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1
00:00:05,339 --> 00:00:07,182
From high in space,
2
00:00:07,299 --> 00:00:11,054
we can see the familiar shapes
of countries...
3
00:00:13,180 --> 00:00:15,057
and continents.
4
00:00:19,561 --> 00:00:22,064
But now, satellite images
5
00:00:22,189 --> 00:00:24,032
allow us to look closer...
6
00:00:29,154 --> 00:00:33,125
revealing our planet as a patchwork
7
00:00:33,242 --> 00:00:35,620
of extraordinary landscapes...
8
00:00:40,999 --> 00:00:43,502
created by natural forces...
9
00:00:51,718 --> 00:00:53,516
by animals...
10
00:01:00,602 --> 00:01:02,354
and by us.
11
00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:10,071
These patterns give an insight
into the health of our planet.
12
00:01:14,157 --> 00:01:16,831
Behind every line and every pattern...
13
00:01:18,870 --> 00:01:20,918
there's a story.
14
00:01:39,683 --> 00:01:41,026
Around the world...
15
00:01:42,060 --> 00:01:46,281
tropical coastlines are fringed
with coral reefs.
16
00:01:50,193 --> 00:01:52,662
At first glance,
17
00:01:52,779 --> 00:01:54,907
their shapes seem random.
18
00:02:02,831 --> 00:02:06,085
But a closer look reveals a pattern...
19
00:02:10,380 --> 00:02:14,226
pale discs surrounding
patches of dark coral.
20
00:02:17,012 --> 00:02:19,060
Using satellite images,
21
00:02:19,181 --> 00:02:21,730
scientists have now found these shapes
22
00:02:21,850 --> 00:02:23,978
on coral reefs across the globe.
23
00:02:33,820 --> 00:02:36,073
Understanding how they are formed
24
00:02:36,198 --> 00:02:39,702
offers a new insight
into the health of our oceans...
25
00:02:44,915 --> 00:02:48,340
and the animals that call them home.
26
00:03:03,016 --> 00:03:07,817
For fish that live on coral reefs,
there are different strategies
27
00:03:07,938 --> 00:03:10,032
for finding food.
28
00:03:11,733 --> 00:03:13,861
Some stay close to the reef...
29
00:03:15,153 --> 00:03:18,202
feeding from the coral itself.
30
00:03:24,871 --> 00:03:26,839
Others venture out
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00:03:26,957 --> 00:03:28,880
to the surrounding seabed.
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00:03:33,714 --> 00:03:35,591
But feeding in the open...
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00:03:36,883 --> 00:03:38,556
can be dangerous.
34
00:03:42,389 --> 00:03:46,235
Predators, like coral groupers...
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00:03:48,770 --> 00:03:50,864
and sharks,
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00:03:50,981 --> 00:03:54,201
patrol the reef perimeter.
37
00:03:57,070 --> 00:04:01,667
So small fish only feed
as far from the coral
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00:04:01,742 --> 00:04:04,871
as is absolutely necessary...
39
00:04:06,413 --> 00:04:09,713
staying within easy reach of safety.
40
00:04:20,260 --> 00:04:26,734
Over time, the seabed around
each patch of coral is stripped of food...
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00:04:29,394 --> 00:04:33,399
creating rings of bare sand
42
00:04:33,523 --> 00:04:37,244
that scientists call grazing halos.
43
00:04:43,116 --> 00:04:48,873
They are a sign that both predator
and prey populations are healthy.
44
00:04:50,540 --> 00:04:53,384
But where this pattern disappears,
45
00:04:53,460 --> 00:04:56,930
it may be a sign
that predator numbers are falling.
46
00:05:00,509 --> 00:05:03,262
These halos now allow scientists
47
00:05:03,386 --> 00:05:08,017
to monitor the reefs'
delicate balance from space.
48
00:05:14,231 --> 00:05:18,486
Satellite cameras can now look down
on every part of our planet...
49
00:05:19,611 --> 00:05:23,491
allowing us to explore
Earth's most remote habitats.
50
00:05:29,412 --> 00:05:32,382
The Congo jungle in central Africa.
51
00:05:34,376 --> 00:05:38,301
This forest is home
to thousands of animal species.
52
00:05:39,339 --> 00:05:45,096
But from space, it appears as
little more than a blanket of green...
53
00:05:53,687 --> 00:05:59,820
except, that is, if we look down
over one remote corner.
54
00:06:03,655 --> 00:06:07,876
Satellite images reveal a strange shape...
55
00:06:13,123 --> 00:06:17,299
with dozens of trails leading in
from the surrounding forest.
