Episode 2 Deadly Mission Madagascar

This is Madagascar, it's a vast island in the Indian Ocean

off the east coast of Africa.

Incredibly, 80% of the wildlife here exists nowhere else on Earth.

But it's a paradise under threat.

So I've sent eight ordinary kids from the UK...

..to have the deadly adventure of their lives.

Whoo! Hoo-hoo.

They'll face the toughest challenges...

..and discover for themselves how to save this lost world...

before it's too late.

Last time on Deadly Mission Madagascar, the team's first

mission started with a bang, or should we say a cuddle.

Have you ever been hugged by a lemur before?

I can't say that I have.

But they soon dug themselves into a whole heap of pain...

It actually peels all your skin off and it's hurting now.

..and realised the answer to Madagascar's problems is

far from easy.

The problem is, you can either save the rainforest and the lemurs

or save the people and you have to make the right balance.

The team are still in Kianjavato in the southeast of the island.

It's a small patch of jungle bordered by chopped

down areas of forest.

The basic camp they're staying in is surrounded by wildlife,

unfortunately that includes nibbly mosquitoes.

I've got one on my cheek here, and then I've got loads on my legs.

Oh, it's awful.

I got bitten on there. It's itching!

But, itch or no itch, they've got a job to do.

The team have decided that educating the next

generation of kids about the forest might be the answer to fixing

Madagascar's problems, so Suzy from Conservation Fusion has

offered to take them to a local school.

The kids here have started learning about the importance

of the rainforest, and it's already having a positive effect.

Here in Kianjavato, conservation or the protecting of the forest

and the lemurs has changed the lives of...

of many of the people that live here.

And the best bit is that the kids get to have fun

while they're learning about conservation.

Bamboo lemur! Whoo-oo!

CHILDREN SING

Next door, seeing the children's enthusiasm for school is

an eye-opener for the team.

You take it for granted, yeah, but when you see it like this,

it shows how lucky we are to go to school every day.

They all seem really grateful that they're, like, here

and, like, really happy and smiley.

Coming on this trip has made me realise, like, how much,

how much we have and how much they don't have.

And Henry can see that it's this poverty that's made saving

the forest so difficult.

I think the main problem is it's hard for families to provide

enough food for themselves and have enough money,

while preserving the forest at the same time, cos they need...

they get their money by cutting down the trees and making

bamboo houses, it's how they live, they have to live off the forest.

Henry's right, money's tight in Madagascar,

this school's been on strike for the last few months,

and the kids have missed terms worth of conservation lessons.

Like, when we have a strike back at home, we're like, "Yes,

"whoa, teachers!" and we take school just, like, for granted,

we just go to school cos we have to, not that we really want to.

All these people here would love to be in a position like me,

they'll give their everything just for that little

bit of education to get a job when they're older.

I feel really privileged to be here.

The team had a plan to save Madagascar's forest

by educating children about conservation,

but it's clear that poverty can make this really difficult.

If they can find a way for people to value the wildlife

they might find a solution.

Today, they're going back to the forest to see some of the most

remarkable critters this island has to offer, and a species

that could be an answer to some of Madagascar's problems.

Bats!

Bats are incredible creatures,

they're the only mammal that can truly fly.

Many bats use something called echolocation to

find their way around and to locate their prey.

They make high pitched noises that you or

I can't hear, which bounce off the prey

and then they can figure out exactly where it is and swoop in to grab it.

And there's one unique type of insect-eating bat

the team are here to see.

We're on our way to try and find some sucker-footed bats.

They have these suckers on the end of their toes and their thumbs which

Hopefully, we'll be successful.

Just hold onto that one, that's a strong one.

The trouble for Gwen and the team is that the bats live

predominately in ravenala trees, and in the last few decades,

90% of those have been chopped down through deforestation.

Is that the tree?

MAN: Don't know, shall we go and find out?

Yeah, I think that's the tree down there.

So it's taken a tough hour of hiking just to find

the tree where the bats are roosting.

This versatile tree is only found in Madagascar,

and it's also known as a traveller's palm.

It serves as home and kitchen to many critters.

It's a particular favourite food source for ruffed lemurs,

who, in return, spread the seeds and pollen through the forest.

But probably the weirdest creature to use it comes out at night,

the aye-aye.

They love the sticky nectar that drips off the ravenala's

spiky flowers.

But ravenala trees are also extremely tall,

and the bats live right at the top.

Oh! Wow!

How's he do that?

Luckily, Madagascar's answer to Tarzan has come along to help.

He's a lemur, in disguise.

It's scary up there.

Look how fast he's up that tree!

Do not try this at home.

Lekely's got years of experience, but it's still super dangerous!

