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Updated Tuesday, 7th October 2014

To survive, animals need somewhere to live. But finding and defending a home is a great challenge. 

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A rare close up of a mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus). These mountain specialists, more closely related to antelopes than goats, live a precipitous life high in the mountains well away from people. Location: USA. Copyrighted image Icon Copyright: BBC/Tom Crowley A mountain goat

About the episode

To survive, animals need somewhere to live, a place that provides the necessities of life, shelter from the elements and a refuge from enemies. Good homes are rare and competition can be intense.

On a paradise island, an empty shell washes ashore and a young hermit crab joins others in a property chain. In unique behavior the crabs actually form an orderly queue so that each can quickly move into the next shell up in size.

In a weaver ant colony, even the larvae must contribute to home building, while remoras, also known as ‘shark-suckers’ have a long wait for the right mobile home to appear – a bull shark.

Finding a home is one thing, but defending it is quite another. Pikas must guard their larders from thieving neighbours while a pack of hunting dogs rely on disciplined teamwork to protect their home turf when hyenas try to muscle in.

This episode was first broadcast on Thursday 6th November 2014 on BBC One.

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  • Copyrighted image Icon Copyright: BBC/Anup Shah
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