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In the north of Tanzania,
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00:00:04,504 --> 00:00:08,075
towering mountains
line a dramatic valley.
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00:00:10,644 --> 00:00:14,548
Its walls carved
by shifts in the earth's surface
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00:00:14,548 --> 00:00:16,450
long ago . . .
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00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,457
Enriched by ancient volcanoes,
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its slopes provide
a variety of habitats
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00:00:26,793 --> 00:00:29,129
for life to thrive.
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00:00:41,708 --> 00:00:43,610
And its great centerpiece
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holds water through even
the driest of times.
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This is
Lake Manyara National Park.
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♪♪
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♪♪
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♪♪
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00:01:32,526 --> 00:01:34,227
East Africa's landscape
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00:01:34,227 --> 00:01:36,730
is defined
by a geological phenomenon
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unlike any other on earth.
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Thirty million years ago,
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00:01:47,274 --> 00:01:51,178
an upwelling of molten rock
beneath the earth's crust
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00:01:51,178 --> 00:01:54,748
caused the planet's surface
to begin to shift,
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00:01:54,748 --> 00:01:59,186
tearing
continental Africa apart.
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00:01:59,186 --> 00:02:03,056
Over the eons
as the tectonic plates split,
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the land has fractured
along two fault zones
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to form towering mountains
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00:02:08,829 --> 00:02:10,497
and sunken valleys
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that stretch over 3,700 miles.
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00:02:15,435 --> 00:02:18,372
Known as the Great Rift Valley,
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this geological scar
is so immense
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it can be seen from space.
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00:02:25,078 --> 00:02:28,715
Molten lava once burst
to the surface of this rift
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00:02:28,715 --> 00:02:32,219
through volcanoes
lining the fault zones.
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And the rift is still active.
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Where the earth erupts,
a caustic environment
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supports only the most
specialized of species.
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00:02:49,136 --> 00:02:52,272
But where eruptions
have long since ceased,
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ash that once
spewed across the land
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00:02:55,108 --> 00:02:59,346
now provides some of the
continent's most fertile soils.
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This rich earth
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lines the slopes
of Lake Manyara National Park.
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00:03:16,730 --> 00:03:19,733
Water collects
in the rift mountains,
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flowing down
into the valley below.
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00:03:28,075 --> 00:03:31,611
On its descent
it nurtures diverse habitats;
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From forest
and woodland savanna,
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to grasslands
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and marshes.
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Eventually it flows into a
great lake in the valley floor.
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This lake is a haven
to a multitude of species
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that depend on it
throughout the dry season.
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Beyond its banks, the valley
provides for life as well.
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Rooted in nourishing soils,
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the park's varied environments
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are the living legacy
of ancient volcanic activity.
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They provide homes
for many species;
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Some specialized
to a particular niche.
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00:04:57,597 --> 00:05:00,200
While others
know how to take advantage
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of all that's on offer.
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For them the park's variety
presents a banquet
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fit for a huge family.
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00:05:23,390 --> 00:05:27,494
It's morning
in Lake Manyara National Park.
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A troop of olive baboons gathers
in the valley's foothills
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00:05:31,298 --> 00:05:33,633
before embarking
on its daily journey.
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00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,077
They spend the night in
the safety of the high cliffs,
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00:05:44,077 --> 00:05:46,780
and travel by day
to the sweet grasslands
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of the valley floor.
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00:05:53,186 --> 00:05:56,623
The troop numbers sixty strong,
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00:05:56,623 --> 00:05:58,291
and it's growing.
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The newest baby's pink face
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means she's younger
than four months.
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00:06:21,615 --> 00:06:23,350
And she's already developed
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00:06:23,350 --> 00:06:26,519
the strength
and coordination to climb.
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For her and her older cousins,
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00:06:48,508 --> 00:06:50,644
life is simple.
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00:06:53,713 --> 00:06:55,448
While they play,
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00:06:55,448 --> 00:06:59,019
their seniors engage
in their favorite pastime.
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00:06:59,853 --> 00:07:01,254
Grooming.
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00:07:47,334 --> 00:07:50,737
Soon it's time
to begin their journey.
