0:00:25 > 0:00:30Hertfordshire - a tranquil and beautiful county.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Sweeping chalk grassland gives way to woodland
0:00:33 > 0:00:40and crystal-clear streams, some of them full of nutritious greenery.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Watercress is a well-known superfood for humans,
0:00:42 > 0:00:44but the cress here is indirectly providing sustenance
0:00:44 > 0:00:47for one of the country's most elusive birds,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49which I'm hoping to spot later on.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56The Hertfordshire countryside may well appear to be idyllic,
0:00:56 > 0:01:01but behind the beauty is a growing problem - rural crime.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03But how do you maintain law and order
0:01:03 > 0:01:07across huge swathes of countryside? Well, Hertfordshire Police
0:01:07 > 0:01:11think that they have found the answer. Rural special constables.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12And I'm going to be joining them
0:01:12 > 0:01:16to find out how they're helping local bobbies stamp out crime.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19And they're not the only ones trying to catch
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- criminals in the countryside. - From the poisoning
0:01:22 > 0:01:24of birds of prey to poaching deer,
0:01:24 > 0:01:28wildlife crime is a big problem right across rural Britain.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And I'll be investigating claims that we lack the law
0:01:31 > 0:01:34and the resources to tackle it effectively.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38And on his Cotswold farm,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42Adam's struggling to separate his rams from the rest of the flock.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45He's so strong! He probably weighs about as much as I do.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Go on, you great big stubborn thing.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Rural Hertfordshire. Its open skies and hidden valleys
0:02:07 > 0:02:10are a haven for people and wildlife alike.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Just north of London, this tranquil countryside feels a world away
0:02:13 > 0:02:16from the hustle and bustle of city life.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21But even in this rural idyll, problems like crime still exist.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24It's a sad fact that no matter where you go in the country,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27it seems we cannot escape crime.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32And worryingly, in the UK, it appears that rural crime is on the up.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41A recent survey by NFU Mutual states that agricultural theft
0:02:41 > 0:02:47cost an estimated £52.7 million in the UK during 2011.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51And metal and chemical theft are growing trends.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56It's a worrying state of affairs for farmers and rural communities alike,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59but here in Hertfordshire, they've found a way to fight back.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Four years ago, the county became the first in the UK
0:03:04 > 0:03:07to introduce rural special constables.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10These are volunteers who help support local bobbies
0:03:10 > 0:03:12by providing extra eyes and ears on the ground.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18'Gamekeeper and estate manager Richard Downs
0:03:18 > 0:03:20'has been a rural special since 2010.'
0:03:20 > 0:03:24- Richard!- Morning! How are you doing? - Pleased to meet you.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25That's a nifty vehicle.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28- Do you all get a Land Rover to bomb around in?- Unfortunately not.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31This vehicle is the only one in Hertfordshire at the moment.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33It's funded solely by the Hertfordshire Constabulary.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36And where's the kind of crossover, how does it work?
0:03:36 > 0:03:39- How much authority have you got? I mean, can you arrest people?- Yeah.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42As a special, whether it's a normal special or a rural special,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45we've got the same police powers - full police powers.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47The only difference being, then, that you're a volunteer.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49We're all volunteers, yeah.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52The minimum requirement hours, I believe, are 16 hours a month.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55- Right.- However I'm quite, I'd say dedicated,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59- I put in about 80 hours a month, 90 hours a month.- Right! Why?
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Why do you want to put in that kind of time as a volunteer?
0:04:01 > 0:04:04I enjoy it, and also it's a service to the rural community.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07I've got all my links with gamekeepers, farmers,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09and they feed me information.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11What would be the most common crime that you come across?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14One of the most common ones at the moment is red diesel theft.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Red diesel is what farmers use in their tractors,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19and some people use for heating.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21I stopped a vehicle a few months ago,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23it had barrels in the back of the vehicle.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25When I looked inside, they had red diesel.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28I asked the guy if he was running red diesel in his car, he said no,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30so I dipped the tank and it came out red.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Which is an offence, because it's rebated fuel.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35However because he stole the diesel,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38he would be arrested on suspicion of theft of diesel.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45And the rural specials aren't just confined to four wheels.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49For trickier terrain, there's even a small group that are mounted.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Across the county, 22 specials work alongside Hertfordshire police,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58increasing the rural force
0:04:58 > 0:05:02and making people like gardener Les Swain feel a whole lot safer.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05What kind of things have you had stolen?
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Er, well, most garden machinery. Mowers, strimmers,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11blowers, chainsaws.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- Everything possible that you use on garden maintenance.- Yeah. Yeah!
0:05:15 > 0:05:17And how do you feel, then,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20knowing now that there is these special constables that are...?
0:05:20 > 0:05:24- I'm all for it, definitely. - And have you noticed a change, then?
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Oh, I think so, over the last two years. It's been quiet.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33Previously I had an awful lot of stuff stolen.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Too much, unfortunately.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40So here in Hertfordshire,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43the introduction of rural special constables is working,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45and the scheme's been so successful
0:05:45 > 0:05:48that it's now been rolled out in other counties across the UK.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57From what I've seen here in Hertfordshire, it's a good example
0:05:57 > 0:06:01of how rural police really have got their work cut out.
0:06:01 > 0:06:02But as Tom has been discovering,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05officers across the British countryside
0:06:05 > 0:06:08have their hands full coping with wildlife crime.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11You may find some of these images in this report upsetting.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19A beautiful morning in the British countryside.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Songbirds strike up a dawn chorus.
0:06:22 > 0:06:28Deer graze across the grass, birds of prey float high above.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34But something's not right. All these animals are under attack.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Crime against our native wildlife is widespread,
0:06:38 > 0:06:40and shows no sign of stopping.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48There are now thousands of reported incidents every year,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50and the reasons are many and varied.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Some animals are killed for entertainment,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55others for food or money.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57But all is not lost.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Tonight is our first attempt in a long time to work multi-agency,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05to start looking at some of the issues up on Cannock Chase,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07particularly in relation to deer poaching.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10'In Staffordshire, the police are becoming increasingly concerned
0:07:10 > 0:07:13'about the growing problem of deer poaching.'
0:07:15 > 0:07:19'Officers here are working with other bodies, like the RSPCA,
0:07:19 > 0:07:21'to crack down on the criminals.'
0:07:24 > 0:07:26'Tonight, they're running an operation
0:07:26 > 0:07:28'in the Cannock Chase area.'
0:07:29 > 0:07:32'They're hoping to catch the poachers red-handed.'
