1 00:00:06,963 --> 00:00:09,723 DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: 66 million years ago, 2 00:00:09,723 --> 00:00:13,003 an asteroid was on a direct collision course 3 00:00:13,003 --> 00:00:14,563 with the Earth. 4 00:00:15,923 --> 00:00:19,323 Its impact was to dramatically change 5 00:00:19,323 --> 00:00:21,203 the course of life on our planet... 6 00:00:26,163 --> 00:00:28,443 ...leading to a mass extinction 7 00:00:28,443 --> 00:00:32,363 that wiped out three-quarters of all animal life. 8 00:00:35,923 --> 00:00:37,963 Out of the darkness that followed, 9 00:00:37,963 --> 00:00:42,083 emerged a group that went on to dominate the world. 10 00:00:44,123 --> 00:00:46,323 That group is the mammals. 11 00:00:46,323 --> 00:00:49,563 Highly adaptable and remarkably widespread, 12 00:00:49,563 --> 00:00:51,763 they are now found in every ocean 13 00:00:51,763 --> 00:00:53,283 and on every continent, 14 00:00:53,283 --> 00:00:55,643 in the air and underground. 15 00:00:55,643 --> 00:00:57,243 In this series, 16 00:00:57,243 --> 00:01:00,003 we'll reveal the secrets behind their success 17 00:01:00,003 --> 00:01:02,043 and the challenges they now face 18 00:01:02,043 --> 00:01:03,723 in a world dominated 19 00:01:03,723 --> 00:01:06,723 by the most successful mammal of all - 20 00:01:06,723 --> 00:01:07,963 us. 21 00:01:38,443 --> 00:01:40,483 OVERLAPPING ANIMAL CALLS 22 00:01:43,483 --> 00:01:46,923 Evening in the forests of central Africa. 23 00:01:55,723 --> 00:01:57,803 RUSTLING 24 00:01:59,763 --> 00:02:02,363 A family of chimpanzees is looking 25 00:02:02,363 --> 00:02:04,283 for somewhere to spend the night. 26 00:02:14,403 --> 00:02:17,923 Like us, they have excellent daytime vision... 27 00:02:19,883 --> 00:02:23,043 ...but at night, they could be caught unawares. 28 00:02:24,763 --> 00:02:26,683 As the light fades, 29 00:02:26,683 --> 00:02:28,963 they climb up into the canopy, 30 00:02:28,963 --> 00:02:30,523 where it's safer. 31 00:02:42,923 --> 00:02:46,163 There, they start to make beds for themselves. 32 00:02:53,283 --> 00:02:55,043 Here, in the treetops, 33 00:02:55,043 --> 00:02:58,123 the whole family will be able to sleep soundly 34 00:02:58,123 --> 00:03:00,123 through the darkest hours. 35 00:03:04,443 --> 00:03:08,603 But sleeping at night is unusual among mammals. 36 00:03:14,163 --> 00:03:17,043 More than two thirds of them only become active 37 00:03:17,043 --> 00:03:19,083 after the sun has set. 38 00:03:20,683 --> 00:03:24,243 So, while you and I and chimpanzees 39 00:03:24,243 --> 00:03:25,843 are fast asleep... 40 00:03:27,083 --> 00:03:29,203 ...most mammals the world over 41 00:03:29,203 --> 00:03:31,883 are as active as they will ever be. 42 00:03:44,483 --> 00:03:46,203 Zambia. 43 00:03:46,203 --> 00:03:48,083 OVERLAPPING ANIMAL CALLS 44 00:03:48,083 --> 00:03:52,283 It's evening, and the light is fading. 45 00:03:57,723 --> 00:04:02,083 A female leopard is starting to think about hunting. 46 00:04:14,523 --> 00:04:17,643 She can see there is plenty of possible prey. 47 00:04:25,243 --> 00:04:27,203 But, in daylight, 48 00:04:27,203 --> 00:04:31,323 they can see her just as easily as she can see them. 49 00:04:31,323 --> 00:04:33,363 THEY CHIRP 50 00:04:40,403 --> 00:04:43,563 {\an8}That, however, is all about to change... 51 00:04:46,203 --> 00:04:49,163 ...when her remarkable night vision will give her 52 00:04:49,163 --> 00:04:50,883 a crucial advantage. 53 00:05:03,483 --> 00:05:06,683 The leopard's eyes have a reflective structure 54 00:05:06,683 --> 00:05:09,923 behind the retina, called a tapetum, 55 00:05:09,923 --> 00:05:13,203 that amplifies even the tiniest amount of light. 56 00:05:15,003 --> 00:05:17,043 OVERLAPPING ANIMAL CALLS 57 00:05:18,323 --> 00:05:20,603 That now becomes very valuable, 58 00:05:20,603 --> 00:05:23,963 because, tonight, it is particularly dark. 59 00:05:29,563 --> 00:05:32,363 Impala have learnt to be wary. 60 00:05:44,323 --> 00:05:46,123 With her prey so alert... 61 00:05:47,243 --> 00:05:49,643 ...she has little chance of catching one here. 62 00:05:56,963 --> 00:05:59,723 But there are other opportunities nearby. 63 00:06:17,763 --> 00:06:20,723 20 metres above the forest floor, 64 00:06:20,723 --> 00:06:23,683 a troop of yellow baboons 65 00:06:23,683 --> 00:06:25,643 are settling down for the night. 66 00:06:33,163 --> 00:06:35,763 Even on such a dark night as this... 67 00:06:37,123 --> 00:06:40,003 ...a leopard can pick out the most vulnerable. 68 00:07:10,523 --> 00:07:13,603 Baboons have poor night vision. 69 00:07:25,523 --> 00:07:28,363 Their hearing, though, is excellent. 70 00:07:33,323 --> 00:07:35,043 The closer she gets, 71 00:07:35,043 --> 00:07:37,403 the greater the risk of waking them. 72 00:07:46,803 --> 00:07:48,483 BRANCH SNAPS 73 00:07:48,483 --> 00:07:50,523 BABOONS GRUNT AND BARK 74 00:07:55,043 --> 00:07:57,523 The troop is now fully alarmed... 75 00:08:00,403 --> 00:08:02,683 ...so she becomes bolder. 76 00:08:03,963 --> 00:08:06,003 BARKING CONTINUES 77 00:08:32,843 --> 00:08:34,403 In all the commotion, 78 00:08:34,403 --> 00:08:37,003 a mother and baby take a wrong turn... 79 00:08:43,403 --> 00:08:46,923 ...and now they are trapped at the end of a branch. 