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This place, the equator, is
easily, hands down, one of the
most exciting, most beautiful,
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most vibrant places
on the planet.
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[Gordon] I'm
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Gordon Buchanan,
and I'm a wildlife cameraman.
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I'm travelling the line
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that runs 25,000 miles around
the globe to find out what's
happening to our planet.
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Here, between the tropics,
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there are more plant
and animal species
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than anywhere else on earth.
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Every square inch has
some form of life
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scurrying or scuffling around.
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[Gordon] But today this
same region is also home
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to a staggering 40 percent
of humanity.
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This collision between man
and nature--
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Oh my goodness.
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[Gordon] --is
affecting all of us.
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To get t
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o grips with this reality,
experts are investigating the
equator from a new angle.
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This is one flight that I am
very much looking forward to.
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Up we go.
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[Gordon] From the air.
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Wow!
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I can see something from up here
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that would be impossible to see
from ground level.
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[Gordon] From up high, startling
discov
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eries are being made.
Have we passed a new species?
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For sure.
Really?
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This is really
the front line
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because you see the soya
plantations,
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cattle ranches,
illegal activity,
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human population
growth, it is all here.
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[Gordon] Around the equator
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this aerial view is changing our
relationship with nature...
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[Gordon] Oh, got it, got it.
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Look at that.
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Unbelievable.
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[Gordon] ...as we race to
protect its future and ours.
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We live in an
incredibly exciting,
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pivotal time in our
planet's history.
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When salvation for the natural
world could come from above.
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I've never seen
anything l
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ike it.
Woo-hoo!
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[pilot] How's the adrenaline?
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[Gordon] In South East Asia,
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the islands of Indonesia
and Malaysia
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fall either side of the equator.
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[Gordon] This is a world
of lush rainforests,
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humid swamps and
towering volcanoes.
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Rich, complex habitats,
which have long been home
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to some of the world's most
majestic and iconic wildlife.
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When you think of places
like Sumatra, Java, Borneo,
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they conjure up all these images
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of these exotic, mysterious
tropical regions
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and the reality is
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that it's a place
that's dominated by people.
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[Gordon] South East Asia
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is the fastest developing region
on the equator.
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To satisfy the hunger
for growth,
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wild places have been
given over to housing,
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factories and cash crops.
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So I'm here to find out how
this part of our world
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can weather the storm of rapid
economic progress.
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[Gordon]
With the population of Indonesia
topping a quarter of a billion,
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its capital, Jakarta,
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has grown to become South-East
Asia's biggest city.
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We are literally inching
forwards.
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There's pollution,
there's congestion,
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there's hundreds of thousands
of people on their way to work.
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[Gordon] To see for myself
how urban sprawl
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has affected the landscape,
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I need to get up into the air.
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There's a first time for
everything, and I've never taken
off in a helicopter from a
helipad
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on top of a luxury hotel.
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[Gordon] From above, the sheer
scale of recent development here
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becomes apparent.
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I can see, oh my goodness,
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just this huge long line
of people going nowhere.
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The growth in last 40 years
has been immense.
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It is now one of the
biggest cities on Earth.
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10 million people alone
living underneath us right now.
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Greater Jakarta, 30 million.
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[Gordon]
There's been a huge migration
from the countryside to the city
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as people
come in search of work.
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It is the very picture
of affluence and wealth,
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looking out around here.
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Super, super tall buildings.
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A lot of businesses but
presumably some of them
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residences as well.
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[Gordon] The city is gro
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wing upwards and outwardswith
astonishing speed.
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Jakarta now covers more
than 250 square miles
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of what was once lush coastal
plains and forested hills.
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I'm really struggling to s
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ee an area of green space that's
bigger than a football field.
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It's just like a big sea of grey
and brown.
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It's just all buildings, and
that's rapid urbanization
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gone horribly, horribly wrong.
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[Gordon] And one result of
Jakarta's transformation
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is having a particularly
devastating impact
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on the people who live here.
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This city is sinking.
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Current predictions are th
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at by
2050 much of this enormous city
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is going to be underwater.
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Some people estima
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te that Jakarta's got about a
decade to try and sort itself
out.
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[Gordon] The sinking is caused
by Jakarta's sudden growth.
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Lacking mains water, people
have long dug wells
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to tap into the aquifer
beneath the city.
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But demand has rocketed,
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and now water is extracted
on an industrial scale.
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As a result, the ground
is giving way.
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Geez.
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Seawater seeping up
through the paving, right there.
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My God.
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[Gordon] Add to that the sheer
weight of the city
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and Jakarta is subsiding fast.
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In some places, by up to
25 cm a year.
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Many areas are prone to flooding
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but it's the people in poorer
coastal neighbourhoods
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who suffer the most,
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despite one attempt
to hold back the tide.
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This is quite an
incredible structure.
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It stretches for hundreds
of metres in this direction.
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Um, it's a massive wall
but it's not impenetrable.
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There's a little bit of
flaking going on here.
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It's been patched up here.
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There is seawater
coming through.
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There's little sea
creatures swimming about.
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There's some sea algae and kelp.
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As with every wall, there's
always the desire to find out
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what's on the other side.
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Oh m
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y God, holy smokes!
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[Gordon] This mosque
went under years ago.
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And behind the wall in this area
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the streets now sit more
than a metre below the sea.
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For the people living here,
it's a precarious existence.
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There's even a man fishing
in the street.
