from The Lovable hamster to the detested rat the hyperactive chipmunk to the giant capibara rodents have taken over the planet there must be more to them than just springing mouse traps and stealing cheese but what are the secrets of their Global success for good or bad rodents shape the world around them they survive extremes build elaborate homes and Escape Predators at every turn love them or hate them rodents are fascinating and entertaining and are more important than you might think the term Rat Race describes the struggle for money or power but it's perhaps better suited
to The Hectic lifestyle of rodents when you are the size of a rat the world can be a scary place and you must be constantly on your [Music] toes rodents are featured in every nature nature documentary but not even a Supporting Cast they are merely catering to the stars but are we selling the little guys short there is so much more to the Roden family than a predator buffet for every Roden Court you can be sure there'll be others to safeguard the rodent's Reign they say you are never more than a few meters away from
a rodent can it be true and if so what is the secret of their Monumental [Music] success rodents can be tiny smaller than your little finger the diminutive harvest mouse weighs less than an average coin quite a contrast to their gigantic cousins caparis south american colossi that can weigh twice as much as a labrador dog but although they are different ends of the scale all rodents have one trait in common the Ultimate Weapon in world domination self-sharpening chisel-shaped teeth the huge in sizes never stop growing enamel only grows on the front so it doesn't wear
as quickly as the back ensuring a razor sharp edge [Music] though famous for tearing through electrical cables and kitchen skirting boards the chisels were designed to make short work of even the toughest seeds and [Music] nuts the nut cracking champ is the agouti like a long-legged guinea pig but bigger than a cat this rodent scours the South American rainforest for fallen Treasures even the concrete coated Brazil nut it is one of the few animals with the strength and tools to eat them with their Keen senses rodents are active by day like the agouti or can
operate under the cover of Darkness Garden dmise forage at night with large ears and eyes they enjoy Keen senses but it's really another crucial tool of the trade the array of sensitive whiskers that enable them to feel their way in the dark with padded feet and a long tail for balance they seem to defy gravity as they Dash over the Rocks rodents are often considered vegetarians and it's true that they like grasses seeds fruits and CHS but dormice are quite predatory as well scouring for insects snails even frogs or Lizards this time though a raspberry
a sugary treat though mom seems to have a sweet tooth and Junior struggles to get his share but the young Hunter already has good predatory instincts of his own it's not easy to deslime a slug rodents never seem to stop moving they Dash in a constant search for food with their impressive work ethic and master for mastication the rodents have conquered every corner of the globe even the harshest weather doesn't stop them to deal with the coldest conditions many rodents exhibit a another superhuman trait they hibernate through winter the garden dormit curl up in tiny
nests and can sleep in a state of suspended animation for incredible 7 [Music] months this is only possible if they find enough food to build up a good fat layer in autumn by lowering their temperature and heartbeat the tiny mice hardly burn any calories and can sleep tight the name dormas derives from the French dorier to [Music] sleep African ground squirrels have the opposite problem they have to endure the scolding African Sun [Music] they have to feed but to avoid sunstroke they use parasoles their prehensile fluffy Tails now shade follows them as they work with
their Ingenuity rodents are everywhere they thrive in jungles on open grasslands submerged in rivers in dense [Music] forests or even on the Arctic tundra there seems to be no no limit to their Global takeover forget Mighty Mouse the Caped Crusader there are real rodents who have taken to the sky not as Flyers but [Music] gliders with Treetop launches Flying Squirrels paraglide with skin membranes stretched between their hands and feet cartilage Spurs that look like thumbs reduce drag by 20% a design now copied on the wings of airlanes but invented by rodent [Music] kind steering with
their limbs and stabilized by their tail they can rock it over 90 m in a single Glide it's a shortcut to find new food or a mate and their aerial acrobatics mean they can enjoy the High Life Out Of Reach of most Predators but it's a lifestyle that requires a head for Heights and it doesn't suit everyone this little guy isn't too sure yet he's a month old and has never ventured out on his own Flying Squirrels stay with their mothers longer than most rodents to complete their pilot training sooner or later he'll need a
test flight he needs to join his mother in the Treetops enjoying succulent leaves that other browsers can't reach the little one bravely goes out on a limb but it's dangerous hanging about in the open [Music] gliding could get him to safety but young and inexperienced the little one bottles it and runs for [Music] home it seems the sky is the limit Antarctica is the only corner of the globe that rodents have yet to colonize one key ingredient to their Monumental spread is their Infamous ability to breed a single brown rat can churn out an army
