Episode Information

Water is the key to life. It provides a haven for countless plants and animals, everything from water-loving cats and predatory birds to killer dragonflies and carnivorous foliage. It can be a nursery, a migration stopover, a larder and a home. And there is a special place where water is gathered, drained and stored for all to enjoy – welcome to the wetland.

Wetlands are some of the most remarkable ecosystems in the natural world; allowed to flourish they become one giant interconnected web of animals and plant life, all relying on one another to survive. Reed beds regulate the water temperature for sensitive European moor frogs, whilst otters, the famous ecosystem engineers, manufacture their own wetland paradise. Everything from dragonflies and bats to fish and amphibians can thrive thanks to the wetland habitats of the world.