Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:05,542 --> 00:00:08,500
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: The power of the sun
drives the seasons,
2
00:00:08,582 --> 00:00:10,538
transforming our planet.
3
00:00:12,102 --> 00:00:15,458
Vast movements of ocean and air currents
4
00:00:15,542 --> 00:00:18,261
bring dramatic change
throughout the year.
5
00:00:22,822 --> 00:00:26,861
And in a few special places,
these seasonal changes
6
00:00:26,942 --> 00:00:31,220
create some of the greatest
wildlife spectacles on Earth.
7
00:00:33,822 --> 00:00:36,382
One of the most
remarkable transformations
8
00:00:36,462 --> 00:00:41,490
occurs here in Southern Africa,
in the desert lands of the Kalahari.
9
00:00:43,182 --> 00:00:48,176
Large herds of animals trek for months
in search of food and water,
10
00:00:48,262 --> 00:00:52,494
waiting for an event that will
dramatically change their lives.
11
00:00:53,582 --> 00:00:59,452
For once a year, life-giving water
turns an area of unforgiving desert
12
00:01:00,022 --> 00:01:05,142
into a vast, watery paradise
known as the Okavango.
13
00:01:18,582 --> 00:01:21,176
Where and when the Okavango will flood
14
00:01:21,262 --> 00:01:24,174
determines the fate
of millions of animals,
15
00:01:25,182 --> 00:01:28,777
making this one of
nature's truly great events.
16
00:01:54,782 --> 00:01:59,014
In the heart of Southern Africa,
the desert lands of the Kalahari
17
00:01:59,102 --> 00:02:03,015
cover an area
of almost 400,000 square miles.
18
00:02:05,142 --> 00:02:08,054
It's one of driest places on Earth,
19
00:02:08,142 --> 00:02:13,341
yet miraculously, great herds
of grazing animals survive here.
20
00:02:16,182 --> 00:02:18,616
They lead a nomadic existence,
21
00:02:18,702 --> 00:02:23,059
trekking huge distances
in search of food and water.
22
00:02:34,142 --> 00:02:38,897
It's the start of the dry season.
It won't rain for eight months,
23
00:02:38,982 --> 00:02:43,772
and so life, already hard,
is about to get even harder.
24
00:02:55,942 --> 00:02:57,614
Of all the animals here,
25
00:02:57,702 --> 00:03:00,694
perhaps the most resourceful
are the elephants.
26
00:03:04,142 --> 00:03:08,294
Each family is led by an older female,
the matriarch,
27
00:03:08,382 --> 00:03:12,660
and they all rely on her experience
to guide them through the desert.
28
00:03:20,542 --> 00:03:24,854
Her years here have taught
this matriarch that, one day,
29
00:03:24,942 --> 00:03:29,572
hundreds of miles to the west,
she will find a lush grassland.
30
00:03:31,542 --> 00:03:33,453
But before she will find it,
31
00:03:33,542 --> 00:03:37,171
her family will have to survive
many months in the desert.
32
00:03:40,822 --> 00:03:43,700
The water that could
transform their lives
33
00:03:43,782 --> 00:03:46,660
has its origins a thousand miles away,
34
00:03:46,742 --> 00:03:50,098
in the rain clouds
over the highlands of Angola.
35
00:03:50,182 --> 00:03:51,376
(THUNDER CRASHES)
36
00:04:04,542 --> 00:04:09,775
The rain is so plentiful
it has the power to transform a desert.
37
00:04:12,622 --> 00:04:18,174
It cascades southwards, not to the sea,
but into the heart of the Kalahari,
38
00:04:18,742 --> 00:04:21,540
towards a basin shaped like a hand
39
00:04:21,622 --> 00:04:23,931
known as the Okavango.
40
00:04:29,502 --> 00:04:33,097
Here it will fill the swamp
that lies at its entrance.
41
00:04:34,542 --> 00:04:37,295
And only if the rains
have been plentiful
42
00:04:37,382 --> 00:04:40,738
will water flood out
onto the arid plains beyond,
43
00:04:40,822 --> 00:04:43,734
transforming them
into the grassland paradise
44
00:04:43,822 --> 00:04:46,017
that the herds so badly need.
45
00:04:54,222 --> 00:04:58,818
Out in the desert, the elephants
need to find water every three days.
46
00:05:01,182 --> 00:05:04,492
Thirsty elephants often race into pools,
47
00:05:04,582 --> 00:05:08,495
but the matriarch knows
that her family must not rush in.
