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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}NARRATOR: In southern Kenya lies
a remote desert kingdom,
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{\an1}home to a cast of remarkable
wild creatures.
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{\an1}They owe their existence
to an extraordinary relationship
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{\an1}between the largest animal
and the smallest,
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{\an1}a relationship of provision
and dependency
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{\an1}that has flourished
for millennia.
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{\an1}Together, elephants and termites
create water holes...
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Animal oases
that are miracles of life.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}This is the remarkable story
of a water hole in Africa,
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{\an1}the animals that created it,
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{\an1}and those that call it home.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}NARRATOR: Without water,
life has no chance
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{\an1}to join the desert in its dance.
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{\an1}For here, where sun
and wind hold sway,
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when water comes,
it cannot stay.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}This is Tsavo, one of Africa's
last great wildernesses.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}It's an arid land,
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{\an1}yet rivers of sand
hint at something different.
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{\an1}[ Thunder rumbles ]
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It rarely rains,
but when it does,
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{\an1}a year's worth can fall
in just a few hours.
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{\an1}[ Thunder rumbles ]
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{\an1}Most of it will run away,
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{\an1}destined for the Indian Ocean,
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{\an1}channeled by sand rivers
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{\an1}that flow for just
a few days each year.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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They connect to
the mighty Galana,
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which will carry
the rainfall away.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}[ Water crashing ]
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{\an1}[ Elephant snorts ]
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{\an1}For the water to stay
and benefit wildlife,
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{\an1}requires the services
of the largest animal here,
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{\an1}and also the smallest.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an7}Together, elephants and termites
create water holes.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}For thousands of years,
their partnership
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{\an1}has transformed some of
the driest regions in Africa.
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{\an1}[ Elephants trumpeting
in distance ]
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It all starts
with a termite mound.
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{\an1}The clay the mound is made of
is manufactured
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{\an1}by worker termites
deep underground
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{\an1}and then brought to the surface.
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{\an1}It is a sticky mixture
of organic material,
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{\an1}minerals, and water...
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{\an1}the perfect building material,
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{\an1}which will set hard
like concrete.
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Compared to
the surrounding soil,
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{\an1}the clay is packed
with nutrients.
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{\an1}[ Birds calling in distance ]
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{\an1}A termite colony might live
for decades,
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{\an1}but for our story,
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{\an1}what's important is
what happens to the mound
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{\an1}when a colony dies.
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It can take years
for it to erode,
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{\an1}but elephants, rain, and wind
will eventually prevail.
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{\an1}Then all that is left
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{\an1}is another clay scar
in the landscape.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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Every scar here
was once a termite mound.
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{\an1}They're a focus for elephants,
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{\an1}as the patches of clay
are what elephants love.
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{\an1}Tsavo's ancient red soils
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are deficient
in the salts elephants need,
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{\an1}but termite clay contains them
in abundance.
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{\an1}Their constant excavation
means that,
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little by little,
the site of the old mound
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becomes a hollow
in the landscape.
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{\an1}When it rains, the fine clay
dust turns to sticky mud...
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[ Chuffs ]
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{\an1}...and, for a family
of elephants,
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{\an1}that is irresistible.
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{\an1}[ Chuffing and trumpeting ]
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{\an1}Besides keeping them cool,
a coating of clay
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{\an1}protects against sunburn
and biting flies.
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{\an1}Once elephants start to wallow,
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{\an1}a water hole's future
is assured.
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{\an1}Each time a family visits,
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it carries away
up to a ton of mud,
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{\an1}and so the hole grows.
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00:08:08,933 --> 00:08:11,066
{\an1}[ Trumpeting and chuffing ]
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{\an1}After a year or two,
the young water hole
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{\an1}can hold enough water
to invite daily visits.
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{\an1}[ Grunting and chuffing ]
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Within a few years,
what the elephants engineered,
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{\an1}with a little help
from the termites,
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{\an1}will become an oasis,
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{\an1}which all will visit
and some will call home.
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{\an1}A water hole can last a century,
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{\an1}but each year it must go through
a seasonal cycle
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{\an1}of decline and rebirth.
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This is the story
of one of those seasons.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an7}[ Thunder rumbles ]
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}What sets it all off
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is a direct hit
from a thunderstorm.
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{\an1}[ Thunder rumbles ]
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Then the paths
that the elephants made
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{\an1}funnel the water down
to the water hole.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Insects are the first
to move in.
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{\an1}[ Insects chirping ]
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{\an1}Dragonflies pair up to lay eggs.
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{\an1}[ Elephant trumpets ]
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{\an1}It doesn't take long for
the heavy lifters to arrive,
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and some of them
carry passengers.
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[ Bird calling ]
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Tiny eggs arrive
on elephant feet.
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{\an1}[ Elephant chuffs ]
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Once underwater,
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{\an1}they hatch into baby killifish.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}One character has waited months
for the water to return.
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A lungfish spends
each dry season
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{\an1}asleep underground.
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{\an7}It's a living fossil,
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{\an7}a fish with primitive limbs
that breathes air.
