BBC2
As a former SAS Commando and member of the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission, Chris Ryan has travelled the world and seen many beautiful places, but for him, nothing compares to the countryside he grew up in – Cumbria and the North East.
In this film for the BBC’s Saving Planet Earth campaign, Chris travels across the north to discover how three of the species closest to his heart are under threat: the nimble red squirrel; Britain’s only venomous snake, the adder; and the graceful and beautiful hen harrier.
In his journey to discover how these precious and threatened species can be saved, Chris meets the conservationists and wildlife experts fighting to ensure the animals’ survival.
In Kielder Forest, Chris discovers how the red squirrel – native to Britain since the ice age - is now under threat. Outnumbered 25:1 by their more aggressive American grey cousin, the squirrel is now protected in a handful of pockets around the country. Keilder has the highest population in the UK, and as Chris discovers, conservation has helped slow the decline in the population.
In forested Cumbria, Chris discovers how Britain’s only venomous snake is under threat. And on top-secret moorland, he meets Phil Curtis, who works to protect Britain’s most endangered bird – the Hen Harrier. With only fourteen pairs left in England, their nesting areas are tightly kept secrets, but as Chris discovers, this doesn’t stop some people shooting the graceful birds.