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00:00The sky is one of the most challenging places to live, but all across the world, extraordinary animals do something we can only dream of, take to the air.
00:21Some spend their whole lives up here, others only visit for a moment.
00:35We'll discover how many incredible animals thrive in the sky, and what clever tricks they use to get airborne.
00:47With the help of some specially trained animals, the latest technology and special effects techniques will reveal brand new discoveries that explain how animals take to the skies.
01:05This is Life in the Air.
01:17So how do animals take to the air in the first place?
01:21In this episode, we'll meet incredible creatures, each with their own special techniques.
01:28But they must all overcome one of our planet's most powerful and universal forces.
01:35Gravity.
01:36It takes a very special animal to defy gravity.
01:54But in Namibia, Southern Africa, there's one that's mastered it like no other.
01:59The caracal.
02:03A cat with a unique ability to leave the earth.
02:09It does something remarkable.
02:13It catches birds in flight.
02:16What looks like a misplaced haystack is the largest nest in the natural world.
02:26Home to a hundred sociable weavers.
02:31An irresistible target for a hungry cat.
02:34You could forgive a bird for believing it was safely out of reach.
02:41But the caracal is perfectly designed to catch it.
02:46Its front is smaller and lightweight.
02:51But its back legs are built as a booster rocket.
02:5530% longer and with twice the muscle mass.
02:58This design maximizes the caracal's speed on take-off.
03:07And the faster it's traveling when it leaves the earth,
03:11the higher it will get.
03:16Caracals are built for a vertical launch.
03:28The other one has just been defeated.
03:40The more important, the more important, the more basic to your sword.
03:42The more important, the more useful, the more accurate.
03:44That's what I call it.
03:47The more beautiful, the more beautiful.
03:50The more beautiful and perfect.
03:53The more beautiful, the more beautiful, the more beautiful.
04:26But what goes up must come down.
04:37And come down in the right way.
04:44We know that cats always land on their feet.
04:48But how?
04:50This mystery kept scientists arguing for over a century.
04:54It needs to turn around.
04:57But to do that, it has to push against something else.
05:02But there's nothing there.
05:04This caracal is about to do something that would seem impossible.
05:13All cats have a remarkable design, a flexible spine, which allows them to rotate their front
05:22and back ends in different directions at the same time.
05:25As it falls back to Earth, the caracal creates a clockwise rotation in the front half of its body.
05:34But the back spins in the opposite direction.
05:38By spinning in two different directions at the same time, the caracal is effectively pushing against itself.
05:52But it does even more.
05:56Like a spinning ice skater, it pulls its front legs close, which makes the front half of its body spin faster.
06:05This creates a twist in its spine, allowing it to swing the back legs round and prepare for landing.
06:17This cat not only defies gravity, but lands again safely.
06:42And it all happens in under a second.
06:50Something all cats can do.
06:57Catching food is just one of the many reasons why animals leap into the sky.
07:01Gazelles leap to show predators that they are too difficult to catch.
07:16Tree-living lemurs leap to move quickly across dangerous open ground.
07:24The perfect way to make a rapid escape.
07:26But while all leaping animals must overcome gravity...
07:32...there is one that uses the power of gravity itself to take to the skies.
07:40The Australian Outback
08:09is one of the toughest places to live.
08:17Temperatures can reach 50 degrees centigrade.
08:26A kangaroo can only survive by wetting its body to stay cool.
08:31An extravagant use of water in one of the driest continents on the planet.
08:39They need a constant supply of water to replace what they lose.
08:45In a desert over a million kilometers square,
08:50how does a kangaroo travel huge distances without breaking a sweat?
08:58They've developed the most efficient form of travel found on land.
09:04And it all relies on the unique design of those enormous legs.
09:09The secret lies in the tendons at the base of the ankle which connect muscle to bone.
09:21Normally tendons are tough and strong.
09:26But the kangaroos are curiously weak and stretching.
09:33So when gravity brings it back to Earth,
09:36their special tendons act like huge elastic bands,
09:40absorbing the energy but then releasing it again.
09:44Almost half the power for the next leap comes not from the muscles,
09:51but from the energy recycled by these tendons.
09:56By taking to the air,
09:58kangaroos have evolved the most efficient way of traveling on Earth.
10:03But it only works because they take to the air.
10:16When we run, our legs have to move faster and we use more energy.
10:22But hopping like this is unique.
10:27When a kangaroo speeds up, its legs don't move faster.
