1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:04,320 SIREN WAILS 2 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:08,040 Cities... 3 00:00:08,040 --> 00:00:10,880 ..the fastest-growing habitat on the planet. 4 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,840 A land of opportunity... 5 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,600 ..for animals of all shapes and sizes. 6 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,480 This unnatural world... CAR HORN 7 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:42,800 ..presents unique challenges... 8 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,920 ..but for those able to adapt... 9 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,320 ..and take advantage of the riches on offer... 10 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,080 ..the urban jungle 11 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,600 is quickly becoming the new wild. 12 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:52,240 Home to more than half the world's human population, 13 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,720 cities can be hectic and intimidating. 14 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:58,920 Life here moves pretty fast... 15 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:04,840 ..at least for some. 16 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,040 Born into the heart of Singapore, 17 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,800 these smooth-coated otter pups 18 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,080 are the newest kids on the block... 19 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,240 ..and they are about to learn what it takes to be 20 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:37,480 a wild city resident. 21 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,640 In a natural world, this otter family would move den 22 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:52,520 if they thought there was a predator in the neighbourhood. 23 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,320 They have few in the city, 24 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,320 but old habits die hard... 25 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,400 ..and at ten weeks, the pups are strong enough to move house 26 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:11,720 for the first time. 27 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,560 They will learn everything they need to know 28 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,480 about life on these streets from their parents. 29 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,720 Partners for life, they've learnt the importance 30 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,880 of sticking together, 31 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,360 something this family will need to do 32 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,920 if they are to make it safely across town. 33 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,400 And, only a few metres in, 34 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,360 they hit their first obstacle. 35 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,040 It's a walk in the park for any seasoned citizen. 36 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,360 Most of the pups get the hang of it quickly... 37 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,400 ..but there's always one. 38 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:52,200 Luckily for him, 39 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,600 Singapore is packed with waterways... 40 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,480 ..and, being semiaquatic, for an otter, they're a perfect way 41 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,760 to navigate this urban landscape. 42 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,240 More than 600 miles of canals and rivers 43 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,440 crisscross the city. 44 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,480 The pups have only recently learned to swim... 45 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,960 ..and just over one mile into their journey, 46 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,880 they're running on empty. 47 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,480 But for otters, Singapore's clean channels 48 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,120 are far more than just transport links. 49 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,720 They need to eat nearly a quarter of their body weight 50 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,160 in fish every day. 51 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,920 The young pups can't catch their own yet... 52 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,200 ..but with older siblings that can, 53 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,440 they just need to work out who's willing to share. 54 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:38,040 you never know who or what you might run into. 55 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:42,680 DOG BARKS 56 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,880 But as they would in the natural world... 57 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,720 ..these urban otters work together... 58 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:04,800 ..and as a gang... 59 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,680 ..they can overcome just about anything. 60 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,320 The older generation of Singapore's otters 61 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,680 have got life on the streets worked out. 62 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,240 The urban world is their oyster... 63 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,040 ..and on their way to a new home, 64 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,080 they're passing down their know-how to this new generation. 65 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,720 Singapore's otters have everything they need to survive... 66 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,920 ..food, water, 67 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,640 and even secure, hidden corners to grow up in. 68 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,000 It's a recipe for success. 69 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,080 And with their ability to live alongside us... 70 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,600 ..they aren't just surviving, 71 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,600 they're thriving. 