0:00:27 > 0:00:33During the whole of our first week in Kenya's Masai Mara
0:00:33 > 0:00:36we had torrential rain.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38It didn't do the big cats any harm!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41We left Kidogo the female cheetah
0:00:41 > 0:00:44and her two young cubs
0:00:44 > 0:00:47surrounded by hostile neighbours,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50among them the leopard family
0:00:50 > 0:00:54who, though enjoying the cool, were starting to look hungry.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58And this week, it's STILL raining!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Almost every afternoon
0:01:00 > 0:01:06we're getting downpours - more rain than there's been for 30-odd years.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11It has made driving difficult - the ground's very soft, now.
0:01:11 > 0:01:16Using the video cameras in these conditions is also very hard,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19but for the cats, it's perfect!
0:01:19 > 0:01:24The middle of the day is chilled and many have been unusually active.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26But food is harder to come by.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31The prey has spread out over the new grass on the plains,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33making the lions extend their hunt.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43The rain didn't stop Half Tail the leopard finally making a kill.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Half Tail must have killed the impala last night.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56She's already fed on its rump.
0:01:59 > 0:02:05But it's urgent she gets the kill into cover as quickly as possible.
0:02:11 > 0:02:16She may try to get it into a tree after navigating the rocks.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18It's a very heavy carcass.
0:02:24 > 0:02:30I would think a male impala like that might weigh 60 or 70 kilos.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Probably she weighs 40 or 50 maximum.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The carcass is considerably bigger than her.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43After quite a struggle,
0:02:43 > 0:02:48she stashed the impala under a patch of croton bush, the perfect hideout.
0:02:48 > 0:02:55Half Tail stayed with her kill here on Fig Tree Ridge till early in the afternoon.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Then she set off,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01keeping to the cover of the long grass.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04We assumed she was fetching her cub
0:03:04 > 0:03:06 while the lions and hyenas rested.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11SHE CALLS The moment she called,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15the cub emerged from her hiding place among the rocks.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18SHE CALLS BACK
0:03:24 > 0:03:26It's at least 12 hours
0:03:26 > 0:03:30since Half Tail left her cub and it's always great
0:03:30 > 0:03:33when they get back together again.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40CUB GRUNTS
0:03:40 > 0:03:45The cub wanted to play, but Half Tail wasn't so keen.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50She started to lead the way back along Fig Tree Ridge.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Now that she's seven months old,
0:03:58 > 0:04:03the cub is more boisterous - she even dared to take the lead!
0:04:03 > 0:04:06INSECTS CHIRRUP
0:04:11 > 0:04:16But it's Half Tail who checks it's safe to return to the carcass.
0:04:26 > 0:04:33By hiding the kill, Half Tail and her cub should have enough food for a few days - good news for them,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36and good news for us!
0:04:40 > 0:04:44The big cats are a challenging subject.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50Filming them requires field craft and specialist photographic techniques.
0:04:50 > 0:04:57All day every day, our six camera teams kept track of our stars, in all conditions.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Every evening, the events of the day are reviewed and edited
0:05:01 > 0:05:06to ensure that we bring Big Cat Diary to the screen within the week.
0:05:09 > 0:05:15Last week, two male lions invaded the Marsh Lions' territory near our camp.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18They caused chaos, chasing the females
0:05:18 > 0:05:21and intimidating the young males.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24I hadn't got a clue who they were.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29Last night, I was talking to a driver from the Kitchwa Tembo Plains.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34He said that earlier this year, their males had disappeared.
0:05:34 > 0:05:41Two days ago they reappeared. So we're on our way to find out the identity of our mystery males.
0:05:41 > 0:05:48We'd set out early in the morning - the best time to catch lions in the open.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55These are definitely the two males
0:05:55 > 0:05:59that were in the Marsh Pride area last week.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02The one nearer me is the black-maned
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and the one in front the brown-maned lion.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07It now seemed clear
0:06:07 > 0:06:12that these males have a pride on THIS side of the river.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17But pride males constantly try to expand their domain and, if they can,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21they raid adjacent territories and try to mate with the females
0:06:21 > 0:06:24which is what happened last week.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38The Marsh Pride hasn't really settled after last week's upset.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43We're left with one adult lioness and three adolescent cubs.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46They've been showing themselves during the day,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49but they haven't been up to much.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52In fact, far from it!
