1 00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:09,700 The African elephant, the largest land animal on the planet. 2 00:00:09,700 --> 00:00:11,620 We're about 25 yards away. 3 00:00:12,740 --> 00:00:16,060 Once, millions of elephants roamed across Africa. 4 00:00:17,380 --> 00:00:20,380 Now, there are less than 450,000. 5 00:00:25,420 --> 00:00:29,820 If we're not careful, we will push them to the brink of extinction 6 00:00:29,820 --> 00:00:32,780 I find it incomprehensible that anyone would want to kill them. 7 00:00:34,340 --> 00:00:36,100 My name's Levison Wood. 8 00:00:36,100 --> 00:00:37,660 It's pretty deep here. 9 00:00:37,660 --> 00:00:39,020 I've walked the Nile... 10 00:00:39,020 --> 00:00:40,780 Crocodile, there. 11 00:00:40,780 --> 00:00:43,220 ..and explored over 100 countries. 12 00:00:44,260 --> 00:00:45,700 This is proper wilderness. 13 00:00:45,700 --> 00:00:49,780 And I've been a champion of elephant conservation for nearly a decade. 14 00:00:49,780 --> 00:00:53,540 How can we save the last of the giants? 15 00:00:53,540 --> 00:00:57,140 Now, I'm on a new journey across Botswana, 16 00:00:57,140 --> 00:01:00,420 home to the world's largest elephant population. 17 00:01:00,420 --> 00:01:02,860 This is where we're going to see some serious wildlife. 18 00:01:02,860 --> 00:01:05,660 I'm joining them on their annual migration 19 00:01:05,660 --> 00:01:09,580 so I can experience their world on their terms. 20 00:01:09,580 --> 00:01:12,260 Africa's nature at its finest, 21 00:01:12,260 --> 00:01:15,500 but also, this dark and shocking brutality. 22 00:01:17,100 --> 00:01:19,140 As close up as possible. 23 00:01:19,140 --> 00:01:21,660 You've just been shat on by a monkey. 24 00:01:23,860 --> 00:01:26,820 At times, it will be downright dangerous. 25 00:01:26,820 --> 00:01:28,460 Coming straight at us. 26 00:01:28,460 --> 00:01:30,740 Where? 27 00:01:30,740 --> 00:01:33,100 LION GROWLS 28 00:01:33,100 --> 00:01:35,460 I'll meet the people who live and work here... 29 00:01:40,140 --> 00:01:41,980 SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE 30 00:01:41,980 --> 00:01:46,300 ..to discover how difficult life is alongside these giants. 31 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:48,260 SPEAK IN OWN LANGUAGE 32 00:01:51,980 --> 00:01:55,500 I want to see for myself if there's a way that elephants 33 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:57,140 and people can co-exist. 34 00:02:00,260 --> 00:02:03,300 On the final and most dangerous leg of my journey... 35 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:04,780 GUIDE: 36 00:02:04,780 --> 00:02:06,140 The crocodile's just there. 37 00:02:06,140 --> 00:02:09,900 ..I travel across one of the planet's last untouched wildernesses... 38 00:02:09,900 --> 00:02:12,220 WHISPERS: 39 00:02:14,980 --> 00:02:17,380 ..where we come face-to-face... ANIMAL GRUNT 40 00:02:17,380 --> 00:02:18,940 ..with new dangers... 41 00:02:18,940 --> 00:02:20,180 All right. 42 00:02:20,180 --> 00:02:22,220 ELEPHANT TOOTS 43 00:02:22,220 --> 00:02:24,940 ..and find ourselves too close for comfort. 44 00:02:24,940 --> 00:02:27,420 HIPPO ROARS 45 00:02:27,420 --> 00:02:29,060 I think he's coming. He's coming. 46 00:02:42,780 --> 00:02:45,180 We've left open plains behind now, 47 00:02:45,180 --> 00:02:48,820 and this is where we're going to see some serious wildlife. 48 00:02:49,900 --> 00:02:54,140 The last leg of our trip is taking us deep into the Okavango Delta... 49 00:02:56,700 --> 00:02:59,940 ..a natural wonder so vast, it's visible from space. 50 00:03:02,860 --> 00:03:05,220 How incredible, they're literally everywhere. 51 00:03:05,220 --> 00:03:06,860 At the end of the elephants' migration, 52 00:03:06,860 --> 00:03:10,140 the delta is a safe haven, 53 00:03:10,140 --> 00:03:13,940 and worth the perilous journey to get to the nutrient-rich 54 00:03:13,940 --> 00:03:18,180 feeding grounds, but for us, it's a very different prospect. 55 00:03:25,700 --> 00:03:27,460 Well, that's what we're here to see. 56 00:03:29,180 --> 00:03:33,260 So far, Kane and I have covered over 250 miles in the footsteps 57 00:03:33,260 --> 00:03:37,100 of females and their young along the Chobe River. 58 00:03:39,700 --> 00:03:43,300 Next, we travelled across the vast Makgadikgadi Pans, 59 00:03:43,300 --> 00:03:45,100 following male herds west. 60 00:03:46,220 --> 00:03:49,940 Now, we're at the point where the ancient pathways converge, 61 00:03:49,940 --> 00:03:51,540 the Okavango Delta. 62 00:03:52,620 --> 00:03:54,380 Over the next seven days, 63 00:03:54,380 --> 00:03:57,420 we'll track elephants into the heart of the flood plains, 64 00:03:57,420 --> 00:04:02,380 a unique opportunity to observe their behaviour up close and personal. 65 00:04:02,380 --> 00:04:05,980 Then, we'll push onto Kane's home village of Gudigwa, 66 00:04:05,980 --> 00:04:08,700 which lies on the north-western edge of the Okavango. 67 00:04:14,340 --> 00:04:18,180 We're following the course of the Gumulte River upstream, 68 00:04:18,180 --> 00:04:20,620 deeper into the delta system itself. 69 00:04:21,980 --> 00:04:24,740 It's day 18 of our 650-mile journey. 70 00:04:26,500 --> 00:04:30,300 Kane and I are heading into a 6,000-square-mile maze 71 00:04:30,300 --> 00:04:31,660 of channels and lagoons. 72 00:04:33,860 --> 00:04:38,180 Teeming with wildlife, it's home to over 2,000 species of animals 73 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:39,300 and plants. 