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Episode Synopsis
The human world, from our cities to our fields, has spread to every corner of the globe. Wildlife now has to adapt to a vastly altered landscape…and contend directly with us.
Some animals are meeting this challenge head on. In Bali, long-tailed macaques have learned that by stealing tourists’ most precious items, they can barter for their favourite food. The older males won’t give you back your phone unless they get what they’re after.
For many animals living alongside us, it pays to keep a low profile. Tawny frogmouths are masters of camouflage, and in Melbourne, Australia, they are preyed on by cats. Nevertheless, frogmouths are doing well here because the streetlights help them find their prey, and in many parts of the city they are now found in a higher density than in the surrounding countryside.
Some animals are so bold they don’t even try to hide. Rhinos walk through the streets of Sauraha, Nepal, simply to get to food on the other side of town. In Lake Tahoe, USA, black bears head to the city dumpsters in search of food before hibernation, and the rich food they find means that they are up to 50% heavier than their country-dwelling cousins.*
For wildlife, part of the challenge is to keep up with us. Pavement ants are the most common ant in New York City, outnumbering New Yorkers by 1,000 to one.* The secret to their success is their digestive system, which has been able to keep pace with the constantly changing human diet; 90% of what they eat now comes from human food.* On Broadway Avenue alone they eat the equivalent of 60,000 hotdogs a year.*
Life is not so straightforward for animals that are feared or persecuted by humans. Snake bites cause an estimated 60,000 human deaths every year in India alone,* but in one Indian village, venomous cobras are seen hunting inside peoples’ houses. Remarkably, scientists believe that this coexistence has led to a change in the snakes’ behaviour; they move more slowly and are less likely to strike when disturbed.
However, when animals come into the human world to compete for resources, it often leads to conflict. In Kenya, once the sun has set, African elephant bulls venture to fields of tomatoes to gorge. It’s a dangerous job for the farmers trying to repel the largest land animals on the planet.
Surprisingly, wildlife eating the same food as humans doesn’t always result in competition. Off the coast of Vancouver Island, humpback whales inhabit waters that have been overfished. You would think that their presence would reduce fish stocks even further, but astonishingly the opposite is thought to be happening.
Although some species are managing to thrive in the human world, in many parts our actions are putting unprecedented pressure on wildlife. Our fates, however, are closely intertwined. If the natural world is not protected, it could be devastating for all humans on earth. The major challenge will be re-imagining the way we live on this planet to find ways to protect all life on earth.
Filming locations and species
- Greater one-horned rhinoceros: Nepal
- Long-tailed macaques: Uluwatu Temple, Bali
- Pavement ants: New York, USA
- Monocled cobras: West Bengal, India
- Tawny frogmouths: Melbourne, Australia
- Black bears: Lake Tahoe, USA
- Humpback whales: Telegraph Cove, Vancouver, Canada
- African elephants: Kimana Sanctuary and surrounding areas, Kenya
- Desert locusts: Lodwar, Kenya
- Animal agriculture: Global
- Amazon: State of Acre, Brazil
- Sir David Attenborough Filming: Gravetye Manor, UK
- Vertical Farming: Plenty San Francisco & Los Angeles, California, USA + Shockingly fresh: UK
In numbers…
Number of shoots: 24
Number of shoots managed remotely: Five
Number of filming days: 281
Rarest species documented…
Greater one-horned rhino: there are estimated to be around 4,000 individuals left in the wild.
Q&A with Producer and Director Fredi Devas
Some animals appear to be adapting their behaviour to live around human civilisation – is it sad to see what impact we’re having on species like the greater one-horned rhinoceros walking through Sauraha in Nepal to find food?
When it comes to seeing animals adapting to the human world I feel the whole range of emotions! There are some amazing success stories, such as pavement ants in New York City that are thriving because their digestive system is able to cope with eating discarded human foods. There are of course sad stories where animals are not able to keep up with the changes that we are bringing to the world. With regards to the rhino in Sauraha, Nepal, I felt mixed emotions. It is sad that the urban environment is encroaching on wild places, but I was also filled with admiration for the local people that treated the rhino with such respect. With proper consideration for wild animals, there is every hope that humans and animals can live peacefully alongside each other, even with potentially dangerous animals like rhinos.
