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Two young cheetah brothers learn the art of the hunt before relocating to a reserve where their species hasn't been seen for 50 years....
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00:09The birth of a baby animal is always special, but for those on the brink of extinction every
00:20new life brings hope. Six endangered youngsters, raised in our world, are on the journey of
00:34a lifetime back to theirs. But they can't do it on their own.
00:44He lost his mother. With human foster parents helping them on their way.
00:53You don't need to be scared. I'm here with you.
00:56Can these little ones help save their species?
01:01If you love something, you have to let it go.
01:04And return to the wild.
01:26In a wildlife center in South Africa, a cheetah mum has given birth to some very special cubs.
01:47Not just one or two, but six.
02:01Cheetahs are Africa's most endangered big cats.
02:10That's why these little ones are so precious.
02:15Especially for Petro van Eden, who runs the center.
02:20It's a huge moment when they are born.
02:22It's always a very exciting time for us.
02:26It's quite amazing to see these guys.
02:29They've got these brown soulful eyes.
02:32You can see the warmth in their eyes.
02:35Petro hopes one day these cubs will be released into the wild.
02:40Are you coming to say hello?
02:42Are you inquisitive?
02:45Part of an amazing project.
02:47To return cheetahs to parts of Africa they've been lost from.
02:55Over the last century, numbers have dropped from around 100,000 to just 7,000.
03:03One reason?
03:05As farms replaced their old hunting grounds, cheetahs were seen as a threat to livestock and killed.
03:16Today, the world's fastest land animal is running out of time.
03:26So every cub counts.
03:31But getting a baby cheetah ready for the wild can take up to two years.
03:38First there's cheetah nursery with Petro.
03:43Here they must build their strength and learn how to climb and chase.
03:48What do you want to do?
03:52If they can crack that, they'll be off to Big Cat College.
03:59Where cheetah expert Mana Smit will teach them the most important skill of all.
04:06How to hunt.
04:09Only when they can do this, will they be released into the wild.
04:19With the six newborns, Petro's got her work cut out.
04:24Every day is an adventure, to be honest, because you really don't know what you're going to get.
04:29She leads a team of 19 people.
04:37Have everybody heard we have cubs?
04:41It looks like they're all healthy.
04:43So we'll just keep an eye on them, make sure they get enough food, that mom is okay.
04:48But I'm really happy that we've got cubs.
04:51All right, good.
04:52Have a good day and then we'll chat again later.
04:54Thank you guys.
04:58Together, they look after rescued cheetahs.
05:01It's fine.
05:02Yeah, it's fine now.
05:03And some resident cats that were born here.
05:08Those adults are really important to the survival of the species.
05:14Carefully bred, these are the perfect cheetah mums and dads.
05:19We do a bit of matchmaking by selecting parents that we know have healthy offspring.
05:26Without these pedigree parents, it would be impossible to breed the next generation of young cubs for the wild.
05:42It's been four days since the youngsters first stepped out of their den.
05:49And they're growing fast, each drinking half a pint of their mother's milk a day.
05:55You can hear her say, okay guys, there's enough for everyone.
06:00Our aim is to keep them with mom for as long as possible, because mom instill that wild instinct.
06:08Like all newborn cheetahs, they have silvery baby fur, which will grow out after three months.
06:18Right from the start, Petro's looking out for any little ones that are particularly bold.
06:27Whilst most snooze, two brothers the team have named Cabo and Kumo are on the move.
06:37The adventurous ones.
06:41We can see their little different personalities developing.
06:46Cabo is braver.
06:48And Kumo slightly more skittish.
06:54But they go everywhere together.
06:57You want them to make a close bond with a sibling that they can continue with?
07:03In the wild, brothers that stick together are more likely to survive.
07:12Right now, these two just seem intent on playing up.
07:21Naughty boy.
07:27Mischief over.
07:29Time for their first life lesson.
07:33Climbing.
07:37Adventurous Cabo takes the lead.
07:39When they get to this point, they think that they are little leopards.
07:45In the wild, climbing trees helps cheetahs search for prey.
07:56But their claws are meant for running, so aren't as sharp as other cats.
08:05Which makes getting down...
08:11...tricky.
08:24Not a bad first attempt.
08:28But this is one of the skills they'll need to master...
08:32...before they can move on from cheetah nursery.
09:08They can be fierce when they need to be.
09:11But they have such gentle souls.
09:13And I think that is what gets me about cheetah always.
09:16This male had a very different start in life to the cubs.
