At 3,000 meters above sea level,
plants are parched by the sun.
Water is scarce.
At lower altitudes in the tropical humidity,
tall trees reach up to the sky in search of light.
Here on the southern tip of South Africa,
wild life has adapted to a wide range of climates
each with its own intensity.
The sea is raging under a stormy sky.
The rainy season has just begun.
At the southern tip of the continent
from the Cape Peninsula to the Drakensberg cliffs
to the KwaZulu-Natal main groves,
wild life is getting ready
to face another tropical depression.
(dramatic music)
This may look like the land's end because it is.
The Cape of Good Hope at the tip of the Peninsula
is now a protected nature reserve,
but still as untamed as ever.
Wondering birds search for food along the shore.
The first to come this morning are the pied avocets
churning the wet sands with their narrow upturned bills
looking for small crustaceans and insects.
The seagulls peck at the sand or wait.
The pied avocets digest their food standing,
balancing on a single leg or resting directly on the sand.
Gulls and cormorants wait for the tide to go out
before hunting on the tidal flats.
Baboons try to make use of whatever the tide washes up,
even if it's often rubbish that's more likely to poison them
or choke them rather than healthy food.
What makes this all the more appalling is
that it encourages them to scavenge through trash for food
bringing them close to urban areas.
With their sharp teeth,
including three centimeter long upper canines,
they can be defiant, even aggressive,
which is why the population considers them pests.
(baboon screeching)
But on the coast, these baboons are protected
and they have no predators.
They have all the time in the world and don't hesitate
to show the Egyptian geese who's in charge.
The group is composed of some 40 individuals of both sexes
under the control of a dominant male.
Females care for their young
and sometimes other young baboons
whose mothers have died or abandoned them.
In the morning, the troop spreads out to find food.
Baboons are omnivorous but here their diet consists
mainly of the innumerable species of plants
that make up the rich flora of the Cape region.
Baboons instinctively put into practice a form
of sustainable management of their natural resources.
Instead of stripping the first appetizing bush they see,
they simply take a few leaves here and there.
By gathering small amounts in this way,
they spare the plants and diversify their diet.
Succulent plants provide a large proportion
of the fresh water they need.
They really go after the succulence,
so much so that their cheek pouches end up storing
what they can't eat on the spot.
In addition to succulence, the flora of the Cape region
includes bulbous plants, heather and proteas.
All told of the 9000 species or plants found here,
70% are endemic making the Cape region
the richest spot on earth in terms of plant density.
The distinctive low shrub and heath vegetation
of this region called the fynbos has such variety
that it features 20% of all the plant species in Africa.
The Cape mountain zebra is also feasting on the grasses.
A part from few antelopes,
these zebras are the only large mammals on the peninsula
where they were reintroduced in 1984.
The Cape mountain zebra is a sub species
that was hunted to the brink of extinction
in the middle of the 20th century
when only 100 remained in all of South Africa.
It is immediately recognized
for its elegant head and dense brown striping,
which made it a favorite trophy for hunters.
But today these zebras live in peace
and enjoy a fragrant very diet
between the sea and the mountains.
The Cape Peninsula may have a Mediterranean climate,
but it is also subject to harsh weather
because it is bound at the east
by the warm waters of Indian Ocean
and to the west on the Atlantic coast
by the cold Benguela Current resulting in a constant wind.
This makes the peninsula a perfect playground
for the Cape gannets.
(dramatic music)
The Cape gannet is powerful in flight
and when diving for fish, typically sardines and anchovies.
Is there a moment's hesitation
when the Cape gannet returns to the colony?
It can't be all that easy to recognize your partner
and your nest when there are thousands of birds around.
To reck annoy her and find the right approach into the wind,
they make several low altitude approaches before landing.
When flying together they all move
in the same direction to avoid collisions.
After the greeting ritual, stretching their heads skywards,
the Cape gannets take care of the nest.
Now it's September in the middle of the breeding season.
The nest will be made of earth
and seashells held together with guano.
This guano is an excellent fertilizer
and was harvested here throughout the 20th century.
Today only the birds take an interest
in the largest hunks of guano.
With space so limited, there's lots of pilfering
leading to neighborly quarrels and some heated arguments.
