On the western coast
of South Africa lies a harsh
and unforgiving world.
Minimal rainfall
makes this land a challenging
place for creatures to inhabit.
For ten months of the year,
it's a desert.
But each year
for a short spurt of time,
the rains give birth
to a plethora of plant species.
And the land bursts open
to reveal a bounty of life.
Transforming from desert
to floral oasis.
This is Namaqualand.
♪♪
Lying in the corner
of the Karoo,
Namaqualand is one of southern
Africa's botanical treasures.
At just under
170,000 square miles,
it's even bigger
than the state of California.
Every year,
Namaqualand leads two lives.
For the majority of the year,
the semi-desert
offers very little sustenance.
Everything that lives here
is forced to match its needs
to the meager nature
of its environment.
Adopting fascinating
methods of survival
in order to live
in this hostile land.
It is a harsh and barren realm.
Life is a struggle
for every species.
But this is only one side
of Namaqualand.
The winter rains awaken
an entirely new version
of this land.
A land of abundance.
For two months,
the region bursts with life.
And the species that struggled
through the dry summer
are rewarded.
It becomes a haven,
providing generously
for all creatures.
But just as quickly
as it transforms to an oasis,
it reverts back to a desert.
And the struggle
to survive continues
for another ten months.
This is the double-sided life
of Namaqualand.
♪
It's summer
and Namaqualand is bone dry.
Temperatures regularly creep
over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The land is scorched,
And blisteringly hot winds
stir up dust clouds,
making it difficult
for anything to grow.
But one particular creature
relishes in the abundant sand
Namaqualand has on offer.
King of the underground -
or in this case, queen.
Spending most of the time
buried in the sand,
Mole snakes are well adapted
to survive the dryness
of Namaqualand.
This particular female
is a mother.
In comparison
to most Mole snakes,
she has a
relatively small family.
Females can have
up to 95 offspring.
For these juveniles,
this arid time of year
is their opportunity for growth.
From the moment they were born,
they have been independent.
Slowly but surely, one by one,
they peel off
and venture out on their own.
Their patterned markings
will fade over time,
and soon they will be
the same shade as their mother.
These youngsters
will eat small lizards,
until they are large enough
to start hunting mammals.
Their mother
has no further duties.
She must now focus
on fending for herself.
Mole snakes
bury themselves in sand
to stay sheltered
from the relentless heat.
Her angular snout and small head
allow her to burrow deep.
But when she wants to move,
she needs the sun to heat up
her cold-blooded body.
Before she begins her search
for an unsuspecting Mole-rat,
she tests the chemical particles
in the air
by flicking her forked tongue -
Helping her to decide which way
she must go to find her prey,
but also to avoid
potential danger.
The Mole snake is non-venomous
and doesn't have many defense
strategies if danger approaches.
She must live cautiously.
She continues her search.
Emerging from his intricate
network of underground burrows,
a Mole-rat starts his search
for a new home.
He likes to lead
a solitary life.
But others have started
moving in to his neighborhood
so he's decided it's time to
construct a new home elsewhere.
Everything about his body is
designed to sustain
a subterranean existence.
His protruding teeth
allow him to carve his way
deep into the earth.
His pliant skin allows him to
squeeze through narrow burrows.
And his prominent claws
help him move the excavated
earth out of his way.
His day to day diet consists of
grass, roots and geophytes;
plants that survive the summer
by lying in bulb form
beneath the soil.
But they are defenseless against
these poor sighted bandits.
After much searching
the Mole-rat has found
a suitable spot to set up camp
and he wastes no time
getting to work.
He's an expert digger and well
suited to this world of sand.
Considering their small sizes
of 12 inches,
their underground
homes are very large.
Some build burrows
up to 1000 feet long.
His burrow complete,
the Mole-rat retreats back
to safety underground.
Good thing too.
For over the dunes the Mole
snake is still on the hunt,
But the burrowers are not
the only rats on the menu.