72 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,120 The family's doing so well, 73 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:27,720 it's three times the size 74 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,240 of the average otter family outside the city. 75 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,160 And, like them, many species are discovering 76 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,800 that moving into town suits them better 77 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,800 than staying in the natural world. 78 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,560 Some have little choice, 79 00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:57,640 as we continue to cultivate vast areas of land 80 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,680 to feed our rapidly growing urban population. 81 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,880 Driven by necessity, the smartest animals 82 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:12,760 have followed the food into town. 83 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,440 Here in Thailand, these long-tailed macaques 84 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:44,640 are known as the Temple Troop. 85 00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:51,960 Treated like royalty, they're fed every day. 86 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,920 The Temple Troop have inherited the best address in town. 87 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,160 They live off the fat of the land 88 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,720 and spend their day barely lifting a finger. 89 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,920 Born on the other side of the tracks, 90 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,320 this young male is part of the Mafia Troop. 91 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,920 Life for them isn't so easy. 92 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,800 They have to work a whole lot harder than the Temple Troop 93 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,400 to get their cut of the food on offer here. 94 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,120 But as established residents, the Mafia Troop 95 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,320 know the best spots in town to grab a bite. 96 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,120 For them, it's all about timing... 97 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:16,040 ..knowing when to stop... HE WHISTLES 98 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:17,360 ..and when to go. 99 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:40,040 The Mafia Troop youngsters learn the tricks of the trade by example, 100 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,640 and they have no shortage of role models. 101 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,240 And while they have worked out how to take what they need 102 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,800 from their human neighbours, 103 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,480 they've also learned some open their doors to them. 104 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:05,240 Sutit Tantiwong lives and works in the centre of Lopburi. 105 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:36,000 Like all long-tailed macaques, 106 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,560 the street-smart Mafia Troop are curious by nature. 107 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,280 And while the Temple Troop take time out for grooming... 108 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,760 ..the Mafia Troop are always on the move. 109 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,840 They spend their time exploring the neighbourhood. 110 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,920 And with every new experience, there's something new to discover. 111 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,320 In Lopburi, they're finding everything they need is on tap. 112 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,040 Just around the corner, some members of the Temple Troop 113 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,080 are enjoying their life of luxury... 114 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:53,880 ..and don't give a second thought for their would-be rivals, 115 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:55,520 the Mafia Troop. 116 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,520 Lopburi's city-savvy long-tailed macaques 117 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:50,000 have successfully swapped the rain forest for a concrete jungle. 118 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,200 Here, their numbers are booming. 119 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,680 Almost 1,200 of them live as neighbours... 120 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,040 ..and lead a far more peaceful existence than their rural cousins 121 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:21,640 in the forests of Southeast Asia... 122 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:25,960 ..all thanks to being so well fed. 123 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:35,480 While food draws many animals into town, 124 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,720 it's not the only reason wildlife chooses to stay. 125 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,800 Most big cities are built on sites 126 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,080 that are rich in natural resources. 127 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,640 South Australia's capital is no different. 128 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,600 The River Torrens feeds the largest 129 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,120 inner-city park system in the country. 130 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,880 And the city's botanic gardens 131 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,280 provide a permanent oasis for humans and animals alike. 132 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,200 Rainbow lorikeets like the easy life in the centre of Adelaide so much, 133 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,440 they've given up migrating and now live here permanently. 