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The Ethiopian Highlands
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rise high into the skies over the equator.
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Many rare animals are found only here
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in the cradle of mankind.
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These rough highlands in the East of Africa
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are also home to wolves.
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The animals withdrew here
thousands of years ago.
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This is the story of a young
she wolf and her pack.
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They are highland wolves
and only roam here
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on the roof of Africa.
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Up to a height of 3,000 meters,
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jungle surrounds the edges
of the Ethiopian Highlands.
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During the rainy season,
fog pervades the treetops.
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The air is saturated with steam.
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Plants, similar to our
heather, grow meters high.
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This is a forest that
withholds its secrets.
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Much of the woodland is untouched.
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New species are discovered here
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at the edge of the highlands every year.
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It was only recently discovered
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that lions have made
this jungle their home.
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How they live here is still a mystery.
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The fog dissipates where
the open highlands begin.
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An icy plateau extends at
a height of 4,000 meters.
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The Ethiopian Highlands
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are one of the few places on earth
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where frost can be found
so close to the equator.
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Rolled up snuggly against the cold,
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a wolf lies in the grass.
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Let's call her Megeti.
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Distant barking from the neighboring valley
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has woken her.
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But first, the subzero
temperatures of the night
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need to rise somewhat.
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She has been wandering
the plateau by herself
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for weeks.
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The barking beckons her.
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Megeti has lost her pack
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and is looking for a new one.
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She needs to be careful.
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Roaming around another pack's
territory can be dangerous.
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The morning greeting ritual
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is enjoyed by her entire pack.
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Just like their European cousins,
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Ethiopian wolves live in
groups of up to 20 animals.
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They are obviously happy to see one another
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after such a bitter cold night.
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On calm days like these,
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the warming sun is especially enjoyable.
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Only members of the family clan
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are allowed to join in the ritual.
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It strengthens the bond between the pack
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and affirms its hierarchy.
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An outsider wolf would not be accepted.
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Finally, the pack sets off
to patrol its territory.
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The animals monitor the border
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of a 13 square kilometer area,
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securing the best hunting grounds.
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The alpha female of the pack stays behind
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as do her three week old pups.
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The little ones spent the
night alone in the den.
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Their only food source is
still their mother's milk.
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Until the others are back form the hunt
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the mother won't leave their side.
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The Ethiopian Highlands
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are divided into two sections
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by the great rift valley.
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Pressure in the earth's crust
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pushes the land two
centimeters further apart
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every year.
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It is this rift that was
once the cradle of mankind
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and is home to diverse flora and fauna.
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Their thick fur
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protects the geladas during
the cold highland nights.
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The rare primates sleep
in crevices in rock face
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where they are protected from
leopards and other predators.
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Monkey by monkey,
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the group slowly follows the alpha male
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to a spot in the sun.
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Still shivering from the cold of the night,
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waking up isn't so easy.
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Now, all of the geladas who
come together on the plateau,
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as usual, it's the smallest
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that can't keep still for long.
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Geladas are not scared of water.
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After all, for several months of the year,
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it rains every day.
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After the morning's ablutions,
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it's time for grooming.
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But fur care is only the secondary
function of this ritual.
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As with the wolves' morning greeting,
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the body contact strengthens
central cohesion.
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So everyone within touching distance
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receives a free delousing.
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It's also a chance for the alpha male
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to stifle any competition.
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Usually just a few threatening
gestures are needed.
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The animal's terrifying dentures
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are thankfully rarely put to the test.
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Geladas are the descendants
of an entire primate genus
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that used to exist all
over Africa and Asia.
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Nowadays, they are found only
in the mountains of Ethiopia.
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The diversity of the natural habits
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has lead to the origination
of diverse species.
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Even today, the elemental
forces of the earth's crust
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is still shaping the roof of Africa.
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The wolves are spreading their scent marks.
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Invisible lines traverse the plane.
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Territory markers.
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They are respected by
the wolves of a region
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and refreshed regularly.
