0:00:14 > 0:00:19London's Natural History Museum has over 70 million animal specimens.
0:00:19 > 0:00:24The weird and wonderful from every corner of the planet.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28There are also some of the many spectacular animals
0:00:28 > 0:00:30that are no longer with us.
0:00:32 > 0:00:39This is a dodo. At least, it's not. It's the model of a dodo.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44No museum in the world has a complete specimen of this species
0:00:44 > 0:00:49because human beings exterminated it in the middle of the 17th century.
0:00:49 > 0:00:54And there are a lot of animals today that face the same fate as the dodo.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59I've been asked to pick ten that I might take with me
0:00:59 > 0:01:01on my own personal ark.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05What an impossible task that sounds.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10What to choose to represent the marvellous ingenuity of nature?
0:01:10 > 0:01:13I could choose those that grab the headlines,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16the majestic tiger.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18The spectacular polar bear.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21The beautiful snow leopard.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Or the magnificent mountain gorilla.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29They're all animals that I wouldn't want to lose.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35But there are many other extraordinary creatures out there,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39not in the limelight, which you may not have heard of.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43'I'm going to pick ten of them,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46'which I find particularly fascinating.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49'And I'm going to show you some of the surprising
0:01:49 > 0:01:52'and wonderful work being done to protect them.'
0:01:52 > 0:01:56You'll be surprised what you'll find on Attenborough's Ark.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21My first choice will be a monkey.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23One of my favourite kinds of animal.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32And I'm particularly fond of these marvellous miniature monkeys.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35These tamarins are normally at home in Latin America,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39but many are now bred here at Durrell Wildlife Park in Jersey.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44There's the rather regal-looking emperor tamarin,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46with its long moustaches.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52The cheeky-looking pied tamarin.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57And the spectacular golden lion tamarin.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08But if I had to choose one, it would be this one.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18And this is the black lion tamarin.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24I think the tamarins are just about as unlike monkeys as you can get.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28You can see that they are monkeys from their faces
0:03:28 > 0:03:33and their two eyes, which give them the forward vision of all primates,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37all monkeys, but look at their hands.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40They are different from mine or any other primate's, because
0:03:40 > 0:03:45tamarins have not nails on the end of the long fingers, but long claws.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51And he will come and take from my hand, and you can see now - ow! -
0:03:51 > 0:03:53how long that claw is.
0:03:53 > 0:04:00They live on insects, they love these grubs,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and they also eat fruit and tree sap,
0:04:03 > 0:04:09and it's said that they particularly like fruit with quite large stones,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13because as the large stones go through their tiny little guts,
0:04:13 > 0:04:18they scrape off internal parasites. Now there's a thought.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32The black lion tamarin is in serious trouble,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34with only around 1,000 animals left in the world.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41And there's is a remarkable story, truly back from the brink.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44And with a clever plan to secure their survival
0:04:44 > 0:04:46in the forests of Brazil.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Black lion tamarins were once thought to be extinct, but were then
0:04:55 > 0:05:01rediscovered in 1970 in just one tiny area of forest near Sao Paulo.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Here, the tamarins live in tree holes,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12often the former homes of woodpeckers.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19But only 3% of their original habitat remains.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Once, they could roam large distances,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26but now they're marooned in small fragments of forest.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32What was once continuous forest has been torn up
0:05:32 > 0:05:35to make way for sugar cane plantations.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39And for years, the people have cut down trees for farmland
0:05:39 > 0:05:44with devastating consequences for the tamarins.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52But now, there's a project with a smart approach to reversing
0:05:52 > 0:05:53this wave of destruction.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59Nurseries have been set up where local people are paid to plant
0:05:59 > 0:06:01and grow trees rather than cut them down.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Replanting the whole forest would be an impossible task,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14so, cleverly, these trees will be used to create corridors,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18linking up the precious fragments of remaining forest.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21The project will give this rare and beautiful tamarins
0:06:21 > 0:06:25the space they need to survive in the long term.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35If, on my ark,
0:06:35 > 0:06:40I'm going to have space for the creatures that really need
0:06:40 > 0:06:44a berth to survive,
0:06:44 > 0:06:49the black lion tamarin is a very strong candidate.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53You've got a ticket.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15My next animal is a rather larger beast, and with an ancient history.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21Rhinos have walked the earth for over 50 million years, and today
0:07:21 > 0:07:25they can be found from the savannas of Africa to the forests of Asia.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30There are five species of rhinoceros in the world today,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and they're all endangered.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Of those five, this is probably the most troubled.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39This is the Sumatran rhino,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43and there are only about 200 individuals left.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47So building up their numbers is of extreme importance,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50if necessary, by captive breeding.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53But rhinoceroses are independent kinds of animals,
0:07:53 > 0:07:58and getting male and female together is not easy.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Andalas is a very special male rhino.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12His tale is one of long-distance love.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19Like all Sumatran rhinos, he has a hairy back, but he also has
0:08:19 > 0:08:25a twinkle in his eye, because, just maybe, he might soon become a dad.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32Today, Andalas lives semi-wild in the beautiful forests of Sumatra,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35but he was born far away, in America.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39His birth, at Cincinnati Zoo,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43was a real breakthrough for breeding captive Sumatran rhinos.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46But to really save his species,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Andalas will have to return to his ancestral homeland.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Once old enough, he made the extraordinary journey for a rhino,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03back to Sumatra, 10,000 miles away on the other side of the world.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15Andalas came here,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19to the rhino sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25His job was to mount a new offensive in the local breeding programme,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28which for many years had drawn a blank.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35They did have another male in residence, but he had failed
0:09:35 > 0:09:41to seduce any females, so Andalas was brought in as the new stud.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51Dedi Kandra is a vet here, and it didn't take long for him
0:09:51 > 0:09:55and his team to grow quite attached to the young American import.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07Andalas is very healthy, he has sperm,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10and that is the important thing for the breeding success.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19But finding true love for Andalas wasn't an easy task.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23This is Ratu.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28She is a local girl, born wild and found wandering in the village.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31She was rescued and then the matchmaking could begin.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Female rhinos only have a small window of opportunity within
0:10:41 > 0:10:44their cycle when they can get pregnant, and of course,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46they also need to be in the right mood.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Introduce the lovers at the wrong time,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and there's no guarantee that they'll get on.
