1 00:00:00,860 --> 00:00:02,780 I've spent much of my working life 2 00:00:02,780 --> 00:00:04,720 trying to film big cats. 3 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:05,930 I've watched them in the wild 4 00:00:05,930 --> 00:00:08,490 and analyzed the footage in the editing room, 5 00:00:08,490 --> 00:00:11,553 which has given me a real insight into their behavior. 6 00:00:12,780 --> 00:00:17,030 Today, we can see these amazing predators on our screens 7 00:00:17,030 --> 00:00:18,685 any time we choose. 8 00:00:18,685 --> 00:00:21,705 (dramatic music) 9 00:00:21,705 --> 00:00:23,970 (hooves beating) 10 00:00:23,970 --> 00:00:25,550 But until quite recently, 11 00:00:25,550 --> 00:00:28,330 we knew practically nothing about them. 12 00:00:28,330 --> 00:00:30,255 (dramatic music) 13 00:00:30,255 --> 00:00:32,890 (insects buzzing) 14 00:00:32,890 --> 00:00:35,853 Big cats are normally shy, and very secretive. 15 00:00:36,995 --> 00:00:38,440 (dramatic music) 16 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,453 Today, their populations are shrinking fast. 17 00:00:42,630 --> 00:00:44,580 But now we have the means to view them 18 00:00:44,580 --> 00:00:46,565 in more detail than ever, 19 00:00:46,565 --> 00:00:49,500 (thunder crashing) 20 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:51,030 (dramatic music) 21 00:00:51,030 --> 00:00:54,327 and learn the intricacies of their lives. 22 00:00:54,327 --> 00:00:57,077 (dramatic music) 23 00:00:59,125 --> 00:01:02,040 Which is just as well because we need to find ways 24 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:03,567 of living alongside them 25 00:01:05,410 --> 00:01:07,433 before they disappear forever. 26 00:01:08,895 --> 00:01:11,410 (bird chirping) 27 00:01:11,410 --> 00:01:14,013 These are two young cheetah sisters. 28 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:18,220 Their mother left them recently, 29 00:01:18,220 --> 00:01:19,833 and now, they're on their own. 30 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,050 They have the form and physique of adults, 31 00:01:25,050 --> 00:01:27,363 but the sisters have little experience. 32 00:01:28,690 --> 00:01:31,351 They'll chase anything that moves. 33 00:01:31,351 --> 00:01:35,018 (fast-paced dramatic music) 34 00:01:43,660 --> 00:01:46,309 In this case, an African hare. 35 00:01:46,309 --> 00:01:49,710 (fast-paced dramatic music) 36 00:01:49,710 --> 00:01:52,030 They display all of the cheetah skills, 37 00:01:52,030 --> 00:01:55,213 speed, agility, and lightning-fast reactions. 38 00:01:58,150 --> 00:02:00,110 They can grab the earth with their claws, 39 00:02:00,110 --> 00:02:02,567 and match the hare's tight turning circle. 40 00:02:03,402 --> 00:02:07,069 (fast-paced dramatic music) 41 00:02:11,250 --> 00:02:13,140 They understand that at this speed 42 00:02:15,010 --> 00:02:17,569 a light touch is all that is needed. 43 00:02:17,569 --> 00:02:19,819 (rustling) 44 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,253 And the victim's own momentum will do the rest. 45 00:02:31,658 --> 00:02:35,030 (birds chirping) 46 00:02:35,030 --> 00:02:36,280 There's only one problem. 47 00:02:37,540 --> 00:02:40,903 One hare between two of them is barely enough. 48 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,793 Running at the speed they do is dangerous, 49 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:53,813 and a hare is a meager reward. 50 00:02:55,587 --> 00:02:57,810 (flesh tearing) 51 00:02:57,810 --> 00:03:00,463 They need to work out how to catch something bigger. 