1 00:00:07,963 --> 00:00:10,683 [chirping] 2 00:00:19,203 --> 00:00:22,523 {\an8}[President Obama] The first time I visited Kenya, about 30 years ago, 3 00:00:22,603 --> 00:00:23,763 {\an8}I was a stranger. 4 00:00:25,243 --> 00:00:29,563 This was the land of my father, who had passed away and who I barely knew. 5 00:00:30,243 --> 00:00:31,323 But I met my family. 6 00:00:31,883 --> 00:00:33,963 I visited the village they had come from. 7 00:00:34,483 --> 00:00:36,083 I felt welcome everywhere. 8 00:00:36,963 --> 00:00:39,963 And as my sister and I spent a few days on safari, 9 00:00:40,043 --> 00:00:41,243 I felt something else. 10 00:00:41,923 --> 00:00:42,763 Awe. 11 00:00:44,403 --> 00:00:48,363 At the African bush that swept on forever, with wide open skies, 12 00:00:49,043 --> 00:00:51,803 and wildlife that never seemed to end. 13 00:00:53,843 --> 00:00:56,203 What a gift to see the world anew. 14 00:00:56,923 --> 00:01:00,283 To see the place where, ultimately, all of us come from. 15 00:01:02,443 --> 00:01:05,883 I'd like to take you to one special park in Kenya, 16 00:01:05,963 --> 00:01:08,563 to experience the heartbeat of Africa. 17 00:01:09,283 --> 00:01:12,683 A wilderness of boundless space, breathtaking beauty, 18 00:01:13,203 --> 00:01:15,523 and wildlife on an epic scale. 19 00:01:16,283 --> 00:01:18,043 Tsavo National Park. 20 00:01:20,683 --> 00:01:21,883 [elephant trumpets] 21 00:01:22,803 --> 00:01:24,203 [elephant trumpets] 22 00:01:24,283 --> 00:01:26,003 [growling] 23 00:01:26,083 --> 00:01:29,043 A land where the elephants are king. 24 00:01:29,963 --> 00:01:31,363 And everyone knows it. 25 00:01:32,043 --> 00:01:34,043 [tranquil music plays] 26 00:01:35,563 --> 00:01:38,123 In the East of Africa lies Kenya, 27 00:01:38,203 --> 00:01:42,523 home to a rich array of wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. 28 00:01:43,363 --> 00:01:45,243 In the south is Tsavo. 29 00:01:46,003 --> 00:01:49,443 Nearly 8,500 square miles, 30 00:01:49,523 --> 00:01:54,403 it's the size of a small country, and Kenya's largest national park. 31 00:01:54,483 --> 00:01:56,483 [tranquil music continues] 32 00:01:57,403 --> 00:02:00,643 To the west, the unforgettable sunsets 33 00:02:00,723 --> 00:02:04,163 behind Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro. 34 00:02:04,763 --> 00:02:06,043 [growling] 35 00:02:07,963 --> 00:02:10,563 Lording over an ancient land of lava, 36 00:02:11,323 --> 00:02:12,403 volcanic hills, 37 00:02:13,683 --> 00:02:15,723 and sparkling oases. 38 00:02:18,163 --> 00:02:20,163 [tranquil music continues] 39 00:02:23,123 --> 00:02:26,723 And in the east, an endless haze of thorny scrub… 40 00:02:31,723 --> 00:02:34,043 traversed by life-giving rivers. 41 00:02:37,203 --> 00:02:41,163 Alongside them, the shady wall of the Yatta plateau, 42 00:02:42,243 --> 00:02:45,323 one of the longest lava flows in the world. 43 00:02:46,083 --> 00:02:48,083 [tranquil music continues] 44 00:02:50,603 --> 00:02:52,243 And everywhere you look, 45 00:02:52,323 --> 00:02:57,123 Tsavo's iconic bright red soil stamps its personality 46 00:02:57,203 --> 00:03:01,403 on everybody who lives in this extraordinary wilderness. 47 00:03:02,683 --> 00:03:04,683 [dramatic music plays] 48 00:03:19,323 --> 00:03:22,283 [elephants trumpeting] 49 00:03:22,363 --> 00:03:26,683 Tsavo is home to Kenya's largest elephant populations. 50 00:03:29,123 --> 00:03:33,403 Over 13,000 roam freely through this vast landscape. 51 00:03:36,003 --> 00:03:39,483 To find them, you have to know where to look. 52 00:04:01,643 --> 00:04:03,643 [tranquil music plays] 53 00:04:15,203 --> 00:04:16,323 Enjoying a swim, 54 00:04:17,043 --> 00:04:19,443 adolescent bulls let off some steam… 55 00:04:19,523 --> 00:04:21,523 [tranquil music continues] 56 00:04:30,403 --> 00:04:33,723 …like synchronized swimmers in liquid chocolate. 57 00:04:34,403 --> 00:04:36,403 [tranquil music continues] 58 00:04:40,043 --> 00:04:42,843 It's April. The watering holes are full. 59 00:04:49,363 --> 00:04:52,923 The rains may not return for six months or more. 60 00:04:54,563 --> 00:04:56,563 [tranquil music continues] 61 00:04:57,723 --> 00:05:00,643 As males get older, they prefer to go it alone. 62 00:05:04,123 --> 00:05:09,123 A few of them may go on to become the biggest tuskers to walk the Earth. 63 00:05:09,203 --> 00:05:10,163 [elephant trumpets] 64 00:05:13,043 --> 00:05:15,043 [low growling] 65 00:05:15,123 --> 00:05:19,523 This is Lugard, named by the rangers who monitor him. 66 00:05:21,723 --> 00:05:24,123 A 50-year-old "super tusker" 67 00:05:24,723 --> 00:05:27,283 and one of Kenya's national treasures. 68 00:05:27,883 --> 00:05:30,323 [low growling] 69 00:05:30,403 --> 00:05:34,563 Each tusk alone weighs well over 100 pounds. 