed.

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00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:33,720
Close call.

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00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,360
But Kovu clocks it!

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00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:11,285
♪ MUSIC FADES

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00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,440
Even a lightning fast hare
can't escape

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00:20:14,475 --> 00:20:16,680
the fastest animal on land.

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00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,365
It's not much,

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00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,720
but the hare is a lifeline
to keep Luka and Kovu going.

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00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,605
And they'll need
all the energy they can get.

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00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:55,480
Their journey has now led them to
within a kilometre of the Solaro family.

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If their paths cross, it's bad news.

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00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,365
Only if the migrating herds
arrive soon

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00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,000
will there be enough food
to avert a bloody turf war.

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00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,880
The herds are now only
110 kilometres to the north...

218
00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:22,400
...but there's a snag.

219
00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,040
The fresh grass they're after
in the southern plains

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00:21:27,075 --> 00:21:29,160
is triggered by the first rains.

221
00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:32,565
But the rains are late,

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00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,880
so the herds have stopped
in their tracks.

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00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:38,765
In previous decades,

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00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,680
the wet seasons here
arrived like clockwork.

225
00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:46,920
But those days are a distant memory.

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00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:57,200
For Luka and Kovu, it's a disaster.

227
00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,920
Walking north to intercept
the herds is not an option.

228
00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,165
They'd have to trespass dangerously

229
00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,520
through many rival
cheetah territories.

230
00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,200
They're running low on food,

231
00:22:18,235 --> 00:22:20,200
and their competition...

232
00:22:20,235 --> 00:22:21,480
...is closing in.

233
00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:34,920
Right now, the four Solaro sons

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remain at mum's side,

235
00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,320
absorbing her skills as a hunter.

236
00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,160
She too is resigned to taking hares.

237
00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,760
But a single hare can't feed
five large cheetahs.

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Snatching it for herself
is a signal to her sons:

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it's time for them to leave

240
00:23:02,360 --> 00:23:04,480
and find a territory of their own.

241
00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,240
They're now old enough
to hunt for themselves,

242
00:23:12,275 --> 00:23:14,365
but in these extreme dry conditions,

243
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,360
they won't last long
without mum's expertise.

244
00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,240
The hungry sons protest.

245
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:34,600
Mum gives in.

246
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:43,080
Their bony bodies reveal
that even this powerful family

247
00:23:43,115 --> 00:23:46,000
hasn't escaped
the grip of the dry season.

248
00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,160
Their cracked fur
is a sign of sickness.

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00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,920
Until the sons regain their strength,
Mum must continue to fend for them.

250
00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,520
But she won't be able to keep
them all fed for much longer.

251
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,160
The blistering October days tick by,

252
00:24:24,195 --> 00:24:26,440
squeezing the life from the land.

253
00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:32,760
Thirsty elephants trudge through
on their long march to find water.

254
00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:41,480
Luka and Kovu are surviving
almost entirely on hares now.

255
00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,960
They end each sitting
by cleaning each other's faces.

256
00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:53,920
Not a drop of food can be wasted.

257
00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:57,565
It is a tender ritual they share

258
00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,760
to show their utter devotion
to each other.

259
00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:11,845
But for the Solaro family,

260
00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,920
things have gone from bad to worse.

261
00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,085
Their sickness has intensified,

262
00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:26,920
and the skinniest son
is now a wasted figure

263
00:25:26,955 --> 00:25:29,240
of mere skin and bone.

264
00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,240
Cheetah brothers share
an unbreakable bond.

265
00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,960
The thought of deserting him
is inconceivable.

266
00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,400
They must keep moving.

267
00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,400
But with every step,
he's getting weaker.

268
00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:22,760
The family wait patiently
for the sick brother to catch up,

269
00:26:22,795 --> 00:26:24,920
willing him on with their cries.

270
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:34,685
Mum's tried to find food,

271
00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,120
but their slow progress
in these drought conditions

272
00:26:37,155 --> 00:26:39,000
has made hunting impossible.

273
00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:44,120
The whole family are slowly starving.

274
00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,400
There's nothing his mum
and brothers can do.

275
00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,520
For their own survival,
they must hunt.

276
00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:33,280
They've now no choice,
but to do the unthinkable,

277
00:27:33,315 --> 00:27:34,680
and leave him.

278
00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:51,045
Abandoned,

279
00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:53,040
the sick cheetah's fate...

280
00:27:54,120 --> 00:27:56,360
...now rests in nature's hands.

