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On the western coast
of South Africa lies a harsh

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and unforgiving world.

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Minimal rainfall

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makes this land a challenging
place for creatures to inhabit.

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For ten months of the year,
it's a desert.

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But each year
for a short spurt of time,

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the rains give birth
to a plethora of plant species.

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And the land bursts open

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to reveal a bounty of life.

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Transforming from desert

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to floral oasis.

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This is Namaqualand.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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Lying in the corner
of the Karoo,

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Namaqualand is one of southern
Africa's botanical treasures.

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At just under
170,000 square miles,

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it's even bigger
than the state of California.

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Every year,
Namaqualand leads two lives.

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For the majority of the year,

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the semi-desert
offers very little sustenance.

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Everything that lives here

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is forced to match its needs
to the meager nature

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of its environment.

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Adopting fascinating
methods of survival

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in order to live
in this hostile land.

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It is a harsh and barren realm.

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Life is a struggle
for every species.

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But this is only one side
of Namaqualand.

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The winter rains awaken
an entirely new version

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of this land.

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A land of abundance.

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For two months,
the region bursts with life.

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And the species that struggled
through the dry summer

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are rewarded.

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It becomes a haven,

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providing generously
for all creatures.

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But just as quickly
as it transforms to an oasis,

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it reverts back to a desert.

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And the struggle
to survive continues

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for another ten months.

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This is the double-sided life
of Namaqualand.

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♪

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♪

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It's summer

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and Namaqualand is bone dry.

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Temperatures regularly creep
over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

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The land is scorched,

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And blisteringly hot winds
stir up dust clouds,

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making it difficult
for anything to grow.

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But one particular creature

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relishes in the abundant sand
Namaqualand has on offer.

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King of the underground -

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or in this case, queen.

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Spending most of the time
buried in the sand,

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Mole snakes are well adapted
to survive the dryness

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of Namaqualand.

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This particular female
is a mother.

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In comparison
to most Mole snakes,

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she has a
relatively small family.

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Females can have
up to 95 offspring.

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For these juveniles,

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this arid time of year
is their opportunity for growth.

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From the moment they were born,
they have been independent.

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Slowly but surely, one by one,

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they peel off
and venture out on their own.

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Their patterned markings
will fade over time,

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and soon they will be
the same shade as their mother.

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These youngsters
will eat small lizards,

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until they are large enough
to start hunting mammals.

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Their mother
has no further duties.

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She must now focus
on fending for herself.

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Mole snakes
bury themselves in sand

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to stay sheltered
from the relentless heat.

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Her angular snout and small head
allow her to burrow deep.

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But when she wants to move,

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she needs the sun to heat up
her cold-blooded body.

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Before she begins her search
for an unsuspecting Mole-rat,

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she tests the chemical particles
in the air

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by flicking her forked tongue -

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Helping her to decide which way
she must go to find her prey,

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but also to avoid
potential danger.

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The Mole snake is non-venomous

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and doesn't have many defense
strategies if danger approaches.

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She must live cautiously.

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She continues her search.

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Emerging from his intricate
network of underground burrows,

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a Mole-rat starts his search
for a new home.

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He likes to lead
a solitary life.

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But others have started
moving in to his neighborhood

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so he's decided it's time to
construct a new home elsewhere.

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Everything about his body is
designed to sustain

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a subterranean existence.

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His protruding teeth

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allow him to carve his way
deep into the earth.

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His pliant skin allows him to
squeeze through narrow burrows.

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And his prominent claws

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help him move the excavated
earth out of his way.

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His day to day diet consists of
grass, roots and geophytes;

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plants that survive the summer
by lying in bulb form

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beneath the soil.

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But they are defenseless against
these poor sighted bandits.

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After much searching

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the Mole-rat has found
a suitable spot to set up camp

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and he wastes no time
getting to work.

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He's an expert digger and well
suited to this world of sand.

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Considering their small sizes
of 12 inches,

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their underground
homes are very large.

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Some build burrows
up to 1000 feet long.

