1
00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000
Downloaded from
YTS.MX
2
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000
Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
3
00:00:18,435 --> 00:00:20,437
(SOFT SONG PLAYING)
4
00:00:25,150 --> 00:00:28,070
JEREMY SISTO: Botswana in Southern Africa,
5
00:00:28,737 --> 00:00:32,241
home to a third of all Africa's elephants
6
00:00:32,324 --> 00:00:36,954
and the last place on Earth where they are
free to roam vast distances,
7
00:00:37,037 --> 00:00:38,997
as all elephants once did.
8
00:00:42,835 --> 00:00:46,129
Disneynature's documentary film, Elephant,
9
00:00:46,213 --> 00:00:49,466
will tell the story
of these epic journeys.
10
00:00:49,550 --> 00:00:50,551
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
11
00:00:55,681 --> 00:00:59,810
Behind the scenes, the crew's journey
was also underway
12
00:00:59,893 --> 00:01:04,189
as they followed the elephants
on a thousand-mile round trip,
13
00:01:04,273 --> 00:01:07,150
through some of Africa's
most hostile places.
14
00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:10,571
(WIND WHOOSHING)
15
00:01:10,654 --> 00:01:12,573
(ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING)
16
00:01:15,117 --> 00:01:17,452
By following them on their road trip,
17
00:01:17,536 --> 00:01:20,706
the crew would gain
an entirely new perspective
18
00:01:20,789 --> 00:01:23,250
on these remarkable creatures.
19
00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:25,669
MARK LINFIELD: Why the elephant road trip?
20
00:01:25,752 --> 00:01:29,214
I think it's
because the amazing migration
21
00:01:29,298 --> 00:01:32,634
that these elephants undertake
hasn't been shown before.
22
00:01:34,094 --> 00:01:37,639
And also the challenges
that these elephants face along the way
23
00:01:37,723 --> 00:01:39,975
bring out the best in our elephants
24
00:01:40,058 --> 00:01:42,644
and, obviously,
the journey itself is stunning.
25
00:01:43,478 --> 00:01:46,648
You have three, four,
five countries all together
26
00:01:46,732 --> 00:01:48,984
through which the elephants can move
27
00:01:49,067 --> 00:01:51,069
through this amazing area
of southern Africa.
28
00:01:51,153 --> 00:01:53,447
It's a chance for people
to see a part of the world
29
00:01:53,530 --> 00:01:55,324
they might not have seen before.
30
00:01:56,074 --> 00:01:58,035
SISTO: The entire
southern third of Africa
31
00:01:58,118 --> 00:02:00,913
is covered by the giant Kalahari Desert.
32
00:02:03,332 --> 00:02:05,125
The first challenge for the crew
33
00:02:05,209 --> 00:02:08,420
was going to be finding elephants
in this vast wilderness.
34
00:02:10,214 --> 00:02:14,301
But there is one special place
where elephants gather every year.
35
00:02:15,719 --> 00:02:20,724
Seasonal rains flow into the desert,
creating the Okavango Delta
36
00:02:21,433 --> 00:02:23,936
and the starting point of our journey.
37
00:02:24,561 --> 00:02:25,979
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
38
00:02:37,115 --> 00:02:39,117
(ANIMALS CALLING)
39
00:02:40,661 --> 00:02:44,414
SISTO: Our film crew wanted to get
one step ahead of the elephants,
40
00:02:44,498 --> 00:02:48,919
so they called upon local
wildlife filmmaker Mike Holding,
41
00:02:49,002 --> 00:02:52,756
who has over two decades of experience
in the delta.
42
00:02:53,966 --> 00:02:56,718
Mike's role would be finding
and filming elephants,
43
00:02:56,802 --> 00:03:01,306
as well as sorting out the sheer logistics
of this massive expedition.
44
00:03:05,269 --> 00:03:07,688
(MIKE HOLDING SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY
ON RADIO)
45
00:03:10,858 --> 00:03:13,861
HOLDING: You're talking about a vast area.
Ten-thousand square kilometers.
46
00:03:13,944 --> 00:03:15,904
It's really like a needle in a haystack
47
00:03:15,988 --> 00:03:21,702
trying to find eles and other animals
in that mosaic of water and islands.
48
00:03:23,203 --> 00:03:25,956
So, one of the reasons we spend
a lot of time in the plane,
49
00:03:26,039 --> 00:03:28,625
in the air, looking at the movement
of the flood is
50
00:03:28,709 --> 00:03:31,003
it's how we can see
51
00:03:31,086 --> 00:03:33,172
where the different movements
and changes happen
52
00:03:33,255 --> 00:03:35,090
and where the animals start to congregate.
53
00:03:38,135 --> 00:03:40,345
(ON RADIO) I could do this
for the rest of my days.
54
00:03:40,429 --> 00:03:43,140
Flying over the delta
is one of the most amazing things.
55
00:03:44,641 --> 00:03:46,727
Anybody who's ever flown over the Okavango
56
00:03:46,810 --> 00:03:48,854
will tell you
this is absolutely the way to see it
57
00:03:48,937 --> 00:03:51,190
because you really get
a sense of the scale.
58
00:03:51,273 --> 00:03:53,650
The massive unspoiled wilderness
and just sheer beauty,
59
00:03:53,734 --> 00:03:55,360
it's absolutely spectacular.
60
00:03:59,740 --> 00:04:02,826
SISTO: Mike's first challenge
is to choose a location for the crew
61
00:04:02,910 --> 00:04:05,704
to camp that is close
to the elephant action,
62
00:04:05,787 --> 00:04:07,873
but not impossible to reach.
63
00:04:09,041 --> 00:04:12,961
HOLDING: There are no roads around here.
There's very little mapping information.
64
00:04:13,045 --> 00:04:15,756
So, the plane is incredibly useful,
65
00:04:15,839 --> 00:04:18,425
really to identify a route in
for the vehicles
66
00:04:18,509 --> 00:04:20,886
and which way we can go,
which rivers we have to cross,
67
00:04:20,969 --> 00:04:22,012
where it's too deep,
68
00:04:22,095 --> 00:04:24,515
and then we try and put that into practice
on the ground.
69
00:04:25,182 --> 00:04:27,309
HOLDING: (ON RADIO)
But, you know, it's pretty tricky
70
00:04:27,392 --> 00:04:30,229
because there's a lot of water on the road
to get up here,
71
00:04:30,312 --> 00:04:33,148
so when the trucks and the convoy
and everybody, you know,
72
00:04:33,232 --> 00:04:35,984
set out to come and find this camp,
73
00:04:36,068 --> 00:04:38,612
they're in for a few challenges
and surprises on the way.
74
00:04:41,949 --> 00:04:45,202
SISTO: Getting the crew
and five tons of camera gear
75
00:04:45,285 --> 00:04:47,746
into the heart of the Okavango Delta
76
00:04:47,829 --> 00:04:51,250
was going to need
some serious custom-built transport.
77
00:04:51,333 --> 00:04:53,335
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
78
00:05:06,390 --> 00:05:10,310
The crew call
these mean-looking machines swamp trucks.
79
00:05:13,397 --> 00:05:15,148
The mission for day one,
80
00:05:15,232 --> 00:05:19,152
to reach the heart of the delta
and set up camp before nightfall.
81
00:05:20,988 --> 00:05:24,199
And now, the adventure begins.
82
00:05:33,500 --> 00:05:36,128
This is the bottom of the delta.
83
00:05:36,211 --> 00:05:39,882
Just, uh...
Just about 20 kilometers from Maun.
84
00:05:44,094 --> 00:05:45,721
DUNCAN ROWLES: Yeah. Straight, straight.
85
00:05:45,804 --> 00:05:49,683
SISTO: It wasn't long before
the swamp trucks were put to the test.
86
00:05:49,766 --> 00:05:52,519
Okay, that was basically
the first of five crossings
87
00:05:52,603 --> 00:05:54,313
that we're gonna be doing.
88
00:05:54,396 --> 00:05:55,689
Potentially the shallowest one.
89
00:05:55,772 --> 00:05:57,232
(CHUCKLES)
90
00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:00,152
The deepest crossing, they say,
91
00:06:00,235 --> 00:06:03,530
pushes water through the gear lever notch
inside the truck.
92
00:06:03,614 --> 00:06:06,909
That would mean
the water level would be about here.
93
00:06:13,540 --> 00:06:14,917
We've got the six-wheeler truck
94
00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:16,960
which is gonna pull us
through this crossing.
95
00:06:17,044 --> 00:06:19,421
'Cause we're hitching each vehicle,
96
00:06:19,505 --> 00:06:21,840
basically creating
like a long snake of vehicles.
97
00:06:23,759 --> 00:06:26,136
We'll have vehicles switched off
98
00:06:26,220 --> 00:06:30,015
and we're gonna block up the exhausts,
lift up everything on to the roofs.
99
00:06:30,098 --> 00:06:31,558
The trucks will haul us through.
100
00:06:31,642 --> 00:06:33,185
TANIA JENKINS: What's going on out there?
101
00:06:34,561 --> 00:06:35,896
(LAUGHS)
102
00:06:35,979 --> 00:06:37,689
That's not a good question.
103
00:06:51,370 --> 00:06:53,539
Whoo! Here we go swimming.
104
00:06:53,622 --> 00:06:55,374
Everything is completely underwater.
105
00:07:00,420 --> 00:07:03,173
JENKINS: You're just showing off.
You need to drive like that?
106
00:07:03,257 --> 00:07:05,467
Wow! Hey!
107
00:07:08,554 --> 00:07:09,972
-JENKINS: Wow.
-Wow.
108
00:07:10,430 --> 00:07:12,266
That was an experience.
109
00:07:12,349 --> 00:07:13,767
(LAUGHS)
110
00:07:13,851 --> 00:07:16,478
Shaky, shaky, but I'm okay.
111
00:07:19,982 --> 00:07:23,068
SISTO: As the rest of the crew rush ahead
to make camp,
112
00:07:23,151 --> 00:07:27,906
cameraman Martyn Colbeck
and expert guide Presley Mbeha
113
00:07:27,990 --> 00:07:29,783
are stopped in their tracks.
114
00:07:29,867 --> 00:07:32,369
(ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING)
115
00:07:32,452 --> 00:07:36,081
Out of nowhere,
a family of elephants appears.
116
00:07:36,164 --> 00:07:39,459
They're highly agitated
but it's not clear why.
117
00:07:42,045 --> 00:07:43,255
It's pandemonium.
118
00:07:43,797 --> 00:07:46,091
(ELEPHANT ROARS)
119
00:07:46,175 --> 00:07:50,470
We've got lots of excitement here,
lots of... Oh, that's lovely.
120
00:07:51,805 --> 00:07:52,806
Wow.
121
00:07:55,017 --> 00:07:57,477
SISTO: And then all becomes clear.
122
00:08:00,355 --> 00:08:02,608
COLBECK: We've just found a newborn baby
123
00:08:02,691 --> 00:08:05,485
and it's staggering around,
it can hardly walk.
124
00:08:06,195 --> 00:08:09,448
Probably born, I don't know,
three or four hours ago.
125
00:08:11,700 --> 00:08:13,744
It's really, really young.
126
00:08:13,827 --> 00:08:16,330
(CHUCKLES) That's amazing. It is lovely.
127
00:08:19,416 --> 00:08:21,752
SISTO: The crew draw
on their decades of experience
128
00:08:21,835 --> 00:08:24,379
to film without disturbing them.
129
00:08:24,463 --> 00:08:26,048
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
130
00:08:26,131 --> 00:08:30,052
COLBECK: The problem I've got, is A,
there's a big bull in the way. (CHUCKLES)
131
00:08:30,135 --> 00:08:32,804
It's okay, it's okay.
132
00:08:34,515 --> 00:08:38,143
The problem I've got is that this grass
is very, very long.
133
00:08:38,227 --> 00:08:39,937
So it's very, very hard to see the baby.
134
00:08:42,940 --> 00:08:45,817
This male is being a real pest.
135
00:08:45,901 --> 00:08:47,528
(ELEPHANT GROWLING)
136
00:08:47,611 --> 00:08:50,614
SISTO: While the bull
was clearly annoying the new mother,
137
00:08:50,697 --> 00:08:53,575
the fact that she was happy to stay close
to the vehicle
138
00:08:53,659 --> 00:08:56,161
was a good omen for filming in the delta.
139
00:09:00,165 --> 00:09:01,208
COLBECK: It's okay.
140
00:09:02,251 --> 00:09:04,211
Everyone's very excited here.
141
00:09:05,462 --> 00:09:07,631
We got the rest of the family behind us.
142
00:09:08,507 --> 00:09:11,593
What's really interesting is that
she's using the car as protection.
143
00:09:11,677 --> 00:09:13,804
She's trying to get away from this male.
144
00:09:17,182 --> 00:09:18,642
And there's the baby.
145
00:09:19,351 --> 00:09:21,603
Oh, that's very sweet, look at that.
146
00:09:21,979 --> 00:09:24,857
(ELEPHANT GROWLING)
147
00:09:24,940 --> 00:09:29,903
You can tell by the pink ears,
it hasn't got particularly pink eyes.
148
00:09:32,698 --> 00:09:34,116
That's very sweet.
149
00:09:34,199 --> 00:09:35,909
And I can see the umbilical cord.
150
00:09:38,036 --> 00:09:39,746
Oh, look at that.
151
00:09:40,497 --> 00:09:42,457
SISTO: A great start to the shoot.
152
00:09:42,541 --> 00:09:45,377
An elephant encounter
before they'd even arrived at camp.
153
00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,465
And a rare chance to film the first steps
of a newborn.
154
00:09:56,597 --> 00:10:00,684
On the road ahead, the rest of the team
were having far less luck.
155
00:10:01,185 --> 00:10:05,105
So basically, we've just got
three vehicles stuck now.
156
00:10:06,148 --> 00:10:09,026
Literally, five minutes ago
we had a trailer unhitch itself
157
00:10:09,109 --> 00:10:10,110
and land upside down.
158
00:10:10,194 --> 00:10:11,195
Go!
159
00:10:11,278 --> 00:10:13,447
It's just getting
a little bit frustrating.
