0:00:02 > 0:00:05For me, watching wildlife is one of life's greatest pleasures.
0:00:07 > 0:00:08And my favourite place to do it
0:00:08 > 0:00:12is right here in my beloved West Country.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16'This captivating corner of the British Isles...'
0:00:16 > 0:00:18There's six right underneath us.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22'..has a cast of creatures that's as awe-inspiring,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26'extraordinary and magical as any.'
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Oh, come on, no way! LAUGHTER
0:00:29 > 0:00:32'I'm hoping to get as close as I can to as many as I can...'
0:00:32 > 0:00:36Right, I'm ready. This is great. This is measuring an eel.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Whoa, oh, oh! Ants!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Oh! Oh! They've gone inside!
0:00:41 > 0:00:45'..with the help of a band of dedicated nature lovers.'
0:00:45 > 0:00:50Some of the patterns on the feathers, they're beautiful.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53- Good spot. Look, look, look! Wonderful!- That's so cool.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55There's one in my hair now, Poppy.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57'I'll share the thrill of the chase...'
0:00:57 > 0:01:01- Did you hear them?- I heard something.- Yeah. They're in there.
0:01:03 > 0:01:04Yes.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06'..the sheer joy of the encounter...'
0:01:06 > 0:01:10- She's so golden!- She's fast asleep. - OK. Sh.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12That's amazing.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16'..and I'll pitch in to help these local heroes
0:01:16 > 0:01:20'safeguard the future of our precious animals.'
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Bye-bye. There she goes.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Whoa! I can't believe that I've been living in the West Country
0:01:28 > 0:01:31for so many years, and I've never done this before.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34'This will be a year-round adventure...'
0:01:34 > 0:01:35Straight ahead.
0:01:35 > 0:01:41..as we explore the natural wonders of the UK's very own Wild West.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58I'm back in the Somerset Levels.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03These lush pastoral lowlands have been shaped in large part by man's
0:02:03 > 0:02:07ongoing efforts to control and contain its water.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12The labyrinth of water courses that crisscross the rich farmland provide
0:02:12 > 0:02:16precious habitats above and below the surface.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21For millennia, the animals that inhabit these marshes,
0:02:21 > 0:02:26ancient hedgerows and meadows have been cheek by jowl with the people
0:02:26 > 0:02:28who live and work here.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31This is a fascinating,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33diverse landscape which presents
0:02:33 > 0:02:36a mixture of opportunities and challenges
0:02:36 > 0:02:37for all kinds of creatures.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44So I'm really looking forward to working with some people who are
0:02:44 > 0:02:47finding ways to tip the balance in favour of the wildlife,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50giving something back to the fantastic creatures
0:02:50 > 0:02:52that make living here so special.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56The Somerset Levels is a flat,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00coastal plain that stretches from the tidal Bristol Channel.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03It's contained by the Mendips to the north and the Quantocks,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05near Taunton, to the south.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The River Parrett flows out to sea near Steart,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10where my journey starts.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Thousands of years ago,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18much of this corner of the south-west was under the sea.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It was first drained for farming in the Dark Ages.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28And since then, a network of ditches and drains has helped prevent
0:03:28 > 0:03:30its precious fields and pasture from flooding.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37But now, in one small part of the Levels,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40the sea is being allowed to wash over the land once again.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46We hear so much about the depletion of our natural habitat,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49but this has been a story of creation,
0:03:49 > 0:03:50and it's really remarkable.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Go back just a few years ago
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and this incredible salt marsh wasn't even here.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00This was just farmland.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05We're used to thinking of flooding as a destructive force
0:04:05 > 0:04:08to be prevented at all costs.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13But here at Steart Marshes, the tide has been encouraged to roll in again
0:04:13 > 0:04:15over the farmland.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19The result is the regeneration of a valuable habitat that our native
0:04:19 > 0:04:25wildlife has been losing at an alarming rate - salt marsh.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Coastal mudflats and salt marshes
0:04:27 > 0:04:30are feeding grounds for waders and wildfowl,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and much-needed nurseries for a variety of fish,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37which in turn are food for otters, egrets and many more.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42And these wild stretches where the land meets the sea
0:04:42 > 0:04:44are becoming scarce.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46But a few years ago, work began
0:04:46 > 0:04:50on a super-sized piece of forward thinking -
0:04:50 > 0:04:52removal of the old sea defences
0:04:52 > 0:04:55to create a well-managed wetland reserve.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00As the land floods, it gradually turns back to salt marsh,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04inviting in the distinctive mix of species
0:05:04 > 0:05:06that depend on these important wetlands.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Joe Cockram from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust has invited me
0:05:11 > 0:05:17to join him, as he checks to see how the new residents are settling in.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21There's a line of mud over there with maybe some dunlin.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Yep, those are dunlin. They pack in quite close together.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25They go for safety in numbers.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28They're very vulnerable to peregrines, hobbies, birds of prey
0:05:28 > 0:05:30like that. So the more of them that get in closer together,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32the more pairs of eyes there are looking for a threat.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- Yep, just taking off now.- Straight in front of us, going left to right
0:05:35 > 0:05:38now. Amazing. They really catch the light, don't they?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41They really do, yeah. Very white on the undersides, quite dark on the
0:05:41 > 0:05:45top, so, as they turn, yeah, they flicker, they flicker and shimmer.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Joe is monitoring the species
0:05:47 > 0:05:50and numbers of birds colonising the site.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54These new arrivals are the ultimate proof of concept.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56The winter is the busiest time.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58The mud is full of invertebrates
0:05:58 > 0:06:00and various things that waders and ducks are eating.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02The waders, they nest in massive numbers,
0:06:02 > 0:06:04really far north in the Arctic Circle.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Obviously that's a pretty awful place to be in the winter.
0:06:06 > 0:06:07It's going to freeze up.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10That's not much good for a water bird, so they all come south.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13This Somerset coast, and most of the coasts around the UK, indeed,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15is a really good spot for wintering birds.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Is that a great white egret?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21- I think that's a little egret, that one.- Is it?- Yeah.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Over time, they're establishing this as a proper feeding ground,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30- and they're really getting properly stuck in.- Yeah.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33So this started off as farmland, then we let the tide in.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37That first year, all the underlying soil and sediment was dead.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Now that it's getting flooded regularly by the tide,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42we get silt that gets brought in. That provides a home for these
0:06:42 > 0:06:45invertebrates, for ragworms and things like that.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48So from the, sort of, freshwater invertebrates
0:06:48 > 0:06:52to the marine, saltwater-friendly invertebrates obviously takes time?
