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One of the biggest continents

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and crammed with possibilities

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for all of us to explore.

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(dramatic music)

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The planet's record-breaking rivers,

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longest mountains,

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steepest waterfalls,

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and most massive rain forest.

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The variety of landscape supports wildlife

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in seemingly endless varieties.

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With many highlights,

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including the most massive rodents,

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otters and parrots.

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Unique birds,

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mammals,

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even dolphins

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and spectacular predators.

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Make sure to get South America on your bucket list.

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(birds chirping)

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(soft music)

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If planning the ultimate tour of South America,

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you'll want to include the continent's natural wonders

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on your list.

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Starting at the top,

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South America has some of the most dramatic mountains

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in the world.

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The most famous of course, the Andes,

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the longest mountain range on the planet,

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and with some of the highest peaks.

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Over 7,000 kilometers tip to tip,

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it would be long enough to stretch across the USA twice.

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It dissects seven different countries.

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Reaching into the heavens.

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At its peak, the range reaches a dizzying height

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of nearly 7,000 meters.

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Straddling the Pacific coast,

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the range shapes the weather for the entire continent.

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It's hardly surprising that the thermals kicked up

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by these bad boys support one of the biggest flying birds.

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(dramatic music)

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There are a few sites in the skies more spectacular

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than the Andean condors.

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The surface of their broad three-meter wings

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create such a big area,

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it can catch enough rising air

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to keep the birds airborne for hours

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without them ever needing to flap.

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No mean feat, considering they weigh about as much

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as the average four-year old.

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From their lofty vantage point, they look for carrion,

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because despite their appearance,

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they are purely scavengers clearing up mess

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on the mountains.

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(gentle music)

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For such big, intimidating looking birds,

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they're actually shy and cautious.

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Preferring to hide out on high perches.

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Perhaps the most beautiful,

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the Paine mountain range or Paine Massif.

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Located in Chile, it offers unparalleled vistas.

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Its crowning glory, Cordillera Paine,

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stands nearly 3000 meters above sea level.

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It will literally take your breath away.

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Thrown up by the force of magma beneath its surface

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millions of years ago,

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the range has since been scoured and carved by glaciers.

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Four main glaciers remain.

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Any meltwater from them or seasonal snow

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feeds remote pristine lakes.

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It's a real wildlife hotspot.

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Not surprisingly, the continent's first national park

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Torres del Paine.

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(somber music)

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The Andes boasts 30,000 plant species.

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The stunning scarlet Embothrium is one not to miss.

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The rich vegetation supports animal life

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and great diversity.

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Including more than 100 species of bird,

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15 of which are birds of prey.

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And grazing on the plants, large mammals are abundant,

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particularly the unique guanaco.

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(gentle music)

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The largest animals in the mountains.

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Wild lamas, the guanacos are perfectly adapted

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to life in the Andes.

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Enlarged hearts and extra red blood cells help them cope

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with the lower oxygen levels at altitude.

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Like their camel cousins,

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they have long eyelashes and closable nostrils

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to keep out dust and dirt.

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They have the same trait of being experts

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in going long periods without water.

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And like camels, they have two padded toes

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to help them grip the rocky terrain.

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Especially important during the race

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that is a guanaco's love life,

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(gentle, sensual music)

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the males compete for harems,

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groups of females and their young.

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They must prove their worth, fighting, biting,

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and running each other down at 60 kilometers per hour,

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fast enough to keep up with a horse.

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Only the toughest will get to take over a herd

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and father the next generation of babies.

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But for the successful, nearly a year later,

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(soft music)

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little ones arrive.

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No babies are cuter than little guanacos.

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Known as chulengos, or sweeter still, guanaquitoes.

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They have a strong instinct, right from the word go

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to try and get to their feet.

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They need to be ready to move with the herd,

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and more importantly, prepare to make a dash from danger.

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(soft music)

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The grazing herds attract an elusive predator.

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Seldom seen, the Torres del Paine

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offers better chances than anywhere else.

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What sounds like a high-pitched laugh

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coming from the guanaco herd

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might be the warning to train your eyes.

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A puma may be nearby.

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(somber music)

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One of the ultimate predator encounters

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for anyone's bucket list,

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has to be the majestic mountain lion.

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The top predator in the Andes,

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the puma is a master of stealth.

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Capable of bringing down prey much bigger

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than it is with a killer bite to the throat,

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and will hunt every 10 days or so.

