Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:49,564
Africa.
2
00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:57,803
No continent on Earth today has
such spectacular wildlife.
3
00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:06,366
At its heart lies
a vast tropical rainforest.
4
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,322
Over a million square miles
of wilderness,
5
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,523
much of it still unexplored...
6
00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:18,971
...even now.
7
00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,407
There are more species of animals
and plants in these jungles
8
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,841
than anywhere else on the continent.
9
00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,206
But even in this land of plenty...
10
00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,006
...wildlife now faces major challenges.
11
00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,920
The forests of the Ivory Coast
12
00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,329
contain over 1,500 species of plant,
13
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,761
but some are very difficult to get at...
14
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,129
...even for one of
the most intelligent of animals.
15
00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:23,130
Chimpanzees.
16
00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,487
The elders in this group know
where to find the most nutritious food
17
00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,524
and how to extract it.
18
00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,210
But if they are to survive to adulthood,
19
00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,609
the youngsters must learn these skills
from their parents.
20
00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,245
This young female is five years old...
21
00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,688
...old enough to be given
an important lesson.
22
00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:30,969
And this is her teacher.
23
00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:33,851
Her mother.
24
00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,764
The lesson is how to crack a nut.
25
00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,485
Using tools like this is so complex
26
00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,844
that it has only been mastered by
a handful of chimpanzee communities.
27
00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:17,130
This is a skill that has been practiced
by chimps for several thousand years.
28
00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,963
Time to try for herself.
29
00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,802
She needs to find a better tool.
30
00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,202
Small rocks just don't have the clout.
31
00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,729
And larger ones are too cumbersome.
32
00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,125
Wood is both light and strong...
33
00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,686
...but not strong enough.
34
00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:48,524
Back to teacher.
35
00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,651
It may take a young chimp
up to a decade to perfect
36
00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,366
the skills it needs for nut cracking.
37
00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,726
But she's already mastered one thing.
38
00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:11,923
When her fingers can't reach
the nut inside...
39
00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,524
...she strips down a branch to size...
40
00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,769
...and makes herself a spoon.
41
00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,328
She'll learn to use many tools
in her life...
42
00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,926
...and eventually she'll share
this knowledge
43
00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,884
with youngsters of her own,
44
00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,961
enabling them to harvest the riches
of their rainforest home.
45
00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,882
The sheer abundance of life
in the rainforests
46
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,971
is rivaled by that
on the eastern side of the continent.
47
00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:14,444
The Great Rift Valley runs for 4,000 miles
down the length of Africa.
48
00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,490
It developed some 3 million years ago,
49
00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,685
when a giant plume of molten rock
pushing up from the depths
50
00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,804
cracked the Earth's crust apart.
51
00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,406
Fresh water began to accumulate
on the floor of this rift...
52
00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,082
...and a chain of lakes developed.
53
00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,801
These lakes are now
one of the richest freshwater habitats
54
00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:52,729
to be found anywhere.
55
00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:09,370
One single family of fish here...
the cichlids
56
00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,530
has evolved into more
than 1,500 different species.
57
00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,246
This might look like paradise,
58
00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:27,763
but competition between
these cichlid species is intense.
59
00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,807
This crowded world is a dangerous one.
60
00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,606
Baby fish, after all, make a tasty meal.
61
00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:49,124
So, many cichlid mothers have developed
a very effective way
62
00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,447
of keeping their offspring safe.
63
00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:58,407
They use their mouths as a mobile nursery.
64
00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:18,407
It's a safe haven where the fry can stay
until danger has passed.
65
00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,169
When the coast is clear,
she releases them.
66
00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,687
This kind of behaviour starts
when the cichlid female
67
00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:54,522
picks up her newly laid eggs and holds
them in her mouth to keep them safe.
68
00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:09,006
During spawning,
her mate flashes his yellow tail spots
69
00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,009
to encourage her to keep laying.
70
00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,969
As each batch of eggs emerges,
71
00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,526
she scoops them up.
