Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:03,860 --> 00:00:05,900
From high in space,
2
00:00:05,900 --> 00:00:09,540
we can see the familiar shapes
of countries...
3
00:00:11,660 --> 00:00:13,540
..and continents.
4
00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:20,700
But now, satellite images
5
00:00:20,700 --> 00:00:22,540
allow us to look closer...
6
00:00:27,700 --> 00:00:31,740
..revealing our planet
as a patchwork
7
00:00:31,740 --> 00:00:34,140
of extraordinary landscapes...
8
00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:42,020
..created by natural forces...
9
00:00:50,220 --> 00:00:51,980
..by animals...
10
00:00:59,100 --> 00:01:00,940
..and by us.
11
00:01:04,020 --> 00:01:08,660
These patterns give an insight
into the health of our planet.
12
00:01:12,740 --> 00:01:15,340
Behind every line and every
pattern...
13
00:01:17,380 --> 00:01:19,420
..there's a story.
14
00:01:38,220 --> 00:01:39,540
Around the world...
15
00:01:40,580 --> 00:01:44,820
..tropical coastlines are fringed
with coral reefs.
16
00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:51,220
At first glance,
17
00:01:51,220 --> 00:01:53,420
their shapes seem random.
18
00:02:01,420 --> 00:02:04,620
But a closer look reveals a
pattern...
19
00:02:08,900 --> 00:02:12,620
..pale discs surrounding
patches of dark coral.
20
00:02:15,460 --> 00:02:17,740
Using satellite images,
21
00:02:17,740 --> 00:02:20,340
scientists have now found these
shapes
22
00:02:20,340 --> 00:02:22,460
on coral reefs across the globe.
23
00:02:32,380 --> 00:02:34,740
Understanding how they are formed
24
00:02:34,740 --> 00:02:38,220
offers a new insight
into the health of our oceans...
25
00:02:43,540 --> 00:02:46,820
..and the animals that call them
home.
26
00:03:01,620 --> 00:03:06,500
For fish that live on coral reefs,
there are different strategies
27
00:03:06,500 --> 00:03:08,540
for finding food.
28
00:03:10,140 --> 00:03:12,380
Some stay close to the reef...
29
00:03:13,580 --> 00:03:16,660
..feeding from the coral itself.
30
00:03:23,340 --> 00:03:25,380
Others venture out
31
00:03:25,380 --> 00:03:27,380
to the surrounding seabed.
32
00:03:32,260 --> 00:03:34,100
But feeding in the open...
33
00:03:35,380 --> 00:03:37,140
..can be dangerous.
34
00:03:40,820 --> 00:03:44,820
Predators, like coral groupers...
35
00:03:47,340 --> 00:03:49,460
..and sharks,
36
00:03:49,460 --> 00:03:52,780
patrol the reef perimeter.
37
00:03:55,700 --> 00:04:00,300
So small fish only feed
as far from the coral
38
00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:03,380
as is absolutely necessary...
39
00:04:04,980 --> 00:04:08,220
..staying within easy reach
of safety.
40
00:04:18,820 --> 00:04:25,300
Over time, the seabed around each
patch of coral is stripped
of food...
41
00:04:27,940 --> 00:04:31,980
..creating rings of bare sand
42
00:04:31,980 --> 00:04:35,740
that scientists call grazing halos.
43
00:04:41,700 --> 00:04:47,420
They are a sign that both predator
and prey populations are healthy.
44
00:04:49,020 --> 00:04:51,980
But where this pattern disappears,
45
00:04:51,980 --> 00:04:55,420
it may be a sign
that predator numbers are falling.
46
00:04:58,980 --> 00:05:01,900
These halos now allow scientists
47
00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:06,500
to monitor the reefs'
delicate balance from space.
48
00:05:12,860 --> 00:05:17,060
Satellite cameras can now look down
on every part of our planet...
49
00:05:18,140 --> 00:05:21,940
..allowing us to explore
Earth's most remote habitats.
50
00:05:27,860 --> 00:05:30,900
The Congo jungle in central Africa.
51
00:05:32,940 --> 00:05:36,780
This forest is home
to thousands of animal species.
52
00:05:37,860 --> 00:05:43,580
But from space, it appears as
little more than a blanket of
green...
53
00:05:52,260 --> 00:05:58,300
..except, that is, if we look down
over one remote corner.
54
00:06:02,220 --> 00:06:06,420
Satellite images reveal
a strange shape...
55
00:06:11,740 --> 00:06:15,780
..with dozens of trails leading in
from the surrounding forest.
56
00:06:19,420 --> 00:06:24,460
This shape was created
by the Congo's mightiest residents.
57
00:06:36,340 --> 00:06:40,380
They spend most of their lives
hidden in the thick jungle...
58
00:06:44,220 --> 00:06:49,020
..but travel hundreds of kilometres
to gather here.
59
00:06:50,420 --> 00:06:52,540
Forest elephants.
60
00:06:59,580 --> 00:07:03,100
ELEPHANTS TRUMPET
61
00:07:05,540 --> 00:07:09,180
Locals call this place Dzanga Bai...
