1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:12,715 --> 00:00:16,555 Looking down from two miles above the surface of the Earth, 4 00:00:16,595 --> 00:00:22,355 it's impossible not to be impressed by the sheer grandeur and splendour 5 00:00:22,355 --> 00:00:24,675 and power of the natural world. 6 00:00:28,275 --> 00:00:31,755 Ten years ago, in a television series called Planet Earth, 7 00:00:31,795 --> 00:00:33,835 we revealed many of those wonders. 8 00:00:37,075 --> 00:00:41,915 Planet Earth II brings you even closer to the lives of animals 9 00:00:41,955 --> 00:00:43,155 than ever before. 10 00:00:47,355 --> 00:00:50,195 With new technology and new insight, 11 00:00:50,195 --> 00:00:54,075 we can show wildlife dramas in completely new ways. 12 00:01:03,635 --> 00:01:07,835 In this programme, we celebrate some of the highlights of the series. 13 00:01:16,915 --> 00:01:19,555 Journeying to every corner of the globe... 14 00:01:23,395 --> 00:01:28,035 ..to reveal the extreme lengths animals go to in order to survive. 15 00:01:42,395 --> 00:01:47,115 And we also visit the newest habitat on Earth - 16 00:01:47,155 --> 00:01:48,355 our cities. 17 00:01:53,875 --> 00:01:57,555 Now is a crucial time for the natural world, 18 00:01:57,555 --> 00:02:01,795 when our connection with nature is more important than ever before. 19 00:02:04,355 --> 00:02:06,355 This is Planet Earth II. 20 00:02:44,595 --> 00:02:45,875 The snow leopard. 21 00:02:50,075 --> 00:02:54,595 Seldom seen, the detail of their lives has long been a mystery. 22 00:02:59,475 --> 00:03:04,595 But now, at last, helped by the latest remote camera technology, 23 00:03:04,635 --> 00:03:07,435 we're getting closer to them than ever before. 24 00:03:13,955 --> 00:03:19,755 They are very rare - as few as four of them in 40 square miles. 25 00:03:19,755 --> 00:03:22,835 In the high mountains, there is simply not enough prey 26 00:03:22,835 --> 00:03:23,955 to sustain them. 27 00:03:29,115 --> 00:03:31,755 They live solitary lives. 28 00:03:31,795 --> 00:03:35,035 Nonetheless, they are well aware of the presence and the movements 29 00:03:35,075 --> 00:03:36,795 of their neighbours, 30 00:03:36,835 --> 00:03:40,195 because they leave messages in a few special places. 31 00:03:43,475 --> 00:03:46,195 They rub particular rocks with their cheeks... 32 00:03:49,915 --> 00:03:51,915 ..and then spray them with urine. 33 00:03:54,955 --> 00:03:58,475 Their two perfumes create a unique signature. 34 00:04:03,675 --> 00:04:08,395 Any other leopard can know which of its neighbours passed this way 35 00:04:08,435 --> 00:04:10,475 without ever making direct contact. 36 00:04:43,875 --> 00:04:48,915 Life at extreme altitudes has shaped some of the toughest animals 37 00:04:48,955 --> 00:04:50,155 on the planet. 38 00:04:53,995 --> 00:04:57,235 In the Alps, Europe's highest peaks, 39 00:04:57,275 --> 00:05:00,195 it is winter and food is desperately short. 40 00:05:13,955 --> 00:05:17,835 A golden eagle has to spend every daylight hour 41 00:05:17,835 --> 00:05:22,315 scanning the slopes for something, somewhere to eat. 42 00:05:32,235 --> 00:05:36,235 Her seven-foot wingspan allows her to glide effortlessly 43 00:05:36,275 --> 00:05:43,155 for 100 miles in a single day. 44 00:05:48,035 --> 00:05:52,875 Her extraordinary eyes enable her to spot prey from two miles away. 45 00:06:02,275 --> 00:06:04,875 But she is not the only one who's looking for food. 46 00:06:07,435 --> 00:06:10,355 When she spots a chance, she must move fast. 47 00:06:15,435 --> 00:06:18,115 She can dive at 200mph - 48 00:06:18,155 --> 00:06:19,995 only a peregrine is faster. 49 00:06:54,315 --> 00:06:58,435 During winter, even eagles rely almost entirely on carrion. 50 00:06:59,995 --> 00:07:03,795 It's a dead fox, and it could sustain her for days. 51 00:07:07,555 --> 00:07:09,275 Other scavengers must defer. 52 00:07:12,675 --> 00:07:15,115 The hungry crows soon regain their courage. 53 00:07:18,115 --> 00:07:20,235 They'll try any trick to steal a morsel. 54 00:07:28,675 --> 00:07:30,955 And they are annoyingly persistent. 55 00:07:53,075 --> 00:07:55,915 But this mob are the least of her worries. 56 00:08:04,155 --> 00:08:06,035 A bigger eagle takes control. 57 00:08:11,475 --> 00:08:14,155 But this kill is too important to give up. 58 00:08:16,755 --> 00:08:18,555 So she must fight. 59 00:08:33,555 --> 00:08:36,075 For the moment, she has won the carcass back... 60 00:08:37,715 --> 00:08:41,435 ..but a kill like this will attract every eagle for miles around. 61 00:09:09,555 --> 00:09:12,635 As ever, the strongest wins the lion's share. 62 00:09:16,395 --> 00:09:18,795 Unable to defend the carcass any longer, 63 00:09:18,835 --> 00:09:21,595 the first eagle must now continue its search. 64 00:09:23,595 --> 00:09:26,235 It may be many days before she feeds again. 65 00:09:30,075 --> 00:09:33,795 Compared to the sparseness of the highest mountains, 66 00:09:33,835 --> 00:09:36,555 the jungle is full of opportunity. 67 00:09:38,315 --> 00:09:39,515 It is Eden. 68 00:09:41,955 --> 00:09:45,395 It covers less than 6% of the Earth's surface, 69 00:09:45,435 --> 00:09:53,995 but it's home to half of all the plants and animals on land. 70 00:09:58,715 --> 00:10:01,875 The challenge here is dealing with the competition. 