Africa's Last Secret Paradise: Namibia's Untouched Wilderness | Full Documentary

The majestic South of Africa. This region, rich in both mineral resources and nature, has a chequered history behind it. There are still people here who live as our ancestors did hundreds of thousands of years ago. Africa. This fascinating continent was the cradle of humanity. Rain. The long-awaited gift from the heavens. Following a long period of heat and dryness, intense showers pour over the savannah on a daily basis, only during the rainy season. The lioness takes a break from the hunt. She doesn't want to be bothered by her young right now. The Oryx bull can cool off in peace. The Zambezi passes through the extreme northeast of Namibia. Accompanied by rivulets and brooks in which the springboks refresh themselves. The rain moves on. The rare blue crane searches for worms and insects in the puddles. It is at home in the South of Africa, one of the most sparsely populated regions on earth. Once German Southwest Africa, then subject to the British and finally the Union of South Africa, Namibia first acquired its independence in 1990. In the rainy season, between December and March, many animals come to the green savannahs in the northeast of the country, in the so-called Caprivi Strip. Nature is full of wild beauty here, untouched and thus a paradise for animals. This pride of lions can dedicate itself to mutual grooming here, undisturbed. The Atosha National Park is the most important nature reserve in Namibia. The rain has allowed small lakes to form, which are now visited by many animals, water at last. Something has attracted the attention of this spotted hyena. The other animals of its group follow each of its movements. Magically attracted by a scent, the hyena follows its nose. The other hyenas decide to follow it. Is the coast clear? Some hunter, probably a lion, has downed a zebra here and left a lot of it behind. Its own hunt is cancelled for today. There is enough meat and internal organs for everyone here. The little jackal would also like to have a bit of the prize and makes use of an unguarded moment to steal a little piece of the big animal. Almost nothing will remain of the dead zebra. Hyenas and jackals devour what is left behind by the lions. The vultures, in this case, repels vultures nor on the bones. The social animals sun themselves after their meal. In the Bwabwata National Park, the rain has caused small swamp areas to form in which the black-backed jackals find all kinds of animal prey. However, this time it's not birds or reptiles, a young zebra has fallen prey to them. Although the jackals are small, they are able to cooperate when hunting to also bring down large animals. The Madumu National Park transforms into a meadow landscape around the Zambezi in January and February. Carmine bee-eaters, relatives of the European bee-eater, hunt for insects here. The chin and throat of the approximately 35 centimetre large bird are coloured a brilliant carmine red. They are not bound to specific habitats. They stay where there are enough insects and suitable ground for building their breeding burrows. The landscape along the banks of the Zambezi is rich in species and an ideal place for these birds. An eagle circles above the water at a great height. It searches for prey with its sharp eyes. A Nile monitor has spent the night in a tree in this wood. Now it is hungry and is searching for birds and small mammals, even for other reptiles. It picks up a scent with its long tongue. The eagle, which has descended to a treetop, has become aware of the Nile monitor. The slow-moving monitor doesn't have a chance. A post of the vervet monkeys is following the drama from a tree. The hunt for the monitor has distracted the eagle from its troop. The vervet monkeys would otherwise have been in danger because they live unprotected on the open savannah. They can find grass, fruit and water there. The hyena is thirsty after its delicious meal of zebra. It would love to take a full bath, but it checks out the surroundings carefully beforehand. A group of hippopotami are dozing in the shallow water not far away. The animals are good swimmers and spend most of the day in the river. It's also easy to move their tons of weight in the water. Hippopotami walk along the bottom of the river and let the water carry their massive bodies. They primarily eat on land. They graze on the bank for five to six hours daily and devour many kilos of grass. The lions aren't satisfied with greens. The pride circles ever closer around the fat prey. A hippopotamus weighs between one and four tons. Not a bad fighting weight. This is why, with the exception of one animal, the pride of lions pursues the hippopotamus from a safe distance. Two giants of the African wilderness face each other. However, as if responding to an invisible signal, hippopotamus and lion turn away. Inexperienced young lions won't take on the colossus. The young lions begin to play again. Play is more important than prey. The forest is not just a hunting ground for the animals. The San are the original inhabitants of Namibia. Some of them still live like their ancestors today, traditionally as hunters and gatherers. They are stalking a sable antelope buck by following its tracks. The buck still hasn't noticed that humans are nearby. However, its instinct then lets it know that something is not quite right. It withdraws to the higher grass. The poison arrows could also reach it there. But the animal is faster. The flight of the antelope has startled the pearl-spotted owlet, which was sleeping in a tree. It won't wait long enough for the hunters to tense their bows again. Those who live from nature must take what they can find, for example, a snake skin that will be turned into jewellery. The freshly skinned snake is no danger. It has to be