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For most of the year
South Africa's

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western border with the sea
is severe and unforgiving.

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It's a narrow and harsh belt of
coastline called the Sandveld.

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00:00:21,688 --> 00:00:24,458
But for the creatures
that live in the ocean,

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it's an entirely
different story

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A rich current

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provides generously for every
inhabitant of the sea.

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For those that thrive

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in the cold temperatures
and stormy swells,

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this underwater domain
is a sanctuary.

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The Sandveld
is a land of contrasts,

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And every creature has adapted
to endure its volatile habitat.

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South Africa's western frontier
with the sea

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is a harsh and arid terrain.

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A narrow strip of land
shouldering the ocean,

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the Sandveld is as unyielding
as it is beautiful.

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The sands that line the coast
are coarse and drained.

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They provide only
for hardy shrubs

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and their resilient residents.

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The seasons fluctuate
between extremes.

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The inhabitants of the Sandveld

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have to withstand
the relentless winds,

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The salt-laden mists -

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And the scorching sun.

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But for a small portion
of the year

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after the winter rains finish,

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the August spring
brings new life -

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and the landscape
becomes a wonderland.

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While they patiently await
the arrival of spring,

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the animals
on this stretch of earth

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stubbornly endure their
unforgiving home.

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The ocean paints
a very different picture.

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The rocky shores
that abruptly sever

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the Sandveld's link to the ocean
are rich and nurturing.

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The sea is as plentiful
as the land is scarce.

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While the terrestrial creatures
fight the severity of the land,

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those that live in the sea

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group in their masses to enjoy
the generosity of the ocean.

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The neighbors
of these two bordering realms

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are as dissimilar
as their habitats.

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And every animal here

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must endure the seasons and cope
with the area in which it lives.

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This stretch of beach
in the north of the Sandveld

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is home to the Cape fur seal -

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and it's their permanent base.

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Seals are ocean-based mammals,

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but they have strong ties
to the land.

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They spend most of their time
in the sea,

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Yet they still breathe air

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and they have to come on to land
to rest and to give birth.

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Seals are a curious
crossover species

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caught somewhere between
two vastly different worlds -

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part land and part ocean.

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They're considerably more
cumbersome when moving around

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on solid ground.

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This is where they are
most vulnerable to predation,

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but also where they need to come
to breed.

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Because of this,
large groups of seals

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only occur where terrestrial
predators are limited.

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Optimum sites
are few and far between.

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This beach at Kleinzee
in the Sandveld

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holds the largest on-land
aggregation of Cape fur seals

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in the world.

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With such large numbers, prime
space is a valuable commodity -

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One that only the dominant bulls
can procure.

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A successful bull territory

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can contain up to 30 females
and their offspring.

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The pups will nurse
for 10 months, until spring.

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Then the big bulls will emerge

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to fight
for the best mating sites.

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Forcing the youngsters out

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to face the challenges
of the ocean by themselves.

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The arrival of spring

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signals the beginning
of their independence.

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Because of the double-nature
of their existence,

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seals can choose
whether to face the dangers

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of the Atlantic ocean,

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or the severity of the land.

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Not every animal
has this luxury.

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While spring means exile
for the baby seals,

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the Sandveld's
landlocked inhabitants

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desperately await its arrival.

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Imprisoned by barriers of
mountains and rivers on one side

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and the cold Atlantic
on the other,

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the animals that live here
have to endure the hot summer

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and wet winter,

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waiting for the brief
window of life in spring.

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During the summer the Sandveld
is hostile and scarce.

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Temperatures reach
90 degrees Fahrenheit.

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And only half an inch
of rainfall

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reaches the land per month.

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Little is provided
for those who live here.

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And death

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is a constant visitor.

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Within this landscape,

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the smallest of creatures
have made their home.

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The Angulate tortoise is bound
to wander the Sandveld,

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laboriously moving through the
terrain in search of shelter.

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They are hardy and robust,

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able to survive
in difficult conditions.

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And there are a number of tricks
that help them endure

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their dry habitat.

