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London's Natural History Museum has
over 70 million animal specimens.
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The weird and wonderful from every
corner of the planet.
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There are also some of the
many spectacular animals
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that are no longer with us.
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This is a dodo. At least, it's not.
It's the model of a dodo.
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No museum in the world has
a complete specimen of this species
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because human beings exterminated it
in the middle of the 17th century.
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And there are a lot of animals today
that face the same fate as the dodo.
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I've been asked to pick ten that
I might take with me
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on my own personal ark.
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What an impossible task that sounds.
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What to choose to represent
the marvellous ingenuity of nature?
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I could choose those that
grab the headlines,
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the majestic tiger.
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The spectacular polar bear.
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The beautiful snow leopard.
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Or the magnificent mountain gorilla.
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They're all animals that
I wouldn't want to lose.
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But there are many other
extraordinary creatures out there,
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not in the limelight, which you may
not have heard of.
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'I'm going to pick ten of them,
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'which I find particularly
fascinating.
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'And I'm going to show you
some of the surprising
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'and wonderful work being done
to protect them.'
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You'll be surprised what you'll
find on Attenborough's Ark.
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My first choice will be a monkey.
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One of my favourite
kinds of animal.
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And I'm particularly fond of these
marvellous miniature monkeys.
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These tamarins are normally
at home in Latin America,
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but many are now bred here
at Durrell Wildlife Park in Jersey.
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There's the rather regal-looking
emperor tamarin,
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with its long moustaches.
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The cheeky-looking pied tamarin.
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And the spectacular
golden lion tamarin.
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But if I had to choose one,
it would be this one.
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And this is the black lion tamarin.
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I think the tamarins are just about
as unlike monkeys as you can get.
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You can see that they are monkeys
from their faces
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and their two eyes, which give them
the forward vision of all primates,
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all monkeys, but look
at their hands.
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They are different from mine
or any other primate's, because
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tamarins have not nails on the end
of the long fingers, but long claws.
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And he will come and take from my
hand, and you can see now - ow! -
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how long that claw is.
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They live on insects,
they love these grubs,
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and they also eat fruit
and tree sap,
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00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:10,280
and it's said that they particularly
like fruit with quite large stones,
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because as the large stones go
through their tiny little guts,
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they scrape off internal parasites.
Now there's a thought.
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The black lion tamarin
is in serious trouble,
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with only around 1,000 animals
left in the world.
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And there's is a remarkable story,
truly back from the brink.
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And with a clever plan
to secure their survival
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in the forests of Brazil.
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Black lion tamarins were once
thought to be extinct, but were then
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rediscovered in 1970 in just one
tiny area of forest near Sao Paulo.
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00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,520
Here,
the tamarins live in tree holes,
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often the former
homes of woodpeckers.
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But only 3% of their
original habitat remains.
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00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,160
Once,
they could roam large distances,
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00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,360
but now they're marooned in small
fragments of forest.
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What was once continuous forest
has been torn up
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to make way for sugar cane
plantations.
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00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,960
And for years, the people have
cut down trees for farmland
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with devastating consequences
for the tamarins.
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But now, there's a project with
a smart approach to reversing
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this wave of destruction.
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Nurseries have been set up where
local people are paid to plant
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and grow trees rather than
cut them down.
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00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:10,800
Replanting the whole
forest would be an impossible task,
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00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:15,600
so, cleverly, these trees will be
used to create corridors,
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linking up the precious
fragments of remaining forest.
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The project will give this rare
and beautiful tamarins
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the space they need to survive
in the long term.
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If, on my ark,
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I'm going to have space
for the creatures that really need
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a berth to survive,
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the black lion tamarin
is a very strong candidate.
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You've got a ticket.
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00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:15,880
My next animal is a rather larger
beast, and with an ancient history.
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Rhinos have walked the earth
for over 50 million years, and today
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they can be found from the savannas
of Africa to the forests of Asia.
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There are five species
of rhinoceros in the world today,
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and they're all endangered.
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Of those five,
this is probably the most troubled.
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This is the Sumatran rhino,
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and there are only about 200
individuals left.
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So building up their numbers
is of extreme importance,
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if necessary, by captive breeding.
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But rhinoceroses are independent
kinds of animals,
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and getting male and female together
is not easy.
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Andalas is a very special
male rhino.
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His tale is one of
long-distance love.
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Like all Sumatran rhinos, he has a
hairy back, but he also has
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a twinkle in his eye, because, just
maybe, he might soon become a dad.
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Today, Andalas lives semi-wild
in the beautiful forests of Sumatra,
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but he was born far away,
in America.
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His birth, at Cincinnati Zoo,
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was a real breakthrough for breeding
captive Sumatran rhinos.
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But to really save his species,
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Andalas will have to return
to his ancestral homeland.
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Once old enough, he made the
extraordinary journey for a rhino,
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back to Sumatra, 10,000 miles away
on the other side of the world.
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Andalas came here,
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to the rhino sanctuary
in Way Kambas National Park.
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00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:26,400
His job was to mount a new offensive
in the local breeding programme,
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which for many years had
drawn a blank.
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They did have another male
in residence, but he had failed
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to seduce any females, so Andalas
was brought in as the new stud.
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Dedi Kandra is a vet here,
and it didn't take long for him
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and his team to grow quite attached
to the young American import.
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00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:07,960
Andalas is very healthy,
he has sperm,
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00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,640
and that is the important
thing for the breeding success.
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00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:20,640
But finding true love for Andalas
wasn't an easy task.
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This is Ratu.
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00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,880
She is a local girl, born wild
and found wandering in the village.
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She was rescued and then
the matchmaking could begin.
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00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:41,880
Female rhinos only have a small
window of opportunity within
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their cycle when they can get
pregnant, and of course,
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they also need to
be in the right mood.
