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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:04,172 --> 00:00:06,307 The southern drylands of Africa 2 00:00:06,340 --> 00:00:10,478 are some of the most arid and treacherous on earth. 3 00:00:13,747 --> 00:00:16,550 Places of wind whipped sand dunes 4 00:00:16,584 --> 00:00:19,353 and slowly crumbling mountains. 5 00:00:21,489 --> 00:00:24,725 Where the scars of dead rivers remain, 6 00:00:24,758 --> 00:00:27,628 Closely guarded by the sun. 7 00:00:30,631 --> 00:00:33,467 Here some remarkable desert specialists 8 00:00:33,501 --> 00:00:37,771 have adapted to exist almost without water. 9 00:00:42,176 --> 00:00:46,614 Theirs are the secrets to survival in this hostile realm - 10 00:00:49,717 --> 00:00:55,123 This is the story of southern Africa's Greatest Drylands. 11 00:00:59,893 --> 00:01:04,865 ** 12 00:01:04,898 --> 00:01:09,870 ** 13 00:01:09,903 --> 00:01:14,875 ** 14 00:01:14,908 --> 00:01:19,813 ** 15 00:01:45,873 --> 00:01:50,878 In the sandy interior of south west Africa's Namib desert, 16 00:01:50,911 --> 00:01:54,415 two elephant bulls are on the move. 17 00:02:12,366 --> 00:02:15,503 They're searching for water. 18 00:02:24,212 --> 00:02:25,746 In a place like this, 19 00:02:25,779 --> 00:02:30,150 their quest is long and by no means guaranteed. 20 00:02:31,719 --> 00:02:36,357 For the Namib has almost no surface water. 21 00:02:44,498 --> 00:02:48,902 The elephants have little choice but to continue their trek. 22 00:02:55,409 --> 00:02:58,379 Only those animals and plants 23 00:02:58,412 --> 00:03:01,682 specifically adapted to desert life can live here. 24 00:03:04,985 --> 00:03:08,289 They each know the secret of this place. 25 00:03:18,399 --> 00:03:20,768 Although invisible for the most part, 26 00:03:20,801 --> 00:03:25,539 moisture has never completely abandoned the Namib. 27 00:03:34,682 --> 00:03:36,517 The key to living here 28 00:03:36,550 --> 00:03:40,220 is learning how to find it. 29 00:03:48,462 --> 00:03:53,000 For these ultimate desert wanderers, the search continues. 30 00:04:01,375 --> 00:04:05,946 Namibia contains some of the most arid environments on earth. 31 00:04:07,915 --> 00:04:13,387 Much of which receives less than 1 inch of annual rain. 32 00:04:14,988 --> 00:04:19,593 These are the southern drylands. 33 00:04:21,329 --> 00:04:25,799 Remote and barren landscapes of desolate beauty. 34 00:04:34,442 --> 00:04:36,577 There are giants here 35 00:04:36,610 --> 00:04:41,449 that dwarf even the mighty elephants. 36 00:04:45,453 --> 00:04:47,455 These wind-whipped hulks 37 00:04:47,488 --> 00:04:51,925 are some of the largest sand dunes in the world. 38 00:04:54,962 --> 00:04:59,333 They dominate the coastline of the Atlantic ocean. 39 00:05:00,801 --> 00:05:04,405 And extend inland into a sea of sand 40 00:05:04,438 --> 00:05:07,608 as beautiful as it is hazardous. 41 00:05:09,610 --> 00:05:13,914 This is one of the driest places in Africa. 42 00:05:16,717 --> 00:05:20,053 Where rain is practically non-existent. 43 00:05:25,993 --> 00:05:28,662 Yet there is life here. 44 00:05:30,531 --> 00:05:34,034 Its support system is carried in from the sea. 45 00:05:43,577 --> 00:05:46,814 Arriving as life-bringing fog. 46 00:05:53,887 --> 00:05:57,858 As the cold ocean cools the prevalent south westerly wind 47 00:05:57,891 --> 00:06:02,663 it creates fog, which blows in towards the land. 48 00:06:05,833 --> 00:06:09,737 Here it spreads a vital but fleeting layer of moisture 49 00:06:09,770 --> 00:06:12,606 up to 37 miles inland - 50 00:06:16,076 --> 00:06:20,481 allowing life to take a precarious but lasting hold 51 00:06:20,514 --> 00:06:23,651 on the sandy landscape. 52 00:06:39,767 --> 00:06:43,637 Even with this minute daily veil of moisture, 53 00:06:43,671 --> 00:06:46,907 those that live here have to be exceptionally good 54 00:06:46,940 --> 00:06:51,078 at solving the problems of living in a super-heated land. 55 00:07:00,588 --> 00:07:03,457 The Namib sand gecko's huge eyes 56 00:07:03,491 --> 00:07:06,560 and pale, almost translucent skin 57 00:07:06,594 --> 00:07:12,165 make it appear poorly equipped for the rigors of desert life. 58 00:07:17,705 --> 00:07:22,042 It has a simple solution to staying cool in the heat - 59 00:07:22,075 --> 00:07:24,545 it hides from the sun, 60 00:07:24,578 --> 00:07:26,980 sleeping under the sand by day 61 00:07:27,014 --> 00:07:29,483 where temperatures are less extreme. 