0:00:13 > 0:00:17In the Pacific Ocean lies an enchanted world.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27Home to a remarkable community of strange animals.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Most of which exist nowhere else.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Galapagos.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47The islands that inspired Darwin
0:00:47 > 0:00:50to formulate his theory of evolution.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53For thousands of years,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57this wilderness remained untouched by humanity.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04But things have changed...
0:01:04 > 0:01:06dramatically.
0:01:09 > 0:01:14While scientists are still making surprising discoveries here...
0:01:17 > 0:01:21..Galapagos is undergoing a modern revolution.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30In a world where only the fittest survive...
0:01:30 > 0:01:32DOG BARKS
0:01:34 > 0:01:38..the wildlife of these islands is having to adapt to a new
0:01:38 > 0:01:40and rapidly changing world.
0:01:51 > 0:01:57Galapagos lies 1,000km off the west coast of South America.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03A scattering of 13 major islands
0:02:03 > 0:02:05and dozens more islets,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07some barely breaking the surface of the sea.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17For a long time, its remoteness kept it hidden from humanity.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Sailors only discovered it in 1535,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26but even then no-one settled permanently
0:02:26 > 0:02:29on this parched and harsh land.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35The first brave settlers arrived just 180 years ago,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39but you had to be hardy to make your home here.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46It's only recently that people have begun to tame
0:02:46 > 0:02:50what these wild islands throw at them.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55MUSIC: California Soul by Marlena Shaw
0:02:59 > 0:03:02# Like a sound you hear That lingers in your ear
0:03:02 > 0:03:05# But you can't forget From sunrise to sunset... #
0:03:05 > 0:03:10Today, the islands have well and truly entered the modern world.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12# It's all in the air You hear it everywhere
0:03:12 > 0:03:17# No matter what you do It's gonna get a hold on you
0:03:18 > 0:03:22# California soul
0:03:23 > 0:03:28# California soul... #
0:03:28 > 0:03:33Surfers share the waves with Galapagos sea lions.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36The species unique to these islands
0:03:36 > 0:03:40is closely related to the Californian one.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42And like their Californian cousins,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45they're masters of the art of surfing.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52# So the people started to sing
0:03:52 > 0:03:57# And that's how the surf gave birth untold
0:03:57 > 0:04:02# To California soul
0:04:02 > 0:04:05# California soul... #
0:04:08 > 0:04:13These animals had these islands to themselves for millennia,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17but today, they have to share them with us.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31The island of San Cristobal, colonised in 1869,
0:04:31 > 0:04:36has the oldest surviving human population in Galapagos.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42But in its largest town, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44things are changing.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02It's now home to over 5,000 people.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06And what has drawn them to this place
0:05:06 > 0:05:09seems to have attracted the wildlife too.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22The town's numerous beaches
0:05:22 > 0:05:26are home to one of the largest colonies on Galapagos.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33For people and sea lions,
0:05:33 > 0:05:39this town's sheltered bay provides an ideal place to raise a family.
0:05:42 > 0:05:48It's October and many of the female sea lions have just given birth.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58The pups grow fast on their mother's rich milk.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06And soon, they become very inquisitive.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Fearlessness is a common trait of wildlife in Galapagos.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Evolving away from people and predators,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37its animals haven't learned to be afraid.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44From the youngest pup...
0:06:44 > 0:06:48to the biggest bathers on the beach.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56SEA LION BARKS
0:06:59 > 0:07:02BARKING CONTINUES
0:07:06 > 0:07:09It's the breeding season,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12and this dominant bull is defending this beach
0:07:12 > 0:07:15and its females from any intruders.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19SEA LION BARKS
0:07:26 > 0:07:29There is only room for one male here.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38Bachelor males are forced to find sanctuary elsewhere.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Sometimes in the most unlikely places.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01For some reason,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05they seem attracted to the sleepy streets of San Cristobal.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14These bold sea lions have certainly put this town on the tourist map.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18But the local people have different opinions about their presence.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45In modern Galapagos,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49wildlife and people have to find a way to co-exist.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53These urban landscapes might be recent additions,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56but they're growing fast.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Over the last 40 years,
0:09:01 > 0:09:07tiny settlements have grown into thriving towns on three islands -
0:09:07 > 0:09:12San Cristobal, Isabela
0:09:12 > 0:09:16and the central island of Santa Cruz...
