All language subtitles for 75BDE26CAA4E92B9CFDBD5A0A564A05D_eng

Cities, the fastest growing habitat on the
planet

A land of opportunity for animals of all
shapes and sizes.

This unnatural world presents unique
challenges.

But for those able to adapt and take
advantage of the riches on offer,

the

urban jungle is quickly becoming.

In the last 30 years, the world's urban
areas have almost tripled in size,

changing at a rate wildlife has never
experienced before.

Some animals have adapted to urban life
with survival.

With surprising ease, and made cities
their home.

Others have found that keeping one foot in
the wild and commuting into town,

they make the most of both worlds.

But there is another group

with the most surprising stories of all.

Animals that once lived where our cities
are now built.

Today, they find
themselves fighting for their

place in a land that
once belonged to them.

These are the wild outcasts.

Costa Rica.

A tropical tourist hotspot, famed for its
incredible wildlife encounters.

And this Pacific coastal
town is home to some

of the most intelligent
monkeys in the world.

But despite first
impressions, these white-faced

capuchins are in
a perilous position.

Struggling to adapt and fit into a
changing world.

White-faced capuchins
have the largest

brain-to-body ratio of
any primate other than us.

And the wealth of tasty and
exotic goodies tourists bring

to the beach makes for hot
property worth defending.

Around 20 strong, this is an average-sized
troop.

And this grizzled alpha male is in charge.

He lost an arm fighting to keep hold of
this territory.

Him and his troop
defend the tourist beach

like they would a
fruiting tree in the forest.

They know there's more to be gained than a
few measly leftovers.

They've learnt to play the naive tourists.

To get their hands on a seemingly
never-ending supply of food.

Employing a variety of cunning tactics.

There's the sweet and gentle.

The butter-would-it-melt.

And the cheeky-chappy.

But these aren't natural behaviours.

These monkeys should have an innate fear
of humans.

But the alpha male has become so confident
he's happy to assert his dominance.

And the more the capuchins expect food,
the more aggressively they pursue it.

By continuing to feed them, tourists are
only fuelling this bad behaviour.

It's even led to them developing a
criminal streak.

They wait patiently for people to leave
their belongings on the beach.

Before moving in to steal any food.

Capuchins are one of the only primates
known to use tools.

So opening unattended luggage is no
problem.

But their delinquent behaviour and
bullying tactics are making them unpopular.

And right now, these capuchins face an
uncertain future.

They may be relocated or worse still,
euphonised.

Unless the tourists change their habits.

Finding ways to protect
wildlife from the problems

we create is becoming
increasingly important.

Because urban areas will only continue to
swallow natural habitats.

And cities support
just 20% of the wildlife

that lived on the land
before they were built.

It's never been more important to create
space for nature in the urban world.

If we don't, we risk losing it altogether.

It's predicted that by
the middle of the century,

50% of the world's
species will be in decline.

And that's in part because
more and more land is

being cultivated to feed
our ever growing population.

The scale of the problem couldn't be more
obvious than in Sri Lanka.

Where forests are fast being replaced with
crops.

Putting people in direct conflict with the
largest land mammal of all.

Elephants.

As their jungle disappears
and is farmed to feed us,

they've discovered it makes
potentially easy pickings.

Under the cover of darkness, more
elephants head into town to try their luck.

The local inhabitants guard their
livelihood.

Armed with lights, firecrackers and
flares.

It's a risky strategy for the elephants.

But hunger drives them on.

Each year this conflict claims the lives
of over 200 elephants and 80 people.

Explosions across the region mark the
start of the nightly battle.

It's an outcast claim to lost lands versus
a relentlessly expanding civilization.

The elephants retreat.

But to grow up to 3
meters tall and weigh 5 tons,

they need to eat as
much as 150 kilos a day.

They will be back.

With the encounters taking their toll on
both sides, a ceasefire is well overdue.

People here are developing ways to try and
keep the peace.

Farmers have found that planting a barrier
of fruit trees around their crops helps.

Because elephants have
the best sense of smell in the

animal kingdom and find
the smell of citrus repellent.

The trees act as a
sustainable buffer that

encourages the elephants
to feed back in the forest.

Electric fences that surround some of the
villages help too.

But the elephant encounters that happen
outside the fences are the most dangerous.

And for some kids, this
road through a notorious

elephant corridor is
the only way to school.

It's a potentially deadly commute on foot.

But the solution is simple.

An elephant school bus.

Each morning, the bus picks up kids from
the surrounding area.

And drives them safely to school.

A journey of fear is now a journey of
wonder.

Elephants don't perceive large
vehicles as a threat in the same

way they do a person on foot,
making for a peaceful passage.