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Their skin is hard
and impermeable.

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This greatly reduces the amount
of water that they lose.

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The dry Sandveld wind

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consistently withers
all that it encounters,

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and so the Angulate tortoise

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spends as little time away
from the shelter of the shrubs

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as it can.

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The key to their survival

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is their shy nature.

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But there are
other reptiles here

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that have adapted
to take advantage

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of the abundant exposure
of the open lands.

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Where the hot summer sun
is a persecution to others,

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it is a source
of life and mobility

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for the lizards of the Sandveld.

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They are cold blooded,
so they need to bask in the sun

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to regulate
their body temperature.

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But this can be as much a burden
as it is a blessing

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especially in the Sandveld.

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Relying on the sun's heat means
this Cape girdled lizard

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has to leave itself exposed
in plain view.

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The boulders that the lizard
depends on for basking

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are the ideal hunting ground
for a Rock kestrel.

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But these rocks are also
the main defense

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of the Sandveld's reptiles.

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Their solace is temporary;

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soon they must leave again
to find warmth and food.

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And so they rely on both
the shelter of the rock crevices

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and on the open exposure
of the surface.

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A curious double bind
that sees these small reptiles

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constantly maneuvering around
the boulders of the Sandveld.

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One species

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seems to have solved this
dilemma in an interesting way.

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Armadillo girdled lizards

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have a heavily armored
outer tail and body,

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but their soft underbellies
are vulnerable.

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And they have dealt with this
in an intriguing fashion.

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By biting their tails,
the lizards ensure

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that they don't leave their
vulnerable sections exposed.

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And they have another tactic
to protect themselves

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from the predators
of the Sandveld.

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Armadillo girdled lizards
aggregate in large groups.

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They have sentries
manning multiple posts,

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facing all directions.

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If a threat comes from the sky
or the ground,

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it will be seen by one
of the many lizards on watch.

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They wait underneath the
protection of overhanging rocks,

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only leaving to bask

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or to eat.

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Within such large groups,
there are hierarchies.

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And when food is limited,

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only the most dominant
get to enjoy it.

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Socializing among lizards
is not a common phenomenon,

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but suitable cover is limited.

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So Armadillo girdled lizards
join together to find food,

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00:15:03,569 --> 00:15:05,505
shelter from the elements

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and evade predators.

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Refuge is not easy to come
across in the Sandveld.

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Only the hardiest vegetation can
survive this difficult terrain.

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This is Namaqualand sand fynbos;

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It occupies 270,000 acres
of the Sandveld.

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It's the driest
of all fynbos types.

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In some areas

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it manages to live within
a meager average rainfall

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of less than 4 inches per year.

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So like all that live here,

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it has ingenious ways to survive
the harshness of its habitat.

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As the Benguela
current surges along the coast

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it draws frigid,
deep water to the surface.

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When the prevailing winds blow
onshore from farther out to sea,

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they carry warm air
laden with moisture.

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The warm moisture collides
with the cold surface water,

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giving rise to thick fog.

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Here the ocean feeds the land.

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Mists and winds are present for
at least 120 nights of the year,

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And they are a gift
to the resident plants.

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It's estimated that the moisture
delivered by the Sandveld fog

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can be up to three times as much
as the amount of its rainfall.

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This is where
the scarcity of the land

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and the richness
of the ocean meet.

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Because of this,
the plants have developed

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to make the most of their main
source of nourishment.

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The roots of many species
in the habitat

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have numerous fine divisions
just below the earth.

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These help maximize the surface
area of the water intake.

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Within these conditions,

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an intriguing plant flourishes
among the fynbos.

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00:18:20,366 --> 00:18:23,536
The Euphorbia caput-madusae.

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So named
because of its long tentacles

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emerging like the serpents on
the head of the mythological

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Greek figure.

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It survives
the unremitting habitat

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by remaining partly underground;

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leaving only
its branches exposed.