0:06:52 > 0:06:58I've been with these lions since first light. Now the sun is setting.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02They've done absolutely nothing, something lions are good at!
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Normally, this time of day is frustrating.
0:07:06 > 0:07:13As the light fails, the lions set off hunting and conventional video cameras are no longer any use.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18But for Big Cat Diary, that's not a problem. We call in the night shift.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23Using ordinary lights at night would dazzle predators and prey.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26So the night team is using infrared technology -
0:07:26 > 0:07:31lights invisible to the eyes of humans and other animals
0:07:31 > 0:07:34but clear to our specially sensitive cameras.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40- RADIO:- 'The lions are still under the tree on the edge of the marsh.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- 'Have a good night.' - OK, Simon. Thanks very much.
0:07:44 > 0:07:50The main priority when filming big cats at night is not to disturb them.
0:07:50 > 0:07:58I covered my headlamps with infrared filters and put a small infrared camera on the roof to feed an image
0:07:58 > 0:08:01to this monitor so I can see where I'm going.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Looking out of my vehicle window,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07it's pitch black.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10I need night vision goggles to see.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Without this advantage, the topi have to rely on their other senses.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21As soon as the rain started, the four Marsh lions were on the move,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24completely at ease in the darkness.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26They were after the topi.
0:08:26 > 0:08:32RADIO: 'The lions are off. I'm going to try and follow them.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39'I'm going to try and get round the front.'
0:08:42 > 0:08:47There was confusion, with topi scattering in all directions.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52But Martin Dohrn had latched on to the lions just as they caught a topi.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Being a small group, the lions wasted no time
0:09:00 > 0:09:03in starting to feed.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09But they'd already been spotted.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12WHINES AND YELPS
0:09:16 > 0:09:19The resident hyena clan had heard the commotion
0:09:19 > 0:09:24and immediately began to call, to attract more of the clan to the kill.
0:09:24 > 0:09:25ROARING
0:09:25 > 0:09:29At first, the lions kept their rivals at bay.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34What they really needed was the power of pride males.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37HYENAS GROWL, YELP AND SHRIEK
0:09:47 > 0:09:50The three lionesses wisely backed off.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58Driven on by hunger, the young male continued to try and feed,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00calling for support.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05But without help, the odds were stacked against him.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08HYENAS CACKLE
0:10:10 > 0:10:13THEY SCREAM
0:10:23 > 0:10:26LOW GROWLING
0:10:28 > 0:10:32This was the last we saw of the Marsh Lions.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36HYENAS SCREECH
0:10:54 > 0:11:01Fundi the cheetah and her two cubs that caused so many riots last week
0:11:01 > 0:11:06have a few problems. After feasting on a gazelle on Thursday evening,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09they woke up to some unwanted company.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13The three hyenas are considerably heavier and more powerful
0:11:13 > 0:11:15than the cheetahs.
0:11:15 > 0:11:21Intimidated, Fundi and the cubs try their best to be threatening.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Hyenas regularly check out the cats,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35looking for the remains of a kill.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39When numbers are even, they prefer to keep a discreet distance.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44The cheetahs feel genuinely threatened by the close attention
0:11:44 > 0:11:47of these heavyweight predators.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57For all their speed and hunting ability,
0:11:57 > 0:12:02cheetahs really are the underdogs of the big cat world.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07And their strategy for avoiding too much attention is to keep moving,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11something Fundi and Co do with frustrating regularity.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16The next hyena encounter had rather better odds...
0:12:16 > 0:12:19for the cheetah!
0:12:20 > 0:12:23This young hyena was living up to expectations,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27investigating the Fundi family,
0:12:27 > 0:12:32when the male cub decided to show Africa's second biggest predator
0:12:32 > 0:12:34what he was made of.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43Just so long as his sister was there to back him up, that is!
