0:00:17 > 0:00:19The jaguar.
0:00:19 > 0:00:25South America's most powerful, yet secretive, big cat.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35Every single time I see a jaguar, it's kind of magical.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46When people come here, what they really want to see is the jaguar.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52So how do you get to know one of the world's most elusive animals?
0:00:54 > 0:00:59In Brazil, a pioneering team is attempting to do just that.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06And they're starting to reveal unique insights into their lives.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19But now, Brazil's jaguars are under pressure.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Their world is colliding with ours.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32In an urgent effort to help,
0:01:32 > 0:01:38the team must try to teach two rescued orphans to live in the wild.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I'm struggling to believe that we're actually doing this.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57This is unique. In Brazil, nobody has ever done this before.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04To succeed, they will need to get closer to Brazil's
0:02:04 > 0:02:07top predators than anyone before.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Away from Rio and Brazil's bustling cities,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28there is a truly wild country.
0:02:34 > 0:02:40At its heart lies the world's greatest wetland - the Pantanal.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Each year, seasonal rains create a haven for wildlife,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54covering over 70,000 square miles.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The jaguar is the top predator here.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27They're renowned for their hunting skill.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Jaguars stalk and ambush prey,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37ranging from large deer to capybara.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Unlike most cats, they'll even catch and kill their quarry in the water.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00But the Pantanal is no pristine wilderness.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Over 90% is privately owned.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Cattle ranching is big business.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18And for jaguars, cattle are easy prey.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Conflict between these cats and local ranchers
0:04:27 > 0:04:30is a real threat to the jaguar's future.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39And with Brazil's urban population growing, there's a new problem.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Cities are spreading into the wetlands...
0:04:50 > 0:04:54..which means that jaguars are being pushed into our world.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Dr Rogerio Cunha is from the carnivore research
0:05:09 > 0:05:13and conservation team of the Brazilian government.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24He is investigating an extraordinary incident,
0:05:24 > 0:05:29where two young cubs and their mother ended up in the city.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46This is the exact location where the accident happened.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55This is all floating, it had water all over the place.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00And the jaguar came.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04She brought one cub, then went back to the other side of the river,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06brought the other cub.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Water everywhere, so she climbed this tree with the two cubs.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14So she was very tired.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20And then people start coming so there was a big, big crowd.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27The female had rescued the cubs from the rising flood,
0:06:27 > 0:06:32but with so many people around, the local authorities had to act.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40They decided to dart her with anaesthetic so they could move her.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42But it didn't go to plan.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47She fell from the tree into the water below.
0:06:54 > 0:07:00The rescue team tried desperately to revive her, but she was beyond help.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04Apparently, it was too late for the mother.
0:07:07 > 0:07:08She was dead.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14And her cubs, two little sisters,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17were too young to survive without her.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22What could we do about those two cubs?
0:07:22 > 0:07:25They're very young, they're very vulnerable.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27They're orphans already.
0:07:31 > 0:07:37The cubs' situation highlights the problems facing Brazil's jaguars.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Brazil has more jaguars than anywhere else on Earth,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45but the populations are fragmented
0:07:45 > 0:07:48and scattered through this vast country.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Each year, as they lose natural habitat,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57their numbers are dropping.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04The jaguars in Pantanal are classed as vulnerable
0:08:04 > 0:08:08but populations in the north-east and in the coastal rainforests
0:08:08 > 0:08:10are critically endangered.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16In Brazil, every jaguar counts.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28The two orphaned cubs are now nine months old.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43With only each other for company, they formed a close bond.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54They're fit and healthy, and could help bolster wild populations.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01But jaguars have never been successfully returned to the wild.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Rogerio wants to do the impossible
0:09:06 > 0:09:10and try and get them back to the wild.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14He knows of a pioneering new project in southern Pantanal,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17which might be the lifeline these cubs need.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31The jaguar's secretive nature means much of their lives are a mystery.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35But one team is changing all of that.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39The Oncafari Project
0:09:39 > 0:09:44is coordinated by a field biologist, Lilian Rampim...
0:09:47 > 0:09:50..and co-founded by Mario Haberfeld.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55They've been following a group of wild jaguars,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59and seen things completely new to science.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01SHE SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Including these surprising shots.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12We don't know exactly why the jaguars use this tree,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16but we believe that it's like a territory, actually,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20because they came, they mark everything, they smell everything.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31And they chew it a little bit, and then they climb down.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34So I guess it's just an expansion of their territories.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42The team are getting to know individual jaguars...