0:07:32 > 0:07:33We've had intelligence
0:07:33 > 0:07:36over a period of time which says there's people coming up here
0:07:36 > 0:07:38quite regularly taking the deer,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41whether that's using hunting rifles or hunting with dogs,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43so hopefully we can find some of those people tonight
0:07:43 > 0:07:45and get them prosecuted.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47With six square miles to cover,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51they have multiple teams and nine cars out on patrol.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56PC Robert Gidman's job is to stop and search any suspect vehicles.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58I'm just going to stop this vehicle.
0:07:58 > 0:08:034x4, only sort of size vehicle that'd be able to transport a deer.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06By any chance can I have your details and a quick look in your van
0:08:06 > 0:08:10just to make sure you haven't got firearms or anything of that nature?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13'With so many resources and organisations devoted to
0:08:13 > 0:08:17'a single operation, they really need to get a result.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21'But so far tonight, they've found nothing.'
0:08:25 > 0:08:28'Deer poaching isn't just a problem in Staffordshire.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32'From Scotland to the south coast, deer are being killed
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'either for food or to be sold on the black market.'
0:08:35 > 0:08:40Well, this has been a real hot-spot, especially this year.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44I mean, we've seen many poachers out over the last few months.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48'Dickon Featherstonhaugh has problems with poachers
0:08:48 > 0:08:52'on his 5,000-acre estate in North Wales.'
0:08:52 > 0:08:56We've got the road here that they're using as a base to poach from,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59and those with rifles are doing it off the back of pick-ups
0:08:59 > 0:09:01from a public highway.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05You've got a lot of people out in the middle of the night with guns,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08with big running dogs - I mean, these are scary people.
0:09:12 > 0:09:13'Back in Staffordshire,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17'the police are still searching for poachers on Cannock Chase.'
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I think there's a couple of people at the front of it.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Tail light out at the back, so you never know. We'll check it out.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27'This van has enough space to carry deer,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30'as well as room for the dogs that are often used to hunt them.'
0:09:30 > 0:09:33- Can we have a look in the van? - Yeah, it's just scrap.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38'But despite their suspicions, there's no deer
0:09:38 > 0:09:41'and no evidence of poaching.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45'Time is running out. But the search continues.'
0:09:50 > 0:09:51But it's not just deer
0:09:51 > 0:09:54that have become the targets for wildlife crime.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Salmon and other fish are also taken for food.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Badgers and hares are hunted down for sport,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04and even birds can't escape the criminals.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Stunning golden eagles like this once thrived across much of Britain.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11But now, sadly,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14they're largely confined to the wilder areas of Scotland.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18And although strongly protected, it's thought they're not
0:10:18 > 0:10:21spreading into Northern England because of persecution.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29'With so many different crimes spread over such a vast area,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33'the police and the many other organisations trying to tackle
0:10:33 > 0:10:36'wildlife crime have really got their work cut out.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38'As they're finding out in Staffordshire,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43'having the manpower to tackle it doesn't always guarantee success.'
0:10:46 > 0:10:50- 'But the team have a secret weapon.' - OK. Eight satellites now.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56- 'A remote controlled drone.'- Camera up slightly. Slightly more high.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00OK, camera down. OK. We've got 93 feet in height, 23 feet away.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04'It can spot human heat signatures even in woodland,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06'at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter.'
0:11:07 > 0:11:09'But the only humans it picks up tonight
0:11:09 > 0:11:13'are the officers operating it, and our film crew.'
0:11:14 > 0:11:18'It's starting to look like all this effort is for nothing.'
0:11:22 > 0:11:26'Then, on the other side of Cannock Chase, there's been a breakthrough.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30'Our officers have stopped a van with a dead deer in the back.'
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Looking at the injuries,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36it appears that the dog had attacked this deer
0:11:36 > 0:11:38and brought it down,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40and someone slit its throat.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42It's certainly poaching.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45'The dogs are still in the van, and surprisingly calm.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48'Three suspected poachers have already been arrested
0:11:48 > 0:11:50'and taken away.'
0:11:50 > 0:11:54This is what we've been planning for weeks, to try and tackle the problem
0:11:54 > 0:11:58that's going on in this area, and it looks like it's been successful.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01The resources Staffordshire police
0:12:01 > 0:12:04are now using to combat deer poaching
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and the way they're working with expert organisations
0:12:07 > 0:12:12is a great example of the way wildlife crime CAN be tackled.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16But it's not the case everywhere in the UK.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Later, I'll be asking if we've got the money
0:12:18 > 0:12:22and the right laws to tackle this threat. And what about the will?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25In the end, is it worth all the effort?
0:12:34 > 0:12:39In the Hertfordshire countryside, I'm heading to a watery oasis
0:12:39 > 0:12:42where a one-time Victorian superfood is being nurtured
0:12:42 > 0:12:44to create a wildlife habitat.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47This is the Lemsford Springs nature reserve,
0:12:47 > 0:12:49and it's kept under lock and key,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52so its very rare residents are not disturbed.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59These shallow streams are fed by springs
0:12:59 > 0:13:01that rise from deep in the chalk.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03And that gives them some special qualities.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10'Tim Hill is conservation manager.'
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Tim, this looks suspiciously like watercress to me.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16It is watercress.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18There were natural springs here at Lemsford,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20and back in the 1860s,
0:13:20 > 0:13:25the whole of the flood plain was dug out here, lined with gravel.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27The chalk water pours out from the springs
0:13:27 > 0:13:30at about 10 degrees C constantly.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33Oh, yes! It's a freezing cold day
0:13:33 > 0:13:35and actually the water is quite warm!
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Not bad at all, is it, for a cold day like this?
0:13:37 > 0:13:42Because it's so rich in minerals and incredibly clear,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46it provides a perfect growing medium for the watercress.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53Growing watercress was big business right up to the 1950s.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Rich in Vitamin C, it was harvested
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and sent to London to help prevent scurvy.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03By the 1960s, with more exotic salads available,
0:14:03 > 0:14:08watercress from here went out of favour, and Lemsford was abandoned.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14'That was until the '70s, when the Wildlife Trust took over.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16'They found watercress still thriving,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19'and harbouring an unexpected creature.'
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Tim, what are we looking for, then?
0:14:21 > 0:14:24- We're having a look for some freshwater shrimps.- Really?!
0:14:25 > 0:14:29If you have a look in here, you should be able to see.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33- So they like to get down at the roots, do they, the bottom?- Yeah.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38- And...put your hands out.- Oh, my God, they're all wriggling! Eurgh!