52 00:03:07,218 --> 00:03:09,520 (peaceful music) 53 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,163 Cheetahs are not your standard big cats. 54 00:03:13,690 --> 00:03:16,173 They differ from the others in many ways. 55 00:03:18,300 --> 00:03:19,620 Cheetahs are daytime hunters 56 00:03:19,620 --> 00:03:21,970 with eyesight optimized for open landscape 57 00:03:24,190 --> 00:03:25,363 and distant prey. 58 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,230 They're possibly the fastest land animals 59 00:03:31,230 --> 00:03:32,280 that have ever lived, 60 00:03:33,970 --> 00:03:35,820 which makes filming them a bit tricky 61 00:03:37,260 --> 00:03:39,360 because the end of a run may well be 62 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,273 a kilometer away from the start. 63 00:03:42,570 --> 00:03:45,320 (peaceful music) 64 00:03:48,783 --> 00:03:51,533 (birds chirping) 65 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:57,933 It's a real challenge for a cameraman. 66 00:03:59,416 --> 00:04:02,166 (birds chirping) 67 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,713 But cheetahs are actually surprisingly easy to read. 68 00:04:07,620 --> 00:04:09,950 This cat is showing real intent, 69 00:04:09,950 --> 00:04:13,673 and is definitely looking straight at a possible victim, 70 00:04:13,673 --> 00:04:15,620 (suspenseful music) 71 00:04:15,620 --> 00:04:17,827 one of these gazelles. 72 00:04:17,827 --> 00:04:20,120 (suspenseful music) 73 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:21,310 The tautness of its body 74 00:04:21,310 --> 00:04:23,530 suggests it's just waiting for a moment 75 00:04:23,530 --> 00:04:25,133 when the group is distracted. 76 00:04:26,457 --> 00:04:29,457 (suspenseful music) 77 00:04:36,550 --> 00:04:38,380 If the distance is very great, 78 00:04:38,380 --> 00:04:40,180 and she can get away with it, 79 00:04:40,180 --> 00:04:43,785 she'll run to close the gap on the unwary animals, 80 00:04:43,785 --> 00:04:47,118 (dramatic music) 81 00:04:47,118 --> 00:04:49,785 (paws thumping) 82 00:04:51,490 --> 00:04:53,900 (birds chirping) 83 00:04:53,900 --> 00:04:56,386 before she unleashes full power 84 00:04:56,386 --> 00:04:58,720 (paws thumping) 85 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,573 to get maximum surprise. 86 00:05:01,536 --> 00:05:04,071 (gazelles honking) 87 00:05:04,071 --> 00:05:07,060 (dramatic music) 88 00:05:07,060 --> 00:05:10,820 At this stage, the cheetah is focused on just one animal. 89 00:05:10,820 --> 00:05:13,481 One she had selected from the start. 90 00:05:13,481 --> 00:05:16,231 (dramatic music) 91 00:05:19,690 --> 00:05:22,050 But suddenly, a slower, closer gazelle 92 00:05:22,050 --> 00:05:24,039 attracts her attention. 93 00:05:24,039 --> 00:05:27,688 (fast-paced dramatic music) 94 00:05:27,688 --> 00:05:31,133 (paws thumping) 95 00:05:31,133 --> 00:05:34,800 (fast-paced dramatic music) 96 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,463 The cheetah anticipates the gazelle's turn, 97 00:05:41,803 --> 00:05:42,950 (clattering) 98 00:05:42,950 --> 00:05:44,803 and a simple trip does the rest. 99 00:05:47,618 --> 00:05:50,368 (dramatic music) 100 00:05:56,350 --> 00:05:57,940 Like most other cats, 101 00:05:57,940 --> 00:06:00,273 cheetahs kill with a suffocating bite. 102 00:06:04,050 --> 00:06:06,450 Because of the way they hunt, cheetahs have adapted 103 00:06:06,450 --> 00:06:09,463 to live on the widest of wide-open spaces. 104 00:06:11,630 --> 00:06:14,983 But these vast grasslands have now shrunk to almost nothing. 105 00:06:15,910 --> 00:06:19,120 As a result, there are only 6,000 cheetahs left 106 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:19,963 in the world. 107 00:06:23,650 --> 00:06:26,090 And yet, here in Kenya's Maasai Mara, 108 00:06:26,090 --> 00:06:29,083 cheetahs are one of the easiest cats of all to see. 109 00:06:31,690 --> 00:06:34,023 Male coalitions, such as these five, 110 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:39,803 are constantly on the move to find food and females. 