All language subtitles for Life at the Waterhole S01 E03_track3_[eng]

SANJAYAN: WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR

WITH THE ICONIC
AFRICAN WATERHOLE.

IN THE BAKING HEAT
OF THE SAVANNA,

THEY LITERALLY TEEM WITH LIFE...

BUT HOW DOES ONE
ACTUALLY FUNCTION?

[CHIRPING]

WHAT ARE THE POLITICS
OF ANIMAL COEXISTENCE?

AND WHO RULES
WHEN THE HEAT IS ON?

TO FIND OUT, WE BUILT
OUR VERY OWN AFRICAN WATERHOLE.

THIS WATERHOLE,

IT'S HUMAN-MADE.

WE'VE TEAMED UP WITH SOME

GREAT SCIENTISTS

AND CONSERVATIONISTS TO BRING

THIS MUCH-NEEDED WATER SOURCE

INTO THIS DRY, ARID LANDSCAPE.

THIS IS A WATERHOLE
WITH A DIFFERENCE.

WE HAVE A NEW AND TOTALLY
EXCITING WAY OF KEEPING TRACK

OF WILDLIFE BIOLOGY AND DRAMA.

WE'VE GOT A HIDE HALF-SUBMERGED

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE WATERHOLE,

AND WE'VE GOT REMOTE CAMERAS
RIGGED UP

AROUND THE WATERHOLE KEEPING
TRACK OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR

LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

[SNORTS]

LAST TIME
AT THE HOTTEST TIME OF YEAR...

[HYENAS CHATTERING]

HYENAS RAN WILD.

[HYENA BARKS]

OH, WOW! LOOK,
LOOK, LOOK.

SO THE WHOLE CLAN
OF HYENAS COME IN,

AND, WHAT, THEY'RE
JUST PICKING ON HIM?

[THUNDER]

SANJAYAN:
NOW, THE FIRST RAINS HAVE HIT,

AND THE WATERHOLE IS FACING
ITS BIGGEST CHANGE YET.

THERE'S SO MUCH ACTION
GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

[SCREECHING]

SANJAYAN: AN EXPLOSION OF LIFE

BRINGS NEW SPECIES
TO THE SAVANNA.

FROM THIS ALTITUDE,
I CAN SEE THE ENORMITY

OF THIS, THE SCALE OF THIS.

IT'S MIND-BOGGLING.

THESE DRAMATIC CHANGES HAVE
A BIG IMPACT ON A HYENA CLAN.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL PUTTING
YOUR HEAD INTO A HYENA DEN.

THIS IS THE STORY OF LIFE...

[TRUMPETS]

AND DEATH AT THE WATERHOLE.

♪

WE BUILT OUR WATERHOLE
IN TANZANIA...

300 MILES
FROM THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA...

IN THE MWIBA WILDLIFE RESERVE.

[THUNDER]

AFTER 5 TOUGH MONTHS OF DROUGHT,

THE RAINS ARE FINALLY HERE.

MORE RAIN
WILL FALL OVER THIS SEASON

THAN IN 6 MONTHS IN NEW YORK.

WELL, WE'RE BACK,
AND IT'S THE HEIGHT

OF THE RAINY SEASON.

I'VE GOT
AN UMBRELLA FOR A REASON.

IT'S PELTING DOWN WITH RAIN,
AND WHEN IT RAINS,

I MEAN, REAL RAIN.

THIS STUFF IS FAST AND HARD,

IT COMES SUDDENLY,
AND IT'S COLD RAIN,

SO IT MUST BE
COMING FROM WAY UP THERE,

AND IT JUST PELTS THE LANDSCAPE,

AND IT'S COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED
EVERYTHING HERE.

I MEAN, MWIBA WAS
THIS DRY, DUSTY PLACE

THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.

NOW WATER'S EVERYWHERE,

LOADS OF GRASS,
AND IT RAINS EVERY DAY.

[HONKING]

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
FOR 4 HOURS A DAY,

IT BUCKETS DOWN.

THESE FREQUENT SHOWERS
SUPERCHARGE PLANT LIFE,

AND OVER 200 SPECIES
OF SAVANNA GRASS SPRING UP...

TURNING THE 130,000-ACRE RESERVE

INTO A LUSH, ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT
BUFFET FOR HERBIVORES.

IN THIS TIME OF PLENTY,

MANY ANIMALS NOW HAVE
THEIR YOUNG.

OVER HALF A MILLION
MAMMAL BABIES

AND COUNTLESS INSECTS ARE BORN
ACROSS THE SERENGETI ECOSYSTEM.

I WANT TO SEE
HOW THIS POPULATION BOOM

AFFECTS LIFE AT THE WATERHOLE...

WHERE THE LOCAL ANIMALS ARE USED

TO HAVING THE PLACE
ALL TO THEMSELVES.

THE GUIDES AND I ARE KEEPING
WATCH FOR EVERY VISITOR

AND ADDING TO OUR SPECIES LIST
THAT'S ALREADY AT 88.

AT NIGHT,
WE HAD OUR FIRST ARRIVALS,

A NEW HERD OF ELEPHANTS.

THESE ELEPHANTS CAME TO
DRINK AT THE WATERHOLE.

LOOK AT THAT ONE
FAR BACK, SEE?
YEAH.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
LOCAL GUIDE ZAC MAHANGA

SPOTS THAT THIS HERD
IS ABOUT TO GET BIGGER.

IT'S A HUGE
FEMALE, RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT, DID THAT
ELEPHANT LOOK
PREGNANT TO YOU?

YEAH, SEE THE SIZE
OF THE BELLY.

YEAH, YEAH.
DEFINITELY.

SHE'S EXPECTING
TO HAVE A BABY SOON.

SO ELEPHANTS CAN HAVE
BABIES ALMOST ANY TIME
OF THE YEAR, RIGHT?

ANY TIME.
BUT DO THEY TEND

TO HAVE MORE BABIES
DURING THE RAINY SEASON?

RAIN SEASON, I CAN AGREE,
WE CAN SEE MANY BABIES

THIS TIME OF YEAR.

SO TELL ME
A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE
IN SIZE OF THOSE HERDS

BETWEEN THE WET SEASON
AND THE DRY SEASON.

DRY SEASON, YOU CAN FIND
VERY SMALL NUMBERS
IN THESE GROUPS,

BUT THE RAIN SEASON,
THE NUMBER

GETTING BIGGER BECAUSE

OF THE AVAILABILITY
OF FOOD AND WATER.

SO THE SUPER HERDS FORM
IN THE RAINY SEASON

BECAUSE LOTS
OF FOOD, RIGHT?
DEFINITELY. YES.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE
AN ELEPHANT FOR SURE...

UH-HUH.
IN THIS PART OF AFRICA

COME IN THE DRY SEASON.
DRY SEASON.

THERE'S A BIG CHANCE
YOU'LL FIND A GOOD NUMBERS
OF ELEPHANTS.

BECAUSE YOU CAN WAIT
AT THE WATERHOLE
LIKE WE DID...

YES.
AND THE ELEPHANTS
WILL COME.

ELEPHANT WILL COME
DEFINITELY.

WE CAN GUARANTEE THAT.

RAINY SEASON IS NOT
THE GREAT TIME BECAUSE

THEY'VE SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT THE LANDSCAPE.

YES.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
ELEPHANTS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES.

ALL HERBIVORES ARE
SPREADING OUT RIGHT NOW,

SO WE'VE GOT BOB POOLE,

OUR WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN,
OUT ON PATROL.

3 MILES AWAY, HE'S FINDING OUT
WHY FOR GIRAFFES

THIS IS THE SEASON FOR LOVE.

POOLE:
OK. NOW WATCH THIS FEMALE.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.

SHE COMES UP TO THE MALE,

AND SHE RUBS HER NECK
AGAINST HIS LIKE THAT.

IT'S DEFINITELY A SIGN
OF AFFECTION OR INTEREST.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: GIRAFFES
HAVE BEEN DRINKING
AT OUR WATERHOLE

FOR THE PAST 5 MONTHS...

