All language subtitles for Great Parks of Africa - 01x01 - Addo Elephant National Park Eng

NARRATOR:
Southern Africa boasts

one of the most diverse wildlife
sanctuaries on the continent,

a haven dedicated to the world's
largest land mammal.

The protection of elephants
has created

a vast wilderness sanctuary
encompassing land and sea.

It is home to a variety of life,

including some of the world's
most formidable predators.

This unique collection
of animals and plants

face a daily struggle
for survival,

battling the elements
and each other.

(elephant trumpeting)

*

NARRATOR:
Addo Elephant National Park

lies on Africa's southern coast
and forms a wild corridor

extending from the ocean
into the interior.

It extends across 1,800 square
kilometers,

South Africa's third largest
national park.

In the south, rugged coastal
islands rise from the sea,

home to hundreds of thousands
of seabirds.

They are surrounded by warm
waters teeming with life

and bordered by a wild shore

where lush forests
meet desolate dunes.

North is a vast, dry interior
with great plains,

stretching
to the Zuurberg Mountains

and a parched Thirstland beyond.

Addo is a land of contrasts,
where plants and animals

must adapt to harsh conditions
to survive.

The animal that lives
in the center of this landscape

is at the heart of Addo's story.

The African elephant once ranged
right across southern Africa,

but in the 19th century,

the ivory trade decimated
the population.

By 1931, there were just
11 elephants left

in this part of South Africa,
and something had to be done.

Land was set aside
to provide sanctuary

to these last survivors,
and Addo Elephant Park was born.

It was a vital lifeline.

Since then, Addo's elephants

have gone from strength
to strength.

There are now 600 living here,

all descended
from the first pioneers.

But their narrow escape
has left its mark.

Unlike elephants
in other parts of Africa,

more than 90% of Addo's females
are tuskless.

Normally used for defense,
shows of dominance,

and for digging, here,
they must do without them.

The reason is that by chance,
the original 11 animals

did not carry the gene
for tusk growth.

Despite this, the females
have not been handicapped.

These herds have been
extremely successful.

With high birth rates,
the population is booming.

Addo now boasts

one of the highest densities
of elephants in Africa.

The park's heartland
is a paradise

for the majestic giants,

with waterholes dotted
throughout the central plains.

(chirping)

This herd have spent the coolest
part of the morning feeding.

But with temperatures heading
above 40 degrees Celsius,

they head for a waterhole.

Each elephant herd is led
by the oldest female,

the matriarch,
and she guides her family

on their quest
for food and water.

The youngsters
are the most eager to get wet,

and before they drink,

give themselves
a good splashdown.

Elephants drink
up to 75 liters of water a day.

Cool mud helps reduce
body temperature

and also acts
as an effective sun block.

But it can also be treacherous.

Mothers must keep
a careful watch.

The water may be only shallow
for an adult,

but the babies
can submerge themselves,

and the mud is deep in places.

But for the calves,
it is all about having fun.

This playful test of strength
is important.

In years to come,

these young bulls will have
to fight others for dominance

and the right to mate.

But for now,
their boisterous behavior

is a bit of light-hearted
entertainment.

Addo's waterholes are a regular
meeting place for herds.

Large numbers gather
to quench their thirst.

But it is not only elephants
that are drawn in.

Creatures big and small
rely on them.

But you need to be
on your guard;

the congregation
attracts predators.

After a refreshing break,

the matriarch leads her family
back into the bush.

Elephants can travel
up to 20 kilometers a day

in search of new areas to graze,

and must spend
up to 14 hours feeding

to satisfy their hunger.

Vast areas of Addo are dominated

by a plant known as Spekboom,
or the bacon tree.

Its fleshy leaves
are tender and nutritious,

and elephants love them.

But it's not a one-way
relationship.

With their rough feeding,
the herd breaks many branches,

dropping and trampling them
into the ground.

These send down roots
of their own,

creating new growth.

But there is more than this
to Spekboom's success.

It is able to generate food
for itself

in a way few other species can.

