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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:07,960 30 million years ago, 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,440 tropical Africa was covered in dense jungle. 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:14,760 But not any more. 4 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:18,360 Here in East Africa, 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,200 the forest has all but vanished, 6 00:00:21,240 --> 00:00:23,800 a changed landscape that is the stage 7 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,000 for the most epic wildlife story on the continent. 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:30,680 And it begins in the forest. 9 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,960 Chimpanzees are perfectly adapted for life in the trees. 10 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,840 They gather almost all their food from the canopy. 11 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,440 But these chimps live in the Kyambura Gorge of Uganda, 12 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,360 and will sometimes embark on an unusual journey. 13 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,120 Their home, in this narrow strip of forest, 14 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,960 is surrounded by vast, open savannas... 15 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,200 ...mile after mile of rich, grass-covered plains. 16 00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:00,360 Living on the border between forest and savanna means the chimps 17 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,160 sometimes venture into this new and exciting habitat in search of food. 18 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:15,080 But they don't feel comfortable in the open grasslands, 19 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:20,720 so only forage for a few hours at a time before returning to the forest. 20 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,360 However, for countless other species, this new habitat, 21 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:34,320 the East African plains, has become fundamental to their survival. 22 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:39,200 So how did this part of Africa change so dramatically? 23 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,520 30 million years ago, when the jungle still shrouded the continent, 24 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:50,440 a vast plume of molten lava pushed up beneath the plateau of East Africa. 25 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,480 The Earth's crust cracked under the strain, 26 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,320 creating Africa's Great Rift. 27 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,200 Great volcanoes sprang up along the rift, 28 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,040 and triggered a chain of events 29 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,880 that changed the face of the landscape for ever. 30 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:32,360 Ol Doinyo Lengai is still an active volcano. 31 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,200 Its Masai name means "Mountain of the Gods". 32 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,680 Its latest eruption covered the plains below in a blanket of thick ash. 33 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,560 Ash has a profound effect on the surrounding vegetation. 34 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,040 It dries harder than concrete. 35 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,640 It's so solid that tree roots struggle to grow through it. 36 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,840 Huge swathes of East Africa's Great Rift 37 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,000 are covered in tree-resistant volcanic ash... 38 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,640 ...stretching on the east side from Tanzania into northern Kenya, 39 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:55,000 and along the arm of the shorter Western Rift up the valley floor of Uganda. 40 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:22,400 The rising rift valley not only created towering volcanoes, 41 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,920 it forced up great chains of mountains like these, 42 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,760 the mighty Ruwenzori. 43 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,400 They stand three miles high, 44 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,080 and like all the great highlands of the Rift, 45 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,200 they have a huge effect on the local weather 46 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,320 and, in turn, the surrounding vegetation. 47 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,800 Mist and cloud rolls in from the drenched jungles of the Congo Basin 48 00:06:03,840 --> 00:06:06,560 that lie directly west of the Ruwenzori. 49 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,480 Warm, moist air rises up the mountains. 50 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:15,840 As it does, it cools, so most of the moisture falls on the slopes, 51 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,600 and little rain reaches the plains to the east. 52 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:25,240 It's the Rift's unique combination of restricted rain and volcanic ash 53 00:06:25,280 --> 00:06:27,880 that keeps the forests at bay. 54 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,280 But the space left behind is now a battleground. 