56
00:06:20,797 --> 00:06:25,974
This shape was created
by the Congo's mightiest residents.
57
00:06:37,731 --> 00:06:41,907
They spend most of their lives
hidden in the thickjungle...
58
00:06:45,655 --> 00:06:50,536
but travel hundreds of kilometres
to gather here.
59
00:06:51,953 --> 00:06:54,047
Forest elephants.
60
00:07:07,093 --> 00:07:10,597
Locals call this place Dzanga Bai...
61
00:07:14,976 --> 00:07:17,980
the Village of Elephants.
62
00:07:39,584 --> 00:07:44,966
Forest elephants spend most of
their lives in small family groups.
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00:07:47,509 --> 00:07:51,685
But here, up to 150 individuals
64
00:07:51,805 --> 00:07:54,433
are drawn together every day.
65
00:07:59,771 --> 00:08:05,699
Their diet of tough leaves and
jungle fruit is lacking in vital minerals.
66
00:08:09,030 --> 00:08:13,627
So generations of elephants have come
to this one spot in the forest...
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00:08:18,206 --> 00:08:22,211
where deposits of sodium,
potassium and calcium
68
00:08:22,335 --> 00:08:24,633
lie just below the surface.
69
00:08:27,716 --> 00:08:32,222
Using their tusks to dig at the soil
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00:08:32,303 --> 00:08:35,807
and their trunks to blow into the water...
71
00:08:38,268 --> 00:08:43,365
these elephants have excavated
a network of boreholes...
72
00:08:46,943 --> 00:08:51,824
allowing them to extract these minerals
from underground.
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00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,180
Over hundreds of years,
the constant digging
74
00:09:07,297 --> 00:09:11,347
and movement of elephants
has caused this clearing to grow.
75
00:09:16,931 --> 00:09:20,105
It's now more than 500 metres long...
76
00:09:22,020 --> 00:09:25,320
and clearly visible from space.
77
00:09:36,534 --> 00:09:40,584
For a young forest elephant,
a first visit to the Bai
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00:09:40,705 --> 00:09:43,003
is full of new experiences.
79
00:09:49,422 --> 00:09:52,301
While the adults drink effortlessly...
80
00:09:54,511 --> 00:09:58,061
she's still getting to grips
with her trunk.
81
00:10:09,192 --> 00:10:12,947
Infants are raised by their mothers
for up to four years...
82
00:10:16,783 --> 00:10:19,662
and learning how to drink
from these wells
83
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is one of life's vital lessons.
84
00:10:29,379 --> 00:10:32,349
For a calf who spends most of
her time with her mother...
85
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this is a rare opportunity
to socialise.
86
00:10:50,233 --> 00:10:54,454
Relationships formed at this young age
can last a lifetime.
87
00:11:04,414 --> 00:11:06,462
But while they play...
88
00:11:08,084 --> 00:11:11,054
mothers must keep a close watch.
89
00:11:20,430 --> 00:11:24,560
Male forest elephants are also drawn here.
90
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This gathering is the ideal place
to find a fertile female.
91
00:11:35,612 --> 00:11:38,035
To display their size and strength...
92
00:11:39,908 --> 00:11:42,457
bull elephants
charge around the clearing.
93
00:11:55,173 --> 00:11:57,392
And if more than one male appears...
94
00:11:59,594 --> 00:12:01,767
tensions run high.
95
00:12:21,658 --> 00:12:26,380
Young forest elephants have been
killed here by charging males.
96
00:12:41,094 --> 00:12:44,394
Mother retreats
to the safety of the forest.
97
00:12:49,811 --> 00:12:54,863
Her baby should be able to return
to this clearing throughout its lifetime.
98
00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,449
But these elephants
face an uncertain future.
99
00:13:08,079 --> 00:13:10,252
In the last 20 years,
100
00:13:10,373 --> 00:13:13,673
more than half of all the forest elephants
in the world
101
00:13:13,793 --> 00:13:17,468
have been killed by poachers
for their ivory.
102
00:13:21,676 --> 00:13:24,896
But cameras in space
may be able to help.
103
00:13:28,099 --> 00:13:31,194
Scientists can now use satellite images
104
00:13:31,311 --> 00:13:34,485
to identify other clearings
used by forest elephants...
105
00:13:37,984 --> 00:13:40,157
protecting them from poachers...
106
00:13:41,696 --> 00:13:45,121
and preserving these unique gatherings.
107
00:13:58,421 --> 00:14:00,674
But you don't need to be
as big as an elephant
108
00:14:00,798 --> 00:14:03,551
to make a mark visible from space.
109
00:14:07,930 --> 00:14:09,728
In South Australia...
