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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:03,267 --> 00:00:06,600 In a place defined by blistering heat - 2 00:00:11,767 --> 00:00:16,167 a desolate white wasteland dominates. 3 00:00:19,133 --> 00:00:24,267 Scattered oases on its margins attract thirsty herds. 4 00:00:27,700 --> 00:00:29,733 All life is driven 5 00:00:29,767 --> 00:00:34,600 by the back and forth search for food and water. 6 00:00:47,700 --> 00:00:52,700 This is the continual ebb and flow of Etosha; 7 00:00:56,733 --> 00:00:59,033 The Great White Place. 8 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:10,067 ** 9 00:01:10,100 --> 00:01:15,033 ** 10 00:01:15,067 --> 00:01:25,067 ** 11 00:01:25,100 --> 00:01:30,033 ** 12 00:01:30,067 --> 00:01:38,067 ** 13 00:01:40,367 --> 00:01:44,200 As day breaks in Etosha National Park, 14 00:01:44,233 --> 00:01:48,267 a Black backed jackal quenches his thirst at a waterhole. 15 00:01:52,733 --> 00:01:55,400 The little scavenger is vulnerable to attack 16 00:01:55,433 --> 00:01:57,633 by bigger predators, 17 00:01:57,667 --> 00:02:01,100 and is always wary. 18 00:02:03,533 --> 00:02:04,733 After a drink 19 00:02:04,767 --> 00:02:07,533 he wastes no time in moving on. 20 00:02:12,733 --> 00:02:14,467 As he exits 21 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:17,600 a flock of Helmeted guinea fowl quickly emerges. 22 00:02:21,100 --> 00:02:24,067 They'd make a good meal for the jackal, 23 00:02:24,100 --> 00:02:26,400 and have been waiting in the surrounding bush 24 00:02:26,433 --> 00:02:29,000 keeping a safe distance. 25 00:02:32,233 --> 00:02:34,133 With the coast clear 26 00:02:34,167 --> 00:02:37,167 they take their opportunity to drink from the only water source 27 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,633 for miles around. 28 00:02:42,467 --> 00:02:45,133 Their home is in Namibia, 29 00:02:45,167 --> 00:02:47,333 in south west Africa. 30 00:02:51,433 --> 00:02:56,267 It's a country dominated by baking heat and parched sands 31 00:02:56,300 --> 00:02:59,667 and renowned for its natural beauty. 32 00:03:01,533 --> 00:03:07,100 In the north, one national park stands out. 33 00:03:07,133 --> 00:03:11,400 At just under 8,800 square miles, 34 00:03:11,433 --> 00:03:15,667 Etosha is as big as the state of New Jersey. 35 00:03:17,733 --> 00:03:19,767 Around a quarter of it is covered 36 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,700 by a vast barren expanse - 37 00:03:22,733 --> 00:03:25,100 where nothing grows. 38 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,367 Known as the Etosha salt pan, 39 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,767 it was once a saline lake. 40 00:03:36,367 --> 00:03:40,100 But 2.5 million years ago, 41 00:03:40,133 --> 00:03:44,300 changes in the environment gradually desiccated it, 42 00:03:44,333 --> 00:03:49,067 leaving behind soil too salty for plants to survive. 43 00:03:52,533 --> 00:03:54,500 This is the extreme 44 00:03:54,533 --> 00:03:58,233 of a park defined by unforgiving conditions. 45 00:04:03,833 --> 00:04:08,500 Annual rainfall averages a mere 10 inches. 46 00:04:14,233 --> 00:04:16,233 In the peak of summer, 47 00:04:16,267 --> 00:04:18,267 temperatures can reach a staggering 48 00:04:18,300 --> 00:04:21,367 117 degrees Fahrenheit. 49 00:04:32,667 --> 00:04:37,367 All life here runs to a rhythm fueled by water. 50 00:04:50,233 --> 00:04:52,733 To the south of the salt pan, 51 00:04:52,767 --> 00:04:56,567 waterholes are scattered throughout the dry veld. 52 00:05:00,633 --> 00:05:05,333 These act as the driving force of the park, 53 00:05:05,367 --> 00:05:09,767 directing the movement and survival of every species. 54 00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:14,500 Without these oases, 55 00:05:14,533 --> 00:05:18,467 life would cease to exist in this barren land. 56 00:05:22,133 --> 00:05:25,433 But water isn't the main concern here; 57 00:05:26,833 --> 00:05:28,200 food is. 58 00:05:33,567 --> 00:05:35,767 During the dry season, 59 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,233 the animals concentrated around Etosha's waterholes 60 00:05:39,267 --> 00:05:42,600 deplete all available food - 61 00:05:42,633 --> 00:05:45,200 forcing them to travel further afield 62 00:05:45,233 --> 00:05:47,233 in search of sustenance. 