74 00:04:41,300 --> 00:04:45,860 It feels like everything up until now has been a bit of a walk in the park. 75 00:04:45,860 --> 00:04:49,460 And now, this is where the real challenge lies. 76 00:04:53,300 --> 00:04:56,740 When annual winter rains flood into the delta, 77 00:04:56,740 --> 00:04:59,420 the waters overflow across the savannah... 78 00:05:00,940 --> 00:05:03,140 ..creating a huge, lush wetland. 79 00:05:04,340 --> 00:05:07,260 As we hit the waterways and channels, 80 00:05:07,260 --> 00:05:09,540 the more swampy and marshy it will get, 81 00:05:09,540 --> 00:05:11,740 which will make travelling tricky. 82 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:15,620 No-one has followed migrating elephants 83 00:05:15,620 --> 00:05:17,020 on this path on foot before. 84 00:05:25,420 --> 00:05:27,620 WHISPERS: 85 00:05:31,860 --> 00:05:35,460 Tracking herds has been a constant challenge on this journey, 86 00:05:35,460 --> 00:05:37,260 but in this area, 87 00:05:37,260 --> 00:05:40,620 there's the highest concentration of elephants in the world. 88 00:05:46,020 --> 00:05:50,580 We immediately come across a herd of ten females and two babies. 89 00:06:07,220 --> 00:06:09,220 During the winter flooding, 90 00:06:09,220 --> 00:06:11,780 the delta swells to three times its size... 91 00:06:13,460 --> 00:06:17,700 ..creating a rich feeding ground that attracts wildlife from miles around. 92 00:06:57,660 --> 00:07:02,060 Herds like these have synchronised their feeding habits with 93 00:07:02,060 --> 00:07:04,380 the arrival of the Okavango's annual flooding. 94 00:07:29,620 --> 00:07:34,020 Up to 43,000 elephants gather in these waterways every year. 95 00:07:35,140 --> 00:07:37,020 But it's a long journey for some. 96 00:08:13,380 --> 00:08:15,820 ELEPHANT GRUNTS 97 00:08:25,380 --> 00:08:30,220 All it takes is a slight change in the wind direction. 98 00:08:30,220 --> 00:08:32,420 As soon as they sniff you, gone. 99 00:08:35,220 --> 00:08:37,860 They're heading, err, west, the same direction as us. 100 00:08:37,860 --> 00:08:40,500 So, we'll follow along and carry on. 101 00:08:47,060 --> 00:08:49,580 It's not only elephants here in search of food. 102 00:08:54,460 --> 00:08:57,740 Close behind are the apex predators looking for an easy kill. 103 00:09:00,900 --> 00:09:03,740 So, just over there is a leopard. 104 00:09:27,340 --> 00:09:28,900 Across Africa, 105 00:09:28,900 --> 00:09:33,900 leopard numbers have decreased by 30% in the past 25 years. 106 00:09:33,900 --> 00:09:36,900 Now, they're classed as a vulnerable species. 107 00:09:42,980 --> 00:09:45,940 Most large cats see humans as a threat 108 00:09:45,940 --> 00:09:47,820 and will avoid contact if they can. 109 00:09:52,740 --> 00:09:55,300 OK, she's gone. Wow. 110 00:09:55,300 --> 00:09:56,940 LEVISON CHUCKLES 111 00:10:01,660 --> 00:10:05,900 As we move further away from the inhabited fringes of the delta... 112 00:10:08,980 --> 00:10:11,900 ..the Okavango swamps create an inaccessible marshland. 113 00:10:13,180 --> 00:10:15,700 It's a natural barrier against human encroachment. 114 00:10:19,460 --> 00:10:23,460 Being on foot, making headway deeper into the delta system, 115 00:10:23,460 --> 00:10:26,700 we just feel so much more connected to nature in a way that is 116 00:10:26,700 --> 00:10:28,660 impossible to replicate. 117 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:38,380 It was great to...to follow the breeding herd of...of elephants, 118 00:10:38,380 --> 00:10:40,220 along the...the river here. 119 00:10:42,300 --> 00:10:44,020 It's just so wild, you know. 120 00:10:44,020 --> 00:10:46,780 Everything up until now, we've been kind of following tracks 121 00:10:46,780 --> 00:10:49,300 and trails, but here, this is pure wilderness. 122 00:10:49,300 --> 00:10:53,140 You know, one of the last true wildernesses left in Africa 123 00:10:53,140 --> 00:10:54,620 and it really feels it. 124 00:11:04,540 --> 00:11:06,060 ANIMAL GROWL 125 00:11:10,380 --> 00:11:12,060 What's that noise? 126 00:11:12,060 --> 00:11:15,420 That's...that was a lion, not far away. 127 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:20,300 LION GRUNTS 128 00:11:22,140 --> 00:11:23,660 Yep, definitely a lion. 129 00:11:25,100 --> 00:11:27,380 You've just been shat on by a monkey. 130 00:11:36,540 --> 00:11:41,660 WHISPERS: There's a lion right there, probably about 20 yards away. 131 00:11:41,660 --> 00:11:44,300 We're actually outside this camp. 132 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:45,380 Wow. 133 00:11:46,940 --> 00:11:51,180 Three fully-grown male lions just walked straight past our camp. 134 00:11:54,500 --> 00:11:58,260 I should probably be terrified but actually, that's just incredible. 135 00:12:00,540 --> 00:12:01,820 Like leopards, 136 00:12:01,820 --> 00:12:05,820 lion numbers have been decimated by humans over the years. 137 00:12:05,820 --> 00:12:08,820 They've learned to be wary. 138 00:12:08,820 --> 00:12:11,780 Even so, we hang back and let the lions move on. 139 00:12:26,580 --> 00:12:30,540 OK, so the lions that, er, just passed our camp, 140 00:12:30,540 --> 00:12:34,820 we're heading out in the same direction, so... 141 00:12:41,180 --> 00:12:43,220 ROAR 142 00:12:43,220 --> 00:12:45,820 But it sounds like they're still very close. 143 00:12:45,820 --> 00:12:46,780 KANE: 144 00:12:51,860 --> 00:12:53,540 LOUD ROAR 145 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:03,820 Guys, stay strong, let's go. 146 00:13:05,740 --> 00:13:07,020 As a sand bushman, 147 00:13:07,020 --> 00:13:10,540 Kane's lived around lions since he was a youngster. 