48
00:05:14,222 --> 00:05:16,213
This pool is stagnant,
49
00:05:16,302 --> 00:05:19,453
and the elephants have a trick
that deals with that.
50
00:05:24,982 --> 00:05:27,052
Sediment settles to the bottom,
51
00:05:27,142 --> 00:05:30,532
and the cleaner, fresher water
lies on the surface.
52
00:05:34,942 --> 00:05:37,456
They skim it carefully from the top.
53
00:05:49,102 --> 00:05:54,130
Then, as gently as elephants can,
they move forward slowly,
54
00:05:54,222 --> 00:05:57,055
trying not to disturb
the stagnant layers.
55
00:06:16,262 --> 00:06:21,131
But precious water like this
draws in herds from far and wide.
56
00:06:28,142 --> 00:06:33,739
In the exuberance of a greeting
all their careful work is undone.
57
00:06:43,302 --> 00:06:47,056
When bulls are forced together
by the need for water,
58
00:06:47,142 --> 00:06:48,973
tempers can flare.
59
00:07:23,902 --> 00:07:28,817
At this time of year,
food and water can often be far apart.
60
00:07:31,502 --> 00:07:34,858
And so, now that
the little ones are refreshed,
61
00:07:34,942 --> 00:07:37,820
the family has to head off to find food.
62
00:07:49,782 --> 00:07:54,572
The distant Okavango plains that
they're heading for are still dry,
63
00:07:54,662 --> 00:07:56,653
and getting even drier.
64
00:08:03,182 --> 00:08:06,811
Trapped catfish
struggle in a shrinking pool.
65
00:08:20,462 --> 00:08:23,977
And the burning sun
is not their only enemy.
66
00:08:26,542 --> 00:08:28,180
(CAWING)
67
00:08:30,902 --> 00:08:35,612
An opportunity like this
attracts eagles from many miles away.
68
00:08:38,982 --> 00:08:43,373
Usually, they dive and snatch fish
from the surface of the water,
69
00:08:43,462 --> 00:08:46,852
but in this drought
they won't have to work so hard.
70
00:08:52,182 --> 00:08:54,377
These are prized catches.
71
00:09:04,902 --> 00:09:08,372
Marabou storks and jackals
muscle in on the leftovers.
72
00:09:13,662 --> 00:09:16,540
But even with this bounty of fish,
73
00:09:16,622 --> 00:09:21,332
it's in an eagle's nature to
steal a meal rather than catch its own.
74
00:09:50,462 --> 00:09:54,535
And all this squabbling
gives the marabou a chance.
75
00:10:04,102 --> 00:10:05,421
Got it!
76
00:10:08,582 --> 00:10:12,860
Only the return of the flood
can save these fish now.
77
00:10:14,942 --> 00:10:16,580
All around these pools,
78
00:10:16,662 --> 00:10:20,974
the grass on the Okavango plains
continues to wither and die.
79
00:10:26,022 --> 00:10:28,741
But there's still some nourishment
left in the leaves,
80
00:10:28,822 --> 00:10:33,338
and millions of tiny mouths
make the most of what remains.
81
00:10:38,982 --> 00:10:42,861
Termites chop the dead grass
and drag it underground
82
00:10:42,942 --> 00:10:44,534
to feed their colony.
83
00:10:48,262 --> 00:10:50,139
They play a crucial role,
84
00:10:50,222 --> 00:10:53,737
helping to return nutrients
to these poor soils.
85
00:10:53,822 --> 00:10:56,973
But now,
taking the last, precious grass,
86
00:10:57,062 --> 00:11:00,179
they leave dust and sand in its place.
87
00:11:08,742 --> 00:11:12,257
With the grazing animals
dispersed far and wide,
88
00:11:12,342 --> 00:11:15,061
it's leaner times for predators here.
89
00:11:29,502 --> 00:11:33,415
Only a desperate leopard
would tackle a porcupine.
90
00:11:39,182 --> 00:11:43,016
This youngster is about
to meet double trouble.
91
00:11:46,382 --> 00:11:50,057
The only place to get a bite
is on their undersides.
92
00:11:51,782 --> 00:11:55,457
But the porcupines work together
to watch each others' backs.
93
00:12:07,662 --> 00:12:09,732
The leopard will have to flip one over.