63 00:05:53,700 --> 00:05:57,367 All lives here revolve around this constant movement 64 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,267 between food and water. 65 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,233 For the birds, the to and fro 66 00:06:09,267 --> 00:06:11,467 starts with mornings at the waterhole. 67 00:06:19,633 --> 00:06:23,367 Before long, large flocks join the guinea fowl. 68 00:06:26,767 --> 00:06:31,167 Cape turtle-doves spend most of their time alone or in pairs. 69 00:06:33,100 --> 00:06:34,800 But they congregate in flocks 70 00:06:34,833 --> 00:06:37,700 to drink in the morning and evening. 71 00:06:38,833 --> 00:06:40,667 Drinking side by side 72 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:44,233 means more eyes on the lookout for predators. 73 00:06:54,067 --> 00:06:56,200 Other small species have a strategy 74 00:06:56,233 --> 00:06:58,567 to avoid the imposing crowds. 75 00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:06,033 A Fork-tailed drongo drinks on the wing. 76 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,167 Pied crows on the other hand, 77 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,400 are given plenty of space. 78 00:07:32,567 --> 00:07:35,667 Their bigger frames and mean looking beaks 79 00:07:35,700 --> 00:07:38,300 keep the others at bay. 80 00:07:45,233 --> 00:07:48,267 The pair of Namaqua sand grouse behind them 81 00:07:48,300 --> 00:07:52,400 may have flown as far as 40 miles to quench their thirst. 82 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,267 The crow is unlikely to attack them, 83 00:07:58,300 --> 00:08:00,133 but at half its size, 84 00:08:00,167 --> 00:08:02,400 they dare not get too close. 85 00:08:06,333 --> 00:08:07,733 Across the waterhole, 86 00:08:07,767 --> 00:08:10,233 a more threatening Gabar goshawk 87 00:08:10,267 --> 00:08:11,733 isn't here to drink. 88 00:08:13,467 --> 00:08:16,267 But the bird of prey isn't hunting either. 89 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,133 Remarkably it's eating blades of grass. 90 00:08:28,733 --> 00:08:30,667 He's having trouble regurgitating 91 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:33,767 pellets of indigestible hair and bone. 92 00:08:37,567 --> 00:08:40,500 And the only green grass for miles around 93 00:08:40,533 --> 00:08:44,000 will help trigger a purge of his digestive tract. 94 00:08:59,367 --> 00:09:02,733 While the early birds take their turn on the water's edge, 95 00:09:04,700 --> 00:09:08,600 a terrapin soaks up the warmth of the steadily rising sun. 96 00:09:11,233 --> 00:09:13,567 Despite the lack of rain, 97 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,367 there's always water available here. 98 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,067 The natural spring rises to the surface 99 00:09:22,100 --> 00:09:25,367 from the rocky substrate deep below ground. 100 00:09:28,067 --> 00:09:32,333 It gives this largely aquatic creature a home in a dry land. 101 00:09:34,333 --> 00:09:36,133 While he warms himself, 102 00:09:36,167 --> 00:09:39,267 the day's business begins to unfold around him. 103 00:09:42,233 --> 00:09:46,100 It's not long before the larger animals arrive. 104 00:10:16,633 --> 00:10:20,400 Throughout the park animals seek out waterholes; 105 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,700 Beginning their day with a drink. 106 00:10:35,367 --> 00:10:39,767 The enticing water excites even the most nervous kudu. 107 00:10:47,133 --> 00:10:50,200 Herds of Impala soon join them, 108 00:11:01,333 --> 00:11:03,100 As do thirsty zebra. 109 00:11:14,100 --> 00:11:18,633 Kudu spend most of their time in the safety of cover, 110 00:11:18,667 --> 00:11:23,200 relying on camouflage to escape the attention of predators. 111 00:11:33,133 --> 00:11:35,367 A mature kudu bull's horns 112 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,100 can grow as long as five feet, 113 00:11:38,133 --> 00:11:40,600 the longest of any antelope. 