1 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:12,760 Not much bigger than an orange, 2 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,400 the pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. 3 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,440 They live in the largest tropical forest on our planet - 4 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,520 the Amazon rainforest. 5 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,640 Their lives are full of huge obstacles 6 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,720 but they don't let size be a barrier to success. 7 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:42,280 With chisel-like teeth, they've learned to tap into the trees, 8 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,240 feeding on their energy-rich sap. 9 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,120 These micro-monkeys are the miners of the Amazon... 10 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,920 ..leaving their mark across the forest. 11 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,840 Too often in life we overlook the little guys. 12 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:18,560 Overshadowed by bigger beasts, their lives simply pass us by. 13 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,760 But if we stop and get down to their level, 14 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,840 a remarkable world is revealed. 15 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:32,160 Take this gecko, the size of just a few raindrops, 16 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,400 but somehow able to weather the greatest of storms. 17 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,960 Or this bird, the weight of a 20 pence piece, 18 00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:43,960 who flies thousands of miles for a meal. 19 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,360 What about this rather plain little fish? 20 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:54,480 Well, he's a passionate artist whose work deserves its own gallery. 21 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,760 So, while they may be small, 22 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,520 these creatures and others like them have survival secrets 23 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,320 that are amongst the biggest and most surprising on planet earth. 24 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,800 And now, at last, they're taking centre stage. 25 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,480 It's time to meet nature's miniature miracles. 26 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,520 The world is a big place... 27 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,160 ..home to some huge animals... 28 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,880 ..and exposed to wild weather. 29 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:44,920 RUMBLE OF THUNDER 30 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,440 So what does that mean if you're one of the planet's small folk? 31 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,120 How are you supposed to make a living in this big, bad world? 32 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:00,480 Well, you need to adapt. 33 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:04,680 You must develop extraordinary skills. 34 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,480 And you've got to achieve some pretty mind-boggling feats, 35 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,040 like coming back from the dead. 36 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,360 And, let's face it, there's no greater miracle than that. 37 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,600 But whether big or small, 38 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,000 all living creatures have the same basic needs - 39 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,680 food, finding a mate... 40 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,720 ..and a safe place to live. 41 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,560 On an island in the Caribbean, 42 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,640 a tiny crab's biggest issue is home security. 43 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,640 Hermit crabs have soft bodies that make them vulnerable to attack 44 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,480 from predators and the elements. 45 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,400 A naked crab would quickly cook in the intense tropical sun... 46 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,720 ..so these miniature miracles have come up with an incredible solution. 47 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,440 They use abandoned seashells as mobile homes. 48 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,600 24/7 protection. 49 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:30,720 But there's a problem. 50 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,600 Right now, this chap is no bigger than a dice, 51 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,400 but he'll continue to grow throughout his life. 52 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,480 So if he wants to stay safe, he must always be on the lookout 53 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,200 for a new larger shell to move into. 54 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:50,040 But finding a new home isn't as easy as you might think. 55 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,240 On this paradise island, there's a surprising shortage of shells. 56 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:07,120 Unless this is the opportunity the small crab's been waiting for. 57 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:15,440 Unfortunately, it's probably a bit too much to take on right now. 58 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,640 And he's not the only prospective buyer in the area. 59 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,720 Hermit crabs can be anything from a few millimetres long 60 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:31,680 to the size of a coconut... 61 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,480 ..so there's a chance this new home might suit someone else. 62 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:41,000 With housing stock in such short supply, 63 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,560 the local crabs have learned to do something 64 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,680 really quite extraordinary. 65 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,160 They've joined forces to set up their own property market. 