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{\an7}And now there's water,
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{\an8}every few minutes
it must surface to breathe.
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{\an1}[ Insects chirping ]
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{\an1}At this stage in its life,
the water hole is
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well on its way
to becoming an oasis.
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{\an1}Seeds arrive in elephant dung,
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{\an1}and grasses and bushes
will follow.
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{\an1}[ Insects chirping ]
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{\an1}For yellow-billed storks,
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{\an1}a full water hole heralds
a time of plenty.
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{\an7}Their beak snap is
the fastest reaction
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{\an7}in the animal kingdom...
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{\an7}but the lungfish is strong
and has powerful jaws.
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{\an7}And it's quite prepared
to bite back.
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[ Squawks ]
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{\an8}[ Squawks ]
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an7}Compared to lungfish,
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{\an7}killifish live fast
and die young.
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{\an7}This female hatched from an egg
and matured in just two weeks,
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{\an7}but to have any chance
of spawning,
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{\an7}she must keep a low profile.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}It's not an option for males.
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{\an1}To attract the attention
of a female,
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{\an1}they must fight and display
where they're most visible.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}The female signals her choice
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{\an1}by allowing a male to approach.
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{\an1}Now that she's chosen him,
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{\an1}he'll dance just for her.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an7}They must seize the day.
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{\an7}They have no way of knowing
how long the water will last
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{\an7}or what the future holds.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an7}[ Ominous music plays ]
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}[ Birds calling in background ]
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{\an1}As the water hole matures,
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{\an1}it attracts different
characters.
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[ Hooting ]
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[ Snorts ]
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{\an1}Some come to bathe,
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{\an1}others to drink...
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{\an7}...and some to hunt.
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{\an7}[ Birds calling in background ]
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[ Trumpets ]
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{\an1}For as long as there's water,
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{\an1}elephants are an enduring part
of the water hole's story.
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{\an1}The old mound is long gone,
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{\an1}but the minerals the termites
brought to the surface
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{\an1}are now dissolved in the water,
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so the elephants
continue to benefit.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Their visits are vital,
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{\an1}both for what they take away
and what they leave behind.
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{\an1}Elephant dung is the foundation
of a pyramid of life.
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{\an1}A dung beetle can smell it
from a mile away.
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{\an1}He's one of the water hole
clean-up crew
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00:16:05,933 --> 00:16:08,600
{\an1}who'll find the dung
by zig-zagging upwind
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{\an1}to stay in its scent plume.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an7}He's last to the party,
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{\an1}but that's an advantage.
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00:16:22,733 --> 00:16:26,700
{\an1}Others have already made
their dungballs.
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00:16:26,733 --> 00:16:28,800
{\an1}He just has to steal one.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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00:16:37,433 --> 00:16:45,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
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00:16:46,066 --> 00:16:48,366
{\an7}And for this little thief,
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{\an7}karma comes in the form
of a bat-eared fox.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
212
00:17:00,266 --> 00:17:02,966
[ Yipping ]
213
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{\an8}♪♪♪
214
00:17:12,933 --> 00:17:15,466
{\an1}Now that there's water and food,
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00:17:15,500 --> 00:17:18,766
{\an1}the water hole attracts life
from the grasslands around it.
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00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:25,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
217
00:17:25,566 --> 00:17:27,200
{\an1}There's enough salt left
in the dung
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00:17:27,233 --> 00:17:29,633
for butterflies
to drop in for a drink.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
220
00:17:36,466 --> 00:17:39,000
{\an7}They use a flexible proboscis.
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00:17:39,033 --> 00:17:42,300
{\an7}It's a combination of sponge
and drinking straw.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
223
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{\an8}♪♪♪
224
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{\an1}A female slender chameleon
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{\an1}is a water hole regular.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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00:18:12,366 --> 00:18:14,833
{\an1}The butterflies are more than
a salty snack.
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00:18:14,866 --> 00:18:17,200
{\an1}They are full of protein,
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{\an1}and she needs to pack them in
while she can.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
232
00:18:26,266 --> 00:18:28,400
{\an8}[ Birds calling,
insects chirping ]
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00:18:33,266 --> 00:18:35,466
{\an1}The water hole gives life,
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and occasionally
it takes it away.
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{\an1}If the water level gets
too high,
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it can threaten
living termite colonies.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
238
00:18:58,466 --> 00:19:06,466
{\an8}♪♪♪
239
00:19:07,433 --> 00:19:15,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
240
00:19:16,300 --> 00:19:19,533
{\an1}These are soldier termites.
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00:19:19,566 --> 00:19:21,866
Their job is
to protect the colony.
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{\an1}But against water,
there is no defense.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
244
00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,300
{\an1}With the galleries flooding,
245
00:19:36,333 --> 00:19:38,700
the termites
are forced to evacuate.
246
00:19:38,733 --> 00:19:46,733
{\an8}♪♪♪
247
00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:55,500
{\an8}♪♪♪
248
00:19:56,300 --> 00:19:59,600
{\an1}Some soldiers stayed to the end,
249
00:19:59,633 --> 00:20:02,833
{\an1}but their sacrifice was in vain.