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00:18:50,663 --> 00:18:54,133
And there's a creature that has
an unexpected relationship

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00:18:54,133 --> 00:18:57,003
with these serpentine spires.

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The Rough-scaled girdled lizard

200
00:19:09,615 --> 00:19:13,285
is one of the few members
of its kind that doesn't hide

201
00:19:13,285 --> 00:19:15,021
between the rocks.

202
00:19:16,756 --> 00:19:18,691
Its head and body

203
00:19:18,691 --> 00:19:22,962
are not flattened like many
of the other girdled lizards;

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00:19:26,098 --> 00:19:30,202
this reflects its preference for
living away from boulders.

205
00:19:33,606 --> 00:19:35,541
It has another way to shelter

206
00:19:35,541 --> 00:19:38,377
from the Sandveld's
elements and predators.

207
00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,182
The plant protects the reptiles

208
00:19:43,182 --> 00:19:47,253
in the way that rocks protect
the other girdled lizards.

209
00:19:51,490 --> 00:19:53,626
When under threat
from a predator,

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00:19:53,626 --> 00:19:57,563
it can lose itself
within the labyrinthine stems.

211
00:20:00,533 --> 00:20:05,404
And it provides
another important service.

212
00:20:05,404 --> 00:20:08,340
Because invertebrates
also shelter here;

213
00:20:08,340 --> 00:20:13,779
the lizards do not need to move
far to get their food.

214
00:20:13,779 --> 00:20:18,651
They're gifted a complimentary
room service for their tenure.

215
00:20:20,786 --> 00:20:22,755
But there aren't many euphorbias

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00:20:22,755 --> 00:20:26,492
that can provide
adequate protection.

217
00:20:26,492 --> 00:20:29,228
So competition
for the ones that do

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00:20:29,228 --> 00:20:30,529
is fierce.

219
00:20:35,367 --> 00:20:38,537
There's a hierarchy
within the plant's residents -

220
00:20:38,537 --> 00:20:40,806
those that are lower down
are condemned

221
00:20:40,806 --> 00:20:43,542
to the more exposed spires.

222
00:20:49,415 --> 00:20:52,284
The stronger lizards have their
choice of the sections

223
00:20:52,284 --> 00:20:55,054
that are
harder for predators to access.

224
00:21:05,464 --> 00:21:10,736
This is a necessary compromise,
produced by the harsh habitat.

225
00:21:13,405 --> 00:21:17,343
The severity has caused
an otherwise solitary lizard

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00:21:17,343 --> 00:21:19,578
to become communal.

227
00:21:31,857 --> 00:21:34,326
Until the winter rains arrive

228
00:21:34,326 --> 00:21:38,063
the Sandveld relinquishes little
for its residents.

229
00:21:44,470 --> 00:21:47,773
Springbok thrive in aridity.

230
00:21:51,410 --> 00:21:55,381
They're at home grazing amongst
the scant dunes.

231
00:21:57,249 --> 00:22:00,252
By being able to digest
young tender grass

232
00:22:00,252 --> 00:22:03,355
and a variety
of shrubs and succulents,

233
00:22:03,355 --> 00:22:06,192
they're well provided for.

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00:22:08,427 --> 00:22:12,097
But their greatest advantage
for surviving these lands

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00:22:12,097 --> 00:22:16,368
is their ability
to go without fresh water.

236
00:22:18,137 --> 00:22:19,638
And this is the trick

237
00:22:19,638 --> 00:22:22,474
that also allows
the Sandveld's largest resident

238
00:22:22,474 --> 00:22:24,777
to see the summer through.

239
00:22:29,815 --> 00:22:33,285
Cape eland can go
for long periods

240
00:22:33,285 --> 00:22:35,454
without needing to drink.

241
00:22:39,525 --> 00:22:44,463
This nomadic family constantly
moves through the Sandveld.

242
00:22:50,436 --> 00:22:54,673
Their broad habitat tolerance
and extremely varied diet

243
00:22:54,673 --> 00:22:57,042
allow them to cope.