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His burrow complete,

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the Mole-rat retreats back
to safety underground.

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Good thing too.

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For over the dunes the Mole
snake is still on the hunt,

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But the burrowers are not
the only rats on the menu.

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Brant's whistling rat is found
only in the south western region

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of southern Africa

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Where it has adapted
its diet and routine

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to suit the aridity
of Namaqualand.

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During the long summer months

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resources are scarce,

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so groups of rats
have evolved to cooperate

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to ensure their survival.

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These rats work together

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to build a complex system
of burrows.

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Each structure

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can have up to twenty entrances,

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allowing the members of the
colony to make a quick escape

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if danger is near.

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Unlike most rodents, Brant's
whistling rats are diurnal.

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They need the security
of sunlight

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in order to avoid
their nocturnal predators.

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Their only warning system
is a distinct whistle,

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which they emit
when feeling threatened.

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As soon as other members of the
colony hear this warning alert,

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they dash
into their nearby tunnels.

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During the dry season,

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these gregarious creatures
reside mostly below ground

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in order to avoid
the stifling heat.

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But they do need to forage
above ground occasionally.

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Exclusively herbivorous,

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they eat mostly succulents
and bulbs in summer

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and whatever other plant
material they can forage.

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All the plants here

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have also adapted to endure
Namaqualand's harsh conditions.

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Shrubs grow long roots in order
to access underground moisture.

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Succulents store water
in their leaves and stems.

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But despite their adaptations

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they're defenseless
against the rat's appetite.

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It's May.

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Winter is approaching.

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The falling temperatures will
allow the whistling rats

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to spend more time above ground.

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And in a few months,

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floral treats
will feature in their diet.

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But before any animal can begin
the springtime gorge,

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the rains need to arrive.

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The dry, barren lands
wait patiently.

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At last they come.

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The majority of Namaqualand's
annual rainfall

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occurs during June and July.

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Moisture surges
through the landscape,

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allowing the desert
to breath once again.

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Following the winter rains,

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the land transforms
dramatically.

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In the North of Namaqualand,

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this sudden influx of water
is immediately visible.

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The Nieuwoudtville waterfall

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flows rapidly
after the winter rains.

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A black spitting cobra
basks in the sun.

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The flush of new life

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will provide it with many more
opportunities to feed.

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The waterfall serves as a refuge
for the animals of the region

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for the next two months;

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A welcome break
from the ten months of drought.

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The low winter temperatures

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allow the plant life to soak up
the available moisture.

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After a ten month slumber,

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Namaqualand restarts its annual
routine of rapid growth.

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Bringing the land to life.

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The flowers burst into bloom
across the desert,

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blanketing the landscape
in a kaleidoscope of colors.

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The region turns into a utopia,

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with weird and wonderful flowers

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speckled
across the desert floor.

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These plants utilize
this time of moisture

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to germinate
and spread their seeds.

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Once the earth
has soaked up all the rain,

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some of this flora
will die in a matter of weeks.

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These seeds
then lie dormant in the soil,

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waiting for the ensuing
winter rains.

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And the cycle recommences.

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Some even lie dormant for years,

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waiting for the right amount
of rain to coax them to life.

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It takes resilience and patience
to survive here.

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The plants' coping strategies

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are not
the only intriguing aspect

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of Namaqualand's floral life.

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The sheer number of species
in this expanse

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proves how unique
this land really is.

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An astounding
3,800 species of plants

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cover this area in spring.

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Almost 30% of these

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are found nowhere else on earth.

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Namaqualand truly is

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an incredible haven
of biodiversity.

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Although the winter rainfall
triggers life in Namaqualand,

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the flowers also depend on other
helpers to secure their futures.

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Whether it be
the beaks of sunbirds

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The tongues of flies

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00:23:06,719 --> 00:23:09,688
Or the body hairs of beetles

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Every pollinator
plays a crucial role

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in the maintenance
of Namaqualand's garden.

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If the rain is the compost,

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the pollinators
are the gardeners.

