All language subtitles for SDF

Colombia,
a country of legends

and breathtaking beauty.

For centuries, Spanish
conquerors came here

to search for El Dorado,
the mythical city of gold.

However, Colombia'’s
true treasures

are the rainforests
along the Amazon,

the vast plains in the east,

the majestic
mountains of the Andes

and the wild coasts
of the Pacific Ocean.

Colombia'’s natural riches,

both above and below sea level,

remained a well-kept
secret for decades,

fights between the army,

militias and guerrilleros

transformed the country
into a warzone.

Now, safety and stability

have returned to
much of the country,

and Colombia'’s
breathtaking nature

has emerged from behind
the dark clouds of war.

Indigenous people that have
inhabited the rainforests

for thousands of years
are finally free to move.

And one can travel
to remote corners

far from roads and settlements,

and to areas inhabited
by majestic beasts.

A few lawless,
dangerous places remain,

but it is now possible to
look beyond war and strife

and explore a Colombia,
Wild and Free.

East of the Andes,
Colombia is defined

by two mighty rivers, the
Amazon and the Orinoco.

To the southeast

lies the catchment
area of the Amazon.

In the northeast, the
waters of the vast plains

flow into the Orinoco,

which forms a natural
border to Venezuela.

In Colombia alone,
the two rivers

cover an area of
216,000 square miles.

At a length of more
than 1200 miles,

the Orinoco is one of the
world'’s mightiest rivers.

Only the Amazon and
the Congo rivers

carry more water.

Amazon river dolphins

emerge from tributaries
to hunt here.

The Orinoco also attracts
birds of prey

and cormorants.

But the apparent
tranquility is deceptive.

The Orinoco wetlands lie on
the border between Colombia

and Venezuela, a dangerous
area of rebel activity

and cross-border conflict.

West of the river,

away from the
occasional fighting,

vast grasslands
intersected by rivers

and floodplain forests
stretch to the horizon.

In Colombia, this
region is known

as Los Llanos, The Plains.

Life and death in Los Llanos

is a serious business,

but the burrowing owl

provides a little light relief.

The owl'’s long legs are
particularly suitable

for all kinds of fun and games,

particularly if young
owlets are involved.

These owls live in burrows,

about three feet
below the surface.

Several breeding
pairs may join forces

and establish loose colonies

of twenty birds or more.

The burrowing owls
will often lay claim

to the abandoned homes
of rabbits and armadillos.

All the owls have to do is
keep the entrance tidy,

and engage in a little
interior decorating.

Life in Los Llanos is determined

by the forces of the
rainy and dry seasons.

Ponds, lakes and rivers
attract geese, ducks,

storks and ibises, as
well as migratory birds

from all over the world.

At the peak of the dry season,

the birds congregate around

the few remaining
pools of water.

From black-bellied
whistling ducks

to scarlet ibises,

birds come here to feast
on the inexhaustible supply

of insects, crabs and fish.

Wood storks and jabiru storks,

with their distinctive neck
pouches, are common here.

The jabiru

can grow to heights
of more than four feet,

and is among the
largest flying birds

on the Americas.

Bright spots of red

shine out in the
brown surroundings,

the scarlet ibis and
the roseate spoonbill.

The roseate spoonbill
almost became extinct

in the 19th century,
as its feathers

were in high demand
for women'’s hats.

The black skimmer is
one of the most elegant

fish-hunters in the plains.

During the dry season, the
fish are trapped in ponds,

easy prey for hungry birds.

There is no escape for the fish,

so there is no hurry
for the predators.

The spectacled caiman
can grow to lengths

of up to eight feet
and is a feared hunter.

The caiman would appear
to be drifting aimlessly,

but the geese are not
so easily deceived.

Caimans are able to adapt
to a range of habitats

and are common
throughout Los Llanos,

unlike the larger,

endangered Orinoco crocodile.

Just 250 of these animals

remain in Colombia
and Venezuela.

As well as birds and reptiles,

the wetlands are home

to very distinctive
mammals, capybaras.

Fully-grown capybaras
can reach heights

of almost two feet

and weight up to 150 pounds.