These Sri Lankan
communities are finding ways

to live alongside the
largest of animals.

But across the world,
elephants are losing their natural

habitat and being targeted
by poachers for their ivory.

The global population has shrunk by a
shocking 95% in the last century.

It's a crisis desperately in need of
solutions.

Peaceful coexistence with large and
dangerous animals is possible.

All up the east coast
of America, luxury

developments are built
on prime alligator habitat.

Golf resorts.

But at South Carolina's Kiowa Island,
the water hazards, rough and rolling

greens are a paradise for golfers and
gators alike.

That's because each species knows its
place here.

The ponds belong to the gators, and
the fairways are reserved for the golfers.

But each spring, as males compete for the
best territory and the best females,

the boundaries become blurred.

This four-meter male guards his network of
ponds and channels.

And he protects his love interest too,
whether she's interested or not.

But there's no rush.

New science shows that alligators can
actually mate for life.

He warns off the smaller males by
broadcasting his dominance.

An infrasonic, then bellowing call that
can be heard from five kilometers away.

Happy he won't be interrupted,
he makes his move.

But she needs some wooing.

Turning on his charm, he rests his head on
her back and blows her romantic bubbles.

During a brief moment underwater,
the pair mate.

With the female spoken for,
the battle-scarred youngsters

walk the course in search
of their own territory.

But all the best spots are taken.

Chasing and posturing is usually enough to
end the dispute.

With a bite three times
more powerful than a

lion, it's better to
retreat than risk injury.

But it's not enough to get away with it.

Even though it's built on
alligator territory, this high-end

human playground provides
for both people and wildlife.

Striking the right balance with animals we
naturally fear can be difficult.

But cities will continue to attract
uninvited wild guests.

Because sometimes they offer them
everything they need to survive.

And those animals small
enough to take advantage

of these opportunities
unnoticed can make it big.

What's a tiny desert resort?

This twinkling North American city is built
where few animals or people ever lived.

Almost everything has been brought here by
humans.

Hidden in plain sight,
one small but deadly

arachnid is thriving in
this shiny new desert oasis.

The bark scorpion.

They might be just a few
centimeters long, but they

are the most venomous
scorpions in North America.

And despite the city being built on their
land, they have flourished.

In summer, when males hunt for a partner,
action on a strip gets pretty hot.

Bark scorpions have 12 eyes, but their
vision is poor.

They can only see shades of light and
dark.

So males follow the scent
of a potential mate using

specialized sensory organs
on their belly, called pectines.

But finding her will take her half the
battle.

Blocking pincers, she tests his strength
and suitability as a father.

He needs to be careful.

One false move and she'll have him for
dinner.

She'll carry her fertilized eggs for up to
a year.

And if times get hard, she'll reabsorb
them.

But in this city of excess, that's
unlikely.

When she's ready, she gives birth to up to
30 helpless young that she will carry on

her back until they are old enough to
survive on their own.

In her six year lifespan, she could produce
150 babies, fueling a population boom.

As one of the only life forms able to
survive at nuclear test sites,

scorpions may not be too welcome,
but it looks like they are here to stay.

Because cities can offer food,
shelter, and somewhere to raise a family,

the most tenacious wild animals will find
a way to live between the cracks of the

urban world, no matter what we throw at
them.

One notorious outcast has been so
successful at avoiding our attempts to

eradicate it that is now common in nearly
every human settlement in the world.

The brown rat.

In fact, city living suits them so well
that they are now only found alongside us.

15 million live in the UK alone.

And like the scorpions in
Vegas, their extraordinary

ability to reproduce is
the secret to their success.

By filming under controlled conditions,
we can reveal why.

Safe in their nest, this litter is just 10
days old.

And about to open their eyes.

And in less than two
months time, the young

females will be able to
have babies of their own.

And from then on, could have a litter of
11 every three weeks.

That's up to 3,000 descendants a year.

They explore the world
around them with a nose that

will eventually be more
sensitive than a bloodhound's.

For now, mum wants to keep them safe.

But just a few weeks
later, the young females

are ready to leave and
start their own family.

It's a dangerous time.

More than 50% of rats die within 10 days
of leaving the nest.

So they're naturally wary of anything
unfamiliar.

But few things stand in their way.

They can squeeze through a gap a quarter
of their size.

Cavity walls in modern buildings provide
perfect hidden highways.

With flexible feet and fine claws,
rats can climb around inside them.

Even when upside down.

The outside world presents different
challenges.

But it's rats' innate skills that have
made them such an urban success story.

As they find their way around, rats
make a mental map of new surroundings.

And with soft pads on their feet,
can grip even smooth surfaces.

They are one of the few
mammals other than us

able to plan complex
routes to reach a goal.