62
00:07:13,460 --> 00:07:16,500
..the Village of Elephants.
63
00:07:38,100 --> 00:07:43,540
Forest elephants spend most of
their lives in small family groups.
64
00:07:46,020 --> 00:07:50,220
But here, up to 150 individuals
65
00:07:50,220 --> 00:07:52,940
are drawn together every day.
66
00:07:58,420 --> 00:08:02,420
Their diet of tough leaves
and jungle fruit is lacking
67
00:08:02,420 --> 00:08:04,260
in vital minerals.
68
00:08:07,620 --> 00:08:12,140
So generations of elephants have
come to this one spot in the
forest...
69
00:08:16,780 --> 00:08:20,820
..where deposits of sodium,
potassium and calcium
70
00:08:20,820 --> 00:08:23,140
lie just below the surface.
71
00:08:26,380 --> 00:08:30,900
Using their tusks to dig at the soil
72
00:08:30,900 --> 00:08:34,300
and their trunks to blow
into the water...
73
00:08:37,420 --> 00:08:41,820
..these elephants have excavated
a network of boreholes...
74
00:08:45,540 --> 00:08:50,380
..allowing them to extract these
minerals from under ground.
75
00:09:02,540 --> 00:09:05,820
Over hundreds of years,
the constant digging
76
00:09:05,820 --> 00:09:09,860
and movement of elephants
has caused this clearing to grow.
77
00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:15,460
ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
78
00:09:15,460 --> 00:09:18,620
It's now more than 500 metres
long...
79
00:09:20,500 --> 00:09:23,900
..and clearly visible from space.
80
00:09:35,300 --> 00:09:39,260
For a young forest elephant,
a first visit to the Bai
81
00:09:39,260 --> 00:09:41,540
is full of new experiences.
82
00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:50,860
While the adults drink
effortlessly...
83
00:09:53,060 --> 00:09:56,580
..she's still getting to grips
with her trunk.
84
00:10:07,740 --> 00:10:11,540
Infants are raised by their mothers
for up to four years...
85
00:10:15,300 --> 00:10:18,220
..and learning how to drink
from these wells
86
00:10:18,220 --> 00:10:20,700
is one of life's vital lessons.
87
00:10:27,900 --> 00:10:30,820
For a calf who spends most of
her time with her mother...
88
00:10:34,020 --> 00:10:38,220
..this is a rare opportunity
to socialise.
89
00:10:48,820 --> 00:10:52,900
Relationships formed at this young
age can last a lifetime.
90
00:11:02,900 --> 00:11:04,980
But while they play...
91
00:11:06,540 --> 00:11:09,580
..mothers must keep a close watch.
92
00:11:10,540 --> 00:11:12,540
DEEP TRUMPETING
93
00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:23,100
Male forest elephants are also
drawn here.
94
00:11:24,980 --> 00:11:29,180
This gathering is the ideal place
to find a fertile female.
95
00:11:34,140 --> 00:11:36,540
To display their size
and strength...
96
00:11:38,500 --> 00:11:41,020
..bull elephants
charge around the clearing.
97
00:11:53,620 --> 00:11:55,860
And if more than one male appears...
98
00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:00,300
..tensions run high.
99
00:12:20,220 --> 00:12:24,860
Young forest elephants have been
killed here by charging males.
100
00:12:30,620 --> 00:12:32,780
TRUMPETING
101
00:12:39,620 --> 00:12:42,940
Mother retreats
to the safety of the forest.
102
00:12:48,260 --> 00:12:50,500
Her baby should be able to return
103
00:12:50,500 --> 00:12:53,340
to this clearing
throughout its lifetime.
104
00:12:57,820 --> 00:13:00,980
But these elephants
face an uncertain future.
105
00:13:06,540 --> 00:13:08,900
In the last 20 years,
106
00:13:08,900 --> 00:13:12,380
more than half of all the forest
elephants in the world
107
00:13:12,380 --> 00:13:16,060
have been killed by poachers
for their ivory.
108
00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:23,380
But cameras in space
may be able to help.
109
00:13:26,660 --> 00:13:29,900
Scientists can now use
satellite images
110
00:13:29,900 --> 00:13:32,940
to identify other clearings
used by forest elephants...
111
00:13:36,460 --> 00:13:38,620
..protecting them from poachers...
112
00:13:40,220 --> 00:13:43,700
..and preserving these
unique gatherings.
113
00:13:56,940 --> 00:13:59,340
But you don't need to be
as big as an elephant
114
00:13:59,340 --> 00:14:02,020
to make a mark visible from space.
115
00:14:06,420 --> 00:14:08,460
In South Australia,
116
00:14:08,460 --> 00:14:12,740
the outback is speckled
with mysterious light patches...
117
00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:19,780
..interlinked with narrow trails...
118
00:14:23,540 --> 00:14:27,460
..the work of an unlikely architect.
119
00:14:35,420 --> 00:14:38,540
He's a southern hairy-nosed
wombat...
