0:00:38 > 0:00:41In this film, we'll find out how humans and animals
0:00:41 > 0:00:44adapt their behaviour when they share the same environment.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55The Arctic is the most northern place on our planet.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00It's an area surrounding the North Pole,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04where the land and sea is covered in snow and ice.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07And it's the coldest place where people live on Earth.
0:01:09 > 0:01:14In winter, temperatures can fall as low as -45 degrees centigrade.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21It's so cold, that the sea actually freezes over
0:01:21 > 0:01:23with a thick layer of ice.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Polar bears migrate or move across the frozen landscape
0:01:31 > 0:01:36to reach the sea ice, where they can hunt for food like seals and fish.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45They have to survive alongside millions of humans
0:01:45 > 0:01:47who also live in the Arctic.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Churchill is a town in the North American country of Canada.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07It's on the coast of the Hudson Bay, which is linked to the Arctic sea.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10The capital of Canada is Ottawa.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Churchill is located in the Manitoba province
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and is home to about 1,000 people.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24In the autumn,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28the average temperature is -10 degrees centigrade.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Because it's so cold here,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39the sea around Churchill has started to freeze over.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Polar bears lived on this land
0:02:44 > 0:02:47and hunted on the sea ice a long time before humans arrived here.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50But the people of Churchill have built their town
0:02:50 > 0:02:53directly on the polar bears' migration route.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59And that means hungry bears going right through the centre of town
0:02:59 > 0:03:01as they head towards the sea ice.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08For these bears, the best way to find a meal
0:03:08 > 0:03:13is by scavenging through people's rubbish and they can be dangerous.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Bob Windsor is in charge of protecting the people
0:03:21 > 0:03:23who live in Churchill.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Polar bears are the largest land predators on earth
0:03:27 > 0:03:31and have been known to hunt and kill humans.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39Polar bears are pure predators, so they kill other animals to eat. That's how they survive.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Knowing that, you have to give them a little more respect
0:03:43 > 0:03:46because you could also be a potential meal for them.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Hundreds of years ago, the people of Churchill
0:03:50 > 0:03:53would shoot polar bears to protect themselves.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57Now, the bears are endangered and protected by the government.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Being endangered means there are so few of them left on the planet
0:04:01 > 0:04:04that they could become extinct.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06So people have adapted to their presence.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Bob works for the Polar Bear Patrol.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19His job is to keep the polar bears away from town without killing them.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23This is 190.
0:04:23 > 0:04:28Just to let everybody know, there's a bear coming towards town.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32CAR HORN
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Bob manages to scare the bear away,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39but it was dangerously close to town.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42By making sure the bears are scared away,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45humans and bears can co-exist or live side-by-side
0:04:45 > 0:04:46without harming each other.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Because Bob can't keep an eye on the whole of Churchill,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57polar bear traps are also set up around the edge of town.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59The traps contain seal meat,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02which attracts any wandering bears into them
0:05:02 > 0:05:04and stops them going into Churchill.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08A male polar bear has been found in the trap
0:05:08 > 0:05:12and given a harmless drug by the Polar Bear Patrol.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20Then, the bear is flown at least 60 kilometres outside of town
0:05:20 > 0:05:24towards the sea ice in Bob's helicopter.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33In the past, an average of 75 bears per year
0:05:33 > 0:05:36have been transported out of Churchill.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Once the bear is set down on the ice,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Bob has to work fast before the bear fully wakes up.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54A single swipe from a male this size could be deadly.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57It's a great feeling. Here it is. You're letting him go.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Very satisfying to see a bear actually get up and go on his way.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10With the sea ice forming fast, it won't be long before this bear
0:06:10 > 0:06:14can roam far and wide to find food in its winter hunting grounds.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34In this film,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37we'll find out how humans living in very cold environments
0:06:37 > 0:06:41have learnt to find food in both surprising and dangerous places.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49The Arctic is the most northern place
0:06:49 > 0:06:51where people live on our planet.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57It's an area of frozen land and sea surrounding the North Pole.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04Here, temperatures can drop down to -45 degrees centigrade.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13And because it's so cold, in the winter, the sea freezes over.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17Like the UK, the Arctic has seasons but here, winters can be very long
