All language subtitles for Extreme.Africa.1of6.Dragon.Mountain.Surviving.the.Summit.1080p.HDTV.x264.AAC.MVGroup.org.eng

NARRATOR: The Drakensberg
has the highest peaks in Africa

south of Kilimanjaro.

It is home to many creatures.

But to live here
is no easy feat.

Its beauty is matched
only by its danger.

Within its unassailable peaks,
mystical reptiles

make their home--
the dragons of the mountain.

Their realm is one
of the most beautiful

and least hospitable
in the world.

This is Dragon Mountain,
where only the cunning survive.

NARRATOR: When the AmaZulu
first saw these cliffs,

they called them uKhahlamba--
"a barrier of spears".

Decades later, in early 1837,
a group of weary Dutch travelers

rolled their ox wagons
through this landscape.

Between the spires and the mist,
they imagined they glimpsed

a large, fire-breathing serpent.

They named its lair
Dragon Mountain.

These two groups of travelers
were vastly different.

But they seem to have found
common ground

when they saw the mountain.

Frightened by the severity
of the landscape,

captivated by its mystery,
their names tell

of the unknown dangers
hidden within the jagged ledges.

But this harsh and rocky
terrain, however unyielding,

still supports life.

And those that call this place
their home are as resilient

as the land on which they live.

They are adapted to survive

in an environment
inhospitable to most,

in conditions that have made
the Drakensberg

South Africa's
last truly pristine wilderness.

The life that exists here does
so largely unencumbered by man.

The moist montane grassland
marks the lowest life zone

of the Drakensberg's
altitude levels.

Ranging up to 6,500 feet,
these open meadows

comprise many types of grass.

And they are home
to a number of creatures.

Species that live
at the base of the mountain

benefit from higher temperatures
and more rainfall

than those higher up.

Standing at the gateway
to the Drakensberg

is the first dragon
of Dragon Mountain--

Smaug giganteus.

His scientific name
is a direct result

of his resemblance
to the fire-breathing monster.

But at a little under
8 inches long,

he does not share
the same reputation.

These open grasslands at the
very base of the Drakensberg

are his domain.

More commonly known
as a sungazer,

he is the largest
of the girdled lizard family

and the only one
in the Drakensberg region

that can survive
away from the rocky shelter

of the mountain peaks.

This is because he is endowed
with a skill that none

of his other clan members have:
the ability to burrow.

Smaug spends the majority
of his day gazing out

across his territory, scanning
for intruders and predators.

Then, when it is time,
he returns to his lair.

Each lizard digs its own burrow,

often delving almost 7 feet
into the earth,

and always facing due east
to make the most

of the sun's warmth.

Rows of thick, spiny scales act
as protection from predators.

Sungazers are formidable
defenders of their grassy realm

on Dragon Mountain.

They can defend their turf
for as long as 20 years

before the next generation
takes over.

Small creatures like Smaug
share the lower meadows

with the largest congregations
of animals

found in the Drakensberg.

The Drakensberg embraces almost
every high-altitude biome:

from grasslands,
to lush forests,

and extensive shrub communities.

It contains
several dozen pockets

of different flower species.

Each of these communities
is remarkable

for their sheer variety.

2,153 species of plant
have been identified so far.

An astonishing 30%
are found nowhere else on earth.

And they have developed ways
to deal with the specific trials

of the areas in which they live.

These are dependent
on two main factors:

how high they are
and which way they face.

Some plants have to deal
with incessant winds,

some are snow resistant,
while others stay dormant

within the earth
for most of the year,

only coming out
when there is enough water

and light to support them.

Small creatures like Smaug
share the lower meadows

with the largest congregations
of animals

found in the Drakensberg.

Blesbok thrive
on the fresh young growth

of the open grasslands.

Families live in mobile groups,
continuously searching the land

for the best grazing.

Calves remain with the breeding
herds until they are a year old.

When they reach this milestone,
they're cast out

and left to face the mountain
on their own.

Blesbok are adapted to life
on the grassy plains

so they don't wander
onto the higher slopes.

However, South Africa's
largest antelope

is a very capable climber.

In the summer Cape Eland migrate
to the top of the escarpment

for fine grazing,

during which time
they can obtain enough moisture

from their food to go for long
periods without drinking.

Red hartebeest,
on the other hand,

can only live in areas
with ready access to water

and so, like blesbok,

are confined to the mountain's
lower slopes.