111 00:06:41,619 --> 00:06:44,452 (insects buzzing) 112 00:06:46,750 --> 00:06:48,290 Because of the number of tourists, 113 00:06:48,290 --> 00:06:51,993 these cats now regard cars as just part of the landscape. 114 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,720 In fact, they actively use the cars as cover 115 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,683 on these otherwise featureless steps. 116 00:07:04,783 --> 00:07:07,533 (birds chirping) 117 00:07:18,420 --> 00:07:21,060 But the males would be disappointed to know 118 00:07:21,060 --> 00:07:25,383 that the only females within 15 miles are not ready to mate. 119 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,350 These two young sisters are only just beginning 120 00:07:31,350 --> 00:07:33,333 to learn how to fend for themselves. 121 00:07:34,530 --> 00:07:35,819 They're novices. 122 00:07:35,819 --> 00:07:38,652 (insects buzzing) 123 00:07:40,510 --> 00:07:42,420 When I was a filming novice myself, 124 00:07:42,420 --> 00:07:44,510 I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time 125 00:07:44,510 --> 00:07:46,303 with youngsters just like these. 126 00:07:48,740 --> 00:07:51,000 For them, the boundary between play 127 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,083 and serious hunting was blurred. 128 00:07:54,260 --> 00:07:57,430 They just seem to be having the time of their lives, 129 00:07:57,430 --> 00:08:00,722 learning about hunting and their prey. 130 00:08:00,722 --> 00:08:03,550 (peaceful music) 131 00:08:03,550 --> 00:08:05,620 Millions of years of living with cheetahs 132 00:08:05,620 --> 00:08:06,850 have given the prey animals 133 00:08:06,850 --> 00:08:08,853 an incredible amount of speed too, 134 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:16,587 as well as agility, and an awareness of their predators. 135 00:08:16,587 --> 00:08:19,254 (playful music) 136 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,750 It still seems to surprise the sisters 137 00:08:26,750 --> 00:08:29,283 that animals run from the mere sight of a cheetah, 138 00:08:30,190 --> 00:08:32,180 and prefer to stay in the open, 139 00:08:32,180 --> 00:08:34,308 where they can keep an eye on things. 140 00:08:34,308 --> 00:08:37,058 (hooves beating) 141 00:08:46,820 --> 00:08:48,950 For the moment, these two will stick together 142 00:08:48,950 --> 00:08:49,950 and help each other. 143 00:08:51,429 --> 00:08:54,228 (hooves beating) 144 00:08:54,228 --> 00:08:57,061 (insects buzzing) 145 00:09:02,010 --> 00:09:04,440 They still have playful urges. 146 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,430 Not the most suitable behavior 147 00:09:06,430 --> 00:09:08,873 if you're trying to sneak up on nervous animals. 148 00:09:10,338 --> 00:09:13,255 (cheetahs purring) 149 00:09:15,500 --> 00:09:19,793 Concentration and focus are skills they'll develop in time. 150 00:09:21,356 --> 00:09:24,106 (grass rustling) 151 00:09:25,580 --> 00:09:29,203 For the moment, the impala herd is moving far away. 152 00:09:30,045 --> 00:09:32,795 (grass rustling) 153 00:09:35,050 --> 00:09:36,980 In a reserve like the Maasai Mara, 154 00:09:36,980 --> 00:09:39,673 there's a bewildering array of possible prey. 155 00:09:40,590 --> 00:09:44,021 At this time of year, the plains are full of wildebeest, 156 00:09:44,021 --> 00:09:46,530 (wildebeest mooing) 157 00:09:46,530 --> 00:09:49,523 a tempting idea for an inexperienced huntress. 158 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,320 Wildebeest weigh five or six times 159 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,600 as much as a 50 kilo cheetah. 160 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,253 They're armed with dangerous horns, and they're fast too. 161 00:10:12,510 --> 00:10:14,343 Already, she's made a mistake. 