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Water, is the key to life.
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In some special places it's gathered,
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cleaned, and stored.
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Providing a haven for plants and animals.
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Everything from killer dragonflies,
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to carnivorous foliage.
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From water loving cats, to secretive predatory birds.
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It can be a nursery, a migration stopover,
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a ladder, and a home.
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This is wetland.
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Reed bed, a dense almost impenetrable jungle of giant stems.
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A predator slinks along the edge.
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Cautiously, it's going in.
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(bright upbeat music)
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Cats and water, not two things we'd usually put together.
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This is no ordinary cat.
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Commonly called the jungle cat.
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This feline's perhaps better known by its other names,
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reed or swamp cat.
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Stalking the wetlands of the Middle East and Southern Asia,
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the tabby cat sized predator
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finds plenty of prey tucked away in the reeds.
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(quail wings flapping)
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But quails are wary.
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(bright upbeat music)
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(leaves rustling)
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Swamp cats usually live alone,
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but this one's still teaching her daughter the ropes.
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She's seven months old, and soon to be independent.
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(water splashing gently)
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The youngster still has a playful streak.
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The turtle, or toy box on legs can't be ignored.
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(water splashing)
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Most cats don't like getting their feet wet,
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but she has no hesitation following it into the water.
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(water splashing gently)
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Swamp cats are good swimmers, but not that good.
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A curious young eyes are already focused on a new target.
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The probing whiskers of a catfish.
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(water splashing gently)
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Thankfully mum's nearby to lend muscle to the task.
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A big catch to land,
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but it will keep the pair well fed for a while.
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Soon, the young female will leave her mother,
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and carve out a territory of her own
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on the vast reed bed covered wetlands of Caucasia.
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(soft upbeat music)
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Those swamp cats are not considered endangered.
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They are in sharp decline here,
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and in many other parts of their range.
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Because wetland, is being developed and polluted by humans.
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(soft upbeat music)
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It's thought that 40% of all species in the world
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are dependent on wetlands, including people.
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Clearly very special places.
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Wetlands are defined as areas with waterlogged soil
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wet enough to be populated by aquatic plants.
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They are often places low in oxygen,
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where little decomposition can take place.
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They don't sound too inviting.
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Mosquito laden, muddy swamps,
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but they have some magical properties.
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Wetlands only cover 3% of the earth's surface,
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but they store twice as much carbon,
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as all the world's forests combined.
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Plant matter doesn't rot,
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it sinks and gradually accumulates.
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Over thousands of years, it lays down deep layers of peat.
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The unique micro-organisms,
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known as Pyrrophyta on that feed on the plant matter,
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also filter the water.
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(birds chirping)
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They can remove 60% of metals and the harmful phosphorus
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dissolved in the water.
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(birds chirping)
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The clear, clean water,
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make them ideal places for sensitive amphibians to breed.
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Even worthy of cold feet.
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European morph frogs emerge from their winter sleep
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just as ice unlocks the wetlands.
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(frogs croaking)
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One of the qualities of peat bogs and reed beds,
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is that they can soak up the meltwater like a sponge.
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Preventing more widespread flooding.
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The water will gradually seep out over the year.
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Keeping moisture levels just right for the frog family.
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(frogs croaking)
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When frogs are in the mood, it's nothing short of an orgy.
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(frogs croaking)
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The males use throat pouches to advertise their intent.
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In theory, it helps the females choose their mates.
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Though in reality, it doesn't look like
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they have much choice.
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(frogs croaking)
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The males grab onto pretty much anything that moves.
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(bright upbeat music)
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Sometimes even the wrong species.
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They have a special thumb for the job,
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which is a rough surface for better grip.
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And they cling on for dear life.
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In a position known as amplexus.
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Trying to make sure they're in the right place
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at the right time to fertilize eggs,
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as the female chooses to release them.
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(bright upbeat music)
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With more males than females,
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romantic interludes look more like rugby scrums.
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(frogs croaking)
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Amphibians, unlike reptiles and birds
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still need to lay their eggs in water.
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They don't have shells,
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just a sticky shield of jelly to hold them in place.
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They will only survive to hatching
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if the wetlands supports them.
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But while some communities
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are benefiting from the water directly,
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others arrive to cash in on them.
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(frogs croaking)
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The mating frogs caught up in their fornication,
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are a buffet to herons, egrets and storks.
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(water splashing)
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(frogs croaking)
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The even enticer shy bitten from the reeds.
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(frogs croaking)
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(bright upbeat music)
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In old English, this was known as a Marsh Tiger.
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A well camouflaged ambush predator.
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(frogs croaking)
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In spring, the mass mating provides
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bountiful nutrients for the birds
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who will soon be breeding themselves.
