1 00:00:01,497 --> 00:00:05,437 For wild baby animals, this is the most critical time in their young 2 00:00:05,477 --> 00:00:08,937 lives. Right aRos the planet, May is their make or break month. Over 3 00:00:08,977 --> 00:00:12,689 the next three weeks, we are going to be following some of their 4 00:00:12,729 --> 00:00:17,593 stories as they struggle for survival. In Africa, Moja the lion 5 00:00:17,633 --> 00:00:21,865 cub and his mum are desperately looking for food. In North America, 6 00:00:21,905 --> 00:00:26,129 bear cubs Herbie and Fern face the prospect of freezing to death when 7 00:00:26,169 --> 00:00:31,257 a sudden snow fall catches them out. And in Sri Lanka, baby macaquee 8 00:00:31,297 --> 00:00:41,257 gremlin is growing up in a tough society. 9 00:01:01,817 --> 00:01:06,885 Hello and welcome to Planet Earth Live. It has begun at last. Let me 10 00:01:06,925 --> 00:01:11,197 formally welcome you to the Masai Mara, magnificent. It's also night. 11 00:01:11,237 --> 00:01:14,901 I'm coming to you, as the name suggests, live from the heart of 12 00:01:14,941 --> 00:01:19,825 Kenya right now. Planet Earth Live is truly a global event. Julia 13 00:01:19,865 --> 00:01:29,513 Bradley is 8,000 miles away where this critical month is affecting 14 00:01:29,553 --> 00:01:33,137 the lives of a very different cast of baby animals. 15 00:01:33,177 --> 00:01:38,141 It's 1.50 here in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes and home to 16 00:01:38,181 --> 00:01:41,513 about 25,000 black bears. That's why I'm here. It's one of North 17 00:01:41,553 --> 00:01:48,517 America's last great wildernesss. This is how Planet Earth Live the 18 00:01:48,557 --> 00:01:55,953 series is going to work. Right around the globe, May is a 19 00:01:55,993 --> 00:02:01,237 critical time in the natural world. We've sent teams of experts out 20 00:02:01,277 --> 00:02:10,413 across the plan Tote capture the drama of this incredible time of 21 00:02:10,453 --> 00:02:14,177 year... Across the planet to. In the nor 22 00:02:14,217 --> 00:02:19,365 them hemisphere, it's spring. Baby animals take their first tentative 23 00:02:19,405 --> 00:02:24,337 steps. As well as our black bears, Herbie and Fern, we'll follow the 24 00:02:24,377 --> 00:02:32,777 fortunes of mickey and Luca, newly emerged polar bears. In the tropics, 25 00:02:32,817 --> 00:02:37,681 May brings the end of the rain aye season. 26 00:02:37,721 --> 00:02:45,665 The rains in Africa and Asia have triggered a baby elephant bonanza 27 00:02:45,705 --> 00:02:51,089 in Kenya. But for our lion cubs, times are hard. May brings big 28 00:02:51,129 --> 00:02:57,353 challenges for other young animals. Young giant otters in Peru, tiny 29 00:02:57,393 --> 00:03:02,545 meerkat pups in South Africa. And a family of macaques in Sri Lanka. 30 00:03:02,585 --> 00:03:07,577 In California, this time of year marks the start of the perilous 31 00:03:07,617 --> 00:03:10,997 grey whale migration and changes the life of a very special sea 32 00:03:11,037 --> 00:03:17,233 otter pup. We'll be following their stories in 33 00:03:17,273 --> 00:03:20,421 this, the most important month for baby animals in the natural world. 34 00:03:20,461 --> 00:03:25,797 We genuinely have no idea what their fate will be. These are real 35 00:03:25,837 --> 00:03:29,141 animals, real lives in real time. You will be able to follow them 36 00:03:29,181 --> 00:03:39,141 every step of the way right here and on the web where you will get 37 00:03:39,841 --> 00:03:43,973 The very latest news as it comes in. So, over the next three weeks, this 38 00:03:44,013 --> 00:03:49,021 tent is going to be my home and I would like you to join me here live 39 00:03:49,061 --> 00:03:53,005 in the heart of what is one of the wildest places on the planet, the 40 00:03:53,045 --> 00:03:57,345 Masai Mara. I've begun the whole thing with hat hair - my mistake. 41 00:03:57,385 --> 00:04:03,725 I'm going to be following the lives of the predator that really has put 44 00:04:12,361 --> 00:04:19,009 The mums hunt together, bringing back meat for all the family. But 45 00:04:19,049 --> 00:04:23,709 not all cubs are this lucky. This is Moja. His name means one in 46 00:04:23,749 --> 00:04:28,901 civil war hily or loner. He has no problems or sisters, he and his 47 00:04:28,941 --> 00:04:32,825 mother are outcasts, they are alone and Moja is facing starvation right 48 00:04:32,865 --> 00:04:37,245 now. He's in real trouble. We have no idea what the future holds for 49 00:04:37,285 --> 00:04:40,937 him. All we can say right now, as we begin Planet Earth Live is that 50 00:04:40,977 --> 00:04:44,713 we know the odds are stacked heavily against him. 51 00:04:44,753 --> 00:04:49,545 Moja is only five months old so he's a bit like a toddler really. 52 00:04:49,585 --> 00:04:53,513 His mother's milk gives him a bit of comfort, but we won't survive 53 00:04:53,553 --> 00:04:56,737 without solids. It's up to his mum to make sure he gets them. As a 54 00:04:56,777 --> 00:05:00,781 single parent, she's having a hard time keeping him going. At this 55 00:05:00,821 --> 00:05:05,765 time of year, there is very little prey. That really brings us to the 56 00:05:05,805 --> 00:05:08,937 very reason of why we are here at this time of year and genuinely 57 00:05:08,977 --> 00:05:13,577 just before we went live somebody reported and in fact we saw a 58 00:05:13,617 --> 00:05:17,953 buffalo over there. There may be a hippo over there. Anything may 59 00:05:17,993 --> 00:05:23,065 happen. The fact is though, those are one of the few animals still 60 00:05:23,105 --> 00:05:26,693 remaining here and big prey like that to a single mother like Moja's 61 00:05:26,733 --> 00:05:31,097 mum really represent one heck of a challenge. As far as she's 62 00:05:31,137 --> 00:05:35,753 concerned, the cupboard is bare right now. 63 00:05:35,793 --> 00:05:45,753 In the dry season, there are more wild animals walking across these 64 00:05:47,309 --> 00:05:51,821 Plains than anywhere else on earth. But we're here in the middle of the 65 00:05:51,861 --> 00:05:57,989 rainy season. The wildebeest are on their way, but right now, they're 66 00:05:58,029 --> 00:06:01,933 200 mails to the south. This is the hardest time of year to 67 00:06:01,973 --> 00:06:09,041 be a lion... 200 miles to the south. If the adults have it tough, the 68 00:06:09,081 --> 00:06:13,057 cubs have it even tougher. Straightaway I think if we are 69 00:06:13,097 --> 00:06:17,789 going to get an idea of Moja's situation, we should take a proper 70 00:06:17,829 --> 00:06:21,793 look at him with some films we've made. Let's take a look at the 71 00:06:21,833 --> 00:06:25,481 little fella. You can see just how lonely he is, first of all. That 72 00:06:25,521 --> 00:06:29,949 actually is a problem straightaway. You don't have to see an expert to 73 00:06:29,989 --> 00:06:34,465 see he's one vulnerable little lion. You can see ribs and hips and even 74 00:06:34,505 --> 00:06:39,265 lying down is hard work. He's in serious need of a good meal. 75 00:06:39,305 --> 00:06:46,577 Right now, his mum needs to be out hunting for him to bring him the 76 00:06:46,617 --> 00:06:50,689 solid food he so desperately needs. And the good news is, she seems to 77 00:06:50,729 --> 00:06:54,329 be one heck of a mum. She has been out hunting for him, which is what 78 00:06:54,369 --> 00:06:58,817 we wanted to see. So we are going to show you some film of that. We 79 00:06:58,857 --> 00:07:01,973 have with us, for this whole exercise for the next three weeks, 80 00:07:02,013 --> 00:07:05,769 some of the best cameramen and women in the world so we can show 81 00:07:05,809 --> 00:07:15,769 you some astonishing stuff. Take a lack at this. 82 00:07:15,850 --> 00:07:19,850 Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds 83 00:08:03,725 --> 00:08:10,073 That, to be honest, is one of many such hunts we hope to be able to 84 00:08:10,113 --> 00:08:14,025 bring you. I wanted to just show off some of the camera work. It was 85 00:08:14,065 --> 00:08:20,765 absolutely magnificent. The problem is, what happens next, 86 00:08:20,805 --> 00:08:24,985 I have to say. If you are a parent, you may be a bit skwee mish because, 87 00:08:25,025 --> 00:08:29,625 well, it gets a little tricky. You may be shifting in your seat, but 88 00:08:29,665 --> 00:08:34,177 this is what happened. Trust me, she is a good mum, really a good 89 00:08:34,217 --> 00:08:39,265 mum. Here is what I'm going on about. She's caught - and that's 90 00:08:39,305 --> 00:08:43,897 good - but she's eating it. All of it. That's because she really is 91 00:08:43,937 --> 00:08:47,953 Moja's only chance. She needs to keep herself fit and well so she 92 00:08:47,993 --> 00:08:51,769 can feed him. She's not being a bad mum. She will take that back to him 93 00:08:51,809 --> 00:08:56,693 in the form of milk. If you have cats at home by the way and see 94 00:08:56,733 --> 00:09:03,289 what is about to happen right now and you think, my cat does that, 95 00:09:03,329 --> 00:09:09,493 mine do that and I have six. That milk will be comforting but not 96 00:09:09,533 --> 00:09:15,337 enough to keep him alive. Straightaway, a bit of drama with 97 00:09:15,377 --> 00:09:25,337 Moja. The point of this exercise is, he's out there right now in the 98 00:09:32,177 --> 00:09:37,901 Moja's situation is desperate. Mum heads off again to try and find 99 00:09:37,941 --> 00:09:41,653 something to eat. This time, Moja decides to follow her. 100 00:09:41,693 --> 00:09:47,201 It's a very risky strategy. Moja is weak with hunger and following her 101 00:09:47,241 --> 00:09:50,841 is putting his life in danger. He's not safe out on the open plains. 102 00:09:50,881 --> 00:09:55,561 But it's make or break time for this little lion. He's literally 103 00:09:55,601 --> 00:10:04,201 starving to death. It's a very brave decision, but is it the right 104 00:10:04,241 --> 00:10:14,201 one? In the rainy season, the grass grows tall and mum makes full use 105 00:10:26,185 --> 00:10:36,145 A passing elephant calf has nothing A good sized warthog is much more 106 00:10:36,226 --> 00:10:40,226 Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds 107 00:11:48,145 --> 00:11:58,105 To get his strength back, he needs to feed for at least a few hours. 108 00:12:08,697 --> 00:12:14,865 These hyenas are hungry too and they want a piece of the action. On 109 00:12:14,905 --> 00:12:24,865 her own, going head-to-head with hyenas is potentially deadly. His 110 00:12:25,873 --> 00:12:35,833 Mum faces a terrible dilemma. Moja needs to eat and eat well. With 111 00:12:37,233 --> 00:12:41,709 Night falling, will she flee or And moments like this are exactly 112 00:12:41,749 --> 00:12:45,165 what the show is going to be all about, real life animals making 113 00:12:45,205 --> 00:12:48,293 life-and-death decisions right now. So did she make the decision? I'll 114 00:12:48,333 --> 00:12:52,477 leave you with a cliff hanger, we'll find out later on because 115 00:12:52,517 --> 00:13:02,477 right now we are going to cross a third of the way around the globe 116 00:13:02,925 --> 00:13:07,577 To Julia Bradbury in Minnesota. Welcome back to the Northwoods of 117 00:13:07,617 --> 00:13:11,869 Minnesota 16 miles south of the Canadian border, 8,000 miles away 118 00:13:11,909 --> 00:13:15,045 from Richard and this is really bear country. The cubs are about 119 00:13:15,085 --> 00:13:19,873 three-and-a-half months old. Over the next few weeks, you will get to 120 00:13:19,913 --> 00:13:25,609 know the bear families very, very well. Bear families like yule yet 121 00:13:25,649 --> 00:13:30,561 and her three little ones. Shs the hand some Juliet, a favourite of 122 00:13:30,601 --> 00:13:35,457 mine, this is her with her three cubs, Sam, Sybil and Sophie. She's 123 00:13:35,497 --> 00:13:41,593 an experienced parent, this is her fourth litter and they are healthy 124 00:13:41,633 --> 00:13:44,973 and suckling well. Let's meet her baby trio team. Sam is a male 125 00:13:45,013 --> 00:13:48,829 little cub, he's adventurous, boisterous and look, he's just that 126 00:13:48,869 --> 00:13:53,549 little bit accident prone as Welch oops. There we go. Sophie is much 127 00:13:53,589 --> 00:13:58,257 more laid back. This is his sister, the one underneath Sam. Yes, he can 128 00:13:58,297 --> 00:14:04,521 be quite annoying, but don't worry, she gives as good as she gets. 129 00:14:04,561 --> 00:14:08,569 Feisty little one that one. And finally, this fare faced cutey is 130 00:14:08,609 --> 00:14:13,493 Sybil, the smallest and most fragile but certainly has a lot of 131 00:14:13,533 --> 00:14:17,161 spirit. We have been a part of the cubs' lives from the beginning for 132 00:14:17,201 --> 00:14:20,213 months. We have had cameras in their dens. Look at this. This is 133 00:14:20,253 --> 00:14:30,213 the Den Cam from not so long ago. What I want you to do particularly 134 00:14:32,625 --> 00:14:38,025 Is listen to the noises that emerge Even in the den, the cubs are 135 00:14:38,065 --> 00:14:41,041 communicating with their mother, each little cry means something 136 00:14:41,081 --> 00:14:44,937 different, can you roll over so I can suckle you, you are sitting on 137 00:14:44,977 --> 00:14:49,825 me mum or I'm hungry mum. We'll learn so much about bear noises 138 00:14:49,865 --> 00:14:53,401 over the next few weeks. A month hag here, things went a little bit 139 00:14:53,441 --> 00:15:00,669 wrong for the bears and it's all down to the weather which turned on 140 00:15:00,709 --> 00:15:04,233 its head and that caused chaos. Normally Minnesota should be under 141 00:15:04,273 --> 00:15:14,233 a foot of snow at this time of year. But with the early arrival of 142 00:15:15,729 --> 00:15:20,781 Spring, it looks like this. The melting snow flooded Juliet's den. 143 00:15:20,821 --> 00:15:30,781 She was forced to evacuate and move her cubs above ground a full month 144 00:15:36,057 --> 00:15:40,673 Before they were ready to face the outside world. Juliet had to find a 145 00:15:40,713 --> 00:15:50,673 safe place for them and created a day bed underneath a large red pine 146 00:15:50,754 --> 00:15:54,754 Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds 147 00:16:42,677 --> 00:16:47,173 With the weather warming up, it It was now that Juliet's experience 148 00:16:47,213 --> 00:16:53,969 really paid off. She knew she had to keep her cubs dry and warm 149 00:16:54,009 --> 00:17:03,969 during the snowstorm. She literally licked the snow flakes off their 150 00:17:06,525 --> 00:17:16,145 I can hear your hearts melting at home at the sight of the cubs. Take 151 00:17:16,185 --> 00:17:21,721 a listen again to that noise, the humming noise of the cubs. That is 152 00:17:21,761 --> 00:17:24,941 the sound of a content cub. You will normally hear that when a cub 153 00:17:24,981 --> 00:17:29,473 is suckling. Juliet is an experienced mum, caring and 154 00:17:29,513 --> 00:17:34,629 attentive and aware and experience out here can make all the 155 00:17:34,669 --> 00:17:38,945 difference between life-and-death. Jewel is a first time mum. She's 156 00:17:38,985 --> 00:17:44,537 got two little cubs, Herbie and Fern and her lack of experience is 157 00:17:44,577 --> 00:17:49,165 not working out well for Herbie and Fern. Herbie is shaking up in the 158 00:17:49,205 --> 00:17:55,633 tree. He shouldn't be really up on a tree, he should be on a day bed 159 00:17:55,673 --> 00:18:01,809 warm. Herbie and Fern have been put in real danger inadvertently by 160 00:18:01,849 --> 00:18:05,557 their mum. Find out how they fare later on. We have a Den Cam and 161 00:18:05,597 --> 00:18:09,385 Hammond cam. There he is, just there. 