careful not to be caught itself. The bushman can make use of practically anything. Because the day hasn't been very promising for hunting, the men begin to search for grass, herbs and berries. This is actually women's work. However, knowledge of the plants is important to everyone's survival. They have a liquid in their tubers that quenches thirst. The san minces the insides of the tuber to a pulp. It contains disinfectant substances that are used as skin protection, for example, against insects. The indigenous peoples who finally acquired independence after 150 years of European rule are symbolised by the red stripes in the coat of arms of Namibia. The Styrian-African researcher Franz Seiner, a geographer, was one of the first scientists to concern himself, in detail, with the life of the peoples in German South-West Africa of the time. He criticised the inhuman conditions under which they were forced to work for their colonial masters. In 1904, the Herero people rebelled against the occupiers. Tens of thousands of black Africans perished as a result. A group of spur-winged geese has landed in the Caprivi Strip and is grazing in the wet meadows next to African common spoonbills and a black-winged stilt. Wattled cranes primarily feed on aquatic plants. This is why they are so especially dependent upon rivers and lakes. However, if necessary, they will also eat snails and frogs. The featherlight jacana springs from waterlily to waterlily. It is hunting for aquatic insects and snails. The darter is looking for larger prey, as is the great egret, which will soon fly back to Europe to breed. A Veld's catfish is caught in a puddle following the end of the rain. Nonetheless, it's not easy at all for an African fish eagle to catch it out of the air without a good approach. Other aquatic birds are better on their feet than it is. Most of these birds are too large for the Cape Fox. It prefers to stick to mice, lizards or carrion. Although the flock of birds moving over the savannah attracts its interest, it suddenly senses the ground vibrating. A herd of elephants is on its way. It's better to move along. A mud bath is at least as good as one in water, and it protects against parasites and insects. Just like young humans, the young elephant also has to learn to groom itself. Termite mounds are as hard as concrete, otherwise the elephant's skin peeling would be sure to go wrong. A second termite mound has been discovered by hornbills. These hornbills use their curved bills to fish in the termite passages for the inhabitants. The neighbours are upset. The savannah monitor and the snake. The red-billed hornbill scans the branches and the grass for insects. The variety of hornbill species is endless. The African grey hornbills are sitting in these treetops. The Baobab is the most beautiful of all African trees. It is the home of spirits and gods in many legends and myths. It offers protection to many animals and is its own cosmos. It provides the inhabitants of the savannah with edible fruit, natural minerals like bark or leaves and sap for drinking. The tree squirrel lives in a labyrinth of branches and cavities. The fruit is edible and tastes sour. It contains a great deal of vitamin C. Where water is scarce, nature makes use of every rock crevice that can contain moisture to create life. The Makalani or real fan palms store water in more than 2,000 nuts, which they grow over the course of the year. The noble papyrus grass was the source of scrolls in ancient Egypt. Today it is still used regionally as weaving material. The rich vegetation is symbolized by the green in the coat of arms of Namibia. The brilliant yellow African mast weaver builds its artistic nests near the river because it finds flexible blades of grass there. It works on its architectural masterpieces for five days. It's just getting started. It removes superfluous leaves so that its enemies can't approach unnoticed. The lilac-breasted roller is no threat. It specializes in spiders and scorpions. The black-shouldered kite, on the other hand, also eats young birds in addition to small mammals. The greater kudu is a typical inhabitant of the savannah. It needs the expanses of the savannah as well as the bush and underbrush as cover. Here it hides when threatened. It can eat poisonous leaves avoided by other animals. The warthog also isn't choosy when looking for food. Like the European boar, it is an omnivore. And like all pigs, it likes to root and roll in the mud. A special luxury because water is rare. The warthogs are also called Radio Africa locally because their tails stand up like an antenna. The kudus have avoided the lively pig and have withdrawn from the watering hole. Several red-necked falcons are on the lookout for prey from their perch. The striped skink, a small lizard, has to be careful. Retreat and concealment in the underbrush is the correct strategy here. A herd of impalas has appeared on the other side of the watering hole. Like the kudus, they can jump gigantic distances and reach high speeds in flight. The young animals are relaxed and have a lot of extra energy. The bucks learn how to assert themselves against rivals by playing, while the fawns learn to provide care from the mother. A wild dog is thirsty and leaves its pack to drink at the watering hole. The other members of the pack are too lazy to move in the midday heat. Suddenly several kudus appear. They have carelessly distanced themselves from the herd. The pack comes back to life. Let's get out of here and back to the others. The animals find protection in the herd, and the wild dogs have achieved their goal. It's peaceful in their territory again. However, the kudu herd has moved into the breeding area of these African lapwings. The birds try to drive away the kudus with brash behaviour. They fearlessly stand in the way of the