162 00:10:15,910 --> 00:10:17,860 The young cheetah didn't take into account 163 00:10:17,860 --> 00:10:20,623 that most of her run would be over rocks. 164 00:10:22,580 --> 00:10:24,963 And so she can't get her stride into a rhythm, 165 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,293 and loses the element of surprise. 166 00:10:33,326 --> 00:10:36,760 The cheetah's most powerful weapon, speed, 167 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,933 only works properly if the prey is running too. 168 00:10:52,769 --> 00:10:55,602 (hooves beating) 169 00:10:55,602 --> 00:10:57,430 (dramatic music) 170 00:10:57,430 --> 00:11:00,060 This wildebeest bull isn't going to take any cheek 171 00:11:00,060 --> 00:11:02,573 from an animal almost a fifth of his weight. 172 00:11:04,910 --> 00:11:07,600 But this isn't just a game of sheer strength. 173 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,393 It's as much about confidence. 174 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,033 The wildebeest detects her uncertainty, 175 00:11:14,770 --> 00:11:17,388 and realizes he is in charge. 176 00:11:17,388 --> 00:11:20,388 (suspenseful music) 177 00:11:30,870 --> 00:11:34,163 The wildebeest could easily break her bones or gore her, 178 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:36,920 but he's not taking any chances. 179 00:11:39,488 --> 00:11:42,321 (insects buzzing) 180 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:46,290 These two sisters need to find something 181 00:11:46,290 --> 00:11:47,863 a bit easier to handle. 182 00:11:49,150 --> 00:11:52,710 Smaller than the wildebeest is the kongoni. 183 00:11:52,710 --> 00:11:55,386 It's certainly within their size range. 184 00:11:55,386 --> 00:11:58,136 (dramatic music) 185 00:11:59,230 --> 00:12:02,520 But unfortunately, the kongoni is one of the fastest, 186 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,783 most agile and alert of all the antelope. 187 00:12:07,126 --> 00:12:09,876 (dramatic music) 188 00:12:11,190 --> 00:12:13,730 This special gait, known as stotting, 189 00:12:13,730 --> 00:12:17,080 is used by many antelope as a signal to the cheetahs, 190 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,090 not only that this animal has seen them, 191 00:12:19,090 --> 00:12:21,283 but also that it is in peak condition, 192 00:12:22,230 --> 00:12:24,580 and they shouldn't waste their time chasing it. 193 00:12:26,446 --> 00:12:29,196 (dramatic music) 194 00:12:33,170 --> 00:12:35,780 Impala, not much heavier than a cheetah, 195 00:12:35,780 --> 00:12:38,053 would in principle be a perfect choice. 196 00:12:39,331 --> 00:12:42,081 (dramatic music) 197 00:12:45,070 --> 00:12:47,813 When there are plenty around, they drop their guard. 198 00:12:50,830 --> 00:12:53,430 The sisters walk almost casually up to the antelope, 199 00:12:54,496 --> 00:12:57,246 (dramatic music) 200 00:13:01,700 --> 00:13:03,693 stopping at just the right time. 201 00:13:04,921 --> 00:13:08,281 (birds chirping) 202 00:13:08,281 --> 00:13:11,114 (insects buzzing) 203 00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:14,400 They've understood hiding in plain sight 204 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:16,603 is one of the cheetah's greatest skills. 205 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,863 The antelope really don't seem to be expecting trouble. 206 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:27,833 For the cheetahs, 207 00:13:27,833 --> 00:13:30,553 this seems to be almost too good to be true. 208 00:13:33,940 --> 00:13:35,213 There has to be a catch. 209 00:13:39,256 --> 00:13:42,161 (grass rustling) 210 00:13:42,161 --> 00:13:44,911 (birds chirping) 211 00:13:58,381 --> 00:14:00,700 (paws thumping) 212 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:02,916 She has the element of surprise. 