Cheetahs Up Close with Bertie Gregory (2026) Movie Script
Lions are coming for the prey, Baz.
- Yeah.
The cheetahs have finally made a kill.
But there's an uninvited guest.
She's hesitating.
They're trying to eat as fast as possible.
Here she comes.
The Serengeti, the epicenter of one of the greatest animal migrations.
It's teeming with wildebeest. You see them in all directions.
It's my first time in Tanzania during the Great Migration.
This is one of nature's greatest spectacles.
Because of the rainy season, over two million animals migrate.
Followed by thousands of hungry predators.
I'm going to film the fastest.
This is the best time to film cheetahs.
They'll make the most of the endless supply of food...
that runs through their territory.
But their lives are not easy.
In the last century, cheetah numbers have fallen by 90 percent.
I want to understand why it's so difficult...
...for the world's fastest land animal to survive.
There are an estimated 300 cheetahs living here.
I have four weeks to find them.
I need help.
Wildlife guide Baz Kessy is driving our truck.
From the car, I'm using my drone and telephoto lens camera.
In a second vehicle are Denis Mollel and Tom Walker.
They're the best at filming fast hunts...
...with a stabilized camera.
This herd of zebras is very alert. They're all staring in that direction.
We're using all their eyes...
...to determine the position of what they're looking at.
It must be somewhere over there.
Bertie, can you hear me?
- Yeah, go ahead.
A mother with two small cubs on this side.
Okay, got it.
That's very exciting.
The other car found a mother with two cubs.
You don't see that often, so we're going to check it out.
95 percent of all cheetah cubs don't reach adulthood.
Their biggest threat is being killed by lions and hyenas.
Okay, I've got it. Yes, this is good.
So cheetah mothers hide them.
My goodness. The cubs are tiny.
They're little balls of fluff at their mother's feet.
I can only see their tops peeking out of the grass now and then.
They're so small.
Their fur is very different from their mother's.
The sides are very dark and the top is silvery.
Because of that color, they might look like a honey badger.
A fierce little animal with big, sharp teeth...
...sharp claws and a very nasty temperament.
If they look like honey badgers...
...predators might leave them alone.
But they're tiny, barely a month old.
Mother has a hard time looking after them and feeding them.
If she wants to hunt, she has to leave them alone.
I think she's spotted prey.
There's the gazelle.
Gazelles have a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
Cheetahs can sprint at almost 110 km.
But they can only maintain that for a short time.
Every time the gazelle turns around, she freezes.
She knows what she's doing.
She wants to close the distance before she sprints.
It's a masterclass in stalking.
She needs to get within 30 meters unseen to have any chance.
She's going to explode from the blocks any second now.
She's faster than the drone. Look.
She's got him. He's almost as big as she is.
She was so patient. She closed the distance.
I thought: She has to go.
But she knows she needs to get close.
She's the world's fastest land animal, but gazelles are still very fast.
She got within critical distance and hit the gas.
Incredible how fast they are.
Today she can make milk for her cubs.
But not all hunts are successful.
Every time she leaves them alone, she takes a risk.
No wonder only five percent of all cheetah cubs reach adulthood.
The challenges for cheetahs in this vast landscape go further.
To understand more, we need to catch up with the migration.
But following these cheetah magnets has its downsides.
Oh, come on.
Behind every great migration lies an even bigger pile of wildebeest dung.
That's going to stink.
After a few hours of searching, there's movement, away from the herd.
Incredible, we have a group of three adult male cheetahs.
It's often said that lions are the only social big cats...
...living in groups.
That's not entirely true...
...because male cheetahs form groups, called coalitions.
When adult males leave their mothers...
...they usually stay with their brothers and form a coalition.
They try to jump on each other.
Together, they defend their territory against rival males.
When they hunt as a team, they can take on larger prey.
We followed them last year, but they weren't good at hunting.
They were still quite young.
Hopefully, they've been practicing.
Male cheetahs live shorter lives than females.
Fighting with lions and other males can be deadly.
And even their prey can be dangerous.
Tom, there's a herd of zebras in front of them. We'll watch them.
Three male cheetahs form a formidable group of predators...
...but zebras are not an easy target.
One kick can be fatal.
There are certainly zebra stallions among them.
They must choose their target carefully.
Okay, they're going.
There they go.
The herd is scattering. The coalition is looking for a vulnerable target.
Young ones are easier.
The mother is blocking.
Did you get it? - I don't know.