281
00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:17,845
A kilometre away
in the neighbouring valley,

282
00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:21,640
fortune may have once again swung
in Luka and Kovu's favour.

283
00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:26,060
With the Solaros
weakened by sickness,

284
00:28:26,095 --> 00:28:28,760
their threat to the boys is fading.

285
00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,320
If they are going to take
a new territory,

286
00:28:35,355 --> 00:28:36,920
now is the time.

287
00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,080
The tides have turned.

288
00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:51,680
Luka and Kovu
have defied the drought.

289
00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:56,440
And as December looms,

290
00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:00,360
salvation is on its way.

291
00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:19,480
Four weeks later than usual,

292
00:29:19,515 --> 00:29:22,560
fat raindrops bathe the land.

293
00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,280
It's a welcome opportunity
for Luka and Kovu

294
00:29:41,315 --> 00:29:43,360
to clean their dusty bodies.

295
00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:58,360
The smell of the rain
drifts on the wind.

296
00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:03,165
50 kilometres to the north,

297
00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:06,600
the herds get the signal
they've been waiting for.

298
00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:11,400
Time to move south.

299
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,080
Weeks pass...

300
00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,440
...and the storms become
more frequent.

301
00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:35,620
Streams flow,

302
00:30:35,655 --> 00:30:37,725
flowers bloom,

303
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:39,805
and pools fill with water,

304
00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,200
attracting a dazzle of birdlife.

305
00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,520
The yellowed grass gives way
to a sea of green.

306
00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,640
And swarming across it
from every direction...

307
00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:00,960
...the mega-herd has arrived.

308
00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:07,640
Over a million wildebeest...

309
00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:12,080
...together with hundreds
of thousands of zebra,

310
00:31:12,115 --> 00:31:14,085
hartebeest and gazelle

311
00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,000
that have joined them to feed.

312
00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:19,685
By February,

313
00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:22,080
the cheetah's world is transformed.

314
00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:40,365
After months of hard struggle,

315
00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,600
Luka and Kovu's quest for a new
territory is almost complete.

316
00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:48,600
They've secured an area on the
edge of the short-grass plains

317
00:31:48,635 --> 00:31:51,125
that has everything they need,

318
00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,320
and it's within sight
of the advancing mega-herd.

319
00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:00,120
But there's a catch.

320
00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,445
Nomadic lions and hyena

321
00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:08,560
are also flooding into the area...

322
00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,840
...and patrolling the herds.

323
00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,440
The boys' new patch
has an abundance of food...

324
00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,800
...but it also now has
more competition than ever.

325
00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:31,920
Luka and Kovu must be smart.

326
00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,200
If the lions spot them
moving in on the herds,

327
00:32:35,235 --> 00:32:37,240
they'll be chased from the area.

328
00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:42,280
So they select their spot
and let the herds come to them.

329
00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:51,480
These boys are far more
than fast sprinters.

330
00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,280
They are patient
and calculating hunters.

331
00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:13,800
Gradually, the herds edge closer.

332
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:30,620
The duo needs to select
their target wisely.

333
00:33:30,655 --> 00:33:33,840
Wildebeest come armed
with sharp horns...

334
00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,840
...and zebras pack a lethal kick.

335
00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:45,040
Only the most fearless cheetahs
will risk hunting something so big.

336
00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:56,320
Perfectly in sync, they move in.

337
00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:14,405
They goad the herd,

338
00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,640
hoping a young or injured animal
reveals itself.

339
00:34:28,720 --> 00:34:32,320
A baby hartebeest
that arrived with the mega-herd;

340
00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:35,720
a worthwhile meal in Kovu's eyes.

341
00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:45,120
But it's not alone.

342
00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:50,880
It's mum wheels round
to fend off the attack.

343
00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:05,240
Then through the dust,
Luka spies a young zebra;

344
00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:09,680
a sizable meal, and much
less risky than an adult.

345
00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:19,040
The hunt is on.

346
00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:24,480
The herd splinters.

347
00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:32,360
Luka just dodges the zebra's hooves.

348
00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:46,580
But the zebra is too strong.

349
00:35:46,615 --> 00:35:49,000
Luka is losing the battle.

350
00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:52,560
Then right when he's needed...

351
00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:55,920
...his wingman arrives.

352
00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,200
It's a remarkable show of teamwork.

353
00:36:45,240 --> 00:36:48,760
Their risk of hunting large prey
is rewarded.