80 00:08:54,923 --> 00:08:56,963 SHE BARKS 81 00:09:01,523 --> 00:09:03,963 There seems to be no escape. 82 00:09:23,603 --> 00:09:27,963 The thinnest of branches offers the mother and baby a lifeline. 83 00:09:27,963 --> 00:09:30,003 PANTS 84 00:09:34,083 --> 00:09:36,363 BABOONS GRUNT AND BARK 85 00:09:40,043 --> 00:09:42,203 With the baboons so alarmed, 86 00:09:42,203 --> 00:09:45,483 she will need all her power and agility now. 87 00:09:51,363 --> 00:09:53,603 The troop scatters again, 88 00:09:53,603 --> 00:09:56,163 and one makes a fatal mistake. 89 00:10:01,243 --> 00:10:03,363 LOW GROWLING 90 00:10:14,683 --> 00:10:17,683 Many nocturnal mammals, like the leopard, 91 00:10:17,683 --> 00:10:20,643 have extremely sensitive night vision. 92 00:10:25,763 --> 00:10:28,603 But how do you find your prey 93 00:10:28,603 --> 00:10:30,883 if it is completely out of sight? 94 00:10:38,723 --> 00:10:40,363 The Sahara. 95 00:10:43,003 --> 00:10:45,163 Under a moonlit sky, 96 00:10:45,163 --> 00:10:48,163 it's one of the quietest places on Earth. 97 00:10:53,763 --> 00:10:56,443 In the cool air of night, 98 00:10:56,443 --> 00:10:58,083 sound travels further 99 00:10:58,083 --> 00:11:00,243 than it does in the heat of the day. 100 00:11:04,563 --> 00:11:07,963 And one mammal uses that to its advantage. 101 00:11:14,403 --> 00:11:17,443 It's a creature that's rarely seen... 102 00:11:21,043 --> 00:11:24,163 ...because it can hear us coming. 103 00:11:28,843 --> 00:11:30,283 A fennec fox. 104 00:11:32,483 --> 00:11:35,843 Its body is scarcely bigger than that of a guinea pig. 105 00:11:37,483 --> 00:11:40,123 But those ears are huge. 106 00:11:40,123 --> 00:11:42,363 If anyone can hear a pin drop, 107 00:11:42,363 --> 00:11:44,243 a fennec fox can. 108 00:11:45,563 --> 00:11:48,683 And in this vast open space, 109 00:11:48,683 --> 00:11:52,243 it's listening for the tiny footsteps of its prey. 110 00:11:57,563 --> 00:11:59,163 A gerbil. 111 00:12:09,563 --> 00:12:13,123 But, at the first sign of danger, 112 00:12:13,123 --> 00:12:15,763 gerbils hide underground. 113 00:12:21,523 --> 00:12:23,803 The fox searches dune... 114 00:12:25,243 --> 00:12:28,003 ...after dune, 115 00:12:28,003 --> 00:12:31,843 listening for the faintest of audible clues. 116 00:12:35,123 --> 00:12:37,963 Those enormous ears are so sensitive, 117 00:12:37,963 --> 00:12:42,483 they can even hear the movements of prey hiding underground. 118 00:12:48,203 --> 00:12:50,563 But then they have to be dug out. 119 00:13:01,443 --> 00:13:03,123 There is no gerbil. 120 00:13:05,083 --> 00:13:07,483 {\an8}But those ears help pinpoint 121 00:13:07,483 --> 00:13:11,083 {\an8}all sorts of other smaller creatures under the sand. 122 00:13:14,203 --> 00:13:17,643 Such as beetles and lizards. 123 00:13:21,043 --> 00:13:24,323 And they don't only help to find food. 124 00:13:27,203 --> 00:13:28,963 DISTANT CHITTERING CALL 125 00:13:28,963 --> 00:13:31,363 This fox can hear... 126 00:13:31,363 --> 00:13:33,763 ...a distant call 127 00:13:33,763 --> 00:13:36,443 echoing across the dunes. 128 00:13:41,483 --> 00:13:43,523 DISTANT CHITTERING CALL 129 00:13:52,203 --> 00:13:53,923 {\an8}It's January. 130 00:13:55,403 --> 00:13:58,123 {\an8}The beginning of the breeding season. 131 00:14:11,763 --> 00:14:13,563 But for this pair... 132 00:14:15,163 --> 00:14:18,483 ...perhaps it's just a little too early. 133 00:14:31,003 --> 00:14:33,923 To meet the challenges brought by darkness, 134 00:14:33,923 --> 00:14:36,643 nocturnal mammals have sharpened their senses 135 00:14:36,643 --> 00:14:38,963 in extraordinary ways. 136 00:14:40,923 --> 00:14:43,043 {\an8}And that's all been possible... 137 00:14:44,163 --> 00:14:47,883 {\an8}...because mammals started their journeys into night 138 00:14:47,883 --> 00:14:50,443 {\an8}a very long time ago. 139 00:15:03,563 --> 00:15:06,163 DISTANT ROARING 140 00:15:08,843 --> 00:15:11,403 200 million years ago, 141 00:15:11,403 --> 00:15:14,123 the land was dominated by dinosaurs 142 00:15:14,123 --> 00:15:17,403 and other great reptilian hunters, 143 00:15:17,403 --> 00:15:21,123 but they were mostly active during the warmth of the day. 144 00:15:22,563 --> 00:15:25,723 So the early mammals kept out of their way 145 00:15:25,723 --> 00:15:28,803 by only emerging to feed at night. 146 00:15:33,323 --> 00:15:35,163 They were very small, 147 00:15:35,163 --> 00:15:38,203 they had hairy coats which kept them warm... 148 00:15:39,603 --> 00:15:42,643 ...and they found their way around by using 149 00:15:42,643 --> 00:15:45,323 one of the most ancient senses of all. 150 00:15:47,083 --> 00:15:48,603 Touch. 151 00:15:51,883 --> 00:15:53,123 In fact, 152 00:15:53,123 --> 00:15:55,843 they were probably very like this little creature, 153 00:15:55,843 --> 00:15:58,403 a tiny Etruscan shrew. 154 00:16:01,843 --> 00:16:03,803 This one is a mother. 155 00:16:06,523 --> 00:16:08,683 And she's taking her young family 156 00:16:08,683 --> 00:16:11,443 for their first night-time walk. 157 00:16:15,243 --> 00:16:18,003 {\an8}To ensure they don't get lost in the darkness, 158 00:16:18,003 --> 00:16:20,683 they, literally, keep in touch. 159 00:16:27,603 --> 00:16:29,843 The babies hold on tight... 