1 00:00:36,004 --> 00:00:37,444 Imagine a world 2 00:00:37,524 --> 00:00:41,604 where temperatures rise to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, 3 00:00:46,084 --> 00:00:50,364 where there's no escape from sun, wind and dust. 4 00:00:56,244 --> 00:01:01,284 Imagine a world with almost no food or water. 5 00:01:09,964 --> 00:01:15,364 These are the conditions in one-third of the lands of our planet. 6 00:01:18,204 --> 00:01:19,404 To live here 7 00:01:19,484 --> 00:01:24,084 demands the most extraordinary survival strategies. 8 00:01:46,604 --> 00:01:50,684 This is the oldest desert in the world. 9 00:01:50,764 --> 00:01:53,524 The Namib in southwest Africa. 10 00:01:54,764 --> 00:01:58,364 It's been dry for 55 million years. 11 00:02:03,364 --> 00:02:07,164 Life here for a hunter is as hard as it gets. 12 00:02:18,084 --> 00:02:20,404 A pride of lions, 13 00:02:20,484 --> 00:02:21,604 one of the very few 14 00:02:21,684 --> 00:02:25,244 that endures this desert's scorching temperatures 15 00:02:25,324 --> 00:02:26,604 and lack of water. 16 00:02:43,884 --> 00:02:47,644 Hunting here presents special problems. 17 00:02:53,724 --> 00:02:55,604 A herd of oryx, 18 00:02:55,684 --> 00:02:58,804 the only prey within 20 miles. 19 00:03:02,724 --> 00:03:06,604 Out here, there is no cover for an ambush. 20 00:03:06,684 --> 00:03:09,124 It will have to be a straight chase. 21 00:03:46,324 --> 00:03:48,204 They have failed, 22 00:03:48,284 --> 00:03:53,284 and each failed hunt brings the lions closer to starvation. 23 00:04:04,564 --> 00:04:06,484 To find enough to eat, 24 00:04:06,564 --> 00:04:11,564 the pride continually searches an area the size of Switzerland. 25 00:04:20,524 --> 00:04:24,404 Three days and 100 miles later, 26 00:04:24,484 --> 00:04:26,724 and still, no kill. 27 00:04:29,004 --> 00:04:31,844 These are desperate times. 28 00:04:35,324 --> 00:04:38,604 A dry riverbed on the edge of their territory. 29 00:04:41,724 --> 00:04:43,724 The only animals here are giraffe. 30 00:04:45,004 --> 00:04:47,924 But these one-tonne giants could kill a lion 31 00:04:48,004 --> 00:04:50,084 with a single kick. 32 00:05:02,844 --> 00:05:05,924 Lions seldom tackle such formidable prey. 33 00:05:09,204 --> 00:05:11,724 But this pride can't go on much longer 34 00:05:12,444 --> 00:05:14,324 without food. 35 00:05:41,924 --> 00:05:44,044 The whole pride must work together as a team, 36 00:05:44,124 --> 00:05:46,124 if they're to succeed. 37 00:06:14,284 --> 00:06:16,404 Two lionesses lead the chase. 38 00:06:16,484 --> 00:06:20,164 Others race to cut off possible escape routes. 39 00:06:36,484 --> 00:06:41,244 The giraffe has the speed and stamina to outrun the pride. 40 00:06:42,364 --> 00:06:45,684 But it's being chased into a trap. 41 00:06:47,644 --> 00:06:50,764 Up ahead, the lead female waits. 42 00:07:01,324 --> 00:07:03,044 It's now up to her. 43 00:07:22,084 --> 00:07:25,324 Most lion hunts end in failure. 44 00:07:26,604 --> 00:07:31,684 But no lions fail more often than those that live in the desert. 45 00:07:34,884 --> 00:07:36,204 Once again, 46 00:07:36,284 --> 00:07:39,364 the pride must continue their search. 47 00:08:03,324 --> 00:08:07,684 It does sometimes rain in the desert. 48 00:08:10,444 --> 00:08:12,324 Here in the American West, 49 00:08:12,404 --> 00:08:16,244 storms can strike with devastating force. 50 00:08:21,484 --> 00:08:24,884 After 10 months of drought, millions of tons of water 51 00:08:24,964 --> 00:08:28,444 are dumped on the land in under an hour. 52 00:09:17,844 --> 00:09:19,364 Over millions of years, 53 00:09:19,444 --> 00:09:22,804 sand and gravel carried by the rampaging floods 54 00:09:22,884 --> 00:09:26,204 have carved channels through the solid rock. 55 00:09:30,884 --> 00:09:34,804 Salt canyons, 150 feet deep. 56 00:10:06,924 --> 00:10:09,844 In some places, these canyons have widened 57 00:10:09,924 --> 00:10:16,324 until the land between them is sculpted into table lands and isolated pinnacles, 58 00:10:16,404 --> 00:10:20,204 some of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet. 59 00:10:36,924 --> 00:10:38,844 The rain may be long gone, 60 00:10:40,564 --> 00:10:42,204 but there is water here, 61 00:10:44,204 --> 00:10:48,644 locked away within the tissues of specialist desert plants. 62 00:10:50,764 --> 00:10:54,324 Cacti are unique to American deserts. 