55 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:39,200 Two determined colonisers fight to stake their claim on the plains. 56 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,080 One competitor is rather small and unassuming - 57 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:47,600 grass... 58 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:59,920 ...its challenger the only tree that still holds out for its place in the savannas... 59 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,240 ...the thorn tree of Africa - the acacia. 60 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,800 It's able to cope because its shallow roots 61 00:07:08,840 --> 00:07:13,440 can extract any moisture from the soil above the hard ash pan... 62 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,960 ...and its tiny leaves reduce water lost by evaporation. 63 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,960 It's so successful, it can grow six metres tall. 64 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:31,840 But it has a predator to match. 65 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,120 The acacia's small leaves are nutritious enough 66 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,480 to support the world's tallest antelope... 67 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,600 ...lofty enough to exploit a niche that no others can reach. 68 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,360 But the acacia crown is not only attacked from the top down, 69 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,320 but also from the bottom up. 70 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,280 The gerenuk has a skeleton that's adapted 71 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,560 to enable it to spend all day standing on its hind legs. 72 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,640 But height isn't the only key to unlock the acacia's defences. 73 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,800 The dik-dik is one of Africa's shortest antelopes. 74 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,880 It can't reach the high crown, and at ground level, 75 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:38,840 the acacia thorns are at their fiercest. 76 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,320 But the dik-dik's tiny head fits perfectly between the spikes, 77 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:50,560 and so the acacia is attacked from every angle. 78 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:56,720 The acacia can just about cope with the impact of nibblers like these, 79 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,640 but there's one heavyweight that does more than just snack. 80 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,280 Seedling acacias are simply annihilated 81 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,600 by the world's heaviest vegetarian. 82 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,040 But adult trees aren't safe, either. 83 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,200 The elephant's trunk is sensitive enough to select individual leaves... 84 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,240 ...but strong enough to rip off entire branches. 85 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:44,520 The combination of tusk and trunk makes short work of heavy wood... 86 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,280 ...and a three-tonne body makes an effective bulldozer. 87 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,560 A single African elephant can flatten a tree a day. 88 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:19,880 And in the savannas of the Rift, the herds number over 150,000... 89 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,280 ...capable of wiping out entire acacia woodlands. 90 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:31,200 Landscape gardening on this scale plays an important role 91 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,240 in helping the acacia's competitor, grass. 92 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:44,680 Grass makes up over 50% of an elephant's diet, so it's in their own interests 93 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:49,160 to clear the trees and maintain space for grass to grow. 94 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:01,080 Grass, unlike other plants, grows from its roots instead of the tip. 95 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,760 This gives it astonishing powers of regeneration. 96 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,760 It also means it can be almost constantly cropped - 97 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,440 a never-ending supply of food. 98 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,560 This indestructible plant has taken over the Rift Valley plains. 99 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,520 It supports the greatest numbers and diversity 100 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:30,040 of large grazers in the world. 101 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,040 But there is a downside. 102 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:45,000 Grass is hard to process, so grazers have to consume vast amounts. 103 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,840 That means big guts, and big guts need a big body. 104 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:57,560 A diet of grass also means eating for up to 16 hours per day, 105 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,760 and that leaves little time for the other important tasks. 