1 00:00:05,660 --> 00:00:08,060 The Kalahari, 2 00:00:08,140 --> 00:00:11,300 the largest expanse of sand on the planet. 3 00:00:14,300 --> 00:00:18,540 At its center lies a living, breathing miracle... 4 00:00:20,620 --> 00:00:23,260 the Okavango Delta. 5 00:00:28,980 --> 00:00:33,100 Each year, when the land is at its driest, 6 00:00:34,580 --> 00:00:38,100 distant rainfall fills its veins once again. 7 00:00:46,620 --> 00:00:50,580 The Great Flood is the heartbeat... 8 00:00:57,780 --> 00:01:00,540 transforming this land 9 00:01:04,580 --> 00:01:06,980 into a wildlife paradise 10 00:01:07,060 --> 00:01:09,620 like none on Earth. 11 00:02:09,220 --> 00:02:12,140 It's the start of winter. 12 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:15,420 The land is dry. 13 00:02:19,700 --> 00:02:23,780 The rivers have vanished and the flood is yet to come. 14 00:02:37,780 --> 00:02:40,380 Flocks of hungry quelea scour the floodplains 15 00:02:40,460 --> 00:02:42,620 by the thousands. 16 00:02:47,420 --> 00:02:50,020 The grasses have withered and died. 17 00:02:51,220 --> 00:02:54,860 Now only their seeds lie dormant in the dry sand. 18 00:03:00,020 --> 00:03:02,540 The scramble for food is underway. 19 00:03:23,340 --> 00:03:26,380 These dry, unbroken floodplains are the ideal 20 00:03:26,460 --> 00:03:29,260 hunting grounds for a cheetah... 21 00:03:32,420 --> 00:03:36,420 especially a mother with three growing cubs to feed. 22 00:04:02,740 --> 00:04:06,460 Her cubs are completely dependent on her for food. 23 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:14,580 An impala would make the perfect meal. 24 00:04:30,260 --> 00:04:33,020 But the cubs are still too young to hunt. 25 00:04:34,420 --> 00:04:37,700 They'll stay behind to watch and learn. 26 00:04:49,140 --> 00:04:52,460 She is a skilled hunter. 27 00:04:54,060 --> 00:04:58,100 Approaching in silence, she selects her quarry. 28 00:05:02,180 --> 00:05:05,460 Impala horns can be lethal, 29 00:05:06,900 --> 00:05:09,940 she cannot afford to make a mistake. 30 00:05:25,300 --> 00:05:28,460 Speed yes, but agility too. 31 00:05:29,820 --> 00:05:32,860 These are the cheetah's greatest assets. 32 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:11,620 It's a dangerous take down, 33 00:06:12,740 --> 00:06:16,340 but she knows precisely how to kill. 34 00:06:28,100 --> 00:06:31,060 Her son is eager to help. 35 00:06:33,460 --> 00:06:36,420 He is learning fast. 36 00:06:45,140 --> 00:06:49,260 His sister is a little less confident. 37 00:06:55,980 --> 00:06:59,540 For now, feeding her family is easy. 38 00:07:01,060 --> 00:07:05,540 But when the flood comes, it will be another story. 39 00:07:16,820 --> 00:07:21,580 To survive in this dry season, timing is everything... 40 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:31,020 and the leopard is to timing as the cheetah is to speed. 41 00:07:39,580 --> 00:07:42,660 Just when most plants have withered and died, 42 00:07:42,740 --> 00:07:45,900 that's when Kigelia trees burst into life. 43 00:07:58,660 --> 00:08:03,060 Their deep red flowers are filled with sweet nectar. 44 00:08:08,140 --> 00:08:11,460 Vervet monkeys are enticed to drink 45 00:08:12,580 --> 00:08:16,300 and they help pollinate the trees. 46 00:08:19,300 --> 00:08:22,020 In a land that has grown so dry, 47 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:25,820 the juicy blossoms are simply irresistible. 48 00:08:38,420 --> 00:08:42,980 Soon, a velvet carpet covers the ground, 49 00:08:45,660 --> 00:08:49,260 drawing the impala to join the feast. 50 00:08:54,340 --> 00:08:58,380 And it's the impala that this leopard is after. 51 00:09:04,060 --> 00:09:06,900 She'll wait until the monkeys leave. 52 00:09:07,940 --> 00:09:10,780 There can be no witnesses. 53 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:26,700 Now is the time to make her move. 54 00:09:30,460 --> 00:09:32,140 Silently. 55 00:09:32,220 --> 00:09:34,620 Stealthily. 56 00:09:46,260 --> 00:09:48,980 The leopard's ambush is set. 57 00:09:51,060 --> 00:09:54,620 All she must do is wait. 58 00:10:10,260 --> 00:10:14,180 The impala have no idea who's about to drop by. 59 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:22,700 The leopard is surely the most cunning of cats. 60 00:11:38,460 --> 00:11:41,700 Every year in the highlands far to the north, 61 00:11:41,780 --> 00:11:44,220 heavy rains fall. 62 00:12:18,020 --> 00:12:20,340 From a trickle to a flow, 63 00:12:27,340 --> 00:12:31,020 this is the Great Flood's first pulse... 