134 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:52,080 In 2010, following the worst drought in a century, 135 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,520 a 500-strong wild crowd were forced out of their home 136 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,400 in the Australian outback and joined the lorikeets. 137 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,880 And they liked it so much, they hung around. 138 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,640 With access to life-saving refreshment, 139 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,480 20,000 grey-headed flying foxes 140 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,960 now call Adelaide home, 141 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:24,720 in what's known as a camp. 142 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:31,880 They spend their days roosting high in these pine trees. 143 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,560 But life in a city isn't what they're used to. 144 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:50,960 It's crowded... 145 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:53,840 ..very noisy... 146 00:17:57,360 --> 00:17:58,720 ..and in summertime, 147 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,080 with the arrival of a series of music festivals, 148 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:03,400 it gets even louder. 149 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,040 DANCE MUSIC 150 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:18,600 And that's not all. 151 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:23,680 In the past two decades, 152 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:26,480 south Australia has been getting hotter. 153 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:31,200 Temperatures here can top 40 degrees. 154 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:36,920 Everyone feels the heat. 155 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:48,960 Flying foxes are covered from ankle to nose in fur, 156 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,120 and they can't sweat... 157 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:01,840 ..so if they overheat, they'll die. 158 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:14,440 As they would in the South Australian bush, 159 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:16,960 they find shade amongst the lower branches 160 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,000 and do their best to cool down. 161 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:25,960 Nocturnal by nature, 162 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,560 they'd normally stay in camp during the day. 163 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,640 But dehydration is a real threat... 164 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,880 ..and desperate times call for desperate measures. 165 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,000 Leaving the trees, they head for the lifeline 166 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,280 that first drew them into the city... 167 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,280 ..the River Torrens. 168 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,400 Today, it's a sweltering 43 degrees. 169 00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:38,360 Belly dipping is an instant life-saver for the bats. 170 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:42,440 It cools them down 171 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,680 and gives them a chance to grab a welcome drink. 172 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,720 Back in the shade, they lap up any remaining water 173 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:05,760 from their soaked fur. 174 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,160 Elsewhere in Australia, tens of thousands of flying foxes 175 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:27,320 have died because of the heat... 176 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,200 ..but, here in Adelaide, this camp has found a way to beat 177 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,000 the rising temperatures. 178 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,520 As the cooler evening approaches, 179 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,720 they begin to spread their wings again... 180 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,880 ..ready for a night of foraging for fruit and nectar. 181 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,160 From bats to boars, 182 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,600 raccoons to red foxes, 183 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,120 our best-loved cities are already home to much more wildlife 184 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:05,000 than most of us realise. 185 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,400 That's in part because the city never sleeps. 186 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,160 And in Thailand's capital, 187 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,560 working the night shift has certain benefits. 188 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:43,240 Reticulated pythons are the longest snakes on the planet. 189 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,120 They can grow over ten metres 190 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:53,600 and weigh as much as 150 kilos... 191 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,280 ..but many of them still manage to live a secretive life 192 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,120 in the heart of Bangkok. 193 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,400 Pythons are most active under the cover of darkness... 194 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:15,160 ..and travelling at night, they move virtually undetected. 195 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,600 By filming under controlled conditions, 196 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,200 we can reveal what life's like for these city slickers. 197 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,000 They survive feeding on birds, 198 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,400 rodents, and other animals they can ambush. 199 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,080 When they catch prey, they coil tightly around it, 200 00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,040 cutting off its blood supply, 201 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,520 and stopping its heart. 202 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,320 But to make it here, every true wild resident 203 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:12,640 needs to find more than just food. 204 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,720 They also need somewhere safe to start a family. 205 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,720 This residential garden is a haven from the busy city streets. 206 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:35,960 And when pythons want to nest, 207 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,640 they search out a safe and concealed spot like this. 208 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,400 This python is laying what's probably her first ever 209 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:17,920 clutch of eggs. 210 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,200 Instinctively, she wraps herself around them 211 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,160 to regulate their temperature 212 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,200 by expanding and contracting. 213 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,280 This is known as brooding. 214 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,560 A nurturing mother, she'll guard them with her life. 215 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,360 Pythons stay with their eggs for three months 216 00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:11,720 and only leave when they're ready to hatch. 217 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,000 When eventually that time comes, 218 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,320 the new arrivals are on their own, 219 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,240 primed to catch and eat 220 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,120 what they need to survive. 221 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,040 Reticulated pythons have been residents in this area 222 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,160 since long before the city was established. 223 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:03,800 With plenty of food and hidden places to nest, 224 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,320 thousands of them are still at home here, 225 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,360 even though tarmac and concrete 226 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:11,760 cover the wetlands that Bangkok now stands on. 227 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,160 In fact, many animals have found the bricks and mortar 228 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:22,960 we've built our cities out of 229 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,640 provide just the safe shelter they need. 230 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,400 And one urban veteran has flourished... 231 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,920 ..living right under our feet... 232 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,080 ..even earning themselves the name pavement ants. 233 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:57,680 This colony is busy raising its next generation... 234 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:03,160 ..taking advantage of the warmth absorbed by the paving stones 235 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,240 to nurture precious larvae. 236 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,080 Believed to have lived in our cities since Roman times, 237 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,520 pavement ants are one of the oldest urban residents of all. 238 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,080 Like many established New Yorkers, 239 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,160 this family's ancestors emigrated from Europe... 240 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,120 ..and managed to bag a city home on Broadway. 241 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,000 For generations, they've lived here safe and secure, 242 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,040 whilst quietly providing a vital service to us. 243 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,960 With more than 8.5 million people living here, 244 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,840 New York is America's hungriest city... 245 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:23,720 ..and one of its most wasteful. 246 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:35,160 New Yorkers throw away over a million tonnes of food every year. 247 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,760 But for pavement ants in the Big Apple, 248 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:48,200 wasted food is opportunity. 249 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:57,600 With very poor eyesight, 250 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,760 this scout relies on her antennae to move around. 251 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,080 They help her track down her next meal 252 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,680 within seconds of it hitting the ground. 253 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,560 True fast food. 254 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,400 Hot dogs aren't pavement ants' natural diet, 255 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,160 but they can't get enough of them. 256 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,400 And once they've found a good place to eat, 257 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:45,120 the ants quickly spread the word. 258 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,080 They communicate using their antennae. 259 00:30:57,080 --> 00:30:59,120 It's called antennating, 260 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,360 and relays all the information 261 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:03,440 the colony needs to find the takeaway. 262 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,680 In no time, the hot dog's swarming. 263 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,120 Without antennae, pavement ants would be lost... 264 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:27,720 ..so they keep them squeaky clean. 265 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:34,960 These fastidious insects are barely noticed by most humans 266 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:38,480 and busily clear the streets of New York of wasted food. 267 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:46,000 They consume the equivalent of 60,000 hot dogs a year 268 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:47,400 from Broadway alone. 269 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:55,560 By doing so, they've become by far the biggest gang in New York. 270 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,280 With an estimated population of more than 1.6 billion, 271 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,320 they outnumber New Yorkers nearly 200 to 1. 272 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,520 Pavement ants have found a home under our busy streets 273 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:20,760 that suits them down to the ground. 274 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,200 That's because our cities provide many of the same things 275 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:29,200 animals look for in nature. 276 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:40,440 Urban parks imitate jungles and grasslands, 277 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,480 with predators like jackals taking up residency 278 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,360 and raising their young. 279 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:51,720 Even roadsides provide unlikely havens 280 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,360 for animals like bark scorpions to breed. 281 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,800 And city buildings across the world mirror clifftops, 282 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,200 and have seen peregrine falcons move in to hunt. 283 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:14,400 In fact, there's so much competition for a permanent home in urban areas 284 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:17,920 that some animals are dramatically changing their lifestyle 285 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:20,240 to try and secure it. 286 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:21,640 BELL TOLLS 287 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:36,360 For centuries, hundreds of white storks have been visiting 288 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:40,160 this ancient Spanish town for a few months a year 289 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,120 to nest and raise a family. 290 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:53,560 Some fly nearly 4,000 miles to be here, migrating from Africa. 291 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:06,560 Alfaro's terracotta rooftops provide them with a perfect summer home. 292 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,520 And their custom-built nesting baskets take urban living 293 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:15,080 to a whole new level. 294 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:27,520 The storks are in strong competition for these prime nesting sites. 295 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,480 With a gruelling return flight to Africa to prepare for, 296 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,520 these chicks would normally have to quadruple their weight 297 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:46,960 in just three months... 298 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,560 ..but these canny urban storks have discovered a secret 299 00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:59,480 that means they can avoid the long migration 300 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,960 and hang onto their nest site year-round. 301 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,920 And the secret is landfill. 302 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:36,960 Humans generate ten times as much waste as we did a century ago. 303 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:46,080 But one man's waste is another's treasure. 304 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,240 Picking through rubbish can be a risky business... 305 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:07,320 ..but with so much at stake, the pros outweigh the cons. 306 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:19,720 Storks flock to landfill sites across Europe for their share of 307 00:36:19,720 --> 00:36:24,080 the 250 million tonnes of food we throw away every year. 308 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:32,600 Landfills provide a daily picnic, even in the coldest months. 309 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:44,040 And in the past three decades, huge numbers of white storks 310 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:47,240 have swapped their 8,000-mile annual round trip 311 00:36:47,240 --> 00:36:49,280 for a permanent home in Spain. 312 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:58,920 Moving with the times, it's win-win for Alfaro's shrewd storks. 313 00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:07,200 It shows just how versatile urban wildlife can be 314 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:11,240 as it adapts to our world in ways we could never have predicted. 315 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,000 One of Britain's rarest amphibians, 316 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:38,880 great crested newts, 317 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:41,680 are cumbersome and vulnerable in the open. 318 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:52,760 But they can find safety even in the most unlikely of places. 319 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:16,840 Underwater, newts move with speed, and are voracious predators. 320 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:25,880 A caddisfly larvae is the perfect snack. 321 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,520 Satisfied, she sets her mind to the task at hand. 322 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:58,920 Laden with around 250 fertilised eggs, 323 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,160 she needs somewhere safe to lay them. 324 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:08,840 She's looking for a pliable surface to protect them. 325 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:20,000 Great crested newts evolved to lay their eggs within submerged leaves 326 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:24,480 but, after millions of years on the planet, they're resourceful. 327 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:40,160 This plastic bag shouldn't be here, 328 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:44,000 but it's flexible and will make the perfect substitute for a leaf. 329 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,840 She makes a fold in the bag 330 00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:01,520 and lays one egg in it... 331 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,760 ..then gently wraps it up with her hind feet. 332 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:14,040 A sticky glue-like jelly around the egg will help keep it safe. 333 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,600 She squeezes the plastic together 334 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:26,120 and holds tight for long enough to allow the jelly to fix. 335 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:55,320 Over the next few weeks, 336 00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:58,320 she'll lay around ten eggs like this every day... 337 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:05,920 ..protecting each one in its own secure pouch... 338 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:12,680 ..and giving her offspring the best chance of making it. 339 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:18,640 It's an extraordinary adaptation 340 00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:21,280 to survive in a new and changing world. 341 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,520 Life in the city isn't always straightforward... 342 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:35,080 ..but for wildlife to succeed, 343 00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:38,000 it must be able to cope with whatever we throw at it. 344 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:48,720 And our busy, noisy lifestyle is something all wild residents 345 00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:50,360 must come to terms with. 346 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,640 This long-eared owl has found a roost in this Serbian town... 347 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:15,520 ..and she's not alone. 348 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:23,000 A large group have gathered together in what's called an owl parliament. 349 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:29,520 They find shelter in the town square when temperatures plummet. 350 00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:37,480 Dense evergreen trees protect them from the wind 351 00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:40,760 and help them stay well hidden from predators. 352 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:45,480 CHILDREN CHAT AND LAUGH 353 00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:51,320 But for a shy, sensitive animal that needs to rest in the day, 354 00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:54,440 the secret to success is their ability to cope with us. 355 00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:58,400 INDISTINCT CHATTER 356 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:02,320 They've learned to tolerate the bustle of urban life... 357 00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:07,920 ..and the townsfolk are learning to respect the owls too. 358 00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:09,920 LAUGHTER AND CHATTER 359 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:23,920 These owls wouldn't be here in such numbers if weren't for us. 360 00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:26,640 They flock to Kikinda, 361 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:30,920 seeking refuge after the devastating Balkan wars in the 1990s. 362 00:43:33,760 --> 00:43:36,560 Miroslav Grujic lived through the conflict too. 363 00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:41,000 TRANSLATION: 364 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:04,320 With the fuel supply cut off, 365 00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:07,600 forests across Serbia were chopped down to burn. 366 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:16,800 Over 90% of the trees in the area were cleared, 367 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:19,640 leaving the owls with nowhere to roost in winter. 368 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:27,360 So they moved into Kikinda, 369 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:31,160 and Miroslav believes the owls have helped to transform the town. 370 00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:03,320 The owls have found a place to shelter in town and are thriving, 371 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:07,600 and they've brought hope and light here in the midst of winter. 372 00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:21,360 Elsewhere, the owls sometimes roost in small groups 373 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:25,920 but Kikinda's town square now holds more than 750 of them 374 00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:30,960 in what is by far the largest long-eared owl roost in the world. 375 00:45:32,720 --> 00:45:35,800 It's estimated that 40,000 long-eared owls 376 00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:38,280 now live in towns across Serbia. 377 00:45:44,360 --> 00:45:47,560 Through winter, the only time they leave their urban roost 378 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:49,800 is to hunt in the nearby fields. 379 00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:11,760 Like the owls, a growing number of animals are moving into 380 00:46:11,760 --> 00:46:13,600 our towns and cities 381 00:46:13,600 --> 00:46:18,440 to take advantage of the food, water, and shelter on offer. 382 00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:24,120 What's perhaps most surprising 383 00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:28,640 are the relationships wildlife is striking up with us, 384 00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:30,640 and the depths these are going to. 385 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:43,040 Built on the banks of the Tocantins River in the Brazilian Amazon, 386 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:45,600 the city of Mocajuba is growing fast. 387 00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:00,120 On the edge of town, a small group of fishermen 388 00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:03,600 have forged a very special friendship 389 00:47:03,600 --> 00:47:06,400 with some of the neighbourhood's most established residents... 390 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:12,920 ..river dolphins. 391 00:47:25,440 --> 00:47:28,840 This species was only identified in 2012, 392 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:32,600 the first such discovery in nearly 100 years. 393 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:35,120 They can grow over 2.5 metres long 394 00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:37,480 and weigh more than 200 kilos. 395 00:47:40,520 --> 00:47:42,480 Unlike most marine dolphins, 396 00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:45,280 their bodies are extremely flexible, 397 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:49,200 enabling them to manoeuvre through the Amazon's famous flooded forest 398 00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:50,720 in pursuit of fish. 399 00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:06,680 River dolphins are normally shy... 400 00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:11,000 ..but the pod in Mocajuba 401 00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:15,440 has struck up a partnership with Braz Silva and his son Osvaldo. 402 00:48:20,160 --> 00:48:23,000 They've fished this stretch of river for decades 403 00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:25,000 and, in recent years, the river dolphins 404 00:48:25,000 --> 00:48:26,760 have joined the family business. 405 00:48:34,520 --> 00:48:38,440 Braz and Osvaldo give the dolphins an incentive to stay nearby... 406 00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:43,720 ..and the very presence of these apex predators 407 00:48:43,720 --> 00:48:47,320 helps to scare fish into these intricate wooden traps. 408 00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:22,280 Like all the best partnerships, 409 00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:24,720 they have an equal share in the business. 410 00:49:26,680 --> 00:49:28,560 TRANSLATION: 411 00:49:34,560 --> 00:49:37,200 And because the dolphins get an easy meal, 412 00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:38,560 they keep coming back for more. 413 00:49:50,120 --> 00:49:52,080 It seems to be a fair deal all around. 414 00:50:02,480 --> 00:50:06,360 River dolphins have evolved in the Amazon over 15 million years... 415 00:50:08,240 --> 00:50:10,480 ..and today they're adapting to the fastest change 416 00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:12,720 this environment has ever seen. 417 00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:20,600 But there's a deeper twist to this dolphin's tale, 418 00:50:20,600 --> 00:50:22,480 and the remarkable relationship they've built 419 00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:24,200 with their city-living neighbours. 420 00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:31,560 Every single day, the dolphins head to Mocajuba, 421 00:50:31,560 --> 00:50:34,000 whether there are fish on the menu or not. 422 00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:49,440 It appears one of the main reasons they come... 423 00:50:55,760 --> 00:50:57,240 ..is to play. 424 00:51:03,880 --> 00:51:06,880 These powerful predators could easily hurt the kids... 425 00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:11,200 ..but they never do, no matter what. 426 00:51:18,840 --> 00:51:21,120 And the kids have grown up with dolphins as friends... 427 00:51:23,560 --> 00:51:26,200 ..and will always look out for them. 428 00:51:31,520 --> 00:51:34,480 The bond the dolphins have formed with their new neighbours 429 00:51:34,480 --> 00:51:35,920 seems unbreakable. 430 00:51:38,840 --> 00:51:41,240 And while Amazon river dolphins elsewhere 431 00:51:41,240 --> 00:51:43,240 are known to interact with humans, 432 00:51:43,240 --> 00:51:44,960 this playful behaviour, 433 00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:46,800 with no guarantee of reward, 434 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,480 is unique to the Mocajuba dolphins. 435 00:52:16,600 --> 00:52:20,840 Most of us imagine cities to be concrete jungles devoid of nature... 436 00:52:23,280 --> 00:52:24,960 ..but, for some wildlife, 437 00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:28,880 they're just a new habitat filled with new opportunities. 438 00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:33,720 With the natural world shrinking 439 00:52:33,720 --> 00:52:37,080 and our urban centres continuing to grow, 440 00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:39,400 adapting to life in the city 441 00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:42,040 has never been more important. 442 00:52:45,840 --> 00:52:49,200 And if we're willing to accept wildlife as a neighbour, 443 00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:53,000 and even to help animals get a foothold in the city, 444 00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:55,360 the rewards can be huge, 445 00:52:55,360 --> 00:52:58,440 for them and for us. 446 00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:13,880 New York isn't an obvious place to film wildlife 447 00:53:13,880 --> 00:53:16,920 but, as we'll discover in this series, 448 00:53:16,920 --> 00:53:18,520 if you know where to look, 449 00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:20,040 nature is all around us. 450 00:53:21,280 --> 00:53:24,440 We usually think to make big discoveries, especially in biology, 451 00:53:24,440 --> 00:53:27,680 that you have to travel someplace far away or someplace very remote, 452 00:53:27,680 --> 00:53:30,360 but what's actually more true is that big discoveries 453 00:53:30,360 --> 00:53:33,200 can happen almost anywhere at this point, so people 454 00:53:33,200 --> 00:53:36,360 have literally discovered new species in New York City. 455 00:53:38,920 --> 00:53:42,440 Biologist Clint Penick has spent four years studying New York's 456 00:53:42,440 --> 00:53:45,880 pavement ants with the assistance of his pooter to wrangle them. 457 00:53:45,880 --> 00:53:48,760 Have you ever sucked up anything unsavoury? 458 00:53:48,760 --> 00:53:50,240 Oh, God! I hope not. 459 00:53:50,240 --> 00:53:52,800 He's been called in to help cameraman Stuart 460 00:53:52,800 --> 00:53:55,720 film this tiny city success story. 461 00:53:55,720 --> 00:53:58,160 When I was told I was coming to New York for a film shoot, 462 00:53:58,160 --> 00:53:59,960 this is definitely not what I had in mind. 463 00:53:59,960 --> 00:54:01,800 THEY LAUGH 464 00:54:01,800 --> 00:54:04,040 Yeah, I've filmed some pretty strange things in my days, 465 00:54:04,040 --> 00:54:06,080 but this is definitely up there. 466 00:54:06,080 --> 00:54:09,440 As weird as this looks, nobody's really batting an eyelid. 467 00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:11,560 Yeah, you know, I almost never get stopped. 468 00:54:11,560 --> 00:54:14,880 In the realm of things, someone sucking ants off the sidewalk 469 00:54:14,880 --> 00:54:17,760 isn't that strange to a New Yorker for some reason. 470 00:54:21,640 --> 00:54:25,760 There may be over 1.6 billion pavement ants living in New York 471 00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:29,000 but, in terms of species, they're just a tip of the iceberg. 472 00:54:30,640 --> 00:54:33,640 For a long time, people really thought of cities 473 00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:35,080 as outside of nature, 474 00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:36,520 and now we really recognise 475 00:54:36,520 --> 00:54:38,200 that cities do have a lot of life 476 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:39,400 in them besides humans, 477 00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:43,000 and that they are actually ecosystems in their own right. 478 00:54:43,000 --> 00:54:45,040 From its pavements to its rooftops, 479 00:54:45,040 --> 00:54:47,360 this city is brimming with wildlife. 480 00:54:48,520 --> 00:54:52,160 It's now home to eight species of raptor alone, 481 00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:54,600 including bald eagles, 482 00:54:54,600 --> 00:54:56,440 red-tailed hawks, 483 00:54:56,440 --> 00:54:58,400 and migratory ospreys. 484 00:55:00,040 --> 00:55:04,560 New York City, as a biodiverse area, is incredibly species-rich. 485 00:55:04,560 --> 00:55:07,200 Jason Smith is recording the city's wildlife 486 00:55:07,200 --> 00:55:09,240 using state-of-the-art drones. 487 00:55:09,240 --> 00:55:12,080 New York City is primarily a city of islands 488 00:55:12,080 --> 00:55:13,480 so we end up with everything 489 00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:15,400 from whales to butterflies 490 00:55:15,400 --> 00:55:16,760 to snakes to leopard frogs. 491 00:55:16,760 --> 00:55:19,120 There could literally be thousands upon thousands 492 00:55:19,120 --> 00:55:21,600 of species living in New York City that we have no idea about. 493 00:55:21,600 --> 00:55:24,480 It's so dynamic, it's incredible. 494 00:55:24,480 --> 00:55:27,560 And nowhere is this more apparent than in the Bronx. 495 00:55:27,560 --> 00:55:29,760 All right guys, so what do you think? What do you see? 496 00:55:29,760 --> 00:55:31,920 Looks like we might have some shell over there... 497 00:55:31,920 --> 00:55:33,160 That black one? 498 00:55:33,160 --> 00:55:36,280 ..but it also could have been rolling around in the sand. Ah. 499 00:55:36,280 --> 00:55:38,480 Scientist Mark Weckel and his students 500 00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:40,680 are tracking an elusive predator. 501 00:55:45,760 --> 00:55:49,120 So this is the East River, Manhattan and Long Island. 502 00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:51,520 Long Island is this super-large landmass 503 00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:54,320 and it's also one of the last places in the United States 504 00:55:54,320 --> 00:55:56,560 without a breeding population of coyotes. 505 00:55:56,560 --> 00:55:59,240 But that may be changing. 506 00:55:59,240 --> 00:56:03,240 Coyotes have been spotted in three of New York's five boroughs, 507 00:56:03,240 --> 00:56:05,120 and the study's remote camera traps 508 00:56:05,120 --> 00:56:07,600 have picked up some remarkable footage. 509 00:56:08,760 --> 00:56:11,920 I've just seen wild coyotes in camera traps, 510 00:56:11,920 --> 00:56:14,600 and they seem really, like, cool to see. 511 00:56:15,680 --> 00:56:18,600 When you tell people, like, there's coyotes in New York City, 512 00:56:18,600 --> 00:56:21,520 they're like, "Really? How are they able to survive here?" 513 00:56:22,520 --> 00:56:25,440 Living on a diet including rats and other small mammals, 514 00:56:25,440 --> 00:56:28,840 coyotes have been so successful here that since the sighting 515 00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:31,320 of a single individual in 1995, 516 00:56:31,320 --> 00:56:34,720 there are now thought to be as many as 30 living in the city. 517 00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:39,640 Queens is the actual western tip of Long Island, 518 00:56:39,640 --> 00:56:41,240 so we're literally standing 519 00:56:41,240 --> 00:56:44,000 on the edge of coyote range expansion in New York State. 520 00:56:46,560 --> 00:56:49,600 For the scientists working in New York, it's no surprise 521 00:56:49,600 --> 00:56:53,840 that so many new and varied species are choosing to make the city home. 522 00:56:55,200 --> 00:56:59,120 New York City is world renowned for being a cultural hub. 523 00:56:59,120 --> 00:57:02,080 We have cultures from all across the world. 524 00:57:02,080 --> 00:57:06,120 It only makes sense that the natural areas of New York City 525 00:57:06,120 --> 00:57:08,800 are just as rich and biodiverse. 526 00:57:10,720 --> 00:57:13,760 As more and more animals move into our cities, 527 00:57:13,760 --> 00:57:16,000 their ultimate success may well depend on us. 528 00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:20,680 Cities are the places where humans come into closest contact 529 00:57:20,680 --> 00:57:23,880 with wildlife, and so we need to start thinking of cities 530 00:57:23,880 --> 00:57:25,320 as an ecosystem. 531 00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:27,160 So if we can think about this, 532 00:57:27,160 --> 00:57:29,800 we can manage the wildlife in cities to kind of live 533 00:57:29,800 --> 00:57:32,560 and cohabit with the species that that share our cities, 534 00:57:32,560 --> 00:57:36,200 and that's because our own bond with nature really depends 535 00:57:36,200 --> 00:57:38,720 on how we respond to urban wildlife. 536 00:57:38,720 --> 00:57:41,800 We are not separate from nature. 537 00:57:41,800 --> 00:57:44,440 Bees build hives, we build skyscrapers. 538 00:57:44,440 --> 00:57:47,480 Beavers build dams, we build cabins in the woods. 539 00:57:47,480 --> 00:57:50,280 We are not that far apart from each other. 540 00:57:50,280 --> 00:57:53,560 The more we learn that this is all one experience... 541 00:57:55,200 --> 00:57:58,120 ..the easier it'll be for us all to get along in the long run. 542 00:58:02,400 --> 00:58:03,960 Next time, 543 00:58:03,960 --> 00:58:05,560 the world's wildlife is on the move... 544 00:58:08,680 --> 00:58:12,640 ..pioneering new migrations and facing new dangers... 545 00:58:15,240 --> 00:58:18,160 ..as they travel in and out of our cities 546 00:58:18,160 --> 00:58:20,440 in search of their pot of gold. 547 00:58:24,560 --> 00:58:27,160 They are becoming wild commuters.