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Not all wetlands are open water, or reed beds.
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Woodland can shelter pools.
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Permanent areas with poor drainage and standing water,
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tucked into the trees
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they provide cover for secretive breeders.
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Including a pair of Eurasian cranes.
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(birds chirping)
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Their nest, nearly a meter across
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is piled high enough to keep it dry,
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but close enough to the water, for it to offer protection.
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A moat that can help keep foxes,
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and other potential thieves at bay.
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(crane trumpeting)
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(birds chirping)
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These elegant giants of the bird world,
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pair for life and take family planning very seriously.
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They'll only have one or two chicks,
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and will care for them around the clock for months,
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until they are ready to fend for themselves.
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Ready for their wetland nursery.
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The chicks can swim soon after hatching,
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but they're dependent on their parents for everything else.
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They will learn by following their parents' every move.
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In their wet woodland home,
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spring is only just unfurling its beauty.
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But not all wetlands share the temperate seasonal changes.
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The vast Amazon River basin covers one third
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of the entire continent, of South America.
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It's a giant drainage feeding rivers and fueling rainforest.
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(thunder)
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With mountain runoff and endless tropical rainfall,
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it's a wet place.
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And at its heart, the world's biggest tropical wetland.
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The Pantanal both national park,
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and world heritage site covers an area,
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the size of Washington State.
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It boasts the highest concentration of wildlife
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anywhere on earth.
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The rainy season tops up the Pantanal.
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But during the dry season, the water levels recede.
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The shrinking pools attract vast numbers of birds
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to pick off stranded fish.
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Caiman, usually considered antisocial,
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gather and work together,
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to scare their pray into each other's jaws.
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(bright upbeat music)
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10 million caiman, are supported by the Pantanal.
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(birds squawking)
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Predators abound across the region.
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None more powerful, or spectacular than the jaguar.
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(water splashing)
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Another cat that welcomes the chance to get its feet wet.
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Jaguars are powerful swimmers, hunting fish, turtles,
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and even caiman in the water.
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Today, is after another Pantanal specialty, capybara.
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Looking like supersized hamsters,
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these are the biggest rodents on earth.
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And one of the jaguars favorite prey animals.
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Capybaras are built like furry hippos.
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Their eyes, nostrils, and ears are high on their head
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so that they can submerge their bodies,
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but still keep an eye on what's going on around them.
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They'll eat plants in the water,
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and come a shore to browse.
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Giving the Jaguar a chance to strike.
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(water splashing)
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(birds chirping)
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There's another famous rodent that's adapted for swimming.
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It doesn't just live in wetlands, it makes them.
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Meet the industrious beaver.
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(bright upbeat music)
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There are two clans of beavers.
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The North American, and these, the Eurasian,
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which once lived at the most of Europe and Asia,
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but we're heavily hunted for their thick,
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water resistant fur.
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Weighing as much as a Labrador,
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they're pretty junky rodents.
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(bright upbeat music)
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(branches falling)
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(birds chirping)
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Beavers are known as ecosystem engineers,
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because by damming watercourses,
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they flood areas, creating new wetlands.
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They manage these so called beaver ponds,
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building up, and taking down dam.
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And digging canals to keep the water levels just right.
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By making the perfect homes for themselves,
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they reduce the amount of water flowing off a landscape,
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lessening the downstream risk of flooding.
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And then help retain water,
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so places don't fall dry in summer.
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(bright upbeat music)
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As well as their dams,
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and other water controlling structures,
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the beavers also build a lodge
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in the heart of their wetland.
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The lodge is their home and nursery to their young.
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Unlike other rodents,
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beavers a monogamous, pairing up for the long haul,
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and living with their kids
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sometimes from several generations.
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(beavers grumbling)
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The lodge has different rooms.
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Beaver doors are under water, to keep unwanted visitors out.
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So there's a wet room, to dry off after swimming in,
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and a dry room for sleeping, and looking after young.
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They store food inside and during winter,
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can hide there to avoid bad weather.
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But in summer, the family take trips out to feed.
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(water splashing)
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They can eat pretty much any plant material,
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and can even digest cellulose.
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And so munch on tree trunks if they get desperate.
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But their favorite food is the fresh leaves,
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and bark of young trees.
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To get to the green,
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they use their endlessly growing, self-sharpening
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chisel-shaped teeth to fill the saplings.
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By coppicing the beavers,
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keep a fresh supply of new shoots.
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In doing so, they massively increase
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the plant diversity of the region.
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And the beaver ponds create habitat for other animals.
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Everything from dragonflies to bats,
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they're especially beneficial to fish,
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including commercially valuable species like salmon,
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trout, and the Scar.
