0:00:02 > 0:00:04'Welsh wildlife is under attack...'
0:00:04 > 0:00:05SIREN WAILS
0:00:05 > 0:00:06Ow!
0:00:06 > 0:00:08'..and I'm on the frontline trying to protect it.'
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Oh, wow!
0:00:10 > 0:00:13'Our 5,000 native species of birds...
0:00:13 > 0:00:16'mammals, and reptiles...'
0:00:16 > 0:00:17- This is all fresh.- Yeah.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20'..are threatened daily, by illegal activity...'
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Black swan.
0:00:22 > 0:00:23'..vandals...'
0:00:23 > 0:00:27That was a slowworm, cooked right through.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29'..and alien invaders.'
0:00:29 > 0:00:33That's not happy. That is NOT happy.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35'I'm Dr Rhys Jones,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38'and from my laboratory at Cardiff University,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42'I work to save our animals from humans...
0:00:42 > 0:00:45'and humans from animals.'
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Got it, got it, got it. Got it. OK, everybody stay still. Stay still.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51'And in this programme...
0:00:51 > 0:00:53'I get a midnight call out to an unwanted intruder.'
0:00:53 > 0:00:56There's a snake on the stairs.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59'I come over all unnecessary in the woods...'
0:00:59 > 0:01:00There it is. I see it.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03'..and I aim to prove that by bringing back this big blighter,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07'we can save our Welsh countryside from an invasion of these...'
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Keeping exotic animals as pets has never been more popular,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23and now there are now an estimated 2 million exotics in the UK.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26That's almost double the number of a decade ago.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29We're talking spiders,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33iguanas, scorpions, snakes, primates,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37crocodiles, wallabies, meercats...
0:01:37 > 0:01:40You name it, somebody's got one.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Until it escapes, that is.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44And you'd be surprised how many people
0:01:44 > 0:01:47come across exotic escapees in their shed,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50their garden, their house.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Stay still, everyone.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54And then they call me.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56RHYS SIGHS
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Well, this is the nature of emergency call-outs.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02It's 20 to one in the morning, it's Saturday night,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05I was just tucking myself up in bed,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07when we get an emergency call-out from PC Mark Goulding.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10There is a snake in a house in Barry.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14We've got very little information. It's about 4-foot long.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16We don't know if it's venomous, non-venomous,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19could be anything. We're en route.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25- What do you have? - What exactly happened?
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Well, we came home from the club,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and the wife went in to change,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32upstairs to change, and there's this snake on the stairs.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34It's an orange and yellow one.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37OK, so you don't know what this snake is or where it's come from?
0:02:37 > 0:02:39- No, no, don't know what it is. - Let's have a look.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41- It's an orange and yellow one. - Let's have a look up there.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44I'm keeping an eye. I don't want it going in any bedroom...
0:02:44 > 0:02:46No, we'll get it now.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49I asked the family to put a jacket over the snake...
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- Fantastic, OK. - ..to keep it in one place.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Right, let's have a look at what we're dealing with here.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59It was in the middle of the stairs,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01- and he's made his way up to the top of the stairs.- Right.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07- OK.- Oh, you can see his head. - Yeah. Hold on, ten seconds.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Got him!
0:03:16 > 0:03:18- There we are. - Is he a pet, do you think?
0:03:18 > 0:03:20It is. This is a corn snake.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22This is harmless, it wouldn't have hurt you.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24But THAT'S going to give you quite a fright
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- when you come in...- Yes, I've been sitting here since we phoned you
0:03:27 > 0:03:30'cos I wanted to know exactly where he was all the time.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33So, well, yes, I mean I've been having a nose and a tidy and,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36"Oh, this is dusty", and all that business.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38What this is, this is definitely somebody's pet,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41this is primarily an American species,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44it's not native to the UK.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It's not an aggressive animal, look, it's not going to try and bite you.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51- No, no I don't mind. - Wa-hey, look at you!
0:03:51 > 0:03:53You're OK now?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Yes, it doesn't bother me at all!
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Why were you hiding behind the banister then?
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Ah, well, I didn't know then!
0:04:00 > 0:04:02So, it's different now that Dr Rhys Jones is here?!
