Original subtitles

*

NARRATOR: In the northeastern corner of South Africa

lies a land of unparalleled beauty.

From pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs,

through lush wetlands and lakes,

to vast forests and open plains...

each landscape provides sanctuary

for a range of animals.

Known locally as "The Miracle," due to its beauty,

this is the magical world of iSimangaliso.

These remote shores lie nestled between

an ancient forest and the Indian ocean.

They are beautiful yet unpredictable.

For most of the year they are relatively quiet.

But tonight they have a visitor.

A female loggerhead turtle hauls herself onto the shores

of iSimangaliso's Bhanga Nek coastline.

She has traveled the world's oceans to return

to this exact spot: the same beach where she was born.

This is one of the few times in her life

she will come onto land.

And she is here for one special reason:

to start the next generation.

She slowly digs a nest three feet deep in the sand

with her huge flippers.

This isn't an easy task.

She's out of her element,

exhausted and at her most vulnerable.

But her whole life has lead to this moment.

She slowly lays around 100 eggs in the nest.

She will be lucky if ten survive.

The sex of her hatchlings will be determined

by how deep she buries her eggs.

The temperature in loggerhead turtle nests

ranges from 79 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Eggs that are incubated in cool conditions become males.

Those that develop at higher temperatures become females.

The process is long and arduous, taking hours to complete.

When she has finished laying,

she covers her eggs with sand and returns to the sea.

She won't return to land until she is ready to lay eggs again.

Her job is done.

There is a reason why she swam great distances

to return to this coastline.

It's because of the sand at the base of the dunes.

They're full of titanium ore, which heats up under the sun,

turning the sand into the perfect egg incubator.

Titanium ore is also a hydrophilic agent,

meaning it attracts water,

ensuring the turtle eggs never dry out.

This isn't only crucial for loggerhead turtles,

it's vital for the whole wetland.

When it rains, water draining through the sand

is drawn to the titanium,

which slows, the passing of moisture

through the water table.

As a result, the dunes store huge amounts of rainwater,

which slowly seeps out,

nurturing the surrounding forest.

These are some of the largest and oldest forested dunes

in the world.

They form the eastern border of South Africa's

first World Heritage Site and most spectacular wetland park.

iSimangaliso, the Zulu word for miracle,

so named for its beauty and the miraculous abundance of life

found within its borders.

Eight interlinking ecosystems,

three major lakes,

and South Africa's most pristine estuary form the heritage site.

iSimangaliso combines dry savannah

and sumptuous reefs;

dense coastal forests

and untainted estuaries.

This incredible mix of habitats supports a wealth of wildlife.

(screeching)

Families thrive,

bonds are strengthened

and enemies battle.

From the young...

to the old,

iSimangaliso provides for all of those who live here.

The dune forests of the Bhanga Nek coastline

are home to a special family.

(screeching)

Samango monkeys are South Africa's

only exclusively forest dwelling primate.

They're arboreal, which means they live almost entirely

among the trees and spend very little time on the ground.

They don't like strong sunlight

and seek shelter among branches and leaves.

Their diet is largely made up

of fruit, leaves, insects, and fungi.

And they have their favorites.

They depend on the rich diversity of flora

found in Bhanga Nek.

As a result, this dune forest in iSimangaliso

is one of the few in the world that can support them.

Samango monkey troops are like one large family.

The females in the troop provide guidance for the young.

They start learning how to survive in the forest

from when they are just a few weeks old.

Youngsters learn how to eat, climb, and groom

by watching their mothers.

When monkeys groom each other,

it releases endorphins in their brains.

Endorphins are the happiness chemical--

and they are addictive.

Most monkeys spend up to 20% of their day grooming.

The rest is spent traveling and foraging.

By watching and learning from her mother,

this juvenile will one day pass on what she has learned

to her own children.

The young become independent after a couple of months,

but continue to nurse for another two years.

(screeching)

But not every animal in iSimangaliso

has such a rich childhood.

A very different approach to rearing young

can be found further inland, in the center of the park.

Spanning over 115 square miles,

St. Lucia is the largest marine lake system in Africa.

Five rivers flow into it.

(thunder cracking)

When the rains are good, the flow of fresh river water

lowers the lake's salt content.

But when the rains dry up, the rivers stop flowing

and the level of the lake can drop below the sea.

When this happens, seawater flows in

to replace the lost fresh water, producing a salt content

that can be three times higher than the ocean.

Animals that can't cope with this much salt perish.

But others adapt.

Like a small fish that has an intriguing way

of coping with excess salt.

The tilapia is able to change the workings of its gills

to match the salinity of the surrounding water.

Gills are the organs through which fish

extract oxygen from water.

In freshwater fish, gills work to retain the salt;

in saltwater fish, they expel it.

But the tilapia has the unique ability to adjust

the receptors in its gills to match its habitat.