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the outback is speckled
with mysterious light patches...
111
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interlinked with narrow trails...
112
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the work of an unlikely architect.
113
00:14:36,876 --> 00:14:39,971
He's a southern hairy-nosed wombat...
114
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a marsupial only found
in this part of Australia.
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Exposing the thinner fur of his belly
116
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helps to keep him cool as he waits
for the midday heat to pass.
117
00:15:11,119 --> 00:15:14,749
Then there's work to be done.
118
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It's springtime,
119
00:15:24,424 --> 00:15:30,272
and with each passing day
temperatures are steadily rising.
120
00:15:31,722 --> 00:15:33,395
In just a few weeks,
121
00:15:33,516 --> 00:15:36,645
it could be close to 5O degrees Celsius.
122
00:15:41,524 --> 00:15:46,371
Wrapped in a thick fur coat,
this heat could be deadly.
123
00:15:51,951 --> 00:15:54,670
But the wombat has a solution.
124
00:15:56,914 --> 00:16:00,794
With sharp claws
and short, powerful limbs,
125
00:16:00,918 --> 00:16:03,387
he's built for digging.
126
00:16:21,314 --> 00:16:24,909
It's 15 degrees cooler below ground...
127
00:16:24,984 --> 00:16:28,864
a hiding place from
the worst of the summer sun.
128
00:16:33,743 --> 00:16:37,668
But high temperatures aren't
the only threat wombats face.
129
00:16:37,788 --> 00:16:42,294
Habitat loss and the impact
of invasive species
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00:16:42,418 --> 00:16:46,719
caused wombat numbers to plummet
in the early 20th century.
131
00:16:50,051 --> 00:16:54,397
But now, using satellite images
to locate their burrows...
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00:16:56,390 --> 00:16:59,815
scientists can see
they're bouncing back...
133
00:17:03,523 --> 00:17:06,823
with around one million
southern hairy-nosed wombats
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00:17:06,901 --> 00:17:09,780
now living in this corner of Australia.
135
00:17:24,627 --> 00:17:26,629
In South America,
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vast areas are covered with
lush, green tropical forest.
137
00:17:34,762 --> 00:17:37,606
But on the coast of north-east Brazil,
138
00:17:37,723 --> 00:17:41,773
the forest is interrupted
by a very different landscape.
139
00:17:52,738 --> 00:17:57,414
Vegetation is being
swallowed up by sand.
140
00:18:02,373 --> 00:18:08,005
Washed up by the ocean and blown inland
over thousands of years...
141
00:18:12,550 --> 00:18:18,148
a field of sand dunes covering
more than 800 square kilometres.
142
00:18:22,101 --> 00:18:24,900
The Lengéis Maranhenses.
143
00:18:29,150 --> 00:18:32,029
The surface of the scorched sand
144
00:18:32,153 --> 00:18:34,781
can reach 80 degrees Celsius.
145
00:18:38,492 --> 00:18:42,542
To survive here you have to
be made of tough stuff.
146
00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,305
A Pininga turtle.
147
00:18:51,380 --> 00:18:55,305
She's left the surrounding forest
behind...
148
00:18:55,384 --> 00:19:00,936
and is making her way
into the heart of this desert...
149
00:19:08,230 --> 00:19:10,107
walking for days
150
00:19:10,232 --> 00:19:12,200
beneath the burning sun...
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00:19:22,662 --> 00:19:27,964
each step on the soft sand
sapping away her precious energy.
152
00:19:33,422 --> 00:19:36,801
Without food and water,
she won't survive for long.
153
00:19:43,432 --> 00:19:46,936
But she's made this journey for a reason.
154
00:19:54,110 --> 00:19:56,078
It's the wet season.
155
00:20:06,288 --> 00:20:11,465
And in these dunes,
the rain changes everything.
156
00:20:28,227 --> 00:20:33,154
Only from space can we see
the scale of the transformation.
157
00:20:35,276 --> 00:20:38,701
Once a year, rainwater
floods the desert...
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00:20:49,749 --> 00:20:53,128
forming thousands
of freshwater lagoons.
159
00:21:05,639 --> 00:21:10,691
Beneath the sand, a layer of solid rock
stops rainwater escaping...
160
00:21:19,153 --> 00:21:20,530
creating a landscape
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like nowhere else on Earth.
162
00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,293
And that's just what she came for.
163
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As the lagoons grow,
164
00:21:49,934 --> 00:21:53,734
fish make their way into the pools
from surrounding rivers.
165
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They'll keep her fed for weeks.
166
00:22:09,411 --> 00:22:12,005
But this water won't last forever.