0:14:38 > 0:14:40HE LAUGHS
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Aah, that's revolting! And tickling my hands.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47So you've probably got about 50 freshwater shrimps there.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And all those shrimps are feeding on this rotting vegetation,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52and you can see how well they're doing on it.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55And presumably, these little critters
0:14:55 > 0:14:58are fantastic for the ecosystem as a whole.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02These provide food for so many different creatures.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Particularly green sandpipers, that's what comes here.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07The rare green sandpiper.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09The rare green sandpiper, yeah, come in here right throughout
0:15:09 > 0:15:12the winter and they're feasting on these shrimps.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17'Making sure this habitat is just right for the shrimps
0:15:17 > 0:15:20'and the sandpipers that feed on them takes a lot of hard graft.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22'And it's all done by volunteers.'
0:15:26 > 0:15:29'Without all this raking, the watercress
0:15:29 > 0:15:33'would spread like a blanket and the streams would silt up.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35'But this way, the cress can be left in heaps,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38'creating the perfect shrimpy habitat.'
0:15:42 > 0:15:44'Time to catch up with Tim again,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47'and see if we can spot the real star of the show -
0:15:47 > 0:15:49'the green sandpiper.'
0:15:49 > 0:15:52- (WHISPERING)- Hi, Tim. What have we got?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Green sandpipers this morning.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Let's have a little look.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03You can see they've got this very distinctive bobbing action
0:16:03 > 0:16:07as they go, they move their tail up and down as they go.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09They're a reasonably chunky bird,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13they weigh about the same as a Mars Bar - between 60g and 90g.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Being that size bird, they need to get lots of food in them
0:16:16 > 0:16:18during the daytimes.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22'Some of the visiting birds have been ringed, and that's allowed Tim
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'to identify six individuals that fly in here every day.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:29'Those regular feeders make Lemsford Springs the best place
0:16:29 > 0:16:32'in the UK to spot this elusive species.'
0:16:33 > 0:16:36They're quite a mysterious bird, aren't they?
0:16:36 > 0:16:39They are, and that's why so much research has been done
0:16:39 > 0:16:40since the 1980s here in Hertfordshire.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42In the long term, by ringing the birds
0:16:42 > 0:16:45we hope to find out exactly where they're breeding.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- You still don't know that?- They leave here in about April-time
0:16:48 > 0:16:51- and fly off.- Somewhere.- Somewhere.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Back here from late June, early July time.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58And so they're not gone for very long.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00The fact they leave here so late means they're going up
0:17:00 > 0:17:03into Northern Europe where summer comes late.
0:17:03 > 0:17:04BIRD CHIRRUPS
0:17:04 > 0:17:08That's a green sandpiper calling, can you hear it? Chip-chip-chip-chip.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13- Just down here in front of us here. - Oh, yes, there we go!
0:17:13 > 0:17:17So that chip-chip-chipping, that's the territorial call,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20just saying, "Keep off, this is my patch."
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Presumably their feathers change colour at some stage,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25because they don't look very green at the moment.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27No, they're very grey-green at the moment.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30The grey does blend in with the background very well.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32But as the brooding season approaches
0:17:32 > 0:17:34they develop their much stronger colours
0:17:34 > 0:17:36and that's when they've got that greeny tinge to them.
0:17:39 > 0:17:45The watercress, the raking, the millions of shrimps.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47All here just for the birds.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49And as long as the springs keep flowing
0:17:49 > 0:17:51and those volunteers keep raking,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55the green sandpipers will hopefully keep coming back.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07The seemingly friendly terrain of Hertfordshire
0:18:07 > 0:18:09is a pastoral playground for all.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12But in freezing conditions at this time of year,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14it can very quickly turn deadly.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19When someone goes missing, the police are the first port of call.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23But searching through huge areas of countryside can be challenging,
0:18:23 > 0:18:24not to mention labour-intensive.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28So at times like these, some very special volunteers are called in.
0:18:30 > 0:18:31Meet Mitch.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35He's part of a voluntary force known as Lowlands Search and Rescue.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Every year, they're involved in finding
0:18:37 > 0:18:40over 800 missing persons across the UK.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44He's a specially trained springer spaniel,
0:18:44 > 0:18:49and he and his trainer Jenny are on call 365 days a year.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51We've been qualified for nearly a year now.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54He qualified December 10th last year.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58What kind of people are you generally looking for?
0:18:58 > 0:18:59Usually people with dementia.
0:18:59 > 0:19:05- Yeah.- It could be despondents, you know, suicidals,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07or children that have wandered off.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11'In these kind of rescue situations, where vulnerable people
0:19:11 > 0:19:16'are at risk, regardless of the terrain, time is of the essence.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20'So a dog like Mitch who can pick up a human scent and track it is vital.'
0:19:20 > 0:19:23To get out like this and be training like this is so important,
0:19:23 > 0:19:27because, to Mitch, it's no different, the training or the real thing.
0:19:27 > 0:19:28- He wouldn't know.- No, no, no.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31He doesn't know at all, he's just looking for...
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Well, he's just trying to find the person
0:19:33 > 0:19:36so he gets the reward of the ball, really.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39'So training is essential to keep their skills honed.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42'Today we're going to put Mitch to the test.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45'Earlier we sent Alice, our production runner, out into the woods.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49'Mitch has never been here before, and Alice is setting out on her own,
0:19:49 > 0:19:54'so this is as close to a real-life situation as we can get.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58'Time to check in to see if she's found a good hiding place.'
0:19:58 > 0:20:03Alice, Matt. Alice, Matt. Alice, Matt, are you there?
0:20:05 > 0:20:10'We sent Alice off with a radio, but it doesn't seem to be working.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11'And it's getting dark.'
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Mitch, we proper need your help now, son.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18I'll keep trying her, but...
0:20:18 > 0:20:20Find.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22He's so quick and speedy!
0:20:22 > 0:20:26And it's in situations like this where a dog will be doing
0:20:26 > 0:20:29the work of... well, 100 guys, I would say.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Alice, Matt.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37She's definitely not replying.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39'We were all starting to get a little bit anxious,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43'and I'm getting a sense of what it's like to rely on Mitch.'
0:20:43 > 0:20:45You can see how these situations develop.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47Because we've got no mobile phone reception.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49- No.- The radio's not working,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- Alice is out here somewhere in the woods.- Yes.
0:20:56 > 0:21:02'We're 20 minutes into the search, and still no sign. When suddenly...'
0:21:04 > 0:21:06'..to a collective sigh of relief from the team,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10'Mitch's behaviour changes, letting Jenny know he's found something.'
0:21:10 > 0:21:15Good boy! Hello, are you Alice? My name's Jenny. Hi. Are you all right?