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(water bubbling)
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(mumbles)
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Amphibians also benefit.
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(frogs croaking)
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Nestled in the pondweed,
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the frog eggs are ready to hatch.
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(soft upbeat music)
267
00:20:44,166 --> 00:20:47,166
The tiny tadpoles wriggle free off their jelly bubbles.
268
00:20:58,420 --> 00:21:01,233
And from the word go, they're ravenous.
269
00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,313
When they emerge, they resemble their fish ancestors,
270
00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:14,140
with external gills.
271
00:21:14,140 --> 00:21:15,233
They wriggle their way to food, plants at first.
272
00:21:17,490 --> 00:21:20,763
But developing their jaws
273
00:21:25,570 --> 00:21:26,870
to munch on bountiful invertebrates
274
00:21:26,870 --> 00:21:29,270
that frequent the wetland.
275
00:21:29,270 --> 00:21:31,003
In just a matter of weeks,
276
00:21:32,050 --> 00:21:33,900
the tadpoles go through an extraordinary metamorphosis.
277
00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:37,083
Growing lungs, losing their external gills,
278
00:21:40,430 --> 00:21:44,240
growing legs, and absorbing their own tails.
279
00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,143
And as they start venturing from the water,
280
00:21:49,030 --> 00:21:51,770
they'll abandon any desires for a vegetarian diet,
281
00:21:51,770 --> 00:21:55,470
hunting bugs instead.
282
00:21:55,470 --> 00:21:56,903
(bright upbeat music)
283
00:21:58,057 --> 00:22:01,224
The abundant insect community in beaver ponds
284
00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:17,910
supports many birds.
285
00:22:17,910 --> 00:22:19,323
The pickings are so rich, that the penduline tit,
286
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:24,330
has moved in, and is building its complicated nest
287
00:22:24,330 --> 00:22:27,400
suspended over the water.
288
00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:28,650
(birds chirping)
289
00:22:29,692 --> 00:22:32,240
The name penduline, means hanging.
290
00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:35,050
And this is why.
291
00:22:35,050 --> 00:22:36,013
The delicate masterpiece is hand-woven
292
00:22:37,770 --> 00:22:39,990
from plant seeds, animal hair, and spider silk.
293
00:22:39,990 --> 00:22:43,693
Soft, stretchy, and yet strong.
294
00:22:45,130 --> 00:22:47,453
The bird sculptures were once collected,
295
00:22:49,690 --> 00:22:51,970
and used as slippers for babies.
296
00:22:51,970 --> 00:22:54,385
(birds chirping)
297
00:22:54,385 --> 00:22:57,135
The tits build them with the entrance pointing down
298
00:23:04,140 --> 00:23:07,080
to keep their eggs and chicks,
299
00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:08,850
out of the reach of climbing predators like snakes.
300
00:23:08,850 --> 00:23:12,128
(birds chirping)
301
00:23:12,128 --> 00:23:14,878
Weaver birds do the same above one of Africa's
302
00:23:18,250 --> 00:23:20,840
most dramatic wetlands.
303
00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:22,183
The Congo, has some of the biggest wetlands in the world,
304
00:23:32,530 --> 00:23:36,000
and the biggest bodies of fresh water in Africa.
305
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,107
Nation sized systems of lakes,
306
00:23:43,330 --> 00:23:45,490
canals at the marshes, support a rich community of animals
307
00:23:45,490 --> 00:23:49,100
perfectly shaped by, and for, life in the wetland.
308
00:23:49,100 --> 00:23:52,663
Pink stilts, help yellow-billed storks
309
00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:57,860
to wade through the shallows.
310
00:23:57,860 --> 00:23:59,310
Lechwe have long splayed hooves
311
00:24:06,001 --> 00:24:07,800
to dash over water logged terrain.
312
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:09,753
The reed beds are surrounded by water,
313
00:24:12,130 --> 00:24:14,560
keeping them out of reach of predators
314
00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:16,210
like jackals and Wildcats.
315
00:24:16,210 --> 00:24:18,730
A great starting point, the safety raising young.
316
00:24:18,730 --> 00:24:21,463
Weaver birds are so light,
317
00:24:23,350 --> 00:24:25,130
that they can build a condo and raise a family
318
00:24:25,130 --> 00:24:27,260
on the giant grass like stems.
319
00:24:27,260 --> 00:24:29,293
The master craftsman, and it's usually is the men
320
00:24:32,190 --> 00:24:35,640
gather and intertwine blades of grass.
321
00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,003
It only takes one strand tied tightly,
322
00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,990
to lay the foundations from which
323
00:24:41,990 --> 00:24:43,610
the architectural wonder can hang.