63 00:10:56,364 --> 00:11:00,804 They all hoard water, storing it in swollen stems, 64 00:11:00,884 --> 00:11:04,364 and protecting it behind a barricade of spines. 65 00:11:08,404 --> 00:11:12,124 They're so successful that they dominate these deserts. 66 00:11:14,564 --> 00:11:16,444 But this forest of spikes 67 00:11:16,524 --> 00:11:19,684 can cause problems for the animals that live here. 68 00:11:27,444 --> 00:11:28,964 A Harris's hawk. 69 00:11:32,204 --> 00:11:36,524 It has developed special techniques for hunting amongst the cacti. 70 00:11:42,684 --> 00:11:44,484 Ground squirrels. 71 00:11:44,564 --> 00:11:45,724 Prey. 72 00:11:53,924 --> 00:11:57,604 At the first sign of danger, they bolt for the safety of the thorns. 73 00:12:07,564 --> 00:12:10,404 But the hawks have a tactic to flush them out. 74 00:12:13,844 --> 00:12:17,404 These are the only birds of prey that hunt in packs. 75 00:12:20,124 --> 00:12:21,364 Flying in formation, 76 00:12:21,444 --> 00:12:24,484 they try to drive their quarry into the open. 77 00:12:35,604 --> 00:12:37,604 But this squirrel is staying put. 78 00:12:44,484 --> 00:12:47,164 So now the hawks continue the hunt 79 00:12:48,244 --> 00:12:49,644 on foot. 80 00:12:57,404 --> 00:13:00,124 They're closing in from all sides. 81 00:13:21,684 --> 00:13:25,044 Soon, all escape routes are cut off. 82 00:13:29,324 --> 00:13:30,844 The squirrel is trapped. 83 00:13:42,044 --> 00:13:45,404 The spines that cover almost every plant in this desert 84 00:13:45,484 --> 00:13:49,244 can provide protection and shelter for many animals. 85 00:13:57,084 --> 00:14:02,044 So, why should these spikes be hung with corpses? 86 00:14:08,604 --> 00:14:10,764 What kind of creature could be responsible 87 00:14:10,844 --> 00:14:13,204 for creating such a gruesome scene? 88 00:14:22,764 --> 00:14:26,964 There's a mysterious killer at work in this desert. 89 00:14:33,804 --> 00:14:35,484 It's a butcher bird. 90 00:14:37,404 --> 00:14:43,044 This little song bird uses the spines as a butcher uses his hook, 91 00:14:43,124 --> 00:14:46,084 to hold its prey as it dismembers it. 92 00:14:56,324 --> 00:15:00,924 And with chicks to feed, he also uses the spines as a larder. 93 00:15:06,404 --> 00:15:09,204 He's been stocking it for weeks. 94 00:15:12,284 --> 00:15:15,764 Hanging his prey out of the reach of scavengers on the ground 95 00:15:15,844 --> 00:15:19,884 ensures that his newly-hatched young will never go hungry. 96 00:15:20,924 --> 00:15:22,604 An ingenious solution 97 00:15:22,684 --> 00:15:26,444 to making the good times last in the desert, 98 00:15:29,044 --> 00:15:30,484 if a little macabre. 99 00:15:39,964 --> 00:15:42,204 Some deserts are so arid, 100 00:15:42,284 --> 00:15:46,004 they appear totally devoid of all vegetation. 101 00:15:48,604 --> 00:15:50,444 Yet even these landscapes 102 00:15:50,524 --> 00:15:51,844 can be transformed 103 00:15:51,924 --> 00:15:53,324 in a matter of days. 104 00:16:04,364 --> 00:16:08,604 The deserts of Peru are amongst the driest in the world. 105 00:16:08,684 --> 00:16:10,604 But just add a little water, 106 00:16:10,684 --> 00:16:13,364 and plants that have lain dormant for months 107 00:16:13,444 --> 00:16:15,524 will burst into life. 108 00:16:32,164 --> 00:16:34,884 And when a desert suddenly turns green, 109 00:16:34,964 --> 00:16:37,204 even the most seemingly desolate 110 00:16:37,924 --> 00:16:40,804 can become a land of opportunity. 111 00:16:52,804 --> 00:16:56,324 No creature exploits the greening of a desert more quickly, 112 00:16:56,404 --> 00:16:57,884 or more dramatically, 113 00:16:57,964 --> 00:16:59,364 than a locust. 114 00:17:08,124 --> 00:17:10,364 Madagascar's arid southwest 115 00:17:10,444 --> 00:17:13,684 has received its highest rainfall in years. 116 00:17:19,404 --> 00:17:21,964 Now, an army is on the march, 117 00:17:22,044 --> 00:17:25,244 attracted by the smell of newly-sprouting grass. 118 00:17:37,164 --> 00:17:39,644 Locusts are normally solitary creatures, 119 00:17:39,724 --> 00:17:42,164 but when food becomes suddenly plentiful, 120 00:17:42,244 --> 00:17:45,484 they come together into an unstoppable force 121 00:17:45,564 --> 00:17:47,804 that devours everything in its path. 122 00:18:06,484 --> 00:18:11,164 But this devastation is about to get a lot worse. 123 00:18:22,724 --> 00:18:26,484 The locusts now transform into winged adults. 124 00:18:27,444 --> 00:18:29,404 And with conditions as good as this, 125 00:18:29,484 --> 00:18:32,564 they do so three times faster than normal. 