120
00:14:44,620 --> 00:14:48,260
..a marsupial only found
in this part of Australia.
121
00:14:55,620 --> 00:14:58,060
Exposing the thinner fur
of his belly
122
00:14:58,060 --> 00:15:02,700
helps to keep him cool as he waits
for the midday heat to pass.
123
00:15:10,220 --> 00:15:13,260
Then there's work to be done.
124
00:15:21,380 --> 00:15:23,580
It's springtime,
125
00:15:23,580 --> 00:15:27,820
and with each passing day
temperatures are steadily rising.
126
00:15:30,140 --> 00:15:32,060
In just a few weeks,
127
00:15:32,060 --> 00:15:35,180
it could be close to
50 degrees Celsius.
128
00:15:39,980 --> 00:15:42,500
Wrapped in a thick fur coat,
129
00:15:42,500 --> 00:15:44,900
this heat could be deadly.
130
00:15:50,420 --> 00:15:53,220
But the wombat has a solution.
131
00:15:55,460 --> 00:15:59,380
With sharp claws
and short, powerful limbs,
132
00:15:59,380 --> 00:16:01,900
he's built for digging.
133
00:16:19,900 --> 00:16:23,580
It's 15 degrees cooler
below ground...
134
00:16:23,580 --> 00:16:27,420
..a hiding place from
the worst of the summer sun.
135
00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:36,380
But high temperatures aren't
the only threat wombats face.
136
00:16:36,380 --> 00:16:40,900
Habitat loss and the impact
of invasive species
137
00:16:40,900 --> 00:16:45,260
caused wombat numbers to plummet
in the early 20th century.
138
00:16:48,580 --> 00:16:52,940
But now, using satellite images
to locate their burrows...
139
00:16:54,980 --> 00:16:58,300
..scientists can see
they're bouncing back...
140
00:17:02,020 --> 00:17:05,460
..with around one million
southern hairy-nosed wombats
141
00:17:05,460 --> 00:17:08,260
now living in this corner
of Australia.
142
00:17:23,140 --> 00:17:25,340
In South America,
143
00:17:25,340 --> 00:17:29,980
vast areas are covered with
lush, green tropical forest.
144
00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:36,300
But on the coast
of north-east Brazil,
145
00:17:36,300 --> 00:17:40,340
the forest is interrupted
by a very different landscape.
146
00:17:51,340 --> 00:17:55,940
Vegetation is being
swallowed up by sand.
147
00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:06,540
Washed up by the ocean and blown
inland over thousands of years...
148
00:18:11,100 --> 00:18:16,620
..a field of sand dunes covering
more than 800 square kilometres.
149
00:18:20,540 --> 00:18:23,380
The Lencois Maranhenses.
150
00:18:27,660 --> 00:18:30,620
The surface of the scorched sand
151
00:18:30,620 --> 00:18:33,300
can reach 80 degrees Celsius.
152
00:18:37,060 --> 00:18:41,060
To survive here you have to
be made of tough stuff.
153
00:18:46,380 --> 00:18:49,980
A Pininga turtle.
154
00:18:49,980 --> 00:18:53,860
She's left the surrounding
forest behind...
155
00:18:54,980 --> 00:18:59,420
..and is making her way
into the heart of this desert...
156
00:19:06,660 --> 00:19:08,700
..walking for days
157
00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:10,700
beneath the burning sun...
158
00:19:21,140 --> 00:19:26,540
..each step on the soft sand
sapping away her precious energy.
159
00:19:32,020 --> 00:19:35,300
Without food and water,
she won't survive for long.
160
00:19:42,660 --> 00:19:45,460
But she's made this journey
for a reason.
161
00:19:46,860 --> 00:19:49,060
THUNDER RUMBLES
162
00:19:52,580 --> 00:19:54,580
It's the wet season.
163
00:20:04,740 --> 00:20:06,780
And in these dunes,
164
00:20:06,780 --> 00:20:10,020
the rain changes everything.
165
00:20:26,780 --> 00:20:31,660
Only from space can we see
the scale of the transformation.
166
00:20:33,820 --> 00:20:37,260
Once a year, rainwater
floods the desert...
167
00:20:48,340 --> 00:20:51,660
..forming thousands
of freshwater lagoons.
168
00:21:04,220 --> 00:21:09,180
Beneath the sand, a layer of solid
rock stops rainwater escaping...
169
00:21:17,660 --> 00:21:19,100
..creating a landscape
170
00:21:19,100 --> 00:21:22,140
like nowhere else on Earth.
171
00:21:29,500 --> 00:21:31,820
And that's just what she came for.
172
00:21:46,740 --> 00:21:48,420
As the lagoons grow,
173
00:21:48,420 --> 00:21:52,220
fish make their way into the pools
from surrounding rivers.
174
00:21:57,660 --> 00:22:00,540
They'll keep her fed for weeks.
175
00:22:07,860 --> 00:22:10,500
But this water won't last forever.
176
00:22:14,100 --> 00:22:18,420
In the tropical sun, these lagoons
will soon evaporate.