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Many of the businesses here
have been abandoned.
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But the owners of one small shop
are staying put.
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I'm Gordon.
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Nice to meet you, hi.
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Hello.
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@What's happened to your street?
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And does it dry out
when the tide is low?
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Is this completely dry?
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Can I have a look
inside the shop?
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Thank you.
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Oh, that looks delicious.
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@Does the water ever get so high
th
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at it comes inside the shop?
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It's been up this high?
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Ah, so does everyone have
to climb onto the roof?
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Can you swim?
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Can yo
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u swim?
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I think you should
all take lessons.
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[Gordon] With the city
sinking below sea level,
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it's become extremely
vulnerable to storm surges.
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2013 saw the worst
floods in recent years.
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Thousands lost their homes.
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In the aftermath,
waterlogged conditions
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left locals exposed to diseases
like dengue and typhoid.
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I just can't imagine that
this place has a future.
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This little shop is about the
only sign of life that's here,
and I think it's, and the people
that are working here,
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are living on borrowed time.
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[Gordon] Jakarta's impressive
economic growth
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has meant progress for many
who live here.
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But it's also brought
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unintended and sometimes
catastrophic consequences.
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And right along this
stretch of the equator,
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the problems caused by
development are becoming acute.
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All too often, the v
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ictims
aren't people but animals.
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[Gordon] A species in serious
trouble is one my favourites.
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The magnificent
Sumatran elephant.
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Since the 1990s,
almost half of Sumatra's forest
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has been lost or degraded.
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If land isn't being built on,
it's being farmed.
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[Gordon] It's a critical
situation, so I'm heading to the
Sumatran province of Jambi
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to find out the latest.
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We're driving through
what would've one time,
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not that long ago,
been pristine habitat.
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[Gordon] Today, the elephants
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that once dominated this island
are on the back foot.
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But I've heard about a promising
new aerial project
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that could help them.
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How are you?
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Good Morning.
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Why aren't you at school?
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Ten to nine!
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[Chuckling].
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[Gordon] This is the village
of Muara Sekalo.
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Pagi.
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You're tuning it.
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It's the human Glockenspiel.
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[Gordon] And I'm meeting a team
doing all they can
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to help the elephants
here survive.
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Hello!
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Alex, presumably?
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How are you?
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I'm Gordon.
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I'm Alex.
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How are you doing?
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Good, good, fine, thanks,
and you? Very well.
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It was a long journey.
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[Gordon] Working alongside local
rangers is Alex Mossbruckerof
the Frankfurt Zoological
Society.
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The last bit of the way I was
looking along the path
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and into the trees for
any signs of elephants,
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but I didn't see anything.
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No grey shapes anywhere, huh?
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No, no.
Right, I'll get ready.
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I need to put some boots on.
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[Alex] Yeah, good.
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[Gordon] Sumatran elephants
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are now classified as critically
endangered, and it's thought
around half have been lost in a
generation.
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But
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if I'm going to spot one,
I'm with the right people.
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Okay, we've got word that
there are elephants up ahead.
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[guide] ...and good to go.
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[Gordon] In this area, Sumatra's
deforestation is evident.
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Only isolated
patches
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of forest remain.
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I can hear them.
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[Alex] Can you see
this wiggling there?
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It's like in here, yeah.
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I can hear them.
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I can hear the
branches breaking.
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Let's go a bit closer.
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[Alex] On the other side?
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On the other side, you see it?
[Gordon] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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[Gordon] To try and
keep the elephants safe,
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the team are keeping a close eye
on the local herds
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with their new gadget.
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Okay, come on, where are you?
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You have t
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o fly here.
No, no, to the right,
to the right. Sorry.
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Go further.
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Stop and go straight for maybe
10 metres from there, 10 metres.
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Let me look down.
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Just look down, you
will see them now.
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Down there! Down there! You see?
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[Gordon] Great.
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It's amazing, I have seen
elephants many times before
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but I've never seen
one from a drone.
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Just being able to creep in
with the drone,
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00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,640
get that overview,
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00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:07,160
you get a real sense of
the makeup of this herd.
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00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:08,880
What they're doing,
where they're going.
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[Gordon] Using the drone,
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the team can monitor the size
and health of each herd with far
greater precision than ever
before.
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00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,040
Fewer than 2000 elephants
remain in Sumatra,
254
00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:32,240
so projects like this
255
00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:32,920
are crucial to stop them
disappearing entirely.
256
00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:39,920
But as the forest is cultiva
257
00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,000
ted for food and cash crops,
elephants and farmers are forced
into ever-closer contact.
258
00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:48,920
For the elephants,
259
00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,200
territory has shrunk
dramatically almost overnight.
260
00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,040
But for people trying
to make a living,
261
00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,560
the elephants could cost
them everything.
262
00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,000
Baharun depends on his small
fields of rubber and oil palm.
263
00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,520
[Gordon] If an elephant
comesúinto a plantation what
happens?
264
00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:48,000
@[Gordon] To defend their crops,
265
00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:48,760
some farmers take things into
their own hands.
266
00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:53,280
So rangers
267
00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,680
are trying to
keep them from clashing.
268
00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,680
Although they
make a lot of noise,
269
00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:05,280
these scare cannons
are completely harmless.
270
00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,000
@So you put the carbide in here?
271
00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,520
Boom!
