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SIREN WAILS
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Cities...
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..the fastest-growing habitat
on the planet.
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00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,840
A land of opportunity...
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00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,600
..for animals of
all shapes and sizes.
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00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,480
This unnatural world...
CAR HORN
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..presents unique challenges...
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00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,920
..but for those able to adapt...
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00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,320
..and take advantage
of the riches on offer...
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00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,080
..the urban jungle
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is quickly becoming the new wild.
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Home to more than half
the world's human population,
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00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,720
cities can be hectic
and intimidating.
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Life here moves pretty fast...
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00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:04,840
..at least for some.
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Born into the heart of Singapore,
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these smooth-coated otter pups
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are the newest kids on the block...
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..and they are about to learn
what it takes to be
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a wild city resident.
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In a natural world,
this otter family would move den
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if they thought there was
a predator in the neighbourhood.
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They have few in the city,
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but old habits die hard...
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..and at ten weeks, the pups
are strong enough to move house
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for the first time.
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They will learn everything
they need to know
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about life on these streets
from their parents.
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00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,720
Partners for life,
they've learnt the importance
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00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,880
of sticking together,
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something this family
will need to do
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if they are to make it
safely across town.
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And, only a few metres in,
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they hit their first obstacle.
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It's a walk in the park
for any seasoned citizen.
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Most of the pups get
the hang of it quickly...
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..but there's always one.
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Luckily for him,
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Singapore is packed
with waterways...
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..and, being semiaquatic, for
an otter, they're a perfect way
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00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,760
to navigate this urban landscape.
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More than 600 miles
of canals and rivers
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crisscross the city.
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The pups have only
recently learned to swim...
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..and just over one mile
into their journey,
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they're running on empty.
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But for otters,
Singapore's clean channels
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are far more than
just transport links.
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They need to eat nearly
a quarter of their body weight
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00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,160
in fish every day.
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00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,920
The young pups can't
catch their own yet...
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00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,200
..but with older siblings that can,
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they just need to work out
who's willing to share.
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you never know who or
what you might run into.
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DOG BARKS
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But as they would
in the natural world...
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..these urban otters
work together...
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00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:04,800
..and as a gang...
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..they can overcome
just about anything.
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00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,320
The older generation
of Singapore's otters
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00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,680
have got life on
the streets worked out.
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The urban world is their oyster...
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00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,040
..and on their way to a new home,
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they're passing down their
know-how to this new generation.
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Singapore's otters have
everything they need to survive...
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..food, water,
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and even secure, hidden corners
to grow up in.
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It's a recipe for success.
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00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,080
And with their ability
to live alongside us...
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00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,600
..they aren't just surviving,
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00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,600
they're thriving.
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The family's doing so well,
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it's three times the size
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of the average otter family
outside the city.
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00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,160
And, like them,
many species are discovering
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00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,800
that moving into town
suits them better
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00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,800
than staying in the natural world.
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00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,560
Some have little choice,
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00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:57,640
as we continue to cultivate
vast areas of land
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00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,680
to feed our rapidly growing
urban population.
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Driven by necessity,
the smartest animals
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have followed the food into town.
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Here in Thailand,
these long-tailed macaques
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are known as the Temple Troop.
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00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:51,960
Treated like royalty,
they're fed every day.
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00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,920
The Temple Troop have inherited
the best address in town.
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00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,160
They live off the fat of the land
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and spend their day
barely lifting a finger.
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00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,920
Born on the
other side of the tracks,
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this young male is part of
the Mafia Troop.
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Life for them isn't so easy.
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They have to work a whole lot
harder than the Temple Troop
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to get their cut
of the food on offer here.
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00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,120
But as established residents,
the Mafia Troop
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know the best spots in town
to grab a bite.
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For them, it's all about timing...
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..knowing when to stop...
HE WHISTLES
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..and when to go.
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The Mafia Troop youngsters learn
the tricks of the trade by example,
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00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,640
and they have no
shortage of role models.
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00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,240
And while they have worked out
how to take what they need
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from their human neighbours,
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they've also learned some
open their doors to them.
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00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:05,240
Sutit Tantiwong lives and works
in the centre of Lopburi.
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00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:36,000
Like all long-tailed macaques,
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the street-smart Mafia Troop
are curious by nature.