The Drakensberg is the
most vital water catchment area

in South Africa.

Some of the country's primary
rivers begin their journey here.

They are fed by vast waterfalls.

Among these
is the Thukela falls,

the second highest in the world.

These powerful veins of moisture

continuously drain
through the mountain.

And they are coursing with life.

But to exist here
is no easy feat.

At higher altitudes,
temperatures can drop so low

rivers freeze over, making them
inhospitable to most.

The Inyanga river frog
only lives

in the semi-permanent streams
of the Drakensberg.

They start their journey
as eggs,

and their metamorphosis
may be completed

in little more than 30 days.

This is the last remaining
habitat in the world

that supports them.

They thrive in the fast flowing
streams that begin their journey

at the very top of the mountain.

Moving upstream,
the 6,500 foot mark

signals the beginning
of the sub-alpine zone.

This region is where South
Africa's national jewel exists.

The protea flower
is the country's emblem.

This particular species
of protea only grows

at 7,380 feet,

on the basalt slopes
of Dragon Mountain.

The Protea nubigena.

Its name means "in the clouds".

It is confined
to very steep slopes

below the sentinel
rock formation.

Here it's exposed to sunshine
for only half the day,

and is out of range of fires
that are more common lower down.

These very particular
requirements mean that it has

the smallest distribution
of any Drakensberg endemic.

At these high altitudes,
there are creatures

specifically adapted to endure

the pressures
of the unrelenting habitat.

The Maluti river frog lives
in the crystal clear streams

that flow through
the sub-alpine zone.

Their pristine waters
leave all inhabitants

vulnerable to predators.

The only way to survive
is to become a shadow.

Remaining unseen
in the bottom of the waters,

the Maluti river frog has
the ability to stay undetected.

It only lives in streams
in the afromontane grasslands

at altitudes
of around 5,700 feet.

Where it uses the cold
as an ally--

and up here the cold is
a very powerful partner to have.

As it sits motionless
in the water,

it seems like another feature
of the riverbed.

Surviving in temperatures
others can't,

the Maluti river frog has little
competition for resources.

Because little in the way
of food inhabits these streams,

it often has to journey
great distances,

constantly moving through
the high-altitude waterways

of the Drakensberg,
in search of food.

Only the hardiest
and most dauntless

can survive the Drakensberg.

And just as inhospitable
as the mountain,

are the forces that produced it.

Forged by magma and basalt
over 20 million years,

it is a standing relic
of the great geological shifts

that shaped the world
as we know it today.

A tectonic drift occurred
around 1.8 billion years ago.

The super-continent Gondwanaland
split into Antarctica,

South America, Australia,
and Africa.

Magma rose up
from below the earth's crust,

solidifying and fusing
as it spread and cooled.

This happened continuously
for 20 million years.

The process of lava erupting
and cooling over itself

formed a two kilometer-deep
crust of dark basalt

over the earth's surface...

That dropped off
suddenly into the sea.

Wind and rain then beat
the mountain back over a period

of a billion years to leave it
where it stands today.

This process is ongoing:
the Drakensberg escarpment

is eroding at a rate of over
1 inch every hundred years.

Today, the Drakensberg lies
in the west of KwaZulu Natal,

on the Lesotho border.

The entire range of mountains
stretches over 600 miles,

abruptly dividing the Highveld's
grassy plains to the east

and the Natal Woodlands
to the west.

Over 600,000 acres
of this range are protected

as the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg
Park that, as of 2000,

is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.

It's home to over 2,000 species
of plant

and an abundance of birds,

mammals, reptiles
and amphibians.

Each step up the mountain

is a little more perilous
than the last,

and each inhabitant
a little more dauntless.

At higher altitudes,
oxygen levels begin to thin,

making it harder to breathe.

And the cold becomes
steadily more piercing,

with nighttime temperatures

regularly dropping
below freezing.

Almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit
colder

than at the base
of the mountain.

These skinks
rely on the rocks to survive.

To endure the conditions,
they need the heat from the sun.

They obtain this
either by basking,

or by using the stored heat
within the rock.

But exposure leaves them
vulnerable.

The jackal buzzard
is a nomadic hunter

and a specialist
aerial predator.

It is able to soar

or hover
with equal proficiency.

