"Jungles cover just 6% of the planet but contain half of all its life..." "Find an insect here and chances are, it's never been seen before let alone named." "What makes the rainforest the richest environment on earth?" "In this series we'll discover how the sun's energy powers this extraordinary variety of life." "I'm about to meet some amazing animals, scale the tallest trees and explore one of the world's last frontiers." "This sea of green stretching out below is the greatest driving force of life but because of its inaccessibility it's one of the last places on earth to be explored." "In fact it's so hard to get up here, at the moment we know less about the canopy of the rainforest than we do about the surface of the moon." "But now using special equipment such as this cinebulle... a motorized balloon... we're at last able to discover some of its secrets." "Jungles form a green band right around the globe, spanning the equator through central and south America... across Africa and south east Asia... all the way here... to Borneo." "But what's it like to live way up in this canopy world?" "Think of a jungle and you think trees." "They're the essential ingredient but the business end isn't down here, it's up there." "That's where the action is and where the animals want to be." "But to be part of that high society you need to be more than just a social climber, you need to be a pro." "To us, moving around 70 metres up in the air would be a scary business." "But the animals that live up here just make it look a breeze." "Orang-utans are the largest animals living full time in the tree tops." "But one false move up here could cost you your life!" "Orang utans are born with a powerful grip but they aren't born expert climbers." "And it takes time for them to develop the skills they need to hang out in the canopy." "Youngsters aren't weaned until they're at least five or six years old but they'll stay with their mothers for much longer than that during which time she passes on her knowledge of the forest to them but for these orphans who haven't got a mother to guide them" "it can be especially hard." "As they get older they have to learn how to make he right judgement calls, find out which branches can take their weight and how to cross gaps by swinging on vines or bending branches to form bridges so they can move around the forest in search of food." "So it's no mean feat to live up there and it can take several years to learn the ropes." "But what's so good about the canopy that it's worth risking life and limb?" "I'm about to find out!" "But to reach the top I need a bit more than an orang-utan master class." "The first problem is getting the rope up the tree." "The second problem is getting me up the tree." "There's one slight snag..." "I've got a real fear of heights." "And there's something else..." "The trees in Borneo are the tallest of any tropical rainforest and this one's a mammoth." "75, 80 metres, that's nearly 250 feet I maybe feel dizzy just looking at it" "I have to take a little break" "I've got a camera on my helmet so I can actually show you the kind of view that I am seeing from up here, it's a really quite a long way down there." "This is really scary." "Thank Goodness!" "I've made it." "I'm exhausted" "I am feeling a bit of vertigo and I am very aware that this giant's limbs are holding me up." "But what a spectacular view, it's wonderful." "That's got to be one of the most nerve wracking things I've ever done... but it's the only way to really appreciate the animals that live up here." "So here I am, about 60 metres off the ground, up a giant menggaris tree." "It's just fantastic..." "well worth the climb." "But there is a snag... now I'm up here, I have to stay put." "I'm just not equipped to get around." "But the animals that live here have neat solutions to the problem." "These orang-utans use their sheer weight to swing effortlessly between the trees." "And if you haven't got a rope, these South American Woolly monkeys find a grasping tail works just as well." "Spring loaded legs help these lemurs in Madagascar get from tree to tree." "And sometimes, just a simple leap of faith will do!" "Woo!" "But there's one animal that easily surpasses all the others." "And it relies simply on strength, agility and nerves of steel." "Gibbons are the kings of swingers, the fastest flightless animals in the canopy." "The key to the gibbon's amazing agility is its unique wrist, with a ball and socket joint that lets it swing like a pendulum." "To be anywhere near as good as gibbons" "I'd need fingers nearly twice the length that I have." "At top speed, no part of the gibbon's body is in contact with the trees... they literally gallop through thin air!" "Imagine being able to leap 12 metres in a single bound." "Other animals don't gallop, they glide." "Using their skin flaps like wings, tiny dragon lizards can glide up to 100 metres..." "Some snakes can glide too... and even steer themselves from one branch to another..." "And this frog has webbed feet that act like tiny parachutes to break its fall..." "Seeing how easily animals move through the canopy makes me realize how ill equipped we are for life in the trees." "Wouldn't it be fantastic if I could just step off this branch and fly though the air." "But there is a way I can fly." "One way they can get a better overview of the canopy and find out how it works is using this cinebulle." "As with any hot air balloon, we have to take off at dawn when the air is still." "But the advantage of this cinebulle is that it has an engine... so we can steer and we're not totally at the mercy of the wind." "This is spectacular... my first chance for a bird's eye view of the canopy." "It's a real revelation!" "Now I can see the whole forest spread out beneath me." "Just look at the sheer size of those trees... and there are millions down there, as far as I can see in every direction..." "all bursting with life." "It's like sailing over a sea of leaves..." "I thought I might be scared but actually it is just so exciting to be up here." "We're skimming the treetops." "From up here the rainforest looks as complex as any manmade metropolis." "Each tree is like a huge tower block reaching into the sky." "But unlike our cities, this one is completely solar powered... and each individual tower is designed to maximise the sunlight." "Every tree crown is shaped to capture as much light as possible." "The upper canopy absorbs 90% of the sun, while lower down, the little that does get through