126 00:18:34,164 --> 00:18:36,924 Now, they are at their most voracious. 127 00:18:38,484 --> 00:18:41,804 And with wings, they can take to the skies. 128 00:19:06,444 --> 00:19:11,164 Once airborne, the locusts can travel over 60 miles a day 129 00:19:11,244 --> 00:19:13,764 in their search for new feeding grounds. 130 00:19:27,284 --> 00:19:31,924 A super-swarm of this scale may only appear once in a decade. 131 00:19:33,284 --> 00:19:37,044 This one extends over 200 square miles 132 00:19:37,124 --> 00:19:39,884 and contains several billion individuals. 133 00:19:41,044 --> 00:19:46,084 Between them, they will devour 40, 000 tonnes of food in a day. 134 00:20:21,364 --> 00:20:25,244 Nothing can strip a land of its vegetation with such speed 135 00:20:25,324 --> 00:20:29,124 and thoroughness as a plague of locusts. 136 00:20:31,644 --> 00:20:35,524 When the food eventually runs out, the whole army will die. 137 00:20:36,724 --> 00:20:40,044 But not before it's devastated the land. 138 00:20:54,204 --> 00:20:56,004 With no plants to bind them, 139 00:20:56,084 --> 00:21:00,484 thin soils soon turn to dust and blow away. 140 00:21:07,124 --> 00:21:12,244 Now, these barren lands are left to the mercy of the elements. 141 00:21:28,564 --> 00:21:33,164 Scorched by the sun and scoured by windblown sand, 142 00:21:33,804 --> 00:21:39,044 desert rock is shaped into strange, otherworldly landscapes. 143 00:21:45,124 --> 00:21:49,164 These rocky deserts may have a beguiling beauty, 144 00:21:49,244 --> 00:21:53,684 but when they become this barren, very little life can endure. 145 00:21:59,964 --> 00:22:01,164 For many animals, 146 00:22:01,244 --> 00:22:04,044 the only way to survive the most hostile times 147 00:22:04,124 --> 00:22:05,604 is to keep moving. 148 00:22:13,124 --> 00:22:14,484 In the Kalahari, 149 00:22:14,564 --> 00:22:17,364 brief rains have given way to the dry season. 150 00:22:18,524 --> 00:22:22,324 Food and water are becoming increasingly scarce. 151 00:22:23,644 --> 00:22:26,804 For these zebra, it's time to leave. 152 00:22:38,964 --> 00:22:42,524 They are setting off on the longest over-land migration 153 00:22:42,604 --> 00:22:44,444 made by any mammal in Africa, 154 00:22:44,524 --> 00:22:49,084 marching towards the scent of distant rains. 155 00:22:52,244 --> 00:22:54,044 As drought intensifies, 156 00:22:54,124 --> 00:22:57,964 desert-living elephants must also undertake long journeys 157 00:22:58,044 --> 00:22:59,764 in search of water. 158 00:23:20,924 --> 00:23:25,244 The older females can remember where, even in times of extreme drought, 159 00:23:25,324 --> 00:23:27,524 there may still be water, 160 00:23:28,524 --> 00:23:30,324 and sometimes lead the herd 161 00:23:30,404 --> 00:23:33,684 to a waterhole they may not have visited for decades. 162 00:24:03,604 --> 00:24:07,124 These zebra are almost at the end of their journey. 163 00:24:14,284 --> 00:24:16,884 This is what they've been heading for. 164 00:24:20,684 --> 00:24:22,324 A rare waterhole. 165 00:24:32,604 --> 00:24:35,884 In deserts, most waterholes are short-lived. 166 00:24:35,964 --> 00:24:37,724 They appear after rains, 167 00:24:37,804 --> 00:24:40,724 but then vanish almost as quickly as they came. 168 00:24:47,564 --> 00:24:50,604 Animals have come here from many miles around. 169 00:24:55,644 --> 00:24:59,884 Yet, this can be a dangerous place in which to linger. 170 00:25:08,364 --> 00:25:11,844 Sixty miles away, in the heart of the desert, 171 00:25:11,924 --> 00:25:14,764 sandgrouse chicks are hatching. 172 00:25:14,844 --> 00:25:17,004 It's safer for them to be here. 173 00:25:21,804 --> 00:25:25,564 But being so distant from water is a gamble. 174 00:25:28,764 --> 00:25:31,364 With only their mother to shield them from the sun, 175 00:25:31,444 --> 00:25:33,164 if they get nothing to drink, 176 00:25:33,244 --> 00:25:35,644 they will be dead within hours. 177 00:25:43,844 --> 00:25:46,284 Their only hope is their father. 178 00:25:49,644 --> 00:25:53,364 Every morning, he makes the 120-mile round trip 179 00:25:53,444 --> 00:25:55,124 to get water for the family. 180 00:25:59,324 --> 00:26:02,804 Grouse from all over the desert visit this oasis, 181 00:26:02,884 --> 00:26:04,804 arriving together in large flocks. 182 00:26:06,124 --> 00:26:07,444 And that is important. 183 00:26:11,364 --> 00:26:13,364 There's safety in numbers. 