0:09:17 > 0:09:21..which has Galapagos' largest town,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Puerto Ayora.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37And some creatures here have discovered
0:09:37 > 0:09:40the benefits of urban life.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45There's the chance of an easy meal.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Franklin Ariaga has fishing in his blood.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01He's followed in his father's footsteps,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04and is one of the few allowed to fish here.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Morning is the busiest time.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22And nothing goes to waste.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30Being Galapagos, there are plenty around to pick up scraps.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Pelicans, frigatebirds
0:10:33 > 0:10:37and some very needy sea lions.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11Occasionally, inexperienced mums do abandon their pups
0:11:11 > 0:11:13and without the fishermens' support,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16these sea lions probably would not have survived.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26What the sea lions don't want, others will gladly take.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33BALLROOM MUSIC PLAYS
0:11:47 > 0:11:50These animals have learned how to take advantage
0:11:50 > 0:11:52of the fishermens' generosity.
0:12:04 > 0:12:10But then, being adaptable is what life on these islands is famous for.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16It's always been difficult to survive here.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28The islands lie directly over a volcanic hotspot
0:12:28 > 0:12:30in the ocean's crust.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And every one of them has had an explosive birth.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53And as soon as an island appeared,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56life started to colonise it.
0:13:00 > 0:13:06But these raw volcanic rocks present an immense challenge.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13With so little food or water available,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16life had to adapt to survive.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22And millions of years ago,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25one of the island's most famous residents did so
0:13:25 > 0:13:28in a most unusual way.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Marine iguanas.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Their forest-living ancestors arrived on these shores by accident,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44probably by drifting from mainland South America
0:13:44 > 0:13:46on rafts of vegetation.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53With practically nothing to eat on the lava-covered islands,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55they were forced to look elsewhere.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06They evolved into the only sea-going lizards in the world.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18They became strong swimmers,
0:14:18 > 0:14:23diving as deep as 30m to collect food from the sea-bed.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32Algae grow fast in Galapagos' nutrient-rich seas.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57By evolving the ability to graze on food others can't reach,
0:14:57 > 0:15:02marine iguanas have become the most widespread animals on Galapagos.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10And this process of adaptation still continues.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18In the west of the archipelago lies the youngest island of all.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Fernandina.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36This gigantic shield volcano, rising to over a kilometre high,
0:15:36 > 0:15:40was formed only 30,000 years ago.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45A snapshot in geological time.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51But its shores are already rich in life.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Godfrey Merlen first came to the Galapagos in 1970,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10searching for a place untouched by humanity.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19And this pristine island cast its spell on him...
0:16:21 > 0:16:23..revealing the extraordinary lengths
0:16:23 > 0:16:27that creatures will go to to survive.
0:16:27 > 0:16:32We have the opportunity to observe animals on this island
0:16:32 > 0:16:38which have adapted in strange and interesting ways.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42One of the keys to an evolutionary process.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50There is little fresh water on Fernandina.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52But if you look hard enough,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54there are still places where you can get a drink.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03And the local finches have discovered a truly strange one.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18They sip saliva from the mouths of marine iguanas.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39And after 40 years of searching,
0:17:39 > 0:17:44Godfrey made another startling discovery closer to the shoreline.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51I was walking on the open lava slabs...
0:17:53 > 0:17:59..and I saw a snake moving down into a crack which led to the sea
0:17:59 > 0:18:03and I could see no logic behind this.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15All of a sudden, the snake struck.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26It emerged from the crack carrying a marine fish in its mouth.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Nowhere else in the world have terrestrial snakes learned
0:18:37 > 0:18:40how to hunt marine fish.
0:18:42 > 0:18:47It is remarkable behaviour found only on Fernandina
0:18:47 > 0:18:53and proof that evolution is still proceeding today.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59How the snakes managed to find that there was fish
0:18:59 > 0:19:03which spent 50% of its time out of the water
0:19:03 > 0:19:05and that they could get at these fish
0:19:05 > 0:19:12within the roaring waves of the ocean is a very curious question.