71 00:10:08,715 --> 00:10:13,755 And that has driven animals to do a raft of ingenious things. 72 00:10:15,955 --> 00:10:18,795 For some, it is about trying to stand out. 73 00:10:23,515 --> 00:10:27,555 While, for others, the key to survival is blending in. 74 00:10:30,555 --> 00:10:35,035 And these streams in Costa Rica are home to one of the most remarkable 75 00:10:35,035 --> 00:10:36,675 masters of disguise. 76 00:10:50,275 --> 00:10:51,755 A glass frog. 77 00:10:59,875 --> 00:11:02,595 A male, and tiny. 78 00:11:02,635 --> 00:11:04,155 No bigger than your fingernail... 79 00:11:05,555 --> 00:11:08,715 ..and almost entirely transparent. 80 00:11:11,155 --> 00:11:12,315 As he needs to be. 81 00:11:15,475 --> 00:11:18,995 Almost everything that walks past here could eat him. 82 00:11:20,675 --> 00:11:21,755 Even a cricket. 83 00:11:26,955 --> 00:11:31,715 His best chance is to stay absolutely still and trust 84 00:11:31,715 --> 00:11:33,955 that the cricket looks right through him. 85 00:11:55,515 --> 00:11:56,555 Danger passed... 86 00:11:58,555 --> 00:12:00,075 ..and that's just as well. 87 00:12:01,835 --> 00:12:04,795 Because he is a father... 88 00:12:08,115 --> 00:12:10,435 ..and he is guarding some very precious eggs. 89 00:12:15,115 --> 00:12:18,355 For the last few weeks, females, one after the other, 90 00:12:18,395 --> 00:12:21,515 have visited him and entrusted him with their offspring. 91 00:12:25,195 --> 00:12:27,595 Some are now almost ready to hatch. 92 00:12:31,915 --> 00:12:35,555 There are several clutches on the leaf, and those at the top, 93 00:12:35,555 --> 00:12:38,755 the most recently laid, are barely a day old. 94 00:12:45,035 --> 00:12:48,435 But, in the jungle, there is always someone out to get you. 95 00:12:54,835 --> 00:12:59,155 This wasp is a specialist hunter of frogs' eggs. 96 00:13:01,235 --> 00:13:05,195 It has noticed the wriggling tadpoles at the bottom of the leaf. 97 00:13:11,355 --> 00:13:13,635 He mustn't move. 98 00:13:13,635 --> 00:13:16,515 The youngest eggs are the most vulnerable, 99 00:13:16,555 --> 00:13:18,035 and he can't guard them all. 100 00:13:38,315 --> 00:13:41,715 But these tadpoles are not as helpless as they might appear. 101 00:13:50,075 --> 00:13:55,675 Incredibly, the unhatched tadpoles can sense danger and the oldest 102 00:13:55,675 --> 00:13:59,275 and strongest wriggle free and drop into the stream below. 103 00:14:17,475 --> 00:14:19,915 The eggs at the top of the leaf, however, 104 00:14:19,955 --> 00:14:21,955 are still too young to hatch... 105 00:14:24,075 --> 00:14:26,275 ..and now the wasps know they're there. 106 00:14:30,435 --> 00:14:39,395 But the male's back looks very like the youngest cluster of eggs... 107 00:14:39,435 --> 00:14:41,755 ..and that seems to confuse the wasps. 108 00:15:04,395 --> 00:15:08,715 Using his own body as a decoy is a huge risk. 109 00:15:08,755 --> 00:15:10,675 The wasps' stings could kill him. 110 00:15:38,915 --> 00:15:41,835 He has managed to save most of his young. 111 00:15:46,395 --> 00:15:49,915 He'll have to remain on guard for another two weeks. 112 00:15:51,475 --> 00:15:56,275 But, in the jungle, just surviving the day can count as a success. 113 00:16:05,075 --> 00:16:07,955 Jungles are the richest places on Earth, 114 00:16:07,995 --> 00:16:10,035 because of one remarkable fact. 115 00:16:13,395 --> 00:16:15,075 They make their own weather. 116 00:16:21,155 --> 00:16:25,395 Every day, water rises from the surface of the leaves as vapour. 117 00:16:27,995 --> 00:16:30,915 It's as if the trees breathe out clouds. 118 00:16:34,035 --> 00:16:37,035 They gather over the forest, until finally... 119 00:16:40,075 --> 00:16:41,275 ..they burst. 120 00:16:55,955 --> 00:16:59,235 Rain is the lifeblood of every jungle... 121 00:17:09,275 --> 00:17:12,915 ..and all have to do their best to endure the daily downpour. 122 00:17:52,675 --> 00:17:55,995 In some jungles, like here in Brazil, 123 00:17:55,995 --> 00:18:00,155 it rains so much that, for part of the year, the trees 124 00:18:00,195 --> 00:18:01,955 are almost totally submerged. 125 00:18:07,675 --> 00:18:13,595 This is a mysterious world, a place few people have ever explored. 126 00:18:17,115 --> 00:18:22,315 Here, 1,000 miles from the sea, are dolphins. 127 00:18:26,555 --> 00:18:31,475 A newly-identified species of river dolphin found nowhere else on Earth. 128 00:18:39,835 --> 00:18:42,955 At the shallow margins of the flooded jungle, 129 00:18:42,995 --> 00:18:46,435 food is so abundant it supports giants. 130 00:18:49,755 --> 00:18:52,355 Capybara - the biggest rodents in the world. 131 00:18:57,315 --> 00:18:59,755 Giant otters, the size of a man. 132 00:19:04,955 --> 00:19:06,835 And the rulers of these rivers... 133 00:19:08,395 --> 00:19:09,515 ..caiman. 134 00:19:11,435 --> 00:19:13,755 They grow to 10 feet long 135 00:19:13,795 --> 00:19:16,355 and kill anything they get between their jaws. 136 00:19:21,195 --> 00:19:24,315 But there are more artful hunters, 137 00:19:24,355 --> 00:19:26,755 drawn here from the surrounding forest. 138 00:19:39,195 --> 00:19:42,675 A jaguar - the supreme jungle predator. 139 00:20:01,315 --> 00:20:04,035 Capybara are strong and wary. 140 00:20:07,635 --> 00:20:09,475 The key is stealth. 