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And while the Temple Troop
take time out for grooming...
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00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,760
..the Mafia Troop
are always on the move.
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00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,840
They spend their time
exploring the neighbourhood.
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00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,920
And with every new experience,
there's something new to discover.
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00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,320
In Lopburi, they're finding
everything they need is on tap.
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00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,040
Just around the corner,
some members of the Temple Troop
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are enjoying their life of luxury...
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..and don't give a second thought
for their would-be rivals,
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the Mafia Troop.
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00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,520
Lopburi's city-savvy
long-tailed macaques
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have successfully swapped the
rain forest for a concrete jungle.
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Here, their numbers are booming.
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00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,680
Almost 1,200 of them
live as neighbours...
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..and lead a far more peaceful
existence than their rural cousins
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in the forests of Southeast Asia...
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..all thanks to being so well fed.
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00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:35,480
While food draws
many animals into town,
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00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,720
it's not the only reason
wildlife chooses to stay.
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00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,800
Most big cities are built on sites
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that are rich in natural resources.
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00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,640
South Australia's
capital is no different.
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00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,600
The River Torrens feeds the largest
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00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,120
inner-city park system
in the country.
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00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,880
And the city's botanic gardens
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00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,280
provide a permanent oasis
for humans and animals alike.
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00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,200
Rainbow lorikeets like the easy life
in the centre of Adelaide so much,
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00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,440
they've given up migrating
and now live here permanently.
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00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:52,080
In 2010, following the worst
drought in a century,
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00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,520
a 500-strong wild crowd
were forced out of their home
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00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,400
in the Australian outback
and joined the lorikeets.
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And they liked it so much,
they hung around.
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00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,640
With access to
life-saving refreshment,
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00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,480
20,000 grey-headed flying foxes
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00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,960
now call Adelaide home,
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00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:24,720
in what's known as a camp.
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00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:31,880
They spend their days roosting
high in these pine trees.
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00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,560
But life in a city isn't
what they're used to.
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00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:50,960
It's crowded...
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00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:53,840
..very noisy...
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00:17:57,360 --> 00:17:58,720
..and in summertime,
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00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,080
with the arrival
of a series of music festivals,
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00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:03,400
it gets even louder.
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00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,040
DANCE MUSIC
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00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:18,600
And that's not all.
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00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:23,680
In the past two decades,
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south Australia
has been getting hotter.
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00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:31,200
Temperatures here
can top 40 degrees.
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00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:36,920
Everyone feels the heat.
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00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:48,960
Flying foxes are covered
from ankle to nose in fur,
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00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,120
and they can't sweat...
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00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:01,840
..so if they overheat, they'll die.
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00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:14,440
As they would in
the South Australian bush,
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00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:16,960
they find shade amongst
the lower branches
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00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,000
and do their best to cool down.
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00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:25,960
Nocturnal by nature,
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they'd normally stay
in camp during the day.
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00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,640
But dehydration is a real threat...
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00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,880
..and desperate times
call for desperate measures.
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00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,000
Leaving the trees,
they head for the lifeline
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that first drew them
into the city...
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..the River Torrens.
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00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,400
Today, it's
a sweltering 43 degrees.
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00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:38,360
Belly dipping is an instant
life-saver for the bats.
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00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:42,440
It cools them down
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00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,680
and gives them a chance
to grab a welcome drink.
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00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,720
Back in the shade,
they lap up any remaining water
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from their soaked fur.
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00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,160
Elsewhere in Australia,
tens of thousands of flying foxes
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00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:27,320
have died because of the heat...
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00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,200
..but, here in Adelaide,
this camp has found a way to beat
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00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,000
the rising temperatures.
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00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,520
As the cooler evening approaches,
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00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,720
they begin to spread
their wings again...
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..ready for a night of
foraging for fruit and nectar.
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From bats to boars,
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00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,600
raccoons to red foxes,
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00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,120
our best-loved cities are already
home to much more wildlife
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00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:05,000
than most of us realise.
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00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,400
That's in part because
the city never sleeps.
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00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,160
And in Thailand's capital,
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working the night shift
has certain benefits.
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00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:43,240
Reticulated pythons are
the longest snakes on the planet.