0:07:17 > 0:07:21and in some places the sun doesn't rise for nearly two months.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24It's dark all the time.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35Wakeham Bay is a town in the North American country of Canada.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37The capital city of Canada is Ottawa.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Wakeham Bay is on the coast of the Arctic Sea in the state of Quebec.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Nearly 600 people live in Wakeham Bay
0:07:56 > 0:08:01and in spring, temperatures can go as low as -28 degrees centigrade.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13It's March and after a long, dark winter,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15there are a few hours of sunlight.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17But the sea is still frozen.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Lucasi Napaluk is an Inuit and lives in Wakeham Bay.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Because the ground is frozen, Lucasi can't grow vegetables
0:08:30 > 0:08:33so it's hard for him to get the vitamins and minerals
0:08:33 > 0:08:35he needs in his diet.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Wakeham Bay has a general store but it has no fresh food.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57So Lucasi and his friends must be resourceful
0:08:57 > 0:09:00and go in search of fresh food from the ocean.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07In March, the sea ice is two metres thick
0:09:07 > 0:09:10and can support the weight of their skidoos.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17But it's the sea under the ice that Lucasi is interested in.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24He knows that on the coast, the sea tide goes in and out twice a day.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28That means the level of the sea underneath the ice changes.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38When the tide goes out, the level of the sea falls
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and the sea ice floating on it drops down.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48As the ice moves down and touches the seabed,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51caves are created where the blocks of ice lean together.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59And whilst the tide is out, this is where Lucasi can find food.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06This is the only place on earth where the tides go out far enough
0:10:06 > 0:10:09to allow people to go under the ice.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Here they find the special food they've come for.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20Mussels. Delicious shellfish which are high in vitamins and minerals.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24But the giant blocks of ice above them
0:10:24 > 0:10:28are no longer supported by water and could collapse at any moment.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32And Lucasi and his friends now have just half an hour
0:10:32 > 0:10:35before the tide comes back in and the caves are flooded.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Now, they have just a few minutes left.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Even as they escape, the ice crashes in around them
0:11:12 > 0:11:16and the sea water floods back minutes after.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24With their fresh mussels, they take shelter in their cosy igloo.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50Mussels are a good way to get the vital vitamins and minerals
0:11:50 > 0:11:54Lucasi and his friends need to stay healthy in the frozen Arctic.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17In this film, we'll find out how humans are behaving
0:12:17 > 0:12:21in a sustainable way by using traditional hunting practices.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26We'll also learn how the environment in the Arctic is being altered
0:12:26 > 0:12:27because of climate change.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38The Arctic is the most northern place on our planet.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41It's a land of snow and ice surrounding the North Pole.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Even though it's so cold, there's plenty of life here.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54Fish and marine mammals in the sea and birds and animals on the land.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Here, humans have learnt how to hunt the animals for food and clothing
0:13:05 > 0:13:09in a sustainable way so that they do not damage the delicate ecosystem.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Mammarut Christiansen and his brothers, Mikaly and Gedion,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21are Inuit hunters from northern Greenland.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Greenland is the most northern country in the world
0:13:32 > 0:13:36and the closest place to the North Pole that people live in.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41The capital of Greenland is Nuuk.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Mikaly and his brothers are from the town of Qaanaaq
0:13:47 > 0:13:51in north-east Greenland on the edge of the Arctic sea.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Qaanaaq has a population of 600.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57In summer, there are 24 hours of daylight
0:13:57 > 0:14:00and the sea ice is beginning to melt.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Today, the hunters are out on their sledges
0:14:11 > 0:14:14searching for the most precious food in the Arctic.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Rare sea animals called narwhal.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22They hunt for narwhal because they're a good source of vitamin C.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26It's hard to find vitamins in this Arctic landscape
0:14:26 > 0:14:29because the ground is covered in snow and ice,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32making it impossible to grow any fruit or vegetables.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40Mikaly and his brothers set up camp on the edge of the sea ice.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44They use traditional methods for hunting,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47handed down to them by their ancestors.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49They travel in kayaks,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52a craft that the Inuit invented thousands of years ago.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56And they use harpoons to hunt.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Mikaly and his brothers must live out on the sea ice,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02waiting for the narwhal.