94
00:12:16,462 --> 00:12:20,933
Pin-sharp quills can easily snap off
and become embedded in flesh.
95
00:12:37,222 --> 00:12:41,818
It's a highly effective defence
that can also be turned into attack.
96
00:12:58,862 --> 00:13:00,659
It's a harsh lesson,
97
00:13:00,742 --> 00:13:05,020
but with luck and a bit of healing time,
there'll be no lasting damage.
98
00:13:12,222 --> 00:13:13,780
Two hundred miles away,
99
00:13:13,862 --> 00:13:18,140
the pulse of life-giving water
has now reached the swampland
100
00:13:18,222 --> 00:13:20,531
at the entrance to the Okavango.
101
00:13:22,062 --> 00:13:25,293
Here, thick beds of papyrus
act like a sponge,
102
00:13:25,382 --> 00:13:27,338
slowing the water's progress.
103
00:13:29,022 --> 00:13:31,411
The swamp can take months to fill,
104
00:13:31,502 --> 00:13:33,970
and only then, if there is enough water,
105
00:13:34,062 --> 00:13:39,295
can it overflow and rejuvenate
the plains on which the herds depend.
106
00:13:46,822 --> 00:13:48,175
Far to the east,
107
00:13:48,262 --> 00:13:52,494
the matriarch elephants have
led their families to desert woodlands.
108
00:13:57,502 --> 00:14:01,859
It seems an odd place to come -
there's no sign of food
109
00:14:02,462 --> 00:14:04,817
and there's little shade for the calves.
110
00:14:08,462 --> 00:14:11,579
But elephants can do something unusual.
111
00:14:15,902 --> 00:14:20,339
They can eat and digest
seemingly lifeless branches.
112
00:14:32,262 --> 00:14:36,414
The youngsters need to learn
that dry sticks are nutritious,
113
00:14:38,502 --> 00:14:41,699
and that there is moisture in the bark.
114
00:14:45,622 --> 00:14:48,739
But bark won't feed the youngest calves.
115
00:14:48,822 --> 00:14:51,859
They need to drink
1 5 litres of milk a day,
116
00:14:53,142 --> 00:14:57,055
so their mothers desperately
need water as well as food.
117
00:15:00,942 --> 00:15:04,332
Exhaustion has got the better
of one young female.
118
00:15:10,182 --> 00:15:13,174
But she won't get the chance
to rest for long.
119
00:15:14,182 --> 00:15:16,696
The next waterhole
could be 30 miles away,
120
00:15:16,782 --> 00:15:19,854
and the whole herd needs to get moving.
121
00:15:33,782 --> 00:15:36,012
Back on the Okavango plains,
122
00:15:36,102 --> 00:15:39,253
the last remnants of grass
are going up in smoke.
123
00:15:46,902 --> 00:15:50,417
It's bad news
for the few grazers that remain.
124
00:16:04,142 --> 00:16:07,851
A few birds collect
the escaping insects.
125
00:16:12,782 --> 00:16:16,900
But fires don't help those
who need to eat grass here and now.
126
00:16:32,422 --> 00:16:35,732
The Okavango plains
are at their most desolate.
127
00:16:36,222 --> 00:16:38,019
Yet, out in the desert,
128
00:16:38,102 --> 00:16:41,299
the elephant herds
are heading towards them.
129
00:16:49,182 --> 00:16:53,494
The matriarchs guide their families
along the maze of trails
130
00:16:53,582 --> 00:16:55,220
to the next waterhole.
131
00:17:03,302 --> 00:17:06,180
And this time there's no hanging about.
132
00:17:23,942 --> 00:17:26,217
It soon turns into a mud bath.
133
00:17:29,862 --> 00:17:33,172
But elephants have a use
for the mud, too,
134
00:17:33,262 --> 00:17:38,700
for mud acts both as a sunscreen
and an insect repellent.
135
00:17:51,742 --> 00:17:55,655
Buffalo have learned to
follow the elephant trails to water.
136
00:18:04,142 --> 00:18:06,656
There is a clear pecking order here.
137
00:18:07,942 --> 00:18:11,139
Elephants take priority,
138
00:18:11,222 --> 00:18:13,690
and zebra are the last in the line.
139
00:18:25,342 --> 00:18:27,014
(SNUFFLING)
140
00:18:27,102 --> 00:18:29,662
Even when young bulls
have drunk their fill,
141
00:18:29,742 --> 00:18:31,972
they still torment the buffalo.
