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Africa's Kalahari is 100,000
square miles of dust and blowing sand.

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But in this place where dry winds
vibrate with the sounds of life,

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one creature lives
by the faintest whispers and cries.

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These are bat-eared foxes,
and they survive here

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because of their enormous, oval ears.

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>From their first days as pups,
they enter an unforgiving world

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where their survival will depend on
detecting sounds

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whether it's a meal hiding in the dirt,

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or danger approaching
on silent at feet.

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And at night, when vision dims,

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they truly come into their own...

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hunting their prey...

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dodging those that stalk them.

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This is the story of
one family's struggle to survive

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a year in the realm of the desert fox.

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In an isolated corner of Botswana,

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along the dried-out bed
of the Nossob River,

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a fox we call Selene keeps
her small eyes and big ears wide open.

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Together, she and her mate, Ajax,

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have found a home
in this inhospitable land.

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They've borrowed a den from their
closest neighbors, the meerkats.

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Selene and Ajax need
the underground shelter.

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It's November, early summer
in the Kalahari,

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and the foxes are raising a family.

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As afternoon draws to a close,
Selene heads off in search of food,

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leaving Ajax behind to baby-sit.

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Only three weeks old,

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the pups are just beginning
to emerge from the den,

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and Ajax is a protective father.

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But these four little bundles of fur
will prove enough to challenge

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even the most watchful parent.

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There's Ajax's daughter,
Flash, and her three brothers.

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Adventure is the explorer,
always first out of the den.

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Kinky has a bent tail and,
as his father can see,

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a feisty little disposition...

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unlike the runt of the litter,
Little Joe.

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The young pups are growing up
in a dangerous world,

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but in this part of the Kalahari,
there's a neighborhood watch...

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a meerkat sentry keeping an eye
peeled for predators.

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Ever vigilant in a precarious realm,

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the meerkats are extremely
protective of their young.

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And what these animals lack in ears,
they make up for with their eyes.

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A guard is always ready
to raise the alarm.

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They spot the neighborhood menace,
a black-backed jackal on the prowl.

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>From a distance,
he may look like another fox,

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but he's a definite threat
to their young.

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Ajax senses the coming danger,
rising to meet the threat.

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The jackal is bigger, but
when it comes to defending his pups,

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the little fox is ready to fight...
...unlike his adversary.

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The end of the dry season brings
many animals to the Nossob riverbed

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in search of water
and a place to graze.

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The bat-eared foxes' home range
can extend up to two square miles

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of this scrubland.

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An area
they constantlyforage for food.

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In daylight,
Selene often hunts by scent or sight.

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Termites are a dietary staple
and it's no problem finding them

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as they scamper in the dirt.

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As night falls,
her hunt does not stop.

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Instead, it begins in earnest.

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The dark hours are a dangerous time
to be alone in the Kalahari.

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But Selene is now in her element.

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And all night
she will rely on her ears.

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She uses those unmistakable ears
like radar

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and they guide her to meals
burrowed underground.

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By comparison, a scorpion is loud...
and dangerous.

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But bat-eared foxes will eat them,
stinging tail and all.

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The jackal also stalks at night...

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and Selene's determined
to send him on his way.

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Arching her back
and bristling her hair,

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she confronts the intruder
and defends her ground.

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But the jackal isn't up
for a fight tonight.

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A cautious victor,
Selene sees him off...

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then settles down to the
more productive business of listening.

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This time her search is interrupted
by an unfamiliar sound.

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It's another bat-eared fox, crippled, and on the run.

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This little one was most likely
injured by a predator.

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Now it will be lucky
to last the night.

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Selene recognizes her own species,
but she can't afford to stay.

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His injury is a magnet for danger...

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and in the night,
danger comes in the form of lions.

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The crippled little fox
never had a chance.

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The Kalahari is home to
many predators...

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and bat-eared foxes
are always at risk

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Next morning, Ajax is still keeping
watch over the pups,

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waiting for his turn to feed.

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Adventure is already up and about,
investigating.

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Flash, on the other hand,

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never misses a chance to get
in a little extra grooming...