64 00:12:39,460 --> 00:12:43,460 filling the veins and arteries of this thirsty land. 65 00:12:49,860 --> 00:12:53,060 It rejuvenates the barren sands, 66 00:12:58,340 --> 00:13:02,500 and brings the promise of renewal. 67 00:13:07,980 --> 00:13:12,020 This wave of water will transform everything, 68 00:13:13,500 --> 00:13:16,820 as a great oasis is born. 69 00:13:52,060 --> 00:13:55,220 The scent of water beckons on the wind, 70 00:13:57,540 --> 00:14:01,420 drawing herds of grazers back to their winter pastures. 71 00:14:08,460 --> 00:14:12,500 For thousands of Cape buffalo, the flood rolls out a green, 72 00:14:12,580 --> 00:14:15,580 life-sustaining banquet. 73 00:14:17,180 --> 00:14:20,620 Some travel many miles to get here. 74 00:14:25,140 --> 00:14:28,980 The resident lions lie in wait. 75 00:15:01,580 --> 00:15:05,980 For this travel-weary mother, there is no rest yet. 76 00:15:07,140 --> 00:15:11,820 Her calf now faces the most perilous challenge of its life. 77 00:15:16,380 --> 00:15:22,380 (snorting, growling). 78 00:15:26,220 --> 00:15:32,340 (mooing, growling). 79 00:15:41,060 --> 00:15:44,820 These young lions think they have an easy meal. 80 00:15:51,260 --> 00:15:56,060 (mooing, growling). 81 00:15:56,140 --> 00:16:00,580 But the harder they try, the harder this mother fights. 82 00:16:10,020 --> 00:16:13,340 Backup is not far away. 83 00:16:13,420 --> 00:16:16,620 That's one advantage of living in a herd. 84 00:16:24,180 --> 00:16:30,580 (mooing, growling). 85 00:16:42,740 --> 00:16:46,980 Just in time, the other buffalo rally to her cause. 86 00:16:52,220 --> 00:16:56,060 Pick a fight with one and you must fight them all. 87 00:17:07,940 --> 00:17:12,820 The lions are outnumbered and outmatched by a 88 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:16,860 herd that stands shoulder to shoulder. 89 00:17:29,740 --> 00:17:34,220 Together, this fortress of buffalo cannot be breached. 90 00:17:39,460 --> 00:17:43,580 And for now, mothers and calves are safe. 91 00:18:11,620 --> 00:18:14,940 Night and day, the flood's fingers fill deeper and deeper 92 00:18:15,020 --> 00:18:19,420 into the delta, spreading out and feeding the land. 93 00:18:41,020 --> 00:18:43,900 Channels, once empty, 94 00:18:43,980 --> 00:18:47,740 now overflow with the abundance of life. 95 00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:58,380 As water and land merge and become one, 96 00:18:58,460 --> 00:19:03,180 a new world takes shape beneath the surface. 97 00:19:09,460 --> 00:19:12,940 Here, migrants find a welcoming home. 98 00:19:19,860 --> 00:19:23,820 Wild dogs revel in the flood's healing waters. 99 00:19:26,220 --> 00:19:29,860 The emerging swamp makes a great playground. 100 00:19:43,220 --> 00:19:46,780 But there's something strange lurking here, 101 00:19:49,140 --> 00:19:51,940 and they can't resist investigating. 102 00:20:28,420 --> 00:20:32,260 Not all that comes with the flood is welcome. 103 00:20:36,100 --> 00:20:40,260 For a giant rock python, a wild dog pup would 104 00:20:40,340 --> 00:20:42,940 make a tasty meal. 105 00:21:11,300 --> 00:21:14,980 The wild dogs are wary of this unknown visitor. 106 00:21:22,180 --> 00:21:25,780 Although a pack this big could take him on, 107 00:21:36,940 --> 00:21:38,900 when in doubt, the best approach is 108 00:21:38,980 --> 00:21:42,060 to live and let live. 109 00:22:01,940 --> 00:22:04,420 In the cold of winter, 110 00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:07,300 the Great Flood has saturated the land. 111 00:22:09,060 --> 00:22:13,140 Now begins one of the Okavango's greatest spectacles. 112 00:22:21,940 --> 00:22:25,740 Swarms of tiny insects fill the air, 113 00:22:27,940 --> 00:22:31,140 midges and mayflies. 114 00:22:37,380 --> 00:22:40,980 Their emergence is a vital source of protein, 115 00:22:42,180 --> 00:22:45,900 another generous gift of the all-giving flood. 116 00:23:05,020 --> 00:23:09,940 Even the Quelea forego their usual diet of seeds. 117 00:23:31,940 --> 00:23:34,940 Other insects are drawn to the feast, 118 00:23:37,260 --> 00:23:39,860 dragonflies and their smaller cousins, 119 00:23:39,940 --> 00:23:42,180 damselflies. 120 00:23:56,100 --> 00:24:00,100 Over 100 different species gather here. 121 00:24:04,140 --> 00:24:07,460 The Okavango becomes home to one of the biggest 122 00:24:07,540 --> 00:24:11,740 concentrations of their kind anywhere on Earth. 