All language subtitles for BBC.Dogs.in.the.Wild.Meet.the.Family.1080p.HDTV.x265.AAC.MVGroup.org

Australia's largest land predator.

The dingo.

DINGO HOWLS

This wolf down under is one
of an extraordinary wild family.

The canids.

One family...

..37 different faces.

Including wolves...

..foxes...

..jackals and dogs.

From the smallest...

..to the tallest...

..the stealthy...

..and the formidable.

They are the most widespread
carnivores on the planet.

These are the wild dogs.

At the top of the world,
5,000m above sea level...

..the rugged peaks of the Himalayas
meet the stark Tibetan Plateau.

With biting winds
and lurching temperatures,

the weather can turn in an instant.

But one extraordinary wild dog
is built

for this inhospitable landscape.

The world's highest dwelling fox.

A shapeshifter who can hide
in plain sight.

The Tibetan fox.

The fox family evolved
before their wolf cousins.

They're smaller, with longer snouts
and fluffier tails.

This Tibetan fox lives exclusively
on these harsh,

high-altitude plateaus.

Too small to hunt large animals,
she targets smaller prey.

The pika.

These hardy relatives of the rabbit
make up 95% of her diet.

But, highly alert to danger,
they're no easy catch.

She must be stealthy.

There's no cover.

The conditions are too harsh
for trees to grow.

But her angular, oversized head
may give her the edge.

She blends in perfectly
with the landscape,

peering unnoticed over rocks.

Using the natural contours as cover,
she edges closer.

If the pika spots her,
it will raise the alarm.

PIKA SQUEAKS

There can be dozens of pika
living underground.

She must be patient.

Flattening her body...

..she melts into the landscape.

PIKA SQUEAKS

One pika a day is enough
to feed her.

But recent events have increased
the pressure.

Three kits, barely two months old.

Like all youngsters,
they're very demanding.

While nursing, Mum must eat more
to support the family.

The kits will rely on her for
several months as they progress

from milk to solid food.

It's a relentless schedule.

But help is at hand.

This is the kits' father.

Tibetan foxes pair up
for the breeding season...

..and the male shares the work
of parenthood.

The pair take turns watching
over the pups...

..and hunting.

By digging and listening
at their burrows...

..Tibetan foxes drive pika
into the best place to strike.

Although, he's so focused
on his work,

he's missed a prime opportunity.

And he may have bitten off
more than he can chew.

But the Tibetan fox's remarkable
face makes all the difference.

Their long, narrow snouts can probe
deep down into the burrows.

Mission accomplished.

He returns home with provisions.

Vital supplies to share out
with his mate.

The parents must both hunt often
to support their growing family

and increase their chances
of catching enough pika.

Thanks to such dedicated parents,
these kits have the best

chance of survival.

Striking looks and shrewd teamwork.

The perfect combination...

..for life on top of the world.

But wherever they live, canids have
developed strategies to survive.

Wild dogs grow stronger
when they work together.

Especially in the rich, diverse
forests of southern India.

Dawn is always a noisy time of day.

ANIMALS CALL

It's a cacophony of sound.

But part of the chorus...

..comes from one of the most
talkative wild dogs of all.

The dhole.

Dhole live in large packs.

The breeding male and female
are in charge, overseeing siblings,

young from previous years,
and new pups.

The extended family can be
15 strong.

To communicate, these pack-living
wild dogs must chatter constantly.

But the forest is noisy.
To make sure they're heard,

the dhole use unique high-pitched
calls, which break

through the background noise.

Dhole have 11 distinctive calls
used for different situations.

HIGH-PITCHED CHIRPING

WHIMPERING

At play, they whine and whimper,
but their talk's not just for fun.

Dhole are only the size of a
Border collie and share this forest

with much larger, more intimidating
creatures.

To survive here,
they must work together.

The pack have discovered
a scent-marked tree.

Their calls switch from whines
to warning growls,

chatterings and screams.

It could be the scent of
an elephant.

A mother with young
can be particularly hostile.

Or a more serious threat.

Leopards and tigers stalk
these lands.

Both can kill the smaller dhole.

The family talk to each other
as they scout the area.

When the adults declare
that it's safe, the youngsters

resume their playful noises.

But one older sibling sits apart,

acting as a sentinel, ready to sound

the alarm in case of danger.

With the coast clear, the adults
scan the territory for food.

The forest is full of deer.

They can be twice as tall and many
times heavier than a single dhole.

By working as a team,
the pack can take them down.

And to capture their prey,

the dhole can use the dense forest
to turn the odds in their favour.

A male chital with large antlers
is more likely to get tangled

in the thickets.

The dhole edge closer,
talking to each other

to co-ordinate their attack.

But, their high-frequency
calls don't travel far.

The more the dhole disperse,

the more they will struggle to hear
each other.

For a moment, the pack's confused.

But these chatty canids have saved
their best talk until last.

The whistle.

A low-frequency call...

..which carries further
and is easier

to hear through
the thick forest foliage.

With up to ten of them
surrounding the deer,

the whistling hunters know exactly
where each of the pack are, even

when they can't see one another.

At last, they're all in place.

The deer is chased down.

Gathered together, the dhole
are at their most vulnerable.

A tiger or leopard could
steal their prey.

So the pack must eat fast.

With teeth like razors,

dhole can consume a quarter
of their own body weight

in just ten minutes.

Once he's had his share,
the sentinel's back on duty,

listening out for trouble.

Finally, the talkative dhole
can rest easy.

And for a moment, there's silence
in the forest.

Wild dogs have many voices.

And one of the loudest can be heard
across the northern hemisphere...

..from the Himalayas
all the way to the Arctic.

The wolf.

The grey wolf and its 15 subspecies,
including

the Himalayan wolf...

..Mexican wolf and Eurasian wolf
are also the world's

biggest wild dogs.

And one of the most formidable
subspecies is the hardiest of all.

The Arctic wolf.

Spending its entire life
north of the tree line

on the frozen Arctic tundra,

to survive, the Arctic wolf

must be a jack of all trades.

Males can weigh up to 60kg,
as much as a man.

Wrapped in two layers of fur - soft
inner hair for insulation

and longer outer hair for
snow-proofing -

wolves can endure the cold.

They can also endure hunger.

A wolf can fast for over two weeks.

Young wolves go searching for mates.

But if they don't find one,
soon they return to the safety

of their packs.

HOWLING

On the open tundra, the howl

from another wolf can travel 16km.

Wolves can cover three times that
in a day.

In fact, a Russian proverb says,
"The wolf is kept fed by its feet."

By following the howling,
it soon regroups its pack.

Wolves must co-operate to survive.

So, pack-living canids keep
close eyes on each other.

The shape and markings
on the wolf's face

makes their eyes more prominent.

And with larger brains than domestic
dogs, they can read the tiniest cues

from their pack members' faces.

As well as plenty of eye contact,
there's lots of talk.

Wolves howl together to strengthen
the bonds within the pack.

By communicating so effectively,
they work together to take on prey

nearly 20 times their size.

A single wolf is formidable.
As a pack of seven or more,

they are unstoppable.

So, pack-living wolves need lots of
talk.

Other wild dogs must learn to listen.

Stretching thousands of square
kilometres across southern Africa,

the remnants of a vast ancient lake
baked dry over millennia.

The salty clay crust that remains
forms the imposing Makgadikgadi Pan.

Brutal and exposed,
there's nowhere to hide.

Survival out here demands
being highly alert at all times.

And one resident wild dog...is
all ears.

The bat-eared fox.

13cm high -
larger than their own faces

and a third of the foxes' height -

these ears are serious
hearing hardware.

From the safety of their den,
they monitor their surroundings.

Bat-eared foxes live in pairs.

This isn't just for breeding.
It's also for security.

Two pairs of ears are better
than one.

Listening out for danger,
the bat-ears decide that

the coast is clear. Now to head
out on the hunt.

Bat-eared foxes are insectivores.

But in the harsh midday sun, most
insects have vanished underground.

So, they use their supersized ears
to tune in on the slightest sounds.

The foxes are not the only ones
on the hunt.

They share the Pan with a larger,
more intimidating cousin

of the wolf -
the black-backed jackal.

Twice their size, with teeth
that can crunch through bone,

jackals are their biggest threat.

Jackals hunt in the same territory

and will even kill bat-eared foxes.

For now, the jackals have other
things on their minds.

A springbok.

Working together, they torment
their prey

until it collapses through
exhaustion.

The bat-eared foxes know
these jackals are focused

on the springbok, but more jackals
will soon be attracted.

Best return to the safety
of their den.

With nightfall and well-fed jackals
dispersed...

..the batties head out again.

Now to search for insects
in the dark...

..by tuning in their huge,
highly sensitive ears.

And they're not alone.

Rather than defending their patch,
bat-eared fox territories overlap

and higher numbers increase their
chances against marauding jackals.

By carefully turning their heads
and ears side to side,

the foxes pinpoint the tiniest
rustlings below.

With ears working overtime,
a treasure trove is soon discovered.

Northern harvester termites
construct elaborate tunnels

underground, emerging through small
vent holes to forage for grass.

But the foxes' incredible ears
can pinpoint

these telltale rustlings.

