Rivers of Life

(dramatic music) -

Narrator

A Nile monitor lizard is dangerously close to her eggs. The worst possible news for a crocodile mother. (tense music) (hissing) Out of the water, the monitor is the faster of the two reptiles and knows it. It also seems aware of the crocodile's Achilles' heel. On land, crocodiles can die from heat exhaustion. (hissing) (growling) Leaving the mother with a terrible dilemma. The water is the only place where she can lower her body temperature to safe levels. (hissing) But if she let's her guard down now, her brood will be devoured. (growling) (tense music) The mother's body is reaching lethally high temperatures. She finally has to choose her own life over that of her young.