over a dozen liters per year with each containing from 6 to 22 young every baby will be able to breed itself within 3 months so by the end of one year a single pregnant rat could result in a rat population of hundreds [Music] like most rodents a wood mouse litter starts out as blind helpless jelly beans the little ones known as pinkies weigh half a gram and are totally dependent on their mother for food and warmth but in the blink of an eye things change it takes just 3 weeks for them to be weaned switching
from milk to solid food and venturing out into the [Music] world rats and mice make many people shudder but even the most loved rodents act as though they are breeding an army fit for world [Music] domination in a den below a meadow this Golden Hamster tends to her litter with the shortest gestation known for any mammal she was pregnant for just 16 [Music] days the pups are already precocious and Keen to explore but she does her best to keep the litter together right now the best place for these little ones will be safely against their
mother's warm body but this maternal Bliss is not to last these baby boomers will be ready to have babies themselves in just a month a mother's work is never done and before long she's having to make endless trips to gather food to take back to the den the pups are making the switch from milk to solids time to break in new chisel teeth [Music] despite the rich pickings they are reluctant to give up on milk meaning mom never gets the chance to relax it's not long before they feel the urge to fly the nest the
most dangerous time of their lives timidly they venture [Music] outside there is a reason that rodents have so many babies it's because everything wants to eat them many will fall to Predators but it's a Numbers Game by churning babies out the mother ensures that at least a few Will Survive and breed themselves a polecat the deadliest threat can smell the nest [Music] but the burrow is empty the incredibly fast growth of young rodents means that the turbocharged baby hamsters are already making their way in the world it's hard to outrun the rat race even the
biggest rodents face challenges when they are young the capibara herd comes ashore to Sun themselves on the bank they mostly do this at dawn and D they will sink back into the water when the sun gets too hot the rodent Marines are perfectly adapted to the semi-aquatic lifestyle with their eyes ears and nostrils on top of their heads so they can keep the rest of their plump body submerged unlike solitary hamsters capibara enjoy being part of a crowd squads of 100 are not uncommon though typically it's smaller led by one one or two dominant males
the advantage of communal living is Homeland Security there are more pairs of eyes to watch for danger these Giants breed at a more leisurely Pace than their tiny Minnie Mouse cousins just one litter is born each year and will take around 3 months to raise until then they enjoy the protection of the whole group all they want to do is play but they need to learn to stay alert the Jaguar South America's biggest cat loves nothing more than capibara in stealth mode it's carried on silent padded feet a lone youngster is firmly in its sight
experienced adult spot the threat and sounded the alarm their best chance of Escape is the river the anxious mother calls her young together but for one pup it's too late the Jaguar is one of the few cats that's at home in water even for the Marines it's a deadly threat the world of rodents is under siege from all sides it seems everyone is out to get them [Music] [Music] double-jointed ankles means the red squirrel can scale a tree at high speed the wild cat will have to look elsewhere a good rodent population is an indication
of a healthy environment but predators don't care to them it's a dinner bell [Music] Mouse catchers need patience and stealth [Music] yes it can be tough at the bottom of the food chain but you can't keep a good Mouse down and the little furry mammals are so important as a food source that their success and failure can dictate the fate of many predators owl chicks would not survive without a constant supply of vs and mice to keep up with the demands owls have become the ultimate Mouse straps flat faces act like satellite dishes to pick
up the tiniest sounds deadly Talons are Guided by eagle eyes and furry feathers make sure their wings don't make a sound the B never knew what hit it a great gray owl chick like this will munch its way through 10 rodents a day it keeps the parents busy but luckily with their High turnout there are plenty of rodents to find on the Arctic tundra food can be in short supply for both predators and prey if leming populations are left unchecked they can overg gra the fragile Tundra literally eating themselves out of house and home they
need Predators like snowy owls to help control their numbers a single snowy owl can Munch through 1,600 Lemmings a year [Music] but how many chicks of snowy owl can raise is dictated by the number of lemings so the owls can't produce more Predators than the leming population can handle this year leming numbers are quite low and the owl is struggling to raise two chicks on a leming bumper year snowy owls can raise up to eight when one population does well the other does too being tasty doesn't hold the rodents back from world domination but it
does mean that they need special defense tactics to deal with the attacks one of the young hamsters is getting to grips with life in the wild but to the kite she's a bite-sized bundle of protein [Music] with her short stubby legs she'd struggle to outrun a bird of prey but with Instinct and a detailed mental map of her territory she performs a disappearing trick much of Roden kind excavates tunnels safe houses to avoid the dangers of the world above but it's a lot of hard work and requires constant maintenance it's her dextrous front feet and
