- 8 hours ago
At the very end of east Africa's Great Rift Valley, there's a 'land that time forgot', the rolling grasslands of the Luangwa Valley. Travel through the seasons, and discover the secret to this Eden's great riches: the annual flood of the mighty Luangwa River.
在东非大裂谷的最南端，有一片“被时间遗忘的土地”——那就是起伏连绵的卢安瓜河谷草原。
在东非大裂谷的最南端，有一片“被时间遗忘的土地”——那就是起伏连绵的卢安瓜河谷草原。
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00:14In remotest Southern Africa lies Zambia's Luangwa Valley, a rolling savanna the size of West Virginia.
00:34Feeling like a lad that time forgot, seemingly untouched plains teem with Africa's most iconic animals.
00:53Some are unique to this place.
00:58Others are critically endangered elsewhere.
01:07Here, prey and predators exist in remarkable balance.
01:16Each taking advantage of the secret at the heart of this Eden.
01:24The mighty Luangwa River.
01:27And its dramatic annual transformation from dusty inferno to emerald paradise.
01:47There are still places on Earth that remain pristine, where wildlife flourishes.
02:02These are the last regions that could be called Eden.
02:21The Luangwa begins its journey in Zambia's uplands.
02:34Cascading into the valley, where it meanders through 27,000 square miles of lush savanna.
02:48Eventually flowing into the Zambezi River.
02:54500 miles further south.
03:04But it's here that it will breach its banks during the wet season.
03:14Bringing boundless life to this African Eden.
03:33And painting its plains a glorious green.
03:56It's July.
03:59The start of the dry season.
04:05And it's just what one of Africa's great predators has been waiting for.
04:18Along stretches of the Luangwa, leopards can be found in numbers greater than almost anywhere else in Africa.
04:34And throughout this valley, all life is defined by the ebb and flow of the river.
04:41And its waters are rapidly receding.
04:50Some tributary channels are already bone dry.
05:00And herbivores are beginning to gather close to the river.
05:04And herbivores are beginning to gather close to the river.
05:10For a big cat, it all adds up to one thing.
05:16Happy hunting.
05:24This female leopard is five years old.
05:28At around 90 pounds, she's in prime condition.
05:34Her preferred prey is impala.
05:4310,000 of them roam this valley.
05:50Ranked among the fastest of all-hoofed animals, an impala could take on a racehorse.
06:03But leopards don't play by impala rules.
06:11This fast-changing Eden has now given her an edge.
06:21She enters into the maze of gullies.
06:27The damp channel margins are carpeted with grass that lures in grazing antelope.
06:50Still, they remain on high alert.
06:53Still, they remain on high alert.
07:01Stealth is the best weapon.
07:11How about them?
07:18We do one time.
07:59Just a few more careless steps, and they'll be inside the required 30-foot range.
08:35Clamping her jaws over both nose and mouth, she can stay clear of those stiletto horns and cut off its
08:45airflow.
09:00But a spotted hyena is drawn to the commotion.
09:21Close to twice the weight of a leopard, armed with bone-crushing jaws, this opportunist won't pass up the chance
09:34to cash in on the hard work of others.
09:46This time, one very lucky Impala gets a second chance at life.
10:09More than 60% of hunts end in failure.
10:14But with the perfect conditions for an ambush at this time of year, it won't be long until another opportunity
10:21comes her way.
10:35As the dry season takes hold and pastures wither, yellow baboons spend daylight hours foraging for grasses and grubs.
10:50Thousands of these primates live here, in 100 strong troops that claim territories of 10 square miles.
11:02And female kinship lies at the core of their society.
11:11A network of matriarchs helps maintain harmony.
11:18Social grooming to cement familial bonds.
11:24Nursing and playing.
11:29But it falls to the alpha male to lead his troop in their search for food.
11:40A male may rule this extended family for several years.
11:45And he knows where they can go for a seasonal meal.
11:56Sausage trees.
12:04At this time of year, the nectar cupped in plentiful blossoms provides a lifeline for numerous species.
12:14Sausage trees.
12:30This place is a highly coveted prize.
12:34Sausage trees.
12:44And a neighboring troop aims to claim it.
12:53With the help of their own gang leader.
12:56here.
12:59Both sides are equally matched.