A single bat-eared fox can consume
over 1 million termites each year.

Fortunately, there's enough
to go round.

Just one square kilometre
can contain over 300 termite nests.

A young fox is out foraging alone.

A fox without a mate is vulnerable.

And the black-backed jackals
are in the neighbourhood again.

The smaller fox raises its tail
to look as large as possible.

This threatening pose works
for the moment.

She might not be so lucky next time.

A lone bat-eared fox won't be left
alone for long.

Threat posture at the ready...

..but...it's another fox.

It's likely been trailing it
for some time.

A further benefit of overlapping
territories is

the ability to find a mate.

Now they've found each other, these
two foxes will stay together.

And together, bat-eared foxes
have a better chance of facing

whatever comes their way.

Wild dogs live on nearly
every continent on the planet.

But one continent, South America,
is home to ten species

that have evolved independently
from their fox and wolf cousins.

These unique canids are amongst
the family's most diverse,

thanks to their broad diet
and ability to adapt

to the continent's many habitats.

This is the bush dog, a pack-living
dog that has webbed feet to hunt

prey in the flooded forests
of the Amazon.

On the grasslands, the hoary foxes
small teeth and short muzzle

are perfect for catching insects.

Just 50cm long,
the tiny Darwin's fox only needs

a small forest territory
to sustain it...

..while up in the peaks
of the Andes...

..the wolf-like culpeo is built
to endure the harsh terrain.

And South America is also home
to possibly the wild dog family's

most unusual cousin.

The maned wolf.

Standing one metre tall
at the shoulders,

this gangly creature is the tallest
wild dog on the planet.

Despite looking like a fox
on stilts,

they are genetically neither
fox nor wolf,

but a completely distinct species.

The maned wolf is the only remaining
member of a long extinct line

of South American canids.

Their distinctive mane
may have evolved as a warning

to other, larger rivals.

Isolated in this landscape,
the maned wolf helps unlock

the savannah's potential for life
in their own very particular way.

With a territory of
up to 50 square miles...

..long legs allow them to glide

across the savannah
on the search for food,

and true to their unusual nature,
this is no ordinary wolf diet.

Rather than just eating meat, the
maned wolf has a penchant

for the lobeira.

This large tomato-like fruit
thrives on the savannah.

They enjoy lobeira so much,
it's aptly named Fruit of the Wolf.

Some believe it's medicinal
and protects them

from deadly kidney parasites.

50% of their diet is fruit -
more than any other canid.

As they mark their territory, maned
wolves leave droppings that contain

hundreds of undigested seeds...

INSECTS BUZZ

..and helpfully disperse the seeds

many kilometres
from where they fell.

For the moment, the seeds are
exposed under the baking sun,

but they won't stay here for long.

Leafcutter ants are drawn
to the pieces of fruit

that remain on the seeds.

The seeds are carried back
to the ants' nest,

and, at the nest entrance,
stripped of fruit and discarded.

But this sheltered, humid spot

provides the perfect
growing conditions.

In parts of the most pristine
savannah, lobeira fruit seedlings

can be seen growing only
around leafcutter ants' nests.

A guaranteed future larder
for the maned wolf.

The maned wolf,
neither fox nor wolf,

long-legged gardener
and an ant's best friend.

Not every wild dog has such a
well-stocked larder on its doorstep.

Others must contend with a
much harsher challenge to survive.

9 million square kilometres of sand.

The size of China.

The Sahara smothers
6% of the world's land.

Yet this vast, unforgiving place

is home to the world's
smallest wild dog.

The fennec fox.

Barely the size of a walking boot,

this tiny fox goes head-to-head
with the desert every day.

The Sahara's filled with millions
upon millions of grains of sand.

And every grain acts as a radiator.

Sand absorbs heat, and the hotter
it gets, the more heat it radiates.

The temperature here spirals
into the high 40s.

In such sizzling conditions,
the fennec's size matters.

A small body can shed heat faster
than a large one.

And to lose heat even faster,

the fennec's ears act
like sophisticated

air-conditioning units.

The network of veins cools the blood
to lower the temperature.

Despite such capable cooling,

not even a fennec can endure
the heat of the Saharan sun.

There's no shade, but fennecs
are masters of their environment.

Moisture concentrates
at the foot of the dunes,

so the sand here is firm enough
to dig a burrow.

Home, sweet home
for a pair of fennecs.

They have shelter from the worst
of the heat,

but they must eventually

leave the safety of their den
to find food.

And this enormous desert
is a dangerous place

for a tiny wild dog.

An unwary fennec is small enough

to be caught by feral dogs
and even eagle owls.

But their camouflaged coats
make them less conspicuous.

In the fading light of dusk,
she makes a run for it.

Zig-zagging and jumping...

..she uses the dunes to mask
her location.

The grains of sand are constantly
shifting, but the pads on her feet

are furry, for maximum traction.

Few can keep tabs
on her whereabouts.

But with night falling, those same
grains of sand that radiated heat

so quickly, now turn cold.

The sudden shift is potentially worse
for the fennec,

but her inner coat is insulated.

Set for the night,
she can search for food.

Small bodies don't need much,

and by being omnivorous,
fennecs can find enough to eat.

Insects, berries, roots -
every scrap is on the menu.

There may be food,
but there's no water.

Thankfully,
her kidneys are so efficient,

she's the one dog
that doesn't need to drink.

She can get all the water she needs
from the food she eats.

Even the tiniest spider.

The fennec evolved as the dessert
first appeared 4 million years ago.

No other canid can so completely
endure the challenges here.

So, this smallest of wild dogs is

not only built for this harsh desert,

it's the only one to have tamed it.

Wild dogs are no strangers
to life at the margins.

To survive, they must adapt to
whatever challenges come their way.

One of the world's most adaptable
wild dogs lives in Australia.

The dingo.

The fate of one particular family
of dingoes on K'gari Island

in eastern Australia
has been closely monitored.

K'gari means paradise.

120km of ancient forest
surrounded by sandy beaches.

Isolated from the mainland,

these dingoes appear to be living
the dream.

While dingoes on the mainland
have integrated with domestic dogs,

the more purebred dingoes can be
heavier, with pale sandy coats,

as well as white markings
on their chest

or tail tips and feet called socks.

And these wild dogs are
a breed apart.

Their wedge-shaped skulls have

longer, sharper canines
than domestic dogs.

And unlike their domestic cousins,
dingoes only breed once a year.

These wolves down under
are quite the family.

The pack has a pair
of breeding adults,

sub adults from previous years

and juveniles.

Being top of the food chain,

these apex predators enjoy
prized pickings from the forest.

And nothing is off the menu.

Life may be good for dingoes
in paradise,

but their luck can quickly turn.

Summer fires are a natural part
of life on K'gari.

Many plants have adapted,
and the clear-out will trigger

a rush of new growth.

But with climate change causing
the forest to grow drier,

recent fires have become
more devastating.

Unable to rely so much
on the forest,

the dingoes must look elsewhere
for food.

The juveniles will soon leave
the pack to lead solitary lives

until they find suitable mates.

So, they need to be strong enough
to go it alone.

To see them through, the dingoes
resort to beachcombing.

Life on the beach is a lottery.

A solitary crab won't go far.

But, throughout the fire season,
one natural event can make

the difference
between life and death.

Every summer,
turtles appear on the beach.

Nesting between three to five times
per season,

they lay an average of 115 eggs.

There can be 200 females
nesting along these beaches.

And many thousands of eggs.

These hidden treasures could be
a lifeline for the dingoes.

If they can find them.

Dogs are armed with
a super-sense - smell.

Their highly sensitive noses have

290 million more receptors
than a human's.

A nest has been located
and is being dug out.

With slender muzzles that are longer
than those of domestic dogs

and jaws which open wider too, they
are perfectly built for the job.

Throughout the worst of the island's
fires, digging for the turtles' eggs

save the dingoes from starvation.

The dingo's fed well.

But thousands of hatchlings
will still survive.

And when the time comes,
the very presence of the dingoes

might even benefit the hatchlings.

As the apex predators,

dingoes keep the numbers of other
creatures on the beach in check.

By intimidating
potential turtle predators,

this dingo pack limits
the overall impact of predation

on these young turtles.

And as a result, enough turtles
will survive to reboot the cycle

and return to this beach
in future years.

Only dingoes in the north of K'gari
have learned to exploit

this seasonal abundance
of turtle nests.

They have more offspring
and larger pack sizes.

And the juveniles have a better
chance of surviving to adulthood.

Some might even remain with the pack
to help babysit the younger pups.

These most adaptable dingoes have

surely earned their place
in paradise.

The most-successful wild dog of all
has become so widespread

it extends from
the Arabian Peninsula...

..to the Arctic tundra.

Yet, it's equally at home in the
lush countryside of central Europe.

And in the last century, it's made
the city its ultimate domain.

The streets of London now resound
to its call.

BARKING AND SNARLING

The red fox.

The world's most resilient wild dog.

These two foxes, known as Vince and
Bitey, are seven months old.

Their mum's raised four litters
before, and thanks

to her experience,
the pups have grown strong.

But the pups' days under
their mother's wing are numbered.