Exposed on the rock, the skink
is at its most vulnerable.

The buzzard skims low over
the boulders in search of prey.

But being small
has its advantages.

In this landscape,
only a few rocks are lifesavers,

providing the cover they need.

And competition for these
is fierce.

Life up here is difficult enough
for the skink.

Predators are not
the only things that

they have to worry about.

There is another
dragon of the mountain--

the Drakensberg crag lizard.

The colors on mature males
are pronounced

during breeding season.

This is also when the lizards
become more aggressive.

They are the generalists
of Dragon Mountain,

thriving from
the base to the top.

Where these rocks and ledges are
a constant obstacle to others,

the Drakensberg crag lizard
negotiates them with ease,

using them to hunt, bask, and,
most importantly, for shelter.

But in order for them
to accomplish this,

they are dependent on very
specific shapes of rock.

There are few crevices that
are the right size and shape

to protect them from both
predators and the elements.

At times they become comatose
during the winter nights.

If their body temperature drops
below 23 degrees Fahrenheit,

they will freeze to death.

The only way to prevent this
is by sheltering in crevices.

And not all of these
are good enough

to beat the cold
of Dragon Mountain.

The best fighters lay claim
to the best shelter.

Those that are forced to use
shallower, more exposed cracks

are the ones that will freeze
during the night.

Reptiles are not
the only creatures

battling to live up here.

Closer to the summit, it becomes
steadily more difficult

to survive the mountain.

Human beings have evolved
to function best at sea level.

Our bodies struggle to withstand
the menacing temperatures,

high winds, and lack of oxygen.

Each resident
of the sub-alpine zone

similarly has had to develop
its own way of dealing

with the stresses of altitude.

Like us, rock hyraxes
lack the natural equipment

to deal with the severe cold.

Unlike the mountain's reptiles,
however, they are unable

to counter this by climbing
into narrow rock crevices.

So, just like everything else
on Dragon Mountain,

the rock hyraxes have had
to find their own methods

to survive the elements:
they cuddle.

Cuddling helps conserve heat

and counteracts their
poor ability to thermoregulate.

Because of their need
for each other's body warmth,

they always live
in family units.

They are indiscriminate
in their cuddling partners--

neighbors, friends,
and even strangers will all do.

They have a great ability

to economize
on energy and resources,

and they can eat virtually
all types of vegetation,

obtaining most of their
moisture needs from their food.

This is vital in a land
as unyielding as this.

The hyraxes have, however,
developed another technique

to cope with the stress of life
on the mountain:

they relax.

A lot of the hyrax's day
is spent chilling out.

But don't let it fool you,
this is a tactical move--

doing nothing helps them
conserve vital energy.

Energy that they muster
to masterfully scale

the rock faces.

They are generally
very sluggish, only coming out

to forage in the late morning
after a long lie-in.

They minimize the time
spent on the rocks

where they are exposed
to predators.

Their key defense strategy is
their ability to eat rapidly.

The hyraxes can consume
their entire day's meal

in just an hour.

And they are dependent on
the shelter of rocks to survive.

Their clawless feet
are useless for digging,

so they rely on natural cavities
provided by the mountain.

Not all of the Drakensberg's
inhabitants are confined

to the close quarters
of the rocks.

Many birds scour the mountain
looking for opportunity.

These scavenging
white-necked ravens

continuously patrol
the landscape looking for food.

For them, death is necessary
to ensure life.

Without it,
they cannot continue.

In the same manner,
this black-backed jackal

relies on the lives
claimed by Dragon Mountain.

Perhaps the most impressive
of the Drakensberg's scavengers

is the lammergeyer.

These beautiful vultures
take to the skies

in a constant search for the
carcasses of deceased animals.

But it is not only the
scavengers that survive up here.

Naturally adapted
to climb trees,

a family of chacma baboons
manages to navigate

the rocky mountain with ease.

Chacma baboons are equally
at home moving along branches,

climbing a rock face,
or foraging through the grass.

But the lack of trees here
means the mountain

is not a generous provider.

Baboon troops that live up here
often have to journey for days,

scouring the dimly dressed
grassy peaks.

The family moves as a unit,

climbing higher and higher,
restlessly foraging.

They are capable of obtaining

the majority of their water
needs from their food.

And they are
dietary opportunists,

eating virtually anything
that is edible.

Both of these traits
are crucial adaptations

for surviving the mountain.

