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There's an island in the Caribbean
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that made such an impression
on early European sailors
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that they called it
the Isle of Enchantment.
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A lush, exotic landscape
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teeming with charismatic creatures,
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many only found on these shores.
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We have boas,
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we have manatees,
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we have turtles,
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we have parrots -
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so diversity is vast here
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and I love it.
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But this paradise is in
danger of being lost.
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An explosion of development,
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industry and agriculture
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is pushing nature to the edges.
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Now, a dedicated
group of naturalists
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are working tirelessly to protect
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the island's most
threatened wildlife...
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..and they're willing to go to
extraordinary lengths to succeed.
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Moving two animals that
are 600 pounds is dangerous.
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These animals are fragile,
they could die.
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The team use science,
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rehabilitation
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and even seduction
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to help vulnerable species.
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We provide the dating service,
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we provide the room,
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just for them to make
love, sweet love!
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The people of this island have
woken up to its natural treasures...
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..and now they're
fighting to save them.
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It is a way of life,
it's actually a vocation.
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It's not a job.
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So, you do it with passion,
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you do it because you
think it's important to do.
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This is an island that
wants to remain enchanted.
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This is the island of Puerto Rico.
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In the heart of
Puerto Rico's rainforest,
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a vast natural sinkhole
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hides a strange structure.
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This is the world-renowned
Arecibo telescope.
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A gigantic metal ear
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listening for whispers of life
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from far beyond our planet.
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Its extra terrestrial mission
continues day and night...
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..but the forest it lies in
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echoes with its own alien sounds.
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RHYTHMIC WHISTLING
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This might sound like
ET lost in the woods...
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..but it's actually a tiny
frog called the coqui.
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Although it's no bigger
than a thumbnail,
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the male's ear-splitting call
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has been recorded at
over 100 decibels.
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It's thought to be the
loudest frog in the world.
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The males use their call
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as a mating song to
attract female coquis.
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Their chorus can be heard
all over the island...
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..and the frogs' nightly serenade
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has a special place in the
hearts of Puerto Ricans.
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# Yo, where my coquis at?
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# Let 'em know how we get down
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# Come on, sing along
COQUIS WHISTLE
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# I just love that sound
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# I'm Puerto Rican and proud
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# I've been doing
this since the '80s
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# I represent a true
believer from the heart
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# I don't do this for
the love of the money
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# I do this for the love of the art
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00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,040
# Reppin' the crew known as the
Almighty
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# Like an empire... #
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00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:11,000
The Taino tribe, who ruled Puerto
Rico over a thousand years ago,
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even carved its
image into the rocks
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and it remains a national
symbol to this day.
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Once we hear that song of theirs,
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we just fell in love with it.
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# Where my coquis at?
Coqui! Coqui!
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# Let 'em know how we get down
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HE WHISTLES LIKE A COQUI
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# Come on, sing along
Coqui! Coqui!
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# I just love that sound
HE WHISTLES LIKE A COQUI
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# Hey, yo, where my coquis at? #
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Coqui! Coqui! It's beautiful.
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It's something that's part of us.
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# Come on, sing along
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COQUIS WHISTLE
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# I just love that sound. #
COQUIS WHISTLE
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Despite people's fondness
for this little frog,
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they have not always
protected its forest home.
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Puerto Rico is
1,000 miles from Florida
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on the eastern edge
of the Caribbean Sea.
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The main island of the archipelago
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is only 100 miles long.
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00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:22,520
When Columbus first
landed here, in 1493,
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it was covered in
ancient rainforest.
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00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,400
Gradually, as the
modern world encroached,
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the island's natural
resources were diminished.
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By 1900,
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only 5% of its forest remained.
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One special creature that can be
found nowhere else on the planet
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was pushed to the
brink of extinction.
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PARROTS SQUAWK
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The Puerto Rican amazon parrot.
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At one point,
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there were only 13 of these
precious birds left in the world.
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Today, they're so rare
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that each individual
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is fitted with a radio transmitter
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so it can be tracked...
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..and they are still the
island's most endangered species.
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The Puerto Rican Parrot
Recovery Programme
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is based at a secret location
in the rainforest.
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A captive breeding
centre for these birds.
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In specialised enclosures,
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they're encouraged to mate.
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Their progress is monitored
around the clock.
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The chicks they produce will
be released back to the wild...
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00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,200
..and this year, they plan to
let out the largest flock
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00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,640
of Puerto Rican amazons so far
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into the El Yunque National Forest.
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The man running this rescue
mission loves these birds.
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Jafet Velez-Valentin
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has devoted his entire life
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to saving Puerto Rico's parrots.
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Originally, when I began
to work in this programme,
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I thought it was going to
be something temporary,
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but once I start
learning about them,
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working with them in the wild,
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00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,000
working with them in captivity,
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you literally fall in love
with the species and...
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..it's a decision
I will never, ever regret.
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We need to have happy,
healthy, fertile pairs.
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If we have that,
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chicks will be a by-product.
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00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:27,760
Sometimes we call ourselves
matchmakers for parrots,
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00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,560
eHarmony for birds,
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00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:32,640
and when you're working with a pair
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and you are able to
study their behaviour
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and finally make a good match,
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it's great.