It's time to master life alone
in the big city.

Vince is already familiar with
some of the challenges ahead.

His ear was likely lost
in a fight with another fox.

His sister, Bitey, is one of
the smaller ones in the litter,

but she too must find her feet.

To survive, these youngsters must
raise their game above their rural

cousins and become super-foxes.

Vince is quick and agile
on the streets, but traffic's

just one of the many challenges
foxes face in the urban jungle.

When you're less than half
a metre high, every wall

is a potential fortress.

But with lightweight bones and
long tails to counterbalance, foxes

are highly agile
compared to other wild dogs.

Vince can jump four times
his own height,

the same as a 2m wall.

It's more of a struggle for Bitey.

She's just a bit smaller, and
injuries are an occupational hazard.

But, once the terrain is mastered,
foxes can turn the vertical

landscape to their advantage,
using hidden routes

across walls and fences.

Vince vanishes and reappears
in an instant,

maintaining enough distance
from humans.

Like cheetahs on the savannah,
foxes use vantage points

to scope out opportunities.

Vince takes his chances raiding bins.

With strong stomachs
and robust immune systems,

the ability to eat rotting food
has allowed foxes

to colonise urban areas.

Nothing goes to waste.

Cashing surplus supplies
in hidden spots...

..urban foxes are particularly
resourceful.

Car bonnets are the perfect place
to stash leftovers.

Cars are often parked up longer
in cities,

so this is smart behaviour.

It's definitely worth Vince marking
this productive patch as his own.

City streets are regularly cleaned,
so urban foxes urinate

more than their country-dwelling
cousins to mark their patch.

But Vince and Bitey's elaborate
signposting hasn't gone unnoticed

by another fox.

BARK

A new vixen has arrived,
and she wants this territory too.

Foxes avoid physical confrontation
where possible,

but she has other ways
to show the pups who's boss.

She postures and scent marks
around Bitey to display dominance.

But Bitey's not backing down.

It's time for the ultimate test
of strength.

The foxtrot.

They size each other up,
opening their mouths

to intimidate their opponent.

Bitey has stood her ground.

But this new vixen isn't deterred.

She spots Vince.

These shows of strength
will determine

the pecking order around here.

Vince and Bitey may have held on
to their patch, but the new vixen

has proved she's strong enough
to stay here too.

There are 10,000 foxes
living in London.

So, encounters like these
will be a regular part of life

for the youngsters.

But city foxes often learn
how to rub alongside each other...

..so they can all eke out a living
in the same neighbourhood.

The resilient red fox coped so well

with the proximity
and disturbance...

..it can call
the streets of London home.

Over the course of filming,
the Wild Dogs team quickly learned

that not all canids
are so easy to spot.

And some are very hard
to keep up with.

The most challenging of all to film
was not only the tiniest,

it also lives in the Sahara Desert.

The fennec fox.

Faced with such a challenge,

the team would be lost
without local expert Ali.

So, the desert must be like
your back garden.

Yeah, desert is my garden from
my first moment in this life.

With Ali on the team, they soon see
signs of fennec foxes.

Look at the track off our car
yesterday.

And just after.
This is after our car? Yeah.

And around, I didn't see a new fresh
track spill out.

It means he's inside.

The tracks are leading
to a potential den site.

They don't want to disturb the area,

so director Gavin has brought
some equipment built specially

for the challenge.

I bring you the dachshund.

Caterpillar tracks, maximum
traction, independent suspension.

Small stabilised camera on a gimbal.

The dachshund's small enough
to allow the crew to remotely creep

up on the side.

Looks like something
has been digging around.

It was definitely fox footprints.
It was good.

With an active den detected,
the crew film around the clock.

But despite the long hours,
the wary fennecs are proving

a challenge for camera op Tom.

They're so tuned in to the
natural sounds around the desert.

But, anything that's out of
the ordinary, they'll either inspect

it or they'll take that as an
opportunity to just scarper and go.

They can see and hear me
from, like, 50m.

And annoyingly, the wind circulates
in these dunes.

So, they can also smell me
quite easily as well.

It's several days before patience
finally pays off, but the team's

excitement is quickly shattered.

The fennec has a trap on its leg.

The injured fennec vanishes
over the dunes before the team

have a chance to catch up with it.

I really...I really worry it's just
not going to last long out here.

Not in that condition.

Sadly, this is not a rare sight
for Ali.

We have this problem...the last
time here because the children

from the village come to take them
and to show to the tourists.

When the tourists come, they give
them the fennec to take a picture,

and then tourists give
to the children...money.

A licence is needed to trade
or hold fennec foxes.

But lucrative pet and tourist trades
have encouraged illegal

trapping for decades.

Human interference is such a threat.

Unregulated trade could wipe out
local populations.

The problem has concerned
Ali for many years.

I can't say how I feel. It makes me
sad. Very, very sad.

As well as the illegal trade,

some irresponsible tourists
have been causing further cruelty.

Ali's found a dead fennec
near a popular spot for motorbikes.

I think there is no accident
between fennec and the motorbikes,

but the problem is the motorbikes
follow him for a long time.

I think more than 1km
they follow him.

Then he is dead because
he can't run for a long time.

The desert is more than large enough
to make space for both

people and wildlife.

I think that we need to make
like a zoning in this area reserved

only for animals, for fennecs.

After days without luck,
the team's morale is running low.

But with hope disappearing,

there's good news, at least,
from camera operator Matt.

We dropped off, set up the hide,
got the camera turned on.

I was just about to, like,
you know, frame up and do stuff.

He started the engine and
then a head popped up, and two ears,

and it was just, yeah.

And this was like
as soon as you left, 9.36.

So, you'd literally just left. Wow.

Wow.

Very nice.

How did you feel when you saw them,
Matt?

It was just...it was ridiculous.
Like, I couldn't actually believe

it. We've been trying this long.
Thomas put so many hours

in the hide, but as soon as the head
popped up, I just,

I was recording, but I've never been
like this,

but I was literally shaking.

With filming finally going well,

there's an even-more welcome surprise
from the team's

first fennec encounter.

Ali has been able to track down
the snared fennec.

Help me, please. Yes.
What should I do?

Push this. Push this one.

This one? Yeah. Take that.
Just take this one.

Like this. Yeah.

Open, please, open it.

Thank you.

Good boy.

Have a look.

There's no medical support here,
but Ali has seen incidents

before and is able to assess
the wound.

Just give him the cuddles.

He believes this fennec
will survive its ordeal.

I'm so happy. Good work.
I hope he's all right.

Despite the trapping, the Moroccan
government stipulates

that the hunting, killing
and capture of endangered animals

is completely banned.

Hopefully with the right protection
and the support of people like Ali,

the future for this intrepid
little fox will be bright.

Next time...

Living across the planet...

..and finding unique ways
to survive...

..we discover the secrets
of our wild dogs' success.

The Arctic fox.

A supreme survivor.

Just one of an incredible
animal family.

The Canids.

37 faces...

..including...

..wolves...

..foxes...

..jackals...

..and dogs...

..found in almost every habitat on
Earth...

..from the frozen Arctic...

..to the blistering desert.

From the tree tops...

..to the heart of the city...

..each with a unique strategy
for survival.

They are intelligent, resourceful
and remarkably resilient.

Meet the wild dogs.

Stretching as far as the eye
can see,

the Kalahari Desert -

Botswana, Africa...

..home to one of the most
opportunistic wild dogs...

..the black-backed jackal.

They may look similar to foxes,

but are actually more closely
related to wolves.

It's the end of the dry season.

In some areas, no rain has fallen
for eight months.

Water is scarce and the Kalahari
is living up to its name,

The Great Thirst.

But this group of jackals live
close to a vital lifeline.

This water hole is a rare
treasure that attracts visitors

from far and wide.

It can get a little crowded.

Not only is it a crucial
source of water...

..it's also prime hunting ground.

Most visitors are too big
for the jackals to bring down.

But these agile predators
are opportunistic...

..always on the lookout for any
chances that might come their way.

Every day, flocks of ring-necked
doves, sparrows,

quelea and sandgrouse come to drink.

Some fly in as far as 80km.

A tempting meal...if you can
get to it.

The jackals rely on speed
and agility.

But these jackals are fast.

One dove lags behind.

A lucky escape.

Now, another opportunity.

A flock of guinea fowl.

It's the breeding season
and they're distracted

by the competition to find a mate.

A deadly mistake.

A hard-earned prize.

But this meal will be shared.

These jackals are part
of a family...

THEY WHINE

..and there were some new arrivals.

At around six weeks old, these pups
are beginning to feed on solids.

Black-backed jackals often live
in close-knit family groups

where everyone has a part to play.

Last year's pups still live
with their parents and help

to provide for their younger
siblings.

And together use their extraordinary
skill and agility...

..to feed the pups

throughout the toughest times,
giving them the best start in life.

The Canid family have many tricks
up their sleeves, enabling them

to survive in the most extreme
environments, from the hottest...

..to the most bitterly cold.

Winter on the edge of Hudson Bay,
Canada.

Temperatures are dropping daily,
plummeting to a numbing -27 degrees.

Life here is tough.