167
00:22:15,543 --> 00:22:19,969
In the tropical sun, these lagoons
will soon evaporate.
168
00:22:29,390 --> 00:22:33,816
Dozens of desert species now race
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00:22:33,936 --> 00:22:37,440
to make the most of
the life-giving water...
170
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even after the sun has set.
171
00:22:57,585 --> 00:23:00,589
A tiny four-eyed frog.
172
00:23:02,464 --> 00:23:05,638
He's been lying dormant in the cool sand.
173
00:23:09,763 --> 00:23:13,142
But the rains have triggered
the breeding season.
174
00:23:16,604 --> 00:23:19,699
And there are thousands just like him.
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00:23:24,945 --> 00:23:26,447
In other parts of the world,
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frogs migrate for kilometres
to reach their breeding pools.
177
00:23:32,244 --> 00:23:35,794
But here, the water has come to them.
178
00:23:41,921 --> 00:23:45,892
Around the lagoons,
grasses have sprung up,
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00:23:46,008 --> 00:23:49,057
creating sheltered spots for breeding.
180
00:23:57,269 --> 00:24:00,489
And it's not only four-eyed frogs
who come here.
181
00:24:03,484 --> 00:24:07,034
Seven different species of frogs and toads
182
00:24:07,154 --> 00:24:09,407
are all hoping to breed.
183
00:24:22,044 --> 00:24:26,015
It's a struggle to make yourself heard
above the noise.
184
00:24:34,181 --> 00:24:38,027
Eventually, the four-eyed frogs
find each other.
185
00:24:43,649 --> 00:24:47,779
Each pair may produce
more than a thousand eggs...
186
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an explosion of new life.
187
00:24:59,289 --> 00:25:01,291
And just in time.
188
00:25:13,220 --> 00:25:17,600
When the rains ease,
the lagoons begin to disappear...
189
00:25:21,937 --> 00:25:26,568
and sand reclaims
this corner of Brazil.
190
00:25:34,908 --> 00:25:38,958
Around the world, the forces of nature
191
00:25:39,079 --> 00:25:42,709
create mysterious and intriguing patterns
192
00:25:42,833 --> 00:25:45,803
visible only from space.
193
00:25:49,173 --> 00:25:53,098
Star-like shapes in the Sahara desert
194
00:25:53,218 --> 00:25:56,097
are sand dunes whipped up by the wind.
195
00:26:01,143 --> 00:26:05,649
In West Africa, a ring
of concentric circles...
196
00:26:06,815 --> 00:26:10,695
formed by magma forcing its way
through the Earth's crust.
197
00:26:16,325 --> 00:26:18,623
And in Iran's salt desert,
198
00:26:18,702 --> 00:26:23,048
these abstract swirls are the remains
of an ancient ocean...
199
00:26:25,042 --> 00:26:29,468
sculpted by the wind
over millions of years.
200
00:26:39,765 --> 00:26:45,693
In the Amazon rainforest, hundreds
of rivers wind through the jungle.
201
00:26:56,031 --> 00:26:58,409
Alongside them
202
00:26:58,534 --> 00:27:02,630
are strange arcs and horseshoe shapes.
203
00:27:09,545 --> 00:27:15,552
Satellite images taken over 30 years
reveal how these patterns are formed.
204
00:27:24,643 --> 00:27:27,487
As the water forges a path
through the jungle...
205
00:27:28,564 --> 00:27:33,411
bends in the river are cut off
and left behind...
206
00:27:45,455 --> 00:27:49,460
creating isolated oxbow lakes...
207
00:27:53,797 --> 00:27:56,971
like El Dorado Lake in northern Peru...
208
00:28:02,472 --> 00:28:05,021
a special place for wildlife
209
00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:07,603
and for local people.
210
00:28:23,869 --> 00:28:26,167
Elvira is nine years old.
211
00:28:31,168 --> 00:28:34,388
She and her friends
live in a small village
212
00:28:34,463 --> 00:28:36,340
close to the oxbow lake.
213
00:28:39,426 --> 00:28:43,351
They're fascinated by animals...
214
00:28:45,307 --> 00:28:49,187
and their favourite
is perhaps the most elusive...
215
00:28:50,270 --> 00:28:52,944
the Amazonian manatee.
216
00:28:55,734 --> 00:29:00,456
Manatees spend their lives hidden
in the murky water of jungle rivers...
217
00:29:07,663 --> 00:29:11,213
surfacing only briefly to take a breath
218
00:29:11,333 --> 00:29:13,506
or to feed on floating plants.
219
00:29:19,424 --> 00:29:23,850
In many parts of the Amazon,
manatees are hunted for their meat,
220
00:29:23,971 --> 00:29:27,225
and their numbers are declining.