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Guanaco is its favorite prey here.

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But fortunately, this female already has a meal on the go

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and calls her cubs to feed.

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(gentle music)

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Pumas are normally solitary.

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So few get the chance to see a group.

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But during the two years a mother cares for her young,

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they share a close bond.

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Pumas can live at higher altitudes than any other cat.

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And among hunters, they're one of the best jumpers,

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taking 10 meters in a single bound.

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So make sure you don't watch too closely.

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(thunder rumbling)

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(ominous music)

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Life in the Andes is tough.

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The weather can change by the hour.

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And winter sees fierce storms and plummeting temperatures.

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But all that rain and snow that falls on the mountains,

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feeds an incredible network of thousands of rivers.

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As they carve their way through the land,

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rivers create spectacular gorges, rapids and waterfalls,

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(dramatic music)

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including the biggest of all.

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Flowing through Brazil,

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as it reaches the border of Argentina,

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the Iguazu River spills over the breathtaking Iguazu Falls,

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in one of the continent's most dramatic spectacles.

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Across the upper and lower falls,

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the water drops more than 70 staggering meters.

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When the US First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, first saw Iguazu,

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she exclaimed, "Poor Niagara!"

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And it's easy to see why.

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The curtain of water is nearly 3000 meters across,

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kicking up great clouds of spray.

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(soft music)

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Dusky swifts dance through rainbows created by the mist,

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using it to shower their plumage.

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Remarkably, these birds have managed to harness

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the immense power of the water to protect their families.

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They get a mud from the mist-drenched banks

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and assemble little clay cups on the cliff faces,

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directly behind the falls.

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Here, they can lay their eggs

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and feed and raise their young,

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protected by the never ending heavy curtain of water.

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It's only the speed at which they fly

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that permits their entrance.

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There is no doubt that Iguazu is dramatic,

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but in terms of water features,

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the continent has another that overshadows them all.

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(majestic music)

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The Andes drain into Pantanal,

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the biggest tropical wetland in the world.

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It sprawls across three countries.

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The size of Washington state,

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17 million hectares of wet wonderland.

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For the intrepid traveler,

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it's a vast feast for the eyes.

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Lush green as far as the eye can see,

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where real life Cowboys still roam.

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The gaucho move with the seasons.

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Driving their cattle, pantaneiros

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to the freshest grazing in a timeless drama.

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But it's the incredible wildlife of the region

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that really steals the show.

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It has the highest concentration of wildlife

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on the continent.

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35,000 species of plants, 650 birds and 200 mammals,

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it's a wildlife lover's Mecca.

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What would you tick off your bucket list?

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Crocodiles?

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(dramatic music)

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There are plenty of them.

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The Pantanal supports 10 million caiman,

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the highest concentration of crocodiles on the planet.

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(birds cawing)

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Or would it be the world's biggest parrots?

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Spectacular hyacinth macaws.

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(soft music)

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The meat along marvels of giant beaks

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that can smash through even the toughest nuts.

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They are essential to the health of the landscape,

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because of the vital role they play

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in breaking and distributing seeds to fuel future growth.

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Playful and social,

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they are entertaining and colorful creatures,

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an increasingly rare sight not to miss.

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As is the weirdest, most unique and most wonderful creature

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of South America.

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(gentle music)

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The giant anteater.

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There are four kinds of anteater,

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all South American exclusives.

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They have been doing their own thing for 50 million years.

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Tiny ants and termites don't seem like much of a meal,

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but with its 50-centimeter tongue,

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it can lap up 30,000 insects a day.

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Testimony to its diet,

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it's so easy for the anteater to fill up

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that it can afford to spend 15 hours a day asleep.

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Sharing the open grassland, bizarre birds that can't fly.

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(soft music)

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South America's own answer to the ostrich.

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Rheas are the biggest birds in Americas.

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Like their ostrich cousins, they are fast.

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Dropping 60 kilometers per hour,

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which combined with their height and big eyes

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mean that they are pretty good at keeping out of harm's way.

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During the breeding season,

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a dominant male will gather a group of females.

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Successful contenders herd the females together into harems.

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(gentle music)

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All of the girls lay their eggs into one giant nest,

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sometimes as many as 80.

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But it is the male that does all of the parenting

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from here on in.

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He sits on the nest and guards it.

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And when the chicks hatch,

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he teaches them where to find food and water.

