David Attenborough's Wild City - First Season

One degree north of the equator, there is a small island.

A thriving tropical paradise.

And from the roots of this jungle

has sprung one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.

This is Singapore.

One of the most densely-populated countries on earth.

But even with 5.4 million people, there is a wild side.

We will explore hidden worlds

to discover the unseen treasures of Singapore.

And see how they have adapted to the human world.

Deploying the latest film-making technology,

we will uncover secrets and unexpected encounters.

From a bird's-eye view to beneath the surface.

In the light of day to the darkest corners.

This is an island of rapid change.

Where the wild still exists.

A home to an astonishing 40,000 species of animal and plant.

But where is it hiding... in the wild city?

Only 25 kilometres from the high-rise city centre...

..Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

The largest remaining mangrove ecosystem in the country.

Supporting a diverse community...

..and the number one predator in the country.

That many people don't even know live here.

The saltwater crocodile.

The world's largest living reptile.

Capable of growing to over six metres and weighing one tonne.

On the smaller scale at Sungei Buloh,

but a huge addition to the nation's biodiversity.

A sign of a healthy ecosystem.

And Sungei Buloh can support just a handful.

Male crocodiles are mostly solitary.

And this stretch of river is his personal larder.

Visitors are not welcome.

A young male has ventured into occupied territory.

Crocodiles are capable of explosive bursts of speed.

For the intruder, it's best not to stick around.

The dominant male has secured his territory.

In an environment that has been driven to the brink of extinction.

In Singapore, only 4% of the original mangrove forest still exists.

A rare, but a vitally important habitat...

..for more than just the crocodile.

A group of smooth-coated otters...

..who have adapted to a life on the fringes of the city.

SQUEALING

BARKING

The smooth-coated otters are found throughout Asia.

But in Singapore, they are critically endangered.

Once declared locally extinct, this species returned 20 years ago

right here, in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

The proximity of Singapore to Malaysia

meant an easier swim across the strait.

Where they've found a newly-formed park

protected from industry and development.

Now, a family of five enjoys this wild place.

Occasionally crossing paths with a lucky visitor.

Smooth-coated otters live in close-knit family packs.

Mum is the centre of the group.

She's in charge.

Dad is her loyal partner.

They pair for life.

And, like all parents, they enjoy quality time with the kids.

Important for this pair,

who have three rowdy teenagers to keep in line.

At just over a year old,

these youngsters are on the cusp of adulthood.

And, just like many of us,

they have much to learn about the wild around them.

Their world is one of diversity.

And Singapore has a surprising range of habitats.

And it's not just one island.

There are over 60.

Only 20 minutes from the mainland...

..is the island of Pulau Ubin.

Preserved from development,

it's a step back in time to a Singapore of the 1960s.

Here, you can bring a picnic, slow down and enjoy the ride.

A stop at the mangrove boardwalk is a chance to encounter

the smaller things in life.

But taking advantage of this visitor attraction are the forest raiders.

GRUNTING

Wild boars.

Found all over Asia.

And since the disappearance of the tiger,

this species is now the biggest land mammal in Singapore.

They live in herds, foraging in the forest for grubs and bulbs.

But, just like people, they have a weakness for easy fast-food.

GRUNTING

Pigs can eat just about anything.

But such easy picking is not good for their public image.

Or their stomachs.

Weekend picnic plans also suffer.

Back in the forest, Mum is in charge of the herd and her piglets.

Born looking a little like a watermelon with legs,

they will gradually lose their stripes as they get older.

At this age, they're very inquisitive.

This little piggy goes exploring.

In the past, without Mum, he would already be in the belly of a tiger.

But today, he's safe.

Back in the centre of the city, the pace of life is a little faster.

And higher.

SCREAMING

HOOTING

But the wild has its own extreme high-fliers.

In a city of 5.4 million people, life often goes unnoticed.

It's easy to blend in.

Unless you're an aspiring high-flier.

SCREAMING

An extreme behaviour in the city.

But just 20 minutes' away, nature has already invented this stunt.

Night-time in the forest.

Meet nature's own BASE jumper.

The Malayan colugo.

One of the most skilful gliding mammals on the planet.

It's around the size of a large squirrel.

But it's about to transform.

Folds of skin stretch out to form a wing membrane

and the colugo becomes more like a bat.

For an animal that rarely touches the ground,

the only way to move around the forest is to leap and glide.

It can cover over 130 metres in a single jump.

The colugo may look like a squirrel or a bat, but it's neither.

It's thought it could be more closely related to the primates.

And it has evolved to live its whole life in the tree tops

and be an expert glider.

Every part of the body is aerodynamically efficient.

These aerial adaptations present some unique challenges.

Going to the bathroom turns these gliders into contortionists.

The membrane is carefully folded back to keep it clean for gliding.

Job done, it's time to mingle.

Males rule a patch of territory.

Competition is not welcome.

The night is spent in a buzz of activity.

But by morning, it's just about time for sleep.

A female is getting ready for bed.

Her baby has lived his entire life in his mother's arms.

He'll stay with her until he's around six months old.

But for now, his home is tucked up in her wing.

At dawn, the rest of the country awakens.

And the colugo prepares to disappear.

Transformed from a skilled glider to a camouflage expert.

Sharp claws anchor it to the tree

and the fur is the perfect invisibility cloak.

Living in the forests of Singapore, but so rarely seen.

While the trees hide elusive creatures,

on the coastline, the wild is out for all to see.

You just need to look at the right time.

Singapore's coast has two high and two low tides every day.

And a whole community base their lives around

these shifting water levels.

A fish that has evolved to make the most of this tidal world.

The mudskipper.

It can swap swimming...

..for walking.

And while the tide is out, there's a lot to do.

Mealtime...

..and social time.

But the mudskipper never forgets it's a fish.

It must keep moist.

But these pools didn't just appear.

They're built.

By mouth.

Mud is dug up and carefully deposited on the side of their pool.

The pool is also their front door.

Underneath, a burrow for breeding, over a metre long.

And males aim to attract females to this home...

..by raising a flag.

But the mudskipper is not the only Romeo in the tidal community.

Meet the male fiddler crab.

Beneath their tough exterior lies a desire to waltz...

..into the heart of a female.

Smooth moves will catch the ladies' eyes.

On this dance floor, size does matter.

The males all have one big claw.

The bigger the claw...

..the better the wave,

the more she will like him.

But the room is crowded.

Males jostle to stand out.

Ladies are forgotten.

The claw now becomes a weapon.

The female won over, it's time to retire.

In the space of just a few hours, love has blossomed.

And as the tide comes in, the neighbourhood transforms once again.

The mudskipper goes for a swim.

But not for long.

Some species transform into tree climbers.

It's a chance to relax before the next tidal shift.

It's not just the mudskippers and crabs who keep a tide timetable.

At Sungei Buloh,

the otter family base its mealtime around the tides.

And a mid-tide means fishing time.

The protected waters around the reserve are full of fish.

But for the teenagers, making a catch is not always that easy.

It's much better to hunt as a family.

Mum and Dad lead the pack.

In formation, the family works as a team.