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In the far reaches
of the Pacific Ocean...
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00:00:15,020 --> 00:00:18,620
..lies a land cut off
from the rest the world...
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00:00:20,580 --> 00:00:22,980
..since the time of the dinosaurs.
4
00:00:31,220 --> 00:00:35,860
After 80 million years of isolation,
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00:00:35,860 --> 00:00:38,460
nature has gone its own way.
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00:00:42,500 --> 00:00:46,220
In this lost world,
life plays by different rules.
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00:00:50,620 --> 00:00:52,460
Penguins in the forests.
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00:00:54,260 --> 00:00:55,740
Parrots in the snow.
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00:00:58,340 --> 00:01:00,860
And predators from prehistory.
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00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:09,740
Their lives are dominated by the
most powerful forces on earth.
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00:01:12,180 --> 00:01:16,420
When humans finally arrived,
they discovered
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00:01:16,420 --> 00:01:20,700
nowhere is more strange
and mysterious
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00:01:20,700 --> 00:01:22,100
than New Zealand.
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00:01:30,620 --> 00:01:35,260
LOW BIRD CALL
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00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:41,620
LOW BIRD CALL
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00:01:43,140 --> 00:01:48,300
This strange sound can be heard
in no other wilderness on earth.
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00:01:50,380 --> 00:01:53,380
It carries through the forest
for miles.
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00:01:55,460 --> 00:02:00,620
An extremely loud call
from a very unexpected creature.
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00:02:05,340 --> 00:02:06,420
A young, male...
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00:02:07,580 --> 00:02:08,620
..kakapo.
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00:02:14,740 --> 00:02:18,940
He's been up all night,
booming, to get lucky.
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00:02:20,740 --> 00:02:24,260
Just as he has every night
for the last few months.
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00:02:28,660 --> 00:02:32,340
But not one female
has answered his resounding calls.
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00:02:41,940 --> 00:02:45,300
Now he's rushing back
to his roost for a snooze.
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00:02:48,940 --> 00:02:51,620
Maybe tonight his luck will change.
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00:03:02,460 --> 00:03:07,140
Kakapo are by far the
heaviest parrot in the world.
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00:03:12,260 --> 00:03:16,180
In these tangled forests,
it is climbing that counts.
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00:03:19,420 --> 00:03:22,940
So it's perhaps no surprise
that they can't fly.
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00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:36,340
This male is just 19 years old,
but he could live for a century,
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00:03:36,900 --> 00:03:40,260
which is a very long time
to be without a mate.
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00:03:48,540 --> 00:03:51,380
Cast adrift for 80 million years,
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00:03:51,380 --> 00:03:53,780
life in New Zealand slowed down.
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00:03:58,700 --> 00:04:02,780
So much so that the
kakapo's neighbours, tuatara,
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00:04:02,780 --> 00:04:05,420
may take only one breath an hour...
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00:04:09,340 --> 00:04:11,500
..and might not eat for months.
36
00:04:14,260 --> 00:04:19,020
Many species here grow slowly,
breed rarely and live longer...
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00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:23,900
..in this gentle kingdom
of reptiles...
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00:04:26,340 --> 00:04:28,140
..birds...
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00:04:31,220 --> 00:04:32,700
..and ancient forests.
40
00:04:39,140 --> 00:04:41,180
Even plants take their time.
41
00:04:46,260 --> 00:04:50,380
The rimu tree can live
for nearly 1,000 years
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00:04:50,380 --> 00:04:53,780
and produces fruit
only two or three times a decade.
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00:04:59,700 --> 00:05:04,620
And it's only in these rare years
where there's plenty of food,
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00:05:04,620 --> 00:05:06,500
that kakapos can breed.
45
00:05:08,380 --> 00:05:11,540
Or, at least, that's how it's been
for millions of years.
46
00:05:13,580 --> 00:05:15,860
But times have changed.
47
00:05:23,820 --> 00:05:27,500
And now the lonely kakapo
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00:05:27,500 --> 00:05:31,540
is the only kakapo
on mainland New Zealand.
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00:05:40,340 --> 00:05:45,420
The tale of this lonely heart
is also the tale
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00:05:45,420 --> 00:05:48,260
of what makes New Zealand
the land it is today.
51
00:05:50,460 --> 00:05:55,260
It's the story of the discovery
of these distant islands
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00:05:55,260 --> 00:05:58,380
and the extraordinary
transformation that has followed.
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00:06:01,460 --> 00:06:04,500
It begins in the
tropical paradise...
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00:06:06,260 --> 00:06:07,500
..of Polynesia.
55
00:06:21,540 --> 00:06:24,580
These islands were conquered
by seafaring people.
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00:06:27,660 --> 00:06:32,900
The invention of double hulls and
simple sails turned dugout canoes
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00:06:32,980 --> 00:06:34,580
into oceangoing craft.
58
00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:49,460
Less than 800 years ago,
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00:06:49,460 --> 00:06:53,020
these daring explorers
set their course south.
60
00:07:11,260 --> 00:07:12,300
Beyond the horizon...
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00:07:13,700 --> 00:07:14,940
..and into the unknown.
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00:07:18,020 --> 00:07:21,820
Across almost 2,000 miles
of empty ocean.
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00:07:28,980 --> 00:07:34,020
Exactly how they explored the vast
South Pacific is still a mystery.
64
00:07:40,020 --> 00:07:43,980
But legend has it
they did not navigate alone.
65
00:07:48,260 --> 00:07:50,980
These explorers had expert guides.
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00:07:56,500 --> 00:07:59,220
Sperm whales travel south
every year...
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00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:06,220
..on the same route from
tropical Polynesia to New Zealand
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00:08:06,220 --> 00:08:09,860
in search of some of the richest
feeding grounds on earth.
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00:08:16,420 --> 00:08:17,740
As they neared land,
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00:08:17,740 --> 00:08:20,940
flocks of sea birds would have
greeted these explorers.
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00:08:24,220 --> 00:08:28,340
New Zealand has
almost 100 species -
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00:08:28,340 --> 00:08:30,300
more than anywhere else on earth.
