Great Rift, The

Synopsis: Series examining the 4500-mile-long Great Rift Valley of Africa, the greatest rupture in the earth’s crust, evolved over some 40m years and still widening.
1: Begins at an active volcano in Zaire which continues to expand the range of Virunga volcanoes, which are home to creatures such as mountain gorillas, serval cats and colobus monkeys. To the east is Kilimanjaro, still active.
2: Looks at the widely differing habitats that have been produced by volcanic upheaval along the Rift Valley. The Serengeti plain was formed from clouds of ash drifting over the valley, which after rain becomes a magnet for the largest numbers of grazing animals on earth. Among the lakes in the valley, Lake Tanganyika is home to fish found nowhere else.
3: Looks at the changes taking place as the valley continues to develop: to the north, it forms a deep trench, the Red Sea, with its spectacular coral reefs. An embryonic ocean, it is widening constantly, tearing Africa away from Asia.
Series: Natural World, The: Series
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video; Videocassette. VHS. col. 3 x 55 min.
Year of production: 1988
Availability: Sale; 1996 sale: £99.00 (+VAT +p&p) each 1996 sale: £150.00 (+VAT +p&p) series
Notes: Broadcast on BBC2 from 4 Dec 1988.
Subjects: Environmental science; Geology
Keywords: Africa; natural history; rift basins

Producer

Adrian Warren; Keith Scholey

Cast

Andrew Sachs

Title: witwat
Synopsis: 1: Begins at an active volcano in Zaire which continues to expand the range of Virunga volcanoes, which are home to creatures such as mountain gorillas, serval cats and colobus monkeys. To the east is Kilimanjaro, still active.
Title: Footprints in the valley
Synopsis: 2: Looks at the widely differing habitats that have been produced by volcanic upheaval along the Rift Valley. The Serengeti plain was formed from clouds of ash drifting over the valley, which after rain becomes a magnet for the largest numbers of grazing
Title: Out of the ashes
Synopsis: 3: Looks at the changes taking place as the valley continues to develop: to the north, it forms a deep trench, the Red Sea, with its spectacular coral reefs. An embryonic ocean, it is widening constantly, tearing Africa away from Asia.
Title: Breaking the continent

Name: BBC Active Video for Learning - now BBC Learning
Contact: Carolina Fernandez Jeremy Wilcox (CF - for educational enquiries JW - channel sales manager)
Email: BBCStudiosLearning@bbc.com
Web: https://www.bbcstudioslearning.com/ External site opens in new window
Phone: +44 (0) 20 8433 1009
Address: BBC Studios Limited
Television Centre
101 Wood Lane
London
W12 7FA
UK
Notes: The BBC Active company has now been absorbed within BBC Learning, a division of BBC Studios. It was originally a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Pearson Education. Formerly known as ‘BBC Worldwide Learning Studies’ and before that as ‘Videos for Education & Training’

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British Universities Film & Video Council