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| Fit for the Wild (III) |
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High above the African grass plains, craggy mountains tower with spectacular beauty, sparsely vegetated, buffeted by unforgiving winds and shrouded in thin atmosphere, these steep slopes and rocky cliffs harbor unique species.
The animals and birds of this environment survive in one of the most hostile habitats on earth. The real masters of the mountains are the birds. The smaller birds avoid the strong winds by staying close to the bushes. They are supple enough to find shelter in tangled branches and the smallest of fissures.
Larger birds, like the raptors, use this habitat to their advantage. Stretching their wings into the wind they glide on the thermal currents that rise from the plains below, scanning the ground for food.
But the masters of all raptors of the mountains of Southern African are the Cape Vultures. They are rare raptors, endemic to Southern Africa, breeding only on cliff faces, inaccessible to humans and protected from unforgiving winter winds. The cooling temperatures signal the beginning of the breeding season and a pair of Cape Vultures prepares for mating. Through winter they will endeavor to raise a healthy chick, protecting it from the icy winds and scorching sun, and foraging almost every day to ensure its steady growth.
(Earth Stories, CCTV-2, November 26&27)
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| Editor: Zhao Xuan CCTV.com |
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