148 00:13:10,540 --> 00:13:14,020 He knows when to back off and when to be bold. 149 00:13:14,020 --> 00:13:17,380 I'm trusting his bush skills to keep me safe. 150 00:13:17,380 --> 00:13:18,860 KANE: 151 00:13:21,860 --> 00:13:26,980 And then, in the long grass, we discover why the lions are here, 152 00:13:26,980 --> 00:13:30,060 a fully-grown male buffalo on its own. 153 00:13:31,540 --> 00:13:35,060 It looks injured and, err, it's clearly staggering. 154 00:13:38,220 --> 00:13:39,180 The tendons. 155 00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:46,820 The lions, they're just sitting there under the tree, just, 156 00:13:46,820 --> 00:13:48,180 just watching it. 157 00:13:48,180 --> 00:13:52,220 They're being cautious, keeping away from those lethal horns. 158 00:13:52,220 --> 00:13:56,460 Even for a lion, an injured buffalo is still a deadly foe. 159 00:13:57,660 --> 00:14:00,220 So, the poor thing's just going to sit there, injured. 160 00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:02,860 The lions are moving now. 161 00:14:02,860 --> 00:14:06,140 They're just coming out of the tree line and they'll be going for him. 162 00:14:12,260 --> 00:14:13,820 The lions are going to go for him. 163 00:14:16,460 --> 00:14:18,340 BUFFALO GROANS 164 00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:33,620 They've already started eating him, while he's still alive. 165 00:14:40,900 --> 00:14:43,300 Finally, its life is over. 166 00:14:45,780 --> 00:14:48,980 To be honest, that's one of the most brutal things I have ever seen. 167 00:14:51,660 --> 00:14:55,180 It is tough, it's tough to watch, but, err, the lions, 168 00:14:55,180 --> 00:14:57,380 they're at, like, the top of the food chain. 169 00:14:59,260 --> 00:15:03,660 For whatever left, err, the hyenas are going to enjoy, the vultures. 170 00:15:03,660 --> 00:15:06,060 You see the vultures are starting to settle already. Yeah. 171 00:15:06,060 --> 00:15:08,940 They can see the blood from the...the buffalo, 172 00:15:08,940 --> 00:15:11,380 and the jackals will come as well. 173 00:15:11,380 --> 00:15:14,700 Everyone will feast, as soon as the big lions have left. 174 00:15:14,700 --> 00:15:16,100 So, it's a good thing. 175 00:15:18,860 --> 00:15:22,660 As a child, Kane's family often shared lion kill. 176 00:15:29,860 --> 00:15:31,100 Really? Yeah. 177 00:15:42,940 --> 00:15:46,620 Even though Kane's confident, it's still daunting. 178 00:15:46,620 --> 00:15:48,820 These are Africa's top predators. 179 00:15:57,260 --> 00:15:58,860 LEVISON: 180 00:16:05,220 --> 00:16:06,180 Come. 181 00:16:14,380 --> 00:16:16,260 Is it safe to be hanging around here? 182 00:16:16,260 --> 00:16:18,540 I mean, the lions are probably watching us 183 00:16:18,540 --> 00:16:19,980 from about ten yards away. Yeah. 184 00:16:19,980 --> 00:16:22,380 No, you don't want to be too long here 185 00:16:22,380 --> 00:16:24,900 because they might come for their kill. 186 00:16:30,500 --> 00:16:32,780 I'm fine, thanks, I've already had lunch. 187 00:16:32,780 --> 00:16:34,420 KANE LAUGHS 188 00:16:34,420 --> 00:16:36,660 It's most definitely dead now. 189 00:16:37,860 --> 00:16:39,980 At least it's out of its misery. 190 00:16:39,980 --> 00:16:42,020 See, where they attacked the buffalo on here. 191 00:16:42,020 --> 00:16:45,300 Can you see? This is where the bite marks were. 192 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:47,660 You see the teeth, gone through here? 193 00:16:49,740 --> 00:16:51,940 Right, come on, let's leave the lions to it. 194 00:17:03,020 --> 00:17:06,540 What this trip has shown me is the sheer beauty 195 00:17:06,540 --> 00:17:10,460 and awe-inspiring magnificence of nature at its finest, 196 00:17:10,460 --> 00:17:17,260 but also this dark and shocking savagery, 197 00:17:17,260 --> 00:17:19,860 you know, the brutality of... 198 00:17:22,140 --> 00:17:25,780 ..what life out here is all about. 199 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,160 Are you sure about that? Oh, yes. 200 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:47,640 We're gonna walk across this lake 201 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,120 here and you're telling me there's no crocs. 202 00:17:52,120 --> 00:17:53,400 Have to believe you. 203 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:59,320 Bushman, Kane and I are 22 days into our journey, 204 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,240 moving deeper into the Okavango delta. 205 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:04,560 Look at that. Wow. 206 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,480 Following migrating elephants, 207 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:09,760 as they walk into the heart of the flood plain. 208 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:11,480 Could not be better? 209 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:16,960 You know, walking bare foot's quite nice, isn't it? 210 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:18,960 It's a little bit spiky. 211 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:20,680 Come on, let's put on shoes. 212 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:22,960 Ah, come on, I thought you were a bushman. 