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00:07:54,641 --> 00:07:59,112
Babies cling to their mothers'
bellies for at least six weeks.
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00:08:06,186 --> 00:08:09,522
By twelve weeks old
they ride jockey style,
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00:08:09,522 --> 00:08:11,358
saving their energy
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00:08:11,358 --> 00:08:13,093
for the next play break.
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00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,403
There's time to steal
a quick drink.
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00:08:39,486 --> 00:08:42,355
This water
flows down from the mountains,
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which rise up to 2,000 feet
above the valley floor.
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00:08:48,528 --> 00:08:51,164
Now in the height
of the dry season
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00:08:51,164 --> 00:08:53,433
it's crucial
to life in the park,
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00:08:53,433 --> 00:08:56,469
fuelling growth
through the toughest times.
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00:09:01,574 --> 00:09:04,377
In places it runs as streams.
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00:09:08,281 --> 00:09:12,452
In others it seeps through
the earth as groundwater,
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00:09:12,452 --> 00:09:15,021
accessed
by the deep roots of trees.
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00:09:18,057 --> 00:09:21,995
Eventually it spills
into lake Manyara itself.
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00:09:29,536 --> 00:09:33,306
The foothills are the first to
receive the mountain runoff;
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00:09:36,042 --> 00:09:40,380
And here vegetation grows
green and dense.
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00:09:55,628 --> 00:09:57,497
For this Blue monkey,
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the forest is a permanent home.
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00:10:09,776 --> 00:10:11,511
When he's old enough,
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00:10:11,511 --> 00:10:15,515
he'll challenge for control
of a harem of females.
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00:10:18,318 --> 00:10:20,653
For now he lives alone,
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00:10:20,653 --> 00:10:24,557
moving between the territories
of other Blue monkeys.
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00:10:30,864 --> 00:10:33,099
Manyara's dense vegetation
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is crucial to him and his kind.
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00:10:38,471 --> 00:10:41,441
Blue monkeys can't cope
with long exposure
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to the park's tropical sunshine.
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00:10:49,782 --> 00:10:53,686
Luckily for him, the forests
offer plenty of shade.
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00:10:54,721 --> 00:10:56,489
And food too.
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00:11:00,226 --> 00:11:02,795
He gets almost two thirds
of his forage
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00:11:02,795 --> 00:11:05,431
from only ten plant species,
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00:11:05,431 --> 00:11:08,735
all of which are provided
in a small home range
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00:11:08,735 --> 00:11:10,503
in the dense forest.
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00:11:20,179 --> 00:11:21,748
For the baboons,
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00:11:21,748 --> 00:11:23,750
things are very different.
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00:11:36,863 --> 00:11:39,732
They have incredibly
varied diets,
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00:11:39,732 --> 00:11:43,503
eating virtually all the
edible plants in their travels
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00:11:43,503 --> 00:11:46,839
through Manyara's
different habitats.
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00:11:46,839 --> 00:11:51,044
And they've found
one of their favorite foods.
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00:11:52,545 --> 00:11:53,880
The appropriately named
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Sausage tree
grows enormous fruit.
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They're a mouthful,
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even for a male
with 2 inch long canines.
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00:12:23,443 --> 00:12:25,378
These razor sharp teeth
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00:12:25,378 --> 00:12:30,249
also play a crucial role
in battles for power,
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00:12:30,249 --> 00:12:35,421
and provide important defense
against the baboons' predators.
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00:12:37,423 --> 00:12:39,626
As do the troop's numbers.
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00:12:45,098 --> 00:12:49,369
The troop moves with a strong
contingent of big males.
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00:13:00,647 --> 00:13:03,750
They band together
to protect their kin.
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00:13:10,423 --> 00:13:14,093
This means that
unlike most of Africa's primates
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00:13:14,093 --> 00:13:17,063
the troop can venture
onto more open ground,
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00:13:17,063 --> 00:13:19,265
far from the safety of trees.
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00:13:25,204 --> 00:13:28,675
But the baboons must be wary
at all times.
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00:13:32,745 --> 00:13:34,547
There are leopards about.
