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In my long life,
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00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:28,160
I've been lucky enough to travel
to almost every part of the globe
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00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:33,120
and gaze upon some of its most
beautiful and dramatic sights.
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00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,160
But I can assure you that
nature in these islands,
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if you know where to look,
can be just as dramatic
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00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,640
and spectacular as anything
that I've seen elsewhere.
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00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,720
The British Isles are globally
important for nature.
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In this series, we'll show you
why that is so...
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...and celebrate the wonders
of these islands
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that we call home.
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This is Wild Isles.
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Muckle Flugga.
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The very far north
of the British Isles.
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170 miles from mainland Scotland,
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at the northern tip
of the Shetland Islands,
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it's home to some of our richest
marine and birdlife.
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00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:29,080
These rough waters are patrolled
by our largest marine predator.
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Orca - killer whales.
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00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:51,920
Three pods of them, having spent
the winter fishing for herring
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off Iceland, regularly return
to Shetland's waters each spring.
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They do so for one
particular reason.
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Thousands of common and grey seals
live here.
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The waters are full of food
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and there are plenty of gullies
and channels that offer safety...
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...most of the time.
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The orca that come here have
a particular taste for seals.
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00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,600
And they have developed
a unique way of catching them.
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Their strategy is one of surprise.
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They have discovered how to travel
up channels in the kelp
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to reach the shallow water
where seals often hide.
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No gully is left unchecked.
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The orca turn on their side,
so that their dorsal fin
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doesn't break the surface
and reveal their presence.
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A seal.
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It stays close to the rocks,
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where a large orca would
find swimming difficult.
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It hides and waits for the danger
to pass.
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The orca bide their time.
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00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:14,040
Their best chance is to find
a seal asleep in the water...
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00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,160
...like this one.
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It wakes up and flees,
but there's a pup here, too.
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The orca takes its catch
out into open water
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and there shows younger members
of the pod how to drown it.
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The whole group now share the catch.
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Nothing will be wasted.
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Shetland is the only place
in Britain and Ireland
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where orca breed.
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Just one of the many remarkable
creatures that inhabit our seas,
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lands and skies.
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00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:53,440
One reason why our natural world
is so rich comes from its geology -
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amongst the most varied to be
found anywhere on the planet...
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...from the chalk cliffs and downs
of southern England
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00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,360
to the limestone pavements
of Yorkshire...
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00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,160
...from the rugged whinstone cliffs
of Durham
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00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,120
to the volcanic basalt
of the Giant's Causeway
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00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,840
in Northern Ireland.
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Each kind of rock creates
its own landscape
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with its own community
of animals and plants.
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00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,480
Another reason our nature is
so diverse is our varied climate.
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00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,560
In the north,
it can be very cold indeed.
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00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:48,200
A thousand metres up in Scotland's
Cairngorm Mountains.
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Winter here can be truly arctic...
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...with temperatures dropping
to -27 degrees centigrade.
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These peaks in the Highlands
are patrolled
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by one of our most spectacular
birds of prey...
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...the golden eagle.
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00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,680
They were once widespread
across Britain and Ireland,
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00:09:25,680 --> 00:09:29,400
but today almost all
of our 500 or so pairs
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00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,600
nest here in Scotland.
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00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,800
Now, however, after years
of persecution,
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00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,440
golden eagle numbers
are on the rise.
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00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,920
Within their territory,
there is clear evidence
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of how precious our few remaining
wild places are.
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There are now only remnants
of the vast ancient forest
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that once covered
most of the Highlands.
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00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,640
The Caledonian Forest is the only
native coniferous woodland
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00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:14,120
left in Britain.
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00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:20,360
It's less than 1%
of its original extent.
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00:10:26,680 --> 00:10:31,440
Only 13% of Britain as a whole
is covered by trees.
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That's one of the lowest proportions
in the whole of Europe.
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00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:40,560
Our oak trees, however,
are globally important.
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England alone has more ancient oaks
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than the whole of Europe
put together.
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And over three-quarters of them
are more than 500 years old.
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In the grounds of Blenheim Palace
in Oxfordshire
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stands the oldest oak tree
in Britain.
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It's 1,046 years old
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00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,840
and began its life
before the Norman Conquest.
