1 00:00:05,072 --> 00:00:07,507 Wild Israel takes you to the most isolated place 2 00:00:07,507 --> 00:00:09,776 in the country: The Negev Desert. 3 00:00:10,844 --> 00:00:13,580 Discover a world few have ever seen [hissing], 4 00:00:14,348 --> 00:00:17,117 where only the toughest can survive the brutal heat 5 00:00:17,117 --> 00:00:18,085 and deadly cold. 6 00:00:19,419 --> 00:00:21,655 Learn the survival secrets of the hunters 7 00:00:22,556 --> 00:00:25,359 and the hunted, as they struggle 8 00:00:25,359 --> 00:00:27,027 through a year in the Negev. 9 00:00:31,765 --> 00:00:34,134 In Israel, history is everywhere. 10 00:00:37,237 --> 00:00:40,107 Religion and cultures have intersected over the centuries. 11 00:00:40,607 --> 00:00:42,743 But the country is less known for its fascinating 12 00:00:42,743 --> 00:00:44,278 wildlife and terrain. 13 00:00:46,179 --> 00:00:49,049 [Birds chirping] 14 00:00:59,293 --> 00:01:01,695 Explore an Israel most people never see. 15 00:01:02,162 --> 00:01:03,764 [Chirping] 16 00:01:10,103 --> 00:01:13,407 From snowy peaks, to the world's lowest sea. 17 00:01:17,210 --> 00:01:20,781 From Mediterranean beaches to lush waterfalls. 18 00:01:23,216 --> 00:01:25,419 And from colorful coral reefs 19 00:01:25,419 --> 00:01:29,690 to green mountains and ancient desert landscapes. 20 00:01:33,660 --> 00:01:36,363 And one of the most incredible places of all 21 00:01:36,630 --> 00:01:40,100 is a part of the country where survival is a real challenge 22 00:02:00,220 --> 00:02:03,190 Spanning an area about the size of the State of Connecticut, 23 00:02:04,224 --> 00:02:07,394 the Negev desert envelops the southern half of Israel. 24 00:02:10,097 --> 00:02:13,367 While there are some towns, villages and nomadic tribes, 25 00:02:13,367 --> 00:02:16,169 the Negev is not densely populated by Humans. 26 00:02:16,636 --> 00:02:19,006 However, wildlife is everywhere. 27 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,676 Government laws protect these animals from being hunted, 28 00:02:23,110 --> 00:02:26,013 but they still have to protect themselves from each other 29 00:02:26,246 --> 00:02:27,714 and from the desert itself. 30 00:02:29,149 --> 00:02:32,753 Defying a barren landscape, freezing winters 31 00:02:32,753 --> 00:02:34,354 and searing summers. 32 00:02:35,288 --> 00:02:37,724 Constantly on the prowl for food and water, 33 00:02:38,458 --> 00:02:41,161 their survival is little short of a miracle. 34 00:02:42,529 --> 00:02:44,064 What are their secrets? 35 00:02:44,431 --> 00:02:46,366 How have they adapted to the Negev? 36 00:02:49,836 --> 00:02:52,139 Welcome to one year in the life 37 00:02:52,139 --> 00:02:54,441 of this remote and magical region. 38 00:02:57,878 --> 00:03:00,614 Summer in the Negev brings extreme conditions. 39 00:03:00,614 --> 00:03:04,618 temperatures can rise to 113 degrees Fahrenheit during the da 40 00:03:04,818 --> 00:03:07,454 and drop to 50 Fahrenheit at night. 41 00:03:09,623 --> 00:03:12,125 To learn more about this secret battleground, 42 00:03:12,325 --> 00:03:14,428 rangers from the Nature and Parks Authority 43 00:03:14,428 --> 00:03:16,296 have installed cameras throughout the region. 44 00:03:19,766 --> 00:03:22,302 Their photos reveal a startling world, 45 00:03:22,302 --> 00:03:24,204 rarely seen by outsiders, 46 00:03:24,471 --> 00:03:28,008 especially when so many are active only at night. 47 00:03:29,543 --> 00:03:34,548 [Camera shutter clicks] 48 00:03:35,649 --> 00:03:39,052 The Arabian wolf is one of the smallest wolves in the world. 49 00:03:39,586 --> 00:03:41,621 Evolved to survive the Negev. 50 00:03:45,592 --> 00:03:48,595 Its thin wiry frame requires fewer calories. 51 00:03:50,330 --> 00:03:52,566 Its large ears help release body heat. 52 00:03:55,769 --> 00:03:58,071 [Howling in distance] In the summer, its fur grows short. 53 00:03:58,772 --> 00:04:01,541 They are more active at night when the Negev cools down. 54 00:04:02,275 --> 00:04:04,511 This minimizes their loss of body fluids. 55 00:04:07,414 --> 00:04:09,516 And because food is so scarce, 56 00:04:09,749 --> 00:04:13,353 these wolves need to live in small, more sustainable packs. 57 00:04:16,089 --> 00:04:20,594 [Howling] 58 00:04:20,594 --> 00:04:22,162 This family has dug its burrow 59 00:04:22,162 --> 00:04:23,730 on the Jordanian side of the border. 60 00:04:24,564 --> 00:04:26,533 Every night the parents leave their cubs 61 00:04:26,533 --> 00:04:28,368 and roam in search of food, 62 00:04:29,102 --> 00:04:31,538 ignoring minefields and barbed wire... 63 00:04:32,339 --> 00:04:34,274 crossing the border into the Negev. 64 00:04:41,848 --> 00:04:44,818 [Rustling] 65 00:04:44,818 --> 00:04:48,088 With enough luck and skill, wolves can take down 66 00:04:48,088 --> 00:04:52,592 a desert hare, birds, even a Dorcas gazelle. 67 00:04:56,663 --> 00:04:58,298 But a large proportion of their food 68 00:04:58,298 --> 00:05:00,734 is comprises of the carcasses of domestic animals, 69 00:05:00,734 --> 00:05:03,703 fruit and vegetables from hothouses and fields. 70 00:05:15,782 --> 00:05:18,285 And they have learnt the art of disguise. 71 00:05:18,785 --> 00:05:20,353 Wolves will cover themselves 72 00:05:20,353 --> 00:05:22,455 in the pungent smell of carcasses. 73 00:05:22,455 --> 00:05:25,125 This trick hides their predator smell. 74 00:05:27,260 --> 00:05:30,730 [Howling in distance] 75 00:05:30,730 --> 00:05:31,932 After a successful night, 76 00:05:31,932 --> 00:05:35,635 wolves bury any excess foo for the difficult days ahead. 77 00:05:37,604 --> 00:05:40,373 [Hooting] 78 00:05:41,508 --> 00:05:43,743 While adults hunt, the cubs stay close 79 00:05:43,743 --> 00:05:44,644 to the den's entrance. 80 00:05:45,545 --> 00:05:48,114 They spend the long waiting hours at play, 81 00:05:48,415 --> 00:05:51,184 developing the skills they will need as desert hunters. 82 00:05:51,451 --> 00:05:54,154 Tonight they practice hunting insects. 83 00:05:55,755 --> 00:06:00,293 [Crickets chirping] 84 00:06:00,293 --> 00:06:03,263 Adult partners enjoy a warm and close relationship. 85 00:06:03,530 --> 00:06:09,469 [Howling in distance, crickets chirping] 86 00:06:11,104 --> 00:06:13,440 They rub and caress and maintain constant 87 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:14,608 physical contact. 88 00:06:17,544 --> 00:06:20,013 Their relationship lasts for many years. 89 00:06:21,681 --> 00:06:27,520 [Howling in distance] 90 00:06:28,488 --> 00:06:30,724 [Howling] 91 00:06:30,724 --> 00:06:32,993 Every night, the pack declares its presence 92 00:06:33,193 --> 00:06:35,028 with a symphony of calls 93 00:06:35,395 --> 00:06:38,632 [Howling] 94 00:06:40,734 --> 00:06:49,009 [Howling in distance, howling] 95 00:06:49,276 --> 00:06:51,177 After an active night the pack's territory 96 00:06:51,177 --> 00:06:54,414 is marked again with urine; each member of the pack adds 97 00:06:54,414 --> 00:06:56,750 his individual urine mark to the boundary. 98 00:07:00,186 --> 00:07:03,423 Before the sun rises the wolves disappear into their dens... 99 00:07:03,623 --> 00:07:06,259 making the struggle for survival a little easier 100 00:07:06,259 --> 00:07:07,527 for other animals. 101 00:07:11,164 --> 00:07:13,466 [Rustling] This family of porcupines lives in burrows 102 00:07:13,466 --> 00:07:14,567 that are about 6 feet deep. 103 00:07:17,604 --> 00:07:18,772 [Rustling] They sleep during the day, 104 00:07:19,406 --> 00:07:22,575 but when darkness falls they set out to dig for plant corms 105 00:07:22,575 --> 00:07:24,611 and bulbs that provide food and water. 106 00:07:25,779 --> 00:07:29,749 At 37 pound, this is the biggest rodent in all Asia. 107 00:07:37,624 --> 00:07:39,526 Porcupines rely on their sharp spines 108 00:07:39,526 --> 00:07:40,360 to fend off predators, 109 00:07:43,463 --> 00:07:45,498 surviving another night in the Negev. 110 00:07:46,733 --> 00:07:48,835 The porcupines take shelter in their burrows 111 00:07:48,835 --> 00:07:51,037 to hide away for one more day. 112 00:08:03,783 --> 00:08:07,554 At the peak of Mount Negev, this is Makhtesh Ramon. 113 00:08:08,521 --> 00:08:10,090 It's a vast crater 114 00:08:10,090 --> 00:08:14,127 that measures 25 miles long, 1600 feet deep. 115 00:08:16,429 --> 00:08:20,367 In summer time, the temperature an reach 113 degrees Fahrenheit. 116 00:08:22,068 --> 00:08:24,404 In winter, it can plummet to 28 degrees Fahrenheit. 117 00:08:27,707 --> 00:08:30,577 The Makhtesh is a valley surrounded by cliffs; 118 00:08:30,577 --> 00:08:33,313 weathering and erosion have exposed the ancient 119 00:08:33,313 --> 00:08:36,683 rock layers, revealing colorful sandstone cliffs, 120 00:08:36,683 --> 00:08:38,752 volcanic hills and wide channels. 121 00:08:41,521 --> 00:08:44,257 Yet even here, these cliffs and channels 122 00:08:44,257 --> 00:08:45,625 teem with wildlife. 123 00:08:47,494 --> 00:08:52,365 [Birds chirping] 124 00:08:54,768 --> 00:08:56,803 Three different species of hedgehog 125 00:08:56,803 --> 00:08:58,538 inhabit the Negev Desert. 126 00:08:59,439 --> 00:09:00,774 They spend the cool nights 127 00:09:00,774 --> 00:09:03,076 and early morning hours hunting insects, 128 00:09:03,076 --> 00:09:05,044 scorpions and even snakes. 129 00:09:06,079 --> 00:09:08,982 And each has made it to Israel from a different continent. 130 00:09:10,617 --> 00:09:13,520 Originating in Asia, the long-eared hedgehog 131 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,388 is like a living radar station, 132 00:09:15,388 --> 00:09:17,457 able to pick up minute vibrations 133 00:09:17,457 --> 00:09:20,360 made by tiny creatures crawling through the sand. 134 00:09:24,731 --> 00:09:27,233 Sometimes the struggle for survival does not involve 135 00:09:27,233 --> 00:09:28,668 a predator or the terrain. 136 00:09:33,506 --> 00:09:35,241 Here two long-eared hedgehogs 137 00:09:35,241 --> 00:09:37,143 fight for ownership of the burrow. 138 00:09:40,246 --> 00:09:42,148 Each extra minute in the scorching sun 139 00:09:42,148 --> 00:09:43,650 may cost them dearly, 140 00:09:43,650 --> 00:09:45,385 and the only important thing now 141 00:09:45,385 --> 00:09:47,487 is to escape to the cool burrow. 142 00:09:52,459 --> 00:09:54,761 The desert hedgehog originating from Africa 143 00:09:54,761 --> 00:09:57,230 is well-adapted to the deadly Negev: 144 00:09:58,264 --> 00:10:01,301 its long legs create distance from the hot soil, 145 00:10:01,301 --> 00:10:03,236 and enable it to run long distances 146 00:10:03,236 --> 00:10:04,404 with surprising speed. 147 00:10:09,275 --> 00:10:10,844 In the summer it is active at night 148 00:10:10,844 --> 00:10:12,545 and avoids the daytime heat. 149 00:10:14,414 --> 00:10:16,850 During the cold winter it hibernates underground, 150 00:10:16,850 --> 00:10:18,551 and emerges in the spring. 151 00:10:22,722 --> 00:10:24,624 The common hedgehog that originates in Europe 152 00:10:24,624 --> 00:10:26,125 also lives in the Negev. 153 00:10:26,759 --> 00:10:29,395 The female hedgehog nurses and rears her cubs 154 00:10:29,395 --> 00:10:30,530 in a weedy burrow. 155 00:10:31,231 --> 00:10:33,600 They're born about the same size as a walnut, 156 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:36,269 blind and already spiny. 157 00:10:37,670 --> 00:10:39,205 Fortunately for their mother, 158 00:10:39,205 --> 00:10:41,074 the spines are still soft at birth 159 00:10:41,841 --> 00:10:43,877 Within a few days their eyes open 160 00:10:43,877 --> 00:10:45,712 and their spines harden. 161 00:10:50,216 --> 00:10:52,785 Within 6 weeks, they will have to venture out by themselves 162 00:10:52,785 --> 00:10:56,589 into the desert and face all the dangers lying in wait. 163 00:11:08,368 --> 00:11:10,537 Another creature caught in the struggle for survival 164 00:11:10,537 --> 00:11:12,071 is the fat sand rat. 165 00:11:12,639 --> 00:11:14,741 Sand rats dig their burrows among the roots 166 00:11:14,741 --> 00:11:16,442 of a large saltbush. 167 00:11:17,243 --> 00:11:20,179 It's now the peak of summer and water is scarce. 168 00:11:21,247 --> 00:11:23,583 It manages to survive only with the fluids 169 00:11:23,583 --> 00:11:26,586 in the saltbush leaves and feeding on the bush itself. 