0:00:04 > 0:00:10Only one creature has carved a life for itself in every habitat on Earth.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15That creature is us.
0:00:16 > 0:00:23All over the world, we still use our ingenuity to survive in the wild places,
0:00:23 > 0:00:28far from the city lights, face-to-face with raw nature.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33This is the Human Planet.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52In all the wild places on Earth,
0:00:52 > 0:00:56we have risen to the challenges nature has thrown at us.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04Now we have created the habitat of our dreams.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Designed by us, for us.
0:01:11 > 0:01:16The pinnacle of human imagination and ingenuity.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21This is where we humans like to think we reign supreme...
0:01:23 > 0:01:26..driving out the nature we don't want...
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Oh, God!
0:01:30 > 0:01:31..shipping in what we do.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39But the natural world isn't easy to control.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42THEY SHOUT
0:01:42 > 0:01:47Can we humans ever really master nature in the urban jungle?
0:01:47 > 0:01:50And is it wise to try?
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Dubai is the ultimate modern city...
0:02:14 > 0:02:18..orderly, sparkling and squeaky clean.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25It's a temple to man's ingenuity, rising from the desert.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34But there's a menace in the air.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35SPLAT
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Pigeons.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38SPLAT
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Thousands of them are making a mess in this pristine metropolis,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and Dubai doesn't like it.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50One man can help.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56The Arabs call him Al Hurr.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59His name is David Stead.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01WHISTLES: Good lad.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12His challenge is to keep Dubai pigeon free
0:03:12 > 0:03:16using falcons - an ancient Arabian solution
0:03:16 > 0:03:19for a modern urban problem.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25- DAVID:- Birds of prey, of course, are hunting birds.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28And the falcons, in the bird of prey family,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30are the specialist bird-hunters.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33They only catch other birds for a living.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37And, as a result, the pigeons are most scared of falcons,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40compared to any of the other birds of prey. So, even a pigeon
0:03:40 > 0:03:45that has never seen a falcon in its life does have this almost genetic fear
0:03:45 > 0:03:49of the silhouette - the shape - of a falcon.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Today, he is working for some of Dubai's top hotels
0:04:00 > 0:04:04with his peregrine falcon Nimr. WHISTLING
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Nimr is a three-year-old falcon now.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10They become adult at one.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13So she's now quite a mature falcon
0:04:13 > 0:04:16although, at three, she still has an awful lot to learn.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Out of the whole team, she's probably the most arrogant.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24She has this tremendous attitude about her
0:04:24 > 0:04:28and she knows who's in charge. And, I can assure you, it's not us.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34City pigeons damage these buildings.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Their corrosive droppings erode chrome and stone,
0:04:37 > 0:04:42and each bird can produce 12 kilos of mess a year.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50NIMR SQUAWKS
0:04:50 > 0:04:54But David's aim isn't to kill or even catch them.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56WHISTLING
0:04:56 > 0:04:59He is hoping to scare them away.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01And Nimr loves the chase.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04After all, she's a peregrine -
0:05:04 > 0:05:06the fastest creature in the sky,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10capable of swooping at 280 kilometres an hour.
0:05:14 > 0:05:20So, once she's moved them on, he needs to tempt her back.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21And that's tricky.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26She's an extremely inquisitive falcon,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29which can be frustrating for me, because I tend to lose
0:05:29 > 0:05:31all contact and control with her
0:05:31 > 0:05:34when she's flying and she sees something amusing.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44But there's always one way to a falcon's heart -
0:05:44 > 0:05:45the promise of a chicken dinner.
0:05:52 > 0:05:58Thanks to David and Nimr, Dubai's hotels remain pigeon-free.
0:06:04 > 0:06:10After all, no-one wants pigeon poo to spoil their million-dollar view.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Sometimes, driving unwanted wildlife out of a town
0:06:16 > 0:06:19requires a much more modern solution.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22SIRENS WAIL
0:06:27 > 0:06:31Sergeant Stan Schumaker is on a mission.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33INDISTINCT RADIO MESSAGE
0:06:37 > 0:06:40He works in Estes Park, Colorado.
0:06:41 > 0:06:47Every day he patrols his patch on an unusual police vehicle -
0:06:47 > 0:06:49a Segway scooter.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58His job is to keep the streets free of trouble.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03And trouble here is particularly large and spiky.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08HORNS BLARE
0:07:12 > 0:07:17Once the elk come in, getting around town's a hassle, pretty much
0:07:17 > 0:07:20from June to the beginning of October.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Every summer, the town is invaded by elk stags.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Sergeant Schumaker's job is to make sure that the locals
0:07:27 > 0:07:30can go about their daily business.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Not easy at this time of year.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34They may look placid,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38but elk weigh over 300 kilos, can be three metres tall
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and their antlers are lethal.
