African Safari

1

Climate changes and population growth

are threatening the natural equilibrium

of our planet.

Nowhere is the challenge

greater than in Africa

where the population

is projected to grow

from one to two billion

within a few decades.

More land is needed each year

to provide for this rapid growth

and vast areas of African wilderness

are vanishing at an alarming pace.

In years to come,

what remains of the untouched wilderness

on this vast continent

could shrink to a few pockets of fenced

in game reserves

that will be little more

than large outdoor zoos.

Before it is too late,

we want you, to join us

on a safari adventure

across the continent

to survey what remains

of the real African wilderness.

Look who's join us.

Welcome, it's good to have you on board,

I am Mara Douglas-Hamilton...

and I am Kevin Richardson.

Welcome to Namibia.

We're going to take you on

an incredible journey

across Africa all the way

to Kilimanjaro.

And remember there is just one rule,

please keep your hands and feet

inside the vehicle at all times...

Oh yeah, remember to have some fun.

Let's.

I am really excited to share

this incredible experience with Mara.

Born in a family of prominent

conservationists in Kenya,

she was raised among wild elephants.

Inspired by her close

connection to nature,

she has explored the remotest corners

of the continent

and is active in the fight

to protect African elephants.

As a child born in the suburbs

of Johannesburg,

Kevin who always had

a keen interest in animals

was not pre-destined to become

a world renowned wildlife expert.

But at the age of 23, a chance encounter

with the owner of

a Lion Park in South Africa

ignited his passion for big cats.

With a lot of hard work

and an amazing gift,

he managed to be accepted

by a large pride of lion

as one of their own.

To achieve this amazing feat,

Kevin broke safety rules in the book.

Joining us on the expedition

are location manager, Marc Baar,

field engineer, Hal Bowker

and balloonist, Dany Cleyet Marrel.

Dany has customized a balloon,

called the Cinebulle,

especially for this adventure.

Instead of a heavy basket,

the passenger sits on

a lightweight aluminum bench,

increasing the balloon's flying range

dramatically.

The propeller at the back

gives us the ability to steer

instead of merely drifting along

with the wind current.

As we take off on our maiden flight,

it is reassuring to know that

Dany is one of the world's

leading ballooning expert.

He has lead countless...

scientific hot air balloon expeditions

on all continents

and is the inventor

of a wide range of flying devices

used in the famous canopy raft missions.

We will count on Dany

to get access to some remote parts

of the African Wilderness.

The only draw back of the Cinebulle

is that it can only take one passenger.

So Kevin and I will have to take turns,

but today the pleasure is all mine.

My hair got all messed up!

A short distance from the dunes,

we drive east through some

of the oldest canyons on earth,

the gateway to one of last safe havens

for the elusive black rhino.

Numbering in the hundreds of thousands

a century ago,

illegal poaching caused their population

to dwindle to less than 2500.

Thanks to aggressive protection programs

in countries like Namibia,

the species recovered somewhat

over the last decade to over 5000.

But poaching is on the rise again.

Around 120 black rhinos

were killed last year alone.

Thought to have healing powers,

rhino horn is in fact mere keratin,

the same substance as our fingernail.

This protein has zero medicinal value,

yet it is pushing a magnificent species

to the brink of extinction.

A number of private game

reserves in Africa

have been restocked with rhinos.

But to see them in the wild

would be a real treat.

Extremely skittish and

fearful of poachers,

black rhinos spend most of their time

hidden in thick bush.

There is no guarantee we will meet

this pre-historic animal.

I think just up ahead here

is where the road forks.

- Yeah, looks like it.

- Did you see the Jackal!

- No.

- Over there!

I think this is where we turn.

Right about here.

Yeah. The river is on the right,

we head to the higher

plateau on the left.

Hi, hi, Captain!

I'm glad you know

who is in charge here...

Oh, give me a break, Mara!

In order to fight

the renewed poaching activity,

Namibia has made

vast areas of rhino habitat

inaccessible to the public.

On the express condition

that we do not reveal

our actual location,

we've received special permission

to penetrate deep into a rhino sanctuary

accompanied by heavily

armed anti-poaching rangers.

Over there in the hills.

- Is that where the hide is?

- Yes.

OK. Bye guys. Good luck.

OK, thanks and you too, cheers.

As Mara goes to her hide with Bazil,

I am taken to an even more secret place,

a water hole next

to a very remote research station.

A nearby radio tower

used by the scientists

could be spotted on Google Earth

enabling poachers to find the location,

so we have been asked not to show

any pictures of the surrounding area.

So Bazil, how many Rhinos

are we going to see?

20, maybe more.

I wish.

I can't believe it,

we've been here less than an hour

and already our first sighting.

That's Eliza,

she has the longest horn on record

of any white rhino in Africa.

You know her by name?

Yes, we see her quite often,

she's been around this area for years.

So we gave her a name.

This is such a great place

to view rhinos.

Unlike white rhinos,

black rhinos are reclusive

solitary animals,

seldom seen during the day.

But they do need to drink daily,

so they usually head

for the waterholes after sunset.

Using infra red lights

and special viewing equipment,

I hope to catch a glimpse

of the elusive mammals.

Let's see if Kevin or I

will have better luck...

See, a jackal!

He seems really nervous.

He must have heard something.

Hey, look at that, a leopard.

That's very unusual,

we seldom see them around here.

Did you hear that?

I think there are some

rhinos approaching.

A jackal, a leopard, a white rhino,

all in a few minutes.

There are more coming.

This place is amazing, it's incredible.

I wonder how Mara is doing?

Still nothing.

I know, but sitting and waiting

for rhinos is a patience game.

Look to the left Kevin, two more Rhinos.

What a night...

You are really lucky,

look at their mouths.

These are black rhinos.

These majestic animal.

I can't believe poachers would

shoot them just for their horns...

But not if we shoot them first!

That's one way to look at it.

They are very skittish,

look at their ears.

They know we are here, that's for sure.

Mara to the right...

Oh look, how wonderful.

A mother and her calf.

We must be very quiet.

See how nervous they are.

Oh no, they are leaving already.

What was that?

Something flashing over there.

It's an infra red camera trap.

That's how the researchers keep track

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