Original subtitles

Jonathan: 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

♪♪

Jackson: WE'RE BACK WITH OUR FIVE CHEETAH BOYS.

I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH ADRENALINE IS IN MY BLOOD

WHEN I SEE THEM ON HUNT.

♪♪

THIS IS THE FIRST ATTEMPT OF THIS CHEETAH HUNT.

THEY ARE SO CLOSE TO THEIR PREY.

AND WHEN THEY TAKE OFF, YOU KNOW,

AT A SPEED OF 50 KILOMETERS AN HOUR,

THERE'S NOTHING FOR A WILDEBEEST, WHICH RUNS UP TO

35, 40 KILOMETERS AN HOUR.

BUT THESE CHEETAHS CAN GO AT TOP SPEED UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR.

THEY'VE COME TO THE HEART OF THE MIGRATION.

THIS IS WHERE ALL THE WILDEBEESTS ARE.

I MEAN, THOUSANDS.

NOT HUNDREDS -- THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF THEM.

♪♪

WOW, THEY ARE NOW WAITING.

THEY ARE NOW MOVING SLOWLY.

THEY'RE SELECTING. LOOK AT THEM.

YEAH, THEY ARE DEFINITELY SELECTING.

LOOK.

♪♪

THERE IS NO SENIOR MOMENT WITH OUR FIVE CHEETAH BOYS --

VERY YOUTHFUL-FEELING, YOU KNOW.

THEY ARE RUNNING AROUND. THEY'RE JUMPING.

WELL, LOOK HERE, THEN. THEY'RE STILL YOUNG.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME,

I THINK, THEY HAVE EVER TAKEN A TERRITORY.

THEY'RE NOT 100% FULLY GROWN UP.

THEY'RE WELL-BUILT, BUT WAIT ANOTHER YEAR WITH THESE BOYS.

THEY WILL LOOK HUGE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AMOUNT OF FOOD

THAT THEY WILL BE PUTTING ON TO THEIR BACKS.

WOW.

♪♪

NOW, FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR BAHATI,

ONE OF OUR FAVORITE LEOPARDS, WITH HER TWO CUBS.

AND GUESS WHAT.

I DIDN'T FIND BAHATI, BUT I FOUND A BIT OF GOLD --

FIG AND HER CUB.

NOW, FIG IS A LEOPARD THAT WE KNOW.

SHE LIVES IN THE OLARE OROK CONSERVANCY --

SO BEYOND THE RESERVE BOUNDARIES, A PROTECTED AREA.

AND THE NATURE OF THAT DAPPLED COAT,

THOSE ROSETTES, THOSE SPOTS --

THEY'RE BLENDING PERFECTLY WITH THE PLACE SHE'S LYING.

OH, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.

THERE'S THE CUB.

ONE THING I'VE LEARNED FROM ALL MY YEARS IN THE MARA --

YOU NEVER TAKE TIME SPENT WITH A LEOPARD FOR GRANTED,

BECAUSE THIS CAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT CAT TO FIND.

SO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, A WINDOW INTO THAT SECRET WORLD --

FOR ME, IT'S THE BEST.

THERE'S SIMPLY NOTHING THAT COMPARES WITH THIS.

♪♪

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CHARACTERIZE THE LEOPARD

AS BEING SO SOLITARY --

THE ULTIMATE CAT THAT WALKS ALONE.

BUT OF COURSE, FOR A MOTHER LEOPARD,

OFTEN SHE HAS A CUB OR CUBS.

AND YOU GET THESE WONDERFUL MOMENTS

JUST EVERY SO OFTEN, JUST PURE JOY.

♪♪

OKAY, SHE'S GOING DOWN INTO THE LAGA.

NOW IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT

TO TRY AND FOLLOW HER, BECAUSE SHE MAY CONTINUE.

SHE MAY ACTUALLY WANT TO GO AND TRY AND HUNT

WHILE THE CUB IS JUST TUCKED AWAY.

AND THE CUB WILL BE QUITE HAPPY JUST TO BE LEFT ON ITS OWN.

LOOK AT FIG, COVERING THE OPEN GROUND --

A RISKY MOVEMENT FOR A LEOPARD.

YOU CAN SEE THE TOPI IN THE BACKGROUND.

THEY'VE SPOTTED HER.

AND SHE'LL HAVE A TERRITORY -- MAYBE 15, 20 SQUARE KILOMETERS.

THEY HAVE TO MOVE AROUND, AND THEY MARK THEIR TERRITORY.

