0:00:37 > 0:00:41There are a few sights in nature as dramatic
0:00:41 > 0:00:44as a big cat battling its prey.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49But cheetahs aren't born ready to hunt.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54It's a skill their mothers teach them over many challenging months.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04What does it take to turn tiny cubs into fully formed predators?
0:01:06 > 0:01:10To find out, one film-maker forged an extraordinary bond
0:01:10 > 0:01:13with a wild cheetah family
0:01:13 > 0:01:15and, over a year and a half,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19recorded their lives in remarkably intimate detail.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Thanks to his unique relationship,
0:01:28 > 0:01:33we can witness cheetah family life extremely close up...
0:01:37 > 0:01:41..and reveal the heartbreak and triumph a cheetah mother faces
0:01:41 > 0:01:44as she battles to raise the next generation.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02On Malilangwe Game Reserve in Zimbabwe,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04a female cheetah has been keeping a secret.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11She is the mother of five new cubs.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19This is a dangerous place for such small ones,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22so she's been hiding them in thick undergrowth.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27But her secret is about to be discovered.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Conservationist and cameraman Kim Wolhuter
0:02:32 > 0:02:36has spent his entire adult life filming Africa's wild animals.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41He had been following the female, gaining her trust,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43until she disappeared, six months earlier.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I had a call on the radio that there was a cheetah with small cubs.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51And I thought, "Oh, maybe it's her."
0:02:55 > 0:02:58And, lo and behold, it was the same mother cheetah
0:02:58 > 0:03:02and she had five new little cubs. And they were tiny.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05They were probably just nearly three months old.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Like all cheetah mothers,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12she has no partner or sisters to help her feed and protect
0:03:12 > 0:03:13these vulnerable cubs.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17That responsibility is hers alone.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21And she's just over a year to teach them
0:03:21 > 0:03:25how to survive in the wilderness without her.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31But the question for Kim was -
0:03:31 > 0:03:34would she allow him back into her world?
0:03:37 > 0:03:40And it must have been within the first week, I think,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46I got out and I was filming and the cubs came right up to me.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAKS
0:03:55 > 0:03:59And the mother just lay over there. She wasn't even looking.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13And that was how the whole thing started.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14And it was wonderful.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18The mother's incredible acceptance of Kim
0:04:18 > 0:04:22would allow him to witness the lives of a wild cheetah family
0:04:22 > 0:04:24in a way he never imagined.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33It wasn't long and I was walking with them,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35sleeping with them and even following them on the hunt.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44It's spring. And for a single mother,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48it's no easy task herding five small cats.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53But her cubs know her by her call.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Over the coming months, they will pay attention
0:04:56 > 0:04:57when they hear her voice.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59SQUEAKING CALLS
0:04:59 > 0:05:02It's a language we can't understand,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05but for them, her meaning is always clear.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Her home spreads for 200 square miles between these forested hills
0:05:14 > 0:05:16and the seasonal river to the west.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23While this wooded terrain doesn't seem like typical cheetah habitat,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27she's already successfully raised four cubs beneath this canopy.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37But this doesn't mean that her role as a single parent is easy.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42The forest harbours many enemies, like leopards and lions.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Even baboons are too powerful
0:05:47 > 0:05:49for the lightweight mother to stand up to.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Their fluffy coats help to disguise them in the undergrowth,
0:05:59 > 0:06:03but when they're on the move, they need to stay close by her side.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Right now, with five hungry cubs depending on her milk,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19she must seize every chance to feed herself.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Her prey - the impala that thrive in these woodlands.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Every other day, she must wrestle one of these powerful antelope
0:06:36 > 0:06:37to the death.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42But first, she must lose five little shadows.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48When those cubs were really small,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51it was quite interesting how she would sneak off hunting
0:06:51 > 0:06:54and the little guys would just know that they had to go and hide,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and they'd hide away in a little bush and wait there.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16Her hyperactive cubs can't be trusted to keep still.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Their play could attract unwelcome attention.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26But their mother simply can't be in two places at once.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37In open terrain, she can reach a top speed of nearly 60mph -
0:07:37 > 0:07:39twice as fast as an Olympic sprinter.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46But the forest is a hazardous obstacle course...
0:07:47 > 0:07:51..for a high-speed hunter as well as her prey.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Dinner's ready and she calls her family to join her.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16But what does she want?