160 00:16:32,323 --> 00:16:35,963 ...until they reach the safety of a new nest. 161 00:16:39,923 --> 00:16:43,083 Touch not only helps them find their way... 162 00:16:44,483 --> 00:16:47,203 ...they use it when hunting. 163 00:16:50,763 --> 00:16:53,643 {\an8}Weighing less than a ping-pong ball, 164 00:16:53,643 --> 00:16:57,963 {\an8}Etruscan shrews are the world's smallest terrestrial mammal. 165 00:17:01,283 --> 00:17:04,083 But they're still formidable predators. 166 00:17:14,443 --> 00:17:17,123 Some of the hairs on the end of their noses 167 00:17:17,123 --> 00:17:19,403 have become enlarged into whiskers, 168 00:17:19,403 --> 00:17:22,043 that are especially sensitive to touch. 169 00:17:23,123 --> 00:17:25,163 SNIFFS 170 00:17:26,243 --> 00:17:29,163 Like an extra pair of hands, 171 00:17:29,163 --> 00:17:30,883 they guide them 172 00:17:30,883 --> 00:17:33,163 on a never-ending search for a meal. 173 00:17:44,043 --> 00:17:46,083 SQUELCHING 174 00:17:48,883 --> 00:17:51,363 To fuel their frenetic lifestyle, 175 00:17:51,363 --> 00:17:53,963 they feed every few hours. 176 00:17:55,723 --> 00:17:57,443 A bush cricket. 177 00:17:58,843 --> 00:18:00,763 It's almost as big as she is... 178 00:18:02,883 --> 00:18:06,243 ...and well able to make a quick getaway. 179 00:18:09,803 --> 00:18:11,923 She will need the lightest of touches 180 00:18:11,923 --> 00:18:13,483 if she's to catch it. 181 00:18:18,963 --> 00:18:22,683 So she switches to whisker mode. 182 00:18:27,523 --> 00:18:30,003 To prevent it escaping, 183 00:18:30,003 --> 00:18:32,643 she must grab one of its jumping legs. 184 00:18:44,963 --> 00:18:47,123 She won't get a second chance. 185 00:19:02,323 --> 00:19:05,483 It's a relatively enormous meal. 186 00:19:07,283 --> 00:19:09,203 But she must eat a lot 187 00:19:09,203 --> 00:19:11,843 to feed her ever-growing family 188 00:19:11,843 --> 00:19:14,923 and fuel her fast-paced lifestyle. 189 00:19:17,163 --> 00:19:19,803 So she'll soon be out hunting again. 190 00:19:27,843 --> 00:19:31,803 Feeling their way by touch is not the only method 191 00:19:31,803 --> 00:19:34,843 by which mammals deal with the problems of darkness. 192 00:19:36,923 --> 00:19:39,243 MOOING 193 00:19:39,243 --> 00:19:42,203 In Argentina, as night falls, 194 00:19:42,203 --> 00:19:47,043 life starts to stir in an abandoned farm building. 195 00:19:51,843 --> 00:19:55,763 There are all kinds of smells drifting through the air - 196 00:19:55,763 --> 00:19:57,403 some powerful... 197 00:19:59,043 --> 00:20:00,603 ...some faint. 198 00:20:02,963 --> 00:20:05,643 And one nocturnal mammal has 199 00:20:05,643 --> 00:20:08,323 an extraordinarily sensitive way of detecting 200 00:20:08,323 --> 00:20:10,283 even the faintest of them. 201 00:20:15,723 --> 00:20:17,283 An armadillo. 202 00:20:19,083 --> 00:20:22,283 There are 21 species in the Americas. 203 00:20:24,243 --> 00:20:27,723 This one is the large... 204 00:20:27,723 --> 00:20:29,563 ...hairy... 205 00:20:29,563 --> 00:20:31,443 ...armadillo. 206 00:20:38,843 --> 00:20:40,403 After dark, 207 00:20:40,403 --> 00:20:43,083 he heads out into the surrounding pasture... 208 00:20:47,763 --> 00:20:51,403 {\an8}...guided by a highly sensitive nose. 209 00:20:53,683 --> 00:20:55,723 SNIFFING 210 00:21:02,563 --> 00:21:05,083 This male has detected a smell 211 00:21:05,083 --> 00:21:07,643 that he finds especially enticing... 212 00:21:15,003 --> 00:21:17,723 ...and soon locates the source. 213 00:21:20,323 --> 00:21:22,203 {\an8}A female in season... 214 00:21:23,523 --> 00:21:26,963 {\an8}...and she's producing an irresistible perfume. 215 00:21:31,083 --> 00:21:32,603 He's fallen for her. 216 00:21:37,363 --> 00:21:40,363 But she is not so sure about him. 217 00:21:43,683 --> 00:21:45,923 So she takes the lead. 218 00:21:50,043 --> 00:21:53,203 The male has to keep up, as best he can. 219 00:21:53,203 --> 00:21:55,243 MOOS 220 00:21:58,243 --> 00:22:00,403 Back in the abandoned building, 221 00:22:00,403 --> 00:22:03,363 the clutter in the rooms makes things more difficult. 222 00:22:10,843 --> 00:22:12,523 He's lost her... 223 00:22:14,723 --> 00:22:17,043 ...but her scent is everywhere. 224 00:22:20,403 --> 00:22:22,283 He's not giving up. 225 00:22:45,883 --> 00:22:50,123 {\an8}Eventually, she leads him to a quiet corner. 226 00:22:57,963 --> 00:23:00,123 Her choice is made. 227 00:23:07,443 --> 00:23:11,883 Equipped with an array of sharp super-senses, 228 00:23:11,883 --> 00:23:14,603 nocturnal mammals have little difficulty 229 00:23:14,603 --> 00:23:17,043 in finding not only food, 230 00:23:17,043 --> 00:23:18,763 but mates. 231 00:23:21,403 --> 00:23:24,163 But some of the most successful of all 232 00:23:24,163 --> 00:23:26,403 don't only use their own senses... 233 00:23:27,803 --> 00:23:30,643 ...they also rely on each other. 234 00:23:42,203 --> 00:23:46,163 The Ngorongoro Crater in northern Tanzania. 235 00:23:49,203 --> 00:23:53,683 One of the greatest mammal hot spots in the world. 236 00:24:11,123 --> 00:24:13,603 ZEBRA YIP WILDEBEEST LOW 237 00:24:20,963 --> 00:24:23,723 With such an abundance of prey, 238 00:24:23,723 --> 00:24:27,403 the crater attracts great numbers of predators. 