Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,670
(pensive music)
2
00:00:09,050 --> 00:00:10,280
When Christopher Columbus
3
00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,520
discovered Cuba's amazing flora,
4
00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,040
and extraordinarily abundant turquoise fishing waters,
5
00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,270
he declared that this was the most beautiful land
6
00:00:18,270 --> 00:00:19,870
he'd seen anywhere in the world.
7
00:00:20,778 --> 00:00:23,178
Yet, he couldn't possibly know the extent
8
00:00:23,180 --> 00:00:26,560
of the wonders that lay just a few feet beneath his boat.
9
00:00:28,437 --> 00:00:30,377
Five centuries later.
10
00:00:30,373 --> 00:00:34,043
(speaks foreign language)
11
00:00:41,196 --> 00:00:43,336
60 years of isolation, embargo,
12
00:00:43,340 --> 00:00:46,170
and lack of resources have forced the Cubans
13
00:00:46,170 --> 00:00:48,920
to carry out ecologically driven policies,
14
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,440
eliminating pollution from the heavy industries,
15
00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,420
and chemicals from agriculture and industrial fishing.
16
00:00:55,380 --> 00:00:57,320
The consequences of this imposed isolation
17
00:00:57,319 --> 00:01:01,299
is a heritage both exceptional and surprising.
18
00:01:01,299 --> 00:01:04,079
(dramatic music)
19
00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,370
Cuba has remained a natural paradise, unique in the world.
20
00:01:08,368 --> 00:01:11,118
(dramatic music)
21
00:01:14,623 --> 00:01:17,673
But, on this island the size of Switzerland,
22
00:01:17,670 --> 00:01:20,740
the downside is that the lack of money and resources
23
00:01:20,740 --> 00:01:23,520
has meant Cuban scientists have not always been able to
24
00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,710
extend their research over the whole of the territory,
25
00:01:28,910 --> 00:01:32,210
and all of a sudden, the march of history sets off again.
26
00:01:32,211 --> 00:01:34,911
(speaks foreign language)
27
00:01:34,910 --> 00:01:37,430
The island's isolation is coming to an end,
28
00:01:37,430 --> 00:01:39,810
and it's predicted that in the next five years,
29
00:01:39,810 --> 00:01:41,050
tourism will rise from
30
00:01:41,050 --> 00:01:43,210
three to seven million visitors a year,
31
00:01:43,210 --> 00:01:47,010
for a country with barely 11 million inhabitants.
32
00:01:47,010 --> 00:01:49,760
Neither the population, nor the island's ecosystems
33
00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:51,470
are prepared for this.
34
00:01:51,470 --> 00:01:56,470
Along with Eduardo Abreu, Leslie Fernandez, and Alexei Ruiz,
35
00:01:57,020 --> 00:01:59,920
30 or so scientists from the Department of Ecology
36
00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:02,120
are caught up in a race against the clock.
37
00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,870
(dramatic music)
38
00:02:05,930 --> 00:02:07,910
They have no more than two or three years
39
00:02:07,910 --> 00:02:10,780
to find the indispensable zones of reproduction,
40
00:02:10,780 --> 00:02:12,800
highlight the species in danger,
41
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,380
and root out the animals that cause harm.
42
00:02:15,384 --> 00:02:18,134
(dramatic music)
43
00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,160
A huge task, which will make it easier
44
00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:28,970
for the natural environment to absorb
45
00:02:28,970 --> 00:02:30,610
the avalanche of tourists,
46
00:02:30,610 --> 00:02:33,280
while preserving the unique character of the island.
47
00:02:33,276 --> 00:02:36,026
(dramatic music)
48
00:02:50,451 --> 00:02:53,701
(boat engines humming)
49
00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,660
Biologist Leslie Fernandez is amused whenever
50
00:02:58,660 --> 00:03:02,210
a handful of tourists turn up on one of the 600
51
00:03:02,210 --> 00:03:05,360
deserted islands of the Queen's Gardens Archipelago.
52
00:03:06,210 --> 00:03:07,900
They're all aware of how lucky they are
53
00:03:07,900 --> 00:03:10,460
to set foot on this natural reserve.
54
00:03:10,460 --> 00:03:12,820
They feel like they've arrived on virgin island,
55
00:03:12,820 --> 00:03:15,170
where the animals, never having encountered humans,
56
00:03:15,170 --> 00:03:16,850
will be nothing but friendly.
57
00:03:16,851 --> 00:03:19,861
(pensive music)
58
00:03:19,859 --> 00:03:23,849
The Queen's Gardens are one of the best-preserved regions.
59
00:03:23,852 --> 00:03:27,762
Not only in Cuba, but in the whole of the Caribbean.
60
00:03:29,093 --> 00:03:32,043
This region resembles what the Caribbean looked like
61
00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:33,480
several hundred years ago.
62
00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,210
Today, a careful and sustainable
63
00:03:36,210 --> 00:03:37,820
tourism model is developing.
64
00:03:40,530 --> 00:03:43,420
The right management procedures are being put into place
65
00:03:43,423 --> 00:03:47,363
so that tourism and the natural world can cohabit here.
66
00:03:47,367 --> 00:03:50,117
(charming music)
67
00:03:58,899 --> 00:04:00,719
If it looks like the land based iguanas
68
00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,910
are posing for photographs, or if the Cuban hutia,
69
00:04:03,910 --> 00:04:07,270
one of the last descendants of a now extinct rodent family
70
00:04:07,270 --> 00:04:10,030
are cheerfully accepting food from the tourists
71
00:04:10,030 --> 00:04:11,770
it's because this is all about the animals
72
00:04:11,769 --> 00:04:15,399
observing the humans and not the other way 'round.
73
00:04:15,402 --> 00:04:18,072
(huiti muttering)
74
00:04:18,069 --> 00:04:20,819
(charming music)
75
00:04:25,820 --> 00:04:28,520
Leslie has spent two years recording behavior
76
00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:30,390
of both photographers and animals,
77
00:04:30,387 --> 00:04:32,067
and has come up with figures
78
00:04:32,070 --> 00:04:33,930
limiting the number of tourists,
79
00:04:33,930 --> 00:04:35,890
how much they can feed the animals,
80
00:04:35,890 --> 00:04:38,580
and how often they can visit the archipelago.
81
00:04:38,580 --> 00:04:41,610
This allows the animals to maintain their natural lifestyle
82
00:04:41,610 --> 00:04:43,600
despite the presence of visitors.
83
00:04:48,580 --> 00:04:50,520
The future of the Queen's Gardens
84
00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,230
if the management norms which we've set up here
85
00:04:56,230 --> 00:05:00,530
are put in place, then the future will be marvelous.
86
00:05:05,310 --> 00:05:07,150
Well, very good, I would say.
87
00:05:09,806 --> 00:05:13,356
But for that these decisions must be respected,
88
00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,870
otherwise there's risk of losing what is still
89
00:05:15,870 --> 00:05:17,250
the jewel of the Caribbean.