Here, they're fighting with interlocking beaks.
Living in a close community does have its benefits.
It makes the gannets less vulnerable to attack by seals.
It also provides an opportunity to meet a soulmate.
Mating couples stay together for several years.
Even if the flames of passion may have to be rekindled
as in these courtship displays
when the gannets' necks and heads unite in a tender ritual.
With their feet in the muck but ready for flight,
the Cape gannets are hardly affected
by sudden changes in the weather.
Storm clouds approach, the temperature drops,
and violent gusts of wind sweep through the fynbos.
Facing the storm at the end of the world,
a solitary ostrich continues to peck at the ground,
leaning into the wind determined to keep his plumage intact.
(thunder rumbling)
This isn't his first storm and he doesn't seem bothered
by the gusting wind.
Even when the clouds fade over the sea,
the animals wait patiently.
The bontebok simply chew their cud
while a patrol of sacred ibises defy the weather.
(thunder rumbling)
The Atlantic Ocean shows its might
casting its spray and froth against the shore
as though trying to reclaim this bit of land
that juts into the water.
The night will bring only temporary relief.
After a troubled night, it's a rough awakening
for these African penguins,
especially when they blow their horns.
(penguin squawking)
The African penguins nest on land,
but their lives are entirely oriented to the sea.
The first thing to do in the morning is to go
to the water's edge to test the state of the ocean.
(bright music)
At low tide the sea is calm and only a single young whale,
probably strayed from its mother,
breaks the surface of the waves.
But the calm is short lived
because another storm is brewing.
Like many animals, these penguins seem
to fear the roar of the thunder
and watch the sky with apprehension.
This is when they usually go to the water,
but is it prudent to go right now?
In the end they decide to stay put, sheltered in the rocks.
Swimming can wait.
When the danger is passed,
the penguins reevaluate the situation.
One brave penguin is the first to venture forth
and others follow with a cautious enthusiasm.
(bright music)
They plunge into the water with obvious joy.
Splashing around this way lets them clean their plumage
and do their morning exercises.
A few bold penguins lead the way and others follow.
(bright music)
At the least sign of danger,
probably just a piece of seaweed they mistake for a sea lion
the penguins rush back to shore.
Back on dry ground, they miss the water,
but none of them dares to swim alone.
(penguins squawking)
Time for a conference.
It looks like the leader doesn't want
to go back into the water right away,
so they continue their grooming session on the sand.
When one begins, everyone else follows.
(bright music)
Still, there's nothing better than a swim to loosen up
and this penguin would love to go back to the sea.
It looks like he's getting ready to dive
hoping the others will join him,
but no one follows his lead,
and he makes a strategic retreat.
He'll gather his companions and lead them to the main colony
located in the neighboring inlet
where he'll find more penguins ready for a swim.
When everybody's ready, the troops start to advance.
(upbeat music)
They soon join the rest of the colony.
African penguins are extremely social birds,
relying constantly on one another.
The more the merrier it seems.
Unfortunately, the species is endangered.
In the 20th century, the population fell
from one and a half million to just 200,000.
The decline has continued
and there are only 50,000 African penguins today.
Nonetheless, the species is well protected
and its nesting areas are preserved,
but it is a victim to pollution of its habitat,
primarily due to oil slicks
and illegal discharging of waste at sea.
It is also a victim to competition from commercial fisheries
which force the penguins to go ever further from shore
to feed themselves and their young.
Let's hope that the penguins' natural charisma
and its positive impact on tourism
will encourage efforts to protect it better.
Soon the tide comes in, the clouds disperse,
and the ocean appears in all its splendor.
At the top of the cliff,
a somewhat surprising creature has made its home.
A small colony of rock hyrax has everything it needs,
a commanding view, rock crevices where shelter
from predators and lots of sunshine
that it needs for thermal regulation.
The rock hyrax cautiously leaves its burrow
for an open area where it takes up
its position for century duty.
Some members of the group spend hours
basking in the sun while others feed.
The cliff has a large variety of succulent plants.
Something for every taste and water for re-hydration.
After the rains, puddles are a precious source
of fresh water on these steep cliffs.
These rock hyrax spend their days peacefully
without fearing the predators
that threaten other hyraxes in drier areas.