BUT NOW THEY'VE GOT OTHER THINGS
ON THEIR MIND

AS EXCITED MALES
TRY TO SNIFF OUT A MATE.

POOLE: SO THE MALE GIRAFFE
RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO DETERMINE

WHETHER THE FEMALE IN FRONT
OF HIM IS IN THE PEAK OF ESTRUS.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: ESTRUS
CYCLES OCCUR EVERY TWO WEEKS,

BUT A FEMALE'S ONLY FERTILE

FOR 4 DAYS OR LESS
DURING THIS TIME...

SO THE MALES HAVE TO GET
THEIR TIMING JUST RIGHT.

POOLE: SHE GIVES OFF PHEROMONES,

WHICH HE SENSES
THROUGH SENSORS THAT ARE

IN THE TOP OF HIS LIP THERE.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
GIRAFFES CAN MATE YEAR-ROUND,

BUT RESEARCH SHOWS
THAT PASSIONS RUN HIGHEST

WHEN FOOD IS MOST ABUNDANT.

[ZEBRA SNORTS]

POOLE: ALL THE LEAVES
ARE SO PLUMP RIGHT NOW.

I CAN SEE THE WAY THAT THEY USE
THE TONGUE TO STRIP THE LEAVES

OFF THE TWIG, WHICH IS OF COURSE
LOADED WITH THESE BIG THORNS,

AND EVERYTHING AROUND HERE
HAS A THORN ON IT.

IN FACT,
THIS PLACE IS CALLED MWIBA,

WHICH LITERALLY
MEANS "THORN" IN SWAHILI.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: ALL THIS
FOOD MEANS THAT OTHER MEMBERS

OF THE WATERHOLE COMMUNITY,
LIKE ZEBRA,

ARE GETTING VERY FRISKY,

AND SOMETIMES, COMPETITION

BETWEEN STALLIONS
CAN GET PHYSICAL.

POOLE: LOOK AT THIS.

THERE'S SO MUCH ACTION GOING ON
RIGHT NOW,

THAT THE STALLION HERE

IS RACING AROUND,
TRYING TO ROUND UP

THESE ZEBRA FEMALES,
AND YOU CAN SEE HIM

RACING ACROSS IN FRONT
OF US RIGHT NOW.

AND NOW HE'S COMING BACK TO
PROBABLY HIS HAREM RIGHT THERE.

THE YOUNG MALES HAVE
TO STRUGGLE FOR DOMINANCE.

HE COULD GET KICKED
OUT BY ANOTHER STALLION.

THESE ARE VERY SOCIAL ANIMALS.

THEY LIVE IN FAMILY GROUPS,
AND THEY HAVE AN ORDER,

A PECKING ORDER
ESSENTIALLY JUST LIKE HORSES DO.

THEY'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO PUT
EACH OTHER IN THEIR PLACE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF FIGHTING
AND TESTING

AND ALL KINDS OF ACTION GOING ON

ALL THE TIME TO SORT OF
REALLY WORK ON WHO'S WHO

IN THE FAMILY AND WHERE THEY SIT
IN TERMS OF THE PECKING ORDER.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: AND
SOME HAVE ALREADY HAD
THEIR YOUNG.

THIS FOAL IS JUST A MONTH OLD.

POOLE: THE LITTLE FOAL
TO THE RIGHT WOULD BE

HIS FIRST FOAL
OF THIS RAINY SEASON.

THE LITTLE ONES ARE SO CUTE.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: THE
ABUNDANCE OF CALORIES AVAILABLE

AT THIS MOMENT MEANS MOTHERS
PRODUCE LOTS AND LOTS OF MILK,

AND WHEN BABIES ARE READY,

THERE'S GRASS ALL
AROUND THE WATERHOLE.

WAITING TO BE GRAZED.

DURING THE DRY SEASON,

THERE WAS A HYENA CLAN THAT
WAS DOMINATING LIFE HERE,

BUT NOW THEY SEEM
TO HAVE DISAPPEARED.

IN THEIR ABSENCE,
THE WATERHOLE COMMUNITY

IS RECLAIMING THE SITE.

VERVET MONKEYS...

GIRAFFE...

IMPALA...

ELEPHANT...

[GRUNTS]

[HUFFS]

AND AN ANIMAL FAMILY
THAT LIVES IN THE TREES NEARBY.

SO WE GOT BABOONS
NOW JUST COME IN.

[BABOONS GRUNTING
AND CHATTERING]

THEY'LL EAT SEEDS,
THEY'LL EAT SHOOTS,

THEY'LL EAT INSECTS,
REALLY ANYTHING THEY CAN FIND.

THEY'RE SPENDING
OVER HALF THEIR DAY FEEDING

AND DON'T FEED SUPER ACTIVELY.

THEY JUST SORT OF GRAZE
OR NIBBLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY

IS MORE LIKE HOW THEY FEED,

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
THEY'RE DOING HERE.

THEY'RE SORT OF WALKING
ACROSS THE MEADOW

AND THEN STRIPPING
GRASS SEEDS OFF THE STALKS.

THE WATERHOLE WAS VITAL FOR
THIS TROOP IN THE DRY SEASON.

NOW IT PROVIDES
A RELIABLE SUPPLY OF FOOD...

ALL ON THEIR DOORSTEP...

BUT IT'S NOT EXACTLY EASY
FOR BABOONS

TO MAKE A REAL MEAL
OUT OF FIDDLY GRASS STALKS.

SEE? LOOK AT THAT.
QUITE A DELICATE OPERATION.

I MEAN, EACH OF THOSE
GRASS SEED HEADS MUST BE

THE SIZE OF A PINHEAD,
SO QUITE SMALL.

IT MUST TAKE HUNDREDS
AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS

OF THOSE GRASS STALKS
TO FILL UP A BABOON'S BELLY.

SANJAYAN: YOU MIGHT
EVEN THINK, "WHY BOTHER?"

GRASS IS ALSO PACKED WITH WATER,

SO THE BABOONS
ARE GETTING NUTRITION

AND HYDRATION
WITH EACH MOUTHFUL.

THE OTHER THING THAT STRIKES
YOU WHEN YOU SEE BABOONS

ON A GRASS PLAIN,
ON A MEADOW LIKE THIS FEEDING IS

THAT, UNLIKE ALL THE OTHER
ANIMALS THAT SHOW UP HERE,

THEY DON'T HAVE TO PUT THEIR
HEADS DOWN IN ORDER TO FEED.

THEY'VE GOT HANDS AND THUMBS,
AND SO THEY CAN PICK UP FOOD,

AND THEY CAN FEED
WHILE KEEPING THEIR HEAD UP,

AND THAT'S A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE

THAT PRIMATES REALLY HAVE,
AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO FEED

IN THE OPEN WHILE STILL
WATCHING OUT FOR PREDATORS

AND STILL
KEEPING TRACK OF EACH OTHER.

THEY ALSO PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE
IN THIS ECOSYSTEM BY PULLING UP

THE GRASS, EATING IT,

AND LETTING NATURE
TAKE ITS COURSE,

DISPERSING SEEDS
ALL OVER THE PLACE,

HELPING THE SITE STAY LUSH
FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
THIS IS A SURPRISING TURN
OF EVENTS.

LAST SEASON, VERY FEW ANIMALS
WERE COMING IN

BECAUSE THE AREA WAS UNDER
THE CONTROL OF AN APEX PREDATOR.

MEMBERS OF A SPOTTED HYENA CLAN
WERE THE DOMINANT FORCE.

[HYENAS CHATTERING
AND GRUNTING]

I'VE BEEN LOOKING BACK
OVER OUR DATA,

AND IT PAINTS A CLEAR PICTURE.

SO THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE,
THERE WERE HYENAS

VIRTUALLY EVERY DAY.