250
00:20:02,866 --> 00:20:08,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
251
00:20:08,233 --> 00:20:13,600
{\an8}♪♪♪
252
00:20:13,633 --> 00:20:15,733
{\an7}[ Birds calling in distance ]
253
00:20:19,300 --> 00:20:23,300
{\an1}Young bullfrogs are
water hole big-mouths
254
00:20:23,333 --> 00:20:25,900
{\an1}and always on the lookout
for food.
255
00:20:33,166 --> 00:20:37,733
{\an7}The worker termites
are defenseless against them.
256
00:20:37,766 --> 00:20:40,766
{\an7}But the soldiers are armed
with formidable jaws.
257
00:20:46,500 --> 00:20:49,433
{\an1}There's a technique
to eating them,
258
00:20:49,466 --> 00:20:51,366
{\an1}which some get immediately.
259
00:20:55,366 --> 00:20:57,900
{\an7}Others have to learn
from experience.
260
00:21:13,033 --> 00:21:16,800
{\an7}The water hole is both larder
and nursery for bullfrogs.
261
00:21:19,866 --> 00:21:22,733
{\an7}Adults mate after heavy rain,
262
00:21:22,766 --> 00:21:26,233
{\an7}but it's a race against time.
263
00:21:26,266 --> 00:21:29,933
{\an7}In this ephemeral world,
the only certainty
264
00:21:29,966 --> 00:21:33,400
{\an7}is that the water hole
will eventually dry.
265
00:21:33,433 --> 00:21:35,500
{\an7}[ Bullfrog croaking ]
266
00:21:39,300 --> 00:21:42,000
{\an7}The female lays a sheet of eggs.
267
00:21:42,033 --> 00:21:48,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
268
00:21:48,266 --> 00:21:51,066
{\an7}To survive in temporary
water holes,
269
00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:54,033
{\an7}bullfrog tadpoles,
like killifish,
270
00:21:54,066 --> 00:21:57,700
{\an7}have evolved one of the fastest
growth rates of any animal.
271
00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,733
{\an1}They hatch within hours,
272
00:22:01,766 --> 00:22:03,900
{\an1}and if the water lasts,
273
00:22:03,933 --> 00:22:05,900
{\an1}in just two weeks' time,
274
00:22:05,933 --> 00:22:08,766
{\an1}they will change into
tiny bullfrogs.
275
00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:16,633
{\an8}♪♪♪
276
00:22:16,666 --> 00:22:20,866
{\an1}The water hole's wet season
is when most animals breed.
277
00:22:23,733 --> 00:22:26,700
{\an1}With male chameleons,
it's not dancing ability
278
00:22:26,733 --> 00:22:29,500
that determines
who gets to mate.
279
00:22:29,533 --> 00:22:31,500
{\an1}It's a wrestling match.
280
00:22:31,533 --> 00:22:33,533
{\an1}[ Chameleon snorts ]
281
00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,633
[ Snorting ]
282
00:22:45,933 --> 00:22:48,366
[ Hisses ]
283
00:22:52,833 --> 00:22:54,766
[ Splash ]
284
00:22:56,033 --> 00:22:59,433
{\an1}One fall, and he's out.
285
00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:11,900
{\an1}The water hole's flush
of insects
286
00:23:11,933 --> 00:23:14,766
{\an1}has brought the female
into breeding condition.
287
00:23:19,533 --> 00:23:21,800
{\an1}She will mate just once
288
00:23:21,833 --> 00:23:24,566
and lay her eggs
in a few weeks' time.
289
00:23:33,966 --> 00:23:41,966
{\an8}♪♪♪
290
00:23:42,466 --> 00:23:46,066
{\an1}The water hole's inhabitants
don't yet know it,
291
00:23:46,100 --> 00:23:49,100
{\an1}but 30 miles away to the north,
292
00:23:49,133 --> 00:23:50,466
{\an1}there has been a decision
293
00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:52,900
that will affect
all their lives.
294
00:23:56,033 --> 00:23:58,533
{\an1}Ten million red-billed quelea
295
00:23:58,566 --> 00:24:00,700
{\an1}have paused in their migration
296
00:24:00,733 --> 00:24:02,533
{\an1}and decided to nest.
297
00:24:02,566 --> 00:24:05,266
[ Birds calling ]
298
00:24:13,133 --> 00:24:17,033
{\an1}The colony has synchronized
its nesting to the day.
299
00:24:20,966 --> 00:24:24,833
{\an1}In a week, the youngsters
will all fledge together,
300
00:24:24,866 --> 00:24:27,000
{\an1}and then they'll be on the move.
301
00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:36,466
{\an1}It won't rain again now,
302
00:24:36,500 --> 00:24:39,066
{\an1}and the water level
has started to fall.
