All language subtitles for 01 - Love

The world is full
of extraordinary animals.

But how well
do we really understand them?

How do they really
think and feel?

To find out, a team of spy
creatures is going undercover.

They not only look
like part of the family,

they behave like them, too.

Armed with the latest
camera technology,

they are going to
travel the globe

to understand the true nature
of the animals they meet,

and reveal how intelliget
they really are,

how badly behaved they can be,

how important
friendship is to them,

and if it's possible that they
can truly love each other.

What they discover will change our
perception of animals forever.

Perhaps they are more like us

than we ever
believed possible.

Animals live complex lives,

but how sophisticated
are their emotions?

On the African savanna
lives one of the world's

most intelligent
and family-focused animals,

the wild dog.

In this pack, all the puppies
belong to just one mother,

but are showered with affection by
every member of the extended family.

When the adults go hunting,
a new pup makes an appearance.

This is Spy Pup.

The only giveaway
is the camera in his eye.

He's here to film the emotional
dynamics of pack life.

But first, he must be accepted
by the pups.

They could easily rip him
to pieces.

So he mimics their body language
to make them feel at ease.

He uses the play bow.

It's a universal invitation
to have fun.

He's won them over,

despite his
slightly strange smell.

The adults, however,
may be harder to convince.

So he makes
a submissive gesture,

and wags his tail.

Now accepted,

he soon gains the most intimate
view of wild dogs ever seen.

The pups beg for food
by licking the adults' mouths.

Fresh meat caught
just for them.

With survival depending
on teamwork,

affection strengthens
family ties.

Unfortunately, it's not just
Spy Pup that's watching them.

The strength of their love
is about to be tested.

Lions regard wild dogs
as rivals.

She'll kill the pups
if she can.

Spy Pup can only
lay low and observe.

The lioness picks up
the smell of the den.

The dogs try to divert
her attention.

But with pups in her sights,

she won't be
easily distracted.

The pack
keeps up the diversion.

But it's the desperate mother
who decides to risk all.

Goading the lioness
to attack her.

Over and over,
she teases the lion,

while the pack
provides backup.

After 40 minutes
of relentless pressure,

the exhausted lioness
accepts defeat.

Spy Pup had a ringside view of
this extraordinary encounter.

And in the aftermath, the pups
are reunited with their mother.

Although family affection
runs deep,

nothing competes
with the love of a mother.

After the lion's visit,
it's her that cleans the den.

For her pups, it's a chance
to enjoy the dust bath.

Even Spy Pup joins the fun.

A mother's love
is so fundamental,

could it be found in a relic
from a prehistoric age?

In Uganda, this Nile crocodile
is coming ashore

for a very important event.

Her babies are about to hatch.

Sharing her nest are some
very special hatchlings.

Ones with cameras
in their eyes.

They are here to record
the relationship

between a mother crocodile
and her young.

The spy hatchlings have
been filming her for days

as she waits for her
real young to arrive.

The calls of her babies
synchronise their hatching,

encouraging the whole brood
to emerge at once.

They are also cries
for her attention.

For three long months, she
protected her eggs day and night,

as she waited for this moment.

Now, she meets her babies
for the first time.

They are delicate
and vulnerable.

But they are not safe here.

She must get them to water.

Her solution is extraordinary.

Despite having the most
powerful bite in nature,

she carefully gathers them
in a throat pouch

beneath a stockade
of deadly teeth.

She is as gentle
as a croc could ever be.

Safe in her care, tails
dangling between her teeth,

she takes them to water.

She won't enjoy
her babies' company for long.

Crocodiles can have
eighty hatchlings.

And another batch is crying
for her attention.

She won't leave any behind,

even Spy Hatchling.

Safe in her cavernous mouth,
all survive unscathed.

And Spy Hatchling
is still filming.

They still need
her protection.

Even in water,
just one in ten survive.

For danger is everywhere.

A grey heron.

He has the pick of the bunch.

Crocodiles have changed little

since the age
of the dinosaurs,

but their maternal care
is anything but primitive.

She'll protect her babies
for the next two months.

Such care becomes stronger when
whole families are involved.

African elephants show a much
more developed sense of love.

Their extended family
is made up of related females,

led by a wise, old matriarch.

She holds the wisdom
of the generations,

and this needs
to be passed on to all.

To infiltrate the herd,
a new spy creature is needed.

One based on a bird
that lives among them.

This is Spy Egret,

complete with a filming eye.

The first challenge will be
surviving the initial encounter.

It could be
a brief assignment.

He's facing 40 tonnes
of unstoppable herd.

His first test over,
it's now down to business.

As well as Spy Egret, there are
other cameras covering the action.

