Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:15,240
Sometimes in life, to make it to the
top, you need to bend the rules.
2
00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,040
To survive in this competitive world
many animals
3
00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:22,200
have pushed the boundaries
of possibility to the limit.
4
00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,720
They seem to test the
very fabric of reality.
5
00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,760
Compared to us, they can see sharper,
6
00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:34,840
stretch their bodies further
7
00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,040
and perform feats that are
just out of this world.
8
00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,640
Rainforests, deserts,
9
00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:45,680
coasts...
10
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,120
three hostile landscapes,
each forging
11
00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:50,720
their own distinct mix of mavericks.
12
00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,840
By capturing their lives
in spectacular detail,
13
00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,640
we reveal the secrets
that allow these animals
14
00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:59,680
to achieve the impossible.
15
00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:20,480
Rainforests are the earth's oldest
living ecosystems.
16
00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:24,880
And when it comes to biodiversity,
they are the richest on the planet.
17
00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,520
They're lush, fertile
and they're teeming with life.
18
00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,360
So naturally, you'd think they'd be
the best places to live.
19
00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,400
But think again.
20
00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,680
It's an impenetrable maze
of dense vegetation.
21
00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,480
There's also more species here
per square kilometre
22
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:01,600
than anywhere else on Earth.
23
00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,200
And in this bug-eat-bug world,
24
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:13,680
every individual has to push
themselves to the very limit.
25
00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,320
And the first thing they have to
master is simply getting around.
26
00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,240
Of all the animals here,
27
00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,200
there's one that's evolved
the most astonishing way
28
00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,400
of moving through the jungle.
29
00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,240
A little bird with big ambitions.
30
00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,800
The hummingbird.
31
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,240
These stunning iridescent creatures
32
00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,600
have developed the most impressive
aerobatic skills
33
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:02,640
in the animal kingdom.
34
00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,640
They have perfect wing control.
35
00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,200
And are incredibly fast.
36
00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:31,160
But that rocket-powered flight
comes at a cost.
37
00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:37,080
They have the highest metabolism
of any warm-blooded animal.
38
00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,760
And to fuel that, each hummingbird
must consume its own body weight
39
00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,600
in nectar every single day.
40
00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:54,480
That means zipping around
1,000 rainforest flowers.
41
00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:04,560
There's no doubt that their
flying skills are first class
42
00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,320
but crucially, they're extremely
efficient flyers, too.
43
00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,520
The secret lies in the unique way
they move their wings.
44
00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,520
You see, most birds generate lift
when they flap wings downwards
45
00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,480
but the hummingbird likes to do
things a little differently.
46
00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,360
It rotates its wings not up and down
47
00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,960
but backwards and forwards,
in a figure of eight.
48
00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:30,840
Like this...
49
00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,480
Now, this unusual form
of flight produces lift
50
00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,080
both on the backward
and forward stroke.
51
00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,160
And it does this incredibly quickly.
52
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,920
In fact, in the time it takes me
to say "figure of eight",
53
00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,840
a hummingbird would've beaten
its wings over 300 times.
54
00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,320
It's an unbelievable ability
55
00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,440
and it allows this tiny little bird
to fly backwards,
56
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,600
forwards, sideways
and hover in mid-air.
57
00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,840
Flight is just one of the
hummingbird's impossible abilities.
58
00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,000
When they reach a flower,
59
00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:22,920
an even more remarkable part of their
anatomy takes centre stage.
60
00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,880
While many birds suck nectar
out of flowers,
61
00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:34,480
the hummingbird laps it up
with its forked tongue.
62
00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,760
With 15 quick licks,
63
00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,360
this speed demon can drain
a flower in just one second.
64
00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,200
And whilst we're on the subject
of that tongue,
65
00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:55,360
get this, it's so long that in order
to fully retract it into its body,
66
00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,640
hummingbirds have to curl it up
67
00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,560
and wrap it around
the inside of their skull.
68
00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,880
That is what I call a tongue twister.
69
00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:07,800
For the other nectar feeders
of the rainforest,
70
00:06:07,840 --> 00:06:11,240
in their aerial battle
against the hummingbird...
71
00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,640
..well, they don't stand a chance.
72
00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,320
When it comes to getting around,
73
00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,600
the rainforest is riddled
with challenges.
74
00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:51,040
The lower understorey
is a dense labyrinth.
75
00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,720
Higher up, the foliage opens out
76
00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,960
but up here, the thinning branches
become a precarious high wire
77
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,480
that only a few can master.
78
00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:13,920
These are the death-defying jumps
of the squirrel monkey.
79
00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,000
Weighing less than a pineapple...
80
00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,000
..they ping around the tree tops.
81
00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:41,400
Their ridged fingers help secure
a firm grip on each branch.
82
00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:45,840
Long lower-legs with short
powerful thighs
83
00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:51,480
give them frog-like proportions
and an equally frog-like leap.
84
00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,000
Although they stand at just
30 centimetres tall,
85
00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,160
they can propel their little bodies
86
00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:08,120
a full two metres in one giant jump.
87
00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,760
Spider monkeys have found
their own solution
88
00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,440
to the perils of canopy high life.
89
00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,360
And evolved their
very own safety line.
90
00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:49,640
The most developed prehensile
tail of any primate.
91
00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,040
It can securely grip
the thinnest of branches.
92
00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,640
And this tail also has a twist.
93
00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,160
At the tip of the tail
is a bare patch of skin
94
00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,920
just like the skin
on the palm of my hand.
95
00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:17,400
Now this pad has four types of
hyper-sensitive touch receptors,
96
00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:21,240
meaning even with its tail the spider
monkey can feel its way
97
00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:25,440
along the thinnest of branches
with astonishing accuracy.
98
00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:38,680
For the spider monkey, its tail has
practically become an extra limb.
99
00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,240
And when you have a fifth hand
100
00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:49,040
you can make even the trickiest high
canopy move look utterly effortless.
101
00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:10,040
It takes astounding abilities
to get around this living labyrinth.
102
00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,160
But imagine trying to hunt here.
103
00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:24,440
Well, that pushes animals
to a whole new level.
104
00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,800
Tropical rainforests
are packed with life.
105
00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,440
Now, despite the fact that they cover
less than 4% of our planet's surface,
106
00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,280
they are home to 50%
of all the world species.
107
00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,680
But they're shrinking
at an alarming rate.
108
00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,600
The size of 2,000 football fields
every hour,
109
00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:02,080
and that makes life here
even more competitive.
110
00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,640
Especially when it comes to hunting.
111
00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,520
It's a jungle-wide contest
that's given rise
112
00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:15,880
to some crafty predators
that are near impossible to beat.
113
00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:38,200
OK, here's a question.
When is a flower not a flower?
114
00:11:54,560 --> 00:11:58,560
When it is, in fact,
an orchid mantis.
115
00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,680
It's a stealthy jungle assassin.
116
00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,920
Whilst most hunters chase their prey,
117
00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:18,120
the orchid mantis lures
its victims close
118
00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:24,480
by disguising itself as the most
tempting flower in the rainforest.
119
00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,960
Its evolved legs
that look like petals
120
00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:37,160
and dark patches on its abdomen
that appear to be buds.
121
00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:44,640
It even rocks back and forth like a
flower, swaying in the jungle breeze.
122
00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:52,120
This mantis mimicry is so good
123
00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,480
it attracts more insects
than the actual orchid itself.
124
00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:03,680
Only this orchid has powerful front
legs and dagger-like spines.
125
00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,720
But it also has brains, too.
126
00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:26,080
The orchid mantis outwits its insect
victims like a true evil genius.
127
00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:29,880
For us, with our big brains,
128
00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,200
after a few seconds of scrutiny
129
00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,920
we can tell that the orchid mantis
is no orchid flower.
130
00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,480
For the tiny brained fly, buzzing
frantically from flower to flower,
131
00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,080
it just doesn't have enough time
or the capacity
132
00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,440
to make such an informed decision.
133
00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,320
Now, the mantis, on the other hand,
134
00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:52,840
has evolved to take advantage of its
victim's limited powers of deduction
135
00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,200
in a technique called
sensory exploitation.
136
00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,520
The fly sees the mantis
as the right sort of shape
137
00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:03,520
and crucially, it appears
bigger and brighter
138
00:14:03,560 --> 00:14:05,560
than the surrounding flowers.
139
00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,960
And for the insect,
this is a fatal attraction.
140
00:14:12,680 --> 00:14:18,920
Once the fly is within a few
centimetres, the mantis strikes.
141
00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,280
Catching its prey in
as little as 60 milliseconds.
142
00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,520
Faster than the blink of an eye.
143
00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,080
Hunting in the dense rainforest
144
00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,400
is difficult enough by day,
145
00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,640
but by night,
things get even tougher.
146
00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,040
The margay is one flawless feline.
147
00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:27,320
This small South American cat
is perfectly adapted
148
00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,360
for hunting at night.
149
00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:40,320
Her large eyes give her supreme
long-range night vision.
150
00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:47,600
And her whiskers are so sensitive
they pick up subtle vibrations
151
00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:54,000
and tiny air flows, helping her build
a 3-D picture of the dark jungle.
152
00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,400
But most remarkably, she's one
of only three types of cat
153
00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:04,920
that can climb face-first
down a tree trunk.
154
00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,560
Ideal when tracking
small rodent prey.
155
00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:35,640
These skills make her perfectly
suited for a jungle ambush.
156
00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:50,600
She clears four metres
in one extraordinary leap.
157
00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,720
And with a single precise bite,
158
00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:03,120
this rainforest hunter
delivers the killer blow.
159
00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,040
Of all the jungle's predators,
160
00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:21,760
there's one that's pushed nocturnal
hunting beyond any other.
161
00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:27,840
Specialist night cameras
allow us to reveal
162
00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,480
the weird world of the tarsier.
163
00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,960
Each night, these tiny
carnivorous primates
164
00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,000
hunt for their favourite food...
165
00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:47,680
..crickets.
166
00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:54,680
They may be small but tarsiers
can do this...
167
00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:03,920
Leap 40 times their own
body length...
168
00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:08,720
..with pinpoint accuracy.
169
00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,440
To land these nocturnal acrobatics
170
00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,280
takes some super-powered
night senses.
171
00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,680
Their eyes are huge.
172
00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,160
Each eyeball weighs the same
as the tarsier's brain...
173
00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:49,760
..giving them eyesight three times
more sensitive than ours.
174
00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:56,240
In fact, they're so big they're fixed
in a forward-facing position
175
00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,800
and can't move in their sockets.
176
00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,920
Luckily, with their incredibly
flexible necks,
177
00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:09,160
they still manage a 360-degree view
of the jungle at night.
178
00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,840
Tarsiers don't just have
impossible eyes,
179
00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,760
they also have impossible ears.
180
00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,280
They act kind of like
satellite dishes
181
00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:34,720
and can move independently to detect
and pinpoint the faintest of sounds.
182
00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,760
They can pick up sounds that are
completely imperceptible to us,
183
00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,000
tuning into the highest frequencies
of any primate,
184
00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:46,280
which means tarsiers
can hear ultrasound.
185
00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:50,120
Whereas we humans can detect around
20,000 Hertz,
186
00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,720
tarsiers' hearing goes up to 90,000.
187
00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,600
We think they use this
ultrasonic hearing
188
00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:02,240
to hunt by eavesdropping
on their insect prey.
189
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,840
So crickets, to them,
are like dinner bells on legs.
190
00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:24,360
For creatures of the rainforest,
hunting is tough
191
00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,920
but there's an even deeper
challenge to overcome.
192
00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,800
Water.
193
00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,880
Did you know that rainforest
vegetation is so dense,
194
00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:56,440
so interwoven and so tightly packed
195
00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:00,280
that for a single raindrop
to fall 60 metres
196
00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,880
from the top of the tallest trees
to the forest floor
197
00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,600
can take a full ten minutes.
198
00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,840
Yeah, ten minutes.
199
00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,480
But what the rain lacks in speed
200
00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,280
it more than makes up for in volume.
201
00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:31,720
Because the rainforest gets up to
10,000mm of water each year.
202
00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:34,720
And for the animals that live here,
203
00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:38,720
one of the pressing challenges
is simply staying afloat.
204
00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,880
This is the basilisk lizard.
205
00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,400
He lives amongst the pools
and waterways
206
00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:58,440
of the Costa Rican rainforest.
207
00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,200
And of all the jungle residents,
208
00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:08,920
he's found the most impressive way
of dealing with a water hazard.
209
00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:29,840
This astonishing reptile also
goes by another name -
210
00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:32,400
the Jesus Christ lizard...
211
00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:41,000
..because he can walk on water.
212
00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:04,320
And the way they achieve their
remarkable sprint is miraculous.
213
00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,160
The basilisk lizard is able to
perform this incredible feat
214
00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:21,240
thanks to, well,
their incredible feet.
215
00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:23,640
This lizard basically transforms
216
00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,840
from a terrestrial quadruped
into an aquatic biped.
217
00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,720
It does this by using its longer back
feet to slap down on the water.
218
00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:36,240
Each powerful foot slap
creates air pockets
219
00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,720
which surround the foot
and keep the lizard afloat.
220
00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:44,640
But the other crucial element
of this slap dash is speed.
221
00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:48,120
These young lizards, although only
20 centimetres long,
222
00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,360
can cover one and a half metres
of water every second.
223
00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,200
Now, if you or I were to try
and do the same thing
224
00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:57,040
we'd need to run at 100 kilometres
an hour.
225
00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,320
Now, I'm fast but I'm not that fast.
226
00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,160
Research has shown it's the lighter,
younger lizards
227
00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,280
that perform this unbelievable skill
the most frequently.
228
00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,400
For the older, heavier-footed males,
229
00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:28,040
their water dancing days
are well behind them.
230
00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,400
In the South American rainforest,
231
00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:45,920
the six-month wet season leaves the
forest floor pitted with pools.
232
00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:55,680
Here, an extremely rare
jungle carnivore
233
00:24:55,720 --> 00:25:01,160
has turned the submerged forest floor
into a hunting opportunity.
234
00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:08,720
The bush dog.
235
00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:16,880
Targeting rodents,
reptiles and birds,
236
00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,920
these canines hunt in packs.
237
00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:26,480
But these are no ordinary dogs.
238
00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:33,320
They are aquatic specialists,
and even have webbed feet.
239
00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:40,800
They're powerful swimmers
and unlike most dogs,
240
00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,800
can fully submerge their heads
as they swim.
241
00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:51,960
It's this that gives the bush dog
the edge over their prey.
242
00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,960
Finally, their powerful
canine bite...
243
00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:06,000
makes them formidable hunters
above and below the water.
244
00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,200
The flooded rainforest floor.
245
00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,640
Whatever the season,
conditions here
246
00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:39,400
are hot, humid and very wet.
247
00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,560
The red-eyed tree frog
is perfectly suited...
248
00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:04,000
..and booted to stalk its prey
on the wet vegetation.
249
00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:23,280
In one hop, it can clear 20 times
its own body length.
250
00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,720
But that jump is only half the story.
251
00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:50,040
These gravity-defying frogs
can stick to almost anything.
252
00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:52,880
Now, for a long time, it was thought
they had suction cups
253
00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:57,320
built into their feet. But we now
know that's not the case.
254
00:27:57,360 --> 00:27:59,720
The tips of their fingers and toes
are covered in a layer
255
00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:04,960
of tiny hexagonal cells and even
tinier structures called nanopillars.
256
00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,920
And it's these that give
the frog friction in its grip.
257
00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:12,800
Even on the most slipperiest
of jungle leaves.
258
00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:17,840
This adhesion is strong enough to
hold 14 times the frog's weight.
259
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:32,400
So the little cold-blooded killer can
pick any spot to launch an attack.
260
00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,640
But occasionally...
261
00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:46,960
..even the best hunters...
262
00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:51,840
..miss their target.
263
00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:02,240
When it comes to water
in the rainforest,
264
00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:06,720
there's one last source that has an
extreme impact on life...
265
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:10,960
..rivers.
266
00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:18,600
These super highways transport vital
nutrients and seeds far and wide.
267
00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,640
Providing a rare break in
the dense vegetation,
268
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:27,640
they're also the perfect spot
for animals to socialise.
269
00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,440
Each evening, along the waterways
of Borneo,
270
00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:42,200
proboscis monkeys gather
at riverside dating sites.
271
00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,480
And what the females
are looking out for is this.
272
00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:11,160
For a proboscis monkey,
this guy is irresistibly handsome.
273
00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:21,080
A longer nose means a stronger,
fitter and more virile mate.
274
00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,320
They gather in troops of up to 25,
275
00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:37,680
where males vie for the best
positions to show off their wares.
276
00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:48,720
But if they can't secure a good spot,
things get even stranger.
277
00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:59,080
It's time for plan B,
the impossible honk.
278
00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,680
So that big nose isn't just for show.
279
00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:26,120
A long snout creates
an internal echo chamber,
280
00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:30,280
reverberating and amplifying the
sound of the mating call.
281
00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:37,960
Literally, the bigger the conk,
the louder the honk.
282
00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:46,600
For the females, it's a beautiful
riverside serenade.
283
00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:53,480
The biggest boys both look
and sound irresistible.
284
00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:02,200
And for the smaller males, well,
they are left out on a limb.
285
00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:04,240
Same time next week, fellas.
286
00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:09,440
In the highly competitive
world of the rainforest...
287
00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:13,480
..only the strongest succeed.
288
00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,240
So when it comes to raising a family,
289
00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:22,400
jungle parents will stop at nothing
to give their offspring the edge.
290
00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:35,400
OK, so by now it's pretty clear
that rainforest life is tough.
291
00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:39,960
Just surviving each day takes some
truly astonishing abilities.
292
00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:44,240
So just imagine what it must be like
trying to raise a family here.
293
00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:48,680
Well, welcome to the impossible world
of jungle parenting.
294
00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:55,280
There's one mum found in the
rainforests of Central America
295
00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:58,960
whose devotion to her young
is exhaustive.
296
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:06,080
This is a strawberry
poison dart frog.
297
00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,560
This female first laid her eggs
on the forest floor.
298
00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:16,440
But now, as tadpoles, she needs to
move them somewhere safer.
299
00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,520
The dutiful mum gives each one
a piggy back
300
00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:27,520
high into the trees to their
own private nursery pool.
301
00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:36,120
Each of the trips can take
up to three hours to complete.
302
00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:38,160
But that's just the start of it.
303
00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,680
She then spends the next eight weeks
clocking up serious mileage,
304
00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,640
going back and forth
to every tadpole.
305
00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:57,160
She drops them generous food parcels
of her own unfertilised eggs.
306
00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:05,800
Now that's dedication.
307
00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:12,360
It's often said that parenting
is an impossibly thankless task
308
00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,760
full of sacrifice. And that's most
definitely the case
309
00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:17,800
for the caecilian.
310
00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:26,320
These are worm-like amphibians
311
00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,160
that live a largely subterranean life
in a rainforest.
312
00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,920
And to give their young
the very best start in life
313
00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:35,920
these mums provide them with
a truly home-made meal.
314
00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:40,360
For starters, there's a tasty
secretion she produces from her tail.
315
00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:47,360
But when they grow their first teeth,
they can move onto the main course.
316
00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:53,720
And this mum does something totally
unique among vertebrates.
317
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:58,920
She lets her young gorge
on her fatty, nutrient-rich skin.
318
00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:04,880
She'll live to have more broods,
but talk about a selfless act.
319
00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:19,840
Many mothers have found
ingenious ways
320
00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:22,680
to give their young the best chance
in life.
321
00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,520
And in Madagascar,
there's one group of females
322
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,080
who've gone to extreme lengths...
323
00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:34,280
..becoming a force
to be reckoned with.
324
00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:49,320
This troop of ring-tailed lemur mums
are out on patrol.
325
00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:57,560
To keep their youngsters safe, they
must secure the best feeding grounds.
326
00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:07,000
They march with their half-metre
long tails held aloft.
327
00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:13,080
Vital for keeping the 20-strong
group in formation.
328
00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:20,360
Crucially, the tails act
as a warning to other gangs.
329
00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,400
A battle flag.
330
00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:31,880
When a rival troop is spotted, the
dominant female leads the charge...
331
00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:36,640
..while carrying her baby
on her back.
332
00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,200
Having their youngsters in tow
may look risky
333
00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:02,360
but they're much safer in
the heat of the action
334
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:05,840
than they would be left
to fend for themselves.
335
00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:25,920
But lemur parenting isn't just
about brute force.
336
00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:42,960
Remarkably, these clever females have
synchronised their pregnancies
337
00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:46,720
so that the babies are all born
at the same time of year,
338
00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:49,720
when forest food is most plentiful.
339
00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,360
An extraordinary feat
of family planning.
340
00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,960
The only challenge left
for these little ones
341
00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,240
is getting to the food
without falling off.
342
00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:11,400
Luckily, Mum's always around
to keep an eye out.
343
00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:20,040
Plus, she doubles up
as a nice soft landing pad.
344
00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:34,040
Of all the animal families
in the rainforest,
345
00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:39,040
there's one that faces the
ultimate parenting challenge.
346
00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:48,240
Meet the gibbon.
347
00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:56,040
These primates live in the jungles
of Southeast Asia
348
00:38:56,080 --> 00:39:00,680
and raise their babies 60 metres
above the ground.
349
00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:08,760
To ensure baby gibbons are ready
for the perils of jungle life,
350
00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:12,480
they stay with their mothers
for up to four years,
351
00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:16,040
learning everything
they need to survive.
352
00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:22,880
From which fruits and leaves
are best to eat...
353
00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:29,680
..to the subtleties of grooming
and social bonding.
354
00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:41,560
But without doubt, the greatest
challenge up here
355
00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:43,840
is learning to get about safely.
356
00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:56,120
Because, for a mischievous novice,
357
00:39:56,160 --> 00:40:00,480
moving around so high above the
ground is a dangerous business.
358
00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:13,160
To move through the upper canopy,
359
00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:16,440
every gibbon must learn how to swing
360
00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:20,720
and the adults are only too happy
to demonstrate.
361
00:40:40,720 --> 00:40:43,240
They can propel themselves
through the trees
362
00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:45,840
at a breath-taking 60 kilometres
an hour.
363
00:40:51,240 --> 00:40:54,720
That's as fast as
a galloping racehorse.
364
00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:21,200
This audacious tree top manoeuvre
is known as brachiation.
365
00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:26,360
If a youngster is to
become independent,
366
00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,400
he'll need to master
this daunting task.
367
00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:43,960
A tense moment for any mum.
368
00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:12,360
This is a skill that takes
gibbons years to master.
369
00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:35,280
That's why these hands-on parents
will stay on duty
370
00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:38,840
until their babies
have got swinging sussed.
371
00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:43,840
Because when it's a jungle out there,
372
00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:47,520
it's good to know
someone's got your back.
373
00:42:55,240 --> 00:42:59,440
Although raising a family in the
rainforest may seem impossible,
374
00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:01,680
nature always finds a way.
375
00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:09,040
The most impressive animals
beat the jungle conditions
376
00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:13,160
to overcome the relentless threats
and constant competition.
377
00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:21,560
And somehow, manage not just to
survive, but to genuinely thrive.
378
00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:25,000
You could say they
achieve the impossible.
379
00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:34,520
AccessibleCustomerService@sky.uk
31157
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.