324
00:24:43,610 --> 00:24:45,543
They have an entrance through the basement,
325
00:24:48,530 --> 00:24:50,780
making it as inaccessible to child snatchers as possible.
326
00:24:50,780 --> 00:24:54,113
But sooner or later, chicks need to leave home.
327
00:24:55,540 --> 00:24:58,773
Some stumble out the door prematurely
328
00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:02,950
before they're ready to fly.
329
00:25:06,210 --> 00:25:07,610
Nothing goes unnoticed.
330
00:25:09,060 --> 00:25:10,593
Another wetland specialist,
331
00:25:11,890 --> 00:25:14,130
one of the most bizarre and mysterious birds.
332
00:25:14,130 --> 00:25:16,813
One with a killer beak.
333
00:25:21,070 --> 00:25:22,853
With its clog-shaped face,
334
00:25:31,830 --> 00:25:33,740
it's easy to see how the shoebill got its name.
335
00:25:33,740 --> 00:25:36,683
Its feet have a similar span to human hands.
336
00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,370
Spreading its seven kilo weight over the swampy vegetation.
337
00:25:42,370 --> 00:25:45,523
It can eat just about anything, even young crocodiles,
338
00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:55,770
but has a favorite food lurking in the reeds.
339
00:25:55,770 --> 00:25:58,403
Lungfish look like creatures leftover
340
00:26:05,010 --> 00:26:07,210
from a long forgotten chapter of the earth's history.
341
00:26:07,210 --> 00:26:09,923
They evoke a period in time
342
00:26:11,590 --> 00:26:13,400
when fish were first coming ashore,
343
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:15,140
and beginning to breathe air.
344
00:26:15,140 --> 00:26:16,633
But although lung fish had been around
345
00:26:18,430 --> 00:26:20,220
for over 250 million years,
346
00:26:20,220 --> 00:26:23,400
their breathing habits have more to do with adaptation
347
00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,150
to changing water levels.
348
00:26:26,150 --> 00:26:27,723
Their gills have atrophied, and are not much use,
349
00:26:29,330 --> 00:26:32,323
but they have some of the most
350
00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:34,480
primitive air breathing lungs.
351
00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,203
Their needs to gulp at the surface,
352
00:26:43,010 --> 00:26:45,270
puts them in the line of fire.
353
00:26:45,270 --> 00:26:46,881
(birds chirping)
354
00:26:46,881 --> 00:26:49,631
When the shoebill strikes,
355
00:27:10,360 --> 00:27:11,870
it drops all of its weight onto its target,
356
00:27:11,870 --> 00:27:14,500
and skewers it with the cruel hook of its powerful beak.
357
00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:17,713
(soft splash)
358
00:27:19,606 --> 00:27:22,106
60% of strikes are successful.
359
00:27:24,690 --> 00:27:26,683
(water splashing)
360
00:27:35,321 --> 00:27:38,154
Shoebills, build large nests on the reeds
361
00:28:08,300 --> 00:28:10,690
where they are safe from disturbance and they are not alone.
362
00:28:10,690 --> 00:28:13,963
The world over, millions of birds do the same.
363
00:28:17,530 --> 00:28:20,223
Using islands in a sea of wetland to protect their young.
364
00:28:21,890 --> 00:28:25,003
(soft upbeat music)
365
00:28:26,103 --> 00:28:29,103
Whether it's a raft propped on lily pads,
366
00:28:34,630 --> 00:28:37,610
or the home of white-winged tern needs,
367
00:28:37,610 --> 00:28:39,560
or huge piles of sticks,
368
00:28:40,450 --> 00:28:41,980
raising spoonbill chicks off boggy ground.
369
00:28:41,980 --> 00:28:45,089
(soft upbeat music)
370
00:28:45,089 --> 00:28:48,089
Like many wading birds, they seek safety in numbers,
371
00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:53,510
nesting in large colonies.
372
00:28:53,510 --> 00:28:55,163
Less social purple herons stay nearby,
373
00:28:56,190 --> 00:28:59,270
and egrets cash in.
374
00:28:59,270 --> 00:29:00,743
(jackals howling)
375
00:29:08,728 --> 00:29:11,980
Foxes, jackals, and other predators
376
00:29:11,980 --> 00:29:14,310
will patrol around the edges of the wetland.
377
00:29:14,310 --> 00:29:16,703
But most of the nests are beyond their reach.
378
00:29:17,950 --> 00:29:20,170
(birds squawking)
379
00:29:20,170 --> 00:29:22,970
The most threatening predators to reach the wetland,
380
00:29:22,970 --> 00:29:26,366
are the ones that fly there.