0:19:15 > 0:19:21But the result of this is that the snakes have learned to go fishing.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Galapagos' harsh environments led to life taking ever more
0:19:29 > 0:19:31extraordinary forms.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39About 80% of its birds,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42and 97% of its mammals and reptiles
0:19:42 > 0:19:45are unique to the islands.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Life here has proved its ability to adapt to new conditions.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01But today, its creatures are contending
0:20:01 > 0:20:03with an increasingly alien world.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Iguana House, in the town of Puerto Villamil,
0:20:21 > 0:20:22on southern Isabela,
0:20:22 > 0:20:28is a hotel and a popular hang-out...
0:20:28 > 0:20:30for marine iguanas.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37The locals call this male Tyson,
0:20:37 > 0:20:42and the old warrior is gearing up for another fight.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47It's January, the breeding season.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49For a few weeks,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53males like Tyson will battle over the best territories
0:20:53 > 0:20:56to try and attract the most females.
0:20:58 > 0:21:03But for now, another male is ruling the roost.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Mr White.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16This annual ritual has been played out in much the same way
0:21:16 > 0:21:18for millions of years.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Only today, the backdrop is very different.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30Mr White now uses a hotel wall as his patrol route,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34instead of the empty beach that this used to be.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39And he's working hard,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43courting visiting females...
0:21:46 > 0:21:49..and keeping the ever-growing competition at bay.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04From his man-made vantage point, Tyson watches,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08waiting for just the right time to make a challenge.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17A new male is in town.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29He moves to a patch just below Tyson...
0:22:33 > 0:22:37..and right next door to Mr White.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24It's a bruising contest
0:23:24 > 0:23:27and after 45 minutes,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29they are both exhausted.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36With the competition on the back foot,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40it's a good opportunity for Tyson to make his move.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45But he has got other things on his mind.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55Tyson is more interested in feeding than fighting.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Having fended off a rival,
0:24:03 > 0:24:08Mr White has shown that he is the most desirable male around.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18But Tyson's fighting days might not be over just yet.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Defending a territory is a huge physical drain on males,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28so sometimes they take a year off from fighting
0:24:28 > 0:24:30to regain their strength.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35And it looks like Tyson is doing just that.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Taking it easy.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45It may seem surprising that these ancient rituals
0:24:45 > 0:24:47survive in such a modern setting...
0:24:49 > 0:24:53..but these iguanas are not really adapting to our world.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57They are just doing what they've always done, in spite of us.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02But in Galapagos' busiest town, Puerto Ayora,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04there is evidence of another creature
0:25:04 > 0:25:08radically changing its behaviour because of us...
0:25:11 > 0:25:13..once the sun does down.
0:25:28 > 0:25:34After dark, all along the town's main pier, there are bright lights.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41All this illumination is a magnet for marine life.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47And shoals of small fish
0:25:47 > 0:25:49attract all sorts of hunters...
0:25:52 > 0:25:57..including another species found nowhere else on earth.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02A lava heron.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08At night, this daytime hunter should be resting.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15But here, the herons have changed their shifts.
0:26:17 > 0:26:23And this fishing specialist knows it can pay to avoid competition.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37It's worth taking time to find just the right spot.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52And that is next to the floodlights.
0:27:05 > 0:27:11Today, night-time is the right time to go fishing.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19With a growing human presence on these islands,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23there will always be winners...
0:27:23 > 0:27:24and losers.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32These smart herons show that animals can adapt to our world.
0:27:32 > 0:27:38But in truth, people often bring more problems than solutions.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44And on the tiny island of Gardner, in the south of the archipelago,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48lives a bird with a serious battle on its hands.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51BIRD SQUEAKS
0:27:54 > 0:27:57The Floreana mockingbird.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04During the dry season, it often feeds in a very risky way.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18A giant centipede.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26They grow to nearly 30cm long
0:28:26 > 0:28:30and they have fangs packed with poison.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33One bite could kill.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46But the mockingbirds have an advantage.
