All language subtitles for Spy in the Wild Series 2 1of4 BBC Tropics 1080p_ENG_Subtitles01

The animal world is full
of spectacle and wonder.

But what's it like to be right
in the heart of the action?

To find out, our team of
spy creatures goes undercover.

They not only look like the animals
they film...

..they behave like them, too.

Armed with the latest
camera technology...

..they are heading across the globe.

From the heat of the Tropics...

..to the lands
that lie in the north.

From the islands
of the Southern Seas...

..to the snow and ice
of the frozen poles.

Our spies reveal the astonishing
variety of life that thrives there,

from inside their world.

On this assignment, our spy
creatures join the animal families

that dwell in the hot and humid
Tropics.

In the tropical zone,
life is abundant,

and the dry and rainy seasons

influence animals
in remarkable ways.

When the dry season comes
to the mountains of Uganda,

it brings cool nights and warm days.

As the morning mist clears,
a glimpse of the wonders to come.

For now, there's just one,
lone baby.

His camera eye the only clue
he's not as real as he seems.

GRUNTING

His aim - to join this family
of mountain gorillas.

But, first, he must gain
their trust.

One wrong move
and it could all be over.

They are a close-knit family.

They don't take kindly to strangers.

He offers a hand of friendship.

Will they accept his introduction?

A promising start, but, somehow,
he must convince everyone.

GRUNTING

She peers into his eyes
to make a connection.

Gorillas learn a lot from each other
this way.

But he remains inscrutable, as ever.

Now it's the baby's turn.

Gorillas are very tactile.

A touch is an invitation
to get to know each other.

But is it all too good to be true?

HE SNARLS

The great silverback.

He won't be so easily impressed.

HE PANTS

Here, he's the boss.

Spy Gorilla won't be welcomed
without his say-so.

HE BARKS
A warning.

Everyone must stay back.

Can our spy win him over, too?

They await
the silverback's decision.

HE BARKS

Until then, there's a line
no-one can cross.

His arm, a barrier between them
and the newcomer.

To show respect,
our spy averts his gaze.

Decision made.

Spy Gorilla can stay.

Everyone can relax once more.

CONTENTED GRUNTING

In adults, chest-beating
is a show of power.

For youngsters,
it's an invitation to play.

But games easily get out of hand.

Oops!

His look says it all.

Best pretend it never happened.

But it's not the end for our spy.

He lives to film another day.

HE GRUNTS SOFTLY

The dry season
has also come to Brazil.

The Pantanal is the world's
largest tropical wetland.

But, at this time of year,
it's drying out fast.

Life gathers
in spectacular abundance

around the few pools of open water
that remain.

As well as egrets, caiman congregate
in their thousands,

some of the 10 million found
across the Pantanal.

Such abundance attracts
other predators.

CHIRRUPING

Meet the world's first
Spy Jaguar cub.

Caiman are the jaguar's
favourite prey.

BIRDSONG

But they have little to fear
from a solitary cub.

Having basked in the sun,
they're primed and eager to hunt.

Spy Caiman is ready and waiting.

He's now just one of the locals.

Wherever they go, he goes, too.

It's soon clear
why everyone is here -

thousands of fish are trapped
in the vanishing pools.

But there is little oxygen
in these waters.

And, as the day warms,
it holds even less.

The caiman is ready.

Catfish are coming
to the surface for air.

All good things
come to those who wait.

It's a feeding frenzy.

The morning feast
lasts just a brief moment.

Soon, everyone can eat no more.

Only now do the capybara
venture out.

THEY GRUNT AGGRESSIVELY

They're the world's largest
living rodent,

and one of the most intelligent.

They welcome the dry land
that's now appearing.

It's perfect
for a spot of sunbathing.

But they must keep their wits
about them.

JAGUAR SNARLS SOFTLY

CAPYBARA PURRS

JAGUAR PANTS

Something else
now piques his interest.

JAGUAR PURRS

Jaguars kill the cubs of others.

JAGUAR SNIFFS

But curiosity overcomes aggression.

This isn't the only jaguar here.

A rival!

Jaguars are fiercely territorial.

THEY GRUNT FEROCIOUSLY

The result is a draw.

Neither willing to risk their life.

Is this the reason for the brawling?

A partner worth fighting for?

SHE SNARLS

SHE SNARLS

In courtship, it seems,
the female takes control.

SHE SNARLS

Having put him in his place,
she turns on the charm.

A rarely-filmed
moment of tranquillity

in one of the busiest
wildlife spots on Earth.

Costa Rica is next to host
one of the Tropics' great events.

Black vultures gather
in anticipation.

This year, they have company.