244
00:23:00,279 --> 00:23:04,116
But in order to survive, there
needs to be enough moisture

245
00:23:04,116 --> 00:23:07,720
in the plants that they eat.

246
00:23:16,295 --> 00:23:18,130
Until the winter rains,

247
00:23:18,130 --> 00:23:22,434
this family must survive
off the little that's on offer.

248
00:23:33,646 --> 00:23:38,284
While those on land
endure the summer heat,

249
00:23:38,284 --> 00:23:41,754
the ocean continues
to burst with life.

250
00:23:46,625 --> 00:23:49,495
As the Benguela current
moves up the coast,

251
00:23:49,495 --> 00:23:52,398
the earth's rotation
causes the surface water

252
00:23:52,398 --> 00:23:55,434
to deflect away from the shore.

253
00:24:00,339 --> 00:24:02,741
Coupled with
the prevailing winds,

254
00:24:02,741 --> 00:24:06,278
this draws up cold,
nutrient rich water

255
00:24:06,278 --> 00:24:10,582
from as deep as 1000 feet below.

256
00:24:19,291 --> 00:24:21,193
As the nutrient-rich water

257
00:24:21,193 --> 00:24:25,431
is pulled shallow enough to
collide with the sun's rays,

258
00:24:25,431 --> 00:24:29,468
an explosion of life occurs.

259
00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:39,478
Forests of free-floating algae
come into bloom.

260
00:24:43,115 --> 00:24:46,418
Attracting
large schools of fish.

261
00:24:47,486 --> 00:24:49,121
These in turn

262
00:24:49,121 --> 00:24:51,290
bring the carnivores.

263
00:24:53,125 --> 00:24:58,130
Among them, hundreds and
thousands of Cape fur seals

264
00:24:58,130 --> 00:25:02,301
and sea birds
that arrive to feed.

265
00:25:02,301 --> 00:25:04,169
Pieces of drift kelp

266
00:25:04,169 --> 00:25:09,608
soak up the water's nourishment
and wash to shore.

267
00:25:09,608 --> 00:25:12,478
As the winds whip
and batter the sea,

268
00:25:12,478 --> 00:25:18,584
they whisk up a thick froth
of organic matter.

269
00:25:18,584 --> 00:25:23,222
These water-borne clouds
are rich in biological material

270
00:25:23,222 --> 00:25:26,258
that feeds the intertidal zones.

271
00:25:28,761 --> 00:25:33,065
A constant influx of nutrients
infiltrates the ocean border

272
00:25:33,065 --> 00:25:35,634
in many different forms.

273
00:25:47,413 --> 00:25:51,350
This draws some unexpected
inland visitors out.

274
00:25:55,154 --> 00:25:56,822
Flamingos

275
00:25:56,822 --> 00:26:00,626
use their bill to filter through
the surface of the water -

276
00:26:00,626 --> 00:26:04,196
this optimizes the nutrients
they can extract.

277
00:26:07,332 --> 00:26:11,236
Adapted to function best across
the still waters of a lake,

278
00:26:11,236 --> 00:26:14,573
this technique is
considerably harder to practice

279
00:26:14,573 --> 00:26:17,009
on a moving wave.

280
00:26:20,813 --> 00:26:22,714
But they persevere

281
00:26:22,714 --> 00:26:26,485
in order to enjoy the banquet
that the coastline offers.

282
00:26:28,153 --> 00:26:31,523
The intertidal zones
are the portal

283
00:26:31,523 --> 00:26:34,526
between the Sandveld
and the sea,

284
00:26:36,361 --> 00:26:39,631
and they are
coursing with nutrients.

285
00:26:41,834 --> 00:26:46,104
Water constantly moves
in and out of the rock pools

286
00:26:46,104 --> 00:26:48,574
with the tide.

287
00:26:50,542 --> 00:26:54,246
Flooded twice a day,
the animals that exist here

288
00:26:54,246 --> 00:26:57,483
must be able
to live in two worlds.

