All language subtitles for Wonders of Mexico Series 1 1of3 Forests of the Maya 1080p

ANTHONY MENDEZ: MEXICO.

IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST,

THE YUCATAN PENINSULA,

A LAND ONCE RULED BY
MIGHTY MAYA KINGDOMS...

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

SWATHED IN A GREAT FOREST

FULL OF NATURAL WONDERS.

[MONKEY HOWLS]

[ALLIGATOR GROWLS]

[THUNDER]

JOURNEY THROUGH THE SEASONS...

AND DISCOVER A HIDDEN
UNDERWORLD...

A VAST FLOODED LABYRINTH

THAT FEW HAVE EVER SEEN.

THESE SECRET RIVERS
SHAPE THE LIVES OF
ALL THAT LIVE HERE.

MEXICO, OUR NEIGHBOR
TO THE SOUTH,

IS A COUNTRY RICH IN CULTURE,

ABLAZE WITH COLOR,

A FESTIVAL OF LIFE.

IN MEXICO'S FAR SOUTH,

THERE'S A FOREST
FULL OF SECRETS.

IT'S MARCH, THE PEAK
OF THE DRY SEASON.

THIS POOL IS
FAST DISAPPEARING,

AND IT DRAWS ALL THE ANIMALS
FROM THE FOREST...

EVEN THE ELUSIVE JAGUAR.

FOR A YOUNG MORELET'S
CROCODILE,

THE POOL IS ALSO
A HUNTING GROUND.

THERE'S PLENTY
OF POTENTIAL PREY.

TROUBLE IS, MOST
ARE FAR TOO BIG.

HE'S ONLY 3-FEET LONG.

FINALLY, A REALISTIC TARGET.

[BIRDS COOING]

EVEN AT HIS SIZE,

SNEAKING UP IN SUCH
SHALLOW WATER ISN'T EASY.

PERHAPS AN AMBUSH WILL WORK.

ALMOST.

[BIRDS COOING]

SUCCESS AT LAST.

BUT HE'S NOT THE ONLY
CROCODILE IN THIS POOL.

HIS TASTE OF VICTORY
IS SHORT LIVED.

THE REASON WATER
IS SO SCARCE HERE

IS BECAUSE OF THE YUCATAN'S
UNIQUE GEOLOGY.

THE ENTIRE PENINSULA
IS AN ENORMOUS SLAB
OF LIMESTONE.

LIMESTONE IS
INCREDIBLY POROUS.

ANY SURFACE WATER
SWIFTLY DRAINS AWAY UNDERGROUND.

AND BECAUSE OF THIS,

THE YUCATAN HAS
NO MAJOR RIVERS.

DESPITE THE FOREST'S
LUSH APPEARANCE,

VIRTUALLY NO RAIN FALLS
FOR 7 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

BY APRIL, MUCH OF
THE FOREST IS BARREN.

FOR A MOTHER SPIDER MONKEY,

THIS LONG, DRY SEASON
CAN BE CHALLENGING.

SHE NEEDS TO PRODUCE
ENOUGH MILK TO FEED
HER BABY,

AND THAT REQUIRES FINDING
PLENTY OF FRESH FRUIT.

SOMETIMES THAT MEANS TRAVELING
OVER TWO MILES EACH DAY.

BUT WITH LONG,
SLENDER FINGERS

AND NO THUMBS TO
GET IN THE WAY,

THIS IS CHILD'S PLAY
FOR AN ANIMAL

DESIGNED FOR LIFE
IN THE TREETOPS.

SHE'S TAKING HER YOUNGSTER
TO A SPECIAL PLACE

WHERE SHE KNOWS THERE'S
FRUIT ALL YEAR ROUND...

THE ANCIENT OF CITY
OF CALAKMUL,

ONCE ONE OF THE MOST
POWERFUL IN THE MAYA
CIVILIZATION.

IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY,

THIS CITY WAS HOME
TO 50,000 PEOPLE.

THE PEOPLE OF CALAKMUL
CULTIVATED TREES

THAT WOULD FRUIT
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

CENTURIES LATER,

THESE ANCIENT GARDENS
LIVE ON.

