Original subtitles

The Amazon, a wilderness teeming with wildlife.

Millions of species make their home in this vast jungle.

But one part is still totally unexplored.

Under the water.

Hidden in the river lie some of the strangest and fiercest creatures on

It is the richest river in the world.

home to thousands of species.

Only a handful have ever been seen in the wild.

Nothing is known about how these remarkable animals live.

Man may have walked on the moon, but no one has journeyed to the very bottom of

the Amazon.

Until now.

An expedition is starting a search for the animals in the depths.

Their four -week mission, to take cameras to this last great unexplored

Their 2 ,000 mile journey will lead them from the widest river into the smallest

jungle stream.

Their final destination, the unexplored underwater canyon of the Rio Negro, the

abyss itself.

The challenge is huge.

No one has ever succeeded in penetrating the depths of this remarkable river

system, and with good reason. The currents are fast and dangerous.

The water is stained black and thick with sediment.

And the dark water hides predators.

Caiman weighing a quarter of a ton.

Stingrays.

Piranhas.

And the biggest snake in the world, the Anaconda.

The world's greatest river won't be giving up her secrets easily.

There are three boats on the expedition.

One for living, one for support, and one for diving.

It's an international team of scientists, jungle guides and divers.

They're led by Mike Degree, professional cameraman and veteran of over 5 ,000

dives.

Also on the team, British explorer and naturalist Kate Humble.

Like the rest of the divers, it's her first time in the Amazon.

They are about to go underwater for the very first time.

Many people believe they're attempting the impossible.

And in these conditions, there's no room for error.

The air is clammy and hot the river will be just as warm

This first dive will reveal just how much can be

seen underwater It is a step into the unknown

As they defend, the divers discover a different world.

The water is heavy with sediment and they quickly lose sight of one another.

Anything could be swimming past them and could still not be seen.

The state -of -the -art diving gear allows them to stay in the water until

has fallen, but they still haven't seen a single creature.

You all right, Kate?

It was so murky, I had a torch held to my computer, and I

couldn't see the display.

The team are in sombre mood.

No one expected the visibility to be quite so terrible.

The whole future of the expedition... is in doubt.

But there's no giving up.

First thing next morning, the boats push further up the river and into the

unknown in search of better dive zones.

As they travel, they're surrounded by the richest jungle in the world.

Along the edge of a sandbank, the dive boat has dropped anchor.

They've realized there is something in the water beneath them, and it's very

large.

The echo sounder is giving bizarre readings of strange shapes in the

No one can tell what it is.

There's only one way to find out.

As they descend, they're surrounded once again by the dense murk of the river.

But then, as they reach the very deepest part of the riverbed...

Gradually, in the gloom, a giant colony of sponges appears before their eyes.

Holy cow!

Well, I'm just going to shoot it.

Normally, these primitive creatures are only ever found in the oceans.

Looking closer, the divers slowly begin to make out camouflaged creatures,

motionless amongst the sponges.

This

prehistoric

species wears an armor of sharpened scales as protection from predators.

The river reveals an extraordinary array of catfish.

perfectly adapted to feel their way through the darkness with their delicate

whiskers.

And

then,

almost buried from sight, the king of the riverbed.

The giant freshwater stingray.

They cruise the river in search of snails and crabs.

But if disturbed, will whip the attacker with their venomous barbed tail.

It's laced with enough poison to cripple a diver.

Suddenly, there's a problem.

I'm hearing an alarm of some sort down there. One of the divers' air supply has

malfunctioned. He's 20 meters below the surface and in danger of losing

consciousness. Pits, pits, surface.

Despite the urgency, it's crucial they ascend slowly.

Coming up too fast can cause serious medical injuries, including the bends.

Roger, copy.

Okay, just keep us advised, please.

It's the worst place to have an infant.

At the bottom of a river, in the middle of the jungle, at the dead of night.

The nearest hospital is three days away.