70 00:05:35,283 --> 00:05:37,283 [tranquil music continues] 71 00:05:38,043 --> 00:05:42,963 These ambassadors of the elephant world have had to endure immense challenges… 72 00:05:47,083 --> 00:05:50,563 living through successive droughts, modern development, 73 00:05:50,643 --> 00:05:53,123 and poaching from the illegal ivory trade. 74 00:05:54,723 --> 00:05:56,723 [tranquil music continues] 75 00:05:59,723 --> 00:06:04,483 Today, there are believed to be just 30 super tuskers remaining across Africa. 76 00:06:04,563 --> 00:06:06,363 [low growling] 77 00:06:08,683 --> 00:06:11,203 And Tsavo is home to a third of them. 78 00:06:14,083 --> 00:06:16,843 Most are now living well into old age. 79 00:06:22,203 --> 00:06:25,843 National parks play a vital role in their protection. 80 00:06:30,483 --> 00:06:32,323 [low growling] 81 00:06:35,523 --> 00:06:37,083 [low growling] 82 00:06:37,163 --> 00:06:38,523 Over the coming months, 83 00:06:38,603 --> 00:06:42,843 Tsavo's extreme climate will test all the animals that live here. 84 00:06:47,123 --> 00:06:50,643 Only those that have adapted to its fast-changing conditions 85 00:06:50,723 --> 00:06:52,523 will survive the dry season. 86 00:06:56,723 --> 00:06:57,763 This hungry hornbill 87 00:06:57,843 --> 00:07:01,723 has developed an ingenious way of getting a bigger breakfast. 88 00:07:05,283 --> 00:07:06,563 But he can't do it alone. 89 00:07:18,683 --> 00:07:19,723 [squealing] 90 00:07:21,443 --> 00:07:22,403 [squealing] 91 00:07:25,643 --> 00:07:28,483 A family of dwarf mongooses. 92 00:07:28,563 --> 00:07:30,563 [upbeat suspenseful music plays] 93 00:07:37,763 --> 00:07:40,003 The hornbill is ready to go, 94 00:07:40,963 --> 00:07:42,843 but they are in no rush. 95 00:07:42,923 --> 00:07:44,923 [suspenseful music plays] 96 00:07:50,123 --> 00:07:51,283 He can only wait 97 00:07:52,283 --> 00:07:54,523 while the mongooses get ready for their day. 98 00:07:55,563 --> 00:07:57,563 [suspenseful music continues] 99 00:07:58,763 --> 00:08:02,683 They won't go anywhere until the signal is given. 100 00:08:03,283 --> 00:08:04,923 [mongoose squeals] 101 00:08:06,683 --> 00:08:08,443 At last, they're off. 102 00:08:10,363 --> 00:08:12,683 And right behind them, the hungry hornbill. 103 00:08:12,763 --> 00:08:14,763 [upbeat suspenseful music plays] 104 00:08:19,603 --> 00:08:22,763 The scampering mongooses stir up bugs in the undergrowth, 105 00:08:23,483 --> 00:08:24,523 and what they miss, 106 00:08:25,483 --> 00:08:26,563 he'll snap up, 107 00:08:27,883 --> 00:08:30,723 saving him the job of finding his own food. 108 00:08:32,043 --> 00:08:33,883 The mongooses don't seem to mind. 109 00:08:40,083 --> 00:08:42,403 Foraging together works for everyone. 110 00:08:43,523 --> 00:08:46,203 Especially when the landscape dries up 111 00:08:46,763 --> 00:08:48,763 and there's a lack of cover. 112 00:08:49,843 --> 00:08:51,523 [suspenseful music plays] 113 00:08:54,843 --> 00:08:56,843 The hornbill acts as a lookout. 114 00:08:57,403 --> 00:08:59,403 [suspenseful music intensifies] 115 00:09:00,643 --> 00:09:05,403 [squawking] 116 00:09:05,483 --> 00:09:08,763 One call sends everyone diving for cover. 117 00:09:08,843 --> 00:09:10,843 [suspenseful music continues] 118 00:09:22,963 --> 00:09:24,443 Of all the items on the menu, 119 00:09:25,643 --> 00:09:27,803 this appears to be a favorite. 120 00:09:28,723 --> 00:09:31,163 Giant African land snails, 121 00:09:32,803 --> 00:09:34,643 each up to six inches long. 122 00:09:36,283 --> 00:09:39,483 Some of the largest, juiciest snails in the world. 123 00:09:44,883 --> 00:09:46,083 Easy to catch too. 124 00:09:47,203 --> 00:09:49,323 These snails aren't going anywhere fast. 125 00:09:52,163 --> 00:09:55,243 But they are a tough nut to crack. 126 00:09:55,323 --> 00:09:56,603 [tense music plays] 127 00:09:58,203 --> 00:10:01,763 These mongooses have developed a special technique. 128 00:10:02,763 --> 00:10:04,123 [upbeat tense music plays] 129 00:10:06,563 --> 00:10:09,643 [snails thud] 130 00:10:09,723 --> 00:10:11,923 They use the wooden logs like an anvil 131 00:10:12,603 --> 00:10:14,643 to smash the snails against. 132 00:10:17,603 --> 00:10:22,203 Tsavo is one of the few places where this behavior has been observed. 133 00:10:22,283 --> 00:10:24,483 [upbeat tense music continues] 134 00:10:29,003 --> 00:10:31,923 The hornbill knows a dinner gong when he hears one. 135 00:10:32,003 --> 00:10:34,003 [upbeat tense music continues] 136 00:10:47,643 --> 00:10:52,163 The dry climate here means this isn't an easy place to make a living. 137 00:10:54,003 --> 00:10:58,043 So working together helps ensure they both get enough to eat 138 00:10:58,843 --> 00:11:00,763 as food becomes scarce. 