0:10:58 > 0:10:59It's a delicate matter.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03There's a fine line for these sensitive beasts
0:11:03 > 0:11:05between attraction and antagonism.
0:11:07 > 0:11:13But eventually, Ratu succumbed to Andalas's American charm.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Today, the fruits of Andalas's efforts are evident.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Ratu is pregnant.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34Rhinos can't sweat, so wallowing in cool mud is her way of keeping cool.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Essential when you're carrying your baby.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47And this is no ordinary pregnancy.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50If the birth is successful, Ratu's baby will be
0:11:50 > 0:11:56the first ever Sumatran rhino born in captivity in Sumatra.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59It will be a remarkable triumph for Dedi and his team,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02as well as for Andalas and Ratu.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04We are very happy.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07We have been waiting a long, long time for this moment.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11This is a very exciting time for all of us at the sanctuary,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14?not only for us, maybe for all the people in the national park, all the
0:12:14 > 0:12:18people in Indonesia, and probably all the people in the world also.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28Rhino pregnancies take 16 long months.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Now Ratu only has a few weeks to go.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35But pregnancies have gone wrong for her in the past,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38and for the team, it's been a long and tense wait.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45I think waiting for Sumatran rhino babies is similar
0:12:45 > 0:12:49to be waiting for our wives' babies also.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52We worry with danger, we're excited, we're happy.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55It's very emotional waiting for this moment.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Finally, it's in the middle of the night that Ratu gives birth
0:13:05 > 0:13:06to her baby.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10And it's a boy.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Successfully breeding these rhinos here in Sumatra will be vital
0:13:14 > 0:13:16to saving the species.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21They give him a name similar to his father's.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Andatu, which means a gift from God.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29For Dedi, he certainly is a gift,
0:13:29 > 0:13:30and he's quite overwhelmed.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37Wow, this is wonderful. This healthy baby, healthy mother.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39This is an important moment for us.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43This is the first time to see directly the Sumatran rhino baby.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50A small but wonderful step in the survival of this remarkable animal.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04TYRANNOSAURUS REX ROARS
0:14:04 > 0:14:09My next creature has been around even longer than the rhino.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Surely one of the ultimate survivors.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17This is one of the most popular exhibits in any museum
0:14:17 > 0:14:18that happens to have one.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21It's Tyrannosaurus rex.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24The giant, flesh-eating dinosaur that ruled the world
0:14:24 > 0:14:27over 65 million years ago.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33But in the undergrowth around its gigantic legs there was another,
0:14:33 > 0:14:34very different creature,
0:14:34 > 0:14:39quite different from any dinosaur or any reptile.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42It had fur, warm blood.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44It didn't lay eggs, it produced live young,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and it nourished them on milk.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50It was the first of the mammals.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Their descendants now have taken the place of the reptiles
0:14:55 > 0:14:57and rule the earth.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59But amazingly,
0:14:59 > 0:15:05some have descended from that little creature virtually unchanged.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07They're called solenodons.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13These little characters are incredibly elusive.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19They can be found in a remote corner of the Dominican Republic
0:15:19 > 0:15:20in the Caribbean.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Thousands of tourists have their holidays here each year.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Yet, whilst they're enjoying the sun and the sand,
0:15:30 > 0:15:35most are oblivious to the prehistoric creature lurking inland.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41Away from the hubbub, solenodons have their underground homes.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46When the sunseekers head to the bars and their beds,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50these reclusive chaps come out for a nose about.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Very little is known about the solenodon,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01so a team of researchers has come to find out more about them.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08They've chosen to spend their evening scrambling around in the
0:16:08 > 0:16:13undergrowth in the hope of catching one of these elusive creatures.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Infrared lights are needed in the pitch dark,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23and it's a tricky job, but here's one.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31It's a good job solenodons can't run too fast.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Picking them up by their thick tails doesn't hurt them,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41and this one is swiftly bagged.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Now we can put the lights on.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Joe Nunez-Mino leads this group of researchers.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58So this remarkable animal is the solenodon.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07They're really chilled out mammals to be around.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09As long as you're quiet around them,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12they can quite happily sit in your hand for a little while.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Solenodons are only one of a handful of mammals in the world
0:17:25 > 0:17:28that have a venomous bite, which, it is thought, could be
0:17:28 > 0:17:32a leftover characteristic from their ancient reptilian relatives.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35And they also have a rather interesting nose.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Solenodons have a unique ball and socket joint
0:17:40 > 0:17:43that attaches their really long nose to their skull,
0:17:43 > 0:17:47and that enables them to move it around really flexibly.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50When you see that nose, you can't help but smile about it.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57SOLENODON SQUEALS
0:17:57 > 0:18:00This little chap is less chilled out while the radio collar's fitted,
0:18:00 > 0:18:06so the team work fast to minimise any distress.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09These tracking devices will allow them to follow
0:18:09 > 0:18:12and better understand the solenodon's way of life.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Its temporary captivity over,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20it's free to amble away its evening in peace.