Only the strongest survive
these bitter conditions.

Polar bears, the largest land
predators, prowl the Tundra.

But there's another formidable,
somewhat smaller, hunter who stalks

this frozen landscape.

The Arctic fox.

Perfectly hidden against the snow...

..they are uniquely adapted
to thrive in the frozen north.

Their winter coat not only provides
the perfect camouflage,

but also incredible insulation.

With up to 25,000 hairs per square
centimetre trapping heat close

to the body,

this is the warmest coat
found on any wild dog.

Even the soles of their feet are
protected by a thick layer of fur.

Their coat allows the foxes to stay
warm and save precious energy.

But finding food in these bitter
conditions is a challenge.

Later in the season, when the sea
freezes over, they'll follow polar

bears out onto the ice and scavenge
on their kills.

But, for now, they're stuck on land
and the foxes are forced

to fend for themselves.

But where to find food
in this barren expanse?

Arctic foxes are solitary hunters,
travelling around 80km

a day in search of food.

But some of the best prey
can be hard to find.

Impeccable hearing allows the fox
to locate small rodents,

such as lemmings scuttling beneath
the surface.

Diving head-first...

..they break through the frozen
layer of snow.

Sometimes even the best
hunters miss their mark.

But, in the big freeze, a fox
must feed.

A flipper from a seal carcass,

a rare prize packed full of
calories.

A find like this soon attracts
unwanted guests...

..and this Arctic fox is not
for sharing.

But, for the loser, all is not
lost...

..because the secret to the Arctic
foxes success is their flexibility.

Hidden in the snow and kept fresh
in the freezing conditions,

these juicy lingonberries,
similar to cranberries,

are packed with energy.

A lifeline for a hungry fox.

This remarkable ability
to adapt their diet allows

these plucky predators to survive
the bitter winter and truly conquer

these frozen lands.

Thriving in a hostile environment
is tough,

particularly when raising a family.

Stretching across the centre
of North America is a sea of grass.

These open plains cover around three
million square kilometres,

from Canada in the north to the most
southerly states of the USA.

This prairie habitat is one
of the largest of its kind

in the world and home to one
of the smallest wild dogs

in North America...

..the swift fox.

This female is around the size
of a house cat and has recently

become a mother to four tiny pups.

But she's been dealt a bitter blow.

Her mate has disappeared
and likely died...

..so now it's all down to her to
keep her young family safe.

Being so small, she and her pups
make an easy target for larger

predators, such as coyote and
eagles.

And on the flat, open prairie,
these foxes are left exposed

with little protection.

However, this family
has a subterranean safe house.

All wild dogs use dens when raising
a family, but the swift fox rely

on theirs all year round.

Several entrances provide plenty
of escape routes to safety

around a metre below ground.

This underground home also provides
the foxes with protection

from the harsh sun.

Being so dependent on their den
for survival, the female must ensure

it's kept in top condition.

With the pups distracted, mum gets
to work.

Entrances must be kept clean...

..and clear.

But some things are hard to part
with.

The remnants of a kill make an
excellent toy.

With the housework done, mum must
ensure her territory is safe.

Leaving the pups is a risk,
but this work is vital.

Masking her scent by picking
up the odour of other animals

that have passed by...

..she reduces the risk of predators
detecting her smell

and finding her den.

Back at home, the pups are also hard
at work.

Playing may help them develop
their strength, co-ordination

and hunting skills.

And when Mum returns...

..even she has time for a spot
of play.

Thanks to the security of their den,
the future looks bright

for this new generation
and their hard-working single mum.

Raising a family alone can be
tough...

..but for some wild dogs, living in
a pack presents its own challenges.

The Okavango, one of the world's
largest wetlands.

Over nine trillion litres of water
flow through it every year.

During the dry season,

it provides a haven for many
of Africa's iconic species...

..and is home to one of the most
successful hunters in the world.

Meet the African wild dog.

This dog faces a tough existence,
living amongst other larger

predators, such as lions
and leopards.

On their own, they are destined
to fail.

But one of their keys to success
is family.

African wild dogs find strength
in numbers

and of all the wild dogs
across the world...

..these are the most sociable.

This family is known to scientists
as the Ninja Pack.

They are part of the longest large
predator research project in
Botswana.

Made up of four adults,
the pack has a strict hierarchy.

The most dominant male and female
are the joint heads of the family.

They form the alpha pair and are
usually the only ones to breed.

For the Ninja Pack, it's been a good
year.

With seven new boisterous pups,
the family has tripled in size.

The youngsters are growing fast
and are more demanding than ever.

To provide enough
food for the entire family,

the pack needs to hunt.

But with temperatures soaring
to over 30 degrees in the middle
of the day...

..it's too hot.

The pack has no
choice but to find shade.

Rest and wait.

Their coats, which are unique to
each dog, much

like our fingerprints, may also
help to camouflage them.

But out here in the bush,
with noisy neighbours...

..the peace never lasts long.

And a family of rhino is enough
to get the pack moving.

The dogs quickly turn
their attention to food.

A herd of buffalo.

They're far too big for one
dog to take on alone.

They could even kill a single wild
dog.

If they are to eat, they need the
whole pack.

But how does a group of 11 dogs make
the decision

that now is the right time to hunt?

The secret is a pre-hunt rally.

The whole pack performs high-energy,
almost play-like behaviour.

The dog version of a pre-match
huddle,

getting each family member
in sync and fired up.

But scientists studying the Ninja
Pack and other wild dog packs

in the Okavango have discovered
something even more intriguing.

Just before, and during a rally,
the dogs begin to sneeze.

There were several theories
as to why the dogs do this, but one

study suggests it could,

believe it or not, be a complex
voting system.

If there are enough sneezes,
the pack will be more likely to move

off and hunt. If not, they will
stay and rest.

Sneezing completed...

..the decision is made.

The hunt is on.

African wild dogs can cover over
10km a day in search of food.

A herd of Impala.

The pack set off in pursuit...

..led by the subordinate female.

And, working together, they've made
a kill.

Each dog eats around 5kg
of meat in a single sitting.

Nothing goes to waste.

Finally, bellies full, they can
rest.

Providing for a family can take
a whole pack.

But for one wild dog, all they
need...

..is the perfect partner.

This is the largest Savannah
in South America, the Cerrado.

Covering nearly a quarter of Brazil,

it's made up of grasslands,
forests and swamps

and increasingly agricultural land.

10% of all Brazilian species
are found here, including a wild dog

that's seen nowhere else on Earth.

The small-toothed dog
or the hoary fox.

This male is known to scientists
as Peter.

He's part of a research
population...

..and has recently paired
up with this female.

It's the breeding season
and the strength

of this new partnership is key

if they are to successfully
raise a family.

The stakes are high.

As darkness falls,
the pair begin the night shift.

Around five weeks ago,
she gave birth to four tiny pups.

Since then, she's spent much time
away from the den...

..only returning to suckle her
young...

..but her absence is critical
to her pups' survival.

To produce enough milk,
she must eat.

In some wild dog species,
males bring food to the female.

But because around 80% of the
small-toothed dogs' diet is made

up of insects, which can be found
close to her den, the best way

for her to get enough food
is to find it for herself.

With Mum occupied, it's down to Dad
to pick up the slack...

..keeping a watchful eye on the pups
as they begin

to explore their surroundings.

They're learning early that feeding
on insects

can be a bit...well, tricky.

And sometimes the neighbours
get in the way.

But it's a skill they must
master and fast.

At this time of year,

there's an abundance of food
the pups must learn

to take advantage of.

Termites.

Just after the first rains,
something known as reborada occurs.

Thousands of male and female
winged termites emerge

for their annual nuptial flight.

Peter steps in to show the pups
how it's done.

His small muzzle contains
specialised broadened molars,

which allow him to crush
the tough insects.

Mimicking their dad, the pups
quickly get a taste for this new
delicacy.

This is a key lesson for the pups.

They're fast learners.

But, for some, it's all been a bit
too much.

Peter has proved himself
to be an excellent father.

However, parenthood is taking
its toll.

He's losing weight and condition.

But his strong new partnership
with the female has ensured

this breeding season
has been a success.

In nine months' time, their pups
will have gained all the skills

they need for an independent life.

For some wild dogs...

..it's the power of the pack
that's key to their success.

The Ethiopian Highlands.

Over 4,500 metres above sea level...

..these towering mountains
are known as the roof of Africa.

Living here is a challenge.

Temperatures can fluctuate by 40
degrees in a single day.

This habitat is unique.

Many of the species who live here
are found nowhere else on Earth.

..the Ethiopian wolf.

Restricted to small
pockets of the highlands

above the tree line,

these wolves are thought to descend
from an ancestor similar to the grey

wolf that arrived in Africa
from Eurasia 100,000 years ago.

They live in a large, close-knit
family.

This pack has some new arrivals.

Their mother is almost certainly
the dominant female...

..but all members of the family
will help with childcare...

..from regurgitating food
to baby-sitting.

Even being a climbing frame.

However, raising a family is not the
only reason Ethiopian wolves live

in such strong packs.

It also gives them a key
advantage...

..when it comes to finding food.

Every day, the pack sets
off to hunt.

