♪ Rea Schulte to Brinke: Kea and Bo are just having a little playful tussle there together.

♪ Anna Dimitriadis: What the hell?

Narrator: A male leopard is stalking cheetah mum Pobe and her cubs.

♪ Schulte to Brinke: Move, Pobe.

Move.

You need to move your cubs.

He's right behind you.

Move.

♪ Dimitriadis: Have no idea.

♪ [Gasps] ♪ Narrator: The Okavango Delta in Botswana... We are in a pristine environment right now.

Narrator: one of Africa's last wildernesses... The magnitude of life here is unparalleled.

Narrator: and it's a haven for Africa's big cats-- lion, cheetah, and leopard.

Big cat country.

Narrator: Armed with the latest filming technology, the "Big Cats 24/7" team is following individual big cats for 6 months... Buchanan: This is a unique opportunity to follow these cats round the clock.

Narrator: through the day... Rea Schulte to Brinke: I used to think I'd have a fair fight with a lion, not so sure now.

Narrator: and the night... Hartman: We've got the most sophisticated thermal imaging technology.

Narrator: capturing their behavior 24 hours a day.

I have never seen anything like this.

Epic!

♪ [Insects chirping] This program was made possible in part by... ♪ and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

Dimitriadis: No.

♪ He's on a cub.

He's on a cub.

[Growling] Come on, Pobe.

♪ Schulte to Brinke: Pobe's trying to swipe him there.

♪ [Roars] Pobe's chased off the leopard.

[Brays] ♪ [Beep] ♪ Schulte to Brinke, on radio: From the looks of things, it might be Kea.

♪ Yeah.

That's Bo.

♪ I think the leopard killed Kea.

[Sniffles] Narrator: Kea, Pobe's female cub, is gone.

♪ Schulte to Brinke: The size of Bo and Kea now, you assume they're safe... ♪ but, yeah, you never know what to expect.

♪ Dimitriadis: That's really unfair.

Kea was the one that was always the most... ♪ wild and boisterous and... incredibly competitive, and she's gone, and now Bo isn't gonna have... his sister showing him what to do all the time.

[Beep] Sets Nthomiwa, on radio: Cheetah team, it was a terrible loss, and I don't think any of us expected this to happen today, but, yeah, it is--it is tough.

[Beep] ♪ Narrator: The leopard remains a threat.

♪ Pobe has no choice.

To keep Bo safe, she must leave.

♪ Dimitriadis: Doesn't feel right to stay here, I don't think, so I want to give them some time alone.

[Engine starts] ♪ Narrator: The news has reached camp.

♪ Ach, well... ♪ I don't know what to say.

It's a horrible day.

♪ ♪ Narrator: The team is working in 400 square kilometers of the Okavango Delta.

♪ Summer is approaching, and the flood is drying up.

♪ Aggressive intruder males have forced the Xudum mums to retreat far to the south... ♪ but in the north... Buchanan: Oh, there they are.

Narrator: a splinter group of the pride's youngest lionesses has remained and must survive on its own.

♪ Hey, girls.

Narrator: Gordon is following them.

Buchanan: We've got the females without cubs trying to hunt zebra up here.

This is going to get rather interesting.

[Braying] Whoa.

♪ [Braying] ♪ That was close.

♪ Lionesses is in front of me, they are around about 3 or 4 years old, and they've formed this little subgroup, or splinter, of the Xudum pride.

♪ They are the daughters of Big Toe and Madumo.

They're the sort of equivalent of carefree teenagers.

♪ They are the only ones that haven't moved out of the historic sort of heart of the territory, where all these intruder males are coming in.

♪ For any female with cubs, that is a concern.

There's danger.

There is threat to the cubs.

For these cubless females, there's no threat or concern.

They see them as an opportunity to breed, to have cubs, to be a mum.

It'll be really interesting to follow these females.

If there is to be a split in the Xudum pride, it could well happen with them.

♪ Narrator: Close by... with no sign of Pobe and Bo after the leopard attack, Anna is joining the lion team.