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00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:48,861
This big male's territory
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00:13:48,861 --> 00:13:53,032
covers the border between
Manyara's forest and savanna.
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00:14:00,540 --> 00:14:03,976
He lives a completely
solitary life.
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00:14:10,216 --> 00:14:14,587
But his range overlaps with
those of numerous females.
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00:14:25,331 --> 00:14:27,066
From his vantage point
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00:14:27,066 --> 00:14:30,603
he advertises his position
to both potential mates
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00:14:30,603 --> 00:14:32,672
and competitors.
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00:14:42,381 --> 00:14:45,284
For him
the tree is a resting place,
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00:14:45,284 --> 00:14:46,719
lookout point
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00:14:46,719 --> 00:14:49,589
and stage
for making his presence known.
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00:14:55,461 --> 00:14:57,797
But for many
of the park's other creatures,
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00:14:57,797 --> 00:15:01,300
the huge trees
that thrive in the rich soils
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00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:03,503
have a simpler importance.
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00:15:07,740 --> 00:15:11,410
Figs are a favorite of
Silvery-cheeked hornbills.
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00:15:16,783 --> 00:15:18,785
This male and female pair
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00:15:18,785 --> 00:15:22,555
wanders the treetops together
in search of fruit.
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00:15:30,563 --> 00:15:32,331
Unable to chew,
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00:15:32,331 --> 00:15:35,268
the hornbill
must position the fig perfectly
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00:15:35,268 --> 00:15:37,103
for swallowing whole.
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00:15:50,216 --> 00:15:53,085
And it's easier said than done.
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00:15:57,423 --> 00:16:00,359
But figs
aren't the only food available.
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00:16:05,398 --> 00:16:09,268
Like many birds,
the hornbills will eat insects.
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00:16:12,104 --> 00:16:15,641
And these are abundant
in Lake Manyara National Park.
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00:16:57,116 --> 00:17:00,553
These bees are preparing to move
to a new home.
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00:17:03,055 --> 00:17:05,625
They've left their hive
with their queen
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00:17:05,625 --> 00:17:08,661
and cluster
in a nearby acacia tree,
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00:17:08,661 --> 00:17:11,097
awaiting the return of scouts.
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00:17:12,465 --> 00:17:15,368
When a suitable new home
has been found,
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00:17:15,368 --> 00:17:18,070
the scouts
will give the colony directions
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00:17:18,070 --> 00:17:21,073
in the form
of an intricate dance.
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00:17:23,342 --> 00:17:24,777
In their old home
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00:17:24,777 --> 00:17:28,381
worker bees left behind
will raise a new queen,
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00:17:28,381 --> 00:17:31,484
allowing reproduction to happen
in the old hive
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00:17:31,484 --> 00:17:33,719
while a new one is created.
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00:17:39,692 --> 00:17:41,294
Acacia trees like this
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grow abundantly
in the savanna woodlands
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00:17:44,363 --> 00:17:46,365
between
the forests of the foothills
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and the grasslands
in the valley floor.
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00:17:50,569 --> 00:17:55,174
Here, away from the lake,
surface water is sparse,
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00:17:55,174 --> 00:17:58,277
especially now in the height
of the dry season.
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00:18:00,379 --> 00:18:04,550
But the acacias' deep roots give
them access to groundwater.
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00:18:07,186 --> 00:18:12,158
These trees are a favorite of
another of the park's primates.
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Vervet monkeys.
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00:18:43,789 --> 00:18:46,726
These youngsters
are remarkably adept
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at avoiding
injury amongst the thorns.
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00:19:07,613 --> 00:19:11,083
But the acacias are more
than just props for play.
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00:19:16,589 --> 00:19:20,259
They produce new leaves and
flowers during the dry season -
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00:19:20,259 --> 00:19:22,094
fodder for the monkeys.
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00:19:25,064 --> 00:19:29,368
Like the baboons, Vervets
are opportunistic omnivores
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00:19:29,368 --> 00:19:32,038
and they eat a range of foods.
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00:19:41,547 --> 00:19:46,118
Remarkably this includes the
seemingly least appetizing part
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00:19:46,118 --> 00:19:48,254
of an acacia tree . . .
