BBC_Trek Spy on The Wildebeest_2of2_The Crossing
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00The Crossing.
00:05This is the story of the great wildebeest trek.
00:14It began with the birth of a calf.
00:19He was soon faced with many dangers.
00:30The calf even crossed a soda lake.
00:41A variety of spy cams tracked his journey.
00:47These recorded his adventures in many new ways.
00:54They filmed him surviving an attack by cheetahs.
01:01They even withstood the full force of the rut.
01:05They then staked out the Grumati River.
01:12Where Africa's biggest crocodiles stalked the calf.
01:23This was his closest shave so far.
01:26Now, even greater tests await the calf as the herd continues its epic trek.
01:48The Mara River in Kenya, the most northerly point of the migration.
01:52It's late July, and the march of the wildebeest stalls
01:56as it faces this fast-flowing barrier.
02:01But there's no turning back.
02:05The wildebeest arrive in tens of thousands,
02:08a unified mob on a frantic mission.
02:13For the adults, it's an annual event.
02:17For the cubs, it's a celebration.
02:22For the calf, it's the biggest threat so far in his young life.
02:36The crossing points are traditional, but that doesn't make them any easier,
02:40particularly when the river is in full flood.
02:52Ferocious rapids lie just below the crossing point.
02:55Each year, they claim hundreds of lives.
03:00The calf faces other unfamiliar hazards.
03:08It will be a major test, one that others have recently failed.
03:14A gazelle seems remarkably indifferent to the obvious dangers.
03:22The calf waits.
03:24But for the herd, the gazelle's impulsiveness is a sign that all is well.
03:36As the first ones leap, it's like pressure being released from a bottle.
03:43Mother and calf wait their turn.
03:48The front-runners leap wildly,
03:50a technique that probably scares the crocodiles waiting in the water.
03:58But the same splashes also sound the dinner bell to those still asleep.
04:04The one that took the greatest risk paid the price.
04:12Although nervous, the calf is pressurized by herds massing behind him.
04:17They force him to take the plunge.
04:19The herd is now in the middle of the river,
04:22and the cubs are in the middle of the river.
04:25The herd is now in the middle of the river,
04:28and the cubs are in the middle of the river.
04:31They force him to take the plunge.
04:41At six months old, he's strong enough to tackle most challenges,
04:45but this will test his stamina to the limit.
04:49The rapids lie just downstream.
05:05The teeming thong force the mother and her calf towards the maelstrom.
05:11The teeming thong force the mother and her calf towards the maelstrom.
05:18The pressure builds still more.
05:24The calf stumbles on hidden rocks and loses his footing.
05:40Mother and calf are both swept away by the current.
05:52The whole herd is being washed downstream.
05:56Many retreat, but most are caught in the taunt.
06:02For the calf and his mother, going back is not an option.
06:11Briefly, he finds a foothold.
06:22Then panic sets in.
06:40Crocodiles deliberately select particular victims.
06:46Mother and calf have no room to maneuver.
06:50The mother is grabbed.
06:53The calf is swept away.
07:02The current is so strong that the crocodiles can't fight it.
07:07Only a rock stops their struggles.
07:11The calf, too, is battling for his life.
07:30But the crocodile's hole is awkward.
07:37Reinforcements arrive.
07:41The crocodile is tiring and has to change its grip.
07:51Miraculously, the mother is relatively unharmed.
07:56The calf tries to keep his head above water.
08:07The crocodile is exhausted. It has to let her go.
08:11Mother and calf rejoin below the rapids.
08:42Together, they make it ashore.
08:47Others are not so lucky.
09:11Every river claims its victims, but each must nonetheless be crossed.
09:42Cheetahs love these open grasslands, too.
09:46There's plenty of space for hunting.
09:50The wildebeest will eat most of the grass before moving on.
09:56The grass reacts by growing.
09:59The more it grows, the more it will eat.
10:03The wildebeest is the only animal that can survive.
10:07The wildebeest is the only animal that can survive.
10:11The wildebeest is the only animal that can survive.
10:15The grass reacts by growing.