177
00:22:27,820 --> 00:22:32,460
Dozens of desert species now race
178
00:22:32,460 --> 00:22:35,940
to make the most of
the life-giving water...
179
00:22:37,940 --> 00:22:41,380
..even after the sun has set.
180
00:22:56,220 --> 00:22:59,060
A tiny four-eyed frog.
181
00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:04,100
He's been lying dormant
in the cool sand.
182
00:23:08,540 --> 00:23:11,620
But the rains have triggered
the breeding season.
183
00:23:15,140 --> 00:23:18,140
And there are thousands
just like him.
184
00:23:23,420 --> 00:23:25,060
In other parts of the world,
185
00:23:25,060 --> 00:23:29,220
frogs migrate for kilometres
to reach their breeding pools.
186
00:23:30,780 --> 00:23:34,340
But here, the water
has come to them.
187
00:23:40,500 --> 00:23:44,580
Around the lagoons,
grasses have sprung up,
188
00:23:44,580 --> 00:23:47,580
creating sheltered spots
for breeding.
189
00:23:55,900 --> 00:23:58,940
And it's not only four-eyed frogs
who come here.
190
00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:05,700
Seven different species of frogs
and toads
191
00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:07,900
are all hoping to breed.
192
00:24:10,620 --> 00:24:13,300
CROAKS
193
00:24:16,260 --> 00:24:18,500
ANIMALS AND BIRDS CALL
194
00:24:20,620 --> 00:24:24,500
It's a struggle to make yourself
heard above the noise.
195
00:24:32,700 --> 00:24:36,540
Eventually, the four-eyed frogs
find each other.
196
00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:46,300
Each pair may produce
more than a thousand eggs...
197
00:24:52,220 --> 00:24:54,620
..an explosion of new life.
198
00:24:57,700 --> 00:24:59,780
And just in time.
199
00:25:11,740 --> 00:25:16,140
When the rains ease,
the lagoons begin to disappear...
200
00:25:20,460 --> 00:25:25,100
..and sand reclaims
this corner of Brazil.
201
00:25:33,460 --> 00:25:37,580
Around the world,
the forces of nature
202
00:25:37,580 --> 00:25:41,340
create mysterious
and intriguing patterns
203
00:25:41,340 --> 00:25:44,340
visible only from space.
204
00:25:47,660 --> 00:25:51,740
Star-like shapes
in the Sahara desert
205
00:25:51,740 --> 00:25:54,620
are sand dunes whipped up
by the wind.
206
00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:04,180
In West Africa, a ring
of concentric circles...
207
00:26:05,340 --> 00:26:09,180
..formed by magma forcing its
way through the Earth's crust.
208
00:26:14,820 --> 00:26:17,300
And in Iran's salt desert,
209
00:26:17,300 --> 00:26:21,540
these abstract swirls are the
remains of an ancient ocean...
210
00:26:23,620 --> 00:26:28,060
..sculpted by the wind
over millions of years.
211
00:26:38,220 --> 00:26:41,260
In the Amazon rainforest, hundreds
212
00:26:41,260 --> 00:26:44,180
of rivers wind through the jungle.
213
00:26:54,540 --> 00:26:55,900
Alongside them...
214
00:26:57,340 --> 00:27:01,180
..are strange arcs
and horseshoe shapes.
215
00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:11,460
Satellite images taken over 30 years
216
00:27:11,460 --> 00:27:14,180
reveal how these patterns
are formed.
217
00:27:23,140 --> 00:27:25,940
As the water forges a path
through the jungle...
218
00:27:27,100 --> 00:27:31,900
..bends in the river are cut off
and left behind...
219
00:27:43,940 --> 00:27:48,020
..creating isolated oxbow lakes...
220
00:27:52,380 --> 00:27:55,460
..like El Dorado Lake
in northern Peru.
221
00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:03,580
A special place for wildlife
222
00:28:03,580 --> 00:28:06,180
and for local people.
223
00:28:10,860 --> 00:28:13,060
CHILD CHATTERS
224
00:28:22,420 --> 00:28:24,660
Elvira is nine years old.
225
00:28:29,780 --> 00:28:32,980
She and her friends
live in a small village
226
00:28:32,980 --> 00:28:34,820
close to the oxbow lake.
227
00:28:38,100 --> 00:28:41,900
They're fascinated by animals...
228
00:28:43,860 --> 00:28:47,700
..and their favourite
is perhaps the most elusive...
229
00:28:48,820 --> 00:28:51,460
..the Amazonian manatee.
230
00:28:54,140 --> 00:28:56,580
Manatees spend their lives hidden
231
00:28:56,580 --> 00:28:58,980
in the murky water of
jungle rivers...
232
00:29:06,260 --> 00:29:09,860
..surfacing only briefly
to take a breath
233
00:29:09,860 --> 00:29:11,980
or to feed on floating plants.
234
00:29:17,940 --> 00:29:22,460
In many parts of the Amazon,
manatees are hunted for their meat,
235
00:29:22,460 --> 00:29:25,780
and their numbers are declining.
