In the open grasslands of our planet, parents must constantly balance risk and reward when raising the next generation. While abundant grass promises plentiful food and places for a family to call home, the exposed landscape brings competition and predators.

In England, an ingenious potter wasp takes full advantage of the grassland’s bounty; expertly building a clay cradle and stuffing it full of caterpillars for offspring she will never meet. In Kenya’s Masai Mara, a cheetah mother uses the open stage to show her cubs the hunting skills they will need as adults. Essential when she needs help tackling a wildebeest calf.

But for others, the balance is harder to achieve. In the open plains of the Lower Zambezi, a thirty-strong wild dog pack has all the odds in their favour. But the parents must instil discipline in their inexperienced pups or risk them ruining the hunt. In India, langur mothers must learn to first be good babysitters before taking on the parental role – and for some it doesn’t come easy!

A changing planet is continually shifting the balance between risk and reward, forcing parents across grasslands to make new and difficult choices. In the Kalahari, sociable weaver birds make the largest nests in the world, shielding their colony from the sun’s heat. But an unbearable heatwave causes social order to break down as disgruntled neighbours begin to evict chicks. In Patagonia, a guanaco mother must join thousands of others in trying to reach winter feeding grounds, only to be faced by mile upon mile of fencing.

The challenges for animal parents are becoming more intense, but simple solutions from humans can ultimately determine the future and stability of life on our grasslands.

Filming locations and species:

• Potter wasp: Devon, UK
• Cheetah: Masai Mara, Kenya
• African wild dogs: Lower Zambezi, Zambia
• Langur monkey: Jodphur, India
• Sociable weaver: Benfontein, South Africa
• San Joaquin Kit foxes: Panoche Valley, California
• Demoiselle Cranes: Tingtibi, Bhutan
• Guanaco: Patagonia Santa Cruz, Argentina

Filming feats:

• San Joaquin Kit foxes: The first time San Joaquin Kit foxes have been filmed being predated by Coyotes before – this was done using specialised military Infra-Red technology that allowed the crew to see the drama unfold in the pitch black.
• Demoiselle Cranes: The first filming of Demoiselle Cranes defending their chicks from livestock encroachment – a consequence of human-wildlife conflict and resource sharing.
• Sociable weavers: The first time Sociable weavers have been filmed exhibiting infanticide.