0:00:02 > 0:00:03This is Madagascar.
0:00:03 > 0:00:07It's a vast island in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10And it's home to some of the most unique and rare creatures
0:00:10 > 0:00:11on the planet.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Incredibly, 80% of the wildlife here exists nowhere else on earth.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21But it's a paradise under threat.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28So I've sent eight ordinary kids from the UK
0:00:28 > 0:00:30to have the deadly adventure of their lives.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35They'll face the toughest challenges
0:00:35 > 0:00:38and discover for themselves how to save this lost world...
0:00:39 > 0:00:40..before it's too late.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Their first challenge has come to an end.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27They've seen that once the forest is lost, the animals disappear too.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Can they ever come back if the forest is allowed to regrow?
0:01:34 > 0:01:36And as they move to their next location,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38to face their next set of challenges,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42they're all still reeling from having lost one of the gang.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46This was never going to be easy.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Bit sad, cos we've got to say bye.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52And there are even harder things to come.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57To get to their next destination,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00where their new challenge awaits, is going to take teamwork.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05A 12 kilometre journey down a twisting river
0:02:05 > 0:02:07that will lead them into the heart
0:02:07 > 0:02:10of one of Madagascar's most beautiful rainforests.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15But this challenge is already being seen as a competition.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18It's going to get a bit competitive even though it's not a race.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21But I'm really looking forward to spotting some wildlife
0:02:21 > 0:02:23as we go through the rainforest.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Gwen's going to get it going and then we'll probably end up racing.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28I've kayaked quite a bit, and canoed.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32And I've also done canoe slalom and stuff like that, so...
0:02:32 > 0:02:36I think we're going to take it quite casual, you know, not go too fast.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38This is just going to be chaos.
0:02:38 > 0:02:39Ah!
0:02:39 > 0:02:40Stop, stop, stop, stop.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43No, we're going into the rapids.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Yes!
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Have it! Woo!
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Come on! No, you've overdone it. No, Okechukwu! No.
0:02:56 > 0:02:57Ah!
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Ow, that was painful! That hurt.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05They're entering a national park called Ranomafana.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13It's huge, covering an area about the same as 40,000 football pitches.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17And it's home to creatures found nowhere else on the island,
0:03:17 > 0:03:18or, in fact, the world.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Almost straightaway, they start throwing themselves at the crew.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Oh! It's a frog. It's only a frog.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Although some are not as welcome as others.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Spider!
0:03:36 > 0:03:38These are Darwin's bark spiders.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40They spin massive webs right across the river.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44In fact, they spin the longest spanning webs in the world,
0:03:44 > 0:03:48catching bugs that use the river as a highway.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50But they're not to everyone's taste.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Ah!
0:03:52 > 0:03:53Come on!
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Don't put that here!
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Ah!
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Someone get it, then!
0:04:00 > 0:04:01It's on his neck!
0:04:01 > 0:04:04'I don't mind spiders, but when I moved it off
0:04:04 > 0:04:07'and it went next to Charlie he screamed like a little girl.'
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Where's it gone?
0:04:09 > 0:04:10It's on my back still.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14'Jumped into the back of the kayak with Jamie and they both sat
0:04:14 > 0:04:17'at the back screaming, while me and Okechukwu had to paddle.'
0:04:17 > 0:04:20I'm doing all the work here, as usual.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23While these sissy boys scream about a spider this big.
0:04:23 > 0:04:24I wasn't screaming!
0:04:28 > 0:04:29Away from all the chaos,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33the girls are captivated by the enchantment of the place.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37I feel like I could be in a movie.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45At the half way point, the guys take a break.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Just going to sit and wait now until the other guys come.
0:04:48 > 0:04:49- Yeah.- Wait and laugh.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52No, sit and wait, and then when they get past, we'll point and laugh.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Don't even talk, please, don't talk, don't laugh. It's not funny. No.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Tempers on the other boat are close to boiling point.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00No, please, just, please.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01What have you done?
0:05:01 > 0:05:06I said please. Please just don't, don't talk.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08But it's Raina that decides to cool off.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Yeah!
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Get in quickly, get in, get in!
0:05:19 > 0:05:20Ha-ha-ha!
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Get on, get on!
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Pretty soon the boys get stuck again, though.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34And the girls power on ahead.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Girl power!
0:05:36 > 0:05:37Woo!