But each wolf breaks away
to search for food alone.

Here in the highlands, the wolf's
staple diet is rodents.

They are everywhere.

Grass rats make a tasty meal...

..but they live in a colony
and are hyper vigilant.

An easier meal can be found in the
bigger, juicier giant mole rat.

Living alone, these unusual-looking
rodents

rarely stray far from the safety

of their burrow.

The wolves employ a range of tactics
to get to the mole rats.

Some try digging them out.

Others use their long, slender
muzzle to reach into the burrow...

..which isn't always successful.

Patience is required.

Eventually, the mole rat can't
resist a leaf just out of reach.

Lunch at last.

The Ethiopian wolf is a highly
skilled hunter...

..but they also go to great lengths
to secure the best hunting grounds.

Mole rats only live in specific
areas of the highlands...

..so the wolves must unite
to protect their hunting rights

and work together.

Every day, the pack congregates
and sets off to patrol their
territory...

..leaving scent marks to ward off
neighbouring packs.

The larger the pack, the better
chance they have of holding

the best territory.

This is important now more than
ever,

as the wolf's habitat is shrinking.

These mountains are increasingly
being used for farming.

Today, 60% of the Ethiopian wolf's
habitat has been converted

to subsistence agriculture, putting
increasing pressure on the wolves.

Fewer than 500 Ethiopian
wolves remain in the wild.

The fate of each and every
one is critical.

Living alongside humans can create
difficult challenges, but sometimes

it creates new opportunities.

In a back yard in Austin, Texas,

nature has been left to reclaim
its territory.

And over time has created a new
secret oasis...

..for one of the most
nimble wild dogs.

This is the gray fox.

Usually found in woodland,

this secret garden of thick brush
is the ideal substitute home...

..and perfect for raising a family.

At around two and a half months old,

these pups have spent most
of their lives underground,

in the safety of their den.

But now they've grown over ten
times in size,

and they're almost indistinguishable
from their mother...

..and keen to explore
the outside world.

But to survive here, there's
an essential skill

every young gray fox must master.

The gray fox has retained
an ancient talent lost by almost

all of their wild dog cousins...

..they can climb.

For the pups, the urge to climb
comes naturally...

..but they have a lot to learn.

Luckily, they're born with the right
tools for the job.

Their short legs and long tail
give them exceptional balance.

Semi-retractable claws
and the ability to rotate

their forearms provide
them with excellent grip.

And, of course, practice
makes perfect.

They spend the summer honing
their skills...

..and, by the autumn, these canned
climbers can navigate the highest

branches, even in the dead of night.

Here, in the heights, gray foxes
hunt roosting birds.

But the canopy offers safety, too.

Even in this back garden,
danger lurks in the shadows.

A coyote.

Given the chance, they'd readily
kill a gray fox.

But, by mastering this ancient
skill, these pups have conquered one

of the most unusual habitats
for wild dogs and are ready for life

in the safety of the trees.

Thriving in the suburbs
may be a challenge...

..but there's one wild dog that has
found sanctuary

in the heart of the city.

Tokyo,

the most populated metropolis
in the world.

38 million people call this home.

The constant bustle is an assault
on the senses.

This world created by humans...

..is also home to a growing
population of legendary wild dogs.

Statues of them can be found
across Japan.

Legends dating back over 800 years
say they hold supernatural powers...

..and can trick unsuspecting humans.

Shying away from the bright
city lights,

they inhabit the shadows
of the night.

This is the tanuki...

..otherwise known as a racoon dog
for their strong resemblance

to their namesake.

Japanese tanuki are usually
found in forests and meadows.

These tanuki have found
an oasis in the city.

Scattered amongst the high rise
buildings are pockets of green,

like this Buddhist temple garden,

which provides the perfect secret
sanctuary.

And over the last 30 years, numbers
of tanuki have been increasing.

Unlike many wild dogs, urban
tanuki aren't usually territorial.

Their home ranges overlap
with their neighbours, allowing them

to share the best city habitats.

But when you live so close together,

knowing what the neighbours
are up to is key.

Night vision cameras allow
us to follow the tanuki
into the darkest corners.

And hidden beneath the temple
is the secret to their success.

A communal tanuki toilet.

This is not just a convenient
spot to spend a penny.

Unlike most wild dogs, who scent
mark to ward off others, the tanuki

appear to use these sites to
maintain their friendly
neighbourhood.

Glands on the base of their tail
and on their rear end

add a rich mix of scent to the pile.

And each tanuki
has its own unique smell.

Like all wild dogs, tanuki
have an incredibly sensitive nose.

So, when other tanuki visit
this patch, they can tell who's

been there before them and when
they were there...

..before leaving their very own
calling card.

Knowing their neighbours' movements
may help the tanuki maintain

a mutual tolerance of each other.

This could be especially useful
in the city,

where urban Tanukis live in higher
densities

than their countryside cousins.

These sites may also act
as a community message board,

allowing the tanuki
to potentially exchange other

information, such as reproductive
status and even what they've eaten.

And the temple provides
a diverse menu...

..including fruit, flowers and
insects.

But there's also a gourmet meal
on offer.

Every evening, food is laid out for
the tanuki.

By living alongside one another,

sharing information and taking
advantage of their relationship

with humans, these tanuki can
prosper in their new urban home.

Wild dogs have conquered almost
every continent and every habitat

on Earth, thriving in some
of the toughest places and adopting

incredible behaviours to overcome
all of life's challenges.

But not all canids have managed to
adapt and survive in the modern
world.

Nearly 30% of all wild dog species
are either near threatened

or threatened with extinction...

..while the success of others

has put them in direct conflict with
humans.

To survive in this everchanging
world...

..they need space and new ways to
live alongside

their biggest threat...

..us.

Over the space of a year,
the Wild Dogs team filmed 22 species

across six continents.

One of the toughest dogs to film
were the African wild dogs.

We'd heard of their incredible
voting by sneezing behaviour

and headed to the Okavango
in Botswana.

But every year, during the dry
season, remarkably, the Okavango

is flooded, becoming one
of the largest inland deltas

in the world, a haven for wildlife,
a prime hunting ground for wild

dogs, and a complete nightmare
if you're a human in a vehicle.

The Ninja Pack are part of the
Botswana Wild Dog Research Project

and the alpha male is fitted with a
tracking collar...

..which allows the team to pinpoint
the dogs.

However, keeping up with them
is a different story.

So the dogs have crossed the river

and we are unable to follow them

at the moment, so we're going to
try and find a way

around the river somehow -
or through the river.

We just need to find the right
crossing point

and hopefully we don't get stuck.

We've got a plan. We've got a plan.

For three days, they try to cross.

Wahey!

Eventually, one vehicle nearly
makes it to the other side.

I think, once, if we ever get up,
we really just hope that the dogs

come back on this side of the river.
Otherwise...

..yeah, there is a plan B
to maybe...I think we can cross

further down river. It's quite far.
It's quite, quite a drive.

That's if we get out there.

The team work for several hours
and finally the vehicle is free.

That was pretty unsuccessful.

Four and a half hours trying
to get the one vehicle out.

Now, there's no choice but take
on an arduous six-hour round trip

in search of another crossing
and the dogs.

OK. So the water you see is
just over there.

This looks like our actual crossing
point and we can just hope

that this is the only water
we need to cross.

After making it across the water,

the team pick up the radio signal
from the dogs.

So, after three full days of no dogs
and many failed attempts of river

crossings, we finally managed to get
around

and look at the dogs lying over
there.

Finally.

Filming incredible behaviours
took the dedication and hard work

of professional film makers
across the globe.

However, for one wild dog, the best
behaviours were captured by amateur

naturalists in their own back yard.

In Austin, Texas, Dan Ballard
and Jane Hunter

have a garden like no other.

Every inch of it is bugged with
cameras...

..allowing them to capture
incredible footage

of a vast array of wildlife...

..including one very special
visitor.

Their land had been a regular
back yard, but, incredibly, once

they no longer had domestic dogs,
it allowed a wild one to move in -

the elusive gray fox.

I've had pets all my life. I love
dogs, you know? I'm a dog person.

And yet we've chosen to not
have them because, wow,

it just opened this world
up for the wildlife to come in.

And this sparked the beginning

of their incredible wildlife
filming set-up.

We started putting up cameras
and one camera led to another
camera,

which led to 40 or 50 hard-wired
cameras.

These all-seeing eyes positioned
in every corner of their back yard

offer Dan and Jane a 24/7
wildlife surveillance system.

And with their kitchen as the nerve
centre of the operation, they get

a highly privileged view
into the life

of the secretive gray fox.

The first thing we do when we get
up in the morning is we come

and see what's happening now,

and then we come and see
what happened at night.

The unique camera network made Dan
and Jane's back yard the perfect

place to film a new generation
of pups.

And working with camera
operator Shannon,

they set to work.

So many times when we're filming
wildlife in the wild,

we don't have the luxury of CCTV
cameras inside their dens

and around the area.

But, even with the best set-up,
you need willing stars.

They're sleeping.

Then, finally...

But this was just the start.

Dan and Jane's super surveillance
system and Shannon's expert filming

allowed them to capture
the gray foxes'

rarely seen unique climbing
behaviour, even at night.