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Introduce the lovers
at the wrong time,
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and there's no guarantee that
they'll get on.
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It's a delicate matter.
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00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,800
There's a fine line for these
sensitive beasts
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00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,360
between attraction and antagonism.
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00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:14,000
But eventually, Ratu succumbed to
Andalas's American charm.
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00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:26,160
Today, the fruits of Andalas's
efforts are evident.
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Ratu is pregnant.
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00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:35,360
Rhinos can't sweat, so wallowing in
cool mud is her way of keeping cool.
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00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,240
Essential
when you're carrying your baby.
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And this is no ordinary pregnancy.
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If the birth is successful,
Ratu's baby will be
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the first ever Sumatran rhino
born in captivity in Sumatra.
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00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,320
It will be a remarkable
triumph for Dedi and his team,
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as well as for Andalas and Ratu.
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We are very happy.
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We have been waiting a long,
long time for this moment.
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This is a very exciting
time for all of us at the sanctuary,
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?not only for us, maybe for all the
people in the national park, all the
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people in Indonesia, and probably
all the people in the world also.
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Rhino pregnancies
take 16 long months.
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Now Ratu only has a few weeks to go.
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But pregnancies have gone
wrong for her in the past,
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and for the team,
it's been a long and tense wait.
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I think waiting for Sumatran rhino
babies is similar
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to be waiting for our wives'
babies also.
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We worry with danger,
we're excited, we're happy.
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It's very emotional
waiting for this moment.
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Finally, it's in the middle
of the night that Ratu gives birth
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to her baby.
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And it's a boy.
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Successfully breeding these rhinos
here in Sumatra will be vital
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to saving the species.
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They give him
a name similar to his father's.
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Andatu, which means a gift from God.
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For Dedi, he certainly is a gift,
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and he's quite overwhelmed.
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Wow, this is wonderful.
This healthy baby, healthy mother.
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This is an important moment for us.
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This is the first time to see
directly the Sumatran rhino baby.
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A small but wonderful step in the
survival of this remarkable animal.
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TYRANNOSAURUS REX ROARS
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My next creature has been
around even longer than the rhino.
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Surely one of the ultimate
survivors.
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This is one of the most popular
exhibits in any museum
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that happens to have one.
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It's Tyrannosaurus rex.
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The giant, flesh-eating dinosaur
that ruled the world
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over 65 million years ago.
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But in the undergrowth around its
gigantic legs there was another,
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very different creature,
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quite different from any
dinosaur or any reptile.
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It had fur, warm blood.
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It didn't lay eggs,
it produced live young,
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and it nourished them on milk.
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It was the first of the mammals.
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Their descendants now have taken
the place of the reptiles
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and rule the earth.
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But amazingly,
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some have descended from that little
creature virtually unchanged.
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They're called solenodons.
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These little characters
are incredibly elusive.
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They can be found in a remote
corner of the Dominican Republic
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in the Caribbean.
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Thousands of tourists
have their holidays here each year.
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00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:31,120
Yet, whilst they're enjoying the sun
and the sand,
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most are oblivious to the
prehistoric creature lurking inland.
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Away from the hubbub, solenodons
have their underground homes.
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When the sunseekers head
to the bars and their beds,
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these reclusive chaps
come out for a nose about.
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Very little is
known about the solenodon,
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00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,320
so a team of researchers has come
to find out more about them.
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They've chosen to spend their
evening scrambling around in the
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00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:13,960
undergrowth in the hope of catching
one of these elusive creatures.
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00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:21,080
Infrared lights are needed
in the pitch dark,
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00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,720
and it's a tricky job,
but here's one.
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It's a good job solenodons
can't run too fast.
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Picking them up by their thick
tails doesn't hurt them,
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00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,560
and this one is swiftly bagged.
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Now we can put the lights on.
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Joe Nunez-Mino leads this
group of researchers.
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00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,840
So this remarkable animal
is the solenodon.
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00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,200
They're really chilled out
mammals to be around.
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As long as you're quiet around them,
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00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,480
they can quite happily
sit in your hand for a little while.
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00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:26,080
Solenodons are only one of a handful
of mammals in the world
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00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,320
that have a venomous bite,
which, it is thought, could be
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00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,600
a leftover characteristic from their
ancient reptilian relatives.
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00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,440
And they also have a rather
interesting nose.
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00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:41,120
Solenodons have a unique ball
and socket joint
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that attaches their really long nose
to their skull,
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00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,800
and that enables them to move
it around really flexibly.
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00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,480
When you see that nose,
you can't help but smile about it.
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00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,760
SOLENODON SQUEALS
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This little chap is less chilled out
while the radio collar's fitted,
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00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:06,920
so the team work
fast to minimise any distress.
217
00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,440
These tracking devices will
allow them to follow
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00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,360
and better understand
the solenodon's way of life.
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Its temporary captivity over,
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00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,920
it's free to amble
away its evening in peace.
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00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:28,240
Its kind have survived largely
unchanged for 65 million years,
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00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,280
but today its numbers are rapidly
declining.
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00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,640
Camera traps have revealed that
one of the big problems
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00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:40,840
for the solenodon are cats and dogs,
introduced to the island by humans.
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00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,120
Joe hopes that with new
controls on domestic animals,
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00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:50,440
and with their continued research,
they'll be able to help this
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00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,400
amazing little creature that's
been around since the dinosaurs.
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00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:00,000
I think what makes me love them
more than anything else
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00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,800
is the fact that they're
great survivors.
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00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:06,600
They've been around for a long time,
and with a little bit of help,
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00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,080
I think we can help them
to be around for a lot longer.
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00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:12,320
Solenodons are unique.
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00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:14,160
If we lost these little creatures,
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00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,080
we wouldn't see anything
quite like them on earth.
