1 00:00:29,043 --> 00:00:31,723 GRUNTING 2 00:00:31,723 --> 00:00:36,763 DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: Mammals long ago invaded every habitat on Earth. 3 00:00:43,243 --> 00:00:47,563 But as our world changes, so must they. 4 00:00:56,523 --> 00:00:58,683 With every new challenge... 5 00:01:00,083 --> 00:01:02,323 ...comes a new opportunity. 6 00:01:10,083 --> 00:01:13,603 And mammals have always been quick to exploit them. 7 00:01:25,763 --> 00:01:29,643 These daring sea lions in Chile have become regulars 8 00:01:29,643 --> 00:01:31,123 at the fish markets. 9 00:01:50,443 --> 00:01:52,043 With great ingenuity... 10 00:01:53,883 --> 00:01:56,523 ...and a little courage, 11 00:01:56,523 --> 00:02:00,283 they have found a space for themselves 12 00:02:00,283 --> 00:02:02,363 in today's... 13 00:02:02,363 --> 00:02:04,283 ...new wild. 14 00:02:11,963 --> 00:02:13,563 SEA BIRDS CALL 15 00:02:15,483 --> 00:02:19,083 But not everyone necessarily welcomes them. 16 00:02:27,123 --> 00:02:28,643 BARKS 17 00:02:28,643 --> 00:02:31,963 Dogs patrol these beaches. 18 00:02:33,403 --> 00:02:35,803 BARKING 19 00:02:38,283 --> 00:02:40,123 BARKING AND GRUNTING 20 00:02:41,283 --> 00:02:45,603 Our oceans are becoming increasingly overfished... 21 00:02:47,083 --> 00:02:52,203 ...and these sea lions are looking for an easy meal. 22 00:02:52,203 --> 00:02:53,883 SEA LION ROARS 23 00:02:57,083 --> 00:03:01,243 But with around two million stray dogs in Chile, 24 00:03:01,243 --> 00:03:04,403 visiting these beaches, for a sea lion... 25 00:03:05,523 --> 00:03:08,003 ...is becoming rather dangerous. 26 00:03:14,123 --> 00:03:17,043 Sea lions are not used to this sort of threat. 27 00:03:21,843 --> 00:03:23,323 BARKING 28 00:03:30,043 --> 00:03:33,323 Dogs may be domesticated, 29 00:03:33,323 --> 00:03:36,043 but their pack instinct is still strong. 30 00:03:38,043 --> 00:03:39,603 SEA LION ROARS 31 00:03:48,243 --> 00:03:50,443 SNARLS 32 00:03:57,203 --> 00:04:01,203 They tackle the sea lions one at a time. 33 00:04:21,203 --> 00:04:23,043 BARKING 34 00:04:28,763 --> 00:04:31,643 Eventually, they force the sea lions 35 00:04:31,643 --> 00:04:33,363 back towards the sea. 36 00:04:56,043 --> 00:04:58,563 But all is not lost. 37 00:04:58,563 --> 00:05:00,403 RATTLING 38 00:05:02,723 --> 00:05:05,323 The sea lions are familiar with the sound 39 00:05:05,323 --> 00:05:07,923 of these trolley wheels, 40 00:05:07,923 --> 00:05:11,323 and know it will be worthwhile to follow. 41 00:05:26,923 --> 00:05:30,843 Leftovers from the markets are thrown back into the sea. 42 00:05:45,483 --> 00:05:48,123 For many wild mammals, 43 00:05:48,123 --> 00:05:52,723 surviving in the modern world requires a mixture 44 00:05:52,723 --> 00:05:54,603 of ingenuity, 45 00:05:54,603 --> 00:05:57,163 adaptability, 46 00:05:57,163 --> 00:06:00,883 and a helping hand from us. 47 00:06:08,123 --> 00:06:10,843 Humans have profoundly changed 48 00:06:10,843 --> 00:06:13,803 three-quarters of the Earth's surface. 49 00:06:17,643 --> 00:06:21,283 And the fastest growing of these new habitats 50 00:06:21,283 --> 00:06:23,003 are our cities. 51 00:06:25,603 --> 00:06:27,323 Singapore. 52 00:06:27,323 --> 00:06:29,123 A bustling metropolis. 53 00:06:31,483 --> 00:06:35,243 Home to a group of very enterprising mammals. 54 00:06:47,323 --> 00:06:50,043 This is the Zouk family, 55 00:06:50,043 --> 00:06:54,483 named after a nightclub where they were first noticed. 56 00:06:57,003 --> 00:06:58,723 SQUEAKING 57 00:06:58,723 --> 00:07:01,203 They are smooth-coated otters, 58 00:07:01,203 --> 00:07:05,923 and they hold one of the city's most sought-after territories. 59 00:07:10,483 --> 00:07:12,003 But to keep it, 60 00:07:12,003 --> 00:07:14,723 they have to be constantly on patrol. 61 00:07:23,163 --> 00:07:24,763 SQUEAKING 62 00:07:29,403 --> 00:07:32,243 17 otter families 63 00:07:32,243 --> 00:07:34,843 live on Singapore Island. 64 00:07:38,723 --> 00:07:40,883 Scent-marking warns other groups 65 00:07:40,883 --> 00:07:42,323 to keep their distance. 66 00:07:45,563 --> 00:07:50,523 Otters were absent from Singapore for some 30 years, 67 00:07:50,523 --> 00:07:53,323 but after a countrywide clean-up, 68 00:07:53,323 --> 00:07:55,763 they are now back, 69 00:07:55,763 --> 00:08:00,563 and the urban waterways are once again full of life. 70 00:08:16,123 --> 00:08:19,083 But in holding this most central territory... 71 00:08:21,163 --> 00:08:24,643 ...the Zouk family face a daily danger. 72 00:08:28,843 --> 00:08:30,483 TRAFFIC HUMS 73 00:08:37,683 --> 00:08:39,683 SQUEAKING 74 00:08:39,683 --> 00:08:43,203 One wrong move could be fatal. 75 00:08:51,403 --> 00:08:52,923 HORN TOOTS 76 00:08:56,523 --> 00:09:00,203 Thanks to a helping hand, most get across. 77 00:09:09,163 --> 00:09:12,003 But two have been separated. 