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00:00:04,660 --> 00:00:07,310
Our planet is a place
of constant change.
2
00:00:08,620 --> 00:00:12,370
Each year, the seasons shift
and life is transformed.
3
00:00:14,530 --> 00:00:18,210
But there are places where
the changes are so epic in scale,
4
00:00:18,210 --> 00:00:20,690
they can be seen from space.
5
00:00:22,700 --> 00:00:26,850
In this series, we reveal three of
the most miraculous transformations.
6
00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:32,170
The islands of Svalbard.
7
00:00:32,170 --> 00:00:35,730
Within a few weeks,
frozen wastelands burst into life.
8
00:00:38,290 --> 00:00:40,490
The African Okavango.
9
00:00:40,490 --> 00:00:43,970
A desert transforms into
a magical water world.
10
00:00:46,570 --> 00:00:48,920
And the mysterious forests
of New England
11
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,850
erupting in a blaze of
seasonal colour.
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00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,000
Life finds the most ingenious
and surprising ways to thrive...
13
00:01:01,650 --> 00:01:04,850
..in the world's most
fast-changing landscapes.
14
00:01:25,010 --> 00:01:26,770
The Kalahari basin.
15
00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:35,160
2.5 million square kilometres
of flat sand and scrub.
16
00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,090
This desert stretches across
southern Africa.
17
00:01:41,940 --> 00:01:44,490
But at its heart lies a river.
18
00:01:44,490 --> 00:01:47,420
A river that never reaches the sea.
19
00:01:47,420 --> 00:01:50,730
And once a year, it floods.
20
00:01:54,130 --> 00:01:59,540
Over five months, waters spread
across a vast area of the Kalahari,
21
00:01:59,540 --> 00:02:03,190
transforming it into a wonderland.
22
00:02:09,130 --> 00:02:11,900
The Okavango Delta.
23
00:02:22,190 --> 00:02:25,220
This is the story
of how nature creates a unique,
24
00:02:25,220 --> 00:02:29,440
flourishing wetland
out of one of earth's great deserts.
25
00:03:01,420 --> 00:03:03,900
Our story begins
in the heart of the Delta.
26
00:03:06,570 --> 00:03:08,580
The dry season is well advanced
27
00:03:08,580 --> 00:03:11,490
and water is becoming scarcer
by the day.
28
00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,830
At this time of year,
predators rule.
29
00:03:33,500 --> 00:03:36,130
Animals have another
six months to wait
30
00:03:36,130 --> 00:03:40,600
before the flood turns this land
back into a lush wetland.
31
00:03:48,450 --> 00:03:50,600
Sable antelope.
32
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,100
After grazing on dry grass, they
have to drink at a stagnant pool.
33
00:03:59,050 --> 00:04:00,880
But they're nervous.
34
00:04:04,370 --> 00:04:06,860
Predators watch their every move.
35
00:04:17,580 --> 00:04:20,780
For a leopard, though,
a sable's size
36
00:04:20,780 --> 00:04:24,820
and lethal scimitar horns
pose too much of a risk.
37
00:04:28,300 --> 00:04:30,450
There are plenty of easier targets.
38
00:04:42,050 --> 00:04:44,220
A family of warthogs.
39
00:04:44,220 --> 00:04:46,380
GRUNTING
40
00:04:46,380 --> 00:04:49,010
Where once there was a wide river,
41
00:04:49,010 --> 00:04:52,170
they use their tough snouts
to truffle for bulbs.
42
00:04:55,660 --> 00:04:59,050
But it's hard work
in this dry, sun-baked ground.
43
00:05:02,020 --> 00:05:05,510
And having your snout in the sand
is decidedly risky.
44
00:05:24,430 --> 00:05:25,840
GRUNTING
45
00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,380
SQUEAL!
46
00:05:30,380 --> 00:05:32,750
FRANTIC SQUEALING
47
00:05:39,850 --> 00:05:41,750
SQUEALING
48
00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:51,850
The leopard drags its kill
to a hiding place,
49
00:05:51,850 --> 00:05:53,740
where it can dine in peace.
50
00:06:00,730 --> 00:06:03,040
The warthog will keep it going
for a week.
51
00:06:06,570 --> 00:06:10,230
The dry season means good hunting
for top predators.
52
00:06:13,020 --> 00:06:15,640
For everyone else, food is scarce.
53
00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:22,350
Chacma baboons survive
through their knowledge...
54
00:06:24,570 --> 00:06:26,370
..and eclectic taste.
55
00:06:26,370 --> 00:06:28,120
BUZZING
56
00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:32,210
Elephant dung is a valuable source
of seeds and insects.
57
00:06:32,210 --> 00:06:34,970
CHATTERING
58
00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,120
But it looks like
there's an appealing alternative.
59
00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,090
A tree that fruits
even in the dry season.
60
00:06:53,090 --> 00:06:54,740
A fan palm.