239 00:24:29,443 --> 00:24:32,323 Amongst them, spotted hyenas. 240 00:24:38,163 --> 00:24:40,243 And this female is a member 241 00:24:40,243 --> 00:24:44,163 of one of the most exceptional and caring families. 242 00:24:44,163 --> 00:24:46,403 YIPPING 243 00:24:59,043 --> 00:25:02,763 She will nurture her cubs for 18 months. 244 00:25:08,883 --> 00:25:11,323 And she is not a single parent. 245 00:25:12,523 --> 00:25:14,003 Far from it. 246 00:25:16,563 --> 00:25:19,283 She has the support of a sisterhood. 247 00:25:21,683 --> 00:25:24,963 {\an8}A clan ruled by females, 248 00:25:24,963 --> 00:25:27,483 {\an8}60 adults strong. 249 00:25:36,523 --> 00:25:39,763 {\an8}With so many mouths to feed, 250 00:25:39,763 --> 00:25:43,203 {\an8}hyenas must hunt almost every night. 251 00:25:54,683 --> 00:25:58,003 As dusk falls, they head out, 252 00:25:58,003 --> 00:26:00,643 splitting up into small groups... 253 00:26:02,243 --> 00:26:04,683 {\an8}...to widen their search for prey. 254 00:26:26,643 --> 00:26:30,363 They are well equipped to hunt in darkness, 255 00:26:30,363 --> 00:26:33,843 with excellent low-light vision, 256 00:26:33,843 --> 00:26:35,923 a superb sense of smell 257 00:26:35,923 --> 00:26:38,403 and highly acute hearing. 258 00:26:41,363 --> 00:26:44,443 But they aren't the only ones out hunting. 259 00:26:49,083 --> 00:26:52,483 A pride of lions has already made a kill. 260 00:26:54,763 --> 00:26:57,163 BELLOWING 261 00:26:59,163 --> 00:27:01,723 LOUD MUNCHING 262 00:27:07,563 --> 00:27:10,123 The hyenas try their luck at scavenging. 263 00:27:12,163 --> 00:27:14,203 DEEP GROWL 264 00:27:16,923 --> 00:27:19,003 HYENAS YELP 265 00:27:34,883 --> 00:27:37,483 HYENAS YELP 266 00:27:48,243 --> 00:27:51,603 There is no easy meal to be had here. 267 00:27:55,043 --> 00:27:56,603 But not far away, 268 00:27:56,603 --> 00:27:59,443 they find one of the most impressive mammals 269 00:27:59,443 --> 00:28:00,963 in the crater. 270 00:28:02,683 --> 00:28:04,483 One with the reputation 271 00:28:04,483 --> 00:28:07,043 of being particularly dangerous. 272 00:28:10,003 --> 00:28:11,803 Cape buffalo. 273 00:28:15,683 --> 00:28:17,643 A single one of them would be enough food 274 00:28:17,643 --> 00:28:19,563 for the whole hyena clan. 275 00:28:21,283 --> 00:28:25,563 But a full-grown buffalo weighs three quarters of a tonne 276 00:28:25,563 --> 00:28:27,243 and is very formidable. 277 00:28:31,323 --> 00:28:34,163 The small group of hyenas look for a weakness 278 00:28:34,163 --> 00:28:36,683 in the buffalo's defence. 279 00:28:36,683 --> 00:28:38,723 BUFFALO SNORTS HYENA YELPS 280 00:28:43,203 --> 00:28:45,363 YELPING 281 00:28:48,563 --> 00:28:50,643 It's just too risky. 282 00:28:57,803 --> 00:29:01,363 But when the odds are stacked against them, 283 00:29:01,363 --> 00:29:03,483 hyenas play their trump card. 284 00:29:04,563 --> 00:29:07,363 DEEP WHOOPING 285 00:29:10,883 --> 00:29:13,883 They summon reinforcements. 286 00:29:13,883 --> 00:29:16,643 WHOOPS 287 00:29:16,643 --> 00:29:19,883 Their calls echo across the crater. 288 00:29:19,883 --> 00:29:22,563 WHOOPS 289 00:29:24,883 --> 00:29:27,323 CHORUS OF WHOOPING 290 00:29:29,523 --> 00:29:32,443 Clan members up to three miles away... 291 00:29:34,163 --> 00:29:36,363 ...hear their cry for assistance. 292 00:29:38,123 --> 00:29:40,403 CHATTERING 293 00:29:40,403 --> 00:29:42,883 DISTANT WHOOPING 294 00:29:51,563 --> 00:29:53,483 {\an8}BUFFALO GRUNTS 295 00:29:53,483 --> 00:29:55,763 {\an8}HYENAS YELP 296 00:29:55,763 --> 00:29:58,723 {\an8}The buffalo is still standing strong. 297 00:30:03,243 --> 00:30:05,563 More reinforcements are needed. 298 00:30:05,563 --> 00:30:07,683 BUFFALO BELLOWS 299 00:30:09,683 --> 00:30:11,803 WHOOPING 300 00:30:32,563 --> 00:30:36,443 {\an8}Now, with the combined strength of the whole clan... 301 00:30:36,443 --> 00:30:38,003 {\an8}BUFFALO SNORTS 302 00:30:38,003 --> 00:30:40,843 {\an8}...they have a chance. 303 00:30:40,843 --> 00:30:44,723 {\an8}But a wounded buffalo is particularly dangerous. 304 00:30:48,363 --> 00:30:51,123 One stab from those horns could kill. 305 00:31:02,763 --> 00:31:04,803 YELPING 306 00:31:07,843 --> 00:31:10,843 They must force the buffalo off its feet. 307 00:31:34,843 --> 00:31:39,483 {\an8}There's no escape from so many hyena. 308 00:31:54,443 --> 00:31:57,083 {\an8}Their ability to work as a team 309 00:31:57,083 --> 00:31:58,923 {\an8}makes the spotted hyena 310 00:31:58,923 --> 00:32:02,203 {\an8}one of Africa's most successful predators. 311 00:32:08,803 --> 00:32:13,163 But there is one mammal that has brought working together 312 00:32:13,163 --> 00:32:15,443 to a whole new level. 313 00:32:22,203 --> 00:32:25,123 Nearly a metre beneath the surface 314 00:32:25,123 --> 00:32:28,403 of the Kalahari Desert, 315 00:32:28,403 --> 00:32:29,763 there are tunnels... 316 00:32:31,523 --> 00:32:36,083 ...where normally, animals live in permanent darkness. 317 00:32:36,083 --> 00:32:38,843 Only our lights make them visible. 318 00:32:45,483 --> 00:32:47,963 Damaraland mole-rats. 319 00:32:56,083 --> 00:33:00,683 {\an8}The heart of their colony is their nesting chamber. 