He's throwing old leaves out of the tree.

I think he's not holding onto anything,

he's holding on with his knees.

The conservationists have been monitoring the bat population,

today they're going to be bringing some back to their HQ to

check on their health.

They live wrapped up in the palm leaves, so the leaf is coming too.

How clever is that?!

Must be quite heavy.

To get the bats down from the tree, they're going in this bag to

keep them calm.

Oh, the bats are coming down!

It may look a bit uncomfortable for the bats, but don't worry,

they're safe and secure.

It's a less comfortable descent for Lekely.

Wow! Oh, that must burn.

You'd have really tough feet from this.

Oooh!

Oooh!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

The team are going to examine the bats later, and are hoping that

they can play a vital and surprising role in helping Madagascar's people.

If they conserve the trees and the bats, for a start they'd have

less mosquitoes because the bats... one of their favourites to...

things to eat is mosquitoes and that means there'd be less risk of having

malaria and other mosquito-related diseases around the area.

Malaria is a deadly parasite that's spread

by the bite of infected mosquitoes.

It kills a million people in the developing world every year.

There's no cure and the drugs to prevent catching it are too

expensive for the average Madagascan person.

It's a simple equation - more bats should mean less mosquitoes,

which could mean less malaria.

But Gwen can see that the local families here have a more

immediate need.

The trees are important to the local people, cos they use them to build

It's this battle between humans

and wildlife that they keep coming back to.

So the team have decided to send Charlie and Okechuku to visit

the local village, to see how people use the trees.

and he's invited them to his house.

Home is a small wooden house he shares with his grandmother.

It borders the rainforest

and like everyone else here, they rely on the trees to survive.

Fabrice, what's your house made of?

SPEAKS MALAGASY

Ravenala trees.

Do you know how many ravenala trees it takes to build this room?

Around 300...just for the kitchen.

All that wood, and the house still doesn't give him protection from

malaria. He sleeps under a mosquito net to avoid getting bitten.

Fabrice, did you draw all of this?

Yes. You're a really good drawer.

Yeah, you're really good.

Fabrice's artwork is a reminder of how hard life can be here.

He lives in this two-room house with his grandmother,

and is busier than the average teenager.

Have you always went to school, Fabrice, or is it only recently?

SPEAKS MALAGASY

How old are you now?

SPEAKS MALAGASY

Same as us.

He's younger than me.

They may be the same age, but life in the UK is very different

for a kid like Charlie.

Oh, shut up, get that camera out of my face, yeah?

He's lucky enough to have his own private den.

But his first love is animals.

This is our oldest one.

Madagascar's problems.

what you're doing is harming other places and countries and animals,

strike for the last three months,

so he hasn't been able to learn anything.

When the teachers had a strike, how did you feel?

SPEAKS MALAGASY

I was really sad.

What do you want to do when you're older?

SPEAKS MALAGASY

He wants to be a doctor.

The team are starting to realise it's not just the wildlife in

Madagascar that has a tough time of it.

Poverty is everywhere.

Most of the rivers we've seen have been polluted and brown

and it's not nice and people have been washing in them.

And Henry, in particular, is finding this side of the trip

really difficult.

I was a bit shocked by the fact that the villages were so poor.

I didn't expect them to be that poor, you know, villages just

made out of bits of bamboo and it is quite shocking to think about.

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world,

so this trip is only going to get more difficult for Henry.

Other members of the team are getting inspiration, though,

from being in such a contrasting and challenging place.

Overall, the school has been my favourite part of the whole trip

cos it really did, like, we really felt like we was making an impact.

Seeing the kids and what they do is just, it's just amazing

and it just shows, although again they haven't got much money,

they're really bright kids and they really, like, make an effort

like there's all posters on the wall saying, erm, like, "Clean water,

"malaria," and it just shows that, and they understand it all.

But despite that understanding, the wildlife is still disappearing.

They need action, fast.

Back in the forest,

the team are with the bat conservation group again.

Hello! ALL: Hello!

They're checking and tagging the sucker-footed bats they got from

the precious ravenala tree.

Henry and Gwen are finding out the role these bats are playing

in saving the forest.

It's the cutest thing.

Thank you.

It's really tiny, so small, super light,

it feels like there's nothing in there.

they really are precious cargo.

These bats help keep mosquito numbers down.

I've got five and you've got...

One...two...three...four. I've got four.

That's nine bats from just one palm leaf. That's some cramped living!

These bats have a cool feature, which gives them their name.

CONSERVATIONIST: So, you can see the most amazing feature of this

bat is the pads here and this allows them to attach to the leaf,

both in the wrist and the feet, so they produce a sticky substance.