162 00:18:09,425 --> 00:18:14,093 Thank you. We take the trouble to link up live all around the globe 163 00:18:14,133 --> 00:18:18,665 and you have an odd pop at me. See you in a bit, Julia. We are live 164 00:18:18,705 --> 00:18:24,073 all around the globe right now. Julia's there in Minnesota. We 165 00:18:24,113 --> 00:18:29,857 might have saved a few quid on the globe, that's not an expensive 166 00:18:29,897 --> 00:18:34,421 special effect. That's me in the Masai Mara and that's Sri Lanka. No 167 00:18:34,461 --> 00:18:38,153 expense spared there, I made that myself. Gavin is following the 168 00:18:38,193 --> 00:18:45,873 macaques in Sri Lanka, one in particular. 169 00:18:45,913 --> 00:18:51,737 Meet Gremlin. She's a nine week old toque macaque. She's very cute but 170 00:18:51,777 --> 00:18:55,877 very fragile. Macaque society has a strict pecking order. Gremlin's mum 171 00:18:55,917 --> 00:19:02,985 is near the very bottom of the pile, making Gremlin pretty much the 172 00:19:03,025 --> 00:19:08,673 lowest of the low in a dangerous world. 173 00:19:08,713 --> 00:19:18,673 Apart from the squabbles within the troop, there are large and country 174 00:19:22,029 --> 00:19:25,961 Reptiles living in the forest. Hunting dogs are a problem too. 175 00:19:26,001 --> 00:19:33,821 Tiny babies like Gremlin would be a welcome meal. If that wasn't enough, 176 00:19:33,861 --> 00:19:37,681 this busy road cuts right through the territory. 177 00:19:37,721 --> 00:19:43,273 So it's no surprise that one in three babies will die before 178 00:19:43,313 --> 00:19:46,809 reaching their first birthday. I really hope Gremlin isn't that 179 00:19:46,849 --> 00:19:56,809 one. To survive, young Gremlin is going 180 00:20:01,209 --> 00:20:06,669 To have to learn fast and keep her What I love is that they play out 181 00:20:06,709 --> 00:20:16,669 their daily dramas against this beautiful backdrop of this ancient 182 00:20:26,293 --> 00:20:30,797 Ruined city. It's a good time of year and 183 00:20:30,837 --> 00:20:38,641 they've got six newborn babies in this troupe. They all look very 184 00:20:38,681 --> 00:20:44,865 similar, even to the trained eye. What singles Gremlin out to me is 185 00:20:44,905 --> 00:20:53,301 that she's often on her own away from mum and has a distinctive 186 00:20:53,341 --> 00:20:57,909 white tip on her tail. Gremlin's mother is your typical 187 00:20:57,949 --> 00:21:06,709 working mum. Hard at work foraging during the day to feed herself and 188 00:21:06,749 --> 00:21:11,369 to produce enough milk for Gremlin. Gremlin just gets under her feet. 189 00:21:11,409 --> 00:21:19,497 So for this little monkey, learning life's lessons will have to be done 190 00:21:19,537 --> 00:21:24,697 the hard way. On her own. Luckily, she's a 191 00:21:24,737 --> 00:21:28,417 confident young monkey, happy to venture away from the safety of her 192 00:21:28,457 --> 00:21:35,245 mother's arms. Happy to shadow the infants, you can see her working 193 00:21:35,285 --> 00:21:39,685 out what she should be doing to fit into this society. May in Sri Lanka 194 00:21:39,725 --> 00:21:49,685 is seriously hot. Today, the temperature's well into the 30s. 195 00:21:53,853 --> 00:22:03,813 Gremlin needs to learn how to cool For the older macaques, a mere 196 00:22:35,421 --> 00:22:41,929 Puddle won't do and confidence It's going to be a while before 197 00:22:41,969 --> 00:22:46,445 Gremlin tries these stunts. Now, after all that paddling around, 198 00:22:46,485 --> 00:22:56,445 she's worked up quite an appetite. Being the adventurous type, she's 199 00:23:04,705 --> 00:23:10,621 She's got a year to a year-and-a-half before she's fully weaned and 200 00:23:10,661 --> 00:23:18,761 until then, milk will always be best. 201 00:23:18,801 --> 00:23:22,277 At last, she's reunited with mum. She gets the cuddle and milk she 202 00:23:22,317 --> 00:23:25,701 needs. Gremlin's life down the bottom of 203 00:23:25,741 --> 00:23:34,029 the pecking order is always going to be precarious. For tonight, 204 00:23:34,069 --> 00:23:37,781 she's back in the safety of her mother's arms. 205 00:23:37,821 --> 00:23:40,609 Come on, tell me your face isn't doing this. They are gorgeous! I 206 00:23:40,649 --> 00:23:45,265 must mention, by the way, because you will have noticed it's the 207 00:23:45,305 --> 00:23:48,421 rainy season here in Kenya and it's started in a big way. It's really, 208 00:23:48,461 --> 00:23:52,797 really seriously rain, but we'll carry on as long as we can, I'm 209 00:23:52,837 --> 00:23:56,985 sure we couldn't have any problems. Now, I've had it explained to me 210 00:23:57,025 --> 00:23:59,693 that it's late to talk to Gavin right now because he's two-and-a... 211 00:23:59,733 --> 00:24:03,489 half hours ahead of us in Kenya which mean he's four-and-a-half 212 00:24:03,529 --> 00:24:07,265 hours of you in the UK, being live around the UK is very, very 213 00:24:07,305 --> 00:24:11,625 complicated. Gavin's in bed, so I spoke to him earlier on. 214 00:24:11,665 --> 00:24:15,977 Gavin, your heart has to go out to Gremlin, but life at the bottom of 215 00:24:16,017 --> 00:24:21,601 the heap was never going to be easy. Realistically, what do you think 216 00:24:21,641 --> 00:24:25,337 our chances of survival are? Think Gremlin's chances are high. 217 00:24:25,377 --> 00:24:28,725 She's a feisty little monkey and her mum is looking after her, so I 218 00:24:28,765 --> 00:24:31,585 think she's got a good chance of surviving. Did you know as soon as 219 00:24:31,625 --> 00:24:37,101 you clapped eyes on her that she was going to be a major character 220 00:24:37,141 --> 00:24:39,789 for you to follow? The honesty is, a lot of monkeys 221 00:24:39,829 --> 00:24:44,121 look very similar and she stood out initially just because of that 222 00:24:44,161 --> 00:24:47,633 white tail, but she's turned out to be one of the pluckiest little 223 00:24:47,673 --> 00:24:50,465 youngsters. On the issue of looks, Gavin, you 224 00:24:50,505 --> 00:24:54,857 spend a lot of time following these and we are looking forward to 225 00:24:54,897 --> 00:24:59,793 finding out more, but they've got a face really only a mother could 226 00:24:59,833 --> 00:25:06,297 love, I'm being polite?! I've actually got a picture of you 227 00:25:06,337 --> 00:25:12,421 as a baby here, Richard. I think they're great looking little babies. 228 00:25:12,461 --> 00:25:15,857 Great looking babies. I know they look like Gremlins, but no, I love 229 00:25:15,897 --> 00:25:21,077 'em! We wish little Gremlin the very 230 00:25:21,117 --> 00:25:25,609 best. You've filmed here quite a lot haven't you? 231 00:25:25,649 --> 00:25:28,953 Yes, I've been to the Masai Mara countless times, I'm jealous you 232 00:25:28,993 --> 00:25:33,593 are there but I'm also pleased to be here in Sri Lanka with the 233 00:25:33,633 --> 00:25:37,141 monkey group. Yeah, it's been raining here mostly. Thank you very 234 00:25:37,181 --> 00:25:42,829 much though, we look forward to talking to you later in the week. 235 00:25:42,869 --> 00:25:46,849 We wish you all the very best and the best to little Gremlin. Sorry 236 00:25:46,889 --> 00:25:49,505 about being rude about her face, I was just being silly, she didn't 237 00:25:49,545 --> 00:25:53,705 hear! You are back with me live and 238 00:25:53,745 --> 00:25:57,785 getting wet here in rainy Kenya in the rain aye season in the Masai 239 00:25:57,825 --> 00:26:01,393 Mara. I wanted to talk to you about some of the kit because we've 240 00:26:01,433 --> 00:26:06,145 brought some clever stuff, including thermal imaging cameras. 