0:18:21 > 0:18:27Its kind have survived largely unchanged for 65 million years,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30but today its numbers are rapidly declining.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Camera traps have revealed that one of the big problems
0:18:34 > 0:18:40for the solenodon are cats and dogs, introduced to the island by humans.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Joe hopes that with new controls on domestic animals,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49and with their continued research, they'll be able to help this
0:18:49 > 0:18:52amazing little creature that's been around since the dinosaurs.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59I think what makes me love them more than anything else
0:18:59 > 0:19:01is the fact that they're great survivors.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05They've been around for a long time, and with a little bit of help,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08I think we can help them to be around for a lot longer.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Solenodons are unique.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13If we lost these little creatures,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16we wouldn't see anything quite like them on earth.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Reason enough to have them on board my ark.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Many animals have, like the solenodon,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37evolved highly specialised bodies
0:19:37 > 0:19:40and behaviours to suit their environment,
0:19:40 > 0:19:46and this specialists include some of the most extraordinary animals.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49The giraffe, with its hugely long neck
0:19:49 > 0:19:51to pick succulent leaves from the tallest trees.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Or the giant panda, which can eat tough, indigestible bamboo,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03but little else.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11And the next animal for my ark is one of the ultimate specialists.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Here in the basement of the Natural History Museum in London, there
0:20:18 > 0:20:23are tens of thousands of animals reserved in tanks and bottles.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27And this is one of the most interesting.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30It's a kind of amphibian called an olm.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35It has very, very tiny legs and an extremely elongated body,
0:20:35 > 0:20:40and its ancestry stretches back 190 million years.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44But perhaps the most interesting thing about it
0:20:44 > 0:20:47is that it lives for up to 100 years.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50It seems this curious creature
0:20:50 > 0:20:53has discovered the secret of a long life.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58It can be found within limestone caves across
0:20:58 > 0:21:02central and south-eastern Europe in countries like Croatia.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11For millions of years it lived quietly, far below these mountains,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15in huge networks of hidden caves, underground rivers and lakes.
0:21:21 > 0:21:22If there is a heavy downpour,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25it can be flushed out into rivers at the surface.
0:21:26 > 0:21:32In Croatia, it was once believed that these olms were baby dragons.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43This intrepid team of olm researchers are heading
0:21:43 > 0:21:45deep into the dragon's lair.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49They're trying to discover more about this bizarre creature
0:21:49 > 0:21:51living in this extreme environment.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Its population is shrinking, and as with any endangered animal,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01the team need to understand it in order to save it.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07So, fingers crossed for the olm.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14But this isn't a job for the faint-hearted.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19The divers have two swim from one lake to another through
0:22:19 > 0:22:22narrow tunnels, with no possibility of coming up for air.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27It's highly dangerous, but for Dusan Jelic,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30the leader of the team, that is part of the thrill.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38I think we are working on the edge of the world where actually no-one
0:22:38 > 0:22:42has ever been, and see some of the things that nobody else can see.
0:22:46 > 0:22:52Despite the things that make it hard, it's actually just a great job.
0:22:55 > 0:23:02It takes Dusan several dives before he finally locates the elusive olm.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09It's certainly an odd-looking creature.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17It has adapted to the complete darkness of the caves
0:23:17 > 0:23:19and lost its sense of sight.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28But it has a powerful sense of smell.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31It also has a bizarre sixth sense.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34It detects electric fields in a similar way to sharks.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38This is one of its many mysterious abilities.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46How olms catch their prey, we actually don't know.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51They have, probably, very sensitive skin, which has cells that can
0:23:51 > 0:23:55register small movements in water, but it can also be possible
0:23:55 > 0:23:58they just run into something and they just eat it.