123 00:24:19,220 --> 00:24:23,340 They are here not only to feed, but to mate. 124 00:24:34,700 --> 00:24:38,220 The male makes the first move... 125 00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:46,100 clasping his partner behind her head. 126 00:24:47,740 --> 00:24:51,460 She bends toward him to receive his sperm. 127 00:24:54,780 --> 00:24:58,300 They can remain locked in their heart-shaped embrace 128 00:24:58,380 --> 00:25:01,540 for hours. 129 00:25:11,580 --> 00:25:15,140 The male will keep a firm grip on the female until 130 00:25:15,220 --> 00:25:18,140 she deposits their eggs, 131 00:25:37,260 --> 00:25:40,380 and a new cycle of life begins, 132 00:25:40,460 --> 00:25:43,140 courtesy of the flood. 133 00:25:47,100 --> 00:25:51,420 In just a few months, billions of gallons of water engulf 134 00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:54,500 what was a vast savanna. 135 00:26:03,780 --> 00:26:06,820 As the flood reaches its peak, 136 00:26:06,900 --> 00:26:10,260 only small islands break the surface, 137 00:26:12,460 --> 00:26:16,140 and dry land is hard to come by. 138 00:26:28,420 --> 00:26:33,500 There are some antelope that thrive in wetlands. 139 00:26:35,460 --> 00:26:39,180 Lechwe, with their long hind legs, 140 00:26:39,260 --> 00:26:43,420 can easily outrun any pursuers in this swamp. 141 00:26:48,340 --> 00:26:52,260 Other animals find their own ways to adapt. 142 00:27:01,220 --> 00:27:07,620 (trumpeting, rumbling). 143 00:27:16,100 --> 00:27:20,420 But if you're a giant, water is no barrier. 144 00:27:25,500 --> 00:27:30,220 The flood brings new food, and the elephant's needs 145 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:33,580 are greater than most. 146 00:27:47,460 --> 00:27:52,100 They act as tree surgeons, removing the weakest. 147 00:28:07,460 --> 00:28:11,340 The sound of a fallen tree rings out like a dinner bell. 148 00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:23,820 All within earshot rush in, and very little will be wasted. 149 00:29:00,980 --> 00:29:06,020 In a few hours, only a skeleton remains. 150 00:29:19,100 --> 00:29:22,820 Sword Grass chokes the waterways. 151 00:29:24,340 --> 00:29:26,500 Keeping this in check is another job for 152 00:29:26,580 --> 00:29:29,820 the constant gardener. 153 00:29:33,980 --> 00:29:37,740 An elephant can rip out the grass by the root, 154 00:29:42,820 --> 00:29:47,860 rinse it off, and eat it by the ton. 155 00:30:06,780 --> 00:30:09,740 The elephants' insatiable appetites make them the 156 00:30:09,820 --> 00:30:13,180 architects of the swamp. 157 00:30:14,380 --> 00:30:18,300 By managing vegetation, they direct the flow of water. 158 00:30:40,860 --> 00:30:45,660 But underwater, even more construction work is done, 159 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:04,660 and the hippopotamus is the Okavango's greatest engineer. 160 00:31:20,460 --> 00:31:23,700 Hippos are natural-born earth-moving machines. 161 00:31:38,220 --> 00:31:40,460 With their massive lumbering bodies, 162 00:31:40,540 --> 00:31:43,140 they reconstruct the underwater world 163 00:31:43,220 --> 00:31:46,700 simply by moving. 164 00:32:24,380 --> 00:32:28,060 The flood's main arteries are now deep channels, 165 00:32:30,500 --> 00:32:33,780 and hippos are right at home. 166 00:32:44,740 --> 00:32:48,340 They are the masters of this realm. 167 00:32:54,220 --> 00:32:58,140 Not even crocodiles dare to challenge them. 168 00:33:44,140 --> 00:33:47,820 Able to hold their breath for up to five minutes, 169 00:33:47,900 --> 00:33:51,740 hippos are perfectly adapted to their workplace. 170 00:33:57,540 --> 00:33:59,900 As they move in search of food, 171 00:33:59,980 --> 00:34:03,660 they bulldoze paths through the vegetation. 172 00:34:10,860 --> 00:34:15,860 (groaning, grunting). 173 00:34:20,380 --> 00:34:24,500 Soon, there's a network of hippo-sized highways 174 00:34:32,900 --> 00:34:36,100 linking the larger rivers to the smaller pools, 175 00:34:39,580 --> 00:34:43,260 and the pools to the floodplains. 176 00:34:52,100 --> 00:34:55,740 Where these highways lead, the water follows. 177 00:34:59,100 --> 00:35:04,140 Hippos direct the flow, creating the watery web 178 00:35:04,220 --> 00:35:07,460 that shapes the entire delta. 179 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:16,940 On the flat open floodplains, the water begins to slow. 180 00:35:22,340 --> 00:35:25,460 Water lilies thrive in the shallows. 