170 00:11:28,488 --> 00:11:31,324 Each rat has a territory that includes a network 171 00:11:31,324 --> 00:11:33,626 of underground burrows and scattered saltbushes 172 00:11:33,626 --> 00:11:34,694 above ground. 173 00:11:39,532 --> 00:11:42,368 The rat is diurnal, eating in the early morning. 174 00:11:42,769 --> 00:11:45,371 When full, it gathers saltbush leaves 175 00:11:45,371 --> 00:11:47,040 and takes them down to its burrow. 176 00:11:47,807 --> 00:11:49,809 [Rustling] It needs to roam across its territory 177 00:11:49,809 --> 00:11:52,779 gathering food without becoming food itself 178 00:11:53,212 --> 00:11:54,681 for predators like this falcon. 179 00:11:55,481 --> 00:11:57,517 [Rattling] It hovers mid-air waiting to dive 180 00:11:58,585 --> 00:12:01,187 but this time the little rodent escapes 181 00:12:01,187 --> 00:12:02,589 into his protected burrow. 182 00:12:04,057 --> 00:12:06,593 Only during the mating season do two partners meet; 183 00:12:07,193 --> 00:12:09,329 after mating the male returns to his burrow, 184 00:12:09,329 --> 00:12:12,065 leaving the female to rear the cubs alone. 185 00:12:15,501 --> 00:12:18,237 Native to Israel, the caracal is deadly enough 186 00:12:18,237 --> 00:12:20,073 to command the top of the food chain. 187 00:12:25,712 --> 00:12:27,847 Like a sophisticated hunting machine, 188 00:12:27,847 --> 00:12:32,051 the female caracal sets out, slowly stalking her prey. 189 00:12:37,156 --> 00:12:39,626 She catches a large rodent in the sandy channel. 190 00:12:44,530 --> 00:12:47,066 But the search for food in the desert is never-ending. 191 00:12:47,634 --> 00:12:50,770 In the afternoon she ambushes birds that come to drink water. 192 00:12:53,806 --> 00:12:56,576 [Sloshing] 193 00:12:57,176 --> 00:12:59,679 [Wings flapping] 194 00:13:05,284 --> 00:13:08,087 [Sloshing] 195 00:13:12,492 --> 00:13:17,430 [Gnawing] 196 00:13:17,430 --> 00:13:20,433 The hunt is successful, and once she is full, 197 00:13:20,433 --> 00:13:22,702 the female caracal calls her kitten, 198 00:13:22,702 --> 00:13:24,737 who patiently waits in a rocky hideout 199 00:13:28,107 --> 00:13:30,143 The kitten is threatened by birds of prey 200 00:13:30,143 --> 00:13:32,111 and other predators throughout his childhood; 201 00:13:32,612 --> 00:13:35,715 his mother will keep him alive until it's his turn 202 00:13:35,715 --> 00:13:37,350 to make his way alone. 203 00:13:40,687 --> 00:13:43,089 The pool of water is a hub of activity. 204 00:13:43,623 --> 00:13:45,258 When the hunters depart [wings flapping]. 205 00:13:45,625 --> 00:13:48,594 And now the hunted can dare to take their place. 206 00:13:52,732 --> 00:13:55,134 These are Chukars and sand partridges. 207 00:13:55,802 --> 00:13:58,171 Once they are sure that danger has passed, 208 00:13:58,171 --> 00:14:01,107 they approach, camouflaged like desert stones. 209 00:14:01,307 --> 00:14:04,143 Families of chukars and sand partridges 210 00:14:04,143 --> 00:14:07,480 cannot afford to linger here. The risks are too great. 211 00:14:21,661 --> 00:14:23,663 The chukar chicks are led by their father, 212 00:14:23,663 --> 00:14:26,065 even though they are almost the same size. 213 00:14:40,146 --> 00:14:42,181 Sand partridges teach their chicks where to find 214 00:14:42,181 --> 00:14:44,217 the rare water sources in the desert. 215 00:14:51,224 --> 00:14:54,293 [Chirping] 216 00:14:54,293 --> 00:14:56,329 But surviving in the desert is not only a matter 217 00:14:56,329 --> 00:14:59,565 of finding water, food or shelter [pattering]. 218 00:14:59,565 --> 00:15:02,235 It's also means staying and fighting back together. 219 00:15:03,469 --> 00:15:06,773 [Birds chirping] 220 00:15:06,773 --> 00:15:08,775 In the Negev, some smaller animals have developed 221 00:15:08,775 --> 00:15:10,576 communal defense strategies. 222 00:15:13,780 --> 00:15:16,582 Nestling in Acacia trees, the Arabian babblers 223 00:15:16,582 --> 00:15:19,385 live in small flocks where an interesting dynamic 224 00:15:19,385 --> 00:15:23,589 comes into play. [Birds chirping] 225 00:15:23,589 --> 00:15:25,558 A leader who wants to consolidate his status 226 00:15:25,558 --> 00:15:28,561 does not threaten or impose his dominance by force. 227 00:15:29,162 --> 00:15:32,298 Instead, he helps and provides for the entire flock. 228 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:35,468 [Birds chirping] For instance, 229 00:15:35,468 --> 00:15:38,037 he volunteers to stand guard from a high branch, 230 00:15:38,237 --> 00:15:40,173 exposing himself to danger. 231 00:15:41,541 --> 00:15:43,743 [Birds chirping] 232 00:15:43,743 --> 00:15:46,679 Using sharp shrieks he warns of approaching predators. 233 00:15:49,382 --> 00:15:52,385 Thanks to him the entire flock manage to escape 234 00:15:52,385 --> 00:15:53,386 to the Acacia thicket. 235 00:15:54,787 --> 00:15:57,190 [Birds chirping] 236 00:15:58,357 --> 00:16:00,359 The leader displays his strength and courage 237 00:16:00,359 --> 00:16:01,561 by feeding others. 238 00:16:02,495 --> 00:16:10,036 [Wings flapping, chirping] 239 00:16:11,304 --> 00:16:12,805 And the female? 240 00:16:12,805 --> 00:16:15,107 She seems to prefer him over other males 241 00:16:15,107 --> 00:16:16,475 who invest less in the group. 242 00:16:19,545 --> 00:16:21,747 Only the dominant pair breeds. 243 00:16:22,181 --> 00:16:24,450 Thus the bird which makes the greatest contributions 244 00:16:24,450 --> 00:16:27,453 to the community is more likely to have offspring. 245 00:16:29,789 --> 00:16:32,592 The turquoise-colored eggs must be incubated and covered 246 00:16:32,592 --> 00:16:35,261 at all times to hide them from predators. 247 00:16:36,095 --> 00:16:38,364 [Twittering] 248 00:16:38,364 --> 00:16:41,300 All group members pitch in, protecting and caring 249 00:16:41,300 --> 00:16:43,436 for the offspring, which are not theirs. 250 00:16:47,206 --> 00:16:49,108 [Twittering] This community has fixed rituals: 251 00:16:51,210 --> 00:16:53,512 at sunrise, they conduct a morning dance 252 00:16:53,512 --> 00:16:55,147 that demonstrates their bond. 253 00:16:59,385 --> 00:17:01,787 They squeeze between each other and clean feathers 254 00:17:01,787 --> 00:17:04,123 in a ceremony of closeness and connection. 