IN THE MONTHS
OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER,

ESSENTIALLY A TWO-MONTH PERIOD,
WE HAD 73 VISITS

BY HYENAS TO THIS WATERHOLE,
WHICH IS PRETTY ASTONISHING,

AND I SHOULDN'T SAY DAY
BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT

THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY HYENA
THAT CAME

TO THIS WATERHOLE CAME AT NIGHT.

SOMETHING LIKE 96%
OF ALL THOSE VISITS

THAT WE RECORDED WERE AT NIGHT
AND NOT REALLY DURING THE DAY,

AND THAT IS
A MARKED CONTRAST TO NOW.

THERE'S HYENAS AROUND,

BUT THEY'RE NOT
COMING TO THE WATERHOLE.

WE CAN HEAR THEM AT NIGHT.

SO THEY'RE IN THE AREA,

BUT THEY'RE NOT COMING
TO OUR WATERHOLE,

AND IT'S VERY LIKELY
BECAUSE OF ALL THIS RAIN

ALL THE SCENTS ARE WASHED AWAY,

THE PREY ANIMALS
AREN'T CONGREGATING

BY THE WATERHOLES ANYMORE,

SO AS SIGNPOSTS OR
GROCERY STORES FOR PREDATORS,

WATERHOLES ARE NOT SO GREAT
IN THE WET SEASON.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: BUT WHAT
ARE THE CLAN UP TO NOW?

TO FIND OUT, I RETURNED

TO THEIR DEN SITE
JUST OVER A MILE AWAY.

SO A COUPLE MONTHS AGO

WHEN I WAS HERE
IN THE HOT SEASON,

THIS IS WHERE THE HYENAS
HAD DENNED UP,

AND I REMEMBER
SITTING RIGHT HERE

WATCHING THESE HYENA PUPS

COME OUT OF THAT HOLE,
AND WE'VE LEFT A CAMERA BEHIND

SO I CAN GO
AND LOOK AT THE FOOTAGE

AND SEE WHAT'S
BEEN GOING ON EXACTLY HERE,

BUT THE GROUND

AROUND THE DEN
DOESN'T LOOK VERY USED.

GOT TO BE CAREFUL
PUTTING YOUR HEAD

INTO A HYENA DEN.

OH, WOW.

OH, WOW. THIS IS...

LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF COOL

THAT THAT IS WHERE
THOSE PUPS WERE COMING UP,

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S
BEING USED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE

I DON'T SEE ANY CLAW MARKS.

DO YOU KNOW WHO IS USING IT?

MAYBE A PORCUPINE BECAUSE
THERE'S A COUPLE

OF PORCUPINE QUILLS
RIGHT BY THE ENTRANCE.

OH, I CAN...
I CAN SEE THE PORCUPINE.

I CAN ACTUALLY SEE
THE PORCUPINE IN THERE.

[WHISPERING]
THAT'S THE EDGE.

IT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS THAT
THERE'S A PORCUPINE IN THERE.

I MEAN, I'M SURE NOW
THAT THE HYENAS ARE NOT IN THERE

BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
WANT TO SHARE THEIR HOME

WITH SUCH A, WELL,
POINTY CUSTOMER,

BUT IT MEANS THAT THIS BURROW

IS GOING
TO REMAIN ACTIVE AND IN USE

THROUGH THIS RAINY SEASON,
AND I BET YOU NEXT YEAR

THE HYENAS WILL BE BACK
AND WILL BE DENNING IN HERE.

ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO
LEAVE THIS GUY

TO HAVE HIS REST,
BUT IT REALLY IS GREAT

THAT THESE BIG TERMITE MOUNDS
CONTINUE TO HAVE LIFE.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST SO FANTASTIC

BECAUSE THE TERMITES
FIRST USE THEM,

THEN ANIMALS USE THEM,
HYENAS ARE USING THEM,

AND NOW AT LEAST ONE PORCUPINE,
MAYBE MORE, ARE IN THERE,

AND THEY'LL KEEP
COMING BACK HERE,

SO BEST TO LEAVE HIM ALONE.

♪

SO I WANT TO TAKE
A LOOK AT WHAT WAS

ON THE CAMERA TRAP THAT WE LEFT
OVER THERE AND SEE IF I CAN

PICK UP ANY OF THOSE PORCUPINES.

A GIRAFFE CAME RIGHT BY.

LOOK AT THAT.

THAT'S COOL. OK.
OH, LOOK AT THIS.

THERE'S A HYENA,
AND THERE'S A HUGE PORCUPINE

WITH THE QUILLS ALL ERECT.

THAT PORCUPINE
LOOKS LIKE IT'S

THE SIZE OF THAT HYENA PUP,

AND IT JUST CHASED IT OFF,
AND YOU'D THINK A HYENA

WOULD MAKE GOOD WORK OF IT.

BUT, BOY, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

PORCUPINES OFTEN LIKE TO HANG
AROUND HYENAS

BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO NIBBLE
ON BONES.

PORCUPINES DO IT
FOR THE CALCIUM,

AND SO PORCUPINES KNOW
THAT WHEREVER THERE ARE HYENAS

THERE'S GONNA BE BONES.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
IT'S UNLIKELY A FEW SMALL
PORCUPINE WOULD SCARE THEM AWAY,

AND A BIGGER PROBLEM
FOR THE HYENA IS REVEALED.

HMM. WOW!

A LOT OF BUFFALO.

LOT OF BUFFALO
ALL OVER THE PLACE.

BIG HERD OF BUFFALO.

IT LOOKED LIKE
THEY JUST TRAMPLED

THROUGH THIS ENTIRE AREA.

BUFFALOES DON'T
REALLY LIKE HYENAS,

AND BUFFALOES GET
VERY TERRITORIAL,

AND IF THEY KNOW THAT
THERE ARE PREDATORS IN THE AREA,

THEY WILL THEY WILL DO
THEIR BEST TO CHASE THEM OFF

IF THEY CAN,
AND THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN...

MIGHT HAVE BEEN
WHAT HAPPENED HERE,

THAT THIS DEN
GOT EVENTUALLY ABANDONED

BECAUSE A HERD OF BUFFALOES JUST
TRAMPLED IT AND TOOK IT OVER.

WHEN I WALKED AROUND THERE,
YOU COULD DEFINITELY FIND

FRAGMENTS
OF BUFFALO BONE AROUND HERE,

SO THESE HYENAS ARE
DEFINITELY EATING BUFFALO,

AND SO THE BUFFALOES PROBABLY
DON'T WANT THEM IN THEIR MIDST,

AND IT PRETTY MUCH SEEMS
THAT AFTER THE BUFFALO SHOWED UP

THE DEN GOES QUIET

AND WE DON'T SEE
A LOT MORE ACTIVITY AFTER THAT.

AND SO SHE
COULD HAVE MOVED THEM.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
HYENA CLANS OFTEN HAVE
NETWORKS OF DENS

DOTTED AROUND THE SAVANNA.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY WILL
EVER RETURN TO THE WATERHOLE.

I'LL BET THEY'LL BE
BACK NEXT DRY SEASON.

♪

WITHOUT HYENA
DOMINATING THE WATERHOLE,

ANOTHER SPECIES HAS TAKEN OVER.

[HONKING]

THEY'RE COMMON GEESE.

THEY'RE FOUND THROUGHOUT AFRICA.

THEY'RE USUALLY IN PAIRS
OR IN SMALL FLOCKS,

BUT THERE'S BEEN
A PAIR THAT'S REALLY TAKEN OVER

THIS WATERHOLE,
AND THESE GEESE LIVE HERE.

THIS IS THEIR WATERHOLE,
AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF

THEY HAVE A NEST SOMEWHERE.

THEY FEED SOMETIMES
IN THE WATER,

BUT OFTENTIMES, YOU SEE
THEM GRAZING ON GRASS HEADS

AND FORBS ON THE EDGE
OF MEADOWS AND PLAINS LIKE THIS.

[HONKING]

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME
WE'VE SEEN THIS POWER COUPLE.

[HONKING]

THEY STARTED VISITING
LAST SEASON AND WERE QUICK

TO MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN.

SINCE THEN, THEY HAVE BEEN
REGULAR VISITORS...

AND THEY'VE PROVED THAT
THEY'RE NOT TO BE MESSED WITH.

[SQUAWKING]

WHEN ANOTHER GOOSE CAME IN
TO CHECK OUT THE NEW WATERHOLE,

OUR MALE MADE IT CLEAR THIS
WATERHOLE WAS NOT FOR SHARING.

[SCREECHES]

EVEN THE ARRIVAL
OF A MARTIAL EAGLE,

A PREDATOR THAT CAN TAKE PREY
AS LARGE AS A BABY ANTELOPE,

DIDN'T PUT THEM OFF.

[HYENA YOWLING]

AND NEITHER DID THE HYENA.

[GEESE HONKING,
HYENAS GRUNTING]

AFTER TWO MONTHS,

THESE GEESE
HAVE SECURED THEIR PLACE

AS THE MONARCHS
OF THE WATERHOLE.

LOTS OF ANIMALS
ARE COMING TO THE WATERHOLE,

BUT THESE GEESE HAVE REALLY
MADE THIS THEIR HOME.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE FIRST ANIMALS
THAT SHOWED UP,

AND THEY'VE BEEN HERE
EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN HERE.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
THE DOMINANT SPECIES
AT THE WATERHOLE

HAVE CHANGED WITH EACH SEASON,
BUT THERE'S ONE REGULAR

I THOUGHT I WOULD
DEFINITELY SEE THIS TIME AROUND.

A HUGE CAPE BUFFALO HERD
WERE USING THEIR SHEER NUMBERS

TO MUSCLE OUT THE COMPETITION.

NOW THEY'RE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND,

SO I HEAD OUT
WITH BOB TO LOOK FOR THEM.

YOU CAN SMELL THEM,
I MEAN, REALLY SMELL THEM.

POOLE: I'M GOING...
I'M GOING TO STOP
RIGHT HERE ON THIS SAND.

THERE MUST BE
OVER A HUNDRED BUFFALO

JUST SPREAD ACROSS HERE,
AND SOME OF THEM ARE
REALLY CLOSE,

AND WHAT'S SO GREAT IS THAT
THESE ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERS

THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING
OVER AND OVER AGAIN, RIGHT,

AT THE WATERHOLE.

NUMBER-ONE VISITATION
HAS BEEN BUFFALO.

YEAH.
IT'S THIS AMAZING GRASS

THAT'S BROUGHT THEM OUT
BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY'RE

REALLY IN THE THICK BUSH.

THEY DON'T REALLY
COME OUT TILL NIGHT.

THEIR HERD'S SPLIT
IN TWO RIGHT NOW.

THEY BOTH WANT TO
HEAD FOR THE FOREST.

THAT'S A LITTLE BIT
OF A STAMPEDE THERE.

BEEN SEEING
BUFFALO ALL THE TIME
AT THE WATERHOLE, RIGHT?

THEY'RE THE NUMBER-ONE
CHARACTER.

WE KNOW THE DATA SHOWS

THAT THE NUMBER-ONE ANIMAL
AT THE WATERHOLE ARE BUFFALOES,

BUT EVERY TIME
I'VE BEEN HERE,

BUFFALOES HAVE
COME TO THE WATERHOLE,

BUT IT'S ALWAYS AT NIGHT,

AND BOB AND I DROVE
INTO THIS GLADE AND, BANG, RAN

INTO WELL OVER
A HUNDRED BUFFALO.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY
SCATTERED ALL THROUGH HERE.

THERE'S TWO HERDS
BOTH SIDES OF THIS...

THIS LITTLE FOREST GLADE,
AND IT'S THIS GRASS,

THE RAINY SEASON,
ALL THIS GRASS,

THAT'S WHAT'S
MADE THE BUFFALO COME OUT

DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS.

AND SO IT'S KIND OF
A COOL THING FOR US
TO SEE THIS,

TO SEE HOW CHANGE
IN THE WEATHER

AND THE RAINS HAVE
REALLY PROMPTED AN ANIMAL

THAT USUALLY IS
IN THE THICK BUSH

TO COME OUT IN THE OPEN
DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE
FORMIDABLE ANIMALS.

ACTUALLY TODAY,
TODAY SOMEONE

ON THIS RESERVE
GOT HURT BY A BUFFALO,

SO YOU REALLY DON'T WANT
TO RUN INTO A BUFFALO.

I MEAN, THEY'RE
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL,

AND THEY HANG OUT
IN BIG GROUPS LIKE THIS,

AND THE PREDATORS
THAT GO AFTER THEM,
THE HYENAS AND THE LIONS,

THEY REALLY HAVE TO BE
TOUGH, TOUGH ANIMALS

AND IN BIG, BIG GROUP SIZES

TO BE ABLE
TO TAKE DOWN A BUFFALO.

POOLE: SANJAYAN, SEE
THE WAY THAT THEY'RE
LOOKING AT YOU NOW?

YEAH.
THIS IS THEIR
BEHAVIOR, RIGHT?

YEAH.
WHEN THEY SENSE
A THREAT,

RATHER THAN RUN AWAY,
THEY OFTEN START
COMING AT IT,

AND THAT'S WHY,
YOU KNOW...

THEY'RE NOT
FAST ANIMALS.

THEIR ONLY ALTERNATIVE
IS TO FIGHT, RIGHT?

SO THEN THEY'RE
GROUPED TOGETHER,
AND BOTH SIDES

START COMING BACK
TOWARDS US NOW
IF YOU WATCH,

AND THAT'S KIND OF,
I THINK, WHAT'S
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

YOU SEE THEY BOTH
HAVE MOVED AT LEAST

20 METERS CLOSER TO US
IN THE LAST 5 MINUTES,

AND THEY'RE GOING TO
KEEP DOING THAT.

[INSECTS BUZZING]

POOLE: HOW INCREDIBLE.
SUNSET AND TO HAVE THEM

COME OUT IN THE OPEN
LIKE THIS.
YEAH.

GOSH.
IT'S COCKTAIL HOUR, BOB,

AND THAT'S WHEN
THE BUFFALOES COME OUT.

AMAZING FOOTAGE.
SO GOOD TO BE HERE
WITH YOU, MAN.

JUST STUNNING.
YEAH.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
EVERY SINGLE BIG ANIMAL SPECIES

THAT WAS COMING
TO OUR WATERHOLE DAILY,

LIKE CAPE BUFFALO,
ARE NOW ON THE MOVE...

AND IT'S ALL BEING DRIVEN
BY THE GREEN STUFF.

THESE GRASSES REALLY COME
TO LIFE IN THE RAINY SEASON.

I'VE WALKED BY RIGHT HERE
WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS

AND NEVER PAID THIS BIT OF WHAT
LOOKED LIKE BARE EARTH

MUCH MIND,
BUT NOW WITH THE RAINS,

IT JUST COMES TO LIFE,
AND YOU REALLY REALIZE THAT

GRASSES ARE SUCH A HUGE PART
OF THIS ECOSYSTEM.

I MEAN, THEY'RE
THE SAVANNAS OF AFRICA.

ABOUT HALF OF AFRICA
IS SAVANNAS,

AND THESE SAVANNA GRASS
IN AFRICA ARE REALLY SPECIAL,

AND THEY JUST DRIVE
THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.

IN THE DRY SEASON, MOST OF THESE
GRASSES ARE COMPLETELY LOST

ON YOU IF YOU WALK BY HERE
BECAUSE MOST OF THEIR BIOMASS

IS ACTUALLY UNDERGROUND.

IT'S IN THEIR ROOTS,
PROTECTING THEMSELVES,

STILL ALIVE,
WHEREAS ABOVE GROUND

IT JUST LOOKS COMPLETELY DEAD,

AND THEN IN THE WET SEASON,
THEY QUICKLY CHANGE THAT,

AND THEY PUT ALL OF THE LIFE
ABOVE GROUND AND QUICKLY GROW.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
REMEMBER, FOR 5 MONTHS,
THERE'S BEEN VERY LITTLE TO EAT,

SO NOW IS THE TIME TO BINGE.

