Ethiopia home to some of the rarest creatures on earth many of which are found nowhere else [Music] every day is a battle for survival enchanted forests and Alpine Giants [Music] these are the simian mountains the roof of Africa [Music] [Music] [Music] in the northeast of Africa there's a place where animals tread precarious paths through the clouds [Music] fog shrouds the fertile earth and fills the clean air [Music] [Music] plants grow in abundance from the mystical to the bizarre among the peaks live creatures found only here [Music] they are Mountain specialists cut off from the outside world for eons by cliffs plunging 5000 feet [Music] life here has evolved to thrive in this isolated Alpine environment days average a full 35 degrees Fahrenheit colder than the surrounding lowlands nights regularly plummet below freezing clouds roll in without a moment's notice eradicating visibility sure-footedness is essential for survival this Highland domain is in the northern corner of Ethiopia [Music] the simian Mountains National Park covers just less than 85 square miles it includes some of the country's most spectacular terrain these mountains that reach more than 14,000 800 feet high originated through volcanic activity 40 million years ago as thick layers of erupting lava cooled and accumulated on the surface they were raised to even greater elevations by a giant plume of magma beneath the earth's crust millenia of erosion carved out the sheer precipices scene today leaving towering peaks and high plateaus [Music] Mystikal trees grow on the slopes below 12,000 feet remarkably these tree Heath's are a type of Heather also called Erica rooted in rich volcanic soil here they transcend the lowly shrubs of their family to become forests as wind pushes warmed lowland air up the mountains it condenses to flood the forests in fog it's a blanket of life-giving moisture but the fog isn't the only visitor in the Erica forest this morning a group of geladas has started its journey to the mountains higher plateaus where they'll spend the day feeding in the grasslands [Music] it's a daily trip they make between feeding grounds up high and their resting place lower down the mountain [Music] [Music] every step of the way is a game for the youngsters and they use the mountain as their playground [Music] [Music] geladas are the last remaining species of a once abundant group of exclusively grass grazing primates [Music] today their sole refuges the mountains of Ethiopia where lush high-altitude grasses grow in abundance social bonds rule the dynamics of the group [Music] although the bold male seems to be in charge of his harem it's the females that make the decisions here including whether or not he can stay if he does not groom his harem enough they'll choose another male to replace him [Music] geladas are incredibly vocal creatures their call known as a wobble is more complex than the basic noises uttered by most primates [Music] while many other species will show familiarity through lip-smacking the geladas are the only non-human primate to make the complex mouth movements and vocalized as is the closest equivalent to human speech in the natural world for the juveniles clay is more interesting than casual conversation [Music] for these youngsters baring teeth is used as a playful expression like laughing like people geladas display what's known as a rapid facial mimicry the automatic mimicking of each other's expressions that shows shared excitement during play this helps to promote social unity and its most frequent between mothers and infants [Music] [Music] with the adults preoccupied the youngsters continue to monkey around and the nobley trees are the ultimate challenge in [Music] the juveniles aren't the only ones using the trees to their advantage [Music] masses of lichen aptly named old man's beard clings to the known Rogers [Music] lichens are unique organisms part fungi part algae [Music] grow in a cleanest air [Music] the mass of old man's beard in these highlands is a testament to the purity of the environment although the lichen gives little to its host it does offer some assistance to another hilltop inhabitant [Music] resourceful thick-billed Ravens use the lands materials to their advantage [Music] this pair of scavengers will use the soft lichen as bedding for their nest which they will build high up on the cliffs they are the biggest birds with feet evolved specifically for poaching with three toes forward and one backward [Music] these birds live only in the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea [Music] they thrive here amongst the peaks [Music] but it's another scavenger that excels in this vertical realm more than any other bird [Music] [Music] the cliffs alongside a cascading waterfall perfect nesting sites for ripples vultures [Music] these birds known collectively as a wake for breeding colonies that can reach an astounding 2,000 members [Music] the ripples vulture is the highest flying bird on the planet they can reach heights of 37,000 feet the same flying altitude as a commercial airplane their entire biochemistry is specifically adapted for this [Music] specialized hemoglobin enables the birds to efficiently absorb