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00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:40,720
PARROT SQUAWKS
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But it's not always
as simple as it sounds.
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00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,800
One of his couples is
producing infertile eggs...
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..so he's called on the island's
specialist wildlife vet,
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Doctor Antonio Rivera.
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I have the privilege to work
with our endangered species.
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These animals mean a lot.
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00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,360
They're part of our nature,
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they're an icon for
all Puerto Ricans -
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but once we lose a species,
it's gone forever.
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We can't bring it back.
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00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,360
To investigate the parrots'
reproductive organs,
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Antonio needs to sedate the birds.
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PARROT WAILS
The male is first.
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The Puerto Rican parrots
are very hard tempered,
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they could die in your hands
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just because they're mad.
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They don't want you to handle them.
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I make sure that they're strong,
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that they're breathing,
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I try not to stress them too much -
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because they're different,
they're very special.
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Antonio makes a small incision
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and then uses a tiny camera probe
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to inspect its testicles.
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That's the testicle there.
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It's got a great colour,
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the membrane doesn't look inflamed.
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In general, it looks good.
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A few stitches
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and he's ready to go.
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There's nothing
wrong with this male.
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So, what about the female?
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PARROT SQUAWKS
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She's almost gone.
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I see the cranial pole of the kidney
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and then the ovary
should be right there...
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and there is
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what looks like an undeveloped
ovary down there
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and that might mean that
she's having problems,
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that's why she's not
producing any chicks.
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Puerto Rican parrots usually
choose one mate for life
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but, in the case of this pair,
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Jafet is going to have to intervene.
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The value of the male,
it's very high -
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so I'm going to divorce them
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and I'm going to get
another female for him
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and another mate for her
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because probably she
will be a great brooder.
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By doing this, the healthy male's
genes can still be passed on.
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Hopefully, the female's urge
to brood can still be fulfilled.
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Jafet has already observed
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her strong, maternal,
nest-building instinct.
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I will try to work with her,
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providing her fertile
eggs about to hatch
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and she will be our
next foster mother.
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But there's always a danger
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that surrogate parents will reject
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and even destroy their
newly-adopted eggs.
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00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:12,320
The first 24 hours are critical
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to find out if a pair will
make good foster parents.
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The Puerto Rican mainland
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has over 300 miles of coastline.
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From rugged, rocky shores...
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..to the canals that meander
through the mangroves.
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00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:00,400
Beautiful beaches...
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..and vast beds of seagrass
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in the shallow seas.
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This is home to the island's
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most endangered marine mammal.
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Puerto Rican manatees
cruise these waters,
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spending most of their time
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00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:24,960
feeding on the seagrass.
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00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:28,720
But while they graze,
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00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:30,400
they're vulnerable to being struck
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00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,400
by speeding jet skis and boats.
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00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,240
There are fewer than 700 manatees
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00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,680
alive today in Puerto Rico.
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And with so few left,
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the survival of each
individual is important.
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00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,840
Just outside the
capital city of San Juan
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is the Manatee Conservation Center.
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00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,880
Toni Mignucci rehabilitates
injured and orphaned manatees here.
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00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:27,920
He has three pools where manatees
in need can be cared for.
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00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,320
The smallest pool
holds baby Tureygua,
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00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:35,920
who became separated
from his mother at birth.
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He's still being
fed formula milk
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six times a day.
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00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,640
Guacara is in the biggest pool.
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00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,120
Unfortunately, he was so badly
injured after being hit by a boat,
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00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,200
that he will never swim well enough
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00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,040
to be returned to the ocean...
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00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:13,080
..but he is happily spending his
retirement playing on his float.
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00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:20,800
And in the middle pool
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00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,280
are two juvenile manatees
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00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,720
that Toni is preparing to
return to the wild.
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00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,240
Both are getting used
to wearing tail collars
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00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,840
so that they can be satellite
tracked after their release.
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00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,120
In this tank, we have
Yuisa and Aramana.
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00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,480
They were brought in as calves.
240
00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,480
Aramana, the male,
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00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,360
was orphaned by its mother
in the town of Dorado
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00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,240
four and a half years ago.
243
00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:54,400
Yuisa got separated from his mother
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00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,560
because of high tide
and bad weather,
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00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,800
and the mum couldn't
find it any more.
246
00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:01,480
So, we brought her.
247
00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,720
She is only two-and-half years old
248
00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,360
and she has outgrown the older male.
249
00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,120
Our last release was six years ago
250
00:17:12,120 --> 00:17:14,080
and what's special
about this release
251
00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,400
is this will be our first-time
releasing a pair together.
252
00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,800
They have been in the pool,
bonding, for the past six months,
253
00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,520
in the hope that
they will stay together.
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00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,120
If they did, it will
be a beautiful story.
255
00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:34,640
Aramana and Yuisa need to
weigh at least 600 pounds,
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00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:36,440
the weight of three men,
257
00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,120
before they can be released...
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00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,400
..so Toni's team of
students and volunteers
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00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:52,440
prepare two manatee-sized
vegetarian feasts every day
260
00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,480
so that they can
put on enough weight.
261
00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:06,160
Aramana and Yuisa eat more than half
their weight in fruit and vegetables
262
00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,280
a week, including 50 lettuces a day.
