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An immense, dry land dominates
south-western Africa.
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00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:18,418
Here, sand covers the land
in rippling dunes
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00:00:18,418 --> 00:00:21,321
and underlies dry savannas.
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00:00:25,092 --> 00:00:29,329
Rain drains away
as quickly as it falls.
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00:00:32,332 --> 00:00:35,235
But there are places
within this sandy expanse
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00:00:35,235 --> 00:00:38,338
where rock towers high . . .
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00:00:38,338 --> 00:00:42,576
And water quenches
even the mightiest of thirsts.
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00:00:46,313 --> 00:00:49,316
These different environments
combine
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in a kaleidoscope
of landscapes and life.
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00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:55,822
Creating the many faces
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of the Kalahari.
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00:01:34,828 --> 00:01:37,464
Kalahari.
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00:01:37,464 --> 00:01:40,767
A word meaning
'place of great thirst',
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00:01:40,767 --> 00:01:42,502
it's the appropriate name
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00:01:42,502 --> 00:01:45,372
of one of southern Africa's
greatest wildernesses.
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00:01:57,751 --> 00:02:00,153
The Kalahari
stretches over an area
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00:02:00,153 --> 00:02:03,223
25 percent bigger than Texas
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00:02:03,223 --> 00:02:07,294
on a high, flat plateau
in south west Africa.
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00:02:08,795 --> 00:02:11,465
Sixty million years of erosion
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00:02:11,465 --> 00:02:15,602
have covered the bedrock across
this expanse in sandy soils
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up to 200 feet deep.
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00:02:19,573 --> 00:02:23,677
These sands shape
and define this arid land.
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00:02:26,146 --> 00:02:29,783
Unpredictable rains quickly
drain through them,
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00:02:29,783 --> 00:02:33,220
leaving the surface
devoid of water.
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00:02:35,655 --> 00:02:38,191
This is a place of extremes
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00:02:38,191 --> 00:02:40,560
with scorching summer days,
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00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,463
and freezing winter nights.
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00:02:47,134 --> 00:02:52,572
It's a place known for its
hardy plants and animals.
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00:02:52,572 --> 00:02:57,577
These have adapted to make
the most of scant resources,
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surviving
despite the harsh conditions.
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00:03:03,750 --> 00:03:07,454
But within this expanse
there are exceptions;
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Habitats that provide
for a huge array of life.
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Rocky outcrops rise from the
middle of this sandy expanse -
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the landscape's only vertical
feature for hundreds of miles.
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Their caves offer moist, shady
refuge in a sun-baked land.
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00:03:37,784 --> 00:03:42,155
And where a great river flows
out over the Kalahari sands,
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Africa's greatest oasis
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provides plenty for creatures
big and small.
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00:04:02,275 --> 00:04:04,177
In its massive expanse,
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00:04:04,177 --> 00:04:07,280
the Kalahari is truly
one of the wildest
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00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,383
and most
diverse lands in Africa.
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00:04:22,229 --> 00:04:26,066
As dawn breaks over the southern
reaches of the Kalahari,
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a group of its most iconic
creatures begins its day.
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Meerkats.
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00:04:39,613 --> 00:04:42,849
After spending the night huddled
together in their burrow,
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00:04:42,849 --> 00:04:45,385
they emerge
to scan their surroundings,
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00:04:45,385 --> 00:04:49,256
always alert to the possibility
of predators.
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00:04:53,627 --> 00:04:57,063
And today
they must be extra vigilant.
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00:05:10,177 --> 00:05:12,078
Their newest members
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00:05:12,078 --> 00:05:14,681
are leaving the safety of
the burrow for the first time,
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00:05:14,681 --> 00:05:16,750
and they're
extremely vulnerable.
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00:05:25,158 --> 00:05:27,627
The pups are just
three weeks old.
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00:05:46,112 --> 00:05:48,081
If they're to succeed in life,
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00:05:48,081 --> 00:05:49,849
they must learn
an essential skill
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00:05:49,849 --> 00:05:52,652
for thriving
in this inhospitable land.
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00:05:55,355 --> 00:05:56,623
Digging.
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00:06:06,299 --> 00:06:10,103
Meerkats' sharp claws make them
experts in this field,
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00:06:10,103 --> 00:06:13,173
helping them thrive
in their sandy habitat.