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There are far more
species of flowers

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than there are pollinators,

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So every plant competes to
attract the insects and birds,

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adopting brilliant colors
and flashy patterns.

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It's a race against time
for these flowers,

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00:23:53,565 --> 00:23:56,602
and only the attractive win.

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Monkey beetles use visual cues
as a pollination guide.

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They use these flowers

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not only as a food source,

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00:24:29,034 --> 00:24:32,137
but also as a mating site.

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And some flowers have evolved
to take full advantage of this.

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00:24:42,381 --> 00:24:47,086
Various black marks, otherwise
known as "beetle marks",

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00:24:47,086 --> 00:24:50,055
can be seen
on some species of flowers.

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00:24:51,623 --> 00:24:54,660
These markings
are both ingenious,

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and deceptive.

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The beetles gravitate towards
these distinctive plants,

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tricked by the promise
of a potential mate.

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00:25:08,707 --> 00:25:11,176
After rolling around
in the pollen,

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00:25:11,176 --> 00:25:13,412
and discovering no such mate,

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00:25:13,412 --> 00:25:16,448
the beetles
have fulfilled their function.

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00:25:19,251 --> 00:25:21,487
Their numerous wiry body hairs

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distribute the pollen as they
flutter from flower to flower.

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In this way the flowers have
evolved a cunning method

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to ensure their future.

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While monkey beetles
are able to pollinate

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any flower of their choosing,

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other insects are more specific.

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The Namaqualand
tangle-veined fly

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00:26:03,095 --> 00:26:05,230
is only able to pollinate plants

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00:26:05,230 --> 00:26:08,500
that can host
his larger than average tongue.

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Although this non retractable

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00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:31,323
2 inch long appendage may seem
like an inconvenience,

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it benefits him substantially.

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00:26:35,727 --> 00:26:42,367
He is the sole pollinator of the
long tubed, Meidestert flower.

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00:26:43,769 --> 00:26:47,539
The flower and the fly
have coevolved,

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00:26:47,539 --> 00:26:49,641
forming a close mutualism.

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00:26:51,643 --> 00:26:55,113
The fly is guaranteed
sweet, sugary nectar

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at the base of the bloom,

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00:26:56,748 --> 00:26:59,985
which only he has access to

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00:26:59,985 --> 00:27:03,055
while the flower
has an exclusive pollinator

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and doesn't
have to compete with others.

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These flies and flowers are
found only in South Africa.

257
00:27:19,638 --> 00:27:23,542
Although they have private
access to the Meidestert flower,

258
00:27:23,542 --> 00:27:29,014
the craft of pollinating them
may take some time to perfect.

259
00:27:29,014 --> 00:27:31,450
Having a tongue
bigger than one's body

260
00:27:31,450 --> 00:27:34,586
can prove difficult to maneuver.

261
00:27:37,389 --> 00:27:40,058
While Namaqualand's
plants and pollinators

262
00:27:40,058 --> 00:27:41,693
have evolved hand in hand

263
00:27:41,693 --> 00:27:43,629
there is one relationship

264
00:27:43,629 --> 00:27:49,535
that has a much greater effect
on the landscape than any other.

265
00:27:49,535 --> 00:27:53,171
The Gorteria diffusa
is a species of flower,

266
00:27:53,171 --> 00:27:56,608
commonly called
the Beetle daisy.

267
00:27:57,442 --> 00:27:59,478
This particular species

268
00:27:59,478 --> 00:28:02,114
stands out
from other Namaqualand flowers

269
00:28:02,114 --> 00:28:04,383
for one specific reason.

270
00:28:07,252 --> 00:28:12,291
Over time, it has morphed into
15 different versions

271
00:28:12,291 --> 00:28:14,393
of the same orange flower.

272
00:28:17,629 --> 00:28:22,768
But every single version
attracts the same creature.

273
00:28:22,768 --> 00:28:25,237
The Megapalpus fly.