114 00:11:52,467 --> 00:11:54,667 These two evenly matched bulls 115 00:11:54,700 --> 00:11:57,367 may soon compete for the right to mate 116 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,467 with the females between them. 117 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:06,600 But for now their only concern is satisfying their thirst. 118 00:12:28,567 --> 00:12:31,233 As the largest land mammals on the planet, 119 00:12:31,267 --> 00:12:34,367 African elephants have nothing to fear. 120 00:12:39,167 --> 00:12:41,200 And in a league of giants, 121 00:12:41,233 --> 00:12:44,400 Etosha's elephants stand out above the rest. 122 00:12:48,167 --> 00:12:51,067 They are the biggest on the continent. 123 00:12:54,333 --> 00:12:57,700 And these big bodies build up quite a thirst. 124 00:13:02,667 --> 00:13:07,133 Elephants drink up to 60 gallons of water a day. 125 00:13:10,267 --> 00:13:14,267 The herd's matriarch determines when they will drink, 126 00:13:14,300 --> 00:13:16,600 and leads her clan to water. 127 00:13:20,667 --> 00:13:23,233 With over 50 years of experience 128 00:13:23,267 --> 00:13:28,767 she's developed intricate maps of Etosha in her mind. 129 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,633 She's able to pinpoint the closest waterhole 130 00:13:31,667 --> 00:13:35,767 up to 31 miles away. 131 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:39,767 This is the ultimate tool for surviving in the desert. 132 00:13:43,767 --> 00:13:46,600 The herd consists of the matriarch's offspring 133 00:13:46,633 --> 00:13:48,633 and her grandchildren. 134 00:13:51,067 --> 00:13:53,800 Still clumsy with their trunks, it takes a while 135 00:13:53,833 --> 00:13:58,567 for the babies to assert control over these awkward appendages. 136 00:14:32,633 --> 00:14:34,233 An elephant's trunk 137 00:14:34,267 --> 00:14:37,433 has two finger-like projections at the tip, 138 00:14:37,467 --> 00:14:40,333 allowing for maximum dexterity. 139 00:14:46,767 --> 00:14:49,700 These trunks are their livelihood, 140 00:14:49,733 --> 00:14:53,133 allowing them to drink by sucking up the water, 141 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,467 and snorting it out into their mouths. 142 00:15:12,267 --> 00:15:16,500 Soon the babies will show expert control of their long snouts, 143 00:15:16,533 --> 00:15:18,500 just like their elders. 144 00:15:22,567 --> 00:15:26,600 Elephants are vigilant mothers. 145 00:15:26,633 --> 00:15:30,367 They never let their calves wander far from their side. 146 00:15:36,067 --> 00:15:39,800 And surrounded by their enormous family, 147 00:15:39,833 --> 00:15:43,333 calves need not fear the park's predators. 148 00:15:51,633 --> 00:15:54,700 Under the care and guidance of the herd, 149 00:15:54,733 --> 00:15:58,433 they will gradually learn the routes to water themselves. 150 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,600 Impala lack the elephants' size advantage 151 00:16:20,633 --> 00:16:23,367 and are more vulnerable to attack. 152 00:16:26,467 --> 00:16:28,433 But with many members, 153 00:16:28,467 --> 00:16:31,133 they always have eyes on the lookout 154 00:16:31,167 --> 00:16:35,600 that allow a pair of young males to indulge in distraction. 155 00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:41,300 They size each other up in a game of strength. 156 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:48,700 This practice prepares them for the world of serious competition 157 00:16:48,733 --> 00:16:50,200 that awaits them. 158 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,633 But if they hope to challenge a big ram like this, 159 00:16:56,667 --> 00:16:59,333 hey have some growing up to do. 160 00:17:02,733 --> 00:17:06,067 With no territory or mates to be won yet, 161 00:17:06,100 --> 00:17:09,233 they're not fully committed to the contest. 162 00:17:13,767 --> 00:17:15,500 As the day moves on, 163 00:17:15,533 --> 00:17:18,100 hunger takes the place of a sated thirst 164 00:17:18,133 --> 00:17:20,233 for the animals at the waterhole. 165 00:17:36,100 --> 00:17:38,733 With the dry season's tightening grip, 166 00:17:38,767 --> 00:17:42,200 the land surrounding the waterhole is exhausted 167 00:17:42,233 --> 00:17:44,467 of good quality fodder. 168 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,500 To find enough to eat, 169 00:17:50,533 --> 00:17:54,467 the herds must disperse away from this center of activity. 