Expert tightrope walkers, rats use their
flexible tails as a counterbalance.

And when needed, to give them control on
tricky descents.

With powerful back legs, rats can leap
more than a meter.

At the merest hint of us, they flee.

Supple and strong, they can survive a fall
of over two meters.

In the shadows, rats
have all the skills they

need to ensure the
survival of their species.

Right under the nose of their age-old
enemy.

However, life in the city
can be more accommodating

for outcasts with a
better public image.

Built on prime marshlands, the capital of
the Netherlands is synonymous with a bird

that lived in these waterways long before
the city was built.

The grey heron.

They've managed to survive here, feeding
on a natural diet of fish and frogs.

But in extra cold winters, the city's 150
kilometers of waterways can freeze solid,

blocking their food out of reach.

Some have learned that if
they get their timing right,

there are still places in
town to get a good meal.

They head to the fish market just before
it closes at 5 p.m.

And they wait.

The bull would come down hawking for scraps
even before the market goers have left.

But there are slim pickings this early.

As darkness descends, so do the rest of
the herons.

Dancing between trolleys and vans,
they fight for the leftovers.

Feeding after dark is highly unusual
behavior.

Herons are hardwired to roost at night
like predators.

But the fish market provides them a vital
lifeline in the long, cold winters.

It's a race to clear up as fast as
possible.

Head to head with their garbage-guzzling
inner-city rival.

By adapting to the
changing urban world, the

herons have secured a
future in the heart of town.

And because they are
established in the city,

some have even formed
remarkable relationships.

In a sleepy suburb, one lucky heron has
been welcomed with open arms.

Dini Deeprink is preparing breakfast for
her good friend, Kiri.

In the beginning, he was coming in my
garden and I think, oh, what a big bird.

I call him Kiri.

I give him some food and from this day,
he is coming every day for 17 years.

Three years ago, I was in the hospital for
a long time and he started to miss me.

He flies over the roof looking for me.

When I come back out of the hospital and I
go with my daughter with the bicycle,

he flies with me.

In other words, you don't leave me alone
again, you know?

I found him ugly.

In the beginning.

But then, little by little, I really start
to love this bird.

He knows who I am.

It's beautiful.

It's beautiful.

The respectful bond between Dini and Kiri
has mutual benefits.

It's a winning strategy that's proving
successful on a far larger scale.

Helping to bring one of Florida's state
mascots back from the brink of extinction.

The town of Crystal River
is famous for its glass-like

spring-fed rivers that
originate in the heart of town.

But the biggest tourist attraction here by
far are its manatees.

Growing to four meters and
weighing a ton and a half,

these huge vegetarians
are also known as sea cows.

Despite their size, they don't have much
insulating body fat.

When the sea temperature drops,
they can die from cold stress.

A condition similar to frostbite.

So in winter they head into town.

Where a warm welcome awaits.

Cows rely on their
mothers until they are two

years old and make
the journey side by side.

Swimming an average of
seven kilometers an hour, they

cruise past waterfront
condos and jetties on the way.

And when hungry, calves suckle from teats
under mum's front flippers.

Every three to five minutes, they come to
the surface to breathe.

When they reach Crystal River's springs,
they can relax.

Here, 45 million liters of water pour out
of the ground each day.

At a constant 22 degrees.

The perfect temperature for manatees to
avoid cold stress.

In the warmth of the spring, mum and baby
can slow down and save energy.

When it's really cold, over 500 manatees
pack themselves into the toasty springs.

That's almost 5% of the world's
population.

But 30 years ago, the story was very
different.

Pollution and severe
injuries from boat traffic

meant their population
all but collapsed.

Prompting a large scale community
initiative to protect them.

Today, over 100 volunteer guardians keep a
watchful eye over the manatees.

Strict speed limits control boat traffic.

And visitors are educated on how to behave
around the manatees.

What we normally do
is get up maybe three

to six feet away from
them and then we stop.

Here's where we passively observe them.

When in doubt, just remember to float.

You'll be perfectly okay.

The scheme has been an overwhelming
success.

Manatee tourism attracts up to 250,000
tourists a year.

Generating an income of more than $30
million.

And in 2017, manatees were taken off the
endangered species list.

It's no secret that we need to protect
nature.

Only now are we
starting to realize that our

towns and cities have
a role to play in this.

What's perhaps most surprising is that it
can be a two-way street.

And in Beijing and China, the city's
millennia-old relationship with one of the

world's best-traveled birds has recently
been recognized to be mutually beneficial.

It's reckoned that in its lifetime the
average Beijing swift clocks up 200,000

kilometers, enough to get almost halfway
to the moon.

Each spring, thousands
of them stop over to breed

and feed on their
migration to southern Africa.