263
00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,360
Before the manatees can be released,
264
00:18:20,360 --> 00:18:23,320
the team needs to ensure
that they're in good health.
265
00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,440
Manatees are aquatic mammals
266
00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,400
that have lungs and breathe air
267
00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:33,920
so, if managed carefully,
268
00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,760
they can survive out of water.
269
00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:41,960
Doctor Antonio Rivera
270
00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,360
has learnt to be a
highly versatile vet.
271
00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,360
As well as helping the
parrot recovery programme,
272
00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:52,160
he's been working with
the manatees for 15 years.
273
00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:01,720
Today, he will drain a small
abscess on Aramana's back.
274
00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,200
To carry out this
surgical procedure,
275
00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,880
the team will need to turn
him over onto his belly...
276
00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,440
..but he's not so keen on the idea.
277
00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,840
Manatees do not always
respond well to sedation...
278
00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,360
..so Toni's team use a group hug
279
00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:32,360
to restrain him during surgery.
280
00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:40,320
We do get on top of the animals
and we wrestle them down.
281
00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:45,600
So, we had 13 of my students and
technicians on top of the animal.
282
00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:47,320
Prep and go!
283
00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,760
We're going to open
Aramana's abscess to drain.
284
00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:57,640
If we do not open it,
285
00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,600
then it's going to keep
building up and building up,
286
00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,440
and it's not going to
be able to cure -
287
00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,720
so we have to open it with a blade.
288
00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,160
OK.
289
00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,320
Using a sharp scalpel on a
bucking manatee is dangerous.
290
00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,000
One slip could be costly.
291
00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:29,760
For people that haven't seen this,
292
00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:31,320
it's kind of disgusting.
293
00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:32,720
It is like a big pimple.
294
00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:38,640
Oh, my God!
295
00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,440
Aramana's abscess is worse
than Antonio expected.
296
00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,920
He's going to have to
drain the infection.
297
00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,960
I have to make a
larger opening there.
298
00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,400
THEY SPEAK SPANISH
299
00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,720
THEY SPEAK SPANISH
300
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:08,280
HE SPEAKS SPANISH
301
00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:10,520
Aramana is becoming stressed.
302
00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,120
He hasn't taken a breath
for over a minute.
303
00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:19,080
Unlike land mammals that
breathe all the time,
304
00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,440
marine mammals are voluntary
breathers
305
00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,400
so, actually, if you put
them out of the water,
306
00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,200
their nostrils will be closed
307
00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,800
and they have to think to
be able to breathe.
308
00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,040
We may have to stop for a short time
309
00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:34,560
and he hasn't been breathing
like we want to.
310
00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,320
They pour water over Aramana's nose
311
00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,640
to mimic the feeling
of surfacing for air
312
00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,920
in the hope that he
will take a breath.
313
00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,080
He could die if he
doesn't breathe soon.
314
00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,280
Much to the team's relief,
he starts breathing.
315
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:02,640
OK. We're done.
316
00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,560
Toni is hoping Aramana
will recover quickly
317
00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,640
so he can be returned to the ocean.
318
00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,920
We have to change protocol,
319
00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,360
providing antibiotics orally,
320
00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:21,240
which is a challenge,
321
00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,480
but also we have to
clean that wound.
322
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:25,920
If we slack off,
323
00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,680
then we're not going to
have a releasable animal.
324
00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:35,840
For now, Aramana is content,
325
00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,560
playing in the water
as his pool fills up.
326
00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,480
The warm, tropical waters
surrounding Puerto Rico
327
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,720
are some of the richest
in the Caribbean.
328
00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,520
They're home to coral reefs
329
00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:09,720
and other precious oceanic life.
330
00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,400
Five threatened species
of sea turtles
331
00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,280
can be found in these waters.
332
00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,880
Carlos Diez is a world-renowned
turtle conservationist.
333
00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,840
He captures critically
endangered hawksbill turtles
334
00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,880
as part of a research programme
335
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,920
that's helping to save the species.
336
00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,000
Hawksbill turtles are
a valuable commodity,
337
00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,680
prized for their shells and meat.
338
00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:05,400
Carlos gathers evidence
339
00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,080
to help make laws to protect them.
340
00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,080
HE SPEAKS SPANISH
341
00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,440
When we start our work 25 years ago,
342
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,320
we started with the hawksbill turtle
343
00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:25,600
which is a very rare species,
it's critical endangered...
344
00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:27,920
and there were many
gaps in its biology
345
00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,200
that we were able to help answer.
346
00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,440
HE SPEAKS SPANISH
347
00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,680
We learned things
about the growth rate
348
00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,120
and how fast those animals can
mature, that tell us, you know,
349
00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:41,160
how many turtles
will be in the future
350
00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:45,000
or if it's feasible to harvest them
or not in a sustainable way.
351
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,720
Carlos provided vital evidence
352
00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:52,320
to support a new
international agreement
353
00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:54,600
to ban hawksbill turtle shell trade.
354
00:24:57,800 --> 00:24:59,360
Since the ban,
355
00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:03,080
their numbers have been rising
steadily in key nesting areas...
356
00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:06,520
..but Carlos isn't stopping here.