170 00:18:00,467 --> 00:18:02,267 In their own time, 171 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:05,667 they all head off to begin their search for food. 172 00:18:19,667 --> 00:18:21,733 For the young suckling kudu, 173 00:18:21,767 --> 00:18:25,167 sustenance is always on hand. 174 00:18:28,067 --> 00:18:29,667 But the rest of the herd 175 00:18:29,700 --> 00:18:32,633 must leave the sanctuary of the water to eat. 176 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:39,667 He carefully follows, 177 00:18:39,700 --> 00:18:43,333 ears pricked and always alert. 178 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,033 The elephants follow the lead of the matriarch, 179 00:18:57,067 --> 00:18:58,700 who heads west. 180 00:19:04,433 --> 00:19:06,100 In the search for food 181 00:19:06,133 --> 00:19:09,633 her experience will once again prove crucial. 182 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:12,233 Heading the wrong way 183 00:19:12,267 --> 00:19:15,167 could take the elephants onto the sprawling salt pan, 184 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,133 where there is no sustenance to be found. 185 00:19:18,167 --> 00:19:19,767 Here they would face a choice 186 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,433 between two equally unattractive options. 187 00:19:25,767 --> 00:19:27,433 Turn around 188 00:19:27,467 --> 00:19:31,167 or face the 30 mile trek to the other side 189 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,533 under the beating sun. 190 00:19:38,767 --> 00:19:40,800 To the south of the salt pan 191 00:19:40,833 --> 00:19:45,200 there is sustenance available to those who know where to find it. 192 00:19:54,833 --> 00:19:57,200 This giraffe has spent the morning 193 00:19:57,233 --> 00:20:00,233 feeding on the leaves of acacia trees. 194 00:20:04,500 --> 00:20:06,500 At more than 16 feet tall, 195 00:20:06,533 --> 00:20:10,200 giraffe are adapted to take advantage of a feeding niche 196 00:20:10,233 --> 00:20:11,733 few others can - 197 00:20:12,833 --> 00:20:15,167 at the tops of trees. 198 00:20:20,500 --> 00:20:23,200 They can go several days without drinking; 199 00:20:23,233 --> 00:20:25,733 getting the moisture they need from their food. 200 00:20:31,067 --> 00:20:34,267 But in the height of winter, when the park is driest, 201 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:38,500 even Etosha's hardiest vegetation like the acacia, 202 00:20:38,533 --> 00:20:42,033 has little to offer in the way of moisture. 203 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,067 So this giraffe must also strike out 204 00:20:48,100 --> 00:20:50,600 across the park's barren lands, 205 00:20:50,633 --> 00:20:54,300 though his is a quest for water. 206 00:21:05,833 --> 00:21:08,733 While cows stick together in herds, 207 00:21:08,767 --> 00:21:11,233 this bull cuts a lonely form 208 00:21:11,267 --> 00:21:13,467 in the stark landscape. 209 00:21:17,233 --> 00:21:20,533 There is little for him here in the grasslands 210 00:21:20,567 --> 00:21:23,167 except the promise of a satisfying drink 211 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:24,733 on the other side. 212 00:21:34,133 --> 00:21:39,067 But some are far more at home on the grasslands than him. 213 00:21:48,433 --> 00:21:51,500 Gemsbok thrive away from water 214 00:21:51,533 --> 00:21:54,633 and are among the most iconic species 215 00:21:54,667 --> 00:21:56,633 of the African desert. 216 00:22:06,367 --> 00:22:08,033 Their bodies are well designed 217 00:22:08,067 --> 00:22:10,600 to cope with the harsh conditions. 218 00:22:13,700 --> 00:22:18,300 They too can go days without drinking - 219 00:22:18,333 --> 00:22:22,133 and are even more independent of water than the giraffe. 220 00:22:24,500 --> 00:22:28,333 Their kidneys have evolved to conserve water, 221 00:22:28,367 --> 00:22:32,600 by concentrating their urine to minimize water loss. 222 00:22:36,767 --> 00:22:41,300 This allows them to travel far across Etosha's flat grasslands, 223 00:22:41,333 --> 00:22:43,200 feeding as they go. 224 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,267 These flats border the salt pan 225 00:22:59,300 --> 00:23:01,667 and have shallow, saline soils. 226 00:23:03,533 --> 00:23:06,500 Only the hardiest desert grasses survive. 227 00:23:08,733 --> 00:23:14,667 This small herd follows the lead of its alpha male. 228 00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:19,400 With his guidance and their ability to range far from water, 229 00:23:19,433 --> 00:23:23,000 they can subsist mainly on these grasses. 230 00:23:27,733 --> 00:23:29,700 But for the park's elephants 231 00:23:29,733 --> 00:23:31,467 things are different. 232 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,633 A pair of bulls is making the trek across Etosha's 233 00:23:45,667 --> 00:23:47,567 dry, open land. 234 00:23:59,767 --> 00:24:03,133 They scrape what sustenance they can from the grass, 235 00:24:03,167 --> 00:24:06,367 but it's not enough to give them the hundreds of pounds 236 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,633 they need in a day. 237 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,267 Now, during the dry season, 238 00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:16,333 elephants must drink daily 239 00:24:16,367 --> 00:24:20,067 and prefer to remain within two and a half miles of water. 240 00:24:22,233 --> 00:24:24,700 But they may travel more than 10 miles 241 00:24:24,733 --> 00:24:28,367 to find the trees they need to satisfy their hunger. 242 00:24:32,733 --> 00:24:36,567 While Etosha's elephants may be the biggest in the world, 243 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:38,333 they have a handicap 244 00:24:38,367 --> 00:24:41,500 that stands testament to their dry environment. 245 00:24:48,367 --> 00:24:51,533 Almost half of the elephants' tusks in Etosha 246 00:24:51,567 --> 00:24:54,433 are fractured or broken - 247 00:24:54,467 --> 00:24:58,400 the highest rate of any elephant population. 248 00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:05,233 This is directly related to the area's low rainfall. 249 00:25:07,833 --> 00:25:11,567 It may be due to fighting over water sources; 250 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,633 or the tusks weakening due to dehydration 251 00:25:15,667 --> 00:25:18,200 but the most likely explanation 252 00:25:18,233 --> 00:25:21,367 is the lack of nutrients in the elephants' food. 253 00:25:29,833 --> 00:25:33,133 These bulls must cross this foreboding land 254 00:25:33,167 --> 00:25:35,733 to reach more suitable fodder. 255 00:25:44,233 --> 00:25:49,200 As they travel the day gets hotter and hotter. 256 00:25:57,300 --> 00:26:02,100 For a herd of Zebra the heat is becoming almost unbearable. 257 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,700 Many of the mares are pregnant 258 00:26:30,733 --> 00:26:33,367 and will give birth in early summer 259 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,600 when rains give their young the best chance at survival. 260 00:26:40,500 --> 00:26:44,100 It will be this particular mare's second birth. 261 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,667 Her current foal is around a year old. 262 00:26:52,167 --> 00:26:55,133 To prepare herself for the new arrival, 263 00:26:55,167 --> 00:26:57,267 she's started to wean him. 264 00:26:59,267 --> 00:27:02,433 She needs to conserve her milk and energy. 265 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,267 The herd would usually spend almost all day grazing 266 00:27:09,300 --> 00:27:12,233 to maintain their health. 267 00:27:12,267 --> 00:27:13,767 But the temperature has risen 268 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,800 above a hundred degrees Fahrenheit 269 00:27:16,833 --> 00:27:19,667 and the heat paralyzes them. 270 00:27:21,500 --> 00:27:23,467 Tied to the waterhole, 271 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:26,767 they avoid activity at all costs 272 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:31,300 and it's all they can do to wait out the worst of it. 273 00:27:32,833 --> 00:27:36,533 But the heat may be a blessing in disguise. 274 00:27:39,167 --> 00:27:42,367 Even the strongest of animals are rendered weak 275 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:46,200 by the severity of Etosha's climate. 276 00:27:46,233 --> 00:27:51,000 The zebra are unaware of a male lion in the grass. 