is trapped by other trees perfectly formed to snap up what's left." "These layers are so seamless that very little light reaches the forest floor." "Stretching out beneath me right here is an incredible solar factory." "Each tree is powered by thousands and thousands of leaves." "Like trillions of tiny solar panels they harness the sun's energy, strange to think that a humble leaf is responsible for the single most important reaction on the planet: photosynthesis." "Plants everywhere use photosynthesis - the process of converting sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into food." "But here, it's done on a massive scale." "This is the most productive living system on the planet." "In these equatorial rainforests, where the tropical sun is so intense all year round, the energy produced in the canopy could power a thousand cities the size of New York." "And it's not just trees that are so hungry for this solar energy - other plants want a piece of the action too." "Giant trees like this provide a perfect spot for huge roof top gardens." "From the forest floor you'd never guess the canopy was hiding such an explosion of colour..." "There are even garden ponds up here - which are always great for attracting wildlife." "These bromeliads in South America are one of the few places where drinking water collects in the treetops." "Ideal for a thirsty coatimundi or woolley monkey." "Not only are they handy drinking fountains but they also make good breeding pools for frogs..." "Amazingly, some even harbour predatory crabs!" "So whether it's lunchtime or bath time, all the plants and animals up here are linked - involved in countless close, relationships." "And the sheer variety and numbers are astonishing... one in 10 of all the world's plants can be found up here... and there are more animals living in the canopy than anywhere else on earth... which is why it just shakes, rattles and rolls with life!" "Here in the rainforest, there are thousands of different types of tree, each one with a multitude of residents." "But as with any property it's location, location, location... and there's lots of competition for the perfect penthouse home." "For hornbills, finding the right tree is crucial to survival." "They need a roomy nesting hole - usually made when a large branch falls off a mature tree... which doesn't happen very often." "Scientists have installed surveillance cameras into nest holes like this to get an intimate kind of big brother view into the private lives of hornbills." "These unique pictures show a female hornbill making herself at home." "She needs to feel as comfortable as possible because she's going to be a prisoner in here for up to 4 months." "Once in, she starts preparing to seal up the door..." "She's plugging the entrance with mud, pieces of wood and sticky fruit - and leaving just a very narrow slit." "And the reason why she shuts herself away... is to lay her egg and protect her chick." "From now on, she'll depend entirely on her partner to survive." "He makes about ten or more runs a day, bringing back about a kilogram of food, a varied diet of fruit, insects, small reptiles and young birds." "He stores it in his throat, and once back at the nest, regurgitates it for his family." "With such intensive care, the chick grows fast... and eats mum out of house and home." "After five weeks there's only room inside the hole for him." "Once a pair have found their ideal home, they'll keep on coming back for years." "So trees like this are critical to the survival of these endangered birds." "If this nest isn't available next year, this chick's parents may never find another." "The canopy is such a prime location, even plants are in a race to reach the top!" "These climbing lianas take a fast track to the sun by crawling up the trunks of trees." "Because they don't have to support themselves, they can channel all their energy into growth... shooting up towards the light at breakneck speed!" "Once they've gone as high as they can go, they climb over the tree crowns, knitting the canopy together." "Over decades a single liana may grow as a thick as a tree... and can reach a staggering length..." "of more than a kilometre." "And they are great for hanging around in..." "They are flexible and very very strong." "But it's not just me and Tarzan who make use of the lianas." "For bugs these lianas are like highways." "Allowing them to commute from tree to tree." "The lianas are a godsend for all kinds of animals, providing a safe bridge." "And these bridges can take you up..." "down... and across!" "Canopies with lots of these highways in the sky are home to many more animals." "After all, such a sophisticated 3D transport system is bound to attract more commuters." "So what are all these animals up here for?" "The answer is simple-food." "And some of the best sources of food are flowers." "The flowers are an open invitation." "Like flashing neon lights they can be seen for miles across the high rise city." "They are like billboards, advertising the latest jungle eateries." "As in any city, there are different restaurants for different tastes." "And a single tree may have as many as 600,000 flowers, producing hundreds of litres of nectar every day." "This is a coral tree." "It's a favourite amongst the birds." "Trees pollinated by birds lay on huge quantities of sugary nectar... energy on tap." "Any one type of tree may only be in flower for a week or so, but different types flower at different times - so somewhere or other, there's always a meal to be had." "But it's insects who are the main clientele..." "In payment for a hearty meal, they help to pollinate the trees... in fact they pollinate 90% of all plants in the canopy..." "So it's no surprise that this place is really buzzing." "These are giant honey bees and each year they migrate hundreds of kilometres, timing their journey to arrive as the rainforest blooms." "The colony-up to 40,000 strong - returns every year to nest in the branches of the same tree." "Giant honey bees are 3 times the size of European bees and can pack twice the sting!" "So predators are best to heed the warning in this wave... it's an alarm that goes off if the bees feel threatened." "Even the orangs' thick fur isn't completely sting proof..." "I wouldn't stand a chance!" "But still... compared to my next assignment, giant bees don't sound so bad!" "First, take 2 kilometres of rope and drape it over the treetops." "Second, you need a balloon filled with helium." "Third, get someone with