0:10:47 > 0:10:51..and following them more intimately than ever before.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05They're the first people to get cameras into a wild den.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Revealing astonishing views of six-day-old cubs.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27They've seen that female jaguars are particularly diligent parents.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39And discovered that the jaguar cubs here seem to have
0:11:39 > 0:11:43a very high survival rate compared to other big cats.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Getting these extraordinary insights is a remarkable achievement.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07This new-found knowledge will be essential for trying to return
0:12:07 > 0:12:09the orphaned sisters to the wild.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Tonight, Lili and the team are heading out on an important mission.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26They want to fit key jaguars with the latest radio collars
0:12:26 > 0:12:28to track them more closely.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33But first, they need to catch a cat.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35THUNDER
0:12:37 > 0:12:43They've laid foothold snares on jaguar trails and kills in the area.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48And one has been activated.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07For the team to get close, it needs to be sedated.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13It's a large adult...
0:13:15 > 0:13:17GUNSHOT ..and they recognise her.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24It's Esperanza and this is great news for the team.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31At eight years old, she is an experienced and successful cat,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34who has raised several cubs.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38It's an ideal chance to find out more
0:13:38 > 0:13:41about the life of a wild jaguar.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52There's just 30 minutes to fit her collar.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59We are putting radio collars on these cats
0:13:59 > 0:14:01because it's a really good way to follow them.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06The collar is not a problem for a jaguar, they're quite light.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09The jaguar's 100kg.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12The collar weighs less than 1kg.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16It's not the greatest technology,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19but it's really, really efficient technology.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27First, Esperanza gets a full health check.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Jaguars have the most powerful bite of any big cat.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41One of her canines is broken.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43It probably happened during a hunt.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51The team vet has also noticed something very exciting -
0:14:51 > 0:14:55an indication that she might be pregnant or even nursing cubs.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03After only 20 minutes,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06the anaesthetic is starting to wear off.
0:15:11 > 0:15:1595kg of big cat is about to wake up.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19JAGUAR GRUNTS
0:15:37 > 0:15:41She's so strong that her body is fighting the drugs.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00The collar will drop off after a year or so.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04But before it does,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08they will be able to follow Esperanza closely, hoping to
0:16:08 > 0:16:12gather important new information, especially if she does have cubs.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41The orphaned sisters from Corumba are now 16 months old.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47The attempt to return them to the wild must start now.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Any older, and they'll become too reliant on being in captivity.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58So Rogerio, Lili and the team have joined forces,
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and they have an ambitious plan.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09They're Pantanal jaguars, so if you're releasing them,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11it would have to be in Pantanal.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Taking advantage of the dry season,
0:17:18 > 0:17:23they're constructing a special enclosure, deep in the Pantanal.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34The aim is to give them a taste of the wild
0:17:34 > 0:17:37while they're still being looked after.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45When you have an enclosure in the middle of this natural environment,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47they have access to everything,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50all kind of smells, prey and other jaguars.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58The fencing needs to keep the orphaned sisters in
0:17:58 > 0:18:00and wild jaguars out.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09I definitely think that other jaguars will be very curious,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11because it will be two different jaguars,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15two different smells, new chemistry.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17They will come to check, definitely.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Especially the males.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22To stand a chance of success,
0:18:22 > 0:18:27the team need to keep human contact to an absolute minimum.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32They can't enter the enclosure once the cubs arrive.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Remote cameras will be vital to monitor how the orphans
0:18:37 > 0:18:39progress over the coming year.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49It's taken three months but at last the enclosure is ready.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08The two orphans don't know it yet,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11but their lives are about to change forever.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19They have a nearly 20-hour drive ahead of them.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23But first, there's a health check to pass,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and for that, they need to be tranquillised.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It's a good chance for Rogerio to see how they're doing.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47A jaguar's teeth are the best indication of its age and health.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52She's in great shape, great shape.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20Meanwhile, Lili is making final checks to the enclosure.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26I'm just thinking about the construction, if we miss something.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29But I guess not. We always will feel like that, you know,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31we always will feel that we miss something.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35But, actually, we are ready.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45As their journey starts, these two jaguars have suddenly changed
0:20:45 > 0:20:48from being two lonely orphans
0:20:48 > 0:20:52to becoming two of the most important big cats on the continent.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05If this reintroduction works,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Rogerio knows it could be key to helping jaguars all across Brazil,
0:21:09 > 0:21:13especially in areas where they're most under threat.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19This experiment that we're doing here, it's going to teach us
0:21:19 > 0:21:26how to rehabilitate cubs in order to release back in the wild.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32And one of our goals is to learn this, to try and do this in
0:21:32 > 0:21:38an authentic forest that the jaguars are extremely endangered.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40They are very, very...