Capybaras are
semiaquatic mammals.

Their eyes, ears
and nose are located

on the upper side of the head.

At rest, only these
important organs

can be seen poking
out of the water.

Like their far smaller
relatives the guinea pigs,

capybaras live in
small social groups.

During the dry
season on the plains,

up to 100 capybaras congregate

around the few available
watering holes.

In the extinct
Old Tupi language,

capybara means grass-eater,

which perfectly sums up
their dietary habits.

Arrau turtles congregate
in shallow pools

or in large groups to sunbathe.

White-tailed deer
have also adapted

to a variety of
different habitats

and are found across
the American continent,

from Alaska to northern Brazil.

Despite attracting
the attentions

of many dangerous predators.

This young jaguar cub is
merely a dangerous predator

in training.

It will take some time
before it learns to hunt

as well as its mother.

Loved, hated and endangered,

the jaguar is South America'’s

most famous hunter.

The mother

keeps a close eye on her
inquisitive offspring.

Playing at the edge of water

can be particularly risky.

Primarily because of
the local anacondas.

These large snakes hunt
throughout the rivers

and lakes of Los Llanos.

Legend has it that
some anacondas

have reached lengths

of up to thirty feet.

What is certain is that
females reach lengths

of up to 15 feet and
weights of 220 pounds.

The snakes prefer to hunt birds

but will sometimes
attack smaller mammals,

including capybaras.

A two-month-old jaguar
cub would be easy prey.

Most females give
birth to two offspring,

but this female only
has a single cub.

Perhaps the other one
has already fallen victim

to a predator.

The young jaguar makes
its leisurely escape.

Fortunately,

jaguars have few enemies
in the animal kingdom.

The most dangerous
adversaries they face

are human beings.

Los Llanos may be wild,
but they are also among

the largest grazing
pastures in the world.

Colombian cattle
ranchers and cowboys,

known colloquially as llaneros,

spend much of their lives
out here in the wilderness.

Losing the occasional animal

to a jaguar is common.

However, if a jaguar
becomes greedy

and too many calves vanish,

the predator will be hunted
down with dogs and killed.

Zebu cows make up most
of the cattle here.

Millions of them graze Los
Llanos largely unattended,

giving birth among crocodiles,

jaguars, and venomous snakes.

They live a wild
existence, until the day

they are gathered up and
taken to the abattoir.

Temperatures of up
to 110 degrees Fahrenheit,

hot wind

and cloudless skies,
during the dry season,

the plains become an oven.

The jaguar mother
and cub spend the day

in the shade of the trees

and are never far from water.

The big cats are
largely nocturnal

and begin hunting at
twilight, at the earliest.

Most of the animals that
share the jaguar territory

are therefore somewhat
safe during the day.

During the dry season,
most of the inhabitants

of Los Llanos remain close
to the watering holes,

predators and prey alike.

Not far from the jaguars,
a southern tamandua

or collared anteater
seeks out food.

As the name suggests,
the anteater

largely lives off
ants and termites,

using its powerful claws
to tear open nests.

Southern tamanduas grow to
lengths of up to three feet

and weights of
around nine pounds.

While the spotted cats sleep,

the tamandua is hard at work.

The anteater'’s tongue is an
evolutionary masterpiece.

It is round, approximately
15 inches long,

is covered in a sticky
secretion and can emerge

from the narrow mouth
at speed when necessary.

Tamanduas are competent climbers

and are just as skilled

at moving about on the ground,

but they are unable to
withdraw their claws

and have to shuffle on
the sides of their feet.

The southern tamandua has
just three close relatives,

the silky anteater,
which lives in trees,

and the giant anteater,
which is so large

that it remains on the
ground at all times.

The northern tamandua,
on the other hand,

is similar to its
southern cousin.

The anteater is
comfortable on the ground,

but prefers the
safety of the trees,

where it spends two
thirds of its life.

An unexpected visitor
surprises the jaguars,

a deer approaches
and begins grazing.

Predator and prey

are dangerously close
to one another,

but the jaguar is not
ready to hunt just yet.

And the distance is too great.

The name jaguar originated
from the Guarani language

and means he who
kill with one leap.

Jaguars will creep
up to their prey,

then launch a surprise attack

when they draw close enough.

The young jaguar is,
without a doubt,

a born hunter,

but the cub lacks
around 110 pounds

of body mass and the
necessary experience.

The deer make an
unhurried escape.

It may have been a valuable
learning experience

for the young jaguar,
but it doesn'’t matter,

at just two months old,

the cub is still
nursed by its mother.

In eight weeks or so,

it will slowly be
introduced to meat.

Capybaras often fall
victim to jaguars.

Their survival strategy
is to reproduce

as enthusiastically as possible.

Females give birth at least once

and often twice a year.

Each litter contains an
average of four animals,

and the herd is soon
established or replenished.

Capybaras spend most of
their time in the water

but will regularly
emerge to rest on land.

Fortunately, the
grasslands offer

their very own cleaning service,

provided by a young
yellow-headed caracara.

The birds of prey are
related to falcons

and largely consume carrion.

However, given the opportunity,

caracaras will
also eat parasites

and enthusiastically pick ticks

from the capybaras'’ fur.

There are eleven different
species of caracara.

All but one are only
found in South America.

Despite being
related to falcons,

the birds are by no means fast,

elegant aerial hunters.

In fact,

these opportunists are as
comfortable scavenging

in rubbish dumps as
they are in Los Llanos.

It is a brief period of
calm for the capybaras.

As the Sun goes down,

the jaguar mother
sets out to hunt.

The capybaras are
on their guard.

The capybaras will bathe
late into the night,

submerging themselves
if a predator appears.

This is not always
terribly effective,

particularly if the
pools are shallow.

One capybara finds a
deep spot and escapes.

A second capybara
is less fortunate.

Its attempts to hide
are unsuccessful.

Colombia'’s plains are
shaped by the Orinoco,

while the country'’s rainforests

are part of the
Amazon River'’s realm.

The watershed between the
Amazon and Orinoco rivers

is a barely visible
area of higher ground,

just north of the
Amazon'’s catchment area.

The main body of
the Amazon River

lies in the southeast,

where it forms the border
to Peru and Brazil.

This border region is
home to an unusual forest

known as the várzea.

During the rainy season,

it vanishes almost completely

below the floodwaters

of the Amazon.

In May, when the rains
cease, the water recedes,

revealing a little more

of the changed
landscape every day.

The minerals in the soils

dye the tributaries
distinctive shades,

and Amazon river dolphins

appear and disappear
like spirits.

This world is at the
mercy of the river.

The only tierra firme
or solid ground

is to be found along
the northern banks,

where the rainforests
lie at higher elevations.

The animal kingdom

has adapted to the
constant change

in the várzea, like the
brown-throated sloth.

The sloths are
excellent swimmers,

but they spend most of
their lives in the trees,

where they feel safe.

Now, when there is little
rain, the sloths roam

far and wide to find food.

Once the forests flood,

they will cling to the trunks

and branches of trees
like shipwrecked sailors,

often for weeks at a time.

The most notable tree
inhabitants here

are often heard,

but rarely seen, the primates.

But signs of their
presence are everywhere.

These traces in the bark
lead to a monkey notable

for its size,

it is the smallest
monkey in the world.

Pygmy marmosets grow to lengths

of approximately five
inches and weights

of just three to four ounces.

The marmosets are among the
world'’s smallest primates,

and they know it.

They are always
primed to escape,

constantly looking
upwards to the lookout

of the greatest danger
they face, birds.

Even the smallest birds
of prey pose a threat.

Like the yellow
-headed caracara.

At the first sign of danger,

the marmoset group flees

to the safety of the treetops.

Unlike other primates,
pygmy marmosets

don'’t have opposable thumbs,

but they do have sharp
claws to allow them

to climb rapidly.

The monkeys live
in small groups.

Their territory is
limited to an area

of just a few
thousand square feet,

containing trees that
produce resin,

latex or gum they eat.

The holes they make are
immediately evident.

Around eighty
percent of their diet

consists of nutritious
sap and gum.

Blossoms and insects
are little more

than side dishes, or snacks.

