It is the oldest desert in the world
and one of the most inhospitable, the Namib. Yet it is neither desolate nor empty and boasts
an astonishing diversity of wildlife. With just 20 millimeters
of rainfall a year, the Namib is an extremely dry place whilst lying
in close proximity to the sea. It is unique in being home to elephants. How can the animals survive
such extreme conditions? Namibia lies
in South West Africa. The Namib Desert stretches
for almost 2,000 kilometers along the coast. To the north, the desert is crisscrossed
by several dry river valleys. One of them is the Hoanib Valley. It runs through the desert
for several hundred kilometers and ends in the sea. Water flows here once,
at most twice a year. Only deep-rooted plants
like Ana trees can survive here. Dry river valleys like the Hoanib
are only found in the Namib desert. Only here within the valley
can mammals exist in the long term. It is the home
of the desert elephants. In contrast
to their other African relatives, desert elephants live in
particularly small family groups. They are so rare
and their way of life is so special that they're under
the constant supervision of scientists who have also given
the elephants names. The head of this family
is alpha cow, Clarissa. The animals don't leave her side
for a moment. Only Clarissa knows how to survive
in this extreme environment. The shoots of
the Ana tree are now ripe. The pods contain protein-rich seeds. Clarissa has known
every one of these trees since her childhood. Even the youngest,
Maya, tries the shoots. Here, however, experienced trunk
tip control is required. It's easier for her to get the protein
she needs from her mother's milk. Desert elephants only have half the number
of calves as other elephants because they suckle them twice as long
to give them a stronger start to life. The male animals
stay with their mother's family until they reach sexual maturity. With mock fights, they prepare for life
without the protection of the females. Outside the mating season,
adult bull elephants are loners or travel in small groups. Japi is the most skillful of them. His younger brother watches enviously as Japi brings down apparently
unreachable branches from the tree. In the valley, Japi is well known
for such tricks. He learned them from his father. Friendship among bull elephants
has its limits. Japi is certainly not willing
to share his branch with his younger brother. Their father, One Tusk,
is now nearly 60 years old. His trademark is the missing right tusk,
lost long ago in a hierarchical battle. For years, he was
the undisputed king of the Hoanib. Now he lives in seclusion. Healthy desert elephants roam
for up to 10,000 kilometers a year in search of food. One Tusk's legs are weak,
he can no longer keep up. The aging bull is already being watched
by a male jackal, which lives in the Hoanib Valley
with its partner. Jackals mostly hunt smaller animals but they wouldn't turn their noses up
at a dead elephant. In a side valley, Clarissa has discovered
a further source of food. There's a wide selection
of bushes, grasses and herbs. Desert elephants treat their food
much more gently than other elephants. Instead of tearing the plants
out of the ground and destroying them in the process,
they carefully harvest just the shoots. In this way,
the plants can continue to grow. The elephant's climbing skills far surpass
those of their savanna-dwelling relatives. This too is a form
of adaptation to their special habitat. Old One Tusk has, at last, reached one
of the Ana trees in the Hoanib Valley but Clarissa and co haven't left
very much for him to eat. He desperately searches for something
edible in the remnants in vain. For the inhabitants of the Namib,
survival is hard. They're used to going
for long periods without water. Many get liquid from their food
or know secret sources of water. Regardless of size,
every green leaf contains a minimum of liquid worth harvesting. Outside the dry river valleys,
there is scarcely any vegetation. Here, only extreme specialists survive. The Namib Desert beetle
is no bigger than a fingernail. As all animals,
it depends on water for survival and has developed a special strategy. Even the tiniest traces of dampness
in the air condense on its carapace. In time, a drop forms, which then flows directly
into the beetle's mouth. This way of life limits the distribution of desert beetles
to those parts of the desert that see fog, but where does
the fog come from? The Namib is one of the few deserts
in the world that stretch to the sea. The cold Benguela current
from the Antarctic cools the seawater
to a temperature of 12 degrees Celsius. When the water reaches land,
it evaporates in the warm desert air but it's unable to rise
because of the high air temperatures so instead of clouds,
fog is formed. Around 200 days a year,
the desert is wreathed in mist, which sometimes extends hundreds
of kilometers inland into the dry river valleys. The Benguela current
doesn't only bring fog, it's also rich in fish. The animals that benefit most
are the brown fur seals. Their colonies are often home to
100,000 animals. Right now there's good reason
for so many seals to congregate here. The mating season is just beginning. Everywhere bulls are fighting