0:21:42 > 0:21:44..few animals.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50So by doing this, we could actually help the entire forest population.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56The future of many other jaguars is now riding with these two sisters.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38We made it! Yay!
0:22:42 > 0:22:47After 1,240km
0:22:47 > 0:22:50and 19 hours on the road,
0:22:50 > 0:22:51we're exhausted.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Perhaps we're not as exhausted as the jaguars there,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00shaking in the back of the van.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02But we're all very happy
0:23:02 > 0:23:07that we brought them finally to their new home.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09They're coming.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22This is the first time Lili has seen the orphans
0:23:22 > 0:23:24she will care for over the next year.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29I'm watching a jaguar crazy to leave this cage.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34She is responding very well to the boys.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35Aggressive.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47They're pretty. They're so beautiful, jaguars.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54Lili is determined to give these youngsters the very best
0:23:54 > 0:23:57chance of a new life in the wild.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03It's unfair for them.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05They lose their mum so soon.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10And it will be unfair on them to die in captivity.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15They deserve to have a good life.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27Their loss is something that Lili herself can relate to.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Unfortunately, this year, I had the same experience
0:24:30 > 0:24:33that the jaguars did, losing their mum really soon,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36and this year, I lost my mum as well.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41And, for me, it's quite easy to understand right now what's
0:24:41 > 0:24:43not having your mum around.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54I am really lucky because my mum raised me.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59They didn't have this opportunity to be with mum and learn.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04And now they're suffering. They suffer every day.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14So it's a really special project for me right now,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17because I know the way that they're feeling.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32Releasing them into the enclosure is a very special moment for them all.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39SHE WHISPERS IN PORTUGUESE
0:25:47 > 0:25:50The bigger and bolder sister
0:25:50 > 0:25:54is the first to step into this strange, new world.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14This is awesome.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16To see them coming out...
0:26:18 > 0:26:19..I have no words to say.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35But it's so nice to see the two sisters exploring the new home,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38very nice, very nice.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47The orphans are back in the Pantanal, where they were born.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49But there's months of work ahead
0:26:49 > 0:26:52before they're ready for life in the wild.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54THEY SPEAK PORTUGUESE
0:26:56 > 0:26:57Now it's their turn.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00Now it's the hard job.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07No-one knows if this will work.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10But at least now they have a chance.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14The team will need to use everything they've discovered about jaguars
0:27:14 > 0:27:19to try and help the orphans become truly wild cats.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33As the orphans settle in,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36the team turn their attention to another project.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45They've had an innovative idea to see if they can get wild jaguars
0:27:45 > 0:27:49to accept the presence of people and cars.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57This is the first time where jaguars
0:27:57 > 0:28:00are being habituated in Brazil to vehicles.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05It's actually an old technique where they use in South Africa.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11We adapt it to jaguars.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14We adapt it to Pantanal.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17They want tourists to come and see the jaguars,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21giving them an economic value to the people who live here.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25But basing a business on a notoriously elusive predator
0:28:25 > 0:28:28seems, well, verging on the impossible.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37They will need to work closely with individual cats
0:28:37 > 0:28:42so collared females like Esperanza are key to the project.
0:28:46 > 0:28:52Three months after her capture, they discover she's no longer alone.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Tucked against her side are two small cubs.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12That night was really special.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14We thought that she was going to be alone,
0:29:14 > 0:29:18because we saw her a couple of times and she was always by herself.