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Good boy! Good boy.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22- Ah-ah!- What was that like, Alice?
0:21:22 > 0:21:24I'm guessing you could hear Mitch's bell.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28I could hear the faint sound of the bell, so there was hope.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32'I can only imagine the relief to hear those jingling bells approaching
0:21:32 > 0:21:35'if you really are in trouble in a wood like this.'
0:21:35 > 0:21:36- We couldn't get any contact!- Yeah!
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- So it actually turned out like a proper rescue.- Yeah, it was.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44'And Mitch's reward for all of this? A ball.'
0:21:44 > 0:21:47- Good dog.- Stay.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48Stay.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Go!
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Now, as we heard earlier,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06there's a big problem with wildlife crime right across Britain.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11But is it being tackled effectively? Tom's been finding out.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Britain's countryside - peaceful and beautiful.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25But look closer and you'll find criminals intent on destroying
0:22:25 > 0:22:27the animals that live here.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30It's not just the police fighting these crimes.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Many other organisations are involved, too.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Whilst tackling badger baiting falls largely to the RSPCA,
0:22:38 > 0:22:43and fish poaching to the Environment Agency, the RSPB are focusing
0:22:43 > 0:22:48their efforts on tackling the persecution of birds of prey.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52'Mark Thomas from the RSPB Investigations Team has brought me
0:22:52 > 0:22:54'to a location where, in 2009,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57'he ran a four-week covert operation.'
0:22:58 > 0:23:01So what actually happened here?
0:23:01 > 0:23:04We got a phone call from a lady who had been walking with her children,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and her children had come across a dead buzzard on the ground
0:23:07 > 0:23:10next to the remains of a dead pheasant. She thought it was unusual.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15We came here the very next day and we located a further four dead ravens.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20'The team wanted to catch the person responsible.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25'So, dressed in camouflage gear, hidden within bushes,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28'they filmed what went on on the estate.'
0:23:34 > 0:23:37'They captured footage of a local gamekeeper,
0:23:37 > 0:23:42'visiting various locations where they had found the poisoned bait.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46'They suspected he was killing birds of prey to protect pheasants
0:23:46 > 0:23:50'reared for shooting. The evidence was overwhelming.'
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Clearly see the wings here,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56and I can identify this as a common buzzard.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00'The gamekeeper told police
0:24:00 > 0:24:03'he had lost count of the amount of birds he'd killed.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07'He was convicted on 17 counts of wildlife crime,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10'but after six months of work,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13'it wasn't the outcome the RSPB had hoped for.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17'For them, the sentence didn't fit the crime.'
0:24:17 > 0:24:23- He was fined a mere £1,000. - £1,000 for all that?- Indeed.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28- It just seems very small, even to me.- We were incredibly disappointed.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32We've had cases since where again a gamekeeper's been prosecuted
0:24:32 > 0:24:34for trying to kill birds of prey,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and he was told to pay £17,000 in costs,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40so there's a real difference between one court and another court,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43and that's something that needs to change.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47'The RSPB are not the only ones to have made this criticism.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50'In a recent Commons report, it was suggested
0:24:50 > 0:24:54'there was little consistency in wildlife crime sentencing
0:24:54 > 0:24:55'across England and Wales.'
0:24:57 > 0:24:59The report blames the lack of sentencing guidelines
0:24:59 > 0:25:01for judges and magistrates,
0:25:01 > 0:25:06and also very few prosecutors specialising in wildlife crime.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11It also criticises the absence of a national wildlife crime database,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14so we can't be definitive on how bad the problem is,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16or whether it's getting worse.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21People working on the ground have their own concerns.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23So this is where you've seen them in the past,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26- and they could be today. - Yes, absolutely.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Sometimes they're right down the left hand side.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32This part of North Wales is a deer poaching hot spot.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Sergeant Rob Taylor has found evidence here suggesting
0:25:35 > 0:25:39that poachers are using this field to stash dead deer.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41So just about here is the area where it was previously.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Describe what you have seen here yourself.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Just the remains. Blood, some entrails and bits of fur.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Although Rob works as a full-time wildlife crime officer,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54he feels complicated legislation makes his job harder.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58The law is very complex. Very, very complex.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Some of the laws go back to the 19th century.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01These are laws we're still using.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04There's numerous laws to deal with numerous offences,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06so even experienced wildlife officers like myself,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08the first port of call for me is get the books out,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10and start reading which law I need to use.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14The law is currently being reviewed in England and Wales,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17but there's no guarantee it will actually change.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24On the up side, there is a National Wildlife Crime Unit.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Nevin Hunter is the head.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29We're looking at a peregrine here.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31I gather this has been one of the success stories.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Yes, they certainly have.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Launched in 2006,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39the unit co-ordinates intelligence between all the police forces.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41But there are problems here too.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45It has a staff of just ten, and funding is due to run out in March.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49- Is there certainty over your future? - No, there is no certainty.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52All we're looking for is sustaining what we've got.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55We really do focus in on trying to prioritise
0:26:55 > 0:26:57the key things we need to deal with.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59In the current financial climate, we understand
0:26:59 > 0:27:02that we're not going to get a massive increase in staff.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05What is really important we can sustain what we've got,
0:27:05 > 0:27:09and carry on with some of the good work we've been involved with.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13This year is not just make or break for the National Wildlife Crime Unit.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Some crucial decisions also need to be made
0:27:16 > 0:27:19on how we deal with wildlife crime in general.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23With crime fighting budgets falling, will the Government want
0:27:23 > 0:27:27to stump up the cash to protect animals, rather than people?
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Well, even if they don't, there is another option.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35There's a trend towards more local decision-making in policing,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39as demonstrated by the recent election for Police Commissioners.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43So, if you want fighting wildlife crime made a greater priority
0:27:43 > 0:27:46on your patch, then that's now your choice.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57In Hertfordshire, I'm getting a rather frosty reception.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Three inches of snow, and sub-zero temperatures
0:28:00 > 0:28:04have turned the county into a winter wonderland.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06So I've pulled on the thermals to go in search
0:28:06 > 0:28:09of some rather fascinating local characters.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15This is Tring Park Mansion.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19It used to be home to one of Europe's wealthiest banking families,
0:28:19 > 0:28:20the Rothschilds.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28But one of the family members wasn't so bothered about collecting money.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31He wanted to collect animals.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Lots of animals.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Look at this, it's amazing.
0:28:44 > 0:28:484,000 animals, all part of the private collection
0:28:48 > 0:28:52of one Lionel Walter, second Baron Rothschild.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54What are you looking at?