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and a snuggle with her father.

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Little Joe and Kinky
stick close to the burrow.

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There's relative safety by the den...

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especially when a meerkat sentry
sounds the local alarm.

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It seems some new neighbors moved in
during the night.

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And the meerkats aren't at all
happy about it.

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They're cape foxes
and they're not welcome.

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They may be relatives
of the bat-ears,

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but these are full-blooded omnivores.

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They'll eat anything,
even a meerkat baby.

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One cape fox youngster has been left
at the den

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while its parents are off on a hunt.

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He's just a pup no a real threat but
the meerkats want to bully him out.

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They inch their way closer,
testing the wind,

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just in case his parents return.

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Then they set out
to give him a good scare.

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The young cape fox is frightened,
but no more than those

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who torment him.

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The truth is,

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even half a dozen meerkats
don't amount to much of a threat.

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And now it may be too late.
The mother cape fox is on the horizon.

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Cape fox parents may spend more time
away from home

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than the bat ears,
but they do eventually return...

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which could mean trouble
for the meerkats.

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As the mother heads back
to her youngster,

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the meerkat guards
are clearly agitated.

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But there's nothing they can do
except stand by and watch.

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With the father returning
to the burrow as well,

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there's no question
they're outgunned.

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The mother tends to her offspring,

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but it's the meerkats
that need consoling.

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They built this neighborhood.
But now it's been taken over.

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They gather the troops and leave.

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Safe neighborhoods are hard to find
on the open Kalahari.

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They stop often
to check their surroundings.

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For Ajax's family,
this departure could be a problem.

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Their early warning system
has just fled across the desert.

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In a dry riverbed not far away,
the meerkats arrive at a new home

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one they excavated earlier.
Still, it has to be inspected.

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Sure enough,
there are other occupants...

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another family of bat-eared foxes.

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The meerkats decide to stay.

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The bat-eared foxes will chase away
any jackals that could come near.

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While protecting their young,
they'll be guarding the meerkats as well.

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For the second fox family,

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the meerkat alarm system
is extremely useful.

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There's always at least
one meerkat on guard.

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The only other animals around are
a harmless group of ground squirrels.

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The new place seems safe enough,

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but the meerkats are always curious,
always cautious.

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With new neighbors,
everyone's a little on edge.

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Soon the guard announces
a real threat:

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The menacing jackal's back
on the scene.

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The male fox races out,
urging the jackal to move on.

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At the other den, Ajax, Selene,
and the pups

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don't realize the jackal
is circling back toward them.

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With no meerkat sentry,

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the foxes are more vulnerable
than ever.

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Slipping through the shrubs,

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the jackal gets very close...
...before he's spotted.

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The jackal has been out-foxed
yet again,

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but he'll never stop trying.

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For all the animals here,
this is a lean and hungry time...

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a time of long hunts
and little food.

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At midday,
Ajax returns to the den to rest.

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Daytime foraging can be rough
under the summer sun,

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when temperatures of over 100 degrees
take their toll.

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It's December,
the end of the hot dry season,

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and the Kalahari bakes like
an open-air furnace.

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Some of the animals here
are well-adapted to the heat,

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but almost all seek out
whatever shade they can find

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to conserve their energy.

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Only the hungriest are out
on the prowl,

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like this gaunt mother cheetah.

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Ajax must shepherd the pups back into
the burrow to wait out the threat

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as the cheetah stalks nearby.

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Little Adventure does not Know
enough to hide.

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The cheetah calls to her
three offspring.

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Luckily for little Adventure,

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the cheetahs have another meal
in mind.

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With the danger past, Selene calls
the other pups from the den.

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Only Adventure shows little interest
in nursing.

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He's well on his way to being
weaned.

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Now almost 2 months old,

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it won't be long before the other
pups follow suit.

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But they still haven't lost
their interest in having fun.

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There's always time for a good romp.

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These rough and tumble games
may be practice

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for more dangerous encounters
to come.

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In the cool of the early evening,

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games give way
to more serious matters.

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The cheetahs have focused on
a herd of springbok

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The hunters eye their prey, waiting
for the right moment to strike.

