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- Pound for pound the Honey badger is the meanest predator on the African savannah. The lion may be at the apex, but dynamite comes in small packages and the Honey badger punches well above its weight. Africas answer to the Wolverine, its a low slung, supple knot of muscle that hunts with the tenacity of a maniac. It eats snakes for breakfast, immune to venom that can take down an elephant. It will battle much bigger predators for prey and win. Its a lightweight at 30 pounds, but its a dirty fighter. This film tells the remarkable story of Badgie. Orphaned at birth, she is brought up by guardian Dylan Smith and his wife Theresa in the vast and wild Kalahari Thornveld. With their help, Badgie learns everything she needs to know about becoming the most fearless fighter of the Savannah. Honey Badgers have a fearsome reputation, taking on Africas most venomous snakes and defending themselves against lions and wild dogs, but for a young Badger without a mother, things arent so easy. Badgie narrowly escaped an early death when her mother was chased away by dogs. At just a few weeks old, Badgie was left behind and her mother never seen again. The story begins when Tswalus conservation manager Dylan Smith and his wife Theresa adopt a cute 10-week old badger. Honey badgers live with their mothers for up to 18 months, learning all the skills they need for a life in the wild. Now it will be Dylan and Theresas job to teach Badgie to catch mice, hunt snakes, fight scorpions and make a home for herself in the Savannah. But the stakes are high, Tswalu is home to a large number of big predators. Lions, leopards, hyenas and jackals - Badgie will need to be tough to survive. We soon see why the Honey badger has such a fearsome reputation. Even from a young age, Badgie eats venomous scorpions, confronts angry warthogs and porcupines as well as scaling up trees to find a meal. As she grows up and moves away from home, she learns to catch mice and hunt snakes. Dylan and Theresa know that honey badgers are tenacious and resilient animals but they also see a softer side that requires their care. Will they be able to teach Badgie enough to keep her safe in the wild? Badgies story gives us an intimate insight into badger character, but the narrative doesnt end there. Her story is ongoing and by following her behaviour as she goes about her badger life we are given a rare window into the lives of these elusive & charismatic creatures.
- The ethos of freediving is simple. The challenge: to dive as deep as possible on just one breath. The drive: to explore the ocean in the purest way. The goal: to make it back to the surface in a coherent state. In Deep Blue Dive we voyage into this deep and dangerous world with Trevor Hutton, a freediver from South Africa, and reveal the extraordinary physiological challenges which have to be overcome to succeed in this sport. Trevor is a self-taught freediver operating on the periphery of the sport; southern Africa is not a chosen freediving location for good reason. The coastline is hostile, the swell runs high and the deeper water is frequented by every dangerous species of shark imaginable, the Great White in particular. Trevor is six feet tall and he weighs 220 pounds. This is a heavy frame to supply with oxygen, but hes well equipped. His lung capacity is nine litres and his average heart rate is 43 beats per minute. As soon as he hits the water, a set of strange physiological phenomena take over. We see how nerve receptors in his face trigger a response in the heart slowing it down by an incredible 50%. Simultaneously, blood vessels in the skin and outer reaches of his body constrict, while vessels closer to internal organs dilate in anticipation of the airless environment hes plunging into. As Trevor immerses himself, a litre of blood floods from the bodys periphery and into the chest. This film will illustrate these startling changes using high-end CGI and will investigate the very latest scientific research into how the body adapts at extreme depths of up to 120 metres. Trevors quest to break the All-Africa freediving record forms the backdrop to the film. To snatch the record, he needs to train in clean, warm water so he travels to the calm waters off the KwaZulu-Natal coastline. But the ideal freediving conditions here are clouded by the presence of aggressive bull sharks. Trevor has to overcome his fear of these intimidating creatures and control his heart rate to dive efficiently. We then accompany him as he travels on to the World Cup in Greece to further his abilities, compete with the worlds top divers and gain experience. The Mediterranean is the epicentre of the sport and his journey here is like a pilgrimage. But as he returns to African waters, will this experience and the rigorous training regime enable Trevor to reach his goal and claim the All-Africa record?