303
00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,966
{\an8}♪♪♪
304
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,333
{\an1}The mound the termites abandoned
305
00:24:47,366 --> 00:24:50,466
might not look much of a threat,
306
00:24:50,500 --> 00:24:53,366
{\an1}but to a dung beetle,
it's a mountain
307
00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,266
{\an1}whose slopes are covered
with pitfall traps.
308
00:24:56,300 --> 00:25:03,000
{\an8}♪♪♪
309
00:25:03,033 --> 00:25:07,800
{\an7}A dung beetle is a walnut-sized
package of determination,
310
00:25:07,833 --> 00:25:11,333
{\an7}but he is also upside down
pushing backwards,
311
00:25:11,366 --> 00:25:13,666
{\an8}so he can't see
where he's going.
312
00:25:13,700 --> 00:25:20,666
{\an8}♪♪♪
313
00:25:20,700 --> 00:25:27,633
{\an8}♪♪♪
314
00:25:27,666 --> 00:25:34,633
{\an8}♪♪♪
315
00:25:34,666 --> 00:25:38,800
{\an1}Dung beetles are nothing
if not tenacious.
316
00:25:38,833 --> 00:25:40,800
{\an1}And for an animal that
the ancient Egyptians
317
00:25:40,833 --> 00:25:42,133
{\an1}thought so powerful
318
00:25:42,166 --> 00:25:45,766
{\an1}that it rolled the sun
around the Earth,
319
00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,533
{\an1}this is a temporary setback,
not a crisis.
320
00:25:49,566 --> 00:25:57,566
{\an8}♪♪♪
321
00:25:59,300 --> 00:26:07,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
322
00:26:09,100 --> 00:26:17,100
{\an8}♪♪♪
323
00:26:18,866 --> 00:26:26,866
{\an8}♪♪♪
324
00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,700
{\an1}The termite mound might be
a magnificent testament
325
00:26:31,733 --> 00:26:33,900
{\an1}to insect social housing,
326
00:26:33,933 --> 00:26:36,100
but in some ways,
327
00:26:36,133 --> 00:26:38,366
it's more like
a pinball machine.
328
00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:45,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
329
00:26:45,100 --> 00:26:51,766
{\an8}♪♪♪
330
00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:58,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
331
00:27:02,166 --> 00:27:05,266
{\an7}As the water recedes,
332
00:27:05,300 --> 00:27:06,733
{\an7}the banks it exposes
333
00:27:06,766 --> 00:27:09,033
{\an7}are what the chameleon's
been waiting for.
334
00:27:09,066 --> 00:27:11,066
{\an7}[ Birds calling in distance ]
335
00:27:15,466 --> 00:27:18,466
{\an7}Now that there is no chance
of flooding,
336
00:27:18,500 --> 00:27:20,200
{\an7}she'll lay her eggs.
337
00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,166
{\an1}Her parental responsibility ends
with covering them up.
338
00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,166
{\an1}The eggs will develop
over the next few months...
339
00:27:46,066 --> 00:27:48,433
{\an8}...and hatch
when the next rains come.
340
00:27:52,833 --> 00:27:55,700
[ Bird calling ]
341
00:28:02,900 --> 00:28:07,333
{\an1}Water holes are always
a focus for predators.
342
00:28:07,366 --> 00:28:09,300
{\an1}But, size for size,
343
00:28:09,333 --> 00:28:12,800
{\an1}there is one here who is
more powerful than any of them.
344
00:28:14,733 --> 00:28:16,733
{\an1}It's not a big cat,
345
00:28:16,766 --> 00:28:18,733
but a spider.
346
00:28:18,766 --> 00:28:24,000
{\an8}♪♪♪
347
00:28:24,033 --> 00:28:27,466
{\an7}The bullfrog tadpoles are about
to change into frogs.
348
00:28:31,066 --> 00:28:32,533
{\an1}They've just developed lungs,
349
00:28:32,566 --> 00:28:35,966
{\an1}so now they must come
to the surface to breathe.
350
00:28:39,333 --> 00:28:41,433
{\an1}It's what the water hole's
fishing spiders
351
00:28:41,466 --> 00:28:43,033
{\an1}have been waiting for.
352
00:28:43,066 --> 00:28:51,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
353
00:28:51,433 --> 00:28:59,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
354
00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:07,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
355
00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:16,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
356
00:29:16,566 --> 00:29:24,566
{\an8}♪♪♪
357
00:29:24,933 --> 00:29:28,533
{\an7}A tadpole is 10 times
a spider's weight
358
00:29:28,566 --> 00:29:30,566
{\an7}and much stronger.
359
00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:32,833
{\an7}But if the spider can hang on,
360
00:29:32,866 --> 00:29:35,300
{\an7}she has venom on her side.
361
00:29:35,333 --> 00:29:39,766
{\an8}♪♪♪
362
00:29:50,566 --> 00:29:58,566
{\an8}♪♪♪
363
00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:06,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
364
00:30:07,033 --> 00:30:15,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
365
00:30:15,233 --> 00:30:23,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
366
00:30:23,466 --> 00:30:31,466
{\an8}♪♪♪
367
00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:33,733
{\an1}Away to the north,
368
00:30:33,766 --> 00:30:37,766
{\an1}the quelea have fledged.