274
00:28:28,173 --> 00:28:31,343
When plants adapt
into different variations,

275
00:28:31,343 --> 00:28:35,347
it's usually in an attempt to
attract various pollinators,

276
00:28:35,347 --> 00:28:39,251
increasing their chance
of being pollinated.

277
00:28:41,653 --> 00:28:45,724
The Gorteria's extraordinary
adaptation is therefore unique

278
00:28:45,724 --> 00:28:48,594
because it's not caused
by an attempt to attract

279
00:28:48,594 --> 00:28:50,629
different pollinators.

280
00:28:54,633 --> 00:28:57,803
Rather, the different versions
get pollinated

281
00:28:57,803 --> 00:29:01,940
by the same species
of fly in different ways.

282
00:29:03,208 --> 00:29:05,410
One particular version
of the flower

283
00:29:05,410 --> 00:29:08,614
mimics the body of a fly
so accurately

284
00:29:08,614 --> 00:29:11,583
that the male often ends up
attempting to mate

285
00:29:11,583 --> 00:29:14,086
with the
raised spot on the petals.

286
00:29:16,622 --> 00:29:19,257
He gets completely
covered in pollen,

287
00:29:19,257 --> 00:29:22,527
and helps to
pollinate other beetle daisies.

288
00:29:24,062 --> 00:29:26,298
Another version of the Gorteria

289
00:29:26,298 --> 00:29:29,468
has adopted
a very different strategy.

290
00:29:31,703 --> 00:29:34,506
When the fly lands
in this flower

291
00:29:34,506 --> 00:29:39,444
the petals close, capturing
the fly inside for the night.

292
00:29:41,713 --> 00:29:44,716
But this is not
an act of predation.

293
00:29:46,351 --> 00:29:48,186
The flower does this

294
00:29:48,186 --> 00:29:51,223
so that the fly will get
thoroughly coated in pollen

295
00:29:51,223 --> 00:29:52,724
throughout the night.

296
00:29:55,761 --> 00:29:59,564
The petals even have
dark colors on the outside,

297
00:29:59,564 --> 00:30:03,235
so that the fly will be heated
up fast when the first

298
00:30:03,235 --> 00:30:04,736
morning light breaks.

299
00:30:11,143 --> 00:30:13,478
Not only
does the fly have a safe,

300
00:30:13,478 --> 00:30:15,647
warm place to spend the night,

301
00:30:15,647 --> 00:30:19,518
but it also gets a breakfast
of pollen upon awakening.

302
00:30:27,626 --> 00:30:30,729
These flowers
make up the majority

303
00:30:30,729 --> 00:30:33,565
of Namaqualand's orange hue.

304
00:30:38,336 --> 00:30:42,474
The Megapalpus fly
is their sole pollinator,

305
00:30:42,474 --> 00:30:44,843
so if this fly
were to disappear,

306
00:30:44,843 --> 00:30:49,247
much of Namaqualand's
orange glory would be lost.

307
00:30:54,820 --> 00:30:59,725
September is a frantic time of
spring feeding and pollinating

308
00:30:59,725 --> 00:31:02,194
for the insects of Namaqualand

309
00:31:04,563 --> 00:31:09,267
and others are quick to take
advantage of the abundance.

310
00:31:12,370 --> 00:31:16,208
Opportunistic cattle egrets
follow herds of antelope,

311
00:31:16,208 --> 00:31:17,609
eating the bugs

312
00:31:17,609 --> 00:31:20,512
that are disturbed
by the roaming animals.

313
00:31:33,291 --> 00:31:37,729
Scorpions
are also on the menu.

314
00:31:37,729 --> 00:31:42,334
But their venom can be deadly.

315
00:31:42,334 --> 00:31:46,671
Fortunately, there's a way for
the egrets to judge the toxicity

316
00:31:46,671 --> 00:31:49,040
of the arachnid.

317
00:31:51,643 --> 00:31:55,747
The bigger the pincers,
the less venomous it is.

318
00:31:57,682 --> 00:32:01,052
So the egrets
pick their meals wisely.

