The Flood (Full Episode) | SPECIAL

the Kalahari the largest expanse of sand on the planet at its Center lies a living breathing miracle the yakavango delta each year when the land is at its driest distant rainfall fills its veins once again the great flood is the heartbeat [Music] transforming this land [Music] into a wildlife Paradise like none on Earth [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] the land is dry the rivers have vanished and the flood is yet to come flocks of hungry quillia scow the floodplains by the thousands the grasses have withered and died now only their seeds lie dormant in the dry sand [Music] a Scramble for food is underway [Music] foreign [Music] these dry unbroken floodplains are the ideal hunting grounds for a cheetah especially a Mother with three growing cups to feed [Music] foreign s are completely dependent on her for food [Music] and Impala would make the perfect meal [Music] [Music] but the Cubs are still too young to hunt they'll stay behind to watch and learn she's a skilled Hunter approaching in silence Impala horns can be lethal she cannot afford to make a mistake speed yes but agility too these are the cheetah's greatest assets thank you it's a dangerous takedown but she knows precisely how to kill foreign he is learning fast [Music] his sister is a little less confident [Music] for now feeding her family is easy but when the flood comes it will be another story to survive in this dry season timing is everything and the leopard is to tie me as the cheetah is to speed [Music] just when most plants have withered and died that's when kagelia trees burst into life [Music] their deep red flowers are filled with sweet nectar vervet monkeys are enticed to drink and they help pollinate the trees in a land that has grown so dry the juicy blossoms are Simply Irresistible [Music] a velvet carpet covers the ground drawing the Impala to join the feast and it's the Impala that this leopard is after [Music] she'll wait until the monkeys leave there can be no Witnesses [Music] now is the time to make her move silently [Music] funny [Music] the leopard's Ambush is set all she must do [Music] thank you the Impala have no idea who's about to drop by [Music] [Music] thank you the leopard is shortly the most cunning of cats [Music] every year in Highlands far to the North heavy rains fall [Music] [Music] [Applause] from a trickle to a flow [Music] this is the great floods first pulse filling the veins and arteries of this thirsty land it rejuvenates the barren Sands and brings the promise of renewal this wave of water will transform everything as a great Oasis is born [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign of water beckons on the Wind drawing herds of grazers back to their winter pastures [Music] for thousands of Kate Buffalo the flood rolls out a green life-sustaining banquet some travel many miles to get here the resident Lions lie in weight foreign [Music] foreign weary mother there is no rest yet her calf now faces the most powerless challenge of its life [Music] [Music] [Music] but the harder they try the harder this mother fights everyone backup is not far away that's one advantage of living in a herd [Music] just in time the other Buffalo rallied to her cause them all [Music] the lions are outnumbered and outmatched by a herd that stands shoulder to shoulder foreign together this Fortress of Buffalo cannot be breached and for now mothers and calves are safe [Music] [Music] night and day the flood's fingers feel deeper and deeper into the delta spreading out and feeding the land [Music] channels once empty now overflow with the abundance of life as water and land merge have become one a new world takes shape beneath the surface [Music] here migrants find a welcoming home [Music] wild dogs Revel in The flood's Healing Waters the emerging swamp makes a great playground oh but there's something strange lurking here and they can't resist investigating foreign [Music] [Music] for a giant rock python a wild dog pup would make a tasty meal [Music] [Music] the wild dogs are wary of this unknown visitor foreign when in doubt the best approach is To Live and Let Live [Music] [Music] in the cold of Winter the great flood has saturated the land now begins one of the acavango's greatest spectacles [Music] forms of tiny insects fill the air midgets and mayflies [Music] their emergence is a vital source of protein another generous gift of the all-giving flood [Music] even the quelia forego their usual diet of seeds thank you [Music] other insects are drawn to the feast [Music] dragonflies and their smaller cousins damsel flies [Music] over a hundred different species gather here foreign becomes home to one of the biggest concentrations of their kind anywhere on Earth they are here not only to feed but to mate the male makes the first move [Music] clasping his partner behind her head she bends toward him to receive his sperm they can remain locked in their heart-shaped embrace for hours [Music] the male will keep a firm grip on the female until she deposits their eggs [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] courtesy of the flood [Music] in just a few months billions of gallons of water in golf what was a vast Savannah [Music] as the flood reaches its peak only small Islands break the surface and dry land is hard to come by [Music] there are some antelope that thrive in wetlands lechway with their long hind legs can easily outrun any pursuers in this swap other animals find their own ways to adapt [Music] [Music] thank you but if you're a giant water is no barrier [Music] the fly brings new food and the elephant's needs are greater than most uh [Music] foreign they act as tree surgeons removing the weakest [Music] the sound of a falling tree rings out like a dinner bell foreign and very little will be wasted [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you in a few hours only a skeleton remains [Music] [Music] swordgrass chokes the waterways keeping this in check is another job for the Constant Gardener an elephant can rip out the grass by the root [Applause] [Music] rinse it off and eat it by the time [Music] [Music] hello [Music] the elephant's insatiable appetites make them The Architects of the swamp by managing vegetation they direct the flow of water [Music] foreign [Music] even more construction work is done and the hippopotamus is the yakavango's greatest engineer thank you hippos of natural-born earth-moving machines with their massive lumbering bodies they reconstruct the Underwater World simply by moving everybody [Music] [Music] [Music] the flood's main arteries are now deep channels and hippos are right at home [Music] they are the masters of this realm not even crocodiles dare to challenge them [Music] foreign [Music] able to hold their breath for up to five minutes hippos are perfectly adapted to their workplace thank you as they move in search of food they Bowl those paths through the vegetation [Music] soon there's a network of hippo-sized highways [Music] linking the larger rivers to the smaller pools [Music] [Music] where these highways lead the water follows [Music] hippos direct the flow creating the watery web that shapes the entire Delta on the flat open flood Plains the water begins to slow [Music] water lilies thrive in the shallows they root in thick mud and their candelabra stems reach for the sky [Music] the lily pads spread across the surface fragile and paper thin but for one special word the pads are floating home [Music] [Music] this is the Lily trotter [Music] with oversized feet he can skip across the water from pad to pad the life in the swamp is a delicate balance his home is being invaded by a giant one who's eating habits could wreck this world [Music] foreign [Music] s and lily pads are of little interest to this elephant it's the nutritious stems and Roots he's after [Music] to satisfy his appetite he'll yank out hundreds of them in a day [Applause] [Music] but this Lily trotter can simply escape to a different part this is home and he has a nest to protect [Music] he's a father who takes his domestic responsibility seriously his mate laid her eggs and then she left the rest up to him now he's a single parent and a stay-at-home dad he's been tending his floating nest for 21 days [Music] but today he must rise to a new challenge [Music] [Music] there's no mistaking those legs [Music] his first chick is making us somewhat awkward entrance [Music] housekeeping is a priority [Music] to hide any evidence of the new young one he removes the shell from The Nest breaks it up and sinks it [Music] now he'll keep his first chick safely tucked away [Music] it might take two more days before his others hatch [Music] hold on tight [Music] on time [Music] this devoted dad now has two chicks he keeps a watchful eye on the newly hatched Lily Trotters as they find their footing when you're only two inches tall obstacles are everywhere [Music] exploring this watery world can be tricky a gap between the past presents a serious water hazard [Music] tries he might dad is only making things worse while his chick struggles [Music] desperate times demand Desperate Measures [Music] that was a close call taking both chicks under his wing he'll keep them out of trouble for now foreign but even for a hard-working dad like this one a third chick will be a real handful [Music] the great flood has changed everything it touched the world has turned new creatures lurk in the dappled light of the swamp [Music] lions are no longer in command come on they don't mind getting their feet wet but with their hunting ground submerged they've lost their usual advantages [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] perhaps it's better to go after something a little slower [Music] the Lions tried to corner a lone hippo if he reaches deep water he'll be in his element and they'll be out of theirs [Music] he makes his move before they can make theirs [Music] and he's safe the flood has brought challenges and promise foreign [Music] an even greater changes lie ahead [Music] four months after it began the flood is at its peak billions of gallons of water have now spilled into the Kalahari [Music] [Applause] creating