01x02 - New York

[bunniefuu]

[narrator] New York,

the most populated city in America.

Home to more than

eight million inhabitants.

But this epic metropolis

is not just home to people.

[siren whoops]

Among its miles of endless concrete,

New York City also provides shelter

for many feral animals,

who sometimes find it hard

to strike a balance with humans.

[cat snarls]

[cat yowls sadly]

Five hundred feet in the air,

and far away from the mean streets below,

lives a golden hamster.

This pet has a pampered life,

free from threats or predators.

Although restricted by his cage walls,

he's happy to trade his freedom

for security

because he knows nothing

of the outside world.

His basic needs

are much like any other pet.

He requires regular exercise

a regular supply of food

fresh water, and a warm, dry shelter.

-[whines, growls softly]

-Other pets dwell here too.

The territorial Chihuahua

isn't happy about sharing his home

-[yapping]

-but the hamster is unfazed.

[cell phone rings]

[dog growls, yaps]

Alone at last.

The hamster's natural inquisitiveness

is clear.

He's a tiny escape artist.

It's not the first time

he's performed this trick.

Now, once again, he's free to explore.

Doubling in size, the hamster's

elasticated cheek pouches are excellent

for transporting food and bedding

back to his house.

Capable of carrying half his body weight

in his cheeks,

these deep pockets keep

their contents completely dry,

free from the hamster's saliva,

and can protect it for hours.

Carefully extracting the tissues,

he arranges his fresh bedding.

Daytime can be tiring

for this nocturnal rodent.

The more light the hamster's exposed to,

the sleepier he becomes.

And he settles down for a nap.

[breathing softly]

[girl laughing]

[squeaking softly]

Hamsters prefer a solitary life,

away from their own kind.

[growls]

-[whines]

-Oddly enough, however,

they thrive off human affection.

[dog whimpers]

When animals live in a confined space,

competition is rife.

Some animals can't help but feel jealous.

[whines]

[dog yapping]

The hamster doesn't miss

this rare opportunity

-to torment his rival.

-[barks, growling]

[dog yapping]

The dog is taking the blame

for the hamster's mischief.

[barks, howls]

[dog growls]

[growls softly]

Accidentally, the hamster has rolled

into the unknown.

[elevator music playing]

[man clears throat]

[elevator bell dings]

New York City represents

the fastest-growing habitat on Earth,

the sprawling urban jungle.

These cities contain

distinct and fascinating ecosystems,

often filled with wildlife.

Pigeons have a fondness

for sitting and nesting up high.

It's easy to see how

these man-made features

mimic a natural cliff face.

To cope with city living,

urban pigeons are well-adapted

to perform sharp twists and turns.

All animals living

in this unnatural habitat

must adapt quickly.

With limited space

and a constant influx of people,

humans, too, have been forced to adapt,

constructing vertically.

However, what goes up must come down.

[bottles clink]

For the first time,

the hamster finds himself alone

on the bustling streets.

The change of pace is overwhelming.

He is now hit

with a mixture of noises and smells.

It's a sensory overload.

[pigeons cooing]

To avoid getting trampled,

urban animals look

to the shadowy backstreets for refuge.

As a result, these side streets

are home to many hidden residents.

Forced to scratch out a life

in the city's alleyways,

these urban animals must learn

to adapt quickly to survive.

This is no place for a tiny rodent.

With finely-tuned senses,

feline predators can quietly creep up

on unsuspecting prey.

[cat meows gently]

But as a lost pet itself,

the cat cannot resist the urge to play.

[cat purring]

The cat has finally caused

the hamster's bubble to burst.

-He's now lost the safety of the ball.

-[sniffing]

For the first time in his life,

he steps onto the sidewalk,

his paws greeted

with the unfamiliar feeling

of rough, cold concrete.

The hamster takes

the first opportunity he finds

to escape these hazardous streets.

At first glance,

it seems all that exists here

are slimy stone walls and murky water.

He's entered a world far removed

from his luxurious penthouse lifestyle.

Millions of New Yorkers

sleep, eat, and work

above an elaborate network

of tangled pipes,

stretching more than 6,600 miles,

all descending

into a huge underground sewer system.

[sniffing]

[thunder rumbles]

[rain pattering]

[whimpers]

[whines]

During heavy rain,

the stone and concrete-covered city

creates an impermeable surface,

causing water to quickly build.