272
00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,360
[Gordon] It's a
valuable innovation,
273
00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:18,400
because the wellbeing
of elephants
274
00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,440
hasn't always been
top of the list.
275
00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,680
So what kind of things in
the past did people do
276
00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:24,120
to try and keep the
elephants away?
277
00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:52,480
[Gordon] When elephants
appear, farmers can panic.
278
00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,160
The rangers are trying to help
by tracking herds with G.P.S.
279
00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,600
and warning people before
things get out of hand.
280
00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:09,760
This afternoon, news has
just come in
281
00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:10,920
that a herd is threatening
nearby farms.
282
00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:18,800
Two men employed
to guard the crops
283
00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,440
are trying to drive the
elephants away.
284
00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:25,240
Alex is worried.
285
00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:26,160
[Alex] Its new staff hired from
a different part of Indonesia
286
00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:30,160
where people are actually
287
00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:32,040
not used to the presence of
elephants anymore. And they're
now out in the forest
288
00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,680
searching for the elephants,
289
00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:38,640
trying to drive them a little
bit further into the forest. No
matter how experienced you are,
290
00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:39,640
you're still putting yourself
at risk if you're close by.
291
00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,280
[Canon firing].
You hear that sound?
292
00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:43,960
Yeah, so tell me about that.
293
00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:45,480
[Alex] Yeah, there's now an
actual conflict happening.
294
00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:48,800
Would you put your
drone up at the moment?
295
00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,800
[Alex] Yes, I
will put it up now.
296
00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,080
[Gordon] It sounds like
so
297
00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,720
meone is using a scare canon,
and very close by.
298
00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,320
This is when the drone
really comes into its own.
299
00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:02,200
You can actually fly
over an area quickly,
300
00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:03,880
safely, and try and pinpoint
exactly where the elephants are.
301
00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:13,240
[Alex]
We actually get a very good
overview of what's going on.
302
00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,480
And now it's all about spotting
the elephants
303
00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:17,880
and maybe the guys
were driving them.
304
00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,040
It's like cat and mouse play
in the field,
305
00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,880
so the elephants are
there somewhere
306
00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,480
but we have to now really find
them which is not that easy,
even with the technology, huh?
307
00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,280
So quite excitement here.
308
00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:41,080
[Gordon] While Alex is
keeping an eye out from above,
309
00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,000
the guards who've been chasing
the elephants away
310
00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:44,920
suddenly emerge from
the bush unscathed.
311
00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,520
Has he actually seen them?
312
00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:55,320
[Gordon] They've been trying
to drive the herd away all day,
313
00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,280
but head ranger, Albert, is
worried that when they're tired
314
00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,760
the elephants could lash out.
315
00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:40,040
[Gordon] By converting
wilderness to farmland
316
00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,120
and shrinking the elephant's
territory,
317
00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:42,920
dangerous situations like
this can develop on the ground.
318
00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:51,360
Keeping a lid on things
isn't easy.
319
00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:55,320
As we head
320
00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:59,920
back to base, there's
news of even more sightings.
321
00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,560
How many?
322
00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,960
[Gordon] These herds are
more active after dark,
323
00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,840
so that's when conflict
tends to peak.
324
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:32,960
But the team has
developed a system
325
00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,640
to send all the day's elephant
sightings to local farmers.
326
00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:39,080
Tonight's update is almost
read
327
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,200
y to go.
Yeah, I suppose
without this alert,
328
00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,560
can you imagine being out in
a hut in the dead of night
329
00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:46,200
and a herd of elephant come in
to you, it must be terrifying.
330
00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:53,520
[Alex] It's also terrifying
331
00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:54,800
if you know the elephants are
moving towards you. These people
also have a house and a family
in the village,
332
00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:58,640
that means the farmer
333
00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:00,280
after a whole day of working
in the field then has to guard
his field in the night, huh.
334
00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,960
So he cannot do
that all year round, right?
335
00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,440
When he's going
back to the village
336
00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,240
he's risking to lose
the whole work of the year,
337
00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:11,440
maybe of several years
if it's oil palm or rubber.
338
00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,320
And it's a really difficult
decision for him, yeah?
339
00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,240
So by the early warning
system which we have here,
340
00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:20,120
it means from the
365 days a year
341
00:24:20,120 --> 00:24:23,720
maybe they only have
to only guard the field
342
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:25,000
maybe 20 or 30 days when
the elephants are really close.
343
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:28,320
And it's for them
a great relief.
344
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,960
Yeah, but of course,
it works both ways.
345
00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,240
This isn't just to protect
the people from elephants,
346
00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,480
it's to protect elephants
from people.
347
00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,520
[Alex] Sure.
348
00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:39,200
Our main goal is
to protect the wildlife.
349
00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,200
[Engines revving].
350
00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,840
[Gordon] Across Sumatra, as land
is given over to development,
351
00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:48,480
turf wars between people
and wildlife are on the rise.
352
00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:53,440
So what I've s
353
00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:56,760
een here really does matter.
But there's a lot of hope.
354
00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:58,520
It's about actually communities
355
00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:00,280
and conservationists
and scientists
356
00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:01,280
coming together and
working together
357
00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:03,680
to help solve the problem.
358
00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,920
And more importantly for me,
359
00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:08,600
it's to provide these elephants
with a future.
360
00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:16,080
You know, after all, they were
here before we were.
361
00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,120
[Gordon] As the economy grows,
and more land is cultivated,
362
00:25:23,120 --> 00:25:25,520
wildlife is suffering here.
