1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:14,360 All life as we know it evolved under the same moon. 2 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,920 She's a constant but changeable force. 3 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,960 As she waxes and wanes... 4 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,790 ...so do the fates of animals across our planet. 5 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:41,830 Just months old, 6 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:46,990 all this baby elephant has known is Botswana's punishing dry season. 7 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:53,310 Born on the move, 8 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:58,030 he must follow his family on their search for scattered food 9 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,240 and lifesaving water. 10 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,280 Keeping up is a struggle... 11 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,200 ...but falling behind would be worse. 12 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,910 The lions that haunt the routes to waterholes here 13 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,440 are known elephant killers. 14 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:39,510 90% of their hunts take place after dark. 15 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,360 No night on Earth is ever the same. 16 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,160 The Moon changes everything. 17 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:59,550 Our Moon shapes life on Earth in extraordinary ways. 18 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,960 Creating the swelling tides... 19 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,480 ...dictating the length of day... 20 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:12,920 ...summoning the seasons. 21 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:15,920 She can light the way to love... 22 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,480 ...reveal hidden pathways... 23 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,200 ...bring times of plenty 24 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,840 ...or strip away chances of survival. 25 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:50,630 The moon's unmistakable face has looked down on Earth 26 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:52,950 for billions of years... 27 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,520 but how she looks to life on our planet changes. 28 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,600 She doesn't make her own light. 29 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,230 She borrows it from the Sun. 30 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:17,840 Once a month, the Moon's orbit takes her between the Sun and Earth. 31 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,560 Backlit, she reflects no light our way. 32 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:29,440 This dark new-Moon phase starts the lunar cycle. 33 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:35,990 As she orbits our planet, 34 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,240 the Moon's angle to the Sun changes. 35 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,270 Until two weeks later, 36 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,190 she sits on the opposite side of Earth to the Sun. 37 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,110 At full moon, 38 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,040 she appears fully bathed in light. 39 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,990 These monthly phases are like clockwork. 40 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,110 So reliable, 41 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,440 they can be predicted thousands of years in advance. 42 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,630 But her constantly shifting cycle of light 43 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:20,040 fuels the drama between hunter and hunted. 44 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,790 In Botswana, 45 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,120 there's no rest for the baby elephant. 46 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,630 His family ate today, 47 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,720 but they desperately need water. 48 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:49,920 The cool of night helps them cover more ground. 49 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,510 But nights in the wild, away from artificial light, 50 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,000 can be profoundly dark. 51 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,510 Lions are night stalkers, 52 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,160 with eyes more sensitive to low light than elephants. 53 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,630 They rely on the dark to kill. 54 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:20,270 But tonight, 55 00:05:20,280 --> 00:05:23,320 the Moon phase is in this baby's favour. 56 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,840 The light of a full moon is 400,000 times dimmer than the Sun. 57 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:43,990 But for 12 hours, 58 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,830 she will be the brightest object in his night sky. 59 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,910 And the barren landscape acts as a reflector, 60 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,200 enhancing her glow. 61 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:08,670 The lions have their eyes on the baby. 62 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,190 He's small, vulnerable, 63 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,750 a prime target. 64 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,990 But under a full moon, 65 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,320 the calf's family have no problem seeing the lions. 66 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,990 Better than squinting into midday sun, 67 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,400 moonlight is easier for them. 68 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:51,080 It would need the whole pride to take on just one adult elephant. 69 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:58,280 There's no chance against a dozen watchful bodyguards. 70 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,430 Lions can go two weeks without food. 71 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,840 They can wait for darker phases. 