277 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,367 But he has no interest in them. 278 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:02,167 The midday sun has drained his energy too. 279 00:28:07,567 --> 00:28:10,700 He can't even muster a flick of his tail. 280 00:28:13,633 --> 00:28:15,400 He will wait until dusk 281 00:28:15,433 --> 00:28:18,233 when his eyesight is better than the zebras' 282 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,300 and when the heat has dissipated. 283 00:28:33,267 --> 00:28:34,800 At this time of year 284 00:28:34,833 --> 00:28:38,667 all animals must take advantage of what's on offer. 285 00:28:42,667 --> 00:28:44,600 Scavengers like the jackal 286 00:28:44,633 --> 00:28:48,467 rely largely on carrion from predator kills. 287 00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:54,767 But when there's no carrion to be had, 288 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:58,567 he's adept at making the most of his dry environment. 289 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:05,433 He's an omnivore 290 00:29:05,467 --> 00:29:08,767 and will eat almost anything he can find, 291 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,000 including termites. 292 00:29:19,333 --> 00:29:22,767 Although not his meal of first choice, 293 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:26,633 he has no qualms about digging into the pile of insects. 294 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:34,533 He's constantly alert. 295 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,200 For there are always those looking to take advantage 296 00:29:44,233 --> 00:29:47,533 of the success of others. 297 00:30:03,333 --> 00:30:07,167 A pair of northern Black korhaans skulks nearby, 298 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,333 Eager to get their fill. 299 00:30:21,700 --> 00:30:26,100 The jackal would happily change his meal from insects to birds. 300 00:30:27,633 --> 00:30:30,100 So the korhaans keep their distance. 301 00:30:42,267 --> 00:30:46,367 As much as 30 percent of their diet can consist of plant matter 302 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,633 like grass seeds. 303 00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:55,333 And Etosha's grasslands have seeds in plenty, 304 00:30:55,367 --> 00:30:58,433 so these birds survive in high numbers. 305 00:31:02,833 --> 00:31:08,567 Males defend display territories of 2000 to 3000 square feet, 306 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:11,733 and compete for the attention of females. 307 00:31:16,633 --> 00:31:21,333 For the korhaans, males will fight for territory come summer 308 00:31:21,367 --> 00:31:23,233 but for now 309 00:31:23,267 --> 00:31:26,533 they settle with calling loudly to advertise their presence. 310 00:31:35,233 --> 00:31:38,333 For some in Etosha, the battle for dominance 311 00:31:38,367 --> 00:31:42,200 is a more constant concern. 312 00:31:42,233 --> 00:31:46,433 A pair of Gemsbok males battles for rank and territory. 313 00:31:49,667 --> 00:31:52,300 In a land where food is scarce, 314 00:31:52,333 --> 00:31:55,733 it's a huge investment of energy for both. 315 00:32:05,633 --> 00:32:09,200 The cause of the aggression is not far away - 316 00:32:10,767 --> 00:32:12,467 a tiny waterhole. 317 00:32:14,567 --> 00:32:17,767 Access to water is a prize worth fighting for. 318 00:32:19,467 --> 00:32:21,100 Gemsbok usually get 319 00:32:21,133 --> 00:32:24,567 most of the moisture they need from their food, 320 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,667 which includes tubers and wild melons 321 00:32:27,700 --> 00:32:30,633 dug from below ground. 322 00:32:30,667 --> 00:32:35,033 But at this time of year these are in short supply, 323 00:32:35,067 --> 00:32:39,033 so even Gemsbok must drink. 324 00:32:40,100 --> 00:32:42,300 This small sunken waterhole 325 00:32:42,333 --> 00:32:45,300 attracts herds from far and wide. 326 00:32:48,267 --> 00:32:50,800 A family of warthogs is here too, 327 00:32:50,833 --> 00:32:54,667 trying unsuccessfully to escape the beating sun. 328 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,500 Over the years 329 00:32:59,533 --> 00:33:03,667 Etosha's animals have dug deeper and deeper into the sands here 330 00:33:03,700 --> 00:33:06,500 to access the little available water. 