66 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,560 Each crab is looking for the perfect property 67 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,680 with the right shape, opening and weight. 68 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,240 Somehow the crabs reach an agreement 69 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,320 and, incredibly, they start to assemble in a chain... 70 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,480 ..largest at one end... 71 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,480 ..smallest at the other. 72 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,960 All lined up, they're ready to exchange, 73 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,480 and not an estate agent in sight. 74 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,440 The biggest crab is first to move. 75 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,880 So far, so good. The chain's holding together. 76 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:13,240 Our little crab gets in position, ready to make his big move. 77 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:17,880 His size means he's at the bottom of the chain. 78 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,600 But just as he vacates his old shell, 79 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,680 a newcomer arrives on the scene to try and gazump him. 80 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,160 He can't afford to be left homeless. 81 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,680 A death sentence in this tropical heat. 82 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,560 But fortune's on his side. 83 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,160 After all the swapping, there's one empty shell left over. 84 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,440 And he wastes no time settling into his spacious new home. 85 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,200 From the perfect beach hut 86 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:33,200 to a treehouse hiding one of the world's smallest mammals. 87 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,160 Our second miniature miracle 88 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,360 lives in the giant bamboo forests of south-west China. 89 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,560 Bamboo is the tallest of all our grasses, 90 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:02,480 with some species capable of growing up to 40 metres. 91 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,200 But this isn't just a big world, 92 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,480 it's also home to some rather bad sorts. 93 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,440 HISSING 94 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:21,160 So if you're really small, how do you survive in a place like this? 95 00:09:24,560 --> 00:09:26,200 You hide. 96 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,160 A tiny slit in the bamboo stem reveals the bijou home 97 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:33,800 of the bamboo bat. 98 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,520 A colony of 25 living in a space the size of a teacup. 99 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,880 Each bat is not much bigger than a bumblebee 100 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,080 but it's still a squeeze... 101 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,200 ..which is hardly surprising 102 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,000 when you imagine a teacup full of bumblebees. 103 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,000 BUZZING 104 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,000 These micro bats have evolved special adhesive pads 105 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,520 on their thumbs, wrists and feet, 106 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,480 which help them make the most of every corner of their secret home. 107 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:29,240 But what good is that against what lurks outside? 108 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:38,720 If it got the chance, this snake would devour the entire colony. 109 00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:51,800 But that's where a miniature home with a miniature front door 110 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:53,840 comes into its own. 111 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:58,000 At just six millimetres across, no wider than a pencil, 112 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,120 there's no way the snake's getting inside. 113 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,520 But what about the bats? 114 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,320 How do they come and go through what is possibly 115 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:17,480 the smallest front door in the animal kingdom? 116 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:27,960 Well, they've evolved super-thin flattened skulls 117 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,280 and, while it may still be a squash, 118 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,720 they're able to squeeze themselves through the tiny gap. 119 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,440 It's another miracle manoeuvre. 120 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:48,000 Once the coast is clear, the bats go hunting for insects, like flies, 121 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,800 beetles and winged termites. 122 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,440 And that's where a more well-known miracle comes into play. 123 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,480 Bats are the only mammal that can fly 124 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:06,560 and one of the few to use echolocation to find food, 125 00:12:06,560 --> 00:12:10,400 sending out sound waves that detect prey in the darkness. 126 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,560 And it's these miraculous skills, 127 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:28,080 combined with a canny choice of home, 128 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:32,880 that are the key to the bamboo bat's success in this forest of giants. 129 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:45,760 But what if surviving means you need to protect yourself 130 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:47,440 from your own kind? 131 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,480 On the east coast of Australia, 132 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,320 over a hundred species of shark inhabits the tropical waters 133 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,480 of the Great Barrier Reef... 134 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,200 ..including the largest shark of all. 135 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:20,160 The 12-metre-long whale shark is the biggest fish in the world. 