09:21This cheetah was hand raised.
09:23So he doesn't have that natural fear for humans like what mom would install in her cubs.
09:28He finds us to be his friends and therefore you cannot release him...
09:31...because he will always revert back to humans.
09:34And that can be a very dangerous situation.
09:37Cheetahs that aren't scared of people can be seen as a threat and could be killed.
09:44That is why it is important for Kumo and Kamu not to have any interaction...
09:48...so that they can run free in the wild.
09:58One week later...
09:59...and the two brothers are still proving to be...
10:03...a bit of a handful.
10:07Now Petro's keen to see if these little fluff balls have got a killer instinct.
10:13We want them to be mimicking what they would be practicing eventually when they are hunting.
10:19In the wild, when they hunt, they would be tripping the prey with that little backboard.
10:25As the others hang out with mum...
10:31...Kabo's sizing something up.
10:35His brother, Kumo.
10:40They are learning to trip the prey but, you know, in a playful way.
10:47This technique is known as a paw slap.
10:52And it takes practice.
11:02Gotcha.
11:03You can't watch that without having a smile on your face.
11:07It's something nice to see.
11:11It's playful for now.
11:14But to be released...
11:16...they'll need to perfect the paw slap...
11:19...at high speed.
11:28When Petro's not checking up on the cheetahs...
11:31...she's on dinner duty.
11:33I don't have meat.
11:34I don't have meat.
11:35I don't have meat fell out.
11:36Feeding all the cats at the center is meal prep on a major scale.
11:42An average eat about between 1.8 and 2 kilos a day.
11:46So you can do the maths.
11:48There's no such thing as you are the manager or you are the rest or you are the vet.
11:52The job is the job and we do it.
11:55It's now eight weeks since the young cheetahs emerged from their den.
12:00And today, keeper Georgie has something new for them to get their teeth stuck into.
12:12It's a big meal for a small cub.
12:19Until now, they've only had milk.
12:22They've never seen anything like this before.
12:29Most look wary.
12:41But not Cabo.
12:50Kumo's more cautious.
13:19Cheetah brothers often feed together in the wild.
13:25Helping them protect their kills from other hunters, like lions.
13:33If the bond between these two continues to grow,
13:37they could be released together,
13:40which would increase their chances of survival.
13:52Over the coming months,
13:57the boys fine-tune their chase skills.
14:04Perfecting that paw slap.
14:09And become confident climbers.
14:14Both up.
14:17And down.
14:23Every meal is now meat.
14:26And the brothers always feed together.
14:31They are really close-bonded.
14:33And I think that is what makes them very special.
14:37Cheetah cubs grow up faster than any other African big cats.
14:47By six months old,
14:50these once tiny toddlers
14:53have lost their silvery baby fur
14:55and look like gangly teenagers.
15:05Cabo and Kumo seem to be on track for release.
15:09But to move to the next stage,
15:11they need to pass a medical.
15:14We do have health checks.
15:16Then we have a better understanding
15:17of exactly what their conditions are.
15:21They look good.
15:22So, we hope for the best.
15:25Petro's called in vet Peter Caldwell.
15:28All right.
15:29So, I'm just going to load some syringes here.
15:32To take blood samples,
15:34the cheetahs must be sedated.
15:37Perfect.
15:37Got it.
15:38Yeah.
15:38They're at the age where they're starting to get dangerous
15:40and aggressive.
15:43OK.
16:06We have to work very carefully with them.
16:08We have to move them in a special way.
16:10We have to keep them cool and in the shade.
16:13Blindfolds keep them calm.
16:15They get hot very quickly.
16:17So, we just got to watch their heart, right,
16:19and watch their breathing.
16:22The team gets samples and all the vital stats
16:25to check the brothers are growing well.
16:28We wait.
16:29We literally hold our breath.
16:35All good?
16:36OK.
16:39They are optimal weight
16:40and they're eating well.
16:43They haven't got any external parasites.
16:45So, they're really, really healthy
16:47and I'm very happy with their condition.
16:49Medical past.
16:51Well done, guys.
16:52Very nicely done.
16:54And thanks to their adventurous spirit
17:00and close bond,
17:03Cabo and Kumo are the first of the litter
17:06ready to move to Big Cat College,
17:10Ashia Cheetah Center.
17:13Hopefully, the rest of the siblings won't be far behind.
17:28Hello.
17:30Oh, is that my cat?
17:32Hello.
17:33How are you this morning?
17:35For Petro, it's almost time to say goodbye.