331 00:33:08,467 --> 00:33:11,433 There's enough to satisfy the Gemsbok for now. 332 00:33:15,733 --> 00:33:18,733 Soon enough they all resume their grazing, 333 00:33:20,733 --> 00:33:25,700 covering ground to find enough quality grass to get by. 334 00:33:28,700 --> 00:33:34,133 For the giraffe, desperate times call for desperate measures. 335 00:33:34,167 --> 00:33:39,233 His journey to water is sapping vital energy 336 00:33:39,267 --> 00:33:44,767 and out here he must go to unusual lengths to eat. 337 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:48,100 When you're built for feeding in the treetops, 338 00:33:48,133 --> 00:33:52,467 grazing at ground level is a tall order. 339 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:27,700 For two elephant bulls, the day's journey has been worth it. 340 00:34:31,133 --> 00:34:32,700 Like the giraffe 341 00:34:32,733 --> 00:34:36,133 they rely largely on Etosha's trees for sustenance. 342 00:34:40,667 --> 00:34:43,733 They've arrived in a stand of woodland, 343 00:34:43,767 --> 00:34:47,167 and they don't just eat the leaves. 344 00:34:55,167 --> 00:34:58,433 Elephants have incredibly varied diets 345 00:34:58,467 --> 00:35:02,200 and can take sustenance from almost all parts of a plant 346 00:35:02,233 --> 00:35:05,200 including branches and their bark. 347 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:14,600 These mature bulls use their trunks with expert dexterity. 348 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:23,167 Picking what they fancy 349 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,733 before grinding it between massive molars. 350 00:35:36,167 --> 00:35:38,033 Their stark white color 351 00:35:38,067 --> 00:35:42,167 comes from dusting themselves with the park's pale soil 352 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:45,733 for defense against the sun's harsh rays. 353 00:35:55,333 --> 00:35:57,467 But while it protects their skin 354 00:35:57,500 --> 00:35:59,667 it can't cool them down. 355 00:36:04,633 --> 00:36:07,367 For this they rely on their ears. 356 00:36:12,567 --> 00:36:19,033 Elephant ears can be 6-1/2 feet long and 5 feet wide. 357 00:36:19,067 --> 00:36:21,400 They have extensive networks of veins 358 00:36:21,433 --> 00:36:23,567 beneath a thin layer of skin. 359 00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:27,767 Continuous flapping 360 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,533 causes airflow to cool the blood in these veins, 361 00:36:32,067 --> 00:36:34,600 which helps to cool the whole body. 362 00:36:49,533 --> 00:36:51,633 When males reach puberty, 363 00:36:51,667 --> 00:36:54,133 they're extradited from the herd 364 00:36:54,167 --> 00:36:56,367 and become bachelors. 365 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:04,067 These males each spend long stretches alone. 366 00:37:08,133 --> 00:37:09,633 But for now, 367 00:37:09,667 --> 00:37:11,767 they have turned to one another for companionship 368 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,200 as many bachelors do. 369 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:21,800 Being younger and slightly smaller, 370 00:37:21,833 --> 00:37:23,800 this bull assumes a lower rank 371 00:37:23,833 --> 00:37:26,667 than his more established companion. 372 00:37:33,233 --> 00:37:36,233 It's a dynamic that's easy to see while they feed. 373 00:37:40,300 --> 00:37:43,033 As the senior notices that his companion 374 00:37:43,067 --> 00:37:45,633 has a tastier looking tree, 375 00:37:45,667 --> 00:37:48,167 he swiftly muscles in. 376 00:37:50,467 --> 00:37:53,500 The junior moves off with no complaint. 377 00:38:00,233 --> 00:38:03,267 Size is power between elephants 378 00:38:03,300 --> 00:38:06,500 and the smaller bull wouldn't risk a challenge. 379 00:38:08,833 --> 00:38:10,633 There's plenty for both of them 380 00:38:10,667 --> 00:38:15,233 in the acacia trees of this patch of woodland. 381 00:38:15,267 --> 00:38:19,500 Etosha's woody trees are a larder for its giants. 382 00:38:37,767 --> 00:38:40,533 After a long day searching for food 383 00:38:40,567 --> 00:38:44,633 many of the park's residents return to Etosha's waterholes. 