a bad fear of heights - and you've got the recipe for another thrilling experience." "This is the only way I can hang about in the outermost tips of the trees... and the nearest I can get to being a canopy animal!" "And I'm off..." "This is the most incredible feeling..." "This is quite hard work." "I'm about 250 feet up, that's about the same as being on the 21 st floor of a building." "This bubble is full of helium and so I should be at neutral buoyancy." "And when I get stuck in the branches, which is the one problem about this," "I should just be able to give a little bounce off a branch and get lift-off which should just take me floating over the treetops!" "So much for that idea!" "Best not to look down." "It's a very long way..." "It's just fantastic up here." "And this is what I come to find." "Got ya." "Figs are one of the most reliable sources of food in the forest." "When a fig tree comes into fruit, it's like switching on a beacon, advertising the opening of a new restaurant." "Animals of all descriptions home in, some from miles away." "In fact some figs are visited by more than 100 different species... everything from hornbills and orang utans... to gibbons and tree squirrels..." "sometimes all in a single day!" "Figs come in various colours and sizes but they all provide a reliable meal." "And the more visitors the better to disperse their seeds." "Young orang utans learn from their mothers where and when the trees come into fruit each year." "They travel miles across the canopy, keeping an eye on restaurant opening times and testing figs to see if they're ripe." "This memory map is an essential part of their jungle survival kit." "A fig feast only lasts a couple of weeks but as one comes to an end, somewhere another is beginning... and the jungle traffic heads off in a new direction..." "Figs may be good for animals but they may spell disaster to the trees." "This little seedling of destruction is a strangler fig." "It sends down these roots and when they reach the ground this tree's fate is sealed." "As it grows a strangler takes hold of its chosen tree in a lethal embrace..." "Spreading slowly but surely to form a living cage from which there is absolutely no escape." "But it's not just massive trees that play host to these super plant parasites." "They'll get a grip on anything that will support them." "These are the ruins of Angkor in Cambodia... part of a lost civilization that was only rediscovered in 1960." "So tight is the stranglers' grip that in some cases they're the only thing that's keeping these 600 year old temples standing." "If strangler figs have so much power over stone, what happens when their strength is unleashed on a living tree?" "Over decades, they constrict its growth and slowly smother it to death..." "All traces of the tree that once supported this strangler fig have now completely disappeared." "In here is where the original tree has rotted away." "Leaving just this lattice work of roots which makes a fantastic living climbing frame." "It's absolutely amazing this tree." "Full of creepy crawlies but I am just hoping that there aren't any snakes." "Most of this stuff looks as if it could be full of them." "But I'm nearly at the top." "The strangler fig's remarkable strategy has enabled it to get a head start and win a place high in the canopy." "For any tree, reaching the canopy takes huge amounts of time and energy." "But a few go even further and stick out head and shoulders above the rest." "Some of these giant menggaris and dipterocarp trees can tower almost 90 metres tall... that's like a 30 storey skyscraper." "But there's a price to pay for reaching these dizzy heights." "It's tough at the top!" "And things are about to get tougher for me too." "I've got to get up there at the hottest, most uncomfortable time of day." "It's noon, much too dangerous for the balloon..." "the hot air is too turbulent." "Which is why, here in Borneo, biologists use a giant crane." "Here at the very top of the canopy it can be more like a desert than a tropical rainforest." "Lack of water and the intense heat of the sun can make it pretty unpleasant both for me and the trees." "That's why many of the leaves of canopy trees are tilted in such a way to avoid the direct heat of the midday sun." "And instead catch the less damaging rays of the morning and late afternoon." "After a few hours baking in intense tropical sun, it's now reached 35 degrees." "By mid afternoon all anyone can do is sit it out..." "I'm starting to wilt too..." "The heat's uncomfortable, but it can also be dangerous." "It stirs up unstable air currents..." "and that means trouble..." "Storms can come in very fast up here especially in the afternoon when the air heats up." "You certainly don't want to be around when they arrive." "I'm in one great big lightning conductor, and I can't risk staying up here!" "But to see what happens next we've left some cameras in the canopy." "The wind buffets these branches with tremendous force... at up to 80 kilometres an hour..." "Have you ever seen rain like this?" "Even the trees are in danger of drowning!" "They need to shut their breathing pores and dump that extra water as fast as possible." "Gosh, I'm glad I'm not up there right now!" "It can't be much fun for the animals that live up there." "Orang utans have thick oily rainproof fur but that doesn't mean they enjoy getting soaked!" "At least these downpours are usually short and sharp... and when the sun breaks through, the water soon evaporates... and the whole jungle starts to steam..." "As evening falls, there's time for the canopy crowd to relax before getting an early night." "Orang utans build themselves a cosy nest from branches, but they must make sure it'll take their weight..." "You don't want to fall out of bed here!" "Peace... but not for long..." "the night shift is ready to clock on." "The forest population is about to explode with a huge influx of visitors for the night." "Outside the mouth of this hillside cave and I'm about to witness one of the rainforest's most breathtaking spectacles..." "You can hear the noise building inside the cave." "These are wrinkled lip bats and they're all heading out into the forest to hunt." "This is a rush hour to rival the commuter movements of the busiest cities in the world." "There are over half a million bats living in this cave and they are pouring out at some 60,000 a minute." "That's 1000 a second." "And the sound is incredible... it's just like the wind rustling through the leaves of