Nature (1982–…): Season 35, Episode 4 - The Story of Cats: Asia to Africa - full transcript

♪♪

They are the greatest predator

since the dinosaurs,

the most widespread
carnivore on the planet,

and one may be
living in your home.

Cats are a diverse

and formidable
family of predators.

But what makes a cat a cat?

New research allows us

to piece together their
story like never before.

Across the planet,
37 different species



live in nearly every landscape.

It's our last remaining

large carnivore
in the mountains...

Surviving next to one of
the largest urban areas

in the world.

Even at 20,000
feet above sea level,

scientists made a
remarkable discovery.

When I saw the photo,
I completely surprised.

I did not sleep all night.

This is the story of cats...

an 11 million-year
evolutionary journey

from ancient rainforests
and the African savanna

and into our homes.

♪♪



Every member of
the modern cat family

can trace its roots to Asia.

11 million years ago,
rainforests were home

to their primitive
tree-climbing ancestors.

And one cat...

still lives just
like they used to.

They are the most ancient
type of cat alive today.

Their genetic blueprint
is shared by all cats.

♪♪

This is the clouded leopard.

They are key to understanding

how cats evolved and
spread across the planet.

But they are now so rare,
little is known about them.

Good girl.

Oh, hi.

Bill Wood is a
clouded leopard expert

at a special breeding
center in Thailand.

Oh!

Hey!

His work could help
save them from extinction.

It's incredibly important to
breed these cats in captivity

because there's very little
known about them in the wild.

We do know that the
population is dwindling.

Most of their habitat
has been destroyed.

And it's really a safeguard in
case the worst did ever happen,

as has happened
to some cat species,

that they become
extinct in the wild.

At least we'll have
some population here.

All cats share

the clouded leopard's
razor-sharp canines...

heightened senses...

and their extreme agility.

They've got short legs,

so they've got a low center
of gravity, close to the branch.

They've got incredibly
long tails for balance.

The speed they move
through the branches,

sometimes you think they're
more like monkeys than cats.

Some of these
abilities can be seen

in the newest member
of the cat family...

Domestic cats.

They share retractable
claws... Up to two inches long.

These claws are hooked

and usually
sharper at the front,

helping them climb
vertical surfaces.

But not all of the clouded
leopard's adaptations

are shared by domestic cats.

At the top,
front-facing paws mean

they can't climb down easily...

which is why pets
get stuck up in trees.

Clouded leopards can
rotate their rear ankles.

They easily climb
down trees headfirst.

But the similarities
between clouded leopards

and other cats
outweigh any differences.

When they're young,
clouded leopards learn

how to be ambush
predators through play.

It's a crucial time

when they must
develop the abilities

that they'll need to
survive in the wild.

Learning this way is a behavior

they share with all cats.

Cubs and domestic
kittens are driven

to keep playing by dopamine,

which is constantly
released in their brains.

It's the same chemical
that gives humans

a euphoric feeling
after intense exercise.

They'll spend almost
every waking moment

mastering their
skills and instincts,

because cats have
to grow up fast.

These clouded leopards
are just three months old.

But in seven months,

their mother will force
them out of her territory.

They will then face the
world as solitary predators.

Cats are hardwired to
disperse every generation...

to find their own territory...

a safe place for them to hunt

that can range
from six square miles

to 29 square miles in size.

This was one of the reasons

that around 9 million years ago,

ancient felines spread across
Asia's forests and beyond.

As cats encountered
new landscapes,

they had to adapt.

They came down from
the trees more often,

in search of bigger prey.

One of those early
felines was the leopard.

Leopards are nocturnal.

They can see up to seven
times better than humans at night,

thanks to a mirror-like
layer in their eyes

that amplifies light
reaching the retina.

Sri Lanka is home

to one of the world's largest
concentrations of leopards.

To see in the dark like they do,

we must use the latest thermal
imaging and infrared cameras.

Leopards will eat anything,

from small insects
to large deer.

They are always
looking for food,

and this female has
spotted a potential meal.

Civets are small
tree-climbing mammals.

