1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,074 Advertise your product or brand here contact www.OpenSubtitles.org today 2 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:17,720 Africa. 3 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,880 In the four years of making this series, 4 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,400 we've been to some astonishing places 5 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,720 and seen animals behaving in ways that have never been filmed before. 6 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,600 ELEPHANT MOANS 7 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,040 But Africa has another story to tell. 8 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,960 The wildlife of this continent 9 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,760 has seen more changes in the last 50 years 10 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,000 than it has in the last two million. 11 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,640 Changing landscapes and changing climate. 12 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,080 Today's animals are facing unprecedented challenges. 13 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,040 Whilst around them, Africa's human population 14 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,480 is growing at nearly double the global rate. 15 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:08,960 HIPPO ROARS 16 00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:11,800 There is an increasing urgency to understand 17 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:17,040 and, crucially, to conserve the wildlife of this great continent. 18 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:18,480 THEY WHISTLE 19 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,560 Today, there is a new generation of naturalists and scientists 20 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,560 who are fighting to save the wild places 21 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:27,480 and the animals that live in them. 22 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:29,200 One, two, three! 23 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,800 This is the greatest wildlife continent on the planet 24 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,960 and what happens here is relevant to us all. 25 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,000 So what is the future of wild Africa? 26 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:02,160 This animal has become the world's number-one target for poachers. 27 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,080 Its kind has been hunted almost to the point of extinction. 28 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,640 It's now so rare that this individual is watched over 29 00:02:09,640 --> 00:02:12,160 day and night. 30 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,200 This is the black rhinoceros. 31 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:21,000 And black rhinoceros are notorious for being rather grumpy 32 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,680 and suddenly charging. 33 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:27,920 But he is in great danger, 34 00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:30,360 because he has on his nose... 35 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,800 ..that horn... 36 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,720 ..which is worth its weight in gold. 37 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,640 RHINO SNORTS 38 00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:49,680 The demand for rhino horn has rocketed. 39 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,160 There has been a 3,000% increase in poaching 40 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,520 just in the last five years. 41 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:02,240 Today, powdered rhino horn can fetch up to $65,000 a kilo. 42 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,560 Rhinos are a lucrative target for organised crime. 43 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,280 In Chinese medicine, it's believed that rhino horn can reduce fever 44 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,680 and some Vietnamese sell it as a cure for everything, 45 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:17,920 from cancer to hangovers. 46 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:22,000 It's made of keratin, the same substance as hair and nail, 47 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,720 and it has no clinically proven medicinal value. 48 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:26,840 RHINO SNORTS 49 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,520 But it has made every black rhino in Africa a target. 50 00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:39,160 They've all been killed in Uganda and Rwanda, 51 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,240 and there are only around 600 left here in Kenya. 52 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,800 But these are not poachers. 53 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:50,800 These are protectors. 54 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:51,960 GUN CLICKS 55 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:53,160 GUNSHOT 56 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,080 RHINOS GROAN 57 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,840 And that protection is overseen by rhino expert Dr Matthew Mutinda, 58 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,560 one of the Kenya Wildlife Services' top vets. 59 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,760 'Black rhinos are critically endangered.' 60 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,800 That is what here, at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, we're trying to do - 61 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,840 save the animal, 62 00:04:19,840 --> 00:04:22,920 provide a safe and secure sanctuary 63 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,360 where the animal can breed and live freely. 64 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,040 There aren't many true wild rhinos left in Africa. 65 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,280 Most, like these, in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, 66 00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:36,080 are under armed guard. 67 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:39,600 This young female has reached the age 68 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,560 when Matthew must do some health checks, 69 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,440 including taking blood samples. 70 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,640 This will help deter poachers and traffickers, 71 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,920 as DNA in illegally traded rhino horn 72 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,160 can be tracked back to its origin. 73 00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:58,880 If you have to do anaesthesia in the wild, 74 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,480 you will expect some degree of risk. 75 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,760 This female has reacted badly to the anaesthetic. 76 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,400 HE SPEAKS SWAHILI 77 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,640 She's not breathing. 78 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,760 It's a rare and extremely serious situation. 79 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,960 He knows that the next few minutes are crucial. 80 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,360 And when an animal is this big, 81 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,640 there's only one way to get the heart going again 82 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,680 when you're out in the bush. 83 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:34,640 Thanks to Matthew's quick thinking, 84 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,040 they can hear that she is breathing again. 85 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,960 They've got to get her back on her feet. 86 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:02,240 Not surprisingly, she is disorientated. 87 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:06,680 BANGING 88 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:07,920 RHINO GROANS 89 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,160 RHINO GROANS 90 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:17,840 Mission accomplished. 91 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,160 It's been an ordeal, 92 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,880 but now, this rhino can be tracked and protected 93 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,080 for the rest of her life. 94 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:29,560 Within minutes, she's grazing peacefully again with her mother. 95 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,160 It may seem heartless to treat an animal like that, 96 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,560 but we have to keep tabs on them and be able to identify individuals. 97 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,200 They're in great danger. 