142
00:18:35,342 --> 00:18:38,459
And they definitely know
which end to aim for.
143
00:18:50,262 --> 00:18:54,016
By the time the herds face
their final trek across open desert,
144
00:18:54,102 --> 00:18:55,854
the swamp has filled.
145
00:19:00,302 --> 00:19:03,339
The channels which lead out
onto the parched plains
146
00:19:03,422 --> 00:19:06,016
get their first,
welcome trickle of water.
147
00:19:15,102 --> 00:19:18,492
Amazingly, when the plains
are at their driest,
148
00:19:18,582 --> 00:19:23,895
fresh water from a distant land
spills into the parched river beds.
149
00:19:27,622 --> 00:19:30,216
First it fills the dry channels,
150
00:19:30,302 --> 00:19:34,011
leaving the baked plains on either side
hard and dry.
151
00:19:53,702 --> 00:19:57,854
All along the route
it finds empty pools to fill.
152
00:20:00,942 --> 00:20:04,651
And now, these pools
become magnets for birds,
153
00:20:04,742 --> 00:20:07,814
which flock here
from the surrounding desert lands.
154
00:20:13,342 --> 00:20:16,573
Red-billed quelea can now
collect those grass seeds
155
00:20:16,662 --> 00:20:18,493
that the termites have missed.
156
00:20:39,062 --> 00:20:42,418
For most of the year,
the quelea are nomadic,
157
00:20:42,502 --> 00:20:45,016
and it's this freedom
to follow the water
158
00:20:45,102 --> 00:20:49,493
that helps make quelea one of
the most numerous birds on Earth.
159
00:21:07,902 --> 00:21:10,211
As the water fills the Okavango,
160
00:21:10,302 --> 00:21:13,453
animals that have survived
in shrinking waterholes
161
00:21:13,542 --> 00:21:15,419
begin to move in.
162
00:21:17,222 --> 00:21:20,419
Female hippos
gather in the best territories.
163
00:21:21,342 --> 00:21:24,334
And this male is prepared
to fight for one.
164
00:21:33,582 --> 00:21:37,052
Only a dominant bull
will mate with the females,
165
00:21:37,142 --> 00:21:40,293
and the current chieftain
isn't prepared to give way.
166
00:21:41,782 --> 00:21:43,010
(GRUNTS)
167
00:21:48,342 --> 00:21:50,412
The intimidation begins.
168
00:22:00,662 --> 00:22:04,814
When neither backs down,
there can be only one outcome.
169
00:22:19,462 --> 00:22:24,092
Fights can go on for hours
and can be to the death.
170
00:22:31,022 --> 00:22:36,050
Forward-pointing tusks can
stab right through protective blubber.
171
00:23:13,342 --> 00:23:18,416
This savage bite to the head
brings the contest to an end.
172
00:23:30,062 --> 00:23:34,931
The incumbent has re-established
his right to mate with the females,
173
00:23:35,622 --> 00:23:37,852
and he wastes no time.
174
00:23:43,022 --> 00:23:45,331
This is a prime territory,
175
00:23:45,422 --> 00:23:49,859
and he will face many more challenges
if he is to continue to hold it.
176
00:23:58,142 --> 00:24:00,451
The loser is badly injured.
177
00:24:03,462 --> 00:24:06,659
Hippos can die from infected wounds,
178
00:24:06,742 --> 00:24:10,132
but this young male is fit
and should survive.
179
00:24:15,102 --> 00:24:17,855
Ox-peckers are a mixed blessing.
180
00:24:17,942 --> 00:24:21,696
They keep his wounds clean,
but they also keep them open.
181
00:24:34,502 --> 00:24:38,654
Fresh water continues to pump
through the Okavango plains,
182
00:24:38,742 --> 00:24:41,017
bringing life wherever it flows.
183
00:24:42,902 --> 00:24:47,612
But out in the Kalahari,
water is now almost impossible to find.
184
00:24:54,382 --> 00:24:57,692
A matriarch has led her family
many miles,
185
00:24:57,782 --> 00:25:00,615
only to find the waterhole empty.
186
00:25:05,702 --> 00:25:08,774
This year the drought is gripping hard.
187
00:25:12,502 --> 00:25:15,858
Each matriarch
encourages her family onward.
188
00:25:18,022 --> 00:25:20,934
The calves' lives depend on her.