221
00:29:32,854 --> 00:29:36,324
Elvira has never laid eyes on a manatee.
222
00:29:40,612 --> 00:29:42,330
Va mos, chicas!
223
00:29:47,703 --> 00:29:49,922
But that's all about to change.
224
00:30:00,549 --> 00:30:03,519
The oxbow lake has
all the benefits of a river...
225
00:30:08,932 --> 00:30:13,403
but its isolated waters
are still and safe...
226
00:30:19,568 --> 00:30:25,166
perfect for manatees
in need of a second chance.
227
00:30:52,851 --> 00:30:55,525
For Elvira, it's an opportunity
228
00:30:55,645 --> 00:30:57,818
to finally come face to face
229
00:30:57,939 --> 00:31:00,909
with her favourite animal.
230
00:31:13,121 --> 00:31:16,546
This manatee is one of a lucky few.
231
00:31:20,504 --> 00:31:24,134
They were rescued from illegal captivity
and rehabilitated
232
00:31:24,257 --> 00:31:27,352
by an international team of experts.
233
00:31:30,180 --> 00:31:32,148
They're now fit and well enough
234
00:31:32,224 --> 00:31:34,101
to be released.
235
00:31:39,314 --> 00:31:43,444
Radio tags will allow their progress
to be monitored...
236
00:31:48,824 --> 00:31:53,500
as they start their new life
in the safety of the oxbow lake.
237
00:32:17,394 --> 00:32:21,319
The twists and turns
that lead to oxbow lakes
238
00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:26,571
are typical of slow jungle rivers
meandering over flat ground.
239
00:32:38,665 --> 00:32:42,169
But across the globe, each river
240
00:32:42,294 --> 00:32:44,763
has its own unique character.
241
00:32:50,802 --> 00:32:56,150
In Egypt, the River Nile
brings life to the desert...
242
00:32:58,226 --> 00:33:00,354
creating a ribbon of green.
243
00:33:08,862 --> 00:33:11,786
At the base of the Himalayas,
244
00:33:11,907 --> 00:33:16,663
the Brahmaputra River pulls in water
from hundreds of streams
245
00:33:16,786 --> 00:33:18,538
pouring out of the mountains...
246
00:33:19,915 --> 00:33:23,886
creating a complex channel
ten kilometres wide.
247
00:33:29,883 --> 00:33:33,808
In the USA, the movement
of Utah's Green River
248
00:33:33,929 --> 00:33:38,981
has carved out deep canyons
over millions of years.
249
00:33:45,982 --> 00:33:47,609
In eastern China...
250
00:33:48,860 --> 00:33:51,454
five major rivers converge...
251
00:33:54,324 --> 00:33:57,954
to form a body of fresh water so huge
252
00:33:58,078 --> 00:34:02,584
that the only way to see it
in its entirety is from space.
253
00:34:07,587 --> 00:34:09,430
Poyang Lake.
254
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:15,979
This is no ordinary lake.
255
00:34:20,141 --> 00:34:23,315
Each year, when the dry season arrives...
256
00:34:25,355 --> 00:34:27,528
it begins to shrink.
257
00:34:33,780 --> 00:34:39,378
Within three months,
it almost totally disappears...
258
00:34:45,208 --> 00:34:49,634
leaving behind huge areas
of nutrient-rich mud...
259
00:34:58,763 --> 00:35:02,734
and hundreds of
shallow freshwater pools.
260
00:35:13,528 --> 00:35:16,998
This transformation is the cue
261
00:35:17,115 --> 00:35:22,121
for one of the greatest migrations
on our planet.
262
00:35:28,126 --> 00:35:32,802
Half a million birds flock here
from all across Asia.
263
00:35:39,679 --> 00:35:42,057
But none have travelled further
264
00:35:42,140 --> 00:35:45,519
than the critically endangered
Siberian cranes.
265
00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:52,276
This is the end of a month-long journey
from northern Russia,
266
00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,950
almost 5,000 kilometres away.
267
00:36:06,164 --> 00:36:10,044
They've come for
a unique feeding opportunity.
268
00:36:17,884 --> 00:36:23,186
The falling water has revealed
the nutritious roots of aquatic plants.
269
00:36:26,601 --> 00:36:31,072
The cranes gorge themselves
after their long journey.
270
00:36:32,816 --> 00:36:35,444
And they aren't interested in sharing.
271
00:36:41,157 --> 00:36:42,784
Among the many families
272
00:36:42,909 --> 00:36:46,379
are two parents with
their five-month-old offspring.
273
00:36:53,586 --> 00:36:57,056
He's successfully completed
his first migration.
274
00:36:59,384 --> 00:37:03,139
But 5,000 kilometres was a long way to fly
275
00:37:03,221 --> 00:37:04,723
on young wings.
276
00:37:09,310 --> 00:37:11,153
He begs for food.
277
00:37:15,191 --> 00:37:16,818
But his mother...
278
00:37:17,819 --> 00:37:19,662
ignores him.
279
00:37:21,364 --> 00:37:24,493
It's every bird for themself.
280
00:37:30,707 --> 00:37:32,084
And from space,
281
00:37:32,208 --> 00:37:33,960
it's clear to see why.
282
00:37:35,211 --> 00:37:38,465
As the dry season progresses,
the pools shrink...
283
00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,270
increasing competition
for the best feeding spots.
284
00:37:49,517 --> 00:37:52,691
A rival has strayed
onto the family's patch.
285
00:37:56,941 --> 00:38:00,320
This cannot go unchallenged.
286
00:38:10,580 --> 00:38:13,174
Father squares up to the intruder.
287
00:38:18,379 --> 00:38:21,053
Neither is willing to back down.
288
00:38:35,772 --> 00:38:38,025
Their claws are razor-sharp.
289
00:38:45,448 --> 00:38:47,667
15-centimetre-long beaks
290
00:38:47,742 --> 00:38:49,665
become weapons.
291
00:39:27,574 --> 00:39:29,201
The intruder...
292
00:39:29,325 --> 00:39:31,794
is seen off.
293
00:39:44,007 --> 00:39:47,932
But the youngster still hasn't
been able to get a meal.
294
00:39:51,723 --> 00:39:54,067
There's only one thing for it.
295
00:40:01,149 --> 00:40:05,074
He finally works out
how to feed for himself.
296
00:40:08,197 --> 00:40:11,576
The whole family can now fuel
themselves up for the return journey
297
00:40:11,701 --> 00:40:13,419
to Siberia.
298
00:40:21,002 --> 00:40:25,974
After four months, the rivers that flow
into Poyang begin to rise again...
299
00:40:32,096 --> 00:40:35,145
and the cranes start
the long flight home...
300
00:40:39,479 --> 00:40:40,651
an epic journey...
301
00:40:42,398 --> 00:40:46,028
triggered by a remarkable
transformation.
302
00:40:56,579 --> 00:40:59,082
The coming and going of water
303
00:40:59,207 --> 00:41:03,132
makes for some of the most beautiful
landscapes on Earth.
304
00:41:10,927 --> 00:41:13,646
Rivers arriving at the coast
305
00:41:13,763 --> 00:41:16,312
deposit vast quantities of sediment...
306
00:41:22,522 --> 00:41:26,993
creating deltas that reach out
into the ocean.
307
00:41:30,947 --> 00:41:32,199
In northern Russia,
308
00:41:32,323 --> 00:41:36,248
the Lena River forks into
thousands of separate channels.
309
00:41:42,458 --> 00:41:46,838
And in the Gulf of Mexico,
the Mississippi River Delta
310
00:41:46,963 --> 00:41:50,092
spans 10,000 square kilometres.
311
00:41:55,138 --> 00:41:58,312
But the largest delta in the world
312
00:41:58,433 --> 00:42:01,061
lies in the Bay of Bengal.
313
00:42:02,812 --> 00:42:04,439
This maze of waterways
314
00:42:04,564 --> 00:42:06,316
is the Sundarbans.
315
00:42:08,443 --> 00:42:12,539
Twice a day, it's transformed
by the tide...
316
00:42:15,825 --> 00:42:17,202
blue...
317
00:42:20,580 --> 00:42:22,378
to brown...
318
00:42:23,666 --> 00:42:25,418
as the tide falls,
319
00:42:25,501 --> 00:42:28,505
exposing the mud below.
320
00:42:34,802 --> 00:42:38,932
Silt from river water is
trapped by mangrove roots...
321
00:42:39,974 --> 00:42:42,944
creating a habitat like no other.
322
00:42:45,980 --> 00:42:48,403
A home for timid chital deer...
323
00:42:49,901 --> 00:42:52,245
troops of macaques...
324
00:42:56,199 --> 00:42:58,702
elusive Bengal tigers...
325
00:42:59,786 --> 00:43:02,005
and over three million...
326
00:43:03,623 --> 00:43:05,842
Pe0ple.
327
00:43:10,254 --> 00:43:13,599
Bhoben and his son Hridoy live
328
00:43:13,716 --> 00:43:15,889
in the north of the Sundarbans.
329
00:43:31,025 --> 00:43:33,278
Bhoben is a fisherman.
