As winter arrives along South Africa's east coast, the inshore waters cool, drawing hundreds of millions of sardines northwards. The sardine run is the world's largest marine spectacle, attracting the planet's greatest concentration of predators - an awe inspiring array of ocean hunters. Super-pods of common dolphins up to 5,000 strong, thousands of sharks and huge Brydes whales feast on the sardines, as gannets rain down from above.
However, in recent years the sardine run has become less than predictable. It could be because of the effects of climate change warming the ocean. If the sardine run doesn't happen the lives of animals caught up in the drama hang in the balance.
Pioneering a unique boat-stabilized camera mount, the Nature's Most Amazing Events crew were able to capture incredible new animal behaviors from the surface, as well as stunning footage of all the action from the air and underwater in HD. But it required considerable persistence because of the unpredictability of the sardine run.
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Ready to Watch Natures Most Amazing Events, Season 1, Episode 4?