Original subtitles

NARRATOR: This is a cheetah family like no other.

Nine cubs and two mothers,

who, against all odds, have kept all these cubs alive

here in South Africa's Great Karoo.

Their true story began with a chance meeting

of Inara and her four cubs,

and Chilli with her five.

Now cubs suckle from different mothers,

and mothers raise each other's cubs.

Chilli and Inara are, themselves, mother and daughter.

But adult female cheetahs are solitary animals.

This family breaks all the rules.

Inara has recently lost the family.

For now, all nine cubs are under Chilli's care.

Alone for weeks, Inara has gone back into estrous.

She's now searching for a mate.

The family's future is uncertain.

And more precarious than ever before.

(THEME MUSIC)

It's been a month since Chilli led the cubs away from Inara,

to the furthest end of her range

here at Samara Karoo Reserve.

The cubs are all well fed.

But no cheetah mother has ever raised nine cubs.

This doesn't seem to worry Chilli.

It looks like she won't have it any other way.

She's always resisted Inara's company.

Still, with so many hungry mouths,

the pressure to hunt is relentless.

But this is also how cubs learn;

by following and watching.

Chilli gives the cubs fair notice,

and then she's off.

Always on the lookout,

a good huntress seizes every opportunity.

And that's why this family is thriving.

The cub's other mother, Inara,

has made her way to Samara's high mountain plains

in search of Shadow, the resident male.

Courtship is in the air.

They've been together for four days,

mating three to five times a day.

There's no guarantee Inara will become pregnant

so soon after being separated from her cubs.

If she does,

she'll give birth in three months.

The following morning, she heads back down the mountain

to her range that she shares with Chilli and the cubs.

And into an uncertain future.

Samara hosts a vast array of habitats,

from fertile mountain plains

to dry semi-desert.

There's plenty of game here.

Unlike lions,

female cheetahs are solitary hunters.

There's no safety in numbers for Chilli.

She needs to select her prey carefully.

Adult warthogs, with large tusks, are too big a risk.

But there are smaller, yearling pigs here too.

With nine rapidly growing cubs to feed,

she makes the call.

(CHEETAH CALLS)

The cubs are learning discipline under Chilli,

and react to her when prey is close.

They know the drill;

slot into formation, single-file.

Stay low.

Silent.

This isn't playtime.

Dinner is served.

It's a substantial meal.

The risk has paid off.

But it's come at a price.

The tusk went deep.

Inara is back in her home range.

And lets her missing family know by scent-marking.

This is how cheetahs keep track of one another,

with chemical information in their urine.

Chilli's scent might be here too.

If so, it could lead Inara back to the cubs.

That is, if she still wants to find them.

After all, she may now be pregnant with a new litter.

NARRATOR: It's been three days since the warthog wounded Chilli.

She's resting in an acacia thicket.

The cubs are restless.

Hunger makes them active.

But they won't be ready to hunt on their own for another year.

Chilli bows to the cubs' pressure.

But will her leg hold out?

The wound is infected,

sapping her energy.

Still, Chilli needs to bring in another meal for the cubs.

If she was feeding just one cub,

or two, or three, or even four,

she could hunt every few days.

But when there are five or six cubs,

then one meal doesn't stretch far.

Make that seven, eight,

or even nine cubs,

then Chilli has a problem.

Cheetahs are highly specialised hunters.

They need to be 100% fit.

But Chilli's leg isn't holding out.

The cubs sense the crisis

and surround Chilli like a protective cloak.

There's no way she can hunt today,

or anytime soon.

She needs rest.

These cubs would normally be running about, playing.

This subdued behaviour is unusual.

As if they understand something is wrong.

They know what they need to do:

show Chilli some love.

A herd of blesbok approaches,

a perfect opportunity for an ambush.

But Chilli is just too weak to pay them any attention.

She'll have to hunt soon.

But it's now clear.

Chilli faces death from infection,

and the cubs, starvation.

If they could ever use Inara's help, it's now.

Samara Karoo Reserve wants its 12 cheetahs

to live a genuine wild life.

But Chilli and her cubs

are critically important members

of an international cheetah conservation project.

(HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING)

Letting nature run its course is not an option,

when the plan is to help save Africa's most endangered cat.

This last-ditch move may save Chilli's life.

Her wound is cleaned and stitched up.

She's given a powerful antibiotic and an antidote to the sedative.

The cubs' future is at stake here too.

They need Chilli to teach them how to hunt

and live like wild cheetahs.

Samara's conservation project rides on her recovery.

Now the cubs can only wait.

Moments later, Chilli is fully conscious.

The cubs are happy to have their mother back.

(CUBS CHIRPING)

Next morning, Chilli is still nursing her leg.

She has 30 stitches.

The cubs are back to their old ways,

and their favourite pastime;

climbing trees.