72 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,110 As long as he's with his family, 73 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,240 the baby is protected. 74 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,960 The moonlight helps him find his way on uneven ground. 75 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,190 But for each of his mother's steps, 76 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:34,960 he must take six. 77 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,280 His mother drops to his pace. 78 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:52,000 But her decision means they leave the safety of their family. 79 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,150 Even at full moon, 80 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:18,240 it's a chance an opportunistic hyena can't pass up. 81 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,320 The calf's mother can keep an eye on a single hyena. 82 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,430 If he calls his clan, the power will shift. 83 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,200 The elephants must find their family. 84 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,750 Distant low frequency rumbles 85 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,630 are the sound of safety, guiding them. 86 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,350 They're close. 87 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,160 His mother can smell water. 88 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:53,520 Tonight, the Moon is on the calf's side. 89 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,360 She will be in the sky until dawn... 90 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:03,520 ...shedding light on potential predators. 91 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,200 For many animals, moonlight can be a lifeline at night. 92 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,870 For some, it can tip the balance between survival 93 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:24,910 and starvation. 94 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,190 In Brazil, 95 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,470 the buds of this apple cactus have taken nearly 96 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,160 a whole lunar cycle to mature. 97 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,000 They've been waiting for a moonlit night just like this. 98 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:04,790 With this grand opening timed to the brightest phases, 99 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,430 the blooms mirror the Moon, 100 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,640 reflecting maximum borrowed light. 101 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:27,230 Like neon signs on an all-night diner, 102 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,760 they're designed to attract one very hungry customer. 103 00:11:40,680 --> 00:11:44,070 The first flight of this Manduca hawkmoth 104 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,640 will be the most important of his life. 105 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,670 Freshly emerged from his pupa, 106 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:56,830 he must eat tonight to survive. 107 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:06,190 The apple cactus flowers have deep wells of sugary nectar. 108 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:11,640 But this pop-up diner is here for one night only. 109 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:17,120 With dawn, the flowers will wither and die. 110 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:29,510 Rapid movements warm the moth's flight muscles. 111 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,110 But each beat burns precious energy. 112 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,640 There's no time to lose. 113 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,760 His search isn't random. 114 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:49,120 He keeps the Moon in the same spot in his field of vision. 115 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:55,320 It helps him stay straight so he doesn't go in circles. 116 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,640 It's the most efficient way to cover ground. 117 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,040 But wait! There's another moon! 118 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,520 Brighter. Closer. 119 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,240 His reserves are running low. 120 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:19,270 But his desire to keep this false moon in his line of sight... 121 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,160 ...sends him in dizzying circles. 122 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,110 Our need to light up the shadows 123 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,080 creates problems for nocturnal animals. 124 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,080 A simple switch... 125 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,360 ...can release them from its seduction. 126 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,440 He has to hurry. 127 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,880 It's nearly last orders. 128 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,800 His eyes are primed to see contrast. 129 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,920 The white petals are like a beacon. 130 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,320 With a proboscis twice his body length... 131 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:19,800 ...he is the only animal who can reach the nectar deep in the flower. 132 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,390 To get enough energy to survive, 133 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,480 he'll visit more than 20 flowers tonight. 134 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,040 And he doesn't dine and dash... 135 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:52,920 ...he pays his bill... 136 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,200 ...through pollination. 137 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:17,960 But this moth will only live for a single lunar month. 138 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,030 He'll seize every opportunity... 139 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:24,960 the moonlight gives him. 140 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,590 Even at her brightest, 141 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,280 moonlight is too dim for human eyes to see much detail... 