141 00:20:28,555 --> 00:20:32,275 She needs to get within a metre if she is to pounce. 142 00:20:55,235 --> 00:20:56,275 Not this time. 143 00:21:07,235 --> 00:21:15,355 She's not the only female here. 144 00:21:26,315 --> 00:21:35,195 Few places on Earth have enough food to support so many big cats. 145 00:21:57,195 --> 00:21:59,555 The male hunts in a different way. 146 00:22:06,875 --> 00:22:11,155 Weighing over 130 kilos, it's hard to be stealthy. 147 00:22:14,515 --> 00:22:17,715 And with so many other jaguars around, 148 00:22:17,755 --> 00:22:20,115 he doesn't bother with wary capybara. 149 00:22:26,635 --> 00:22:28,755 He seeks a different prey. 150 00:22:52,035 --> 00:22:53,235 He's become a killer... 151 00:22:55,115 --> 00:22:56,115 ..of killers. 152 00:23:22,155 --> 00:23:25,755 Jaguars have the most powerful bite 153 00:23:25,755 --> 00:23:26,995 of any cat. 154 00:23:30,595 --> 00:23:33,115 And he knows the caiman's most vulnerable point. 155 00:23:35,755 --> 00:23:37,115 The back of its skull. 156 00:24:00,555 --> 00:24:05,275 For some, isolation has provided an escape from the competition. 157 00:24:28,195 --> 00:24:31,915 The tiny island of Escudo, off the coast of Panama. 158 00:24:34,555 --> 00:24:37,875 Home to the pygmy three-toed sloth. 159 00:24:41,915 --> 00:24:45,315 This is a male, and life here suits him well. 160 00:24:48,715 --> 00:24:52,675 Mangroves provide all the leaves he can eat, 161 00:24:52,715 --> 00:24:54,995 and there are no predators to worry him. 162 00:24:57,635 --> 00:25:02,435 Island life may seem idyllic, but it comes at a price. 163 00:25:04,195 --> 00:25:07,675 There are only a few hundred pygmy sloths in existence... 164 00:25:09,155 --> 00:25:11,155 ..and he needs a mate. 165 00:25:13,675 --> 00:25:15,995 HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAL 166 00:25:15,995 --> 00:25:17,835 That is an enticing call... 167 00:25:20,115 --> 00:25:21,075 ..from a female... 168 00:25:23,955 --> 00:25:25,755 ..somewhere, out there. 169 00:25:56,195 --> 00:25:59,835 The problem is there's deep water between them. 170 00:26:01,675 --> 00:26:04,835 So what should any red-blooded sloth do? 171 00:26:10,075 --> 00:26:11,235 Swim, of course. 172 00:26:42,275 --> 00:26:48,635 Could this be her? 173 00:26:50,995 --> 00:26:54,395 He does his best to put on a turn of speed. 174 00:27:04,915 --> 00:27:07,075 But she's not the one. 175 00:27:07,115 --> 00:27:09,035 She already has a baby, 176 00:27:09,075 --> 00:27:12,035 and she won't mate again until it leaves her 177 00:27:12,035 --> 00:27:13,995 in about six months' time. 178 00:27:21,195 --> 00:27:25,395 Even life on a paradise island can have its limitations. 179 00:27:37,115 --> 00:27:40,275 Islands can be sanctuaries for wildlife, 180 00:27:40,315 --> 00:27:43,635 but that doesn't mean that life is easy. 181 00:27:43,675 --> 00:27:46,675 Some can be very challenging places indeed. 182 00:28:01,715 --> 00:28:04,835 There are islands still forming today, 183 00:28:04,835 --> 00:28:06,915 built by volcanoes. 184 00:28:10,515 --> 00:28:12,395 Some erupt explosively. 185 00:28:19,475 --> 00:28:23,555 Others pour out rivers of molten rock - 186 00:28:23,595 --> 00:28:24,555 lava. 187 00:28:30,835 --> 00:28:35,115 In the last 50 years, ten new volcanic islands have been formed. 188 00:29:02,555 --> 00:29:07,515 Young volcanic islands can be tough places to survive. 189 00:29:12,075 --> 00:29:16,195 This is Fernandina, one of the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific. 190 00:29:19,995 --> 00:29:25,315 It is a desolate place, but the surrounding sea is rich with life. 191 00:29:28,795 --> 00:29:33,235 And the frontier between these two very different worlds is the home 192 00:29:33,235 --> 00:29:35,435 of one of the strangest of reptiles. 193 00:29:39,795 --> 00:29:41,755 Seagoing iguanas. 194 00:29:45,395 --> 00:29:47,355 They are vegetarians, 195 00:29:47,355 --> 00:29:50,035 but since there is little food for them on land, 196 00:29:50,035 --> 00:29:52,995 marine iguanas graze on the sea floor. 197 00:29:55,675 --> 00:30:01,115 A big male like this one can dive to 30 metres and hold his breath 198 00:30:01,155 --> 00:30:02,235 for half an hour. 199 00:30:27,075 --> 00:30:33,715 It is an incredible adaptation that allows them to survive 200 00:30:40,835 --> 00:30:43,795 And by bringing nutrients from the sea to the land, 201 00:30:43,795 --> 00:30:46,955 the iguanas help other animals to survive here, too. 202 00:30:51,035 --> 00:30:54,235 Crabs feed on dead skin on the iguanas' back, 203 00:30:54,275 --> 00:30:58,195 and in turn provide a welcome exfoliation service. 204 00:31:06,355 --> 00:31:09,995 While smaller lizards prey on the flies that pester the colony. 205 00:31:32,635 --> 00:31:36,875 But not all the relationships on this island are so harmonious. 206 00:31:43,555 --> 00:31:46,235 Marine iguanas lay their eggs in sand. 207 00:31:48,715 --> 00:31:52,515 In June, when the hatchlings emerge, they are vulnerable. 208 00:31:56,755 --> 00:32:00,155 They must join the adults at the edge of the sea, 209 00:32:00,195 --> 00:32:02,475 but the journey will be a dangerous one. 210 00:32:27,755 --> 00:32:29,155 Racer snakes. 211 00:32:58,915 --> 00:33:00,955 The snakes missed their chance. 212 00:33:09,355 --> 00:33:11,315 But more babies are hatching... 