[MONKEYS CHATTERING]

THERE'S MORE FRUIT HERE
THAN ANYWHERE ELSE

IN THE FOREST,

EVEN AT THE HEIGHT
OF THE DRY SEASON.

OVER COUNTLESS GENERATIONS,

THE MONKEYS HAVE PASSED
THIS KNOWLEDGE DOWN

TO THEIR YOUNGSTERS.

[MONKEYS VOCALIZING]

AT ITS PEAK
IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY,

THE MAYA CIVILIZATION GREW

TO ALMOST 13 MILLION PEOPLE.

THERE'S WAS A HIGHLY
SOPHISTICATED CULTURE,

ADVANCED IN MATHEMATICS,

LANGUAGE, AND ASTRONOMY.

THE HUGE LIMESTONE TEMPLES
BUILT TO WORSHIP THE GODS

ARE A LASTING TESTAMENT
TO GREAT FEATS OF ENGINEERING.

ALMOST EVERY OTHER ANCIENT
CIVILIZATION IN HISTORY

HAS BEEN BUILT BESIDE
A MAJOR RIVER.

SO HOW DID THE MAYA
MANAGE WITHOUT ONE?

THERE ARE ALMOST 1 1/2 MILLION
DIRECT DESCENDANTS

OF THE ANCIENT MAYA
LIVING IN MEXICO TODAY.

DON ROQUE AND HIS WIFE
DONA SU

LIVE ON AN ISOLATED FARM
IN THE HEART OF
THE YUCATAN'S FOREST.

[SHEEP BLEATS]

MENDEZ: THIS FARM HAS BEEN
IN DON ROQUE'S FAMILY

FOR GENERATIONS.

WITH HIS CHILDREN GROWN UP

AND LIVING IN
A VILLAGE NEAR BY,

NOWADAYS IT'S JUST HIM
AND DONA SU.

LIKE MANY MODERN DAY MAYA,

THEY LIVE OFF THE LAND
IN A WAY LITTLE CHANGED

SINCE THE TIME OF
THEIR ANCESTORS.

THEY'VE CLEARED A SMALL
PLOT IN THE FOREST

TO RAISE LIVESTOCK
AND GROW THEIR OWN FOOD.

BUT THERE'S MORE TO THEIR FARM
THAN MEETS THE EYE.

A HUGE NATURAL WELL,
KNOWN IN THE YUCATAN
AS A CENOTE.

A CENOTE IS
A COLLAPSED CAVE.

THOUSANDS OF YEARS
OF RAINWATER

HAS ERODED AREAS
OF SOFT LIMESTONE.

EVENTUALLY,
THE SURFACE WEAKENED

AND CAVED IN.

THIS CENOTE PROVIDES
DON ROQUE WITH WATER

ALL YEAR ROUND.

AND IT IS FAR FROM UNIQUE.

IT'S ONE OF SEVERAL
THOUSAND CENOTES

SCATTERED ACROSS
THE PENINSULA.

"CENOTE" COMES FROM
THE MAYA WORD "TS'ONOT,"

MEANING HOLE WITH WATER.

IT WAS THESE
MYSTERIOUS POOLS

THAT ALLOWED THE MAYA
CIVILIZATION

TO FLOURISH WITHOUT
A MAJOR RIVER,

AND THE GREATEST
ANCIENT CITIES

WERE FOUNDED BESIDE THEM.

EACH CENOTE IS AN OASIS,

SUSTAINING LIFE THAT
OTHERWISE COULDN'T EXIST HERE.

THE SURROUNDING FOREST
REMAINS LUSH,

EVEN AT THE HEIGHT
OF THE DRY SEASON.

FILTERED THROUGH
THE LIMESTONE,

THE WATER IS FULL OF MINERALS
AND SUPPORTS A UNIQUE COMMUNITY

OF PLANETS AND ANIMALS.

SOME OF THE FISH IN
THE YUCATAN CENOTES

ARE FOUND NOWHERE
ELSE ON EARTH.

WITHIN THE DENSE FOREST,

A CENOTE CAN REMAIN HIDDEN
EVEN WHEN CLOSE BY.

[ANIMAL SCREECHES]

BUT THE MAYA HAVE
AN ALMOST SURE-FIRE WAY

OF FINDING THEM...

[ANIMAL SCREECHES]

THE DISTINCTIVE CALL OF THE
TURQUOISE-BROWED MOTMOT.

[BIRD CALLS]

VIRTUALLY EVERY CENOTE
HAS ITS OWN COLONY.

ELSEWHERE, MOTMOTS
PREFER TO NEST ALONE,

DIGGING THEIR BURROWS
ALONG RIVERBANKS.

[BIRD CALLS]

HERE IN THE YUCATAN,
THEY'RE FORCED TOGETHER,

SHARING LIMITED SPACE
ON THE CENOTE'S SOFT
LIMESTONE WALLS.

BEFORE A MALE CAN START
LOOKING FOR A MATE,

HE NEEDS TO SECURE
A NEST SITE,

BUT THIS CENOTE'S
ALREADY CROWDED.

17 OTHER PAIRS
ARE NESTING HERE.

[BIRD CALLS]

IF HE'S TO FIT IN,

THIS NEW ARRIVAL MUST USE
THE RIGHT BODY LANGUAGE.

[CALLING]

[CALLING]

A RAISED TURQUOISE BROW

IS INTENDED TO
INTIMIDATE RIVALS.

[CALLING]

[CALLING]

THE PENDULOUS TICK-TOCK
OF THEIR TAILS

HAS EARNED MOTMOTS
THE NICKNAME CLOCK BIRDS.

THIS MALE MUST PERSEVERE
IF HE WANTS TO BREED THIS YEAR.

[CALLING]

AT LAST, HE CLAIMS HIS OWN
LITTLE LEDGE OF LIMESTONE.

WITH THE GIFT OF FOOD,

HE CAN GET DOWN
TO THE BUSINESS

OF ATTRACTING A MATE.

THERE ARE MANY CENOTES
IN THE YUCATAN,

MOST CREATED BY
WATER EROSION,

BUT SOME WERE FORGED
BY A SINGLE EVENT

THAT LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION
ON THE WHOLE PENINSULA

AND CHANGED THE HISTORY
OF LIFE ON EARTH.

AROUND 65 MILLION YEARS AGO,

A HUGE METEORITE COLLIDED

WITH WHAT IS NOW
THE YUCATAN'S NORTH COAST.

ITS IMPACT ON
THE GLOBAL CLIMATE
WAS CATASTROPHIC.

AND IT'S BELIEVED TO HAVE
WIPED OUT THE DINOSAURS.

IN AN INSTANT,
THE METEOR FRACTURED
THE LIMESTONE PLATFORM,

CREATING WHAT'S KNOWN
AS THE RING OF CENOTES.

SATELLITES HAVE REVEALED
OVER 200 CLUSTERED
AROUND ITS CRATER.

SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY
IS ALSO HELPING MODERN-DAY
EXPLORERS TO THE YUCATAN,

AND NEW CENOTES ARE STILL
BEING DISCOVERED TODAY.

IT SHOULD BE ABOUT
50 METERS THAT WAY.

YOU SEE ANYTHING?

MENDEZ: SAM MEACHUM
AND FRED DEVOS

ARE PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY OF CAVE DIVERS

THAT HAS BEEN EXPLORING
THE YUCATAN SINCE THE 1980S.

MAN: I STARTED OUT
FOR THE THRILL OF

BEING ABLE TO
EXPLORE SOMETHING.

AND FROM A YOUNG AGE,
I JUST WAS VIEWED

WITH THE DESIRE TO
GO OUT AND EXPLORE
THIS WORLD.

MENDEZ: WITH INFORMATION
FROM SATELLITES LOADED
ONTO HIS GPS,

SAM HAS IDENTIFIED
AN AREA OF FOREST

WHERE THE VEGETATION
CONTAINS MORE MOISTURE.

THIS MEANS IT'S LIKELY
THERE'S A CENOTE THERE,

EVEN IF THERE'S NO WATER
VISIBLE FROM ABOVE.

UH-HUH.

WOW, LOOK AT
THIS, SAM.

SAM: WOW.

SAM: THIS IS DEFINITELY
MY FAVORITE BIT.

THE MOMENT OF
DISCOVERY, RIGHT?

YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.

MENDEZ: EACH NEW CENOTE
ADDS MORE INFORMATION

TO THE ON-GOING STUDY.