a tree." "I've been watching for a full half hour, and they're still coming... but I'm going to have to leave them to it and prepare for my own nigh-time manoeuvres." "This could be the trickiest test of all..." "as if it wasn't hard enough in daylight, now I'm about to climb up in the canopy in the dark..." "We know little enough about the canopy during the day time but we know almost nothing about it at night, and there is only one way to find out more and that's by spending a night up in the branches." "This is a real step into the unknown... but I'm determined to get up there for a canopy sleepover." "Many rainforest animals are only active in the dark... so who knows what I'm going to find!" "Like the orang utans, I've got my own nest for the night." "But mine's a platform more than 30 metres up and barely big enough for me to stretch out..." "I'm definitely going to tie myself on!" "Right this is home for the night but I am not going to bed just yet." "At night the forest changes character completely." "90% of the animals that live here are nocturnal and we have rigged up some infra red surveillance cameras in the hope that we can catch some of the action." "So all that's left for me to do is switch off my torch and switch on the infra red lights." "As soon as the lights go out you realize how ill equipped we are in the dark." "For us this is an alien world of sound and smell..." "There's something moving around in the tree right above me." "What I need is my torch." "Ah that's better." "I don't know what that was but..." "we've picked up a snake on camera." "And he's certainly not camera shy..." "It's a reminder of just how many venomous snakes, insects and spiders are on the prowl up here at night..." "Let's hope he doesn't end up in my sleeping bag!" "Well, I can't see much, but it sounds as if there's plenty going on..." "The night life's really hotting up..." "But where have all those wrinkle lip bats gone that I saw earlier." "There is one way to find out." "And that's using this: a bat detector." "Bats calls tend to be between about 15 and 200 kilohertz which is way too high for our hearing range but this converts it into sound that we can hear." "If I just set it so that it picks up a wide range of frequencies, we should be able to see what's out there." "I'm picking up some pretty strange sounds." "Bats come to the canopy for a midnight feast... because this is where the insects are." "And there are plenty of rich pickings to be had." "In a single night they can consume half a million pounds of insects - that's the equivalent of two million quarter pounders." "But not all bats eat insects." "Some eat nectar." "A great many trees in forests around the world rely exclusively on bats to pollinate their flowers." "Here in South East Asia one in three mammals is a bat and their value to rainforests is immense." "The flower of the durian fruit is large, white and fragrant... and it only opens in the dead of night." "In other words, it's perfectly designed to be noticed by pollinating bats." "In fact, whichever rainforest you're in, you'll find a whole variety of flowers that rely on them." "But bats don't just help out with pollination." "Some eat fruit..." "and scattered seeds far and wide." "It's about 3 in the morning, and it's just freezing cold." "I've got to find a jumper..." "It's just so exposed." "The temperature can drop by about 20 degrees." "And every now and again I remember that I'm perched 100 feet up in the air." "But I'm not complaining..." "after all this I've got my reward... a visit from a real canopy rarity." "This is a bear cat..." "its local name is a binturong." "It may look cute but binturongs can reach 2 metres long and eat whatever they can catch." "These youngsters are a few months old and already have an acute sense of smell and hearing." "They also have highly sensitive eyes to help them get around and hunt at night." "The binturongs might be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed... but I'm fading fast..." "and it's time to try and catch 40 winks..." "Well, I've survived the night up here, and this has got to be the most spectacular way to wake up." "What a beautiful morning." "The whole forest has come alive with bird song and the sound of those beautiful gibbons calling." "They're up early, laying claim to their patch of forest..." "Dawn is the best time to truly appreciate how full of life the canopy is." "It's just magical." "The rainforest is richer in life than anywhere else on earth... and the canopy is the jewel in its crown." "Each of these thousands of trees has its own unique community... from the tiniest insects to some of our closest relatives." "Nearly half of all known creatures on the planet live in the Canopy World... but even more astonishing is that, right here, there may be just as many other species that no one's ever seen." "Once it was out of reach, but now, finally, we are able to explore the secrets of the canopy the world's last high frontier..." "This is the Congo..." "Africa's mightiest forest... a place explorers once called the green hell." "Join me for an epic adventure beneath the jungle canopy a journey into heart of darkness..." "I'm on a quest to find a garden of Eden hidden deep in the forest." "On the way, I'll meet some of the jungle's most elusive animals... and I'll need their help to get on the right trail." "This adventure could take me to hell and back... the Congo is home to some of the most deadly plants and animals on Earth, armed with stings, bites and poisons." "And they're all out to eat me alive." "If I survive all that," "I'll unearth some of the best-kept secrets of the Underworld..." "So how does anything manage to survive in such a tough inhospitable place?" "Well the key to discovering the secrets of survival may be to look at some of our closest relatives." "These baby gorillas were orphaned when their mothers were shot by poachers." "It's hoped eventually they'll be returned to the jungle, but its no easy task, the underworld is a complex place." "In the wild it takes gorillas about 10 years to learn all the skills that they need to survive." "They need to know what food to eat and where to find it." "It may look like a salad bowl here but eat the wrong thing and you're dead." "Putting one of these infants back into the jungle at this stage would be a bit like abandoning a toddler in the middle of a busy city." "But if it takes them a decade to get to grips with this place, how am I going to cope?" "Dense jungle cloaks