106 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:05,760 These are Uganda kob, 107 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:09,920 the most abundant antelope in the Western Rift Valley. 108 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:14,560 Somehow they find time to indulge in a surprisingly complex mating ritual. 109 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,200 The kob have a dedicated mating ground, known as a lek. 110 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,360 It's where males gather to flaunt themselves, 111 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:27,840 and the females turn up to pick a mate. 112 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,200 The males want to hold the best spot. 113 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:56,520 To win it, they have to fight. 114 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:23,120 It's all to impress the ladies, 115 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,680 who are very picky when it comes to choosing the right mate. 116 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:19,800 The females are after the buck with the best blood - 117 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:23,000 the strongest male, holding the most coveted position 118 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:25,400 right in the middle of the lek. 119 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:31,000 The female chooses her mate, and then allows him 120 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,880 to test her scent for hormones to confirm she's ready to mate. 121 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:41,320 A female comes into season every 20 days or so, 122 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:44,040 but is only receptive for a couple of hours, 123 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,200 so there's not much time for flirting. 124 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,920 Job done. The exchange of genes is complete. 125 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,000 Now the female can relax under the protection of her champion. 126 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,880 There is a selfish reason behind her choice. 127 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,800 The middle of the lek is actually the safest spot, 128 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,680 as a concentration of distracted antelope 129 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,000 attracts the inevitable antelope eaters. 130 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,200 Adult lions hunt best working as a pride, 131 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,640 but this single mother is alone, 132 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:44,240 so providing for her family of three teenage cubs is all down to her. 133 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,480 Kob are fast, with excellent eyesight, 134 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,120 and so during the day, catching one is extremely tricky. 135 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:05,320 But as night falls, the advantage swings to the hunter. 136 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:32,560 For the mother lioness, hunting is a serious business... 137 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,600 ...best done without her three boisterous cubs. 138 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:51,160 The mother wears a radio collar so scientists can track her movements, 139 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,560 but it doesn't hinder her hunting. 140 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,040 In the pitch black of the moonless night, 141 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,880 both the kob and lioness are reduced to near blindness. 142 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,880 They can smell each other, but the lioness can't pinpoint a target 143 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:12,720 unless it makes a sound. 144 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:19,600 So as long as the kob hold their nerve and don't break cover, they'll be safe. 145 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,920 Meanwhile, the hungry and impatient cubs wander into trouble. 146 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:26,200 The three cubs might look dangerous, but they are only ten months old 147 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,680 and they won't learn to hunt properly until they're two. 148 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,520 They're no match for these buffalo, 149 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:37,760 but the opportunity for stalking practice is too good to miss. 150 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,920 Meanwhile, their mother is on to something. 151 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,280 She digs down almost a metre. 152 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:45,880 After a huge effort, she only pulls out a tiny meal - 153 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:47,520 barely a mouthful. 154 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:57,200 But satisfying hunger is not on this mother's agenda tonight. 155 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:06,840 These warthog piglets are a perfect size for the cubs to practise killing. 156 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,480 She pulls out six and saves them all for her young. 