All language subtitles for Extreme Africa - 01x03 - The Simien Mountains Eng

Ethiopia.

Home to some of
the rarest creatures on earth.

Many of which
are found nowhere else.

Here every day
is a battle for survival,

Among enchanted forests

and Alpine giants.

These are the Simien mountains -

the roof of Africa.

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In the north east of Africa

there's a place where animals
tread precarious paths

through the clouds.

Fog shrouds the fertile earth

and fills the clean air.

Plants grow in abundance,

from the mystical

to the bizarre.

Among the peaks

live creatures found only here.

They are mountain specialists,

cut off
from the outside world for eons

by cliffs plunging 5,000 feet.

Life here has evolved to thrive

in this isolated
alpine environment.

Days average a full
35 degrees Fahrenheit colder

than the surrounding lowlands.

Nights regularly plummet
below freezing.

Clouds roll in
without a moment's notice,

eradicating visibility.

Sure-footedness
is essential for survival.

This highland domain is in
the northern corner of Ethiopia.

The Simien Mountains
National Park

covers just less
than 85 square miles.

It includes
some of the country's

most spectacular terrain.

These mountains that reach more
than 14,800 feet high,

originated
through volcanic activity

40 million years ago.

As thick layers of erupting lava

cooled and accumulated
on the surface,

they were raised
to even greater elevations

by a giant plume of magma
beneath the earth's crust.

Millennia of erosion carved out
the sheer precipices seen today,

leaving towering peaks

and high plateaus.

Mystical trees grow
on the slopes below 12,000 feet.

Remarkably these tree heaths
are a type of heather,

also called Erica.

Rooted in rich volcanic soil,

here they transcend
the lowly shrubs of their family

to become forests.

As wind pushes warm
lowland air up the mountains,

it condenses
to flood the forests in fog.

It's a blanket
of life-giving moisture.

But the fog
isn't the only visitor

in the Erica forest
this morning.

A group of Geladas

has started its journey to
the mountain's higher plateaus,

where they'll spend the day
feeding in the grasslands.

It's a daily trip they make
between feeding grounds up high,

and their resting place
lower down the mountain.

Every step of the way
is a game for the youngsters,

and they use the mountain
as their playground.

Geladas are the last remaining
species of a once abundant group

of exclusively
grass-grazing primates.

Today their sole refuge
is the mountains of Ethiopia,

where lush high-altitude grasses
grow in abundance.

Social bonds
rule the dynamics of the group.

Although the bold male seems
to be in charge of his harem,

it's the females
that make the decisions here.

Including whether or not
he can stay.

If he does not
groom his harem enough,

they'll choose another male
to replace him.

Geladas
are incredibly vocal creatures.

Their call, known as a 'wobble',

is more complex than the basic
noises uttered by most primates.

While many other species

will show familiarity
through lip smacking,

the Geladas are
the only non-human primate

to make
the complex mouth movements

and vocalize at the same time.

Theirs is the closest equivalent
to human speech

in the natural world.

For the juveniles,

play is more interesting
than casual conversation.

For these youngsters
baring teeth

is used as a playful expression

like laughing.

Like people,

Geladas display what's known as
Rapid Facial Mimicry -

The automatic mimicking
of each other's expressions

that shows
shared excitement during play.

This helps
to promote social unity

and it's most frequent
between mothers and infants.

With the adults preoccupied,

the youngsters
continue to monkey around.

And the knobbly tree heaths
are the ultimate jungle gym.

The juveniles
aren't the only ones

using the trees
to their advantage.

Masses of lichen,
aptly named "old man's beard",

clings to the gnarled branches.

Lichens are unique organisms -

part fungi, part algae.

They only grow
in the cleanest air.

The mass of old man's beard
in these highlands

is a testament to the purity
of the environment.

Although the lichen
gives little to its host,

it does offer some assistance
to another hilltop inhabitant.

Resourceful Thick-billed ravens

use the land's materials
to their advantage.

This pair of scavengers

will use the soft lichen
as bedding for their nest,

which they will build
high up on the cliffs.

They are the biggest birds

with feet evolved
specifically for perching,

with three toes forward
and one backward.

These birds live only
in the highlands of Ethiopia

and Eritrea.

They thrive here
amongst the peaks.

But it's another scavenger that
excels in this vertical realm

more than any other bird.

The cliffs
alongside a cascading waterfall

provide perfect nesting sites
for Ruppell's vultures.

These birds,
known collectively as a wake,

form breeding colonies

that can reach
an astounding 2,000 members.

The Ruppell's vulture

is the highest-flying bird
on the planet.

They can reach heights
of 37,000 feet -

the same flying altitude
as a commercial airplane.

Their entire biochemistry is
specifically adapted for this.