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Yes, now I know what it is
0:04:04 > 0:04:08and that there isn't a mammy or daddy somewhere lurking as well,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10you know, there's more around...
0:04:10 > 0:04:14It was a one-off, and it's come in from the park, don't you think?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17You can buy these animals in local pet shops,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20what we tend to find, though, is that they're very good escape artists,
0:04:20 > 0:04:25but we also find that members of the public find the snakes get too big,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29because whilst the snake is not too expensive to acquire,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32all the requirements to look after it ARE expensive.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35So sometimes individuals, unscrupulous individuals,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37will abandon these animals.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Now, the thing is, Mark, when I'm looking at this animal,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42it's in very good condition. It doesn't look as if it's been
0:04:42 > 0:04:46left out for any amount of time. It's really, really...
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Well, look at the belly. Lovely white scales,
0:04:49 > 0:04:53it's clean, it's healthy, it's a good weight, this to me,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- looks like an animal, which has recently escaped.- Yeah.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59How well do you know your neighbours? The individuals in the area?
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Mostly all of them, except there's a new family on the end..
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Well, that may be our first point of call, then.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09I think what we'll do, we'll hit the pavement.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11We'll knock a few doors.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Is this yours?
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Can you imagine? Ahhh!
0:05:16 > 0:05:20Do you know what, though? I may wait a couple of hours before I do it.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Oh, I'm sure!
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Thank you.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27I've got the flowers.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30The following morning,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33PC Goulding and I were back on the same street,
0:05:33 > 0:05:34with the same corn snake,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36but knocking a different door.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40On a copper's hunch, we were going to try the new neighbours.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Hello, PC Mark Goulding, South Wales Police.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46We had a call to a property, a couple of doors down,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48of a snake which we've collected
0:05:48 > 0:05:50and we're just looking to see if anyone's lost a snake?
0:05:50 > 0:05:52- Ah, I've lost two. - Oh, you have, have you?
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Yes, a red and white one or a brown and orange...
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Ah, this is kind of an orange and white, corn snake, is it?
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Yeah, an amel corn snake?
0:06:01 > 0:06:04- Were they both corn snakes, were they?- Yeah, both corn snakes.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06OK, how long ago did you lose them?
0:06:06 > 0:06:08I was away on holiday last week,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10and when I got back, their tank was empty.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12So some time last week.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Talk about a copper's instinct!
0:06:15 > 0:06:19It turns out the new neighbours have got quite a menagerie,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22including, of course, the one we recaptured.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25- Is this your little snake? - Yes, that's definitely Candy.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- That's Candy.- There we go. - Candy, yeah.- Can I ask,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31can you show me where you were keeping Candy?
0:06:31 > 0:06:34We don't want this happening again, and I know you don't either,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- so let's have a look where you're keeping her.- This tank.- OK.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39I thought it was secure,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- I didn't think she could fit through there.- Right, OK.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45I did catch her coming through there once, a few months ago,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47so I cut some hose pipe to slide it behind,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51- as I've done in this one with the other corn snakes.- Yeah.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It seemed to work, but I did notice when I came back the bottom was out.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57So, she's slipped through, yeah, yeah. Corn snakes, as you know,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59can get out of anywhere, they're fantastic escape artists,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02so I think what you'll have to do is just really make sure
0:07:02 > 0:07:05that there's not a possibility she can get through that glass again.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I tell you what, I'll hand her back, do you want to put her back in?