160
00:10:13,530 --> 00:10:14,615
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
161
00:10:14,698 --> 00:10:16,074
ROWLES: We just gotta keep going,
162
00:10:16,158 --> 00:10:18,452
this is what making elephant films
is all about.
163
00:10:18,535 --> 00:10:20,120
Hurry! Go, go, go, go.
164
00:10:23,373 --> 00:10:26,460
SISTO: After 15 hours on the road,
165
00:10:26,543 --> 00:10:29,338
the front of the convoy
finally drew into the site
166
00:10:29,421 --> 00:10:30,923
Mike had located for their camp.
167
00:10:32,549 --> 00:10:36,970
This remote island
was to be home for the next six weeks.
168
00:10:37,054 --> 00:10:40,182
Mike gave me this point from his flight.
169
00:10:40,265 --> 00:10:43,352
So, he gave me this as a GPS point
of where he wanted the camp to be.
170
00:10:43,435 --> 00:10:45,270
(ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING)
171
00:10:46,980 --> 00:10:48,732
SISTO: The camp was all set up,
172
00:10:48,815 --> 00:10:51,860
but the elephant filming had delayed
the rest of the crew.
173
00:10:53,070 --> 00:10:55,113
Would they make it before nightfall?
174
00:10:55,197 --> 00:10:57,032
Tell my mother I love her.
175
00:11:01,578 --> 00:11:04,665
We've absolutely no idea
what's gonna happen up in front...
176
00:11:04,748 --> 00:11:06,583
And we've still got 50 kilometers
to go.
177
00:11:09,670 --> 00:11:14,633
SISTO: And driving 50 kilometers
in the delta can take an hour or all day.
178
00:11:16,426 --> 00:11:17,719
We were trying out to get out
179
00:11:17,803 --> 00:11:19,888
and couldn't,
so we decided to use the winch.
180
00:11:19,972 --> 00:11:21,181
Yeah, good.
181
00:11:21,265 --> 00:11:23,934
And then when we were winding it back in,
the screw came out.
182
00:11:24,017 --> 00:11:27,020
You see it?
Which holds the actual cable in place.
183
00:11:28,272 --> 00:11:30,649
So we had to take the whole thing out
184
00:11:30,732 --> 00:11:32,943
and then try and manipulate the metal.
185
00:11:33,026 --> 00:11:36,905
Luckily, I've got delicate fingers
and surgery was successful.
186
00:11:38,323 --> 00:11:40,826
Now we see if it pays off.
187
00:11:47,249 --> 00:11:49,251
SISTO: No, it's gonna take them all day.
188
00:11:50,210 --> 00:11:51,211
MBEHA: That's it.
189
00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:52,921
EDWARDS: How's it looking?
190
00:11:55,799 --> 00:11:58,886
SISTO: The rear guard
finally make it into camp,
191
00:11:58,969 --> 00:12:01,054
but their struggle just to get here
192
00:12:01,138 --> 00:12:03,974
has brought home
the scale of the challenge.
193
00:12:09,563 --> 00:12:13,483
Martyn arrives tired but elated
from filming the newborn,
194
00:12:13,567 --> 00:12:17,029
but he's also concerned how quickly
they disappeared from view.
195
00:12:18,697 --> 00:12:23,202
The crew realize they need a way
to keep track of the elephants.
196
00:12:24,912 --> 00:12:29,208
Fortunately for them,
help is about to arrive.
197
00:12:33,420 --> 00:12:34,963
Biologist Mike Chase
198
00:12:35,047 --> 00:12:38,133
has been counting elephant populations
in Africa
199
00:12:38,217 --> 00:12:42,221
and tracking their journeys
across the Kalahari for over a decade.
200
00:12:43,430 --> 00:12:44,515
Yeah, I've got a visual,
201
00:12:44,598 --> 00:12:48,143
she's in front of the woolly caper bush.
She's heading south.
202
00:12:51,063 --> 00:12:53,357
Well, I'm a fifth-generation Batswana.
203
00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:55,067
I've always just felt
204
00:12:55,901 --> 00:13:00,989
a very deep sense of belonging
and tie to elephants.
205
00:13:01,073 --> 00:13:04,284
These are the world's largest
terrestrial land mammals
206
00:13:05,035 --> 00:13:06,828
and I was mesmerized by them
207
00:13:06,912 --> 00:13:09,623
and I always have been intrigued
and fascinated.
208
00:13:12,459 --> 00:13:15,003
SISTO: And that's not just in the wild.
209
00:13:15,087 --> 00:13:19,132
Mike and his partner, Kelly,
also devote huge amounts of time
210
00:13:19,216 --> 00:13:22,094
to rescuing and nursing young elephants
211
00:13:22,177 --> 00:13:26,473
that have been orphaned by poaching
or human conflict back to health.
212
00:13:31,687 --> 00:13:35,482
Their hope is that
these junior elephant ambassadors
213
00:13:35,566 --> 00:13:38,610
will help local kids
to connect to their wildlife
214
00:13:38,694 --> 00:13:40,487
and care for its future.
215
00:13:44,283 --> 00:13:46,952
CHASE: I think people around the world
think all too often
216
00:13:47,035 --> 00:13:49,246
that there are a lot of people
saving the elephants
217
00:13:49,329 --> 00:13:50,455
and there aren't, really.
218
00:13:50,539 --> 00:13:53,417
And so to be part of a privileged few,
219
00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:56,879
committed to safeguarding
the future of elephants,
220
00:13:56,962 --> 00:13:59,923
I derive a great amount of enjoyment
from that.
221
00:14:00,007 --> 00:14:01,550
Let's go look for the eles.
222
00:14:01,633 --> 00:14:03,427
HOLDING: Time to fly. (GRUNTS)
223
00:14:03,510 --> 00:14:06,263
SISTO: Both Mikes share a passion
for Botswana's elephants...
224
00:14:06,346 --> 00:14:07,556
HOLDING: All right.
CHASE: Yeah.
225
00:14:07,639 --> 00:14:09,641
SISTO: ...and today,
they hope to find a particular herd
226
00:14:09,725 --> 00:14:12,394
known for traveling great distances.
227
00:14:13,478 --> 00:14:18,442
CHASE: The epic journey that Botswana's
elephants embark on, it's untold.
228
00:14:18,525 --> 00:14:20,819
Because contrary to popular belief,
229
00:14:20,903 --> 00:14:24,615
not all of Botswana's elephants
are confined to within Botswana.
230
00:14:24,698 --> 00:14:28,035
They have this ability
to cross international borders.
231
00:14:28,118 --> 00:14:29,536
They don't need passports.
232
00:14:31,038 --> 00:14:33,665
So our satellite telemetry data
has recorded elephants
233
00:14:33,749 --> 00:14:38,253
moving out of Botswana, through Namibia,
into Zambia and Angola.
234
00:14:38,337 --> 00:14:41,840
Some of the largest home ranges
ever recorded.
235
00:14:42,466 --> 00:14:46,512
SISTO: Mike is convinced
data from his satellite-tagged elephants
236
00:14:46,595 --> 00:14:48,514
could help the crew with their filming.
237
00:14:49,598 --> 00:14:52,100
CHASE: (ON RADIO)
So one of our collared matriarch cows
238
00:14:52,184 --> 00:14:56,897
has the tendency to gather in this area
during the dry season,
239
00:14:56,980 --> 00:15:00,400
where she congregates in a large herd
with other matriarchs.
240
00:15:00,484 --> 00:15:01,485
HOLDING: Yeah.
241
00:15:01,568 --> 00:15:02,986
Let's see if we can pick her up.
242
00:15:03,070 --> 00:15:05,030
We have the VHF tracking antenna on,
243
00:15:05,113 --> 00:15:08,075
and see if we can get a ping
from her satellite collar.
244
00:15:09,785 --> 00:15:11,703
Hold up. I can't hear anything yet.
245
00:15:12,913 --> 00:15:14,831
It'd be great if we could get a visual.
246
00:15:15,958 --> 00:15:17,334
(BEEPING)
247
00:15:17,417 --> 00:15:18,961
Ah, do you hear it?
248
00:15:19,044 --> 00:15:20,128
Yeah.
249
00:15:20,212 --> 00:15:23,173
Yeah, a ping definitely.
There's a ping there.
250
00:15:23,257 --> 00:15:26,134
HOLDING: If we can pick up
that concentration, it'll be amazing...
251
00:15:26,218 --> 00:15:27,219
CHASE: Okay. Film.
252
00:15:27,302 --> 00:15:30,722
HOLDING: ...for the beginning of the
filming. We can establish family groups
253
00:15:30,806 --> 00:15:32,808
that we can follow throughout the film.
254
00:15:32,891 --> 00:15:33,892
Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
255
00:15:33,976 --> 00:15:36,854
It'd be really good if we can find
somebody in this group.
256
00:15:36,937 --> 00:15:38,355
(BEEPING CONTINUES)
257
00:15:40,023 --> 00:15:41,650
CHASE: It's a nice loud signal now.
258
00:15:41,733 --> 00:15:42,734
HOLDING: Yeah.
259
00:15:46,655 --> 00:15:48,323
Well done. There she is.
260
00:15:48,407 --> 00:15:49,449
Okay.
261
00:15:49,533 --> 00:15:50,826
CHASE: Nice!
262
00:15:50,909 --> 00:15:53,161
HOLDING: Brilliant.
Well, that's fantastic.
263
00:15:53,245 --> 00:15:57,124
And now, all of these herds will probably
stick around together for a while, Mike?
264
00:15:57,207 --> 00:15:59,877
Definitely, Mike.
You've got at least another month or two.
265
00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:02,713
HOLDING: All right, great. It's not
the easiest area to get to,
266
00:16:02,796 --> 00:16:05,007
but we can handle that part.
267
00:16:05,090 --> 00:16:06,675
(HOLDING CHUCKLES)
268
00:16:06,758 --> 00:16:09,052
It's great. Very, very helpful.
269
00:16:11,013 --> 00:16:14,308
CHASE: This is the last place
left in the world
270
00:16:14,391 --> 00:16:16,685
where elephants can still wander
271
00:16:16,768 --> 00:16:19,229
-as they did 100, 200 years ago.
-LINFIELD: Hmm.
272
00:16:19,313 --> 00:16:21,982
For the simple reason they have the space
to do so.
273
00:16:22,065 --> 00:16:23,400
LINFIELD: Yeah.
274
00:16:23,483 --> 00:16:26,904
-Wow.
-It's nearly 260,000 square kilometers.
275
00:16:26,987 --> 00:16:29,573
And that's why you're having difficulty
finding elephants.
276
00:16:29,656 --> 00:16:31,033
(LAUGHS) That'll be it, then!
277
00:16:31,116 --> 00:16:34,119
So, we've satellite-collared
nearly 300 elephants
278
00:16:34,203 --> 00:16:36,330
and you can see all these dots on the map
279
00:16:36,413 --> 00:16:39,208
are GPS locations
on their migration routes.
280
00:16:39,708 --> 00:16:41,043
So how often do you get updates?
281
00:16:41,543 --> 00:16:43,921
-Every hour, we get a GPS location.
-All right!
282
00:16:44,004 --> 00:16:45,422
So you can tell us where they are?
283
00:16:45,506 --> 00:16:47,591
-Absolutely, yeah.
-So what are we waiting for?
284
00:16:47,674 --> 00:16:48,800
So, let's do it! (CHUCKLES)
285
00:16:48,884 --> 00:16:49,885
What am I doing now?
286
00:16:49,968 --> 00:16:51,803
I need a good Internet connection...
287
00:16:51,887 --> 00:16:52,888
Yeah. Okay.
288
00:16:52,971 --> 00:16:55,390
-...and I'll give you the locations.
-Amazing.
289
00:16:55,474 --> 00:16:56,600
Bring it on.
290
00:17:00,771 --> 00:17:04,691
CHASE: Our elephants have the ability
to move 1000 kilometers a month,
291
00:17:05,567 --> 00:17:08,779
often over terrain
that is inaccessible for vehicles.
292
00:17:13,492 --> 00:17:14,493
Good job.
293
00:17:14,576 --> 00:17:17,829
CHASE: It's very remote.
It's difficult to traverse.
294
00:17:17,913 --> 00:17:20,541
Very thick sand, swampland, deep rivers,
295
00:17:21,625 --> 00:17:24,044
thick bush. It's unforgiving.
296
00:17:24,127 --> 00:17:27,756
And this is some of the perilous journeys
that elephants are undertaking.
297
00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:32,427
Keeping up with them as a film crew
is gonna be a difficult task.
298
00:17:35,264 --> 00:17:37,182
SISTO: At first, the filming boat
299
00:17:37,266 --> 00:17:39,476
did keep up with the elephants,
300
00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,689
but it wasn't long before they'd moved
out of reach of conventional transport.
301
00:17:45,482 --> 00:17:47,276
LINFIELD: Our elephants,
whilst they're moving,
302
00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:50,279
they're not moving in places
that are very vehicle-friendly.
303
00:17:51,029 --> 00:17:52,489
COLBECK: Oh! Right over the camera.
304
00:17:52,573 --> 00:17:55,742
LINFIELD: So a lot of the time,
we have to launch the drone,
305
00:17:55,826 --> 00:17:57,035
follow them by drone.
306
00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:58,537
If the distance is too far,
307
00:17:58,620 --> 00:18:00,372
we have to continue with a helicopter.
308
00:18:00,455 --> 00:18:01,456
It's just,
309
00:18:01,540 --> 00:18:04,751
trying to keep up with them is...
It's been a technical challenge.
310
00:18:17,681 --> 00:18:19,683
Come in. Here we go. Come in.
311
00:18:23,645 --> 00:18:25,689
SISTO: This time in the air also revealed
312
00:18:25,772 --> 00:18:29,526
how the channels of the delta
are formed by its wildlife.
313
00:18:36,658 --> 00:18:39,494
It was important to film
the elephants' water world
314
00:18:39,578 --> 00:18:41,788
from below as well as above,
315
00:18:41,872 --> 00:18:44,541
which carried its own unique risks.
316
00:18:47,002 --> 00:18:48,003
Big croc.
317
00:18:49,922 --> 00:18:52,257
ROGER HORROCKS: Croc, big.
LINFIELD: Yeah, a big one.
318
00:18:52,716 --> 00:18:54,760
Yeah. Big crocodile on the bank.