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00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,120
They can grow over ten metres
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00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:53,600
and weigh as much as 150 kilos...
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00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,280
..but many of them still manage
to live a secretive life
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00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,120
in the heart of Bangkok.
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00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,400
Pythons are most active
under the cover of darkness...
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00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:15,160
..and travelling at night,
they move virtually undetected.
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00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,600
By filming under
controlled conditions,
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00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,200
we can reveal what life's like
for these city slickers.
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00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,000
They survive feeding on birds,
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00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,400
rodents, and other animals
they can ambush.
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00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,080
When they catch prey,
they coil tightly around it,
200
00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,040
cutting off its blood supply,
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00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,520
and stopping its heart.
202
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,320
But to make it here,
every true wild resident
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00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:12,640
needs to find more than just food.
204
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,720
They also need somewhere
safe to start a family.
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00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,720
This residential garden is a haven
from the busy city streets.
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00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:35,960
And when pythons want to nest,
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00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,640
they search out a safe
and concealed spot like this.
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00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,400
This python is laying what's
probably her first ever
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00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:17,920
clutch of eggs.
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00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,200
Instinctively,
she wraps herself around them
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00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,160
to regulate their temperature
212
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,200
by expanding and contracting.
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00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,280
This is known as brooding.
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00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,560
A nurturing mother,
she'll guard them with her life.
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00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,360
Pythons stay with their eggs
for three months
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00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:11,720
and only leave when
they're ready to hatch.
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00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,000
When eventually that time comes,
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00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,320
the new arrivals are on their own,
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00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,240
primed to catch and eat
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00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,120
what they need to survive.
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00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,040
Reticulated pythons have
been residents in this area
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00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,160
since long before
the city was established.
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00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:03,800
With plenty of food
and hidden places to nest,
224
00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,320
thousands of them
are still at home here,
225
00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,360
even though tarmac and concrete
226
00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:11,760
cover the wetlands
that Bangkok now stands on.
227
00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,160
In fact, many animals
have found the bricks and mortar
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00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:22,960
we've built our cities out of
229
00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,640
provide just
the safe shelter they need.
230
00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,400
And one urban veteran
has flourished...
231
00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,920
..living right under our feet...
232
00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,080
..even earning themselves
the name pavement ants.
233
00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:57,680
This colony is busy raising
its next generation...
234
00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:03,160
..taking advantage of the warmth
absorbed by the paving stones
235
00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,240
to nurture precious larvae.
236
00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,080
Believed to have lived
in our cities since Roman times,
237
00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,520
pavement ants are one of
the oldest urban residents of all.
238
00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,080
Like many established New Yorkers,
239
00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,160
this family's ancestors
emigrated from Europe...
240
00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,120
..and managed to bag
a city home on Broadway.
241
00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,000
For generations, they've lived
here safe and secure,
242
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,040
whilst quietly providing
a vital service to us.
243
00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,960
With more than 8.5 million people
living here,
244
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,840
New York is America's
hungriest city...
245
00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:23,720
..and one of its most wasteful.
246
00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:35,160
New Yorkers throw away over
a million tonnes of food every year.
247
00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,760
But for pavement ants
in the Big Apple,
248
00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:48,200
wasted food is opportunity.
249
00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:57,600
With very poor eyesight,
250
00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,760
this scout relies on her antennae
to move around.
251
00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,080
They help her track down
her next meal
252
00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,680
within seconds of it
hitting the ground.
253
00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,560
True fast food.
254
00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,400
Hot dogs aren't
pavement ants' natural diet,
255
00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,160
but they can't get enough of them.
256
00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,400
And once they've found
a good place to eat,
257
00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:45,120
the ants quickly spread the word.
258
00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,080
They communicate
using their antennae.
259
00:30:57,080 --> 00:30:59,120
It's called antennating,
260
00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,360
and relays all the information
261
00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:03,440
the colony needs
to find the takeaway.
262
00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,680
In no time, the hot dog's swarming.
263
00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,120
Without antennae,
pavement ants would be lost...
264
00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:27,720
..so they keep them squeaky clean.
265
00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:34,960
These fastidious insects
are barely noticed by most humans
266
00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:38,480
and busily clear the streets
of New York of wasted food.
