♪♪ OYELOWO: In the story of Africa, three very different cats have come to rule their separate kingdoms.

Each is an elite athlete.

The cheetah has mastered speed and is the fastest animal on land.

The leopard is a climber, adept in the vertical world of the woodlands.

And the lion, hunter of the most dangerous prey... ♪♪ tasked with the most demanding of families.

[ Cubs yowling ] [ Thunder rumbles ] Their very different stories collide along one special river in Botswana, where their kingdoms converge and overlap.

Now, their lives and skills must bend around each other as they compete, cat to cat, to hunt and raise families in a world that is changing all around them.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ OYELOWO: Since ancient times, three big cats have stalked the face of Africa.

As if by agreement, they divided the land... ♪♪ Leopards would tiptoe through the forests.

Cheetahs would course across the savanna.

And lions... Well, lions would go pretty much wherever they pleased.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Animals grunting ] On the shores of Botswana's Gomoti River, the cats have found all they need, in one small world.

[ Birds chirping ] A tapestry of habitats, with woodlands to conceal a leopard... ...plains for cheetahs to stretch their legs... ...and drawn to the river, large prey to feed a pride.

♪♪ Three families now share this small world... ...going about their lives... doing their best, to keep out of each other's way.

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

♪♪ They're on a mission to mark out the sweeping plains they claim as their own.

But the Gomoti River cuts through the heart of their land holding.

♪♪ The waterway makes life here possible.

But it's also notorious for hiding crocodiles.

♪♪ ♪♪ Swimming is not the brothers' strong suit.

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

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Nothing gets in the way of their mission.

They're leaving a message here.

One that sends mixed signals.

It warns other male cheetahs to keep out... ...but invites female cheetahs to get in touch.

And it works.

Thanks to their efforts, they've left a string of single mothers across the land.

♪♪ Like Phefo.

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

And every day since then, she's kept them alive, in a neighborhood controlled by more powerful cats.

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

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

♪♪ ♪♪ She's most at home on these mounds in the plains, where she can detect prey, as well as danger.

♪♪ [ Lion calling ] [ Lion calling ] Phefo knows that voice.

[ Lion calling ] [ Calling continues ] [ Calling continues ] A veteran named Molelo also claims this world as his own.

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

[ Animal grunting in distance ] Stories of the territories he's won and lost in his time are etched into his face.

♪♪ He arrived on the Gomoti earlier this year, and single-handedly carved out his domain.

It stretches from the river, to the plains, and to the woodlands beyond.

Now, he must work to hold on to it.

If he can't keep neighboring males out, Molelo stands to lose more than just his home.

♪♪ Of all the cats here, these sisters are the only true owners of the world.

♪♪ It's their birthright, handed down through generations of female ancestors.

They're a close family.

And while there's no hierarchy between them, they typically look to wise, cautious Tshaba for guidance.

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

♪♪ ♪♪ Over the course of their lives, they've seen males like Molelo come and go.

He might not be the best-looking.

But he's theirs.

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

Because on this late spring morning, all of them are pregnant with his cubs.

♪♪ [ Birds chirping ] In the woodlands nearby, a leopard named Senatla keeps half an eye on the plains below.

Senatla recently became a new landlord in this neighborhood.

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

♪♪ He's come to the right place.

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

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

He's by nature a solitary cat that must now spend the next few days in her company.

♪♪ ♪♪ This could get old quickly.

♪♪ She'll want to mate repeatedly every hour, with no guarantee she'll become pregnant.

Although female leopards are persistent partners, they're slow to conceive.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Monkeys chattering ] The pride!

They could attack the leopards... if they see them.

The pair heads for a leopard's safe place.

♪♪ Lions can't climb to these dizzy heights.

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

♪♪ Without these towering trees, Senatla would struggle to share his world with the lions.

They've had a lucky escape.

Impala antelope thrive in the space between the plains and the woodlands.

They're a cornerstone of this world.

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

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

It's a dangerous world for the young ones, but with practice, they'll soon be as fast and agile as their parents.

Each herd is a collection of sensors, fine-tuned to detect predators.

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

And they need them.

Wherever they go, there's a good chance a cat is watching.

[ Animal grunting ] It's breakfast time.

This normally means Phefo must find a herd of impala and painstakingly stalk close enough to launch a chase.

♪♪ This morning, the herd is coming to her.

♪♪ ♪♪ Phefo's name means "wind," and when you see her run, you'll know why.

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

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

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Phefo can never let her guard down.

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

With her around, her cubs feel safe, unburdened by thoughts of their next meal or staying alive.

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

Spring is moving into summer.

And Molelo has become a dad.

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

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

♪♪ Better not wake the sleeping giant.

♪♪ Although Tshaba is a mother to only three of the cubs, she embraces them all like her own.

The lionesses synchronized their pregnancies.

Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the time.

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

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

With 16 teats between them, there's more than enough to go around.

[ Cubs yowling ] The mothers have their work cut out for them.

It's going to take three long years to turn this unruly mob into useful pride members.

That's if they even manage to get them that far.

If anyone overthrows Molelo before his cubs' first birthday, there's a good chance they'll kill them.

So, for the next year, he has one job to do -- keep his cubs alive by keeping intruders out.

Somehow, all alone, Molelo must do the work of two males -- patrol his far-flung boundaries and be present to protect his family.

[ Thunder rumbling ] Summer in these parts means rain.

But first, days of brooding skies.

♪♪ Lions ruined his last date, but Senatla has attracted another admirer.

♪♪ This female tracked Senatla down three days ago.

Since then, they've been mating nonstop.

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

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

So she's not letting him leave that easily.

♪♪ There's no getting away.

♪♪ [ Thunder rumbles ] They need to find shelter.

That storm is coming.