THEY LEAVE SCENT MARKS.

ANY OTHER LEOPARD COMING ALONG WILL SMELL SIMILAR PLACES --

FALLEN TREES, THE SIDE OF TRUNKS, BUSHES.

SO SHE'S STAMPING HER IDENTITY ON HER TERRITORY.

NOTHING RELAXES QUITE LIKE A LEOPARD.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE ALLURE OF THE LEOPARD.

SHE'S LYING NOW IN A THORN TREE, AND I MEAN THORNS --

TWO-INCH-LONG THORNS.

AND YET, SHE LOOKS AS COMFORTABLE

AS ANYTHING COULD ON EARTH.

SHE'S TOTALLY RELAXED.

AND OF COURSE, UP THERE, SHE'S GOT A VIEW ACROSS THE PLAINS.

IF SHE NEEDS TO CHECK EVERY SO OFTEN WHAT'S GOING ON,

SHE'S IN THE PERFECT POSITION.

BUT MAINLY, SHE'S BEING A CAT.

AND WHAT DO CATS LIKE TO DO MOST OF THE TIME?

TO SLEEP.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT FIG HAS SEEN,

BUT THE INTENSITY OF THAT LOOK --

EYES WIDE OPEN, PUPILS JUST SHUT DOWN TO A PINHOLE.

SHE'S LOOKING OUT THERE.

MAYBE SHE'S SEEN PREY.

AND LOOK AT THE TAIL. YOU SEE THE TAIL?

YOU CAN READ THE MOOD OF THE LEOPARD --

THE TWITCH, A LITTLE BIT OF TENSION.

"WHAT AM I GONNA DO NEXT?"

IF YOU DON'T FEEL IT, THEN COME TO AFRICA

AND SIT IN THE PRESENCE OF A LEOPARD,

AND YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHY I HAVE SPENT

SO MANY YEARS HERE REVELING, OBSESSED BY THESE GREAT CATS.

WE HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY TO HAVE SAT ALL DAY

AND WAIT AND WAIT UNTIL FINALLY, WE FOUND NOTCH AND HER CUBS.

THIS IS THE SAME LIONESS ANGIE AND JOHNNY WERE FOLLOWING

AT THE PIPE BY THE ROAD.

THESE TWO LITTLE CUBS ARE LIPSTICK AND BLACKIE CUBS.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN INTRODUCED INTO THE PRIDE.

THEY'RE ABOUT 3 MONTHS OLD.

I CAN JUST SEE THE EARS.

THEY'RE ABOUT -- MAYBE EVEN 2 MONTHS OLD.

GOD, THEY'RE SMALL.

FOR ALL THOSE HOURS, WE'VE BEEN WAITING.

THESE CUBS DID NOT SUCKLE, DID NOT HAVE A DRINK.

AND IT'S JUST NOW, IT'S POSITIONING HERSELF.

LOOK, SHE'S POSITIONING NOW, HOLDING THE CUBS,

TRYING TO PULL THE CUBS TO THE UDDER.

LOOK.

THEY DON'T FEED LIKE, EVERY TWO MINUTES.

THEY'VE GOT TO GET USED TO NOT SUCKLING,

NOT DRINKING ALL THE TIME BECAUSE LIONS

AND ALL THESE OTHER PREDATORS,

THEY KNOW TOUGH TIMES CAN BE AHEAD.

THE DAY OF PLENTY WILL JUST FADE AWAY.

THE MIGRATION WILL BE MOVING AWAY.

THEY THEMSELVES, THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE TOUGH.

AND THEY HAVE TO TRANSLATE THAT MEANING TO THE CUBS.

NOW THOSE CUBS ARE FINALLY SUCKLING.

AND YOU SEE, MOTHER IS ALWAYS REACHING.

LOOK.

IT'S TOUCH IS LIKE A HUMAN SOMEHOW.

LOOK, TOUCHING THE HEADS, PULLING THE OTHER ONE.

LOOK AT THAT.

VERY, VERY SPECIAL.

WE'RE JUST SO LUCKY TO FIND THIS NATURAL BEAUTY,

WILDLIFE THAT WE DON'T INTERFERE.

WE DON'T FEED. WE DON'T DO ANYTHING.

WE JUST WATCH.

♪♪

THIS IS THE MAKING OF LION KINGDOM.

AND SOME DAY, THEY RULE. THEY WALK ON THIS SAVANNA,

AS POWERFUL AS THEIR DAD,

TERRORIZING EVERYONE -- THOSE LITTLE THINGS.