236
00:29:31,300 --> 00:29:34,780
Elvira has never laid eyes
on a manatee.
237
00:29:39,100 --> 00:29:40,820
ELVIRA: Vamos, chicas!
238
00:29:46,220 --> 00:29:48,460
But that's all about to change.
239
00:29:59,140 --> 00:30:02,020
The oxbow lake has
all the benefits of a river...
240
00:30:07,500 --> 00:30:11,900
..but its isolated waters
are still and safe...
241
00:30:18,100 --> 00:30:23,660
..perfect for manatees
in need of a second chance.
242
00:30:37,100 --> 00:30:39,420
TRANSLATION:
243
00:30:51,340 --> 00:30:54,180
For Elvira, it's an opportunity
244
00:30:54,180 --> 00:30:56,380
to finally come face-to-face
245
00:30:56,380 --> 00:30:59,460
with her favourite animal.
246
00:31:11,660 --> 00:31:15,100
This manatee is one of a lucky few.
247
00:31:19,140 --> 00:31:22,700
They were rescued from illegal
captivity and rehabilitated
248
00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:25,860
by an international team of experts.
249
00:31:28,700 --> 00:31:30,740
They're now fit and well enough
250
00:31:30,740 --> 00:31:32,580
to be released.
251
00:31:37,860 --> 00:31:41,940
Radio tags will allow their progress
to be monitored...
252
00:31:47,420 --> 00:31:52,060
..as they start their new life
in the safety of the oxbow lake.
253
00:32:15,940 --> 00:32:20,020
The twists and turns
that lead to oxbow lakes
254
00:32:20,020 --> 00:32:25,100
are typical of slow jungle rivers
meandering over flat ground.
255
00:32:37,140 --> 00:32:40,780
But across the globe, each river
256
00:32:40,780 --> 00:32:43,260
has its own unique character.
257
00:32:49,380 --> 00:32:54,620
In Egypt, the River Nile
brings life to the desert...
258
00:32:56,660 --> 00:32:58,860
..creating a ribbon of green.
259
00:33:07,420 --> 00:33:10,500
At the base of the Himalayas,
260
00:33:10,500 --> 00:33:15,300
the Brahmaputra River pulls in water
from hundreds of streams
261
00:33:15,300 --> 00:33:16,980
pouring out of the mountains...
262
00:33:18,460 --> 00:33:22,380
..creating a complex channel
10km wide.
263
00:33:28,420 --> 00:33:32,380
In the USA, the movement
of Utah's Green River
264
00:33:32,380 --> 00:33:35,100
has carved out deep canyons
265
00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:37,460
over millions of years.
266
00:33:44,500 --> 00:33:46,100
In eastern China...
267
00:33:47,380 --> 00:33:50,020
..five major rivers converge...
268
00:33:52,820 --> 00:33:56,620
..to form a body of
fresh water so huge
269
00:33:56,620 --> 00:34:01,180
that the only way to see it
in its entirety is from space.
270
00:34:06,100 --> 00:34:07,940
Poyang Lake.
271
00:34:12,220 --> 00:34:14,500
This is no ordinary lake.
272
00:34:18,740 --> 00:34:21,860
Each year, when the dry season
arrives...
273
00:34:23,820 --> 00:34:26,020
..it begins to shrink.
274
00:34:32,340 --> 00:34:37,780
Within three months,
it almost totally disappears...
275
00:34:43,740 --> 00:34:48,140
..leaving behind huge areas
of nutrient-rich mud...
276
00:34:57,340 --> 00:35:01,260
..and hundreds of
shallow freshwater pools.
277
00:35:11,980 --> 00:35:15,660
This transformation is the cue
278
00:35:15,660 --> 00:35:20,620
for one of the greatest migrations
on our planet.
279
00:35:26,700 --> 00:35:31,260
Half a million birds flock here
from all across Asia.
280
00:35:38,140 --> 00:35:40,820
But none have travelled further
281
00:35:40,820 --> 00:35:44,020
than the critically endangered
Siberian cranes.
282
00:35:46,100 --> 00:35:50,940
This is the end of a month-long
journey from northern Russia,
283
00:35:50,940 --> 00:35:54,540
almost 5,000 kilometres away.
284
00:36:04,740 --> 00:36:08,620
They've come for
a unique feeding opportunity.
285
00:36:08,620 --> 00:36:10,460
BIRDS CALL
286
00:36:16,300 --> 00:36:18,740
The falling water has revealed
287
00:36:18,740 --> 00:36:21,660
the nutritious roots
of aquatic plants.
288
00:36:25,100 --> 00:36:29,540
The cranes gorge themselves
after their long journey.
289
00:36:31,380 --> 00:36:33,980
And they aren't interested
in sharing.
290
00:36:39,660 --> 00:36:41,540
Among the many families
291
00:36:41,540 --> 00:36:44,860
are two parents with their
five-month-old offspring.
292
00:36:52,180 --> 00:36:55,540
He's successfully completed
his first migration.