A vulture that can film.

The gathering begins on the third
quarter of the moon,

when the tides are at their minimum.

Olive ridley turtles.

Many travelled over 1,000 miles
to get here.

They're returning to the beach
where once they were born.

WAVES CRASH

When the tide is out
and the surface calm,

they come ashore.

TURTLE SNORTS

Where one leads, others follow.

For those breeding
for the first time,

15 years have passed since
they hatched on this very beach.

Now, they compete for a place
to lay eggs of their own.

This is the great turtle arribada.

20,000 may arrive in a single day.

Only so much can be seen
from the air.

WAVES CRASH

As they keep coming,
so do our spy creatures.

Spy Turtle is here,
as our eyes on the ground.

Turtles lay above
the high water mark.

So, first, our spy must
climb the beach.

In water, turtles
are effectively weightless.

Now, flippers meant for swimming

must haul huge bodies
across the sand.

LABOURED BREATHING

Spy Turtle is soon
in prime position...

..ready to film their
nesting techniques.

Her flippers become scoops.

Tools to dig a nest.

Now, the moment she came for.

Each egg is carefully placed.

Up to 100 in every clutch.

She must bury them quickly.

They're what the vultures
were waiting for.

Those already buried
are beyond reach,

but turtles still laying
must fend off thieves.

VULTURE HISSES

As things hot up,
Spy Turtle needs backup.

A clutch of hidden cameras.

So far, the vultures
have had little reward.

That's about to change.

There are so many turtles,
every spot has been taken.

Eggs of previous visitors are
batted away like ping-pong balls.

Straight into the mouths
of the vultures.

They finally get their reward.

VULTURES HISS REPEATEDLY

But all is not lost.

Beneath the sand,
enough eggs will survive

to produce the next generation.

As the turtles'
epic undertaking ends,

they return to
the sanctuary of the sea.

Around 50 days will pass before
their eggs are ready to hatch.

As the turtles' eggs
are left to incubate,

Zambia is in the grip of
its dry season.

The vast Luangwa River
is reduced to barely a trickle.

Desperate animals gather,

seeking the only available water
for hundreds of miles.

Everyone is feeling the pressure.

HIPPO SNORTS

Especially the hippos.

THEY SNORT AGGRESSIVELY

The shrinking river has forced
families closer together.

Rivals now live cheek by jowl.

Tensions mount.

What must it be like
inside this pressure cooker?

Spy Croc is about to find out.

It could be a dangerous mission.

Hippos and crocs co-exist
in an uneasy truce.

Enough to allow Spy Croc
into their midst.

The reason lies just beneath
the surface.

Fish are everywhere...

..attracted by the waste
the hippos produce.

With plenty of fish
for crocodiles to eat,

hippos have little to worry about.

But, in the middle of the pod,
where the youngsters are found,

croc attacks
are still a real threat.

This is a job for Spy Hippo.

To succeed, he must give off
all the right signals.

HE SNORTS

This is a high-security area.

Here, the dominant bull
watches over the mothers and young.

But he seems surprisingly amiable.

Even letting Spy Hippo
approach a baby.

Here, the youngsters
can safely play.

For now, it's just a game.

One day, they'll be fighting
for the best spots in the river.

An intruder.

A male looking for females.

The resident bull must defend
his position.

HE SNORTS

It's wise to get out of the way.

But Spy Hippo
is right in the battle zone.

It doesn't get riskier than this.

The rival is
unceremoniously dispatched.

HE GRUNTS

As tempers calm,
the hippos settle down,

doing what they do best.

Sleeping, for up to 16 hours a day.

While for some,
drought is a time of hardship,

carmine bee-eaters
relish this time of year.

The exposed river banks
provide safe nest sites.

Spy Egret is at the heart
of their colony...

..poised to capture
a bird's-eye view.

INCESSANT BIRDSONG

It's the avian equivalent
of an apartment block.

Back in Uganda, Spy Gorilla
is now one of the family.

It's an opportunity to explore
their intelligence.

Fruit Cam is a replica of a local
fruit, and is totally non-toxic.

Being smart means they're fascinated
by anything new.

Their social nature
makes them happy to share.

It's now a game of pass the parcel.

But what about this - Spy Grub?

One of our more outlandish spy cams.

SHE GRUNTS

SHE SNIFFS

Whatever her baby finds
must be checked out.

Impressed?

Not so much.

But the other spies are recording
something truly ground-breaking.

CONTENTED GRUNTING

They've caught our gorillas
singing as they eat.

CONTENTED VOCALISATION

It's a chorus of appreciation.

The first time this phenomenon
has ever been recorded

among wild mountain gorillas.