363
00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:32,480
And in m
364
00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:34,520
any parts of South East
Asia,land is now farmed more
intensively than ever,
365
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,080
as global demand for one
cash crop has rocketed.
366
00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:43,880
Palm oil is used
in processed food,
367
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,440
cosmetics and as a fuel.
368
00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:50,240
In Indonesia alone,
369
00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:51,400
a piece of forest the size
of a football pitch
370
00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:52,840
is lost every 25 seconds.
371
00:25:58,160 --> 00:25:59,680
It's big business
in Malaysia too.
372
00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:01,280
And I'm on my way
to the northern tip
373
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,720
of the island of Borneo,
374
00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,360
where the drive for profit
375
00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:06,120
has hit one species
particularly hard.
376
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:17,800
More than a third
of Borneo's forests
377
00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:18,400
have been wiped out by logging
and palm oil production.
378
00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:30,400
This is Sepilok,
379
00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,440
where a small stretch of virgin
forest has been protected
380
00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,360
to create a rehabilitation
centre for orangutans.
381
00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:40,880
Many orphaned as a direct
result of deforestation.
382
00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:47,600
Tombi.
Tombi.
383
00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,520
Good morning.
384
00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:56,360
[Gordon] First, there's
385
00:26:56,360 --> 00:26:58,960
a chance for me to meet some of
the reserve's newest residents.
386
00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,080
[Dr. Sarkawi]
So can you help me to write?
387
00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:02,960
Yeah, absolutely.
388
00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:04,960
That is one of my few skills.
389
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:06,360
[Gordon] Vet Dr. Nabila Sarkawi
is giving these orphans
390
00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:09,880
their routine medical check.
391
00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:13,120
[Gordon] So everything okay?
392
00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:14,120
Yeah, everything okay on Tombi.
393
00:27:14,120 --> 00:27:16,640
[Dr. Sarkawi] This is Koko.
394
00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:18,520
[Gordon] Koko?
395
00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:20,080
[Dr. Sarkawi] Yeah.
396
00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:21,360
I have seen an orangutan
in the wild before
397
00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:26,120
but always at like a distance.
398
00:27:26,120 --> 00:27:27,840
They're just brimming with
intelligence and curiosity.
399
00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:36,760
[Gordon] Females only give birth
once every seven or eight years.
400
00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:47,440
Each baby is truly precious.
The most important question is
do I get the job?
401
00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,200
[Laughing].
402
00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:51,880
I only got one thing wrong.
403
00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:53,080
[Dr. Sarkawi]
I'll tell you later.
404
00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:55,440
I'll get back to you.
405
00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:56,520
[Gordon] These youngsters
are being prepared for release
406
00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,920
into the reserve,
407
00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:00,440
where they can breed and
boost the fragile population.
408
00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:07,320
But while they're here they will
also be helping with research.
409
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:15,400
As the
410
00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,840
orangutans learn how to
negotiate the canopy,
conservationists want to try
411
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,360
a brand-new way
of monitoring them,
412
00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:22,120
which could be critical
to saving the whole species.
413
00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,120
If this was a human
that we were following,
414
00:28:31,120 --> 00:28:33,400
they'd be very
suspicious by now.
415
00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,040
[Serge] Yeah, they probably
are a little bit as well.
416
00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,880
[Gordon] What are
these guys up to?
417
00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,080
[Gordon] Working with
the World Wildlife Fund,
418
00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:41,520
Professor Serge Wich is a
leading authority on great apes.
419
00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:48,200
Their strength is unbelievable.
420
00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:49,880
Like a ballerina combined
with a weight lifter.
421
00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:51,840
[Serge] Yeah, yeah.
422
00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,200
Da-da-da-da-da-da.
423
00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:55,840
Yeah, they're incredibly strong.
424
00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:00,320
They can hang and
425
00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:01,920
feed for
a long time before moving.
426
00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:06,720
And they're so well adapted
to being up in that canopy
427
00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:08,160
and navigate that very complex
three-dimensional space.
428
00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:17,960
[Gordon] When any species is
threatened with extinction,
429
00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:19,560
it's crucial to know exactly
how many individuals are left
430
00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:24,040
and where,
431
00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:25,640
so that those areas
can be protected.
432
00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,920
But counting orangutans in the
433
00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:29,520
wild is easier said than done.
434
00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:34,520
It's a very good illustration
of how diffi
435
00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,560
cult it can be
to observe a
forest-dwelling creature,
436
00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,160
you can see one tuft of
arm hair and that's it.
437
00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:44,080
[Serge] Yes, it's really
quite fascinating,
438
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,240
but it's really difficult
to study.
439
00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,600
Because we're on the ground
and we're always looking up.
[Gordon] To solve that problem,
440
00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:51,880
Serge is planning an
aerial revolution.
441
00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:56,040
So if we can fly over the forest
442
00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,440
and then monitor the orangutans
from the air,
443
00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,280
then maybe we can do that
for less money and faster
444
00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,440
and make it very accurate and
as automated as we can.
445
00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,320
[Gordon] To spot
them from above,
446
00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:12,960
Serge needs to see through
the canopy.
447
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,880
Tonight he hopes to do just
that during the test-flight
448
00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:21,240
of a new heat-sensitive
eye-in-the-sky.
449
00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,560
I'm really excited,
we've never done this before.
450
00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:26,320
Oh, really?