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And defends them even against close encounters

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with other rheas.

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(ominous music)

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(funky music)

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The little ones are keen to stretch their legs

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and will soon be ready to race around the Pantanal.

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(somber music)

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The lush productive grasslands

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and the swamps of the Pantanal

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drain into the Amazon River basin.

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Seven million square kilometers of watershed,

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the biggest on earth.

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It pours over 200,000 cubic meters of water

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into the Atlantic every second.

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(gentle music)

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More than 1000 rivers become tributaries

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flowing into the legendary Amazon.

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The heart of the continent,

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this river should be a must see for everyone.

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It carries one fifth of the world's fresh water.

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Its waters stained by the tannins of leaves

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from the surrounding vegetation,

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flow like a well steamed cup of tea.

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It's a jaw-dropping spectacle.

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But the life in the Amazon is just as mind blowing

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as the river itself.

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So make sure you take the plunge.

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More than 3000 kinds of fish populate her waters,

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as exciting a place for a diver as any reef.

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The athletic arowana can sling itself from the water

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to snatch insects.

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Though it might be a meter long,

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it can clear more than two meters above the surface.

283
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(gentle music)

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And the arapaima,

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(dramatic music)

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roughly the size of two bathtubs

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is one of the biggest freshwater fish.

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And one of the few that has to breathe air.

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It can only stay under water for 20 minutes

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and gulps at the surface,

291
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giving fish fans a chance to catch a glimpse.

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(ominous music)

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It's an adaptation that helps it stalk stagnant shallows.

294
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The plentiful fish attract fish eaters.

295
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Another South American special,

296
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the biggest otters on earth.

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Giant otters are sometimes known as river wolves

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because they hunt in packs.

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Most otters are loners, but not these monsters.

300
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Families stay together

301
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defending their territory from rivals.

302
00:23:01,550 --> 00:23:04,243
By working together, they can hurt fish.

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The fearless giants will even work together

304
00:23:08,500 --> 00:23:09,603
to tackle caiman.

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Up to 20 of these man-sized predators hunting together

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00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:18,543
is the siting of any wildlife watcher's dreams.

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(birds chirping)

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Grazing along the river banks are other giants.

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(wacky music)

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Capybaras are the biggest rodents on the planet.

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Looking like rats on steroids,

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capybaras tower over their cousins.

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In the way they live,

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capybaras are more like hippos than hamsters.

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With their eyes, ears and nostrils

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on the tops of their heads,

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so like a periscope, they can hide in the water,

318
00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:04,773
but still keep an eye on what's going on.

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Perfectly at home on land or in the water.

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they get full access to the lush plant life.

321
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The wildlife of the Amazon River never ceases to amaze.

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It even has its own dolphin.

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00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,920
The boto, or Amazon River dolphin

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is one of the top predators of the waterways.

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Its fleshy pink skin helps it disappear in the murky river.

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More flexible than any other dolphin,

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the boto steers with its big flippers

328
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and uses its bendy body to squeeze between the trunks

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of submerged trees.

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(dramatic music)

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The trees along the banks mark the fringe

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of South America's greatest treasure,

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the Amazon rainforest.

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A precious vital resource for the country and the world.

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The Amazon represents more than half

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of the world's total rainforest.

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More than half a billion hectares,

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big enough to cover two thirds of the United States.

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A visit has to be the ultimate jungle experience.

340
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It has diversity to blow your mind.

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There are more than 40,000 kinds of plant,

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(soft music)

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00:25:55,716 --> 00:25:57,453
some of which are giant.

344
00:26:02,230 --> 00:26:05,720
Many of the trees raise 60 meters above the ground,

345
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while the record holder breaks through the canopy

346
00:26:07,970 --> 00:26:10,713
to reach a maximum height of nearly 90 meters.

347
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(birds cawing)

348
00:26:24,540 --> 00:26:28,403
The plants support life in abundance, including humans.

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More than 300 indigenous human communities

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00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:39,083
depend on the forest.

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Around 50 are still isolated,

352
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even uncontacted by the outside world.

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Many others still live traditional lives.

354
00:27:02,004 --> 00:27:04,070
(dramatic music)

355
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Imagine the experience of going bush,

356
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feeling the raw energy of the jungle.

357
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If you're a bug fan, the Amazon is a good destination.

358
00:27:30,740 --> 00:27:33,653
95% of animal life here is insect.

359
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More than two and a half million species

360
00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:41,952
have been found so far.