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Oak trees, throughout their long
lives, provide food and shelter
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for over 2,300 different species
of plants and animals.
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00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:54,240
As the sun sets, the oak tree's
night shift appears.
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Among them, one of the most
charming animals in Britain...
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...a dormouse.
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00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,840
She assesses the light levels
outside her nest.
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The full moon could be a problem.
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00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:25,400
But after sleeping all day,
she needs to get out and about.
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00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:38,080
She has four growing babies
who all depend on her for milk.
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00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,280
But fortunately,
higher up in the oak,
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there is a particularly energy-rich
food waiting to be collected.
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For us, it would be like climbing
to the top of a skyscraper.
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Left alone, the babies begin to
explore the dangerous world
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beyond their nest-hole.
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Their mother is getting closer
to what she's looking for.
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00:13:48,680 --> 00:13:53,200
But tawny owls also nest
in oak trees.
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She freezes...
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00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:03,040
...and can stay motionless for
over an hour to avoid detection.
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00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,600
At last, she decides it's safe
to continue her climb.
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00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,440
Now she can smell the plant
that she's looking for...
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...honeysuckle.
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This is worth the climb.
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The flowers are loaded
with sugar-rich nectar.
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She bites off the petals to get
to the sweet liquid at their base.
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Her young are getting impatient.
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One ventures out...
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...and starts to explore.
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Mother decides that
she's eaten enough.
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The baby dormice scuttle back home.
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Safe at last.
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00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:10,520
But for how long?
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Dormice were once widespread...
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...but now they are largely
restricted to Wales
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and southern England.
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00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:36,840
Spring brings with it one of the
woodlands' greatest spectacles...
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...bluebells.
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Within only a few days,
the ground is flooded with colour.
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00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,880
More than half the world's
common bluebells
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flower in Britain and Ireland.
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The peak of their display
coincides with an important event
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in the lives of one of
the woodlands' bigger inhabitants.
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00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,360
With a sense of smell that's
much more acute than ours,
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00:17:15,360 --> 00:17:19,520
a badger in East Sussex
checks that the coast is clear.
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00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:27,440
Once they're sure that it's safe,
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the adults allow their cubs above
ground for the very first time.
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00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,600
Badger clans are tightly knit -
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00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,720
and these young cubs are linked
by scent,
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not just to their mother
but to the whole extended family.
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Britain is home to over a quarter
of Europe's badgers
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00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,040
and their digging and foraging
has been a major factor
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in shaping the forest floor.
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00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:16,160
Woodlands are complex communities
containing great numbers of species
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of plants and mammals,
birds and insects.
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00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:24,080
But over the decades,
they've been greatly diminished.
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00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:32,080
In just the last 20 years, 60% of
our flying insects have vanished.
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00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,640
Insects play a crucial role
in pollinating
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both our wild flowers and our crops
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and they do so in a variety
of remarkable ways.
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The flowers of red valerian,
for instance,
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store their nectar at the base
of their elongated blooms,
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so only a pollinator with very
special mouthparts can drink it.
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00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:06,560
The hummingbird hawk-moth has just
the right equipment for the job...
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...a long tubular proboscis.
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00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:20,440
These summer visitors can beat
their wings 85 times a second
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and need lots of nectar
to fuel the effort of doing so.
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00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:38,920
Other flowers, like bittersweet,
offer a different reward -
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not nectar but pollen,
which is produced
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within its tightly-sealed
yellow anthers.
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And one insect knows
how to reach it -
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a bumblebee.
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00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,840
This female has developed a very
clever way to get at the pollen.
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00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:06,400
She vibrates her body at exactly
the right frequency
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to make the pollen pour out.
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The pollen will feed her young,
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but some will rub off when she
visits other flowers on her way home
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and so fertilise them...
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...a win for both flower and bee.
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Perhaps the most complicated
pollination technique of all
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is that used by a common woodland
plant known as lords-and-ladies.
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It produces a very
odd-looking flower...
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...with a large purple spike
called a spadix.
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In the late afternoon,
the spadix heats up
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until it becomes 20 degrees
centigrade hotter
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than its surroundings
and releases a foul-smelling scent.