13:05Flanked by battle-hardened soldiers,
13:09the alpha male steps up.
13:26Around 50 pounds in weight and armed with two-inch-long canines.
13:51Battles can end in serious injury, even death.
14:19When this rival backs down, his cronies scatter.
14:34Peace is restored to the troop once more.
14:45Close family ties and strong leadership allow these intelligent primates to tune into the
14:53algorithm of the riches, offered up by the Luangua Valley.
15:07As the dry season tightens its grip, Luangua welcomes a technicolor visitor.
15:21The Carmine Bee Eater.
15:28They're experts when it comes to catching and dispatching bees.
15:45But that's not why they're here.
15:50The receding water has left 20-foot banks exposed.
16:01From around 500 miles away, 20,000 make the annual journey here to construct yard-long nest
16:12burrows in a perfect mix of sand and clay.
16:30Latecomers try to move in on the newly dug dream homes.
16:36Leading to noisy evictions.
17:00Their nearest neighbors can be a little rowdy, too.
17:06The Luangua is a hippo heaven.
17:17But when 25,000 are forced to crowd together in the dwindling river, there's less space for a cooling wallow.
17:33And the risk of heat exhaustion rises.
17:42Youngsters are among the most vulnerable.
17:47And for the next five months or more, this calf will rely on her attentive mother for milk.
17:55And for protection.
18:06Nightfall offers relief.
18:17And thermal imaging cameras reveal the surprising nocturnal life of hippos.
18:27One group stays close to the water.
18:32For a little hippo, the plains are full of predators.
18:38So calves are left in a creche.
18:42Watched over by adult females.
18:47Weighing one and a half tons, a mother hippo has less to fear.
18:58But needs at least 100 pounds of vegetation a night.
19:08And when grazing isn't an option, a different plan is required.
19:23Hippos have relatively good night vision.
19:27Which helps when confronted by a deadly enemy.
19:42But these lions know better than to get in the way of a favorite food supply.
19:55Sausage fruits.
20:00But dropping an infant off at the creche costs time.
20:08Now there's a risk of missing out.
20:20Lip smacking might do the trick.
20:28This could be a form of hippo diplomacy.
20:43They'll binge until dawn.
20:51And as the hippos retrace their steps,
20:56each call of nature answers more than one need.
21:02By dispersing seeds far and wide,
21:06the hippos here play a crucial role in spreading sausage trees throughout the valley.
21:22For some, re-entry can be tricky.
21:46After a five hour wait, this hungry hippo is reunited with her mother.
22:02Back in the water, the calf can suckle in safety.
22:08Ahead of the returning sun.
22:24By October, the temperature climbs above 90 degrees.
22:32It's been five months since the last rain fell.
22:38Restless buffalo form 2,000 strong megaherds.
22:52For all of Luangwa's herbivores,
23:00long weeks of craving lie ahead.
23:14As the river is reduced to a string of pools.
23:20For others, the dry season is boom time.
23:27Hundreds of pelicans, storks, herons and spoonbills eagerly descend.
23:40These fishing parties trawl up everything in a matter of hours.
24:01The furnace heat now hits 110 degrees.
24:09The last wallows are disappearing.
24:22Circling vultures spot carcasses from four miles away.
24:30This valley becomes an Eden for scavengers.
24:47They dispose of meat and bones in less than an hour.
24:54Clearing up rotten remains is vital if the savannah is to be disease free.
25:09November brings promise of rebirth.
25:15As Luangwa welcomes the start of the wet season.
25:45The first showers quench a thirsty land.
26:11From deep burrows, rain bugs emerge.
26:24These spider-like velvet mites are on a mission.
26:31Their bright color reminds predators that they taste bad.
26:38They each have just a few hours to fatten up and fight over a suitable mate.
26:46Before scurrying back underground to lay their eggs.
26:58Dormant pastures spring to life.
27:07And fresh grazing triggers a baby boom.
27:14Within two weeks, thousands of impala ewes drop their lambs.
27:29And warthog mothers must deal with broods of up to eight hungry piglets.
27:50A thousand feet above the plains, heavy rainfall on the escarpment is funneled into waterfalls.
28:02Rivers merge as the water finds its way to the valley floor.
28:17Dry channels awaken.
28:31And the majestic Luangwa river returns to its former glory.