10:32Simply by altering the angle of take-off,
10:35it can increase the distance it flies with each hop.
10:39It means no matter how fast a cruising kangaroo decides to travel,
10:44its muscles do almost exactly the same amount of work.
10:49They can fly along at the speed of an Olympic sprinter.
10:57Ten meters every second.
11:00Over four meters with every stride.
11:03And never get tired.
11:07For mile after mile after mile after mile after mile after mile.
11:19To reach this.
11:26A sheep station oasis.
11:29Where there's always water.
11:37While the sheep could never leap their fence,
11:40the kangaroo still has enough energy to tackle it with ease.
11:45It's only because of their energy recycling tendons and their ability to take off at the perfect angle,
12:13that kangaroos can not only survive one of the most hostile environments on the planet,
12:18but make it look easy.
12:20But if you thought kangaroos had the ultimate launch mechanism,
12:26you'd be wrong.
12:28Early spring in an English field.
12:34It looks empty, but down in the grass, something extraordinary is about to happen.
12:47One of the greatest acrobatic acts in nature.
12:53Meet the plant hopper.
13:05Barely four millimeters long.
13:08This one is not yet fully grown.
13:11But even though it has no wings, it has an incredible ability to get airborne.
13:18And it's going to need it soon.
13:21This field won't be empty for long.
13:26Cows have spent the winter sheltering in barns.
13:39For months they wait to be out in the fields again.
13:45But in early spring, the day finally arrives, when they are let loose once again.
14:10They are so excited, they gamble like lambs.
14:26Not so exciting for the hoppers.
14:29Now they have potentially lethal navels.
14:32But when in danger, this incredible little insect does something which looks impossible.
14:39They simply disappear.
14:54Rewinding, then slowing the action, 700 times, reveals the truth.
15:03Fleas may be known as the greatest leapers, but plant hoppers rewrite the record books when it comes to one of the fastest takeoffs in the natural world.
15:17Having the ultimate ejector seat means they need something found nowhere else in nature.
15:24Cogs.
15:26Just before takeoff, between their legs rows of tiny teeth into mesh, locking them together.
15:34It's quite literally a clutch in their crotch.
15:39These cogs ensure that when one leg moves, the other has to, within 30 millionths of a second.
15:50Accelerating the hopper to 700 G.
15:54If you were in that rocket, you'd be pushed into your seat with a force of 56 tonnes.
16:04But this record breaking leap has one major flaw.
16:09If it fires those legs on unstable ground, that much power can spin the hopper hopelessly out of control.
16:22Each launch is a leap of faith into the unknown.
16:27The
16:56They defy gravity with an incredible launch, and they're not alone.
17:03The animal kingdom is full of fabulous leapers, but even the greatest leap inevitably ends
17:10with gravity bringing you crashing back to Earth.
17:15A moment slaps in concentration, and it can catch you completely unawares.
17:26You might be the world's greatest leaper, but you can't let it go to your head.
17:40If you want control in the air, and to manage your fall, you need another strategy.
17:47And in the flooded forests of North Carolina, USA, there's an animal that does just this.
17:56This is a world unchanged for thousands of years.
18:02But we're here to meet the swamp's newest arrivals, who are about to be born.
18:12Their proud-looking father is considered by some the most attractive bird in North America.
18:20But it still took time to win his partner's affection.
18:26And this is the most important day since they paired up six months ago.
18:36When they decided to start a family, they had no choice but to make their nest high in the trees.
18:42To protect their twelve eggs.
18:46Not only from alligators, but from deadly snakes.
19:00The height that kept eggs safe now creates huge problems.
19:08On day one.
19:10Jump day.
19:12Until now, they've kept their nest a secret.
19:16With all twelve noisy chicks hatching at once, they will soon be discovered by predators.
19:25Their mother has to get them down in minutes.
19:29But they can't fly.
19:33There's only one thing to do.
19:36Jump for it.
19:40On the day they hatch, these tiny ducklings must confront the force that all flying animals must conquer.
19:49Gravity.
19:54Now the clock is ticking.
19:59Every splash could attract a predator.
20:03If the fall doesn't injure them first.
20:09You might think the water saves them.
20:12But hit that too fast and it's like falling onto concrete.
20:23The ducklings save themselves by altering the invisible air that surrounds us all.
20:29A falling duckling encounters air resistance, caused by having to push invisible air molecules aside.
