Eden: Untamed Planet (2021) s01e03 Episode Script

1
NARRATOR:
In remotest Southern Africa,
lies Zambia's Luangwa Valley
a rolling savannah
the size of West Virginia.
Feeling like a land
that time forgot
seemingly untouched plains
teem with Africa's
most iconic animals.
(grunting)
(squawking)
NARRATOR: Some are unique
to this place
(grunts)
NARRATOR: Others are critically
endangered elsewhere.
(birds squawking)
NARRATOR:
Here, prey
and predators
exist in remarkable balance
each taking advantage
of the secret
at the heart of this Eden
the mighty Luangwa River
(roaring)
NARRATOR: and its dramatic
annual transformation
from dusty inferno
(thunderclap)
to emerald paradise.
There are still places on Earth
that remain pristine.
Where wildlife flourishes.
These are the last regions
that could be called
Eden.
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The Luangwa begins its journey
in Zambia's uplands
cascading into the valley
where it meanders
through 27,000 square miles
of lush savannah
eventually flowing
into the Zambezi River
500 miles further south.
But it's here
that it will breach its banks
during the wet season
(birds squawking)
NARRATOR:
bringing boundless life
to this African Eden
(squawking)
(elephants rumbling)
NARRATOR:
and painting its plains
a glorious green.
(birds chirping)
(birds squawking)
NARRATOR:
It's July
the start of the dry season.
And it's just what one
of Africa's great predators
has been waiting for.
(bird calling)
NARRATOR: Along stretches
of the Luangwa,
leopards can be found in numbers
greater than almost
anywhere else in Africa.
(leopard cub screeches)
NARRATOR:
And throughout this valley,
all life is defined
by the ebb and flow
of the river
and its waters
are rapidly receding.
Some tributary channels
are already bone dry
and herbivores are beginning
to gather close to the river.
For a big cat,
it all adds up to one thing
(growling)
NARRATOR:
happy hunting.
This female leopard
is five years old.
At around 90 pounds,
she's in prime condition.
Her preferred prey is impala.
(alarm call)
NARRATOR: Ten thousand of them
roam this valley.
Ranked among the fastest
of all hoofed animals,
an impala could take on
a racehorse.
But leopards don't play
by impala rules.
This fast-changing Eden
has now given her an edge.
She enters
into the maze of gullies.
The damp channel margins
are carpeted with grass
that lures in grazing antelope.
(snorting)
NARRATOR: Still,
they remain on high alert.
Stealth is the best weapon.
Placing faith
in perfect camouflage
the trap is set.
Just a few more careless steps
and they'll be inside
the required 30-foot range.
(impala barking)
(thud)
(impala struggles to breathe)
NARRATOR: Clamping her jaws
over both nose and mouth,
she can stay clear
of those stiletto horns
and cut off its airflow.
(impala struggles to breathe)
(barking quietly)
NARRATOR: But a spotted hyena
is drawn to the commotion.
(leopard growls softly)
NARRATOR: Close to twice
the weight of a leopard
(hyena laughing)
NARRATOR: armed
with bone-crushing jaws,
this opportunist
won't pass up the chance
to cash in
on the hard work of others.
(leopard growls)
NARRATOR: This time,
one very lucky impala
gets a second chance at life.
(leopard growls)
NARRATOR: More than 60 percent
of hunts end in failure
but with the perfect conditions
for an ambush
at this time of year,
it won't be long until another
opportunity comes her way.
As the dry season takes hold
and pastures whither,
yellow baboons spend
daylight hours
foraging for grasses and grubs.
Thousands of these primates
live here
in hundred-strong troops
that claim territories
of ten square miles.
And female kinship lies
at the core of their society.
(baboons chattering)
NARRATOR:
A network of matriarchs
helps maintain harmony.
Social grooming to cement
familial bonds.
Nursing
and playing.
But it falls to the alpha male
to lead his troop
in their search for food.
A male may rule this extended
family for several years
and he knows where they can go
for a seasonal meal
Sausage trees.
At this time of year,
the nectar cupped
in plentiful blossoms
provides a lifeline
for numerous species.
This place is
a highly coveted prize.
And a neighboring troop
aims to claim it
with the help
of their own gang leader.
Both sides are equally matched.
Flanked by
battle-hardened soldiers
(screeching)
NARRATOR:
the alpha male
steps up.
