1 00:00:00,870 --> 00:00:02,770 I've spent much of my working life 2 00:00:02,770 --> 00:00:04,720 trying to film big cats. 3 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:05,920 I've watched them in the wild 4 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,480 and analyzed the footage in the editing room, 5 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,533 which has given me a real insight into their behavior. 6 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,520 Today, we can see these amazing predators 7 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,551 on our screens any time we choose. 8 00:00:18,551 --> 00:00:21,301 (dramatic music) 9 00:00:23,990 --> 00:00:25,550 But until quite recently, 10 00:00:25,550 --> 00:00:27,833 we knew practically nothing about them. 11 00:00:32,890 --> 00:00:36,043 Big cats are normally shy and very secretive. 12 00:00:38,450 --> 00:00:41,453 Today, their populations are shrinking fast. 13 00:00:42,630 --> 00:00:44,600 But now we have the means to view them 14 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:46,063 in more detail than ever. 15 00:00:51,030 --> 00:00:53,303 And learn the intricacies of their lives. 16 00:00:59,259 --> 00:01:00,700 Which is just as well, 17 00:01:00,700 --> 00:01:03,547 because we need to find ways of living alongside them 18 00:01:05,410 --> 00:01:07,433 before they disappear forever. 19 00:01:09,418 --> 00:01:12,085 (birds calling) 20 00:01:13,490 --> 00:01:17,133 Like most big cats, the leopard is a master of secrecy. 21 00:01:18,810 --> 00:01:21,423 It's one of the hardest of all big cats to see, 22 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:24,043 let alone observe. 23 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,350 And this is mainly because leopards 24 00:01:30,350 --> 00:01:32,853 need absolute invisibility to hunt. 25 00:01:34,650 --> 00:01:37,713 But also because leopards are vulnerable on the ground. 26 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,853 They always need to look over their shoulder. 27 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,074 Leopards only ever feel truly safe ... 28 00:01:48,074 --> 00:01:49,690 (roaring) 29 00:01:49,690 --> 00:01:50,523 in a tree. 30 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,070 In India's Gir forest, a resurgent lion population 31 00:01:57,070 --> 00:01:59,513 is keeping leopards in a state of fear. 32 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:02,420 Once, there were so few lions 33 00:02:02,420 --> 00:02:04,823 that the leopards here became top predator. 34 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:07,720 But now the lions are running riot 35 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,296 and putting the leopard back in its place. 36 00:02:10,296 --> 00:02:12,879 (lion roaring) 37 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:17,820 For millions of years, 38 00:02:17,820 --> 00:02:20,250 this is what leopards have had to content with. 39 00:02:30,290 --> 00:02:32,630 This is why they're such good climbers 40 00:02:32,630 --> 00:02:35,973 and why they evolved to be so incredibly secretive. 41 00:02:37,810 --> 00:02:41,033 For me, filming leopards has always been a challenge. 42 00:02:43,898 --> 00:02:46,065 (roaring) 43 00:02:47,540 --> 00:02:50,910 The whole point of these cats is that you can't see them. 44 00:02:50,910 --> 00:02:52,750 They only reveal themselves to us 45 00:02:52,750 --> 00:02:54,800 when they judge it really doesn't matter. 46 00:02:57,467 --> 00:02:59,884 (soft music) 47 00:03:04,879 --> 00:03:06,840 It could be argued that the leopard 48 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,693 is the most successful of all the big cats. 49 00:03:10,730 --> 00:03:12,910 It certainly is the most numerous 50 00:03:12,910 --> 00:03:14,623 and still the most widespread. 51 00:03:16,300 --> 00:03:19,690 During the Ice Age, it had a very wide distribution, 52 00:03:19,690 --> 00:03:22,803 covering Africa, Europe, and much of Asia. 53 00:03:25,100 --> 00:03:27,973 Since then, its population has shrunk dramatically. 54 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,070 Yet it's still the big cat found 55 00:03:31,070 --> 00:03:33,663 in more different countries than any other. 56 00:03:37,410 --> 00:03:40,023 Leopards can live in almost any habitat. 57 00:03:46,890 --> 00:03:50,410 But it's the big cat which is most at home in forests. 