IN THE LAST 30 YEARS,

EXPLORERS IN THE YUCATAN

HAVE REVEALED SOMETHING
EXTRAORDINARY.

THE CENOTES ARE NOT
ISOLATED WELLS.

ALL ARE CONNECTED BY
AN INTRICATE NETWORK OF CAVES

AND PASSAGEWAYS SPREADING
LIKE A SPIDER'S WEB

ACROSS THE PENINSULA.

DIVERS HAVE DISCOVERED
OVER 350 CAVES

AND NEARLY A THOUSAND
MILES OF FLOODED TUNNELS,

INCLUDING THE TWO LONGEST
UNDERWATER CAVE SYSTEMS
ON THE PLANET.

MANY OF THESE CAVERNS

HAVE SEEN FEWER VISITORS
THAN THE MOON,

BUT THE GREAT MAJORITY
REMAIN UNCHARTED.

FOR THE ANCIENT MAYA,

THE LABYRINTH OF CAVES
WAS MOSTLY OUT OF REACH,

BUT NOT BEYOND IMAGINATION.

THIS SECRET UNDERWORLD
WAS HELD SACRED,

HOME TO THE 12 GODS
OF XIBALBA.

IT WAS A PLACE BOTH
FEARED AND REVERED.

BUT THE MAYA RECOGNIZED
A LINK TO THIS UNKNOWN WORLD--

TREES.

THEIR ROOTS CAN PUSH
THROUGH FISSURES

AND FRACTURES IN
THE LIMESTONE.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

BY DRAWING THE WATER
FROM BELOW,

THE TREES HELP LIFE
ABOVE GROUND TO FLOURISH.

NO TREE IS BETTER EQUIPPED TO
DO THIS THAN THE STRANGLER FIG.

ITS ROOTS CAN GROW
100 FEET LONG.

DON ROQUE USES
THE FIG'S ROOTS TO ENTER
THE UNDERWORLD,

NAVIGATING HIS WAY DOWN STEPS
CARVED BY HIS GRANDFATHER

OVER HALF A CENTURY AGO.

MENDEZ: AT THE BOTTOM
OF THE CENOTE,

DON ROQUE HAS
A SECRET GARDEN.

HERE, HE CULTIVATES A PLANT
THAT WOULDN'T SURVIVE

ELSEWHERE ON THIS FARM--

COFFEE.

UP ABOVE, IT'S TOO HOT
AND DRY FOR COFFEE TO GROW.

DOWN HERE, IT'S TWO DEGREES
COOLER AND A LOT MORE HUMID.

DON ROQUE'S CENOTE IS
ALSO A HAVEN FOR INSECTS,

FOOD FOR A COLONY OF
RESIDENT CAVE SWALLOWS.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

BY MAY, THE SWALLOWS ARE
INTENT ON ONE THING--

BREEDING.

THE CENOTE PROVIDES
EVERYTHING THEY NEED.

DOWN HERE, THEY HAVE A READY
SUPPLY OF SOFT MUD,

WHICH THEY USE TO CRAFT
THEIR NESTS...

TOGETHER WITH FIBERS PLUCKED
FROM THE HANGING FIG ROOTS.

IF ALL GOES WELL, IN AROUND
A MONTH'S TIME,

THEY'LL EACH HAVE A NEW BROOD
OF UP TO 5 CHICKS.

DON ROQUE'S CENOTE HAS
ITS OWN COMMUNITY OF LIFE

THANKS TO THE CONSTANT
PRESENCE OF WATER.

BUT THE REST OF HIS FARM
REQUIRES SOMETHING MORE.

HE PLANTS HIS LAND
WITH A MIXTURE OF CORN,
BEANS, AND SQUASH.

BUT HE CAN'T DRAW ENOUGH WATER
FROM HIS CENOTE

TO IRRIGATE AN ENTIRE FIELD.

FOR HIS CROPS TO GROW,
DON ROQUE NEEDS IT TO RAIN.

BY LATE MAY, CHANGE IS
IN THE AIR.

THE YUCATAN RELIES
ON WEATHER SYSTEMS

THAT DEVELOP THOUSANDS
OF MILES AWAY.