Their best line of
defense is to run and hide.

But like clouded leopards,

leopards are natural climbers,

and she has no
problem following,

using her retractable claws.

♪♪

The civet makes a daring escape
and survives the 65-foot drop.

Leopards can take
down much larger prey.

And this female has another
option for dinner tonight.

It's 8:00 p.m.

She doesn't have far to go.

Yesterday's kill, a chital stag,

still has plenty of meat left.

Crocodiles will walk hundreds
of feet inland to scavenge a kill.

We think of leopards as
big, powerful predators.

But being solitary
makes them vulnerable.

Wild boar sense a chance
to get some of her food.

She is outnumbered.

Buffalo, wild boar,

and crocodile surround her.

Like the clouded leopard,

her safe place
is in the treetops.

Losing large kills like this
is so common for leopards,

they've developed
a unique behavior.

They've learned to drag prey

weighing up to 200
pounds up trees.

But this time, it's too heavy.

Having food
stolen is a real fear

that runs through
all solitary cats.

And as big cats evolved,

they came up with ingenious ways

of hanging on to their kills.

This is a Bengal tiger.

This female is white

because of a rare
genetic mutation.

She can hunt animals
weighing up to 1,000 pounds,

but she'll usually only eat up
to 80 pounds of meat a day.

Like a leopard,
she has to hide food

or face losing it to scavengers.

She left this ribcage
here several days ago.

Bengal tigers have been
known to drag prey 1,500 feet

before feeding on it.

Burying the meat will force
her two nine-month-old cubs

to search for their dinner.

♪♪

All young cats go through

this vital step in
predator training.

Tigers are the only cats
with vertical stripes...

Perfect for blending
into the reeds.

Camouflage is an integral
part of the feline blueprint.

In every terrain, cats have
evolved markings and colors

to fit their surroundings.

Ancient clouded leopards
have cloud-like patterns

that give them their name...

and help hide them in the
dappled light of the jungle.

Recent research has
found a cat's markings

are more than fur-deep.

They're also
tattooed on their skin.

So in theory, if you
took away their fur,

they'd still be able to blend
into their surroundings.

And scientists have now
discovered that camouflage

is linked to hunting techniques.

And this also applies
to domestic cats.

Lighter, solid-colored
cats prefer to hunt in grass,

moving slowly to blend in.

Whereas spotted cats
are forest predators,

often hunting at dawn and dusk.

Changing their camouflage

helped cats hunt
in new terrains.

It was essential to adapt,

as early felines were living in
a constantly changing world.

Millions of years ago,

the rainfall in Asia was
double what it is today.

Wetlands became
havens for wildlife.

And underwater was a
whole new hunting opportunity.

One cat evolved
to be semi-aquatic.

It faced new
dangers in wetlands.

So the fishing cat adapted
its camouflage to stay hidden.

They're so difficult to find,

scientists are still learning
about how the fishing cat lives.

In Sri Lanka, one
pioneering researcher

has got closer than
ever to this elusive cat.

The first time I
saw a fishing cat,

I was floored.

It was not anything
I expected, really.

Because growing up,
everyone's drilled on the whole

"Big cat, big cat,
big cat" thing.

The way it moved,
the way it play-hunted

and just general
interaction was just amazing.

Kind of felt like
somebody was keeping

a really big secret
from me for a long time,

so that's when I realized

to start working
with the small guys.

Anya Ratnayaka is the
first researcher in the world

to satellite-collar
a fishing cat.

She's been tracking a
7-year-old male for a year,

finding out where he goes

and discovering that
despite their name,

fishing cats
don't only eat fish.

So we found old scat with bone

and then there are beaks.

And feathers and fur.

There's a high possibility
of it being fishing cat.

Fishing cats, like all felines,

will eat whatever
they can catch.

But they specialize in
hunting aquatic species.

They've been recorded
diving into water to catch prey,

using their webbed paws to swim.

Anya's data shows
they hunt more often

from the banks of waterways.

Their markings enable
them to blend into wetlands,

and they have
adapted the cat blueprint

for this style of hunting.