for the right to mate. The strongest conqueror, whole harem
and then have their flippers full. After mating,
the males disappear into the sea. They are not involved
in bringing up the young. The Namib Coast is a paradise
for seals and sea birds. The Benguela current
has enough food for them all. From here, the fog sometimes penetrates
as far as the Hoanib Valley. Now, even the biggest animals benefit
from the moisture contained in the fog. Japi and his brother can take
on a lot of liquid from the drops of dew on the plants they eat. This allows the elephants
to go without water for up to four days at a time. The pair are still on the move together,
this will soon change. As the fog lifts,
the sun illuminates a very special event. Families of elephants
from other dry river valleys are on their way to the Hoanib Valley. They're following the calls
of their relatives, which they pick up via the soles
of their feet as via a stethoscope. Desert elephants rarely gather in this way
and then only during the mating season. More and more elephants
join Clarissa's family. Some of the animals
haven't seen each other for years and exchange affectionate greetings. Japi and his brother are also aware
of the arrival of the females. When it comes to attracting a cow,
in a flash, companions become rivals. Once upon a time,
One Tusk was also aroused by all the excitement. Today, it no longer
has any significance for him. He wouldn't be able to deal
with the confrontations with other bulls. His sons and grandsons,
on the other hand, are very excited. For them, it's important to make the most
of the females' willingness to mate and prevent others
from taking advantage. In the end, however, Japi only manages
to achieve his goal by means of a trick. He abducts the alpha cow, Clarissa. While many
of the inhabitants of the valley spend the night hours asleep, this is the time
of the real desert dwellers. The Namib sand gecko
is only active at night. In the darkness, the little predator looks
for crickets and spiders. Like a frog,
its toes are webbed. This enables the lizard
to seemingly fly across the dunes without sinking into the sand, but it also needs to be on the lookout. A sidewinding adder. Similar to desert elephants,
beetles and geckos, the snake has a hard life in the Namib. The sidewinding adder
can only take in liquids via food. It has to hunt successfully to survive. Once it finds a good spot for an ambush,
it goes to ground. The snake is a predator
that lies in wait for its prey, relying completely on its camouflage. For the sensitive gecko,
it's time to go. In the sun
it would quickly dehydrate. Here two webbed feet come in handy. The lizard uses its legs as scoops to quickly dig out
astonishing underground passages. It can make tunnels one meter long
into the ground. Here it's safe. Up at ground level, another gecko isn't
in quite such a hurry with good reason. The fog is coming. The lizard's
large mirror-like eye surfaces allow the fog to condense here. At last, water. The waiting paid off. This morning, the sidewinding adder
can have breakfast and get some liquid into the bargain. The Namibian winter is coming to an end and with it,
the mild climate brought by the fog. Relentless heat descends
on the Hoanib Valley, 40 degrees Celcius in the shade. This is approaching the limit
for even Clarissa's family. Elephants don't sweat and so protect themselves
against overheating by fanning their ears but it seems too hot even for that. The heat is hard to bear
for all the animals but for the youngest,
the sun can be lethal. Maya is really suffering. One Tusk mobilizes all his efforts
for one last attempt at an Ana tree but he no longer has the strength. Exhausted,
he withdraws to the shade. During his long life, his legs have carried him
more than 400,000 kilometers. As with most bull elephants,
the last few steps he will take alone. Despite the heat,
Clarissa can't afford to take a break. She urges
her family to move on. Desert elephants have to spend
up to 20 hours a day eating 200 kilos of plant material. As tiring as that may be,
Clarissa's family has no choice. One young bull is
already so exhausted that he sleeps
through the signal to move off. He only wakes up when the other elephants
are already out of sight. It finally dawns on him
that he really is all alone. Clarissa and the rest of the family
have noticed his absence. The animals try to locate each other
via smell using their trunks which are extraordinarily sensitive. In the end, it's Maya
who gives the decisive call. Now the strangler knows which way to go. The extremely dry period shows no sign
of coming to an end. One week later,
the heat and the elephants have combined to decimate the plant life
in the Hoanib Valley. Vultures take up positions on the trees
on the edge of the valley. Their time will come when the other animals
can find nothing more to eat. For Clarissa's family, a dead tree
now becomes the sole source of food. In the desert, a tree of this size
takes years to break down and it's the elephants that turn it
into food again for the other animals. They themselves only use 60 percent
of what they eat. The rest,
they excrete undigested. In this way, they distribute seeds