61
00:07:08,330 --> 00:07:11,460
The fruit is nutritious,
if a bit tough and pithy.
62
00:07:17,940 --> 00:07:20,050
But what's this?
63
00:07:23,170 --> 00:07:26,570
Elephants will eat
virtually any vegetation.
64
00:07:26,570 --> 00:07:28,680
And fruit is their favourite.
65
00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,300
They can smell it from
several kilometres away.
66
00:07:45,650 --> 00:07:48,650
For the baboons, the feast is over.
67
00:07:48,650 --> 00:07:50,570
TRUMPETING
68
00:07:55,610 --> 00:07:59,010
The fruit may be 20 metres up
and out of reach,
69
00:07:59,010 --> 00:08:01,230
but the elephant's strategy
is simple.
70
00:08:02,290 --> 00:08:04,590
Brute force.
71
00:09:05,330 --> 00:09:10,110
For a crafty baboon, though,
it sometimes pays to hang around.
72
00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,100
It's spotted one
that the elephants missed.
73
00:09:28,460 --> 00:09:32,980
Nearby, at a shrinking pool,
something agitates the water.
74
00:09:39,610 --> 00:09:41,180
Mouths gulp at the surface.
75
00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,020
It's crowded with giant catfish
up to a metre-and-a-half long.
76
00:09:50,690 --> 00:09:54,820
There's no oxygen left in the water
for their gills to use.
77
00:09:54,820 --> 00:09:58,680
But these fish also have
lung-like organs that breathe air.
78
00:10:05,290 --> 00:10:10,040
Every day, under the Kalahari sun,
more water evaporates.
79
00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,540
African fish eagles
gather expectantly for a banquet.
80
00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:39,910
In desperation, some catfish
attempt to make a run for it,
81
00:10:39,910 --> 00:10:41,880
using their fins to propel them.
82
00:10:45,110 --> 00:10:49,020
Now exposed, they are easy targets
for eagles and jackals.
83
00:10:51,990 --> 00:10:54,310
SQUAWKI NG
84
00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,370
These catfish have run out of time.
85
00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,060
Within two weeks,
the pool has vanished.
86
00:11:44,310 --> 00:11:48,480
When it floods, there will be
plenty of water for everyone.
87
00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,550
But now,
at the end of the dry season,
88
00:11:51,550 --> 00:11:54,410
elephants must keep walking
in search of water.
89
00:11:57,900 --> 00:11:59,700
LOW ROAR
90
00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,120
Her calf needs
15 litres of milk a day,
91
00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,910
so she must find over 100 litres
of water for both of them.
92
00:12:15,410 --> 00:12:18,760
But elephants have a special
technique to get at fresh water.
93
00:12:21,850 --> 00:12:24,070
No other animal has such power.
94
00:12:30,250 --> 00:12:33,560
Using their tusks,
they pile-drive into the flood plain
95
00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:36,390
until they reach water
beneath the surface.
96
00:12:36,390 --> 00:12:38,620
TRUMPETING
97
00:12:54,180 --> 00:12:57,460
In doing so, elephants create
a lifeline for others.
98
00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:02,040
A hyena and jackal wait their turn.
99
00:13:05,060 --> 00:13:07,760
Elephants with calves
are not to be messed with.
100
00:13:09,540 --> 00:13:11,190
So they dive in when they can.
101
00:13:18,380 --> 00:13:21,520
But this jackal may have pushed
its luck a little too far.
102
00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:30,300
CHATTERI NG
103
00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:43,830
BI RDSONG
104
00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:54,280
For insect-eating birds,
food is increasingly hard to find.
105
00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,560
This mound makes
a good lookout post.
106
00:14:03,560 --> 00:14:05,630
But if only it knew what's inside.
107
00:14:12,580 --> 00:14:16,980
It's a fortress
for Macrotermes termites.
108
00:14:18,130 --> 00:14:19,910
A colony a million strong.
109
00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:27,110
A termite's mound is just the hub
of an underground city.
110
00:14:27,110 --> 00:14:29,840
Six kilometres of foraging tunnels.
111
00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:35,280
Here, the Macrotermes process
dead vegetation into food.
112
00:14:37,450 --> 00:14:39,700
The mound is perfectly engineered
113
00:14:39,700 --> 00:14:43,160
to keep air at constant temperature
and humidity.
114
00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,480
Protecting the termites
from drying out.
115
00:14:48,910 --> 00:14:51,450
But these mounds will also
prove essential
116
00:14:51,450 --> 00:14:55,130
for the survival of many other
species when the floods come.
117
00:15:05,910 --> 00:15:09,810
By the end of October,
dryness and increasing temperatures
118
00:15:09,810 --> 00:15:14,320
turn the once-lush Okavango Delta
into a tinderbox.
119
00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,240
FLAMES ROAR
120
00:15:26,830 --> 00:15:29,640
But these birds seem to be
attracted to the flames.