157 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,240 The sooner the cubs learn to hunt, 158 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,880 the sooner they'll be able to help their mother. 159 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,360 Ambushing prey at night is very effective, 160 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,440 but it's not the only way for a cat to catch a meal. 161 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,680 The cheetah is the fastest runner on the planet, 162 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,040 but here, speed is no good without stealth. 163 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,680 He must use camouflage to creep up on his target. 164 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,920 With only the grass as cover, he can't get close enough for a sprint. 165 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:03,600 and as the hartebeest is one of Africa's fastest antelopes, 166 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,960 from this distance he has no chance in a straight race. 167 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,880 But it might still be worth a go. 168 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:08,200 Unfortunately for him, they are all fit and well. 169 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:21,440 A full sprint is heavy work for a cheetah under the hot sun. 170 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,960 He'll need time to recover before he can try again. 171 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:38,760 Antelope like this topi use the long grass 172 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,280 to hide their babies from predators. 173 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,480 If they stay still they won't be found. 174 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,680 But what if you want to be seen? 175 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:02,200 Then long grass can be rather a nuisance. 176 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:29,760 This male widow bird has prepared a dance floor to seduce a female. 177 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,520 But first, he needs to get her attention. 178 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,360 The modestly clad females are currently on the fence. 179 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,440 When one flies in for a closer look... 180 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,080 ...a male gives it all he's got. 181 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,720 The Rift's grasslands bake beneath the African sun. 182 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,200 The long grass can become very dry, 183 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:52,200 and that makes it vulnerable to one of nature's most powerful forces... 184 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:04,400 ...fire. 185 00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:24,200 Thousands of tonnes of dry grass is enough to fuel a blazing inferno. 186 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,760 But the flames can provide a feast. 187 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:50,960 Migrating sand martins brave the smoke to take advantage 188 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,320 of the tiny insects that flee the flames... 189 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:56,720 ...a welcome windfall 190 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:01,080 to a bird on a 1,000-mile journey from Africa to Europe. 191 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:37,360 This looks like devastation. 192 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:43,040 The grass has been burnt away, and so have the seedling trees. 193 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:47,280 But because grasses store energy underground in their roots, 194 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:51,720 within days, new sprouts push through the fertile ash. 195 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,720 Grass may be tough enough to survive even the hottest fire... 196 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:06,080 ...but there is one force of nature here that grass cannot defend against. 197 00:28:06,120 --> 00:28:08,720 It's an extraordinary creature, 198 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,640 and it only comes out at night. 199 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,440 A hippopotamus has a mouth half a metre wide, 200 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:26,040 built for devouring grass - 40 kilograms in one sitting. 201 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,800 A fussy eater, it only likes short grass, 202 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,880 which it tears up with great lips. 203 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:50,480 Hippopotamus roam for miles between dusk and dawn 204 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:52,320 in search of good grazing. 205 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,520 But there's a limit to their range, and they must turn around 206 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,200 and head back to water before the sun rises. 207 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:44,280 The still, shallow waters bear their great weight. 208 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,480 Now they relax, snooze, and socialise in comfort. 