354
00:36:58,400 --> 00:36:59,965
By the time they finish,

355
00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,480
their bellies bulge like basketballs.

356
00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:08,280
Their strong stomachs will make
fast work of this feast,

357
00:37:08,315 --> 00:37:09,925
and in just 24 hours,

358
00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:12,160
they'll be ready to go again.

359
00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:58,240
The large area Luka and Kovu have
secured has everything they need.

360
00:37:58,275 --> 00:38:00,285
It's a prime territory,

361
00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:02,520
so the duo will work hard to keep it.

362
00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:10,880
Each morning they spray the termite
mounds in their patch with their scent.

363
00:38:10,915 --> 00:38:13,405
It works as a signpost,

364
00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:16,560
telling other males to "keep out".

365
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:19,965
But on one mound,

366
00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,640
Luka is picking up
on a strange odour.

367
00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:29,160
It smells like an intruder
has been here.

368
00:38:31,680 --> 00:38:35,320
Any threat from a rival cheetah
must be extinguished fast.

369
00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:45,680
They've proved they are powerful
enough to secure a territory here.

370
00:38:45,715 --> 00:38:48,400
Now, they need to prove
they can protect it.

371
00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:02,040
And the bold trespasser
isn't even hiding.

372
00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:21,120
Into formation, they advance.

373
00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:32,325
But, at the last minute,

374
00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:34,960
the cheetah's identity becomes clear.

375
00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:39,680
The rival male is,
in fact, a female.

376
00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:48,600
Despite her frosty welcome,
she wants to mate.

377
00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,160
Female cheetahs are
notoriously choosy.

378
00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:00,560
They only pick males
who are fit and strong.

379
00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:06,640
Staking this new territory confirms
the boys' healthy credentials.

380
00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:11,400
This female is clearly interested,

381
00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:15,360
even if Luka
is getting mixed signals.

382
00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:32,720
If she were to pick
one male over the other,

383
00:40:32,755 --> 00:40:35,160
it would fracture the boys' alliance.

384
00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,525
Luckily, a twist in cheetah biology

385
00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:45,640
means a single litter
can have multiple fathers.

386
00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:51,445
So, in the coming days,
Kovu and Luka

387
00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:54,040
can mate with her
and pass on their genes.

388
00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:11,085
Through their strength and teamwork,

389
00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:15,400
Luka and Kovu's formidable double-act
has defied fire and drought.

390
00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:20,200
But unknown challenges
still lie ahead.

391
00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:25,880
As the human population
around their grassland grows

392
00:41:25,915 --> 00:41:28,560
and space for cheetahs shrinks...

393
00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:33,560
...the boys succeeded
in their quest to mate.

394
00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:39,520
And now, a new generation is
stepping out onto the plains...

395
00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:46,360
...and fresh coalitions
are being formed.

396
00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:52,485
There is now no question

397
00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:55,960
that the cheetah's apex status
is guaranteed here

398
00:41:55,995 --> 00:41:58,280
for many years to come.

399
00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:15,205
Cheetahs...

400
00:42:15,240 --> 00:42:18,040
They're fast, they're powerful,

401
00:42:18,075 --> 00:42:20,840
but their existence is fragile.

402
00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:27,960
Around 7,000 wild cheetahs
remain in the entire world.

403
00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:34,940
But in the vast expanse
of Tanzania's Serengeti

404
00:42:34,975 --> 00:42:37,960
lies one of their greatest
remaining strongholds.

405
00:42:45,840 --> 00:42:48,760
For almost 50 years,
the Serengeti Cheetah Project

406
00:42:48,795 --> 00:42:50,720
has studied the cheetahs here.

407
00:42:53,720 --> 00:42:56,685
By joining forces
with the project's scientists,

408
00:42:56,720 --> 00:42:59,800
the Predators film crew
were able to follow the lives

409
00:42:59,835 --> 00:43:02,880
of multiple groups of cheetahs
across the Serengeti.

410
00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:07,400
And with the researchers' help,
the crew documented

411
00:43:07,435 --> 00:43:11,280
the story of a most
remarkable partnership...

412
00:43:11,315 --> 00:43:15,040
...male cheetahs Luka and Kovu.

413
00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:20,045
Stabilised rigs

414
00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:23,760
allowed the team to capture
the male's high-speed chases.

415
00:43:26,880 --> 00:43:29,005
Remote-controlled camera buggies

416
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:32,680
provided an intimate window
into cheetah family life...