267
00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:46,000
They consume the equivalent
of 60,000 hot dogs a year
268
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:47,400
from Broadway alone.
269
00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:55,560
By doing so, they've become
by far the biggest gang in New York.
270
00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,280
With an estimated population
of more than 1.6 billion,
271
00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,320
they outnumber
New Yorkers nearly 200 to 1.
272
00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,520
Pavement ants have found a home
under our busy streets
273
00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:20,760
that suits them down to the ground.
274
00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,200
That's because our cities provide
many of the same things
275
00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:29,200
animals look for in nature.
276
00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:40,440
Urban parks imitate
jungles and grasslands,
277
00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,480
with predators like jackals
taking up residency
278
00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,360
and raising their young.
279
00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:51,720
Even roadsides provide
unlikely havens
280
00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,360
for animals
like bark scorpions to breed.
281
00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,800
And city buildings across
the world mirror clifftops,
282
00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,200
and have seen
peregrine falcons move in to hunt.
283
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:14,400
In fact, there's so much competition
for a permanent home in urban areas
284
00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:17,920
that some animals are dramatically
changing their lifestyle
285
00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:20,240
to try and secure it.
286
00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:21,640
BELL TOLLS
287
00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:36,360
For centuries, hundreds of
white storks have been visiting
288
00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:40,160
this ancient Spanish town
for a few months a year
289
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,120
to nest and raise a family.
290
00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:53,560
Some fly nearly 4,000 miles
to be here, migrating from Africa.
291
00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:06,560
Alfaro's terracotta rooftops provide
them with a perfect summer home.
292
00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,520
And their custom-built nesting
baskets take urban living
293
00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:15,080
to a whole new level.
294
00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:27,520
The storks are in strong competition
for these prime nesting sites.
295
00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,480
With a gruelling return flight
to Africa to prepare for,
296
00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,520
these chicks would normally
have to quadruple their weight
297
00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:46,960
in just three months...
298
00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,560
..but these canny urban storks
have discovered a secret
299
00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:59,480
that means they can avoid
the long migration
300
00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,960
and hang onto their
nest site year-round.
301
00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,920
And the secret is landfill.
302
00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:36,960
Humans generate ten times as much
waste as we did a century ago.
303
00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:46,080
But one man's waste
is another's treasure.
304
00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,240
Picking through rubbish
can be a risky business...
305
00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:07,320
..but with so much at stake,
the pros outweigh the cons.
306
00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:19,720
Storks flock to landfill sites
across Europe for their share of
307
00:36:19,720 --> 00:36:24,080
the 250 million tonnes of food
we throw away every year.
308
00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:32,600
Landfills provide a daily picnic,
even in the coldest months.
309
00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:44,040
And in the past three decades,
huge numbers of white storks
310
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:47,240
have swapped their
8,000-mile annual round trip
311
00:36:47,240 --> 00:36:49,280
for a permanent home in Spain.
312
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:58,920
Moving with the times, it's win-win
for Alfaro's shrewd storks.
313
00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:07,200
It shows just how versatile
urban wildlife can be
314
00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:11,240
as it adapts to our world in ways
we could never have predicted.
315
00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,000
One of Britain's rarest amphibians,
316
00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:38,880
great crested newts,
317
00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:41,680
are cumbersome and
vulnerable in the open.
318
00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:52,760
But they can find safety even
in the most unlikely of places.
319
00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:16,840
Underwater, newts move with speed,
and are voracious predators.
320
00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:25,880
A caddisfly larvae
is the perfect snack.
321
00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,520
Satisfied, she sets her mind
to the task at hand.
322
00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:58,920
Laden with around
250 fertilised eggs,
323
00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,160
she needs somewhere
safe to lay them.
324
00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:08,840
She's looking for a pliable
surface to protect them.
325
00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:20,000
Great crested newts evolved to lay
their eggs within submerged leaves
326
00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:24,480
but, after millions of years on
the planet, they're resourceful.
327
00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:40,160
This plastic bag shouldn't be here,
328
00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:44,000
but it's flexible and will make
the perfect substitute for a leaf.
329
00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,840
She makes a fold in the bag
330
00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:01,520
and lays one egg in it...
331
00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,760
..then gently wraps it up
with her hind feet.
