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DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: The aim
of the Green Planet team
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00:00:47,006 --> 00:00:50,342
was to take the viewer
into the world of plants
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00:00:50,468 --> 00:00:52,803
so that it could be seen
from the plants' perspective,
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00:00:52,928 --> 00:00:56,182
in a way that
had not been possible till now.
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That meant developing
an entirely new camera system.
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And it started life
in the garage
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of American ex-military
engineer Chris Field.
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I'd seen quite a few of these
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00:01:20,539 --> 00:01:22,625
Planet Earth style
documentaries.
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They always
absolutely blew my mind,
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00:01:24,460 --> 00:01:26,587
especially the botanic
timelapse really spoke to me.
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(WHIRRING)
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In his spare time,
Chris spent a decade
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00:01:31,592 --> 00:01:33,803
building elaborate
motion-controlled
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00:01:33,928 --> 00:01:36,138
timelapse camera rigs
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and teaching himself
how to film plants.
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Plants often behave
like animals
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in so many ways,
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and being able to see it
through timelapse is one thing,
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00:01:45,898 --> 00:01:49,235
but using the motion-control
brings you into that timescale.
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It was a chance
internet encounter
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with a Green Planet producer
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that first brought Chris
to the attention of the team.
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00:02:02,581 --> 00:02:04,333
Apparently,
he stumbled on my website
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and he saw this robot
that I'd built in my basement.
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He was really interested
in how it worked
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00:02:09,171 --> 00:02:10,548
and what I was doing with it
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00:02:10,673 --> 00:02:12,883
because itjust looked
a little bit more advanced
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than what a lot of other people
were playing with.
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I was absolutely blown away
by the level of detail
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and the kind of intricate
movements that Chris was doing,
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00:02:21,725 --> 00:02:24,061
and we could really see
the potential
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in how we could use
this sort of movement
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to bring plants alive
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and film them in the same way
that we film animals.
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You're good, buddy.
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Soon, Chris joins the team
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in a quiet corner
of the British countryside,
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and the robot army begins
to take shape.
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(WHIRRING)
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After 40 years
of filming timelapse,
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we realised these have got
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00:02:50,921 --> 00:02:53,883
so much more going for them
than we've ever had before.
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Once you know the plant,
you can say, "Oh, yeah,
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"it's going to head that way,"
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and you can set the rig to move
in advance,
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00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:02,433
so you're keeping with it
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and you're keeping the action
in the right bit of the frame.
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It'll be going up and rotating
and zooming in
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00:03:12,693 --> 00:03:14,695
and tracking away,
backwards and forwards -
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all those sort of things,
all going on at the same time.
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So it'll be like
hovering around something
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with a drone or a helicopter,
but in a timelapse speed.
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So far, so good.
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But the team now need
to find a way
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00:03:28,667 --> 00:03:31,170
to make the robots portable.
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The holy grail for us
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00:03:32,379 --> 00:03:34,215
is being able
to take this technology
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out into the wild,
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00:03:35,799 --> 00:03:38,052
try and get the same sorts
of dynamic moves
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in some of the most extreme
environments in the world.
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So what we needed to do
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was to develop this technology
even further.
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Six months later,
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a new robotic camera system
is born
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that the team
affectionately call
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the Triffid.
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00:04:01,116 --> 00:04:03,911
Now it's time to put
this new member of the team
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properly through its paces.
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00:04:05,537 --> 00:04:07,957
- (WHIRRING)
- The aim here
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is for Oli to find a target,
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aim for it and fly through it,
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as if he is a tiny fly
going through a hole in a leaf.
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Easier said than done.
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- Oops!
- I'm trying to find a target.
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Obviously,
when you're filming wildlife,
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we go to really extreme
locations, really remote,
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and there's a lot of challenges
when you're in the field.
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So, whether the kit's going
to stand up to that sort of use
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00:04:35,734 --> 00:04:38,779
and the abuse that we throw
at most pieces of kit
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has yet to be seen.
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In the studio, it seems
to be working pretty well.
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But this is only
a dress rehearsal.
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It's time for the Triffid
to face the challenges
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of the Costa Rican rainforest
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and leafcutter ants.
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We want to film their journey
all the way
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down the trunk
and along this buttress root
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and down to their nest.
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The team and the Triffid
need several days
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of dry weather,
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but a storm can hit
at any moment...
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(THUNDER RUMBLES)
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...and rain is one thing
the Triffid does not like.
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The conditions
that we're working in now
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are a little bit more
challenging than the studio.
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It's not just the weather
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the team
have to keep an eye on.
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The unfortunate thing
of having big human feet
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is that we keep kicking leaves
onto the path by mistake,
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so I'm just giving them
a little helping hand.
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Ow!
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That's better.
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All the ground is really bumpy.
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We've got loads of plants
in the way.
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I know we're making
a series about plants,
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but sometimes they're
a complete pain in the neck.
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The Triffid needs
to be programmed
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to capture images from 7,000
different camera positions
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on the ants' trail.
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We just need to put
a marker there
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- that I can pivot around.
- Yeah.
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Every single step
must be meticulously planned.
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We've been programming the move
on the computer this morning,
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and now we're just running
a test shot
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to see how it looks.
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Just one drop of rain
on the lens, or a wobble,
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and the whole process
will have to start again.
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And I think this is one
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we're going to find out
if our ambition
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outweighs our ability.
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For the crew,
the ambition is certainly high.
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00:07:00,712 --> 00:07:02,881
(RUSTLING)
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00:07:03,006 --> 00:07:07,511
Fortunately, it's all down
to the Triffid now.
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We've been filming the ants
with the Triffid
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for eight days now,
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and we're on our third set-up.
It's pretty slow going.
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00:07:26,780 --> 00:07:29,575
While the Triffid seems to be
handling the pressure well,
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00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:34,413
for the crew, trying to take
a tree's eye view of ants
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00:07:34,538 --> 00:07:36,582
is turning into
a bit of a nightmare.
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Wake up, film ants,
go to sleep, dream of ants.
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Wake up, film ants, sleep,
dream of ants.
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Wake up, film ants,
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go to sleep, dream of ants.
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After two weeks in the jungle,
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ambition and ability
finally come together...
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...for the Triffid at least.
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00:08:02,566 --> 00:08:04,943
Thousands of individual images
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00:08:05,068 --> 00:08:07,821
creating a single
extraordinary timelapse. ..