72
00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,364
But this couple are being watched...
73
00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,440
...by cuckoo catfish.
74
00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,683
They work as a gang
75
00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,804
and devour as many cichlic eggs
as they can find.
76
00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,970
Then, in the middle of all this activity,
77
00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,801
one of the catfish also spawns.
78
00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,281
The cichlic mother
collects every egg she can see.
79
00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:44,248
Now, by herself, she must wait
80
00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,681
while the eggs in her mouth develop.
81
00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,011
It will take three weeks.
82
00:11:56,320 --> 00:12:00,689
She doesn't eat
throughout that entire time.
83
00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,603
But 18 days later,
84
00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,883
something is not right.
85
00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:35,443
The female blows out her young
before they're fully ready to emerge.
86
00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:44,002
And they are followed
by young cuckoo catfish...
87
00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,483
...three times the size of her own babies.
88
00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,602
She may have as many as six of them
in her mouth.
89
00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:08,440
And now
90
00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:11,564
they begin to eat the cichlic babies.
91
00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:22,163
The female cichlic treats the baby catfish
as if they were hers.
92
00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,443
They are truly cuckoos among fish!
93
00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,004
The forces that created
the Great Rift Valley
94
00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,249
continue to shape Africa's landscape
95
00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:46,930
even today.
96
00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:56,765
At weak spots in the Earth's crust,
molten rock continues to erupt.
97
00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:06,008
There are some 200 volcanoes
on the continent...
98
00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,402
...many of them active.
99
00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,766
They may bring destruction
100
00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:29,522
but also, eventually, fertility.
101
00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,290
This is Ol Doinyo Lengai.
102
00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:48,169
For the past 400,000 years,
ash from this great volcano
103
00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,807
has fallen on the surrounding savannas
of the Serengeti
104
00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,366
and greatly enriched them.
105
00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:03,521
This is the best grazing on the continent.
106
00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:17,081
On it live the world's largest herds
of migrating animals...
107
00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,889
...and they, in turn, support predators.
108
00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:44,763
Here, in Kenya, cheetahs have formed
an unusual alliance.
109
00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:55,845
These swiftest of cats usually hunt
in groups of two or three.
110
00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:02,763
But this team of five
is one of the largest ever recorded.
111
00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,245
Two sets of brothers
112
00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:20,964
and a lead male.
113
00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:29,368
They have now lived and hunted together
for almost three years.
114
00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,247
By teaming up, they can hold
115
00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,250
the best territory in the area.
116
00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:58,321
But, even so, with five mouths to feed,
every hunt is very important.
117
00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,084
They haven't eaten for three days.
118
00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,846
To make a kill, they must get
within 3 metres of their quarry
119
00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:20,883
without being detected.
120
00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:31,925
Thick cover.
121
00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:34,764
That will help them.
122
00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:54,045
Topi... nearly three times their size...
123
00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,569
...and quite strong enough
to fight off a lion,
124
00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:05,444
let alone a single cheetah.
125
00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:17,603
Now out in the open...
126
00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:23,562
...every step the cheetahs take
increases their chance of success.
127
00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,405
The herd scatter,
and the team splits up.
128
00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,082
But they didn't get close enough.
129
00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,486
They switch targets to zebra.
130
00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,610
Everyone now knows that they're here.
131
00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,365
They must devise a different approach.
132
00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,524
All eyes are on the brothers.
133
00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:16,368
Out in the open,
they seem to be no threat.
134
00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,726
But the lead male is missing.
135
00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:40,442
The brothers are decoys.
136
00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:56,766
The trap is set.
137
00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,169
The other four now join the lead male.
138
00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:12,603
Under the combined weight of five cheetah,
139
00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,802
death comes quickly.
140
00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:34,845
Today, Africa's savannas support
larger herds of big game
141
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,884
than anywhere else in the world.
142
00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,122
And they, one way or another,
143
00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,165
provide food for all kinds
of smaller creatures.