319
00:18:55,260 --> 00:18:57,095
Nice four, five-meter crocodile.
320
00:18:59,097 --> 00:19:01,266
SISTO: Seasoned underwater cameraman,
321
00:19:01,350 --> 00:19:05,437
Roger Horrocks, knows how dangerous
diving in these waters can be.
322
00:19:07,231 --> 00:19:10,150
Every year,
the narrow channels are carved out
323
00:19:10,234 --> 00:19:14,947
by the massive hippos and elephants,
which can be lurking round any corner.
324
00:19:19,993 --> 00:19:21,537
When Roger's in the water,
325
00:19:21,620 --> 00:19:26,208
he has a safety diver with him
as well as Mike supervising from the boat.
326
00:19:35,217 --> 00:19:37,010
HORROCKS: One of the things with the delta
327
00:19:37,094 --> 00:19:39,471
is the massive surprise
when you go underwater,
328
00:19:39,555 --> 00:19:42,015
is the relief and the structures
of the pathways
329
00:19:42,099 --> 00:19:43,433
that are made by the hippos
330
00:19:43,517 --> 00:19:45,060
and the plant life is...
331
00:19:45,143 --> 00:19:47,020
The structure of it is just astounding.
332
00:19:47,104 --> 00:19:51,775
It's gothic, it's organic
and the palettes are incredible.
333
00:19:56,989 --> 00:19:59,408
The hippos and elephants
are the architects of the delta
334
00:19:59,491 --> 00:20:00,617
and you can see, you know,
335
00:20:00,701 --> 00:20:03,954
they use their bodies
to actually create these pathways.
336
00:20:05,497 --> 00:20:06,999
You know, they're huge.
337
00:20:07,082 --> 00:20:11,003
I mean, you can swim down a channel
made by a hippopotamus.
338
00:20:11,503 --> 00:20:13,839
You can actually see the girth
and it's huge.
339
00:20:26,935 --> 00:20:28,061
The producers want
340
00:20:28,145 --> 00:20:31,315
shots that show
the water traveling down
341
00:20:31,398 --> 00:20:34,526
and the only way to do that is to kind of
just travel down these channels
342
00:20:34,610 --> 00:20:36,320
and you don't want to
put a boat ahead
343
00:20:36,403 --> 00:20:38,238
because it muddies it up.
344
00:20:38,322 --> 00:20:40,365
The danger is you never know
what's up ahead,
345
00:20:40,449 --> 00:20:42,201
so for me this drift diving
346
00:20:42,284 --> 00:20:45,329
is probably the most dangerous thing
you can do
347
00:20:45,412 --> 00:20:47,247
just because of the...
348
00:20:47,331 --> 00:20:50,334
You know, the uncertainty of
what lies around the corner.
349
00:20:52,336 --> 00:20:54,463
MATHIEU VAN GOETHEM: Wow.
HORROCKS: It's very beautiful.
350
00:20:54,963 --> 00:20:57,549
It's a little bit scary though,
we can't really see.
351
00:20:58,133 --> 00:20:59,343
VAN GOETHEM: It's so different.
352
00:21:00,844 --> 00:21:03,347
HORROCKS: They hear the boat coming,
they slip into the water
353
00:21:03,430 --> 00:21:05,682
and there's nowhere to maneuver,
354
00:21:05,766 --> 00:21:07,768
so you'll be around a corner
and you'll be on...
355
00:21:07,851 --> 00:21:10,521
You'll be on top of him before you know it
and he'll bite you
356
00:21:10,604 --> 00:21:12,773
and that's not good for him,
it's not good for us.
357
00:21:12,856 --> 00:21:13,857
Not optimal.
358
00:21:13,941 --> 00:21:15,943
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
359
00:21:52,604 --> 00:21:55,399
VAN GOETHEM: Came up across a pond,
a little pool, deeper pool
360
00:21:55,482 --> 00:21:56,567
and I was following Roger
361
00:21:56,650 --> 00:21:59,778
and literally out of nowhere this croc
came between the two of us.
362
00:21:59,862 --> 00:22:01,154
I pulled on Roger's fin...
363
00:22:01,947 --> 00:22:04,533
he turned over
and started following the croc.
364
00:22:04,616 --> 00:22:07,286
It was really cool, but it all happened
very, very, very quickly.
365
00:22:09,663 --> 00:22:13,584
HORROCKS: The vis is not great so just...
Yeah, it puts him on edge.
366
00:22:13,667 --> 00:22:15,169
He can't really see us,
367
00:22:15,252 --> 00:22:18,672
so we're not gonna do any more diving
on crocs until the water cleans up.
368
00:22:20,132 --> 00:22:22,676
No, no, no. This drift diving
should be double pay.
369
00:22:23,302 --> 00:22:24,803
-Danger pay.
-Danger pay. Yeah, no.
370
00:22:35,147 --> 00:22:37,900
SISTO: Spending day after day
filming the elephants,
371
00:22:37,983 --> 00:22:39,902
the crew began to fall in love
372
00:22:39,985 --> 00:22:43,363
with their many unique
and endearing eccentricities.
373
00:22:45,032 --> 00:22:47,784
JENKINS: They have
individual personalities,
374
00:22:47,868 --> 00:22:51,413
they have the same dynamics we do.
The sisters fight,
375
00:22:51,496 --> 00:22:53,457
the teenagers scream and fight,
376
00:22:53,540 --> 00:22:55,626
the boys show off and mock-charge.
377
00:22:55,709 --> 00:22:59,296
And, you can really, really
identify with them.
378
00:23:00,923 --> 00:23:02,341
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
379
00:23:02,424 --> 00:23:04,384
I think it's their sense of fun.
380
00:23:09,306 --> 00:23:14,228
I know it sounds strange for an animal
to be talked about as having fun,
381
00:23:14,311 --> 00:23:16,897
but I'm genuinely convinced
that they do.
382
00:23:18,482 --> 00:23:19,483
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
383
00:23:20,901 --> 00:23:24,905
If you watch them chase warthogs.
If you watch them chase imaginary enemies.
384
00:23:26,490 --> 00:23:29,701
If you watch them disappear into bushes
backwards and then ambush...
385
00:23:29,785 --> 00:23:32,412
I mean, they just have
a wonderful sense of fun.
386
00:23:33,747 --> 00:23:35,374
They do this floppy running,
387
00:23:35,457 --> 00:23:37,209
when they just let everything loose
388
00:23:37,292 --> 00:23:39,503
and their trunk goes and their ears go.
389
00:23:41,338 --> 00:23:45,509
Elephants, I'm convinced,
have a wonderful sense of humor.
390
00:23:45,592 --> 00:23:47,719
-(BIRD CROAKING)
-(TRUMPETS)
391
00:23:48,345 --> 00:23:50,347
LINFIELD: One of the favorite flood scenes
we captured
392
00:23:50,430 --> 00:23:55,185
was a young calf chasing lechwe
and egrets through the water,
393
00:23:55,269 --> 00:23:58,105
like some naughty kid chasing animals
through their garden.
394
00:23:58,188 --> 00:24:01,441
It really,
really captured their personalities.
395
00:24:03,068 --> 00:24:05,279
I definitely have more elephant friends
than humans.
396
00:24:05,362 --> 00:24:06,655
Elephants are really gentle,
397
00:24:06,738 --> 00:24:08,782
they're really caring,
they're really intelligent,
398
00:24:08,866 --> 00:24:10,409
they're really entertaining.
399
00:24:10,492 --> 00:24:12,828
I don't know too many people like that.
400
00:24:12,911 --> 00:24:15,914
I'd rather spend a day with eles
than most of the people I know.
401
00:24:15,998 --> 00:24:19,042
That's some of my friends excepted.
(CHUCKLES)
402
00:24:19,751 --> 00:24:20,961
(ELEPHANT HUFFS)
403
00:24:24,756 --> 00:24:26,633
SISTO: But some of the best moments
for the crew
404
00:24:26,717 --> 00:24:30,929
were when unexpected visitors
would arrive in camp.
405
00:24:34,683 --> 00:24:36,894
HOLDING: We woke up
to the sound of rattling palm trees
406
00:24:36,977 --> 00:24:39,479
and these two guys are standing here
shaking the palms,
407
00:24:39,563 --> 00:24:40,856
knocking the nuts down
408
00:24:41,815 --> 00:24:43,609
and basically joining us for breakfast.
409
00:24:43,692 --> 00:24:45,777
Slightly different diet, but nice.
410
00:24:46,820 --> 00:24:49,323
LINFIELD: It's a shock when you go
for your morning coffee
411
00:24:49,406 --> 00:24:53,452
and you've got a couple of elephants
shaking the palm trees around your tent.
412
00:24:53,952 --> 00:24:56,163
Quite noisy though, you know they're here.
413
00:24:58,498 --> 00:25:02,419
They'll spend days and days in this island
because it's full of palm nuts,
414
00:25:03,170 --> 00:25:06,089
so we're gonna have neighbors for a while.
It'll be great.
415
00:25:11,220 --> 00:25:13,347
Mmm. Tastes like ginger.
416
00:25:13,722 --> 00:25:15,516
I've eaten this before,
417
00:25:15,599 --> 00:25:17,935
so if you just eat one whole nut,
418
00:25:18,894 --> 00:25:21,104
it just makes your mouth very dry.
419
00:25:21,188 --> 00:25:23,398
Yeah, now he's just feeding
on something else,
420
00:25:23,482 --> 00:25:25,317
he's feeding on the rain tree
421
00:25:26,109 --> 00:25:28,111
because there're no nuts here
altogether.
422
00:25:28,195 --> 00:25:30,822
There was one bull, he ate all the nuts,
423
00:25:30,906 --> 00:25:33,742
so it's very unfortunate for him,
so there's nothing.
424
00:25:33,825 --> 00:25:38,205
Well, I've been a guide for 22 years,
425
00:25:38,288 --> 00:25:41,416
so I actually know
the animal behavior.
426
00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:44,211
And now this elephant... It's very calm
427
00:25:44,294 --> 00:25:46,588
and that's why I'm this close to him.
428
00:25:48,090 --> 00:25:50,551
Even the generator is on right now,
429
00:25:50,634 --> 00:25:52,261
it doesn't even bother him.
430
00:25:52,344 --> 00:25:54,054
So, he just comes so close,
431
00:25:54,137 --> 00:25:55,848
so then we just worry that one day
432
00:25:55,931 --> 00:25:58,267
he might just come
to the middle of the camp
433
00:25:58,350 --> 00:26:00,477
and that's when we're going
to have a problem.
434
00:26:00,561 --> 00:26:03,522
We'll just have to scatter
in all directions. (LAUGHING)
435
00:26:08,861 --> 00:26:12,322
SISTO: A few days later,
the crew had other visitors
436
00:26:12,406 --> 00:26:14,241
that were much less welcome.
437
00:26:22,374 --> 00:26:24,585
COLBECK: We found a pride,
in the middle of the day,
438
00:26:24,668 --> 00:26:26,170
which is very unusual.
439
00:26:26,253 --> 00:26:29,173
Three lionesses
and seven eight-month-old cubs
440
00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,885
and almost immediately we found them,
they started hunting.
441
00:26:46,231 --> 00:26:48,317
The camp is right here.
442
00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,821
The zebra and the wildebeest
all formed a tight bunch,
443
00:26:52,905 --> 00:26:54,239
but not far from the camp.
444
00:26:54,823 --> 00:26:59,786
But this lioness was absolutely determined
and sure enough, she went again.
445
00:27:05,709 --> 00:27:08,170
SISTO: This time, straight towards camp.
446
00:27:09,796 --> 00:27:10,797
(ZEBRAS BRAYING)
447
00:27:10,881 --> 00:27:13,967
DANIELLE SPITZER:
Okay, we've got lions in camp, hunting...
448
00:27:17,179 --> 00:27:18,847
(MBEHA SPEAKING ON RADIO)
449
00:27:18,931 --> 00:27:20,349
Yes, Pres, go ahead.
450
00:27:22,351 --> 00:27:24,228
SPITZER: Yeah,
we're already in the vehicle.
451
00:27:24,311 --> 00:27:26,104
We had all the animals
just run through camp
452
00:27:26,188 --> 00:27:29,399
and I have no idea where this lioness is.
Do you guys see the lioness?
453
00:27:38,867 --> 00:27:40,202
SPITZER: I just saw an impala.
454
00:27:40,285 --> 00:27:42,829
There she is. There she is.
There she is. Right there.
455
00:27:48,627 --> 00:27:50,671
My view in the car was very limited.
456
00:27:50,754 --> 00:27:53,340
I could just see out the side.
I could see out the front.
457
00:27:53,423 --> 00:27:55,092
The whole back of the car
was blocked.
458
00:27:55,175 --> 00:27:57,553
I couldn't see behind us.
459
00:27:57,636 --> 00:28:00,013
Felt like you were in a box
and you can only see out of,
460
00:28:00,097 --> 00:28:02,224
you know, a certain window
461
00:28:02,307 --> 00:28:04,101
which I think made it even more terrifying
462
00:28:04,184 --> 00:28:07,187
because she could be anywhere behind you
and you just wouldn't know.
463
00:28:07,271 --> 00:28:09,314
She could be under the car
and you wouldn't know.
464
00:28:09,398 --> 00:28:12,401
So it was just... It was insane.
465
00:28:13,193 --> 00:28:15,237
(MBEHA SPEAKING ON RADIO)
466
00:28:15,863 --> 00:28:18,448
Okay, yeah. Copy that.
Just let us know what's happening.
467
00:28:20,033 --> 00:28:21,410
Okay... (EXHALES)
468
00:28:22,911 --> 00:28:26,748
Apparently, this lioness is still
somewhere here in the camp,
469
00:28:26,832 --> 00:28:29,835
but we have no idea where she is,
470
00:28:29,918 --> 00:28:33,046
so we're just gonna wait
and hopefully hear from the guys,
471
00:28:33,130 --> 00:28:36,091
if they've seen her
but she's completely gone.
472
00:28:36,925 --> 00:28:38,260
We have no idea.
473
00:28:41,054 --> 00:28:42,347
(WHISPERS) There is one there.
474
00:28:45,684 --> 00:28:47,811
(MBEHA SPEAKING ON RADIO)
475
00:29:05,412 --> 00:29:08,624
Okay, copy that, copy that.