GATHERING MORE AND MORE WATER
AS THEY CROSS THE ATLANTIC,

THEY DELIVER
THE SEASONAL RAINS.

THE ANCIENT MAYA
BELIEVED THE RAIN WAS
A GIFT FROM THE GODS.

FOR DON ROQUE, THE OLD GODS
ARE VERY MUCH ALIVE.

[THUNDER]

THE MOST IMPORTANT
OF ALL IS CHAAC,

THE LIFE-GIVING
GOD OF RAIN.

[THUNDER]

[THUNDER]

IT IS CHAAC WHO DETERMINES
EACH THUNDERCLOUD,

FINALLY LETTING THE RAIN FALL.

1,200 YEARS AGO,
THE MAYA CIVILIZATION

SUFFERED A DRAMATIC DECLINE.

CHAAC WITHHELD
THE SEASONAL RAINS.

THE YUCATAN WAS GRIPPED
BY A SERIES OF
DEVASTATING DROUGHTS.

OVER 80% OF THE
POPULATION VANISHED.

ONE BY ONE, THE BUSTLING
CITIES WERE ABANDONED

AND RECLAIMED BY THE FOREST.

[MONKEYS HOWLING]

THIS YEAR THE GODS
HAVE BEEN KIND.

BY JULY, IT'S RAINING
ALMOST EVERY DAY.

[MONKEYS HOWLING]

THIS BRINGS NEW GROWTH
TO THE FOREST.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE YUCATAN'S
NOISIEST RESIDENTS...

[HOWL]

[MONKEYS HOWLING]

HOWLER MONKEYS.

THEIR CALLS CARRY
FOR OVER A MILE.

[MONKEYS HOWLING]

THEY HOWL TO LET NEIGHBORING
GROUPS KNOW THEIR WHEREABOUTS.

THIS PATCH OF THE FOREST
IS WORTH PROTECTING.

THE TROOP HAS FOUND A TREE
WITH YOUNG, SUCCULENT LEAVES--

A PARTICULAR FAVORITE.

A FULLY GROWN
HOWLER MONKEY

CAN EAT OVER TWO POUNDS
IN ONE SITTING.

BUT A DIET OF LEAVES
TAKES TIME TO DIGEST...

SO HOWLER MONKEYS SPEND UP TO
80% OF THEIR TIME RESTING,

MAKING THEM AMONGST THE MOST
PEACEFUL OF ALL MONKEYS

DESPITE THEIR FEARSOME CALLS.

BABY HOWLERS FEED
ON THEIR MOTHER'S MILK

UNTIL THEY'RE ALMOST
A YEAR OLD.

THIS IS MUCH EASIER
TO DIGEST,

LEAVING LOTS OF TIME TO PLAY.

WITH HIS MOTHER TRYING
TO SLEEP OFF HER LUNCH,

NAPTIME CAN BE A BIT
DULL FOR A BABY.

[THUNDER]

ALL LIFE IN THE YUCATAN
BENEFITS FROM THE RAIN.

TREES BURST INTO FRUIT.

NEW PLANT GROWTH

PROVIDES FOOD FOR
AN EXPLOSION OF INSECT LIFE.

THERE ARE OVER 3,000
DIFFERENT SPECIES OF INSECT
ON THE PENINSULA.

THE INSECTS BECOME
FOOD FOR OTHERS.

ALMOST ALL THE BIRDS
IN THE FOREST SCHEDULE
THEIR NESTING

TO COINCIDE
WITH THIS SEASONAL BOUNTY.

THE REGULAR RAIN IS ALSO
GOOD NEWS FOR DON ROQUE.

IN JUST 6 WEEKS,
HIS CORN HAS SHOT UP.

MENDEZ: BUT THE EXPLOSION
OF PLANT-EATING INSECTS

COULD CAUSE
DON ROQUE PROBLEMS.

FOR HIS CROPS TO THRIVE,

HE NEEDS THE HELP
OF A NATURAL ALLY.

IN THE HEART OF THE YUCATAN,

THERE'S A CAVE THE LOCALS CALL
EL VOLCAN DE LOS MURCIELAGOS--

THE BAT VOLCANO.

EVERY DAY,
AN HOUR BEFORE DUSK,

IT ERUPTS.