20:38Even at a day old, it's using air flow in two important ways.
20:42First, the duckling instinctively angles its webbed feet and tiny wings to make sure it's the right way up.
20:59Like a free falling parachutist.
21:08Secondly, its fluffy body makes it hard for that air to get past.
21:12It's known as drag and slows its fall.
21:18Without this air resistance, after little more than 30 seconds, a falling duckling would break the sound barrier.
21:27By using the air around it, the duckling ensures it can control its fall, hit the water upright and at a survivable speed.
21:42In under a minute, all 11, make that 12, ducklings are down.
21:57Allowing the mother to lead them to safety before they attract the attention of lurking predators.
22:04These ducklings show that you can start to beat gravity by controlling your body in the air, and altering the way air flows around you.
22:22Surviving a free fall is one thing, but what if you need more control to get yourself out of danger?
22:38It's winter in the far north of America.
22:43Temperatures nose dive to minus 40 degrees centigrade.
22:49Colder than the average at the North Pole.
22:54It brings big problems for the animals that live here.
23:00Squirrels.
23:05In the day, there are too many predators.
23:10Night is the only time they dare venture out.
23:20But in the winter, food is scarce.
23:26And deep snow makes it impossible to move on the ground.
23:31They need to find a shortcut between the trees.
23:39Their only option is to jump for it.
23:52This is the moment that most squirrels would start to worry.
23:55But these ones have something special tucked up their sleeves.
24:05And that's really the big sleeves.
24:08They are flying squirrels.
24:12When climbing trees, muscles retract their flying gear.
24:21But once airborne, a wriggle reveals a simple wing.
24:25Two layers of fur-lined skin stretched between wrists and ankles.
24:38Just imagine a normal squirrel inside a furry elastic duvet cover.
24:44Flying squirrels have long limbs to create big wings.
25:01A flattened tail adds more surface area and steers the squirrel in the air.
25:07And each hand has a second thumb, giving the wing an upturned tip.
25:16These winglets can reduce drag by up to 20% and are now found on most aircraft.
25:23A few million years after they first appeared on squirrels.
25:28But how does this furry wing help the squirrel glide?
25:41The squirrel's body diverts on coming air.
25:45Forcing the air downwards.
25:47This generates a force in the opposite direction.
25:52Known as lift.
25:54Which pushes the squirrel up.
25:57It sounds complicated.
26:00But if you've ever stuck your hand out of a car window.
26:04You know how this works.
26:10Using this simple wing, flying squirrels can glide the length of a football field.
26:15But rarely do.
26:17And the reason is a major predator.
26:27The great horned owl.
26:32For the owl, the ice is an asset.
26:36It freezes its kills.
26:38Then thaws out its frozen ready meals.
26:40As and when it's hungry.
26:48In the air, owls are silent killers.
26:51Their feathers evolved to absorb every sound.
26:57A squirrel is unlikely to hear an oncoming owl.
27:00So its safest strategy is to always imagine one might be closing in.
27:15Compared to the owl, the squirrel's simple wing makes it a sitting duck.
27:19That's why whether an owl is there or not, these squirrels feel a need for speed.
27:35Flying up to 30 kilometers an hour.
27:38But high speed flying gives them a new problem.
27:41Hurtling fast towards solid wooden objects.
27:44Thankfully, emergency stops are second nature.
27:50Just before landing, the squirrel tilts backwards.
27:52Its wing becomes a parachute.
27:54Hurtling fast towards solid wooden objects.
28:02Thankfully, emergency stops are second nature.
28:08Just before landing, the squirrel tilts backwards.
28:12Its wing becomes a parachute.
28:16The elastic skin billows out, trapping air to reduce speed.
28:22An arched back absorbs impact like a curved suspension spring.
28:28And all four limbs contact at once for a textbook landing.
28:36The simple wing has enabled the squirrel to not only control the air around it,
28:42but reduce the impact of landing at speed.
28:45Allowing the flying squirrel to escape predators and fleet safely, even in the depths of winter.
28:57But what if you need to glide like a squirrel from tree to tree, but you don't have any wings?
29:03Your body would need to be a very special shape.
29:12One we'll find here.
29:15The tropical rainforests of Borneo.
29:21Home to the paradise tree snake.
29:29When it comes to flying, you've got to feel sorry for snakes.
29:33Not a leg to stand on, let alone a wing to flap.
29:37But its body shape can teach us a lot about how to fly.