- Two of Africas deadliest gladiators - hippos and crocs have lived side by side for millennia, but are they cozy bedfellows or arch-enemies? One is a hefty herbivore, the other is the most successful freshwater predator on the planet, so how do they manage to survive together in the same habitat? They each have a unique arsenal of attributes honed by centuries of evolution; muscle power, bite force and ferocious dentition give them the edge in their environment. But once a year, their peaceful semi-aquatic existence turns into a battle for survival. The dry season pushes both these super-powers to their limits and each has their own survival strategies. Crocodiles prey off the carcasses of the weak and fallen; 100 million years of evolution has taught them to survive lean times and push forth the next generation. Hippos fight for their dwindling territory and battle to hold onto the remaining water supply. Their ferocious aggression and deadly tusks secure their control over the habitat. But what happens when the two river rivals come up against each other, and who will be the ultimate victor?
- We know Bull Sharks swim upriver and we know they hunt in the sea. But we've never been able to see it all like this. We see them attack and consume other sharks. We watch their shady hunts in the deep. We follow them up freshwater rivers to pupping grounds. We see them hunt shoals of fish from drones above and we watch as they clash with hippos and crocodiles.
- There is a snake that is unique among serpents. He is a charismatic conundrum; with a regal bearing but a deadly strike. Extraordinary adaptability, but a strictly-serpent diet. He is both a lover and a fighter. Regarded as sacred in his native jungle, he is both feared and revered. But inviting a deadly serpent into your home is not ideal. During the breeding season when king cobras snakes are most active, they cross paths with their human neighbors on a daily basis. Instead of harming the snakes, specialist snake wranglers are are on call to rescue and relocate them. But are they rescuing the snake or the human?
- It begins at the end: Tau is dying; a slow shutting-down creeps over his body. Its time to reflect His life is over but it was well spent. Taus earliest memory as a cub is of Buffalo and of his brother and best friend, Banda. Buffalo motivate all action in the Xakanaka pride. Every day the family follows the herds in an attempt to hunt and eat. Its a life on the move - chasing or being chased! The duty to feed the family falls to their mothers, the prides lionesses. The brothers arent burdened with this responsibility at all. The daily skirmishes with the buffalo are moments of fun and daring - places to test and hone their skills as hunters, safe in the knowledge that Mom will ultimately provide all meals. In their games and adventures, Tau is the risk taker, willing to push the safety envelope, while Banda is cautious, preferring to watch and wait. But childhood doesnt last forever and its a sharp jolt to adulthood when Tau and Banda are expelled from their natal pride and forced to survive alone. They enter the most dangerous life-phase of male lions - nomads with no territory to call home. Exiled from their family, they can no longer rely on the safety of the pride or the protection of their fathers. Meals are no longer guaranteed and buffalo is off the menu completely. The brothers live in constant fear. Everywhere is enemy territory; every piece of land claimed by bigger, stronger males. They make a life for themselves as outlaws, between territories, hide in the shadows and keep a low profile. They are hunted and chased as intruders. Food, when they find it, must be stolen or scavenged. Taus misjudged bravado causes many disasters: A vicious fight with a mature pride male leaves him badly injured. During the face-off with this stranger, Tau refuses to back down and suffers a painful bite to his groin. And when hes a little older, his raging hormones lead both brothers into terrible danger when Tau follows a lioness for an entire day. He gets completely lost and by nightfall hes still unable to find his brother and his plaintive roars resound through the bush and draw unwanted attention. Banda searches for hours to find his brother and keep him quiet. Slowly time passes and the brothers scruffy neck-ruffs develop into impressive dark manes. Tau gains the physical strength to match his attitude and now when an opportunity presents itself, the brothers are ready to act. A young lioness in estrus proves to be irresistible and together Tau and Banda attack and chase away the rival male vying for her affections. This successful paring is the turning point for the brothers. Theyre finally able to emulate their fathers, claim a territory and start a pride of their own. Life comes full circle. Sons are fathers; students are now teachers. The Xakanaka legacy is strong and when Tau dies of old age, its with the knowledge that and the sons of sons continue to rule on the plains of Botswana.
- Witness a clash of oceanic titans in the remote crystal-blue battlefields of Ascension Island. Yellowfin tuna and mako and tiger sharks are all apex predators, but to these sharks, yellowfin tuna are the ultimate prize. The tuna are often faster, fitter and bigger than the sharks, reaching well over 113 kilograms. Any shark hunting these beasts needs brute strength and a little bit of luck to capture one. But when a third player enters the game, the scales tip. Who will win?
- A documentary which follows two lion brothers as they become rules of a pride in Botswana after a battle for dominance.
- In this traditional blue-chip documentary we show a dramatic comparison between two environments fed by the same stock of sardine, and dominated by the Cape gannets.
