Original subtitles

In the North of Botswana there is a haven,

where the Chobe river provides a lifeline for wildlife.

But in the dry season many animals face a daily battle

with the fierce heat.

Including three of Africa's most iconic families.

Though they may be vastly different,

they all have the same goal: to raise their young.

Childhood in Chobe is a time of vulnerability and learning.

And the only way to survive

is with the guidance of family.

Chobe is Botswana's second largest National Park.

And for the sheer abundance of its animals,

it is among the greatest on the African continent.

Home to vast numbers of game,

its immensity is matched only by the diversity of life found

within its borders.

The Chobe river is the only permanent source of water

all year round.

Flowing all the way from the Angolan highlands to the east,

it forms the northern border of the park.

It is a wonderland,

unrivaled for both its nourishment and security.

The large aggregations of game that continuously roam the park

funnel to this single oasis.

In the dry season

some animals travel up to 300 miles to reach it.

Within this water world, families make their home.

And though they may be vastly different;

the herd,

the troop

and the pride

all face the challenges of raising young.

This newborn elephant calf

is dependent on the knowledge of her herd's matriarch

to guide her.

At this small size she is at her most vulnerable.

During her first few weeks of life

the herd must show the youngster the necessary skills to survive.

She is the first of the new generation,

so she is in line to become the next matriarch.

A young lion cub faces very different challenges.

She must learn how to hunt.

She will need all of the experience and support

of her family

to show her what it takes to live in the savanna.

This young baboon

is reliant on the protection of his entire troop.

He is completely dependent on all of those around him

to show him how to navigate his world.

For him the river is a sight of discovery.

He must learn how to eat, climb, and groom

so that he can call on these skills when he most needs them.

Leading a family through the wilderness of Chobe

is a journey fraught with challenges.

During the summer months

all inhabitants feel the oppressive heat.

As temperatures exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit,

the Savanna becomes unforgiving.

By mid-morning everyone is desperate to find shelter.

The pride and cub take refuge from the sun

in the shade of a thicket.

Lions can spend up to 21 hours of their day resting.

They are doing this to conserve vital energy for the hunt.

When the time comes,

the youngest cub will have to pay close attention.

She will need to learn from her mother how to kill.

Soon the pride will have to leave the shelter of the thicket

to find food.

The survival of their young family depends on this.

The lions must make a kill every few days

to support all pride members.

They do this through cooperation,

working as a unit to take down prey.

But hunting must wait until the cover of night,

when it's cooler.

Chobe is home to over 120,000 Elephants.

It is the highest concentration on the planet.

And they too need to deal with the harsh temperatures

Over the 55 million years that they have been around,

they have developed age-old tricks

to cope with their landscape.

And it is through the family

that these are passed from generation to generation.

As the smallest member of the herd,

the youngest has much to discover.

She is a Kalahari elephant

though she is vulnerable now, if she survives these early years

she will one day tower above all other animals in the park.

To support their mass,

adults need at least 20 gallons of water a day.

So the herd breaks cover and heads to the river.

Despite its thickness,

an elephant's skin is very sensitive

and requires frequent bathing.

But instead of water,

the family has chosen an unexpected substitute:

These impressive showers help to keep them cool.

Dust and sand not only protects them from UV radiation,

but from parasites too.

It is an important lesson for the young calf to learn

and one she seems to enjoy.

For the baboons, refuge is also found at the river.

And for the boisterous young male

it is a training ground full of learning and play.

He will learn everything he needs to know

by watching and respecting his elders.

And he is in the company of other youngsters,

all discovering the world around them at the same time.

They are always active;

their antics start before,

and end after, the other baboons have stirred.

But raising a child is not the mother's job alone.

She has a lot of help from the males.

Unrelated males play "Godfather" to youngsters

from birth until their second year.

Almost all friendly contact between males and infants

stems from this relationship.

This includes holding, grooming, and even sharing food.

Females benefit from this

because it offers their babies protection.

What the male gains is the good favor of the mother,

Increasing his chance to mate.

By proving that he can care for this infant,

this male is showing that he is fit enough to produce his own.

Males move around from troop to troop,

so females make up the stable core of the group.

And they exist in a strict hierarchy.

Higher-ranking females and their offspring

have the first choice of food.

And the entire group is lead by a single dominant male.

He is the best fighter

and most successful mating partner.

And everyone else shows him respect.

Those that do not are harshly reminded of who is the boss.

This hierarchy is the only way they can survive

in such large numbers

and has to be enforced.

The young male has much to learn

if one day he is to rule over a troop of his own.

These seemingly innocuous jostles

are the beginning of his climb to the top.

There are many others he will have to contend with,

but if he wants to lead the family

he must prove that he is the strongest.

He must show everyone

that he will be able to defend them

when the time comes.

But for now, the mothers are still in charge.