184 00:26:28,324 --> 00:26:30,804 The male snatches a drink, 185 00:26:30,884 --> 00:26:33,804 but he also needs to collect water for his chicks. 186 00:26:35,324 --> 00:26:37,684 Using specially-adapted breast feathers, 187 00:26:37,764 --> 00:26:40,004 he can soak up water like a sponge. 188 00:26:41,484 --> 00:26:43,324 But it takes time, 189 00:26:43,404 --> 00:26:44,964 and he is in danger. 190 00:26:52,404 --> 00:26:53,724 Goshawk. 191 00:27:10,164 --> 00:27:12,764 Sandgrouse here are their main prey. 192 00:27:18,644 --> 00:27:20,324 Again and again, 193 00:27:20,404 --> 00:27:23,084 the male sandgrouse risk their lives 194 00:27:23,164 --> 00:27:25,524 in order to collect water for their chicks. 195 00:27:45,924 --> 00:27:50,844 This is why sandgrouse nest so far from waterholes. 196 00:28:14,084 --> 00:28:15,324 At last, 197 00:28:15,604 --> 00:28:17,644 he's soaked up as much as he can. 198 00:28:19,364 --> 00:28:22,044 Carrying a quarter of his bodyweight in water, 199 00:28:22,124 --> 00:28:25,804 he can now set off on the long journey home. 200 00:28:52,324 --> 00:28:55,244 He's back, and just in time. 201 00:28:56,444 --> 00:28:59,764 He can give the chicks their first-ever drink. 202 00:29:07,044 --> 00:29:10,164 But he will have to undertake this perilous journey 203 00:29:10,244 --> 00:29:12,884 every day for the next two months, 204 00:29:12,964 --> 00:29:14,004 until his chicks 205 00:29:14,084 --> 00:29:17,884 can finally make the flight to the waterhole for themselves. 206 00:29:29,924 --> 00:29:32,844 It's July in the deserts of Nevada 207 00:29:32,924 --> 00:29:34,724 in the western United States. 208 00:29:36,444 --> 00:29:38,164 The hottest time of the year. 209 00:29:52,204 --> 00:29:54,964 Bands of wild horses, mustang, 210 00:29:55,044 --> 00:29:59,284 are converging on one of the last remaining waterholes for miles. 211 00:30:04,684 --> 00:30:08,804 Now, water not only offers them the chance to drink. 212 00:30:08,884 --> 00:30:10,964 It can also bring power. 213 00:30:14,164 --> 00:30:17,204 If a stallion can control access to water, 214 00:30:17,284 --> 00:30:20,844 he will have secured mating rights to the entire herd. 215 00:30:22,044 --> 00:30:25,044 So stallions try to dominate these pools, 216 00:30:25,124 --> 00:30:27,804 fighting off rivals who venture too close. 217 00:30:40,844 --> 00:30:42,204 A stranger. 218 00:30:43,924 --> 00:30:47,124 He's travelled 10 miles to be here 219 00:30:47,204 --> 00:30:50,924 because the pools where he's come from have already dried up. 220 00:30:53,764 --> 00:30:55,844 With him come his females. 221 00:30:58,364 --> 00:31:00,124 If he can't provide them with water, 222 00:31:00,204 --> 00:31:02,564 they will leave him for the white stallion 223 00:31:02,644 --> 00:31:05,404 who already dominates this pool. 224 00:31:15,804 --> 00:31:18,004 So he will have to fight. 225 00:32:18,404 --> 00:32:20,284 There is everything to lose. 226 00:32:21,684 --> 00:32:26,884 A broken leg or a shattered jaw would mean a slow and painful death. 227 00:32:47,324 --> 00:32:49,204 A missed kick, 228 00:32:49,284 --> 00:32:50,524 and it's all over. 229 00:32:52,884 --> 00:32:55,444 The new arrival has won. 230 00:32:57,164 --> 00:33:00,804 And his prize is more than just a chance to drink. 231 00:33:01,444 --> 00:33:04,564 He has provided for his herd, and in the process, 232 00:33:04,644 --> 00:33:06,484 stolen his rival's females. 233 00:33:08,764 --> 00:33:11,484 The white stallion's rule is over. 234 00:33:18,924 --> 00:33:23,484 Desert life is not only shaped by the scarcity of water, 235 00:33:23,564 --> 00:33:26,444 but also by the relentless power 236 00:33:27,284 --> 00:33:28,804 of the sun. 237 00:33:34,724 --> 00:33:39,844 The highest temperatures on Earth have all been recorded in its deserts. 238 00:33:51,324 --> 00:33:52,804 Changes in the climate 239 00:33:52,884 --> 00:33:56,964 mean temperatures here are rising more than the global average. 240 00:33:57,044 --> 00:33:58,804 And as deserts heat up, 241 00:33:58,884 --> 00:34:00,804 they are also expanding. 242 00:34:02,884 --> 00:34:03,884 Every year, 243 00:34:03,964 --> 00:34:07,764 a further 50, 000 square miles of grass and farmland 244 00:34:07,844 --> 00:34:12,284 are turning into barren stretches of dust and rock. 245 00:34:17,444 --> 00:34:18,644 In the heat of the day, 246 00:34:18,724 --> 00:34:22,324 surface temperatures can reach 160 degrees, 247 00:34:22,764 --> 00:34:25,444 far too hot to handle for most. 248 00:34:27,804 --> 00:34:31,564 But not for this shovel-snouted lizard. 