0:06:52 > 0:06:55It takes time. What we're trying to work out is how much time.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Nothing quite like this has been done before.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01So, in more than one sense,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04the wildlife here is breaking new ground.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06And the signs are good.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10Three years in, around 25,000 birds wintered here.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14But the wildlife doesn't have the place all to itself.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Agricultural land is being reclaimed by nature.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Absolutely. We can see distantly some cattle out on the salt marsh,
0:07:19 > 0:07:21so these are longhorn cattle,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and they're being farmed for salt marsh beef.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26They help to create a nice mosaic of habitat in the salt marsh plants.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29So having the cattle out here helps us create a very rich,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33diverse habitat for wildlife, but also we're still producing food.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38I'm impressed. It's heartening to see farming and wildlife working
0:07:38 > 0:07:41here to their mutual benefit.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44But maintaining this delicate balance between land and sea
0:07:44 > 0:07:48along the 3km of tidal coast can't be easy.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52To find out how it's done, I'm meeting Alys Laver.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54She's been here from day one,
0:07:54 > 0:07:59overseeing the transformation from farmers' fields to a wildlife Eden,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03through careful management of the ever-changing water levels.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06And the key to it all is what I'm carrying on my shoulder.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10So what you're going to do, with opening the pen stock, means that we
0:08:10 > 0:08:14can drain this whole area to then get fresh tidal water in.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18A network of sluices and carefully engineered channels control the flow
0:08:18 > 0:08:21of seawater from the rising tide into the marsh.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25- That's it?- I think it should be left. It should be left, I think.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29It just takes a long time.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- After which it will just stop, will it?- Yeah.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37- Then we'll know it's at maximum. - That's right.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42What we'll find, as well, as you draw the water levels down,
0:08:42 > 0:08:43more mud will be exposed,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and so we'll get more birds and things feeding on that mud.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Over several years, the daily dose of seawater has created a salty,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55silty soup, rich in invertebrate life.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00It's a great source of food for all kinds of waterfowl,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02waders and gulls.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06We talk about the sea as a sort of force that can never be reckoned
0:09:06 > 0:09:09with, can never be mastered, but actually you're playing around with
0:09:09 > 0:09:13- sea levels here.- Yeah, that's right. We must be nearly there.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16- I've been going for nearly ten minutes.- It's not...
0:09:16 > 0:09:18- Oh, that's it!- It's stopped?- Yeah. - Excellent.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- That's completely open now.- Fully open. And we look over here now.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28The level on this side has come up by about three feet already.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32- Yeah.- A massive upwelling there. Sort of like a boiling pot.- Yeah.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39All around us, the proof of how well the system is working can be seen...
0:09:39 > 0:09:43- and heard. What's that bird there? - Oh, yeah. That's an avocet.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45That is an avocet, is it?
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- So, they like this habitat? - Yeah, very much so. This year,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52we've had seven breeding pairs, compared to one pair last year.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- Seven here, right here in this area? - Yeah. Yeah, yeah, which has been 15
0:09:55 > 0:10:00juveniles have fledged, so it's been massively successful.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05There are only 1,500 breeding pairs of avocets
0:10:05 > 0:10:07recorded in the whole of the UK,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11so their arrival on this brand-new salt marsh is excellent news.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14And that's not all...
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- A bit of marsh samphire. - Yeah.- Is there lots of that here?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Do you know what? This is really exciting. This is the first time
0:10:21 > 0:10:24I've seen samphire in this part of the reserve.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- Oh, really?- Yeah. Because where we've got an open breach
0:10:27 > 0:10:30the seeds are able to come in a lot quicker.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Because we've got structures here,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35it's been a lot slower to colonise, and so this is great news.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37- Another new arrival. - Another new arrival, yeah.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And I can just about resist the temptation to pick and eat it.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41Very much appreciated.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43And I'll leave it to become an improving habitat.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- LAUGHTER - That's really cool.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50- Excellent.- It's not often that you get a chance to see brand-new spaces
0:10:50 > 0:10:54for wildlife forming right before your eyes.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57And I'm already looking forward to coming back to this muddy paradise
0:10:57 > 0:11:00to delve beneath the surface.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Here in the western marshes,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09the story is one of exciting new arrivals.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11But all across the Levels,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15ancient woodland and pasture has long been a stronghold
0:11:15 > 0:11:17for some more familiar faces.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22About half of the UK's badgers live here in the West Country,
0:11:22 > 0:11:27and like badgers anywhere, occasionally they run into trouble.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Secret World Wildlife Rescue has been helping to rehabilitate
0:11:31 > 0:11:35orphaned, sick or injured animals for the past 20 years.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41The charity's founder, Pauline Kidner, is busier than ever.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47We now deal with just over 5,000 animals every year, so it has grown.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Everything has a season, so, January, February, March,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53we're going to have fox cubs, we're going to have badger cubs.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56As soon as the first blackbird comes in, it's, "Oh, my God,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00"we've started the bird season." And then as soon as we get to June,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03the first herring gull comes in and you know that's going to start.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Round about now, it's baby bats and it's fawns
0:12:05 > 0:12:07and those sorts of things.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08So, there's seasons all the way through.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12That's what makes it so interesting is that it's so varied.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18Pauline's dedication to Somerset's ailing animals sometimes stretches
0:12:18 > 0:12:23to giving her patients a temporary home in her own house.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Meet Bumblebee and Nat.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Bumblebee, which is the bigger badger,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32she was found in Glastonbury,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35and she was wandering around the high street,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38just up and down the road, when a member of the public found her.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42And Nat was found at a country park,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45just out, away from the sett.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Both cubs are around 12 weeks old.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52It's not clear how they became separated from their families,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56but for now, this is the best place for them.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59They're in the expert care of Josie Nott.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Nat is a little bit smaller than what he should be at his age,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06so we have them up in Pauline's cubbyhole,
0:13:06 > 0:13:11so that she can keep a close eye on him and we can monitor his growth.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14We've never had one in that's been as small as Nat
0:13:14 > 0:13:17at the age that he is. He is pretty adorable,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20but we have to remember that our aim is to get them back into the wild.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Wild badger cubs live most of the day underground in a warm sett,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30so Pauline's cosy kitchen is a pretty good option
0:13:30 > 0:13:32for these vulnerable youngsters.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34For Bumblebee and Nat,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38this is just the first step on the long road to rerelease.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41When a badger first comes in,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43we obviously treat it for any wounds that it has,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46and treat it for anything that it needs.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50We will then have them TB-tested when they're around eight weeks old,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53and if that comes back as a negative, they would then be mixed
0:13:53 > 0:13:55with other badgers that we have on the site here
0:13:55 > 0:13:56to make a family group,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59and each badger has a different individual smell.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01And then, when they've scented each other,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04that creates an individual family smell.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Even after a month away from their natural home,