361
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(ominous music)

362
00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:47,623
Some demonstrating incredible camouflage,

363
00:27:54,470 --> 00:27:56,420
and others with remarkable societies.

364
00:27:56,420 --> 00:27:58,920
(wacky music)

365
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Ants live in complex communities.

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But few are more specialized than the leaf-cutter ants.

367
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With Herculean strength,

368
00:28:16,540 --> 00:28:19,660
they harvest and transport pieces of vegetation

369
00:28:19,660 --> 00:28:22,073
that can be 50 times their own body weight.

370
00:28:32,679 --> 00:28:34,660
Tirelessly, they form a conveyor belt,

371
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shipping the leaves back to their nest.

372
00:28:40,300 --> 00:28:42,073
But the fragments are not for food.

373
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It's hard to believe, but these ants are miniature farmers.

374
00:28:50,540 --> 00:28:53,230
They take the leaves home to feed to fungi,

375
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which in time the ants will harvest.

376
00:29:04,430 --> 00:29:06,050
The base of the food chain,

377
00:29:06,050 --> 00:29:09,861
the insects feed nearly 400 species of reptiles.

378
00:29:09,861 --> 00:29:12,444
(upbeat music)

379
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The warm, wet, humid rainforest is also a haven

380
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for over 1000 kinds of frogs.

381
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The Amazon has the highest diversity of amphibians

382
00:29:40,420 --> 00:29:41,560
on the planet.

383
00:29:42,422 --> 00:29:45,339
(insects chirping)

384
00:29:49,490 --> 00:29:52,503
These colorful forest dwellers are well worth seeking out,

385
00:29:54,630 --> 00:29:56,093
but don't get too close.

386
00:29:59,740 --> 00:30:03,093
There are around 100 kinds of poison dart frogs.

387
00:30:04,430 --> 00:30:06,970
They secrete toxins onto their skin

388
00:30:06,970 --> 00:30:11,050
that can paralyze and even kill potential predators.

389
00:30:11,050 --> 00:30:13,500
They are only a few centimeters long,

390
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but not to be underestimated.

391
00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:25,910
They sport some of the most beautiful colors in the forest.

392
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(upbeat music)

393
00:30:31,370 --> 00:30:34,793
But it's really the birds that are the gems in the jungle.

394
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With well over 1000 species,

395
00:30:40,090 --> 00:30:42,980
20% of all the world's birds live here,

396
00:30:42,980 --> 00:30:45,243
one of the highest diversities on earth.

397
00:30:49,420 --> 00:30:51,633
Every conceivable color and display.

398
00:30:53,490 --> 00:30:54,323
Make this

399
00:30:58,990 --> 00:31:01,103
a birdwatcher's dream destination.

400
00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,943
(somber music)

401
00:31:06,630 --> 00:31:08,293
Parrots steal the show for many.

402
00:31:10,860 --> 00:31:13,540
There are 30 species moving around the jungle,

403
00:31:13,540 --> 00:31:17,963
colorful and noisy flocks, rainbows on the move.

404
00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:24,310
Despite their bright colors,

405
00:31:24,310 --> 00:31:26,410
they can be hard to spot among the leaves.

406
00:31:30,980 --> 00:31:33,903
Fortunately, sometimes they seem willing to show off.

407
00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:38,610
The parrots make their living eating fruits,

408
00:31:38,610 --> 00:31:42,010
leaves and nuts, but in some parts of the Amazon,

409
00:31:42,010 --> 00:31:43,943
this diet can be low on minerals.

410
00:31:45,070 --> 00:31:47,370
The rainforest lives up to its name,

411
00:31:47,370 --> 00:31:50,083
and the high rainfall washes minerals from the soil.

412
00:31:51,820 --> 00:31:54,003
So few find their way into plants.

413
00:31:55,460 --> 00:31:56,710
The parrots make up for this

414
00:31:56,710 --> 00:32:00,563
by finding freshly eroding mud banks and eat the mud.

415
00:32:02,290 --> 00:32:04,860
They can extract salt directly from the other,

416
00:32:04,860 --> 00:32:06,310
helping to keep them healthy.

417
00:32:10,820 --> 00:32:13,273
It makes for a dramatic kaleidoscope of color.

418
00:32:17,230 --> 00:32:19,380
It's the obvious place to start

419
00:32:19,380 --> 00:32:21,080
if you are looking for a bird fix.