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Tiny owl midge-flies,
looking for rotting matter
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on which to lay their eggs, find
the stink irresistibly attractive.
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But the inner side of the hooded
leaf that surrounds the spadix
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is very slippery.
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00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,840
The flies tumble down
into a dungeon...
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...the bulbous chamber
at the base of the plant.
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The female parts
that need pollinating
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are at the bottom of this chamber.
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Above them, the male parts
that produce the pollen.
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And at the very top, spikey,
slippery, downward-pointing hairs.
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00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:10,840
These act like the bars of a prison,
trapping the owl-flies below...
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00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,840
...and holding them there overnight.
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00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:26,160
Trapped, the flies get glued to
the flower's sticky female parts,
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transferring any pollen
they may have brought
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from other lords-and-ladies.
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The flies then eat the now-dried
sweet secretion
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and then try to leave,
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00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,360
but the flower will not
release them just yet.
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The male flowers above are now ripe
and their pollen bursts out,
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00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:49,760
showering the flies below.
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The prison bars now wilt...
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...and the flies are free to go.
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00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,840
For this extraordinary pollination
to be successful,
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00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:11,440
a fly must escape
this prison twice -
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00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,800
first to be loaded with pollen
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00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:18,040
and then, once again,
to deliver the pollen
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00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,600
to another lords-and-ladies flower.
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00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:33,840
Nowhere here is richer in
wild flowers and insect pollinators
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than our traditional hay meadows.
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00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,360
Sadly, in the last 60 years,
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00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:43,640
we've lost 97%
of this precious habitat.
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But with nature-friendly farming,
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meadows can be restored
to provide a haven for wildlife.
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00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,840
It's all about the timing.
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00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,560
Delaying mowing until mid-July
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allows birds and insects
to complete their breeding
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00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:11,360
and flowers to set their seed.
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00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:18,440
It also creates opportunities
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for those that are ready
to exploit them.
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00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:31,400
The local foxes
here in Gloucestershire
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know these fields very well.
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00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,400
Every year, they follow the farmers
from field to field
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00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,360
as they make hay.
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00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,360
And sometimes the cubs
come with them.
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These cubs are only
three months old
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and mostly interested in play.
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00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:10,600
Summer chafers emerging from
the grass are worth eating.
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00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:15,360
If you can catch them!
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00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:22,080
But the cubs need to be taught
how to hunt properly.
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00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,640
By September,
they will be on their own,
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00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,360
so their mother shows them how.
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00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:49,080
Her acute sense of hearing
enables her to detect
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00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,840
even the slightest rustle
in the grass.
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00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:04,320
By moving her head,
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00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,840
she can pin-point exactly
where the noise is coming from.
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00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:13,360
And then, silently, she leaps.
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00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,880
At least the cubs will have
something to eat this evening.
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00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,840
Britain and Ireland's position
on the globe
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gives us a special importance
for wildlife internationally.
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00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,520
We are in just the right place
to welcome migrants
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00:26:56,520 --> 00:27:00,360
from the south in summer
and from the north in winter.
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00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:10,200
Each autumn, around 30,000
barnacle geese arrive
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00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,640
on the Hebridean island of Islay.
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00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:22,360
They have all come from Greenland,
where they spent the summer.
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00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:32,280
Some years, half the world
population arrive here,
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00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,840
all attracted by the same food...
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00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:41,840
...grass.
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00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,560
They feed in groups.
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00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:51,600
That way, there will always
be some eyes keeping watch.
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00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:03,520
White-tailed eagles -
our biggest bird of prey.
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00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:08,840
Once extinct in Britain,
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00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:13,080
today, up to a dozen
now spend winter on Islay.
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00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:20,120
But they've been spotted.
246
00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:37,320
The eagles must select
a particular bird as a target.
247
00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:44,240
They're testing the geese,
trying to identify a weak one.
248
00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:49,120
After a journey
of almost 2,000 miles,
249
00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,080
some will be particularly exhausted.
250
00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:00,000
But the eagles haven't
chosen one yet.
251
00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:10,160
At low tide, out on the estuary,
the geese come down.
252
00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,000
Even here, the eagles don't
let them rest for long.