381
00:29:26,366 --> 00:29:27,803
(marsh harrier screaming)
382
00:29:29,897 --> 00:29:33,397
Marsh harriers, also conceal their precious nests
383
00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,750
in the reeds.
384
00:29:42,750 --> 00:29:43,583
To feed their chicks,
385
00:29:44,650 --> 00:29:46,080
they hunt the other birds, sharing their neighborhood.
386
00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,780
Most birds of prey lay a couple of eggs,
387
00:29:53,030 --> 00:29:55,830
but it's rare for them all to survive.
388
00:29:55,830 --> 00:29:58,173
Usually the biggest will claim all of the food,
389
00:29:59,380 --> 00:30:01,670
and gradually cause the starvation of its siblings.
390
00:30:01,670 --> 00:30:04,323
But here, food is so plentiful that all three,
391
00:30:05,180 --> 00:30:08,770
despite the squabbling of being well fed and growing fast.
392
00:30:08,770 --> 00:30:12,043
The myriad of species dependent on wetland
393
00:30:19,890 --> 00:30:22,380
is massively diverse.
394
00:30:22,380 --> 00:30:23,963
Insects do especially well.
395
00:30:25,090 --> 00:30:27,066
(birds chirping)
396
00:30:27,066 --> 00:30:29,816
Damsel and dragonflies spend a year or more as larvae,
397
00:30:32,950 --> 00:30:37,090
living underwater, hunting tadpoles,
398
00:30:37,090 --> 00:30:39,800
and other small aquatic creatures.
399
00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:41,653
But in spring, they molt into their adult forms.
400
00:30:43,270 --> 00:30:46,683
In both stages of life, they're predators.
401
00:30:48,750 --> 00:30:51,223
Tiny tigers of the wetland,
402
00:30:53,460 --> 00:30:55,670
catching other insects on the wing.
403
00:30:55,670 --> 00:30:57,423
By feasting on mosquitoes,
404
00:31:01,310 --> 00:31:03,250
everyone benefits from these dramatic creatures.
405
00:31:03,250 --> 00:31:06,370
They reduce pests,
406
00:31:06,370 --> 00:31:07,743
but they have one other important task to accomplish
407
00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:15,080
during their short adult lives, to breed.
408
00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,683
They dance to attract a mate.
409
00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:26,613
(birds chirping)
410
00:31:27,585 --> 00:31:30,335
(soft upbeat music)
411
00:31:37,538 --> 00:31:40,538
The male holds the back of the female's head,
412
00:31:56,470 --> 00:31:58,887
and they tour the wetland interlinked,
413
00:31:58,887 --> 00:32:01,280
depositing eggs in safe spots, under leaves.
414
00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,043
Insects attract a vast array of predators.
415
00:32:15,310 --> 00:32:18,720
Some of which take surprising forms.
416
00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:20,893
Drosera, a killer plant, commonly known as sundew.
417
00:32:25,220 --> 00:32:29,933
The savage scrub has rounded leaves
418
00:32:31,290 --> 00:32:33,570
that produce alluring drops of dew
419
00:32:33,570 --> 00:32:35,920
that are irresistible to insects.
420
00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:38,253
But the gifts are of course bait in a deadly trap.
421
00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,283
They're sticky, globules of glue.
422
00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:50,723
Once the plant senses a victim, it coils its leaves.
423
00:32:51,770 --> 00:32:55,913
The plants secretes digestive enzymes,
424
00:32:57,730 --> 00:33:00,840
glands on the surface of the leaf absorb the oozing remains.
425
00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:04,633
The ability to feed itself means
426
00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:14,440
that the sundews can live around acidic boggy pools
427
00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:18,060
where there's not enough nutrients in the soil
428
00:33:18,060 --> 00:33:19,930
for most plants.
429
00:33:19,930 --> 00:33:21,123
Most wetlands are full of riches,
430
00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,180
even attracting visitors from distant lands.
431
00:33:32,180 --> 00:33:34,973
The ospreys of Europe, the summer guest.
432
00:33:38,570 --> 00:33:40,723
(osprey squealing)
433
00:33:41,843 --> 00:33:43,053
(soft upbeat music)
434
00:33:43,053 --> 00:33:46,053
They're flown in from Africa,
435
00:33:57,660 --> 00:33:59,610
knowing the wetlands of Europe,
436
00:33:59,610 --> 00:34:01,190
will provide well for their young.
437
00:34:01,190 --> 00:34:03,173
(osprey squealing)
438
00:34:03,173 --> 00:34:06,090
The pair mates for life,
439
00:34:07,130 --> 00:34:08,700
and keeps coming back to the same site,
440
00:34:08,700 --> 00:34:11,200
adding each year to the nest,
441
00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,170
which now towers more than a meter tall.