293
00:36:57,980 --> 00:37:01,820
But 5,000 kilometres
was a long way to fly
294
00:37:01,820 --> 00:37:03,260
on young wings.
295
00:37:07,780 --> 00:37:09,660
He begs for food.
296
00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:15,300
But his mother...
297
00:37:16,220 --> 00:37:18,180
..ignores him.
298
00:37:20,500 --> 00:37:22,740
It's every bird for themself.
299
00:37:29,220 --> 00:37:30,660
And from space,
300
00:37:30,660 --> 00:37:32,500
it's clear to see why.
301
00:37:33,780 --> 00:37:36,940
As the dry season progresses,
the pools shrink...
302
00:37:39,380 --> 00:37:42,860
..increasing competition
for the best feeding spots.
303
00:37:44,660 --> 00:37:46,420
BIRDS CALL
304
00:37:48,180 --> 00:37:51,180
A rival has strayed
onto the family's patch.
305
00:37:55,420 --> 00:37:58,820
This cannot go unchallenged.
306
00:38:09,060 --> 00:38:11,700
Father squares up to the intruder.
307
00:38:16,820 --> 00:38:19,620
Neither is willing to back down.
308
00:38:34,260 --> 00:38:36,620
Their claws are razor-sharp.
309
00:38:43,980 --> 00:38:46,220
15-centimetre-long beaks
310
00:38:46,220 --> 00:38:48,140
become weapons.
311
00:39:26,020 --> 00:39:27,860
The intruder...
312
00:39:27,860 --> 00:39:29,700
..is seen off.
313
00:39:42,780 --> 00:39:46,500
But the youngster still hasn't
been able to get a meal.
314
00:39:50,220 --> 00:39:52,580
There's only one thing for it.
315
00:39:59,780 --> 00:40:03,620
He finally works out
how to feed for himself.
316
00:40:06,740 --> 00:40:10,100
The whole family can now fuel up
for the return journey
317
00:40:10,100 --> 00:40:11,940
to Siberia.
318
00:40:19,500 --> 00:40:24,540
After four months, the rivers that
flow into Poyang begin to rise
again...
319
00:40:30,660 --> 00:40:33,700
..and the cranes start
the long flight home.
320
00:40:37,980 --> 00:40:39,180
An epic journey...
321
00:40:40,980 --> 00:40:44,580
..triggered by a remarkable
transformation.
322
00:40:55,060 --> 00:40:57,700
The coming and going of water
323
00:40:57,700 --> 00:41:01,620
makes for some of the most beautiful
landscapes on Earth.
324
00:41:09,420 --> 00:41:12,300
Rivers arriving at the coast
325
00:41:12,300 --> 00:41:14,860
deposit vast quantities
of sediment...
326
00:41:21,020 --> 00:41:24,060
..creating deltas that reach out
327
00:41:24,060 --> 00:41:25,460
into the ocean.
328
00:41:29,500 --> 00:41:30,900
In northern Russia,
329
00:41:30,900 --> 00:41:34,780
the Lena River forks into
thousands of separate channels.
330
00:41:40,900 --> 00:41:43,020
And in the Gulf of Mexico,
331
00:41:43,020 --> 00:41:45,420
the Mississippi River Delta
332
00:41:45,420 --> 00:41:48,580
spans 10,000 square kilometres.
333
00:41:53,660 --> 00:41:56,940
But the largest delta in the world
334
00:41:56,940 --> 00:41:59,620
lies in the Bay of Bengal.
335
00:42:01,220 --> 00:42:03,060
This maze of waterways
336
00:42:03,060 --> 00:42:04,900
is the Sundarbans.
337
00:42:06,940 --> 00:42:11,020
Twice a day, it's transformed
by the tide...
338
00:42:14,380 --> 00:42:15,780
..blue...
339
00:42:19,100 --> 00:42:20,900
..to brown...
340
00:42:22,180 --> 00:42:24,020
..as the tide falls,
341
00:42:24,020 --> 00:42:26,460
exposing the mud below.
342
00:42:33,380 --> 00:42:37,460
Silt from river water is
trapped by mangrove roots...
343
00:42:38,420 --> 00:42:41,460
..creating a habitat like no other.
344
00:42:44,700 --> 00:42:46,940
A home for timid chital deer...
345
00:42:48,380 --> 00:42:50,780
..troops of macaques...
346
00:42:54,660 --> 00:42:57,140
..elusive Bengal tigers...
347
00:42:58,300 --> 00:43:00,540
..and over three million...
348
00:43:02,180 --> 00:43:04,420
..people.
349
00:43:08,700 --> 00:43:12,180
Bhoben and his son Hridoy live
350
00:43:12,180 --> 00:43:14,380
in the north of the Sundarbans.
351
00:43:29,580 --> 00:43:31,820
Bhoben is a fisherman.
352
00:43:33,500 --> 00:43:36,300
He's teaching his son
the family trade.
353
00:43:41,460 --> 00:43:44,420
But they won't be fishing
with lines or poles.