142 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,320 ...and the night seems monochrome to us. 143 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,400 But there is more to moonlight than meets our eyes. 144 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:08,830 When it passes through water in the air... 145 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,560 a lunar rainbow forms. 146 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:25,200 Every moonbeam holds all wavelengths of sunlight... 147 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:28,470 ...not just visible colours 148 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:32,950 but also hidden wavelengths beyond human vision, 149 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:36,430 including ultraviolet. 150 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,040 It's the hidden UV in lunar light... 151 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:51,240 ...that's thought to help one creature find food. 152 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:04,080 This hungry Malaysian colugo has an urgent supply run to make. 153 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:10,560 She's eating for two. 154 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,720 Her two-month-old isn't weaned yet. 155 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,320 It takes a lot of calories to make milk. 156 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,150 Luckily, her huge eyes are so sensitive, 157 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:46,120 it's thought she can see in the moonlight what most mammals can't... 158 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,280 ...colour. 159 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:03,640 When UV in moonlight is absorbed by some animals and plants... 160 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:12,600 ...the energy is released as a faint visible glow. 161 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,830 Revealed with specialist cameras, 162 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:32,920 this phenomenon of fluorescence can come in a variety of colours. 163 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,360 Its purpose is still a mystery. 164 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,600 For a carnivorous pitcher plant... 165 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,960 ...it could be a lure for unsuspecting victims. 166 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:54,920 While the colugo is thought to be looking for the blue glow... 167 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,160 ...of juicy, fresh shoots. 168 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:06,310 The moonlight will help her see the young leaves. 169 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:11,280 But they're high in exposed canopies where it isn't safe to sleep. 170 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,760 She'll have to cross the forest to get them. 171 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,960 Her baby better hold on tight. He's going with her. 172 00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:30,160 The 15-metre climb will be worth the effort. 173 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:41,200 It gives her the height she needs to reveal another secret. 174 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:04,280 Her forward-facing eyes give her excellent depth perception. 175 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:12,600 While a membrane of skin from wrist to ankle acts as a wing suit. 176 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,830 She can glide up to 100 metres through the dark 177 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:24,880 and never miss her mark. 178 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:32,320 With maximum distance travelled in seconds... 179 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:37,640 ...she can spend more of her night eating. 180 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:52,350 And since her eyes can take advantage of all moonlight has to offer... 181 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:55,470 she can continue late night feeds 182 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,880 even as the Moon enters its darkest phases. 183 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,310 The Moon is celebrated as a symbol of the night. 184 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,190 But in reality, 185 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,000 moonrise isn't synchronised with sunset. 186 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:22,000 Each phase is in the sky for 12 hours out of every 24. 187 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:27,680 A full moon happens to rise with sunset... 188 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,360 ...but as she cycles towards a new moon... 189 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:37,720 ...she rises later and later until she starts to overlap with day... 190 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,040 ...and is seen less at night. 191 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,390 In Botswana, 192 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,160 the nights have got darker in the days approaching new moon. 193 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:56,430 The baby elephant's family can only go three days without water. 194 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:02,400 Dehydration is most dangerous for him and his nursing mother. 195 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:11,110 But each waterhole visit close to new moon comes with increased risk. 196 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:23,630 The waning crescent rose in the early hours 197 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:26,190 and is barely brighter than starlight. 198 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:31,520 The baby's full moon advantage has gone. 199 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:39,880 The darker the night, the bolder lions get. 200 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,920 Thankfully, the sun is rising. 201 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,840 The family has quenched their thirst... 202 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,990 ...but with no food here 203 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,200 and the hungry lions sticking close to the water... 204 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,960 ...it's time to leave. 