Episode Information

Imagine if waste just lay where it fell – we’d all be swimming in faeces, rotting plants and dead animals. Not a nice thought, but this might be the case were it not for nature’s clean-up crew. Often unfairly despised, we should see these animals as our heroes, keeping us safe from diseases and from drowning in our own waste. And they’re not only keeping the world clean, they’re also the ultimate recyclers. Nutrients are a finite resource, and the clean-up crew play a vital role in redistributing them, keeping our world rich and fertile. From magnificent eagles riding high on thermals to opportunist starfish grabbing a meal on the seabed buffet, nature’s clean-up crew comes in every size and shape imaginable. What seems like unwanted rubbish is really anything but, nature’s clean-up crew bringing drama and beauty to trash and waste.