a vast Wetland that fans out for thousands of square miles [Music] overflows with life [Music] there beneath the surface a whole new world has taken root [Music] Secret Gardens flourish [Music] lilies [Music] and even the largest residents have all the space they need [Music] thank you [Music] the great flood is the gift that keeps on giving crocodiles are in their element waiting in the shallows of the swap foreign s cautiously navigate there now unfamiliar territory to patrol what was once all theirs they must Cross the Swamp thank you [Music] these brothers must stick together and watch each other's backs but they're entering a place of unseen perils thank you today they were lucky but now they're separated and alone lions are no longer Kings here [Music] the flood has changed all the rules [Music] the waters remain high for several months [Music] but the arcavango is an inland Delta countless channels Meander without ever reaching the sea [Music] instead after nurturing the land and its creatures the water slowly disappears Church by the summer sun [Music] in this land of continual change it's time for the next transformation flashes of color sparkle on the receding Waters countless Carmine bee eaters flock to the newly dried growl [Music] [Music] these summer visitors are here to find mates and start families they get to work digging out their nests [Music] [Music] foreign s of their seasonal City are laid out all attention turns to courtship [Music] and with so many rivals around first impressions are everything [Music] posturing with a prize proves you can provide [Music] if you can hold on to it [Music] [Music] [Music] it's every word for himself as males try to prove they have the right stuff finally winners are declared and matches are made but just as they're getting down to business and walks trouble an intruder slithers into the city of Carmines a monitor lizard on the lookout for eggs and chicks foreign [Music] s are forgotten as the Carmines form a united front [Music] they'll do whatever it takes to safeguard the Next Generation [Music] thank you [Music] turning the tables on the chancer they send him packing [Music] as the land begins to dry there are opportunities for those who can seize the Tactical advantage wild dogs work the edge of the swamp [Music] they're a coordinated team with a cunning strategy slowly they push the Impala to the water until there's only one place left to go the dog's trap is set or is it they aren't the only ones with eyes on this price foreign the dogs are about to be robbed thank you crocodile host fact but there's strength in numbers and the pack gains the upper hand brains and Target determination wins out this time but the dogs must always be on their game in this constantly changing world [Music] foreign this family is up early [Music] even in Paradise it's the early bird that gets the worm so they're off with the dawn [Music] fresh Delicacies emerge as the channels dry out [Music] the falling water levels reveal lilies and sedges [Music] it takes patience and hard work [Music] but it's worth the effort [Music] thank you [Music] there's plenty of food here for the whole Troop and the neighbors foreign keeps a watchful eye abundance can breed Discord [Music] [Music] in a growing baboon troupe young Mayors pushed their limits trying to fight their way up the ranks right it's up to the boss to restore order [Music] [Music] the squabbling has drawn unwelcome attention internal tensions are brushed aside [Music] time for this family to move on and find somewhere safer to feast attack as the sun evaporates the water from above the vegetation siphons It Off from Below with falling water levels some residents need to relocate a young male hippo has outgrown his pool this one out of his element but he'll trudge for Miles if he has to [Music] he's just looking for a place to live foreign but he could be wading into trouble [Music] this pool already has a tenant big bull and he doesn't want a roommate thank you the youngster will have to keep looking deep water is now Prime real estate Worth Fighting For vast floodplains filled with water when the okavango spills over its banks creating Rich breeding grounds for a wide range of Aquatic Life now as they begin to dry these Hidden Treasures are exposed [Music] foreign build storks are the first to flock in [Music] they have just the tools to tackle another of the floods seasonal off-roads [Music] with bills like nutcrackers they forage for snails in the shallows [Music] thank you millions of small fish that hatched out here on the floodplains are now leaving their nursery for deeper waters [Music] black egrets arrive in Hot Pursuit [Music] Church these birds work undercover they form umbrellas with their wings casting Shadows that mimic water lily pads the perfect place for little fish to hide [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] the illusion is fatal [Music] with attacks coming from all sides the small fish make their escape they crowd the edges of the channels in Long ribbons and make their way Upstream but up ahead others are waiting [Music] while large fish wait in ambush Shoals of small fish run the deadly gauntlet and are picked off one by one survival in the drying Delta is a game of hit and miss [Music] foreign [Music] channels start to run dry sand banks are exposed the perfect nesting size for African skimmers [Music] Nature has endowed them with extended lower beaks perfect for catching small fish summertime on the Delta and the fishing is fine [Music] synchronized squadrons ride to the air in perfect formation [Music] a skimmer's bill slices the water until it encounters a fish then snap [Music] back at the nest the Anglers partner guards a precious Secret [Music] their newborn is ready for its first meal [Music] food must be passed from beak to Tiny beak if it's dropped the parents can't pick it up from the sand [Music] this might take a while [Music] but Dad will persevere keep his grip on the groceries even if it takes all day [Music] finally [Music] patience really is a virtue [Music] the sandbanks have become a nursery for little skimmers and lots of busy new parents are going through the same routine [Music] skim catch [Music] feed repeat [Music] the abundance of fish is the receding floods parting gift to them all [Music] the acavangos once watery world has disappeared into memory [Music] evaporated into the sky above or absorbed by the land below only small channels and pools still remain what was floodplain is now Savannah covered with succulent young grasses foreign ERS move in to enjoy the Harvest the Lions Now find solid footing [Music] they've returned this time with young cubs into [Music] [Music] with no swamp left for the antelope to escape into the lions are back in business [Music] the dry floodplains are a lion's Paradise foreign with food in abundance it's easy for a mother to provide for her family she and her Cubs can eat their fill Ed [Music] and in this time of Plenty her Pride will grow ever stronger oh as the flood makes its final retreat only permanent channels in the north are still flush with water foreign [Music] the banks the floating root beds Sway in the current and filter nutrients from the water they also provide lodgings for some very strange little fish murmuraids have large brains in their awfully shaped heads they send out tiny electrical pulses to orientate through their murky surroundings oh the young fish emit pulses too small to be detected by most predators but now most of them have matured and they are now firmly on the radar of bigger fish foreign catfish have picked up their signals and so begins one of the okavango's largest feeding frenzies massing in vast schools the catfish race along the edge of the papyrus and Gorge themselves on murmurits oh secrets and Eagles are drawn to The Fray tiger fish hunt the murmuries From Below only to find themselves targeted from above even the hunters become Hunted no wonder it's chaotic this deadly spectacle is unequaled anywhere on Earth foreign ERS are soaring now the okavango summer heat reaches its peak the land is bone dry but the humidity is rising too and the elephants know there's rain on the horizon [Music] it's the perfect time for their babies to be born and other elephants are ready to mate their hormones raging goals in must are very aggressive they're spoiling for a fight as the aquavongo dries out tensions rise and bull elephants compete for the right to meet whoa whoa [Music] sparring escalates to full-blown combat [Applause] foreign foreign Victory is declared [Music] lightning storms Herald the approach of rain but with the land still as dry as tender fire is born foreign [Music] the Flames trigger the next stage of the acavango's miraculous cycle where a giant Papyrus once dominated dry Peak beds are consumed in The Inferno they release valuable nutrients ready to be washed back into the system when the rains arrive foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] relief is here the wheel keeps turning the cycle of wet and dry pulls sway over all life in the Yoke of angle foreign [Music] revives the Thirsty land for a while hi me everything grasses and flowers burst into life insect insect flourish and a new generation of Carmine bee eaters has fledged right on time good [Music] in this world of feast and Fannin [Music] seasonal change triggers an intricate sequence of miraculous events soon the short summer rains will end and the yakovango will be dry for a few more months until the cycle begins again for the return of the great flood [Music] thank you

Channel: National Geographic

Views: 15,830,053

Keywords: national geographic, nat geo, natgeo, animals, wildlife, science, explore, discover, survival, nature, culture, documentary, perpetual planet nat geo, photography, full episode, Flood, desert, water, wonderland, Okavango Delta, survival skills, survival challenge, wild animals video, hunting, water wonderland, natgeo wildlife, The Flood, documentary 2023, Migration, Diverse, Habitats, Miracle, wild animals, wildlife 4k

Id: rKtzj_9vl8Q

Length: 92min 59sec (5579 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 09 2023