Arabia episode 1
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00For centuries, an exotic but forbidden land has captured our imagination.
00:18Now, for the first time, we can explore this place of myth and legend.
00:24What we discover are extremes and surprises.
00:37This is a place where the ancient past is colliding with the future.
00:54But this land is also home to extraordinary wildlife.
01:13This is the story of the animals and people of Arabia.
01:24This is the story of the Arabian Peninsula.
01:37Sitting at the crossroads of the world, Arabia is bounded on three sides by sea and ringed by rugged mountains.
01:46But the story of Arabia must begin with her heartland, the desert.
02:00This unforgiving wilderness covers 90% of Arabia,
02:05from the rocky wastelands of the north to the south, where the largest sand desert in the world smothers the land.
02:15To understand how any life can survive here, we must take a journey through the dry heart of Arabia.
02:46One animal, above all, embodies what it takes to survive the Arabian desert.
02:56The animal that inspired the myth of the unicorn, the Arabian oryx.
03:05These beautiful antelope are the ultimate desert survivors,
03:19getting all the moisture they need from the vegetation they eat.
03:26Yet just 40 years ago, oryx were on the edge of extinction.
03:32Victims of their own beauty, oryx were heavily hunted.
03:38At one stage, only eight animals remained in the wild.
03:44But intense efforts to protect them have been successful.
03:51Today, over 500 roam once more in the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Oman and the Emirates.
03:59The key to oryx survival is keeping on the move.
04:05They have an extraordinary ability to sniff out distant rain,
04:11and will walk hundreds of miles to find the vegetation it brings.
04:18This same solution to desert survival was adopted by the only people to have mastered life here,
04:28the Bedouin nomads.
04:33The Bedouin owe their success to a remarkable partnership.
04:40Over 3,000 years ago, ancestors of the Bedouin tamed the single humped camel, the dromedary.
04:52The camel is almost as well adapted to the desert as the oryx,
04:58able to travel 50 days without water,
05:05and they carry their own food store to get through long desert journeys,
05:11a hump made of energy-rich fat.
05:24Although few Bedouin are now truly nomadic,
05:30they still raise their camels in the desert.
05:36But to find their animals enough food, they must keep them on the move.
05:51Salaf bin Hamad al-Houibi grew up as a true desert nomad.
05:58He watches for clues, like distant clouds, that might guide him and his clan to fresh grazing.
06:06Under the clear desert sky, the temperature plummets, cold enough for a campfire.
06:36Storytelling is an ancient Bedouin tradition.
06:42This is the land of 1,001 Arabian knights.
06:48Many stories are of the magical animals that avoid desert heat by emerging after dark.
06:55An Arabian wonder gecko on the hunt for insects.
07:01His eyes are great for night vision, but with no eyelids, a tongue is handy for keeping the sand out.
07:11An Arabian jerd searches for grass seeds.
07:17In times of plenty, jerds will gather up to 10 kilos of seeds to store in their burrows.
07:32One of the desert's most poisonous snakes, the horned viper.
07:38The horns are a form of camouflage amongst the desert grass.
07:44Most vipers lie in wait for their prey.
07:49But in the desert, where food is scarce, they must travel great distances.
07:55Mud winding helps grip soft sand.
08:10Jerds aren't travelers. They will not stray far from their stash of food.
08:16This makes them vulnerable.
08:22But tonight, the threat to this jerd is not from the viper.
08:28He's in someone else's territory, and he's been spotted.
08:34Food is so scarce here, jerds will fight viciously to defend their territory.
09:04Music
09:11Music
09:30As dawn breaks, the story of the night's drama is left written in the sand.
09:41A lone scarab beetle is late for bed.
09:52Coffee originated in Arabia.
09:58But with water so sparse, the Bedouin drink it low volume and high strength.
10:11Salif wants his son Hazar to learn the skills of the Bedouin.
10:19The most important of which is how to control a camel.
10:27He's been training Hazar how to handle these difficult beasts.
10:33Now it's time for a test.
10:41Father and son are setting off on a journey to an annual festival,
10:47where they'll compete against the best camel riders in the land.
10:55It's a journey that will take them through some of the harshest landscapes in the world.
11:01But journeying is what these people do.
11:07Bedouin have ranged all over Arabia for thousands of years,
11:13from the vast sand dunes of the south to the rocky wilderness of the north.
11:23This is the desert first mapped by Lawrence of Arabia.
11:38Stony canyons provide a sanctuary for animals throughout the Middle East,
11:44like Nubian ibex.