417
00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:39,360
...and miniature drones gave a new
perspective on the cheetah's world.

418
00:43:45,520 --> 00:43:49,240
But while Luka and Kovu's story
was one of success,

419
00:43:49,275 --> 00:43:53,040
life for Serengeti's cheetahs
is not easy.

420
00:43:54,640 --> 00:44:00,360
So there is around 300
cheetahs in the Serengeti ecosystem

421
00:44:00,395 --> 00:44:03,920
and also there's 3,000 lions...

422
00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:08,200
...as well as around 6,000 hyenas.

423
00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:15,120
And these other predators pose a
very high challenge to the cheetahs

424
00:44:15,155 --> 00:44:17,357
because they steal their kills

425
00:44:17,392 --> 00:44:19,560
and kill the cheetah cubs.

426
00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:25,480
That's why they have a very wide
range and this helps them to dodge

427
00:44:25,515 --> 00:44:28,840
or keep themselves away
from other predators.

428
00:44:31,600 --> 00:44:34,720
A cheetah's ability
to travel many kilometres each day

429
00:44:34,755 --> 00:44:37,165
to avoid conflict and find food

430
00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:40,680
is part of what's made them
such a successful predator.

431
00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:46,845
At over 14,500 square kilometres,

432
00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:51,400
the Serengeti National Park is a
vast wilderness for them to roam.

433
00:44:51,435 --> 00:44:53,685
So for the film crew,

434
00:44:53,720 --> 00:44:56,160
trying to follow the same
individual cheetahs here

435
00:44:56,195 --> 00:44:58,200
over many months was a huge task.

436
00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:02,445
Often for weeks at a time,

437
00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:07,360
the cheetahs would seem to completely
disappear into the landscape.

438
00:45:11,360 --> 00:45:14,400
So at this point,
it's basically a waiting game.

439
00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:18,840
The Serengeti Cheetah
Project must routinely monitor

440
00:45:18,875 --> 00:45:21,405
these wide-ranging cats
over this huge area,

441
00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:24,960
so they're devising a new way
to keep tabs on them.

442
00:45:26,720 --> 00:45:30,520
At the moment, I'm working
on deploying collars on cheetahs.

443
00:45:30,555 --> 00:45:34,840
These collars have the accelerometer
that can give us

444
00:45:34,875 --> 00:45:37,845
the activity patterns
of the cheetahs.

445
00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:41,680
 GPS collars have never
been used before on cheetahs

446
00:45:41,715 --> 00:45:44,200
in the Serengeti National Park.

447
00:45:44,235 --> 00:45:46,405
So we can now track them

448
00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:50,240
and they will transmit locations
of where the cheetahs are.

449
00:45:50,275 --> 00:45:51,885
So it's a good step

450
00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:55,840
and we are really looking
forward to get good results.

451
00:45:57,440 --> 00:46:00,285
But even with these
hi-tech advancements,

452
00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:04,000
the researchers still have
Mother Nature to contend with.

453
00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:11,800
By the time the crew catch up
with their cheetahs again,

454
00:46:11,835 --> 00:46:14,040
there's troubling news.

455
00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:18,085
This time of year is hard for
all cheetahs, it's super-hot,

456
00:46:18,120 --> 00:46:21,900
the prey is not in the densities
that you get in the wet season.

457
00:46:21,935 --> 00:46:25,645
But this group specifically,
the mum was struggling to hunt.

458
00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:29,800
We've probably watched her make
sort of five or six failed hunts.

459
00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:36,500
Every time she fails,
she's losing a lot of energy,

460
00:46:36,535 --> 00:46:39,527
burning a lot of energy
that she's not replacing,

461
00:46:39,562 --> 00:46:42,520
and all of her four cubs
are getting pretty skinny.

462
00:46:42,555 --> 00:46:46,845
But this guy,
he is really, really suffering.

463
00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:50,180
He's lost loads of weight.
He's got wounds on his shoulders

464
00:46:50,215 --> 00:46:53,445
that suggest he's also had a
run-in with a hyena or something.

465
00:46:53,480 --> 00:46:57,560
He can barely walk, let alone run
away from hyenas if they come in.

466
00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:03,085
Cheetah's rarely die
from starvation alone.

467
00:47:03,120 --> 00:47:07,000
Their broad diet means they can
always find prey, however small,

468
00:47:07,035 --> 00:47:10,080
to make it through
even the toughest conditions.