It feels a bit like, you know,

when you get those toys that you like stick at the window

and then it flops down, it feels a bit like that, sticky.

Yeah, quite squishy.

It's also nice to feel here...

Oh, it's nice, that is very good.

The first job is to weigh and measure them to check

if they're healthy.

28.8.

10, 11, 12.

I think that's about 12?. Yeah.

weigh it is like this, but don't try this with your pets,

these scientists are experts...

and there's a good reason they're

doing this, these little guys have got an important mission.

Why do you need to weigh them?

We are going to select the individual that weighs the most,

so that it would be able to fly with the tag attached to its back.

see where the bats go and what they do,

which could help save them from extinction.

It's important to make people aware that they are not these evil

creatures that are going to suck their blood,

they're really not, anyhow.

Bats get a bad reputation for being monsters from horror movies,

but these sucker-footed bats are as harmless as they come.

They're one of the only bats that hang upright.

And they love eating insects like moths and mosquitoes.

But people in Madagascar don't realise this about bats,

and their habitat's disappearing fast.

So, the conservationists have had to step in to help.

The whole team want to get close to the bats and it's Jamie

and Yoran's turn.

So what are we doing?

So now we have selected the biggest,

healthiest bats, then we want to attach some radio tags to them.

But how do you put a radio transmitter on something that

only weighs the same as a pencil?

With a bit a bit of glue and a pair of scissors, it seems.

It is non-toxic.

It's important to get accurate information with the transmitters.

So each radio tag has its own ID,

like 1-46 and 1-42,

so this will allow us to monitor them when we, the movements

of the bat throughout the night, and know which one is which.

We've just cut the bat's fur and now we put this glue on

and it's on, like, the thin layer of fur that he still has left and

that helps to, erm, when you put the radio on it helps it stick.

And we can put the finger...

The back's really soft, but their wings are quite bony.

It's really cool and you can feel its heart beat.

It's going pretty fast.

See how it's, yeah, so we have radio-tagged bats.

They'll release the bats later, with their new tags.

This will enable us to, like, monitor the behaviour, how, just how they're

doing, everything so then we can, we know how to conserve them better.

Thank you.

And with the benefits to the human population,

they really are worth saving.

Back at camp, Yoran's still feeling blown away by the little

winged wonders.

That was amazing, it's just amazing to hear their heart beat and,

like, help them out and look at such an amazing creature up close, like,

something I've never done before and might never get to do again.

I didn't have a clue what a sucker-footed bat was, not one clue.

If someone said, "What's a sucker-footed bat?"

I would have gone a bat that's got suckers on its foot,

as a guess, just taking that from their name.

But I learned so much about them,

like their thumbs and where they live in the ravenala trees.

I didn't even know what a ravenala tree was before I came here,

but now I've definitely started to appreciate them more.

And it's that feeling of wonder that the team hope to pass on to

the children of this beautiful island.

Our team can't do anything about the poverty in Madagascar,

but they can try and inspire the local school children to

care about protecting its wildlife.

And they're going to do it using a simple idea

they think everyone will really love.

They've roped in Suzy from Conservation Fusion to help.

We're back at the same school that we came to and we're going to,

we're painting a mural for all the kids

and we're going to include, like, all the animals and incorporate the

biodiversity of this amazing place, which should be pretty good.

And it means that even if the school's on strike,

the children will have a reminder of their incredible wildlife.

If people see it here, they'll wonder, "Oh yeah, I know where that,

"I know where that sort of tree is, so I can,

"and I can see it up there, so if I go up there maybe I'll see these

"animals and I know, now I know where they are so I won't go

"and chop down those trees," so it will be really good fun, it's going

to take a long time, though, and it's quite hot,

but it'll be worth it.

It's a hot day, it's the hottest day so far.

The team are struggling in the heat,

and with the whole school watching, the pressure's getting to them.

HEATED DISCUSSION

We have to put a ladder.

Yeah, I know, I'm just putting this bit in first.

..At the end, cos there's the house there where you

Yeah, I know I'm just putting this bit in for now,

so that I know, like, where everything comes from.

It's needs to branch out at least to that bin. I know.

Well what's the point in doing it then?

Stop the arguments just for painting!

It's all going wrong, but it'll be fine, I think, well, I hope.

Yeah, they just need a ladder and a pen.

And once they get going, there's no stopping them.

Yoran's even running his own class.

That one? Antana. Antana, cool.

While we're here,

I'm trying to learn a little bit of Madagascan from, Malagasy, from

the kids here, as well as trying to teach 'em a little bit of English.

It's going all right, I think they're probably learning quicker

than I am, but we're getting there, we're getting there.

They certainly are, and Suzy's thrilled.