- 'A DOG'S LIFE' (1 x 52') combines classic wildlife cinematography with an intimate approach to deliver a comprehensive portrait of this endangered and largely misunderstood species. The film looks at the African wild dogs' intricate family ties, their skill and stamina in pursuit of prey and their unusual parenting techniques. Cameraman Kim Wolhuter's persistence in gaining the pack's acceptance eventually pays off, enabling him to capture compelling sequences of rarely filmed behaviour. He watches as the dogs are ravaged by rabies, the disease eventually bringing the pack to its knees. But hope appears when a new pair of Wild dogs arrive in the area. Could this be the beginning of a new pack?
- A routine drone survey turns deadly when Ryan Johnson, a marine biologist based in South Africa, films a humpback whale being attacked and strategically drowned by a Great white shark. This is a total perspective shift on a creature he's spent his life studying. To make sense of this event, Ryan follows Humpback whales on their migration, mapping their weak spots. He also takes a new look at Great White sharks. How do they become whale killers?
- The southern coast of Africa features an array of battlefields as diverse as the predators who reign over them. In this concentrated mix of environments, lions rule the grasslands and leopards dominate the thick brush. Nile crocodiles and sharks rule the waters, while gannets control the skies. But all must bow to the power of the coastal plain's seasons: a ruthless cycle that has the power to give life and take it away. Enter these diverse domains and see how all creatures, hunters and hunted, must have a plan to survive the Predator Coast.
- Documentary which follows a family of cheetahs on the plains of the southern Serengeti.
- It's said that a single bite can kill up to 15 men. But does it deserve that bad rap it's given? This documentary examines a different side of the black mamba.
- On one of the wildest coastlines in Africa, lies an estuary. For hundreds of years it's existed, secluded, and life in its waterways has been uninterrupted.But the now the lagoon has been found, the war is over, and humans have begun to settle on its tender shores.
- For the first time in 30 years, rain has fallen in sufficient quantities hundreds of miles to the north in the Angolan highlands, sending a stream of water through the river bed. Filmed in stunning HD, 'Boteti - The Returning River' documents this extraordinary transformation and the dramatic changes it brings to the resident animals.
- This episode follows two men who are determined to protect the rare silky sifaka lemur in Madagascar.
- A dramatic, real-life tale of three leopards plays out in Botswana's Okavango Delta. This is prime territory for Africa's most secretive big cat and although leopards normally avoid contact with each other one island is the common hunting ground of three individuals as they are drawn together by the changing seasons and the movement of their prey. What unfolds is an in-depth portrayal of their private lives; following the tension, drama and in the end, heart wrenching tragedy as all three seek one common goal - to dominate one of the Okavango's most prized leopard territories.
- Documentary which follows crocodile expert Brad Bestelink on a quest to dive with crocodiles without a cage or any other protection.
- The Okavango Delta is one of the richest ecosystems on earth, but most of its creatures are rarely seen by human eyes. They hide beneath the surface, in the intricate underwater world of the Delta. Fearsome hippos and man-eating crocodiles guard these waters, and diving here is considered extremely dangerous. Few humans have ever ventured below the surface, until now. A team of film makers armed with experience and a deep knowledge of animal behaviour have dived the delta for the past year. Their experiences reveal a new, unexplored wilderness that is shaped by passage of the deltas epic winter flood. Every summer, rains that collect in Angola surge down the Okavango River in a giant pulse. Just as the dry season draws near, that pulse reaches the delta, and sets a chain reaction of life in motion. Landscapes flood as the pulse pushes through, and drain in its wake. These forces shape the lives of every creature in the underwater Okavango. The first to feel the effects of the flood are the cave dwellers. The rising tide lifts vast floating carpets of reeds and papyrus off the sand, creating a labyrinth of caves beneath them. Mormyrids and squeakers hunt in the dark, but the live in fear of a far larger predator. Sharp toothed catfish are amongst the Deltas most voracious hunters. They plague the smaller fish, but they in turn are hunted by giant crocodiles. As the pulse pushes into the main delta, tiny fish are sucked into the deep channels behind it. The waters fill with predators that gather to feast on the soup of small fry. The flood keeps pushing further and further out into Botswana, until in the peak of the dry season, it breaks out over dry land. Creatures travel from across Botswana to meet the life-giving tide. Huge elephant breeding herds flee the drought-stricken Kalahari, and walk hundreds of kilometres to reach the flooded delta. Though the water offers life, it harbours death as well. Their tiny infants must navigate crocodile infested floodplains, and face off with lions in the dense reeds. Nowhere is safe, until the flood finally reaches the end of its journey. Just as the rains threaten to bring the dry season to a close, the closing act of the underwater delta launches into action. Birds flock to the disappearing shallows to feast on trapped fish, and the fearsome catfish amass into an army. They charge down the channels by the hundred, and flush fish from the reeds. The stampede of hunters makes the water boil, and entices a new killer to the feast. Fish eagles swoop down one after the other, and snatch catfish from the churning waters. The frenzy of predators builds to a crescendo, until rains finally douse the feast. The wet season marks the end of the flood, but it feeds the beginnings of another. As rainwaters gather once more in the Angolan highlands, the journey of a new pulse begins. This film opens a window on an unexplored landscape of exquisite beauty, and the creatures that must play the daily lottery of life and death within it.