357
00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:12,640
Now that turtles are coming back,
358
00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,720
that means that we will have
more interaction with humans
359
00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:21,040
because we share some of their
areas, we share nesting beaches,
360
00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,400
we share the reef
361
00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,080
because man wants to do
marinas and want to do ports,
362
00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,200
and there's a lot of problems
with habitat degradation.
363
00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,280
Carlos is now turning his attention
364
00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,840
to one idyllic stretch of beach
365
00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,920
where another species of
vulnerable turtle lays its eggs.
366
00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,880
Dorado Beach is one of the most
important nesting sites
367
00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,520
for leatherback turtles
in the whole Caribbean.
368
00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:02,320
Unfortunately, this beach also
attracts property developers
369
00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:04,840
keen to cash in on
its natural beauty.
370
00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,800
For now, leatherbacks still
haul their enormous bodies
371
00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,440
out of the water to nest at night.
372
00:26:21,120 --> 00:26:24,080
These turtles can weigh
over half a tonne
373
00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,800
and measure over
six-and-a-half feet.
374
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:31,160
Leatherbacks are amazing.
375
00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,080
In the old days, they were
considered sea monsters.
376
00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:41,600
They are the largest
turtles in the world.
377
00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:43,200
It's a big animal.
378
00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,480
Some people compare
it with a Volkswagen.
379
00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,080
Using only her back flippers,
380
00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,360
this female will dig a
hole over two feet deep.
381
00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,720
Without ever seeing
what she's making,
382
00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:06,600
she delicately creates a chamber.
383
00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:19,800
They manage to make a perfect hole.
384
00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,040
Basically like a bottle, you know,
385
00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,440
that it has a neck and
then suddenly becomes wide...
386
00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:34,840
..and then she will
start laying the eggs.
387
00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:37,640
TURTLE GROANS
388
00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,680
Leatherbacks lay about
80 eggs per nest.
389
00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:51,520
TURTLE GROANS
390
00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,120
Each egg is almost as
big as a tennis ball.
391
00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,840
They will hatch in two months' time.
392
00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:05,320
Once her eggs are laid,
393
00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,720
she gently presses
sand into the hole.
394
00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,800
TURTLE GROANS
395
00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,880
She then returns to the ocean
396
00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:19,880
and has nothing more
to do with them.
397
00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:31,320
In his fight to protect
leatherback turtle nest sites,
398
00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:35,160
Carlos must occasionally
swap his flippers and snorkel
399
00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:37,200
for trousers and a shirt.
400
00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,560
He is presenting the case
401
00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:42,360
in the Puerto Rican court.
402
00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,840
IN SPANISH:
403
00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:15,240
Carlos isn't the only
person to give evidence.
404
00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:16,640
Buenas tardes.
405
00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,560
The judge's verdict
will decide whether or not
406
00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:21,840
the turtle nests sites
will be protected.
407
00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,560
Without this intervention,
408
00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:29,000
Dorado Beach could be sold
to the highest bidder,
409
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,800
leaving the turtles with
an uncertain future.
410
00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:35,320
HE SPEAKS SPANISH
411
00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:43,000
Puerto Rico's natural habitats
412
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:47,520
are under constant threat
from one dominant species.
413
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:52,560
The human population here has
doubled in the last century.
414
00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,200
Now, after years of neglecting
their environment,
415
00:29:56,200 --> 00:30:00,080
many Puerto Ricans want their
island to be green again.
416
00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:08,240
Today, more than 60% of the island's
forest has started to recover.
417
00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:19,440
Many of the spectacular
native species
418
00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:22,960
are being given a chance
to thrive once again.
419
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,000
Some, like the Puerto Rican parrot,
420
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,000
have been rescued from
the edge of extinction.
421
00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:42,680
At the breeding centre,
422
00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:44,320
the infertile female
423
00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:46,200
and her new parrot partner
424
00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,320
have settled into
being foster parents.
425
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,920
The female has been incubating
the adopted eggs
426
00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,440
as if they were her own.
427
00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:03,760
Now, on the grainy monitors,
428
00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,440
the team watches as
her eggs start to hatch.
429
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:17,880
The technique of sneaking fertile
eggs under good mothers
430
00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:20,480
has dramatically improved
the number of chicks
431
00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:22,720
that they've been able to hatch.
432
00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,560
Back in 1979,
433
00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:34,400
the first chick was
ever produced in captivity
434
00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,240
and after that, a good
year for the programme
435
00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:39,560
was maybe one or
two chicks per year.
436
00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:44,120
When you look at right now,
437
00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:46,800
as of today,
438
00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:49,640
chick number 43 of the season
439
00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,160
just hatched this morning.
440
00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,240
We are very excited because this
guy, in about two months,
441
00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:59,160
is going to be a fledgling
442
00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,960
and probably, within the
next couple of years,
443
00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,000
he's going to be a free-flying
Puerto Rican parrot.
444
00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:06,400
Another one for the wild.
445
00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:19,000
While the new chicks are
enjoying their home comforts...
446
00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:22,240
..last year's hatchlings
447
00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:23,680
are now juveniles.
448
00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:25,720
Living as a flock
in the main aviary.
449
00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,880
We call this cage "flight school"
450
00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,720
because this is the first big step
451
00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:45,160
before they are finally selected
452
00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:47,040
for the release group.