Spy Tortoise can, quite literally,
get under the elephants' feet.

The camera soon captures
something remarkable.

A vulnerable new arrival,
less than an hour old.

His mother must help
her newborn to his feet.

It's the start of the most important
relationship of his life.

His first steps
are a challenge.

The bond between them
will be complete

when he finally suckles.

Easier said than done.

His mother gently
guides him to the spot.

It's time
to meet the relatives.

It's a big occasion.

Each member of the family
wants to introduce themselves.

They will all play a role
helping him grow up.

For now, the attention
is overwhelming.

But in the coming years,

he'll learn all he needs
to know for his survival

from these loving females.

The babies of some animals
have to find their place

in even larger
animal families.

This temple in Rajasthan is home
to a troop of 120 Indian langurs,

made up of related females
and their offspring.

They are the most gentle and
affectionate monkeys in the world.

It's a sisterhood,

with an unusual
system of childcare.

To see how
this works in practice,

a spy baby monkey
is joining the family,

complete with camera eye

and a range
of lifelike movements.

The plan is to blend
subtly into the crowd.

But the monkeys
have other ideas.

They're more than
a little suspicious

of the stranger
in their midst.

She's creating such a stir,

every monkey in the
neighbourhood pays her a visit.

Her camera reveals the extraordinary
athletic prowess of these lively monkeys.

To escape the pandemonium,

the mother has set up
a baby and toddler group

in a quiet part of the temple.

But looking after a baby
is a full-time occupation.

So once they are
three weeks old,

if Mum wants a break,
she has a solution.

Employ a teenage babysitter.

As these young females develop
feelings of love and care,

they just want to hold a baby.

It's an arrangement
that gives the moms a break.

A chance to be
pampered and groomed.

She may have
a designated babysitter,

but here, every young female
wants to play mum.

When everyone's had a go,

there's always
one left holding the baby.

It's a serious responsibility,

but the novelty
soon wears thin,

especially when everyone else
is having all the fun.

The babysitter decides
to join the game...

while the baby
clings on for dear life.

But some challenges test
the baby's grip to the limit.

An almost sheer drop
of 20 metres.

The babysitter
is oblivious to the danger.

For the baby,
a final indignity.

Time for the mother
to reclaim her infant.

The babysitter
wants a break, too.

There are
plenty more volunteers,

but for both baby and mother,
enough is enough.

It seems traumatic,

but this is how teenagers learn the parenting
skills they'll need in the future.

There's no shortage
of love here,

even if, at times,
it's tough love.

The Prairies of North America,

home to an animal with
a surprisingly loving nature.

This inquisitive soul
is the prairie dog.

He has a new neighbour.

Spy Prairie Dog.

Everyone's curious
to see the new arrival.

They live in towns, made up
of around 20 family groups.

In these wide open spaces, everyone
relies on each other to watch for danger.

So, to strengthen
their family connections,

they have an endearing way
to express their affection.

Kissing.

Like a human kiss,

it's thought to encourage
the bond of love,

and release oxytocin,

a pleasure hormone
that floods the brain.

It also helps identify
family members,

and strangers
from out of town.

But, when a rival male
blatantly steals a kiss,

it doesn't go down well
with the head of the family.

The cheating female
wisely hides, as fur flies.

Love rival gone,
the prairie dogs regroup,

with an enthusiastic display
called a jump-yip.

The jump-yip shows the colony
is alert and on guard.

It also reinforces its unity,

ensuring everyone
is on the same wavelength.

Even Spy Prairie Dog
gives it a go.

Back on the African savanna,

the newborn elephant
is on the move,

and he now needs the protection
of his family more than ever.

The spy creatures
are on duty, too.

As they travel,

the mother uses
her tail to make sure

her baby is always
in touching distance.

For danger can come from
the most unexpected places.

And wild dogs can be a threat,

especially when they have
their own pups to protect.

For now, they are blissfully unaware
that the elephants are close.

The pups
are constantly playing,

building the social skills they
need to be fully part of the pack.

But the elephants
are getting closer.

They could easily destroy
the den and crush the pups.

The dogs advance
to meet the threat.

Wild dogs
are effective killers,

able to take down
a newborn elephant.

But their only concern now

is the safety
of their own young.

Stragglers are rounded up.

The elephants are equally
concerned for their own baby.

They shepherd him behind
a protective wall of legs.

The dogs create their own barrier
between the elephants and the den.

It's a showdown.

The matriarch leads
the charge.

She's the most experienced
member of the family.

As the conflict escalates,

the elephants put on
a united show of strength

with a baby hidden behind
a moving barrier of legs.

Eventually, the two sides
accept an uneasy truce.