- Ten years after the tragic discovery of a new Coelacanth colony in Sodwana, zoologist and deep-sea diver Dr Richard Pyle ventures nearly 400ft below the surface to find and film a living fossil that was believed extinct.
- This film takes us on a scientific journey into the complex world of the dolphin, and investigates Professor Paul Manger's recent assertion that dolphins are not as smart as we think. Using a variety of tests and observations in the wild, we illustrate how their IQ comes into play and scores on the charts.
- It starts off talking about how animals adapted to become venomous and how they are still adapting and using their skills to this very day.
- Two divers make unprecedented discoveries deep within the lair of the Nile crocodile.
- Scientists meticulously dissect a great whit shark to demonstrate how extensively evolution adapted it into an unsurpassed oceanic hunting machine. Previously thought to have a walnut brain, it's actually a huge computer to process the extreme mass of data obtained by its arsenal of super-senses to locate and examine its potential prey, on the move and from great distance: hearing, sight, smell, taste and unique electromagnetic detection. To satisfy its huge caloric need, it normally hunts large, fat prey in cold waters, mainly seals, sometimes even dolphins or wales. It also has special hydrodynamic skin and immense muscles, both for sprint and long distance, an unequaled arsenal of teeth and digestive system with extremely corrosive acid and a stomach it can bring into its mouth.
- Second beach at Port St Johns is a small, rocky cove on the rural coast of southern Africa, well known locally for its excellent surfing conditions. But now a dramatic story of death, witchcraft and mystery is playing out as marauding sharks kill and eat local surfers. It has been the scene of five horrific shark attacks, turning this peaceful stretch of beach into the African equivalent of Amity.
- South Africa is home to the world's deadliest sharks and one of them has a dark side - The Ragged Tooth. Every two years, hundreds of Ragged Tooth sharks swim 1500 kilometers along the South African coast, in order to mate. For each, this epic journey is a fight for survival. But for one captive female Ragged Tooth the stakes are even higher.
- Enter the lush and shadowy wild, where baboons rule the day, leopards own the trees, and African Goshawks reign over the skies. The world's jungles host some of the fastest animals on the planet. Vipers literally strike at lightning speed, spiders leap toward their prey at distances 70 times their body length and, with the flick of their tongue, chameleons snatch their targets at speeds of 900 MPH. This is one high-speed trek you don't want to miss.
- The open plains of the Serengeti are the perfect playing ground for speed, and they're home to the fastest animals on the planet. Some are built for explosive sprints, others for marathon runs. But all of them, predators and prey, need to move fast in order to survive in this unforgiving environment. Enter the African grassland, and discover how cheetahs, hyenas, hawks, crocodiles, and other assassins of the savannah use their evolution-perfected design mechanisms to kill with lightening-fast speed.
- Life happens at alarming speeds in the churning, seemingly slow-moving ocean. Here, marlins chase their prey at 75 MPH, stonefish strike at jaw-dropping speeds, and mantis shrimp throw the fastest punch in the animal kingdom. Even caped gannets take dangerous dives, hitting the water at bone-crunching velocity, just to grab a quick bite. Join us as we reveal the science behind the speed and take you on a breathtaking journey under the sea.