98 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,680 Even now, on average, 99 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:46,280 one rhino is killed by poachers every day in Africa. 100 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,960 There are so few black rhino left in Kenya 101 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,840 that we're getting to know each individual. 102 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,400 But this is still a creature that can surprise us. 103 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,720 Previously, it was widely believed 104 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,520 that black rhinos were largely solitary creatures. 105 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,600 Here, in the Kalahari, a starlight camera reveals 106 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,080 that they may be much more sociable than many thought. 107 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:25,080 RHINOS SNORT 108 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,000 THEY BELLOW 109 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,480 This water-hole gathering is an enchanting window into the past. 110 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,200 Early explorers reported seeing a rhino behind every bush. 111 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,480 Before the invention of the gun, 112 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,480 there were probably hundreds of thousands of rhinos 113 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,080 across the continent. 114 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,960 The people protecting rhinos in Africa are striving to ensure 115 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:02,280 that we'll still be able to witness wonderful scenes like this 116 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,200 in 50 years' time. 117 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,480 Right across Africa, conservationists have realised 118 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:19,320 that if we want to save our big animals, then now is the time. 119 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,760 The human population of the continent 120 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,240 has just exceeded one billion 121 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,040 and many wild animals are being hunted commercially for food. 122 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,080 Some, legally, 123 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,560 but many, illegally. 124 00:08:32,560 --> 00:08:35,000 THEY BELLOW 125 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,880 Wildlife meat is often sold as goat or beef. 126 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,040 The amount is astonishing. 127 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:45,320 Millions of tonnes are eaten across Africa every year. 128 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,080 At this rate, some species 129 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,800 are almost certainly heading for extinction. 130 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,200 But commercial hunting is not just affecting the grazers. 131 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,160 As the prey decreases, it's affecting the predators too. 132 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:04,160 50 years ago, 133 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,600 there were about half a million lions in Africa. 134 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,920 Today, there are less than 30,000. 135 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,400 But in one particular part of Africa, 136 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,560 things are improving in a quite extraordinary way. 137 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:30,440 These hunters have become part of a new and unlikely alliance. 138 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,280 In recent years, hungry lions have increasingly been killing livestock. 139 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:44,440 One group of traditional Maasai have reacted in a very untraditional way. 140 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:51,080 The Maasai are cattle herders who don't eat wild animals. 141 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:55,520 But when lions attack their herds, they've always retaliated. 142 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:01,080 Maasai and lions are ancient adversaries. 143 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:06,320 A lion hunt is still a rite of passage for young Maasai warriors 144 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:07,880 like Olubi Lairumbe. 145 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:14,480 TRANSLATOR: For me and any Maasai, 146 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,800 killing a lion is the ultimate fulfilment 147 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,880 of a truly accomplished Maasai. 148 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:25,920 Nothing compares to that. 149 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,680 There is nobody who knows more about living alongside lions 150 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:31,800 than the Maasai themselves. 151 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,320 I met Olubi and some of the other warriors in his village 152 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:39,600 to find out about their relationship with the local pride. 153 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,520 How many lions are there around here? 154 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:48,040 TRANSLATOR: Around here, there are about 100. 155 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,440 So they all have names? 156 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:59,280 TRANSLATOR: Every single lion has a name. A Maasai name. 157 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,080 And when you see a lion, 158 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,040 do you know how it's going to behave? 159 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,120 TRANSLATOR: It depends on the lion. 160 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:14,880 For a Maasai warrior, lions are nothing to be scared of. 161 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,480 But if I saw a lion, a lion would be likely to attack me. 162 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:21,360 TRANSLATOR: Only if you threaten it. 163 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,680 Mmm, well, I hope the next lion knows that. 164 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:27,200 THEY LAUGH 165 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,520 Olubi killed his first lion when he was just 17, 166 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,800 after it attacked his cattle. 167 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,800 Unfortunately, the lion turned out to be pregnant. 168 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,400 And that led to a remarkable turnaround. 169 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:47,280 HE SPEAKS MAASAI 170 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:51,000 TRANSLATOR: The Maasai respect all living things. 171 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,400 And I began to feel guilty about the lion that I had killed. 172 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,360 In the end, I came to admire the lions. 173 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,520 Olubi had a dramatic change of heart. 174 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,600 He turned his back on hundreds of years of Maasai tradition. 175 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:19,200 Along with some other warriors, Olubi became a lion guardian. 176 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:24,680 Instead of hunting lions, Olubi will be protecting them. 177 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,640 He teamed up with Stephanie Dolrenry, 178 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,360 who helped pioneer the project. 179 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,000 THEY SPEAK MAASAI 180 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,520 Just by respecting their traditions 181 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,560 and also bringing in their ecological knowledge, 182 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:42,200 it's been hugely successful. 183 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,840 They know their areas, they know how to track lions, 184 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,240 they've been doing it for generation after generation. 185 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:48,520 They know how to track them, 186 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,920 they know how to hunt them, they know how to find them. 187 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:57,240 This is only a small-scale project. 188 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:00,680 But with lion numbers as low as they are, 189 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:02,480 they need all the help they can get. 190 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,800 Olubi is tracking radio-collared lions. 