THAT'S WHY I LOVE LIONS.

♪♪

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

♪♪

Jackson: IT'S NOW COOL, AND IT'S RAINING.

IT'S PERFECT FOR CHEETAHS HUNTING.

LOOK AT THEM.

THEY'RE ALL RUNNING, AND THEY'RE EXCITED.

WE MIGHT SEE SOME ACTION THIS EVENING.

BUT RIGHT HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF BULLYING.

LOOK.

THERE IS ONE WHICH IS SO WELL-DOMINATED BY THE REST.

VERY OFTEN YOU SEE HE RUNS,

AND THEN THEY JUMP ON HIM AND THEY RUN ON HIM.

THEY'RE JUST, LIKE, BULLYING HIM, LIKE, ALMOST FIGHTING HIM.

LOOK, HE'S BEING PUSHED ON TO THE SIDE.

WAS HE THE LATEST TO JOIN THE COALITION?

WE DON'T KNOW, BUT THIS IS WHERE

YOU CAN SEE THE HIERARCHY IS HAPPENING.

♪♪

THEY HAVE NOW SET THEIR TARGET.

I CAN SEE THAT WILDEBEEST THAT IS ASLEEP RIGHT THERE.

RAIN IS BEHIND, SO NOT AWARE.

AND LOOK AT THE WAY THEY'RE COMING.

REALLY, THIS IS THE ULTIMATE MOMENT.

WE'RE WAITING FOR THESE BOYS TO PERFORM.

LOOK. LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.

NOW, THE ANTICIPATION -- WHICH ONE?

DECISION-MAKING -- THAT ONE OR THAT ONE?

ALL THESE WILDEBEESTS, YOU THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AWAY, UNAWARE.

ANY MOVEMENT, THAT WILL TRIGGER AN ALERT.

YOU'LL SEE EVERY SINGLE WILDEBEEST LOOKING AROUND

AND SAYING, "IS IT TIME," BECAUSE THEY'RE VULNERABLE.

THEY KNOW IN THE RAIN,

PREDATORS WILL COME BEHIND THEM AND ATTACK.

YEAH, TARGET -- FOCUS ON IT.

THERE THEY GO. THERE THEY GO.

♪♪

FIGHTING, FIGHTING VERY HARD -- LOOK AT IT.

HOW AMAZING IS THAT?

FIGHTING ON HIS OWN.

HELP IS COMING.

♪♪

HOW MANY CHEETAHS ON IT NOW?

FOUR.

♪♪

AND THAT IS A FIGHT.

YOU DON'T WITNESS THESE THINGS.

♪♪

IT'S DOWN.

JUST IMAGINE HOW LONG WE HAVE FOLLOWED THESE CHEETAHS.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

FINALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR DAYS.

I MEAN, WE'VE FOLLOWED FOR TWO DAYS.

WE DIDN'T SEE ANY SUCCESS.

TODAY IS AN AMAZING -- AN AMAZING HUNT.

THESE FIVE CHEETAH BOYS ARE TRULY FANTASTIC HUNTERS.

AGAIN, IT'S NOT OVER.

I SEE A HYENA.

YOU THINK WE'RE FINISHED?

WE'RE NOT.

THESE CHEETAH HAVE TO EAT QUICKLY, FAST.

THE HYENA'S JUST GONE TO CALL THE REINFORCEMENT.

LOOK! HE'S GONE OVER THERE.

HE'S GOT A FRIEND ALREADY.

HE'S TELLING THEM, "OOH! WE'VE GOT SOMETHING UP THERE."

THEY ARE NOW COMING.

AND THAT IS WHAT HYENAS ARE KNOWN FOR --

STEALING KILLS FROM OTHER PREDATORS,

PARTICULARLY CHEETAH.

WOW.

LOOK AT THOSE MALES JOINING UP TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED EACH OTHER FOR -- A FORCE AND POWER.

HE SAID, "RIGHT?

YOU WANT TO FIGHT?"

AND YOU SEE THERE, THEY HYENAS GOING AROUND.

AND THEY SAY, "OKAY."

THE HYENAS DON'T GIVE UP.

THAT IS WHAT HYENAS ARE KNOWN FOR.

IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE HOW STRONG THEY ARE

AND HOW POWERFUL THEY ARE,

BY DEFENDING THEIR MEAL AGAINST A VERY STRONG HYENA.

FOR A HYENA, HE SEES A CHEETAH AND WALKS IN AND TAKE IT AWAY.

