Eden: Untamed Planet (2021) s01e04 Episode Script

1
NARRATOR: 600 miles off
the coast of South America
castaway in the Pacific Ocean
the Galapagos archipelago.
Straddling the Equator,
a string of over 120
tropical islands
that erupted
from the deep ocean floor
more than 10 million years ago.
Those swept here
by storms and currents
survived million to one odds
to find untouched islands
free from competition.
These hardy pioneers
evolved in remarkable ways
in what's known
as Nature's Greatest Experiment.
Home to bizarre specialists
and unexpected giants
the most precious collection
of island creatures
on Earth.
There are still places on Earth
that remain pristine.
Where wildlife flourishes.
These are the last regions
that could be called
Eden.
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When mariners first set foot
on these isles
just 500 years ago
to find mist-shrouded peaks
heavenly beaches
and mythical-looking beasts
they believed they'd stepped
into a magical world.
(birds singing)
NARRATOR:
To reach these azure shores
every colonizer
survived a 600-mile voyage
across the Pacific.
(sea lions barking)
NARRATOR: Sea lions were
one of the few mammals
to make it
arriving from North America
two million years ago.
They quickly learnt
to time pupping
with plentiful
cold-season waters
as hungry newborns
demand over a pint
of fatty milk every day.
And this mother has
an extra mouth to feed.
Last year's youngster
is still reliant on her too
as she nurses her young
four times longer
than her Californian relatives.
Just half of pups
with a competing sibling
survive.
Every day
she heads out to sea
(calling softly)
NARRATOR: leaving
her helpless pups behind.
(calling softly)
NARRATOR:
Other mothers follow her lead.
(barking)
NARRATOR: They're heading
to a mystical place.
An extinct volcanic island
complete with its
own secret cove
and a gathering
of expectant brown pelicans.
As they near the bay,
the chase is on
against a shoal of jacks,
too fast for a lone sea lion
to catch.
(squawking)
NARRATOR:
Using the cove as a trap,
they run the fish aground.
(sea lions barking)
NARRATOR:
In the shallows, the pelicans
are the first to cash in
able to squeeze up to ten fish
in their expandable throats.
But the female-led fleet
regroups.
(pelicans squawking)
NARRATOR:
With all exits blocked
this time the panicked prey
are driven right onto the beach.
(sea lions barking)
NARRATOR:
A successful hunt
yields up to 30 fish
for each sea lion.
This remarkable technique
is unique to Galapagos
filmed here
for the very first time.
(barking)
NARRATOR:
Up to 15 roundups later
everyone gets their fill.
Returning triumphant
to the colony
she listens for
the distinctive call
(calling)
NARRATOR:
of her hungry youngsters.
(calling softly)
(pup cooing)
NARRATOR: Thanks to
these rich winter seas
this mother can provide
enough nutritious milk
not just for one pup
but two.
Using intelligence
and teamwork
these skillful sea lions
take advantage of the abundance
this Eden has to offer.
Marine life flourishes
in Galapagos
thanks to its setting
at the heart of four
rich ocean currents.
As the cold season arrives,
it's flooded with nutrients
attracting sharks in the
world's highest densities
to feed
and gather
in mesmerizing mating rituals.
And riding Antarctic ocean
highways long ago
even penguins can thrive
at the Equator,
thanks to unusually cool waters.
The archipelago's
most plentiful shores
lie on Fernandina volcano
one of the most pristine
islands on Earth.
This is a land of dragons.
Home to 120,000
marine iguanas
descended from one species
of South American lizard
which floated here
on rafts of vegetation.
On this barren rock,
they adopted a strategy
found nowhere else.
They returned to the ocean.
After a morning bask
this cold-blooded male
is now warm enough
to tolerate 30 minutes
in the 60-degree winter sea.
But chilled,
nutrient-rich waters
provide
the perfect conditions
for luxuriant gardens
of marine algae.
Paradise for
a vegetarian lizard.
Diving to more than 50 feet
on a single 12-minute breath
and anchored
by hook-like claws
he grazes just an ounce
of seaweed a day.
But these fertile waters
come with a catch.
Pacific storms fuel
15-foot-high breakers.
Struggling through
his final mouthfuls
with a body temperature
that's plummeted
by 20 degrees
he must head back to shore,
or risk hypothermia.
In the roughest storms,
some are lost at sea.
Collision with razor-sharp lava
can inflict lethal injuries.
And as muscles sapped
of strength by the cold
begin to seize up
it takes one last effort.
With a bask in
the tropical Galapagos sun
he'll quickly recharge.
Just got to get rid
of all that sea salt.
A good sneeze
should do the trick.
(fly buzzing)
NARRATOR:
It does draw in the flies
(flies buzzing)
NARRATOR:
but luckily this coastal spa
offers a premium service
Lava lizards.
They're a little heavy-handed
but they do a great job
at pest control.
Making for happy customers
at least most of the time.
(bird cackling)
NARRATOR: At the climax
of the cold season
(squawking)
NARRATOR: boobies also profit
from these rich waters.
Divebombing from
up to 100 feet
they hit the surface at 60 mph.
Nourished with fish,
now is the perfect time
to breed.
At the most northerly tip
of the archipelago
Wolf Island provides
a remote sanctuary
for nesting Nazca boobies.
Just half a square mile
supports around 10,000.
(squawking)
NARRATOR:
They're a lifeline
for an innocent-looking
land bird
A finch, just 4 inches tall.
Its ancestors were marooned
here millennia ago
and without enough
wing power to escape
they turned
to a life of crime
stealing eggs
from their neighbors.
(booby croaks)
NARRATOR: But they're guarded
around the clock
by protective parents
nine times their size.
Luckily, what this little bird
lacks in stature
he makes up for
in cunning.
Darker with age,
this finch is the brains
of the outfit.
(booby squawks)
NARRATOR: He pecks
at a booby's wing feathers
armed with the sharpest beak
of any Galapagos finch.
Perfect for drawing blood.
Living up to his name
the vampire finch.
Such rich pickings
don't go unnoticed.
Though it's little more
than a nuisance
(booby squawking)
NARRATOR: it's enough
to drive her away.
Just what he's been waiting for.
But that shell is too thick
for even the sharpest
finch beak.
He needs to hatch a plan.
Using his beak for leverage
this wily ringleader
sets things in motion.
He's cracked it.
Though unfortunately for him,
there's no honor
amongst thieves.
Now one of the Earth's
newest species,
the vampire finch
has triumphed
in this far-flung frontier.
(squawking)
NARRATOR: As the hot season
arrives in Galapagos
temperatures soar
into the nineties.
And the world's only
Equatorial penguins
have evolved tricks
to withstand
the tropical sun.
Now just 20 inches tall
to lose heat,
they've shrunk to half
the size of their ancestors
(panting)
NARRATOR: they pant,
just like dogs
and take advantage
of the shade
that lava caves provide.
As the heat intensifies
evaporating seawater
forms storm clouds.
Gathering at the islands'
volcanic peaks
they create the ideal conditions
for verdant forests.
On these far-away isles,
nothing is quite
as it first appears.
These are groves
of giant daisies.
Their seeds were small enough
to hitch a ride on birds
and with little competition
grew into 50-foot-high trees
to become the most
species-rich habitat
in the archipelago.
80% of Galapagos land birds
and half of its insects
are found nowhere else
on Earth
including its only native
bee species
the Galapagos carpenter bee
(buzzing)
NARRATOR:
whose affinity for yellow
make this one of the most
popular flower colors
blooming with
the seasonal rains.
Beyond the forests
at the very roof of Galapagos
its 21 volcanic summits
tower up to 6,000 feet.
Lush and rain-drenched
Alcedo's crater
provides a fertile
summer oasis
for 15,000 of the island's
largest land resident
the giant tortoise
surviving a year
without food or water.
Their substantial size
allowed them to float here
from South America.
And with no competition,
they became the only
large herbivore here.
Across Galapagos,
drinking pools allow
these normally solitary giants
to gather
and mate.