420
00:32:25,130 --> 00:32:27,303
But the Amazon has so much more to offer.

421
00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,610
One of the most sought after bird sightings

422
00:32:34,610 --> 00:32:36,253
is that of the harpy eagle.

423
00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,343
It's easy to see why.

424
00:32:43,293 --> 00:32:44,270
(somber music)

425
00:32:44,270 --> 00:32:46,563
This bird of prey is gigantic.

426
00:32:47,700 --> 00:32:50,480
Its open wings are the size of a door,

427
00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:52,933
even their nests in the tree tops are huge.

428
00:32:55,820 --> 00:32:58,470
Big enough for a couple of people to curl up and nap.

429
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,090
Its talons are like a large human hand,

430
00:33:13,090 --> 00:33:15,043
supported by wrist-thick legs.

431
00:33:20,270 --> 00:33:22,393
Its claws are bigger than a bear's.

432
00:33:24,650 --> 00:33:26,930
They can snap shut on animal prey,

433
00:33:26,930 --> 00:33:29,200
pretty much anything they can find,

434
00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:32,653
and use 50 kilos of pressure to drive those claws home.

435
00:33:35,470 --> 00:33:37,423
They are the true rulers of the canopy.

436
00:33:38,610 --> 00:33:40,430
Snatching their animal neighbors,

437
00:33:40,430 --> 00:33:42,333
especially monkeys and sloths.

438
00:33:52,370 --> 00:33:55,230
Fortunately, there are monkeys in abundance,

439
00:33:55,230 --> 00:33:56,766
and who doesn't love monkeys?

440
00:33:56,766 --> 00:34:00,266
(playful, dramatic music)

441
00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:02,810
Hanging out with these swingers

442
00:34:02,810 --> 00:34:05,213
is on the wishlist of many an animal lover.

443
00:34:09,260 --> 00:34:13,083
And with more than 100 species, it's the place to come.

444
00:34:15,410 --> 00:34:18,190
Unlike monkeys found anywhere else in the world,

445
00:34:18,190 --> 00:34:22,200
the monkeys of South America have prehensile tails,

446
00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:23,720
using them like a fifth leg

447
00:34:23,720 --> 00:34:25,520
to help them move through the trees.

448
00:34:29,510 --> 00:34:31,060
The true kings of the swingers,

449
00:34:34,890 --> 00:34:38,323
and the most playful of the Amazons 430 mammals.

450
00:35:03,370 --> 00:35:05,270
In terms of sheer numbers,

451
00:35:05,270 --> 00:35:07,483
rodents and bats are the most plentiful.

452
00:35:08,900 --> 00:35:11,650
Perhaps not bucket list material for many,

453
00:35:11,650 --> 00:35:14,803
but some of the Amazon's other mammals are truly remarkable.

454
00:35:15,709 --> 00:35:18,209
(funky music)

455
00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:24,323
Famously, the sloth.

456
00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,350
The sloth is one of the world's most popular animals,

457
00:35:33,350 --> 00:35:36,493
though it's only found here in America's rainforest.

458
00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,930
They are so special that no trip to South America

459
00:35:51,930 --> 00:35:53,780
would be complete without seeing one.

460
00:35:55,220 --> 00:35:57,123
Though, don't expect riveting company.

461
00:36:00,670 --> 00:36:03,403
Sloths sleep for up to 20 hours a day.

462
00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:16,430
Some of South America's animals are weird to say the least,

463
00:36:16,430 --> 00:36:20,009
but others are nothing less than magnificent.

464
00:36:20,009 --> 00:36:22,890
(dramatic music)

465
00:36:22,890 --> 00:36:24,900
The Amazon is the best place to hunt

466
00:36:24,900 --> 00:36:27,213
for a glimpse of this spectacular feline.

467
00:36:30,460 --> 00:36:32,383
The biggest predator on the continent.

468
00:36:36,330 --> 00:36:37,233
The jaguar.

469
00:36:38,900 --> 00:36:41,240
The biggest cat to roam the Americas,

470
00:36:41,240 --> 00:36:43,713
globally, only lions and tigers are bigger,

471
00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:50,583
the jaguar truly is an awe-inspiring site.

472
00:36:57,170 --> 00:36:59,810
A good-sized individual can weigh twice as much

473
00:36:59,810 --> 00:37:00,993
as a great Dane.