29:44Living high in the trees presents a huge challenge.
29:51If you want to travel across the jungle, you've a long journey ahead.
30:02All the way down one tree, before you can climb the next.
30:10And the forest floor is no place to linger.
30:14It's full of predators just waiting for animals passing through.
30:23Perhaps that's why, here in Borneo, so many things take to the air.
30:45Frogs.
30:47Frogs.
30:52Lizards.
30:55Even flying plants.
30:59Well, seeds.
31:06But how does a snake get around, with so many gaps to be crossed?
31:14This snake has an ingenious solution.
31:20The bendy snake becomes a rigid rod.
31:28Its body, a bridge.
31:30By holding on with their tail, tree snakes can cross gaps with 90% of their body unsupported.
31:46But not even this incredible core body strength can prepare them for gaps like this.
32:01Jungle trees in Asia can be unusually tall.
32:05The distance between them, bigger.
32:07Bigger.
32:10There's no way a snake can bridge gaps like these.
32:14Instead, it does something different.
32:20There are three and a half thousand species of snake in the world.
32:23But only one like this.
32:29This is a snake that flies.
32:33the.
32:34Hmm...
32:35That flies.
32:36Yes.
32:38Of course it's just, there's the way we do now.
32:41A snake in the world has is invisible.
32:42This is a snake in the world.
32:43You keep in mind...
32:44It's all yours.
32:45little.
33:24What is the secret to this unique gliding ability?
33:31Remarkably, just after launch, the snake throws its ribs forward,
33:38flattening its body into a very special shape.
33:43It's called an aerofoil.
33:46This shape changes the way air flows around the snake.
33:50Oncoming streams of air passing over the top are suddenly forced to change direction
33:56and speed up.
34:00This faster-moving air is strung out, so the air pressure above drops.
34:06With low-pressure air above and high-pressure air below,
34:13the snake is pushed up and is now gliding.
34:17The snake's flight path reveals another important way the aerofoil shape works.
34:28On take-off, the snake plummets.
34:32Gravity takes hold and the snake picks up speed.
34:35But as it falls faster, it begins to fly forward.
34:42That's because the faster that the air flows over the aerofoil surface,
34:46the more lift it generates.
34:49And the snake starts to glide.
34:51Inevitably, all gliders come to Earth,
34:58because they're using gravity to pick up speed.
35:02They have to drop in height to fly forward.
35:06So if you want to stay airborne for longer,
35:08you need to power your flight.
35:12To discover how animals do that,
35:20we're heading to the middle of the Atlantic.
35:25This ocean stretches over 12,000 kilometres from pole to pole.
35:37And it's almost as deep as Everest is high.
35:42In this vast wilderness,
35:48even a single palm frond,
35:50floating miles from tropical shores,
35:52can suddenly find itself
35:54the centre of considerable attention.
35:57In an empty ocean,
36:12it offers shelter.
36:16And inevitably,
36:18life begins to gather.
36:19It's a haven,
36:31not just for these fish,
36:33but soon for their eggs.
36:39For a handful of days each year,
36:42thousands of fish meet
36:44to give life to their next generation.
36:54Quite how they choose the perfect moment
36:57is still a mystery.
37:00But once the first fish spawns,
37:03the rest soon follow.
37:04Each female can lay 20,000 eggs.
37:12And before long,
37:14the sea turns milky
37:15as males rush in
37:16to fertilise them.
37:23In the haze,
37:25it's hard to see approaching predators.
37:27Rapid escape is critical.
37:40And this is when these amazing fish
37:42reveal their true identity.
37:48Flying fish.
37:54Fins become wings.
37:57Unlike the snake,
38:05they can't use gravity
38:06to pick up speed.
38:09Which is why their tail
38:11is unique amongst all fish.
38:15The lower half
38:16is longer than the top.
38:18So even with its body in the air,
38:21the tip of the tail
38:22remains submerged.
38:27Thrashing it side to side
38:30provides forward momentum.
38:33And as the fish speeds up,
38:34the aerofall-shaped pectoral fins
38:36generate lift.
38:39Until eventually,
38:40the force is enough
38:41to send them flying.
38:42Once their special tail
38:52has got them started,
38:54flying fish can glide
38:55over 100 metres
38:56at speeds of 60 kilometres an hour.
38:59They're fins,
39:07shaped for high-speed flight,
39:09are a match
39:10for the fastest falcon.
39:15But that's not all.