As a result, it is just as happy in both salt and fresh water.

But even for the tilapia, life in St. Lucia is difficult.

They may not have to worry about the changes in salt levels,

but they do have to worry about these.

Crocodiles.

Growing up to 19 feet long, and weighing more than 2,000 pounds,

with rows of razor sharp teeth, there is little in iSimangaliso

that does not fear these apex predators.

(birds cawing)

St. Lucia boasts the largest breeding population

of crocodiles in South Africa.

And they've adapted to living here

in an inventive and unexpected way

They make burrows.

When water is scarce, the crocodiles dig large holes

into the riverbanks.

By burrowing down through the water table,

they are able to access beds of fresh water

other animals can't tap into.

They have been doing this for generations.

But unlike samango monkeys,

childhood for iSimangaliso's crocodiles

is not a time of nurturing or learning.

From the day it was born, this baby has been on its own.

Left to fend for itself,

it hasn't been taught what to eat or how to survive.

It's also had to face a constant threat from hungry birds

and the ever-changing water.

But the ever-resilient crocodile is full of surprises.

This is the first time a hatchling crocodile

has been filmed underground in St. Lucia.

Without being shown where to go or what to do,

she has found an abandoned burrow through instinct alone.

The hollow remains at a constant temperature,

whatever the season.

The baby crocodile will hide here

until the cover of darkness.

Then it will leave to hunt.

This is an amazing adaptation for survival in iSimangaliso,

evolved by one of the planet's heartiest survivors.

(thunderclap)

*

The hippopotamus doesn't have such an ingenious method

for surviving in St. Lucia, but it does provide

an invaluable service that helps nourish the lake.

Hippos seem big and clumsy on land.

But in water it's a different story.

The name hippopotamus is an ancient Greek word

meaning "river horse"--

a term linked to their surprising speed

and grace underwater.

The river helps the hippo in many ways.

The hippo's unique skin structure causes it

to lose moisture at a higher rate than most animals.

They lose water up to five times quicker than humans.

This is because they have a thick skin,

but no sebaceous glands--

the glands responsible for regulating temperature.

Because of this, hippos rely on water to keep them cool.

And the hippo repays the favor.

Especially in St. Lucia.

When the rains lessen, the rivers flowing into

St. Lucia are weakened.

Rivers are responsible for carrying nutrients

into the lake.

When the river's flow is weak, fewer nutrients arrive.

That's where hippos come in.

They leave the lake at dusk to graze.

When they've finished eating,

they return and deposit masses of nutrient-rich dung

into the water.

It's a vital service,

one which helps maintain a healthy ecosystem.

The majority of the hippo's activities take place in water--

including mating.

Conception usually happens during the dry season,

so that births may coincide with the rains.

Courtship is surprisingly gentle.

Females start conceiving at around nine years old,

and will calf every two years from then on.

These waters, though temperamental,

are also a nursery for some of the park's

most impressive residents.

Of all iSimangaliso's ecosystems,

one has supported life for far longer than most.

Beneath the waves is a spectacular underwater world.

This is home to some of nature's most beautiful...

bizarre...

and cunning creatures.

This is Sodwana, an oceanic realm

in the northeast of iSimangaliso.

The coral reefs have grown on the remains

of ancient fossilized dunes.

It is estimated that this stretch of reef

is at least 4,000 years old.

Sodwana is the culmination of a special set of circumstances.

As the warm Aghulhas current moves down from Mozambique,

it begins to cool near St. Lucia.

At the same time, sediment-rich rivers

flow into the Indian Ocean.

In order for the coral to survive,

the water must stay between 60 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

No silt or detritus can come through the inbound rivers,

and the water must be shallow enough to receive nutrients

from the sun.

This abundance of life, though beautiful, is temperamental.

There are 95 species of hard and soft coral in Sodwana,

and they host over 1,200 types of fish.

Among them, the serpentine king of the ocean--

the honeycomb moray eel.

They are one of the largest and most distinctive

of the moray family.

They wait in the reef for any chance to snatch prey,

which they pry apart with their razor sharp teeth.

And they aren't the only predators

to scour Sodwana's warm waters.

Ragged-tooth sharks hunt here, too.

Their teeth are long and slim, like avenues of spikes.

There are three rows of 40 to 50 teeth in each jaw

and these will be used on any of the smaller prey in Sodwana.

They hunt in packs, surrounding their prey.

They also eat each other.

While in its mother's womb, the first shark to wake

will feed on its brothers and sisters.

Only two sharks will survive this cannibalistic start,

continuously feeding on the unfertilized eggs

their mother produces until their birth.

The ragged-tooth shark also has the unusual ability

to alter its buoyancy by swallowing or belching air,

staying at a desired depth and expending minimal energy.

This incredible underwater haven has endured because it exists

where little can threaten it.