205 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:15,870 Thanks to the lions, 206 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:20,000 a waning moon means danger for the baby. 207 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,750 But for elephants elsewhere, 208 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:27,480 darker-moon phases bring opportunity. 209 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:38,160 This lush Tanzanian forest is full of food. 210 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,030 An adult bull can eat 211 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:46,830 over one hundred kilograms of plant life a day. 212 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:49,640 But he knows there's something sweeter. 213 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:57,670 Fields of carbohydrate-rich wheat 214 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,400 would give him the ultimate energy boost. 215 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,070 When sharing space with humans, 216 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:11,430 waning moon phases become friend to this elephant. 217 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,400 When there's no moonlight... 218 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,870 ...humans need artificial light 219 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,080 and thermal cameras to see. 220 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:44,640 Crop raids can double during the darkest Moon phases. 221 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,920 This bull knows humans will be less able to spot him. 222 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:54,910 He can't see much, 223 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,430 but led by a nose better than any blood hound, 224 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,320 he can smell the wheat tantalisingly close. 225 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,600 With the Moon still to rise... 226 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:22,320 ...the night is as dark as it gets. 227 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,160 If he can just keep quiet. 228 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:33,640 Now. 229 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,680 His cushioned footpads act as shock absorbers. 230 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,800 He can move without noise. 231 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:54,880 All that's in his way now is a single wire. 232 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,600 But this is no ordinary fence. 233 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:09,190 Suspended every ten metres along its seven-kilometre length are hives, 234 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,400 full of African honeybees. 235 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:15,990 If one bee stings the elephant, 236 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,070 a pheromone will call the whole hive to attack. 237 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,150 The bull isn't just testing the fence, 238 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,040 he's testing the bees' patience. 239 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,470 And if the buzzing increases, 240 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,720 it will raise the alarm. 241 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:40,790 Bees can't see in the dark, 242 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,710 but they CAN detect heat. 243 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:49,230 The hottest areas are the thin skin around the elephant's eyes. 244 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:59,190 This bull has met African honeybees before. 245 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,000 An elephant never forgets the pain of being stung. 246 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:08,880 The alarm system is working. 247 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,520 He can smell the guards coming. 248 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:19,750 It's a clever plan to raid on a dark phase... 249 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,270 but despite his stealth, 250 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:26,000 this bull has met his match. 251 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,470 As the lunar cycle continues, 252 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:49,230 the Moon will rise later and later each night until, 253 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:54,080 once a month, she doesn't rise at night at all. 254 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,950 A new moon is a daytime moon. 255 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,240 She rises and sets with the Sun. 256 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,830 As they travel across the sky, 257 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:16,280 the Moon is normally hidden in the Sun's glare. 258 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,200 From Earth, she's too faint to be seen. 259 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:25,200 But today's new moon... 260 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,480 ...is about to make her presence known... 261 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:32,600 ...over Mexican mountains... 262 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,070 ...across American prairielands... 263 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,790 ...and all the way to the lakes of Canada 264 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,560 thanks to a quirk in the way she moves. 265 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,830 The Moon's orbit is tilted, 266 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:55,800 which means she changes course each day. 267 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,560 If her path is at just the right angle... 268 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,520 ...she'll eclipse the Sun. 269 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:14,910 Even though the Sun is 400 times larger than the Moon, 270 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:17,910 thanks to a cosmic coincidence, 271 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:22,430 the Moon is 400 times closer to Earth. 272 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:29,630 If they align exactly, 273 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,190 they'll be a perfect fit. 274 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:36,160 During a total solar eclipse... 