319
00:32:04,422 --> 00:32:06,158
Although not lethal,

320
00:32:06,158 --> 00:32:09,161
the snack can still pinch back.

321
00:32:13,598 --> 00:32:17,269
As soon as the egret finds
a comfortable way to hold it,

322
00:32:17,269 --> 00:32:19,371
he swallows it whole.

323
00:32:23,308 --> 00:32:28,380
His highly acidic stomach
then digests it with ease.

324
00:32:31,716 --> 00:32:35,554
Birds can't afford to hold
excess weight when they eat,

325
00:32:35,554 --> 00:32:38,557
otherwise
they wouldn't be able to fly.

326
00:32:42,727 --> 00:32:46,765
So they need to digest the meal
as quickly as possible.

327
00:32:52,337 --> 00:32:55,407
This way
they gain maximum energy

328
00:32:55,407 --> 00:32:58,176
with minimum consequences.

329
00:33:09,254 --> 00:33:13,258
It's a time
of abundance for all.

330
00:33:17,162 --> 00:33:20,031
The bigger mammals
take this opportunity

331
00:33:20,031 --> 00:33:21,600
to raise their young.

332
00:33:30,609 --> 00:33:33,712
And their dung
helps to fertilize the flowers,

333
00:33:33,712 --> 00:33:35,714
which will foster the new growth

334
00:33:35,714 --> 00:33:39,751
that will continue
through the rest of spring.

335
00:33:50,495 --> 00:33:53,598
There are areas of Namaqualand
that support life

336
00:33:53,598 --> 00:33:55,367
all year round.

337
00:33:59,738 --> 00:34:04,409
The Quiver tree grows in times
of want and of plenty.

338
00:34:09,281 --> 00:34:14,219
Surprisingly, the quiver tree
is not in fact, a tree.

339
00:34:15,620 --> 00:34:20,392
But rather the ultimate
matriarch of aloes;

340
00:34:20,392 --> 00:34:22,260
Plants that are characterized

341
00:34:22,260 --> 00:34:25,397
by their succulent,
rosette-shaped leaves.

342
00:34:35,206 --> 00:34:37,709
In the past,
bushmen used the plants

343
00:34:37,709 --> 00:34:40,445
to make quivers
for their hunting arrows,

344
00:34:40,445 --> 00:34:42,347
hence the name.

345
00:34:46,084 --> 00:34:47,719
Like all aloes,

346
00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:51,156
the Quiver tree is well adapted
to the harsh environment

347
00:34:51,156 --> 00:34:53,158
of the semi-desert.

348
00:34:55,593 --> 00:34:57,362
The fibrous stem

349
00:34:57,362 --> 00:35:00,398
soaks up the erratic rainfall
during the summer,

350
00:35:02,634 --> 00:35:06,338
while a thin layer
of whitish powder on the bark

351
00:35:06,338 --> 00:35:09,107
reflects the suns powerful rays.

352
00:35:10,508 --> 00:35:14,179
The succulent leaves store
the soaked up moisture,

353
00:35:14,179 --> 00:35:17,449
and their elevation
prevents evaporation.

354
00:35:21,252 --> 00:35:24,189
Because this plant
is a flowering aloe,

355
00:35:24,189 --> 00:35:28,360
it needs to be pollinated.

356
00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,563
So it produces copious amounts
of sweet nectar

357
00:35:31,563 --> 00:35:36,034
that few birds
or insects can refuse.

358
00:35:37,802 --> 00:35:39,771
60 miles south west

359
00:35:39,771 --> 00:35:42,774
of the fields of flowers
and alien forests,

360
00:35:42,774 --> 00:35:47,012
Namaqualand reveals
yet another landscape.

361
00:35:51,149 --> 00:35:56,588
Stretches of white pebbles
strewn across the desert floor.

362
00:36:03,128 --> 00:36:07,766
Only dwarf plants and succulents
grow in the saline soils

363
00:36:07,766 --> 00:36:10,969
of these quartz fields.