Specialized hemoglobin

enables the birds to
efficiently absorb more oxygen

at low air pressure,

allowing them
to survive at such elevations.

Weighing in at almost 20 pounds,

they are among the largest
of the vultures.

In order to lift this bulk

their wings spread
to over 8 feet from tip to tip.

They have exceptional eyesight,

and use the strong thermal winds
to search for carrion

on the cliffs below.

They'll never hunt live prey,

which sometimes means

they must fly up to 95 miles
from their roosting site

in search of dead meat.

When they find it,

their might helps them
make the most of it.

With many scavengers
patrolling the peaks,

the Ruppell's vultures

must often
bully other birds off a carcass.

And today will be no different.

As the morning heats up and
thermals rise up the mountains,

birds of many other species
take to the skies

in search of a meal.

Although Ruppell's vultures
are the highest fliers,

they're not the fastest.

A conspiracy
of Thick-billed ravens

beats them to the remains
of a small antelope.

For these scavengers,
this is the jackpot.

They start with the tastiest
section of the animal -

the intestines
and the precious fat.

They must eat quickly;

it won't be long
before other scavengers

catch drift of the free meal.

Like clockwork, more hungry
birds start to arrive.

A few Ruppell's vultures

are the first uninvited guests
to the feast.

The intruders
are six times heavier

than the Thick-billed ravens,

so naturally,
the ravens move aside.

And the vultures tuck in.

Sated,
the Ruppell's vultures leave,

and the ravens move back in.

One resident glides peacefully
above the commotion.

A colossal and rare
Bearded vulture.

His wingspan extends to 10 feet.

Although the biggest of these
scavengers,

he will not disturb
the ongoing feast.

The meat doesn't interest him.

He's after the bones -

Which comprise up to 90 percent
of his diet.

He finds a perch nearby,

and waits for
the meat-eating frenzy to end.

A Tawny eagle
plans his approach.

His attempt
at a flyby snatch fails

and he descends
to join the fray.

Tawny eagles are notorious

for stealing kills from other
predators and scavengers.

But the carcass is too heavy

and he must settle for eating
in the company of others.

His presence
doesn't go down well

with a returning
Ruppell's vulture.

But eventually
the eagle is allowed to stay.

The ravens continue to
play it safe on the sidelines.

Patience appears to be
their only option.

With every morsel
of the antelope devoured,

the crowds disperse.

All that is left

is the skeleton.

And now is the time for the
Bearded vulture to descend.

These birds
are the only creatures on earth

that feed
almost entirely on bone.

Their incredibly acidic stomachs

can easily digest bones
weighing up to 9 pounds.

It's been a successful afternoon
for the scavengers,

and this meal
will last them a few days.

Nothing goes to waste here.

For the Geladas
on a lower plateau,

feeding
is a far more relaxed affair.

For many of Africa's
other large primates,

first access to food

is a fiercely enforced privilege
of high rankers.

But competition for resources

is virtually non-existent
between Geladas.

The lush grass
that feeds the troop

grows abundantly
in the rich soil,

well watered
by fog and rain.

It's enough to satisfy
even the biggest troop.

Geladas have a distinct feeding
technique of sitting upright,

shuffling forward

as they pluck the tender blades
with opposable thumbs,

And their quadrifid bottoms
provide plenty of cushioning.

Now, after the mid-year rains,

they eat
both lush blades and seeds.

In a month's time many more
grasses will seed, and the grain

will make up as much as 70
percent of the Gelada's diet.

In the drier times
of January and February

they will turn to the rhizomes
for sustenance.

Whatever the season,

they can rely
on the Simiens' grass

to satisfy their hunger.

While the Gelada's staple grass

carpets great swathes
of the plateaus,

there are some species that
occupy only specific niches.

Fiery Red hot pokers

dot the crevices
of the high escarpment

at around 13,000 feet.

Less rain falls in these highest
reaches of the mountains,

meaning more constant sunshine.

Water gathers in gullies,

making a suitable habitat
for these thirsty plants.

With ample light and moisture,

the Red hot pokers
can flower year-round;

Which means they always have
an array of fluttering visitors

drinking their nectar.

Sunbirds and starlings
are the main beneficiaries.

The Red hot poker

has evolved
to take full advantage

of the constant throngs of
hungry birds and insects.

As the plant grows in height,

the flowers blossom
sequentially.

Thus not all flowers
are on display at once,

rationing the nectar
throughout the year.

This increases the plant's
chances of being pollinated,

allowing the species to thrive.

On the plateau above,

the expansive alpine grass

is more than just fodder
for Geladas.

It is home to a female
Abyssinian grass rat.

Although restricted
to Ethiopia and Eritrea,

this species
is plentiful in these areas.

She lacks any defense
against predators,

and must always be alert.