241 00:26:06,185 --> 00:26:10,021 This is a new generation of them. We've got one over there being 242 00:26:10,061 --> 00:26:14,929 manned by Sue right now. We can show you some of the images we have 243 00:26:14,969 --> 00:26:18,137 got from earlier on. Oh, this is us, lack, that's me with my torch and 244 00:26:18,177 --> 00:26:21,913 that's, I don't know who they are! That's the crew, bless them, yeah, 245 00:26:21,953 --> 00:26:26,573 all right. We've all been on telly, that's nice. Actually, it's not 246 00:26:26,613 --> 00:26:33,429 just for that, much as we enjoy it, it's very useful. We have had some 247 00:26:33,469 --> 00:26:39,937 great shots already. This is a buff foe that we saw. This was today, I 248 00:26:39,977 --> 00:26:43,685 believe, as we were live. This is a rogue male buffalo just now... 249 00:26:43,725 --> 00:26:49,265 buffalo. They are one of the most dangerous things you will find in 250 00:26:49,305 --> 00:26:53,025 after ach. Usually they are old males that are dominant males... 251 00:26:53,065 --> 00:26:56,589 find in Africa. We can use to it spot dangers out there. Sue, can 252 00:26:56,629 --> 00:27:01,701 you pan left to we can have a look and see if there's anything out 253 00:27:01,741 --> 00:27:06,905 there presenting a danger to us? We are in no danger at all. Panning 254 00:27:06,945 --> 00:27:11,969 out there to the left. That's a guard. That's my car and a fire. I 255 00:27:12,009 --> 00:27:16,185 think we are all right. Look, there they are! There's the buffalos 256 00:27:16,225 --> 00:27:19,689 right now. That's... Don't worryer we'll be OK. If anything nasty 257 00:27:19,729 --> 00:27:23,081 happens, I'll throw Pat, the cameraman in front of them. It does 258 00:27:23,121 --> 00:27:27,489 illustrate the point, because there are times of year when you will pan 259 00:27:27,529 --> 00:27:31,081 that camera across this wilderness at this time and it will just be 260 00:27:31,121 --> 00:27:35,925 alive with so much life here on the Masai Mara. Right now there isn't. 261 00:27:35,965 --> 00:27:40,549 If you are a single lioness such as Moja's mum, things like elephants, 262 00:27:40,589 --> 00:27:48,553 buffalo, hippo, they really are going to be too tricky. It's a very 263 00:27:48,593 --> 00:27:54,777 difficult time to be a lion on the Masai Mara right now. 264 00:27:54,817 --> 00:27:59,649 Here is Moja. He's an only child of a single mother and they are casts 265 00:27:59,689 --> 00:28:04,225 from their pride. Moja was finally getting some solid food but hyenas 266 00:28:04,265 --> 00:28:09,089 were threatening to steal the first food he'd eaten with a week. His 267 00:28:09,129 --> 00:28:16,137 mum was left with an agonising decision, either fight and allow 268 00:28:16,177 --> 00:28:19,217 Moja to have a good meal or should she decide to play it safe, abandon 269 00:28:19,257 --> 00:28:23,733 the kill. It's agony. The kind of decision we are going to be 270 00:28:23,773 --> 00:28:30,433 watching over the next few weeks and the crews were up very early to 271 00:28:30,473 --> 00:28:34,761 go out and see what had happened. This is what they found. 272 00:28:34,801 --> 00:28:41,329 First impressions didn't look good, just as they were entering Moja and 273 00:28:41,369 --> 00:28:46,185 her mum's territory, they found a den and warthog bones stripped bare. 274 00:28:46,225 --> 00:28:53,097 There's nothing much beft for Moja there. The thing is, Moja really 275 00:28:53,137 --> 00:29:00,705 needed to eat if he was going to get what he needed right now. No 276 00:29:00,745 --> 00:29:05,109 idea if he got anything like enough. I saddled up and went to see for 277 00:29:05,149 --> 00:29:15,109 myself and took along with me possibly the very pest person to be 278 00:29:20,873 --> 00:29:30,833 Jackson Looseyia has lived alongside the lions for his entire 279 00:29:53,985 --> 00:30:01,025 Let's get up. We were both very relieved to see 280 00:30:01,065 --> 00:30:09,685 our struggling cub alive and well. Luckily for Moja, his mum made the 281 00:30:09,725 --> 00:30:14,825 right decision giving up her kill to protect him. 282 00:30:14,865 --> 00:30:24,825 She's going to need to hunt again soon to provide her with the meat 283 00:30:26,273 --> 00:30:31,641 He's missing out on. But here, this is easier said than done. 284 00:30:31,681 --> 00:30:34,737 This state is basically bare. Territory now, there are pockets 285 00:30:34,777 --> 00:30:42,565 that are just survivable through these tough times, this month, this 286 00:30:42,605 --> 00:30:49,081 specific time when there's a few bits of things left, apart from... 287 00:30:49,121 --> 00:30:54,985 This! It's abundant. It's no-man's-land. 288 00:30:55,025 --> 00:31:04,985 It's both the safest place for her to be and the worst place because, 289 00:31:12,297 --> 00:31:15,349 Well... True. Absolutely true. It really is just unimaginibly 290 00:31:15,389 --> 00:31:18,961 tough. Jackson's join med here in the tent, I suspect not just to 291 00:31:19,001 --> 00:31:22,397 shelter from the rain. You don't mess about with your rainy season 292 00:31:22,437 --> 00:31:28,009 here, do you, that is some rain going on. Their situation is 293 00:31:28,049 --> 00:31:34,497 terrible isn't it? Exactly. It's bucketing, as you can see how much 294 00:31:34,537 --> 00:31:38,121 water is coming out of this tent. Really, Moja and his mother are 295 00:31:38,161 --> 00:31:42,373 cold out there. It's horribly difficult. I want to get some 296 00:31:42,413 --> 00:31:46,433 geography on this. I have a map over here. It's not a geography 297 00:31:46,473 --> 00:31:49,777 lesson, it's interesting. This is Moja, the patch of land here, no... 298 00:31:49,817 --> 00:31:53,353 man's-land because there's no prey that stays there during the rainy 299 00:31:53,393 --> 00:31:58,017 season. These are the other prides, each of these dominating this 300 00:31:58,057 --> 00:32:05,453 territory, the pride is handed down to the female lion. That's theirs. 301 00:32:05,493 --> 00:32:09,249 If Moja and his mum were to stray into these areas, they would not 302 00:32:09,289 --> 00:32:13,561 get a warm welcome? Indeed, they are in great danger, if you think 303 00:32:13,601 --> 00:32:17,737 about how much is surrounding them. Moja is in great danger if he meets 304 00:32:17,777 --> 00:32:23,817 some of the big pride. It will be bad. Our crews are going out daily, 305 00:32:23,857 --> 00:32:27,845 hourly, to keep on eye on what is happening. We'll update you for any 306 00:32:27,885 --> 00:32:32,053 encounters. We are not just following lions, another of Kenya's 307 00:32:32,093 --> 00:32:34,985 iconic animals, elephants, for whom this year means something very 308 00:32:35,025 --> 00:32:41,021 different, they are having a great time. It's led to a babyboom in 309 00:32:41,061 --> 00:32:51,021 fact. One to have crews has taken off 200 miles north to Samburu to 310 00:32:53,233 --> 00:32:56,881 Have a look. Grace and Sky are two of Kenya's newest elephant arrivals. 311 00:32:56,921 --> 00:33:01,785 Their home, Samburu National Reserve, has been transformed by 312 00:33:01,825 --> 00:33:07,757 life-giving rain. Food and water are plentiful. 313 00:33:07,797 --> 00:33:13,729 Elephants are pouring into the park to make the most of this bonanza. 314 00:33:13,769 --> 00:33:23,729 Grace and Sky's mums are relaxed and catching up with old friends. 