139 00:11:10,923 --> 00:11:13,923 As the dry season tightens its grip on this vast park, 140 00:11:14,883 --> 00:11:17,403 the resource that's in most urgent need 141 00:11:18,923 --> 00:11:19,763 is water. 142 00:11:23,323 --> 00:11:27,203 To protect one of Tsavo's most critically endangered animals, 143 00:11:27,283 --> 00:11:30,283 this remote water hole is filled by rangers. 144 00:11:35,563 --> 00:11:36,923 As evening approaches, 145 00:11:37,003 --> 00:11:41,323 the stage is set for this shy creature to appear. 146 00:11:44,923 --> 00:11:46,923 [chirping] 147 00:11:51,803 --> 00:11:53,403 Black rhinoceros. 148 00:11:54,283 --> 00:11:55,963 A mother and her calf. 149 00:11:56,483 --> 00:11:57,363 [snorting] 150 00:11:59,323 --> 00:12:04,163 Using a sensitive night vision camera, we are able to see them in color. 151 00:12:09,643 --> 00:12:12,443 Youngsters follow their mothers' movements closely. 152 00:12:13,843 --> 00:12:15,243 They have an intense bond. 153 00:12:20,283 --> 00:12:22,483 Rhinos have poor vision at a distance… 154 00:12:24,603 --> 00:12:27,803 but an incredible sense of hearing and smell. 155 00:12:31,323 --> 00:12:33,363 [rhino sniffing] 156 00:12:33,443 --> 00:12:38,243 They curl their lips back to sense who's around in the night air. 157 00:12:38,323 --> 00:12:40,123 [suspenseful music plays] 158 00:12:40,203 --> 00:12:41,643 [rhinos snorting] 159 00:12:43,203 --> 00:12:45,363 More families arrive to take a drink. 160 00:12:46,123 --> 00:12:48,123 [suspenseful music continues] 161 00:12:50,043 --> 00:12:53,083 Dominant black rhinos are often territorial. 162 00:12:53,643 --> 00:12:55,163 [rhino growls] 163 00:12:59,003 --> 00:13:02,803 But some individuals are more feisty than others. 164 00:13:04,243 --> 00:13:06,243 [suspenseful music continues] 165 00:13:10,323 --> 00:13:14,243 There were once around 8,000 here in Tsavo. 166 00:13:18,363 --> 00:13:20,043 In the 1970s and '80s, 167 00:13:20,523 --> 00:13:23,603 poachers killed all but ten for their horn. 168 00:13:28,203 --> 00:13:32,763 A breeding program has since increased the population to over 100. 169 00:13:35,843 --> 00:13:39,643 These usually solitary creatures come to drink and socialize. 170 00:13:43,043 --> 00:13:44,483 Mothers greet friends. 171 00:13:46,443 --> 00:13:48,043 Calves meet playmates… 172 00:13:50,803 --> 00:13:51,963 [rhinos snorting] 173 00:13:52,043 --> 00:13:53,403 …and fathers. 174 00:13:54,123 --> 00:13:55,123 [growling] 175 00:13:58,403 --> 00:14:02,803 But when more males arrive, the atmosphere changes. 176 00:14:02,883 --> 00:14:05,163 [growling] 177 00:14:08,163 --> 00:14:09,363 During the dry season, 178 00:14:09,443 --> 00:14:12,123 unusually high numbers of rhinos gather here. 179 00:14:12,803 --> 00:14:15,323 They have bred so successfully 180 00:14:15,403 --> 00:14:18,683 that there's now increased competition for space… 181 00:14:18,763 --> 00:14:20,483 [rhinos growl] 182 00:14:20,563 --> 00:14:21,603 …and mates. 183 00:14:22,483 --> 00:14:25,003 [rhinos growl] 184 00:14:25,523 --> 00:14:27,523 [tense music plays] 185 00:14:28,603 --> 00:14:30,003 [rhino growls] 186 00:14:30,843 --> 00:14:31,843 [rhino growls] 187 00:14:32,483 --> 00:14:34,483 [tense music continues] 188 00:14:37,323 --> 00:14:38,643 [rhino growls] 189 00:14:38,723 --> 00:14:40,723 [tense music continues] 190 00:14:42,043 --> 00:14:43,923 [rhinos growl] 191 00:14:44,443 --> 00:14:46,603 [zebras squeal] 192 00:14:48,003 --> 00:14:49,683 [tense music intensifies] 193 00:14:50,403 --> 00:14:53,243 [rhinos growl] 194 00:14:58,843 --> 00:14:59,883 [rhino growls] 195 00:15:00,483 --> 00:15:02,483 [tense music continues] 196 00:15:03,363 --> 00:15:04,403 [rhino growls] 197 00:15:10,363 --> 00:15:13,763 One of the males makes his move on the mother with her calf, 198 00:15:15,283 --> 00:15:17,203 but she gives him a clear message. 199 00:15:23,323 --> 00:15:26,123 A dominant older male arrives at the water hole. 200 00:15:27,243 --> 00:15:29,283 Rangers call him Atoti. 201 00:15:34,763 --> 00:15:35,843 A young female. 202 00:15:37,403 --> 00:15:40,403 Too young to mate, she's not interested in him. 203 00:15:41,443 --> 00:15:43,443 [suspenseful music plays] 204 00:15:45,323 --> 00:15:47,243 [male rhino growls] 205 00:15:47,843 --> 00:15:48,963 [female rhino squeals] 206 00:15:49,723 --> 00:15:52,683 His frustration leads to hostility. 