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In the spectacular snow-covered mountains of Japan, snow monkeys gather at steaming hot thermal pools. Spy Macaque joins them in this natural spa and even slips beneath the surface as the monkeys bathe and socialise.
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AnimalsTranscript
00:01The animal world is full of spectacle and wonder.
00:06But what's it like to be right in the heart of the action?
00:11To find out, our team of spy creatures goes undercover.
00:17They not only look like the animals they film,
00:22they behave like them too.
00:29Armed with the latest camera technology,
00:34they are heading across the globe.
00:43From the heat of the tropics,
00:48to the lands that lie in the north,
00:53from the islands of the southern seas,
00:59to the snow and ice of the frozen poles,
01:05our spies reveal the astonishing variety of life that thrives there,
01:11from inside their world.
01:21On this assignment, our spy creatures explore life in the Temperate Zone,
01:27the lands that lie between the tropics and the Arctic Circle.
01:36In this northern realm, animals find extraordinary ways to cope with the changing seasons,
01:42and the surprising opportunities they bring.
01:46In the mountains of Japan, winters can be harsh,
01:50and temperatures can fall far below zero.
01:57The Japanese macaque is the only monkey that can survive this far north.
02:05Here, volcanic springs bring comforting warmth.
02:10A mountain spa.
02:13The perfect spot to luxuriate.
02:19A new member has just joined their health club.
02:24Spy macaque is already making friends.
02:33A youngster, just nine months old.
02:47The spa has another new recruit.
02:57One that can film the monkey's bathing rituals, both from above and below.
03:06It's already capturing unique behaviour.
03:11As a mother grooms her baby, she lets warm water penetrate deep into its fur.
03:22The hot tub is a place to socialise and strengthen friendships.
03:30It's a shared activity.
03:32You scratch my back.
03:34I'll scratch yours.
03:38The troop has a clear hierarchy.
03:41Who grooms who helps keep everyone in their place.
03:49It's also a chance to relax.
04:00Nearby, winter sports are on offer.
04:05The young males love play fighting.
04:11One day they'll leave the troop to join another.
04:14Testing their strength helps prepare them for that moment.
04:29Today, they have a chance to play with a snowball.
04:34One that can film.
04:45Other than play, he admires his reflection in its lens.
04:54Nearby, games are almost over.
05:04In the spa, Spy Monkey is still making friends.
05:10Including the curious baby.
05:25But when social position is everything, you can't always choose who your friends are.
05:32It's mum who decides.
05:40The spa not only gives warmth, it gives therapy.
05:45Helping them de-stress.
05:50It's used most by the females, especially those who are pregnant.
05:57As females never leave the troop, they pass the custom down through the generations.
06:05The troop's young males will soon be gone.
06:08For now, a favourite pastime is disturbing the peace.
06:27The baby isn't so quick off the mark.
06:30And mum is nowhere to be seen.
06:45But what mother would ever really leave her baby?
06:58Now, a special kind of warmth.
07:01One only a mother can offer.
07:11But there goes her chance to relax.
07:19While it's still winter in Japan, the mountains of northwest Mexico are having their first taste of spring.
07:28It's the setting for perhaps the most beautiful wildlife spectacle of all.
07:33One that requires a unique spy creature.
07:37The blue-throated hummingbird is native to these forests.
07:42This spy version hovers just like the real thing.
07:48In the heart of this grove, half a billion monarch butterflies lie sleeping.
07:58They have travelled from as far as Canada to escape the cold northern winter.
08:05How they return to this exact spot is a mystery.
08:10Like the butterflies, hummingbirds feed on nectar, so our spy isn't seen as a threat.
08:17While resting, they cluster together to conserve precious warmth.
08:23But as winter ends, the sun warms their fragile wings.
08:31Once they reach a critical 13 degrees Celsius, they start to fly.
08:43As the day warms, the forest comes to life.
08:52Spies hummingbird won't harm these delicate butterflies.
08:59Its moving parts are shielded to keep them safe.
09:04Butterflies can even safely land on its wings.