10:18The more grazing and trampling by the herd, the more it's stimulated to grow.
10:27But paradise comes at a price.
10:31As well as cheetahs, the migration supports some heavyweight predators.
10:36Lions live here in higher densities than most other places on Earth.
10:44And the days of the migration are the best days of their lives.
11:06The wildebeest will stay here for the next three months,
11:10so the threat is something they must learn to live with.
11:29The middle of the herd is the safest place to be.
11:35The wildebeest is the only animal that can survive.
11:38This cheetah cub is just one week old.
12:09Like all youngsters, play is always on his mind.
12:16But his mother has work to do.
12:39The wildebeest have fellow travelers.
12:43Thousands of gazelle accompany the migration.
12:48Each kind of animal grazes different lengths of grass.
12:52Thompson gazelles eat the shoots left by the wildebeest.
13:09The long, red-oat grass provides perfect cover,
13:14but it's too long for the wildebeest to eat.
13:22Given the choice,
13:24wildebeest prefer pastures that have been grazed down by zebra.
13:29The calf runs.
13:35But this time, he's not the prime target.
13:48The wildebeest are not afraid of the wildebeest.
13:52The wildebeest are not afraid of the wildebeest.
13:58Tortoise Kam investigates.
14:29This apparently harmless creature is of no interest to the cheetah.
14:35The cub is not old enough to eat meat,
14:39but it's risky for him to be alone.
14:42He looks for his mother.
14:45The wildebeest are not afraid of the cheetah.
14:49The wildebeest are not afraid of the cheetah.
14:53The wildebeest are not afraid of the cheetah.
14:57The wildebeest are not afraid of the cheetah.
15:00But it's risky for him to be alone.
15:02He looks for his mother.
15:07There is plenty to be nervous about.
15:13These are halcyon days for the hyenas, a time of plenty.
15:24A ready-made meal is never far away.
15:30At this age, the calf makes a more challenging proposition.
15:38Hyenas look for signs of weakness.
15:43Despite their reputation, they hunt more than they scavenge.
15:46But when someone else has done the work, they soon sniff out an easy meal.
16:01A cub is in mortal danger.
16:16But even for a hyena, a protective mother is a force to be reckoned with.
16:22But even for a hyena, a protective mother is a force to be reckoned with.
16:43He looks for an easier option.
16:47Among the multitudes, there's always one that is sick or injured.
17:06When they reach the mara,
17:08the population that peaked at one and a half million on the calving grounds
17:12has lost a quarter of a million animals.
17:15Most of those that died were calves.
17:27Black-backed jackals also benefit from the daily cull.
17:31They are expert at snatching food from under the noses of the hunters.
17:36They live on their wits, but are rarely caught.
17:52They also give other scavengers the runaround.
17:59Like a gigantic living lawnmower,
18:02Like a gigantic living lawnmower,
18:05the migration slowly eats its way across the plains,
18:08consuming 6,000 tons of grass a day.
18:12Here, the calf will spend a quarter of its year-long journey.
18:21With the herd staying in one place, our spy cams can be everywhere.
18:27Even a tree stump spies on the calf's every movement.
18:32BALDING CALF
18:52Boulder cam was first used in a film that spied on lions.
18:57Now it finds a new generation to entertain.
19:02As always, the lion's first reaction is curiosity.
19:10But these cats are more inquisitive than most.
19:25One cub has taken to it in a big way.
19:32BOLDERCAM
19:46BOLDERCAM doubles up as a baby walker.
20:02BOLDERCAM doubles up as a baby walker.
20:12BOLDERCAM doubles up as a baby walker.
20:22BOLDERCAM doubles up as a baby walker.
20:38BOLDERCAM doubles up as a baby walker.
20:44But then the mood changes.
20:47BOLDERCAM captures perhaps the closest shot ever taken of a stalking lioness.
20:56Every day, the wildebeest go down to drink.
21:00In the Mara, the river provides a source of drinking water the herds can rely on.
21:11The calf joins the midday throng.
21:18BOLDERCAM
21:25Wildebeest must drink at least every other day to stay in condition.
21:39This is a risky time for the calf.