332
00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:14,040
A sticky glue-like jelly around
the egg will help keep it safe.
333
00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,600
She squeezes the plastic together
334
00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:26,120
and holds tight for long enough
to allow the jelly to fix.
335
00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:55,320
Over the next few weeks,
336
00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:58,320
she'll lay around ten eggs
like this every day...
337
00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:05,920
..protecting each one
in its own secure pouch...
338
00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:12,680
..and giving her offspring
the best chance of making it.
339
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:18,640
It's an extraordinary adaptation
340
00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:21,280
to survive
in a new and changing world.
341
00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,520
Life in the city
isn't always straightforward...
342
00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:35,080
..but for wildlife to succeed,
343
00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:38,000
it must be able to cope
with whatever we throw at it.
344
00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:48,720
And our busy, noisy lifestyle
is something all wild residents
345
00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:50,360
must come to terms with.
346
00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,640
This long-eared owl has found
a roost in this Serbian town...
347
00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:15,520
..and she's not alone.
348
00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:23,000
A large group have gathered together
in what's called an owl parliament.
349
00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:29,520
They find shelter in the town square
when temperatures plummet.
350
00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:37,480
Dense evergreen trees
protect them from the wind
351
00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:40,760
and help them stay
well hidden from predators.
352
00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:45,480
CHILDREN CHAT AND LAUGH
353
00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:51,320
But for a shy, sensitive animal
that needs to rest in the day,
354
00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:54,440
the secret to success is
their ability to cope with us.
355
00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:58,400
INDISTINCT CHATTER
356
00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:02,320
They've learned to tolerate
the bustle of urban life...
357
00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:07,920
..and the townsfolk are learning
to respect the owls too.
358
00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:09,920
LAUGHTER AND CHATTER
359
00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:23,920
These owls wouldn't be here
in such numbers if weren't for us.
360
00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:26,640
They flock to Kikinda,
361
00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:30,920
seeking refuge after the devastating
Balkan wars in the 1990s.
362
00:43:33,760 --> 00:43:36,560
Miroslav Grujic lived through
the conflict too.
363
00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:41,000
TRANSLATION:
364
00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:04,320
With the fuel supply cut off,
365
00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:07,600
forests across Serbia
were chopped down to burn.
366
00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:16,800
Over 90% of the trees
in the area were cleared,
367
00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:19,640
leaving the owls with
nowhere to roost in winter.
368
00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:27,360
So they moved into Kikinda,
369
00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:31,160
and Miroslav believes the owls
have helped to transform the town.
370
00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:03,320
The owls have found a place
to shelter in town and are thriving,
371
00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:07,600
and they've brought hope and light
here in the midst of winter.
372
00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:21,360
Elsewhere, the owls sometimes
roost in small groups
373
00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:25,920
but Kikinda's town square
now holds more than 750 of them
374
00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:30,960
in what is by far the largest
long-eared owl roost in the world.
375
00:45:32,720 --> 00:45:35,800
It's estimated that
40,000 long-eared owls
376
00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:38,280
now live in towns across Serbia.
377
00:45:44,360 --> 00:45:47,560
Through winter, the only time
they leave their urban roost
378
00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:49,800
is to hunt in the nearby fields.
379
00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:11,760
Like the owls, a growing number
of animals are moving into
380
00:46:11,760 --> 00:46:13,600
our towns and cities
381
00:46:13,600 --> 00:46:18,440
to take advantage of the food,
water, and shelter on offer.
382
00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:24,120
What's perhaps most surprising
383
00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:28,640
are the relationships wildlife
is striking up with us,
384
00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:30,640
and the depths these are going to.
385
00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:43,040
Built on the banks of the Tocantins
River in the Brazilian Amazon,
386
00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:45,600
the city of Mocajuba
is growing fast.
387
00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:00,120
On the edge of town,
a small group of fishermen
388
00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:03,600
have forged
a very special friendship
389
00:47:03,600 --> 00:47:06,400
with some of the neighbourhood's
most established residents...
390
00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:12,920
..river dolphins.
391
00:47:25,440 --> 00:47:28,840
This species was only
identified in 2012,
392
00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:32,600
the first such discovery
in nearly 100 years.
393
00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:35,120
They can grow over 2.5 metres long
394
00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:37,480
and weigh more than 200 kilos.