0:24:02 > 0:24:08But if it doesn't run into food, then the olm has a remarkable trick.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11It can go into starvation mode,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14surviving up to ten years without eating.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18The olm lives life in the slow lane,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21which seems to be its secret for living a long life.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Perhaps a lesson for us all.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30As a specialist, the olm is reliant on clean, pure water,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and water pollution is one of its main threats.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Dusan feels a close connection to the olm,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41and he hopes his work will build a clear picture of what this
0:24:41 > 0:24:45remarkable but mysterious creature needs to survive.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Even though you cannot see something, you still, underneath this,
0:24:52 > 0:24:56have a really amazing world, which is just hidden
0:24:56 > 0:24:58and we still need to conserve it.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09Yes, the olm has a berth in my ark.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Maybe it can reveal its secrets of long life.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Of course, I'll have to have a bird on this ark, but which to choose?
0:25:29 > 0:25:33I first became aware of how breathtakingly beautiful
0:25:33 > 0:25:37exotic birds could be when, as a boy,
0:25:37 > 0:25:42I was allowed to leaf through one of these 19th-century bird books.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46The man who published this glorious ornithological volumes was called
0:25:46 > 0:25:52John Gould, and he was particularly fascinated by hummingbirds,
0:25:52 > 0:25:56many of which he identified and named for the first time.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01One of the most spectacular is this,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04and he called it the Marvellous Spatuletail.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08When I first saw it, I thought, "He must have made that up."
0:26:08 > 0:26:12How could a bird, any bird, fly with its head pointing downwards
0:26:12 > 0:26:17and then these two pennant quills crossed over its tail?
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Well, in spite of the fact that Gould never saw the living bird,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24this is correct, and it was only proved to be so
0:26:24 > 0:26:29when this display flight was filmed a few years ago.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36The home of this hummingbird is in the foothills of the Andes
0:26:36 > 0:26:39in a remote corner of Peru.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49The male spatuletail hummingbird's two super-long quills
0:26:49 > 0:26:52end in these rather cumbersome discs.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57These might seem rather inconvenient and unnecessary,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01but their purpose becomes apparent when a female appears.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07She is rather plainer in appearance, but that's OK.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11She doesn't need to make an effort. It's his job to win over her.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19The male begins his courtship ritual by waving his tail feathers
0:27:19 > 0:27:21back and forth.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24This takes a lot of effort, even from the comfort of his perch.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33But to be accepted as her mate, he needs to take to the air.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Watch this.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55She seems quite impressed.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07As she looks on, he begins an airborne dance, dipping his head
0:28:07 > 0:28:11and crossing his tail feathers, just as Gould captured in his painting.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20But this is exhausting work.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24It's so demanding he can only stay airborne for a matter of seconds
0:28:24 > 0:28:26before he needs a rest.
0:28:29 > 0:28:35He doesn't seem to be winning, but he decides to make one final effort.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48It's no good. She's seen enough. In a flash, she's gone.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54He'll just have to try even harder next time.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59But with this incredible mating ritual over for the time being,
0:28:59 > 0:29:03this little chap has indeed lived up to his name.
0:29:06 > 0:29:11I'd certainly give the Marvellous Spatuletail a berth in my ark.
0:29:30 > 0:29:35There are more than 5,000 species of frogs and toads in the world,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38including many rare and quite unusual ones.
0:29:39 > 0:29:45But the one I'm going to choose is Darwin's Frog.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Darwin's Frogs vary in colour,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52and can expertly blend into their surroundings.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57But there's another reason I find them fascinating.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Charles Darwin discovered the frog that now carries his name when
0:30:05 > 0:30:11he landed in Chile in 1834 on his way around the world in HMS Beagle.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17This is the field notebook he had at the time,
0:30:17 > 0:30:22and he has actually sketched in it this particular frog.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Just there.
0:30:24 > 0:30:29It's a very small drawing, but then the frog itself is pretty small.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35This is about as big as it gets,
0:30:35 > 0:30:39and this is the actual specimen that was collected by Darwin.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42But it's a very remarkable frog,
0:30:42 > 0:30:49because the male gives birth to the young, and does so out of his mouth.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56Like most frogs,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00this male Darwin Frog inflates his vocal sac to attract a female.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06But in this frog, it also doubles as a nursery.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14After the female has laid the eggs, he takes them into his mouth,
0:31:14 > 0:31:18where they lie in his vocal sac, and there develop into baby frogs.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25The actual birth is exceedingly quick,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27and has hardly ever been filmed.