136 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,320 Sharing the reef with this giant 137 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,440 is one of the smallest members of the shark family - the epaulette. 138 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:31,440 He's less than one metre long... 139 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,560 ..which, unfortunately, makes him ideal prey 140 00:13:37,560 --> 00:13:39,720 for some of the other larger sharks. 141 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:47,720 So in a world of bigger, badder sharks, 142 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,480 how does the tiny epaulette stay off the menu? 143 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:56,480 Without a safe home to escape to, he keeps a low profile 144 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:58,200 and waits. 145 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,360 Twice a day the tide goes out, 146 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,440 which means conditions on the reef change dramatically. 147 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,160 As the water departs, so do the big sharks. 148 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,520 The water is far too shallow for them now. 149 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,000 But the epaulette's size means he's able to make the most 150 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,880 of this brief moment in the life cycle of the reef. 151 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:56,520 At last he can stop worrying about being someone else's dinner 152 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,600 and focus on finding his own. 153 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,720 But it doesn't last long. 154 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,360 The tide's still dropping 155 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,560 And soon the epaulette is left high and dry. 156 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:37,440 If he's not careful, he'll barbecue in the scorching Australian sun. 157 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:46,720 Even more worryingly, this fish out of water is struggling to breathe. 158 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,440 But the miraculous epaulette has evolved an extraordinary strategy 159 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:55,280 to cope with this. 160 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:05,560 By slowing his breathing and heart rate and powering down his brain, 161 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,480 he can survive on his last breath for up to an hour. 162 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,040 When the oxygen levels get critical, 163 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,640 another incredible survival strategy kicks in. 164 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,440 His fins turn into prototype legs. 165 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,440 This cunning fish breaks all the rules... 166 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,720 ..and is the only shark that can walk himself out of danger. 167 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,480 The epaulette shark isn't the only miniature miracle 168 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,480 to have evolved remarkable superpowers. 169 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,560 High on a remote rocky plateaux in Venezuela 170 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:42,480 lives the three-centimetre-long pebble toad. 171 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,400 Unusually for an amphibian, he can't hop. 172 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,120 So, camouflaged to his surroundings, 173 00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:58,560 this hopless toad creeps around looking for insects to eat. 174 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,200 But he's not the only hunter up here. 175 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:14,400 A toad-eating tarantula. 176 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:20,320 Faced with the enemy, 177 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:23,480 the toad employs an unexpected escape strategy. 178 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,200 He transforms himself into a toad-like ball. 179 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,720 Tensing all his muscles, he becomes rigid like rubber. 180 00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:45,160 Perfect for bouncing down the mountain out of danger. 181 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:56,440 He's safe and, remarkably, completely unharmed. 182 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,640 A female Arabian fat-tailed scorpion 183 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,440 on its regular night-time hunt for beetles. 184 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,760 But while she's looking for food, 185 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,320 someone's eyeing her up as a potential meal. 186 00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:18,040 A desert fox. 187 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:26,720 Once the moon comes up, its soft light could expose her. 188 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,800 So this scorpion has an extraordinary super sense - 189 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:36,920 an early warning detection system 190 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:40,160 that gives her an edge in this nocturnal world. 191 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,840 UV sensitive cells on her shell 192 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:48,640 warn her it's an hour until moonrise... 193 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,920 ..which gives her plenty of time to run and hide 194 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,000 before it blows her cover. 195 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:12,440 When you're small, life's worries extend beyond just being eaten. 196 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:20,920 You'd think a single raindrop might drown a tiny Brazilian pygmy gecko. 197 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:27,920 Tricky when you live in a rainforest. 