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