Tiny World

Planet Earth is so spectacular,

it's easy to miss the smaller things in life.

But take a closer look...

and there's a whole undiscovered world.

A world where tiny heroes...

and little monsters...

need incredible superpowers...

to help them triumph against giant odds.

- -

The African savannah.

A land of legends.

Home to some of our planet's largest...

and most majestic animals.

But beneath the feet of elephants, there's an unexplored world.

The world of the elephant shrew.

It's teeming with all kinds of amazing little grazers and tiny predators.

- -

But being small in the land of giants is never easy.

And as the herds head this way, life is about to get a whole lot tougher.

An elephant shrew is not much bigger than a hamster.

But much faster.

On her scale, she's three times faster than a cheetah.

Racing at nearly 30 kilometers per hour on a relentless hunt for food.

She must eat almost a third of her body weight every day

to fuel her fast-paced life.

So she's built a network of trails over thousands of square meters

to help her find enough food, even in the dry season.

A cobra strikes faster than the blink of an eye.

But her tracks help her stay one step ahead.

The elephant shrew's life is frenetic... and solitary.

Unlike the kings of this big red castle.

Dwarf mongoose often make their home in termite mounds.

Only the size of your hand,

they find strength and warmth in numbers.

Savannah mornings are surprisingly cold.

It's all too easy to lie in.

But not today.

This little hornbill is hungry.

And keen to go grab breakfast.

Twenty mongoose and one hornbill might seem an odd team.

But when you're small, it pays to stick together.

The mongoose flush out prey.

While the hornbill keeps a lookout for danger.

Dwarf mongoose patrol a big area,

about 50 football fields,

marking their territory along the way.

The higher the scent, the bigger they'll seem to others.

Even in the dry season, their patch provides all the food they need.

They may be Africa's smallest carnivore,

but they're not afraid to take on big game.

A venomous baboon spider.

By seizing every opportunity,

this tenacious team can survive through the harshest times.

But when the rains arrive, everything changes.

A life on the road offers little shelter.

But the mongoose stay safe and warm.

They've chosen their home well.

Termite mounds provide excellent protection from the elements.

Mixing spit and dirt,

these industrious insects build castles as hard as concrete...

and as big as an elephant.

Following the rains, the big animals start to arrive.

Elephants are the first to make an impact on the landscape.

A five-ton footprint...

creates a water world swimming with all sorts of tiny creatures.

Including one of the planet's oldest.

Tadpole shrimps have lived in tiny ponds like this

since they were created by the feet of dinosaurs.

Just days after the rain, the whole savannah flushes green.

As animals begin to gorge...

it has enormous consequences.

There's no way an elephant shrew can move this mess.

But help is here.

Dung beetles are onto a fresh pile in seconds...

hoping to make off with a share of the spoils

before competition arrives.

This ball is very precious.

His food and his hopes of winning a mate, all rolled into one.

In this tiny world, a single step can be a setback.

And a whole stampede can be a disaster.

Over a million wildebeest and zebra, the greatest migration on land.

The promise of fresh grass driving them on... right this way.

Crowned plovers nest out on the open savannah.

This female's new clutch is in danger of being trampled.

Only ankle-height,

she's not afraid to stand up to a gazelle.

But a herd of wildebeest is unstoppable.

Amazingly, all of her eggs are unbroken,

but it's still a month before they hatch.

The elephant shrew's tracks took more of a beating.

It's time for some highway maintenance.

Back in the fast lane.

As the herds graze on grass, giraffes look to the trees.

The acacias are flush with fresh leaves.

Protected by long thorns.

They are little use against a half-meter-long tongue.

But the tree has a second line of defense.

An army of acacia ants swarm to the rescue.

Attacking any part of the giraffe they can sink their jaws into.

Until it finally moves on.

The acacia grows special swollen thorns to house its loyal army.

And ant-sized cups filled with nectar to keep them fed.

By working together, little creatures can stand up to giants.

- But sometimes, it's better to run. -

- - Sharp, slicing tusks,

150 kilos of muscle...

A warthog is imposing.