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00:08:54,420 --> 00:08:57,660
After 80 million years of isolation,
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00:08:57,660 --> 00:09:01,860
the lost kingdom of New Zealand
had been found.
75
00:09:06,700 --> 00:09:09,980
The last great landmass
to be settled by people.
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00:09:15,100 --> 00:09:19,100
Those first explorers
found forests of trees,
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00:09:19,100 --> 00:09:23,460
dense and deep
and full of hidden life.
78
00:09:31,740 --> 00:09:35,700
Rivers flowing with crystal waters,
79
00:09:35,700 --> 00:09:37,940
some of the clearest in the world.
80
00:09:58,100 --> 00:10:00,740
Giant mountains,
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00:10:00,740 --> 00:10:03,740
towering nearly 4,000 metres
into the sky.
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00:10:12,820 --> 00:10:15,460
When my ancestors first
came to New Zealand,
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00:10:15,460 --> 00:10:18,980
they would have encountered a land
untouched by any other human beings.
84
00:10:23,460 --> 00:10:26,340
They discovered
vast tracts of rainforests.
85
00:10:29,980 --> 00:10:32,660
I would imagine that
they would look at these trees,
86
00:10:32,660 --> 00:10:36,300
the size of the trees, and imagine
they were literally holding up
87
00:10:36,300 --> 00:10:37,460
the vaults of heaven.
88
00:10:39,380 --> 00:10:42,180
They realised the bounty
that was here,
89
00:10:42,180 --> 00:10:44,980
and that took on a
spiritual significance for them.
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00:10:50,060 --> 00:10:53,340
Maori story guardian
Michael Elkington
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00:10:53,340 --> 00:10:56,780
is offering his thanks
to the forest.
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00:10:56,780 --> 00:10:58,580
HE INCANTS
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00:11:00,060 --> 00:11:03,460
A proud descendant
of those brave pioneers
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00:11:03,460 --> 00:11:05,900
who became the very first
people of New Zealand.
95
00:11:11,180 --> 00:11:12,140
The Maori.
96
00:11:16,860 --> 00:11:21,060
But incredibly, they weren't just
the first people,
97
00:11:21,060 --> 00:11:25,340
they were the first large
land mammals to ever step foot here.
98
00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:34,940
Life in the slow lane
was about to change forever.
99
00:11:40,740 --> 00:11:43,660
Domesticated pigs
arrived here as food.
100
00:11:49,460 --> 00:11:51,620
They bred fast
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00:11:51,620 --> 00:11:53,660
and rampaged
through the undergrowth.
102
00:11:59,860 --> 00:12:04,620
The tusked weta is New Zealand's
equivalent of a mouse...
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00:12:09,260 --> 00:12:12,140
..and a worthy snack
for a foraging pig.
104
00:12:30,860 --> 00:12:35,500
With pigs snuffling close behind,
there is only one place to go.
105
00:12:37,700 --> 00:12:40,140
And it's the last place
you would expect.
106
00:13:29,740 --> 00:13:32,220
This weta is an escape artist.
107
00:13:38,060 --> 00:13:41,500
The pigs can't see or smell him
when he's underwater.
108
00:14:03,580 --> 00:14:05,660
He can stay under
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00:14:05,660 --> 00:14:07,100
for up to ten minutes.
110
00:14:39,220 --> 00:14:41,380
And now the coast is clear.
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00:14:43,660 --> 00:14:48,740
80 million years of isolation
have endowed this ancient creature
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00:14:48,740 --> 00:14:50,820
with extraordinary survival skills.
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00:14:57,020 --> 00:14:59,540
New Zealand's wildlife
doesn't give up easily.
114
00:15:05,380 --> 00:15:10,100
But, in 1642,
something appeared on the horizon
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00:15:10,100 --> 00:15:12,420
the likes of which
had never been seen before.
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00:15:14,140 --> 00:15:18,980
The first European ship had entered
New Zealand's uncharted waters.
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00:15:20,860 --> 00:15:23,860
The explorers on board
were as astonished
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00:15:23,860 --> 00:15:26,100
by this fairy tale kingdom
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00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:28,140
as the tourists
who flock here today.
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00:15:40,540 --> 00:15:45,740
Dutchman Abel Tasman,
captain of that first ship, noted,
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00:15:46,980 --> 00:15:48,860
"A very fine land,
large and uplifted high."
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00:15:52,020 --> 00:15:56,940
His discovery would be named after
the Dutch region of Zeeland.
123
00:15:58,900 --> 00:16:01,660
Reports of a
New "Zealand" soon spread.
124
00:16:04,740 --> 00:16:09,540
By the 1860s, tens of thousands of
Europeans had made their way here.
125
00:16:17,540 --> 00:16:19,540
Most would never see home again...
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00:16:23,180 --> 00:16:24,780
..so they brought it with them.
127
00:16:30,620 --> 00:16:35,020
European-style gardens flourished
in New Zealand's temperate climate.
128
00:16:43,460 --> 00:16:48,580
A pukeko chick and his family might
find that they are some of the only
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00:16:48,900 --> 00:16:52,380
authentic New Zealanders left
in a garden like this.
130
00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:58,140
He's old enough to set off
on his own voyage of discovery.
131
00:17:04,900 --> 00:17:08,820
His huge feet are adapted
for traversing swamps,
132
00:17:08,820 --> 00:17:12,980
but they also equip him to step out
into an exotic new world...
133
00:17:21,300 --> 00:17:26,140
..where imported flowers from India
and China are pollinated
134
00:17:26,140 --> 00:17:27,220
by British bees.
135
00:17:32,300 --> 00:17:35,460
Ornamental trees
from Japan and America
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00:17:35,460 --> 00:17:38,100
are home to birds from Europe,
137
00:17:38,100 --> 00:17:40,460
like blackbirds
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00:17:40,460 --> 00:17:41,740
and chaffinches.
139
00:17:51,180 --> 00:17:55,940
Gardens the
length and breadth of New Zealand
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00:17:55,940 --> 00:17:58,660
are home to life
from all around the planet.