11:54These wild goats can only survive here
12:00because precious water bubbles to the surface in springs.
12:08In summer, the females come to drink at these pools every day.
12:15The pool is guarded by a male ibex.
12:19He has exclusive access to the females who come here.
12:27He tastes the air to see if any of them are ready to mate.
12:34But this is such a prized spot that inevitably he has competition.
12:46Getting the upper ground will be key.
13:03The males' skulls are specially reinforced to take a battering.
13:33They are evenly matched.
13:39The battle could last up to an hour.
14:04But when a third male joins in, no one seems to know who to fight.
14:15The party is soon broken up by a telltale smell in the air.
14:22The ibex are right to be skittish.
14:28Bedouin have always been skilled hunters.
14:41And there is an ancient guidebook to the best hunting grounds.
14:47Written in stone.
14:53For hundreds of years, the Bedouin have scratched messages for fellow travellers.
14:59Instructions on how to find grazing or herds of wild animals.
15:18But in parts of Arabia, the rocks tell an even more astounding story.
15:28These etchings are thousands of years old and they reveal a fertile grassland.
15:34Filled with animals like lions and ostrich.
15:40That no longer roam the Arabian landscape.
15:47The Bedouin have been here for thousands of years.
15:58At the end of the last ice age, 10,000 years ago, Arabia was green.
16:04But she has been gradually drying out ever since.
16:11And the drying of Arabia has played its part in bringing down civilisations.
16:21At Mada in Salah in Saudi Arabia and Petra in Jordan
16:27are the breathtaking ruins of the Nabataean Empire.
16:41Their civilisation was built on the trade of a precious substance drawn from a desert plant.
16:55The Nabataeans learnt that when cut, this tree produces strong smelling resin.
17:01At the height of their empire, this was more valuable than gold.
17:08When burned, the resin produces an intoxicating aroma.
17:14The sweet smell of frankincense.
17:20The smoke has strong antidepressant properties.
17:26Perhaps that's why this humble sap became a religious obsession from ancient Egypt to early Christianity.
17:33And remains popular today throughout Arabia.
17:41The Nabataean Empire flourished on the trade of frankincense.
17:47But as the desert dried out around them, the trade routes shifted and the empire fell into decline.
17:53The Bedouin strategy of keeping on the move became the only way to survive.
18:03The rocky deserts of northern Arabia are constantly being ground down by the heat and wind.
18:21This creates the sand that is blown south to form the vast sea of dunes known to Arabs as the Rub al-Khali.
18:28Or to western explorers, simply as the Empty Quarter.
18:34This is a landscape entirely sculpted by wind.
18:46Covering an area the size of France, this is the largest expanse of sand in the world.
18:57Individual dunes can be 100 miles long.
19:10Salif and Hazar must cross just a corner of this hostile desert to reach their goal.
19:28This is where camels come into their own.
19:34Feet the size of a dinner plate spread their weight and prevent them sinking into the soft sand.
19:40Translucent eyelids keep sand out of their eyes.
19:46The camels can walk on through the sandstorm, but they need their riders to navigate.
19:53There are no landmarks here, and the sand dunes Salif knew as a boy have long been blown away and replaced.
20:13The air temperatures here can reach 52 degrees centigrade.
20:20And the surface of the sand can reach 70 degrees, hot enough to kill most animals.
20:32The sleek scales and torpedo-shaped nose of this lizard are a clue to its trick for escaping the heat.
20:39But its name is the giveaway.
20:45The sandfish escapes cooking by swimming.
20:51Stirred like this, hot sand takes on the properties of liquid.
20:58Just 30 centimetres down, the sand is 30 degrees cooler.
21:13The midday temperatures drive most animals deep underground.
21:19In a special film, Salif and Hazar make their way through the desert,
21:26In a special filming burrow deep in the desert, we can witness a strange relationship.
21:35Dub lizards share their burrows with scorpions.
21:41The dub lizard's skin is too thick to pierce, so he tolerates the deadly tenant.
21:47And the scorpion deters unwanted visitors.
21:53It's a useful relationship, although good manners are optional.
22:03If the dub can cope with the midday heat, he'll have the desert to himself.
22:09And he has a strategy for just that.
22:15As a reptile, he needs to warm up.
22:21Black is the most effective colour for absorbing heat, soaking up 90% of the sun's energy.
22:36But on the scorching hot desert floor, the lizard reaches operating temperature in minutes.
22:42Rapid panting prevents his brain overheating, while he plays his most extraordinary trick.