NOW AS THIS GRASS
STARTS TO GROW,

IT STARTS ATTRACTING HERBIVORES,

AND WILDEBEEST, WHICH
ARE NOW MOVING INTO THIS AREA,

ARE REALLY ATTRACTED
BY SHORT GRASS.

YOU KNOW, THE BIG HERDS
OF MIGRATING WILDEBEEST

ARE REALLY DRAWN
TO THIS PART OF THE WORLD

DURING THE RAINY SEASON

BECAUSE
OF THAT YOUNG GRASS GROWTH.

SO THIS ENDLESS CYCLE
OF MIGRATION

THAT YOU SEE
OF THE WILDEBEESTS COMING

INTO THE SOUTHERN
SERENGETI AND THEN MOVING

NORTH INTO KENYA
AND THEN BACK AGAIN EVERY YEAR,

1.2 MILLION STRONG,

THAT'S ALL DRIVEN
BY THE GROWTH OF GRASS

AND THE RAINS
THAT COME THAT SPUR IT ON.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
AND GUESS WHAT. THE WORLD-FAMOUS
WILDEBEEST MIGRATION

IS HEADING IN THIS DIRECTION,
LOOKING FOR GRASS.

THEY'VE BEEN MAKING
AN EPIC JOURNEY

250 MILES SOUTH FROM KENYA.

TOGETHER, THEY CAN DRINK
3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER

AND EAT UP TO 4,000 TONS
OF GRASS EVERY DAY.

TO GET A SENSE OF THE IMPACT
THEY'RE HAVING ON THE AREA

AND OUR WATERHOLE COMMUNITY,
I'M TAKING TO THE AIR.

FROM THIS ALTITUDE,
I CAN SEE THE ENORMITY

OF THIS, THE SCALE OF THIS.

IT'S MIND-BOGGLING.

THERE'S WILDEBEEST
QUITE LITERALLY FROM THERE

ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE HORIZON,
ALL THE WAY BEHIND ME,

AND REALLY JUST AS FAR
AS THE EYE CAN SEE.

FROM HERE,
I PROBABLY AM LOOKING

AT MAYBE 30,000 WILDEBEEST,
40,000 WILDEBEEST,

BUT THIS IS JUST A SMALL PART
OF THE 1.5 MILLION WILDEBEEST

THAT MAKE IT OUT HERE
ON THEIR ANNUAL MIGRATION.

ALL THESE ANIMALS ARE STREAMING
TOWARDS THE WATERHOLE...

AND JUST THEIR SHEER PRESENCE

IS ALREADY AFFECTING
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR.

WE'RE NOT VERY FAR
FROM OUR WATERHOLE.

AN HOUR'S DRIVE,
AND I'LL HIT OUR WATERHOLE.

MAYBE WE'RE 20, 30 MILES AWAY.

THE PREDATORS THAT USED
TO HANG AROUND OUR WATERHOLE

MUST BE TEMPTED TO BE OUT HERE
WITH THIS ENORMOUS BANQUET.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
I BET YOU THAT OUR HYENA CLAN
IS NOW SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE,

TRACKING THIS MIGRATION
FOR AN EASY MEAL.

GETTING EYE TO EYE
WITH THIS HERD REVEALS

WHY THIS HUGE NUMBER
OF ANIMALS HAVE TO KEEP MOVING.

WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THESE WILDEBEEST,

THEY'RE ALMOST
CONSTANTLY EATING.

NOW GRASS TURNS OUT
NOT TO BE THAT NUTRITIOUS.

YOU'VE GOT TO EAT A LOT OF GRASS
IN ORDER TO EXTRACT ENERGY,

AND FOR WILDEBEEST, IT'S ABOUT
6.5% OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT,

QUITE A LOT OF GRASS
THAT THEY HAVE TO EAT.

A 500-, 600-POUND WILDEBEEST

WILL HAVE TO EAT,
LIKE, 50 POUNDS OF GRASS A DAY,

AND THAT MEANS THEY HAVE
TO CONSTANTLY KEEP MOVING.

HEAD DOWN, EAT, MOVE,
HEAD DOWN, EAT, MOVE,

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY DO,

AND THEY
DO THAT IN HUGE NUMBERS.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
BECAUSE WILDEBEEST
HAVE NO LEADER,

THE MIGRATING HERD OFTEN
BREAKS UP INTO SMALLER GROUPS

THAT CIRCLE THE MAIN MEGA HERD.

BY SPLITTING, THEY DO HAVE SOME
PROTECTION FROM PREDATORS...

BUT THERE'S
NO AVOIDING THE RISK.

NOW WITH THAT ALSO COMES
THE PREDATORS,

THE PREDATORS THAT DOMINATED
OUR LANDSCAPE,

OUR WATERHOLE,
WHERE THEY SAT AND WAITED

FOR FOOD TO COME TO THEM,
ARE NOW OUT AND ABOUT

IN THIS HUGE LANDSCAPE, HUNTING
LOOKING FOR THESE WILDEBEEST.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY LIONS
YET SO FAR,

BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE
PREDATORS AROUND BECAUSE

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOP
OF THE TREES,

YOU CAN SEE VULTURES,
AND THOSE VULTURES ARE

JUST HERE BECAUSE THEY KNOW
THERE'S A MEAL TO BE HAD.

WHEN YOU HAVE
1.5 MILLION WILDEBEEST,

YOU KNOW THAT SOME
ARE GOING TO DIE TODAY.

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS YEAR
THE MIGRATION IS GOING TO SKIRT

AROUND OUR WATERHOLE...

BUT THEY'VE DEFINITELY PULLED

A LOT OF PREDATORS
OUT OF THE AREA...

AND THAT HAS TURNED
OUR WATERHOLE INTO A SAFE HAVEN

FOR MANY SPECIES.

[WILDEBEEST GRUNTING]

THE ENDLESS BANQUET
OF GRASS AND FLOWERS

ISN'T JUST
BRINGING IN THE BIG STUFF.

IT'S ALSO ATTRACTING
AN EXCITING ARRAY

OF INSECT LIFE TO THE WATERHOLE.

[BUZZING]

THE WANDERING GLIDER MIGRATES

A STAGGERING 11,000 MILES
FROM INDIA TO AFRICA,

FURTHER THAN ANY OTHER INSECT.

AND THEY'RE NOT
THE ONLY NEW ARRIVALS.

BUSH CRICKETS CAN HAVE ANTENNAE

THAT ARE LONGER
THAN THEIR ENTIRE BODY.

THE COMMON DIADEM BUTTERFLY MALE
IS BLACK WITH WHITE SPOTS...

BUT THE FEMALE IS MAINLY ORANGE,

MIMICKING A TOXIC BUTTERFLY
TO AVOID BEING EATEN.

OUR FILMING HIDE PERCHED
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WATER

IS ALSO PROVIDING A HOME

TO ONE INCREDIBLE INSECT,

ALTHOUGH I AM HAPPY
TO WATCH FROM AFAR.

SO ONE OF THE REASONS
I HAVEN'T GONE...

SPENT A LOT OF TIME
IN THERE IN THAT HIDE

RIGHT NOW IS THERE'S
ALSO A WASP NEST IN THERE,

AND THE WASPS HAVE FOUND
THE CEILING OF THE HIDE

TO BE SORT OF A DRY PLACE,
AND THEY BUILT A NEST THERE,

AND I THINK THEY'VE GOT
LARVAE INSIDE THOSE TUBES,

AND THEY'RE
GONNA HATCH AT SOME POINT.

OH, THAT'S... IS
THAT A DIFFERENT ONE?

MAN: DIFFERENT
ONE. THERE
ARE 3 IN THERE.