0:28:54 > 0:28:57At the age of seven, young Walter announced to his parents
0:28:57 > 0:29:00he wanted to start a zoological collection.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03His first exhibits were in a garden shed.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05When he was 21, he built his own museum,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08here in the Hertfordshire countryside.
0:29:08 > 0:29:09As you do.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12Walter Rothschild paid collectors to travel the world,
0:29:12 > 0:29:13and bring back specimens for him.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16You've got a lynx from Spain, a fishing cat from India.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Of course, this is before anybody questioned the ethics
0:29:19 > 0:29:21of taking an animal out of its natural environment,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23and shipping it half way across the world.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27It was actually considered a noble thing to do.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30After Walter's death in 1937, the collection was donated
0:29:30 > 0:29:35to the Natural History Museum, along with two million artefacts.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Today, his noble work still contributes
0:29:37 > 0:29:40to our scientific knowledge of the natural world.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Zoologist Paul Kitching is the current manager.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49You can question the morality of starting this collection,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52but today it's tremendously valuable, isn't it?
0:29:52 > 0:29:56Absolutely. This collection forms part of the Natural History Museum.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59It is our national natural history resource.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02It's a really unusual collection,
0:30:02 > 0:30:05and it is certainly more than just a passing hobby, isn't it?
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Oh, yes, absolutely. This is kind of a lifetime's work.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Walter Rothschild was no amateur.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14He studied natural sciences at Cambridge University,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17and in 50 years of collecting and cataloguing,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19he identified many new animals,
0:30:19 > 0:30:25including scores of insects, dozens of birds, and a multitude of mammals.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27And who were his collectors?
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Who were these people all over the globe
0:30:29 > 0:30:31that brought the specimens back?
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Well, with Walter's family connections
0:30:34 > 0:30:37and his family's financial ability,
0:30:37 > 0:30:42he was able to place collectors all round the world.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45In fact, his niece, I believe, said that the map of the world,
0:30:45 > 0:30:48with all of the places he had collectors active,
0:30:48 > 0:30:49looked like a map with measles.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53- So it was that kind of spread. - Density.- Yes, absolutely.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02Walter also collected living animals.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Including 144 giant tortoises.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08And a fair number of zebra.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12But they weren't all confined to his estate.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14He brought back glis glis,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16edible dormice from mainland Europe.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19And 100 years ago he deliberately released a handful
0:31:19 > 0:31:22into the wilds of Hertfordshire.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27Today, there are tens of thousands living in lofts across the county.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29It turns out other animal collectors have left us
0:31:29 > 0:31:32with reminders of their work too.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35The muntjac deer, originally from Asia,
0:31:35 > 0:31:39is an escapee currently eating its way through our woodland.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41But I'm looking for this.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43The black squirrel.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47Expert Helen McRobie, from Anglia Ruskin University,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49promised me a sighting.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Even in the snow.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54So, how did the blacks find their way to the United Kingdom?
0:31:54 > 0:31:56The Victorians brought them over from America.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58- Those lovely Victorians!- Yes.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01It started off, we believe, in Woburn,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05where the first sighting of a black squirrel was, in 1912.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Since then, they've been spreading and interbreeding
0:32:08 > 0:32:10with the local grey squirrels.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Genetically, the greys and blacks are linked, aren't they?
0:32:13 > 0:32:14Yes, they're the same species.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Apart from the colour, they're identical, really.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20I've been looking at the genetics of the black squirrel,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23and I looked at a particular gene related to fur colour,
0:32:23 > 0:32:27and in the black squirrel, there's a chunk of DNA missing,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29which means their fur is black.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31How do you know where they are?
0:32:31 > 0:32:35Last year, I launched a website for people to click on,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38and show me where they've seen a black squirrel or grey squirrel.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41I also wanted to get red squirrel sightings.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44I was also getting some unexpected sightings.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Where I was seeing red squirrels,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50people were also saying they were seeing black squirrels.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53I thought they can't be black grey squirrels,
0:32:53 > 0:32:54so I went to go and see them.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Formby is one of the places where they've been found,
0:32:57 > 0:33:02and there were lovely red squirrels, and also black red squirrels.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- So brunettes, almost?- Yes.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08These newly discovered brunette squirrels are part
0:33:08 > 0:33:11of a European variety related to our native reds.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14They're totally different to the invasive American greys
0:33:14 > 0:33:15and their black variation.
0:33:19 > 0:33:20Let's perch here and see.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Time for a squirrel stake out.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27If we sit here long enough, we're bound to see some, surely.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Normally, of course, they'd be bouncing around the trees.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Yeah. Actually they really like parkland,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45and they're often down on the ground in parkland.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47'There we go. Anything up there?
0:33:47 > 0:33:49'Oh, no, that's a woodpecker.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50'There, there!
0:33:52 > 0:33:53'Oh, dog.'
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Well, it looks like we're out of luck.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03The squirrels - greys and blacks - have more sense than us,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05and they're staying out of the cold.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12But while I've been struggling to spot the wildlife,
0:34:12 > 0:34:16there's no chance of Katie missing the animals she's gone to see,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18and she's just over the border, in Bedfordshire.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31On the edge of the Chilterns, Whipsnade Zoo.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33It's been here since 1931.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Not only does it house an array of exotic animals,
0:34:36 > 0:34:41it's also home to a site of special scientific interest or SSSI.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Here it is - chalk grassland.
0:34:46 > 0:34:52Across the UK, we've lost 80% of this habitat over the last 60 years.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55But here at Whipsnade, they're working hard to keep it alive.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01In spring and summer,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03these special habitats support wild flowers,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05like ox-eye daisy,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08birdsfoot trefoil
0:35:08 > 0:35:09and hoary plantain.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12These plants attracts butterflies, like Chalkhill Blues
0:35:12 > 0:35:14and Marbled Whites.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18At the moment, this may just look like a winter wasteland,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21but in a few months, this bleak landscape will be transformed,
0:35:21 > 0:35:23thanks to some careful management.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Ben Poulton has been overseeing the conservation of this SSSI
0:35:31 > 0:35:33for the past five years.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37So obviously we've got a lot of snow on the ground at the moment,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39but is there anything that you might be able to find,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41underneath the snow today?
0:35:41 > 0:35:43There might be some over-wintering perennials.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Let's delve in and have a look.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50So, here we have this mouse-eared hawkweed here,
0:35:50 > 0:35:55which in spring comes up as a lovely little lemon yellow flower,
0:35:55 > 0:35:57about so high.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00We've also got the wild thyme here.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03But the flora hasn't always been so abundant.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06That's because of some rather unusual grazers.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09The zoo's free roaming wallabies.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13They were overgrazing all year round, so there was no point
0:36:13 > 0:36:18where any of the flowers were able to come up and reseed.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21I don't see wallabies here now, so what are you doing to manage it?