58 00:03:55,700 --> 00:03:57,370 Even where leopards are common, 59 00:03:57,370 --> 00:03:59,113 they can be very hard to spot, 60 00:04:00,060 --> 00:04:01,720 which is perhaps one reason why, 61 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,380 when you do finally get a clear view, 62 00:04:04,380 --> 00:04:07,510 the sight of a young leopard in perfect condition 63 00:04:07,510 --> 00:04:09,270 is one of the most beautiful things 64 00:04:09,270 --> 00:04:10,763 a human can set eyes upon. 65 00:04:19,670 --> 00:04:22,530 Leopards are often confused with jaguars, 66 00:04:22,530 --> 00:04:24,130 but they're very different cats. 67 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:27,100 The leopard is lighter, with long legs 68 00:04:27,100 --> 00:04:29,630 and lots of power in the rear. 69 00:04:29,630 --> 00:04:33,343 It has a much longer tail it uses for balance and agility. 70 00:04:37,870 --> 00:04:41,870 They're very graceful animals, but they still possess 71 00:04:41,870 --> 00:04:44,613 the literally superhuman strength of all the cats, 72 00:04:46,410 --> 00:04:49,213 derived from their special, fast twitch muscle. 73 00:04:54,790 --> 00:04:57,950 This young female is probably still under 40 kilos 74 00:04:57,950 --> 00:05:02,323 in weight, while her mother, patiently waiting for her, 75 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,023 is probably no more than 60 kilos. 76 00:05:08,189 --> 00:05:10,439 (growling) 77 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:15,763 The cub finally spots her mother. 78 00:05:22,500 --> 00:05:24,040 When the mother looks me in the eye 79 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:25,840 as if to say she has me covered 80 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:27,243 should I make a false move, 81 00:05:29,190 --> 00:05:31,833 actually I feel honored with the trust she shows, 82 00:05:33,130 --> 00:05:35,323 trust without which we'd see nothing. 83 00:05:37,570 --> 00:05:40,033 We'd never get this close without them knowing. 84 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,730 The mother is in the process of helping her daughter 85 00:05:44,730 --> 00:05:46,533 learn how to fend for herself. 86 00:05:50,370 --> 00:05:52,370 The daughter is seeking reassurance 87 00:05:52,370 --> 00:05:54,440 that their old life can continue, 88 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,590 and they'll soon be going hunting together. 89 00:05:59,470 --> 00:06:00,863 But first things first. 90 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:03,193 A drink. 91 00:06:10,170 --> 00:06:12,130 In the dry season, animal hoof prints 92 00:06:12,130 --> 00:06:14,423 are often the only source of water available. 93 00:06:21,135 --> 00:06:22,580 (growling) 94 00:06:22,580 --> 00:06:24,513 Life lesson number one for the cub: 95 00:06:25,670 --> 00:06:27,610 how to drink from a muddy hoof print 96 00:06:27,610 --> 00:06:29,283 without getting stung by a bee. 97 00:06:40,396 --> 00:06:43,040 (growling) 98 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,180 These are lucky leopards. 99 00:06:45,180 --> 00:06:47,393 They have prey and space. 100 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:50,150 If there's anywhere in the world 101 00:06:50,150 --> 00:06:52,870 that this young female has a good chance, 102 00:06:52,870 --> 00:06:55,573 it's in Sri Lanka's Yala National Park. 103 00:06:57,270 --> 00:07:01,620 Lions and tigers became extinct here over 10,000 years ago, 104 00:07:01,620 --> 00:07:03,580 and so you'd think that these two 105 00:07:03,580 --> 00:07:05,740 don't have much to worry about. 106 00:07:05,740 --> 00:07:08,540 But as we'll see, being the top predator 107 00:07:08,540 --> 00:07:10,143 isn't all it's cracked up to be. 108 00:07:13,420 --> 00:07:14,860 Places like this, where leopards 109 00:07:14,860 --> 00:07:16,740 have lost their fear of humans, 110 00:07:16,740 --> 00:07:19,853 give us an incredible opportunity to explore their lives. 111 00:07:21,950 --> 00:07:24,900 But in the case of leopards, that means being ready 112 00:07:24,900 --> 00:07:27,260 to spend a whole night with them, 113 00:07:27,260 --> 00:07:30,303 as the hours of darkness are when they're most active. 114 00:07:32,450 --> 00:07:33,720 If there's enough moonlight, 115 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,433 we can use super sensitive starlight cameras. 