141
00:18:12,060 --> 00:18:17,180
The pukeko may encounter strange
beasts never seen by his ancestors.
142
00:18:22,860 --> 00:18:24,660
Hedgehogs flourish here.
143
00:18:32,300 --> 00:18:35,860
A few dozen founding individuals
became millions.
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00:18:37,100 --> 00:18:38,460
Their population exploded.
145
00:18:52,300 --> 00:18:56,420
For some native creatures, new
arrivals meant new opportunities.
146
00:19:05,220 --> 00:19:08,700
Especially those prepared
to expand their diet.
147
00:19:19,100 --> 00:19:20,140
The weka.
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00:19:25,220 --> 00:19:30,020
He may be flightless, but he's
quick to seize an opportunity.
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00:19:38,660 --> 00:19:41,180
He's assembling his own picnic.
150
00:19:56,220 --> 00:19:58,660
And inviting the whole family.
151
00:20:12,260 --> 00:20:17,500
These young wekas are growing up in
a world full of new opportunities.
152
00:20:22,580 --> 00:20:25,300
Life can be very good
in New Zealand.
153
00:20:32,660 --> 00:20:36,780
And so some new arrivals have grown
in more than just numbers.
154
00:20:48,300 --> 00:20:52,940
Brown trout were first introduced
to these pristine rivers for sport
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00:20:52,940 --> 00:20:54,340
in the late 1800s.
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00:20:56,380 --> 00:20:59,220
With little competition
and few predators,
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00:20:59,220 --> 00:21:01,620
they grew to enormous proportions.
158
00:21:06,380 --> 00:21:10,020
Today New Zealand's trout can
reach lengths of almost a metre...
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00:21:12,340 --> 00:21:13,620
..and weigh up to five kilos.
160
00:21:16,700 --> 00:21:21,060
These prize fish
have monstrous appetites
161
00:21:21,060 --> 00:21:23,900
and surprisingly
bloodthirsty tastes.
162
00:21:29,420 --> 00:21:34,460
So some fly fishermen opt for
something a little more substantial.
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00:21:38,500 --> 00:21:43,100
Here, the insect imitations
have been replaced with fluffy
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00:21:43,100 --> 00:21:45,340
imitation
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mice.
166
00:21:53,340 --> 00:21:55,940
House mice first arrived
in New Zealand
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as stowaways on European boats.
168
00:22:03,180 --> 00:22:05,660
This youngster is looking
for his next meal.
169
00:22:08,420 --> 00:22:10,900
But first he'll have to
run a gauntlet.
170
00:23:03,380 --> 00:23:08,260
For mouse or man, opportunities
come to those who take them.
171
00:23:18,300 --> 00:23:23,460
New Zealand is a modern paradise
for newcomers from around the world.
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00:23:29,540 --> 00:23:31,900
They thrive here
173
00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:34,020
but they've not all had it easy.
174
00:23:47,420 --> 00:23:49,660
The story of New Zealand's
famous sheep
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is not one of overnight success.
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00:24:04,940 --> 00:24:10,140
Neil Gardyne is the descendant
of an early sheep-farming pioneer.
177
00:24:14,860 --> 00:24:19,700
My great-grandfather came from
the east of Scotland in 1860
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00:24:19,700 --> 00:24:21,980
and purchased some land.
179
00:24:21,980 --> 00:24:25,020
All of this area
would have been in scrub.
180
00:24:25,020 --> 00:24:26,860
There would have been mudflats.
181
00:24:28,780 --> 00:24:31,100
They would have been
extremely tough years.
182
00:24:32,460 --> 00:24:36,060
Their first flocks struggled
on New Zealand's meagre grazing.
183
00:24:38,060 --> 00:24:42,420
The determined pioneers then tried
richer grasses imported from Europe.
184
00:24:55,100 --> 00:24:58,460
But these new grasses
began to wither and fail.
185
00:25:01,580 --> 00:25:05,620
It took the lowly British earthworm
to revive the soil.
186
00:25:08,860 --> 00:25:11,060
At last the pastures improved,
187
00:25:11,060 --> 00:25:13,900
and New Zealand's famous
sheep population grew.
188
00:25:18,980 --> 00:25:24,020
At their peak, in the 1980s,
sheep outnumbered people 20 to 1.
189
00:25:30,420 --> 00:25:33,500
Today's pioneers are not
resting on their laurels.
190
00:25:34,860 --> 00:25:36,460
They're continuing to innovate.
191
00:25:39,980 --> 00:25:43,220
Neil's son Mark
is upgrading sheepdog Eve...
192
00:25:45,020 --> 00:25:46,180
..for a drone.
193
00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:07,020
This robotic sheepdog in the sky
194
00:26:07,020 --> 00:26:10,980
monitors, herds
and counts their flock
195
00:26:10,980 --> 00:26:13,060
across miles of rugged terrain.
196
00:26:21,660 --> 00:26:24,780
Through sheer ingenuity
and perseverance,
197
00:26:24,780 --> 00:26:28,220
New Zealand's pioneers
have achieved something incredible.
198
00:26:31,380 --> 00:26:35,420
Creating an agricultural landscape
that is now the envy of the world.
199
00:26:49,220 --> 00:26:50,860
And sheep were just the beginning.
200
00:26:53,500 --> 00:26:56,460
Its position on the planet
and clean air
201
00:26:56,460 --> 00:26:59,860
gift New Zealand some of
the brightest sunshine
202
00:26:59,860 --> 00:27:00,980
anywhere on earth.
203
00:27:09,340 --> 00:27:11,980
Wheat yields here
have broken records.
204
00:27:16,860 --> 00:27:19,740
An obscure Chinese vine
does so well,
205
00:27:19,740 --> 00:27:22,140
we now call it the kiwi fruit.
206
00:27:27,980 --> 00:27:32,500
And some consider New Zealand's
Sauvignon blanc the very best
207
00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:33,700
in the world.
208
00:27:38,380 --> 00:27:40,420
With the right kind of help,
209
00:27:40,420 --> 00:27:43,500
everything that is brought
to New Zealand flourishes.