198 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,760 But these geckos have evolved super hydrophobic skin. 199 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,360 Water doesn't wet them. 200 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,760 Their skin is so water repellent 201 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:48,760 that even a tumble into a puddle isn't fatal. 202 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,840 These miniature marvels can literally walk on water. 203 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:19,000 But sometimes even remarkable physical adaptations 204 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,480 aren't enough to help you survive. 205 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:30,000 East Africa. 206 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,800 Home to some of the world's largest mammals... 207 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,240 ..as well as one of its smallest. 208 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:48,520 A female elephant shrew, 209 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,720 more commonly known by her African name of sengi. 210 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,920 She's 300 times smaller than a lion... 211 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,480 ..and 8,000 times smaller than an elephant... 212 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:10,640 ..which makes the vast savannah a very dangerous place to live. 213 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,880 How on earth does she stay safe out here without being trampled? 214 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:21,840 By living her life at top speed 215 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,200 and with brainpower far beyond her size. 216 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,800 This miniature mastermind has designed and built 217 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,440 a hidden network of trails to get around. 218 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,400 Even when she does encounter danger... 219 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:47,400 ..these trails can mean the difference between life and death. 220 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:52,280 A monitor lizard. 221 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:05,520 Drawing on a mental map of her network, 222 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,480 the clever sengi is able to figure out the best escape route. 223 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,720 Our fast-footed fugitive is built for high-speed getaways too. 224 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,560 Like most mammals and unlike reptiles, 225 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,400 her legs are directly beneath her body... 226 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:37,000 ..which makes her less stable 227 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,240 but much faster and more agile than the lizard. 228 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:52,600 Astonishingly, this tiny tearaway, who weighs less than half a kilo, 229 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,200 can reach speeds of nearly 18 miles an hour. 230 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:02,800 For her size, she's twice as fast as a cheetah... 231 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:18,920 ..which definitely qualifies her 232 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,560 as one of our miniature miracles of nature. 233 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:36,400 Life in the fast lane requires a lot of fuel. 234 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:43,240 But while the sengi's secret network allows her to find food efficiently 235 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,640 and discretely, not everyone has it so easy. 236 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,680 We've all heard of the world's great animal migrations... 237 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:10,000 ..like the massive herds of caribou 238 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:13,480 who trek 1,500 miles through the Arctic wilderness every year 239 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,160 to find food. 240 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:19,760 GEESE SQUAWK 241 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:24,600 And the five million snow geese who fly en mass to northern Canada 242 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:28,040 looking for a summer feast fit to feed a family. 243 00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:33,920 But these are big animals travelling in gigantic groups. 244 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,240 There's another, much less-known, 245 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,640 but perhaps even more impressive annual migration, 246 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,560 and this one isn't migration on a miniature scale. 247 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,440 This is a miniature miracle on a mammoth migration. 248 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,200 Meet the rufous hummingbird. 249 00:25:56,520 --> 00:26:00,160 This tiny bird weighs less than a 20 pence piece 250 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,040 and yet every spring she flies over 251 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,920 4,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska... 252 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:08,720 ..on her own. 253 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,920 Her destination - Tongass, 254 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,200 part of the largest temperate rainforest in the world. 255 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,560 In spring, when the forest wakes up, 256 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:27,440 it offers the promise of a seasonal banquet. 257 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:38,680 Rufous hummingbirds spend the winter in the tropics, 258 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,600 where competition for food is fierce. 259 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,640 Here, they get the place to themselves. 260 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,760 They're the only hummingbird to make this epic annual migration 261 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:52,560 to Alaska. 262 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,840 But when they get here, they can't afford to rest. 263 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:03,920 Hummingbirds can flap their wings an unbelievable 50 times a second. 