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00:19:52,358 --> 00:19:53,759
Its thorns.
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00:19:58,364 --> 00:20:02,301
By breaking these off and
eating their nutritious base,
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00:20:02,301 --> 00:20:05,438
the monkeys turn the tree's
only defense mechanism
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00:20:05,438 --> 00:20:07,540
into a source of food.
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00:20:21,287 --> 00:20:23,155
The troop's youngest baby
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00:20:23,155 --> 00:20:27,259
will rely entirely on its mother
for comfort and protection
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00:20:27,259 --> 00:20:29,028
until it's three months old.
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00:20:35,868 --> 00:20:39,572
But it takes any opportunity
to explore.
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00:20:47,580 --> 00:20:51,383
By six months old
it will be largely independent.
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00:20:55,554 --> 00:20:56,889
For now,
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00:20:56,889 --> 00:20:59,291
mum's not letting it
out of reach.
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00:21:12,404 --> 00:21:16,375
Its older cousins engage in some
roughhousing in the open.
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00:21:35,561 --> 00:21:37,296
Unlike the baboons,
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00:21:37,296 --> 00:21:40,366
the Vervets are defenseless
against big predators,
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00:21:40,366 --> 00:21:45,704
and can't stray too far
from the safety of trees.
196
00:21:45,704 --> 00:21:48,440
They keep many eyes
on the lookout.
197
00:21:50,809 --> 00:21:54,480
Vervets have at least five
different warning calls,
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00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:56,415
for various threats.
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00:21:59,518 --> 00:22:02,454
And they've learnt to respond
to similar cues
200
00:22:02,454 --> 00:22:04,223
from another species.
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00:22:10,362 --> 00:22:13,165
A Superb starling
gives different calls
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00:22:13,165 --> 00:22:15,534
for terrestrial
and air predators,
203
00:22:15,534 --> 00:22:17,570
to warn its own species.
204
00:22:20,406 --> 00:22:23,409
By learning to respond
to the bird's calls,
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00:22:23,409 --> 00:22:26,178
the monkeys gain extra sentries.
206
00:22:45,464 --> 00:22:48,834
With a much bigger family
than the monkeys,
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00:22:48,834 --> 00:22:51,704
the baboons
have plenty of lookouts.
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00:23:08,454 --> 00:23:10,322
Deep into the savanna,
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00:23:10,322 --> 00:23:13,559
the troop is more than halfway
on its journey.
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00:23:16,161 --> 00:23:22,067
They too take full advantage of
all the acacias have to offer.
211
00:23:25,204 --> 00:23:29,541
The youngsters devour pods,
leaves and flowers alike.
212
00:23:41,487 --> 00:23:45,224
Their opposable thumbs allow
them to handle their fodder
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00:23:45,224 --> 00:23:47,326
with remarkable dexterity.
214
00:23:51,330 --> 00:23:54,633
But some pods
fall through the gaps.
215
00:24:14,453 --> 00:24:18,490
Their inclusive diet means the
baboons have plenty of options
216
00:24:18,490 --> 00:24:20,993
for a satisfying snack.
217
00:24:28,767 --> 00:24:32,271
Roots offer
both food and moisture.
218
00:24:38,110 --> 00:24:40,479
And experience
has taught the adults
219
00:24:40,479 --> 00:24:42,481
which part of each plant
220
00:24:42,481 --> 00:24:45,584
offers most
in the way of sustenance.
221
00:24:48,787 --> 00:24:52,725
This ability to select specific
parts of different plants
222
00:24:52,725 --> 00:24:56,729
sets baboons apart from many
of the savanna's animals.
223
00:25:02,501 --> 00:25:05,371
While the troop feeds,
224
00:25:05,371 --> 00:25:08,407
there is time for a midday
grooming session.
225
00:25:22,488 --> 00:25:25,257
Females will often
form relationships
226
00:25:25,257 --> 00:25:27,159
with particular males,
227
00:25:27,159 --> 00:25:30,529
relying on them for defense
against aggression from others.
228
00:25:35,768 --> 00:25:40,105
Grooming is an important part of
cementing these relationships.