213 00:14:02,916 --> 00:14:05,916 (suspenseful music) 214 00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:13,481 But of course, the impala make for the trees. 215 00:14:13,481 --> 00:14:16,416 (suspenseful music) 216 00:14:16,416 --> 00:14:19,166 (hooves beating) 217 00:14:26,430 --> 00:14:29,180 While the cheetahs have the top speed to overtake them, 218 00:14:31,180 --> 00:14:33,580 they won't be able to use it among the branches. 219 00:14:34,581 --> 00:14:37,581 (suspenseful music) 220 00:14:53,356 --> 00:14:56,646 (hooves beating) 221 00:14:56,646 --> 00:14:59,979 The cheetahs are foiled by the woodland. 222 00:15:02,500 --> 00:15:03,653 That's the catch. 223 00:15:04,652 --> 00:15:07,402 (dramatic music) 224 00:15:12,390 --> 00:15:15,113 The cheetah's technique works best in open country, 225 00:15:17,310 --> 00:15:18,673 and the impala know it. 226 00:15:26,137 --> 00:15:30,420 Hopefully these sisters have learned a lesson here too. 227 00:15:30,420 --> 00:15:33,843 When impala are near trees, cheetahs don't have a chance. 228 00:15:36,860 --> 00:15:40,780 The problem these cats face would seem to be simple enough, 229 00:15:40,780 --> 00:15:41,890 but cheetahs should always 230 00:15:41,890 --> 00:15:43,840 check their surroundings carefully 231 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:45,313 before they start a hunt. 232 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,450 (insects buzzing) 233 00:15:49,450 --> 00:15:53,035 This sister is attracted to a herd of topi. 234 00:15:53,035 --> 00:15:56,260 (grass rustling) 235 00:15:56,260 --> 00:15:59,010 (birds chirping) 236 00:16:00,950 --> 00:16:03,490 But she's too low to notice that in the background, 237 00:16:03,490 --> 00:16:06,313 a few hyenas are wandering in this direction. 238 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,050 The cheetah is completely focused 239 00:16:10,050 --> 00:16:11,793 on the two youngsters sparring. 240 00:16:14,010 --> 00:16:16,760 (dramatic music) 241 00:16:20,034 --> 00:16:23,367 (wildebeest mooing) 242 00:16:23,367 --> 00:16:26,117 (dramatic music) 243 00:16:28,210 --> 00:16:30,133 The other sister has seen the hyena. 244 00:16:31,551 --> 00:16:32,690 (suspenseful music) 245 00:16:32,690 --> 00:16:35,141 The first sister starts a run. 246 00:16:35,141 --> 00:16:38,141 (suspenseful music) 247 00:17:00,500 --> 00:17:03,823 The hyenas are watching the action with great interest. 248 00:17:06,610 --> 00:17:10,030 Only now does the cheetah finally see the hyenas, 249 00:17:10,030 --> 00:17:13,113 and realizes that perhaps it was a lucky miss. 250 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:18,533 Had she made a kill, she wouldn't have kept it for long. 251 00:17:20,075 --> 00:17:22,372 (hooves beating) 252 00:17:22,372 --> 00:17:25,603 (grass rustling) 253 00:17:25,603 --> 00:17:28,933 (insects buzzing) 254 00:17:28,933 --> 00:17:31,683 (hooves beating) 255 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:35,023 She needs to retreat. 256 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,590 One of the few things you can be sure of about predators 257 00:17:42,590 --> 00:17:44,690 is that they really don't like each other. 258 00:17:47,290 --> 00:17:50,420 Lions are particularly dangerous for cheetahs. 259 00:17:50,420 --> 00:17:52,170 Not only do they steal kills, 260 00:17:52,170 --> 00:17:54,820 but they'll kill cheetahs as and when they find them. 261 00:17:57,140 --> 00:17:59,713 They're the cause of most cheetah mortality. 262 00:18:00,963 --> 00:18:03,190 (grass rustling) 263 00:18:03,190 --> 00:18:05,653 Their arrival is too much for the second cheetah. 264 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:15,593 Prudence is also a key skill for this delicate cat. 265 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,000 The lioness has cubs to look after, 266 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,083 so won't bother with the cheetah today. 