189
00:25:26,902 --> 00:25:29,700
And with pools so scarce now,
190
00:25:29,782 --> 00:25:33,695
even when she finds water,
they won't be drinking alone.
191
00:25:42,342 --> 00:25:47,814
At this time of year, some lion prides
base themselves around waterholes,
192
00:25:49,662 --> 00:25:52,415
and they're always
on the lookout for a meal.
193
00:26:02,462 --> 00:26:07,217
But the elephants' desperate need
to drink outweighs the risk.
194
00:26:13,062 --> 00:26:16,896
The mothers are producing less milk,
and the calves are weak.
195
00:26:23,142 --> 00:26:26,293
The adults try to shield them
from watchful eyes.
196
00:26:29,422 --> 00:26:32,061
It's an uneasy stand-off.
197
00:26:37,862 --> 00:26:41,411
In daylight, the elephants
should have nothing to fear.
198
00:26:50,902 --> 00:26:56,056
The lions creep as close as they dare,
as they too try to drink.
199
00:27:07,862 --> 00:27:12,094
One mistake from an elephant
and the lions could attack.
200
00:27:15,182 --> 00:27:18,777
Big cats keep tired elephants
on their toes.
201
00:27:19,942 --> 00:27:21,136
(TRUMPETING)
202
00:27:26,582 --> 00:27:29,619
While the desert experiences
the peak of the drought,
203
00:27:29,702 --> 00:27:32,694
the meandering network of channels
in the Okavango
204
00:27:32,782 --> 00:27:34,693
is finally brimful.
205
00:27:36,822 --> 00:27:39,382
They are ready to overflow.
206
00:27:43,142 --> 00:27:48,694
Fish gather, ready to ride the flood
as a miracle begins to materialise.
207
00:27:53,502 --> 00:27:58,974
And the barrier of desert sand
seems to dissolve in the magical water.
208
00:28:11,542 --> 00:28:14,261
Under cloudless Kalahari skies,
209
00:28:14,342 --> 00:28:20,019
fresh, sweet water at last
begins to bathe the parched plains.
210
00:28:59,062 --> 00:29:03,817
Millions upon millions of litres
surge over the banks.
211
00:29:07,982 --> 00:29:11,292
This is what the fish
have been waiting for.
212
00:29:14,662 --> 00:29:17,222
New life returns.
213
00:29:39,822 --> 00:29:43,019
And as the water
soaks deep into the sand,
214
00:29:43,102 --> 00:29:46,731
it stirs dormant animals into life.
215
00:29:55,542 --> 00:29:58,261
Others are more forcibly evicted.
216
00:30:02,742 --> 00:30:07,293
It's all fresh food,
a banquet ready for the feasting.
217
00:30:18,742 --> 00:30:24,214
Water birds follow the advancing front,
making the most of the sudden harvest.
218
00:30:46,182 --> 00:30:49,094
The plains soon teem with life.
219
00:30:52,022 --> 00:30:54,092
But not all are here to feed.
220
00:30:54,622 --> 00:30:57,056
Some have come to breed.
221
00:31:02,302 --> 00:31:04,657
No one knows where they've come from,
222
00:31:04,742 --> 00:31:07,131
but within moments
of the flood's arrival,
223
00:31:07,222 --> 00:31:11,261
tens of thousands of dragonflies
appear at the water's edge.
224
00:31:23,742 --> 00:31:28,532
The vivid red male leads his partner
in a magical dance,
225
00:31:28,622 --> 00:31:31,216
guiding her to lay their eggs
in the shallows.
226
00:32:12,502 --> 00:32:15,175
The flood spills ever onwards,
227
00:32:15,262 --> 00:32:19,414
until it finally reaches
the outer fringes of the Okavango.
228
00:32:23,662 --> 00:32:27,860
The catfish, miraculously,
still cling to life.
229
00:32:49,222 --> 00:32:55,331
Within moments, the life-giving power
of fresh water revitalises them.
230
00:33:26,142 --> 00:33:30,021
And now, on the plains
that appeared so lifeless,
231
00:33:30,102 --> 00:33:34,175
some of the most beautiful
and colourful changes occur.
232
00:33:38,542 --> 00:33:42,774
Within days,
fields of lilies burst into life.
233
00:33:53,182 --> 00:33:59,496
They provide pollen for the early bees,
and a hiding place for reed frogs.
234
00:34:10,982 --> 00:34:16,136
And it's only now that the most
crucial gift of the flood, the grass
235
00:34:16,222 --> 00:34:20,010
that the desert herds need so badly,
begins to grow.