62 00:07:35,989 --> 00:07:39,760 This gecko spent the night hunting insects. 63 00:07:39,793 --> 00:07:43,063 But now as the desert warms in the morning sun, 64 00:07:43,096 --> 00:07:46,867 it will soon be forced to retire underground. 65 00:07:52,072 --> 00:07:53,674 But before that 66 00:07:53,707 --> 00:07:56,677 it needs to clean its bulbous eyes. 67 00:07:58,846 --> 00:08:01,915 Which are getting blasted by sand. 68 00:08:04,918 --> 00:08:08,889 They're its main tools for finding food in the dark 69 00:08:08,922 --> 00:08:10,858 and it's of paramount importance 70 00:08:10,891 --> 00:08:13,927 that they are kept in good working order. 71 00:08:17,831 --> 00:08:20,534 Using a sticky, dexterous tongue 72 00:08:20,568 --> 00:08:23,303 the gecko gently wipes any excess grime 73 00:08:23,336 --> 00:08:27,207 off its sensitive eye balls. 74 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:30,678 Now it's time to find a subterranean hideout 75 00:08:30,711 --> 00:08:33,213 to avoid the heat of the day. 76 00:08:36,584 --> 00:08:38,552 But it's picky about real estate 77 00:08:38,586 --> 00:08:43,991 and will only occupy compacted windward facing dunes. 78 00:08:46,159 --> 00:08:48,562 Where hard crusts of sand 79 00:08:48,596 --> 00:08:52,232 make for a solid roof over its head. 80 00:08:54,602 --> 00:08:56,236 Living on the ground 81 00:08:56,269 --> 00:08:59,607 means the Namib sand gecko doesn't need the sticky toes 82 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,977 common to most tree dwelling geckos. 83 00:09:04,011 --> 00:09:05,979 It has swopped adhesive ability 84 00:09:06,013 --> 00:09:09,750 for another much more useful adaptation. 85 00:09:13,821 --> 00:09:16,624 It has shovels for feet. 86 00:09:18,826 --> 00:09:21,729 Webbed toes are a rare specialization 87 00:09:21,762 --> 00:09:23,897 which help it move loose sand quickly. 88 00:09:31,271 --> 00:09:33,774 The gecko will emerge again to hunt 89 00:09:33,807 --> 00:09:37,678 only in the cover of darkness. 90 00:09:45,052 --> 00:09:47,788 There is another reptile in the southern drylands 91 00:09:47,821 --> 00:09:49,790 that has a different solution 92 00:09:49,823 --> 00:09:53,093 to life under the baking sun. 93 00:09:59,700 --> 00:10:05,005 Undoubtedly one of the desert's most unusual inhabitants 94 00:10:05,038 --> 00:10:07,808 is the Namaqua chameleon. 95 00:10:11,344 --> 00:10:15,182 Chameleons are often found in lush tropical forests 96 00:10:15,215 --> 00:10:17,284 and like her cousins, 97 00:10:17,317 --> 00:10:19,887 this female Namaqua chameleon 98 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,823 has eyes that can swivel independently. 99 00:10:24,958 --> 00:10:26,760 She's also cold-blooded 100 00:10:26,794 --> 00:10:32,900 and cannot control her body temperature internally. 101 00:10:32,933 --> 00:10:36,704 So how does the chameleon manage to regulate body heat 102 00:10:36,737 --> 00:10:39,439 in a desert where the temperature can quickly jump 103 00:10:39,472 --> 00:10:43,410 from 60 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit? 104 00:10:46,379 --> 00:10:49,182 The secret is in her skin. 105 00:10:49,216 --> 00:10:51,785 It contains pigments and crystals, 106 00:10:51,819 --> 00:10:55,789 which the chameleon can control to vary her color. 107 00:11:00,828 --> 00:11:02,262 In the cold mornings 108 00:11:02,295 --> 00:11:04,364 when temperatures in the desert are still low 109 00:11:04,397 --> 00:11:07,868 the Namaqua chameleon turns her skin a dark brown, 110 00:11:07,901 --> 00:11:12,039 increasing the amount of heat she can absorb. 111 00:11:16,443 --> 00:11:18,378 Soon she reaches the upper limit 112 00:11:18,411 --> 00:11:20,881 of her preferred body temperature, 113 00:11:20,914 --> 00:11:24,151 which is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 114 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,723 Now she's at risk of overheating. 115 00:11:33,961 --> 00:11:37,697 But the highly adaptive chameleon has a solution. 