207 00:15:52,763 --> 00:15:55,043 [female rhino squeals] 208 00:15:55,603 --> 00:15:56,603 [male rhino growls] 209 00:15:58,003 --> 00:16:01,083 -[female rhino squeals] -[male rhino growls] 210 00:16:01,163 --> 00:16:02,643 [suspenseful music plays] 211 00:16:02,723 --> 00:16:03,843 [female rhino squeals] 212 00:16:03,923 --> 00:16:08,723 He uses his horn to try and hook her hind legs and trip her up. 213 00:16:09,283 --> 00:16:10,723 [female rhino squeals] 214 00:16:14,003 --> 00:16:15,123 [female rhino squeals] 215 00:16:16,083 --> 00:16:18,083 [suspenseful music continues] 216 00:16:26,603 --> 00:16:30,923 The other females and calves decide it's time to go. 217 00:16:31,003 --> 00:16:32,123 [female rhino squeals] 218 00:16:32,203 --> 00:16:34,203 [suspenseful music continues] 219 00:16:46,003 --> 00:16:48,163 The young female manages to outrun him. 220 00:16:58,723 --> 00:17:00,963 And Atoti cools off. 221 00:17:02,883 --> 00:17:03,723 [rhino snorts] 222 00:17:08,003 --> 00:17:09,683 As the dry season continues, 223 00:17:10,203 --> 00:17:14,363 many of the natural water sources around the park slowly disappear. 224 00:17:19,683 --> 00:17:24,923 But there is a special place to the north which is a permanent oasis. 225 00:17:31,163 --> 00:17:33,923 The cloud forests high in the Chyulu Hills 226 00:17:34,003 --> 00:17:36,283 rise out of the plains in Tsavo West. 227 00:17:40,363 --> 00:17:44,403 Formed from porous, volcanic rock, they absorb rainfall, 228 00:17:44,483 --> 00:17:46,563 creating underground reservoirs. 229 00:17:50,723 --> 00:17:54,803 It takes over 20 years for the water to seep through to the plains below… 230 00:17:55,523 --> 00:17:57,523 [tranquil music plays] 231 00:18:00,563 --> 00:18:03,003 …where it emerges in a constant supply… 232 00:18:06,803 --> 00:18:08,723 at Mzima Springs… 233 00:18:11,203 --> 00:18:14,763 a name that means "alive" in Swahili. 234 00:18:15,883 --> 00:18:17,883 [tranquil music continues] 235 00:18:37,683 --> 00:18:40,923 It's estimated that over 50 million gallons 236 00:18:41,003 --> 00:18:43,003 pour from the ground every day 237 00:18:43,803 --> 00:18:47,563 into crystal-clear pools buzzing with activity. 238 00:18:51,683 --> 00:18:53,683 [tranquil music continues] 239 00:18:55,963 --> 00:18:59,243 Fig trees provide food for the vervet monkeys. 240 00:19:00,443 --> 00:19:01,763 [tranquil music continues] 241 00:19:07,283 --> 00:19:10,723 And barbel wait below for falling fruit. 242 00:19:10,803 --> 00:19:12,803 [tranquil music continues] 243 00:19:19,723 --> 00:19:24,483 [monkeys chatter] 244 00:19:24,563 --> 00:19:26,563 [tranquil music continues] 245 00:19:29,163 --> 00:19:30,883 A bountiful paradise 246 00:19:31,443 --> 00:19:33,963 with enough food for everyone. 247 00:19:44,403 --> 00:19:46,043 But this magical pool 248 00:19:46,123 --> 00:19:50,083 belongs to a pod of 14 hippopotamuses, 249 00:19:51,123 --> 00:19:54,883 fiercely defended by the huge alpha male. 250 00:20:01,323 --> 00:20:04,123 He can hold his breath for up to five minutes 251 00:20:05,363 --> 00:20:07,923 and spend more than half his life submerged. 252 00:20:12,043 --> 00:20:14,243 Normally found in muddy pools, 253 00:20:14,323 --> 00:20:20,243 it's incredibly rare to see the intimate lives of these shy creatures. 254 00:20:24,963 --> 00:20:26,963 [tranquil music plays] 255 00:20:29,043 --> 00:20:34,283 Early every morning, Dad leads his family to deeper, cooler water. 256 00:20:35,243 --> 00:20:37,243 [tranquil music continues] 257 00:20:44,963 --> 00:20:47,323 Hippos can weigh more than a family car, 258 00:20:48,203 --> 00:20:51,283 but underwater, they are surprisingly graceful. 259 00:20:51,803 --> 00:20:53,803 [jaunty music plays] 260 00:20:57,483 --> 00:21:00,043 The adults sleep during the hottest part of the day. 261 00:21:02,203 --> 00:21:04,563 The youngsters play right through it. 262 00:21:05,883 --> 00:21:07,523 [jaunty music continues] 263 00:21:10,603 --> 00:21:12,523 And when they get too boisterous, 264 00:21:12,603 --> 00:21:14,883 the adults keep them in line. 265 00:21:15,843 --> 00:21:17,923 [jaunty music fades] 266 00:21:26,923 --> 00:21:31,123 Without the hippos, the diversity of life here wouldn't exist… 267 00:21:33,403 --> 00:21:36,003 because they bring something vital to this water. 268 00:21:40,283 --> 00:21:42,443 A natural fertilizer. 269 00:21:44,523 --> 00:21:47,763 It might not do much for the crystal-clear visibility… 270 00:21:50,203 --> 00:21:55,163 but this is the very stuff that keeps Mzima's ecosystem thriving. 271 00:21:55,243 --> 00:21:56,563 [upbeat jazz music plays] 272 00:21:57,723 --> 00:21:59,843 It provides nutrients for the plants 273 00:22:00,443 --> 00:22:02,403 and food for the insects and fish… 274 00:22:03,483 --> 00:22:05,483 [upbeat jazz music continues] 275 00:22:06,443 --> 00:22:09,083 …who follow the hippos for the freshest supply. 276 00:22:14,643 --> 00:22:18,723 Fresh dung isn't the only food that hippos offer the fish here at Mzima. 