0:07:43 > 0:07:44They're pretty much everywhere in town.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48This whole valley is pretty much full of elk. At any given time,
0:07:48 > 0:07:53there could be anywhere from 500 to 1,500.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57The female elk love the urban grasslands.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00They live here year round.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03We've got two main golf courses.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07The grass is, of course, golf grass, so they absolutely love that.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09The male elk are only visiting.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And it's not for golf.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17The boys are back in town for one thing -
0:08:17 > 0:08:19a stag party.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22ELK GRUNT AND WHISTLE
0:08:23 > 0:08:25At this time of year,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29the stags fight over the females and can be very dangerous.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33ELK GRUNT AND BARK
0:08:33 > 0:08:36But it's not just the elk causing problems.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41Sergeant Schumaker also has to control the tourists.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45A lot of these tourists have no idea that these animals are wild.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47It's the craziest thing, but they...
0:08:47 > 0:08:50For some reason, they think these animals are tame.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54ELK WHISTLES AND GRUNTS
0:08:59 > 0:09:01SHOUTING
0:09:02 > 0:09:03ELK GRUNTS
0:09:03 > 0:09:07There's no messing with an irritable elk.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Get back, guys.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12ELK GRUNTS AND SQUEALS
0:09:12 > 0:09:14SHOUTING
0:09:19 > 0:09:23In the Wild West of the 21st century,
0:09:23 > 0:09:28the sheriff's white stallion has been replaced by a giant scooter.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31The elk do not like the Segway. I don't know what it is.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33I think it's the movement,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36because I'm not moving normal, as a human would walk.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40And I'm scurrying around a lot quicker on that Segway.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42So the elk do not like it whatsoever.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Today's been a good day for Sergeant Schumaker.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49He's run the troublemakers out of town.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58But not all the invaders who come to our cities are so easy to chase away.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Some cities are plagued by creatures
0:10:03 > 0:10:07who are just as wily and streetwise as us.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13Jaipur, one of the fastest growing cities in India.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Here, muggings and petty theft are part of everyday life.
0:10:17 > 0:10:23Shakuntla, a local market seller, is terrorised by street gangs.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25And these are not the local lads.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47She has to face them every day.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52They're a terrifying bunch.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02A posse of rhesus macaques hang out on the rooftops.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07One bite from these canines can inflict horrible damage.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26For the macaques, life in the urban jungle is even easier
0:11:26 > 0:11:27than life in the real one.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34MACAQUES CHATTER AND SHRIEK
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Like us, they can be smart and slick.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54Jaipur's temples and streets provide endless pockets to pick.
0:11:54 > 0:11:59And their favourite place is the food market.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04The question today is, will Shakuntla's stall
0:12:04 > 0:12:07survive all the monkey business?
0:12:17 > 0:12:22The attack is led by the gang leader, an alpha male.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36The macaques work as a co-ordinated team,
0:12:36 > 0:12:37ducking and diving.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Attacking from all angles,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46the smaller macaques distract Shakuntla,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50while the bolder males grab the loot.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Life on Jaipur's streets is tough enough.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17But when your enemy is protected by a deity, there's nothing you can do.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21These monkeys are sacred to the monkey god Hanuman.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Monkeys can be a menace in the market.
0:13:40 > 0:13:46But there is a wider war going on under all our city streets.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53SIRENS WAIL
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Some species have become a threat to our domination
0:13:56 > 0:14:00of our very own urban world.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Jeff and Junior are on a stakeout,
0:14:04 > 0:14:09hunting down mortal enemies on the Manhattan front line.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12My job is a night-time exterminator in New York City.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Day-time guys where I work do bedbugs.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20We just do rats, mice, roaches in restaurants.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23What sort of time do you think we'll be getting up in this place?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26I don't know. They said about midnight.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29They're not closed yet.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I mean, I don't really have a problem telling people what I do.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35But we try to be as discreet as possible, just because I don't want people
0:14:35 > 0:14:38to think that they're eating in an area that's full of rats.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42But East Village is full of them, so you can't hide that.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Rats love fine dining too.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47But they don't leave tips behind.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51They leave excrement and disease.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55No-one wants to admit that the Big Apple has a big rat problem,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58so Jeff and Junior only work at night.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Trash is a big deal.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Us being sloppy humans throwing trash out on the sidewalks,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07and leaving the juices and meat juices and chicken bones everywhere.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10That's a buffet for them, you know what I mean?
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Tonight, they're laying traps in Chinatown.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Wow!
0:15:15 > 0:15:16HE WHISTLES
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Are you OK?
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Another one of these, man.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Another one of these. Wow.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27How do you even leave your restaurant like this?
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Oh, man! Dude, look at this.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35Look at all of this stuff! Sushi, rice, noodles.
