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[narrator] This is The Americas,
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an extraordinary journey
across Earth's great supercontinent.
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The widest variety of life on the planet.
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[snaps]
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The untold story...
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[burbling]
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...of our home.
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{\an8}[epic orchestral music]
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{\an8}Tonight on The Americas...
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The Andes.
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A spectacular sky world
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and the longest mountain range
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in the Americas.
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[rumbling]
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Forged by fire
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and ice.
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[rushing]
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It's a world of unrivaled beauty.
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But here,
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life must battle to survive
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in the most perilous places imaginable.
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[thunder rumbling]
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The planet's driest deserts.
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Frozen peaks.
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And strange,
magical forests in the clouds.
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[wings whirring]
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Every animal
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must triumph
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in life lived truly on the edge.
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The Andes is the spine of South America.
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Running from the southern tip
of this supercontinent,
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it stretches 5,500 miles
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forming the high peaks of Bolivia and Peru
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before pushing north toward the equator
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into the heart of the tropics,
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where the mountains of Ecuador
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can seem like looking back in time.
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[water rumbling]
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Sheer cliffs and deep gorges
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are cloaked in forests.
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[animals chittering]
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Here, giant higuerón trees,
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draped in bromeliads, are fruiting.
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[birds chirping]
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And that's exactly what one family
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has been waiting for.
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[bright orchestral music]
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Hiding over a thousand feet
above the forest,
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a spectacled bear mom.
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[cubs bleating]
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These bears are the rarest in the Americas
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and the inspiration for Paddington.
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Mom, known by scientists as "Silvestre,"
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is nursing her three-month-old twins,
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"Yoyo" and "Irene,"
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secluded in their tiny nest.
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The towering cliffs
have kept them safe from predators.
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[cub bleats]
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But now the family must leave.
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Mom's milk is running out.
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They need the fruit
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nearly half a mile below.
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The sky-high rock face that protected them
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is about to become
their biggest challenge.
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The most dangerous journey of their lives
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begins.
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[cubs bleating]
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[bleating continues]
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Tracked using her collar,
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scientists know Silvestre has made
this descent before.
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[tense music]
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[loose rocks clattering]
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But it's the first time for the cubs.
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[cubs bleating]
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Yoyo and Irene will need
to follow their mother closely.
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One misplaced step...
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[rocks clattering]
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...could be a disaster.
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Cubs have fallen to their death here.
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[cubs bleating]
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[rocks clattering]
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[cubs bleating]
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A moment of reassurance from Mom.
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She knows the hardest part is yet to come.
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- [cubs bleating]
- [rocks clattering]
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Irene takes a wrong turn.
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[rocks clattering]
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She has lost sight of Mom.
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- [bleating]
- And at the worst possible moment.
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[bleating continues]
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[rocks clattering]
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[bleats]
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[suspenseful music]
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[rocks clattering]
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[clattering continues]
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Yoyo has made it down okay.
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[bleating]
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[bleats]
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And so has Irene.
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The worst seems behind them.
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But there's no time to rest.
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[gentle music]
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[insects chirping]
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Silvestre is bringing them
to the very same fruit tree
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that she returns to every year.
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[cubs bleating]
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[bleating]
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[gentle music continues]
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Plants and fruit like this
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can make up over 90%
of a spectacled bear's diet,
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and the cubs are not holding back.
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[gentle music rises]
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[bleats]
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Spectacled bears navigate these mountains
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by having a detailed mental map
of their world.
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The cubs can stay with Mom
for over two years
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to build a map of their own.
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One day, with luck,
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Irene will be able to lead her own cubs
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down the same cliffs.
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[gentle music continues]
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It all seems so easy now,
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but the cubs have just undertaken
a death-defying start to life.
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In the mountains of the Andes,
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all life is pushed to the limit.
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[music crescendos]
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These remarkable high-rise forests
hide other extraordinary secrets.
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Spectacular animals so small and fast,
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they're almost impossible
to capture on camera.
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[whizzing]
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Our journey
in the tropical Andes continues,
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rising to 10,000 feet,
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where the peaks trap moist air
from the Amazon,
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creating a mysterious cloud forest.
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[majestic music]
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Here, nature is at its most magical.
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Curiously-shaped flowers
shine out like beacons,
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signaling they have
energy-rich nectar inside.
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[grand music]
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If they can entice a visitor,
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they will be pollinated.