275 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,510 the Moon can throw her shadow across the Earth 276 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:44,200 at over 2,400 kilometres per hour. 277 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,030 For a brief moment, 278 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:49,440 the Moon turns day to night. 279 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,760 It's an event that can be predicted to the second. 280 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:05,110 But because the Moon keeps moving on her changing path... 281 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,630 ...this precise combination won't repeat here... 282 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:13,400 for over 500 years. 283 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:40,230 The eclipse is a dramatic demonstration 284 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:43,360 of the Moon's relationship with the Earth and Sun. 285 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:50,190 The same relationship that drives her phases 286 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:54,160 and powers another rhythm vital to life. 287 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,950 The Moon's mass is just one 1% of Earth's, 288 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:10,000 but her gravity is strong enough to pull the oceans towards her. 289 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:20,190 As Earth spins, 290 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:22,120 life across the planet... 291 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:26,870 ...sees the twice daily ebb and flow... 292 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:28,800 of tides. 293 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:42,990 Over billions of years, 294 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:47,190 these moon powered-tides have shifted sediments, 295 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:49,160 broken down rocks... 296 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:52,280 ...carved coastlines... 297 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:57,720 ...and shaped unique behaviours across the globe. 298 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:06,230 On this small Thai island, 299 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:11,190 the Moon has set the table for a young long-tailed macaque 300 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:13,950 and her family. 301 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:20,520 Daily low tides expose protein-rich seafood. 302 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,000 Sea snails are a great starter... 303 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,040 ...but come in protective packaging. 304 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:36,000 Luckily, the Moon has brought the macaque a solution. 305 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,630 In her hands, 306 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:45,280 rocks shaped by millennia of tides can become stone tools. 307 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:54,200 Fewer than 1% of animals have the brains to use tools. 308 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,510 Passed from family member to family member, 309 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:08,560 it's a skill that has to be learned. 310 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:21,080 The small snails make a dent in the macaque's hunger. 311 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:27,080 But rock oysters would be the ultimate delicacy. 312 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:33,400 Just one is worth 20 sea snails. 313 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:39,390 Unfortunately, 314 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:42,400 oysters have evolved shells so strong... 315 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,160 ...they inspired bullet-proof glass. 316 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:05,240 They can withstand simple smashing. 317 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:10,910 To get this main course, 318 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:14,110 she'll need to learn from a master. 319 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:34,070 This alpha male is so good, 320 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:36,000 he has a fan club. 321 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,590 If the female watches closely, 322 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:46,760 she can learn his secrets. 323 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:54,920 The tides have ground some rocks into a point. 324 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:04,350 She needs a stone that will focus her force 325 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:06,400 and cause more damage. 326 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:35,030 With the tide turning, 327 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:37,720 her ingenuity pays off. 328 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:42,240 And now, she can perfect her new skills... 329 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,320 ...with each daily low tide. 330 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:54,030 Other diners... 331 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:58,760 have to wait for when the lunar tides are at their strongest. 332 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:03,950 Twice a month, 333 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:06,910 when the Moon is either new or full, 334 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,760 her gravity combines with the Sun's... 335 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:13,840 ...amplifying the raw power of the tides. 336 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:28,550 When the force of these Moon-powered spring tides 337 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:31,480 comes up against monsoon ocean currents... 338 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:37,510 ...they create a suction pump that pulls all manner 339 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:40,400 of alien-like creatures from the deep. 340 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:59,270 Comb jellies can gulp ten times their weight a day, 341 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:01,840 swallowing anything in their path. 342 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:10,750 And the deadly fishing lines of sea gooseberries are ideal 343 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:14,920 for catching the smallest and most important animals in the sea. 344 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:22,960 Microscopic zooplankton... 