♫ Cowboy Western Music Playing ♫
NARRATOR:
Around 50 pounds in weight
and armed with two
inch-long canines
(screeching)
(roars)
(roaring)
(grunting)
NARRATOR: battles can end
in serious injury.
Even death.
(hisses)
NARRATOR:
When this rival backs down,
his cronies scatter.
(calling loudly)
NARRATOR: Peace is restored
to the troop once more.
Close family ties
and strong leadership
allow these intelligent primates
to tune into the rhythm
of the riches
offered up
by the Luangwa Valley.
As the dry season
tightens its grip,
Luangwa welcomes
a technicolor visitor
the carmine bee-eater.
They're experts when it comes
to catching
and dispatching bees.
But that's not why they're here.
The receding water
has left 20-foot banks exposed.
(squawking)
From around 500 miles away,
20,000 make
the annual journey here
to construct yard-long
nest burrows
in a perfect mix
of sand and clay.
(squawking)
NARRATOR:
Latecomers try to move in
on the newly-dug dream homes
leading to noisy evictions.
(squawking loudly)
(loud grunting)
NARRATOR:
Their nearest neighbors
can be a little rowdy too.
(grunting)
NARRATOR:
The Luangwa is a hippo heaven.
But when 25,000
are forced to crowd together
in the dwindling river,
there's less space
for a cooling wallow
and the risk
of heat exhaustion rises.
Youngsters are among
the most vulnerable.
And for the next
five months or more,
this calf will rely on her
attentive mother for milk
and for protection.
Nightfall offers relief.
(bird calling)
NARRATOR:
And thermal-imaging cameras
reveal the surprising
nocturnal life of hippos.
One group stays close
to the water.
For a little hippo,
the plains are full
of predators
so calves are left
in a creche
watched over by adult females.
Weighing 1.5 tons,
a mother hippo
has less to fear
but needs at least 100 pounds
of vegetation a night.
And when grazing
isn't an option
a different plan is required.
Hippos have relatively good
night vision
which helps
(growls)
NARRATOR: when confronted
by a deadly enemy.
(lions growl)
NARRATOR:
But these lions know better
than to get in the way
of a favourite food supply
sausage fruits.
But dropping an infant off
at the creche
costs time.
Now, there's a risk
of missing out.
(lips smacking)
NARRATOR:
Lip-smacking might do the trick.
(lips smacking)
NARRATOR: This could be
a form of hippo diplomacy.
They'll binge until dawn.
And as the hippos
retrace their steps,
each call of nature
answers more than one need.
By dispersing seeds
far and wide,
the hippos here
play a crucial role
in spreading sausage trees
throughout the valley.
For some,
re-entry can be tricky.
After a five-hour wait
this hungry hippo
is reunited with her mother.
Back in the water,
the calf can suckle in safety
ahead of the returning sun.
By October,
the temperature climbs
above 90 degrees.
It's been five months
since the last rain fell.
(grunting)
NARRATOR:
Restless buffalo
form 2,000-strong mega-herds.
For all of Luangwa's
herbivores
long weeks of craving
lie ahead.
As the river is reduced
to a string of pools
for others,
the dry season is boom time.
Hundreds of pelicans, storks,
herons and spoonbills
eagerly descend.
These "fishing parties"
trawl up everything
in a matter of hours.
The furnace heat
now hits 110 degrees.
The last wallows
are disappearing.
(hippo grunts)
NARRATOR:
Circling vultures spot carcasses
from four miles away.
This valley becomes an Eden
for scavengers.
(screeching)
NARRATOR:
They dispose of meat and bones
in less than an hour.
Clearing up rotting remains
is vital
if the savannah is to be
disease-free.
November brings promise
of rebirth
as Luangwa welcomes
the start of the wet season.
(leaves rustling)
(thunder rumbling)
(thunderclap)
NARRATOR: The first showers
quench a thirsty land.
From deep burrows
rain bugs emerge.
These spider-like velvet mites
are on a mission.
Their bright color
reminds predators
that they taste bad.
They each have just a few hours
to fatten up
and fight over
a suitable mate
before scurrying
back underground
to lay their eggs.
Dormant pastures
spring to life
and fresh grazing
triggers a baby boom.
Within two weeks,
thousands of impala ewes
drop their lambs
(squealing)
NARRATOR:
and warthog mothers
must deal with broods of up
to eight hungry piglets.
A thousand feet
above the plains,
heavy rainfall on the escarpment
is funneled into waterfalls.
Rivers merge as the water
finds its way
to the valley floor.