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Usually, bugs do that job,
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but these forests are too cold
for many of them.
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So instead, it's done by...
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[harp glissando]
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...hummingbirds.
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[wings whirring]
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Most not much bigger than your thumb.
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[fluttering]
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In fact, the Andes is home
to more species of hummingbirds
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than anywhere else on Earth.
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[wings whirring]
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[flapping]
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Feisty and agile,
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they'll fight to be the first in line
for a drink of nectar
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on shimmering wings
that can beat over 80 times a second.
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[upbeat music]
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[wings whirring]
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[flapping]
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The Andes has thousands
of remote valleys like these,
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but just one in Peru
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is the home
to an almost mythical hummingbird,
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hardly ever seen in the open.
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[gentle flute music]
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He is a Marvelous Spatuletail,
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one of just 500 or so left on Earth.
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Deforestation has meant
their habitat is disappearing.
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[light music]
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Only males have
these extravagant tail feathers,
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which have just one purpose...
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to attract a female.
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[gentle music]
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He's keeping them in top condition,
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for the performance of his life.
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[low murmur]
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An audience has arrived,
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but this is not who he wants.
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[dramatic music]
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Rivals.
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Every male around,
even stumpy-tailed youngsters,
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have turned up to fight to control
this exclusive courtship area.
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[dramatic music continues]
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He's not the only one
who wants the limelight.
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[dramatic music continues]
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[gentle flute music]
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Fighting off so many is exhausting.
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He really should refuel.
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But that's going to have to wait.
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A female Marvelous Spatuletail is here.
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[enchanting music]
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Now the show can begin.
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[chiming music]
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He'll be judged on the length
of his tail feathers
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and the quality of his performance.
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[stately music]
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[chirping]
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[stately music continues]
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She's interested.
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[wings fluttering]
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Time to take his display
to the next level.
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And now, it's all about stamina.
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[enchanting music]
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In this thin mountain air,
he's got to dig deep.
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[enchanting music continues]
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It's a critical moment, both for him,
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and the future of the species.
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If he wins her over,
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together, they will produce
the next generation.
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[enchanting music rises]
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And at last,
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she accepts his invitation.
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[wings whirring]
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A sign of hope
for this remarkable hummingbird.
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[birds chirping]
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Throughout the Andes...
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[loud blast]
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...the land itself can feel alive.
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[hissing]
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And in a way, it is,
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with an eruption occurring
every few years.
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[loud blast]
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[light orchestral music]
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Immense earth forces
forged these mountains...
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[loud blast]
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...leaving a legacy
of over 200 active volcanoes...
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- [loud blast]
- ...more than anywhere else
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in the Americas.
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[dramatic orchestral music]
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For 40 million years,
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they've pushed higher and higher.
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[dramatic orchestral music]
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And in a few places,
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an eerie ice world
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has formed at the peaks.
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[loud blast]
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Home to a true marvel of nature.
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The Andes is so high
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that 99% of the world's tropical glaciers
are found here.
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The largest is in southern Peru.
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It's certainly cold,
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but at an altitude of 18,000 feet,
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ultraviolet radiation is very intense.
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So when the sun shines,
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the ground heats to a jaw-dropping
111 degrees Fahrenheit,
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transforming ice world to sauna
in the blink of an eye.
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It's the last place to expect to find
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a frog.
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[playful music]
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Marbled four-eyed frogs
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live at the highest altitude
of any frog on Earth.
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[playful music continues]
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Every year, females must breed
in pools formed by glacial meltwater.
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But their world is changing.
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The glacier is retreating
further up the mountains.
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Each year, she climbs higher,
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enduring hotter days,
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but also...
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[soft lapping]
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...colder nights.
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And that's become
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a real problem.
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[ominous music]
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The temperature is dropping fast.
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She needs to find shelter.
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[ice crackling]
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But as her muscles chill,
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they are starting to seize up.
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The deeper underground,
the safer she'll be.
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But a clear sky means
extreme cold is on its way.
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[heartbeat thumping]
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[thumping continues]
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On these nights,
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the ice...
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is relentless.
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[ice crackling]
276
00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,559
[tense music]
277
00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:26,360
[ice crackling]
278
00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,879
Its reach stretches
far beneath the surface.