209 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,640 Mzima Springs lie in the Eastern Rift, 210 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:22,040 a source of water filtered through ancient Rift Valley lava that never dries up. 211 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,280 This is a haven for a small population of hippo, 212 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:36,040 who graze the savanna in a ten-mile radius around the spring. 213 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:39,880 But now the surrounding area is in the deathly grip of drought. 214 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:44,240 With no rain, the grass has stopped growing. 215 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:51,440 Like all hippos, the Mzima herd are bound to their pool, 216 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,280 so can't escape to search for pastures new. 217 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:16,720 Before long, the hippos will eat everything within range, 218 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,440 and that will create a disaster. 219 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:25,720 They brave the sun in a desperate search for food, but to no avail. 220 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:34,200 Weakened, they sicken and die... 221 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:51,040 ...but not before they have reduced this savanna to a dust bowl. 222 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:59,040 The topsoil has blown away, 223 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,560 and even the roots of the grasses are destroyed. 224 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:08,400 It will take this part of the Great Rift Valley many years to recover. 225 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:29,280 The rain shadow of the Rift Valley makes the grasslands extremely dry... 226 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:36,600 ...but just enough rain makes it across the mountains to keep the grass alive. 227 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,960 Not everyone enjoys the rain. 228 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:33,600 But for the Uganda kob, it's a joy not to feel plagued by hunger or thirst. 229 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:14,160 When the rain clouds make it across the mountains of the Western Rift, 230 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:16,600 they bring the grasslands exploding to life. 231 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:41,360 The prevailing winds that bring the rain move in a north-south cycle 232 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:43,120 up and down the continent. 233 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:48,400 The resulting wet seasons bring intense downpours, 234 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,680 but not to everywhere at once. 235 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:03,360 These isolated rains mean that some animals 236 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:07,680 have to run for thousands of miles in search of freshly grown grass. 237 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,480 Every year, almost two million wildebeest 238 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:43,080 follow the thunder clouds like storm chasers, 239 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:46,480 trekking from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara. 240 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:57,040 And in their wake comes Thomson's gazelle. 241 00:36:57,080 --> 00:37:00,520 Tommies are one of the smaller antelope found in the Rift savannas. 242 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:04,640 Their size makes them very vulnerable to predators. 243 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:24,600 These cheetahs have been waiting for the tommies for months. 244 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:28,040 Now's their chance to eat as much as they can. 245 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:41,520 Each cat has a different style of hunt, 246 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:43,280 but stealth is always key 247 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:46,840 if they are to stand a chance against the fleet-footed tommy. 248 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:29,120 The cheetah is faster, 249 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:32,560 but the tommy can turn quicker and has more stamina. 250 00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:50,000 Each chase lasts only 300 metres at most, 251 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:53,320 but those few seconds decide the fate of the tommy. 252 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:13,840 In a fair chase, the cheetah has a 50/50 chance of catching a meal - 253 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:17,280 the highest success rate of all the African big cats. 254 00:40:06,240 --> 00:40:09,960 An unlucky stumble is enough to seal a tommy's fate. 255 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:42,480 For savanna herbivores, living here has a price. 256 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:46,920 But the richness of these grasslands make it worth the risk, 257 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:51,360 and the rewards are so tempting that even a primate has made them home. 258 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:56,400 Primates are normally forest dwellers. 