22:52The dub's body is now undergoing a radical transformation.
23:02The black pigment drains away from his scales.
23:11His new pale skin now reflects most of the sun's rays.
23:22Making the dub the coolest lizard under the sun.
23:35Only one animal shares the midday desert with the dub, and it uses a similar strategy.
23:42The pure, white coat of the oryx reflects heat,
23:48while black markings protect its eyes from the brilliant glare of the sun.
23:57Oryx can travel even longer without water than camels.
24:04But even they must eventually sniff out distant rain to survive.
24:18One male is dominant, and has sole breeding rights with the females.
24:24But this male has become weak through lack of food,
24:30and a rival makes a challenge.
24:52The dominant male has been driven out.
25:00The herd moves on without him.
25:10The deposed male is old, and must now try to survive alone.
25:17In this brutal place, he may not last long.
25:36With food so scarce, many desert animals live in the desert.
25:43With food so scarce, many desert animals live a solitary existence.
25:52Using special filming techniques, we can recreate the drama of their lives.
26:05A lesser jerboa.
26:12A lesser jerboa.
26:23A hunter needs super senses to find such small, sparse prey.
26:32The rupal's desert fox has ears twenty times more sensitive than our own.
26:39The jerboa tries to hide, but the hole's not deep enough.
26:48The fox's sensitive nose tells him exactly where to dig.
26:57There's a sneaky back door.
27:03If he can squeeze through.
27:09Time for the jerboa to reveal his own secret weapon.
27:15Legs like a kangaroo.
27:25The jerboa can hop more than ten times its own body length.
27:34But long legs don't make it easy to hide.
27:42They come into their own when the only option left is to run for it.
27:49Sometimes, getting over is tough.
27:55Better to go under.
28:01The jerboa's quick, but the fox is quicker.
28:07The jerboa's only hope is to outmanoeuvre.
28:14And he has one last trick up his sleeve.
28:28Hairy feet.
28:34A shock of hair on the sole of his feet grips the sand for a quick turn.
28:44Desert survival requires sensible footwear.
29:00Tonight, the desert fox goes hungry.
29:07The jerboa's not the only one with special powers to survive the desert.
29:16The Arabian fat-tailed scorpion.
29:22Growing up to 15 centimetres long,
29:28her powerful neurotoxins kill several humans every year.
29:35She's hunting for beetles.
29:39She can't move fast, but she's got some special features.
29:45Highly sensitive hairs can detect the faintest of movements.
29:54And like something borrowed from the Batmobile,
30:00picking up chemical signals left by her quarry.
30:08She doesn't need to make a kill very often.
30:14She can survive up to a year between meals.
30:21But the scorpion is prey as well as predator.
30:27The desert fox is still hungry and not afraid to take on a scorpion.
30:33When the moon rises, he'll have more light to hunt and he'll have the upper hand.
30:39The scorpion has a trick to avoid being eaten.
30:45To see it ourselves, we must enter the ultraviolet spectrum.
30:52In the hour before moonrise,
30:58the air is filled with ultraviolet rays, invisible to the fox.
31:04And the scorpion has an early warning system to tell her that moonlight is on its way.
31:12Chemicals in the scorpion's skin are reacting to the UV rays.
31:18The skin of the scorpion has now become a UV sensor.
31:24Right down to her pincers, she is feeling the strong UV rays that are invisible to the fox.
31:32This tells her a full moon is on its way.
31:38It's going to be a risky night to be out.
31:45It's time to find shelter.
31:51At dawn, Salif faces Mecca for morning prayer.
32:21He and his son Hazar have nearly completed their journey.
32:52For Hazar, his first camel festival sounds ominous.
33:06There may be desert people, but even Bedouin can't survive long in the sand sea.
33:22Their supplies are limited, and ultimately they must always find fresh water.
33:33Luckily, Salif and Hazar are approaching their goal, near the edge of the desert.
33:41Beyond, the land rises abruptly into towering mountains,
33:48some over 3,000 meters high.
33:54Here lies a secret that helps maintain life.
34:06This natural barrier catches the clouds and stops their moisture reaching the heartland of Arabia.
34:17But this water isn't lost. It filters down, deep underground.
34:23And if you know where to look, you can find it.
34:36Zahir bin Hamad is eight kilometers inside a mountain,
34:42a waterway dug by his ancestors over 2,000 years ago.
35:13This water is not for use in the mountains.
35:19Its destiny lies far inland.
35:43Channelled over 30 miles, this water is bringing life to the desert.
35:49An oasis.