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00:06:22,816 --> 00:06:27,053
They feed mainly on insects
fetched from below the surface.
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00:06:28,622 --> 00:06:30,824
The pups'
older siblings and cousins
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00:06:30,824 --> 00:06:33,827
will dig up prey for them
for the coming weeks,
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00:06:33,827 --> 00:06:36,630
supplementing
their mother's milk.
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00:06:47,841 --> 00:06:51,244
Within the next six weeks
they'll be weaned
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00:06:51,244 --> 00:06:55,081
and then their begging whines
will fall on deaf ears.
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00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,656
They must learn to find
their own food
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00:07:02,656 --> 00:07:05,659
before then if
they're to survive.
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00:07:05,659 --> 00:07:10,163
But the ability to dig is
crucial for more than just food.
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00:07:12,732 --> 00:07:16,102
As the midday sun
beats down on the Kalahari,
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00:07:16,102 --> 00:07:19,673
summer days
average 100 degrees Fahrenheit,
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00:07:19,673 --> 00:07:22,409
and can soar above 105.
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00:07:23,610 --> 00:07:25,612
Now, in the middle of winter,
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00:07:25,612 --> 00:07:29,749
nights can plummet
to 10 degrees.
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00:07:33,553 --> 00:07:36,456
So Meerkats live underground.
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00:07:38,291 --> 00:07:39,693
The Meerkats' burrow
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00:07:39,693 --> 00:07:42,529
is insulated by as much
as 7 feet of sand,
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keeping temperatures comfortable
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despite the extremes outside.
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Meerkats can carve out
lives for themselves
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in the Kalahari's sands.
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00:08:02,482 --> 00:08:09,222
They find both food and shelter
beneath the surface.
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00:08:09,222 --> 00:08:13,293
But not all share the advantage
of being able to take shelter
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00:08:13,293 --> 00:08:16,162
from the Kalahari's extremes.
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00:08:21,201 --> 00:08:25,638
On a cold winter morning
this ostrich lies in the sand,
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00:08:25,638 --> 00:08:29,342
trapping its body heat
in its dense feathers.
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00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:38,017
But keeping warm
is only part of the battle.
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00:08:41,121 --> 00:08:44,624
As the sun rises
so does the temperature,
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00:08:44,624 --> 00:08:48,695
and even winter days can top
86 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Long, bare legs help the ostrich
keep cool during the day.
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00:09:00,073 --> 00:09:04,144
And spreading her wings
allows for maximum airflow.
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00:09:10,049 --> 00:09:16,022
Her male companion's legs
serve another important purpose.
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His scarlet shins indicate
high testosterone levels.
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00:09:20,460 --> 00:09:22,195
It's late winter;
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the beginning
of breeding season.
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He ushers another male
away from his territory
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00:09:34,441 --> 00:09:37,444
and his harem of three females.
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00:09:40,113 --> 00:09:42,782
In an unusual system
of communal breeding,
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all the females will lay their
eggs in the same nest,
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but only the first to lay
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will share incubation duties
with the male.
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00:09:58,765 --> 00:10:02,469
The other females need only
look out for themselves.
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00:10:09,642 --> 00:10:13,112
At 6.5 feet tall, ostriches
have a good vantage point
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to scan
for their biggest threat.
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The Kalahari's Lions.
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This big male
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00:10:29,529 --> 00:10:33,233
has recently formed a coalition
with a younger accomplice.
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00:10:35,168 --> 00:10:37,370
Together
they control a territory
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00:10:37,370 --> 00:10:41,641
of around 1,000 square miles,
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00:10:43,676 --> 00:10:48,081
and the right to mate with the
pride of females living in it.
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Now in the height
of the dry season,
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they know that prey congregates
in dry riverbeds.
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Here plants take advantage of
relatively nutrient rich soils,
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which attracts these herds.
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00:11:12,639 --> 00:11:16,409
Even here,
few big herbivores can survive,
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so Kalahari Lions
rely far more on small prey
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than their counterparts
elsewhere.
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A Springbok ram would make
a decent meal for the males.
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But Lions use
the element of surprise to hunt,
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00:11:38,131 --> 00:11:41,734
and in the open riverbed there
will be no surprising the ram.