We'll just stay put at the moment.
476
00:29:19,176 --> 00:29:21,678
COLBECK: I was really concerned. Um...
477
00:29:22,930 --> 00:29:24,264
Out of nowhere, you can suddenly
478
00:29:24,348 --> 00:29:26,391
have a pride of lions running
through your camp.
479
00:29:29,186 --> 00:29:31,855
Dani and Alfred
were in camp walking around.
480
00:29:31,939 --> 00:29:35,734
They could easily,
easily be killed by lions.
481
00:29:39,947 --> 00:29:41,990
SISTO: As the dry season advances,
482
00:29:42,074 --> 00:29:46,328
the delta transforms into a dangerous
and hostile place.
483
00:29:46,411 --> 00:29:50,415
Its channels now filled with
treacherous quicksand and sticky mud.
484
00:29:51,625 --> 00:29:53,585
COLBECK: 'Course the delta dries out
every year
485
00:29:53,669 --> 00:29:55,754
and the elephants
make this journey every year,
486
00:29:55,838 --> 00:29:59,049
so every year,
the waterholes become glutinous.
487
00:30:02,511 --> 00:30:04,805
The elephants are very stressed
at this point.
488
00:30:04,888 --> 00:30:07,057
There's virtually no food,
the water's drying up
489
00:30:07,140 --> 00:30:09,518
and so they're at their most vulnerable
and stressed.
490
00:30:10,727 --> 00:30:13,939
And for me,
the most emotionally challenging
491
00:30:14,022 --> 00:30:15,774
was filming a baby
stuck in the mud.
492
00:30:18,443 --> 00:30:20,279
(ELEPHANT GROWLING)
493
00:30:21,738 --> 00:30:26,326
Very quickly the situation
turned into a life-threatening situation.
494
00:30:26,910 --> 00:30:30,622
This calf became completely locked
in this mud.
495
00:30:32,249 --> 00:30:35,627
And what was amazing was
that had it been a first-time mother,
496
00:30:35,711 --> 00:30:38,338
I'm pretty sure
that calf would never have got out.
497
00:30:38,422 --> 00:30:41,466
But the fact that it was a very,
very experienced matriarch,
498
00:30:41,550 --> 00:30:44,386
she was incredibly calm
and she knew exactly what to do
499
00:30:45,012 --> 00:30:46,972
and I've never seen
anything like it before
500
00:30:47,055 --> 00:30:49,141
in 20 years of filming elephants.
501
00:30:49,224 --> 00:30:53,020
She realized
that she had to enable it to breathe
502
00:30:53,103 --> 00:30:54,938
so she lifted its head out of the mud
503
00:30:55,022 --> 00:30:58,233
and actually lifted its trunk
and curled her trunk around its trunk,
504
00:30:58,317 --> 00:31:01,236
cleaned the trunk off
so she knew it could breathe
505
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:02,905
and that's extraordinary.
506
00:31:04,615 --> 00:31:08,493
In the meantime, she then had to work out
how to get this calf out of the mud.
507
00:31:11,288 --> 00:31:14,958
It was a very, very hard thing to shoot
because I knew how serious it was.
508
00:31:15,918 --> 00:31:19,421
I was convinced that this calf
wasn't gonna get out of the mud.
509
00:31:19,505 --> 00:31:20,714
I really was.
510
00:31:24,218 --> 00:31:28,639
It was getting weaker and weaker
and she didn't have a solution in short
511
00:31:28,722 --> 00:31:31,558
and so I thought,
we're gonna lose the calf,
512
00:31:31,642 --> 00:31:33,852
you know, and here I am filming it.
513
00:31:33,936 --> 00:31:35,145
What do I do?
514
00:31:39,107 --> 00:31:42,611
But in those situations, I think
you have to become very detached.
515
00:31:42,694 --> 00:31:44,863
You are witnessing something
that would happen
516
00:31:44,947 --> 00:31:47,241
irrespective of whether we were here
or not,
517
00:31:47,324 --> 00:31:49,993
so we're not really in a position
to interfere.
518
00:31:50,077 --> 00:31:52,454
We should be there
as documentary filmmakers,
519
00:31:52,538 --> 00:31:56,542
recording that incredible behavior
and of course she got it out.
520
00:31:56,625 --> 00:32:00,671
So if we'd have interfered,
we'd have altered that outcome possibly.
521
00:32:05,050 --> 00:32:06,718
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
522
00:32:09,930 --> 00:32:11,098
When the baby came out,
523
00:32:11,181 --> 00:32:13,517
I've never seen a baby covered
in so much mud.
524
00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:17,479
It looked like it was dropped
in a whole vat of chocolate.
525
00:32:17,563 --> 00:32:19,982
It was just
this elephant-shaped blob of mud.
526
00:32:22,192 --> 00:32:28,949
And I haven't witnessed a matriarch
being so calculating in rescuing a calf.
527
00:32:29,825 --> 00:32:31,034
(CHUCKLES)
528
00:32:31,118 --> 00:32:35,664
SISTO: The key role of the matriarch
was soon to be demonstrated again.
529
00:32:38,667 --> 00:32:41,461
COLBECK: The next day,
they all disappeared
530
00:32:41,545 --> 00:32:44,590
and we know from Mike
where he was filming and other people,
531
00:32:44,673 --> 00:32:47,176
that they all disappeared on the same day.
532
00:32:48,177 --> 00:32:51,263
They then left the area completely,
533
00:32:51,346 --> 00:32:56,435
which means that all those families
were coordinated.
534
00:32:56,518 --> 00:32:58,478
Someone had made the decision,
535
00:32:58,562 --> 00:33:01,440
one of the matriarchs,
several of the matriarchs realized
536
00:33:01,523 --> 00:33:03,942
that the water was drying up significantly
537
00:33:04,026 --> 00:33:05,903
and that they had to leave the area
538
00:33:05,986 --> 00:33:08,822
and that's a big decision
for a clan of elephants to make.
539
00:33:14,161 --> 00:33:17,080
I think one of the biggest challenges
of this film actually
540
00:33:17,164 --> 00:33:20,667
has been to get into the mind
of an elephant.
541
00:33:24,755 --> 00:33:29,051
HOLDING: The old joke about
elephant memory is absolutely accurate.
542
00:33:29,134 --> 00:33:31,887
They have the highways
mapped into their heads.
543
00:33:31,970 --> 00:33:33,555
They know where they're going
544
00:33:33,639 --> 00:33:36,975
and that's data that's been passed down
for hundreds and hundreds of years.
545
00:33:41,939 --> 00:33:44,066
LINFIELD: Usually with the animals
that we follow,
546
00:33:44,149 --> 00:33:46,527
once you can second-guess
what they're gonna do next,
547
00:33:46,610 --> 00:33:49,238
that's when things really start
to work and gel.
548
00:33:49,321 --> 00:33:53,116
With elephants, that is a real challenge
549
00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,912
because I don't think I've ever worked
with an animal that is more other.
550
00:33:56,995 --> 00:34:01,750
You know, they do so many things
that we would, sort of, recognize.
551
00:34:01,834 --> 00:34:05,045
They have tenderness towards their calves
552
00:34:05,128 --> 00:34:06,797
to an extraordinary degree.
553
00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:09,508
Their social life is super-duper rich.
554
00:34:09,591 --> 00:34:12,344
They are superficially so like us
555
00:34:12,427 --> 00:34:16,932
and yet they are so different
that our powers of prediction on this film
556
00:34:17,015 --> 00:34:21,353
have fallen spectacularly short
on so many occasions.
557
00:34:23,063 --> 00:34:25,941
SISTO: Up till now,
the film crew had only managed
558
00:34:26,024 --> 00:34:27,776
to follow behind the elephants.
559
00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:34,992
It was time for a new forward-thinking
filming strategy.
560
00:34:35,075 --> 00:34:37,244
So they decided
to take a stabilized camera,
561
00:34:37,327 --> 00:34:42,082
normally used for aerial filming,
and mount it to the front of the truck.
562
00:34:42,165 --> 00:34:45,294
This allowed them
to film the elephants on the move
563
00:34:45,377 --> 00:34:47,880
and not fall behind on the journey.
564
00:34:47,963 --> 00:34:50,883
TOM WALKER: This piece of kit
is generally designed for helicopters.
565
00:34:50,966 --> 00:34:54,386
We've now mounted it on a vehicle
to get us ground-level
566
00:34:54,469 --> 00:34:57,055
and give smooth tracking shots.
567
00:34:59,725 --> 00:35:02,269
We're moving so it's hard to tell,
568
00:35:02,352 --> 00:35:04,563
but then you look at the image
and it's smooth
569
00:35:04,646 --> 00:35:07,608
because of the axis, it all rotates
around the central point,
570
00:35:07,691 --> 00:35:10,819
so the results are smooth
but I'm physically bumping around.
571
00:35:13,071 --> 00:35:17,743
HOLDING: What's fascinating is that
it's a whole new way of telling the story
572
00:35:17,826 --> 00:35:19,578
and that's what it's all about.
573
00:35:19,661 --> 00:35:22,080
For years, I've filmed elephants
574
00:35:22,164 --> 00:35:25,959
with a long lens on a tripod
and in any sort of scenario
575
00:35:26,043 --> 00:35:29,213
where elephants are moving, you might get
two opportunities at a shot,
576
00:35:29,296 --> 00:35:32,007
you know, one coming towards you
and one going by.
577
00:35:32,841 --> 00:35:35,385
With this machine
you've got almost infinite possibilities,
578
00:35:35,469 --> 00:35:39,556
if you stay with them and so
because we're trying to tell a story
579
00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:43,101
about a big epic road trip
across the desert for these eles,
580
00:35:43,185 --> 00:35:44,978
this is absolutely incredible
581
00:35:45,062 --> 00:35:47,940
because what it does is it allows us
to travel with the eles.
582
00:35:48,524 --> 00:35:52,569
And if we can do that,
then the audience is drawn into the story
583
00:35:52,653 --> 00:35:57,032
and feels that journey better than if
elephants were just passing by the camera.
584
00:35:58,867 --> 00:36:02,287
SISTO: Just when the crew starts
making progress with the new system,
585
00:36:02,371 --> 00:36:05,123
the elephants
start covering a lot more ground,
586
00:36:05,207 --> 00:36:07,876
so Mike must take to the skies
to catch up.
587
00:36:10,003 --> 00:36:14,299
Once they've left the delta,
the herds travel up to 30 miles a day
588
00:36:14,383 --> 00:36:18,428
as they hurry to reach the edge
of the vast, scorching desert.
589
00:36:19,304 --> 00:36:20,806
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
590
00:36:21,390 --> 00:36:25,143
HOLDING: (ON RADIO) The last few days,
we've actually seen hardly any eles at all
591
00:36:25,227 --> 00:36:29,439
and they were last seen heading off
into an area which is of some concern.
592
00:36:30,816 --> 00:36:34,403
They're heading out of the dry land
and towards an area of habitation
593
00:36:34,486 --> 00:36:38,282
and of course that's not necessarily
a good thing for elephant herds.
594
00:36:38,365 --> 00:36:41,702
So, I've arranged to meet up
with some elephant researchers
595
00:36:41,785 --> 00:36:44,246
that I know well, who live in this area
596
00:36:44,329 --> 00:36:47,207
and who monitor the movement of elephants
597
00:36:47,291 --> 00:36:50,544
in the hope that they might be able
to give us some idea
598
00:36:50,627 --> 00:36:54,715
whether these groups of elephants
are gonna be moving into this area.
599
00:37:04,766 --> 00:37:06,018
(CHUCKLES)
600
00:37:06,101 --> 00:37:09,271
SISTO: Mike meets up with his friends,
Graham and Anna,
601
00:37:09,354 --> 00:37:12,774
who are transforming our understanding
of elephant movements
602
00:37:12,858 --> 00:37:15,194
by living amongst them.
603
00:37:18,071 --> 00:37:21,158
Their family home
is in an area of the delta
604
00:37:21,241 --> 00:37:23,452
where once elephants roamed freely
605
00:37:23,535 --> 00:37:26,455
but now large numbers of people
also live and farm.
606
00:37:26,538 --> 00:37:29,124
GRAHAM McCULLOCH: Hey, come here! Hello.
607
00:37:29,208 --> 00:37:31,001
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
608
00:37:31,084 --> 00:37:33,879
ANNA SONGHURST: It is a challenge
raising children in the bush,
609
00:37:33,962 --> 00:37:36,465
but it's also a big adventure for both
610
00:37:36,548 --> 00:37:38,967
us as parents, and also for the girls.
611
00:37:40,260 --> 00:37:43,347
The reason
for coming to this area particularly
612
00:37:43,430 --> 00:37:44,848
was because this is an area
613
00:37:44,932 --> 00:37:47,935
where there's about one elephant
to every person.
614
00:37:48,018 --> 00:37:52,272
There's really high incidences
of conflict and competition
615
00:37:52,356 --> 00:37:55,984
between people and elephants
for resources and space.
616
00:37:56,068 --> 00:37:57,319
(ALL CHUCKLING)
617
00:37:57,402 --> 00:37:59,321
McCULLOCH: If you really
want to understand
618
00:37:59,404 --> 00:38:03,116
what the situation is really like,
what it's like to live with elephants,
619
00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:05,118
you can only truly understand that
620
00:38:05,202 --> 00:38:07,663
when you live permanently
621
00:38:07,746 --> 00:38:11,291
in amongst 15,000, 20,000 elephants.
622
00:38:12,376 --> 00:38:15,295
You know, this is our piece of land
623
00:38:15,379 --> 00:38:18,841
and when we first moved in here,
we love elephants,
624
00:38:18,924 --> 00:38:21,593
but all of a sudden now,
elephants are knocking your trees over
625
00:38:21,677 --> 00:38:25,764
and pulling up your water pipes
and, "Hey, hold on a minute!"
626
00:38:25,848 --> 00:38:28,392
You know, it's a different story.
627
00:38:28,475 --> 00:38:31,144
Living with a five-ton herbivore
628
00:38:31,228 --> 00:38:33,897
that wants to eat everything around you
is one thing.
629
00:38:33,981 --> 00:38:38,026
Living with 15,000 of them,
that's a massive, massive deal.