0:15:36 > 0:15:42Rats will eat anything, from chop suey to the chopsticks themselves.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44We walk in at night because we have keys.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46We have to go when the customers are gone.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51And when the people leave the restaurant, the rats think it's time to come out.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55But we go in there later, like an hour after they close, so they're out partying.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Uh-oh. There he is, there he is, there he is. Right there, right there.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Right there, right there, right there. See him?
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Shh! He's going down, he's going down. Right there. Right in the hole.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Damn!
0:16:06 > 0:16:08- He was drinking coffee.- Something.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11That's the last thing that this guy needs is coffee.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13HE CHUCKLES
0:16:13 > 0:16:14Unbelievable!
0:16:14 > 0:16:17- That's why I don't eat take out, man.- Yes, you do.
0:16:17 > 0:16:18HE CHUCKLES
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Come on. Let's go to the basement, man.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Watch out, man. It's slippery.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29And there's another horror in the basement.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33Yo! Look at the bugs in the ceiling! You don't ever see that.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34Right there behind the door.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37Cockroaches.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39This is professional extermination.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- Oh! Have you seen this basement? - What's in there, man?
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Old buildings connected by pipes and basements
0:16:47 > 0:16:51allow the rats and roaches to scuttle through the city unseen.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54It's disgusting in here. Look at the water dripping all over the place.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56We're basically trying to be quiet to hear noises
0:16:56 > 0:16:59for any, you know, any signs of rat activities.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02You hear that? You hear that? The little pitter-patter?
0:17:04 > 0:17:05- LIGHT TAPPING - Little fingernails?
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Yup. Over here.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Look at that. That goes right into the... I can see the kitchen!
0:17:16 > 0:17:19For Jeff and Junior, it's a lifelong fight.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23It's said there's at least one rat for every person in New York.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25That's nearly nine million rats.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31As far as humans winning the battle over rats - nowhere close.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34I don't even know how you would stop it, I really don't.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39They are going to use every contraption they can devise
0:17:39 > 0:17:41in the battle with the pests.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- Well, this is a...- I don't want to call them out, but...
0:17:44 > 0:17:46- Listen to that. - PITTER-PATTERING
0:17:46 > 0:17:49All those people out there, they have no idea what's happening down here.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51And they're going to come eat here tomorrow.
0:17:51 > 0:17:5350% off all day, huh?
0:17:53 > 0:17:55BOTH CHUCKLE
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Yeah... Yeah, no wonder.
0:18:05 > 0:18:1124 hours later, Jeff and Junior are back to assess the death toll.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12Ah, dude.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17The snap traps have worked.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21He's cute.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23And the glue mats.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26This one is decomposing.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28And the poison.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Oh, dude!
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- Look at the size of him!- He's dead.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Looks like he's been fighting with something, bro.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Damn! Look at them teeth, bro. Whoa!
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- Whoa!- What's the weight on that?
0:18:42 > 0:18:45I'm telling you, man. My arm got tired. That's pretty... That's brutal.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Oh, man!
0:18:47 > 0:18:52This is just another night in the ongoing battle with our eternal enemies.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Sometimes we'll walk out with bags of dead things
0:18:57 > 0:18:59And I'll take a take-out bag from the restaurant
0:18:59 > 0:19:03so people would think I'm leaving with take-out food.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23And it gets worse.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27There are other tiny creatures which take advantage
0:19:27 > 0:19:29of dense urban populations.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35They exploit us in much more intimate ways.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39They're reaching epidemic proportions.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Not just feeding off us like rats,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45but literally feeding on us.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Londoner Carol Anderson has these unwanted house guests.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Have you got any bites on you at the moment?
0:19:53 > 0:19:54You mean these?
0:19:56 > 0:19:58Yeah, the bites that you had all round here.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01There's still little red marks from them, aren't there?
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Where do you think they are in your room?
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Down the side of the bed.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- That's what I meant. - And crawling up the walls.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Irritating parasites which only come out at night.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20Right. Right. Come on, then.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23In you go. Hop up.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26That's it, then. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the...?
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- Bedbugs bite. - SHE LAUGHS
0:20:29 > 0:20:30Let's hope not.
0:20:38 > 0:20:45Bedbugs are insect vampires attracted to carbon dioxide, heat and body odours.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51They like clean, warm houses.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Their only food is human blood.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11The sheer numbers is quite daunting, really.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15They literally were streaming up the wall, up to the ceiling, just full of blood.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17So they'd obviously all just been feeding.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19First thing in the morning, I woke up and looked up.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22It was horrible, it really was horrible.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Carol calls in the best bedbug detector in the business...
0:21:32 > 0:21:36..Charlie the chocolate Labrador,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39ably assisted by his handler, Adam.