17:39They will always have a special place in our hearts.
17:42But it's time for them to grow.
17:45And I hope it's going to be a really amazing journey.
17:50You don't know what's going to happen in the future.
17:52You can just wish them their best
17:54and just pray for them to be happy
17:56and to have a really good life.
17:59And hopefully, one day,
18:01to father some cubs
18:03and to carry the legacy forward.
18:12It's the day of the move.
18:15From here on,
18:17Maana will take over parenting duties.
18:26For the team, this is the hardest part.
18:30Okay, push.
18:31There we go.
18:33It's definitely mixed emotions.
18:35Sad, because we have to let them go.
18:39But that thing is, if you love something enough,
18:43you have to let it go.
18:43And let it go.
18:50Farewell's over.
18:52It's time to hit the road.
19:02Tonight's journey is going to be about 1,400 kilometers.
19:05It'll most likely end up being between 15 and 16 hours.
19:09For the brothers,
19:10this is the most dangerous day of their lives so far.
19:16It's through the night on a very hot day.
19:19Stress is one of the main killers of cheetos.
19:26We'll do quite a few stops along the way.
19:28We'll make sure that their breathing pattern is nice and slow and normal.
19:38They are nice and relaxed, not stressed at all, which is a very good sign.
19:43They're all just alert, which is great.
19:59We'll get a slip, please.
20:08Finally, they make it to their new home.
20:12A Shia Cheetah Center.
20:17With more space and a special running track,
20:20it's the perfect place to learn to hunt at high speed.
20:29But settling into a new place can be daunting.
20:41A Shia Cheetah Center.
20:46Carbon took a bit of a while to come out of the crater.
20:49Kumo is doing exactly the same thing.
20:51It's a completely new environment.
20:54There's been a lot of other cheetah in these camps.
20:57So the smell must be very intimidating.
21:11Thankfully, the brothers have got each other.
21:19Cheetahs are the only African big cats to purr.
21:23A sign of reassurance.
21:27Tomorrow, the hard work begins.
21:39Young cheetahs usually learn to hunt by watching their mums.
21:45So it's up to Mana to show the brothers the ropes.
21:48A high-speed pulley moves a target around a 300-meter track.
21:54The machine can go 80 kilometers per hour.
21:57The cat's average speed is about 70 to 80.
22:01It can change direction in an instant.
22:07Mimicking the movement of prey in the wild.
22:10You want to ensure that they can anticipate that as well.
22:13And their body is used to that sudden change
22:15and sudden jerk action that they might go through.
22:20It's the first time the brothers have had the chance
22:22to properly stretch their legs.
22:32They're just like house cats.
22:33So they like to chase things.
22:39Cheetahs can go from 0 to 50 miles per hour in just three seconds.
22:46The cats love it.
22:48It's lovely to see.
22:51Kuma is standing right in the middle of the line.
22:56The first run of Kaba and Kuma was the first time
22:59that they actually had the space to run like that.
23:02It was amazing to see how quickly they picked it up.
23:05But it's a bit chaotic.
23:09They've clearly got the instinct,
23:11but they'll need the accuracy too.
23:18Over the coming weeks, serious training begins.
23:36Cupboard stock.
23:43That would have been beautiful.
23:46They are definitely up for getting on to the next phase.
23:52Cheetah brothers often hunt in pairs.
23:54So now, Mana wants to see the boys chase together.
24:03If Cabo and Kumo can crack that,
24:06Mana's found the perfect home for them.
24:12A wild reserve called Maloba.
24:18This all used to be farmland,
24:22but has recently been returned to a 50,000-acre wild expanse.
24:30Cheetahs haven't been seen here for more than 50 years.
24:35So the brothers could be pioneers for a new generation.
24:41Morning, guys.
24:44It's fun. You'll feed soon.
24:50I love the fact that they hiss at me and growl at me.
24:53It's exactly what we want to see.
24:57We actually have quite a bit of separation.
24:59We make sure we're only down here for feeding
25:01and there's no unnecessary interaction.
25:05The next phase will ensure that they realize
25:08that they can completely survive without human care,
25:10and that's when they start hunting for themselves.
25:29The brothers are now almost fully grown,
25:33and after hundreds of hours of training...
25:36Go. Yes.
25:39...they're starting to look like pros.
25:47Kappa and Kumuk tag team.
25:49So one would do the straight line
25:50and another one would wait on the opposite side
25:52of the running enclosure
25:53and keep the chase going.