over a million sq kms of central Africa... and I'm about to travel deep into its heart... to one of the remotest places on earth." "For years, the Congo was known as the white man's grave..." "Many European explorers who entered this forest were never seen again." "Fortunately I'm in good hands." "Even today this place feels like the ends of the earth... many animals that live here have never seen people." "A ride in a dug out canoe is a gentle start to my journey, but things are going to get tougher." "Waterways can take me so far..." "but not far enough... if I want to get deeper into the jungle, I'll have to go on foot." "Here at the gateway of the underworld it really is a case of not being able to see the wood for the trees." "Everywhere you turn is just a barrier of dense green vegetation." "It's absolutely amazing to think that early explorers like Stanley and Livingston managed to cover about a thousand kilometres of this on foot." "This is certainly not an easy place to get around..." "It's not just exhausting... you've also got to watch exactly where you put your hands and feet..." "But why should this place be a walk in the park?" "It's not here to suit us, or even the animals..." "It's a world made by the trees for the trees and they dominate every aspect of life here in the Underworld." "They black out the sun with their crowns, coat the floor with their cast-offs..." "and loom over everything." "These giants got where they are today by taking almost all the light and water, leaving the jungle low-life to struggle at their feet." "It feels like a strange and alien place full of death and decay." "The sunny canopy is only 40 metres above my head, but it's a world away." "While the masters of the forest have their heads in the sky, down here it's a bewildering monotonous maze." "It's like being a stranger in a new city, all I have to do is wonder off alone to realise how easy it is to get lost here." "I am not sure where I am or how far I've come." "Its just a tangle of green, one tree starts to look much like another." "I can't even see the position of the sun or try to orientate myself." "You can easily imagine how early explorers never found their way out... it's just an endless sea of green..." "mile after mile." "I'm just going round in circles to get to that special place I'm looking for." "I need to find some kind of a path." "Luckily this jungle does have a network of trails... but they weren't made by humans." "These piles of dung show there's plenty of traffic passing through." "Though they were left by an animal I don't want to surprise..." "These parasitic ticks often live on its back..." "And here's the real clue..." "deep cuts in the earth..." "I'm on the trail of an elephant." "There are lots of elephants around here, about 200,000 in the Congo basin, and for such large animals they can be amazingly quiet." "Chances are they'll try and avoid me." "But I can find them another way." "Forest elephants do communicate... it's just that we can't always hear them..." "But with this kit I can tap into their conversations." "With a computer and a microphone, I can see the sounds that I can't hear..." "Even from elephants several kilometres away." "There you go, a real rumble in the jungle." "Most of the sound is too low for human ears to pick up." "So why do elephants have such deep voices?" "In a place like this sound is easily smothered by the vegetation and the only thing that gets through are low frequency sounds... these elephant rumbles slice through the forest like a hot knife through butter." "These long distance trunk calls carry information several kilometres through the densest rainforest." "And forest elephants couldn't manage without them." "They're forced to scatter far and wide to find enough food." "So these rumbles in the jungle are the main way they can socialise and keep in touch." "So what is it they're talking about?" "It may be news about a tree coming into fruit," "Iocating members of your family or even a female calling a mate." "Because low frequency sounds travel through the ground much faster then they travel through the air, it's likely that elephants sense the message with their feet before they pick it up with their ears." "They may even compute the time difference and so judge the distance of the caller." "But what do other animals do that live in this dense underworld?" "Our closest relatives have the same problems as we do they can't hear low frequency sounds, so how do they manage to keep in touch here?" "Chimps can communicate over quite long distances by drumming on buttresses roots." "And they often have a favourite tree which every time they pass they'll drum on which allows other chimps in the vicinity to pin-point their precise location." "But all this racket isn't as chaotic as it sounds." "Chimps eat fruits, nuts and meat - foods that are scattered over a wide area and hard to find..." "So their best strategy is to split up into small gangs, each covering a different patch of jungle." "Like this, chimps can comb up to 10 sq kms in just a few hours." "As soon as one gang finds a decent meal, they summon the others to share it." "These calls can't be heard as far away as buttress drumming, but they probably carry more information... such as what trees are in fruit and where to find them." "In this way they can find enough food to survive." "So the calls are an important part of the chimps' jungle survival kit." "There's another of our close relatives living here, and I'm going to venture further into the forest to find them." "But it's not going to be easy..." "They're much less noisy and boisterous than chimps." "Instead they live quietly in close family groups and are becoming increasingly rare." "But I've come across signs of them so I know they're around here somewhere." "It's a western lowland gorilla... in the wild they're much more timid than the orphans I met earlier..." "You can just see them, like, intensely deep black shadows in the gloom just moving about..." "You can also smell them..." "at this range it's quite intense." "Their senses are actually quite comparable to ours, and if I'm having difficulty seeing them, they must have some of the same problems seeing each other in the dense undergrowth." "Gorillas don't move very far or very fast but even so they often give these deep contact calls, belch grunts, that allow them to keep tabs on each other." "The Silverback there - see his big grey back and the reddish top of his head which is so distinctive of Western