0:28:54 > 0:28:55Speed.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38It might have won this particular contest
0:29:38 > 0:29:43but the species has been the loser in a much bigger battle.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50Named after the island of Floreana, ironically,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53it is no longer found there.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00Floreana was the first island to be colonised by people in 1832.
0:30:00 > 0:30:01DOG BARKS
0:30:04 > 0:30:08And people brought predators.
0:30:08 > 0:30:13It was a plague against which the local wildlife had no immunity.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20And just 50 years later, the mockingbird was gone.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28It now only survives on two tiny islands off the coast
0:30:28 > 0:30:33of Floreana and one of them, Gardner, is its last stronghold.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40The island's lack of water and its inaccessibility has been
0:30:40 > 0:30:43the salvation of the species,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46keeping people away.
0:30:51 > 0:30:56The rumour goes that more people have visited Mount Everest
0:30:56 > 0:30:58than the Island of Gardner.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Working with the Galapagos National Park,
0:31:04 > 0:31:09biologist Luis Ortiz-Catedral is one of the very few to come here.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15He makes annual visits to check up on this little bird...
0:31:15 > 0:31:18HE IMITATES BIRDCALL
0:31:18 > 0:31:20..and uses some curious methods.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23HE IMITATES BIRDCALL
0:31:28 > 0:31:32These little lures are used to attract them.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Everything new in their environment can be either a threat or a treat
0:31:35 > 0:31:40so we make use of their curious behaviour to lure them into cages.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Luis catches birds as part of an annual census.
0:31:57 > 0:32:03We keep a close eye on the populations by ringing individuals.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04It's a very accurate way
0:32:04 > 0:32:08of monitoring a population of an endangered bird.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11With these unique colour combinations,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14we can keep a record of their survival over time.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16He's ready to go.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25And this plain little bird has an inspirational story.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29It has been called the most important bird
0:32:29 > 0:32:31in the history of science.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38During his visit in 1835,
0:32:38 > 0:32:41Charles Darwin collected mockingbirds
0:32:41 > 0:32:44from three islands, including Floreana.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50He noticed the subtle physical differences
0:32:50 > 0:32:53between individuals from different islands.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57It was a key observation that helped him
0:32:57 > 0:33:01formulate his theory of evolution by natural selection.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03But since then,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07the Floreana mockingbird has fallen on hard times.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Only 500 birds remain.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23For now, the numbers are stable.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26But the species' future relies on protecting
0:33:26 > 0:33:28its last remaining habitat.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39I believe that the key to preserving the species and this habitat which
0:33:39 > 0:33:44is unique in Galapagos is to keep the islands as pristine as possible.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Like the Floreana mockingbird,
0:33:50 > 0:33:55many species on Galapagos only survive away from human beings.
0:33:56 > 0:34:01But the fact is that people in the Galapagos are now here to stay.
0:34:05 > 0:34:10And the islands' wildlife must cope as best it can.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18At Iguana House in Puerto Villamil,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21traffic takes a toll on the local iguanas.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27And the sea lions in San Cristobal are in poorer health
0:34:27 > 0:34:29than their country cousins.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33In this busy town, they get less rest,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36and they are more exposed to disease.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45Fewer than 50% of the pups survive.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49If the wildlife is to thrive here,
0:34:49 > 0:34:53people also need to adapt their ways.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01But it can be hard to be sympathetic
0:35:01 > 0:35:04when an animal damages your livelihood.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37So Macarron took things into his own hands.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54But he's not at war with the natural world any more.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59He's given up fishing and now runs a dive boat.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03MACARRON SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Uno, dos...
0:36:19 > 0:36:22tres, bravo.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32Macarron's new passion is showing visitors to the island
0:36:32 > 0:36:35its magical underwater world.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47CLANGING
0:36:52 > 0:36:56One species gives him particular pleasure.
0:36:56 > 0:36:57CLANGING
0:37:01 > 0:37:02Sea lions.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47Their endearing nature
0:37:47 > 0:37:51now gives Macarron the strongest respect for them.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17People like Macarron now see not just the beauty
0:38:17 > 0:38:21but the benefits of protecting the islands' unique natural heritage.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23It can bring them a good living.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46Wildlife tourism has become the lifeblood of Galapagos...