630
00:38:38,110 --> 00:38:41,071
SONGHURST: This is where the elephants
hang out quite a lot...
631
00:38:41,154 --> 00:38:42,155
HOLDING: Yeah.
632
00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:45,075
SONGHURST: ...in this area and then
the main corridor comes down here,
633
00:38:45,158 --> 00:38:47,578
there's another one here
and another that goes like that.
634
00:38:47,661 --> 00:38:50,080
-Yeah, okay. And this is where we are now?
-SONGHURST: Yeah.
635
00:38:50,163 --> 00:38:52,207
If you take me to where you think
they'll cross,
636
00:38:52,291 --> 00:38:53,750
we could put up cameras there
637
00:38:53,834 --> 00:38:55,377
-and go look and see.
-SONGHURST: Yeah.
638
00:38:55,460 --> 00:38:57,337
HOLDING: If they're coming down
through this area,
639
00:38:57,421 --> 00:38:59,715
either one of those three major pathways,
640
00:39:00,299 --> 00:39:02,092
that'll be the place to look.
641
00:39:04,219 --> 00:39:08,265
SISTO: Today, a mosaic
of farmland and human settlements
642
00:39:08,348 --> 00:39:10,767
is encroaching on the Okavango Delta.
643
00:39:14,021 --> 00:39:19,067
Disrupting ancient pathways that have been
used by generations of elephants.
644
00:39:20,027 --> 00:39:23,113
SONGHURST: We mapped all of the pathways
and we monitored them.
645
00:39:23,197 --> 00:39:27,075
Thirteen of those pathways were used
more frequently than any others
646
00:39:27,159 --> 00:39:31,413
and so those 13
are where the corridors now are.
647
00:39:31,496 --> 00:39:33,415
So the ones I was pointing out there...
648
00:39:33,498 --> 00:39:34,625
McCULLOCH: Yeah.
649
00:39:34,708 --> 00:39:37,753
The corridors then are made up
of a main path
650
00:39:37,836 --> 00:39:40,506
plus a kilometer either side for a buffer
651
00:39:40,589 --> 00:39:43,300
and then that means
that now the land authorities
652
00:39:43,383 --> 00:39:47,513
will not allocate any more fields
inside a corridor.
653
00:39:49,348 --> 00:39:52,768
Those corridors will be left free
so that as we move forward
654
00:39:52,851 --> 00:39:55,020
and the population grows
for people and elephants,
655
00:39:55,103 --> 00:39:57,481
there will always be space
for the elephants to move
656
00:39:57,564 --> 00:40:00,526
but there'll also be space for people
to grow their crops
657
00:40:00,609 --> 00:40:01,610
and feed their families.
658
00:40:04,988 --> 00:40:07,115
CHASE: Elephant corridors are lifelines.
659
00:40:07,991 --> 00:40:10,953
They are vitally important
in allowing elephants
660
00:40:11,036 --> 00:40:13,247
safe passage to food and water.
661
00:40:13,330 --> 00:40:14,331
Without corridors
662
00:40:14,414 --> 00:40:16,917
we sentence elephants to
663
00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:20,546
maximum security, living in a very small,
enclosed habitat
664
00:40:20,629 --> 00:40:24,341
and corridors give elephants
the freedom of Africa.
665
00:40:25,300 --> 00:40:26,593
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
666
00:40:27,886 --> 00:40:29,221
They need space,
667
00:40:29,304 --> 00:40:33,976
the world's largest terrestrial mammal
needs to wander.
668
00:40:35,394 --> 00:40:38,063
SISTO: A visit
to their local corridor reveals
669
00:40:38,146 --> 00:40:43,026
that Anna and Graham's dream
of giving herds safe passage is working.
670
00:40:43,110 --> 00:40:46,113
SONGHURST: Herds of this many,
you see them coming at nighttime
671
00:40:46,196 --> 00:40:49,783
but in the daytime, it's rare to see
these many elephants coming down here.
672
00:40:49,867 --> 00:40:51,451
This is incredible.
673
00:40:51,535 --> 00:40:53,745
(ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING)
674
00:40:53,829 --> 00:40:57,875
SISTO: The peaceful corridor has become
a busy elephant crossroads.
675
00:41:06,091 --> 00:41:07,593
SONGHURST: Wow! Now there's hundreds.
676
00:41:07,676 --> 00:41:08,677
McCULLOCH: Look at that!
677
00:41:21,607 --> 00:41:22,983
This many! I'm speechless.
678
00:41:23,066 --> 00:41:24,610
There's just so many of them.
679
00:41:28,238 --> 00:41:29,323
It's them.
680
00:41:33,452 --> 00:41:35,078
SONGHURST: Amazing, they're actually...
681
00:41:35,162 --> 00:41:36,163
McCULLOCH: Yeah.
682
00:41:37,289 --> 00:41:39,708
SISTO: These corridors hint at a future
683
00:41:39,791 --> 00:41:43,212
where people live in peace
alongside elephants,
684
00:41:43,295 --> 00:41:47,132
allowing them to move freely,
day and night.
685
00:41:52,846 --> 00:41:54,556
HOLDING: Here's a big herd.
McCULLOCH: Yeah.
686
00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:56,892
SISTO: Mike and Graham
review hours of footage.
687
00:41:56,975 --> 00:42:00,771
They're pleased to see the herds
the film team have been following
688
00:42:00,854 --> 00:42:03,023
have also passed this way in the night.
689
00:42:03,106 --> 00:42:04,858
HOLDING: Big herds as well.
McCULLOCH: Yeah.
690
00:42:04,942 --> 00:42:06,944
Now we know
that they've come through here,
691
00:42:07,027 --> 00:42:08,278
-having lost them...
-Yeah.
692
00:42:08,362 --> 00:42:09,696
We can follow the highways out.
693
00:42:09,780 --> 00:42:11,406
Yeah. And pick them up.
694
00:42:11,490 --> 00:42:12,616
-And pick them up.
-Yeah.
695
00:42:12,699 --> 00:42:14,243
We can stay with them.
That's useful.
696
00:42:14,326 --> 00:42:15,744
Brilliant. Fantastic, mate.
697
00:42:15,827 --> 00:42:16,828
Cool.
698
00:42:20,832 --> 00:42:24,336
SISTO: Mike heads out towards
Botswana's border with Zimbabwe.
699
00:42:24,419 --> 00:42:30,175
A vast network of paths stretches out,
linking the last remaining waterholes.
700
00:42:30,259 --> 00:42:31,677
They are key stepping stones
701
00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:34,429
on the elephants' final leg
of the journey.
702
00:42:34,513 --> 00:42:37,057
HOLDING: This is one of the big
elephant highways
703
00:42:37,140 --> 00:42:39,977
and it's a very bleak desert scene.
704
00:42:40,602 --> 00:42:42,020
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
705
00:42:42,104 --> 00:42:45,858
And just watching those herds,
the matriarch, the little ones
706
00:42:45,941 --> 00:42:48,277
struggling through that desert heat
and the dust
707
00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:51,697
and totally uncertain of
whether the path they've taken
708
00:42:51,780 --> 00:42:54,658
is the right one to the next waterhole
and the next waterhole
709
00:42:54,741 --> 00:42:56,952
because, of course,
they need water every few days.
710
00:42:57,035 --> 00:42:58,954
It's really high risk for these eles
711
00:42:59,037 --> 00:43:00,998
and thank goodness
they have this mental map
712
00:43:01,081 --> 00:43:02,875
and they have this ancient knowledge
713
00:43:02,958 --> 00:43:05,127
because that's what carries them
across the desert.
714
00:43:10,048 --> 00:43:11,133
LINFIELD: In the dry season,
715
00:43:11,216 --> 00:43:13,969
when we were trying to film elephants
out in the baking heat,
716
00:43:14,052 --> 00:43:17,431
we were having to wait for them
by small waterholes.
717
00:43:17,514 --> 00:43:21,018
We had crews
scattered throughout the landscape,
718
00:43:21,101 --> 00:43:25,606
using Mike's surveying
and satellite information
719
00:43:25,689 --> 00:43:27,482
to help get us to the right places.
720
00:43:29,276 --> 00:43:30,694
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
721
00:43:32,362 --> 00:43:35,157
As we filmed the elephants
on their road trip,
722
00:43:35,240 --> 00:43:37,701
all sorts of things have made me realize
723
00:43:37,784 --> 00:43:42,164
how sentient, intelligent,
and emotionally sensitive they are,
724
00:43:42,247 --> 00:43:46,376
but there was one scene in particular
that I was filming with Martyn
725
00:43:46,460 --> 00:43:48,879
where the elephants came across
726
00:43:48,962 --> 00:43:52,633
the bones of a dead, we presume, relative.
We don't know.
727
00:43:58,639 --> 00:44:00,641
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
728
00:44:06,730 --> 00:44:09,316
COLBECK: It's one of the most
extraordinary and poignant things
729
00:44:09,399 --> 00:44:11,902
to witness with elephants,
730
00:44:11,985 --> 00:44:16,490
because they go into a very different
sort of frame of mind.
731
00:44:17,699 --> 00:44:19,826
They're very, very quiet
732
00:44:19,910 --> 00:44:23,914
and they're very sensitively touching
key parts of the skeleton.
733
00:44:24,623 --> 00:44:31,463
It's usually the skull, the tusks,
the lower jaw, the pelvis.
734
00:44:39,888 --> 00:44:44,309
They don't respond in the same way
to the bones of other animals
735
00:44:44,393 --> 00:44:48,313
so they clearly know that the carcass
is that of an elephant.
736
00:44:50,899 --> 00:44:55,529
And it's absolutely remarkable to witness.
737
00:45:02,244 --> 00:45:05,873
JENKINS: Elephants coming across the bones
of another elephant
738
00:45:05,956 --> 00:45:09,543
and the gentle way
that they touch the bones, sniff them,
739
00:45:09,626 --> 00:45:12,504
almost as if they were trying
to work out who this was,
740
00:45:12,588 --> 00:45:16,300
how they died and it's a mourning
741
00:45:16,383 --> 00:45:22,973
and it's just their respect for each other
and care is really, really beautiful.
742
00:45:23,056 --> 00:45:25,601
I think that is really special.
743
00:45:28,979 --> 00:45:32,399
LINFIELD: The elephants just would,
picking up the bones,
744
00:45:32,482 --> 00:45:34,151
passing them between each other,
745
00:45:34,234 --> 00:45:37,279
drooling on them so they could get
more taste and smell.
746
00:45:37,362 --> 00:45:39,948
They spent 10 or 15 minutes,
747
00:45:40,032 --> 00:45:42,409
apparently reminiscing
about an individual,
748
00:45:42,492 --> 00:45:47,664
who knows, we'll never know,
but it was very moving.
749
00:45:50,542 --> 00:45:53,003
COLBECK: This set of bones
exemplified the fact
750
00:45:53,086 --> 00:45:56,089
that the decisions
that the matriarchs make
751
00:45:56,173 --> 00:45:59,176
and the matriarchy makes across the clan
752
00:45:59,259 --> 00:46:02,596
are actually crucial to the survival
of the family
753
00:46:02,679 --> 00:46:04,389
and they have to get it right.
754
00:46:08,769 --> 00:46:11,939
SISTO: The elephants complete
their five-hundred-mile journey
755
00:46:12,022 --> 00:46:15,776
as they reach the shores
of one of Africa's largest rivers.
756
00:46:18,654 --> 00:46:21,990
The Zambezi is an elephant paradise.
757
00:46:22,074 --> 00:46:25,786
Its secluded islands have plenty of food
and fresh water
758
00:46:25,869 --> 00:46:28,789
to sustain them
for the next couple of months.
759
00:46:29,540 --> 00:46:34,378
And the team are in perfect position
to film the first arrivals,
760
00:46:34,461 --> 00:46:39,341
as well as reveal one of the most dramatic
and extraordinary landmarks
761
00:46:39,424 --> 00:46:41,093
on the elephants' road trip.
762
00:46:43,846 --> 00:46:48,100
Victoria Falls is the world's
largest curtain of falling water.
763
00:46:50,602 --> 00:46:55,399
Over two-million gallons per second
cascade into the gorge,
764
00:46:56,441 --> 00:47:00,445
creating Mosi-oa-Tunya,
the smoke that thunders.
765
00:47:03,240 --> 00:47:07,661
To capture the enormous scale,
the falls must be filmed from the air.
766
00:47:08,412 --> 00:47:10,122
But even with the very latest,
767
00:47:10,205 --> 00:47:14,793
most advanced drone,
this was a nerve-racking job for the crew.
768
00:47:16,295 --> 00:47:19,882
The shot that we're trying to do,
which is slightly insane,
769
00:47:19,965 --> 00:47:24,386
is to drop the drone down in this V,
by Cataract Island,
770
00:47:24,469 --> 00:47:27,764
and swing around to
where this lovely light is shafting
771
00:47:27,848 --> 00:47:30,976
and then come round
so that the shot opens up
772
00:47:31,059 --> 00:47:32,686
and you can see the whole fall.
773
00:47:33,478 --> 00:47:35,939
The trouble is,
we're getting lots of spray on the lens.
774
00:47:36,690 --> 00:47:39,401
I mean, you can see out there,
it's just absolutely insane,
775
00:47:39,484 --> 00:47:41,403
there's just spray everywhere,
776
00:47:41,486 --> 00:47:44,323
thousands of tons of water per second
going over the lip
777
00:47:44,406 --> 00:47:46,241
and we're flying a drone right through it.
778
00:47:46,325 --> 00:47:48,827
(CHUCKLES)
It's like they're stupid things.
779
00:47:58,629 --> 00:48:01,548
I'm very confident
that Russell is a superb drone pilot
780
00:48:01,632 --> 00:48:03,050
but he's gonna need to be.
781
00:48:03,133 --> 00:48:04,176
That's nice.
782
00:48:04,259 --> 00:48:06,929
RUSSELL MACLAUGHLIN: I think
we're just picking up light from here.
783
00:48:08,305 --> 00:48:10,098
LINFIELD: I can only imagine,
looking there,
784
00:48:10,182 --> 00:48:12,684
how many updrafts and downdrafts
there are gonna be.
785
00:48:12,768 --> 00:48:16,522
Any one of them could suck our drone
right down into the gorge and trash it.