249 00:34:35,764 --> 00:34:38,204 Raising its feet off the ground in turn 250 00:34:41,724 --> 00:34:44,164 enables each to briefly cool. 251 00:34:50,244 --> 00:34:53,084 But even this dancing desert specialist 252 00:34:53,164 --> 00:34:55,164 can't stand the heat for long. 253 00:35:04,004 --> 00:35:06,764 One option is to find shade. 254 00:35:11,084 --> 00:35:15,404 Dune grass, the only vegetation here, provides virtually none. 255 00:35:16,604 --> 00:35:19,124 But just an inch beneath the surface of the sand, 256 00:35:19,204 --> 00:35:21,364 it is several degrees cooler. 257 00:35:29,244 --> 00:35:34,244 A voiding the extreme heat imposes a rhythm on desert life. 258 00:35:36,844 --> 00:35:40,684 And many animals here choose the simplest option of all, 259 00:35:43,524 --> 00:35:45,204 staying hidden all day 260 00:35:45,284 --> 00:35:48,204 and only venturing out in the cool of the night. 261 00:35:57,004 --> 00:35:58,924 As darkness falls, 262 00:35:59,004 --> 00:36:02,044 animals appear from seemingly nowhere. 263 00:36:08,924 --> 00:36:11,444 And among them, inevitably, 264 00:36:12,724 --> 00:36:13,964 are hunters. 265 00:36:28,844 --> 00:36:32,004 One of the most voracious nocturnal predators 266 00:36:32,084 --> 00:36:35,284 is also one of the hardest to see. 267 00:36:38,004 --> 00:36:39,724 This mysterious creature 268 00:36:39,804 --> 00:36:42,964 hardly ever appears on the surface of the dunes. 269 00:36:49,524 --> 00:36:53,324 But there are signs on the sand that can give it away. 270 00:37:07,004 --> 00:37:08,204 It lives only here, 271 00:37:08,284 --> 00:37:11,644 where the sand grains are so perfectly dry and polished 272 00:37:11,724 --> 00:37:14,164 that they flow almost like water. 273 00:37:17,404 --> 00:37:19,924 It's no bigger than a Ping-Pong ball. 274 00:37:24,364 --> 00:37:25,684 A golden mole. 275 00:37:26,884 --> 00:37:28,444 It's totally blind, 276 00:37:29,444 --> 00:37:32,204 but there's nothing to see underground anyway. 277 00:37:38,444 --> 00:37:41,204 Instead, it has superb hearing. 278 00:37:43,644 --> 00:37:46,364 Its entire head acts as an amplifier 279 00:37:46,444 --> 00:37:49,044 that picks up vibrations through the sand. 280 00:37:49,124 --> 00:37:52,324 So, to locate prey on the surface of the dune, 281 00:37:52,404 --> 00:37:56,844 it has, paradoxically, to thrust its face into the dune. 282 00:38:05,364 --> 00:38:07,044 Termites. 283 00:38:07,484 --> 00:38:09,724 Not easy to catch when you're blind. 284 00:38:13,764 --> 00:38:16,604 Far better to go into stealth mode. 285 00:38:18,284 --> 00:38:19,564 Once below the sand, 286 00:38:19,644 --> 00:38:22,284 it can detect the slightest movement, 287 00:38:25,844 --> 00:38:29,204 allowing it to strike with pinpoint accuracy. 288 00:38:38,484 --> 00:38:40,844 Well, most of the time. 289 00:38:53,124 --> 00:38:57,164 It can travel two-thirds of a mile a night in search of its dinner. 290 00:38:59,724 --> 00:39:04,084 And right now, it has just detected its main course. 291 00:39:05,524 --> 00:39:09,724 Little wonder it's sometimes called "the shark of the dunes". 292 00:39:17,804 --> 00:39:20,724 Food can be so scarce in the desert 293 00:39:20,804 --> 00:39:24,684 that even at night, animals can't afford to be choosy 294 00:39:24,764 --> 00:39:26,084 about what they eat. 295 00:39:32,204 --> 00:39:34,204 Israel's Negev Desert. 296 00:39:43,764 --> 00:39:46,484 Otonycteris, the desert long-eared bat, 297 00:39:47,244 --> 00:39:48,404 is on the hunt. 298 00:39:52,644 --> 00:39:55,204 Most bats catch flying insects on the wing. 299 00:39:56,044 --> 00:39:58,124 But there are so few of these in the desert 300 00:39:58,204 --> 00:40:00,724 that this bat must do things differently. 301 00:40:04,804 --> 00:40:07,084 It has to hunt on the ground. 302 00:40:14,324 --> 00:40:16,804 But what really sets it apart 303 00:40:16,884 --> 00:40:18,444 is what it's hunting. 304 00:40:26,124 --> 00:40:27,924 A deathstalker scorpion. 305 00:40:29,684 --> 00:40:34,044 The venom of this species is potent enough to kill a human. 306 00:40:35,724 --> 00:40:40,764 Tackling it seems madness for a bat weighing just half an ounce. 307 00:40:44,444 --> 00:40:45,484 In the pitch black, 308 00:40:45,564 --> 00:40:48,804 both predator and prey are effectively blind. 