144
00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:51,728
An oxpecker.
145
00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:59,448
A resourceful little bird
with an unusual diet.
146
00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:19,330
Fleas, ticks and even dandruff are food,
147
00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,920
as far as they are concerned.
148
00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,168
Both parties benefit.
149
00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:46,531
The oxpecker gets a good meal...
150
00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:52,851
...and the host is cleaned in those places
it could never reach for itself.
151
00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:11,929
Each bird, every day,
collects hundreds of ticks
152
00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:14,884
and thousands of insect larvae.
153
00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:21,561
But some oxpeckers
go for rather riskier meals.
154
00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:37,642
Hippopotamus are highly territorial
and very aggressive...
155
00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:44,882
...so oxpeckers tackling them
must always be on their guard.
156
00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,126
But there's much to be gained.
157
00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:07,124
Blood is the most nutritious meal of all.
158
00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:13,082
Pecking ensures that cuts remain open
and blood keeps flowing.
159
00:25:16,360 --> 00:25:20,206
And an oxpecker,
once it's found an open wound,
160
00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:25,406
will stay alongside it, no matter
how much that irritates its host.
161
00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:46,245
The reward? An endless supply of food,
162
00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:48,124
whatever the conditions.
163
00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,288
Not all of Africa is rich and fertile.
164
00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,487
A third of the continent is desert.
165
00:26:21,120 --> 00:26:24,647
This is the Namib in the southwest.
166
00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:34,328
At its heart, a disused diamond mine
167
00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:38,206
that was abandoned nearly 70 years ago.
168
00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,203
But it still has one inhabitant.
169
00:26:56,360 --> 00:26:59,091
A desert specialist...
170
00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,281
...and one of Africa's rarest predators.
171
00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,848
The brown hyena.
172
00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,884
This ghost town is her home.
173
00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:43,330
Its ruins give her valuable protection
from the elements.
174
00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,962
She has been here for 15 years.
175
00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:12,328
She's already reared
nine generations of cubs.
176
00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:39,841
These two youngsters have reached
a critical stage in their lives.
177
00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:52,681
They're four months old,
and now they need regular solid food.
178
00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,123
But there is nothing edible
in these ruins,
179
00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:00,720
so their mother has to look elsewhere
180
00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:04,367
and may leave them
for several days on end.
181
00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:19,171
Brown hyenas may walk over 20 miles a day
in search of food.
182
00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:33,642
This is some of the most hostile country
on the planet.
183
00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:08,001
Temperatures reach
a blistering 5 degrees Celsius.
184
00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,411
Strong winds blow incessantly.
185
00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:39,167
Hyenas from all over the Namibia head for
where the sand dunes meet the sea.
186
00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:50,721
Somewhere along
187
00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,730
this seemingly barren stretch of sand,
188
00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:58,402
there is food in great quantity.
189
00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,442
Cape fur seals.
190
00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:19,371
There are around 10,000 of them here.
191
00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:36,766
Adult seals are large and strong.
192
00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:45,967
But their pups are neither.
193
00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:54,291
The youngsters are closely guarded
by their mothers.
194
00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:59,401
A hyena, however, knows to be patient.
195
00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:10,048
Sooner or later, seal mothers
must return to the ocean to cool off.
196
00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:24,245
A single seal pup could feed a hyena
and her family for days.
197
00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:32,004
But finding food is only half the battle.
198
00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,641
It now has to be carried back.
199
00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:46,322
Jackal is here too...
200
00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,887
...and it's not alone.
201
00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:03,521
If a hyena loses her kill, she'll have
nothing with which to feed her cubs.
202
00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,287
The jackals won't follow her
very far from the coast.
203
00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:27,162
It's too hot for them
in the desert interior.
204
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:34,960
Only by making these long journeys
205
00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:40,041
can brown hyenas manage to survive
in the middle of the Namib.
206
00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,003
But some desert animals
seldom move far.
