Ethiopia.
Home to some of the rarest creatures on earth.
Many of which are found nowhere else.
Here every day is a battle for survival,
Among enchanted forests
and Alpine giants.
These are the Simien mountains -
the roof of Africa.
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In the north east of Africa
there's a place where animals tread precarious paths
through the clouds.
Fog shrouds the fertile earth
and fills the clean air.
Plants grow in abundance,
from the mystical
to the bizarre.
Among the peaks
live creatures found only here.
They are mountain specialists,
cut off from the outside world for eons
by cliffs plunging 5,000 feet.
Life here has evolved to thrive
in this isolated alpine environment.
Days average a full 35 degrees Fahrenheit colder
than the surrounding lowlands.
Nights regularly plummet below freezing.
Clouds roll in without a moment's notice,
eradicating visibility.
Sure-footedness is essential for survival.
This highland domain is in the northern corner of Ethiopia.
The Simien Mountains National Park
covers just less than 85 square miles.
It includes some of the country's
most spectacular terrain.
These mountains that reach more than 14,800 feet high,
originated through volcanic activity
40 million years ago.
As thick layers of erupting lava
cooled and accumulated on the surface,
they were raised to even greater elevations
by a giant plume of magma beneath the earth's crust.
Millennia of erosion carved out the sheer precipices seen today,
leaving towering peaks
and high plateaus.
Mystical trees grow on the slopes below 12,000 feet.
Remarkably these tree heaths are a type of heather,
also called Erica.
Rooted in rich volcanic soil,
here they transcend the lowly shrubs of their family
to become forests.
As wind pushes warm lowland air up the mountains,
it condenses to flood the forests in fog.
It's a blanket of life-giving moisture.
But the fog isn't the only visitor
in the Erica forest this morning.
A group of Geladas
has started its journey to the mountain's higher plateaus,
where they'll spend the day feeding in the grasslands.
It's a daily trip they make between feeding grounds up high,
and their resting place lower down the mountain.
Every step of the way is a game for the youngsters,
and they use the mountain as their playground.
Geladas are the last remaining species of a once abundant group
of exclusively grass-grazing primates.
Today their sole refuge is the mountains of Ethiopia,
where lush high-altitude grasses grow in abundance.
Social bonds rule the dynamics of the group.
Although the bold male seems to be in charge of his harem,
it's the females that make the decisions here.
Including whether or not he can stay.
If he does not groom his harem enough,
they'll choose another male to replace him.
Geladas are incredibly vocal creatures.
Their call, known as a 'wobble',
is more complex than the basic noises uttered by most primates.
While many other species
will show familiarity through lip smacking,
the Geladas are the only non-human primate
to make the complex mouth movements
and vocalize at the same time.
Theirs is the closest equivalent to human speech
in the natural world.
For the juveniles,
play is more interesting than casual conversation.
For these youngsters baring teeth
is used as a playful expression
like laughing.
Like people,
Geladas display what's known as Rapid Facial Mimicry -
The automatic mimicking of each other's expressions
that shows shared excitement during play.
This helps to promote social unity
and it's most frequent between mothers and infants.
With the adults preoccupied,
the youngsters continue to monkey around.
And the knobbly tree heaths are the ultimate jungle gym.
The juveniles aren't the only ones
using the trees to their advantage.
Masses of lichen, aptly named "old man's beard",
clings to the gnarled branches.
Lichens are unique organisms -
part fungi, part algae.
They only grow in the cleanest air.
The mass of old man's beard in these highlands
is a testament to the purity of the environment.
Although the lichen gives little to its host,
it does offer some assistance to another hilltop inhabitant.
Resourceful Thick-billed ravens
use the land's materials to their advantage.
This pair of scavengers
will use the soft lichen as bedding for their nest,
which they will build high up on the cliffs.
They are the biggest birds
with feet evolved specifically for perching,
with three toes forward and one backward.
These birds live only in the highlands of Ethiopia
and Eritrea.
They thrive here amongst the peaks.
But it's another scavenger that excels in this vertical realm
more than any other bird.
The cliffs alongside a cascading waterfall
provide perfect nesting sites for Ruppell's vultures.
These birds, known collectively as a wake,
form breeding colonies
that can reach an astounding 2,000 members.
The Ruppell's vulture
is the highest-flying bird on the planet.
They can reach heights of 37,000 feet -
the same flying altitude as a commercial airplane.
Their entire biochemistry is specifically adapted for this.
Specialized hemoglobin
enables the birds to efficiently absorb more oxygen
at low air pressure,
allowing them to survive at such elevations.
Weighing in at almost 20 pounds,
they are among the largest of the vultures.
In order to lift this bulk
their wings spread to over 8 feet from tip to tip.
They have exceptional eyesight,
and use the strong thermal winds to search for carrion
on the cliffs below.
They'll never hunt live prey,
which sometimes means
they must fly up to 95 miles from their roosting site
in search of dead meat.
When they find it,
their might helps them make the most of it.
With many scavengers patrolling the peaks,
the Ruppell's vultures
must often bully other birds off a carcass.
And today will be no different.
As the morning heats up and thermals rise up the mountains,
birds of many other species take to the skies
in search of a meal.
Although Ruppell's vultures are the highest fliers,
they're not the fastest.
A conspiracy of Thick-billed ravens
beats them to the remains of a small antelope.
For these scavengers, this is the jackpot.
They start with the tastiest section of the animal -
the intestines and the precious fat.
They must eat quickly;
it won't be long before other scavengers
catch drift of the free meal.
Like clockwork, more hungry birds start to arrive.
A few Ruppell's vultures
are the first uninvited guests to the feast.
The intruders are six times heavier
than the Thick-billed ravens,
so naturally, the ravens move aside.
And the vultures tuck in.
Sated, the Ruppell's vultures leave,
and the ravens move back in.
One resident glides peacefully above the commotion.
A colossal and rare Bearded vulture.
His wingspan extends to 10 feet.
Although the biggest of these scavengers,
he will not disturb the ongoing feast.
The meat doesn't interest him.
He's after the bones -
Which comprise up to 90 percent of his diet.
He finds a perch nearby,
and waits for the meat-eating frenzy to end.
A Tawny eagle plans his approach.
His attempt at a flyby snatch fails
and he descends to join the fray.
Tawny eagles are notorious
for stealing kills from other predators and scavengers.
But the carcass is too heavy
and he must settle for eating in the company of others.
His presence doesn't go down well
with a returning Ruppell's vulture.
But eventually the eagle is allowed to stay.
The ravens continue to play it safe on the sidelines.
Patience appears to be their only option.
With every morsel of the antelope devoured,
the crowds disperse.
All that is left
is the skeleton.
And now is the time for the Bearded vulture to descend.
These birds are the only creatures on earth
that feed almost entirely on bone.
Their incredibly acidic stomachs
can easily digest bones weighing up to 9 pounds.
It's been a successful afternoon for the scavengers,
and this meal will last them a few days.
Nothing goes to waste here.
For the Geladas on a lower plateau,
feeding is a far more relaxed affair.
For many of Africa's other large primates,
first access to food
is a fiercely enforced privilege of high rankers.
But competition for resources
is virtually non-existent between Geladas.
The lush grass that feeds the troop
grows abundantly in the rich soil,
well watered by fog and rain.
It's enough to satisfy even the biggest troop.
Geladas have a distinct feeding technique of sitting upright,
shuffling forward
as they pluck the tender blades with opposable thumbs,
And their quadrifid bottoms provide plenty of cushioning.
Now, after the mid-year rains,
they eat both lush blades and seeds.
In a month's time many more grasses will seed, and the grain
will make up as much as 70 percent of the Gelada's diet.
In the drier times of January and February
they will turn to the rhizomes for sustenance.
Whatever the season,
they can rely on the Simiens' grass
to satisfy their hunger.
While the Gelada's staple grass
carpets great swathes of the plateaus,
there are some species that occupy only specific niches.
Fiery Red hot pokers
dot the crevices of the high escarpment
at around 13,000 feet.
Less rain falls in these highest reaches of the mountains,
meaning more constant sunshine.
Water gathers in gullies,
making a suitable habitat for these thirsty plants.
With ample light and moisture,
the Red hot pokers can flower year-round;
Which means they always have an array of fluttering visitors
drinking their nectar.
Sunbirds and starlings are the main beneficiaries.
The Red hot poker
has evolved to take full advantage
of the constant throngs of hungry birds and insects.
As the plant grows in height,
the flowers blossom sequentially.
Thus not all flowers are on display at once,
rationing the nectar throughout the year.
This increases the plant's chances of being pollinated,
allowing the species to thrive.
On the plateau above,
the expansive alpine grass
is more than just fodder for Geladas.
It is home to a female Abyssinian grass rat.
Although restricted to Ethiopia and Eritrea,
this species is plentiful in these areas.
She lacks any defense against predators,
and must always be alert.
Especially because she has a pup to care for.
While she goes on the search for seeds and bugs to eat,
he remains close to the safety of their burrow.
With the arrival of fog,
the rats' visibility is compromised
and foraging is especially risky for the mother.
The hasty homeward dash comes just in time.
A lurking Augur buzzard is on the lookout for a tasty snack.
Although these rodents are hunted
by a variety of highland predators,
there is one animal in particular
that specializes in grass rat stalking.
The Simien or Ethiopian wolf
lives only above 9,800 feet in Ethiopia's mountaintops.
Fewer than 500 exist in these restricted domains,
making them the rarest canid in the world
and Africa's most threatened carnivore.
They're pack animals, working together to defend territories,
but always hunting alone.
Highly specialized in their diet,
grass rats are at the top of their menu.
The wolf's elongated skull
allows them to reach into the rat's burrow.
And just as the grass rats forage during the day,
so too do the wolves.
This female is on the prowl.
Her highly sensitive ears
have picked up some movement in the grass.
Unaware of the danger,
the mother rat has left their burrow to forage once again.
A fatal mistake.
The baby will be forced to fend for himself from now on.
While wolves are arguably
the Simiens' most special inhabitants,
there is another life form in these highest reaches
that is undoubtedly the mountains' strangest.
A plant of absurd proportions flourishes up here.
It's known as the Giant lobelia.
It's the tallest plant on the Afro-alpine plateau,
and can reach the height of a 3 story building.
This conspicuous growth
enables it to cope with the extreme temperature swings
that occur high in the mountains.
Temperature fluctuations
are particularly severe at ground level,
so the lobelia's large stem
helps to protect its delicate leaves and flowers
by raising them up above the ground.
Raised in this way,
the flowers can grow in towering clusters,
called inflorescences,
attracting the usual suspects to pollinate them.
Even in these highest reaches of the mountain,
fog is a common visitor.
It nourishes the flora with its regular supply of moisture.
It rolls swiftly up the mountain slopes,
enveloping the landscape.
A peculiar shape looms through the mist -
The impressive horns of the endangered Walia ibex.
These wild goats are true highland dwellers,
preferring the highest peaks,
reaching altitudes of 15,000 feet.
They mostly eat the old, brown leaves of the Giant lobelia.
These leaves contain fewer of the poisonous alkaloids
found in the green leaves.
Walia ibex live nowhere beyond these mountains.
Hunted to the brink of extinction,
there are now only 500 remaining in the wild.
The steep cliffs of the Simien mountains
are their only sanctuary.
Here they are safer.
Few humans dare to venture
where the ibex so casually roam.
They're able to walk steadily on the cliffs,
well equippe d with their sharp edged and concaved hooves.
This dominant male is in charge of a mixed herd
of females and subordinate males.
Breeding season is soon approaching,
and he'll likely have to fight another male
in order to hold onto his harem.
His 3 foot long horns attest to his seniority,
with every ring signaling a year of life.
The females differ dramatically from their leader.
Their horns are far more slender,
shorter and less curved than the males'.
These kids were conceived during a breeding peak
between March and May.
Born in September during the lush times after the rains,
they have the best possible start to life.
They're still clumsy,
and have a lot to learn about their precariously high home.
Back down on the lowest plateau,
the Geladas have spent the day feeding.
The sun will set in a few hours and the troop
needs to start their descent to the cave they will sleep in.
The air is warmer at the bottom of the mountain,
and makes for a secure home base.
But, as usual, the youngsters aren't quite ready to leave.
A game of cat and mouse delays the departure.
Although Geladas aren't an aggressive species,
the youngsters use every opportunity
to play rough in this soft grassy landscape.
Even the youngest tries to join in the fun
But mum soon whisks him away.
He's only about a month old
and will be totally dependent on his mother's milk
for the next eleven months.
Eating grass is completely unnecessary for him
at this time in his life.
But he still tries his best to mimic his mother.
As the sun starts to set over the mountains,
the charismatic Geladas begin their downward journey.
The adults have had their share of food,
while the youngsters have had their share of fun.
The juveniles will soon mature.
And a new generation of youngsters
will take over the mountain as their own playground.
In a land of dizzying heights and sudden precipices,
life treads a fine line.
Isolated from the world below,
these plants and animals
have evolved to make best use of their lush
but limited environment.
This specialization means many have nowhere else to go.
The Simien Mountains National Park
stands as a stronghold of hope for these creatures.
Here endangered species can live on.
Making their homes in the roof of Africa.
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