309 00:40:49,604 --> 00:40:51,924 But the scorpion has one advantage, 310 00:40:52,004 --> 00:40:56,524 he can sense the approach of the bat through vibrations in the sand. 311 00:41:00,084 --> 00:41:04,204 Otonycteris must rely entirely on its hearing. 312 00:41:05,404 --> 00:41:08,884 If the scorpion doesn't move, it won't know it's there. 313 00:41:23,564 --> 00:41:24,924 The battle is on. 314 00:41:27,684 --> 00:41:31,604 Armed with crushing pincers and a sting loaded with venom, 315 00:41:31,684 --> 00:41:34,244 this scorpion is a dangerous opponent. 316 00:41:47,444 --> 00:41:49,644 A direct strike on the head. 317 00:41:52,404 --> 00:41:53,644 Is it all over? 318 00:41:57,564 --> 00:41:59,444 Not for this bat. 319 00:42:14,564 --> 00:42:18,724 Otonycteris clearly has some immunity to the venom, 320 00:42:18,804 --> 00:42:23,244 but repeated stings must still be extraordinarily painful. 321 00:42:30,804 --> 00:42:32,724 And if the bat is not to go hungry, 322 00:42:32,804 --> 00:42:36,604 it must catch another three scorpions before sunrise. 323 00:43:04,724 --> 00:43:08,124 Desert animals have developed remarkable strategies 324 00:43:08,204 --> 00:43:10,644 to make the most of the rare opportunities 325 00:43:10,724 --> 00:43:12,164 that come their way. 326 00:43:13,884 --> 00:43:17,484 Although some deserts may not see rain for several years, 327 00:43:17,564 --> 00:43:21,404 most will hold a little water in one form or another. 328 00:43:22,204 --> 00:43:26,004 The trick is simply knowing how to reach it. 329 00:43:34,044 --> 00:43:37,244 Dawn in the dunes of the Namib, 330 00:43:37,324 --> 00:43:40,244 and something magical is happening. 331 00:43:58,284 --> 00:44:01,604 Moist air lying over the neighbouring Atlantic 332 00:44:01,684 --> 00:44:04,244 is cooled and blown inland, 333 00:44:04,324 --> 00:44:08,324 forming fog banks that shroud the desert in mist. 334 00:44:15,364 --> 00:44:17,084 This precious moisture 335 00:44:17,164 --> 00:44:21,364 lies tantalisingly out of reach at the top of the dunes, 336 00:44:21,444 --> 00:44:23,244 and it won't last long. 337 00:44:23,884 --> 00:44:27,964 It will be burnt off by the sun just hours after it rises. 338 00:44:43,444 --> 00:44:46,684 Darkling beetles race to the top of the dunes 339 00:44:46,764 --> 00:44:49,324 to reach the fog before it vanishes. 340 00:44:58,684 --> 00:45:02,724 Some of the Namib's dunes are a thousand feet high, 341 00:45:02,804 --> 00:45:04,244 the tallest in the world. 342 00:45:06,084 --> 00:45:08,364 For a beetle no larger than a thumbnail, 343 00:45:08,444 --> 00:45:11,484 this is the equivalent of us climbing a dune 344 00:45:11,564 --> 00:45:13,124 twice the height of Everest. 345 00:45:17,844 --> 00:45:19,844 But even more impressive 346 00:45:19,924 --> 00:45:21,484 is what it does next. 347 00:45:26,524 --> 00:45:29,764 Standing perfectly still, facing into the wind, 348 00:45:29,844 --> 00:45:32,164 the beetle does a headstand. 349 00:45:35,564 --> 00:45:38,244 Fog begins to condense on its body. 350 00:45:41,684 --> 00:45:44,084 Microscopic bumps on its wing cases 351 00:45:44,164 --> 00:45:47,804 direct the water to grooves that channel it towards the mouth. 352 00:45:53,484 --> 00:45:55,844 Before returning down the slip face, 353 00:45:55,924 --> 00:45:58,444 it will drink 40% of its body weight. 354 00:46:03,804 --> 00:46:04,924 This little beetle 355 00:46:05,004 --> 00:46:08,364 has learned how to conjure water out of the air 356 00:46:09,084 --> 00:46:11,684 in one of the driest places on Earth. 357 00:46:15,524 --> 00:46:18,724 And it's not alone on the top of the dunes. 358 00:46:25,204 --> 00:46:27,924 Web-footed geckos use a similar trick. 359 00:46:38,084 --> 00:46:41,964 Surely, few animals go to greater lengths to get a drink. 360 00:47:00,404 --> 00:47:04,444 Unfortunately, Namaqua chameleons know that on foggy mornings, 361 00:47:04,524 --> 00:47:09,204 the beetles coming down the dunes are juicier than those going up. 362 00:47:20,964 --> 00:47:22,524 The diversity of life 363 00:47:22,604 --> 00:47:25,804 that thrives in a world almost totally devoid of water 364 00:47:25,884 --> 00:47:28,044 is truly remarkable. 365 00:47:30,564 --> 00:47:31,964 Success in the desert 366 00:47:32,044 --> 00:47:36,084 depends on an extraordinary variety of survival strategies 367 00:47:36,164 --> 00:47:38,724 that have evolved over millions of years. 368 00:47:40,884 --> 00:47:43,244 But our planet is changing. 369 00:47:46,244 --> 00:47:50,244 The world's deserts are growing bigger, hotter and drier, 370 00:47:50,324 --> 00:47:53,164 and they're doing so faster than ever before. 371 00:47:54,724 --> 00:47:58,004 How life will cope here in the future 372 00:47:58,084 --> 00:48:00,004 remains to be seen. 373 00:48:16,524 --> 00:48:19,564 Finding animals in these vast, empty landscapes 374 00:48:19,644 --> 00:48:22,484 was a persistent problem for the desert team. 375 00:48:22,564 --> 00:48:25,764 But surely, this wouldn't be the case when they set out to film 376 00:48:25,844 --> 00:48:28,884 one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife on Earth. 377 00:48:31,964 --> 00:48:34,884 It can't be hard to find a billion locusts, 378 00:48:35,524 --> 00:48:36,764 can it? 379 00:48:39,644 --> 00:48:40,964 Okay. 380 00:48:41,964 --> 00:48:44,004 With news that freak rains have triggered 381 00:48:44,084 --> 00:48:47,804 a mass emergence of locusts in a remote part of Madagascar, 382 00:48:47,884 --> 00:48:50,004 the team sets off in pursuit. 383 00:48:54,044 --> 00:48:55,284 Over here. 384 00:48:57,324 --> 00:48:58,804 We've got some young hopper locusts 385 00:48:58,884 --> 00:49:00,524 just crossing the road in front of us here. 386 00:49:00,604 --> 00:49:02,884 Just had to stop the cars. Here they are, here. 387 00:49:02,964 --> 00:49:04,204 On the side of the road, look. 388 00:49:04,924 --> 00:49:06,284 Looks promising, 389 00:49:06,964 --> 00:49:09,164 but though finding hoppers is easy, 390 00:49:09,324 --> 00:49:11,484 filming them proves more of a challenge. 391 00:49:11,804 --> 00:49:14,604 Can we rethink this? 'Cause it's not really working. 392 00:49:14,924 --> 00:49:16,604 The locust are rarely skipping. 393 00:49:16,684 --> 00:49:19,204 Any kind of movement, they just freak out. 394 00:49:19,284 --> 00:49:21,004 So we're now doing our best locust-herding techniques 395 00:49:21,084 --> 00:49:23,124 to try and get them to go in front of the lens, 396 00:49:23,204 --> 00:49:25,884 which is, uh, proving harder than anticipated. 397 00:49:34,884 --> 00:49:38,644 This is my Monday morning locust-herding jazz hands. 398 00:49:55,884 --> 00:49:57,684 Ah, what's that? 399 00:49:57,764 --> 00:49:59,164 It's a wasp nest. 400 00:50:03,444 --> 00:50:06,764 Soon, the crew find themselves surrounded by locusts. 401 00:50:06,844 --> 00:50:09,644 No need for jazz hands now. 402 00:50:13,364 --> 00:50:14,644 It's a good start, 403 00:50:14,724 --> 00:50:17,404 but the team still need to film the winged swarms 404 00:50:17,484 --> 00:50:19,244 that complete the story. 405 00:50:23,244 --> 00:50:26,884 But, once airborne, they can travel 60 miles a day, 406 00:50:26,964 --> 00:50:29,204 so finding a swarm won't be easy. 407 00:50:32,724 --> 00:50:36,324 Fortunately, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation 408 00:50:36,404 --> 00:50:38,164 are here, too, to help. 409 00:50:42,284 --> 00:50:45,604 The FAO are on a mission to eradicate the plagues 410 00:50:45,684 --> 00:50:48,044 decimating crops across Madagascar. 411 00:50:49,524 --> 00:50:51,964 And if anyone knows where the locusts are, 412 00:50:53,284 --> 00:50:56,164 it's the local expert, Hasibelo. 413 00:50:56,764 --> 00:50:59,564 He thinks that they are moving in this way. 414 00:51:01,964 --> 00:51:04,404 Time to go swarm-chasing. 415 00:51:07,244 --> 00:51:09,844 But "chasing" is the operative word. 416 00:51:10,684 --> 00:51:13,844 The locusts always seem one step ahead. 417 00:51:15,564 --> 00:51:16,884 It's amazing, really, 418 00:51:16,964 --> 00:51:19,884 'cause this plan is just completely radically changing hour by hour. 419 00:51:20,284 --> 00:51:24,164 We now have to travel several hours further north, which is, uh, 420 00:51:24,244 --> 00:51:25,484 - a bit of a pain. - It's a bit of a pain. 421 00:51:29,724 --> 00:51:31,804 As they venture into the unknown, 422 00:51:31,884 --> 00:51:34,684 it's clear it's been a very wet year, indeed. 423 00:51:41,444 --> 00:51:43,044 Traffic is one thing, 424 00:51:43,124 --> 00:51:45,764 but boats on the road? 425 00:51:45,844 --> 00:51:47,684 It's, uh, unconventional traffic. 426 00:51:47,764 --> 00:51:49,044 Yeah, it is. 427 00:51:52,204 --> 00:51:55,644 Progress is slow, and soon stops altogether. 