213 00:33:16,955 --> 00:33:21,075 ..and now the snakes are on the alert. 214 00:33:21,115 --> 00:33:24,915 This is the best feeding opportunity they will get all year. 215 00:33:40,955 --> 00:33:45,275 On flat ground, a baby iguana can outrun a racer snake... 216 00:33:47,115 --> 00:33:48,955 ..but others are waiting in ambush. 217 00:34:16,995 --> 00:34:21,275 Another hatchling has its first glimpse of a dangerous world. 218 00:35:19,315 --> 00:35:21,235 A snake's eyes aren't very good... 219 00:35:22,555 --> 00:35:24,395 ..but they can detect movement. 220 00:35:26,315 --> 00:35:30,355 So if the hatchling keeps its nerve, it may just avoid detection. 221 00:37:02,715 --> 00:37:04,515 A near-miraculous escape. 222 00:37:11,675 --> 00:37:15,875 The lucky survivors can begin learning the unique way of life 223 00:37:15,875 --> 00:37:18,115 demanded by this hostile island. 224 00:37:28,115 --> 00:37:30,835 There are habitats on Earth 225 00:37:30,875 --> 00:37:33,315 where food seems abundant. 226 00:37:38,235 --> 00:37:42,875 One quarter of the land on Earth is covered by a single remarkable 227 00:37:42,875 --> 00:37:44,035 type of plant. 228 00:37:45,995 --> 00:37:46,995 Grass. 229 00:37:55,195 --> 00:37:58,155 It can be tall enough to hide a giant... 230 00:38:05,755 --> 00:38:08,355 ..and the world it creates is unique. 231 00:38:23,675 --> 00:38:25,355 These are the good times. 232 00:38:27,155 --> 00:38:28,675 But in just a few months, 233 00:38:28,715 --> 00:38:33,275 the animals will be forced to move on in search of new growth. 234 00:38:38,315 --> 00:38:42,875 For tiny animals, the summer boom brings opportunity 235 00:38:42,875 --> 00:38:44,115 to their doorstep. 236 00:38:47,675 --> 00:38:51,115 An excellent time to build a tiny treehouse... 237 00:38:53,355 --> 00:38:54,515 ..for a harvest mouse. 238 00:39:08,595 --> 00:39:12,395 During summer, European meadow lands are full of food. 239 00:39:16,195 --> 00:39:18,155 But only for those that can reach it. 240 00:39:36,915 --> 00:39:39,835 Climbing grass is harder than climbing trees, 241 00:39:39,875 --> 00:39:42,995 not least because their stems just won't stay still. 242 00:39:50,835 --> 00:39:54,115 A prehensile tail acts like a fifth limb, 243 00:39:54,155 --> 00:39:57,755 so she's as agile as a monkey clambering around in a tree. 244 00:40:06,155 --> 00:40:10,195 And just as well, for the best food in this tiny forest 245 00:40:10,235 --> 00:40:12,075 is at the very top of its canopy. 246 00:40:22,835 --> 00:40:25,435 Feeding up here, she is exposed. 247 00:40:33,035 --> 00:40:34,155 A barn owl. 248 00:41:05,115 --> 00:41:06,715 Not her finest move... 249 00:41:10,675 --> 00:41:11,875 ..but it did the trick. 250 00:41:14,195 --> 00:41:17,475 Harvest mice seldom go all the way down to the ground. 251 00:41:20,915 --> 00:41:24,115 It's a tangled and dangerous world down here. 252 00:41:37,515 --> 00:41:41,555 But she can read the pattern of the stems overhead like a map... 253 00:41:42,755 --> 00:41:44,515 ..and so find her way home. 254 00:41:52,715 --> 00:41:54,795 And not a minute too soon. 255 00:41:59,715 --> 00:42:01,675 There are mouths to feed. 256 00:42:15,355 --> 00:42:17,355 Her babies must fatten up quickly. 257 00:42:19,755 --> 00:42:23,195 They need to harvest the summer grasses while they are still 258 00:42:23,195 --> 00:42:24,315 rich with food. 259 00:42:33,555 --> 00:42:35,915 On the grasslands of Africa, 260 00:42:35,955 --> 00:42:40,275 Jackson's widowbirds seek out fresh stems 261 00:42:40,315 --> 00:42:42,115 with a different purpose in mind. 262 00:42:48,195 --> 00:42:50,195 This male wants a mate. 263 00:42:53,515 --> 00:42:56,635 He has grown elaborate breeding plumage for this moment... 264 00:42:58,595 --> 00:43:01,235 ..but he needs a stage on which to show it off. 265 00:43:05,835 --> 00:43:10,995 By carefully selecting grass blades, each trimmed to the correct length, 266 00:43:10,995 --> 00:43:12,995 he is creating something very special. 267 00:43:27,795 --> 00:43:29,875 He needs an even surface... 268 00:43:32,395 --> 00:43:33,715 ..and a centrepiece. 269 00:43:36,515 --> 00:43:37,995 The stage is set. 270 00:43:39,235 --> 00:43:43,435 His bachelor pad is sufficiently neat and tidy to attract a female. 271 00:43:45,555 --> 00:43:48,355 The problem is, can she see it? 272 00:43:52,435 --> 00:43:53,435 He has competition. 273 00:44:03,835 --> 00:44:07,915 It might take more than a little gardening to impress the ladies. 274 00:44:10,435 --> 00:44:12,115 Jumping is the right idea... 275 00:44:13,555 --> 00:44:15,595 ..but he has misjudged the height of the grass. 276 00:44:25,875 --> 00:44:27,755 His rival makes it look easy. 277 00:44:50,995 --> 00:44:52,955 Time to raise his game. 278 00:45:28,675 --> 00:45:31,475 It's not only who jumps the highest, 279 00:45:31,475 --> 00:45:34,275 but who can keep doing so the longest. 280 00:45:42,675 --> 00:45:46,955 Unable to go the distance, his rivals drop out, one by one. 281 00:45:51,875 --> 00:45:55,115 Stamina has won him admirers. 282 00:45:56,555 --> 00:45:59,915 Now he can show off his courtship arena. 283 00:46:09,075 --> 00:46:12,475 And engage in a little romantic hide and seek. 284 00:46:24,595 --> 00:46:28,355 Finally, he's done enough. 