210
00:27:50,020 --> 00:27:55,260
But the effect of this rapid change
on the slow-paced native wildlife
211
00:27:55,420 --> 00:27:57,460
is just beginning
to be fully understood.
212
00:28:07,260 --> 00:28:11,980
In 1976, under Honeycomb Hill
on the South Island,
213
00:28:11,980 --> 00:28:15,820
forestry workers discovered a portal
214
00:28:15,820 --> 00:28:18,580
into New Zealand's ancient past.
215
00:28:22,380 --> 00:28:23,340
A time capsule.
216
00:28:32,420 --> 00:28:35,460
The remains of giant creatures
lay where they fell.
217
00:28:40,540 --> 00:28:44,060
Single vertebrae the size
of a child's head.
218
00:28:47,460 --> 00:28:49,940
Leg bones as thick as a man's arm.
219
00:28:52,220 --> 00:28:55,140
These were the remains
of giant birds.
220
00:28:56,980 --> 00:28:58,020
The moa.
221
00:29:00,180 --> 00:29:02,460
Some of the biggest
and most extraordinary birds
222
00:29:02,460 --> 00:29:03,900
to have ever walked the earth.
223
00:29:06,180 --> 00:29:09,380
The mightiest could reach nearly
three and a half metres
224
00:29:09,380 --> 00:29:11,820
and weighed almost
a quarter of a tonne.
225
00:29:17,540 --> 00:29:21,180
But these are not fossils
from the Jurassic age.
226
00:29:21,180 --> 00:29:22,780
These are still bones.
227
00:29:29,100 --> 00:29:34,220
These extraordinary birds were still
here when humans first arrived.
228
00:29:39,260 --> 00:29:42,500
In a sheltered overhang,
we can see the evidence.
229
00:29:45,780 --> 00:29:51,020
Tracing the fading charcoal
lines reveals drawings
230
00:29:51,420 --> 00:29:53,100
etched by eyewitnesses.
231
00:30:04,860 --> 00:30:07,540
Not just of moa,
but their predators too.
232
00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:11,500
The Haast's eagle, the largest,
233
00:30:11,500 --> 00:30:14,620
most terrifying eagle
that has ever lived,
234
00:30:14,620 --> 00:30:16,900
large enough to prey
upon human children.
235
00:30:29,780 --> 00:30:32,260
For hundreds of thousands of years,
236
00:30:32,260 --> 00:30:35,180
New Zealand had been a world
ruled by these giants.
237
00:30:41,660 --> 00:30:44,860
Within two centuries
of human arrival,
238
00:30:44,860 --> 00:30:47,260
they had all
been driven to extinction.
239
00:30:55,420 --> 00:30:58,860
But many of New Zealand's
smaller creatures did survive.
240
00:31:03,940 --> 00:31:06,380
Witnesses to an
incredible transformation.
241
00:31:09,340 --> 00:31:11,660
He would have seen
the coming of the Maori.
242
00:31:13,500 --> 00:31:15,380
He would have seen
the coming of the English.
243
00:31:17,780 --> 00:31:19,980
They would have seen
the decline of the birds.
244
00:31:21,220 --> 00:31:24,220
Their domain slowly shrinking
in about them.
245
00:31:27,420 --> 00:31:30,740
He would have seen the many,
many changes.
246
00:31:34,260 --> 00:31:37,900
Throughout it all,
the kakapo was clinging on.
247
00:31:44,220 --> 00:31:47,020
But in 1883
248
00:31:47,020 --> 00:31:50,580
the arrival of one frenetic creature
threatened everything.
249
00:31:55,140 --> 00:31:59,740
A mischievous, rocket-fuelled rascal
from the other side of the world.
250
00:32:02,100 --> 00:32:03,380
The European stoat.
251
00:32:07,340 --> 00:32:10,460
Where he comes from,
survival is a race.
252
00:32:19,620 --> 00:32:22,780
Life at this speed
requires regular meals,
253
00:32:22,780 --> 00:32:24,380
up to five or six a day.
254
00:32:29,700 --> 00:32:31,900
It was the stoat's
voracious appetite
255
00:32:31,900 --> 00:32:33,900
that won them a ticket to paradise.
256
00:32:39,940 --> 00:32:43,220
A few hundred were imported
by Victorian farmers
257
00:32:43,220 --> 00:32:44,500
to control rabbits.
258
00:32:48,180 --> 00:32:52,220
But that same appetite
caused chaos in their new home.
259
00:32:54,820 --> 00:32:58,300
Native birds had no defence
against this nimble newcomer.
260
00:32:59,980 --> 00:33:02,140
Their nests
261
00:33:02,140 --> 00:33:03,140
were exposed.
262
00:33:09,100 --> 00:33:11,340
And adult birds
were at risk as well.
263
00:33:17,300 --> 00:33:20,740
The red-crowned parakeet,
the kakapo's little cousin.
264
00:33:27,980 --> 00:33:31,620
Mother birds refuse
to abandon their nests,
265
00:33:31,620 --> 00:33:33,500
so they are often
the first to be targeted.
266
00:33:43,020 --> 00:33:46,060
What's more, stoats will tackle
much larger prey,
267
00:33:46,060 --> 00:33:47,940
up to ten times
their own body weight.
268
00:33:50,980 --> 00:33:52,140
Like the kakapo.
269
00:33:57,780 --> 00:34:00,100
In less than 150 years,
270
00:34:00,100 --> 00:34:03,100
kakapo have been driven
to the very edge of extinction.
271
00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:11,900
New Zealand's slow and gentle
creatures were struggling
272
00:34:11,900 --> 00:34:13,940
with this new pace of life.
273
00:34:20,500 --> 00:34:24,700
But there is now the chance to save
what was once nearly lost.
274
00:34:29,300 --> 00:34:32,540
It's a movement with
a very unlikely figurehead.
275
00:34:37,460 --> 00:34:41,660
This lonely kakapo
has never found a mate,
276
00:34:41,660 --> 00:34:44,140
but that doesn't mean he's alone.