786
00:48:19,441 --> 00:48:20,984
Keep coming. Keep coming.
787
00:48:22,110 --> 00:48:23,111
It's nice.
788
00:48:23,779 --> 00:48:24,780
Okay.
789
00:48:27,533 --> 00:48:28,534
Uh...
790
00:48:30,244 --> 00:48:31,245
No, let's bring it back.
791
00:48:31,328 --> 00:48:33,330
MACLAUGHLIN: Yes, that's our scene.
792
00:48:33,413 --> 00:48:34,581
LINFIELD: Okay.
793
00:48:45,592 --> 00:48:49,263
The trouble is we're flying a brand new,
really expensive drone
794
00:48:49,346 --> 00:48:52,558
all over Vic Falls
and it's soaking with water
795
00:48:52,641 --> 00:48:55,435
and we think this is
why it might not be behaving correctly.
796
00:48:57,437 --> 00:48:58,856
As we come over the waterfall,
797
00:48:58,939 --> 00:49:01,692
all of the spray is coming up
and drenching the rotors,
798
00:49:01,775 --> 00:49:04,444
drenching the electronics
and then we're losing control.
799
00:49:04,528 --> 00:49:06,363
(DRONE WHIRRING)
800
00:49:17,040 --> 00:49:20,544
MACLAUGHLIN: It's always nerve-racking,
this, flying it into waterfalls like this.
801
00:49:21,253 --> 00:49:25,966
The challenge is, I mean, we've got
a lot of spray from the waterfalls,
802
00:49:26,049 --> 00:49:28,135
so we're getting the camera and drone wet
803
00:49:28,218 --> 00:49:31,680
and there's a lot of wind at the moment
and downdraft and updraft.
804
00:49:31,763 --> 00:49:33,640
I mean, the wind's just crazy around here.
805
00:49:33,724 --> 00:49:35,517
You just never know what's gonna happen.
806
00:49:37,186 --> 00:49:41,231
Definitely the hairiest bit of filming
and I think everyone agrees.
807
00:49:42,900 --> 00:49:44,443
Let's just do that same run again.
808
00:49:44,526 --> 00:49:46,570
That's good. That's good.
809
00:49:49,406 --> 00:49:50,991
That's it. That's nice.
810
00:49:52,117 --> 00:49:54,036
That is lovely, straight over the falls.
811
00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:56,371
Great, cool, Russ.
812
00:50:00,292 --> 00:50:02,169
MACLAUGHLIN: Bring it back.
LINFIELD: Bring it home.
813
00:50:02,252 --> 00:50:03,795
Bring her home. Bring her home.
814
00:50:10,010 --> 00:50:11,512
Whoo-hoo!
815
00:50:12,179 --> 00:50:13,514
Well done, guys.
816
00:50:13,597 --> 00:50:15,766
The stuff we got at the end
was just incredible so...
817
00:50:16,266 --> 00:50:20,354
Yeah, and I'm relieved it's down
on the ground, so... Damn happy!
818
00:50:21,188 --> 00:50:23,857
LINFIELD: Poor Russell,
that's a very nerve-racking day.
819
00:50:23,941 --> 00:50:25,192
We basically said,
820
00:50:25,275 --> 00:50:28,529
"Go on with $80,000 worth of equipment
over Victoria Falls,
821
00:50:28,612 --> 00:50:30,155
"and don't crash it." (LAUGHS)
822
00:50:30,239 --> 00:50:31,823
Luckily, he didn't crash it
823
00:50:31,907 --> 00:50:33,700
and that last shot
looks absolutely amazing,
824
00:50:33,784 --> 00:50:38,288
this gorgeous orange light
and this amazing vertiginous drop,
825
00:50:38,372 --> 00:50:39,790
which was, yeah, something else.
826
00:50:39,873 --> 00:50:42,459
I've never seen Victoria Falls
look like that, incredible.
827
00:50:47,923 --> 00:50:51,134
SISTO: Two months later
and the waters have receded.
828
00:50:51,218 --> 00:50:54,680
It was time for the elephants
to head back to the Okavango Delta
829
00:50:54,763 --> 00:50:59,601
and for our crew to once more
follow in their footsteps.
830
00:51:08,277 --> 00:51:10,404
The team was back on the road again.
831
00:51:12,239 --> 00:51:16,952
Heading away from the Zambezi,
the next stop for the crew was Hwange,
832
00:51:17,035 --> 00:51:19,663
Zimbabwe's largest National Park.
833
00:51:20,664 --> 00:51:25,586
Here, the herds were avoiding
the heat of the day by traveling at night.
834
00:51:28,172 --> 00:51:31,592
The crew knew they were heading straight
into lion country.
835
00:51:45,731 --> 00:51:48,108
GAVIN THURSTON: Just in the last year,
cameras have come out now
836
00:51:48,192 --> 00:51:51,737
by which we are able to see in pretty much
near darkness and film in color.
837
00:51:53,238 --> 00:51:56,617
We've got a very specific filming period
with these low-light cameras at night,
838
00:51:56,700 --> 00:51:58,076
so we're really hoping
839
00:51:58,160 --> 00:52:02,039
this behavior would happen while
we've got enough moonlight.
840
00:52:11,924 --> 00:52:15,135
EDWARDS: Um, a lot of us guides
never really get the opportunity
841
00:52:15,219 --> 00:52:18,472
to see what predator interaction
goes on during the night,
842
00:52:18,555 --> 00:52:21,016
so it's kind of a unique insight
into something
843
00:52:21,099 --> 00:52:25,938
that we really rarely get the opportunity
to experience, so
844
00:52:26,021 --> 00:52:30,150
excited and apprehensive
'cause not knowing what to expect.
845
00:52:31,443 --> 00:52:35,781
SISTO: The night cameras reveal
how little the elephants can see at night.
846
00:52:36,490 --> 00:52:38,867
-(LIONS GROWL)
-(ELEPHANTS TRUMPET)
847
00:52:46,917 --> 00:52:49,211
EDWARDS: I've had experiences before
where young lions
848
00:52:49,294 --> 00:52:51,880
have taken an interest in a vehicle,
849
00:52:51,964 --> 00:52:55,050
but not to the degree
that these youngsters did.
850
00:53:12,651 --> 00:53:13,652
Hey!
851
00:53:14,319 --> 00:53:17,155
The important thing is to make sure
that you're always calm
852
00:53:17,239 --> 00:53:22,411
and the guys switch their flashlights on
and the lion backed away instantly.
853
00:53:23,662 --> 00:53:25,038
(WHISPERS) Negative reinforcement.
854
00:53:26,164 --> 00:53:27,624
THURSTON: And they're the ones...
855
00:53:30,836 --> 00:53:32,546
EDWARDS: As soon as
they actually figured out
856
00:53:32,629 --> 00:53:35,007
that we were not something to play with,
857
00:53:35,090 --> 00:53:38,594
they accepted us
almost as if we were part of the pride.
858
00:53:42,431 --> 00:53:45,309
THURSTON: Well, when she got up
and came towards the camera,
859
00:53:45,392 --> 00:53:48,061
she came closer than minimum focus,
860
00:53:48,145 --> 00:53:50,856
I was trying to focus on her
as she came towards us.
861
00:53:50,939 --> 00:53:54,109
Minimum focus, I think, is 80 centimeters.
862
00:53:55,861 --> 00:53:58,280
That's close in a car
with no doors on at night.
863
00:54:02,367 --> 00:54:03,994
Very cool cats though.
864
00:54:06,079 --> 00:54:08,248
Until one bites you. (CHUCKLES)
865
00:54:10,709 --> 00:54:14,713
SISTO: Night after night, Gavin and
Clinton keep a watchful eye on the lions,
866
00:54:14,796 --> 00:54:18,800
which didn't seem the least bit interested
in the elephants.
867
00:54:20,177 --> 00:54:23,096
EDWARDS: Everybody keeps telling me
these lions are the ones which,
868
00:54:23,180 --> 00:54:25,933
you know, are super-active,
as you can see.
869
00:54:27,434 --> 00:54:29,686
THURSTON: Once with an...
EDWARDS: One rolled over, twice.
870
00:54:40,739 --> 00:54:44,034
So it got all pretty quiet around
at the moment.
871
00:54:47,829 --> 00:54:51,041
SISTO: For now, the elephants
are safe from the lions
872
00:54:51,124 --> 00:54:55,337
but as these old bones show,
that isn't always the case.
873
00:54:58,423 --> 00:55:01,093
EDWARDS: (WHISPERING)
One of the big differences between filming
874
00:55:01,176 --> 00:55:03,595
during the night rather than the day is
875
00:55:03,679 --> 00:55:09,226
a lot of the predators are less nervous
of our presence,
876
00:55:09,309 --> 00:55:12,938
so your vigilant level
has to be quite high
877
00:55:13,730 --> 00:55:16,817
and also, you know, you're dealing
with night-in night-out
878
00:55:16,900 --> 00:55:19,945
and you know your body
starts to take strain
879
00:55:20,612 --> 00:55:23,574
'cause you're working all night and
trying to catch up in the day,
880
00:55:24,741 --> 00:55:26,368
-so it gets quite tough.
-(YAWNS)
881
00:55:31,915 --> 00:55:34,084
THURSTON: (WHISPERING)
So, when you're working at night,
882
00:55:34,168 --> 00:55:35,794
it's very important to stay vigilant
883
00:55:35,878 --> 00:55:39,965
and it's really good
that the three of us are out here,
884
00:55:40,048 --> 00:55:41,800
keeping our eyes open and ears open
885
00:55:41,884 --> 00:55:45,304
for any strange sounds
or predators or whatever.
886
00:55:45,387 --> 00:55:47,764
-In fact there's some...
-(LION GROWLS)
887
00:55:47,848 --> 00:55:49,308
Is that a lion at the back?
888
00:55:52,477 --> 00:55:54,521
It sounds like a lion roaring.
889
00:55:55,731 --> 00:55:57,274
I think it might be.
890
00:56:01,195 --> 00:56:03,614
(EDWARDS SNORING)
891
00:56:03,697 --> 00:56:07,826
I was hoping the guide might be
keeping his eyes open for us,
892
00:56:07,910 --> 00:56:11,705
but it appears
the night has taken its toll.
893
00:56:20,672 --> 00:56:22,090
(CONTINUES SNORING)
894
00:56:28,388 --> 00:56:29,806
(MOUTHING)
895
00:56:37,648 --> 00:56:40,943
EDWARDS: Yeah, after talking
about how vigilant we should be,
896
00:56:41,026 --> 00:56:43,904
and I fell asleep on the bench seat
in the back
897
00:56:43,987 --> 00:56:47,157
and then basically roared like a lion
in my sleep.
898
00:56:47,783 --> 00:56:49,618
(LAUGHING)
899
00:56:50,953 --> 00:56:52,704
(SNORING)
900
00:56:56,542 --> 00:56:59,461
SISTO: Even though
the crew was out looking for lions,
901
00:56:59,545 --> 00:57:01,797
when you camp in the middle of Africa,
902
00:57:01,880 --> 00:57:05,759
you're always sharing your space
with the local wildlife.
903
00:57:12,808 --> 00:57:14,977
Whether you know it or not.
904
00:57:16,019 --> 00:57:17,020
(SNIFFING)
905
00:57:22,359 --> 00:57:25,487
Have you ever had the feeling
you're being watched?
906
00:57:43,088 --> 00:57:47,134
For the last few nights,
the lions had disappeared from the area.
907
00:57:49,636 --> 00:57:51,555
They returned on the full moon.
908
00:57:52,431 --> 00:57:54,433
And with empty bellies.
909
00:58:00,856 --> 00:58:02,274
(WHISPERING)
910
00:58:10,908 --> 00:58:12,826
(ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING)
911
00:58:18,290 --> 00:58:21,793
(LION ROARING)
912
00:58:24,505 --> 00:58:25,881
THURSTON: Right, that female's up.
913
00:58:31,803 --> 00:58:33,514
She's on it, she's on it.
914
00:58:38,519 --> 00:58:39,978
The other one's up.
915
00:58:43,690 --> 00:58:44,900
This is it.
916
00:58:44,983 --> 00:58:47,069
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
917
00:58:48,487 --> 00:58:50,364
(LIONS GROWL)
918
00:58:50,447 --> 00:58:52,574
She's got it,
she's jumped on the back.
919
00:58:55,786 --> 00:58:56,787
We've gotta move.
920
00:58:56,870 --> 00:59:00,582
SISTO: All this was captured
by the behind-the-scenes cameraman,
921
00:59:00,666 --> 00:59:04,628
bravely shooting the action
from the open back of the filming truck.
922
00:59:06,213 --> 00:59:07,214
THURSTON: Okay.
923
00:59:09,716 --> 00:59:11,552
-(LIONS GROWL)
-(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
924
00:59:11,635 --> 00:59:14,513
LOUIS LABROM BROWN: To film all of the
action, to film Gavin and his reaction
925
00:59:14,596 --> 00:59:17,516
and for me to film Clinton
and all of the things going on
926
00:59:17,599 --> 00:59:20,102
in the back of an open car,
927
00:59:20,185 --> 00:59:22,104
there's lions surrounding the car
928
00:59:22,187 --> 00:59:25,148
and there's a mother elephant
who's really agitated
929
00:59:25,232 --> 00:59:27,609
trying to protect her calf,
running towards the car.
930
00:59:29,111 --> 00:59:30,946
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETING)
931
00:59:33,824 --> 00:59:35,909
THURSTON: She's coming your way,
coming your way.
932
00:59:37,828 --> 00:59:38,912
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
933
00:59:41,832 --> 00:59:43,458
That was pretty intense, really.
934
00:59:47,754 --> 00:59:50,841
I think for me, as soon as I saw that lion
go for the elephant,
935
00:59:51,633 --> 00:59:55,012
in my heart, I was thinking
"Don't kill it, don't kill it."
936
00:59:55,095 --> 00:59:58,515
And I suppose I was quite relieved
that Mom actually managed to chase it off
937
00:59:58,599 --> 01:00:01,852
and that's pretty good mothering really,
to be able to chase off eight lions,
938
01:00:01,935 --> 01:00:04,479
eight hungry lions,
you know, as a single elephant.