39:20Flying fish
39:21are held up
39:21by a cushion of air
39:22compressed between
39:23their bodies
39:24and the water's surface.
39:29And when they lose height,
39:30their powerful tail
39:31can accelerate them skyward
39:33once again.
39:33This is powered flight.
39:46By pushing themselves forward,
39:48the fish create more lift
39:49and can spend longer in the air.
39:56Now we're really flying.
39:58Flying fish
40:00Powered flight
40:12opens up the skies
40:13to many animals.
40:18Most do this
40:19by flapping their wings.
40:25But it's hard work.
40:30Flapping requires more power
40:36than any other form of movement.
40:41Increasing an animal's energy costs
40:44by up to 20 times.
40:50To stay active,
40:52a hovering hummingbird
40:53needs to drink
40:54two-thirds of its body weight
40:56in nectar every day.
41:00But what if an animal
41:02could stay airborne
41:03for hours
41:04with no effort
41:07at all?
41:09It sounds impossible.
41:13But in Africa,
41:14there are those
41:15that can.
41:20There is one species
41:21which needs to travel
41:22hundreds of kilometers
41:23to find and follow
41:25their migrating food.
41:27In this case,
41:28the wildebeest herds
41:29traveling across
41:30the African continent.
41:35This animal's great skill
41:37is taking advantage
41:38of the fact that air
41:39is constantly in motion.
41:44Meet the vulture.
41:51A vulture's huge wings
41:53generate so much lift
41:54that in a glide
41:56that in a glide
41:56they lose height
41:57at less than a meter
41:58per second.
42:02So in theory,
42:04if they can find air
42:05that's rising faster
42:06than they are falling,
42:08they could fly forever
42:09without flapping a wing.
42:14In the early morning,
42:16impatient birds
42:17take test flights.
42:18They wait for the air
42:22to start moving.
42:24And as the land warms up,
42:27that's just what happens.
42:30Although we can't see it,
42:33moving air flows
42:34through a landscape
42:35like water.
42:38As the sun heats
42:40the cliff face,
42:42warming air rises,
42:44dragging cool air up
42:45from the valley floor.
42:56When this air collides
42:57with the cliff,
42:59just like the sea
43:00hitting a harbor wall,
43:03it's driven further upward.
43:08The sea is a sea
43:08of the sea.
43:09The sea is a sea
43:10of the sea.
43:11The sea is a sea
43:12of the sea.
43:12The sea is a sea
43:13of the sea.
43:13The sea is a sea
43:14of the sea.
43:14The sea is a sea.
43:15The sea is a sea.
43:18Across the plains,
43:19an area of land
43:20that absorbs more heat
43:22creates columns
43:23of warm,
43:24rising air above it.
43:26Thermals.
43:40These are the sky's elevators,
43:43and the vultures,
43:44and the vultures
43:44ride them
43:45in their hundreds.
43:46Transcription by CastingWords
44:16Transcription by CastingWords
44:46As an animal flies, the higher pressure air below a wing is sucked over the tip to the top, creating spirals of unstable air that slow the vulture and would make it lose height faster.
45:01Broad wings generate more of this drag as there's a wider wingtip for the air to spill over.
45:08And that's why vultures have those long single feathers at the end of their wings.
45:13They effectively turn one wide wing into several thin ones, which helps stop those negative spirals of air from forming.
45:21This unique design makes the vulture a true record breaker.
45:31And when conditions are right, hundreds gather.
45:38Using a thermal to gain height
45:42And those incredible wings to effortlessly glide onward in search of the next thermal.
45:50Hopping across the African plains between islands of rising air, they can fly hundreds of kilometres a day in search of food.
46:02And reach altitudes of over 11,000 metres, making them the world's highest flying bird.
46:10The vulture is just one of the many extraordinary animals we've seen that take to the air to survive.
46:31These animals have some incredible adaptations for launching into the skies.
46:36Some have mastered control in the air.
46:44Others generate forces, like drag, to protect them from impact.
46:51And lift to allow them to glide.
46:57Those that go further take advantage of a special aerofall shape.
47:01And by increasing the airspeed over its surface, it can stay in flight for longer.
47:11But only the very best combine all of these skills.
47:17To effortlessly beat gravity.
47:20And truly master life in the air.
47:31In this series, the team's mission was to reveal the incredible abilities of airborne animals in more detail than ever before.
47:50Weeks of patient filming allowed the team to capture real-life events, like the leaping ducklings, which only occur once a year.