Especially because
she has a pup to care for.

While she goes on the search
for seeds and bugs to eat,

he remains close to the safety
of their burrow.

With the arrival of fog,

the rats' visibility
is compromised

and foraging is especially risky
for the mother.

The hasty homeward dash
comes just in time.

A lurking Augur buzzard is on
the lookout for a tasty snack.

Although
these rodents are hunted

by a variety
of highland predators,

there is one animal
in particular

that specializes
in grass rat stalking.

The Simien or Ethiopian wolf

lives only above 9,800 feet
in Ethiopia's mountaintops.

Fewer than 500 exist
in these restricted domains,

making them
the rarest canid in the world

and Africa's
most threatened carnivore.

They're pack animals, working
together to defend territories,

but always hunting alone.

Highly specialized
in their diet,

grass rats
are at the top of their menu.

The wolf's elongated skull

allows them to reach
into the rat's burrow.

And just as the grass rats
forage during the day,

so too do the wolves.

This female is on the prowl.

Her highly sensitive ears

have picked up some movement
in the grass.

Unaware of the danger,

the mother rat has left their
burrow to forage once again.

A fatal mistake.

The baby will be forced to fend
for himself from now on.

While wolves are arguably

the Simiens'
most special inhabitants,

there is another life form
in these highest reaches

that is undoubtedly
the mountains' strangest.

A plant of absurd proportions
flourishes up here.

It's known as the Giant lobelia.

It's the tallest plant
on the Afro-alpine plateau,

and can reach the height
of a 3 story building.

This conspicuous growth

enables it to cope with
the extreme temperature swings

that occur
high in the mountains.

Temperature fluctuations

are particularly severe
at ground level,

so the lobelia's large stem

helps to protect
its delicate leaves and flowers

by raising them up
above the ground.

Raised in this way,

the flowers can grow
in towering clusters,

called inflorescences,

attracting the usual suspects
to pollinate them.

Even in these highest reaches
of the mountain,

fog is a common visitor.

It nourishes the flora with its
regular supply of moisture.

It rolls
swiftly up the mountain slopes,

enveloping the landscape.

A peculiar shape
looms through the mist -

The impressive horns
of the endangered Walia ibex.

These wild goats
are true highland dwellers,

preferring the highest peaks,

reaching altitudes
of 15,000 feet.

They mostly eat the old, brown
leaves of the Giant lobelia.

These leaves contain fewer
of the poisonous alkaloids

found in the green leaves.

Walia ibex live nowhere
beyond these mountains.

Hunted
to the brink of extinction,

there are now
only 500 remaining in the wild.

The steep cliffs
of the Simien mountains

are their only sanctuary.

Here they are safer.

Few humans dare to venture

where the ibex so casually roam.

They're able
to walk steadily on the cliffs,

well equippe d with their sharp
edged and concaved hooves.

This dominant male
is in charge of a mixed herd

of females
and subordinate males.

Breeding season
is soon approaching,

and he'll likely
have to fight another male

in order to hold onto his harem.

His 3 foot long horns
attest to his seniority,

with every ring
signaling a year of life.

The females differ dramatically
from their leader.

Their horns
are far more slender,

shorter
and less curved than the males'.

These kids were conceived
during a breeding peak

between March and May.

Born in September during
the lush times after the rains,

they have the best possible
start to life.

They're still clumsy,

and have a lot to learn about
their precariously high home.

Back down on the lowest plateau,

the Geladas
have spent the day feeding.

The sun will set in a few hours
and the troop

needs to start their descent
to the cave they will sleep in.

The air is warmer
at the bottom of the mountain,

and makes
for a secure home base.

But, as usual, the youngsters
aren't quite ready to leave.

A game of cat and mouse
delays the departure.

Although Geladas aren't
an aggressive species,

the youngsters
use every opportunity

to play rough in this soft
grassy landscape.

Even the youngest
tries to join in the fun

But mum soon whisks him away.

He's only about a month old

and will be totally dependent
on his mother's milk

for the next eleven months.

Eating grass is completely
unnecessary for him

at this time in his life.

But he still tries his best
to mimic his mother.

As the sun starts to set
over the mountains,

the charismatic Geladas
begin their downward journey.

The adults
have had their share of food,

while the youngsters
have had their share of fun.

The juveniles will soon mature.

And a new generation
of youngsters

will take over the mountain
as their own playground.

In a land of dizzying heights
and sudden precipices,

life treads a fine line.

Isolated from the world below,

these plants and animals

have evolved
to make best use of their lush

but limited environment.

This specialization means
many have nowhere else to go.

The Simien Mountains
National Park

stands as a stronghold of hope
for these creatures.

Here endangered species
can live on.

Making their homes
in the roof of Africa.

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