121
00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:42,480
For the lilac-breasted roller
and the fork-tailed drongo,
122
00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:44,800
it's a great opportunity.
123
00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:48,010
Because the fire flushes out
a bounty of insects.
124
00:16:13,530 --> 00:16:16,000
Up to a quarter
of the Okavango flood plain
125
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,640
can burn in a single year.
126
00:16:20,430 --> 00:16:23,170
For most of the plants and animals
that live here,
127
00:16:23,170 --> 00:16:26,640
the end of the dry season
can't come soon enough.
128
00:16:41,650 --> 00:16:43,240
THUNDERCLAP
129
00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,080
RAIN PELTS
130
00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:49,400
November brings a little respite
to the parched land.
131
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,350
THUNDERCLAP
132
00:16:51,350 --> 00:16:54,070
Warm, humid air moves in
from the tropics.
133
00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,120
Rain in the Kalahari.
134
00:17:05,850 --> 00:17:08,490
Just enough to green the delta.
135
00:17:19,830 --> 00:17:21,150
BIRDSONG
136
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:29,680
CHATTERING
137
00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,130
The baboon troop
has grown in number.
138
00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:43,050
SQUEALING
139
00:17:58,710 --> 00:18:02,610
These youngsters were born just in
time to enjoy what the rains bring.
140
00:18:05,530 --> 00:18:08,360
More trees have come into fruit.
141
00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:10,420
It makes for a delicious breakfast.
142
00:18:15,510 --> 00:18:18,360
But there's a downside
to such a wonderful scent.
143
00:18:18,360 --> 00:18:20,340
TRUMPETING
144
00:18:24,730 --> 00:18:28,290
Sure enough,
elephants aren't far away.
145
00:18:28,290 --> 00:18:29,940
TRUMPETING
146
00:18:33,690 --> 00:18:35,900
GENTLE ROARING
147
00:18:45,770 --> 00:18:48,210
The troop scatters.
148
00:18:48,210 --> 00:18:49,880
SQUEALING
149
00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:02,810
Maybe it's time to move on.
150
00:19:06,970 --> 00:19:09,920
Mothers carry their newborns
safely underneath,
151
00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,220
where they can keep suckling.
152
00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,060
But the older ones
must learn to ride on top.
153
00:19:19,690 --> 00:19:21,920
CHATTERI NG
154
00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:27,770
On these open plains,
the troop must stick together.
155
00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,800
Some have already lost limbs
to leopards.
156
00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:41,660
All these animals
will soon face a new world.
157
00:19:48,730 --> 00:19:53,370
The Kalahari rains may have provided
some temporary relief,
158
00:19:53,370 --> 00:19:56,800
but a much greater change
is on its way.
159
00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:02,080
In distant mountains
beyond the Kalahari,
160
00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:06,420
the tropical air now brings
much heavier downpours.
161
00:20:25,410 --> 00:20:27,520
Rain, from highlands to the north,
162
00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,700
cascades ultimately into one river.
163
00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:32,930
The Okavango River.
164
00:20:34,370 --> 00:20:36,650
It creates a pulse of high water
165
00:20:36,650 --> 00:20:40,590
which takes two months to snake over
a thousand kilometres
166
00:20:40,590 --> 00:20:42,870
to the top of the Okavango delta.
167
00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,090
It will still be another month
168
00:21:02,090 --> 00:21:05,070
before the floodwaters reach
the heart of the delta.
169
00:21:07,010 --> 00:21:08,650
Here, the river always flows
170
00:21:08,650 --> 00:21:12,610
and is home to several
thousand people, such as Sinabe.
171
00:21:14,090 --> 00:21:17,250
His people are descendants
of both Kalahari nomads
172
00:21:17,250 --> 00:21:19,420
and fishermen from central Africa.
173
00:21:25,650 --> 00:21:29,660
As the river rises, water spills
on to the surrounding land.
174
00:21:31,090 --> 00:21:34,500
Creating shallows
ideal for spear-fishing.
175
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,440
The rising pulse of water
continues onwards.
176
00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,060
South,
towards the dry heart of the delta.
177
00:21:56,710 --> 00:22:01,190
But to understand what happens next,
we have to go back in time.
178
00:22:04,230 --> 00:22:08,360
Two million years ago, great cracks
ripped through the desert floor.
179
00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,450
The land warped to create the shape
of the Delta we know today.
180
00:22:22,310 --> 00:22:25,720
The faults define the start
and finish lines for the flood
181
00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,610
which is to come to the main delta.
182
00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:46,810
The dry plains in the heart of
the Delta will soon be transformed.
183
00:22:46,810 --> 00:22:48,770
GRUNTING
184
00:22:52,950 --> 00:22:56,250
Life here is about to be turned
upside down.
185
00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:01,280
GRUNTING
186
00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:10,130
SQUEALING
187
00:23:10,130 --> 00:23:12,760
But for this family of warthogs,
188
00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,650
there's still a bit of time
to get some truffling in.