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00:11:49,342 --> 00:11:52,712
Springbok can run
at almost 55 miles per hour -
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a good deal faster
than the apex predator.
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00:12:02,822 --> 00:12:06,259
The ram's plucky show
draws a line in the sand,
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00:12:06,259 --> 00:12:08,094
reminding the Lion
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00:12:08,094 --> 00:12:12,365
that with the ram's head start,
a chase would be futile.
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00:12:14,367 --> 00:12:16,202
And the Lion knows it.
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00:12:19,272 --> 00:12:20,707
By avoiding the chase,
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the Springbok has conserved
crucial energy.
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The Lions will wait
for the cover of darkness,
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00:12:33,586 --> 00:12:37,423
when they're
less likely to be spotted.
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00:12:37,423 --> 00:12:41,494
Satisfied of their safety,
the Springbok slowly move off.
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00:12:48,768 --> 00:12:53,439
They use these dry riverbeds as
highways through the sandy land,
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finding food here
in the toughest times.
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Between the riverbeds,
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great dune fields
stretch for hundreds of miles.
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00:13:10,823 --> 00:13:16,496
Forming iconic landscapes in a
wilderness dominated by sand.
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00:13:20,733 --> 00:13:23,736
But some 500 miles to the north,
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an entirely different form
rises from the Kalahari floor.
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The Tsodilo Hills
in northern Botswana
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are rocky islands
in a sea of sandy soils.
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00:13:50,830 --> 00:13:53,800
They stretch for 9.5 miles,
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00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,570
and rise to around
1,300 feet high.
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It's more than
150 miles in any direction
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to their nearest equivalent
in elevation.
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00:14:17,757 --> 00:14:21,294
More rain falls in these
northern reaches of the Kalahari
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00:14:21,294 --> 00:14:23,629
and green plant life
takes advantage of it
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00:14:23,629 --> 00:14:25,264
in the rocky slopes.
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00:14:29,402 --> 00:14:33,506
Formed under high temperatures
and pressures deep underground,
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00:14:33,506 --> 00:14:37,543
these hard quartzite rocks have
withstood the effects of erosion
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over millennia.
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00:14:46,419 --> 00:14:48,354
Ancient rock paintings
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00:14:48,354 --> 00:14:51,524
are evidence that humans have
been attracted to this landmark
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00:14:51,524 --> 00:14:55,094
for over
a hundred thousand years.
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These hills offer more
than a glimpse into the past.
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00:15:08,674 --> 00:15:12,111
They are a shady refuge
to a variety of life.
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00:15:15,715 --> 00:15:20,153
Including a species that lives
nowhere else on earth.
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00:15:28,261 --> 00:15:30,229
The Tsodilo gecko.
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00:15:34,066 --> 00:15:38,337
Mainly nocturnal, its eyes are
adapted to low light conditions,
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with pupils that contract
to a thin slit
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during occasional
daytime forays.
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00:15:59,458 --> 00:16:03,062
To grip the rocks, the gecko's
toes have adhesive pads
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covered in microscopic
hair-like structures.
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00:16:09,202 --> 00:16:12,338
It scales the cave's walls
to hunt insects
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in the many crevices.
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00:16:19,412 --> 00:16:22,782
Mottled skin helps it
blend in with its rocky home
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and escape the attention
of predatory birds
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and small mammals.
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00:16:30,723 --> 00:16:34,460
Ear holes lead to sensitive
tympanic membranes
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that make hearing
one of its most acute senses;
168
00:16:42,535 --> 00:16:46,372
And even when the quietest
attacker catches it off guard,
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00:16:46,372 --> 00:16:49,308
it has an emergency
defense mechanism.
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00:16:51,811 --> 00:16:58,084
Like all geckos it can
shed its tail in times of peril,
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growing a new one
after each close call.
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This species has evolved
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to live in the rocks
of these isolated outcrops,
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and Tsodilo Geckos
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rarely venture
onto the sandy savanna beyond.
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In the dry south
of the Kalahari,
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bigger species rely on their
ability to cover open ground
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to survive.
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00:17:47,099 --> 00:17:50,603
Here, herds of hartebeest
roam over home ranges
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of up to 380 square miles.
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Their reflective coats
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allow them to spend long hours
under the baking sun
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in their preferred habitat
of open grasslands.