264 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,200 Blink and you can miss it. 265 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:13,480 Great for hovering but, like any racy sports car, 266 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:15,160 it's heavy on fuel - 267 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,160 one thing this female doesn't have much of. 268 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,440 After the long trip here, she's running on empty. 269 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:32,600 If she doesn't eat soon, she might not last the day. 270 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:40,720 And if it wasn't enough that this mini marathon flyer 271 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,200 has flown all the way from Mexico, 272 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:45,720 it looks like she's arrived too early. 273 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:50,880 The flowers she's hoping to drink nectar from haven't opened yet. 274 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:02,880 But being a mini miracle, our little heroine doesn't get in a flap, 275 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,680 for she has brains as well as stamina. 276 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:14,560 TAPPING SOUND 277 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,480 The distinctive tapping of someone else hard at work. 278 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,520 A red-breasted sap sucker is busy drilling holes in the trees 279 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,760 to release the sweet syrup running inside. 280 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,480 Tree sap is quite similar to flower nectar 281 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,280 as they both contain sugar and protein. 282 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,000 It's exactly what the hungry hummingbird needs 283 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,000 but is she brave enough to steal from a bird 284 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:52,800 two-and-a-half times her size? 285 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:58,720 The sap sucker moves on to a neighbouring tree 286 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,320 to continue drilling. 287 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:05,000 He'll be back to this one later, once the sap is running freely. 288 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:20,760 The cunning hummingbird spots an opportunity and makes her move. 289 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,440 Her tongue darts in and out around 13 times a second. 290 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,280 If she's going to replenish her energy levels, 291 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,040 she'll need to eat like this every 20 minutes. 292 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:51,960 The hummingbird will rely on this sneaky strategy to survive, 293 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,240 stealing food from right under the sap sucker's nose 294 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,440 until the forest flowers bloom in a few weeks' time. 295 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:09,000 Then, finally, she'll be able to enjoy the benefits 296 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,840 of her long-distance journey. 297 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,040 But what if travel isn't an option 298 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:28,520 and the only food available in your world is something you can't digest? 299 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,800 That's the situation our next miniature hero finds itself in. 300 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:44,240 The Argentinian pampas covers over 150,000 square miles of grassland. 301 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:58,000 Every day, the industrious grasscutter ant 302 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:02,640 toils in the fields, harvesting a crop it can't actually stomach. 303 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,960 A single colony can contain millions of ants 304 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:16,440 of many different shapes and sizes. 305 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,320 Those with the biggest jaws do all the cutting... 306 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:26,200 ..climbing high into the canopy to carry out their work. 307 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:32,680 Down on the ground, the smaller ones are the porters. 308 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:39,920 Incredibly, each one-and-a-half-centimetre ant 309 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,560 can carry 50 times its own bodyweight in grass, 310 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:47,480 which is like a human carrying a medium-sized van on its back. 311 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,640 Believe it or not, the ant's superhuman strength 312 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:56,880 actually comes from their small size. 313 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,280 They have thicker muscles relative to the size of their body 314 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:05,160 than larger animals, which means they can produce more force. 315 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:12,520 But being able to lift the equivalent of a van 316 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,480 is all very well if you can balance it. 317 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,680 Not to mention the freeloaders trying to shirk duties. 318 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:38,520 The ants work tirelessly, ferrying grass back to their nest. 319 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:49,480 Each year, a single colony will harvest 320 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,320 over half a tonne of grass cuttings. 321 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:00,280 But what for, when they don't even eat grass? 322 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:03,960 What on earth are they doing with their indigestible crop 323 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:06,480 and what are they actually eating? 324 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:14,520 The answer lies deep underground, 325 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:17,680 where the ants have built their very own food factory. 326 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:27,440 Down here, they're feeding their harvest to a very special fungus. 327 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,320 This fungus is found nowhere else on earth. 