48:02Revealing the science behind how these animals master the skies required additional filming tricks.
48:09And some incredible individuals who would allow the team to capture their unique behaviour.
48:14Of all the animals in the programme, none presented more of a challenge than the flying snake.
48:26They glide effortlessly.
48:28But capturing their natural behaviour would have been impossible without the world's leading expert and some ingenious filmmaking techniques.
48:36To film them, the crew heads to Tannum Agricultural Park in Borneo.
48:42A known hotspot for flying snakes.
48:47Director Simon Bell is excited by the prospect.
48:51So this site, it gives us a beautiful backdrop.
48:54We've got some lovely jungle in the background, some mountains in the distance.
48:57It's going to look great.
48:59Cameraman Pete McGowan prepares.
49:01The success of the shoot relies on a high-speed digital camera that slows the action 60 times.
49:11Director Simon is aware of the challenges ahead.
49:14It's really hard to see these snakes in pristine forests.
49:17They're not uncommon.
49:20But you're never going to see them in the jungle unless you work with a guy who knows them like Jake knows them.
49:25Professor Jake Sohar, the world's expert on flying snakes.
49:29He's studied them for over 15 years.
49:32And for him, the chance to observe them in their native habitat is an opportunity to record new behaviour.
49:40He's brought more cameras than the crew.
49:44Before his studies, flying snakes had been the stuff of legend.
49:50The literature goes back into the late 1800s.
49:53What's in there is foreigners talking to locals who describe a flying snake.
49:59And the scientists think the locals are making things up.
50:03Some people say they're straight in the air.
50:05Some people say they're wiggling around.
50:07I found it compelling to solve this mystery.
50:10What is the snake doing?
50:11And then how does it do it?
50:13With his years of experience, Jake is realistic about how the crew can film the snake's behaviour.
50:18To put a camera in the trees and hope that you have an animal glide on by, that's impossible to do.
50:27If you really want to see what they do in the air, you have to set up an experimental situation.
50:33The crew's best hope for filming snake flight is to use a technique Jake pioneered, with a few modifications for the jungle.
50:43They need three things.
50:45A tower for the snakes to fly from, a target for them to aim at, and of course, the snakes themselves.
50:51This clearing is the perfect spot.
50:55And with some help from the crew, rope access specialists begin construction on a 50-foot tower, carrying everything into the jungle by hand.
51:06There's a lot that could go wrong.
51:08You know, we've got some really good guys, but that tower's only halfway up right now.
51:12It's going to be twice that height.
51:13The steel cable at the top will help to compress the tower, giving it rigidity.
51:21The problem with that is you then have a potential for sort of snaking, we call it.
51:27So what we then do is we put in half-height cables to try and prevent that sort of S-shape developing within the tower.
51:34They'll hold it nice and straight, and once they're there, it's a bummer.
51:37While the rope team worked on Jake's safety, Simon ensured the ground was covered in dry grass for the softest of snake landings.
51:48For his research, Jake needs to control the exact height of the snake's flight, so a tower is the only option.
51:56Without him, the crew have little hope of bringing snake flight to the screen.
52:00So we're kind of in his hands in a way.
52:03You know, this is all his design, this whole setup.
52:07When that snake's gliding from that scaffold tower, it's going to look spectacular.
52:11Although Simon now feels more confident, there's still one vital thing missing.
52:17There are tens of thousands of this particular snake on Borneo.
52:22But to tell you the truth, they're not easy to find.
52:25I've never been in the forest and spotted one and been able to catch it.
52:32As day one ends, success is far from certain.
52:40Day two, and as the crew put the finishing touches to the tower, they get some good news.
52:46Snakes have been found closer to home than anyone had imagined.
52:53They're beautiful.
52:55But seeing them up close gives cameraman Pete new concerns.
52:59They're beautiful, little snakes, but like the one Jake's got, it's a very small little snake.
53:04So trying to capture that on film is going to be interesting.
53:06You're going to have a hard time keeping track.
53:07Or maybe not, because you're a pro, right?
53:09Yeah.
53:11That's the impression I try to give.
53:13Filming worries aside, it's time to get Jake's experiment underway.
53:19Trees in Borneo can be well over 75 metres high.
53:22For a flying snake, a 15 metre tower is child's play.
53:28If only it were the same for the scientists.
53:30I'm generally bad with heights.
53:33I don't like them.
53:35I think that's a good place to be, right?