442
00:34:13,170 --> 00:34:15,333
When sitting on eggs, and raising young,
443
00:34:22,900 --> 00:34:25,550
the male does all the hunting,
444
00:34:25,550 --> 00:34:27,400
bringing fish back to mum, who serves it to the family.
445
00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,726
(osprey squealing)
446
00:34:30,726 --> 00:34:33,643
But now that the chicks are close to fledging,
447
00:34:40,550 --> 00:34:43,150
both parents work tirelessly.
448
00:34:43,150 --> 00:34:45,033
Fortunately they're expert fishermen.
449
00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,283
(water splashing)
450
00:34:52,083 --> 00:34:54,916
Despite the fish eaters,
451
00:35:07,900 --> 00:35:09,950
wetlands are a paradise for fish.
452
00:35:09,950 --> 00:35:12,033
Perch move through the open water colon,
453
00:35:21,310 --> 00:35:23,310
staying ever alert for the shark like silhouette
454
00:35:26,150 --> 00:35:28,960
from the reeds of stalking pike.
455
00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:30,873
The weeds shelter other hunters.
456
00:35:35,900 --> 00:35:37,653
(birds chirping)
457
00:35:39,117 --> 00:35:41,867
Turtles will eat just about anything they can grab.
458
00:35:49,180 --> 00:35:52,323
Most of what they need can be found in the water itself.
459
00:35:57,810 --> 00:36:00,890
Apart from a good place to lay their eggs.
460
00:36:00,890 --> 00:36:03,333
They're hard-shelled eggs
461
00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:07,590
need to be laid above the water line.
462
00:36:07,590 --> 00:36:09,573
But if the site's well chosen,
463
00:36:13,460 --> 00:36:15,290
the eggs get just the right amount of heat,
464
00:36:15,290 --> 00:36:17,260
and moisture until they hatch.
465
00:36:17,260 --> 00:36:19,153
The young, dig their way out and hurry to the pool.
466
00:36:21,980 --> 00:36:24,530
(soft upbeat music)
467
00:36:26,237 --> 00:36:29,237
(birds chirping)
468
00:36:37,249 --> 00:36:39,999
There are plenty of dangers waiting for them.
469
00:36:57,522 --> 00:37:01,272
Grass snakes, are as at home in the water,
470
00:37:08,910 --> 00:37:11,720
as they are on land.
471
00:37:11,720 --> 00:37:12,853
But some of the young turtles will dodge predators.
472
00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,550
But once they're full grown,
473
00:37:22,260 --> 00:37:23,710
they'll have little to worry about.
474
00:37:23,710 --> 00:37:25,460
(birds chirping)
475
00:37:35,830 --> 00:37:37,340
The grass snakes are happier hunting frogs,
476
00:37:37,340 --> 00:37:39,360
and other amphibians.
477
00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:41,090
In northern habitat like this,
478
00:37:42,750 --> 00:37:45,210
reptiles will need to hibernate,
479
00:37:45,210 --> 00:37:47,080
to escape the coming winter.
480
00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:48,603
But for now, they bask on exposed logs,
481
00:37:50,704 --> 00:37:52,880
and banks to enjoy summer sun.
482
00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,404
(birds chirping)
483
00:37:55,404 --> 00:37:58,604
(soft upbeat music)
484
00:37:58,604 --> 00:38:01,604
With their chicks fledged,
485
00:38:09,993 --> 00:38:11,070
and ready to make lives of their own,
486
00:38:11,070 --> 00:38:13,500
the ospreys prepare to depart.
487
00:38:13,500 --> 00:38:16,090
Heading south to spend winter in the warmer
488
00:38:16,090 --> 00:38:18,050
wetlands of North Africa.
489
00:38:18,050 --> 00:38:19,653
(birds chirping)
490
00:38:21,571 --> 00:38:24,321
The hot days of late summer,
491
00:38:31,150 --> 00:38:33,100
bring larger visitors to wetland.
492
00:38:33,100 --> 00:38:35,133
A herd of red deer, use the cool water,
493
00:38:40,780 --> 00:38:42,950
to make themselves more comfortable,
494
00:38:42,950 --> 00:38:44,840
while they snack on aquatic plants.
495
00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:46,783
The water might take the edge off the temperature,
496
00:38:54,530 --> 00:38:57,030
but things are still hotting up for the deer.
497
00:38:57,870 --> 00:39:00,120
(deer belling)
498
00:39:07,065 --> 00:39:09,648
Their rout is approaching.
499
00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:15,600
And flooded with hormones,
500
00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,370
the stags are looking for rivals to test their strength.
501
00:39:17,370 --> 00:39:20,293
(deer belling)
502
00:39:23,475 --> 00:39:26,058
For every fight won, the stag's rank is improved.