229
00:25:52,751 --> 00:25:57,456
But sitting around is boring
for the young pink-faced baby.
230
00:26:01,460 --> 00:26:05,264
She is intent
on exploring her world.
231
00:26:40,699 --> 00:26:45,270
Eventually the troop moves off
on the final leg of its journey.
232
00:27:00,752 --> 00:27:02,654
When the baboons are gone,
233
00:27:02,654 --> 00:27:04,389
a family of elephants
234
00:27:04,389 --> 00:27:07,459
carefully gathers the pods
they've left behind.
235
00:27:12,798 --> 00:27:14,800
At this dry time of year,
236
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:18,337
Manyara's elephants
separate into small groups
237
00:27:18,337 --> 00:27:21,340
to make the most
of available resources.
238
00:27:23,475 --> 00:27:26,144
Nursing mothers
are especially pressed
239
00:27:26,144 --> 00:27:28,213
to find enough nutrition.
240
00:27:34,620 --> 00:27:36,355
The newest baby
241
00:27:36,355 --> 00:27:39,424
drinks more than two and a half
gallons of milk a day.
242
00:27:42,561 --> 00:27:44,229
Her mother must add
243
00:27:44,229 --> 00:27:46,698
to the hundreds of pounds
she already eats
244
00:27:46,698 --> 00:27:49,434
to account for
the burden of nursing.
245
00:28:12,391 --> 00:28:16,495
Like the baboons, elephants have
incredibly varied diets
246
00:28:16,495 --> 00:28:20,365
and the young mother will chomp
through everything on offer.
247
00:28:24,570 --> 00:28:28,707
A savanna's combination of dry
grass and woody vegetation
248
00:28:28,707 --> 00:28:32,578
provides the browsing elephants
with lots of options.
249
00:28:50,095 --> 00:28:52,164
But for the park's grazers,
250
00:28:52,164 --> 00:28:54,433
the flatlands
surrounding the lake
251
00:28:54,433 --> 00:28:56,234
provide better feeding.
252
00:28:59,571 --> 00:29:02,374
Here, large swathes remain green
253
00:29:02,374 --> 00:29:06,945
despite the long months since
it last rained in the valley.
254
00:29:11,583 --> 00:29:16,254
The lushest of all are broad
marshlands at the lakes edge,
255
00:29:16,254 --> 00:29:20,459
where groundwater bubbles
to the surface in springs.
256
00:29:26,031 --> 00:29:30,035
Here it fuels the growth
of Smooth flatsedge.
257
00:29:33,372 --> 00:29:35,741
In the dry season this sedge
258
00:29:35,741 --> 00:29:39,444
can form 60 percent
of the diet of buffalos.
259
00:29:42,714 --> 00:29:46,785
The old bulls in this group have
been ejected from their herds,
260
00:29:46,785 --> 00:29:50,455
unable to compete for dominance
with younger males.
261
00:29:53,425 --> 00:29:56,728
They now wander the marshes
with only each other
262
00:29:56,728 --> 00:29:59,131
and some
Cattle egrets for company.
263
00:30:02,734 --> 00:30:06,471
The birds take full advantage
of the buffalos' presence.
264
00:30:09,808 --> 00:30:14,179
They snap up insects disturbed
by the hefty herbivores.
265
00:30:16,281 --> 00:30:20,118
And use them as perches
with better vantage points.
266
00:30:24,089 --> 00:30:26,091
The water
seeping into this marsh
267
00:30:26,091 --> 00:30:30,128
is reaching the final stage
of its journey from the hills.
268
00:30:34,099 --> 00:30:36,168
What isn't absorbed by the sedge
269
00:30:36,168 --> 00:30:38,704
will run
into lake Manyara itself,
270
00:30:38,704 --> 00:30:40,639
the park's centerpiece,
271
00:30:40,639 --> 00:30:43,542
and huge epicenter of life.
272
00:30:56,321 --> 00:30:59,791
It's home to many
of the 400 species of bird
273
00:30:59,791 --> 00:31:03,195
found in the park.
274
00:31:03,195 --> 00:31:07,566
They flock to Manyara
from far and wide to feed . . .
275
00:31:07,566 --> 00:31:09,468
and to breed.
