Explore the daily drama as African wildlife flock to a manmade waterhole rigged with cameras. Dr. M. Sanjayan and his team uncover the complex dynamic of this bustling oasis where elephants, lions, leopards and more meet and compete for water.
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Life at the Waterhole is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
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About the Show
Waterholes are vital to the African ecosystem; bustling oases where elephants, lions, leopards and hundreds of other species meet and compete for water. But little is known about how they support so much life. The BBC Studios Natural History Unit and PBS worked with Mwiba Wildlife Reserve and local communities in Tanzania to build the world's first waterhole with a built-in specialist camera rig.
With half-submerged and weather-proofed remote cameras, Dr. M. Sanjayan leads a team to uncover the complex dynamics of the waterhole for the very first time. Filming takes place across three dramatic periods: the middle of the dry season, the hottest time of year and the height of the first rains to gain unique insights into the lives of some of Africa's most iconic animals. As warthogs, giraffes, monkeys and big cats all jostle for position at the new waterhole the team uncovers the increasingly important role of water in Africa as its wildlife faces the growing impact of climate change.
Episode 1
In a ground-breaking natural history series, remote cameras capture life at a specially built African waterhole. Which animals find it, how do they use it, and will they share?
Episode 2
It's the hottest time of year and the waterhole gets busier when the sun sets. But a new predator lurks in the shadows: hyena have a dramatic impact on life at this new oasis.
Episode 3
The rains hit the waterhole and for the first time in half a year grass begins to grow and water is everywhere, dramatically changing the fortunes for the wild residents.
During the dry season, the waterhole provides life-saving water for a whole community, including mammals and birds.
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Clare Jones
African elephants take a dip in the cool, refreshing water during the heat of the day.
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Shutterstock
Waterholes provide a vital lifeline to a whole community of species, from the flora to the megafauna.
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Shutterstock
Bob Poole and M. Sanjayan scan the horizon for wildlife from the safety of the hide.
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Clare Jones
M. Sanjayan and Dr. Meredith Palmer decipher the data and monitor the live cameras inside the gallery.
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Clare Jones
M. Sanjayan doing a spot of wildlife watching around the waterhole.
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Clare Jones
M. Sanjayan meets local villagers to learn about human-wildlife conflict in this area.
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Clare Jones
African elephants can remember where water sources are for up to 10 years, even when the landscape around them changes.
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Shutterstock
Bob Poole sets up his camera to film Mwiba’s wildlife residents.
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Clare Jones
The landscape changes dramatically between the dry and rainy seasons and is now full of plants and grass to support new life.
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BBC Studios Natural History Unit/PBS