213 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:24,640 We should do this all day. 214 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:27,440 I reckon I could do it. 215 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:31,840 No, I can do it, I can do it, but I want more comfortable. 216 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,640 You know, the European life spoiled me. 217 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,920 You guys, with all your funny food. 218 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:39,600 LAUGHTER 219 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,080 You've been drinking too much booze, that's your problem. 220 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,720 Yeah, drinking beer and wearing shoes. 221 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:48,320 I didn't have this kind of hi tech shoes. 222 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,720 All right, we'll put our shoes on, if you insist. 223 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,840 Quite deep, eh? Very deep. 224 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:10,040 Shall we jump it? 225 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,560 The delta is a patchwork of 150,000 islands. 226 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:23,920 Uh, time to get wet again. 227 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,280 Watch out for hippos. 228 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:28,280 The flood plains are now becoming 229 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,480 more and more of a testing maze of channels. 230 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:33,320 Agh! HE LAUGHS 231 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:35,160 Don't joke, dude. 232 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,600 We're at the start of the wetlands. 233 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,040 It's looking like it's going very marshy now. 234 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:57,920 The grassland is now almost completely flooded. 235 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:02,240 The delta's waterways are home to one of the most aggressive 236 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:03,160 animals in Africa. 237 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:07,600 The hippo. 238 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,520 These huge herbivores live everywhere in these channels. 239 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,000 And we have no choice but to pass close by them. 240 00:20:22,360 --> 00:20:25,760 GRUNTING That way, that way! 241 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,040 Kane spots a lone hippo, up ahead. 242 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,760 There's no way around it. 243 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:32,680 Ooh. Get here. 244 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,520 You all right? You all right, Park? 245 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:50,200 It's there unpredictable nature that makes them so deadly. 246 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:54,640 GRUNTING 247 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:58,680 You think he's all right? 248 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,080 Yeah, I mean, they, they look 249 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,920 like footpaths made by people but they're not. 250 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,400 These are, these are all made by the hippos as they come from 251 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,320 their pastures towards the river. 252 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:18,680 HIPPOS GRUNT 253 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,720 You can hear them just in the river, just there. 254 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:27,680 It's, er, it's unnerving, to say the least. 255 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:29,880 I mean, these things weigh tonnes. 256 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:45,640 It's pretty close. 257 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,040 Pfff! 258 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:04,000 We've still got 50 miles to go, through even wider 259 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,080 and deeper channels to get to the heart of the swamp. 260 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:08,720 ELEPHANT TRUMPETS 261 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,200 We can't afford to let our guards down. 262 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:13,720 ELEPHANT TRUMPETS 263 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,960 This lone, young male is eager to display his dominance. 264 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,240 But really, he's just showing off. 265 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,960 It's protective mothers that are the really aggressive ones. 266 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:53,560 After a glorious hour watching this beautiful herd... 267 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:57,960 It's very special to be this close to these amazing animals. 268 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,480 ..we leave them in peace, hoping to catch up with them 269 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,680 again as they head further into the wetlands. 