474
00:37:01,940 --> 00:37:04,130
No other animal can challenge it,

475
00:37:04,130 --> 00:37:06,023
and any can appear on its menu.

476
00:37:08,110 --> 00:37:10,490
More muscular than any other cat,

477
00:37:10,490 --> 00:37:13,087
it has the most powerful bite for its size,

478
00:37:13,087 --> 00:37:16,003
and adaptation to tackle the most dangerous prey.

479
00:37:20,220 --> 00:37:21,950
The strength it needs to bite

480
00:37:21,950 --> 00:37:23,803
into the thick skull of a caiman.

481
00:37:34,513 --> 00:37:37,263
(dramatic music)

482
00:38:01,710 --> 00:38:05,290
The name jaguar derives from a local word that means,

483
00:38:05,290 --> 00:38:07,590
he who kills with one leap.

484
00:38:07,590 --> 00:38:10,597
So if jaguars are on your list, be careful.

485
00:38:10,597 --> 00:38:13,014
(soft music)

486
00:38:34,086 --> 00:38:36,550
The wildlife hiding in the jungles of South America

487
00:38:36,550 --> 00:38:40,103
can be hard to find, but undoubtedly rewarding.

488
00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:46,090
One in 10 of all species in the world

489
00:38:46,090 --> 00:38:47,603
live here in the Amazon.

490
00:38:49,890 --> 00:38:51,490
And there are many more to find.

491
00:38:53,110 --> 00:38:55,230
So far since the millennium,

492
00:38:55,230 --> 00:38:57,713
more than 2000 new species have been found.

493
00:39:02,790 --> 00:39:03,860
You never know,

494
00:39:03,860 --> 00:39:05,933
you might be the person to find the next.

495
00:39:08,190 --> 00:39:10,543
Something beyond even bucket list dreams.

496
00:39:12,930 --> 00:39:15,230
But in this dense, wondrous vegetation,

497
00:39:15,230 --> 00:39:16,443
it's a real possibility.

498
00:39:20,900 --> 00:39:23,550
The diversity of life in South America

499
00:39:23,550 --> 00:39:25,390
and the evolution driving it

500
00:39:25,390 --> 00:39:27,393
is truly enough to blow your mind.

501
00:39:32,090 --> 00:39:35,340
But if you want to see evolution itself in action,

502
00:39:35,340 --> 00:39:38,680
then there can be no bucket-list destination more important

503
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:41,300
than the place where the great Darwin himself discovered

504
00:39:41,300 --> 00:39:42,783
how evolution works.

505
00:39:46,130 --> 00:39:49,955
A dream destination like no other, the Galapagos.

506
00:39:49,955 --> 00:39:52,372
(soft music)

507
00:39:54,930 --> 00:39:58,300
Sitting 1000 kilometers from its country of ownership,

508
00:39:58,300 --> 00:40:02,400
Ecuador, it's a tiny cluster of 19 islands,

509
00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:05,053
some of the most biologically important on earth.

510
00:40:08,970 --> 00:40:11,583
Where else can you meet penguins in the tropics?

511
00:40:14,790 --> 00:40:16,203
Dive with iguanas.

512
00:40:23,423 --> 00:40:25,880
Or take a slow, very slow stroll

513
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,253
with the island's famous giant tortoises.

514
00:40:36,740 --> 00:40:37,993
The penguins are special.

515
00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:42,430
South America has seven species,

516
00:40:42,430 --> 00:40:44,573
but these are the only tropical ones.

517
00:40:46,290 --> 00:40:48,280
And the only penguins in the world

518
00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,556
to be found North of the Equator.

519
00:40:50,556 --> 00:40:53,139
(gentle music)

520
00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:04,830
Their presence here is thanks to the Humboldt current,

521
00:41:04,830 --> 00:41:07,863
which brings in nutrient-rich water from the southern ocean.

522
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:12,963
The nutrients provide food for the fish that penguins hunt.

523
00:41:19,915 --> 00:41:22,030
The birds still have cold roots.

524
00:41:22,030 --> 00:41:25,860
They only breed if the sea temperature is below 25 degrees,

525
00:41:25,860 --> 00:41:27,383
when food will be plentiful.

526
00:41:31,490 --> 00:41:33,680
People visit the islands in droves,

527
00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:35,523
just to see these gorgeous birds.

528
00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:39,820
And while diving with penguins, they might come across

529
00:41:39,820 --> 00:41:42,011
another uniquely Galapagos experience.