like those of the Anna tree. Some animals like the helmeted guinea fowl
take the majority of their food from what the elephants deposit. In times of scarcity,
even the Hoanib Valley baboons look for something edible
in the elephant's dung. Old One Tusk has one more go at the wood but elephant molars
only grow back six times. One Tusk's teeth are worn out and his attempt to eat wood
the way he used to is doomed to failure. In other parts of Africa,
older elephants seek out swamps where they can live
for a while longer on softer leaves. Here, there is no such possibility. For Clarissa too,
the situation is becoming threatening. She and her family must leave the valley
and seek food and water elsewhere. Other families join the trek. Only Clarissa's knowledge
of hidden water sources can save them now. Scarcely any animals
are left in the valley. Even the jackals are leaving. In their search for food,
they will move along the Hoanib Valley until they reach the coast. Only One Tusk is too old
and too tired for the trek. The one thing that could save him now
is rain that would let soft grass grow. With this slim hope,
he remains behind. The Namib desert beetle
is also looking for something to eat. In contrast to most
of the desert dwellers, it is not seeking fresh young shoots. The beetle is on the lookout
for plant residues. The unceasing wind is a help. It sweeps fragments of plant life together
in valleys and hollows between the dunes. Mostly it's just a few bits of leaf but sometimes it collects and becomes something
like a herbal rubbish dump. Although the plants
are completely dried out, they still contain important nutrients. The Namaqua chameleon is one of the most dangerous hunters
in the Namib desert for desert beetles at any rate. The beetles don't usually make
it quite so easy. The beetles aren't only full of protein but also provide essential liquids
for the lizard. Namaqua chameleons
are the biggest reptiles the Namib can support. In contrast to the mammals, they can't undertake long migrations
to look for food and water. How has this lizard
managed to survive in this habitat? The answer can be found here
in dead flame. Similar to the Hoanib,
a river once flowed here. Along its banks, animals like chameleons
penetrated deep into the desert. Hundreds of years ago,
the dunes slowly invaded the riverbed and cut off the water supply. This process was so slow however that the animals had time
to adapt to the new conditions like the Namaqua chameleon. The only witnesses
from the once flourishing flora and fauna are long-dead acacia trees. Some of them have stood here
for more than 500 years. The mammals didn't need
such a long period of adaptation. Their ability to migrate
over long distances enabled them
to conquer the desert much more quickly. The pair of jackals
will soon reach the coast. Clarissa meanwhile
is still searching for water. Little Maya is already exhausted. The group has to keep stopping. The animals are reaching the limits
of their strength. Clarissa can produce less
and less milk for her daughter. Suddenly a commotion
as Maya sinks to her knees but Clarissa urges her offspring onwards,
it is their only chance. As dusk falls, they finally arrive. Thanks to Clarissa's knowledge,
there's something to drink at last. Even when very thirsty, adult elephants
can get by on 100 liters of water a day. Thus, the few watering holes that exist
in the desert stay fuller longer. The subsequent dust bath serves
to protect the elephant's skin from the relentless sun. The trek
to the next source of food is long. The following morning,
Clarissa will move on. The jackals have finally reached the sea
and moved southwards along the coast. The new generation
of brown fur seals is just arriving. Many of the mother animals
are heavily pregnant. This young mother hasn't long to go. The mother at once welcomes her offspring
into the world. Each voice and scent
is as unique as a fingerprint. The ritual creates an unbreakable bond
between mother and pup. Directly after the birth,
the pup has to be suckled. The newborn is a little clumsy. The young mother is not alone. Tens of thousands
of other females have also given birth. Space is at a premium in the colony,
a risky situation for the babies. To minimize the danger,
the seals organize a kindergarten. Many of the mother animals
leave their newly born pups here. The nursery not only offers
the young pups protection but also makes it easier
to find them later. The mother seals
have to go out hunting every day to make sure their milk
is nutritious enough for the young. But when choosing the location
of the kindergarten, they forgot about the tide. The pups fight desperately
against the onslaught of the waves. The baby is washed out to sea,
along with the other newborn seals. Seal pups can swim but they don't have the protective layer
of fat of adult animals. The pup fights for survival. Another is slowly
but surely losing the battle. Within a few minutes,
the pups are so exhausted that they can no longer keep their heads
above water and drown. This newborn pup is still alive. With an iron will,
it fights its way to the shore. Made it. The next morning reveals how great