In rainforests, clouded
leopards use their whiskers

to help navigate
around the treetops.

They have nerve
endings that are sensitive

to wind speed, air
pressure, and touch.

Fishing cats use them

to detect which
direction prey is moving.

Then their claws
hook in their target.

Anya's research is
revealing how fishing cats

can swim long
distances across rivers.

For early cats, this ability

would give them access
to new places in Asia.

Combined with the need
to have their own territories,

cats pushed farther north

into the highest
mountain range on Earth.

The Himalayas reach up
to 29,000 feet into the sky.

Life is so tough up here,

cats had little competition.

And one feline
species still dominates.

Snow leopards
evolved the blueprint

to hunt at high altitudes.

They have large chests
and powerful lungs

so they can make
the most of the thin air.

Like the clouded leopard,
they have long tails,

which help them balance,

and they've been known
to use them as a scarf

when temperatures drop.

Recent DNA research has
discovered these big cats

are more closely
related to tigers

than they are to leopards.

It was long thought
they were the only feline

that could survive in the harsh
conditions of the Himalayas.

But recently, a team
of scientists in Nepal

made an incredible discovery.

They had been tracking
a female snow leopard

living at 20,000
feet above sea level.

This is no easy task.

Oh, this is a good place.

Gathering clues and
using remote cameras,

they've gained unique
insights into her life.

They believed she
was the only cat

that had a territory
at this altitude.

♪♪

Ganga Ram Regmi is
one of the lead researchers.

The snow leopard was
captured by several cameras

as she marked her territory.

Like all cats, they
have scent glands

all over their bodies
and in their paws.

Rubbing them releases
powerful pheromones

that usually warn other
animals to stay away.

But, remarkably,
the team recorded

a mysterious cat in
snow leopard territory.

It turned out to
be a little-known,

very rare feline
called the Pallas' cat.

♪♪

A cat's sense of smell

is about 14 times more
sensitive than a human's.

It's such a powerful sense,

they can use smells
to communicate.

Scientists have discovered
that scent marking allows cats

to keep track of each other.

Pheromones can tell
them who's in the area,

when they were last here,

and when they might return.

Ancient clouded
leopards used scent

to divide territories
in jungles.

It's such an important
part of the feline blueprint,

it's still used by
domestic cats today.

So it's not surprising they
often scent-mark furniture

using their paws and body.

When two cats live together,

like their wild relatives,

they'll use pheromones
to share the couch.

It's hard to believe a cat the
same size as a domestic cat

could survive in the same
place as a snow leopard.

But Pallas' cats have learned
to cope with mountain life.

They often live in rock dens,

which keep them well-protected.

But out in the open,
these nine-pound cats

are vulnerable to attack
from eagles and wolves.

So they move with
extreme caution.

They hunt insects,
small rodents,

and birds by using
rocks for cover.

Their fur is the
perfect camouflage.

To stay warm in the mountains,

Pallas' cats have the
longest fur of any cat.

It helps them to survive
in sub-zero temperatures.

♪♪

After adapting to
Asia's mountains,

cats pushed farther north.

They were already well-equipped

for one of the harshest
environments on the planet.

Siberia endures the
world's lowest temperatures

outside of Antarctica...

with extreme lows
of-50 degrees Fahrenheit

in some areas.

♪♪

To survive here,

cats had to adapt the
blueprint in a big way.

Siberian tigers are the
largest cats in the world.

Adult males can
grow up to 11 feet long

and weigh over 600 pounds...

12 times heavier
than a clouded leopard.

This male is an instinctive
ambush predator.

♪♪

His size has severely
compromised his stealth,

but it's the reason he can
survive in extreme cold.

A two-inch layer of
fat keeps him so warm

that after a burst of activity,

he needs to cool
down on a nearby log.

By adjusting to
their environments,

cats had conquered Asia,

its jungles, rivers, mountains,

and now the frozen forests.

But around 8 million years ago,

a new world opened up to them.

♪♪

Sea levels dropped
200 feet below

what they are today.