255 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:15,701 [Twittering] 256 00:17:19,038 --> 00:17:21,574 Volunteering for the community is particularly noticeable 257 00:17:21,574 --> 00:17:23,175 at times of danger [chirping]. 258 00:17:26,679 --> 00:17:30,049 A Palestine saw-scaled viper threatens the babblers' area. 259 00:17:34,353 --> 00:17:36,689 All members of the group surround the poisonous snake, 260 00:17:37,290 --> 00:17:39,225 and the dominant babblers attack it 261 00:17:39,225 --> 00:17:41,527 even if it means risking their own lives. 262 00:17:43,195 --> 00:17:45,431 [Chirping] 263 00:17:45,431 --> 00:17:47,733 The viper is particularly dangerous for small birds 264 00:17:47,733 --> 00:17:49,669 like babblers because it is active 265 00:17:49,669 --> 00:17:51,537 during both night and day. 266 00:17:52,438 --> 00:17:54,640 This time the babblers win the battle, 267 00:17:55,107 --> 00:17:56,742 but they're not always so lucky. 268 00:17:57,443 --> 00:17:59,078 [Rustling, chirping] 269 00:17:59,078 --> 00:18:00,713 The ability to fly is their greatest defense. 270 00:18:01,547 --> 00:18:04,050 For some other animals, being grounded 271 00:18:04,050 --> 00:18:06,218 does not automatically mean a death sentence. 272 00:18:11,390 --> 00:18:13,659 Out here in the Negev, the animals active 273 00:18:13,659 --> 00:18:17,129 during the daytime need to be able to escape their predators 274 00:18:17,129 --> 00:18:19,198 and endure the punishing heat. 275 00:18:20,199 --> 00:18:23,369 The Negev is home to herds of Dorcas and Acacia Gazelles. 276 00:18:27,106 --> 00:18:30,376 These animals can reach speeds of up to 50 miles an hour. 277 00:18:37,616 --> 00:18:39,618 Their survival here lies, in part, 278 00:18:39,618 --> 00:18:41,253 with these acacia trees. 279 00:18:42,054 --> 00:18:44,390 The Acacia's sweet flowers and seed pods 280 00:18:44,390 --> 00:18:46,592 provide an important dietary supplement. 281 00:18:49,261 --> 00:18:51,430 Each morning the gazelle feeds on flowers 282 00:18:51,430 --> 00:18:52,732 that fell during the night. 283 00:18:53,733 --> 00:18:56,268 The Dorcas gazelle obtains all the fluids it needs 284 00:18:56,268 --> 00:18:57,203 from the leaves. 285 00:18:58,604 --> 00:19:01,774 [Birds chirping] 286 00:19:01,774 --> 00:19:04,643 Light-footed and fast, the gazelle is well-adapted 287 00:19:04,643 --> 00:19:06,412 to the wide desert plains. 288 00:19:08,547 --> 00:19:11,217 Its sand-colored coat provides essential camouflage. 289 00:19:12,051 --> 00:19:15,087 At times, it almost seems to vanish into thin air. 290 00:19:22,261 --> 00:19:24,330 In the past, large herds lived here. 291 00:19:25,031 --> 00:19:27,400 Proof of this lies in ancient hunting structures 292 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:29,235 known as "desert kites". 293 00:19:32,271 --> 00:19:34,707 The kites are built from two low stone walls 294 00:19:35,174 --> 00:19:37,510 that forced the animals to run into a trap. 295 00:19:40,046 --> 00:19:43,182 A desert kite was always located in a strategic position 296 00:19:43,182 --> 00:19:44,617 on the herd's foraging route. 297 00:19:49,522 --> 00:19:51,657 In a hunting attack, the frightened gazelles 298 00:19:51,657 --> 00:19:53,526 run the length of the stone walls 299 00:19:53,526 --> 00:19:56,228 straight into the trap a deep pit. 300 00:19:59,498 --> 00:20:02,134 Researchers digging around desert kites have also found 301 00:20:02,134 --> 00:20:04,570 animal bones much larger than gazelles, 302 00:20:05,104 --> 00:20:09,175 such as the Asiatic wild ass, a member of the horse family, 303 00:20:09,175 --> 00:20:12,244 to this day, still untamed by humans [braying]. 304 00:20:16,782 --> 00:20:19,652 The wild ass can weigh up to 440 pounds. 305 00:20:23,556 --> 00:20:25,825 Sustaining that kind of weight in the desert heat 306 00:20:25,825 --> 00:20:29,462 requires it to drink every day and this compels it 307 00:20:29,462 --> 00:20:33,032 to travel huge spans in order to find watering holes. 308 00:20:39,405 --> 00:20:41,707 The wild ass has an increased sweating mechanism, 309 00:20:42,174 --> 00:20:44,844 and during the daytime heat it climbs the mountain peaks, 310 00:20:44,844 --> 00:20:46,779 where winds help to cool its wet body. 311 00:20:50,516 --> 00:20:53,519 In the afternoon wild ass from throughout the Negev highlands 312 00:20:53,519 --> 00:20:58,057 gather at the waterhole, camouflaged and almost unseen. 313 00:20:58,624 --> 00:21:01,527 Females with foals, young males, 314 00:21:01,527 --> 00:21:04,330 and strong territorial males that come alone. 315 00:21:07,533 --> 00:21:11,403 All converge cautiously, fearing to approach the water. 316 00:21:12,404 --> 00:21:14,440 A hunting ground for predators. 317 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,482 The gathering at the water hole provides an opportunity 318 00:21:23,482 --> 00:21:26,452 to measure social status and to find a mate. 319 00:21:33,159 --> 00:21:35,861 [Braying] 320 00:21:35,861 --> 00:21:37,596 A young wild ass becomes aggressive 321 00:21:37,596 --> 00:21:39,231 to confirm his status in the group. 322 00:21:53,746 --> 00:21:57,316 Another begins a wild insistent chase after a female. 323 00:22:02,354 --> 00:22:04,490 If she's not in heat, she will keep running 324 00:22:04,723 --> 00:22:06,091 until he gives up. 325 00:22:09,395 --> 00:22:11,564 The females do not usually accept courters 326 00:22:11,564 --> 00:22:12,998 at the crowded water hole; 327 00:22:15,201 --> 00:22:17,369 they prefer mating in the open landscape 328 00:22:17,369 --> 00:22:20,139 with the dominant male who has scared off the competition. 329 00:22:25,544 --> 00:22:27,479 The pregnancy lasts 11 months 330 00:22:27,479 --> 00:22:30,482 and the foal stays with its mother for an entire year. 331 00:22:32,251 --> 00:22:36,755 [Braying, stomping] 332 00:22:36,755 --> 00:22:39,692 Relationships within a herd are not permanent or long-term. 333 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:43,596 And the herd membership changes constantly. 