320 00:33:07,243 --> 00:33:08,563 And here, 321 00:33:08,563 --> 00:33:11,203 amongst the mass of bodies, 322 00:33:11,203 --> 00:33:13,083 lies the queen. 323 00:33:18,603 --> 00:33:22,043 She is the only female who breeds. 324 00:33:23,403 --> 00:33:26,323 All the rest, whether male or female, 325 00:33:26,323 --> 00:33:28,083 are workers. 326 00:33:34,443 --> 00:33:37,803 Their main task is to dig for food. 327 00:33:45,803 --> 00:33:48,603 But the dry season brings a challenge. 328 00:33:50,843 --> 00:33:54,403 The soil becomes so hard and dry 329 00:33:54,403 --> 00:33:57,483 that mole-rats are unable to dig out the tubers 330 00:33:57,483 --> 00:33:59,243 on which they feed. 331 00:34:07,483 --> 00:34:10,643 And their larder is nearly empty. 332 00:34:15,923 --> 00:34:19,123 Digging is now so difficult, 333 00:34:19,123 --> 00:34:21,283 they have to save their energies 334 00:34:21,283 --> 00:34:23,643 until conditions improve. 335 00:34:28,243 --> 00:34:30,603 THUNDER RUMBLES 336 00:34:30,603 --> 00:34:32,643 THUNDER CRACKS 337 00:34:36,563 --> 00:34:38,083 It's late November. 338 00:34:39,443 --> 00:34:42,243 The rains, at last, have returned. 339 00:34:47,203 --> 00:34:50,643 {\an8}Each downpour helps to soften the soil. 340 00:34:54,923 --> 00:34:58,523 And the workers can start digging again. 341 00:34:59,963 --> 00:35:02,803 Now, using their huge incisors, 342 00:35:02,803 --> 00:35:06,963 they are able to cut through the rain-soaked soil. 343 00:35:10,963 --> 00:35:14,323 {\an8}The first tubers they find, they eat on the spot. 344 00:35:19,283 --> 00:35:21,523 Once they've had their fill, 345 00:35:21,523 --> 00:35:23,963 they carry away the tubers they find 346 00:35:23,963 --> 00:35:26,923 to a chamber that serves as a larder. 347 00:35:30,123 --> 00:35:32,603 The colony works without pause. 348 00:35:35,363 --> 00:35:40,643 After the rains, they may dig half a mile of new tunnels, 349 00:35:40,643 --> 00:35:43,523 shifting nearly three tonnes of soil. 350 00:35:51,683 --> 00:35:55,163 All in order to restock their larder. 351 00:36:02,443 --> 00:36:05,683 Finally, they have accumulated enough food 352 00:36:05,683 --> 00:36:08,283 to see them through the next dry season. 353 00:36:13,843 --> 00:36:17,563 Thanks to their dedicated teams of workers, 354 00:36:17,563 --> 00:36:19,683 mole-rats have succeeded 355 00:36:19,683 --> 00:36:23,443 in an underground world in permanent darkness. 356 00:36:29,603 --> 00:36:31,723 But there is one group of mammals, 357 00:36:31,723 --> 00:36:34,683 that has colonised the dark with such success 358 00:36:34,683 --> 00:36:37,883 that they've spread to almost every land on Earth 359 00:36:37,883 --> 00:36:39,883 outside the polar regions. 360 00:36:42,203 --> 00:36:45,363 Dusk on the north-west coast of Trinidad. 361 00:36:52,843 --> 00:36:55,123 WAVES LAP AND CRASH 362 00:36:55,123 --> 00:36:57,603 Deep inside a sea cave, 363 00:36:57,603 --> 00:37:00,083 a colony of greater bulldog bats 364 00:37:00,083 --> 00:37:01,643 are waking up. 365 00:37:09,363 --> 00:37:11,403 RAPID SQUEAKING 366 00:37:14,283 --> 00:37:17,563 Whether their English name is a libel or a compliment 367 00:37:17,563 --> 00:37:19,803 is, perhaps, debatable. 368 00:37:22,923 --> 00:37:27,363 Bats are the only mammals that have true powered flight. 369 00:37:31,043 --> 00:37:34,843 Getting airborne requires a thorough preflight check. 370 00:37:40,803 --> 00:37:43,203 Their wings are membranes of skin 371 00:37:43,203 --> 00:37:46,283 stretched between greatly elongated fingers. 372 00:37:49,883 --> 00:37:52,603 Licking helps keep them supple. 373 00:37:56,803 --> 00:37:59,603 These particular bats are also equipped 374 00:37:59,603 --> 00:38:01,683 with an unusual feature. 375 00:38:04,203 --> 00:38:08,723 Their feet have enormously elongated hook-like claws. 376 00:38:14,363 --> 00:38:16,883 They're certainly useful for back scratching. 377 00:38:22,603 --> 00:38:24,363 And ear picking. 378 00:38:29,243 --> 00:38:31,363 But most importantly of all, 379 00:38:31,363 --> 00:38:33,283 they are for hunting. 380 00:38:40,043 --> 00:38:43,203 Inside their cave, it's pitch-black. 381 00:38:44,443 --> 00:38:47,123 But these bats have a sixth sense 382 00:38:47,123 --> 00:38:50,403 that enables them, in effect, to see in the dark. 383 00:38:53,643 --> 00:38:55,963 CHIRPING 384 00:38:55,963 --> 00:38:58,163 Echolocation. 385 00:39:00,683 --> 00:39:03,123 QUICKFIRE CHIRPING 386 00:39:03,123 --> 00:39:06,283 They make a series of very loud, short calls... 387 00:39:08,203 --> 00:39:10,003 ...and by listening to the echoes, 388 00:39:10,003 --> 00:39:12,523 are able to create a mental map 389 00:39:12,523 --> 00:39:14,683 of their surroundings. 390 00:39:14,683 --> 00:39:16,963 ECHOING CHIRPS 391 00:39:21,443 --> 00:39:23,283 It's so detailed 392 00:39:23,283 --> 00:39:26,163 that they can navigate in total darkness. 393 00:39:28,163 --> 00:39:30,483 CHIRPING 394 00:39:31,683 --> 00:39:37,683 And bulldog bats use this talent to catch fish, 395 00:39:37,683 --> 00:39:39,883 which is not easy. 396 00:39:50,043 --> 00:39:53,723 Their calls bounce off the surface of water 397 00:39:53,723 --> 00:39:57,363 so they can't reveal anything beneath. 398 00:39:57,363 --> 00:40:00,603 But they can, nonetheless, give clues. 