315 00:33:44,989 --> 00:33:54,905 Grace and Sky may be having the time of their lives, but there are 316 00:33:54,945 --> 00:33:58,409 It is just dazzling watching those guys in the field, I could watch 317 00:33:58,449 --> 00:34:01,825 them all day, running about learning to be an elephant. I think 318 00:34:01,865 --> 00:34:05,937 I'd be better than being an elephant than they are right now 319 00:34:05,977 --> 00:34:12,129 because they have a long way to go. In this easier time, fun times for 320 00:34:12,169 --> 00:34:18,097 the elephants, there are dangers facing them. 321 00:34:18,137 --> 00:34:21,377 Lions. I guess this is the other side of the lion's story, just like 322 00:34:21,417 --> 00:34:25,773 in the Masai Mara, they are hungry and if they are lucky enough to 323 00:34:25,813 --> 00:34:30,113 live in a pride, they can take an elephant calf. Grace and Sky are 324 00:34:30,153 --> 00:34:34,005 part of a big family with sisters, cousins, aunts and grandmothers 325 00:34:34,045 --> 00:34:36,853 watching over them through this most vulnerable period in their 326 00:34:36,893 --> 00:34:39,961 young lives. That protection is everything to an 327 00:34:40,001 --> 00:34:44,257 elephant. That's how they work. Their experience is passed down 328 00:34:44,297 --> 00:34:48,321 from generation to generation. It's a different experience for another 329 00:34:48,361 --> 00:34:53,025 bunch of elephants who are a very small herd, one in particular Emily 330 00:34:53,065 --> 00:34:55,977 is a young, inexperienced mother without access to that information 331 00:34:56,017 --> 00:35:01,789 and that experience and help. They are in fact without a leader as 332 00:35:01,829 --> 00:35:07,401 well right now which means the whole herd is pretty much in total 333 00:35:07,441 --> 00:35:12,745 disarray. Emily's calf is just three days old. 334 00:35:12,785 --> 00:35:20,777 Just like a human baby, he relies entirely on his mother. He needs to 335 00:35:20,817 --> 00:35:27,561 stop often to rest and suckle. But his family have to keep moving 336 00:35:27,601 --> 00:35:32,701 to feed. It's nearly 40 degrees in the sun. 337 00:35:32,741 --> 00:35:40,361 He's at serious risk of dehydration. Sun stroke is another killer. He 338 00:35:40,401 --> 00:35:44,985 needs shade badly. But Emily is a first time mum and 339 00:35:45,025 --> 00:35:51,693 has no-one to guide her through the first few confusing days of 340 00:35:51,733 --> 00:35:57,345 motherhood. Emily's doing her best. But her 341 00:35:57,385 --> 00:36:06,021 best migt not be enough to keep her calf alive... might not be enough 342 00:36:06,061 --> 00:36:09,521 to keep her calf alive. Just a reminder, these are real 343 00:36:09,561 --> 00:36:15,193 life dramas happening in the world right now. We'll bring you more on 344 00:36:15,233 --> 00:36:20,897 that and many, many more. We can now cross to Julia once more in 345 00:36:20,937 --> 00:36:25,833 North America. Thank you. Let's hope Emily and her 346 00:36:25,873 --> 00:36:32,585 calf have luck on their side. Planet Earth Live is of course a 347 00:36:32,625 --> 00:36:41,605 global programme. I meat a grey whale calf who's about to set off 348 00:36:41,645 --> 00:36:49,917 on a perilous 5,000 mile journey. I have my first face-to-face 349 00:36:49,957 --> 00:36:56,869 encounter with a black bear. And Richard joins the fight against 350 00:36:56,909 --> 00:37:01,453 elephant poaching in Samburu. One, two, three... 351 00:37:01,493 --> 00:37:05,981 Welcome back to bear country. This really is the ultimate bear habitat. 352 00:37:06,021 --> 00:37:10,017 We are surrounded by these Prenn did white and red pine trees. This 353 00:37:10,057 --> 00:37:14,389 is a red pine, not the black bear's favourite climbing tree because 354 00:37:14,429 --> 00:37:17,689 look how easily the bark comes off. Mama bears don't generally teach 355 00:37:17,729 --> 00:37:22,689 cubs to climb on the red pine. So Jewel is a bear that might well 356 00:37:22,729 --> 00:37:28,485 make that mistake. She's a first time mum. Inadvertently, she's 357 00:37:28,525 --> 00:37:34,297 putting her cubs Herbie and Fern in mortal danger, she just doesn't 358 00:37:34,337 --> 00:37:38,081 know how to react with certain situations, snow being one of those 359 00:37:38,121 --> 00:37:48,081 situations. Jewel had her cubs up a tree and they were visibly cold and 360 00:38:06,097 --> 00:38:12,369 Shivering while she stayed down on The cubs don't have the benefit of 361 00:38:12,409 --> 00:38:22,369 a thick winter coat like their mother. Their tiny size left them 362 00:38:23,625 --> 00:38:33,585 Extremely vulnerable in the biting Jewel eventually returned to the 363 00:38:44,057 --> 00:38:48,453 Base of the tree and calls her cubs Once on the ground, we expected to 364 00:38:48,493 --> 00:38:52,889 see Jewel comfort and warm her cubs up. But instead, she moved off 365 00:38:52,929 --> 00:39:02,889 again, leaving them struggling to keep up as they battled through the 366 00:39:11,901 --> 00:39:14,693 As darkness fell, the crew had to leave, as the temperatures dropped 367 00:39:14,733 --> 00:39:20,053 to minus ten. And there was a real sense that 368 00:39:20,093 --> 00:39:24,113 remight not see the cubs alive again. That we might not see the 369 00:39:24,153 --> 00:39:27,597 cubs alive again. Heart-breaking images. We all genuinely thought 370 00:39:27,637 --> 00:39:32,301 that Herbie and Fern would not make it through the night. Remember, 371 00:39:32,341 --> 00:39:37,037 they're just three months old. Their fur hasn't developed properly 372 00:39:37,077 --> 00:39:41,493 yet, it's still fluffy and not very insulating and they're meant to be 373 00:39:41,533 --> 00:39:46,665 in the warmth, safety and comfort of their dens. So imagine the 374 00:39:46,705 --> 00:39:51,601 crew's amazement and joy when the following morning this is what they 375 00:39:51,641 --> 00:39:55,401 saw. Despite the bitingly cold 376 00:39:55,441 --> 00:40:00,857 temperatures of the previous night, Jewel had somehow managed to work 377 00:40:00,897 --> 00:40:06,025 out that she needed to keep Herbie and Fern warm if they were to 378 00:40:06,065 --> 00:40:10,497 survive. It turned out that Jewel had 379 00:40:10,537 --> 00:40:17,073 wandered off to find a good place to shelter her cubs. She'd led them 380 00:40:17,113 --> 00:40:20,713 to safety and was now keeping them warm with her body heat. 381 00:40:20,753 --> 00:40:30,713 Thankfully, the cubs seemed happy and content once more and are 382 00:40:38,461 --> 00:40:43,749 I don't know about you, I could just watch those kinds of scenes 383 00:40:43,789 --> 00:40:47,233 all day. How lucky that I'm here 230 three weeks... three weeks. 384 00:40:47,273 --> 00:40:54,737 That was Herbie and Fern. Let's see how they are this week. They are 385 00:40:54,777 --> 00:40:58,897 doing a bit of climbing practice. Mum, Jewel, is watching on. 386 00:40:58,937 --> 00:41:03,333 Lackadaisical in her approach there. Paying a bit of attention now, or 387 00:41:03,373 --> 00:41:06,785 is she just having a bit of a nap? Never really sure with Jewel. She's 388 00:41:06,825 --> 00:41:09,829 learning as we are. The nice thing about Herbie and Fern is that, as 389 00:41:09,869 --> 00:41:14,505 brother and sister, they get on very well. Looking forward to 390 00:41:14,545 --> 00:41:19,269 getting to know those two a little better as the weeks go on. We are 391 00:41:19,309 --> 00:41:24,725 watching young animals across the globe on Planet Earth, including 392 00:41:24,765 --> 00:41:28,741 grey whale calfs in Mexico. The grey whale calves have begun their 393 00:41:28,781 --> 00:41:33,145 massive migration from the warm water nursery lagoons of Mexico up 394 00:41:33,185 --> 00:41:39,117 the coast towards Arctic waters. Along the way, they're going to 395 00:41:39,157 --> 00:41:45,137 battle hunger, fatigue, all sorts of other things, including these, 396 00:41:45,177 --> 00:41:51,557 killer whales. Cameer whales intent on separating 397 00:41:51,597 --> 00:41:56,529 mothers from their calves. I went to Mexico about three weeks 398 00:41:56,569 --> 00:42:06,529 ago hoping to see a grey whale calf before she set off on this epic 399 00:42:10,537 --> 00:42:18,045 I've seen whales in the wild before, but I've never been close enough to 400 00:42:18,085 --> 00:42:27,173 touch one. And the prospect is so exciting. I'm shaking a little bit. 401 00:42:27,213 --> 00:42:34,177 There we go. Hello! There are an estimated 500 grey whale mums here, 402 00:42:34,217 --> 00:42:42,613 each with a newborn calf in what is effectively a giant nursery. 