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The springbok are unaware of
the predators...

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but these young cats are
still learning the rules of the hunt.

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They launch their attack

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But it's too late.

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The inexperienced cheetah
has let the prey escape.

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Over the next few hours,

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the cheetahs will test
their skills again.

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By night, the cheetahs would
make the kill that eluded them by day.

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Of course,
the jackal is never far off.

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If he's hoping to find a meal here,
he'll have to settle for scraps.

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All he can do is wait.

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But other hungry eyes
watch from the darKness.

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And the jackal decides to move in.

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The cheetahs won't stand for it.

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The scavenger continues
to lurk in the shadows.

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00:23:23,869 --> 00:23:26,838
Finally, the jackal can stand it no longer,

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and grabs at the only thing it can
the discarded entrails.

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And then the brown hyena
launches its assault.

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Powerfully built,
with bone-crushing jaws,

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the hyena is a dangerous rival.

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The cheetahs won't risk injury
just to keep a few bones.

203
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They've had their fill.

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But as the carcass disappears
into the night...

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the loss is harder on the jackal.

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00:24:26,898 --> 00:24:28,365
With their stomachs full,

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00:24:28,500 --> 00:24:31,628
the cheetahs settle in
to groom and lounge.

208
00:24:43,748 --> 00:24:45,978
With all this action so close to home,

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00:24:46,084 --> 00:24:49,747
Ajax and Selene set off
in search of another den.

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00:25:00,532 --> 00:25:03,228
But moving at night can be risky.

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The jackal is already on their trail.

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00:25:12,677 --> 00:25:13,803
And this time...

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he's brought his mate.

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Out in the open,

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00:25:21,353 --> 00:25:25,312
the foxes have nowhere to shelter
their pups if trouble begins.

216
00:25:31,897 --> 00:25:34,832
Suddenly, Selene senses danger.

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00:25:39,905 --> 00:25:42,669
Ajax repels the first assault.

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00:25:46,912 --> 00:25:50,143
But this time,
the jackals aren't running away.

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Selene looks for her pups
one's missing.

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Little Joe has wandered off.

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00:26:06,097 --> 00:26:08,497
Ajax goes on the offensive.

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00:26:11,670 --> 00:26:15,333
But as he fights off the first jackal,
in the confusion...

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00:26:18,877 --> 00:26:21,277
the other goes for the prize.

224
00:26:24,349 --> 00:26:26,078
In a matter of seconds...

225
00:26:26,217 --> 00:26:27,946
little Joe is taken.

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00:26:33,992 --> 00:26:36,392
There's nothing Ajax can do.

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The Kalahari
has claimed another victim.

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As a new day breaks,

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it's an unsettling time
for our fox family.

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They've moved to a new home,
but paid a terrible price.

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00:27:20,772 --> 00:27:23,935
And there are more hard times
to come.

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00:27:24,643 --> 00:27:28,636
In this part of the Kalahari,
the rains are late this year.

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The land has turned to dust.

234
00:27:42,027 --> 00:27:42,959
The sun wrings...

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00:27:43,028 --> 00:27:45,963
every drop of moisture
out of the land.

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The wildebeest are skittish
in the heat and with good reason.

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As herds gather at the riverbed,
predators follow.

238
00:28:06,951 --> 00:28:08,475
In these difficult times,

239
00:28:08,620 --> 00:28:13,785
the lionesses are reluctant
to share even with their own cubs.

240
00:28:25,170 --> 00:28:28,469
The winds that blow now
bring only trouble.

241
00:28:34,979 --> 00:28:37,447
Sand storms are on the way.

242
00:28:37,582 --> 00:28:41,348
Great clouds of dust
swirl across the land.

243
00:28:54,899 --> 00:28:58,198
The animals wander in a choking haze.

244
00:29:12,016 --> 00:29:16,316
But the parching winds
will soon bring relief as well.

245
00:29:24,963 --> 00:29:28,126
Finally, the drought breaks.

246
00:29:56,661 --> 00:30:04,966
The lions luxuriate in the shower...
and the foxes get a new lease on life.

