Earth Page #3

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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.

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