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00:08:10,032 --> 00:08:12,910
...one that follows
a river of leaves
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across the jungle floor
from a unique perspective.
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For the Triffid,
this was just the beginning.
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- Take a bow, Triffid.
- (WHIRRING)
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The most remote shoot
for the Deserts team
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is to the island
of San Pedro Mértir,
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in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
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They are to film
the giant cacti
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that have found a unique way
to thrive here.
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It takes 48 hours
to travel the 260 miles...
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00:09:04,169 --> 00:09:07,422
...over unpleasant/y
choppy seas.
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00:09:13,845 --> 00:09:16,139
It's not made some of us
feel very well.
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00:09:16,265 --> 00:09:18,308
I think one of us
is quite seasick.
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There is nothing
but big blue out there,
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00:09:23,397 --> 00:09:25,774
and the island is somewhere
in that direction.
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Can't see it yet.
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00:09:29,653 --> 00:09:31,863
As they draw close
to the island,
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there's a spectacular reminder
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of how rich life in the sea
is here.
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Oh, look in front of us,
look at that for a pod!
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Oh, they're everywhere.
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Show us the way!
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(LAUGHS)
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Meeting them here is
desert scientist Ben Wilder.
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00:10:04,104 --> 00:10:07,107
It's through his research
that the team first heard
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about the island's
peculiar residents.
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I'll never forget
the first time I came
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to actually exactly where
we're standing right now.
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It was April of 2006,
and saw this view,
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00:10:20,871 --> 00:10:26,835
and it both settled in my heart
and captivated my mind.
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00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:33,091
And so that started a process
of trying to understand,
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you know,
what can produce this?
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00:10:37,638 --> 00:10:39,723
The secret
is in the relationship
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between the cactus
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and a type of seabird
called a booby.
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All the boobies
that we need to film
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are right up there,
at the top of the island,
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so it's going to be
a bit of a scramble.
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The crew soon discover
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00:10:58,575 --> 00:11:01,078
how harsh
the conditions are here.
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00:11:01,203 --> 00:11:04,748
I'm pretty tired.
It's pretty hot.
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00:11:04,873 --> 00:11:05,874
But it's a great view.
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00:11:13,465 --> 00:11:15,133
There's very few places
on Earth
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where you're going to see
this many cactus.
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00:11:16,927 --> 00:11:19,763
I mean,
it's absolutely amazing.
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I would say
this is the only place
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you're going to see this.
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00:11:22,474 --> 00:11:23,809
Well, there you go, then.
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00:11:25,936 --> 00:11:29,523
Ben's research is uncovering
the ingenious ways
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the cacti have adapted
to the conditions here.
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00:11:33,735 --> 00:11:36,947
The waters just offshore here
are some of the most productive
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00:11:37,072 --> 00:11:39,282
marine waters in the world,
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00:11:39,408 --> 00:11:41,201
and so
it's kind of an ideal habitat
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00:11:41,326 --> 00:11:42,536
for seabirds to roost.
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00:11:42,661 --> 00:11:46,415
But when they do so,
they deposit tonnes of guano,
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00:11:46,540 --> 00:11:48,625
and so those nutrients,
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00:11:48,750 --> 00:11:51,336
really high in nitrogen
and phosphorus,
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00:11:51,461 --> 00:11:54,339
actually are toxic
to most plant species.
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00:11:54,464 --> 00:11:56,591
The cardones thrive
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00:11:56,717 --> 00:11:59,928
because they're uniquely able
to process the guano
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00:12:00,053 --> 00:12:02,973
and extract what they need
to fuel their growth.
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00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,353
One of the first shots
the crew need to get
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00:12:08,478 --> 00:12:12,065
is of the boobies
nesting under the cacti.
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00:12:12,190 --> 00:12:14,526
The lack of predators
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00:12:14,651 --> 00:12:16,778
means the birds
aren't afraid of people.
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00:12:17,863 --> 00:12:20,782
It should make filming them
up close a bit easier.
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00:12:20,907 --> 00:12:23,201
That's the theory.
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00:12:23,326 --> 00:12:24,661
OLI: So we've positioned
this camera here
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00:12:24,786 --> 00:12:25,912
to try and get
a good perspective
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00:12:26,037 --> 00:12:28,123
on the chick on the nest.
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00:12:28,248 --> 00:12:30,542
It's taken quite a liking
to our camera.
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00:12:31,585 --> 00:12:33,670
Just hope he doesn't break it.
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00:12:39,342 --> 00:12:41,178
Bull's-eye.
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00:12:41,303 --> 00:12:43,180
It's pooed right on the front
of the lens.
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00:12:43,305 --> 00:12:46,475
It's kind of a shot we need,
but unfortunately,
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00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,477
my camera wasn't rolling
at the time it did it,
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00:12:48,602 --> 00:12:50,687
so now
I've just got a dirty lens.
217
00:12:53,815 --> 00:12:56,526
After a thorough lens clean,
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00:12:56,651 --> 00:12:58,361
Oli eventually gets the shot
219
00:12:58,487 --> 00:13:00,697
to reveal the extraordinary
relationship
220
00:13:00,822 --> 00:13:02,741
between bird and plant.
221
00:13:07,204 --> 00:13:09,831
But it's not just
the bird guano that influence
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00:13:09,956 --> 00:13:11,374
how the cardones grow.
223
00:13:12,793 --> 00:13:16,171
They're way shorter,
they're dwarfed here.
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00:13:16,296 --> 00:13:17,714
Throughout the rest
of their range,
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00:13:17,839 --> 00:13:20,091
they usually get
upwards of 50, 6O feet.
226
00:13:20,217 --> 00:13:24,763
But here, on average,
they're 20, 24 feet in height.
227
00:13:24,888 --> 00:13:28,517
They stop growing up
and they grow out.
228
00:13:30,602 --> 00:13:34,147
Ben's research suggests
that they go wide here
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00:13:34,272 --> 00:13:37,526
as an adaptation
to the violent winds.
230
00:13:37,651 --> 00:13:39,194
Too tall, and they'd blow over.
231
00:13:40,278 --> 00:13:44,699
A gusting wind isn't helping
the drone crew, either.
232
00:13:44,825 --> 00:13:46,493
We really need it
to calm down a bit,
233
00:13:46,618 --> 00:13:47,911
otherwise it's going to
be impossible.