0:14:06 > 0:14:08there are promising signs
0:14:08 > 0:14:11that Bumblebee and Nat are still all badger.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And even at this age, whilst they're out and about playing,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17they're climbing, they're digging, they'll grab items
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and pull them behind them, which is how they would
0:14:19 > 0:14:23collect bedding in the wild and drag it back to their setts.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26We see a lot of natural behaviour, which is really encouraging.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Playing is vital for the cubs to develop the life skills they'll need
0:14:31 > 0:14:34for survival. And, of course,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37it's what makes them irresistible to camera crews.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43LAUGHTER
0:14:50 > 0:14:54Two months later, the young badger cubs have been moved
0:14:54 > 0:14:56to an outside pen to mingle with other badgers,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58away from human company.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04But even more advanced in this delicate and painstaking process of
0:15:04 > 0:15:09rehabilitation, and almost ready for rerelease into the wild,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12is one very special otter.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13His name is Drift.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Across Somerset, otter numbers are steadily rising,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23helped by the warm weather here and an abundance of waterways for them
0:15:23 > 0:15:27to fish in. But if a young otter is separated from its mother,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29it won't survive long.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34Drift was found in Somerset and he was found at the back of a hotel.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39He was just sat there, squeaking away - very sad and lonely.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Luckily, young Drift was brought here to Secret World
0:15:44 > 0:15:46for some expert care.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49He was a cub of just five weeks old.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52We've had Drift for over a year.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55His rehab's been really good.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59In her role as surrogate mum to the young otter, Josie's fed him,
0:15:59 > 0:16:04weaned him on to solid food, given him swimming lessons,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06and even taught him how to hunt.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13But there comes a time in all parents' lives for their young ones
0:16:13 > 0:16:14to fly the coop.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19It's really important for Drift just to get back home to the wild.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23He's a wild animal - that's where he needs to be. He's a male otter.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26- His biggest challenge is being a male. - SHE LAUGHS
0:16:26 > 0:16:28He's going to have to fight for his life, really.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31He's going to have to fight for his territory, fight for his women,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34and eventually, hopefully, he'll find his feet
0:16:34 > 0:16:36and he'll get into the swing of it.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Release coordinator Tristan Cooper has spent weeks researching
0:16:40 > 0:16:44the ideal spot for Drift to start his new life.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47The plan is for a soft release -
0:16:47 > 0:16:51a staged return to the wild in gentle steps -
0:16:51 > 0:16:54and the team will keep a close eye on his progress.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57For the first couple of weeks, this is his little world.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00So we've got screening and then we've got electric fencing.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05And it's basically a case of keeping him within this area for now.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07It's not such a shock to the system.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10He can get used to the new sounds and smells.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13It would be ideal to get a bit of the river in, but that's
0:17:13 > 0:17:15logistically really hard to do with an electric fence.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17But it's a really important that he's got water,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20because they have to keep their coat wet.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22There's sort of a pile of brash and some tunnels
0:17:22 > 0:17:24and some natural scrub and cover.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27So we're basically ready to go.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35We've done all we can for him, we've given him a really good start, and
0:17:35 > 0:17:38with Tristan's help to find such a great place to release him,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40yeah, I feel really good.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47After some initial uncertainty,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Drift soon starts to settle in to his new quarters.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01But this is just the first step.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04For now, he's still safely enclosed.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06In a few weeks, the fence will come down
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and Drift will be a wild otter once again.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21It's mid-May, and the smell of
0:18:21 > 0:18:24freshly-cut grass announces the arrival of summer.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29It's a busy time for any farmer,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31but on this particular farm
0:18:31 > 0:18:35there's an extra special sense of urgency about the place.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40This is Worthy Farm, home of the world-renowned Glastonbury Festival.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46Every summer, these 900 acres in the Vale of Avalon
0:18:46 > 0:18:49host the largest music festival in the world.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55And these green fields become home to a multicoloured makeshift city.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58But outside of that spell of midsummer madness,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01this is a traditional Somerset dairy farm,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04where keeping cows runs in the family.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07We've been milking here 160 years altogether.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Festival founder Michael Eavis is probably the country's most famous
0:19:11 > 0:19:14farmer, and even when the rock stars come calling,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17he's still in touch with his day job.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20I was always rushing around, taking phone calls from Radio 1,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23talking to The Smiths and all that sort of thing, and milking cows at
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- the same time.- Talking to Morrissey and milking cows?- Yeah.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And, as well as tending to his beloved cows,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33he's got time for the local wildlife too.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37It might seem surprising with a quarter of a million people here
0:19:37 > 0:19:42for two or three weeks every year, wildlife really does survive.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46The owls at night and the foxes and badgers -
0:19:46 > 0:19:48everything's here, you know?
0:19:48 > 0:19:51The survival of nature is unbelievably powerful.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53When the festival's happening,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55do you think the wildlife retreats deep into the hedge,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57or does it, sort of, come out and see what's going on?
0:19:57 > 0:19:59We used to take the deer out.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01You know, they were jumping over the fence to get back in.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Even when there were people on site?
0:20:03 > 0:20:05- Yes.- Really?- Seriously. - LAUGHTER
0:20:05 > 0:20:08One of the really striking things, looking around the farm,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11is your hedgerows - the amount of mature trees in your hedges.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13In fact, it is made of mature trees.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15I had to leave those, you see, deliberately.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18When the people were cutting them down,
0:20:18 > 0:20:20I was letting them grow, you know?
0:20:20 > 0:20:23And you're reaping the benefits in terms of songbirds and other
0:20:23 > 0:20:25- wildlife?- It's all full of life.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31Beyond the ancient hedgerows here at Worthy Farm, the pasture,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35ponds and woodlands all offer a refuge for wildlife.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39So what really happens to the wild residents of the farm
0:20:39 > 0:20:42when the festival crowds descend?
0:20:42 > 0:20:46I'm here today to find out about one family of creatures that have become
0:20:46 > 0:20:48well-known festival regulars.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53- Right in the corner.- In here?- Yeah, if you lean right over that tub...
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Oh, they're literally living in here?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00They're living underneath this building.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Really? There's a little animal track
0:21:03 > 0:21:05just the other side of this fence.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07You can see that's quite well worn.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12This building is where the crew, who work at the festival, are fed.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16But catering boss Audrey Brown has some other hungry mouths
0:21:16 > 0:21:19to feed here too - Glastonbury's resident badgers.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Behind her alfresco wash basins is an ancient sett
0:21:26 > 0:21:28that's home to up to 12 badgers.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35They've become more than used to the annual invasion.
0:21:35 > 0:21:36During the festival,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39they're crowded out of their regular hunting grounds,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41so they, too, turn up at the catering tent.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45So you're here cooking for about six weeks of the year,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48and during that time, the badgers know there's stuff going on here
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- and they come in looking for a bit of a free feed?- Yeah.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53What sort of treats are they getting?