90
00:05:24,228 --> 00:05:25,178
Taking advantage of these
91
00:05:25,180 --> 00:05:27,250
timeless moments of tranquility,
92
00:05:27,250 --> 00:05:28,690
none of the tourists are aware
93
00:05:28,690 --> 00:05:31,100
that there's a real menace circling the island.
94
00:05:31,101 --> 00:05:33,851
(dramatic music)
95
00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:50,880
In all likelihood,
96
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,260
this crocodile was driven away by a tropical storm,
97
00:05:54,260 --> 00:05:57,040
or by the construction of new seaside resorts,
98
00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,390
and has found its way from Florida to Cuba,
99
00:05:59,390 --> 00:06:01,750
a distance of 300 miles.
100
00:06:01,746 --> 00:06:04,496
(dramatic music)
101
00:06:07,630 --> 00:06:10,350
Just like many tourists, this newcomer set out
102
00:06:10,350 --> 00:06:12,320
looking for a haven of tranquility,
103
00:06:14,170 --> 00:06:15,900
but in the case of this crocodile,
104
00:06:15,900 --> 00:06:19,010
it was a life-threatening quest, for this journey
105
00:06:19,010 --> 00:06:22,360
of two to three weeks in the high seas is a tough challenge
106
00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,080
for a cold blooded animal who tires easily.
107
00:06:35,048 --> 00:06:37,358
If this acuto crocodile,
108
00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,720
also known as the American crocodile, had come alone,
109
00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:42,920
the Cuban ecosystem would have no problem
110
00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,110
assimilating it into its rich natural world.
111
00:06:46,107 --> 00:06:48,777
(pensive music)
112
00:06:51,170 --> 00:06:53,250
As it goes deeper into the mangroves,
113
00:06:53,250 --> 00:06:56,180
familiar sounds seem to catch its attention.
114
00:06:56,182 --> 00:06:58,852
(pensive music)
115
00:07:04,310 --> 00:07:07,440
Getting closer, it comes across a colony of cousins
116
00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,110
from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Florida.
117
00:07:15,670 --> 00:07:19,550
These American crocodiles are a seawater and swamp species,
118
00:07:19,550 --> 00:07:22,680
which can grow up to 20' long and weigh half a ton.
119
00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,380
The Americans are roaming around the territory
120
00:07:26,380 --> 00:07:30,050
of the native Cuban crocodile, the rhombifer.
121
00:07:30,053 --> 00:07:32,803
(birds chirping)
122
00:07:36,060 --> 00:07:39,300
These are much smaller animals, 2.5 meters long,
123
00:07:39,300 --> 00:07:41,570
and weighing less than a hundred kilos,
124
00:07:41,570 --> 00:07:44,170
and whose population barely number 3,000.
125
00:07:45,660 --> 00:07:48,530
This make them the rarest crocodiles in the world.
126
00:07:48,527 --> 00:07:51,277
(birds chirping)
127
00:07:52,450 --> 00:07:54,540
Eduardo Abreu is in charge of
128
00:07:54,540 --> 00:07:57,260
the natural reserve of the Zapata Swamp,
129
00:07:57,260 --> 00:08:00,000
and his job is to ensure that the American crocodiles
130
00:08:00,002 --> 00:08:03,842
do not encroach into the 500 square kilometer territory
131
00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:05,350
of the Cuban crocodiles.
132
00:08:05,352 --> 00:08:08,102
(birds chirping)
133
00:08:10,350 --> 00:08:13,710
He's partnered by Gustavo Sosa, who reintroduced
134
00:08:13,710 --> 00:08:16,480
200 Cuban crocodiles from his breeding farm
135
00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,930
into the wild last year.
136
00:08:18,930 --> 00:08:19,970
Their aim?
137
00:08:19,970 --> 00:08:22,580
To extend the rhombifer's natural territory,
138
00:08:22,580 --> 00:08:24,780
and fight against their extinction.
139
00:08:24,780 --> 00:08:27,450
(pensive music)
140
00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,590
Gustavito, let's try and find the eggs.
141
00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,510
Here, I think I can feel some here.
142
00:08:43,990 --> 00:08:46,500
Yes, and over here, too.
143
00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:48,370
Okay, let's take away the earth.
144
00:08:48,370 --> 00:08:49,620
It seems the nest...
145
00:08:50,710 --> 00:08:52,220
Oh, I've got one here!
146
00:08:53,895 --> 00:08:55,015
Look.
147
00:08:55,019 --> 00:08:57,559
Look here, there are several all together.
148
00:08:57,557 --> 00:09:00,417
Be careful, don't pull them out too much.
149
00:09:00,417 --> 00:09:02,267
I'd say they're eggs which are
150
00:09:02,270 --> 00:09:04,310
less than 50 days old.
151
00:09:04,310 --> 00:09:05,660
So, that means we can work with them
152
00:09:05,660 --> 00:09:08,510
because the embryo will already be fairly strong.
153
00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:10,900
But we have to handle them carefully,
154
00:09:10,900 --> 00:09:12,860
because the way we hold them has an influence
155
00:09:12,860 --> 00:09:14,740
on the temperature inside the egg.
156
00:09:16,370 --> 00:09:19,020
Look at the color on top, and look at the size.
157
00:09:20,990 --> 00:09:22,890
That means that it's a fertile embryo,
158
00:09:23,950 --> 00:09:25,490
because when the eggs are laid,
159
00:09:25,490 --> 00:09:27,220
many of them are unfertilized.
160
00:09:35,147 --> 00:09:35,977
85.65 mm.
161
00:09:41,267 --> 00:09:42,187
With 42.67.
162
00:10:02,030 --> 00:10:02,940
How much does it weigh?
163
00:10:02,940 --> 00:10:04,260
100 grams.
164
00:10:04,260 --> 00:10:08,620
So, Eduardo, we're going to reconstruct the nest,
165
00:10:08,621 --> 00:10:11,541
but be really careful, because in our research
166
00:10:11,540 --> 00:10:14,020
on the Cuban crocodile population,
167
00:10:14,020 --> 00:10:16,850
as well as counting them and localizing them, above all,
168
00:10:16,850 --> 00:10:19,070
we have to be extra careful with the nests.
169
00:10:22,750 --> 00:10:24,770
It is absolutely vital that the two men
170
00:10:24,770 --> 00:10:27,770
put each egg back in its precise place in the nest,
171
00:10:27,770 --> 00:10:31,400
which is warmer in the center than on the sides.
172
00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,290
With crocodiles, the temperature of the egg
173
00:10:33,290 --> 00:10:35,400
determines the future sex of the animal.
174
00:10:36,620 --> 00:10:41,620
Below 31° C it will be a female, over 32° C, a male.
175
00:10:46,510 --> 00:10:50,890
40 days later, the baby crocodile bites through the shell
176
00:10:50,890 --> 00:10:53,500
with temporary tooth that will soon fall out,
177
00:10:53,500 --> 00:10:56,390
and calls out, whimpering for its mother.