Watch out for a kick from the zebras. Right in your snout and the lights go out.
The rest of the herd joins in.
The cheetahs have given up. Game over.
That was incredible. They joined the mother and the foal.
Yeah.
They can kick to send the cheetah away.
So you see. Hunting is not easy for cheetahs.
Even with three big males.
The prey is very difficult. The power of the zebras...
...their defense, their kicks...
...prevented the cheetahs from grabbing a young one.
If one of the coalition gets injured, it would put them all in danger.
Some risks are not worth it.
Life is full of difficult decisions for these cats.
The migration is the best time of year to film cheetahs...
...but there are also challenges.
Rain is coming. We have to be able to film in rain or shine.
With a normal camera, you get drops on the lens and you can't see anything.
Tom's camera has a special device that solves that problem.
It's called a rain spinner. I'll show you.
Tom, can you turn it on?
Are you ready, Tom? Here we go.
It's completely free. It works so well. Right.
My solution is much less high-tech.
Drones aren't very good in the rain.
They fall down because the electronics melt.
I've spent the last few hours...
...filling all the openings and holes with silicone...
...to make it waterproof.
But I'm not going to throw water on it. I don't know if it'll work. Fingers crossed.
The next morning, we follow the migration on their 1500 km journey.
And we see some new faces.
That looks like a mother with two big cubs.
This is exciting. Cubs of this age are fun to follow.
They are very lively and playful, and what I find interesting...
...is that this is the age when they learn to hunt from their mother.
They are slightly smaller than their mother...
...and the last bit of their silver neck hair has yet to fall out.
Time to play.
The cubs are stalking.
They're hunting the egrets.
Playing looks fun, and it probably is...
...but it's also training for their fast chases.
In a few months, the cubs will have to hunt for themselves.
Do you hear that?
That's the mother calling the cubs.
Playtime is over.
Mom's going to show them how it's done.
Adult zebras and wildebeest are too big for this family to hunt.
But there are also plenty of gazelle fawns.
They are small and slow, and an ideal prey for beginners.
The cubs must watch and learn how their mother chooses a target.
But this cub didn't get that.
Is the cub hunting the zebra, Baz? - Yes, that's the cub.
The cub is hunting the zebra.
Chaos. The wildebeest and zebras flee in all directions.
The cub regrets its decision.
The zebras are now chasing the cub.
The tables have turned.
Run.
Zebras after him.
That's so good.
Maybe not the lesson Mom wanted to teach, but it's a lesson.
All that action has attracted the attention...
...of another species in the Serengeti.
There are a lot of cars on the way, Baz. - Yes.
I like seeing people spend their money and time on nature...
...but when there are so many cars surrounding the mother and her cubs...
...it can't be good.
It's difficult for the cheetah herself, because she can't see the prey.
Why do these cars come so close to the animals...
...and in such large numbers?
It's a lack of knowledge from the drivers.
The roads should be 25 meters from the animals...
...but the tourists want to take a selfie or a photo with their phone.
That's why people get so close.
I feel guilty when I watch this...
...because in our series, we give people an unrealistic expectation...
...of what they're going to see and how close they'll get.
We have incredible technology. We take the viewer to a place...
...they can never see in real life.
I understand that the guides are under a lot of pressure...
...to perform quickly.
They have to find the animal and get close to it.
Tourism is an important source of income for protected areas.
But to be responsible, you must think of the animals first.
When I have clients or go on safari with someone...
...I explain why we don't get close to the animal.
They understand very well.
Cubs need to eat every day, but tonight they will go hungry.
It's time for the cheetahs to hide.
Lions and hyenas go hunting.
In the morning, we find the same mother with cubs.
Baz, is that her? - Yes.
She's hunting. It's dark, but she's hunting.
The pressure to feed the family forces her to take risks.
The mother and the two cubs are on the move.
Early morning. It's still quite dark.
So there are many larger predators active now.
She must be hungry.
Okay, the mother has seen something.
Yes. She's got him. She's got him.
What's interesting is
she didn't give the cubs a chance...
to practice hunting.
She killed it right away.
She had to make sure
it didn't make any more noise.
There are many large predators.
Lots of hyenas and lions
still active and roaming around.
She drags the prey
into longer grass.
This makes it harder to see.
The cubs look starved.
And now I hear lions.
Somewhere over there.
The cubs are eating, but
mother is constantly looking around.
I see a hyena, right in front of us.
Do you see hyenas?
