South Korea: Earth's Hidden Wilderness

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Korea.

An ancient mountain kingdom.

A land divided by conflict.

But in the natural world,

there is another side to Korea.

In the south are pockets

of untouched wilderness.

Rich habitats...

..with extraordinary creatures...

..and spectacular natural events.

HE SHOUTS:

A place where nature and mankind

have lived in harmony for centuries.

This is Korea.

Korea lies on the eastern edge

of Asia.

The peninsula is 700 miles long

and 150 miles across...

..and is split into two nations.

But long before modern conflict

divided the land...

..tectonic plates collided

to create a dramatic landscape.

60 million years ago,

unimaginable forces raised

the jagged peaks that dominate

the east of Korea.

In the central region are lush,

temperate forests.

Further south, these give way

to fertile wetlands.

And where the land

finally meets the sea,

the shallow incline

creates vast tidal ranges...

..with endless mudflats...

..teeming with life.

Korea is surrounded

on three sides by ocean.

It has over 5,000 miles

of coastline.

In the far south,

the islands of Jeju

are home to a resident population

of Indo-Pacific bottlenosed

dolphins.

Dolphins are often wide-ranging...

..travelling from place to place

in search of food.

But this group chooses

to live here all year round,

in the bountiful waters

around these volcanic islands.

Bottlenose dolphins are highly

social creatures...

..and live in tight-knit

matriarchal pods.

Group members

communicate constantly.

Each dolphin is identified

by its own signature whistle.

And they are quick to recognise

the presence of any strangers

in their territory.

Today their curiosity is piqued

by a presence here that is almost

as ancient as their own.

Dolphins can be wary of divers,

but not of this one.

Like them, she dives free,

exploring the depths

on a single breath.

The pods have grown up

sharing these waters

with an all-female

free diving community...

..known as the Haenyeo,

sea women.

She scours the sea bed in search

of its natural treasures.

They live in harmony,

as they have done for hundreds

of years.

Soon the season will change,

and these waters will be filled

with prizes for the Haenyeo.

300 miles north,

on the Korean mainland...

..the palaces of the Joseon kings...

..an imposing legacy of the

powerful dynasty

that once ruled here.

But the palaces are now home

to a family of a different kind.

A family of raccoon dogs.

Though they are named

for their resemblance,

they are much more closely related

to dogs than they are raccoons.

This opportunistic family have left

their usual forest dwelling

for the safety

of the palace grounds.

For the most part,

life is good here.

But they're not the only ones

to take advantage

of the opportunities here.

There is a rival group that occupies

the other side of the

palace grounds.

With young pups, the family's

father must be extra vigilant.

At around four months old, pups

learn to forage for themselves.

But hunting insects requires

a little practice.

Raccoon dogs will eat

almost anything.

Tonight the family is anticipating

something extra-special

on the menu...

..cicada nymphs.

A lavish banquet of juicy beetles.

The nymphs emerge en masse during

a narrow window in the summer.

For one night only, the family will

have more food than they can eat.

The nymphs have spent five years

slowly growing in the soil.

They must now find higher ground...

..where they can metamorphosise

into their flying form.

Such rich rewards

attract hungry rivals.

A pack of young males from the far

side of the palace grounds are also

eager to have their fill.

Distracted by the feast,

the usually wary father has

strayed into harm's way.

He is outnumbered,

and in danger.

The mother and pups retreat

to a safe distance.

Their father escapes,

injured, but lucky to be alive.

His mate tends to his wounds.

The palace may provide rich

feeding grounds

but such wealth

comes at a price.

Some of the cicadas have reached

their destination.

After years of lying underground,

the lucky ones will get their wings.

During metamorphosis, they are

at their most vulnerable.

But up here, at least they are

safe from the hungry pups.

Now they will devote the last

chapter of their life,

just one month,

to finding a mate.

It is a cycle that has played out

here for hundreds of years.

During this time, the world

beyond these walls has changed.

The palace is now surrounded

by South Korea's capital city,

Seoul.

Seoul is home to one of the most

densely packed human populations

on the planet.

It is easy to see why the raccoon

dogs seek refuge in the palace.

But there are places where humans

and nature coexist

in perfect harmony.

The island of Marado...

..the southernmost point of Korea.

Beyond the cliffs and caves,

there is a small community,

the Haenyeo, sea women,

as they are known here.

Today they are preparing

for an important dive.

There are men on the island too,

but a sisterhood

drives the local economy.

Most divers are over the age of

60...

..and some are much older.

At this time of the year

the waters here provide

an abundant crop of conches -

a highly valuable mollusc.

The Haenyeo only harvest the conches

after the breeding season,

to ensure the harvest remains

sustainable.

Choon Geom Kim is captain.

She must decide

if it's safe to dive.

Wal Soo Ra is the oldest living

Haenyeo.

In fact, she is the oldest diver

anywhere in the world.

She is now 94 years old.

The dive captain has decided

they will dive.

Conditions are not ideal

but the conch season is short

and they must make

the most of it.

An experienced Haenyeo can dive

to depths of 20 metres

and hold her breath for more

than two minutes.

This places significant stresses

on the body.

There is a very real risk

of blackout,

as the Haenyeo repeatedly travel

between the surface and the sea bed.

As they dive,

their heart rate slows,

and blood is shifted from their

extremities to their core...

..increasing the availability

of oxygen.

The Haenyeo benefit

from this adaptation,

to enable them to keep working

on their long, cold dives.

But it's exhausting work,

even for the younger divers.

She may not be able to hold her

breath for as long as she once did,

but, at 94, Wal Soo Ra is still

capable of diving all day.

The women work together

against a rising tide.

The waters here are changeable...

..and the longer they stay,

the greater the risk.

But the season is short...

..so the women must persist...

..and reap the harvest

while it is there.

Back on the Korean mainland,

deep in the forests of Yangpyeong...

..there are other female workers,

reaping a harvest.

Eastern honey bees.

Workers collecting pollen.

They belong to an enormous colony...

..of 30,000 bees.

The colony has made its home here

in this hollow tree...

..which offers shelter

from the elements.

Inside the tree is a complex

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