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00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,800
Reason enough to have them
on board my ark.
236
00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,280
Many animals have,
like the solenodon,
237
00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,360
evolved highly specialised bodies
238
00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:41,200
and behaviours to
suit their environment,
239
00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:46,880
and this specialists include some
of the most extraordinary animals.
240
00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,920
The giraffe, with its hugely
long neck
241
00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,800
to pick succulent leaves
from the tallest trees.
242
00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:02,320
Or the giant panda, which can eat
tough, indigestible bamboo,
243
00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,320
but little else.
244
00:20:07,360 --> 00:20:12,040
And the next animal for my ark is
one of the ultimate specialists.
245
00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:19,520
Here in the basement of the Natural
History Museum in London, there
246
00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:24,200
are tens of thousands of animals
reserved in tanks and bottles.
247
00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,280
And this is one of the most
interesting.
248
00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,600
It's a kind of amphibian
called an olm.
249
00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:36,040
It has very, very tiny legs
and an extremely elongated body,
250
00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:41,400
and its ancestry stretches
back 190 million years.
251
00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,200
But perhaps the most interesting
thing about it
252
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,960
is that it lives for
up to 100 years.
253
00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:51,480
It seems this curious creature
254
00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:53,800
has discovered the secret
of a long life.
255
00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:59,600
It can be found within limestone
caves across
256
00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,000
central and south-eastern Europe
in countries like Croatia.
257
00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,360
For millions of years it lived
quietly, far below these mountains,
258
00:21:12,360 --> 00:21:16,440
in huge networks of hidden caves,
underground rivers and lakes.
259
00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:23,560
If there is a heavy downpour,
260
00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,360
it can be flushed
out into rivers at the surface.
261
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,680
In Croatia, it was once believed
that these olms were baby dragons.
262
00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:44,200
This intrepid team of olm
researchers are heading
263
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,200
deep into the dragon's lair.
264
00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,600
They're trying to discover
more about this bizarre creature
265
00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:52,520
living in this extreme environment.
266
00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,040
Its population is shrinking,
and as with any endangered animal,
267
00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,120
the team need to understand
it in order to save it.
268
00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,400
So, fingers crossed for the olm.
269
00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,160
But this isn't a job
for the faint-hearted.
270
00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,400
The divers have two swim from one
lake to another through
271
00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,640
narrow tunnels, with no
possibility of coming up for air.
272
00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:28,760
It's highly dangerous,
but for Dusan Jelic,
273
00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:31,360
the leader of the team,
that is part of the thrill.
274
00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:39,120
I think we are working on the edge
of the world where actually no-one
275
00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:43,280
has ever been, and see some of the
things that nobody else can see.
276
00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:53,680
Despite the things that make it hard,
it's actually just a great job.
277
00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:02,640
It takes Dusan several dives before
he finally locates the elusive olm.
278
00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:09,840
It's certainly an odd-looking
creature.
279
00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:17,960
It has adapted to the complete
darkness of the caves
280
00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:19,720
and lost its sense of sight.
281
00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,040
But it has a powerful
sense of smell.
282
00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:32,120
It also has a bizarre sixth sense.
283
00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:35,240
It detects electric
fields in a similar way to sharks.
284
00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:39,000
This is one of its many
mysterious abilities.
285
00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,320
How olms catch their prey,
we actually don't know.
286
00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:52,040
They have, probably, very sensitive
skin, which has cells that can
287
00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:56,560
register small movements in water,
but it can also be possible
288
00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,920
they just run into something
and they just eat it.
289
00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:09,600
But if it doesn't run into food,
then the olm has a remarkable trick.
290
00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,160
It can go into starvation mode,
291
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,600
surviving up to ten years
without eating.
292
00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,600
The olm lives life in the slow lane,
293
00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,640
which seems to be its secret
for living a long life.
294
00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:25,120
Perhaps a lesson for us all.
295
00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:31,240
As a specialist, the olm is
reliant on clean, pure water,
296
00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,680
and water pollution is
one of its main threats.
297
00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,960
Dusan feels a close
connection to the olm,
298
00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,600
and he hopes his work will build
a clear picture of what this
299
00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,840
remarkable but mysterious creature
needs to survive.
300
00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:53,360
Even though you cannot see something,
you still, underneath this,
301
00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:57,040
have a really amazing world,
which is just hidden
302
00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:59,440
and we still need to conserve it.
303
00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:10,240
Yes, the olm has a berth in my ark.
304
00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,840
Maybe it can reveal
its secrets of long life.
305
00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:30,480
Of course, I'll have to have a bird
on this ark, but which to choose?
306
00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,000
I first became aware of how
breathtakingly beautiful
307
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,080
exotic birds could be
when, as a boy,
308
00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:43,120
I was allowed to leaf through one
of these 19th-century bird books.
309
00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:47,280
The man who published this glorious
ornithological volumes was called
310
00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:53,080
John Gould, and he was particularly
fascinated by hummingbirds,
311
00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:57,560
many of which he identified
and named for the first time.
312
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,800
One of the most spectacular is this,
313
00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,680
and he called it
the Marvellous Spatuletail.
314
00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,640
When I first saw it, I thought,
"He must have made that up."
315
00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:13,600
How could a bird, any bird,
fly with its head pointing downwards
316
00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:17,840
and then these two pennant quills
crossed over its tail?
317
00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:23,120
Well, in spite of the fact that
Gould never saw the living bird,
318
00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:25,560
this is correct, and it
was only proved to be so
319
00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:30,120
when this display flight was filmed
a few years ago.
320
00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,280
The home of this hummingbird
is in the foothills of the Andes
321
00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,200
in a remote corner of Peru.
322
00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:49,960
The male spatuletail hummingbird's
two super-long quills
323
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:52,720
end in these rather cumbersome
discs.