234
00:13:48,036 --> 00:13:49,788
(DRONE WHIRS)
235
00:14:14,187 --> 00:14:15,730
BEN: On the Sonoran mainland,
236
00:14:15,856 --> 00:14:18,525
where the cardon is also found,
you have on average
237
00:14:18,650 --> 00:14:21,570
between 5O to 150 plants
per hectare.
238
00:14:21,695 --> 00:14:23,613
Here, on this island,
239
00:14:23,738 --> 00:14:27,617
you have over 2,500 plants
per hectare.
240
00:14:27,742 --> 00:14:29,578
A lull in the wind,
241
00:14:29,703 --> 00:14:31,121
and the team get
a chance to reveal
242
00:14:31,246 --> 00:14:34,666
the remarkably density
of the cacti -
243
00:14:34,791 --> 00:14:39,045
almost 20 times greater
than anywhere else.
244
00:14:39,170 --> 00:14:43,133
It appears that, here,
they're doing very well.
245
00:14:43,258 --> 00:14:45,635
But even this island
246
00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:50,181
isn't isolated from the effects
of a changing planet.
247
00:14:50,307 --> 00:14:52,851
Every cactus you see there,
248
00:14:52,976 --> 00:14:55,770
its body is filled
with nutrients from the sea.
249
00:14:56,938 --> 00:14:59,357
Given that we know
that the cardons
250
00:14:59,482 --> 00:15:02,986
are linked to the ocean,
what happens in the oceans
251
00:15:03,111 --> 00:15:05,363
affects what happens
to the cardon.
252
00:15:05,488 --> 00:15:06,823
So a concern we have right now
253
00:15:06,948 --> 00:15:08,783
is that
there's a lot of overfishing,
254
00:15:08,909 --> 00:15:11,745
and we know
there are less seabirds here
255
00:15:11,870 --> 00:15:13,747
than there were 2O years ago,
256
00:15:13,872 --> 00:15:15,957
and we have reason to believe
257
00:15:16,082 --> 00:15:18,501
that that will ripple
and affect
258
00:15:18,627 --> 00:15:20,879
the nutrients that fuel
the cardons as well.
259
00:15:23,506 --> 00:15:26,885
This finely balanced
relationship is at risk...
260
00:15:27,969 --> 00:15:29,888
...and knowing that
makes leaving the island
261
00:15:30,013 --> 00:15:32,682
particularly thought-provoking
for the crew.
262
00:15:34,893 --> 00:15:37,270
The cardons look beautiful.
263
00:15:37,395 --> 00:15:38,980
I've never seen
so many cactus in my life.
264
00:15:39,105 --> 00:15:40,899
It's absolutely amazing.
265
00:15:41,024 --> 00:15:43,276
I'm just hoping that,
when we leave this place,
266
00:15:43,401 --> 00:15:44,819
it stays as it is,
267
00:15:44,945 --> 00:15:47,280
and things don't affect it
that are negative.
268
00:15:47,405 --> 00:15:50,492
It's an absolutely
wonderful thing, and...
269
00:15:50,617 --> 00:15:53,495
Yeah, and I don't want to go.
I want to stay. So...
270
00:15:53,620 --> 00:15:57,958
This remote cactus forest
is a reminder
271
00:15:58,083 --> 00:16:01,336
of the adaptability of plants,
that enables them
272
00:16:01,461 --> 00:16:06,591
to establish green worlds
almost anywhere on Earth.
273
00:16:19,479 --> 00:16:22,899
This vast wetland
is the Pantanal.
274
00:16:23,024 --> 00:16:25,110
The Water World's team
275
00:16:25,235 --> 00:16:27,696
are heading
to a plant battlefield...
276
00:16:29,239 --> 00:16:32,450
...the home
of Brazil's giant water/fly.
277
00:16:35,370 --> 00:16:37,580
This is like seeing
the end of a war -
278
00:16:37,706 --> 00:16:39,916
there are leaves grown
on top of each other,
279
00:16:40,041 --> 00:16:41,793
flowers going through leaves...
280
00:16:41,918 --> 00:16:43,628
It's unbelievable.
281
00:16:46,214 --> 00:16:49,134
To capture this story
in all its detail
282
00:16:49,259 --> 00:16:51,136
would take over a year
283
00:16:51,261 --> 00:16:54,180
and require a unique
Green Planet approach,
284
00:16:54,305 --> 00:16:55,765
both filming here
285
00:16:55,890 --> 00:16:58,643
and in a parallel
mini Pantanal...
286
00:16:59,686 --> 00:17:01,438
...in deepest, darkest...
287
00:17:01,563 --> 00:17:03,023
...Devon.
288
00:17:06,192 --> 00:17:08,236
This is the unique world
289
00:17:08,361 --> 00:17:11,698
of specialist timelapse
cameraman Tim Shepherd.
290
00:17:14,826 --> 00:17:16,661
Tim has the reputation
291
00:17:16,786 --> 00:17:20,957
of being able
to think like a plant.
292
00:17:21,082 --> 00:17:22,917
It's absolutely crucial
293
00:17:23,043 --> 00:17:24,919
that you get the plant
really happy.
294
00:17:25,045 --> 00:17:28,423
And to make the giant lily
feel totally at home,
295
00:17:28,548 --> 00:17:32,427
Tim must build a little piece
of Brazilian wetland.
296
00:17:34,846 --> 00:17:38,600
First, a 10, OOO-Iitre tank.
297
00:17:41,102 --> 00:17:42,479
Hundreds of bricks,
298
00:17:42,604 --> 00:17:45,440
almost a thousand kilos of soil
299
00:17:45,565 --> 00:17:48,068
and countless
cups of tea later,
300
00:17:48,193 --> 00:17:50,070
the foundations are complete.
301
00:17:52,113 --> 00:17:53,656
So far, so good.
302
00:17:53,782 --> 00:17:56,785
Now time to prepare
303
00:17:56,910 --> 00:17:59,162
for the new Green Planet
camera system.
304
00:17:59,287 --> 00:18:00,205
That way.
305
00:18:00,330 --> 00:18:03,792
We're trying to assemble
the main gantry framework
306
00:18:03,917 --> 00:18:06,294
so that we can mount
the moving rig on top of it.
307
00:18:06,419 --> 00:18:09,339
So it's a bit of a fiddle
to get all the screws
308
00:18:09,464 --> 00:18:11,382
in all the right place,
basically.
