Gift Of The Rains: Africa's Great Rivers
tv show
13 total episodes
-
1 seasons
First Aired January 01, 2001
Genres:
Overview
In this series we choose 13 dramatically different rivers, each with its own unique characteristics, from the powerful Zambezi to the dry Hoanib River – a river that flows for only a few days a year. Each river flows through a different part of Africa, bringing life to dry deserts, flooding great plains and supplying constant water to tropical forests and bushveld. Some of the wildlife surrounding each of the chosen rivers is endemic, each species part of a unique ecosystem. The rivers have a formative influence on the lives of animals and plants that live along its banks and in its waters. Uniquely for television, we show detailed underwater sequences of creatures that live and hunt in the rivers of Africa. We follow the hunting techniques of the tiger fish, the protective instincts of mouth-brooding tilapia, the migratory instincts of barbel to reach spawning grounds, the eating habits of scavenging eels, and the hunting strategies of the fishing spider. Along the water’s edge, we show the nest-making rituals of migrant birds, the fishing methods of shoebills, herons and cormorants and the life cycles of frogs. And when the waters dry up we will show how terrapins, fish and mammals manage to survive in the harshness of their arid habitat.
Rufiji – The Perennial River
Season 1 - Episode 10 - 0h 0m
Air Date
January 10, 2001
Overview
The Rufiji River flows through Tanzania in East Africa, through the vast Selous Game Reserve – the largest reserve in the whole of Africa. It is home to a variety of creatures such as the unique Selous wildebeest, and is a precious haven for endangered animals such as elephants and wild dogs. The river flows all year round, always faithfully providing an ample supply of water. However, food is scarce for the herbivores during the long dry season, and hippos are forced to leave the water for long periods to graze enough of the sparse vegetation on the banks. The animals that depend on the generous river for their food, such as water mongooses, waterbirds and crocodiles, are much less affected by the drought. The predators are also very well fed, and winter is the wild dogs’ peak breeding season, when hunting is easiest. There are two rainy seasons in Tanzania. The first to arrive are the short rains, which only last for a few weeks and do not bring much relief to the vegetation, as most of the water runs off without penetrating the soil properly. The long rains finally come three months later. The Rufiji fills and the valley flourishes and blooms once more.