hoofed animals. The bucks are fighting out a new hierarchy. All other animals withdraw when the lions appear. The big cats encircle the watering hole in their search for prey. The giraffes are too large and they have a better overview. But the pride can wait. The actual hunting time only begins after sundown. Only one lioness follows its nose unquestioningly. It has picked up the scent of a zebra on its own, away from the herd, unprotected. The giraffes prefer not to take their chances in a fight. The pride of lions is too lethargic to pursue. It is still too hot for a sprint, so the unsuccessful hunter seeks out a quiet spot at the watering hole. At least, that was her intention. It might be better to stay out of the way of the frustrated lion. The giraffes have grown restless. But then the lion turns away and they can continue with their yoga and drinking. Another lioness has caught its prey while the head of the pride was distracted. The young animals tear apart the nutritious flesh of an antelope. A little off to the side, the lion has secured the antelope's skull and ribcage. A somewhat modest meal. He doesn't have much of an appetite for it. There is more to be found with another lioness. There is also enough meat on her bountiful prey for the lion. The animals rest after eating. The lions don't go hunting again this night. The queen widows are among the first to awake in the morning. They drink at an old watering place. The watering place of Garub once supplied the horses of the German cavalry, which fought here against South Africa in the First World War. The troops left their horses behind when they withdrew. Their descendants live here in the south of Namibia almost like wild horses, at temperatures of up to 45 degrees, but in freedom. The elephants have also adapted to the extreme aridity of Namibia and can travel up to 70 kilometers before they find water. They can survive for up to four days without water, but then they drink up to 150 liters in a day. In the dry season, the elephants come from all directions to the Madumo National Park in the northwest of the country, where there is still water. They even wander over the border with Zambia. The rare blue crane observes the bathing fun of the pachyderms. Farther to the west, in Atosha National Park, there are gigantic herds of zebra. These here are plain zebras. Because they used to be hunted for their meat and their coat, and because humans spread out more and more, African zebras live in only a few small nature reserves. The striped pattern of the coat appears to drive off the bothersome horseflies and also serves as a kind of postal code. This is how the foals find their mothers. The stripes also help the individual animals of a herd to visually merge with one another. Only single animals fall victim to the big cats. This animal has escaped again. However, the thirst for water also involves other dangers. The Nile crocodile may primarily feed on fish. However, it won't turn up its nose at a zebra when they cross paths. Whether on land or in the water, the up to 4 meter long animals are lightning fast when they want to be. Most of the time, however, they hardly move and thus trick their victims. They lie in the water like a dead log. The long jaws with the terrifying teeth are hardly to be seen. This crocodile has killed a gnu. The sharp teeth tear it into bite-sized pieces. The coemdo, a tributary of the Zambezi, passes through the northeast of Namibia. A group of springboks are standing on the bank. The animals have this name because they can jump up to 3 meters in the air from a standing position. They eat tubers and grass. This springbok was moving about in the underbrush. The springboks were nearly exterminated by intensive hunting in the 19th century. However, thanks to special protective measures, there are now once again about a half a million of these delicate animals in Africa. The young antelope is only accompanied by the mother for around 6 months. By then, it must have learned to survive in the wilderness. Their instinct tells the springboks that their lives are in danger. The leopard is an enemy to be taken seriously. Springboks are just the right size to become one of its victims. The African buffalo also take to their heels. Like a human hunter, it retreats to a perch and lies in wait there for prey. This specimen, however, has succumbed to the temptation of an afternoon nap. The San, who used to be called the Bushmen, are one of the original inhabitants of Namibia. Some still live as hunters and gatherers. These men make weapons. They grind plants to create bows from the fibers. Although the San are dark-skinned, they are genetically very different from their black African neighbors. Over the course of time, they have adapted so perfectly to the extremely hot climate that other peoples have hardly mixed with them. This exceptional genetic trait of a people is unique in the world. The men can also bring down fast animals like zebras or antelopes. They chase them on foot with great endurance until the animals collapse. The children are born outside of the camp and are only accepted into the community with a return of the mother. The San live in harmony with nature and never take more than they need. Their un-warlike behavior has made them victims of the earlier colonial rulers and later of other African peoples. Only a few of them can still wander as nomads. Their habitat has also become cramped. This man still lives like his ancestors. However, many other Bushmen must hire themselves out to farms and live in slums at the edges of the cities. Alcoholism is a widespread problem. The men are trackers and responsible for hunting. The women gather fruits, berries and roots and are the healers of the tribe. The huts are quickly built from branches and grass and soon deserted again. However, although the San live as nomads, their social cohesion is strong. Dancers are important for the cohesion of the clans. Many of the dancers invoke the spirits of nature, archaic rituals in a modern world. The white in the coat of arms stands for the unity of the peoples. Community offers protection, but it's not always easy. This also applies to elephants, which have a pronounced social life extending to disputes. These two aren't really fighting. They are testing their strength and neither of them wants to be the loser. The wrangling makes the slender mongoose nervous. One elephant pushes the other forward with its forehead until it gives up. The matter has been decided. Many animals come to drink at this bend in the Kwanda River, the horseshoe. The slender mongoose finds insects, lizards and birds here. It can even hunt and kill poisonous snakes. However, it must take care with the martial eagle. It is the largest predatory bird of Africa and even attacks goats. However, its species is declining. Several mongooses cavort in a meadow, which the blue crane doesn't much care for at all. The boisterous predators could pinch its legs. The noise also scares off reptiles and small mammals. The bird and the mongooses are competitors for food. The crane makes itself as large as possible to make an impression. The mongooses are hardly impressed and aren't initially bothered. However, the bird soon gets some support. A second crane has landed and drives the mongooses away from the meadow. The flap-necked chameleon hunts insects, for example moths, in the treetops. This one has an eye pattern on the wings to deter its enemies. Flap-necked chameleons are only seldom found on the ground. This animal has detected a moth. It also protects itself with daunting eyes on its scaled wings. The chameleon discovers a flying insect that is less intimidating and very carefully starts its ascent. While the drama in the tree runs its course, a herd of African buffalo grazes on the riverbank. Stoically and in no rush, the wild cattle wander through the river meadows. Even lions and leopards have respect for these heavyweights, which can grow to be as heavy as one ton. The hunt and the cattle plague brought from Europe also brought about the extinction of the African buffalo, but they have found a new home in the national parks. Their reputation as especially aggressive animals is also unfounded. They only become dangerous when they feel threatened, but that is very seldom. The savannah is just one gigantic playground for these three little jackals. They are so caught up in play that they don't even notice a guinea fowl searching for worms and insects very close by. Even the calls of another animal from their family group can't tear them away from their play. It will have to hunt the guinea fowl on its own. The African mast weaver we observed building its nest at the start has, in the meantime, already had its topping out celebration. The outer shell is already standing, or more appropriately, hanging. Now only the cushioning for the inside of the nest is missing. The nest entrance is at the bottom for the protection of the young. Other African mast weaver males are also working on their constructions. The best architect ultimately gets the female. Here she is inspecting one of the nests. If she likes it, the winner is decided upon. The African fish eagle has caught a big fish and is now tearing it apart in peace on land. Watched by a fig parrot. African fish eagles also eat flamingos and storks, and sometimes even small crocodiles fall victim to their talons. They watch for their next prey with sharp eyes from a perch in a high tree. Whatever is too heavy to carry into the tree is eaten on the riverbank. The powerful African fish eagle is the heraldic animal of Namibia. A filling station at the edge of the savannah. A meerkat digs dozens of holes here in its search for insects. A herd of springboks passes by. A leopard has been following it at a distance and waits for an opportunity. The meerkat would be less strenuous prey for it. However, it has recognized the danger and flees. The leopard has to hunt an animal from the herd after all. The prey is killed with a neck bite before it is torn apart and eaten. The other animals of the herd watch this. They don't run away because they instinctively know that the leopard is now occupied. However, they do draw together in a dense herd because big cats only prey on animals isolated from the group. The leopard now brings its prey to the top of a tree where it can eat in peace and watch over the cadaver. With their brilliant dress of feathers, the swallow-tailed bee-eaters are one of the most beautiful birds in the world. They are very social birds and feed one another. In this case, the food also serves as a breeding gift for mating. As bee-eaters, they can also disarm and eat prickly insects. They set up their breeding colonies in cavities in sandy banks along the water where they find enough insects. There is also no shortage of fish here on the Zambezi. Tourists come here for sport fishing. Traditional fishing is quieter. The hammerkop has its own technique for digging up the smallest life-forms from the ground. It locates food with its feet. The wood sandpiper fishes with its pointed bill. Even the otherwise carrion-eating marabou searches for fish. The wilderness of Namibia is a beautiful paradise. A fifth of the country is under conservation. One hundred and thirty thousand square kilometres, an area more than one and a half times the size of Austria. Over millennia, the cycle between extreme heat and the fruitful rainy season has created a unique biotopia. A habitat as fascinating as it is rich in contrasts, home to a large variety of animal species. Namibia is a paradise that is as hot as hell, grateful for every drop that falls from the heavens.