369
00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,133
[ Birds calling,
wings flapping ]
370
00:30:51,833 --> 00:30:55,133
{\an7}Tomorrow, they will arrive
at the water hole.
371
00:30:55,166 --> 00:30:57,333
{\an7}[ Animal growling ]
372
00:31:03,266 --> 00:31:09,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
373
00:31:09,266 --> 00:31:15,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
374
00:31:15,266 --> 00:31:18,333
{\an1}It starts like any day.
375
00:31:18,366 --> 00:31:20,866
{\an1}But the birds are on their way.
376
00:31:23,566 --> 00:31:26,733
{\an1}Quelea are the most numerous
birds on the planet.
377
00:31:29,433 --> 00:31:30,666
{\an1}They visit the water hole
378
00:31:30,700 --> 00:31:32,666
at the start of
the dry season...
379
00:31:34,700 --> 00:31:37,100
{\an1}...when the grasslands
have
just
set seed.
380
00:31:37,133 --> 00:31:39,366
{\an1}[ Flock thundering ]
381
00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:50,033
A flock can drink
2,000 gallons a day.
382
00:31:52,833 --> 00:31:56,333
{\an1}So great are their numbers
that it draws predators
383
00:31:56,366 --> 00:31:58,900
to the water hole
from all over Tsavo.
384
00:31:58,933 --> 00:32:01,366
[ Birds calling ]
385
00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,566
{\an1}It's rare that a lanner falcon
loses its grip...
386
00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:40,733
[ Birds calling ]
387
00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:47,033
{\an1}...but one predator's loss
is another's gain.
388
00:32:55,300 --> 00:32:57,366
{\an1}The falcon won't give up.
389
00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:01,200
{\an7}Its technique is to apply
pressure to force a mistake.
390
00:33:10,133 --> 00:33:12,466
{\an7}[ Chirping frantically ]
391
00:33:16,933 --> 00:33:20,700
{\an7}Even a terrapin is tempted
to give it a go,
392
00:33:20,733 --> 00:33:23,966
{\an1}for the more the quelea drink,
393
00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,700
the shallower
the water hole becomes.
394
00:33:30,466 --> 00:33:33,600
{\an1}A steppe eagle isn't quick
enough to catch quelea.
395
00:33:39,666 --> 00:33:42,633
{\an1}But he is quick to spot
an opportunity.
396
00:33:47,666 --> 00:33:52,200
{\an7}The terrapin has a quelea
by the legs.
397
00:33:52,233 --> 00:33:54,233
{\an7}But he's about to find out
he's bitten off
398
00:33:54,266 --> 00:33:55,866
{\an7}more than he can chew.
399
00:33:55,900 --> 00:34:03,900
{\an8}♪♪♪
400
00:34:04,333 --> 00:34:12,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
401
00:34:12,700 --> 00:34:20,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
402
00:34:21,066 --> 00:34:29,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
403
00:34:29,433 --> 00:34:37,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
404
00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,266
{\an1}The odds of the quelea
being caught
405
00:34:40,300 --> 00:34:42,833
{\an1}were probably 1 in 10,000.
406
00:34:42,866 --> 00:34:49,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
407
00:34:49,466 --> 00:34:51,633
{\an1}The odds of it escaping twice
408
00:34:51,666 --> 00:34:55,433
{\an1}are closer to 1 in 10 million.
409
00:34:55,466 --> 00:34:58,233
But sometimes,
that's all you need.
410
00:34:58,266 --> 00:35:02,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
411
00:35:02,366 --> 00:35:04,566
{\an1}[ Birds calling in distance ]
412
00:35:11,733 --> 00:35:14,900
{\an1}As the land around
the water hole dries,
413
00:35:14,933 --> 00:35:18,066
{\an1}one of Tsavo's rarest plants
flowers.
414
00:35:22,866 --> 00:35:26,000
{\an1}Marsh lilies open at night
415
00:35:26,033 --> 00:35:29,700
{\an1}and last just a few hours,
416
00:35:29,733 --> 00:35:32,200
{\an1}so the bees are up early.
417
00:35:32,233 --> 00:35:34,833
[ Buzzing ]
418
00:35:34,866 --> 00:35:39,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
419
00:35:39,566 --> 00:35:43,166
{\an1}The water hole's sacred lilies
are different.
420
00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:47,600
{\an1}They spend the night closed
and then open by day.
421
00:35:47,633 --> 00:35:54,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
422
00:35:54,433 --> 00:36:01,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
423
00:36:01,333 --> 00:36:08,100
{\an8}♪♪♪
424
00:36:08,133 --> 00:36:12,666
{\an7}Occasionally, they have guests
who have spent the night inside.
425
00:36:15,900 --> 00:36:19,400
{\an1}Quite why the tiny
Thumbelina frogs do this
426
00:36:19,433 --> 00:36:20,533
is a mystery.