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Their bellies are full with her rich milk,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26and they're not too eager to share her strange meal.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36In those early days when she would take them to a carcass
0:08:36 > 0:08:39and they'd sort of look at this thing, and they'd be terrified,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42"What is this thing? What are we supposed to do with this thing?"
0:08:43 > 0:08:45And then they'd come and they'd start playing with it,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47and they weren't even bothering to eat,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50they were just biting and pulling and stuff.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05It's been a hard day
0:09:05 > 0:09:10and she still needs to get a long line of cubs bathed.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Grooming keeps them clean but it's also the cheetah version of a hug,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18strengthening their bond.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And then she still has energy for a bedtime game
0:09:25 > 0:09:29that requires unlimited patience from one of the players.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37But she can never totally let her guard down.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39LION ROARS
0:09:47 > 0:09:51The hours of darkness are perilous for these diurnal cats.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57And tonight the mother can't protect her family
0:09:57 > 0:10:00from their deadliest enemy.
0:10:00 > 0:10:06Kim had only been filming them for a few short weeks when tragedy struck.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13The next morning, when I came back, one of the cubs was missing.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25I searched around and, not far from where I found them,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27there were lion tracks.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29I can only presume they'd killed a cub.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36But normally lions don't, they don't eat them,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39so they just kill it and leave it there.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42And I searched and searched the area for ages, trying to find something,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44but I never could find anything.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48The mother has no choice -
0:10:48 > 0:10:51she has to share her range with larger predators
0:10:51 > 0:10:54that readily kill competitors.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02To survive in this forest,
0:11:02 > 0:11:07she must keep moving her family as far away from the pride as possible.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Four cubs follow her today.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17They're all females, except for one.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21And he soon captured Kim's attention.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25I started developing a relationship with the little male.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27And I call him Solo.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30What happens when cheetah reach adulthood,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32the males will go off together
0:11:32 > 0:11:34and the females will go and have their own cubs.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38But Solo was the only male, so he was going to go off on his own.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43And it was going to be Solo and my little journey together.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49By late spring, the hot, dry season has reached its peak
0:11:49 > 0:11:53and soaring temperatures make the family thirsty.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59The only water remains in a shrinking dam
0:11:59 > 0:12:03where hundreds of birds flock to drink.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10African waters are treacherous places to take a young family,
0:12:10 > 0:12:11and she approaches with caution.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23The safest place to drink is also the least desirable -
0:12:23 > 0:12:26a muddy pool near the edge of the dam.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Solo, in a display of early independence,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51decides to take his own route to water...
0:12:53 > 0:12:55..but soon regrets it.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Mother is impatient to move on.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30They can't linger here.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32There's no cover for her cubs
0:13:32 > 0:13:36and they're still too small to outrun danger.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40But she won't need to rely on the dam for much longer
0:13:40 > 0:13:44because the summer wet season is about to begin.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46THUNDER RUMBLES
0:14:01 > 0:14:04THUNDER CRASHES
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Rain is a whole new experience for the cubs,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12and within a few short weeks,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16the only world they've known looks very different.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31The dry riverbed becomes a stream.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Then a river, cutting off the western edge
0:14:39 > 0:14:41of the mother's territory.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46And, in secluded corners of the forest,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50hidden from the family's view, new life begins.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05THUNDER CRASHES
0:15:05 > 0:15:08As the wet season gets into full swing,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12they no longer need to risk their lives for a drink.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15They can lick as much water as they like off each other's fur.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25The cubs' first summer will be a season of discovery
0:15:25 > 0:15:27and peculiar playmates.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Aroused by rain from its dry-season burrow,
0:15:32 > 0:15:37this one's a little withdrawn around strangers.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50His sisters soon lose interest but Solo, always inquisitive,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52is determined to play.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Now, if only he could figure out which end is front.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31It's been four months since her cubs were born,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34and the mother's milk is no longer enough to sustain
0:16:34 > 0:16:36their growing appetites.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43They need to eat meat.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45And today they're going to find out
0:16:45 > 0:16:47just what she has to do to feed them.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59The forest provides a choice of lookouts to help her locate food.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Her cubs love imitating her,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09and an impromptu lesson in hunting is about to begin.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13First, scan for prey.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Next, get down and stalk it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Climbing up is one thing...