289
00:27:01,553 --> 00:27:06,558
For a portion of their time they
are completely submerged -

290
00:27:06,558 --> 00:27:10,696
for the rest
they are entirely exposed.

291
00:27:27,045 --> 00:27:29,681
There are a number of species
that thrive

292
00:27:29,681 --> 00:27:31,683
in this restless world,

293
00:27:33,452 --> 00:27:35,754
But the most successful one

294
00:27:35,754 --> 00:27:38,290
is not even from here.

295
00:27:40,692 --> 00:27:45,764
The Mediterranean mussel arrived
in the seventies when its larvae

296
00:27:45,764 --> 00:27:49,101
were transported in the ballast
water of visiting tankers

297
00:27:49,101 --> 00:27:50,302
from Europe.

298
00:27:52,104 --> 00:27:53,839
They have all but completely

299
00:27:53,839 --> 00:27:57,209
replaced the indigenous
intertidal invertebrates,

300
00:27:57,209 --> 00:28:02,281
due to their speedier growth
and reproduction rates.

301
00:28:04,583 --> 00:28:08,353
But their success has played
a part in the recuperation

302
00:28:08,353 --> 00:28:11,456
of another Sandveld resident.

303
00:28:13,458 --> 00:28:15,727
African black oystercatchers

304
00:28:15,727 --> 00:28:20,465
are some of South Africa's most
endangered coastal birds,

305
00:28:20,465 --> 00:28:23,969
but their numbers
are on the rise.

306
00:28:29,174 --> 00:28:31,577
They've entirely adjusted
their diet

307
00:28:31,577 --> 00:28:34,813
to include
these superabundant aliens,

308
00:28:34,813 --> 00:28:39,017
and this has raised their
reproductive success.

309
00:28:43,055 --> 00:28:46,224
To feed on the mussels,
oystercatchers must wait

310
00:28:46,224 --> 00:28:51,063
until the mussel itself
starts feeding.

311
00:28:51,063 --> 00:28:56,401
As the mollusks feed they
filter water into their bodies -

312
00:28:56,401 --> 00:28:58,170
to do this

313
00:28:58,170 --> 00:29:01,073
they must loosen their otherwise
tightly clamped valves.

314
00:29:02,307 --> 00:29:04,509
Here the bird takes its chance,

315
00:29:04,509 --> 00:29:08,714
striking quickly
to remove the tasty treat.

316
00:29:15,554 --> 00:29:19,658
Mediterranean mussels
now make up 90 percent

317
00:29:19,658 --> 00:29:23,128
of this endangered bird's diet.

318
00:29:26,098 --> 00:29:29,034
This has lead
to a 30 percent increase

319
00:29:29,034 --> 00:29:35,340
in oystercatcher populations
over the last 30 years.

320
00:29:39,578 --> 00:29:44,416
The Benguela current is the
primary motor behind life here;

321
00:29:44,416 --> 00:29:50,355
it drives the scores of aquatic
animals that live in the sea,

322
00:29:50,355 --> 00:29:54,626
whilst also providing moisture
in the form of mist and fog

323
00:29:54,626 --> 00:29:59,564
for those that endure
the Sandveld landscape.

324
00:30:07,639 --> 00:30:09,641
Winter brings rain;

325
00:30:27,292 --> 00:30:30,729
The parched land floods.

326
00:30:39,271 --> 00:30:43,108
The amount of rain relinquished
increases to over 6 times

327
00:30:43,108 --> 00:30:45,110
the dry season average.

328
00:31:03,195 --> 00:31:07,232
And as the clouds clear
and the spring sun comes out,

329
00:31:07,232 --> 00:31:11,069
the coast is injected
with new life.

330
00:31:15,373 --> 00:31:20,078
The changing seasons bring
transformation and relief.

331
00:31:22,614 --> 00:31:27,586
And this prompts the arrival of
another, very peculiar resident

332
00:31:27,586 --> 00:31:30,222
of the Sandveld.

333
00:31:32,557 --> 00:31:37,195
The Mountain white spot
caterpillar.