178
00:10:56,392 --> 00:10:59,302
(baby crocodile peeping)
179
00:10:59,304 --> 00:11:03,224
(mother crocodile rumbling)
180
00:11:03,220 --> 00:11:06,440
The mother's response is to entice them into the water.
181
00:11:07,418 --> 00:11:09,118
(mother crocodile rumbling)
182
00:11:09,116 --> 00:11:12,536
(baby crocodile peeping)
183
00:11:15,101 --> 00:11:18,521
(baby crocodile peeping)
184
00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:26,980
(baby crocodile peeping)
185
00:11:30,053 --> 00:11:32,063
(baby crocodile peeping)
186
00:11:32,062 --> 00:11:32,892
For their first six months,
187
00:11:32,895 --> 00:11:36,455
90% of them will be eaten by predators, such as vultures,
188
00:11:36,450 --> 00:11:39,650
snakes, or cannibalized by male crocodiles.
189
00:11:46,380 --> 00:11:49,130
(water bubbling)
190
00:11:56,516 --> 00:11:59,266
(charming music)
191
00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,310
Having made it to the river, the safest place for them,
192
00:12:04,310 --> 00:12:06,010
where there mother, lying on the riverbed,
193
00:12:06,010 --> 00:12:09,180
can keep an eye on them, the babies then have to avoid
194
00:12:09,180 --> 00:12:12,700
a major danger, being carried away by the current,
195
00:12:12,700 --> 00:12:14,800
and losing the protection of their parent.
196
00:12:17,245 --> 00:12:19,915
(pensive music)
197
00:12:24,139 --> 00:12:27,059
For their first two years until they reach 50 cm long,
198
00:12:27,060 --> 00:12:29,510
and become too big for most of their predators,
199
00:12:29,510 --> 00:12:32,270
they live under the tight protection of their mother.
200
00:12:32,274 --> 00:12:34,944
(pensive music)
201
00:12:39,540 --> 00:12:41,200
Luckily, they're also protected
202
00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,810
by the biologists of the natural parks,
203
00:12:43,810 --> 00:12:45,970
for otherwise, this species would not survive
204
00:12:45,970 --> 00:12:48,690
alongside the huge American crocodiles.
205
00:12:48,693 --> 00:12:51,363
(pensive music)
206
00:12:57,030 --> 00:12:59,670
In the 6,000 square kilometers of mangrove swamps
207
00:12:59,670 --> 00:13:02,150
which surround Cuba, these little crocodiles
208
00:13:02,150 --> 00:13:03,610
are far from being alone.
209
00:13:04,714 --> 00:13:06,024
(birds calling and chirping)
210
00:13:06,026 --> 00:13:07,766
This is where the young of more than 1,200
211
00:13:07,770 --> 00:13:10,520
different animal species make their first tiny steps.
212
00:13:14,256 --> 00:13:17,236
Without the mangrove, 2/3 of Cuban aquatic species
213
00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:18,660
would simply disappear.
214
00:13:24,790 --> 00:13:28,710
In Cuba, and in the Caribbean in general, mangrove swamps
215
00:13:28,713 --> 00:13:32,253
are where the most biodiversity can be found.
216
00:13:34,940 --> 00:13:38,900
One can observe an incalculable number of species of fish,
217
00:13:38,900 --> 00:13:41,490
which find not only refuge here, but food.
218
00:13:43,380 --> 00:13:46,360
During their early months, the fish' offspring
219
00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,560
can find dozens of little hiding places
220
00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:51,460
within the ecosystem of the swamps.
221
00:13:51,460 --> 00:13:53,530
Undoubtedly, the mangroves represent
222
00:13:53,530 --> 00:13:56,580
the largest reservoir of juvenile fish in Cuba.
223
00:13:56,583 --> 00:13:59,253
(pensive music)
224
00:14:13,605 --> 00:14:16,355
(dramatic music)
225
00:14:24,750 --> 00:14:27,420
And, it's possible to spot, in several places,
226
00:14:27,420 --> 00:14:30,570
other young fish, from open sea species,
227
00:14:30,570 --> 00:14:33,000
such as barracudas, or even sharks.
228
00:14:36,770 --> 00:14:39,540
So, in fact, the visible part of the mangrove
229
00:14:39,540 --> 00:14:43,240
is not only an ecosystem, which is of vital importance
230
00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:45,110
for the reproduction and the protection
231
00:14:45,110 --> 00:14:48,110
of dozens of vertebrates, such as birds,
232
00:14:49,380 --> 00:14:52,630
and for a certain number of mammals, but also an area
233
00:14:52,630 --> 00:14:56,190
which is indispensable for the survival of marine species.
234
00:15:03,873 --> 00:15:06,873
(birds calling out)
235
00:15:07,924 --> 00:15:10,674
(water bubbling)
236
00:15:15,089 --> 00:15:18,459
(birds chirping)
237
00:15:18,455 --> 00:15:19,865
Cuba wouldn't be the natural paradise
238
00:15:19,860 --> 00:15:22,110
that it is without the mangroves.
239
00:15:22,110 --> 00:15:23,350
They protect the coastlines
240
00:15:23,350 --> 00:15:26,420
from damage by cyclones and tropical storms.
241
00:15:26,420 --> 00:15:29,060
After the rains they help to filter out the mud,
242
00:15:29,060 --> 00:15:31,110
which is the principal cause of the choking
243
00:15:31,110 --> 00:15:33,810
and destruction of reefs, which can be observed
244
00:15:33,810 --> 00:15:35,970
in almost all of Central America.
245
00:15:35,966 --> 00:15:38,636
(pensive music)
246
00:15:58,147 --> 00:15:59,707
Once they get past the juvenile stage,
247
00:15:59,710 --> 00:16:02,320
during which, they're too small to defend themselves,
248
00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,010
ocean fish swim out to the place
249
00:16:04,010 --> 00:16:06,110
where the rest of their lives will unfold;
250
00:16:07,630 --> 00:16:09,770
the 2,000 kilometers of coral reef
251
00:16:09,770 --> 00:16:12,410
which surround the island of Cuba.
252
00:16:12,413 --> 00:16:15,333
(optimistic music)
253
00:16:39,430 --> 00:16:41,170
Whereas most of the coral reefs
254
00:16:41,170 --> 00:16:43,920
around most of Central America have disappeared,
255
00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:45,680
the Cuban reef, which is considered
256
00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:49,150
the richest reef in the world, has been totally preserved,
257
00:16:49,150 --> 00:16:51,750
thanks to the slow development of the island.
258
00:16:51,747 --> 00:16:54,667
(optimistic music)
259
00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:09,880
This fragile ecosystem houses more than 900 species of fish,
260
00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,630
50 types of coral, and 200 types of sponge.
