Big Cat Diary

Simon King returns to the Masai Maara to see how the Big Cats have fared since he left. There he meets Amber and her three cheetah cubs. He also revisits the Marsh Pride of lions and meets Shadow, Half-tail's daughter who has taken over her mother's territory.

Amber the cheetah's cubs are overeager to strike out on their own and thousands of wildebeest have streamed into the lions' territory. Half-tail makes a narrow escape after attracting visitors when she kills a hare.

Half-tail may be a mother again and Simon continues to watch the Marsh Pride. However, he gives up on Amber and her cubs after they head off into rough country. Instead, he watches wildebeest and zebras cross the crocodile-infested Mara River.

Amber and her cubs are unlucky in their pursuit of food, but Half-tail is fortunate to have two new cubs. Back with the lions, Jonathan watches a stand-off between them and a herd of buffalo.

The three cheetah cubs are finally on their own and Jonathan finds Shadow bombarded by animals. He also comes across lions from a new pride.

Amber and her three cheetah cubs are reunited; the Marsh lions and a herd of buffalo clash.

Amber and her cubs engage in some jackal-baiting which backfires. Shadow has some luck killing an impala and the Marsh Pride lions also have a plentiful food supply.

Simon manages to film the cheetahs as they kill a male impala, but the lions are not faring as well. They again clash with a herd of buffalo and lose cubs in the process.

Jonathan discovers only one lion cub was killed in the confrontation with the buffalo. Amber and her cubs are still together, attracting attention because of their size. Jonathan catches up with Shadow and Half-tail.

The Marsh Pride of lions seems to have recovered from the shock of the buffalo attack and Jonathan catches up with Shadow. Amber and her cubs stay together and continue their success.

The BBC's Natural History Unit returns to the Masai Mara reserve with Jonathan Scott to celebrate the life of a very curious cat.