116 00:07:39,830 --> 00:07:41,763 Or we can add infrared light, 117 00:07:42,790 --> 00:07:45,463 invisible to cats and to humans. 118 00:07:51,580 --> 00:07:52,940 When things get really tricky, 119 00:07:52,940 --> 00:07:55,083 we can also film with a thermal camera. 120 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,243 It detects the heat from their bodies. 121 00:08:00,730 --> 00:08:03,910 As light levels fall, many of the prey animals 122 00:08:03,910 --> 00:08:05,963 gather in herds in open areas. 123 00:08:07,140 --> 00:08:09,853 Wild boar join gatherings of spotted deer. 124 00:08:20,650 --> 00:08:24,500 Before long, the boar find a place to sleep on their own, 125 00:08:24,500 --> 00:08:26,173 forming a defensive circle. 126 00:08:27,330 --> 00:08:29,320 Everybody faces outwards. 127 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,033 They're clearly expecting trouble. 128 00:08:34,130 --> 00:08:36,490 The daughter, of course, is filled with excitement 129 00:08:36,490 --> 00:08:38,317 at the chance to hunt on her own, 130 00:08:41,060 --> 00:08:43,483 stalking and chasing anything that moves. 131 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,263 But this wild boar isn't sleeping. 132 00:08:54,330 --> 00:08:56,610 As a male, he's three or four times heavier 133 00:08:56,610 --> 00:08:57,760 than the young leopard, 134 00:08:59,970 --> 00:09:02,220 and he doesn't seem in the least bit worried. 135 00:09:09,410 --> 00:09:12,380 The young leopard can just see him in the darkness 136 00:09:12,380 --> 00:09:15,333 and is well aware he is completely out of her league. 137 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,013 It's so dark, the boar hasn't noticed the leopard yet. 138 00:09:37,030 --> 00:09:40,363 Only at this point does he realize he's being watched, 139 00:09:41,980 --> 00:09:45,513 and so does what wild boar always do with leopards. 140 00:09:53,263 --> 00:09:55,513 (grunting) 141 00:10:01,990 --> 00:10:03,603 Send them into the trees. 142 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,910 Being in a tree is a natural state for a leopard, 143 00:10:14,910 --> 00:10:16,560 especially this young female, 144 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:18,560 as she tries to make sense of the world. 145 00:10:20,346 --> 00:10:23,013 (deer chirping) 146 00:10:24,870 --> 00:10:28,473 The sound in the distance is the alarm call of spotted deer, 147 00:10:30,460 --> 00:10:32,013 which can only mean one thing. 148 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:35,283 There's another leopard wandering around. 149 00:10:38,340 --> 00:10:41,980 In Yala, leopards are hard to see in daylight. 150 00:10:41,980 --> 00:10:44,250 But at night, with special equipment, 151 00:10:44,250 --> 00:10:46,153 we find them almost anywhere. 152 00:10:53,258 --> 00:10:55,508 (rustling) 153 00:11:01,173 --> 00:11:04,006 (leopard calling) 154 00:11:08,984 --> 00:11:12,330 Like all true big cats, leopards can roar. 155 00:11:12,330 --> 00:11:14,160 The fact that this male is calling 156 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,703 shows he's not at all interested in hunting deer. 157 00:11:17,660 --> 00:11:19,973 The call is meant for other leopards. 158 00:11:21,550 --> 00:11:24,553 And the young female will recognize the owner. 159 00:11:26,330 --> 00:11:29,193 Even if it's her father, she's better off in the tree. 160 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:39,937 He's just patrolling his territory, and deer mob him. 161 00:11:47,300 --> 00:11:50,290 As long as their behind him, they move towards him, 162 00:11:50,290 --> 00:11:52,843 so that everybody knows there's a leopard about. 163 00:11:54,060 --> 00:11:57,090 Their calls can be heard almost a kilometer away, 164 00:11:57,090 --> 00:11:59,130 so all the other leopards nearby 165 00:11:59,130 --> 00:12:01,490 know exactly where this male is. 166 00:12:01,490 --> 00:12:04,300 But while leopards may recognize his ownership, 167 00:12:04,300 --> 00:12:05,473 other animals don't. 168 00:12:06,374 --> 00:12:09,041 (deer chirping) 169 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,913 In Yala, water buffalo are a particular problem. 170 00:12:22,009 --> 00:12:24,259 (snorting) 171 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:32,730 And they're another reason why trees 172 00:12:32,730 --> 00:12:34,720 are a leopard's best friend, 173 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,040 the perfect place to hide, watch, 174 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,693 and wait for a good time to reemerge. 