- Its spring and South Africas east coast city of Durban is under siege from a plague of deadly reptiles. After six months of hibernation, thousands of snakes breach the city walls in search for food and a mate. After a quiet winter, snake bounty hunters, Simon and Nadine Keys are desperate for work. A dive club has just returned from a recent trip up the coast and something has come back with them. Simon thinks it may be a Black Mamba and puts the dive club on lock down. Nadine receives a call about a large snake spotted inside an office car park. With over 50 vehicles to check, its not going to be easy. Yet, hidden in the shadows they discover one of Africas most lethal snakes, whose venom can dissolve human flesh. Will they be able to catch it before hundreds of office workers flood into the garage to drive home? Simon and Nadine invite us back to their home, in the heart of the city, where they store, nurture and rehabilitate the injured refugees including highly venomous mambas, 15ft pythons, spitting cobras, tarantulas and scorpions. Simon reveals how his true passion for snakes started and the horrors that hes witnessed over the years. As the city heats up so do the snake calls. A construction team, working on an underground water pipe, spot something disappear into the tunnel and they are too terrified to continue working. There is no power, its pitch black and Simon and Nadine have no idea whats down there. Trapped far beneath the city, things turn for the worse as Simon is hit with a jet of venom to the face. If he cannot remove the venom quickly he could lose his eyesight. There is one snake thats strikes fear into the heart of the city, a snake so deadly it can kill a man in 15 minutes. A call is put through from the police. A Black Mamba is spotted hiding under someones bed and its huge. If the police reports are true this could be the biggest Mamba Simon has ever faced. The house is evacuated and no one dares enter, except Simon and Nadine. In this game there are no second chances.
- South Africas east coast city of Durban is hotting up as the most snake active time of the entire year moves into full throttle. Simon and Nadine are swamped with calls, and hopeful that Mike, a friend and fellow snake-catcher in training, will prove a useful ally in their deadly deployments. Mike has just arrived from the U.K. on his annual visit to this snake haven, where he hopes to learn first hand what it takes to be a fully-fledged snake handler. Within 5 minutes of stepping off the plane he gets his chance as Simon, Nadine and Mike head through to a call from a rubbish-removal team whose daily duties have come to a halt after spotting a Black mamba amongst the trash. Calls are coming through thick and fast and next Mike and Simon head out to a local residents home to find a massive Burmese python sunning itself by their pool. This snake is strong and Mike may have bitten himself off more than he can chew. How will he handle this behemoth? Simon & Mike find themselves moving quickly from one residence to the next, when they get another call out for a possible Green mamba sighting by yet another pool. The heat may be bringing out all the local wildlife to these urban watering holes, and the guys soon find themselves face to face with an angry female in defense modeonly to discover she may not be travelling alone. Nadine & Mike are left to fend for themselves in Durban, as Simon nervously boards a flight to Joburg to meet venom expert Mike Perry, who will show Simon the ropes before he attempts his first Black mamba milking. After checking in some highly unusual luggage, Simon and Nadine part ways, with Nadine on edge thinking of what Simons about to do, and Simon hesitant yet excited to meet the man with 30 years of experience dealing with deadly, venomous snakes, for a lesson in mamba milking 101. With Simon out of town, Nadine calls in the help of local snake expert and reptile park owner, Neville, to a callout for an unidentified brown snake held up in a makeshift bathroom wall. Stuck literally between rock and a hard place, Neville is in real danger as he pries open the wall with a crowbar. The tension builds to boiling point when he goes in for a closer look. A look that may be his last.
- Its summer and the snake season is kicking off in South Africas east coast city of Durban. The heat and humidity unleashes hundreds of deadly reptiles and snake bounty hunters Simon and Nadine cant keep up with all the calls. A father is in a blind panic. His kids are on their way back from school and theres a 3-meter Black Mamba hiding in their garden. Simon has never seen a Black Mamba this huge and catching this monster will be no easy task. Where did this huge snake come from and how did it get into the city? The Fire Department needs help, but not for a fire, for a snake. They manage to trap the intruder in someones living room and everyone is terrified. They have no idea what the snake is. Its up to Simon and Nadine to get the situation under control. Snakes pay the bills and the extra bit of cash gives Simon and Nadine the opportunity to indulge in another of their favorite past times, getting inked. Simons tattoo addiction started at an early age and now he is over 95% tattoos. New tattoos take about a week to fully heal and he'll have to protect his wound from any infections, including snake venom, but in their line of work that might not be so easy. As the city heats up so do the snake calls. A nanny is playing with the children when she spots a huge brown snake in the garden. She is petrified for the childrens safety. From the description it sounds like this could be a Spitting Cobra, one of the most difficult snakes to catch. If Simon or Nadine gets venom in their eyes, they could go blind. Simon receives a call hes been waiting for 3 months. The Green Mamba eggs are about to hatch. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so Simon and Nadine cannot miss this. Will all of the newborns make it? Its going to be a long night. Simon and Nadine want to find out how the snakes are entering the city, so they plan to insert a microchip under the skin of a Black Mamba and track its movements. But for this they'll need help.