191 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,720 He's able to warn villages to move their cattle 192 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:11,240 when the pride is in the area. 193 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:14,520 And so, they're avoiding conflict. 194 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:21,800 No lions have been killed in the immediate area 195 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:23,640 since the project began. 196 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,800 By combining the science, both ancient and contemporary, 197 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,480 they're beginning to make a real difference. 198 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,600 There's so much to be learned. 199 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:37,080 I feel I bring in modern technology, modern knowledge. 200 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,080 And, in return, they teach us about the environment 201 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:42,920 and how things have changed in their environment. 202 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,880 And it's a really neat exchange. 203 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,600 You can't say we're the biologists or the teachers. 204 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,400 Or the guardians or the teachers. 205 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,440 We're both teachers and we're both students 206 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,520 and I think that's... That blend is amazing. 207 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:02,000 Critically, at the heart of this project is a huge attitude change 208 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,360 by these Maasai warriors. 209 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,920 An animal that was once their sworn enemy, they now protect. 210 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,040 'And their willingness to share knowledge with other communities 211 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,240 'means that projects like this could be repeated 212 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,280 'in other parts of Africa.' 213 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,360 Traditionally, when a warrior killed a lion, 214 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,800 HE took the name of the lion. 215 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,200 Now, it's the other way round. 216 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:30,640 Now, the lion takes the name of the warrior who protects it. 217 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,040 The scheme is a huge success. 218 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:38,320 There are about 100 lions involved in the scheme in this neighbourhood. 219 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,400 This is 21st-century conservation in action. 220 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,800 Perhaps the biggest threat to wildlife 221 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:56,920 is the competition for space 222 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,360 with the rapidly-growing human population. 223 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,080 The Virunga volcanoes straddle the borders 224 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:13,480 of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 225 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,040 The rich volcanic soils are extremely fertile. 226 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,640 It's one of the most intensively cultivated areas in Africa. 227 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,760 But the farmers also share this region 228 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,720 with one of our closest relatives. 229 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:34,160 This is home 230 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:39,320 to the last 800-or-so wild mountain gorillas left on Earth. 231 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:43,800 We know a great deal about these animals, 232 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,240 they've been closely studied for 50 years. 233 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:53,520 One strong silverback male keeps everyone in order. 234 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:01,640 And gorilla family life is mostly peaceful. 235 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,960 Until a few generations ago, 236 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,480 mountain gorillas, hidden in the seclusion of their forests 237 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:12,040 were seldom seen by human beings. 238 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:16,200 But their habitat was steadily being carved away, 239 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,720 and now these gorillas are marooned on the volcanic slopes 240 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,360 in a sea of farmland. 241 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:23,360 ROOSTER CROWS 242 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,920 The fact that gorillas now regularly come into contact with people 243 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,120 not only means an increased threat of poaching, 244 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,480 but also of disease. 245 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,560 Gorillas have little or no resistance 246 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,280 to the bugs that we carry. 247 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:58,480 Numbers here once dropped to around 250. 248 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:00,360 They were facing extinction. 249 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:01,720 ROOSTER CROWS 250 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,360 Action had to be taken. 251 00:17:07,360 --> 00:17:11,360 The boundaries of the National Park were strictly enforced, 252 00:17:11,360 --> 00:17:14,520 halting the encroachment of farmland. 253 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,200 And it was decided that the only solution 254 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,480 was to intensively manage the remaining gorillas. 255 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,320 Teams of scientists constantly monitor them. 256 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,640 Their forests are patrolled to cut poachers' snares. 257 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:33,840 CORD WHIPPING 258 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,680 And vets watch their health closely. 259 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:39,240 No, don't take it... 260 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,200 This is funded mostly through eco-tourism 261 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,720 and donations from all over the world. 262 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,000 Mountain gorillas are now back from the brink. 263 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,680 This level of human intervention might not be ideal, 264 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:04,240 but it's working. 265 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:09,440 Every year, there are a few more mountain gorillas 266 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,240 and, possibly, just a little more optimism. 267 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,600 Intensive management within a protected area 268 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:22,400 may represent the only future for many African species. 269 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,640 But for some animals, that is simply not possible. 270 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,440 What happens if the animal you're trying to protect 271 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,080 is not suited to park life? 272 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,640 Elephants require vast amounts of space to roam. 273 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:55,080 They have a range of up to 1,300 square miles. 274 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,560 Given the chance, they will even move between countries 275 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:01,640 in search of the best food. 276 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,320 Particularly, if conditions get rough. 277 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:15,760 This was the scene in Amboseli National Park in 2009. 278 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,400 The park is home to nearly 1,500 elephants. 279 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:27,400 And this was the worst drought for half a century. 280 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:35,120 60% of zebras and 95% of wildebeests were wiped out. 281 00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:43,120 The seasonal rains had failed for the last two years. 282 00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:45,920 And the elephants that lived here were slowly starving. 