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When things are quiet,
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the pack splits up and each wolf
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goes its own way for the day.
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Megeti is wandering along one
of the invisible borderlines.
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She's been wandering close to the area
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of a new pack for days.
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The scent traces picked
up by her sensitive nose
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relay information about them to her.
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There is nothing edible left here.
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But rolling around in the carcass
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gives the young wolf a sense of wellbeing
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as with all canine species.
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Megeti is unaware of what is happening
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on the other side of the hill.
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The pups of the Alpha female
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are busy playing games.
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She's not expecting there to
be any strange wolves nearby.
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The hill over the den
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is a favorite play area for the young ones.
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Whoever plays here, has the
best lookout position.
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But something's not right.
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They spotted Megeti and react instantly.
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Their mother has also caught her scent.
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Her warning cries to her
young are unmistakable.
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Get in the den!
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The female does not hesitate
and runs towards the intruder.
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Loudly she calls to the rest of the pack.
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She keeps her distance to Megeti
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and continues the warning cries to her pups
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to stay in the den.
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All Megeti wants is
contact with the wolves.
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But for the mother, her
intrusion is unacceptable
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and she forces the young she wolf
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back over the unseen territorial line.
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Megeti dares a last attempt.
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Surviving without the protection of a pack
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is a daunting task in the highlands.
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But this time, the mother stays in pursuit
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until the intruder is
dispelled from the territory.
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The canyons of the highlands
are like funnels.
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When the sun warms the air all day,
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strong currents form.
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Perfect conditions for the aerial games
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of the thick billed raven.
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A piece of wood is all that is needed
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to show off an extravagant flight maneuver
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for the partner.
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Thick billed ravens
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are the world's largest songbirds.
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Elegantly, they demonstrate their rein
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over the airspace of the roof of Africa.
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The springs of the highlands
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are the source of countless rivers.
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The drinking water supply
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for millions of people living
in the horn of Africa.
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Megeti has ended up in this water world
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at the edge of the wolves' territory.
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Ethiopian wolves tend to avoid swamplands
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and do not usually hunt here.
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But Megeti has no choice.
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All the other territories
in the region are taken.
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These blue winged geese
have young goslings,
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which are worth a hunting attempt.
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But the wolf's hunting prowess
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leaves much to be desired
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and youngsters dive for safety.
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Megeti doesn't dare go
into the deeper water.
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So she woefully continues
on an empty stomach.
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Perhaps she'll have better luck
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on the other side of the swamp.
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But even the territory beyond
the springs is also taken.
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Ethiopia is one of the
most densely populated
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countries in Africa.
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Nomadic cattle herders
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press into the protected lands.
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Almost 100 million people
living on a surface area
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of some one million square kilometers.
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Despite the rough climate,
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the meadows are well
suited as grazing land.
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Where there are people
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there is always something to scavenge.
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Surrounded by cattle,
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the starving wolf closes in on her prey.
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Ethiopian wolves are nutrition experts.
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They almost only hunt rodents.
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The cattle don't even raise their heads.
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The young wolf stays near
the harmless herbivores
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to get even closer to her prey.
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Once she has a victim in her sights,
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she uses her fine hearing to track it.
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The digging causes panic
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and forces the small creature to the exit
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where she is waiting with open arms.
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But the grass rat is
little more than a snack.
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It won't satisfy her for long.
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Not far away, her chances
of success are higher.
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The neighborhood opens up to a wide dip.
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The deep grooves in the ground
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are caused by an extraordinary creature.
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The giant mole rat.
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The popular choice,
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as the rodents weigh more than a kilogram.
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A mole rat spends its entire life
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burrowing beneath the surface.
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Barely dawn
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00:19:41,097 --> 00:19:44,546
and already digging away at the back door.
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With the grace of an excavator,
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they shovel their way through the earth.
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00:20:02,228 --> 00:20:03,395
What was that?
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Oh, just the neighbors again.
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Giant mole rats are socialable creatures.