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Well, they've had some pine nuts and they've had some dried apricots.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59- Very healthy stuff!- And they've had a bit of stale bread.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Are you usually seeing them when you feed them
0:22:01 > 0:22:03- or do you leave the feed out? - No, we leave it out.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Summer picnics are on the way.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Yeah. And it's a thrill to know that they've eaten that food,
0:22:08 > 0:22:13so they've been round and they've gone on back.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16You enjoy the idea that they're here and they're connected and,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18even when there's nearly a quarter of a million people here,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21the badgers are still safe and able to...
0:22:21 > 0:22:24But they were here before the quarter of a million people.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26We're intruding in their land.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27So, all the more reason,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- the obligation if you like, to look after them.- Yeah.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36It's one show at Glastonbury that hardly anyone's ever seen,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39but our automatic cameras should allow us to catch
0:22:39 > 0:22:43the nightly performance of the UK's most rock and roll badgers.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53The daily tides wash in and out
0:22:53 > 0:22:56over the newly-created reserve at Steart Marshes.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Success of this exciting wetlands project depends on
0:22:59 > 0:23:04the animals it's intended for deciding to make use of it.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Today, Tom Stamp and Sean Plenty are hoping to find some very important
0:23:08 > 0:23:12new arrivals, and their early-morning investigation
0:23:12 > 0:23:13has drawn a bit of a crowd.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16COW MOOS
0:23:16 > 0:23:19That's too close for comfort.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21LAUGHTER
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Usually they will just head over the bank.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31This one doesn't seem to be too put off by us being here.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Maybe if we just ignore it...
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Yeah, try. Yeah, let's try and ignore it.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- MOOING AND LAUGHTER - You can't eat a net!
0:23:42 > 0:23:44This isn't tasty.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Tom and Sean are looking for fish.
0:23:48 > 0:23:49For these two scientists,
0:23:49 > 0:23:53it's a big moment in their study of this new environment,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56worthy of their attentive audience.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01They hope today to find proof that these tidal, muddy creeks are being
0:24:01 > 0:24:05used as a nursery where juvenile sea fish can grow,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07protected from the open sea.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11So we're just dragging the two ends of the net together and hopefully
0:24:11 > 0:24:14all the fish should collect at one part of the net.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20OK.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23This is a thin-lipped mullet. That's actually quite a fat one.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26That one's doing quite well. Looks very healthy.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Obviously, we've just taken the fish out of the natural environment,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and so they're going to be a bit stressed when they come into
0:24:34 > 0:24:36contact with the nets, so what we try and do is put them in a bucket
0:24:36 > 0:24:38of water as quickly as possible with an aerator,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42so they don't run out of oxygen and they're as happy as they can be
0:24:42 > 0:24:44while we measure and process them.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49Here we have a juvenile herring.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Thin-lipped mullet.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53As well as being identified,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56each baby fish is measured.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Thin-lipped mullet, 90.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Thin-lipped mullet, 70.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Thin-lipped mullet, 96.
0:25:05 > 0:25:11One species of fish in particular seems to be finding sanctuary here.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Thin-lipped mullet, 102.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17The mullet tend to be feeding on
0:25:17 > 0:25:19little plankton that grow on the mud.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Which is quite interesting - the different species use the salt marsh
0:25:22 > 0:25:24in different ways. And what we've found at the moment is that
0:25:24 > 0:25:28you do tend to get higher fish diversity and equal or sometimes
0:25:28 > 0:25:31even higher fish abundance compared to the natural salt marshes.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35So, at the moment, we've got quite promising results.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38One fish whose stocks are under mounting pressure in the UK
0:25:38 > 0:25:41is the sea bass, so to find some
0:25:41 > 0:25:44young bass here would be encouraging.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47So all the fish are basically swimming up and down these channels,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and as the tide ebbs, they all want to get out of the salt marsh
0:25:50 > 0:25:51as quick as possible.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54So they're coming down the salt marsh to be funnelled through a
0:25:54 > 0:25:58series of chambers into what's called the cod end right here.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01It's always quite exciting, this bit.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Ah! One scoop and two...
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- Two bass.- Two juvenile bass. - That's cool. So, we know that from
0:26:11 > 0:26:14elsewhere in the UK, they use salt marsh quite a lot when they're
0:26:14 > 0:26:17really young. At the moment, they're going through quite a rapid decline
0:26:17 > 0:26:21around the UK, so every individual counts.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Bass - 81.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25For Tom and Sean, it's been a good day,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and further proof that
0:26:27 > 0:26:31when it comes to creating a much-needed new salt marsh habitat
0:26:31 > 0:26:35for British wildlife, if you build it, they will come.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Keeping dry land under your feet has been a challenge
0:26:42 > 0:26:44ever since people first settled on the Levels.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49Over thousands of years, rivers have been diverted
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and drainage ditches dug to contain the water.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58The resulting patchwork of land is steeped in history
0:26:58 > 0:27:00and often brimming with rare wildlife.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06In the dawn light of an autumn morning, it's an atmospheric place.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17I've joined amateur wildlife photographer Stephen Hembury
0:27:17 > 0:27:21to visit a spot by the River Tone near Taunton
0:27:21 > 0:27:22where, at this time of day,
0:27:22 > 0:27:27he's had regular sightings of one of my favourite animals - the otter.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32What's the plan?
0:27:32 > 0:27:35We're going to be heading up around this corner,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38another 200, 300 yards up the river,
0:27:38 > 0:27:43and that's generally where I see an otter or two pop out.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45And when did you last see an otter here?
0:27:45 > 0:27:49- Yesterday morning.- Oh, really?- Yes. - Very excited to be here today.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Good, good.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Stephen's a dedicated wildlife watcher who knows these river banks
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and their wild inhabitants as well as anyone round here.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03And this is a spot where he's seen and filmed otters before.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07And I got on film, it catching a big fish as well.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09- So...- What sort of fish did it catch?
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I think it was a pike. It had a big old tail on it.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14It was a big fish.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16When you see this otter here,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18it tends to be moving and fishing and...
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Yeah, moving and fishing.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24Sometimes they may only come up once and then disappear.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Often it's just a glimpse, it's the best you can hope to get.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35Recently, Stephen's patient vigil was rewarded by this playful pair.
0:28:36 > 0:28:41Somerset's otters were once in real decline but, since the 1980s,
0:28:41 > 0:28:43they've made a significant comeback.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46But they're still far from easy to see,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49so we need to be alert to any little sign.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51You are able to track their bubbles.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54They do blow bubbles as they swim, so you can track the bubbles.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58But sometimes the bubbles disappear and then the otter's gone with them.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01The otter can be inquisitive. They can, erm...
0:29:01 > 0:29:03They'll come by and they'll stop
0:29:03 > 0:29:06and they'll have a look and check you out.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08And then they'll move on.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13I often wonder, are they, or is there something else
0:29:13 > 0:29:18sat in the reeds on the other side watching us, you know?