- Yes.
Hyenas are coming.
- It's coming this way.
If you come to our right,
there's a hyena.
You'll get a good shot.
Did she see him?
Hyenas steal prey
from other predators.
That's a big hyena.
Mother has a big problem.
- Yes.
With their bite force of 500 kg per cm2,
they crush bones.
If a hyena wants to take it,
it will.
This hyena is close.
What are you going to do, mother?
Fight or run?
Mother and cubs are watching.
Mother is up.
She's going to the hyena.
Come on.
Yes. Good job, mother.
Cheetahs are built for speed,
not strength.
She can only chase the hyena away
and bluff it.
Because if they really fight...
the hyena is much bigger and stronger.
The strategy is to keep the hyena away
so the cubs can eat.
You can hear a lot of hyenas here.
They cackle and laugh.
Mother got lucky.
The other hyenas seem to be
hunting themselves.
And lions on that side.
I can't believe it.
Mother has successfully defended her prey.
She was lucky more hyenas didn't show up.
But she was incredibly aggressive. She said, 'Get away from my prey.'
Mother could look after them today...
but soon the cubs will have to learn to hunt for themselves.
As the day gets warmer, we find the coalition, looking for prey.
They move from lookout point to lookout point until they find a target.
Compared to the cheetah mothers, they are fearless.
But it's not without risk.
There's a lion. They could run into it.
Understood, thank you.
They want to climb in...
but they don't know, and we do, that there's a lion underneath.
They're going to get a big fright.
The lion is up.
A big male.
One, two, three, four males.
That was a scare for them.
Luckily, the lions didn't go after them.
Did you see them get scared? - Yes, I saw them get scared.
They thought, 'We're outta here. Bye.'
There are only 300 cheetahs here, but more than 3,000 lions.
In a fight with these stronger predators...
the cheetahs would stand no chance.
Their search for food continues.
I hope to see them succeed before our time is up.
The lives of cheetahs are harder than I thought...
...even within the protection of Serengeti National Park.
The pressure to survive...
...can drive cheetahs outside the protected area...
Cool place.
Where they encounter other problems caused by humans.
Thanks, Baz.
Hello.
I meet Kelvin Munisi
from the Serengeti Cheetah Project.
Oh, yes.
- Always ready. Nice to meet you.
I want to know how his research helps
solve these problems.
We soon see familiar faces.
Kelvin, this mother with cubs
we're following. Do you know her?
Yes, we know her. Her name is Adora.
Adora?
- Adora, yes.
Do you know how many litters
she's had?
This is her second litter.
Her first litter was in 2020.
It didn't go so well,
because she lost all her cubs.
Yes, it's sad. Last year
we found her with five cubs.
Five?
- Yes.
She has two now,
so she's lost three?
Yes, she's lost three cubs.
- That's so sad.
That's the reality
when you live in a landscape...
full of larger predators.
- Yes, exactly.
Yes. She's a good mother.
For a cheetah to have five cubs
and keep two...
She's still a good mother
in such a harsh environment.
Kelvin's fieldwork is twofold.
First, he maps
where each cheetah roams...
and then he needs to collect their DNA
in the least invasive way.
You stare a lot at cheetahs
in the hope...
...that they'll do a big poo?
- Yes.
Kelvin, she's crouching there.
Is she going to the toilet?
She's pooping.
- Yes. Brilliant.
Kelvin, when I work with scientists
and film their work...
...I usually offer to help,
but I'll leave this to you now.
Leave it to the professional
pool collectors.
He's got it. Yes, he's got it.
I've never been so excited
about wild animal poo.
All for science.
It's not glamorous,
but Kelvin's work is crucial...
...for monitoring cheetah territories.
We're going to take DNA samples...
to determine
how diverse the gene pool is.
This way we can see how connected
the cheetah population is...
from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara...
and other protected areas
in East Africa.
The mixing of these groups
is crucial...
but it's becoming increasingly difficult
for cheetahs...
because people are building farms
and towns in their path.
The solution is to reduce
human activity...
so we can increase the connection
between the small populations.
Kelvin hopes to manage land
with this information...
in a way that helps cheetahs...
by connecting their territories and
giving them space to survive.
The next morning
we see the male coalition again.
They're near a herd of wildebeest.
This could be the opportunity
they've been waiting for.
But they're not the only ones.
There they are, there's the wildebeest
and there are lions.
This could get messy.
Yes, Tom, the boys are
300 meters from a herd of wildebeest...
with lions nearby.