276
00:31:17,776 --> 00:31:21,079
Many large waterbirds
frequent the lake,
277
00:31:21,079 --> 00:31:24,649
but among
these the two species dominate.
278
00:31:29,721 --> 00:31:31,590
At 24 pounds,
279
00:31:31,590 --> 00:31:36,061
the Great white pelican is
the biggest of the lake's birds.
280
00:31:39,698 --> 00:31:41,566
To lift their bulk,
281
00:31:41,566 --> 00:31:46,171
these huge birds have wingspans
of more than eleven feet.
282
00:31:52,310 --> 00:31:55,580
They spend as much as a quarter
of the day foraging,
283
00:31:55,580 --> 00:31:59,151
scooping fish from the water
in their pouches.
284
00:32:03,755 --> 00:32:07,058
These birds
are known for their cooperation,
285
00:32:07,058 --> 00:32:10,295
working together to herd fish
into the shallows
286
00:32:10,295 --> 00:32:12,130
for easy pickings.
287
00:32:25,811 --> 00:32:31,149
The pelicans share the lake with
another imposing species . . .
288
00:32:31,149 --> 00:32:34,152
the Yellow-billed stork.
289
00:32:34,152 --> 00:32:36,755
Flocks roost
on the grassy shore.
290
00:32:39,124 --> 00:32:41,593
At only a fifth
of the pelicans' weight
291
00:32:41,593 --> 00:32:46,464
they can spend much less time
foraging, and more time resting.
292
00:32:54,472 --> 00:32:57,108
As they stride
through the shallows,
293
00:32:57,108 --> 00:33:01,613
the storks stir the mud of the
lake bed, disturbing their prey.
294
00:33:07,219 --> 00:33:10,322
Intensely tactile bills
snap shut
295
00:33:10,322 --> 00:33:13,091
as soon as they feel
anything edible.
296
00:33:17,395 --> 00:33:19,764
They feed on a variety
of aquatic life
297
00:33:19,764 --> 00:33:23,735
including fish,
frogs and crustaceans.
298
00:33:26,538 --> 00:33:28,373
There's enough food in the lake
299
00:33:28,373 --> 00:33:31,309
to support flocks
hundreds strong.
300
00:33:34,479 --> 00:33:37,616
The lake's abundance
is only truly appreciated
301
00:33:37,616 --> 00:33:40,218
when compared
with a very different scene,
302
00:33:40,218 --> 00:33:43,088
just 60 miles to the north.
303
00:33:53,131 --> 00:33:54,666
Lake Natron.
304
00:33:59,237 --> 00:34:02,607
Here, the water
supports very little.
305
00:34:09,814 --> 00:34:12,050
Like lake Manyara,
306
00:34:12,050 --> 00:34:15,720
the water flows into Natron
from the surrounding highlands.
307
00:34:23,228 --> 00:34:25,130
But one looming peak
308
00:34:25,130 --> 00:34:28,633
makes this lake
a very different environment.
309
00:34:31,403 --> 00:34:33,638
Ol Doinyo Lengai.
310
00:34:37,742 --> 00:34:41,646
Towering over
7,200 feet above the plains,
311
00:34:41,646 --> 00:34:46,084
this active volcano is known
to the local Maasai people
312
00:34:46,084 --> 00:34:48,586
as 'the mountain of the gods'.
313
00:34:52,657 --> 00:34:56,861
In the last hundred years,
it has erupted 15 times,
314
00:34:56,861 --> 00:35:01,299
spreading volcanic chemicals
over the surrounding soils.
315
00:35:06,805 --> 00:35:10,308
Water flowing both
above and below ground
316
00:35:10,308 --> 00:35:13,244
carries these chemicals
into the lake.
317
00:35:14,679 --> 00:35:16,514
High evaporation rates
318
00:35:16,514 --> 00:35:20,051
leave behind such
high concentrations of salts
319
00:35:20,051 --> 00:35:23,021
that the lake's water
can corrode flesh.
320
00:35:27,792 --> 00:35:30,328
Now in the height
of the dry season,
321
00:35:30,328 --> 00:35:32,731
broad, barren mud flats
322
00:35:32,731 --> 00:35:37,302
surround the receding
caustic waters of lake Natron.