395
00:47:40,520 --> 00:47:42,480
Unlike most marine dolphins,
396
00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:45,280
their bodies are extremely flexible,
397
00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:49,200
enabling them to manoeuvre through
the Amazon's famous flooded forest
398
00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:50,720
in pursuit of fish.
399
00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:06,680
River dolphins are normally shy...
400
00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:11,000
..but the pod in Mocajuba
401
00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:15,440
has struck up a partnership with
Braz Silva and his son Osvaldo.
402
00:48:20,160 --> 00:48:23,000
They've fished this stretch
of river for decades
403
00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:25,000
and, in recent years,
the river dolphins
404
00:48:25,000 --> 00:48:26,760
have joined the family business.
405
00:48:34,520 --> 00:48:38,440
Braz and Osvaldo give the dolphins
an incentive to stay nearby...
406
00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:43,720
..and the very presence
of these apex predators
407
00:48:43,720 --> 00:48:47,320
helps to scare fish into
these intricate wooden traps.
408
00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:22,280
Like all the best partnerships,
409
00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:24,720
they have an equal share
in the business.
410
00:49:26,680 --> 00:49:28,560
TRANSLATION:
411
00:49:34,560 --> 00:49:37,200
And because the dolphins
get an easy meal,
412
00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:38,560
they keep coming back for more.
413
00:49:50,120 --> 00:49:52,080
It seems to be
a fair deal all around.
414
00:50:02,480 --> 00:50:06,360
River dolphins have evolved in
the Amazon over 15 million years...
415
00:50:08,240 --> 00:50:10,480
..and today they're adapting
to the fastest change
416
00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:12,720
this environment has ever seen.
417
00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:20,600
But there's a deeper twist
to this dolphin's tale,
418
00:50:20,600 --> 00:50:22,480
and the remarkable relationship
they've built
419
00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:24,200
with their city-living neighbours.
420
00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:31,560
Every single day,
the dolphins head to Mocajuba,
421
00:50:31,560 --> 00:50:34,000
whether there are fish
on the menu or not.
422
00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:49,440
It appears one of
the main reasons they come...
423
00:50:55,760 --> 00:50:57,240
..is to play.
424
00:51:03,880 --> 00:51:06,880
These powerful predators
could easily hurt the kids...
425
00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:11,200
..but they never do, no matter what.
426
00:51:18,840 --> 00:51:21,120
And the kids have grown up
with dolphins as friends...
427
00:51:23,560 --> 00:51:26,200
..and will always look out for them.
428
00:51:31,520 --> 00:51:34,480
The bond the dolphins have formed
with their new neighbours
429
00:51:34,480 --> 00:51:35,920
seems unbreakable.
430
00:51:38,840 --> 00:51:41,240
And while
Amazon river dolphins elsewhere
431
00:51:41,240 --> 00:51:43,240
are known to interact with humans,
432
00:51:43,240 --> 00:51:44,960
this playful behaviour,
433
00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:46,800
with no guarantee of reward,
434
00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,480
is unique to the Mocajuba dolphins.
435
00:52:16,600 --> 00:52:20,840
Most of us imagine cities to be
concrete jungles devoid of nature...
436
00:52:23,280 --> 00:52:24,960
..but, for some wildlife,
437
00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:28,880
they're just a new habitat
filled with new opportunities.
438
00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:33,720
With the natural world shrinking
439
00:52:33,720 --> 00:52:37,080
and our urban centres
continuing to grow,
440
00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:39,400
adapting to life in the city
441
00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:42,040
has never been more important.
442
00:52:45,840 --> 00:52:49,200
And if we're willing to accept
wildlife as a neighbour,
443
00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:53,000
and even to help animals
get a foothold in the city,
444
00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:55,360
the rewards can be huge,
445
00:52:55,360 --> 00:52:58,440
for them and for us.
446
00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:13,880
New York isn't an obvious
place to film wildlife
447
00:53:13,880 --> 00:53:16,920
but, as we'll discover
in this series,
448
00:53:16,920 --> 00:53:18,520
if you know where to look,
449
00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:20,040
nature is all around us.