403 00:42:42,653 --> 00:42:47,113 Holy moley, this is bizarre. Look. We've got whale soup in front of us 404 00:42:47,153 --> 00:42:57,113 unfolding. Flippers and heads, dorsal ridges just twisting in the 405 00:43:00,857 --> 00:43:09,305 A little bit fishy. Nothing too bad. I'm prepared to live with that. The 406 00:43:09,345 --> 00:43:17,833 experience of a lifetime. Thank you. That's a definite hello! 407 00:43:17,873 --> 00:43:25,573 Lovely to meet you too. How incredible to touch. Soft, soft 408 00:43:25,613 --> 00:43:31,293 skin and covered in scratches and whale lice and barnacles. 409 00:43:31,333 --> 00:43:34,857 Hello, beautiful. Nice barnacles. This baby is only about four weeks 410 00:43:34,897 --> 00:43:42,417 old, but she's incredibly friendly and her mum is actually lifting her 411 00:43:42,457 --> 00:43:50,105 so that she can get a betterlike at me. We are eye ball to eye ball. 412 00:43:50,145 --> 00:43:56,545 Hello, beautiful, beautiful creature. Hello... Better look at 413 00:43:56,585 --> 00:44:01,437 me. I can't think of another instance in the wild where an adult 414 00:44:01,477 --> 00:44:08,389 mother would encourage her young to go towards humans. It just wouldn't 415 00:44:08,429 --> 00:44:18,389 happen. You wouldn't find it with bears. And so strange and wonderful. 416 00:44:20,885 --> 00:44:26,189 Now, it's just showing off. We've made true friends here. It's an 417 00:44:26,229 --> 00:44:31,377 overwhelming feeling. They're communicating with one another, 418 00:44:31,417 --> 00:44:41,377 they are communicating with us. And when you look in the eye of a grey 419 00:44:42,077 --> 00:44:52,037 Whale, it's so soulful and peaceful. It's just absolutely incredible. 420 00:44:59,581 --> 00:45:03,865 There is something so special about these sea giants, I don't think 421 00:45:03,905 --> 00:45:09,137 I'll ever surpass that moment when I looked a grey whale calf and her 422 00:45:09,177 --> 00:45:12,977 mother in the eye. We'll follow their journey, the 5,000 mile 423 00:45:13,017 --> 00:45:17,277 migration. Come over to my map. This is the route. This is Mexico 424 00:45:17,317 --> 00:45:22,945 where I went to have my encounter with a grey whale calf and this is 425 00:45:22,985 --> 00:45:27,965 their entire journey. This is the Bering Sea, the Arctic waters. If 426 00:45:28,005 --> 00:45:31,529 they make it there and back, that's 10,000 miles. These mammals are 427 00:45:31,569 --> 00:45:37,121 incredible, it's the biggest mammal migration in the world. 10,000 428 00:45:37,161 --> 00:45:43,793 miles in one year. They estimate that in a grey while's lifetime of 429 00:45:43,833 --> 00:45:48,937 50 years, they might make up to 500,000 miles, that's around the 430 00:45:48,977 --> 00:45:52,345 world 20 times. We've got spotters all along this route. This is 431 00:45:52,385 --> 00:45:56,409 Monterey Bay in California and we've got a team there who sent 432 00:45:56,449 --> 00:46:01,333 through news to me only yesterday, not just news, I've got pictures 433 00:46:01,373 --> 00:46:05,753 for you from yesterday, of killer whales. So the killer whales are 434 00:46:05,793 --> 00:46:12,413 moving in on that area. These are the pictures fresh in from 435 00:46:12,453 --> 00:46:16,345 yesterday. Look at that. You can even see the coast Ryan in the 436 00:46:16,385 --> 00:46:20,957 background. Very exciting. Of course, we'll be waiting with 437 00:46:20,997 --> 00:46:23,677 baited breath to see what happens. They move in pods of about seven or 438 00:46:23,717 --> 00:46:27,801 eight. Their intention is to separate the mothers from the 439 00:46:27,841 --> 00:46:32,037 calves. We've also got spotters in Kenya. I 440 00:46:32,077 --> 00:46:35,057 understand that they've spotted a Hammond. That's right, it's a 441 00:46:35,097 --> 00:46:38,585 Hammond. They have, they have! Half a 442 00:46:38,625 --> 00:46:42,305 million miles for the grey whales, that is staggering. The killer 443 00:46:42,345 --> 00:46:47,961 whales send a chill down your spine, they are so single-purposed. I 444 00:46:48,001 --> 00:46:52,577 would also like to say, I was where Julia was not that long ago filming, 445 00:46:52,617 --> 00:46:56,729 ideally grey whiles that, 's whey went to see, not one, none. I think 446 00:46:56,769 --> 00:47:01,105 Bradbury it was the anorak what they came to see. Welcome back to 447 00:47:01,145 --> 00:47:04,589 Kenya. Julia's having her lunch right now, Gavin's tucked up in bed 448 00:47:04,629 --> 00:47:10,325 and I'm here in the Masai Mara in the rainy season hoping I'm not 449 00:47:10,365 --> 00:47:16,137 about to be charged by a rogue bull buffalo. Good. Back to the action 450 00:47:16,177 --> 00:47:20,153 here. Elephants, 200 miles to the north in Samburu. Last time we saw 451 00:47:20,193 --> 00:47:24,905 Emily and her calf, the calf was weak and exposed, kept getting left 452 00:47:24,945 --> 00:47:30,689 out in the baking heat because he's inexperienced and was struggling to 453 00:47:30,729 --> 00:47:36,329 keep up with his young mum. This herd is tiny, only a few young 454 00:47:36,369 --> 00:47:40,593 inexperienced around. There are no elders to guide her. That is what 455 00:47:40,633 --> 00:47:47,257 she needs. That's how they learn all the time, elephant to elephant. 456 00:47:47,297 --> 00:47:52,661 I have to tell you, the situation got a lot worse. 457 00:47:52,701 --> 00:47:58,269 Monitoring all the elephants in Samburu is David and his team from 458 00:47:58,309 --> 00:48:04,585 Save the Elephants. For him, every baby holds hope for 459 00:48:04,625 --> 00:48:10,113 the species and right now, he's very worried about Emily's calf. 460 00:48:10,153 --> 00:48:20,113 We are looking for a young baby and we found the rest of the group but 461 00:48:23,737 --> 00:48:31,321 No sign of the baby. So I'm a Emily's with the herd, but she's 462 00:48:31,361 --> 00:48:36,977 alone and her calf is nowhere to be seen. David knows just how many 463 00:48:37,017 --> 00:48:43,073 threats there are to baby elephants in small, vulnerable herds like 464 00:48:43,113 --> 00:48:49,577 Emily's. I suspect it could have been lions. We have two massive 465 00:48:49,617 --> 00:48:57,905 males in this pack who're very specialised in killing young baby 466 00:48:57,945 --> 00:49:07,905 elephants. We have seen their tracks around this area. 467 00:49:10,805 --> 00:49:20,765 The team find a group of very full lay-ons in the salt scrub where 468 00:49:30,417 --> 00:49:35,189 It's part of nature for elephants to lose a baby. But, this will be 469 00:49:35,229 --> 00:49:45,189 quite emotional for poor Emily to lose her first calf which was only 470 00:49:47,737 --> 00:49:55,617 A few days old. Elephants have very complex emotions. They respond to 471 00:49:55,657 --> 00:50:05,617 death just like us. For Emily, she'll be mourning for the calf she 472 00:50:06,425 --> 00:50:10,225 Just lost. Just a mile or so away, Grace and Sky are oblivious of the 473 00:50:10,265 --> 00:50:14,809 dangers around them. They're protected by a barricade of trunks 474 00:50:14,849 --> 00:50:19,761 and legs. Older family members constantly 475 00:50:19,801 --> 00:50:26,713 touch and reassure the babies, keeping them from trouble and 476 00:50:26,753 --> 00:50:36,713 helping them along. And they have a herd leader who's 477 00:50:41,321 --> 00:50:45,745 Prepared to fight to the death for It was difficult. To be fair, we 478 00:50:45,785 --> 00:50:49,937 knew this kind of thing could, probably would happen. 