Elephant herds also function in a complex hierarchy,

but leadership is not sought from the most dominant male,

but rather from the oldest female.

The matriarch can rule up to the age of 65.

She is the wisest of the group,

drawing on all her knowledge to guide them through Chobe.

Elephants exist in family units,

consisting of closely related cows

and their immature offspring.

And, just like the baboons,

the new mother has lots of help caring for her youngster.

But unlike the baboons,

it is not the group's males that help care for the infant.

Young females called 'allmothers'

play a key role in raising little elephants.

And this is a role they take on gladly.

They help in the calf's education,

by baby-sitting, guiding, and protecting her.

In return they receive training

for the day they will become mothers.

Because she's young,

many of Chobe's sights, sounds and smells are still new.

She must learn from every experience

so that one day she too may be a successful member of the herd.

Family structures are in place for a reason.

In a land as diverse, dangerous and vast as this,

all the wisdom and learning of the whole group

will be needed to make it through.

Chobe comprises 4,000 square miles

of undisturbed wilderness.

During the dry season

all animals funnel towards the river to escape the heat.

With less than a quarter of an inch of rain falling a month,

it is the main source of water in the park.

As vast numbers are forced to share space, conflict arises.

Throughout the park rising temperatures raise tempers.

But soon it's too hot to fight.

By midday temperatures are pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit

and the herd returns to the water for a mud bath.

For the calf the mud is not only a way to cool off,

it is also a great source of fun.

She discovers her dexterity by tumbling around.

Her new environment is a site of discovery.

As she explores her surroundings,

she learns vital lessons about how to endure Chobe.

One day she will have to pass them onto her own young in turn.

With many residents seeking nourishment at the river,

it is at its most crowded.

Buffalo are ruminants.

This means they must ferment their food in a special stomach

before they can digest it.

It is then regurgitated and chewed again

before it can be consumed.

This process requires great amounts of liquid.

So they need to spend

a large portion of their day around water.

But mud is just as important for the buffalo

especially when it's hot.

Mud helps the animal regulate its temperature.

It traps water close to the skin,

slowing down the rate at which it evaporates.

By caking itself in mud

the animal can keep cool throughout the day.

Being able to control your body temperature

is vital at this time of year.

Hippos are bound to the river for this very reason.

Though they do leave the water to bask in the sun,

if they are exposed for too long their skin dries and cracks.

When they do venture out,

it is only ever for brief periods to forage,

before they head back to the shelter of the water.

With so much life drawn to the river,

opportunities present themselves.

Cattle Egrets have developed an innovative hunting technique.

By hitching rides on the backs of far larger animals,

they can eat the small creatures that are disturbed in the grass.

This has allowed the Cattle Egret

to form some unlikely friendships.

This unorthodox relationship

highlights the benefits of cooperation.

By accommodating the birds,

the buffalo gets an on-board insect repellent.

Many species rely on the river and what it provides.

But some have to travel massive distances to reach it.

Plains zebra hold the record for the longest migration

of any mammal in Africa.

They sometimes travel nearly 300 miles

across Namibia and Botswana as they follow the rains.

The Chobe river is a common stop along the journey.

Providing a vital rest for the young foal.

But the river is also full of dangers.

Those seeking to get to the other side

have no option but to go through it.

This is where their foal is most vulnerable.

Seizing their chance, they make it across.

But they are not the only family

wanting to get to the other side.

The calf has to make the same hazardous trip.

This is the biggest test that she has had to face.

She will need to draw on all of the skills

she has learned from her family.

A large crocodile is easily capable

of taking a young elephant.

As the river deepens,

the crossing becomes more dangerous.

If the calf gets swept away now,

the herd will be powerless and unable to save her.

This is the first time ever she has been fully submerged,

drowning is a serious risk.

She must trust in the leadership of all those around her

if she is going to survive.

With the help of her family she makes it across.

Working hand-in-hand is vital

in a land as varied as Chobe.

Cooperation is one of the most important aspects

of family life across all species.

Close personal relationships

are the building blocks of a successful group.

It's now late afternoon,

and as temperatures cool the pride begins to stir.

Forming a bond with dominant pride members,

especially the females,

is of utmost importance for the young cub.

Female relationships are the very basis of lion society.

Prides are almost entirely made up of lionesses

and their offspring.

Competition for food and mates can be fierce

so members form partnerships

to help them navigate the hierarchies of group living.

It is something the cub needs to learn quickly.

There is more to this affection than meets the eye.

She has much to gain

from being on the good side of a stronger pride member.

It has been a while since they last ate.

When times are tough,

having a dominant friend

will help her in the competition for food.

When the females are successful in the hunt,

their favorites get first pick.

This bonding is as much tactical as it is tactile.

These two are forming a coalition,

one that could come back

to help the cub when she most needs it.

It's not only the pride that exhibits this behavior,

it's an age-old trick of the troop as well.

And it is a result of similar circumstances.