We have a big herd of wildebeest
and the boys are on this side.
They don't know there's a pride of lions
on the other side.
If they go after those wildebeest...
they're in for a nasty surprise.
Stay low, boys.
You don't want to mess
with a pride of lions.
Do you think they've seen them?
- No.
They're very close.
All the wildebeest are running away.
Big boys.
Look how big that one on the right is.
He's magnificent. Look at his mane
blowing in the wind.
The cheetahs got lucky.
The lions didn't see them
and are heading that way.
But they can't ambush anymore.
The wildebeest are spooked by the lions.
The coalition hasn't had
a successful hunt yet.
They can't wait any longer.
Looking for a target.
They've spotted a calf.
They're walking through the herd,
looking around. They're not moving fast.
They're looking for a target, but
the herd is too tightly packed.
It's dangerous to go in there.
Choosing the right target
is a matter of life and death.
They've spotted a big wildebeest.
A yearling.
He's back in the herd.
Good defense.
They've switched targets.
They've found one.
Got him?
- Yes.
He's breaking away.
He's still got him.
I think he's got him.
That wildebeest fought well.
Finally, they can enjoy
a well-deserved meal.
But a successful hunt doesn't
always lead to a full stomach.
Lions coming for the prey, Baz.
- Yes.
It's three against one.
She's not sure. Aren't they
going to fight for it?
When they realize
it's not safe, they'll run off.
They're just trying to eat
as fast as possible now.
She's got the prey.
This is why it's hard
to be a cheetah here.
You do all this work,
and then a lion steals your food.
Now these guys have to hunt
all over again. Back to square one.
The competition from larger predators
is relentless for cheetahs.
But giving up is not an option.
Bertie, do you hear me?
- Go ahead.
It's going to rain,
so we're turning on the rain spinner.
Okay. Got it.
I'll switch to the rain drone too.
Despite the rain, the coalition
stays with the herd.
Good luck, little drone.
It's pouring rain,
and the cheetahs are still hunting.
The show must go on.
They're walking right into the rain.
And the drone is still flying.
The storm changes the dynamic
between predator and prey.
The wildebeest have their backs
to the rain.
They're not paying attention to the cheetahs
and can't hear them either.
They're approaching the wildebeest. It's pouring.
Come on, drone.
Hang in there.
Now that the lions are gone too, the odds
are favorable for the coalition.
Okay, the second one. Two, three.
The front one has a target.
He's increasing his speed.
Here we go.
Wow, they're flying.
The wildebeest turns to fight.
Watch out for the horns.
The reinforcements are coming.
All three of them are on the wildebeest.
Hang in there, drone.
They brought him down. My goodness.
He turned around
and tried to fend off that one.
If that male had been alone,
he wouldn't have caught him.
It was pouring rain. That was insane.
The drone is still flying.
I'll bring it back before it falls.
He survived. Good job, rain drone.
This is the first time a
cheetah hunt in the rain has been filmed.
I didn't know if he would survive.
But he did, and we've captured
extraordinary behavior.
The cheetahs hunting, as a team,
in torrential rain.
Even during a rainstorm...
killing a wildebeest is
very dangerous for these cheetahs.
I'm glad they're finally
going to get something to eat.
They can rest for a few days
before they have to do it again.
Capturing this iconic confrontation
between cheetahs and wildebeest...
I'll never forget.
My time is almost up,
and I'm going to visit someone.
Here's the mother.
But the big question is:
Where are the cubs?
Come on, cubs.
I hope they're still alive.
The cubs are here.
That's a huge relief.
The cubs made it.
They look happy and healthy.
They seem to have become real little monsters.
They have a lot of energy
and jump on their mother.
They've grown so much
since we last saw them.
They're starting
to lose their dark stripes.
I see their adult spots.
The survival rate for cheetah cubs
is not good.
95 percent don't reach
adulthood.
They've survived one of the most dangerous
periods of their lives.
And their amazing mother is taking care of them.
I'm hopeful
they'll make it.
I've always seen the cheetah as a
super-fast, untouchable apex predator.
I was wrong.
The threat from lions
and hyenas is relentless here.
Human activity makes it
even harder.
You're quickly impressed by the males...
but I'm mostly impressed
by the females.
The fact that they can raise
young here...
...is a testament to the amazing mothers
we've been following.
I'll never forget
watching them grow up...
...and learn from their mother
how to survive.
With a bit of luck...