What was it like to film monocled cobras hunting in India, in such close proximity to humans?
Filming monocled cobras living and hunting in a village in India was an experience none of the crew will forget any time soon! Not many people would willingly go into a house with a cobra in it, certainly not a hunting cobra… but the crew had to follow the snake in, set up their heavy filming equipment and try to capture the scene that unfolded. What they found astonishing was that the local people were so tolerant of these highly venomous snakes. The scientists the crew were working with have noted that the cobras in this village move more slowly, and are less likely to strike when disturbed. They believe this is due to the tolerance they are shown. This must be one of the most extraordinary examples of people living harmoniously alongside a potentially highly dangerous animal.
The episode shows how innovative practices like vertical farming can be advantageous to wildlife. How important will human ingenuity be for the survival of species and habitats across the globe?
Human ingenuity is extraordinary, and we will no doubt need innovations to solve problems in the future. What gives me hope today is that there are already so many fantastic solutions out there that if scaled up could bring positive change. We filmed one example in Los Angeles, USA, in perhaps the most hi-tech farm in the world. Here they grow plants vertically (using robots!) and totally indoors, claiming to grow up to 350 times the same amount of food as they would in traditional fields. This farm also uses 90% less water, no pesticides, and reduces food miles as the farm is in the middle of the city.* Inventions like these may help us lower our footprint on this planet, giving the opportunity for wildlife to bounce back.
We filmed just one day after the farm opened, making this the first time that anyone has filmed the complex ongoings of this hi-tech vertical farm. Flying a variety of drones indoors, in confined spaces around moving robots, required the newest technology but also a world class drone pilot.
Fun Fact:
- Vertical farming can produce up to 350 times the food in the same area.*
One of the most striking images from this episode is the sight of a rhino walking down a street in Sauraha, Nepal. How did you capture this?
I had seen videos of rhinos walking down the streets, but on arriving in the town I still found it hard to believe that it actually happened! After a long time of waiting and searching I eventually saw a rhino with my thermal binoculars, heading out of the jungle and coming straight towards me. It was a thrilling experience that I didn’t get tired of for the three weeks we were there. Towards the end of the filming trip, as the rhino walked on a bustling tarmac road, past busy shops and cafes I pondered that this rhino must have seen more change in its lifetime than any previous generation of rhino. A wild animal that, to me, looks like a living dinosaur, very much present in the modern era. As far as we know, these will be the first images to be broadcast in a wildlife programme of a rhinoceros walking down a busy street in Nepal. The footage was captured using UHD low light cameras.
The episode features a sequence showing the positive impact of whales. How important is it to tell stories of hope for the future?
A recent discovery shows that great whales can play a very significant part in combating climate change. Small organisms called phytoplankton need iron to grow. Whale poo happens to be rich in iron! Whales poo at the surface, the phytoplankton absorb it, and their numbers boom. The phytoplankton photosynthesize, and so as their numbers increase they draw more and more carbon out of the atmosphere and into their bodies. They are then eaten by other animals, the carbon is transferred down the food chain, and when the animals poo or die, the carbon in their poo or in their bodies sinks. If it reaches 1000m deep then it is likely to be locked away for 1,000 years. This system is now called the ‘whale pump’.
What is astonishing is that the poo from one great whale is such a powerful fertiliser that it not only helps restore ocean ecosystems, but it also results in as much carbon being sequestered from our atmosphere as 30,000 trees!* Since the ban on commercial hunting of whales came in (in 1986) many whale populations are starting to rise again, and I like to think that with every new great whale calf born an ocean forest is also planted.
What do you want audiences to take away about the scale of human impact on wildlife?