78 00:09:15,443 --> 00:09:17,083 ENGINES ROAR 79 00:09:20,683 --> 00:09:22,883 SQUEAKING 80 00:09:24,483 --> 00:09:26,683 HORN BEEPS 81 00:09:31,083 --> 00:09:33,563 One of the stragglers tries his luck... 82 00:09:47,043 --> 00:09:48,523 ...and makes it. 83 00:10:00,803 --> 00:10:02,003 SQUEAKING 84 00:10:02,003 --> 00:10:04,563 But one has been left behind. 85 00:10:07,483 --> 00:10:09,643 Unaware of the split, 86 00:10:09,643 --> 00:10:12,563 the family continues its patrol. 87 00:10:23,883 --> 00:10:25,763 SQUEAKS 88 00:10:25,763 --> 00:10:27,043 The separated one... 89 00:10:27,043 --> 00:10:32,163 ...is now vulnerable to attack from other otter clans. 90 00:10:32,163 --> 00:10:34,803 SQUEAKING 91 00:10:42,403 --> 00:10:46,123 A family can travel six miles in a day. 92 00:10:52,763 --> 00:10:56,483 By now, his could be almost anywhere. 93 00:10:56,483 --> 00:10:57,603 SQUEAKING 94 00:11:08,403 --> 00:11:10,003 SQUEAKING 95 00:11:18,363 --> 00:11:22,243 His calls are drowned out by the sounds of the city. 96 00:11:22,243 --> 00:11:24,123 SQUEAKS 97 00:11:33,323 --> 00:11:38,123 He revisits places along the family's regular route. 98 00:11:43,723 --> 00:11:47,003 But he's always too late. 99 00:11:47,003 --> 00:11:48,723 SQUEAKING 100 00:11:55,243 --> 00:11:57,683 Even his family's scent 101 00:11:57,683 --> 00:12:01,323 is masked by the smells of city life. 102 00:12:11,283 --> 00:12:13,003 He is lost. 103 00:12:17,483 --> 00:12:19,883 He will have to brave the night alone... 104 00:12:21,203 --> 00:12:23,883 ...without the protection of his family. 105 00:12:28,003 --> 00:12:29,803 DISTANT SIRENS 106 00:12:35,403 --> 00:12:38,683 But in the quiet of the dawn... 107 00:12:38,683 --> 00:12:40,283 SQUEAKING 108 00:12:40,283 --> 00:12:43,923 ...the sounds of his clan carry down the river. 109 00:12:43,923 --> 00:12:46,003 SQUEAKS 110 00:12:50,523 --> 00:12:52,483 SQUEAKING 111 00:13:06,923 --> 00:13:09,683 Reunited with his family, 112 00:13:09,683 --> 00:13:12,323 he is safe again. 113 00:13:26,083 --> 00:13:28,523 Mammals, with their great intelligence, 114 00:13:28,523 --> 00:13:32,163 have found ways of living alongside us 115 00:13:32,163 --> 00:13:34,043 in the most unexpected 116 00:13:34,043 --> 00:13:35,483 of places. 117 00:13:41,563 --> 00:13:42,883 WATER ROARS 118 00:13:45,363 --> 00:13:49,323 But in Zimbabwe, on the banks of Victoria Falls, 119 00:13:49,323 --> 00:13:54,443 sharing space has become a particularly formidable challenge. 120 00:13:58,443 --> 00:14:00,443 In the last 50 years, 121 00:14:00,443 --> 00:14:03,243 a sizeable town has grown up here. 122 00:14:18,323 --> 00:14:20,963 Elephants have learnt to stay away 123 00:14:20,963 --> 00:14:22,843 during daylight hours. 124 00:14:30,443 --> 00:14:32,763 But as night falls, 125 00:14:32,763 --> 00:14:35,443 and the streets go quiet, 126 00:14:35,443 --> 00:14:37,243 they return. 127 00:14:46,123 --> 00:14:48,683 Led by the matriarch, 128 00:14:48,683 --> 00:14:52,323 these are the routes that the family may have used 129 00:14:52,323 --> 00:14:54,523 long before the town was built. 130 00:14:58,763 --> 00:15:02,283 Tonight, they pass through in silence... 131 00:15:03,563 --> 00:15:06,483 ...unnoticed by the human inhabitants. 132 00:15:17,483 --> 00:15:19,923 But a gang of bull elephants 133 00:15:19,923 --> 00:15:22,883 have followed the family into town. 134 00:15:22,883 --> 00:15:25,163 ELEPHANT RUMBLES 135 00:15:26,723 --> 00:15:28,483 And these rowdy males 136 00:15:28,483 --> 00:15:31,523 find it rather harder to keep a low profile. 137 00:15:33,803 --> 00:15:37,283 TRUMPETS 138 00:15:41,723 --> 00:15:46,163 They've discovered how to get water from garden taps. 139 00:15:51,043 --> 00:15:53,923 Their size, brashness and curiosity 140 00:15:53,923 --> 00:15:57,603 can lead to serious confrontations with humans. 141 00:15:59,923 --> 00:16:01,203 TRUMPETS 142 00:16:02,563 --> 00:16:05,243 LOW RUMBLING 143 00:16:05,243 --> 00:16:06,683 TRUMPETS 144 00:16:09,843 --> 00:16:11,763 TRUMPETS 145 00:16:13,043 --> 00:16:15,683 With the bulls having revealed their presence, 146 00:16:15,683 --> 00:16:19,723 the whole group collects as much food as they can 147 00:16:19,723 --> 00:16:21,683 before being driven out of town. 148 00:16:24,803 --> 00:16:26,563 TRAFFIC HUMS 149 00:16:33,323 --> 00:16:36,803 This time, they're rather less subtle in their approach. 150 00:16:44,843 --> 00:16:47,323 Their huge appetites can make them 151 00:16:47,323 --> 00:16:49,243 very demanding visitors. 152 00:16:59,523 --> 00:17:02,763 Fortunately for the herd, these townsfolk 153 00:17:02,763 --> 00:17:06,323 don't resent the destruction caused tonight. 154 00:17:18,923 --> 00:17:22,363 Both humans and elephants are trying to work out 155 00:17:22,363 --> 00:17:25,323 how to share the same place in safety. 