0:15:02 > 0:15:08In summer, the sun shines all day and all night.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25Gedion stands guard at all times but he isn't just looking for narwhal.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28He's also watching the sea ice.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Under of the summer sun, it's already thinning and breaking apart.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38If they're not careful, the brothers could find themselves
0:15:38 > 0:15:41drifting far from land on a melting piece of ice.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49Some scientists say the ice is melting because of climate change.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52They believe that climate change is making the world heat up,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56causing the sea ice to melt and break apart quicker than it used to.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04If the sea ice breaks up too quickly, then the hunters
0:16:04 > 0:16:07will not be able to travel out on the sea ice to hunt the narwhal.
0:16:12 > 0:16:13After days of waiting,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16they finally get their first glimpse of a narwhal.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Narwhal get scared away very easily by any sounds
0:16:26 > 0:16:30so Mammarut and Gedion put their kayaks in the water with care.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38The three brothers work as a team. They're after just one whale.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55By using the kayak, Mikaly can get directly behind the narwhal
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and make sure he hits it with the harpoon.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09The other hunters soon follow and the narwhal is killed quickly.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27This single hunt will provide the hunters' families with meat
0:17:27 > 0:17:31that's full of the nutrients they need for several months.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Hunting in this way, only killing what they really need,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36can be sustainable.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56The most prized part of the narwhal is the skin. They call it maktaaq.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00It's the community's primary source of vitamin C.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01In fact, gram for gram,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05narwhal skin contains nearly as much vitamin C as oranges.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Without narwhal,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16it's doubtful the Inuit would have survived in this part of the Arctic.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23But in the future, no-one knows what will happen to these communities if they can't hunt for narwhal
0:18:23 > 0:18:25because the sea ice breaks up too soon.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48In this film, we'll find out how the reindeer people of northern Norway
0:18:48 > 0:18:52migrate with their reindeer to new grazing pastures
0:18:52 > 0:18:54using traditional methods.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Norway is a country in northern Europe.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20The northern part of Norway lies above the Arctic Circle
0:19:20 > 0:19:22and the capital city is Oslo.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31In the winter, it snows heavily in the Arctic
0:19:31 > 0:19:34and the further north above the Arctic Circle you are,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36the more snow there is.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41The Sami people are reindeer herders.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44For some of the year, they live outside looking after their reindeer.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47This is so they can migrate with them to find food in fresh pastures.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58In the summer, the Sami keep 3,000 reindeer on Arnoy Island
0:19:58 > 0:20:00off the coast of northern Norway.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09All summer, the reindeer have been running wild here.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Because the island is surrounded by the sea,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15there's no need for fences and so the reindeer roam free
0:20:15 > 0:20:21across their natural habitat, grazing on grass, leaves and fungi.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28These reindeer used to be wild but 500 years ago,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31the Sami started to farm them in large herds.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36The Sami sell the reindeer meat
0:20:36 > 0:20:39and use their fur to make warm clothes.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Reindeer skin is made into leather for boots and shoes.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46Even the antlers are used to make buttons, buckles and other ornaments.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54It's now autumn and Arnoy Island will soon be covered in deep snow,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57which means that the reindeer will not be able to reach
0:20:57 > 0:20:59the plants they need to survive.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Today, 21-year-old Ella is in charge of leading the whole herd
0:21:06 > 0:21:09450 kilometres further south to new pastures.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Before the migration begins, Ella helps split the deer
0:21:30 > 0:21:34into smaller groups so she and the other herders can give the reindeer
0:21:34 > 0:21:38vital medicine to keep them healthy before the long journey ahead.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Moving the herd away from Arnoy Island gives the plants a chance to regrow,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06ready for the following spring when the reindeer will return.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17The migration begins with a 2.5 kilometre swim
0:22:17 > 0:22:19across the sea towards the mainland.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27These chilly Arctic waters are only just above freezing.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Even for adult reindeer, this is a long swim.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38But for calves born this year, who have never swum before,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41it's like running a marathon.
0:23:08 > 0:23:09It's vital that the herd get across.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13In the winter, the southern pastures where they're heading
0:23:13 > 0:23:15will have less snow than the island.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19It's the only place where the snow will be shallow enough
0:23:19 > 0:23:22for the reindeer to dig through and reach the food they need
0:23:22 > 0:23:25to survive the winter.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31If one calf turns round and swims back, the whole herd could follow.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41A baby female is in trouble and suddenly, she turns back.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Ella must stop her before any more baby deer turn around.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Ella's done it and all the reindeer keep swimming.
0:24:16 > 0:24:21After an hour of hard swimming, Ella's reindeer reach the mainland.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Ella and her reindeer have made it.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45But it's just the first step in their epic journey together,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49450 kilometres to the safety of their winter pastures.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55Hundreds of years ago, the Sami were completely self-sufficient,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58using only the reindeer for food and clothing.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Now, the Sami also have other jobs in towns and cities,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07but they still herd the reindeer as their ancestors did
0:25:07 > 0:25:10to preserve their culture for future generations.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40In this film, we'll find out how humans who live in the desert
0:25:40 > 0:25:43use traditional skills to find water.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47These skills have been passed down from their ancestors.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Deserts are the hottest and driest lands on Earth.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Most deserts are arid, meaning the land lacks enough water or rainfall
0:25:58 > 0:26:04and so people who live here must use clever ways to find water.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Deserts cover one third of our planet
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and 300 million people live in them.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19The Tubu people are desert travellers.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22They move with the seasons to find water,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25food and grazing land for their animals.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37The Tubu live in Niger in West Africa.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Part of Niger is in the Sahara desert.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47The Sahara is the largest desert in the world.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51It's over 35 times the size of the United Kingdom.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54It lies north of the equator.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59The capital of Niger is Niamey.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11When the Tubu are travelling, they stay in Termit,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14a settlement right in the middle of the Sahara desert.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Termit is a temporary settlement and doesn't have a permanent population.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25The average daily temperature is 37 degrees centigrade.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Because it's so arid here, the Tubu can't grow crops
0:27:36 > 0:27:38and there are no shops to buy food from,
0:27:38 > 0:27:42so they must travel hundreds of kilometres across the desert
0:27:42 > 0:27:44to small towns which have markets.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Every year, Tubu women cross back and forth across the desert
0:27:49 > 0:27:51with their camels.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57They do this so they can trade camel cheese and dried meat,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59even the camels themselves,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03for cereals and other food for their families.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Over four months in the desert,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15the women travel a distance of 1,500 kilometres,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19passing between small settlements to exchange their goods.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26The Tubu could not make this journey without their camels.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29A camel can survive for seven days without water.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31Many days longer than humans.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Camels are able to store water in their bodies,
0:28:34 > 0:28:36partly as fat in their humps.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41To spend long periods in this vast desert,
0:28:41 > 0:28:45the Tubu women must find water to survive.
0:28:45 > 0:28:50They know how to navigate or find their way to find the water.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55It's the Tubu women who travel across the desert,
0:28:55 > 0:28:59not the men, because the women are the ones with the skill needed
0:28:59 > 0:29:01to navigate in this landscape.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06Today, Foni and her 10-year-old daughter Shede,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09are in search of a water well in the middle of the desert
0:29:09 > 0:29:12which is just one metre square in size.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Because there is so little water in the desert,
0:29:15 > 0:29:19finding it is the difference between life and death.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24Foni knows how to navigate in the desert without a map or a compass -
0:29:24 > 0:29:27a skill that she learnt from her ancestors.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Foni understands how the sand in this desert moves.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42The sand constantly moves because of the wind.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Foni looks for large sand dunes towering over 60 metres high,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51which are more stable in the wind than smaller dunes.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Over thousands of years, desert winds have blown dunes
0:29:55 > 0:30:00into long parallel ridges which look like tracks in the sand.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04The Tubu women are able to follow these ridges
0:30:04 > 0:30:06to help them to find their way.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10Foni uses the shadows made by the sun on the ridges
0:30:10 > 0:30:12to work out which direction to go.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17She also counts the number of sand ridges
0:30:17 > 0:30:20so she knows how far they've already gone.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23This is knowledge she passes on to Shede.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48Shede has learnt how to count the sand dunes to find the water well.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50And as night falls,
0:30:50 > 0:30:54her mum also teaches her how to use the night sky to navigate.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20The next morning, with her new knowledge,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Shede is ready to take over navigating from her mum.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Shede must head south.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31She knows the sun rises in the east
0:31:31 > 0:31:33so she can tell which way is south.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Shede counts the ridges in the sand as she guides the women.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42For most 10-year-olds in the UK,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45finding their way to school can be challenging enough.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48But Shede has to find her way across 30 kilometres
0:31:48 > 0:31:52of this vast desert just to find a drink of water.