285 00:46:35,915 --> 00:46:38,395 The seasonality of the grassland 286 00:46:38,435 --> 00:46:42,275 means the time of opportunity is swiftly followed 287 00:46:42,275 --> 00:46:43,915 by times of hardship. 288 00:46:46,835 --> 00:46:50,555 In winter, the prairies of North America freeze. 289 00:46:53,995 --> 00:46:56,635 60 million tonnes of snow 290 00:46:56,675 --> 00:46:59,515 now blanket this herd of bison's territory. 291 00:47:01,955 --> 00:47:05,795 Pushing through the drifts is exhausting work, 292 00:47:05,835 --> 00:47:08,555 and the bison are now slowly starving. 293 00:47:14,875 --> 00:47:18,115 Just keeping warm saps huge amounts of energy. 294 00:47:24,475 --> 00:47:28,235 Their thick coats can insulate them down to minus 20 Fahrenheit. 295 00:47:29,435 --> 00:47:31,115 It is now minus 40. 296 00:47:34,475 --> 00:47:36,995 The only thing that will keep them alive 297 00:47:37,035 --> 00:47:39,955 is buried beneath three feet of snow. 298 00:47:44,835 --> 00:47:48,075 And that's a problem shared with a surprising neighbour. 299 00:48:06,115 --> 00:48:09,435 The food the fox seeks is also deep beneath the snow. 300 00:48:22,075 --> 00:48:24,355 The survival of both creatures 301 00:48:24,355 --> 00:48:26,795 depends on getting through to the ground. 302 00:48:32,315 --> 00:48:35,355 For the bison, it will be a matter of brute strength. 303 00:48:40,475 --> 00:48:43,915 Their lightweight neighbour needs more precision. 304 00:49:08,795 --> 00:49:13,915 The bison have reached their goal - a mouthful of withered grass. 305 00:49:17,955 --> 00:49:22,275 And where the bison have dug, the fox now spots an opportunity. 306 00:49:31,315 --> 00:49:33,315 Every footstep counts. 307 00:49:36,355 --> 00:49:37,715 But he mustn't break through... 308 00:49:38,955 --> 00:49:39,955 ..yet. 309 00:49:43,315 --> 00:49:46,435 He listens carefully to pinpoint his target. 310 00:49:52,435 --> 00:49:53,435 It's moving. 311 00:50:15,075 --> 00:50:15,995 A vole. 312 00:50:18,555 --> 00:50:24,035 Small, but 100 times more nutritious than a mouthful of dried grass. 313 00:50:30,715 --> 00:50:34,195 To get through the winter on these prairies, 314 00:50:34,235 --> 00:50:36,635 sometimes brain beats brawn. 315 00:50:43,355 --> 00:50:48,195 Seasonal change brings the transformation of the landscape 316 00:50:48,235 --> 00:50:49,595 to more than just the grasslands. 317 00:50:51,275 --> 00:50:55,715 In America, the spring melt turns the slopes of the Rocky Mountains 318 00:50:55,755 --> 00:50:57,555 from white to green. 319 00:51:20,315 --> 00:51:22,555 Meadows that only a few weeks ago 320 00:51:22,555 --> 00:51:26,235 were buried deep beneath the snow are now full of life. 321 00:51:41,875 --> 00:51:45,075 Bears have emerged from their winter dens. 322 00:51:49,395 --> 00:51:50,755 It's becoming warmer, 323 00:51:50,795 --> 00:51:53,795 and they are keen to shed their thick winter coats. 324 00:51:57,355 --> 00:52:00,795 Mothers show their cubs what to do about this. 325 00:52:10,995 --> 00:52:12,155 They'll soon catch on. 326 00:52:15,515 --> 00:52:19,195 Some trees, it seems, are particularly suitable for rubbing. 327 00:52:20,675 --> 00:52:22,435 Bears have their favourites, 328 00:52:22,475 --> 00:52:25,075 and will travel long distances to visit them. 329 00:52:28,395 --> 00:52:31,075 Some itches just have to be scratched. 330 00:52:52,475 --> 00:52:56,195 There are now 30 bears in this one valley. 331 00:53:02,795 --> 00:53:07,795 As they rub, each leaves an individual and recognisable scent. 332 00:53:11,635 --> 00:53:14,915 So the tree soon carries a list of who's around... 333 00:53:16,075 --> 00:53:18,555 ..which might help individuals to avoid a fight. 334 00:53:20,555 --> 00:53:23,195 To best spread their scent, 335 00:53:23,195 --> 00:53:25,435 they really have to put their back into it. 336 00:54:07,515 --> 00:54:09,755 But the summer is short. 337 00:54:09,795 --> 00:54:14,595 Itches satisfactorily scratched, it's time to eat. 338 00:54:23,435 --> 00:54:25,795 Dawn in the high Andes. 339 00:54:29,035 --> 00:54:33,315 Here, too, the sun's warmth brings rapid relief. 340 00:54:37,995 --> 00:54:40,195 Mountain viscacha are up early 341 00:54:40,235 --> 00:54:44,075 to claim the best places to catch the sun's first rays. 342 00:55:05,955 --> 00:55:10,275 For others up here, the sunrise is even more welcome. 343 00:55:13,435 --> 00:55:15,675 At over 4,000 metres, 344 00:55:15,715 --> 00:55:18,715 this is the highest flamingo colony in the world. 345 00:55:21,435 --> 00:55:25,915 At night, it gets so cold that even this salty water freezes over. 346 00:55:28,755 --> 00:55:30,995 And now the flamingos are trapped in the ice. 347 00:55:37,075 --> 00:55:39,715 Eventually, the sun thins the ice. 348 00:55:40,875 --> 00:55:44,075 But it's still a struggle for the flamingos to break free. 349 00:56:04,915 --> 00:56:07,515 Walking on thin ice is always risky. 350 00:56:19,035 --> 00:56:21,395 And it's hard to retain one's dignity. 351 00:56:23,035 --> 00:56:25,235 Especially when you're wearing stilts. 352 00:56:38,675 --> 00:56:40,475 At these altitudes, 353 00:56:40,515 --> 00:56:45,675 the sun's power can quickly turn from salvation to threat. 354 00:56:52,035 --> 00:56:54,235 The atmosphere is so thin, 355 00:56:54,275 --> 00:56:57,675 there is very little protection from ultraviolet radiation. 