283 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:51,360 The park created to protect them is now surrounded by farmland. 284 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,840 The elephants had little choice of where else to go. 285 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:04,200 Caught up in this catastrophe, were three sisters. 286 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,560 They are the front line for elephant protection in the park. 287 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:11,560 And they know these animals better than anyone else. 288 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,400 Nora Njiraini and Katito and Soila Sayialel. 289 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,280 You know, all the elephants have been given names. 290 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:22,160 They are family to us. 291 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:23,680 Hello, Anastasia! 292 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,720 The sisters have been following these elephants for over 25 years, 293 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:32,560 trying to ensure their safety, 294 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:36,720 particularly at times when life is tough for these animals. 295 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:39,360 It really was terrible. 296 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:41,800 There was nothing actually to feed on. 297 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:45,440 I even went and asked the old Maasai men 298 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,280 whether they have ever experienced such a drought. 299 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:53,080 The only time it was close to what it was then, was in 1961. 300 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,160 In 2009... 301 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:59,760 ..we lost quite a number of elephants. 302 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,880 I think we lost about 400 elephants. 303 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,520 And it started with the young ones. 304 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,480 Elephants usually escape drought 305 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:17,360 by moving into other less affected areas. 306 00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:22,200 But Africa's human population is growing at double the global rate. 307 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,040 And traditional migration routes have been cut 308 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,720 by the development of towns, cities, farmland and roads, 309 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,720 leaving these elephants stuck. 310 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:37,920 This young calf is starving... 311 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,040 ..and there is nothing they can do to help. 312 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,240 ELEPHANT MOANS 313 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,840 For the sisters, who know each elephant personally, 314 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,840 this is a terrible moment. 315 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,840 It is something that we feel in our hearts. 316 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,000 You can imagine the kind of feelings that we get. 317 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,640 You know, knowing those elephants 318 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,360 and seeing something like that happen. It really touches us. 319 00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:26,680 It was a tough year for all the young elephants in the region. 320 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,440 We lost all the calves that were born that year. 321 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,240 All of them, we lost them. 322 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,240 ELEPHANT MOANS 323 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,320 There was nothing the sisters could do to save the baby. 324 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,480 But they were determined to save any elephants they could, 325 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,280 especially mothers who could breed again. 326 00:22:56,120 --> 00:22:58,600 They found this female stuck in the mud, 327 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,960 exhausted in a dried-up lake bed. 328 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:04,840 ELEPHANT MOANS 329 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,480 The elephant that got stuck in the mud was Kolida. 330 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,960 Poor thing, you know. 331 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:19,080 She was there for quite a long time. 332 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,880 A Maasai reported it to us 333 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,920 and we had to combine efforts with the Kenya Wildlife Services people. 334 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,600 ALL SHOUT 335 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,720 Weighing about three tonnes, 336 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,760 Kolida is just too heavy to shift by hand. 337 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:43,560 She is weakening fast. 338 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,480 So the next morning, heavy machinery is brought in. 339 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,240 THEY SHOUT 340 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,600 THEY WHISTLE 341 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:18,840 KOLIDA SNORTS 342 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,280 THEY SHOUT 343 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,360 After two days stuck in the mud, Kolida is exhausted, 344 00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:28,240 but she's up on her feet again. 345 00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:49,200 The rains did return to Amboseli. 346 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:53,040 And thanks in part to the work of those dedicated three women, 347 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:56,320 elephant numbers are now beginning to rise again. 348 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:03,600 There's no doubt that this was an extremely severe event. 349 00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:09,080 But is it an isolated incident or a developing pattern? 350 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:12,960 They say that with global warming, 351 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,200 we actually don't know what's going to happen. 352 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:19,200 But we just have to cross fingers and hope for a better future. 353 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,160 ELEPHANT SNORTS 354 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,080 Given the opportunity, 355 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,360 the numbers of elephants in East Africa will recover. 356 00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:31,040 Especially, if they're given the freedom to range widely 357 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,640 and so avoid the harshest conditions. 358 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,240 One solution to help elephants find the space they need 359 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:41,160 is to link parks together 360 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,000 and provide safe routes between them. 361 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,280 Elephants are great travellers 362 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,200 and here, in this part of Kenya, 363 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:52,760 they regularly moved from the lowlands 364 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:56,560 up the side of the mountains to feed in the forests up there. 365 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,480 But then, the human population of Kenya grew 366 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:03,080 and roads like this one were constructed, 367 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,480 penning the elephants down in the lowland, 368 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,800 where they created havoc amongst the farms. 369 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:14,120 Not only that, there were danger of collisions on the road. 370 00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:18,080 And then someone suggested building an underpass. 371 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,400 Within 24 hours of it being completed, 372 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,640 one elephant had passed through. 373 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,840 And now, all the elephants use that route 374 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,680 to go up the mountain, often at night, to feed. 375 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:42,080 Simple ideas like this underpass are a lifeline for these elephants, 376 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,360 especially in times of drought. 