The major issue that wildlife is facing today comes from habitat destruction, the main cause of which comes from agriculture. Agriculture takes up half of the habitable land on the planet,* and certain foods take up a lot more space than others. Over three quarters of agricultural land is used to raise livestock, and yet this only provides around 20% of our calories and 40% of our protein.* More and more people are choosing to eat foods that have a lower impact on the natural world, and food manufacturers are getting on board, so the choices for eating plant-based meals are rapidly increasing. If this trend continues, it could be a huge step towards restoring the health of our planet.
Key stories and filming feats
Long-tailed macaques
Uluwatu temple, Bali
NB: Unique adaptation
The team filmed the adapted behaviour of long-tailed macaques who steal tourists’ phones to barter, learning that more valuable items results in greater rewards from travellers. The robbing-bartering phenomenon has only been observed in Uluwatu, and has been present for over 30 years. This behaviour is cross-generational within macaque troops and an example of a culture emerging within primates.
Executive Producer Mike Gunton said, ‘We witnessed the younger macaques stealing sunglasses from tourists and demanding a banana for their return, but what really caught my eye was the old boys – these crafty negotiators knew they could ask far more in return for a prized smartphone…’
Pavement ants New York, USA
NB: New technology
The team wanted to capture the dynamic lives of urban ants and show how they have adapted fast to city life. To capture the scale of the action the team needed a camera that could fly smoothly above the ants, and follow individuals as they interacted with their nest mates, not easy when each ant measures a few millimetres. This was achieved with a motion control rig that suspended a camera and probe lens upside down to get as close as possible to ground level. A system of rails and gears gently moved the camera above the scene so all angles of the ants’ behaviour could be covered. The whole system was operated using a Playstation controller which took an enormous amount of skill from the cinematographer and motion control rig designer, John Brown. .
John Brown, Motion Control Rig Designer, said: “I’d developed my motion control rig during the lockdown of 2020 – the enforced break in filming had given me the time to build something I’d been planning for years. Manhattan was actually a really difficult filming environment. It was a challenge to quickly build the rig to film behaviour as it was happening on busy sidewalks and then pack down and move onto the next location – by the end of the shoot we could rig and be ready to film in around 20 minutes. Carrying everything up four flights of stairs to our little apartment at the end of each day never got easy though!”
Fun facts:
- On Broadway alone, pavement ants eat the equivalent of 60,000 hot dogs every year.*
- Pavement ants are so successful in New York; they outnumber New Yorkers 1,000 to one.*
Monocled cobra
West Bengal, India
NB: Filming feat, new technology
Cobras have found a home where Hindu villagers revere them and consider them demigods – scientists believe this human tolerance has led to a change in their behaviour, as they move more slowly and are less likely to strike when disturbed. One of the most feared animals on the planet has found a place where they are accepted and can coexist… in human houses.
The facts:
- Monocled cobra has enough venom in a single bite to kill 10 people.*
- Snake bites are responsible for nearly 60,000 deaths every year in India alone.*
Niall Stopford, Researcher: “We enlisted the help of Vishal Santra, an experienced Herpetologist, and Dhiman Bhattacharya, a local priest of the village who had been studying the cobras for many years. The most dangerous time for the crew was when predation was about to begin, and the safety briefing was to ensure no sudden movements whilst the cobras were hunting – all crew had to make sure their hands or feet were not mistaken for a fleeing toad!”
Humpback whale
Telegraph Cove, Vancouver, Canada
NB: Filming First
The Planet Earth III team captured the first extensive coverage of humpback whales trap-feeding. The behaviour is a new feeding strategy that was first documented in 2011, when a humpback whale named “Conger” was observed by scientists feeding in a totally novel way. When the density of fish in the water is low and diving birds are chasing them, Conger opens his mouth at the surface. The fish raced into his mouth, seeing it as shelter from the diving birds. It must look like a dark cave to hide in. This is the point at which Conger closes his mouth and gets a meal without having expended much energy. This new behaviour is called “trap-feeding”.