236
00:34:48,222 --> 00:34:52,500
Hippos bulldoze their way
towards the sprouting grasslands,
237
00:34:52,582 --> 00:34:57,019
their paths opening up new arteries
that help keep the water flowing.
238
00:35:05,182 --> 00:35:06,934
In just a few weeks,
239
00:35:07,022 --> 00:35:10,492
thousands of square miles
of dry desert plains
240
00:35:10,582 --> 00:35:14,860
are turned into
a watery green grassland.
241
00:35:18,902 --> 00:35:23,293
The network of hippo paths
benefits all kinds of other animals,
242
00:35:23,382 --> 00:35:26,658
from predatory crocodiles
to the grazing herds.
243
00:35:45,302 --> 00:35:50,854
This fresh grass is what the elephants,
and indeed all the grazing animals,
244
00:35:50,942 --> 00:35:52,421
have been waiting for.
245
00:36:00,262 --> 00:36:01,854
Their pace quickens.
246
00:36:03,102 --> 00:36:07,141
For months, they have only known
the dry smell of the desert.
247
00:36:09,462 --> 00:36:13,501
And now, they can catch the scent
of fresh grass in the wind.
248
00:36:18,862 --> 00:36:23,652
Red lechwe are the first
to take advantage of the young shoots.
249
00:37:12,462 --> 00:37:15,420
The lions are no threat here.
250
00:37:15,502 --> 00:37:20,098
They're not very fast in water,
and their prey seem to know it.
251
00:37:23,782 --> 00:37:27,377
Lechwe revel in the safety
the flood brings.
252
00:38:10,142 --> 00:38:14,420
Soon they will be joined
by the herds of elephant and buffalo.
253
00:38:17,822 --> 00:38:21,212
And the lions seem to know
they're not far away.
254
00:38:28,382 --> 00:38:31,738
Baboons don't enjoy
getting their feet wet,
255
00:38:34,142 --> 00:38:39,057
but the banquet of flowers
and juicy snails is just irresistible.
256
00:38:56,182 --> 00:38:58,696
But they are at
their most vulnerable here
257
00:38:58,782 --> 00:39:00,693
from lurking crocodiles,
258
00:39:00,782 --> 00:39:03,250
so they keep an ever-watchful eye.
259
00:39:05,782 --> 00:39:10,856
Babies just cling on tight
and hope the water doesn't get too deep.
260
00:39:15,262 --> 00:39:20,017
At their feet, the flooded plains
are now a vast fish nursery,
261
00:39:20,102 --> 00:39:21,774
teeming with life.
262
00:39:26,782 --> 00:39:28,818
Predatory fish follow.
263
00:39:36,102 --> 00:39:38,821
But they too will have to be wary.
264
00:39:43,022 --> 00:39:47,777
For the Okavango now puts on
one of the finest bird shows
265
00:39:47,862 --> 00:39:50,171
to be seen anywhere in the world.
266
00:40:12,262 --> 00:40:16,574
The rising waters
create thousands of tiny islands.
267
00:40:17,462 --> 00:40:20,579
Safe from predators, surrounded by fish,
268
00:40:20,662 --> 00:40:23,779
these are the perfect place
to raise chicks.
269
00:40:33,462 --> 00:40:36,772
This is the miracle of the Okavango.
270
00:40:39,982 --> 00:40:43,657
Once a year,
it provides a magical time of plenty
271
00:40:43,742 --> 00:40:47,701
at the height of the dry season,
in the middle of a desert.
272
00:40:57,942 --> 00:41:01,821
Only now, with the grasslands
at their most productive,
273
00:41:01,902 --> 00:41:04,575
do the great herds arrive,
274
00:41:04,662 --> 00:41:07,620
and they've timed it to perfection.
275
00:41:10,342 --> 00:41:14,255
The herds grow larger
as elephant families and buffalo
276
00:41:14,342 --> 00:41:17,015
converge from all over the desert.
277
00:41:23,662 --> 00:41:27,496
But as they all get closer
to the flooded grassland,
278
00:41:27,582 --> 00:41:30,574
there is one final challenge to face.
279
00:41:48,622 --> 00:41:53,491
Lions have chosen this thick cover
to lay their ambushes.
280
00:41:59,222 --> 00:42:01,736
Their favourite prey is the buffalo.