To survive the predators and perils of Chobe,

the baboons have formed a giant group

that sometimes numbers over a hundred.

With their combined strength

they are a match for even their most dangerous adversaries.

Living in large groups has many advantages,

but it also has one major drawback -

the need to compete for food and for mates.

The hierarchy of females bears the brunt of this pressure.

They are both the source of cooperation and of competition.

This double bind is solved

by the most basic of baboon instincts.

Grooming removes dirt, flakes of skin, and lice.

But there is more to it than hygiene.

When the baboons groom each other,

they begin to form individual relationships.

Those lower down on the hierarchy

are willing to give more attention than they receive.

What they get in return

is tolerance at choice feeding sites.

For this strategy to work,

a baboon will focus its grooming efforts

on someone that will be able to support it in a fight.

Weaker, lower ranking members

will spend much of their time grooming more dominant baboons.

These partnerships are born from the necessity for protection.

To survive,

the young male will need to choose his partners wisely.

He must learn that grooming is the glue

that holds the troop together.

It is a vital skill: the better he is at it,

the quicker he will be able to rise through the ranks.

But there's another reason

it's so important to the group dynamic.

Grooming releases endorphins.

These lower stress levels.

This, in turn, aids conception success.

The more successfully a female conceives,

the higher her rank in the baboon society.

So it not only makes them feel better,

but it can improve their standing too.

This is both a physical and a political activity.

And one all young members of the troop must learn.

Elephants rely on close contact too.

The young calf is rarely out of trunks reach.

And it is largely through touch that her mother will guide her

through the early stages of life.

It's their primary method of communication

and a habit that will remain with the youngster

throughout her life.

The instrument used to convey the sense of touch

is one of the most fascinating in the animal kingdom.

An elephant's trunk is extremely nimble.

Powerful enough to uplift trees,

it can also pluck tufts of grass.

Around 55,000 muscles

allow it to bend and contort in any direction.

It has two finger-like lips at the end,

and is covered in fine sensory hairs -

making it acutely sensitive.

And for this young one,

it's a vital way of accessing the world around her.

Baby elephants learn to eat by putting their trunks

inside the mouths of other herd members.

And it is through imitation

that they discover the dimensions of their environment.

But the trunk is not only a useful way to feel

its immediate surroundings;

it is also exceedingly good

at maintaining contact over long distances.

By lifting their trunks into a prevailing breeze,

elephants can use their deft sense of smell

to gain a picture of what lies ahead.

This again, the calf learns through imitation.

Elephants' trunks enable them to gain knowledge

not only sensually, but vocally too.

A large portion of the elephant's communication

is oral.

The trunk is a resonating chamber,

able to amplify a variety of emotions.

An elephant's call can be heard all across savanna.

Communication is vital for holding the family together

and keeping the youngsters out of harm's way.

Unfortunately, for one member of the herd

the dry season has proved too long.

Weakened by the heat,

one of the older members has died.

But this is important for the land.

The end of one life is sometimes necessary

for the survival of others.

In need of food and water the herd moves on.

As time passes, the giant body attracts scavengers.

A carcass of this size

goes a long way toward feeding

some of the park's smaller carnivores.

Chobe has many predators.

But not all of them are carnivores.

Little bee-eaters are deft aerial hunters.

They manipulate the wind with ease

overpowering their insect prey.

They owe their name to their proficiency at hunting bees.

To sustain their brilliant aerial prowess

they need to eat at least 250 bees a day,

or find enough suitable alternatives.

And for the pride too, patience and perseverance

have finally paid off.

They have killed a Warthog in the night.

Bonding with the dominant female

has allowed the cub a seat at the table.

The cub has learned how to get food,

and soon she must put this into practice.

By the time she's 11 months old

she'll be expected to join on the hunts

and start providing for the pride.

The young baboon has an advantage

over many in the park.

He is able to evade predators by going where they cannot.

This is something he must master.

He is discovering just what he is able to do.

The baboon's evolution to life in the trees

has been driven by their need to escape predators.

And learning this skill starts at the earliest stages.

Every family that lives in Chobe

is more vulnerable while they have young to look after.

They have to survive the elements

as well as the other residents of the park.

But one thing they all have in common

is the opportunities

that living along the riverfront provides.

Hundreds of thousands of animals rely on this water source,

creating a spectacular mix.

Combined with the natural beauty of the park

they make Chobe one of Africa's greatest wildlife marvels.

For the pride, the herd and the troop

raising young in Chobe

is a journey where lessons are taught

Bonds are formed

And enemies are encountered

It is a place of unrivaled abundance.

And amongst the vast numbers of animals

that roam this landscape,

the smallest must make their home.

Only with the guidance of family

can they endure the park and all of its challenges.

It is with the nurturing of elders

that the young will learn how to survive.

Chobe is a land of learning,

and it is one of the most spectacular

on the African continent.