Brant's whistling rat is found
only in the south western region
of southern Africa
Where it has adapted
its diet and routine
to suit the aridity
of Namaqualand.
During the long summer months
resources are scarce,
so groups of rats
have evolved to cooperate
to ensure their survival.
These rats work together
to build a complex system
of burrows.
Each structure
can have up to twenty entrances,
allowing the members of the
colony to make a quick escape
if danger is near.
Unlike most rodents, Brant's
whistling rats are diurnal.
They need the security
of sunlight
in order to avoid
their nocturnal predators.
Their only warning system
is a distinct whistle,
which they emit
when feeling threatened.
As soon as other members of the
colony hear this warning alert,
they dash
into their nearby tunnels.
During the dry season,
these gregarious creatures
reside mostly below ground
in order to avoid
the stifling heat.
But they do need to forage
above ground occasionally.
Exclusively herbivorous,
they eat mostly succulents
and bulbs in summer
and whatever other plant
material they can forage.
All the plants here
have also adapted to endure
Namaqualand's harsh conditions.
Shrubs grow long roots in order
to access underground moisture.
Succulents store water
in their leaves and stems.
But despite their adaptations
they're defenseless
against the rat's appetite.
It's May.
Winter is approaching.
The falling temperatures will
allow the whistling rats
to spend more time above ground.
And in a few months,
floral treats
will feature in their diet.
But before any animal can begin
the springtime gorge,
the rains need to arrive.
The dry, barren lands
wait patiently.
At last they come.
The majority of Namaqualand's
annual rainfall
occurs during June and July.
Moisture surges
through the landscape,
allowing the desert
to breath once again.
Following the winter rains,
the land transforms
dramatically.
In the North of Namaqualand,
this sudden influx of water
is immediately visible.
The Nieuwoudtville waterfall
flows rapidly
after the winter rains.
A black spitting cobra
basks in the sun.
The flush of new life
will provide it with many more
opportunities to feed.
The waterfall serves as a refuge
for the animals of the region
for the next two months;
A welcome break
from the ten months of drought.
The low winter temperatures
allow the plant life to soak up
the available moisture.
After a ten month slumber,
Namaqualand restarts its annual
routine of rapid growth.
Bringing the land to life.
The flowers burst into bloom
across the desert,
blanketing the landscape
in a kaleidoscope of colors.
The region turns into a utopia,
with weird and wonderful flowers
speckled
across the desert floor.
These plants utilize
this time of moisture
to germinate
and spread their seeds.
Once the earth
has soaked up all the rain,
some of this flora
will die in a matter of weeks.
These seeds
then lie dormant in the soil,
waiting for the ensuing
winter rains.
And the cycle recommences.
Some even lie dormant for years,
waiting for the right amount
of rain to coax them to life.
It takes resilience and patience
to survive here.
The plants' coping strategies
are not
the only intriguing aspect
of Namaqualand's floral life.
The sheer number of species
in this expanse
proves how unique
this land really is.
An astounding
3,800 species of plants
cover this area in spring.
Almost 30% of these
are found nowhere else on earth.
Namaqualand truly is
an incredible haven
of biodiversity.
Although the winter rainfall
triggers life in Namaqualand,
the flowers also depend on other
helpers to secure their futures.
Whether it be
the beaks of sunbirds
The tongues of flies
Or the body hairs of beetles
Every pollinator
plays a crucial role
in the maintenance
of Namaqualand's garden.
If the rain is the compost,
the pollinators
are the gardeners.
There are far more
species of flowers
than there are pollinators,
So every plant competes to
attract the insects and birds,
adopting brilliant colors
and flashy patterns.
It's a race against time
for these flowers,
and only the attractive win.
Monkey beetles use visual cues
as a pollination guide.
They use these flowers
not only as a food source,
but also as a mating site.
And some flowers have evolved
to take full advantage of this.
Various black marks, otherwise
known as "beetle marks",
can be seen
on some species of flowers.
These markings
are both ingenious,
and deceptive.
The beetles gravitate towards
these distinctive plants,
tricked by the promise
of a potential mate.