09:20It soon captures something quite extraordinary.
09:31What starts as a trickle soon becomes a stream, then grows into a cascade, a spectacle
09:54that has rarely been filmed, and our spy is harmlessly in the very heart of it.
10:20Beauty also lies in the detail.
10:25Beauty also lies in the sky.
10:27Beauty also lies in the sky.
10:30Beauty also lies in the sky.
10:36Beauty also lies in the sky.
11:06After five months spent hibernating, each monarch must take a drink.
11:14It will convert their fat stores to vital sugars, fuel for the long journey that lies ahead.
11:37Re-energised, they begin their migration back to North America.
11:53The journey will involve three successive generations, each completing a new stage of the journey.
12:03Only the last will return in the autumn.
12:09It's a relay race across the generations of up to 6,000 miles.
12:18How they return to this exact same grove remains a mystery.
12:33In Alaska, at the other end of North America, spring is only just starting to arrive.
12:47Here, bald eagles rule the skies, including, for now, a spy.
13:00At this time of year, the glaciers are volatile, bringing danger to the life that thrives here.
13:08As the sun rises higher each day, the spring melt begins.
13:16Already, cracks have started to form.
13:23Soon, the sea ice will be gone.
13:32The resident harbour seals now haul out on ice cast from a glacier.
13:43With spring, humpback whales also start to arrive.
13:53They migrated north from California to enjoy the feeding opportunities now found here.
14:06Sea otters gather in huge rafts.
14:11Up to 2,000 in all.
14:38Up to 2,000 in all.
14:39Sea otter joins them in their floating nursery.
14:47She's immediately accepted by these notoriously shy creatures.
14:54It's a privileged insider's view of the most sociable otter of all.
15:03Here, they not only have company, there are more eyes to spot danger.
15:10The spring melt makes the glaciers unstable.
15:40The ice fog creates a rolling wave.
15:43Up to 10 metres high.
15:47It may still be a danger over a kilometre away.
15:55In the turmoil, mothers and pups are easily separated.
16:02They must find refuge away from the glacier.
16:26In a cove, they find a solution to the turbulent waters.
16:32Kelp offers the moorings they need.
16:37It's just a matter of how best to attach themselves.
16:48But even this beginner is having success.
16:58As the ice vanishes, more kelp beds will soon appear.
17:02The otters can enjoy the upcoming summer in peace.
17:17Spring has also reached Manitoba in central Canada.
17:22It marks the beginning of an extraordinary awakening.
17:31These are garter snakes.
17:39After hibernating together underground, they emerge in their thousands.
17:49Remarkably, all are male.
17:56They warm themselves in the sun, preparing for the moment when the females emerge.
18:05This one has a camera.
18:11Our spy is entering a world governed by smell.
18:16Snakes use their tongues to pick up scent.
18:19All are searching for females.
18:26When the males detect a likely partner, they swarm all over her, desperate to be the first to mate.
18:35But spy snake is witnessing something quite extraordinary.
18:40Although there are no females here, the males are still swarming.
18:51And even more are joining the scrum.
19:03Nearby, others have also picked up the scent.
19:09Soon there's no stopping them.
19:31As everyone piles in, spy snake becomes buried in the growing ball of snakes.
19:55Then, in the middle, the reason for the knot of serpents.
20:04An imposter.
20:06A male that smells like a female.
20:10He's deliberately attracting the males.
20:16His aim is to share their warmth.
20:20By fooling them into embracing him, he becomes super-heated.
20:24A huge gain for a cold-blooded reptile looking for a mate.
20:31Finally, there she is.
20:37Her perfume is far stronger than the imposter.
20:44Nothing beats the real thing.
20:48The warmest males are already hot on her trail.
20:53But the super-heated imposter leads the charge.
21:10Here, snakes that impersonate females get ahead in the mating game.
21:19Best leave them to it.
21:28Summer has arrived in the forests of southern Germany.
21:36The season of plenty for a secretive and industrious creature.
21:45The only clue to its presence, a carefully constructed woodpile.