Both of their computers are yelping like crazy.

Pits is out of the water, still with a rebreather problem.

The divers have escaped injury, but breathe pure oxygen as a precaution.

give me a thumbs up.

The incident drives home just how alone they really are.

Next day, the boats weigh anchor and continue their journey into the heart of

the Amazon.

In the afternoon, they part by settlements carved from the forest.

A million

people live on the shores

of the Amazon.

The height of the river changes by eight meters between the wet and the dry

season, so some people put their home on stilts.

Some float them on giant logs.

And others spend their lives under way, bartering goods along the banks.

For them all, the river is their highway.

And they're larger.

But it's also a source of danger.

Every year, people are attacked by the creatures that live beneath the surface.

Mike and scientist Mario de Pina are on the search for the one that the people

of the Amazon fear most of all.

It's just five centimeters long.

The candarou.

Kandaroo are vampires, parasites of other things.

They enter their host's body through the gills and gorge on their blood.

But in the turbid waters of the Amazon, they sometimes enter humans instead.

We're about to go into the water with a little fish that has a nasty habit

of swimming up your urethra.

That's right. That's what you're about to do.

And you will notice, very tight mesh.

The candleroo is more common on this beach than anywhere else in the Amazon.

But there's only one way to find them.

You have to get into the water.

I think we'll be safe.

Or at least I hope so. All right, that's it. I'm committed now.

On their first trawl, there are no kangaroos.

But they do net some bizarre aliens whose ancestors came from the ocean

of years ago.

The needlefish.

Snappy little fellow, too.

All right, all right.

And pufferfish that inflate themselves when attacked.

When a predator takes them, he puffs up and they can't get him down, so they let

him go.

Or he can go into a cracker crevice and puff up and you can't be extracted.

I need to get him back in the water pretty quickly.

Another curiosity of the Amazon, a doradit which wards off predators by

Go ahead, bring it up.

Here we go. Come on, say hi.

All right, I'm letting this guy go.

See ya.

Mike and his team have been searching for Kandaroo for two hours.

If one enters their body, they'd need emergency surgery to cut it out.

At last, he catches one.

It has backward -pointing spines to lodge itself in the body cavity.

I can feel those spines, the teeth.

So now you can see how it actually moves.

when it's trying to get in something.

It may look harmless, but it could leave you in agony.

Kate has taken a boat onto one of the world's biggest reservoirs.

When it was damned, it drowned half a million trees, creating a lake bigger

Luxembourg.

Millions of animals were killed.

But inadvertently, it created a haven for one of the Amazon's most elusive

animals, the giant otter.

Only 3 ,000 remain in the whole of South America.

Together with one of the scientists, Kate searches for signs.

They are dead. They are leaving the den.

Hello, guys.

Hunted for years for their fur, they were nearly driven to extinction.

Here at least in this remote reserve, their face.

The rest of the team is searching a remote forest stream.

The water's crystal clear because it hasn't rained for weeks.

This may be Mike and Mario's best chance to find a species new to science.

But nothing's that simple in the Amazon.

Oh, it makes me wonder how stupid we are standing in water while that kind of

activity is going on.

The first sign that the rainy season may be on its way.

It seems their best hope of finding new species is being washed away in the mud.

I just don't see this working.

There's now no chance of filming the animals in the stream.

So they decide to catch the fish and film them in a tank instead.

In the net, Mario spots

something that looks different.

The team set up a portable jungle studio to film the unusual fish.

These people live beside a small stream that has as many species of fish as all

the rivers in England.

That's lovely.

At last, they've found what they've been hoping for.

A species completely new to science.

This is perfect. This is theological history.

Just fantastic.

It's an animal vampire.

A type of blood -sucking catfish.

It may be small, but it's an important scientific discovery.

Well done, Mario.

Yeah. That night, there's a

celebration on the dive boat.

Big success for the whole crew.

They've broken new scientific ground.