345 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,600 ...copepods... 346 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:31,280 ...crab larvae... 347 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:34,000 ...mysid shrimp... 348 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,630 ...they're the ultimate seafood cocktail 349 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:40,840 and the basis of ocean food chains. 350 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:06,470 Their natural instinct is to sink back to the depths. 351 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:08,510 But before they can, 352 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:11,590 the tide sweeps the plankton-rich waters 353 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:15,560 into the dead end of The Maldives' Hanifaru Bay. 354 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:24,110 The increase in plankton creates an all-you-can-eat buffet 355 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,440 for one of the largest fish in the ocean. 356 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:36,440 A reef manta ray. 357 00:39:48,720 --> 00:39:51,680 His balletic moves have a purpose. 358 00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:56,000 They give him multiple hits at the plankton soup... 359 00:40:01,240 --> 00:40:05,280 ...while specialised fins funnel the food into his mouth. 360 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:17,150 Thanks to the Moon-driven spring tides, 361 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:19,400 there's plenty to go around. 362 00:40:26,240 --> 00:40:30,080 Within minutes, hundreds more arrive. 363 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:34,360 It's the greatest gathering of reef mantas... 364 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:37,320 ...on Earth. 365 00:40:49,720 --> 00:40:52,400 With the largest brain of any fish... 366 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:56,040 ...the mantas have learned to work together. 367 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:09,270 Coordinated circular moves create a vortex, 368 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:11,640 trapping the plankton in the middle. 369 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,200 It means the mantas can eat more... 370 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:33,480 ...before the tide changes again... 371 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:40,800 ...and sweeps what's left... 372 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:47,640 ...back out to sea. 373 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:02,400 The Moon's tidal power is an unstoppable force... 374 00:42:04,720 --> 00:42:07,510 ...that also helps set another rhythm... 375 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:09,750 so familiar, 376 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:12,520 almost all living things abide by it. 377 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:18,910 Over billions of years, 378 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:22,550 the tides created drag on the Earth, 379 00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:27,840 slowing it so it turns only once every 24 hours. 380 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:34,590 And with that spin comes the inevitable change 381 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:36,920 from day into night. 382 00:42:48,240 --> 00:42:53,120 Botswana's dry season has taken its toll. 383 00:42:54,880 --> 00:42:57,070 On the brink of dehydration, 384 00:42:57,080 --> 00:43:01,910 the baby and his family risk a visit to the waterhole, 385 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:03,680 on the darkest night of the month. 386 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:08,440 Tonight, no Moon will rise. 387 00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:12,150 They can't see well, 388 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:15,800 but they know there's danger in the dark. 389 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:26,950 The lions have waited two hungry weeks for this moonless night. 390 00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:32,110 Reflective tissues behind their retinas 391 00:43:32,120 --> 00:43:35,160 amplify even the faintest starlight. 392 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:41,880 The baby is in their sights. 393 00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:53,830 But a single whiff of lion... 394 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:59,040 ...shifts the elephants into defence mode. 395 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:08,270 Without moonlight, 396 00:44:08,280 --> 00:44:12,440 the baby relies on scent and touch to stick close. 397 00:44:14,120 --> 00:44:18,560 The hungry lions have lost the element of surprise. 398 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:24,830 If stalking doesn't work, 399 00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:27,000 a charge might split the group. 400 00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:01,670 The baby is protected by a wall of angry females. 401 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:10,030 Throwing sand and fanning ears 402 00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:14,630 makes the already massive elephants appear even more intimidating. 403 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:21,320 But he isn't the only youngster near the waterhole tonight. 404 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:28,670 This four-year-old male is older, 405 00:45:28,680 --> 00:45:30,880 but he isn't wiser. 406 00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:42,790 Testing his growing independence, 407 00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:45,440 he's wandered away from HIS family. 408 00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:08,230 His mother hears his frantic calls. 409 00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:47,510 The mother can smell and hear the lions on all sides 410 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:49,950 but can't pinpoint them. 411 00:47:00,560 --> 00:47:04,070 The pride has darkness in their favour. 412 00:47:04,080 --> 00:47:07,550 But this young male is no morsel. 413 00:47:07,560 --> 00:47:10,310 He weighs eight times an adult lion... 414 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:16,960 ...and one blow from his mother could be fatal. 