Otterly adorable: A second chance for a baby otter

In this heart-warming story of survival, 50/50 follows the journey of a baby Cape clawless otter after he was found abandoned on a busy road. After numerous attempts to find his mother, the team at Free Me made the decision to hand rear the tiny pup, and after months of rehabilitation and ‘otter school’, the tenacious little animal is nearly ready to face the big wide world as a wild otter.

Our most precious resource: South Africa celebrates Water Week

Water scarcity is a global challenge that effects most regions in the world with Southern Africa being the hardest hit. South Africa is ranked the 30th driest country in the world, with annual rainfall levels about half the world average. Many parts of the country have either reached or are fast approaching the point at which all viable freshwater resources will be fully utilised. 50/50 heads to the beautiful Western Cape to find out how government and private farm owners alike have devised a number of strategically integrated projects in order to ensure better water management in order to protect the legacy and the survival of future generations.

Learning from the best: Bionic mimicry

Since the Golden Age of Enlightenment,  humans have come up with some pretty incredible inventions. People can now fly, breathe under water, and explore the planet’s most inhospitable places. People's natural curiosity is always pushing humankind forward towards the next ‘big thing’ in technology, investing immense resources in our clever ideas. But if people take a moment to consider, hasn’t nature been solving these problems for millennia? Flight? Deep sea exploration? Energy efficient survival? Already perfected – long before people even though it possible. As a new age of technology is born, scientists are turning to the ultimate teacher for inspiration: Mother Nature.

Wildlife wonders: Fight or flight

In the animal kingdom instinct rules supreme. Most creatures can be classified into two distinct categories when it comes to their instinctual reactions to unexpected and potentially life threatening situations. Thousands of years of genetic memory drives these animals to either turn and flee, or stand firm and fight. Both have their advantages and their disadvantages, and of course, as with everything in the natural world, it can all be turned on its head - and leave people scratching theirs - as animals behave in ways we never would expect.

Urban Critters: Diminutive Duiker

This week in Urban Critters 50/50 meets a family of tiny antelope who are as interesting as they are adorable. The KwaZulu-Natal province is home to three species of duiker, and many of these have taken up residence in the leafy green suburbs, closer to human habitation than expected. Normally shy, secretive and very flight of foot, this week 50/50 peek through the trees for a closer look at these beautiful and unexpected neighbours.

Veld Focus

This week on Veld Focus, animals are attempting to eat each other as usual, with a few dramatic escapes. The team also catch a glimpse of the astounding efficiency of the natural system when animals die.

This episode of 50/50 airs on Sunday, 22 March at 17:30 on SABC3.