207
00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:53,764
The Kalahari Desert.
208
00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,645
Here, food is more plentiful...
209
00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:02,690
...but it's hidden.
210
00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:13,329
A pangolin.
211
00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:25,166
She can collect food
that others can't reach.
212
00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:31,010
A keen sense of smell
enables her to detect
213
00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:35,603
the presence of ants and termites
in their nests beneath the sand.
214
00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,762
Her sticky tongue, some 30cm long,
215
00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:02,123
enables her to collect them
from deep underground.
216
00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:12,481
And she's being carefully watched.
217
00:35:19,240 --> 00:35:22,881
The drier it gets,
the deeper the termites live.
218
00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:28,967
Many are way beyond the reach
of even a pangolin.
219
00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:33,045
But not of an aardvark.
220
00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,167
It's the world's largest burrowing animal.
221
00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:51,442
Its sense of smell is extremely acute.
222
00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:11,720
Shovel-like claws and powerful legs
enable it to dig down
223
00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:14,446
to depths of five or six metres.
224
00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:23,687
A full-grown aardvark needs to eat
about 50,000 termites every day.
225
00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:32,249
Termites are highly nutritious
and full of moisture,
226
00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:35,682
and they can be collected here year round.
227
00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,051
Aardvark are usually nocturnal.
228
00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,843
But the fact that this one
is foraging in daylight
229
00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,964
is a sign that food is scarce.
230
00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:08,488
Recent droughts in the Kalahari
have led to low termite numbers
231
00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:13,686
and, as a consequence,
aardvarks here are close to starvation.
232
00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:24,240
Changes in the world's climate
are affecting many of Africa's animals.
233
00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:35,642
It's predicted that in the next century,
234
00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:40,322
Southern Africa will warm twice as much
as the global average.
235
00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:51,289
The future will be bleak for those
that cannot adapt fast enough.
236
00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:02,365
In Zimbabwe,
it hasn't rained in six months.
237
00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:15,647
During a drought, food becomes
harder and harder to find.
238
00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:41,927
Apple-ring acacias produce pods
that are full of protein...
239
00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:45,806
...but mostly on their higher branches.
240
00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:53,246
Six metres up, they're out of reach
241
00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:56,603
even for the continent's largest animals.
242
00:39:34,720 --> 00:39:41,330
This bull elephant needs to eat
about 90kg of vegetation every day.
243
00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:01,640
He's worked out a remarkable way
of surviving
244
00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:04,650
in these lean times.
245
00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:10,126
But it requires great physical strength.
246
00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:31,720
Only a handful of bulls
have mastered the skill.
247
00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:57,768
He weighs over five tonnes.
248
00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:01,282
This is a truly monumental effort.
249
00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:41,650
Those around him benefit too.
250
00:41:56,360 --> 00:42:00,843
Elephants have used their great
intelligence to help them survive
251
00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:03,770
Africa's driest times for millennia.
252
00:42:08,640 --> 00:42:12,167
But today,
they face an even greater threat.
253
00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:24,442
It's thought that as many as 20 million
elephants once roamed the continent,
254
00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:28,770
but many have been killed
for their tusks...
255
00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:36,010
...their ivory used for entirely
ornamental purposes.
256
00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:45,842
Now just 350,000 elephants remain.
257
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:56,369
These stockpiles of confiscated tusks
258
00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:00,530
represent half of the elephants killed
on the continent
259
00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:03,041
in just one year.
260
00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,531
But of all of Africa's remaining wildlife,
261
00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:22,202
it is the rhinoceros that has been
most affected by poaching.
262
00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:32,766
In the Far East, its horn is used
as traditional medicine.
263
00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:41,407
All of Africa's rhinos
are now under threat...
264
00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:49,121
...but for one subspecies,
it's likely to be already too late.
265
00:43:52,240 --> 00:43:56,131
The northern white rhinoceros
is facing extinction.