VOCALISING CONTINUES

They not only sing for their supper,

consuming 20 kilos a day
is bound to have consequences.

IT BREAKS WIND REPEATEDLY

They live in a semi-permanent state
of flatulence.

IT BREAKS WIND

IT BREAKS WIND

IT BREAKS WIND

IT BREAKS WIND

Back in Costa Rica,
two months have passed

since the great turtle arribada.

Only one, lonesome turtle
is still here...

..ready to record the next
great moment in their lives.

The eggs have finally hatched.

To find the sea, the hatchlings
turn to face the brightest horizon.

But there's trouble ahead.

Frigatebirds have travelled far
for this event.

For the hatchlings,
it's a race against the odds.

The frigates are spoilt for choice.

Spy Turtle is still at
the nest site.

There's always one
who's left behind.

She cannot stay here.

She, too, must run the gauntlet.

But the terrain is treacherous.

Ahead, the aerial attack
is relentless.

But the urge to reach the sea
is overwhelming.

Now it's all down to luck.

Another is lost.

This is her new home.

It will be 15 years
before she returns to this beach

to lay eggs of her own.

WAVES CRASH

BIRDSONG

In the tropics of South America,
the rains have arrived,

and the Amazon Rainforest is
undergoing a magical transformation.

The daily deluge causes the mighty
Amazon River to burst its banks

and flood the surrounding forest.

Water levels can rise
as much as 15 metres.

For the animal inhabitants,
life changes completely.

To investigate, spy creatures
are everywhere.

Staked out in the trees,
and in the water below.

They don't have to wait long.

MONKEY CHITTERS

Capuchin monkeys are territorial.

They make their feelings clear.

MONKEY CHITTERS

But they've never seen a monkey
quite like this.

MONKEY CHITTERS

Irritation turns to intrigue.

And curiosity conquers caution.

MONKEY CHITTERS

With the forest floor under water,

the monkeys must forage
in the tree tops.

Conveniently, it's the season
when many trees bear fruit.

A treat not just for monkeys.

Scarlet macaws come from far
and wide to enjoy the harvest.

Spy Macaw is here to greet them.

SQUAWKING

Gorging on fruit helps them
reach prime breeding condition.

SQUAWKING

Everywhere, love is in the air.

Even Spy Sloth seems to
have gained an admirer.

As sloths rarely cross paths,

she'll take the opportunity
when she can.

Her first move is to rub noses.

Followed by a mating call.

HIGH-PITCHED SCREECHING

But, this time,
her calls go unanswered.

Never mind, there are plenty more
eligible sloths in the forest.

Down below, a rather bizarre
spy creature takes over.

A replica of the animal
it has come to film.

Amazon river dolphins.

It's an otherworldly meeting.

As eyes are of little use
in murky water, they've become tiny.

Other senses compensate.

Sensitive hairs on her beak
react to the slightest vibration.

While sensors in her mouth
detect the electric fields of prey.

The greeting is an alien
sensory experience.

Courtesies over,
it's down to business.

The best hunting is found among
the submerged trees.

Fish are drawn to the food
and shelter they provide.

To catch them,
the dolphins hunt together.

One flushes the fish from hiding,

the other...reaps the reward.

It's a technique that rarely fails.

A fish supper served up
among the trees

that are usually high and dry.

BIRDSONG

In Australia's tropical north,
as the cool season arrives,

the continent's greatest gathering
of mammals occurs.

CHIRPING

100,000 of them in all.

They are little red flying foxes.

Mothers gather together in
huge nurseries among the eucalyptus.

Today, a new bat has joined them.

A way of taking a closer look
at life inside their world.

But, first, Spy Bat
must earn their trust.

She has been anointed
with smells from the colony.

She can also mimic
their friendship calls.

CHIRPING

Having passed inspection,
she fits right in.

Capturing the most intimate views
of a maternity roost ever seen.

Mothers and their babies
are never parted.

Even when they fly,
there's a baby onboard.

CHIRPING

They're caring and attentive,

washing their pups
to keep them clean and fresh.

She won't miss an inch.

CHIRPING

At several weeks old,
the youngsters never stay still.

Making bath time a challenge.

The mothers raise their young
in wintertime,

in what should be
the coolest months.

But, today, they must flap
their wings just to keep cool.

INCESSANT CHIRPING

Even Spy Bat joins in.

As the climate changes, winters
are becoming hotter than ever.

Heatstroke is now a common threat.

Only the cool of evening
brings some relief.

As they leave,
Spy Bat quietly follows.

Its wings are designed
to dampen the sound of its motors.

It also has a lowlight camera,
able to film at dusk.

