Crocodile River: The Tides of Kirawira
(1994)
Winner of two Panda awards at Wildscreen 1994, Crocodile River: The Tides of Kirawira is an absorbing exploration of the seasonal pools that litter the parched Serengeti plains. Stunning cinematography from the renowned filmmakers, Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone, records the daily drama and intrigue that unfolds in these shallow ‘ponds’ as the resident clam, fish and crabs are forced to adopt intricate survival strategies.
A seasonal lifeline for all the creatures of Kirawira, these little pockets swell as the rain sweeps in. As the surging torrents race along they join up to once again form the living Grumeti river. Larger animals arrive, playing their part in the seasonal drama as they risk the wrath of Africa’s biggest crocodiles to drink from the river’s rich water supply.
An outstanding study of a fragile ecosystem, this hour long Survival Special covers the hardships encountered as the dry season again approaches and this important oasis begins to ebb away. Under the guidance of world-famous wildlife filmmaker Alan Root, executive producer of this piece, Deeble and Stone cover everything from tiny crabs to stampeding wildebeest, an evocative account of a temporary haven.