Dimitriadis: I'm just gonna check out who is there.

Who's that?

♪ OK.

That's a lioness.

Is she alone?

What's she doing?

[Birds chirping] Ooh.

[Gasps] Oh...my God.

She's got a cub.

I can see a cub.

Ah.

No.

There's two.

There's two cubs.

Oh, wow.

They are tiny.

♪ Oh, they're adorable, they're so small.

♪ Oh, they are so unsteady on their feet.

They must be, like, 2 or 3 weeks old.

I have never seen cubs this size.

♪ That is Serami.

♪ I would recognize that tail anywhere.

It's, like, slightly white, and she's missing the tip.

♪ Well done, Serami.

Oh, this is the best news.

Narrator: Serami is the first of the splinter group lionesses to breed.

Dimitriadis: As far as I'm aware, we don't know who Serami has mated with.

We've got intruder males running about left, right, and center... ♪ so... there's a high chance that one of those lions could be the dad of these cubs, but which one it is is anybody's guess.

♪ I don't know why she's chosen here, of all places, to den.

It's really exposed.

There's a high amount of traffic coming through because we've got water on both sides.

♪ It just doesn't really feel like the right place to have cubs that are only 2 or 3 weeks old.

Narrator: First-time mum Serami has a lot to learn.

♪ Dimitriadis: I can't imagine how difficult the next few weeks and months are gonna be for her, so I'm gonna stick with her because I think it's gonna be a tricky time.

[Yawns] ♪ What have we got here?

Yeah.

[Beep] It's a female.

She has a dreadlock on her face, so I think that this is actually Neelo, Pobe's daughter.

♪ Narrator: Neelo is from Pobe's previous litter.

She's been independent from Pobe for about a year, and--it's amazing-- this would have been the toughest year for her, but she's looking really well.

Narrator: Pobe may have lost Kea, but Neelo is proof of her previous success.

[Beep] Schulte to Brinke, on radio: Greg, Greg, Greg, for Rea.

Ready when you are.

Hartman, on radio: Copy that, Rea.

Look in front.

We just found Neelo.

♪ It brings quite the joy to see Neelo.

She's just a bit over 3 years old, still very playful.

♪ Oop, she's playing with the elephant poo.

♪ It's really cool that Neelo still hangs around close to Pobe here.

This is where she grew up.

She's definitely not had a meal.

She'll be hoping to bump into any food here.

♪ [Beep] Copy that, Rea.

♪ Schulte to Brinke: Neelo has just spotted a big group of impalas.

♪ ♪ Very large herd of impala here approaching directly to Neelo, who's at the top of a termite mound staring at them.

♪ I have a feeling Neelo is waiting for majority of the herd to come past her before she makes her move.

I'm gonna send Mitch up with the drone.

♪ Schulte to Brinke: I think this could be the best chance Neelo will have today.

It's crazy the amount of impala on the way.

[Birds chirping] This might be it.

I think they've picked up a scent.

They started to run.

♪ Neelo is going forward.

♪ Whoa, full tilt.

♪ She's trying to trip it.

♪ There's plenty of dust just behind her.

♪ She'll just grab it by the neck now.

♪ [Growls] ♪ She's done it.

♪ Ha!

[Engine starts] She needs to relax, breathe, get the oxygen back in her body.

♪ She didn't just burst out.

She waited, chose which impala she wanted.

She's clearly a very independent cheetah, very capable.

♪ Narrator: Neelo's survival is not only about catching a meal.

♪ It's about keeping it, too.

Schulte to Brinke: Neelo is just dragging this impala kill into the shade, which may help reduce vultures.

♪ She's had a great amount of this meal.

She is going to be good for the next couple of days.

♪ It's amazing to see this young cheetah surviving and thriving here in the Okavango.

♪ Narrator: Only 5% of cheetahs make it to this stage in life.

Schulte to Brinke: Neelo is proof that Pobe is a fantastic mother, and there's still a lot of hope for Bo.