116 00:11:40,333 --> 00:11:42,870 She changes her color again, 117 00:11:42,903 --> 00:11:44,838 this time to a lighter hue, 118 00:11:44,872 --> 00:11:48,008 which increases the amount of light reflected off her skin, 119 00:11:48,041 --> 00:11:50,477 so it will absorb less heat. 120 00:11:56,149 --> 00:12:00,687 She also flattens her body and points herself towards the sun, 121 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,423 reducing the surface area directly exposed 122 00:12:03,456 --> 00:12:07,227 to the warming rays. 123 00:12:07,260 --> 00:12:09,262 These incredible adaptations 124 00:12:09,296 --> 00:12:12,099 allow the chameleon to keep her body temperature 125 00:12:12,132 --> 00:12:14,001 in a comfortable range 126 00:12:14,034 --> 00:12:16,804 and remain active all day. 127 00:12:24,044 --> 00:12:28,381 Though active is a relative term for her relaxed pace. 128 00:12:33,586 --> 00:12:39,459 But what exactly does the chameleon eat out here? 129 00:12:39,492 --> 00:12:42,529 The answer lies in the green patches of life 130 00:12:42,562 --> 00:12:45,398 dotting the sand. 131 00:12:52,940 --> 00:12:56,877 Few plants are more valuable to the desert's inhabitants 132 00:12:56,910 --> 00:13:00,247 than the Narra plant. 133 00:13:05,853 --> 00:13:09,957 It provides both food and shelter for many animals, 134 00:13:09,990 --> 00:13:12,860 large and small. 135 00:13:22,235 --> 00:13:25,438 Flower buds house a host of insects, 136 00:13:26,907 --> 00:13:28,909 like these tiny aphids. 137 00:13:43,156 --> 00:13:47,327 This larger bug prefers the ground level for its needs. 138 00:13:50,898 --> 00:13:53,600 The plana beetle is a pedestrian insect, 139 00:13:53,633 --> 00:13:57,637 meaning it can't fly. 140 00:13:57,670 --> 00:14:01,474 Right now these three don't need to. 141 00:14:01,508 --> 00:14:05,145 They are in a hurry. But it's not a race to food 142 00:14:05,178 --> 00:14:08,115 that's got these beetles running. 143 00:14:08,148 --> 00:14:12,585 This chase is actually a rather complicated lover's triangle. 144 00:14:13,653 --> 00:14:16,489 The beetle in front is a female, 145 00:14:16,523 --> 00:14:20,093 the two behind are eager males. 146 00:14:21,394 --> 00:14:23,096 Male plana beetles 147 00:14:23,130 --> 00:14:25,999 are single-minded in their quest to reproduce 148 00:14:26,033 --> 00:14:29,269 and will attempt to mate whenever they meet females. 149 00:14:31,972 --> 00:14:36,176 But finding the opposite sex is the easy part. 150 00:14:36,209 --> 00:14:40,680 It's shaking the competition that takes hard work. 151 00:14:40,713 --> 00:14:44,184 Having such persistent suitors is tiring 152 00:14:44,217 --> 00:14:47,087 and she stops between sprints. 153 00:14:50,390 --> 00:14:52,592 One way of dealing with your problems 154 00:14:52,625 --> 00:14:55,528 is burying your head in sand. 155 00:14:58,731 --> 00:15:01,935 But this doesn't deter her armored knights. 156 00:15:05,105 --> 00:15:08,608 The moment is ruined by the lack of common courtesy. 157 00:15:11,644 --> 00:15:13,947 And the chase resumes. 158 00:15:25,025 --> 00:15:26,493 In a moment of confusion 159 00:15:26,526 --> 00:15:29,429 the trio splits, 160 00:15:29,462 --> 00:15:32,465 giving the leading male another chance. 161 00:15:36,169 --> 00:15:38,605 In the race to mate, male plana beetles 162 00:15:38,638 --> 00:15:42,675 need speed and size to come out on top. 163 00:15:42,709 --> 00:15:47,647 Luckily they are the fastest running beetles in the world. 164 00:15:50,150 --> 00:15:53,020 Again the female buries herself. 165 00:15:53,053 --> 00:15:57,390 This is actually her way of taking shelter for the night. 166 00:15:57,424 --> 00:15:59,226 But it serves the dual purpose 167 00:15:59,259 --> 00:16:01,661 of allowing the male to mate with her 168 00:16:01,694 --> 00:16:05,365 and stay above her to guard her against rivals. 169 00:16:08,568 --> 00:16:12,005 The plana beetle isn't the only dryland expert 170 00:16:12,039 --> 00:16:15,108 that relies on the Narra fruit for sustenance. 171 00:16:19,146 --> 00:16:21,748 By eating moisture-rich melons 172 00:16:21,781 --> 00:16:23,483 the handsome oryx 173 00:16:23,516 --> 00:16:26,386 can go for long periods of time without drinking, 174 00:16:31,324 --> 00:16:37,330 allowing it to venture deep into the driest interior. 175 00:16:39,199 --> 00:16:43,636 But this special antelope has an even more impressive adaptation 176 00:16:43,670 --> 00:16:49,076 that lets it stay out in the heat all day long. 177 00:16:49,109 --> 00:16:53,313 In the sun its body temperature rises slowly but steadily, 178 00:16:53,346 --> 00:16:58,685 reaching a brutally hot 110 degrees Fahrenheit. 