21:54This is the time beavers raise their young.
21:59Making the most of the lush vegetation that summer brings.
22:02To beavers.
22:03They recognize each other by smell.
22:06Rubbing noses confirms their friendship.
22:13They pair for life and live together as a family.
22:23They are wary of strangers.
22:28Newcomers enter at their own risk.
22:31Somehow, spy beaver must win them over.
22:35But first, he must pass the odour test.
22:42Real beavers have scent glands that tell family from foe.
22:49As our spy doesn't smell like a beaver, he's free to explore.
22:57Their lodge has a concealed entrance.
23:02That lets them come and go without being seen.
23:08Keeping a low profile hides them from predators like lynx and foxes.
23:17On the bank, a new spy is there to greet her.
23:25Beavers are strict vegetarians.
23:27And spy baby beaver is surrounded by willow, their favourite meal.
23:45Her teeth are coloured orange by iron deposits that strengthen them.
23:57They are also self-sharpening and slice through wood like a knife.
24:09Beavers can fell 300 shrubs and trees each year, clearing old growth and helping to maintain their entire ecosystem.
24:21For now, the youngsters leave it all to the grown-ups.
24:27They spend most of their time at play.
24:32Wrestling is a rarely filmed pastime.
24:56Beavers also have friends.
25:04A muskrat.
25:11This mini-me lives alongside the beavers and even shares their lodge.
25:23Wherever the beaver goes, the muskrat follows.
25:32Being ten times smaller means the best food is usually out of reach.
25:37But while the beaver does the hard work, the muskrat can sit back.
25:57This is what friends are for.
26:10Beavers with young are always on high alert.
26:36A false alarm.
26:40But always best to err on the side of caution.
26:49After a fright, grooming is a comfort for everyone.
26:59By creating a layer of air between skin and underfur, it provides insulation.
27:10Harmony is soon restored.
27:15While the muskrat just keeps himself busy.
27:24For mum, a well-earned massage after a hard day's work.
27:39As early summer arrives, Baja California becomes the focus of a great natural gathering.
27:47Here, brown pelicans patrol some of the richest fishing grounds in the world.
28:01There's a new member of the flock.
28:03A spy on the wing.
28:08One that can film the fishing party, wing tip to wing tip.
28:26Where warm currents create plankton blooms, huge fish shoals are found.
28:36It's just a matter of spotting them from the air.
28:42Then taking them by surprise.
28:56But where fishing is easy, everyone wants a piece of the action.
29:03Bottlenose dolphins.
29:09By spreading out, they increase their chances of finding a shoal.
29:16Dolphins are intensely curious.
29:21They leap to check out the strange bird that's following them.
29:45Here, it's not just dolphins that take to the air.
29:53Modular rays.
30:07Why they leap is a mystery.
30:14But it might be a signal to show where food has been found.
30:36For where rays are jumping, huge blooms of plankton are not far away.
30:45And rays converge in their tens of thousands to feed.
31:13The aerial view may be astonishing.
31:16But more wonder lies below.
31:24Spire ray gets closer than any human diver can.
31:31Deep into the heart of the shoal.
31:47Spire ray gets closer than any human diver can.
31:50With a spy swimming among them, and a spy in the sky, our cameras capture an event never filmed before.
32:03As the rays circle, they create a vortex, concentrating the plankton inside.
32:17At every turn, more plankton is sucked into the centre. They just have to scoop it up.
32:32When they feed near the surface, they use a different technique. Ripples pass through the masses, like a sub-aquatic
32:40Mexican wave.
32:54Soon, the leaping starts again.
33:00For Spy Ray, it's a case of, if you can't beat them, join them.
33:22As the day ends, our Spy keeps leaping with the best of them.
33:39It's midsummer in Alaska. The fishing season for grizzly bears.
33:52With uncanny timing, mother bears bring their cubs to a remarkable event.
33:58Soon, a million salmon will pass up this river to spawn.
34:06This year, a newcomer is joining them.
34:15With his teddy bear looks and camera eye, he's well prepared.