...they can handle anything
the Serengeti throws at them.
- Yeah.
The cheetahs have finally made a kill.
But there's an uninvited guest.
She's hesitating.
They're trying to eat as fast as possible.
Here she comes.
The Serengeti, the epicenter of one of the greatest animal migrations.
It's teeming with wildebeest. You see them in all directions.
It's my first time in Tanzania during the Great Migration.
This is one of nature's greatest spectacles.
Because of the rainy season, over two million animals migrate.
Followed by thousands of hungry predators.
I'm going to film the fastest.
This is the best time to film cheetahs.
They'll make the most of the endless supply of food...
that runs through their territory.
But their lives are not easy.
In the last century, cheetah numbers have fallen by 90 percent.
I want to understand why it's so difficult...
...for the world's fastest land animal to survive.
There are an estimated 300 cheetahs living here.
I have four weeks to find them.
I need help.
Wildlife guide Baz Kessy is driving our truck.
From the car, I'm using my drone and telephoto lens camera.
In a second vehicle are Denis Mollel and Tom Walker.
They're the best at filming fast hunts...
...with a stabilized camera.
This herd of zebras is very alert. They're all staring in that direction.
We're using all their eyes...
...to determine the position of what they're looking at.
It must be somewhere over there.
Bertie, can you hear me?
- Yeah, go ahead.
A mother with two small cubs on this side.
Okay, got it.
That's very exciting.
The other car found a mother with two cubs.
You don't see that often, so we're going to check it out.
95 percent of all cheetah cubs don't reach adulthood.
Their biggest threat is being killed by lions and hyenas.
Okay, I've got it. Yes, this is good.
So cheetah mothers hide them.
My goodness. The cubs are tiny.
They're little balls of fluff at their mother's feet.
I can only see their tops peeking out of the grass now and then.
They're so small.
Their fur is very different from their mother's.
The sides are very dark and the top is silvery.
Because of that color, they might look like a honey badger.
A fierce little animal with big, sharp teeth...
...sharp claws and a very nasty temperament.
If they look like honey badgers...
...predators might leave them alone.
But they're tiny, barely a month old.
Mother has a hard time looking after them and feeding them.
If she wants to hunt, she has to leave them alone.
I think she's spotted prey.
There's the gazelle.
Gazelles have a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
Cheetahs can sprint at almost 110 km.
But they can only maintain that for a short time.
Every time the gazelle turns around, she freezes.
She knows what she's doing.
She wants to close the distance before she sprints.
It's a masterclass in stalking.
She needs to get within 30 meters unseen to have any chance.
She's going to explode from the blocks any second now.
She's faster than the drone. Look.
She's got him. He's almost as big as she is.
She was so patient. She closed the distance.
I thought: She has to go.
But she knows she needs to get close.
She's the world's fastest land animal, but gazelles are still very fast.
She got within critical distance and hit the gas.
Incredible how fast they are.
Today she can make milk for her cubs.
But not all hunts are successful.
Every time she leaves them alone, she takes a risk.
No wonder only five percent of all cheetah cubs reach adulthood.
The challenges for cheetahs in this vast landscape go further.
To understand more, we need to catch up with the migration.
But following these cheetah magnets has its downsides.
Oh, come on.
Behind every great migration lies an even bigger pile of wildebeest dung.
That's going to stink.
After a few hours of searching, there's movement, away from the herd.
Incredible, we have a group of three adult male cheetahs.
It's often said that lions are the only social big cats...
...living in groups.
That's not entirely true...
...because male cheetahs form groups, called coalitions.
When adult males leave their mothers...
...they usually stay with their brothers and form a coalition.
They try to jump on each other.
Together, they defend their territory against rival males.
When they hunt as a team, they can take on larger prey.
We followed them last year, but they weren't good at hunting.
They were still quite young.
Hopefully, they've been practicing.
Male cheetahs live shorter lives than females.
Fighting with lions and other males can be deadly.
And even their prey can be dangerous.
Tom, there's a herd of zebras in front of them. We'll watch them.
Three male cheetahs form a formidable group of predators...
...but zebras are not an easy target.
One kick can be fatal.
There are certainly zebra stallions among them.
They must choose their target carefully.
Okay, they're going.
There they go.
The herd is scattering. The coalition is looking for a vulnerable target.
Young ones are easier.
The mother is blocking.
Did you get it? - I don't know.
Watch out for a kick from the zebras. Right in your snout and the lights go out.