0:05:43 > 0:05:46After five hours of hard kayaking, the end is in sight.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Yes!
0:05:57 > 0:05:59At last, dry land!
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Well, almost.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Ha-ha-ha!
0:06:03 > 0:06:04She's done that three times!
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Even the girls who made it look effortless are feeling it.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Right, I feel like I'm going to die. Aching so bad.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Yeah, we won, but it's not about the competition. Seriously.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20It wasn't even a competition.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Seriously, it isn't. I'm not only saying that now.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24But literally it wasn't.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26See, that's why she's not talking now.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29No, honestly, I didn't know I said anything wrong.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31But I really don't care.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34But anyways, it's over, so now we can just forget about.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Yeah, now we can just be friends.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41It falls to the wettest of them all, Raina, to get them to hug it out.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Tired, cold and a little grouchy,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49they finally arrive at the Centre ValBio,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53a state-of-the-art research station in the heart of the forest.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57But they're not staying here.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59They have to hike to get to their camp.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03We've just kayaked and canoed for ten miles,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05or something ridiculous like that.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08We're freezing, we're in swimming costumes.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10We just want to have a shower and now they're saying,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13"Oh, yeah, we have to hike to the place where we're staying,"
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and we're all going, "Nooooo!"
0:07:16 > 0:07:19And there's another surprise in store for them.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21A new member of their team has arrived.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24He's got the Justin Bieber hairstyle.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28The guy there has got a flick a little bit like mine,
0:07:28 > 0:07:29but mine's better.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32New boy, Oak, had very little time to prepare.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Pretty strange, though, to get a phone call one day
0:07:35 > 0:07:37and then be here just a few days later.
0:07:37 > 0:07:38The next day.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Once together, they're keen to fill Oak in on what he's already missed.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46I love kayaking.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48No, but you didn't want to go kayaking.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- I love it!- No, but no.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55At 14, outdoor enthusiast, Oak, is the eldest member of the group.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I love nature. I'm always outside.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08I do photography most of the time because it's just my passion.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Perhaps Oak's biggest strength is his fitness.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15I'm good at running, up hills and things.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I love it.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21I would say I'm very active in the outdoors world.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25And as they make their way to camp,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Oak's energy levels will certainly come in handy.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39I've never done anything like this, really, like camping outside,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41so it's a new experience for me.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Oak doesn't seem phased at all.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47I actually quite like it, and I like camping.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50With Oak completely at ease, the team settle in to a place
0:08:50 > 0:08:53that will be their home for the next four days.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Their first challenge is to find as many animals as they can
0:09:03 > 0:09:05in this beautiful forest.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10This is known as a bio blitz.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15But there's a twist.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21They'll split into two teams.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Oak's team are heading to a remote area of forest.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32It's some of the most unspoilt rainforest in Madagascar,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34and should be stuffed full of animals.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Whereas Raina's team are going to
0:09:38 > 0:09:40a completely different patch of forest.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44It might look the same, but it's spent the last 20 years
0:09:44 > 0:09:46recovering from people living off it.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Question is, which of the teams will find the most animals?
0:09:53 > 0:09:57What your task is to do today is to document and take pictures
0:09:57 > 0:10:00of as many animals as you can see.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01And not just mammals.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Bugs, snakes, reptiles.
0:10:04 > 0:10:05Aliens.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Aliens, everything.
0:10:07 > 0:10:08Every single thing you see,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11we want you to take pictures of it and make a note of what it is.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12What about spiders, Doug?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Spiders, tons of spiders.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16I want to find a pygmy chameleon.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22A bio blitz is a simple way to check the health of a forest.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26So, in theory, there should be fewer animals in Raina's area.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29But surprisingly, helped by Loret, the local guide,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33it's not long before they notch up their first animal.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34- Here.- Butterfly.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37And the photos are collected
0:10:37 > 0:10:39for comparison with the other team later.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40Bugs.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41Oh, spider.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44Oh, a worm.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46I'll just call it a bug.
0:10:46 > 0:10:47I'll change it to insect.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50Crayfish.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51Yeah.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57At the moment, I've just written down frog under amphibians,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59but I'm not sure what type of frog it is,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02so we've taken pictures and we're going to find out later.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Meanwhile, the other team are halfway up the mountain,
0:11:10 > 0:11:11and getting rather soggy.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I think we look quite cool.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15Well, I like it.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Nevertheless, they're still spotting animals.