384 00:39:05,300 --> 00:39:07,567 They offer an opportunity to antelope 385 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:10,400 that is unusual in the African wilderness; 386 00:39:12,767 --> 00:39:17,633 time to drink without fear of attack from below. 387 00:39:17,667 --> 00:39:22,267 The small, isolated waterholes can't support crocodiles. 388 00:39:24,133 --> 00:39:26,100 In Africa's wetter places 389 00:39:26,133 --> 00:39:27,800 antelope stick to the banks 390 00:39:27,833 --> 00:39:31,100 to avoid jaws lurking beneath the surface. 391 00:39:33,833 --> 00:39:35,633 But here, these Springbok 392 00:39:35,667 --> 00:39:39,467 can wade into the cooling water without concern. 393 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:51,500 Before long, 394 00:39:51,533 --> 00:39:55,233 even the toughest of Etosha's inhabitants arrive. 395 00:39:57,533 --> 00:40:00,700 Gemsbok waste no time in getting wet. 396 00:40:05,100 --> 00:40:06,600 And for a moment 397 00:40:06,633 --> 00:40:09,400 they're liberated from the heat's oppressive grip. 398 00:40:17,167 --> 00:40:20,567 Their routine of regular grazing and covering ground 399 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:22,467 will soon resume, 400 00:40:23,500 --> 00:40:25,367 but for now they can relax 401 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:28,767 in the company of the waterhole's many other visitors. 402 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:53,667 A giant soon joins the throng, 403 00:40:53,700 --> 00:40:57,100 and he's given all the space he needs. 404 00:41:07,167 --> 00:41:09,300 At more than eleven feet tall, 405 00:41:09,333 --> 00:41:12,333 he's less satisfied by the water's depth. 406 00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:17,600 Luckily he's well equipped to splash himself. 407 00:41:24,567 --> 00:41:28,767 As the afternoon draws on, many more come and go. 408 00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:59,967 The thirsty giraffe bull finally arrives 409 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:02,633 after his long quest for water. 410 00:42:22,833 --> 00:42:24,767 And he's not alone. 411 00:42:27,367 --> 00:42:30,400 He's found the company of a small herd. 412 00:42:35,667 --> 00:42:39,567 Giraffe regularly come and go from herds, 413 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:43,067 and he may spend weeks with his companions 414 00:42:43,100 --> 00:42:45,633 before going his own way again. 415 00:42:51,333 --> 00:42:54,467 Giraffe are especially vulnerable while drinking, 416 00:42:54,500 --> 00:42:58,300 and it helps to have extra eyes on the lookout. 417 00:43:07,133 --> 00:43:10,233 As quickly as the herds arrive, 418 00:43:10,267 --> 00:43:11,467 they leave again. 419 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:18,033 Dispersing back into Etosha's expanse 420 00:43:18,067 --> 00:43:21,300 in their constant search for food. 421 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:46,300 The big elephant bull is in no rush. 422 00:43:46,333 --> 00:43:48,333 He finishes his mud bath. 423 00:44:15,567 --> 00:44:17,433 Cool at last, 424 00:44:17,467 --> 00:44:22,033 he too heads off on the next leg of his perpetual to and fro 425 00:44:22,067 --> 00:44:24,733 between food and water. 426 00:44:56,700 --> 00:45:02,033 Etosha National Park presents a natural enigma. 427 00:45:06,267 --> 00:45:11,433 This foreboding expanse supports a surprising abundance of life. 428 00:45:14,833 --> 00:45:17,367 While their environment is harsh, 429 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:21,433 those that persevere can find enough to get by. 430 00:45:26,567 --> 00:45:30,233 All must move according to their own rhythm; 431 00:45:31,700 --> 00:45:34,467 To satisfy their hunger 432 00:45:34,500 --> 00:45:36,633 and quench their thirst. 433 00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:47,100 This is the constant ebb and flow of Etosha - 434 00:45:47,133 --> 00:45:50,133 the Great White Place. 435 00:45:50,800 --> 00:46:01,000 ** 436 00:46:01,033 --> 00:46:05,767 ** 437 00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:13,000 ** 33729

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