0:07:09 > 0:07:13The only thing I would say is the neighbours have alluded to the fact
0:07:13 > 0:07:16there's a quite a few elderly people in the street,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18- so if you could do everything you can...- Absolutely.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21..to keep the snakes within the vivariums
0:07:21 > 0:07:24and if not, within the house, that would be great.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26And I'll let the family know
0:07:26 > 0:07:30that you do have snakes here, and if they DO come across
0:07:30 > 0:07:32something that they don't recognise,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34then it may be worth knocking on this door.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36- OK, thank you for your time. - Fantastic. Thank you.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40- OK, thanks for your time.- Thank you very much.- No problem at all.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42That was a good result.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Interestingly, the second corn snake hasn't reappeared.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47And if it's out there in the wild,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50there's a reasonable chance it could have even survived
0:07:50 > 0:07:52joining an army of alien invaders
0:07:52 > 0:07:56now happily living and breeding across Wales.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59We've already got a healthy population of Aesculapian rat snakes
0:07:59 > 0:08:04breeding away in Colwyn Bay, and there are colonies of false widows
0:08:04 > 0:08:08and yellow-tailed scorpions across South Wales.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13There are terrapins, signal crayfish and mink throughout our waterways.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Canada geese in our skies,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19muntjac deer in our forests and fields,
0:08:19 > 0:08:24and, of course, grey squirrels in every other tree.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27And whilst many of these animals look cute and lovely,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31the damage they do to our native species, crops, and human habitats
0:08:31 > 0:08:36are costing the UK an estimated £2 billion per year.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Although, by far the most damaging and costly alien invader
0:08:40 > 0:08:44is not an animal, but a pretty pink plant.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55This is Himalayan balsam
0:08:55 > 0:08:58brought to England in 1839 as a pretty little plant,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01since then it's spread across the whole of the UK,
0:09:01 > 0:09:06and is now a major alien invader here in Wales.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08The reason this plant is so successful
0:09:08 > 0:09:11is because it can grow very quick, very fast,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14and so tall, up to two or three meters in height.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Each plant produces up to 800 seeds
0:09:17 > 0:09:18in these little pods here.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22The seeds can be fired up to seven metres away from the plant,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24that's 23 feet in old money.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Have a look at that. You see here that the Himalayan balsam
0:09:28 > 0:09:31has taken over on both banks of the stream
0:09:31 > 0:09:33and now the stream is in danger
0:09:33 > 0:09:36of becoming completely silted over and overgrown.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38It's an absolute monoculture there.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42What it's done is, it's grown so fast, and so quickly, and so high,
0:09:42 > 0:09:46that it's eclipsed the growth of all other plant species,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48now there is just balsam.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51I wish this was an isolated case,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54but as an ecologist, I see this all too often.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58This plant is completely and utterly out of control.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Of course, in the Far East Himalayan balsam has many natural predators,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05insects such as leafhoppers chomp it up and keep it under control.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Here, it's out of control, it has no natural predators whatsoever.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13And left to its own devices, this is the scenario,
0:10:13 > 0:10:17this is the scene that we would face across all of our riverbanks.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22So what are we going to do about this proliferating problem?
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Well, I've got a rather bonkers idea.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I reckon we can help control Himalayan balsam
0:10:29 > 0:10:33if we re-introduce beavers back into our Welsh rivers.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Which is not as daft as you may think.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39There have already been controlled re-introductions of beaver
0:10:39 > 0:10:42into Scotland and many parts of Northern Europe.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45And here in Wales, we're in the advanced stages
0:10:45 > 0:10:47of beginning a limited and controlled
0:10:47 > 0:10:49re-introduction programme,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52hopefully within the next 12 to 18 months.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56But up until 400 years ago, beavers WERE a native species,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59but in the UK, as well as most of Europe,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03we hunted them into extinction for their fur, their meat,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05and most of all for castoreum,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07a liquid produced by beavers for scent-marking
0:11:07 > 0:11:10that is used in the making of perfume,
0:11:10 > 0:11:11as a food flavouring,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15and because it contains high concentrations of salicylic acid,
0:11:15 > 0:11:16a natural painkiller,
0:11:16 > 0:11:20still used in other forms in aspirin.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23But what our beaver-bludgeoning forbearers didn't quite grasp,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27is that salicylic acid is not produced by the beavers themselves.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32They get it from willow bark, which forms a key part of their diet.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Beavers are herbivores, eating tree bark, roots, leaves
0:11:36 > 0:11:39and the grasses that grow along riverbanks.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43But unfortunately, a lot of our native riverbank plants and trees,
0:11:43 > 0:11:44including the willow,
0:11:44 > 0:11:48are being driven out by the pink peril that is Himalayan balsam.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51So you might think it a bit daft to re-introduce beavers
0:11:51 > 0:11:54to Welsh waterways if their natural diet is under threat here.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57And this is where my bonkers theory comes into play.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59After all, what is Himalayan balsam?