After rolling around
in the pollen,
and discovering no such mate,
the beetles
have fulfilled their function.
Their numerous wiry body hairs
distribute the pollen as they
flutter from flower to flower.
In this way the flowers have
evolved a cunning method
to ensure their future.
While monkey beetles
are able to pollinate
any flower of their choosing,
other insects are more specific.
The Namaqualand
tangle-veined fly
is only able to pollinate plants
that can host
his larger than average tongue.
Although this non retractable
2 inch long appendage may seem
like an inconvenience,
it benefits him substantially.
He is the sole pollinator of the
long tubed, Meidestert flower.
The flower and the fly
have coevolved,
forming a close mutualism.
The fly is guaranteed
sweet, sugary nectar
at the base of the bloom,
which only he has access to
while the flower
has an exclusive pollinator
and doesn't
have to compete with others.
These flies and flowers are
found only in South Africa.
Although they have private
access to the Meidestert flower,
the craft of pollinating them
may take some time to perfect.
Having a tongue
bigger than one's body
can prove difficult to maneuver.
While Namaqualand's
plants and pollinators
have evolved hand in hand
there is one relationship
that has a much greater effect
on the landscape than any other.
The Gorteria diffusa
is a species of flower,
commonly called
the Beetle daisy.
This particular species
stands out
from other Namaqualand flowers
for one specific reason.
Over time, it has morphed into
15 different versions
of the same orange flower.
But every single version
attracts the same creature.
The Megapalpus fly.
When plants adapt
into different variations,
it's usually in an attempt to
attract various pollinators,
increasing their chance
of being pollinated.
The Gorteria's extraordinary
adaptation is therefore unique
because it's not caused
by an attempt to attract
different pollinators.
Rather, the different versions
get pollinated
by the same species
of fly in different ways.
One particular version
of the flower
mimics the body of a fly
so accurately
that the male often ends up
attempting to mate
with the
raised spot on the petals.
He gets completely
covered in pollen,
and helps to
pollinate other beetle daisies.
Another version of the Gorteria
has adopted
a very different strategy.
When the fly lands
in this flower
the petals close, capturing
the fly inside for the night.
But this is not
an act of predation.
The flower does this
so that the fly will get
thoroughly coated in pollen
throughout the night.
The petals even have
dark colors on the outside,
so that the fly will be heated
up fast when the first
morning light breaks.
Not only
does the fly have a safe,
warm place to spend the night,
but it also gets a breakfast
of pollen upon awakening.
These flowers
make up the majority
of Namaqualand's orange hue.
The Megapalpus fly
is their sole pollinator,
so if this fly
were to disappear,
much of Namaqualand's
orange glory would be lost.
September is a frantic time of
spring feeding and pollinating
for the insects of Namaqualand
and others are quick to take
advantage of the abundance.
Opportunistic cattle egrets
follow herds of antelope,
eating the bugs
that are disturbed
by the roaming animals.
Scorpions
are also on the menu.
But their venom can be deadly.
Fortunately, there's a way for
the egrets to judge the toxicity
of the arachnid.
The bigger the pincers,
the less venomous it is.
So the egrets
pick their meals wisely.
Although not lethal,
the snack can still pinch back.
As soon as the egret finds
a comfortable way to hold it,
he swallows it whole.
His highly acidic stomach
then digests it with ease.
Birds can't afford to hold
excess weight when they eat,
otherwise
they wouldn't be able to fly.
So they need to digest the meal
as quickly as possible.
This way
they gain maximum energy
with minimum consequences.
It's a time
of abundance for all.
The bigger mammals
take this opportunity
to raise their young.
And their dung
helps to fertilize the flowers,
which will foster the new growth
that will continue
through the rest of spring.
There are areas of Namaqualand
that support life
all year round.
The Quiver tree grows in times
of want and of plenty.
Surprisingly, the quiver tree
is not in fact, a tree.
But rather the ultimate
matriarch of aloes;
Plants that are characterized
by their succulent,
rosette-shaped leaves.