277
00:34:44,140 --> 00:34:45,540
And he even has a name.
278
00:34:49,220 --> 00:34:53,660
Sirocco was hand-reared as a chick
and adores people,
279
00:34:53,660 --> 00:34:54,940
and they adore him.
280
00:35:03,340 --> 00:35:06,420
Now Sirocco has
a very important job.
281
00:35:06,420 --> 00:35:09,140
He is the ambassador
for his species,
282
00:35:09,140 --> 00:35:11,620
and a conservation icon
in New Zealand.
283
00:35:14,180 --> 00:35:15,660
Hello. Fantastic.
284
00:35:15,660 --> 00:35:17,860
We've also been able
to confirm a seat for Sirocco.
285
00:35:17,860 --> 00:35:19,300
Thank you.
286
00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:23,180
As a government official,
he has an aide to handle the admin.
287
00:35:25,220 --> 00:35:26,620
And to carry his bags.
288
00:35:33,780 --> 00:35:36,380
Welcome. Welcome to Sirocco.
289
00:35:36,380 --> 00:35:40,860
He may be a slow, bumbling parrot,
but he has a jet-set lifestyle.
290
00:35:44,300 --> 00:35:47,860
It seems this kakapo
can fly after all.
291
00:35:50,940 --> 00:35:53,300
His strange, charmed, hectic life,
292
00:35:53,300 --> 00:35:55,420
has become one long
conservation mission.
293
00:36:01,340 --> 00:36:05,380
All the way to the most
powerful seat in the country -
294
00:36:05,380 --> 00:36:07,580
New Zealand's Houses of Parliament.
295
00:36:13,700 --> 00:36:18,780
Today is his chance to charm
the politicians, meet his public,
296
00:36:19,020 --> 00:36:20,780
and raise awareness
for New Zealand's
297
00:36:20,780 --> 00:36:22,660
world-leading conservation efforts.
298
00:36:27,500 --> 00:36:30,460
Sirocco is definitely one of a kind.
299
00:36:30,460 --> 00:36:32,180
He is an online star.
300
00:36:32,180 --> 00:36:35,660
He has over 100,000 Facebook fans -
301
00:36:35,660 --> 00:36:36,660
keeps him busy.
302
00:36:37,700 --> 00:36:39,980
Well, it keeps someone busy.
303
00:36:39,980 --> 00:36:42,580
And of course he's New Zealand's
official spokesbird
304
00:36:42,580 --> 00:36:45,860
for conservation, so it's about time
he paid a visit to Parliament.
305
00:36:45,860 --> 00:36:49,460
Sirocco's colleague,
Deidre Vercoe, does the talking...
306
00:36:49,460 --> 00:36:51,380
No-one else has kakapo.
307
00:36:51,380 --> 00:36:53,100
..while he laps up the attention.
308
00:36:55,300 --> 00:36:59,420
We just can't afford to lose what
remains of our natural treasures,
309
00:36:59,420 --> 00:37:02,620
or we really risk losing
a big part of our identity.
310
00:37:04,900 --> 00:37:07,740
So it's up to each of us in
this room tonight to make sure
311
00:37:07,740 --> 00:37:09,140
that they never die out.
312
00:37:10,820 --> 00:37:14,180
The fight to save New Zealand's
wildlife has begun.
313
00:37:18,620 --> 00:37:21,380
New Zealand is more
than two main islands.
314
00:37:21,380 --> 00:37:26,140
Offshore are nearly
600 smaller islands -
315
00:37:26,140 --> 00:37:28,660
life rafts for New Zealand's
native species.
316
00:37:32,180 --> 00:37:34,980
Some escaped invasion by predators,
317
00:37:34,980 --> 00:37:36,940
and others have been
carefully cleared.
318
00:37:39,780 --> 00:37:44,980
Just four decades ago on this small,
uninhabited, windswept rock,
319
00:37:45,460 --> 00:37:49,380
some charming and unassuming
creatures were clinging on.
320
00:37:57,220 --> 00:38:01,940
Just seven Chatham Island
black robins remained on earth,
321
00:38:01,940 --> 00:38:04,820
and the fate of their species
would lie with a single female.
322
00:38:07,700 --> 00:38:11,100
A daring rescue
relocated those last birds
323
00:38:11,100 --> 00:38:13,780
to the safety of a nearby island.
324
00:38:21,020 --> 00:38:25,500
Melanie Massaro is the caretaker for
the black robins today.
325
00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:30,220
It's a job which takes a certain
dedication and specialist footwear.
326
00:38:32,660 --> 00:38:37,180
The robin's home is honeycombed by
three million burrowing sea birds.
327
00:38:45,620 --> 00:38:48,780
Jose.
328
00:38:55,820 --> 00:38:57,020
Come over here.
329
00:39:00,060 --> 00:39:01,180
Come on.
330
00:39:01,180 --> 00:39:03,380
It's now been more than 30 years
331
00:39:03,380 --> 00:39:06,180
since the black robin
was given its second chance.
332
00:39:09,860 --> 00:39:14,540
And that single female became
the mother of her entire species.
333
00:39:16,380 --> 00:39:20,180
We are now 30 years on and the
species is still here.
334
00:39:20,180 --> 00:39:21,820
That's actually very, very special.
335
00:39:23,620 --> 00:39:27,100
Today there are hundreds
of black robins
336
00:39:27,100 --> 00:39:29,300
which Mel locates and monitors
337
00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:31,860
with the help of a tasty bribe -
338
00:39:31,860 --> 00:39:32,860
a mealworm.
339
00:39:40,820 --> 00:39:44,140
And Jose is putting
his reward to good use.
340
00:39:51,060 --> 00:39:54,660
He's hoping to win the affections
of his partner Maria
341
00:39:54,660 --> 00:39:55,740
for another season.
342
00:39:59,180 --> 00:40:02,660
If she accepts his gifts,
343
00:40:02,660 --> 00:40:06,500
there will be another precious
generation of black robins.
344
00:40:12,220 --> 00:40:15,420
It takes extraordinary effort
to save a species
345
00:40:15,420 --> 00:40:17,740
on the very brink of extinction.