253
00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,360
A young, inexperienced eagle
tries his luck...
254
00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,440
...driving them on again.
255
00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,360
The youngster keeps the flock
on the move.
256
00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,600
One exhausted goose, however,
gets left behind.
257
00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:06,360
Another young eagle swoops in.
258
00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:14,840
In the confusion,
the goose manages to fly off.
259
00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:25,360
But neither of the eagles
is going to give up now.
260
00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,880
As the goose turns,
261
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,560
it loses one of its pursuers.
262
00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:54,000
Now it's just a one-on-one.
263
00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:25,480
The goose is so heavy, the young
eagle has to struggle to hold on.
264
00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:50,080
This young bird and all the other
white-tailed eagles here on Islay
265
00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:52,880
have only learnt
how to hunt barnacle geese
266
00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:54,680
in the last ten years.
267
00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:08,160
Across Britain and Ireland,
268
00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:13,080
our mild climate attracts more than
half a million geese each winter...
269
00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:19,080
...making us a vital refuge for
these long-distance travellers.
270
00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:36,240
Here in Britain, we have one of
the rarest habitats on Earth -
271
00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,120
chalk streams.
272
00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:44,840
There are only about 200
chalk streams in the world
273
00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:49,080
and 85% of them flow
through southern England.
274
00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:56,400
Their waters, rising through chalk
and flowing over it,
275
00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:59,080
are rich in minerals and oxygen.
276
00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:05,440
This creates the right conditions
for water-crowfoot
277
00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:09,600
that each summer produces
floating carpets of white flowers.
278
00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:21,440
Above them fly
banded demoiselle damselflies -
279
00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,080
slimmer relatives of dragonflies.
280
00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:30,240
These, with dark patches
on their wings, are the males,
281
00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:32,600
and they are an iridescent blue.
282
00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:45,640
The more metallic-green ones
with plain, unmarked wings
283
00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:47,360
are the females.
284
00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:55,320
To attract a female,
a male must secure a patch
285
00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:59,000
of healthy floating leaves
on which she can lay her eggs.
286
00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:07,120
The male declares his ownership of
a patch by flaunting his wings...
287
00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,600
...before returning
to a nearby perch.
288
00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,800
But other males want both
his territory and the female,
289
00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,000
and they are willing to fight.
290
00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:40,080
He's outnumbered.
291
00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:51,200
In the chaos, he returns
to his perch,
292
00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:53,440
watched closely by the female.
293
00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:59,280
This time, he invites her down
to view his patch of leaves...
294
00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,440
...and settles on the water surface,
295
00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:07,640
showing her that the oxygen-rich
waters are flowing well,
296
00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:10,080
which will be vital for her eggs.
297
00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:14,560
She's impressed.
298
00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:20,360
Mating, however,
is a complicated business.
299
00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,680
First, he grasps her firmly
by the neck
300
00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,920
and carefully removes
any rival's sperm.
301
00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:35,880
Then he collects his own sperm
from an opening near his head
302
00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:38,080
and transfers it to her.
303
00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:55,320
Once mated, the female flies to his
patch of leaves to lay her eggs.
304
00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:05,760
And the male joins her
to guard her from his rivals.
305
00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:14,200
They barge in and try
and pull the couple apart,
306
00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:18,360
for it's still not too late for them
to mate with this female themselves.
307
00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:29,360
But she has an escape route...
308
00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:32,080
...under the water.
309
00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:37,200
A silver layer of bubbles
allows her to breathe
310
00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:39,160
while she's beneath the surface.
311
00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:47,120
She cuts into the plant stems
with her sharp ovipositor
312
00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:50,000
and starts to inject her eggs,
313
00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:53,360
producing more than 400
in under an hour.
314
00:37:02,240 --> 00:37:04,080
Mission accomplished.
315
00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:17,280
To breed in this way,
the damsels require clean,
316
00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:19,360
free-flowing fresh water...
317
00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:25,880
...as do other animals
that live in chalk streams...
318
00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,440
...our native brown trout
and minnows.
319
00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:38,160
These small fish are preyed upon
by one of our loveliest birds.
320
00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:42,640
We often hear them...
321
00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:49,720
...but usually get only a glimpse,
a flash of electric blue.