259 00:40:56,440 --> 00:41:00,080 To flourish on the open plains has been a hard step to take. 260 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:07,040 The olive baboon is one of very few monkeys 261 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:09,800 to make a success of savanna life. 262 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,920 For a small animal on the plains, there's safety in numbers. 263 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:34,880 Living in a large troop requires organisation. 264 00:41:36,240 --> 00:41:38,200 To avoid constant squabbling, 265 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:41,840 the baboons have developed a sophisticated social order. 266 00:41:45,080 --> 00:41:48,880 Regular grooming is not just for reasons of hygiene. 267 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:52,840 The constant contact is important for social bonding. 268 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,400 It's a good way to make friends. 269 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:04,040 Males are tough enough to look after themselves, 270 00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:05,960 and come and go as they choose. 271 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:10,640 But mothers and babies must stick together. 272 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:20,880 The little ones are very important for establishing rank and order. 273 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:37,520 This baby is being used to keep its mother in her place. 274 00:42:37,560 --> 00:42:41,200 The mother must sit and watch it being treated roughly 275 00:42:41,240 --> 00:42:43,120 by the more dominant female 276 00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:45,960 if she wants to stay within the safety of the troop. 277 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:50,920 Her low rank means she has no choice but to tolerate her oppressor. 278 00:43:11,760 --> 00:43:15,720 Whilst the inequalities of baboon society might seem harsh, 279 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:19,320 this system of complex relationships and communication 280 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,280 is essential for their survival in the savanna. 281 00:43:47,720 --> 00:43:49,400 When darkness falls, 282 00:43:49,440 --> 00:43:51,520 the baboons' sharp senses fail them 283 00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:54,440 and they must return to the trees to sleep, 284 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:56,600 safe from night prowlers. 285 00:44:16,520 --> 00:44:18,800 Baboon behaviour can give an insight 286 00:44:18,840 --> 00:44:22,120 into what it takes for any primate to survive on the savanna. 287 00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:30,680 Our own primate ancestors may have coped on the open plains in a similar way. 288 00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:36,120 But there's another primate in the Rift Valley 289 00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:39,320 that can tell us more about our ancient history. 290 00:44:55,640 --> 00:45:00,120 In Uganda's Kibale Forest, chimps are bedding down for the night. 291 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:09,120 They bend branches into a nest for a restful night's sleep, 292 00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:11,880 just as our common ancestors might have done 293 00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:13,760 over eight million years ago. 294 00:45:28,640 --> 00:45:33,080 Our ancient relatives living in the primeval jungles of Africa 295 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:38,040 shared the well-developed brains and nimble hands of modern chimpanzees. 296 00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:56,240 But at the same time that the Great Rift Valley formed 297 00:45:56,280 --> 00:45:59,840 and the forests were pushed back, our ancestors moved out 298 00:45:59,880 --> 00:46:04,640 into the savannas, leaving their chimpanzee relatives behind. 299 00:46:12,720 --> 00:46:16,840 Chimpanzees are still poorly adapted for savanna life. 300 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:24,040 Their bodies are too squat to see over the long grass, 301 00:46:24,080 --> 00:46:26,520 and their limbs aren't built for speed 302 00:46:26,560 --> 00:46:29,440 like an antelope that can outrun predators. 303 00:46:44,960 --> 00:46:50,080 But like humans today, our ancestors walked tall on two legs 304 00:46:50,120 --> 00:46:54,840 and had hands free to carry weapons for hunting and defence. 305 00:46:58,880 --> 00:47:01,880 More meat in our diet meant our brains expanded 306 00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:06,360 and our societies grew ever more complex and powerful. 307 00:47:08,400 --> 00:47:12,200 In time, we became masters of the savanna. 308 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:18,240 We owe our extraordinary success as a species to this place - 309 00:47:18,280 --> 00:47:20,640 the cradle of humanity... 310 00:47:22,320 --> 00:47:25,080 ...in Africa's Great Rift Valley. 311 00:47:43,880 --> 00:47:47,600 Filming sleeping chimps in the forests of Kibale National Park 312 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:51,080 presented some serious challenges for the crew. 313 00:47:52,320 --> 00:47:56,800 They had to climb huge tropical trees in the pitch dark. 314 00:47:58,400 --> 00:48:00,880 But first they had to find the chimps, 315 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:04,520 and that meant trekking for miles through the jungle 316 00:48:04,560 --> 00:48:06,560 with some serious baggage. 317 00:48:15,160 --> 00:48:18,160 Once they found them, they had to wait until dark, 318 00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:20,680 when the chimps had picked their nesting spots. 