lowland gorillas." "He's huge!" "The young one... got some sort of termite clay which he's breaking open and eating." "The silverback is boss... he dictates when the group eats and sleeps... and guides them around the jungle in search of food." "Gorillas spend most of their time on the ground and eat fruits and leaves." "They have to be choosy..." "some of these plants aren't edible - they're full of poisons like strychnine and cyanide." "These forests can seem very inhospitable... so what's really surprising is that people live here too." "Although they are few and far between, their voices fill the forest." "The BaAka pygmies have a unique understanding of the forest and can teach me a great deal about jungle survival tactics..." "Over time they've learnt how to use a huge variety of animals and plants in different ways." "These are Ngungu leaves... which the BaAka collect when they make temporary hunting camps and with a few alterations they can be turned into something very useful." "Compared to them I feel like a complete beginner!" "It's actually harder than it looks, but with their expertise it takes less than an hour to make a weatherproof Ngungu tent." "There's no point building anything more permanent... traditionally, the BaAka have to move on every few weeks to get enough to eat." "These forests can only support a small, sparse population..." "Even with a wealth of ingenuity and knowledge, this is one place that people will never truly master..." "There's always something out to get you..." "This is one sight that sends everyone running for their lives... a swarm of driver ants." "Drivers form colonies up to 22 million strong." "And when they mobilise, they turn into a living, marching weapon of destruction." "These fiendish looking soldiers are guarding the flanks of the column while the main body of ants are rushing over each other in their frenzy to reach the front." "Like other army ants, the drivers are completely blind." "They find their way by following the scent trails of their frontline scouts, as they fan out in search of prey." "And once the gang has found a victim, they eat it-alive..." "The swarm consumes anything in its path... and even those that flee the carnage are picked off ahead by birds..." "Meanwhile the drivers chop their victims into portable chunks." "There are particularly horrifying stories of people actually been eaten alive when they've fallen over drunk in the forest." "In a single day it can strip a patch of forest the size of a football pitch." "A 100,000 victims maybe flushed out, exterminated, processed and transported back to the underground headquarters." "Even this nest is a mass of moving ants... soldiers grapple together to create a living wall..." "But soon they'll all be gone." "Once the driver gang has trashed one neighbourhood, it has to move on to fresh hunting grounds." "And their impact is temporary too." "Animals soon return to fill the ravaged area... and in less than a week it can be as if the massacre never took place." "At least with ants you can see them coming and get out of their way." "But there's another creature living in the water here that really makes my skin crawl." "It lurks in jungle streams and pools and waits until his victim passes by." "As soon as it picks up the smell or any movement in the water, it homes in." "You can't feel it even one is already sucking your blood." "A leech." "It's got two suckers, one at either end." "And once it is on, it sticks like glue." "Leech can pass on infection." "But it is nothing compared to the other things if you catch around here." "These forest are full of horrible diseases like river blindness, sleeping sickness, and the dreaded ebola." "But the Underworld can save life too..." "and the people here learned that long ago." "As well has plants to cure stomach upsets, there's antibiotics, anti-diuretics, there's even a plant that helps impotence." "Most of these plants are actually poisonous but in small quantities it's a case of cure rather than kill." "Chimps also use the forest pharmacy." "They chew the pith of this plant to settle an upset stomach, and use others to get rid of parasites." "Like the BaAka they hand this knowledge down through the generations." "The rainforest is just full of precious resources that science has yet to discover." "If we don't know what the underworld might hide by day, it's even more mysterious at night..." "Many animals like chimps move away from the forest floor as the light begins to fade." "They make a bed in the safety of the tree tops... ready to snuggle up before darkness descends." "Even the people here stick close together once the sun goes down..." "Huddled around their camp fires, the BaAka have their own ways of warding off the dangers of the night." "They're singing about forest spirits, one of which is called Jengi, a malevolent spirit, covered in leaves, comes in at night, steals people away into the forest and kills them." "Like many legends it may well have its basis in fact." "After all who knows what's really out there..." "This really is the heart of darkness..." "no moonlight reaches the forest floor." "But many forest animals only come out at night... so we'll just have to brave it..." "Walking through the forest at night makes you makes you confront your most basic instinctive fears." "You can't really see anything at night... all your other senses become incredibly highly tuned..." "I feel completely useless in this darkness, I can't see a thing." "But there's certainly plenty going on..." "One of the things that strikes you at night is just the, the amount of noise, it's as if someone's turned up the volume of the forest." "It's not surprising that the BaAka has stories and legends of fierce creatures that come out at night." "In this blackness, animals use their own personal sound track to broadcast who and where they're." "Those are hammerhead bats... it's an extraordinary volume for a relatively small animal." "It's just the male that calls this way..." "he's trying to attract a mate..." "He's got a huge voice box that fills most of his chest, and his peculiar head seems specially designed to blow his own trumpet..." "And there's another thing about the forest at night... it's full of powerful smells." "But then, smell is also a good way to say you're here." "The male bush baby urinates on his own hands... and marks his territory by leaving stinky paw prints everywhere he goes." "Whatever kind of animal you are, you need your wits about you... you never