427
00:36:20,566 --> 00:36:24,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
428
00:36:24,733 --> 00:36:27,600
[ Buzzing ]
429
00:36:33,566 --> 00:36:36,966
{\an1}But bees love the lilies
for the pollen they produce.
430
00:36:43,533 --> 00:36:45,300
{\an1}So for the little frogs,
431
00:36:45,333 --> 00:36:47,500
{\an1}there is no chance of a lie-in.
432
00:36:47,533 --> 00:36:49,900
[ Buzzing ]
433
00:37:18,433 --> 00:37:21,200
{\an7}The killifish have slowed down,
434
00:37:21,233 --> 00:37:22,933
{\an7}which gives a water scorpion
435
00:37:22,966 --> 00:37:25,366
{\an8}the chance
it's been waiting for.
436
00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,900
{\an1}The fish have been spawning
for weeks,
437
00:37:31,933 --> 00:37:34,133
{\an1}and they are exhausted.
438
00:37:44,433 --> 00:37:52,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
439
00:37:54,000 --> 00:38:02,000
{\an8}♪♪♪
440
00:38:03,633 --> 00:38:06,166
{\an1}The water hole is now
the only source of water
441
00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:08,233
for miles around,
442
00:38:08,266 --> 00:38:10,366
{\an1}and with so many using it,
443
00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:12,233
{\an1}will last just a few days.
444
00:38:12,266 --> 00:38:18,133
{\an8}♪♪♪
445
00:38:18,166 --> 00:38:24,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
446
00:38:24,066 --> 00:38:27,266
Over time,
a water hole's popularity
447
00:38:27,300 --> 00:38:29,233
{\an1}can lead to its downfall.
448
00:38:31,666 --> 00:38:34,633
If too many visit
or stay too long,
449
00:38:34,666 --> 00:38:37,133
{\an1}they destroy the vegetation,
450
00:38:37,166 --> 00:38:39,366
{\an1}and erosion follows.
451
00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:46,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
452
00:38:46,566 --> 00:38:49,000
{\an1}What was once an oasis
453
00:38:49,033 --> 00:38:51,133
{\an1}can then turn into a dustbowl.
454
00:38:51,166 --> 00:38:53,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
455
00:38:53,266 --> 00:38:56,400
[ Barks ]
456
00:38:56,433 --> 00:38:58,600
[ Birds calling ]
457
00:39:04,300 --> 00:39:08,200
{\an1}If more soil washes in
than the elephants remove,
458
00:39:08,233 --> 00:39:10,800
{\an1}then the water hole's fate
will be sealed.
459
00:39:18,500 --> 00:39:22,033
{\an1}For now though, the elephants
are keeping it open.
460
00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:26,900
{\an1}[ Elephant chuffs ]
461
00:39:29,700 --> 00:39:32,233
{\an1}As the dry season progresses,
462
00:39:32,266 --> 00:39:33,866
{\an1}food becomes scarce.
463
00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:42,033
{\an1}No one can afford to let
an opportunity pass by.
464
00:39:42,066 --> 00:39:44,066
{\an1}[ Birds calling in distance ]
465
00:39:59,433 --> 00:40:02,100
{\an1}An orb spider's web is
so strong,
466
00:40:02,133 --> 00:40:04,366
{\an1}it can trap flying birds,
467
00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:06,766
{\an1}let alone a plump baby bullfrog.
468
00:40:18,433 --> 00:40:20,733
{\an1}The web needs repairing,
469
00:40:20,766 --> 00:40:24,600
{\an1}which brings the spider
down close to the water.
470
00:40:24,633 --> 00:40:26,833
{\an7}But what she needs
to be aware of
471
00:40:26,866 --> 00:40:30,166
{\an8}is that bullfrogs
come in all sizes.
472
00:40:54,900 --> 00:40:57,600
{\an8}♪♪♪
473
00:40:57,633 --> 00:40:59,700
{\an1}In the space of a few weeks,
474
00:40:59,733 --> 00:41:02,700
the water hole
has been transformed.
475
00:41:06,100 --> 00:41:08,266
{\an1}The only life that remains
is confined
476
00:41:08,300 --> 00:41:10,700
{\an1}to a few elephant footprints.
477
00:41:10,733 --> 00:41:18,733
{\an8}♪♪♪
478
00:41:19,200 --> 00:41:27,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
479
00:41:27,633 --> 00:41:30,533
{\an7}The lungfish must move now.
480
00:41:30,566 --> 00:41:34,166
{\an7}It uses its powerful jaws
and primitive limbs
481
00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:35,866
{\an7}to leave the water
in the same way
482
00:41:35,900 --> 00:41:38,900
{\an7}that its relatives did
when they colonized the land
483
00:41:38,933 --> 00:41:41,000
{\an7}hundreds of millions
of years ago.
484
00:41:51,833 --> 00:41:53,566
{\an8}[ Inhales ]
485
00:41:55,866 --> 00:41:57,966
It will bury down
to spend the dry season
486
00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:00,366
{\an1}safely cocooned in the mud.
487
00:42:13,100 --> 00:42:16,266
{\an1}The terrapin and water scorpion
will move on.