26:00They run together, and it's a beautiful vision
26:02to see the two cats keeping pace with one another
26:04as they chase it.
26:07Yes.
26:10Working together, they now regularly catch the target.
26:20They seem to actually have all the skills that they need.
26:23The natural next step would now be for them
26:25to give them the bigger space.
26:28The brothers have passed their hunting tests.
26:36Go. One, two, three, lift.
26:38One, two, three, lift.
26:39So it's time for them to leave Cheetah College
26:42and put all their skills into action in the wild.
26:49It's another massive drive,
26:52through the night to avoid the heat.
26:58After 11 hours, they make it.
27:06All good?
27:08Yes.
27:14Now fitted with tracking collars,
27:17the brothers will soon be released into their wild home.
27:23They'll need to use everything they've been taught to survive.
27:29Any cat born in captivity is completely reliant
27:32on the people that take care of them.
27:34We might be surrogate mothers in some people's eyes.
27:38We're the only things they know.
27:40So letting them out there is pretty much
27:42sending your first kid off to school.
27:46It gives me goosebumps because you know
27:48that you've actually changed their entire future.
27:51So it's butterflies and excitement and joy.
28:01All right, guys, let's do this.
28:10Nearly two years since they were born in captivity.
28:17The brothers are finally free.
28:27And there they go.
28:30Opening this gate is pretty much the last thing I'm going to do for them.
28:35Everything else now is completely up to them.
28:40I think they're going to be happy.
28:42They've got each other.
28:52This will be their biggest challenge yet.
28:58Cheetahs need to hunt every five days.
29:04But they've never had to catch their own dinner before.
29:18They're sprinters, not long-distance runners.
29:25Ideally, they need to get within 150 feet.
29:32Without being spotted.
29:40Springbok are fast and flighty.
29:45Timing will be everything.
30:00They've blown it.
30:05A warthog should be easier.
30:13But even he spots them and gets away.
30:20Days pass.
30:22The brothers are getting hungry.
30:25Unless they can learn the art of stealth,
30:31they won't survive out here.
30:33They won't survive out here.
30:49The brothers try a different approach.
31:01Rather than chasing out in the open,
31:09they go undercover.
31:11They go undercover.
31:20Using the bushes,
31:23Cabo sneaks closer.
31:27Whilst Kumo is ready to pounce.
32:09After days without food,
32:11the brothers have finally made a kill.
32:17After days without food,
32:19they're trying to find out what it takes to survive in the wild.
32:42300 miles from where they were born.
32:46Today, an old friend is hoping to catch up with the brothers
32:49in their vast new home.
32:53With the help of field guide, Craig Mouchet.
32:58So last I saw them, they were little youngsters.
33:01Yeah.
33:03It's breathtaking to have access to all of this.
33:06If you know the places where they were born.
33:09Yeah.
33:10Really looking forward to seeing those boys again.
33:16Using their collars,
33:18they're able to track them down.
33:21Are they here somewhere, yeah?
33:23They should be just off our one o'clock.
33:26Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
33:27There we go.
33:32Hello, doll.
33:36Hello.
33:39Oh, look at this boy.
33:41And he still have a little bit of blood on his face.
33:43Look at that.
33:46I'm so proud of these boys.
33:48I can't tell you the feeling inside my chest
33:50is like my chest want to burst open.
33:58Yeah.
33:58Can we just move out a little bit?
33:59Is it okay?
34:00With pleasure.
34:01So we'll just keep the door between us and the children
34:02for obvious reasons.
34:04Yeah, yeah, of course.
34:04But yes, no, you're welcome.
34:05Yeah.
34:05Well, at least I'm not scooped up.
34:08You know them very well by now.
34:10Yeah, well, the question is not if I know them.
34:12The question is if they would recognize me, yeah.
34:23I think they are completely proper wild cheetahs now.
34:28No more listening to weird old women whispering things to them.
34:32They are just, they are the dudes now.
34:35They've arrived.
34:39The brothers are the first cheetahs here for 50 years.
34:43The world's fastest land animals are slowly making a comeback
34:49in South Africa.
35:12Next time, some of the world's rarest kittens.
35:18Born in a high-tech breeding center.
35:24Must prove they are wild enough to survive in the mountains of Spain.
35:46They are wild, and as they will find this beast.
35:50They are wild animals for them.
35:52They are ghost Hyangen.
35:59The wounded are wild animals for them.
36:06They blond the Blowfish Flame.
36:06What if they think they are blind descents?
36:07They are은ab hotels.
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