356 00:56:59,395 --> 00:57:03,075 By mid-morning, it's risky to linger out in the open. 357 00:57:06,675 --> 00:57:09,475 The viscacha are forced to head for the shade. 358 00:57:14,715 --> 00:57:17,755 Out on the lake, there is nowhere to hide. 359 00:57:24,195 --> 00:57:28,435 The white crust of the soda lake reflects the sun's glare, 360 00:57:28,435 --> 00:57:31,515 and increases the impact of its ultraviolet rays. 361 00:57:36,835 --> 00:57:40,955 By midday, uncovered human skin will burn in four minutes. 362 00:57:47,075 --> 00:57:49,635 But this doesn't seem to bother the flamingos. 363 00:57:50,915 --> 00:57:53,115 In fact, they are on parade. 364 00:58:23,235 --> 00:58:25,035 During the breeding season, 365 00:58:25,075 --> 00:58:28,475 flamingos perform these bizarre courtship dances, 366 00:58:28,515 --> 00:58:30,555 even through the hottest time of the day. 367 00:58:37,835 --> 00:58:40,915 They are so eager, they don't even pause to feed. 368 00:58:59,595 --> 00:59:02,395 The rules are something of a mystery. 369 00:59:02,435 --> 00:59:06,355 But after a month of dancing, all the birds will have paired off 370 00:59:06,395 --> 00:59:08,515 and will be getting ready to mate. 371 00:59:15,235 --> 00:59:19,475 Up here, there are few other creatures to bother the flamingos, 372 00:59:19,475 --> 00:59:23,635 but then, few other creatures could even tolerate these conditions. 373 00:59:28,435 --> 00:59:31,515 Such extreme habitats require wildlife 374 00:59:31,555 --> 00:59:34,235 to be extraordinarily resilient. 375 00:59:38,955 --> 00:59:41,355 And nowhere more so than in the desert. 376 00:59:45,275 --> 00:59:48,795 With temperatures reaching almost 50 degrees Celsius, 377 00:59:48,835 --> 00:59:51,595 there's no escape from the scorching sun, 378 00:59:51,595 --> 00:59:52,995 the wind and the dust. 379 01:00:15,755 --> 01:00:19,915 This is the oldest desert in the world - 380 01:00:19,955 --> 01:00:22,395 the Namib, in south-west Africa. 381 01:00:24,075 --> 01:00:27,115 It's been dry for 55 million years. 382 01:00:32,635 --> 01:00:36,395 Life here, for the hunter, is as hard as it gets. 383 01:00:47,275 --> 01:00:49,675 A pride of lions. 384 01:00:49,675 --> 01:00:51,795 One of the very few that endures 385 01:00:51,835 --> 01:00:55,675 this desert's scorching temperatures and lack of water. 386 01:01:26,675 --> 01:01:29,195 A dry riverbed on the edge of their territory. 387 01:01:32,955 --> 01:01:35,075 The only animals here are giraffe. 388 01:01:36,475 --> 01:01:40,755 But these one-ton giants could kill a lion with a single kick. 389 01:01:54,155 --> 01:01:57,315 Lions seldom tackle such formidable prey... 390 01:02:00,515 --> 01:02:04,835 ..but this pride can't go on much longer without food. 391 01:02:33,355 --> 01:02:36,395 The whole pride must work together as a team if they're to succeed. 392 01:03:05,595 --> 01:03:07,995 Two lionesses lead the chase. 393 01:03:08,035 --> 01:03:10,755 Others race to cut off possible escape routes. 394 01:03:27,795 --> 01:03:31,835 The giraffe has the speed and stamina to outrun the pride. 395 01:03:34,635 --> 01:03:36,435 But it's being chased into a trap. 396 01:03:39,115 --> 01:03:41,515 Up ahead, the lead female waits. 397 01:03:52,115 --> 01:03:54,155 It's now up to her. 398 01:04:13,395 --> 01:04:15,875 Most lion hunts end in failure. 399 01:04:17,875 --> 01:04:22,395 But no lions fail more often than those that live in the desert. 400 01:04:29,635 --> 01:04:33,195 In the land where food and water is so limited, 401 01:04:33,235 --> 01:04:35,515 competition can be intense. 402 01:04:38,995 --> 01:04:43,155 It's July in Nevada in the Western United States. 403 01:04:45,195 --> 01:04:46,995 The hottest time of the year. 404 01:05:00,155 --> 01:05:02,915 Bands of wild horses, mustang, 405 01:05:02,955 --> 01:05:07,035 are converging on one of the last remaining waterholes for miles. 406 01:05:12,755 --> 01:05:16,835 Now, water not only offers them the chance to drink. 407 01:05:16,835 --> 01:05:18,875 It can also bring power. 408 01:05:22,035 --> 01:05:25,155 If a stallion can control access to water, 409 01:05:25,195 --> 01:05:28,155 he will secure mating rights to the entire herd. 410 01:05:30,115 --> 01:05:32,835 So, stallions try to dominate these pools, 411 01:05:32,875 --> 01:05:35,515 fighting off rivals who venture too close. 412 01:05:48,835 --> 01:05:49,875 A stranger. 413 01:05:51,755 --> 01:05:54,195 He has travelled ten miles to be here, 414 01:05:54,195 --> 01:05:57,195 because the pools where he's come from have already dried up. 415 01:06:01,635 --> 01:06:03,635 With him come his females. 416 01:06:06,275 --> 01:06:09,275 If he can't provide them with water, they will leave him 417 01:06:09,275 --> 01:06:12,995 for the white stallion who already dominates this pool. 418 01:06:23,635 --> 01:06:25,675 So, he will have to fight. 419 01:07:26,235 --> 01:07:27,715 There is everything to lose. 420 01:07:29,715 --> 01:07:33,915 A broken leg or a shattered jaw would mean a slow and painful death. 421 01:07:55,235 --> 01:07:58,275 A missed kick and it's all over. 422 01:08:00,915 --> 01:08:02,675 The new arrival has won. 423 01:08:05,155 --> 01:08:09,355 And his prize is more than just a chance to drink. 