309
00:18:14,052 --> 00:18:15,428
After a few weeks,
310
00:18:15,553 --> 00:18:17,347
the building works
are complete.
311
00:18:19,057 --> 00:18:20,809
The flood can now begin.
312
00:18:28,316 --> 00:18:31,069
Tim needs to be sure
everything in the room
313
00:18:31,194 --> 00:18:33,696
is heated
to tropical temperatures...
314
00:18:33,822 --> 00:18:35,532
Ah!
315
00:18:39,035 --> 00:18:41,371
...before the star of the scene
can move in...
316
00:18:44,999 --> 00:18:48,419
...carefully grown at the Royal
Botanic Gardens at Kew,
317
00:18:48,545 --> 00:18:50,338
especially for us.
318
00:18:54,843 --> 00:18:58,513
Everything depends
on this one plant.
319
00:18:58,638 --> 00:19:01,349
There will be no time
for a second attempt.
320
00:19:03,893 --> 00:19:05,770
And even more important
for Tim,
321
00:19:05,895 --> 00:19:08,773
to keep his guest
happy and healthy.
322
00:19:09,858 --> 00:19:12,777
This big monster
needs a lot of feeding.
323
00:19:12,902 --> 00:19:15,363
We've found we need
about five sandbags
324
00:19:15,488 --> 00:19:18,616
full of compost
every two or three weeks.
325
00:19:18,741 --> 00:19:21,161
So we just sort of
lower them in
326
00:19:21,286 --> 00:19:22,996
and stick them
down by the roots.
327
00:19:23,121 --> 00:19:24,497
Whoa! There we go.
328
00:19:24,622 --> 00:19:27,584
Whilst the Devon giant
settles in...
329
00:19:29,127 --> 00:19:30,545
...the Pantanal crew
330
00:19:30,670 --> 00:19:34,048
are continuing
to get their shots.
331
00:19:34,174 --> 00:19:37,302
Time to see some
giant waterlilies underwater,
332
00:19:37,427 --> 00:19:40,471
and I hope there's no anaconda.
333
00:19:46,477 --> 00:19:48,271
Oof!
334
00:19:48,396 --> 00:19:50,899
Mission accomplished.
335
00:19:53,526 --> 00:19:56,321
The pressure is now on Tim.
336
00:19:58,990 --> 00:20:00,992
After months of pampering,
337
00:20:01,117 --> 00:20:03,953
the giant lily
is ready for action.
338
00:20:06,414 --> 00:20:09,667
First thing to film
is a leaf spike rising up
339
00:20:09,792 --> 00:20:11,211
from the depths.
340
00:20:13,630 --> 00:20:16,716
Luckily,
there are no anacondas here.
341
00:20:19,219 --> 00:20:22,639
This special camera
weighs over 40kg.
342
00:20:22,764 --> 00:20:24,807
It's suddenly become
less heavy, which is good.
343
00:20:24,933 --> 00:20:28,937
The new rig means
Tim will be able to follow
344
00:20:29,062 --> 00:20:31,648
the emerging plant
in any direction.
345
00:20:32,774 --> 00:20:34,943
(WHIRRING)
346
00:20:37,070 --> 00:20:40,698
- Whoa! Fancy!
- (LAUGHS)
347
00:20:40,823 --> 00:20:42,951
The technology is working well,
348
00:20:43,076 --> 00:20:47,080
but nature is starting to
derail Tim's plans.
349
00:20:47,205 --> 00:20:50,750
Getting really tangled up
with all these weeds!
350
00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:53,711
What happens is,
we've got a bit
351
00:20:53,836 --> 00:20:56,381
of an ecosystem
developing here.
352
00:20:57,465 --> 00:20:59,884
Before you know it,
you get masses and masses
353
00:21:00,009 --> 00:21:01,719
of algae growing
in amongst it all.
354
00:21:01,844 --> 00:21:03,513
Eugh!
355
00:21:04,597 --> 00:21:05,765
Gah!
356
00:21:05,890 --> 00:21:09,310
I think I've just released
some anaerobic gases there.
357
00:21:09,435 --> 00:21:11,688
No, not me, the...
358
00:21:11,813 --> 00:21:13,314
...the algae.
359
00:21:14,983 --> 00:21:19,028
State-of-the-an' tools
help keep the algae at bay.
360
00:21:21,489 --> 00:21:23,908
Eugh!
361
00:21:30,206 --> 00:21:34,377
Just in time
for Tim to film liftoff.
362
00:21:46,514 --> 00:21:48,266
Well, that's quite nice,
coming out of the water.
363
00:21:48,391 --> 00:21:49,726
Look at that!
364
00:21:49,851 --> 00:21:51,352
Tim's focus can now shift
365
00:21:51,477 --> 00:21:55,189
to the battle that's starting
to take place on the surface.
366
00:21:58,151 --> 00:21:59,402
Well, I'm trying to film
367
00:21:59,527 --> 00:22:01,821
this new bud
coming out on this lily leaf.
368
00:22:01,946 --> 00:22:06,367
It'll take about three days
to grow from where it is now,
369
00:22:06,492 --> 00:22:09,203
somewhere in this zone,
between these two other leaves.
370
00:22:09,329 --> 00:22:11,414
I want that to last
about ten seconds.
371
00:22:11,539 --> 00:22:15,001
Ten seconds
is about 250 frames.
372
00:22:15,126 --> 00:22:18,338
That works out about
one frame every 2O minutes.
373
00:22:19,422 --> 00:22:23,051
But plants don't read scripts.
374
00:22:23,176 --> 00:22:25,762
It's nature -
it doesn't always do
375
00:22:25,887 --> 00:22:27,430
what you think
it's going to do.
376
00:22:33,561 --> 00:22:35,646
We have had
a few false starts,
377
00:22:35,772 --> 00:22:38,483
where the leaf has swung out of
shot and gone somewhere else.
378
00:22:45,323 --> 00:22:48,868
Or itjust grows a lot quicker
than you thought.
379
00:22:51,287 --> 00:22:53,998
It's a challenge
to get things right,
380
00:22:54,123 --> 00:22:56,042
but with the combination
of Tim's expertise
381
00:22:56,167 --> 00:22:58,086
and the new camera system,
382
00:22:58,211 --> 00:23:01,130
results are starting
to look good.