189
00:23:20,910 --> 00:23:23,720
The last rains softened the ground.
190
00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,770
And now, getting at those tubers
is much easier.
191
00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,380
For the cunning baboons,
it's an unmissable opportunity.
192
00:23:35,730 --> 00:23:39,530
They muscle in to enjoy the fruits
of the warthogs' hard work.
193
00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:45,760
GRUNTING
194
00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:47,740
SQUAWKING
195
00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:51,850
The baboons may have no manners,
196
00:23:51,850 --> 00:23:54,760
but the warthogs
don't really seem to mind.
197
00:23:56,590 --> 00:23:59,960
Perhaps it's because the baboons
provide extra security.
198
00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:07,310
But this is one food source
that will soon disappear.
199
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:23,640
Hidden in the reeds,
it starts as the tiniest trickle.
200
00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:28,030
The beginning of one of Africa's
greatest floods.
201
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,290
As rising water spills into
the main delta,
202
00:25:02,290 --> 00:25:06,580
it slows and spreads
into countless, tiny rivulets.
203
00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,160
RHYTHMIC DRUMBEAT
204
00:25:28,660 --> 00:25:31,410
Travelling at barely
a kilometre a day,
205
00:25:31,410 --> 00:25:34,590
the flood will take another
four months to cover the delta.
206
00:25:40,140 --> 00:25:43,140
But straightaway,
wherever water touches the land,
207
00:25:43,140 --> 00:25:44,960
it makes a remarkable impact.
208
00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:54,330
Common sand frogs
spend most of the year
209
00:25:54,330 --> 00:25:56,330
buried half a metre underground.
210
00:26:01,570 --> 00:26:06,290
But now, water floods their burrows
and forces them to the surface.
211
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,290
They inflate to scare off
any predators.
212
00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:15,740
He's off to find a female.
213
00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,450
For tiny creatures
whose homes are in the way,
214
00:26:26,450 --> 00:26:29,590
the trickle is more like a tsunami.
215
00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,580
Ants are forced to evacuate
their nest.
216
00:26:39,930 --> 00:26:42,580
An easy snack
for blacksmith lapwings.
217
00:26:51,010 --> 00:26:53,750
Termites now face the flooding
of their colony.
218
00:26:58,290 --> 00:27:00,890
They beat a hasty retreat
to the safety of their mound
219
00:27:00,890 --> 00:27:04,120
as their tunnels start to flood
and collapse.
220
00:27:07,970 --> 00:27:11,960
But in doing so,
something miraculous happens.
221
00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,100
The tunnels seal themselves up.
222
00:27:17,530 --> 00:27:20,090
This blocks
the flood's underground advance
223
00:27:20,090 --> 00:27:22,820
and forces the water
back to the surface.
224
00:27:29,890 --> 00:27:32,670
Back inside the mound,
the termites are safe.
225
00:27:37,450 --> 00:27:41,540
Incredibly, the flood provides
just the opportunity they need.
226
00:27:44,810 --> 00:27:47,170
Their fragile castle, made of sand,
227
00:27:47,170 --> 00:27:49,940
requires constant maintenance
and rebuilding.
228
00:27:51,370 --> 00:27:54,050
But the soil,
now softened by floodwater,
229
00:27:54,050 --> 00:27:57,490
is easy to transport
to damaged parts of the mound.
230
00:28:04,220 --> 00:28:08,850
Gradually, thousands of termites
reconstruct their fortress.
231
00:28:13,530 --> 00:28:16,680
Repairing these mounds
isn't just good for the termites.
232
00:28:18,660 --> 00:28:21,450
These structures help to create
something vital
233
00:28:21,450 --> 00:28:23,460
for all the delta's wildlife.
234
00:28:25,090 --> 00:28:27,390
Its islands.
235
00:28:30,530 --> 00:28:33,750
And it all starts like this.
236
00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,730
Dung.
237
00:28:44,730 --> 00:28:48,130
Readymade fertiliser
laden with fruits and seeds.
238
00:28:51,250 --> 00:28:54,530
Floodwater soaks up
the dry side slopes of the mound
239
00:28:54,530 --> 00:28:57,340
to create the perfect
bedding for new plants.
240
00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:14,560
Gradually, season-by-season,
241
00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,890
termite mounds become home
to more and more plants.
242
00:29:29,540 --> 00:29:32,460
As they grow,
they attract more animals,
243
00:29:32,460 --> 00:29:37,170
which in turn bring with them
the seeds to grow even more plants.
244
00:29:37,170 --> 00:29:41,610
Sycamore fig, fan palm, marula.
245
00:29:41,610 --> 00:29:44,680
Until the termite mounds
are barely recognisable
246
00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:46,570
under their lush green canopies.
247
00:29:56,530 --> 00:30:01,100
As it floods, raised areas around
termite mounds become islands.
