(purring)
- [Narrator] These two cheetah brothers
have formed a powerful alliance.
One of them is wearing a radio collar
which allows scientists to study their movements,
giving an intimate look into
the secret lives of these elusive animals.
(upbeat music)
The brothers grew up as litter mates
and have stayed together, often leaving them mother.
Their coalition allows them to control
a territory of around 23 square miles.
It includes excellent hunting grounds
and a permanent water source, which is important
because although cheetahs can go
for up to four days without water,
when it's hot they need to drink more often.
Working as a team, they have the advantage
of being able to bring down bigger prey
and can successfully defend their territory
from solitary males.
Everything about cheetahs is designed for speed.
With their long limbs, sleek build and streamlined head,
they can reach almost 70 miles per hour
at full sprint, but cannot maintain that speed
for long, as it takes great effort.
(upbeat music)
In return for speed, cheetahs have sacrificed power.
So the white rhino cow and her calf
have nothing to worry about.
Which wouldn't be the case if a pride of lions were nearby.
The cheetah's territory offers
the cover of trees and bushes,
perfect for stalking prey.
And they spot something, a waterbuck.
But they must get within 165 feet
before launching their attack.
(dramatic music)
Together, the brothers pull down the powerful antelope,
and one secures a vice-like grip on the victim's windpipe.
But the struggle isn't over.
The waterbuck puts up a brave fight, and it takes
the combined efforts of both brothers to keep it down.
The cheetah start feeding quickly out of necessity.
At least one in 10 cheetah kills are stolen
by the likes of lion, leopard and hyena,
but today their prize is uncontested
(animals grunting)
(birds calling)
(purring)
With appetites sated, they can relax as the sun sets,
secure in their coalition for now, at least.
(upbeat music)
While two big cats settle down for the night
with full bellies, the next morning
another wakes up hungry.
It's natural for lions to live in prides
for their whole lives.
Cheetah coalitions, however, sometimes break apart.
In a bid to find a territory and mate of his own,
one of the brothers has left,
splitting up the sibling alliance.
Lone cheetah males have been known to wander
more than 125 miles in search of new territories,
and he's traveled some distance
to find a promising new range.
It will be a good home with an abundance of prey
and with enough space to run them down.
He wastes no time in starting to hunt.
(dramatic music)
Unlike most cats, the cheetah's claws
are permanently exposed, useful for extra grip
while running at high speeds.
(dramatic music)
But he needs to get closer before he can launch an attack.
He's been too hasty and loses the element of surprise.
After the relative success he enjoyed with his brother
he's unaccustomed to the challenges of hunting alone.
Adult kudu are large and powerful.
While he could easily outpace them,
they are too big for him to bring down by himself.
Without his brother, he will need to learn
how to catch smaller yet faster antelope.
For this cheetah, the harsh reality
of his new life is quickly becoming clear.
It's not easy to be successful at the top
of the food chain when you're on your own.
The cheetah brothers have now gone their separate ways,
and each is destined for a different fate.
One is moving restlessly through the park
in search of land, but not yet confident
outside the safety of the coalition.
The other has proved more capable of living a solitary life.
He's found and secured a new territory
which he will defend as his own.
Here, he will surely become a proficient hunter,
already showing potential by taking down
a kudu female alone.
(upbeat music)