334
00:31:37,195 --> 00:31:40,198
Not much is known
about these insects.

335
00:31:41,867 --> 00:31:43,702
As the rains ease,

336
00:31:43,702 --> 00:31:47,806
they emerge to devour the leaves
of the Gonna bush.

337
00:31:49,541 --> 00:31:51,676
These are their host plant

338
00:31:51,676 --> 00:31:55,781
and they grow in abundance in
the West Coast National Park.

339
00:31:59,551 --> 00:32:02,687
When the males eventually grow
into adult moths,

340
00:32:02,687 --> 00:32:06,391
they will be handsome specimens
with long wings

341
00:32:06,391 --> 00:32:10,262
but with imperfect mouths,
so they cannot feed.

342
00:32:12,531 --> 00:32:14,166
And the females

343
00:32:14,166 --> 00:32:16,468
are just as unusual.

344
00:32:17,803 --> 00:32:20,572
She will remain wingless,

345
00:32:20,572 --> 00:32:23,508
her eyes, head and antennae

346
00:32:23,508 --> 00:32:25,443
will never emerge

347
00:32:25,443 --> 00:32:28,180
and her legs will stay
far too small

348
00:32:28,180 --> 00:32:31,516
for any practical purposes.

349
00:32:31,516 --> 00:32:34,820
As a result,
she never leaves her cocoon

350
00:32:34,820 --> 00:32:41,359
but merely waits for a male to
seek her out and mate with her.

351
00:32:41,359 --> 00:32:45,597
She will lay about 100 eggs
inside her cocoon

352
00:32:45,597 --> 00:32:48,700
and then die.

353
00:32:48,700 --> 00:32:51,837
The eggs will hide out inside of
her shriveled body

354
00:32:51,837 --> 00:32:56,641
for the long, harsh summers
and wet winters.

355
00:32:56,641 --> 00:32:59,611
Then they'll hatch next spring

356
00:32:59,611 --> 00:33:03,715
to consume these leaves
and reproduce again,

357
00:33:03,715 --> 00:33:07,118
and so their cycle continues.

358
00:33:18,563 --> 00:33:21,666
This frantic activity
is one of the first signs

359
00:33:21,666 --> 00:33:25,637
of winter drawing to a close
and spring beginning.

360
00:33:29,674 --> 00:33:34,412
Male cape weavers
begin building their nests.

361
00:33:39,517 --> 00:33:42,587
They're skillfully
and delicately crafted.

362
00:33:50,762 --> 00:33:53,365
The males with the most
appealing decor

363
00:33:53,365 --> 00:33:56,434
will be the most
successful breeders.

364
00:34:05,543 --> 00:34:07,479
Once construction is complete,

365
00:34:07,479 --> 00:34:10,315
they will wait
at the entrance to their homes

366
00:34:10,315 --> 00:34:13,285
and signal
to any passing female,

367
00:34:14,619 --> 00:34:17,489
attempting to lure them in.

368
00:34:21,326 --> 00:34:25,297
They're highly polygamous.

369
00:34:25,297 --> 00:34:30,335
A well-built male territory
can seduce up to seven mates,

370
00:34:30,335 --> 00:34:34,339
if the builder can successfully
entice them inside.

371
00:34:37,309 --> 00:34:41,313
When the time is right,
the female will wait inside here

372
00:34:41,313 --> 00:34:44,049
and incubate her eggs.

373
00:34:45,684 --> 00:34:48,720
But attracting a mate
is harder than it seems -

374
00:34:48,720 --> 00:34:53,558
males must constantly jostle
in the search for partners.

375
00:35:03,335 --> 00:35:06,671
The weavers
aren't the only birds alive

376
00:35:06,671 --> 00:35:09,474
with the preparations of spring.

377
00:35:13,712 --> 00:35:17,482
Waders breed in Siberia
during the summer,

378
00:35:18,717 --> 00:35:21,453
but as the black
Arctic winter approaches

379
00:35:21,453 --> 00:35:24,189
they undertake
a massive migration

380
00:35:24,789 --> 00:35:26,391
that ends here

381
00:35:26,391 --> 00:35:28,460
in time for spring.

