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Forests: What to expect
By Sarah Whalley, producer & director for Forests
Forests at first sight may seem quiet and tranquil but in fact they are full of unexpected connections, relationships and even secret messagesβ¦
In the rainforests of Borneo, we meet an oriental pied hornbill couple who are in a lifelong relationship and do something extraordinary to protect their young.
The warmth of rainforests enables life to flourish, and the Amazon is no exception. These tiny, bizarre looking insects are treehoppers, they communicate using secret messages and some even have unexpected connections with bees.
Whistling wild dogs in the forests of India also communicate in secret, but for a very different reasonβ¦
Living in such dense vegetation means it is difficult for animals to be seen, even when they want to be. This male Temminckβs tragopan hopes to catch the eye of a passing female with his rather comical dance.
But relationships in forests are often bigger than within and between species. This βspirit bearβ helps the patch of forest where she lives by leaving salmon remains behind which in turn allows the trees there to grow fast and tall.
We are only now beginning to understand how deeply interconnected life in the forest is. But these connections are being threatened by deforestation. Each individual tree is an intricate ecosystem, yet humans cut down 15 billion every year. In Brazil, they are being replaced by plantations of eucalyptus, a single species of tree which turns rich and complex worlds into little more than green deserts.
In the small patches of remaining forest, animals like chimpanzees, our closest relatives, are forced to carve out an existence in this changing world.
Crossing roads and approaching humans to get enough food to sustain their family. Tune in to see their story.
Planet Earth III continues with Forests on 19th November at 6.20pm on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ One and iPlayer.