324
00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:57,880
These might seem rather inconvenient
and unnecessary,
325
00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:02,080
but their purpose becomes apparent
when a female appears.
326
00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,400
She is rather plainer in appearance,
but that's OK.
327
00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:12,680
She doesn't need to make an effort.
It's his job to win over her.
328
00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:20,200
The male begins his courtship
ritual by waving his tail feathers
329
00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,040
back and forth.
330
00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,160
This takes a lot of effort,
even from the comfort of his perch.
331
00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:34,640
But to be accepted as her mate,
he needs to take to the air.
332
00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:36,240
Watch this.
333
00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,200
She seems quite impressed.
334
00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:08,200
As she looks on, he begins
an airborne dance, dipping his head
335
00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,400
and crossing his tail feathers, just
as Gould captured in his painting.
336
00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,480
But this is exhausting work.
337
00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:25,320
It's so demanding he can only stay
airborne for a matter of seconds
338
00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:26,880
before he needs a rest.
339
00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:36,000
He doesn't seem to be winning, but
he decides to make one final effort.
340
00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:49,080
It's no good. She's seen enough.
In a flash, she's gone.
341
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,280
He'll just have to try even
harder next time.
342
00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:00,200
But with this incredible mating
ritual over for the time being,
343
00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:04,040
this little chap has indeed
lived up to his name.
344
00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:11,960
I'd certainly give the Marvellous
Spatuletail a berth in my ark.
345
00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:36,120
There are more than 5,000 species
of frogs and toads in the world,
346
00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,240
including many rare
and quite unusual ones.
347
00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:46,440
But the one I'm going to choose
is Darwin's Frog.
348
00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:49,680
Darwin's Frogs vary in colour,
349
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,920
and can expertly
blend into their surroundings.
350
00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,960
But there's another reason
I find them fascinating.
351
00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:06,600
Charles Darwin discovered the frog
that now carries his name when
352
00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:12,560
he landed in Chile in 1834 on his
way around the world in HMS Beagle.
353
00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:18,400
This is the field notebook
he had at the time,
354
00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:23,600
and he has actually sketched in it
this particular frog.
355
00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,040
Just there.
356
00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:30,720
It's a very small drawing, but then
the frog itself is pretty small.
357
00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,960
This is about as big as it gets,
358
00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:39,880
and this is the actual specimen
that was collected by Darwin.
359
00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:43,320
But it's a very remarkable frog,
360
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:50,120
because the male gives birth to the
young, and does so out of his mouth.
361
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,080
Like most frogs,
362
00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:01,640
this male Darwin Frog inflates
his vocal sac to attract a female.
363
00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:06,920
But in this frog,
it also doubles as a nursery.
364
00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,960
After the female has laid the eggs,
he takes them into his mouth,
365
00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:19,080
where they lie in his vocal sac,
and there develop into baby frogs.
366
00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,400
The actual birth is
exceedingly quick,
367
00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:28,040
and has hardly ever been filmed.
368
00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:29,680
Blink and you'll miss it.
369
00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,480
Here it is again.
370
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,480
Darwin's Frog
lives in southern Chile,
371
00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:47,720
and whilst many of the animals
in my ark face a threat from humans,
372
00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,360
it faces a challenge
from Mother Nature herself.
373
00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,080
It lives in what is usually a lush,
moist forest,
374
00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:01,760
but recently, one of the few
remaining populations
375
00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,600
has come under threat from
a natural disaster.
376
00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:20,640
Since June 2011, a huge volcanic
eruption at Mount Puyehue has been
377
00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:25,320
showering hundreds of square miles
of the surrounding area with ash.
378
00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:30,400
The layer of fallen ash is
drying out and killing
379
00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,400
much of the vegetation that is vital
to the frog's survival.
380
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,920
It's pushing Darwin's Frog to
the edge of extinction.
381
00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:47,040
Luckily, there's a scientist who is
devoted to these tiny creatures.
382
00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:51,720
Claudio Soto-Azat has spent
several years studying
383
00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,720
these unusual and rare frogs.
384
00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,400
He's been carefully monitoring
the effect of the ash.
385
00:32:58,280 --> 00:32:59,840
You can see no ash now,
386
00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:02,680
because there was a lot of rain
in a few days, but if you
387
00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:06,720
move the leaves, you can see that
there is a thick layer of ash.
388
00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:11,560
Logs like this one are normally
covered by moss and fern,
389
00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,040
but this fern, as you see here,
just died because of all the ash.
390
00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:21,400
The volcano is still active,
and a small change in the direction
391
00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,760
of the wind could bring the ash
cloud back over this area.
392
00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,840
The risk to these rare
animals is too great.
393
00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,160
Claudio has come to find and rescue
as many frogs as possible.
394
00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:35,800
On a previous visit,
he was only able
395
00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:38,040
to find four frogs in this forest.
396
00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,880
FROG CALLS
397
00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:44,520
Do you hear that? So that's a male
Darwin's Frog that just called now.
398
00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,920
They're masters of disguise,
and their colour varies,
399
00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:51,440
but always blends perfectly
with their surroundings.
400
00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,920
You normally don't see the actual
frog, but you see a jump.
401
00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:02,000
Oh, OK!
402
00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:05,840
Wonderful.
403
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:08,680
So, let's have a look.
404
00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:13,920
Wow!
405
00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:15,600
Wonderful.
406
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,440
So this is a male Darwin's Frog,
407
00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:21,560
pregnant with maybe five or six
tadpoles, and that means they
408
00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:25,880
have been the surviving the volcano,
but they also have been breeding.
409
00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:27,800
I've got one. Yeah, good.
410
00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:32,280
There are more frogs here than
Claudio was expecting,
411
00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:36,920
but with the forest so dry
and the volcano still venting ash,
412
00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:40,280
he will stick to his plan to
remove them and breed them
413
00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:44,280
in captivity until the threat
from the volcano has diminished.
414
00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:53,360
At the University of Concepcion,
the frogs are given a safe haven.
415
00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:57,120
They will hopefully breed a robust
population, which can one day
416
00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,280
be returned to the forest.
417
00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:05,960
For Claudio, it's another small step
towards saving this unique species.
418
00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:09,000
So here we have four
Darwin's Frogs that were first
419
00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:12,880
captured from the volcano, and now
we were able to get ten more,
420
00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:16,560
which is a good number to have a
captive breeding population,
421
00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,800
so this has been a very
successful trip.
422
00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:24,680
I'd certainly be very sad to lose
such a unique animal.
423
00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:28,120
There is still room on my ark,
so hop on board.
424
00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,760
The next creature for my ark is
one of the most endearing animals
425
00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:46,000
I've met - the pangolin.
426
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,840
The only truly scaly
mammal in the world.
427
00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,160
I've come across it
and number of times in my career.
428
00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:56,760
Here, for example,
in a film I made in 1973.
429
00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:02,480
But many years before that film,
I almost had to adopt one.
430
00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:10,920
It was back in 1956,
and we were making a film in Bali,
431
00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,640
and also collecting
animals for the London Zoo,
432
00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:18,120
and one day, a man came to us
with a pangolin in a sack.
433
00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:19,840
I didn't really want a pangolin,
434
00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:24,240
because they have a very specialised
diet, so they don't live well.
435
00:36:24,240 --> 00:36:26,840
So I asked the man what he would do
if we didn't buy it,
436
00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:29,280
and he said,
"Oh, well, we'd eat it."
437
00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:34,760
And the scales, he said,
were very good for medicine.
438
00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:36,720
So I said how much did
he want for it,
439
00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:40,240
and he said,
I think it was about five shillings.
440
00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:42,440
So I said, "OK, I'll buy it."
441
00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,920
And we headed for a couple of days
or so, travelling about,
442
00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:50,360
eating termites, and a very engaging
little creature it was, too.
443
00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:54,240
And then, after a couple of days,
one night we let it go.
444
00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:57,320
I hope he survived.
445
00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:06,040
This is Lucky.
446
00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:09,440
He was called Lucky because,
just like the one I came across
447
00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:13,240
all those years ago, he, too,
was rescued from certain death.
448
00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,840
He lives here at a rescue
centre in Vietnam.
449
00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:27,000
Lucky, like all sunda pangolins,
is rather shy.
450
00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:28,840
He prefers to come out at night,
451
00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:32,200
and can only easily be filmed
with special infrared cameras.
452
00:37:34,720 --> 00:37:38,880
Pangolins are similar to anteaters,
but uniquely, they have
453
00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:41,280
hard scales made of keratin,
454
00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:43,640
the same substance as our nails are
made of.
455
00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,880
They rely on their claws
being as sharp as possible,
456
00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:50,520
so they walk on their knuckles
to protect them.
457
00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:58,240
They use those claws to tear open
the nests of ants and termites,
458
00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:01,280
scooping up their prey
with their long, sticky tongue.
459
00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:07,160
They have a special talent for
climbing, and are immensely strong,
460
00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:11,840
a core strength that any
Pilates teacher would die for.
461
00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:17,680
Sadly,
these gymnasts face many threats.
462
00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:26,000
Sunda pangolins are found
across Southeast Asia.
463
00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,920
In Vietnam,
it's illegal to hunt or sell them.
464
00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,760
But that doesn't stop a thriving
black market
465
00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:35,400
in cities such as Hanoi.
466
00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:42,240
Here, their meat is considered
a delicacy,
467
00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:45,760
and their scales are used
in traditional Asian medicine.
468
00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:53,000
In the streets of Hanoi, there is
a legitimate trade for medicine,
469
00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:57,240
which includes the sale of various
animal parts, insects and plants.
470
00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:03,440
But pangolin scales can
also be found.
471
00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:08,880
Dan Challender,
from the University of Kent,
472
00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:12,000
is investigating the illegal
trade of pangolins,
473
00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:15,000
and it doesn't take him
long to find some for sale.
474
00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,240
These are scales of pangolins.
475
00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:20,720
These are now a valuable commodity.
476
00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:23,560
In the last few years, they've
increased dramatically in price
477
00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:27,000
and can fetch about $500 a kilo.
478
00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:32,560
I've just seen three, four,
five animals-worth of scales
479
00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,200
down there in a bag, and what's
going to happen to them now
480
00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:37,640
is that they're going to be ground
down and used in medicines
481
00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:41,760
to treat a range of ailments from
asthma, psoriasis or even cancer.
482
00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:45,680
And that's tragic, because there
is no evidence to suggest that
483
00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:48,520
pangolin scales are effective
in traditional Asian medicine.
484
00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:54,880
And when darkness
comes in the evening,
485
00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:57,680
the illegal trade continues.
486
00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:59,720
Pangolin meat is highly-prized
as a status symbol
487
00:39:59,720 --> 00:40:02,560
amongst Vietnam's business elite.
488
00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:07,000
They will pay top prices
for a variety of wild meats,
489
00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:08,520
including pangolin.
490
00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:13,320
Pangolin is offered in various
forms.
491
00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,960
Either grilled, fried, steamed
or cooked with bamboo shoots.
492
00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:20,240
Here's a picture of a foetus
of a pangolin
493
00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:22,080
that's served in a dish of soup.
494
00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,080
And pangolins are not only
popular in Vietnam.
495
00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:33,840
Huge numbers of them are illegally
exported, mainly to China.
496
00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:37,080
It's thought that
in the last 15 years
497
00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:40,520
over half the population of Sunda
pangolins has disappeared.