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00:18:14,126 --> 00:18:17,596
But these large antelope
struggle to find enough food
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00:18:17,596 --> 00:18:20,232
during the driest part
of the year.
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00:18:34,113 --> 00:18:36,449
They cover ground day after day,
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00:18:36,449 --> 00:18:41,153
searching for nutritious grass
until rain brings new growth.
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00:18:55,334 --> 00:18:59,338
As the sun sets,
they'll stop and huddle together
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to avoid attracting
the attention of Lions.
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00:19:12,518 --> 00:19:14,453
Luckily for the hartebeest
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not all who prowl
the Kalahari night are a threat.
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00:19:23,262 --> 00:19:26,632
These Bat-eared foxes
have spent the day in their den,
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00:19:26,632 --> 00:19:28,267
avoiding the heat.
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00:19:32,772 --> 00:19:36,175
Thick coats make them better
suited to searching for food
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00:19:36,175 --> 00:19:38,377
in the cold night.
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00:19:42,581 --> 00:19:46,452
And they're excellently equipped
for finding prey in the dark.
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00:19:49,221 --> 00:19:53,025
Their enormous ears can hear
the slightest of movements.
198
00:19:57,129 --> 00:19:58,564
Even below ground.
199
00:20:09,475 --> 00:20:11,377
When the rains arrive,
200
00:20:11,377 --> 00:20:15,548
the foxes will feed mainly on a
fresh abundance of termites.
201
00:20:22,588 --> 00:20:28,260
But during the dry winter,
they turn to hunting rodents.
202
00:20:28,260 --> 00:20:31,330
A mouse makes a good meal
for a small fox.
203
00:20:37,336 --> 00:20:40,272
Their adaptable diet
will carry the foxes through
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00:20:40,272 --> 00:20:43,275
to the easy pickings
of the rainy season.
205
00:21:03,662 --> 00:21:08,033
An Ant-eating chat subsists
entirely on insects.
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00:21:11,337 --> 00:21:14,440
In the dry winter,
it turns to a staple.
207
00:21:18,210 --> 00:21:20,346
It's found a colony
of Harvester ants
208
00:21:20,346 --> 00:21:23,115
with their
huge underground nest.
209
00:21:28,587 --> 00:21:33,292
It offers insulation and
protection from most predators.
210
00:21:34,460 --> 00:21:36,695
But the ants must eat.
211
00:21:39,465 --> 00:21:42,268
An army of workers
heads out to gather food
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00:21:42,268 --> 00:21:44,436
in the form of grass seeds.
213
00:21:47,173 --> 00:21:52,211
On this small scale a grass seed
represents relative plenty,
214
00:21:52,211 --> 00:21:54,313
and the colony can thrive.
215
00:22:01,153 --> 00:22:02,688
It's a toilsome task.
216
00:22:08,761 --> 00:22:11,730
But they go about it
with busy determination,
217
00:22:11,730 --> 00:22:15,334
returning their spoils
to the hordes below ground.
218
00:22:27,580 --> 00:22:30,349
While those below
receive the banquet,
219
00:22:30,349 --> 00:22:33,519
the foragers risk becoming food.
220
00:22:35,221 --> 00:22:37,690
Though each ant
is a mere morsel,
221
00:22:37,690 --> 00:22:41,126
in large numbers they can
satisfy the chat's hunger.
222
00:22:45,531 --> 00:22:49,134
It's a constantly replenishing
food source for the chat.
223
00:23:05,217 --> 00:23:08,520
These very small creatures
can find all they need
224
00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,990
in the driest parts
of the Kalahari.
225
00:23:13,459 --> 00:23:16,428
But the mosaic of landscapes
in this wilderness
226
00:23:16,428 --> 00:23:19,365
provides for animals
of all sizes.
227
00:23:20,332 --> 00:23:23,335
465 miles to the north
228
00:23:23,335 --> 00:23:27,573
there's another exception to the
Kalahari's general severity;
229
00:23:35,681 --> 00:23:42,154
A place where even giants can
find all they need to thrive.
230
00:23:55,567 --> 00:23:57,369
What starts as a trickle
231
00:23:57,369 --> 00:24:01,740
some thousand miles away
in the Angolan highlands,
232
00:24:01,740 --> 00:24:05,644
steadily grows to become
the mighty Okavango river.