267 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,713 As the sun rises in the sky, the ground begins to heat up. 268 00:18:35,780 --> 00:18:38,150 These specialist cats are more thinly spread 269 00:18:38,150 --> 00:18:39,493 than lions or hyenas, 270 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:42,400 but the cheetah has found her niche 271 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,403 that the other big predators can't exploit effectively. 272 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:50,363 Short grass plains in the middle of the day. 273 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:54,250 Lions need the cover of darkness 274 00:18:54,250 --> 00:18:56,283 to hunt effectively without cover. 275 00:18:58,417 --> 00:19:01,250 (insects buzzing) 276 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:06,033 Hyenas have difficulty keeping cool during a long chase, 277 00:19:07,830 --> 00:19:11,103 which is why both these species mostly sleep during the day, 278 00:19:12,710 --> 00:19:14,943 leaving the plains free for the cheetahs. 279 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,833 With no shade, it's 40 degrees. 280 00:19:25,090 --> 00:19:26,160 The cheetahs keep cool 281 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,920 by breathing rapidly through their mouths, like all cats, 282 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,133 but their slender build, and even their spots will help. 283 00:19:35,110 --> 00:19:37,840 Cheetahs seem to be more comfortable in these temperatures 284 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:38,990 than their competition. 285 00:19:44,692 --> 00:19:46,780 (insects buzzing) 286 00:19:46,780 --> 00:19:49,840 They also have super sharp daylight vision, 287 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,943 enabling them to see far-off, tiny details, 288 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,173 like a small group of gazelles grazing a kilometer away. 289 00:19:59,990 --> 00:20:01,310 From this distance, 290 00:20:01,310 --> 00:20:03,810 the gazelle's stamina would easily beat a cheetah, 291 00:20:06,870 --> 00:20:09,230 so the cat will need every ounce of patience 292 00:20:09,230 --> 00:20:10,873 to get near enough for a strike. 293 00:20:13,832 --> 00:20:16,922 (gazelles bleating) 294 00:20:16,922 --> 00:20:18,740 (suspenseful music) 295 00:20:18,740 --> 00:20:21,810 Over millennia, cheetahs have perfected the art 296 00:20:21,810 --> 00:20:23,832 of short grass stalking. 297 00:20:23,832 --> 00:20:26,832 (suspenseful music) 298 00:20:28,450 --> 00:20:32,047 They even use heat haze as camouflage. 299 00:20:32,047 --> 00:20:35,047 (suspenseful music) 300 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:40,800 From the gazelle's low position, 301 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,100 only the upper part of the cheetah is visible. 302 00:20:44,470 --> 00:20:46,160 And the cat stops moving altogether 303 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,580 when the prey is looking up. 304 00:20:49,580 --> 00:20:51,580 I've watched a cheetah spend an hour 305 00:20:51,580 --> 00:20:53,693 getting within range by this method. 306 00:21:02,550 --> 00:21:04,370 Cheetahs derive their enormous strength 307 00:21:04,370 --> 00:21:08,223 from the very same fast twitch muscle possessed by all cats. 308 00:21:09,290 --> 00:21:10,960 In a few seconds, it accelerates 309 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,587 to almost 100 kilometers an hour. 310 00:21:13,587 --> 00:21:16,420 (dramatic music) 311 00:21:16,420 --> 00:21:18,200 The cat has covered 50 meters 312 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,755 before the gazelle hears its paws thumping on the ground. 