Their diminutive size
attracts bullies,

even among members
of their own family.

Escape is the only solution.

Like the pygmy marmosets,
the common squirrel monkeys

are true Amazon natives.

They spend much of their
time during the day

looking for insects
halfway up the trees.

Moving along the ground
is only possible

during dry periods.

A few ants give
this female monkey

the energy to continue
on her journey.

The tiny squirrel
monkeys are monogamous

and live in family
groups that include two

or three generations
of their offspring.

As is often the
case among primates,

grooming helps to
increase social cohesion

within the group,

resolve conflict and
establish hierarchy.

The pygmy marmosets
may be small,

but their offspring
are almost invisible,

particularly when they hide

in their parents'’ dense fur.

Males and older siblings
all help the mother

to look after the newest
arrival to the family.

These periods of tranquility

are rare and short.

A momentary lapse of attention

could prove fatal.

The monkeys are nervous.

The forests are home to
numerous black vultures,

which are both
enthusiastic scavengers

and skilled hunters.

Time to take the high ground.

Fortunately, raptors
with a taste for marmoset

only make up a small part

of Colombia'’s spectacular
range of birds.

In fact, this region
is home to more birds

than anywhere else
on the planet,

an estimated 1800
different species.

Most of them inhabit
the Amazon rainforests.

These stunning black
-and-gold birds

are members of the "Icterid"

or "New World blackbird" family.

The distinctive, varied
call of the males

can be heard for miles.

Yellow-rumped caciques
build their hanging nests

in tall trees and will
often live in colonies

consisting of several
hundred birds.

The hanging nests

are only used during
the breeding period,

when they provide
protection for the eggs.

Along riverbanks and
in clearings,

birds are easy to see.

In the depths of
the forest, however,

a sense of adventure
and attentive listening

are required to find some

of the most colorful
inhabitants.

This male wire-tailed manakin

is looking for a mate.

Wire-tailed manakins
are renowned

for their courtship rituals

and keep a particular
branch free of leaves

for their athletic displays.

Nearby, a rival
is also preparing

to put his best foot forward.

This time, however,
the dance fails

to have the desired effect,

the female is
nowhere to be seen.

The dense forests
and many wild animals

make it easy to
forget that the Amazon

is by no means devoid of humans.

The unusual rock formation

of the Serranía de la Lindosa,

in the northwest Amazon
basin, are a testimony

to millennia of human
habitation here.

These rock paintings are
at least 12,000 years old.

Although the rock faces

are battered by
wind and weather,

the earthen colors
look as though

they may have been
applied only yesterday.

This region was
controlled by FARC,

Colombia'’s largest
guerrilla army,

for decades.

Scientists were unable to
examine the rock paintings

until 2016, when a peace treaty

was signed between the
rebels and the government.

One of the largest areas of
untouched Amazon rainforest

lies southeast of
Serranía de la Lindosa.

Around 20,000 square miles

of the forest is in
Colombian territory.

The Río Caquetá, is one
of the largest tributaries

of the Amazon River.

The descendants

of the mysterious
ancient rock artists,

the Muinane people,
continue to live here,

surrounded by wilderness.

Everyday life is determined
by an ancient rhythm.

The drums continue
to carry messages

from village to village.

The people who have live
along the Río Caquetá

have survived

being enslaved
by rubber collectors

and the brutality of
gold prospectors

and drug dealers.

Despite these difficulties,
they have managed

to preserve their culture
to the present day.

The women remove the
seeds from the fruit

of the peach palm, known
here as chontaduro.

The fruit contains starch
and high levels of protein,

and is used to make
oil, stews and beer.

The chontaduro is
just one of hundreds

of fruits harvested by the
Muinane in the rainforest.

They include açaí berries,

which are marketed as superfood,

in the Western world,

due to their unsaturated
fats and vitamins.

Harvesting the berries

requires climbing the palms,

something that men do
whenever they notice

that the berries are ripe.

Wild fruits like
açaí and cassava

are an important source

of nourishment
here, as are fish.

An apparently endless wilderness

begins on the
village'’s doorstep.

This wilderness is still home

to the rare giant otter.

