‘The Wild Sides’ Follows Elephants, Lions, Leopards and More in Botswana’s Mashatu Region

© 2023 BBC America & Wild Web Africa Credit: Wim Vorster/BBCA/BBC STUDIOS

BBC America’s “Wonderstruck” nature programming block on Saturdays features the new three-part documentary series The Wild Sides (8pm ET/PT) exploring the wildlife of Mashatu in Botswana, where elephants, cheetahs, leopards, jackals and baboons coexist in an unforgiving ecosystem.

In the premiere, “The Drought” (Aug. 5), the region’s four-year dry spell is at its worst, and animal species struggle to maintain the balance of cooperation and competition to survive.

Then in “Flood and Foes” (Aug. 12), the desperately needed rains finally arrive, but the relief they bring also brings danger in the form of a pride of lions looking for food.

In the finale, “Growing Up” (Aug. 19), Mashatu has become a lush and fruitful land after the rains, and animal families welcome their next generation. Danger lurks even closer, as the lions see the young as easy prey.