382
00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:39,337
Langebaan lagoon inside
the West Coast National Park

383
00:35:39,337 --> 00:35:44,175
hosts 55,000 waders every year.

384
00:35:51,416 --> 00:35:56,221
Their arrival ushers in a time
of plenty for the Sandveld.

385
00:36:00,458 --> 00:36:03,595
They thrive off the large
quantities of invertebrates

386
00:36:03,595 --> 00:36:05,497
inside the lagoon.

387
00:36:08,133 --> 00:36:13,738
Here alone they consume over
300,000 pounds annually.

388
00:36:17,375 --> 00:36:21,246
The waters become a hub
of constant activity.

389
00:36:25,550 --> 00:36:29,487
These migratory birds
have traveled across the globe

390
00:36:29,487 --> 00:36:32,323
to enjoy the Sandveld spring

391
00:36:32,323 --> 00:36:36,394
and all of the food
that the lagoon relinquishes.

392
00:36:52,477 --> 00:36:56,681
The time has come for
the seal pups to face the ocean.

393
00:37:04,689 --> 00:37:08,393
And some seem more prepared
than others.

394
00:37:13,731 --> 00:37:18,636
They must be ready to fend for
themselves in the cold Atlantic.

395
00:37:24,509 --> 00:37:27,078
But this is a challenge
that their bodies

396
00:37:27,078 --> 00:37:28,746
are well equipped for.

397
00:37:33,785 --> 00:37:35,553
Once underwater

398
00:37:35,553 --> 00:37:39,224
the pups
are superb aquatic acrobats.

399
00:37:52,170 --> 00:37:56,608
Their most important sensory
organs are their eyes.

400
00:38:00,278 --> 00:38:02,680
These are lubricated
by the salt water,

401
00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:07,185
allowing them to see better
under the waves than on land.

402
00:38:20,131 --> 00:38:23,668
Their whiskers
are sensitive to all vibrations

403
00:38:23,668 --> 00:38:26,638
and direct them to their prey.

404
00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:38,550
As the Benguela current
continues to provide food

405
00:38:38,550 --> 00:38:42,220
for the schools of pelagic fish
along the rocky shores,

406
00:38:42,220 --> 00:38:45,490
these youngsters have every
opportunity to hunt

407
00:38:45,490 --> 00:38:49,160
and grow into adults.

408
00:38:59,637 --> 00:39:02,240
And by the time they're
5 years old

409
00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:04,475
they'll emerge
on the Sandveld's shores

410
00:39:04,475 --> 00:39:07,579
to start the next generation.

411
00:39:25,563 --> 00:39:28,266
When the winter rains
draw to a close

412
00:39:28,266 --> 00:39:30,802
and spring temperatures
start to rise,

413
00:39:30,802 --> 00:39:34,105
the landscape
completely transforms.

414
00:39:51,422 --> 00:39:55,627
For a brief window from August
to September every year,

415
00:39:55,627 --> 00:39:59,097
the Sandveld comes alive.

416
00:40:14,545 --> 00:40:18,650
Life and color
embroider the landscape.

417
00:40:35,767 --> 00:40:38,236
Flowers bring the insects,

418
00:40:38,236 --> 00:40:41,406
who provide an invaluable
contribution.

419
00:40:46,110 --> 00:40:51,215
Their pollination efforts allow
this floral kingdom to continue.

420
00:40:56,220 --> 00:40:58,890
The insects in turn

421
00:40:58,890 --> 00:41:00,491
bring the birds.

422
00:41:06,364 --> 00:41:11,002
Each year thousands of birds
arrive to feast in the fields.

423
00:41:17,208 --> 00:41:19,410
And for the Sandveld's antelope,

424
00:41:19,410 --> 00:41:21,379
the arrival
of the spring flowers

425
00:41:21,379 --> 00:41:25,616
also signals
a brief period of plenty.