0:29:18 > 0:29:23So we weren't expecting two little cubs, all happy and jumping.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39We were quite close, it was 20 metres away.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45They were with their mum, the two tiny cubs.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50At the time, we didn't know if they were male or female,
0:29:50 > 0:29:52it was just two cubs, happy cubs.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58Esperanza seems incredibly relaxed to have the team so close by.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04She was laying down, they were starting to suck the milk,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06until they fall asleep.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19It's the sign to Lili and the team
0:30:19 > 0:30:24that their plan to habituate wild jaguars might just work.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48When they're old enough, Esperanza will teach her cubs to hunt.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54But the two orphans don't have a mother to teach them.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03And they won't survive unless they can catch prey by themselves.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11So the team have to make a tough decision.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17The project has been granted special licences
0:31:17 > 0:31:20to capture wild prey for the orphans
0:31:20 > 0:31:24but it doesn't make the job of feeding them any more comfortable.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28To capture a live animal and offer it to these jaguars,
0:31:28 > 0:31:30it's not the happiest job ever, obviously.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35You need to face some demons to do this,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38because you are responsible to finish their lives.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43The reality is that the jaguars can't be released
0:31:43 > 0:31:47unless they can fend for themselves.
0:31:47 > 0:31:48It's the only way.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53If I offered dead chicken or just a piece of meat,
0:31:53 > 0:31:58they'll never understand that this animal over there means food.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05If you're not offering live prey,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08the chance of this whole project works is zero.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21The sisters reveal their hunting instinct,
0:32:21 > 0:32:23catching their own meal for the very first time.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29It's a very huge step forward on their journey back to the wild.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42The team believe jaguars prefer wild prey
0:32:42 > 0:32:45but there's no denying that they also kill cattle.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55This is Esperanza's territory.
0:32:57 > 0:33:02And Lili's colleague, Leo, finds some intriguing evidence.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04We have two marks.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06The mum...
0:33:08 > 0:33:10..and the little marks...
0:33:11 > 0:33:12..the cubs.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Keen to see how they're doing,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32they stake out the kill and wait for nightfall.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46Slipping from the shadows, the family appear.
0:34:06 > 0:34:11Once again, the jaguars allow the team to remain close by.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Now they can see first-hand
0:34:15 > 0:34:18how an experienced mother teaches her cubs.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26At six months old, the cubs are weaning.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34Esperanza shows them what to do, but then she leaves them alone.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39They must learn to work out things for themselves
0:34:39 > 0:34:41to become independent.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Now, they just need to get on top of the situation.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00The fact that jaguars kill cattle
0:35:00 > 0:35:04is the greatest threat to their future here.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09It's given these big cats a very bad reputation
0:35:09 > 0:35:11with the people who work the land.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15HE SHOUTS
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Cattle ranching is one of the oldest industries of Pantanal.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Four million cattle are grazed across the region.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32In some ways, cattle are Pantanal's saviour.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Ranching has stopped the land from being developed.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42Killing jaguars here is illegal...
0:35:44 > 0:35:48..but living alongside the predatory big cat isn't easy.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05This ranch has stamped out hunting jaguars,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08but, elsewhere in the region, it still goes on.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43Reducing the conflict and changing attitudes towards these cats
0:36:43 > 0:36:45is crucial for their future.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51We need to find a way for farmers to understand that
0:36:51 > 0:36:54you can have cows and jaguars in your property.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01So we are showing them that the jaguar
0:37:01 > 0:37:04is much more valuable alive than dead.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11This is why the habituation plan is so important.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16An ecotourism industry would show everyone here
0:37:16 > 0:37:18that jaguars do have a value.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27So far, the team's pioneering projects are going well,
0:37:27 > 0:37:31but Pantanal is about to unleash a new challenge.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40THUNDER ROLLS
0:37:42 > 0:37:46The wet season breathes new life into the land.
0:38:02 > 0:38:07But 80% of this vast wetland floods every year,
0:38:07 > 0:38:10so following wild jaguars like Esperanza
0:38:10 > 0:38:13becomes a lot more difficult.
0:38:18 > 0:38:23This wet season is such a blessing to the environment,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26to the jaguars, to all of the animals in the Pantanal.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30And it's beautiful.
0:38:30 > 0:38:35It's amazing to be here and see this landscape.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41But, at the same time, it's awful for us...
0:38:41 > 0:38:45cos it gets really more hard to find them.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50And once you find them, through the GPS collar,
0:38:50 > 0:38:54it's really hard to reach them and sometimes it's just impossible.
