Deep in southern Africa,
a mighty river snakes through untamed wilderness.
Its vast flood plains are a magnet for wildlife.
In the dry season
animals travel great distances to reach this oasis,
And during droughts space and resources are at a premium.
But every animal has its place
along the banks of the mighty Chobe river.
It's winter,
the dry season in northern Botswana
but the Chobe river is in flood.
Fed by rain
that fell in the distant Angolan highlands during the summer,
this is now the only water for miles around.
At this time of the year, great herds travel from far and wide
timing their arrival with the floods.
12,000 buffalo congregate along the water's edge,
While more than 7,000 Plains zebra
arrive from lands further south.
Chobe's birdlife is a wonder unto itself;
More than 450 bird species fill the airspace.
3,000 White-faced whistling ducks
from all over sub-Saharan Africa gather here
And they're not the only ones.
Collared pratincoles
migrate from all corners of the continent.
In Chobe they merge into giant, swarming flocks,
making the most of the resurgent insect life
following the floods.
At this time of year,
the Chobe river provides food enough for all.
The river's annual pulses
keep Chobe in a constant state of flux.
The Chobe river is a section of the great Kwando river
which originates in the Angolan highlands in the east,
flowing for 450 miles
before merging with the mighty Zambezi in the west.
The stretch of river forming the border
between Namibia and Botswana in the Chobe National Park
is called the Chobe.
Away from the river conditions are desperate.
There's been no rain here for months.
And food is scarce.
The dry grass is poor grazing.
And with all other water sources drying up,
the river is the only option.
At this time of the year more than 45 000 African elephants -
nearly 10 percent of the world's population -
congregate along the banks of the Chobe river.
And this herd has travelled more than 125 miles
to arrive with the flood.
The oldest female or matriarch leads the rest,
following ancient migration routes -
knowledge that's been passed to her
from generation to generation.
Their priorities are keeping cool in the scorching heat,
while also staying hydrated and finding enough food.
This calf is less than 6 months old.
His family is seasoned at traveling to these parts.
But, this is his first time in the land of plenty
and every experience is new and exciting.
Not all animals are such intrepid travelers
and they stay year-round.
Roughly 200 Hippopotamus call the Chobe home.
Hippos live in water deep enough to submerge themselves,
avoiding dehydration.
The pod spends almost two thirds of its day in the river.
But this is not where they eat.
Hippos are grazers and emerge from the water
to feed on the surrounding grasslands.
He crops the grass with his dexterous lips,
grinding it with massive molars.
This mother is introducing her young calf to solids
for the first time.
Just a few months old,
he's more used to suckling from his mom under water.
Chobe's water-logged soils
are far more fertile than the surrounding drylands.
And Hippos also crop the grass short stimulating new growth,
which attracts other visitors to the floodplains.
These Plains zebra have marched 300 miles
from the seasonal plains further south
to reach the Chobe while it floods.
It's an ancient route and as the crow flies,
is the longest migration of any African mammal.
By comparison,
the meandering wildebeest and zebra of the Serengeti
migrate less than half this distance.
And after any great journey,
there's nothing better than a good old scratch
to get the dust out of one's coat.
But the herds must keep their wits about them.
This is Lion country.
With so many foals,
the herd can't afford to linger in the danger zone.
Once across, they can drink in peace
because even the shallow river will slow a charging Lion.
With the zebra out of range,
the lioness makes her way back to her pride.
These Chobe locals relax in the shade of the riverine thicket.
Lions don't often hunt during the heat of the day.
Preferring cooler conditions or the cover of darkness.
9 out of 10 kills are made at night.
Nearly half this family's kills are buffalo
but they're more famous for taking down even larger prey.
Including Hippos and elephants.
These cubs are luckier than most.
Elsewhere half of all cubs born, die before maturity
But in Chobe where food is plentiful
and their parents don't have to travel far to hunt,
they're more likely to survive.
The cubs are wide awake
and aren't keen on the idea of a midday nap.
Mom's an easy target.
Driven by a killer instinct,
her cub playfully goes for the jugular.
In winter the flooded river attracts hoards of herbivores,
bringing the Lions' prey right onto their doorstep.
And the family are spoilt for choice.
Puku antelope are a little too small
for these Lions' buffalo-sized appetite
but that doesn't mean they are safe
in this predator-filled landscape.
They live in marshy areas of central Africa
and the lush Chobe flood plains are their southern limit.
The calves wander from their mothers
almost as soon as they've found their feet
but this comes at a cost.
They're easy prey
and one in every two won't make it to five months old.
The dominant ram is interested in this female.
But she'll only be in estrus for 24 hours
so the window for mating is very short.
Inhaling deeply, with his lips curled back,
his vomeronasal organ samples the female's pheromones.
His timing is a little off
and today is not their day.
Puku stick to the narrow stretches of grassland
between the river and nearby woodlands.
This allows them to live alongside a close relative,
Waterbuck.
Recognizable by their white-ringed backsides,
Waterbuck keep even closer to the water.