248
00:30:04,980 --> 00:30:08,380
They provide food, shelter
and a refuge throughout the year
249
00:30:08,380 --> 00:30:11,940
for everything from elephants
to baboons and birds.
250
00:30:16,810 --> 00:30:19,920
In the delta,
once featureless desert,
251
00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:25,030
there are now around
150,000 such islands.
252
00:30:34,490 --> 00:30:36,890
For a lot of thirsty animals,
253
00:30:36,890 --> 00:30:40,100
the floods simply mean
sweet drinking water.
254
00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:46,170
Elephants no longer need
to dig holes.
255
00:30:48,250 --> 00:30:50,690
TRUMPETING
256
00:30:50,690 --> 00:30:52,830
CHATTERING
257
00:30:59,820 --> 00:31:01,550
GRUNTING
258
00:31:05,030 --> 00:31:08,830
Baboons, too, seem to delight
in the precious liquid.
259
00:31:14,850 --> 00:31:19,740
Curious youngsters, encountering
the flood for the very first time,
260
00:31:19,740 --> 00:31:22,580
don't seem to know
quite what to make of it.
261
00:31:55,900 --> 00:31:58,020
The sand may look barren,
262
00:31:58,020 --> 00:32:02,250
but wherever the water touches it,
something magical happens.
263
00:32:04,210 --> 00:32:08,330
Within a couple of days,
billions of freshwater plankton
264
00:32:08,330 --> 00:32:10,740
begin to awake and hatch.
265
00:32:16,650 --> 00:32:20,860
Such tiny creatures
are the delta's secret ingredients.
266
00:32:20,860 --> 00:32:23,270
The foundation of its food chain.
267
00:32:26,570 --> 00:32:28,850
Meanwhile, in a deeper channel,
268
00:32:28,850 --> 00:32:30,750
a mountain of foam has appeared.
269
00:32:33,740 --> 00:32:37,100
It has been created
by a pair of African pike.
270
00:32:37,100 --> 00:32:38,900
Notoriously aggressive,
271
00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:41,860
but caring parents
that watch over their offspring.
272
00:32:49,130 --> 00:32:51,420
Hidden safely underneath the foam,
273
00:32:51,420 --> 00:32:54,190
hundreds of fish eggs
are beginning to hatch.
274
00:32:56,860 --> 00:33:00,550
The fry remain attached to the foam
until they are well developed.
275
00:33:02,010 --> 00:33:04,990
And now, the delta offers plenty
for them to eat.
276
00:33:08,180 --> 00:33:13,650
The tiny pike fry join small,
hungry fish of 70 different species,
277
00:33:13,650 --> 00:33:15,460
swimming though the shallows
278
00:33:15,460 --> 00:33:18,460
in a nutritious soup
of freshwater plankton.
279
00:33:33,210 --> 00:33:35,630
BIRDSONG
280
00:33:35,630 --> 00:33:39,230
Before long,
the skies fill with birds.
281
00:33:42,110 --> 00:33:45,100
One of Africa's greatest
wildlife spectacles.
282
00:33:48,220 --> 00:33:50,830
Travelling nomads from far and wide.
283
00:33:52,900 --> 00:33:55,250
The reason they're here?
284
00:33:55,250 --> 00:33:59,380
Wherever water covers the land,
it fills up with little fish.
285
00:34:02,900 --> 00:34:06,580
Each of the birds has its own
special technique for catching them.
286
00:34:10,470 --> 00:34:12,740
A saddle-billed stork
jabs at its prey.
287
00:34:18,930 --> 00:34:21,650
African spoonbills
have the perfect equipment
288
00:34:21,650 --> 00:34:23,860
for filtering out
the finest morsels.
289
00:34:39,730 --> 00:34:44,290
Black egrets use their wings
to form canopies over the water.
290
00:34:44,290 --> 00:34:47,990
The shade lures nervous fish
desperate for cover.
291
00:35:00,490 --> 00:35:02,630
Others attack directly from above.
292
00:35:05,450 --> 00:35:07,730
A pied kingfisher.
293
00:35:12,490 --> 00:35:14,130
At 25 centimetres long,
294
00:35:14,130 --> 00:35:16,450
it's the world's
largest hovering bird.
295
00:35:29,340 --> 00:35:31,650
Hovering demands a lot of energy,
296
00:35:31,650 --> 00:35:35,650
so they have to catch a quarter
of their weight in fish every day.
297
00:35:40,340 --> 00:35:42,850
Keeping its head perfectly still,
298
00:35:42,850 --> 00:35:46,550
about ten metres above the water,
it sees movement.
299
00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:52,540
Then drops in a controlled dive.
300
00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:59,010
If the fish sees it, the kingfisher
can still abort and save energy.
301
00:35:59,010 --> 00:36:01,780
If not, it commits
and dives rapidly.