more oxygen at low air pressure allowing them to survive at such elevations [Music] weighing in at almost 20 pounds they're among the largest of the vultures in order to lift this bulk their wings spread to over eight feet from tip to tip they have exceptional eyesight and use the strong thermal winds to search for carrion on the cliffs below they'll never hunt live prey which sometimes means they must fly up to 95 miles from their roosting site in search of dead meat when they find it there might helps them make the most of it with many scavengers patrolling the peaks the ripples vultures must often bully other birds off a carcass and today will be no different as the morning heats up from thermals rise up the mountains birds of many other species take to the skies in search of a meal [Music] [Applause] [Music] although ripples vultures are the highest fliers they're not the fastest a conspiracy of the killed Ravens beats them to the remains of a small antelope [Music] for these scavengers this is the jackpot [Music] they start with the tastiest section of the animal the intestines and the precious fat [Music] they must eat quickly [Music] it won't be long before other scavengers catch drift of the film eel like clockwork more hungry birds start to arrive [Music] a few ripples vultures are the first uninvited guests to the feast [Music] the intruders are six times heavier than the thick-billed Ravens own so naturally the Ravens move aside and the vultures talking it [Music] sated the ripples vultures leave and the Ravens move back in one resident glides peacefully above the commotion a colossal and rare bearded vulture his wingspan extends to ten feet although the biggest of these scavengers he will not disturb the ongoing feast the meat doesn't interest him he's after the bones which comprise up to 90% of his diet he finds a perch nearby and waits for the meat-eating frenzy to end [Music] a tawny Eagle plans his approach [Music] his attempt at a flyby snatch fails and he descends to join the fray Tony Eagles are notorious for stealing kills from other predators and scavengers but the caucus is too heavy we must settle for eating and the company of others his presence doesn't go down well with a returning with ruppell's vulture [Music] but eventually the Eagle is allowed to stay the ravens continue to play it safe on the sidelines patience appears to be their only option with every morsel of the antelope devoured the crowds disperse all that is left is the skeleton and now is the time for the bearded vulture to descend these birds are the only creatures on earth that feed almost entirely on bone they're incredibly acidic stomachs can easily digest bones weighing up to nine pounds it's been a successful afternoon for the scavengers and this meal will last them a few days nothing goes to waste here [Music] for the geladas on a lower plateau feeding is a far more relaxed affair [Music] [Applause] [Music] for many of Africa's other large primates first access to food is a fiercely enforced privilege of high rank us [Music] [Applause] but competition for resources is virtually non-existent between geladas [Music] the lush grass that feeds the troop grows abundantly in the rich soil [Music] well watered by Falcon rain it's enough to satisfy even the biggest truth [Music] geladas have a distinct feeding technique of sitting upright shuffling forward as they pluck the tender blades with opposable thumbs [Music] and their quadrazid motives provide at the cushioning [Music] [Applause] now after the mid-year rains they eat both lush blades and seeds in a month's time many more grasses will seed and the grain will make up as much as 70% of the geladas diet [Music] in a drier times of January and February they will turn to the rhizomes for sustenance [Music] whatever the season they can rely on the simians grass to satisfy their hunger [Music] while the geladas staple grass carpets great Suede's of the plateaus there are some species that occupy only specific issues fiery red hot pokers dot the crevices of the highest government at around 13,000 feet less rain falls in these highest reaches of the mountains meaning more constant sunshine [Applause] we water and gathers in gullies making a suitable habitat for these thirsty plants with ample light and moisture the red-hot pokers can flower year-round which means they always have an array of fluttering visitors drinking nectar some birds and starlings are the main beneficiaries the red-hot poker has evolved to take full advantage of the constant throngs of hungry birds and insects as the plant grows in height the flowers blossom sequentially thus not all flowers are on display at once rationing the nectar throughout the year [Music] this increases the plant's chances of being pollinated allowing the species to thrive [Applause] on the plateau above the expansive alpine grass is more than just fodder for geladas it is home to a female Abyssinian grass rat while they're restricted to ethiopia and eritrea this species is plentiful in these areas she lacks any defense against predators and must always be alert especially because she has a pup to care for while she goes on the search for seeds and bugs to eat he remains