451
00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:27,880
Yeah.
452
00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,040
So we're gonna go over
to the drone team
453
00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,080
and see if they can spot
the orangutan
454
00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:37,400
that we've been watching
for the last hour.
455
00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:41,800
[drone automated voice]
456
00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:42,800
Power on. One. [Gordon] Serge
has teamed up with a group of
astrophysicists
457
00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,200
who are developing software
458
00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:47,080
to work with heat-sensitive
cameras.
459
00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:53,160
So the thermal camera itself
has been sort of stripped back
460
00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,800
to just the bare essential.
461
00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,240
[Gordon] They've modified
an off-the-shelf drone
462
00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,960
to carry both an optical
camera
463
00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,040
and their new thermal
infra-red camera.
464
00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:07,600
[astrophysicist]
Okay, it's good to go.
465
00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,000
It's a flying brain.
466
00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,000
[Drone buzzing].
467
00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:24,800
[Serge] Yeah, you
can go up a lot more.
468
00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:26,440
We've gone up to 20, 30 metres.
469
00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:28,240
[Gordon] Project scientist
Dr. Claire Burke
470
00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,800
has adapted techniques
471
00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:32,320
first used to monitor
far flung stars and galaxies
472
00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:38,120
[Serge] It's under
45 degrees, right?
473
00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:39,440
[Dr. Burke] Yeah.
474
00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,640
[Gordon] The idea is
475
00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:45,680
that the sensor will detect the
difference in temperature
between an orangutan and its
surroundings.
476
00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:54,280
The best time to try
this is at night
477
00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,640
when the forest has cooled down,
478
00:31:57,640 --> 00:31:59,960
hopefully allowing the body
heat of the orangutans
479
00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:02,000
to stand out.
480
00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:10,320
[Dr. Burke]
Can't quite see it from here.
481
00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:12,960
[Gordon]
But with technology this new,
482
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:13,960
you have to expect a
few teething problems.
483
00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,840
[drone automated voice]
Signal low.
484
00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:19,680
[Dr. Burke] I thin
485
00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:24,680
k the software
has crashed. Okay.
486
00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:27,120
[Dr. Burke] So we'll look at the
data when it lands anyway.
[Gordon] The team can still fly
the drone, but it's no longer
487
00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:30,840
.
488
00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:32,240
We have a good idea of how
the physics works
489
00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:34,440
and what should work.
490
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:38,840
But sometimes in reality
things don't work out that way.
491
00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:45,240
Touchdown.
492
00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:51,080
I love how we just take that for
granted, something that 20 years
ago
493
00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:52,920
you'd have just thought
this was a U.F.O.
494
00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:54,400
But now you'd say,
"Yeah, it's just a drone!"
495
00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:56,440
Just a drone.
496
00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,160
[Gordon] Before we k
497
00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:00,760
now if it's worked,there's a
long night of data crunching
ahead.
498
00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:10,160
[Gordon] Next morning,
the results are in.
499
00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:14,800
[Gordon] That is incredible!
500
00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:18,760
That is really amazing.
501
00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:19,680
You can't see it at all...
502
00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:21,720
No, not one tiny bit.
503
00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:23,760
[Serge] ...in the visual light.
504
00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:26,400
[Serge] And that's its head.
505
00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:27,280
[Dr. Burke] Yeah, you can see
him perhaps moving its arms
[Serge] Yeah.
506
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:35,120
That's astonishing. [Dr. Burke]
And you can't see it at all with
a regular camera. [Serge] Yeah,
and it's low now
507
00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:37,320
[Gordon] Yeah, so this is
the orangutan from last night?
508
00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,600
Compared to the tree trunks
he just glows like a beacon.
509
00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,640
The sliding from that optical
camera to thermal camera
510
00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:48,160
is like a sort of veil
511
00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,360
being kind of taken away
from your eyes.
512
00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:52,960
[Dr. Burke] Yeah,
'cause you can't see it at all
513
00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:54,120
with the regular camera.
It's really, really obvious.
514
00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:55,960
[Serge] Yeah.
515
00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:57,760
Infrared is a completely
new world for us,
516
00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:00,840
and that enables us
to know sooner
517
00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:02,720
whether our conservation
strategies
518
00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:05,040
are working or failing,
519
00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:06,120
which is incredibly exciting.
520
00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:12,360
[Gordon] As the demand for
cash crops increases unabated,
521
00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:16,120
space-age tech could be
a vital weapon
522
00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:17,640
in the battle to protect
vulnerable species.
523
00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:34,840
It's been sobering
524
00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:38,760
to see how wild places along the
equator are shrinking, pushing
animals like the orangutan
525
00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:41,280
to the brink of extinction.
526
00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:44,120
But I've heard there's
an even rarer creature
527
00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:47,160
that might just beat the odds,
528
00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:48,160
if one remote piece of
wilderness can be preserved.
529
00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:54,840
[Gordon] To get there, I'm
heading to the Indonesian side
530
00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:58,320
of the island of Borneo.
531
00:34:58,320 --> 00:34:58,880
Straddling the equator is the
province of East Kalimantan.
532
00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:06,040
I'm on my way to a place
called Lake Mesangat.
533
00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:09,680
It's probably best described as
being in the middle of nowhere.
534
00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:14,480
It's in East Kalimantan
and it is home
535
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,480
to one of the rarest,
most endangered species
536
00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:20,280
in South East Asia.