The rest of the herd joins in.
The cheetahs have given up. Game over.
That was incredible. They joined the mother and the foal.
Yeah.
They can kick to send the cheetah away.
So you see. Hunting is not easy for cheetahs.
Even with three big males.
The prey is very difficult. The power of the zebras...
...their defense, their kicks...
...prevented the cheetahs from grabbing a young one.
If one of the coalition gets injured, it would put them all in danger.
Some risks are not worth it.
Life is full of difficult decisions for these cats.
The migration is the best time of year to film cheetahs...
...but there are also challenges.
Rain is coming. We have to be able to film in rain or shine.
With a normal camera, you get drops on the lens and you can't see anything.
Tom's camera has a special device that solves that problem.
It's called a rain spinner. I'll show you.
Tom, can you turn it on?
Are you ready, Tom? Here we go.
It's completely free. It works so well. Right.
My solution is much less high-tech.
Drones aren't very good in the rain.
They fall down because the electronics melt.
I've spent the last few hours...
...filling all the openings and holes with silicone...
...to make it waterproof.
But I'm not going to throw water on it. I don't know if it'll work. Fingers crossed.
The next morning, we follow the migration on their 1500 km journey.
And we see some new faces.
That looks like a mother with two big cubs.
This is exciting. Cubs of this age are fun to follow.
They are very lively and playful, and what I find interesting...
...is that this is the age when they learn to hunt from their mother.
They are slightly smaller than their mother...
...and the last bit of their silver neck hair has yet to fall out.
Time to play.
The cubs are stalking.
They're hunting the egrets.
Playing looks fun, and it probably is...
...but it's also training for their fast chases.
In a few months, the cubs will have to hunt for themselves.
Do you hear that?
That's the mother calling the cubs.
Playtime is over.
Mom's going to show them how it's done.
Adult zebras and wildebeest are too big for this family to hunt.
But there are also plenty of gazelle fawns.
They are small and slow, and an ideal prey for beginners.
The cubs must watch and learn how their mother chooses a target.
But this cub didn't get that.
Is the cub hunting the zebra, Baz? - Yes, that's the cub.
The cub is hunting the zebra.
Chaos. The wildebeest and zebras flee in all directions.
The cub regrets its decision.
The zebras are now chasing the cub.
The tables have turned.
Run.
Zebras after him.
That's so good.
Maybe not the lesson Mom wanted to teach, but it's a lesson.
All that action has attracted the attention...
...of another species in the Serengeti.
There are a lot of cars on the way, Baz. - Yes.
I like seeing people spend their money and time on nature...
...but when there are so many cars surrounding the mother and her cubs...
...it can't be good.
It's difficult for the cheetah herself, because she can't see the prey.
Why do these cars come so close to the animals...
...and in such large numbers?
It's a lack of knowledge from the drivers.
The roads should be 25 meters from the animals...
...but the tourists want to take a selfie or a photo with their phone.
That's why people get so close.
I feel guilty when I watch this...
...because in our series, we give people an unrealistic expectation...
...of what they're going to see and how close they'll get.
We have incredible technology. We take the viewer to a place...
...they can never see in real life.
I understand that the guides are under a lot of pressure...
...to perform quickly.
They have to find the animal and get close to it.
Tourism is an important source of income for protected areas.
But to be responsible, you must think of the animals first.
When I have clients or go on safari with someone...
...I explain why we don't get close to the animal.
They understand very well.
Cubs need to eat every day, but tonight they will go hungry.
It's time for the cheetahs to hide.
Lions and hyenas go hunting.
In the morning, we find the same mother with cubs.
Baz, is that her? - Yes.
She's hunting. It's dark, but she's hunting.
The pressure to feed the family forces her to take risks.
The mother and the two cubs are on the move.
Early morning. It's still quite dark.
So there are many larger predators active now.
She must be hungry.
Okay, the mother has seen something.
Yes. She's got him. She's got him.
What's interesting is
she didn't give the cubs a chance...
to practice hunting.
She killed it right away.
She had to make sure
it didn't make any more noise.
There are many large predators.
Lots of hyenas and lions
still active and roaming around.
She drags the prey
into longer grass.
This makes it harder to see.
The cubs look starved.
And now I hear lions.
Somewhere over there.
The cubs are eating, but
mother is constantly looking around.
I see a hyena, right in front of us.
Do you see hyenas?
- Yes.
Hyenas are coming.
- It's coming this way.