479 00:50:49,977 --> 00:50:54,905 The lions are struggling too so I guess you could say on which side 480 00:50:54,945 --> 00:50:58,345 you view it from. Grace and Sky are safe in their extended family. Life 481 00:50:58,385 --> 00:51:04,657 is good on the whole for them but there is a danger facing them and 482 00:51:04,697 --> 00:51:09,861 I'm sorry, ashamed to have to tell you, that that danger comes from us. 483 00:51:09,901 --> 00:51:15,425 In the last three years, one in four elephants in Samburu was 484 00:51:15,465 --> 00:51:21,337 killed. Most of them at the hand of poachers, the illegal Ivory trade 485 00:51:21,377 --> 00:51:25,617 being at its worst for many years. But there is hope. David and his 486 00:51:25,657 --> 00:51:30,457 team are on the frontline of this fight. 487 00:51:30,497 --> 00:51:37,269 It really makes me very sad. What is wrong with people, you know, why 488 00:51:37,309 --> 00:51:41,213 are we doing this to wild animals who have no problem with us? It's a 489 00:51:41,253 --> 00:51:44,633 big day for David. Grace and Sky's family are known to wander outside 490 00:51:44,673 --> 00:51:49,497 the safety of the park where poachers lie in wait. I'm joining 491 00:51:49,537 --> 00:51:54,401 him and his team as they take desperate measures to try to 492 00:51:54,441 --> 00:51:59,557 protect them. The plan is to put a radio tracking 493 00:51:59,597 --> 00:52:09,557 device on Sky and Grace's herd leader, but to do that, she has to 494 00:52:13,065 --> 00:52:18,841 Be sedated. I can feel the tension. Yes, everyone will be trying to 495 00:52:18,881 --> 00:52:28,841 protect this lion. Lions could pop out of the bush. This is a tense 496 00:52:29,493 --> 00:52:39,453 Moment for all of us. Wow. That's... Suddenly around that 497 00:52:42,745 --> 00:52:48,001 Corner and there they are. That's it. It's a race against time. 498 00:52:48,041 --> 00:52:58,001 She could go down at any moment and we have to be there to make sure 499 00:53:06,949 --> 00:53:16,909 Four minutes now. She can't be far. No, she's down. Down, yes. OK, 500 00:53:33,545 --> 00:53:39,497 This is about making noise to get the herd away from this elephant. 501 00:53:39,537 --> 00:53:46,937 The moment the other females see a female down, all they want to do is 502 00:53:46,977 --> 00:53:50,073 protect her. We are attacking her, as far as they are concerned. 503 00:53:50,113 --> 00:53:55,297 We find her in one of the worst possible positions. Her legs 504 00:53:55,337 --> 00:54:02,641 slipped in the mud and she's on her front crushing her lungs. She could 505 00:54:02,681 --> 00:54:12,641 easily suffocate. We've got to move fast. The vet immediately checks 506 00:54:15,885 --> 00:54:25,845 That she's OK. She's fine. She's I'm given a vital job, keeping her 507 00:54:28,225 --> 00:54:33,017 The whole purpose of these big ears of course is to cool. That's what 508 00:54:33,057 --> 00:54:40,377 they're for. Very thin skin which means the vains radiate heat out 509 00:54:40,417 --> 00:54:44,693 because they are close to the surface. The veins. The skin feels 510 00:54:44,733 --> 00:54:49,785 rough and hard, as you would expect, and hot. You get the impression the 511 00:54:49,825 --> 00:54:59,785 heat doesn't all come from the sun, some of it's from her. One, two, 512 00:55:00,153 --> 00:55:03,865 Three. Again. OK, lift. Well done. A good position. If you could help 513 00:55:03,905 --> 00:55:12,273 me here. With the radio collar securely attached, it's time to 514 00:55:12,313 --> 00:55:22,273 bring her round. We have three minutes and we'll see movement. The 515 00:55:22,354 --> 00:55:26,354 Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds 516 00:56:27,545 --> 00:56:30,145 It was stressful, I know. These guys make that calculated judgment, 517 00:56:30,185 --> 00:56:32,177 the stress of that experience is more than offset by the value of 518 00:56:32,217 --> 00:56:34,817 having that transmitted collar on her. She'll range way beyond 519 00:56:34,857 --> 00:56:36,649 Samburu Park. The moment she does, she's in mortal danger and I think 520 00:56:36,689 --> 00:56:38,677 having that information, that database, is probably the most 521 00:56:38,717 --> 00:56:40,913 valuable tool in protecting her, her family, her offspring, her 522 00:56:40,953 --> 00:56:43,757 future. Do you feel relieved? Very Much Indeed. So Relieved. 523 00:56:43,797 --> 00:56:46,193 Because I Wasn't Sure What Is Going To Happen. She's a bit groggy but 524 00:56:46,233 --> 00:56:49,349 unharm and she heads off to rejoin her family. This tracking device 525 00:56:49,389 --> 00:56:55,445 will enable David to watch over Grace and Sky and the rest of the 526 00:56:55,485 --> 00:57:00,293 herd to try to protect them from poachers. 527 00:57:00,333 --> 00:57:04,041 I'm going to say it again, David and his team hate sedating 528 00:57:04,081 --> 00:57:06,857 elephants but fitting the collars are the best chance they stand of 529 00:57:06,897 --> 00:57:11,353 surviving against the poachers. I don't know about you, but I'm 530 00:57:11,393 --> 00:57:16,401 probably not alone in thinking that Ivory poaching was like one of 531 00:57:16,441 --> 00:57:20,453 those Victorian diseases that had gone away completely but it turns 532 00:57:20,493 --> 00:57:25,073 out it hasn't, it's actually as prevalent as it was before. The 533 00:57:25,113 --> 00:57:28,357 good news from Samburu is they are all up and well and fine and I'll 534 00:57:28,397 --> 00:57:32,685 be flying up north tomorrow to have a look at that myself. I'll bring 535 00:57:32,725 --> 00:57:38,125 you that on Wednesday. Julia, I have to tell you, that was one of 536 00:57:38,165 --> 00:57:41,253 THE most stressful things I've ever done in my life, I'm not 537 00:57:41,293 --> 00:57:45,377 exaggerating. I'm certain that it was, Richard. The thing is, we are 538 00:57:45,417 --> 00:57:49,233 in such a privileged position at the moment, aren't we, to have this 539 00:57:49,273 --> 00:57:53,265 proximity to wild animals, to get so close. We are hear in bear 540 00:57:53,305 --> 00:57:58,645 country, the country is literally branded with bears, there are bear 541 00:57:58,685 --> 00:58:03,617 mugs and T-shirts and all sors, yet if you came here as a tourist, you 542 00:58:03,657 --> 00:58:08,005 are very unlikely to have an encounter with a bear. I'm learning 543 00:58:08,045 --> 00:58:12,489 so much about the animals in such close quarters. 544 00:58:12,529 --> 00:58:16,413 It's astonishing. Being close to the elephant, helping keep her ear 545 00:58:16,453 --> 00:58:20,865 cool and seeing how it works as a radiator. It was astonishing. I'll 546 00:58:20,905 --> 00:58:25,585 check up and find out more later in the week. 547 00:58:25,625 --> 00:58:29,649 Can't wait for that. We are in this privileged situation in Minnesota 548 00:58:29,689 --> 00:58:36,321 because we have access to the black bears at an extraordinary level. 549 00:58:36,361 --> 00:58:41,697 That's all thanks to one man Dr Rogers, he's a biologist. He had a 550 00:58:41,737 --> 00:58:46,857 PhD in bears. Around here, he's actually just known as the Bearman. 551 00:58:46,897 --> 00:58:49,841 He really is quite extraordinary and he took me for my first nose... 552 00:58:49,881 --> 00:58:55,057 to-nose encounter. Trust me, you knead a big animal to match this 553 00:58:55,097 --> 00:59:05,057 nose, trust me, he took me for my first nose to have nose encounter 554 00:59:05,569 --> 00:59:12,949 With Juliet and we checked up on her three cubs as well. 555 00:59:12,989 --> 00:59:18,657 I'm sorry, bear, I rushed up upon you. You might be a little bit 556 00:59:18,697 --> 00:59:28,657 brave to get in here. Never get between a mother and a cubs. But it 557 00:59:28,901 --> 00:59:32,389 Takes more than a mother black bear to scare her. Or maybe it takes 558 00:59:32,429 --> 00:59:42,389 more to scare you because you have been doing this for 45 years. 