175 00:12:43,860 --> 00:12:46,423 Leopard food lives mostly on the ground. 176 00:12:48,580 --> 00:12:51,090 In Africa, small and medium antelope 177 00:12:51,090 --> 00:12:52,790 are the favorite prey of leopards. 178 00:12:56,010 --> 00:12:59,203 In Asia, the antelope are mostly replaced by deer. 179 00:13:12,150 --> 00:13:15,210 The daughter goes to find her mother again. 180 00:13:15,210 --> 00:13:16,733 She needs some guidance. 181 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,683 All this time, the mother has barely moved. 182 00:13:32,892 --> 00:13:35,975 (leopard vocalizing) 183 00:13:42,370 --> 00:13:45,210 The daughter makes the most of her mother's affection 184 00:13:45,210 --> 00:13:46,210 while she still can. 185 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:10,183 Now, finally, the mother takes her daughter hunting. 186 00:14:17,190 --> 00:14:20,040 (rustling) 187 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:21,750 With the half moon rising, 188 00:14:21,750 --> 00:14:24,240 we can switch to super starlight camera. 189 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,330 It's just bright enough to see a herd of sambar 190 00:14:27,330 --> 00:14:28,893 edging towards the leopards. 191 00:14:31,130 --> 00:14:33,080 The daughter shows her excitement, 192 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,063 while her mother stays back and lets her get on with it. 193 00:14:42,590 --> 00:14:46,913 But sambar are huge, averaging over 300 kilos or so, 194 00:14:47,780 --> 00:14:50,380 and are way beyond the skills of this young leopard. 195 00:14:53,997 --> 00:14:55,950 (sambar calling) 196 00:14:55,950 --> 00:14:58,703 Their calls let the leopard know they've seen her, 197 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,940 and now they move in closer to get a better view, 198 00:15:02,940 --> 00:15:04,523 almost as if to mock her. 199 00:15:07,610 --> 00:15:10,693 (anxious percussion) 200 00:15:15,740 --> 00:15:18,590 Interestingly, we found that, when the moon is up, 201 00:15:18,590 --> 00:15:21,240 it was always much harder to find leopards, 202 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:22,890 even though there was more light. 203 00:15:26,690 --> 00:15:29,140 And there was often nothing interesting going on. 204 00:15:35,090 --> 00:15:36,890 It could be that moonlight is enough 205 00:15:36,890 --> 00:15:40,270 for most animals to be able to see perfectly well, 206 00:15:40,270 --> 00:15:43,363 so they often revert to their daytime patterns of behavior. 207 00:15:45,340 --> 00:15:47,510 The mother leopard knows this, which is why 208 00:15:47,510 --> 00:15:50,480 she doesn't bother to go and help her daughter. 209 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:54,100 Without a moon, leopards were always easy to find, 210 00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:55,683 often sleeping on the road, 211 00:15:56,590 --> 00:15:58,270 perhaps because it's just too dark 212 00:15:58,270 --> 00:16:01,973 to navigate a snake- and thorn-filled forest safely. 213 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,883 Light levels strongly influence animal behavior. 214 00:16:18,990 --> 00:16:21,600 At night, like us, monkeys sleep, 215 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:25,140 but in the daytime, they're nervous of leopard attack 216 00:16:25,140 --> 00:16:27,523 and spend their time with spotted deer. 217 00:16:28,530 --> 00:16:30,303 The two species work together. 218 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,200 The deer are happy to have the monkeys' extra vigilance 219 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:37,453 and are more relaxed. 220 00:16:43,580 --> 00:16:47,280 Which is why most leopards here will be asleep in a tree, 221 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:50,370 catching the breeze in the 40 degree heat. 222 00:16:50,370 --> 00:16:51,890 But there are many other good reasons 223 00:16:51,890 --> 00:16:54,813 why a leopard wouldn't bother to hunt when the sun is up. 224 00:16:57,380 --> 00:16:59,223 This deer was killed in the morning. 225 00:17:01,670 --> 00:17:03,490 If there was a leopard anywhere near, 226 00:17:03,490 --> 00:17:05,883 it's already been chased away by the buffalo. 