0:21:45 > 0:21:51Right. Well, the sofa seems to be the worst affected. Got lots of bugs in here.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56Charlie's nose is 44 times more sensitive than ours.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58He can literally sniff out the bedbugs.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Seek.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03CHARLIE SNIFFS
0:22:03 > 0:22:04CHARLIE GROWLS
0:22:06 > 0:22:11If they are present, he's trained to sit down.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Good boy, Charlie.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17It's all Adam needs to know.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Bedbugs are on the increase,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28hitchhiking as we travel from city to city,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31often infesting furniture like Carol's sofa.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37I do resent them, but I quite admire them as well.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40They're actually quite amazing,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42which makes it even creepier, you know, because...
0:22:42 > 0:22:44that's what I'm up against.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51But with Adam's spray and Charlie's nose,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54the bugs here have met their match.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58This is one urban intruder nobody wants to live with.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10In some parts of the world, people have learned
0:23:10 > 0:23:13to put their urban invaders to good use.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19The Moroccan city of Fez, a bit like Dubai,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21has a problem with pigeons.
0:23:23 > 0:23:29But rather than chasing them away, the people of Fez invite them in.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Nordine has built a home for pigeons on his roof.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00He doesn't do this just for the love of animals.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Pigeon droppings are vital to a local industry.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09And Nordine's friend Tami has come to buy some.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Tami works at the local tannery.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Fez is the centre of the Moroccan leather industry.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43The leather here is famed for its softness,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and the pigeon droppings are a secret ingredient.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Wild pigeon droppings
0:24:56 > 0:24:59contain an enzyme which eats at the protein
0:24:59 > 0:25:02in the animal skin, softening it up.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07The hides are soaked in the vats for three days,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10and Tami works them with his feet.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15This could be the stinkiest job in the world.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29For Tami, it's a price worth paying.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32The pigeon droppings give the skins a softness
0:25:32 > 0:25:35no man-made chemical can produce.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Thanks to Fez's wild pigeons,
0:26:08 > 0:26:12the skins will reach the highest possible price.
0:26:18 > 0:26:24Another very different city is also working with an urban intruder.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32SIRENS WAIL
0:26:34 > 0:26:41Sometimes even the most unlikely species can turn out to be good news.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45Austin, Texas,
0:26:45 > 0:26:51is now home to 1.5 million free-tail bats and, today,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53they are very welcome here.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56PIPING SQUEAKS
0:26:58 > 0:27:0220 years ago they set up home on this bridge in downtown Austin,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05and the residents wanted to get rid of them.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09MURMURING VOICES
0:27:09 > 0:27:13River boatman Captain Mike remembers it well.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15They're already taking off.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Look over the tree tops along the right-hand side.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19They are off and running.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24There was a fair amount of people that were actually afraid of the bats
0:27:24 > 0:27:27because they were afraid we were going to have a rabies problem
0:27:27 > 0:27:28or a disease outbreak,
0:27:28 > 0:27:32so there were actually groups of people lobbying the city council
0:27:32 > 0:27:37and business leaders to figure out a way to exterminate the colony.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43But bats turned out to be helpful for the city.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48The 24-hour urban lifestyle means that Austin is a city of light,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and that attracts millions of insects,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55which are, in turn, fast food for bats.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Every night, the bats eat six tonnes of insects.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07That's an incredible 2,000 tonnes a year.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13However, they're more than just bug killers.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17Captain Mike saw bats as a commercial opportunity.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22I started doing bat-watching cruises shortly after they moved in here,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25and word spread and they started getting more and more popular.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30So we do those seven nights a week during the season, from March to October.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Bats have really helped me in my business, so I love them.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35If you look up underneath the bridge,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37you can watch them drop out of these cracks here.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39Visitors who come to see the bats
0:28:39 > 0:28:44generate 10 million in tourist revenue every year.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49So the free-tail bats of the state capital are now protected.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52PIPING SQUEAKS
0:29:00 > 0:29:04It turns out we still want to be connected to nature,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07and perhaps we always have.
0:29:08 > 0:29:09HORNS BEEP
0:29:12 > 0:29:18In India, one group of people take caring for animals to the ultimate extreme,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21and they've been doing it for centuries.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29Shyam Sunder has rescued a chinkara gazelle
0:29:29 > 0:29:32on the outskirts of his town in Rajasthan.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Her mother has been killed.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Without milk, the fawn will not survive,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43so Shyam is taking her home.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13They're calling her Arti,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17and a spot of sandalwood honours her arrival.
0:30:20 > 0:30:25Kyran, Shyam's wife, has cared for many gazelles.