399 00:40:08,763 --> 00:40:11,683 A bat will scan the surface of the water 400 00:40:11,683 --> 00:40:14,403 with broad echolocation calls. 401 00:40:14,403 --> 00:40:16,523 SLOW CHIRPING 402 00:40:17,723 --> 00:40:19,523 When something is detected, 403 00:40:19,523 --> 00:40:21,683 they're able to focus on it. 404 00:40:26,483 --> 00:40:28,563 A fin cutting the surface 405 00:40:28,563 --> 00:40:30,803 is enough to make them start fishing. 406 00:40:35,763 --> 00:40:39,443 But catching one requires precision flying. 407 00:40:51,683 --> 00:40:54,003 Using its feet like grappling hooks, 408 00:40:54,003 --> 00:40:56,683 it rakes the surface of the sea. 409 00:41:02,003 --> 00:41:05,043 But this is, literally, a shot in the dark. 410 00:41:10,683 --> 00:41:14,083 The bat's timing has to be exactly right 411 00:41:14,083 --> 00:41:17,003 to coincide with the fish breaking the surface. 412 00:41:29,843 --> 00:41:33,443 Eventually, repetition brings a reward. 413 00:41:44,563 --> 00:41:47,003 Thanks to this super-sense, 414 00:41:47,003 --> 00:41:49,483 these remarkable bats have become 415 00:41:49,483 --> 00:41:52,363 astonishingly successful fishermen. 416 00:42:18,723 --> 00:42:22,323 Bats were almost certainly flying in the night skies 417 00:42:22,323 --> 00:42:24,603 when the dinosaurs became extinct. 418 00:42:26,403 --> 00:42:31,683 And now, nearly one quarter of all mammal species are bats. 419 00:42:34,363 --> 00:42:36,043 And that is not all. 420 00:42:40,843 --> 00:42:42,243 They also form 421 00:42:42,243 --> 00:42:45,363 the most numerous gatherings made by any mammal. 422 00:42:50,803 --> 00:42:53,243 Austin, in Texas. 423 00:42:58,363 --> 00:43:01,323 Every evening in early August, 424 00:43:01,323 --> 00:43:04,363 crowds gather around Congress Avenue Bridge... 425 00:43:06,883 --> 00:43:09,923 ...waiting for one of the city's great spectacles. 426 00:43:12,603 --> 00:43:14,243 As the sun sets... 427 00:43:15,723 --> 00:43:17,843 ...the stars appear. 428 00:43:21,803 --> 00:43:23,963 CLAMOROUS CHIRPING 429 00:43:27,443 --> 00:43:30,283 Mexican free-tailed bats. 430 00:43:33,363 --> 00:43:36,443 The gaps on the underside of the bridge 431 00:43:36,443 --> 00:43:39,643 provide excellent roosts for the bats. 432 00:43:45,923 --> 00:43:49,523 And now, 1.5 million of them live there. 433 00:44:25,203 --> 00:44:28,963 These free-tailed bats live very successfully 434 00:44:28,963 --> 00:44:31,083 right alongside us. 435 00:44:32,483 --> 00:44:35,963 There are now more bats than people in Austin... 436 00:44:37,603 --> 00:44:40,283 ...and their numbers are still increasing. 437 00:45:12,083 --> 00:45:14,683 Mammals have evolved many ways 438 00:45:14,683 --> 00:45:17,843 to deal with the problems of living in the dark. 439 00:45:22,323 --> 00:45:26,283 But none have done so more successfully than bats. 440 00:45:28,963 --> 00:45:30,963 In recent years, however, 441 00:45:30,963 --> 00:45:34,843 other mammals have started to alter their habits... 442 00:45:36,403 --> 00:45:38,443 VEHICLES HONK 443 00:45:38,443 --> 00:45:41,203 ...and are changing from being active in the day 444 00:45:41,203 --> 00:45:43,043 to coming out at night. 445 00:45:46,363 --> 00:45:48,443 TRAINS RATTLE OVER TRACKS 446 00:45:50,283 --> 00:45:54,243 And they're doing so in order to avoid us. 447 00:46:06,443 --> 00:46:07,803 A coyote. 448 00:46:09,243 --> 00:46:12,603 A species of dog as wild and untamed 449 00:46:12,603 --> 00:46:15,283 as any wolf or jackal. 450 00:46:16,443 --> 00:46:20,003 And this animal that was once mostly active in the day 451 00:46:20,003 --> 00:46:23,483 has started to take the night shift. 452 00:46:26,323 --> 00:46:28,123 Under the cover of darkness, 453 00:46:28,123 --> 00:46:30,523 they're now living right in the heart 454 00:46:30,523 --> 00:46:32,643 of America's biggest cities. 455 00:46:42,723 --> 00:46:47,923 This is Chicago, home to over nine million people. 456 00:46:54,083 --> 00:46:56,443 For an animal to be successful here, 457 00:46:56,443 --> 00:47:00,323 it helps to be active when we are not. 458 00:47:08,483 --> 00:47:11,163 Just as early mammals became nocturnal 459 00:47:11,163 --> 00:47:14,323 in order to avoid daytime dinosaurs, 460 00:47:14,323 --> 00:47:16,763 these coyotes are now doing so 461 00:47:16,763 --> 00:47:19,803 in order to avoid us. 462 00:47:19,803 --> 00:47:21,843 DISTANT SIRENS 463 00:47:25,163 --> 00:47:28,443 And, as a consequence, they're thriving. 464 00:47:30,523 --> 00:47:35,483 Greater Chicago is now home to over 4,000 coyotes. 465 00:47:41,643 --> 00:47:44,403 They keep a low profile where they can. 466 00:47:48,243 --> 00:47:51,843 Though Chicago, like any city, is full of dangers. 467 00:47:55,043 --> 00:47:58,403 But these clever coyotes are now streetwise. 468 00:48:01,963 --> 00:48:03,563 Some have even learnt 469 00:48:03,563 --> 00:48:05,803 when it's safe to cross the road. 470 00:48:17,683 --> 00:48:19,883 The reason for these urban journeys? 471 00:48:21,643 --> 00:48:24,843 Chicago's downtown parks. 472 00:48:28,283 --> 00:48:30,483 Little oases of wilderness 473 00:48:30,483 --> 00:48:32,803 that attract a surprising variety 474 00:48:32,803 --> 00:48:34,643 of other wildlife 475 00:48:34,643 --> 00:48:36,483 in considerable numbers. 