450
00:53:21,280 --> 00:53:24,440
We usually think to make big
discoveries, especially in biology,
451
00:53:24,440 --> 00:53:27,680
that you have to travel someplace
far away or someplace very remote,
452
00:53:27,680 --> 00:53:30,360
but what's actually more true
is that big discoveries
453
00:53:30,360 --> 00:53:33,200
can happen almost anywhere
at this point, so people
454
00:53:33,200 --> 00:53:36,360
have literally discovered
new species in New York City.
455
00:53:38,920 --> 00:53:42,440
Biologist Clint Penick has spent
four years studying New York's
456
00:53:42,440 --> 00:53:45,880
pavement ants with the assistance
of his pooter to wrangle them.
457
00:53:45,880 --> 00:53:48,760
Have you ever sucked
up anything unsavoury?
458
00:53:48,760 --> 00:53:50,240
Oh, God! I hope not.
459
00:53:50,240 --> 00:53:52,800
He's been called in to help
cameraman Stuart
460
00:53:52,800 --> 00:53:55,720
film this tiny city success story.
461
00:53:55,720 --> 00:53:58,160
When I was told I was coming
to New York for a film shoot,
462
00:53:58,160 --> 00:53:59,960
this is definitely not
what I had in mind.
463
00:53:59,960 --> 00:54:01,800
THEY LAUGH
464
00:54:01,800 --> 00:54:04,040
Yeah, I've filmed some pretty
strange things in my days,
465
00:54:04,040 --> 00:54:06,080
but this is definitely up there.
466
00:54:06,080 --> 00:54:09,440
As weird as this looks,
nobody's really batting an eyelid.
467
00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:11,560
Yeah, you know, I almost
never get stopped.
468
00:54:11,560 --> 00:54:14,880
In the realm of things, someone
sucking ants off the sidewalk
469
00:54:14,880 --> 00:54:17,760
isn't that strange to
a New Yorker for some reason.
470
00:54:21,640 --> 00:54:25,760
There may be over 1.6 billion
pavement ants living in New York
471
00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:29,000
but, in terms of species,
they're just a tip of the iceberg.
472
00:54:30,640 --> 00:54:33,640
For a long time, people
really thought of cities
473
00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:35,080
as outside of nature,
474
00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:36,520
and now we really recognise
475
00:54:36,520 --> 00:54:38,200
that cities do have a lot of life
476
00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:39,400
in them besides humans,
477
00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:43,000
and that they are actually
ecosystems in their own right.
478
00:54:43,000 --> 00:54:45,040
From its pavements to its rooftops,
479
00:54:45,040 --> 00:54:47,360
this city is brimming with wildlife.
480
00:54:48,520 --> 00:54:52,160
It's now home to eight
species of raptor alone,
481
00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:54,600
including bald eagles,
482
00:54:54,600 --> 00:54:56,440
red-tailed hawks,
483
00:54:56,440 --> 00:54:58,400
and migratory ospreys.
484
00:55:00,040 --> 00:55:04,560
New York City, as a biodiverse area,
is incredibly species-rich.
485
00:55:04,560 --> 00:55:07,200
Jason Smith is recording
the city's wildlife
486
00:55:07,200 --> 00:55:09,240
using state-of-the-art drones.
487
00:55:09,240 --> 00:55:12,080
New York City is primarily
a city of islands
488
00:55:12,080 --> 00:55:13,480
so we end up with everything
489
00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:15,400
from whales to butterflies
490
00:55:15,400 --> 00:55:16,760
to snakes to leopard frogs.
491
00:55:16,760 --> 00:55:19,120
There could literally be
thousands upon thousands
492
00:55:19,120 --> 00:55:21,600
of species living in New York City
that we have no idea about.
493
00:55:21,600 --> 00:55:24,480
It's so dynamic, it's incredible.
494
00:55:24,480 --> 00:55:27,560
And nowhere is this more
apparent than in the Bronx.
495
00:55:27,560 --> 00:55:29,760
All right guys, so what do
you think? What do you see?
496
00:55:29,760 --> 00:55:31,920
Looks like we might have
some shell over there...
497
00:55:31,920 --> 00:55:33,160
That black one?
498
00:55:33,160 --> 00:55:36,280
..but it also could have been
rolling around in the sand. Ah.