Above the surface, in the far north of the park,

is another species that also partly owes its success

to its remote location.

This is a raffia palm.

At 52 feet tall,

it is one of the largest palm trees in the world.

Its leaves spread up to 32 feet wide,

and it has a flowering head almost ten feet across.

Remarkably, this tree will only flower once,

just before it dies.

When this happens, it scatters its seeds all over the swamp.

These are palm nuts.

Only the raffia palm produces them.

And they make up the main diet

of South Africa's rarest breeding bird--

the palm nut vulture.

Unlike most vultures,

the palm nut vulture prefers nuts to meat.

It is now largely vegan.

The only place it roosts is at the top of the raffia palm,

and the only place in the world where the raffia palm

grows naturally is iSimangaliso's Kosi Bay.

(birds squawking)

Kosi Bay is one of the few pristine estuarine systems

left in South Africa.

The soils here are mainly leeched acid sands,

which means that almost no silt is carried in when it rains.

This sets the Kosi estuary apart from all others.

Its waters are always crystal clear,

no matter what time of the year, or when it has rained.

But iSimangaliso's most surprising habitat lies inland,

away from the waters of the Indian Ocean,

and is unlike anything else in the park.

The savannahs of Mkuze support

many of Southern Africa's most iconic animals.

These two old elephant bulls

have formed a temporary alliance.

They have been walking for many days with little rest.

Although they are mainly solitary animals,

elephant bulls occasionally travel together

in search of females and food.

In times of drought they will also travel great distances

to find fresh water.

Elephants have an astounding ability to detect

where and when it will rain.

To locate an isolated rain shower,

they can travel up to 24 miles.

On these journeys they constantly feed,

dispersing seeds along the way.

Their nutrient-rich dung provides the perfect conditions

for the seeds to germinate.

And protects them during the early stages of growth.

As a result, iSimangaliso's elephants

have an important influence on how the savannahs appear.

They are the veldts' most important gardeners.

In a land as diverse as iSimangaliso,

collaboration is often the only way to survive.

The cheetah is the fastest land mammal on earth.

Outrunning one would be difficult for any animal.

Outrunning two is near impossible.

These brothers have developed

a unique collaborative hunting method.

Teaming up for any species is a delicate balance.

More allies mean more mouths to feed.

For two animals to live and work together,

it requires a unique relationship,

one founded largely on trust.

Today it has worked.

The brothers have killed a young zebra foal.

Its mother was unable to protect it,

but the herd has chased the cheetahs into a nearby thicket.

The brothers bide their time for a chance to feed.

The mare nudges her foal for a response.

But none comes.

A waiting game has begun.

The cheetahs can't have their meal while the herd is there.

They are surprisingly vulnerable for a big cat

and an adult zebra poses a serious threat.

The mare knows they are no match for her.

She protects her young, even in death.

(grunting)

The rest of the herd seems to share in her loss.

For three days and nights, she guards the carcass.

Eventually, hunger forces the cheetah brothers

to give up their kill.

They need to eat and must hunt again.

Although she has suffered a huge loss,

this mother has managed to hold onto her offspring

for a little longer.

(vultures screaming)

But even the most resilient mothers can do little

against an onslaught of vultures.

There is nothing more the herd can do.

It doesn't take long for the scavengers to strip the carcass.

Since a meal is not a guarantee in the savannah,

and competition is fierce, vultures have developed

the ability to eat incredibly quickly.

In as little as two minutes they can consume

three pounds of carrion.

The more dominant lappet-faced vultures

have priority over the smaller cape vultures,

who must wait their turn.

Of all the species of vulture, these giant birds are the kings.

Their powerful bills can tear through

tougher bits of the carcass that others can't access.

But white-necked ravens pay little regard

to vulture hierarchy.

These opportunists will take a chance

regardless of the size of the competition.

The foal is a welcome meal for all.

Life cycles continuously play out

across iSimangaliso's many landscapes.

And for every end, there is a new beginning.

It's been 70 days since the female Loggerhead turtle

visited these shores.

As her hatchlings breach the sand,

they begin a hazardous journey to the sea.

These young, vulnerable babies begin life

with the biggest challenge they will have to face.

They are most at risk now--

small, exposed and defenseless.

Not all will make it.

Predators like crabs take many

before they even reach the water.

But against the odds, some survive.

Those that do will travel the world,

migrating across thousands of miles of ocean

before returning to these same shores in 30 years time

to deliver the next generation of loggerhead turtles.

The beauty of iSimangaliso is seen in the lifecycles

of those who live in its many different habitats.

From its underwater havens

and pristine beaches,

to its immense plains and lakes,

iSimangaliso is a refuge that shelters life

from its first steps until its final moments.

Nurturing some of the natural world's most iconic...

striking...

and adaptable characters.

It is a land as beautiful as it is varied...

A "miracle" unlike any other.