36:03This water is precious, and wherever it is found,
36:09there will be conflict.
36:15Zahir is the referee.
36:21He controls the flow of water to each farm using a system devised by his ancestors.
36:29He uses a sundial to decide who gets what and when.
36:40Each rock marks a share of only 15 minutes.
36:46Not long. Zahir must get it spot on.
36:52Everyone trusts Zahir's timekeeping.
36:58After all, he's relying on a celestial authority.
37:04As the sundial shadow swings into position, Zahir releases the treasure.
37:20Water that fell as rain over 30,000 years ago
37:26is now turning the heart of Arabia green once again.
37:33Zahir is the referee.
37:39He controls the flow of water to each farm using a system devised by his ancestors.
37:45Each rock marks a share of only 15 minutes.
37:51As the sundial shadow swings into position,
37:57Zahir is the referee.
38:03He controls the flow of water to each farm using a system devised by his ancestors.
38:09Each rock marks a share of only 15 minutes.
38:15As the sundial shadow swings into position,
38:21Zahir is the referee.
38:29Every oasis is a haven for wildlife.
38:35Herons and green shanks feed in the pools.
38:41Thirsty travellers migrating between Europe and Africa come to drink,
38:48including imperial eagles.
38:59Asiatic honeybees also come to drink daily.
39:10But their journey to the water is fraught with danger.
39:17Blue-cheeked bee-eaters are on the lookout.
39:48The bee-eaters arrive at the oasis each spring
39:54with one thing on their mind – breeding.
40:03Males try to win the females' favour by offering insect tidbits.
40:18If she is suitably impressed, he gets his reward.
40:40Oasis villages also provide a breeding ground
40:46that has fuelled every Bedouin journey for thousands of years.
40:59A fruit so valuable that expert pickers risk 20-metre climbs.
41:08Dates.
41:17Dates hold six times the energy content of other fruits
41:21and preserve so well that they last for months.
41:25The annual date harvest is the busiest time of the year in every oasis.
41:37Bedouin women come in from the surrounding desert to help.
41:43Without this simple fruit, the Bedouin would never have been able to make their epic desert crossings.
41:51And oases play another crucial role.
41:57Filling stations.
42:04After a long desert journey, a camel will drink up to 200 litres of water.
42:19Oasis towns provide a meeting point for far-flung Bedouin clans.
42:34Salif and Hazar have arrived in the Omani desert town of Al-Mintrib
42:40for the Eid Camel Festival.
42:46The whole town has come out to watch as rival clans compete to show off their camel-riding skills.
42:53Few youngsters these days grow up learning the ancient art of camel control.
43:04And the camels don't exactly respond well to an inexperienced hand.
43:22So far, the competition doesn't look too strong.
43:38But soon, the premier riders get going.
43:44This is not a race. It's a competition to show off your control.
43:50The goal is to ride camels in synchronised pairs, side by side, running your camels in a straight line.
44:06Hazar has never had to control a camel in such a frenzied atmosphere.
44:13But Salif knows just how to calm their animals down.
44:25Everything Salif has taught his son will be tested in the next few minutes.
45:12Salif reaches out his arm to show the crowd how close he and Hazar ride.
45:43Father and son win the day.
46:04The ancient Bedouin tradition continues.
46:12The Bedouin knowledge has been passed on to another generation.
46:18Now it's time to party, desert style.
46:34The relationship between man and camel has proved an enduring strategy for desert survival.
46:43But the Bedouin can't claim to be the true masters of the desert.
46:53Without oases to sustain them, they would never survive their journeys through the hostile dunes.
47:00Surely the master of desert survival is the animal that came so close to disappearing forever from this landscape.
47:12The oryx.
47:19Their ability to keep moving through the blistering heat, find food and ultimately thrive in this harshest of landscapes is truly extraordinary.
47:26Hopefully, now that they have returned to the desert where they belong,
47:32oryx will remain the living emblem of this mighty sea of sand.
47:55Long into the future.
48:13Filming in the desert posed many challenges for the Wild Arabia crew.
48:19And blinding sandstorms played havoc with their equipment.
48:26But their greatest challenge came from filming cantankerous camels.
48:38Just getting to the Bedouin's camp deep in the deserts of Oman threw up their first hurdle.
48:45The thing is I'm an excellent driver.
48:49There's very little that could go wrong.
48:56This is Toby's ninth attempt at crossing the sand dune.
49:06I've never been so embarrassed in my life. I'm handing over the driving to a ten year old.