453
00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:54,960
Releasing this flock could boost
the wild population of 200 parrots
454
00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:56,520
by more than 10%.
455
00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:03,880
There we have Pink Heart.
456
00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:05,120
Pink Heart,
457
00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:06,560
he's a one-year-old male
458
00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:10,840
and seems to be one of the best
candidates for the release group.
459
00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,640
Before we installed the dog tags,
460
00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:18,040
we used beer caps.
461
00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:22,320
And one bird that
was identified as Heineken
462
00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:26,800
and another bird started showing
some behaviour as a pair.
463
00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,160
They're flocking together,
464
00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:33,640
flying together,
465
00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:35,120
spending a lot of time together
466
00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:38,320
and they will be released
together into the wild.
467
00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,760
Heineken, Pink Heart
and the whole flock
468
00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:48,600
receive regular training
469
00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:51,600
to build up the strength
of their wing muscles
470
00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:53,240
in this aerial gym.
471
00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,560
When you have a group
of birds in captivity,
472
00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:02,960
they've got fresh water every day,
473
00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:04,920
fresh food every day,
474
00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:06,480
the only thing you've got to do
475
00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:08,280
is just wake up in the morning,
476
00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:10,360
stretch your wings, get the food
477
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,160
and forget about the
rest of the day.
478
00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,640
Well, we don't want that
to happen to the birds
479
00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:19,920
we're going to
release into the wild.
480
00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,400
We don't want them to
become couch potatoes.
481
00:34:27,160 --> 00:34:29,560
It's not just about exercise.
482
00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:31,440
If they're to make it in the wild,
483
00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:33,680
they must learn to avoid predators.
484
00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:41,800
When a hawk attacks
a group of parrots,
485
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:46,880
we have been able to time how long
it takes them to kill a parrot.
486
00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,080
And usually,
487
00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:52,960
if the parrots can fly
488
00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:56,040
for more than
a minute and 30 seconds,
489
00:34:56,040 --> 00:35:00,520
the chances for the hawk to get
them will be very, very, very low.
490
00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:05,360
So, we want to make sure that they
can fly over three minutes
491
00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,960
without losing their stamina.
492
00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:15,920
So that's why it looks like we are
harassing an endangered species!
493
00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:17,560
We are not doing that!
494
00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:22,560
On the contrary, we are making sure
they will survive in the wild.
495
00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:24,840
Dos, uno...
WATCH BEEPS
496
00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:30,240
Time is up for today's training.
497
00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:34,400
Heineken and Pink Heart's flock
498
00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:38,280
is almost ready to be
released into the wild.
499
00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:41,920
If they remain strong, they will be
freed in just a few weeks' time.
500
00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:54,680
At dusk, another creature
is taking to the sky.
501
00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:01,640
Across the island,
502
00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:03,400
the mouths of caves
503
00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:05,880
erupt with a nocturnal exodus.
504
00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,760
13 species of bat are
found in Puerto Rico.
505
00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:17,040
300,000 live in this one cave alone.
506
00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:24,360
But another animal has been
waiting for this moment, too.
507
00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:29,240
The Puerto Rican boa.
508
00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,640
It's too dark for the
snakes to see the bats,
509
00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:43,560
but they're able to sense
them as they flit past.
510
00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:13,320
Once they've caught one,
511
00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,560
they envelop it and squeeze
out the bat's last breath.
512
00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:20,640
There is no escape.
513
00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:34,760
The Puerto Rican boa is one of the
island's top native predators.
514
00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:42,560
Nowhere is off-limits for
these determined hunters.
515
00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:46,760
At the parrot breeding centre,
516
00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:48,480
an unsuspecting pair
517
00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:51,080
is dosing with two new-born chicks
518
00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:52,480
and one unhatched egg.
519
00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:58,280
In the middle of the night,
520
00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:01,080
the monitors record an
intruder in the nest box.
521
00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:20,160
Unless the parents wake up,
522
00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:21,640
the chicks are doomed.
523
00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:40,080
PARROT SQUAWKS
524
00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:42,840
The moment they realise
the danger, they attack.
525
00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:46,320
Sharp beaks and talons
drive the snake away.
526
00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:54,440
CHICK CHIRPS
527
00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:58,920
Incredibly, both chicks and
the unhatched egg are safe.
528
00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:07,520
The Puerto Rican amazon
529
00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:09,520
is clearly a fighter,
530
00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:12,760
just as well for such
a vulnerable species.
531
00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,480
On the south-western
tip of the island,
532
00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,000
lies Puerto Rico's
533
00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:29,840
most alien landscape.
534
00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:41,960
These are the Cabo Rojo salt flats.
535
00:39:49,720 --> 00:39:52,160
They're a Mecca for wading birds.
536
00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:05,160
Species like this plover
nest here.
537
00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:16,680
Surrounded by water
538
00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:19,000
that is both
supersaturated with salt
539
00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:21,200
and a rather unusual colour.
540
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,440
The pink comes from a
high concentration
541
00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:27,720
of colourful microorganisms
542
00:40:27,720 --> 00:40:30,040
that thrive in these
salty conditions.
543
00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,440
Humans have harvested the
salt in these salt pans
544
00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:37,040
for thousands of years.
545
00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:43,160
At the manatee pools,
546
00:40:43,160 --> 00:40:44,800
they use this same salt
547
00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:47,440
to turn fresh water
into ocean water.
548
00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,560
It's been two weeks
549
00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:01,920
since Aramana started
his course of antibiotics
550
00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:03,680
and he's now due for a checkup.
551
00:41:06,720 --> 00:41:10,840
We had to work a lot to make
sure the infection went away,
552
00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:14,000
but it finally receded
and they have a small scar,
553
00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:15,760
but that's all that's left
554
00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:18,280
and, in time,
we'll barely be able to see that.
555
00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,840
Now, they must pass a
crucial weight test.
556
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,360
They need to have
plenty of fat reserves
557
00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:34,040
while they learn how to feed
themselves in the ocean.
558
00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:36,600
They must weigh at
least 600 pounds each.
559
00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:40,280
725 pounds.
560
00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:43,560
Yuisa is a big girl...
561
00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:48,360
..but Aramana is smaller
562
00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:50,760
and if he's not sufficiently heavy,
563
00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:52,800
he won't be released.
564
00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:59,920
639, heavy enough.
565
00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:01,480
It's good news.
566
00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:03,880
Toni can now make
the final preparations
567
00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:06,040
for their release.
568
00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:26,960
Sunrise at Dorado Beach.
569
00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:33,880
60 days after the leatherback
turtle eggs were laid,
570
00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:36,400
tracks in the sand show
that most have hatched...
571
00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:41,840
..but there are still a
few stragglers emerging.
572
00:42:51,480 --> 00:42:53,320
These baby leatherbacks
573
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:54,560
have dug their way upwards
574
00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:56,360
through two feet of sand.
575
00:42:58,040 --> 00:42:59,960
Sea birds patrolling the beach
576
00:42:59,960 --> 00:43:01,480
are always ready to strike.
577
00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:05,240
The baby turtles
have only one option.
578
00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:08,760
To make a mad dash for the ocean.
579
00:43:25,440 --> 00:43:28,240
While the drama unfolds
on the beach...
580
00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:30,520
..a courtroom drama
581
00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:34,000
that will determine the fate
of future turtle generations
582
00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:36,000
is reaching its climax.
583
00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:48,200
The local community
loves their turtles...
584
00:43:49,720 --> 00:43:52,360
..but the decision whether
to protect the beach
585
00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:54,080
still hangs in the balance.
586
00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:43,920
The local people have
presented a compelling case
587
00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:49,160
and the court declares the
beach a protected zone.
588
00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:54,720
CHEERING
589
00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:00,280
It is very important because
590
00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:02,120
this beach will be now protected,
591
00:45:02,120 --> 00:45:03,920
especially from urban development
592
00:45:03,920 --> 00:45:05,360
and light pollution.
593
00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:08,800
In the future,
594
00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:10,880
when these hatchlings are adults,
595
00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:13,640
they'll be able to return to Dorado
596
00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:16,920
and find a safe haven
to lay their own eggs.
597
00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:23,480
Back inland,
598
00:45:23,480 --> 00:45:26,080
another nest of hatchlings
is growing up fast.
599
00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:30,040
In just a few weeks,
600
00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:32,480
the foster parents' adopted brood
601
00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:36,160
has developed from bald,
blind, helpless hatchlings...
602
00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:41,000
..to chubby chicks...
603
00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:48,480
..and are now demanding juveniles.
604
00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:56,360
Soon, they will grow feathers...
605
00:45:57,600 --> 00:46:01,120
..and it won't be long before
they're moved into the aviary
606
00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:02,760
to learn how to fly.
607
00:46:08,440 --> 00:46:13,000
But first, this year's class in
the "flight school" must graduate.
608
00:46:20,720 --> 00:46:23,720
Every parrot that's
about to be released
609
00:46:23,720 --> 00:46:25,840
will be fitted with
a radio transmitter
610
00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:29,240
so Jafet's team can
track them in the wild.
611
00:46:31,320 --> 00:46:33,760
Trap it down.
612
00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:37,240
24 of the parrots
have made the grade,
613
00:46:37,240 --> 00:46:40,720
but there are always a
few high school dropouts.
614
00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:45,080
Some of the birds,
615
00:46:45,080 --> 00:46:46,800
like the case of Pink Heart,
616
00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:48,320
he didn't make the cut.
617
00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:54,800
His feathers were not
in perfect condition.
618
00:46:58,680 --> 00:47:01,160
The bird was not flying properly,
619
00:47:01,160 --> 00:47:04,720
his landing skills
were not the best...
620
00:47:09,840 --> 00:47:15,080
..and he was over preening a little
in certain areas of his body...
621
00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:20,920
..so we're going to keep that bird
under training for another year
622
00:47:20,920 --> 00:47:24,520
and see if we can successfully
release him next year.
623
00:47:34,720 --> 00:47:38,520
After a month acclimatising
at a secret location,
624
00:47:38,520 --> 00:47:40,400
deep in the rainforest,
625
00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:42,200
the day has come for Heineken,
626
00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:44,840
and the successful graduates,
to be released.