323
00:35:39,738 --> 00:35:44,142
Very little lives in this
extreme and unforgiving land.
324
00:35:48,413 --> 00:35:51,116
With a fantastic exception.
325
00:36:07,065 --> 00:36:08,533
Flamingos.
326
00:36:27,118 --> 00:36:32,090
There are between 1,5
and 2,5 million of these birds
327
00:36:32,090 --> 00:36:33,691
in east Africa.
328
00:36:36,161 --> 00:36:40,565
And most of them hatch on
the mud islands of lake Natron.
329
00:36:42,634 --> 00:36:46,471
Terrestrial predators can't wade
through the corrosive water
330
00:36:46,471 --> 00:36:49,474
to reach the flamingos' nests
331
00:36:49,474 --> 00:36:54,112
but the elegant birds have
adapted to thrive here.
332
00:36:56,648 --> 00:37:00,085
Their legs have tough outer
coverings to protect them.
333
00:37:19,471 --> 00:37:22,607
Flamingos feed
on microscopic algae,
334
00:37:22,607 --> 00:37:24,642
filtering it from the water.
335
00:37:30,682 --> 00:37:33,384
The upside-down curve
to their beaks
336
00:37:33,384 --> 00:37:35,520
allows for maximum intake
337
00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:39,257
when reaching from their height
of more than 3 feet.
338
00:37:50,335 --> 00:37:53,071
In places,
the lake's corrosive water
339
00:37:53,071 --> 00:37:55,206
bubbles up
from beneath the earth
340
00:37:55,206 --> 00:37:58,009
at extremely high temperatures.
341
00:38:05,517 --> 00:38:09,254
And the flamingos must shift
from foot to foot
342
00:38:09,254 --> 00:38:11,289
to withstand the heat.
343
00:38:29,574 --> 00:38:32,110
The huge flock will feed
for up to
344
00:38:32,110 --> 00:38:36,281
twelve and a half hours in a day
to get all it needs.
345
00:38:44,455 --> 00:38:48,026
The flamingos aren't the only
specialists living here.
346
00:38:51,229 --> 00:38:53,231
In streams feeding the lake,
347
00:38:53,231 --> 00:38:57,368
a school of Alkaline tilapia
makes its home.
348
00:39:05,043 --> 00:39:08,479
They are specially adapted to
survive in the oxygen deprived,
349
00:39:08,479 --> 00:39:10,648
caustic waters.
350
00:39:15,220 --> 00:39:19,390
Like the flamingos, they feed
largely on the lake's algae,
351
00:39:19,390 --> 00:39:22,060
grazing the surface of stones.
352
00:39:33,204 --> 00:39:35,373
These two
very different creatures
353
00:39:35,373 --> 00:39:38,810
thrive where few others
can survive,
354
00:39:38,810 --> 00:39:42,180
succeeding through
their specialization.
355
00:39:54,792 --> 00:39:57,295
At Natron's neighbor
to the south,
356
00:39:57,295 --> 00:40:00,298
the allures of the more
forgiving lake Manyara
357
00:40:00,298 --> 00:40:02,767
are lost on the baboons.
358
00:40:12,243 --> 00:40:14,679
They've been on the move
all morning,
359
00:40:14,679 --> 00:40:17,348
and they're
reaching their destination.
360
00:40:20,585 --> 00:40:23,321
For them the valley floor's
main attraction
361
00:40:23,321 --> 00:40:25,556
is these green grasslands.
362
00:40:32,830 --> 00:40:35,166
Despite their varied diets,
363
00:40:35,166 --> 00:40:38,803
grass can make up
more than half of their food.
364
00:40:41,839 --> 00:40:47,178
And these long blades hold a
remarkable treat for the troop.
365
00:40:48,846 --> 00:40:50,648
Spider webs.
366
00:40:54,852 --> 00:41:00,191
There is no definite explanation
for this choice of food.
367
00:41:00,191 --> 00:41:03,494
The baboons could be relishing
anything caught in the webs,
368
00:41:03,494 --> 00:41:06,130
rather than the silk itself.