If you come to our right,
there's a hyena.
You'll get a good shot.
Did she see him?
Hyenas steal prey
from other predators.
That's a big hyena.
Mother has a big problem.
- Yes.
With their bite force of 500 kg per cm2,
they crush bones.
If a hyena wants to take it,
it will.
This hyena is close.
What are you going to do, mother?
Fight or run?
Mother and cubs are watching.
Mother is up.
She's going to the hyena.
Come on.
Yes. Good job, mother.
Cheetahs are built for speed,
not strength.
She can only chase the hyena away
and bluff it.
Because if they really fight...
the hyena is much bigger and stronger.
The strategy is to keep the hyena away
so the cubs can eat.
You can hear a lot of hyenas here.
They cackle and laugh.
Mother got lucky.
The other hyenas seem to be
hunting themselves.
And lions on that side.
I can't believe it.
Mother has successfully defended her prey.
She was lucky more hyenas didn't show up.
But she was incredibly aggressive. She said, 'Get away from my prey.'
Mother could look after them today...
but soon the cubs will have to learn to hunt for themselves.
As the day gets warmer, we find the coalition, looking for prey.
They move from lookout point to lookout point until they find a target.
Compared to the cheetah mothers, they are fearless.
But it's not without risk.
There's a lion. They could run into it.
Understood, thank you.
They want to climb in...
but they don't know, and we do, that there's a lion underneath.
They're going to get a big fright.
The lion is up.
A big male.
One, two, three, four males.
That was a scare for them.
Luckily, the lions didn't go after them.
Did you see them get scared? - Yes, I saw them get scared.
They thought, 'We're outta here. Bye.'
There are only 300 cheetahs here, but more than 3,000 lions.
In a fight with these stronger predators...
the cheetahs would stand no chance.
Their search for food continues.
I hope to see them succeed before our time is up.
The lives of cheetahs are harder than I thought...
...even within the protection of Serengeti National Park.
The pressure to survive...
...can drive cheetahs outside the protected area...
Cool place.
Where they encounter other problems caused by humans.
Thanks, Baz.
Hello.
I meet Kelvin Munisi
from the Serengeti Cheetah Project.
Oh, yes.
- Always ready. Nice to meet you.
I want to know how his research helps
solve these problems.
We soon see familiar faces.
Kelvin, this mother with cubs
we're following. Do you know her?
Yes, we know her. Her name is Adora.
Adora?
- Adora, yes.
Do you know how many litters
she's had?
This is her second litter.
Her first litter was in 2020.
It didn't go so well,
because she lost all her cubs.
Yes, it's sad. Last year
we found her with five cubs.
Five?
- Yes.
She has two now,
so she's lost three?
Yes, she's lost three cubs.
- That's so sad.
That's the reality
when you live in a landscape...
full of larger predators.
- Yes, exactly.
Yes. She's a good mother.
For a cheetah to have five cubs
and keep two...
She's still a good mother
in such a harsh environment.
Kelvin's fieldwork is twofold.
First, he maps
where each cheetah roams...
and then he needs to collect their DNA
in the least invasive way.
You stare a lot at cheetahs
in the hope...
...that they'll do a big poo?
- Yes.
Kelvin, she's crouching there.
Is she going to the toilet?
She's pooping.
- Yes. Brilliant.
Kelvin, when I work with scientists
and film their work...
...I usually offer to help,
but I'll leave this to you now.
Leave it to the professional
pool collectors.
He's got it. Yes, he's got it.
I've never been so excited
about wild animal poo.
All for science.
It's not glamorous,
but Kelvin's work is crucial...
...for monitoring cheetah territories.
We're going to take DNA samples...
to determine
how diverse the gene pool is.
This way we can see how connected
the cheetah population is...
from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara...
and other protected areas
in East Africa.
The mixing of these groups
is crucial...
but it's becoming increasingly difficult
for cheetahs...
because people are building farms
and towns in their path.
The solution is to reduce
human activity...
so we can increase the connection
between the small populations.
Kelvin hopes to manage land
with this information...
in a way that helps cheetahs...
by connecting their territories and
giving them space to survive.
The next morning
we see the male coalition again.
They're near a herd of wildebeest.
This could be the opportunity
they've been waiting for.
But they're not the only ones.
There they are, there's the wildebeest
and there are lions.
This could get messy.
Yes, Tom, the boys are
300 meters from a herd of wildebeest...
with lions nearby.