Here they have all the time in the world
to build their social networks
and confirm their position in the group's hierarchy.
The rest of the time they can appreciate the peace
and calm looking out over the vast blue ocean
where whales sometimes break the surface of the waves.
This is the season when southern right whales
return to South African waters.
Some to mate.
Others to give birth.
Mothers, the cow whales, accompany their young
near the shore to protect their calves
from the heavy swells of the open sea.
From a whale's youngest days,
barnacles attach themselves to the whale's head,
much to the delight of the seabirds.
The untamed coasts of Southwestern Africa are home
to a unique variety of wildlife.
Whether in the ocean or on dry land,
animals find their sustenance,
and even if the coastal climate is stormy,
what could be more comforting than a sunset over the ocean?
But inland, there are rumors of a dragon
roaming over the mountains.
The Drakensberg, which means the mountain
of the dragon in Africans is the highest
and longest mountain range in Southern Africa.
Its hard rock walls dominating over erosion scoured hills,
the Drakensberg escarpment rises
to over 3000 meters above sea level.
(dramatic music)
Sculpted by winds, eroded by rains,
for 20 millions these steep slopes have resisted the attacks
of the trade winds of the Indian Ocean.
The soft rocks scree at the foot of the cliffs
is covered with grasslands.
Green in summer.
Yellow in winter.
This is a remote area and the rugged terrain
keeps large animals away.
So bird song is the only sound in the cliffs.
The scarce vegetation provides food
for the small mammals and insects
that can survive the severe variations in temperature.
Numb with cold, reptiles have to leave their shelters
to bask in the morning sun.
This snake seems to be disturbed by the grasshopper,
which happens not to be part of its standard diet,
and in any event, it's still too cold to hunt for food.
The cliffs offer their protection to animals
that have successfully adapted to the environment.
Baboons have acclimatized to many Southern African biotopes
and here they live at 1800 meters above sea level.
For this tribe, each morning starts with a delousing session
until the dominant male gives the signal
to start gathering food.
The younger baboons have their exercises
to discover how to defy gravity.
Except for the occasional bird of prey,
baboons have no life threatening predators,
but that doesn't prevent the males
from watching over their tribe.
The rare shrubs offer only limited shade,
but fortunately today in early spring,
the new shoots provide a rare treat.
From the ground all you have to do is reach up
to the branches and strip off the flowers,
but the real gourmets prefer to climb the tree
to make sure they leave nothing behind.
Practice makes perfect.
And the young baboons clamber over everything,
but for travel there's nothing better
than hopping on to the back of an adult.
Young baboons soon learn they have
to work on improving their balance.
At midday under the hot sun,
the centuries are beginning to show signs of fatigue.
The tribe chooses to have its siesta in the shade,
hardly troubled by the antics of the youngsters.
Silence reigns on the slopes of the Drakensberg
in the heat under a blue sky.
Numerous canyons cut into these desolate high plateaus
and here sheltered from storms,
the trees of the Drakensberg have found a place to grow.
The narrower the canyon, the greater the vegetation.
Sometimes enough to form a genuine forest
where runoff from rainfall in the peaks continues
to flow even in the dry season.
Rivers running through the canyons
maintain moisture in the air.
This shady forest constitutes a very rich ecosystem
in terms of both botany and bird life.
The trees are so full of birds
that the passerines vie to be heard with their song,
some in the open like this Gurney's sugarbird.
Other species, like the southern boobook,
the elegant African red eye bulbul,
the greater blue eared starling,
and the speckled pigeon are more discreet,
hidden in the leaves.
In early spring, flowers are blooming everywhere
and the air is filled with their exquisite nectar scent.
With its short beak, the Cape white-eye has to feed
on flowers from around the petals.
The dark capped bulbul chooses flowers
that are easier to reach.
But the all around champion is the malachite sunbird
whose long narrow beak isn't only used for singing.
He alone can reach the heart of flowers
without damaging the petals.
(birds chirping)
Another virtuoso with his beak is the Cape weaver.
The male Cape weaver ties leaves together
to firmly anchor his nest.
After applying the finishing touches,
the male waits for a female to inspect his work.
This female seems to be interested.
It's a sure sign of successful courtship.