Since its inception, other whales have learnt it and now there are 30 trap-feeders, but it remains a very difficult behaviour to capture. After six weeks of filming the team managed to capture the behaviour from boat level and from drones. It was only in the last week that they managed to capture the behaviour fully, and they got the first ever footage of multiple humpbacks trap-feeding. It’s of great scientific interest to learn how this new behaviour is spreading through the humpback population.
Fun fact:
- Each great whale has the same impact as planting a forest of 30,000 trees. If they return to pre-whaling numbers, this would be equivalent to planting 30 billion trees.*
Fredi Devas, Producer and Director: “Spending six weeks filming these magnificent creatures I could see that they are all very distinct individuals with different behaviour patterns. One whale would often be seen rolling around at the surface of the water singing. He preferred to eat krill at night, and sing during the day, whereas most others focused on eating herring during the day. He was also particularly acrobatic, often the one seen breaching or slapping his pectoral fins on the water. Naturally, he became one of the crew’s absolute favourites!”
African Elephant
Kimana Sanctuary and surrounding areas, Kenya
NB: New technology
Niall Stopford, Researcher: “We chose to film the behaviour using very light-sensitive cameras, rather than with thermal cameras, as we felt the light source of farmers’ torches would give a much more immersive and raw feel to the footage, conveying the level of danger when in a field with a frightened elephant at night. We used thermal scopes to track the male elephants from dusk as they set out to raid crops. It was extremely interesting to observe how silently and stealthily a six-tonne elephant can move when it wants to remain undetected. It was also a privilege to work alongside the Big Life Foundation rangers and witness their dedication to reducing human-wildlife conflict by moving huge, bold elephants away from crops using non-lethal means.”
Amazon rainforest
Brazil
Volunteer firefighters in the Amazon risk their lives to put out fires and rescue animals.
Meet the team
Fredi Devas, Producer and Director
Dr Fredi Devas is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker who cares deeply about the natural world and the challenges it faces. After completing a PhD on chacma baboons in Namibia, Fredi did research on the bushmeat trade in Equatorial Guinea, and then spent time living with the San bushmen in Southern Africa.
Having worked on Planet Earth II, Frozen Planet, Wild Arabia, and Seven Worlds, One Planet he’s been lucky enough to film hyenas roaming the streets in Ethiopia, polar bears feasting on a whale carcass, and to capture the spectacle of a King penguin colony in the Antarctic containing half a million birds. .
On Planet Earth III he returned to his passion for documenting the changing landscape for wildlife surviving in a Human world. There are extraordinary examples of animals doing remarkably well living amongst people. However, while filming the fires in the Amazon, he was struck by the enormous impact human activity is having on the natural world, and the urgent need to reduce our footprint on this planet.
Abigail Lees, Assistant Producer
Abigail Lees is a Producer/Director at the world-renowned BBC Natural History Unit. She co-Directed the ‘Forests’ episode of ‘Planet Earth 3’ and field directed for the ‘Human’ episode. She was responsible for directing several sequences across the series including: the village chimpanzees of Uganda, Eucalyptus monoculture in Brazil, Ecuadorian treehoppers, North American Spirit Bear, Mexican monarch butterflies, the Amazon fires, and Australian city tawny frogmouths.
Lees’ work has taken her to some of the most remote places on all seven continents including Antarctica for David Attenborough’s ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’ series. She is currently producing an episode on the Himalayas for the BBC’s next big blue-chip documentary series.
Charlotte Bostock, Assistant Producer
Charlotte, upon earning a degree in Audio Engineering, transitioned into wildlife filmmaking. A decision driven by her passion to share impactful stories about the natural world. She has worked for the BBC Natural History Unit for 10 years on ‘Attenborough’ series such as ‘Planet Earth II’ and ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’. .
The greatest privilege of her career has been filming some of our planet’s most endangered animals, such as the last two remaining Northern white rhinos, the Iberian Lynx and for Planet Earth III – the Indus River Dolphin. She is incredibly fortunate to meet and work with inspiring people around the world, who devote their life to protecting the natural world and hopes that this series will highlight the challenges it faces.