181 00:35:29,580 --> 00:35:33,140 They root in thick mud, and their candelabra stems 182 00:35:33,220 --> 00:35:35,860 reach for the sky. 183 00:35:43,900 --> 00:35:46,980 The lily pads spread across the surface, 184 00:35:47,060 --> 00:35:50,220 fragile and paper-thin. 185 00:35:55,740 --> 00:36:01,340 But for one special bird, the pads are a floating home. 186 00:36:26,340 --> 00:36:29,220 This is the 'lily trotter'. 187 00:36:35,500 --> 00:36:38,980 With oversized feet, he can skip across the water 188 00:36:39,060 --> 00:36:41,700 from pad to pad. 189 00:36:47,580 --> 00:36:51,940 But life in the swamp is a delicate balance. 190 00:36:52,420 --> 00:36:58,860 (rumbling, squawking). 191 00:36:58,940 --> 00:37:02,100 His home is being invaded by a giant, 192 00:37:11,700 --> 00:37:16,300 one whose feeding habits could wreck this world. 193 00:37:37,300 --> 00:37:39,940 The flowers and lily pads are of little interest 194 00:37:40,020 --> 00:37:42,900 to this elephant... 195 00:37:44,300 --> 00:37:47,980 it's the nutritious stems and roots he's after. 196 00:37:58,620 --> 00:38:00,580 To satisfy his appetite, 197 00:38:00,660 --> 00:38:03,860 he'll yank out hundreds of them in a day. 198 00:38:21,860 --> 00:38:26,460 But this lily trotter can't simply escape to a different pond, 199 00:38:28,660 --> 00:38:33,180 this is home and he has a nest to protect. 200 00:38:47,780 --> 00:38:52,140 He's a father who takes his domestic responsibility seriously. 201 00:38:55,740 --> 00:38:58,820 His mate laid her eggs and then she left the 202 00:38:58,900 --> 00:39:01,260 rest up to him. 203 00:39:02,620 --> 00:39:06,620 Now, he's a single parent and a stay-at-home dad. 204 00:39:09,620 --> 00:39:13,580 He's been tending his floating nest for 21 days. 205 00:39:18,100 --> 00:39:21,940 But today, he must rise to a new challenge. 206 00:39:47,860 --> 00:39:51,180 There's no mistaking those legs. 207 00:39:54,380 --> 00:39:58,780 His first chick is making a somewhat awkward entrance. 208 00:40:09,860 --> 00:40:12,980 Housekeeping is a priority. 209 00:40:14,540 --> 00:40:18,460 To hide any evidence of the new young one, 210 00:40:19,580 --> 00:40:22,500 he removes the shell from the nest, 211 00:40:22,580 --> 00:40:25,540 breaks it up and sinks it. 212 00:40:33,900 --> 00:40:37,940 Now he'll keep his first chick safely tucked away. 213 00:40:41,580 --> 00:40:45,620 It might take two more days before his others hatch. 214 00:40:48,220 --> 00:40:51,660 He just needs to hold on tight. 215 00:41:06,940 --> 00:41:10,340 This devoted Dad now has two chicks. 216 00:41:14,820 --> 00:41:17,940 He keeps a watchful eye on the newly-hatched lily trotters as 217 00:41:18,020 --> 00:41:20,220 they find their footing. 218 00:41:23,060 --> 00:41:25,340 When you're only two inches tall, 219 00:41:25,420 --> 00:41:28,420 obstacles are everywhere. 220 00:41:37,740 --> 00:41:40,740 Exploring this watery world can be tricky. 221 00:41:43,020 --> 00:41:47,380 A gap between the pads presents a serious water hazard. 222 00:41:56,140 --> 00:42:00,300 Try as he might, Dad is only making things worse 223 00:42:00,660 --> 00:42:03,500 while his chick struggles. 224 00:42:16,660 --> 00:42:20,540 Desperate times demand desperate measures. 225 00:42:31,100 --> 00:42:34,300 That was a close call. 226 00:42:45,220 --> 00:42:48,340 Taking both chicks under his wing, 227 00:42:48,420 --> 00:42:50,540 he'll keep them out of trouble, 228 00:42:50,620 --> 00:42:53,420 for now. 229 00:42:59,980 --> 00:43:03,820 But even for a hard-working Dad like this one, 230 00:43:03,900 --> 00:43:07,540 a third chick will be a real handful. 231 00:43:22,260 --> 00:43:26,340 The Great Flood has changed everything it touched. 232 00:43:33,940 --> 00:43:36,900 The world has turned. 233 00:43:40,020 --> 00:43:44,260 New creatures lurk in the dappled light of the swamp. 234 00:43:59,060 --> 00:44:02,580 Lions are no longer in command. 235 00:44:11,540 --> 00:44:14,740 They don't mind getting their feet wet. 236 00:44:22,380 --> 00:44:25,860 But with their hunting grounds submerged, 237 00:44:25,940 --> 00:44:29,820 they've lost their usual advantages. 238 00:44:53,020 --> 00:44:57,860 (snorting, mooing). 239 00:45:04,220 --> 00:45:06,500 Perhaps it's better to go after something 240 00:45:06,580 --> 00:45:09,300 a little slower. 241 00:45:23,940 --> 00:45:27,740 The lions try to corner a lone hippo. 242 00:45:31,500 --> 00:45:34,900 If he reaches deep water, he'll be in his element, 243 00:45:34,980 --> 00:45:38,300 and they'll be out of theirs. 