227 00:17:07,510 --> 00:17:09,223 Since there are no vultures in Yala, 228 00:17:09,223 --> 00:17:11,280 there's a good chance that the leopard 229 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,443 will be able to come and feed once darkness has fallen. 230 00:17:27,430 --> 00:17:29,800 The monkeys in the tree and the jungle crow 231 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,732 indicate that the carcass does have an owner. 232 00:17:32,732 --> 00:17:34,815 (cawing) 233 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:38,610 This is the daughter leopard. 234 00:17:40,620 --> 00:17:43,206 The mother is nowhere to be seen. 235 00:17:43,206 --> 00:17:46,181 (grunting) 236 00:17:46,181 --> 00:17:47,600 The buffalo have moved on, 237 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,497 but now a large herd of wild boar appear. 238 00:17:55,671 --> 00:17:58,007 (grunting) 239 00:17:58,007 --> 00:18:00,123 And they discover the deer carcass. 240 00:18:11,490 --> 00:18:14,793 The main scavenger in Yala turns out to be wild board. 241 00:18:16,374 --> 00:18:19,791 (grunting and squealing) 242 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,760 While they appear to be like a pack of wolves of hyenas, 243 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,610 they don't actually have the teeth to be real carnivores. 244 00:18:32,790 --> 00:18:35,660 Unlike the cats, dogs and hyenas, 245 00:18:35,660 --> 00:18:39,400 wild boar have no carnassials, the special teeth 246 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,793 that enable predators to actually cut skin. 247 00:18:46,810 --> 00:18:50,080 So while the boar can easily remove the soft parts, 248 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:52,580 there will always be something left for a leopard. 249 00:18:53,791 --> 00:18:56,124 (squealing) 250 00:18:59,180 --> 00:19:01,503 The boar are making the daughter nervous. 251 00:19:07,070 --> 00:19:09,593 She picks a safe moment to find her mother. 252 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,330 Elsewhere, another leopard has braved the daylight 253 00:19:29,330 --> 00:19:31,060 to finish an old sambar deer, 254 00:19:31,060 --> 00:19:33,750 one that's already been ravaged by the boar 255 00:19:33,750 --> 00:19:35,000 and has little meat left. 256 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:40,200 The leopard's special meat-eating teeth 257 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,417 allow it to find food that the pigs can't eat. 258 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,993 The carnassials come into play. 259 00:19:59,170 --> 00:20:01,707 Wild boar are ever present here now. 260 00:20:03,848 --> 00:20:06,098 (grunting) 261 00:20:12,988 --> 00:20:15,130 The fact that there are no tigers in Yala 262 00:20:15,130 --> 00:20:18,300 is, on the one hand, great news for the leopards, 263 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:20,750 but on the other, if there were tigers, 264 00:20:20,750 --> 00:20:22,300 there would be fewer wild boar. 265 00:20:25,293 --> 00:20:27,543 (grunting) 266 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,130 It's only at night that leopards can gain 267 00:20:33,130 --> 00:20:35,653 any kind of advantage over the boar. 268 00:20:41,830 --> 00:20:42,810 There's still one there, 269 00:20:42,810 --> 00:20:46,063 trying to suck the last goodness from the sambar carcass. 270 00:20:47,150 --> 00:20:50,213 His teeth have no purchasing power on the tough skin. 271 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,023 But in the dark, the ability to move silently ... 272 00:21:00,590 --> 00:21:02,643 gives the leopard a big advantage. 273 00:21:07,524 --> 00:21:10,274 (dramatic music) 274 00:21:18,464 --> 00:21:22,964 (roaring) (squealing) 275 00:21:30,009 --> 00:21:32,509 And now she can feed in peace. 276 00:21:42,550 --> 00:21:45,190 Leopards have survived for millions of years 277 00:21:45,190 --> 00:21:47,763 by adapting to an ever-changing world, 278 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,600 watching, waiting for the coast to be clear. 279 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,970 Often, they've lived in very low densities, 280 00:21:54,970 --> 00:21:57,812 but they've always been able to find each other. 