0:30:36 > 0:30:43The Sunders belong to a Hindu sect of nature worshippers called the Bishnoi.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Shyam supplies milk to the Bishnoi temple,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48which has its own orphans to care for.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54The Bishnoi were India's first environmentalists,
0:30:54 > 0:30:59and have brought their traditions from the country into the towns and cities.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06It is their belief that gazelles are their children
0:31:06 > 0:31:11and so the Bishnoi women show an incredible act of kindness.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14They breast-feed the fawns that don't take to the bottle.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30Even for gazelles, breast is best.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00After six weeks with her new family, Arti is weaned.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25She's now fit and healthy.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29Shyam can take her back to the wild.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Watching a child leave home is always tough for a mum,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38even a surrogate one.
0:32:40 > 0:32:46Arti is returned to the desert, where she'll join up with the wild herds.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54This may appear to be a tiny gesture of kindness,
0:32:54 > 0:32:59but all of us who live in cities need the nature that exists
0:32:59 > 0:33:01beyond the city walls...
0:33:08 > 0:33:12..because the natural world feeds our hungry cities.
0:33:17 > 0:33:23And what the urban jungle needs, the urban jungle gets.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25SHIP'S HORN BLARES
0:33:25 > 0:33:30More than three billion of us now live in cities.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35To feed this huge population,
0:33:35 > 0:33:41we ship in billions of tonnes of fresh food and produce all year round.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48We have the technology to bring in what we want
0:33:48 > 0:33:50from thousands of kilometres away.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57Peaches may grow here in Spain,
0:33:57 > 0:34:02but these are imported from South America.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12We consume what we want, when we want it.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21We no longer need to eat locally or seasonally.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31And we have an insatiable appetite.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39We've never been so good at exploiting nature.
0:34:39 > 0:34:44But we're not quite so good at dealing with the consequences.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Massive consumption creates mountains of waste.
0:34:58 > 0:35:04In the UK alone, we produce over 100 million tonnes of rubbish each year.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09And we dump it safely out of sight.
0:35:12 > 0:35:17But in some places, this world is home to an unfortunate few.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25CROWS CAW
0:35:28 > 0:35:30Here in Mombasa, Kenya,
0:35:30 > 0:35:36people must scratch a living from the things others throw away.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39MURMUR OF VOICES
0:35:41 > 0:35:46For Ashe and her family, this dump is both home and hunting ground.
0:35:48 > 0:35:54They are modern-day hunter-gatherers, adapted to survival on the dark side
0:35:54 > 0:35:56of the urban jungle.
0:36:39 > 0:36:45When a rubbish truck arrives, the race is on to grab the best scraps.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14Ashe's husband, Ali, gets stuck in.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23This really is life on the edge...
0:37:25 > 0:37:30..finding food for your children in a city's rubbish.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44More than half of us now live in cities.
0:37:44 > 0:37:49And we're using up nature's resources as never before.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57We are, without doubt, the most inventive
0:37:57 > 0:37:59and powerful creature on the planet.
0:38:03 > 0:38:09We're so successful, we've hijacked the whole world for our own ends.
0:38:14 > 0:38:20But the consequences of our voracious lives are spiralling out of control.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28Are we pushing the natural world towards a crisis?
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Where do we go from here?
0:38:43 > 0:38:47There are a few people who seem to be heading in a new direction.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56One challenge is to design a city that's in balance with nature.
0:38:58 > 0:39:05This is Masdar, a green city being built in the desert of Abu Dhabi.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09It's designed by architect Norman Foster.
0:39:11 > 0:39:17Masdar excites me because it's really the only true experiment
0:39:17 > 0:39:24on the planet, at the moment, in terms of seeking to achieve an environment,
0:39:24 > 0:39:29a community, a mini city, which is carbon-free and waste-free.
0:39:31 > 0:39:36Now, that would be a tough challenge anywhere in the world.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39To do it in a desert environment, you could say, you know,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42"You must be crazy to even attempt it."
0:39:50 > 0:39:54Masdar will be powered by the sun.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00It will not waste a single drop of water.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06There will be no need for gas-guzzling cars.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09The starting point for Masdar
0:40:09 > 0:40:14was really working with nature, in terms of the solar cycle,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17making the greenery, not just a cosmetic greenery,
0:40:17 > 0:40:22but creating shade, burning the waste that we produce
0:40:22 > 0:40:24and, out of that process, creating energy.
0:40:24 > 0:40:29So it's starting with nature and then it's using the technology,
0:40:29 > 0:40:33working with nature, in harness with nature.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42It is a noble ambition and it can be achieved.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46However, the immediate challenge
0:40:46 > 0:40:50is to try and change the way we live with nature in our existing cities.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16This is the Union Square market in New York.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20It sells produce that's grown locally, often on the rooftops
0:41:20 > 0:41:23of New York's tower blocks.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25- Hello, would you like to try some of our honey?- Buckwheat.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- Local?- Whipped honey, miss?
0:41:28 > 0:41:30- No?- Too sweet?- You're sweet enough?