Plants require sunlight
and carbon dioxide to grow.

But collecting carbon dioxide
during the day

means losing water through
tiny pores in the leaves.

Instead, Spekboom collects
all its carbon dioxide

and stores it
during the cool night,

using it for photosynthesis
during the day

when light is available.

This means it can keep its pores
closed during sweltering days,

saving large amounts
of moisture.

This adaptation to life
in a dry environment,

and with some help
from the elephants,

Spekboom can thrive.

Addo's Spekboom heartlands

can sustain the world's
largest land mammal

but also provide precious
habitat for smaller creatures.

Microcosms of life
complete with predators.

Communal spiders' nests.

Using the thicket
as scaffolding,

these can house more than
a hundred individuals

living in small chambers.

These huge webs are designed
for one key purpose:

they are hunting traps.

A snared grasshopper struggles
to free itself.

It's not long
before the vibrations

spur the spiders to action.

The grasshopper
has powerful legs

and needs to be subdued
urgently, or it may escape.

Reinforcements quickly arrive.

It's too late.

The struggle is over.

Venom immobilizes
the grasshopper

and starts to digest its body.

Group hunting
is rare in spiders,

but measuring
just 14 millimeters long,

this species relies on
cooperation to take down prey.

The body is moved into
the safety of a nesting chamber,

where the feast will begin.

But with so many mandibles
to feed,

it's every spider for himself.

And cooperation quickly turns
to competition.

Even for these communal
little hunters,

it's a precarious existence.

The survival of their nest
comes down to the luck

of avoiding destruction
by passing elephants.

And for some species in Addo,
that luck has run out.

Whilst Spekboom copes well
with elephant browsing,

the animals' population is now
so large that some plants

which are not adapted
are under threat.

Numbers of aloes have dropped
drastically in Addo

as elephant numbers have risen,

with some species
disappearing completely.

A five-ton animal wreaks havoc
as it moves through the thicket,

crushing and uprooting
the less robust species.

Those that lack Spekboom's
ability to throw down new roots

suffer as a consequence.

But this apparent destruction
opens up the landscape

for other animals.

Elephant pathways
and areas of cleared ground

are vital to Addo's
rich community of game.

Many species,
such as these Kudu,

depend on the elephants
to open up the landscape,

creating opportunities

through the thick,
impenetrable Spekboom scrub.

A leopard tortoise,

one of the park's
most charismatic creatures.

Growing to remarkable sizes
here, some exceed 40 kilograms.

He carries protection with him
wherever he goes,

and with some luck, he could
live for up to a hundred years.

But his armor
wasn't always this robust,

and during the early years
of life,

he was vulnerable to predation.

Addo's thicket provided
crucial cover for him

during this dangerous stage.

Between the park's swathes
of succulent bushes

are large areas
of open grassland

supporting a variety of grazers.

Able to tolerate
higher temperatures

than many other antelope,
red hartebeest spend long hours

feeding in the full sun.

Males have shorter,
thicker horns than the females,

which equip them
for territorial battles.

But when faced by real danger,
their first instinct is to run.

The over-developed forequarters
allow these animals

to gallop over great distances
without tiring.

But the hartebeest
aren't the only ones

that make the grasslands
their home.

A host of creatures
take advantage of areas

cleared by the elephants.

Cattle egrets pounce on insects
disturbed by a herd of zebra.

As pure grazers,

Plains or Burchell's zebra
eat only grass.

Sensitive lips gather blades
between strong incisors,

cropping close to the ground.

They digest this grass rapidly,

allowing them to get
all the protein they need

from even the toughest,
least nutritious grasses.

But a rapid digestion means

they have to constantly
top up the tank.

Even in the most
nutritious pastures,

zebra spend as much as
60% of their time eating,

day and night.

And their feathered companions
are never far behind.

But life isn't all peace
and quiet.

It is the breeding season,
and females are in high demand.

A build-up of hormones
in the female's urine

triggers the herd's stallion
into action.

And he has his work cut out

if he is to pass his genes on
successfully.