All told, nearly 250 species of birds gather pollen
from the flowers of the Drakensberg.
Leaving the deep canyon, the river flows
through a broader less wooded valley.
The passerines have to be careful in this open land.
These scattered shrubs offer little protection
from the sharp, steely gaze of the birds of prey.
Fortunately for them, the master of this domain
is a carrion bird with no interest in the passerines.
The bearded vulture is content to scavenge for bones
and then break them up by dropping them on the stone below,
but barely after dropping one,
other carrion birds approach.
The white necked ravens are physiologically
unable to digest bones.
They're after the marrow and tendons.
The bearded vulture has no intention of being robbed.
Spreading his wings to their full span
of over two and a half meters, he tries to shoo them away,
but this jackal buzzard waiting in hiding
behind a rock wasn't born yesterday.
While generally preferring living prey,
there's always room for a ready meal, especially in winter.
Vultures fly mainly by floating in descending currents
and are far less agile than ravens.
Outnumbered and disinclined to fight,
the vulture tries to scare off the ravens
by flying in broad circles above the cliff,
but this carries him far away,
and leaves the others time enough to help themselves,
but just after a mouthful, the vulture is back.
Finally, the most persistent raven
adopts the same strategy as the buzzard,
taking advantage of the diversion caused
by the other ravens to steal the vulture's meal.
When evening falls calm returns
to the valleys of the Drakensberg.
(dramatic music)
The cliffs gradually vanish in the fog
and temperatures drop.
The threatening clouds announce the tropical storms
that will soon be brewing over the dragon's mountain.
Further to the east the sky is gray
over the hills of KwaZulu-Natal.
The rainy season is sure to come but not just yet.
Wildlife must simply wait.
(dramatic music)
At the start of the southern spring,
the only trees with green leaves are the ones
that manage to sink roots into ground water.
For the time being, the river beds are dry
and have only sand to offer.
At 500 meters above sea level,
the wind off the ocean brings a bit of humidity.
The African buffalo grays on young shoots
on the windward slopes.
Despite weighing 800 kilograms and despite the males horns
that form a continues boss over their heads,
buffalo are naturally cautious
and are alerted by the least scent in the air,
especially when it's the scent of a big cat,
but this lioness is a bit too far from her sisters to hunt
and she's not in immediate danger.
During the day, she'd rather rest,
while enjoying a good view of the surroundings.
The buffalo know there's little risk
so long as they stay together.
In fact, it's the lioness who's better off
staying in her tree for the time being.
A family of impalas take comfort
from the reassuring presence of the buffalo
but remains on alert.
Given the circumstances, the big cat would prefer
to continue her peaceful nap.
Her only real problem is finding a comfortable position.
(soft music)
The buffalo also rests during the heat of the day,
the best time for chewing their cuds in the sun.
Not far away, four young lions are also recuperating.
One may have been butted by a buffalo
because one side of his head is severely bruised.
Whoever said that life was easy
for the king of the Savannah,
it's true that most of the time the males
let the females do the hunting,
especially because the females run faster.
These young males are probably nomadic lions.
In other words, lions kicked out of their birth pride
by a dominant male and now seeking a new territory
where they can meet females.
This means they must feed themselves,
which is even harder because they lack experience.
Tonight they will hunt but for now,
they are resting in the sun.
At the very worse, they'll be able to feed
on carcasses stolen from weaker predators.
Finally in the heat of the day,
the only creature stirring are this couple of dung beetles.
The male is pushing this food reserve to their burrow.
It's a complicated task but the dung beetle
can move the equivalent of 1000 times its body weight
and has the energy to do the job.
He also has to avoid falling into the hands of the baboons,
who'd have no qualms about supplementing their diet
with a few plump insects.
Here the baboon is clinging to a tree trunk
in order to dig up larvae hidden under the bark.
Unlike other baboons on the Cape Peninsula
or in the Drakensberg mountains,
the baboons living here enjoy
everything the tall trees have to offer.
Food, a playground, a lookout place, and shelter.
But baboons are cautious and they realize they may not
be the only ones looking for food in the branches.
Sometimes it's important to bow out gracefully.
These Southern African bush elephants have an easier time
finding food than the elephants in Namibia,
but they don't have the vast marshlands
of the Okavango delta for bathing.