21:47Nearby, tortoise Cam investigates the remains of a previous visitor to the river.
21:59The scavengers are experiencing a glut.
22:03Carcasses can remain uneaten for days.
22:07At the river's edge, the biggest risk is from crocodiles.
22:25For the calf, danger can come from an unexpected direction.
22:37This is the perfect ambush situation.
22:41The prey are facing away from the threat.
23:07It's chaos, and she's missed her target.
23:11But there are plenty of others to choose from.
23:26They panic onto the plain, and there are no other options.
23:32They panic onto the plain, and there are other lions waiting in ambush.
23:40One is taken.
23:43Then another.
23:48Two kills within a bound of each other.
23:53Mother and calf keep running.
23:56They can never be sure where the next lions might be hiding.
24:01Two carcasses is just what a large pride needs.
24:31The cub's births have coincided with this superabundance of food.
24:49But the mara is so full of predators
24:52that existing cheek-by-jowl with other hunters becomes unavoidable.
25:02If they're faced with a large clan of hyenas,
25:06lions often avoid a confrontation.
25:16But these hyenas seem more intent on fighting one another,
25:21and that seems to intrigue the lions.
25:32The victim is almost certainly an intruder from another clan.
25:54The lions can't resist making an advance,
25:59but it seems more from curiosity than aggression.
26:14Without further bloodshed, the hyenas call it a day.
26:29The weeks pass, and the calf is stronger and fitter than he has ever been.
26:34But soon he must leave this grassland paradise
26:38and travel south, back into Tanzania.
26:49He has survived the mara's minefield of predators unscathed,
26:53but soon he'll have to cross the river again.
26:59His next challenge is quite unexpected.
27:14Hippocam is spying on one of the many hippo pods
27:18found along the length of the river.
27:21The hippo seem to accept the strange family member in their midst.
27:36Unfortunately for the hippos,
27:38they live at the place where wildebeest traditionally cross the river.
27:44The herds are already massing on the banks.
27:54Motivated by a common urge,
27:56the individual herds have joined forces
27:59to form a giant army several thousand strong.
28:05For the calf, so much is still unfamiliar.
28:14Hippos are noisy and intimidating,
28:18especially when their youngsters are play-fighting.
28:32Undeterred, the wildebeest push forward.
28:43The mother and calf get their first close look at the problem.
28:51But this blockade must be more than any of them bargained for.
28:57Hippo.
29:10Hippos are notoriously unpredictable,
29:13and this pod has a new and boisterous baby.
29:27Hippo.
29:38Even the Thompson gazelles seem more nervous than usual.
29:43Hippo.
29:55For the calf, the excitement seems dangerously infectious.
30:04Luckily, he has second thoughts.
30:08But this was just the encouragement the gazelles needed.
30:13Once they seem confident, the wildebeest are reassured.
30:21The hippo's peace is shattered.
30:23They don't like having their space invaded.
30:33The calf's turn arrives.
30:38He takes the plunge on the wildebeest,
30:41but the hippo is too afraid to take the plunge.
30:45The calf's turn arrives.
30:51He takes the plunge along with his mother.
31:09The hippos are vanishing fast.
31:15Hippo.
31:22They may be out of sight, but they shouldn't be out of mind.
31:40Their mood hasn't improved one bit.
31:44Hippo.
32:04They discharge down into the water.
32:07Like hidden depth chargers, their eruptions break the surface.
32:38The swimmers steer a course around them.
32:46The front runners reach the shore, pursued by an angry bull hippo.
32:54Another hippo makes a grab at one of the swimmers.
32:59But it escapes.
33:03In the turmoil, the calf has got himself into trouble.
33:06He's been separated from his mother and is being carried downstream.
33:22The hippo's anger hasn't subsided.
33:29The calf is nearly exhausted, but worse is to come.
33:34This is unusual behavior.
33:36Hippos are supposed to munch grass, not meat.
33:44But the hippo doesn't attack.
33:54Crocodiles aren't so merciful.
34:04But the calf had a good head start.
34:12He may have survived, but now he's on his own.
34:18Wildebeest are disappearing away on the opposite bank.