499
00:55:36,280 --> 00:55:38,480
Scientist Mark Weckel
and his students
500
00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:40,680
are tracking an elusive predator.
501
00:55:45,760 --> 00:55:49,120
So this is the East River,
Manhattan and Long Island.
502
00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:51,520
Long Island
is this super-large landmass
503
00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:54,320
and it's also one of
the last places in the United States
504
00:55:54,320 --> 00:55:56,560
without a breeding
population of coyotes.
505
00:55:56,560 --> 00:55:59,240
But that may be changing.
506
00:55:59,240 --> 00:56:03,240
Coyotes have been spotted in
three of New York's five boroughs,
507
00:56:03,240 --> 00:56:05,120
and the study's remote camera traps
508
00:56:05,120 --> 00:56:07,600
have picked up
some remarkable footage.
509
00:56:08,760 --> 00:56:11,920
I've just seen wild coyotes
in camera traps,
510
00:56:11,920 --> 00:56:14,600
and they seem really,
like, cool to see.
511
00:56:15,680 --> 00:56:18,600
When you tell people, like,
there's coyotes in New York City,
512
00:56:18,600 --> 00:56:21,520
they're like, "Really?
How are they able to survive here?"
513
00:56:22,520 --> 00:56:25,440
Living on a diet including
rats and other small mammals,
514
00:56:25,440 --> 00:56:28,840
coyotes have been so successful
here that since the sighting
515
00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:31,320
of a single individual in 1995,
516
00:56:31,320 --> 00:56:34,720
there are now thought to be
as many as 30 living in the city.
517
00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:39,640
Queens is the actual western tip
of Long Island,
518
00:56:39,640 --> 00:56:41,240
so we're literally standing
519
00:56:41,240 --> 00:56:44,000
on the edge of coyote range
expansion in New York State.
520
00:56:46,560 --> 00:56:49,600
For the scientists working
in New York, it's no surprise
521
00:56:49,600 --> 00:56:53,840
that so many new and varied species
are choosing to make the city home.
522
00:56:55,200 --> 00:56:59,120
New York City is world renowned
for being a cultural hub.
523
00:56:59,120 --> 00:57:02,080
We have cultures
from all across the world.
524
00:57:02,080 --> 00:57:06,120
It only makes sense that
the natural areas of New York City
525
00:57:06,120 --> 00:57:08,800
are just as rich and biodiverse.
526
00:57:10,720 --> 00:57:13,760
As more and more animals
move into our cities,
527
00:57:13,760 --> 00:57:16,000
their ultimate success
may well depend on us.
528
00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:20,680
Cities are the places where
humans come into closest contact
529
00:57:20,680 --> 00:57:23,880
with wildlife, and so we need
to start thinking of cities
530
00:57:23,880 --> 00:57:25,320
as an ecosystem.
531
00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:27,160
So if we can think about this,
532
00:57:27,160 --> 00:57:29,800
we can manage the wildlife
in cities to kind of live
533
00:57:29,800 --> 00:57:32,560
and cohabit with the species
that that share our cities,
534
00:57:32,560 --> 00:57:36,200
and that's because our own bond
with nature really depends
535
00:57:36,200 --> 00:57:38,720
on how we respond to urban wildlife.
536
00:57:38,720 --> 00:57:41,800
We are not separate from nature.
537
00:57:41,800 --> 00:57:44,440
Bees build hives,
we build skyscrapers.
538
00:57:44,440 --> 00:57:47,480
Beavers build dams,
we build cabins in the woods.
539
00:57:47,480 --> 00:57:50,280
We are not that far apart
from each other.
540
00:57:50,280 --> 00:57:53,560
The more we learn that
this is all one experience...
541
00:57:55,200 --> 00:57:58,120
..the easier it'll be for us all
to get along in the long run.
542
00:58:02,400 --> 00:58:03,960
Next time,
543
00:58:03,960 --> 00:58:05,560
the world's wildlife
is on the move...
544
00:58:08,680 --> 00:58:12,640
..pioneering new migrations
and facing new dangers...
545
00:58:15,240 --> 00:58:18,160
..as they travel
in and out of our cities
546
00:58:18,160 --> 00:58:20,440
in search of their pot of gold.
547
00:58:24,560 --> 00:58:27,160
They are becoming wild commuters.
44815
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