0:11:20 > 0:11:21Oak and local guide Emile
0:11:21 > 0:11:22have just found
0:11:22 > 0:11:24their first reptile of the day,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26a nose-horned chameleon.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28So the chameleon's using its tail to hold on whilst it's...
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Yes.
0:11:31 > 0:11:32- Wow.- Look at this.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Is he trying to wobble like that?
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- Yeah, he's trying to move up.- Wow!
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Guys, guys, guys, come over here, there's a sifaka in the tree.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Come and have a look.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Can you see the tree right at the back?
0:11:51 > 0:11:53It's hanging off it. Can you see?
0:11:53 > 0:11:54No.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57- Where's Emile? Can you see it?- Yeah.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00- There.- Oh, yeah.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03There's another one up here. It's really close.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05He's looking at us, he's coming towards us.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08He's coming down, look, he's coming down.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10OK, he's coming now. He's coming now.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16This family group of lemurs are called Milne Edwards sifakas.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19A great discovery for the kids.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25But then again, this pristine forest is exactly where lemurs like this
0:12:25 > 0:12:29should thrive, as it's full of their natural food.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32And in the protected national park, there's no fear of being hunted.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42But surprisingly,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45lemurs are not restricted to just this kind of forest.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52Even in the recovering forest where Raina's team are, there are lemurs.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Loads of them. Loads.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I'm seeing, we've just found some red bellied lemurs,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07and at first we thought there was only two,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09but then we found like a whole pack
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and, whoa, just seen that one jumping.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14And they're really close to us as well, so it's amazing.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Red bellied lemurs are more common than sifakas,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26but are still only found in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31They feed on fruit, leaves and the occasional millipede.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Even in the recovering forest, there's enough food to support them.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51It was a really amazing thing to see a lemur this close to you.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Deeper into the national park,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00the other team are wearily winding their way up the mountain
0:14:00 > 0:14:02through the unspoilt forest.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05They spot another couple of chameleons.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07That's three so far in an hour.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11But it's hard going in the tropical heat.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12I'm hot!
0:14:13 > 0:14:14At the front of the group,
0:14:14 > 0:14:19Oak seems to have more energy than anyone, even the crew.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20Camera's getting heavy.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22Are we there yet?
0:14:25 > 0:14:26I'm strong as an ox.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29WHISTLE
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Emile's spotted something,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34and Oak's the first of the group to try and get a clearer view.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36I've found it, I've found it.
0:14:39 > 0:14:40You see, you see the light.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44So Emile's tracking, talking to a bird.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Trying to get any answers.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51The gang join in, to help call the bird closer.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54ALL WHISTLE
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I can see it.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07You have to get exactly there.
0:15:07 > 0:15:08Look, look.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13With everyone looking up, no one's looking where their feet are.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Do you want me to...?
0:15:19 > 0:15:21It could have been a lot worse.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22Are you OK?
0:15:22 > 0:15:23I was deep in concentration.
0:15:25 > 0:15:26Let's move on.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32In the recovering forest, they're still finding animals.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34The teams are almost neck and neck.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36Leaf tailed gecko is under...
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Reptiles.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Leaf tailed geckos are unique to Madagascar,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and absolute masters of camouflage.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45He is like, "I am not animals, I am dead leaves."
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Without Loret, our team would have would walked right past it.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Especially as right now, all they can think of is food.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56I would love to have a roast, with all three meats
0:15:56 > 0:15:58and some huge Yorkshire.
0:15:58 > 0:15:59They're so hungry,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02they're even starting to see food all around them.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Looks like an apricot.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09It's obvious they're going to need a quick break
0:16:09 > 0:16:10to get them back on track.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13But Raina's feeling pretty confident.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16I'm excited to compare it to the other team.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18But, all in all, it was a good morning.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Up in the unspoilt forest,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Oak and his team get their own chance for a break.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Welcome to the campsite, everybody!
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Wahey!
0:16:30 > 0:16:33There's just time for a quick snack before they must set up camp.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Bring it on.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49I'm going to go try and find the toilet because, you know,
0:16:49 > 0:16:50it's quite important.
0:16:54 > 0:16:55Ugh!
0:16:56 > 0:16:57It stinks!