476 00:48:43,923 --> 00:48:46,523 The coyotes don't live on trash. 477 00:48:51,083 --> 00:48:53,563 DISTANT SIRENS 478 00:48:58,723 --> 00:49:00,683 They are skilful hunters. 479 00:49:16,723 --> 00:49:18,683 Before dawn arrives... 480 00:49:20,203 --> 00:49:24,123 ...these wily coyotes retreat into the shadows. 481 00:49:29,363 --> 00:49:33,123 It's the adaptability and ingenuity of these mammals, 482 00:49:33,123 --> 00:49:35,843 indeed of all nocturnal mammals, 483 00:49:35,843 --> 00:49:38,283 that has enabled them to become active 484 00:49:38,283 --> 00:49:40,483 in conditions that we avoid. 485 00:49:43,083 --> 00:49:45,043 They have mastered the dark 486 00:49:45,043 --> 00:49:47,043 and found the richest rewards. 487 00:49:49,123 --> 00:49:52,043 And it should really be no surprise. 488 00:49:52,043 --> 00:49:53,363 After all, 489 00:49:53,363 --> 00:49:57,243 they've been doing just that for millions of years. 490 00:50:15,883 --> 00:50:19,003 One of the greatest challenges facing the Dark team 491 00:50:19,003 --> 00:50:21,003 was filming fennec foxes. 492 00:50:22,203 --> 00:50:26,563 They travelled to Tunisia and into the Sahara. 493 00:50:26,563 --> 00:50:29,843 Helping them was Italian wildlife photographer 494 00:50:29,843 --> 00:50:31,643 Bruno D'Amicis. 495 00:50:31,643 --> 00:50:33,443 Having worked here before, 496 00:50:33,443 --> 00:50:36,523 he knew just how difficult this would be. 497 00:50:36,523 --> 00:50:38,843 We don't know much about fennec foxes. 498 00:50:38,843 --> 00:50:41,483 The studies done on this species in the wild 499 00:50:41,483 --> 00:50:43,963 can be counted on one single hand. 500 00:50:45,123 --> 00:50:47,963 You have this animal living in the largest desert of all, 501 00:50:47,963 --> 00:50:49,923 moving mostly at night, 502 00:50:49,923 --> 00:50:51,923 so, yeah, it is... 503 00:50:51,923 --> 00:50:54,603 ...it is super challenging, it is very difficult. 504 00:50:54,603 --> 00:50:57,563 Bechir Belhadj, a local fennec expert, 505 00:50:57,563 --> 00:51:01,043 was key to helping them track down the best place to film. 506 00:51:01,043 --> 00:51:02,763 Bruno, Bruno. 507 00:51:03,923 --> 00:51:06,763 Oh, there's the fennec. 508 00:51:06,763 --> 00:51:08,923 Yeah, that's great. 509 00:51:08,923 --> 00:51:10,843 Thank goodness they're here. 510 00:51:10,843 --> 00:51:12,563 Oh, here. You see, you see? 511 00:51:13,523 --> 00:51:15,163 You're looking at fennec scats. 512 00:51:15,163 --> 00:51:17,123 Looks like a... beetle casings. 513 00:51:17,123 --> 00:51:19,883 Yeah, many beetle casings. 514 00:51:19,883 --> 00:51:22,243 The signs were encouraging. 515 00:51:22,243 --> 00:51:24,323 But producer Stuart Armstrong knew 516 00:51:24,323 --> 00:51:27,483 that the challenge was still immense. 517 00:51:27,483 --> 00:51:30,363 Great that we've found tracks and signs of fennecs 518 00:51:30,363 --> 00:51:33,123 but it's rolling dunes, you know, 519 00:51:33,123 --> 00:51:36,523 something will disappear so quickly behind a dune, 520 00:51:36,523 --> 00:51:39,363 and then you add in the challenge of doing it in the dark. 521 00:51:40,923 --> 00:51:44,283 Early next morning, Bruno and Stuart got to work 522 00:51:44,283 --> 00:51:47,243 setting up numerous camera traps. 523 00:51:47,243 --> 00:51:50,083 Using super-sensitive low-light cameras 524 00:51:50,083 --> 00:51:52,443 would give them the best chance. 525 00:51:52,443 --> 00:51:55,123 With new technologies, we can get a beautiful glimpse 526 00:51:55,123 --> 00:51:57,163 of what goes on at night, 527 00:51:57,163 --> 00:51:59,603 with... directly with the moonlight. 528 00:51:59,603 --> 00:52:01,243 So it is super exciting. 529 00:52:02,403 --> 00:52:05,043 And wildlife cameramen Pete Cayless 530 00:52:05,043 --> 00:52:08,443 and Marco Andreini started their night shifts. 531 00:52:08,443 --> 00:52:11,003 At least we know that there are foxes around. 532 00:52:11,003 --> 00:52:15,323 Our wish is to see one, um, in front of us. 533 00:52:29,323 --> 00:52:31,963 With clear skies and a full moon, 534 00:52:31,963 --> 00:52:34,163 filming conditions are excellent. 535 00:52:35,363 --> 00:52:36,843 But being nocturnal, 536 00:52:36,843 --> 00:52:40,163 extremely shy and living in such remote locations, 537 00:52:40,163 --> 00:52:43,243 fennec foxes have been filmed only rarely. 538 00:52:44,803 --> 00:52:46,923 But after only a few nights, 539 00:52:46,923 --> 00:52:50,563 this ghost of the desert revealed itself. 540 00:52:50,563 --> 00:52:51,923 WHISPERS: Oh, wow. 541 00:52:55,003 --> 00:52:56,883 {\an8}HE CHUCKLES QUIETLY 542 00:52:56,883 --> 00:52:58,803 I actually can't believe it. 543 00:53:06,483 --> 00:53:08,723 And when they checked the camera traps, 544 00:53:08,723 --> 00:53:10,883 the news got even better. 545 00:53:10,883 --> 00:53:12,363 Yay! 546 00:53:14,043 --> 00:53:15,523 Look at that! No way. 547 00:53:15,523 --> 00:53:17,843 Look at the size of those ears. 548 00:53:17,843 --> 00:53:20,323 Yeah. They're huge. Yeah. 549 00:53:21,723 --> 00:53:23,803 Sweet little thing. 550 00:53:23,803 --> 00:53:25,963 That's so encouraging. 551 00:53:25,963 --> 00:53:27,803 That's super encouraging. 