313 00:21:21,755 --> 00:21:24,802 (dramatic music) 314 00:21:24,802 --> 00:21:27,469 (paws thumping) 315 00:21:29,330 --> 00:21:32,740 By the time the gazelle has reached its own full speed, 316 00:21:32,740 --> 00:21:35,133 the gap is down to five meters. 317 00:21:35,133 --> 00:21:38,080 (paws thumping) 318 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,710 Now the cheetah is practically flying, 319 00:21:40,710 --> 00:21:43,523 getting lift from every eight meter bound. 320 00:21:43,523 --> 00:21:46,130 (dramatic music) 321 00:21:46,130 --> 00:21:48,840 In slow motion, it looks effortless, 322 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,280 but the cheetah is now using much of its strength 323 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,240 just to push through the air. 324 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,263 Its body is moving at 100 kilometers an hour, 325 00:21:58,090 --> 00:22:00,680 but its legs have to move twice as fast 326 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:02,023 to overtake its body. 327 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:05,420 At 200 kilometers an hour, 328 00:22:05,420 --> 00:22:08,343 the air pressure on the cheetah's legs is immense. 329 00:22:09,410 --> 00:22:12,953 While the gazelle's tiny legs are much more streamlined. 330 00:22:12,953 --> 00:22:16,490 (dramatic music) 331 00:22:16,490 --> 00:22:19,413 The wind flattens the cheetah's ears onto its head. 332 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,158 But there is a time limit on the run. 333 00:22:24,158 --> 00:22:27,158 (suspenseful music) 334 00:22:38,290 --> 00:22:41,120 The cheetah is burning energy at a prodigious rate, 335 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:45,708 and only has seconds left before its reserves are exhausted. 336 00:22:45,708 --> 00:22:49,040 (suspenseful music) 337 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,610 Fast twitch muscle delivers extra power, 338 00:22:51,610 --> 00:22:53,928 but only for a short time. 339 00:22:53,928 --> 00:22:56,928 (suspenseful music) 340 00:23:05,460 --> 00:23:09,370 This is the kind of knife edge that drives evolution. 341 00:23:09,370 --> 00:23:11,963 That has driven gazelles to become ever faster, 342 00:23:13,340 --> 00:23:15,573 and cheetahs to try and keep up. 343 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,883 Today, the gazelle wins. 344 00:23:21,010 --> 00:23:25,343 He has improved his chances of passing on his genes, 345 00:23:26,860 --> 00:23:28,560 while the cheetah will have to plan 346 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,053 more carefully next time. 347 00:23:32,070 --> 00:23:35,113 But the cheetah's biggest problem isn't being fit enough, 348 00:23:36,630 --> 00:23:39,053 it's having sufficient habitat to sustain it. 349 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,400 The grasslands on which the cheetah's main prey depend 350 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:44,913 don't just make themselves. 351 00:23:46,530 --> 00:23:48,323 All the grazers play their part. 352 00:23:51,300 --> 00:23:56,123 The wildebeest, the zebras, the elephants. 353 00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:05,823 This increasingly rare habitat is what cheetahs call home. 354 00:24:08,243 --> 00:24:10,993 (grass rustling) 355 00:24:15,798 --> 00:24:18,548 (birds chirping) 356 00:24:22,980 --> 00:24:24,380 But all over Africa, 357 00:24:24,380 --> 00:24:27,300 these delicate communities have been lost to scrap, 358 00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:29,243 as prey species have been hunted out. 359 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:32,433 As elephant numbers have plummeted, 360 00:24:33,990 --> 00:24:38,483 vast tracts have been plowed for wheat and corn. 361 00:24:40,550 --> 00:24:43,190 Of all the cats, the cheetah is the only one 362 00:24:43,190 --> 00:24:44,563 that is a true nomad, 363 00:24:45,430 --> 00:24:47,560 (somber music) 364 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,340 which means it needs a far greater land area 365 00:24:50,340 --> 00:24:51,715 than the others. 