0:31:55 > 0:32:01After 12 hours, Shede finds the 10th ridge her mum told her about.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Shede has found the only well for 80 kilometres around.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15This is her first step on the path
0:32:15 > 0:32:18to becoming a desert navigator like her mum.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25Finally, Shede can water the camels.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30Now the Tubu have got water,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33they can make it to market to trade their camel goods for food.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41And wash off the desert sands.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08In this film, we'll find out what happens when humans and animals
0:33:08 > 0:33:10who live alongside each other in the desert
0:33:10 > 0:33:14have to compete to find water.
0:33:21 > 0:33:26The Sahara Desert in Africa is the largest desert in the world.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28It lies to the north of the equator.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36It's 35 times the size of the United Kingdom and its arid interior
0:33:36 > 0:33:40can unleash the biggest sandstorms on the planet.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Billions of tiny sand grains are whipped up by the wind
0:33:50 > 0:33:52into massive clouds of sand,
0:33:52 > 0:33:56reaching more than 5,000 metres into the air.
0:33:56 > 0:33:5950 times the height of Big Ben.
0:34:01 > 0:34:0416-year-old Mamadou is battling through a sandstorm,
0:34:04 > 0:34:08trying to escape the great clouds of sand with his cattle.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19He lives in Mali in West Africa, right on the edge of the desert.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22The capital city of Mali is Bamako.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29Mamadou lives in Boni District, which is home to 5,000 people.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33The average daily temperature is 35 degrees centigrade.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Mamadou is on a three day trek into the desert
0:34:40 > 0:34:43because there's no water left in his hometown.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48He desperately needs water for his cattle.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52It hasn't rained in Mali for eight months.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56There's a drought, a shortage of water.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00The temperature is 40 degrees centigrade
0:35:00 > 0:35:04and most of the waterholes in the region are dry.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20But it's not only Mamadou and his cattle that need water.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25African elephants also live in this desert.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29These elephants are the biggest land animals on earth.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35All the female elephants guide the whole herd.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38These experienced animals can remember all the waterholes
0:35:38 > 0:35:42to be found in an area the size of Wales.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Mamadou and the elephants are all trying to reach
0:35:48 > 0:35:52the only lake left in the region with water - Lake Banzena,
0:35:52 > 0:35:55which is fed by underground spring water.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00Mamadou is nearly at the lake, but so are the elephants.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04Mamadou has escaped the sandstorm,
0:36:04 > 0:36:07but now he has a different battle on his hands.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18The thirsty elephants are blocking his way to the lake.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23An elephant can weigh up to seven tons.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27If they charge, they could kill Mamadou and his cattle.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30He now faces a serious conflict over the water.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Suddenly, a large female charges.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Mamadou fights back,
0:36:44 > 0:36:48but he has only sticks and stones to frighten the elephants away.
0:36:51 > 0:36:52He keeps calm and amazingly,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56the herd of elephants is frightened away.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Mamadou and his cows have survived
0:37:00 > 0:37:03a conflict with the elephants over the water.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06This happens when humans and animals are in competition
0:37:06 > 0:37:09for the same natural resource in low supply.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13But Mamadou does not blame the elephants.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25With the elephants gone,
0:37:25 > 0:37:29Mamadou takes his thirsty cattle towards the water.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35The elephants move to another part of the lake
0:37:35 > 0:37:38and so they too finally get all the water they need.