The intricate temple
roofs mirror the cracked

cave ceilings that
swifts traditionally nest in.

For the past two decades, Professor Gao Wu
has been studying the swifts.

Every year his team gather at
the famous Summer Palace to

ring and tag the birds to find
out more about their migration.

In between visits they
spend their entire time in

the air eating, drinking
and mating on the wing.

Only landing once a year in Beijing to
have their young.

In recent years, life for the returning
swifts has changed.

With nearly 22 million people, Beijing is
now the busiest capital city on the planet.

But the swifts have
found opportunity building

nests among the high
rises and concrete bridges.

Any animal can adapt to the environment.

The language is the same.

The city is constantly changing and it is
constantly developing.

And today, the swifts are recognized for
the vital service they provide.

To feed themselves and their young,
each bird consumes as many as 7,000

insects a day including thousands of
biting mosquitoes.

Therefore, every summer, they can
eliminate 250,000 of them.

The swifts are a part of the fabric of
this city and have been raising their

chicks here since the time of the Ming
Dynasty.

We feel that this language plays a very
important role in the urban ecosystem.

People can't live without these nests.

So we can't leave this language behind.

The more we learn, the clearer
it becomes that welcoming

our wild neighbors into our
lives can have real benefits.

And nowhere is this more
evident than on San Clemente

Island where a wild
guardian angel gives the U.S.

military unexpected protection.

The tiny speck in the Pacific
Ocean is just 6 kilometers

wide and 30 kilometers long
and a highly sensitive U.S.

naval warfare facility.

It's the only place in the world the U.S.

Navy are authorized to practice
sea-to-land bombardment.

And they aren't the only deadly force
here.

A little-known predator is watching their
every move.

The San Clemente Fox is the island's
largest carnivore.

But at the size of a
domestic cat, it's one

of the smallest canine
species in the world.

With endless drills and
exercises, the barren

south end of the
island is inhospitable.

But these foxes thrive in the north.

Living in a Navy's town.

Amongst its personnel and close to the
airstrip.

It's the nearest thing to hustle and
bustle in this corner of the Pacific.

This vixen has a den full of cubs.

Right by the busy port.

It's the perfect spot for her to raise a
family.

Because foxes have access all areas to the
highest security base.

But she has a work cut out.

Normally foxes have just two cubs a year.

This vixen has three.

The cubs will learn everything they need
to survive here from their mum.

She's teaching them to eat a wide range of
foods.

From lizards and small mammals to insects
and even birds eggs.

Climbing trees doesn't come easy to a five
week old cub.

But the rewards are worth it.

San Clemente foxes don't exist anywhere
else in the world.

And 15 years ago the species was listed as
critically endangered.

The navy were warned that if the fox
numbers dropped any further they'd be

evicted from the island to allow them to
recover.

So the military now invests
seven million dollars a

year into the protection
of the island's wildlife.

They have even put in place a team of
scientists that run a fox awareness

program to track and monitor the
population.

The foxes are no longer considered
endangered.

And the navy are now not just looking out
for them because they have to.

There's real affection here for these tiny
predators.

The foxes bring out a warm and caring side
of the military.

Protecting their population safeguards the
navy's presence on the island too.

But as urban areas expand
more and more wildlife

will need our help if
it's to have a future.

And where we have given it a chance there
is hope.

Half a century ago New York had some of
the most polluted waterways in the world.

But efforts to clean them up have paid
dividends.

And recently
scientists like Howard

Rosenbaum have witnessed
an amazing recovery.

Right here in New York we're seeing the
benefits of five decades of protection and

we're seeing the fish stocks recover from
depleted numbers.

Waders and fishing birds are flourishing
in what had become empty marshlands.

Pods of dolphins hundreds strong can now
be found in sight of the city.

But the biggest surprise is the return of
one of the Atlantic's giants.

The humpback whale.

For quite some time it was considered
probably the sighting of a lifetime.

I mean just to think
about the fact that you can

be strolling on the beach
and see a humpback.

People are not used to having humpbacks in
and around New York.

The fish they prey on is now
so abundant that New York's

coast has become a perfect
summer stopover for the whales.

We see healthy animals foraging here
feeding right close to our shores.

I mean it's phenomenal.

We are at a critical point in history.

Our relationship with the planet is
increasingly fragile.

We're consuming more than we ever have
done.

And while our population is
booming it's estimated we've

lost half of the world's
wildlife in just 40 years.

But in our cities the newest and fastest
growing habitat on earth we can make a

difference by simply giving nature the
space and resources it needs.

Even for the biggest and
most surprising of animals

the urban jungle can
be a place of opportunity.

So what happens next is up to us.