366 00:24:51,715 --> 00:24:54,680 (somber music) 367 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:56,750 In the ice ages, these amazing hunters 368 00:24:56,750 --> 00:25:01,455 could walk unhindered across continents, and they did. 369 00:25:01,455 --> 00:25:03,320 (somber music) 370 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:04,950 In fact the cheetah's true home 371 00:25:04,950 --> 00:25:08,110 is most likely the steps of Asia. 372 00:25:08,110 --> 00:25:10,330 It walked from the Russian far east 373 00:25:10,330 --> 00:25:12,885 to the southern tip of Africa. 374 00:25:12,885 --> 00:25:15,468 (somber music) 375 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,803 But today, they've lost almost all of their range. 376 00:25:20,835 --> 00:25:23,418 (somber music) 377 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,170 100 years ago, there were as many cheetahs here 378 00:25:29,170 --> 00:25:33,140 on the Asian steps as there are in Africa today. 379 00:25:33,140 --> 00:25:35,530 The Asiatic cheetah is almost identical 380 00:25:35,530 --> 00:25:37,093 to the modern African version, 381 00:25:37,959 --> 00:25:40,770 (dramatic music) 382 00:25:40,770 --> 00:25:44,250 except that it is now perilously close to extinction. 383 00:25:45,929 --> 00:25:48,346 (clattering) 384 00:25:52,179 --> 00:25:54,929 (wings flapping) 385 00:25:57,090 --> 00:25:59,540 They were once common here in the Iranian desert. 386 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:04,673 Now no more than 50 Asiatic cheetahs are thought to remain, 387 00:26:05,790 --> 00:26:09,549 spread across an area as large as the British Isles. 388 00:26:09,549 --> 00:26:12,132 (somber music) 389 00:26:13,070 --> 00:26:14,370 Finding a cheetah here 390 00:26:14,370 --> 00:26:16,523 is like finding a needle in a haystack. 391 00:26:17,740 --> 00:26:19,840 But that's what this male is trying to do. 392 00:26:21,550 --> 00:26:24,923 He leaves a marker he hopes a female will find and follow. 393 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:29,440 It's a system that allows all cats 394 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,853 to exist in incredibly low densities. 395 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,940 But here the distances really are vast, 396 00:26:37,940 --> 00:26:40,280 and the prey animals are much more rare 397 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:41,393 than they used to be. 398 00:26:43,900 --> 00:26:45,940 There's plenty of space for cheetahs, 399 00:26:45,940 --> 00:26:49,270 but hunting has depleted gazelles and other wildlife 400 00:26:49,270 --> 00:26:50,423 to almost nothing. 401 00:26:51,810 --> 00:26:55,700 Worryingly, these extremely rare camera trap images reveal 402 00:26:55,700 --> 00:26:58,650 that most of the surviving population are males, 403 00:26:58,650 --> 00:27:01,340 desperately searching for one of the four or five 404 00:27:01,340 --> 00:27:03,423 surviving, breeding females. 405 00:27:06,270 --> 00:27:08,460 The situation is now so dire 406 00:27:08,460 --> 00:27:10,860 that this image may well be the last image 407 00:27:10,860 --> 00:27:14,378 of an Asiatic cheetah cub, ever recorded. 408 00:27:14,378 --> 00:27:16,390 (somber music) 409 00:27:16,390 --> 00:27:18,380 Let's hope this isn't going to be the fate 410 00:27:18,380 --> 00:27:21,868 of African cheetahs, a century from now. 411 00:27:21,868 --> 00:27:24,618 (hooves beating) 412 00:27:29,111 --> 00:27:31,861 (dramatic music)