They have to make due with dust baths
or mud baths if the weather allows.
Elephants aren't the only animals
to appreciate the muddy marshes.
Rhinos use them to remove their parasites and to cool down,
so long as they're not pushed out.
Even if the elephants haven't come to the pool yet,
the rhinos are fully aware that it's time
to take their leave.
Elephants don't like sharing, especially not with them.
For these two, it's not a problem
as they're already covered with mud.
What distinguishes the southern white rhinoceros
from the black rhino is its wide upper lip,
which allows it to graze rather than feeding on leaves.
White rhinos are solitary, territorial animals.
Mating couples stay to couple only a fort night.
Whenever you see a pair of rhinos,
they're often a mother and her child.
Rhino cows protect their calf for two or three years
until they reach a respectable size
and no long have to fear the big cats.
This young rhino is an only child and shy.
He's a little surprised to meet a slightly older rhino
and soon runs back to his mother.
When curiosity finally gets the best of him,
he wanders back to check out the scene,
but ultimately he's still a little young to socialize.
The southern white rhinoceros' of South Africa
all share pretty much the same genetic makeup
because all our descendants of the last 20 individuals
that were still alive of the 19th century.
Fortunately despite poaching, the species has been protected
in nature reserves and is a little less endangered today.
As their population has increased in the reserves,
clashes between males are more frequent.
They engage in jousts but seldom with any real violence.
(dramatic music)
Logically enough the smaller male
with the shorter horn admits defeat.
To discourage poachers, biologists in some reserves
decide to saw off the rhinos horns themselves.
This doesn't prevent elephants
from recognizing their ancestral enemy,
even if this rhino is not a threat,
but while elephants tolerate lots of animals around them,
including even lions, they seem to have
a genuine aversion to rhinos.
(dramatic music)
When young male elephants are in rut,
they can be aggressive to the point of killing rhinos
that happened to be drinking at the same water hole.
These behemoths need large spaces to roam
and the fact that they have to live confined in reserves
unfortunately means forced cohabitation with other species.
Yet fortunately, there will soon be water enough everywhere
when the rainy season begins.
Already the vultures seem resigned to the storm.
(thunder rumbling)
On the other hand, the African harrier hawk
and the trumpeter hornbill appear to fear the storms,
which can be extremely fierce in these tropical regions.
For a few hours, nature looks frightening.
The animals hunker down in silence.
Now it's time for the earth to drink.
(bright music)
Within a matter of days, the rivers are replenished
and water flows again.
This is the start of a time of abundance
when the nyalas seem to frolic with joy.
(bright music)
While these beautiful antelopes drink,
the river flows eastward to the Indian Ocean.
Approaching the coast, it runs through
the only remaining tropical forest in KwaZulu-Natal.
These preserved parcels of forest are sadly
the only vestiges of primary forests
that were ravaged by human expansion
and the spread of agriculture.
(dramatic music)
It's at the very top of these tall trees in the canopy
that flowers and fruit grow attracting the many birds
that come to warm themselves in the morning sun
like these white haired barbets.
The purple crested turaco is looking for the fruits
that make up its entire diet.
Below, the lilac breasted roller is waiting
for the heat to bring out insects
and hoping to get them before the little bee eater.
And this bird is just hungry for recognition.
The dark capped bulbul wants to be heard
in this alien symphony.
The forest is alive with bird song,
but barely a few kilometers away
what we hear is the deep roar of the sea
as the trade winds drive the litany of waves.
(dramatic music)
At the border with Mozambique,
sandy beaches stretch to the end of sight.
The Indian Ocean brushes against the dunes
and during the highest tides, rushes into the land.
This explains the formation of brackish water lagoons
where the water is more still
and mangroves were able to develop.
This ecological paradise receives fresh water
from frequent tropical showers
as well as a number of rivers that empty into the lagoons.
Half hidden in the luxurious vegetation,
the Nile crocodile stretches its four meters
of scales in the sun but this isn't the only
formidable creature hiding on the riverbank.
At night, the hippos spread across the banks to feed.
Sometimes they'll still be on land when the sun rises.
That's when they can be a danger to humans.
You'd better get out of the way
when they return to the water.