0:12:53 > 0:12:57However, this was one of the few occasions during the week
0:12:57 > 0:13:01when the cheetahs got the upper hand.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06Some of the animals that can push cheetahs around aren't obvious ones.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10You might not imagine baboons as being anything to worry about,
0:13:10 > 0:13:14but these monkeys have huge sharp teeth
0:13:14 > 0:13:16set in powerful jaws -
0:13:16 > 0:13:19a fact that Fundi seems aware of.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25It was during this encounter
0:13:25 > 0:13:30that we first noticed the male cub had developed an alarming limp.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33We didn't know how he'd got injured -
0:13:33 > 0:13:37perhaps a thorn, perhaps playing with his sister.
0:13:37 > 0:13:43But a leg injury is very serious if you depend on speed for survival.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54Even after the baboon encounter, the cheetahs couldn't rest.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58This time the creature showing an uncomfortable interest in them
0:13:58 > 0:14:01was a more obvious threat.
0:14:07 > 0:14:13For Fundi, the sight of a lion is a clear signal to move on again.
0:14:16 > 0:14:22The remarkable feature of our cats this week has been their proximity to each other.
0:14:22 > 0:14:28Fundi is currently lying in the acacia shrub, beyond this fig tree.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33The lions are still waiting over the hill to the south east.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38And this sloping area of rocks, appropriately called Fig Tree Ridge,
0:14:38 > 0:14:42is where Half Tail the leopard stashed her impala kill.
0:14:42 > 0:14:49So let's look at how Fundi has found herself in this hotspot of big cat activity.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51She started her hunting
0:14:51 > 0:14:54around the Mara River Airstrip.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57She then went south, towards our camp -
0:14:57 > 0:15:01a distance of about 4km and close to the Mara River.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Then across the head of the Musiara Marsh,
0:15:04 > 0:15:09which is where the Marsh Lions are hanging out. And then,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13along this ridge up towards Double Gorge.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Double Gorge is the northern extension of Fig Tree Ridge,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21and is the epicentre of Half Tail's territory,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23lying half a kilometre north east.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30With such a large kill to feast on,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34we saw a lot of Half Tail and her cub last week.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39The cub is gaining confidence daily, and is content to be left alone,
0:15:39 > 0:15:44particularly in a place like this, with lots of caves to hide in.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51She seemed fascinated by the agama lizards.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03Our young leopard is fast developing the hunting skills of her mother.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26It may look like fun, but these are serious games.
0:16:33 > 0:16:39Half Tail often returned before dark to where she had left her cub.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00Already the cub is incredibly quick and agile,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04practising her hunting skills at every opportunity,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07with her mother as the target!
0:17:13 > 0:17:16But there's no doubt who's in charge!
0:17:16 > 0:17:19SHE GROWLS
0:17:31 > 0:17:36It won't be long before bites to the throat like this
0:17:36 > 0:17:39are used in earnest on prey.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57The heavy rain has affected all life in the Mara.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02Most noticeably, the swollen river has halted the flow of wildebeest
0:18:02 > 0:18:05from south to north.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07We had thought
0:18:07 > 0:18:12that these pioneering giraffes might be equipped to wade through.
0:18:12 > 0:18:18But even they had to give up, and return to the south bank's safety.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24The relative dearth of animals like wildebeest,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27on the Masai Mara plains,
0:18:27 > 0:18:32has meant an unseasonal shortage of prey for some of our cats.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39For Kidogo though, the cheetah with tiny cubs,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41food has not been a problem.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44They've continued to flourish,
0:18:44 > 0:18:49despite risks from lions and hyenas, and have rested during the day...
0:18:49 > 0:18:51most of the time.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02This deeply inquisitive warthog can smell Kidogo and her cubs,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05but obviously wants a closer look.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Despite weighing a fraction of the warthog's bulk,
0:19:11 > 0:19:17the little cheetah obviously feels he has something to prove.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Undoubtedly, a force to be reckoned with...
0:19:25 > 0:19:27one day!
0:19:32 > 0:19:37Although we've had several days when the temperature's been low enough
0:19:37 > 0:19:40for the cheetah to hunt at any time,
0:19:40 > 0:19:45Kidogo has a habit of getting active very late in the evening -
0:19:45 > 0:19:49not something cheetahs are renowned for.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03Kidogo has only just woken up and thought about going off hunting,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07so we're moving the vehicle to give her some space.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11But I'm quite fearful for her safety.