354
00:43:48,500 --> 00:43:50,940
Instead, they'll be using
355
00:43:50,940 --> 00:43:54,180
ten smooth-coated otters.
356
00:44:00,060 --> 00:44:02,900
The people here have been fishing
together with otters
357
00:44:02,900 --> 00:44:05,580
since the sixth century.
358
00:44:05,580 --> 00:44:10,260
Wild otter populations
are declining in the Sundarbans.
359
00:44:10,260 --> 00:44:14,620
This specially bred captive
population could be crucial
360
00:44:14,620 --> 00:44:17,740
for the survival of the species.
361
00:44:20,020 --> 00:44:23,860
And they're extremely precious
to their owners.
362
00:44:23,860 --> 00:44:25,860
TRANSLATION:
363
00:44:36,060 --> 00:44:40,460
But they can only fish
at very precise times of the day.
364
00:44:41,660 --> 00:44:44,140
They have to wait for the tide.
365
00:44:48,780 --> 00:44:51,140
While it's high,
366
00:44:51,140 --> 00:44:55,300
thousands of tiny inlets
crisscross through the mangrove
forest.
367
00:44:59,180 --> 00:45:03,260
Water dominates the landscape,
368
00:45:03,260 --> 00:45:05,860
giving fish plenty
of places to hide.
369
00:45:08,300 --> 00:45:09,940
But from space,
370
00:45:09,940 --> 00:45:12,620
we can watch the tide turn.
371
00:45:16,380 --> 00:45:19,220
Water is replaced with mud.
372
00:45:25,180 --> 00:45:28,580
And at the very lowest tide,
373
00:45:28,580 --> 00:45:33,260
fish are forced into the few
remaining stretches of water.
374
00:45:34,820 --> 00:45:37,860
And the otters get to work.
375
00:45:51,380 --> 00:45:55,820
Their sensitive whiskers
detect the movement of fish...
376
00:46:02,820 --> 00:46:05,780
..and they flush them
towards the nets.
377
00:46:12,100 --> 00:46:14,860
Young otters swim freely.
378
00:46:14,860 --> 00:46:18,060
They're supposed to be
learning from the adults,
379
00:46:18,060 --> 00:46:20,220
but it's easy to get distracted.
380
00:46:48,420 --> 00:46:52,820
The otters bring in up to twice
as many fish as using nets alone.
381
00:47:00,780 --> 00:47:02,900
And they take their cut.
382
00:47:08,180 --> 00:47:12,700
Ten otters can eat
eight kilos of fish every day.
383
00:47:18,540 --> 00:47:21,980
But it's getting harder
for fishermen here to make a living.
384
00:47:24,460 --> 00:47:28,620
Large-scale fishing
and pollution from growing industry
385
00:47:28,620 --> 00:47:33,140
are decimating the fish stocks
in the Sundarbans.
386
00:47:36,580 --> 00:47:39,060
From over 200,
387
00:47:39,060 --> 00:47:43,900
this is now just one of eight boats
keeping this ancient skill alive.
388
00:47:51,260 --> 00:47:52,900
The tide turns,
389
00:47:52,900 --> 00:47:56,300
and the fishermen
follow the water home.
390
00:48:04,500 --> 00:48:08,500
Humans have always found
ways to survive
391
00:48:08,500 --> 00:48:11,260
alongside our planet's
natural landscapes.
392
00:48:16,820 --> 00:48:19,500
But around 10,000 years ago,
393
00:48:19,500 --> 00:48:22,460
we began to create patterns
of our very own.
394
00:48:28,700 --> 00:48:31,220
Alongside nature's chaotic curves,
395
00:48:31,220 --> 00:48:33,460
more ordered shapes appeared...
396
00:48:40,660 --> 00:48:42,820
..designed with great precision...
397
00:48:46,700 --> 00:48:49,620
..to help us feed ourselves.
398
00:48:53,340 --> 00:48:55,980
At first, farming could
only take place
399
00:48:55,980 --> 00:48:58,380
alongside natural water sources.
400
00:49:01,220 --> 00:49:04,940
But now, even in the driest desert,
401
00:49:04,940 --> 00:49:07,500
crops are being grown.
402
00:49:13,700 --> 00:49:16,700
And one shape has come to dominate.
403
00:49:20,620 --> 00:49:24,140
By using rotating sprinklers,
404
00:49:24,140 --> 00:49:29,500
farmers can water a circular field
more easily than any other shape.
405
00:49:39,100 --> 00:49:41,140
In the American Midwest,
406
00:49:41,140 --> 00:49:46,220
these irrigation circles
stretch for hundreds of kilometres.
407
00:49:50,740 --> 00:49:54,940
Intensive farming like this
can force out wildlife.
408
00:49:57,820 --> 00:50:01,420
But no matter how tightly
circles are packed together...
409
00:50:02,580 --> 00:50:05,420
..there'll always be gaps
left between them.
410
00:50:10,620 --> 00:50:15,660
In Missouri, farmers are encouraged
to keep these spaces wild...
411
00:50:17,100 --> 00:50:20,180
..creating pockets of habitat
for animals...