34:23Late arrivals must be quick. The best fishing spots will soon be taken.
34:32Our Spy also has a quick way down.
34:42He's now in prime position.
34:49Risky, when a mother bear is still staking out her claim.
35:08What?
35:09He seems to have got away with it.
35:23For all, it's a waiting game.
35:26The tide is out, and the river empty.
35:32But her cubs have yet to master the art of patience.
35:37They head out to the estuary to search for the salmon.
35:45Leaving mother bear to bide her time.
35:54Spy bald eagle is already on their trail.
35:59Bears can smell fish up to 20 miles away.
36:07By following their nose, they soon find where the salmon are gathering.
36:21With fish everywhere, just how hard can it be to catch one?
36:25I don't know.
36:26I don't know.
37:07Finally, after all that effort.
37:17Older bears know better than to waste their energy.
37:21They've learnt that salmon arrive on the high tide.
37:26But the first is not what it seems.
37:31Spy salmon swims just like the real thing.
37:42It, too, is ready to run the gauntlet of the bears.
37:49In its wake are countless sockeye salmon.
37:57They've travelled thousands of miles to spawn in the river where once they were born.
38:13The salmon bottle neck beneath the falls, before taking a leap into the unknown.
38:21A prime spot for fishing.
38:29Bears can see underwater.
38:32Useful for targeting.
38:52With so many fish, it's like bobbing for apples.
39:06They can eat over 30 salmon a day and almost double their weight in the fishing season.
39:14They soon become fussy, picking the most nutritious treats like the skin and head.
39:23But any good party can attract unwelcome guests.
39:38They have good reason to feel nervous.
39:42Males can kill cubs.
39:44The mothor's.
39:47The mothor makes a stand.
40:11One mother makes a stand.
40:17He may be powerful, but he's no match for a mother's fury.
40:44He won't be back in a hurry.
40:50Now that the cubs have nothing to fear, why not tackle a bear of their own?
41:02Grab the paw first.
41:10That shoot him.
41:14Now the killer bite.
41:21Maybe not.
41:27Meanwhile, spy salmon has been left high and dry.
41:33Surely a better bet.
41:48Never mind. There's always one that gets away.
42:00As summer draws to an end, Istanbul in Turkey sets the scene for another great spectacle.
42:08White storks are heading south to escape Europe's upcoming winter, when food will be hard to find.
42:16Half a million will make the perilous journey to Africa of up to 8,000 miles.
42:27They have a fellow traveller.
42:32He joins them in the thermals that rise from the ground below.
42:40Spy storks' broad wings are designed to ride these natural elevators, just like the real birds.
42:49The twisting columns of hot air offer the storks a free ride upwards.
43:05The twisting columns of hot air offer the storks a free ride upwards.
43:17Once they reach the top of one thermal, they simply glide to another.
43:25They head to the city with hardly a wing flap.
43:28Good move.
43:32The roads and buildings of Istanbul reflect the heat, creating huge thermals which carry them upwards even higher than before.
44:02Riding only on hot air, they can reach heights of nearly a mile.
44:12They need the altitude.
44:14They now face the riskiest part of their journey, because thermals don't form over water.
44:35As they try to glide, there's nothing to give them the lift they need.
44:44Those who hadn't gained enough height on land soon drop from the sky.
44:56To avoid plunging into the sea, they must flap their heavy wings.
45:04They start burning body fat just to stay airborne, consuming 20 times more energy than when they glide.
45:15If a wing so much as touches the water, they will fall in and drown.
45:24They are battling for their lives.
45:36Then suddenly, a lifeline.
45:41An outcrawl rising from the sea.
45:55Just enough sun-baked rock to create the thermals they so desperately need.
46:11It's a free ride upwards that saves their lives.
46:19In this way, storks use islands as stepping stones to help survive the crossing.
46:26Travelling only by day, it can take four weeks before they arrive over the plains of Africa.
46:46Here, they'll have all the insects and other food they need as they wait out Europe's upcoming winter.
47:04In England, the early morning mist signals that autumn has finally arrived.