0:39:00 > 0:39:05While the team try and find and habituate the wild jaguars here,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08they are doing the exact opposite with the orphans...
0:39:08 > 0:39:11and teaching them to become more elusive.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24And, after seven months back in the Pantanal,
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Lili is pleased with their progress.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33The last time that I saw the jaguars was...
0:39:34 > 0:39:37..seven days ago. Seven days ago.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45They're healthy, bigger, with more muscle,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47less belly.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Healthy, healthy jaguars, crazy to get out of here.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59But they're not yet ready for life in the wild.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01They need to prove that they can tackle
0:40:01 > 0:40:03the most difficult prey of all.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12A male capybara might look docile,
0:40:12 > 0:40:15but they're expert swimmers with razor-sharp teeth.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21This is one of the toughest quarries for any jaguar
0:40:21 > 0:40:23and they must prove they can catch one.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34- WHISPERING:- The capybara is keeping really,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37really still and that's the problem.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42There's no sound, so the jaguars, they don't realise...
0:40:42 > 0:40:44that there's a capybara over there.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51The jaguars are now so secretive that the only way to see how
0:40:51 > 0:40:54they hunt is with remote cameras.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21We can see that the sisters are really, really different...
0:41:21 > 0:41:24especially when it's the hunting time.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28They show us that one is much more dominant,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30she goes for it,
0:41:30 > 0:41:32and the other one is more cautious.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38But you can see that she is trying as well.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41She's not laying down, looking to the sister to do all the jobs.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45She's swimming, she's chasing the capybara.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49They've never known life apart from one another
0:41:49 > 0:41:52and seem to be figuring it out together.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00They're helping each other, but obviously you can see that one
0:42:00 > 0:42:02is much more dominant than the other.
0:42:09 > 0:42:10They are still learning.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13They didn't have their mum around to teach them.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24It's not an easy position. They are becoming jaguars.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28They are learning that.
0:42:38 > 0:42:43Working as a team, they've passed this critical test,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46but it's clear that one is a better hunter,
0:42:46 > 0:42:49leaving the other to follow her lead.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54They both need to be able to fend for themselves
0:42:54 > 0:42:56if they are to survive in the wild.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Although the land is still inaccessible,
0:43:07 > 0:43:09the team turn to the tree cameras
0:43:09 > 0:43:13to see how Esperanza and her cubs are getting on.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24At ten months old, the cubs are growing up fast.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33Within the year, they will leave their mother
0:43:33 > 0:43:36and they will have to be well-prepared.
0:43:49 > 0:43:53They're not independent, but Esperanza taught them everything -
0:43:53 > 0:43:56where to find food, where to live.
0:43:59 > 0:44:04So I believe that, when these cubs leave the presence of the mum,
0:44:04 > 0:44:06they will be just fine.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15With such an attentive and experienced mother,
0:44:15 > 0:44:19they're getting the best possible start in life.
0:44:29 > 0:44:34As the wet season draws to a close, the team have made a decision -
0:44:34 > 0:44:38the orphans will get their chance to live in the wild.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43They need a final health check
0:44:43 > 0:44:47and tracking collars to monitor their movements.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53Fresh meat is used to lure them into the cells.
0:44:53 > 0:44:58Then they back off and leave the jaguars alone for the night.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19The next morning, there is worrying news.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22One of the cats has injured itself.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28It's an anxious wait until they can go and help.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32- WHISPERING:- I think it's going to be fine. It's just a matter of time.
0:45:36 > 0:45:37But this waiting...
0:45:37 > 0:45:39is killing me.
0:45:42 > 0:45:46During the night, the bolder sister fought to get free and hurt
0:45:46 > 0:45:49herself on the bars of the cage.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54'They are so strong and they are so confident that they think,'
0:45:54 > 0:45:57in their mind, they think that they're going to break the bar.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00CHATTER
0:46:00 > 0:46:02So they put - grr -
0:46:02 > 0:46:06they are really, really strong and it's doing that...
0:46:06 > 0:46:08happens to broke the teeth.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11CHATTER
0:46:12 > 0:46:17In a way, I guess it was better to happen with this one compared
0:46:17 > 0:46:19to the other one...