Both loyal
and loving families know

there's too much to lose
from further confrontation.

With Spy Tortoise now
fully accepted by the herd,

the elephants
bring him along for the ride.

Albeit a brief one.

The affection that binds
families together may be strong,

but the bond between courting
couples is in a different realm.

In southern Kenya,
love is blossoming.

This male red-billed hornbill

has found the perfect spot
to bring up a family.

His mate is never far away.

He performs a little dance to
entice her to take a closer look.

She shows her approval by
starting to spruce the place up.

They now face a challenge that will
test their commitment to the limit.

They set to work,
gathering mud,

a central element
to their plan.

Their aim is to make
the entrance smaller.

They also add poisonous
millipedes to the mix,

creating an insect repellent that
keeps nest-raiding pests at bay.

The hole is shrinking fast,

so, before it gets too small,
the female must move in.

This tiny chamber will become
her home for the next 12 weeks.

She's a willing captive,

even using her own droppings
to help narrow the hole.

She now relies on her mate

to deliver
more building materials.

Working as a team, the female
narrows the entrance from within.

Their plan is to make
a prison cell.

But one purely
for her protection,

as it keeps predators,
like snakes, from entering.

Soon, the hole is reduced
to a mere slit,

just big enough
to squeeze in supply.

Eventually, the eggs are laid.

Among her clutch
is a special spy egg,

one that will record the next
stage in this incredible story.

As the weeks go by, her mate's only
concern is to keep his partner well-fed.

She's completely
dependent on him.

He brings her up to 20 large insects
each day, while she incubates.

But what goes in
must come out.

Nest hygiene is essential.

Twenty-five days after laying,
the moment has arrived.

She has a brood of three,

plus one adopted chick.

Spy Egg
has become Spy Hatchling.

One chick takes him
under her wing.

With more mouths to feed,
the male is in overdrive,

finding at least
70 insects each day.

They have voracious appetite.

But at least one beak
doesn't need feeding.

The mother divvies up the food between
her growing brood as best she can.

But after being cooped up
for over two months,

the lack of space and constant
quarrelling is getting too much for her.

She starts to chisel
her way out.

Testing the hole for size.

To keep her babies safe,
it must stay predator-proof.

It seems
an impossible squeeze.

So easy to get stuck.

Freedom.

The chicks instinctively use spittle and
droppings to close up the entrance again.

Now, the hard work
can be shared.

Each chick needs
one insect every 10 minutes.

One bird alone
couldn't keep up with demand.

Spy Chick
even gets a mouthful.

But, of course,
he shares it around.

The parents will feed their
chicks for another three weeks,

until they
are ready to fledge.

Few birds show
such dedication.

It's the ultimate
expression of trust.

They'll remain faithful
for their entire lives.

Not all partners
show the same devotion.

The cold wastes of Antarctica.

For Adelie penguins,

the challenges start the moment they
arrive from the ocean to breed.

The males race
to their nesting grounds,

desperate for a head start
on their rivals.

As soon as they arrive, the quarrels
begin over who gets the best nest site.

Spy Adelie enters the fray.

But to film their
complicated love life,

it's vital he fits in.

His courtship display
makes him one of the gang,

as they wait
for their mates to arrive.

The females
are fussy partners.

And the males
fight over pebbles

to make sure they build them
the biggest and finest nests.

And they don't mind
who gets in their way.

A late arrival
hurries into the colony.

With the best
nest sites taken,

he's forced to the outskirts,
where no one wants to be.

It's a cold and soggy place
to build a love nest,

especially when the point of the pebbles
is to keep their eggs raised and dry.

Spy Adelie helps
as best he can,

with a well-placed pebble cam.

But the latecomer
isn't discouraged

and gathers more pebbles
as fast as he can.

But 'round here, you can't
turn your back for a second.

As soon as he puts it down,
his pebble is stolen.

The thief embellishes
his impressive nest.

Oblivious, the latecomer is travelling
ever further to find stones,

while the crook
takes advantage of the moment.

He may have no moral code, but he
certainly has a magnificent nest.

In contrast, the latecomer's
nest remains in a sorry state.

And the criminal penguin
is getting ever more brazen...

taking another trophy back
to his ever-growing pile,

while the latecomer
is becoming despondent.

To make matters worse,

the females
have started to arrive.

Females often remain
faithful to their partners,

but only if the nests meet
their high expectations.

So, for the latecomer,
the pressure is on.

She makes
a considered inspection.

Perhaps one last stone
will swing it.

He awaits her verdict.

Her reaction
is somewhat disappointing.

Nearby, the bachelor thief proudly
shows off his ill-gotten gains.

There is only so much
a female penguin can resist.