302
00:36:05,340 --> 00:36:07,370
It's worth the effort.
303
00:36:07,370 --> 00:36:10,010
Hovering allows them to hunt
in the middle of the plains,
304
00:36:10,010 --> 00:36:12,220
where the pickings
are especially rich.
305
00:36:25,620 --> 00:36:28,140
The bird kills its prey
with a blow to the head.
306
00:36:31,260 --> 00:36:35,310
But before it can swallow,
it must flip the fish, head first,
307
00:36:35,310 --> 00:36:37,710
or the spines will stick
in its throat.
308
00:37:17,710 --> 00:37:20,610
Within a few months,
another type of organism
309
00:37:20,610 --> 00:37:24,140
vital to the delta
breaks the surface.
310
00:37:25,340 --> 00:37:27,900
Dozens of species
of aquatic grasses,
311
00:37:27,900 --> 00:37:29,910
sedges and water lilies.
312
00:37:50,420 --> 00:37:53,270
At dawn, day lilies open
313
00:37:53,270 --> 00:37:55,890
to attract pollinating bees
and flies.
314
00:38:25,010 --> 00:38:29,060
As dusk approaches,
the day lilies begin to close,
315
00:38:29,060 --> 00:38:31,020
and give way to the night shift.
316
00:38:36,220 --> 00:38:39,150
Night lilies open
their brilliant petals...
317
00:38:40,450 --> 00:38:43,460
..bright enough to attract insects
in the moonlight.
318
00:38:46,210 --> 00:38:50,430
Water lilies, flourishing in the
middle of the Kalahari desert.
319
00:38:56,660 --> 00:38:59,060
Perhaps the greatest
miracle of the delta.
320
00:39:03,990 --> 00:39:07,200
And only possible
thanks to one thing.
321
00:39:09,830 --> 00:39:13,860
Nature has found a unique way
to keep the water of the Delta
322
00:39:13,860 --> 00:39:15,790
pure, very low in toxic salts.
323
00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:23,840
Its secret lies with those
extraordinary islands.
324
00:39:34,750 --> 00:39:37,710
Trees on the islands act as pumps,
325
00:39:37,710 --> 00:39:40,360
sucking in water
from the surrounding swamp.
326
00:39:42,510 --> 00:39:44,680
As they do so,
327
00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:49,310
salts in the water are deposited
in the sand of the islands.
328
00:39:52,630 --> 00:39:55,350
By extracting salt from the water,
329
00:39:55,350 --> 00:39:57,560
it's as though the islands
are kidneys,
330
00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,720
removing waste from the bloodstream.
331
00:40:05,020 --> 00:40:09,730
This way, the islands keep
the Delta's waters fresh
332
00:40:09,730 --> 00:40:12,180
and able to nurture abundant life.
333
00:40:36,060 --> 00:40:40,370
As the morning sun heats the ground,
rising vapours everywhere
334
00:40:40,370 --> 00:40:43,460
reveal that water has spread
right across this plain.
335
00:40:45,340 --> 00:40:50,100
It's a transformation that turns the
tables between predator and prey.
336
00:40:54,060 --> 00:40:58,220
Red lechwe appear in large numbers,
looking for their favourite food...
337
00:41:00,020 --> 00:41:01,670
..tender aquatic plants.
338
00:41:10,650 --> 00:41:13,820
But a hyena hopes to take
advantage of their distraction.
339
00:41:22,380 --> 00:41:25,500
It just needs to get
a little closer.
340
00:41:31,820 --> 00:41:33,380
Time to run for it.
341
00:41:43,460 --> 00:41:45,430
Lechwe have large splayed hooves
342
00:41:45,430 --> 00:41:49,230
that allow them to bound at speed
through shallow water,
343
00:41:49,230 --> 00:41:51,830
giving them
a big advantage over any predator.
344
00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:11,140
It's an adaptation that helps
to protect them
345
00:42:11,140 --> 00:42:12,820
during the time of flood.
346
00:42:23,380 --> 00:42:26,670
Soon the aquatic vegetation
sprouts everywhere
347
00:42:26,670 --> 00:42:28,900
and the water becomes impassable.
348
00:42:34,900 --> 00:42:37,110
But crisscrossing
the flooded plains,
349
00:42:38,100 --> 00:42:40,440
highways through the reeds appear.
350
00:42:44,420 --> 00:42:48,510
And here's their creator -
a hippopotamus.
351
00:42:51,310 --> 00:42:56,660
He's a grazer and thinks nothing
of bulldozing a way through.
352
00:42:56,660 --> 00:42:59,680
As he does so,
he excavates a channel.
353
00:43:17,540 --> 00:43:20,590
And it's not only hippos that
have to find a way through.
354
00:43:28,310 --> 00:43:30,020
In the far north of the Delta,
355
00:43:30,020 --> 00:43:33,390
Sinabe rows through dense
beds of reeds.