strong shoulders that do most of the work dragging the landfill away from their life-saving tunnel it's a dirty job but rodents are fastidious despite our fears about filthy disease spreading animals they are unusually clean she spends several hours a day grooming tunnel maintenance can be tiring work there are a few rodents with loftier [Music] ideas rather than tunnel underground the diminutive harvest mouse defeats [Music] gravity it stands no chance against a predator but it's so small it can climb a blade of grass a tight RPP trick getting head and shoulders above the most persistent [Music]
Viper a birdlike nest is a treehouse safe for raising the kids Grand designs but there is one rodent that seems to work harder on its housing than any other [Music] under the cover of Darkness a huge rodent puts its woodcutting chisels to work hour after hour he GS though largely nocturnal Sunrise finds him still at it until finally woodwork specialist the beaver first job breakfast he and his family will make a feast from the Fresh leaves and twigs that had been previously Out Of Reach a flap of skin in his mou mouth enables him to
G even when underwater the rest of the Timber will be carried in for Home Improvements the lodge the rodent's greatest building accomplishment for extra home security the entrance is located underwater to prevent unwanted visitors surrounded by a moat and inside their thick walled Castle Mr and Mrs Bieber have a cozy Nursery where they can raise their kits each year they have a small litter and the parents who will stay together for Life put all their effort into raising their young and keeping them safe once they are a couple of years old the young will be
encouraged to leave the lodge and start building a family of their own the lodge is also a great place to groom split toenails are used to rub oil from special glands to waterproof their thick fur thanks to the oiled outer guard hairs the soft insulating down underneath never gets wet a unique rodent survival suit playground by summer the lodge will also be a ladder through winter so the family barely has to step out in the cold the kits are developing well at almost 6 months old they will soon be weaned off their mother's milk and
their life of woodwork will [Music] begin but having a fixed address can create a new chall Alles for rodents they're at the mercy of the elements Heavy Rain brings flooding anything living the low life might find itself in too deep it can be hard to keep your head above water and although all rodents are good swimmers sometimes it's easier to go with the flow but that's not the only Danger from storms it just takes one lightning strike and a whole Forest can go up in flames large animals can make a run for it but that's
not an option if you only have tiny legs the mouse has no choice than to hide in her burrow it's a risk if the fire burns too hot her home could become her grave but luckily this one passes quickly and they are deep enough to avoid a roasting from her bunker she surveys the devastation there may be lean times ahead until the forest starts to recover a rodent's home turf can be instantly transformed sometimes with disastrous consequences Meadows are in incredibly inviting to Grass munching rodents it's Prime real estate but the landlords can be pretty
[Applause] heavy-handed young speckled ground squirrels naively watch the tractors at work the slow moving Vehicles don't seem too threatening but they draw in an unexpected visitor the tractor trailers are white stalks who know there will soon be lots of homeless rodents vs are the main casualties easy to spot in the short stubble [Music] the squirrels look like they're munching popcorn whilst watching a horror movie recently weaned they haven't experienced stalks before and are slow slow to react a wiser parent sounds the alarm but it falls on deaf ears the stalk knows patience is the key
[Music] it's a tough life lesson for the survivors to counter Colony Annihilation many rodents have complex alarm systems an Alpine Marmet keeps his eyes on the sky if he spots an enemy fighter he can sound the alarm and warn his neighbors many rodents have different sounds or words for different kinds of threats with someone watching their backs nobody needs to get hurt African ground squirrels have a different strategy they employ a security team mcats live in close-knit Clans and are dedicated to safeguarding their families whatever the troop is doing there is always somebody on [Music]
guard The Jackal is quickly spotted with the troop on high alert it knows it can't sneak to within striking [Music] range it gives up to search for an easier Target as long as the mircat bodyguards are on duty the ground squirrels can relax they are not the only rodents to take advantage of other species living in Marshland caparas can become riddled with ticks and other parasites but luckily they have care workers close at hand the young caracara gives him a makeover he seems oblivious for the most part the bird doesn't require much payment it's after
ticks not tips though it does occasionally supplement its income with a drop of blood sometimes fellow citizens can be useful but others can be neighbors from hell this kipu is just looking for a quiet spot to have his life but for some reason his presence upsets the local [Music] geese perhaps it's not just people with a prejudice against rodent kind [Music] he may have to find a new spot to [Music] [Applause] dine to discourage interfering neighbors and keep trespasses at Bay some rodents put up keep out signs every time the Flying Squirrel leaves his home