266
00:43:58,600 --> 00:44:00,887
Scientists are working on a solution,
267
00:44:01,000 --> 00:44:05,050
but no male now survives,
so natural breeding is impossible.
268
00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:14,526
These two females
are the last of their kind.
269
00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:17,569
When they die,
270
00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:23,403
an entire subspecies that inhabited
the Earth for millions of years
271
00:44:23,520 --> 00:44:27,002
will have disappeared for ever.
272
00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:33,368
Right across Africa,
273
00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:39,328
human beings are having
a devastating impact on all wildlife.
274
00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:44,448
Cheetah numbers are decreasing
275
00:44:44,560 --> 00:44:46,050
year on year.
276
00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:53,206
Today, there are fewer than 8,000
left on the continent.
277
00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:09,483
The global demand for pangolin scales
for use in traditional medicine
278
00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:13,685
has now made them
the most trafficked animal on the planet.
279
00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:22,845
And western chimpanzees are so threatened
by the loss of their habitat
280
00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:26,009
that they are now critically endangered.
281
00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:31,284
In this female's lifetime,
282
00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:34,847
three-quarters of the forest
in the Ivory Coast
283
00:45:34,960 --> 00:45:37,327
has been felled for plantations.
284
00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:45,803
Deforestation...
and not only in Africa...
285
00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:49,288
continues on an enormous scale.
286
00:45:54,200 --> 00:45:58,683
64 million acres of forest
are destroyed every year
287
00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:02,247
to make way for agriculture
and industry.
288
00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:07,207
An area of forest
the size of a football field
289
00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:09,322
is disappearing every second.
290
00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:18,562
Climate change is affecting
global weather patterns.
291
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:24,371
Rainfall is increasingly unpredictable.
292
00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:28,849
Average temperatures
are soaring all over the globe.
293
00:46:35,080 --> 00:46:38,243
Extreme weather
is now affecting wildlife
294
00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:41,603
on all seven of the planet's continents.
295
00:46:55,200 --> 00:47:00,491
Today, scientists tell us that
we are at the start of a mass extinction,
296
00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:05,162
and one that is being caused
by human activity.
297
00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:12,002
Over a million species
could be wiped out,
298
00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:15,010
many within the next few decades.
299
00:47:21,920 --> 00:47:28,041
But with help, even the most vulnerable
wildlife populations can still recover.
300
00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:36,810
In Africa's Virunga National Park,
301
00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:41,289
an intensive conservation programme
for the mountain gorilla
302
00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:47,407
has raised their numbers above 1,000
for the first time since records began.
303
00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:06,806
And in Antarctica,
304
00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:10,766
the international ban on whaling
has meant that the great whales
305
00:48:10,880 --> 00:48:15,681
have returned to the Southern Ocean
in numbers not seen for a century.
306
00:48:19,840 --> 00:48:21,729
So we can improve things...
307
00:48:23,840 --> 00:48:26,286
...if we determine to do so.
308
00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:34,447
This is a crucial moment in time.
309
00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:36,767
The decisions we take now
310
00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:41,807
will influence the future of animals,
humanity,
311
00:48:41,920 --> 00:48:45,720
and indeed all life on Earth.
312
00:49:17,360 --> 00:49:21,922
For the Africa team,
each shoot presented its own challenge...
313
00:49:23,240 --> 00:49:27,325
...but one tested them
in ways they never imagined.
314
00:49:30,160 --> 00:49:35,087
The team journeyed for six days
to the heart of the Congo rainforest.
315
00:49:36,240 --> 00:49:40,723
Their aim... to film the intimate lives
of lowland gorillas.
316
00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:46,761
They worked with local expert trackers,
317
00:49:46,880 --> 00:49:50,487
who can pick up the trail
of evidence left by the gorillas.
318
00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:59,767
From the plant, they can tell
which way the group has gone.
319
00:50:03,560 --> 00:50:08,009
As they close in, the team wear masks
to stop the spread of disease.
320
00:50:14,440 --> 00:50:19,082
Finally, a silverback and his family
in the trees.