156 00:17:32,763 --> 00:17:35,203 But the family have pressed their luck far enough 157 00:17:35,203 --> 00:17:36,643 for one night... 158 00:17:36,643 --> 00:17:39,243 LOW RUMBLING 159 00:17:40,883 --> 00:17:43,403 ...and the matriarch leads them back 160 00:17:43,403 --> 00:17:45,283 to the cover of the bush. 161 00:17:54,323 --> 00:17:56,563 It's not just the growth of towns 162 00:17:56,563 --> 00:17:59,163 that is reshaping the face of the planet. 163 00:18:01,643 --> 00:18:05,843 Today, almost half of the world's habitable land 164 00:18:05,843 --> 00:18:08,283 is being used for agriculture. 165 00:18:15,923 --> 00:18:20,403 Across Southeast Asia, vast palm oil plantations 166 00:18:20,403 --> 00:18:23,363 are replacing once-pristine forest. 167 00:18:28,243 --> 00:18:30,683 At first sight, it seems that little else 168 00:18:30,683 --> 00:18:32,963 is allowed to live in them. 169 00:18:38,283 --> 00:18:40,203 But here in Malaysia, 170 00:18:40,203 --> 00:18:42,403 one resourceful group of mammals 171 00:18:42,403 --> 00:18:45,403 has started to visit these plantations. 172 00:18:57,003 --> 00:18:59,003 Pig-tailed macaques. 173 00:19:04,323 --> 00:19:07,123 The family is teaching their youngest member 174 00:19:07,123 --> 00:19:08,803 what is good to eat... 175 00:19:11,683 --> 00:19:14,483 ...starting with fruit and seeds. 176 00:19:16,643 --> 00:19:20,043 But they're about to introduce this youngster 177 00:19:20,043 --> 00:19:22,803 to a less obvious meal... 178 00:19:31,403 --> 00:19:33,643 ...if they can find it. 179 00:19:51,083 --> 00:19:52,723 SQUEAKING 180 00:19:57,683 --> 00:19:59,403 A wood rat. 181 00:20:06,403 --> 00:20:09,963 The rats are fast and good at hiding... 182 00:20:11,763 --> 00:20:14,723 ...but the family have worked out how to catch them. 183 00:20:20,763 --> 00:20:24,043 The rodents nest high in the palm trees, 184 00:20:24,043 --> 00:20:26,323 and the family have discovered 185 00:20:26,323 --> 00:20:28,523 that this is the place to find them. 186 00:20:34,203 --> 00:20:37,803 They flush them out of their hiding places. 187 00:20:54,043 --> 00:20:57,443 The alpha male watches from below... 188 00:21:03,883 --> 00:21:07,763 ...as fleeing rats rain down around him. 189 00:21:07,763 --> 00:21:08,923 RAT SQUEAKS 190 00:21:12,283 --> 00:21:15,043 He picks them off one by one. 191 00:21:34,003 --> 00:21:35,403 SQUEAKING 192 00:21:46,283 --> 00:21:51,683 Over 3,000 rats are caught by the macaques each year... 193 00:22:11,243 --> 00:22:12,523 SQUEAKING 194 00:22:12,523 --> 00:22:16,603 ...an unexpected element in the diet of animals 195 00:22:16,603 --> 00:22:19,843 that are often thought of as vegetarians. 196 00:22:25,763 --> 00:22:27,723 The ability of mammals 197 00:22:27,723 --> 00:22:30,323 to take new opportunities as they occur 198 00:22:30,323 --> 00:22:34,003 and pass their skills down through the generations 199 00:22:34,003 --> 00:22:36,483 has been key to their survival. 200 00:22:40,003 --> 00:22:42,203 But in a rapidly changing world, 201 00:22:42,203 --> 00:22:45,523 not all mammals have enough time to adapt. 202 00:22:49,483 --> 00:22:52,083 As farming intensifies across the world, 203 00:22:52,083 --> 00:22:57,243 it commandeers more and more of a diminishing resource. 204 00:22:59,483 --> 00:23:03,283 Today, 70% of the fresh water used globally 205 00:23:03,283 --> 00:23:05,923 goes straight into agriculture. 206 00:23:07,283 --> 00:23:10,603 Around 4,000 litres of water are needed 207 00:23:10,603 --> 00:23:13,723 to produce just 1kg of rice. 208 00:23:15,683 --> 00:23:19,603 In Tanzania, the Katuma River has been diverted 209 00:23:19,603 --> 00:23:21,683 to irrigate rice fields... 210 00:23:24,563 --> 00:23:26,923 ...but this hinders it from reaching 211 00:23:26,923 --> 00:23:28,923 a neighbouring national park. 212 00:23:34,203 --> 00:23:38,283 Now, for over a month during each dry season, 213 00:23:38,283 --> 00:23:40,723 the river here disappears. 214 00:23:53,603 --> 00:23:58,603 The hippos are forced to share the last remaining pools 215 00:23:58,603 --> 00:24:00,643 with animals of all kinds. 216 00:24:06,883 --> 00:24:09,363 As the water shrinks... 217 00:24:10,803 --> 00:24:14,563 ...feeding and drinking becomes more and more frenzied. 218 00:24:17,203 --> 00:24:19,243 SNARLING AND GRUNTING 219 00:24:44,203 --> 00:24:46,163 GRUNTS 220 00:24:48,763 --> 00:24:53,083 This dominant male hippo is forced to share 221 00:24:53,083 --> 00:24:55,083 what little space is left. 222 00:25:00,843 --> 00:25:05,243 His tolerance of others diminishes with the water. 223 00:25:24,243 --> 00:25:28,323 The dry season continues to tighten its grip. 224 00:25:30,963 --> 00:25:33,363 The birds can leave if they so wish, 225 00:25:33,363 --> 00:25:36,883 and the crocodiles can bury themselves in the mud 226 00:25:36,883 --> 00:25:38,443 to wait it out. 227 00:25:40,163 --> 00:25:44,603 But hippos are trapped in ever-shrinking pools 228 00:25:44,603 --> 00:25:46,483 and struggle to keep cool. 229 00:25:50,283 --> 00:25:53,163 The large males who once fought one another 230 00:25:53,163 --> 00:25:55,483 for the rights to the drying mud 231 00:25:55,483 --> 00:25:57,403 are now forced together. 