281
00:42:07,422 --> 00:42:11,654
Adult buffalo are powerful
and can easily trample lions,
282
00:42:14,302 --> 00:42:19,979
so the lionesses seek out weaker calves
that fall behind the herd.
283
00:42:28,222 --> 00:42:31,180
A nervous buffalo mother
spots their approach
284
00:42:32,622 --> 00:42:34,419
and the herd stampedes.
285
00:42:36,742 --> 00:42:40,655
One lioness takes a gamble,
moving in on a well-protected calf.
286
00:42:44,862 --> 00:42:46,932
The buffalo close ranks,
287
00:42:48,222 --> 00:42:51,498
and suddenly,
the lionesses beat a hasty retreat.
288
00:43:02,662 --> 00:43:03,856
(ROARING)
289
00:43:06,622 --> 00:43:09,580
In the panic, calves are
separated from their mothers.
290
00:43:12,262 --> 00:43:16,301
Amid the confusion,
a lioness darts in and grabs one.
291
00:43:23,982 --> 00:43:26,860
Many buffalo will fall to lions here.
292
00:43:34,982 --> 00:43:37,337
Lions are opportunists,
293
00:43:37,422 --> 00:43:41,176
and even an unguarded elephant calf
can be vulnerable.
294
00:43:53,902 --> 00:43:55,938
The elephants are nervous.
295
00:43:59,942 --> 00:44:03,491
The scent of lion is all around,
yet they can't see them.
296
00:44:07,862 --> 00:44:09,534
A lioness is following them,
297
00:44:09,622 --> 00:44:12,455
trying to separate the young straggler
from the herd.
298
00:44:15,222 --> 00:44:16,655
(TRUMPETING)
299
00:44:16,742 --> 00:44:20,257
One adolescent fights back,
confronting its enemy.
300
00:44:35,262 --> 00:44:37,730
In a panic, the family stampedes.
301
00:44:40,702 --> 00:44:42,852
The straggler is taken.
302
00:44:57,102 --> 00:44:59,775
After months of arduous trekking,
303
00:44:59,862 --> 00:45:03,491
this elephant family has lost
one of its young ones.
304
00:45:10,782 --> 00:45:15,298
But most of the elephants,
at last, have made it through,
305
00:45:15,382 --> 00:45:18,021
and the great flood awaits.
306
00:45:21,142 --> 00:45:24,691
Older elephants have been here
many times before,
307
00:45:24,782 --> 00:45:28,377
but the newest calves have never seen
so much refreshment.
308
00:45:46,902 --> 00:45:51,976
At last, they get that first drink
of sweet, fresh water.
309
00:46:24,342 --> 00:46:26,936
Thousands of buffalo and zebra
310
00:46:27,022 --> 00:46:30,981
have also made it
to the magical Okavango wetlands.
311
00:46:45,862 --> 00:46:51,016
Somehow, these remarkable elephants
have learned how to find a flood
312
00:46:51,102 --> 00:46:56,460
from hundreds of miles away,
and to time their arrival just right.
313
00:47:01,822 --> 00:47:05,781
If it wasn't for this annual gift
of precious grass,
314
00:47:05,862 --> 00:47:08,740
the herds couldn't
survive the dry season
315
00:47:08,822 --> 00:47:10,813
in the surrounding Kalahari.
316
00:47:16,502 --> 00:47:20,939
This year the Great Flood
has lived up to its name.
317
00:47:41,702 --> 00:47:43,579
The lives of these elephants
318
00:47:43,662 --> 00:47:48,213
are dominated by this annual rhythm
of wet and dry,
319
00:47:48,302 --> 00:47:52,341
a seasonal cycle
driven by the power of the sun.
320
00:48:01,902 --> 00:48:06,532
The Okavango River
has no great lake to flow into,
321
00:48:06,622 --> 00:48:08,897
nor does it ever reach the sea.
322
00:48:09,662 --> 00:48:12,859
Its life-giving waters simply evaporate
323
00:48:12,942 --> 00:48:16,457
into the great emptiness
of the Kalahari sky.
324
00:48:21,102 --> 00:48:25,539
In a few months,
some may fall as rain far to the north,
325
00:48:25,622 --> 00:48:27,101
and, once again,
326
00:48:27,182 --> 00:48:30,652
become part of this miraculous event
in the Okavango,
327
00:48:30,742 --> 00:48:33,131
that is the Great Flood.
27980
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.