537
00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,440
Here be dragons.
538
00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:30,800
[Gordon]
The Siamese crocodile was once
found all over South East Asia.
539
00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:35,480
But they've been hunted
for their skins
540
00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:36,480
and much of their habitat has
been converted to farmland.
541
00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,400
In Indonesia, this species
was even considered extinct
542
00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,560
until a small group was found
clinging on right here.
543
00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:56,960
Covering 46 square miles,
544
00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:58,280
the wetlands of Mesangat
provide the crocodiles
545
00:35:58,280 --> 00:36:00,640
with a valuable refuge.
546
00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:07,760
But this area has been
threatened
547
00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:08,120
by plans to drain the swamp and
cultivate the land for profit.
548
00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:18,040
We came off the main river and
came in to this little creek
549
00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:21,200
that had just got more
and more beautiful.
550
00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:34,320
[Gordon] I'm here with members
of a group of conservationists,
551
00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:36,920
concerned landowners
and officials
552
00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:40,480
called the Mesangat Forum.
553
00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:43,840
They've lobbied for protection
against development here,
554
00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:45,560
of such a crucial habitat
for the crocodiles.
555
00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,000
To show how important it is,
556
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:56,000
they need to know exactly
how many crocs live here.
557
00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,320
So we're heading for nesting
sites deep within the swamp.
558
00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:05,760
How far now?
559
00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:07,360
350 metres from here.
560
00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:12,600
350 metres, excellent.
561
00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:17,640
[Gordon] With wild animals,
562
00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:21,680
it pays to take things slowly.
Siamese crocodiles generally
avoid contact with people,
563
00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:24,240
but fishermen here
have been attacked.
564
00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:32,720
And we're now on high alert
because the team suspects
there's a nest right here,
565
00:37:32,720 --> 00:37:36,800
tucked away in the reeds.
566
00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:39,600
Just gonna whisper for a bit
567
00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:41,760
because there is a chance that
the mother's gonna be around.
568
00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:43,080
And if she is, I'd like to get
a look at her.
569
00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:49,400
So it's the other side
of this vegetation.
570
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:50,160
Actually the nest's supposed
to be here.
571
00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:59,720
[Gordon] We can't get any closer
in the canoe, but reptile
scientist Masilem
572
00:37:59,720 --> 00:38:00,720
has acquired a new piece of kit
for the survey.
573
00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:07,560
If there is a female nesting,
574
00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:08,120
using the drone will be less
disruptive for her
575
00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:11,280
and safer for us.
576
00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:14,600
[Masilem] So I can show
you
577
00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:19,840
where the nest is.
578
00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:23,160
So this is the nest.
579
00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:25,000
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You can see it very clearly.
580
00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:28,240
And can you tell if it's
a new nest or an old one?
581
00:38:28,240 --> 00:38:30,480
[Masilem]
This is the old one because
this condition of the nest.
582
00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:38,640
So it's an old nest,
but it is a nest.
583
00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:41,920
The nest is, what,
four, five metres from us,
584
00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:47,000
and we can't see it?
585
00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:48,360
[Masilem] Yes.
586
00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:50,760
Now that I'm here on the ground
587
00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:53,320
it feels like the only solution
to this problem is getting up
there.
588
00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:57,400
[Gordon] Logging
nests is useful,
589
00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:59,120
but what's even more valuable
590
00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:00,440
is a tally of actual croc
sightings.
591
00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:04,480
The mother and bab
592
00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:09,480
ies from
this old nest are long gone.
593
00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:09,920
But nearby there's another
nest more recently occupied.
594
00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:24,400
[Gordon] As night falls,
595
00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:27,760
we continue our search for this
rarest of creaturesunder cover
of darkness.
596
00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:33,400
Gonna switch off my light.
597
00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:36,600
Pitch black!
598
00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:39,760
[Gordon] And it's
599
00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:44,400
not long
before Masilem spots something.
600
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:45,880
Everyone's gesticulating
wildly up ahead,
601
00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,600
so I think we must be close.
602
00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:51,560
Can't see anything
at the moment.
603
00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:16,040
Whereabouts, whereabouts?
604
00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:23,800
Oh yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, I see one.
605
00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:28,360
Ah, very cool.
606
00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:28,880
Just at the bottom of those kind
of thick grass stalks
607
00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:34,960
there's a tiny baby,
608
00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:35,840
maybe about kind of
ten inches long.
609
00:40:39,720 --> 00:40:41,000
Yeah, let's get closer.
610
00:40:45,240 --> 00:40:46,920
It is this tiny little
mini version of its mother.
611
00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:54,480
There you go.
612
00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:55,920
Nice and steady.
613
00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,440
You are a stunning little thing.
614
00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:03,880
Oh, oh, th
615
00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:09,480
at is just amazing.
616
00:41:13,720 --> 00:41:17,680
And he's seen enough of me.
617
00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:19,120
[Chuckling].
618
00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:31,720
Down he goes.
619
00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:34,040
That's not bad for
620
00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:39,520
a night's effort.
621
00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:41,120
To come out with that sort of
sole intent of seeing it
622
00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:45,560
and being able to see it,
623
00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:46,360
that doesn't happen often
with animals.
624
00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:49,000
Especially elusive creatures
625
00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:51,640
that live in quite kind
of complex,
626
00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:54,720
difficult environments.