For Dan and Jane, their set-up is a
long-term project, allowing

them to share their back yard
wildlife with the world.

We've seen from our YouTube channel
and social media that watching

these animals is fascinating
to people all over the world.

It lets people step right
into that world.

If the fox pups
are in the den, underground,

I feel like I'm under there
with them.

Yeah, it's hugely powerful -
to be able to convey that and show

it to the rest of the world.

Next time,
meet the passionate people...

One of the most beautiful
species on Earth.

..who are on the front line
of discovery...

Look, there it is.
..closer than ever before...

This is pup two. ..to the canids.

It's a beautiful gift of the nature.

The canids.

One family.

37 different faces.

Wolves.

Foxes.

Jackals.

Coyotes...

..and dogs.

Right now across the world, people
are going to extraordinary lengths

to understand and help these
amazing species.

This is pup two.

Making incredible discoveries.

Oh, nice. Jackal!

Getting closer than ever
before to these elusive

and secretive animals.

Beautiful gift of the nature.

Uncovering what it takes to be a
wild dog in our modern world.

Forever changing our understanding
of this incredible family.

African wild dogs.

Living in packs of up to 40 strong.

They hunt together.

Raise pups together.

And defend their territories
together.

But it's their highly developed
social and emotional bonds that sets

them apart from other canids.

And now we are starting
to uncover just how vital family

is to their very survival.

Cole du Plessis has been working
with wild dogs for over ten years.

Across Southern Africa, wild dogs
are persecuted by humans who see

them as a threat to livestock
and game animals.

Cole and his team work tirelessly
rescuing injured dogs

that have been caught in traps
or shot.

Critically injured dogs
are relocated to secure facilities.

Here they receive
round-the-clock care

to nurse them back to health.

But Cole and his team have noticed
something puzzling happening

to the rescued dogs.

We had an alpha female.

She had been caught in a snare.

A vet rushes out, catches
the dog, takes it back

to a rehabilitation centre.

And despite the physical
injuries actually healing,

she really wasn't getting
any better.

And she actually died.

Despite recovering
from their injuries, the dogs

were mysteriously dying.

Seeking answers to this mystery,
they looked at the postmortems.

This postmortem speaks about
adrenal

glands enlarged focal lesions on the
liver and ulcers around the stomach.

These are all very common
cases of stress.

These symptoms are known
indicators of stress in other

animals, including humans.

But are they enough to cause
a dog to die?

One postmortem in particular
led Cole's team

to a ground-breaking discovery.

In this particular case, they kept
the dog there for ten days

and she actually died ten days
later.

When they did the postmortem,

they were again shocked to find that
as well, the dog had actually died

of Broken Heart Syndrome.

It's effectively heart ruptures
or stress around the heart,

which is how the Broken
Heart Syndrome got its name.

Broken Heart Syndrome is
a condition that affects

humans after bereavement.

And astonishingly, this
is what killed the dogs.

Dogs in the wild grieve the death
of a family member, often becoming

visibly depressed and withdrawn.

Cole noticed the dogs in
rehabilitation

were suffering from extreme grief

when separated from their pack.

As much as they are resilient
and tough animals, they're also

very emotionally driven animals
and they need that sort of emotional

backing or support to help them.

Then there's that real community
structure that helps wild dogs heal.

But how to treat rescue dogs
in captivity without causing high

levels of stress to these
emotionally sensitive animals?

One fateful day, Cole received
a call about a badly-injured dog

that was affectionately
nicknamed Teardrop.

One day, the pack had left
the protected area and came

in contact with a farmer
that opened fire on them and shot

several pack members.

The dogs were shot simply
because they ventured

onto the farmer's land.

Teardrop was luckily one of the ones
that actually survived the shooting

incident and the gunshot wound that
came through her front left leg

and exited just below her chest
here.

But how would Cole prevent Teardrop
from suffering the fatal

consequences of Broken Heart
Syndrome?

We opted to take the surviving pack
members and treat her with them,

but she had to undergo six-to-eight
months' worth of rehabilitation

before she could once again put
weight on her leg and on her chest.

By keeping all the pack members
rescued with Teardrop by her side

throughout her recovery, she had the
emotional support that she needed.

We've seen some very horrific
injuries before, but this recovery

was just quite remarkable,
to say the least.

Today is a big day for Teardrop.

Having been carefully sedated,

Cole's moving her and her pack
to a new, safer home

in a protected national park.

And they get to travel
in their own private plane.

Since Cole and his team
made their remarkable discovery,

every single critically-injured
wild dog rescued with healthy pack

members has made a full recovery.

And been successfully returned
to the wild.

Every single wild dog that's saved
plays a critical role

in the survival of this
highly-endangered,

emotionally-intelligent species.

We are in a golden age of canid
scientific discovery.

Discoveries that are leading
to positive changes

for species across the world.

Brazil.

Once covered in natural grassland
and forest known as Cerrado.

Nearly half has been cleared
for agriculture.

Crops, including soya, coffee
and sugar cane, now grow here...

..covering over 83-million
hectares of land.

These industrial-sized plantations
can't support the vibrant array

of wildlife that once lived here.

But reports of strange creatures
living amongst the crops has brought

biologist Rogerio Cunha de Paula
to find out more.

His first move - to set up a network
of camera traps.

And the results
have been extraordinary.

Maned wolves.

Normally found in natural
grassland...

..seeing them living in crops
was remarkable.

We found so many wolves here.

That was incredibly surprise for us.

I never expected to find
the population in a good shape

that we found here.

And the footage reveals
something even more surprising.

Pups.

To see the mother with a puppy,
for us was amazing,

because those little guys walking
just by a sugar cane plantation,

we never expected that.

Maned wolves are grassland
specialists.

They can eat a variety of food -
small mammals, fruit,

and even vegetables.

Their extremely long legs make
them the tallest of all wild dogs.

And allow them to move through
and see above tall vegetation.

Their large ears help them listen
for small prey

hiding in the undergrowth.

One swift pounce and lunch is served.

At first glance, these maned wolves
seem to be living successfully

in this agricultural landscape.

Something that Rogerio
had never seen before.

But, he's discovered a problem.

We found that puppies were dying.

All the families we monitoring
were losing their puppies.

To find out more, Rogerio
and his team must closely track

the adult wolves' movements.

This is a GPS satellite collar.

It registers her location one
hour, every hour,

all her information on the locations
where she is.

Activities, so she's moving, she's
sleeping, where she's going.

The collar is lightweight
and harmless to the wolf.

By laying the GPS locations of the
wolves over a map of the farm,

Rogerio can build up a picture
of where they live in the farmland.

This picture shows that
we have the tracking data

for one single wolf.

This is a female we've been
monitoring for three years now.

The red dot is the year one
and the green, the year two.

Here you have the animal
concentrating in the sugar cane

when the sugar cane was taller.

This data shows Rogerio that the
taller crops provide a vital

habitat for the wolves.

As grassland specialists,

they have learned to live in these
vast sugar cane plantations.

Here, there's an abundance
of prey for them to hunt.

Until harvest time...

..when the maned wolves' world
is flattened.

So, in one day you have a tall
sugar cane.

The following day you have nothing,
like a desert.

Harvested fields can't provide
the mother wolves with the food

they desperately
need to raise their pups.

And the farms are so vast there's
not enough natural grassland

for the wolves to hunt
in during the harvest time.

But what can be done?

Working with local farmers,

Rogerio has come up with a
brilliantly simple solution.

By leaving some areas uncut
during harvest season,

the wolves have just enough crop
to hunt in.

And enough food and shelter
to raise their pups.

In return, the wolves help control
rodents that eat the farmers' crops.

By doing all this management
on the croplands and the harvesting,

we start improving the quality
of habitats and doing

this farm by farm,

we have a better habitat in general
for this entire region.

Now, Rogerio's work is starting
to have an impact.

And for the first time, he's seeing
maned wolf pups grow into adulthood

and survive in these plantations.

It's small, positive steps like
these that make a big difference

for the maned wolves of Brazil.

Understanding the secret lives
of canids is the best tool

we have to help them survive.

On the Great Plains of North America

lives one of the planet's
smallest dogs.

The Swift Fox.

No bigger than a house cat,

this characterful canid lives
in tight-knit family groups.

Always staying close
to their burrow...

..it's a safe place to hide
from larger predators.

Today, the Swift Foxes of America
are confined to pockets

of the Great Plains.

But researchers Hila Shamon
and Kimberley Todd are studying

this fox in an effort to reinstate
their population far and wide.

These guys are tiny.

I think one of the most beautiful
species on Earth, really.

Swift Fox used to be very common
across the Great Plains,

Saskatchewan, Alberta, all
the way down to Mexico.

But around the 1930s,

they were
eliminated to less than 10%

of their historical range.

The Swift Fox was a casualty
of predator control programmes

that targeted wolves, coyotes
and prairie dogs.

But there's a bold plan to secure
the future of the Swift Fox.

Hila and Kimberley are at the start
of a five-year project.

Relocating fox families
from this healthy population

in Wyoming to Fort Belknap Indian
Reservation in Montana

800km away.