369
00:41:15,373 --> 00:41:17,308
While they settle in to feed,
370
00:41:17,308 --> 00:41:20,611
there is plenty of time
for troop life to play out.
371
00:41:23,214 --> 00:41:26,217
And of course,
this involves some grooming.
372
00:41:30,254 --> 00:41:34,359
But not all
is completely peaceful.
373
00:41:34,359 --> 00:41:38,796
A show of aggression helps
reinforce rank between males.
374
00:41:42,266 --> 00:41:45,269
Might is right
in baboon society.
375
00:41:48,206 --> 00:41:50,208
While the males
fight for dominance,
376
00:41:50,208 --> 00:41:53,878
the young female baby
inherits her mother's rank,
377
00:41:53,878 --> 00:41:56,614
which she will keep for life.
378
00:42:07,125 --> 00:42:08,593
As always,
379
00:42:08,593 --> 00:42:11,062
the troop keeps
a vigilant watch for predators
380
00:42:11,062 --> 00:42:14,365
and others
are quick to take advantage.
381
00:42:24,108 --> 00:42:25,843
With more eyes on the lookout,
382
00:42:25,843 --> 00:42:29,046
the wildebeest and zebra
join the baboons.
383
00:42:37,188 --> 00:42:40,191
The primates know how to get
exactly what they want
384
00:42:40,191 --> 00:42:41,426
from the grass.
385
00:42:56,874 --> 00:43:00,077
The zebra make up for their lack
of opposable thumbs
386
00:43:00,077 --> 00:43:01,579
with delicate lips
387
00:43:01,579 --> 00:43:05,316
that efficiently pluck
even the shortest blades.
388
00:43:09,053 --> 00:43:14,058
Zebra are adapted to subsist
on a variety of grass types.
389
00:43:14,058 --> 00:43:18,329
Whereas the wildebeest rely on
short, tender growth.
390
00:43:21,666 --> 00:43:23,468
Both of these grazers
391
00:43:23,468 --> 00:43:28,172
take advantage of the baboons'
company while it lasts.
392
00:43:28,172 --> 00:43:32,276
Come nightfall, the troop
will be vulnerable here.
393
00:43:34,679 --> 00:43:36,481
Once they've eaten their fill,
394
00:43:36,481 --> 00:43:40,218
they begin their return journey
to the safe high ground
395
00:43:40,218 --> 00:43:42,620
of the valley's steep walls.
396
00:43:58,302 --> 00:44:00,571
Tomorrow they will
repeat the journey,
397
00:44:00,571 --> 00:44:04,275
taking all they need
from the varied environment
398
00:44:04,275 --> 00:44:07,211
of lake Manyara National Park.
399
00:44:23,561 --> 00:44:25,830
Lake Manyara's lush valley
400
00:44:25,830 --> 00:44:30,368
is the living legacy of past
violent upheavals.
401
00:44:37,241 --> 00:44:40,545
Rich soils combine
with flowing water
402
00:44:40,545 --> 00:44:43,347
to fuel growth in abundance.
403
00:44:54,759 --> 00:44:57,161
The many creatures
that live here
404
00:44:57,161 --> 00:44:59,597
find food . . .
405
00:44:59,597 --> 00:45:02,300
and shelter in plenty.
406
00:45:07,672 --> 00:45:10,575
From generation to generation
407
00:45:10,575 --> 00:45:13,511
they make use
of Manyara's resources
408
00:45:13,511 --> 00:45:15,479
as best they know how.
409
00:45:26,257 --> 00:45:29,093
Filling each niche
410
00:45:29,093 --> 00:45:31,162
from its foothill forests
411
00:45:32,229 --> 00:45:34,265
to the watery haven
412
00:45:34,265 --> 00:45:40,271
of its great lake.
413
00:45:50,514 --> 00:45:57,355
♪♪
414
00:45:57,355 --> 00:45:59,824
♪♪
415
00:45:59,824 --> 00:46:03,461
♪♪
416
00:46:03,461 --> 00:46:08,466
♪♪
417
00:46:08,466 --> 00:46:13,471
♪♪
32242
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