0:29:18 > 0:29:21You're sat there nice and quiet and they just know you're there.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23They're sitting over there saying,
0:29:23 > 0:29:25"I wonder if those strange creatures
0:29:25 > 0:29:27"are going to come out and sit on a bank today!"
0:29:27 > 0:29:30QUIET CHUCKLING
0:29:30 > 0:29:32No otters for me so far.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36But time spent in a spot like this is never wasted,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38especially in such good company.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Now, always, if you're out looking at wildlife, then,
0:29:42 > 0:29:45if there's a commotion, find it, watch it.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48- Always something happening. - Have a look.- Absolutely. Yeah.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Little bit of a display there.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57That could get interesting over there.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Yeah. There's another half a dozen coming down the other way.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05That bird's got wings opened up to look a little bit larger.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Yeah, that's right. Yeah.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10As most things do when they get defensive or aggressive,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- they puff out. Make themselves look bigger.- Oh, yeah. Look at that!
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Really looking after himself, isn't he?
0:30:16 > 0:30:19That preening behaviour is just so important
0:30:19 > 0:30:21for the condition of the feathers.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Look at that upside down head!
0:30:27 > 0:30:29That's ridiculous.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32Takes a lot of work to stay looking this good, isn't it?
0:30:35 > 0:30:38It's a funny time of year for the birds,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40coming into their winter plumage.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43So, that's probably what a lot of this is about.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47We've got the cygnets preening now, lovely and close.
0:30:47 > 0:30:48And they're pretty good at it.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51They're not in the same class as their dad.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Not quite there just yet, are they?
0:30:53 > 0:30:55He really takes the cake.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57They've been watching and learning, I think.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01These cygnets will stay with their parents for a few more months yet.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Then, when they have a pristine, white plumage of their own,
0:31:04 > 0:31:08they'll be driven off to fend for themselves and, with luck,
0:31:08 > 0:31:10to find their own lifelong mate.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12We've given it our best shot here, haven't we?
0:31:12 > 0:31:14It's been a beautiful way to start the morning.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18- Yeah, it has been. I'm never disappointed.- No, it's been lovely.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Sometimes you see nothing,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22but you've got all the sights, the sounds, the smells.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24- You never quite see nothing, do you?- No.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27- There's always something. - Oh, yeah, absolutely.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31I've loved being by the river bank this morning,
0:31:31 > 0:31:35even if Stephen's otters didn't show themselves today.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Though, as we head off for breakfast,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42I can't help feeling they'll probably be here tomorrow.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56The Somerset coast is defined by the powerful tidal waters
0:31:56 > 0:32:01of the Bristol Channel, where the River Severn flows into the sea.
0:32:01 > 0:32:06This vast estuary is one of the most important places in Britain
0:32:06 > 0:32:10for a creature that, down the years, I've become rather obsessed with.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14As tiny little babies, they swim upstream in their millions,
0:32:14 > 0:32:15heading right up the river.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Then years, maybe even decades later,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21as part of an extraordinary life cycle
0:32:21 > 0:32:23that we still don't fully understand,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26a lucky few of them head downstream again,
0:32:26 > 0:32:30swimming out to sea in the hope of starting the next generation.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Of course, I'm talking about the eel.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40These marvellous, mysterious fish can grow over a metre long
0:32:40 > 0:32:43and live up to 100 years.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47Until a few decades ago, eels were an important food fish,
0:32:47 > 0:32:52served up jellied and smoked in pubs and cafes all over Britain.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55I have to admit that I have, in the past, caught,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59cooked and eaten eels with considerable enthusiasm.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01But that's not something
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I'm thinking of doing again any time soon.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06And the reason is that eel numbers in our rivers
0:33:06 > 0:33:09are in serious decline.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13But ecologists Harriet Alvis and Scott West are optimistic
0:33:13 > 0:33:16that the creation of a new wetland at Steart Marshes
0:33:16 > 0:33:19could help to improve the eels' fortunes
0:33:19 > 0:33:21in this part of the UK at least.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23- Are you in, Harriet? - Yeah, we can push you off.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27And I can't wait to join them
0:33:27 > 0:33:29for their first ever trip to look for eels here.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34That looks good.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38- You've done this before, haven't you?- I'm liking this.
0:33:38 > 0:33:39Keeps me warm.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42You're putting me to shame there.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45The first place we're checking out is one of the older,
0:33:45 > 0:33:50more established pools that predates the creation of the new wetlands.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55OK, so we've deployed five double fyke nets.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58These fyke nets are targeting adult eels.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Yeah, that's right. So, we're really trying to understand
0:34:01 > 0:34:03the larger eel population here.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Does this look like an eely pond to you?
0:34:05 > 0:34:09- It is as eely as it gets, Hugh. - Is it?- It really is.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Well, Scott should know.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13All right, so, here we go.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16- And we've got an eel. - Oh, that's exciting.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18- Fantastic.- An adult.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Well done, Scott. It's a beaut.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26Lovely. Really nice. It's almost got a kind of reddish tinge to it.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28It's because of the clear water.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30So it lives in clear water,
0:34:30 > 0:34:32so naturally it takes a dark appearance.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35- Good size, eh?- Yeah. - Well done, everyone.
0:34:37 > 0:34:38Absolutely stunning.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42This female eel could be more than 20 years old,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46and she's showing one of the many remarkable features
0:34:46 > 0:34:48of this strange fish - shape shifting.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Depending on whether they form mainly fish prey
0:34:52 > 0:34:56or larger invertebrates, which depends on where they live,
0:34:56 > 0:34:58they'll either have sort of a flat head,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01wide, sort of flat triangle, arrow tip type head,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04or a much broader head.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06And the flat, pointy one would be a predator eel?
0:35:06 > 0:35:07That's correct. Yeah.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10And the flatter, broader one would be a mud-chomping...?
0:35:10 > 0:35:13Yeah. Larger invertebrates, that type of thing.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Eating grubs and things in the mud.
0:35:15 > 0:35:16They eat both,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19but they will specifically sort of morph their head.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21So, they become specialist feeders
0:35:21 > 0:35:24and their heads change shape to adapt to what they're feeding on?
0:35:24 > 0:35:26That's right.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28So, could you tell if this is a stickleback-muncher
0:35:28 > 0:35:32- or a kind of an invertebrate, wormy sucker?- This is a...
0:35:32 > 0:35:37The more pointed shape one, so this is probably a fish chaser.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Trapping this eel was relatively straightforward.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Getting her vital statistics is another matter entirely.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45And your half drainpipe here does the job?
0:35:47 > 0:35:49It never goes exactly to plan.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53Measuring a very slippery, wriggly customer.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55- That's right. - Good luck with that.- Yeah.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Well done, well done, well done. You've got her.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03You've got her.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06Oh, nice job. Whoa!
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Back in the bucket.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10Beautiful, beautiful.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12Erm... There we go.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Just coming up to 72, I've got.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19Whoa, whoa, whoa.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23It's great to see such a beautiful, healthy female...