BUT THAT DEFENDING -- ONE OF THEM IS THERE,

STANDING, GUARDING, WHILE THE OTHERS ARE EATING.

SO THEY TAKE TURNS -- EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, GO AND GUARD.

COME BACK, I EAT.

THIS IS THE STRENGTH OF HAVING FIVE MALE CHEETAHS TOGETHER.

THESE BOYS ARE JUST FANTASTIC.

♪♪

Jonathan: I'M LOOKING FOR BAHATI THE LEOPARD,

ONE OF MY FAVORITE BIG CAT CHARACTERS.

NOW, SHE'S TERRITORIAL.

SHE OCCUPIES QUITE A BIG RANGE.

BUT AT LEAST I KNOW WHERE TO START.

SOMEWHERE AMONGST THESE THICKETS,

I'M HOPING WE'LL PICK HER UP.

I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME OF THE DRIVER GUIDES,

AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT ACTUALLY,

BAHATI HAS JUST BEEN SEEN WITH ONE CUB.

SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER ONE?

IS IT STILL ALIVE?

THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO FIND OUT.

[ ENGINE SHUTS OFF ]

[ CHUCKLES ] I JUST LOVE IT.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPOTS IN THE MARA,

THE TALEK RIVER.

IT'S THE HEART OF BAHATI'S TERRITORY,

AND RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT A LIONESS

BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE A TERRITORY HERE.

[ LIONESS BELLOWING ]

BUT LOOK.

LISTEN TO HER!

[ BELLOWING CONTINUES ]

IF THAT DOESN'T STIR YOUR BLOOD, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD.

THAT IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF AFRICA SPEAKING TO YOU.

AND ALSO, IT'S NOT JUST A WAY OF COMMUNICATING FOR THE LIONS

TO TELL THE REST OF THE PRIDE WHERE SHE IS.

IT'S ALSO A THREAT -- A THREAT TO LEOPARDS, A THREAT TO BAHATI.

THIS IS LION KINGDOM.

THIS IS LION CENTRAL.

WATCH OUT.

WHAT A VIEW.

THE TALEK RIVER, BEAUTIFUL.

IT RUNS INTO THE MARA, AND NO BARRIER TO A BIG CAT.

WHEN YOU SEE A LIONESS COMPARED WITH A LEOPARD,

SO MUCH BIGGER AND STOCKIER.

SHE CALLED.

NOW SHE'S LISTENING.

WHERE'S THE REST OF HER PRIDE?

[ BELLOWING ]

IT WOULD BE IRREVERENT TO INTERRUPT THAT KIND OF MOMENT,

THOSE SOUNDS, THAT COMMUNICATION.

AND IT SPEAKS TO ME DEEP INSIDE.

THIS IS WHY I CAME TO AFRICA.

THERE'S A POIGNANCY THERE, BECAUSE ALL OF OUR BIG CATS

ARE UNDER THREAT FROM MAN.

WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST SOME PLACE

FOR WILD ANIMALS.

AND RIGHT NOW, THAT PLACE IS THE MASAI MARA.

AND THE SOUND OF A WILD LION

IS ALL I THINK YOU AND I NEED TO HEAR.

♪♪

Angela: PHOTOGRAPHY, FOR ME, HAS BEEN A PASSION

SINCE I WAS VERY YOUNG.

I THINK IT GAVE ME A VOICE, BECAUSE I WAS A VERY SHY CHILD.

AND I FOUND THAT I COULD EXPLAIN EASIER

WHAT I WAS FEELING THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY.

AND AS I GOT OLDER,

I REALIZED THAT THE POWER BEHIND THE ART OF SEEING

WAS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MOST EMOTIVE FEELINGS.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE A PHOTOGRAPH,

YOU FEEL IT ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.

IT SPEAKS TO YOU IN A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS,

AND EACH PERSON IS ABSORBING IT IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL WAY.

JONATHAN IS SO ELOQUENT, AND HE WRITES SO BEAUTIFULLY

THAT I FEEL THAT IT'S MY ROLE IN OUR PARTNERSHIP

TO ILLUSTRATE HIS WORDS WITH MY PHOTOGRAPHY.

SO FOR ME, ALWAYS IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO SEE

IF I CAN CREATE MY OWN PERSONAL INTERPRETATION

OF WHAT I SEE EVERY DAY.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE JOY IS IN SHARING.

THE JOY IS IN SHARING ONE'S WORK WITH OTHERS

AND HOPING IT TOUCHES THEM.