322
00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:54,840
Kingfishers speed along rivers
at 30mph.
323
00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,400
Each claims a particular
stretch of river
324
00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,600
which can be over two miles long.
325
00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:11,560
Fishing territories
are vigorously defended
326
00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:14,800
and a male will only share one
with his partner.
327
00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:42,680
Just to stay alive,
328
00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:46,840
this female must eat over half
her body weight each day.
329
00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:57,160
If they have chicks,
a pair of kingfishers
330
00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:00,640
must catch a further
70 fish every day.
331
00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:22,400
The coastline of Britain and Ireland
is over 22,000 miles long
332
00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:26,360
and our seas are amongst
the richest in Europe.
333
00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:34,440
Because of this, our sea bird
colonies are among the biggest
334
00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:38,400
and most spectacular to be found
anywhere on the planet.
335
00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:52,680
Bass Rock in Scotland's
Firth of Forth
336
00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:55,600
is the largest gannet colony
in the world...
337
00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:02,600
...with 75,000 pairs
returning here each year.
338
00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:09,760
Our waters, in fact,
support nearly 70%
339
00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:13,080
of the northern gannet's
global population.
340
00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:20,200
At the height of summer, the whole
of Bass Rock is jam-packed,
341
00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:23,360
with two nests
to every square metre.
342
00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:29,360
Male and female spend the
winter apart, far out at sea.
343
00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:33,520
But in spring, they return
to their breeding grounds,
344
00:40:33,520 --> 00:40:36,400
and each couple re-establish
their partnership
345
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:39,680
with a delicate courtship display.
346
00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:55,240
It takes over three months
to rear a chick
347
00:40:55,240 --> 00:40:58,880
and, during that time, both parents
will make hundreds of trips
348
00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,560
to collect food.
349
00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:06,840
On average, each feeding trip
is over 140 miles long...
350
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:13,920
...but, on occasion,
they may travel as far as 600 miles.
351
00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:38,440
The gannet's immense journeys
are only possible
352
00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:41,360
because they bring their catch home
in their stomachs.
353
00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:50,760
Mackerel and herring are
the gannet's favourite food...
354
00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:57,360
...though the size of a portion
can be a bit of a problem for some.
355
00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:13,320
Another much smaller fish is also
very important to our sea birds.
356
00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:18,680
Sand eels are only 30cm long,
357
00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:21,360
but they occur in vast shoals.
358
00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:25,240
They're a critical link
in the food chains
359
00:42:25,240 --> 00:42:28,200
of a whole range
of different sea birds.
360
00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:37,120
Lesser sand eels are
the favourite prey of puffins.
361
00:42:37,120 --> 00:42:39,920
Almost half a million
of these lovable birds
362
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:44,280
come to our coast each summer,
mostly to islands such as these -
363
00:42:44,280 --> 00:42:46,360
the Farnes off Northumberland.
364
00:43:03,440 --> 00:43:09,440
Puffins mate for life and pairs
use the same burrow every year.
365
00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:14,080
Here, they raise a single chick
called a puffling.
366
00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:21,040
Unlike gannets, the journeys
they make for food
367
00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:22,720
are usually shorter.
368
00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:27,440
Their broad bills
enable them to carry
369
00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:31,160
remarkably large numbers
of sand eels.
370
00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:34,080
But their catch is always
temptingly visible.
371
00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:47,360
Herring gulls are twice
the size of a puffin.
372
00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:09,400
But the greatest threat
to puffins on this island
373
00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,240
comes from a smaller gull...
374
00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:24,360
...the black-headed gull.
375
00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:44,240
They are not strong enough
to grab a puffin in the air.
376
00:44:44,240 --> 00:44:46,440
They have to use another technique.
377
00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:52,360
They try to snatch the sand eels
right out of the puffin's beak.
378
00:45:11,240 --> 00:45:12,960
This puffin escapes.
379
00:45:14,440 --> 00:45:18,360
But the problem is that
this burrow is not his.
380
00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:20,920
And the gulls seem to know that.
381
00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:29,000
He can't stay down there for long.
382
00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:46,400
This little puffin is determined
that these sand eels
383
00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:49,080
are for his chick and nobody else.