939
01:00:18,327 --> 01:00:21,747
SISTO: The next morning, the crew returned
to the scene of the attack.
940
01:00:22,331 --> 01:00:25,167
As expected,
the lions were still in residence,
941
01:00:25,959 --> 01:00:29,880
but surprisingly,
our elephants were also close by.
942
01:00:29,963 --> 01:00:32,090
(ELEPHANTS GRUNTING)
943
01:00:33,091 --> 01:00:36,011
LINFIELD: I remember hearing all the
sounds before coming round the corner.
944
01:00:36,094 --> 01:00:37,971
It was mayhem.
945
01:00:38,055 --> 01:00:39,848
The elephants were so distressed.
946
01:00:40,432 --> 01:00:43,352
(ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING)
947
01:00:43,435 --> 01:00:45,187
We couldn't work out what was going on.
948
01:00:49,608 --> 01:00:52,236
And then we saw they were all looking
at the same place.
949
01:00:53,362 --> 01:00:56,073
Looking down at the ground
where the matriarch was lying.
950
01:00:58,033 --> 01:01:01,078
She was still alive but only just.
951
01:01:03,163 --> 01:01:04,748
It was as though the family realized
952
01:01:04,831 --> 01:01:06,708
they were about to lose their leader
953
01:01:07,334 --> 01:01:10,420
and all the information
and knowledge she was holding.
954
01:01:12,256 --> 01:01:16,635
CHASE: Without a doubt, the grandmothers,
the matriarchs of the family group
955
01:01:16,718 --> 01:01:21,348
are absolutely critical to the survival
of the rest of the elephant family.
956
01:01:21,431 --> 01:01:25,936
They are the oldest, wisest leaders
within the group.
957
01:01:28,021 --> 01:01:29,857
HOLDING: Occasionally,
they'll make mistakes
958
01:01:29,940 --> 01:01:31,900
and there are fatalities along the way
959
01:01:31,984 --> 01:01:34,444
but for the most part,
these animals are incredible.
960
01:01:34,528 --> 01:01:36,780
They know where to go
and they know when to go.
961
01:01:39,283 --> 01:01:42,578
COLBECK: I think what intrigues me most
is, is their relationships
962
01:01:43,370 --> 01:01:45,497
and of course
the longer time you spend with them,
963
01:01:45,581 --> 01:01:48,834
the more you know
what those relationships are like
964
01:01:48,917 --> 01:01:53,672
and you can sort of start to untangle
what goes on between relatives.
965
01:01:54,631 --> 01:01:57,134
The bonds between the individuals
966
01:01:57,217 --> 01:02:02,598
and the emotions that you get
with these individual relationships.
967
01:02:07,477 --> 01:02:09,855
LINFIELD: Our film
is really all about journeys.
968
01:02:09,938 --> 01:02:14,276
You've got the journey of the water
from Angola into the Okavango Delta.
969
01:02:14,359 --> 01:02:17,905
You've got the journey
that our herd goes on, the road trip.
970
01:02:17,988 --> 01:02:22,910
But actually, my favorite journey
is the one taken by a female
971
01:02:22,993 --> 01:02:28,081
who starts the film
as the second-oldest female of the herd.
972
01:02:32,127 --> 01:02:34,046
But when the matriarch dies,
973
01:02:34,129 --> 01:02:38,759
the herd turned to her
to help get them back home
974
01:02:39,259 --> 01:02:42,930
and she has to find it within her
and pull on all of that knowledge,
975
01:02:43,013 --> 01:02:45,724
pull on everything
that she learned from the matriarch
976
01:02:45,807 --> 01:02:48,435
to save the herd
and bring them back to the delta.
977
01:02:59,947 --> 01:03:02,449
SISTO: The loss of one of the film's
key characters
978
01:03:02,533 --> 01:03:06,370
was followed by another piece of bad luck
for Mark and the crew.
979
01:03:06,453 --> 01:03:07,955
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
980
01:03:10,707 --> 01:03:13,460
Now the rainy season
isn't due for two months.
981
01:03:16,797 --> 01:03:18,298
(THUNDER CRACKING)
982
01:03:20,217 --> 01:03:23,470
So, you know,
I was feeling a little bit concerned,
983
01:03:23,554 --> 01:03:27,182
and, you know, in the end,
984
01:03:27,266 --> 01:03:31,520
when we managed to find a spectacular
evening sunset scene
985
01:03:31,603 --> 01:03:33,564
with the eles trekking
against stormy skies
986
01:03:33,647 --> 01:03:36,984
so... I guess that was a silver lining.
987
01:03:40,362 --> 01:03:43,282
SISTO: The crew were in place
as the storm ramped up
988
01:03:43,365 --> 01:03:46,368
and the lions sensed opportunity.
989
01:03:47,202 --> 01:03:51,206
LINFIELD: One of my favorite nights
of the shoot so far,
990
01:03:51,290 --> 01:03:54,209
Halloween night, no less,
it just felt so atmospheric.
991
01:03:54,293 --> 01:03:57,504
We were with the elephants
and out of nowhere,
992
01:03:57,588 --> 01:04:02,259
the storm whips up, the sky goes...
Still going, sky goes dark,
993
01:04:02,342 --> 01:04:07,097
just apocalyptic scene
with kind of dust devils and sand
994
01:04:07,181 --> 01:04:09,725
and we actually saw the lions
before the elephants did.
995
01:04:10,851 --> 01:04:14,146
They came in on our side like this
just through the swirls of dust
996
01:04:14,229 --> 01:04:17,357
and lined up in front of the elephants
and then the elephants saw them.
997
01:04:17,441 --> 01:04:18,942
(ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING)
998
01:04:20,903 --> 01:04:23,822
We weren't sure if the lions
were gonna attack the elephants
999
01:04:23,906 --> 01:04:25,657
or the elephants, the lions.
1000
01:04:32,289 --> 01:04:34,124
Elephants start advancing on them
1001
01:04:35,542 --> 01:04:37,628
and then the lions sort of back off.
1002
01:04:39,379 --> 01:04:42,841
I looked over and that they...
I could almost touch them
1003
01:04:42,925 --> 01:04:46,303
and then luckily they were just
completely fixated on the elephants.
1004
01:04:48,889 --> 01:04:51,475
Very raw, very real.
1005
01:04:51,558 --> 01:04:54,895
And, yeah,
quite a Halloween night actually.
1006
01:04:58,023 --> 01:05:00,984
SISTO: As the rains began in Zimbabwe,
1007
01:05:01,068 --> 01:05:05,155
they were already well underway
in the Angola Highlands,
1008
01:05:05,239 --> 01:05:07,908
the source of the Okavango River.
1009
01:05:11,787 --> 01:05:13,622
(WIND WHOOSHING)
1010
01:05:21,672 --> 01:05:25,676
Months later, the floodwaters
are creeping back into Botswana
1011
01:05:25,759 --> 01:05:27,594
and filling up the delta.
1012
01:05:27,678 --> 01:05:31,932
The leading edge of the flood
is moving at over a mile per day,
1013
01:05:32,015 --> 01:05:35,185
so the crew has had to race
to get ahead of it.
1014
01:05:35,269 --> 01:05:36,770
JONATHAN JONES: We found this spot.
1015
01:05:36,854 --> 01:05:38,438
We actually saw it from the plane.
1016
01:05:38,522 --> 01:05:41,316
You know, if we can get
our big crane down there
1017
01:05:41,400 --> 01:05:43,986
and we see the water coming down
1018
01:05:44,069 --> 01:05:46,989
and it trickles and flows and builds.
I think it'll be really amazing.
1019
01:05:47,698 --> 01:05:49,199
Okay, here we go.
1020
01:05:49,283 --> 01:05:52,578
The challenge we've got
is the sun is dropping fast
1021
01:05:52,661 --> 01:05:55,664
and we were gonna plan to try
and shoot this tomorrow morning
1022
01:05:55,747 --> 01:05:58,750
but the speed in which the water
has come in now,
1023
01:05:58,834 --> 01:06:02,546
we're just worried if we wait,
that overnight it's gonna be through here,
1024
01:06:02,629 --> 01:06:06,300
so we're frantically trying
to make this come together
1025
01:06:06,383 --> 01:06:08,468
with literally minutes of sunlight left.
1026
01:06:08,552 --> 01:06:10,679
Right where you're set. Yeah.
1027
01:06:11,972 --> 01:06:13,724
-Right.
-JONES: Right. Right, ready.
1028
01:06:13,807 --> 01:06:17,311
This water, we're not sure
if it's gonna come slowly
1029
01:06:17,394 --> 01:06:19,771
or in inches an hour, so
1030
01:06:19,855 --> 01:06:22,733
I think we only have one go
before the light goes.
1031
01:06:23,400 --> 01:06:24,902
JONES: Tom, get me ahead, please.
1032
01:06:27,279 --> 01:06:28,822
Keep going, keep going, keep going.
1033
01:06:28,906 --> 01:06:30,699
That's very fast, okay.
1034
01:06:30,782 --> 01:06:32,201
There is good.
1035
01:06:37,039 --> 01:06:38,290
Keep going.
1036
01:06:38,832 --> 01:06:41,084
(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
1037
01:06:41,168 --> 01:06:43,003
STEPHENS: This is the flood
of the Okavango Delta.
1038
01:06:43,086 --> 01:06:44,421
It's unbelievable,
1039
01:06:44,505 --> 01:06:45,964
here it comes from Angola
1040
01:06:46,048 --> 01:06:48,884
and we're standing on the leading edge
of the flood.
1041
01:06:48,967 --> 01:06:50,552
Now we've just filmed it.
1042
01:06:50,636 --> 01:06:53,222
This wall of water just comes
pouring in over the desert
1043
01:06:53,305 --> 01:06:55,098
and we managed to catch it.
1044
01:06:55,182 --> 01:06:57,518
But it's stressful
and you hope everything is working
1045
01:06:57,601 --> 01:06:58,685
but it looked fantastic.
1046
01:06:58,769 --> 01:07:00,687
And after three years of trying,
1047
01:07:00,771 --> 01:07:04,441
we've finally managed to film
the flood arrival, it's quite incredible.
1048
01:07:05,526 --> 01:07:07,277
And now here come our extras.
1049
01:07:08,612 --> 01:07:09,655
Where we are right now
1050
01:07:09,738 --> 01:07:11,907
is outside the buffalo fence
in the Okavango Delta,
1051
01:07:11,990 --> 01:07:13,617
so this is a cattle area.
1052
01:07:13,700 --> 01:07:16,828
And this is the water
that all of these cattle drink every year
1053
01:07:16,912 --> 01:07:18,747
and all the farming communities rely on
1054
01:07:19,540 --> 01:07:21,083
and no sooner has it come through,
1055
01:07:21,166 --> 01:07:23,919
then we've got cattle
coming to drink.
1056
01:07:24,002 --> 01:07:25,629
It's an absolutely amazing sight
1057
01:07:25,712 --> 01:07:30,217
and it's just been such a struggle,
but really rewarding to finally get it.
1058
01:07:32,594 --> 01:07:35,097
LINFIELD: The flood in the Okavango Delta
1059
01:07:35,180 --> 01:07:41,728
has to be one of the most amazing
and frustrating things on our planet
1060
01:07:41,812 --> 01:07:44,356
because everywhere around here,
1061
01:07:44,439 --> 01:07:46,525
you'll find an expert who's gonna tell you
1062
01:07:46,608 --> 01:07:49,403
when the flood's gonna arrive
and where it's gonna go.
1063
01:07:49,486 --> 01:07:52,823
And I can tell you to a man or woman,
they are always wrong.
1064
01:07:55,951 --> 01:07:59,413
HOLDING: Every time the flood arrives,
there's a real sense of anticipation
1065
01:07:59,496 --> 01:08:00,497
and it is...
1066
01:08:00,581 --> 01:08:02,624
It's like an old friend returning.
1067
01:08:04,001 --> 01:08:09,047
It goes from a semi-desert to an Eden
in a matter of a few weeks
1068
01:08:09,131 --> 01:08:12,968
and suddenly everything is lush,
the place is full of new life.
1069
01:08:13,051 --> 01:08:14,511
SISTO: Flood arrives.
1070
01:08:14,595 --> 01:08:16,847
Mark and Jonathan take to the air
1071
01:08:16,930 --> 01:08:21,351
to film the magical sight
of life returning to the delta.
1072
01:08:21,435 --> 01:08:24,229
JONES: (ON RADIO) What you get up here
is amazing different colors
1073
01:08:24,313 --> 01:08:27,566
of green and emeralds
and then sand and then yellows
1074
01:08:27,649 --> 01:08:29,276
and it's amazing and it just depends,
1075
01:08:29,359 --> 01:08:31,737
like, you travel a kilometer
1076
01:08:31,820 --> 01:08:34,156
and then within a kilometer
it feels so different.
1077
01:08:39,786 --> 01:08:42,623
LINFIELD: So, of course, one of the
brilliant things about filming aerials
1078
01:08:42,706 --> 01:08:44,958
is this extra level of context
that you get.
1079
01:08:45,042 --> 01:08:48,712
So on the ground, you just get
a tiny window of what's going on.
1080
01:08:48,795 --> 01:08:51,131
But as soon as you're up really high,
1081
01:08:51,215 --> 01:08:55,052
you can see, for example, the floods
snaking across the landscape
1082
01:08:55,135 --> 01:08:57,888
and all of the animals
gravitating towards it
1083
01:08:57,971 --> 01:09:01,183
and you actually get to understand
the process of what's going on.
1084
01:09:18,534 --> 01:09:21,119
SISTO: Back down on the ground,
the other film crew
1085
01:09:21,203 --> 01:09:26,124
hangs back to capture the final leg
of the elephants' epic journey home.
1086
01:09:26,208 --> 01:09:28,836
LINFIELD: One of the things
that's been working really well
1087
01:09:28,919 --> 01:09:32,923
is our ground-based
camera stabilization system,
1088
01:09:33,006 --> 01:09:36,635
which has been allowing us to film
elephants on the move.
1089
01:09:36,718 --> 01:09:40,722
And today, for example, we were trekking
alongside our herd
1090
01:09:40,806 --> 01:09:42,850
and one of the calves was falling behind
1091
01:09:42,933 --> 01:09:45,769
and it was dribbling
and in a terrible state.