233
00:24:09,581 --> 00:24:12,251
By the height
of the Kalahari dry season,
234
00:24:12,251 --> 00:24:15,054
the floodwaters which have
gathered over months
235
00:24:15,054 --> 00:24:17,256
reach northern Botswana.
236
00:24:20,459 --> 00:24:22,261
Here they unleash
237
00:24:22,261 --> 00:24:26,732
4 million Olympic-sized swimming
pools worth of water.
238
00:24:31,370 --> 00:24:35,541
This great flood covers more
than 2,000 square miles
239
00:24:35,541 --> 00:24:40,479
in a system of streams,
swamps and lagoons.
240
00:24:46,819 --> 00:24:49,722
This is the Okavango delta.
241
00:24:52,491 --> 00:24:58,030
Here more than 480 species
of birds make their homes.
242
00:25:49,415 --> 00:25:51,316
The Okavango's water
243
00:25:51,316 --> 00:25:54,353
provides for bird life that
couldn't survive without it.
244
00:25:57,089 --> 00:26:01,627
As well as large herds of
Africa's mega-herbivores.
245
00:26:08,300 --> 00:26:11,370
Buffalo must drink
at least once a day,
246
00:26:11,370 --> 00:26:13,338
so most of the Kalahari
247
00:26:13,338 --> 00:26:16,508
is uninhabitable
to these large grazers.
248
00:26:20,078 --> 00:26:23,348
They gather here
in herds of hundreds,
249
00:26:23,348 --> 00:26:25,751
finding all the water they need
250
00:26:25,751 --> 00:26:28,754
even after
the annual floods recede.
251
00:26:31,690 --> 00:26:34,560
But they dare not wade too deep;
252
00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,296
danger lurks in these waters.
253
00:26:46,538 --> 00:26:50,809
Nile crocodiles can grow
to more than 16 feet long,
254
00:26:50,809 --> 00:26:53,412
and weigh up to a ton.
255
00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:56,748
These powerful carnivores
256
00:26:56,748 --> 00:27:00,219
ambush drinking prey
from beneath the surface.
257
00:27:07,059 --> 00:27:08,694
But powerful jaws
258
00:27:08,694 --> 00:27:12,631
can be menacing
to more than just their prey.
259
00:27:16,435 --> 00:27:20,138
A youngster has strayed
onto an adult male's turf,
260
00:27:20,138 --> 00:27:22,407
and provoked an attack.
261
00:27:30,215 --> 00:27:34,152
The battle-hardened veteran
has only half of his upper jaw
262
00:27:34,152 --> 00:27:37,523
but it's enough to hold fast
on his opponent.
263
00:27:40,092 --> 00:27:42,661
He takes a few deep breaths
to prepare himself
264
00:27:42,661 --> 00:27:45,197
for an explosion of energy.
265
00:27:56,608 --> 00:28:01,079
His powerful shakes would tear
the flesh from a mammal carcass.
266
00:28:04,349 --> 00:28:08,086
But the young crocodile's
armor of scales resists.
267
00:28:10,422 --> 00:28:12,558
And the stalemate continues.
268
00:28:17,229 --> 00:28:20,465
The old male
is strongest in the water.
269
00:28:24,403 --> 00:28:26,471
He prepares himself again.
270
00:28:36,448 --> 00:28:39,251
This time
the youngster bites back.
271
00:28:46,558 --> 00:28:48,560
In the frenzy he escapes.
272
00:29:01,006 --> 00:29:04,343
The scarred old male blows
bubbles of aggression.
273
00:29:06,211 --> 00:29:09,648
Eventually he emerges
to warm himself on the bank
274
00:29:09,648 --> 00:29:12,684
and regain his energy.
275
00:29:12,684 --> 00:29:16,321
He has asserted his dominance
among the crocodiles,
276
00:29:18,256 --> 00:29:23,228
but even he isn't boss
in the Okavango's swamps.
277
00:29:25,530 --> 00:29:28,667
This title belongs
to the Hippopotamus.
278
00:29:36,174 --> 00:29:39,411
Bulls can weigh
more than 3 tons,
279
00:29:39,411 --> 00:29:43,649
and they have
mighty jaws of their own.
280
00:29:43,649 --> 00:29:46,585
Hippos spend the night
grazing on land,
281
00:29:46,585 --> 00:29:50,422
eating up to 90 pounds of grass.