261
00:17:16,340 --> 00:17:19,210
However, the price of fame could be fatal.
262
00:17:19,206 --> 00:17:23,816
17 reefs, adding up to nearly 800 kilometers in length,
263
00:17:23,820 --> 00:17:26,520
are now open to fans of SCUBA diving,
264
00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:28,620
and the demand is ever increasing.
265
00:17:28,618 --> 00:17:31,288
(pensive music)
266
00:17:52,507 --> 00:17:54,957
For the moment, a balance seems to be maintained,
267
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,930
and everyone goes about their business,
268
00:17:59,130 --> 00:18:02,130
like these parrot fish in the throes of their love dance.
269
00:18:03,541 --> 00:18:06,211
(pensive music)
270
00:18:42,930 --> 00:18:46,690
A complex sanctuary of wilderness, in total harmony,
271
00:18:46,692 --> 00:18:50,512
seemingly unchanged for thousands of years.
272
00:18:50,508 --> 00:18:53,178
(pensive music)
273
00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,730
Faced with the predicted arrival of mass tourism,
274
00:19:16,730 --> 00:19:19,430
and the lack of a proper hotel infrastructure,
275
00:19:19,430 --> 00:19:21,810
the government has authorized the local population
276
00:19:21,809 --> 00:19:25,469
to build a certain number of guest rooms in private houses.
277
00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,030
Without access to modern materials, due to the embargo,
278
00:19:31,030 --> 00:19:33,040
the builders are forced to turn back the clock
279
00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,850
to old, forgotten techniques.
280
00:19:35,850 --> 00:19:39,260
They're rediscovering a surprising maritime heritage.
281
00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:41,850
Hello!
282
00:19:41,850 --> 00:19:44,080
Hello, how are you?
Very well.
283
00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:44,930
What's the rock like?
284
00:19:44,930 --> 00:19:46,220
Not too hard?
285
00:19:46,220 --> 00:19:48,000
So, so, it's a bit difficult.
286
00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:50,580
When you work with rock here,
287
00:19:50,584 --> 00:19:52,644
do you ever find sea fossils?
288
00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:54,900
Yes, we do find some.
289
00:19:54,895 --> 00:19:57,605
In fact, come and see what we found here.
290
00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,450
Ah, it's a bivalve.
291
00:20:05,567 --> 00:20:07,457
A fossilized shell.
292
00:20:11,744 --> 00:20:14,584
It's proof that there's marine sediment here,
293
00:20:14,580 --> 00:20:17,700
and in this limestone, did you find anything else?
294
00:20:17,700 --> 00:20:20,310
Absolutely, we found lots of things.
295
00:20:21,370 --> 00:20:23,610
Look, here's a fossil which seems very rare.
296
00:20:25,649 --> 00:20:28,089
Oh, that's really interesting.
297
00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:30,890
It's a tooth from a shark
298
00:20:30,890 --> 00:20:33,660
which lived here 30 million years ago,
299
00:20:33,660 --> 00:20:35,150
during the Pleistocene Era,
300
00:20:37,370 --> 00:20:40,540
an era which came to an end a million and 1/2 years ago.
301
00:20:41,570 --> 00:20:42,620
It was a huge animal.
302
00:20:44,586 --> 00:20:46,166
This is a very interesting discovery.
303
00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:48,730
I'm going to show it to one of my friends
304
00:20:48,730 --> 00:20:50,260
who is a shark specialist.
305
00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,580
All the fossils found here are from marine animals,
306
00:20:55,580 --> 00:20:56,980
because this limestone
307
00:20:56,980 --> 00:20:59,210
is entirely composed of marine sediment.
308
00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:02,910
This was the ocean floor before Cuba appeared.
309
00:21:04,470 --> 00:21:07,590
Everything which sank to the bottom accumulated here,
310
00:21:07,590 --> 00:21:10,090
and helped to create this particular type of rock.
311
00:21:12,100 --> 00:21:14,150
You're really doing some major work here.
312
00:21:18,162 --> 00:21:20,932
Before the island of Cuba ever existed,
313
00:21:20,930 --> 00:21:24,840
a shark measuring nearly 15 meters, called the megalodon,
314
00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,830
three times as big the largest great white shark of our era,
315
00:21:28,830 --> 00:21:33,010
dominated the ocean depths for more than 20 million years.
316
00:21:33,006 --> 00:21:35,676
(pensive music)
317
00:21:50,578 --> 00:21:54,908
The megalodon is the largest predator that's ever existed,
318
00:21:54,910 --> 00:21:58,170
a force of nature, weighing 40 tons,
319
00:21:58,170 --> 00:22:00,310
and as long as an articulated truck.
320
00:22:01,290 --> 00:22:04,710
The species became extinct a million and a half years ago,
321
00:22:04,710 --> 00:22:07,290
having no suitable prey to feed on.
322
00:22:07,289 --> 00:22:09,259
(pensive music)
323
00:22:09,260 --> 00:22:11,770
But sharks are still widely prevalent around Cuba,
324
00:22:11,767 --> 00:22:15,247
including the silky shark, which took over
325
00:22:15,245 --> 00:22:18,125
when the megalodon became extinct.
326
00:22:18,128 --> 00:22:20,798
(pensive music)
327
00:22:28,430 --> 00:22:30,730
90% of the world's shark population
328
00:22:30,730 --> 00:22:33,220
has been wiped out in the last 50 years,
329
00:22:34,730 --> 00:22:37,940
and 40 million of them are still being hunted every year,
330
00:22:40,110 --> 00:22:43,280
but, Cuba is in no way affected by the situation.
331
00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,880
The island is a real refuge for all tropical shark species.
332
00:22:48,330 --> 00:22:50,690
In fact, the island is probably the last remaining
333
00:22:50,690 --> 00:22:53,150
productive and birth zone for many of them.
334
00:22:57,420 --> 00:23:00,890
This is the job assigned to Noel Lopez.
335
00:23:00,890 --> 00:23:04,260
He dives every day for months amongst the sharks,
336
00:23:04,260 --> 00:23:07,770
to try and section off the key mating and rearing areas
337
00:23:07,770 --> 00:23:10,760
so that scientists from the protected marine parks
338
00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,870
can more easily prohibit any commercial shark fishing.
339
00:23:17,290 --> 00:23:20,530
To achieve this, they're going to try something innovative,
340
00:23:20,530 --> 00:23:22,090
so that they can study the sharks
341
00:23:22,090 --> 00:23:23,790
without having to catch them.
342
00:23:25,055 --> 00:23:28,055
(suspenseful music)
343
00:23:43,340 --> 00:23:46,770
These sharks coming towards them are silky sharks,
344
00:23:46,770 --> 00:23:49,110
animals which are 2 meters 50,
345
00:23:49,110 --> 00:23:51,550
and are reputed to be fairly aggressive,
346
00:23:51,550 --> 00:23:53,830
involved in half a dozen attacks a year.
