Central Asia - Tales of the Wind, Song of the Land | myDOCUMENTARY

the grasslands are waking up it is a vast land   covered with short grass  all the way to the horizon rain only falls for a short period in summer  the plants can't afford to grow any taller the mongolian gazelles are  running across the steam they run faster and faster  until they are one with wind this is the dornod steep a vast stretch in the  far east of mongolia bordering china and russia mongolian gazelles are wanderers who roam the  grasslands all their lives they never settle down   one can never predict where they are headed   one thing's for sure where the mongolian gazelles  roam is where nature is at its most alive it is march this is when death  looms over the grasslands many of the youngest and oldest gazelles perish in winter it is the bitter  cold and hunger that gets them   however early spring is  when even more deaths occur the gazelles weakened by the long winter find  it difficult to last through early spring a wolf appears amidst the grass it devours  a male gazelle and leaves as it came gazelles in spring are in a state of starvation   although they make easy prey for the  wolf they don't make much of a meal the low-lying grass welcomes the early spring the arid conditions year-round  mean that trees do not grow here below the grassland is an even  more arid land called the gobi although it is known as the gobi desert  it is different from most deserts   gobi means coarse land where grass doesn't grow  well it is arid land with little patches of grass   the sandy desert is only a small part of it wild animals in the gobi have  developed high tolerance to eridity   the wild donkey is one of them it drinks only once every two to  three days and does not urinate often   conserving every drop of water the wild donkey feeds on coarser  grass compared to other animals   and migrates around the arid land in herds it is early spring and sandstorms  are raging across the gobi the sandstorms can build up to heights of 5 000  meters and travel long distances on the powerful   westerlies they can travel to korea in just  a day and then move across the ocean to japan   and even hawaii gobi sandstorms make up part of  the yellow dust that envelops korea in spring the bactrian camel's nostrils close  up automatically in sandstorms their double layered eyelashes and  hairs in their ears also help block sand the gobi is where bactrian camels call home they collect fats in the twin humps on their  backs and can produce water from the humps the bactrian camel can last  for a month without drinking this coarse terrain is the only  place on earth where wild camels live even in the sandstorm which shrouds  everything the animals are able to find grass although there seems to be nothing  ahead the nomads never lose their way when the sandstorm has passed the sky  is suddenly covered with rain clouds it is just before summer   the creatures of the desert do  not miss the movement in the skies the animals have already sensed the imminent rain   they wait in anticipation as they would  have to live on this water for the next year annual rainfall in this region is  50 millimeters equivalent to a day's   rainfall during korea's rainy season  this is all the rain they see in a year on the day of this precious shower the  arid gobi lets out a sigh of relief the desert rain has an astonishing effect it  makes all the flowers bloom instantaneously the flowers of various plants which  have been waiting bloom all at once completely transforming the desert the desert after the rain is filled with new life the grasslands have also been  watered they've had a little   more rain than in the desert  to water the plants and land grass grows quickly after the rain has passed   the lush grassland stretches  until the end of the horizon it is a land of abundance for mongolian gazelles only those who survive the winter  get to taste the sprouts of spring mongolian gazelles move in  herds of several thousand however when summer comes the herd will divide  into smaller flocks of several dozen animals   this is because females about to  give birth live apart from each other females with offspring cannot move long distances   when they crowd together only  the strong males would get to eat   so they separate for the time being and  then regroup into the giant herd in autumn they travel as far as xinjiang china and  kazakhstan in search of water and grassland borders only apply to humans it is summer and the mongolian  lark a native bird of the door   known grassland surveys its surroundings bugs are the best food for its babies summer is the season for raising the young the demozelle crane is a migratory  bird that visits the dornod steep after spending winter in india and pakistan   they have arrived in this deep  having crossed the himalayas they spend mating season here there are no hiding places  for the eggs in the steep the demozelle crane stay together  for life once a male and female mate   they even share the task of  brooding their precious eggs this is the summer of abundance when  herbivores feed on lush greenery   birds have healthy bugs to eat even the aggressive upland  buzzard enjoys this piece suddenly the winds have picked up once again summer showers fall on the  grassland and when it rains here it pours after the rain the greenery has become  even lusher this is the height of summer female mongolian gazelles are busy  raising their young this season the running female herd has  baby gazelles mixed within they hide their newborns in the tall grass newborn mongolian gazelles stand up and take  steps forward from the moment they're born then they start to run running is a natural instinct  for mongolian gazelles we find another young one hidden in the grass this is a baby demozelle  crane born just two days ago as they don't have nests baby cranes first   learned the challenging move of  standing upright on the ground these young demozelle cranes  have grown quite a lot   the family busily scours the  grassland looking for food the babies have to grow big  and strong in summer so as   to fly over the himalayas to their  winter home before the cold comes there are burrows here and there in  the lowest area of the grasslands they have been made by brandt's foals to live in   bransvilles have one offspring  a month from may to september their population grows  substantially over the summer rodents in the grasslands are usually herbivores the ground squirrel is one of them although  they hibernate underground for most of the year   they come out in summer when grass is plentiful predators are everywhere for rodents the  upland buzzard is always looking for prey it had four babies born in late spring to keep her babies fed the mother  has to get busy hunting for food upland buzzard parents raise their offspring  together they take turns to fly out and find food bransvoles are one of their main praise they have to be on constant alert when out of  their burrows every moment is filled with danger when they feel a predator coming  they send signals to warn other voles summer is when rodents are most abundant this is  also when the most rodents are caught by predators birds of prey also have offspring to feed the upland buzzard heads back  to the nest with a prey it cut the babies have no other source of food than what  is brought to them competition for food is fierce if beaten out in this competition chances  are the bird will not grow properly among the rodents that come in summer only one in 10 000 survives to the next  year most of them are eaten by predators the ecology of the grassland is sustained  by the rodents that convert grass to protein marmots are the best diggers in the steep the comfy burrows dug by marmots  are exploited by the corsac foxes they too have come out from their holes in summer  these are young cubs about three months old corsac foxes live not in mountains but in deserts  and grasslands the cubs are engrossed in play however the play helps them develop  useful skills for hunting later in life it may look like mating but going on the  other's back is a show of one's dominance they fight to go on top of the others  it is to fix a hierarchy between them the world outside the foxhole is full of  mysteries for the curious cubs to explore corsac foxes have sharp ears and  an exceptional sense of smell   the young cub remains fixed to the  spot smelling the scent of flowers however it is dangerous to let down one's guard a golden eagle has shown up the golden eagle  can catch larger foxes let alone small cubs the most fearsome predator to the corsac  thoughts and the steep is the golden eagle fearful in front of predators  and intimidating to its prey animals who have to hunt their  food live between these two states the mother corsac fox who had ran  from the eagle has caught a rat she doesn't bring into her young  choosing to bury it instead mothers use this method to train  her young to find their own prey one corsac cub has caught scent of the meat however it doesn't eat it on the spot it takes the rodent and practices hunting the smell attracts the other cubs  however it has no intention of sharing the fox cubs will soon have to hunt for themselves hmm when the sun starts to set the  cubs return to their borough the mother lives in the borough with her cubs for  about a week then she does not go inside anymore she only checks to see that her  cubs are okay from time to time she stays on the hill watching  the hole and falls asleep there   the marmot is a native of the grassland it  stands against wind blowing from far away when fully grown it becomes twice as big  as a rabbit it is a rare giant rodent these marmots are out to find food usually  they are hiding in their burrows underground the world outside is filled  with predators out to get them people are one of them there are things one must  prepare for a marmot hunt   white clothes that stand out in the  scenery and hats that look like animals the hunter holds a white horse tail  or an accessory made of yak fur   when he swishes the tail  marmots think he is an animal   the marmot peeks out wondering what it could be unable to stop its curiosity  it's ventured out of the borough marmots are full of curiosity and hunters  use camouflage to take advantage of it after drawing the marmot out slowly an  accurate shot is all you need to catch it the marmot is brought home and cooked after removing the intestines the  marmot is cooked whole to make bulldog it is cooked together with  vegetables using hot stones after closing all gaps by tying with  a wire to prevent heat from escaping the fur is burnt away finally the buddha made from marmot is done first they pour out the greasy broth  and take turns to drink from it it is a great mongolian delicacy marmots feed on healthy grass in the steep they become a precious source of protein  for all living creatures in the state the gobi is in the height of summer  it gets as hot as 50 degrees celsius the land is scorching hot without a spot of shade the gobi is a land of grass rock and sand the hungarian else is a long stretch of sand dunes  the sand particles blown by the wind have formed   hills as high as 200 meters the sand particles  fly into each other making strange sounds this is why the mongolians call  these dunes the singing sand the desert moves very slowly  according to the push of the wind the long curves of the sand dunes are  marks of the long history of the desert the plants grow stout and short  making their stems as tough as trees   there are plants growing even in this arid  land allowing for herbivores to survive summer is breeding season for wild donkeys too  this is when they mate and raise their offspring   they live in small flocks now and  regroup into a large herd in winter it is a tough animal that has made this  extremely arid land its main habitat this is why the wild donkey  struts with magnificent pride people have called it the most arrogant beast on the other hand there is the bactrian camel  known as the most docile it has been used as   a beast of burden for ages it has humps in  which fats are stored enabling it to survive   even when food becomes scarce its dexterous lips  are able to remove thorns from the plants it eats its hooves have been optimized for the desert   the cloven hoof is as flat as a saucer  keeping it from sinking into the sand no other animal can travel as far  across the desert as the bactrian camel the camel is throwing up today  is a terrible day for camels the nomads are sharing their fur  before they shed it naturally in summer   the camel has to be tied up throughout this ordeal from milk to leather to fur the camel  gives every part of its body to the nomads people use camel fert as fibers  to make ropes clothing and carpets the nomad has brought his flock to the spring   the animals have been going without water for  a long time and drink an astonishing amount the spring is one of the rare water sources here   as always the nomad feeds his flock  first then takes water for himself the sun sets and another group of  visitors have arrived at the spring wild donkeys are able to smell water from far away with their remarkable water-seeking  abilities they even dig wells for themselves   the humans then make use of these springs too after hydrating at the long-awaited spring they return into the dust clouds there are rock hills strewn across the sandy gobi they have been carved by wind over millennia   although the land is barren it is  a great mating ground for birds eagles are the greatest birds of prey in the gobi   they are birds of prey with wingspans up to 3  meters long and can weigh up to 10 kilograms this nest has been built on a rocky cliff   eagles return to the same nest to breed  each year making repairs here and there it lays a single leg and raises the one offspring   all eagles are the sole  offspring from a single nest however the mother and child  go separate ways in winter   this is because eaglets that do not  mate spend the winter in the warm south the slopes of the rocky hills  are home to the gobi argali gobi argali are large even among wild sheep   they can live without drinking on the  little moisture present in their food their horns keep growing with age  reaching up to 160 centimeters gobiargali living complete  segregation between sexes all of them have patchy fur right now  they are shedding into the summer coat   summer is here for the gobi  argali living in the rock hills summer in the grassland is  when horses grow the fastest mongolians pick the fastest among them and  ride them for hours these horses are being   prepared for a race between young riders july  is when the mongolian festival of nada is held the horses are given a rest trotting in large circles  both rider and horse cool down the riders are usually younger than   10. the lighter you are the  better chance you have at winning horses raised by nomads live  in a state close to nature   however they are different from real wild horses there are real wild horses in mongolia this is privolsky's horse with a powerful mane it was named after the russian zoologist  who discovered the horse in the 19th century they have been restored once  after going extinct in the wild this was done in 1992 using  a specimen in a european zoo   these horses most resemble those  in prehistoric cave paintings it is already autumn here in august nomads are busy hurting their horses the horses have grown big and  strong in the abundance of summer the nomads plan to choose  a horse to be trained today   the horse has to be trained to be used as a steed the orga has to be stretched and  looped over the horse's head swiftly they have chosen a strong  horse about three years old the horse has been raised in  semi-wilderness it does not give in easily a few strong men have to work  together in the taming of the steed when they have subdued it it is fixed with a bit the animal is no longer free now the actual training begins the horse leaps about alarmed this  is how training a horse always begins the expert who's been watching now takes control   the trained horse will now keep by the nomad  side for the rest of its life as a faithful steed the wind is getting chilly in the  grasslands the autumn is reaching its peak october is when the mongolian  gazelles regroup to form a large herd the males and females have  gathered for mating season   although herds used to number twenty thousand  numbers have dwindled to just several thousand the white naped cranes are  heading south for the winter   the door node steep is where  they take a short break they will have to fly as far as korea and japan  eventually it is crucial to take breaks in between the yellow-headed cranes are babies born this year   after the hard maiden voyage  they will become adults yeah the flock of white naped cranes   fly off once more their migration to warmer  places is a sure sign of the coming winter where the grasslands end  is where the forest begins   it is at the foot of the cantee  mountains in northeast mongolia   it is a thick forest of conifers at  the other end of this forest is siberia an eagle is flying overhead where the grass has sunken we find traces  of blood something must have happened a calf lies dead and abandoned on the ground it must have been killed by a wolf smaller birds like crows are the  first to discover dead animals a rough-legged hawk joins in although it is small for a bird of prey the  rough-legged hawk is known for its aggressiveness   after surveying its meal it  takes the best spot to feast from however the smaller birds  are hungry and do not give in   as it is not much bigger in size the rough-legged  hawk is pushed away by the smaller birds however there is another set of eyes  on the meat it belongs to a wolf it is rare for wolves to be seen in daytime  being all by itself it must be a lone wolf perhaps it has been chased away from the pack  by its leader perhaps it was the former leader it has its tail between its legs  a sign of extreme nervousness it is startled even by small  noises and surveys the surroundings this is typical behavior for a lone wolf although it had caught the calf  itself the situation has changed   the wolf hesitates unable to  approach instead it goes further away wolves urinate to mark their territory   it also leaves its scent by rubbing its feet  on the ground this is a sign to other wolves it's short venture in broad daylight goes to waste as the lone wolf has no backup  it retreats once more into the forest of kenti the winds have become even colder they are followed by sudden snow  winter always strikes unexpectedly the cold siberian winds bring on the long winter the grass of dornod is covered by snow mongolian gazelles wanderers of the  steeps run across the snow once again   they have to prepare for the  harshest season in their giant herds from now on the only goal is survival to triumph over the cold and hunger they will wander the grasslands in search of  food in search of short reprieve from the wind the mongolian gazelles cautiously  test their frozen steeps you

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Keywords: Free High-Quality Stories, report, HD, Full HD, camels, sea eagle, fox, hunt, goats, natgeo, science, explore, discover, survival, nature, culture, documentary, full documentary, nomad, civilization, documentaries

Id: NXIRAyKORTo

Length: 52min 55sec (3175 seconds)

Published: Wed Oct 12 2022