0:31:27 > 0:31:28Blink and you'll miss it.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33Here it is again.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Darwin's Frog lives in southern Chile,
0:31:42 > 0:31:46and whilst many of the animals in my ark face a threat from humans,
0:31:46 > 0:31:50it faces a challenge from Mother Nature herself.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56It lives in what is usually a lush, moist forest,
0:31:56 > 0:32:01but recently, one of the few remaining populations
0:32:01 > 0:32:03has come under threat from a natural disaster.
0:32:13 > 0:32:19Since June 2011, a huge volcanic eruption at Mount Puyehue has been
0:32:19 > 0:32:24showering hundreds of square miles of the surrounding area with ash.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29The layer of fallen ash is drying out and killing
0:32:29 > 0:32:33much of the vegetation that is vital to the frog's survival.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38It's pushing Darwin's Frog to the edge of extinction.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46Luckily, there's a scientist who is devoted to these tiny creatures.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Claudio Soto-Azat has spent several years studying
0:32:50 > 0:32:52these unusual and rare frogs.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55He's been carefully monitoring the effect of the ash.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59You can see no ash now,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01because there was a lot of rain in a few days, but if you
0:33:01 > 0:33:05move the leaves, you can see that there is a thick layer of ash.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10Logs like this one are normally covered by moss and fern,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14but this fern, as you see here, just died because of all the ash.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20The volcano is still active, and a small change in the direction
0:33:20 > 0:33:24of the wind could bring the ash cloud back over this area.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29The risk to these rare animals is too great.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Claudio has come to find and rescue as many frogs as possible.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34On a previous visit, he was only able
0:33:34 > 0:33:37to find four frogs in this forest.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40FROG CALLS
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Do you hear that? So that's a male Darwin's Frog that just called now.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48They're masters of disguise, and their colour varies,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50but always blends perfectly with their surroundings.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57You normally don't see the actual frog, but you see a jump.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Oh, OK!
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Wonderful.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08So, let's have a look.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13Wow!
0:34:13 > 0:34:14Wonderful.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16So this is a male Darwin's Frog,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20pregnant with maybe five or six tadpoles, and that means they
0:34:20 > 0:34:25have been the surviving the volcano, but they also have been breeding.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27I've got one. Yeah, good.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31There are more frogs here than Claudio was expecting,
0:34:31 > 0:34:36but with the forest so dry and the volcano still venting ash,
0:34:36 > 0:34:39he will stick to his plan to remove them and breed them
0:34:39 > 0:34:43in captivity until the threat from the volcano has diminished.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52At the University of Concepcion, the frogs are given a safe haven.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56They will hopefully breed a robust population, which can one day
0:34:56 > 0:34:58be returned to the forest.
0:34:59 > 0:35:05For Claudio, it's another small step towards saving this unique species.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08So here we have four Darwin's Frogs that were first
0:35:08 > 0:35:12captured from the volcano, and now we were able to get ten more,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15which is a good number to have a captive breeding population,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19so this has been a very successful trip.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23I'd certainly be very sad to lose such a unique animal.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27There is still room on my ark, so hop on board.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43The next creature for my ark is one of the most endearing animals
0:35:43 > 0:35:45I've met - the pangolin.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48The only truly scaly mammal in the world.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52I've come across it and number of times in my career.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56Here, for example, in a film I made in 1973.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01But many years before that film, I almost had to adopt one.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10It was back in 1956, and we were making a film in Bali,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12and also collecting animals for the London Zoo,
0:36:12 > 0:36:17and one day, a man came to us with a pangolin in a sack.
0:36:17 > 0:36:18I didn't really want a pangolin,
0:36:18 > 0:36:23because they have a very specialised diet, so they don't live well.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26So I asked the man what he would do if we didn't buy it,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28and he said, "Oh, well, we'd eat it."
0:36:28 > 0:36:33And the scales, he said, were very good for medicine.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35So I said how much did he want for it,
0:36:35 > 0:36:39and he said, I think it was about five shillings.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41So I said, "OK, I'll buy it."
0:36:41 > 0:36:45And we headed for a couple of days or so, travelling about,
0:36:45 > 0:36:49eating termites, and a very engaging little creature it was, too.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53And then, after a couple of days, one night we let it go.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56I hope he survived.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05This is Lucky.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08He was called Lucky because, just like the one I came across
0:37:08 > 0:37:12all those years ago, he, too, was rescued from certain death.
0:37:13 > 0:37:18He lives here at a rescue centre in Vietnam.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Lucky, like all sunda pangolins, is rather shy.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28He prefers to come out at night,
0:37:28 > 0:37:31and can only easily be filmed with special infrared cameras.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37Pangolins are similar to anteaters, but uniquely, they have
0:37:37 > 0:37:40hard scales made of keratin,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42the same substance as our nails are made of.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47They rely on their claws being as sharp as possible,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49so they walk on their knuckles to protect them.
0:37:52 > 0:37:57They use those claws to tear open the nests of ants and termites,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00scooping up their prey with their long, sticky tongue.