559 00:59:43,417 --> 00:59:51,505 They're up there for sure, yes? For sure. It's interesting. Sorry, 560 00:59:51,545 --> 00:59:54,957 bear, what do you want? To you wonder what we are here for? I 561 00:59:54,997 --> 01:00:01,381 think this is the only place we can come in the world and see a mother 562 01:00:01,421 --> 01:00:11,381 with cubs like this and trust us. Wild bear, remember this is a wild 563 01:00:27,645 --> 01:00:32,321 Bear? Yes. Hello Mrs Bear. Nothing Where are those cubs? They must be 564 01:00:32,361 --> 01:00:42,321 pretty high? I hope they come down. With the cubs nowhere to be seen, 565 01:00:44,161 --> 01:00:48,017 We took our cue from mum and sat down to wait. After 45 minutes, we 566 01:00:48,057 --> 01:00:55,561 heard scratchings in the tree above Juliet and the first of her cubs 567 01:00:55,601 --> 01:01:05,561 made they are way down to join mum. Here we go. Here we go. I've never 568 01:01:33,609 --> 01:01:43,569 So vulnerable. I can't believe I'm actually sitting here just a few 569 01:01:52,409 --> 01:01:58,101 Feet away from this adorable, He's feeding. 570 01:01:58,141 --> 01:02:08,101 Someone else to join the party. Is he the right size for his age, or 571 01:02:38,573 --> 01:02:48,533 Should he be bigger? He's doing OK. Starting to nurse. That's the sound 572 01:02:56,885 --> 01:03:01,941 Of nursing? Yes, that's the sound They do look like little humans 573 01:03:01,981 --> 01:03:11,941 when they stand on their hind legs? Yes. It's actually like watching a 574 01:03:44,313 --> 01:03:48,525 That really was an emotional experience for me. Perhaps it's 575 01:03:48,565 --> 01:03:52,337 because I'm a first time mum but the bears seem so toddler and 576 01:03:52,377 --> 01:03:57,417 human-like to me. You will have also seen in the film the moment 577 01:03:57,457 --> 01:04:01,529 Ben Juliet moved towards us quite quickly. That's called a bluster, 578 01:04:01,569 --> 01:04:05,665 that was my first bluster experience. Although it looks like 579 01:04:05,705 --> 01:04:10,745 she was being aggressive, that's the bear's way of expressing her 580 01:04:10,785 --> 01:04:14,421 nervousness, not quite sure what's going on, so just makes a little 581 01:04:14,461 --> 01:04:17,793 warning noise, all the air coming out of her nose and she's making 582 01:04:17,833 --> 01:04:21,361 sure that you stand well back which of course I did. I was very pleased 583 01:04:21,401 --> 01:04:26,001 that Dr Lynn was in front of me. Hammond, if you were here, I'd put 584 01:04:26,041 --> 01:04:28,985 you in front of me as well, a sort of a double layer. 585 01:04:29,025 --> 01:04:32,469 Julia, I don't know how many times I could have been told that the 586 01:04:32,509 --> 01:04:36,265 bluster wasn't a real attack, I still would have decided to be 587 01:04:36,305 --> 01:04:39,361 somewhere else at that moment. I've come back out into the rain, that's 588 01:04:39,401 --> 01:04:43,897 the driving force out of all our stories here. This has come down 589 01:04:43,937 --> 01:04:48,617 many the course of this show. It really does fall very, very quickly. 590 01:04:48,657 --> 01:04:53,333 But it is beautiful here in the Mara. We have some pictures to show 591 01:04:53,373 --> 01:04:57,801 you. Glorious. Even though it's raining torrentially, this rain 592 01:04:57,841 --> 01:05:01,569 makes it, not only hard for the lions, but for the camera crews and 593 01:05:01,609 --> 01:05:05,881 wildlife spotters who've been out looking for them as well. To be 594 01:05:05,921 --> 01:05:10,177 honest, we have been stuck in the rain, battling through rain. There 595 01:05:10,217 --> 01:05:15,865 have been some adventurous missions and we'll be doing more before the 596 01:05:15,905 --> 01:05:19,681 end of the smo Show in three weeks' time. This is my car. We have 597 01:05:19,721 --> 01:05:24,069 already had rain up to there. If it continues falling for the rest of 598 01:05:24,109 --> 01:05:29,777 the evening, tnts will be getting washed away. We'll still be here on 599 01:05:29,817 --> 01:05:33,181 Wednesday though... Tents. There's a buffalo over there. Can we have a 600 01:05:33,221 --> 01:05:39,497 look? Two buffalo. Right now live in Kenya you are looking at them. 601 01:05:39,537 --> 01:05:44,245 They don't mind the rain. We'll just stay quiet for now. 602 01:05:44,285 --> 01:05:47,665 No buffalo in Minnesota, just bears all around us. We have got four 603 01:05:47,705 --> 01:05:52,025 camera crew here in North America filming pretty much around-the... 604 01:05:52,065 --> 01:05:56,093 clock across the continent. We know that there was a black bear 605 01:05:56,133 --> 01:06:00,793 standing just about there, 200 yards aWay, some of our black bears 606 01:06:00,833 --> 01:06:04,985 have GPS collars on them which send a signal back to us every hour so 607 01:06:05,025 --> 01:06:08,437 we can get precise locations. A lot of people saying I was too 608 01:06:08,477 --> 01:06:13,233 emotional about the cubs there. Just look at this. Look at the cub. 609 01:06:13,273 --> 01:06:17,441 There we go. Standing on its hind leg. I've got a little boy who's 610 01:06:17,481 --> 01:06:21,221 nine months old, he's not that coordinated but does look a bit 611 01:06:21,261 --> 01:06:26,065 like that. I'm sure you agree with me. So we know there was a bear a 612 01:06:26,105 --> 01:06:35,301 couple of hundred yards away there. We also know that these are in the 613 01:06:35,341 --> 01:06:40,617 area. Listen to this. They are timber wolves. Top predator in the 614 01:06:40,657 --> 01:06:45,725 woods. We have heard them here. So imagine wolves stumbling across 615 01:06:45,765 --> 01:06:49,445 lost black bear cub. That is a situation that you don't want but 616 01:06:49,485 --> 01:06:53,417 an inexperienced mum could inadvertently put her black bear 617 01:06:53,457 --> 01:06:57,117 cub in that situation. On Wednesday, we'll be following the top 618 01:06:57,157 --> 01:07:01,305 predators. We have a camera trap. This is Max, one of the most 619 01:07:01,345 --> 01:07:04,865 experienced cameramen setting up a camera trap there. We hope to catch 620 01:07:04,905 --> 01:07:08,857 any motions of any wolves and anything else here in the 621 01:07:08,897 --> 01:07:12,481 Northwoods of Minnesota. On Wednesday, we'll update you with 622 01:07:12,521 --> 01:07:16,121 everything and of course more beautiful black bear cubs. 623 01:07:16,161 --> 01:07:20,217 More news just in from Kenya, as well as the buffalo which I can now 624 01:07:20,257 --> 01:07:23,793 hear, we have heard from the spotters that Moja has been found, 625 01:07:23,833 --> 01:07:27,093 he's OK, looking thin but hanging on in there. We have, I think you 626 01:07:27,133 --> 01:07:32,405 will agree, brought you some incredible stories already, but 627 01:07:32,445 --> 01:07:38,297 there are so many many more baub animals' lives we'll be following 628 01:07:38,337 --> 01:07:43,153 during this critical month... baby animals' lives we'll be following 629 01:07:43,193 --> 01:07:51,201 during this critical month. We'll meet Mickey and Luka getting their 630 01:07:51,241 --> 01:07:54,313 first view of the outside world. Otter cubs live life on the run 631 01:07:54,353 --> 01:08:00,313 from some caiman. Our teams are stationed around the world getting 632 01:08:00,353 --> 01:08:07,301 as close as possible to the action. And that is pretty much it. We 633 01:08:07,341 --> 01:08:13,053 shall of course be bringing you more news on Moja. We'll update you 634 01:08:13,093 --> 01:08:18,033 on the whales and have more antics from Julia's bear cubs.