Earth Page #2

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before she comes over.

Oh! Missed a spot.

Finally, the stage is set.

Get down, baby.

It's a virtuoso performance,

but, unfortunately, she's a no-show.

This contender,

called the superb bird-of-paradise,

is a magician, with a special trick.

First, he advertises his show

by calling to attract a female.

And then, with the audience in place,

he begins to work his magic.

Now, that's impressive.

But she needs to step out

for a moment to think.

How could a girl resist?

Oh, boy. Well, not today.

These tropical forests

not only enjoy 12 hours of sunshine a day

all year long,

they also need lots of rainfall.

But as the weather patterns change,

there are signs that these lush forests

are starting to dry up.

Deserts cover one-third

of the Earth's land surface.

They're getting bigger every year.

This is a land

where only a few can survive,

a special few.

Dry season in the Kalahari Desert

of southern Africa.

Thousands of elephants have started

on their epic quest for food and water.

The baby elephants stride alongside.

It's their first road trip with the family.

The mothers follow the same trails

their families have followed for decades.

And all trails lead to one place:

the Okavango,

a vast inland delta

in the heart of the desert.

At the moment, it's dry,

but water should come.

All across southern Africa,

millions of animals are on the move,

on the same life-or-death quest

for water.

This tiny calf

struggles to keep up with Mom.

It's his first trip,

and he has a desperate need for water.

All his mom can do

is encourage him to keep going

in the heat and impossible dryness.

A dust storm

blows hard across the trail,

making it nearly impossible to see.

The mother and son move slowly

and become separated from the herd.

Without the protection of the herd,

the mom and her baby

are completely exposed

to the dangers of the wild.

It looks like refuge

just a few paces away.

But these dead trees offer no protection,

and the herd is already a mile ahead.

Mom knows the herd can't afford to stop,

so they move as fast as they can.

Finally, they emerge from the dust,

but the herd is nowhere in sight.

Blinded by sand, the calf

barely has the strength to go on.

This lone youngster

got lost in the dust storm too.

Thirsty and exhausted,

he follows the tracks of his mother,

but in the wrong direction.

Where dust and water combine,

the march of the deserts is halted.

Sand dunes give way

to prairies and savanna.

Grass is the great unsung hero

of our planet.

It keeps deserts in check

and provides the stage for many

of the greatest spectacles on Earth.

The great game herds of East Africa

all rely

on these vast life-giving grasslands.

But where there are herds,

there's always someone watching.

Every day on wide open plains

the world over,

a timeless ritual plays itself out:

the drama of hunter and hunted.

This is the circle of life

that most of us, in our urban lives,

have lost touch with.

They've been on the trail

for two weeks now.

The baby elephant and his mom

made it back to the herd,

but they're exhausted

and desperately thirsty.

The moms lead their herd

to a temporary watering hole.

It's not exactly the paradise

they were expecting,

but they're only halfway

on their journey,

and this place looks safe,

at least for tonight.

As the sun sets,

the elephants are forced

to share the water with others.

These are fragile alliances.

By day, the elephants

dominate the watering hole.

But by night,

the balance of power shifts.

The baby and his mother

are most at risk.

They are closer to the lions

than they know.

In total darkness, an elephant's vision

is no better than our own.

Lions can see easily.

The cats are ravenously hungry,

and the elephants know it.

The lions can bide their time.

It's the calves they're after.

The pride rallies for an attack.

The elephants herd their young together,

forming a protective circle.

The cats pace nervously,

looking for an opening.

They're waiting for the call to attack.

The calves are too well protected.

The lions will have to risk it all

and change tactics.

Against this elephant,

a solitary lion wouldn't stand a chance.

But the whole pride is here, 30 of them,

and they're expert elephant hunters.

Those who survive the night press on.

They're tired and frightened

and can only follow their instincts.

The sun that scorches the desert

also brings water to the land.

As it beats down on tropical seas,

moisture rises from the warming oceans

and fuels the global weather systems.

Moisture-filled clouds

from the Indian Ocean

sweep north toward the mountains.

As the air rises,

the water cools and falls as snow.

This majestic sight is the backdrop

for nature's most challenging migration.

In late summer,

demoiselle cranes have to escape

the harsh winters in Mongolia

by flying south

to the warmer climates of India.

To get there, they have to cross

the highest mountain range on Earth:

the Himalayas.

As the sun heats these great slopes,

warm air rises from the valleys.

By late morning,

it turns into ferocious winds.

The cranes hit violent turbulence

that throws them off course.

They have no choice but to turn back

for the night or risk certain death.

As the sun sets, the slopes cool,

and the turbulence falls away.

After a long night

in the frigid mountain air,

the cranes are ready

for their next attempt.

It's early morning,

and the warm air is already rising fast.

But this time, the winds are calmer,

and they can use the rising thermals

to gain height.

But as the heat rises,

the winds lock in again.

They're past the point of no return.

In the final ascent,

every wing beat is a desperate battle

against the freezing wind.

At last, they've made it.

They've conquered

the highest peaks on Earth.

On the other side,

there's a warm sanctuary for the winter.

The sun melts the snow,

and the waters begin the long journey

back to the oceans.

It's the great unending cycle of sunlight

and fresh water

that brings life

to every corner of the Earth.

For generations,

humans and animals alike

have come to depend on the great rivers

and their endless flow.

After months of drought,

the buffalo reach the end

of their long migration,

and the rivers begin to flow again

in the Kalahari.

As waters sweep through desert lands,

the Okavango is transformed

into a fertile paradise.

This is an Africa we rarely see,

a lush water world

totally reliant on a seasonal flood,

originating from a tropical ocean

thousands of miles away.

Most animals feel at home

in this life-giving flood,

but some aren't sure what to do

with their new beach front property.

After weeks of marching,

the elephants are exhausted

and struggle to stay focused

on the road ahead.

Mom is sure she can smell the water

in the distance

and encourages everybody

to make one last try.

They're just a few days away now.

The seasonal cycle that drives life on land

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