Human Planet - Season 1 (2011)

Although a mall part of earth's landmass, tropical rain forests contain half the animal species, mainly on altitudes out of human reach, losing 100 a day, often undiscovered, trough rapid wood-cut, clearing for agriculture etcetera. The rare surviving native tribal jungle cultures go to great lengths to remain in ecological harmony with wildlife and cope with dangers and others challenges, such as hight, while basically eating what they can catch, from honey to tarantulas.

Life in the mountains demands elaborate adaptations, for despite the extreme biological diversity people often have little choice of meat supply, despite elaborate hunting methods such as nets in clearings to lure giant bats. In developed regions, modern technology helps control avalanches. Relative isolation comes at a price, as for health care, and leads to bizarre traditions, such as Buddhist 'air burial' which actually means relying on vultures to dispose of corpses before they spread diseases.

Grass lands cover vast plains, such as savanna, prairies and pampas. The many, almost indestructible grass species, for various types of soil and other conditions, feed huge herds, whose migrations are followed by many predators and (semi-)nomadic peoples, such as the Mongol master horsemen. Some still practice hunting-gathering, such as the Khoisan, or traditional 'natural' herd breeding, others as in Australia use technology to gain maximal control. Domesticating cereals and edible grazers was crucial in human history, leading to vast food surpluses and sedentary ...

Man always was attracted by rivers, not unlike seas, for water, fishing, irrigation, transport. And he deals in many ways with their dangers, ranging from torrents, frost and perilous crossing to floods. Most lack moder technology, hence are reduced to minimal control, rather adapting to the tide then controlling it.

Urban environments are man-made, so human design seems totally to overtake wildlife habitats. Yet animals abound in cities and suburbs, many as pets or working, but others exempt by religion or even able to pursue their natural life with some fancy adapting, as many animals do in the wild.