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Yet no one quite knows
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what they get up to underground.
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00:20:22,976 --> 00:20:26,257
They can only be found in
the Ethiopian Highlands.
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They eat anything green
they can get their paws on.
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When the coast is clear,
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they even grab a few bites
outside of their burrow.
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The large rodents have a surprising ally.
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The moorland chat.
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00:20:58,304 --> 00:20:59,693
Where there's a rat,
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there's usually one of these small birds.
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The rodents have come to rely on the birds
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as reliable lookouts.
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With one on the lookout,
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one can dig around at will.
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00:21:24,270 --> 00:21:28,097
Which is exactly what the
moorland chat wants.
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00:21:28,098 --> 00:21:30,009
The beetle larvae hidden underground
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00:21:30,010 --> 00:21:34,177
would be out of reach without
the help of the rodent.
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00:21:35,433 --> 00:21:37,781
Two or three of these protein parcels
241
00:21:37,782 --> 00:21:41,365
are enough to fill the stomach for the day.
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The restless excavations of the mole rat
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attracts more visitors.
244
00:22:01,607 --> 00:22:05,607
These too only exist in
the Ethiopian Highlands.
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00:22:12,731 --> 00:22:14,148
The wattled ibis.
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Wherever the giant rodents
are doing their groundwork,
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they arrive in flocks
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00:22:20,966 --> 00:22:23,107
to pick up the larvae and worms
249
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in the loosened soil.
250
00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:38,772
The giant mole rats only
rummage around the surface
251
00:22:38,773 --> 00:22:41,026
for about an hour a day.
252
00:22:41,027 --> 00:22:44,712
Enough time to not just
secure food for themselves
253
00:22:44,713 --> 00:22:48,463
but also for their
manifold feathered guests.
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The pack regularly returns
255
00:23:17,067 --> 00:23:19,734
to the pup's den in on the hill.
256
00:23:22,726 --> 00:23:26,570
It is a fine vantage point
for surveying the plain.
257
00:23:27,556 --> 00:23:31,389
Megeti doesn't realize
that she has been seen.
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00:23:41,004 --> 00:23:44,459
Yet today, something is different.
259
00:23:44,460 --> 00:23:46,793
The young wolf is undecided.
260
00:23:48,767 --> 00:23:50,934
The other wolves approach.
261
00:23:53,020 --> 00:23:54,187
And she waits.
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00:24:03,807 --> 00:24:08,049
Eye to eye, they stand and face one another
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but the pack's leader doesn't attack.
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Megeti decides to make the first move.
265
00:24:21,341 --> 00:24:23,341
The ban has been broken.
266
00:24:33,979 --> 00:24:38,104
The others welcome the young
wolf without restraint.
267
00:24:38,105 --> 00:24:42,272
Megeti's patience has paid
off, the pack takes her in.
268
00:24:51,881 --> 00:24:54,945
Now they will go on patrols together.
269
00:24:54,946 --> 00:24:56,986
The rich hunting ground of the pack
270
00:24:56,987 --> 00:25:00,320
extends into the vast plain before them.
271
00:25:03,731 --> 00:25:07,074
Megeti is keen to take advantage of it.
272
00:25:13,365 --> 00:25:14,365
Too keen.
273
00:25:15,877 --> 00:25:18,210
The giant mole rat is alert.
274
00:25:20,166 --> 00:25:23,668
Nextdoor, another has
gnawed everything there
275
00:25:23,669 --> 00:25:27,586
and is working its way
towards new green areas.
276
00:25:28,590 --> 00:25:30,590
This could be easy prey.
277
00:25:42,443 --> 00:25:45,969
But the warren has several exits.
278
00:26:07,882 --> 00:26:11,799
Hunting mole rats requires
a tactical approach.
279
00:26:14,606 --> 00:26:17,523
The first attempt must be successful.
280
00:26:17,524 --> 00:26:19,857
There are no second chances.