244 00:46:05,740 --> 00:46:09,540 He makes his move before they can make theirs. 245 00:46:16,740 --> 00:46:19,220 And he's safe. 246 00:46:32,940 --> 00:46:37,580 The flood has brought challenges and promise. 247 00:46:45,100 --> 00:46:49,420 The only constant here is constant change. 248 00:46:53,020 --> 00:46:57,060 And even greater changes lie ahead. 249 00:47:12,500 --> 00:47:17,420 Four months after it began, the flood is at its peak. 250 00:47:19,860 --> 00:47:22,340 Billions of gallons of water have now spilled 251 00:47:22,420 --> 00:47:25,260 into the Kalahari. 252 00:47:28,020 --> 00:47:30,780 Creating a vast wetland that fans out for 253 00:47:30,860 --> 00:47:34,100 thousands of square miles. 254 00:47:47,260 --> 00:47:50,740 The Okavango overflows with life. 255 00:48:00,820 --> 00:48:06,060 Beneath the surface a whole new world has taken root. 256 00:48:11,020 --> 00:48:14,140 Secret gardens flourish. 257 00:48:18,660 --> 00:48:22,900 Fish flit in forests of lilies. 258 00:48:32,300 --> 00:48:36,700 And even the largest residents have all the space they need. 259 00:48:49,740 --> 00:48:54,500 The Great Flood is the gift that keeps on giving. 260 00:49:05,220 --> 00:49:07,460 Crocodiles are in their element, 261 00:49:07,540 --> 00:49:10,700 waiting in the shallows of the swamp. 262 00:49:33,420 --> 00:49:36,460 Lions cautiously navigate their now 263 00:49:36,540 --> 00:49:39,740 unfamiliar territory. 264 00:49:43,140 --> 00:49:46,180 To patrol what was once all theirs, 265 00:49:46,260 --> 00:49:48,820 they must cross the swamp. 266 00:49:59,500 --> 00:50:02,340 These brothers must stick together. 267 00:50:13,500 --> 00:50:17,060 And watch each other's backs. 268 00:50:26,380 --> 00:50:31,020 But they're entering a place of unseen perils. 269 00:51:49,940 --> 00:51:52,540 Today, they were lucky. 270 00:51:52,620 --> 00:51:57,060 But now, they're separated and alone. 271 00:52:00,660 --> 00:52:04,180 Lions are no longer kings here. 272 00:52:06,620 --> 00:52:10,220 The flood has changed all the rules. 273 00:52:22,740 --> 00:52:26,380 The waters remain high for several months. 274 00:52:28,900 --> 00:52:32,380 But the Okavango is an inland delta. 275 00:52:33,020 --> 00:52:37,820 Countless channels meander without ever reaching the sea. 276 00:52:45,180 --> 00:52:50,020 Instead, after nurturing the land and its creatures 277 00:52:51,620 --> 00:52:57,380 the water slowly disappears, captured by the summer sun. 278 00:53:05,060 --> 00:53:08,300 In this land of continual change, 279 00:53:08,380 --> 00:53:12,540 it's time for the next transformation. 280 00:53:25,580 --> 00:53:29,660 Flashes of color sparkle on the receding waters. 281 00:53:30,580 --> 00:53:32,620 Countless carmine bee eaters 282 00:53:32,700 --> 00:53:35,780 flock to the newly dried ground. 283 00:53:53,900 --> 00:53:56,860 These summer visitors are here to find mates 284 00:53:56,940 --> 00:53:59,540 and start families. 285 00:54:00,140 --> 00:54:04,780 They get to work digging out their nests. 286 00:54:19,340 --> 00:54:23,380 Once the foundations of their seasonal city are laid out, 287 00:54:23,460 --> 00:54:26,820 all attention turns to courtship. 288 00:54:30,820 --> 00:54:33,500 And with so many rivals around, 289 00:54:33,580 --> 00:54:37,460 first impressions are everything. 290 00:54:44,260 --> 00:54:47,780 Posturing with a prize proves you can provide 291 00:54:50,820 --> 00:54:54,180 if you can hold on to it. 292 00:55:25,060 --> 00:55:30,060 It's every bird for himself as males try to prove 293 00:55:30,140 --> 00:55:33,580 they have the right stuff. 294 00:55:40,660 --> 00:55:43,580 Finally, winners are declared 295 00:55:45,700 --> 00:55:49,460 and matches are made. 296 00:55:52,020 --> 00:55:56,020 But just as they're getting down to business 297 00:56:00,020 --> 00:56:03,140 in walks trouble. 298 00:56:15,980 --> 00:56:19,900 An intruder slithers into the city of carmines. 299 00:56:26,140 --> 00:56:30,620 A monitor lizard, on the lookout for eggs and chicks. 300 00:56:37,060 --> 00:56:40,260 Rivalries are forgotten, as the carmines form 301 00:56:40,340 --> 00:56:42,900 a united front. 302 00:56:52,820 --> 00:56:55,100 They'll do whatever it takes to safeguard 303 00:56:55,180 --> 00:56:58,100 the next generation. 304 00:57:18,660 --> 00:57:21,180 Turning the tables on the chancer, 305 00:57:21,260 --> 00:57:24,340 they send him packing. 306 00:57:39,180 --> 00:57:42,780 As the land begins to dry, there are opportunities for 307 00:57:42,860 --> 00:57:46,660 those who can seize the tactical advantage. 