3 NESTS OF PAPER WASP
IN THE HIDE.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

YOU KNOW, THESE WASPS
ARE PREDATORY WASPS,

SO THEY'RE FINDING THINGS
LIKE INSECT LARVAE THAT THEY'RE

BRINGING BACK,
AND THEY'LL END UP FEEDING

THE BABIES WITH THAT.

[BUZZING]

I'VE MADE IT SORT OF MY LIFE
TO AVOID WASPS, TO BE HONEST,

AND AS A KID, I GOT
STUNG BY THEM QUITE BADLY,

AND I WAS
SLIGHTLY FEARFUL OF THEM,

SO IT'S QUITE NICE
TO SIT HERE IN THE GALLERY

AND WATCH THESE WASPS
AT WORK IN OUR HIDE

IN KIND OF EXQUISITE DETAIL.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY
QUITE BEAUTIFUL.

THESE ARE FEMALE QUEENS
BASICALLY

TRYING TO GET
THEIR BABIES, THEIR LARVAE

TO HATCH AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE,

AND SHE FEEDS THEM.

THERE'S
A LOT OF PARENTAL CARE.

YOU THINK ABOUT A WASP
OR AN INSECT

AND YOU THINK, "WELL,
HOW MUCH PARENTAL CARE

COULD THEY GIVE?"
BUT IT'S REALLY AMAZING

HOW MUCH
ATTENTION THEY WILL PAY.

SO FIRST OF ALL,
SHE'S PICKED THE PERFECT PLACE

FOR THESE NESTS.

I MEAN, THEY'RE ON THE UNDERSIDE
OF A HIDE,

WHICH SHE HAS TO GET TO
BY FLYING

OVER WATER AND THEN DUCKING
THROUGH, YOU KNOW,

SORT OF THE WINDOW,
BUT SHE ALSO HAS TO FEED THEM,

AND WHAT THEY FEED ON
IS INSECT PREY,

WHICH SHE'LL BRING BACK IN HER
MOUTH AND THEN FEED THE LARVAE,

TEMPTING THEM OUT TO COME OUT
OF THEIR NEST BY GENTLY

SCRATCHING ON IT TO GIVE
THEM A SIGNAL THAT SHE'S AROUND

AND THEN GIVE THEM FOOD.

I'M TOLD THAT THIS TIME
OF THE YEAR

WHEN THEY'VE GOT
NESTS LIKE THIS,

THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT
THAT DANGEROUS

BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST TRYING
TO BE CALM,

PROTECT THEIR BABIES,

AND BASICALLY GET THEM
HATCHED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

SO THAT SHE'S
NO LONGER TIED TO THIS NEST.

BUT I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO
REALLY TEST THAT OUT,

AND I'M QUITE HAPPY TO WATCH

THESE PAPER WASPS FROM OUT HERE.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS
PLACE BECOME

A HOME FOR SO MANY SPECIES.

THE LONG-TERM AIM FOR THIS
WATERHOLE IS TO PROVIDE WATER

FOR ANIMALS

BUT ALSO HELP
REDUCE HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT.

WHILE MWIBA IS
A PROTECTED RESERVE,

PEOPLE LIVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS.

THERE'S CONFLICT OVER WATER

WITH ANIMALS LIKE
ELEPHANTS IN THE DRY SEASON,

SO I'M INTERESTED TO SEE
WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW.

QUITE
A PRETTY FIELD.
YEAH.

JUST 10 MILES
FROM THE WATERHOLE

IS A VILLAGE THAT HAS
AN ONGOING ELEPHANT PROBLEM.

MAN: THIS IS
OUR CHIEF.
SANJAYAN: OK.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: I'VE COME
AT THE INVITATION

OF VILLAGE CHIEF
KASOMI IFAGELO,

WHO RUNS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
FARMS IN THE AREA.

THIS IS OUR CHIEF
OF THE VILLAGE.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: SYLVESTER,
A LOCAL GUIDE,

IS MY TRANSLATOR.

SANJAYAN: AND WHAT
ARE THEY GROWING HERE?

[SPEAKING LOCAL LANGUAGE]

AND THE VILLAGE
IS VERY CLOSE

TO MWIBA, RIGHT,
IT'S IN THE MIDDLE

OF ALL THIS
CONSERVATION AREAS,

ALL AROUND IT.
YES, YES, YES.

SO THEY MUST HAVE
ELEPHANT OR BUFFALO

COMING
INTO THE CROPS.

IS THE PROBLEM WORSE

IN THE DRY SEASON
OR THE WET SEASON?

SO THE MORE DANGER
IS WHEN THERE'S

A BIG GROUP
OF ELEPHANT.
BIG GROUP, YEAH.

HOW BIG CAN
THE GROUPS BE

IN THE WET SEASON?

80 ELEPHANTS?
YES, YES.

CAN YOU IMAGINE
WHAT 80 ELEPHANTS
WOULD LOOK LIKE

GOING THROUGH HERE?
YEAH, SURE.

[ROOSTER CROWING]

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: THE HOPE
IS THAT EVENTUALLY OUR WATERHOLE

WILL HELP KEEP ELEPHANTS
MOSTLY IN THE RESERVE...

[CLUCKING]

BUT IN THE MEANTIME,
A CONSERVATION OFFICER

HAS COME UP
WITH INVENTIVE SOLUTIONS

TO KEEP ELEPHANTS AWAY.

HIS NAME IS SEEJA SOLUMU.

OK. SO WHAT DOES HE USE
TO CHASE ELEPHANTS?

[SPEAKING LOCAL LANGUAGE]

[HONK]

JEEZ.

CHA CHA CHA!

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: WHEN HORNS
ARE NOT ENOUGH,

SEEJA PULLS OUT
THE BIG GUNS.

OUT HERE, IT'S NOT
WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK.

SO THIS THEY'RE TOLD
TO CARRY...

HE ACTUALLY HAS...
OH, A CONDOM.

CONDOM. HA HA HA!

THAT'S THE FIRST
IN THE SHOW.

ANOTHER USE
OF CONDOM.

I GUESS SO.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: BY PUTTING
A FIRECRACKER

AND SOME CHILI POWDER
IN A CONDOM...
WOW!

SEEJA IS TRYING TO USE
SOUND AND SMELL

TO SCARE ELEPHANTS AWAY.

[SPEAKING LOCAL
LANGUAGE]

KIND OF WHAT'S
INGENIOUS ABOUT THIS

IS THAT THEY'RE
MAKING ALL OF THIS

FROM THINGS THAT
THEY CAN GET LOCALLY,

AND I ACTUALLY
REALLY LIKE THAT.

YOU CAN BUY A CONDOM
IN ANY DRUG STORE
AROUND HERE.

YOU KNOW, FIRECRACKERS
ARE WELL AVAILABLE,

AND THEY'RE USING
LOCAL CHILI
AND LOCAL SAND.

SO IT'S NOT
VERY HIGH-TECH,

BUT IT'S AVAILABLE
TO VILLAGERS.

THAT'S PROBABLY
WHAT MAKES IT
MOST EFFECTIVE.

LOOK AT THAT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S
A NUMBER OF JOKES

RUNNING THROUGH
MY HEAD RIGHT NOW,

ALL OF THEM PROBABLY
NOT USEFUL.

WOW!

OK. SO THE CHILI BOMB
IS READY.

[SPEAKING LOCAL LANGUAGE]

THE SAND WILL
SPREAD IT,

AND THE CHILIES...

WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO GO LIGHT IT
SOMEWHERE.

NOT HERE.

NO.
WE HAVE TO.

YOU CANNOT... THAT
IS IMPOSSIBLE

TO NOT LIGHT
THIS THING.

WE WILL ACTUALLY,
UH, CHASE AWAY PEOPLE HERE.

I DON'T CARE HOW
FAR WE HAVE TO GO.

THERE'S NO WAY
WE'RE NOT
LIGHTING THAT.

HA HA!
HA HA HA!