0:36:25 > 0:36:28..and even better to watch her return to the depths unharmed.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Well done, team.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32Once she's fully matured,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36our eel will begin an incredible and improbable adventure
0:36:36 > 0:36:39that's one of the great aquatic journeys of the natural world.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44It all starts on moonless, wet nights in autumn.
0:36:45 > 0:36:50This is when the mature silver eels head downstream,
0:36:50 > 0:36:53some leaving ditches and ponds to find rivers
0:36:53 > 0:36:56that will carry them down to the sea.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Here, along with eels from all over Europe,
0:36:59 > 0:37:03they cross the Atlantic to the Sargasso Sea near the Caribbean.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08They were born here and, after breeding, they'll die here.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Their offspring then drift on the currents,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13thousands of miles back to the rivers of Europe.
0:37:15 > 0:37:20They arrive as glass eels - tiny translucent young
0:37:20 > 0:37:24that become elvers as they adapt to living in freshwater.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27Sadly, in just 40 years,
0:37:27 > 0:37:32the eel population in Europe has plunged by 95%.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34I love these incredible creatures,
0:37:34 > 0:37:37but they're in trouble and they need our help.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41It's obviously vital that as many adult eels as possible
0:37:41 > 0:37:44complete that journey to the Sargasso Sea to breed.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47And if we're going to help with that here in the UK,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50then we need to make sure that elvers can get up our rivers
0:37:50 > 0:37:52and adult eels can get down them.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58Andrew Carr is from the Sustainable Eel Group.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01Mankind really, over hundreds of years,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03has done all sorts of things to the environment.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07In particular, there are the blocked migration pathways.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Flood defences, weirs and dams, are just some of the barriers
0:38:14 > 0:38:18that are hampering the natural breeding cycle of the eel.
0:38:19 > 0:38:24These are all historic wetlands but, over the centuries,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26we've been draining them.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31In England and Wales, we have about 20% left of what we had.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35So, loss of habitat is a major issue for the eel.
0:38:37 > 0:38:38Despite the decline,
0:38:38 > 0:38:42elvers are still fished here in the way they always have been -
0:38:42 > 0:38:45at night, with hand nets, on the rising tide.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49But a new breed of fishermen are now doing their bit to conserve,
0:38:49 > 0:38:53as well as catch, the tiny glass eels.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Harley Curl is a fourth-generation elverman here on the River Parrett.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00My grandad always used to tell me,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03he used to live by the river and when he was little,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06he used to go out and see all the elvers in the river.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10My dad used to come out and I used to go out with him.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15As soon as I've been able to hold a net, I've been fishing for myself.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19I've always done it, so I wouldn't imagine not doing it.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25These days, half of the elvers caught in UK rivers
0:39:25 > 0:39:26are set aside for restocking.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33From a distribution centre in Gloucestershire, they're sorted,
0:39:33 > 0:39:37packed and shipped out to resupply waterways, not only in the UK,
0:39:37 > 0:39:39but also in Europe.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45Packing them up to survive these journeys is a major operation.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Some of these wriggly dignitaries
0:39:48 > 0:39:51even get their very own private plane.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58But others will be staying much closer to home.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03This school is about to receive its own consignment...
0:40:06 > 0:40:08..hand delivered by Harriet.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- ALL:- Whoa!
0:40:15 > 0:40:18She's getting classrooms on the Somerset Levels
0:40:18 > 0:40:21actively involved in eel conservation.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26The schools will look after them for about four weeks.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28In that time they get bigger and fatter
0:40:28 > 0:40:30and they'll get darker in colour.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32And then the schools are going to release them into their local river,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35so they're helping to stock the next population of eels.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38OK. In they go.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Our eels will need all the help they can get from the next generation
0:40:41 > 0:40:45so it's great to involve the kids growing up in eel country.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47Has anyone got fish at home in a tank?
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Yeah? And do you have...
0:40:50 > 0:40:51The fact they ask so many questions
0:40:51 > 0:40:54really helps them to learn about their environment,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57rather than us talking at them, and they are really, really interested.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01That one. I would say that one, actually.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05It looks quite fun being an eel, because you'd be wriggling around.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09The kids have got to help to clean the poo out and they feed them.
0:41:09 > 0:41:10They do water changes
0:41:10 > 0:41:13and just generally checking on their wellbeing,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15making sure they're active and they're disease-free.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17It's a big responsibility.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20I'm going to call them Gracie number two.
0:41:20 > 0:41:21Gracie number two.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24- Which one's Gracie number two? - That one.- That one.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27I definitely think it's the most powerful engagement project
0:41:27 > 0:41:30that we've got. For the kids to be able to look after them for so long
0:41:30 > 0:41:33and to learn so many different things about rivers,
0:41:33 > 0:41:35rather than just being taught on a piece of paper,
0:41:35 > 0:41:37yeah, it's definitely so powerful.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46In three weeks, the elvers are ready to return to the rivers of Somerset.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Where do you think he's gone?
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Down there.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04Down there. What do you think it's going to do down there?
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Find a home.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09Tip it out. Yay. It jumped out, yours.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Oh, I can see it.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15- Bye-bye.- Did you like having him in your classroom?
0:42:15 > 0:42:19- Yeah.- What was the best bit? - It was looking after them.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23Eventually, some of the elvers the children have released
0:42:23 > 0:42:25will mature into adult silver eels,
0:42:25 > 0:42:29ready to make that marathon journey across the Atlantic.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33With luck, their stopover in a Somerset classroom
0:42:33 > 0:42:36will have won the eel a new generation of supporters.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50At Worthy Farm, there's only a week to go
0:42:50 > 0:42:53until the start of the Glastonbury Festival.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55The site is buzzing.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57And so, too, are the hedgerows.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01With bees, naturally.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03But not just any bees.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07These are British black bees
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and a colony of around half a million of them
0:43:10 > 0:43:14are kept here by Glastonbury's commercial director Robert Richards,
0:43:14 > 0:43:16and the festival's founder, Michael Eavis.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Black bees are indigenous UK bees.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23I talked it through with Michael.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25He was really enthusiastic about having some bees.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29One of the reasons for promoting black bees
0:43:29 > 0:43:33is because black bees don't suffer from the same diseases
0:43:33 > 0:43:36that imported bees can do.
0:43:37 > 0:43:42Bees are pollinators with a vital role in fertilising plants.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46But, recently, numbers have been in steep and worrying decline.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50The reasons are complex and controversial.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54But one thing that is giving hope is this hardy British bee.
0:43:55 > 0:43:59Black bees account for just 1% of our honeybees.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02But, as a native species, they're suited to our climate
0:44:02 > 0:44:07and seem to be more resistant to the traumas affecting other honey bees.