321
00:50:23,320 --> 00:50:25,084
Look at that big boy.
322
00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:34,762
He's huge!
323
00:50:39,840 --> 00:50:42,525
You don't want to look him in the eye
because that...
324
00:50:42,640 --> 00:50:43,926
Oh, OK!
325
00:50:48,120 --> 00:50:51,806
The trackers have known this male
for 20 years
326
00:50:51,920 --> 00:50:54,400
and use clicking noises to reassure him.
327
00:50:57,200 --> 00:51:00,409
It was a completely amazing experience.
328
00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:02,921
Just came closer and closer and closer,
329
00:51:03,040 --> 00:51:05,771
and my eyes got wider and wider and wider.
330
00:51:07,880 --> 00:51:10,087
Yeah, it was incredible.
I'm just sort of smiling.
331
00:51:10,200 --> 00:51:11,964
It's kind of hard to process.
332
00:51:16,240 --> 00:51:20,564
But soon, the gorillas head
into the thickest jungle...
333
00:51:21,720 --> 00:51:23,484
Heavy, heavy.
334
00:51:25,560 --> 00:51:28,291
...which means that keeping up
is difficult.
335
00:51:28,400 --> 00:51:34,009
There are a group of gorillas
somewhere in this mass of vegetation
336
00:51:34,120 --> 00:51:39,650
but it takes us about ten minutes
just to cut a few-metres path through it.
337
00:51:41,920 --> 00:51:44,321
Filming them is virtually impossible.
338
00:51:44,440 --> 00:51:49,241
Oh, there's always
a piece of vegetation in the way.
339
00:51:49,360 --> 00:51:51,567
Oh, God, I can barely see anything.
340
00:51:56,360 --> 00:52:01,844
As the days pass,
the jungle begins to take its toll.
341
00:52:01,960 --> 00:52:03,724
Oh, God, this is awful.
342
00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:10,162
Your ears, your nose, my eyes...
They're flying everywhere.
343
00:52:11,760 --> 00:52:17,290
And with little filmed, the reality
of the situation is sinking in.
344
00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:21,849
It's going to be a real challenge for me
to get a sequence here,
345
00:52:21,960 --> 00:52:24,486
and it's a long way to come
to get nothing.
346
00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:30,203
Yeah, I'd say I'm feeling
the pressure at the moment.
347
00:52:36,600 --> 00:52:38,648
Half the shoot is now over,
348
00:52:38,760 --> 00:52:42,481
so the crew decide
to move to a more open area.
349
00:52:46,440 --> 00:52:47,851
Their destination...
350
00:52:47,960 --> 00:52:51,169
a clearing known as a bai.
351
00:52:53,320 --> 00:52:58,008
So, our luxurious home for the next
ten days or so is the top of this mirador.
352
00:53:01,520 --> 00:53:04,683
It's a little cramped,
but from this platform
353
00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:08,122
they hope to spot the gorillas
emerging from the forest.
354
00:53:12,920 --> 00:53:16,970
On their first morning,
the crew awaken to a visitor.
355
00:53:20,440 --> 00:53:22,727
It's our first elephant on this trip.
356
00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:25,207
There's a big bull
in the middle of the bai..
357
00:53:28,600 --> 00:53:29,840
And finally,
358
00:53:29,960 --> 00:53:32,725
the risk of moving pays off.
359
00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:37,844
It's been
a really, really quiet morning,
360
00:53:37,960 --> 00:53:40,327
but a big group of gorillas,
about 15,
361
00:53:40,440 --> 00:53:45,367
has suddenly appeared really, really close
to us and, apparently,
362
00:53:45,480 --> 00:53:48,962
this very rarely happens. Maybe about
once a month they'll come this close.
363
00:53:53,280 --> 00:53:56,568
Over the next week,
the gorillas continue to visit the bai...
364
00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:14,528
Until one afternoon...
365
00:54:21,240 --> 00:54:22,685
...gunshots.