377 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,680 Africa's climate is certainly changing. 378 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:56,120 Some parts of the continent have become 3.5 degrees centigrade hotter 379 00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:57,920 in the past 20 years. 380 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,200 At the summit of Africa's most famous mountain, Kilimanjaro, 381 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,280 80% of its permanent ice fields have disappeared. 382 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,640 Soon, it will be free of ice altogether. 383 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,560 All over Africa, the mountainous regions are often 384 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,040 the first indicators of climate change. 385 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:37,560 Here, in the Ethiopian Highlands live very unusual-looking creatures. 386 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,520 Gelada baboons. 387 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:49,840 Climate change refugees. 388 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,040 Although this region of Ethiopia lies in the tropics, 389 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,520 up at 4,000 metres, it doesn't feel like it. 390 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,600 Unlike most African animals, 391 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,720 geladas are adapted to life in the cold. 392 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,560 They used to be one of Africa's most successful primates, 393 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,960 found all over the continent. 394 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,960 At one stage, there were six different species. 395 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:22,000 Now, there is only one. 396 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:28,640 With the warming climate, 397 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,240 their grazing is becoming more and more scarce, 398 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:33,840 restricted to cooler and higher places. 399 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:48,040 These geladas are being forced higher into the mountains. 400 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:53,120 Soon, there will be nowhere left to go. 401 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,960 This is a species living on the edge. 402 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,480 Even though they're isolated on the mountain tops, 403 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:06,120 they're not immune to our influence. 404 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,160 As a result of changing climate, 405 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,800 these gelada baboons may soon be gone from our planet. 406 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:24,280 Africa is the world's hottest continent. 407 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:28,640 And there is no doubt it's getting warmer. 408 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:35,840 The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. 409 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:39,000 Very little can survive in these harsh conditions. 410 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,600 Along the desert edge, 411 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:56,640 life clings on in the face of encroaching sands. 412 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:58,520 But for how long? 413 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:02,440 Alongside the wildlife, 414 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:06,640 22 million people struggle to make a living on these desert margins. 415 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:14,160 Can anything be done to stop the sand overwhelming this fragile land? 416 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:21,360 One idea is to build a green wall of trees across 11 countries. 417 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,880 The project has already started in Senegal. 418 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:28,640 But like all big ideas, it has big problems. 419 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,080 Getting 11 countries to work together is not easy 420 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,360 and simply irrigating a 5,000-mile long belt of trees 421 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:39,960 is an ambitious task. 422 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,120 But all over Africa, people are recognising how important it is 423 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,080 to have trees as part of their local landscape. 424 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:59,440 This group of volunteers has planted nearly 100 million saplings. 425 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:04,760 They are just one of countless similar groups and individuals 426 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,280 taking it upon themselves to reforest their own part 427 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:10,040 of this great continent. 428 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:18,320 Trees are essential for the future of the continent and indeed, 429 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:19,960 to the rest of the planet. 430 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,920 This is the Congo Basin. 431 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,840 It's one of the most biologically important forests on Earth 432 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,720 and it's not just because of the concentration 433 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:40,920 of plants and animals that live here. 434 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,600 It's because it's also one of the powerhouses 435 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:47,680 behind the planet's wind and rain. 436 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,400 Each hectare of trees releases, as vapour, 437 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:59,200 almost 190,000 litres of water a year. 438 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,880 This water passes into the atmosphere to be transported 439 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:06,400 around the entire globe. 440 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:14,800 That means the heart of the world's weather lies in tropical forests. 441 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,360 Unfortunately, there's an almost insatiable demand 442 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:28,680 in Europe and China for hardwood from these very forests. 443 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,960 And that is having an enormous impact. 444 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:38,600 As more tropical forest is felled, some scientists are seeing 445 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:44,440 a correlation with changing storm patterns across Europe and America. 446 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:47,520 And it's likely to become more extreme. 447 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,680 Staggeringly, 50% of the Congo Basin forest 448 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:53,040 has been allocated for logging. 449 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:59,320 The future of Africa's forest has never been more critical for us all. 450 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,800 But the consequences of global warming aren't limited to the land. 451 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,800 Africa is almost completely surrounded by oceans. 452 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:24,520 Here on the east coast, there are animals feeling 453 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:27,920 the changing climate in a most surprising way. 454 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:38,560 This is a young female green turtle. 455 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,960 During her lifetime, she will travel thousands of miles 456 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:44,080 through the ocean looking for food. 457 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,640 Turtles return to the same beach from which they hatched 458 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:50,480 to lay their own eggs. 459 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:53,360 The eggs are buried in the sand 460 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,440 and the hatchlings will emerge after about two months. 461 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:01,840 But there's a strange thing about turtle eggs. 462 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:06,080 And that is the temperature at which the eggs are kept 463 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:10,040 will determine the sex of most of the hatchlings. 464 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,280 If the sand temperature is high, they will be female, 465 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:16,320 if it's low, they will be male. 466 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:23,440 Global warming could have a crucial effect on turtle populations. 