0:44:07 > 0:44:11So, these VIP bees need to be looked after,
0:44:11 > 0:44:15which is why beekeeper Joe King is making a timely intervention.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17He's taking the bees on holiday.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22Bees cope very well with what they're used to.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25And so, all of a sudden, from being very quiet and tranquil,
0:44:25 > 0:44:27with an occasional person about,
0:44:27 > 0:44:30suddenly you've got a quarter of a million people bopping up and down
0:44:30 > 0:44:33in the fields around you.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35There's a lot of noise.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38I think there's a lot of the heavy bass
0:44:38 > 0:44:42which goes on during the day and part of the night.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44And I think that sort of thing
0:44:44 > 0:44:46probably would be very unsettling for them.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52Honey bees are sensitive to low-frequency sounds,
0:44:52 > 0:44:55so a thumping bass could well cause them damage.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01Since it's not that difficult to actually move a colony of bees,
0:45:01 > 0:45:05it does make sense just to move them out for a few weeks.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09As soon as the bees have returned to their hives for the night...
0:45:11 > 0:45:14..the job of preparing for the move can begin.
0:45:17 > 0:45:22First, the entrances are sealed and, to prevent them from overheating,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25each hive gets a ventilated travel screen.
0:45:33 > 0:45:38The next morning, Glastonbury's bees are ready to be spirited away.
0:45:43 > 0:45:45But when the engine is running,
0:45:45 > 0:45:47there's slight vibration in the vehicle
0:45:47 > 0:45:50and the bees seem to cling on to the comb.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52The problem is when you turn the engine off.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55But the idea is you don't turn the engine off till you get there.
0:46:01 > 0:46:06Seven miles down the road, the bees reach their destination -
0:46:06 > 0:46:10the serene setting of the gardens of Glastonbury Abbey.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15The abbey and the farm have a connection dating back
0:46:15 > 0:46:18to the very beginning of Worthy Farm's existence,
0:46:18 > 0:46:20when it was presented by the abbot
0:46:20 > 0:46:23to a person he deemed worthy of the gift.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28And this ancient place of sanctuary seems a fitting spot
0:46:28 > 0:46:32for these treasured British bees to carry on their vital resurgence.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37It looks to me as if they've travelled well.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39They're in good spirits.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41They're coming out. They're having a look around.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44They'll get used to where they are and what they'll start doing
0:46:44 > 0:46:48is by flying very short distances immediately around the hive.
0:46:48 > 0:46:53and gradually, as they're orientated, and they get to know it,
0:46:53 > 0:46:57they then gradually start travelling in wider circles
0:46:57 > 0:47:00until they're totally familiar.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03And, you know, they'll start foraging.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06There's lots of nice trees in Glastonbury,
0:47:06 > 0:47:10so they should do very well. They should enjoy their holiday.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13They'll have a lot quieter time than if they're at the festival, I think.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21A few days after the bee relocation,
0:47:21 > 0:47:24the transformation of the once-peaceful fields
0:47:24 > 0:47:26of Worthy Farm is complete.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35Backstage, the crew catering tent is in full swing.
0:47:38 > 0:47:42Manager Audrey makes it her job to ensure nobody misses out.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Along with husband Terry,
0:47:46 > 0:47:50she ends the day with a special "at table" service
0:47:50 > 0:47:53for the farm's full-time tenants.
0:47:53 > 0:47:59We've got some nice bits of apple and a nice bit of buttered bread.
0:47:59 > 0:48:00They love that.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03When we check the next day, the food always seems to be gone,
0:48:03 > 0:48:05so they seem to enjoy it.
0:48:05 > 0:48:07We feel that if we feed them in here,
0:48:07 > 0:48:09they're not going out into the crowds
0:48:09 > 0:48:12and not going anywhere near people's tents
0:48:12 > 0:48:17so they're not getting harmed and they're not harming anybody.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22And right on cue,
0:48:22 > 0:48:26Glastonbury's very own badger family arrives for dinner.
0:48:33 > 0:48:34They're just a stone's throw
0:48:34 > 0:48:37from thousands of unsuspecting festivalgoers.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41But the badgers are careful not to draw a crowd.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45Although they don't see especially well,
0:48:45 > 0:48:47badgers do have an acute sense of smell.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51And very sensitive hearing.
0:48:52 > 0:48:54Their sett here could be centuries old.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00And there's not much that its robust residents haven't seen before.
0:49:04 > 0:49:08Long may they go on making the most of an annual opportunity
0:49:08 > 0:49:11that they seem more than capable of taking in their stride.
0:49:20 > 0:49:24Just a few miles from Glastonbury, at a secret location,
0:49:24 > 0:49:27Tristan is preparing for a crucial moment
0:49:27 > 0:49:29in the life of orphaned otter Drift.
0:49:31 > 0:49:34Two weeks ago, Drift was moved to his halfway house,
0:49:34 > 0:49:37an enclosure where he can adjust to life in the wild.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48But today's the day when that fence is coming down.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52It's all out of our hands now.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56It's up to him to go and find his way in the wild.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59But we know we've done everything we can
0:49:59 > 0:50:01to give him the best second chance.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03I hope he's going to go and make me proud.
0:50:08 > 0:50:09Drift is left alone
0:50:09 > 0:50:12to pick his moment to venture into the wild.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18The remote trail cams left around the site will be Tristan's
0:50:18 > 0:50:21only indication of how Drift is getting on.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26It's the culmination of months of work and preparation.
0:50:28 > 0:50:31He's still around in the area, which is quite a nice surprise.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34We didn't expect him to hang around this long.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37But I think that's a good thing that he's still about.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39He's eating well.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41He's fending for himself.
0:50:41 > 0:50:45He's swimming in the river, which he's obviously never done before,
0:50:45 > 0:50:47which is really exciting.
0:50:55 > 0:50:57Tristan still leaves food for Drift
0:50:57 > 0:51:00to support him as he learns to hunt for himself.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04But where there's free fish, there's likely to be competition.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12We've got a fox that's been hanging around quite a bit,
0:51:12 > 0:51:16who we think has been sharing the food that's being put out for Drift.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22He's not been going back for support food every day,
0:51:22 > 0:51:24which suggests that he is finding natural food
0:51:24 > 0:51:26and he is learning to fend for himself.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30It's fantastic to see Drift's instinct and adaptive intelligence
0:51:30 > 0:51:33kicking in after a year of captivity.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35And the cameras have revealed something
0:51:35 > 0:51:38that was beyond Tristan's wildest hopes.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40We've got two otters,
0:51:40 > 0:51:43which I think is potentially Drift
0:51:43 > 0:51:45and a lady otter.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47So, it's really exciting to see
0:51:47 > 0:51:48and quite a surprise.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54The fact that he's hung around for this long and has now been,
0:51:54 > 0:51:57obviously, interacting with another otter, is really exciting,
0:51:57 > 0:52:00because male otters are fiercely territorial
0:52:00 > 0:52:05and there was a chance that he was going to go out into the world
0:52:05 > 0:52:08and get his butt kicked, basically.