270 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:15,840 It looks like we've got a bit of an obstacle. 271 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,440 And with deeper waters ahead... 272 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,800 This channel may be 30 feet across 273 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,280 and we've got two hippos right there. 274 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:27,320 Do you think there are any crocodiles in this? Yeah. 275 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,960 ..the challenge will get more dangerous with hippos 276 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:32,320 and crocs everywhere. 277 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,040 How are we gonna get across? We don't have to walk. 278 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,760 Er, let's try and see. 279 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:50,160 Whoa. Watch out for hippos. 280 00:24:53,120 --> 00:24:55,480 It's pretty deep here. 281 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,200 Crocodiles swim at up to 20mph 282 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,000 and can be lurking anywhere in waters this deep. 283 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:25,200 Still alive. Yeah. 284 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:34,640 We're across safely, but there's still another 40 miles to go 285 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:39,320 to the heart of the delta where the migrating elephants gather to feed. 286 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:52,200 This is a swamp. This is a proper swamp. 287 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:53,720 It's a dead end. 288 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:57,600 We'll have to find another way forward. 289 00:26:04,340 --> 00:26:07,660 Kane and I are following migrating elephants 290 00:26:07,660 --> 00:26:09,980 through the Okavango delta, 291 00:26:09,980 --> 00:26:11,740 but five days in, 292 00:26:11,740 --> 00:26:14,020 we've reached the end of our journey on foot. 293 00:26:16,020 --> 00:26:20,260 The only way to keep up with the elephants is by boat. 294 00:26:22,940 --> 00:26:25,900 Kane's arranged for some of his fellow Saan, 295 00:26:25,900 --> 00:26:29,660 who are fishermen, and know these channels well, to pick us up. 296 00:26:29,660 --> 00:26:30,620 Hi, how are you? Lev. 297 00:26:32,620 --> 00:26:33,660 Are we good to go? Yep. 298 00:26:45,340 --> 00:26:49,340 It'll take us two days to travel the next 40 miles. 299 00:26:49,340 --> 00:26:50,740 I quite fancy a dip. 300 00:26:50,740 --> 00:26:54,020 The water's, like, quite inviting, in this heat, but, er, 301 00:26:54,020 --> 00:26:57,180 when you look what's out there, it's probably not a wise idea. 302 00:26:59,220 --> 00:27:03,660 It looks idyllic, but this is the most dangerous part of our journey. 303 00:27:05,300 --> 00:27:07,860 These waters are full of crocodiles and hippos. 304 00:27:12,700 --> 00:27:13,740 HIPPOPOTAMUS SNORTS 305 00:27:18,300 --> 00:27:21,060 HIPPOPOTAMUS ROARS 306 00:27:21,060 --> 00:27:25,980 These two-tonne beasts are Africa's most deadly animal, 307 00:27:25,980 --> 00:27:28,260 killing 500 people a year. 308 00:27:28,260 --> 00:27:30,380 HIPPOPOTAMUS GROANS 309 00:27:30,380 --> 00:27:32,940 They could very easily knock this over, 310 00:27:32,940 --> 00:27:35,500 and if you land in their jaws, 311 00:27:35,500 --> 00:27:37,340 then it's game over. 312 00:27:43,380 --> 00:27:46,420 Around 12,500 hippos live here. 313 00:27:51,900 --> 00:27:54,820 For the past 2.5 million years, 314 00:27:54,820 --> 00:27:58,380 the annual rains have flooded the delta, 315 00:27:58,380 --> 00:28:02,060 creating an ecosystem like nowhere else, 316 00:28:02,060 --> 00:28:05,100 attracting a great diversity of species. 317 00:28:30,700 --> 00:28:33,060 Look at that. 318 00:28:33,060 --> 00:28:35,420 There's a breeding herd of elephants crossing a river 319 00:28:35,420 --> 00:28:36,620 and they're all going for a swim. 320 00:28:36,620 --> 00:28:38,100 It's an amazing sight. 321 00:28:39,700 --> 00:28:42,060 It's hard to tell if this is the same female herd 322 00:28:42,060 --> 00:28:45,660 we've been tracking for the past seven days, 323 00:28:45,660 --> 00:28:48,220 but I can spot at least one calf, 324 00:28:48,220 --> 00:28:51,260 almost entirely submerged as it swims across. 325 00:28:53,860 --> 00:28:56,140 What a remarkable place this is, though. 326 00:28:56,140 --> 00:28:58,020 It's such a privilege to be here. 327 00:29:06,500 --> 00:29:09,380 Unlike humans, elephants swim from birth, 328 00:29:09,380 --> 00:29:13,100 using their trunks like snorkels to breathe underwater. 329 00:29:16,060 --> 00:29:20,540 I just hope that this place is preserved for future generations, 330 00:29:20,540 --> 00:29:23,340 not just for humans to come and see elephants, 331 00:29:23,340 --> 00:29:25,100 but for the elephants themselves, 332 00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:26,300 to be able to stay safe, 333 00:29:26,300 --> 00:29:30,060 and to have this incredible wilderness to themselves. 334 00:29:41,940 --> 00:29:44,580 Where? 335 00:29:46,140 --> 00:29:48,060 He is MASSIVE. 336 00:29:48,060 --> 00:29:50,260 How big, is he? 337 00:29:51,900 --> 00:29:53,780 MASSIVE. 