330
00:43:34,946 --> 00:43:37,745
He's teaching his son the family trade.
331
00:43:42,912 --> 00:43:45,961
But they won't be fishing
with lines or poles.
332
00:43:49,919 --> 00:43:52,388
Instead, they'll be using
333
00:43:52,463 --> 00:43:56,093
ten smooth-coated otters.
334
00:44:01,472 --> 00:44:04,225
The people here have been fishing
together with otters
335
00:44:04,350 --> 00:44:06,899
since the sixth century.
336
00:44:07,019 --> 00:44:11,616
Wild otter populations
are declining in the Sundarbans.
337
00:44:11,732 --> 00:44:15,987
This specially bred captive population
could be crucial
338
00:44:16,112 --> 00:44:19,207
for the survival of the species.
339
00:44:21,534 --> 00:44:25,255
And they're extremely precious
to their owners.
340
00:44:37,550 --> 00:44:41,896
But they can only fish
at very precise times of the day.
341
00:44:43,181 --> 00:44:45,684
They have to wait for the tide.
342
00:44:50,271 --> 00:44:52,444
While it's high,
343
00:44:52,565 --> 00:44:56,695
thousands of tiny inlets
crisscross through the mangrove forest.
344
00:45:00,656 --> 00:45:04,627
Water dominates the landscape,
345
00:45:04,702 --> 00:45:07,421
giving fish plenty of places to hide.
346
00:45:09,832 --> 00:45:14,178
But from space,
we can watch the tide turn.
347
00:45:17,882 --> 00:45:20,681
Water is replaced with mud.
348
00:45:26,599 --> 00:45:29,899
And at the very lowest tide,
349
00:45:30,019 --> 00:45:34,695
fish are forced into the few
remaining stretches of water.
350
00:45:36,317 --> 00:45:39,366
And the otters get to work.
351
00:45:52,750 --> 00:45:57,347
Their sensitive whiskers
detect the movement of fish...
352
00:46:04,262 --> 00:46:07,311
and they flush them towards the nets.
353
00:46:13,604 --> 00:46:16,198
Young otters swim freely.
354
00:46:16,315 --> 00:46:19,444
They're supposed to be
learning from the adults,
355
00:46:19,568 --> 00:46:21,616
but it's easy to get distracted.
356
00:46:49,849 --> 00:46:54,320
The otters bring in up to twice as many
fish as using nets alone.
357
00:47:02,278 --> 00:47:04,451
And they take their cut.
358
00:47:09,660 --> 00:47:14,211
Ten otters can eat
eight kilos of fish every day.
359
00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:23,424
But it's getting harder
for fishermen here to make a living.
360
00:47:25,134 --> 00:47:29,981
Large-scale fishing
and pollution from growing industry
361
00:47:30,097 --> 00:47:34,648
are decimating the fish stocks
in the Sundarbans.
362
00:47:38,105 --> 00:47:39,652
From over 200,
363
00:47:39,774 --> 00:47:45,406
this is nowjust one of eight boats
keeping this ancient skill alive.
364
00:47:52,703 --> 00:47:54,250
The tide turns,
365
00:47:54,372 --> 00:47:57,751
and the fishermen follow the water home.
366
00:48:06,008 --> 00:48:09,763
Humans have always found
ways to survive
367
00:48:09,887 --> 00:48:12,766
alongside our planet's natural landscapes.
368
00:48:18,229 --> 00:48:20,823
But around 10,000 years ago,
369
00:48:20,940 --> 00:48:23,910
we began to create patterns
of our very own.
370
00:48:30,199 --> 00:48:35,000
Alongside nature's chaotic curves,
more ordered shapes appeared...
371
00:48:42,211 --> 00:48:44,384
designed with great precision...
372
00:48:48,134 --> 00:48:51,104
to help us feed ourselves.
373
00:48:54,807 --> 00:48:59,813
At first, farming could only take place
alongside natural water sources.
374
00:49:02,773 --> 00:49:08,951
But now, even in the driest desert,
crops are being grown.
375
00:49:15,202 --> 00:49:18,172
And one shape has come to dominate.
376
00:49:22,084 --> 00:49:25,463
By using rotating sprinklers,
377
00:49:25,588 --> 00:49:30,970
farmers can water a circular field
more easily than any other shape.
378
00:49:40,644 --> 00:49:42,442
In the American Midwest,
379
00:49:42,563 --> 00:49:47,660
these irrigation circles
stretch for hundreds of kilometres.
380
00:49:52,239 --> 00:49:56,369
Intensive farming like this
can force out wildlife.
381
00:49:59,288 --> 00:50:02,963
But no matter how tightly
circles are packed together...