IF I CAN SHARE THE EXTRAORDINARY THINGS

THAT I'M SO PRIVILEGED TO SEE

AND I CAN TOUCH SOMEBODY ELSE TO FEEL WHAT I FEEL,

THEN MY WORK IS DONE.

♪♪

Jonathan: JUST IMAGINE HOW MANY TIMES I MUST HAVE

DRIVEN RIGHT PAST A LEOPARD,

THE VERY THING THAT I MOST WANT TO SEE.

THE LAST TIME I SAW BAHATI WITH CUBS, SHE HAD TWO CUBS.

ORIGINALLY, THERE WERE THREE.

SHE LOST ONE, AND SHE WAS HAVING A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME.

NOW AFTER THAT, WE HEARD REPORTS FROM TIME TO TIME

THAT SHE WAS ONLY SEEN WITH A SINGLE CUB.

WELL, GUESS WHAT.

SHE'S GOT BOTH CUBS.

ONE IS A LITTLE GIRL.

SHE'S LIKE A BOUNCING BALLOON.

SHE'S LIKE A JACK-IN-A-BOX.

BUT YOU CAN FEEL SHE NEEDS TO COME BACK TO BAHATI

EVERY SO OFTEN TO GREET HER, TO RUB HEADS, TO JUMP ON HER.

AND THEN SHE'S OFF, JUST LIKE A FLASH.

AND THE OTHER IS A LITTLE BOY.

HE'S SHYER, HE'S MORE INDEPENDENT,

AND AT TIMES, HE JUST HANGS OUT ON HIS OWN.

BUT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS WHERE THERE'S FOOD, MOM GOES OFF

AND BRINGS HIM BACK TO THE KILL.

BUT YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU WATCH HIM NOW, HE'S VERY NERVOUS.

HE'S NOT AS CONFIDENT AS HIS SISTER.

HE EATS QUICKLY, HE LOOKS FURTIVE, AND HE MOVES AWAY.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?

EVERY LEOPARD IS AN INDIVIDUAL,

AND THIS IS A REAL SUCCESS STORY.

BAHATI IS RAISING, ONCE AGAIN, TWO CUBS.

THE LAST LITTER SURVIVED TO MATURITY.

THESE TWO ARE DOING WELL.

GREAT MOM.

DO YOU KNOW IT'S A STRANGE THING?

HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE RELATIONSHIP

THAT YOU HAVE WITH A WILD ANIMAL,

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT HER AS A PET.

I DON'T WANT TO STROKE HER.

I WANT HER TO BE WHAT SHE IS, THIS EXTRAORDINARY WILD CREATURE

WITH ALL THOSE AMAZING ABILITIES,

THAT TOGETHER MAKE THE BEAUTY AND THE INQUISITIVENESS

AND THE ELUSIVENESS OF A LEOPARD.

♪♪

THAT IS BLACKIE.

THIS IS THE KING OF THE TOPI PLAINS PRIDE.

AND BACK BEHIND THERE, THE WHOLE PRIDE IS COMING...

LED BY THESE MIGHTY, MOST POWERFUL MALES.

THIS IS LIPSTICK OVER HERE.

AND BLACKIE IS BACK THERE, LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE PRIDE

AS THEY COME STRAIGHT ACROSS THE PLAINS BACK TO THIS HILL.

♪♪

Jonathan: WE'VE GOT NOTCH WITH HER TWO TINY CUBS.

SHE'S ACTUALLY MOVING THEM RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN.

IT'S A DANGEROUS MOVE, BUT THE REST OF THE PRIDE ARE UP AHEAD.

JACKSON'S THERE WITH BLACKIE AND LIPSTICK.

AND I'M JUST HOPING AND HOPING

THAT SHE DOESN'T BUMP INTO HYENAS.

THEY ARE TINY.

YOU CAN SEE THE WAY NOTCH, SHE STOPS EVERY SO OFTEN.

SHE LOOKS AROUND.

SHE'S THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE DANGER AHEAD?

SHE'S AN EXPERIENCED MOTHER.

SHE'S DONE THIS KIND OF THING BEFORE.

THIS IS A HUGE MOMENT IN THESE LITTLE CUBS' LIFE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE SORT OF ANKLE-HIGH.

THEY LOOK WAY TOO SMALL TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE OPEN,

BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE BREAKING-IN POINT.

THIS IS THE TIME WHEN LIONESSES TEND TO BRING CUBS

TO JOIN THE REST OF THE PRIDE.

AND LOOK AT THIS EXPANSIVE PLAIN BEHIND ME.