232 00:25:58,883 --> 00:26:03,403 The dominant male, nonetheless, remains constantly on guard. 233 00:26:03,403 --> 00:26:05,123 GRUNTS 234 00:26:06,723 --> 00:26:08,843 But with every day that passes, 235 00:26:08,843 --> 00:26:12,203 things become even more tense. 236 00:26:12,203 --> 00:26:14,323 GRUNTING 237 00:26:25,283 --> 00:26:29,923 A hippo from a rival group wanders across the plains 238 00:26:29,923 --> 00:26:31,523 in search of water. 239 00:26:41,083 --> 00:26:44,163 But new arrivals here are not welcome. 240 00:26:51,883 --> 00:26:54,123 His cautious approach doesn't go unnoticed 241 00:26:54,123 --> 00:26:56,643 by the dominant bull. 242 00:27:07,443 --> 00:27:09,603 ROARS 243 00:27:11,563 --> 00:27:14,563 For the newcomer, this pool could be the difference 244 00:27:14,563 --> 00:27:17,523 between life and death. 245 00:27:25,283 --> 00:27:28,403 But the dominant bull does not want to share. 246 00:27:28,403 --> 00:27:29,963 ROARS 247 00:27:33,763 --> 00:27:35,683 ROARING 248 00:28:12,643 --> 00:28:15,483 The challenger is no match. 249 00:28:15,483 --> 00:28:17,603 GRUNTING 250 00:28:20,283 --> 00:28:22,483 He's forced to return 251 00:28:22,483 --> 00:28:25,403 to the crushing heat of the plains... 252 00:28:26,523 --> 00:28:30,243 ...while the victor continues to defend his claim 253 00:28:30,243 --> 00:28:32,043 to a place in the pool. 254 00:28:35,443 --> 00:28:37,123 He may have won this fight, 255 00:28:37,123 --> 00:28:40,523 but the battle for the future of his river 256 00:28:40,523 --> 00:28:42,803 lies beyond his control, 257 00:28:42,803 --> 00:28:47,843 as agriculture claims more and more of the world's water. 258 00:28:51,163 --> 00:28:53,323 WIND BLOWS 259 00:28:53,323 --> 00:28:56,043 Today, very little of the natural world 260 00:28:56,043 --> 00:28:58,963 remains beyond our influence. 261 00:29:01,163 --> 00:29:04,803 Some mammals go to extreme lengths to avoid us 262 00:29:04,803 --> 00:29:08,523 by living in places where humans themselves 263 00:29:08,523 --> 00:29:10,483 fear to tread. 264 00:29:22,043 --> 00:29:25,043 Near the frontier between Israel and Syria 265 00:29:25,043 --> 00:29:29,643 lies a reminder of a fierce six-day war. 266 00:29:32,963 --> 00:29:36,683 Here in the Golan Heights, around 2,000 fields 267 00:29:36,683 --> 00:29:39,323 full of unexploded mines 268 00:29:39,323 --> 00:29:43,283 have lain in wait for more than 50 years. 269 00:29:47,963 --> 00:29:51,603 But astonishingly, life manages to continue. 270 00:29:57,283 --> 00:29:59,483 Wild boar. 271 00:29:59,483 --> 00:30:02,563 It's thought that their acute sense of smell 272 00:30:02,563 --> 00:30:05,523 enables them to detect the explosive material 273 00:30:05,523 --> 00:30:07,203 in land mines. 274 00:30:11,083 --> 00:30:14,323 And it could be this that allows them to find 275 00:30:14,323 --> 00:30:16,723 a safe path through danger. 276 00:30:20,883 --> 00:30:22,363 And they're not alone. 277 00:30:28,803 --> 00:30:30,243 Wolves. 278 00:30:35,123 --> 00:30:38,483 They, too, have an acute sense of smell... 279 00:30:39,923 --> 00:30:42,523 ...and even manage to raise their families here. 280 00:30:46,203 --> 00:30:48,683 Elsewhere, they could be shot on sight, 281 00:30:48,683 --> 00:30:52,283 but here the land mines keep humans away. 282 00:30:56,483 --> 00:30:59,043 But the growing wolf pack needs to eat. 283 00:31:01,963 --> 00:31:05,803 And even for those with the most sophisticated noses... 284 00:31:07,363 --> 00:31:11,963 ...high-speed chases are best conducted outside a minefield. 285 00:31:15,203 --> 00:31:17,483 They only leave their sanctuary 286 00:31:17,483 --> 00:31:19,523 under the cover of darkness. 287 00:31:21,883 --> 00:31:23,923 HOWLS 288 00:31:25,723 --> 00:31:29,043 As the sun sets, the call goes out. 289 00:31:30,083 --> 00:31:32,163 HOWLING 290 00:31:58,123 --> 00:32:01,603 Now, outside the protection of the minefields, 291 00:32:01,603 --> 00:32:05,123 they are at risk from human hunters... 292 00:32:07,363 --> 00:32:10,603 ...and must get something to eat as quickly as possible. 293 00:32:28,003 --> 00:32:30,763 It's even worth tackling a porcupine, 294 00:32:30,763 --> 00:32:33,003 in spite of its prickly defences. 295 00:32:37,763 --> 00:32:39,643 But wild boar... 296 00:32:39,643 --> 00:32:41,363 BOAR SQUEALS 297 00:32:41,363 --> 00:32:42,963 ...make for easier prey. 298 00:32:55,563 --> 00:32:57,883 As dawn arrives, 299 00:32:57,883 --> 00:32:59,843 the pack heads back 300 00:32:59,843 --> 00:33:03,283 to the comparative safety of the minefields. 