277 00:22:20,203 --> 00:22:22,203 [tranquil music plays] 278 00:22:24,683 --> 00:22:28,323 By opening his mouth, this hippo invites the fish 279 00:22:28,403 --> 00:22:31,243 inside his huge, powerful jaws. 280 00:22:34,163 --> 00:22:36,643 They forage for scraps stuck between his teeth, 281 00:22:38,603 --> 00:22:41,203 demonstrating an extraordinary level of trust. 282 00:22:43,083 --> 00:22:45,083 [tranquil music continues] 283 00:22:49,003 --> 00:22:52,523 Their rasping mouthparts also clean the hippos' hide, 284 00:22:53,883 --> 00:22:58,443 their toenails, their cracked feet, and all those important places. 285 00:23:01,603 --> 00:23:05,883 A full meal in exchange for a pedicure and polish. 286 00:23:06,403 --> 00:23:08,403 [tranquil music continues] 287 00:23:18,603 --> 00:23:21,443 The small green oasis at Mzima Springs 288 00:23:21,523 --> 00:23:25,803 provides water to the fortunate animals who live in this corner of the park. 289 00:23:29,203 --> 00:23:33,723 But it's a different story for those who roam across its arid center. 290 00:23:38,803 --> 00:23:41,043 Elephants have incredible memories, 291 00:23:41,963 --> 00:23:46,603 guiding them to areas where they've found food and water in previous dry seasons. 292 00:23:49,003 --> 00:23:52,763 But in the middle of the park, they face a daunting obstacle. 293 00:23:56,603 --> 00:23:58,723 Tsavo was established in two parts, 294 00:23:59,923 --> 00:24:01,243 East and West, 295 00:24:02,683 --> 00:24:06,683 sliced down the middle by an existing road and railway. 296 00:24:07,403 --> 00:24:10,163 [engines roar] 297 00:24:10,243 --> 00:24:12,883 The busy road is now a dangerous barrier for wildlife 298 00:24:12,963 --> 00:24:14,803 moving between the two parks. 299 00:24:19,403 --> 00:24:23,763 In 2017, a new railway was completed alongside the old one, 300 00:24:24,443 --> 00:24:29,323 linking Kenya's largest port, Mombasa, and her capital, Nairobi. 301 00:24:31,963 --> 00:24:36,523 The steep embankments and fences prevent the animals from crossing the tracks, 302 00:24:37,003 --> 00:24:38,523 restricting their movements. 303 00:24:42,643 --> 00:24:47,323 They can only reach the other side via specially-built underpasses. 304 00:24:48,243 --> 00:24:49,683 [horn blares] 305 00:24:55,763 --> 00:24:56,683 [horn blares] 306 00:24:56,763 --> 00:25:00,323 Some of the elephants are brave enough to make it through the obstacles. 307 00:25:08,523 --> 00:25:11,443 Across Africa, there's a boom in infrastructure 308 00:25:11,523 --> 00:25:13,603 that is affecting its wild places. 309 00:25:17,323 --> 00:25:20,163 It's why the size of Tsavo is so important. 310 00:25:22,203 --> 00:25:25,643 It's big enough to offer alternative feeding grounds. 311 00:25:27,803 --> 00:25:31,643 But it's not only the larger animals that travel huge distances 312 00:25:31,723 --> 00:25:32,963 at this time of year. 313 00:25:36,883 --> 00:25:40,163 It's July, Tsavo's driest month. 314 00:25:41,123 --> 00:25:44,483 [chirping] 315 00:25:50,003 --> 00:25:51,883 On the parched plains to the east, 316 00:25:52,603 --> 00:25:56,003 a male sandgrouse and his mate are raising their family. 317 00:26:01,963 --> 00:26:05,523 As ground-nesting birds, these newly hatched chicks 318 00:26:05,603 --> 00:26:08,363 will get up and walk within hours. 319 00:26:12,723 --> 00:26:16,083 With temperatures reaching up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, 320 00:26:16,163 --> 00:26:18,963 they must find shade and a safe hiding place. 321 00:26:24,483 --> 00:26:27,003 Their father faces an urgent challenge. 322 00:26:27,803 --> 00:26:29,243 Find drinking water, 323 00:26:29,323 --> 00:26:31,403 or his chicks will die. 324 00:26:31,483 --> 00:26:33,043 [birds chirping] 325 00:26:36,403 --> 00:26:38,883 He joins a flock of other sandgrouse, 326 00:26:39,683 --> 00:26:42,443 all in desperate search of the same thing. 327 00:26:43,483 --> 00:26:45,483 [tranquil music plays] 328 00:26:49,083 --> 00:26:51,843 They will fly up to 20 miles away… 329 00:26:56,923 --> 00:26:59,163 to the mighty Galana River. 330 00:26:59,243 --> 00:27:01,243 [tranquil music continues] 331 00:27:11,243 --> 00:27:12,203 [elephant trumpets] 332 00:27:15,763 --> 00:27:17,443 It's a lifeline for the animals 333 00:27:18,323 --> 00:27:20,323 as the dry season really bites. 334 00:27:20,403 --> 00:27:22,403 [tranquil music continues] 335 00:27:23,203 --> 00:27:25,203 [birds squawking] 336 00:27:26,443 --> 00:27:30,163 The sandgrouse come here in huge numbers at this time of year. 337 00:27:30,243 --> 00:27:32,243 [birds squawking] 338 00:27:32,323 --> 00:27:34,563 [tranquil music continues] 339 00:27:37,603 --> 00:27:39,723 At the water's edge, there are threats. 