281
00:26:32,450 --> 00:26:35,365
Like a cat, the wolf creeps in
282
00:26:35,366 --> 00:26:38,811
until she is within a leap of her prey.
283
00:26:38,812 --> 00:26:43,412
The rodents sense the slightest
vibrations in the ground.
284
00:26:43,413 --> 00:26:45,466
The closer she is to her goal,
285
00:26:45,467 --> 00:26:49,231
the smaller the huntress makes herself.
286
00:26:49,232 --> 00:26:51,080
She does not let the clueless rat
287
00:26:51,081 --> 00:26:53,664
out of her sights for a second.
288
00:27:02,986 --> 00:27:04,236
If it looks up,
289
00:27:06,452 --> 00:27:07,952
that means freeze.
290
00:27:10,205 --> 00:27:12,271
Giant mole rats are shortsighted.
291
00:27:12,272 --> 00:27:13,336
In the distance,
292
00:27:13,337 --> 00:27:16,804
they can only register
shadows and movement.
293
00:27:29,854 --> 00:27:32,670
The rodent blocks the cave entrance,
294
00:27:32,671 --> 00:27:34,838
fiercely defending itself.
295
00:27:52,190 --> 00:27:54,988
But Megeti's persistence pays off.
296
00:27:54,989 --> 00:27:58,431
She just needs a couple more
catches like this a day
297
00:27:58,432 --> 00:28:00,599
to ensure a balanced diet.
298
00:28:02,122 --> 00:28:03,335
The giant mole rat
299
00:28:03,336 --> 00:28:05,738
plays a key role in the ecosystem
300
00:28:05,739 --> 00:28:08,163
of the Ethiopian Highlands.
301
00:28:08,164 --> 00:28:12,081
The wolves would not
survive here without them.
302
00:28:20,335 --> 00:28:22,752
Africa, just beneath the sky.
303
00:28:24,365 --> 00:28:27,282
Only rarely do the clouds
manage to envelope
304
00:28:27,283 --> 00:28:29,283
the highlands like this.
305
00:28:35,470 --> 00:28:36,837
Just underneath,
306
00:28:36,838 --> 00:28:39,768
where the sea of clouds meet the land,
307
00:28:39,769 --> 00:28:42,186
unique forests of fog emerge.
308
00:28:43,181 --> 00:28:46,022
Just a stone's throw from the plateau,
309
00:28:46,023 --> 00:28:48,690
yet an entirely different world.
310
00:28:52,719 --> 00:28:55,667
Little is known about Bale monkeys.
311
00:28:55,668 --> 00:28:58,355
They only live in these forests.
312
00:28:58,356 --> 00:29:00,304
The monkeys are bamboo experts
313
00:29:00,305 --> 00:29:03,305
and rarely come down from the trees.
314
00:29:09,596 --> 00:29:12,957
The animals are being keenly observed.
315
00:29:30,089 --> 00:29:31,171
No one knows
316
00:29:31,172 --> 00:29:35,339
what brought the kings of
the savanna to the forests.
317
00:29:39,081 --> 00:29:43,142
Jungle lions have never been filmed before.
318
00:29:43,143 --> 00:29:46,143
Are these vervets really their prey?
319
00:29:48,135 --> 00:29:51,317
There is no research data
on the hunting behavior
320
00:29:51,318 --> 00:29:54,221
or way of life of the lions that live here.
321
00:29:54,222 --> 00:29:58,104
A species that one usually
knows so much about.
322
00:30:17,066 --> 00:30:20,605
Whether it's Bale monkeys or jungle lions,
323
00:30:20,606 --> 00:30:24,680
year after year, these
forests reveal new secrets.
324
00:30:30,534 --> 00:30:32,278
In the north of Ethiopia,
325
00:30:32,279 --> 00:30:36,083
giant heather trees cover the high plateau.
326
00:30:36,084 --> 00:30:38,841
The light vegetation allows much space
327
00:30:38,842 --> 00:30:41,008
for expansive meadows.