49:13But this is no normal ten year old. This is Hazar, and he knows these dunes like the back of his hand.
49:29This is the team's first clue that they won't get very far in this desert without the help of their Bedouin hosts.
49:36They arrive at dusk in time to see the camels being brought back to camp for the night.
49:45Salif, the best camel rider in the land, is a man of few words.
49:52Toby tries to break the ice by offering him a coffee made with his newfangled coffee making machine.
49:59Hazar, will you grind for me?
50:06Perfect grinding, Hazar.
50:11Coffee originated in Arabia. Perhaps this is a way to impress.
50:23Then again, perhaps not.
50:28Salif and Hazar's race is less than a week away.
50:36And the team know they'll only get one chance to film the action.
50:47The next day, they head to a practice run to get a feel for what lies ahead.
50:58It's mayhem at the start line.
51:03And it seems the team are attracting unwanted attention.
51:10Filming these races is not going to be as easy as the crew had hoped.
51:15There's a lot more people, a lot more camels, and there's a lot more tension.
51:19And I'm only able to sit right back. I can't seem to get close.
51:22The local guys are saying I'm skitting out the camels by my presence, so I don't know what to do.
51:29We need to find a solution.
51:32This practice session has not gone well. The team decide to take the locals' advice.
51:37We're clutching at straws now. We're getting desperate, so I'm going to dress up like a local guy to see if that helps.
51:44This is perfect. This is perfect.
51:51What do you think, guys?
51:56They may be dressed for the task, but to fully blend in on race day,
52:01they want to gain a better understanding of the Bedouin and their camels.
52:05They're invited to camp with their hosts.
52:08Come on, let's go.
52:23Bedouins are famous for their hospitality.
52:26To survive in the desert, you need to look out for each other.
52:38Male bonding in the outdoor kitchen is coming along nicely.
52:43But perhaps the most sensitive task will be engaging the women in the family.
52:51No one is better placed to do this than camerawoman Sue Gibson.
52:55This is a rare opportunity to discover a more intimate side of Bedouin life.
53:04Salif wants Toby and Chadan to understand what it takes to ride a camel.
53:09We're supposed to learn how to run these camels.
53:12I don't think I've ever ridden on a camel, let alone ride on a camel.
53:16I've never ridden on a camel.
53:19We're supposed to learn how to run these camels.
53:22I don't think I've ever ridden on a camel, let alone raced it.
53:26And do we need to make a special noise?
53:31Sort of like an angry frog, isn't it?
53:37Abdullah, what's the name of my camel?
53:39The name is Samha.
53:45I've just had the names interpreted, and my one means fast and strong,
53:50and Chadan's means broken tractor.
54:02Salif is yet to be impressed. Walking is one thing.
54:06He decides to up the ante.
54:10Oh!
54:19Oh, time to get down. Oh, yeah.
54:23Oh, shukran, shukran. Well done.
54:28The day's duties are not yet over.
54:31Tomorrow is race day, and the stars of the show are booked into the salon.
54:36Go back.
54:38I've never spent that much time doing my own hair as I've just spent doing hers,
54:43but I think she appreciates it.
54:45The crew are settling into their Bedouin lifestyle.
54:49Who better to share stories with on a warm Arabian night?
54:53It's really lovely to get a moment like this,
54:57to sit round the fire and have some coffee, share some dates,
55:01and just spend some time with these guys who have been so kind to us.
55:04It's these moments that make it really special.
55:08Tomorrow is race day.
55:21Hundreds of camels and their riders are here to compete in the grand finale of the Eid festival.
55:31But will the team's decision to blend in pay off?
55:35Since we started wearing the headgear and the dishdash,
55:40I know it sounds ridiculous, but it really does seem as though we've been accepted more.
55:45There's a lot more intimacy with the men we're working around,
55:48and even the camels seem to startle less and be more accepting of us,
55:52so I think that was a really good call.
56:05Salif and Hazar's moment has arrived,
56:09and Tobi gets himself into prime position.
56:16For the crew, it's a thrill to witness this spectacle.
56:24And everyone's pleased to see Hazar ride so well.
56:28But it's only back at the camp that they get to share in the family's success,
56:33and their hosts get a chance to see some action replays.
56:49The team have made new friends in the Arabian desert,
56:52and even Salif is pleased with their results.
57:12Next time on Wild Arabia.
57:15We journey into the mysterious waters,
57:17and rich mountains on Arabia's southern coast.
57:21There is more life here than anywhere else in Arabia.
57:26Life that's sustained by a magical secret.