415 00:47:24,200 --> 00:47:27,270 If the lions don't seize this chance, 416 00:47:27,280 --> 00:47:29,630 the new moon will pass 417 00:47:29,640 --> 00:47:32,120 and their fortunes will shift again. 418 00:48:00,240 --> 00:48:03,230 The mother couldn't protect her son alone. 419 00:48:19,480 --> 00:48:22,920 But the pride finally has a chance to eat. 420 00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:40,510 The baby has survived this new moon phase 421 00:48:40,520 --> 00:48:42,600 and learned a crucial lesson. 422 00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:46,270 There's power in family. 423 00:48:55,840 --> 00:49:01,470 The passing of the new moon marks the start of a new lunar cycle. 424 00:49:01,480 --> 00:49:05,750 If the baby makes it through his first year, 425 00:49:05,760 --> 00:49:07,750 he may live to be 80 426 00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:11,550 and see close to 1,000 more. 427 00:49:15,240 --> 00:49:20,870 The Moon plays a pivotal role in the survival of any creature 428 00:49:20,880 --> 00:49:23,310 who relies on the timing, 429 00:49:23,320 --> 00:49:29,110 tides and light that come with her everchanging phases. 430 00:49:42,120 --> 00:49:46,790 In filming lunar-linked elephant behaviour in Tanzania, 431 00:49:46,800 --> 00:49:51,270 the Moon team collaborated with a unique community-run project 432 00:49:51,280 --> 00:49:54,440 that's solving a centuries-old conflict. 433 00:49:56,840 --> 00:50:01,280 The land here is part of an ancient elephant migration route. 434 00:50:04,560 --> 00:50:08,120 A long time ago, this is a forest. 435 00:50:11,720 --> 00:50:13,510 So the elephant remember that, 436 00:50:13,520 --> 00:50:15,520 "This was our territory." 437 00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:18,400 We're supposed to live with them. 438 00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:24,160 What is important is to live with elephant peacefully. 439 00:50:27,640 --> 00:50:29,390 Elephants are very important because 440 00:50:29,400 --> 00:50:31,800 of their ecological contribution first. 441 00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:34,950 When they break the big trees, 442 00:50:34,960 --> 00:50:39,590 they bring some fertiliser on the ground to bring other plants 443 00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:42,360 so that the ecology is balanced. 444 00:50:43,680 --> 00:50:48,470 But a single elephant can wipe out a farmer’s entire year's work 445 00:50:48,480 --> 00:50:50,200 and life savings. 446 00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:54,150 District wildlife officer Lengai 447 00:50:54,160 --> 00:50:58,390 manages all human-wildlife conflict in the area. 448 00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:01,720 We understand that movements of elephant is very important... 449 00:51:02,680 --> 00:51:05,470 ...but we have also a number of people killed by the elephants, 450 00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:07,160 their crop raided... 451 00:51:08,640 --> 00:51:11,070 ...the infrastructures are destroyed, 452 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:12,960 so it's a huge conflict. 453 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:18,080 The anger created helps fuel another conflict. 454 00:51:19,080 --> 00:51:23,840 Tanzania lost 60% of its elephants to a recent poaching epidemic. 455 00:51:26,280 --> 00:51:30,670 NGO Wild Survivors helps address these issues 456 00:51:30,680 --> 00:51:34,680 by empowering local communities to be part of the solution. 457 00:51:38,840 --> 00:51:41,390 Today, we are installing a beehive fence. 458 00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:44,830 We are actually finishing the two kilometres 459 00:51:44,840 --> 00:51:46,560 that remain from Kitete village. 460 00:51:47,560 --> 00:51:50,470 Hundreds of white boxes along the fence 461 00:51:50,480 --> 00:51:54,390 will house a surprising natural elephant deterrent... 462 00:51:54,400 --> 00:51:56,350 honey bees. 463 00:51:56,360 --> 00:51:58,270 When there was no fence, 464 00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:01,190 the elephants normally moved freely from the forest into the farms 465 00:52:01,200 --> 00:52:03,230 every night. 466 00:52:03,240 --> 00:52:06,150 And now, the community is going to be helped 467 00:52:06,160 --> 00:52:09,950 because, I believe, the frequency of elephants coming into the farms 468 00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:11,760 is going to reduce. 469 00:52:14,160 --> 00:52:15,910 With the extension, 470 00:52:15,920 --> 00:52:18,950 the fence will reach over seven kilometres 471 00:52:18,960 --> 00:52:21,470 and protect two villages. 472 00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:24,830 It's cheap, simple for the farmers to maintain, 473 00:52:24,840 --> 00:52:27,550 and above all, it's successful. 474 00:52:30,080 --> 00:52:33,630 John Massay was born in Upper Kitete 475 00:52:33,640 --> 00:52:37,470 and now monitors fence activity for Wild Survivors. 476 00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:42,190 Through camera traps, we can count the frequence of elephant. 477 00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:47,150 The frequence of elephant before the fence is 754 per year. 478 00:52:47,160 --> 00:52:50,680 After the fence, there's only 63. 479 00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:55,000 There is no conflict after the fence. 480 00:52:57,080 --> 00:53:01,910 A 92% decrease in human-elephant interactions 481 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:05,270 is not the only benefit of the fence. 482 00:53:05,280 --> 00:53:07,830 It's like the bees are acting on my behalf. 483 00:53:07,840 --> 00:53:11,230 They are doing my job, so I'm happy about it. 484 00:53:11,240 --> 00:53:14,030 Apart from deterring the elephant, 485 00:53:14,040 --> 00:53:17,390 these bee hives brought huge connection 486 00:53:17,400 --> 00:53:19,760 between the conservation and the local community. 487 00:53:21,160 --> 00:53:23,590 If I begin with the pollination role of bees, 488 00:53:23,600 --> 00:53:26,470 they increase even harvest for the farmers. 489 00:53:26,480 --> 00:53:29,870 They also pollinate forest, they increase the forest cover, 490 00:53:29,880 --> 00:53:33,830 so everything is just important, the bees and the elephants. 491 00:53:33,840 --> 00:53:36,230 And that's not all. 492 00:53:36,240 --> 00:53:40,040 Honey from the hives is changing women's lives. 493 00:54:17,960 --> 00:54:22,670 We have farmers who are not experiencing crop raids frequently. 494 00:54:22,680 --> 00:54:25,470 People are living in harmony with elephants 495 00:54:25,480 --> 00:54:30,360 and are benefiting from bee products. The community is at peace.