I think it's fantastic and I think it's really great to really want

to give something back to the people here, and these kids don't get

an opportunity to actually even have, like, paintbrushes or markers and so

It's incredible what you can achieve with a bit of teamwork,

and a lot of love.

Oh, no, it smudged!

Yeah, it smudged bad. Big time!

So will the mural, hopefully inspiring the schoolchildren

to protect animals like sucker-footed bats.

I'm really proud of myself, cos we've achieved quite a big thing,

getting them all involved and every time they look at it that it'll

And that now they know that all those animals on there can be

found in there, so they're going to keep that more safe than

The team's time in Kianjavato is almost at an end, but before

they leave there's one more thing to do - release the tagged bats.

It feels amazing, it's all wrinkly, but you can really

feel like all the bones and everything and it's vibrating and

One, two, three.

I can't do this.

Come on, go fly about!

THEY LAUGH

That was amazing. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thanks very much, that was really cool.

It was amazing.

It's unbelievable, cos they were, like, you know, like,

that big and then we eventually

let go, like, the wings just made the bat look massive and I've never

saw or held one that close and it's just, like, breathtaking.

And hopefully those transmitters will feed back vital

information to protect the bats.

It's been quite a week for the team.

Their time here in Kianjavato has been hugely successful.

They've learnt a lot,

and really gelled as a team to move their mission forward.

But there's been tough times, too...

and Henry, in particular, has been

finding his time here really hard, because of the poverty they've seen.

I was a bit shocked by the fact that the villages were so poor,

I didn't expect them to be that poor.

So, back at camp, Henry's come to a brave decision.

Guys, you have to listen.

Guys, shut up!

I'm not staying.

Oh!

You're out of it?

You all right, OK?

Come on, mate. Stay strong.

It's been good though, ain't it, when you've been here,

so think of it like that.

Are you sure you want to go? Yes.

Sure?

I'll miss you.

As dawn breaks, the team are still trying to take in the news

that eight have become seven.

I think the whole group will miss him,

cos he's been quite a big part of the group,

yeah, but we'll miss him.

But Charlie can understand Henry's decision.

Yeah, it's pretty sad that Henry's leaving, like,

but the poverty we've seen here is quite hard to deal with, cos

even just driving to base camp here you can,

you just see it everywhere, but yeah, it's quite upsetting.

Wicked, bro.

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially

when you've bonded like the team have.

GENERAL CHATTER

Bye, Henry!

Yeah, I'm glad I've come out and done this, it's a good experience

and it'll help me travel in the future and be ready for things.

And for the rest of the team, it's time to leave

Kianjavato for their next adventure.

They've made a real impact here, and it's left a mark on them, too.

What are you crying for?

I'm happy and sad at the same time,

yeah, it's happy, cos we've, like, done something good.

I don't know why I'm crying.

It's sad cos we've got to say bye.

So, I guess in the next village...

Next time on Mission Madagascar...

the new boy arrives...

The guy there has got a flick a little bit like mine,

but mine's better.

..and causes a splash.

Woo! Ha-ha-ha.

And the team go animal crazy.

They're really close to us, it's amazing.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

On Deadly 60, I've had loads of incredible animal encounters.

And here's just one of my many favourites.

This is Deadly 60 Bites!

Whoa!

'We're in a bustling market town in Ethiopia

'to have a bizarre but brilliant midnight feast

'with a pack of spotted hyena.'

Bouki!

OK, we've got our first shape lumbering out of the darkness now.

Graham, over there. Just here.

Bouki!

Oh, my life!

Er...OK, I wasn't expecting that.

That was rather quicker than I expected. Kuti!

Juggie!

This is totally freakish.

This goes against everything I've ever learned about spotted hyenas.

This is a totally wild animal.

And this is one of the most feared,

in some cases, despised animals in Africa.

STEVE SMIRKS NERVOUSLY

Though hyenas have a reputation for being scavengers,

it is an animal that is without doubt a predator.

I just can't get used to this at all.

Can you imagine any other situation where you could come nose-to-nose

with a predator this powerful...

and not get savaged?

He's just got his nose in the trough!

This is a bit much for me, I have to say.

Amaria!

Spotted hyenas are animals that can drive lions away from their prey,

with one of the strongest jaws in the whole animal kingdom.

Listen to that crunching.

And that sound is why spotted hyenas have to go on the Deadly 60.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

Get set, go for the weekend...

Hello! Hello!

And welcome to Sam Mark's Sport Showdown!

..with Friday fun and games...

Yeah!

Awesome!

..and mischief and mayhem in brand-new All At Sea.

We need to buy 1,000 eggs.

Last thing I need is one of your stupid wind-ups.

Charlie!