These six-foot-long
animals are diurnal

and spend the mornings
hunting for fish.

Giant otters are among the
most endangered mammals

in South America.

Whereas they were once
hunted for their fur,

these days the
greatest risk they face

is the destruction
of their habitat.

Finding a common woolly monkey

requires an expedition
deep into the forest.

Woolly monkeys are shy,
easy-going creatures

and skilled climbers,

using their strong
tails to grip branches

and tree trunks.

The rainforest that
provides refuge

to the otters and woolly
monkeys is well-protected.

The Muinane

have joined forces with
neighboring tribes

and the administration
of a nearby national park

to divide thousands of
square miles of forest

into clearly delineated zones.

What animals may be hunted where

and when is carefully regulated.

This sounds like
modern eco-management

but is in fact based on
an ancient tradition.

Without it, the rainforests
and their inhabitants

would not have survived

tens of thousands of
years of human settlement.

The woolly monkeys are
safe along the Río Caquetá.

Elsewhere, young monkeys
often end up in cages.

The illegal animal trade

is flourishing in
the Amazon region.

One plant, above all,

dominates the lives
of the men here,

Erythroxylum coca,
the coca plant.

The plants are grown at
the edge of the village

and harvested regularly.

These leaves may
not look like much,

but they have ruined
innumerable human lives

and given Colombia a
very dark reputation.

They are used to produce cocaine

in illegal laboratories

throughout the Amazon region.

Cocaine is a Western
invention, but coca leaves

are an integral part
of Muinane culture.

The leaves are
processed in the maloca,

a communal building
in the village.

A number of steps are necessary

to turn the leaves into powder.

The leaves of another plant
are burned and the ash

is collected to make mambe.

Processing coca
leaves is a ritual

along the Río Caquetá
and throughout the Andes

and Amazon regions.

The Muinane grow the coca
plants for their own use.

Elsewhere in Colombia,
sacks of the leaves

are sold to drug dealers.

For many poor farmers,

growing these particular crops

is the only source of income.

Many in the Muinane community

find it hard to believe

that owning or selling
coca leaves is illegal

in almost every
country in the world.

Once the leaves are dry,
they are mixed with the ash

and crushed to a powder

using a large mortar and pestle.

Mambe is considered sacred,

but it is stored

in all-too-worldly plastic cups.

Consuming mambe
requires some practice.

The powder is passed
back and forth

from cheek to cheek
until it forms a paste.

The substance is invigorating,

like coffee or black tea,

which makes it particularly
popular with older men.

The powder is
spiritually significant,

but it is now consumed by men

at almost every
available opportunity.

The women tend to avoid mambe,

and the ensuing hours of
rambling conversation.

The maloca is also
the local dining room,

where the villagers
cook and eat together.

Women were once
prohibited from visiting

the gathering area,
but these ancient rules

and taboos are no longer as
relevant as they once were.

The surrounding nature, however,

remains as relevant as ever.

The rapids along the Río Caquetá

prevented shipping routes

being established here,
saving the wilderness

from large-scale
human interference.

As a result, the river continues

to provide rich pickings
for brave local fishermen.

During the rainy season,
the strong currents

become a raging torrent.

People who fall in
are rarely seen again.

Despite the dangers,

fishermen of the Witoto people

have built structures here
that are anything but safe.

The mighty river is full
of large, powerful fish.

The men will often spend
hours on the lookout

for their preferred
prey, the tasty dorado.

Sometimes, they wait
along the Río Caquetá

all night and into
the next morning.

Finally, their
patience is rewarded

and a dorado is speared.

Along the banks,
others fish using nets.

At the beginning of
the rainy season,

there is an abundance of food.

At this time of the year,

the catfish travel up the river

to their spawning grounds.

A barred sorubim is
pulled from the net,

followed by a zebra catfish.

An hour downstream by
boat, a Muinane villager

fishes in far calmer waters.

He has his sights
set on palometas,

the speckled piranha,
which feeds on fruit

that falls into the rivers
from bushes and trees.

The fisherman therefore
uses fruit as bait.

The rainy season is
approaching quickly.