close to the safety of their burrow [Music] with the arrival of Farland the rats visibility is compromised and foraging is especially risky for the mother the hasty homeward dash comes just in time [Music] a lurking audio Buzzard is on the lookout for a tasty snack although these rodents are hunted by a variety of Highland predators there is one animal in particular that specializes in grass rats stalking [Music] [Music] the simian or Ethiopian wolf lives only above nine thousand eight hundred feet in Ethiopia's mountaintops [Music] fewer than 500 exists in these restricted domains making them the rarest canid in the world and africa's most threatened carnival [Music] they're pack animals working together to defend territories but always hunting eleven highly specialized in their diet grass rats are at the top of their menu the wolf's elongated skull allows them to reach into the rats burrow and just as the grass rats foraged during the day so to do the wolf's this female is on the prowl a highly sensitive ears have picked up some movement in the grass unaware of the danger the mother rat has left their burrow to forage once again [Music] [Music] a fatal mistake the baby will be forced to fend for himself from now on while wolves are arguably the simians most special inhabitants there is another life form in these highest reaches that is undoubtedly the mountains strangest a plant of absurd proportions flourishes up here [Music] it's known as the giant lobelia [Music] it's the tallest plant on a Afra alpine plateau and can reach the height of a three-story building this conspicuous growth enables it to cope with the extreme temperature swings that occur high in the mountains [Music] temperature fluctuations are particularly severe at ground level [Music] so the lobelias large stem helped to protect its delicate leaves and flowers by raising them up above the ground raised in this way the flowers can grow in towering clusters [Music] called inflorescences attracting the usual suspects to pollinate them [Music] even in these highest reaches of the mountain fog is a common visitor it nourishes the flora with its regular supply of moisture it rolls swiftly up the mountain slopes enveloping the landscape a peculiar shape looms through the mist the impressive homes of the endangered Walia ibex [Music] these wild goats are true highland dwellers preferring the highest peaks reaching altitudes of 15,000 feet they mostly eating the old brown leaves of the giant lobelia these leaves contain fewer of the poisonous alkaloids found in the green leaves [Music] Walia ibex live nowhere beyond these mountains hunted to the brink of extinction there are now only 500 remaining in the wild the steep cliffs of the simian mountains are their only sanctuary [Music] here they are safer few humans dare to venture where the high backs so casually roam they're able to walk steadily on the cliffs while equipped with their sharp edged and concave hooves this dominant male is in charge of a mixed herd of females and subordinate males breeding season is soon approaching and he'll likely have to fight another male in order to hold on to his harem his 3-foot long horns attest to his seniority with every ring signaling a year of life the females differ dramatically from their leader their horns are far more slender shorter and less curved than the males [Music] these kids were conceived during a breeding peak between March and May born in September during the lush times after the rains they have the best possible start to life they're still clumsy and have a lot to learn about their precariously high home back down on the lowest plateau the geladas have spent the day feeding the Sun will set in a few hours and the troop needs to start their descent to the cave they will sleep in the air is warmer at the bottom of the mountain and makes for a secure home base but as usual the youngsters have had ready to leave a game of cat and mouse Jimbo's the departure [Music] [Music] [Music] although geladas aren't an aggressive species the youngsters use every opportunity particularly life in this soft grassy landscape even the youngest tries to join in the fun [Music] bumsoo wisps him away he's only about a month old and will be totally dependent on his mother's milk for the next 11 months [Music] eating grass is completely unnecessary for him at this time in his life but he still tries his best to mimic his mother as the Sun starts to set over the mountains the charismatic geladas begin their downward journey the adults have had their share of food while the youngsters have had their share of fun [Music] the juveniles will soon mature and a new generation of youngsters will take over the mountain as their own playground [Music] [Music] in a land of dizzying heights and sudden precipices life treads a fine line [Music] isolated from the world below these plants and animals have evolved to make best use of their lush but limited environment [Music] this specialization means many have nowhere else to go [Music] the simian Mountains National Park stands as a stronghold of hope for these creatures [Music] endangered species can live on making their homes in the roof of Africa [Music] [Music]