In the past,
bushmen used the plants
to make quivers
for their hunting arrows,
hence the name.
Like all aloes,
the Quiver tree is well adapted
to the harsh environment
of the semi-desert.
The fibrous stem
soaks up the erratic rainfall
during the summer,
while a thin layer
of whitish powder on the bark
reflects the suns powerful rays.
The succulent leaves store
the soaked up moisture,
and their elevation
prevents evaporation.
Because this plant
is a flowering aloe,
it needs to be pollinated.
So it produces copious amounts
of sweet nectar
that few birds
or insects can refuse.
60 miles south west
of the fields of flowers
and alien forests,
Namaqualand reveals
yet another landscape.
Stretches of white pebbles
strewn across the desert floor.
Only dwarf plants and succulents
grow in the saline soils
of these quartz fields.
Miniature landscapes,
dotted with miniature plants,
which are all perfectly adapted
to this habitat.
The Bababoudjie,
or in English, "baby's bottom",
is a succulent found only in the
quartz fields of Namaqualand.
It's developed
a remarkable survival strategy,
which allows it
to call this place home.
In order to hide from hungry
herbivores, it disguises itself
as one of the grey-white rocks
that surround it.
And hiding in plain sight
isn't just for plants.
These stony plains host very
specific and unusual creatures.
Which often go unnoticed.
Camouflaged perfectly in the
white, semi-translucent fields,
the stone grasshopper
is a master of disguise.
Everything about his body
keeps him concealed
in the quartz fields.
Parts of him
even look slightly chipped,
mimicking the flawed shapes
of the stones.
The tiny hairs on his legs
smooth the contours
of his shadow.
When feeling threatened,
he can flatten his antennae
to enhance
his rock-like appearance.
He is Namaqualand's
ultimate impersonator.
Combing the stone fields
for unsuspecting grasshoppers,
the Red-headed centipede
uses speed and endurance
as a predation method.
Covering large areas
in short periods,
he hopes
to bump into a potential meal.
He's a vicious predator,
and will attack
any insect or animal smaller
than his immense 8 inch body.
Upon finding the injured hopper,
he bites the victim
injecting him with venom
and devours him immediately.
Unlike his camouflaged
counterpart,
the Foam grasshopper
has evolved to fight back.
He gets his defense
from eating certain plants
the land has on offer.
Feeding mostly
on poisonous milkweed,
the foam grasshopper
ingests the toxins
and stores them in his joints.
When threatened,
he exudes this poison
in the form of lethal foam.
This striking insect
flaunts his colors boldly.
It's a commonly understood
rule in nature,
that the more brightly colored
an insect, the more venomous.
He forages through the flowers
of Namaqualand
without the fear of being eaten.
And if he is,
the foolish predator
will pay the ultimate price.
But not all defense adaptations
require poison.
More like the stone grasshopper,
the Namaqua speckled padloper
stays out of danger's way
by hiding.
Trudging
across the Namaqua landscape
takes an incredibly long time
for this pocket-sized resident.
Never growing bigger
than 3.5 inches,
he is the smallest tortoise
on earth.
His flattened, grey-brown shell
enables him to hide perfectly,
camouflaged in rocky crevices.
In the hot summers, he preys
on the hardy succulents.
In spring he is rewarded with
hoards of floral delicacies.
He doesn't hold back.
These flowers
won't be here for long.
The tortoise gorges himself
on the treats
that only appear once a year.
Like many others in Namaqualand,
he lives
nowhere else on the planet.
Along with his many other
endemic counterparts,
the Namaqua speckled padloper
is adapted to thrive in this
specific environment.
Species in Namaqualand have
developed over generations
to ensure that their adaptations
allow them
to live in this biome.
Spring here hosts
one of the most magnificent
natural transformations
the world has to offer.
From desert
to oasis for a short
spurt of time each year.
The landscape's
polarized existence
is a testament
to nature's ability to transform
and adapt.
To this land
of famine,
and feast.
♪
♪♪