The dominant male is guarding his harem
and watches carefully over the territory.
After making sure all his females are together,
he can join them.
While the young hippos are playful,
all the adults want to do is rub together,
resting their heads on one another.
This allows them to nap while keeping
their nostrils above water.
The estuaries also attract birds
that eat fish, larvae, and mollusks.
The grey heron, the pink backed pelican,
the African spoonbill, and the yellow billed stork
have no qualms about feeding next to the crocodiles.
The dunes afford the inland area some protection
from the sea spray but the trade winds are so strong
at times that even the lagoons are swept by violent gusts.
The weather can change dramatically.
(dramatic music)
For the antelopes living here,
like these water bucks and nyalas,
the rainy season doesn't bring the same relief
as for those living in arid regions
in the north of the country.
As tropical showers are hardly pleasant,
the best way of dealing with them is
to ruminate in peace until the worse is over.
The rhinos also wait for the storm to blow over.
The only creature that continues its activity
despite the weather is used to living in the wetlands.
The woolly-necked stork takes advantage
of the opportunity to hunt for frogs and small reptiles,
but when its plumage is too wet, even this stork gives up,
just like the crested barbet, which knows it won't find
any insects under these conditions.
Riverbank birds with waterproof plumage
like this pair of pied kingfishers
or this snowy egret are hardly bothered by mild rains.
In wooded areas, mammals take shelter under the leaves.
The vervet monkeys, usually so energetic,
are forced to wait for the shower to end.
They keep looking up at the sky
as if to implore for the sun to return.
Fortunately, some trees have enough to keep them busy.
As soon as the rain stops,
the most impatient ones go back to the ground,
but they're soon disappointed by the mud below.
Mangrove crabs have nothing to fear from mud or storms.
These scuttling crabs play
an important role in this ecosystem.
Their larvae are food for small fish.
The tunnels they dig oxygenate the ground
and their feces helps to fertilize it.
Even if they grow in water,
these plants also benefit from the rain,
which lowers the salinity of the wetlands.
Now the flowers are only waiting
for the sunshine to open up.
And with the first rays of the sun,
the sounds of nature fill the air again.
The entire lagoon springs to life.
This young South African giraffe has a great future ahead
provided he gets the nutrients he needs to grow quickly.
To fortify his huge skeleton, a giraffe calf has to absorb
at least 20 grams of calcium everyday.
This sedimentary soil provides the minerals he needs
even if it's not terribly pleasant to gather or to swallow.
(soft music)
But instinct drives him on.
The young male giraffe will soon reach
his adult height of five meters
then he too will cross the plains
with his elegant loping stride.
(bright music)
Giraffes live in groups and prefer to roam
through open areas.
This makes it easier for them to spot lions
if any dare to attack them and also to observe one another.
Each mother keeps watch over her young.
They only bare one calf at a time.
While the males keep an eye
on the females they could mate with.
At frequent intervals, the dominate male sniffs the female
to identify when she comes into estrus.
He curls up his lips as a signal to keep other males at bay.
When they live in the nature reserve,
as is often the case in Southern Africa,
giraffes lead a peaceful life.
Here their population is stable,
whereas across Africa as a whole,
the number of giraffes has fallen
by 40% over the past 30 years.
Soon, will zebras be the only animals
grazing on the Savannah?
When the sun sets over the lagoon, the amphibians waken.
(soft music)
The antelopes seems to appreciate
the peaceful land of the day.
The setting sun brings a reminder
that every day could be the last day.
Tomorrow they will have to survive another day,
finding food, finding water, finding companions and a mate,
getting rid of parasites, escaping from predators and so on.
At the end of the day, that's not an impossible task
for wildlife as they're used to making due
with the generosity and winds of nature.
Animals rely on instinct, experience,
and possibly also a bit of luck.
When evening comes these creatures need
to rest to appreciate the habitat
with which they're so intimately involved.
Each park and animal reserve is a haven of peace,
preserved from the turmoil of the world,
a universe where each ecosystem
contributes to the richness of nature
and where wildlife deserves to preserve its place.
In exchange for this, even the most powerful creatures
demand nothing in return.
Nothing except respect for their tranquility,
their right to keep living on a planet
now confiscated by humankind.
(bright music)
