Original subtitles

(GENTLE MUSIC)

Since ancient times,

three big cats have stalked the face of Africa.

(SOFT DRAMATCI MUSIC)

As if by agreement, they divided the land.

Leopards would tiptoe through the forests.

Cheetahs would course across the savannah.

And lions...

Well lions would go pretty much wherever they pleased.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

On the shores of Botswana's Gomoti River,

the cats have found all they need, in one small world.

There's a tapestry of habitats here:

with woodlands to conceal a leopard...

..plains for cheetahs to stretch their legs...

..and drawn to the river, abundant prey to feed a pride.

Three families now share this small world...

..going about their lives...

..doing their best to keep out of each other's way.

It's late spring, and these cheetah brothers have a problem.

They're on a mission to mark out the sweeping plains

they claim as their own.

But the Gomoti River cuts through the heart of their territory.

The waterway makes life here possible.

But it's also notorious for hiding crocodiles.

Swimming is not the brothers' strong suit.

And no one wants to be first into a river full of crocodiles.

(SPLASHING)

Nothing gets in the way of their mission.

They're leaving a message here. One that sends mixed signals.

It warns other male cheetahs to keep out.

But invites female cheetahs to get in touch.

And it works.

Thanks to their efforts,

they've left a string of single mothers across the land.

(SOFT MUSIC)

Like Phefo.

She gave up single life eight months ago to raise her five cubs.

And every day since then, she's kept them alive,

in a neighbourhood controlled by more powerful cats.

In less than a year, she'll leave them.

So in the coming months, she must prepare them for life on their own.

(SOFT GRUMBLING)

She's most at home on these mounds in the plains,

where she can detect prey, as well as danger.

(DISTANT VOCALISATION)

(DISTANT VOCALISATION)

Phefo knows that voice.

(DISTANT VOCALISATION)

(VOCALISATIONS)

A veteran named Molelo also claims this world as his own.

He's attuned to everything that moves and breathes in it.

Stories of the territories he's won and lost in his time

are etched into his face.

He arrived on the Gomoti earlier this year,

and singlehandedly carved out his domain.

It stretches from the river, to the plains,

and to the woodlands beyond.

Now, he must work to hold onto it.

If he can't keep neighbouring males out, Molelo stands to lose more

than just his home...

(BIRD CALLS) (SOFT MUSIC)

Of all the cats here,

these sisters are the only true owners of The World.

It's their birthright,

handed down through generations of female ancestors.

They're a close family.

And while there's no hierarchy between them,

they typically look to wise, cautious Tshaba for guidance.

You'll know her by the notch in her right ear.

(SOFT MUSIC CONTINUES)

Over the course of their lives,

they've seen males like Molelo come and go.

He might not be the best looking. But he's theirs.

And like him or not, right now they need his protection.

Because on this late spring morning, all of them,

are pregnant with his cubs.

In the woodlands nearby,

a leopard named Senatla keeps half an eye on the plains below.

Senatla is new to the area.

He arrived here, looking to start a family of his own.

He's come to the right place...

..these woodlands are full of female leopards with the same ambition.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

But Senatla might get more than he's bargained for.

He's by nature a solitary cat,

that must now spend the next few days in her company.

(GROWLING)

(GROWLS)

This could get old quickly.

She'll want to mate repeatedly every hour,

with no guarantee she'll become pregnant.

Although female leopards are persistent partners,

they're slow to conceive.

(GROWLS)

(MONKEYS YAPPING)

The pride!

They could attack the leopards, if they see them.

(WARNING CRIES)

The pair heads for a leopard's safe place.

Lions can't climb to these dizzy heights.

Up here, out of sight, they're out of harm's way.

Without these towering trees,

Senatla would struggle to share his world with the lions.

They've had a lucky escape.

Impala antelope thrive in the space between the plains

and the woodlands.

They're a cornerstone of this world.

So much so, that their biological clocks keep time with the seasons.

A month ago, the ewes all gave birth to this year's lambs.

It's a dangerous world for the young ones, but with practice,

they'll soon be as fast and agile as their parents.

Each herd is a collection of sensors,

fine-tuned to detect predators.

They've pretty much got eyes in the back of their heads.

And they need them.

Wherever they go, there's a good chance

a cat is watching.

It's breakfast time.

This normally means Phefo must find a herd of impala,

and painstakingly stalk close enough to launch a chase.

This morning, the herd is coming to her.