179 00:16:58,718 --> 00:17:02,122 If blood at this temperature reaches its brain 180 00:17:02,155 --> 00:17:04,291 it would be fatal. 181 00:17:06,759 --> 00:17:10,697 But the oryx has an ingenious 'blood flow radiator' 182 00:17:10,730 --> 00:17:13,200 located in its nose . 183 00:17:15,702 --> 00:17:18,505 This circulates and cools the blood 184 00:17:18,538 --> 00:17:21,708 before it reaches the brain. 185 00:17:21,741 --> 00:17:25,212 This system of cooling is crucial to the oryx 186 00:17:25,245 --> 00:17:27,680 as it saves vast amounts of water 187 00:17:27,714 --> 00:17:33,186 that would otherwise be used in staying cool through sweating. 188 00:17:33,220 --> 00:17:37,190 This allows it to stay deep in the heat haze for days. 189 00:17:44,864 --> 00:17:48,468 Herbivores like the oryx inevitably provide waste, 190 00:17:48,501 --> 00:17:53,473 which enables the presence of an industrious dryland inhabitant. 191 00:17:57,644 --> 00:18:00,813 The Flightless dung beetle is a hard worker, 192 00:18:00,847 --> 00:18:04,817 committed to the tireless recycling of animal waste. 193 00:18:09,156 --> 00:18:13,226 But today it's looking for a decent place to dig a hole 194 00:18:13,260 --> 00:18:15,428 and escape from the heat. 195 00:18:17,897 --> 00:18:21,301 Dung beetles are superbly designed for digging, 196 00:18:21,334 --> 00:18:23,836 with a broad bulldozer-like head 197 00:18:23,870 --> 00:18:26,639 and strong flat forelegs. 198 00:18:31,644 --> 00:18:37,317 But the sand here is loose and difficult to dig. 199 00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:39,619 Most dung beetles would simply fly away 200 00:18:39,652 --> 00:18:42,889 to a more promising location. 201 00:18:44,491 --> 00:18:48,895 But for this species that's not an option. 202 00:18:50,530 --> 00:18:54,534 It's one of the few dung beetles that cannot fly. 203 00:18:57,270 --> 00:19:00,507 In a remarkable evolutionary trade-off 204 00:19:00,540 --> 00:19:03,176 it has given up the luxury of flight 205 00:19:03,210 --> 00:19:06,413 for the necessity of retaining water. 206 00:19:08,848 --> 00:19:13,286 Breathing out carbon dioxide uses up precious moisture. 207 00:19:15,288 --> 00:19:18,525 Instead the beetle stores the carbon dioxide 208 00:19:18,558 --> 00:19:23,263 in tiny tanks where its inner wings once were. 209 00:19:23,296 --> 00:19:25,498 This reduces its need to breathe 210 00:19:25,532 --> 00:19:27,934 and means it only has to 'exhale' 211 00:19:27,967 --> 00:19:31,404 once every half hour. 212 00:19:31,438 --> 00:19:33,973 In one of the driest places in the world 213 00:19:34,006 --> 00:19:37,344 being able to conserve every bit of moisture 214 00:19:37,377 --> 00:19:41,914 is the difference between surviving and perishing. 215 00:19:41,948 --> 00:19:44,217 But it still doesn't help the beetle 216 00:19:44,251 --> 00:19:46,753 find a decent place to dig a hole. 217 00:19:55,395 --> 00:19:58,865 Along the coastal dune belt of the southern drylands, 218 00:19:58,898 --> 00:20:03,736 fog provides enough moisture to support the entire ecosystem. 219 00:20:12,579 --> 00:20:14,747 In the mountainous northern interior 220 00:20:14,781 --> 00:20:16,983 an altogether different water source 221 00:20:17,016 --> 00:20:20,887 provides for a more impressive cast of animals. 222 00:20:27,694 --> 00:20:30,463 A dry river bed is all that's left 223 00:20:30,497 --> 00:20:33,466 of the body of water that once carved its path 224 00:20:33,500 --> 00:20:35,368 through these mountains. 225 00:20:38,338 --> 00:20:45,445 Its history is now etched into the desert's sandy surface. 226 00:20:45,478 --> 00:20:48,781 In times of flood the river may flow briefly 227 00:20:48,815 --> 00:20:53,986 before the thirsty sand drags all the moisture underground. 228 00:20:54,020 --> 00:20:56,923 But for now, the water is only accessible 229 00:20:56,956 --> 00:20:59,592 to plants and trees with long roots, 230 00:20:59,626 --> 00:21:03,663 which can tap the hidden reserves deep in the sand. 231 00:21:07,900 --> 00:21:12,905 This vegetation sustains a variety of wildlife. 232 00:21:12,939 --> 00:21:17,043 Including the largest land mammal on earth. 233 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,689 These are desert-adapted elephants 234 00:21:29,722 --> 00:21:31,591 that have travelled long distances 235 00:21:31,624 --> 00:21:33,926 to this remote river course 236 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,397 in search of water. 