281 00:21:57,812 --> 00:21:59,810 (leopard vocalizing) 282 00:21:59,810 --> 00:22:01,943 This strange sound isn't one of pain. 283 00:22:02,930 --> 00:22:06,863 It's an invitation to a male leopard from a female. 284 00:22:09,630 --> 00:22:12,113 She leaves a tantalizing scent trail. 285 00:22:17,898 --> 00:22:20,815 And the male has to track her down. 286 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:40,693 When he finds her, there's no surprise. 287 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:44,810 She already knows it's him, 288 00:22:44,810 --> 00:22:47,927 as she's fathered a cub with her. 289 00:22:47,927 --> 00:22:51,173 Her invitation was to him specifically. 290 00:22:53,430 --> 00:22:55,600 As the sky brightens, we have the chance 291 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,523 to film this lovers' tryst by moonlight for the first time. 292 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,210 Cat sex is more or less the same with most species: 293 00:23:05,210 --> 00:23:07,193 it's the female who initiates. 294 00:23:12,330 --> 00:23:13,733 Her caresses are tender. 295 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,273 But mating can be a violent affair. 296 00:23:24,130 --> 00:23:28,030 All male cats have a barbed penis to stimulate ovulation, 297 00:23:28,030 --> 00:23:30,423 and withdrawal can be quite painful for her, 298 00:23:31,930 --> 00:23:34,080 so the male bites the female's neck 299 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,017 to protect itself from attack. 300 00:23:37,889 --> 00:23:39,355 (screeching) 301 00:23:39,355 --> 00:23:41,522 (roaring) 302 00:23:45,860 --> 00:23:47,320 When the female is in season, 303 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:51,861 they may mate as many as 250 times in a couple of days. 304 00:23:51,861 --> 00:23:54,278 (screeching) 305 00:23:57,820 --> 00:23:59,720 As often as every 15 minutes 306 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,093 to maximize reproductive success. 307 00:24:03,552 --> 00:24:05,400 (roaring) 308 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,830 The Sri Lankan leopards are mong the largest in the world, 309 00:24:08,830 --> 00:24:11,630 and the males are huge compare to the females, 310 00:24:11,630 --> 00:24:14,033 often exceeding 100 kilos, 311 00:24:15,140 --> 00:24:17,475 almost the same size as the lions. 312 00:24:17,475 --> 00:24:18,308 (elephant calling) 313 00:24:18,308 --> 00:24:21,780 But it doesn't mean they're kings and queens of the jungle. 314 00:24:21,780 --> 00:24:24,653 Here, leopards can't even mate in peace. 315 00:24:26,950 --> 00:24:30,350 After millions of years of being hunted by large predators, 316 00:24:30,350 --> 00:24:33,319 elephants won't tolerate leopards nearby. 317 00:24:33,319 --> 00:24:36,569 (elephants vocalizing) 318 00:24:47,830 --> 00:24:50,540 Being shunned and chased by wildlife wherever they go 319 00:24:50,540 --> 00:24:53,140 hasn't stopped leopards here in Yala's national park 320 00:24:53,990 --> 00:24:55,723 from doing incredibly well. 321 00:24:57,830 --> 00:25:00,040 In fact, this is one of the densest 322 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:01,943 leopard populations in the world. 323 00:25:05,620 --> 00:25:06,990 But one of the key reasons 324 00:25:06,990 --> 00:25:10,083 for their success is rather surprising. 325 00:25:11,630 --> 00:25:13,973 Humans have provided a helping hand. 326 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,560 There are few natural lakes or ponds in Sri Lanka, 327 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,730 and for centuries wildlife has depended 328 00:25:23,730 --> 00:25:25,600 on manmade water sources. 329 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,100 Leopards are generally so antisocial, 330 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:43,173 they each want their own place to drink. 331 00:25:51,834 --> 00:25:54,501 Only a mother and cub can share. 332 00:26:01,020 --> 00:26:03,530 The limit to the leopard population in Yala 333 00:26:03,530 --> 00:26:07,883 wasn't the availability of prey; it was water sources. 334 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:14,260 So, in Yala, more artificial water sources were built 335 00:26:14,260 --> 00:26:17,323 in the hope they could increase the number of leopards. 336 00:26:20,700 --> 00:26:24,400 The experiment has been a huge success. 