328
00:30:41,009 --> 00:30:43,842
The grazing ground of the geladas.
329
00:30:51,427 --> 00:30:53,634
With their short, powerful fingers
330
00:30:53,635 --> 00:30:54,755
they rip up the turf
331
00:30:54,756 --> 00:30:57,576
and pick seeds out of the ground.
332
00:30:57,577 --> 00:31:00,191
Geladas are the only primates in the world
333
00:31:00,192 --> 00:31:02,775
that exclusively feed on grass.
334
00:31:08,932 --> 00:31:12,127
This grass ripping is a trained skill,
335
00:31:12,128 --> 00:31:15,433
but practicing it quickly becomes boring.
336
00:31:15,434 --> 00:31:19,782
Playing around is much more
fun for the offspring.
337
00:31:40,471 --> 00:31:42,046
The thin grain blades
338
00:31:42,047 --> 00:31:44,971
only offer a meager calorie intake.
339
00:31:44,972 --> 00:31:47,155
Forcing the geladas to eat
340
00:31:47,156 --> 00:31:49,906
for up to 10 hours a day.
341
00:32:04,266 --> 00:32:06,016
Shortly before sunset,
342
00:32:06,017 --> 00:32:09,061
the geladas retire to the rock face.
343
00:32:16,372 --> 00:32:18,217
Whilst the grownups enjoy
344
00:32:18,218 --> 00:32:20,968
the last warming rays of the sun,
345
00:32:24,073 --> 00:32:27,649
the little ones show no interest whatsoever
346
00:32:27,650 --> 00:32:29,161
in going to bed.
347
00:33:17,313 --> 00:33:20,010
Once the sun finally takes its leave,
348
00:33:20,011 --> 00:33:22,430
the geladas descend the rock face,
349
00:33:22,431 --> 00:33:25,014
look for a safe place to sleep.
350
00:33:28,093 --> 00:33:29,704
Cuddling close to one another
351
00:33:29,705 --> 00:33:31,608
is the best way to withstand
352
00:33:31,609 --> 00:33:34,359
the cold nights of the highlands.
353
00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,561
Slowly, the sun regains its strength again
354
00:34:09,562 --> 00:34:12,389
and begins to warm the frozen ground.
355
00:34:28,611 --> 00:34:32,433
Lonely nights are a thing
of the past for Megeti.
356
00:34:32,434 --> 00:34:36,502
Now she needs to find
her place in the pack.
357
00:34:36,503 --> 00:34:39,211
As usual, the young are
the first to wake up
358
00:34:39,212 --> 00:34:42,712
and fill the time with climbing exercises.
359
00:34:49,713 --> 00:34:53,796
But soon hunger brings
them back to their mother.
360
00:35:00,957 --> 00:35:03,845
The pups have built up trust in Megeti
361
00:35:03,846 --> 00:35:06,260
and even though she has
nothing to offer them,
362
00:35:06,261 --> 00:35:10,261
she puts up with their
small sharp teeth anyway.
363
00:35:23,255 --> 00:35:24,933
After the morning ritual,
364
00:35:24,934 --> 00:35:27,580
the wolves go down to the plateau.
365
00:35:27,581 --> 00:35:29,331
The pups stay behind.
366
00:35:32,522 --> 00:35:35,975
They lick the frost off the
surface of the petals.
367
00:35:35,976 --> 00:35:37,283
As long as they are weened,
368
00:35:37,284 --> 00:35:40,350
they do not need the extra water
369
00:35:40,351 --> 00:35:44,518
but, the cold droplets on
the plants are intriguing.
370
00:35:50,277 --> 00:35:53,573
Today Megeti stays with the pups.
371
00:35:53,574 --> 00:35:55,596
The young female looks after them
372
00:35:55,597 --> 00:35:57,503
as a matter of course.
373
00:35:57,504 --> 00:36:00,642
And they make sure they
get up to all the trouble
374
00:36:00,643 --> 00:36:03,143
that young animals love doing.