340 00:27:44,723 --> 00:27:49,403 Keeping close to his flock means that hundreds of eyes keep a lookout. 341 00:27:52,243 --> 00:27:54,763 He can hold up to two tablespoons in his throat, 342 00:27:55,403 --> 00:27:57,603 but it isn't enough for his three chicks. 343 00:27:57,683 --> 00:28:01,163 [snorting] 344 00:28:04,563 --> 00:28:06,283 He wades in a little further 345 00:28:07,043 --> 00:28:08,843 for a remarkable trick. 346 00:28:12,163 --> 00:28:13,803 Rocking backwards and forwards, 347 00:28:14,563 --> 00:28:17,163 he absorbs water into his breast feathers. 348 00:28:18,843 --> 00:28:23,563 Their specially-adapted spiral shape soak up water like a sponge. 349 00:28:25,123 --> 00:28:27,483 Fifteen minutes to fill up, and he's off… 350 00:28:29,683 --> 00:28:32,403 flying home fully-laden with water. 351 00:28:33,203 --> 00:28:35,203 [tranquil music plays] 352 00:28:45,923 --> 00:28:49,243 One by one, the birds peel off from their flock. 353 00:28:49,763 --> 00:28:51,763 [tranquil music continues] 354 00:28:54,363 --> 00:28:56,603 -[sandgrouse chirps] -He calls to his mate. 355 00:28:56,683 --> 00:28:58,283 [sandgrouse chirping] 356 00:29:00,963 --> 00:29:04,123 She guides him to where she's hidden their thirsty chicks. 357 00:29:08,443 --> 00:29:10,563 [tranquil music plays] 358 00:29:14,003 --> 00:29:15,683 Dad to the rescue. 359 00:29:15,763 --> 00:29:17,763 [tranquil music continues] 360 00:29:26,123 --> 00:29:29,243 Desperate for a drink, the chicks crowd their father, 361 00:29:29,763 --> 00:29:33,043 stripping precious water from his feathers with their beaks. 362 00:29:34,323 --> 00:29:36,403 [tranquil music continues] 363 00:29:38,883 --> 00:29:42,163 He will make this arduous journey every day 364 00:29:42,243 --> 00:29:43,843 for the next two months… 365 00:29:46,883 --> 00:29:51,283 until the chicks are big enough to make the flight to water themselves. 366 00:30:00,483 --> 00:30:02,483 [tense music plays] 367 00:30:03,443 --> 00:30:05,683 In recent years, Kenya's climate 368 00:30:05,763 --> 00:30:08,763 has become less predictable and more extreme. 369 00:30:11,883 --> 00:30:13,883 [tense music continues] 370 00:30:15,643 --> 00:30:17,443 It's the height of the dry season, 371 00:30:18,563 --> 00:30:20,083 and there's no end in sight. 372 00:30:21,643 --> 00:30:23,603 [tense music continues] 373 00:30:24,843 --> 00:30:29,043 Some have found a way to find the few remaining green leaves. 374 00:30:30,043 --> 00:30:32,323 The gerenuk tiptoes for a nibble. 375 00:30:33,603 --> 00:30:36,203 They may go their whole lives without drinking water. 376 00:30:39,163 --> 00:30:41,083 Nicknamed the "giraffe gazelle," 377 00:30:41,803 --> 00:30:45,363 they rely on acrobatics and their long necks 378 00:30:45,443 --> 00:30:48,963 to reach succulent leaves that other grazers cannot. 379 00:30:51,923 --> 00:30:53,883 Even for them, it's slim pickings. 380 00:30:59,723 --> 00:31:03,723 Tsavo's red earth is sucked upwards in the swirling dust devils. 381 00:31:10,003 --> 00:31:11,883 Larger animals, like the buffalo, 382 00:31:12,403 --> 00:31:14,963 have to keep moving to find food and water. 383 00:31:21,963 --> 00:31:25,123 The herds join up, over a thousand strong. 384 00:31:26,723 --> 00:31:28,723 [tense music plays] 385 00:31:32,923 --> 00:31:36,963 They head towards the Galana River, which flows year-round. 386 00:31:40,043 --> 00:31:42,043 [birds squawking] 387 00:31:47,483 --> 00:31:51,763 Stragglers will be picked off by Tsavo's most infamous predators. 388 00:32:05,083 --> 00:32:08,963 When the old railway was built, more than 120 years ago, 389 00:32:09,043 --> 00:32:12,283 this territory was terrorized by two lions… 390 00:32:14,563 --> 00:32:17,243 known as the "Man-eaters of Tsavo." 391 00:32:17,803 --> 00:32:19,803 [tense music plays] 392 00:32:21,563 --> 00:32:22,443 Legend has it 393 00:32:23,323 --> 00:32:26,723 they devoured 135 railway workers, 394 00:32:28,363 --> 00:32:30,563 though the true figure is probably far lower. 395 00:32:32,403 --> 00:32:33,803 Famous for their mohawks, 396 00:32:34,403 --> 00:32:36,523 a trait shared by their descendants today. 397 00:32:36,603 --> 00:32:38,603 [tense music continues] 398 00:32:40,603 --> 00:32:44,803 Their looks are thought to have been shaped by the thick scrub they live in. 399 00:32:48,043 --> 00:32:52,043 This shorter mane is less likely to snare on the thorny undergrowth. 400 00:32:53,643 --> 00:32:55,883 It also keeps them cooler in the heat. 401 00:33:00,403 --> 00:33:03,963 But even the toughest predator struggles at this time of year. 402 00:33:04,043 --> 00:33:06,043 [tense music continues] 403 00:33:20,163 --> 00:33:24,523 The pride's water hole has become a pool of sticky mud. 404 00:33:29,763 --> 00:33:33,243 Many of their prey have left to find water elsewhere. 