0:11:59 > 0:12:01It's a plant!
0:12:01 > 0:12:05It has roots, leaves and a rather succulent and nutritious stem.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09So, in theory, beavers should be happy to eat it!
0:12:09 > 0:12:11But would it work in practice?
0:12:11 > 0:12:14What I need is some eager beaver to put it to the test!
0:12:21 > 0:12:24This is Upcott Grange in Devon.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27They've got a captive breeding programme here for beaver.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30In the event that beaver are re-introduced to Wales,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32this is where they'll probably come from.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34And in this shed are the beavers
0:12:34 > 0:12:37who'll be my guinea pigs in this experiment.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46This is an extraordinary privilege
0:12:46 > 0:12:48to be this close to a living, breathing beaver.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52There are three pens here, part of a captive breeding programme.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55I've been given access to film them today,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57because I believe these animals,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00if introduced to balsam, will eat it!
0:13:00 > 0:13:02And because the pesky Himalayan balsam
0:13:02 > 0:13:04is so invasive and easily spread,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08I've been given written permission by Natural England
0:13:08 > 0:13:10to collect just enough for my experiment.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13I don't think they'll take it straight away,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16so I'm going to set up some trail cameras as well, and...
0:13:16 > 0:13:19see if we can record them eating.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20BEAVER BARKS
0:13:20 > 0:13:22You can hear that noise that the beaver is making there,
0:13:22 > 0:13:27he's basically saying, "Hey! Back off, stay away!"
0:13:27 > 0:13:30So he's not afraid, but he's unhappy that I'm here.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33So, I'm going to make sure that I put the food down now,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and then we should leave quite quickly.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Moment of truth!
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Beavers, of course, are completely vegetarian,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45so they normally eat, well, in captivity here,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47things like apples, carrots, etc.
0:13:47 > 0:13:54But I really have a gut feeling that they ARE going to eat this balsam.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Let's just set up some trail cameras and see if they'll eat.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01OK.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10I leave the beavers to get sniffy over their set menu of balsam...
0:14:10 > 0:14:13even more balsam...
0:14:13 > 0:14:16or the alternative of just going hungry.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19And then what d'you know?
0:14:19 > 0:14:22After a couple of near misses,
0:14:22 > 0:14:26and one wilful act of vandalism...
0:14:26 > 0:14:28we returned to find one of our beavers
0:14:28 > 0:14:31happily chomping away on the balsam.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34We've actually got a beaver that will eat balsam.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36- BEAVER BARKS - There is the evidence.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38BEAVER BARKS
0:14:38 > 0:14:41We just popped back... We've been away about an hour,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45we thought we'd just stick our heads in and see how it's going,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49I can't believe they've done that. That is just fantastic.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Now I'm not saying that my little experiment
0:14:52 > 0:14:56is anything other than an encouraging first step.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58And I'm certainly not suggesting for one minute
0:14:58 > 0:15:01that the re-introduction of the beaver
0:15:01 > 0:15:04will be a one-stop solution to eradicate Himalayan balsam.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06But what I am saying
0:15:06 > 0:15:08is that re-introducing them is part of a process
0:15:08 > 0:15:12that will start to bring our ecosystems back into balance.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16But will it happen? Watch this space.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Whilst our countryside is undoubtedly being changed
0:15:25 > 0:15:28under our very noses by all of these alien invaders,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30it is one of our native wild animals
0:15:30 > 0:15:33that still seem to cause the most controversy.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36I'm talking about the badger.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Many of us see these beautiful creatures
0:15:38 > 0:15:41as our cutest wild animals.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Many others blame the badger for the spread of bovine TB in our cattle,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47and would like to see a major cull.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Whilst other sick-minded individuals
0:15:50 > 0:15:53see their persecution through badger-baiting
0:15:53 > 0:15:55as some kind of twisted sport.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Sadly, PC Mark Goulding and I have attended a number
0:15:59 > 0:16:02of badger-baiting incidents down the years.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07But our next case, also involving badgers, was a new one on me.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13I've just had a call-out from Mark Goulding,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16apparently a badger has been found dead
0:16:16 > 0:16:18outside the orangery at Margam Park,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Now, that's the fourth badger
0:16:20 > 0:16:24that's been found dead in the area in the last month.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28I'm on my way to meet Mark to find out just what is going on.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33Margam Country Park is a stunning 1,000-acre estate
0:16:33 > 0:16:36just north of Port Talbot, renowned for its deer herds