328 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,200 When the ants feed it grass, it grows, 329 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,960 producing edible fungus gardens. 330 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,520 Enough to feed an entire colony of up to five million ants. 331 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:06,000 These ants have been producing food like this for millions of years, 332 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:10,120 way before humans ever dreamt of even cultivating their own food. 333 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:18,840 But there's a twist to this story. 334 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:22,520 The ants' special fungus is also dangerous to them. 335 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:26,320 It produces carbon dioxide which, when trapped underground, 336 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,360 could suffocate the entire colony. 337 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,720 So the ants have come up with an astonishing solution. 338 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,840 They've built giant ventilation units 339 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:45,080 that remove the potentially deadly carbon dioxide 340 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:49,080 and draw in fresh air for the busy factory workers below. 341 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:57,080 These humble heroes have not only learnt how to produce their own food 342 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:00,880 but also how to remove dangerous waste from their environment. 343 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,440 Two highly sophisticated behaviours of a civilised society. 344 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:15,600 For a creature so small, 345 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,440 it really is a miniature miracle on an industrial scale. 346 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:34,040 Finding ingenious ways to adapt to their environment 347 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,840 is something our miniature miracles do best. 348 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:44,440 The tropical forests of Southeast Asia. 349 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:54,280 As night falls, some mini monkeys are starting to stir. 350 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,720 12-centimetre-tall tarsiers. 351 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:18,400 The ancestors of these primates were daytime hunters, 352 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:20,960 but there was so much competition for food 353 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:23,560 they were forced into the shadows, 354 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:25,680 where they could have disappeared. 355 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:31,880 But they didn't surrender. 356 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,960 They evolved huge gremlin-like eyes - 357 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:39,160 the largest of any mammal relative to their body size... 358 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:44,160 ..which helped them see in the faintest light. 359 00:36:57,520 --> 00:36:59,440 INSECTS CREAK 360 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:04,400 And enormous ears that seem to have a life of their own... 361 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:08,920 ..but give them ultrasonic hearing. 362 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:17,000 These two extraordinary super senses opened up the night, 363 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:20,640 allowing tarsiers to home in on almost anything that moves. 364 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:35,440 Tarsiers are the only exclusively carnivorous primate. 365 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,040 They eat mostly flying insects, 366 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:42,800 including moths, locusts, beetles and cicadas - 367 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:44,920 not the easiest of prey. 368 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,560 Once they've got dinner in their sights, 369 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:55,760 they've got just milliseconds to ambush and catch it. 370 00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:00,520 But with a genuine spring in their step, 371 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:04,520 these miniature assassins have no problem taking a leap in the dark. 372 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:09,840 You see, they've also got enormously long legs, 373 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:13,440 which they use to jump 40 times their own body length. 374 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:21,480 And they're armed with long, slender fingers, 375 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:23,400 ideal for snatching prey. 376 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:33,000 It's as if these pocket-sized hunters 377 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:35,600 always belonged to the rainforest night. 378 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:56,360 Perhaps the ultimate survivor in our list of miniature miracles 379 00:38:56,360 --> 00:39:00,200 is a plant that lives in one of the harshest places on earth. 380 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,480 The vast Sahara Desert. 381 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:15,400 Life here has far more to worry about than just finding food. 382 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:19,320 Where on earth do you find water? 383 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:27,640 Lots of plants can tolerate a few hours or days without water. 384 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:31,480 Think about all the house plants that get neglected yet survive. 385 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:39,160 But most will die if they're subjected to prolonged drought. 386 00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:49,480 This small dried-out ball of twigs may have been dead for 100 years. 387 00:39:54,680 --> 00:39:58,280 And yet, despite appearances, all is not lost. 388 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:03,120 Because this plant... 389 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:07,040 ..is the resurrection plant. 390 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:18,960 Blown by the wind, it's in desperate need of a drink. 