334 00:22:44,663 --> 00:22:47,333 But there Is still affection and intimacy here. 335 00:22:49,268 --> 00:22:52,371 This adult female has a collar as part of a research study. 336 00:22:57,276 --> 00:23:00,412 Until 1927, Asiatic wild ass lived throughout 337 00:23:00,412 --> 00:23:01,747 Middle Eastern deserts. 338 00:23:02,414 --> 00:23:04,450 However due to extensive hunting, 339 00:23:04,450 --> 00:23:07,086 they currently face world-wide extinction. 340 00:23:12,424 --> 00:23:15,728 In 1968, 11 Asiatic wild asses, 341 00:23:15,728 --> 00:23:17,763 originally from Iran and Turkmenistan, 342 00:23:17,763 --> 00:23:19,431 were brought to become a contained 343 00:23:19,431 --> 00:23:21,600 breeding nucleus in the Negev [braying]. 344 00:23:28,274 --> 00:23:30,476 The breeding nucleus was highly successful 345 00:23:30,476 --> 00:23:33,078 and generated a large wild ass population. 346 00:23:36,682 --> 00:23:38,517 A few dozen were released into the wild, 347 00:23:38,784 --> 00:23:42,388 survived, bred, and became this large herd, 348 00:23:43,222 --> 00:23:46,225 numbering some 250 Asiatic wild ass. 349 00:23:50,629 --> 00:23:52,765 The sky fills with autumn clouds, 350 00:23:53,565 --> 00:23:56,035 but there's no guarantee the rains will come soon. 351 00:23:58,537 --> 00:24:02,141 The animals face a constant battle to endure and prevail. 352 00:24:05,244 --> 00:24:08,247 [Birds chirping] They've seen no rain for the last 12 months. 353 00:24:11,083 --> 00:24:12,985 And so does the varied plant life. 354 00:24:13,752 --> 00:24:17,222 These Sternbergia and meadow-saffron flower early. 355 00:24:18,791 --> 00:24:21,427 [Birds chirping] They are perennials, feeding from 356 00:24:21,427 --> 00:24:25,230 their bulbs or corms, food storage organs below ground. 357 00:24:26,365 --> 00:24:27,766 [Birds chirping] This allows them to survive 358 00:24:27,766 --> 00:24:29,268 where other plants would die. 359 00:24:30,302 --> 00:24:33,038 But these plants are still desperate for rain. 360 00:24:33,639 --> 00:24:36,709 [Thunders] 361 00:24:37,142 --> 00:24:40,012 Luckily, this year, the rain arrives just in time. 362 00:24:41,847 --> 00:24:44,383 The entire desert sighs with relief. 363 00:24:45,851 --> 00:24:47,019 [Rain drops] But within a few hours, 364 00:24:47,019 --> 00:24:50,289 so much rain falls, the desert soil cannot absorb it all. 365 00:24:53,459 --> 00:24:56,295 Layers of clay prevent the rain from seeping in deep. 366 00:24:58,330 --> 00:25:00,532 The soil is sealed after just a few drops. 367 00:25:01,333 --> 00:25:03,469 Now the water accumulates quickly 368 00:25:03,469 --> 00:25:06,505 and begins to wash away the foam of the arid loose soil. 369 00:25:16,148 --> 00:25:19,585 This is the best time in the desert. Everybody is happy. 370 00:25:22,821 --> 00:25:25,157 Among these rocks hides a small plant 371 00:25:25,157 --> 00:25:29,361 with unique survival skills, Asteriscus hierochunticus. 372 00:25:33,732 --> 00:25:36,702 This plant covers its seeds right after flowering. 373 00:25:37,436 --> 00:25:40,339 Only a strong rain can soften the special covering 374 00:25:40,339 --> 00:25:41,607 that opens up to the water. 375 00:25:48,313 --> 00:25:50,682 The seeds can wait and survive for years 376 00:25:50,682 --> 00:25:53,318 for a rain heavy enough to wake them from their slumber. 377 00:25:54,853 --> 00:25:57,189 When the Asteriscus seeds germinate, 378 00:25:57,189 --> 00:26:00,192 little yellow flowers appear next to the dry mother plant. 379 00:26:01,059 --> 00:26:05,164 [Birds chirping] 380 00:26:05,164 --> 00:26:08,033 Fall and winter are very short in the Negev desert. 381 00:26:08,634 --> 00:26:12,104 For two months, the area experiences rain and floods, 382 00:26:12,104 --> 00:26:14,506 sometimes snow high in the mountains. 383 00:26:15,474 --> 00:26:17,476 But these short seasons are crucial, 384 00:26:17,476 --> 00:26:20,112 as they provide desert life with essential water 385 00:26:20,112 --> 00:26:21,480 in the hotter seasons to come. 386 00:26:22,648 --> 00:26:24,683 And then, the season of renewal. 387 00:26:25,083 --> 00:26:27,753 [Birds chirping] 388 00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:35,527 In a rain soaked Negev, spring can bloom suddenly, 389 00:26:36,061 --> 00:26:38,096 throwing the desert into a brief celebration 390 00:26:38,096 --> 00:26:39,565 of colors and smells. 391 00:26:40,299 --> 00:26:43,769 [Buzzing] 392 00:26:46,271 --> 00:26:48,240 The period of bounty is very short. 393 00:26:48,674 --> 00:26:51,176 The desert animals seize every moment. 394 00:26:55,147 --> 00:26:57,249 The plants hurry to complete their life cycles 395 00:26:57,249 --> 00:26:58,317 before the summer heat. 396 00:26:59,318 --> 00:27:02,154 They flower in a spectacular range of colors, 397 00:27:02,387 --> 00:27:05,491 inviting insects that in return pollinate them. 398 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,729 [Buzzing] 399 00:27:19,538 --> 00:27:23,041 Red tulips adorn the mountains, taking in the morning dew, 400 00:27:23,308 --> 00:27:25,777 their bulbs buried deep in the rock crevices, 401 00:27:25,777 --> 00:27:28,113 where the water supply lasts longer. 402 00:27:34,486 --> 00:27:36,488 On the peaks of the Negev highlands grows 403 00:27:36,488 --> 00:27:38,824 the desert rhubarb producing leaves 404 00:27:38,824 --> 00:27:41,093 that reach 3 feet in diameter! 405 00:27:43,662 --> 00:27:45,631 [Thunders] 406 00:27:46,832 --> 00:27:49,701 The Rhubarb is called 'the self-watering plant'. 407 00:27:50,469 --> 00:27:53,171 Each raindrop falling on its enormous leaf 408 00:27:53,171 --> 00:27:55,140 is channeled down to the root system, 409 00:27:55,374 --> 00:27:58,210 providing it with 16 times more water 410 00:27:58,410 --> 00:28:00,546 than all the rain splashing around it. 411 00:28:05,017 --> 00:28:08,153 so this broad-leaved plant can survive in the desert, 412 00:28:08,153 --> 00:28:11,056 enjoying growing conditions typical of a wet climate. 413 00:28:17,029 --> 00:28:19,031 Temperatures start rising. 414 00:28:22,434 --> 00:28:24,736 The soil starts to lose its moisture. 