Zebra often use
tender physical contact

to establish
and reinforce bonds,

and males are known to adopt
a much gentler approach

when courting young fillies.

They are even known
to groom each other,

scraping and nibbling
each other's necks and backs.

Addo's grasslands are divided up
into a number of territories,

and whilst some provide food,
others provide shelter.

Living in families has
advantages and drawbacks.

A yellow mongoose
is searching for a meal.

He's on the hunt for insects.

But you better eat fast!

There is always
an older brother or sister

waiting to steal your meal.

Only quick submission prevents
the fight from getting serious.

With so many large herbivores
living in the park,

finding a source of food isn't
a problem for one resident.

The Addo flightless dung beetle.

With many elephant
and other large mammals around,

there's always a steady supply
of food.

But it's still hard work.

He has to move his food parcel
to his safe hiding place,

and it's a long way away.

For him, the dung ball is huge,

and it sometimes has
a mind of its own.

But he is determined.

Despite his apparent clumsiness,
he is remarkably clever.

He uses the dung balls
to find his bearings

according to the position
of the sun.

And then it's back to work,
heading in the right direction.

This endemic species
is one of few dung beetles

that can't fly,

a major handicap
in the search for food.

But it's an evolutionary
trade-off.

Flight has been sacrificed
for an amazing adaptation

to life in Addo's hot,
dry grasslands.

Like other animals,
beetles need to breathe

and produce carbon dioxide waste
in the process.

This has to be expelled
from the beetle's body,

but a lot of water
is lost in the process,

so this special beetle
has evolved in a way

to solve the problem.

The empty space under his shell,

usually taken up by wings
in other species,

forms a specialized storage tank
for carbon dioxide.

And he only has to exhale in
a single burst, every half hour.

Like this, he avoids dehydration

by saving a significant amount
of water vapor.

For these beetles,
dung means life.

They even lay their eggs
in dung nests.

But for this, Addo's
elephant waste is no good.

Only buffalo dung will do.

Luckily, there is plenty
in the park.

Younger, stronger males

have cast this old bull
out of the herd.

He will live out his days alone
on Addo's grasslands

or join a small band
of other aged males.

They are known locally
as dagga boys,

from the Zulu word for mud.

Wallowing is one of their
favorite pastimes.

They are the epitome
of grumpy old men

and are well known
for their aggression.

Weighing in
at more than 600 kilograms,

only the most powerful predator

would have a hope of taking down
one of these bulls.

And they don't come
more powerful than lion.

They rely largely
on ambush tactics,

making use of cover
and catching prey unawares.

For this reason,

Addo's open grass areas
are crucial to buffalo.

Herds gather in large
congregations in the open,

minimizing the chance of ambush.

But buffalo are also armed.

While their impressive horns

are used mainly in tussles
for dominance,

combined with
the buffalo's bulk,

they make a formidable foe for
even the most powerful killers.

In fact, for the lions,

there's seldom such a thing
as an easy meal.

Even the warthogs
are armed to the teeth.

These pigs grow ivory tusks,
just as an elephant does.

But instead of two,
they have four.

This male's large upper tusks

are used in tussles
with other boars.

The lumps of hardened skin
below his eyes

offer protection
during these fights.

It is these wart-like growths

that give the warthogs
their name.

But it is the lower, shorter
tusks which predators fear.

These grind against the uppers
every time he closes his mouth.

This continuously sharpens them,

and when wielded
by a full-grown hog like this,

they are a dangerous prospect
indeed for predators.

And with mum around, even
piglets aren't an easy meal.

At the first sight of danger,
they'll dash for their burrow.

But if cornered,
she will defend them viciously,

using her sharp tusks
to slash and stab.

In the ongoing battle
of predator versus prey,

it is often the young
and vulnerable animals

that get singled out.

The park is home to a large
number of predators.

From the regal lion...

(shouting out)

...to the sly jackal,

all are on the lookout
for a meal.

These brothers
have been together

since leaving their pride
at a young age.