467 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:28,560 And this young female may find it very difficult in years to come 468 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,320 to find a male with which to mate. 469 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,360 But a local conservation group recognised that the odds 470 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,160 are stacking up against these little turtles. 471 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:54,720 There's not much they can do about climate change, 472 00:34:54,720 --> 00:34:57,160 but they have got together with the local fishermen 473 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:00,960 to try and improve the turtles' chances of survival. 474 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:03,240 Every turtle counts. 475 00:35:03,240 --> 00:35:07,520 So, each time one is found injured or accidentally caught in the nets, 476 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:11,280 it's brought to Kahindi Changawa and his team. 477 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,120 So we began with only 16 fishermen 478 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:16,840 altogether in 1998. 479 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:20,040 Now we have hundreds of fishermen working with us. 480 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:28,720 Grazing by turtles is essential for the health of the beds of seagrass 481 00:35:28,720 --> 00:35:32,160 and these are the home of shrimps and lobsters 482 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:34,280 and that, of course, helps fishermen too. 483 00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:38,800 The project has a turtle rehabilitation centre 484 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:42,520 and for the last two years, it's become home to Shella. 485 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:50,360 She had an accident with a boat. It was a hit from behind. 486 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:54,640 She lost three ribs and her spine was damaged. 487 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,520 It's now in the process of healing back together. 488 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:04,200 Shella's injuries have affected her buoyancy. 489 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,240 She's healed well and to encourage her 490 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:09,440 to exercise her flippers properly, she has, every day, 491 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:11,200 a little trip to the seaside. 492 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:20,760 We usually take Shella for a sea bath on a daily basis, 493 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:23,480 and the reason for doing that 494 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:26,480 is to give her enough room to get exercises. 495 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:35,040 She gets an opportunity to eat her natural food. 496 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:39,320 We believe it keeps her fit and the other thing is, 497 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:42,320 she gets to use her rear flippers quite often. 498 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:49,840 For Kahindi, it's one of the rewards for all his hard work. 499 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:56,520 It's really enjoyable. Very few people have the privilege like I do 500 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:59,800 of swimming with the turtles and having that fun. 501 00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:05,520 I do enjoy what I'm doing. HE CHUCKLES 502 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:20,960 Shella certainly did get stronger, but the hope that some day 503 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:25,000 she might swim out in the open was not to be fulfilled. 504 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:29,200 Unaccountably, she become weaker and eventually died. 505 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:38,640 This kind of work will inevitably have setbacks. 506 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:41,160 But there are always new turtles to be cared for. 507 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:46,600 Is she healthy? Yeah, this one is healthy. 508 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:50,040 She has a few bruises, could be from the fishing gear. 509 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:53,040 Like these ones here. 510 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:57,960 Oh, yeah, but otherwise healthy. Otherwise the turtle's healthy. 511 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:00,280 Shall we have a go? 512 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:10,160 Since 1998 till now, we've released over 8,200 turtles. 513 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:14,800 It makes me feel proud and privileged, we've done lots of work 514 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:20,720 with the community and changing the attitudes and their behaviours. 515 00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:24,880 I guess our job as an organisation was really successful. 516 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:34,240 A young turtle like that could lay 6,000-7,000 eggs 517 00:38:34,240 --> 00:38:35,920 in her lifetime. 518 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:40,840 So, the survival of just one could have huge consequences. 519 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:47,080 Saving just one individual requires huge effort 520 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:50,320 and of course, saving a species requires even more. 521 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:54,920 But these heroic efforts are only ever going to be a partial solution. 522 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:02,960 Every individual animal is part of a much bigger story, 523 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:06,200 part of an interconnected web of plants, animals 524 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:10,240 and the landscape itself that make up an entire ecosystem. 525 00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:18,840 Saving ecosystems is the key to Africa's wild future. 526 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:24,240 Gorongosa in Mozambique is a modern day Jurassic Park. 527 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:33,160 It's ruled by some of the world's biggest crocodiles. 528 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:41,480 Some of these monsters are six metres long 529 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:43,520 and close to 50 years old. 530 00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:52,680 Somehow they managed to escape a civil war lasting nearly 20 years, 531 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:54,960 which swept through Gorongosa. 532 00:39:56,440 --> 00:40:00,120 95% of all the other large animals were wiped out. 533 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:06,080 But 50 years ago, the scene was very different. 534 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:10,800 This was a thriving tourist attraction. 535 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:15,800 A wild paradise. Visitors flocked from around the world, 536 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:19,120 drawn by the vast range and abundance of the wildlife. 537 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:26,600 The most popular spot for tourists was an old restaurant, 538 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:29,640 a look-out post for the local lions. 539 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:40,400 The restaurant has long gone. 540 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:42,440 Along with the lions. 541 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:48,840 Gorongosa looked empty and beyond rescue. 542 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:51,320 But not to everyone. 543 00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:55,160 A brave and ambitious project began to try and restore the park 544 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:58,120 to its former richness and splendour. 545 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:02,040 The first stage is to find out which animals as well as crocodiles 546 00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:03,960 are still here. 547 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,000 So the team is mapping and counting 548 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:08,640 all the big animals they see in the park. 549 00:41:30,960 --> 00:41:33,920 But it soon became clear that these big animals 550 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:36,080 were only part of the story. 551 00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:41,520 Perhaps even more important might be the little ones hidden underfoot. 552 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:46,680 It's understanding these creatures that is attracting 553 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:49,240 some of the best minds in the scientific world. 