♪ [Beep] Bestelink, on radio: Yeah.

Copy that.

Narrator: Brad is searching for Lediba the leopard and her 5-month-old cub.

Bestelink: Yeah.

I've got her here.

We have a beautiful view of everything around her.

♪ [Birds chirping] She's looking skinny again.

It's been 10 days now since she's had a real sort of settled meal that she can really feed on.

It's a stressful time.

Narrator: Dominant male leopard Bongwe remains in the area, providing stability for Lediba... but her cub now needs two pounds of meat per day.

Bestelink: Please, Lediba, it's time to be successful.

♪ Narrator: It's still too young to hunt, so Lediba is under pressure to provide for them both.

[Engine starts] ♪ This is where she's drinking.

It's a little seep.

Narrator: The flood is drying up, but this hole provides access to groundwater.

[Bird chirping] Bestelink: She's got a bird.

♪ Obviously, she's surprised.

A bird that was drinking and a black-collared barbet came out, and she grabbed it.

[Engine starts] ♪ That's just remarkable.

I've never seen a leopard deliberately kill something so small to eat.

Narrator: This is rare.

Birds make up just 1% of leopard diets.

Learning a lot about Lediba's character.

[Birds chirping] Catching birds is probably enough to sustain her... but for the cub, she's gonna be under increasing pressure to actually provide kills, and pressure is going to mount, so this is a win for her, but not for the entire family.

♪ Narrator: Tristen is with Lediba's cub.

♪ Woodward: Listen, Brad.

Yeah.

I'm losing light this side.

Do you want to come in with the thermal imaging camera?

She's on her way.

Narrator: Lediba is returning empty-handed.

♪ Woodward: Brad's gonna start to follow these guys into the night and see what they get up to.

♪ Bestelink: Lediba is just flat on the termite mound above where the cub is.

♪ She's been really struggling.

She's only been eating small things, not enough to give to the cub.

♪ Cub has come and joined, and you can see as she lies, there's a ring of heat around her paws and her nose and her face, and she's just slowly resting.

♪ I would never have guessed that leopards and cubs at that stage are that intimate... quite an incredible thing to see.

♪ This is leopards at their best and, as far as I'm concerned, at their cutest.

♪ ♪ [Beep] Narrator: With Pobe and Bo still missing, Anna is checking on new lion mum Serami.

Dimitriadis: We are with a group of lionesses in really close proximity to the den.

I'm on the way, too, now.

I'll be there in about 5 minutes.

Narrator: Some of the splinter group has joined her.

♪ How are they so close?

Why are they so close?

Oh, the cubs are with them.

This is so bizarre.

Normally, mums don't introduce their cubs to the rest of the pride until they're 6 to 8 weeks old.

Those cubs are still tiny.

Serami shouldn't be introducing her cubs to any other lions when they're this little.

The only time that I would really expect there to be other lionesses around cubs this small would be if they also had cubs themselves and they were alloparenting, but these lionesses don't have any cubs... so this feels really dangerous.

Narrator: With so many intruder males in the area and no indication of who their father is, these cubs are vulnerable, Dimitriadis: Serami is definitely doing things differently.

♪ Hartman: My goodness me, I think the cubs are very hungry.

Narrator: At 3 weeks old, lion cubs should suckle every 4 to 6 hours.

[Roars] Hartman: What?

Something happened there that she didn't like.

♪ They tried to suckle from Mum, but Mum got uncomfortable and has left them.

♪ Narrator: It's now almost 12 hours since the crew last saw the cubs feed.

Hartman: Going now to the aunty to try and suckle, and, obviously, Aunty can't help them with anything.

♪ Serami is the only mother in this group of females, so these cubs only have one possible suckling opportunity.

♪ [Growling] Ooh, goodness me, what the heck?

This lioness is really not loving these cubs.

♪ [Roars] Wow.

This is another auntie who's growling at these cubs.

[Growling] What's wrong?

There's absolutely no way in now.

Narrator: Serami seems to want to break from her cubs.