424 01:08:09,395 --> 01:08:12,515 He has provided for his herd and, in the process, 425 01:08:12,515 --> 01:08:14,395 stolen his rival's females. 426 01:08:16,635 --> 01:08:18,955 The white stallion's rule is over. 427 01:08:31,635 --> 01:08:33,275 When rain does come, 428 01:08:33,315 --> 01:08:36,955 it has the power to bring life to even the desert. 429 01:08:55,595 --> 01:08:59,235 And no creature exploits the greening of the land 430 01:08:59,235 --> 01:09:03,955 more quickly or more dramatically than a locust. 431 01:09:12,395 --> 01:09:14,435 Madagascar's arid south-west 432 01:09:14,475 --> 01:09:17,275 has received its highest rainfall in years. 433 01:09:23,595 --> 01:09:25,555 Now an army is on the march, 434 01:09:25,595 --> 01:09:29,075 attracted by the smell of newly-sprouting grass. 435 01:09:41,475 --> 01:09:43,955 Locusts are normally solitary creatures, 436 01:09:43,995 --> 01:09:47,795 but when food becomes suddenly plentiful, they come together 437 01:09:47,795 --> 01:09:52,235 into an unstoppable force that devours everything in its path. 438 01:10:10,675 --> 01:10:14,835 But this devastation is about to get a lot worse. 439 01:10:26,715 --> 01:10:30,555 The locusts now transform into winged adults. 440 01:10:31,635 --> 01:10:33,715 And with conditions as good as this, 441 01:10:33,755 --> 01:10:36,315 they do so three times faster than normal. 442 01:10:38,475 --> 01:10:41,115 Now they are at their most voracious. 443 01:10:42,795 --> 01:10:45,635 And with wings, they can take to the skies. 444 01:11:10,835 --> 01:11:14,875 Once airborne, the locusts can travel over 60 miles a day 445 01:11:14,915 --> 01:11:17,955 in their search for new feeding grounds. 446 01:11:31,755 --> 01:11:36,075 A super swarm of this scale may only appear once in a decade. 447 01:11:37,475 --> 01:11:40,435 This one extends over 200 square miles 448 01:11:40,475 --> 01:11:49,835 and contains several billion individuals. 449 01:12:25,675 --> 01:12:28,715 Nothing can strip a land of its vegetation 450 01:12:28,755 --> 01:12:32,795 with such speed and thoroughness as a plague of locusts. 451 01:12:35,955 --> 01:12:39,395 When the food eventually runs out, the whole army will die. 452 01:12:40,995 --> 01:12:43,235 But not before it's devastated the land. 453 01:12:54,955 --> 01:12:56,795 In the last 6,000 years, 454 01:12:56,795 --> 01:12:59,115 a new habitat has appeared, 455 01:12:59,155 --> 01:13:04,795 entirely designed and constructed by one species for its own purpose. 456 01:13:08,075 --> 01:13:12,675 We humans create homes for ourselves, cities - 457 01:13:12,715 --> 01:13:16,155 with consequences for wildlife, good and bad. 458 01:13:19,635 --> 01:13:21,795 Rome in December. 459 01:13:21,835 --> 01:13:24,435 Visitors are drawn in by the city's heat. 460 01:13:26,315 --> 01:13:28,115 And they're leaving their mark. 461 01:13:31,435 --> 01:13:33,435 In a single winter's day, 462 01:13:33,475 --> 01:13:37,115 ten tonnes of its droppings rain down on the city. 463 01:13:44,555 --> 01:13:45,435 Starlings. 464 01:13:48,915 --> 01:13:51,715 In the evening, they come back to the warmth of the city 465 01:13:51,755 --> 01:13:53,915 after feeding in the neighbouring countryside. 466 01:13:57,115 --> 01:14:00,475 They must return to their roosting trees, 467 01:14:00,475 --> 01:14:01,955 but the first to do so are 468 01:14:01,955 --> 01:14:11,475 at the highest risk of being caught by birds of prey. 469 01:14:12,635 --> 01:14:13,995 There's safety in numbers. 470 01:14:16,955 --> 01:14:18,435 As daylight fades, 471 01:14:18,475 --> 01:14:22,795 the sky fills with a staggering one million starlings. 472 01:14:25,675 --> 01:14:30,435 And then follows one of Nature's great spectaculars. 473 01:15:17,235 --> 01:15:19,595 we still do not fully understand. 474 01:15:30,675 --> 01:15:32,795 Eventually, en masse, 475 01:15:32,835 --> 01:15:37,195 they brave the descent and fill the branches of their favourite trees. 476 01:15:42,555 --> 01:15:44,435 On these cold winter nights, 477 01:15:44,475 --> 01:15:49,035 the city's extra warmth can mean the difference between life and death. 478 01:16:02,715 --> 01:16:07,395 For the bold, this new world can offer other opportunities. 479 01:16:13,595 --> 01:16:18,955 But to compete with humanity takes intelligence and nerve. 480 01:16:23,955 --> 01:16:26,915 One enterprising species of monkey 481 01:16:26,915 --> 01:16:30,595 has moved into the city of Jaipur in India. 482 01:16:33,875 --> 01:16:34,955 The Rhesus macaque. 483 01:16:39,995 --> 01:16:43,555 But how to get a share of all this juicy fruit? 484 01:16:52,195 --> 01:16:53,275 Every morning, 485 01:16:53,315 --> 01:16:57,395 the troop make the same journey through the urban jungle, 486 01:16:57,395 --> 01:16:59,195 just as human commuters do. 487 01:17:22,075 --> 01:17:25,635 Sometimes, inevitably, there are traffic jams. 488 01:17:50,075 --> 01:17:53,235 Once they get to the market, trouble begins. 489 01:18:14,835 --> 01:18:17,075 Being both intelligent and brazen 490 01:18:17,115 --> 01:18:20,315 is the key to beating human beings on their home turf. 491 01:18:58,515 --> 01:19:00,075 It's daylight robbery. 492 01:19:10,515 --> 01:19:15,035 In the city, conflict between man and animal might seem inevitable. 