34:22The calf is separated and alone.
34:53There is only one way out, and he finds it.
35:04He's back where he started, and he has no one to protect him.
35:09A band of foraging mongooses look on curiously.
35:40Hating to be alone, lost calves will join any herd they come across.
35:47Others have the same idea.
35:52This impala fawn has also lost her mother.
36:00Like the wildebeest calf, she's desperate for company.
36:05The young impala calls, but the calf ignores her.
36:16But then something remarkable happens.
36:19The meat-eating impala comes back.
36:24The calf has lost its mother.
36:28But then something remarkable happens.
36:31The meeting of two lost souls.
36:48The calf is curious.
36:50The fawn seems to think he's her mother.
36:58Then the fawn hears a familiar call.
37:01His real mother returns.
37:08This is normal behavior.
37:11Impala deliberately leave their camouflaged yard
37:14and go back to the wildebeest.
37:19The calf is still confused.
37:22This is normal behavior.
37:24Impala deliberately leave their camouflaged young unattended
37:28when they move away to graze.
37:31Wildebeest calves are conspicuous and need to stay with the herd
37:35to avoid being targeted by predators.
37:44The herd also shares sentry duties.
37:48Alone, it's easy to run into trouble.
37:53This mother cheetah and her large cub are taken by surprise.
38:07The calf takes the prudent option,
38:10but one that proves irresistible to the cheetahs.
38:23He can now run like the wind.
38:26The cheetahs are too slow off the mark
38:28to catch up with this 45-mile-an-hour sprint.
38:35Across the river, the wildebeest masses haven't gone far.
38:43The mother returns, looking for her lost calf.
38:53She hesitates.
38:57Then she makes a brave decision.
39:10She crosses back to the other side.
39:23The calf is still confused.
39:26This is normal behavior.
39:29Impala deliberately leave their camouflaged young unattended
39:33when they move away to graze.
39:36The calf is too slow off the mark
39:39to catch up with this 45-mile-an-hour sprint.
39:43The cheetahs are too slow off the mark
39:46to catch up with this 45-mile-an-hour sprint.
39:50Crossing alone has the advantage of surprise.
39:54The crocodiles had little time to prepare.
40:08The cheetahs seem game to chase anything,
40:11even though the mother is far too late.
40:14The cheetahs seem game to chase anything,
40:17even though the mother is far too large for them.
40:26The calf hears her call.
40:35Once more, the two are together.
40:45Another herd appears.
40:52Adult wildebeest show no particular attachment to each other,
40:56so mothers and calves are instantly accepted into any new group.
41:15At one year old, the cheetah's cub is able to hunt on her own,
41:19but she still enjoys playing with mum.
41:27The calf likes his playful moments, too.
41:44The calf likes his playful moments, too.
42:04The calf likes his playful moments, too.
42:14The calf likes his playful moments, too.
42:22Play is good practice for hunting.
42:25The mood can change very quickly.
42:31Nearby are the mother and her cub.
42:34The mara supports a lot of cheetahs.
42:44The others spot them.
42:53The tiny cub is vulnerable,
42:55and the pair are acting as if they've seen prey.
43:04The cub is nervous.
43:06Such encounters are rare, and it's difficult to predict the outcome.
43:15The mother sounds a warning.
43:22She yelps in distress.
43:29The cub runs for cover.
43:36The cub runs for cover.
43:44For his life.
43:57It's a standoff, as the cub's fate is decided.
44:02Neither seems to know quite what to do.
44:09A reprieve.
44:14It may be that these cheetahs are related,
44:17so the competition from the new arrival is something they can tolerate.
44:24Anyway, the encounter is soon forgotten.
44:35The calf and his mother have settled back into the herd still left on the mara.
44:40Migration happens in waves over a period of several weeks.
44:44For those yet to leave, there's still plenty to eat.
45:10The wildebeest
45:18Because of the rich pasture,
45:20around half a million wildebeest enter the mara at some point on their journey.
45:25Back in the midst of the herd,
45:27the calf relies on safety of numbers for protection.
45:34Predators make daily assaults.