Chilli must find the strength,

or this will be another day without a hunt.

For now, she is still recuperating.

Meanwhile,

Inara tracks the scent of her missing family.

She might even detect the cortisol stress hormones

in Chilli's urine.

She may very well know that her mother is in trouble.

Now that she's on their trail,

she's walking with purpose.

It's been a week since the injury.

Chilli is still on the mend,

but the cubs are lifting her spirits.

Inara's not calling,

so it's unclear if she desires to reunite with her family.

After more than a month apart, she now has them in her sights.

The cubs don't yet see her.

She still doesn't call.

She's being cautious.

They spot Inara,

who heads in their direction.

She plays it cool,

pauses,

no reaction.

Chilli sets a frosty tone.

But Siya goes to greet her.

So does Blue, and Kolisi,

prompting the others to follow.

Finally, Chilli joins them.

Is she simply following to protect her cubs,

or is she welcoming Inara back too?

Inara's timing is remarkable.

Chilli's leg will take time to heal.

She needs support to feed the cubs.

Inara is quick to inspect Chilli's injury.

Maybe she really did know

that Chilli was in trouble while tracking her scent.

Maybe she returned to save the family.

Whatever the case,

her return opens a new chapter in their lives.

Inara has some way to go before the cubs fully accept her.

Chilli has been their mother for the past month.

Still, it's a good day.

Two mothers.

Nine cubs.

One enormous family.

It's been four days since the warthog kill.

A newborn Cape Buffalo calf would be a huge meal,

but it's too great a risk.

Its distress calls would get the attention

of not just its mother, but the whole herd.

They would charge and use those horns.

Nevertheless, the cheetahs head straight towards the buffalo.

They look placid enough,

but buffalo are amongst Africa's most dangerous animals.

They've been known to kill lions.

A cheetah would be child's play.

Inara sees the buffalo down below.

So does little Kolisi, and it stops her in her tracks.

(DARK MUSIC)

She's in no hurry to go down there.

She will let the other cubs meet them first.

Chilli places herself between the buffalo and the cubs.

Some cubs are hesitant,

but Inara leads the way.

She has a lesson to teach the cubs.

Something her mother Chilli taught her.

That cheetahs are fearless.

She won't divert their course around the buffalo.

The flummoxed buffalo do what buffalo do best.

They ruminate on the problem,

work themselves into a bother...

and charge.

The buffalo set their sights on Inara.

The cubs have a front-row seat, but maybe too close.

They had to flee,

but the cubs still feel like champions.

(BUFFALO CALLING)

Some of the cubs have escaped unscathed.

But where are the others?

The buffalo would trample a cub without hesitating.

The ever-vigilant Siya

notices her little sister Kolisi is missing.

There's no sign of her.

She begins to search.

By dusk, only seven cubs had made their way back to Chilli.

Finally, Siya finds Kolisi hiding in a bush

and leads her to safety.

Chilli has been the cub's protector for weeks.

With her, they feel safe.

It's clear Inara isn't yet fully accepted by the family.

Tonight, Inara will sleep alone.

At daybreak,

Chilli and Inara seem to have reached an understanding.

For the sake of the cubs, they must work together.

Their common goal?

Securing a meal.

They set off towards the plains.

Eleven Cheetahs out in the open is sure to scare off any prey.

They move to the thicket to conceal the enormous family.

Today's meal depends on Inara.

Until Chilli heals,

the huntress has been demoted to babysitter.

The open plain is good springbok habitat.

Even with just one good eye,

she sees them well through the heat haze.

This is far enough.

This open habitat requires a new strategy.

Rather than stalk her prey, Inara does the opposite.

She lays low,

and waits for them to come to her.

She's hiding in plain sight.

There are big distractions here,

which could divert her prey's attention

and make them complacent.

It's a time-consuming strategy, and uncomfortable under a hot sun.

A nearby hare is also hiding in plain sight,

to avoid Inara.

But she has her eye on the springbok.

Hours later, and they change direction.

Inara loses focus,

and the hare makes its move.

Inara will return empty-handed.

A meal would help her reestablish the bond with her family.

But it's not to be.

Back with Chilli and the cubs, Inara is all but ignored.

She rests by herself.

Eventually, Siya notices that Inara is the odd one out

and goes to her.

This cub is always looking out for the underdog.

This is Inara's first true moment of affection

since she reunited with the family.

Siya's lead draws in Blue.

And then, Kolisi.

Now Chilli is on her own.

With these cubs, it's all one mother or the other.

It's time to bed down for the night.

All the cubs are in the den with Inara.

There's no room for Chilli.

Siya notices Chilli alone and goes to her.

Once again, Siya looks out for the lone family member.

This little cub has enough compassion for the whole family.

NARRATOR: Dawn casts a peaceful spell on the Karoo.

The family is waking up.

It doesn't take long for nine cubs to pierce the silence.