47:12And with it, the greatest and most colourful transformation in nature.
47:33The trees survive the winter by taking back nutrients and chlorophyll from the leaves.
47:47What's left behind are the autumn hues.
47:53The leaves that once fed the trees are then discarded.
48:00Grey squirrels are among the many preparing themselves for the changing season.
48:14Spie squirrel is poised and ready with his camera eye.
48:24Well, nearly ready.
48:28Along with his spy nut, other disguised cameras are strewn across the forest floor.
48:42In autumn, squirrels stock up their winter larder.
48:48Each may bury around 10,000 nuts.
48:52In an amazing feat of memory, they may retrieve 4,000 of them.
48:58With so many nuts to find, competition is rife.
49:16Every nut is a gift for would-be thieves.
49:27In fact, around a fifth of all squirrels steal from others.
49:33That'll do nicely.
49:50It's one thing to steal a nut.
49:53Another to keep hold of it.
50:00It's not just squirrels feeling the seasonal change.
50:04Autumn is the rutting season for red deer.
50:08By breeding now, they will have their young in the summer.
50:16They're stag.
50:18He tries to gather together as many hinds as he can.
50:23Perhaps 20 in all.
50:28Spy squirrel is right in the middle of his herd.
50:35But the stag has other things on his mind.
50:42In the rutting season, he has his work cut out.
50:49Rounding up his straying hinds is a constant battle.
51:07But he has an even bigger challenge.
51:11A rival.
51:17A bevy of hinds is just what he's looking for.
51:27Females will go with the strongest stag.
51:34The rival must fight to prove his mettle.
51:48Battle lines are drawn.
51:57One mistake could prove fatal.
52:02Whoever gains most ground wins.
52:08Victory for the reigning stag.
52:12Spy squirrel may be worse for wear.
52:15But he still captures one final shot of the champion.
52:26For the squirrels, there's still one last nut they've yet to get their paws on.
52:41Another trophy to squirrel away.
52:56Back in Germany, among the beavers, autumn is also well underway.
53:02It won't be long until the winter sets in.
53:10Before then, their lodge must undergo some maintenance.
53:16Spy beaver investigates.
53:21It's the beaver's busiest time of year.
53:25They scour the river for building material.
53:34Stones help stabilise the lodge against flooding.
53:43Preparing their home for winter is everyone's responsibility.
53:57Sticks and logs bring strength to the structure.
54:08They can also be used to plug holes and reduce leaks to the main chamber.
54:20Small sticks are used to fill in the gaps.
54:25To cap it all, a thatch of turf helps weatherproof the roof.
54:32On the riverbank, the whole family is hard at work collecting food and nesting material.
54:43Even the youngsters do their bit.
54:52The beavers must harvest what they can before winter sets in.
54:58Everything must be ferried back home.
55:03The muskrat uses grass as nesting material to furnish his own quarters in the lodge.
55:19As winter approaches, the beavers redouble their efforts.
55:36And the muskrat gets ever more ambitious.
55:52With everyone working flat out, they'll soon be ready for the upcoming winter.
56:04They'll spend most of it safely tucked up inside.
56:15As the year comes to an end, the snows have returned to Japan.
56:22Already the macaques are huddling together for warmth.
56:31Once more, their social life revolves around the hot tub.
56:40Our spies are at the end of their mission.
56:49Sweet dreams will soon come to all.
57:06Time out for our spy creatures too.
57:16Next time, our spies travel to the islands of the southern seas to meet yet more extraordinary animals.
57:33This sunny report from Spying the Wild here on BBC One in two weeks' time.
57:38Before then, find out about a hotly debated wildlife issue.
57:42BBC Three's Stacey Dooley investigates the whale hunters, streaming now on BBC iPlayer.
57:47Across on BBC Two now, Nish Kumar hosts Live at the Apollo.
57:52The Nish KumarPC specialtion of Bio.
57:58The Nish Kumar's Insider.
57:59The Nish Kumar hosts Live at the Siren and the Shippewind of the Super sı residue.
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