♪ [Mews] Hartman: Oh, I feel for them.

They just are waiting on the outskirts, waiting to just have a chance to drink.

One of the cubs has got the nerve to come in here.

He's trying to get close to Mum... [Roars] and this lioness is just fully aggro... and that just shouts inexperience.

It shows to me that this lioness and the others have not had much time around cubs at all.

Narrator: With no other Xudum pride mums to learn from... Hartman: Come on.

Come on, cubbo.

All I want to see is a cub latch onto a teat and drink.

Narrator: Serami is struggling to find her feet.

Hartman: The cubs seem confused.

[Mewing] I think these two cubs have been introduced to other female lions too early, and they may not be able to recognize which lioness is Mum and which of these lionesses is not.

[Mewing] They don't know who Mum is.

♪ ♪ [Beep] Narrator: Lediba has stashed her cub and is hunting again.

♪ [Elephant exhales] Bestelink: This elephant is browsing here, making a hell of a noise, and she's kind of using that.

[Exhales] Narrator: Leopards will use distractions from other animals to get closer to prey.

I don't know what she's seen, but there's something of interest.

The only thing I can see is elephants.

[Chittering] ♪ She's after monkeys.

That's what she's after, after vervets.

Narrator: Having still not caught anything big enough to share with her cub... Bestelink: This is how desperate she's getting.

Narrator: Lediba is going for something small again.

Bestelink: She has climbed into the tree with all these vervets, and she's jumping from branch to branch in the treetops trying to catch a vervet monkey out of the tree, showing her unbelievable agility and frustration, I guess.

♪ Just chaos, absolute chaos.

[Chittering] It's not typical prey for her, but, you know, she's-- she's really, really hungry.

♪ Incredible climbing ability.

You don't see it until these leopards are in full chase way up in the trees.

♪ [Chittering] She's just really going to extremes to have a go at anything she can.

♪ [Birds insects chirping] ♪ [Beep] Tristen, Brad.

Got a bit of a stalemate.

Narrator: Brad's camera is struggling in the fading light... Woodward: It's a bit too dark, so we're gonna switch to thermal imaging camera and just try to keep up, Narrator: so he's calling in Tristen to help.

♪ Bestelink: Going down.

♪ Bestelink, on radio: She's on the ground.

OK, cool.

Copy that.

Yes, on my way.

♪ [Chittering] ♪ [Beep] ♪ Woodward: Oh, my God.

Lediba has just managed to kill a monkey.

It happened while we were rigging the thermal camera.

She's very, very impressive.

I've never actually seen a leopard catch one on the floor though, before, so this is quite new to me.

♪ Bestelink: I think we're starting to really understand a lot more about this particular cat.

It's just the first leopard that I've seen in this area that is so specifically focused on small-prey species.

We're learning.

We're learning about Lediba.

Woodward: I'm very, very happy for her, and it's a decent sized meal, but I doubt the cubs will be able to get anything off this, and they're gonna probably still be hungry tonight.

♪ [Beep] Narrator: At Serami's den... [Beep] Narrator: Sets and Gordon are starting the night shift.

Nthomiwa: I'll let you know how it goes in the morning.

♪ Aw, big yawn.

♪ Ha ha ha!

Oh, that's so cute.

♪ Lionesses, they are up and looks like they're gonna look for some food for the evening.

Narrator: Serami must leave the cubs unprotected to go hunt.

Nthomiwa: She's looking a bit skinny, and that's not good for her or the cubs, so getting something to eat tonight will do her and her cubs some good.

♪ [Beep] Buchanan: Moving out.

Whoo hoo.

♪ [Beep] Nthomiwa, on radio: Hey, Gordon, the lionesses are stalking towards some lechwe in the floodplain.

[Beep] Buchanan: OK.

Yeah.

I've got them.

Narrator: Adapted to water, even experienced lions struggle to catch lechwe.

Nthomiwa: The lionesses have split into two groups of two.

Buchanan: This is an example of lions working together using stealth but also using strategy.