[ Thunder rumbles ] ♪♪ When the summer rains fall, they drench the world and everyone in it.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The rains will only last a few short months.

In that time, they'll transform the world and impact the lives of all its citizens.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Molelo's had an eventful night.

♪♪ He's been injured on patrol in a fight with neighboring males.

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

♪♪ ♪♪ And now... Another intruder.

The last thing he needs.

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

♪♪ It's the cheetah brothers on patrol.

They haven't seen him yet.

♪♪ ♪♪ They're no contest for Molelo.

In fact, he's serious trouble for them.

♪♪ ♪♪ These days, he must pick his battles.

And this morning he gives them a pass.

♪♪ ♪♪ Between thunderstorms, the world sizzles.

[ Elephants trumpeting ] To escape the heat, elephant families head to the Gomoti.

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

♪♪ For everyone else, there's a simple rule.

You can drink from the puddles... ...but beware of the channels swollen by the rains.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ An ebony tree provides shelter from the heat and a trunk to sharpen growing claws.

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

In all that time, they've mastered just one skill... the lion art of the sleep.

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

Some can't wait.

They're getting too old to suckle.

[ Lions growling ] Her sisters can't get back soon enough.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Water splashes ] ♪♪ A splash could be anything in these rain-soaked plains.

♪♪ They must move to drier ground.

After weeks of rain, narrow streams crisscross the plains.

♪♪ They've seen crocodiles hiding in them before.

♪♪ ♪♪ The cubs are too small to leap across.

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

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Water splashes ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ They've all made it... ♪♪ Except these two.

♪♪ ♪♪ They're alone... [ Cub meows ] ...and now they're lost.

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

But Tshaba soon realizes they're missing.

♪♪ ♪♪ And the pride goes back for them.

[ Lioness grunting ] They hear her.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ And soon they're back in the fold.

♪♪ [ Birds chirping ] ♪♪ The world settles into summer and the locals are joined by visitors, like these carmine bee-eaters from the north.

The birds need insects to feed their growing chicks... ...and they know just where to find them... ...at the feet of giants.

♪♪ ♪♪ For the cheetah cubs out on the plains, they're a dazzling distraction.

♪♪ ♪♪ Since distractions have become a daily activity, Phefo redirects their curiosity to some serious learning.

♪♪ As she guides them around this busy corner of their home, she teaches them what to hunt... ♪♪ ...and how to catch it.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Killing will come with practice.

Phefo also shows them what to avoid.

♪♪ ♪♪ Male baboons are as menacing as they look.

Their fangs could shred a young cheetah.

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

♪♪ ♪♪ He'll work this out on his own.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Now they've stumbled into trouble.

Lions will go out of their way to kill cheetah cubs if they can catch them.

They must share their neighborhood with lions, and better the pride you can see than the one you can't.

♪♪ ♪♪ Today, Phefo teaches them the most important lesson of their lives... ♪♪ Never, ever, get any closer than this to a lion.

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

And Phefo's attention is beginning to wander.

The cheetah brothers have left an intriguing proposal here.

But she can't act on it yet.

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

♪♪ The rains are coming to an end, and with temperatures over 100 degrees, the locals have retreated to the woodlands.

[ Bird trilling ] This father-to-be has been gathering spider webs to hold his nest together.

There's no rest for him.

Nor in the canopy above him... for Senatla.

Asleep?

Or just playing dead?

Either way, he has a determined seductress.

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

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

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

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

[ Bird squawking ] On the far side of Senatla's territory, one of his courtships has finally paid off.

This female named Sephiri is pregnant with his cubs.

[ Bird calling ] She needs all the rest she can get.

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

[ Calling continues ] Birds hate leopards, and they make a point of telling them that whenever they see them.

[ Birds squawking ] Her solitary days will soon be a thing of the past, and the next time we see her... [ Squawking continues ] ...noisy birds will be the least of her worries.

By summer's end, Molelo is finally able to squeeze in some time with his family.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ He's worked hard to keep them safe.

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

♪♪ If only they knew what he did while they slept.

♪♪ ♪♪ With Molelo nearby, the mothers can relax and let off a bit of steam.

♪♪ ♪♪ Their journey is far from over.

Many difficult months lie ahead before their cubs are safely out of the woods.

[ Birds chirping ] Weeks pass, and by the first full moon of autumn, there's a new roar competing with Molelo's.

[ Animals calling ] Across the land, lusty impala rams battle for a little space to call their own.

For the next few noisy weeks, they'll stake out and jealously defend their patch against rivals... ...then round up and mate as many ewes as possible.

The herds are in peak condition.

There's no better time to breed.

Exhausted rams have only one thing on their mind, and it's not predators.

A gift for a hardworking mother.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The ram is twice her size and weight, but help is on the way.

♪♪ They rehearsed this during summer on a lamb.

♪♪ ♪♪ The ram is down but not dead.

♪♪ And now, they've attracted attention.

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

But they want the cheetahs' meal.

Phefo's still busy.

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

Most cheetahs would rather ditch their kill than risk their lives defending it.

Not Phefo's family.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The dogs will have to wait for the scraps.

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

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

♪♪ They don't know it yet, but the next time we see them, their mother will be gone.

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

A rare achievement for a wild cheetah.

♪♪ ♪♪ There's not much more she can teach them.

Before the season is out, she'll slip away into her vast range to take up single life once again.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ And so we leave our cats on the shores of the Gomoti.

♪♪ Upstream, the river is undergoing a quiet transformation.

A flood is coming.

♪♪ Its arrival will bring great change to the small world and upend the lives of our big cats.

♪♪ But for now, they're all on top of their world, and that's as good a place as any to leave them.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ To learn more about what you've seen on this "Nature" program, visit pbs.org.

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