Planet Earth 3 Episode 7 filming locations and animals – Humans

Here’s a look at the filming locations and animals featuring in the latest seventh episode of Planet Earth 3.

As human civilisation extends its reach to every corner of the planet, wildlife faces the monumental task of adapting to significantly altered environments and direct interactions with humans.

In Bali, long-tailed macaques have cleverly learned to steal valuable items from tourists, using them as bargaining chips for their preferred food. The savvy older males have mastered this tactic, refusing to return stolen phones until they receive a suitable reward.

In urban settings, some creatures find success in stealth. In Melbourne, Australia, tawny frogmouths, despite being targeted by cats, thrive under the city lights, which aid in their hunt for food. Remarkably, they are more densely populated in parts of the city than in the surrounding countryside.

Conversely, some animals have become so audacious that they no longer conceal themselves. In Sauraha, Nepal, rhinos stroll through the streets in search of food. In Lake Tahoe, USA, black bears raid city dumpsters for nourishment before hibernation, resulting in them being significantly heavier than their rural relatives.

In New York City, pavement ants exemplify the ability to keep pace with human development. Outnumbering New Yorkers by a thousand to one, they thrive on a diet predominantly consisting of human food, ingesting the equivalent of 60,000 hotdogs a year on Broadway Avenue alone.

However, not all interactions are harmonious. In India, where snake bites annually claim 60,000 human lives, venomous cobras are known to hunt inside homes in some villages. Intriguingly, these snakes exhibit slower movements and a reduced likelihood to strike, suggesting an adaptation to their human cohabitants.

Conflict arises when animals compete with humans for resources. In Kenya, African elephant bulls risk farmers’ wrath by feasting on tomato crops at night, highlighting the dangers of such encounters.

Yet, interactions don’t always lead to competition. Off Vancouver Island, humpback whales inhabit overfished waters. Contrary to expectations, their presence might actually be beneficial to fish stocks.

While some species manage to flourish in human-dominated environments, our activities continue to exert immense pressure on wildlife. Our destinies are deeply connected; the preservation of the natural world is crucial not only for wildlife but for humanity as well. The challenge lies in redefining our coexistence on Earth to safeguard all life.

Planet Earth III airs on Sunday nights on BBC One and iPlayer.