0:38:48 > 0:38:52..generating over 50% of the islands' income.
0:38:55 > 0:39:01Over 145,000 tourists flock here every year.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07But if numbers continue to increase as they have done,
0:39:07 > 0:39:12there is a danger that we could be loving Galapagos to death.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24The money generated by tourism has fuelled a gold rush...
0:39:29 > 0:39:32..and caused a population explosion.
0:39:34 > 0:39:40In the last decade, the number of people living here has doubled.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49These once isolated islands are now home to over 32,000 people.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54And if current trends continue,
0:39:54 > 0:40:00by 2050, over 500,000 people could be living here.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04More people will need more resources.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Every day, cargo pours in from the mainland.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28The local finches take advantage of an easy meal.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49But this traffic has also unwittingly carried
0:40:49 > 0:40:52a devastating threat to these birds.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57A few decades ago, in among the boxes and sacks,
0:40:57 > 0:41:01a stowaway arrived of the most insidious kind.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15There it is.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20An adult Philornis downsi fly, which is an introduced parasitic fly.
0:41:21 > 0:41:26The adult looks fairly harmless and feeds on just nectar and fruit.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30However, the larval stage of the fly is like something
0:41:30 > 0:41:34out of a nightmare, with larvae literally living in the nest
0:41:34 > 0:41:37and coming up each night to suck the blood of the nestlings.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43Introduced accidentally, the fly has now spread to almost every
0:41:43 > 0:41:48island, infecting the nests of 17 species of native birds.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54It's having a huge impact on the survival of nestlings...
0:41:54 > 0:41:58and one species has been pushed to the very brink.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Francesca Cunninghame, a researcher
0:42:07 > 0:42:11from the Charles Darwin Foundation, is working in a remote corner
0:42:11 > 0:42:16of the archipelago trying to save the rarest of all Galapagos' birds.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20A male mangrove finch.
0:42:22 > 0:42:29Got the bird approaching. It's a new mangrove finch nest.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36For Francesca, every new nest brings hope for this threatened species.
0:42:38 > 0:42:43As their name suggests, mangrove finches are only found in mangroves.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48This is an uncommon habitat in Galapagos.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50So the bird has always been rare.
0:42:51 > 0:42:56But today the population has been decimated, initially by introduced
0:42:56 > 0:43:01black rats, but more recently by the parasitic fly, Philornis.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06Current estimates put the mangrove finch
0:43:06 > 0:43:08population at between 60 to 80 individuals
0:43:08 > 0:43:12and it's one of the most range restricted birds in all the world.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17They only survive in two tiny patches of forest
0:43:17 > 0:43:21on the northwest shores of the largest island, Isabela.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26This is its entire world range.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33And last year's breeding season was desperately bad.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Only a third of the chicks survived.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41But Francesca has ambitious plans.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46Working with the Galapagos National Park
0:43:46 > 0:43:50and a team of experts from around the world, she's taking
0:43:50 > 0:43:55the bold step of collecting eggs and raising chicks in captivity,
0:43:55 > 0:43:58so avoiding the threat from the parasitic fly.
0:43:58 > 0:43:59Right, away we go.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05But it's a huge task, even getting to the nests.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07It's a tall mangrove forest here.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09We have trees that reach up to 25 metres tall
0:44:09 > 0:44:12and as well as nesting high the finches are often
0:44:12 > 0:44:16out on the end on very spindly branches so it's a huge challenge.
0:44:17 > 0:44:21One that Graeme Loh, a climbing expert from New Zealand,
0:44:21 > 0:44:23is the first to take on.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29I'm just starting to pull the nest in at the first anchor point.
0:44:29 > 0:44:33She's still sitting on the nest. Oop, there she goes.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35- OK, the time is.- 10:46.
0:44:38 > 0:44:41They only have 30 minutes to get the eggs to an incubator.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47Graeme has got to work as fast as he can.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50Here we go. We're going to try and get the nest right now.