552 00:53:27,803 --> 00:53:30,003 Yay! 553 00:53:30,003 --> 00:53:31,883 All was going well. 554 00:53:33,483 --> 00:53:36,043 But their good luck soon vanished. 555 00:53:37,723 --> 00:53:39,203 HE SIGHS 556 00:53:39,203 --> 00:53:41,163 The foxes had disappeared. 557 00:53:41,163 --> 00:53:43,363 HE EXHALES 558 00:53:43,363 --> 00:53:45,923 Night after night brought no rewards 559 00:53:45,923 --> 00:53:49,723 for camera operators or camera traps. 560 00:53:49,723 --> 00:53:52,243 Keep trying, that's the only thing I can do. 561 00:53:52,243 --> 00:53:54,803 I really hope they will... they will come. 562 00:53:59,123 --> 00:54:00,563 Nothing. 563 00:54:04,443 --> 00:54:06,443 Nothing, nothing, nothing. 564 00:54:09,003 --> 00:54:10,883 Frustrating to say the least. 565 00:54:15,763 --> 00:54:18,123 The crew eventually discovered the reason 566 00:54:18,123 --> 00:54:20,363 for the fox's sudden disappearance. 567 00:54:22,083 --> 00:54:26,523 A few miles away, they found a recently abandoned camp, 568 00:54:26,523 --> 00:54:30,403 and amongst the litter was the most shocking find. 569 00:54:33,203 --> 00:54:34,883 {\an8}We're all a bit stunned. 570 00:54:36,323 --> 00:54:38,363 {\an8}We discovered one of the foxes on the floor 571 00:54:38,363 --> 00:54:40,563 and we thought that was shocking enough, 572 00:54:40,563 --> 00:54:42,723 and then just... just up here... 573 00:54:46,723 --> 00:54:48,483 ...is a second fox. 574 00:54:51,123 --> 00:54:53,163 It's just heartbreaking. 575 00:54:56,523 --> 00:54:59,123 There's... no end to this horror. 576 00:55:00,163 --> 00:55:03,283 Here, it is illegal to kill a fennec fox. 577 00:55:04,683 --> 00:55:07,643 But it's difficult to police such a remote place 578 00:55:07,643 --> 00:55:11,643 and, sadly, they are still heavily persecuted - 579 00:55:11,643 --> 00:55:16,163 trapped for pets, but also for food, fur 580 00:55:16,163 --> 00:55:18,163 and, in this case, more shockingly, 581 00:55:18,163 --> 00:55:20,243 it seemed, for fun. 582 00:55:21,523 --> 00:55:23,763 I'm heartbroken, I'm heartbroken. 583 00:55:31,043 --> 00:55:35,763 Saharan wildlife is some of the most threatened on Earth, 584 00:55:35,763 --> 00:55:39,723 and only with local champions can the situation here change. 585 00:55:41,043 --> 00:55:44,363 As a young man, Bechir used to trap foxes, 586 00:55:44,363 --> 00:55:46,123 but he hunts no more. 587 00:55:47,323 --> 00:55:49,203 He's become an advocate, 588 00:55:49,203 --> 00:55:52,683 helping to spread the message throughout the local communities 589 00:55:52,683 --> 00:55:54,963 that fennecs need protecting, 590 00:55:54,963 --> 00:56:00,043 and he hopes a film about these foxes could help with that, 591 00:56:00,043 --> 00:56:01,923 which made him and the crew 592 00:56:01,923 --> 00:56:05,163 even more determined to not give up. 593 00:56:09,603 --> 00:56:12,843 Bechir knew of another potential location. 594 00:56:12,843 --> 00:56:14,483 A remote oasis, 595 00:56:14,483 --> 00:56:17,723 and the signs are encouraging for everyone. 596 00:56:18,723 --> 00:56:21,243 Wow. There are loads of tracks. 597 00:56:21,243 --> 00:56:24,363 There must be more than one animal. This cannot be one animal. 598 00:56:24,363 --> 00:56:27,323 This is very exciting, isn't it? Yeah. 599 00:56:27,323 --> 00:56:31,403 New location, a new day, new hope. 600 00:56:34,443 --> 00:56:37,643 But would the tracks and signs turn into success 601 00:56:37,643 --> 00:56:39,163 for Marco and Pete? 602 00:56:42,843 --> 00:56:44,643 How are you doing? How was your night? 603 00:56:44,643 --> 00:56:48,003 Ah, it was a long, long, long, long night. 604 00:56:49,443 --> 00:56:54,723 I must have been crazy when I chose this hide. 605 00:56:54,723 --> 00:56:57,003 HE GRUNTS It's too small. 606 00:57:01,843 --> 00:57:03,523 But it worked. 607 00:57:04,763 --> 00:57:07,683 There was one fluffy... 608 00:57:07,683 --> 00:57:09,443 HE LAUGHS 609 00:57:09,443 --> 00:57:12,803 ...then two fennec foxes there. 610 00:57:14,563 --> 00:57:18,403 To see two foxes, possibly a courting pair, 611 00:57:18,403 --> 00:57:21,043 brought the team a lot of hope. 612 00:57:22,243 --> 00:57:24,563 These animals are so incredible. 613 00:57:24,563 --> 00:57:28,243 It's like the spirit of this desert. 614 00:57:30,083 --> 00:57:31,723 It was so beautiful. 615 00:57:31,723 --> 00:57:32,923 I'm so happy... 616 00:57:32,923 --> 00:57:34,483 HE LAUGHS ...now. 617 00:57:37,683 --> 00:57:41,523 {\an8}In remote corners and against many odds, 618 00:57:41,523 --> 00:57:45,363 {\an8}these endearing foxes still survive. 619 00:57:45,363 --> 00:57:48,803 {\an8}And, hopefully, the support of local communities 620 00:57:48,803 --> 00:57:51,763 {\an8}will help to conserve not just fennecs 621 00:57:51,763 --> 00:57:55,363 {\an8}but other threatened wildlife across the Sahara. 622 00:58:05,163 --> 00:58:07,163 Next time... GROWLING 623 00:58:07,163 --> 00:58:10,283 ...mammals continue their journey into our world... 624 00:58:10,283 --> 00:58:12,803 {\an8}THEY SQUEAK AND CHIRP 625 00:58:12,803 --> 00:58:14,483 ELEPHANT TRUMPETS 626 00:58:14,483 --> 00:58:17,323 ...a world changing faster than ever before... 627 00:58:21,363 --> 00:58:24,243 ...and full of new challenges.