282
00:29:50,422 --> 00:29:55,560
During the day they stay
submerged, escaping the hot sun.
283
00:30:00,832 --> 00:30:05,237
And water lilies make a great
snack to get them to dinnertime.
284
00:30:15,147 --> 00:30:18,717
Mostly aquatic, Hippos rely
on the delta's surface water
285
00:30:18,717 --> 00:30:20,619
as a suitable habitat.
286
00:30:23,355 --> 00:30:25,090
And flat sandy soils
287
00:30:25,090 --> 00:30:27,659
allow them to walk along the
bottom of swamps
288
00:30:27,659 --> 00:30:30,128
at relatively constant depths.
289
00:30:40,472 --> 00:30:42,874
But it's a plant
rather than an animal
290
00:30:42,874 --> 00:30:46,745
that takes advantage of the
Delta better than any other.
291
00:30:51,450 --> 00:30:52,684
Papyrus.
292
00:30:57,689 --> 00:31:01,093
This is one of the fastest
growing plants in the world
293
00:31:01,093 --> 00:31:04,396
and it dominates the waterways.
294
00:31:06,198 --> 00:31:10,535
The steady flow of water leeches
nutrients from the sandy floor.
295
00:31:14,272 --> 00:31:17,776
But papyrus is able to recycle
the nutrients it absorbs,
296
00:31:17,776 --> 00:31:20,345
taking nourishment
from dying shoots,
297
00:31:20,345 --> 00:31:22,614
and redirecting it
toward new growth.
298
00:31:22,614 --> 00:31:25,751
Allowing it
to grow tall and dense.
299
00:31:43,235 --> 00:31:47,606
It's a banquet for the world's
biggest land mammal.
300
00:31:47,606 --> 00:31:49,407
The African elephant.
301
00:31:52,744 --> 00:31:58,450
A mature elephant bull eats
around 660 pounds of food a day.
302
00:32:04,055 --> 00:32:09,127
He feeds on a huge variety
of plant matter.
303
00:32:09,127 --> 00:32:12,664
And even the fibrous papyrus
stems are on the menu.
304
00:32:19,171 --> 00:32:21,773
Thanks to the Okavango's
abundant greenery
305
00:32:21,773 --> 00:32:24,643
in this wet corner
of the great Kalahari,
306
00:32:24,643 --> 00:32:28,313
elephants thrive
in high concentrations.
307
00:32:31,616 --> 00:32:33,618
As this giant moves,
308
00:32:33,618 --> 00:32:38,390
his disturbance provides a feast
for a smaller companion.
309
00:32:38,390 --> 00:32:42,327
A Cattle egret can snap up
insects flushed from the grass,
310
00:32:42,327 --> 00:32:45,797
taking advantage of feast
on a smaller scale.
311
00:32:52,170 --> 00:32:54,372
Insects are an important
source of food
312
00:32:54,372 --> 00:32:57,142
for many of the Delta's birds.
313
00:32:59,778 --> 00:33:01,379
Including hornbills
314
00:33:01,379 --> 00:33:03,281
of the Red billed;
315
00:33:03,281 --> 00:33:05,383
And Yellow billed varieties.
316
00:33:17,229 --> 00:33:19,431
But there is
another hornbill here
317
00:33:19,431 --> 00:33:22,667
that needs more than insects
to get by.
318
00:33:28,106 --> 00:33:31,710
The Southern ground hornbill
is as big as a Turkey.
319
00:33:40,785 --> 00:33:43,421
They spend their days
patrolling territories
320
00:33:43,421 --> 00:33:46,625
of up to
38 square miles on foot,
321
00:33:46,625 --> 00:33:48,326
looking for food.
322
00:33:51,496 --> 00:33:53,632
This group's territory
includes part
323
00:33:53,632 --> 00:33:57,102
of one of the
delta's large islands.
324
00:33:58,536 --> 00:34:00,605
The floodwater
doesn't reach here,
325
00:34:00,605 --> 00:34:04,276
but despite the dryness
there is food to be found.
326
00:34:07,812 --> 00:34:12,183
Hornbills will eat anything
from insects to reptiles,
327
00:34:12,183 --> 00:34:14,319
and even small mammals.
328
00:34:17,822 --> 00:34:20,325
This Leopard tortoise
is in danger.
