The River Crossing
4 Extra Debut. Wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson joins the annual migration of millions of wildebeest across the African plains. From 2016.
The annual migration of millions of wildebeest across the plains of Africa is one of Nature's most spectacular events, with rain and the search for food driving this migration.
Every year, wildebeest, zebra and antelope migrate clockwise around the Serengeti/Masai Mara ecosystem. In January the herds can be found in Tanzania's Serengeti heading south into southern Serengeti where they calve. By July the herds have reached western Serengeti and the Grumeti and Mara rivers.
The river crossings are their biggest challenge. Nile crocodiles, which can be as much as 5 metres in length, lie in wait, ready to seize their chance.
What ensues is a scene of carnage.
Wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson follows the wildebeest on their treacherous annual quest.
Produced by Sarah Blunt.
First broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio 4 in May 2016.
On radio
Chris Watson
Born in 1953 in Sheffield where he attended Rowlinson School and Stannington College, Watson was a founding member of the influential Sheffield based experimental music group Cabaret Voltaire during the 1970鈥檚 and early 1980鈥檚. His sound recording career began in 1981 when he joined Tyne Tees Television. Since then he has developed a particular and passionate interest in recording the wildlife sounds of animals, habitats and atmospheres from around the world. As a freelance composer and recordist for Film, TV & Radio, Watson specialises in natural history and documentary location sound together with sound design in post-production.
His television work includes many programmes in the David Attenborough 鈥楲ife鈥� series including 鈥楾he Life of Birds鈥� which won a BAFTA Award for 鈥楤est Factual Sound鈥� in 1996. More recently Watson was the location sound recordist with David Attenborough on the 大象传媒鈥檚 series 鈥楩rozen Planet鈥� which also won a BAFTA Award for 鈥楤est Factual Sound鈥� (2012).
Watson has recorded and featured in many 大象传媒 Radio productions including; 鈥樷�� and 鈥楾he Wire鈥� which won him the Broadcasting Press Guild鈥檚 Broadcaster of The Year Award (2012), NATURE,聽, and ''.
Broadcasts
Mon 30 May 2016 13:45大象传媒 Radio 4 FM- Thu 23 Mar 2017 10:45大象传媒 Radio 4
- Sat 9 Jan 2021 05:45大象传媒 Radio 4
- Mon 24 Mar 2025 09:30大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra