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00:00:09,509 --> 00:00:10,776
The sun...
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00:00:10,944 --> 00:00:19,084
giver of light and life,
shines most powerfully at the Equator.
3
00:00:19,352 --> 00:00:25,724
Here, it powers an extraordinarily
rich zone of life.
4
00:00:28,028 --> 00:00:31,530
Brilliant and bizarre species
from three continents...
5
00:00:31,698 --> 00:00:34,566
three oceans.
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00:00:35,769 --> 00:00:37,503
More than a line on a map...
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00:00:37,670 --> 00:00:43,242
Equator is a
powerful force of nature.
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00:01:05,565 --> 00:01:07,266
There's a place at the equator
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00:01:07,434 --> 00:01:14,573
where unexpected creatures
live side-by-side in a cold desert.
10
00:01:24,684 --> 00:01:28,320
lce age survivors meet
tropical plants and animals,
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00:01:28,488 --> 00:01:30,889
on the flanks
of active volcanoes...
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00:01:31,057 --> 00:01:37,529
in a country whose Spanish name
Ecuador means equator.
13
00:01:39,265 --> 00:01:40,999
The Andes of South America are
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00:01:41,167 --> 00:01:46,305
one of the most unusual
places at the equator...
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00:01:47,941 --> 00:01:53,779
Every day here is
a battle between sun and ice...
16
00:01:53,947 --> 00:01:56,014
hot...
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00:01:56,182 --> 00:01:58,350
and cold.
18
00:02:00,019 --> 00:02:02,454
The paradox of the Andes is that
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00:02:02,622 --> 00:02:08,093
the closer they are
to the sun, the colder it becomes.
20
00:02:11,431 --> 00:02:15,868
The highest slopes are an alpine
desert the Quichua lndians
21
00:02:16,035 --> 00:02:21,406
call the paramo,
the "inhospitable lands"...
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00:02:33,853 --> 00:02:35,988
Hummingbirds and camels are
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00:02:36,156 --> 00:02:40,459
unlikely neighbours
in a cold stony desert.
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00:02:40,860 --> 00:02:44,897
Vicunas are high altitude specialists.
25
00:02:46,833 --> 00:02:48,100
They're resilient...
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00:02:48,268 --> 00:02:53,906
able to live in a world which
is unpredictable and ever-changing.
27
00:02:55,074 --> 00:03:00,312
Being at the equator there are
no seasons, no annual cycle of change.
28
00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:06,685
lnstead, there's a strong
daily rhythm of hot and cold.
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00:03:15,828 --> 00:03:20,499
ln a single day, this extraordinary
bird must survive temperatures
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00:03:20,667 --> 00:03:26,271
that can vary from below freezing,
to scorching hot.
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00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,944
The tiny Ecuadorian hillstar
is a hummingbird...
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00:03:32,111 --> 00:03:34,813
one that's forsaken
lush tropical forests
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00:03:34,981 --> 00:03:39,685
to live in one of the harshest places
at the Equator.
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00:03:41,688 --> 00:03:45,224
Every day in the hillstar's
Andean home,
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00:03:45,391 --> 00:03:47,326
a conflict rages,
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00:03:47,493 --> 00:03:53,599
between cold created by towering
mountains and the heat of the sun.
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00:03:53,766 --> 00:03:56,335
And this is just one
challenge among many -
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00:03:56,502 --> 00:04:02,708
in Ecuador even the land
is unpredictable and changeable.
39
00:04:02,976 --> 00:04:05,744
More than 25 million years ago,
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00:04:05,912 --> 00:04:08,614
an enormous tectonic upheaval began
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00:04:08,781 --> 00:04:11,283
along the western edge
of South America,
42
00:04:11,451 --> 00:04:16,421
where the Nazca Plate collides
with the South American Plate.
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00:04:20,059 --> 00:04:22,761
This great geological
collision continues,
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00:04:22,929 --> 00:04:25,597
rumpling the continent
up like a blanket,
45
00:04:25,765 --> 00:04:27,966
atjust one centimetre a year...
46
00:04:28,134 --> 00:04:34,473
slowly building the Andes,
the longest mountain range on earth.
47
00:04:36,309 --> 00:04:38,910
At the Equator, active volcanoes
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00:04:39,078 --> 00:04:43,882
are potent reminders of the power
of mountain building.
49
00:04:45,551 --> 00:04:48,920
As the Nazca Plate is sucked
under the South American Plate,
50
00:04:49,088 --> 00:04:53,925
intense heat and pressure
cause the rock to melt...
51
00:05:14,113 --> 00:05:17,015
When the pressure of molten magma
can no longer be contained,
52
00:05:17,183 --> 00:05:19,885
it explodes to the surface...
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00:05:20,053 --> 00:05:22,821
as an immense volcanic eruption.
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00:05:24,390 --> 00:05:29,961
These are among the most
active volcanoes in the world.
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00:05:31,197 --> 00:05:34,733
On the high slopes of a
six thousand metre peak,
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00:05:34,901 --> 00:05:40,138
the morning sun dries the wet coat
of a newborn vicuna.
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00:05:45,111 --> 00:05:47,245
lt's warm now,
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00:05:47,413 --> 00:05:52,718
but last night temperatures dropped
to minus six degrees celsius -
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00:05:52,885 --> 00:05:58,256
if the baby vicuna had been born then,
he would have frozen to death.
60
00:05:58,524 --> 00:06:00,125
But he's blessed with wool
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00:06:00,293 --> 00:06:04,062
that's among the finest and
warmest in the world...
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00:06:04,230 --> 00:06:08,166
and female vicunas always
give birth during the day,
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00:06:08,334 --> 00:06:12,337
to give their offspring
the best chance of survival.
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00:06:16,743 --> 00:06:23,382
Just two hours old, the young male
is already keeping up with his mother.
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00:06:38,498 --> 00:06:41,066
The dominant male
watches over his big herd
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00:06:41,234 --> 00:06:44,236
offemales and this year's young.
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00:06:44,404 --> 00:06:47,906
He's alert for danger.
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00:07:06,626 --> 00:07:09,761
The presence of the newborn
has attracted a young hawk,
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00:07:09,929 --> 00:07:13,298
hoping to scavenge afterbirth.
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00:07:13,666 --> 00:07:16,201
Vicunas have few predators -
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00:07:16,369 --> 00:07:20,806
their biggest challenge comes
from the mountains.
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00:07:21,474 --> 00:07:24,876
The newborn's herd mates will
recognise his distinctive smell
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00:07:25,044 --> 00:07:26,711
for the rest of his life,
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00:07:26,879 --> 00:07:29,948
even after he's forced out of the herd
by his father,
75
00:07:30,116 --> 00:07:32,818
in a few months time.
76
00:07:37,256 --> 00:07:42,928
ln the featureless paramo,
scent is an important landmark.
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00:07:43,095 --> 00:07:46,164
The vicunas use dung piles
as sign posts...
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00:07:46,332 --> 00:07:49,768
they leave calling cards
for other herds
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00:07:49,936 --> 00:07:53,472
which share the sparse feeding grounds.
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00:07:58,544 --> 00:08:00,479
Despite daily temperatures
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00:08:00,646 --> 00:08:03,248
that may vary by more
than thirty degrees,
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00:08:03,416 --> 00:08:07,786
fine wool keeps
the vicunas warm.
83
00:08:08,921 --> 00:08:11,056
And like vicuna wool,
84
00:08:11,224 --> 00:08:14,493
the hairy coat of this plant
also traps heat.
85
00:08:14,660 --> 00:08:18,129
lt's so effective, it can be more than
seven degrees warmer
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00:08:18,297 --> 00:08:22,000
inside the plant than outside.
87
00:08:22,802 --> 00:08:25,237
This is a brutal place,
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00:08:25,404 --> 00:08:29,841
and plants seek warmth
where they can find it.
89
00:08:31,777 --> 00:08:38,750
They stay low to the dry ground,
or seek shelter next to rocks.
90
00:08:39,485 --> 00:08:42,921
The high paramo plants'
ability to endure cold
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00:08:43,089 --> 00:08:46,124
was honed a long time ago,
92
00:08:46,292 --> 00:08:49,427
during the great ice ages.
93
00:08:50,997 --> 00:08:54,799
More than twenty times over
the last 2.5 million years
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00:08:54,967 --> 00:08:58,737
the paramos have been
pushed down into the lowlands,
95
00:08:58,905 --> 00:09:03,508
by freezing temperatures
and growing glaciers.
96
00:09:04,777 --> 00:09:08,246
Then as temperatures rose
and lowland forests expanded,
97
00:09:08,414 --> 00:09:13,451
the paramos retreated back
to their mountain top strongholds.
98
00:09:15,488 --> 00:09:18,924
The last ice age ended about
10,000 years ago,
99
00:09:19,091 --> 00:09:23,261
but the tops of these volcanoes
at the Equator
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00:09:23,429 --> 00:09:27,732
are still locked
in ice and glaciers, year-round.
101
00:09:29,569 --> 00:09:34,039
Even during the day,
it's minus five on the summit...
102
00:09:34,206 --> 00:09:38,843
yet 2,000m below
it's ten degrees warmer.
103
00:09:39,011 --> 00:09:44,215
The lower flanks of the volcano
are a completely different world.
104
00:09:44,383 --> 00:09:49,120
ln sheltered places the low paramo
is a rich shrubland...
105
00:09:49,288 --> 00:09:56,861
Elsewhere it's lush grassland,
home to a remarkable ice age survivor.
106
00:10:00,032 --> 00:10:05,270
This is a rare encounter
with a most elusive animal...
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a spectacled bear may roam
more than 20 km in a day,
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00:10:10,810 --> 00:10:14,779
through the vast wilderness
of the low paramo.
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00:10:28,427 --> 00:10:30,762
This young female is
looking for food,
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00:10:30,930 --> 00:10:33,898
for plants and fruits -
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00:10:34,266 --> 00:10:38,503
but for now she must search elsewhere.
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00:10:44,543 --> 00:10:46,344
From the other side of the valley,
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00:10:46,512 --> 00:10:51,650
an Andean condor
watches the bear's progress.
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00:10:57,623 --> 00:11:02,394
The condor is
an icon of the Andes...
115
00:11:03,663 --> 00:11:09,067
and this rugged valley
is a perfect home for a nesting pair.
116
00:11:14,507 --> 00:11:19,911
The pair takes it in turn
to incubate their single egg.
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00:11:20,079 --> 00:11:25,550
After more than 50 days
the egg is close to hatching.
118
00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:45,470
The female signals to her mate
that she's about to leave the nest.
119
00:11:45,638 --> 00:11:47,872
The egg will chill
rapidly if it's left alone
120
00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:49,908
for more than a few minutes...
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00:11:50,076 --> 00:11:55,346
the male must soon
take over incubation duties.
122
00:11:59,085 --> 00:12:03,455
The equatorial sun
is the condors' ally.
123
00:12:03,622 --> 00:12:09,160
lts heat creates thermals of rising
warm air for them to glide on.
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00:12:09,328 --> 00:12:12,931
Their highly visible presence
is a warning to other condors,
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00:12:13,099 --> 00:12:17,135
to stay away from
their breeding territory.
126
00:12:29,515 --> 00:12:35,186
Condors are long-lived,
and only breed every second year.
127
00:12:35,354 --> 00:12:38,790
Once this egg hatches
it'll be more than a year
128
00:12:38,958 --> 00:12:42,494
before the youngster
is independent of its parents.
129
00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,401
With wings spanning
more than 3m,
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00:12:50,569 --> 00:12:55,907
condors are the largest land birds
in the world.
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00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:04,682
Far below them the world's
smallest birds, the hummingbirds,
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00:13:04,850 --> 00:13:09,020
are the low paramo's
most active residents.
133
00:13:10,456 --> 00:13:14,659
The sparkling violet-ear is a tiny,
agile acrobat,
134
00:13:14,827 --> 00:13:19,297
who beats his wings nearly
20 times a second.
135
00:13:22,001 --> 00:13:25,403
Because the sun nurtures
year-round flowers here at the equator,
136
00:13:25,571 --> 00:13:30,608
hummingbirds have an active,
sugar-fuelled lifestyle.
137
00:13:36,982 --> 00:13:40,418
This hyperactive bird
weighs just a few grams.
138
00:13:40,586 --> 00:13:46,491
He must drink nearly his own bodyweight
of energy-rich nectar each day.
139
00:14:06,779 --> 00:14:09,914
After feeding the
violet-ear rests,
140
00:14:10,082 --> 00:14:14,986
waiting for the flowers to
recharge their nectar.
141
00:14:17,056 --> 00:14:21,759
The paramo shrubland waits to be
recharged with moisture,
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00:14:21,927 --> 00:14:26,798
that comes from the two great
weather systems that meet at the Andes.
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00:14:26,966 --> 00:14:30,802
Warm moist air rising from the Amazon,
144
00:14:30,970 --> 00:14:34,873
collides with damp air
from the Pacific.
145
00:14:36,008 --> 00:14:39,244
As the warm air rises
up the volcanoes slopes,
146
00:14:39,411 --> 00:14:43,648
it cools and condenses into cloud.
147
00:14:45,818 --> 00:14:49,754
The plants of the low paramo
trap the damp cloud,
148
00:14:49,922 --> 00:14:53,625
and drip-feed it to the ground.
149
00:14:55,995 --> 00:15:02,200
The lower slopes of the volcanoes
are a living sponge.
150
00:15:12,011 --> 00:15:18,716
This well-watered valley is
home to a female spectacled bear.
151
00:15:23,789 --> 00:15:28,159
She has a cub that's
nearly a year old.
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00:15:29,361 --> 00:15:32,864
Spectacled bears are named for
the markings on their faces -
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00:15:33,032 --> 00:15:37,835
each bear has a mask
as unique as a fingerprint.
154
00:15:40,973 --> 00:15:47,412
The male cub will soon be independent,
but for now he's his mother's pupil.
155
00:15:47,579 --> 00:15:50,114
Each day, as they search for food,
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00:15:50,282 --> 00:15:56,020
they move between the low paramo
and the cloud forest.
157
00:15:56,188 --> 00:15:58,923
At 3,500m altitude
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00:15:59,091 --> 00:16:03,261
the temperature averages
a benign eight degrees...
159
00:16:03,429 --> 00:16:07,298
it's warm enough
for trees to grow.
160
00:16:18,610 --> 00:16:21,612
Warmed by the sun
and moistened by mist,
161
00:16:21,780 --> 00:16:27,352
the cloud forest is one of the
richest habitats on earth.
162
00:16:31,890 --> 00:16:38,730
The forest offers a damp home to an
incredible array of plants and animals.
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00:16:39,264 --> 00:16:43,134
ln Ecuador, spectacled
bears live alongside
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00:16:43,302 --> 00:16:47,505
18,000 different kinds of plants.
165
00:16:47,906 --> 00:16:52,844
There's such fierce competition
for space among the plants,
166
00:16:53,012 --> 00:16:58,016
that more than 20% of them
perch on branches like birds.
167
00:16:59,651 --> 00:17:05,823
Among the perching plants are
an incredible diversity of bromeliads.
168
00:17:05,991 --> 00:17:08,860
Their tightly-fitting leaves trap water
169
00:17:09,028 --> 00:17:13,598
and create miniature frog-ponds,
high above the ground.
170
00:17:16,101 --> 00:17:18,236
After many years perching,
171
00:17:18,404 --> 00:17:24,342
most bromeliads flowerjust
once in their life.
172
00:17:24,610 --> 00:17:27,278
On a single spectacular spike,
173
00:17:27,446 --> 00:17:31,082
tiny flowers open,
one after the other...
174
00:17:31,250 --> 00:17:37,455
a glowing puffleg knows he'll find
nectar here for many weeks.
175
00:17:39,358 --> 00:17:42,527
The many bromeliads feed
many hummingbirds -
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00:17:42,694 --> 00:17:47,665
more than a hundred and
thirty species in Ecuador alone.
177
00:17:49,234 --> 00:17:52,904
A rainbow star-frontlet feeds
from an unusual bromeliad,
178
00:17:53,072 --> 00:17:57,241
whose flowers sprout
on slender stems.
179
00:18:02,681 --> 00:18:05,316
Scientists have only
recently recognised
180
00:18:05,484 --> 00:18:09,020
that the tropical Andes
are the world's
181
00:18:09,188 --> 00:18:12,857
most outstanding biodiversity hotspot.
182
00:18:13,459 --> 00:18:17,228
These forests are exceptionally
rich in plant and animal life,
183
00:18:17,396 --> 00:18:24,735
because they're both on the slopes
of the Andes, and at the Equator.
184
00:18:29,108 --> 00:18:32,443
The cloud forest provides
a year-round supply of flowers
185
00:18:32,611 --> 00:18:38,216
and fruit for nearly
1 ,600 species of birds.
186
00:18:42,421 --> 00:18:44,789
Golden-plumed parakeets are amongst
187
00:18:44,957 --> 00:18:49,093
the highest altitude
parrots in the world.
188
00:18:50,095 --> 00:18:54,332
A pair have a nest high
in a tall dead tree...
189
00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:59,070
a location also
favoured by bromeliads.
190
00:19:09,882 --> 00:19:14,185
Spectacled bears are also
known as Oso Achupayero,
191
00:19:14,353 --> 00:19:18,156
the bromeliad eating bears.
192
00:19:19,858 --> 00:19:24,795
But most bromeliads grow high up,
to catch as much sun as possible...
193
00:19:24,963 --> 00:19:28,933
so that's where the female heads.
194
00:19:43,015 --> 00:19:46,717
ln the paradoxical world
of the equatorial Andes,
195
00:19:46,885 --> 00:19:50,555
it's no surprise to
find an ice age bear
196
00:19:50,722 --> 00:19:54,492
feeding on tropical
plants, high in a tree.
197
00:19:57,629 --> 00:20:02,066
Bromeliads are plentiful
and available all year-round...
198
00:20:02,234 --> 00:20:06,737
they're a sensible choice
for bears that eat in bulk.
199
00:20:08,540 --> 00:20:11,142
Bromeliads are also rich...
200
00:20:11,310 --> 00:20:13,711
the female targets the tender heart,
201
00:20:13,879 --> 00:20:17,882
where the sugars and
proteins are concentrated.
202
00:20:23,255 --> 00:20:27,458
Spectacled bears are South America's
only species of bear,
203
00:20:27,626 --> 00:20:32,396
and the best climbers
in all the bear world.
204
00:20:33,899 --> 00:20:36,334
The cub is determined
to join his mother,
205
00:20:36,501 --> 00:20:39,437
but although he has the will...
206
00:20:39,605 --> 00:20:42,640
he does not yet have the skill.
207
00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:06,264
Spectacled bears are
dedicated plant eaters,
208
00:21:06,431 --> 00:21:10,301
ironic as they're descended
from the largest land carnivores
209
00:21:10,469 --> 00:21:13,571
that the world has ever known.
210
00:21:14,172 --> 00:21:17,074
Their ancestors were
the short-faced bears,
211
00:21:17,242 --> 00:21:21,912
that thrived in North America
during the ice ages.
212
00:21:24,016 --> 00:21:28,853
Spectacled bears are the short-face
bears only living descendants...
213
00:21:29,021 --> 00:21:34,425
they're ice age relics,
perfectly adapted to the cold.
214
00:21:52,911 --> 00:21:55,079
High above the struggling cub,
215
00:21:55,247 --> 00:21:59,817
his mother leaves a trail
of destruction as she feeds...
216
00:21:59,985 --> 00:22:03,187
pushing over the
bromeliad's frog ponds,
217
00:22:03,355 --> 00:22:06,657
and showering the forest
with cloud water.
218
00:22:45,497 --> 00:22:50,101
The cub is a fast learner -
on his second climbing attempt,
219
00:22:50,268 --> 00:22:53,738
he makes much better progress.
220
00:22:55,107 --> 00:22:56,540
ln Ecuador's Andes,
221
00:22:56,708 --> 00:23:01,312
a journey from sea level to
the summit of a 6,000m volcano,
222
00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:05,516
is like travelling from the
equator to the north pole.
223
00:23:05,684 --> 00:23:08,652
The higher you go, the colder...
224
00:23:08,820 --> 00:23:11,856
and more challenging it becomes.
225
00:23:13,492 --> 00:23:16,794
lt means that this high
altitude cloud forest
226
00:23:16,962 --> 00:23:20,197
is similar to brown
bear habitat in places
227
00:23:20,365 --> 00:23:23,434
much further north such as Canada...
228
00:23:23,602 --> 00:23:26,604
but there's one big difference.
229
00:23:26,772 --> 00:23:30,808
Canada's bears must cope with
an enormous variation in temperature
230
00:23:30,976 --> 00:23:33,310
between summer and winter,
231
00:23:33,478 --> 00:23:36,614
but here at the Equator
there are no seasons...
232
00:23:36,782 --> 00:23:42,553
food is always available,
and animals live here all year round.
233
00:23:56,802 --> 00:24:01,839
There are no long bitter winters,
so bears don't hibernate...
234
00:24:02,007 --> 00:24:05,910
and birds don't migrate.
235
00:24:09,948 --> 00:24:15,152
But they all face a daily challenge,
of weather which is changeable...
236
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,621
unpredictable.
237
00:24:17,789 --> 00:24:20,991
The sun wins a late morning
skirmish with the cloud,
238
00:24:21,159 --> 00:24:23,627
which subsides into the valley.
239
00:24:23,795 --> 00:24:30,868
ln just a few minutes the seasons
change from spring to summer.
240
00:24:32,604 --> 00:24:37,074
Many creatures have found opportunity
in this unpredictable world.
241
00:24:37,242 --> 00:24:40,077
This is a puya,
a remarkable bromeliad
242
00:24:40,245 --> 00:24:45,516
that's moved out of the forest up
into the low paramo.
243
00:24:47,185 --> 00:24:51,455
Some hardy hummingbirds
have moved, too.
244
00:24:53,992 --> 00:24:57,695
The tropical puya
has become a giant.
245
00:24:57,863 --> 00:25:02,733
lt now lives on the ground,
instead of perching in a tree.
246
00:25:03,201 --> 00:25:09,073
lts five metre-tall flower spikes
are enough to feed two hummingbirds...
247
00:25:09,241 --> 00:25:12,943
but hummingbirds are very
territorial about their food,
248
00:25:13,111 --> 00:25:16,514
and don't like sharing.
249
00:25:19,317 --> 00:25:23,721
The puya has evolved a hairy coat
to keep its flowers warm...
250
00:25:23,889 --> 00:25:27,691
and fierce spikes
for protection.
251
00:25:30,996 --> 00:25:34,765
Puyas are well-adapted
to the low paramo...
252
00:25:34,933 --> 00:25:39,203
but that's as far
as they can go.
253
00:25:40,972 --> 00:25:47,111
Only the hardiest creatures survive
on the volcano's higher slopes.
254
00:25:49,447 --> 00:25:51,482
Vicunas are one of the few animals
255
00:25:51,650 --> 00:25:54,952
resilient enough to
endure the high paramo.
256
00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,756
Today they're baking
in a summer heat wave...
257
00:25:58,924 --> 00:26:02,693
the temperature has
soared into the twenties.
258
00:26:05,096 --> 00:26:08,032
But it could change,
quickly.
259
00:26:08,199 --> 00:26:11,035
This is a place
of extremes...
260
00:26:11,202 --> 00:26:15,172
in minutes it could be
close to zero.
261
00:26:18,643 --> 00:26:22,079
Up here, most plants hug
the ground for warmth...
262
00:26:22,247 --> 00:26:25,316
but chuquiraga bushes
stand defiantly
263
00:26:25,483 --> 00:26:28,652
a metre or more above the ground.
264
00:26:31,856 --> 00:26:35,593
They flaunt bright
flowers year-round,
265
00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:39,396
to seduce an
unexpected pollinator.
266
00:26:39,564 --> 00:26:46,770
lt's the highest altitude hummingbird
in the world...the hillstar.
267
00:26:50,742 --> 00:26:54,678
The bright pollen on this
female's head shows she's found
268
00:26:54,846 --> 00:26:59,016
a good supply of chuquiraga flowers.
269
00:27:00,418 --> 00:27:03,687
The tiny hillstar
has two chicks.
270
00:27:03,855 --> 00:27:07,024
This resilient solo mother
has built a thick,
271
00:27:07,192 --> 00:27:13,197
well-insulated nest to protect them
during her frequent absences.
272
00:27:13,665 --> 00:27:15,366
lt's a good thing...
273
00:27:15,533 --> 00:27:18,736
the equatorial sun
disappears behind clouds
274
00:27:18,903 --> 00:27:21,572
and the heat wave vanishes.
275
00:27:21,740 --> 00:27:27,277
The high paramo is
plunged into a misty autumn.
276
00:27:28,747 --> 00:27:31,281
The weather is changeable,
277
00:27:31,449 --> 00:27:37,855
but one thing remains a constant
challenge up here - the air is thin.
278
00:27:38,023 --> 00:27:43,160
At 4,500m each breath contains
only half the oxygen
279
00:27:43,328 --> 00:27:45,763
it does at sea level.
280
00:27:45,930 --> 00:27:49,633
But despite the low oxygen levels,
281
00:27:49,801 --> 00:27:53,570
vicunas can sprint at nearly
50km/h.
282
00:27:54,005 --> 00:27:56,840
And when a male chases
other males away from his herd,
283
00:27:57,008 --> 00:28:02,546
what begins as a sprint can
turn into a marathon.
284
00:28:26,037 --> 00:28:32,342
How do vicunas sustain this effort
when the air contains so little oxygen?
285
00:28:33,778 --> 00:28:36,580
A vicuna can use all
the oxygen available
286
00:28:36,748 --> 00:28:40,918
in every breath of this thin air.
287
00:28:42,053 --> 00:28:45,055
lts blood contains red cells
that are very small,
288
00:28:45,223 --> 00:28:48,492
able to quickly absorb oxygen...
289
00:28:48,860 --> 00:28:53,864
and has twice as many red cells
as human blood.
290
00:28:55,767 --> 00:28:57,468
The blood is also very thin...
291
00:28:57,635 --> 00:29:00,738
and easily and rapidly pumped
by its big heart
292
00:29:00,905 --> 00:29:04,141
to hard-working muscles.
293
00:29:05,243 --> 00:29:08,479
Physiologically, vicunas
are better adapted
294
00:29:08,646 --> 00:29:11,582
to altitude than any other mammal...
295
00:29:11,750 --> 00:29:17,287
and hillstars are better adapted
to life here than any other bird.
296
00:29:17,589 --> 00:29:21,458
But high altitude throws
another challenge at the hillstar.
297
00:29:21,626 --> 00:29:25,429
The air up here is half
as dense as air at sea level...
298
00:29:25,597 --> 00:29:28,665
it's harder to fly.
299
00:29:29,534 --> 00:29:34,404
So, unlike hummingbirds lower down
the volcanoes that hover as they feed,
300
00:29:34,572 --> 00:29:39,643
the hillstar perches,
to conserve energy.
301
00:29:50,688 --> 00:29:54,825
Vicunas face constant challenges
from each other...
302
00:29:54,993 --> 00:29:58,428
but rivalry is key
to their survival.
303
00:29:58,596 --> 00:30:01,965
Tensions are rising
in the bachelor herd,
304
00:30:02,133 --> 00:30:07,604
among the outcasts, who've been unable
to claim a group of females.
305
00:30:14,846 --> 00:30:17,080
A pair begin to squabble...
306
00:30:17,248 --> 00:30:19,583
and their mood proves contagious.
307
00:30:19,751 --> 00:30:26,390
Fights begin to break out in the herd,
as males pair off and square off.
308
00:30:30,728 --> 00:30:34,164
All these males aspire
to lead a herd...
309
00:30:34,332 --> 00:30:38,368
but fewer than 20% of them
will ever succeed.
310
00:30:38,536 --> 00:30:42,272
To gain leadership they'll have
to fight the dominant male,
311
00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:48,478
and frequent practise is the best way
to refine their fighting skills.
312
00:31:03,728 --> 00:31:06,096
The sparring partners
bite and kick,
313
00:31:06,264 --> 00:31:09,233
and attempt to bring
their opponent to his knees.
314
00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:11,835
Size...strength...skill...
315
00:31:12,003 --> 00:31:15,839
all factors which will
determine the winner.
316
00:31:27,785 --> 00:31:30,754
One fight turns
into a grudge match.
317
00:31:30,922 --> 00:31:35,792
Fighting is usually less physical,
more psychological...
318
00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:40,898
But today, the duelling duo
can't resist a complete brawl.
319
00:31:54,846 --> 00:31:58,248
The duo is well matched
in size and stamina...
320
00:31:58,416 --> 00:32:02,219
and the result is a draw.
321
00:32:02,553 --> 00:32:05,756
Vicunas not only face challenges
from each other...
322
00:32:05,924 --> 00:32:09,259
they face a direct challenge
from the sun.
323
00:32:09,427 --> 00:32:12,729
The Equator receives
much more solar radiation
324
00:32:12,897 --> 00:32:16,533
than any other part of the world.
325
00:32:23,207 --> 00:32:26,443
The sun is at a direct angle
to the equator,
326
00:32:26,611 --> 00:32:30,480
so its rays travel a shorter distance
through the earth's atmosphere...
327
00:32:30,648 --> 00:32:36,053
and are less likely to bounce back off
ozone and other molecules.
328
00:32:36,287 --> 00:32:41,258
Levels of damaging ultraviolet are
a thousand times higher
329
00:32:41,426 --> 00:32:45,262
at the equator than at the poles.
330
00:32:49,667 --> 00:32:51,902
Animals and plants up here
are protected
331
00:32:52,070 --> 00:32:55,005
from radiation by hairy coats...
332
00:32:55,173 --> 00:32:59,543
and frequent thick mists.
333
00:33:00,244 --> 00:33:03,947
The little hillstar is a
tenacious survivor.
334
00:33:04,115 --> 00:33:08,919
These chuquiraga bushes offer him
security in an ever-changing world,
335
00:33:09,087 --> 00:33:11,655
where there can be
four seasons in a day...
336
00:33:11,823 --> 00:33:15,192
and sometimes in an hour.
337
00:33:34,345 --> 00:33:38,749
The mist engulfing the high paramo
is caused by warm air
338
00:33:38,916 --> 00:33:41,618
rising up the flanks of the volcanoes.
339
00:33:41,786 --> 00:33:47,224
Lower down, it has
created intense thermals...
340
00:34:02,073 --> 00:34:05,909
As the sharp-eyed condor soars
on thermals,
341
00:34:06,077 --> 00:34:08,779
one of the strangest...
and rarest...
342
00:34:08,946 --> 00:34:11,581
paramo inhabitants arrives
in the valley.
343
00:34:11,749 --> 00:34:14,151
The size of a small cow,
344
00:34:14,318 --> 00:34:20,290
the mountain tapir is the
largest animal in the Andes.
345
00:34:20,458 --> 00:34:25,662
The unlikely looking tapir has
even more unlikely distant relatives...
346
00:34:25,830 --> 00:34:28,965
horses and rhinoceroses.
347
00:34:29,133 --> 00:34:33,270
Like the bears,
the tapirs are ice age survivors...
348
00:34:33,438 --> 00:34:37,674
they live in remote,
rugged areas.
349
00:34:43,514 --> 00:34:47,117
Mountain tapirs are
the bulldozers of the paramo...
350
00:34:47,285 --> 00:34:50,821
they create trails that
other animals, such as bears,
351
00:34:50,988 --> 00:34:55,125
use as highways through
the thick vegetation.
352
00:34:56,761 --> 00:35:01,631
ln this changeable world,
being big is a good thing.
353
00:35:01,799 --> 00:35:08,438
Bulk is useful, for pushing through
dense scrub, and for keeping warm.
354
00:35:08,806 --> 00:35:15,679
Tapirs are mostly solitary,
and they have enormous feeding ranges.
355
00:35:32,430 --> 00:35:35,899
Because they're so rare,
and range so far,
356
00:35:36,067 --> 00:35:41,338
it's unusual to see
two animals so close to each other.
357
00:35:56,854 --> 00:36:01,625
Very little is known
about these shy giants.
358
00:36:01,792 --> 00:36:07,097
These two seem content to get on
with fulltime task of eating the leaves
359
00:36:07,265 --> 00:36:11,902
and fruits of many different
kinds of plants.
360
00:36:19,143 --> 00:36:22,679
There are three species of tapir
in South America,
361
00:36:22,847 --> 00:36:26,483
but the mountain tapir is
the only one that's gone high...
362
00:36:26,651 --> 00:36:32,289
to find opportunity in a place
with few competitors or predators.
363
00:36:36,527 --> 00:36:39,863
The mountain, or woolly tapir,
has evolved a coat
364
00:36:40,031 --> 00:36:43,300
that's black to absorb
as much heat as possible
365
00:36:43,467 --> 00:36:44,201
from the sun,
366
00:36:44,368 --> 00:36:47,571
and thick for warmth.
367
00:36:47,738 --> 00:36:50,807
lt's well prepared
for the biggest challenge
368
00:36:50,975 --> 00:36:57,347
for all life in the equatorial Andes -
surviving the long night.
369
00:37:11,495 --> 00:37:13,163
Like the tapir,
370
00:37:13,331 --> 00:37:18,168
the spectacled bear family has
spent most of the day eating.
371
00:37:18,336 --> 00:37:22,372
lt's late afternoon,
and the cub is exhausted...
372
00:37:22,540 --> 00:37:27,310
soon his mother will lead him
to a safe resting place.
373
00:37:29,013 --> 00:37:35,619
The young bear has only a limited time
to enjoy himself up in the treetops.
374
00:37:37,989 --> 00:37:41,057
He's already the same size
as his mother...
375
00:37:41,225 --> 00:37:45,895
1 .5m long, and weighing 60k.
376
00:37:46,063 --> 00:37:50,400
When he's fully grown
he'll be much larger -
377
00:37:50,568 --> 00:37:57,540
a male spectacled bear in his prime
may weigh up to 180k.
378
00:37:57,708 --> 00:38:02,545
he'll be far too big to climb
these high branches.
379
00:38:13,057 --> 00:38:14,524
To survive here,
380
00:38:14,692 --> 00:38:17,527
the bears rely on their climbing skills
381
00:38:17,695 --> 00:38:22,766
and the rich bromeliad
offerings of the cloud forest.
382
00:38:27,805 --> 00:38:29,372
Down in the valley,
383
00:38:29,540 --> 00:38:33,643
the tapir's strategy
is to have an eclectic palate,
384
00:38:33,811 --> 00:38:36,012
to eat a little of everything.
385
00:38:36,180 --> 00:38:39,449
They never linger too long
in one place,
386
00:38:39,617 --> 00:38:45,655
and spread seeds as they travel
long distances through the paramo.
387
00:39:02,506 --> 00:39:05,809
As evening approaches
and temperatures drop,
388
00:39:05,976 --> 00:39:09,212
the thermals lose their power.
389
00:39:09,380 --> 00:39:14,117
The condors are forced to come in
to roost on their nesting cliff.
390
00:39:14,285 --> 00:39:19,589
They'll incubate their egg
through the long cold night.
391
00:39:24,028 --> 00:39:29,499
The condors have more than a year of
parenting ahead of them.
392
00:39:30,668 --> 00:39:33,570
Hummingbird motherhood,
on the other hand is fleeting...
393
00:39:33,738 --> 00:39:35,305
and intense.
394
00:39:35,473 --> 00:39:40,143
lt took the female hillstar less than
three weeks to incubate her eggs,
395
00:39:40,311 --> 00:39:43,847
and in another three weeks or
so her brood of two
396
00:39:44,014 --> 00:39:48,385
will have left the nest completely.
397
00:39:53,057 --> 00:39:55,558
She gives her babies
their last feed of the day,
398
00:39:55,726 --> 00:39:58,328
and tucks everyone in...
399
00:39:58,496 --> 00:40:03,566
they must all stay warm
if they're to survive the night.
400
00:40:06,537 --> 00:40:12,642
This snug nest is home only
while she raises a family.
401
00:40:14,412 --> 00:40:21,251
Nearby, a young female with no
chicks faces her usual lonely night.
402
00:40:21,419 --> 00:40:24,354
She'll survive 12 hours
without feeding,
403
00:40:24,522 --> 00:40:30,827
by putting herself in torpor,
using as little energy as possible.
404
00:40:38,035 --> 00:40:42,939
The hillstar's heart rate is now a
twentieth of its normal speed.
405
00:40:43,107 --> 00:40:48,111
Her body temperature's dropped
from thirty six degrees to six.
406
00:40:51,782 --> 00:40:55,552
The equatorial
sun departs quickly...
407
00:40:55,719 --> 00:40:59,556
a mini ice age
is about to begin.
408
00:41:17,875 --> 00:41:22,479
Down in the low paramo
a stream flows strongly.
409
00:41:22,646 --> 00:41:23,780
lt never freezes,
410
00:41:23,948 --> 00:41:28,518
even though the temperature
has dropped to minus six.
411
00:41:29,353 --> 00:41:35,325
This is the nocturnal hunting ground
of an extraordinary creature...
412
00:41:38,963 --> 00:41:42,599
The fishing mouse is a small,
fierce predator,
413
00:41:42,766 --> 00:41:45,535
with an unusual lifestyle.
414
00:41:45,703 --> 00:41:47,504
She'll spend much of the night
415
00:41:47,671 --> 00:41:52,642
searching the stream
for aquatic insects or fish.
416
00:41:56,413 --> 00:41:58,681
Like the bear and the tapir,
417
00:41:58,849 --> 00:42:01,251
the fishing mouse is
an ice age survivor,
418
00:42:01,418 --> 00:42:04,120
designed to withstand cold.
419
00:42:04,288 --> 00:42:08,958
Her solid body holds heat,
and her fur is thick, warm...
420
00:42:09,126 --> 00:42:11,928
and waterproof.
421
00:42:14,164 --> 00:42:20,603
Also known as a water mouse,
the fishing mouse is now very rare.
422
00:42:20,838 --> 00:42:24,941
lt was once more widespread,
but by the end of the ice ages
423
00:42:25,109 --> 00:42:30,246
it had become a relic,
found in just a few streams.
424
00:42:31,448 --> 00:42:35,351
Eyesight and smell are of little use
in this night-time world...
425
00:42:35,519 --> 00:42:40,657
she uses long tactile whiskers
to detect prey.
426
00:42:43,627 --> 00:42:48,364
For a successful catch she relies
on fast reflexes, strong hands...
427
00:42:48,532 --> 00:42:51,434
and some luck.
428
00:43:12,856 --> 00:43:16,526
This species is extremely well
adapted to this lifestyle.
429
00:43:16,694 --> 00:43:20,296
None of the small number of
other rodents that also hunt in
430
00:43:20,464 --> 00:43:26,269
and around the streams of the paramo
are such good swimmers and divers.
431
00:43:29,506 --> 00:43:33,476
And only this species survives
in the highest streams,
432
00:43:33,644 --> 00:43:38,047
at altitudes of up to 4,000m.
433
00:43:43,520 --> 00:43:44,687
Like a hummingbird,
434
00:43:44,855 --> 00:43:48,124
the fishing mouse is
small and hyperactive -
435
00:43:48,292 --> 00:43:52,662
she needs big meals, often.
436
00:44:07,845 --> 00:44:15,018
The little mouse has a big appetite,
and one fish is never enough.
437
00:44:17,788 --> 00:44:19,656
But she must hurry -
438
00:44:19,823 --> 00:44:24,827
12 hours of darkness
are drawing to a close.
439
00:44:50,220 --> 00:44:53,189
Dawn on the high paramo.
440
00:44:53,357 --> 00:44:55,124
lt's minus six...
441
00:44:55,292 --> 00:44:58,594
and has been for hours.
442
00:44:59,530 --> 00:45:00,763
Everything's frozen...
443
00:45:00,931 --> 00:45:04,634
except, surprisingly, the plants.
444
00:45:04,802 --> 00:45:06,836
The plants of the tropical Andes
445
00:45:07,004 --> 00:45:12,675
have a remarkable way of staying
metabolically active all the time.