0:17:02 > 0:17:04I think I'd rather hold it in, to be honest.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Both teams have been really successful.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16But there's one kind of creature that has so far eluded each of them.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21A real Madagascan oddity, the tenrec.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Tenrecs come in all shapes and sizes.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33There's spiky ones, streaky ones, even underwater ones.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36But even though they look like other animals we're familiar with,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39they're completely unique, and can only be found in Madagascar.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45As tenrecs tend to come out at night, both teams are going to have
0:17:45 > 0:17:50to set some traps if they're going to have any hope of finding one.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53- I've never fished.- You have not lived, either!- Never fished.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Down at the river on the edge of the recovering forest,
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Raina and her team have set their sights high.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04The aquatic or water tenrec is one of the hardest-to-find animals
0:18:04 > 0:18:05in Madagascar.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07I thought we were looking for normal tenrecs,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11but a water tenrec sounds much cooler.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14And amazingly, they've never been filmed by the BBC before.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19In order to set the traps, they have to get down to the water's edge.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21This is slightly tricky terrain.
0:18:21 > 0:18:22More than slightly.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24That is some crayfish!
0:18:24 > 0:18:26I've got a crayfish in my hand.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29This is one of the baits we're using to catch the water tenrec.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33It's not actually that wriggly, I thought it'd be jumping around,
0:18:33 > 0:18:34but it's fine.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39They usually fish for food in shallow waters,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and he's just blocked that way off so they can't get past it,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45so it'll probably go straight into the trap, so we can get it out.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50They're putting out two traps to maximise their chances
0:18:50 > 0:18:52of catching the aquatic animal.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Raina and Okechukwu are in charge of the first.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Charlie and Gwen, the second.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01We're going now, and we're going back up,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04and then we're going to come back in the morning,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07check the traps, and hopefully we'll have a water tenrec.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Oak's gang in the unspoilt forest are going to set
0:19:13 > 0:19:17a totally different kind of trap for a very different kind of tenrec.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22On the way, as they hunt for a likely spot,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26they can't seem to stop adding creatures to their bio blitz list.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28This is the silk moth.
0:19:29 > 0:19:30A chameleon, there. Oh, wow!
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Put some welly into it!
0:19:40 > 0:19:44With Emile's local knowledge, they find the perfect place.
0:19:46 > 0:19:47They're building a pit fall trap.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Well done.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Thank you.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I take it all back, macho-man.
0:19:58 > 0:20:04So, we're just putting some soil on the edge of the plastic,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07so that when the animals hit the plastic,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11they can't just go straight under it, they have to go round
0:20:11 > 0:20:14and then they'll hopefully fall in the bucket.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Job well done!
0:20:17 > 0:20:20And now, all they can do is eat, sleep, and wait until morning.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Their day starts with a surprise animal visitor.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40A ring tailed mongoose.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47It's beautiful, and he's got like a rusty kind of reddish colour.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Ring tailed mongoose are found in the east of Madagascar.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55They're always on the move so are a very lucky spot.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59It's another creature for the list.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Meanwhile, the aquatic tenrec team
0:21:04 > 0:21:07return to their trap site with mixed expectations.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12We just came back to the river where we put the traps in last night.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13And me and Gwen are feeling,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17and Okechukwu, are feeling quite positive that we've found one.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21I think Raina is a bit, you know, not sure, but I'm well excited.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Raina wades in to check her trap.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I can't see anything from here.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37It's not looking good.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39The crayfish we used as a bait last night,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42it managed to escape from the actual trap, so I think that's why
0:21:42 > 0:21:46we didn't catch the tenrec, because there was no food inside.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52But there does seem to be a buzz around Charlie and Gwen's trap.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54It's a snake or something.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56It's not a snake, it looks like an otter.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59There's something inside, but they aren't sure what.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00It's a mouse!
0:22:00 > 0:22:02It's not a mouse.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Up the mountain, the other team head off to check their trap.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Jamie Rose encounters some wildlife she'd rather not.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Eurgh, leech, leech, leech, leech! Get it off me!
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Oh, shrew, shrew, something like a shrew in there, definitely.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27That's a tenrec.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29What have you found, guys?
0:22:29 > 0:22:31A tenrec or shrew.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35It's kind of both, really - a striped shrew tenrec.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Oh, no, it's going, "Where am I?"
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- It is cute but I think we should let it out.- Yeah.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42And would that be a fully-grown tenrec,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44or would that be particularly small?