319 00:48:25,440 --> 00:48:29,120 Their mission was to climb into the canopy and film the chimps sleeping - 320 00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:30,960 from above. 321 00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:35,920 But this meant climbing in the dark, which would put the crew to the test. 322 00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:42,320 Chimps nest anywhere between 4 and 40 metres off the ground, 323 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:45,360 and never in the same place twice. 324 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:48,720 The first task is to find a tree suitable for climbing 325 00:48:48,760 --> 00:48:50,640 without disturbing the chimps. 326 00:48:52,200 --> 00:48:53,880 When darkness falls, 327 00:48:53,920 --> 00:48:58,400 the team use image-intensifying scopes to look into the canopy. 328 00:48:58,440 --> 00:49:03,080 The final say goes to tree-climbing expert Tim Fogg. 329 00:49:03,120 --> 00:49:04,920 It's not good at all. 330 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:09,720 There are no trees which give us a view of the nests tonight. 331 00:49:09,760 --> 00:49:14,560 It's just really frustrating, because they're... they're all here - 332 00:49:14,600 --> 00:49:19,120 there's about six or seven nests right above us and a bit off to that side, 333 00:49:19,160 --> 00:49:21,920 but there's no big trees overlooking them, 334 00:49:21,960 --> 00:49:25,920 so we're stuck... stuck on climbing tonight. 335 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:28,440 I think we'll probably just do ground shots of them. 336 00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:31,680 I can't see anything I can get up that's any use at all. 337 00:49:31,720 --> 00:49:36,000 Grounded for the night, they set up the kit on the forest floor. 338 00:49:37,720 --> 00:49:43,000 Cameraman Martin Dohrn has developed a brand-new night-vision camera 339 00:49:43,040 --> 00:49:46,400 that can see without any artificial light at all. 340 00:49:46,440 --> 00:49:49,640 It's called a starlight camera 341 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:52,200 and it uses an image intensifier that means it can capture 342 00:49:52,240 --> 00:49:56,200 unique animal behaviour not usually visible to the human eye. 343 00:49:59,120 --> 00:50:04,400 Amazingly, we have now got a shot of a sleeping chimpanzee. 344 00:50:04,440 --> 00:50:06,560 It's not a great shot, 345 00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:08,960 it's not a remarkable shot, 346 00:50:09,000 --> 00:50:11,680 but it is probably the first time ever 347 00:50:11,720 --> 00:50:16,720 that a chimpanzee has been filmed asleep in its tree nest. 348 00:50:19,080 --> 00:50:23,760 This is actually kind of like Big Brother, only more interesting. 349 00:50:25,680 --> 00:50:29,880 But the team aren't satisfied with filming from the ground. 350 00:50:31,160 --> 00:50:33,600 Encouraged by their terrestrial success, 351 00:50:33,640 --> 00:50:36,640 the next night sees the crew stalk the chimps 352 00:50:36,680 --> 00:50:38,480 to a much better location for climbing. 353 00:50:42,080 --> 00:50:44,560 There is a big tree right in the back there. 354 00:50:44,600 --> 00:50:47,120 It's just whether we'd get a view through. 355 00:50:47,160 --> 00:50:50,160 The big tree behind that. There's a much higher tree behind that. 356 00:50:50,200 --> 00:50:51,320 Yeah, I think so. 357 00:50:51,360 --> 00:50:55,120 Tim aims his catapult at a branch high in the canopy. 358 00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:01,040 OK. I think I got that. 359 00:51:02,520 --> 00:51:04,320 Chimps are super-sensitive in the night, 360 00:51:04,360 --> 00:51:08,520 and no-one knows how they'll react to a film crew swinging above them. 361 00:51:16,680 --> 00:51:20,160 Getting the ropes up is just the start of the climbing process. 362 00:51:21,960 --> 00:51:27,920 We've got to load-test the ropes now, and what I'm dreading is that when we pull... 363 00:51:27,960 --> 00:51:31,800 We're going to hang two of us on the ropes to see if the branches will hold it, 364 00:51:31,840 --> 00:51:33,880 and if it breaks, 365 00:51:33,920 --> 00:51:37,960 I don't know, well, it's going to cause mayhem with the chimps. 366 00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:40,040 It's... But we have to try. 367 00:51:40,080 --> 00:51:41,880 Safety-wise, I can't go up there 368 00:51:41,920 --> 00:51:45,120 without seeing that the branches are strong enough to take me, so that's it. 369 00:51:52,600 --> 00:51:54,840 Satisfied the ropes are strong enough, 370 00:51:54,880 --> 00:52:00,040 Tim heads up the tree with no idea what he might find in the jungle canopy. 371 00:52:06,120 --> 00:52:10,960 OK, well, it didn't go to plan, really, because, er... I started climbing... 372 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:15,040 The ropes went in really easily, amazingly, and then I started to climb, 373 00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:21,160 and as soon as I hit some foliage, I started getting the odd little itch. 374 00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:25,560 And by the time I got through the first bit of foliage, I was flailing. 375 00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:29,960 I was covered in tiny little ants that were just on a suicide mission. 376 00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:32,520 They were just eating me alive. 