45:37Their days of easy hunting will soon be over.
45:45As many as six lionesses may work together, staging these attacks.
45:52While the grass is long, it's easy to surround the herd.
46:10The lion that has stalked closest to the herd
46:13is the cheetah.
46:16The lion that has stalked closest initiates the charge.
46:27One misses, but the others still have a chance.
46:38She's got one. It's a zebra.
46:45Lions seem to prefer them to any other prey.
46:56The productivity of the mara depends on frequent downpours.
47:02The mother and calf turn their back on the driving rain.
47:08The whole vast herd stands motionless like statues.
47:16The cub copes with the deluge in his own way.
47:20The cub copes with the deluge in his own way.
47:51Although the rain refreshes the grass,
47:54it also triggers mass movement.
47:57The herds are leaving the mara.
48:12They mass once more on the banks above the river.
48:20They have arrived at the most forbidding crossing point in the mara.
48:51Opposite them is a sheer vertical wall,
48:54and the water below is patrolled by crocodiles.
49:08There are a few more difficult crossing points on the river,
49:11but year after year, the wildebeest choose this place
49:15as their final gateway from the mara.
49:21A gazelle is the first to attempt the challenge.
49:32She reaches the notorious wall,
49:37but pays the price.
49:51Zebra are the next to try their luck,
49:54and wherever they go, the wildebeest are quick to follow.
50:10Once the crossing is underway,
50:13the herd's impulse to join in is almost suicidal.
50:21The urge to migrate is so strong, nothing quenches it.
50:29Mother and calf once again wait their turn to join the mayhem.
50:39The mother leaps, the calf follows.
50:51The calf is now a strong swimmer,
50:57but hundreds of wildebeest are putting pressure from behind.
51:12In front of the crossings,
51:16stands the sheer 20-foot wall,
51:19and still they keep coming.
51:46For the calf, there is no turning back.
51:52The zebra are the first to meet the dangers.
52:01They're the favorite food of crocodiles,
52:04but their kick can be crippling.
52:16Mother and calf approach the danger zone.
52:22The crocodile finds a zebra foal instead.
52:32But many more crocodiles lurk beneath the surface.
52:45The calf is singled out.
52:58Missed!
53:06But the danger is not over.
53:08The calf and mother have reached the wall.
53:12The buildup from behind is relentless,
53:19and crocodiles prepare to pick off stragglers.
53:42The calf tries to climb the vertical wall.
53:50Others fall.
53:56He follows.
54:04The crocodile tries again,
54:06but the calf is a fast-moving target.
54:12He gradually works his way along the wall.
54:26Yet more wildebeest are arriving.
54:34They use each other's bodies as steps.
54:42And still they keep coming.
54:49The calf is being pushed further along the wall.
54:53Then, suddenly, the pressure eases.
54:57The bottleneck has an opening.
55:01The calf finds a zebra foal.
55:07The crocodile is not afraid of the zebra.
55:12The zebra is not afraid of the crocodile.
55:18The crocodile is not afraid of the zebra.
55:23He finds it.
55:30The pressure at this one exit is now intense.
55:38The calf and mother make it to the top,
55:41but the edge is slippery.
55:45The mother tries again.
55:47So does the calf.
55:49So near, yet so far.
55:55The calf slips.
55:58He struggles to get up.
56:02He finds his feet.
56:09And manages to reach the top.
56:12His mother is there to greet him.
56:19The crocodile is not afraid of the zebra.
56:22He is not afraid of the zebra.
56:25He is not afraid of the zebra.
56:29Mother and calf have survived
56:31some of the most challenging tests in nature.
56:37They will now travel south,
56:39back to the short grass plains of the Serengeti.
56:45It remains to be seen
56:47whether the mother and calf will survive.
56:58It was here that the calf was born.
57:01And it was here that our story began.
57:10And on these plains,
57:12another generation will be born.
57:15They, too, are destined to make the same epic journey,
57:19one that has been made for a million years.
57:22Undoubtedly, the greatest natural trek on Earth.
57:28Transcribed by ESO. Translated by —
57:58Transcription by ESO. Translation by —