383
00:23:01,255 --> 00:23:03,257
I think the difference now
with this series
384
00:23:03,383 --> 00:23:06,469
is we can bring the plants
much more to life
385
00:23:06,594 --> 00:23:08,012
as characters
386
00:23:08,137 --> 00:23:12,767
and tell their story
in a much more dynamic way.
387
00:23:14,227 --> 00:23:17,855
It's great to be able
to follow them around,
388
00:23:17,980 --> 00:23:22,568
much more in the way
you'd film an animal behaving.
389
00:23:28,449 --> 00:23:30,118
These rigs have given us
390
00:23:30,243 --> 00:23:33,871
a whole new realm
of possibilities.
391
00:23:33,996 --> 00:23:37,291
After over a year of filming
and recording
392
00:23:37,417 --> 00:23:40,294
100, 000 separate images,
393
00:23:40,420 --> 00:23:42,880
the secret life
of the giant waterlily
394
00:23:43,005 --> 00:23:47,051
and the battle of the Pantanal
has been revealed.
395
00:23:59,397 --> 00:24:01,232
During filming
The Green Planet,
396
00:24:01,357 --> 00:24:02,733
it wasn't only the plants
397
00:24:02,859 --> 00:24:05,111
that struggled to get
their timing right.
398
00:24:05,236 --> 00:24:10,158
The increasing unpredictability
of the seasons made it
399
00:24:10,283 --> 00:24:12,493
frustratingly difficult
for the crew to be
400
00:24:12,618 --> 00:24:14,954
in the right place
at the right time.
401
00:24:15,079 --> 00:24:17,457
Whether the height of summer...
402
00:24:17,582 --> 00:24:23,004
We are in the middle
of a biblical rainstorm.
403
00:24:23,129 --> 00:24:26,174
...or a quiet
autumnal afternoon...
404
00:24:26,299 --> 00:24:29,093
JONNY: This is crazy!
Hurricanes are no joke.
405
00:24:29,218 --> 00:24:31,971
...they were always
kept on their toes.
406
00:24:32,096 --> 00:24:34,640
JONNY: That's really scary!
407
00:24:34,765 --> 00:24:37,185
Ooh!
408
00:24:37,310 --> 00:24:39,812
Sometimes very numb ones.
409
00:24:41,522 --> 00:24:44,817
ROSIE: It's been the most snow
they've had for 38 years.
410
00:24:44,942 --> 00:24:47,695
And I think this is now
our fifth filming trip
411
00:24:47,820 --> 00:24:50,865
in a row where the seasons
haven't done
412
00:24:50,990 --> 00:24:53,993
what they're predictably
meant to do every year.
413
00:24:55,495 --> 00:24:57,872
And these challenges continue
414
00:24:57,997 --> 00:25:01,751
in attempting to find and film
an elusive plant
415
00:25:01,876 --> 00:25:04,337
with a remarkable
survival strategy...
416
00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,591
...the fire lily.
417
00:25:17,642 --> 00:25:20,353
Somewhere out there
is a tiny, tiny red plant.
418
00:25:21,771 --> 00:25:23,064
In all of that.
419
00:25:33,407 --> 00:25:37,954
Travelling to South Africa
at the height of summer...
420
00:25:40,164 --> 00:25:43,167
...the crew witnessed
many extraordinary flowers
421
00:25:43,292 --> 00:25:44,544
bursting into bloom.
422
00:25:46,379 --> 00:25:51,509
But if they are to see
a fire lily, they need a fire.
423
00:25:54,595 --> 00:25:57,390
None of the team
have filmed wildfire before -
424
00:25:57,515 --> 00:25:59,934
not something
to be underestimated.
425
00:26:01,477 --> 00:26:04,188
In most cases with wildfires
is that,
426
00:26:04,313 --> 00:26:06,399
when they go wrong,
they go wrong radically.
427
00:26:06,524 --> 00:26:07,525
And it's very unforgiving.
428
00:26:07,650 --> 00:26:09,235
If you get caught
on the wrong side of a fire
429
00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:11,571
because you want to get
that special shot,
430
00:26:11,696 --> 00:26:13,489
there's a possibility
you can get killed,
431
00:26:13,614 --> 00:26:15,032
that's really
what it comes down to.
432
00:26:15,157 --> 00:26:18,703
And after some understandably
studious note-taking. ..
433
00:26:20,746 --> 00:26:23,374
...it's time to put
their training to the test.
434
00:26:23,499 --> 00:26:25,251
(HORN BEEPS)
435
00:26:32,508 --> 00:26:34,302
(FIRE CRACKLES)
436
00:26:34,427 --> 00:26:37,805
ALISTAIR: The fire's just
racing up a gully behind me.
437
00:26:37,930 --> 00:26:39,765
The heat is intense.
You just...
438
00:26:39,890 --> 00:26:41,142
You can't even stand to be,
439
00:26:41,267 --> 00:26:43,436
like, five metres from it.
lfsinsane.
440
00:26:46,063 --> 00:26:48,357
- (FIRE WHOOSHES)
- Whoo!
441
00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:55,031
This is what any fire lilies
here should be waiting for.
442
00:27:00,411 --> 00:27:01,996
(vvnuo ROARS)
443
00:27:04,457 --> 00:27:05,583
Jeepers.
444
00:27:07,376 --> 00:27:10,421
But fynbos wildfires
are starting to become
445
00:27:10,546 --> 00:27:12,506
fiercer than in the past...
446
00:27:14,133 --> 00:27:16,677
...something Fire Chief
Reinard Geldenhuys
447
00:27:16,802 --> 00:27:18,638
knows first-hand.
448
00:27:18,763 --> 00:27:20,139
Nowadays,
449
00:27:20,264 --> 00:27:22,975
we're experiencing more
extreme temperature conditions
450
00:27:23,100 --> 00:27:25,811
and more extreme
wind conditions,
451
00:27:25,936 --> 00:27:28,731
which exacerbates
a fynbos fire.
452
00:27:30,441 --> 00:27:35,321
A fynbos fire in full tilt
with a strong wind behind it
453
00:27:35,446 --> 00:27:37,698
is an animal
that's just running wild.
454
00:27:38,908 --> 00:27:40,284
It's a very frightening sight
455
00:27:40,409 --> 00:27:41,744
if you're standing
in front of it.