415 00:28:30,108 --> 00:28:31,777 In the river valleys of the Negev highlands 416 00:28:31,777 --> 00:28:34,546 grow magnificent Atlantic Pistacio trees, 417 00:28:34,546 --> 00:28:36,248 hundreds of years old. 418 00:28:37,683 --> 00:28:39,585 [Birds chirping] Their roots sink deep into the soil 419 00:28:39,585 --> 00:28:40,752 to reach precious water. 420 00:28:42,821 --> 00:28:45,290 The tree's appearance changes during the year. 421 00:28:47,159 --> 00:28:49,227 In the dry summer it is green, 422 00:28:51,563 --> 00:28:53,398 in autumn its leaves turn red, 423 00:28:54,132 --> 00:28:56,535 and in winter, when the desert turns green, 424 00:28:56,535 --> 00:28:59,171 it sheds its leaves and stands bare 425 00:28:59,171 --> 00:29:00,539 until the following spring. 426 00:29:03,575 --> 00:29:05,143 These ancient trees are a relic 427 00:29:05,377 --> 00:29:07,946 from a colder and wetter bygone era. 428 00:29:09,214 --> 00:29:11,183 It has survived almost a 1000 years 429 00:29:11,183 --> 00:29:14,119 because it is considered sacred by Bedouins, 430 00:29:14,119 --> 00:29:16,121 who never cut it down for fire. 431 00:29:17,623 --> 00:29:19,691 Now, the desert becomes an oasis, 432 00:29:19,691 --> 00:29:21,660 attracting a wide array of bird life 433 00:29:22,494 --> 00:29:24,496 drawn to the short sudden abundance 434 00:29:24,496 --> 00:29:26,164 of greenery and insects. 435 00:29:32,204 --> 00:29:34,239 In the spring the male macqueen's bustard 436 00:29:34,239 --> 00:29:36,575 perform elaborate dancing ceremonies. 437 00:29:39,478 --> 00:29:41,713 The female watches the males from her hiding place 438 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,316 and chooses her partner for the mating season. 439 00:29:50,288 --> 00:29:55,527 [Birds chirping] 440 00:30:01,466 --> 00:30:04,569 Each year the male returns to the same dancing stage, 441 00:30:04,569 --> 00:30:07,172 and tries again to impress the females. 442 00:30:28,527 --> 00:30:30,662 This is the rare cream-colored courser. 443 00:30:35,367 --> 00:30:37,602 The courser uses this moment of bounty 444 00:30:37,602 --> 00:30:39,638 to rear its chicks on the riverbed vegetation. 445 00:30:44,710 --> 00:30:46,545 When the summer comes they will be mature enough 446 00:30:46,545 --> 00:30:48,246 to try and survive on their own. 447 00:30:54,453 --> 00:30:56,488 The cream-colored courser flies well, 448 00:30:56,722 --> 00:30:59,758 but if there is no danger around, it prefers to run. 449 00:31:03,762 --> 00:31:05,530 [Birds chirping] Also fighting for food and space 450 00:31:05,530 --> 00:31:09,034 in the Negev is another bird, the Temminck's horned lark. 451 00:31:10,202 --> 00:31:14,005 [Birds chirping] 452 00:31:15,273 --> 00:31:17,476 It can move quickly, and when it needs to, 453 00:31:17,476 --> 00:31:21,179 freezes in place, blending in with the desert stone. 454 00:31:22,214 --> 00:31:28,553 [Birds chirping] 455 00:31:29,387 --> 00:31:31,623 In early summer the males define and defend 456 00:31:31,623 --> 00:31:34,359 their nesting territory, standing and singing 457 00:31:34,359 --> 00:31:35,794 on shrubs and stones. 458 00:31:40,665 --> 00:31:43,668 And eventually the females join their chosen mates. 459 00:31:50,709 --> 00:31:53,445 Springtime signals a vast northward migration 460 00:31:53,445 --> 00:31:56,281 by storks leaving Africa for their nesting areas 461 00:31:56,281 --> 00:31:57,449 in Europe and Asia. 462 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,389 On their long journey they pass over the Negev. 463 00:32:09,795 --> 00:32:12,998 Most of them hurry by, ignoring the flowering desert, 464 00:32:17,502 --> 00:32:21,206 but some stop for a short rest in fields and on mountains, 465 00:32:21,573 --> 00:32:25,177 hungrily snapping up insects, reptiles and rodents. 466 00:32:40,625 --> 00:32:43,261 The stork's annual journey is a huge feat, 467 00:32:44,329 --> 00:32:47,666 leaving Germany in the autumn, wintering in Africa, 468 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,035 and flying back to Germany. 469 00:32:54,873 --> 00:32:59,077 Some are injured on the way. the flock does not wait. 470 00:33:00,045 --> 00:33:02,414 Here, a solitary stork is left behind. 471 00:33:03,248 --> 00:33:06,284 Its broken leg may prevent it from completing its migration. 472 00:33:11,223 --> 00:33:12,724 A tragedy for the stork. 473 00:33:13,258 --> 00:33:15,427 A welcome sight for a hungry predator. 474 00:33:20,732 --> 00:33:23,235 This family of red foxes is highly dependent 475 00:33:23,235 --> 00:33:25,737 on finding the carcasses of these migrating birds. 476 00:33:26,638 --> 00:33:28,773 They live in a dune, within a multi-branched 477 00:33:28,773 --> 00:33:30,208 network of burrows. 478 00:33:33,511 --> 00:33:36,181 The red fox is one of four species of Foxes 479 00:33:36,181 --> 00:33:37,315 that live in the Negev. 480 00:33:43,788 --> 00:33:46,258 Thanks to the wet winter and abundant food, 481 00:33:46,258 --> 00:33:49,327 all seven cubs have survived so far. 482 00:33:50,662 --> 00:33:52,764 They spend their days playing at the den's entrance, 483 00:33:53,131 --> 00:33:55,333 running and leaping in the relative coolness. 484 00:34:03,441 --> 00:34:05,210 Their games are not just for fun. 485 00:34:08,546 --> 00:34:10,248 Learning to make those same leaps 486 00:34:10,248 --> 00:34:12,550 will be useful for hunting and mating rituals, 487 00:34:12,817 --> 00:34:15,287 all just months away for these cubs. 488 00:34:21,359 --> 00:34:23,995 As darkness falls the mother comes for a quick visit. 489 00:34:24,429 --> 00:34:27,732 She's been gone for hours. Her cubs are ravenous. 490 00:34:33,805 --> 00:34:36,241 The suckling is quick, and the seven youngsters 491 00:34:36,241 --> 00:34:38,510 are no longer satisfied with their milk ration. 492 00:34:51,156 --> 00:34:52,857 The cubs' hunger sends both parents 493 00:34:52,857 --> 00:34:54,526 on nighttime hunting trips. 494 00:34:59,698 --> 00:35:01,800 The young still don't leave the dens' entrances, 495 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:05,170 and wait impatiently for their parents and their food. 496 00:35:10,575 --> 00:35:13,345 At first light the female fox found a fresh carcass 497 00:35:13,345 --> 00:35:16,381 of a desert hare left by a Pharaoh eagle-owl. 498 00:35:19,784 --> 00:35:21,286 [Hooting] It's not easy to give up, 499 00:35:21,486 --> 00:35:24,389 but the fox is a real threat and the owl is forced 500 00:35:24,389 --> 00:35:25,623 to abandon its catch. 