364
00:36:16,074 --> 00:36:19,110
Miniature landscapes,

365
00:36:19,110 --> 00:36:22,313
dotted with miniature plants,

366
00:36:22,313 --> 00:36:27,452
which are all perfectly adapted
to this habitat.

367
00:36:27,452 --> 00:36:31,523
The Bababoudjie,
or in English, "baby's bottom",

368
00:36:31,523 --> 00:36:35,994
is a succulent found only in the
quartz fields of Namaqualand.

369
00:36:56,381 --> 00:37:00,018
It's developed
a remarkable survival strategy,

370
00:37:00,018 --> 00:37:03,688
which allows it
to call this place home.

371
00:37:06,157 --> 00:37:10,261
In order to hide from hungry
herbivores, it disguises itself

372
00:37:10,261 --> 00:37:13,698
as one of the grey-white rocks
that surround it.

373
00:37:15,733 --> 00:37:21,573
And hiding in plain sight
isn't just for plants.

374
00:37:21,573 --> 00:37:27,745
These stony plains host very
specific and unusual creatures.

375
00:37:29,380 --> 00:37:32,283
Which often go unnoticed.

376
00:37:38,123 --> 00:37:42,293
Camouflaged perfectly in the
white, semi-translucent fields,

377
00:37:42,293 --> 00:37:46,498
the stone grasshopper
is a master of disguise.

378
00:37:53,271 --> 00:37:55,140
Everything about his body

379
00:37:55,140 --> 00:37:58,510
keeps him concealed
in the quartz fields.

380
00:38:01,579 --> 00:38:05,216
Parts of him
even look slightly chipped,

381
00:38:05,216 --> 00:38:09,287
mimicking the flawed shapes
of the stones.

382
00:38:12,590 --> 00:38:14,726
The tiny hairs on his legs

383
00:38:14,726 --> 00:38:18,663
smooth the contours
of his shadow.

384
00:38:22,333 --> 00:38:26,037
When feeling threatened,
he can flatten his antennae

385
00:38:26,037 --> 00:38:29,040
to enhance
his rock-like appearance.

386
00:38:32,277 --> 00:38:37,415
He is Namaqualand's
ultimate impersonator.

387
00:38:46,124 --> 00:38:50,094
Combing the stone fields
for unsuspecting grasshoppers,

388
00:38:50,094 --> 00:38:54,399
the Red-headed centipede
uses speed and endurance

389
00:38:54,399 --> 00:38:56,334
as a predation method.

390
00:39:00,438 --> 00:39:03,241
Covering large areas
in short periods,

391
00:39:03,241 --> 00:39:06,411
he hopes
to bump into a potential meal.

392
00:39:12,984 --> 00:39:15,220
He's a vicious predator,

393
00:39:15,220 --> 00:39:18,523
and will attack
any insect or animal smaller

394
00:39:18,523 --> 00:39:21,593
than his immense 8 inch body.

395
00:39:45,617 --> 00:39:48,086
Upon finding the injured hopper,

396
00:39:48,086 --> 00:39:49,654
he bites the victim

397
00:39:49,654 --> 00:39:54,292
injecting him with venom
and devours him immediately.

398
00:40:06,571 --> 00:40:10,108
Unlike his camouflaged
counterpart,

399
00:40:10,108 --> 00:40:14,312
the Foam grasshopper
has evolved to fight back.

400
00:40:17,782 --> 00:40:19,550
He gets his defense

401
00:40:19,550 --> 00:40:23,054
from eating certain plants
the land has on offer.

402
00:40:31,062 --> 00:40:33,831
Feeding mostly
on poisonous milkweed,

403
00:40:33,831 --> 00:40:37,068
the foam grasshopper
ingests the toxins

404
00:40:37,068 --> 00:40:39,737
and stores them in his joints.

405
00:40:46,844 --> 00:40:48,646
When threatened,

406
00:40:48,646 --> 00:40:52,216
he exudes this poison
in the form of lethal foam.