1092
01:09:47,145 --> 01:09:48,230
(GRUNTS)
1093
01:09:52,025 --> 01:09:55,779
And its mother kept circling back
to chivvy it on
1094
01:09:55,863 --> 01:09:59,157
and, you know, nurture it
through the situation.
1095
01:09:59,241 --> 01:10:02,327
You feel like you're on the journey
with them and it's effective.
1096
01:10:18,218 --> 01:10:20,637
HOLDING: It's tough for them,
you know, they lose condition.
1097
01:10:20,721 --> 01:10:23,098
They're thirsty, they're hot,
they're hungry,
1098
01:10:23,182 --> 01:10:25,642
there's little to eat,
it's a really tough time for them.
1099
01:10:25,726 --> 01:10:27,728
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
1100
01:11:04,014 --> 01:11:05,599
SISTO: Over the course of the filming,
1101
01:11:05,682 --> 01:11:08,393
the crew came to realize
that these elephants
1102
01:11:08,477 --> 01:11:12,022
can only complete these epic journeys
through the Kalahari
1103
01:11:12,105 --> 01:11:14,816
because of the strength
of their family bonds.
1104
01:11:17,903 --> 01:11:20,447
It's only when these extraordinary bonds
are broken,
1105
01:11:20,531 --> 01:11:23,867
when herds are attacked by farmers
or poachers,
1106
01:11:23,951 --> 01:11:25,953
that calves get lost or abandoned,
1107
01:11:27,955 --> 01:11:31,083
something Mike Chase
is determined to prevent.
1108
01:11:32,876 --> 01:11:36,046
Every elephant counts
and if I'm in a situation
1109
01:11:36,713 --> 01:11:40,843
to help an elephant that's
orphaned because of humans,
1110
01:11:40,926 --> 01:11:44,096
then it is our commitment and duty
to respond, absolutely.
1111
01:11:47,015 --> 01:11:48,392
SISTO: The lucky ones get taken
1112
01:11:48,475 --> 01:11:51,562
to Mike and Kelly's
Botswana Elephant Orphanage.
1113
01:11:54,231 --> 01:11:56,233
Over the past five years,
1114
01:11:56,316 --> 01:11:58,944
they've learnt
how to become surrogate parents
1115
01:11:59,027 --> 01:12:01,530
to some of the world's biggest toddlers.
1116
01:12:01,613 --> 01:12:04,157
KELLY LANDEN: All the orphans
and all the little elephants,
1117
01:12:04,241 --> 01:12:07,035
they're very emotional animals
in the first place
1118
01:12:07,119 --> 01:12:09,496
and when they're separated
from their family,
1119
01:12:09,580 --> 01:12:12,416
they have these strong needs
1120
01:12:12,499 --> 01:12:16,170
and are very dependent
and very vulnerable.
1121
01:12:16,253 --> 01:12:20,549
If you leave them, even for a few minutes,
they stress and the stress is what...
1122
01:12:20,632 --> 01:12:22,634
It can actually kill the baby elephant.
1123
01:12:23,385 --> 01:12:25,262
So, when they come in,
1124
01:12:25,345 --> 01:12:27,681
we're with them 24 hours,
seven days a week,
1125
01:12:27,764 --> 01:12:28,765
every minute.
1126
01:12:29,224 --> 01:12:32,895
Somebody is with them, sleeps with them,
holds them,
1127
01:12:32,978 --> 01:12:35,063
a lot of physical contact is important
1128
01:12:35,147 --> 01:12:37,858
'cause elephants
have a lot of physical contact.
1129
01:12:37,941 --> 01:12:43,113
They really need to feel a bond,
and feel that love, and feel that care.
1130
01:12:48,827 --> 01:12:50,996
Having them together is perfect
1131
01:12:51,079 --> 01:12:53,165
because the orphans
actually comfort themselves.
1132
01:12:53,832 --> 01:12:55,959
So they're not alone, they have a family,
1133
01:12:56,043 --> 01:13:00,172
they bond very well, they play,
they learn from each other.
1134
01:13:00,255 --> 01:13:03,342
We just help it, we just help them
in the process.
1135
01:13:03,425 --> 01:13:07,304
CHASE: Use your trunk, please,
use your trunk. There we go.
1136
01:13:07,387 --> 01:13:08,680
Look at...
1137
01:13:08,764 --> 01:13:11,767
Elephants are being orphaned or abandoned
because of poaching,
1138
01:13:11,850 --> 01:13:15,145
human-elephant conflict,
retaliatory killings
1139
01:13:15,229 --> 01:13:19,358
and these little calves,
they don't have a future
1140
01:13:19,441 --> 01:13:21,527
if they were left in the wild,
they would die.
1141
01:13:23,695 --> 01:13:26,406
Unfortunately, not many local people
in Botswana
1142
01:13:26,490 --> 01:13:29,785
get to enjoy the magnificence
of elephants.
1143
01:13:30,536 --> 01:13:33,580
And to be able to touch and feel
and empathize
1144
01:13:33,664 --> 01:13:35,541
with their struggle for survival,
1145
01:13:35,624 --> 01:13:39,962
I think is fundamentally key to securing
a future not only for elephants,
1146
01:13:40,045 --> 01:13:41,588
but for our natural world.
1147
01:13:44,633 --> 01:13:47,594
Using calves, at the sanctuary,
1148
01:13:47,678 --> 01:13:52,891
as an ambassador species
to invoke a culture of conservation ethos
1149
01:13:52,975 --> 01:13:56,812
in our youth is what we're hoping
to instill with the elephant sanctuary.
1150
01:14:01,733 --> 01:14:04,611
SISTO: Mike and Kelly's work
continues to this day,
1151
01:14:04,695 --> 01:14:06,280
taking in lost calves
1152
01:14:06,363 --> 01:14:09,575
and providing a brighter future
for Botswana's elephants.
1153
01:14:14,621 --> 01:14:18,834
Back in the Okavango Delta,
the crew is set to capture
1154
01:14:18,917 --> 01:14:21,587
the elephants' return
to their watery home.
1155
01:14:22,671 --> 01:14:25,048
A year on the move has brought them back
1156
01:14:25,132 --> 01:14:28,427
to the very place
their filming first began.
1157
01:14:28,510 --> 01:14:29,511
LINFIELD: They're coming.
1158
01:14:29,595 --> 01:14:33,557
SISTO: But there is one key character
they're all rooting for.
1159
01:14:33,640 --> 01:14:36,143
LINFIELD: Oh, my God. Pandemonium.
1160
01:14:37,394 --> 01:14:41,940
Splashing, they're just splashing
and crashing through that water.
1161
01:14:42,441 --> 01:14:45,652
SISTO: The new matriarch
has got the herd home safely,
1162
01:14:45,736 --> 01:14:47,613
even the new calf.
1163
01:14:47,696 --> 01:14:49,531
The crew are elated.
1164
01:14:49,615 --> 01:14:52,075
LINFIELD: Having an absolute
whale of a time.
1165
01:14:52,159 --> 01:14:55,120
That is amazing. Oh, my God.
1166
01:14:56,038 --> 01:14:57,873
Oh, wow!
1167
01:15:03,921 --> 01:15:05,839
Oh, that is amazing.
1168
01:15:07,841 --> 01:15:10,219
HOLDING: And it's the story
of the journey of elephants
1169
01:15:10,302 --> 01:15:12,679
but it's been a journey for me as well,
1170
01:15:12,763 --> 01:15:14,056
which has been incredible
1171
01:15:14,139 --> 01:15:17,309
and there have been
some fantastic elephant moments.
1172
01:15:17,935 --> 01:15:21,688
We've seen them struggling for water,
we've seen babies being born,
1173
01:15:21,772 --> 01:15:24,566
we've seen old eles die
1174
01:15:24,650 --> 01:15:28,028
and I think I've learned far more
than I anticipated
1175
01:15:28,111 --> 01:15:31,490
that I would about elephants
and their behavior and their movements,
1176
01:15:31,573 --> 01:15:35,744
just from the process of making this film
and that's been really magical.
1177
01:15:36,828 --> 01:15:38,330
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
1178
01:15:38,413 --> 01:15:42,084
COLBECK: Children love elephants,
people love elephants
1179
01:15:42,167 --> 01:15:44,795
and I think if we can get
people realizing,
1180
01:15:44,878 --> 01:15:47,464
having an epiphany,
like I did 30 years ago,
1181
01:15:47,548 --> 01:15:50,467
that these animals
are extraordinary and special
1182
01:15:50,551 --> 01:15:54,221
and we should care about them
for our children and grandchildren,
1183
01:15:54,304 --> 01:15:55,681
I think we will have succeeded.
1184
01:15:55,764 --> 01:15:58,433
That's what I hope we can achieve.
1185
01:16:04,231 --> 01:16:07,776
LINFIELD: In recent times all we've heard
about elephants has been gloomy,
1186
01:16:07,860 --> 01:16:10,988
it's been centered on poaching
and the ivory trade
1187
01:16:11,071 --> 01:16:14,825
and we wanted to shine a light
on the elephants themselves.
1188
01:16:14,908 --> 01:16:18,078
Emotionally and socially
intelligent creatures
1189
01:16:18,161 --> 01:16:19,788
that really deserve our respect.
1190
01:16:21,498 --> 01:16:24,835
But also,
that this incredible home of theirs,
1191
01:16:24,918 --> 01:16:29,047
where they're still free to live out
their lives as they always have
1192
01:16:29,131 --> 01:16:32,968
is here to be saved, if we have the will.
1193
01:16:36,430 --> 01:16:39,183
SISTO: In his ongoing work
to save elephants,
1194
01:16:39,266 --> 01:16:41,560
Mike Holding teams up with Mike Chase
1195
01:16:41,643 --> 01:16:45,397
to fly a new aerial survey
of Botswana, and beyond,
1196
01:16:45,480 --> 01:16:48,066
for the next elephant census.
1197
01:16:52,029 --> 01:16:54,364
Counting the elephants
allows them to monitor
1198
01:16:54,448 --> 01:16:58,285
the long-term trends
in Africa's elephant population.
1199
01:16:58,368 --> 01:17:03,498
Their work is continuing to help protect
and conserve these amazing animals
1200
01:17:04,291 --> 01:17:07,503
in this most vulnerable period
of their history.
1201
01:17:08,545 --> 01:17:10,964
HOLDING: (ON RADIO) There's certainly
a lot of eles out here.
1202
01:17:11,798 --> 01:17:15,427
I have to say I'm a bit nervous
of telling Mark about all these elephants
1203
01:17:15,511 --> 01:17:19,139
because it's almost
completely inaccessible, this area.
1204
01:17:19,723 --> 01:17:23,060
He's gonna have a heart attack if he tries
to get camera crews out here,
1205
01:17:23,143 --> 01:17:24,895
but isn't that nice actually,
1206
01:17:24,978 --> 01:17:28,106
you know, just for us to enjoy it
at least.
1207
01:17:28,190 --> 01:17:31,026
CHASE: I know.
You know... As you say, Mike,
1208
01:17:31,109 --> 01:17:35,405
they're in the elephant heartland,
beyond the reach of man and cameras.
1209
01:17:35,489 --> 01:17:37,783
Yeah. Yeah. That's kind of nice, you know,
1210
01:17:37,866 --> 01:17:39,618
-not great for the film...
-No.
1211
01:17:39,701 --> 01:17:41,912
HOLDING: ...but it's nice for the eles.
Stunning.
1212
01:17:43,997 --> 01:17:45,958
How many elephants
do you think are here?
1213
01:17:46,041 --> 01:17:48,502
-CHASE: Oh, Mike.
-I mean, there is a lot of eles here.
1214
01:17:48,585 --> 01:17:52,381
This is some of the highest concentrations
of elephants in the world.
1215
01:17:52,464 --> 01:17:56,176
So elephants can aggregate here
in their thousands.
1216
01:17:56,260 --> 01:17:59,137
HOLDING: Yeah. This is a little piece
of paradise here.
1217
01:17:59,221 --> 01:18:03,141
CHASE: Where elephants can be left
at peace to be elephants.
1218
01:18:03,225 --> 01:18:04,226
-Exactly.
-And that's...
1219
01:18:04,309 --> 01:18:06,520
For me, that's very comforting
and reassuring.
1220
01:18:06,603 --> 01:18:07,604
Yeah.
1221
01:18:08,480 --> 01:18:11,900
CHASE: Given the plight of elephants,
that there is still a safe refuge
1222
01:18:11,984 --> 01:18:15,487
where elephants can disappear
into the wilderness of northern Botswana
1223
01:18:16,029 --> 01:18:18,740
and still follow
the ancient migration routes.
1224
01:18:18,824 --> 01:18:19,825
HOLDING: Yeah.
1225
01:18:19,908 --> 01:18:21,618
CHASE: Look at this, it's just beautiful.
1226
01:18:21,702 --> 01:18:23,328
HOLDING: Amazing country, yeah.
1227
01:18:32,629 --> 01:18:34,131
(ELEPHANT TRUMPETS)
1228
01:18:37,634 --> 01:18:40,429
CHASE: Having flown the great elephant
census and knowing what I do
1229
01:18:41,138 --> 01:18:44,183
and seeing the situation of elephants
in many protected areas,
1230
01:18:45,392 --> 01:18:47,603
elephants will go locally extinct,
1231
01:18:49,021 --> 01:18:51,607
but the upside of that is
that I'm incredibly fortunate
1232
01:18:51,690 --> 01:18:54,610
to be studying and conserving elephants
in their last stronghold.
1233
01:18:54,693 --> 01:18:57,613
This is where elephants
are making their last stand
1234
01:18:58,155 --> 01:18:59,156
and...
1235
01:19:00,949 --> 01:19:03,827
I think I'm very grateful
for the opportunity
1236
01:19:03,911 --> 01:19:06,246
to be a part of a film like this,
1237
01:19:06,330 --> 01:19:08,540
that sends a message
to the rest of the world
1238
01:19:08,624 --> 01:19:11,543
that elephants are important
1239
01:19:11,627 --> 01:19:13,921
and the story that you're telling
1240
01:19:14,004 --> 01:19:20,302
is crucial to protecting and conserving
the world's largest elephant population.
1241
01:19:22,721 --> 01:19:24,139
(MUSIC CONTINUES)