384
00:46:32,240 --> 00:46:33,640
Made it!
385
00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:51,680
Here off the coast of Pembrokeshire,
386
00:46:51,680 --> 00:46:54,920
puffin numbers have been
steadily increasing.
387
00:46:56,000 --> 00:47:01,080
Today, nearly 40,000 return to
this tiny island every summer.
388
00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:05,200
But Skomer is an exception.
389
00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:09,520
Most of our puffin colonies
are in decline.
390
00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:13,160
Over-fishing and climate change
mean the sand eels
391
00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:16,440
they depend on
are increasingly hard to find.
392
00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:20,640
It's a clear example of just
how fragile and fragmented
393
00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:22,920
our nature is.
394
00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:25,840
Though rich in places,
Britain as a whole
395
00:47:25,840 --> 00:47:29,600
is one of the most nature depleted
countries in the world.
396
00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:34,120
Never has there been
a more important time
397
00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:37,920
to invest in our own wildlife,
398
00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:41,160
to try and set an example
for the rest of the world
399
00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:46,640
and restore our once wild isles
for future generation.
400
00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:03,720
To film orca hunting seals,
401
00:48:03,720 --> 00:48:07,240
the Wild Isles team
travelled to Shetland.
402
00:48:07,240 --> 00:48:10,840
The plan was to find and follow
one particular pod...
403
00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:16,280
...a family of eight individuals
known as the 27s.
404
00:48:18,160 --> 00:48:21,480
As Shetland's biggest pod,
they were the team's best chance
405
00:48:21,480 --> 00:48:23,080
to film a hunt.
406
00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:32,120
They had a fast boat, modified to
carry a stabilised camera system...
407
00:48:33,600 --> 00:48:37,080
...and drones to give them
a far-reaching eye in the sky.
408
00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:43,320
But finding the pod in this vast
territory was not going to be easy.
409
00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:47,360
So the crew enlisted
local knowledge.
410
00:48:48,920 --> 00:48:52,800
I just messaged my wife
and asked her the, erm...
411
00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:55,480
How big is Shetland's coastline?
412
00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:59,240
And she wrote back to me
and said it's 2,700km.
413
00:48:59,240 --> 00:49:02,400
And we're looking for basically
a pod of eight animals
414
00:49:02,400 --> 00:49:05,760
in 2,700km of coast.
415
00:49:05,760 --> 00:49:07,680
It suddenly dawned on me...
416
00:49:07,680 --> 00:49:10,600
...the enormity of what
we're trying to do.
417
00:49:13,400 --> 00:49:16,200
Richard has vital extra help,
418
00:49:16,200 --> 00:49:19,440
a WhatsApp group of 250 islanders
419
00:49:19,440 --> 00:49:22,840
who regularly update each other
on their sightings.
420
00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:27,440
Without all these eyes
looking and picking up
421
00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:31,840
and posting on social media,
I think it would be very difficult
422
00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:33,600
to follow these killer whales.
423
00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:39,920
Orca can travel 100 miles a day
in their search for food.
424
00:49:41,160 --> 00:49:45,320
They can appear anywhere
on Shetland's coast at any time.
425
00:49:46,920 --> 00:49:51,160
So the strategy was to spend
as much time at sea as possible
426
00:49:51,160 --> 00:49:54,880
to be able to react quickly
to any sightings.
427
00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:58,320
Three weeks,
they haven't been anywhere...
428
00:49:58,320 --> 00:50:01,840
...seen anywhere in Shetland,
this pod.
429
00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:04,200
It's quite difficult to film
a killer whale sequence
430
00:50:04,200 --> 00:50:05,840
without killer whales.
431
00:50:05,840 --> 00:50:08,240
There's literally nothing more
we can do
432
00:50:08,240 --> 00:50:11,840
than go out, search every day,
hope that the phone rings
433
00:50:11,840 --> 00:50:15,800
and someone else has seen it
or we find them.
434
00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:18,000
And the challenge was made
even greater
435
00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:22,840
when thick fog made navigating
the islands near impossible.
436
00:50:22,840 --> 00:50:25,440
Well, the weather changes
pretty quickly up here.