301 00:33:09,003 --> 00:33:12,563 These wolves have discovered an extraordinary way 302 00:33:12,563 --> 00:33:14,683 to keep their families safe... 303 00:33:17,723 --> 00:33:22,203 ...protected by the mines that keep humans away. 304 00:33:22,203 --> 00:33:24,363 CUBS WHINE 305 00:33:42,923 --> 00:33:45,043 Over the past 50 years, 306 00:33:45,043 --> 00:33:47,883 some wildlife populations have declined 307 00:33:47,883 --> 00:33:50,723 by an average of almost 70%. 308 00:33:55,443 --> 00:33:58,483 But our impact started much earlier than this. 309 00:34:01,563 --> 00:34:04,403 The prairies of the American Wild West 310 00:34:04,403 --> 00:34:07,683 were once home to one of the greatest assemblies 311 00:34:07,683 --> 00:34:09,123 of mammals on Earth. 312 00:34:12,043 --> 00:34:13,563 But human settlers 313 00:34:13,563 --> 00:34:16,323 reduced their numbers from tens of millions... 314 00:34:17,443 --> 00:34:19,123 ...to almost none. 315 00:34:26,723 --> 00:34:29,683 Today, however, they are back. 316 00:34:41,403 --> 00:34:43,163 Buffalo. 317 00:34:43,163 --> 00:34:45,763 This iconic American animal... 318 00:34:46,923 --> 00:34:48,603 ...also called bison, 319 00:34:48,603 --> 00:34:51,083 has returned to the prairies. 320 00:34:52,803 --> 00:34:54,563 GRUNTS 321 00:34:54,563 --> 00:34:57,603 Once a year, the males assemble. 322 00:34:59,563 --> 00:35:03,283 They have been attracted by the females, 323 00:35:03,283 --> 00:35:06,963 who, for a few short weeks, are fertile. 324 00:35:09,123 --> 00:35:11,683 GROWLS 325 00:35:11,683 --> 00:35:14,283 The males fight for dominance. 326 00:35:14,283 --> 00:35:16,403 GROWLS 327 00:35:20,083 --> 00:35:23,003 GROWLS 328 00:35:23,003 --> 00:35:27,163 The winners will father the most calves. 329 00:35:33,043 --> 00:35:35,803 Each success will help to increase 330 00:35:35,803 --> 00:35:37,763 the numbers on the plains. 331 00:35:41,163 --> 00:35:42,883 GRUNTING 332 00:36:00,083 --> 00:36:02,043 GRUNTING 333 00:36:10,763 --> 00:36:15,403 But the return of the buffalo has not been entirely natural. 334 00:36:18,043 --> 00:36:21,323 It's been helped and managed by humans. 335 00:36:24,763 --> 00:36:27,163 At the end of the rutting season, 336 00:36:27,163 --> 00:36:30,843 while they're still together, the buffalo are rounded up. 337 00:36:39,083 --> 00:36:40,643 Checked over and counted, 338 00:36:40,643 --> 00:36:43,083 a small proportion are separated 339 00:36:43,083 --> 00:36:45,123 for human beings to eat 340 00:36:45,123 --> 00:36:46,763 and to start new herds. 341 00:36:54,043 --> 00:36:56,203 Today, measured by weight, 342 00:36:56,203 --> 00:36:59,723 less than 6% of mammals in the world 343 00:36:59,723 --> 00:37:01,403 are truly wild. 344 00:37:04,923 --> 00:37:07,483 The other 94% 345 00:37:07,483 --> 00:37:10,483 are our livestock, our pets... 346 00:37:10,483 --> 00:37:12,283 ...and ourselves. 347 00:37:16,843 --> 00:37:20,763 As these buffalo wander free for most of the year, 348 00:37:20,763 --> 00:37:26,443 this managed reintroduction is perhaps a middle ground. 349 00:37:30,043 --> 00:37:33,683 Half a million now graze these plains once again. 350 00:37:36,723 --> 00:37:40,523 We understand the importance of space for mammals, 351 00:37:40,523 --> 00:37:43,203 and have created protected areas for them 352 00:37:43,203 --> 00:37:45,363 all across the globe. 353 00:37:53,723 --> 00:37:58,763 Africa is home to some of the most loved of all wild mammals. 354 00:37:58,763 --> 00:38:00,443 ELEPHANT TRUMPETS 355 00:38:01,563 --> 00:38:03,963 LOW RUMBLING 356 00:38:06,643 --> 00:38:09,483 Amongst them, the cheetah. 357 00:38:11,363 --> 00:38:15,283 With only around 7,000 left in the wild, 358 00:38:15,283 --> 00:38:18,683 protecting their habitat has become critical. 359 00:38:21,163 --> 00:38:24,763 These cubs will spend the first 18 months of their lives 360 00:38:24,763 --> 00:38:26,483 with their mother, 361 00:38:26,483 --> 00:38:29,643 learning from her and living under her protection. 362 00:38:33,883 --> 00:38:37,803 But only an estimated 1 in 20 cheetah born 363 00:38:37,803 --> 00:38:40,003 will survive to adulthood. 364 00:38:46,523 --> 00:38:49,123 This mother needs to hunt almost daily 365 00:38:49,123 --> 00:38:51,003 to feed her growing family. 366 00:38:53,923 --> 00:38:56,483 But with four cubs trailing her, 367 00:38:56,483 --> 00:38:58,363 she's easily spotted. 368 00:39:03,043 --> 00:39:06,003 Cheetah are the fastest mammal. 369 00:39:10,443 --> 00:39:14,803 For their high-speed chases, they need open grasslands. 370 00:39:33,123 --> 00:39:37,803 But the backdrop to their lives has changed. 371 00:40:17,083 --> 00:40:20,803 With an estimated 69 million visitors 372 00:40:20,803 --> 00:40:23,723 to protected sites in Africa each year... 373 00:40:25,843 --> 00:40:30,203 ...parts of the wilderness are becoming overcrowded. 