391 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:26,480 But around here, rain only falls once or twice a year... 392 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:31,240 ..and in the world's biggest desert, 393 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:33,680 you have to be very lucky to find it. 394 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:49,480 So will this puddle be enough to raise it from the dead? 395 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:03,120 Gradually, lifeless limbs lap up the precious water. 396 00:41:03,120 --> 00:41:05,520 Its resurrection has begun. 397 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,000 RUMBLE OF THUNDER 398 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:17,320 Now it's come back to life, 399 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:20,560 it must snatch this opportunity to reproduce. 400 00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:29,480 But this special plant needs yet another miracle... 401 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:35,720 ..rain. 402 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:43,920 The trigger for new life. 403 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:47,480 A chance for its seeds to germinate. 404 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:06,440 In just a few hours, new shoots emerge. 405 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:27,000 And within weeks, these offspring of the original plant flower, 406 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:29,400 producing seeds of their own. 407 00:42:34,320 --> 00:42:38,920 Sadly, it's not long before the burning African sun kills them. 408 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:47,480 But the seeds within their withered branches live on, 409 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:50,280 ready for when they find rain, 410 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,760 even if it's a century from now. 411 00:42:56,400 --> 00:42:58,240 RUMBLE OF THUNDER 412 00:43:06,800 --> 00:43:10,400 In southern India, rain is a more predictable event. 413 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:15,920 Monsoon clouds are building. 414 00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:29,960 This annual phenomenon triggers the breeding season 415 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:31,960 for our next miniature miracle. 416 00:43:36,040 --> 00:43:39,040 Traditionally, male frogs rely on their croak 417 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:41,120 to attract the opposite sex 418 00:43:41,120 --> 00:43:45,400 but, unfortunately, their chorus is falling on deaf ears. 419 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:48,840 They're struggling to be heard over the noise of all this water. 420 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:54,920 So these tiny frogs, each one no bigger than a paperclip, 421 00:43:54,920 --> 00:43:57,800 have claimed a rock for their castle 422 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:00,200 and now they're using a different technique 423 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:02,400 to impress the opposite sex. 424 00:44:04,480 --> 00:44:06,680 These mini monarchs wave. 425 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:18,200 The more testosterone they have, the more waving they do. 426 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:30,120 All of which helps these frog princes attract a frog princess. 427 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:42,720 The tiny frogs' distinctive courtship behaviour 428 00:44:42,720 --> 00:44:45,480 has earned them their name. 429 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:48,440 These are foot-flagging frogs. 430 00:44:52,000 --> 00:44:54,040 Yet another stroke of genius 431 00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:56,480 from a small animal facing a big problem. 432 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:02,520 BIRDS SING 433 00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:06,520 But our little frogs' romantic woes 434 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:10,480 are nothing compared to those of our next miniature miracle. 435 00:45:13,560 --> 00:45:18,040 He's embarking on possibly the most dangerous journey of his life 436 00:45:18,040 --> 00:45:21,240 and all for the sake of trying to find a partner. 437 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:27,440 This is the Australian peacock jumping spider... 438 00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:31,960 ..a miracle mover who can't afford to put a foot wrong. 439 00:45:36,240 --> 00:45:39,520 He's only the size of a grain of rice. 440 00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:43,440 Yes, he's that small. 441 00:45:47,040 --> 00:45:51,720 Which, in a place like this, means almost anything could be dangerous. 442 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:05,400 But, in fact, the biggest threat of all is the female he's after. 443 00:46:10,200 --> 00:46:12,160 The silken road to finding her 444 00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:15,480 is littered with the remains of unsuccessful suitors. 445 00:46:18,760 --> 00:46:22,000 A stark warning that, if he doesn't get this right, 446 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:24,440 it could be his last day on the planet. 447 00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:39,880 She ambushes him from behind. 448 00:46:42,240 --> 00:46:45,480 Now, what can he do to win her over? 449 00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:54,680 Dance. 450 00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:56,520 Dance for his life. 451 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:05,880 He unfurls his striking fan and begins his routine. 452 00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:17,240 Its elaborate shape and vibrant colours resemble a peacock's tale. 453 00:47:26,400 --> 00:47:30,440 But even his party outfit and his best moves aren't impressing her. 454 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:33,880 Time to step it up a level. 455 00:47:44,760 --> 00:47:47,520 As is so often the case in the mating game, 456 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:51,160 it's not the males but the females who call the shots. 457 00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:57,480 The more unique the dance, 458 00:47:57,480 --> 00:48:00,480 the more likely she is to accept his advances. 459 00:48:04,520 --> 00:48:07,680 This mating ritual can go on for up to 50 minutes. 460 00:48:12,280 --> 00:48:16,080 But at last his performance is rewarded and they mate. 461 00:48:24,880 --> 00:48:27,960 He's done his bit and satisfied her needs, 462 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:30,400 but now her need is over... 463 00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:34,680 ..so she kills him anyway. 