456
00:27:48,084 --> 00:27:51,754
Guided by the experience
of the fire crew,
457
00:27:51,879 --> 00:27:54,382
the team are able to
safely capture
458
00:27:54,507 --> 00:27:56,217
the full fury of the blaze.
459
00:28:00,262 --> 00:28:04,475
It's given me a complete new
appreciation for fire,
460
00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:07,061
how intensely it burns
461
00:28:07,186 --> 00:28:09,438
and how quickly it roars
through this environment.
462
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,319
And the fact that any plants
can survive afterwards
463
00:28:15,444 --> 00:28:17,029
is just... Yeah, it's crazy.
464
00:28:20,783 --> 00:28:22,743
As destructive as it seems,
465
00:28:22,868 --> 00:28:26,455
the fire has been part of
this ecosystem for millennia.
466
00:28:27,707 --> 00:28:31,460
Fires should refresh
and regenerate the landscape.
467
00:28:32,545 --> 00:28:35,381
Worryingly, however,
this fine balance
468
00:28:35,506 --> 00:28:38,843
between plant and fire
is beginning to shift.
469
00:28:40,261 --> 00:28:43,723
More extreme wildfires
may spell disaster.
470
00:28:45,891 --> 00:28:48,018
If you disturb the soil
in a fynbos system,
471
00:28:48,144 --> 00:28:49,603
you're going to lose
a lot of species.
472
00:28:50,688 --> 00:28:53,858
Bigger, hotter fires
can burn the soil layer
473
00:28:53,983 --> 00:28:55,401
and burn out all the seeds.
474
00:28:56,652 --> 00:28:58,487
And for the species that have
475
00:28:58,612 --> 00:29:01,240
these really intricate
strategies, like the fire lily,
476
00:29:01,365 --> 00:29:03,993
it really is a difficult game.
477
00:29:05,661 --> 00:29:09,039
Every year is getting hotter
and potentially drier,
478
00:29:09,165 --> 00:29:12,001
so it's kind of becoming
Russian roulette
479
00:29:12,126 --> 00:29:13,919
for a lot of the species here.
480
00:29:24,889 --> 00:29:27,057
In the fire 's aftermath,
481
00:29:27,183 --> 00:29:29,894
the crew must now try to find
a tiny flower.
482
00:29:32,021 --> 00:29:34,899
But have any survived
the blaze?
483
00:29:35,024 --> 00:29:36,567
It just looks completely dead.
484
00:29:36,692 --> 00:29:38,194
The whole valley.
485
00:29:44,617 --> 00:29:48,204
There's nothing for it
but to get their hands dirty.
486
00:29:49,955 --> 00:29:54,168
Searching in the ash
is a grubby business.
487
00:29:54,293 --> 00:29:55,711
(SIGHS)
488
00:29:59,799 --> 00:30:01,675
lfeel...
489
00:30:01,801 --> 00:30:02,885
...disgusting.
490
00:30:04,595 --> 00:30:06,639
After scouring
this mountainside
491
00:30:06,764 --> 00:30:09,934
just days after it burned,
492
00:30:10,059 --> 00:30:14,563
they finally find the first
signs of regeneration.
493
00:30:17,149 --> 00:30:19,276
Wow.
That's what it's all about!
494
00:30:19,401 --> 00:30:20,945
That's the fire lily.
495
00:30:21,070 --> 00:30:25,783
It's like a proper bright red
against all the black.
496
00:30:25,908 --> 00:30:27,409
I mean, that's amazing.
497
00:30:27,535 --> 00:30:28,869
There's another one over there,
498
00:30:28,994 --> 00:30:31,247
and there's another one
behind those.
499
00:30:32,665 --> 00:30:34,667
This place hasn't burned
for 15 years,
500
00:30:34,792 --> 00:30:39,129
so they've been sat underground
waiting for this precise moment
501
00:30:39,255 --> 00:30:41,382
for that entire time,
and then within two weeks,
502
00:30:41,507 --> 00:30:43,092
they're up
and they're flowering.
503
00:30:43,217 --> 00:30:44,385
It's incredible.
504
00:30:45,845 --> 00:30:49,598
This time, the fire lilies here
succeeded in flowering.
505
00:30:49,723 --> 00:30:52,726
But in the 15 years
since they last bloomed,
506
00:30:52,852 --> 00:30:54,645
the Earth has experienced
507
00:30:54,770 --> 00:30:57,606
ten of the warmest years
on record.
508
00:30:58,816 --> 00:31:01,318
You know, there's huge debates
about climate change,
509
00:31:01,443 --> 00:31:03,863
how real is it really
and so on.
510
00:31:03,988 --> 00:31:05,114
Erm...
511
00:31:05,239 --> 00:31:06,907
We experience it in the fire.
512
00:31:07,032 --> 00:31:08,826
It's more intense,
513
00:31:08,951 --> 00:31:11,370
it burns easier,
it burns longer.
514
00:31:12,746 --> 00:31:15,624
In the past, we used to have
one big fire per season,
515
00:31:15,749 --> 00:31:18,335
and we said,
"Yo, that was a big one."
516
00:31:18,460 --> 00:31:21,797
Now we have five to six
big ones per season.
517
00:31:23,632 --> 00:31:26,010
If we don't change our ways,
we are going to reach a point
518
00:31:26,135 --> 00:31:28,762
where fires are burning
with such ferocity
519
00:31:28,888 --> 00:31:31,765
that it will destroy
thelandscape.
520
00:31:34,351 --> 00:31:37,187
And in recent times,
a rapidly changing climate
521
00:31:37,313 --> 00:31:40,482
has led to some of the biggest
fires in living memory,
522
00:31:40,608 --> 00:31:42,860
not just in South Africa,
523
00:31:42,985 --> 00:31:45,362
but around the world.
524
00:31:45,487 --> 00:31:49,325
The next five to ten years
are going to be pretty scary
525
00:31:49,450 --> 00:31:53,454
to actually see what this
has done to the ecosystem.
526
00:31:53,579 --> 00:31:58,000
Let's hope that the next time
this fire lily blooms,
527
00:31:58,125 --> 00:32:01,837
it will find a world
in which it can still survive.
528
00:32:11,889 --> 00:32:14,808
Throughout the Human episode,
529
00:32:14,934 --> 00:32:18,062
the Green Planet crew sought
to capture the lives of plants
530
00:32:18,187 --> 00:32:20,397
confronted with
the human world.