237 00:21:37,430 --> 00:21:40,933 This is one of the last herds of desert elephants 238 00:21:40,967 --> 00:21:43,336 left in southern Africa. 239 00:21:46,706 --> 00:21:50,076 They are a family of related females and their young 240 00:21:50,109 --> 00:21:52,945 led by the matriarch. 241 00:21:52,979 --> 00:21:58,885 Who is the oldest and most experienced among them. 242 00:21:58,918 --> 00:22:01,621 The matriarch has been here before 243 00:22:01,654 --> 00:22:05,124 and knows that there is enough food for her family 244 00:22:05,157 --> 00:22:08,828 and somewhere, hidden in the baking sand, 245 00:22:08,861 --> 00:22:11,564 water. 246 00:22:17,103 --> 00:22:20,907 Her challenge is to remember where it is. 247 00:22:25,912 --> 00:22:29,416 The bulls travel separately from the herd 248 00:22:29,449 --> 00:22:32,885 and are still far out in the immense desert. 249 00:22:35,588 --> 00:22:38,425 The water source that they're searching for 250 00:22:38,458 --> 00:22:44,897 flows invisible beneath the sand for thousands of miles. 251 00:22:44,931 --> 00:22:49,636 While it supports plants and animals above ground, 252 00:22:49,669 --> 00:22:53,039 it holds strange secrets below. 253 00:22:57,209 --> 00:23:00,813 Where there is water life always follows. 254 00:23:04,116 --> 00:23:09,055 This underground cave is home to the drylands' rarest creature. 255 00:23:13,793 --> 00:23:16,896 The Golden catfish. 256 00:23:18,631 --> 00:23:20,166 A species so rare 257 00:23:20,199 --> 00:23:24,737 that it has been found nowhere else in the world. 258 00:23:24,771 --> 00:23:28,475 Only a handful of individuals live in this small pool, 259 00:23:28,508 --> 00:23:33,112 making the Golden catfish critically endangered. 260 00:23:33,145 --> 00:23:35,181 Its long, eel like body 261 00:23:35,214 --> 00:23:40,487 is an eerie pinky-gold due to a lack of pigmentation. 262 00:23:42,522 --> 00:23:45,792 The bizarre little fish is totally blind. 263 00:23:48,094 --> 00:23:53,766 Sight is superfluous when you live in the dark. 264 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:58,204 The Golden catfish have existed in this small water-filled cave 265 00:23:58,237 --> 00:24:00,907 for generations. 266 00:24:08,748 --> 00:24:11,250 So the real question here is - 267 00:24:11,283 --> 00:24:13,052 what does it eat? 268 00:24:16,088 --> 00:24:18,658 The answer comes from above: 269 00:24:26,766 --> 00:24:28,200 Bat droppings. 270 00:24:30,169 --> 00:24:32,104 High in the crevices above, 271 00:24:32,138 --> 00:24:34,507 bats cling to the crags. 272 00:24:38,978 --> 00:24:41,280 Their excrement falls into the pool 273 00:24:41,313 --> 00:24:44,817 where the catfish can find it - 274 00:24:44,851 --> 00:24:48,688 using their four pairs of thread-like barbels. 275 00:25:02,101 --> 00:25:06,673 The bats thus provide the ghostly fish with a ready meal. 276 00:25:32,799 --> 00:25:36,803 The southern drylands are full of mystery. 277 00:25:39,171 --> 00:25:43,976 There are even occurrences that science can't fully account for. 278 00:26:03,796 --> 00:26:08,234 These round circles of grass are part of a bizarre phenomenon 279 00:26:08,267 --> 00:26:11,270 that remains unexplained. 280 00:26:17,677 --> 00:26:19,245 Fairy circles. 281 00:26:25,384 --> 00:26:29,055 Most scientists suppose that the fairies who make them 282 00:26:29,088 --> 00:26:31,323 may in fact be termites. 283 00:26:33,325 --> 00:26:35,928 The insects are believed to create the rings 284 00:26:35,962 --> 00:26:39,832 by excreting a chemical that stops the growth of the grass 285 00:26:39,866 --> 00:26:43,269 in the center of the circles. 286 00:26:43,302 --> 00:26:47,039 But this explanation hasn't been verified 287 00:26:47,073 --> 00:26:50,276 and other theories include burrowing animals, 288 00:26:50,309 --> 00:26:52,211 electromagnetic waves 289 00:26:52,244 --> 00:26:54,346 and even grand speculations 290 00:26:54,380 --> 00:26:57,917 like UFO landing sites. 291 00:27:05,758 --> 00:27:09,896 Still the fairy circles remain a great mystery 292 00:27:09,929 --> 00:27:12,832 of southern Africa's drylands. 293 00:27:23,810 --> 00:27:26,212 Grass like that of the fairy circles 294 00:27:26,245 --> 00:27:28,247 is incredibly resilient 295 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:32,651 and is considered one of the perennials of the desert biome. 