464 00:48:36,360 --> 00:48:40,920 After all, his body will be the perfect nourishment for their eggs. 465 00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:51,000 Our next mini marvel wasn't blessed with a vibrant party outfit 466 00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:53,760 or even disco dance moves 467 00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:57,440 and yet, somehow, he's still got to attract the ladies. 468 00:49:03,000 --> 00:49:06,560 The world's oceans are filled with brilliant colours, 469 00:49:06,560 --> 00:49:09,480 all designed to make their wearers conspicuous. 470 00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:17,240 But the tiny Japanese puffer fish is so dull 471 00:49:17,240 --> 00:49:19,800 he almost fades into the background. 472 00:49:23,240 --> 00:49:26,480 If he's going to have any success with the opposite sex, 473 00:49:26,480 --> 00:49:29,880 he needs to perform a miracle that defies belief. 474 00:49:38,760 --> 00:49:41,440 He is nature's finest artist. 475 00:49:55,320 --> 00:49:58,960 With a design of mathematical precision in his head 476 00:49:58,960 --> 00:50:03,560 and only fins for tools, he starts to plough the sand. 477 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:10,080 He's sculpting it into geometric shapes. 478 00:50:21,280 --> 00:50:26,560 This dedicated artist works 24 hours a day for a entire week. 479 00:50:26,560 --> 00:50:30,880 There's no time for rest or the current will destroy his creation. 480 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:47,680 He adds shells for decoration 481 00:50:57,240 --> 00:50:59,200 Before a final tidy up. 482 00:51:02,480 --> 00:51:05,480 At last, his vision is complete. 483 00:51:24,720 --> 00:51:27,520 Using only what was available to him, 484 00:51:27,520 --> 00:51:32,400 this 12-centimetre fish has created a masterpiece two metres across. 485 00:51:44,320 --> 00:51:47,560 Nowhere else in nature does an animal construct something 486 00:51:47,560 --> 00:51:49,960 as complex and perfect as this. 487 00:51:55,760 --> 00:51:58,960 If this doesn't get him noticed, nothing will. 488 00:52:02,560 --> 00:52:06,080 A female swollen with eggs and ready to partner up 489 00:52:06,080 --> 00:52:08,240 is tempted over to have a look. 490 00:52:15,560 --> 00:52:19,880 He entices her into the centre to get the best possible view. 491 00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:29,440 Impressed, she retreats, leaving him to make one alteration. 492 00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:46,520 By the next morning, the centre of the sculpture 493 00:52:46,520 --> 00:52:50,520 has been flattened and all the soft sand is in the middle. 494 00:52:50,520 --> 00:52:53,440 He's created the perfect nest. 495 00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:01,480 Right on cue, she arrives. 496 00:53:09,520 --> 00:53:12,680 The male holds her cheek and fertilises her eggs 497 00:53:12,680 --> 00:53:14,200 as she releases them. 498 00:53:20,240 --> 00:53:24,280 A quick flick of his fin and he buries them in this sand. 499 00:53:38,960 --> 00:53:41,200 Eggs laid, she departs... 500 00:53:44,240 --> 00:53:47,440 ..while he stays behind to fan them until they hatch... 501 00:53:48,520 --> 00:53:52,120 ..his extraordinary work of art fading away around him. 502 00:54:04,320 --> 00:54:08,280 The Japanese puffer fish isn't the only miraculous mini creature 503 00:54:08,280 --> 00:54:10,000 beneath the waves. 504 00:54:11,240 --> 00:54:13,560 We can't see them with the naked eye 505 00:54:13,560 --> 00:54:17,160 but our seas are literally brimming with hidden heroes. 506 00:54:18,720 --> 00:54:20,480 Plankton. 507 00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:28,680 Thousands of different types and different species 508 00:54:28,680 --> 00:54:30,680 you'd need a microscope to see. 509 00:54:36,840 --> 00:54:40,880 Anything that drifts in the current is classified as plankton. 510 00:54:40,880 --> 00:54:44,560 The smallest are the plant-like phytoplankton, 511 00:54:44,560 --> 00:54:47,720 followed by the more animal-like zooplankton. 512 00:54:50,600 --> 00:54:53,280 Individually, they're not that exciting, 513 00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:55,520 but believe me, collectively, 514 00:54:55,520 --> 00:54:59,440 these critters are some of the most important species on our planet. 515 00:55:03,240 --> 00:55:05,680 They're the bedrock of the ocean food web. 516 00:55:08,520 --> 00:55:11,120 Breakfast, lunch and dinner for the krill... 517 00:55:13,960 --> 00:55:16,240 ..who get eaten by the fish. 518 00:55:18,840 --> 00:55:21,160 Then in come the diving birds. 519 00:55:22,280 --> 00:55:23,920 Agile sea lions. 520 00:55:28,600 --> 00:55:29,960 Dolphins. 521 00:55:31,720 --> 00:55:33,480 Sharks. 522 00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:41,600 And all the way up to the biggest mammals on earth - whales. 523 00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:00,920 But that's not all. 524 00:56:00,920 --> 00:56:05,080 The tiny phytoplankton perform an even greater miracle still. 525 00:56:09,720 --> 00:56:12,040 Just like terrestrial plants, 526 00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:14,920 they use light from the sun to photosynthesise 527 00:56:14,920 --> 00:56:17,160 and produce energy for themselves. 528 00:56:21,240 --> 00:56:24,520 One of the by-products of that process is oxygen - 529 00:56:24,520 --> 00:56:27,960 a gas required by almost all life on earth. 530 00:56:31,600 --> 00:56:34,800 There are so many phytoplankton in our oceans 531 00:56:34,800 --> 00:56:39,480 that they literally produce over half of all the oxygen we breathe... 532 00:56:43,800 --> 00:56:47,720 ..which is surely the biggest and most important miracle 533 00:56:47,720 --> 00:56:49,920 of all our miniature heroes. 534 00:56:54,000 --> 00:56:57,520 Without plankton, it's thought that much of life on Earth 535 00:56:57,520 --> 00:56:59,160 would disappear. 536 00:57:06,520 --> 00:57:08,960 So there you have it. 537 00:57:08,960 --> 00:57:11,560 We've seen a walking fish, 538 00:57:11,560 --> 00:57:13,960 a dancing spider 539 00:57:13,960 --> 00:57:17,440 and even a plant that can raise itself from the dead. 540 00:57:20,760 --> 00:57:24,680 A little-known and often unseen world of miraculous beings. 541 00:57:27,560 --> 00:57:29,200 They've adapted... 542 00:57:30,280 --> 00:57:32,480 ..developed extraordinary skills... 543 00:57:33,560 --> 00:57:37,440 ..and pulled off some astounding feats just to survive. 544 00:57:40,000 --> 00:57:42,280 And, finally, consider this. 545 00:57:43,240 --> 00:57:45,960 90% of all our planet's creatures 546 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:49,000 are no bigger than a human fingertip. 547 00:57:50,600 --> 00:57:55,440 Without us knowing it, these tiny superstars dominate our world... 548 00:57:57,000 --> 00:58:00,480 ..and we can't afford to overlook a single one of them.