627
00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:04,040
[Gordon] It's incredible to
come face to face
628
00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:06,720
with the next generation
of a species
629
00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:07,440
that seems to be
coming back from the brink.
630
00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:16,880
Every confirmed sighting
helps to prove
631
00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:18,200
just how valuable
this habitat is.
632
00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:25,360
But the be
633
00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:28,280
st hope of securing the future
of this place is to get a handle
on crocodile numbers
634
00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:31,440
right across the wetlands.
635
00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:33,480
So the team has now embarked
on an ambitious project.
636
00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:39,600
Instead of paddling through
the waterways,
637
00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:41,800
we've come to the edge
of the swamp
638
00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:42,920
to try out their new prototype.
639
00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:49,760
I would never have thought there
was an aircraft in this
rucksack.
640
00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:52,760
Well, I mean, it's very simple.
641
00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:56,720
If you looked at it, the side
is all just kind of polystyrene.
One motor, one battery.
642
00:42:56,720 --> 00:42:58,280
[Masilem] Yeah,
it's very, very simple.
643
00:42:58,280 --> 00:42:59,760
Low-tech high tech
644
00:42:59,760 --> 00:43:01,200
[Masilem] Yeah.
645
00:43:02,720 --> 00:43:06,000
[Aircraft buzzing].
646
00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:12,640
[Masilem] Great.
647
00:43:12,640 --> 00:43:15,040
[Gordon] With
this aerial survey,
648
00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:16,520
they're aiming for the
most accurate estimate yet
649
00:43:16,520 --> 00:43:17,840
of crocodile numbers
across the entire ecosystem.
650
00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:24,640
It's very birdlike
actually, very graceful.
651
00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:29,200
What height do you fly at?
652
00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:30,080
[Masilem] Between 18 metres
and 100 metres.
653
00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:32,240
18 to 100?
654
00:43:32,240 --> 00:43:34,120
Yeah.
655
00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:35,640
[Gordon] The drone takes
600 high-res photos
656
00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:38,920
during each flight.
657
00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,840
And this latest batch will
add to a huge aerial map
658
00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:43,360
pieced together into a mosaic
of over 10,000 images.
659
00:43:49,120 --> 00:43:50,800
[Gordon] These are
amazing pictures.
660
00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:53,160
[Gordon]
The best way to identify
where the crocs might be hiding
661
00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:56,360
is to search for the nests
from above.
662
00:43:56,360 --> 00:44:00,400
[Masilem] Can you identify
where is the nest?
663
00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:01,720
O-oh, I like a challenge,
I like a challenge.
664
00:44:01,720 --> 00:44:05,320
Um, I'm allowed to zoom in?
665
00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:07,680
[Masilem] Yeah, actually, yes.
666
00:44:07,680 --> 00:44:10,560
Okay, let me see, let me see.
667
00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:12,160
I was gonna say just sort
of bang in the middle.
668
00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:15,440
Is that it?
669
00:44:15,440 --> 00:44:17,200
[Masilem] Yeah, you are correct.
Yeah, it all makes sense
670
00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:18,400
why doing this from the sky
is the best way.
671
00:44:18,400 --> 00:44:20,040
[Masilem] Yeah, the best way.
672
00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:27,680
[Gordon] The images collected
673
00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:30,800
will allow the team to narrow
their search on the ground to
identify as many crocs as they
can
674
00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:32,040
and preserve this crucial
habitat long into the future.
675
00:44:45,320 --> 00:44:49,240
[Gordon] I'm blown away
by how aerial photography
676
00:44:49,240 --> 00:44:52,520
is being adapted
677
00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:58,280
to help protect wildlife
right across this region.
678
00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:00,400
And finally, I'm heading back to
the sinking city of Jakarta
679
00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:03,080
to find out how people are also
using cutting-edge technology
680
00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:06,200
to protect themselves.
681
00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:14,360
[Gordon]
First stop, a downtown cafe
682
00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:16,320
where local researchers are
harnessing social media
683
00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:18,720
to try and keep people
safe and healthy
684
00:45:18,720 --> 00:45:20,840
when the waters start rising.
685
00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:27,080
Hello.
686
00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:28,880
How are you?
687
00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:29,800
[Nashin] Good. How are you?
I'm Gordon. Hi.
688
00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:31,480
[Dika] Nice to meet you.
You too.
689
00:45:31,480 --> 00:45:33,440
So what are all those
dots all over the city?
690
00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:37,120
So these
represent flood reports.
691
00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:40,760
And so it shows an overview
of the flooding situation
692
00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:43,560
where it's flooding in the city
in real time.
693
00:45:43,560 --> 00:45:48,000
[Gordon]
Nashin M
694
00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:51,200
ahtani and
Dika Fadmastuti
have been working on software
695
00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:52,360
that gives real-time warnings
as the floods play out.
696
00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:55,880
Those are all individual reports
from who?
697
00:45:55,880 --> 00:46:00,040
From residents of the city,
698
00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:02,040
because we noticed
that when it floods
699
00:46:02,040 --> 00:46:03,920
that's one of the first
sort of reactions people have
700
00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:05,840
is to post
the flooding situation
701
00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:07,800
on their social media account.
702
00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:09,160
And so we recognised
this is a data source
703
00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:12,880
that could be leveraged
for disaster response.
704
00:46:12,880 --> 00:46:15,800
So if, for example, there's
water coming in through door,
705
00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:19,120
so I'll just put like
"#Flood" and just send that?