503
00:39:36,805 --> 00:39:40,888
The dominant male stand a much better chance
504
00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:47,610
of winning mates.
505
00:39:47,610 --> 00:39:48,493
(deer belling)
506
00:39:54,869 --> 00:39:57,452
Seasonal change doesn't just influence animal behavior.
507
00:40:01,890 --> 00:40:05,750
It can transform landscapes.
508
00:40:05,750 --> 00:40:07,993
The wetlands by definition,
509
00:40:09,940 --> 00:40:11,520
hold more moisture than the surrounding habitat.
510
00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:14,520
Some still feel the pinch in hot weather.
511
00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:16,883
Water levels can drop dramatically,
512
00:40:18,340 --> 00:40:20,920
condensing fish into tight places.
513
00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:23,323
Easy pickings for fish eaters.
514
00:40:25,390 --> 00:40:27,183
But the fishes' hardship is short lived.
515
00:40:33,050 --> 00:40:35,633
Building clouds have a silver lining.
516
00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:40,853
(rain pouring)
517
00:40:42,029 --> 00:40:44,612
The water is always welcome.
518
00:40:47,070 --> 00:40:49,000
Sometimes too much comes at once.
519
00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,423
(water flowing)
520
00:40:57,513 --> 00:41:00,180
As water levels rise, wetlands enjoy temporary extensions.
521
00:41:03,300 --> 00:41:07,593
Meaning animals that want to keep their feet dry
522
00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:12,410
must move to higher ground.
523
00:41:12,410 --> 00:41:13,823
(soft upbeat music)
524
00:41:16,279 --> 00:41:19,279
The seasonal shifts can be even more pronounced in Africa.
525
00:41:32,050 --> 00:41:35,373
When ponds shrink, the lungfish
526
00:41:43,490 --> 00:41:45,690
reveals an extraordinary ability.
527
00:41:45,690 --> 00:41:47,583
(mud splashing)
528
00:41:49,648 --> 00:41:52,315
It can dig its way into soft mud, before it bakes dry.
529
00:41:58,310 --> 00:42:01,723
It appears to be digging itself a grave,
530
00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,800
but far from it, it's a hideout.
531
00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:11,613
(soft upbeat music)
532
00:42:15,144 --> 00:42:18,144
It secretes a slimy cocoon to protect its skin,
533
00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:30,670
and then estivates, entering a dormant state,
534
00:42:30,670 --> 00:42:34,060
similar to hibernation.
535
00:42:34,060 --> 00:42:35,403
It can live like this for a year, but rarely has to.
536
00:42:38,190 --> 00:42:41,463
(rain pouring)
537
00:42:42,709 --> 00:42:45,292
Fresh rains will see it tunneling out as though reborn,
538
00:42:49,660 --> 00:42:52,860
heading back to its reedy home.
539
00:42:52,860 --> 00:42:54,503
(soft upbeat music)
540
00:42:56,871 --> 00:42:59,871
Wetlands usually live up to their name.
541
00:43:33,540 --> 00:43:36,120
They hold water all the time.
542
00:43:36,120 --> 00:43:37,883
Though increasingly they struggled to do so,
543
00:43:42,550 --> 00:43:45,643
and all because of us.
544
00:43:45,643 --> 00:43:47,003
(water flowing)
545
00:43:48,005 --> 00:43:50,672
We use, and abuse them.
546
00:43:54,331 --> 00:43:56,248
Wetlands are filled, or drained
547
00:44:01,410 --> 00:44:03,270
to pave the way for development.
548
00:44:03,270 --> 00:44:04,870
(water flowing)
549
00:44:06,147 --> 00:44:08,814
They offer a wealth of resources
550
00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:14,400
that humans have long exploited.
551
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,203
From the harvesting of reeds for thatch,
552
00:44:18,710 --> 00:44:20,940
for the cutting of peat for fuel.
553
00:44:20,940 --> 00:44:23,210
Both practices that have been going on
554
00:44:23,210 --> 00:44:25,010
for thousands of years.
555
00:44:25,010 --> 00:44:27,020
(engine roaring)
556
00:44:27,020 --> 00:44:30,250
To the fish and wildlife,
557
00:44:30,250 --> 00:44:32,200
they have long stopped our larders.
558
00:44:32,200 --> 00:44:33,950
And of course, the water itself is a resource,
559
00:44:36,860 --> 00:44:39,820
pumped out for industrial use.
560
00:44:39,820 --> 00:44:41,943
But all human activities have another impact
561
00:44:46,564 --> 00:44:50,680
altering the blanket of gases in the atmosphere,
562
00:44:50,680 --> 00:44:53,540
so that they blanket the earth holding in heat.