347
00:23:57,380 --> 00:24:01,790
But Noel stays calm, because he's developed a secret trick.
348
00:24:01,790 --> 00:24:04,790
(suspenseful music)
349
00:24:29,270 --> 00:24:32,660
Shark skin is covered with ultra sensitive sensors,
350
00:24:32,660 --> 00:24:36,000
which allow the animals to detect the slightest movement
351
00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,470
within a range of about 100 meters.
352
00:24:40,890 --> 00:24:44,570
By squeezing and folding the end of the shark's fins
353
00:24:44,570 --> 00:24:47,680
Noel induces a sudden influx of information
354
00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:50,890
which the animal feels right through its body.
355
00:24:50,890 --> 00:24:54,210
This totally confuses the messages reaching the brain.
356
00:24:54,210 --> 00:24:55,780
The sharks instantly fall into
357
00:24:55,780 --> 00:24:58,710
a state of paralysis called catatonia.
358
00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,350
This gentle method enables the divers
359
00:25:03,350 --> 00:25:06,360
to work out the length, age, and sex of the animal,
360
00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:09,710
without having to catch it and remove it from the water.
361
00:25:09,705 --> 00:25:12,705
(suspenseful music)
362
00:25:46,978 --> 00:25:49,448
What the divers have noticed is that the different sharks
363
00:25:49,450 --> 00:25:52,770
observed in this part of the reef are exclusively females.
364
00:25:57,530 --> 00:26:00,830
What's even better is that one of them has a metal tag
365
00:26:00,830 --> 00:26:03,810
that Alexei Ruiz, the Cuban shark specialist,
366
00:26:03,810 --> 00:26:04,870
had placed on her.
367
00:26:07,090 --> 00:26:09,170
So, where had she been all this time?
368
00:26:10,950 --> 00:26:13,030
More research will be necessary.
369
00:26:13,033 --> 00:26:16,033
(suspenseful music)
370
00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:33,190
So, how did it go?
371
00:26:33,190 --> 00:26:34,140
Very well.
372
00:26:38,670 --> 00:26:40,170
How many sharks did you see?
373
00:26:41,660 --> 00:26:44,060
Six, six sharks.
374
00:26:50,970 --> 00:26:53,610
We saw a tag, number 57.
375
00:26:53,610 --> 00:26:55,230
One of them had a tag?
376
00:26:55,230 --> 00:26:56,500
It was number 57.
377
00:26:58,860 --> 00:26:59,900
We didn't see it straightaway
378
00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:01,960
because all the seaweed was around it.
379
00:27:04,230 --> 00:27:06,530
But, once we got her still, we cleaner her up.
380
00:27:08,890 --> 00:27:10,220
So, number 57.
381
00:27:14,150 --> 00:27:17,380
It's quite difficult to get them to be completely still.
382
00:27:17,380 --> 00:27:19,240
Each shark has its own personality.
383
00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:24,180
Some of them don't really like it,
384
00:27:27,230 --> 00:27:29,620
and they move around so much, you have to let them go.
385
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:36,070
But, for the majority, it works fine,
386
00:27:36,070 --> 00:27:38,140
and you can read the tags or put ones on.
387
00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:41,150
It's the same every time.
388
00:27:41,150 --> 00:27:46,150
If they move like this, it's because they don't like it,
389
00:27:46,237 --> 00:27:48,497
and so it's best to let them go.
390
00:27:48,500 --> 00:27:52,190
If they don't like it, they can turn 'round and bite you!
391
00:27:52,190 --> 00:27:54,690
You have to wait and do it just like you do it,
392
00:27:54,690 --> 00:27:58,170
and as soon as they turn like this, then it's fine.
393
00:27:58,170 --> 00:27:59,380
This test, which has been
394
00:27:59,380 --> 00:28:01,110
carried out many dozens of times
395
00:28:01,110 --> 00:28:03,400
has always come up with the same result.
396
00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:05,630
There are only females.
397
00:28:05,630 --> 00:28:07,540
Since they take themselves away from the males
398
00:28:07,540 --> 00:28:09,020
when it's time to give birth,
399
00:28:09,020 --> 00:28:12,130
this would suggest that there's a rearing area close by.
400
00:28:13,330 --> 00:28:16,180
So this reef will be classified as untouchable
401
00:28:16,180 --> 00:28:19,460
for the four months corresponding to the birth cycle.
402
00:28:19,459 --> 00:28:22,379
(birds crying out)
403
00:28:26,650 --> 00:28:30,060
Eduardo wants to be able to prove that Cuba is indeed
404
00:28:30,060 --> 00:28:31,660
one of the rare birthing areas
405
00:28:31,660 --> 00:28:33,850
in the Caribbean for silky sharks.
406
00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,880
Time is short and in the hope of confirming his theory,
407
00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:40,690
he's going with Alexei Ruiz, the specialist,
408
00:28:40,690 --> 00:28:43,480
deep into the heart of Las Salinas.
409
00:28:43,475 --> 00:28:46,225
(dramatic music)
410
00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:50,830
If baby ocean sharks have been born
411
00:28:50,830 --> 00:28:52,760
in this southern part of the island,
412
00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,510
then it would be in this environment,
413
00:28:54,510 --> 00:28:56,940
protected from predators, that they would've spent
414
00:28:56,940 --> 00:28:59,720
the first few months of their lives.
415
00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,550
To make future research easier, Alexei takes
416
00:29:02,550 --> 00:29:05,430
routine measurements of each area under study.
417
00:29:05,431 --> 00:29:08,101
(pensive music)
418
00:29:10,626 --> 00:29:12,546
So, give me the temperature.
419
00:29:12,550 --> 00:29:14,210
25.1° C.
420
00:29:16,470 --> 00:29:19,390
Oxygen, 62.4 over 100.
421
00:29:20,450 --> 00:29:22,770
62.4 over 100.
422
00:29:22,770 --> 00:29:24,590
Now can you give me the salinity?
423
00:29:24,590 --> 00:29:26,490
42.3 grams per liter.
424
00:29:27,962 --> 00:29:30,312
Okay, you can turn it off now, and this evening
425
00:29:32,890 --> 00:29:35,390
we'll compile all the measurements that we've got.
426
00:29:45,180 --> 00:29:48,050
In these murky waters, saturated by sand,
427
00:29:48,050 --> 00:29:50,950
it's almost impossible to spot the baby sharks.
428
00:29:50,950 --> 00:29:53,230
They have to be caught, and so, to do this,
429
00:29:53,230 --> 00:29:55,440
the biologists use barbless fish hooks
430
00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:56,760
which are less harmful.
431
00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:18,690
For hours on end, the fishermen search
432
00:30:18,690 --> 00:30:21,610
every nook and cranny of the Las Salinas.
433
00:30:30,610 --> 00:30:31,550
There's a shark here!
434
00:30:31,550 --> 00:30:32,780
Look, over there!
435
00:30:32,780 --> 00:30:34,150
Over there on the right!
436
00:30:34,150 --> 00:30:35,690
It's taking the bait!
437
00:30:35,686 --> 00:30:38,686
(suspenseful music)
438
00:31:01,890 --> 00:31:05,320
Hold it there, put the head on this side.
439
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:07,280
So first I need you to tell me how long it is
440
00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:08,960
right up to its fin.
441
00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:10,190
84 centimeters.
442
00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:14,660
Now let's find out what sex it is.
443
00:31:16,970 --> 00:31:18,460
Did you write down that it's a male?
444
00:31:18,460 --> 00:31:19,460
Hold it by its head.
445
00:31:27,380 --> 00:31:28,790
Lift it up.
446
00:31:28,790 --> 00:31:30,040
Can you see the claspers?
447
00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:32,800
Both male sharks and rays
448
00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:34,870
are easily recognizable since they're
449
00:31:34,870 --> 00:31:37,750
the only marine animals to have two penises,
450
00:31:37,750 --> 00:31:41,110
the evolutionary remains of pelvic fins.
451
00:31:41,110 --> 00:31:43,800
The two organs are never in use at the same time.
452
00:31:47,350 --> 00:31:48,840
Give me the outer measurement.
453
00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,720
Outer, two centimeters, no more.
454
00:31:58,100 --> 00:32:00,550
So now let's give it a number.
455
00:32:00,550 --> 00:32:03,030
We're going to use a tag with a plastic head
456
00:32:03,030 --> 00:32:04,080
which is important.
457
00:32:05,690 --> 00:32:06,520
Let's do it.
458
00:32:09,670 --> 00:32:11,040
The marker goes right in the middle
459
00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:12,400
of the first dorsal fin.
460
00:32:13,830 --> 00:32:16,340
Gently, and the shark feels nothing.
461
00:32:19,950 --> 00:32:22,620
We just need to test that the tag is holding okay.
462
00:32:24,310 --> 00:32:26,470
Number of the marker, write it down,
463
00:32:26,470 --> 00:32:27,940
I'll spell it out.
464
00:32:27,940 --> 00:32:29,230
C-D.
465
00:32:29,228 --> 00:32:30,548
Yes?
466
00:32:30,549 --> 00:32:32,799
0-0.
467
00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:34,080
Zero?
468
00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:34,910
4.
469
00:32:35,780 --> 00:32:38,800
Take the hook out of the mouth, you just have to pull.
470
00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:39,630
Perfect.
471
00:32:41,670 --> 00:32:43,960
This cataloging of subadult sharks
472
00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:46,320
will be carried out over the next two years
473
00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:48,190
and should help to confirm the presence
474
00:32:48,190 --> 00:32:49,620
of a reproductive area.
475
00:32:55,899 --> 00:32:58,649
(charming music)
476
00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:08,610
From now on, protecting the reef
477
00:33:08,610 --> 00:33:10,240
means no commercial fishing,
478
00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,320
no permanent building projects, and no water sports
479
00:33:13,315 --> 00:33:16,255
over the thousand square kilometers of Las Salinas.
480
00:33:17,269 --> 00:33:20,019
(charming music)
481
00:33:32,449 --> 00:33:35,199
(birds chirping)
482
00:33:41,350 --> 00:33:44,840
But in fact, tourist complexes are one of the major issues
483
00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:47,980
that the Ministry of ecology have to deal with.
484
00:33:47,980 --> 00:33:49,780
On the Northern Coast of Cuba,
485
00:33:49,780 --> 00:33:52,680
Punta Hicacos, and the Cayos Blancos,
486
00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:56,760
make up a group of islands 22 kilometers long.
487
00:33:56,757 --> 00:33:59,507
(birds chirping)
488
00:34:04,070 --> 00:34:06,910
A succession of hotels and natural resorts,
489
00:34:06,910 --> 00:34:08,760
which were constructed hurriedly,
490
00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:12,240
and don't always conform to correct environmental standards,
491
00:34:13,370 --> 00:34:17,410
the Cayos Blancos are home to mangroves and royal palm trees
492
00:34:17,410 --> 00:34:19,220
as well as being an important reserve
493
00:34:19,220 --> 00:34:21,670
for more than 70 species of birds,
494
00:34:21,670 --> 00:34:23,520
five of whom are native to Cuba.
495
00:34:24,584 --> 00:34:27,334
(birds chirping)
496
00:34:35,329 --> 00:34:37,999
(birds honking)
497
00:34:45,130 --> 00:34:48,300
This archipelago is an almost perfect example
498
00:34:48,300 --> 00:34:51,220
of how tourism and nature can be integrated,
499
00:34:51,220 --> 00:34:53,620
something Cuba would like to extend elsewhere.
500
00:34:56,560 --> 00:35:00,290
But, some hotels were built too close to the coastline,
501
00:35:00,290 --> 00:35:02,810
and therefore, to rectify past mistakes,
502
00:35:02,810 --> 00:35:05,640
the regional authority has taken a radical decision
503
00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:08,450
concerning one of its own state run hotels.
504
00:35:10,551 --> 00:35:11,651
(dynamite fuses crackling)
505
00:35:11,647 --> 00:35:13,757
(birds chirping)
506
00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:14,590
(birds honking)
507
00:35:14,593 --> 00:35:15,973
(dynamite fuses crackling)
508
00:35:15,970 --> 00:35:18,800
(explosions boom)
509
00:35:33,420 --> 00:35:35,970
From now on, in Matanzas Province,
510
00:35:35,970 --> 00:35:38,330
its tourism which must adapt to nature,
511
00:35:38,330 --> 00:35:40,280
and not the other way 'round.
512
00:35:40,282 --> 00:35:43,092
(birds calling out)
513
00:35:43,090 --> 00:35:45,620
In order for nature tourism to succeed,
514
00:35:45,620 --> 00:35:48,420
the Ecology Ministry has some alternative ideas,
515
00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:51,920
such as floating hotels.
516
00:35:54,510 --> 00:35:57,550
By definition, mobile, each hotel only stays
517
00:35:57,550 --> 00:36:00,090
a few years in the same place,
518
00:36:00,090 --> 00:36:03,710
then moves a few miles away to another spot, and so on.
519
00:36:22,310 --> 00:36:25,260
Ten floating hotels houses the same number of guests
520
00:36:25,260 --> 00:36:28,280
as a five story building with 150 rooms.
521
00:36:30,886 --> 00:36:33,316
(birds chirping)
522
00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:36,020
The impact of tourism is therefore, spread out,
523
00:36:36,020 --> 00:36:38,110
and short lived in any given area.
524
00:36:39,110 --> 00:36:42,050
Nature can then take all the time it wants to recover,
525
00:36:42,050 --> 00:36:44,280
once the mobile structure has moved on.