501 00:35:28,593 --> 00:35:31,062 Its chicks waiting hungrily in the rock 502 00:35:31,062 --> 00:35:32,664 will not get this meal. [Hooting] 503 00:35:34,265 --> 00:35:36,301 The female fox hurries to the maze of burrows. 504 00:35:38,636 --> 00:35:40,638 this morning all seven of her cubs 505 00:35:40,638 --> 00:35:43,241 will go to sleep fed and satisfied. 506 00:35:44,409 --> 00:35:46,411 The mother has won another day in the Negev 507 00:35:46,411 --> 00:35:49,414 for her young family. She can never know 508 00:35:49,414 --> 00:35:51,016 if it will be their last. 509 00:35:51,850 --> 00:35:53,118 [Hooting] 510 00:35:57,655 --> 00:36:00,058 Spring in the Negev provides a welcome feeding ground 511 00:36:00,058 --> 00:36:01,259 for the Nubian Ibex. 512 00:36:03,461 --> 00:36:05,330 At only a few days old these kids 513 00:36:05,330 --> 00:36:07,065 are already frolicking happily. 514 00:36:14,539 --> 00:36:17,375 At first light the young enjoy friendly horn fights. 515 00:36:22,113 --> 00:36:24,349 The young females also join the play fighting. 516 00:36:30,255 --> 00:36:32,557 But in the Negev, even during play, 517 00:36:32,557 --> 00:36:34,659 the threat of death is ever present. 518 00:36:39,531 --> 00:36:41,833 On a nearby cliff a pair of Bonelli's eagles 519 00:36:41,833 --> 00:36:44,002 loom dangerously [screeching]. 520 00:36:50,075 --> 00:36:52,544 These eagles are quick enough, strong enough 521 00:36:52,544 --> 00:36:56,214 to steal a young ibex kid, so the young must stay 522 00:36:56,214 --> 00:36:58,049 with the herd for the first weeks of life. 523 00:37:12,063 --> 00:37:15,200 Not far from the eagles, nests a pair of brown-necked ravens. 524 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:19,070 [Croaking] 525 00:37:21,406 --> 00:37:23,308 They harass the eagles and annoy them. 526 00:37:32,450 --> 00:37:34,385 These parents are distracting the eagles 527 00:37:34,385 --> 00:37:35,553 from the chicks in the nest. 528 00:38:03,448 --> 00:38:06,017 In the heat of the day the ibex leads her young kid 529 00:38:06,017 --> 00:38:06,985 to the spring. 530 00:38:13,224 --> 00:38:16,161 They leap down the cliff steps to the shade and water. 531 00:38:29,207 --> 00:38:32,076 Without thinking twice, the mother leaps over the last gap. 532 00:38:34,479 --> 00:38:37,148 For the kid, this is an unpassable chasm. 533 00:38:39,684 --> 00:38:41,486 He doesn't dare leap after her 534 00:38:41,486 --> 00:38:44,489 and looks for another way with growing anxiety. 535 00:38:45,690 --> 00:38:49,427 If he can't get to his mother his fate might be sealed. 536 00:38:51,229 --> 00:38:54,732 A young, solitary ibex kid is easy prey for Bonelli's eagles, 537 00:38:55,166 --> 00:38:57,502 and even if he survives the daylight hours, 538 00:38:57,702 --> 00:39:01,539 he's no match for the nocturnal predators - hyenas and wolves. 539 00:39:05,476 --> 00:39:08,546 There is no other way. His mother calls him 540 00:39:08,546 --> 00:39:09,714 from the depths of the canyon. 541 00:39:22,794 --> 00:39:24,262 He did it! 542 00:39:25,463 --> 00:39:28,233 His leaping and climbing skills will improve within days. 543 00:39:28,566 --> 00:39:31,569 In the meantime he rushes to safety by his mother's side. 544 00:39:36,074 --> 00:39:38,409 The rising temperatures and dry water holes 545 00:39:38,409 --> 00:39:40,111 drive the ibex to the springs. 546 00:39:41,112 --> 00:39:43,681 Ibex require a daily supply of drinking water 547 00:39:43,681 --> 00:39:45,717 and there are few desert springs 548 00:39:45,717 --> 00:39:48,419 with a year-round permanent, stable water supply. 549 00:39:49,721 --> 00:39:51,823 And in the Negev, water can be found 550 00:39:51,823 --> 00:39:53,591 in the most unlikely places. 551 00:40:01,599 --> 00:40:04,369 Ein Avdat is one of the largest and most important 552 00:40:04,369 --> 00:40:05,536 permanent springs. 553 00:40:08,740 --> 00:40:10,408 On the ridge near the spring 554 00:40:10,408 --> 00:40:14,412 a magnificent Nabatean city was built over 2000 years ago, 555 00:40:16,114 --> 00:40:18,483 the city of Avdat, whose inhabitants 556 00:40:18,483 --> 00:40:20,518 drank from the same spring's waters. 557 00:40:25,156 --> 00:40:27,692 The water holes and springs are desert lifelines 558 00:40:27,692 --> 00:40:30,461 that provide food and shelter for many desert birds. 559 00:40:31,229 --> 00:40:34,265 They flock to the water to drink and bathe. 560 00:40:36,868 --> 00:40:38,136 [Birds chirping] Some are native to the Negev, 561 00:40:38,136 --> 00:40:41,773 like the Hill Sparrows, Desert Finches and Trumpeter Finches. 562 00:40:51,149 --> 00:40:54,152 Others like the Namaqua Dove come from Africa. 563 00:40:55,119 --> 00:40:57,155 This is the most northern place it lives. 564 00:41:00,658 --> 00:41:03,494 Another bird able to survive here is the rock martin. 565 00:41:04,462 --> 00:41:06,597 It collects mud from the river channel in its beak 566 00:41:06,798 --> 00:41:09,167 and builds its nest in the canyon's crevices, 567 00:41:09,367 --> 00:41:10,401 not far from water. 568 00:41:11,669 --> 00:41:14,605 The chicks grow in a padded, comfortable mud house. 569 00:41:21,179 --> 00:41:23,781 Higher up the cliffs live bigger tougher neighbors. 570 00:41:29,187 --> 00:41:31,155 On the rocky ledges of the Ein Avdat cliffs, 571 00:41:31,155 --> 00:41:34,325 migrating annually from Africa is the Egyptian vulture 572 00:41:38,363 --> 00:41:41,232 which shares the Negev cliffs with the Griffon vulture, 573 00:41:41,232 --> 00:41:42,300 a permanent resident. 574 00:41:43,368 --> 00:41:45,536 They glide above the ridges looking for carrion. 