I MEAN, SHE'S PROBABLY WALKED A KILOMETER WITH THOSE CUBS.

AND THEY ARE TINY, BUT SHE DID IT.

AND THE REST OF THE PRIDE ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

SHE'S SCALED THE MOUNTAIN.

SHE'S GOT THOSE TWO LITTLE CUBS TO SAFETY,

RIGHT WHERE SHE WANTED THEM.

WHAT A MORNING.

♪♪

Jackson: BLACKIE AND LIPSTICK HAVE LED THEIR PRIDE

STRAIGHT INTO THIS ROCKY OUTCROP.

CANNOT HAVE A BETTER PLACE, PEACEFUL PLACE, FOR ALL OF THEM.

THIS IS GOOD. WHY IS HE RUNNING?

HE'S RUNNING AFTER SOMETHING.

HE'S GOING AFTER SOMETHING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT.

GOSH, WHAT IS HE AFTER?

[ ENGINE STARTS ]

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE SAW.

IS IT ANOTHER MALE?

IS HE -- ANOTHER FEMALE?

I DON'T KNOW, BUT HE'S RUNNING.

DON'T KNOW HOW I'LL GET OUT OF HERE.

BUT LOOK HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FOLLOW HIM.

AND BECAUSE THIS MALE HAVE GOT UP AND RUN,

THE CHANCES OF THE REST OF THE MEMBERS COMING TO JOIN IS HIGH.

THIS IS THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MASAI MARA.

WHEN CATS ARE IN ACTION, WE'VE GOT TO ACT LIKE THEM.

WELL, I SEE QUITE A FEW HYENAS UP THERE.

LOOK AT THEM. LOOK AT HIM RUNNING.

LOOK AT HIM COMING. WOW!

ALL THE HYENAS ARE RUNNING.

THEY SEE THE KING COMING.

EVERYBODY'S JUST EXPLODING AND RUNNING AWAY FROM HIM.

WOW.

[ ROARING ]LOOK AT HIM COME.

HE MIGHT BE LIMPING, BUT HE RULES.

NOW I CAN SEE WHY HE WAS RUNNING TOWARDS THIS DIRECTION.

THERE'S A KILL!

THESE ARE HIS OLDEST SONS.

LIPSTICK AND BLACKIE SIRED THESE FOUR SUB-ADULTS.

THE SUBS CAME TO STEAL THAT IMPALA FROM THE HYENAS.

UNBELIEVABLE.

AND LOOK, LIPSTICK, THEY DON'T EVEN CARE.

ALL WHAT THEY WANT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TERRITORY

IS WELL-CLAIMED, IS WELL-PROTECTED.

THIS IS HIS.

ALL YOUNG MALES AND YOUNG FEMALES, THEY FIGHT OVER SCRAPS.

THEY FIGHT OVER THINGS,

ESPECIALLY IF THEY CATCH A SMALL THING.

IF THIS WAS BIG BUFFALO, THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF SPACE

AND PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE PRIDE TO JOIN IN.

BUT THIS IS JUST A SMALL IMPALA FEEDING FOUR HUNGRY LIONS.

NOT ENOUGH. LOOK AT THAT FIGHT.

LOOK AT THAT SCRAP. LOOK AT THAT.

EVERYONE WANTS TO GO WITH SOMETHING.

HE GOT EVERYTHING, AND HE TOOK OFF.

AND SHE GOES WITH A PIECE.

FABULOUS!

THE OTHER MALES ARE LEFT WITH ALMOST NOTHING.

THAT IS WHAT'S CALLED SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.

[ ENGINES SHUTS OFF ]

Jonathan: YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH BIGGER LIPSTICK IS

THAN THESE OTHER YOUNG MALES.

HE CAN DOMINATE THEM.

THEY'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 2, 2 1/2 YEARS OF AGE.

BUT THESE YOUNGSTERS NOW WILL BE STARTING OUT

ON A JOURNEY OF THEIR OWN AS NOMADS.

BETWEEN 2 AND 4 YEARS OF AGE,

YOU HAVE TO MOVE AROUND AS A YOUNG MALE,

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF, STEAL KILLS FROM HYENAS, FROM OTHER LIONS,

BECAUSE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN SOMEBODY'S TERRITORY.

I'VE JUST NOTICED ONE OF THESE YOUNG MALES

WHO'S WEARING A SATELLITE COLLAR.