This nomadic society
is founded on codependence:

each member is responsible
for looking after the other.

The higher they move,

the less nourishment
the landscape provides them.

But as a part of a strong
family unit,

they are able to make
the most of any opportunity.

This region is home to the
third dragon of the mountain.

The spiny crag lizard.

The only place in the world
that it lives is here:

between 4,900 and 8,200 feet
above sea level

on the Drakensberg.

It has evolved to thrive
in a rugged world.

Fallen rocks lie scattered
in boulder fields,

creating an obstacle
for most mountain inhabitants.

It has a heavily armored tail
and body.

These natural shields
are a great defensive aid.

When threatened they will wedge
themselves inside crevices,

using these spines as anchors
against extraction.

The heights are their realm, and
they are especially conditioned

to endure the trials
of altitude.

This is achieved by basking.

They will spend the daylight
hours absorbing the sun's rays.

Without this,
they would perish up here.

They stand at the doorway

to the last of the Drakensberg's
altitude zones.

At almost 9,000 feet,
the alpine region

is the bleakest of Dragon
Mountain's altitude belts.

It is a barren realm.

Frost is common.

Mist continuously enshrouds
the peaks.

And intense winds
relentlessly barrage

the few creatures
that live here.

The only shelter comes from the
snow-resistant tussock grasses

and the unyielding basalt rocks.

For half of the year,

temperatures drop
below freezing,

sometimes falling as low
as -4 degrees Fahrenheit.

And right at the top of this
vast, ageless landscape,

lives the most unassuming
of characters.

This innocuous red rock rabbit

is dwarfed by the rocks
that he inhabits.

And this is the very secret
to his success.

He is a master
at inconspicuous foraging--

moving undetected
between the shadows of rocks.

Up here, the only way to survive
is to stay hidden.

Between these sheer cliff faces,
jagged buttresses,

and unassailable pinnacles,

predators are always looking
for a meal.

And at every moment
he is vulnerable.

His only defense is his ability

to blend into this vast,
bleak landscape.

For Dragon Mountain's
smallest residents,

remaining undetected
is vital for survival.

But some creatures
have no choice but to dash out

in search of a meal.

An ice rat leaves the safety
of the overhanging rocks

to forage in the open.

They have thick fur
that helps them cope

with the extreme cold.

They also have an elongated
small intestine that aids them

in absorbing nutrients
from their food.

This efficient digestion system
means they don't have

to stay out foraging for as long
as other rodent species

found lower down.

These are social animals
when in their burrow,

but they always forage alone...

Despite the dangers
of the mountain.

Predators with keen eyesight
prowl the landscape for food.

The tiny mammals
are not equipped

with the same sharpness of sense
that the raptors have.

Despite this,
they have to feed.

Often the ice rat's best defense
is the mountain itself.

What is a burden to some
is a refuge for others.

And the ice rat lives
to forage another day.

There is little else
in the world that can compare

to what is found up here.

This is the apex
of the mountain,

the most exposed and
inhospitable of all its regions.

But even here, at the
very summit of Dragon Mountain,

creatures can be found
among its rocky outcrops.

Perched on the very edge
of the world,

with the clouds for a carpet
and the sky for a ceiling,

the last dragon
of the mountain...

The Lang's crag lizard.

Also known
as the suicide lizard,

its name comes from its habit
of hanging from ledges

at extreme altitudes
above 8,900 feet.

It has endured
because it lives in an area

where little can harm it.

The inhospitable summit
of the Drakensberg.

Because of this remote location,

little is known
about the Lang's crag lizard.

Only that it makes
its home here

on the top of basalt giants.

Hidden by cold and altitude,
left to live undisturbed...

A dragon as imperceptible
as the cliffs it lives in.

Like the mountain's summit,

it remains largely
outside of our reach.

Yet another mystery
of the landscape.

With every step
towards the summit,

a new adaptation can be seen
in the creatures that endure

the ruthlessness
of the mountain.

The dragons that live here
are shrouded in the mystery

of the landscape they inhabit.

They have made their home
in a wilderness so remote

that it occurs
largely beyond our reach.

And the creatures that
they share this beautiful,

unforgiving stage with
are some of nature's hardiest...

Illustrating a will to survive

that seems as improbable
as it is remarkable.

And their stage is one of the
most spectacular on the planet.