575 00:41:49,607 --> 00:41:51,542 Griffon vultures are partners for life. 576 00:41:52,276 --> 00:41:55,546 They share incubation of the solitary egg for two months; 577 00:41:55,546 --> 00:41:58,716 when the chick hatches it receives devoted parental care. 578 00:42:05,289 --> 00:42:08,292 Even after leaving the nest it returns to demand food 579 00:42:08,292 --> 00:42:10,528 from its parents until the next egg is laid. 580 00:42:11,629 --> 00:42:14,232 But there are limits even to motherly love. 581 00:42:16,267 --> 00:42:18,436 When this young vulture tries to return to the nest, 582 00:42:18,436 --> 00:42:21,239 its mother is too busy caring for a new chick. 583 00:42:28,513 --> 00:42:31,048 This young vulture must search for his food alone now, 584 00:42:31,249 --> 00:42:33,785 a mission that has become harder in recent years. 585 00:42:37,722 --> 00:42:39,857 Development in the Negev has severely harmed 586 00:42:39,857 --> 00:42:41,292 Griffon vultures. 587 00:42:41,592 --> 00:42:43,728 They face extinction due to urban expansion, 588 00:42:44,128 --> 00:42:47,298 dwindling open landscapes, and a lack of food. 589 00:42:48,433 --> 00:42:52,637 From a population of hundreds, now only a few dozen remain. 590 00:42:53,771 --> 00:42:56,274 To support the population that nests in the region, 591 00:42:56,274 --> 00:42:58,109 nature reserve rangers have set up 592 00:42:58,109 --> 00:42:59,477 a number of feeding stations. 593 00:43:05,817 --> 00:43:07,452 Each vulture fights aggressively 594 00:43:07,452 --> 00:43:09,153 for its place and its meal. 595 00:43:10,388 --> 00:43:12,423 To keep an eye on their battle to survive, 596 00:43:12,423 --> 00:43:15,326 most vultures are tagged for research and monitoring. 597 00:43:17,395 --> 00:43:20,298 As always, the Negev makes no promises. 598 00:43:21,265 --> 00:43:23,501 Every animal lives day to day. 599 00:43:27,839 --> 00:43:30,208 Compared to the larger, deadlier vulture, 600 00:43:30,208 --> 00:43:33,344 the smaller humble sandgrouse enjoys a far stronger 601 00:43:33,344 --> 00:43:34,445 chance of surviving. 602 00:43:47,258 --> 00:43:49,627 In the Negev there are five species of sandgrouse. 603 00:43:50,528 --> 00:43:52,330 They come to the water at fixed hours. 604 00:43:52,730 --> 00:43:55,399 Some species immediately after sunrise, 605 00:43:55,399 --> 00:43:57,568 others just before sunset. 606 00:44:04,742 --> 00:44:07,211 For many years researchers didn't understand 607 00:44:07,211 --> 00:44:10,381 how they nested in the most arid regions devoid of water, 608 00:44:10,615 --> 00:44:13,317 or how the chicks survived the terrible drought 609 00:44:13,317 --> 00:44:15,553 when their parents fed them only dry seeds. 610 00:44:16,621 --> 00:44:19,624 Continuous monitoring solved the amazing riddle: 611 00:44:21,092 --> 00:44:23,194 The male sandgrouse has a special covering 612 00:44:23,194 --> 00:44:25,496 of chest feathers that functions like a sponge. 613 00:44:31,802 --> 00:44:34,438 The male flies tens of miles from the nest 614 00:44:34,438 --> 00:44:36,774 to a water source and absorbs water 615 00:44:36,774 --> 00:44:40,077 in his chest feathers, and then flies back to the nest. 616 00:44:41,445 --> 00:44:43,748 The chicks poke their beak into his chest feathers 617 00:44:43,748 --> 00:44:47,084 and drink the water as if he was a flying water bottle. 618 00:44:51,722 --> 00:44:53,558 Sandgrouse are the preferred gamebird 619 00:44:53,558 --> 00:44:56,193 throughout the Middle East, but in Israel they are 620 00:44:56,193 --> 00:44:58,629 fully protected like all wild animals. 621 00:45:07,438 --> 00:45:10,274 Great efforts are made to preserve wildlife in Israel. 622 00:45:16,280 --> 00:45:18,583 In 1968, the Nature and Parks Authority 623 00:45:18,583 --> 00:45:21,986 created the Yotvata wildlife reserve in the Negev, 624 00:45:22,587 --> 00:45:25,456 a desert center for conserving and nurturing species 625 00:45:25,456 --> 00:45:26,724 on the brink of extinction. 626 00:45:29,627 --> 00:45:32,363 The wildlife reserve also protects other desert animals 627 00:45:32,363 --> 00:45:35,299 from outside Israel, such as the Addax 628 00:45:35,299 --> 00:45:37,468 and the Sahara oryx from Africa. 629 00:45:41,472 --> 00:45:43,507 In the open area of the wildlife reserve 630 00:45:43,507 --> 00:45:45,776 is a breeding nucleus of Arabian Oryx 631 00:45:45,776 --> 00:45:48,279 that lived previously in Israel and Arabia 632 00:45:48,679 --> 00:45:51,582 and is currently under threat of worldwide extinction. 633 00:45:55,586 --> 00:45:58,155 In the spring dozens of young Oryx were born. 634 00:46:00,358 --> 00:46:03,327 Dr. Roni King selects the Oryx that he must tranquilize 635 00:46:03,327 --> 00:46:05,196 before the intended release to nature. 636 00:46:06,664 --> 00:46:09,300 He shoots the selected Oryx with a tranquilizing arrow. 637 00:46:10,167 --> 00:46:12,203 Its horns are sharp and dangerous 638 00:46:12,436 --> 00:46:14,305 and it is treated with due caution. 639 00:46:18,676 --> 00:46:21,746 The rangers attach a radio transmitter to the Oryx's neck 640 00:46:21,746 --> 00:46:24,548 in order to monitor its integration and acclimation 641 00:46:24,548 --> 00:46:26,417 to the free herd in the Negev landscape. 642 00:46:29,487 --> 00:46:32,089 The young Oryx are brought to the acclimation pen, 643 00:46:32,089 --> 00:46:34,125 from where they will be released to nature, 644 00:46:34,125 --> 00:46:37,428 join the herd and run free in the Negev landscape. 645 00:46:41,499 --> 00:46:43,401 About a hundred Oryx already live 646 00:46:43,401 --> 00:46:45,036 and reproduce in the Negev. 647 00:46:49,273 --> 00:46:50,741 For the winners in this battleground, 648 00:46:50,741 --> 00:46:52,309 summer comes again. 649 00:46:53,144 --> 00:46:55,513 The males once again prepare for mating season. 650 00:46:59,150 --> 00:47:02,386 An entire year has passed in the Negev. 651 00:47:04,321 --> 00:47:06,390 Freezing nights and burning days, 652 00:47:09,026 --> 00:47:13,531 scarce food and water, and unforgiving predators. 653 00:47:14,231 --> 00:47:16,367 But time and nature do not stop. 654 00:47:17,601 --> 00:47:20,071 The young wolves go hunting by themselves. 655 00:47:21,605 --> 00:47:24,275 Herds of animals start to roam in search of water. 656 00:47:25,409 --> 00:47:28,412 All want to survive another year in the Negev. 657 00:47:30,448 --> 00:47:32,483 It is the only home they know.