498
00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:47,200
But for any that are rescued,
there is a ray of hope.
499
00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:55,000
In the highly-secure pangolin
conservation project at Cuc Phuong,
500
00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:58,400
the animals are coaxed
back to health.
501
00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:04,160
Dan has come to the centre to
see his old friend Lucky.
502
00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:08,880
Lucky has been undergoing
rehabilitation
503
00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:13,840
since his rescue, and today there is
some good news Dan wasn't expecting.
504
00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:20,520
I've just found out that Lucky may
be released into a national park.
505
00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:23,360
It's actually quite a surprise
for me, because I actually
506
00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:26,040
thought he'd probably
be at the centre for quite a while.
507
00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:29,680
I like this animal,
so I've actually got mixed feelings,
508
00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:33,200
but if he is released,
then I wish him well.
509
00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:43,720
It would seem Lucky is not
particularly keen to leave here
510
00:41:43,720 --> 00:41:46,160
for a life in the wild.
511
00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:49,600
Well, I'd certainly be happy
to spend a few days again
512
00:41:49,600 --> 00:41:51,080
with a friendly pangolin.
513
00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:55,160
I think the only truly scaly mammal
in the world
514
00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:57,120
certainly deserves a berth.
515
00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:18,040
Around 80% of the Earth's
animal species are insects.
516
00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:21,600
They play a vital
role in the food chain,
517
00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:24,520
essential to many birds,
fish and many other animals.
518
00:42:25,720 --> 00:42:31,240
They fertilise and aerate the soil,
and, of course, they pollinate.
519
00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:36,520
Without them, life as we know it
would cease to exist.
520
00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:39,400
So with only three places
left on my ark,
521
00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,000
it would seem wrong not to
include at least one.
522
00:42:49,640 --> 00:42:51,920
'Butterflies lift the heart.'
523
00:42:56,040 --> 00:42:59,480
There are thousands to choose from,
524
00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:02,200
but this butterfly house has
one of my favourites.
525
00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:08,800
'I selected it for
its exquisite beauty.'
526
00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:18,760
This is a Priam's Birdwing
butterfly.
527
00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:24,280
It lives in Western New Guinea
and to the islands both east
528
00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:27,480
and west, and also down into the
northern part of Australia.
529
00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:33,600
Birdwings have
some of the largest of insect wings,
530
00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:36,440
and are very sought
after by collectors.
531
00:43:37,800 --> 00:43:41,720
The name comes from their rather
bird-like forewings.
532
00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:49,640
The male Priam Birdwing has
a striking pattern of vibrant
533
00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:51,280
green and black.
534
00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:01,400
The females are larger and less
colourful, but just as delightful.
535
00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:06,880
These butterflies are able to fly
long distances
536
00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:08,520
high above the forest canopy.
537
00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:29,240
But these beautiful insects only
live for about ten days
538
00:44:29,240 --> 00:44:31,280
as fully-formed adult butterflies.
539
00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:40,800
If I take him on board my ark,
I'm not going to have him for long.
540
00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:44,960
But in the ten
days of his short life,
541
00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:49,520
he'll bring such joy that I'm
delighted to have him on board.
542
00:44:52,760 --> 00:44:56,040
Oh, doesn't want to leave.
Off you go.
543
00:44:57,440 --> 00:44:58,480
Off you go.
544
00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:04,800
OK, stay on board.
545
00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:27,440
Australia is a fascinating
place for any naturalist.
546
00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:32,360
It's a land full of astonishing
creatures.
547
00:45:34,240 --> 00:45:36,960
From kangaroos,
548
00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:40,560
to echidnas,
549
00:45:42,560 --> 00:45:45,520
to the duck-billed platypus.
550
00:45:48,440 --> 00:45:50,800
It really is a place like no
other on earth.
551
00:45:53,240 --> 00:45:56,680
However, many of these remarkable
animals are also amongst
552
00:45:56,680 --> 00:45:59,120
the most threatened on the planet.
553
00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:03,080
So people here have had to come up
with some extraordinary ways
554
00:46:03,080 --> 00:46:04,280
to protect them.
555
00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:08,120
And there is one story that
particularly interests me -
556
00:46:08,120 --> 00:46:10,280
that of the quoll.
557
00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:14,360
They're just a fantastic animal.
Look at that. Very cute.
558
00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:19,160
Want a few more?
559
00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:22,280
There you go.
560
00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:27,280
As you'd expect, the northern
quoll can be found
561
00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:30,160
in the Northern Territories
of Australia.
562
00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:39,640
It looks rather mouse-like,
but during breeding, it develops
563
00:46:39,640 --> 00:46:43,960
a small pouch for its young,
and it is, in fact, a marsupial.
564
00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:47,560
And this marsupial is a meat-eater.
565
00:46:51,040 --> 00:46:53,480
But that fact could be its downfall.
566
00:46:58,040 --> 00:47:02,480
In recent years, it's been bumping
into a new kid on the block -
567
00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:04,240
the cane toad.
568
00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:09,320
The cane toad is
originally from South America,
569
00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:11,960
but since being introduced
to Australia,
570
00:47:11,960 --> 00:47:16,200
it's been devastating the wildlife
across that continent.
571
00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:19,240
It's a classic
case of an invasive species.
572
00:47:22,240 --> 00:47:26,600
The problem for the hungry quoll
is that this toad is also poisonous.
573
00:47:30,200 --> 00:47:33,960
The glands on its back release
a lethal venom.
574
00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:47,000
The cane toad population has spread
so quickly across Australia
575
00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:50,520
that the unsuspecting quolls have
been poisoned in their thousands.
576
00:48:01,120 --> 00:48:06,200
Here, at Territory Wildlife Park
near Darwin, quolls are brought
577
00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:08,920
to live in captivity as a safeguard
against extinction.