428 00:52:01,484 --> 00:52:03,884 The locusts are just across the water, 429 00:52:03,964 --> 00:52:06,084 so the team must follow, 430 00:52:08,204 --> 00:52:09,364 on this. 431 00:52:11,804 --> 00:52:13,724 What could possibly go wrong? 432 00:52:19,244 --> 00:52:21,124 We're now stuck on, uh, 433 00:52:21,204 --> 00:52:23,204 possibly the world's most antiquated raft, 434 00:52:23,284 --> 00:52:25,404 trying to cross a very fast-flowing river. 435 00:52:26,124 --> 00:52:28,644 But, onwards and upwards. 436 00:52:28,724 --> 00:52:31,684 Um, we've now got an hour-long river-crossing and, uh, 437 00:52:31,764 --> 00:52:33,404 we'll just have to see what's on the other side. 438 00:52:50,764 --> 00:52:52,324 With the river behind them, 439 00:52:52,404 --> 00:52:54,524 it should be plain sailing. 440 00:52:58,084 --> 00:53:01,844 But once across, the team discovers that, yet again, 441 00:53:01,924 --> 00:53:04,044 the locusts are nowhere to be seen. 442 00:53:11,204 --> 00:53:13,044 And after two weeks on the road, 443 00:53:13,124 --> 00:53:16,364 the local street food is beginning to take its toll. 444 00:53:17,244 --> 00:53:18,724 Got it under control. 445 00:53:20,524 --> 00:53:23,124 So, Ed's not very well. 446 00:53:23,644 --> 00:53:25,684 Been yakking up and... 447 00:53:25,764 --> 00:53:27,804 And not very nice stomach. 448 00:53:28,604 --> 00:53:32,084 We just need to do whatever it takes now to get us to where the swarms are. 449 00:53:33,524 --> 00:53:36,124 The next day, the team forges on. 450 00:53:37,844 --> 00:53:39,084 Briefly. 451 00:53:43,444 --> 00:53:44,644 Here's Joel. 452 00:53:45,724 --> 00:53:47,484 - I'm tired. - What do we think? Yeah? 453 00:53:48,604 --> 00:53:49,684 No? 454 00:53:50,284 --> 00:53:53,364 The road has turned into a bog. 455 00:53:53,444 --> 00:53:55,484 The cars can go no further. 456 00:53:55,924 --> 00:53:57,644 We need to cross this area of water 457 00:53:58,284 --> 00:54:01,804 to get to the savannah and find our locust swarms. 458 00:54:01,884 --> 00:54:04,044 Um, and it's amazing to think 459 00:54:04,124 --> 00:54:07,724 that with the combined might of the United Nations and the BBC, 460 00:54:07,804 --> 00:54:11,364 we are eventually defeated by a puddle. 461 00:54:12,684 --> 00:54:14,284 Back to the drawing board. 462 00:54:19,204 --> 00:54:22,004 Once again, it's Hasibelo to the rescue. 463 00:54:23,884 --> 00:54:25,204 Well, we have a plan. 464 00:54:28,724 --> 00:54:30,724 Taking to the air was never on the cards, 465 00:54:30,804 --> 00:54:33,644 but thanks to the FAO's helicopter, 466 00:54:33,724 --> 00:54:37,044 the team can now play the locusts at their own game. 467 00:55:01,044 --> 00:55:02,524 More smoke? 468 00:55:05,884 --> 00:55:09,204 This time, it's a billion locusts. 469 00:55:17,324 --> 00:55:20,484 And one very relieved producer. 470 00:55:36,764 --> 00:55:40,564 Against the odds, the team has located a super-swarm. 471 00:55:58,524 --> 00:56:00,284 This is exactly what we've been looking for. 472 00:56:00,364 --> 00:56:03,084 We've driven halfway across Madagascar 473 00:56:03,164 --> 00:56:04,804 to one of the most remote parts there is. 474 00:56:04,884 --> 00:56:08,364 Oh, it's just been a nightmare, but finally, we're here. 475 00:56:08,444 --> 00:56:11,284 I mean, this is the biggest swarm we could have even hoped for. 476 00:56:11,364 --> 00:56:14,244 - It's just amazing. - Look here. I'm gonna film here. 477 00:56:16,484 --> 00:56:19,684 It's incredibly exhilarating and yet totally shocking 478 00:56:19,764 --> 00:56:22,724 to think the devastation that swarms like this are causing. 479 00:56:23,044 --> 00:56:25,964 It just makes you realise how important the FAO are 480 00:56:26,044 --> 00:56:27,684 in getting this under control. 481 00:56:32,204 --> 00:56:33,644 Just gonna run through it. 482 00:56:33,724 --> 00:56:35,404 I should be naked for this, but... 483 00:56:50,604 --> 00:56:53,124 Thankfully, Rob kept his clothes on, 484 00:56:53,204 --> 00:56:57,204 and more importantly, this plague has now been halted. 485 00:56:57,284 --> 00:56:59,284 But not before the team had witnessed 486 00:56:59,364 --> 00:57:02,644 one of the biggest swarms ever recorded on film. 487 00:57:15,644 --> 00:57:18,804 Next time, we journey to the world's Great Plains. 488 00:57:19,884 --> 00:57:22,804 Where spectacular gatherings of wildlife 489 00:57:22,884 --> 00:57:25,004 cope with extreme change. 490 00:57:28,044 --> 00:57:30,124 And surprising creatures survive 491 00:57:30,204 --> 00:57:31,964 in unexpected ways.