At this time of the year, Chobe is overflowing with animals.
Each one following its own way of life.
But with so many species crowding together
at such high numbers,
competition for space and food can be fierce.
A Little bee-eater hunts from his favorite perch.
Weighing just half an ounce, he's the smallest of his kind.
Bee-eaters specialize in catching flying insects -
but not always bees.
He makes up to 40 hunting attempts in an hour,
And is successful 50 percent of the time.
He hits his prey on the branch before swallowing it
to avoid a nasty sting.
The Little bee-eater
is not alone in his quest for flying prey.
He shares the air space with visiting relatives.
Southern carmine bee-eaters
migrate to Chobe during the floods.
Four times lighter than his crimson counterparts,
the Little bee-eater's diminutive size
allows him to catch insects too small for the carmines.
So even with the extra company,
he's still the king of his castle.
As the sun climbs higher
and temperatures push 100 degrees Fahrenheit
many animals take a break
and head to the water to cool off.
The elephants are topping up their tanks.
Staying hydrated.
They suck up water with their versatile trunks
and dispense it into their mouths -
two gallons at a time.
Even the baby has figured out this trick.
Elephants need to drink 40 gallons of water a day.
This is a struggle when they travel through the hot savanna
but once they get to Chobe, water is not a worry.
And water isn't just for drinking.
These two youngsters take time to play
and cool off in the river.
The Hippos have also had enough of the heat.
So they slip into the water where it's more comfortable.
One of the harem is ready to mate.
This fully grown Hippo bull weighs nearly 4 tons
so mating on land can be a challenge.
In the water its simply easier.
Even though she's almost entirely submerged,
she's still able to breathe
through perfectly positioned nostrils.
And if things get out of hand,
she can even hold her breath for a comfortable five minutes.
The female finally surfaces and the bull celebrates his prowess.
As the afternoon wanes on,
more of Chobe's great beasts
make their way to the river front.
And in their wake,
the buffalo leave a delightful feast for others.
A family of Banded mongoose
takes advantage of the leftovers.
They're foraging in the buffalo dung for beetles
and the other insects it attracts.
Of the 20 mongoose species living in Africa,
Banded mongooses live in the biggest packs.
Extended families of 35 individuals or more.
In such big families, keeping order is important.
The family is led by the most experienced, senior pair.
An individual's temperament also plays a role.
Born leaders rise to the top of the pack with time.
And these high-ranking individuals
get the first pick at the buffet.
This brave mongoose leaves the safety of his pack
and ventures down to the water for a quick drink.
Buffalo need to drink twice a day
and Chobe's herds have come down to the river
for their afternoon tipple.
These mighty bovids are not territorial
but roam large home ranges in huge herds -
often numbering into the thousands.
But not all buffalos live in big herds.
This old-timer has been forced into a lonelier existence.
But in Chobe, you're never truly alone.
Cattle egrets hitch a ride on the old bull's back.
But there's more to this relationship
than just freeloading.
The food's good too.
The egret is catching insects kicked up by the buffalo -
40 percent more than if it hunted alone.
Forced out of the herd by younger dominant males,
old bulls like this are called 'dagga boys'.
Dagga is a widely used African term for mud.
Egrets aren't the only bird benefitting from the dagga boys.
Yellow-billed oxpeckers are also getting in on the feast.
But instead of grabbing at insects
that fly out of the grass,
these birds pick the ticks directly off the buffalos back.
Parasites carry disease
so the buffalos benefit from the oxpecker's tick removal service.
And they don't just stick to buffalo;
kudu also make good hosts.
A small herd of kudu has come down to the river.
Kudu are highly social.
Females in particular form long-lasting bonds
and unlike young males,
they stay with their herd their whole lives.
Kudu bulls sport the longest horns of all antelope.
Accounting for their curves,
each of his horns can measure almost 6 feet.
Kudu are browsers
and get most of their water from the leaves they eat.
But in the dry season, when the plants lack moisture,
they come down to the river to drink.
This young male's horns have some growing to do
before they reach the length of his father's.
Down at the water's edge,
the kudu share the drinking room with a troop of baboons.
Chacma baboons can live in almost any African ecosystem.
From deserts to forests, this adaptable primate thrives.
But however versatile,
baboons are still tied to water
because they need to drink every day.
So the troop stays close to the water's edge.
Like all primates, baboons are social animals.
And the social glue in this family
comes from mutual grooming
It's not as simple as
"you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours".
Baboon society is highly regulated.
The higher up the pecking order you are,
the more grooming you receive.
When the river is in flood and water is scarce elsewhere,
Chobe is packed with animals
and different species rub shoulders at the water's edge.
And jostle for space in the shade.
Baboons and Impalas are equally wary of predators
and both keep a constant vigil of their surroundings,
benefitting from each other's company.
And vigilance is key when one of Africa's most formidable hunters
lurks in the river.
Nile crocodiles have remained unchanged
for some 70 million years.
His powerful jaws are packed with over 60 razor-sharp teeth.
A fully-grown, 19 foot crocodile
can easily take large animals like antelope and baboons.
But when they're little
young crocodiles prey on small invertebrates,
moving onto fish and other reptiles as they grow.
Crocodiles have slow yet efficient metabolisms
and can survive up to a year without eating.
They're 'ectothermic' or cold-blooded
and rely on the heat of the sun to warm up.
But basking in the sun comes with the risk of overheating.
With jaws wide open
water evaporates from the thin skin lining the mouth
and cools the crocodile.
With temperatures regularly soaring
over 85 degrees Fahrenheit even in the winter
Chobe's inhabitants must keep their cool.
And Marabou storks
have one of the most bizarre ways of chilling out.
They excrete on their own legs.
This stork's legs are actually jet black,
but they appear white because of the powdered uric acid
left behind when their droppings evaporate
Not only does this evaporation cool the blood,
but the bright white also reflects the sun.
Chobe is a wildlife magnet.
But crowds mean competition for food and space.
And getting a leg up above the rest is key in this landscape.
The tallest animal in the world, the giraffe,
can reach the leaves on the top branches
where most others can't.
They avoid competition with Chobe's other browsers
like Impala, elephant and kudu.
Tough lips and prehensile tongues
delicately pick the juiciest leaves from between the thorns.
Two bulls are sizing each other up.
They're fighting for dominance and access to mates.
As the blow comes in,
the giraffe makes a small jump to absorb some of the impact.
He can't swing his huge neck and jump at the same time
so the duo seems to take turns.
So far, this is just a friendly sparring match
but these fights can cause serious injury.
Having drunk their fill, the elephants head off to feed.
They're crossing the river
to get to an ancient feeding ground on the other side.
If they don't want to get left behind,
the calves need to jump in and keep up.
Despite their massive bulk,
elephants are excellent swimmers
and can swim across entire lakes or long stretches of river.
Their multipurpose trunks double as snorkels.
Each day, the herd moves between the river
and their favored feeding sites.
The whereabouts of these sites is ancient knowledge
but for the youngest in the herd, this is all new -
they still have much to learn.
While some animals have to travel through the water,
others can walk across it.
This male African jacana's widely spread toes
dissipate his weight
allowing him to stride atop the floating lily pads.
He's feeding on insects on the surface.
But he's keeping an eye open,
because he's looking after the kids.
And a water monitor's lurking nearby.
He's essentially a single dad.
Jacanas are polyandrous.
Which means females mate with many males.
And so once she's laid her four eggs
she walks away from any further parental responsibility
and the rest is up to him.
Luckily for dad,
the chicks are precocious and for the most part,
tend to look after themselves.
By late afternoon the giraffes have eaten their full -
almost 90 pounds of leaves -
and are moving to the water to drink
Easier said than done.
Long legs and necks
are ideal for high-level browsing and fighting
but they make things a little awkward at the water.
They can't reach the ground when standing upright.
So they spread their legs wide to reach the water.
Even the herd's shortest member needs to overcome this problem.
Lowering their heads from a height of 16 feet however,
could give them a serious head rush.
To cope, giraffes have a special network of blood vessels
in the upper neck called the 'rete mirabile',
which equalizes blood pressure
as it flows to and from the brain.
As the elephants arrive at their evening feeding spot,
the resident python gives the herd a wide birth.
She's more than 13 feet long
and "tastes" the air by flicking her tongue.
A transparent scale called a 'spectacle'
permanently covers her eye instead of an eyelid.
Pythons are constrictors.
She slowly squeezes the breathe out of her prey
with each exhale it makes.
With no oxygen, the victim dies from a heart attack.
Special scales around her mouth are heat sensitive pits
capable of detecting warm-blooded prey,
even in the dark.
It's her secret sixth sense.
Outside of Chobe where they are not protected,
large individuals like this are rare
because humans hunt them for their skin.
But this female's only concern for now is the elephants
who are busy re-landscaping her riverside home.
Chobe's elephants have small tusks
compared with the great tuskers in east Africa.
This is because the soils here lack sufficient micro-nutrients
such as sodium and calcium, necessary for ivory growth.
Some individuals lack tusks altogether.
But this doesn't stop them from causing havoc amongst the trees.
This herd has travelled hundreds of miles
to feed on Chobe's flood plains.
As the rains return to the surrounding dry lands
they'll head off once more on their journey
across the great plains of southern Africa -
constantly in search of water and food.
But they'll be back,
with a new generation ready to be taught the ways of Chobe.
The mighty Chobe river
winds through the parched landscape of northern Botswana.
Flooded by distant rains during the dry season,
it's the only water for miles around.
And with the water comes great herds and mighty flocks.
Animals of all shapes and sizes thrive along its banks,
Attracted by the glut of food.
It's a spectacle celebrated across the continent.
When the Chobe is in flood,
this water wonderland truly is
the river of plenty.
♪♪