0:46:19 > 0:46:22because this one hunts so much better.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27It is bad but I guess, in my opinion, could be worse
0:46:27 > 0:46:30if it happens with the other one.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33CHATTER
0:46:33 > 0:46:37Esperanza has shown that a jaguar can still make a kill
0:46:37 > 0:46:39with a broken tooth...
0:46:40 > 0:46:43..but the smaller sister is showing signs
0:46:43 > 0:46:45that she has had problems hunting.
0:46:46 > 0:46:51These injuries are from difficult prey animals.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53She's clearly struggled to take them down.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01Despite these setbacks, the orphans are given a clean bill of health
0:47:01 > 0:47:04and left to recover.
0:47:10 > 0:47:15They have a final month in the enclosure to get used to the collars
0:47:15 > 0:47:19before a very big step into the unknown.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49The day has arrived.
0:47:51 > 0:47:56After a difficult start in life, they're about to get their freedom.
0:48:05 > 0:48:09Everything that Lili, Rogerio and the team have done
0:48:09 > 0:48:11has built to this.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16That moment of pulling up the cable...
0:48:18 > 0:48:20..it was very, very...
0:48:22 > 0:48:25I wouldn't say emotional, but a very strong moment, you know?
0:48:25 > 0:48:27It's just like...
0:48:27 > 0:48:28It's now.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36Let's go. It's open now.
0:48:36 > 0:48:37Now it's up to them.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42I don't know how to describe this feeling.
0:48:42 > 0:48:43I don't have words, actually.
0:48:43 > 0:48:47I am struggling to believe that we are actually doing this, you know?
0:48:47 > 0:48:48This is... This is unique in Brazil.
0:48:48 > 0:48:52Nobody has ever done this before, so it's a huge responsibility.
0:48:52 > 0:48:57We did our part outside, they did their best inside,
0:48:57 > 0:48:59and what else we can do?
0:49:00 > 0:49:03We just opened the door, my friend.
0:49:03 > 0:49:05Yes, we did. We did open it.
0:49:05 > 0:49:06We did open the door.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09Any moment from now, they just can walk away.
0:49:10 > 0:49:14- They have their life back. - It's amazing.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18I believe that both of them are going to live, I truly believe.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20We underestimate nature.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22We are always trying to protect them, protect them
0:49:22 > 0:49:25and they just don't need that.
0:49:25 > 0:49:26Good luck, girls.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28They should be fine.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31We need to trust on them, we need to believe them
0:49:31 > 0:49:34and we need to believe that they're going to be fine.
0:49:35 > 0:49:41Now to wait and hope that all the work they've done will pay off.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49The remote cameras and data from their tracking collars
0:49:49 > 0:49:51will reveal what happens next.
0:50:13 > 0:50:15In the morning, the team gather,
0:50:15 > 0:50:18anxious to see if the orphans have left the enclosure.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25The first satellite points come in,
0:50:25 > 0:50:27revealing where they are.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29Oh!
0:50:29 > 0:50:30Woo!
0:50:30 > 0:50:35THEY SPEAK IN PORTUGESE
0:50:35 > 0:50:37They're gone. They're gone.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40- They're gone. - They're by their own now.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43We open the enclosure, we left the place
0:50:43 > 0:50:44and they're gone...
0:50:44 > 0:50:46You know? Just like that.
0:50:46 > 0:50:47It was really fast.
0:50:53 > 0:50:58The most interesting thing, when you look at the cameras,
0:50:58 > 0:51:01the little sister came out to explore first...
0:51:03 > 0:51:07..and she came out, like, without second thoughts.
0:51:10 > 0:51:14Perhaps the smaller sister isn't so timid after all.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22The other one was inside,
0:51:22 > 0:51:26it was like trying to understand how she came out,
0:51:26 > 0:51:28what she was doing outside.
0:51:48 > 0:51:52It wasn't long before her bigger sister followed,
0:51:52 > 0:51:56cautiously taking her first steps back in the wild.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17From a small enclosure,
0:52:17 > 0:52:21they now have hundreds of miles of wilderness at their feet.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39The sisters will now need to find their own place
0:52:39 > 0:52:41amongst the wild jaguars here.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51The team's other project, habituating these wild jaguars,
0:52:51 > 0:52:53is also proving a success.