0:36:21 > 0:36:25One of the first things we did was put a large long fence up,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28and excluded them back into the main area of the zoo.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31Within a year or two, we had fields
0:36:31 > 0:36:34of purple and yellow
0:36:34 > 0:36:36returning very quickly.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Resting the site was an important process in its regeneration.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48But for flowers to flourish in the summer,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50the grass still needed to be grazed,
0:36:50 > 0:36:52so while the wallabies were banished,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55a few other four-legged helpers were invited in,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58and it's part of David Tyne's job to look after them.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- Hello, David.- Hello there. - Wow, these sheep are fantastic.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- Lovely, aren't they? - What are they?- Badger face.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- Where are the badger face from? - They're Welsh mountain sheep.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Lovely. Why in particular are you using these sheep?
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Because they're a small breed, they're manageable.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15And smaller feet, they break the ground up
0:37:15 > 0:37:17and allow the seeds to germinate.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20And they're just great sheep, ideal for the terrain.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27Preserving this grassland with our native species
0:37:27 > 0:37:31is of real importance in the conservation of our natural habitats.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34But there are some other, slightly more unconventional animals
0:37:34 > 0:37:36getting involved in the relief effort.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Asian elephants.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Come rain or shine, the keepers walk the elephants daily
0:37:53 > 0:37:57in the grounds of the zoo, which includes the SSSI.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02In the wild, they'd roam and graze freely,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05so this gives them the chance to stretch their legs
0:38:05 > 0:38:08and browse on the grassland. ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
0:38:08 > 0:38:12Keeper Lee Sambrook's been taking this walk with the elephants
0:38:12 > 0:38:15almost every day for 17 years.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17So, who have we here?
0:38:17 > 0:38:18So, this is Luca.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Luca is 30 years old, she's a female Asian elephant
0:38:22 > 0:38:25and she's currently enjoying the snow that we've got on the ground.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28It's quite normal for her and she seems to be scooping it up
0:38:28 > 0:38:30- and eating it at the moment. - Is she not feeling the cold?
0:38:30 > 0:38:32They're actually very hardy animals.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35They're animals that come from countries where it gets
0:38:35 > 0:38:39extremely cold at night-time, and an elephant is a fantastic animal.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42It can actually kind of shift the heat in its body
0:38:42 > 0:38:44to various parts where it needs it most.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Usually there isn't all this snow on the ground,
0:38:46 > 0:38:49- do you bring them out here to eat the grass?- Yeah, really.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51We like to graze them.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55They do love grass, they're an animal that, in the wild,
0:38:55 > 0:38:5670% of their diet would be grass.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59So when you've got them out here, is it a good chance
0:38:59 > 0:39:02to look them over and check everything's OK?
0:39:02 > 0:39:05Yeah, we can take the opportunity when we're out on a stroll.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08So at the moment we'll just get Kayleigh to lift up her feet
0:39:08 > 0:39:12to make sure there's no stones stuck in the pads of her feet.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14It's important that we're able to do things like this with them
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- just so we can keep... - See her teeth.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19Oh, my goodness!
0:39:19 > 0:39:21She's got the two at the top and the two at the bottom.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25- Currently she's enjoying the ice! - Teeth looking good today?
0:39:25 > 0:39:27- They're looking very good. - Excellent.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29- She's got excellent teeth. They all have.- Very nice.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32And it's important that they're eating this kind of rough forage,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35it helps keep the teeth nicely worn down as well.
0:39:35 > 0:39:36Very important for them.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41It feels like we're on kind of safari in Bedfordshire. Grasslands.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45- And elephants... Are we in the zoo? - Yeah, we are, we certainly are.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50As the elephants head back for a well-earned rest,
0:39:50 > 0:39:55it's hard to believe this landscape will soon be in full bloom again.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00But not before a few more months of hard work by these little fellows.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03And, of course, the odd Asian elephant too.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19In the Cotswolds, Adam's farm is also in the grip of winter.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23And the icy conditions are causing some problems.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Hey, here. Come on.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43It's really important the animals have fresh water every day,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46but of course at this time of year, this is frozen.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47Get these leaves off, Boo.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Right, so I just stamp on it really to break the ice.
0:40:56 > 0:40:57It's quite thick.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05There's enough there for them to go out for the day,
0:41:05 > 0:41:07but if it stays cold and frozen,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10we'll have to come back with a blowtorch
0:41:10 > 0:41:14and thaw out the pipe that brings the water up to the trough.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16That's nice, Boo, isn't it?
0:41:18 > 0:41:20Here we are.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22It might be cold,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25but my Cotswold sheep are well adapted to these conditions.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29These are my Cotswolds, they're a really lovely breed.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Traditional to the Cotswold hills here of course,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35and there's about 30 Cotswold ewes, the females,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38and this is the ram, he's an absolute monster.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42And they should all be pregnant now, so I'll be taking him out soon.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45The Cotswolds are famous for their wool.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47And he's got an amazing fleece.
0:41:47 > 0:41:53Even though it's about minus five today, he's toasty warm under here
0:41:53 > 0:41:56cos of this lovely wool, it's a great insulator
0:41:56 > 0:42:00and full of grease lanolin that keeps him lovely and dry too.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02I borrowed him off a neighbour of mine,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05Pat Quinn, who breeds fantastic Cotswolds
0:42:05 > 0:42:06and he's an absolute corker,
0:42:06 > 0:42:10so hopefully you'll have some nice little lambs, won't you, mate?
0:42:19 > 0:42:21These ewes are also due to lamb.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23They're a mixture of different breeds.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25I'm moving the flock into these secure pens
0:42:25 > 0:42:27so I can separate our the rams.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30The rams have finished their work now,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32these two boys in here are done.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35And I've got a Suffolk, which I'll just have to catch and take him out.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39There he is. Lovely boy.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47So, I'm going to take his harness off. He's finished with that now.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52This harness has got a chalk on it, and when he mates with the ewe,
0:42:52 > 0:42:55his chest rubs on their rump and leaves a mark on them
0:42:55 > 0:42:57and they've got lots of different colours
0:42:57 > 0:42:59cos we've changed the colour of the chalk,
0:42:59 > 0:43:03and therefore we know which ones are going to give birth when.
0:43:03 > 0:43:08He's so strong, he probably weighs about as much as I do.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Go on, you great big stubborn thing!