247
00:30:18,516 --> 00:30:22,282
The deluge may continue off and on
for months.

248
00:30:35,433 --> 00:30:38,800
In February,
the rains temporarily subside,

249
00:30:38,937 --> 00:30:41,701
and a new world is revealed.

250
00:30:44,809 --> 00:30:48,540
The Kalahari has been transformed.

251
00:30:53,852 --> 00:31:00,155
The Nossob is once again a river, and
it will draw life from miles around.

252
00:31:01,192 --> 00:31:03,752
Storks arrive in search of
the hordes of insects

253
00:31:03,895 --> 00:31:05,954
that appear after the rains.

254
00:31:16,007 --> 00:31:20,467
Many animals are getting
their first drink of water in months.

255
00:31:22,313 --> 00:31:27,046
Springbok find a great green pasture
spread out before them.

256
00:31:31,155 --> 00:31:34,522
For the foxes too, things are changing.

257
00:31:40,198 --> 00:31:42,325
These are fat times for everyone.

258
00:31:42,467 --> 00:31:43,729
Even nervous meerkats

259
00:31:43,868 --> 00:31:47,065
will take advantage of
this season of abundance.

260
00:31:59,183 --> 00:32:01,447
The fox pups are growing up.

261
00:32:01,819 --> 00:32:05,220
The family no longer needs
to stay close to the den.

262
00:32:05,623 --> 00:32:10,959
For Kinky, Adventure and Flash,
there's a new world to explore.

263
00:32:34,852 --> 00:32:37,412
The small animals
that endured the dry season

264
00:32:37,555 --> 00:32:40,581
now find themselves surrounded by
the grazing herds

265
00:32:40,725 --> 00:32:43,091
that follow the summer rains.

266
00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,203
Gemsbok, springbok, hartebeest

267
00:32:59,344 --> 00:33:02,677
all return to the riverbed
in this time of plenty.

268
00:33:11,489 --> 00:33:15,949
For grazers like this wildebeest,
there's a banquet at their feet.

269
00:33:23,167 --> 00:33:27,035
The bat-ears, like all the animals
in this part of the Kalahari,

270
00:33:27,171 --> 00:33:29,571
take advantage of the bounty.

271
00:33:35,213 --> 00:33:38,546
Ajax has had
a successful day of foraging.

272
00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:47,653
He's got a gecko a tiny lizard.
And he's bringing home the treat.

273
00:33:48,026 --> 00:33:51,757
For the pups, this wiggly snack
will present a new challenge.

274
00:34:01,039 --> 00:34:04,031
Flash is still angling
for easier meals,

275
00:34:04,175 --> 00:34:06,939
but her brothers go for the gecko.

276
00:34:12,216 --> 00:34:15,083
Selene is only reluctantly
willing to nurse.

277
00:34:15,219 --> 00:34:17,016
The pups are getting too big.

278
00:34:17,155 --> 00:34:21,421
With a full set of teeth, they are
now well equipped to chew up a lizard.

279
00:34:41,312 --> 00:34:45,476
A neighboring family of cape foxes
makes its presence Known.

280
00:34:48,753 --> 00:34:50,653
The bat-ears aren't glad to see them.

281
00:34:50,788 --> 00:34:52,187
For the first time,

282
00:34:52,323 --> 00:34:56,657
Kinky and Adventure show a Cape Fox
who's in charge.

283
00:35:05,536 --> 00:35:09,597
Selene gives her feisty youngsters
a grooming reward.

284
00:35:15,446 --> 00:35:21,282
While Ajax always pugnacious adds
a bit of bravado to the display.

285
00:35:28,126 --> 00:35:31,425
Of course,
intimidating the youngsters is easy.

286
00:35:33,264 --> 00:35:37,462
It may be a different story when
the Cape Fox mother returns.

287
00:35:41,506 --> 00:35:45,067
But the belligerent Ajax won't
stand for any trouble.

288
00:35:57,488 --> 00:36:00,218
The Cape Fox mother will keep her distance for a while

289
00:36:00,358 --> 00:36:03,259
leaving her youngster to defend
for himself.

290
00:36:07,999 --> 00:36:09,830
As long as Ajax is around,

291
00:36:09,967 --> 00:36:12,458
the pup will have to wait
for his next meal.

292
00:36:24,982 --> 00:36:29,578
As it turns out, there are big events
afoot for the bat-eared foxes.

293
00:36:32,323 --> 00:36:34,188
As the sun begins to set,

294
00:36:34,325 --> 00:36:37,624
the pups are heading out
to forage for themselves.

295
00:36:41,432 --> 00:36:44,162
The whole family sets off together.

296
00:36:47,838 --> 00:36:51,330
For Selene and Ajax,
this marks a turning point.

297
00:36:51,475 --> 00:36:53,602
It's been hard work
caring for the pups,

298
00:36:53,744 --> 00:36:56,645
but they're on the way
to taking care of themselves.

299
00:36:56,914 --> 00:37:01,374
No longer tied to the den,
the pups can explore the landscape.

300
00:37:16,033 --> 00:37:17,091
The pups...

301
00:37:17,235 --> 00:37:21,433
and the family itself
are quickly coming of age.

302
00:37:34,785 --> 00:37:39,051
In the Kalahari,
night is the time of the hunter.

303
00:37:43,628 --> 00:37:48,224
And now the bat-eared fox family
can make the most of it.

304
00:37:50,534 --> 00:37:52,468
They'll hunt like this for hours

305
00:37:52,603 --> 00:37:55,470
and there'll be some surprises
along the way.

306
00:37:59,410 --> 00:38:04,177
For the pups, this gecko will offer
another chance to test their skills.

307
00:38:07,818 --> 00:38:12,915
Flash already Knows insects,
but lizards still present a challenge.

308
00:38:24,969 --> 00:38:28,132
Of course,
Ajax Knows exactly what to do.

309
00:38:28,572 --> 00:38:32,736
Flash begs for a bite,
but she must learn to catch her own.

310
00:38:35,046 --> 00:38:39,983
It's time for Ajax to give her a lesson,
he stuns the gecko,

311
00:38:40,251 --> 00:38:43,186
then waits as his daughter
draws near.

312
00:38:53,831 --> 00:38:57,961
She's happy to try a morsel...
now that it's stopped running around.

313
00:39:06,944 --> 00:39:11,904
Not far away the cape fox mother
is also out foraging.

314
00:39:13,951 --> 00:39:18,411
For these accomplished omnivores,
catching a gecko is second nature.

315
00:39:22,426 --> 00:39:26,590
The young cape foxes Know just how
to handle fresh meat.

316
00:39:35,172 --> 00:39:38,471
Even as pups,
they have the killer instinct.

317
00:39:42,813 --> 00:39:46,749
A night-jar chose the wrong place
to rest.

318
00:39:52,990 --> 00:39:54,617
These ferocious youngsters

319
00:39:54,825 --> 00:39:59,455
will go after anything
from a bird to a baby meerkat.

320
00:40:01,866 --> 00:40:03,493
But on the other side of the river,

321
00:40:03,634 --> 00:40:07,331
the young bat-eared foxes
are still learning.

322
00:40:08,806 --> 00:40:12,708
For Kinky, a scorpion is
definitely a mouthful.

323
00:40:15,913 --> 00:40:17,904
Which end should he grab?

324
00:40:19,250 --> 00:40:23,550
Instinctively, he seems to Know
it's not entirely harmless.

325
00:40:37,301 --> 00:40:41,169
But subdued,
a scorpion is a crunchy treat.

326
00:40:45,976 --> 00:40:48,410
Meanwhile,
Adventure's inquisitive streak...

327
00:40:48,546 --> 00:40:50,673
leads him off into the night.

328
00:40:51,482 --> 00:40:53,643
But he's not alone.

329
00:40:58,055 --> 00:41:01,081
The lion is closer than
the foxes realize.

330
00:41:04,995 --> 00:41:08,158
And in an instant,
it's too late.

331
00:41:13,003 --> 00:41:16,530
Selene searches for her youngster,
but he's gone.

332
00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:23,647
For a moment,

333
00:41:23,781 --> 00:41:26,978
Ajax seems to consider a run
at the lion.

334
00:41:33,591 --> 00:41:37,687
But for all his posturing,
there's nothing he can do.

335
00:41:39,196 --> 00:41:42,996
Another young member of his family
has been taken.

336
00:41:46,136 --> 00:41:51,597
The family regroups at their old den,
seeking safety on familiar ground.

337
00:42:07,358 --> 00:42:11,158
For the bat-eared fox family,
times are tough.

338
00:42:11,562 --> 00:42:16,226
They've lost half the litter
only two pups remain.

339
00:42:26,777 --> 00:42:31,339
The rains have passed
and winter comes to the Kalahari.

340
00:42:32,049 --> 00:42:36,145
It's June, and Kinky and Flash
are nearly grown.

341
00:42:51,368 --> 00:42:55,134
The land is dry again.
And food is dwindling.

342
00:42:55,606 --> 00:42:58,131
But there are more than enough
termites around.

343
00:42:58,275 --> 00:43:01,540
Their mounds are everywhere
in this part of the Kalahari.

344
00:43:11,422 --> 00:43:16,155
With the cooler temperatures,
the bat-ears can forage all day.

345
00:43:30,874 --> 00:43:35,743
Now that Flash and Kinky are grown,
the jackal is no longer a threat,

346
00:43:35,879 --> 00:43:38,848
and he actually forages
alongside the family.

347
00:43:39,149 --> 00:43:41,242
There's plenty here for everyone.

348
00:43:48,826 --> 00:43:51,818
By now,
the grazing animals have all gone.

349
00:43:52,096 --> 00:43:56,624
But an exotic visitor drops by
a kori bustard.

350
00:44:01,672 --> 00:44:03,970
One of the heaviest of
the flying birds,

351
00:44:04,108 --> 00:44:07,305
it's also come to partake in the termite feast.

352
00:44:07,645 --> 00:44:09,943
The youngsters have seen
a lot of things by now,

353
00:44:10,014 --> 00:44:14,951
but nothing quite like this.
Flash stays out of the way.

354
00:44:28,632 --> 00:44:29,656
By August,

355
00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:34,499
the foxes are nine months old
and their lives take another turn.

356
00:44:34,805 --> 00:44:38,969
A newly mature Flash is leaving scent
markings letting males Know

357
00:44:39,043 --> 00:44:40,977
she'll soon be ready to mate.

358
00:44:42,446 --> 00:44:46,974
But Ajax, the protective father,
covers her markings with his own.

359
00:44:55,793 --> 00:44:59,320
Still,
Flash's instincts won't be denied.

360
00:45:03,333 --> 00:45:07,531
While the family forages, Flash
is on her own persistent mission.

361
00:45:07,838 --> 00:45:11,399
She's done her advertising,
and it's been noticed.

362
00:45:14,144 --> 00:45:17,375
A young male fox has caught her scent.

363
00:45:20,250 --> 00:45:23,686
Flash welcomes him,
and the courtship begins.

364
00:45:43,006 --> 00:45:46,635
Over the next few days,
the two foxes will bond.

365
00:45:46,910 --> 00:45:50,004
Flash isn't ready to mate,
but she's interested.

366
00:45:50,147 --> 00:45:52,342
And her suitor, even more.

367
00:46:07,064 --> 00:46:10,158
None of this sits well with Ajax.

368
00:46:12,536 --> 00:46:16,802
Flash and her suitor
take their first tentative steps together.

369
00:46:17,975 --> 00:46:22,378
He seems a little pushy.
She seems inclined to go along.

370
00:46:31,155 --> 00:46:33,953
Ajax has seen enough.

371
00:46:35,993 --> 00:46:39,724
Heads down
the youngsters beg for forbearance

372
00:46:39,863 --> 00:46:43,128
Flash interceding as her beau
cowers behind.

373
00:46:44,268 --> 00:46:47,431
But Ajax wants him gone.

374
00:46:56,013 --> 00:47:00,609
His parental work done,
Ajax settles down with the family.

375
00:47:04,555 --> 00:47:06,318
Flash rejoins them.

376
00:47:06,557 --> 00:47:10,049
Her first flirtation has been
a failure.

377
00:47:21,205 --> 00:47:22,672
Or has it?

378
00:47:25,843 --> 00:47:31,076
Her would-be mate hasn't gone far.
He's just a quarter-of-a-mile away.

379
00:47:31,348 --> 00:47:36,115
Foraging to keep us his strength,
he intends to stick around for awhile.

380
00:47:44,895 --> 00:47:47,523
Ajax seems to be feeling complacent.

381
00:47:47,664 --> 00:47:52,192
He's managed to keep his family
intact at least for now.

382
00:48:09,086 --> 00:48:12,214
But Kinky, too,
has reached sexual maturity and

383
00:48:12,356 --> 00:48:14,916
now he's in the market for a mate.

384
00:48:17,995 --> 00:48:21,123
He leaves the family
in search of his future.

385
00:48:39,983 --> 00:48:42,008
Soon Flash's persistent...

386
00:48:42,152 --> 00:48:44,985
suitor tries another approach.

387
00:48:50,594 --> 00:48:57,966
This time, he advances with deference
a young suitor seeking approval.

388
00:49:06,643 --> 00:49:09,908
This approach goes over much better
with Ajax,

389
00:49:10,047 --> 00:49:13,414
who allows the young suitor
to leave with Flash.

390
00:49:24,261 --> 00:49:28,220
The young couple set off
to begin their new life.

391
00:49:45,515 --> 00:49:50,248
Meanwhile, Kinky has discovered
the scent of an available female,

392
00:49:50,387 --> 00:49:53,322
and in passing, leaves his own.

393
00:50:06,636 --> 00:50:11,300
As night falls, the female's family
discovers his markings.

394
00:50:11,608 --> 00:50:14,475
Kinky's potential mate
appears receptive,

395
00:50:14,611 --> 00:50:16,943
adding her own scent to his.

396
00:50:17,748 --> 00:50:22,913
She is, in fact, the fox next door
from the riverbed family.

397
00:50:26,490 --> 00:50:28,390
Kinky tries his luck

398
00:50:38,935 --> 00:50:43,304
They seem a little touchy,
so he takes a low-key approach.

399
00:50:56,153 --> 00:50:58,678
And it appears to be working.

400
00:51:05,862 --> 00:51:10,424
Ears back, crouching low,
he's a study in submission.

401
00:51:16,206 --> 00:51:19,141
The new couple leave the family behind and,

402
00:51:19,276 --> 00:51:23,042
in time,
their courtship will begin in earnest.

403
00:51:30,620 --> 00:51:35,557
Meanwhile, Flash and her mate have
moved to her family's first burrow.

404
00:51:35,926 --> 00:51:38,224
But she's still not ready to mate.

405
00:51:56,413 --> 00:52:00,975
When the time finally comes,
he's still not sure which end is up.

406
00:52:10,160 --> 00:52:12,685
At last, he gets it right.

407
00:52:19,069 --> 00:52:21,537
To help insure the success
of their union,

408
00:52:21,671 --> 00:52:24,367
the mating will go on for days.

409
00:52:32,749 --> 00:52:34,614
In just over two months,

410
00:52:34,751 --> 00:52:37,743
the couple will Know
if they've accomplished their goal.

411
00:52:40,423 --> 00:52:44,985
With luck, there will soon be
new additions to the neighborhood.

412
00:52:55,105 --> 00:53:02,011
By November, Flash has pups of her own
a healthy litter of three.

413
00:53:09,252 --> 00:53:12,949
Despite the hardships of life
in this unforgiving land,

414
00:53:13,089 --> 00:53:18,527
Ajax and Selene's bloodline
now has a chance of living on.

415
00:53:19,863 --> 00:53:23,230
A feisty new generation of pups
has arrived...

416
00:53:23,533 --> 00:53:25,296
desert foxes...

417
00:53:25,602 --> 00:53:32,337
with an ear to the winds
that blow across the great Kalahari.