374 00:40:41,283 --> 00:40:45,163 There is pressure to get the best view of the kill. 375 00:41:17,523 --> 00:41:19,883 As the predators start to hunt... 376 00:41:21,203 --> 00:41:22,883 ...so do the cars. 377 00:41:25,483 --> 00:41:28,203 Wildlife experts studying the cheetahs 378 00:41:28,203 --> 00:41:31,723 recommend that there should be no more than five vehicles 379 00:41:31,723 --> 00:41:33,723 to each sighting. 380 00:41:36,563 --> 00:41:40,123 Over 70 cars now encircle this kill. 381 00:41:45,123 --> 00:41:47,003 Tourism has become essential 382 00:41:47,003 --> 00:41:49,843 to fund the protection of wild areas. 383 00:41:51,723 --> 00:41:54,083 {\an8}Without the revenue that comes from it, 384 00:41:54,083 --> 00:41:58,043 {\an8}this park and its cheetah would simply not be here. 385 00:42:03,443 --> 00:42:07,003 {\an8}But having an assembly this size and this close 386 00:42:07,003 --> 00:42:09,123 {\an8}comes at a cost. 387 00:42:17,723 --> 00:42:20,323 More of the cheetah's hunts fail, 388 00:42:20,323 --> 00:42:23,523 and more of their kills are abandoned. 389 00:42:26,323 --> 00:42:28,363 In areas of high tourism, 390 00:42:28,363 --> 00:42:32,083 research has shown that the survival of cubs 391 00:42:32,083 --> 00:42:34,003 is also greatly reduced. 392 00:42:53,963 --> 00:42:58,963 We are in danger of loving these cheetahs to death. 393 00:43:02,243 --> 00:43:04,083 It must surely be possible 394 00:43:04,083 --> 00:43:07,163 to respect the animals' need for space 395 00:43:07,163 --> 00:43:10,683 and at the same time enable human visitors 396 00:43:10,683 --> 00:43:13,803 to have a meaningful glimpse of the wild world. 397 00:43:25,043 --> 00:43:27,043 That is what must be achieved 398 00:43:27,043 --> 00:43:31,283 if cheetah are to have a future on the African plains. 399 00:43:45,683 --> 00:43:47,163 Finding such a balance 400 00:43:47,163 --> 00:43:51,363 is as important in the ocean as it is on land. 401 00:43:53,083 --> 00:43:55,243 The seas have become highways. 402 00:43:58,043 --> 00:44:01,643 And the traffic is having a huge impact 403 00:44:01,643 --> 00:44:05,963 on the mammals that once had these waters to themselves. 404 00:44:09,963 --> 00:44:12,923 An estimated 20,000 whales die 405 00:44:12,923 --> 00:44:16,243 from collisions with ships every year. 406 00:44:18,723 --> 00:44:22,483 The blue whale, which can grow to 30 metres in length, 407 00:44:22,483 --> 00:44:25,643 is one of the species most at risk. 408 00:44:28,603 --> 00:44:32,123 For millions of years, they have cruised the oceans... 409 00:44:34,043 --> 00:44:36,563 ...constantly feeding as they travel. 410 00:44:58,603 --> 00:45:02,003 Their sheer size protects them from predators. 411 00:45:04,923 --> 00:45:08,483 But that size also makes it difficult for them 412 00:45:08,483 --> 00:45:10,763 to avoid collisions with ships. 413 00:45:20,963 --> 00:45:23,243 {\an8}Here in Patagonia, however, 414 00:45:23,243 --> 00:45:25,883 {\an8}a group of scientists are trying to help. 415 00:45:28,683 --> 00:45:30,683 They are tagging blue whales 416 00:45:30,683 --> 00:45:34,243 to gather more information about this growing threat. 417 00:45:42,163 --> 00:45:44,603 To do that, they need to reach the whales 418 00:45:44,603 --> 00:45:47,243 while they are at the surface. 419 00:45:53,243 --> 00:45:56,763 And that can be a very dangerous thing to do 420 00:45:56,763 --> 00:45:58,363 in a small boat. 421 00:46:47,123 --> 00:46:48,403 Success! 422 00:46:53,083 --> 00:46:56,963 The GPS tracker is now attached, 423 00:46:56,963 --> 00:46:58,803 and the casing is retrieved. 424 00:47:03,323 --> 00:47:05,603 This tag will start transmitting 425 00:47:05,603 --> 00:47:07,883 every time the whale surfaces. 426 00:47:12,723 --> 00:47:17,483 And the data recorded by the tags is very revealing. 427 00:47:20,523 --> 00:47:24,123 This blue dot shows the track of a whale 428 00:47:24,123 --> 00:47:26,443 over the course of a week, 429 00:47:26,443 --> 00:47:29,283 trying to navigate heavy ship traffic 430 00:47:29,283 --> 00:47:31,243 whilst attempting to feed. 431 00:47:44,443 --> 00:47:46,203 {\an8}Thanks to this data 432 00:47:46,203 --> 00:47:48,683 {\an8}and the arguments made by scientists, 433 00:47:48,683 --> 00:47:51,323 {\an8}parts of the range of such whales 434 00:47:51,323 --> 00:47:55,243 {\an8}have recently been designated a marine park... 435 00:47:56,963 --> 00:48:00,883 {\an8}...where ship traffic and speeds will be limited... 436 00:48:02,723 --> 00:48:06,683 {\an8}...enabling us to share space more responsibly... 437 00:48:08,083 --> 00:48:11,803 {\an8}...and help protect not just our largest mammal... 438 00:48:13,163 --> 00:48:15,803 {\an8}...but an entire ecosystem. 439 00:48:21,203 --> 00:48:25,563 {\an8}The more we know about our impact on planet Earth, 440 00:48:25,563 --> 00:48:27,763 {\an8}the sooner we will be able 441 00:48:27,763 --> 00:48:33,923 {\an8}to find a balance in today's new wild. 442 00:48:58,403 --> 00:49:01,323 Filming near the border of Israel and Syria 443 00:49:01,323 --> 00:49:03,083 was full of challenges. 