0:17:39 > 0:17:41..reversing quite another.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48This is going to take a whole lot longer than she thought.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Clearly, climbing such upright trees
0:17:58 > 0:18:02is not a skill these little forest cats were born with.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Their stalking technique will improve with practice.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30For now, Solo is the only one showing any aptitude.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44As she closes in on her prey,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47the lesson suddenly becomes more compelling.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Watching her is the best way to learn how to hunt.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11A signal from her tells them to keep still
0:19:11 > 0:19:13for the next few critical seconds.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33The wait is over, and they're eager to get closer to the action.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41They've never seen her do this before
0:19:41 > 0:19:44and their murmurs betray their anxiety.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46CUBS WHINE SOFTLY
0:19:47 > 0:19:49The ram is almost twice her weight.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52His sharp horns are a lethal weapon.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56And front-row seats have become too close for comfort.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13She needs to clench her small jaws around his throat
0:20:13 > 0:20:15until he suffocates.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28It seems to be a textbook kill.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36Except down does not always mean out with these powerful opponents.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43But Kim had faith in the skills of his superb huntress.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50When you see how this mother cheetah would catch a big male impala and
0:20:50 > 0:20:53then wrestle with this thing, I mean, it was incredible strength,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and the power that she has just to hold on to that thing
0:20:56 > 0:20:58and then to bring it down.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Now it's safe.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Her kill is a triumph for the family.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48And the little cats have finally developed a big appetite for meat.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53THUNDER CRASHES
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Even the cold, hard rain is not going to chase them from this meal.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04But tonight, by lingering at the carcass,
0:22:04 > 0:22:06the mother is making a fatal mistake.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I left the cheetah in the evening, and they had a fresh kill.
0:22:11 > 0:22:16And when I got back the next morning the kill has disappeared,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20and I found them about half a kilometre away,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22just the three cubs.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25And my little friend, Solo, was missing.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27So I searched and searched the area.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34And I found Solo lying at the base of the tree,
0:22:34 > 0:22:36dead and partially eaten.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Probably because they were on a kill,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44a leopard has come in to the smell or whatever, and surprised them.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49This journey that I was going to go on with Solo
0:22:49 > 0:22:52had now suddenly come to an end.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57And that whole little bubble just got burst instantly.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17Predators have killed two of her cubs in the space of a month.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23This is the fate of many cheetah cubs.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27And a huge challenge for Africa's most threatened big cat.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35If she's to keep her last three little ones alive,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38she can't afford any mistakes.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51So now we were left with three females,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and they were doing really well.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Two months have passed since Solo's death,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02and the seven-month-old cubs have outgrown
0:24:02 > 0:24:05the protective cloak of downy fur on their backs.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10Over the weeks, they've witnessed their mother's hunting prowess
0:24:10 > 0:24:15and now every free moment is their chance to play at predator and prey.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29They're also beginning to make themselves
0:24:29 > 0:24:31known in the neighbourhood.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Some neighbours are less approachable than others.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Part of their long adventure over the coming seasons will be learning
0:25:02 > 0:25:05which animals to hunt
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and which to steer clear of.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21And, speaking of hunting,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25their mother's decided that it's time for a more hands-on lesson.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31It may seem cruel,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33but the season's live impala lambs
0:25:33 > 0:25:35provide the perfect classroom exercise
0:25:35 > 0:25:37for these predators in training.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44MOTHER CHEETAH CALLS
0:25:47 > 0:25:50The trick is not to let it slip through their paws.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59It's been a successful few weeks for the mother and her daughters.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02But that's about to change.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08One summer morning, Kim arrived to find the family scattered.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14The cheetah were everywhere and I just heard cubs, you know,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16that little whistle...
0:26:16 > 0:26:17All over the place.
0:26:19 > 0:26:20Something had happened.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30I found one of the youngsters,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33and this cub was obviously in a bad way.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Then I realised it had a serious injury and it looked like, I think,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43a baboon had probably bit her across the shoulders.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45CUB SQUEALS
0:26:45 > 0:26:48You know, baboons and cheetah are a serious problem,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50and baboons do go for them and chase them.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54And whenever the mother heard baboons,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56she would just move away from them.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Her priority is to gather her family together.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05But her injured daughter cannot keep up.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16The cub is traumatised and, to make matters worse,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19biting ants soon begin to swarm all over her.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Kim is concerned that the ants will eat her alive.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Until now, he's simply been a witness,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41documenting the family's fortunes.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46He faced a dilemma - should he help the cub or not?
0:27:48 > 0:27:52We sort of have a policy that if it's a man-made injury,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55then you come in and you try and sort the animal out.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59But if it's a natural injury, then you don't.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Unless it's an endangered species.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06And, in this case, we called a vet in, he came and helped,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10we stitched up the cheetah and we took her back to her mother.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19Kim's intervention saved her life
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and brought him even closer to the family.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30So, she would have that scar for the rest of her life now.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35And, then, that day, I decided to name her, and I named her Shanatse.