469
00:47:11,800 --> 00:47:15,600
But when hunger is worsened
by illness or injury,

470
00:47:15,635 --> 00:47:17,880
it can be a death sentence.

471
00:47:20,680 --> 00:47:23,000
Yeah, he's really struggling.

472
00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:24,840
Poor little guy.

473
00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:32,300
The National Park's policy

474
00:47:32,335 --> 00:47:34,767
is to not intervene
with sick animals.

475
00:47:34,802 --> 00:47:37,200
Nature must be allowed
to take its course.

476
00:47:55,680 --> 00:47:58,085
As night falls, it becomes clear

477
00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:01,800
that the young cheetah's
sickness has progressed too far.

478
00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:24,725
Researchers can't save every cheetah.

479
00:48:24,760 --> 00:48:28,040
But the good news is that data from
the GPS collars is shedding light

480
00:48:28,075 --> 00:48:31,960
on how scientists can protect
the entire cheetah population.

481
00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:38,880
This is the satellite data
that we have been getting.

482
00:48:38,915 --> 00:48:41,205
And you can see her movement.

483
00:48:41,240 --> 00:48:46,520
She made a straight line here,
going towards the villages.

484
00:48:49,480 --> 00:48:53,720
What the collars reveal about
where the cheetah go is striking.

485
00:48:54,560 --> 00:48:57,920
The cheetah population have
been spending most of their time

486
00:48:57,955 --> 00:49:00,480
outside of the protected areas.

487
00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:05,840
The revelation that
the cheetahs regularly venture

488
00:49:05,875 --> 00:49:08,760
into farming communities
outside the protected park

489
00:49:08,795 --> 00:49:10,280
is hugely significant.

490
00:49:15,200 --> 00:49:17,640
Hungry cheetahs occasionally
eat livestock.

491
00:49:18,680 --> 00:49:23,480
And to protect their livelihoods,
farmers retaliate by killing the cheetahs.

492
00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:29,040
We're very concerned
about what's happening to cheetahs

493
00:49:29,075 --> 00:49:30,525
outside the protected areas.

494
00:49:30,560 --> 00:49:33,240
When they come up against
the impacts of people,

495
00:49:33,275 --> 00:49:35,920
that's when you see
the population start declining.

496
00:49:38,280 --> 00:49:42,845
The cheetah population can't afford
to lose any from their numbers.

497
00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:47,040
There's only around about 7,000
cheetahs left in the whole world.

498
00:49:47,075 --> 00:49:50,160
So they've suffered
a really drastic collapse

499
00:49:50,195 --> 00:49:53,045
over recent decades,

500
00:49:53,080 --> 00:49:56,240
with the populations
now only occupying

501
00:49:56,275 --> 00:49:59,400
around about 10%
of their former range.

502
00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:02,645
With the GPS collars revealing

503
00:50:02,680 --> 00:50:06,480
the critical areas outside the
park where cheetahs are at risk,

504
00:50:07,320 --> 00:50:10,440
vital steps can now be taken
to protect them there,

505
00:50:12,680 --> 00:50:15,160
paving the way
for cheetahs and humans

506
00:50:15,195 --> 00:50:17,640
to share this land without conflict.

507
00:50:19,160 --> 00:50:24,040
This is why I play
my part in the conservation

508
00:50:24,075 --> 00:50:27,600
and protection of wildlife
and nature.

509
00:50:31,760 --> 00:50:34,000
The researcher's work
is not only crucial

510
00:50:34,035 --> 00:50:37,240
to safeguarding
the Serengeti's cheetahs,

511
00:50:38,640 --> 00:50:41,280
but a reminder that
in this changing world,

512
00:50:41,315 --> 00:50:42,805
to protect wildlife,

513
00:50:42,840 --> 00:50:45,280
we must find ways
for people and predators

514
00:50:45,315 --> 00:50:47,720
to peacefully live
alongside each other.

515
00:50:56,520 --> 00:50:57,965
Next time...

516
00:50:58,000 --> 00:51:01,440
In the frozen wilderness of Canada,

517
00:51:01,475 --> 00:51:04,845
a new generation of polar bears

518
00:51:04,880 --> 00:51:08,280
battle hunger in the most
hostile environment.

519
00:51:08,315 --> 00:51:10,765
But as their world
starts to shift

520
00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:14,480
they will need to overcome
enormous challenges to survive.