279
00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:33,520
[tense music continues]
280
00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:38,400
[heartbeat thumping]
281
00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:40,680
[faint crackling]
282
00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:50,480
[crackling increases]
283
00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:01,280
Her journey
284
00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:05,320
looks to be over.
285
00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,440
She is frozen solid.
286
00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:16,360
[bleak music]
287
00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:25,000
[soft dramatic music]
288
00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:28,159
[gentle flute music]
289
00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,600
As the world warms up,
290
00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,959
something strange happens
beneath the surface.
291
00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,560
[crackling]
292
00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,119
These marbled four-eyed frogs,
293
00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:46,080
living in the highest reaches
of the Andes,
294
00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,360
have evolved a remarkable talent
295
00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:52,320
almost beyond belief,
296
00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,200
and never filmed before.
297
00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:58,880
They can freeze solid
298
00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,400
and come back from the dead
299
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,560
every single day.
300
00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:07,999
[heartbeat thumping]
301
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,120
[flute music continues]
302
00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:16,400
[bright orchestral music]
303
00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:21,960
The only frog in the world
that can do this.
304
00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,240
[orchestral music continues]
305
00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,440
She drives forward once more.
306
00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,400
[distant chirping]
307
00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,439
The frog that cheats death every night
308
00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,000
is ready to continue her journey,
309
00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,559
and, with luck, meet a new mate.
310
00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,680
[chirping]
311
00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,720
- [chirping]
- [splashes]
312
00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,600
This frog may be a miracle worker,
313
00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:04,920
but its future is not certain.
314
00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:11,680
The glaciers on which it
and so many other animals depend
315
00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:13,280
are in trouble.
316
00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:17,760
They're shrinking
317
00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:20,600
due to a global rise in temperature.
318
00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:24,159
Over the last 50 years,
319
00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:28,600
the neighboring Qori Kalis Glacier
has halved in size.
320
00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:30,680
At the current rate,
321
00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,000
it will disappear entirely
322
00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,320
in just 30 more years.
323
00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,719
Which could be a disaster
not just for the four-eyed frogs
324
00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,400
but for all life in these mountains.
325
00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:48,319
[birds chirping]
326
00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,639
As water from the sky-high glaciers
of the Andes
327
00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,560
cascades down the steep slopes,
328
00:20:55,160 --> 00:21:00,039
it creates a unique network
of 100,000 rivers.
329
00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:01,560
[water rushing]
330
00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,879
Water that is crucial both for wildlife
331
00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:08,560
and for millions of people.
332
00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,560
Most of these rivers are ice-cold,
333
00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,320
but this one in Argentina is near boiling,
334
00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:26,760
superheated by geothermal activity
deep underground.
335
00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:32,000
What in their right mind would live
in these dangerous waters?
336
00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,879
In the mountain rivers of the Andes,
337
00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:42,159
only one animal
can master turbulent waters
338
00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,639
that range from boiling point
to near-freezing.
339
00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,119
[dramatic music]
340
00:21:47,120 --> 00:21:49,080
A torrent duck.
341
00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:51,200
Not just any duck,
342
00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:53,120
but a super duck.
343
00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,239
He comes fully equipped...
344
00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:57,319
[quacks]
345
00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:59,640
...with heat-resistant feathers,
346
00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:01,840
armor-plated leg skin,
347
00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:04,840
and built-in protective goggles,
348
00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:07,240
a third eyelid.
349
00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,640
This specialist gear means
he can survive a daily temperature range
350
00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,160
of minus 13 degrees above water
351
00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,360
to plus 122 degrees under water.
352
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,680
All to reach a sumptuous buffet.
353
00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,039
These superheated waters
354
00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,520
are a hothouse for growing fly larvae
355
00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,400
in the thousands.
356
00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,200
Delicious and nutritious for a duck.
357
00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,439
Especially one with a family.
358
00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,239
[ducklings chirping]
359
00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:56,119
These baby super ducks must find
their own food from day one.
360
00:22:56,120 --> 00:22:57,640
[ducklings chirping]
361
00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:03,520
Luckily, they are equipped
for extreme swimming too.
362
00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:08,240
Tail feathers develop early
to act as a rudder,
363
00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,560
and huge feet provide propulsion.
364
00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:13,760
[chirps]
365
00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:19,999
Downy feathers trap air
to keep them insulated and afloat.
366
00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,319
- [duckling chirping]
- [quacks]
367
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,919
They already have superhero swagger.