28:43In just a few days, its levels rise 15 feet or more.
29:02Flooding the savannah for miles around.
29:33Water locks, moisture-loving ebony.
29:42trees, as cathedral-vaulted groves greet the emerald season.
30:01For the valley's herbivores, it's a welcome return to the good times.
30:14For Luangwa's yellow baboons, it's a water park playground, combined with an all-you-can-eat
30:54Eden.
30:55But this alpha's not interested in getting his hands dirty for roots and tubers.
31:05It's been a year-long wait for a taste of a favourite plant.
31:16Water lilies, packed with essential minerals, they're gourmet dining for baboons.
31:28But they come with a very high price tag.
31:33They grow in deep water, where danger lurks.
31:43Nile crocodiles, over ten feet long.
31:52But lilies are far too tempting.
32:11And those are just in reach.
32:39And those are just in reach.
32:47This is one treat an alpha won't share.
33:09As the flood waters recede in April, they leave behind a precious gift.
33:27Nutrient-laden silt that enriches the soil.
33:42Once again, some of Africa's luscious grazing is on offer.
33:51With this annual inundation comes another far-reaching reward.
33:59By rendering the land almost impossible to settle, it has kept humans at bay.
34:12The Luangwa is one of the last great African rivers to remain unhindered by dams and modern development.
34:27Preserving some of the last pristine tracks of savannah for one of this continent's most endangered carnivores.
34:46The Painted Wolf.
34:50Just one pack roams several hundred square miles.
35:06On the brink of extinction elsewhere, this stable population is becoming ever more important.
35:20And wilderness on such an epic scale is now one of the last sanctuaries of the black rhino.
35:34While they're quite clearly grey, one theory suggests that distinctive upper lip gave them their name.
35:44Beaked rhino becoming black rhino over time.
36:01Preferring his own company, he's both woefully short-sighted and notoriously ill-tempered.
36:16This one-and-a-half-ton bull has picked up the elusive aroma of one thing guaranteed to mellow his
36:25mood.
36:28He sets off with high hopes.
36:35Oh dear, that sensitive nose has lost the scent trail.
37:05Oh, there it is.
37:14Charging upwind at more than 30 miles per hour, he finally sniffs out his quarry.
37:25An equally solitary, just as irascible, female.
37:34She feigns lack of interest.
37:43So he'll stay by her side for up to two weeks.
37:49Until she gives in to his gentle serenade.
37:57Every baby this Eden could deliver builds hope for the future of this critically endangered species.
38:18Luangue's seasonal balance has now shifted from favouring the hunter to helping the hunted.
38:32For a female leopard, stalking is a lot harder.
38:42Impala are scattered far and wide.
38:49And the gullies relied on for cover in the dry season are flooded.
38:57It's time for a new plan of attack.
39:14Good grazing means that female impala are in prime breeding condition.
39:26Broadcasting his authority, a dominant ram has the pick of over 20 ewes in his harem.
39:40Crowned with 30-inch horns, an alpha will go head to head with any who dare to challenge his mating
39:49rights.
39:59That's just what this female's been waiting for.
40:07The strutting arrival of a worthy challenger.
40:22Sparring to gauge size and strength.
40:26Each looks for an opening.
40:46Wrenching locked horns.
40:49And straining every sinew to force the other to give way.
41:11The charge must be timed to perfection.
41:16Striking while their guard is down.
41:24But not until their energy is spent.
41:44A huge part of a big deal.
41:45It's a giant wing.
41:46The naknow is just tan.
41:47I have to be 300.
41:48A small wing rock.
41:50It's a giant wing.
41:53The ultimate damage.
41:55No, it's impossible to get used for.
41:58I have to be 100,000 figures.
41:58It's impossible to go.
42:11Making the most of seasonal shifts in behavior, this is a crucial kill.
42:34By stashing this prize, it may last several days.
42:56Time this mother can spend with her demanding five-week-old twin cubs.
43:24And a full belly means she can provide plentiful milk for the next generation.
43:43As long as the river guards this place with its floodwaters, unfettered by dams or agriculture,
43:52the creatures that live here in perfect balance through boom and bust, both predators and prey
44:11will continue to prosper.
44:15And this valley will remain forever.
44:19An emerald Eden.
44:38Filming critically endangered black rhino presented the Eden crew with their biggest challenge
44:45yet.
44:48North Luangwa is home to Zambia's only black rhino population.
44:56Around 50 roam a wilderness of 8,500 square miles.
45:03To stand a chance of finding one, the crew team up with the North Luangwa Conservation Programme,
45:10a long-term partnership of dedicated scientists and highly trained scouts.
45:24For the last 35 years, they have put their lives on the line to combat armed poachers and successfully
45:35established a safe haven for the last of Zambia's black rhino.
45:44And there's one rhino whose story the crew are particularly keen to tell.
45:50Kango is very close to our hearts.
45:52He's named after a local chief.
45:53We released him here on the Mualesi in the heart of the North Luangwa.
45:58And you see him today.
45:59He's mating.
46:00He's bred.
46:01He's got, I think, five females now in his area.
46:03He's in tip-top condition.
46:05To track Kango, the crew work closely with a rhino monitoring unit.
46:10We track the rhinos early in the morning.
46:15Some have transmitters so that using the antenna, we know the direction and receiving coordinates
46:23from airplane.
46:26With the positive sighting radioed in, the only way for the crew to proceed in this terrain
46:33is on foot, carrying all 60 pounds of camera gear.
46:39Quite easier on your head than around your neck.
46:43The team cover 10 miles a day, homing in on the signal from the transmitter that Kango carries
46:49on his horn.
46:53After a morning's trek, the scouts appear to be closing in on a small gathering of rhino.
47:00It's like waiting for the faint blip of an ultrasound for a two-ton baby.
47:07The crew moves in to set up for the first shot.
47:13Rhino pick up on movement, sound and also scent.
47:39Çünküir effic包括 van der Helle
47:40One morning's mortality settled.
47:43But one of them discharged it — I think it was the female.
47:46Well, um, some pictures had to run up a tree, um, get close.
48:00She heard us, and she came right up to us, and I foolishly moved, so she charged.
48:06And we all kind of disappeared in various directions.
48:09A sobering first encounter for the crew.
48:14But thanks to the experienced scouts, they continue their search for kango unharmed.
48:22Exposing them to the full force of the rainy season.
48:27Basically, I'm playing cat and mouse with these rhinos in the stick vegetation.
48:31Now that it's raining, we're having to hide in the bush.
48:44Ten days on, they finally close in on their feisty subject once more.
48:52Now that kango has become a dominant bull, he can be both extremely aggressive and extremely placid.
48:57Therefore, tracking him and working with him is pretty risky, because he can go either way, depending upon the day.
49:06But as Nathan finally gets ready to film, kango gets a whiff of them, and this time, chooses to turn
49:14tail.
49:21Camera shy, he continues to run rings around the team.
49:24I think that is the definition of being kango-ed.
49:29I'm not in love with that rhino anymore.
49:32I've been up and all over the place today.
49:35Kind of like an uneventful walk around the park.
49:37He's hiding in there, laughing at us.
49:40With time fast running out, the team resorts to a more hands-off approach to filming.
49:49The drone camera captures a unique perspective of kango,
49:54who appears oblivious to its presence.
49:57Helping the team keep an eye on him.
50:03But kango can travel nearly 20 miles a day, making it impossible for Nathan to keep up.
50:13A week later, the plane reports a more hopeful development.
50:18Well, he's not far away. I've got a signal already.
50:21There he is.
50:23One, his head.
50:25Then the other one's pointing the other way.
50:27That's why there's two.
50:28I think kango is on a date, and that's why they haven't moved far.
50:32They've been dating.
50:35In the hope that kango is now settled, the team move in for one last attempt.
50:45To be rewarded with a rarely filmed and surprisingly gentle courtship scene.
51:16Kango's future looks secure, thanks to the tireless efforts of the North Luangua colony.
51:21Kango's future looks at the conservation program, but the long-term salvation for all of Luangua's precious wildlife rests with
51:30the people whose land they must continue to share.
51:34We protect, but we work very closely with the communities to ensure that they have a true sense of ownership,
51:40to be able to manage their own natural heritage, to protect this landscape in the future and for future generations.
52:17Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:17Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:19Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:21Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:24Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:25Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:26Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:27Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:29Kango's future looks at the same time.
52:30You