0:20:11 > 0:20:17The later she leaves it, the more likely it is she'll have to feed when it's dark,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21and this is not a good place for her to do that.
0:20:21 > 0:20:28Just over here is the Big Wood where the huge pride of lions spends the day resting.
0:20:28 > 0:20:34Now, as it starts to get dark, they'll be going off in search of a meal.
0:20:34 > 0:20:40And if Kidogo manages to kill where she is now, she'll be in their path.
0:20:45 > 0:20:51While Simon was following Kidogo, I was enjoying being with the Big Pride.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16With seven lionesses and four big males,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20this pride is at the height of its powers.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23I've rarely seen so many lions together.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Unlike the Marsh Lions,
0:21:28 > 0:21:33this pride won't tolerate competition from other predators.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45Just as I'd feared, Kidogo started to hunt after the sun had set,
0:21:45 > 0:21:50making her way to a patch of open ground where gazelle were feeding.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02Eventually, her cubs got the message that serious business was at hand.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Using the half light to her advantage,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Kidogo targeted a lone male gazelle
0:22:18 > 0:22:23which was grazing dangerously close to the long grass.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43His head going down is the signal to attack.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20A substantial and important meal for Kidogo and her cubs,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23but, in lion country, at what price?
0:23:29 > 0:23:33With the Big Pride so close to Kidogo,
0:23:33 > 0:23:37we decided to follow them with our infrared cameras.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40The lionesses set off,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44leading the cubs closer to their prey.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50The cubs look so vulnerable on the open plains at night,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54but with so many lionesses to protect them, they were quite safe.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Suddenly, six of the lionesses set off to hunt,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20leaving a heavily pregnant relative to babysit.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29We never see these cubs out here
0:24:29 > 0:24:32in the daytime.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36Leaving the cubs in a creche
0:24:36 > 0:24:40is one of the great advantages of these social cats.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51The moon had yet to rise,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55and without my night vision goggles, it was pitch black outside.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03A lone zebra came stumbling through the darkness.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06It couldn't see the lions crouched in front of it.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13ROARING
0:25:20 > 0:25:24In the confusion, we lost sight of the lions
0:25:24 > 0:25:28until Martin and the camera crew thought they'd spotted one.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33- MAN:- Oh, it's a cheetah!
0:25:34 > 0:25:37We'd bumped into Kidogo.
0:25:44 > 0:25:49As Kidogo came closer, we could see that her cubs were quite safe.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54With the moonlight to guide her,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57our cheetah family gave the lions the slip.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04The lionesses seemed none the wiser.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14As soon as the moon came up,
0:26:14 > 0:26:19there was no chance the lionesses would hunt again,
0:26:19 > 0:26:23so I've come back to where they had creched the cubs,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26and already five of the lionesses are back here.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Kidogo doesn't realise how lucky she was!
0:26:39 > 0:26:45Finding our cats each day is a bit of a lottery, never more so
0:26:45 > 0:26:48than when there's been an upset.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Looking for Kidogo was a tense moment.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Stop there.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00I'd say that was Kidogo. Can't see the babies.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Yes, I can. They are there.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09That's excellent.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Simon to Keith, over.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16RADIO: 'Go ahead, Simon.'
0:27:16 > 0:27:18I've got Kidogo and the two babies.
0:27:18 > 0:27:24They're stuffed to the gunwales, so, despite brushing close to the lions,
0:27:24 > 0:27:29- they're in good form. Any sign of Fundi, over?- 'None whatsoever.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33- 'We searched the whole Fig Tree Ridge area.'- Sorry for that.
0:27:34 > 0:27:42Great news that we've found Kidogo in good shape, and her cubs, despite having come close to the lions.
0:27:42 > 0:27:49It's rather more unsettling, however, that our other cheetah family are missing still.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53This is the third morning that we've not found them.
0:27:53 > 0:28:01It's bad enough for one day, but three days and you lose touch with what direction they're going in,
0:28:01 > 0:28:06especially since the last time we saw Fundi's cub, he had a bad leg.
0:28:06 > 0:28:13The longer it goes on, the less chance we have of ever finding them again, but we can only keep looking.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Subtitles by BBC Subtitling - 1996