WITH THESE
PEPPER CONDOM BOMBS,

THE TRICK APPARENTLY IS
THAT YOU HAVE TO

HOIST IT HIGH IN THE AIR
SO THAT ONCE

IT GETS DOWN THERE
IT BLOWS UP.

OTHERWISE, IF YOU JUST
CHUCK IT STRAIGHT OUT,

IT'LL JUST SIT THERE
FOR A WHILE

BEFORE THE FUSE BURNS DOWN.

SO THERE'S A WHOLE SCIENCE
OF ARCING THIS THING OVER

TO GET IT TO NEAR
WHERE THE ELEPHANT IS

SO JUST AS IT'S COMING DOWN
IT EXPLODES.

OH!

NO BOOM.
SYLVESTER: NOTHING.

SANJAYAN:
MOTHER OF GOD.

NOTHING.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: I THINK
IT'S SAFE TO SAY

THAT NO ELEPHANTS,
OR CONDOMS FOR THAT MATTER,

WERE HARMED
DURING THIS FILMING.

SANJAYAN: WE'LL JUST
DO IT IN POST.

[LAUGHTER]

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER: HERE'S
WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

[TAPE REWINDING]

[FLICKING LIGHTER]

[CRACK]

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
A BIG NOISE LOUD ENOUGH

TO PUT OFF ANY ELEPHANTS
IN THE AREA

BUT NOT ACTUALLY HARM THEM,

SAVING THEIR LIVES
AND THE VILLAGERS' CROPS.

♪

BACK AT THE WATERHOLE,

THERE'S A DIFFERENT EXPLOSION
GOING ON...

AN EXPLOSION OF INSECT LIFE.

HOVERFLIES ARE HARMLESS,
BUT THEY MIMIC WASPS

AND STINGING BEES
TO WARD OFF PREDATORS.

LEAF ROLLER MOTHS PUPATE
FROM INSIDE A ROLLED-UP LEAF

SEALED SHUT
WITH THE CATERPILLAR SILK.

NEW INSECT LIFE
IS ATTRACTING MORE BIRD SPECIES,

INCLUDING ONE THAT
HAS DECIDED TO BE ROOMMATES

WITH PAPER WASPS IN OUR HIDE.

WE GOT A PAIR OF SWALLOWS
THAT HAVE MADE

OUR HIDE BY THE WATERHOLE
THEIR OWN HOME.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
EARLY IN THE DRY SEASON,

OUR CAMERAS CAPTURED
THE MOMENT WHEN THESE SWALLOWS

WERE FIRST CHOOSING
WHERE TO BUILD A NEST.

THESE SWALLOWS TYPICALLY NEST
UNDER BRIDGES FOR PROTECTION,

AND THE ROOF OF OUR HIDE
OFFERS A GREAT ALTERNATIVE.

OUR WATERHOLE ALSO PROVIDED
THE BUILDING MATERIALS.

THEY CONSTRUCT
THEIR NESTS FROM MUD,

AND YOU CAN SEE
THIS ONE'S BEAK FULL OF MUD

DECIDING WHERE
TO START PLASTERING.

[CHIRPING]

REALLY A BEAUTIFUL SWALLOW.

USUALLY SWIFTS AND SWALLOWS,

YOU SEE THEM IN FLIGHT,
THEY'RE QUITE HIGH UP,

AND THEY JUST LOOK LIKE
SILHOUETTES

LIKE LITTLE FIGHTER JETS
ZOOMING ACROSS THE SKY,

BUT THESE ONES
ARE PROBABLY, I THINK,

THE PRETTIEST SWALLOWS
THAT YOU CAN FIND AROUND HERE.

THEY HAVE
REALLY DISTINCT MARKINGS.

THEY HAVE JUST WONDERFUL
STRIPES UNDER THEIR BELLY

AND THEIR CHIN AND THEN
A REAL RED HEAD

AND THEN THESE V-SHAPED TAIL.

THEY'RE CALLED
THE LESSER STRIPED SWALLOW,

AND THEY'RE NOT RESIDENT HERE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY MIGRANTS HERE.

THEY LIVE IN SOUTHERN PART OF
AFRICA IN, LIKE, SOUTH AFRICA,

AND THEN THEY MAKE
THEIR WAY FURTHER NORTH

ALL THE WAY UP HERE
TO TANZANIA, WHERE THEY BREED.

WE DON'T YET KNOW
HOW MANY CHICKS

ARE IN THE NEST,
BUT THE PARENTS ARE FLAT-OUT.

WE SEE THEM BRING
BACK FOOD EVERY 20 MINUTES.

ONE THING THAT WE'RE
NOT SHORT OF RIGHT NOW ARE BUGS.

I MEAN, THEY'RE
JUST EVERYWHERE,

AND THE MOST NUISANCE BUGS THAT
YOU FIND ARE REALLY FLIES

THAT ARE HERE REALLY
ATTRACTED BY THE MIGRATION

THAT'S HAPPENING
SORT OF ALL AROUND US,

AND THAT'S WHAT
THESE GUYS ARE AFTER.

I MEAN, THESE
SWALLOWS AND SWIFTS CATCH

INSECTS ON THE WING, USUALLY
QUITE HIGH UP IN THE AIR,

AND THERE'S SUCH A PROFUSION
OF INSECT LIFE RIGHT NOW

THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY
PROBLEM FOR THESE SWALLOWS

TO FEED THEIR BABIES.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
EVEN BETTER, SINCE SWALLOWS
RETURN TO THE SAME NEST SITE

YEAR AFTER YEAR,

OUR HIDE COULD WELL BE
THEIR HOME LONG INTO THE FUTURE.

OUR SPECIES LIST
IS NOW APPROACHING 100.

THE NUMBER AND VARIETY
OF SPECIES IS IMPRESSIVE

CONSIDERING THE WATERHOLE
IS JUST 6 MONTHS OLD...

BUT HOW DOES IT COMPARE

TO A NATURALLY
OCCURRING WATER SOURCE?

MWIBA IS PART OF ONE
OF THE OLDEST ECOSYSTEMS

ON EARTH, THE SERENGETI,

AND 4 MILES
FROM OUR WATERHOLE IS ONE

OF THE OLDEST
WATER POINTS ON THE RESERVE.

IT'S CALLED SELE SPRINGS.

IT'S HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD

BUT ALMOST DISAPPEARED
IN THE DRY SEASON.

THANKS TO THE RECENT RAINS,
IT'S FULL AGAIN.

TO FIND OUT HOW THIS
ANCIENT SPRING CONTRASTS

TO OUR FLEDGLING WATERHOLE,

WE'VE BROUGHT IN
DR. MEREDITH PALMER.

SHE'S BEEN STUDYING
THE SERENGETI ECOSYSTEM

FOR OVER A DECADE,
AND SHE'S BEEN USING

CAMERA TRAPS AT SELE SPRINGS

TO GATHER DATA
OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS.

PALMER: SO HERE
IF WE'RE FOCUSING

ON THE MAMMAL SPECIES
SHOWING UP AT EACH SITE,

WE CAN SEE THAT
HERE AT SELE SPRINGS

WE HAVE VERY SIMILAR NUMBERS
OF MAMMALS SHOWING UP.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
INCREDIBLY, OUR WATERHOLE

IS ALREADY SUSTAINING
AS MANY SPECIES AS SELE...

AND THERE ARE SOME ANIMALS

THAT ARE ONLY COMING
TO OUR NEW WATERHOLE.

WE'RE GETTING MORE MONGOOSE,

PORCUPINE, RABBITS
SPRING HARES,

A LOT MORE MONKEYS HERE.

AT OUR WATERHOLE
ON THE OTHER HAND,

WE'RE GETTING SERVALS.

WE HAVE THINGS
LIKE WATERBUCK, KUDU,

BUT WE DON'T SEE
THEM AT SELE SPRINGS.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
DR. PALMER'S RESEARCH IS ALSO

SHOWING THAT WILDLIFE IS
BEHAVING DIFFERENTLY

AT EACH SITE.

