Africa's Kalahari is 100,000
square miles of dust and blowing sand.
But in this place where dry winds
vibrate with the sounds of life,
one creature lives
by the faintest whispers and cries.
These are bat-eared foxes,
and they survive here
because of their enormous, oval ears.
From their first days as pups,
they enter an unforgiving world
where their survival will depend on
detecting sounds
whether it's a meal hiding in the dirt,
or danger approaching
on silent at feet.
And at night, when vision dims,
they truly come into their own...
hunting their prey...
dodging those that stalk them.
This is the story of
one family's struggle to survive-
a year in the realm of the desert fox.
In an isolated corner of Botswana,
along the dried-out bed
of the Nossob River,
a fox we call Selene keeps
her small eyes and big ears wide open.
Together, she and her mate, Ajax,
have found a home
in this inhospitable land.
They've borrowed a den from their
closest neighbors, the meerkats.
Selene and Ajax need
the underground shelter.
It's November, early summer
in the Kalahari,
and the foxes are raising a family.
As afternoon draws to a close,
Selene heads off in search of food,
leaving Ajax behind to baby-sit.
Only three weeks old,
the pups are just beginning
to emerge from the den,
and Ajax is a protective father.
But these four little bundles of fur
will prove enough to challenge
even the most watchful parent.
There's Ajax's daughter,
Flash, and her three brothers.
Adventure is the explorer,
always first out of the den.
Kinky has a bent tail and,
as his father can see,
a feisty little disposition...
unlike the runt of the litter,
Little Joe.
The young pups are growing up
in a dangerous world,
but in this part of the Kalahari,
there's a neighborhood watch...
a meerkat sentry keeping an eye
peeled for predators.
Ever vigilant in a precarious realm,
the meerkats are extremely
protective of their young.
And what these animals lack in ears,
they make up for with their eyes.
A guard is always ready
to raise the alarm.
They spot the neighborhood menace,
a black-backed jackal on the prowl.
From a distance,
he may look like another fox,
but he's a definite threat
to their young.
Ajax senses the coming danger,
rising to meet the threat.
The jackal is bigger, but
when it comes to defending his pups,
the little fox is ready to fight...
...unlike his adversary.
The end of the dry season brings
many animals to the Nossob riverbed
in search of water
and a place to graze.
The bat-eared foxes' home range
can extend up to two square miles
of this scrubland.
An area
they constantly forage for food.
In daylight,
Selene often hunts by scent or sight.
Termites are a dietary staple
and it's no problem finding them
as they scamper in the dirt.
As night falls,
her hunt does not stop.
Instead, it begins in earnest.
The dark hours are a dangerous time
to be alone in the Kalahari.
But Selene is now in her element.
And all night
she will rely on her ears.
She uses those unmistakable ears
like radar
and they guide her to meals
burrowed underground.
By comparison, a scorpion is loud...
and dangerous.
But bat-eared foxes will eat them,
stinging tail and all.
The jackal also stalks at night...
and Selene's determined
to send him on his way.
Arching her back
and bristling her hair,
she confronts the intruder
and defends her ground.
But the jackal isn't up
for a fight tonight.
A cautious victor,
Selene sees him off...
then settles down to the
more productive business of listening.
This time her search is interrupted
by an unfamiliar sound.
It's another bat-eared fox, crippled, and on the run.
This little one was most likely
injured by a predator.
Now it will be lucky
to last the night.
Selene recognizes her own species,
but she can't afford to stay.
His injury is a magnet for danger...
and in the night,
danger comes in the form of lions.
The crippled little fox
never had a chance.
The Kalahari is home to
many predators...
and bat-eared foxes
are always at risk.
Next morning, Ajax is still keeping
watch over the pups,
waiting for his turn to feed.
Adventure is already up and about,
investigating.
Flash, on the other hand,
never misses a chance to get
in a little extra grooming...
and a snuggle with her father.
Little Joe and Kinky
stick close to the burrow.
There's relative safety by the den...
especially when a meerkat sentry
sounds the local alarm.
It seems some new neighbors moved in
during the night.
And the meerkats aren't at all
happy about it.
They're cape foxes
and they're not welcome.
They may be relatives
of the bat-ears,
but these are full-blooded omnivores.
They'll eat anything,
even a meerkat baby.
One cape fox youngster has been left
at the den
while its parents are off on a hunt.
He's just a pup no a real threat but
the meerkats want to bully him out.