We have a big herd of wildebeest
and the boys are on this side.
They don't know there's a pride of lions
on the other side.
If they go after those wildebeest...
they're in for a nasty surprise.
Stay low, boys.
You don't want to mess
with a pride of lions.
Do you think they've seen them?
- No.
They're very close.
All the wildebeest are running away.
Big boys.
Look how big that one on the right is.
He's magnificent. Look at his mane
blowing in the wind.
The cheetahs got lucky.
The lions didn't see them
and are heading that way.
But they can't ambush anymore.
The wildebeest are spooked by the lions.
The coalition hasn't had
a successful hunt yet.
They can't wait any longer.
Looking for a target.
They've spotted a calf.
They're walking through the herd,
looking around. They're not moving fast.
They're looking for a target, but
the herd is too tightly packed.
It's dangerous to go in there.
Choosing the right target
is a matter of life and death.
They've spotted a big wildebeest.
A yearling.
He's back in the herd.
Good defense.
They've switched targets.
They've found one.
Got him?
- Yes.
He's breaking away.
He's still got him.
I think he's got him.
That wildebeest fought well.
Finally, they can enjoy
a well-deserved meal.
But a successful hunt doesn't
always lead to a full stomach.
Lions coming for the prey, Baz.
- Yes.
It's three against one.
She's not sure. Aren't they
going to fight for it?
When they realize
it's not safe, they'll run off.
They're just trying to eat
as fast as possible now.
She's got the prey.
This is why it's hard
to be a cheetah here.
You do all this work,
and then a lion steals your food.
Now these guys have to hunt
all over again. Back to square one.
The competition from larger predators
is relentless for cheetahs.
But giving up is not an option.
Bertie, do you hear me?
- Go ahead.
It's going to rain,
so we're turning on the rain spinner.
Okay. Got it.
I'll switch to the rain drone too.
Despite the rain, the coalition
stays with the herd.
Good luck, little drone.
It's pouring rain,
and the cheetahs are still hunting.
The show must go on.
They're walking right into the rain.
And the drone is still flying.
The storm changes the dynamic
between predator and prey.
The wildebeest have their backs
to the rain.
They're not paying attention to the cheetahs
and can't hear them either.
They're approaching the wildebeest. It's pouring.
Come on, drone.
Hang in there.
Now that the lions are gone too, the odds
are favorable for the coalition.
Okay, the second one. Two, three.
The front one has a target.
He's increasing his speed.
Here we go.
Wow, they're flying.
The wildebeest turns to fight.
Watch out for the horns.
The reinforcements are coming.
All three of them are on the wildebeest.
Hang in there, drone.
They brought him down. My goodness.
He turned around
and tried to fend off that one.
If that male had been alone,
he wouldn't have caught him.
It was pouring rain. That was insane.
The drone is still flying.
I'll bring it back before it falls.
He survived. Good job, rain drone.
This is the first time a
cheetah hunt in the rain has been filmed.
I didn't know if he would survive.
But he did, and we've captured
extraordinary behavior.
The cheetahs hunting, as a team,
in torrential rain.
Even during a rainstorm...
killing a wildebeest is
very dangerous for these cheetahs.
I'm glad they're finally
going to get something to eat.
They can rest for a few days
before they have to do it again.
Capturing this iconic confrontation
between cheetahs and wildebeest...
I'll never forget.
My time is almost up,
and I'm going to visit someone.
Here's the mother.
But the big question is:
Where are the cubs?
Come on, cubs.
I hope they're still alive.
The cubs are here.
That's a huge relief.
The cubs made it.
They look happy and healthy.
They seem to have become real little monsters.
They have a lot of energy
and jump on their mother.
They've grown so much
since we last saw them.
They're starting
to lose their dark stripes.
I see their adult spots.
The survival rate for cheetah cubs
is not good.
95 percent don't reach
adulthood.
They've survived one of the most dangerous
periods of their lives.
And their amazing mother is taking care of them.
I'm hopeful
they'll make it.
I've always seen the cheetah as a
super-fast, untouchable apex predator.
I was wrong.
The threat from lions
and hyenas is relentless here.
Human activity makes it
even harder.
You're quickly impressed by the males...
but I'm mostly impressed
by the females.
The fact that they can raise
young here...
...is a testament to the amazing mothers
we've been following.
I'll never forget
watching them grow up...
...and learn from their mother
how to survive.
With a bit of luck...
...they can handle anything
the Serengeti throws at them.