DESPITE IT BEING NEW
IN THE LANDSCAPE,

THE ANIMALS ARE
MORE COMFORTABLE DRINKING

AT OUR WATERHOLE THEN AT SELE.

PALMER: SO IMPALA ARE
SPENDING FAR MORE TIME THERE

THAN THEY ARE AT SELE.

WE CAN SEE THE SAME
WITH GIRAFFE.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
AT OUR WATERHOLE,

IMPALA STAY FOR AROUND
HALF AN HOUR...

TWICE THE LENGTH OF TIME

THEY SPEND
AT THE NATURAL SPRINGS.

THAT'S THE SAME
FOR ZEBRA AND GIRAFFE.

WHY DO YOU THINK
THAT IS?

COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE.

OUR WATERHOLE IS
A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN.

YOU CAN SEE
THE PREDATORS COMING,

AND THEY MIGHT FEEL
SAFER TO STAY LONGER.

SANJAYAN: BY WORKING WITH MWIBA
AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

TO BUILD OUR WATERHOLE
IN AN OPEN AREA,

WE'VE MADE IT A SAFER PLACE
FOR MANY ANIMALS TO VISIT.

PREDATORS HAVE FEWER
CHANCES TO HIDE,

AND AS A RESULT,
A LOT OF SPECIES

SEEM TO BE TAKING THEIR TIME
AT THIS BRAND-NEW WATER SOURCE.

WHAT IS SURPRISING,
I MEAN, IT REALLY IS
KIND OF STUNNING TO ME

THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD
PUT A WATERHOLE IN

IN A PLACE THAT
DIDN'T HAVE WATER
BEFORE...

MM-HMM.
AND SO QUICKLY GET

THE SAME NUMBER
OF SPECIES ROUGHLY,

NOT NECESSARILY
THE EXACT SAME SPECIES,

BUT THAT ANIMALS DO
FIND THEM AND START
USING IT

PRETTY QUICKLY,
PARTICULARLY
THE BIG ONES.

YEAH, I THINK
IT'S AMAZING HOW QUICKLY

THE COMMUNITY ASSEMBLED

AT OUR WATERHOLE,
HOW MANY ANIMALS WE GOT

AND HOW SOON THEY SHOWED UP.

WE'RE SEEING
THE SAME FORCES SHAPE

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
AT OUR WATERHOLE

AND AT OTHER WATERHOLES
LIKE THIS,

AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S
STILL AN EXPERIMENT
IN PROGRESS,

THE COMMUNITY
IS STILL JOSTLING

AND ASSEMBLING
AND BECOMING A WATERHOLE.

HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LOOK THROUGH
ALL THIS DATA

AND AT SUCH A FINE SCALE
HAS JUST BEEN REALLY
FASCINATING.

I GUESS ONE THING
IT TELLS ME THAT

IN A LANDSCAPE THAT IS
PATCHY WITH RESPECT

TO WATER...
WATER SOURCES

ARE THERE ONE DAY
AND GONE THE NEXT...

ANIMALS IN THIS PART
OF AFRICA ARE

SUPREMELY ADAPTED.

YEAH.
CHANGING THEIR BEHAVIOR

TO FIT
THE LOCAL CONDITIONS

AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF OPPORTUNITY.

EXACTLY.

IT'S KIND OF COOL.

YEAH.
YEAH. HEH HEH.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
IT'S OUR LAST DAY...

AND WE'RE STILL ADDING
NEW ANIMALS TO THE SPECIES LIST.

THE HOOPOE IS NAMED
AFTER ITS DISTINCT CALL

THAT SOUNDS A BIT LIKE
"HOOP HOOP."

[HOOP HOOP]

THE WOODLAND KINGFISHER IS
ONE OF MANY KINGFISHER SPECIES

THAT DON'T JUST EAT FISH.

THEY ALSO HUNT INSECTS,
FROGS, AND EVEN SNAKES...

AND THE RUFOUS-TAILED WEAVER.
IS A MONOGAMOUS BIRD

THAT IS ONLY FOUND
HERE IN EAST AFRICA

AND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

WE'VE BEEN RECORDING
A HUGE VARIETY OF WILDLIFE

OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS...

SO LET'S DRILL INTO THE DATA
TO SEE HOW THIS WATERHOLE

ACTUALLY FUNCTIONED OVER TIME.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD
SOMETHING LIKE 1,400 HOURS

OF CAMERA DATA,
OF OBSERVATION

THAT GAVE US ALMOST
800 MAMMAL SIGHTINGS

AT THIS WATERHOLE, WHICH IS
AN ASTONISHING DATA SET.

[HUFFS]

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS,

WE HAD NO LESS THAN 105 SPECIES
VISITING OUR WATERHOLE,

AND THE DATA
GIVES US SOME GREAT INSIGHT.

THE BIGGEST HERD AWARD
GOES TO CAPE BUFFALO.

THEY REGULARLY
TOOK OVER THE WATERHOLE

WITH OVER 80 INDIVIDUALS
AT A TIME...

BUT THEY DIDN'T SPEND THE MOST
AMOUNT OF TIME DRINKING.

CLOCKING UP
AN IMPRESSIVE 19 HOURS,

IMPALAS TAKE THAT CROWN.

THEY LOVED THE SAFETY
PROVIDED BY THE OPEN LANDSCAPE

AROUND THE WATERHOLE.

OF ALL THE ANIMALS
THAT SHOWED UP, THERE WAS

ONE SPECIES THAT CAME TO OUR
WATERHOLE MORE THAN ANY OTHER,

AND IT'S NOT
WHO YOU MIGHT THINK.

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

THE TOP VISITOR
TO THE WATERHOLE WAS...

[HYENA CHATTERING]

SPOTTED HYENA.

IT TURNS OUT THAT BUFFALOES
AND HYENAS

REALLY DOMINATED THIS WATERHOLE.

THEY CAME OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I MIGHT HAVE GUESSED BUFFALOES.

I WOULD HAVE
NEVER GUESSED HYENAS.

SANJAYAN, VOICE-OVER:
I'D ALWAYS ASSUMED THAT
WATER-DEPENDENT HERBIVORES

WOULD VISIT THE WATERHOLE
THE MOST,

BUT IT'S ACTUALLY
GREAT NEWS THAT

HYENAS CAME SO FREQUENTLY.

SCIENTISTS KNOW THAT
THEY CAN EAT ANIMALS THAT

HAVE DIED FROM DISEASE,

DISEASE THAT MIGHT PROVE
DEADLY TO OTHER SPECIES.

THEIR STOMACH ACID
AND IMMUNE SYSTEM IS SO STRONG,

THEY CAN EVEN DIGEST
ANTHRAX AND SURVIVE.

IF THEY RETURN,
HYENAS WILL HELP KEEP

THIS NEW ECOSYSTEM HEALTHY,
ACTING AS THE CLEANUP CREW,

EATING CARCASSES
THAT COULD SPREAD DISEASE.

THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE
EXPERIMENT ON A GRAND SCALE.

WE'VE HAD A RARE CHANCE
TO SEE A WHOLE COMMUNITY

OF WILDLIFE TAKING
SHAPE AROUND A WATERHOLE

THAT JUST 6 MONTHS AGO
DIDN'T EVEN EXIST.

AND THE GREAT THING IS,
IT'S HERE TO STAY.

IT WILL BENEFIT
FUTURE GENERATIONS OF WILDLIFE

AND ALSO THE PEOPLE
THAT SHARE THIS LAND.

WE BASICALLY DUG
A HOLE, FILLED IT WITH WATER

TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

IT'S FANTASTIC
IS THAT A WHOLE COMMUNITY

OF ANIMALS,
A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM NOW

HAS DEVELOPED
AROUND OUR WATERHOLE,

AND MANY SPECIES AROUND HERE NOW
CALL THIS WATERHOLE THEIR HOME.

♪

♪

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"LIFE AT THE WATERHOLE"

ON DVD.

VISIT
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♪

♪