296 00:27:35,021 --> 00:27:38,991 Along the coastal dunes little else can grow, 297 00:27:39,025 --> 00:27:42,028 yet it tenaciously clings to the sand. 298 00:27:44,163 --> 00:27:46,098 It appears at first glance 299 00:27:46,132 --> 00:27:48,034 dry and dead. 300 00:27:51,103 --> 00:27:54,140 Indeed for the most part it is, 301 00:27:54,173 --> 00:27:58,878 until rare and precious rain falls to reawaken it. 302 00:28:05,184 --> 00:28:08,054 Even in a state of suspended animation 303 00:28:08,087 --> 00:28:12,291 the grass provides a home for another dune species. 304 00:28:15,394 --> 00:28:18,297 The Dune ant is a dangerous creature, 305 00:28:18,330 --> 00:28:20,733 not to be trifled with. 306 00:28:23,135 --> 00:28:25,071 Living in large colonies, 307 00:28:25,104 --> 00:28:29,909 individuals are equipped with formic acid and powerful jaws, 308 00:28:29,942 --> 00:28:33,780 which they use to quickly dismember any unwary traveler 309 00:28:33,813 --> 00:28:36,248 who comes into their territory. 310 00:28:41,788 --> 00:28:44,924 Each ant has a clearly defined role. 311 00:28:46,492 --> 00:28:52,098 Communication is the key to smooth operating. 312 00:28:52,131 --> 00:28:55,167 This is done through exchanging chemical signals 313 00:28:55,201 --> 00:28:57,303 called pheromones. 314 00:29:06,512 --> 00:29:09,315 These workers in charge of burrow maintenance 315 00:29:09,348 --> 00:29:12,418 are receiving an alarming message. 316 00:29:20,192 --> 00:29:23,395 Winds have wrought havoc on the entrance of their home 317 00:29:23,429 --> 00:29:27,033 beneath the grasses. 318 00:29:27,066 --> 00:29:32,905 Clumps of sand and twigs are strewn everywhere. 319 00:29:32,939 --> 00:29:34,473 To the tiny insects, 320 00:29:34,506 --> 00:29:37,209 this is the equivalent of an earthquake 321 00:29:37,243 --> 00:29:39,245 or land slide. 322 00:29:48,454 --> 00:29:50,322 Luckily as a species, 323 00:29:50,356 --> 00:29:54,526 ants have what would seem to humans like super strength. 324 00:30:04,436 --> 00:30:06,372 Some estimates suggest 325 00:30:06,405 --> 00:30:11,310 that ants can lift up to 50 times their own weight. 326 00:30:11,343 --> 00:30:15,314 But will this be enough to clear what compared to the ants 327 00:30:15,347 --> 00:30:18,584 look like massive fallen trees? 328 00:30:18,617 --> 00:30:20,386 They need to work fast, 329 00:30:20,419 --> 00:30:22,421 because without the entrance clear 330 00:30:22,454 --> 00:30:25,992 the safety of the colony is compromised. 331 00:30:51,483 --> 00:30:53,920 It's a Herculean task, 332 00:31:00,692 --> 00:31:03,529 but finally their burrow entrance is clear enough 333 00:31:03,562 --> 00:31:06,565 that they can continue with their day. 334 00:31:09,969 --> 00:31:11,603 For these tireless ants, 335 00:31:11,637 --> 00:31:15,307 life in the more extreme parts of the southern drylands 336 00:31:15,341 --> 00:31:19,178 is made possible by the hardy grass. 337 00:31:24,316 --> 00:31:26,018 For the elephants, 338 00:31:26,052 --> 00:31:28,354 one of their lifelines in the desert interior 339 00:31:28,387 --> 00:31:32,491 also comes in the form of a very special plant. 340 00:31:39,731 --> 00:31:43,602 The Faiderbia Albida, or Ana tree 341 00:31:43,635 --> 00:31:48,474 is a beacon of support for many in the driest times of the year. 342 00:31:50,542 --> 00:31:54,280 Its long roots push down as far as 260 feet 343 00:31:54,313 --> 00:31:56,315 to reach deep groundwater, 344 00:31:56,348 --> 00:31:58,084 allowing them to grow big 345 00:31:58,117 --> 00:32:01,653 and produce nutritious green leaves and seed pods. 346 00:32:03,622 --> 00:32:05,324 This happens in August, 347 00:32:05,357 --> 00:32:09,295 late winter in the southern drylands 348 00:32:09,328 --> 00:32:13,099 and a time when most trees are dormant. 349 00:32:15,234 --> 00:32:17,069 It's now that the Ana tree 350 00:32:17,103 --> 00:32:22,008 drops its large, nutrient dense seed pods. 351 00:32:22,041 --> 00:32:25,244 The seeds are one of the reasons the elephants have made 352 00:32:25,277 --> 00:32:30,049 the long journey to the area from the desert interior. 353 00:32:30,082 --> 00:32:33,219 For them even the exposed root of an Ana tree 354 00:32:33,252 --> 00:32:36,222 can become a potential meal. 355 00:32:42,228 --> 00:32:44,263 But getting it out of the ground 356 00:32:44,296 --> 00:32:46,632 is harder than it would first appear, 357 00:32:46,665 --> 00:32:50,002 even for Africa's most powerful mammal. 