329
00:34:31,303 --> 00:34:34,005
The hornbills have cornered him.
330
00:34:57,762 --> 00:35:00,966
But they can't remove him
from his shell.
331
00:35:11,676 --> 00:35:15,480
The tortoise survives the ordeal
332
00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:18,717
and the birds move off
to hunt elsewhere.
333
00:35:25,724 --> 00:35:28,593
With enough territory
on the delta's dry islands,
334
00:35:28,593 --> 00:35:31,429
the hornbills can find
all they need.
335
00:35:33,832 --> 00:35:36,801
For another
of the area's iconic predators,
336
00:35:36,801 --> 00:35:40,572
the daytime strategy
is very different.
337
00:35:45,377 --> 00:35:47,178
This young leopard
338
00:35:47,178 --> 00:35:50,281
has recently gained
independence from her mother.
339
00:35:52,751 --> 00:35:54,419
The delta's tall trees
340
00:35:54,419 --> 00:35:57,288
provide her
with excellent lookout points.
341
00:35:59,090 --> 00:36:02,494
From here she can
keep an eye out for prey.
342
00:36:04,429 --> 00:36:07,032
And another
group of youngsters nearby
343
00:36:07,032 --> 00:36:10,001
would do well to be wary.
344
00:36:12,470 --> 00:36:15,974
A family of baboons is moving
through the undergrowth.
345
00:36:27,118 --> 00:36:29,521
Theirs is a relatively
easy life,
346
00:36:29,521 --> 00:36:32,457
surrounded by
the delta's lush abundance.
347
00:36:35,627 --> 00:36:40,598
Leopards are the biggest threat
to the troop.
348
00:36:40,598 --> 00:36:46,304
But she does most of her hunting
under the cover of darkness.
349
00:36:46,304 --> 00:36:48,606
With the troop's
big males on guard,
350
00:36:48,606 --> 00:36:52,010
she won't risk an attack
in broad daylight.
351
00:36:54,379 --> 00:36:57,115
Instead she will
take the time to rest.
352
00:37:01,419 --> 00:37:05,290
And the young baboons
can play without concern.
353
00:37:28,046 --> 00:37:32,317
In this wet wonderland
all manner of creatures thrive
354
00:37:32,317 --> 00:37:35,186
but only Africa's most hardy
355
00:37:35,186 --> 00:37:38,289
can survive
beyond the limits of the oasis.
356
00:37:42,460 --> 00:37:46,331
In the height of the dry season,
the south of the Kalahari
357
00:37:46,331 --> 00:37:49,100
has very little
in the way of greenery
358
00:37:50,368 --> 00:37:52,704
and even less surface water.
359
00:37:58,243 --> 00:38:01,412
Living hundreds of miles
from the delta's oasis,
360
00:38:01,412 --> 00:38:06,484
another family of baboons
must be resourceful to get by.
361
00:38:10,321 --> 00:38:14,192
But even here they can find
enough to sustain themselves.
362
00:38:19,497 --> 00:38:24,035
These omnivorous primates
have incredibly varied diets,
363
00:38:24,035 --> 00:38:26,271
eating everything
from grass and bark
364
00:38:26,271 --> 00:38:28,640
to insects and small mammals.
365
00:38:35,079 --> 00:38:38,249
Dexterous hands allow them to
pick exactly what they're after
366
00:38:38,249 --> 00:38:40,552
from the foot of an acacia tree.
367
00:38:46,691 --> 00:38:49,661
Baboons are one of the few
mainly terrestrial species
368
00:38:49,661 --> 00:38:51,062
of monkey.
369
00:38:55,833 --> 00:38:59,003
But they're no slouches
when it comes to climbing.
370
00:39:05,310 --> 00:39:09,280
The acacia tree is a jungle gym
for the youngsters' games.
371
00:39:19,057 --> 00:39:21,793
Despite the desolate appearance
of their habitat,
372
00:39:21,793 --> 00:39:25,697
the troop is healthy enough to
expend excess energy playing.
373
00:39:31,336 --> 00:39:33,404
The tree has a deep tap root
374
00:39:33,404 --> 00:39:36,307
that reaches water
far below the ground.