437
00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:31,120
We were in glorious, becalmed,
blue sky, flat water conditions
438
00:50:31,120 --> 00:50:33,080
about two hours ago.
439
00:50:33,080 --> 00:50:38,080
We've just started our journey back
and we've come into this bank of fog
440
00:50:38,080 --> 00:50:40,440
and it's completely
surrounded the boat.
441
00:50:40,440 --> 00:50:42,800
There are no reference points
out here now.
442
00:50:43,840 --> 00:50:45,680
Time was running out.
443
00:50:45,680 --> 00:50:48,640
With just a few days left,
Richard finally got a call
444
00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:51,720
from one of the islanders.
445
00:50:51,720 --> 00:50:53,760
Right. Cheers, cheers.
446
00:50:53,760 --> 00:50:55,440
What's just happened?
447
00:50:55,440 --> 00:50:58,120
They've got two bulls
coming down Bluemull Sound,
448
00:50:58,120 --> 00:51:00,080
heading south towards Fetlar.
449
00:51:01,160 --> 00:51:03,840
The team raced to catch up
with the orca.
450
00:51:05,120 --> 00:51:07,320
Oh, they're there!
To the right, to the right.
451
00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:09,920
They've gone under us.
They're right behind you.
452
00:51:09,920 --> 00:51:13,720
Oh, one's in front. They've split.
One either side of the boat.
453
00:51:13,720 --> 00:51:17,640
They got in position ahead of the
bulls and waited for them to pass.
454
00:51:17,640 --> 00:51:21,680
Look at the size of that dorsal fin!
455
00:51:21,680 --> 00:51:24,440
Sadly, the excitement
was short lived.
456
00:51:24,440 --> 00:51:27,440
It's not the 27s,
which is the family group
457
00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:32,040
we were hoping to catch up with,
but it is killer whales.
458
00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:35,880
After a month of effort,
they had run out of time that year.
459
00:51:39,680 --> 00:51:44,280
And the following year saw a new
team, a new boat and a new plan.
460
00:51:45,920 --> 00:51:50,080
Basing themselves on land,
the team could be more reactive.
461
00:51:51,640 --> 00:51:55,400
When the orca do turn up,
we need to drop everything
462
00:51:55,400 --> 00:51:58,360
and go and try and find them,
463
00:51:58,360 --> 00:52:02,360
and the quickest way to do that
on this island
464
00:52:02,360 --> 00:52:06,280
is to tow the boat to where
we think they're about to be
465
00:52:06,280 --> 00:52:08,320
based on the last sightings.
466
00:52:08,320 --> 00:52:11,360
That means that we have to
know our slipways,
467
00:52:11,360 --> 00:52:15,080
but quite a few of them are covered
in this green slimy weed.
468
00:52:16,760 --> 00:52:20,480
For the crew, this meant
regular cleaning duty.
469
00:52:23,960 --> 00:52:28,840
With the slipways weed-free, they
could test the new camera set-up.
470
00:52:29,920 --> 00:52:32,760
This time, they mounted
the camera on a jib
471
00:52:32,760 --> 00:52:35,480
to move it more quickly
into position.
472
00:52:36,560 --> 00:52:40,200
After two weeks with no sightings,
it felt like a replay
473
00:52:40,200 --> 00:52:42,440
of last year's bad luck.
474
00:52:42,440 --> 00:52:46,600
But, once again, the network
of islanders came to the rescue.
475
00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:50,240
Second-hand information,
but some orca were seen
476
00:52:50,240 --> 00:52:52,920
about 10km from here
at 8:00pm last night.
477
00:52:52,920 --> 00:52:56,920
We just got the text this morning
at 7:00am.
478
00:52:56,920 --> 00:52:59,440
Tipped off that a pod of orcas
was close,
479
00:52:59,440 --> 00:53:02,200
the team could quickly
catch up with them.
480
00:53:02,200 --> 00:53:03,840
But it wasn't the 27s.
481
00:53:05,040 --> 00:53:08,200
It's the 19 pod with an individual
in it called Mousa,
482
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:10,120
which is quite
a well-known individual.
483
00:53:10,120 --> 00:53:12,400
But she was last seen on Friday
484
00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:15,440
with the 27 pod in Orkney.