338 00:29:53,780 --> 00:29:56,140 In these murky waters, 339 00:29:56,140 --> 00:29:58,340 it's impossible to tell what's beneath us. 340 00:30:07,740 --> 00:30:08,860 What? What is it? 341 00:30:10,660 --> 00:30:11,940 What? Right here? 342 00:30:13,020 --> 00:30:13,980 Yeah. 343 00:30:21,980 --> 00:30:23,380 Oh, that's a big croc, right? 344 00:30:36,020 --> 00:30:39,780 As we near the deepest part of the swamp, 345 00:30:39,780 --> 00:30:42,140 we round a bend, 346 00:30:42,140 --> 00:30:44,780 and nearly bump into a bull elephant hidden in the rushes. 347 00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:50,140 There's an elephant just there, on the edge of the swamp. 348 00:30:50,140 --> 00:30:52,580 He's out grazing in this, these reeds. 349 00:30:54,180 --> 00:30:55,940 And he's not alone. 350 00:31:04,460 --> 00:31:07,380 This is the first group of males we've come across 351 00:31:07,380 --> 00:31:09,860 since we left the salt pans. 352 00:31:09,860 --> 00:31:13,100 It's quite amazing, look, there's seven bull elephants, 353 00:31:13,100 --> 00:31:14,820 and we're only 30 feet away from them. 354 00:31:16,300 --> 00:31:17,820 That's very cool, isn't it? Look. 355 00:31:17,820 --> 00:31:18,780 HE CHUCKLES 356 00:31:20,380 --> 00:31:24,260 We're finally here, at the heart of the delta. 357 00:31:24,260 --> 00:31:27,300 These elephants, and others before them, 358 00:31:27,300 --> 00:31:30,260 are feeding where the ancient migration paths have led them 359 00:31:30,260 --> 00:31:32,900 for hundreds of thousands of years. 360 00:31:35,260 --> 00:31:38,300 So, this, sort of, seems like a paradise for the elephants. 361 00:31:38,300 --> 00:31:40,500 I mean, there's so much vegetation. 362 00:31:54,340 --> 00:31:56,940 Their arduous journey is over, 363 00:31:56,940 --> 00:31:59,820 and they can feast on the lush vegetation, 364 00:31:59,820 --> 00:32:03,460 bursting with nutrients that can only be found in this oasis. 365 00:32:05,180 --> 00:32:09,100 So these elephants will have crossed saltpans, deserts, 366 00:32:09,100 --> 00:32:11,300 all the barren areas, just to get to this swamp. 367 00:32:16,180 --> 00:32:17,340 How do they know the way? 368 00:32:38,260 --> 00:32:41,860 This knowledge of routes, food and watering holes 369 00:32:41,860 --> 00:32:43,420 is passed down the generations. 370 00:32:45,060 --> 00:32:47,900 In the summer, as the waters recede, 371 00:32:47,900 --> 00:32:50,660 the rains fall in the east of the country, 372 00:32:50,660 --> 00:32:53,020 creating new feeding grounds, 373 00:32:53,020 --> 00:32:55,220 and so the elephants will migrate back. 374 00:32:56,540 --> 00:32:58,900 It's a lot of stuff to remember, isn't it, for that little one? 375 00:32:58,900 --> 00:33:00,740 I mean, he's got to remember all of these things 376 00:33:00,740 --> 00:33:03,140 so that he can then pass that down to future generations. Yes. 377 00:33:06,900 --> 00:33:09,820 And what are they doing with their trunks, splashing around? 378 00:33:14,900 --> 00:33:16,540 Right, so he's cleaning it? 379 00:33:19,380 --> 00:33:20,340 OK. 380 00:33:23,580 --> 00:33:27,060 Elephants get through six sets of teeth during their 60-year lifespan. 381 00:33:29,780 --> 00:33:32,380 As one wears out, so another replaces it. 382 00:33:34,340 --> 00:33:38,980 They typically get to their sixth and final set at the age of 30, 383 00:33:38,980 --> 00:33:41,180 which has to last them for the rest of their lives. 384 00:33:43,580 --> 00:33:45,860 They've learned that washing the reeds 385 00:33:45,860 --> 00:33:47,740 helps preserve their precious teeth. 386 00:33:49,540 --> 00:33:51,100 Incredible creatures. 387 00:33:52,340 --> 00:33:55,100 This is such a beautiful spot. 388 00:33:56,500 --> 00:33:59,460 It's amazing that these elephants travel hundreds of miles 389 00:33:59,460 --> 00:34:01,740 across saltpans, across deserts, 390 00:34:01,740 --> 00:34:04,820 to get to this one, amazing place, 391 00:34:04,820 --> 00:34:07,580 and for the elephants, it's just heaven, 392 00:34:07,580 --> 00:34:10,660 because they've got everything they need here. 393 00:34:10,660 --> 00:34:14,380 They're safe, they're secure, they're away from danger. 394 00:34:15,380 --> 00:34:16,900 Thank you for bringing me here. 395 00:34:16,900 --> 00:34:18,580 No, thank you. 396 00:34:18,580 --> 00:34:19,820 Who'd have thought it? 397 00:34:19,820 --> 00:34:22,780 Standing in the middle of a swamp, surrounded by elephants. 398 00:34:22,780 --> 00:34:24,060 THEY LAUGH 399 00:34:24,060 --> 00:34:25,220 What a place. 400 00:34:30,460 --> 00:34:33,220 For these bulls, it's their journey's end. 401 00:34:35,220 --> 00:34:39,820 But Kane and I still have to escape this maze of dangerous channels 402 00:34:39,820 --> 00:34:41,420 to reach dry land. 403 00:34:49,130 --> 00:34:54,850 Over the past six days, Kane and I have travelled 120 miles 404 00:34:54,850 --> 00:34:58,090 across the remote wilderness of the Okavango Delta... 405 00:35:00,250 --> 00:35:03,130 ..following migrating elephants into the heart of the swamp. 406 00:35:11,050 --> 00:35:13,850 I thought you were being nice when you said sit at the front. 407 00:35:13,850 --> 00:35:16,130 I thought I would get a good view, but now I can see why. 408 00:35:16,130 --> 00:35:17,010 LAUGHTER 409 00:35:17,010 --> 00:35:18,570 Never mind the hippos and the crocs. 410 00:35:18,570 --> 00:35:20,210 It is the flies you have to worry about here. 411 00:35:24,250 --> 00:35:29,650 It's our second day on the boats, and it's taking a toll. 412 00:35:32,010 --> 00:35:34,290 You what? You've got a sore arse. Yeah, sore arse. 413 00:35:34,290 --> 00:35:36,330 Yeah, I've got a sore arse too. 414 00:35:36,330 --> 00:35:39,690 Ow. There's no way of getting comfortable in this thing, really. 