AND THAT IS HELPING THE MARA LION PROJECT

TO TRACK THE MOVEMENT OF THESE YOUNG MALES,

BECAUSE WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE YOUNG MALES

WHEN THEY DISPERSE FROM THEIR PRIDE.

BECAUSE WE SEEM TO BE LOSING QUITE A LOT OF THEM,

PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY ARE AT THE FOREFRONT

OF CONFLICT SITUATIONS,

TAKING CATTLE FROM THE MASAI PASTORALISTS.

THIS IS A PIVOTAL TIME IN THE LIFE OF THESE YOUNG MALES,

BECAUSE SOON THEY WILL BE FORCED OUT OF THE PRIDE.

BUT BY THE LOOK OF THIS ONE, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT FOOD.

I THINK HE'S INTERESTED IN THAT YOUNG FEMALE.

AND THAT COULD BE A MISTAKE.

♪♪

[ GROWLING, SNARLING ]

WHAT CAN I POSSIBLY ADD TO THAT?

IN TERMS OF POWER, IN TERMS OF DEMONSTRATING WHO'S BOSS,

I MEAN, YOU SAW THE WAY LIPSTICK JUST STOOD TALL

AND DEFIED THOSE YOUNG MALES.

AND THEN, VERY SIGNIFICANTLY, LIPSTICK MARKED HIS TERRITORY.

HE SCUFFED HIS FEET, HE PEED,

AND HE DID IT RIGHT NEXT TO THE TWO FEMALES

'CAUSE THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ACCESS TO FEMALES, NOT ABOUT FOOD.

THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OF THAT CARCASS.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THESE YOUNG MALES --

THEY ARE READY TO PUSH THE LIMITS.

THEY ARE READY TO CHALLENGE.

THE TEMPTATION TO CHECK OUT THIS FEMALE, YOU CAN SEE

IT'S JUST TOO MUCH FOR THAT YOUNG MALE.

HE JUST CAN'T RESIST.

[ ROARING, GROWLING ]

NO QUESTION WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE -- THE BIG GUY, LIPSTICK.

BUT THIS YOUNG GUY BETTER WATCH OUT,

THIS YOUNG MALE, BECAUSE HE'S PUSHING THE LIMITS.

YOU KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE POINT OF,

"I'M BEGINNING TO ACTUALLY GET

A LITTLE BIT IRRITATED WITH YOU."

SO FAR, NOBODY'S GOT REALLY HURT.

BUT THEY COULD, IF HE PUSHES THE LIMIT.

LIPSTICK WILL RESPOND IN THE ONLY WAY LIONS KNOW HOW TO --

WITH VIOLENCE.

♪♪

I GOT A FEELING THAT IS THE END OF ONE HECK OF A MORNING.

I MEAN, GOODNESS ME.

THOSE YOUNGSTERS, I MEAN, THEY THINK THEY'RE READY.

BUT NOT YET.

IN FACT, NOT FOR QUITE A TIME.

AND LIPSTICK WAS JUST SAYING TO THEM, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU JUST WAIT IN TURN.

I'M NOT READY TO STEP ASIDE YET.

THIS IS MY PLACE."

♪♪

[ WILDEBEESTS LOWING ]

WHEN YOU SEE THIS MANY WILDEBEESTS ON A MISSION

LIKE THIS -- VERY DIRECTIONAL,

JUST WALKING THROUGH THE LONG GRASS,

THEY'RE STOPPING FOR NOTHING -- IT MEANS ONE THING.

THEY'RE HEADED FOR THE RIVER.

AND IF YOU WANTED TO SEE AN EPIC CROSSING,

I RECKON THIS IS GONNA BE IT.

♪♪

WHEN YOU GET A BIG CROSSING LIKE THIS,

IT IS A DRAMA LIKE NO OTHER.

THE ANIMALS ARE SO FRANTIC.

THE PRESSURE OF ANIMALS FROM BEHIND

GIVES THE FRONT ONES NO OPTION.

THEY HAVE TO GO OVER.

♪♪

THIS IS WHY WE CALL IT

THE GREATEST WILDLIFE SPECTACLE ON EARTH.

YOU HAVE GOT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WILDEBEESTS

JUST POURING OVER THE BANKS OF THE MARA RIVER.

♪♪

AND YOU CAN SEE THE BANKS OF THE RIVER

IN PLACES ARE 18 TO 20 FEET HIGH.

AND SOMETIMES, BROKEN LEGS, BROKEN SPINES.

AND YOU CAN LITERALLY HAVE HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS

DYING IN A BIG CROSSING.

