Big Cat Diary

A team from the Natural History Unit is living cheek by jowl with Africa's big cats. For ten weeks one film-maker will follow a pride of lions - the Marsh pride - another will trail Amber the cheetah and her cubs, and a third will seek out the elusive leopard, Shadow.This is a season of intense activity in the Masai Mara - the great migration is under way. Constantly on the move seeking out fresh pasture, a million or more wildebeest and zebra must run the gauntlet past hungry predators.

Simon King watches Amber the cheetah and her family make excellent progress in their hunting skills, then suffer setbacks, failing to catch a warthog and being chased off by baboons. He also enjoys the antics of a family of jackals at their den.Jonathan Scott witnesses a dramatic pursuit, as the Marsh lionesses stalk and kill a wildebeest. And he sets off before dawn to find Half-Tail the leopard, one of the stars of the last series of Big Cat Diary. Later. He watches in horror as Half-Tail almost gets killed by two passing lionesses, but manages to escape in the nick of time.

Simon King discovers the role of the two male lions in the Marsh pride, and finds one showing surprisingly tender behaviour towards his young cubs. He also watches vast numbers of wildebeest and zebras run the gauntlet of gargantuan crocodiles as they cross the Mara River on migration. Finally, he has the frustrating experience of losing contact with Amber the cheetah and her family as they disappear into wild country.Jonathan Scott has good news about Half-Tail the leopard: she looks as if she may be a mother once again. He also sees a lioness drag a 150 kilo wildebeest into cover using her teeth - a feat of incredible strength.

Simon King watches a male lion as he attempts to guard two wildebeest kills against a flock of marauding vultures, and enjoys the antics of the Marsh pride's lion cubs, who use a meal as an excuse to play with their food and their mother's tail. He discovers a family of small cats - servals - whose enormous ears enable them to hear the rustles of their rodent prey. Finally, after a frustrating few days searching for Amber the cheetah and her three cubs, he finally catches up with the family, who immediately climb over the bonnet of his car!Jonathan Scott gets his first ever view of Half-Tail the leopard's two young cubs, but they are a long way away from where he expected to find them. Half-Tail has never managed to raise a litter of two cubs - perhaps this will be the first time. Jonathan also discovers a new pride of lions who seem to be encroaching on the Marsh pride's territory, and witnesses a stand-off between the lions and a herd of buffalo - considered by many to be Africa's most dangerous animal. Finally, he watches Half-Tail's daughter, Shadow, stalking an impala, without success.

Simon King finds the cheetah cubs still biting off more than they can chew, chasing after two huge adult warthogs before turning their attention to a smaller pig, which they successfully kill and eat. Later, he watches as a hyena pushes the cheetah family off a gazelle kill, before suffering problems of its own with jackals and vultures. Finally, Simon discovers Amber's three cubs - but without their mother for the first time.Jonathan Scott watches a lion and lioness from the new pride as they mate, then sees the four lionesses stalk and kill a zebra. Shadow the leopard suffers the unwelcome attentions of almost every animal she passes, large and small, resulting in a frustrating day for her.

Simon King finds our three cheetah cubs, still without their mother, Amber. They are nervous but do manage to catch a young Thompson's gazelle - their first solo kill. Later, they see an intruding cheetah, who turns out to be their mother.Jonathan Scott watches Shadow the leopard as she walks around her huge territory, scent-marking as she goes to let other leopards know she's there. He also witnesses the Marsh lions confront a herd of buffalo who threaten to trample the youngest cubs to death. Fortunately, after a long stand-off, the buffalo retreat and the cubs are safe.

Rain makes life difficult for the film crew, but brings welcome opportunities for the big cats. Simon King watches Amber the cheetah make the most of the weather by hunting a Thompson's gazelle. Later on, the cubs take shelter under Simon's car before playing in the rain. He also watches two lion sisters, one of whom is unable to run, stalk and ambush a waterbuck, and has a very close encounter with one of the cheetah cubs.Jonathan Scott explains the importance of scent in the lives of the Marsh lions and witnesses a rare event, as Shadow the leopard kills an impala fawn right in front of the cameras. After taking her kill up a tree, she loses her original prey, the mother impala, to hyenas.

The latest update from Kenya's Masai Mara follows Amber the cheetah and her family hunting an impala, while Jonathan Scott sees Shadow the leopard having problems with a noisy jackal which spoils her hunt. The lions of the Marsh pride encounter a buffalo herd and are forced to flee. The buffalo attack the cubs.

Jonathan Scott returns to the scene of the previous episode's carnage, while Simon King follows the saga of Amber the cheetah and her three full grown cubs and also enjoys a close encounter with baboons.

Simon King sees two sides of the cheetah family: Amber's frustration at her cubs' reckless hunting behaviour, and their life as a happy and contented family unit. He also witnesses one of the most extraordinary yet harrowing of all natural events: a major wildebeest crossing of the Mara river, with huge crocodiles lying in ambush.Jonathan Scott finds Shadow the leopard in good shape, having taken over her mother Half-Tail's territory. Later on, he has an emotional encounter with Half-Tail herself, and her little cubs. After their close encounter with buffaloes, the Marsh pride of lions appear to be on the road to continued success and go hunting a warthog.