415 00:35:39,690 --> 00:35:41,530 You look all right there, though, Kane. 416 00:35:45,450 --> 00:35:48,410 Out here, there's no time to relax. 417 00:35:52,010 --> 00:35:56,410 So, that hippo seems to be blocking the channel at its narrowest point. 418 00:35:56,410 --> 00:35:58,290 How, err, how are we going to get past him? 419 00:35:58,290 --> 00:36:01,850 Well, we have to go. That's the only place we have to go through. 420 00:36:04,290 --> 00:36:07,890 Until now, we've given the hippos a wide berth to avoid 421 00:36:07,890 --> 00:36:10,890 aggravating them and for our own safety. 422 00:36:14,050 --> 00:36:17,890 Now, we've no choice but to squeeze past. 423 00:36:17,890 --> 00:36:19,570 HIPPO SNORTS 424 00:36:19,570 --> 00:36:23,970 I'm relying on Kane and our local fishermen to keep us safe. 425 00:36:23,970 --> 00:36:25,810 Well, I'm first. 426 00:36:25,810 --> 00:36:29,170 So, if he, if he decides to, err, pop his head up here, 427 00:36:29,170 --> 00:36:31,450 this is where I say goodbye. 428 00:36:34,930 --> 00:36:37,290 Kane's got a bear banger handy, 429 00:36:37,290 --> 00:36:42,090 a small firework that he can use to frighten off any aggressive animals. 430 00:36:51,450 --> 00:36:52,850 HIPPO ROARS 431 00:36:58,170 --> 00:36:59,410 He is getting close. 432 00:37:04,130 --> 00:37:06,730 He's coming, he's coming, he's coming, he's coming. 433 00:37:06,730 --> 00:37:08,930 KANE SETS OFF BANGER 434 00:37:10,810 --> 00:37:12,290 Whoa, that was close. 435 00:37:13,530 --> 00:37:16,530 He was going to come for us then, wasn't he? 436 00:37:27,370 --> 00:37:29,730 That got the heart pounding. 437 00:37:29,730 --> 00:37:34,050 The bear banger's given the hippo a shock, but he's unharmed. 438 00:37:34,050 --> 00:37:35,090 How are you feeling? 439 00:37:35,090 --> 00:37:37,370 I'm looking forward to getting off this boat. 440 00:37:37,370 --> 00:37:38,650 THEY LAUGH 441 00:37:43,890 --> 00:37:46,530 As we come to the end of another long day, 442 00:37:46,530 --> 00:37:50,930 there are clear signs that we're getting close to human habitation. 443 00:37:50,930 --> 00:37:52,690 Cattle. 444 00:37:52,690 --> 00:37:57,170 Dry land is up ahead and I think this is almost the end of the river. 445 00:37:58,570 --> 00:38:00,210 Thank goodness for that. 446 00:38:01,330 --> 00:38:05,170 This final stage of our trip will see us back on foot, 447 00:38:05,170 --> 00:38:06,930 heading for Kane's home village. 448 00:38:18,810 --> 00:38:22,730 We are passing through the villages of Eretsha and Betsha... 449 00:38:22,730 --> 00:38:23,810 KANE SNORTS 450 00:38:23,810 --> 00:38:25,010 Hello. 451 00:38:25,010 --> 00:38:26,530 CHILDREN LAUGH 452 00:38:27,810 --> 00:38:29,370 ..to reach our journey's end. 453 00:38:31,370 --> 00:38:36,050 These communities are Saan people, like Kane, 454 00:38:36,050 --> 00:38:40,970 and have lived in this part of Botswana for over 150,000 years. 455 00:38:49,530 --> 00:38:51,730 Sharing the land with elephants. 456 00:38:59,170 --> 00:39:03,770 As we walk on through the villages and past more waterways, 457 00:39:03,770 --> 00:39:06,050 we come across a group of fisherwomen. 458 00:39:06,050 --> 00:39:07,490 Hello. Hi. 459 00:39:07,490 --> 00:39:09,850 How are you? Fine. 460 00:39:09,850 --> 00:39:14,410 These women fish for their families nearly every day in the shallows 461 00:39:14,410 --> 00:39:19,250 around the villages while their men head further afield in their boats. 462 00:39:19,250 --> 00:39:23,170 Is this a good place for fishing, yeah? OK. 463 00:39:25,690 --> 00:39:28,610 She doesn't seem in the least bit concerned that there's a hippo 464 00:39:28,610 --> 00:39:32,010 right there. I'm fairly sure there's a few crocodiles in there as well. 465 00:39:34,890 --> 00:39:37,970 The women stamp their baskets into the water to trap fish. 466 00:39:40,770 --> 00:39:42,610 THEY CHEER 467 00:39:44,250 --> 00:39:47,930 But if they don't get any, they have to rely on whatever else 468 00:39:47,930 --> 00:39:50,250 they can forage to feed their families. 469 00:39:50,250 --> 00:39:51,530 What are you eating there? 470 00:39:51,530 --> 00:39:53,410 Water lily. Water lily, yeah. 471 00:39:53,410 --> 00:39:57,730 Is this what the elephants eat, as well? Yeah. Ah. 472 00:39:57,730 --> 00:39:59,410 I feel at one with the elephants. 473 00:39:59,410 --> 00:40:01,490 DONKEY WHINES 474 00:40:01,490 --> 00:40:04,290 I think the donkey's upset that we're eating his lunch. 475 00:40:04,290 --> 00:40:06,330 LAUGHTER 476 00:40:06,330 --> 00:40:10,730 Over millennia, these indigenous communities have developed 477 00:40:10,730 --> 00:40:13,370 a profound connection with the natural world. 478 00:40:13,370 --> 00:40:15,570 Do you like living with elephants? Is it nice? 479 00:40:24,450 --> 00:40:26,290 So, you're, kind of, like, 480 00:40:26,290 --> 00:40:29,170 constantly in competition with the animals, aren't you? 481 00:40:34,370 --> 00:40:36,050 "Ooh, ooh, ohh!" 482 00:40:37,970 --> 00:40:41,210 Has any of you had any problems yourself with animals or with 483 00:40:41,210 --> 00:40:42,170 the elephants? 484 00:40:48,130 --> 00:40:52,530 Your father? Really? Oh, wow, I'm very sorry to hear that. 485 00:40:52,530 --> 00:40:54,730 Has that changed your opinion about elephants? 