Dry channels awaken
and the majestic Luangwa River
returns to its former glory.
In just a few days,
its levels rise 15 feet
or more
flooding the savannah
for miles around.
(birds squawking)
(grunting)
NARRATOR: Water laps
moisture-loving ebony trees
as cathedral-vaulted groves
greet the Emerald Season.
(grunting)
NARRATOR:
For the valley's herbivores,
it's a welcome return
to the good times.
For Luangwa's yellow baboons
it's a waterpark playground
combined with
an all-you-can-eat Eden.
(birds squawking)
NARRATOR: Such abundance
means baboons can forget
about territorial disputes
for now.
But this alpha's not interested
in getting his hands dirty
for roots and tubers.
It's been a year-long wait
for a taste
of a favourite plant
Water lilies.
Packed with essential minerals,
they're gourmet dining
for baboons.
But they come
with a very high price tag.
They grow in deep water
where danger lurks.
Nile crocodiles,
over ten feet long.
But lilies are
far too tempting.
And those are just in reach.
This is one treat
an alpha won't share.
(barks)
NARRATOR: As the flood waters
recede in April,
they leave behind
a precious gift
Nutrient-laden silt
that enriches the soil.
Once again, some of Africa's
lushest grazing is on offer.
With this annual inundation
comes another
far-reaching reward.
By rendering the land
almost impossible to settle,
it has kept humans at bay.
The Luangwa is one of
the last great African rivers
to remain unhindered by dams
and modern development
preserving some of the last
pristine tracts of savannah
for one of this continent's
most endangered carnivores
The painted wolf.
Just one pack roams
several hundred square miles.
On the brink of extinction
elsewhere,
this stable population
is becoming
ever more important.
And wilderness
on such an epic scale
is now one of
the last sanctuaries
of the black rhino.
(deep grunt)
NARRATOR: While they're
quite clearly grey,
one theory suggests
that distinctive upper lip
gave them their name.
"Beaked rhino"
becoming "black rhino"
over time.
Preferring his own company,
he's both woefully
short-sighted
and notoriously ill-tempered.
This 1.5 ton bull
has picked up the elusive aroma
of one thing guaranteed
to mellow his mood.
He sets off with high hopes.
Oh dear,
that sensitive nose
has lost the scent trail.
(grunts)
(grunting)
NARRATOR:
Ah, there it is!
Charging upwind at more
than 30 miles per hour,
he finally sniffs out
his quarry
an equally solitary,
just-as-irascible female.
(high-pitched call)
NARRATOR:
She feigns lack of interest.
(high-pitched call)
NARRATOR: So he'll stay by
her side for up to two weeks
until she gives in
to his gentle serenade.
(high-pitched call)
NARRATOR: Every baby
this Eden could deliver
builds hope for the future
of this critically
endangered species.
Luangwa's seasonal balance
has now shifted
from favoring the hunter
to helping the hunted.
For a female leopard,
stalking is a lot harder.
Impala are scattered
far and wide
and the gullies relied on
for cover in the dry season
are flooded.
It's time
for a new plan of attack.
(impala calling)
NARRATOR: Good grazing means
that female impala
are in prime
breeding condition.
(grunting)
NARRATOR:
Broadcasting his authority,
a dominant ram has the pick
of over 20 ewes in his harem.
(grunting)
NARRATOR:
Crowned with 30-inch horns,
an alpha will go head-to-head
with any who dare to challenge
his mating rights.
That's just what this female's
been waiting for
The strutting arrival
of a worthy challenger.
Sparring to gauge
size and strength
each looks for an opening.
Wrenching locked horns
and straining every sinew
to force the other to give way.
The charge must be timed
to perfection
striking while
their guard is down
but not until
their energy is spent.
(alarm call)
NARRATOR: Making the most
of seasonal shifts in behavior,
this is a crucial kill.
By stashing this prize,
it may last several days.
Time this mother can spend
with her demanding
five-week-old
twin cubs.
(mother growls softly)
(growling softly)
NARRATOR:
And a full belly
means she can provide
plentiful milk
for the next generation
of Luangwa's leopards.
As long as the river
guards this place
with its floodwaters,
unfettered by dams
or agriculture
the creatures that live here
in perfect balance
through boom and bust
both predators
and prey
will continue to prosper
and this valley
will remain forever
an emerald Eden.
NARRATOR: Filming critically
endangered black rhino
presented the Eden crew
with their biggest
challenge yet.