0:38:02 > 0:38:07In this film, we'll find out how humans who live in the driest desert
0:38:07 > 0:38:11on earth use modern technology to capture water from the atmosphere.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28The Atacama in the South American country of Chile
0:38:28 > 0:38:30is the driest desert on earth.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36The capital city of Chile is Santiago.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42The Atacama Desert lies to the north of Santiago
0:38:42 > 0:38:44and is beside the Pacific Ocean.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51It can go for years here with no rain at all.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00Hot winds suck all the moisture from the surface of the land.
0:39:00 > 0:39:05Some places in this desert are as desolate as the surface of Mars.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Yet, amazingly, there is life here.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16And in a place called Chanaral,
0:39:16 > 0:39:20some people have learnt how to capture water from thin air.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Over 13,000 people live in the region of Chanaral.
0:39:34 > 0:39:39Because the Atacama is on the coast, it's quite a cool desert.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42In summer, the average temperature can be anywhere
0:39:42 > 0:39:45between 13 and 24 degrees centigrade.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49The average annual rainfall is just one millimetre.
0:39:53 > 0:39:58The Atacama desert is right on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Cold sea currents cool the hot desert air
0:40:02 > 0:40:06and produce huge blankets of fog in the atmosphere.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12The wind from the shore sweeps the fog inland.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17Cactus plants thrive here by capturing the water in the fog.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20They're covered in furry lichen.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26A lichen is made up of a fungus and a simple plant called an algae.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31When the fog hits the cacti, it condenses,
0:40:31 > 0:40:35turning from water vapour into liquid
0:40:35 > 0:40:37and the lichen hairs capture the water.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41This is a vital source of water for animals,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44who drink the water droplets from the lichen.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52Humans have found a way to copy nature and capture this water too.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Orlando and his friends have come up with a man-made way
0:41:05 > 0:41:08to catch water just like the cactus.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13They put up huge nets, six metres high,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16positioning them on top of a hill
0:41:16 > 0:41:18to increase their chances of catching the fog.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27The fine mesh of the net mimics the lichen hairs.
0:41:28 > 0:41:33As the fog is sucked ashore and sweeps over the cacti,
0:41:33 > 0:41:35it also hits Orlando's nets.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44And in no time, the fog nets are catching the water droplets.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48But the water doesn't stop at the nets.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53It gets channelled through pipes and into a big reservoir,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55an artificial pond where the water is stored.
0:42:14 > 0:42:20Each day, Orlando's incredible nets produce nearly 500 litres of water,
0:42:20 > 0:42:25which allows Orlando to grow a few aloe vera plants in the sand.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28But he wants to develop his technology.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06In this film, we'll find out how humans who live in the desert
0:43:06 > 0:43:09use ancient technology to find water.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24Algeria is a country in north Africa
0:43:24 > 0:43:27and lies to the north of the equator.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34It's located within the Sahara Desert,
0:43:34 > 0:43:36the largest desert in the world.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Here, whole communities have sprung up in the middle of the desert
0:43:45 > 0:43:49because humans have used technology to find water under the sand.
0:43:57 > 0:44:02Kerzaz is an oasis town located deep in the desert of Algeria
0:44:02 > 0:44:05to the south of the capital city, Algiers.
0:44:08 > 0:44:102,000 people live in Kerzaz.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16The average daily temperature here is 33 degrees centigrade
0:44:16 > 0:44:20and the average annual rainfall is only 1.5 millimetres.
0:44:23 > 0:44:27An oasis is a fertile area in the middle of a desert.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33Fertile land is productive land
0:44:33 > 0:44:36where plants and food crops are able to grow.
0:44:39 > 0:44:44Across the desert, towns like Kerzaz rely on a supply of groundwater,
0:44:44 > 0:44:47water trapped in rock under the desert.
0:44:48 > 0:44:52Using this groundwater means that animals and humans can live here
0:44:52 > 0:44:56and gardens of dates and other food crops can be planted.