377 00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:35,040 And I tried to climb on, 378 00:52:35,080 --> 00:52:38,240 and I got a bit further up, and they were still going at me. 379 00:52:38,280 --> 00:52:41,240 They started getting in my sleeves 380 00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:43,240 and then all around my waist, 381 00:52:43,280 --> 00:52:46,120 and then they started getting all round my neck. 382 00:52:46,160 --> 00:52:48,760 They got in my helmet as well, so at one point 383 00:52:48,800 --> 00:52:50,920 I had to get my helmet off and try and shake them out. 384 00:52:50,960 --> 00:52:52,800 Nasty little things. 385 00:52:55,520 --> 00:53:00,960 Undeterred by creepy-crawlies, Tim and the team head back to the jungle 386 00:53:01,000 --> 00:53:03,000 hoping for a more successful climb. 387 00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:09,880 It's incredibly close. 388 00:53:09,920 --> 00:53:16,160 It's about... maybe six metres above and just behind me. 389 00:53:16,200 --> 00:53:18,400 The tree I'm going for is just over that way. 390 00:53:18,440 --> 00:53:23,200 That should give us a good shot down on him... in his nest. 391 00:53:23,240 --> 00:53:26,200 That's what we're aiming for. 392 00:53:26,240 --> 00:53:29,360 I've noticed that I'm right on a big pile of elephant-do. 393 00:53:33,360 --> 00:53:36,640 Just putting on some insect repellent. 394 00:53:36,680 --> 00:53:38,880 Then I'm going to tape my sleeves up 395 00:53:38,920 --> 00:53:44,440 because I want to try and keep the ants out if they're there this time. 396 00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:54,560 Geared up once again, Tim heads up to check the view. 397 00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:01,640 Martin prepares to record from the ground, 398 00:54:01,680 --> 00:54:05,040 and tree-climbing specialist cameraman Nick Turner 399 00:54:05,080 --> 00:54:07,360 can finally take to the trees. 400 00:54:11,160 --> 00:54:14,240 And right behind him, Martin sends up a precious cargo. 401 00:54:19,080 --> 00:54:23,320 The world's only HD starlight camera is in the bag, 402 00:54:23,360 --> 00:54:27,680 so let's not stand under it in case it falls. 403 00:54:34,600 --> 00:54:38,640 It's a real mess up here with gear, I mean, we know where everything is, 404 00:54:38,680 --> 00:54:44,160 but it's just everything has to be tied on so we don't drop anything. 405 00:54:44,200 --> 00:54:47,920 There's cables and tapes and ropes and karabiners all over the place. 406 00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:51,240 We're about 15 metres off the deck 407 00:54:51,280 --> 00:54:57,200 and the chimps are about 10 to 12 metres away from us, down slightly. 408 00:54:57,240 --> 00:55:00,760 The team are close to success. 409 00:55:00,800 --> 00:55:02,960 But before they can even take a shot... 410 00:55:04,520 --> 00:55:06,600 What's going on? 411 00:55:06,640 --> 00:55:08,880 ...the armed ranger has heard something. 412 00:55:12,760 --> 00:55:16,680 It seems we've got some elephants coming close to us 413 00:55:16,720 --> 00:55:19,920 and we're not sure what to do or what they're going to do. 414 00:55:19,960 --> 00:55:23,320 So we're leaving our lights on so the elephants can see us 415 00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:25,280 and don't get suddenly surprised. 416 00:55:25,320 --> 00:55:29,320 I'm pretty sure they'll just try and stay away from us... 417 00:55:29,360 --> 00:55:31,760 but you never know. 418 00:55:31,800 --> 00:55:34,720 Elephants have very poor eyesight in the dark. 419 00:55:34,760 --> 00:55:39,400 If they come across the crew, they might take fright and attack. 420 00:55:39,440 --> 00:55:42,240 We think that might be an elephant. 421 00:55:42,280 --> 00:55:45,200 We should have a B-plan here. 422 00:55:45,240 --> 00:55:50,160 They're probably curious rather than dangerous, but... 423 00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:53,680 I'm not an expert in elephant behaviour. 424 00:55:53,720 --> 00:55:57,760 My plan is to run behind the tree and hide. 425 00:55:57,800 --> 00:55:59,320 Possibly even... 426 00:55:59,360 --> 00:56:01,200 try and climb up into it. 427 00:56:01,240 --> 00:56:02,760 Probably get up there. 428 00:56:04,440 --> 00:56:08,360 I'm afraid that's the best I can offer. 429 00:56:08,400 --> 00:56:10,120 You're probably quite safe up there. 430 00:56:10,160 --> 00:56:12,520 I don't think they'd be able to knock the tree down 431 00:56:12,560 --> 00:56:15,640 but what I'll make sure I do is I'll set the thing in 432 00:56:15,680 --> 00:56:19,040 to record before I go, so... 433 00:56:19,080 --> 00:56:22,480 I can't imagine the chimps will be too happy about having elephants 434 00:56:22,520 --> 00:56:24,160 running around like that. 435 00:56:25,400 --> 00:56:29,520 With nowhere to hide, the crew carries on 436 00:56:29,560 --> 00:56:31,480 and the guard comes back with news. 437 00:56:33,240 --> 00:56:35,120 There's a chimpanzee. 438 00:56:35,160 --> 00:56:39,680 - It's a chimpanzee. Are you sure? - Yes, of course. 439 00:56:41,480 --> 00:56:44,800 The chimps have been playing tricks on the crew. 440 00:56:44,840 --> 00:56:47,400 So once the fear of elephants is passed, 441 00:56:47,440 --> 00:56:51,680 they can get on and film the nesting chimps from high in the canopy. 442 00:57:04,520 --> 00:57:08,120 Martin's starlight camera gives us a grainy black-and-white image, 443 00:57:08,160 --> 00:57:11,040 but allows us to see into the night 444 00:57:11,080 --> 00:57:14,560 and watch wildlife at their most intimate moments. 445 00:57:31,360 --> 00:57:33,640 It showed for the very first time 446 00:57:33,680 --> 00:57:36,680 how these great apes snuggle down in the treetops 447 00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:42,600 and how it's possible to have a comfortable night's sleep in the jungle. 39756

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