530
00:41:42,011 --> 00:41:44,840
(gentle music)

531
00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:48,413
Coming face to face with the world's only marine lizard.

532
00:41:51,620 --> 00:41:54,210
It's thought that millions of years ago,

533
00:41:54,210 --> 00:41:56,860
land iguanas reached the islands.

534
00:41:56,860 --> 00:41:58,960
Perhaps carried on rafts of vegetation

535
00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:01,000
drifting from the mainland.

536
00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:03,740
And once here, carved out their own special niche,

537
00:42:03,740 --> 00:42:05,472
evolving into a new species.

538
00:42:05,472 --> 00:42:08,222
(dramatic music)

539
00:42:10,250 --> 00:42:13,710
They look fearsome, but they are vegetarians

540
00:42:13,710 --> 00:42:15,910
who go to great lengths to get their greens.

541
00:42:22,450 --> 00:42:25,050
The remarkable lizards can dive to 20 meters

542
00:42:25,050 --> 00:42:26,630
beneath the surface,

543
00:42:26,630 --> 00:42:29,080
using their long, once tree climbing claws

544
00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:32,453
to anchor themselves while they scrape algae from the rocks.

545
00:42:34,470 --> 00:42:35,980
They occasionally stay submerged

546
00:42:35,980 --> 00:42:37,380
for as long as half an hour.

547
00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:44,340
The seaweed is a resource untapped by other land dwellers,

548
00:42:44,340 --> 00:42:46,403
but it's not without its challenges.

549
00:42:50,145 --> 00:42:52,895
(dramatic music)

550
00:42:55,170 --> 00:42:57,200
The cold water drains their bodies.

551
00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:59,493
So they must bask on the rocks to recharge.

552
00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:13,370
The iguanas are totally unique and very special,

553
00:43:13,370 --> 00:43:15,903
but there are other even more famous reptiles.

554
00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:22,853
The giant tortoises of the Galapagos.

555
00:43:25,060 --> 00:43:28,510
The name Galapagos comes from the Spanish word for saddle

556
00:43:28,510 --> 00:43:30,910
because of the shape of these tortoises' shells.

557
00:43:32,140 --> 00:43:33,790
Like the iguanas,

558
00:43:33,790 --> 00:43:36,950
these giants arrived in rafts of vegetation

559
00:43:36,950 --> 00:43:39,123
some two to three million years ago.

560
00:43:41,100 --> 00:43:43,960
What made the tortoises particularly special

561
00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:46,663
is that their shell shapes vary in different islands.

562
00:43:48,180 --> 00:43:51,260
On big islands, where there is lots to eat,

563
00:43:51,260 --> 00:43:54,203
the tortoises have quite normal dome-shaped shells.

564
00:43:57,920 --> 00:43:59,780
But on the more barren islands,

565
00:43:59,780 --> 00:44:01,873
they developed the saddle-shaped shells,

566
00:44:04,340 --> 00:44:07,050
so that they can reach higher to nibble at branches

567
00:44:07,050 --> 00:44:08,633
when the lower food runs out.

568
00:44:11,610 --> 00:44:14,543
Darwin noticed this and it gave him an idea.

569
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He started to think that perhaps animals adapt

570
00:44:19,490 --> 00:44:20,743
to their environments.

571
00:44:23,140 --> 00:44:25,223
The process he published under the name,

572
00:44:26,210 --> 00:44:27,913
the theory of evolution.

573
00:44:31,540 --> 00:44:34,000
Not only a great bucket list animal,

574
00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:36,110
but a significant moment in history

575
00:44:36,110 --> 00:44:37,593
to tick off the list too.

576
00:44:40,310 --> 00:44:43,730
So Galapagos is a wildlife lover's Mecca,

577
00:44:43,730 --> 00:44:45,070
and who wouldn't be captivated

578
00:44:45,070 --> 00:44:47,053
by its striking volcanic rocks?

579
00:44:50,550 --> 00:44:52,320
And the surrounding oceans

580
00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:54,800
bathed by three major ocean currents

581
00:44:55,900 --> 00:44:58,240
resulting in some of the most spectacular

582
00:44:58,240 --> 00:45:00,333
marine life on earth.

583
00:45:00,333 --> 00:45:03,083
(dramatic music)

584
00:45:04,660 --> 00:45:07,087
Divers come here to fulfill their wishlists.