578
00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:15,360
An animal behaviour expert,
Jonathan Webb,
579
00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:20,000
has a radical idea to teach these
quolls that cane toads
580
00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:23,640
are off the menu, and stop them
eating themselves to extinction.
581
00:48:25,240 --> 00:48:27,280
When I came up with this idea,
people said,
582
00:48:27,280 --> 00:48:30,360
"You're crazy,
it's never going to work.
583
00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:34,000
"You can't train quolls
to avoid eating cane toads."
584
00:48:35,520 --> 00:48:41,480
So to prove their point, they set up
an anti-cane toad boot camp.
585
00:48:41,480 --> 00:48:46,200
At the centre of this unconventional
aversion therapy is a new recipe.
586
00:48:46,200 --> 00:48:47,920
Cane toad sausages.
587
00:48:51,040 --> 00:48:54,320
First, they cut up dead cane toads
and skin the legs.
588
00:48:57,400 --> 00:49:00,800
The poisonous
parts of the toad are discarded.
589
00:49:02,760 --> 00:49:07,320
Then, a sickness-inducing drug is
mixed with a juicy piece
590
00:49:07,320 --> 00:49:11,200
of cane toad meat and stuffed
into the toad's leg skin,
591
00:49:11,200 --> 00:49:14,840
before being tied to create
a sausage.
592
00:49:16,640 --> 00:49:21,320
Jonathan's theory is that when the
quolls eat these cane toad sausages,
593
00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:25,600
they will feel mildly sick from the
odourless, flavourless drug.
594
00:49:26,720 --> 00:49:30,080
He hopes that they will now
associate that sick feeling
595
00:49:30,080 --> 00:49:34,320
with the taste of cane toads, and
will avoid live toads in the future.
596
00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:39,560
The bowls are placed in the quoll
enclosures,
597
00:49:39,560 --> 00:49:42,720
and as night falls, the quolls
are out, looking for food.
598
00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:55,240
Next morning,
the bowls are all empty,
599
00:49:55,240 --> 00:49:57,280
and the quolls are feeling the
effect of that
600
00:49:57,280 --> 00:50:01,360
chemical in the sausages, and are
looking rather sorry for themselves.
601
00:50:05,000 --> 00:50:07,840
But the sick feeling only
last a few hours,
602
00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:11,240
and soon the quolls are back
on form, catching crickets.
603
00:50:15,400 --> 00:50:19,600
It's time for a second helping
of the specially-prepared
604
00:50:19,600 --> 00:50:21,080
toad sausages.
605
00:50:21,080 --> 00:50:24,240
Jonathan will be preparing
for a rather different result
606
00:50:24,240 --> 00:50:26,920
when he checks the quoll's
bowls in the morning.
607
00:50:35,200 --> 00:50:38,320
We've got six animals to
check today.
608
00:50:38,320 --> 00:50:40,880
They've all eaten the bait once
and become ill,
609
00:50:40,880 --> 00:50:43,080
and we've offered them
the bait the second time,
610
00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:46,640
and we're hoping that they'll all
have rejected the toad bait.
611
00:50:47,840 --> 00:50:52,080
Oh, excellent.
It hasn't been touched. Fantastic.
612
00:50:53,160 --> 00:50:55,440
I'd say that one's toad-trained.
613
00:50:57,400 --> 00:51:00,280
She hasn't touched this one.
614
00:51:00,280 --> 00:51:01,880
Excellent. Hasn't been touched.
615
00:51:01,880 --> 00:51:03,200
But it's not all good news,
616
00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:06,360
as some of the quolls would appear
to have flunked the test.
617
00:51:06,360 --> 00:51:08,000
Ah!
618
00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:12,240
Well, this one's taken the bait,
which is disappointing.
619
00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:20,960
So this little fellow will
have to resit.
620
00:51:20,960 --> 00:51:23,800
More cane toad sausages for him.
621
00:51:23,800 --> 00:51:26,840
But for the graduates
of Jonathan's programme,
622
00:51:26,840 --> 00:51:31,120
it's back to life in the wild
at nearby Kakadu National Park.
623
00:51:45,160 --> 00:51:48,800
This area has been
invaded by cane toads,
624
00:51:48,800 --> 00:51:51,120
but with their new training,
625
00:51:51,120 --> 00:51:53,680
these quolls should stand
a fighting chance.
626
00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:06,880
Then it's time to check the traps
they left the day before.
627
00:52:06,880 --> 00:52:08,480
Hey, we've got a quoll!
628
00:52:11,120 --> 00:52:13,480
In this cane toad-infested area,
629
00:52:13,480 --> 00:52:16,920
it's always encouraging
to find a live quoll.
630
00:52:16,920 --> 00:52:19,960
It's often an animal
they've already trained.
631
00:52:19,960 --> 00:52:23,600
But this time, when they scan to see
if the quoll has been
632
00:52:23,600 --> 00:52:27,600
previously micro-chipped,
the news is particularly welcome.
633
00:52:32,680 --> 00:52:34,320
Wow, that's fantastic.
634
00:52:34,320 --> 00:52:37,960
So this is the daughter of one
of the females that we
635
00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:41,400
reintroduced to
the site in February 2010.
636
00:52:41,400 --> 00:52:45,560
This important development
means that this quoll
637
00:52:45,560 --> 00:52:49,720
has most likely been brought up
by its mother to avoid cane toads.
638
00:52:49,720 --> 00:52:52,160
Fantastic.
639
00:52:52,160 --> 00:52:54,000
For Jonathan,
640
00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:58,680
it means that he only needs to train
one generation of quolls
641
00:52:58,680 --> 00:53:02,120
and the quolls will pass down
the knowledge to their offspring.