Re-establishing a fox population
there and gradually expanding

the species range.

But there are risks when relocating
wild animals.

Not every family group is able
to adapt to a new territory.

So, which of the fox families
should be moved?

They believe the answer may depend
on a surprising factor.

Personality.

What we're doing here in Wyoming

is trying to understand how
different

personalities and behaviours,
how would that impact survival

of translocated individuals.

Juvenile three, resting.

To work out the fox personalities
present in each family

and how this might affect group
survival,

you have to observe their behaviour.

Hila and Kimberley first test
the personalities in the group

by seeing how a family reacts
to danger.

A predator.

It's almost time for the eagle
call when you're ready.

All right.

Three, two, one, go.

EAGLE CALL PLAYS

Juveniles one, two and three,
vigilant.

Looks like juvenile two is kind of
crouched down now.

So, we are seeing a variation
even between juveniles.

Some of them were more bold, stayed
out the den and they realised

quickly there was no threat.

While the other ones got a bit
scared and went underground.

By observing their response,

they can build a picture of the
personalities within the group.

Cautious animals quickly retreat
underground

at the first sound of danger.

More bold individuals stay
out in the open.

To record the foxes' behaviour
in more detail,

Hila and Kimberley deploy motion
triggered cameras...

..which they hope will reveal the
foxes' true personalities.

We just collected an SD card
from one of our trail cameras.

We're going to check out
what we have.

All right. Looks like we have

a pup checking out the cameras.

Two juveniles here kind of playing
around with each other.

Just goofing around. Uh-huh.

See the next one. Yep.

Being vigilant.

Bold.

Timid.

Inquisitive or cautious.

These fox families show
a wide range of personalities.

Adventurous families might explore
a new home, finding food

and resources more readily.

But previous studies of captive-born
Swift Foxes have shown the bolder

the fox, the less likely
it is to survive after release.

The more timid the individual,
the more it avoids potential danger.

A key survival strategy for such
a tiny fox.

If it's a bold individual, may be
very exploratory.

They may take risks. They may go
investigate whatever it may be.

As these foxes are being
translocated, they need to be able

to respond appropriately
to a predator.

So, if they encounter a coyote
or a golden eagle

in their new environment,
they need to know

when to be vigilant, when to retreat
into a den

so as to avoid being predated.

So, there are definitely
cases in the real world

where being really bold
and exploratory

can have a very negative effect.

It's early days, but once Hila
and Kimberley have identified

the different personalities
of the fox families, they'll see

how each group fares after
they're relocated to their new home.

It's time consuming work,
but it's key to securing the future

of the species.

We have to keep going.

We have to keep
asking those questions.

We have to find the answers.

And we have to improve our protocols
and improve the tools

that we have from introductions,

not only for a Swift Fox,
but in general.

If Hila and Kimberley succeed,
the plucky Swift Fox may once again

reclaim its historic range
and roam freely,

right across the Great Plains.

It's believed there are 37 species
of canid alive in the world today.

But following a series of
new discoveries, this figure

is changing constantly.

For example, in Africa,
these animals were, for years,

thought to be a cousin
of the Golden Jackal.

But, some experts now believe
they are, in fact, a species of wolf

hiding in plain sight.

They are African wolves
and their discovery is a remarkable

development in canid species
classification.

BARKING

In 2018, over 4,000 metres
above sea level in the highlands

of New Guinea, scientists discovered
a dog that had been declared extinct

in the wild 30 years before.

The New Guinea Highland Dog, a close
relation to the Australian dingo.

DNA analysis of individuals living
in this remote part of the island

proved the species was amazingly
still alive and well in the wild.

And even more amazing discoveries
like this

could be just around the corner.

Japan.

Home to a dazzling array of animals.

And some of the most dramatic
wilderness on Earth.

Deep in these ancient forests,
naturalist Hiroshi Yagi

is on a mission.

Hunting for a ghost.

26 years ago, he had a truly
extraordinary encounter.

Yagi believes he had stumbled across
an animal

thought to have gone extinct
over 100 years ago.

The Japanese wolf.

Wolves roamed the forests of Japan
for tens of thousands of years.

But in the 1800s, the country
opened up to the west.

Newly-arrived domestic dogs brought
canine diseases to the islands.

And it's thought the Japanese
wolf couldn't withstand

these fatal epidemics.

By 1905, the species was declared
extinct.

Ever since his encounter, Yagi
has been searching for proof

that the wolf still exists.

He already has evidence.

Luckily, that night
he had a camera to hand.

Wolves are the largest member
of the canid family.

Today, they live across four
continents - North America, Europe,

Asia, and Africa.

DNA studies have proved
that the Japanese wolf

was genetically distinct
from any of these living wolves.

It was found nowhere else
in the world.

Yagi is convinced the Japanese wolf
is not lost to history.

And he's not alone.

Every year, he receives reports

of wolf sightings in these
mountains.

Over 200 to date.

One of the most recent reports came
from a monk performing a conch

blowing ceremony
at this mountain lake.

And remarkably, hearing a wolf
howl in the process.

This amazing encounter has given
Yagi an idea.

His plan to recreate the ceremony
that led to the holy man hearing

what he believed to be a wolf
howling in the forest.

Wolves use howls for long distance
communication and respond to sounds

that are in a similar audible range.

The silence is a blow for Yagi.

But he's not about to give up hope.

As part of his work, Yagi
has over 70 camera traps lining

the sides of these mountains.

They keep catching glimpses
of wolf-like creatures.

And recently, one of his cameras
recorded something truly intriguing.

Three deer running past trigger
the camera to record

and then if you listen carefully...

HOWLING

Yagi has had this audio
compared to a wolf's howl.

The report concluded that the howls
were nearly identical.

Although the Japanese wolf has
officially been declared extinct,

this recording clearly begs
the question -

could wolves
still be hiding in these mountains?

Yagi's hunt is not over.

And for now, the mystery
of Japan's ghost wolf remains.

Whilst some canids may be in
hiding...

..others are showing up where
they've never been seen before.

In Eastern Europe, a very tenacious
wild dog is making a new stronghold

in Romania's Danube Delta.

The Golden Jackal.

One of the most adaptable members
of the canid family.

They're a mesocarnivore, a medium-
sized predator with a diverse diet

and flexible behaviour.

They can eat almost anything
and live almost anywhere.

Originally from India,

in recent decades,
their population has exploded.

And now, the species is being found
in places

it's never been seen before.

Researcher Cristian Remus Papp

wants to find out how rapidly
the population is spreading and why.

The Golden Jackal appeared
in the region of India in the late

Pleistocene after the last ice age.

It crossed the Bosphorus
and entered in Greece.

At the present day, it is
widespread in the Balkans.

In the last two decades,

the number of jackals really
increased significantly.

Cristian needs to record how many
jackals are in this area.

An important clue to understanding
their fast-changing population

and any impact they might be having.

We are starting at dusk
because this is the time

when the jackals are starting
their activity.

They are nocturnal species
and starting with dusk,

they are hunting,
they are roaming around.

They are checking their territories.

But it's not easy to see
jackals in the dead of night.

So Cristian turns to sound...

HOWLING

..broadcasting a recording
of a Golden Jackal howl.

Jackals can hear this from over 5km
away.

And their instinct is to howl back.

HOWLING

There is one reply from north.

HOWLING

The second one, this is much closer.

Northeast.

During his survey, Cristian
will cover 50km.

He records the location of each howl
he hears, building a picture

of the jackal population
in the area.

In response to the call, jackals
usually move closer to investigate.

Cristian uses a thermal camera

to pick out the approaching animals
in the darkness.

Yes, I can see one.

Sneaking through the thick
undergrowth,

the jackals' warm bodies light
up as a glowing yellow shape

against the cool purple surroundings.

INDISTINCT

Look!

There it is.

I could see the eyes of the jackal.

Eventually, the jackals' instinct
to investigate becomes so strong...

..they appear in the spotlight.

They are really curious.

And they try to approach us.

Cristian's surveys reveal
that in just over five years,

the number of jackals in Romania
has doubled.

It's estimated there are now
20,000 jackals here.

The species is doing so well

it's venturing west and north
across the European continent.

Reaching so far, they've actually
hit the headlines.

And the cause of this incredible
spread?

People hunting one of their main
competitors - the wolf.

The Golden Jackal started to spread
in Europe due to several factors.

The most important is the fact
that the number

of the grey wolf decreased.

The adaptable jackal is moving
in where the wolves once lived.

Taking advantage of the lack
of competition

for food and territory.

Jackals have been seen for the first
time in Italy.

Austria.

And astonishingly, in 2021, it was
confirmed that a Golden Jackal

had even made it as far north
as the Arctic Circle in Norway.

In our rapidly changing world,

this amazingly adaptable wild dog

is coming out on top.

Some canid species set up home
in the most unlikely of places.

In the middle of the bustling
city of Minneapolis,

this coyote family, incredibly,
have created a den

in a drainage pipe.

Here, there's a lack
of other predators

that might compete with them.

It's recently been discovered
that urban coyotes can even

change their daily routine to adapt
to city living.

Becoming more active
at night to better avoid people.