488
00:42:20,066 --> 00:42:22,333
{\an7}The killifish will die.
489
00:42:24,900 --> 00:42:28,633
{\an1}They mated until the end.
490
00:42:28,666 --> 00:42:31,500
It ensured that
buried in the mud beneath them
491
00:42:31,533 --> 00:42:33,100
is new life...
492
00:42:35,733 --> 00:42:38,333
killifish eggs that will hatch
493
00:42:38,366 --> 00:42:40,133
{\an1}when the next rains come.
494
00:42:40,166 --> 00:42:47,500
{\an8}♪♪♪
495
00:42:47,533 --> 00:42:51,333
{\an1}Close by, the lungfish
is aestivating.
496
00:42:51,366 --> 00:42:53,700
{\an1}Its metabolism has slowed
to a rate
497
00:42:53,733 --> 00:42:56,400
just sufficient
to keep it alive.
498
00:42:57,933 --> 00:43:01,866
{\an1}It can survive like this
for up to five years.
499
00:43:05,700 --> 00:43:10,566
{\an1}The chameleon's eggs are safe
but entombed.
500
00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:13,433
{\an1}All are waiting for rain.
501
00:43:13,466 --> 00:43:19,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
502
00:43:19,966 --> 00:43:23,766
{\an1}The water hole is now just
a clay scar in the landscape.
503
00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:28,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
504
00:43:28,833 --> 00:43:33,066
{\an7}Without water, the flocks
and herds must move on.
505
00:43:33,100 --> 00:43:36,400
{\an8}[ Barking ]
506
00:43:36,433 --> 00:43:39,166
{\an7}Only the elephants
can stay longer.
507
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:41,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
508
00:43:46,233 --> 00:43:50,500
{\an1}Their matriarch remembers where
she dug for water years before.
509
00:43:55,533 --> 00:43:59,000
And she can smell
where it lies beneath the sand.
510
00:44:08,100 --> 00:44:10,066
[ Chuffs ]
511
00:44:11,600 --> 00:44:14,766
{\an1}Elephants prefer clean water.
512
00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:17,533
{\an1}No matter how thirsty they are,
513
00:44:17,566 --> 00:44:20,333
{\an1}the first dirty trunkful
is discarded.
514
00:44:38,700 --> 00:44:40,800
[ Chuffs ]
515
00:44:47,933 --> 00:44:50,166
[ Birds calling ]
516
00:44:55,100 --> 00:44:56,733
{\an1}In the dry season,
517
00:44:56,766 --> 00:45:00,166
{\an1}the role of clearing up
elephant dung changes hands.
518
00:45:02,166 --> 00:45:04,366
{\an8}For months,
dung beetles have been
519
00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:06,800
{\an8}the water hole's
major recyclers.
520
00:45:10,900 --> 00:45:14,900
{\an1}Now termites take over,
521
00:45:14,933 --> 00:45:18,066
and this benefits
a new cast of characters.
522
00:45:18,100 --> 00:45:23,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
523
00:45:23,566 --> 00:45:29,000
{\an8}♪♪♪
524
00:45:29,033 --> 00:45:33,933
{\an1}So, even in the dry season,
elephants and termites continue
525
00:45:33,966 --> 00:45:36,366
to provide
for those that live here.
526
00:45:48,033 --> 00:45:51,500
{\an8}♪♪♪
527
00:45:51,533 --> 00:45:53,966
{\an1}It is at the height
of the dry season,
528
00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:57,200
when Tsavo is at
its most desperate,
529
00:45:57,233 --> 00:45:59,566
{\an1}that the Rainbush flowers.
530
00:46:01,766 --> 00:46:05,833
{\an1}How it predicts the coming rain
is unknown.
531
00:46:05,866 --> 00:46:10,300
{\an1}Perhaps it's a change
in pressure or humidity,
532
00:46:10,333 --> 00:46:12,466
{\an1}but it is never wrong.
533
00:46:12,500 --> 00:46:20,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
534
00:46:20,333 --> 00:46:28,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
535
00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:36,000
{\an8}♪♪♪
536
00:46:36,033 --> 00:46:43,866
{\an8}♪♪♪
537
00:46:43,900 --> 00:46:46,333
{\an7}[ Thunder crashes ]
538
00:46:46,366 --> 00:46:54,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
539
00:46:56,100 --> 00:46:58,500
{\an1}[ Thunder rumbles ]
540
00:47:04,033 --> 00:47:08,533
{\an7}The rain will release those
that are locked underground.
541
00:47:08,566 --> 00:47:15,100
{\an8}♪♪♪
542
00:47:15,133 --> 00:47:21,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
543
00:47:21,733 --> 00:47:24,666
{\an1}The baby chameleons
delay hatching
544
00:47:24,700 --> 00:47:28,200
{\an1}until the soil is soft enough
to dig to the surface.