642
00:53:09,960 --> 00:53:12,720
It's just one of those Eureka
moments, where you think,
643
00:53:12,720 --> 00:53:17,960
"Wow, this technique could actually
help save this species."
644
00:53:17,960 --> 00:53:22,680
It's a remarkable example
of ingenuity and innovation saving
645
00:53:22,680 --> 00:53:26,480
a species, and that's why I'll
welcome the quoll aboard my ark.
646
00:53:38,320 --> 00:53:41,920
I very much doubt you'll be able
to guess my final selection.
647
00:53:46,240 --> 00:53:48,760
It can be found
at the bottom of the sea.
648
00:53:50,240 --> 00:53:55,080
The ocean depths are full of rare,
beautiful and often bizarre animals.
649
00:53:56,760 --> 00:53:58,920
Many we know very little about,
650
00:53:58,920 --> 00:54:01,560
and there must be thousands
awaiting discovery.
651
00:54:03,480 --> 00:54:07,320
The creature I'm interested in
clings to the ocean floor.
652
00:54:14,520 --> 00:54:16,640
They may look like plants,
653
00:54:16,640 --> 00:54:20,120
but sponges are one of the simplest
of all living animals.
654
00:54:21,240 --> 00:54:23,560
Yet in their own way,
they're amazing.
655
00:54:25,040 --> 00:54:29,680
They can be put through a mincer,
reduced to a mush of cells,
656
00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:34,400
yet still reorganise themselves
and reform into a sponge.
657
00:54:39,840 --> 00:54:45,320
There is one small but very
special family of sponges
658
00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:47,720
known as the glass sponges.
659
00:54:48,880 --> 00:54:50,800
Like these.
660
00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:55,240
This particular species is called
Venus' Flower Basket.
661
00:54:55,240 --> 00:54:59,760
And they're called glass sponges
because they strengthen their body
662
00:54:59,760 --> 00:55:05,880
with microscopic needles of silica,
the same substance that makes glass.
663
00:55:05,880 --> 00:55:08,480
Their needles join
together in three,
664
00:55:08,480 --> 00:55:10,520
so they have six-pointed stars,
665
00:55:10,520 --> 00:55:16,680
and these tiny little elements
are then deposited by the sponge
666
00:55:16,680 --> 00:55:20,840
to form this extraordinarily
complex, beautiful structure.
667
00:55:23,480 --> 00:55:27,560
This complex glass structure
is a marvel of design.
668
00:55:28,960 --> 00:55:32,320
The same kind of construction
is used to build skyscrapers.
669
00:55:34,080 --> 00:55:38,400
But what is amazing is that the
sponge grows its lattice, and
670
00:55:38,400 --> 00:55:42,600
doesn't require the kind of red-hot
furnace that human glassmakers need.
671
00:55:44,960 --> 00:55:47,040
The Venus' Flower Basket
can be found
672
00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:49,360
at great depths of up
to 1,000 metres.
673
00:55:52,880 --> 00:55:55,600
Down there,
you need a special submarine,
674
00:55:55,600 --> 00:55:57,640
because the water pressure
is so great.
675
00:56:00,320 --> 00:56:03,920
Only creatures that have adapted
to this extreme environment
676
00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:05,560
can survive down here.
677
00:56:09,680 --> 00:56:13,680
The Venus' Flower Basket feeds
on the tiny particles
678
00:56:13,680 --> 00:56:16,600
of organic matter that fall from
the more habitable water above.
679
00:56:21,200 --> 00:56:25,400
It creates a current to draw
water in the bottom,
680
00:56:25,400 --> 00:56:29,520
and after absorbing what it needs,
it expels the waste at the top.
681
00:56:44,720 --> 00:56:48,200
How such a simple creature
as this could have
682
00:56:48,200 --> 00:56:54,080
constructed as complex
a skeleton as that, no-one can say.
683
00:56:55,760 --> 00:56:59,600
But for me,
these are some of the most beautiful
684
00:56:59,600 --> 00:57:03,240
and some of the most remarkable
living organisms,
685
00:57:03,240 --> 00:57:06,840
and I'll be delighted to
have one on my ark.
686
00:57:16,480 --> 00:57:19,360
So, there we have it.
My ark is full.
687
00:57:21,360 --> 00:57:26,200
There is such a huge variety of life
on Earth that I could have chosen
688
00:57:26,200 --> 00:57:28,280
any one of thousands
of different species.
689
00:57:29,720 --> 00:57:34,040
But these few give a glimpse of the
astounding diversity of nature.
690
00:57:34,040 --> 00:57:38,000
Wow! So this is a pregnant male.
691
00:57:38,000 --> 00:57:41,600
Their stories also show us
some of the dedicated people,
692
00:57:41,600 --> 00:57:43,840
trying to protect these animals.
693
00:57:43,840 --> 00:57:46,160
This is a living fossil.
694
00:57:47,960 --> 00:57:50,880
The innovative techniques that
researchers have devised.
695
00:57:50,880 --> 00:57:53,280
I'd say that one's toad-trained.
696
00:57:56,480 --> 00:57:59,720
The extreme lengths that
conservationists will go to
697
00:57:59,720 --> 00:58:01,320
in the struggle to save a species.
698
00:58:04,200 --> 00:58:08,840
And ultimately, the reward such
painstaking work can bring.
699
00:58:08,840 --> 00:58:10,440
Wow! This is fantastic and wonderful.
700
00:58:14,920 --> 00:58:18,880
Those are some of the animals that
intrigue and fascinate me.
701
00:58:18,880 --> 00:58:23,240
And I won't forget Venus' Flower
Basket either, as a reminder
702
00:58:23,240 --> 00:58:27,120
of how much we still have to
learn about the natural world.
703
00:58:51,280 --> 00:58:54,360
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
62075
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