In the UK, city-living red foxes
are physically changing

because they live in a human
environment.

They have shorter, wider muzzles
than their countryside cousins,

an adaptation that could allow them
to access food left out

by humans more efficiently.

For millennia, humans and wild dogs
have been living side-by-side.

And this is even true for the
largest member of the canid family.

Wolves.

Their ancestors teamed up with
humans

to become the domestic dogs
we know today.

Working with captive-born wolves,

researcher Friederike Range

wants to find out more about the
ancestral canid family tree...

..by studying the difference between
wolf and pet dog intelligence.

To do this, she uses a range
of tests.

To discover if the wolves can
problem solve by working together.

And working together is essential
for their survival in the wild.

To get the food, two wolves must
pull the rope simultaneously to move

the table towards them.

If one pulls too early or too late,
the table will not move.

If it understands that it needs
a partner, the wolf should wait

before starting to pull.

Only highly intelligent animals
such as dolphins, elephants,

and chimpanzees can successfully
complete this task.

The wolves make it look easy.

Subtle body posture, facial
movements, even eye expression

are all sophisticated ways
the wolves can communicate

with each other and co-ordinate
their actions.

And now it's the domestic dogs' turn.

Some of the interesting results come
out when we are running

these experiments that the wolves
are actually

very good at co-operating
with each other

where the dogs usually fail.

So it was really, for us,
a real surprise.

Friederike believes this difference
in the wolves' and dogs' ability

to complete the task is not because
the dogs are less intelligent

than the wolves...

..but because the pet dogs
are domesticated.

The experiment is run again.

If a human leads the action
by pulling the rope,

will the dog follow?

Success.

The dogs, they just,
"OK, so what do we do next?"

And then they follow the human.

So, instead of going ahead,
most of them just wait,

watch what the human is doing
and then they follow the human.

These tests show that two wolves
together can solve problems

like this easily,

whereas dogs co-operate better when
paired with a human.

So, intelligence is probably
related to how you interact

with your environment and how
you can solve the problems

of your environment.

And they are likely differences
between wolfs and dogs due

to the domestication.

So, the wolf has to co-operate
with each other.

They have to bring down big prey
and share it afterwards.

So, they're adapted to that
environment and they have

the necessary cognitive abilities to
solve these problems.

Whereas for the dogs,
the environment changed a lot

through the domestication process.

Thousands of years ago, humans
became the main providers of food

to the wild ancestor of
the domestic dog.

Domestication gradually
made these ancient wolves

more dependent on humans,

turn to humans, try to help
and please humans instead of members

of their own species.

This process eventually produced
the pet dogs we know today.

The dogs, they really want to do
things with us.

And you see that. I mean, you go in
an enclosure and they come and jump

up on you and they are there.

The wolves,
they're happy to see you.

They come, they greet you.

There's a mutual respect,

but it's not this dependency.

So, if the wolf says,

"OK, now I have enough of the
petting," and they go.

The exact process of domestication
may never be fully

understood, but Friederike's
work suggests the key traits

we most admire in pet dogs today -

intelligence, co-operation,
problem solving - were not a result

of domestication,
but have been present in the wolf

for thousands of years.

There are now thought to be

over a billion domestic dogs
across the globe.

And their presence

can threaten the very existence
of their wild cousins.

On the remote island of Chiloe
off the coast of Chile,

the domestic dog is threatening

one of the most endangered foxes
in the world.

The Darwin's Fox.

Conservationist Dario Moreira,
together with wildlife vets

Ezekiel Hidalgo and Javier Carvalho
are on a mission to save them.

At just 25 centimetres tall, the
elusive Darwin's Fox is perfectly

adapted for these dense forests.

The Darwin Fox, these are endemic
animal here in Chile.

It only lives in temperate forests.

It's associated with our native
forests with a dense understory.

It is able to move through
the forest because it has a short

length and a long body and it
has a dense fur which allow them

to survive the strong winter
here in the south of Chile.

The Darwin's Fox has inhabited
Chiloe Island

for at least 15,000 years,

but the arrival of the domestic dog
means their days could be numbered.

In their fight to save this rare
fox, the team must undertake

a detailed study of the population.

And to do that...

..first, they must catch one.

But, with as few as 400 of these
foxes remaining on the island,

that is no easy task.

THEY CONVERSE

To lure a fox in, they use
strong-smelling bait.

We are using raw chicken with
three or four days old.

FOREST NOISES MUFFLE SPEECH

After setting their traps...

..they make daily checks.

Then finally...

..success.

By sedating the fox,

the team can get close to this
extraordinary animal.

Yeah?

THEY CONVERSE

SPEAKS CHILEAN

Well, it's a female.

It's a adult, maybe it's an adult
or maybe an adult female.

She looks, like very healthy.

Now, we are taking blood samples
and to see if the animal

could have any disease, like a
distemper, leptospira, rabies maybe.

Diseases like rabies and canine
distemper would be fatal

to the fox, and both diseases
have been brought on to the island

by domestic dogs.

Increasingly, the remote, wild parts
of Chiloe are seeing the development

of human settlements.

And dogs from these settlements
are left to roam free.

The problem when a domestic dog
run free in the nature,

they can be in contact with
the wildlife and especially

with the red fox, and they also
they can transmit diseases.

Dario estimates there are over
30,000 domestic dogs on the island.

Each one with the potential to cause
a devastating epidemic

among the foxes.

The team urgently need to find
a way...

..to protect them.

Hola, buenos dias. Buenos dias.
Gracias.

A key part of the solution involves
the local community.

A simple injection and the dogs
are protected

from potentially fatal diseases.

Also protecting any foxes
they may come in contact with.

Now it's time for this little fox
to go back to the wild.

But she doesn't seem in a hurry
to leave.

It's an amazing experience.

I think it's our first time
to be so close

to this very enigmatic species.

It's a beautiful gift of the nature.

Across the world, the fate
of canids hangs in the balance.

But thanks to small groups of
passionate people, there is hope.

Yellowstone National Park,
North America.

Home to one of the greatest
conservation success stories

of all time.

In the early 1900s, Yellowstone's
grey wolf population

was decimated by hunting.

But just over 25 years ago, wolves
were released into the park.

The effect on the local
environment has been remarkable.

The wolves keep elk numbers in check
by hunting them...

..which, in turn, prevents young
trees being destroyed by overgrazing.

The return of the grey wolf
in Yellowstone has been a success.

But now conservationists
are embarking

on an even bolder
wolf reintroduction plan.

Regina Mossotti has spent
years working with wolves.

And it's feeding time.

They look good after yesterday's
health check. Yeah, they do.

This is a Red Wolf.

One of the most endangered
canids in the world.

Less than 20 remain in the wild.

In her battle to protect them,

Regina cares for these captive-born
red wolves in the hope

they could one day save the species
from extinction.

The American Red Wolf is actually
a species that is close to my heart

because it is solely native
to the United States.

And what surprises me the most
when I am talking and working

with the public is that most people
don't even know the Red Wolf exists,

let alone that it's on the brink
of extinction.

Hunting, habitat loss,

and the few remaining wild wolves
hybridising with coyotes,

have all hampered conservation
efforts that have been going

on for over 30 years.

The issues that the American Red
Wolf and the grey will face

are all the same.

That persecution in the late 1800s
led to a dramatic

decline in all those populations.

But, what has perpetuated it

is the way that our culture
looks at wolves.

Think of what you've grown up with,

Little Red Riding,
Three Little Pigs.

When you're teenagers,
it's werewolf movies.

Everything in our culture

is telling us that the wolf
is something to fear.

And when you fear something,
you don't want to save it.

And the irony is, is that wolves
are big scaredy cats.

I don't know how else to put it.

They run away from people
when they're in the wild.

They want nothing to do with humans.

Now, conservationists are in one
final push to save the Red Wolf.

And these pups, born in Regina's
care, are key to an extraordinary

technique that will be a game
changer for the Red Wolf's survival.

Pup cross-fostering.

A very creative
biologist, learning about wolves

and seeing their behaviour
and their nurturing character,

had the concept of pup fostering,
which is taking tiny puppies,

I mean, potato-sized, less than
two-week-old puppies

and placing them into wild dens.

Once a wild wolf mother
has given birth to a litter,

captive-born pups of a similar age
are introduced into the den.

They want to take care
of their puppies.

They protect them. They clean them,
they feed them.

And by just placing a few
more puppies in there,

she doesn't know the difference.

She takes them in as her own.

And why it works is because wolves
are so incredibly nurturing.

And the best part is, here's a wild
mum and a wild dad who know

how to protect their territory,
who know how to hunt elk, who know

how to stay away from people,
can raise these puppies and teach

them those really important
skill sets so those puppies

survive and thrive.

Regina and her team have shown
that cross-fostered wolf pups

have a higher rate of survival
than other kinds of wolves released.

The reintroduction of wolves isn't
just about bringing something back

to the landscape that we've lost.
It's bigger than that.

It's about restoring the ecosystem,
making it healthier,

making it healthier, not
just for the animals and plants

that are there, but also for us.

Ultimately the future of
these incredible wolves...

..and all wild dogs
across the planet...

..lies in our hands.