554 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:54,960 You were going to show me something? Yep, something new. 555 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:59,640 Professor Ed Wilson is a world expert on biodiversity 556 00:41:59,640 --> 00:42:04,120 and at a mere 83, he's still pursuing his passion - ants. 557 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:10,440 You see there's a big nest... Wow. Let me just get one specimen. 558 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:15,440 If you look down at your feet, you may see them. 559 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:19,360 Walking by here and there, an ant, a little beetle... 560 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:23,320 They're what I like to call the little things that run the Earth. 561 00:42:27,720 --> 00:42:30,680 It's the rich diversity of insect life here 562 00:42:30,680 --> 00:42:34,160 that gives Gorongosa the prospect of a future. 563 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:38,160 These creatures form the basis of life in the park. 564 00:42:41,680 --> 00:42:45,480 This is so much fun. These little invertebrate creatures. 565 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:49,600 The creatures that do most of the work, turn most of the energy, 566 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:52,080 save most of the material 567 00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:57,440 and allow us to reinsert big animals with some confidence. 568 00:42:57,440 --> 00:43:01,600 Have you got it in the vial yet? I've got three of them. Oh, good! 569 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,200 Professor Wilson was one of the first scientists 570 00:43:04,200 --> 00:43:06,080 to explore this area 571 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:09,480 together with local wildlife biologist Tonga Tortuda. 572 00:43:11,720 --> 00:43:13,560 If you could gather them all up, 573 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:17,840 all these little invertebrate creatures, and weigh them, 574 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:23,920 they would weigh far more than all of the big animals put together, 575 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:26,600 even in a fully restored park. 576 00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:31,040 It's these little creatures, together with the plants and trees, 577 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:34,240 that still make this place a viable option 578 00:43:34,240 --> 00:43:36,480 for reintroducing bigger animals. 579 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:38,760 I can't be sure that's a new species, 580 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:41,400 but this is the kind of thing that might be. 581 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:46,640 This park came that close to vanishing... 582 00:43:48,920 --> 00:43:52,360 ..And I'm happy to report it is coming back. 583 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:55,040 And this is one of the great stories. 584 00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:57,880 It's inspirational, I think. 585 00:43:57,880 --> 00:44:02,040 It's a fine, shining example of what to do with all our parks, 586 00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:06,200 even those that have been damaged by human activity. 587 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:09,640 But there's another reason why Gorongosa is important 588 00:44:09,640 --> 00:44:12,720 for the future of Africa and perhaps for us all. 589 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:19,480 It is here, in this park, that people come to see, not just the big animals 590 00:44:19,480 --> 00:44:24,640 that thrill us, but they will see Earth as it looked and felt 591 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:27,080 before the coming of humanity. 592 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:33,000 Saving big animals is important, 593 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:35,360 but to do that with any real success, 594 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:38,680 we have to start understanding and preserving the plants 595 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:41,520 and insects that support an ecosystem. 596 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:47,680 It's this that will allow the larger animals to thrive. 597 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:51,680 Gorongosa is a real success story. 598 00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:55,720 The government and the management team have pledged themselves 599 00:44:55,720 --> 00:45:00,160 to a plan to restore the land to what it was. 600 00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:04,280 While it can never be exactly the same as it was before the war, 601 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:08,520 it can still become a rich and thriving ecosystem. 602 00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:26,400 The scale of the challenge across Africa is enormous. 603 00:45:30,680 --> 00:45:33,720 After all, it's a huge continent. 604 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:38,560 The United Kingdom, China, 605 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:41,600 the United States of America, India, 606 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:44,680 Japan and most of the rest of Europe 607 00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:47,560 would all fit within its borders. 608 00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:56,000 Africa still retains 45% of the Earth's uncultivated land. 609 00:45:57,720 --> 00:46:01,240 It's still the greatest wilderness on Earth 610 00:46:01,240 --> 00:46:04,040 and that is why it's important. 611 00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:10,080 Human beings have lived alongside wildlife here 612 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:12,640 longer than anywhere else. 613 00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:17,240 But now in the 21st century, animal numbers are at a critical level. 614 00:46:19,440 --> 00:46:22,680 Like it or not, this generation is responsible 615 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:25,920 for handing on the world's wildlife to the next. 616 00:46:28,240 --> 00:46:32,320 That means taking care of the animals and lands where they live, 617 00:46:32,320 --> 00:46:35,840 so there is still space for us all to coexist. 618 00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:46,200 Nobody knows what the future has in store for this little calf. 619 00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:50,400 Or indeed, how the changes that inevitably are going to take place 620 00:46:50,400 --> 00:46:56,080 in Africa will affect the rest of the world and this little animal. 621 00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:58,640 But one thing is certain. 622 00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:04,240 What happens here is more important than it has ever been 623 00:47:04,240 --> 00:47:07,600 and that the relationship of the rest of the world 624 00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:11,400 to this great continent and the creatures that live in it 625 00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:14,560 is more important than ever before. 626 00:47:25,480 --> 00:47:31,560 On whichever part of the planet we live, we all have a part to play 627 00:47:31,560 --> 00:47:36,160 in what sort of future this wild continent has. 628 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:02,840 Africa, the final shoot. 629 00:48:02,840 --> 00:48:07,200 It's one of our most ambitious trips with lots of locations to visit 630 00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:11,760 and many technical hurdles to overcome. Five, take one. 631 00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:15,400 To the west are vast rainforests the size of India. 632 00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:22,880 Helicopters enable us to go to extraordinary landscapes... 633 00:48:22,880 --> 00:48:25,200 We're heading off to do the very first visit, 634 00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:28,440 the opening of the whole Africa series with David. 635 00:48:28,440 --> 00:48:31,640 How do you like the view from my office? 636 00:48:31,640 --> 00:48:33,480 HE CHUCKLES 637 00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:35,640 ..And attempt air-to-air filming. 638 00:48:35,640 --> 00:48:37,240 'Stand by, David, and action!' 639 00:48:37,240 --> 00:48:42,200 I'm flying over the Great Rift Valley in East Africa. 640 00:48:57,680 --> 00:49:00,720 But perhaps the most ambitious task for this shoot 641 00:49:00,720 --> 00:49:03,080 is the filming with black rhinoceros. 642 00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:08,560 They have a reputation for being aggressive and with poor eyesight, 643 00:49:08,560 --> 00:49:13,200 they're likely to charge objects or people they don't recognise. 644 00:49:13,200 --> 00:49:15,720 RHINO SNORTS, MAN YELPS 645 00:49:15,720 --> 00:49:19,080 CRASHING, RHINO GRUNTS 646 00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:22,680 But the plight of the rhino is such an important story 647 00:49:22,680 --> 00:49:25,520 that we want to get as close to them as possible. 