366
00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:27,361
On the platform,
the team are vulnerable.
367
00:54:27,480 --> 00:54:31,246
There's been poachers
probably within eye shot of us.
368
00:54:31,360 --> 00:54:33,328
They know we're here.
We can't see them.
369
00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:35,124
And two big gunshots.
370
00:54:36,200 --> 00:54:38,123
They decide to evacuate.
371
00:54:39,680 --> 00:54:42,411
But there's also a risk of walking
through the jungle at night.
372
00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:48,441
The one rule of the forest is not to walk
in the forest when it gets dark,
373
00:54:48,560 --> 00:54:53,441
so we're going as fast as we can.
374
00:54:53,560 --> 00:54:57,485
Elephants are in the area,
so this is extremely dangerous.
375
00:55:05,680 --> 00:55:08,604
An hour later,
the team reach a camp.
376
00:55:08,720 --> 00:55:10,290
Oh, God.
377
00:55:16,320 --> 00:55:19,244
That is not an experience
I'd want to repeat again.
378
00:55:20,800 --> 00:55:23,167
We had to choose between the risk
379
00:55:23,280 --> 00:55:25,681
of getting charged
by an elephant in the dark
380
00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:28,280
or getting shot by poachers.
381
00:55:28,400 --> 00:55:29,845
Um...
382
00:55:29,960 --> 00:55:34,170
So, yeah, it's... pretty stressful.
383
00:55:34,280 --> 00:55:37,443
I'm going to have a sit down.
384
00:55:37,560 --> 00:55:40,131
If they're ivory poachers,
this is quite serious,
385
00:55:40,240 --> 00:55:42,004
and they've got nothing to lose,
386
00:55:42,120 --> 00:55:45,681
and the gunshot was aimed in our
direction, that's where the sound was.
387
00:55:45,800 --> 00:55:47,962
It's a pretty scary situation to be in.
388
00:55:51,680 --> 00:55:56,811
Overnight, an armed anti-poaching unit
is called in to scout the area.
389
00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:01,241
Because of the remoteness
of this park,
390
00:56:01,360 --> 00:56:03,806
there's been no poaching
recorded in the last 20 years,
391
00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:08,244
so this is a really significant moment
and it's a really sad moment,
392
00:56:08,360 --> 00:56:12,251
because it means that,
as roads are being built here,
393
00:56:12,360 --> 00:56:17,082
it's becoming less and less remote, the
animals here are in more and more danger.
394
00:56:22,800 --> 00:56:26,361
Within a few hours,
the anti-poaching unit return
395
00:56:26,480 --> 00:56:31,611
with a stash of tusks
and news of a slaughtered elephant.
396
00:56:31,720 --> 00:56:36,328
It's about as tragic as it gets, really,
and we heard the two shots go off,
397
00:56:36,440 --> 00:56:39,842
so we were there when it happened
and the elephant went down.
398
00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:43,606
With the armed poachers still on the run,
399
00:56:43,720 --> 00:56:46,849
the team decide to abandon the shoot.
400
00:56:46,960 --> 00:56:49,884
It's really tough
leaving on such a sad note.
401
00:56:50,000 --> 00:56:54,085
We've been watching these elephants
in the bai.. for the last week,
402
00:56:54,200 --> 00:56:58,762
and knowing that one of them
was killed yesterday is, um,
403
00:56:58,880 --> 00:57:04,125
is horrible and, yeah,
it's sad to be leaving like this.
404
00:57:06,760 --> 00:57:10,048
The poachers were caught,
but this incident
405
00:57:10,160 --> 00:57:13,926
is a reminder of how vulnerable
wildlife has become on the continent.
406
00:57:18,640 --> 00:57:22,326
Even animals
in the remotest parts of Africa,
407
00:57:22,440 --> 00:57:25,603
and indeed all our seven worlds,
408
00:57:25,720 --> 00:57:27,802
are now at risk.
33727
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.