308 00:57:52,020 --> 00:57:55,540 Wild dogs work the edge of the swamp. 309 00:58:00,420 --> 00:58:04,860 They're a coordinated team, with a cunning strategy. 310 00:58:11,500 --> 00:58:15,060 Slowly they push the impala to the water. 311 00:58:21,740 --> 00:58:25,300 Until there's only one place left to go. 312 00:58:39,100 --> 00:58:41,940 The dog's trap is set. 313 00:58:44,220 --> 00:58:47,140 Or is it? 314 00:58:55,660 --> 00:58:59,740 They aren't the only ones with eyes on this prize. 315 00:59:31,540 --> 00:59:34,780 The dogs are about to be robbed. 316 01:00:09,420 --> 01:00:12,660 The crocodile holds fast. 317 01:00:19,620 --> 01:00:22,620 But there's strength in numbers, 318 01:00:23,620 --> 01:00:26,540 and the pack gains the upper hand. 319 01:00:30,900 --> 01:00:34,300 Brains and dogged determination wins out, 320 01:00:35,180 --> 01:00:38,340 this time. 321 01:00:42,740 --> 01:00:45,940 But the dogs must always be on their game in this 322 01:00:46,020 --> 01:00:49,660 constantly changing world. 323 01:01:23,260 --> 01:01:25,940 This family is up early. 324 01:01:33,140 --> 01:01:37,700 Even in paradise, it's the early bird that gets the worm. 325 01:01:40,220 --> 01:01:43,820 So they're off with the dawn. 326 01:01:45,700 --> 01:01:49,620 Fresh delicacies emerge as the channels dry out. 327 01:01:51,380 --> 01:01:55,500 The falling water levels reveal lilies and sedges. 328 01:02:10,460 --> 01:02:13,980 It takes patience and hard work. 329 01:02:17,940 --> 01:02:20,940 But it's worth the effort. 330 01:02:32,820 --> 01:02:37,060 There's plenty of food here for the whole troop 331 01:02:37,140 --> 01:02:39,860 and the neighbors. 332 01:02:52,300 --> 01:02:55,860 The patriarch keeps a watchful eye. 333 01:02:58,020 --> 01:03:01,140 Abundance can breed discord. 334 01:03:32,460 --> 01:03:34,540 In a growing baboon troop, 335 01:03:34,620 --> 01:03:37,140 young males push their limits, 336 01:03:37,220 --> 01:03:40,180 trying to fight their way up the ranks. 337 01:04:00,140 --> 01:04:04,220 It's up to the boss to restore order. 338 01:04:38,780 --> 01:04:42,500 The squabbling has drawn unwelcome attention. 339 01:04:50,940 --> 01:04:54,420 Internal tensions are brushed aside. 340 01:05:03,900 --> 01:05:06,260 Time for this family to move on and find 341 01:05:06,340 --> 01:05:09,580 somewhere safer to feast. 342 01:05:25,620 --> 01:05:29,660 As the sun evaporates the water from above, 343 01:05:30,260 --> 01:05:34,140 the vegetation siphons it off from below. 344 01:05:43,020 --> 01:05:45,180 With falling water levels, 345 01:05:45,260 --> 01:05:48,460 some residents need to relocate. 346 01:05:54,260 --> 01:05:58,500 A young male hippo has outgrown his pool. 347 01:06:01,940 --> 01:06:07,620 Out of his element, but he'll trudge for miles if he has to. 348 01:06:23,380 --> 01:06:27,060 He's just looking for a place to live, 349 01:06:34,620 --> 01:06:38,220 but he could be wading into trouble. 350 01:06:45,180 --> 01:06:50,460 This pool already has a tenant, a big bull 351 01:06:53,500 --> 01:06:56,580 and he doesn't want a roommate. 352 01:07:46,060 --> 01:07:49,580 The youngster will have to keep looking. 353 01:07:55,060 --> 01:07:57,900 Deep water is now prime real estate, 354 01:07:57,980 --> 01:08:00,860 worth fighting for. 355 01:08:17,980 --> 01:08:21,020 Vast floodplains fill with water when the Okavango 356 01:08:21,100 --> 01:08:24,060 spills over its banks. 357 01:08:32,860 --> 01:08:34,980 Creating rich breeding grounds 358 01:08:35,060 --> 01:08:38,740 for a wide range of aquatic life. 359 01:08:47,980 --> 01:08:50,980 Now, as they begin to dry, 360 01:08:51,060 --> 01:08:54,700 these hidden treasures are exposed. 361 01:09:00,420 --> 01:09:04,660 Open billed storks are the first to flock in. 362 01:09:07,140 --> 01:09:09,900 They have just the tools to tackle another of the 363 01:09:09,980 --> 01:09:13,420 flood's seasonal offerings. 364 01:09:20,740 --> 01:09:24,860 With bills like nutcrackers, they forage for snails 365 01:09:24,940 --> 01:09:27,740 in the shallows. 366 01:09:42,780 --> 01:09:45,860 Millions of small fish that hatched out here 367 01:09:45,940 --> 01:09:49,700 on the floodplains are now leaving their nursery 368 01:09:49,780 --> 01:09:52,820 for deeper waters. 369 01:09:55,860 --> 01:09:59,580 Black egrets arrive in hot pursuit. 370 01:10:11,740 --> 01:10:15,460 These birds work undercover. 