368
00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,360
[playful music]
369
00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:32,719
[peeps]
370
00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,000
But their buoyant down has,
well, a downside.
371
00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:39,479
Where the water is deep,
372
00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,760
those delicious bugs are out of reach.
373
00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:45,960
[playful music continues]
374
00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,560
They need to find
shallower feeding grounds.
375
00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,240
But as the family heads downstream,
376
00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,199
things get dangerous.
377
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,280
[rushing]
378
00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:09,559
[tense music]
379
00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,120
The parents lead the way.
380
00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:12,760
[quacks]
381
00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:14,519
[low quack]
382
00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:16,319
The ducklings can't yet fly.
383
00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:17,880
They will have to swim for it
384
00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:21,279
in these deadly, scalding waters.
385
00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:22,760
[quacks]
386
00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,119
- [chirps]
- [duck quacking]
387
00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:28,559
Only a third survive to adulthood.
388
00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:29,720
[quacks]
389
00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:31,519
[chirps]
390
00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:33,159
Where they make their jump...
391
00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:34,320
[quacks]
392
00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,000
- ...decides their fate.
- [chirps]
393
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:44,680
[tense music continues]
394
00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,240
[chirping]
395
00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:56,640
[dramatic music]
396
00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,360
As this chick's about to find out.
397
00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,600
[dramatic music continues]
398
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:13,520
The parents try to keep tabs
on each of the chicks.
399
00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:16,439
[quacks]
400
00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,079
- But in these raging waters...
- [duckling chirps]
401
00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,320
[duck quacks]
402
00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,439
...that's not always possible.
403
00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,560
[dramatic music continues]
404
00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:32,919
[chirps]
405
00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,480
[dramatic music continues]
406
00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,359
As the chick scrambles out,
407
00:25:40,360 --> 00:25:43,880
he must quickly look for another route
to get back to his family.
408
00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:48,639
[tense music]
409
00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:49,720
[chirps]
410
00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:53,400
[tense music continues]
411
00:25:57,360 --> 00:25:58,360
Now...
412
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:00,399
it's all or nothing.
413
00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,040
[tense music intensifies]
414
00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:21,119
[jubilant music]
415
00:26:21,120 --> 00:26:24,359
His air-filled feathers
pull him to the surface.
416
00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:26,439
[bright music]
417
00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,999
Saved by their superpowers,
418
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,120
the whole family has reached
the shallow feeding ground.
419
00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,199
A bug buffet
420
00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,799
now within reach for all.
421
00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,799
[bright music continues]
422
00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:43,799
If you've got what it takes,
423
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:45,359
this wild river,
424
00:26:45,360 --> 00:26:47,839
born of fire and ice,
425
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,639
can be a kind of paradise...
426
00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:50,719
[quack echoes]
427
00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:52,320
...for a duck.
428
00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,359
{\an8}[mystical music]
429
00:26:56,360 --> 00:27:00,680
{\an8}Traveling south,
the Andes spread to their widest point.
430
00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:06,320
{\an8}Here, the highest peaks block moisture
from both the Amazon and the Pacific,
431
00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:10,680
{\an8}which helps create a desert like no other,
432
00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:12,640
{\an8}the Atacama.
433
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,080
The driest place on Earth.
434
00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:25,320
so arid that NASA uses it
to test equipment destined for Mars.
435
00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,279
But in exceptional years,
436
00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:33,760
a miracle of nature changes everything.
437
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,319
[light music]
438
00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:44,040
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile
is the driest on Earth.
439
00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,479
But maybe once a decade,
440
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,639
a stormfront from the west
441
00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:54,319
can have enough power
to reach around the mountains...
442
00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,640
[thunder rumbling]
443
00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:58,600
...and bring salvation.
444
00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:01,399
Torrential rain.
445
00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,439
[pattering]
446
00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:06,479
[mystical music]
447
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:10,360
Summoning one of the rarest wonders
in nature.
448
00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,559
What is known as a "superbloom."
449
00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,160
[mystical music continues]
450
00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,599
Billions of seeds
that have been sleeping in the sand,
451
00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:27,480
some for more than ten years,
452
00:28:28,120 --> 00:28:30,920
can finally burst into life.
453
00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:37,920
[mystical music rises]
454
00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:43,719
This new world draws strange creatures
from beyond the desert.