405 00:33:35,083 --> 00:33:38,243 These last dregs will sustain them for now. 406 00:33:49,603 --> 00:33:51,603 [tense music plays] 407 00:33:54,363 --> 00:33:56,443 Across the dry plains of Tsavo East, 408 00:33:57,323 --> 00:34:03,003 a group of bull elephants head toward the remote northern reaches of the park. 409 00:34:04,083 --> 00:34:06,083 [tense music continues] 410 00:34:11,763 --> 00:34:15,723 This is the most wild and inaccessible area. 411 00:34:18,523 --> 00:34:20,523 [tense music continues] 412 00:34:24,083 --> 00:34:27,723 Vast, rocky monoliths, millions of years old, 413 00:34:28,323 --> 00:34:30,843 rise from the dry, thorny scrub. 414 00:34:32,643 --> 00:34:34,643 [tense music continues] 415 00:34:45,323 --> 00:34:49,123 Each elephant remembers routes they have taken through the years… 416 00:34:53,923 --> 00:34:56,083 passed down through generations. 417 00:35:00,203 --> 00:35:03,643 Their well-trodden trails are visible from the air, 418 00:35:05,123 --> 00:35:07,843 creating a network through the barren landscape. 419 00:35:10,803 --> 00:35:12,803 [soaring music plays] 420 00:35:22,043 --> 00:35:24,803 Large bulls can go several days without a drink, 421 00:35:25,963 --> 00:35:31,243 allowing them to travel huge distances across drought-stricken bush. 422 00:35:31,323 --> 00:35:33,323 [soaring music continues] 423 00:35:39,643 --> 00:35:44,043 They have staked their lives on finding water when they arrive. 424 00:35:47,443 --> 00:35:49,923 But the Tiva River has run dry. 425 00:35:51,803 --> 00:35:54,403 Now, it's just a river of sand. 426 00:35:58,363 --> 00:36:00,323 Not a drop of water in sight. 427 00:36:04,203 --> 00:36:08,603 But the doum palms that flank this seasonal river are still green, 428 00:36:09,603 --> 00:36:12,723 suggesting there is water here somewhere. 429 00:36:14,123 --> 00:36:15,123 [elephant trumpets] 430 00:36:24,723 --> 00:36:27,203 And the wise old bulls know how to find it. 431 00:36:29,363 --> 00:36:31,043 [low growling] 432 00:36:32,043 --> 00:36:34,043 [tense music plays] 433 00:36:50,883 --> 00:36:53,163 Elephants have an incredible sense of smell. 434 00:36:54,043 --> 00:36:58,723 Millions of receptors in their trunks help guide them to water many miles away, 435 00:37:00,963 --> 00:37:05,403 and they can even sense it when it's buried several feet beneath the sand. 436 00:37:05,483 --> 00:37:07,483 [tranquil music plays] 437 00:37:14,923 --> 00:37:17,123 To get to it, they must dig. 438 00:37:17,203 --> 00:37:19,203 [tranquil music continues] 439 00:37:22,723 --> 00:37:26,763 As these wells become deeper, the groundwater seeps in. 440 00:37:26,843 --> 00:37:28,843 [tranquil music continues] 441 00:37:31,363 --> 00:37:33,923 Their trunk acts as a flexible straw, 442 00:37:34,603 --> 00:37:36,523 sucking up the sandy water. 443 00:37:40,763 --> 00:37:45,203 It seems they allow the sediment to sink down their trunks and separate, 444 00:37:47,163 --> 00:37:48,083 then blow it out. 445 00:37:48,163 --> 00:37:50,163 [soaring music plays] 446 00:38:03,523 --> 00:38:06,323 And enjoy pure, filtered water. 447 00:38:08,083 --> 00:38:10,083 [soaring music continues] 448 00:38:20,923 --> 00:38:24,483 Tantalizing for those watching from the sidelines. 449 00:38:25,283 --> 00:38:27,283 [soaring music continues] 450 00:38:36,563 --> 00:38:40,763 Once they've had their fill, the audience gets to take their turn. 451 00:38:42,523 --> 00:38:45,523 Baboons, always the first to the bar. 452 00:38:55,403 --> 00:38:59,563 Further down the course of the Tiva lies Bisadi waterfall. 453 00:39:01,043 --> 00:39:04,563 Dry, except for a few precious pools. 454 00:39:07,123 --> 00:39:08,363 It's eerily silent… 455 00:39:12,643 --> 00:39:15,083 until dawn breaks. 456 00:39:15,163 --> 00:39:19,043 [rustling] 457 00:39:19,123 --> 00:39:21,123 [tranquil music plays] 458 00:39:32,163 --> 00:39:35,923 It's as if the entire canyon comes under a spell. 459 00:39:38,723 --> 00:39:39,963 Red-billed quelea, 460 00:39:40,883 --> 00:39:44,403 the world's most abundant wild bird species. 461 00:39:44,483 --> 00:39:46,723 [birds squawking] 462 00:39:49,443 --> 00:39:50,283 It's September. 463 00:39:50,803 --> 00:39:52,203 As water sources dwindle, 464 00:39:52,803 --> 00:39:57,723 these nomadic super-colonies gather here in their millions. 465 00:39:59,003 --> 00:40:01,003 [tranquil music continues] 466 00:40:17,403 --> 00:40:18,883 With mesmerizing rhythm, 467 00:40:19,763 --> 00:40:24,283 they drink from these last pools of water, one beakful at a time. 468 00:40:26,403 --> 00:40:28,403 [dramatic music plays] 469 00:40:31,963 --> 00:40:34,843 This mass migration builds and builds 470 00:40:35,483 --> 00:40:37,403 towards the end of the dry season. 