Above ground, there's nowhere

for the rainwater to go but down.

[sniffing]

Within these endless networks of pipes,

lives an army of squatters.

This is the realm of the brown rat.

And New York is home to hundreds

of thousands, likely millions, of them.

[rats squeaking]

With the sudden downpour from above,

the rats risk getting trapped.

They search for dry ground.

With a swarm of rats heading his way,

the hamster is at risk of drowning

in the writhing mass.

He moves as fast as he can to escape.

[thunder cracks]

[rumbles]

Finally, he's found shelter

but not for long.

While hamsters can swim,

these waters are too perilous

for him to cross safely.

Fortunately, the excess waste here

creates floating debris,

just right to carry a hamster.

He rides with the ebb and swirl

of the murky water.

[sniffing]

Thankful to be back at ground level,

it feels like safety at last.

Within every ecosystem,

there exists a chain of command.

At the top of the pyramid

is the fastest animal on Earth.

Having lived here for 15 years,

this peregrine falcon

commands the skies of this urban jungle.

Small, sleek, and robust,

she's built for speed.

Watching the city from above,

she sets her position

high among the skyscrapers,

waiting for her next opportunity.

Vision is her most important sense.

A protective third membrane draws

across her eyes, like flight goggles.

She can spot prey

from nearly two miles away.

Once she is locked onto her target,

the probability of their survival is slim.

The hamster's movement below

catches her attention.

Plunging to earth, she can reach

a terminal velocity of

up to 240 miles per hour.

The hamster is unaware

of the descending danger.

[steam hissing]

The hot steam from the drain

has created a barrier,

which the peregrine cannot see through,

protecting the hamster from certain death.

[falcon cries]

It's a lucky escape.

The hamster's noticed a familiar sight:

his home.

He's finally made it back.

[sniffing]

But the hamster quickly realizes

this is not his home at all.

Animals are an important source

of companionship and affection

for millions of people.

And pet stores are still a popular place

to find a new member of the family.

Untold numbers of birds,

reptiles, and strange creatures

line the walls of the store.

Although adapted for a life underground,

hamsters are surprisingly good climbers.

Surrounded by food, the hamster

wastes no time helping himself.

[engine starts]

New York is teeming with the energy

of fast-paced living,

where you have to hustle to make it.

Day or night, the city never sleeps.

[honking]

With a thick enamel coating,

the hamster's strong rodent teeth

cut through the cardboard like butter.

Vigorously shaken but unharmed,

the hamster exits the vehicle.

There's a strong, wonderful smell.

He follows his nose.

Where there's lots of food,

there's often a lot of leftovers.

This waste, however,

is not necessarily wasted energy.

Even the smallest characters play

a vital role in this expansive ecosystem.

Within a day, over half the food

and litter is removed by insects.

New York is home to many species of ants.

One of their favorite snacks

is a hot dog.

New Yorkers spend

over $120 million a year on frankfurters.

These street-wise pavement ants

can't get enough of them,

eating the equivalent

of 60,000 hot dogs a year.

Just three millimeters in size,

these miniature waste disposal units

contribute to the clear-up

of the 14 million tons of waste

New York produces each year.

He needs to be quicker off the mark

if he's going to catch

any of this fast food.

But amongst this metropolis,

there's a sanctuary on an epic scale.

Central Park.

Eight hundred and forty-three acres

of green

sits nestled among the endless gray.

Home to more than 20,000 trees,

collectively removing

up to one million pounds of CO2.

Central Park is a place that brings

mankind and wildlife together,

a welcome treat in a city

with over 375,000 vehicles

passing through each day.

Among the trees, the park is a haven

to almost 600 species

of plants and animals

who live in this green sanctuary,

relatively safeguarded and unharmed.

Perhaps this place could offer the shelter

the hamster's been looking for.

Although he's seemingly found paradise,

the park is not his true home.

But then again, where is?

Along his journey,

he has seen and experienced things

he never knew existed.

Having come this far,

he cannot go back to his old life.

Every life-changing adventure

has to start with an epic journey.

When you experience

what the world has to offer,

it's hard to remain in one place.

But life goes on in New York City,

and the relationships between humans

and animals will always be complex.

[whines sadly]

But the ability to coexist remains vital.

No matter who you are,

adventure can be found

around every corner,

if you decide to look for it.

And as for the hamster,

his journey has only just begun.