(CUBS CHIRPING AND PURRING)

Kolisi is the last to leave the security of Inara's side.

These two formed a close bond

after Kolisi mistook Inara for her mother.

Cubs from the different litters have also bonded.

Inara's cub Blue and Chilli's cub, Siya, are inseparable.

Blue is a month older so has the advantage.

But Siya always puts up a good fight.

Inara's second strongest is White Tail,

named for his bright, white-tipped tail.

He's always challenging Blue,

but for now, Blue remains number one.

This is all too boisterous for Kolisi.

She's also hungry again.

Why waste time playing when two moms can take them hunting?

Once Inara is on her feet, the cubs know it's time to move.

White Tail and the others fall in right behind Inara.

Chilli is at the back,

where the strongest cub usually walks.

Not her normal position, but with a bad leg

she doesn't have much choice.

This walk will be a good test for Chilli's leg.

So far, it looks strong.

The stitches were sewn loosely,

giving her full range of motion as the wound heals.

But there's no telling how long it will take

before she'll run again.

The plains are still teeming with Springbok.

For now, Inara takes the lead.

Chilli is itching to join her.

Inara began the chase too soon.

She only has vision in one eye,

so may have misjudged the distance.

Between Inara and Chilli,

it's the blind leading the lame.

The cubs have company.

Meerkats.

The most vigilant little mammals in the Karoo.

There are mongooses here too.

And ground squirrels.

They're all cub-sized prey.

Some of them look like easy pickings.

Cubs usually stay put during the hunt.

But it's been a week since the warthog.

This is too irresistible.

But these critters have no intention

of becoming cheetah snacks.

All eyes are on the cheetahs.

They also have alarm calls should the cheetahs attack.

(CHIRPING)

These little mammals all have deep burrows,

perfect panic rooms to escape speedy cheetahs.

Inara won't give up.

She still has many hungry mouths to feed.

Best leave the hunting to Inara,

so the cubs dip out of sight.

Inara has caught up with her prey.

She's also stumbled across a family of bat-eared foxes.

This mother is caring for almost as many youngsters as Inara.

But unlike cheetahs

she has a monogamous partner to help raise her kits.

They also have burrows to escape down.

Inara leaves them in peace.

She has bigger prey in mind.

(DRIVING MUSIC)

The hungry cubs are quick to respond to the dinner bell.

Only five of the cubs feast with Inara.

The other four are with Chilli.

Cheetahs need to eat quickly and move on

before bigger predators catch wind of their kills.

They consume the meal in under an hour.

And just in time.

The cubs have yet to learn that jackals pose no threat.

But leopards, lions, or hyenas would clean up here.

Chilli hasn't tried to muscle in on Inara's meal.

Even injured and hungry,

she remains stubbornly independent.

Half the family is fed. A step forward.

But the pressure remains to feed the rest of them.

Perhaps this is how it goes with such a large family:

only five or six will feed at a time.

For now, the cubs are still small, but in the coming months,

they will need much more food as they grow.

Dawn reveals which cubs have filled their bellies.

Chilli's cubs, Siya and Kolisi, have eaten.

When the cubs were first mixed up, Inara accepted them as her own.

After more than a month apart,

it seems she hasn't changed her mind.

Inara's smallest cub, Shaka, didn't feed.

He takes his cues from Chilli now.

His bigger brother White Tail seems to see it that way too.

Last night's meal has energised the whole family.

All the cubs are playful.

They're learning to pounce and tackle;

both crucial skills for their future survival.

They're also learning how to use their paws

to hook and trip their siblings.

When they're adults,

they'll use these same techniques to capture prey.

Inara is up and ready to go.

After her success last night,

she's counting on her luck to continue today.

The cubs who ate last night may slow them down.

By the size of their bellies,

it's remarkable they can walk at all.

Chilli is walking strong, looking fit,

like the top athlete she can be.

It's been over a week since she last sprinted

and just four days since her wound was stitched up.

They lead the cubs to the thicket, concealing them.

The mothers head to the plains together.

Chilli takes the lead.

This is going to be her hunt.

(DRIVING MUSIC)

Cheetahs are the world's fastest land animal.

But will Chilli's leg hold out?

Chilli, the queen of Samara,

is back!

A kill this big is enough to feed all of them.

Ten cheetahs feeding together is an extraordinary sight.

If they were lions, we'd call this a pride.

Only Inara doesn't join in.

She's the same as Chilli;

instinctively independent.

This instinct should really keep the two mothers apart.

But Chilli and Inara are also driven by a second instinct;

to care for their cubs.

This deeper, timeless instinct

always points them back to their cubs,

like a compass to true north.

As for their cubs,

they have become inseparable.

And so, Africa's most unusual cheetah family

continues to share their lives,

separate, but together,

for now.

(THEME MUSIC)

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