337 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:26,253 Leopards are really thriving. 338 00:26:30,330 --> 00:26:32,660 Throughout their range, leopards have been living 339 00:26:32,660 --> 00:26:35,823 alongside humans for nearly two million years. 340 00:26:37,350 --> 00:26:40,583 And now their relationship has become even closer. 341 00:26:42,290 --> 00:26:45,220 Leopards know how to keep a very low profile, 342 00:26:45,220 --> 00:26:47,173 and if they can find food of some kind, 343 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,023 they can easily survive among people. 344 00:26:51,023 --> 00:26:53,940 (intriguing music) 345 00:27:01,410 --> 00:27:04,040 Sometimes communities are completely unaware 346 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:05,513 of a leopard in their midst. 347 00:27:06,908 --> 00:27:09,491 (dogs barking) 348 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:12,633 Only the village dogs know, 349 00:27:13,670 --> 00:27:16,813 and that's because they're the ones at greatest risk. 350 00:27:19,890 --> 00:27:23,990 But there is a place in India where these 21st century cats 351 00:27:23,990 --> 00:27:27,103 have taken living among us to a whole new level. 352 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:31,233 Mumbai. 353 00:27:33,489 --> 00:27:34,322 (horns honking) 354 00:27:34,322 --> 00:27:37,900 The most populous urban area on the subcontinent, 355 00:27:37,900 --> 00:27:41,420 with over 20 million human inhabitants. 356 00:27:41,420 --> 00:27:44,333 And incredibly, leopards live here too. 357 00:27:45,647 --> 00:27:48,730 (fireworks rumbling) 358 00:27:50,330 --> 00:27:52,000 Within this huge metropolis 359 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:53,913 lies Sanjay-Gandhi National Park. 360 00:27:54,930 --> 00:27:58,460 A protected area like this of around 100 square kilometers 361 00:28:00,890 --> 00:28:04,860 would normally be expected to support only a few leopards. 362 00:28:04,860 --> 00:28:06,773 But here there are over 40. 363 00:28:11,780 --> 00:28:13,400 At the edges of the city, 364 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,053 the leopards' old foe has been domesticated, 365 00:28:17,030 --> 00:28:20,283 although they've also interbred with wild boar. 366 00:28:27,630 --> 00:28:29,810 When most residents are asleep, 367 00:28:29,810 --> 00:28:33,253 leopards make their way out of the park, into the city. 368 00:28:40,690 --> 00:28:42,703 Carefully, and quietly. 369 00:28:54,260 --> 00:28:56,773 Cubs learn the route from an early age. 370 00:29:01,190 --> 00:29:02,893 This is their urban jungle. 371 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:09,480 The leopards don't have to go far 372 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:10,830 to find what they're after. 373 00:29:13,050 --> 00:29:14,493 An abundance of food. 374 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:21,090 These cats are known to feed 375 00:29:21,090 --> 00:29:23,563 on about 100 different prey species, 376 00:29:25,300 --> 00:29:27,843 so if it moves, it's probably on the list. 377 00:29:29,140 --> 00:29:32,010 The ability to eat whatever they can catch 378 00:29:32,010 --> 00:29:34,243 is one reason why they're so successful. 379 00:29:41,161 --> 00:29:43,411 (grunting) 380 00:29:45,310 --> 00:29:47,860 But she could no more kill this big sow here 381 00:29:47,860 --> 00:29:49,863 than she could in a forest of Sri Lanka. 382 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:57,460 The thick neck of pigs makes it very difficult 383 00:29:57,460 --> 00:29:59,513 for leopards to kill by strangulation. 384 00:30:03,590 --> 00:30:05,793 Of course, it's the adult pigs she's after. 385 00:30:06,660 --> 00:30:08,273 It's the piglets. 386 00:30:10,013 --> 00:30:12,763 (dramatic music) 387 00:30:16,060 --> 00:30:18,483 She approaches the shed where they all live. 388 00:30:22,530 --> 00:30:24,563 The plan is to make a hit and run. 389 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,170 But if she's discovered, she'll have to flee. 390 00:30:29,870 --> 00:30:32,653 She needs to be completely silent. 391 00:30:34,230 --> 00:30:36,780 In the darkness, she hears the approach of an adult 392 00:30:39,260 --> 00:30:40,903 and makes a silent escape. 393 00:30:45,230 --> 00:30:47,320 Pigs here too take a very dim view 394 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:49,013 of leopards sneaking around. 