356
00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:41,320
To get through, he seeks
the help of the spirit of the river.
357
00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:15,380
Deep in the reeds,
he discovers a hippo channel.
358
00:44:15,380 --> 00:44:19,730
It's a highway for fish,
so the perfect place to rig a net.
359
00:45:04,930 --> 00:45:07,980
Sinabe's village is
on the edge of the flood plain.
360
00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:14,410
His family know that
as long as the Delta provides,
361
00:45:14,410 --> 00:45:16,270
they will never go short of food.
362
00:45:19,230 --> 00:45:21,380
He smokes the bream
to preserve it
363
00:45:21,380 --> 00:45:24,260
for days when the catch
isn't quite as good.
364
00:45:26,610 --> 00:45:31,400
Meanwhile, his family weave baskets
out of grass from the flood plains.
365
00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:34,930
Later in the year,
they will be used for catching fish.
366
00:45:59,610 --> 00:46:02,090
By July, in the heart of the Delta,
367
00:46:02,090 --> 00:46:05,400
the once-dry savanna has become
a lush water-world.
368
00:46:09,050 --> 00:46:14,260
But this transformation has
an odd effect on the baboons.
369
00:46:17,610 --> 00:46:19,840
SQUEALING
370
00:46:27,940 --> 00:46:30,970
Each has developed
its own funny walk.
371
00:46:33,330 --> 00:46:36,980
SCREECHING AND GRUNTING
372
00:46:41,900 --> 00:46:45,460
SCREECHING
373
00:46:55,020 --> 00:46:59,180
All that is, except for the baby -
who just gets a soaking.
374
00:47:13,760 --> 00:47:15,370
SCREECHING
375
00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:20,850
It seems likely that baboons don't
much enjoy being in the water -
376
00:47:20,850 --> 00:47:23,120
or they may be nervous of
something in it.
377
00:47:26,440 --> 00:47:28,410
Crocodiles are everywhere.
378
00:47:33,050 --> 00:47:37,290
For the troop,
a flooded Delta is a lawless place,
379
00:47:37,290 --> 00:47:40,480
but a threat worse even than
a crocodile has appeared.
380
00:47:46,880 --> 00:47:48,960
Lone male baboons.
381
00:47:52,650 --> 00:47:55,020
The shrinking of territory on land
382
00:47:55,020 --> 00:47:57,960
forces the loners into contact
with troops.
383
00:48:00,290 --> 00:48:03,090
They may fight the troop's
alpha male for control.
384
00:48:05,020 --> 00:48:08,370
If the stranger wins,
he may also kill the young
385
00:48:08,370 --> 00:48:10,180
and mate with the females.
386
00:48:12,100 --> 00:48:16,310
An incumbent alpha male must keep
a close eye on any rival.
387
00:48:18,550 --> 00:48:20,950
HE BARKS
388
00:48:22,300 --> 00:48:27,640
To survive, it is crucial that
he lay down his authority.
389
00:48:29,180 --> 00:48:34,300
BARKING AND GRUNTING
390
00:48:39,090 --> 00:48:43,250
GRUNTING
391
00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:47,940
ROARING
392
00:48:47,940 --> 00:48:51,090
SCREECHING
393
00:48:51,090 --> 00:48:53,530
ROARING AND BARKING
394
00:48:54,730 --> 00:48:58,300
SCREECHING AND ROARING
395
00:49:00,130 --> 00:49:02,570
BARKING
396
00:49:09,950 --> 00:49:13,820
GRUNTING AND SQUEALING
397
00:49:21,250 --> 00:49:23,770
SCREECHING AND SQUEALING
398
00:49:26,210 --> 00:49:27,660
GRUNTING
399
00:49:28,810 --> 00:49:31,480
Insurgents must be sent packing.
400
00:49:50,210 --> 00:49:53,670
As the Delta floods, everywhere,
tension seems to be mounting.
401
00:49:57,010 --> 00:49:59,210
Not least in the hippo community,
402
00:49:59,210 --> 00:50:02,690
where their watery territories
are expanding dramatically.
403
00:50:06,920 --> 00:50:09,470
Here, too, there is
a young challenger.
404
00:50:14,610 --> 00:50:17,340
The territory's resident bull
snorts a warning.
405
00:50:19,390 --> 00:50:22,750
HE SNORTS
406
00:50:25,690 --> 00:50:28,690
The adversaries declare
their ownership of the pool
407
00:50:28,690 --> 00:50:32,490
by vigorously spreading dung
with their tails.
408
00:50:37,410 --> 00:50:42,260
SNORTING
409
00:50:42,260 --> 00:50:45,130
They yawn to display
their weaponry -
410
00:50:45,130 --> 00:50:47,210
huge ivory tusks.
411
00:50:50,540 --> 00:50:53,660
SNORTING
412
00:50:57,660 --> 00:51:00,290
First, a test of strength.