North Luangwa is home
to Zambia's
only black rhino population.
Around 50 roam a wilderness
of 8,500 square miles.
To stand a chance
of finding one,
the crew team up
with the North Luangwa
Conservation Program,
a long-term partnership
of dedicated scientists
and highly trained scouts.
ED SAYER: The rhinos form
a focus or a flagship
for the much wider ecosystem,
and the rhino scouts themselves
are all recruited
from the local communities.
NARRATOR:
For the last 35 years,
they have put their lives
on the line
to combat armed poachers
and successfully established
a safe haven
for the last
of Zambia's black rhino.
And there's one rhino
whose story
the crew are
particularly keen to tell.
ED SAYER: Kango is very close
to our hearts.
He's named
after the local chief.
We released him here
on the Mwaleshi
in the heart
of the north Luangwa.
And you see him today,
he's mating, he's bred,
he's got, I think,
five females now in his area,
he's in tip-top condition.
NARRATOR: To track Kango,
the crew work closely
with the rhino
monitoring unit.
NARRATOR: With a positive
sighting radioed in,
the only way for the crew
to proceed in this terrain
is on foot
carrying all 60 pounds
of camera gear.
Much easier on your head
than round your neck.
NARRATOR: The team cover
ten miles a day,
homing in on the signal
from the transmitter
that Kango carries on his horn.
After a morning's trek,
the scouts appear
to be closing in
on a small gathering of rhino.
It's like waiting
for the faint blip
of an ultrasound
for a 2-ton baby.
NARRATOR: The crew moves in
to set up for the first shot.
Rhino pick up on movement,
sound
and also scent.
(loud roar)
[WHISPERING] Had one warning
snort to me, settled,
but they just
one of them just charged,
I think it was the female.
Um so we've just had to
run up a tree.
Um bit close.
She heard us and she came
right up to us and I
I foolishly moved
so she charged,
and we all kind of disappeared
in various directions.
NARRATOR: A sobering first
encounter for the crew
but thanks to
the experienced scouts,
they continue their search
for Kango unharmed
exposing them to the full force
of the rainy season.
Virtually like playing
cat and mouse
with these rhinos
in this thick vegetation.
Now that it's raining, we're
having to hide in the bush.
(thunder rumbles)
NARRATOR: Ten days on,
they finally close in
on their feisty subject
once more.
ED: Now that Kango has
become the dominant bull,
he can be both
extremely aggressive
and extremely placid,
so, therefore, tracking him
and working with him
is, uh, pretty risky
because he can go either way
depending upon the day.
(chuckles)
NARRATOR: But as Nathan
finally gets ready to film
Kango gets a whiff of them,
and this time chooses
to turn tail.
Camera-shy,
he continues to run rings
around the team.
I think that is the definition
of being Kangoed.
NATHAN: I'm not in love
with that rhino anymore.
He's been up
and all over the place today.
Kind of like an uneventful walk
around the park.
He's hiding in there,
laughing at us.
NARRATOR:
With time fast running out,
the team resorts
to a more hands-off
approach to filming.
(drone buzzing)
NARRATOR:
The drone camera captures
a unique perspective of Kango,
who appears oblivious
to its presence,
helping the team
keep an eye on him.
But Kango can travel
nearly 20 miles a day,
making it impossible
for Nathan to keep up.
A week later, the plane reports
a more hopeful development.
NATHAN: Well, he's not far away,
I've got a signal already.
There he is.
One, see his head?
Then the other one pointing
the other way, that's two.
I think Kango is on a date.
And that's why
they haven't moved far,
they've been dating.
NARRATOR: In the hope
that Kango is now settled,
the team move in
for one last attempt
to be rewarded
with a rarely filmed
and surprisingly gentle
courtship scene.
(high-pitched call)
(high-pitched call)
[WHISPERING]
That was amazing,
I mean, we got really close,
sort of about 40 feet away,
um, just the two of them
lying down,
it's quite hard to see,
but, I mean, first sighting,
and you're just standing
next to wild black rhino.
NARRATOR:
Kango's future looks secure
thanks to the tireless efforts
of the North Luangwa
Conservation Program.
But the long term salvation
for all of Luangwa's
precious wildlife
rests with the people
whose land
they must continue to share.
We protect
but we work very closely
with the communities
to ensure that they have
a true sense of ownership
to be able to manage
their own natural heritage
to protect this landscape
in the future
and for future generations.