486 00:41:10,650 --> 00:41:15,250 For these fisherwomen, it's a tough life on the edge of the delta. 487 00:41:15,250 --> 00:41:17,290 THEY SING AND CHANT 488 00:41:17,290 --> 00:41:20,250 And yet, despite all they've been through, 489 00:41:20,250 --> 00:41:23,490 they have a very different attitude to coexisting with 490 00:41:23,490 --> 00:41:26,490 elephants from some of the other people I've met on my journey. 491 00:41:36,410 --> 00:41:39,930 We only have ten miles left before we reach Kane's home 492 00:41:39,930 --> 00:41:41,450 village of Gudigwa. 493 00:41:45,210 --> 00:41:46,490 As we head north... 494 00:41:51,250 --> 00:41:54,890 ..on the only track connecting these small villages... 495 00:41:54,890 --> 00:41:56,610 ELEPHANT ROARS 496 00:41:56,610 --> 00:41:58,290 ..we regularly spot elephants. 497 00:41:59,930 --> 00:42:03,210 The people here live very close to their heavyweight neighbours. 498 00:42:08,090 --> 00:42:11,530 And as we follow this herd past the edge of the village... 499 00:42:16,410 --> 00:42:18,770 ..we see that it's a special one. 500 00:42:22,410 --> 00:42:25,290 In amongst the herd is a tiny infant, 501 00:42:25,290 --> 00:42:28,130 the youngest I've seen on my entire journey. 502 00:42:44,050 --> 00:42:47,570 Baby elephants can weigh over 100kg at birth and rely 503 00:42:47,570 --> 00:42:52,570 on their mother's milk for their first four years, but they will 504 00:42:52,570 --> 00:42:56,450 also start to eat grass and other vegetation within months of birth. 505 00:43:04,130 --> 00:43:08,370 But for a baby this small, it's a dangerous world. 506 00:43:15,850 --> 00:43:20,490 They depend on their mothers and the rest of the herd for protection. 507 00:43:26,410 --> 00:43:29,410 Watching this youngster takes me back to the beginning 508 00:43:29,410 --> 00:43:35,170 of our journey, 650 miles and 27 days ago... 509 00:43:36,250 --> 00:43:37,290 Hello. 510 00:43:37,290 --> 00:43:38,850 ..when Kane took me to the 511 00:43:38,850 --> 00:43:44,170 elephant orphanage to meet three beautiful, but cheeky young calves. 512 00:43:44,170 --> 00:43:45,970 Sorry, hold on. 513 00:43:45,970 --> 00:43:49,970 It was a wonderful start to a trip that's opened my eyes to the 514 00:43:49,970 --> 00:43:52,490 extraordinary yet fragile world of elephants. 515 00:43:54,850 --> 00:43:58,170 From female herds migrating along the Chobe River... 516 00:43:58,170 --> 00:44:02,570 You see a flash of grey and there's a herd of elephants right there. 517 00:44:02,570 --> 00:44:05,850 ..to tracking bulls across the barren Makgadikgadi Pans. 518 00:44:05,850 --> 00:44:07,570 Two bulls. You think there's two? 519 00:44:07,570 --> 00:44:09,970 Yeah, there's two here. 520 00:44:09,970 --> 00:44:11,690 It's not always been easy. 521 00:44:12,890 --> 00:44:14,570 It's about to come for us. Go, go, go. 522 00:44:17,290 --> 00:44:18,730 LAUGHTER 523 00:44:20,090 --> 00:44:24,490 Although it's been a magical and enlightening trip, it's also laid 524 00:44:24,490 --> 00:44:27,770 bare the huge challenges elephants face in their fight for survival. 525 00:44:36,290 --> 00:44:40,730 So, is your family expecting us or is this going to be a surprise? 526 00:44:40,730 --> 00:44:42,330 It's going to be a surprise. Really? 527 00:44:42,330 --> 00:44:47,970 Now, as we walk the final, few steps into Kane's home village, 528 00:44:47,970 --> 00:44:50,890 we're nearing the end of our own epic journey. 529 00:44:50,890 --> 00:44:54,010 You see the crowd there? That's home. That's home. 530 00:44:54,010 --> 00:44:56,290 Yeah. I thought you said it was a surprise. 531 00:44:56,290 --> 00:44:58,290 There's hundreds of people waiting. 532 00:44:58,290 --> 00:45:00,770 SINGING 533 00:45:05,170 --> 00:45:07,650 Is this your mum? Yes, this is Mama. 534 00:45:07,650 --> 00:45:08,610 Hello, Mama. 535 00:45:12,930 --> 00:45:14,010 Hey, hey. 536 00:45:14,010 --> 00:45:18,530 I'm moved by the warmth of Kane's welcome home and also 537 00:45:18,530 --> 00:45:21,090 by my entire journey walking with elephants. 538 00:45:24,610 --> 00:45:28,090 They're very, very intelligent animals, and seeing them, 539 00:45:28,090 --> 00:45:33,010 you see the emotions in their eyes and I've seen that in bucket loads. 540 00:45:33,010 --> 00:45:37,650 I feel I've gained a rare connection to these giants of Africa. 541 00:45:37,650 --> 00:45:40,170 Thank you so much for guiding me on this journey. 542 00:45:40,170 --> 00:45:42,890 We're going to be friends for life. We will, we will. 543 00:45:42,890 --> 00:45:44,890 Without this inspiring man, 544 00:45:44,890 --> 00:45:48,210 Kane Motswana, I'd never have got this rare 545 00:45:48,210 --> 00:45:51,810 glimpse into the lives of elephants, both the good and the bad. 546 00:45:53,450 --> 00:45:56,370 It's people like Kane, real ambassadors, that we 547 00:45:56,370 --> 00:45:59,690 should encourage to, to help support, you know, those 548 00:45:59,690 --> 00:46:04,090 initiatives where humans and animals can live together in harmony. 549 00:46:04,090 --> 00:46:07,930 However, it's a race against time to ensure that these 550 00:46:07,930 --> 00:46:10,330 magnificent animals don't 551 00:46:10,330 --> 00:46:13,930 join the thousands of others that have become extinct at the hands 552 00:46:13,930 --> 00:46:20,370 of humans. But as conflicted and as complicated as this story is, 553 00:46:20,370 --> 00:46:23,850 I do feel that there may be a glimmer of hope, 554 00:46:23,850 --> 00:46:25,290 that we can coexist. 555 00:46:56,530 --> 00:46:58,970 Subtitles by Red Bee Media