Phefo's name means, 'wind'.

In seconds, she'll go from zero to the fastest creature on land.

(HOOVES CLATTER) (LOW DRAMATIC MUSIC)

The plains give her all the space she needs to run down prey.

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC FADES, ENDS)

Phefo can never let her guard down.

They're exposed out here and the kill will soon attract attention.

With her around, her cubs feel safe,

unburdened by thoughts of their next meal, or staying alive.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

Above the Gomoti, grey clouds hint at a change of season.

Spring is moving into summer.

And Molelo has become a dad.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

(CUB MEWS)

For the new mothers, siesta has become a luxury of the past.

(CUBS SQUEAKING)

At this stage, Molelo is largely an object of curiosity.

Better not wake the sleeping giant.

Although Tshaba is mother to only three of the cubs,

she embraces them all, like her own.

The lionesses synchronised their pregnancies.

Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the time.

In a few weeks, they're swamped by a dozen demanding tyrants.

They'll feed each other's cubs as well as their own.

With 16 teats between them,

there's more than enough to go around.

(ATTEMPTS AT HISSING/GROWLING)

The mothers have their work cut out for them.

(SOFT GROWL)

It's going to take three long years to turn this unruly mob

into useful pride members.

(SOFT MUSIC)

If anyone overthrows Molelo before his cubs' first birthday,

there's a good chance they'll kill them.

So, for the next year, he has one job to do...

..keep his cubs alive, by keeping intruders out.

Somehow, all alone, Molelo must do the work of two males,

patrol his far-flung boundaries,

and be present to protect his family.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

Summer in these parts means rain.

But first, days of brooding skies.

(SOFT MUSIC)

Lions ruined his last date,

but Senatla has attracted another admirer.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

This female tracked Senatla down three days ago.

Since then, they've been mating nonstop.

And he's ready to be a solitary cat again.

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

On the other hand, she's gone so far as to leave her own territory

to pursue him... so she's not letting him leave that easily.

There's no getting away.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

They need to find shelter, that storm is coming.

(THUNDER RUMBLES LOUDLY)

When the summer rains fall,

they drench the world and everyone in it.

(SOFT MUSIC)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

(SOFT MUSIC CONTINUES)

The rains will only last a few short months.

In that time, they'll transform the world,

and impact the lives of all its citizens.

(MUSIC FADES, ENDS)

Molelo's had an eventful night.

He's been injured on patrol, in a fight with neighbouring males.

He's seen them off, but not without taking a few hits himself.

And now... another intruder.

The last thing he needs.

He can't quite make it out through the drizzle.

(LOW, TENSE MUSIC)

It's the cheetah brothers on patrol.

They haven't seen him yet.

They're no contest for Molelo.

In fact, he's serious trouble for them.

(LOW, TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES)

These days, he must pick his battles...

..and this morning he gives them a pass.

(MUSIC FADES, ENDS)

Between thunderstorms, the world sizzles.

(ELEPHANTS TRUMPET)

To escape the heat, elephant families head to the Gomoti.

When you're this big, you're immune to dangers that lurk in the water.

(LOW, TENSE MUSIC)

For everyone else, there's a simple rule.

You can drink from the puddles...

..but beware of the channels swollen by the rains.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

An ebony tree provides shelter from the heat,

and a trunk to sharpen growing claws.

It's been four months since the first cubs were born.

In all that time, they've mastered just one skill...

..the lion art of, 'the sleep'.

Growing up is hungry work, so Tshaba and a sister have left to find food.

Some can't wait.

They're getting too old to suckle.

(SOFT GROWL)

(SOFT GROWL)

Her sisters can't get back soon enough.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

(SOFT VOCALISING)

(SPLASH) (MUSIC ENDS)

A splash could be anything in these rain-soaked plains.

They must move to drier ground.

After weeks of rain, narrow streams crisscross the plains.

(SPLASH)

They've seen crocodiles hiding in them before.

(SPLASH)

The cubs are too small to leap across.

The only way to follow their mothers, is through the water.

(SPLASH)

(HISSES)

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

They've all made it.

Except these two.

They're alone.

(SOFT CRY)

And now they're lost.

(SOFT CRY)

With 12 cubs, it's easy to lose count.

But Tshaba soon realises they're missing.

(SOFT SQUEAK)

And the pride goes back for them.

(SOFT VOCALISATION)

(SOFT VOCALISATION) They hear her.

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

And soon they're back in the fold.