407
00:41:05,229 --> 00:41:09,400
This striking insect
flaunts his colors boldly.

408
00:41:12,403 --> 00:41:15,039
It's a commonly understood
rule in nature,

409
00:41:15,039 --> 00:41:19,444
that the more brightly colored
an insect, the more venomous.

410
00:41:22,113 --> 00:41:25,083
He forages through the flowers
of Namaqualand

411
00:41:25,083 --> 00:41:27,685
without the fear of being eaten.

412
00:41:28,820 --> 00:41:30,588
And if he is,

413
00:41:30,588 --> 00:41:34,492
the foolish predator
will pay the ultimate price.

414
00:41:37,695 --> 00:41:42,100
But not all defense adaptations
require poison.

415
00:41:44,736 --> 00:41:47,338
More like the stone grasshopper,

416
00:41:47,338 --> 00:41:51,442
the Namaqua speckled padloper
stays out of danger's way

417
00:41:51,442 --> 00:41:52,744
by hiding.

418
00:42:00,518 --> 00:42:03,121
Trudging
across the Namaqua landscape

419
00:42:03,121 --> 00:42:07,125
takes an incredibly long time
for this pocket-sized resident.

420
00:42:12,196 --> 00:42:15,299
Never growing bigger
than 3.5 inches,

421
00:42:15,299 --> 00:42:19,203
he is the smallest tortoise
on earth.

422
00:42:23,374 --> 00:42:28,713
His flattened, grey-brown shell
enables him to hide perfectly,

423
00:42:28,713 --> 00:42:31,549
camouflaged in rocky crevices.

424
00:42:40,658 --> 00:42:45,129
In the hot summers, he preys
on the hardy succulents.

425
00:42:58,676 --> 00:43:04,048
In spring he is rewarded with
hoards of floral delicacies.

426
00:43:09,454 --> 00:43:13,024
He doesn't hold back.

427
00:43:13,024 --> 00:43:16,461
These flowers
won't be here for long.

428
00:43:20,465 --> 00:43:23,067
The tortoise gorges himself
on the treats

429
00:43:23,067 --> 00:43:26,404
that only appear once a year.

430
00:43:31,476 --> 00:43:33,644
Like many others in Namaqualand,

431
00:43:33,644 --> 00:43:37,482
he lives
nowhere else on the planet.

432
00:43:39,717 --> 00:43:43,054
Along with his many other
endemic counterparts,

433
00:43:43,054 --> 00:43:45,056
the Namaqua speckled padloper

434
00:43:45,056 --> 00:43:50,027
is adapted to thrive in this
specific environment.

435
00:44:02,273 --> 00:44:06,277
Species in Namaqualand have
developed over generations

436
00:44:06,277 --> 00:44:08,579
to ensure that their adaptations

437
00:44:08,579 --> 00:44:12,316
allow them
to live in this biome.

438
00:44:33,371 --> 00:44:36,707
Spring here hosts
one of the most magnificent

439
00:44:36,707 --> 00:44:41,546
natural transformations
the world has to offer.

440
00:44:48,152 --> 00:44:50,354
From desert

441
00:44:50,354 --> 00:44:54,725
to oasis for a short
spurt of time each year.

442
00:45:01,365 --> 00:45:03,601
The landscape's
polarized existence

443
00:45:03,601 --> 00:45:07,271
is a testament
to nature's ability to transform

444
00:45:07,271 --> 00:45:09,307
and adapt.

445
00:45:17,615 --> 00:45:19,517
To this land

446
00:45:19,517 --> 00:45:21,052
of famine,

447
00:45:21,052 --> 00:45:25,756
and feast.

448
00:45:25,756 --> 00:45:36,033
♪

449
00:45:36,033 --> 00:45:51,782
♪

450
00:45:51,782 --> 00:45:57,788
♪♪

451
00:45:57,788 --> 00:46:03,728
♪♪

452
00:46:03,728 --> 00:46:10,968
♪♪