346
00:40:26,540 --> 00:40:29,180
In the wake of this success story,
347
00:40:29,180 --> 00:40:32,580
New Zealand is now the world leader
in a unique brand
348
00:40:32,580 --> 00:40:34,740
of intensive care conservation.
349
00:40:39,340 --> 00:40:43,260
Today, a specialist team
are heading to Codfish Island.
350
00:40:48,540 --> 00:40:51,620
The world headquarters
of another pioneering project.
351
00:40:56,300 --> 00:40:59,500
One that would impress Sirocco
above all else.
352
00:41:15,740 --> 00:41:18,340
Dozens of scientists and volunteers
353
00:41:18,340 --> 00:41:20,340
from all over the globe
are arriving.
354
00:41:23,700 --> 00:41:27,300
And this remote island,
cleared of introduced predators,
355
00:41:27,300 --> 00:41:29,340
becomes a hive of activity.
356
00:41:34,220 --> 00:41:36,020
And the reason for all this?
357
00:41:42,580 --> 00:41:43,580
An egg.
358
00:41:46,580 --> 00:41:48,780
It's due to hatch tonight.
359
00:41:53,340 --> 00:41:55,180
The mother is a mile away...
360
00:41:58,660 --> 00:42:02,940
..in a nest beneath a tree that has
been wiretapped and camera-bugged.
361
00:42:08,620 --> 00:42:10,020
A kakapo female.
362
00:42:11,860 --> 00:42:15,620
Sirocco might be the lone ambassador
on the mainland,
363
00:42:15,620 --> 00:42:19,140
but here on Codfish Island,
69 kakapos,
364
00:42:19,140 --> 00:42:21,180
half of those on earth,
365
00:42:21,180 --> 00:42:23,540
are slowly rebuilding their numbers.
366
00:42:24,540 --> 00:42:26,660
Every single bird has a name.
367
00:42:29,260 --> 00:42:31,980
This is Rakiura.
368
00:42:31,980 --> 00:42:37,220
She doesn't know it, but this egg
is a porcelain replica.
369
00:42:38,020 --> 00:42:41,820
Mother kakapos have been known
to break their eggs
370
00:42:41,820 --> 00:42:45,340
so this is the safest way
to ensure they hatch.
371
00:42:49,820 --> 00:42:53,860
Daryl Eason is caring
for one of the most delicate
372
00:42:53,860 --> 00:42:56,580
and precious babies in the world.
373
00:43:02,620 --> 00:43:06,900
I've worked with these birds now for
17 years and it's kind of special
374
00:43:06,900 --> 00:43:11,540
because it's not often you get to
meet every individual of a species.
375
00:43:14,220 --> 00:43:18,620
I'm passionate about them and I'll
do my best to ensure their survival.
376
00:43:26,180 --> 00:43:29,420
When Daryl first
started working with kakapo,
377
00:43:29,420 --> 00:43:31,820
they were at their lowest ebb.
378
00:43:31,820 --> 00:43:35,340
The last 50 birds on earth
required intensive care.
379
00:43:43,860 --> 00:43:47,300
Kakapo only breed
two or three times a decade.
380
00:43:49,660 --> 00:43:51,740
So nothing can go wrong tonight.
381
00:43:57,660 --> 00:44:00,660
Ensuring the species survives
takes care,
382
00:44:00,660 --> 00:44:04,820
commitment and a healthy dose
of underhand cunning.
383
00:44:12,340 --> 00:44:17,020
Rakiura has no idea
that she is under surveillance.
384
00:44:19,620 --> 00:44:24,460
Codfish base, Codfish base,
this is Rakiura's nest on 17, copy?
385
00:44:24,460 --> 00:44:27,260
Codfish base receiving. Go ahead.
386
00:44:27,260 --> 00:44:31,620
Good evening, Rakiura has left the
nest so you can send him up. Over.
387
00:44:31,620 --> 00:44:35,060
Thanks for that. He'll probably be
with you in about an hour. Over.
388
00:44:35,060 --> 00:44:38,020
Rakiura's departure
starts the clock ticking.
389
00:44:50,260 --> 00:44:53,060
It's time for this chick
to meet its mother.
390
00:45:10,180 --> 00:45:13,540
They need to make sure
Rakiura isn't nearby.
391
00:45:13,540 --> 00:45:15,940
If she sees them,
she might desert her nest.
392
00:45:19,300 --> 00:45:22,300
One final warm meal
and the chick is ready.
393
00:45:26,420 --> 00:45:27,900
I think she's coming back.
394
00:45:44,740 --> 00:45:47,620
This might be the most
vulnerable moment in its life.
395
00:45:52,460 --> 00:45:56,020
Kakapo mothers,
surprised by the sudden new arrival,
396
00:45:56,020 --> 00:45:58,540
have been known to attack
their own baby.
397
00:46:39,100 --> 00:46:40,180
She's feeding it.
398
00:46:40,180 --> 00:46:41,540
Yeah, looks like it.
399
00:46:47,900 --> 00:46:52,220
When I see her accepting it
straight away, it's just magic.
400
00:46:56,420 --> 00:46:58,420
Just got to wait now.
401
00:46:58,420 --> 00:47:00,820
Wait and see how well she goes.
402
00:47:03,940 --> 00:47:08,340
Rakiura's chick is one of just five
hatched on Codfish Island this year.
403
00:47:11,500 --> 00:47:14,780
But every new arrival
is a small step
404
00:47:14,780 --> 00:47:16,940
on the long road to kakapo recovery.
405
00:47:30,380 --> 00:47:34,820
This is a land that has undergone
many transformations,
406
00:47:34,820 --> 00:47:38,460
but at its heart
remains a world apart,
407
00:47:38,460 --> 00:47:40,980
an awe-inspiring wilderness.
408
00:47:46,420 --> 00:47:49,220
Which is why, every year,
409
00:47:49,220 --> 00:47:53,340
people flock here in their millions
to marvel at its splendour.
