Although dutybound to simply record what they were witnessing, occasionally the filmmakers would intervene and chip off some of the huge salt deposits that were amassing around some of the chicks' ankles. The salt stops the babies from being able to walk and, without help, they will ultimately die alone on the salt flats.
Flamingos have been visiting the Lake Natron area for the best part of 20 million years.
The first commissioned film from the Disneynature strand, which was started up after Disney CEO Robert A. Iger saw the BBC wildlife TV series Planet Earth (2006). Iger wanted to do something of more lasting value than High School Musical and Hannah Montana.
The water in Lake Natron can often reach the same alkaline levels of pure ammonia.
The local Masai tribe was highly intrigued by the film crew's use of a hovercraft. None of them had even seen anything like that.