375
00:36:08,451 --> 00:36:11,391
It's not unusual for low ranking females
376
00:36:11,392 --> 00:36:12,555
to look after the young
377
00:36:12,556 --> 00:36:15,306
whilst the others go off to hunt.
378
00:36:21,830 --> 00:36:25,568
Never before has the pup seen a mole rat,
379
00:36:25,569 --> 00:36:29,152
but it already practices like a grown wolf.
380
00:36:37,457 --> 00:36:40,036
And even has the most important lesson
381
00:36:40,037 --> 00:36:42,800
of the highland wolves in his blood,
382
00:36:42,801 --> 00:36:46,384
once you've caught something, never let go.
383
00:36:53,487 --> 00:36:57,829
And if need be, fight
for it and get it back.
384
00:37:15,188 --> 00:37:18,413
Megeti intuitively knows what to do,
385
00:37:18,414 --> 00:37:21,443
as if she's done nothing
else her whole life,
386
00:37:21,444 --> 00:37:24,027
she trains with the young ones.
387
00:37:36,332 --> 00:37:38,805
This training also serves the purpose
388
00:37:38,806 --> 00:37:40,096
of making Megeti
389
00:37:40,097 --> 00:37:43,097
more experienced with the wild pups.
390
00:37:49,799 --> 00:37:52,581
And some point, perhaps soon,
391
00:37:52,582 --> 00:37:54,829
she will be able to use the experience
392
00:37:54,830 --> 00:37:57,080
when raising her own young.
393
00:38:05,587 --> 00:38:08,170
The rainy season is closing in.
394
00:38:10,782 --> 00:38:12,400
Like beacons of fire,
395
00:38:12,401 --> 00:38:16,516
the torch lilies stretch
upwards to the sky.
396
00:38:16,517 --> 00:38:19,733
Their flowery, often meter tall heads
397
00:38:19,734 --> 00:38:22,430
soon fill entire valleys.
398
00:38:27,448 --> 00:38:30,031
And this will not go unnoticed.
399
00:38:31,884 --> 00:38:33,294
For olive baboons,
400
00:38:33,295 --> 00:38:37,462
these are the most sought after
delicacies of the season.
401
00:38:42,420 --> 00:38:44,313
They inspect every petal
402
00:38:44,314 --> 00:38:46,814
and suck out the sweet nectar.
403
00:38:55,691 --> 00:38:59,463
Before long, the baboons
sport yellow mustaches.
404
00:39:04,125 --> 00:39:08,042
Pollen, which is transported
to the next plant.
405
00:39:17,539 --> 00:39:20,024
No one in partaking in the sweet petals
406
00:39:20,025 --> 00:39:22,858
can escape the dust of the lilies.
407
00:39:26,718 --> 00:39:30,872
Elegantly, the sunbirds
carry out their work.
408
00:39:30,873 --> 00:39:32,766
They form their tongue into a tube,
409
00:39:32,767 --> 00:39:35,479
through which they can
suck the sugary nectar
410
00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,813
deep from inside the petals.
411
00:39:41,298 --> 00:39:44,126
The baboons have a more rustic approach.
412
00:39:44,127 --> 00:39:46,795
It's a miracle that the
flexible flower heads
413
00:39:46,796 --> 00:39:48,727
don't snap off.
414
00:40:01,624 --> 00:40:05,616
Villagers are on the way
to the high valley.
415
00:40:05,617 --> 00:40:09,549
These people are some of the
earliest settlers in Ethiopia
416
00:40:09,550 --> 00:40:12,322
and their life as cattle
herders and farmers
417
00:40:12,323 --> 00:40:15,987
is basically the same as it
was hundred of years ago.
418
00:40:20,385 --> 00:40:23,357
The herd dictates the order
of the day for the nomads
419
00:40:23,358 --> 00:40:24,941
on the lofty plain.