0:52:11 > 0:52:16Who knows? There could be little baby Drifts out there
0:52:16 > 0:52:19at some point in the foreseeable future.
0:52:19 > 0:52:21Who knows?
0:52:32 > 0:52:36I'm back at Steart Marshes, investigating the future of a fish
0:52:36 > 0:52:40I've always found deeply intriguing - the eel.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44It loves wetlands but they're a disappearing habitat in the UK,
0:52:44 > 0:52:47so this brilliant new wetland reserve
0:52:47 > 0:52:49could play a crucial role in its local revival.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54I'm with fish biologists Scott and Harriet.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57We've already found an adult eel here.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00But Scott wants proof that the young elvers,
0:53:00 > 0:53:04fresh from their Atlantic migration, are settling here too.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06So, if we find elvers today,
0:53:06 > 0:53:10will they be the first elvers you've worked with on Steart Marshes?
0:53:10 > 0:53:13- Yep. That's it. - OK. So, it's going to be a first.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16- Yeah, yeah.- Or a zero?- First or a zero.- It's a blank or a first.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20Yeah, you know. If we get them, I'll be super happy.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22It's a cold, February morning.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24At this time of year,
0:53:24 > 0:53:28tiny elvers should be arriving from the ocean and heading upstream.
0:53:29 > 0:53:34But weirs, tidal gates and sluices could block the elvers' routes.
0:53:35 > 0:53:40So Scott and Harriet have installed special ramps to help them
0:53:40 > 0:53:43slither up against the flow of the stream and get through.
0:53:44 > 0:53:49Gosh, so you're asking those elvers to have swum up there?
0:53:49 > 0:53:51That's correct, yeah.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53That's going to require quite an effort
0:53:53 > 0:53:54for those little fellas, isn't it?
0:53:54 > 0:53:57Well, inside that covered black box, as you can see the green,
0:53:57 > 0:54:00it's all that upturned bristle filament.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04So they slither their way up the pass inside there.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07So those bristles give them some traction to go uphill?
0:54:07 > 0:54:08That's correct, yeah.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11Yeah, a bit of a challenge and that's only one of the structures
0:54:11 > 0:54:13along the river so, you know,
0:54:13 > 0:54:16there are several obstacles they've got to make across the journey.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19We want to find out whether the elvers
0:54:19 > 0:54:22are actually using these eel elevators.
0:54:22 > 0:54:23Whoa!
0:54:23 > 0:54:25That was close.
0:54:28 > 0:54:32I'm getting very close to the limit of my waders here!
0:54:32 > 0:54:34Using an old pair of tights as a net,
0:54:34 > 0:54:37Scott and Harriet have designed a simple trap
0:54:37 > 0:54:39to catch any passing elvers.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47I don't think so, Scott. I'm really sorry.
0:54:47 > 0:54:51It's a disappointing start, but there are a few more traps to check.
0:54:51 > 0:54:54Ooh... Ah.
0:54:54 > 0:54:56I don't see an elver.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00No matter how hard we search, the elvers are nowhere to be found.
0:55:02 > 0:55:06Jeez. Are you starting to think it probably was not an elvery night,
0:55:06 > 0:55:10- it just wasn't happening?- Yeah.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13The enigmatic elver has eluded us today, but there's still a hope
0:55:13 > 0:55:17we'll find some bigger eels out in the new salt marsh.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19This is a completely different landscape
0:55:19 > 0:55:21to where we pulled the first fyke.
0:55:21 > 0:55:23Yeah, that's right. I mean, it was only four years ago now
0:55:23 > 0:55:25that this was farmland and fields.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28- Really? That recently? - And now it's saltwater brackish.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30We've got a new habitat here
0:55:30 > 0:55:33so it would be fantastic to know whether eels are using it.
0:55:33 > 0:55:35Let's have a look at this one.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38I've not been feeling too confident about the salt marsh.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41We'll see how it goes, but let's have a look.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46- Yeah.- There's something in it!
0:55:46 > 0:55:49- Yes! Look at that! - It's a little greeny.
0:55:49 > 0:55:53- Fantastic. - That's really significant here.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57That's a young eel, the second eel we've caught here at Steart ever.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00- And the first one in this habitat. - The first in this habitat.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03- What were we saying on the way over here?- Eel history.- Eel history!
0:56:03 > 0:56:07- Fantastic.- Such a different animal, isn't it?
0:56:07 > 0:56:09This one I would say is...
0:56:10 > 0:56:12..probably isn't mature yet.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15A real significant find for this new salt marsh.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18And until now we did not know for sure
0:56:18 > 0:56:20that eels were using this habitat.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23- Yes, that's right.- And now you do. - Now we do, which means a lot.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26It means a lot to me. I've got a lot to think about now.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29- It's a whole new eel story. - It is, yeah. Yeah, it is.
0:56:30 > 0:56:32Away you go, little fella.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34You are eel history.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39But what a great day.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41I used to catch eels...
0:56:42 > 0:56:44..to cook them and eat them.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46And today I spent the day
0:56:46 > 0:56:50catching eels with Scott and Harriet for conservation.
0:56:50 > 0:56:54It's been the most exciting eel hunting trip I've ever been on.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57And how fantastic to see them slithering away
0:56:57 > 0:56:59into this amazing new habitat.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03But where are those elusive elvers?
0:57:03 > 0:57:08After all, they're the vital future of Steart's eel population.
0:57:09 > 0:57:13OK, Hugh, looks like you've missed the glass eels and the elvers
0:57:13 > 0:57:15by literally a day.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19Here are some lovely little glass eels.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21Just got their black line down them,
0:57:21 > 0:57:24so they've been feeding in freshwater.
0:57:24 > 0:57:29These are the first glass eels caught at the Steart site.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34Not just in Europe but globally,
0:57:34 > 0:57:37the eel faces a very uncertain future
0:57:37 > 0:57:39due to overfishing and habitat loss.
0:57:40 > 0:57:42But what I've seen here at Steart Marshes
0:57:42 > 0:57:45is that it isn't necessarily our destiny
0:57:45 > 0:57:48always to be taking from nature.
0:57:48 > 0:57:52We are capable of rebuilding and giving back wild places too.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57And when we do, the rewards are rich indeed.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04If you'd like to explore Britain's diverse landscapes in more detail
0:58:04 > 0:58:08and find out how to create your own wildlife habitats,
0:58:08 > 0:58:12the Open University has produced a free booklet with Bookmarks.
0:58:13 > 0:58:18Order your copy by calling 0300 303 3643,
0:58:18 > 0:58:23or go to bbc.co.uk/hughswildwest
0:58:23 > 0:58:26and follow the links to the Open University.