[BATS SQUEAKING]

AS MANY AS 3 MILLION BATS
EXIT THE CAVE EACH EVENING.

THE ANCIENT MAYA ASSOCIATED
BATS WITH DEATH.

THIS WAS A SWARM STRAIGHT
FROM THE UNDERWORLD.

BUT BATS ARE VITAL
TO LIFE IN THE YUCATAN,

KEEPING ITS INSECT
POPULATION IN CHECK.

EACH CAN EAT ITS OWN BODY
WEIGHT IN INSECTS EACH NIGHT.

WHILE THE BATS ARE
FOCUSED ON THE INSECTS,

OTHERS ARE WATCHING THEM.

GREY HAWKS...

AND BAT FALCONS.

THESE BIRDS ARE SKILLED
AERIAL PREDATORS.

THEIR SHARP TALONS
ARE PERFECTLY DESIGNED

TO SNATCH BATS FROM THE AIR.

[BATS SQUEAKING]

THERE ARE OTHER MORE
SURPRISING HUNTERS

THAT THRIVE IN THESE
LOWLAND FORESTS.

BROWN JAYS.

THEY USUALLY EAT
INSECTS AND FRUITS,

BUT THESE BROWN JAYS HAVE
DEVELOPED A TASTE FOR BATS.

THE JAYS DON'T USE TALONS
TO CATCH THEIR PREY.

THEY USE THEIR BEAKS.

THE LOSS OF JUST
A FEW BATS EACH EVENING

HARDLY MAKES A DENT
ON THIS 3 MILLION STRONG SWARM.

TONIGHT, THESE BATS WILL CONSUME
AROUND 30 TONS OF INSECTS,

A VITAL SERVICE THAT KEEPS
THE ENTIRE FOREST HEALTHY.

[THUNDER]

[SHEEP BLEATS]

IT'S LATE SEPTEMBER,

AND IT HAS RAINED VIRTUALLY
EVERY DAY FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS.

DON ROQUE'S CORN IS NOW
RIPE AND READY FOR PICKING.

MENDEZ: IN A TRADITION
DATING BACK

TO THE TIME OF
THE ANCIENT MAYA,

THE FIRST CORN OF THE HARVEST
SERVES A SPECIAL PURPOSE.

DONA SU CRUSHES IT TO MAKE
A SACRED DRINK CALLED ATOLE.

THIS IS OFFERED TO THE GODS
IN A CEREMONY OF THANKSGIVING.

[SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE]

MENDEZ:
FROM JUNE TO NOVEMBER,

THE YUCATAN RECEIVES
OVER TWO FEET OF RAIN.

ACROSS THE PENINSULA, THAT'S
OVER 36 TRILLION GALLONS.

THE CENOTES ARE REFILLED.

BUT MOST OF THIS WATER SEEPS
THROUGH THE LIMESTONE

INTO THE UNDERWORLD.

ALL WHO LIVE IN
THE YUCATAN

RELY ON THIS UNIQUE
WATER RESOURCE TO SURVIVE.

AND IN THE LAST 50 YEARS,

THE PENINSULA'S HUMAN POPULATION
HAS SKYROCKETED,

ESPECIALLY ALONG
THE CARIBBEAN COAST.

THIS 100-MILE STRETCH
OF THE YUCATAN

IS ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING
TOURIST DESTINATIONS

IN THE WORLD.

IT'S CREATING NEW JOBS,

AN IMPORTANT SOURCE
OF INCOME FOR
THE WHOLE OF MEXICO.

BUT SUCH RAPID DEVELOPMENT

STANDS ON FRAGILE
FOUNDATIONS.

THE GROWING POPULATION
IS PUTTING PRESSURE

ON THE PENINSULA'S
FRESHWATER SYSTEM.

SO THE IDEA IS
WE'VE GOT A...
[INDISTINCT]

SHOULD BE PRETTY OBVIOUS
WHEN WE GET CLOSE TO IT.

MENDEZ: THE GREAT MAJORITY
OF THE YUCATAN'S UNDERWORLD

REMAINS UNCHARTED.

SAM: THIS IS EXPLORATION
WITH REAL PURPOSE.

IT IS REALLY CRITICAL
IN HELPING
OUR UNDERSTANDING

OF THE SUPPLY
OF FRESH WATER

FOR THIS ENTIRE REGION.

