Splash and dash
BBC2, 9pm FOUR orphaned warthogs come bounding into shot – it only took them 45 minutes to discover the brand new waterhole.
The siblings roll around in the mud to cool down, enjoying themselves immensely until an elephant stomps towards them and they scarper.
These are scenes in this brand-new stunning series with naturalist Chris Packham and biologist Ella Al-Shamahi.
With the aim of uncovering the complex dynamics of the waterhole, a team has arrived in the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve in Tanzania and made the first one to have a built-in specialist camera rig.
It has a half-submerged, weatherproof hideaway with cameras filming 24/7 over a period of six months. The result is this incredible insight into the lives of some of Africa’s most iconic animals and the important role of water amid climate change.
It’s the beginning of the dry season when we first drop in. A waterhole is the one place all animals gather – and it’s a fight for survival.
“This is the story of life and death at the waterhole,” says Chris. “We don’t know who will turn up and in what number.” It doesn’t take long to find out, with the warthogs the first visitors to arrive, swiftly followed by a couple of elephants and later – when the coast is clear – some nervous impala.
Lions, leopards and giraffes are nearby too… but will they appear?
It’s tense, magical and truly fascinating, with plenty of facts and figures from experts hiding out by this African community drinking hole.