53:38It just keeps you away from tall things that you might fall off.
53:43I'm a bit concerned about Jake.
53:45He has revealed that he's a little bit afraid of heights.
53:48It should be perfectly safe.
53:50But there will be a bit of a sway when you get to the top of that thing.
53:52I'm not, I'm not utterly frightened.
53:57I'm just frightened.
54:00Hey, I'm almost there, right?
54:02Thank God.
54:04It's a nice view, though.
54:06Well done.
54:07With over 15 years of experience,
54:10Jake knows that hoisting snakes slowly in a soft bag they can comfortably curl up in
54:14is the best way to ensure they arrive relaxed and raring to fly.
54:19Snake arrival by pulley.
54:21At least that's the theory.
54:23But he's not having any of it, so we're not going to force him to do anything.
54:28To film natural behaviour,
54:30you can't rush one of the world's most impressive flying stars.
54:35All right.
54:37The crew are ready.
54:40Here, baby.
54:42And they must stay alert.
54:45Because when a snake decides to fly,
54:47you don't get much warning.
54:49Going right away, now.
54:52Ooh, phenomenal.
54:54Just phenomenal.
54:56Just as Jake predicted,
54:58from this height the snakes are landing safely and reaching the target tree.
55:03They're flying.
55:04They're absolutely flying.
55:06It's a great relief,
55:07and all eyes turn to cameraman Pete.
55:10Ready, now.
55:12Yeah, that was really great.
55:18I couldn't even see it.
55:20All right.
55:21The snakes are really taking to the experimental set-up.
55:25Drop in now.
55:27All the pressure is now on Pete.
55:30Pete, there is some bit where it's going this way.
55:32Yeah.
55:33Did you get any of that?
55:34No.
55:34But with the snakes flying so well,
55:39Pete is learning to keep up with them.
55:45Woo!
55:45Hello.
55:47Well done, Pete.
55:49Well held.
55:49That's amazing.
55:51Oh, boy.
55:52I think that's the first time I've ever seen this,
55:56where you see a phenomenal glide,
55:58and then she landed on the tree there.
56:01This is brand new data,
56:02and it tells us that when the snake lands on a natural substrate,
56:07that its body is flat.
56:08This is beautiful.
56:09I'm really excited to get this.
56:11With the shots captured,
56:13there's only one thing left to do.
56:15Release the stars of Jake's research
56:17back to where they came from.
56:20This is my favorite snake.
56:24It's ready.
56:25It's looping down.
56:26Okay.
56:31After nearly 20 years of study,
56:34Jake is still discovering new things
56:36about the animal that he loves.
56:40What I got out of this trip
56:41is a new appreciation for this animal.
56:44Some people look at me
56:45and think that I'm insane.
56:47They say,
56:48why would you want to do that?
56:52Anytime you can learn something
56:53that is new to science
56:56and new to the world,
56:57you know,
56:57that's pretty exciting.
56:59This is fantastic.
57:01The team had revealed
57:02the remarkable flight of flying snakes
57:04in more detail than ever before,
57:07capturing the beauty of an animal
57:08once thought of as only a myth.
57:17Next time,
57:18we discover how nature
57:20has pushed the basic flying body plan
57:22to the limit.
57:23How do the heaviest animals
57:26take off
57:27the fastest use speed
57:28as a weapon
57:29and half a million
57:31avert air traffic disaster
57:32in total darkness?
57:38A DIY disaster
57:40and an escapee calf.
57:41Quite the combo
57:42in Brand New,
57:43This Farming Life
57:44at 8 tonight.
57:45And what about this?
57:46A man who dreams in color.
57:48It's extraordinary
57:49and it's next on BBC2.
57:53All from Можно merchants
57:58in New,
57:59Beloved
58:00and other doctors
58:01in Woz Mary
58:03after all simply
58:03trying to advance
58:04to those podría
58:05going,
58:05you know,
58:06it is a person
58:06that absolutely
58:06can see man
58:07signs of running for life.
58:08And some experts
58:08come there,
58:09as you should feel
58:09hope.
58:10You should know
58:11it is possible
58:11to know
58:11about this family
58:11and be free
58:12and support
58:13people
58:13to help us
58:13on websites
58:14to bless it.
58:15Go go backyard
58:16to get business
58:16you
58:17and come home
58:17to goumer
58:18volunteer
58:18for me
58:18toleme
58:19the могу
58:19ta
58:20pixels
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