371 01:10:16,060 --> 01:10:19,020 They form umbrellas with their wings, 372 01:10:19,100 --> 01:10:22,540 casting shadows that mimic water lily pads. 373 01:10:25,420 --> 01:10:29,700 The perfect place for little fish to hide. 374 01:10:50,620 --> 01:10:53,820 The illusion is fatal. 375 01:11:09,300 --> 01:11:11,980 With attacks coming from all sides, 376 01:11:12,060 --> 01:11:15,140 the small fish make their escape. 377 01:11:20,860 --> 01:11:23,820 They crowd the edges of the channels in long ribbons and 378 01:11:23,900 --> 01:11:27,260 make their way upstream. 379 01:11:32,540 --> 01:11:36,700 But up ahead, others are waiting. 380 01:11:58,780 --> 01:12:02,140 While large fish wait in ambush, 381 01:12:02,220 --> 01:12:06,020 shoals of small fish run the deadly gauntlet. 382 01:12:07,620 --> 01:12:11,340 And are picked off, one by one. 383 01:12:29,180 --> 01:12:34,580 Survival in the drying delta is a game of hit and miss. 384 01:12:55,180 --> 01:12:59,260 As the Okavango's main channels start to run dry, 385 01:12:59,340 --> 01:13:02,820 sand banks are exposed. 386 01:13:04,340 --> 01:13:08,580 The perfect nesting sites for African skimmers. 387 01:13:14,380 --> 01:13:18,100 Nature has endowed them with extended lower beaks, 388 01:13:18,180 --> 01:13:20,980 perfect for catching small fish. 389 01:13:24,460 --> 01:13:28,860 Summer time on the delta and the fishing is fine. 390 01:13:35,220 --> 01:13:40,820 Synchronized squadrons ride the air in perfect formation. 391 01:13:51,140 --> 01:13:54,500 A skimmer's bill slices the water until it encounters 392 01:13:54,580 --> 01:13:57,660 a fish, then, snap! 393 01:14:05,780 --> 01:14:08,060 Back at the nest, the angler's partner 394 01:14:08,140 --> 01:14:10,940 guards a precious secret. 395 01:14:18,180 --> 01:14:22,020 Their newborn is ready for its first meal. 396 01:14:32,780 --> 01:14:36,780 Food must be passed from beak to tiny beak. 397 01:14:40,500 --> 01:14:44,580 If it's dropped the parents can't pick it up from the sand. 398 01:14:52,340 --> 01:14:55,500 This might take a while. 399 01:15:02,860 --> 01:15:08,300 But Dad will persevere and keep his grip on the groceries. 400 01:15:10,700 --> 01:15:13,780 Even if it takes all day. 401 01:15:35,060 --> 01:15:37,780 Finally! 402 01:15:40,980 --> 01:15:44,780 Patience really is a virtue. 403 01:15:51,260 --> 01:15:55,020 The sandbanks have become a nursery for little skimmers. 404 01:15:59,100 --> 01:16:01,060 And lots of busy new parents 405 01:16:01,140 --> 01:16:04,060 are going through the same routine. 406 01:16:11,100 --> 01:16:15,300 Skim, catch, 407 01:16:18,020 --> 01:16:21,940 feed, repeat. 408 01:16:26,540 --> 01:16:29,540 The abundance of fish is the receding flood's 409 01:16:29,620 --> 01:16:33,140 parting gift to them all. 410 01:16:44,300 --> 01:16:46,740 The Okavango's once watery world 411 01:16:46,820 --> 01:16:50,020 has disappeared into memory. 412 01:17:00,660 --> 01:17:05,820 Evaporated into the sky above or absorbed by the land below. 413 01:17:10,500 --> 01:17:14,260 only small channels and pools still remain. 414 01:17:16,660 --> 01:17:19,900 What was floodplain is now savanna, 415 01:17:19,980 --> 01:17:23,540 covered with succulent young grasses. 416 01:17:33,180 --> 01:17:37,220 Herds of grazers move in to enjoy the harvest. 417 01:17:50,020 --> 01:17:54,540 The lions now find solid footing. 418 01:17:55,980 --> 01:18:00,900 They've returned, this time with young cubs in tow. 419 01:18:35,220 --> 01:18:39,420 With no swamp left for the antelope to escape into, 420 01:18:39,500 --> 01:18:42,820 the lions are back in business. 421 01:19:30,860 --> 01:19:34,380 The dry floodplains are a lion's paradise. 422 01:19:51,260 --> 01:19:57,300 (growling, zebra squeaking). 423 01:20:05,220 --> 01:20:08,420 With food in abundance, it's easy for a mother 424 01:20:08,500 --> 01:20:11,540 to provide for her family. 425 01:20:20,620 --> 01:20:25,340 She and her cubs can eat their fill. 426 01:20:35,620 --> 01:20:38,220 And in this time of plenty, 427 01:20:38,300 --> 01:20:41,820 her pride will grow ever stronger. 428 01:21:01,580 --> 01:21:04,500 As the flood makes its final retreat, 429 01:21:04,580 --> 01:21:07,180 only permanent channels in the north are still 430 01:21:07,260 --> 01:21:10,060 flush with water. 431 01:21:16,900 --> 01:21:20,900 Dense tangles of papyrus line the banks. 432 01:21:25,260 --> 01:21:29,700 The floating root beds sway in the current and filter 433 01:21:29,780 --> 01:21:33,460 nutrients from the water. 