But they all know there are many more spectacular creatures waiting to be

discovered.

The expedition is now in its second week. The boats are heading up a small

tributary of the Amazon in search of new habitats and new species.

Reports have come in from a nearby village that this stretch of the river

home to giant catfish.

Growing up to two meters long, they have a terrible reputation for dragging

fishermen down to the depths.

It's a unique opportunity to film one of the Amazon's most infamous animals.

Mike and Kate head upriver in search of suitable dive sites.

A local fisherman has recently seen a giant catfish in the deepest part of the

waterfall plunge pool.

the rest of the dive team come to join them and together they set about making

camp on the beach the water here is fast

flowing and strewn with boulders perfect conditions for giant catfish and many

other creatures the local delicacy red -bellied piranha

The turbulence from the waterfall causes a scum of natural foam.

The foam blocks out the light and the divers drop into darkness.

The labyrinth of ledges and caves are a perfect hideout for fish.

Well, look at how sheer that rock is.

That's better.

A pike thickly is captured in the spotlight as it swims for cover.

And then a remarkable find.

The Panak.

The only fish on earth that eats wood.

Their huge gut holds unique bacteria to digest the dense hardwoods of the

Amazon.

In a crevice, small catfish shelter from hungry predators and keep a watchful

eye on passing prey.

There is still no sign of the giant catfish, but in this maze of rocks and

caverns, its secret lair could be just feet away.

Oh, here's a nice fish.

But then they discover one of the most peculiar creatures ever found in the

deep.

Knifefish.

These quirks of evolution navigate in the dark waters by using a sixth sense.

Electrical pulses generated by highly adapted muscles.

They're so specialized, they can even talk to each other with their electrical

signal.

and hiding in a sunken log, a prize.

One of the largest night fish in the world.

Can you come forward? Let's try to get this guy.

Called the black ghost, it is shy, nocturnal, and rare, and has never been

filmed in the wild before.

Holy cow!

This is beautiful!

Their long ribbon fin allows them to swim forwards.

backwards and sideways with equal ease.

Piranhas! Piranhas! There they are!

Let's just sit a little.

A pack of piranhas lurk in the darkness.

They're keeping their distance from the divers.

They will only attack much larger creatures that are injured and bleeding.

The divers have been in the water for three hours.

Now, with their air getting low, they're forced to abandon their search for the

giant catfish.

Next morning, they strike out deep into the jungle.

Hidden in the forest is a network of streams and pools, each containing their

own unique creatures, and they've never been explored.

But reaching them isn't easy.

It's a two -hour hike through the steamy jungle to reach a location that's good

to dive.

The shallow waters contain a huge diversity of fish.

Two cichlid parents are protecting their fry from all comers.

They've dug a deep hole in the sand with their mouths to make an underwater

nursery for their babies.

Some fish take childcare even more seriously.

Pike cichlids are a bit like humans in their parenting skills, staying together

to protect and even feed their family until they're nearly full grown.

Then, just as the cameramen are finally capturing the clearest images,

the heavens open and the waters are temporarily muddied.

It's another sign that the dry season is ending. The expedition will have to

work fast if they're to complete their mission before the rains begin in

earnest.

But thankfully, as quickly as the rain started, it stopped, and they pressed

even deeper into the virgin forest.

Well, we wanted overhanging forests, didn't we? Yep.

One of the jungle guides tries to attract fish in the traditional way.

It's an electric eel, and it's on the move.

They

slide

into the water with care.

These eels use electricity to both hunt and defend themselves.

If threatened, they can discharge 600 volts.

One zap could knock a diver unconscious.

They edge closer and closer.

If they move too suddenly, they risk being electrocuted.

This fish breathes air, uniquely adapted to the oxygen -poor waters of the

Amazon. The lining of their mouth acts as a lock.

The divers are now just inches away, yet the eel tolerates their presence.

There's a small community of people living here in the forest.