420
00:40:27,973 --> 00:40:31,392
The shepherds' dogs go
with the small zebu cattle
421
00:40:31,393 --> 00:40:32,848
to the grazing meadows
422
00:40:32,849 --> 00:40:35,432
and protect them from leopards.
423
00:40:41,787 --> 00:40:43,089
There are many dogs.
424
00:40:43,090 --> 00:40:45,619
The scent for food increasingly drives them
425
00:40:45,620 --> 00:40:47,958
into the wolves' territory.
426
00:41:01,759 --> 00:41:04,259
Megeti warns the alpha female.
427
00:41:08,793 --> 00:41:12,576
The dog traverses their
area almost every day.
428
00:41:12,577 --> 00:41:14,342
But this close to the den,
429
00:41:14,343 --> 00:41:16,593
he is a threat to the pups.
430
00:41:23,699 --> 00:41:26,699
Together, the confront the intruder.
431
00:41:31,871 --> 00:41:33,977
It is thanks to Megeti's courage
432
00:41:33,978 --> 00:41:36,239
that the dog is chased off.
433
00:41:42,004 --> 00:41:44,804
But Megeti goes a step further.
434
00:41:44,805 --> 00:41:45,926
Again and again
435
00:41:45,927 --> 00:41:49,170
she rolls around in the dog's feces.
436
00:41:55,482 --> 00:41:58,565
A ritual that will have consequences.
437
00:42:14,422 --> 00:42:16,553
For the thick billed raven,
438
00:42:16,554 --> 00:42:19,399
cattle herds are always of interest.
439
00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:22,036
Whether in flight or on a perch,
440
00:42:22,037 --> 00:42:26,593
they keep a close eye on
the valley and its plains.
441
00:42:35,347 --> 00:42:37,969
The ravens are almost as large as geese
442
00:42:37,970 --> 00:42:41,387
and are only found in the horn of Africa.
443
00:42:42,715 --> 00:42:46,882
The birds have discovered the
remains of a zebu cattle.
444
00:42:55,583 --> 00:42:58,815
But the ravens are dwarfed
by the bearded vulture.
445
00:43:01,493 --> 00:43:03,846
It can stay air born for hours
446
00:43:03,847 --> 00:43:06,180
without a flap of its wings.
447
00:43:09,247 --> 00:43:11,985
For the birds, the canyons
and their air currents
448
00:43:11,986 --> 00:43:13,653
are an ideal habitat
449
00:43:14,685 --> 00:43:16,062
and where there are cattle,
450
00:43:16,063 --> 00:43:19,063
its stable diet can be found, bones.
451
00:43:30,387 --> 00:43:32,314
With almost no persuasion,
452
00:43:32,315 --> 00:43:35,482
even the last raven gives up its find.
453
00:43:55,985 --> 00:43:59,060
The wolf pack is in good spirits.
454
00:43:59,061 --> 00:44:02,472
The pups have grown into fine young wolves,
455
00:44:02,473 --> 00:44:05,961
but the den is too small for them now.
456
00:44:15,441 --> 00:44:17,806
They are getting harder to control
457
00:44:17,807 --> 00:44:20,106
and venture further and further out
458
00:44:20,107 --> 00:44:21,440
onto the plains.
459
00:44:22,970 --> 00:44:27,146
Soon they will go on the patrols
with the rest of the pack.
460
00:44:35,118 --> 00:44:38,701
Today, Megeti doesn't join
in any battles of strength
461
00:44:38,702 --> 00:44:40,860
with the young wolves,
462
00:44:40,861 --> 00:44:44,103
she is restless and hesitant.
463
00:44:44,104 --> 00:44:47,854
Something drives her
off, away from the pack.
464
00:44:56,133 --> 00:44:59,196
She goes hunting to the most distant levels
465
00:44:59,197 --> 00:45:00,780
of the lofty plain.
466
00:45:05,025 --> 00:45:08,515
The young mole rat is not paying attention
467
00:45:08,516 --> 00:45:10,608
and should be easy prey,
468
00:45:10,609 --> 00:45:13,609
but Megeti skids at the final moment
469
00:45:14,964 --> 00:45:18,714
and the rodent disappears
into its Labyrinth.