0:43:11 > 0:43:14Wants to stay with his wives. Get out, Pearl!
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Go on.
0:43:21 > 0:43:22Come on, then.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27The Southdown is a much smaller breed than the Suffolk,
0:43:27 > 0:43:29like a little teddy bear.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32And they cross very well with the Romney ewes
0:43:32 > 0:43:34and produce a fantastic carcass.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Right, get him loaded up.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09I'll just let the rams out here.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12We'll start feeding them now, they're very valuable
0:44:12 > 0:44:14and they've lost some weight.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16So I want to get them back into good condition.
0:44:16 > 0:44:20Make sure they're healthy. Right then, boys.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23Come on then.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27You'll see your wives again next year.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32I've just dropped them in with two quite lame ewes
0:44:32 > 0:44:33that we're treating.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Lame sheep don't walk around and feed very well
0:44:36 > 0:44:39and these ewes will give birth in the spring so we want to get them
0:44:39 > 0:44:41really good on their feet so they produce lots of milk.
0:44:41 > 0:44:45Then I'll bring all the other rams in here over the next ten days
0:44:45 > 0:44:47and the rams will live together for the rest of the winter,
0:44:47 > 0:44:51then all summer, until they go back to their ladies again next autumn.
0:45:00 > 0:45:01Here we go, Eric.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05HE LAUGHS
0:45:05 > 0:45:08Whoops, he's broken my bucket!
0:45:08 > 0:45:10What a naughty boy!
0:45:10 > 0:45:13Now, I live and breathe farming and I feel very passionate
0:45:13 > 0:45:16about what I do, even though Eric's a bit of a naughty boy.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20And last summer I was so lucky to be invited to be one of
0:45:20 > 0:45:22the judges for Farmer of the Year
0:45:22 > 0:45:25and we had three fantastic finalists.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30Guy Watson was recognised for being
0:45:30 > 0:45:34a pioneer of the early organic veg box scheme.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37I was delivering vegetables to local shops
0:45:37 > 0:45:39literally out of the back of my beaten-up old car,
0:45:39 > 0:45:42and it's grown from those very small beginnings
0:45:42 > 0:45:45to now we pack 40,000 boxes a week,
0:45:45 > 0:45:47that's roughly one every three seconds.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53Henry Edmunds farms 2,500 acres organically,
0:45:53 > 0:45:56with wildlife at the heart of everything he does.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59Do you consider yourself a conservationist or a farmer?
0:45:59 > 0:46:02I'm definitely a farmer because, without farming,
0:46:02 > 0:46:05I couldn't do my conservation work. But every farming decision I make
0:46:05 > 0:46:10I'm thinking about the environmental effects of what I do.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14Tom Rawson was a finalist for inspiring young people
0:46:14 > 0:46:17to join him in the dairy industry.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21We're hooking up investors, young people in the industry,
0:46:21 > 0:46:24ourselves and farm owners and just trying to get together,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27add some scale to the business and make it work for all parties.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30And now for the big moment - three inspiring farmers
0:46:30 > 0:46:33but only one person can be BBC Farmer of the Year.
0:46:33 > 0:46:37We were looking for someone who was passionate about their business,
0:46:37 > 0:46:39who was inspirational, a great communicator,
0:46:39 > 0:46:41innovative and entrepreneurial.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44And the man who's won ticks all those boxes,
0:46:44 > 0:46:46and it is Guy Watson.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:46:49 > 0:46:5225 years I've been growing organically
0:46:52 > 0:46:56and been regarded as being nuts for quite a lot of that time,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59and, you know, it is a great sort of affirmation
0:46:59 > 0:47:02and especially the last three or four years have been really tough.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05This year's been really, really tough with the weather,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08so, you know, it's great, I'm really, really pleased.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14It wasn't an easy decision to make,
0:47:14 > 0:47:17but Guy Watson really is a great role model for the industry.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23Next week, I'm halter training my favourite Highland calf.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39I'm delving deep into Hertfordshire
0:47:39 > 0:47:42and discovering all sorts of surprises along the way.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45Earlier, I met Mitch and his handler, Jenny Anstey.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48He's a dog with many talents.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51He can sniff out a missing person day or night,
0:47:51 > 0:47:54but his abilities don't end there.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57Mitch is also a star in the local flyball team.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03WOMAN SHOUTS ENCOURAGEMENT
0:48:03 > 0:48:05And if you've got no idea what we're on about,
0:48:05 > 0:48:07here's something to get you up to speed.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11Flyball is a team game for dogs.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15It originated in America and arrived in the UK in the '90s.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18The sport's popularity has grown from strength to strength,
0:48:18 > 0:48:20and it's even played at Crufts.
0:48:20 > 0:48:24I think I've got a new recruit here. This is my dog, Annie.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27She's just over a year old, and Annie,
0:48:27 > 0:48:29this is going to be right up your street.
0:48:29 > 0:48:31Loads of tennis balls flying around.
0:48:31 > 0:48:34And you're going to run like stink. Ready? Let's go.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37Sue Marsh is team captain of the Racing Herts,
0:48:37 > 0:48:39one of the biggest teams in the county.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42And she's giving me and Annie a crash course.
0:48:42 > 0:48:43- Hello.- This is Annie.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46- Hello, Annie.- We're both raring to go. Can't wait for this.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49- How old's Annie?- Annie is... Well, she was a year in July.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52- Oh, lovely age to start flyball. - Is it perfect, is it good?- Yeah.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56- Where do we start? I can see you've got everything netted up.- OK.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00- So you're going to go in and do the whole row of jumps.- Annie! Annie!
0:49:00 > 0:49:02Come on. Come on, Annie. Come on. Quick.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04Go! Yeah!
0:49:04 > 0:49:07- Lovely.- She's like a bullet!
0:49:07 > 0:49:10OK, so this time we're going to send Annie over the jump,
0:49:10 > 0:49:13the tennis ball's going on the floor and you're going to ask Annie
0:49:13 > 0:49:15to collect the ball, bring it back to you.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17Then you'll make a big fuss when she brings it back.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20Are you ready? Yes, you are. Stand by.
0:49:20 > 0:49:24Go! Fetch it. Annie. Annie, fetch. What a good dog!
0:49:24 > 0:49:26Yes!
0:49:26 > 0:49:29So are you up for trying a complete lane?
0:49:29 > 0:49:30OK.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32Fetch! Go!
0:49:32 > 0:49:37What a good dog! She's powerful. Come on, Annie. Good girl! Fetch it!