They cooperate
to control a territory

and spend much of their time
side by side.

But like many
of Addo's predators,

they hunt
under the cover of darkness.

Nightfall gives the park's
cast of killers

a valuable advantage
over their prey.

Dawn reveals a tragedy.

A lone elephant stands over
the remains of her dead calf.

Trapped in the waterhole
overnight,

it was attacked and died.

But its mother has remained
on a lonely vigil.

Elephants have strong bonds
with their offspring,

even after death.

This young cow could have spent

the next nine years
with her calf,

seldom straying more than
a few meters away.

Instead, the same instinct
to protect

now keeps her close
to its remains,

unwilling to surrender them.

A member of the herd
approaches the young mother.

She sniffs tentatively.

Her movements seem considered,
even gentle.

A life spent together means
elephants generate strong bonds,

even nursing
one another's calves.

While the rest
of her herd drinks,

she stays with the mother.

Could she be trying
to comfort her?

Soon, more and more gather.

The sadness
of the mother's situation

seems to resonate
with the family.

They are cautious and quiet.

Elephant herds often gather
around the vulnerable

in times of danger.

Although she is much too big
to be under physical threat,

they sense that the traumatized
cow needs support.

They offer it in the only way
they know how:

by closeness.

Eventually, the cow's plight

attracts the attention
of a large bull.

Touching the tip of his trunk
to her mouth

is a telltale sign of affection.

Could he be the father
of the calf?

Eventually, the herd head off
in search of food

and the mother faces
a terrible choice:

leave with her family
or remain to mourn her baby.

Her instinct is to stay,
and the bull stays with her.

She entrusts
her all-important post to him

and takes the opportunity
to find some food.

It's been hours
since her last proper meal.

But unbeknownst to her,

the bull, after a time,
moves away to feed.

And she is forced to return
to her baby.

(trumpeting)

Cooperation
between members of a group

is often the difference
between survival and death.

But ultimately, individuals
look out for themselves.

She is hungry, thirsty,
and exhausted,

but she refuses
to abandon her baby.

Every time she moves away
from the carcass,

the scavengers pounce.

Elephants have been witnessed
protecting their dead for days.

For the scavengers, the death
provides a valuable meal,

and they too are refusing
to give up.

Despite their reputations,

jackals and hyenas are
incredibly efficient predators

and often hunt for themselves.

But they also never turn down
a free meal,

even if they have
to wait for it.

With her strength weakening,
it is only a matter of time

before she will be forced
to eat.

But for now,
even after several hours,

the mother refuses to leave.

Her herd has moved on,

and for her own welfare,
she needs to join them.

But she is not ready yet.

Addo is a protected area, but
it remains a harsh environment

for all the animals that live
in its varied landscape.

Far from the central scrublands,
beyond the range of elephant,

are Addo's
other wilderness areas.

Surprisingly,
one of its most arid landscapes

is right next to the ocean:

the mighty Alexandria
dune field.

50 kilometers long
and up to five kilometers wide,

untouched dunes rise
as high as 140 meters.

In some places, they are so old
they have become compacted,

slowly solidifying into layers.

Very little survives here.

But amazingly,
this barren land

feeds an abundance of life
offshore.

Despite appearances,
there is water here.

Deep beneath the dunes,
groundwater rich in nitrates

gathers in aquifers
above a rocky substrate.

With enough build-up,
these waters overflow,

running straight from beneath
the dunes into the sea.

The nitrates they carry

contribute to the growth
of huge blooms of phytoplankton,

which forms the base
of the marine food chain

and allows life to thrive.

The waters on Addo's coastline

are some of the most abundant
in Africa,

supporting an astounding
array of life.

Here, dolphins swim
in huge, excitable pods,

joined by Addo's second species
of gentle giant:

the southern right whale.

Like the elephants,

man hunted these whales
to the brink of extinction.

But thanks to their protection

in international
breeding waters,

they've made
a spectacular comeback.

And there is
an apex predator here

that rivals any
found on dry land.