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- BUZZING - Good morning.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36Honey for you, miss? Ah, you're doing the right thing.
0:41:36 > 0:41:37A traditionalist.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40Andrew Cote is the guru
0:41:40 > 0:41:44of high-rise beekeeping and a third generation beekeeper.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Until recently, urban beekeeping
0:41:48 > 0:41:52was illegal in New York, but that didn't stop Andrew.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Personally, in my case, I was never caught.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Even though I was very public about having bees,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03I didn't tell people exactly where they were.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Yes, sir. 10, would you like a bag?
0:42:07 > 0:42:12Happily, New York changed its mind, and Andrew's mission
0:42:12 > 0:42:15is to bring bees into everyone's lives.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19Today, he's on the balcony of a swanky Manhattan apartment
0:42:19 > 0:42:21with novice, Vivien Wang.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23You're going to have a problem
0:42:23 > 0:42:26with the outer cover because there are a lot of bees on the inside of it.
0:42:26 > 0:42:27Smoke 'em.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Andrew is sort of the king bee, I think, of urban beekeeping,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35And those of us who are his students,
0:42:35 > 0:42:41I think of myself as the honey sorcerer's apprentice, in a way.
0:42:41 > 0:42:42What do you see?
0:42:42 > 0:42:44I see a lot of cap honey under here.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47- Mm-hm.- And I see... It looks like...
0:42:47 > 0:42:48raw nectar.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52It's an unusual pastime for a New York lawyer.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54I think my friends, when I told them
0:42:54 > 0:42:56that I was going to start being a beekeeper,
0:42:56 > 0:43:00were amused. They thought it was quirky but kind of wonderful,
0:43:00 > 0:43:04because it's a different way for us to all connect with nature.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06I think all of us need a little more sweetness in our lives
0:43:06 > 0:43:08and it's nice to be able to cast our eyes
0:43:08 > 0:43:13skyward in this city, you know, away and above the traffic,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16and think about all these bees buzzing above our heads.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20But being a novice beekeeper has its ups and downs.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23- Ow. Ow...- What, what, what?
0:43:23 > 0:43:27Nothing. Sorry, I didn't know they could sting through hands quite like that.
0:43:27 > 0:43:29They're stinging me like crazy. I really want you to let go.
0:43:30 > 0:43:36There are now nearly ten million bees living on the rooftops of New York.
0:43:42 > 0:43:47Over the river in Queens, it's a special day for beekeeper Stefanos.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50He's harvesting his first honey with Andrew's help.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53BUZZING
0:43:53 > 0:43:57- This one's perfect. Couldn't be better.- Oh, yes, look.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00I think we should give the honey a taste, just...
0:44:00 > 0:44:01Just to make sure.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Oh, man, this is going to be so good.
0:44:13 > 0:44:14Oh, my God!
0:44:19 > 0:44:21It's like caramelised sunlight.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26- It's just quality control.- Right.
0:44:31 > 0:44:37Bees make honey and they pollinate the city's parks and gardens.
0:44:37 > 0:44:42But most importantly, they bring New Yorkers back in touch with nature.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49I think a lot of people are beekeeping in the city
0:44:49 > 0:44:52because they want to feel a connection to nature.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55They live in tall buildings, they walk on asphalt...
0:44:56 > 0:44:58..they ride around in trains under the ground.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00When they have a beehive on their roof,
0:45:00 > 0:45:02they can spend one or two hours a week,
0:45:02 > 0:45:05and really be connected to nature, and be creating their own food
0:45:05 > 0:45:10with almost no footprint, and I think that's great.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15Beekeeping in New York isn't going to save the planet,
0:45:15 > 0:45:17but it's a step in the right direction.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28There is just no doubt.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31If we are to continue living in cities,
0:45:31 > 0:45:37we'll have to stop stripping nature bare with no thought for tomorrow.
0:45:37 > 0:45:42What we do in our homes and in our streets affects the entire planet.
0:45:47 > 0:45:52The future of our civilisation depends on us restoring the balance
0:45:52 > 0:45:56between the natural world and the urban jungle.
0:45:58 > 0:45:59Can we do it?
0:46:03 > 0:46:08There are clear signs of hope from around the world.
0:46:08 > 0:46:13We do have the intelligence and ingenuity to adapt to a changing world.
0:46:13 > 0:46:18The ancient art of falconry now helps protect the modern city of Dubai.
0:46:22 > 0:46:27We can work hand in hand with nature to solve the problems we face.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33In India, we train fig trees to make living bridges.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38And we team up with elephants to extract valuable timber
0:46:38 > 0:46:40without trashing the whole forest.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47We can think as a community and plan ahead. In Mali,
0:46:47 > 0:46:51the fish in this lake are shared out only once a year.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02When we work together, it's incredible what we can achieve.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06Everyone in the mud city of Djenne
0:47:06 > 0:47:09collaborates to protect their sacred mosque.
0:47:14 > 0:47:19We have such spirit and such bravery in the face of adversity.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25If we combine these natural abilities
0:47:25 > 0:47:30with the best of our imagination and our biggest ideas
0:47:30 > 0:47:34then surely our cities can adapt and change.
0:47:39 > 0:47:44The destiny of our planet is now in human hands.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58CHEERING AND CLAMOURING
0:48:00 > 0:48:06Over three years, the Human Planet team has filmed people around the world.
0:48:06 > 0:48:11All had amazing endurance, local know-how, and ingenuity.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16WHOOPING CALL
0:48:18 > 0:48:21Just keeping up with them proved to be a huge challenge.
0:48:21 > 0:48:27The demands on our teams and kit pushed them to the limit.
0:48:33 > 0:48:38Filming on an active volcano in Java tested the cameras to breaking point.
0:48:40 > 0:48:44The crew were here to film sulphur miners.
0:48:44 > 0:48:50The air they breathe was a danger to both people and kit.
0:48:50 > 0:48:53I'm just going to go in there, a bit closer, with a gas meter
0:48:53 > 0:48:55and see what it does.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01- METER BEEPS - It's reading 93 parts per million.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05- It's going up to 194 now. - RAPID BEEPS CONTINUE
0:49:05 > 0:49:09So we're right in the middle of a cloud. We've got to get out.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12This is 40 times the safe working limit.
0:49:13 > 0:49:18The gas is a hydrogen sulphide mix that corrodes every surface it lands on.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22GASPING AND MUFFLED SPEECH
0:49:22 > 0:49:27The gas masks protected the crew, but not the cameras.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32We've got an RF warning on the camera,
0:49:32 > 0:49:36which means that the signal's not actually getting onto the tape.
0:49:36 > 0:49:37It's usually a head clog.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42The crew found that sulphide particles had stuck to the tape head
0:49:42 > 0:49:46and open-heart surgery was needed.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48That's absolutely filthy.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51After cleaning, the camera lived to work another day.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54- Hey!- Ho-ho!
0:49:56 > 0:50:00But the crew's problems were nothing compared to those faced daily
0:50:00 > 0:50:01by the sulphur miners.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10In the Sulu Sea off Borneo,
0:50:10 > 0:50:12cameraman Simon Enderby
0:50:12 > 0:50:17filmed a remarkable free-diving fisherman called Sulbin.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25Here I was with the latest in scuba gear,
0:50:25 > 0:50:29and he was swimming in a pair of underpants and wooden goggles.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31We really made for a bizarre dive duo.
0:50:31 > 0:50:35To capture the perfect hunt, I had to match my scuba-dive skills
0:50:35 > 0:50:37with those of Sulbin's free-diving.
0:50:37 > 0:50:41Our buoyancy, our swimming, our search for food, and, finally,
0:50:41 > 0:50:45his successful capture of a fish, all had to evolve together.
0:50:45 > 0:50:51Luckily, on the third dive, it all came together, and we both came up happy.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54Oh, wow, mate, that's the one. That's definitely the one.
0:51:01 > 0:51:03In the Philippines, we filmed fishermen
0:51:03 > 0:51:07herding all the fish on a reef into a huge net.
0:51:08 > 0:51:13Here, we found that fish can be adaptable too.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17Cameraman Roger Munns inadvertently saved one fish from becoming supper.
0:51:21 > 0:51:23He nicknamed him Nemo.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26Nemo sheltered in Roger's dive kit
0:51:26 > 0:51:28and hid there until the coast was clear...
0:51:31 > 0:51:33..eventually swimming off back home.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45We filmed in many locations
0:51:45 > 0:51:49where people had never seen film cameras before.
0:51:50 > 0:51:55In northern India, the children constantly looked into the lens.
0:51:55 > 0:51:59So, to get the shots he wanted, director Mark Flowers
0:51:59 > 0:52:02tried to distract the children by singing a song.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04I never sing in my whole life!
0:52:04 > 0:52:06LAUGHTER
0:52:06 > 0:52:11Much to his surprise, the children knew the nursery rhymes better than he did.
0:52:11 > 0:52:14# Twinkle, twinkle, little star...
0:52:14 > 0:52:17- CHILDREN:- # How I wonder what you are
0:52:17 > 0:52:23# Up above the world so high Like a diamond in the sky. #
0:52:23 > 0:52:25Hooray!
0:52:27 > 0:52:29LAUGHTER
0:52:31 > 0:52:37Filming at height always involves complex safety measures.
0:52:37 > 0:52:41But in Central Africa, the crew had an added complication.