455
00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:44,960
[chittering]
456
00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:47,720
The coruro, a mountain rodent,
457
00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:51,160
seldom seen on the surface.
458
00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,880
A giant caterpillar-hunting wasp
459
00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,040
brings food to her young.
460
00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,800
[wondrous music]
461
00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,319
And like the rest,
462
00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:08,319
a family of burrowing owls
463
00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,439
packs a whole lifetime
464
00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,000
into these few weeks of plenty.
465
00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,600
Because as fast as the superbloom emerges,
466
00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:24,640
it's reclaimed by the desert.
467
00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,600
And life begins the long wait
for water once more.
468
00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,480
[music fades]
469
00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,600
Just to the north is Salar de Uyuni,
470
00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,560
the largest salt flat on Earth.
471
00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:43,799
[dramatic music]
472
00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:45,879
When the rains reach here...
473
00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:47,680
[thunder rumbling]
474
00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,960
...another brief wonder of nature
is created.
475
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:57,040
A giant mirror
476
00:29:57,760 --> 00:29:59,600
larger than Yellowstone,
477
00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,279
set beneath the clearest skies on Earth.
478
00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,520
[grand music]
479
00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,799
Here, we look into deep space
480
00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,079
for answers light-years away...
481
00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:18,320
[grand music continues]
482
00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,760
...while an exquisite vision
of the universe
483
00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:23,680
comes to our feet.
484
00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,640
[grand music rises]
485
00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,000
But it, too, doesn't last long.
486
00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:35,640
[crackling]
487
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,560
And soon, all that remains
is a salt crust,
488
00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,160
a world utterly hostile to life.
489
00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,720
And yet, for some, it's home.
490
00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:54,520
[rustling]
491
00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:06,040
[eerie music]
492
00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:12,800
A salt flat lizard.
493
00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:18,560
A young male
on the lookout for a territory.
494
00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,080
There's no time to waste.
495
00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:27,440
[valiant music]
496
00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:38,080
[valiant music continues]
497
00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:44,959
[flies buzzing]
498
00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:46,520
An oasis?
499
00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:48,480
No.
500
00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,360
This water is full of salt.
501
00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:55,159
He can't drink it,
502
00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:58,600
but these brine flies can,
503
00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:05,040
converting it into freshwater
inside their bodies.
504
00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:09,439
It's a perfect combo meal.
505
00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:10,520
A drink...
506
00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:13,560
with a side of flies.
507
00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:15,800
[swooshes]
508
00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:18,439
[valiant music resumes]
509
00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:19,959
But for a rookie,
510
00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,159
this is going to take some practice.
511
00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,360
[fly buzzing]
512
00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:32,799
Two hundred flies contain
just a thimble of water.
513
00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:34,279
[flies buzzing]
514
00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,919
He's sure got his work cut out.
515
00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,120
[valiant music]
516
00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:43,000
[flies buzzing]
517
00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:48,040
Almost there.
518
00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,920
[valiant music continues]
519
00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:54,520
- Nailed it!
- [crunches]
520
00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,120
[playful music]
521
00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:11,240
[flies buzzing]
522
00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:14,960
Could life get any better?
523
00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:20,120
[tense music]
524
00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,240
Maybe it can.
525
00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,960
It's a female salt flat lizard
526
00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,879
wafting a powerful,
seductive scent into the air.
527
00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:45,920
[enticing music]
528
00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,600
What young flycatcher could resist?
529
00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,760
But all is not as it seems.
530
00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:09,480
[suspenseful music]
531
00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:12,320
Another male.
532
00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:18,759
She will only mate
with the strongest males,
533
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:24,040
dominant enough to hold
the precious waterfront territories.
534
00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:29,880
And she wants to see
what the young flycatcher is made of.
535
00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:34,240
[dramatic music]
536
00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:40,640
She's set him up.
537
00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:45,079
- It's trial...
- [swooshes]
538
00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:46,159
...by combat.
539
00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,760
[dramatic music continues]
540
00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,960
[intense music]
541
00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,760
[intense music continues]
542
00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:04,800
Overpowered,
543
00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:09,320
and now in deeper trouble than he knows.
544
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:13,240
Every inch of the water's edge
545
00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:16,440
is controlled
by paired-up power couples...
546
00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:20,159
[dramatic music]
547
00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:21,839
...who won't share.