0:44:59 > 0:45:04Without humans, the water would not reach these oasis towns.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09People have used ancient technology to find the water under the desert
0:45:09 > 0:45:11and direct it to the town.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22At sunrise, local workmen prepare for the day with prayer.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29Mafoadi is a well digger from an oasis town like Kerzaz
0:45:29 > 0:45:32and has lived in the desert all his life.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Every morning after prayer,
0:45:41 > 0:45:45Mafoadi and his friends head off into the desert to find water.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48They use very simple tools
0:45:48 > 0:45:52and have dug a well in the desert outside Mafoadi's hometown.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59Well diggers have been doing this the same way for the last 700 years.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06Today, Mafoadi is going down his well so that he can release
0:46:06 > 0:46:09the groundwater from the rock under the desert.
0:46:16 > 0:46:20Mafoadi releases the water from the rock by chipping away at it.
0:46:21 > 0:46:26The water runs into a water channel directed towards his town.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33By digging wells down through the sand and rock,
0:46:33 > 0:46:37the groundwater trapped deep under the desert can be reached.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41Then, a long underground water channel can be made,
0:46:41 > 0:46:43reaching all the way to the town.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49Mafoadi and his friends know that by making the channel run downhill,
0:46:49 > 0:46:51water will always reach the town.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59Working underground is so dangerous,
0:46:59 > 0:47:05but Mafoadi insists on working alone while his friends stay above ground.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18After several hours, Mafoadi breaks through.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22He extends the water channel,
0:47:22 > 0:47:26which means more water flowing towards the town.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47There are over 800 wells here now,
0:47:47 > 0:47:51channelling water 60 kilometres under the desert floor.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54When it reaches the surface,
0:47:54 > 0:47:58the water is divided up within the local community.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03Oasis towns would not exist without the skill of the well diggers
0:48:03 > 0:48:06and the use of ancient technology.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09And once you've got a permanent water supply in the desert,
0:48:09 > 0:48:11anything is possible.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44In this film, we'll find out how children
0:48:44 > 0:48:48must protect their food crops to survive in a mountain environment.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57Mountain ranges make up nearly a quarter of the land on Earth.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18The Simien Mountains are in Ethiopia, a country in East Africa.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27Ethiopia lies to the north of the equator.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43The capital city of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48The Simien Mountains are in the north of the country.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58Getabit is a village high in the Simien Mountains.
0:50:00 > 0:50:05At an altitude or height of nearly 4,000 metres above sea level.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09It's home to only 75 people.
0:50:17 > 0:50:21Centuries ago, people fled high into mountain villages like Getabit,
0:50:21 > 0:50:25seeking refuge or protection from other communities.
0:50:28 > 0:50:32This is because they were fighting over the land below.
0:50:33 > 0:50:37Because Getabit village is surrounded by cliffs,
0:50:37 > 0:50:42flat areas of land are scarce or hard to find.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49So villagers must grow their crops wherever they can find land.
0:50:58 > 0:51:03Derajey is 12 years old and lives in Getabit.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07Today, the autumn harvest has begun in his village
0:51:07 > 0:51:10and crops of barley are being harvested by the local people.
0:51:14 > 0:51:18Barley is one of the only food crops that can grow in these mountains.
0:51:22 > 0:51:23Because the village is so high,
0:51:23 > 0:51:28temperatures can regularly go below freezing point at night.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33Most crops need warm temperatures to grow
0:51:33 > 0:51:35but barley can survive in a colder climate.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43The people rely on a good harvest of barley to store through the winter
0:51:43 > 0:51:46when it's too cold to grow anything.
0:51:47 > 0:51:51But the harvest is in danger.
0:51:51 > 0:51:55Gelada baboons also live in these mountains
0:51:55 > 0:51:57and they love eating Derajey's crops.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02Derajey must protect the fields from the Gelada baboons
0:52:02 > 0:52:06so that his village does not lose their vital crop store.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10The Gelada have canine teeth as large as a lions
0:52:10 > 0:52:12and can be dangerous.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31Because Derajey's parents must work in the harvest,
0:52:31 > 0:52:34he and his brother and sisters are the only ones
0:52:34 > 0:52:36who can protect the fields.