545
00:47:28,233 --> 00:47:36,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
546
00:47:36,300 --> 00:47:44,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
547
00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:52,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
548
00:47:52,466 --> 00:48:00,466
{\an8}♪♪♪
549
00:48:00,633 --> 00:48:03,933
{\an7}After spending the dry season
underground,
550
00:48:03,966 --> 00:48:06,633
{\an7}the first thing they need
is a drink.
551
00:48:06,666 --> 00:48:14,666
{\an8}♪♪♪
552
00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:24,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
553
00:48:25,700 --> 00:48:33,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
554
00:48:38,966 --> 00:48:43,333
{\an1}To begin with, butterflies
and hawk moths are their equals.
555
00:48:47,333 --> 00:48:50,133
{\an1}It will be next season
before a young chameleon
556
00:48:50,166 --> 00:48:52,866
is large enough
to view them as food.
557
00:48:56,500 --> 00:49:00,100
Until then,
it's all a bit overwhelming.
558
00:49:03,833 --> 00:49:05,900
{\an1}Better just to close your eyes
559
00:49:05,933 --> 00:49:07,733
{\an1}and pretend they are not there.
560
00:49:10,033 --> 00:49:13,566
{\an8}♪♪♪
561
00:49:13,600 --> 00:49:16,333
{\an7}The termites' contribution
to the water hole community
562
00:49:16,366 --> 00:49:20,033
{\an7}goes largely unseen.
563
00:49:20,066 --> 00:49:23,766
But once a year,
after heavy rainfall,
564
00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:26,466
{\an1}the mound comes alive.
565
00:49:28,900 --> 00:49:31,600
{\an1}These winged termites
are alates,
566
00:49:31,633 --> 00:49:35,633
{\an1}which have developed underground
and waited for rain.
567
00:49:35,666 --> 00:49:42,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
568
00:49:42,333 --> 00:49:48,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
569
00:49:48,966 --> 00:49:51,433
{\an1}They will disperse over Tsavo
570
00:49:51,466 --> 00:49:53,300
to find mates
571
00:49:53,333 --> 00:49:55,633
{\an1}and set up colonies
of their own.
572
00:49:55,666 --> 00:50:02,100
{\an8}♪♪♪
573
00:50:02,133 --> 00:50:04,366
{\an1}[ Birds calling in distance ]
574
00:50:08,900 --> 00:50:11,033
{\an1}For those at the water hole,
575
00:50:11,066 --> 00:50:13,833
{\an1}they provide an annual feast.
576
00:50:23,200 --> 00:50:25,166
[ Squawking ]
577
00:50:31,833 --> 00:50:35,600
{\an1}The alates are rich
in fat and protein.
578
00:50:35,633 --> 00:50:39,633
{\an1}They are high-energy food
which is easy to digest.
579
00:50:50,366 --> 00:50:55,000
{\an7}A baby bullfrog still hasn't
worked out which end to go for,
580
00:50:55,033 --> 00:50:57,200
{\an7}but a wing is better
than nothing.
581
00:51:06,733 --> 00:51:11,500
{\an1}The alate hatch lasts
just minutes.
582
00:51:11,533 --> 00:51:14,933
{\an1}The water hole might last
a century,
583
00:51:14,966 --> 00:51:18,966
{\an1}going through seasonal cycles
of feast and famine.
584
00:51:22,133 --> 00:51:25,333
{\an7}In time, it will silt up,
585
00:51:25,366 --> 00:51:27,866
{\an8}each season
there'll be less water,
586
00:51:27,900 --> 00:51:29,366
{\an8}more grass,
587
00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:32,500
{\an8}and eventually
it will revert to bush.
588
00:51:32,533 --> 00:51:39,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
589
00:51:39,200 --> 00:51:43,866
{\an7}But as long as there are
elephants roaming across Tsavo,
590
00:51:43,900 --> 00:51:45,533
{\an8}one day a family
591
00:51:45,566 --> 00:51:49,066
{\an7}will stop on the scar
of an old termite mound.
592
00:51:49,100 --> 00:51:57,100
{\an8}♪♪♪
593
00:51:57,633 --> 00:52:00,433
{\an8}They'll walk away
covered in mud.
594
00:52:00,466 --> 00:52:07,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
595
00:52:07,733 --> 00:52:10,466
{\an1}The hollow they leave
will trap rain.
596
00:52:14,366 --> 00:52:17,800
{\an1}And in this land of termites
and elephants,
597
00:52:17,833 --> 00:52:21,266
{\an1}a water hole will be born
once again.
598
00:52:21,300 --> 00:52:23,633
{\an8}♪♪♪
599
00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:33,600
{\an8}♪♪♪
600
00:52:33,700 --> 00:52:41,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
601
00:52:41,833 --> 00:52:49,833
{\an8}♪♪♪
602
00:52:49,933 --> 00:52:57,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
603
00:52:58,066 --> 00:52:59,700
{\an8}To learn more
about what you've seen
604
00:52:59,733 --> 00:53:01,466
{\an7}on this "Nature" program,
605
00:53:01,500 --> 00:53:03,833
{\an8}visit pbs.org.
606
00:53:03,866 --> 00:53:11,866
{\an8}♪♪♪