444 00:49:05,403 --> 00:49:08,363 Wolves are difficult to find at the best of times, 445 00:49:08,363 --> 00:49:11,243 let alone in a hostile environment. 446 00:49:12,563 --> 00:49:15,603 We know this area has about 2,000 minefields, 447 00:49:15,603 --> 00:49:17,843 and we know the wolves are out there somewhere. 448 00:49:17,843 --> 00:49:20,043 There's only a few places we can access safely. 449 00:49:20,043 --> 00:49:24,603 The team have the help of local wolf expert Itamar Yairi. 450 00:49:24,603 --> 00:49:27,203 First time I saw a wolf was on the road. 451 00:49:27,203 --> 00:49:29,243 Big beautiful wolf. 452 00:49:29,243 --> 00:49:30,843 Green eyes. 453 00:49:30,843 --> 00:49:33,403 Just crossed the road, stopped to look at me. 454 00:49:33,403 --> 00:49:34,803 CHUCKLES 455 00:49:34,803 --> 00:49:36,723 Something started to build. 456 00:49:38,883 --> 00:49:40,963 Itamar is a carpenter, 457 00:49:40,963 --> 00:49:43,763 but his passion for wolves has taken him into the field 458 00:49:43,763 --> 00:49:47,643 almost every day for the past ten years. 459 00:49:47,643 --> 00:49:52,163 He uses corridors between the fenced minefields, 460 00:49:52,163 --> 00:49:54,643 but he must still be cautious. 461 00:49:56,243 --> 00:49:59,483 It's always a danger to be in the minefield, 462 00:49:59,483 --> 00:50:02,483 cos the mines are really old 463 00:50:02,483 --> 00:50:05,203 and every mine can blow up 464 00:50:05,203 --> 00:50:07,283 like every minute from nothing. 465 00:50:08,723 --> 00:50:10,323 And over time, 466 00:50:10,323 --> 00:50:12,843 weather can move mines through the soil. 467 00:50:14,763 --> 00:50:17,563 Yeah, be careful, though. Ooh, yeah. Let's go. 468 00:50:22,283 --> 00:50:24,883 There is no mines over there. OK. 469 00:50:24,883 --> 00:50:29,483 It's like 20 metres wide without mines all over there. 470 00:50:30,683 --> 00:50:34,043 To try to uncover the wolves' current movements... 471 00:50:35,603 --> 00:50:38,243 ...the team uses Itamar's extensive knowledge 472 00:50:38,243 --> 00:50:41,163 to bug the place with camera traps. 473 00:50:42,083 --> 00:50:44,403 All of this area, they come from here a lot. 474 00:50:48,163 --> 00:50:51,483 Because here we got the trees and lots of animals. 475 00:51:03,603 --> 00:51:08,123 With the surveillance in place, the team start their stakeout. 476 00:51:10,123 --> 00:51:13,483 As the wolves leave the minefields at night, 477 00:51:13,483 --> 00:51:16,283 the crew get into position before they return. 478 00:51:21,843 --> 00:51:24,843 QUIETLY: The best strategy is to creep out at dawn 479 00:51:24,843 --> 00:51:28,883 and then hunker down behind one of these walls 480 00:51:28,883 --> 00:51:31,563 and hope for the best. 481 00:51:34,283 --> 00:51:38,883 Producer Lydia takes advantage of the high military lookout posts. 482 00:51:38,883 --> 00:51:43,363 I mean, this area is hundreds of kilometres, 483 00:51:43,363 --> 00:51:45,843 so trying to spot a wolf in this is... 484 00:51:45,843 --> 00:51:47,723 ...is like a needle in a haystack. 485 00:51:51,683 --> 00:51:56,403 As time goes by, the wolves prove extremely elusive. 486 00:52:07,443 --> 00:52:08,643 We're hiding from them, 487 00:52:08,643 --> 00:52:10,483 and they're probably hiding from us. 488 00:52:13,403 --> 00:52:16,763 So, this is another morning without seeing the wolves. 489 00:52:16,763 --> 00:52:19,403 It's another disappointment, but... 490 00:52:19,403 --> 00:52:22,163 ...keep on going until we are out of time. 491 00:52:24,643 --> 00:52:27,883 Itamar is starting to get concerned, 492 00:52:27,883 --> 00:52:31,283 so the team send out a drone 493 00:52:31,283 --> 00:52:33,883 to scout for signs of them. 494 00:52:34,963 --> 00:52:39,683 The wolves are so difficult to film because they just don't trust you. 495 00:52:39,683 --> 00:52:41,443 They don't trust anyone. 496 00:52:41,443 --> 00:52:43,563 Outside the minefields, 497 00:52:43,563 --> 00:52:47,243 wolves seen hunting livestock can be legally killed. 498 00:52:47,243 --> 00:52:51,883 As it is world over, human-wildlife conflict 499 00:52:51,883 --> 00:52:54,403 is a delicate balance. 500 00:52:54,403 --> 00:52:57,643 I try to help the wolves and the people, 501 00:52:57,643 --> 00:53:00,123 like 50-50. 502 00:53:00,123 --> 00:53:02,043 Part of it is filming them 503 00:53:02,043 --> 00:53:04,763 and show other people how the wolves live 504 00:53:04,763 --> 00:53:07,603 and why they are so important. 505 00:53:07,603 --> 00:53:10,763 But before the team get a chance to spot any wolves, 506 00:53:10,763 --> 00:53:13,083 they're faced by yet another hurdle. 