627
00:47:57,800 --> 00:48:00,280
Once you open the cage,
628
00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:02,920
you are wondering
what's going to happen.
629
00:48:04,760 --> 00:48:07,000
How are they going to behave?
630
00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:10,200
Are they going out of
the cage fast or slow?
631
00:48:11,680 --> 00:48:15,520
It's time, OK, place your bets,
who's going out first?!
632
00:48:28,240 --> 00:48:31,160
Then you've got the sudden movement.
633
00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:45,880
You see this magical blue carpet
just taking off.
634
00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:03,440
It's just amazing when you can see
635
00:49:03,440 --> 00:49:06,760
their bright colours finally
flying free in the wild.
636
00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:25,960
The release introduces 24
new parrots into the wild.
637
00:49:29,400 --> 00:49:31,520
Heineken is still with his partner.
638
00:49:33,240 --> 00:49:37,000
Jafet is optimistic that they will
soon be raising their own family.
639
00:49:41,240 --> 00:49:44,960
These Puerto Rican parrots
almost became extinct
640
00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:47,000
but, thanks to the
breeding programme,
641
00:49:47,000 --> 00:49:51,320
they're making a
remarkable comeback.
642
00:49:51,320 --> 00:49:55,880
This year, we got over
700 parrots in the wild
643
00:49:55,880 --> 00:49:57,520
or being bred in captivity.
644
00:49:57,520 --> 00:50:01,200
We're going to have
thousands of them
645
00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:03,880
within the next 50 years.
646
00:50:12,800 --> 00:50:14,760
At the manatee centre,
647
00:50:14,760 --> 00:50:16,800
Aramana and Yuisa's pool
648
00:50:16,800 --> 00:50:19,120
is being drained for the last time.
649
00:50:20,720 --> 00:50:23,440
INDISTINCT CHATTER
650
00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:24,960
This is the morning,
651
00:50:24,960 --> 00:50:28,560
everybody is anxious,
we need more coffee.
652
00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:32,520
Everybody's going to come here in a
couple of minutes and start working.
653
00:50:34,840 --> 00:50:37,160
In true Puerto Rican style,
654
00:50:37,160 --> 00:50:39,760
everyone wants to help the manatees
655
00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:42,440
and Toni's used
this to his advantage.
656
00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:46,640
The National Guard,
657
00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:49,880
the Department of Natural
and Environmental Resources...
658
00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:54,120
..the police force...
659
00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:56,400
and dozens of volunteers
660
00:50:56,400 --> 00:50:59,320
have all come together
to move the manatees.
661
00:51:02,520 --> 00:51:06,080
Once the manatees are safely loaded
onto the military trucks...
662
00:51:07,200 --> 00:51:10,520
..the convoy has an
11-mile drive to the beach.
663
00:51:15,880 --> 00:51:17,920
This is the last big hurdle
664
00:51:17,920 --> 00:51:20,120
before their return to the ocean.
665
00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:26,240
The journey is stressful for all
involved, especially the manatees.
666
00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:30,680
There's a risk they could stop
breathing
667
00:51:30,680 --> 00:51:32,360
or worse, suffer a heart attack.
668
00:51:34,600 --> 00:51:38,640
Moving two animals that are
600 pounds is quite dangerous.
669
00:51:38,640 --> 00:51:40,440
They could move and hit someone.
670
00:51:40,440 --> 00:51:42,480
Injure them.
671
00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:44,160
But also, in the transport,
672
00:51:44,160 --> 00:51:45,960
these animals are fragile.
673
00:51:45,960 --> 00:51:47,760
They could die.
674
00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:54,280
Toni and his team
675
00:51:54,280 --> 00:51:57,120
monitor their vital
signs constantly -
676
00:51:57,120 --> 00:51:59,200
checking their breathing
and heart rate,
677
00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:01,760
and regularly cooling
them with water.
678
00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:06,840
THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE
679
00:52:18,280 --> 00:52:21,080
News of the release has
spread across the island
680
00:52:21,080 --> 00:52:23,320
and a large crowd has gathered
681
00:52:23,320 --> 00:52:25,120
to give the manatees a send-off.
682
00:52:36,480 --> 00:52:38,360
Jafet and Carlos have come
683
00:52:38,360 --> 00:52:41,360
to lend their support
on this momentous day...
684
00:52:44,240 --> 00:52:46,840
..and vet Antonio is on hand
685
00:52:46,840 --> 00:52:49,240
to give the final all-clear.
686
00:52:50,560 --> 00:52:52,960
The team attaches
a radio transmitter
687
00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:55,240
to each manatee's tail collar,
688
00:52:55,240 --> 00:52:57,440
so that they can be
tracked in the ocean.
689
00:52:58,520 --> 00:53:01,320
After one year of being
monitored in the wild,
690
00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:03,120
the collars will be removed.
691
00:53:18,760 --> 00:53:21,080
Just like when you're raising a kid,
692
00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:23,240
and when you're letting
them go to college,
693
00:53:23,240 --> 00:53:25,920
you have to step back a little bit.
694
00:53:25,920 --> 00:53:28,760
That's a little bit of
what we're doing right now.
695
00:53:28,760 --> 00:53:32,000
It's that moment where
they have their graduation,
696
00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:34,840
their graduation is that
they have been rehabilitated.