They inch their way closer,
testing the wind,
just in case his parents return.
Then they set out
to give him a good scare.
The young cape fox is frightened,
but no more than those
who torment him.
The truth is,
even half a dozen meerkats
don't amount to much of a threat.
And now it may be too late.
The mother cape fox is on the horizon.
Cape fox parents may spend more time
away from home
than the bat ears,
but they do eventually return...
which could mean trouble
for the meerkats.
As the mother heads back
to her youngster,
the meerkat guards
are clearly agitated.
But there's nothing they can do
except stand by and watch.
With the father returning
to the burrow as well,
there's no question
they're outgunned.
The mother tends to her offspring,
but it's the meerkats
that need consoling.
They built this neighborhood.
But now it's been taken over.
They gather the troops and leave.
Safe neighborhoods are hard to find
on the open Kalahari.
They stop often
to check their surroundings.
For Ajax's family,
this departure could be a problem.
Their early warning system
has just fled across the desert.
In a dry riverbed not far away,
the meerkats arrive at a new home
one they excavated earlier.
Still, it has to be inspected.
Sure enough,
there are other occupants...
another family of bat-eared foxes.
The meerkats decide to stay.
The bat-eared foxes will chase away
any jackals that could come near.
While protecting their young,
they'll be guarding the meerkats as well.
For the second fox family,
the meerkat alarm system
is extremely useful.
There's always at least
one meerkat on guard.
The only other animals around are
a harmless group of ground squirrels.
The new place seems safe enough,
but the meerkats are always curious,
always cautious.
With new neighbors,
everyone's a little on edge.
Soon the guard announces
a real threat:
the menacing jackal's back
on the scene.
The male fox races out,
urging the jackal to move on.
At the other den, Ajax, Selene,
and the pups
don't realize the jackal
is circling back toward them.
With no meerkat sentry,
the foxes are more vulnerable
than ever.
Slipping through the shrubs,
the jackal gets very close...
...before he's spotted.
The jackal has been out-foxed
yet again,
but he'll never stop trying.
For all the animals here,
this is a lean and hungry time...
a time of long hunts
and little food.
At midday,
Ajax returns to the den to rest.
Daytime foraging can be rough
under the summer sun,
when temperatures of over 100 degrees
take their toll.
It's December,
the end of the hot dry season,
and the Kalahari bakes like
an open-air furnace.
Some of the animals here
are well-adapted to the heat,
but almost all seek out
whatever shade they can find
to conserve their energy.
Only the hungriest are out
on the prowl,
like this gaunt mother cheetah.
Ajax must shepherd the pups back into
the burrow to wait out the threat
as the cheetah stalks nearby.
Little Adventure does not know
enough to hide.
The cheetah calls to her
three offspring.
Luckily for little Adventure,
the cheetahs have another meal
in mind.
With the danger past, Selene calls
the other pups from the den.
Only Adventure shows little interest
in nursing.
He's well on his way to being
weaned.
Now almost 2 months old,
it won't be long before the other
pups follow suit.
But they still haven't lost
their interest in having fun.
There's always time for a good romp.
These rough and tumble games
may be practice
for more dangerous encounters
to come.
In the cool of the early evening,
games give way
to more serious matters.
The cheetahs have focused on
a herd of springbok.
The hunters eye their prey, waiting
for the right moment to strike.
The springbok are unaware of
the predators...
but these young cats are
still learning the rules of the hunt.
They launch their attack.
But it's too late.
The inexperienced cheetah
has let the prey escape.
Over the next few hours,
the cheetahs will test
their skills again.
By night, the cheetahs would
make the kill that eluded them by day.
Of course,
the jackal is never far off.
If he's hoping to find a meal here,
he'll have to settle for scraps.
All he can do is wait.
But other hungry eyes
watch from the darkness.
And the jackal decides to move in.
The cheetahs won't stand for it.
The scavenger continues
to lurk in the shadows.
Finally, the jackal can stand it no longer,
and grabs at the only thing it can
the discarded entrails.
And then the brown hyena
launches its assault.
Powerfully built,
with bone-crushing jaws,
the hyena is a dangerous rival.
The cheetahs won't risk injury
just to keep a few bones.
They've had their fill.
But as the carcass disappears
into the night...
the loss is harder on the jackal.
With their stomachs full,
the cheetahs settle in
to groom and lounge.