For them, electric eels, poisonous snakes and predators are an unfortunate

of life.

I just heard another story about a snake here.

The anaconda. The anaconda. It wasn't that big. They said about six meters.

It's about 18 feet long.

It's big enough for me.

The anaconda.

The largest snake in the world.

They kill by constricting their prey, grabbing their victims as they come to

water's edge.

Local people sometimes destroy anacondas when they find them. For them, it can

be a case of kill or be killed.

For the sake of both the snake and the local people, They decide to track down

and move the anaconda.

If

you

want to find anaconda, you have to follow your nose.

They have a very distinctive odor.

How do you feel with me?

Yep. Yep. Yep.

It's a snake.

Think so? Yeah, I do think so. I think it's big.

The head is this way.

Can you hold it here?

You have to hold the head strong because it's getting away.

Yeah.

Don't let it go. I got it. I got it. You got it? Yeah. You got the head?

Hold it. Slow down. Slow down.

This thing's going to come out fast. Yeah, yeah. Turn around.

Somebody help me here in the head.

Stand up. Stand up.

I can't believe you found this thing.

If the snake were left, it could be killed by local people or possibly kill

human itself.

These seem somehow a little tougher. Can you rinse that head off? I want to get

a look at that.

The scientists from the boat come to help.

Once secured in the crate, the anaconda will be taken to

a safe new home.

A nature reserve far away from human habitation.

They're into the third week of the expedition, and it's time to move on to

deeper water.

They travel back down the tributary and onto the main river.

The boats travel all through the night and all the following day.

The team save their energy.

They all know that tonight they have a big dive ahead.

That afternoon the team is crossing one of the world's great natural spectacles

The meeting of the waters

Here the black waters of the Rio Negro

join the milky waters of the river Amazon rich in mineral swept down from

Andes

Now leaving one river, entering another.

They head into the mouth of a giant tributary where the water promises to be

clearer As

the

Sun sets they prepare to explore from the shore

They've heard from local fishermen this is a perfect spot for giant catfish.

They're determined that at last they'll capture one on film.

Well, come over there. Kate and I need to walk out right next to these rocks,

and we need a spot right here.

Their best chance is to wait until darkness falls, the time when many

prefer to hunt.

A whole support team of divers and crew are on hand.

The safety team listen intently for any note of danger.

Under

the

water, the focus is on finding the giant catfish.

With more than 3 ,000 species of fish in the Amazon, they never know what they

may stumble across.

Previously,

this knife fish has only been seen from preserved specimens.

Until this was filmed... Scientists never knew it swam vertically.

Oh, that's perfect.

Then, in the gloom, they find what they've been searching for.

Megalodorus.

They're built like a battle tank with bony plates along their back and

spines along their side to protect them from even larger predator And

they don't like being followed

It's

not the only predator in the river there's a strange noise in the water

It's a boto, a freshwater dolphin, hunting for prey with phonar.

They can be heard, but not seen.

They're the most elusive creatures in the river.

Botos live everywhere in the Amazon River system, but filming them

has long been thought to be near impossible.

Then the team has a tip -off it seems there may be a place to get close to

at the local beach resort

Local children have been feeding fish to a family of wild Boto that live in the

river, getting them used to the presence of humans.

Kate lures the Boto in, so the sound recordist can make a rare underwater

recording of their calls.

Now that Kate's attracted the boatos, the camera team can get in the water.

But they've no idea how these dolphins will react.

The dolphins show no fear of the cameraman as they swim through their

world, stained deep red by decaying rainforest leaves.

Their bulging foreheads contain a sophisticated sonar to detect prey in

dark waters.

They can also use these bursts of intense sounds to stun their prey.

That's it.

No more fish.

Amazing.

Amazing experience.

It's the final week of their journey. The first thunderstorms of the rainy

season have arrived.

River conditions will soon be too severe for diving.