0:49:37 > 0:49:39- Fetch it! Fetch! Annie!- Brilliant.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42- Well done.- Come on. Come on. Yeah!
0:49:42 > 0:49:43What a good girl.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46Well done, that was brilliant, she's really, really good.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49- What do you reckon?- Would you like a place on our flyball team?
0:49:49 > 0:49:51- Annie, what do you reckon? What an offer!- She's very good.
0:49:51 > 0:49:55Brilliant stuff. Listen, in a minute we are going to catch up with
0:49:55 > 0:49:58some of the finest teams in the county, which you are going to love.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02But first of all, it's time for the Countryfile forecast. Good girl!
0:51:49 > 0:51:57.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10Julia and I have been exploring rural Hertfordshire, discovering
0:52:10 > 0:52:13the amazing array of animals that can be found
0:52:13 > 0:52:15in this part of the world.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17I've even had my own dog, Annie, with me,
0:52:17 > 0:52:22trying out the county's favourite doggy sport - flyball.
0:52:22 > 0:52:24TRAINERS SHOUT INSTRUCTIONS
0:52:24 > 0:52:26But before I see the professionals in action,
0:52:26 > 0:52:30head of the British Flyball Association Sharon Allcorn
0:52:30 > 0:52:32is giving me the low-down on how it all works.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36Basically, a doggy relay. Four dogs per team.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39They have to run up to the box, trigger the box
0:52:39 > 0:52:40and then get the ball.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44They have to then jump all four jumps coming back,
0:52:44 > 0:52:48and then they pass through the gate, the next dog coming up.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52And you've got lots of different types of dog here,
0:52:52 > 0:52:55- not just different breeds but also big and small.- We have indeed.
0:52:55 > 0:52:59The small dogs are actually very, very sought-after if they're fast
0:52:59 > 0:53:03and agile, because they keep the jump height down for the bigger dogs.
0:53:03 > 0:53:07The jump height is denoted by the size of your smallest dog.
0:53:07 > 0:53:08Our top team,
0:53:08 > 0:53:13we have an eight-inch Jack Russell that can run at 4.3 seconds.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16- MATT LAUGHS - That sounds brilliant.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22For the past eight years, the Hertfordshire flyball scene
0:53:22 > 0:53:26has been steadily growing and thrives on friendly rivalries.
0:53:26 > 0:53:32The two teams racing today are the Racing Herts and the High Flyers.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35They've met eight times in the past year,
0:53:35 > 0:53:38and so far it's level pegging, so it's all to play for.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40DOGS BARK
0:53:42 > 0:53:43Right.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47Never ones to miss out on a bit of friendly competition, Julia is
0:53:47 > 0:53:50joining the High Flyers and I'm teaming up with the Racing Herts.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53- Jane, I hear this is the winning team.- Absolutely.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55I hope so because Mr Baker is very competitive, you know.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58- Now you're joining us that's fine.- Is that good?
0:53:58 > 0:54:01We're going to win. Talk me through our pooches, who's on the team?
0:54:01 > 0:54:03We've got Moss here, his brother, Cosmo.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07- They're all related, brilliant!- And we've got Millie, the Jack.- Right.
0:54:07 > 0:54:11- And is Millie a key player in it all? - Absolutely.- Yeah?
0:54:11 > 0:54:13- We can't do it without her. - Millie looks important.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16- And we've got Lennon, the Staffie at the end there.- Fantastic.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Right, let's check out the competition. Hello. Hi.
0:54:19 > 0:54:23- Who's this then?- This is Riley. - Hello.- Isn't he lovely?- Hello.
0:54:23 > 0:54:27Thing is, I'm not sure we've been paired up with the right dogs,
0:54:27 > 0:54:29- because he reminds me of someone. - What are you saying?
0:54:29 > 0:54:33- What, with the long brown hair? - Let me just have a quick stroke.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35- Yeah, very similar.- Similar ears.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38That's funny because little Millie, the Jack Russell...
0:54:38 > 0:54:41Look, just like you, stocky, little bit brawny.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44And so well-behaved when you give him a bit of ham.
0:54:46 > 0:54:51Get back over there, go on! Right, come on then. Game on.
0:54:51 > 0:54:54'Eight dogs, two lanes, one winner.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02'The first dogs are off. Blink and you'll miss them.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07'The incoming dog must reach the gate before the outgoing dog
0:55:07 > 0:55:08'passes through it.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12'The last ones, it's neck and neck,
0:55:12 > 0:55:15'and Julia and I are going head to head.'
0:55:15 > 0:55:18Bring it home! Come on, lad. Oh!
0:55:24 > 0:55:28We've got to send him again! Riley! Oh!
0:55:29 > 0:55:33'I was too quick off the mark and sent Riley too soon.
0:55:33 > 0:55:35'The red light indicated he'd passed through the gate
0:55:35 > 0:55:39'before the incoming dog had reached it, so it's a foul.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41'Whilst we prepare for the extra run,
0:55:41 > 0:55:43'Julia and the High Flyers can celebrate.'
0:55:43 > 0:55:46Wey!
0:55:46 > 0:55:49We went too early. Riley...
0:55:49 > 0:55:51'The foul means one more run.'
0:55:51 > 0:55:54Oh, look at this, it's such a sad affair.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56Riley running on his own.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59Good lad. Oh!
0:55:59 > 0:56:01DOG BARKS
0:56:01 > 0:56:03We went too early at the end.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06We've won. By default. We've won.
0:56:06 > 0:56:10But it wasn't a true win because it was a bit of a mistake.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13I think Riley just went a little bit too quickly.
0:56:13 > 0:56:19Oh, Riley, I am so sorry, mate. I sent you off too early.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22But in flyball, there's a fine line between perfection
0:56:22 > 0:56:25- and disqualification. Hello.- Oh, bad luck. Hello.
0:56:25 > 0:56:27Mentioning disqualification...
0:56:27 > 0:56:31You know what? Very, very fast doggy. Fantastic. What a pooch.
0:56:31 > 0:56:35- He is known as Riley the Rocket and you can understand why.- Yeah.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37Anyway, that's all we've got time for this week.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39Next week we're going to be on Exmoor
0:56:39 > 0:56:42when I turn detective and try and solve an age-old mystery.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45- Oh, Inspector Clouseau.- That's me. - And I'll be finding out about
0:56:45 > 0:56:48a little-known photographer who became captivated by the area.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51If you don't have your hands on a Countryfile calendar yet,
0:56:51 > 0:56:53there's still time. Check the website for details.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55Bye-bye. See you then. Riley...
0:56:55 > 0:56:58- You should have been with me, love. - Annie's going to get jealous.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd