1 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,960 This is the newest habitat on Earth. 2 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,960 It's here that animals have to contend with the greatest change 3 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,600 that is happening to the face of our planet. 4 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:55,320 In this decade, 5 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:00,200 the urban environment is predicted to grow by nearly 30%. 6 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,600 It may appear hostile to animal life... 7 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,960 ..but for the bold, this is a world of surprising opportunity. 8 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,600 Jodhpur, India. 9 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,360 A gang of bachelor male langurs 10 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,000 has come to challenge the resident alpha male. 11 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:41,200 LANGUR GROWLS 12 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,360 This alpha rules over a valuable urban territory. 13 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,280 But maintaining dominance here is a constant struggle. 14 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,000 The bachelors have united to try and overthrow him. 15 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,320 If they win, one of the challengers 16 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,200 will take over the alpha's troop of females... 17 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,320 and may kill his infants. 18 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,200 There are 15 males in this bachelor group. 19 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,880 The alpha must evict every single one of them from his territory. 20 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,560 He has chased half the bachelors away... 21 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:00,240 ..but a splinter group has looped back and is harassing his females. 22 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,000 Once again, he has to battle. 23 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,400 Finally, he manages to expel them all. 24 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,200 but with a serious wound on his right leg. 25 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,600 It's a hard life for him in the city. 26 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,680 Keeping the intruders away is a daily challenge. 27 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,560 But it's worth it. 28 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,720 For these urban territories 29 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,920 are probably the best langur territories in the world. 30 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,520 They're filled with rich feeding grounds. 31 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,760 Here in the temple gardens, the langurs have, over centuries, 32 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,440 developed a surprising relationship. 33 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,080 One that guarantees them 34 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,760 a constantly replenished source of food. 35 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,720 The people here associate langurs 36 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,720 with the Hindu god Lord Hanuman and revere them. 37 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,920 They're given all the food they can eat. 38 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:37,480 And this high-energy diet has led to a baby boom. 39 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,440 Female langurs in this city give birth to twice as many young 40 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,240 as their forest counterparts. 41 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,120 This mother is so well fed 42 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:56,840 that her rich milk can support something rarely seen in the wild - 43 00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:58,280 twins. 44 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,280 And all these babies can create troops 45 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:09,800 that are far larger than those found in the forest nearby. 46 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,280 With less time spent looking for food, 47 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:16,280 there is more time for play. 48 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:30,960 The rewards of living in a city can be huge. 49 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,640 The challenge is to find your niche. 50 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,800 POLICE SIREN WAILS 51 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:45,320 New York City. 52 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:55,000 This densely built-up landscape is as unnatural as anywhere on Earth. 53 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:05,920 And yet this wild peregrine falcon looks out onto an ideal habitat. 54 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:17,800 Strange as it may seem, 55 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:21,680 this vastly altered landscape replicates the conditions 56 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:23,800 in which peregrines evolved. 57 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,200 The towering buildings have a multitude of ledges 58 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:34,480 on which falcons can nest... 59 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,760 ..and the high perches that they need to catch the wind. 60 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,320 New York City has the highest density of nesting peregrines 61 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,440 anywhere on the planet. 62 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:02,600 Winds striking the sides of the skyscrapers are deflected upwards 63 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,880 and can help the birds gain height. 64 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:13,960 And the great areas of concrete roasting in the sun create thermals 65 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:18,920 so that, with very little effort, the birds can soar over the city. 66 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,160 And so many peregrines can live here 67 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:34,800 because, down at street level, there is a lot of potential prey. 68 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:56,640 Diving from height, the falcons can reach speeds of over 200mph. 69 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,040 But their prey stay down low and close to the buildings. 70 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,840 Too risky, the peregrine pulls out of his stoop. 71 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,160 But the effort is not wasted. 72 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,120 The falcons need to flush their prey into the open. 73 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,440 And Manhattan is surrounded by water. 74 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,720 Out here, the odds change, 75 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,800 and in the peregrines' favour. 76 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,960 With abundant prey here all year round, 77 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,840 it has taken only 40 years 78 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,640 for these falcons to establish themselves here. 79 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:47,560 And now, among skyscrapers, 80 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:51,600 they are more successful than their cousins living in the wilderness. 81 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:04,240 Mumbai in India is home to over 20 million people. 82 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,080 And there are predators here that, though rarely seen, 83 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:10,800 are rightly feared. 84 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:21,240 Carnivores, lured by the prospect of plentiful unsuspecting prey, 85 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,160 are on the prowl. 86 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:35,400 A leopard. 87 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,720 Every night, under the cover of darkness, they come out to hunt. 88 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,320 These are big animals 89 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:49,160 and they're looking for large prey to satisfy their hunger. 90 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:52,960 TELEVISION PLAYS IN BACKGROUND 91 00:11:56,560 --> 00:12:00,760 To catch more than a glimpse of them and reveal their hunting behaviour, 92 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,080 you need night-vision cameras. 93 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:17,800 Leopards have attacked almost 200 people here 94 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,720 in the last 25 years. 95 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,400 But humans are not their usual prey. 96 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,800 These leopards are on the hunt for something else. 97 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:05,960 Pigs. 98 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,840 These leopards prefer to hunt the domestic animals 99 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:17,520 that people have brought to the city in considerable numbers. 100 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,600 PIG GRUNTS 101 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,160 The pigs keep their family close. 102 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:14,760 The ceaseless noise of the city plays to their advantage. 103 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,120 It conceals their approach. 104 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:24,000 And the leopards are using this cover to hunt all over the city. 105 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,440 PIGS SQUEAL 106 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,760 This is a thriving population. 107 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:50,640 In fact, the highest concentration of leopards in the world 108 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:52,080 is right here. 109 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,320 BELL TOLLS 110 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:02,960 It's not only the abundance of food 111 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,240 that attracts wild animals to cities. 112 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,640 They're usually several degrees warmer 113 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:18,040 than the surrounding countryside. 114 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,840 And here in Rome in December, 115 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:25,520 one animal is taking full advantage of this extra heat. 116 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:27,240 And it's leaving its mark. 117 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,600 In a single winter's day, 118 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,680 ten tonnes of its droppings rain down on the city. 119 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:44,800 Starlings. 120 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,000 In the evening, they come back to the warmth of the city 121 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,960 after feeding in the neighbouring countryside. 122 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,160 They must return to their roosting trees, 123 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,080 but the first to do so are at the highest risk 124 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:05,240 of being caught by birds of prey. 125 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:13,440 There's safety in numbers. 126 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:17,880 As daylight fades, 127 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:24,640 the sky fills with a staggering one million starlings. 128 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:30,000 And then follows one of nature's great spectaculars. 129 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:16,320 How, or indeed why, they perform these marvellous aerobatics, 130 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:19,000 we still do not fully understand. 131 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:33,560 Eventually, en masse, they brave the descent 132 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,800 and fill the branches of their favourite trees. 133 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:43,640 On these cold winter nights, 134 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,480 the city's extra warmth can mean the difference 135 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:48,520 between life and death. 136 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:06,240 A city, of course, can provide not only shelter and abundant food, 137 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:07,920 but glamour. 138 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:14,440 These varied objects have been carefully chosen by a bird 139 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:16,800 for their brightness and their colour. 140 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,400 This great bowerbird has spent over a decade 141 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,680 building this collection of mostly man-made objects. 142 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,280 Out on a golf course in Townsville, Australia, 143 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:37,120 he's putting the final touches to his enormous bower 144 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:40,360 that he hopes will impress a visiting female. 145 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:50,680 He spends two hours each day rearranging his prized objects. 146 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,920 Perhaps that would look a little better over there. 147 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,160 But it seems that something is missing. 148 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,160 Instead of going into town to collect new objects, 149 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,240 he's decided to raid his neighbour's bower. 150 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,320 A clothes peg - excellent. 151 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,240 And a shiny toy car. 152 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,000 It's a risky game if you get caught. 153 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,880 The owner is back. 154 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,000 BIRDS SCREECH 155 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:50,600 There is one bower where the risk is worth it. 156 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:55,040 A particular object has caught his eye. 157 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,120 You'll have to wait for the owner to leave. 158 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:14,680 This is his chance. 159 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,080 A real treasure - a scarlet heart. 160 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:26,480 Got it! 161 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,840 The stage is now set for female visitors. 162 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:42,520 His luck may be in. 163 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,080 The seduction can now begin. 164 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,880 He's showing off his best goods. 165 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:07,160 Perhaps a little plastic piping? 166 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,120 Or maybe a bit of coloured string? 167 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,640 But his guest doesn't seem to be paying much attention. 168 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,080 A fork... 169 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:31,440 madam? 170 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:36,120 Nothing seems to be working. 171 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,360 Something is just not quite right here. 172 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:52,640 But he still has one trick up his sleeve - 173 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:54,320 the scarlet heart. 174 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:24,800 As a final thrill, he expands the pink crest on the back of his head, 175 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:26,640 the sign of his adulthood. 176 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:29,720 But he's made a mistake. 177 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:33,800 This is not a female, 178 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:38,080 but a young male who hasn't yet developed that head crest. 179 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,600 And he's making off with the scarlet heart. 180 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,560 It's not easy finding sex in the city. 181 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,920 Raising a family in the city is not easy either. 182 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,040 It's springtime in Toronto 183 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:01,920 and this mother raccoon has exchanged 184 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,560 her native treetops for rooftops. 185 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,000 Since giving birth two months ago, 186 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:21,000 she's kept her offspring safe and warm inside a chimney. 187 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:29,000 Now, her young have outgrown their nursery. 188 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,680 This is her first major challenge as a mother. 189 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:38,760 The time has come to move to a new home. 190 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:43,080 She needs to get her youngster to ground level. 191 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:48,480 But, instead of an easy climb down a tree, 192 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:53,320 she is faced with a vertical drop with little to cling onto. 193 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,480 Her baby's first glimpse of the urban world... 194 00:24:04,360 --> 00:24:06,840 ..from a terrifying 30 feet up. 195 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:28,760 RACCOON CUB WHINES 196 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,840 This is the last of her litter to be brought down. 197 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,720 Its siblings are already busy exploring the area. 198 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:48,360 And they have much to learn. 199 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,880 This one has fallen into a back alley and is trapped. 200 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,840 Mother comes to the rescue and demonstrates what must be done. 201 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:21,400 CUBS CHITTER 202 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:26,200 That's the way. 203 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,360 Raccoons are opportunists. 204 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:37,840 And they're eager to explore. 205 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:45,600 But they'll have to learn very quickly 206 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:50,200 how to get along in this strange new environment, 207 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:51,840 so full of hazards. 208 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,240 Mother comes to the rescue once more. 209 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:08,200 Urban raccoons are now demonstrably better at problem-solving 210 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:09,840 than their country cousins. 211 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,480 When the feeding opportunities are this good, 212 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,000 the time spent working out how to get to it is well worth it. 213 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:36,800 The complexity of urban life... 214 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:39,480 ..favours the clever. 215 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,520 But to compete with humanity during daylight hours 216 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:53,560 takes more than just intelligence. 217 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:00,400 It takes nerve. 218 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,320 One enterprising species of monkey 219 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,520 has moved into the city of Jaipur in India... 220 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:13,640 ..the rhesus macaque. 221 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:22,200 But how to get a share of all this juicy fruit? 222 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:34,120 Every morning, the troop make the same journey 223 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:37,520 through the urban jungle, just as human commuters do. 224 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:04,200 Sometimes, inevitably, there are traffic jams. 225 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:31,720 Once they get to the market, trouble begins. 226 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:55,520 Being both intelligent and brazen 227 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:59,520 is the key to beating human beings on their home turf. 228 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:22,640 MAN SHOUTS 229 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:38,720 It's daylight robbery. 230 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:53,360 There are some animals that most would consider too dangerous 231 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:54,880 to tolerate in the city. 232 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:01,280 Spotted hyenas. 233 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,320 HYENAS HOWL 234 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,560 They're feared throughout their range. 235 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:17,440 In the outskirts of Harar in Ethiopia, 236 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:22,400 two clans are coming face-to-face to battle over a prized resource. 237 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:30,920 There are about 60 hyenas in each clan 238 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:33,080 and they're well matched. 239 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:01,960 After three hours of posturing back and forth, 240 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:06,280 the losers retreat and the victors head to claim their prize. 241 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:16,560 They have been fighting over access to the city. 242 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:34,440 Once inside the city walls, they head for one place. 243 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:46,160 And they know exactly how to get there. 244 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:14,320 HYENA GROWLS 245 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:20,880 The ancient meat market. 246 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:28,560 The scent of all these carcasses lies heavy in the air. 247 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:55,120 This tradition goes back over 400 years. 248 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:59,000 The human butchers put out the bones they don't need 249 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,680 and these hyenas deal with them. 250 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,640 They're the only animals that can. 251 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:10,760 No other here has such powerful, bone-crushing jaws. 252 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:17,000 And this relationship between man and beast 253 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,320 has now been taken a step further. 254 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:23,240 HE WHISTLES 255 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:27,320 Yusuf is calling the hyenas to his house. 256 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:39,360 He and his forefathers, going back five generations, 257 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:41,560 have been feeding the hyenas... 258 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:43,680 ..by hand. 259 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:52,520 The inhabitants of this town believe that hyenas provide 260 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:57,200 eating the bad spirits that haunt the streets. 261 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,800 These are wild and ferocious animals, 262 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:09,400 but once within these city walls, 263 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,240 they behave in a completely different way. 264 00:34:14,240 --> 00:34:16,280 Throughout the rest of Africa, 265 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:19,680 spotted hyenas are feared because they kill livestock, 266 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:21,240 sometimes even children. 267 00:34:23,240 --> 00:34:27,280 They are, perhaps, the most vilified animal on our planet. 268 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:33,960 However, here in Harar, 269 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,280 their relationship with people is entirely peaceful. 270 00:34:40,240 --> 00:34:42,720 They have won the trust of man. 271 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:53,960 Losing its fear of humans 272 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:58,240 has enabled one animal to spread into cities everywhere, 273 00:34:58,240 --> 00:34:59,880 and in huge numbers. 274 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:14,320 Pigeons are by far the most successful urban bird. 275 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,800 BELL TOLLS 276 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:20,960 Here in Albi in the South of France, 277 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,200 the pigeons come to the river to bathe. 278 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:26,760 They need to preen their flight feathers, 279 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:29,440 clean off the city dust... 280 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:31,160 and cool themselves down. 281 00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:39,720 DRAMATIC MUSIC 282 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:54,400 But death lies in wait. 283 00:35:56,800 --> 00:36:00,120 A predator that has taken advantage of the very thing 284 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:01,840 that has led to the pigeon's success... 285 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:05,440 ..their lack of fear. 286 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,760 oil from their plumage flows downstream and is detected. 287 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,960 A monstrous wels catfish. 288 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:36,720 Introduced here just 40 years ago, they have proliferated... 289 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:40,880 ..virtually exterminated the local fish stocks... 290 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:46,320 ..and they've now developed a taste for pigeon. 291 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:51,120 Their eyesight is poor, 292 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:55,240 so they use their barbels to sense the movements of their victims. 293 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,720 This is a radical new hunting strategy 294 00:37:53,720 --> 00:37:56,720 for what is normally a bottom-dwelling fish. 295 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:14,720 After 1,000 years of living in this city, 296 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:19,320 pigeons are now having to learn to avoid a fish. 297 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:29,960 Our cities are always changing, sometimes very swiftly. 298 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:35,560 And animals must cope with the changes... 299 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:37,040 or disappear. 300 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,360 One of the greatest changes in recent times 301 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:47,440 has come from a single invention made less than 140 years ago. 302 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:53,320 Electric light. 303 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:57,880 It has become more and more powerful... 304 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:02,680 ..filling our streets with light. 305 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:15,720 It's everywhere in the city. 306 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:20,000 It even goes underground. 307 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:41,600 The difference between day and night 308 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,160 is becoming less and less perceptible. 309 00:39:53,840 --> 00:40:03,360 And that has a profound effect on the activities of wildlife. 310 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,720 In the wilderness, light triggers all kinds of behaviour. 311 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:15,600 On the night of the full moon, 312 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:18,920 hundreds of tiny hawksbill turtle hatchlings 313 00:40:18,920 --> 00:40:22,240 emerge from the safety of their nests deep in the sand. 314 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:28,680 Their instinct is to reach the sea as quickly as possible. 315 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:35,880 And their guide is the light of the full moon reflected on the water. 316 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:46,560 But this young hatchling is confused. 317 00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:57,520 It's going in the wrong direction. 318 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:05,120 Bright light is coming from the land... 319 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:06,800 LOUD MUSIC PLAYS IN DISTANCE 320 00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:12,760 ..and all these hatchlings are travelling up the beach towards it. 321 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:21,920 Predators are ready to take advantage. 322 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:28,160 Crabs now make their burrows directly beneath the beach lights 323 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:31,000 and wait for their prey to come to them. 324 00:41:53,320 --> 00:41:57,600 Even if a hatchling escapes, they're still in peril. 325 00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:09,480 The lights become more and more bewildering. 326 00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:36,720 80% of all hatchlings on this beach 327 00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:40,280 are now disorientated by the lights of the town. 328 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:03,440 Roads bring many to their end. 329 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:22,080 Hundreds get trapped in storm drains every night. 330 00:43:36,120 --> 00:43:37,800 Exhausted by the effort 331 00:43:37,800 --> 00:43:40,400 of travelling such a distance on land... 332 00:43:42,680 --> 00:43:46,880 ..this hatchling's chances of surviving the night are slim. 333 00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:02,360 This turtle is one of the countless species 334 00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:05,520 that have been unable to adapt to the change 335 00:44:05,520 --> 00:44:08,240 brought about by the urban environment. 336 00:44:19,840 --> 00:44:21,920 Only a small number of animals 337 00:44:21,920 --> 00:44:25,040 have managed to find ways of living alongside us. 338 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:31,720 And every ten years, an area the size of Britain 339 00:44:31,720 --> 00:44:34,840 disappears under a jungle of concrete. 340 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:47,000 But it doesn't have to be like this. 341 00:44:50,120 --> 00:44:54,760 Could it not be possible to build cities more in harmony with nature? 342 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:06,920 How, and whether, we decide to invite the wildlife back 343 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:08,360 is up to us. 344 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:15,440 This tree is rising nearly 30 storeys. 345 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:18,320 It's one of almost 800 being planted 346 00:45:18,320 --> 00:45:21,360 to create a vertical forest in Milan. 347 00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:32,000 This number of living trees 348 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:35,080 but here, they occupy one tenth of that area. 349 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:40,080 Greening the walls and roofs of our buildings 350 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:47,960 could create a rich and extensive habitat if we wanted it to do so. 351 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:53,080 There is one city where that idea is being applied on a major scale - 352 00:45:53,080 --> 00:45:54,680 Singapore. 353 00:45:56,440 --> 00:46:01,200 Two million trees have been planted here in the last 45 years. 354 00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:07,480 This city is now richer in species than any other in the world. 355 00:46:14,160 --> 00:46:17,760 And this practice extends to all parts of the city. 356 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:21,680 The waterways have been cleaned up 357 00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:24,200 and smooth-coated otters are coming back. 358 00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:35,280 But perhaps the most spectacular example of city greening 359 00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:41,280 is this grove of super trees. 360 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:47,560 These 150-feet-high metal structures are now full of life. 361 00:46:49,120 --> 00:46:53,160 Creepers have been planted to grow over the outermost branches. 362 00:46:56,160 --> 00:46:58,920 This is a new urban world 363 00:46:58,920 --> 00:47:02,000 that we have now designed and built 364 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:04,040 with others in mind. 365 00:47:06,760 --> 00:47:08,640 Create the space 366 00:47:08,640 --> 00:47:10,520 and the animals will come. 367 00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:22,280 Is this a vision of our cities of the future? 368 00:47:31,240 --> 00:47:35,680 It could be possible to see wildlife thriving within our cities 369 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:37,560 across the planet. 370 00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:44,720 We, after all, are the architects of the urban world. 371 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:49,880 Now, over half of us live in an urban environment. 372 00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:53,080 My home, too, is here in the city of London. 373 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:56,760 Looking down on this great metropolis, 374 00:47:56,760 --> 00:48:01,440 the ingenuity with which we continue to reshape the surface of our planet 375 00:48:01,440 --> 00:48:03,280 is very striking. 376 00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:05,560 But it's also sobering. 377 00:48:05,560 --> 00:48:09,040 It reminds me of just how easy it is for us 378 00:48:09,040 --> 00:48:11,760 to lose our connection with the natural world. 379 00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:17,680 Yet it's on this connection that the future of both humanity 380 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:20,000 and the natural world will depend. 381 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:26,400 It's surely our responsibility to do everything within our power 382 00:48:26,400 --> 00:48:30,920 to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, 383 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:33,520 but for all life on Earth. 384 00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:19,640 For a wildlife film crew, 385 00:49:19,640 --> 00:49:24,840 working in the urban environment was an altogether different experience. 386 00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:28,760 Two crews set off on two very different missions. 387 00:49:28,760 --> 00:49:32,040 It's Mark and Louis's first time in India. 388 00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:34,640 Bus, there's mopeds, and we're not stopping, we're going... 389 00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:39,120 Oh, my God! 390 00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:42,720 Along with the rest of the team, 391 00:49:42,720 --> 00:49:45,320 they hope to film up close and personal 392 00:49:45,320 --> 00:49:47,680 with the monkeys that have come from the wild 393 00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:50,040 to live in the hustle and bustle of the city. 394 00:49:51,960 --> 00:49:55,040 I can't believe these macaques have left the peace and quiet 395 00:49:55,040 --> 00:49:57,120 for this mayhem, but they're fine here. 396 00:49:57,120 --> 00:49:59,080 In fact, they're probably a bit more comfortable 397 00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:00,400 than I am with this noise. 398 00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:01,880 CAR HORN BLARES Yeah, yeah. 399 00:50:03,760 --> 00:50:07,680 And to get into the monkey's world, Mark will be using a new rig 400 00:50:07,680 --> 00:50:09,600 that stabilises the camera 401 00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:11,960 and allows him to get right into the action. 402 00:50:14,280 --> 00:50:16,920 I think Mark and Louis have got a big challenge 403 00:50:16,920 --> 00:50:20,240 to be wielding thousands of pounds' worth of camera equipment 404 00:50:20,240 --> 00:50:21,840 down at the street level. 405 00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:23,840 Rather them than me! 406 00:50:23,840 --> 00:50:28,120 You've got a lady with cauliflowers passing on your left, Mark. 407 00:50:28,120 --> 00:50:31,040 Just pull me aside. On your left. 408 00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:33,280 I'm more used to a jungle, if I'm honest! 409 00:50:34,600 --> 00:50:38,240 But this is a jungle all of its own, just with people instead of trees. 410 00:50:38,240 --> 00:50:39,600 It's impossible! 411 00:50:41,360 --> 00:50:43,760 700 miles south in Mumbai, 412 00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:46,560 cameraman Gordon Buchanan will have to take on 413 00:50:46,560 --> 00:50:48,680 a completely different filming approach 414 00:50:48,680 --> 00:50:51,560 if he's to capture an urban leopard hunt. 415 00:50:54,880 --> 00:50:57,480 It's amazing to think that standing here, surrounded by people, 416 00:50:57,480 --> 00:51:01,600 all this kind of human activity, that within... 417 00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:05,480 half a mile, maybe even less, there will be leopards. 418 00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:09,600 Only glimpses of these cats have been caught on camera 419 00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:13,600 and just to locate them, he'll need new infrared camera traps. 420 00:51:13,600 --> 00:51:15,440 Are you happy with the composition? 421 00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:17,240 Good. What about you? 422 00:51:17,240 --> 00:51:19,040 Right. Correct shutter speed? 423 00:51:19,040 --> 00:51:20,720 CHILD LAUGHS 424 00:51:20,720 --> 00:51:24,160 Gordon is hoping that these camera traps will reveal 425 00:51:24,160 --> 00:51:25,960 where they're on the prowl. 426 00:51:30,760 --> 00:51:38,640 For the monkey team, finding the animals seems easy... 427 00:51:42,080 --> 00:51:43,440 Almost started on that. 428 00:51:43,440 --> 00:51:46,720 Ooh! They didn't put that on the hazard assessment! 429 00:51:46,720 --> 00:51:48,400 They did as a matter of fact. Cow in the groin? 430 00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:50,280 Cow in the groin. 431 00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:53,560 They're much tougher and more granitey than the monkeys 432 00:51:53,560 --> 00:51:56,640 I've filmed in the wild. They're not frightened of us. 433 00:51:56,640 --> 00:51:59,080 They're, um, I mean look at this. 434 00:52:00,240 --> 00:52:03,680 He's taking on pigs, he's taking on goats, he's taking on cows, 435 00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:05,800 he's taking on me any time he wants to. 436 00:52:05,800 --> 00:52:09,040 But with monkeys this brazen, 437 00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:11,760 Mark is able to follow the troop at street level. 438 00:52:14,840 --> 00:52:18,000 To capture their movements in their rooftop world, 439 00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:22,720 they need to run a cable between buildings and fly a camera along it 440 00:52:22,720 --> 00:52:26,360 and that calls for some inventive rigging. 441 00:52:28,720 --> 00:52:30,960 I've got this soft satsuma here 442 00:52:30,960 --> 00:52:35,440 and I've got to lob it to the team on the other side over there. 443 00:52:35,440 --> 00:52:37,480 We're going to lob it from rooftop to rooftop. 444 00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:41,520 We've made sure there's no-one on the rooftops and it's safe to do it. 445 00:52:41,520 --> 00:52:43,560 Are you ready? OK. 446 00:52:48,920 --> 00:52:50,280 OK. Good. 447 00:52:50,280 --> 00:52:52,720 That's good. I got it into the courtyard. 448 00:52:52,720 --> 00:52:53,920 So, that's perfect. 449 00:52:55,920 --> 00:52:58,560 I think our cable run at the moment is about 60 metres. 450 00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:02,760 We can travel the whole length while panning and tilting 451 00:53:02,760 --> 00:53:04,680 and really looking at everything we want to. 452 00:53:04,680 --> 00:53:07,360 It should give us some really dynamic, stunning shots. 453 00:53:07,360 --> 00:53:10,760 The team is getting an insight at all levels 454 00:53:10,760 --> 00:53:13,320 into the monkeys' mischievous lives... 455 00:53:22,600 --> 00:53:28,840 ..and are starting to figure out the routes they use to cross the city. 456 00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:30,400 And over the course of weeks, 457 00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:33,480 the macaques become all too familiar with the crew. 458 00:53:33,480 --> 00:53:35,960 All right, little monkey! 459 00:53:35,960 --> 00:53:37,800 All right, little monkey. All right. 460 00:53:39,640 --> 00:53:42,000 They're now fully embedded in the troop 461 00:53:42,000 --> 00:53:44,920 and Mark is able to film right amongst them. 462 00:53:44,920 --> 00:53:47,200 These guys at the moment are magic. 463 00:53:47,200 --> 00:53:50,280 We've got monkeys behaving naturally, it's fantastic. 464 00:53:53,240 --> 00:53:56,280 That's good, Louis. Very nice, guys. Thank you. Very nice. 465 00:53:57,480 --> 00:54:00,320 Back in Mumbai, the camera traps are revealing 466 00:54:00,320 --> 00:54:02,520 where the leopards are coming out. 467 00:54:04,760 --> 00:54:08,400 But to stand any chance of capturing them hunting in the city, 468 00:54:08,400 --> 00:54:12,280 Gordon will need to use the latest thermal camera technology. 469 00:54:16,600 --> 00:54:19,160 BAND PLAYS 470 00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:27,040 FIREWORK EXPLODES 471 00:54:28,760 --> 00:54:31,200 (WHISPERING) I can't imagine that leopard's going to come 472 00:54:31,200 --> 00:54:32,440 with all this going on. 473 00:54:34,400 --> 00:54:37,920 Relative silence eventually descends. 474 00:54:37,920 --> 00:54:42,200 OK, I picked up some movement behind some bushes on the camera. 475 00:54:42,200 --> 00:54:44,320 It's just a sort of a twinkling of light. 476 00:54:44,320 --> 00:54:46,040 It's something warm-blooded. 477 00:54:48,680 --> 00:54:50,160 There we go. 478 00:54:52,360 --> 00:54:54,000 A leopard. 479 00:54:54,000 --> 00:54:56,520 You dancer! Look at that! 480 00:54:58,560 --> 00:55:00,800 It definitely knows that I'm here. 481 00:55:02,760 --> 00:55:05,320 That's a type of sighting that you'd have to wait 482 00:55:05,320 --> 00:55:08,040 for weeks and weeks to get a leopard that close. 483 00:55:08,040 --> 00:55:10,200 And so early on. 484 00:55:11,840 --> 00:55:13,320 Over the next month, 485 00:55:13,320 --> 00:55:16,480 this camera enables Gordon to see into the darkness 486 00:55:16,480 --> 00:55:21,000 and be the first person to film an urban leopard hunt. 487 00:55:24,160 --> 00:55:26,440 But it's only at the end of the trip 488 00:55:26,440 --> 00:55:29,200 that he has his most memorable encounter. 489 00:55:29,200 --> 00:55:30,920 (WHISPERING) Look at the size of him! 490 00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:35,480 He's coming up. He's coming up. He's coming up. 491 00:55:37,600 --> 00:55:40,120 My goodness, look at that! 492 00:55:40,120 --> 00:55:42,920 He's about three metres in front of me. 493 00:55:45,800 --> 00:55:47,320 Jesus! 494 00:56:13,320 --> 00:56:15,200 My heart is racing! 495 00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:18,360 That was close! 496 00:56:21,640 --> 00:56:24,360 That's the closest I've ever been to a leopard. 497 00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:32,360 That's often the case with urban wildlife, 498 00:56:32,360 --> 00:56:35,400 is that it's the presence of human beings 499 00:56:35,400 --> 00:56:39,000 that allows certain animals to do well. 500 00:56:40,160 --> 00:56:42,960 And I suppose it's just incredible 501 00:56:42,960 --> 00:56:46,360 that one of those animals is the leopard. 502 00:56:52,600 --> 00:56:55,040 It isn't just Gordon getting an insight 503 00:56:55,040 --> 00:56:58,720 into the surprising wildlife encounters possible in the city. 504 00:57:00,200 --> 00:57:02,800 It's in Jodhpur, filming the langurs, 505 00:57:02,800 --> 00:57:07,040 that the monkey team really see the extraordinary relationship 506 00:57:07,040 --> 00:57:10,080 between humans and animals in Indian cities. 507 00:57:10,080 --> 00:57:12,200 They're so tolerant, they're amazing. 508 00:57:17,520 --> 00:57:20,520 And it makes a strong impression on them. 509 00:57:20,520 --> 00:57:21,680 Oh, it's beautiful. 510 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:24,360 Yeah, that is beautiful. 511 00:57:26,000 --> 00:57:29,000 I mean, coming to India, this is what you realise, 512 00:57:29,000 --> 00:57:34,200 that if you let your wildlife into the city and you really embrace it, 513 00:57:34,200 --> 00:57:36,680 then this is the reward you get. 514 00:57:36,680 --> 00:57:41,960 I mean, this phenomenal connection with incredible creatures, 515 00:57:41,960 --> 00:57:44,720 and that...that just feels wonderful. 516 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:48,520 It was a surprising revelation 517 00:57:48,520 --> 00:57:51,480 that it was in cities where the film crews 518 00:57:51,480 --> 00:57:55,680 had some of their most extraordinary encounters with wild animals.