0:44:50 > 0:44:51Brilliant.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55If they chill, the embryos will die.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Three eggs.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06No, the clocks ticking on this one.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10We must be up to about 15 minutes now.
0:45:13 > 0:45:17Slowly, slowly, it's moving a lot. Got it.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22Now Francesca has to carry the precious cargo to camp...
0:45:26 > 0:45:30..along an obstacle course of mangrove roots.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46We're just going to put the eggs in straight away.
0:45:46 > 0:45:48Look at them, they're tiny, aren't they?
0:45:48 > 0:45:52A successful start, and now things get even better.
0:45:55 > 0:46:00Four eggs! Never before have we found four in a nest.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04The team climb up to three more nests
0:46:04 > 0:46:09and manage to collect a total of nine eggs, and three tiny chicks.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Now they need to get them as quickly as possible to a specialist
0:46:17 > 0:46:21rearing facility and that is on another island.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24This is just the start.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28This is day one, our first attempt so, we're back out there
0:46:28 > 0:46:32tomorrow trying to find more nests, and doing the whole thing again.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39Humans are responsible for the introduced animals
0:46:39 > 0:46:42so I think it's our duty to try and put that right.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51It will be over a month before Francesca and her team know
0:46:51 > 0:46:54if this international rescue mission is working.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03There is conservation support for Galapagos from across the globe.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08But the future of its spectacular wildlife ultimately
0:47:08 > 0:47:11lies in the hands of the people who live here.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17Many of them have little or no connection with the natural world.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25Galapaguenos rarely see the spectacles that thrill the tourists.
0:47:26 > 0:47:31Theirs is an urbanised society in one of the wildest places on earth.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37If they don't know about the remarkable creatures with which they
0:47:37 > 0:47:41share their islands, then why should they care about protecting them?
0:47:51 > 0:47:52Steve Blake, from the
0:47:52 > 0:47:55Max Planck Institute is trying to change
0:47:55 > 0:47:58things with the help of one of the archipelago's most famous
0:47:58 > 0:48:00inhabitants...
0:48:10 > 0:48:11..the giant tortoise.
0:48:14 > 0:48:18Kids here are often as urbanised as the kids in the East End
0:48:18 > 0:48:22of London or in downtown Detroit and very often starved of nature
0:48:22 > 0:48:25and don't experience it.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29And so for us to be able to try and capture their enthusiasm
0:48:29 > 0:48:34and demonstrate how incredible giant tortoises are we hope to foster
0:48:34 > 0:48:39and stimulate a conservation ethic among youngsters.
0:48:48 > 0:48:53And with their help, Steve has been uncovering some remarkable truths
0:48:53 > 0:49:00about these ancient animals, using some modern technology, GPS tags.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04We've got this set to give us a GPS fix,
0:49:04 > 0:49:09a location of this tortoise every hour
0:49:09 > 0:49:13and we're hoping that this tag is going to last for ten years.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16So that will give us an amazing window into the secret
0:49:16 > 0:49:20life of these animals, which has really never been revealed before.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27The data coming back has revealed that tortoises lead
0:49:27 > 0:49:29adventurous lives.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35Steve and his team have discovered that on some islands,
0:49:35 > 0:49:40tortoises make great migrations, to find the lushest pastures.
0:49:44 > 0:49:50Between July and December, grazing is best in the upland forests.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55But in January the rains come,
0:49:55 > 0:49:58bringing a flush of growth to the lowlands...
0:50:01 > 0:50:02..and the tortoises follow.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14By getting involved with Steve's fieldwork
0:50:14 > 0:50:16and connecting with the natural world,
0:50:16 > 0:50:19the seeds of inspiration have been well and truly planted.
0:50:36 > 0:50:40Our love for these islands could be their biggest curse,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43with tourism driving a population boom.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48But an even greater love from the people who live
0:50:48 > 0:50:50here could be their salvation.
0:50:52 > 0:50:53Where there is a will,
0:50:53 > 0:50:57even the most desperate situation can be turned around.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02- Ciao, Richard, good luck. - Ciao, Franny.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07It has been over a month since Francesca and her team
0:51:07 > 0:51:11collected eggs from the critically endangered mangrove finch.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15A high risk strategy to save this species from extinction.
0:51:17 > 0:51:18But a risk worth taking.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26With round the clock care, they have successfully raised 15 tiny
0:51:26 > 0:51:33chicks, and increased the world population by nearly 25%.
0:51:35 > 0:51:40Now back in the wild, it brings hope for not just this species
0:51:40 > 0:51:44but for the future of all wildlife in this remarkable place.
0:51:48 > 0:51:52A place to be protected at all costs.
0:51:56 > 0:52:0097% of the land has been declared a National Park.
0:52:04 > 0:52:09And 51,000 square kilometres of its seas now form
0:52:09 > 0:52:12one of the largest marine reserves in the world.
0:52:19 > 0:52:24Industrial fishing has been banned and thanks to this protection,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27these waters still hide some of the most remarkable of all
0:52:27 > 0:52:30underwater spectacles.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38Wildlife cameraman Richard Wollocombe came to
0:52:38 > 0:52:42Galapagos 20 years ago to work as a wildlife guide.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47And he fell in love with a very special place where the
0:52:47 > 0:52:50underwater world is particularly breathtaking.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55Off the most isolated islands in the archipelago, Wolf and Darwin.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09First time I came to Galapagos, I was absolutely
0:53:09 > 0:53:12mesmerised by this place.
0:53:12 > 0:53:16The marine life is so innocent. It hasn't been fished heavily.
0:53:19 > 0:53:25And it's truly enchanting to be able to swim amongst this vast
0:53:25 > 0:53:29array of life without feeling like you're a threat,
0:53:29 > 0:53:32without feeling like you're impacting the wildlife.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40It is almost like being in an aquarium.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54This huge abundance of life attracts the top predators.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59There are sharks everywhere.
0:54:06 > 0:54:10But it is out in the open water that the biggest numbers school.
0:54:19 > 0:54:24I'll just sit and wait and watch and sometimes it takes a while,
0:54:24 > 0:54:29but eventually you'll start to see these ghostly forms take shape.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39Hammerhead sharks.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47You'll see one and then two and then three
0:54:47 > 0:54:51and then slowly a whole group will start emerging out of the mist.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01Your heart starts to pound.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06You're just absolutely mesmerised by this gigantic mass.
0:55:21 > 0:55:25These Scalloped Hammerheads assemble here in their thousands.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33And with overfishing decimating many shark populations
0:55:33 > 0:55:37across our oceans, it's thanks in large part to the Galapagos
0:55:37 > 0:55:42marine reserve that this rarest of sights can still be glimpsed here.
0:55:48 > 0:55:53And it also provides a refuge for the biggest fish on the planet.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59It's enough to see the abundance of life on the reef...
0:56:02 > 0:56:05..then on top of that you see these schooling hammerheads.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10Then you're completely blown out of the water when this massive
0:56:10 > 0:56:17shadow appears and you realise you're going to see a whale shark.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36You can't believe an animal can be that big
0:56:36 > 0:56:38and that you can be that close to it.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57The animal elicits an amazing feeling of humbleness.
0:57:00 > 0:57:03You just feel a tiny speck in this vast ocean next to
0:57:03 > 0:57:06one of largest creatures in the ocean.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08I cannot get used to it,
0:57:08 > 0:57:11I cannot get used to the feeling of awe it inspires.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24The Galapagos Islands are a global treasure.
0:57:26 > 0:57:32180 years ago, this remarkable place inspired a young Charles Darwin.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40And they remain an inspiration to this day.
0:57:43 > 0:57:47It is the place that still teaches us about the nature of life
0:57:47 > 0:57:48and the wonders of evolution.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57The wildlife of these islands is living in challenging times.
0:58:00 > 0:58:03But even with all the pressures that we have brought to these
0:58:03 > 0:58:06islands through inspiring conservation,
0:58:06 > 0:58:10the changing attitudes of the people who live here...
0:58:11 > 0:58:15..and the adaptability of its unique wildlife,
0:58:15 > 0:58:20they are still among the most pristine tropical islands on earth.
0:58:25 > 0:58:28It's down to us to keep them that way.