0:28:35 > 0:28:36I just like that name.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40It's the name of a mopane tree in the local Shangaan language.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42And I just liked the sound of the name and it suited her.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56In no time at all, little Shanatse is on the mend.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Although it will take a few days
0:29:01 > 0:29:04before she's well enough to run around with her sisters.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29But the mother's trials are not over yet.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31There's more upheaval to come.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Just days later,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40one of the other cubs appears thin and unsteady on her feet.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57Within hours, she's collapsed and is bleeding from her nose.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13She has contracted a mysterious and deadly illness,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15and the mother is helpless.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22She can offer only comfort, nothing more.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40The disease has taken hold so quickly
0:30:40 > 0:30:43that even Kim is unable to help.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11MOTHER CHEETAH CALLS
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Her calls urge her daughter to get up and follow her.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31But she can't.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44By nightfall, her little one is dead.
0:31:49 > 0:31:55Despite her best efforts, the mother has lost three cubs in seven months.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00As far as providing goes, she could provide.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02And that was never a problem.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04She was a really good hunter and she could provide food.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08But she couldn't protect them from all that other stuff,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and that's stuff which a lot of cheetah can't do.
0:32:11 > 0:32:17Now only two cubs follow where once there were five.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23It will take all her skill and a huge dose of luck
0:32:23 > 0:32:26to get her surviving daughters through to adulthood.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Soon Kim began to notice that the two cubs
0:32:44 > 0:32:46had very different personalities.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53You know, Shanatse was always more calculating and quite independent.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59While the other cub, which I named Chinzvi,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03she was more of a baby and a real mummy's girl.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05She just loved her mummy.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10She was really obliging and, later, when I needed to check them,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13she'd let me just walk up to her and put on a radio collar.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38Weeks pass, and the rainy season draws to a close.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47It's difficult to find suitable prey in late summer's long grass.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23The family spots an impala herd on the far shore.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29But the water in between is an unwelcome obstacle,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33guarded by ill-tempered hippos.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40And these cats don't like to get their paws wet.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55The river's gone down since the rains ended,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58but they still need to find a shallow place to cross.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16True to their characters, Shanatse makes her way across with finesse.
0:35:16 > 0:35:22Chinzvi, on the other hand, would rather stay on dry land,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25and she wants to be sure her mother's coming along.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44There's no turning back now.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01The lush summer grazing has left the herds
0:36:01 > 0:36:03in peak physical condition.
0:36:06 > 0:36:07The mother must get close.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11She can't sustain top speed for very long.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46It's an exhausting struggle but, today, for the first time,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48her daughters are eager to help her.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58They might have enthusiasm and instinct but, at eight months old,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00they still lack skill.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07And it's not clear exactly what Chinzvi's contribution is.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28They've participated in their first big hunt.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31And Shanatse is eager to claim the trophy.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35But Kim knew what was coming next.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45Cheetah have this funny thing that, youngsters especially,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48once they've caught this thing and once it's down on the ground
0:37:48 > 0:37:50then, OK, it's dead now, so we can let go.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53And then they're surprise with, "Hey, it's got up again."
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Everyone will go hungry today.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05By autumn their forest changes colour,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08and the mopane trees that gave Shanatse her name
0:38:08 > 0:38:10start to lose their leaves.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Change blows in on the cool winds.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20One morning, two strangers arrive.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36It's a coalition of brothers, with only one thing on their mind -
0:38:36 > 0:38:39to mate with the mother.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Unlike other big cats,
0:38:46 > 0:38:49cheetahs do not typically kill cubs that do not belong to them.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53All the same, Chinzvi seems frightened.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02The mother's aggressive response
0:39:02 > 0:39:05should leave them in no doubt that she's not ready to mate.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15But they're not taking no for an answer.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23They follow the family deeper into the forest.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28CHEETAH CALLS
0:39:33 > 0:39:36Chinzvi's persistent cries are not helping the situation.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49The brothers aren't giving up.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51They're after a scent that will let them know
0:39:51 > 0:39:53that she's come back into oestrus.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03And when that happens,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06she will abandon her cubs to begin a new family.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12It's as if Chinzvi knows this and objects.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16SHE CALLS
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Their advances are premature.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42But they'll be back.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Shanatse and Chinzvi are still too young
0:40:54 > 0:40:56to make their own way in the world,
0:40:56 > 0:41:00but their mother's running out of time to get them ready
0:41:00 > 0:41:01for a life without her.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Months pass,
0:41:12 > 0:41:16and the chilly start of winter marks the sisters' first birthday.
0:41:19 > 0:41:20They're growing in confidence,
0:41:20 > 0:41:24and now approach hunting practice with determination.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35A bush piglet has been hidden in the grass
0:41:35 > 0:41:37while its mother is away foraging.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Catching such small prey should be a walk in the park.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02But their mother is still providing for them,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05and they seemed to think this ferocious little snack
0:42:05 > 0:42:07is not worth the effort.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14For the moment, elephant dung is a much more compliant prey.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24They'll sometimes see a piece of dung over there
0:42:24 > 0:42:26and they'll go tearing after it and then grab it and hit it,
0:42:26 > 0:42:29and then the other one will come in from this side.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31And it's like a game of soccer to them.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33They love playing those sort of games.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35And then they'll stand there with this piece of elephant dung in their
0:42:35 > 0:42:37mouth, looking really stupid, and...
0:42:37 > 0:42:38Hello!
0:42:40 > 0:42:41It didn't run away!
0:42:54 > 0:42:58By late winter, the forest has turned bare and cold.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05It's over a year since Kim began filming the mother
0:43:05 > 0:43:10and her five tiny cubs, and now her daughters are nearly
0:43:10 > 0:43:12the same size as her.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15But they still depend on her guidance and wisdom...
0:43:18 > 0:43:21..especially when it comes to their arch enemy.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28This morning they've wandered into a pair of lions,
0:43:28 > 0:43:31members of the same pride that killed her cub.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39In their evolution, cheetahs sacrificed strength for speed,
0:43:39 > 0:43:43and now their only defence against these powerful cats is to flee.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58Chinzvi and her mother are ready to run.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06But Shanatse's sudden bravado could cost her her life.
0:44:08 > 0:44:11She's no match for a male lion four times her weight.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22The mother has already lost one cub to lions.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24She'll do what she can to save another.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30And she sees to it that they quickly retreat.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37Shanatse needs to be much smarter next time
0:44:37 > 0:44:41if she's to survive alongside these deadly enemies.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50As the months fly by,
0:44:50 > 0:44:54time is running out for the sisters to perfect their hunting skills.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02Today, they've managed to catch a grysbok,
0:45:02 > 0:45:04a secretive forest antelope.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19This adult might be small enough to wrestle,
0:45:19 > 0:45:22but their technique still needs considerable practice.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36If they don't silence it quickly, it will attract other predators.
0:45:43 > 0:45:45Shanatse finally gets it right...
0:45:49 > 0:45:51..while their mother keeps a nervous look out.
0:45:54 > 0:45:59Bitter experience has taught her how exposed they are at a kill.
0:46:08 > 0:46:12It's a small victory for the sisters, and not the last.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16Over the coming months, the demands on their mother to feed them
0:46:16 > 0:46:23will lessen, until one day she will know that the time has come.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40Nearly a year and a half has passed
0:46:40 > 0:46:43since Shanatse and Chinzvi were born.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47And, although their mother's made mistakes along the way,
0:46:47 > 0:46:49she's done everything in her power
0:46:49 > 0:46:52to get these two survivors this far.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04Now a fresh instinct is beginning to take hold of her.
0:47:07 > 0:47:11She's preparing for another journey into motherhood,
0:47:11 > 0:47:14and leaves her scent where it will lure passing males.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32Her daughters might not realise it yet,
0:47:32 > 0:47:36but this simple action marks the end of their childhood.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42Everything will be different from this day onwards.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51This remarkable mother's work is finally done.
0:48:00 > 0:48:06By some mysterious communication, her cubs know that, this time,
0:48:06 > 0:48:08they cannot follow.
0:48:18 > 0:48:23These strong, healthy cheetahs are a product of her labour and devotion.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28But are they ready for a life on their own?
0:48:37 > 0:48:41Kim had been anticipating this bittersweet moment for months.
