The Great North

In Africa's ancient southwest corner, two extraordinary deserts sit side by side. Water is in short supply, yet these deserts are full of life because of the ingenuity and survival skills of the unique creatures who call this arid landscape home.

Animals in East Africa must deal with a wide variety of changing climates and terrain. The region, home to huge numbers of large mammals, teems with life, from lions and the lizards that steal flies from their faces, to birds that hunt catfish in wetlands. Also featured are elephants and the battles they wage for the right to mate.

In the Congo rain forest, chimpanzees steal honey from bees and elusive picathartes tend to their chicks. After dark, the atmosphere changes and tiny frogs hide their precious eggs while large male elephants face off in combat.

Two great ocean currents collide off the coast of South Africa and have a huge impact on life in the area. The warm Agulhas current provides moisture to a rain forest on the east coast, while giant kingfish live in the waters offshore. To the west, the cold Benguela current sustains more great white sharks than any other sea on Earth. Where the two currents meet, predators such as Bryde's whales feed on schools of sardines.

Adapting to the heat and merciless sun is key to surviving in the Sahara. On the edge of the desert, Grevy’s zebras battle over dwindling rivers and weird mole rats live a bizarre underground existence. In the desert, camels and their herders seek water, as do tiny barn swallows, which must navigate thousands of square miles to find a life-saving oasis. And silver ants have adapted to feed at midday.

A behind-the-scenes look at this stunning show demonstrates what it takes to make a natural-history series and follows the crews as they capture some memorable scenes.