With males double the size
of females,
it's a clumsy affair
(male grunting)
NARRATOR: and one
of the only occasions
(grunting)
NARRATOR:
the impassioned males
ever vocalize.
(male grunting)
(grunts)
NARRATOR:
It's now that pregnant females
begin an epic trek
to their nesting grounds
in the arid plains below.
At tortoise speed
this pilgrimage of many miles
will take almost a month.
(seabirds squawking)
NARRATOR:
40 miles away
marine iguana mothers
are on their own
nesting journey
as the Galapagos summer
warms the sand
to the perfect temperature
for their eggs.
This five-year-old female
is eager to secure
the best nesting site.
The first task is to dig
a two-foot-deep burrow.
But rivals are eyeing up
her hard work.
With a head bob
battle lines are drawn.
Skill and experience
allows this mother
to come out on top
and precious eggs can be laid.
But now, the females' every move
is being watched
by the island's apex predator
Galapagos hawks.
But they know the most
effective way to tackle
these two-foot-long reptiles
is to bide their time
and wait
for the battling females
to tire.
Once the iguanas
are exhausted
the hunters move in
for the kill
with a precise incision
to the jugular.
The smaller, slower females
are the first to fall.
(screeching)
NARRATOR: Those who take cover
should be protected.
But these clever raptors
have acquired
a deadly new tactic
Plucking the iguanas
right from their burrows.
Now, the shelter
and camouflage of the rocks
is the only hope.
Thanks to sheer determination
she's safeguarded
her next generation.
By taking advantage of
the warming Galapagos sands
and its life-giving waters
marine iguanas are one of
the most successful creatures
on these distant isles.
As the hot season fades,
signaling the return of the
cold, nutrient-rich waters
the sea lion colony
is anticipating
the plentiful
hunting season ahead.
And its juveniles
are eager to join in.
(barking)
NARRATOR:
Until now,
they've spent
much of their time
cooped up
in a natural play pool
under the ever-watchful eye
of the beachmaster bull.
(bull barking)
NARRATOR: But soon,
they'll be catching fish
by themselves
so it's time to sharpen
their skills in open water.
Out here
there's infinite space
for acrobatics
peculiar neighbors
and endless curiosities
to investigate
which help to hone dexterity
for hunting agile prey.
But life on the wild side
comes with its dangers.
Sharks up to eight feet long
(sea lions barking)
NARRATOR:
have timed their appearance
with the arrival
of novice youngsters.
(grunting)
(barking)
NARRATOR:
As the bull sounds the alarm
the rest of the colony
hangs back.
But the boisterous play
acts like a dinner bell
to the hungry shark.
With little experience
of predators,
they're oblivious of the threat.
(sea lions barking)
NARRATOR: As more sharks
are drawn to the commotion
the bull sea lion launches
a counter-attack.
He may be smaller
but by nipping at their tails
and using his agility
to avoid razor-sharp teeth
he drives them from the bay.
(sea lions barking)
NARRATOR: Though some
are left with scars
their lucky escape
leaves them wiser
in the ways of the ocean
allowing them to make the most
of their paradise home.
Catching a wave
for the sheer joy of it.
Thanks to its
extreme isolation
the Galapagos remained
unsettled by humans
until just 200 years ago.
But on Santa Cruz island
everything has changed
in just one tortoise lifetime.
This female is on her own
weeks-long trek
from the highlands
to lay her eggs.
But today a third of her home
is farmland.
Though they're one inch thick,
tortoises can still feel
though their armored shells.
20,000 people now live
on Santa Cruz.
Since humans first arrived,
over 90% of the island's
tortoises
have been lost.
Still, maternal instinct
drives this mother on
to the lowland clearing
where she herself was born
up to 100 years ago.
These are the perfect
sandy conditions
to excavate a 12-inch-deep hole.
And under the cover of darkness,
she deposits
her precious cargo
of around 16
tennis ball-sized eggs
which will mature
over the next four months.
Finally
hatchlings emerge.