0:48:43 > 0:48:47Well, I knew from the start that one day the mother would just
0:48:47 > 0:48:50up and leave them, and the family would begin to dissolve.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54And I suppose I was prepared for it.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00But their mother's abrupt departure hits Chinzvi hard.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07She was so distraught at Mum having disappeared,
0:49:07 > 0:49:09and she called and called for a couple of days.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12SHE CALLS
0:49:16 > 0:49:19Now, with Shanatse it was just very different.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22When Mum was gone, she didn't seem to be too fazed.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25It was almost like, well, now I'm going to be a normal cheetah,
0:49:25 > 0:49:28I don't have to run after my mummy any more.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31The sisters only have each other now,
0:49:31 > 0:49:35and the next few critical weeks will either make or break them.
0:49:41 > 0:49:46This morning, their forest home suddenly seems a lot more hostile.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52Their mother would know that the hyena is just nosing around
0:49:52 > 0:49:54for a convenient takeaway.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00But they're not so sure of its intentions.
0:50:08 > 0:50:13And then there are those giants that are always intimidating,
0:50:13 > 0:50:15no matter how grown-up you are.
0:50:40 > 0:50:46And here, to make a bad day worse, are the baboons.
0:50:55 > 0:50:59The young cats have learned to have a healthy respect for the troop.
0:51:05 > 0:51:10Shanatse still bears the scar from her ill-fated encounter as a cub.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16BABOONS CALL
0:51:29 > 0:51:31But, with each passing moment,
0:51:31 > 0:51:34the sisters are becoming more self-assured.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37They can outrun the baboons at a leisurely trot.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42And now they have one less enemy to fear in the forest.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49For the baboon, it's a bit humiliating,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51trying to chase the fastest animal on land.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01As they begin to patrol their forest as adults,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04a daunting reality soon confronts them.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10If they are to survive,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13they'll have to apply their mother's hunting lessons.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15First, climb a tree.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23Scan the area for suitable prey.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Too big.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34Too tall.
0:52:36 > 0:52:38Way too big!
0:52:55 > 0:52:57Just right!
0:52:58 > 0:53:02Kim had been an intimate witness for the milestones in their lives,
0:53:02 > 0:53:05almost from the start.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09But the ultimate test of their mother's success was still to come.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12You know, I'd seen them catch small prey,
0:53:12 > 0:53:16but one day they'd have to catch adult impala like their mother.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19They see an opportunity.
0:53:26 > 0:53:27It's summer's end,
0:53:27 > 0:53:31and shorter days have triggered the annual impala rut.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Throughout the forest, rams are jousting for the right to mate.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54Days of fighting have weakened the contenders.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00If the sisters hope to succeed today, they need to work together.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04And they seem to have a plan.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Chinzvi sneaks off to lie in ambush.
0:54:17 > 0:54:21Using the forest as cover, Shanatse stalks closer to the ram,
0:54:21 > 0:54:24aiming to flush it out.
0:54:38 > 0:54:43All their mother's teaching has culminated in this crucial moment.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Shanatse launches the attack.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Chinzvi gets ready...
0:55:20 > 0:55:21..and leaps into action.
0:56:14 > 0:56:18They've done it.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35They'd killed their own impala.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38And once I'd seen that they were successful
0:56:38 > 0:56:40and looking after themselves,
0:56:42 > 0:56:45it was just time that the project would come to an end.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02They were going off on their own and they weren't going to stay together
0:57:02 > 0:57:04for long, and I was going to go off and do my thing.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11In the months that followed,
0:57:11 > 0:57:14Kim no longer spent his days with the sisters,
0:57:14 > 0:57:17and he began filming a wild dog family.
0:57:18 > 0:57:22But there was one farewell still to come.
0:57:27 > 0:57:31I finished working with them and I hadn't seen them for a year.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34And I was going for this walk and I saw this cheetah in the distance.
0:57:34 > 0:57:38And I start whistling and it doesn't even look at me.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44And eventually I get closer and she still doesn't look.
0:57:44 > 0:57:47And now I realise that it's Chinzvi.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50I go and I sit down...
0:57:50 > 0:57:53a couple of metres from her, and she still doesn't look at me.
0:57:53 > 0:57:56And I'm thinking, come on, I haven't seen you for a year,
0:57:56 > 0:57:58surely you can acknowledge my presence.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01I mean, we were quite... good buddies at one stage.
0:58:01 > 0:58:02And then...
0:58:08 > 0:58:09a couple of minutes later,
0:58:09 > 0:58:12she got up and she came to me.
0:58:12 > 0:58:13And she started licking my face.
0:58:17 > 0:58:21And that, for me, is why I do what I do, because it's...
0:58:21 > 0:58:23so special.
0:58:27 > 0:58:29It was very special.