0:52:42 > 0:52:47Tim Fogg rigged ropes to film Tete collecting honey
0:52:47 > 0:52:49from a wild bees' nest.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51BUZZING
0:52:51 > 0:52:55Unfortunately, the angry bees went straight for Tim.
0:52:55 > 0:52:59Smoke! Smoke! Smoke, quickly!
0:53:04 > 0:53:05Can we get you out, Tim?
0:53:11 > 0:53:15The first thing I remember seeing was a bee right in front of my face,
0:53:15 > 0:53:18with its abdomen twisted as if it was ready to sting me.
0:53:18 > 0:53:19They got inside?
0:53:19 > 0:53:23No, they were stinging through the face mask and through the gloves.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25After 30 stings,
0:53:25 > 0:53:30Tim fully appreciated Tete's bravery in gathering honey for his family.
0:53:34 > 0:53:40When filming people with animals, nothing's entirely predictable.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45In Greenland, director Nic Brown wanted to film
0:53:45 > 0:53:50the Inuit catching the elusive Greenland shark that lives in these deep waters.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02After an anxious ten days,
0:54:02 > 0:54:05everyone was thrilled when,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09in the middle of the night, they finally felt something on the line.
0:54:09 > 0:54:10We're very excited
0:54:10 > 0:54:13because we've all been playing with the line
0:54:13 > 0:54:16that's 800 metres down into the water,
0:54:16 > 0:54:19and you can actually feel the shark on the end of it.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25Somewhere down there we think we've got a Greenland shark on a hook.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27We're hoping.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29This is the hole for our underwater camera
0:54:29 > 0:54:31- and this is the hole... - A shark hole?
0:54:31 > 0:54:33..for the shark.
0:54:34 > 0:54:38They discovered they'd underestimated the hole size,
0:54:38 > 0:54:42because the Jensens had caught a huge four-metre-long shark.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57Co-ordinating helicopters with action on the ground
0:54:57 > 0:55:00is both expensive and difficult.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03But in Australia, director Susan McMillan
0:55:03 > 0:55:06had to co-ordinate three helicopters at once.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10Two of them were flown by heli-cowboys Ben Tapp
0:55:10 > 0:55:14and his mate Rankin, dicing with death to corral their cattle.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19The challenges of filming with three helicopters in the air
0:55:19 > 0:55:21have been quite considerable on this trip,
0:55:21 > 0:55:22because I'm filming it for real.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25It's not a drama and there's no take two.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27I have to actually capture the event as it happens,
0:55:27 > 0:55:32and it's quite a dangerous situation. I've got three helicopters in the air,
0:55:32 > 0:55:34I've got quad bikes and horses on the ground,
0:55:34 > 0:55:36I've got stampeding cattle,
0:55:36 > 0:55:40so, actually, the biggest pressure, I think, has been safety.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47Working on the ground can be just as dangerous,
0:55:47 > 0:55:51especially when it comes to big cats.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55The crew wanted to film Dorobo tribesmen in Kenya
0:55:55 > 0:55:56chasing lions off a kill.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59LIONESS GROWLS AND GRUNTS
0:55:59 > 0:56:04So cameraman Toby Strong offered to film with them on foot,
0:56:04 > 0:56:06to be in the thick of the action.
0:56:06 > 0:56:11The thought of getting out of a vehicle and walking towards lions on foot
0:56:11 > 0:56:15goes against every common sense bone in my body.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18I mean, these guys are... These guys are amazing.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21They, um... They've got their bows and arrows.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24But, um, I haven't got anything!
0:56:24 > 0:56:25- I've got... - He CHUCKLES
0:56:25 > 0:56:29I've got a camera and a lens cap to protect myself with.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31It's getting a bit real, though, isn't it?
0:56:31 > 0:56:33Butterflies in the stomach.
0:56:38 > 0:56:43Having located the lions, Toby followed the Dorobo as they moved in
0:56:43 > 0:56:46to have a look.
0:56:47 > 0:56:51Walking down there towards thick bushes where you know there are lions, it, um...
0:56:51 > 0:56:54God, it's something very primal in the back of your neck,
0:56:54 > 0:56:56and everything...the hairs on the back of your neck
0:56:56 > 0:56:58and you just feel these eyes on you,
0:56:58 > 0:57:00but you feel very, very alive.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04It's a magical feeling. It's, um... I sort of recommend it to everyone.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06Before going to work, have a walk through lion country.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08It gets things in perspective.
0:57:08 > 0:57:10Yeah, amazing.
0:57:13 > 0:57:15Without the co-operation and support of all the people
0:57:15 > 0:57:18we filmed around the world,
0:57:18 > 0:57:21this series could not have been made.
0:57:22 > 0:57:26Their unique knowledge and survival skills
0:57:26 > 0:57:30have relevance for us all in an increasingly human planet.