395 00:30:50,490 --> 00:30:53,810 But actually, piglets from the periphery of the city 396 00:30:53,810 --> 00:30:57,393 only form a small part of the leopard diet here in Mumbai. 397 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:03,303 Dogs are their main city staple. 398 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,250 In fact, leopards are well known 399 00:31:12,250 --> 00:31:16,010 for taking foxes and jackals in wilderness areas, 400 00:31:16,010 --> 00:31:17,690 so the domestic dogs here 401 00:31:17,690 --> 00:31:20,413 are a perfectly natural prey for leopards. 402 00:31:20,413 --> 00:31:22,996 (dogs barking) 403 00:31:25,180 --> 00:31:27,790 Most dogs live in the denser parts of the city. 404 00:31:32,740 --> 00:31:35,630 And it's here that the leopard's extraordinary skills 405 00:31:35,630 --> 00:31:37,003 are tested to the limit. 406 00:31:44,810 --> 00:31:46,870 They're so good at staying out of sight 407 00:31:46,870 --> 00:31:50,963 that few people ever witness this night hunter's activities. 408 00:31:53,793 --> 00:31:55,852 (dramatic music) 409 00:31:55,852 --> 00:31:57,340 (dog barking) 410 00:31:57,340 --> 00:32:00,003 Over surveillance cameras can reveal the truth. 411 00:32:04,846 --> 00:32:07,346 (dog barking) 412 00:32:20,257 --> 00:32:23,557 There are 95,000 dogs in Mumbai, 413 00:32:23,557 --> 00:32:25,457 and the leopards know where they live. 414 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:29,563 The element of surprise is essential. 415 00:32:40,140 --> 00:32:42,940 (snarling) 416 00:32:42,940 --> 00:32:46,070 The leopard silences its victim with a throat bite 417 00:32:46,070 --> 00:32:47,863 before it can make a sound. 418 00:32:57,300 --> 00:32:59,460 With such a high density of people, 419 00:32:59,460 --> 00:33:02,213 human encounters with leopards are inevitable. 420 00:33:03,470 --> 00:33:05,540 Only a very small proportion of these 421 00:33:05,540 --> 00:33:07,733 result in injuries to leopards or people. 422 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:10,340 This pregnant female was filmed 423 00:33:10,340 --> 00:33:12,293 on our remote camera after midnight. 424 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,123 A short while later, this man walked the same path. 425 00:33:19,150 --> 00:33:22,063 At the approach of a human, the leopards just hide. 426 00:33:25,500 --> 00:33:27,483 Only when cornered do they attack. 427 00:33:34,500 --> 00:33:37,033 In towns and cities across the country ... 428 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:38,980 (shouting in a foreign language) 429 00:33:38,980 --> 00:33:42,362 leopards often get themselves into unfamiliar territory. 430 00:33:42,362 --> 00:33:45,020 (shouting in a foreign language) 431 00:33:45,020 --> 00:33:46,855 (dramatic music) 432 00:33:46,855 --> 00:33:49,022 (roaring) 433 00:34:05,102 --> 00:34:08,340 Showing the sheer strength and determination to survive 434 00:34:08,340 --> 00:34:11,350 that got them through the last million or so years, 435 00:34:11,350 --> 00:34:13,930 the leopard just wants to get out of the way. 436 00:34:15,818 --> 00:34:17,985 (roaring) 437 00:34:20,330 --> 00:34:23,140 A leopard on the loose attracts hordes of spectators, 438 00:34:23,140 --> 00:34:24,960 all eager just to get a look 439 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:27,303 at this most elusive of their neighbors. 440 00:34:33,820 --> 00:34:36,700 Keen to protect both people and leopards, 441 00:34:36,700 --> 00:34:40,140 the Indian Wildlife Authorities generally dart the cat 442 00:34:40,140 --> 00:34:43,943 and take it back to a suitable habitat after a health check. 443 00:34:48,025 --> 00:34:50,442 (soft music) 444 00:34:53,510 --> 00:34:56,463 For leopards, Mumbai is their home too. 445 00:35:00,930 --> 00:35:05,440 To me, it's incredibly that not only can they survive here, 446 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:09,760 but also that this in fact the densest population 447 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:11,253 of leopards in the world. 448 00:35:12,540 --> 00:35:15,290 (dramatic music) 449 00:35:19,910 --> 00:35:22,520 With their skills of stealth and concealment, 450 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:25,200 leopards demonstrate that big cats 451 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,373 really can live alongside us. 452 00:35:34,327 --> 00:35:37,077 (dramatic music)