697
00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:36,520
Now, they're going to college.
698
00:53:41,600 --> 00:53:44,560
At last, the moment
they've all been waiting for.
699
00:53:51,880 --> 00:53:53,920
He's free.
700
00:54:03,440 --> 00:54:05,440
This is the culmination
701
00:54:05,440 --> 00:54:08,560
of five years'
dedicated rehabilitation.
702
00:54:14,800 --> 00:54:17,280
Hopefully, they will become a couple
703
00:54:17,280 --> 00:54:19,320
and that is what is important
704
00:54:19,320 --> 00:54:20,880
in terms of conserving species.
705
00:54:23,360 --> 00:54:28,440
In a very, very reduced population
of 500 to 700 animals,
706
00:54:28,440 --> 00:54:30,680
every animal counts.
707
00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:34,360
So, if Yuisa lives to
her full life expectancy,
708
00:54:34,360 --> 00:54:38,360
she can contribute
potentially 20 more manatees
709
00:54:38,360 --> 00:54:40,560
to the population in Puerto Rico.
710
00:54:40,560 --> 00:54:42,880
And in a dwindling population,
711
00:54:42,880 --> 00:54:44,480
small population like this,
712
00:54:44,480 --> 00:54:46,320
that is a huge help.
713
00:54:53,680 --> 00:54:58,120
Yuisa and Aramana are finally
in the ocean together.
714
00:54:58,120 --> 00:55:00,280
There's just one thing left to do.
715
00:55:00,280 --> 00:55:02,120
Celebrate!
716
00:55:02,120 --> 00:55:06,520
CHEERING
717
00:55:16,440 --> 00:55:19,440
We've been with them
for so many years now -
718
00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:21,520
all day, all night
at the beginning -
719
00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:23,040
and you get attached to them.
720
00:55:23,040 --> 00:55:24,800
For all that, this is the best.
721
00:55:27,280 --> 00:55:29,560
I will probably remember this
day for the rest of my life.
722
00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:31,000
I'm really excited,
723
00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:33,280
I've always wanted to work at this
since I was very young,
724
00:55:33,280 --> 00:55:35,440
so this was one of the
best days of my life.
725
00:55:38,000 --> 00:55:42,480
Yuisa and Aramana will acclimatise
in this fenced-off bay...
726
00:55:45,040 --> 00:55:47,040
..then, after three months,
727
00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:48,600
the gates will be opened
728
00:55:48,600 --> 00:55:51,440
and they'll be free to
explore the wild ocean.
729
00:55:56,000 --> 00:55:58,000
This day is... It's amazing.
730
00:55:58,000 --> 00:55:59,840
This is a beautiful day.
731
00:55:59,840 --> 00:56:01,720
It's a day of achievement.
732
00:56:03,520 --> 00:56:06,160
This is a great day
for conservation,
733
00:56:06,160 --> 00:56:08,280
which is really what
this is all about.
734
00:56:25,280 --> 00:56:28,000
For the manatees,
parrots and turtles -
735
00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:30,120
as well as the scientists
that study them -
736
00:56:30,120 --> 00:56:32,120
it's been an exceptional year
737
00:56:32,120 --> 00:56:33,760
for wildlife conservation
738
00:56:33,760 --> 00:56:35,600
in Puerto Rico.
739
00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:39,280
INAUDIBLE
740
00:56:39,280 --> 00:56:42,480
The team know that their
work is not finished.
741
00:56:42,480 --> 00:56:47,760
CHEERING
742
00:56:48,000 --> 00:56:51,240
For many years, Puerto Rico's
natural resources and environment
743
00:56:51,240 --> 00:56:53,640
have been abused.
744
00:56:53,640 --> 00:56:55,240
But now we have turned the corner
745
00:56:55,240 --> 00:56:57,600
and there are numerous
organisations working together
746
00:56:57,600 --> 00:56:58,960
to save the wildlife.
747
00:57:01,520 --> 00:57:05,160
We are working to get
rid of our own jobs
748
00:57:05,160 --> 00:57:08,520
and hopefully we will
get to the point
749
00:57:08,520 --> 00:57:11,520
that we will have so many birds
750
00:57:11,520 --> 00:57:14,640
that we will not need an aviary -
751
00:57:14,640 --> 00:57:18,000
and I hope this will happen
to many, many other species.
752
00:57:20,960 --> 00:57:25,560
The key for the future survival
of Puerto Rico's natural wonders
753
00:57:25,560 --> 00:57:28,200
is the awakening of
the island's people
754
00:57:28,200 --> 00:57:31,840
to its unique wildlife.
755
00:57:31,840 --> 00:57:35,920
When you see people that used
to eat turtles helping you out,
756
00:57:35,920 --> 00:57:37,840
kids going to a public hearing...
757
00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:41,000
..or when you get politicians
758
00:57:41,000 --> 00:57:42,880
that support you, you know,
759
00:57:42,880 --> 00:57:45,480
then you feel that
things are moving on.
760
00:57:45,480 --> 00:57:50,160
CHEERING
761
00:57:50,160 --> 00:57:52,360
It's difficult, but
we try, you know.
762
00:57:52,360 --> 00:57:53,880
We try, and we don't quit.
57976
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