585
00:45:14,470 --> 00:45:18,083
The waters around Galapagos offer a truly incredible sight.

586
00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:25,513
To see hammerhead sharks, but not just a few.

587
00:45:27,710 --> 00:45:30,423
Hundreds of thousands gather in mass shoals.

588
00:45:32,180 --> 00:45:34,860
No one is entirely sure why they gather.

589
00:45:34,860 --> 00:45:36,950
Perhaps to feed or to deter

590
00:45:36,950 --> 00:45:38,797
even larger predators from attack.

591
00:45:38,797 --> 00:45:41,464
(ominous music)

592
00:45:42,790 --> 00:45:44,953
It's also when they come together to breed.

593
00:45:46,530 --> 00:45:50,093
Nowhere else on earth offers a spectacle quite like this.

594
00:45:52,820 --> 00:45:56,063
An unforgettable once in a lifetime experience.

595
00:45:58,565 --> 00:46:01,148
(somber music)

596
00:46:05,530 --> 00:46:07,080
South America's landscapes

597
00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:09,193
show the most incredible diversity.

598
00:46:10,980 --> 00:46:12,320
A feast for the mind.

599
00:46:15,780 --> 00:46:19,450
But moreover, the continent's wild places

600
00:46:19,450 --> 00:46:21,020
offer a life support system

601
00:46:21,020 --> 00:46:23,263
on which the entire globe depends.

602
00:46:32,756 --> 00:46:35,270
Particularly the Amazon rainforest,

603
00:46:35,270 --> 00:46:38,570
which filters water and fuels the water cycle

604
00:46:38,570 --> 00:46:41,350
with plants pumping moisture into the air,

605
00:46:41,350 --> 00:46:44,360
regulating weather patterns and ensuring rain

606
00:46:44,360 --> 00:46:45,223
for the future.

607
00:46:49,290 --> 00:46:53,030
And though it only covers 2% of the earth's surface,

608
00:46:53,030 --> 00:46:56,280
the Amazon generates a fifth of the oxygen

609
00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:58,033
that we need to breathe.

610
00:46:59,300 --> 00:47:02,680
And vitally, at the moment, the rainforest holds

611
00:47:02,680 --> 00:47:06,200
140 billion tons of carbon

612
00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:09,030
and is perhaps our most important ally

613
00:47:09,030 --> 00:47:11,053
in our fight against climate change.

614
00:47:13,550 --> 00:47:15,610
But like all natural wonders,

615
00:47:15,610 --> 00:47:19,055
the wilderness of South America is under threat.

616
00:47:19,055 --> 00:47:21,555
(saw buzzing)

617
00:47:25,455 --> 00:47:28,038
(somber music)

618
00:47:40,660 --> 00:47:42,610
In less than one generation,

619
00:47:42,610 --> 00:47:45,080
South America has lost an area of forest

620
00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:46,298
bigger than Texas.

621
00:47:46,298 --> 00:47:48,798
(saw buzzing)

622
00:47:52,813 --> 00:47:55,380
Deforestation is destroying the equivalent

623
00:47:55,380 --> 00:47:58,673
of 20 football fields of jungle per minute.

624
00:48:04,650 --> 00:48:07,500
The timber is sold off and the land cleared

625
00:48:07,500 --> 00:48:08,663
for raising cattle.

626
00:48:24,350 --> 00:48:26,520
It's vital for the health of the land

627
00:48:26,520 --> 00:48:28,570
and the people living in those countries,

628
00:48:29,580 --> 00:48:32,194
but also for the rest of us all over the world.

629
00:48:32,194 --> 00:48:34,611
(soft music)

630
00:48:37,577 --> 00:48:40,023
All of us must work together to save it.

631
00:48:41,720 --> 00:48:42,693
We need it.

632
00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:48,930
And we need bucket list destinations.

633
00:48:48,930 --> 00:48:53,103
Places to enrich our dreams, to inspire and excite us,

634
00:48:54,700 --> 00:48:57,473
to keep us searching for knowledge and experiences.

635
00:49:01,260 --> 00:49:02,580
The mind blowing landscapes

636
00:49:02,580 --> 00:49:04,883
of the South American continent wow us,

637
00:49:09,050 --> 00:49:10,253
leave us in awe

638
00:49:16,270 --> 00:49:18,663
and make the world a wonderful place to be.

639
00:49:18,663 --> 00:49:20,663
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