0:52:36 > 0:52:38At night, they camp close by.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01At dawn, the Gelada baboons strike.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05The first strike comes from a few large males
0:53:05 > 0:53:08who target Derajey's haystacks.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14But many more baboons are stealing crops
0:53:14 > 0:53:17from the other side of his field.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20Every day, Derajey comes into direct conflict with the baboons
0:53:20 > 0:53:22because they want to eat his crops.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Derajey must hurry to save his field,
0:53:33 > 0:53:37otherwise the food his family needs to get through winter will be gone.
0:53:49 > 0:53:54Derajey has done it. He's beaten off the Gelada.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00Finally, all the crops are harvested.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04Now that Derajey's job is done,
0:54:04 > 0:54:07he can sleep at home instead of guarding the fields.
0:54:44 > 0:54:46In this film, we'll find out
0:54:46 > 0:54:50how humans who work in the hazardous landscape use resourcefulness
0:54:50 > 0:54:52to find natural minerals.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59The earth's surface is like a huge jigsaw
0:54:59 > 0:55:04because it's made up of big plates of solid rock that fit together.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08Volcanoes are formed where these plates meet.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18The plates make up the earth's crust
0:55:18 > 0:55:21which floats on top of molten or liquid rock.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24Sometimes the molten rock can reach temperatures
0:55:24 > 0:55:28of over 1,000 degrees centigrade and erupt out of the volcano as lava.
0:55:30 > 0:55:32Volcanoes can be highly hazardous
0:55:32 > 0:55:35because they can erupt and release toxic gases.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38These volcanoes are said to be active.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42Despite this, some people are willing to work on them
0:55:42 > 0:55:44to make a living.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57Indonesia is in Southeast Asia
0:55:57 > 0:56:00and has some of the most active volcanoes on earth.
0:56:01 > 0:56:05Indonesia's made up of a group of islands in the Indian Ocean.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07The capital is Jakarta.
0:56:13 > 0:56:17The island of Java has 42 active volcanoes,
0:56:17 > 0:56:20more than any other island on earth.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23125 million people live here.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26More than twice the population of the United Kingdom
0:56:26 > 0:56:28in an area half the size.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36And on Ijen volcano in the east of the island,
0:56:36 > 0:56:39people risk their lives for the mineral sulphur,
0:56:39 > 0:56:43which is vital for making rubber, chemicals and fireworks.
0:56:49 > 0:56:53Hartomo and Sulaiman are sulphur miners.
0:56:54 > 0:56:58Today, they're going where few other people dare go.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05Inside the crater of an active volcano.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14Ijen volcano is one of the most poisonous places on earth.
0:57:22 > 0:57:25In the centre of the crater is a lake
0:57:25 > 0:57:28filled with 2.5 million tones of acid.
0:57:29 > 0:57:34The air is filled with toxic gases that come out of the volcano.
0:57:37 > 0:57:41In the past 40 years, 74 miners have died
0:57:41 > 0:57:44because they have been overwhelmed by the gases.
0:58:04 > 0:58:07When Hartomo and Sulaiman enter the mine,
0:58:07 > 0:58:11they have to work in a cloud of hydrogen sulphide gas
0:58:11 > 0:58:14which is 40 times the safe working level.
0:58:16 > 0:58:17They're willing to take this risk
0:58:17 > 0:58:21because they can earn much more money for their families
0:58:21 > 0:58:24than if they worked in other local jobs.
0:58:36 > 0:58:38Once they have enough sulphur,
0:58:38 > 0:58:42Hartomo and Sulaiman have to carry it 200 metres
0:58:42 > 0:58:44straight up to the crater rim.
0:58:47 > 0:58:49Each man carries 90 kilos,
0:58:49 > 0:58:53nearly one and a half times their own bodyweight.
0:58:55 > 0:58:57The work can affect the miners' health.
0:59:22 > 0:59:26The men who work here are paid three pounds per load of sulphur.
0:59:26 > 0:59:28A good local wage.
0:59:30 > 0:59:34Hartomo and Sulaiman have made the most of a natural resource
0:59:34 > 0:59:36given to them by the volcano.
0:59:46 > 0:59:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.