♪ Nthomiwa: Oh, this is amazing.

♪ Buchanan: She's up to her knees at the moment.

To walk through the water without being detected is a real challenge.

♪ Oh, [beep].

Nthomiwa: They're going for it.

Buchanan: Oh, panic, panic amongst all of these lechwe.

Narrator: The strategy is to push the lechwe into the oncoming lionesses.

♪ Nthomiwa: They really went for it, chased from way too far, but it was a good attempt.

Narrator: But Serami is not giving up.

Buchanan: Look at that.

She's just like a crocodile lying in wait there.

She is completely submerged in the water.

She's up to her chin.

As long as she can hear those lechwe moving around her, there's no reason to move.

♪ I'm impressed.

This is pure maternal determination.

♪ Buchanan: Oh, lion running, running, running, running, running.

Oh, one of them's in the water.

Oh, my God, she's got a goose.

She's got a goose.

Crazy, crazy, crazy.

Oh, my word.

Narrator: In all the commotion, Serami has got nothing.

♪ A goose will barely feed one of them.

♪ I've lost everyone.

Nthomiwa: They've crossed over the water yet again... ♪ but in a place where we can't follow.

Buchanan: Looks like this is it for tonight.

♪ [Beep] Narrator: After losing the lionesses in the night... Narrator: Gordon and Greg... Buchanan: Where are you?

Where are you?

Narrator: are searching for them.

Buchanan: Oh, wow.

This is really quite interesting because we've got one of Big Toe and Madumo's daughters with a strange male.

Narrator: It's one of Serami's splinter group.

He is a big boy.

He's a blondie.

I'm gonna call him Golden Boy because of his mane.

♪ [Engine starts] A male and a female hanging out like this can only mean one thing-- that they're a courting couple, that they're gonna mate.

Narrator: Golden Boy is the latest intruder male making himself at home in the Xudum pride territory.

Buchanan: As sad as it is to think that Big Toe and Madumo's time at the top is coming to an end, in many ways, it's exciting because there's now other males that are gonna step in that will become the pride males of the Xudum pride, someone like him.

He might be a rising star.

He certainly looks as if he's made from the right stuff.

Narrator: But Golden Boy's presence... Buchanan: Big, strong, handsome is obviously working on this female.

Narrator: could be a danger to Serami's cubs if he's not their father.

♪ [Beep] Bestelink, on radio: Well, Tris, I've got a hit.

♪ Lediba is high up in an ebony tree that's fruiting.

Narrator: To feed her cub, Lediba is changing her tactics.

Bestelink: Fruiting trees play such a big role in this area.

Ebony fruit is full of sugar, lots of protein, and when they're dropping their fruits, everything is utilizing it.

There's a herd of impala rams that are just making their way down, picking up the fallen fruit between them and Lediba... ♪ Narrator: She's using the fruit as bait.

Bestelink: and that focused activity from ebony tree to ebony tree is a pattern that these leopards have figured out.

Narrator: To conserve energy, leopards often wait for prey to come to them.

Bestelink: I haven't seen Lediba jump onto an impala from a tree yet.

Let's hope she doesn't injure herself, and let's hope these impala get to her tree.

Narrator: Lediba is taking a risk to catch larger prey.

Bestelink: It's just a waiting game.

[Whoosh] [Whoosh] Woodward: It's now 1:15 in the afternoon.

Narrator: Over 6 hours have passed.

She's been in this tree the whole time... and just patience, patience, patience.

Bestelink: Lediba is still eyes fixated on the impalas coming down the tree line towards her.

♪ Oh, we've got a single ram.

He's now closest that we've had to her.

♪ This ram is completely unaware of Lediba in the tree above him.

♪ My heart is pounding out of my chest right now.

♪ Bestelink: She must be 8 or 9 meters off the ground.

♪ It's about positioning so she doesn't impale herself on those horns.

Narrator: A mistake here could be fatal.

Bestelink: He's directly underneath her.

♪ Come on.

Do your little bum wiggle.

♪ Here we go.

♪ [Grunts] ♪ Woodward: No way.

♪ [Exhales] [Huffing] ♪ Unlucky.

Unlucky.

Sorry, my girl.

I feel so sorry for her.

She needed that with them, spent all that time waiting.

♪ Narrator: Lediba moves on empty-handed.

♪ Woodward: You know, it's dangerous doing something from that height.

If she falls weirdly or something happens, it could spell the end for her.

♪ ♪ [Beep] Narrator: Greg has found Serami, who's moved her cubs closer to the flood."

♪ Hartman: So our new lion mum and her cubs with a couple of the lionesses just resting in the shade.

Narrator: Being nearer the water is cooler for the lionesses... [Roars] Hartman: My goodness gracious me.

Narrator: but Serami's siblings are still stopping the cubs from suckling... Hartman: Oh, [beep].

Oh, my word, no.

This is not good.

Narrator: and resting here exposes them to a new danger.

Hartman: A weak elephant is a potential prey for a lion, so elephants do not like to share any space with lions.

Something tells me that those little lion cubs do not have the legs on them to outrun an elephant.

This is a particularly dangerous situation for the cubs.

Narrator: This family of elephants outmatches Serami and the other lionesses.

♪ Hartman: OK.

Our mums are pulling out.

They're leaving the cubs behind.

There's nothing that Serami can do here against the elephants.

♪ Oh, my goodness, he just threw a branch... ♪ very aggressive behavior from the elephant.

Narrator: Elephants have been known to kill lion cubs.

Hartman: Oh, the cubs are super scared.

♪ The lionesses look like they want to charge in and push the eles.

♪ OK.

One cub has run into this tall grass... ♪ but there's one cub who's completely isolated.

♪ What?

Oh, get out of there, little cub.

♪ Nerves of steel from the lion cub.

♪ Went straight past the cub.

♪ [Trumpets] My jungle hat, that is nuts.

♪ There's the cub.

OK.

Cubby is up.

Oh, these cubs are doing the right thing.

Narrator: The cubs' instinct to hide is kicking in.

[Rrowr] Hartman: Don't cry now, little lion cub, because now you're gonna draw attention.

♪ Just one angry elephant with one foot, and there goes your lion cub.

♪ Cubs are somewhere in this tall fire grass.

♪ Oh, yes.

The eles are moving away.

♪ I think the danger is past.

♪ That was so close.

♪ People think that lions are in charge on the African savanna, but that is not the case.

Elephants are in charge.

[Grumbles] ♪ Unbelievable.

What a roller coaster of an afternoon for these cubs, such survivors.

♪ Ah, finally, so good.

Both of the cubs are having a drink.

♪ Narrator: This is what the cubs need.

Hartman: Hey, that's fantastic.

♪ It's really surprising and amazing to see that these cubs have such strong survival instincts to move away from the elephants and knowing what to do in the time of extreme danger.

♪ At this age, every day is a victory, so today was a victory, but only just.

[Whoosh] [Whoosh] [Bird yelping] [Animal commotion] You hear that?

Yeah.

Narrator: Brad is looking for Lediba the leopard.

Let's go.

♪ We've got lions, hyenas fighting, so I would get another camera out here.

♪ Nthomiwa, on radio: Copy that.

[Roars] Bestelink: Heard all this commotion on the edge of the floodplain, and I've got Serami and her sisters on a kill and a whole bunch of hyenas trying to steal it from them.

Narrator: Leaving her cubs at the den, Serami and the splinter group have finally caught a meal.

These lionesses must have killed this early hours of the morning, and now they're being mobbed.

♪ There's an interesting equation to these kind of interactions.

It's based on weight.

3 hyenas weighs the same as one lioness.

We've got 4 lionesses here, so we'll need 12 hyenas before a real battle starts.

Narrator: Despite their immaturity, these young females are keeping their food.

Part of the tactic of hyenas is making a huge racket... [Barking] and essentially it's calling to arms, and if there's any hyenas within earshot of this, they're gonna come in.

I hope they hold on to it.

Serami has really been struggling, and she's a new mum, and if she doesn't get fed, her milk will start to dry, and that's not good for her cubs.

They just mustn't fall for the intimidation.

[Barking] ♪ Don't.

Don't do that.

Go on.

You'll see, the minute one pulls away from the rest of the pride, those hyenas just see the weakness and just target her.

It's amazing, you know.

They'll walk within a couple of meters and literally just stand.

I mean, if I was a lioness, I wouldn't be liking this.

[Roars] Mm, those hyenas are getting ballsy.

♪ Here we come.

[Cackling] ♪ The lions are starting to move away, led by our new mum.

♪ Narrator: Finally outnumbered, the lionesses are leaving but with full bellies... Bestelink: Serami at least had a decent feed.

Narrator: and food for Serami means more milk for her cubs.

♪ [Grunting] ♪ Narrator: It's been two weeks since the team saw Lediba catch a large meal.

Woodward: Looks like this girl's definitely just going on a bit of a march today.

[Beep] Bestelink, on radio: OK.

Copy that.

♪ Woodward: Lediba has just seen some impala.

♪ Looks like she's gonna go and try to hide in the long grass and get into a position where she can ambush.

♪ This is pretty much do or die now.

♪ Narrator: Lediba must feed her cub.

Woodward: Just lost complete visual, but, I mean, if I can't see her, I doubt an impala can see her, so she's planned this so, so well.

[Engine starts] ♪ [Impala huffs] ♪ [Huffs] [Huffs] [Huffs] ♪ [Thud] [Growl] Ha ha!

She got one!

Come on.

♪ You are an absolute beauty.

♪ Lediba did it.

Narrator: Weighing nearly 150 pounds... Woodward: Unbelievable.

Narrator: an impala ram will feed Lediba and her cub for several days.

Amazing, amazing, amazing.

It is so good for her-- the cub, for her-- and is the best possible way to end the day for Lediba because impalas have such big horns... ♪ and it looks like it's managed to just clip her slightly, but she looks fine, luckily, but, yeah, oh, she just used all of her abilities to the max there-- hid, waited for the impala to come to her, and now she's got an amazing meal for her family.

What a superstar.

Very keen on keeping this kill as hidden as possible.

♪ Oh, Lediba is calling properly now, so this cub has got to be in here.

[Barks] ♪ [Barks] Ah, hello.

Little cubby has arrived.

♪ Going in for a cuddle.

♪ You know, it's always really nice just seeing the family reunite and seeing how happy they are together... ♪ and Mum gets to give this cub a little treat.

♪ Looks like we're all on the move now.

Mum's taking the cub in to the kill.

♪ This cub has got a long way to go and a lot of things to learn, and that's what Lediba is gonna be trying to teach it... ♪ but the most important thing right now is that he gets a good meal and continues to grow... ♪ and Mum's managed to provide that today.

♪ [Bird peeping] [Beep] Narrator: Greg has picked up Golden Boy, the latest intruder in the area.

Hartman: These males are just in the floodplain south of Kudu Crossing... Narrator: He's been joined by his coalition partner.

Hartman: so pretty close to where the den is.

This is a mature coalition of males.

We don't know them very well, but they are starting to become quite a lot more present in the Xudum pride territory.

Narrator: They're resting close to Serami's den.

Dimitriadis: Greg, Greg, I've got them.

Ooh.

Yep.

That is Golden Boy.

They are only about 150 meters from the last known location of Serami.

They had two new cubs, so this feels really dangerous.

[Engine starts] Narrator: If neither male is the father, the cubs are in danger.

Dimitriadis: The cubs are here, but Serami is not, and she hasn't been seen at the den for 24 hours now.

♪ I'm getting fairly stressed because if Golden Boy and his coalition partner catch scent of these two cubs, there is a very big chance he's gonna kill them.

♪ [Mew] ♪ I'm having issues getting this thermal camera going.

Narrator: Two hours have passed.

Serami is still not back, and the cubs are still on their own.