And land bridges
connected Asia to Africa

via the Red Sea.

It led to the most
dramatic changes

in the feline blueprint so far.

Africa was full
of varied habitats

and teeming with prey.

It's still home to a
quarter of all cat species.

Cats evolved to
fill every niche,

taking full advantage
of each ecosystem.

One small cat conquered
one of the toughest places.

Sand cats are a solitary species

that only live in deserts.

At night, the chilling reason
for their success is revealed.

They can go without
water longer than a camel

because as well
as eating their prey,

they drink its blood to survive.

They hunt snakes,
geckos, and rodents.

They also adapted the blueprint

to give them thicker
fur on their feet,

protecting them from heat

and stopping them from
sinking into the sand.

One of this Dracula
cat's favorite victims

is a small rodent
called the jerboa.

♪♪

Jerboas can leap 10
feet with each stride.

But sand cats can sprint
at 24 miles per hour.

This time, the jerboa outruns
the bloodthirsty sand cat.

One of the first cats
to evolve in Africa

is an example of
how much felines

had to adapt their
senses to catch prey.

The serval is known
as Frankencat...

because it looks like a
cat made up of spare parts.

They're actually a
perfectly designed

specialized hunter.

They have super hearing...

because their ears are
the biggest in the cat family.

And they can rotate
them 180 degrees

for surround-sound hearing.

It's even thought
they can hear prey

moving deep underground.

Another close
relative of the serval

also uses its keen
sense of hearing to hunt.

But it's not their most
well-known attribute.

This is a caracal.

Their ears have tufts

to guide sound
waves towards them.

But it's their back legs
that are their killer asset.

They can jump so high,

this female can
catch birds in midair.

All she has to do is wait
for the perfect moment.

This is an ability they share
with the clouded leopard,

who also has powerful back
legs to pounce from trees.

These legs are such a
key part of the blueprint,

it's one of the things
that makes cats

such successful hunters...

including the domestic cat.

The secret behind
their explosive leaps

are fast-twitch muscles.

They propel some
cats more than 12 feet.

But despite this
power and skill,

there's no guarantee of success.

Most cats like caracals

only catch their
target 10% of the time.

She will have to keep
searching for food

and hope that she
catches something soon.

Failure is the harsh reality

for most solitary cats.

Cheetahs often face starvation.

And predation is a real
danger for their little ones.

90% of cheetah cubs die

before they are
three months old.

♪♪

Cheetahs are often thought
of as invincible hunters

because they're the
fastest cats on the planet.

Their claws aren't retractable

because they act
like running cleats.

They can reach zero
to 60 miles per hour

in less than three seconds.

♪♪

But their sprinting
prowess comes at a price.

They have become so specialized,

they don't have the muscle
to defend what's theirs.

Hyenas outnumber
her and steal the kill.

This mother is powerless.

She will lose up to a
quarter of her food this way.

Being solitary makes life

difficult and stressful
for most cats.

But in Africa, one
feline found that

working together was better.

Lions changed the feline
blueprint in such a drastic way,

no other cat is like them.

One man in South Africa

has an insight into
how beneficial it is

for lions to be social.

Kevin Richardson is
known as the lion whisperer.

He's spent two decades

getting as close as
possible to a lion pride.

The reality is most people

will see me interact
with a lion like this

and say, "You're
completely insane."

I'm definitely
part of this group,

accepted as an
individual amongst them.

However, they obviously
know I'm not a lion.

They tone down the
way they play with me.

There you go, Mako.

And it's almost like just
an acceptance of this...

This is a funny little
creature with two legs

that's part of this group.

Becoming part of a lion
pride is a lengthy process.

It doesn't just
happen overnight.

It's based on trust and a
buildup of trust over time.

Lions can live in prides

made up of 30 individuals.

And trust is an important
part of their lives.

Unlike their solitary ancestors,

these cats have
learned to divide roles

and share responsibilities.

So while most of the
females of this pride

are surrounding prey...

a nanny is protecting
their youngest

and most valuable members.