493 01:19:17,715 --> 01:19:20,555 We create these cities for ourselves, 494 01:19:20,555 --> 01:19:22,995 and some of the changes we introduce 495 01:19:23,035 --> 01:19:24,955 can be hard for animals to cope with. 496 01:19:29,435 --> 01:19:32,395 One of the greatest changes of recent times 497 01:19:32,395 --> 01:19:37,435 has come from a single invention made less than 140 years ago. 498 01:19:41,715 --> 01:19:42,755 Electric light. 499 01:19:45,475 --> 01:19:47,595 It has become more and more powerful... 500 01:19:50,275 --> 01:19:51,915 ..filling our streets with light. 501 01:20:03,875 --> 01:20:05,275 It is everywhere in the city. 502 01:20:07,875 --> 01:20:09,155 It even goes underground. 503 01:20:28,635 --> 01:20:31,235 The difference between day and night 504 01:20:31,235 --> 01:20:33,715 has become less and less perceptible. 505 01:20:43,675 --> 01:20:52,475 And that has a profound effect on the activities of wildlife. 506 01:20:53,035 --> 01:20:57,115 In the wilderness, light triggers all kinds of behaviour. 507 01:21:03,515 --> 01:21:05,195 On the night of the full moon, 508 01:21:05,195 --> 01:21:08,955 hundreds of tiny hawksbill turtle hatchlings emerge 509 01:21:08,955 --> 01:21:11,595 from the safety of their nest, deep in the sand. 510 01:21:14,715 --> 01:21:17,955 Their instinct is to reach the sea as quickly as possible. 511 01:21:20,595 --> 01:21:24,915 And their guide is the light of the full moon, reflected on the water. 512 01:21:32,435 --> 01:21:34,035 But this young hatchling... 513 01:21:35,035 --> 01:21:35,955 ..is confused. 514 01:21:44,555 --> 01:21:46,995 It's going in the wrong direction. 515 01:21:52,355 --> 01:21:54,435 Bright light is coming from the land. 516 01:21:57,835 --> 01:22:02,035 And all these hatchlings are travelling up the beach towards it. 517 01:22:08,595 --> 01:22:11,315 Predators are ready to take advantage. 518 01:22:13,235 --> 01:22:17,115 Crabs now make their burrows directly beneath the beach lights... 519 01:22:18,155 --> 01:22:20,555 ..and wait for their prey to come to them. 520 01:22:42,995 --> 01:22:46,835 Even if a hatchling escapes, they're still in peril. 521 01:22:55,875 --> 01:22:58,715 The lights become more and more bewildering. 522 01:23:23,115 --> 01:23:25,955 80% of all hatchlings on this beach 523 01:23:25,995 --> 01:23:29,835 are now disoriented by the lights of the town. 524 01:23:50,355 --> 01:23:52,755 Roads bring many to their end. 525 01:24:08,035 --> 01:24:11,555 Hundreds get trapped in storm drains every night. 526 01:24:26,195 --> 01:24:28,275 Exhausted by the effort of travelling 527 01:24:28,275 --> 01:24:29,715 such a distance on land... 528 01:24:32,395 --> 01:24:36,395 ..this hatchling's chances of surviving the night are slim. 529 01:24:49,075 --> 01:24:51,915 This turtle is one of the countless species 530 01:24:51,915 --> 01:24:54,035 that have been unable to adapt 531 01:24:54,075 --> 01:24:57,755 to the change brought about by the urban environment. 532 01:25:04,875 --> 01:25:10,355 Whether we choose to live in harmony with wildlife is up to us. 533 01:25:10,395 --> 01:25:13,115 But there is one city where that idea 534 01:25:13,155 --> 01:25:15,755 is being applied on a major scale - 535 01:25:18,955 --> 01:25:20,035 Singapore. 536 01:25:25,915 --> 01:25:30,675 Two million trees have been planted here in the last 45 years. 537 01:25:32,515 --> 01:25:36,755 This city is now richer in species than any other in the world. 538 01:25:40,955 --> 01:25:44,315 And this practice extends to all parts of the city. 539 01:25:47,515 --> 01:25:49,555 The waterways have been cleaned up 540 01:25:49,595 --> 01:25:52,555 and smooth-coated otters are coming back. 541 01:25:56,675 --> 01:26:01,515 But perhaps the most spectacular example of city greening 542 01:26:01,555 --> 01:26:04,435 is this grove of "super trees". 543 01:26:18,835 --> 01:26:22,635 Creepers have been planted to grow over the outermost branches. 544 01:26:26,315 --> 01:26:32,035 This is a new urban world that we have now designed and built 545 01:26:32,035 --> 01:26:33,635 with others in mind. 546 01:26:36,515 --> 01:26:39,835 Create the space and the animals will come. 547 01:26:48,995 --> 01:26:51,835 Is this a vision for our cities of the future? 548 01:27:00,995 --> 01:27:04,235 It could be possible to see wildlife thriving 549 01:27:04,235 --> 01:27:07,275 within our cities across the planet. 550 01:27:09,595 --> 01:27:13,875 We, after all, are the architects of the urban world. 551 01:27:15,915 --> 01:27:17,995 Looking down on this great metropolis, 552 01:27:18,035 --> 01:27:22,915 the ingenuity with which we continue to reshape the surface of our planet 553 01:27:22,955 --> 01:27:23,675 is very striking. 554 01:27:25,035 --> 01:27:27,235 It is also sobering. 555 01:27:27,235 --> 01:27:29,915 It reminds me of just how easy it is for us 556 01:27:29,955 --> 01:27:32,955 to lose our connection with the natural world. 557 01:27:34,395 --> 01:27:38,555 Yet it's on this connection that the future of both humanity 558 01:27:38,595 --> 01:27:41,035 and the natural world will depend. 559 01:27:42,555 --> 01:27:47,755 It's surely our responsibility to do everything within our power 560 01:27:47,795 --> 01:27:52,235 to create a planet that provides a home, not just for us, 561 01:27:52,235 --> 01:27:54,915 but for all life on Earth.