0:16:36 > 0:16:40and its rich wildlife, including an extensive network of badger setts
0:16:40 > 0:16:44in the hills above the castle.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46The park staff is understandably concerned
0:16:46 > 0:16:49at the number of badgers being found dead in public areas,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and the first thing we're going to do
0:16:52 > 0:16:55is inspect the body of the latest casualty.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57OK, just one thing to be mindful of,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00and I don't have to explain it to you.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03We need to look for any obvious signs of injury,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07that's obvious to you, but as far as I'm concerned
0:17:07 > 0:17:09- we need to treat this as a poison case...- Yeah.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13..for no other reason than Health and Safety.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Because obviously we're handling the carcass,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19if there's poisons on it, we are going to get it on our hands.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23I don't need to explain to you. You're a doctor in this area.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27- Absolutely.- But bear it in mind, we could be dealing with poisons,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30and the common poisons, aldicarbs or carbofurans,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- misuse of pesticides, basically. OK? - No problem.- Great.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Let's see what we've got.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46OK. Oh, dear, so he's curled right up!
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- It's not an old animal, is it?- No.
0:17:55 > 0:17:56This is frozen solid,
0:17:56 > 0:18:00so we're not going to be able to give a complete examination here,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02but let's see what we can see here.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04So, first of all, Mark, it looks as if the animal
0:18:04 > 0:18:07has walked off its own steam in here,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11and then it's curled up and it's died.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15So, why has it done that?
0:18:15 > 0:18:19There are several reasons - was it hit by a car?
0:18:19 > 0:18:23And it continued on its journey into Margam Park
0:18:23 > 0:18:25and then curled up and died, some time later,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27from maybe internal injuries.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Normally if there was an impact from a car,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32you would have blood around the nose or maybe broken teeth,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35but there's nothing, is there, at all.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38There's no sign of blood, no trace of blood around here.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41I'd then be looking to see if the animal was attacked,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44maybe either bludgeoned or shot.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Normally badgers would be shot in the head,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49again, there's no sign at all, is there?
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Again, completely clean, there's no sign of blood.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57There's no obvious breaks, let's have a look at the limbs as well.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02It appears, from my point of view, that, Rhys, this is a young animal.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04It is a young animal, and it's highly suspicious
0:19:04 > 0:19:07that it's just curled up in a public area,
0:19:07 > 0:19:08and died in this fashion,
0:19:08 > 0:19:12so at the moment everything is leading
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- to a possible case of poisoning. - Yeah.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20I need to get the animal to one of the labs,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23and get it postmortemed. I mean, it may have died
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- of a natural cause, it may have. - Of course.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30But I think from the investigation point of view,
0:19:30 > 0:19:36we need to deal with this as a poison at the moment.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Our preliminary findings here,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41along with the mysterious recent deaths of three other badgers
0:19:41 > 0:19:44in the area, make for a suspicious set of circumstances,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48that need further investigation.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Bagged and tagged, we take the badger
0:19:50 > 0:19:53to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Carmarthen.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55A government-run facility, it is funded
0:19:55 > 0:19:58to carry out postmortems and toxicology reports
0:19:58 > 0:20:03on animals for a number of agencies, including the police.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06'But are there any exceptional, non-criminal, circumstances
0:20:06 > 0:20:10'that might have resulted in this series of badger deaths?'
0:20:10 > 0:20:16One thing I hadn't considered is the potential of the animals starving.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Well, it's been absolutely freezing
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and it's very difficult conditions for our wildlife,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24this year, in particular. So, it is a possibility.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26It will be very interesting to see the results
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- of the test and the toxicology here.- Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32'Poisoning, natural causes, or the victim
0:20:32 > 0:20:35'of this year's long and cruel winter?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38'We'll return later in the programme for an answer.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47'In the meantime, we're called out to try and sort out yet another
0:20:47 > 0:20:50'non-native species on the loose.'
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- OK, Mark, what have we got? - We had a report of
0:20:54 > 0:20:58a possible theft of an African black eagle ten days ago,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00from the actual aviary.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02So, when officers attended,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04it appeared that this African black eagle
0:21:04 > 0:21:07escaped the aviary.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09It's been out now for about ten days
0:21:09 > 0:21:12and it's been sighted a couple of times,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15but we knew around the tenth, eleventh day
0:21:15 > 0:21:16the bird was going to be hungry.
0:21:16 > 0:21:22And it's landed, in a forest block, near a mountain-bike trail.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25We're going out to see if we can get this bird.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26That's a big bird.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Yeah, absolutely. I spoke to the falconer,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33who confirmed it has a wingspan
0:21:33 > 0:21:36of over seven and a half feet. The last thing I want
0:21:36 > 0:21:38is someone to take matters into their own hands
0:21:38 > 0:21:41and approach the eagle.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44I don't know how powerful the talons are,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46but I take it, if somebody grabs an eagle
0:21:46 > 0:21:50without knowing how to deal with it, it could cause some injury.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Oh, yes.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56As the name suggests, African black eagles
0:21:56 > 0:21:57are not native to Port Talbot.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00They are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04where their extremely powerful beak and talons are finely honed
0:22:04 > 0:22:08to hunt hyrax - small, mountain-dwelling mammals
0:22:08 > 0:22:12that are the closet-living relative to the elephant!
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Funnily enough, there aren't many hyrax in Port Talbot either.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19But as big as it is, an escaped African Black Eagle
0:22:19 > 0:22:22poses little, if any, threat to humans.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26And because it is such a specialist hunter, it is also highly unlikely
0:22:26 > 0:22:31to attack domestic pets or farm animals, even if it is ravenous.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33'But as Mark points out, it would use
0:22:33 > 0:22:36'its beak and talons to defend itself.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39'And they'd rip through human flesh like a knife through butter.'
0:22:42 > 0:22:46'As we near the location where the African black eagle
0:22:46 > 0:22:50'has been sighted, the bird's owner pulls alongside our police car.'
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- Hi, Rob, have you been up there? - I've been up, yeah.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55'He's had a look around the forest block,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57'but hasn't seen anything.'
0:22:57 > 0:23:00- You're aware the black eagle have feathered tarsals?- Yeah.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03'He's very sceptical about us finding the bird,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'but agrees to accompany us on the search.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12'Given the circumstances and the location, I'm equally as unsure.'
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Just trying to scan around, to see if it's in any trees,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17if it's gone to ground.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20I mean, look at the amount of vegetation around here.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24This is going to take a lot of skill and a lot of luck, to find it.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29OK, let's get eyes on the ground here, as well.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34- OK, let's just be nice and quiet. - Nice and gentle, nice and quiet.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39There! There! There. There!
0:23:39 > 0:23:43- There!- Oh, there it is. Come here.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- It's up here, guys.- Right. - Rhys, do you want a glove?
0:23:51 > 0:23:53We are going to try and flush him down this side,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55the two of us working together.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58I'm hopeful he is too exhausted and is on the ground.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Nice and slow. Nice and steady, boys.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Nice and steady.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11OK. OK.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Slow, slow. Slow, slow.
0:24:16 > 0:24:17OK, Rob?
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Slow, slow.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21Slow, slow.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23- Got it.- Got him?- Yeah.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Excellent.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27- RHYS EXHALES - This is absolutely...
0:24:27 > 0:24:29- ROB LAUGHS - Are you all right, there?
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Oh. Teamwork. Well done.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34ROB LAUGHS
0:24:35 > 0:24:41This is the most sceptical call I've had in the last week.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45I am so glad you rang, honest to God.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47That was a good rescue, eh?
0:24:47 > 0:24:50That is incredible. Nothing short of incredible.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Mark, I've got to take my hat off to you.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Well done! Good job!
0:24:54 > 0:24:56I was expecting to see a Harris hawk.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01I am the most sceptical guy on Earth, but I am so, so glad.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05So, Rob, the value of a bird like this - what are we talking about?
0:25:05 > 0:25:06£10,000.
0:25:06 > 0:25:12- No!- Yep.- £10,000!?- Yep. If you had to replace this, yeah.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15I wouldn't pay £10,000 for a car!
0:25:15 > 0:25:17I know. I've seen your car!
0:25:17 > 0:25:18LAUGHTER
0:25:20 > 0:25:23'And unlike Mark's car, this bird's in incredibly good nick,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26'considering it is captive bred, and until ten days ago
0:25:26 > 0:25:28'had never left its aviary.'
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Oh, I'm really pleased. I'm really pleased we got it back.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34'Although Rob's hand bears witness to its wild side -
0:25:34 > 0:25:37'a talon having sliced into it.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39'But as it's not going cheap,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42'we'd better get this bird back to its aviary.'
0:25:42 > 0:25:47- Rhys, that was a good spot! - That's what I do!- It is!
0:25:47 > 0:25:48Yeah, thank you.
0:25:48 > 0:25:54Reference the escaped African black eagle, incident 649.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Just to let you know we've recovered the bird,
0:25:57 > 0:25:58everything's in order. Over.
0:25:58 > 0:26:04I didn't think we'd stand a gnat's chance of getting that.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06It was utterly unbelievable.
0:26:11 > 0:26:12'Back at Margam,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16'and three days after taking the dead badger to Carmarthen, we return
0:26:16 > 0:26:19'to give the postmortem results to duty officer Alison Lloyd.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:25'The good news for the park is the badger did not die of poisoning
0:26:25 > 0:26:28'and we're not dealing with a wildlife crime.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33'The actual cause of death is both surprising and sad.'
0:26:33 > 0:26:37The postmortem basically showed that the animal had died of starvation.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Oh, gosh. OK.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44Now, it wasn't an old animal, but when you consider that
0:26:44 > 0:26:49we've experienced one of the coldest springs that we've ever had,
0:26:49 > 0:26:54badgers, primarily, will seek out earthworms. And it's not just food.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57They'll get a lot of their moisture from them.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59They'll eat hundreds a night.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00Imagine if that ground is frozen,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03they will be unable to dig and obtain that food.
0:27:03 > 0:27:04And if they were starving
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and living out on the hills surrounding the park,
0:27:07 > 0:27:11and they've come down and into a more public area in search of food.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15- It could be that it just curled up and died there of absolute exhaustion.- Yeah.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18I think the thing for you is,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22if you have badgers here that are starving,
0:27:22 > 0:27:27what's the right course of action? Is it "let it be"?
0:27:27 > 0:27:30I think you've got to let it be. What we don't want is wild animals
0:27:30 > 0:27:34becoming dependant on human beings for their food source,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36because if we've got a changing environment,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39the climate is changing, I need those animals to react
0:27:39 > 0:27:43to that climatic change. It's a natural process and that is really
0:27:43 > 0:27:44what we need the badgers to do -
0:27:44 > 0:27:47seek out either an alternative food source, or the like.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49We need them to react to the climatic change.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55This sad case really brings home to me the impact of a new risk
0:27:55 > 0:27:58to our wildlife. If you were to ask me just six months ago, I would
0:27:58 > 0:28:01have told you there are only three major threats - that being,
0:28:01 > 0:28:05illegal activity, vandals and, of course, alien invaders.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08And yet, over the last six weeks, we have seen two clear examples -
0:28:08 > 0:28:10barn owls flying by daylight
0:28:10 > 0:28:13and, of course, the tragic case of our badger starving to death -
0:28:13 > 0:28:20of a fourth threat. That being, the reality of climate change.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Is this year's harsh winter a one-off?
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Sadly, I don't believe so, but I'll tell you something,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29if our native wildlife doesn't learn to change and adapt
0:28:29 > 0:28:31to these new and extreme climate ranges,
0:28:31 > 0:28:36I'm going to bet that many of our alien invaders can.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media