The name Kalahari conjures up images of bleak, parched landscapes with animals struggling for survival – of days of unrelenting heat and nights of bitter cold. It is a vast area of land that stretches from South Africa’s Orange River northwards, for more than 2.5 million square kilometres – an area ten times the size of Great Britain. And yet it is also a land of the most exquisite beauty and delicate life forms, both animal and plant, all of which have had to adapt in order to survive the rugged weather patterns and harsh conditions……..
The stories of many of these creatures, large and small, are well known and documented, but there is one about whom less is known than most. It is one of the smaller animals, but also one of the most appealing in terms of its appearance, intelligence, amusing habits and eating styles. It is the Cape Ground Squirrel, small – cheeky – endearing, low down on the food-chain, and incredibly tough, the Ground Squirrels have had to adapt more than most in order to survive in the Kalahari.
In this documentary we follow the fortunes of a small sisterhood of Squirrels, led by Scarlet, a shrewd, tough little lady who is very adept at surviving in the harsh Kalahari conditions and has gained the respect of the others in the group.
They live in a network of burrows deep in the heart of the Kalahari and every day is a fight for survival. The constant threat from snakes, birds of prey, not to mention larger predators, means that ground Squirrels need to be constantly alert. Letting their guard down for a moment could have deadly consequences. Then there is the heat and the drought. Survival is all about adaptability and we see the almost miraculous ways in which these tiny creatures have figured out how to live in this remote part of the world…...
It is an uplifting story with moments of bleak hardship and struggle, balanced against other times of sheer joy and delight as these little creatures go about their daily routines…..
The stories of many of these creatures, large and small, are well known and documented, but there is one about whom less is known than most. It is one of the smaller animals, but also one of the most appealing in terms of its appearance, intelligence, amusing habits and eating styles. It is the Cape Ground Squirrel, small – cheeky – endearing, low down on the food-chain, and incredibly tough, the Ground Squirrels have had to adapt more than most in order to survive in the Kalahari.
In this documentary we follow the fortunes of a small sisterhood of Squirrels, led by Scarlet, a shrewd, tough little lady who is very adept at surviving in the harsh Kalahari conditions and has gained the respect of the others in the group.
They live in a network of burrows deep in the heart of the Kalahari and every day is a fight for survival. The constant threat from snakes, birds of prey, not to mention larger predators, means that ground Squirrels need to be constantly alert. Letting their guard down for a moment could have deadly consequences. Then there is the heat and the drought. Survival is all about adaptability and we see the almost miraculous ways in which these tiny creatures have figured out how to live in this remote part of the world…...
It is an uplifting story with moments of bleak hardship and struggle, balanced against other times of sheer joy and delight as these little creatures go about their daily routines…..
Facts: One fas\ct about the plumed bird of paradise is that the male birds dance for the females inorder to mate with them. the male will clear a little area for it to dance on and it would usually have a branch, twig, or vine for the females to stand on while they watch the show.