More than a thousand times
smaller than their mother
they're just three inches long.
Thanks to recent
conservation efforts,
this nesting ground
is now protected
and the tortoise population
is starting to rebound.
With 97% of its land
now preserved
the Galapagos is the world's
most pristine
tropical archipelago
home to more than 2,000 species
found nowhere else on Earth.
With our continued help,
these irreplaceable
island creatures
will endure
in this enchanted Eden.
NARRATOR:
For the Galapagos episode,
the Eden team were faced
with filming
in one of the most isolated
and inaccessible locations
on the planet.
With the help of the latest
camera technologies,
the crew captured previously
unseen behaviors
and found new ways
to tell
the extraordinary stories
of the islands'
remarkable inhabitants,
many of whom
have no fear of humans.
The sea lions are all over us,
tugging on my fins.
The stories about
Galapagos wildlife
being exceptionally tame
are certainly true.
But the team were about to face
a much bigger challenge
Covid-19.
Everything closed down.
No one was allowed in
or out of the islands.
Six months later,
when the crew
are allowed to return
travel protocols are
a little more invasive.
Don't make me cry.
NURSE:
Close your eyes. Relax.
[COUGHS] Ah!
NARRATOR: With tests results
giving them the all-clear
MAN:
Yeah!
NARRATOR: they've got a lot
of lost time to make up.
Heading to the exposed coast
of Fernandina Island
they've saved one of their
toughest shoots till last.
A journey only the largest
male iguanas dare to make.
JO:
The dream shot we want
is an iguana in a roller
similar to the classic, kind of,
surfer shot that you might see.
That involves
the underwater team
basically going
into a washing machine.
JAVIER: We're in
a pretty remote location,
so if we would get
washed offshore,
then we would be facing
high chances of getting lost.
NARRATOR:
Safety is paramount
and the South American
dive team are well versed
in the challenges
of the pounding Pacific surf.
SANTI:
Our tactics are based on
being as close to the waves
as we can,
so we're gonna go very light
with fins just
to kick around the waves
and try not to get dragged.
NARRATOR: With tons of water
breaking over them
every few seconds
even with their
extensive experience
they struggle to film.
JAVIER: Each big wave made
everything turn white.
I was trying to hold shots,
but at the same time
you're kind of looking around
to see where you are.
SANTI: You end up fighting
all the water movement.
We were bracing ourselves
with our feet, with our hands,
and just leaving one hand
to hold the camera.
It's, uh
a bit nerve-wracking,
so it wasn't ideal.
NARRATOR: The team need
to rethink their plan.
It's just finding the balance
and the right spots
where we can see this happening
without us ending
dragged down the shore
by these big waves.
NARRATOR: With their limited
filming days running out,
the crew scour
iguana-feeding haunts
along the jagged coastline.
They need to find
the perfect spot
with deep enough water
to protect them
from the breaking waves above.
SANTI: We finally came
across this place
that it's sheltered for us
but the waves are still huge
and breaking over us,
so, yeah,
hopefully we can manage
to get the most out of this.
NARRATOR:
Santi and Javier prepare to make
one of their very last dives.
Sheltered by a reef edge,
the team finally stand a chance
of capturing the shots
they came here for.
SANTI:
It's been amazing.
It's just, yeah, so beautiful
and so much going on.
SANTI:
The big waves come in and
there's so much water
being moved around,
some iguanas get turned out
of their feeding place
and they just come
out of nowhere
in every direction,
and you see them,
like, upside down,
trying to brace themselves
against things.
It cost me a fin, a boot,
but it's totally worth it
getting to film stuff
that nobody has seen.
It's nerve-wracking,
but at the same time
it's been a really
fulfilling experience.
JAVIER: Actually getting to see
them struggling in and out,
it's really humbling
to see what iguanas
have to go through.
NARRATOR: These ground-breaking
images illustrate
the remarkable adaptability
and endurance
of Galapagos creatures
in their efforts to make
these far-flung islands home.
With its unique collection
of creatures..
this place will continue
to captivate
and inspire us
for generations to come.