485
00:53:15,440 --> 00:53:18,840
So we're now on Sunday
and she's here,
486
00:53:18,840 --> 00:53:22,280
so does that mean
the 27 pod is here?
487
00:53:22,280 --> 00:53:25,800
The team stuck around, hoping
the pods were travelling together.
488
00:53:26,880 --> 00:53:29,920
There they are! There they are,
there they are, in the bay.
489
00:53:29,920 --> 00:53:33,360
In the bay here. Yeah,
the other side of the skerries.
490
00:53:33,360 --> 00:53:35,640
Can we just spin round, please?
491
00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:37,880
It's took patience
and determination,
492
00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:39,800
but after two years of effort,
493
00:53:39,800 --> 00:53:43,360
the crew finally caught up
with the 27 pod.
494
00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:48,280
We are here right now on the 27s,
which is our best pod,
495
00:53:48,280 --> 00:53:51,360
because one of the guys
working on the ferry saw them,
496
00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:52,760
posted it on WhatsApp.
497
00:53:52,760 --> 00:53:55,920
We were five minutes away
and we were straight onto it.
498
00:53:58,160 --> 00:54:00,640
The pod soon lived up
to their promise
499
00:54:00,640 --> 00:54:03,080
and began to hunt along the coast.
500
00:54:05,200 --> 00:54:09,320
Using the drone, the team could
follow as the pod spread out,
501
00:54:09,320 --> 00:54:11,640
searching every inch
of the shoreline.
502
00:54:13,680 --> 00:54:16,320
From the boat,
the stabilised camera rig
503
00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:18,840
allowed them to film
the action close-up.
504
00:54:27,120 --> 00:54:29,640
That was carnage. All so fast.
505
00:54:30,800 --> 00:54:32,880
It just goes crazy.
506
00:54:32,880 --> 00:54:36,640
Yeah, a really crazy hunt. Just...
507
00:54:36,640 --> 00:54:38,760
...bonkers. Just, like, chaos.
508
00:54:40,160 --> 00:54:44,080
After two years of filming and
thanks to the network of islanders
509
00:54:44,080 --> 00:54:47,680
and Richard's expertise,
the team were finally able
510
00:54:47,680 --> 00:54:50,600
to capture this extraordinary
hunting behaviour.
511
00:54:56,920 --> 00:55:02,000
Three months after returning from
Shetland, there was some sad news.
512
00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:07,960
A young male orca from the 27 pod
was found dead, washed up onshore.
513
00:55:09,160 --> 00:55:12,360
A postmortem revealed
he had drowned
514
00:55:12,360 --> 00:55:15,000
after becoming entangled
in fishing gear.
515
00:55:16,080 --> 00:55:19,840
Each year, dozens of whales
and dolphins die in this way.
516
00:55:21,680 --> 00:55:25,120
But since filming,
three new calves have been spotted,
517
00:55:25,120 --> 00:55:28,760
the youngest belonging to the 27s.
518
00:55:31,920 --> 00:55:35,680
We must do everything we can
to ensure that our waters
519
00:55:35,680 --> 00:55:40,080
are safe and welcoming for these
rare and special visitors.
520
00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:47,440
Next time...
521
00:55:47,440 --> 00:55:51,360
...woodland -
ruled by the seasons...
522
00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:55,120
...home to dramatic battles...
523
00:56:03,280 --> 00:56:07,160
...and hitherto unseen spectacles.
524
00:56:11,560 --> 00:56:14,720
The Open University
has produced a free poster
525
00:56:14,720 --> 00:56:19,960
exploring our wild isles and
their diverse habitat and species.
526
00:56:19,960 --> 00:56:25,400
Order your copy by calling
527
00:56:25,400 --> 00:56:30,920
or go to bbc.co.uk/wildisles
528
00:56:30,920 --> 00:56:34,240
and follow the links
to the Open University.
529
00:56:34,240 --> 00:56:38,160
If you'd like to play your part
in restoring our wild isles
530
00:56:38,160 --> 00:56:40,920
and learn more about
what you can do to help,
531
00:56:40,920 --> 00:56:44,760
just search Wild Isles
on the BBC website.
42410
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