526
00:36:45,142 --> 00:36:48,132
(energetic Cuban music)
527
00:36:48,134 --> 00:36:51,384
(boat engines humming)
528
00:37:08,110 --> 00:37:10,760
Staying in these hotels in the heart of the wilderness
529
00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:13,460
is a unique experience, since it enables tourists
530
00:37:13,455 --> 00:37:15,205
to come into direct contact
531
00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,900
with some of the area's remarkable animals.
532
00:37:17,898 --> 00:37:21,228
(energetic Cuban music)
533
00:37:37,300 --> 00:37:40,000
Noel's expertise means that he can offer tourists
534
00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:41,900
the chance to dive with sharks,
535
00:37:43,230 --> 00:37:45,000
but it's a complex operation.
536
00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:49,010
Sharks within a radius of less than a kilometer
537
00:37:49,010 --> 00:37:52,150
are attracted by the low frequency sound of the motors
538
00:37:52,150 --> 00:37:55,540
and by the commotion caused by divers, and they soon arrive.
539
00:37:56,620 --> 00:37:59,250
Then, to keep their attention, bait is used,
540
00:38:00,580 --> 00:38:04,490
but only a small amount, to avoid creating a feeding frenzy,
541
00:38:04,490 --> 00:38:07,540
which would force the divers rapidly out of the water.
542
00:38:07,538 --> 00:38:10,538
(suspenseful music)
543
00:38:12,033 --> 00:38:15,403
Once the sharks start swimming calmly around the divers,
544
00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:18,390
a box filled with bait is lowered into the water.
545
00:38:18,393 --> 00:38:21,393
(suspenseful music)
546
00:38:23,690 --> 00:38:26,340
The predatory nature of sharks is stimulated
547
00:38:26,340 --> 00:38:28,890
and means that they'll instinctively seek out
548
00:38:28,890 --> 00:38:30,930
where the smell of the food is coming from
549
00:38:30,930 --> 00:38:33,720
while knowing that it's not from the divers.
550
00:38:33,721 --> 00:38:36,721
(suspenseful music)
551
00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,380
But in order for this technique to work all year 'round,
552
00:38:41,380 --> 00:38:45,230
Noel has to change area and shark group for each dive.
553
00:38:46,199 --> 00:38:49,199
(suspenseful music)
554
00:39:17,980 --> 00:39:21,460
It's a technique based on the curious nature of sharks
555
00:39:21,460 --> 00:39:24,350
and it enables divers to take some incredible photos
556
00:39:24,350 --> 00:39:27,080
in safe conditions, and without interfering
557
00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:28,790
with the sharks' natural behavior.
558
00:39:29,890 --> 00:39:31,590
But danger still exists.
559
00:39:32,570 --> 00:39:35,720
If a shark becomes frustrated at not finding enough food,
560
00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:38,940
it could suddenly attack a diver, or worse,
561
00:39:38,940 --> 00:39:42,800
the sharks could associate boat, divers, and food together.
562
00:39:42,797 --> 00:39:47,077
Even just going swimming would become risky.
563
00:39:47,077 --> 00:39:50,077
(suspenseful music)
564
00:39:58,170 --> 00:40:00,940
In the interest of Cuba's natural habitats,
565
00:40:00,940 --> 00:40:03,880
Noel and the Office of Marine Parks once again
566
00:40:03,880 --> 00:40:06,220
have put in place extremely strick measures
567
00:40:06,220 --> 00:40:08,020
to regulate this perennial activity.
568
00:40:09,191 --> 00:40:12,191
(suspenseful music)
569
00:40:19,511 --> 00:40:22,181
(birds calling)
570
00:40:28,130 --> 00:40:30,920
In this aquatic paradise, there's an issue
571
00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:33,850
which needs Noel and Leslie's urgent attention.
572
00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:37,760
It's hard to imagine that one of the Central American
573
00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:41,510
reef's worst nightmares was caused by just six fish,
574
00:40:41,510 --> 00:40:43,750
who escaped from a Florida aquarium
575
00:40:43,750 --> 00:40:45,710
during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
576
00:40:46,746 --> 00:40:49,496
(dramatic music)
577
00:41:05,540 --> 00:41:08,420
The lion fish, originally from the Pacific,
578
00:41:08,420 --> 00:41:10,780
has no natural predator in the Atlantic,
579
00:41:12,430 --> 00:41:15,190
and each female lays two million eggs a year.
580
00:41:16,530 --> 00:41:19,040
In 10 years, lion fish have invaded
581
00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:22,480
the whole of the Caribbean, including Cuba.
582
00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:25,230
(dramatic music)
583
00:41:33,370 --> 00:41:36,180
Half of the species present in the reef today
584
00:41:36,180 --> 00:41:38,910
are in danger of being replaced by this pest.
585
00:41:43,050 --> 00:41:44,520
It's a huge problem for which
586
00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:46,890
there doesn't seem to be a solution.
587
00:41:49,169 --> 00:41:50,579
(pensive music)
588
00:41:50,580 --> 00:41:52,350
But back in the familiar surroundings
589
00:41:52,350 --> 00:41:53,770
of the Queen's Gardens,
590
00:41:53,770 --> 00:41:57,450
Noel has patiently been developing a most original idea.
591
00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:01,070
He discovered that in their native Pacific,
592
00:42:01,070 --> 00:42:05,060
lion fish are eaten daily by groupers and sharks.
593
00:42:05,061 --> 00:42:07,731
(pensive music)
594
00:42:30,410 --> 00:42:33,330
So their Caribbean cousins just need to be persuaded
595
00:42:33,330 --> 00:42:36,050
that lion fish are a perfectly edible prey.
596
00:42:38,710 --> 00:42:42,260
The extremely poisonous spines are what worry the predators.
597
00:42:43,210 --> 00:42:45,430
The groupers have to work out that their palates,
598
00:42:45,430 --> 00:42:48,480
made of cartilage, will protect them from the spines,
599
00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:50,510
but there's only one way of finding out.
600
00:42:51,445 --> 00:42:54,115
(pensive music)
601
00:43:21,678 --> 00:43:25,118
After months of trying, mission accomplished!
602
00:43:25,120 --> 00:43:27,790
(pensive music)
603
00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:56,190
Sharks are more easily persuaded.
604
00:44:01,410 --> 00:44:03,720
They also have palates of cartilage,
605
00:44:03,720 --> 00:44:06,840
which don't get damaged by the venomous spines.
606
00:44:06,836 --> 00:44:09,506
(pensive music)
607
00:44:12,689 --> 00:44:15,129
After three years of hard work and patience,
608
00:44:15,130 --> 00:44:17,900
it seems that Noel and his team's approach
609
00:44:17,900 --> 00:44:21,080
has successfully taken off, and been emulated
610
00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:25,000
along the 150 kilometer Queen's Gardens Reef.
611
00:44:24,997 --> 00:44:27,667
(pensive music)
612
00:44:37,820 --> 00:44:39,370
The latest reports we've received
613
00:44:39,370 --> 00:44:41,080
have shown that there's been a reduction
614
00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:42,540
in lion fish density.