563
00:44:53,540 --> 00:44:56,690
Making temperatures soar.
564
00:44:56,690 --> 00:44:58,263
As a result of climate change,
565
00:44:59,310 --> 00:45:01,320
some wetlands are drying up.
566
00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:02,973
Does it matter?
567
00:45:06,270 --> 00:45:07,133
It should.
568
00:45:08,410 --> 00:45:09,243
By soaking up water like giant sponges,
569
00:45:12,090 --> 00:45:14,960
wetlands help prevent flooding.
570
00:45:14,960 --> 00:45:17,143
By slowly letting the water seep back out,
571
00:45:21,690 --> 00:45:24,490
they reduce the impact of drought on the surrounding areas.
572
00:45:24,490 --> 00:45:27,733
Half of the world's population
573
00:45:35,570 --> 00:45:37,060
depends on food from wetlands.
574
00:45:37,060 --> 00:45:39,093
(engine roaring)
575
00:45:40,275 --> 00:45:43,025
Especially through eating rice, as well as freshwater fish.
576
00:45:45,260 --> 00:45:48,663
Despite their importance, humans have destroyed
577
00:46:04,810 --> 00:46:07,830
a third of the world's wetlands since the 1970s.
578
00:46:07,830 --> 00:46:11,413
They have been drained for housing,
579
00:46:13,210 --> 00:46:15,530
industry and agriculture.
580
00:46:15,530 --> 00:46:17,693
And still 80% of our wastewater,
581
00:46:18,600 --> 00:46:21,510
including that from homes, factories,
582
00:46:21,510 --> 00:46:23,880
and pesticides from farming all go directly into wetlands.
583
00:46:23,880 --> 00:46:28,423
It's shortsighted and wasteful,
584
00:46:29,410 --> 00:46:31,423
especially as 40% of all living things,
585
00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:34,880
including us, depend on wetland.
586
00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:37,583
And that 83% of freshwater species, are already in decline.
587
00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:44,120
(birds squawking)
588
00:46:45,889 --> 00:46:48,722
But there's another far greater reason.
589
00:46:52,896 --> 00:46:56,146
Wetlands may be our biggest allies
590
00:47:00,970 --> 00:47:02,670
in saving planet earth.
591
00:47:02,670 --> 00:47:03,923
(birds squawking)
592
00:47:05,694 --> 00:47:08,527
They only cover 3% of the earth surface,
593
00:47:20,290 --> 00:47:23,460
but they store twice as much carbon,
594
00:47:23,460 --> 00:47:25,690
as all of the world's forests combined.
595
00:47:25,690 --> 00:47:28,703
Their health is even more important
596
00:47:30,770 --> 00:47:32,690
than the rainforest in terms of tackling climate change,
597
00:47:32,690 --> 00:47:36,360
because they take in carbon, from the atmosphere,
598
00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:39,200
and lock it away in peat.
599
00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:41,490
And yet the protection of wetlands
600
00:47:41,490 --> 00:47:43,550
rarely makes the news headline.
601
00:47:43,550 --> 00:47:45,233
Perhaps because at first glance we see muddy,
602
00:47:50,460 --> 00:47:53,250
sticky places fit only for mosquitoes.
603
00:47:53,250 --> 00:47:56,093
But look again.
604
00:47:57,270 --> 00:47:58,649
(soft upbeat music)
605
00:47:58,649 --> 00:48:01,649
They have the greatest diversity of life.
606
00:48:09,362 --> 00:48:12,779
Some of the most spectacular,
607
00:48:19,563 --> 00:48:20,840
and beautiful creatures on the planet.
608
00:48:20,840 --> 00:48:22,803
(soft upbeat music)
609
00:48:24,654 --> 00:48:27,654
And wonderful wetlands
610
00:48:34,660 --> 00:48:35,980
have been shown to be good for our health.
611
00:48:35,980 --> 00:48:38,080
Both because we can exercise in it,
612
00:48:39,640 --> 00:48:41,850
windsurf, walk, run, swim or both.
613
00:48:41,850 --> 00:48:45,405
(children laughing)
614
00:48:45,405 --> 00:48:48,405
But also because wild spaces
615
00:48:49,670 --> 00:48:51,350
have been proven to reduce stress.
616
00:48:51,350 --> 00:48:53,673
Studies have shown that time in a wetland,
617
00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:01,430
can improve your mood.
618
00:49:01,430 --> 00:49:03,340
They can literally put a smile on your face,
619
00:49:03,340 --> 00:49:05,913
and it's easy to see why.
620
00:49:07,403 --> 00:49:08,903
(bright upbeat music)
46551
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