446
00:45:18,882 --> 00:45:23,152
Even though the sap is well below zero,
it's still liquid...
447
00:45:23,320 --> 00:45:26,022
because it's super-cooled.
448
00:45:26,190 --> 00:45:31,794
lt doesn't freeze into ice that would
damage delicate cell walls.
449
00:45:32,362 --> 00:45:34,597
This strategy only works here,
450
00:45:34,765 --> 00:45:38,234
because temperatures never sink
below minus six degrees.
451
00:45:38,402 --> 00:45:40,069
lf the nights were any longer...
452
00:45:40,237 --> 00:45:41,504
and colder...
453
00:45:41,672 --> 00:45:46,242
a super-cooled plant would
risk snap freezing.
454
00:45:50,714 --> 00:45:55,051
The coming of the sun
ends the mini ice age,
455
00:45:55,219 --> 00:46:00,790
but its morning kiss can
be a plant's kiss of death.
456
00:46:01,759 --> 00:46:06,195
With the first sun on its leaves
a plant begins to transpire.
457
00:46:06,363 --> 00:46:11,534
lts sap begins flowing...
but then it slows.
458
00:46:15,205 --> 00:46:18,107
The ground is still frozen...
459
00:46:18,275 --> 00:46:21,277
roots can't suck up any water.
460
00:46:21,478 --> 00:46:24,947
Just when things should
be getting easier,
461
00:46:25,115 --> 00:46:28,684
the plant faces physiological drought.
462
00:46:30,554 --> 00:46:33,990
But within an hour the earth
will have thawed
463
00:46:34,158 --> 00:46:37,693
and the plant will
be able to drink again.
464
00:46:50,107 --> 00:46:54,677
Overnight, the hillstar's temperature
and heart rate dropped dramatically.
465
00:46:54,845 --> 00:47:00,683
Now she comes back to life,
warmed by the sun.
466
00:47:02,686 --> 00:47:07,924
lt's not long before she's off
to find her first quick sugar fix.
467
00:47:14,531 --> 00:47:19,068
The sun begins to breathe
warmth back into the paramo.
468
00:47:19,236 --> 00:47:23,840
ln just a few short hours
it'll be the height of summer.
469
00:47:29,646 --> 00:47:32,381
Hummingbirds are creatures
of sun and heat,
470
00:47:32,549 --> 00:47:36,352
that thrive here in the
mountains at the Equator.
471
00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:38,921
Because there are no seasons,
472
00:47:39,089 --> 00:47:44,560
there are year-round flowers
they can rely on for energy-rich food.
473
00:47:56,940 --> 00:47:59,475
A Tyrian metal-tail, slightly low
474
00:47:59,643 --> 00:48:02,078
on energy after the
long winter's night,
475
00:48:02,246 --> 00:48:04,347
takes the easy option -
476
00:48:04,514 --> 00:48:09,619
why hover when there's a handy
leaf to take some of your weight.
477
00:48:10,754 --> 00:48:15,558
Luckily for these tiny birds,
winter only lasts for one night -
478
00:48:15,726 --> 00:48:20,897
not for months on end as in most
other mountainous parts of the world.
479
00:48:38,081 --> 00:48:42,551
The condors must stay on
the cliffs for an hour or two yet.
480
00:48:42,719 --> 00:48:48,858
They can't fly until the ground has
warmed and the thermals have developed.
481
00:48:49,793 --> 00:48:51,594
There's always a battle here,
482
00:48:51,762 --> 00:48:56,599
between equatorial
heat and mountain cold.
483
00:48:56,767 --> 00:48:59,468
Every day the creatures of the paramo
484
00:48:59,636 --> 00:49:02,305
and the cloud forest
face the challenges
485
00:49:02,472 --> 00:49:05,374
offour seasons.
486
00:49:05,542 --> 00:49:10,746
The tropical puya is armed,
and prepared for winter...
487
00:49:12,816 --> 00:49:18,120
but its defences are not enough to
deter a male spectacled bear looking
488
00:49:18,288 --> 00:49:22,258
for a bear-sized meal.
489
00:49:30,801 --> 00:49:33,202
Animals and plants have taken
490
00:49:33,370 --> 00:49:36,739
different evolutionary
paths to reach here.
491
00:49:36,907 --> 00:49:40,977
Some, like the bears,
are survivors from the ice ages.
492
00:49:41,144 --> 00:49:48,351
Others, like the puya, are tropical
species on a mountain top adventure.
493
00:49:49,553 --> 00:49:53,456
Spectacled bears have shortjaws
and massive muscles,
494
00:49:53,623 --> 00:49:57,193
inherited from their ice age ancestors.
495
00:49:57,361 --> 00:50:03,632
These give them power to crush
and grind the tough stem of the puya.
496
00:50:05,569 --> 00:50:13,209
A lifetime of growing - destroyed
in a second, eaten in minutes.
497
00:50:16,546 --> 00:50:22,051
This encounter between a tropical
plant and an ice age bear
498
00:50:22,219 --> 00:50:25,588
could only happen
here in the paradoxical world
499
00:50:25,756 --> 00:50:29,225
of Ecuador's Andes.
500
00:50:29,393 --> 00:50:33,195
Unexpected plants and animals
have found new opportunities
501
00:50:33,363 --> 00:50:37,199
on these volcanoes at the Equator.
502
00:50:37,367 --> 00:50:40,636
They've evolved ways of
coping with the challenges
503
00:50:40,804 --> 00:50:44,507
that living at altitude brings.
504
00:51:09,566 --> 00:51:13,936
Persistence...
perseverance...a thick coat...
505
00:51:14,104 --> 00:51:18,374
all help creatures survive
the daily battles,
506
00:51:18,542 --> 00:51:22,845
between the immense power
and heat of the equatorial sun,
507
00:51:23,013 --> 00:51:27,450
and the cold of the Andes.
43490
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