After the extreme heat of the day,

the river is a place to cool down
and rehydrate.

They have a novel technique.

They belly-flop.

Plunge-diving traps water
in their fur.

Convenient for
in-flight refreshment.

But all this splashing
attracts attention.

Freshwater crocodiles are moving in.

All they have to do is wait.

For the crocs,
it's a matter of timing.

For the bats, it's a matter of luck.

There's always one
whose luck runs out.

Refreshed, the survivors
head off to find nectar.

As they feed,
they pollinate millions of trees.

In this way, Australia's
great eucalyptus forest

depends on flying foxes
for its survival.

As the year moves on, the dry season

comes to Borneo's
mysterious forests.

The creatures of the forest
now congregate

around the life-giving rivers.

Most are found nowhere else
on Earth.

Proboscis monkeys,
the most aquatic monkey of all.

GRUNTING

They live alongside
another denizen of the forest.

But this one is a spy.

He's here to meet
whoever visits the river.

The group is led by a dominant male,

easily distinguished by his massive
nose, used to amplify his calls.

NASAL GRUNTING

So the button-nosed youngsters
have some way to go.

The rest of his troop is made up
of mothers and their offspring...

SCREECHING

..including young males
spoiling for a fight.

SCREECHING

But there's only one
who's really in charge.

NASAL GRUNTING

Real orangutans are also drawn
to the plants

that thrive near the river.

Any new orangutan
always creates a stir.

Best check out this one from afar.

Now for a closer look.

Perhaps wisest left alone.

There's yet one more
unique animal to meet.

SNORTING

BIRDSONG

The elusive pygmy elephant.

The smallest elephant in the world.

CURIOUS SNORTING

CURIOUS SNORTING

These surprisingly gentle creatures
are rarely seen.

But, in the dry season,
they visit the river more often.

Here, another spy awaits.

GENTLE GROWLING

SQUAWKING

At this time of year, the river
is their main source of water.

GENTLE GROWLING

It's where they drink and bathe.

Today, they won't be bathing alone.

Assuming they let Spy Elephant
join them.

TRUMPETING

They are notoriously shy,
so it's a sensitive moment.

But he's soon closer
than ever thought possible.

TRUMPETING

It's mission accomplished.

But who can resist
meeting a baby elephant?

The reception could hardly be
more positive.

A magical close encounter

with one of Borneo's
rarest inhabitants.

Then, as quickly as he came...

TRUMPETING

..he's gone.

But not quite.

SQUAWKING

There's a downside of being
in the heart of the action.

SQUAWKING

Like all good spy creatures,
he carries on filming.

TRUMPETING

But he's certainly seen better days.

BIRDSONG

As the tropical year
turns full circle,

the Peruvian coast is the venue
for another astonishing spectacle.

Two million Guanay cormorants
nest here,

attracted by the fertile Humboldt
Current that passes just offshore.

It also sustains
an extraordinary tropical penguin -

the Humboldt.

The chicks' fathers
have yet to return from fishing.

HONKING

They are starving.

But the waiting will soon be over.

Spy Penguin prepares to meet
the returning males.

They've been catching fish for days
to feed their chicks,

but the hardest part of the journey
still lies ahead.

First, a few formalities.

Now, they face a trek
of over a mile.

But there's a problem.

Sea lions, and not just a few.

There are 50,000 in all.

Or is it 50,001?

A spy, with cameras in both eyes.

THEY SNORT

It can even move to capture
the best angle.

To feed their hungry chicks,

the penguins must take on
the sea lions.

It's so easy to put a foot wrong.

GRUNTING

Somehow, they make it through.

But their problems
are far from over.

The Atacama Desert
hugs the coastline.

To reach their chicks,
they can't avoid it.

Spy Penguin keeps them company

as they tackle the driest
tropical desert in the world.

They must pace themselves,
or risk overheating.

Finally, their destination
is in sight.

But, now, another problem.

The two-million nesting cormorants.

Their take-off zone lies right
in the path of the penguin colony.

The returning penguins are trapped.

Reaching their chicks
is now impossible.

The mothers protect them
any way they can.

THEY GROWL

And still they come.

The great exodus takes two hours.

WAVES CRASH

As calm returns, the valiant
penguins finally make it back.

Their chicks are fed at last.

It's also time
to put our spy creatures to rest.

In Uganda, the great silverback
is making his bed for the night.

A moment to relax
with family and friends.

For mothers,
that's easier said than done.

GRUNTING

But, eventually, sleep comes to all.

Even our spy
can finally stop filming.

HE BREAKS WIND

Next time - we travel to the lands
north of the Tropics,

where life is governed by
the changing seasons.