She wants a male with a dry, raised
nest, where her eggs will survive,

and she's found one.

But her jilted partner
won't give up without a fight.

It was a brave effort,
but it wasn't enough.

She chooses the thieving male
with the finest nest.

Her mate makes one last plea,

but it's all in vain.

And he's subjected
to the final indignity.

But Adelies are plucky
and irrepressible birds.

And, if you can't beat them,
join them.

You can always build
another nest,

especially with a little help
from a friend.

Back in the warmth of Africa,

Spy Tortoise is going undercover
in more familiar territory.

He's spending time
with real tortoises

to record what insights
into love they might offer.

This leopard tortoise is desperately
seeking a romantic liaison.

As he sets off
on this amorous quest,

Spy Tortoise plays gooseberry.

The hopeful suitor's technique
lacks a certain subtlety.

First, he gives chase.

And then, a bit of a barge.

If you're covered by a hard shell,
it's difficult to be sensitive.

And there's nothing subtle
about what happens next.

Spy Tortoise
is here to observe,

but things
don't always go to plan.

Probably best to forget
that ever happened.

For our spy creatures, being
immersed in the world of animals

is not without its hazards.

In Rajasthan,
the temple langars

have taken Spy Monkey
into the heart of the family.

But some are keen to take the budding
relationship to the next level,

and are getting
a little too familiar.

One seems to want
to babysit her.

But disaster strikes.

An injured baby
is a cause for concern.

And this langur
seems to believe she's died.

Then, something
extraordinary happens.

The monkeys gather around
the motionless spy creature,

as if it is a real baby.

They react just as they do
when their own babies die.

A calm and contemplative mood
descends on the colony.

There's a sense of grief, as
well as empathy for one another.

Quite accidentally,

our spy creature is at the centre
of something extraordinary,

capturing emotions that have
rarely been observed.

Such apparent expressions of grief
may not be unique to primates.

On the African savanna,

Spy Tortoise is party
to another unique event.

Giraffes are appearing
from every direction.

This is what
they've come to see.

An old giraffe
has passed away,

and it seems to have
profoundly affected

those who share
these vast grasslands.

And more keep arriving,

creating an unprecedented
assembly, never witnessed before.

The giraffes kept arriving
throughout the day,

seemingly paying respects
to the old male.

An awareness of death
was previously believed

to involve just a few
highly intelligent species,

but this seems
to suggest otherwise.

Such deep feelings are to be
more expected among chimpanzees.

But these intelligent animals still
have the capacity to surprise.

In the forests of Senegal, Spy Bush
Baby is part of a team of spy cameras

capturing intimate views of
our closest living relatives.

Here, the family lives
a charmed existence.

Parental love and friendships form
the foundation of their society.

Spy Tortoise
is also being deployed.

But these are highly
perceptive animals.

And something's
not quite right.

This 5-year-old checks
what the others are thinking.

They seem equally baffled.

But with his curiosity piqued,
he simply can't stay away.

As his interest grows,

so does the strength
of his feelings.

He just has to have
Spy Tortoise all to himself.

He hides with it
in his leafy day bed,

where he'd normally
take a nap.

But he's too excited to sleep.

He's torn between
using it as a pillow

and giving it a cuddle.

It's somewhere
between a toy and a pet.

It's definitely
not for sharing.

Chimps don't normally
have possessions,

but Spy Tortoise
has stirred new emotions.

Elsewhere in the forest,

Spy Bush Baby is helping document
an equally unique event.

One of the older chimps
is playing with a tiny kitten.

It's the offspring of a genet cat
found abandoned in the forest.

He treats it with kid gloves,
mindful not to hurt it.

Even a nip is tolerated.

The way he responds to the genet shows
a very rare emotion in animals,

empathy.

Other chimps are intrigued.

And one shows
an unwelcome interest.

This older chimp is used
to having his own way,

but without any feelings
for the kitten,

he's a bit too rough.

The owner shows real concern

and intervenes to protect
his vulnerable pet.

And takes it from harm's way.

They hide
behind a termite mound.

It's not just a private spot,

it's also a chance
for a snack.

By using a stick,
he can fish for termites.

It's an intimate moment, enjoyed
with a special companion.

Perhaps this is how
human pet keeping began.

This is a glimpse
of something quite remarkable,

the first stirrings of empathy
for another species.

In the animal world,

there are more ways of showing love and
affection than we ever thought possible.

From maternal devotion,

to family affection,

through jealousy,

grief

and romantic liaisons,

these many incarnations of
love in the animal world

may offer a mirror
to our own complex feelings.

Next time, a team
of new spy creatures

film how intelligent
animals really are,

with some
extraordinary revelations.