382
00:50:04,043 --> 00:50:06,922
there'll always be gaps
left between them.
383
00:50:11,967 --> 00:50:17,189
In Missouri, farmers are encouraged
to keep these spaces wild...
384
00:50:18,516 --> 00:50:21,690
creating pockets of habitat
for animals...
385
00:50:25,439 --> 00:50:27,487
like the bobwhite quail.
386
00:50:29,235 --> 00:50:31,909
On the edge of this circle,
387
00:50:32,029 --> 00:50:37,752
just enough space has been left
for quail to raise their chicks.
388
00:50:43,541 --> 00:50:45,885
With hungry new mouths to feed,
389
00:50:46,001 --> 00:50:50,006
families are always on the move
in search of food.
390
00:50:57,012 --> 00:51:02,485
Young chicks are inquisitive -
keen to explore their new world.
391
00:51:05,062 --> 00:51:07,611
But in the thick undergrowth,
392
00:51:07,731 --> 00:51:11,656
parents can find it difficult
to keep an eye on all of them.
393
00:51:25,249 --> 00:51:27,377
And there are others here
394
00:51:27,501 --> 00:51:30,380
looking for a meal.
395
00:51:33,173 --> 00:51:36,427
Kestrels have their own young to feed.
396
00:51:58,741 --> 00:52:01,290
Mothers know the best thing to do
397
00:52:01,410 --> 00:52:04,209
is hunker down and stay still.
398
00:52:12,296 --> 00:52:14,173
But a lone chick's instinct
399
00:52:14,298 --> 00:52:16,346
is to keep running.
400
00:52:33,150 --> 00:52:35,403
She's inside the circle of crops.
401
00:52:40,199 --> 00:52:41,792
An alien world.
402
00:52:49,041 --> 00:52:52,090
Row upon row of soybeans
403
00:52:52,211 --> 00:52:55,886
arranged in a circle
almost a kilometre wide.
404
00:53:01,762 --> 00:53:04,185
There's nothing to eat
405
00:53:04,264 --> 00:53:07,985
and, in the height of summer,
nothing to drink.
406
00:53:10,896 --> 00:53:14,241
Dry conditions are bad for the crops, too.
407
00:53:16,235 --> 00:53:19,614
But here in Missouri,
they have a solution for that.
408
00:53:24,952 --> 00:53:29,924
Millions of gallons of water
pumped from deep underground...
409
00:53:34,670 --> 00:53:39,267
and piped along a rotating arm
300 metres long.
410
00:53:44,221 --> 00:53:47,521
A life-saver for the crops...
411
00:53:47,641 --> 00:53:51,771
but potentially deadly
for a quail chick.
412
00:54:37,441 --> 00:54:41,571
Life beside industrial farming
comes with dangers.
413
00:54:46,408 --> 00:54:49,878
But each small patch of wild habitat
414
00:54:49,995 --> 00:54:53,215
can be an important oasis for animals.
415
00:55:07,471 --> 00:55:12,602
There are now 125,000
circular fields in the USA.
416
00:55:14,645 --> 00:55:20,573
Who knows what dramas may be unfolding
in the spaces left between them?
417
00:55:28,033 --> 00:55:34,040
Human agriculture now covers more than
one third of the Earth's land surface.
418
00:55:41,880 --> 00:55:47,478
Add to that the space taken up
by our homes and our industries
419
00:55:47,594 --> 00:55:53,146
and humanity's impact can now be seen
on more than half of the planet's land.
420
00:55:58,981 --> 00:56:03,862
For millions of years, natural forces
have shaped Earth's surface.
421
00:56:06,697 --> 00:56:11,544
But now, it is undoubtedly us
who will decide
422
00:56:11,660 --> 00:56:15,335
what our home will look like
in the future.
423
00:56:23,171 --> 00:56:24,218
Next time...
424
00:56:25,632 --> 00:56:30,354
The view from space
reveals our blue planet
425
00:56:30,470 --> 00:56:34,020
as a kaleidoscope of incredible colours.
426
00:56:36,852 --> 00:56:39,401
Vast turquoise swirls in the ocean
427
00:56:39,521 --> 00:56:42,274
trigger the planet's
biggest feeding frenzy.
428
00:56:44,443 --> 00:56:48,789
Billions of flowers turn
a Chinese landscape bright yellow.
429
00:56:52,159 --> 00:56:55,789
And a lake in East Africa is transformed
430
00:56:55,913 --> 00:56:59,759
by the pink of thousands of flamingos.
431
00:57:01,376 --> 00:57:06,883
Each colour has its own
remarkable secrets to reveal.
34335