MENDEZ: BY REVEALING
THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE
WATER UNDERGROUND,

CAVE DIVERS LIKE SAM
HOPE TO HELP PROTECT

THIS FRAGILE ECOSYSTEM.

MAPPING THE UNDERWORLD
IS A PAINSTAKING PROCESS...

WITH EVERY MEASUREMENT
TAKEN BY HAND.

BUT BY DOING ALL
THIS CAREFUL WORK,

THE CAVE DIVERS HAVE REVEALED
SOMETHING REMARKABLE.

THE WATER IN THESE CAVES

IS NOT SIMPLY LOCKED
WITHIN THE LIMESTONE,

IT FLOWS.

THESE ARE THE YUCATAN'S
MISSING RIVERS.

LIKE ANY RIVER,
THE WATER UNDERGROUND

IS COMPELLED TOWARDS
THE COAST.

HERE, THE FRESH WATER
MEETS SALT WATER BROUGHT
BY THE INCOMING TIDE.

THIS BORDER IS CALLED
THE HALOCLINE.

CONTAINING MORE
DISSOLVED PARTICLES,

THE SALT WATER IS HEAVIER AND
LIES BELOW THE FRESH WATER,

GIVING THE ILLUSION
OF A SURFACE.

BUT AFTER MONTHS
OF HEAVY RAIN,

THE FLOW OF
FRESH WATER PREVAILS.

AT THE COAST, IT LEAVES
THE UNDERWORLD BEHIND.

MANGROVES FORESTS FLOURISH
IN THE MIXTURE OF SALT
AND FRESH WATER.

THEIR ROOTS PROVIDE IDEAL
NURSERIES FOR SCHOOLS OF FISH.

AND GENTLE GIANTS ARE DRAWN
TO THE YUCATAN'S SHORES.

MANATEES COME TO DRINK FROM
THE OUTPOURING OF FRESH WATER.

AS THE FRESH WATER FLOWS
THROUGH THE MANGROVES,

THE TREES RELEASE TANNINS,
STAINING IT BROWN.

EVENTUALLY THE FRESH WATER
REACHES ITS FINAL DESTINATION.

IT POURS OUT INTO THE GULF OF
MEXICO IN HUGE VOLUMES.

VAST COASTAL LAGOONS,
REPLENISHED BY FRESH WATER,

MAKE THE IDEAL HOME

FOR A COLONY OF THE YUCATAN'S
MOST COLORFUL RESIDENTS...

[FLAMINGOS SQUAWKING]

CARIBBEAN FLAMINGOS.

IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR
FOR THIS COLONY,

WITH NEARLY 15,000
NEW ADDITIONS.

FINDING YOUR CHICK IN SUCH
A BIG CROWD ISN'T EASY.

[FLAMINGOS SQUAWK]

BUT FLAMINGOS HAVE
INCREDIBLY GOOD HEARING

AND HER YOUNGSTER
HAS A UNIQUE CALL.

JUST 6 WEEKS AGO,

THE CHICK WAS NOT MUCH BIGGER
THAN HIS MOTHER'S BEAK.

THESE NUTRIENT-RICH LAGOONS
ARE FULL OF BRINE SHRIMP.

IT'S THE BETA-CAROTENE IN
THESE TINY CRUSTACEANS

THAT GIVES THE FLAMINGOS
THEIR DISTINCTIVE COLOR.

BUT IT WILL BE ANOTHER
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE CHICKS
START TO TURN PINK.

HERE ON THE COAST,
AS ELSEWHERE ON THE PENINSULA,

ALL LIFE OWES ITS SURVIVAL

TO THE YUCATAN'S
UNDERGROUND WATER WORLD.

WITHOUT ITS GREAT
HIDDEN RIVERS,

THIS WOULD BE A HOT, DRY,
AND HOSTILE PLACE.

BORN OF A UNIQUE HISTORY,

THE UNDERWORLD HIDDEN
BENEATH THIS VAST FOREST

GAVE RISE TO THE ANCIENT
MAYA CIVILIZATION,

AND IT REMAINS THE LIFEBLOOD
OF THE YUCATAN.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.

VO: On Wonders of Mexico.