358 00:33:01,380 --> 00:33:07,686 Try as she might, she can't get a good grip on the tough root. 359 00:33:31,810 --> 00:33:35,647 Finally she gives up in a flush of frustration. 360 00:33:52,764 --> 00:33:56,268 The trees also throw wide covers of shade, 361 00:33:56,302 --> 00:33:58,670 a valuable resource for the elephants. 362 00:34:04,676 --> 00:34:06,578 They move between the trees, 363 00:34:06,612 --> 00:34:09,515 picking up seed pods with their dexterous trunks. 364 00:34:17,789 --> 00:34:20,592 Together the herd travels vast distances 365 00:34:20,626 --> 00:34:24,263 across the southern drylands in search of water. 366 00:34:32,804 --> 00:34:34,773 Their survival is made possible 367 00:34:34,806 --> 00:34:39,511 by scarce oases of life in an otherwise barren desert. 368 00:34:49,288 --> 00:34:52,824 There is another animal here that has a more obvious impact 369 00:34:52,858 --> 00:34:56,528 on the Ana tree. 370 00:34:56,562 --> 00:35:00,332 Their rounded canopies are trimmed from below, 371 00:35:00,366 --> 00:35:06,338 cut straight as if by the sheers of a giant gardener. 372 00:35:06,372 --> 00:35:10,376 Indeed there is only one animal tall enough for the job. 373 00:35:18,650 --> 00:35:22,154 Standing at 18 feet when fully grown, 374 00:35:22,188 --> 00:35:26,492 the giraffe browses the lowest reaches of the trees. 375 00:35:33,899 --> 00:35:36,602 It uses its long prehensile tongue 376 00:35:36,635 --> 00:35:40,772 to grab and pluck the leaves. 377 00:35:40,806 --> 00:35:43,575 But even the tallest land mammal in the world 378 00:35:43,609 --> 00:35:46,144 sometimes comes up short. 379 00:35:48,847 --> 00:35:50,716 And although a little awkward, 380 00:35:50,749 --> 00:35:54,553 the giraffe won't turn its nose up at the tasty seed pods 381 00:35:54,586 --> 00:35:57,223 that have fallen to the ground. 382 00:36:03,829 --> 00:36:07,533 Giraffes generally maintain casual associations, 383 00:36:07,566 --> 00:36:10,269 unlike the more socially cohesive elephants. 384 00:36:12,003 --> 00:36:14,973 This herd is made up of mostly females, 385 00:36:15,006 --> 00:36:19,311 with one dominant bull among them. 386 00:36:19,345 --> 00:36:22,448 Giraffes spend roughly half their day feeding, 387 00:36:22,481 --> 00:36:27,353 with females taking longer to select more nutritious foliage. 388 00:36:31,357 --> 00:36:37,963 Between bulls dominance is decided by seniority and size. 389 00:36:37,996 --> 00:36:39,965 Making this match up 390 00:36:39,998 --> 00:36:41,767 rather uneven. 391 00:37:00,519 --> 00:37:01,987 It's more like play fighting 392 00:37:02,020 --> 00:37:04,756 with a younger brother for the large bull. 393 00:37:17,969 --> 00:37:20,972 Who's clearly pulling his punches. 394 00:37:38,757 --> 00:37:41,593 Giraffes are superb desert dwellers, 395 00:37:41,627 --> 00:37:46,365 getting all the moisture they need from their food. 396 00:37:46,398 --> 00:37:48,500 But the elephants must drink 397 00:37:48,534 --> 00:37:53,305 and will need to find water soon or face the risk of dehydration. 398 00:38:10,622 --> 00:38:14,893 Luckily the morning dawns with a gift from the heavens. 399 00:38:24,870 --> 00:38:28,407 Low in the sky hangs fog 400 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,443 that has crept inland from the ocean. 401 00:38:33,679 --> 00:38:36,382 It's the very same life-giving fog 402 00:38:36,415 --> 00:38:39,518 that supports the dune seas along the coast. 403 00:38:45,891 --> 00:38:49,628 As the sun rises the fog slowly burns off, 404 00:38:49,661 --> 00:38:53,865 but not before being caught by a very clever tree. 405 00:39:00,639 --> 00:39:04,610 It looks out of place with its verdant, pine like shape, 406 00:39:04,643 --> 00:39:08,814 but the Tamarisk tree is an accomplished desert survivor. 407 00:39:10,516 --> 00:39:15,687 The Tamarisk uses a special trick to catch the fog. 408 00:39:15,721 --> 00:39:19,525 By producing a layer of salt on its leaves overnight 409 00:39:19,558 --> 00:39:21,527 the tree attracts moisture, 410 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:24,896 which keeps it cool and well-watered. 411 00:39:33,705 --> 00:39:36,475 Its high moisture and mineral content 412 00:39:36,508 --> 00:39:38,810 make it a favorite of the elephants. 413 00:39:41,580 --> 00:39:43,615 But it's not going to be enough 414 00:39:43,649 --> 00:39:46,752 to keep them going for long in this heat. 415 00:39:52,458 --> 00:39:56,928 As the day progresses temperatures rise sharply. 416 00:40:07,706 --> 00:40:11,009 For the younger elephants the heat is exhausting. 417 00:40:21,052 --> 00:40:22,888 The adults cannot lie down 418 00:40:22,921 --> 00:40:27,125 without risk of crushing their internal organs. 419 00:40:28,259 --> 00:40:30,962 Rather they take dust baths, 420 00:40:30,996 --> 00:40:33,665 which help protect their skin from the sun 421 00:40:33,699 --> 00:40:35,767 and biting parasites. 422 00:40:43,108 --> 00:40:47,145 Driven on by thirst, they must keep moving. 423 00:40:53,652 --> 00:40:56,488 Desert elephants are the same species as those 424 00:40:56,522 --> 00:40:58,757 found throughout Africa - 425 00:40:58,790 --> 00:41:01,627 Loxodonta Africana. 426 00:41:04,730 --> 00:41:08,099 But these have become desert adapted over time, 427 00:41:08,133 --> 00:41:09,801 with only slight changes 428 00:41:09,835 --> 00:41:13,505 in their features and characteristics. 429 00:41:15,607 --> 00:41:19,545 Their legs are slightly longer in proportion to their bodies, 430 00:41:19,578 --> 00:41:21,112 with wider foot pads, 431 00:41:21,146 --> 00:41:24,115 better suited for walking on the soft sand. 432 00:41:27,753 --> 00:41:30,956 They're also said to be able to go for longer periods 433 00:41:30,989 --> 00:41:34,092 without water than savanna elephants. 434 00:41:41,700 --> 00:41:45,704 Even so, it's been several days since they drank 435 00:41:45,737 --> 00:41:47,806 and they are parched. 436 00:41:49,340 --> 00:41:54,279 The matriarch has led them out into the open. 437 00:41:54,312 --> 00:41:57,115 But she has done so with good reason. 438 00:42:11,697 --> 00:42:15,300 Here, finally they've found water at a spring 439 00:42:15,333 --> 00:42:17,535 that wells up from the depths. 440 00:42:23,675 --> 00:42:25,877 The herd drinks deeply now, 441 00:42:25,911 --> 00:42:31,316 with adults able to gulp down as much as 40 gallons at a time. 442 00:42:42,861 --> 00:42:44,596 Then in the distance 443 00:42:44,630 --> 00:42:46,231 figures emerge. 444 00:42:50,802 --> 00:42:53,672 The bulls have arrived. 445 00:43:08,019 --> 00:43:11,022 The herd welcomes the two biggest of their kind 446 00:43:11,056 --> 00:43:15,126 with a tenderness characteristic of these noble giants. 447 00:43:25,103 --> 00:43:30,976 These bulls are no doubt father and brother to many of the herd. 448 00:43:33,078 --> 00:43:35,046 The coming together of the family 449 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:39,150 is a rare and special happening. 450 00:43:39,184 --> 00:43:44,355 With the usually solitary bulls arriving to drink as if on cue. 451 00:43:58,036 --> 00:44:01,239 Once the elephants have quenched their collective thirst 452 00:44:01,272 --> 00:44:04,275 they walk off together, 453 00:44:04,309 --> 00:44:08,113 disappearing slowly in to the desert. 454 00:44:10,315 --> 00:44:13,218 Their journey is a never ending march, 455 00:44:13,251 --> 00:44:16,988 as constant as the movement of the sun across the sky 456 00:44:17,022 --> 00:44:19,057 in this great desert. 457 00:44:40,045 --> 00:44:44,249 These drylands of southern Africa have been wrought by time 458 00:44:44,282 --> 00:44:49,054 into magnificent landscapes of sand and stone. 459 00:44:53,058 --> 00:44:56,261 They may be stark and perilous, 460 00:44:57,528 --> 00:45:00,431 but are filled with wild wonder. 461 00:45:05,837 --> 00:45:07,472 Across their reaches 462 00:45:07,505 --> 00:45:14,245 examples of nature's most startling ingenuity abound. 463 00:45:14,279 --> 00:45:19,717 These characters have evolved to be hardy and desert-adapted. 464 00:45:25,924 --> 00:45:31,729 And thus exist with consummate skill where others would perish. 465 00:45:34,933 --> 00:45:37,002 For only a special few 466 00:45:37,035 --> 00:45:40,872 can make a home in the most extreme of places: 467 00:45:46,144 --> 00:45:52,150 The Southern Drylands. 468 00:45:53,551 --> 00:45:58,523 ** 469 00:45:58,556 --> 00:46:02,527 ** 470 00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:05,530 ** 471 00:46:05,563 --> 00:46:10,535 ** 472 00:46:10,568 --> 00:46:13,771 ** 37225

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