(SOFT MUSIC)

The world settles into summer and the locals are joined by visitors,

like these carmine bee-eaters from the north.

The birds need insects to feed their growing chicks.

And they know just where to find them.

At the feet of giants.

(SOFT MUSIC CONTINUES)

For the cheetah cubs out on the plains,

they're a dazzling distraction.

Since distractions have become a daily activity,

Phefo redirects their curiosity to some serious learning.

(SOFT MUSIC)

As she guides them around this busy corner of their home,

she teaches them what to hunt...

..and how to catch it.

(LOW, TENSE MUSIC)

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Killing will come with practice.

Phefo also shows them what to avoid.

Male baboons are as menacing as they look.

Their fangs could shred a young cheetah.

Phefo doesn't intervene, even when a cub loses his backup.

(HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAK)

He'll work this out on his own.

(HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAK)

(GENTLE MUSIC)

Now they've stumbled into trouble.

(LOW, TENSE MUSIC)

Lions will go out of their way to kill cheetah cubs,

if they can catch them.

They must share their neighbourhood with lions...

..and better the pride you can see, than the one you can't.

Today, Phefo teaches them the most important lesson of their lives.

Never, ever, get any closer than this to a lion.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

Her cubs have grown wiser and more independent these past few weeks.

And Phefo's attention is beginning to wander.

The cheetah brothers have left an intriguing proposal here.

But she can't act on it yet.

Her 11-month-old cubs, still need her for a while longer.

The rains are coming to an end and with temperatures over 40 degrees,

the locals have retreated to the woodlands.

This father-to-be has been gathering spiderwebs

to hold his nest together.

There's no rest for him.

Nor in the canopy above him for Senatla.

Asleep? Or just playing dead.

Either way, he has a determined seductress.

It's hot, he's tired and he's just not in the mood.

(GROWLING)

Once she conceives, she'll have nothing more to do with him.

Perhaps that's reason enough for him to oblige, this one, last time.

(GROWLING)

Being a stud in the leopard world, is not all it's cracked up to be.

(BIRD CALLS)

On the far side of Senatla's territory,

one of his courtships has finally paid off.

This female is pregnant with his cubs.

(CHIRPING)

She needs all the rest she can get.

And there's not much chance of that among these forest creatures.

Birds hate leopards...

..and they make a point of telling them that,

whenever they see them.

Her solitary days will soon be a thing of the past

and once her cubs arrive...

..noisy birds will be the least of her worries.

By summer's end,

Molelo is finally able to squeeze in some time with his family.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

He's worked hard to keep them safe.

You'd think a little respect would be in order.

(GROWLS)

If only they knew what he did while they slept.

With Molelo nearby,

the mothers can relax, and let off a bit of steam.

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

Their journey is far from over.

Many difficult months lie ahead,

before their cubs are safely out of the woods.

Weeks pass,

and by the first full moon of autumn,

there's a new roar competing with Molelo's.

(DISTANT ROAR)

(VOCALISATIONS)

(BELLOWS)

Across the land,

lusty impala rams battle for a little space to call their own.

For the next few noisy weeks, they'll stake out

and jealously defend their patch against rivals.

Then round up and mate as many ewes as possible.

The herds are in peak condition. There's no better time to breed.

Exhausted rams have only one thing on their mind,

and it's not predators...

A gift for a hard-working mother.

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

The ram is twice her size and weight...

..but help is on the way.

They rehearsed this during summer, on a lamb.

(MUSIC FADES, ENDS)

The ram's down, but not dead.

And now, they've attracted attention.

These African wild dogs are equipped to take down their own large prey.

(VOCALISING)

But they want the cheetahs' meal.

Phefo's still busy.

The cubs are going to have to deal with the dogs themselves.

Most cheetahs would rather ditch their kill,

than risk their lives defending it.

Not Phefo's family.

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(MUSIC FADES, ENDS)

The dogs will have to wait for the scraps.

The day's events are a turning point for Phefo.

Her cubs have shown what they can do when they're up against it.

(GENTLE MUSIC)

They don't know it yet, but their mother will soon be gone.

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

Phefo has kept all five cubs alive, beyond their first birthday.

A rare achievement for a wild cheetah.

There's not much more she can teach them.

Before the season is out, she'll slip away into her vast range,

to take up single life once again.

For the other cats on the shores of the Gomoti, life goes on.

Subtitles by Sky Access Services www.skyaccessibility.sky