426
00:41:33,825 --> 00:41:38,629
But this brevity is compensated
by its brilliance.

427
00:41:49,307 --> 00:41:51,743
The eland family
has patiently awaited

428
00:41:51,743 --> 00:41:54,145
the spring transformation,

429
00:42:03,788 --> 00:42:09,427
And they're joined by others of
their kind to reap the rewards.

430
00:42:16,100 --> 00:42:19,237
The flowers
retain much rainwater

431
00:42:19,237 --> 00:42:21,406
and are a welcome snack.

432
00:42:25,543 --> 00:42:29,147
Bontebok will spend
more than half of their day

433
00:42:29,147 --> 00:42:31,082
grazing the flowers.

434
00:42:35,586 --> 00:42:39,557
The Sandveld is the only place
in the world where Bontebok

435
00:42:39,557 --> 00:42:41,492
occur naturally.

436
00:42:43,294 --> 00:42:47,365
And so they're adapted
to eat a large variety of plants

437
00:42:47,365 --> 00:42:49,734
in this floral biome.

438
00:42:51,536 --> 00:42:54,472
During the long, dry summer

439
00:42:54,472 --> 00:42:56,307
Cape mountain zebra

440
00:42:56,307 --> 00:42:59,310
were forced to leave their
preferred coastal grasses

441
00:42:59,310 --> 00:43:03,381
and move to shrubs and leaves
as the land provided less.

442
00:43:06,551 --> 00:43:11,155
But now they flood back
to the open pastures.

443
00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:27,205
The land provides generously for
all who have patiently endured

444
00:43:27,205 --> 00:43:30,007
the long months of drought.

445
00:43:57,869 --> 00:44:02,340
The Sandveld spring
is a time of respite.

446
00:44:05,510 --> 00:44:07,478
The landscape,

447
00:44:07,478 --> 00:44:11,182
which for the majority of the
year is scant and unyielding,

448
00:44:11,182 --> 00:44:14,585
unfolds into a carpet of color

449
00:44:14,585 --> 00:44:17,522
and vitality.

450
00:44:19,790 --> 00:44:21,626
This is a welcome reward

451
00:44:21,626 --> 00:44:24,595
for all who have endured
the scorching summers

452
00:44:24,595 --> 00:44:27,398
and harsh winters.

453
00:44:29,634 --> 00:44:34,639
But the ocean is the true
backbone of all who live here.

454
00:44:36,607 --> 00:44:39,810
When little rain is provided
for the landlocked residents,

455
00:44:39,810 --> 00:44:43,180
it gives moisture
in the form of fog.

456
00:44:48,419 --> 00:44:50,821
And for those
that live in the sea,

457
00:44:50,821 --> 00:44:52,623
an abundance of resources

458
00:44:52,623 --> 00:44:56,460
ensure that it's always
teeming with activity.

459
00:44:59,597 --> 00:45:02,700
The Sandveld exists
as a delicate interplay

460
00:45:02,700 --> 00:45:05,336
between land and ocean.

461
00:45:09,540 --> 00:45:13,444
And this interrelationship is
something that every resident

462
00:45:13,444 --> 00:45:15,746
from its smallest plants

463
00:45:15,746 --> 00:45:19,283
Quirkiest reptiles

464
00:45:19,283 --> 00:45:21,819
And most charismatic mammals,

465
00:45:21,819 --> 00:45:25,156
have all adapted
to take advantage of.

466
00:45:27,625 --> 00:45:33,798
To live here is to live within
two different worlds

467
00:45:33,798 --> 00:45:37,668
And the result is a habitat
full of both the delicate

468
00:45:37,668 --> 00:45:39,437
and the dauntless...

469
00:45:41,739 --> 00:45:44,508
This is the Sandveld,

470
00:45:44,508 --> 00:45:47,511
the land of contrasts.

471
00:45:50,514 --> 00:46:00,491
♪♪

472
00:46:00,491 --> 00:46:05,463
♪♪

473
00:46:05,463 --> 00:46:14,472
♪♪