Females in a pride often
lactate at the same time.

So cubs can be fed even
when their mom isn't around.

They have the numbers
to ensure that cubs

are almost never left alone.

So if they get into trouble,

an adult is usually
around to help.

It's not just domestic cats
that get stuck up in trees.

Lions have lost the need

and ability to
hunt in the trees,

so it's not going to
be an elegant rescue.

After a bumpy
landing, the cub is okay.

While females look
after young and hunt...

males are on patrol,
protecting the territory.

One of the ways they
do this is by roaring.

Strengthened vocal cords
make them the loudest big cat.

Calls can travel
for over five miles.

Kevin Richardson has
made new discoveries

on how lions react to
roars in their territory.

They're very astute and
listening very carefully.

And you'll hear, as soon
as lions roar in this park,

they all listen and, "Oh, okay,
I know who those lions are."

We've done experiments where
we've played them familiar roars

or the lions that
they're used to.

A big male lion
doesn't even react.

'Cause he know it's his...
He knows who they are,

he knows that
they're not a threat.

Play them an unfamiliar roar...

And suddenly, he's...
You can see his hair bristle.

And if it's a one male
lion, he's after it like a shot.

He goes in the
direction of that sound.

But if you play three roars,

unfamiliar, he's very quiet.

And suddenly, he
goes in a kind of benign,

to maybe avoid them.

So it's very
interesting roaring.

We're still learning
a lot about it.

Cats are divided
into ones that roar

and ones the purr.

No cat can do both.

Bigger cats like jaguars,
tigers, and lions roar.

Whereas smaller cats
like cheetah, serval...

and domestic cats purr.

Purrs are made by vocal cords

that vibrate at up to
150 times per second.

The sound reverberates
through their bodies.

And recent studies have shown

the constant vibrations
help to strengthen bones

and even repair fractures.

And when lions are injured,

prides have been known
to keep feeding them

and looking after them.

Kevin has seen firsthand

how important personal
relationships are in a pride.

They've definitely
got that more bonded,

friendly, kind of
interactive side to them,

where they're always
touching each other.

And on a day that's 45
degrees in the shade,

you see a pride of lions all
lying on top of each other.

And, you know,
I've seen it myself

when I'm with a group.

You'll see on a
day where it's hot

and you're lying amongst them,

and you do a little test

where you take your leg away

from where you
were touching them,

and then you see this paw go...

and feel for where your leg
is and then touch you again

and knowing that you're there.

Obviously, there's
advantages to being social

in terms of having
tenure over territories.

Having the ability
to hunt as a group

and bring down larger
prey to feed the group.

Having almost
sentinels that stand back

and look out, call for danger.

Or look after the
cubs in a crèche.

The reason behind
lions' social nature

has been the subject
of fierce debate.

But the latest theory is
that it's all about territory.

Like all cats, lions
were once solitary,

competing with
other felines for food.

But then early lions figured out

that if they worked together,

they could hold
the best territories

with the most prey.

From that point on,

they evolved the most
sophisticated social order

of any cat.

Whatever the reason,

Kevin thinks this change

has led to lions being
smarter than other cats.

There has been experiments done

on the cognitive
ability of lions...

Or of animals that are social...

Showing that maybe
there's a higher level

of intelligence being social.

Because you need to
know who your peers are,

you need to know
what their function is,

you need to know
what I can get from them

or what I must do,
what I mustn't do.

You know what I'm saying?

Whereas when
you're a solitary animal,

you don't need to
worry about all of that.

You need to worry about
me, me, me, and me.

Lions are unique among cats,

but the feline blueprint
still runs through them,

as it does through all felines.

Agility...

super senses,

and instinct are shared
by the pioneering cats

that spread across Asia...

by the unique species
that conquered Africa...

and by domestic cats today.

This blueprint is
the reason cats

are one of the most widespread
carnivores on the planet.

Next time we discover

how cats conquered
the Americas...

and ultimately gave rise

to the most
successful cat of all...

our humble house cats.

♪♪

To learn more about what you've
seen on this "Nature" program,