706
00:46:19,120 --> 00:46:24,120
[Dika] Mm-hmm.
Okay. Send.
707
00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:26,480
[Gordon] The software recognises
messages related to flooding
708
00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:28,960
and contacts the sender to
gather critical information.
709
00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:32,000
So it's asking you to confirm
the location.
710
00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:33,880
Is that one?
711
00:46:33,880 --> 00:46:34,800
[Dika] Yeah.
712
00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:36,800
Confirm.
713
00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:37,960
[Dika] And also to
confirm the flood height.
714
00:46:37,960 --> 00:46:38,840
Wow, and will it
just take a photo?
715
00:46:38,840 --> 00:46:41,080
[Dika] Yeah.
716
00:46:44,680 --> 00:46:46,720
It said "success"
and your map is here.
717
00:46:46,720 --> 00:46:50,920
Wow.
718
00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:51,920
[Nashin] And if you click the
report...[Dika] And if you click
the report,
719
00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:53,400
your flood is here.
720
00:46:53,400 --> 00:46:58,480
And so you've got
the flood height,
721
00:46:58,480 --> 00:46:59,240
your description and a photo.
That is amazing. So in under a
minute you can put a witness
report out
722
00:47:00,520 --> 00:47:04,640
to the world.
723
00:47:04,640 --> 00:47:07,680
It's a free online tool,
724
00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:10,120
so it's available for other
residents to use to make
decisions about their own
safety.
725
00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:12,840
But also we work with a
disaster management agency,
726
00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:15,520
and they are monitoring
the map in real time.
727
00:47:15,520 --> 00:47:17,840
So they're able to view incoming
reports
728
00:47:17,840 --> 00:47:20,600
and respond to resident needs,
729
00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:22,320
and they're better able
to allocate their resources
730
00:47:22,320 --> 00:47:24,720
in a more a timely manner
as well.
731
00:47:24,720 --> 00:47:27,920
[Gordon] Of course,
732
00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:31,040
this kind of disaster response
is only a stopgap.
733
00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:32,920
To end the floods will take huge
investment in infrastructure.
734
00:47:39,120 --> 00:47:42,120
But in the meantime, one man
is working on a low-tech way
735
00:47:42,120 --> 00:47:44,920
to improve things straight away.
736
00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:51,960
[Gordon] In the neighbourhood
of Kampung Tongkol,
737
00:47:51,960 --> 00:47:53,840
people rely on water
from underground,
738
00:47:53,840 --> 00:47:56,160
because their local river
is too dirty to use.
739
00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:02,000
Community leader Gugun
Mohamed explains why.
740
00:48:22,520 --> 00:48:27,000
[Gordon] Determined to improve
the unhygienic conditions,
741
00:48:27,000 --> 00:48:29,680
Gugun started to
turn things around,
742
00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:32,600
one street at a time.
743
00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:36,080
He started small with a
rubbish bin outside every home.
744
00:48:36,080 --> 00:48:38,400
So all the households
put their trash in here?
745
00:48:44,160 --> 00:48:45,560
[Gordon] And he's now persuaded
the government
746
00:48:45,560 --> 00:48:50,400
to begin work on
the river itself.
747
00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:54,000
So have you seen improvement
748
00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:54,840
since the river started
to be cleaned?
749
00:49:02,760 --> 00:49:07,720
Do you think there might
be a day
750
00:49:07,720 --> 00:49:12,000
where the people living in these
houses can use this water?
751
00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:27,160
[Gordon] It's such
a simple idea,
752
00:49:27,160 --> 00:49:28,720
yet this could be a small
but significant victory
753
00:49:28,720 --> 00:49:30,440
in the ongoing war
against the floods.
754
00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:43,560
The people of Jakarta
are resilient.
755
00:49:43,560 --> 00:49:48,000
They are inventive.
756
00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:50,960
And this is a country
that is dealing with a lot.
757
00:49:50,960 --> 00:49:53,680
It's seeing agricultural,
industrial,
758
00:49:53,680 --> 00:49:56,760
technological revolution
happen
759
00:49:56,760 --> 00:49:59,000
in a very, very short
space of time.
760
00:50:08,080 --> 00:50:12,800
[Gordon] In the face of
South East Asia's economic boom,
761
00:50:12,800 --> 00:50:15,720
the situation seems
particularly chaotic.
762
00:50:15,720 --> 00:50:19,000
But my journey along the
equator here has been inspiring.
763
00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:27,280
We live in an incredibly
exciting, pivotal time
764
00:50:27,280 --> 00:50:31,560
in our planet's history.
765
00:50:31,560 --> 00:50:35,600
To have that aerial
766
00:50:35,600 --> 00:50:38,880
perspective of the equator,
to be up there looking down,
767
00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:42,160
it allows us to see
the equator's problems.
768
00:50:42,160 --> 00:50:46,600
And I've seen how some
brilliant people
769
00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:49,400
are using their commitment
and ingenuity
770
00:50:49,400 --> 00:50:51,760
to start putting some
of those problems to rights.
771
00:50:53,040 --> 00:50:58,560
[Gordon]
If they can harness
772
00:50:58,560 --> 00:51:01,040
this region's technological
revolution to preserve South
East Asia's wildlife
773
00:51:01,040 --> 00:51:04,280
and safeguard its people,
774
00:51:04,280 --> 00:51:04,920
then there really will be more
hope for the future.
58150
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