♪♪

THE BENEFIT OF BEING PART OF THE HERD ARE IN THESE MOMENTS,

BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THE THREAT OF PREDATORS.

♪♪

WE EVOLVED SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THESE GREAT PREDATORS

OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS OUT ON THE AFRICAN SAVANNA.

WHEN YOU HEAR A LION ROARING,

THAT SOUND ECHOING ACROSS THE PLAINS,

IT STIRS SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE YOU.

♪♪

IMAGINE AFRICA, IMAGINE THE MARA,

WITHOUT THE SOUND OF THE MIGHTY LION.

♪♪

IF I'D BEEN WRITING THIS STORY,

YOU COULDN'T HAVE SCRIPTED A BETTER ENDING.

THE MARSH PRIDE ARE BACK IN THE HEART OF THEIR TERRITORY.

CHARM AND THE OTHER FOUR FEMALES HAVE RETURNED.

♪♪

ONLY TWO OF OUR LIONESSES HAVE CUBS RIGHT NOW --

KABEBE AND CARLI.

NOW THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL,

HAVE TO REALLY WATCH OUT FOR THE WARRIORS,

'CAUSE THEIR CUBS ARE STILL VULNERABLE.

BUT FOR THE OTHER THREE LIONESSES,

THEY COULD POSSIBLY MATE WITH THE WARRIORS.

AND THAT WOULD BE A WHOLE NEW CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY,

IN THE BIG CAT LEGACY, OF THE MARSH PRIDE.

BUT FOR THE MOMENT, I'M JUST SOAKING UP THE JOY.

40 YEARS IN THE MARA WATCHING THIS PRIDE,

AND FOR A MOMENT THAT BLIP WHERE THEY LEFT,

AND NOW THE CONTINUITY IS RESTORED.

JUST INCREDIBLE, A WONDERFUL END TO OUR STORY.

♪♪

WHO COULD'VE IMAGINED IN THEIR WILDEST DREAMS

THAT WE WOULD'VE RECORDED SUCH SPECTACULAR MOMENTS

WITH OUR BIG CATS?

♪♪

Jackson: GROWING UP IN THE MASAI MARA,

I HAVE LEARNED SO MANY THINGS.

AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SHARE SO MANY TREASURES.

WE HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THESE ANIMALS.

Angela: I THINK THE MASAI MARA IS SO CLOSE

TO BOTH JONATHAN AND MY HEART.

IT IS OUR VERY ESSENCE.

IT IS WHAT WE LOVE TO DO

MORE THAN ANYTHING.

Jonathan: BUT IN SOME WAYS, THE REASON THIS IS SO SPECIAL

FOR US IS BECAUSE THIS IS OUR HOME.

THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE.

WHEN THE CAMERAS DISAPPEAR, WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN,

WE ARE STILL HERE, FOLLOWING THESE STORIES

AS WE HAVE FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS.

AND I THINK IT'S THE INTIMACY OF OUR RELATIONSHIP

WITH THESE GREAT CATS

THAT REALLY IS AT THE HEART OF OUR JOY.

Jackson: I'M EXCITED TO GO OUT EVERY DAY

BECAUSE I KNOW I'M GOING TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW.

EVERY SINGLE DAY I GO OUT,

I SEE SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

THAT'S WHY I LOVE IT.

I LOVE THIS PLACE TO BITS.

Angela: BECAUSE IT IS SO RICH,

IT'S SO ABUNDANT IN SO MANY DIFFERENT SPECIES,

THE HUMAN RACE HAVE TAKEN OVER AS GUARDIANS OF THE PLANET.

AND IT WOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY

IF WE DIDN'T REALLY STEP UP

AND PROTECT THESE EXTRAORDINARY WILD PLACES.

THERE ARE SO FEW LEFT IN THE WORLD NOW.

Jonathan: THESE GREAT CATS THAT HAVE ENTHRALLED US, OF COURSE,

HAVE BEEN LIVING IN PLACES LIKE THIS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

AND IN A SENSE, ALL WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS LOOK AT ONE PAGE

IN THE BOOK OF THEIR LIFE.

AND WHAT I WOULD HOPE IS THAT OVER EONS,

PEOPLE WILL JUST TURN ONE MORE PAGE,

TAKE ONE MORE LOOK AT THIS EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY

THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.

IT IS A NEVER-ENDING STORY,

AND WE ARE JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF THAT.

AND I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE JUST BEEN ABLE TO SHARE

BRIEFLY WITH YOU SOMETHING OF THEIR STORY.

♪♪