648 00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:28,920 We also want to meet the people who are working to protect them. 649 00:49:31,880 --> 00:49:37,080 So our team have come to assess the viability of filming up close 650 00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:41,560 with a rhino called Elvis who's been reared by humans. 651 00:49:41,560 --> 00:49:44,840 He should be safer than a wild rhino, but there's still a risk 652 00:49:44,840 --> 00:49:47,400 he could be unpredictable with strangers. 653 00:49:49,280 --> 00:49:53,480 Wildlife ranger, Tonga Kaseyo has brought up Elvis by hand 654 00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:58,000 and knows that tickling him gently with a stick keeps him calm. 655 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:01,400 But if anything were to go seriously wrong, 656 00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:04,120 there would be little he could do against a one-tonne Elvis. 657 00:50:04,120 --> 00:50:08,160 And this fact hasn't escaped cameraman Mike Fox. 658 00:50:08,160 --> 00:50:12,440 He knows we're here. We're here on his terms. 659 00:50:12,440 --> 00:50:16,560 If he decided to bat us all into the next world... 660 00:50:16,560 --> 00:50:18,480 he would do. 661 00:50:20,360 --> 00:50:23,520 Director Kate Broome checks with Tonga that it's safe 662 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:25,400 for the crew to get closer. 663 00:50:27,320 --> 00:50:30,080 (Normally, we have to stay in the Land Rovers. 664 00:50:30,080 --> 00:50:32,120 (They're saying it's OK to go in.) 665 00:50:34,080 --> 00:50:36,960 (This is such an extraordinary opportunity, 666 00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:39,040 (to be this close to... 667 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:40,840 (a black rhino.) 668 00:50:42,680 --> 00:50:47,520 The trial goes well with Elvis and the stage is set for future filming. 669 00:50:50,200 --> 00:50:53,840 Several weeks later, the team are back and this time I've joined them. 670 00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:59,120 But Elvis's mood has changed. He seems more wilful. 671 00:51:01,120 --> 00:51:04,040 'Now, I've stood by many wild animals in my time, 672 00:51:04,040 --> 00:51:06,840 'but I'm not as fast on my pins as I used to be.' 673 00:51:09,880 --> 00:51:11,920 'We don't want to test Elvis's patience, 674 00:51:11,920 --> 00:51:14,280 so we get on with filming.' 675 00:51:14,280 --> 00:51:17,800 A horn that is worth its weight in gold. 676 00:51:23,280 --> 00:51:25,120 And one way... 677 00:51:26,240 --> 00:51:27,560 ..of protecting him... 678 00:51:29,520 --> 00:51:31,880 ..would be... 679 00:51:31,880 --> 00:51:34,440 to cut that horn off the nose. 680 00:51:40,560 --> 00:51:43,720 How is it? It looks great. 681 00:51:43,720 --> 00:51:46,160 'The team check that they have what they need 682 00:51:46,160 --> 00:51:48,960 'and Elvis lets us know that he's had enough.' 683 00:51:48,960 --> 00:51:54,560 Just watch out, everybody. Yeah. I'll get out of the way. 684 00:51:54,560 --> 00:51:57,400 'But actually, it's a positive sign 685 00:51:57,400 --> 00:52:00,280 'that Elvis is not as friendly this time. 686 00:52:00,280 --> 00:52:03,920 'Tonga and his colleagues want Elvis to live more like a wild rhino 687 00:52:03,920 --> 00:52:06,400 'and develop a wariness of humans 688 00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:09,600 'that may offer him some protection from poachers.' 689 00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:13,720 Good luck to you, Elvis. 690 00:52:18,400 --> 00:52:22,240 Whilst filming, we're lucky enough to have a very well equipped camp. 691 00:52:22,240 --> 00:52:25,440 It's in the bush and there's no escaping the wild animals. 692 00:52:30,720 --> 00:52:33,880 One of the great, wonderful things about 693 00:52:33,880 --> 00:52:37,320 camping out in the middle of the open is the animals. 694 00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:42,200 But it can also be one of the dangerous/annoying things. 695 00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:43,320 Absolutely. 696 00:52:46,960 --> 00:52:49,120 In the annoying category, 697 00:52:49,120 --> 00:52:50,920 vervet monkeys. 698 00:52:54,080 --> 00:52:57,480 Vervet monkeys have stolen my Ferrero Rocher 699 00:52:57,480 --> 00:53:01,160 and one of my glow sticks from our medical supplies. 700 00:53:01,160 --> 00:53:04,480 So, if we see a luminous-faced monkey in the night, 701 00:53:04,480 --> 00:53:07,240 I'll identify the naughty one that's been stealing our stuff. 702 00:53:07,240 --> 00:53:09,960 And they leave little presents for us 703 00:53:09,960 --> 00:53:12,360 when they've been in, just as a calling card. 704 00:53:16,680 --> 00:53:21,920 But camp manager Andres finds more worrying animal signs. 705 00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:26,160 Well, the lions were quite close, just behind the tents. 706 00:53:27,400 --> 00:53:30,320 Some must have come in 707 00:53:30,320 --> 00:53:32,760 and I don't know... 708 00:53:32,760 --> 00:53:35,360 You can see a few scratches. 709 00:53:35,360 --> 00:53:41,840 I think maybe he was wanting to look at himself in the mirror. 710 00:53:43,240 --> 00:53:45,760 'Lions in camp are worrying enough, 711 00:53:45,760 --> 00:53:47,920 'but there I was reading my book when...' 712 00:53:47,920 --> 00:53:50,680 Uh-oh. Whoa! 713 00:53:50,680 --> 00:53:52,520 '..a Cape buffalo arrives.' 714 00:53:54,440 --> 00:53:58,480 'The most grumpy and dangerous of the big five African animals.' 715 00:54:00,720 --> 00:54:03,560 KATE: Mike! Stay in your tent. 716 00:54:05,400 --> 00:54:07,400 Shall we get David to get in the tent? 717 00:54:24,920 --> 00:54:28,960 Buffalo usually move in herds, so there's something odd about him. 718 00:54:28,960 --> 00:54:32,760 It may be that it was brought up as a calf and is humanised. 719 00:54:32,760 --> 00:54:36,080 Or it may be that he's an outcast from the herd in some way 720 00:54:36,080 --> 00:54:38,840 and that he's rather grumpy and fed up with life. 721 00:54:38,840 --> 00:54:41,720 But I think it's just hot and he's just plodding around 722 00:54:41,720 --> 00:54:45,640 and wondering where he might get a drink and a decent sandwich. 723 00:54:45,640 --> 00:54:48,160 I feel the same way myself, actually. 724 00:54:51,320 --> 00:54:56,400 The team's filming has coincided with the newest arrival at Lewa, 725 00:54:56,400 --> 00:54:59,880 a baby rhino in need of 24-hour care. 726 00:55:01,440 --> 00:55:04,320 This little chap was born blind 727 00:55:04,320 --> 00:55:06,520 and is guided everywhere by his keepers. 728 00:55:07,800 --> 00:55:11,640 They took him away from his mother a few weeks ago, 729 00:55:11,640 --> 00:55:14,880 because she couldn't protect him any more. 730 00:55:14,880 --> 00:55:18,440 He's very vulnerable so he would have been killed by predators. 731 00:55:21,120 --> 00:55:23,880 It's like filling up a petrol tank. 732 00:55:23,880 --> 00:55:25,840 'Every rhino is precious 733 00:55:25,840 --> 00:55:29,880 'and so it seems a fitting end for the final scene of the series.' 734 00:55:31,320 --> 00:55:37,880 No-one knows what the future holds for this little creature, 735 00:55:37,880 --> 00:55:42,320 nor indeed what changes will take place 736 00:55:42,320 --> 00:55:46,040 on the great continent on which he lives. 737 00:56:01,960 --> 00:56:04,320 David, I found that... 738 00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:07,840 Oh, gosh. There's ants...everywhere. That's what it is. 739 00:56:07,840 --> 00:56:10,720 Yeah, hang on. Ants. Ant attack! 740 00:56:12,360 --> 00:56:16,600 I just found that extraordinarily moving, actually. 741 00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:19,280 What I said was all right? Yes. Are you sure? 742 00:56:19,280 --> 00:56:23,680 And how you did it, it made me cry, I'm afraid, so... 743 00:56:24,880 --> 00:56:26,960 David Attenborough's made me cry. 744 00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:33,880 But just as we think we're finishing, someone won't let us go. 745 00:56:36,720 --> 00:56:38,320 Hello, little fellow. 746 00:56:39,840 --> 00:56:44,760 'He starts to squeak and we're able to have a little chat.' 747 00:56:44,760 --> 00:56:47,440 THE RHINO SQUEAKS Oh! 748 00:56:47,440 --> 00:56:50,160 Oh! 749 00:56:50,160 --> 00:56:52,600 Oh! 750 00:56:52,600 --> 00:56:54,560 Oh. 751 00:56:54,560 --> 00:56:57,600 Oh. Mm. 752 00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:00,520 Oh! 753 00:57:00,520 --> 00:57:03,560 'Think about it, he's got a black world, hasn't he? 754 00:57:03,560 --> 00:57:07,200 'And he's got smell and he's got sound, so...' 755 00:57:07,200 --> 00:57:12,080 He's more likely to be responding to sound if he hasn't got the vision. 756 00:57:12,080 --> 00:57:14,680 'He's just inquisitive, I suppose.' 757 00:57:14,680 --> 00:57:15,920 Are you coming back? 758 00:57:19,280 --> 00:57:20,600 Oh! 759 00:57:20,600 --> 00:57:22,120 THE RHINO SQUEAKS 760 00:57:24,400 --> 00:57:27,920 'There is hope for this little fellow. 761 00:57:27,920 --> 00:57:31,720 'He's due to have an operation on his eyes which may mean 762 00:57:31,720 --> 00:57:36,000 'that as an adult he can be returned to the wild 763 00:57:36,000 --> 00:57:37,960 'just like Elvis.' 764 00:57:39,440 --> 00:57:42,520 I do hope he gets a cataract operation. 765 00:57:42,520 --> 00:57:44,160 It would be marvellous if he did. 766 00:57:45,880 --> 00:57:47,760 Enchanting creature. 767 00:58:10,320 --> 00:58:14,800 Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 768 00:58:15,305 --> 00:58:21,593 Support us and become VIP member to remove all ads from www.OpenSubtitles.org