the danger posed by the sea is for the seal pups. The shore is full
of little corpses washed up by the tide. The jackals from the Hoanib. The pair have traveled hundreds
of kilometers from the arid valley. The seal colony
is now their only chance of food. Jackals aren't choosy. For them, eating carrion
is nothing unusual. They'll be spending the coming weeks
at the seal colony. Only when the pups are old enough
to swim enduringly and thus the supply of food runs out, will the jackals return
to the Hoanib Valley. It's not only the jackals
that undertake such long treks. The other inhabitants of the Hoanib
have a long way to go. An oasis is hidden deep in the desert, oasis. For the animals, the most significant water source
in the Namib. It lies like an emerald
in the middle of the desert. A thin band of loose vegetation
lines the watering hole. The pied crows are getting
worked up about something. Visitors, big visitors. The legendary desert lions. There may be 50 of them left
or it may only be 20. Desert lions are so unbelievably rare that scientists have fitted them
with transmitter collars so that the big cats
can be monitored and protected. Two females have taken up positions
in the undergrowth with their young. The experienced predators know that it's just a matter
of watching and waiting. The lions are tired,
they haven't eaten for weeks. The mothers spend
whole days lying in wait for the arrival
of the migrating animals. Indeed, many animals
are making their way here. Like these ostriches,
they all urgently need water. The oryx numbers have thinned noticeably. Some are lagging far
behind the main column. After more than ten days trek, the first animals
finally reached the source. Cautiously, they approached
the steep bank. They are in danger
of sinking into the soft ground. The pied crows sound the alarm again. The lionesses' patience has been rewarded,
they've caught one of the stragglers. One lioness keeps the oryx
in check on the ground. The hunting lioness
is completely exhausted. Fighting the antelope
has taken the last of her strength. She drags herself
back to the bushes to get her cubs. The other lioness
keeps the pesky crows at bay. Luckily for the hunters,
the cubs quickly grasped the situation. They can hardly wait
to get their teeth into some fresh food. All the animals here
are fighting for survival. The lionesses won this round. They've enough food
now to last the coming weeks. Clarissa and her family
have finally reached the neighboring dry river valley. The experienced cow knew instinctively
that in times of drought, there was some precious greenery
here to feed on. The exhausted animals
can at last fill their stomachs again. This is how a happy full-up
baby elephant looks. Maya in Paradise. The newborn seal pup is not so happy. The accidental
almost lethal bath is long forgotten but where is its mother? She still hasn't returned
from the hunt. Was that the mother's voice? No, the pup is definitely
not welcome here. Soon the heat
starts to bother the baby seal, which urgently needs suckling. Exhausted, it keeps looking. Around midday,
the mother returns from the sea. She tries to find her pup
but it's not in the kindergarten. The pup is still seeking its mother
but where to look? The colony is just too big. Then the pup thinks
it hears its mother calling. Is it right this time? Finally, mother
and pup are reunited. A strong wind blows in from the coast
and sandstorms form in the hinterland. They reached the river valley where Clarissa and her family
have found food and shelter. Sandstorms like these
are the harbingers of heavy rain. Experienced elephant cows
like Clarissa know what that means. As soon as it rains, the dry river valleys
will be turned into raging torrents that wash away anything in their path. Imminent danger
for the family of elephants. Time to move on again. Now the safest place to be
is outside the valleys. How right Clarissa was
can be seen the following day. Water in the dry river valley. It has penetrated 100 kilometers
into the desert. Only every ten years or so
is the rain strong enough for the flood wave to reach the sea. Just a few days later,
the first green shoots begin the transformation
of the dry river valleys. The Hoanib Valley too is bursting
with new life as the first exiles return. For one animal, however,
the rain came too late. Old One Tusk succumbed to hunger
before the first drops fell. The jackals find his body
on the edge of the valley. The jackals don't approach
the body until evening and thus the circle of life is complete. The next morning, long unheard calls
echo through the valley. Clarissa is back. Her family survived
the floods unscathed. Maya too is thriving. At last, the newly greened Hoanib Valley
comes into view. Clarissa's family is home again. Japi will pass on the genes
of his father, One Tusk, and with them
his strength and intelligence. Clarissa is pregnant with his baby. The alpha cow will induct
each new generation into the secrets
of the desert elephants. This is essential for their survival. The Hoanib River Valley is probably
the last real wilderness in Namibia, one in which only the cleverest,
most intelligent of the animal world can survive a life of extremes
in the home of the desert elephants.