531
00:32:21,899 --> 00:32:23,609
But they also heard the stories
532
00:32:23,734 --> 00:32:27,988
of people deeply connected
to the plants around them...
533
00:32:31,367 --> 00:32:32,576
...such as those
at the front line
534
00:32:32,701 --> 00:32:34,662
of the battle to save Hawaii's
535
00:32:34,787 --> 00:32:39,124
native endangered plants
from invasive species.
536
00:32:40,334 --> 00:32:42,586
If we don't get a handle
on miconia,
537
00:32:42,711 --> 00:32:43,879
we could lose everything
538
00:32:44,004 --> 00:32:47,716
that makes Hawaii special
and unique.
539
00:32:50,135 --> 00:32:51,762
But before
the Green Planet team
540
00:32:51,887 --> 00:32:54,181
could start work,
they had to undertake
541
00:32:54,306 --> 00:32:56,642
some rigorous preparation.
542
00:32:57,893 --> 00:32:59,228
We're going into somewhere
543
00:32:59,353 --> 00:33:02,231
that has very... It's a very
sensitive ecosystem,
544
00:33:02,356 --> 00:33:03,857
they're trying to protect it
from invasives.
545
00:33:05,401 --> 00:33:08,612
Filming in a place so ravaged
by invasive species
546
00:33:08,737 --> 00:33:12,741
meant they had to be 100% sure
that they were not spreading
547
00:33:12,866 --> 00:33:16,203
any non-native stowaways
themselves.
548
00:33:17,287 --> 00:33:21,000
They had to scrub and disinfect
every item of equipment.
549
00:33:25,045 --> 00:33:28,340
With kit clean, the team
first focus on filming
550
00:33:28,465 --> 00:33:30,718
the rare holokea plant...
551
00:33:35,556 --> 00:33:38,767
...accessible only on foot.
552
00:33:43,939 --> 00:33:48,652
There are few pristine areas
like this left in Hawaii.
553
00:33:50,154 --> 00:33:54,908
Only 40% of the land
still has native vegetation...
554
00:33:55,993 --> 00:34:01,331
...most of it wiped out by
invasive species like miconia.
555
00:34:06,420 --> 00:34:07,629
Next on the list
556
00:34:07,755 --> 00:34:11,550
was to film the team
waging war on miconia,
557
00:34:11,675 --> 00:34:14,219
known locally
as the purple plague.
558
00:34:16,638 --> 00:34:19,850
For crewmember Aja,
the work is not just
559
00:34:19,975 --> 00:34:23,562
a physical battle against
this invasive species -
560
00:34:23,687 --> 00:34:26,190
it's deeply personal.
561
00:34:26,315 --> 00:34:28,817
I've been to the pristine area,
562
00:34:28,942 --> 00:34:31,612
so I know what it looks like
and feels like, you know,
563
00:34:31,737 --> 00:34:33,489
to be in the presence
564
00:34:33,614 --> 00:34:37,367
of all that mana
and spirituality.
565
00:34:41,413 --> 00:34:43,165
Those aren't just plants.
566
00:34:45,042 --> 00:34:48,003
Those are ancestors' spirits,
you know?
567
00:34:48,128 --> 00:34:52,049
Controlling these invasive
plants is a relentless job,
568
00:34:52,174 --> 00:34:56,929
and Aja is not just doing this
for native Hawaiian ecosystems,
569
00:34:57,054 --> 00:35:00,099
but also to protect
her ancestral relationship
570
00:35:00,224 --> 00:35:03,185
to this fragile landscape.
571
00:35:03,310 --> 00:35:05,896
So going to do this, it feels
good just to hack 'em
572
00:35:06,021 --> 00:35:08,357
and pull 'em out and be like,
"Yeah, OK, take that,"
573
00:35:08,482 --> 00:35:11,235
you know?
We can sort of fight back.
574
00:35:12,319 --> 00:35:15,322
Aja's fierce passion to protect
these native forests
575
00:35:15,447 --> 00:35:17,491
is evident.
576
00:35:17,616 --> 00:35:20,244
But the purple plague
has spread
577
00:35:20,369 --> 00:35:23,622
to places Aja could never
reach on foot.
578
00:35:25,833 --> 00:35:27,584
Taking to the sky
is the only way
579
00:35:27,709 --> 00:35:30,546
to reach the front line
of this battleground.
580
00:35:33,757 --> 00:35:37,761
With only enough fuel
to stay airborne for two hours,
581
00:35:37,886 --> 00:35:40,764
the window for capturing
this aerial battle
582
00:35:40,889 --> 00:35:42,599
is uncomfortably small.
583
00:35:42,724 --> 00:35:47,062
We have one day of doing
the heli operations.
584
00:35:47,187 --> 00:35:48,272
The weather could
585
00:35:48,397 --> 00:35:50,274
completely mess us up
if we get a system
586
00:35:50,399 --> 00:35:52,192
that comes in.
587
00:35:52,317 --> 00:35:55,404
Heli-to-heli is always
dangerous and difficult.
588
00:35:56,488 --> 00:35:59,283
This flight is not just tense
for Lis.
589
00:35:59,408 --> 00:36:02,286
For plant sniper
Brooke Mahnken,
590
00:36:02,411 --> 00:36:05,539
these short flights
represent his only opportunity
591
00:36:05,664 --> 00:36:07,666
to hold back the invasion.
592
00:36:07,791 --> 00:36:11,420
BROOKE: Miconia left unchecked
can be terribly damaging.
593
00:36:11,545 --> 00:36:15,215
The potential
for one seeding plant,
594
00:36:15,340 --> 00:36:17,676
if it were to get far away
from the population,
595
00:36:17,801 --> 00:36:19,970
reach maturity
and put seeds out,
596
00:36:20,095 --> 00:36:23,557
then it's starting
a whole new infestation,
597
00:36:23,682 --> 00:36:26,518
and once it occupies
that entire area,
598
00:36:26,643 --> 00:36:28,645
then it's completely
wiped it out.
599
00:36:34,109 --> 00:36:35,903
The helicopter
is really important
600
00:36:36,028 --> 00:36:38,280
because you can fly
in extreme terrain
601
00:36:38,405 --> 00:36:41,491
with these, like, 1,000-foot
cliffs, and find miconia.
602
00:36:41,617 --> 00:36:45,871
There would be no other way
to get to these plants.