412
00:50:23,980 --> 00:50:25,980
..like the bobwhite quail.
413
00:50:28,020 --> 00:50:30,460
On the edge of this circle,
414
00:50:30,460 --> 00:50:33,300
just enough space has been left
415
00:50:33,300 --> 00:50:36,260
for quail to raise their chicks.
416
00:50:42,060 --> 00:50:44,540
With hungry new mouths to feed,
417
00:50:44,540 --> 00:50:48,580
families are always on the move
in search of food.
418
00:50:55,460 --> 00:50:58,140
Young chicks are inquisitive -
419
00:50:58,140 --> 00:51:00,940
keen to explore their new world.
420
00:51:03,900 --> 00:51:06,260
But in the thick undergrowth,
421
00:51:06,260 --> 00:51:10,100
parents can find it difficult
to keep an eye on all of them.
422
00:51:20,980 --> 00:51:23,700
CHICK CHIRPS
423
00:51:23,700 --> 00:51:25,940
And there are others here
424
00:51:25,940 --> 00:51:28,820
looking for a meal.
425
00:51:31,660 --> 00:51:35,020
Kestrels have their own young
to feed.
426
00:51:57,220 --> 00:51:59,900
Mothers know the best thing to do
427
00:51:59,900 --> 00:52:02,700
is hunker down and stay still.
428
00:52:10,820 --> 00:52:12,780
But a lone chick's instinct
429
00:52:12,780 --> 00:52:14,900
is to keep running.
430
00:52:31,660 --> 00:52:33,940
She's inside the circle of crops.
431
00:52:38,660 --> 00:52:40,260
An alien world.
432
00:52:47,540 --> 00:52:50,660
Row upon row of soybeans
433
00:52:50,660 --> 00:52:54,380
arranged in a circle
almost a kilometre wide.
434
00:53:00,220 --> 00:53:02,860
There's nothing to eat
435
00:53:02,860 --> 00:53:06,460
and, in the height of summer,
nothing to drink.
436
00:53:09,380 --> 00:53:12,780
Dry conditions are bad
for the crops, too.
437
00:53:14,780 --> 00:53:18,060
But here in Missouri,
they have a solution for that.
438
00:53:23,780 --> 00:53:28,420
Millions of gallons of water
pumped from deep underground...
439
00:53:33,340 --> 00:53:37,780
..and piped along a rotating arm
300 metres long.
440
00:53:43,260 --> 00:53:46,100
A life-saver for the crops...
441
00:53:47,460 --> 00:53:50,340
..but potentially deadly
for a quail chick.
442
00:54:35,980 --> 00:54:40,060
Life beside industrial farming
comes with dangers.
443
00:54:45,380 --> 00:54:48,580
But each small patch of wild habitat
444
00:54:48,580 --> 00:54:51,700
can be an important oasis
for animals.
445
00:55:06,020 --> 00:55:11,060
There are now 125,000
circular fields in the USA.
446
00:55:13,260 --> 00:55:16,340
Who knows what dramas
may be unfolding
447
00:55:16,340 --> 00:55:19,060
in the spaces left between them?
448
00:55:26,540 --> 00:55:30,300
Human agriculture now covers
more than one third
449
00:55:30,300 --> 00:55:32,540
of the Earth's land surface.
450
00:55:40,900 --> 00:55:46,180
Add to that the space taken up
by our homes and our industries
451
00:55:46,180 --> 00:55:49,980
and humanity's impact can now be
seen on more than half
452
00:55:49,980 --> 00:55:51,620
of the planet's land.
453
00:55:57,540 --> 00:56:02,380
For millions of years, natural
forces have shaped Earth's surface.
454
00:56:05,220 --> 00:56:10,140
But now, it is undoubtedly us
who will decide
455
00:56:10,140 --> 00:56:13,860
what our home will look like
in the future.
456
00:56:21,500 --> 00:56:22,700
Next time...
457
00:56:24,780 --> 00:56:29,020
The view from space
reveals our blue planet
458
00:56:29,020 --> 00:56:32,460
as a kaleidoscope
of incredible colours.
459
00:56:35,300 --> 00:56:38,100
Vast turquoise swirls in the ocean
460
00:56:38,100 --> 00:56:40,780
trigger the planet's
biggest feeding frenzy.
461
00:56:43,020 --> 00:56:47,260
Billions of flowers turn
a Chinese landscape bright yellow.
462
00:56:50,780 --> 00:56:54,420
And a lake in East Africa
is transformed
463
00:56:54,420 --> 00:56:58,260
by the pink of thousands
of flamingos.
464
00:56:59,900 --> 00:57:04,940
Each colour has its own remarkable
secrets to reveal.
465
00:57:10,660 --> 00:57:15,540
The Open University has produced
a poster exploring Earth from space.
466
00:57:15,540 --> 00:57:17,140
To order your free copy, call...
467
00:57:20,380 --> 00:57:21,780
..or go to...
468
00:57:25,100 --> 00:57:27,900
..and follow the links
to the Open University.
36325
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.