434 01:21:34,780 --> 01:21:39,700 They also provide lodgings for some very strange little fish. 435 01:21:46,540 --> 01:21:51,380 Mormyrids have large brains in their oddly shaped heads. 436 01:21:52,540 --> 01:21:56,140 They send out tiny electrical pulses to orientate through 437 01:21:56,220 --> 01:21:59,380 their murky surroundings. 438 01:22:05,300 --> 01:22:08,980 The young fish emit pulses too small to be detected 439 01:22:09,060 --> 01:22:11,740 by most predators. 440 01:22:12,820 --> 01:22:16,780 But now, most of them have matured and they are now 441 01:22:16,860 --> 01:22:20,540 firmly on the radar of bigger fish. 442 01:22:32,420 --> 01:22:35,340 Catfish have picked up their signals 443 01:22:38,340 --> 01:22:40,740 and so begins one of the Okavango's 444 01:22:40,820 --> 01:22:44,060 largest feeding frenzies. 445 01:22:55,900 --> 01:22:59,140 Massing in vast schools, the catfish race along 446 01:22:59,220 --> 01:23:02,220 the edge of the papyrus. 447 01:23:05,860 --> 01:23:09,500 And gorge themselves on mormyrids. 448 01:23:36,780 --> 01:23:40,900 Egrets and eagles are drawn to the fray. 449 01:23:48,540 --> 01:23:52,740 Tiger fish hunt the mormyrids from below 450 01:23:59,460 --> 01:24:03,420 only to find themselves targeted from above. 451 01:24:27,380 --> 01:24:30,940 Even the hunters become hunted. 452 01:24:37,580 --> 01:24:41,740 No wonder it's chaotic, this deadly spectacle is unequalled 453 01:24:41,820 --> 01:24:44,820 anywhere on earth. 454 01:25:04,380 --> 01:25:08,340 Temperatures are soaring, now the Okavango's summer 455 01:25:08,420 --> 01:25:11,660 heat reaches its peak. 456 01:25:12,180 --> 01:25:14,940 The land is bone dry. 457 01:25:23,660 --> 01:25:26,500 But the humidity is rising too. 458 01:25:26,580 --> 01:25:30,980 And the elephants know there is rain on the horizon. 459 01:25:35,740 --> 01:25:40,060 It's the perfect time for their babies to be born. 460 01:25:50,740 --> 01:25:53,980 And other elephants are ready to mate. 461 01:26:00,940 --> 01:26:03,580 Their hormones raging, 462 01:26:03,660 --> 01:26:08,300 bulls in musth are very aggressive. 463 01:26:11,660 --> 01:26:14,980 They're spoiling for a fight. 464 01:26:18,660 --> 01:26:25,020 (rumbling, roaring). 465 01:26:28,620 --> 01:26:32,820 As the Okavango dries out, tensions rise and 466 01:26:32,900 --> 01:26:36,140 bull elephants compete for the right to mate. 467 01:26:59,980 --> 01:27:03,940 Sparring escalates to full blown combat. 468 01:27:25,340 --> 01:27:29,500 Once blood is drawn, victory is declared. 469 01:27:55,380 --> 01:27:59,100 Lightning storms herald the approach of rain. 470 01:28:04,460 --> 01:28:07,860 But with the land still as dry as tinder, 471 01:28:09,460 --> 01:28:12,500 fire is born. 472 01:28:37,260 --> 01:28:41,620 Each year, vast swathes of the Okavango burn. 473 01:29:00,100 --> 01:29:03,300 The flames trigger the next stage of the Okavango's 474 01:29:03,380 --> 01:29:06,940 miraculous cycle. 475 01:29:10,980 --> 01:29:14,060 Where giant papyrus once dominated, 476 01:29:14,140 --> 01:29:18,140 dry peat beds are consumed in the inferno. 477 01:29:20,980 --> 01:29:24,140 They release valuable nutrients 478 01:29:29,860 --> 01:29:32,780 ready to be washed back into the system, 479 01:29:32,860 --> 01:29:35,780 when the rains arrive. 480 01:30:39,540 --> 01:30:42,860 Relief is here. 481 01:30:44,580 --> 01:30:50,380 The wheel keeps turning, the cycle of wet and dry. 482 01:30:51,580 --> 01:30:56,020 Holds sway over all life in the Okavango. 483 01:31:08,260 --> 01:31:11,740 Precious water revives the thirsty land, 484 01:31:11,820 --> 01:31:14,980 at least for a while. 485 01:31:16,780 --> 01:31:19,940 Timing is everything. 486 01:31:20,340 --> 01:31:23,900 Grasses and flowers burst into life. 487 01:31:27,780 --> 01:31:31,180 Insects flourish. 488 01:31:37,540 --> 01:31:40,660 And a new generation of carmine bee eaters has 489 01:31:40,740 --> 01:31:44,740 fledged, right on time. 490 01:31:52,460 --> 01:31:56,500 In this world of feast and famine, 491 01:31:59,260 --> 01:32:03,820 each seasonal change triggers an intricate sequence of 492 01:32:03,900 --> 01:32:07,060 miraculous events. 493 01:32:07,860 --> 01:32:11,100 Soon the short summer rains will end, 494 01:32:11,180 --> 01:32:14,900 and the Okavango will be dry for a few more months. 495 01:32:18,460 --> 01:32:21,900 Until the cycle begins again, 496 01:32:21,980 --> 01:32:26,100 with the return of The Great Flood. 497 01:32:28,060 --> 01:32:29,300 Captioned by Cotter Captioning Services.