With all this action so close to home,
Ajax and Selene set off
in search of another den.
But moving at night can be risky.
The jackal is already on their trail.
And this time...
he's brought his mate.
Out in the open,
the foxes have nowhere to shelter
their pups if trouble begins.
Suddenly, Selene senses danger.
Ajax repels the first assault.
But this time,
the jackals aren't running away.
Selene looks for her pups
one's missing.
Little Joe has wandered off.
Ajax goes on the offensive.
But as he fights off the first jackal,
in the confusion...
the other goes for the prize.
In a matter of seconds...
little Joe is taken.
There's nothing Ajax can do.
The Kalahari
has claimed another victim.
As a new day breaks,
it's an unsettling time
for our fox family.
They've moved to a new home,
but paid a terrible price.
And there are more hard times
to come.
In this part of the Kalahari,
the rains are late this year.
The land has turned to dust.
The sun wrings...
every drop of moisture
out of the land.
The wildebeest are skittish
in the heat and with good reason.
As herds gather at the riverbed,
predators follow.
In these difficult times,
the lionesses are reluctant
to share even with their own cubs.
The winds that blow now
bring only trouble.
Sand storms are on the way.
Great clouds of dust
swirl across the land.
The animals wander in a choking haze.
But the parching winds
will soon bring relief as well.
Finally, the drought breaks.
The lions luxuriate in the shower...
and the foxes get a new lease on life.
The deluge may continue off and on
for months.
In February,
the rains temporarily subside,
and a new world is revealed.
The Kalahari has been transformed.
The Nossob is once again a river, and
it will draw life from miles around.
Storks arrive in search of
the hordes of insects
that appear after the rains.
Many animals are getting
their first drink of water in months.
Springbok find a great green pasture
spread out before them.
For the foxes too, things are changing.
These are fat times for everyone.
Even nervous meerkats
will take advantage of
this season of abundance.
The fox pups are growing up.
The family no longer needs
to stay close to the den.
For Kinky, Adventure and Flash,
there's a new world to explore.
The small animals
that endured the dry season
now find themselves surrounded by
the grazing herds
that follow the summer rains.
Gemsbok, springbok, hartebeest
all return to the riverbed
in this time of plenty.
For grazers like this wildebeest,
there's a banquet at their feet.
The bat-ears, like all the animals
in this part of the Kalahari,
take advantage of the bounty.
Ajax has had
a successful day of foraging.
He's got a gecko a tiny lizard.
And he's bringing home the treat.
For the pups, this wiggly snack
will present a new challenge.
Flash is still angling
for easier meals,
but her brothers go for the gecko.
Selene is only reluctantly
willing to nurse.
The pups are getting too big.
With a full set of teeth, they are
now well equipped to chew up a lizard.
A neighboring family of cape foxes
makes its presence known.
The bat-ears aren't glad to see them.
For the first time,
Kinky and Adventure show a Cape Fox
who's in charge.
Selene gives her feisty youngsters
a grooming reward.
While Ajax always pugnacious adds
a bit of bravado to the display.
Of course,
intimidating the youngsters is easy.
It may be a different story when
the Cape Fox mother returns.
But the belligerent Ajax won't
stand for any trouble.
The Cape Fox mother will keep her distance for a while
leaving her youngster to defend
for himself.
As long as Ajax is around,
the pup will have to wait
for his next meal.
As it turns out, there are big events
afoot for the bat-eared foxes.
As the sun begins to set,
the pups are heading out
to forage for themselves.
The whole family sets off together.
For Selene and Ajax,
this marks a turning point.
It's been hard work
caring for the pups,
but they're on the way
to taking care of themselves.
No longer tied to the den,
the pups can explore the landscape.
The pups...
and the family itself
are quickly coming of age.
In the Kalahari,
night is the time of the hunter.
And now the bat-eared fox family
can make the most of it.
They'll hunt like this for hours
and there'll be some surprises
along the way.
For the pups, this gecko will offer
another chance to test their skills.
Flash already knows insects,
but lizards still present a challenge.
Of course,
Ajax knows exactly what to do.
Flash begs for a bite,
but she must learn to catch her own.
It's time for Ajax to give her a lesson,
he stuns the gecko,
then waits as his daughter
draws near.
She's happy to try a morsel...
now that it's stopped running around.
Not far away the cape fox mother
is also out foraging.
For these accomplished omnivores,
catching a gecko is second nature.