Now they're starting the climax of the expedition to find life in the abyss

Hidden somewhere in the water here is a deep

channel gouged into the riverbed Scientists have no idea what lies in its

This is going to be their greatest challenge At its deepest part it reaches

90 meters The risk of sending divers to that depth is just too great.

Yes! But the expedition has a new toy.

Fantastic.

This is an ROV, a remotely operated vehicle, complete with its own cameras.

Bait has been tied in front of the lens to lure in the fish.

It's halfway down, already deep enough to hide the Statue of Liberty.

In the darkness...

strange creatures start to appear.

Oh, the spike.

It's getting kind of busy. Look at that!

Kandarua Thu, scavengers of the deep.

They feed on the dead, but also attack the living.

With a ring of teeth like a ripping circular saw, Kandarua Thu bore into the

flesh.

And within minutes, these starving scavengers have devoured the base.

They're finding life far deeper in the Amazon than anyone believed existed, but

they're still only halfway down.

Time is quickly running out, and the team must work around the clock.

As night falls, fresh bait is secured.

Now they're taking it all the way down to the very bottom of the abyss.

But there's trouble brewing.

This is weather that can think ships.

The team must carry on.

With the rainy season on them, tonight is their last chance to take cameras

the depths.

They stay glued to the screens, hoping to find a glimpse of life.

The storm is now less than a mile away.

Then suddenly the ghostly images of Kandarua Sioux appear from the darkness.

They have discovered that there is indeed life at the bottom of the abyss.

And there are more creatures down there.

A relative of the

Kandarua Thu, but even larger and more fierce.

That did not look like the same one we've been seeing.

They've revealed that the abyss swarms with scavengers, waiting for anything

river brings them.

With the electrical storm almost above them, they can't afford to stay a moment

longer. The ROV is rescued, and they seek shelter.

The next afternoon there's a break in the weather.

It's the expedition's final day, and the team desperately want better quality

pictures of the Kandirua Sioux.

They decide to send in the divers with their cameras.

They'll have to be quick. More storms are on their way.

There's a narrow shelf within diving range, but is it in Kandirua Sioux

territory?

No one has gone face to face with these voracious scavengers before.

As the daylight begins to fade, the divers prepare for their encounter.

We're all wearing a three mil suit, gloves, hoodie, and the mask on top, so

we're all protected.

Go,

go.

RLV is now on the bottom, blood pressure is variable

If the storms come much closer, they'll have to abort the dive.

After 40 minutes, there are still no Kandarua Sioux.

The clock is ticking.

Don't want that light on it.

Here's the best one right there. Oh, there's two of them in front of me now.

They're unbelievably energetic. It's almost as though they figure, well, this

meal isn't going to last long. I better take advantage of it while I can.

Nearly blind, Kandarua Thu tracks its prey by scent.

Its streamlined body allows it to writhe, gorging inside its victim.

Things are starting to heat up now. I'm eating it from the inside out. Oh, my

God. They're going after my stomach now.

This is getting just a little bit too close for comfort.

Perhaps only their wet soups are saving the divers in water infested with

Kandarua soup.

Although the reputation of the piranha is legendary, could it be that these are

the true monsters of the Amazon?

I'm glad that these are scavengers and not predators because I can't imagine

that piranha are any more aggressive than the kangaroo.

The weather topside is deteriorating fast.

I'm going to leave it out and I'm going to go back up because this has been

quite an experience and I want it to remain a good one.

On the surface.

They have good reason for their concerns.

Kandarua Sioux are tenacious to the extreme.

They continue to devour the bait even when it's back above

water.

The expedition is nearly over. They're heading for port.

In four weeks, the 50 team members have voyaged 3 ,000 kilometers.

In total, over a hundred species have been filmed, most of them for the first

time.

They've discovered fish completely new to science.

But they still only scratched the surface.

The scientists estimate there are another 2 ,000 species yet to be

In this eerie world of the strange, who knows what extraordinary creatures may

yet be found.