548
00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:25,680
[dramatic music intensifies]
549
00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:33,320
[vigorous music]
550
00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:44,680
[vigorous music continues]
551
00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:48,960
Retreat is his only option.
552
00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:52,520
[vigorous music continues]
553
00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:01,479
[mischievous music]
554
00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:05,920
He's not ready to take on
the big males right now.
555
00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:10,159
But he is alive
556
00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:12,639
and has learned valuable lessons.
557
00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:16,040
[enticing music]
558
00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,359
Well... maybe.
559
00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,960
[mischievous music]
560
00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:29,840
Reaching the highest point
in our whole Americas journey,
561
00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:33,000
we ascend to over 19,000 feet,
562
00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,720
where the salt flats become salt lakes.
563
00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:46,160
Each one a unique, toxic cocktail
of metals, minerals, and microorganisms.
564
00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:51,639
[eerie music]
565
00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:55,760
The most extraordinary of all
is Laguna Colorada,
566
00:36:57,040 --> 00:37:00,559
a hellscape where morning ice
has a daily battle
567
00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:04,120
with the strongest UV radiation on Earth.
568
00:37:05,240 --> 00:37:08,040
More than double that of Death Valley.
569
00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,199
And yet, every year,
570
00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:19,560
it's home to the most spectacular event
in the Andes.
571
00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:26,399
The Toxic Red Lake of the High Andes.
572
00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,640
[grim music]
573
00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:37,320
It takes a special kind of toughness
to survive here.
574
00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:47,079
But once a year,
this lake becomes the setting
575
00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:50,760
for the greatest party in the Andes.
576
00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:02,440
Although not everyone is invited.
577
00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:07,000
[delicate music]
578
00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:13,159
Right now, this world of extremes
579
00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,720
plays host to James' flamingos.
580
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:21,040
[flamingos trilling]
581
00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:29,879
They gather here from across the Andes
582
00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:31,840
in the thousands
583
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,320
hoping to find a mate.
584
00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:41,680
[chirping]
585
00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:48,920
Males and females
might appear almost identical,
586
00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:52,320
but they know the difference.
587
00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:55,760
[chirping]
588
00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,279
They all want to look their best,
589
00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:04,600
and the pinker the better.
590
00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,440
The secrets to their success?
591
00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:09,639
Tough-skinned long legs
592
00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:12,160
letting them wade through
the caustic lake.
593
00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:22,239
And a unique bill that filters out
microscopic life from the toxic water.
594
00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:24,920
[chirping]
595
00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:28,239
Eating this food
turns their feathers pinker,
596
00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:30,759
making them more desirable.
597
00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:32,679
[all chirping]
598
00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:35,479
But life is about to get more complicated
599
00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:40,040
as the Laguna becomes "Flamingo Central."
600
00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:44,519
Chilean and Andean flamingos
are flying in too.
601
00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:46,720
[upbeat music]
602
00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:49,359
Both much bigger, but...
603
00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:51,560
- [trilling]
- ...a lot less graceful.
604
00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:54,840
[squawking]
605
00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,280
[comical music]
606
00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:06,000
Crowds begin to build to 40,000 strong.
607
00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:09,840
And then, on an unseen cue,
608
00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:12,360
a dance-off begins.
609
00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:16,480
[upbeat jazzy music]
610
00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:22,759
The smaller James' are in danger
611
00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:25,999
of being pushed out before it even begins.
612
00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:29,160
[jazzy music continues]
613
00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:31,799
Over four feet tall,
614
00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:35,439
the Chileans can strut
in the deep water...
615
00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:38,520
[jazzy music continues]
616
00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,600
...while the enigmatic Andeans
617
00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:44,319
rumba by the smoke machine.
618
00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:48,200
[jazzy music continues]
619
00:40:49,200 --> 00:40:53,200
But at last,
the James' get their groove on too.
620
00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:59,359
A tango at the top of the world.
621
00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,200
[jazzy music continues]
622
00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,440
These courtship dances last for weeks.
623
00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:22,399
One by one, lovers unite...
624
00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:25,640
[jazzy music continues]
625
00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:28,639
...as eventually they find a mate.
626
00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:32,040
[jazzy music continues]
627
00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:44,200
But until then, the dance continues.
628
00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:50,040
The greatest show
in the greatest mountain range
629
00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:52,120
in the Americas.
630
00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,640
[epic orchestral music]