0:22:44 > 0:22:47That is the full size of the adult, yes.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Ahhh!
0:22:54 > 0:22:56What do they eat?
0:22:56 > 0:23:01They eat insects, lots of different kinds of insects.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Is it biting you? Does it hurt?
0:23:03 > 0:23:04No.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05Ah, tenrec!
0:23:06 > 0:23:08It just remains to take a photo
0:23:08 > 0:23:12and put striped shrew tenrec on their bio blitz list.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Bye-bye. Bye, tenrec.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18Back down at the river,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22will the other team be able to add a tenrec to their list?
0:23:23 > 0:23:27This is mine and Gwen's trap, the winners' trap.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Yeah.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32But they're still not quite sure what they've caught.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Is it a tenrec?
0:23:36 > 0:23:37It looks different.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38Very careful.
0:23:40 > 0:23:41It looks a bit like a mole.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45A rat, a mouse.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49Whatever it is, one thing's for sure, it's a feisty little customer.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Loret, do you want two gloves on, man?
0:23:52 > 0:23:54He's got it, he's got it.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58It's biting him, it's biting his shirt.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02God, they're strong teeth!
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Does anybody have another glove?
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Aquatic tenrec.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Phenomenal! It's an aquatic tenrec. All their patience has paid off.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15I was thinking it would be more like an otter,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17but it's actually quite like a shrew.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It's a bit rat-like.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Very little's known about these truly surprising animals.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30They don't even know exactly how many there are in the world.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35What we can see is that they're specially adapted
0:24:35 > 0:24:39to life in the river, with webbed feet, strong back legs for swimming,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42and a keeled tail they use like a rudder.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46And don't forget sharp teeth, for cracking open crayfish shells.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49- Shall we put this guy back, then? - Yeah.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57Yeah!
0:24:59 > 0:25:03To come that close to such a rare animal, yeah, it was pretty wicked.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05But I think that's mission accomplished now.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08ALL: Go, tenrec!
0:25:13 > 0:25:16It's been a remarkably successful 24 hours.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19The gang meet up back at base to count up and identify
0:25:19 > 0:25:21some of their trickier creatures.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25But which team's found the most?
0:25:27 > 0:25:31I think I've found a possibility for our first chameleon.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Between them, in the two areas of forest,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36they've notched up over 35 species,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39including some of the rarest animals in Madagascar.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41That's brown and that's green.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Chameleons change colour, Raina!
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Yeah, but that looks nicer than that.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54What's incredible is that Raina's team in the recovering forest
0:25:54 > 0:25:56have discovered slightly more animals.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58It has to be that one, surely.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02A real surprise, because this forest once had people living off it,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05chopping trees, gathering food and hunting.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10One animal they didn't find in their bio blitz is a snake.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14However, John Cadle from the research centre
0:26:14 > 0:26:15has a surprise for them.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19So I happen to have a live snake with me.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23This species was close to the research centre,
0:26:23 > 0:26:27so it counts as another animal found in the recovering forest.
0:26:27 > 0:26:28So it's quite fast.
0:26:30 > 0:26:31Can I?
0:26:31 > 0:26:35You want to hold it? Hold it firmly but gently.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Oh!
0:26:39 > 0:26:42That stinks! Had a poo on me!
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Urgh!
0:26:46 > 0:26:49You love snakes, but snakes really don't love you.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51All part of the job, I'm afraid.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58This snake is just one of the many animals that are protected
0:26:58 > 0:27:00within the Ranomafana National Park.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06And the bio blitz has proven to the gang that conservation does work.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11What this challenge has shown them
0:27:11 > 0:27:15is that protecting forests can have a profound effect.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20With a helping hand, damaged forests can recover,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23and once again support some of Madagascar's most dazzling wildlife.
0:27:25 > 0:27:26Yeah!
0:27:28 > 0:27:31With only a couple more days left in the national park, the guys
0:27:31 > 0:27:34are going to get hands on working with the locals
0:27:34 > 0:27:35and the scientists...
0:27:35 > 0:27:36It's a lemur.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40..to see how protecting these forests can play a vital role
0:27:40 > 0:27:43for people as well as the animals.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46And they'll get a surprise call from their friends at Kianjavato,
0:27:46 > 0:27:50a chance to encounter one of the strangest animals on earth.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Oh, I see it!
0:27:52 > 0:27:53It's right up there.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Subtitles by Red Bee Media