507 00:53:13,083 --> 00:53:16,043 There is still military activity on this border 508 00:53:16,043 --> 00:53:20,003 and drone jammers are halting any further aerial surveillance. 509 00:53:20,003 --> 00:53:22,883 We've just been told there might be a bit of interference, 510 00:53:22,883 --> 00:53:26,163 so we're just not putting the drone above the minefield 511 00:53:26,163 --> 00:53:28,043 just in case we lose connection, 512 00:53:28,043 --> 00:53:30,043 and we don't want to lose the drone. 513 00:53:30,043 --> 00:53:34,403 The next day, even surveillance on foot is no longer an option. 514 00:53:37,683 --> 00:53:40,203 Can you see anything? 515 00:53:40,203 --> 00:53:41,763 No, it's too foggy. 516 00:53:43,403 --> 00:53:45,683 Our chances of seeing wolves are low. 517 00:53:45,683 --> 00:53:48,803 We can see about 20 metres, is our visibility, 518 00:53:48,803 --> 00:53:51,243 and we think it's going to be like this all day. 519 00:53:56,963 --> 00:53:58,403 But in the mist, 520 00:53:58,403 --> 00:54:01,123 Itamar makes an encouraging discovery. 521 00:54:01,123 --> 00:54:03,683 Yeah, it looks like the wolves killed it 522 00:54:03,683 --> 00:54:07,123 and maybe we will see some lone wolf. 523 00:54:07,123 --> 00:54:09,603 Whatever, will be good for us. 524 00:54:12,963 --> 00:54:16,643 Meanwhile, Lydia is seeing whether the wolves are going 525 00:54:16,643 --> 00:54:18,643 into the military bunkers 526 00:54:18,643 --> 00:54:21,283 positioned just outside the minefields. 527 00:54:24,083 --> 00:54:25,963 Oh, it's huge back here. 528 00:54:34,203 --> 00:54:36,763 There are two bones in here. Something's brought that in. 529 00:54:42,003 --> 00:54:43,763 Got a whole load of feathers. 530 00:54:43,763 --> 00:54:46,923 Obviously, a... a bird's been eaten down here. 531 00:54:46,923 --> 00:54:48,763 We'll put a camera trap in here 532 00:54:48,763 --> 00:54:50,923 and see if it's a route anyone uses regularly. 533 00:54:50,923 --> 00:54:52,803 WIND BLOWS 534 00:55:02,963 --> 00:55:06,883 And finally, their luck starts to change. 535 00:55:07,923 --> 00:55:09,243 OK. 536 00:55:10,563 --> 00:55:12,523 Porcupine going down the stairs. 537 00:55:12,523 --> 00:55:13,923 That's nice. 538 00:55:15,243 --> 00:55:16,323 LAUGHS 539 00:55:16,323 --> 00:55:17,963 Walking into the bunker. 540 00:55:17,963 --> 00:55:20,883 He's sniffing the camera traps. 541 00:55:20,883 --> 00:55:22,443 Great. 542 00:55:22,443 --> 00:55:24,163 Ah, what's that?! 543 00:55:26,203 --> 00:55:27,483 Fox! 544 00:55:28,723 --> 00:55:30,323 {\an8}Oh, that's lovely. 545 00:55:30,323 --> 00:55:34,243 {\an8}Sharing our HQ with all the animals. 546 00:55:36,843 --> 00:55:38,683 And back at the carcass, 547 00:55:38,683 --> 00:55:40,763 Itamar's hunch has also paid off. 548 00:55:42,483 --> 00:55:44,963 Ooh! It's a wolf. 549 00:55:44,963 --> 00:55:47,683 One wolf, two jackals. 550 00:55:47,683 --> 00:55:50,323 Ah! Looks big. Nice. 551 00:55:51,843 --> 00:55:55,243 The evidence of the wolves' return keeps coming in. 552 00:55:55,243 --> 00:55:56,603 Here we got wolf. 553 00:55:57,763 --> 00:56:00,123 Nice shots, you see? Yeah, great. 554 00:56:02,003 --> 00:56:03,883 The mother. 555 00:56:03,883 --> 00:56:05,083 Nice. 556 00:56:05,083 --> 00:56:07,323 Oh, here is the pup, running after her. 557 00:56:10,523 --> 00:56:13,123 Relieved that the wolves are safely back in the area, 558 00:56:13,123 --> 00:56:16,123 the cameramen return to their positions. 559 00:56:28,843 --> 00:56:31,163 WHISPERS: We've just seen our first wolves. 560 00:56:32,243 --> 00:56:33,843 We're very happy boys now. 561 00:56:39,803 --> 00:56:43,043 It's running, like, happily through the minefield. 562 00:56:43,043 --> 00:56:44,643 Yeah. Running back home. 563 00:56:44,643 --> 00:56:47,483 They were just, like, happy running. Happy running. 564 00:56:47,483 --> 00:56:50,043 They were happy. We were panicking. 565 00:56:50,043 --> 00:56:51,643 BOTH LAUGH 566 00:56:53,243 --> 00:56:55,883 And the team's success continues... 567 00:56:57,563 --> 00:57:01,883 ...thanks to one man's passion for these remarkable wolves. 568 00:57:03,643 --> 00:57:06,003 None of this would have been possible without Itamar. 569 00:57:06,003 --> 00:57:08,563 That's for sure. We would have got nothing. 570 00:57:12,243 --> 00:57:16,323 Without human, they can use the minefield as a safe zone, 571 00:57:16,323 --> 00:57:19,723 so it's like kind of the perfect place for wolves. 572 00:57:19,723 --> 00:57:22,763 We can't ignore how special these places are. 573 00:57:29,843 --> 00:57:31,403 Next time... 574 00:57:32,723 --> 00:57:34,003 ...the water... 575 00:57:35,283 --> 00:57:38,363 ...the hardest place for mammals to survive. 576 00:57:39,763 --> 00:57:41,883 From fresh water pools... 577 00:57:43,483 --> 00:57:45,883 ...to the deep ocean, 578 00:57:45,883 --> 00:57:49,923 we will uncover the extraordinary stories 579 00:57:49,923 --> 00:57:53,043 that lie beneath the surface.