471 00:40:37,923 --> 00:40:39,923 [birds squawking] 472 00:40:46,443 --> 00:40:48,083 Creating chaos by the water, 473 00:40:49,363 --> 00:40:52,283 they spook anyone else who dares to drink here. 474 00:40:52,963 --> 00:40:54,963 -[birds squawking] -[elephant trumpets] 475 00:40:55,043 --> 00:40:57,043 [dramatic music continues] 476 00:41:11,203 --> 00:41:13,203 [dramatic music fades] 477 00:41:16,763 --> 00:41:20,803 Their sheer numbers bend the branches of surrounding trees. 478 00:41:27,043 --> 00:41:28,843 They are prisoners to this place 479 00:41:30,003 --> 00:41:32,523 for as long as the water lasts. 480 00:41:54,843 --> 00:41:58,363 The air is heavy with anticipation. 481 00:42:02,203 --> 00:42:03,883 [tranquil music plays] 482 00:42:03,963 --> 00:42:07,083 Then, a symbol of hope. 483 00:42:09,563 --> 00:42:11,083 In the parched landscape, 484 00:42:11,163 --> 00:42:16,763 the baobab trees throw out green leaves and extravagant white flowers. 485 00:42:22,723 --> 00:42:24,403 Change is in the air. 486 00:42:27,403 --> 00:42:29,043 And everyone can sense it. 487 00:42:29,123 --> 00:42:31,123 [tranquil music continues] 488 00:42:38,163 --> 00:42:40,283 And finally in October, 489 00:42:40,363 --> 00:42:42,683 after six months of absence, 490 00:42:44,283 --> 00:42:45,163 rain… 491 00:42:47,443 --> 00:42:50,723 building in the hills and mountains of Tsavo West 492 00:42:52,163 --> 00:42:55,123 and on the plains in Tsavo East. 493 00:42:57,003 --> 00:42:59,003 [dramatic music plays] 494 00:43:19,083 --> 00:43:22,403 The dry, sandy Tiva flows again. 495 00:43:26,123 --> 00:43:29,563 Cascading over Bisadi canyon, where the quelea drank, 496 00:43:30,563 --> 00:43:32,723 the waterfall comes alive. 497 00:43:33,363 --> 00:43:35,363 [dramatic music swells] 498 00:44:14,163 --> 00:44:17,603 For the next few weeks, this river will keep flowing, 499 00:44:18,203 --> 00:44:19,803 rejuvenating the land. 500 00:44:27,003 --> 00:44:29,003 [dramatic music fades] 501 00:44:41,363 --> 00:44:43,603 The drama turns to relief. 502 00:44:46,243 --> 00:44:49,523 From barren desert to painted paradise. 503 00:44:51,803 --> 00:44:54,923 It's the extremes in Tsavo that are so magical. 504 00:44:59,683 --> 00:45:01,483 Rinsed of its red dust, 505 00:45:02,163 --> 00:45:06,123 morning glory smothers the park with her floral carpet. 506 00:45:06,723 --> 00:45:08,723 [tranquil music plays] 507 00:45:12,283 --> 00:45:16,243 And a blizzard of pioneer white butterflies arrive. 508 00:45:20,723 --> 00:45:24,683 Millions fill the skies on a journey towards the coast. 509 00:45:24,763 --> 00:45:26,803 [tranquil music continues] 510 00:45:31,163 --> 00:45:32,803 Like a winged relay race, 511 00:45:32,883 --> 00:45:35,883 new generations emerge with the fresh growth 512 00:45:35,963 --> 00:45:38,483 and continue the journey their parents started. 513 00:45:38,563 --> 00:45:39,963 [tranquil music continues] 514 00:45:49,203 --> 00:45:53,843 Dancing across the flowers, these huge swarms in the wet season 515 00:45:53,923 --> 00:45:56,483 are vital for the productivity of the park… 516 00:46:01,083 --> 00:46:02,283 pollinating as they go 517 00:46:03,163 --> 00:46:06,243 and providing an easy meal for insect-eaters. 518 00:46:06,323 --> 00:46:07,923 [tranquil music continues] 519 00:46:17,643 --> 00:46:18,763 There's time to play… 520 00:46:18,843 --> 00:46:20,843 [tranquil music continues] 521 00:46:25,523 --> 00:46:28,203 …and raise the next generation. 522 00:46:30,363 --> 00:46:31,243 A baby boom. 523 00:46:34,243 --> 00:46:37,843 Living evidence that when it comes to protecting wilderness, 524 00:46:38,763 --> 00:46:40,003 size matters. 525 00:46:40,083 --> 00:46:42,083 [tranquil music continues] 526 00:46:45,843 --> 00:46:50,203 The bigger the park, the more species will call it home. 527 00:46:51,963 --> 00:46:55,603 The larger the gene pool, the healthier the animals. 528 00:46:57,243 --> 00:46:59,123 [trumpeting] 529 00:47:00,763 --> 00:47:04,643 In recent years, landowners surrounding Tsavo National Park 530 00:47:04,723 --> 00:47:08,963 have joined forces to create the wider Tsavo Conservation Area, 531 00:47:09,563 --> 00:47:11,723 doubling the protected wild space 532 00:47:11,803 --> 00:47:16,083 and allowing animals to roam in safety beyond its borders. 533 00:47:18,083 --> 00:47:20,083 [tranquil music continues] 534 00:47:25,483 --> 00:47:29,803 It's only by continuing to protect vast wilderness areas like Tsavo 535 00:47:29,883 --> 00:47:32,883 and creating new parks of similar scale 536 00:47:32,963 --> 00:47:37,283 that we can secure a future for nature on this planet. 537 00:47:37,363 --> 00:47:39,363 [tranquil music continues]