410
00:48:01,340 --> 00:48:06,540
Today, 2,000 passengers are on board
the largest ocean liner ever built.
411
00:48:12,620 --> 00:48:15,700
More than three times
the weight of the Titanic,
412
00:48:15,700 --> 00:48:20,340
and yet completely dwarfed
by the sheer majesty
413
00:48:20,340 --> 00:48:23,540
of New Zealand's Milford Sound.
414
00:48:28,100 --> 00:48:33,300
Unknowingly, they sail past the
entrance of a very special valley,
415
00:48:33,740 --> 00:48:37,300
one that represents
hope of a better future.
416
00:48:45,300 --> 00:48:50,140
This is Sinbad Gully on the
southern edge of Milford Sound.
417
00:48:51,660 --> 00:48:56,500
It's one of the very last places
on mainland New Zealand
418
00:48:56,500 --> 00:48:59,460
where wild kakapo
were heard to boom.
419
00:49:02,780 --> 00:49:06,020
Hidden and protected
by ramparts of high mountains.
420
00:49:08,700 --> 00:49:13,060
Perhaps one day,
when Codfish Island's kakapo
421
00:49:13,060 --> 00:49:15,180
are numerous enough,
422
00:49:15,180 --> 00:49:17,820
this is where
they will first return.
423
00:49:20,100 --> 00:49:23,060
Home at last
424
00:49:23,060 --> 00:49:24,140
to boom again.
425
00:49:41,100 --> 00:49:45,620
Codfish Island lies 30 miles
off the mainland's southern coast.
426
00:49:46,860 --> 00:49:49,620
It's here that the kakapo
is being brought back
427
00:49:49,620 --> 00:49:51,340
from the brink of extinction.
428
00:49:53,420 --> 00:49:56,220
Kakapo only breed every few years,
429
00:49:56,220 --> 00:49:59,300
so it's a great opportunity
to be invited to film them
430
00:49:59,300 --> 00:50:01,020
during this critical season.
431
00:50:05,460 --> 00:50:07,540
For series producer Mark Flowers,
432
00:50:07,540 --> 00:50:11,700
the kakapo expedition
was a boyhood dream come true.
433
00:50:11,700 --> 00:50:15,260
Making the New Zealand series
was the complete dream job.
434
00:50:15,260 --> 00:50:18,740
I mean, it's not often that a
professional assignment coincides
435
00:50:18,740 --> 00:50:23,740
with a personal passion, but I've
always been obsessed with parrots.
436
00:50:23,740 --> 00:50:26,460
I've kept them,
I've spent ages drawing them.
437
00:50:26,460 --> 00:50:31,140
They're real characters and I think
they've got really expressive faces
438
00:50:31,140 --> 00:50:34,620
and of course New Zealand is home
to the strangest parrot of them all.
439
00:50:35,740 --> 00:50:37,660
Way back in the '90s,
440
00:50:37,660 --> 00:50:42,500
I was given this book with
beautiful illustrations of kakapo
441
00:50:42,500 --> 00:50:45,100
and the sad thing is they felt like
the dodo of the time
442
00:50:45,100 --> 00:50:47,220
because they were in danger
of going extinct,
443
00:50:47,220 --> 00:50:49,180
so I never thought
I'd ever get to see one.
444
00:50:57,740 --> 00:51:00,940
There's this bonkers rumour about
the kakapo and that is that it's
445
00:51:00,940 --> 00:51:03,220
supposed to have its own smell,
446
00:51:03,220 --> 00:51:05,860
something like a parrot
with a perfume.
447
00:51:05,860 --> 00:51:08,420
And I've always wanted to find out
if that's true or not.
448
00:51:10,140 --> 00:51:13,580
But actually getting to film them
means having to go through
449
00:51:13,580 --> 00:51:17,020
some of the most stringent
bio-security checks in the world.
450
00:51:18,180 --> 00:51:22,740
Codfish is pristine
and needs to be kept that way.
451
00:51:22,740 --> 00:51:25,380
So long before you get on the plane
to fly there,
452
00:51:25,380 --> 00:51:29,380
every case and item of clothing
needs to be checked
453
00:51:29,380 --> 00:51:31,380
for foreign matter.
454
00:51:31,380 --> 00:51:32,820
Busted. You're busted?
455
00:51:36,540 --> 00:51:40,300
I'm being sneaky and seeing if I can
clean the seeds from my waterproofs
456
00:51:40,300 --> 00:51:42,460
so I don't get caught out
like Scott did.
457
00:51:43,860 --> 00:51:46,060
The team are finally given
the all clear.
458
00:51:48,500 --> 00:51:50,540
But then, bad news.
459
00:51:54,180 --> 00:51:55,620
Something's happening.
460
00:51:56,860 --> 00:52:00,460
OK. Cos we're actually
at the airport hangar now.
461
00:52:00,460 --> 00:52:04,980
It seems Codfish Island is living up
to its impenetrable reputation.
462
00:52:08,620 --> 00:52:11,060
The beach is too rough to land.
463
00:52:11,060 --> 00:52:13,860
Is it? And there's some
really rough tide, so...
464
00:52:15,140 --> 00:52:17,780
We weren't expecting that, were we?
No, I wasn't.
465
00:52:17,780 --> 00:52:21,020
Well the sea was too rough to land
the plane on the beach,
466
00:52:21,020 --> 00:52:24,500
the weather forecast looked terrible
for a whole week,
467
00:52:24,500 --> 00:52:28,140
and I really remember thinking,
"We're not going to make it."
468
00:52:29,340 --> 00:52:30,980
But then a miracle -
469
00:52:30,980 --> 00:52:33,700
the ever-resourceful
Department of Conservation
470
00:52:33,700 --> 00:52:35,860
manages to rustle up a chopper.
471
00:52:37,460 --> 00:52:41,060
The next worry is,
will all the equipment fit in?
472
00:52:43,380 --> 00:52:45,620
It looks like we've got
everything in it.
473
00:52:48,940 --> 00:52:52,500
It's only once they're finally in
the air that Mark has the chance
474
00:52:52,500 --> 00:52:55,340
to reflect on
where he's really going.