Perhaps Addo's ultimate hunter:
the great white shark.

These killers patrol
700 hectares

of thriving marine environment
falling under Addo's protection,

preying mainly
on penguins and seals

living on the many
offshore islands.

The coastline is also home
to the largest breeding colony

of Cape Gannets in the world.

The abundance of fish
in the waters

has allowed them to thrive
in great numbers.

Around 200,000 live
on the aptly named Bird Island.

(birds calling)

Which provides them
with a safe environment

to raise their chicks.

Under the park's protection,

their future will be secure
for generations to come,

as it will for the animals
on the mainland.

Addo's wild coastline

appears far removed
from its landlocked interior.

But there is a direct
connection.

The ocean feeds the land
with water,

carried inland by air currents.

In the park's
easternmost corner,

moist air blows in
from the warm Indian Ocean,

watering the lush indigenous
forests of the woody cape.

Shade and moisture-loving plants

thrive in this damp
microclimate.

It's cool and protected

and supports life
like nowhere else in the park.

The sea air also travels
further inland

and provides much needed water
to the plants and animals

across Addo's
central scrublands.

But there is one place
the water cannot reach.

As the moist air currents
flow inland,

they collide with the barrier
of the Zuurberg mountains.

Forced up,
they cool and condense,

falling as rain
on the coastal side.

But on the inland side,
a rainfall shadow exists.

Known as the Thirstlands,

just 225 millimeters fall
a year,

and summer temperatures reach
a scorching 45 degrees Celsius.

Here, plants
have been forced to evolve

very different strategies
for survival.

And few are better adapted
than the blue euphorbia.

It's all about saving water.

The euphorbia's branches
grow vertically

so when the sun is
at its hottest, high in the sky,

it strikes
only their narrow tops,

reducing water loss
through evaporation.

Their branches also store
a large amount of fluid

in the form of a milky sap.

This liquid reservoir

is poisonous and unpalatable
to most animals,

saving the plant from damage
caused by feeding.

The Shepherd's tree takes a less
conservative approach to life

in its dry environment.

It sends roots
deep into the ground,

reaching reserves
other plants can't.

Instead of saving that water
like the euphorbia,

it immediately uses it

to grow dense,
nutritious leaves and berries,

a rare food source
for the animals

living in the Thirstlands.

Those animals then spread
the tree's seed

across the countryside,

ensuring the survival
of the species.

There are few animals that can
survive such an environment.

Among them are
the Cape Mountain zebra.

The lack of rain means
there isn't enough grass

to support them in the numbers
seen on Addo's lush grasslands.

This male's herd
numbers only five,

and they still struggle to find
all they need.

Mares have been known to fatally
injure the foals of others

to reduce competition
for their own young,

a seemingly cruel characteristic

evolved for survival
under the harshest conditions.

And even Addo's
most devoted parents

cannot always protect
their vulnerable offspring.

After almost two days
guarding her dead calf,

the young mother
has no choice but to leave.

Exhausted and starving,

she is driven to eat and drink
for her own survival.

Elephants are known
to have long memories,

so we cannot tell how long

the trauma of her loss
will last.

But the chances are high that
she will bear another calf.

Sooner or later,
the experience of death

will be replaced
by the joy of new life.

Elephants normally give birth
every five years,

but having lost her young calf,

she will come
into estrus sooner.

Once pregnant,

she should give birth again
in just under two years.

Rejoining her herd is
the first step of this journey.

They will accept her back.

And the company
of familiar relatives

will give her some comfort.

The herd--
the family unit,

the building block
of elephant society--

will remain strong,
and she will be part of it.

Her offspring, and theirs,
will wander the landscape

of this incredible park
for decades to come.

Addo is a land of extremes,
with areas of great richness

and places of scarcity
and hardship.

Life for its flagship species,
the elephant, is good.

With low mortality rates,
the population is ever growing.

But even for these giants,

life in the wild
is fraught with danger,

and survival is never
guaranteed.

Captioned by Media Access Group
at WGBH, access.wgbh.org