603
00:36:46,955 --> 00:36:50,667
The miconia team are used
to the aerial challenges
604
00:36:50,792 --> 00:36:52,961
of this battle,
but for producer Lis,
605
00:36:53,086 --> 00:36:56,340
the pre-flight talk
from the helicopter pilot
606
00:36:56,465 --> 00:36:58,759
brings home the lengths
that this team go to
607
00:36:58,884 --> 00:37:02,012
in order to complete
their work.
608
00:37:02,137 --> 00:37:03,889
So you're just going to be
in the back here,
609
00:37:04,014 --> 00:37:06,058
and it's a hurricane
in the back seat.
610
00:37:06,183 --> 00:37:07,643
Literally a hurricane.
611
00:37:07,768 --> 00:37:10,145
So nothing loose, you don't
want to put an arm, a head,
612
00:37:10,270 --> 00:37:11,813
a leg or a hand out.
613
00:37:11,939 --> 00:37:13,565
It's just going to blow
behind you.
614
00:37:13,690 --> 00:37:15,359
And you don't want
to stick your head out
615
00:37:15,484 --> 00:37:17,945
because if the headset
comes off,
616
00:37:18,070 --> 00:37:21,365
then it's into the tail rotor
and then it's bye-bye, Maui.
617
00:37:21,490 --> 00:37:24,868
Pre-flight checks completed,
618
00:37:24,993 --> 00:37:28,330
the clock is now ticking
to get into the air.
619
00:37:31,959 --> 00:37:34,002
LIS: This matters so much
to everyone here.
620
00:37:34,127 --> 00:37:36,296
I definitely feel the pressure
to get this right.
621
00:37:43,262 --> 00:37:47,891
The first thing I want to do is
get some close-ups of the HBT,
622
00:37:48,016 --> 00:37:50,477
because that's going to be
the most challenging thing.
623
00:37:50,602 --> 00:37:53,063
PILOT: Let's go find
some plants, please.
624
00:37:55,232 --> 00:37:56,775
To get within shooting distance
625
00:37:56,900 --> 00:37:58,819
of the plants,
the helicopter pilot
626
00:37:58,944 --> 00:38:00,988
must carefully manoeuvre
627
00:38:01,113 --> 00:38:04,992
into one of the area's
deepest canyons.
628
00:38:05,117 --> 00:38:07,661
PILOT:
See this light-coloured rock?
629
00:38:07,786 --> 00:38:09,246
- BROOKE: Yep.
- PILOT: Follow that up.
630
00:38:09,371 --> 00:38:12,332
To the right. You'll see it.
631
00:38:12,457 --> 00:38:15,544
The target is in sight.
632
00:38:15,669 --> 00:38:17,838
BROOKE: Oh, yeah, there he is.
633
00:38:20,632 --> 00:38:23,218
BROOKE: OK.
I'm live and ready.
634
00:38:23,343 --> 00:38:26,847
With high winds gusting up
from the waterfall,
635
00:38:26,972 --> 00:38:30,267
getting into position is tricky
enough in one helicopter,
636
00:38:30,392 --> 00:38:31,893
let alone two.
637
00:38:33,270 --> 00:38:35,772
To give Brooke the best chance
of hitting the miconia,
638
00:38:35,897 --> 00:38:39,359
the pilot must get him
within 20 metres of the plant,
639
00:38:39,484 --> 00:38:42,779
and ideally at eye level.
640
00:38:42,904 --> 00:38:45,699
Any missed shot threatens
to become friendly fire,
641
00:38:45,824 --> 00:38:48,201
harming the species
he aims to protect.
642
00:38:48,327 --> 00:38:49,953
- Ready?
- Yes.
643
00:38:50,078 --> 00:38:51,079
Here we go.
644
00:38:54,541 --> 00:38:56,501
Brooke must strike
the stem of the plant
645
00:38:56,626 --> 00:39:00,255
to have the best chance
of completely killing it.
646
00:39:02,257 --> 00:39:05,177
- (CHEERING)
- Oh, my God! Nice one!
647
00:39:13,310 --> 00:39:16,605
Yeah, it worked really,
really well. Thanks, guys.
648
00:39:17,731 --> 00:39:21,610
This has been a successful
mission for both teams.
649
00:39:21,735 --> 00:39:24,654
The pilot's skills
and Brooke's sharp-shooting
650
00:39:24,780 --> 00:39:26,823
has saved another patch
of forest,
651
00:39:26,948 --> 00:39:30,577
and Lis is relieved that
she has the shots she needs
652
00:39:30,702 --> 00:39:32,120
to do the story justice.
653
00:39:32,245 --> 00:39:34,206
It's over!
654
00:39:34,331 --> 00:39:35,707
It's over.
655
00:39:35,832 --> 00:39:37,376
Itjust looked amazing.
656
00:39:37,501 --> 00:39:38,752
Lots of...
657
00:39:38,877 --> 00:39:42,297
Yeah, it looks good.
It looks good.
658
00:39:42,422 --> 00:39:46,301
For Brooke and Aja, however,
their work doesn't stop.
659
00:39:46,426 --> 00:39:50,013
Just holding back the tide of
invasive species in Hawaii
660
00:39:50,138 --> 00:39:52,724
is more than a lifetime's work.
661
00:39:52,849 --> 00:39:56,812
But Aja believes that
her fight is worthwhile.
662
00:39:56,937 --> 00:39:59,648
Everything we do
is for the next generation,
663
00:39:59,773 --> 00:40:01,983
just like our ancestors
and kUpunas.
664
00:40:02,109 --> 00:40:05,404
It wasn't for them,
it's for the next generation.
665
00:40:05,529 --> 00:40:08,365
And just to have my kids
going to areas, like,
666
00:40:08,490 --> 00:40:11,785
where they can see
there's still natives,
667
00:40:11,910 --> 00:40:14,162
where we don't have
to go through
668
00:40:14,287 --> 00:40:17,416
all this invasive vegetation.
669
00:40:17,541 --> 00:40:19,334
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)
670
00:40:21,169 --> 00:40:24,131
You know, it's notjust
my responsibility,
671
00:40:24,256 --> 00:40:26,425
it's everyone's responsibility.
672
00:40:29,928 --> 00:40:32,556
You know,
the Earth takes care of us,
673
00:40:32,681 --> 00:40:35,809
so we have to do the same.
We can't just...let it go by.
674
00:40:39,521 --> 00:40:42,149
We've got to take care too.
54390
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