Although Tshaba is a mother to only three of the cubs, she embraces them all like her own.

The lionesses synchronized their pregnancies.

Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the time.

In a few weeks, they're swamped by a dozen demanding tyrants.

They'll feed each other's cubs as well as their own.

With 16 teats between them, there's more than enough to go around.

The mothers have their work cut out for them.

It is going to take three long years to turn this unruly mob into useful pride members.

That's if they even manage to get them that far.

If anyone overthrows Molelo before his cubs' first birthday, there's a good chance they'll kill them.

So for the next year, he has one job to do - keep his cubs alive, by keeping intruders out.

Somehow, all alone, Molelo must do the work of two males - patrol his far-flung boundaries, and be present to protect his family.