0:38:01 > 0:38:06They have a special talent for climbing, and are immensely strong,
0:38:06 > 0:38:11a core strength that any Pilates teacher would die for.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Sadly, these gymnasts face many threats.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Sunda pangolins are found across Southeast Asia.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29In Vietnam, it's illegal to hunt or sell them.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33But that doesn't stop a thriving black market
0:38:33 > 0:38:34in cities such as Hanoi.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41Here, their meat is considered a delicacy,
0:38:41 > 0:38:45and their scales are used in traditional Asian medicine.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52In the streets of Hanoi, there is a legitimate trade for medicine,
0:38:52 > 0:38:56which includes the sale of various animal parts, insects and plants.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02But pangolin scales can also be found.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Dan Challender, from the University of Kent,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11is investigating the illegal trade of pangolins,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and it doesn't take him long to find some for sale.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16These are scales of pangolins.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19These are now a valuable commodity.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22In the last few years, they've increased dramatically in price
0:39:22 > 0:39:26and can fetch about 500 a kilo.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31I've just seen three, four, five animals-worth of scales
0:39:31 > 0:39:34down there in a bag, and what's going to happen to them now
0:39:34 > 0:39:36is that they're going to be ground down and used in medicines
0:39:36 > 0:39:40to treat a range of ailments from asthma, psoriasis or even cancer.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44And that's tragic, because there is no evidence to suggest that
0:39:44 > 0:39:47pangolin scales are effective in traditional Asian medicine.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54And when darkness comes in the evening,
0:39:54 > 0:39:56the illegal trade continues.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Pangolin meat is highly-prized as a status symbol
0:39:59 > 0:40:01amongst Vietnam's business elite.
0:40:01 > 0:40:06They will pay top prices for a variety of wild meats,
0:40:06 > 0:40:07including pangolin.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Pangolin is offered in various forms.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16Either grilled, fried, steamed or cooked with bamboo shoots.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Here's a picture of a foetus of a pangolin
0:40:19 > 0:40:21that's served in a dish of soup.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28And pangolins are not only popular in Vietnam.
0:40:28 > 0:40:33Huge numbers of them are illegally exported, mainly to China.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36It's thought that in the last 15 years
0:40:36 > 0:40:39over half the population of Sunda pangolins has disappeared.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46But for any that are rescued, there is a ray of hope.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54In the highly-secure pangolin conservation project at Cuc Phuong,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57the animals are coaxed back to health.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Dan has come to the centre to see his old friend Lucky.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08Lucky has been undergoing rehabilitation
0:41:08 > 0:41:13since his rescue, and today there is some good news Dan wasn't expecting.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I've just found out that Lucky may be released into a national park.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22It's actually quite a surprise for me, because I actually
0:41:22 > 0:41:25thought he'd probably be at the centre for quite a while.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28I like this animal, so I've actually got mixed feelings,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32but if he is released, then I wish him well.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43It would seem Lucky is not particularly keen to leave here
0:41:43 > 0:41:45for a life in the wild.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Well, I'd certainly be happy to spend a few days again
0:41:48 > 0:41:50with a friendly pangolin.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54I think the only truly scaly mammal in the world
0:41:54 > 0:41:56certainly deserves a berth.
0:42:12 > 0:42:17Around 80% of the Earth's animal species are insects.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20They play a vital role in the food chain,
0:42:20 > 0:42:23essential to many birds, fish and many other animals.
0:42:24 > 0:42:30They fertilise and aerate the soil, and, of course, they pollinate.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Without them, life as we know it would cease to exist.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38So with only three places left on my ark,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41it would seem wrong not to include at least one.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51'Butterflies lift the heart.'
0:42:55 > 0:42:58There are thousands to choose from,
0:42:58 > 0:43:01but this butterfly house has one of my favourites.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08'I selected it for its exquisite beauty.'
0:43:14 > 0:43:18This is a Priam's Birdwing butterfly.
0:43:19 > 0:43:23It lives in Western New Guinea and to the islands both east
0:43:23 > 0:43:26and west, and also down into the northern part of Australia.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32Birdwings have some of the largest of insect wings,
0:43:32 > 0:43:35and are very sought after by collectors.
0:43:37 > 0:43:41The name comes from their rather bird-like forewings.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48The male Priam Birdwing has a striking pattern of vibrant
0:43:48 > 0:43:50green and black.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00The females are larger and less colourful, but just as delightful.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06These butterflies are able to fly long distances
0:44:06 > 0:44:07high above the forest canopy.
0:44:23 > 0:44:28But these beautiful insects only live for about ten days
0:44:28 > 0:44:30as fully-formed adult butterflies.
0:44:35 > 0:44:40If I take him on board my ark, I'm not going to have him for long.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44But in the ten days of his short life,
0:44:44 > 0:44:48he'll bring such joy that I'm delighted to have him on board.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55Oh, doesn't want to leave. Off you go.
0:44:56 > 0:44:57Off you go.
0:45:01 > 0:45:04OK, stay on board.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Australia is a fascinating place for any naturalist.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31It's a land full of astonishing creatures.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36From kangaroos,
0:45:37 > 0:45:39to echidnas,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44to the duck-billed platypus.
0:45:47 > 0:45:50It really is a place like no other on earth.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55However, many of these remarkable animals are also amongst
0:45:55 > 0:45:58the most threatened on the planet.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02So people here have had to come up with some extraordinary ways
0:46:02 > 0:46:03to protect them.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07And there is one story that particularly interests me -
0:46:07 > 0:46:09that of the quoll.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13They're just a fantastic animal. Look at that. Very cute.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18Want a few more?
0:46:19 > 0:46:21There you go.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26As you'd expect, the northern quoll can be found
0:46:26 > 0:46:29in the Northern Territories of Australia.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38It looks rather mouse-like, but during breeding, it develops
0:46:38 > 0:46:43a small pouch for its young, and it is, in fact, a marsupial.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46And this marsupial is a meat-eater.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52But that fact could be its downfall.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01In recent years, it's been bumping into a new kid on the block -
0:47:01 > 0:47:03the cane toad.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08The cane toad is originally from South America,
0:47:08 > 0:47:11but since being introduced to Australia,
0:47:11 > 0:47:15it's been devastating the wildlife across that continent.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18It's a classic case of an invasive species.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25The problem for the hungry quoll is that this toad is also poisonous.
0:47:29 > 0:47:33The glands on its back release a lethal venom.
0:47:41 > 0:47:46The cane toad population has spread so quickly across Australia
0:47:46 > 0:47:49that the unsuspecting quolls have been poisoned in their thousands.
0:48:00 > 0:48:05Here, at Territory Wildlife Park near Darwin, quolls are brought
0:48:05 > 0:48:08to live in captivity as a safeguard against extinction.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14An animal behaviour expert, Jonathan Webb,
0:48:14 > 0:48:19has a radical idea to teach these quolls that cane toads
0:48:19 > 0:48:22are off the menu, and stop them eating themselves to extinction.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26When I came up with this idea, people said,
0:48:26 > 0:48:29"You're crazy, it's never going to work.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33"You can't train quolls to avoid eating cane toads."
0:48:34 > 0:48:40So to prove their point, they set up an anti-cane toad boot camp.
0:48:40 > 0:48:45At the centre of this unconventional aversion therapy is a new recipe.
0:48:45 > 0:48:47Cane toad sausages.
0:48:50 > 0:48:53First, they cut up dead cane toads and skin the legs.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00The poisonous parts of the toad are discarded.
0:49:01 > 0:49:06Then, a sickness-inducing drug is mixed with a juicy piece
0:49:06 > 0:49:10of cane toad meat and stuffed into the toad's leg skin,
0:49:10 > 0:49:14before being tied to create a sausage.
0:49:15 > 0:49:20Jonathan's theory is that when the quolls eat these cane toad sausages,
0:49:20 > 0:49:24they will feel mildly sick from the odourless, flavourless drug.
0:49:25 > 0:49:29He hopes that they will now associate that sick feeling
0:49:29 > 0:49:33with the taste of cane toads, and will avoid live toads in the future.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38The bowls are placed in the quoll enclosures,
0:49:38 > 0:49:42and as night falls, the quolls are out, looking for food.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54Next morning, the bowls are all empty,
0:49:54 > 0:49:56and the quolls are feeling the effect of that
0:49:56 > 0:50:00chemical in the sausages, and are looking rather sorry for themselves.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07But the sick feeling only last a few hours,
0:50:07 > 0:50:10and soon the quolls are back on form, catching crickets.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18It's time for a second helping of the specially-prepared
0:50:18 > 0:50:20toad sausages.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Jonathan will be preparing for a rather different result
0:50:23 > 0:50:26when he checks the quoll's bowls in the morning.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37We've got six animals to check today.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40They've all eaten the bait once and become ill,
0:50:40 > 0:50:42and we've offered them the bait the second time,
0:50:42 > 0:50:45and we're hoping that they'll all have rejected the toad bait.
0:50:47 > 0:50:51Oh, excellent. It hasn't been touched. Fantastic.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54I'd say that one's toad-trained.
0:50:56 > 0:50:59She hasn't touched this one.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01Excellent. Hasn't been touched.
0:51:01 > 0:51:02But it's not all good news,
0:51:02 > 0:51:05as some of the quolls would appear to have flunked the test.
0:51:05 > 0:51:07Ah!
0:51:07 > 0:51:11Well, this one's taken the bait, which is disappointing.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20So this little fellow will have to resit.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22More cane toad sausages for him.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26But for the graduates of Jonathan's programme,
0:51:26 > 0:51:30it's back to life in the wild at nearby Kakadu National Park.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47This area has been invaded by cane toads,
0:51:47 > 0:51:50but with their new training,
0:51:50 > 0:51:52these quolls should stand a fighting chance.
0:51:59 > 0:52:06Then it's time to check the traps they left the day before.
0:52:06 > 0:52:07Hey, we've got a quoll!
0:52:10 > 0:52:12In this cane toad-infested area,
0:52:12 > 0:52:16it's always encouraging to find a live quoll.
0:52:16 > 0:52:19It's often an animal they've already trained.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22But this time, when they scan to see if the quoll has been
0:52:22 > 0:52:26previously micro-chipped, the news is particularly welcome.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33Wow, that's fantastic.
0:52:33 > 0:52:37So this is the daughter of one of the females that we
0:52:37 > 0:52:40reintroduced to the site in February 2010.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44This important development means that this quoll
0:52:44 > 0:52:48has most likely been brought up by its mother to avoid cane toads.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51Fantastic.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53For Jonathan,
0:52:53 > 0:52:57it means that he only needs to train one generation of quolls
0:52:57 > 0:53:01and the quolls will pass down the knowledge to their offspring.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11It's just one of those Eureka moments, where you think,
0:53:11 > 0:53:17"Wow, this technique could actually help save this species."
0:53:17 > 0:53:21It's a remarkable example of ingenuity and innovation saving
0:53:21 > 0:53:25a species, and that's why I'll welcome the quoll aboard my ark.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41I very much doubt you'll be able to guess my final selection.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48It can be found at the bottom of the sea.
0:53:49 > 0:53:54The ocean depths are full of rare, beautiful and often bizarre animals.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58Many we know very little about,
0:53:58 > 0:54:00and there must be thousands awaiting discovery.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06The creature I'm interested in clings to the ocean floor.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15They may look like plants,
0:54:15 > 0:54:19but sponges are one of the simplest of all living animals.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22Yet in their own way, they're amazing.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28They can be put through a mincer, reduced to a mush of cells,
0:54:28 > 0:54:33yet still reorganise themselves and reform into a sponge.
0:54:39 > 0:54:44There is one small but very special family of sponges
0:54:44 > 0:54:46known as the glass sponges.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50Like these.
0:54:50 > 0:54:54This particular species is called Venus' Flower Basket.
0:54:54 > 0:54:58And they're called glass sponges because they strengthen their body
0:54:58 > 0:55:05with microscopic needles of silica, the same substance that makes glass.
0:55:05 > 0:55:07Their needles join together in three,
0:55:07 > 0:55:09so they have six-pointed stars,
0:55:09 > 0:55:15and these tiny little elements are then deposited by the sponge
0:55:15 > 0:55:20to form this extraordinarily complex, beautiful structure.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26This complex glass structure is a marvel of design.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31The same kind of construction is used to build skyscrapers.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37But what is amazing is that the sponge grows its lattice, and
0:55:37 > 0:55:41doesn't require the kind of red-hot furnace that human glassmakers need.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46The Venus' Flower Basket can be found
0:55:46 > 0:55:48at great depths of up to 1,000 metres.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54Down there, you need a special submarine,
0:55:54 > 0:55:56because the water pressure is so great.
0:55:59 > 0:56:03Only creatures that have adapted to this extreme environment
0:56:03 > 0:56:04can survive down here.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12The Venus' Flower Basket feeds on the tiny particles
0:56:12 > 0:56:15of organic matter that fall from the more habitable water above.
0:56:20 > 0:56:24It creates a current to draw water in the bottom,
0:56:24 > 0:56:28and after absorbing what it needs, it expels the waste at the top.
0:56:43 > 0:56:47How such a simple creature as this could have
0:56:47 > 0:56:53constructed as complex a skeleton as that, no-one can say.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58But for me, these are some of the most beautiful
0:56:58 > 0:57:02and some of the most remarkable living organisms,
0:57:02 > 0:57:06and I'll be delighted to have one on my ark.
0:57:15 > 0:57:18So, there we have it. My ark is full.
0:57:20 > 0:57:25There is such a huge variety of life on Earth that I could have chosen
0:57:25 > 0:57:27any one of thousands of different species.
0:57:28 > 0:57:33But these few give a glimpse of the astounding diversity of nature.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37Wow! So this is a pregnant male.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Their stories also show us some of the dedicated people,
0:57:40 > 0:57:43trying to protect these animals.
0:57:43 > 0:57:45This is a living fossil.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50The innovative techniques that researchers have devised.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52I'd say that one's toad-trained.
0:57:55 > 0:57:58The extreme lengths that conservationists will go to
0:57:58 > 0:58:00in the struggle to save a species.
0:58:03 > 0:58:08And ultimately, the reward such painstaking work can bring.
0:58:08 > 0:58:09Wow! This is fantastic and wonderful.
0:58:14 > 0:58:18Those are some of the animals that intrigue and fascinate me.
0:58:18 > 0:58:22And I won't forget Venus' Flower Basket either, as a reminder
0:58:22 > 0:58:26of how much we still have to learn about the natural world.
0:58:50 > 0:58:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd