Original air date: 27 November 2016
The table below shows a timeline of what happens in the episode
For all ‘Planet’ series it feels logical to start every episode with a look from space. In this case it was taken to a new and greater heights, plunging straight into a sandstorm in a desert.
Selected sequences
The start of the programme – plunging into an advancing sandstorm when the camera reaches the planet
Continuing from the darkness of the sandstorm the producers have the titles appearing. A similar idea to what they applied in episode Race against time (The Hunt series).
From the pitch black darkness of the sandstorm (sequence above) the titles appear, as they should against black background
One of the most ‘famous’ sequences of the series is from the desert lions trying to hunt a giraffe
A typical approach of several lions leading the prey into a trap (top left) where the leader is waiting (top right). However, the leader has no chance against a one ton giraffe. It might be seriously harmed by a single kick. So the pride is left behind with nothing to show for their efforts.
One of the most arresting sequences includes a slow motion filming of a lighting strike
All the frames are from the same lighting bolt from the start (top left, @7’47) to it receding (bottom right, 7’49). A few more bolts were included in the sequence.
Slot canyons are the results from water erosion (9’35-9’40)
Harris’s hawks, unique among birds of prey they hunt in flocks, specialising in ground squirrels among the cacti. As the snapshots show they hunt on foot so there is no way for the prey to hide away
The flock is split between aerial lookout and ground force where one or more search (left) until one is found (centre) and then it is grabbed. The whole flock shares the spoils.
The mystery of the dried corpses
A story that is made to sound like the start of a horror story while it actually is very much less
Two dead animals spiked to hold them while they are eaten and also as a larder, out of reach of others
Drinking in the Namib
A darkling beetle rushes to gather fog into raindrops to drink ..
A beetle gathering fog into tiny drops to drink (45’25-46’08)
.. to quench its thirst .. only to be eaten by somebody else to pick it up on its way back !
A lizard picks up the beetle on its way down from the sand dune (46’55-46’57)