As soon as the rains come,

the vegetarian piranhas
vanish into the depths

of the Río Caquetá and
become predators again.

Fish is by far the
most important food

for the Muinane people.

Once again, smoke
rises from the maloca,

but, this time, there are
no coca leaves involved.

The maloca

is more than just a
communal meeting place,

it is the center
of the universe,

built on wooden stilts.

Fish that are not eaten
on the day they are caught

are cleaned and smoked
to preserve them.

The Muinane are largely
self-sufficient,

thanks to the fruits
of the forest and fish.

They will occasionally
purchase a little rice

or salt from local merchants,

or chocolate for the children.

The primary school

is located at the edge
of the rainforest.

Lessons only take
place every two days.

They will eventually move on

to the school in Leticia,

the largest city in
Colombia'’s Amazon region.

The villagers work closely

with the Frankfurt
Zoological Society

to protect rare river turtles

and increase their numbers.

This includes guarding
the clutches of eggs

on the sandbanks

and collecting the
young hatchlings

to protect them from predators.

Three weeks after they
hatch, the young turtles

are released into the river.

Their shells have now hardened,

offering some
measure of protection

from other river inhabitants.

Despite ongoing problems,
Colombia is very successful

at protecting its
indigenous peoples,

unlike some
neighboring countries.

For example,

the environmentally
damaging gold mining

along the Río Caquetá
was eventually stopped,

and the locals administer
their land autonomously.

This allows the Muinane
and their neighbors

to strike a balance
between the old ways

and modern life.

The Amazon River network is home

to a variety of
different eco-systems.

Near the Río Caquetá,
the forests thrive

on coarse sandstone mountains.

Along the main
body of the Amazon,

parts of the forest

actually grow out of the water.

In these floodplain forests,

the trees have developed
complex survival strategies

to weather the changes
in water levels.

For now, the fig trees are
safe on their small islands

in the current.

During the brief dry season,

plants put down strong
roots to withstand

the force of the coming water.

Mushrooms flourish and
distribute their spores.

The roots of the fig tree
have a firm grip

on another'’s tree'’s trunk.

The banyan fig is sometimes
known as the walking tree.

Roots emerge from the branches

and bury themselves in the soil,

soon forming new trunks.

The tree originally starts
life as a small plant

that winds itself
around another tree.

Once the aerial roots

provide sufficient nourishment,

the banyan fig begins
to smother its host,

eventually killing it.

The trees in the várzea,

the seasonal floodplain
forests along the Amazon,

are ready for the annual floods.

Aerial root systems ensure

that the trees remain
sufficiently nourished

during the rainy season.

Lines on the trunk
of the fig tree

reveal the water levels
of last year'’s floods.

It is hard to believe
that before long,

it will be possible to
paddle among the treetops.

In July,

the rainy season arrives
in the vast Llanos plains,

transforming the landscape
into a strange,

watery world.

For many bird species
like the great egret,

this marks the beginning
of breeding season.

Tens of thousands of birds
settle along the banks.

Within a short space of time,

even the dry farmland
becomes unrecognizable.

Life is never easy for
Colombia'’s cowboys,

but the rainy season poses
particular challenges

for the llaneros.

It is now hot and
humid on the plains,

and a brief dip in the water

provides welcome relief.

The great rains sweep
across Colombia,

Three months later, in November,

moist air from the Andes

collects above the Amazon basin.

The occasional rainfall

now becomes a constant downpour.

Colombia'’s border region

along the great river vanishes,

buried beneath mist and water.

The Amazon River'’s
water level rises

by up to almost 40 feet.

Sloths have layers of fur
that store the rainwater.

This provides nourishment
for the red and green algae

that gives the fur its
shimmering green appearance

and the sloth some
measure of camouflage.

When the first
rays of sun appear,

the sloths climb to the top
of the trees to warm up.

The large amounts of rain
have transformed the river.

Entire groups of
islands have vanished,

taking vast areas
of forest with them.

The forest floor, with its
young plants and fungi,

now lies buried beneath
several feet of water,

reflections of the treetops

dance on the surface
of the Amazon,

here, in Colombia'’s
spectacular wilderness.