I have a feeling there's something wrong with one of the cables.

I've already called in to camp, so they're bringing a replacement, but I'm just stressed that something's gonna happen.

Mitch Buckley, on radio: Anna, come in.

Dimitriadis: Did you say that Golden Boy is coming now?

Narrator: With the thermal camera out of action... Just gonna have to use this for the moment, I think.

Narrator: Anna is using her spotting scope instead to locate the males.

Dimitriadis: Oh, my God, they're walking straight this way.

No, no, no.

♪ Oh, stay there, cubs.

Don't move.

♪ Oh, my.

♪ They're only, like, 30 meters from the den at this point.

♪ I can see some lechwe.

Oh, please be distracted.

♪ OK.

They are looking in the direction of the lechwe at the moment.

Ooh, OK.

I've just lost them behind the termite mound.

Buckley, on radio: Anna, Anna for Mitch.

We approach with the new thermal camera.

♪ Let's try--nice.

We're in.

We're in.

Thank you.

♪ Ah.

OK.

We're back in action.

[Engine starts] ♪ Dimitriadis: What's up, then?

Ah, great.

OK.

[Exhales] These cubs are bulletproof.

♪ They're moving away.

♪ They are moving away.

♪ I cannot believe that those cubs have had such a lucky escape.

♪ Serami needs to come back because that was way too close for comfort.

♪ ♪ Narrator: Night shift is ending... Hartman, on radio: I've got Golden Boy and his coalition partner heading in the direction of Serami's den, eh?

Dimitriadis: No, no, no, Narrator: but the two male lions have circled back.

Dimitriadis: Oh, [beep].

That is.

That's Golden Boy.

He's going straight towards the den.

I'm gonna have to stick with the thermal.

Narrator: Anna has no time to switch to her daylight camera.

Hartman: Oh, my gosh, little guys.

This is gonna be potentially tragic.

♪ We have no idea who Dad is.

If the father is not Golden Boy, this could be the end of these little cubs.

Dimitriadis: If he isn't the dad, I cannot watch another cat kill a cub again.

Hartman: They're just at the base of that little tree.

OK.

Golden Boy is coming towards the den here.

♪ They're not hidden.

They're completely obvious.

♪ Where the hell is Serami?

The cubs have literally zero protection right now.

♪ Hartman: Golden Boy is gonna see these cubs in a second.

♪ Oh, my word.

Golden Boy is hesitating.

♪ Narrator: Fully grown males rarely see cubs this small.

Hartman: The cubs are panicking.

One of the cubs is heading behind the trunk.

The other cub has shuffled off up the trunk of this tree.

♪ What's going on?

♪ Hartman: I don't know if it's curiosity or he actually does want to cause harm.

♪ Narrator: One cub is hiding, but Golden Boy is following the other.

[Yelps] ♪ [Yelps] [Mews] Dimitriadis: Mm-hmm.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

♪ [Whimpers] The fact that that cub is so small might be the biggest blessing because it's managed to get itself all the way up in the tree, and that's the one place that Golden Boy can't get because he's far too big to get up there.

Narrator: The cubs have escaped danger again.

Hartman: He's pulled back.

Goodness gracious, I was not expecting that.

I thought he was gonna munch them.

Dimitriadis: The fact that he didn't go for them, I think he could be the dad, and, if so, that means that intruder males really are infiltrating the Xudum pride.

Buchanan, on radio: Night team, night team, do you copy?

Narrator: Gordon is joining Anna and Greg.

Buchanan: Oh, my gosh.

It's quite the situation.

What is gonna happen here?

[Yelps] Dimitriadis: The one at the bottom is calling for the one who's at the top of the tree, which is encouraging it to come down.

♪ He looks so vulnerable up there.

♪ I just worry-- Oh, it's just clinging on.

♪ Oh, little guy, that's a long way to fall.

Come on.

Come on.

You're so close.

♪ It would just be so low on energy, as well, because we've not seen their mum feeding them recently.

[Gasps] Oh... ♪