475
00:52:55,340 --> 00:52:59,220
Well, I completely convinced myself
we were never going to make it,
476
00:52:59,220 --> 00:53:03,060
so I couldn't believe it when we
were finally on the helicopter
477
00:53:03,060 --> 00:53:06,380
and we were going to the island that
I'd heard so much about
478
00:53:06,380 --> 00:53:07,980
and I remember thinking,
479
00:53:07,980 --> 00:53:10,180
"I'm finally going
to get to see it."
480
00:53:14,260 --> 00:53:18,100
The crew are welcomed by a team
of dedicated kakapo guardians.
481
00:53:22,300 --> 00:53:23,980
But there's no time to stop.
482
00:53:23,980 --> 00:53:28,140
Mark and cameraman Scott have to
ferry all the filming equipment
483
00:53:28,140 --> 00:53:30,340
into the wild heart of the island.
484
00:53:32,860 --> 00:53:34,940
It is not an easy task.
485
00:53:52,020 --> 00:53:56,060
On the way, Mark and Scott are
stopped in their tracks.
486
00:53:56,060 --> 00:53:57,900
Look what we've found.
487
00:53:57,900 --> 00:54:02,380
Some kakapo feathers and apparently
the kakapo has a fabled smell.
488
00:54:05,060 --> 00:54:06,540
I think it smells a bit like...
489
00:54:08,300 --> 00:54:11,980
I don't know, a herby forest
or a pine-fresh bath wash.
490
00:54:13,580 --> 00:54:17,020
I think it's a mix of honey and
earth that's been left to sit
491
00:54:17,020 --> 00:54:19,740
for a hundred years or so.
492
00:54:19,740 --> 00:54:23,900
Battered and relieved,
the team reach the island's summit.
493
00:54:23,900 --> 00:54:29,100
Now it's only a short descent to the
nest of a living, breathing kakapo.
494
00:54:30,420 --> 00:54:33,700
The kakapo's nest is down there,
further in the forest.
495
00:54:33,700 --> 00:54:36,380
I guess like a surveillance base
is what this is.
496
00:54:37,860 --> 00:54:40,380
It's a race to get all their gear
set up before nightfall.
497
00:54:46,260 --> 00:54:50,020
The team have come to film the
moment when a female kakapo
498
00:54:50,020 --> 00:54:52,980
meets her chick
for the very first time.
499
00:54:52,980 --> 00:54:55,940
And that means
installing cameras in her nest
500
00:54:55,940 --> 00:54:58,900
while she's out for the night.
501
00:54:58,900 --> 00:55:00,220
A nerve-racking job.
502
00:55:06,420 --> 00:55:09,300
Rakiura's movements
are closely monitored
503
00:55:09,300 --> 00:55:13,660
as tonight is the night when the
porcelain egg she's been incubating
504
00:55:13,660 --> 00:55:15,900
will be swapped for a living chick.
505
00:55:20,620 --> 00:55:24,740
We were all sat there with absolute
bated breath because you don't know
506
00:55:24,740 --> 00:55:27,100
if she's going to
attack the baby or what.
507
00:55:29,340 --> 00:55:30,300
Here we go.
508
00:55:43,340 --> 00:55:44,380
Crikey.
509
00:55:48,020 --> 00:55:52,060
Somewhere under there
is a little white bird
510
00:55:52,060 --> 00:55:54,340
and that looks like
a very happy mother to me.
511
00:55:56,580 --> 00:56:01,780
That's one of those times as a
wildlife film maker that you do feel
512
00:56:02,820 --> 00:56:04,420
incredibly privileged.
513
00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:08,300
This is a bittersweet
moment for Mark.
514
00:56:09,780 --> 00:56:11,780
But I thought, "How ironic."
515
00:56:11,780 --> 00:56:14,420
I'm not ever going to
see one in the flesh
516
00:56:14,420 --> 00:56:18,340
having come all this way and
waited so long for this moment.
517
00:56:23,340 --> 00:56:27,140
But then, just as the crew are
getting ready to leave,
518
00:56:27,140 --> 00:56:30,700
Codfish delivers
a final piece of magic.
519
00:56:30,700 --> 00:56:34,580
Literally, with just hours to go
before we had to leave,
520
00:56:34,580 --> 00:56:37,420
I got the most unexpected news.
521
00:56:37,420 --> 00:56:41,020
The chance of a lifetime,
cos the vets had to go and treat
522
00:56:41,020 --> 00:56:44,220
an elderly kakapo
and they asked me to go with them.
523
00:56:44,220 --> 00:56:47,940
And that meant I finally, finally
524
00:56:47,940 --> 00:56:50,420
might get the chance
to go and meet one.
525
00:57:05,380 --> 00:57:09,300
Veteran female Suzanne has been
spotted in the branches.
526
00:57:11,500 --> 00:57:15,260
For Mark, this is the moment
when his dream comes true.
527
00:57:28,860 --> 00:57:32,620
Kakapo on Codfish have their own
private health care.
528
00:57:32,620 --> 00:57:35,060
If one of them so much as sneezes,
529
00:57:35,060 --> 00:57:38,700
a dedicated team of vets
are on call 24/7.
530
00:57:43,740 --> 00:57:45,820
With her checkup complete,
531
00:57:45,820 --> 00:57:50,460
now is the time to find out
what perfume a kakapo really wears.
532
00:58:07,460 --> 00:58:10,460
So I guess that's pretty much
near the end of our story.
533
00:58:11,660 --> 00:58:15,820
About 35 years ago,
a young lad in Wensleydale
534
00:58:15,820 --> 00:58:21,060
made a wish and that was to see one
of the strangest and rarest birds
535
00:58:21,220 --> 00:58:22,980
in all the world.
536
00:58:22,980 --> 00:58:25,020
And I have to say,
537
00:58:25,020 --> 00:58:27,700
he never, ever for a minute
538
00:58:27,700 --> 00:58:29,140
expected to see it.
539
00:58:30,540 --> 00:58:31,700
How amazing is that?
44463
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