he pees on his porch he rubs scent gland on his chin on prominent branches he does everything he can to make his patch smell of him he's kicking up a stink a clear message no trespasses and here's the finishing touch some rodents are antisocial individuals but even the socialites find it hard to get on all the [Music] time fights are mostly about territory mating rights or food and never more so than Autumn the beauty belies the fact that this is the end of the year's productivity plant life is shutting down this is a challenging time
for all animals they need to eat as much as they can before food resources become scarce for rodents it's especially important to pile on the pounds they they will only make it through winter if they can build up their fat reserves now but Autumn has one last gift for rodent [Music] kind trees produce seeds their genetic Legacy and eat wrapped in a handy lunchbox acorns are packed with proteins and fats a forest Big Mac just what the squirrel [Music] needs he must gain 12% of his body weight in fat to make it through the winter
[Music] squirrels can eat almost anything they'll take insects eggs even baby birds if they come across them but at this time of year they are nuts about nuts it's not just acorns trees are busy producing all manner of goodies [Music] everyone wants a piece of the [Music] action when every calorie counts it's not surprising tempers are quick to fray mice become [Music] monsters all over the forest rodents are eating and stashing as much as they can 80% of a red squirrel's active life is spent Gathering food with dextrous hands and trademark chisel teeth even spiny
sweet chestnuts are up for [Music] grabs what he doesn't eat now he'll stash in the leaf litter as a lder he can return to in harder times [Music] to maximize his chances he follows his nose straight to the [Music] source pine cones why wait for them to drop when you can help them on their way but his handiwork doesn't go unnoticed someone else wants to get their hands on his nuts food theft will not be tolerated [Music] [Music] he reclaims his hard one prize competition is fierce but many rodents have another trick up their [Music]
sleeves Chipmunks work at Breakneck speed Gathering food but if they stop to eat it they risk being mugged [Music] [Music] so they load their shopping bags giant cheek pouches the loot can double the Chipmunk [Music] weight he'll unload his shopping into a hollow log for safekeeping chipmunks have been known to store up to 30,000 nuts in one place as they forage they also move around fungi that are important to the health of tree [Music] roots like the Chipmunk the hamster carries food home in her cheek pouches to build up a winter store [Music] knowing that
there is always a snack on hand she'll be able to sleep through the tough winter thanks to their resourcefulness rodents seem to be able to handle whatever nature throws at them Winter's tough but with their food stores the squirrel and his rodent friends will get through somehow squirrels are able to locate their buried nuts under a meter of snow and if it gets too cold he can always go [Music] inside freezing waterways present new challenges for the beaver is he losing his grip he could be in his nice warm home right now perhaps it just
feels good to get some fresh air there are 33 species of Might that can live on beaver fur and the number of parasites can build up in the lodge so grooming is a essential though maybe he's grooming here to get a few minutes out of the house and away from the kids then despite the cold this industrial Carpenter gets back to work Beaver rarely come out during the winter but the odd property inspection is a good idea the family have invested too much time in their Lodge to risk Intruders moving in he seems satisfied that
all is in order life's struggles don't stop whatever the weather it's not just rodents who are hungry predators are too and extra [Music] determined it seems everyone has turned up all wanting to invite the rodents to dinner [Music] and perhaps the greatest threat of all the great gray owl [Music] thanks to their incredible success in breeding and raising their young the rodent world is keeping the rest of the animal community alive but they do much more for the world than just sacrifice themselves for lunch rodents can be keystone species critical elements of ecosystems fulfilling many
vital roles remember the squirrel cashing his nuts well he didn't some of the acorns carefully buried for later by the squirrel will be forgotten and now lovingly planted they will grow the squirrel is gardening the forest carrying seeds away from their parents and planting them in good healthy spots ensuring the forest's future life can be hard to crack and some plants need even more help to get them started tough nuts count on animals to break their seal and who better than chisel toothed rodents it's only the action of agouti teeth that get Brazil nuts on
their [Music] way the various ground squirrels of the world make Meadows and prairies healthier by aerating the soil and redist ruting nutrients through their tunneling and there is one rodent that goes all out to make the world a better place beavers build dams across rivers to control the flow of water they are making ponds safe havens for their lodges and a source of nutrient-rich aquatic vegetation but in doing so they create habitat for a huge host of other [Music] species the watery Wonderland teams with life all stages of the food chain from plants and insects
to birds and fish benefit from the beaver's hard work and what's good for them can be good for us too our relationship with rodents can be very confusing they can be pests but they can also be useful they can shape their world and even enrich ours looks like our squirrel has found a [Music] friend rodents are cute versatile and very successful and with their incredible breeding abilities the rodent Empire is in no doubt here to stay [Music]