375
00:39:40,111 --> 00:39:43,748
This allows it to grow new
shoots; food for the baboons
376
00:39:43,748 --> 00:39:46,718
in even the toughest of times.
377
00:39:50,555 --> 00:39:55,560
Trees like this are crucial to a
variety of life in the Kalahari.
378
00:39:58,796 --> 00:40:01,466
Including its avian predators.
379
00:40:06,537 --> 00:40:09,240
The talons
of a Verreaux's eagle owl
380
00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:13,611
are strong enough
to lift its own weight in prey.
381
00:40:13,611 --> 00:40:19,284
It hunts by night and sleeps the
hot day away in the treetops.
382
00:40:19,284 --> 00:40:23,554
While the eagle owl rests,
other raptors are on the prowl.
383
00:40:27,692 --> 00:40:30,395
A Southern pale chanting goshawk
384
00:40:30,395 --> 00:40:33,765
swoops down on prey
from high branches.
385
00:40:39,170 --> 00:40:41,572
While it eats its latest kill,
386
00:40:41,572 --> 00:40:44,575
someone else
pays close attention.
387
00:40:52,283 --> 00:40:54,319
A Crimson-breasted shrike
388
00:40:54,319 --> 00:40:58,489
is eager for a cheap meal
in the challenging dry times.
389
00:41:15,606 --> 00:41:19,377
The goshawk isn't fazed
by the smaller bird
390
00:41:19,377 --> 00:41:22,213
and it's unlikely
there'll be leftovers.
391
00:41:28,686 --> 00:41:30,555
As the wind starts to blow
392
00:41:30,555 --> 00:41:33,391
through the Kalahari's grasses
once again,
393
00:41:33,391 --> 00:41:37,462
relief for the
parched land is on its way.
394
00:42:00,752 --> 00:42:04,622
Finally rain brings some
moisture to the land.
395
00:42:21,172 --> 00:42:24,242
The Kalahari's plants
will grow rapidly
396
00:42:24,242 --> 00:42:27,011
and feed the animals
that need them most.
397
00:42:37,822 --> 00:42:40,858
As the clouds break
and the morning sun returns,
398
00:42:40,858 --> 00:42:44,228
the Kalahari
bathes in new light.
399
00:42:47,131 --> 00:42:48,866
For all life here,
400
00:42:48,866 --> 00:42:53,171
the brief downfall has spurred
a timely boost in food supplies.
401
00:43:00,144 --> 00:43:02,113
And they all cash in,
402
00:43:02,113 --> 00:43:06,651
taking advantage
of sudden plenty in a dry land.
403
00:43:10,488 --> 00:43:14,358
For the Meerkat family this
is a gift at a crucial time.
404
00:43:20,064 --> 00:43:24,235
Every day brings the pups nearer
to fending for themselves.
405
00:43:28,806 --> 00:43:33,277
The rain has brought with it
a flush of insect activity.
406
00:43:38,716 --> 00:43:43,588
Feeding the pups as they gain
confidence and experience.
407
00:43:51,195 --> 00:43:54,799
Some will eventually leave
to join new families.
408
00:44:04,308 --> 00:44:07,044
But the pack will remain strong,
409
00:44:07,044 --> 00:44:11,616
working together to raise
one generation after the next.
410
00:44:31,435 --> 00:44:33,638
In its immense expanse,
411
00:44:33,638 --> 00:44:37,475
the Kalahari is far more
than a barren desert.
412
00:44:41,646 --> 00:44:44,682
Life of all forms thrives here.
413
00:44:49,654 --> 00:44:52,356
In a land underscored by sand,
414
00:44:52,356 --> 00:44:55,660
rocks provide crucial refuge.
415
00:44:58,729 --> 00:45:02,600
And a mighty river
floods far and wide.
416
00:45:07,305 --> 00:45:10,241
This provides
abundance for some.
417
00:45:16,647 --> 00:45:22,019
While elsewhere the hardy must
make use of what's on offer.
418
00:45:26,223 --> 00:45:28,793
This is a land of variety,
419
00:45:28,793 --> 00:45:31,495
filled with many faces;
420
00:45:35,833 --> 00:45:39,370
A collage of life and landscapes
421
00:45:39,370 --> 00:45:42,673
that make up
the colorful kaleidoscope,
422
00:45:42,673 --> 00:45:47,678
which is the great Kalahari.
34103
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