413
00:51:04,290 --> 00:51:06,810
SNORTING
414
00:51:06,810 --> 00:51:09,380
The old bull makes
a temporary retreat.
415
00:51:12,250 --> 00:51:14,890
Females have a vested
interest in the outcome.
416
00:51:16,970 --> 00:51:19,020
They will only be prepared
to accept a mate
417
00:51:19,020 --> 00:51:20,660
that can hold his own in a fight.
418
00:51:29,770 --> 00:51:32,820
The resident bull
retaliates brutally.
419
00:51:34,640 --> 00:51:38,700
SNORTI NG
420
00:51:44,180 --> 00:51:47,260
SNORTI NG
421
00:51:47,260 --> 00:51:51,210
Hippos will often fight for hours
and sometimes to the death.
422
00:52:09,060 --> 00:52:13,110
Finally, a brutal headlock -
the coup de grace that settles
423
00:52:13,110 --> 00:52:15,340
it for the older male -
424
00:52:15,340 --> 00:52:17,860
expelling the pretender
from his territory.
425
00:52:29,290 --> 00:52:31,930
Which means the resident bull
passes the test
426
00:52:31,930 --> 00:52:35,260
to sire this year's
crop of baby hippos.
427
00:52:35,260 --> 00:52:42,190
GRUNTING
428
00:52:49,010 --> 00:52:51,980
The young male has been
injured during the retreat,
429
00:52:51,980 --> 00:52:55,290
his flank exposed
to his furious pursuer.
430
00:52:58,990 --> 00:53:04,370
At least nature has arranged for him
to be nursed - by these oxpeckers.
431
00:53:04,370 --> 00:53:07,140
They eat anything that might
cause an infection.
432
00:53:08,680 --> 00:53:11,290
The pain is probably worth it
433
00:53:11,290 --> 00:53:13,860
and he should survive
to fight another day.
434
00:53:24,650 --> 00:53:27,490
By August, the floodwaters
finally reach
435
00:53:27,490 --> 00:53:30,550
the Delta's southern fault line,
its maximum extent.
436
00:53:38,580 --> 00:53:43,740
The Okavango is now one of the
largest inland deltas in the world.
437
00:53:46,340 --> 00:53:50,650
The whole Delta is linked by water -
shallow flood plains, pools,
438
00:53:50,650 --> 00:53:54,240
and deeper channels all fed
by the Okavango River.
439
00:54:07,680 --> 00:54:11,480
Billions of fish that fill
the plains have grown rapidly.
440
00:54:21,030 --> 00:54:25,450
And Sinabe's wives and daughters are
ready for them with their baskets.
441
00:54:25,450 --> 00:54:32,340
SINGING IN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
442
00:54:41,180 --> 00:54:47,910
SINGING CONTINUES
443
00:54:53,060 --> 00:54:55,730
SINGING STOPS
444
00:54:55,730 --> 00:54:58,470
Bulldog fish will make a fine stew.
445
00:55:04,220 --> 00:55:07,900
In the main river,
something strange is happening.
446
00:55:07,900 --> 00:55:10,630
The waters appear to be boiling.
447
00:55:17,680 --> 00:55:21,070
It's catfish,
taking gulps of air at the surface.
448
00:55:25,700 --> 00:55:28,210
And they are here
in their millions.
449
00:55:31,520 --> 00:55:35,200
Before the flood recedes, they
return from their hunting grounds
450
00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:39,830
in the far reaches of the Delta to
the safety of the deep channels.
451
00:55:43,960 --> 00:55:47,380
Amongst the papyrus,
they hunt smaller fish.
452
00:56:05,870 --> 00:56:08,810
Flocks of egrets arrive
to join in the feast.
453
00:56:30,460 --> 00:56:32,140
No-one is safe in the mayhem.
454
00:56:42,270 --> 00:56:45,860
African fish eagles swarm
and dive-bomb the catfish.
455
00:56:50,320 --> 00:56:53,820
Millions of fish that grew fat
out in the flood plains
456
00:56:53,820 --> 00:56:57,360
bring life back to the river
that brought them water.
457
00:57:13,890 --> 00:57:15,610
When it's needed most,
458
00:57:15,610 --> 00:57:21,250
the flood creates a vast oasis
in the desert - a wonderland.
459
00:57:21,250 --> 00:57:25,430
Its 10,000 square kilometres
of crystal waters
460
00:57:25,430 --> 00:57:29,500
attracting animals from all over
the dry Kalahari desert.
461
00:57:41,180 --> 00:57:43,650
HE ROARS
462
00:57:47,350 --> 00:57:49,780
HE ROARS
463
00:57:57,260 --> 00:58:00,380
But these waters will never
reach the sea.
464
00:58:00,380 --> 00:58:05,540
They will soon begin to evaporate or
simply sink into the Kalahari sand,
465
00:58:05,540 --> 00:58:10,460
as the Okavango Delta
gradually returns to dry savanna.
37160
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