615
00:44:43,661 --> 00:44:47,231
This means that their population has decreased.
616
00:44:47,230 --> 00:44:50,270
With your experience, what do you make of that?
617
00:44:50,267 --> 00:44:54,437
There have been articles explaining that it is possible,
618
00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:56,630
in order to reduce the threat of lion fish,
619
00:44:56,630 --> 00:44:58,680
to teach different predators to eat them.
620
00:44:59,770 --> 00:45:01,840
That's something that really interests me,
621
00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:03,990
the idea that fishes can learn.
622
00:45:03,990 --> 00:45:05,170
Do you think that's true?
623
00:45:05,168 --> 00:45:07,888
I don't think so, I know so.
624
00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:12,550
We now have proof, as well as what we've observed ourselves,
625
00:45:12,550 --> 00:45:14,320
that anywhere there are predators,
626
00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:16,610
lion fish are almost nowhere to be seen.
627
00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:22,000
It clearly shows that lion fish are being preyed upon.
628
00:45:27,180 --> 00:45:28,690
So now, indigenous fish
629
00:45:28,690 --> 00:45:31,880
can slowly but surely return in numbers.
630
00:45:31,875 --> 00:45:34,545
(pensive music)
631
00:45:45,240 --> 00:45:48,060
Faced with the ever advancing wave of tourism,
632
00:45:48,060 --> 00:45:50,890
Leslie and Noel are never short of imagination
633
00:45:50,890 --> 00:45:52,840
when it comes to inspecting and protecting
634
00:45:52,840 --> 00:45:54,060
the health of the coral.
635
00:45:58,995 --> 00:46:02,955
They've come up with a most remarkably inventive technique.
636
00:46:02,950 --> 00:46:06,490
It enables them to inspect nearly 200 kilometers of reef
637
00:46:06,490 --> 00:46:07,970
in a hundred dives.
638
00:46:11,004 --> 00:46:13,674
(pensive music)
639
00:46:22,420 --> 00:46:25,640
Coral polyps are animals similar to jellyfish
640
00:46:25,640 --> 00:46:27,390
and which stick to surfaces
641
00:46:27,390 --> 00:46:30,400
and form a limestone skeleton around themselves.
642
00:46:33,530 --> 00:46:36,660
The accumulation of billions and billions of these animals
643
00:46:36,660 --> 00:46:39,100
make up the coral reefs.
644
00:46:39,104 --> 00:46:41,774
(pensive music)
645
00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:45,110
Bioluminescence is the light produced
646
00:46:45,110 --> 00:46:47,270
by certain living organisms,
647
00:46:47,270 --> 00:46:49,910
and healthy corals produce this light,
648
00:46:49,910 --> 00:46:52,150
although it's not easy to see it.
649
00:46:52,152 --> 00:46:54,112
(pensive music)
650
00:46:54,110 --> 00:46:57,370
An intense blue light activates luciferin,
651
00:46:57,370 --> 00:47:01,030
the chemical compound which creates luminescence.
652
00:47:01,030 --> 00:47:02,590
So, by wearing a yellow mask
653
00:47:02,590 --> 00:47:04,640
which blocks out the blue spectrum,
654
00:47:04,640 --> 00:47:08,270
the coral appears in a completely different aspect.
655
00:47:08,274 --> 00:47:10,944
(pensive music)
656
00:47:21,060 --> 00:47:24,190
Green, yellow, orange, red.
657
00:47:24,185 --> 00:47:27,825
Each variety of coral has its own vibrant color.
658
00:47:27,823 --> 00:47:30,493
(pensive music)
659
00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:51,470
Leslie and Noel enter into a world
660
00:47:51,470 --> 00:47:53,460
that humans rarely get to see,
661
00:47:53,460 --> 00:47:56,130
as if nature has given them a fish eye's view.
662
00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:00,980
The reef lets them in to its world,
663
00:48:00,980 --> 00:48:05,070
at once both infinitely fragile, and endlessly powerful.
664
00:48:05,074 --> 00:48:07,744
(pensive music)
665
00:48:29,560 --> 00:48:32,220
Seen from this angle, it's hard not to agree
666
00:48:32,220 --> 00:48:34,500
that the Cuban reefs are full of life,
667
00:48:36,050 --> 00:48:39,030
but at the same time, it's clear that the slightest touch
668
00:48:39,030 --> 00:48:42,950
of any bit of coral means destroying dozens of polyps.
669
00:48:42,945 --> 00:48:44,895
(ominous music)
670
00:48:44,890 --> 00:48:49,530
200,000 divers today, 500,000 in five years time,
671
00:48:49,530 --> 00:48:51,760
how many more in 20 years?
672
00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:54,650
The reef won't be able to survive in the long run,
673
00:48:54,646 --> 00:48:57,316
(pensive music)
674
00:49:07,640 --> 00:49:10,560
which is why the National Center for Protected Areas
675
00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:12,720
has taken its latest decision.
676
00:49:12,720 --> 00:49:14,880
There are to be no more dive centers set up
677
00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:17,810
in Cuban marine parks, and the numbers of divers
678
00:49:17,810 --> 00:49:19,770
will be limited annually.
679
00:49:19,770 --> 00:49:23,490
This is the only way that this particular wonder of nature
680
00:49:23,490 --> 00:49:26,520
will be preserved for future generations.
681
00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:29,440
(dramatic music)
682
00:49:29,436 --> 00:49:31,126
(cruise ship horn blowing)
683
00:49:31,130 --> 00:49:33,640
Cuban people, both proud and aware
684
00:49:33,640 --> 00:49:35,550
of their country's natural riches,
685
00:49:35,550 --> 00:49:38,270
don't expect a savior from the outside.
686
00:49:38,270 --> 00:49:40,950
Five centuries after Columbus' arrival,
687
00:49:40,950 --> 00:49:44,620
the first cruise ships sail by in almost total indifference.
688
00:49:45,480 --> 00:49:49,330
But this nature blessed island, this ecological paradise,
689
00:49:49,330 --> 00:49:52,750
will gradually become a jewel, rarer by the year,
690
00:49:52,750 --> 00:49:55,210
and who knows if the younger Cuban generations
691
00:49:55,210 --> 00:49:58,500
will be able to offer the same resistance as their parents
692
00:49:58,500 --> 00:50:02,050
and safeguard their unique country for generations to come?
693
00:50:02,045 --> 00:50:04,025
(dramatic music)
694
00:50:04,020 --> 00:50:06,560
Or, will they give in to the ever increasing pressure
695
00:50:06,560 --> 00:50:09,460
from those in search of the thrills and sensations
696
00:50:09,462 --> 00:50:13,742
which interfere with the fragile natural balance of island?
697
00:50:13,745 --> 00:50:16,165
Only time will tell.
698
00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:18,830
(pensive music)
699
00:50:23,789 --> 00:50:27,119
(energetic Cuban music)
51030
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.