470
00:45:21,646 --> 00:45:25,201
This has been happening for days.
471
00:45:31,005 --> 00:45:35,236
The wolf can no longer
coordinate her behavior,
472
00:45:35,237 --> 00:45:38,788
her muscles contract and
twitch permanently,
473
00:45:38,789 --> 00:45:42,975
and her usually steady gait
gives way to trembling.
474
00:45:58,320 --> 00:45:59,396
A new attempt.
475
00:46:06,121 --> 00:46:09,788
This time, the mole rat
is only a leap away.
476
00:46:15,482 --> 00:46:16,732
Too late again.
477
00:46:21,082 --> 00:46:23,946
She is no longer master of her own legs.
478
00:46:23,947 --> 00:46:26,197
Even walking is a struggle.
479
00:46:33,939 --> 00:46:35,896
It is although an alien force
480
00:46:35,897 --> 00:46:37,897
has taken over her body.
481
00:46:50,287 --> 00:46:52,780
Despite being surrounded by prey,
482
00:46:52,781 --> 00:46:55,781
she is unable to satisfy her hunger.
483
00:47:00,415 --> 00:47:03,498
Megeti is getting weaker by the hour.
484
00:47:05,581 --> 00:47:06,914
She is very ill.
485
00:47:07,779 --> 00:47:09,911
With the arrival of the humans,
486
00:47:09,912 --> 00:47:13,605
a treacherous disease was
brought to the highlands,
487
00:47:13,606 --> 00:47:15,023
canine distemper.
488
00:47:18,578 --> 00:47:21,740
The virus is what rendered
Megeti an orphan,
489
00:47:21,741 --> 00:47:24,222
it annihilated herb entire pack.
490
00:47:24,223 --> 00:47:27,556
It was a miracle that she even survived.
491
00:47:35,065 --> 00:47:37,898
But now death rears its ugly head.
492
00:47:46,747 --> 00:47:48,099
She was probably infected
493
00:47:48,100 --> 00:47:50,680
by rolling in the dog feces.
494
00:47:50,681 --> 00:47:53,734
Highland wolves are at the
mercy of the disease.
495
00:47:53,735 --> 00:47:55,235
Once they are infected,
496
00:47:55,236 --> 00:47:59,404
the virus easily takes hold of the animal.
497
00:48:04,999 --> 00:48:08,157
With the humans, their cattle and dogs,
498
00:48:08,158 --> 00:48:10,999
the deadly virus has also found its way
499
00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:12,917
into Megeti's new pack.
500
00:48:16,399 --> 00:48:19,457
Megeti had no predators to fear,
501
00:48:19,458 --> 00:48:21,289
no one was hunting her.
502
00:48:21,290 --> 00:48:25,687
No one had shot her prey
or destroyed her habitat.
503
00:48:25,688 --> 00:48:28,271
Yet still she has not survived.
504
00:48:34,804 --> 00:48:36,686
The Ethiopian wolves
505
00:48:36,687 --> 00:48:40,466
once retreated to this
land above the clouds,
506
00:48:40,467 --> 00:48:44,106
now reality has arrived here, too.
507
00:48:44,107 --> 00:48:47,921
Less than 500 wolves are
left roaming the high plains
508
00:48:47,922 --> 00:48:49,755
of the horn of Africa.
509
00:48:51,906 --> 00:48:53,762
No one knows if they too
510
00:48:53,763 --> 00:48:56,846
will be infected by distemper on day.
511
00:49:06,034 --> 00:49:10,034
There is no survival
guarantee for these wolves.
512
00:49:17,346 --> 00:49:20,898
The future of the Ethiopian
wolf hangs by a thread.
513
00:49:25,281 --> 00:49:27,987
And the wondrous world of the highlands
514
00:49:27,988 --> 00:49:31,071
would be a poorer place without them.
38754
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