0:52:58 > 0:53:02A number of cats can now be watched closely from a vehicle...
0:53:04 > 0:53:07..like this young female - Nuca.
0:53:08 > 0:53:10For the project founders,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13Simon Bellingham and Mario Haberfeld,
0:53:13 > 0:53:16this is a sign their work is paying off.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19As you can see, she doesn't even look at us.
0:53:21 > 0:53:25She sees us almost every day and we don't represent any threat to her,
0:53:25 > 0:53:27so she's very relaxed.
0:53:29 > 0:53:33I think we're all very fortunate to be able to witness this.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35There's not many people in the world
0:53:35 > 0:53:38who have witnessed a wild jaguar by the car.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44They're proving that, just like big cats in Africa,
0:53:44 > 0:53:48Pantanal's jaguars really can be the foundation
0:53:48 > 0:53:50of vehicle-based ecotourism.
0:53:55 > 0:53:59And the cat that always steals the show...
0:54:00 > 0:54:01..is Esperanza...
0:54:11 > 0:54:14..and her two cubs, now 16 months old.
0:54:20 > 0:54:25Jaguars like Esperanza are helping change hearts and minds
0:54:25 > 0:54:27towards these predators,
0:54:27 > 0:54:29even amongst the ranchers.
0:54:30 > 0:54:34The cowboys nowadays realise the value of the jaguar...
0:54:35 > 0:54:39..and they see the economic power that the jaguar has.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44He still has his job as a cowboy,
0:54:44 > 0:54:47but now his wife is working in the lodge as a cook,
0:54:47 > 0:54:51his daughter is working, cleaning the lodge,
0:54:51 > 0:54:53his son is becoming a guide...
0:54:55 > 0:54:58..so now his whole family is employed,
0:54:58 > 0:55:00thanks to this one animal.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:55:03 > 0:55:06It's a remarkable achievement
0:55:06 > 0:55:09and one which will help many jaguars in the future.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23Four days after the orphans' release,
0:55:23 > 0:55:26the satellite collar reveals the smaller sister
0:55:26 > 0:55:28has been staying in one spot.
0:55:33 > 0:55:38The team wait for her to leave before venturing in to have a look.
0:55:42 > 0:55:46To their great excitement, it's a kill.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54'It was just amazing.'
0:55:54 > 0:55:56We were there,
0:55:56 > 0:55:58we saw this peccary, you know,
0:55:58 > 0:56:02and I was impressed because it's a peccary.
0:56:02 > 0:56:04Peccary is a dangerous animal.
0:56:07 > 0:56:11She didn't waste any piece of meat - she ate everything.
0:56:11 > 0:56:14She cleaned the carcass. There is nothing left.
0:56:14 > 0:56:16It couldn't be better.
0:56:19 > 0:56:24This success marks the final chapter in the two-year journey
0:56:24 > 0:56:27of the orphans, from their dramatic rescue,
0:56:27 > 0:56:31through their gradual re-wilding, to their release.
0:56:35 > 0:56:39It's a journey that has been very personal for all those
0:56:39 > 0:56:41involved from the start.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51Having this opportunity of taking care of these two cubs
0:56:51 > 0:56:53is a new hope, a new chapter...
0:56:54 > 0:56:56..to protect jaguars.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58It's a great honour.
0:56:58 > 0:57:01I'm very honoured to be part of this team,
0:57:01 > 0:57:02to be part of this project.
0:57:07 > 0:57:12In the months that follow, the orphan sisters continue to thrive.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20They both hunt wild prey successfully
0:57:20 > 0:57:23and the camera traps reveal one of the sisters
0:57:23 > 0:57:26has joined up with the dominant male in the area.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32They have earned their place,
0:57:32 > 0:57:37both in the hearts of Lili and the team and amongst the wild cats here.
0:57:40 > 0:57:45For the first time, I can say that they are wild jaguars.
0:57:45 > 0:57:48I couldn't say that when they are in captivity,
0:57:48 > 0:57:50but, right now, they are wild jaguars.
0:57:54 > 0:57:59This pioneering project has helped reveal the secrets of one of
0:57:59 > 0:58:01the world's least-known predators.
0:58:08 > 0:58:11And, with this knowledge, there is now new hope
0:58:11 > 0:58:15for all of Brazil's supreme big cats.