The young cape foxes know just how
to handle fresh meat.
Even as pups,
they have the killer instinct.
A night-jar chose the wrong place
to rest.
These ferocious youngsters
will go after anything
from a bird to a baby meerkat.
But on the other side of the river,
the young bat-eared foxes
are still learning.
For Kinky, a scorpion is
definitely a mouthful.
Which end should he grab?
Instinctively, he seems to know
it's not entirely harmless.
But subdued,
a scorpion is a crunchy treat.
Meanwhile,
Adventure's inquisitive streak...
leads him off into the night.
But he's not alone.
The lion is closer than
the foxes realize.
And in an instant,
it's too late.
Selene searches for her youngster,
but he's gone.
For a moment,
Ajax seems to consider a run
at the lion.
But for all his posturing,
there's nothing he can do.
Another young member of his family
has been taken.
The family regroups at their old den,
seeking safety on familiar ground.
For the bat-eared fox family,
times are tough.
They've lost half the litter
only two pups remain.
The rains have passed
and winter comes to the Kalahari.
It's June, and Kinky and Flash
are nearly grown.
The land is dry again.
And food is dwindling.
But there are more than enough
termites around.
Their mounds are everywhere
in this part of the Kalahari.
With the cooler temperatures,
the bat-ears can forage all day.
Now that Flash and Kinky are grown,
the jackal is no longer a threat,
and he actually forages
alongside the family.
There's plenty here for everyone.
By now,
the grazing animals have all gone.
But an exotic visitor drops by
a kori bustard.
One of the heaviest of
the flying birds,
it's also come to partake in the termite feast.
The youngsters have seen
a lot of things by now,
but nothing quite like this.
Flash stays out of the way.
By August,
the foxes are nine months old
and their lives take another turn.
A newly mature Flash is leaving scent
markings letting males know
she'll soon be ready to mate.
But Ajax, the protective father,
covers her markings with his own.
Still,
Flash's instincts won't be denied.
While the family forages, Flash
is on her own persistent mission.
She's done her advertising,
and it's been noticed.
A young male fox has caught her scent.
Flash welcomes him,
and the courtship begins.
Over the next few days,
the two foxes will bond.
Flash isn't ready to mate,
but she's interested.
And her suitor, even more.
None of this sits well with Ajax.
Flash and her suitor
take their first tentative steps together.
He seems a little pushy.
She seems inclined to go along.
Ajax has seen enough.
Heads down
the youngsters beg for forbearance
Flash interceding as her beau
cowers behind.
But Ajax wants him gone.
His parental work done,
Ajax settles down with the family.
Flash rejoins them.
Her first flirtation has been
a failure.
Or has it?
Her would-be mate hasn't gone far.
He's just a quarter-of-a-mile away.
Foraging to keep us his strength,
he intends to stick around for awhile.
Ajax seems to be feeling complacent.
He's managed to keep his family
intact at least for now.
But Kinky, too,
has reached sexual maturity and
now he's in the market for a mate.
He leaves the family
in search of his future.
Soon Flash's persistent...
suitor tries another approach.
This time, he advances with deference
a young suitor seeking approval.
This approach goes over much better
with Ajax,
who allows the young suitor
to leave with Flash.
The young couple set off
to begin their new life.
Meanwhile, Kinky has discovered
the scent of an available female,
and in passing, leaves his own.
As night falls, the female's family
discovers his markings.
Kinky's potential mate
appears receptive,
adding her own scent to his.
She is, in fact, the fox next door
from the riverbed family.
Kinky tries his luck.
They seem a little touchy,
so he takes a low-key approach.
And it appears to be working.
Ears back, crouching low,
he's a study in submission.
The new couple leave the family behind and,
in time,
their courtship will begin in earnest.
Meanwhile, Flash and her mate have
moved to her family's first burrow.
But she's still not ready to mate.
When the time finally comes,
he's still not sure which end is up.
At last, he gets it right.
To help insure the success
of their union,
the mating will go on for days.
In just over two months,
the couple will know
if they've accomplished their goal.
With luck, there will soon be
new additions to the neighborhood.
By November, Flash has pups of her own
a healthy litter of three.
Despite the hardships of life
in this unforgiving land,
Ajax and Selene's bloodline
now has a chance of living on.
A feisty new generation of pups
has arrived...
desert foxes...
with an ear to the winds
that blow across the great Kalahari.