know what lies ahead..." "One spider's creepy enough..." "But these communal spiders live in groups of up to 1500, in a single giant web." "They move together in a sinister synchronised dance, it's like something out of a nightmare." "Just the faintest vibration and they all rush to see what's there..." "The victim doesn't stand a chance..." "It's very unusual to see spiders working together like this, but it makes sense here in the underworld as webs are often destroyed by rain and falling debris or animals charging through." "The spiders do most of their web repairs at night... and I can't see me getting much rest either." "I've got to admit, I'll be glad when it's dawn..." "As the sun rises the canopy is bathed in light, but very little of that light ends up down here..." "Just over one per cent will make it to the forest floor... which means that for plants here life can be a desperate struggle." "The only way you can tell where the sun is overhead is by the movement of these sun flecks - tiny scraps of light that make it through the trees." "Some plants have to survive on just a few minutes of dappled light a day..." "And even these precious rays can suddenly disappear." "Like all rainforests, the Congo gets more than its share of water... almost 2m of rain each year." "Around me the forest is plunged into even deeper gloom." "These downpours are short but intense..." "In the canopy the animals can sit it out but for the creatures of the underworld this deluge can be a catastrophe pounding the forest floor and causing life threatening floods." "Storms can also change the balance of power in the jungle..." "High winds whip the canopy and water loosens the soil below... a combination that can spell disaster for the trees." "When a giant like this dies its big news... suddenly a massive hole is punctured in the canopy and all the plants on the forest floor get the chance they've been waiting for." "As soon as light begins to stream in through the gap, it triggers an explosion of plant life." "First specialised sprinters race into action..." "Some like the yam can shoot up half a metre in a day." "But this is just the start of redeveloping the site." "Although the sprinters are first off the mark, they only have a short time in the sun." "In just a few months, shrubs and bushes take their place to dominate the clearing." "Next, skinny pioneer trees overtake them... and so it goes on... each new wave of redevelopment is the foundation for the next..." "But it's no easy ride - as soon as a new shoot appears it's under attack from hungry animals." "With all their energy used up on growth, the plants can't make their poisons." "So how do they protect themselves?" "This barteria tree has a very special form of defence as soon as anything comes close to it let alone touches it they're in for a nasty surprise." "Out comes a private army of body guards..." "these are tetrapanera ants and they're vicious enough to put off any potential attacker." "In exchange, the ants get a home and food-a perfect friendship." "But like the plants that came before it, the barteria is on borrowed time." "Growing in its shadow, protected from direct sunlight, is a tiny sapling." "It's like the story of the tortoise and the hare." "This young mahogany is last to leave the starting line, and slow to grow..." "but a century from now, it will emerge the winner..." "and finally plug the canopy gap." "From above, the jungle may look fixed and timeless, but it's just that we can't see behind the scenes." "At any moment, one third of the forest is being demolished and rebuilt." "And this dynamic green metropolis is all powered by sunlight." "But light alone can't build a forest." "Giants like mahogany need tonnes of fertiliser." "You'd think the soil here would be every gardener's dream; rich, thick and fertile." "All there is, is a few millimetres of soil and beneath that it's a sandy desert." "So how could the plants get enough food to survive?" "In this case the answer to life is death..." "Nearly all the nutrients in the rainforest aren't in the soil at all, they're trapped in the trees." "So when one dies, a giant food parcel comes crashing down into the underworld." "Where an army of recyclers are ready for it." "Recyclers like termites, they live in colonies some 2 million strong in these fortress-like mounds." "And deep beneath the surface, termites build these dark, damp galleries to house a great recycling centre." "These termites can't break down wood on their own, so they farm a special fungus that can do it for them." "The fungus absorbs all the goodness from the wood and then the termites eat the fungus." "The termites are so keen to protect their fungus gardens that they'll repair any damage to the mound." "Rebuilding a strong city is vital to keep them safe from attack, but some animals have found a sneaky way in." "Termites pack a huge amount of protein - almost twice as many calories gram for gram as steak - and chimps have worked out how to fish for them with slender stems." "Outings to the termite mound are like a picnic." "But snacking chimps hardly tend the termite population." "On any fallen tree there'll be millions of termites at work." "But termites are only the first link in the recycling machine." "Within the soil, another army continues the process." "These are the hidden hordes that staff the underworld... none larger than a grain of sand." "Miniature carnivores..." "preying on herds of microscopic grazers millions of nematode worms in between the particles of soil... and smallest of them all, countless bacteria." "Each member of this micro-world helps decompose the jungle's cast-offs into ever smaller pieces..." "Helped by the tropical heat and humidity, this high speed team recycles half the leaf litter every six weeks." "But the biggest rotters of them all - and crucial last link in this process - are fungi." "Fungi deal with the stuff no other members of the compost crew can cope with." "But fungi don't just help make fertiliser, they distribute it too..." "Under the ground tree roots span out to gather nutrients, but they can't manage it alone... they link up with another type of fungi - mycorrhizae." "Mycorrhizae link the tree roots like an underground mat..." "They work like a super-efficient sponge, soaking up all the goodness from the ground" "and posting it back through the roots into the trees." "This trade-off is the hub of a recycling system we can only dream of!" "Amazingly, without a fungus thinner than a cotton thread - none of these huge trees would exist." "The more time I spend here, the more I realize that everything is connected in an intricate web of relationships." "Plants rely on animals..." "and animals rely on plants... from the smallest to the largest." "And there's one relationship that can get me back on the track of the biggest movers and shakers of the jungle." "This tree is a partner in one of the underworld's most fascinating relationships." "It produces this huge omphalocarpum or belly button fruit." "Only one forest animal can eat this fruit... and some say when it hears the thud it comes to collect." "Forest elephants love fruit, and when they find a good tree they never forget." "Over generations they've built up their trails to link the richest fruit trees in the forest." "The omphalocarpum isn't easy to get into, but these elephants have got what it takes." "They're the only ones with downward pointing tusks... perfect for splitting belly button fruit." "But the elephants simply act as couriers for the trees." "As they head back out on the trail they scatter the belly button seeds." "They even provide the seeds with fertilizer." "On average elephants drop 45 kilos of dung every day and 9 out of 10 piles contain seedlings" "and because they drop it right on the path there's even a decent amount of light to help them grow." "Since more than thirty different trees rely on elephants to spread their seeds, these trails end up like avenues of fruit trees... each one like a jungle high street with a wealth of goods to tempt anyone passing by." "Carving trails and planting fruit trees, elephants are like the city planners of the underworld... this trail should lead me to the special place I've been looking for..." "More and more trails are joining the main path." "It's a real highway now with lots of traffic." "There's light up ahead..." "I'm nearly there." "At last, this is what I've come to find..." "It's called a bai, and after the endless oppressive darkness of the underworld it's just a euphoric feeling to come out again into the sunlight." "And to see all the animals gathered here it really feels like stepping out into the garden of Eden." "And it seems to have the same pull for the elephants..." "They meet at bais like this one all over the Congo..." "It's like a park, where they can gather and enjoy the freedom of an open space." "Members of the herd are reunited after being scattered in the forest... now, instead of using distant rumbles to communicate, they can catch up properly and relax." "There really is a kind of party atmosphere..." "But there's something more serious on the agenda here... beneath the water the earth is rich in mineral salts;" "sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium it's like some sort of mineral supplement from a health food shop." "A regular dose of minerals is vital for these animals." "And the clay neutralizes the toxic chemicals of jungle plants, and can help settle even the largest stomach..." "The elephants use their trunks to blow down into the stream bed, releasing fresh supplies of salts." "These dissolve in the water and the elephants suck them up." "All this activity helps keep the trees at bay." "No one's sure how long the elephants have come here... these clearings could be the result of generations prospecting for minerals..." "There are hundreds of bais all across the Congo basin... hubs of a network of elephant trails." "The bai draws other animals into the open too... including our elusive lowland gorillas." "One of the great attractions about this place for gorillas is just the array of wonderful plants growing here, there's wild ginger, water lilies, aquatic herbs, it's like one gigantic luxurious salad bowl." "These bais are unique windows on the forest." "But it isn't just the creatures of the underworld that like a day out at the park... this place is important to canopy dwellers too..." "Colobus monkeys make a rare trip down to the ground... to eat the same mineral rich plants as the gorillas." "And otters fill the bai's rich waterways searching for worms and crabs." "I could sit here for hours and it seems the animals just love hanging out here too." "There's time for friends and family..." "and just to have fun in the sun." "But the forests are these animals' true home... and sooner or later they return to the trees." "Without the forest, nothing we've seen could exist." "Trees are the creators and protectors of this huge hothouse of life... the most varied and complex living system on the planet." "But it is also one of the most fragile." "Everything here relies on everything else to survive." "The rainforest is home to more than half of all the animals on earth... including some of our closest relatives." "We're only just beginning to discover the secrets of these amazing places, and their significance to us." "If we lose our jungles, we loose them for ever." "I'm going on a journey from some of the world's highest mountains... deep into the heart of its mightiest jungle..." "The Amazon... the biggest rainforest in the world and the biggest river." "This is one of the greatest treasure-troves of life and one of the wettest places on earth." "The Amazon-like all jungles, is locked in an intense struggle with one of the greatest forces on the planet..." "water." "This is a Waterworld on an awesome scale..." "A fifth of all the world's fresh water flows through the Amazon." "It has 5 times the volume of water as the Congo, and more than 10 times the volume of the Mississippi." "More water flows through the Amazon in a single day than the Thames drains in a whole year!" "In fact, 200 million litres every second..." "But water is only half the Amazon's story;" "the forest is the other." "Together they make up a vast jungle and river system, spanning 9 countries of South America." "It's an epic setting for a great drama..." "This is the story of how water has the power to create life and to destroy it - constantly transforming the greatest jungle on earth." "A fifth of all the world's plant species live here... alongside one in 10 mammals..." "and a quarter of all birds." "There are more kinds of fish here than in all of Europe and North America's rivers combined..." "And there are monsters too... this is the anaconda, the world's largest snake..." "And tucked away in these sleepy backwaters are some of the Amazon's best-kept secrets..." "Otters... but not as we know them!" "These are giant river otters, up to 2 metres long!" "This waterworld is so unusual and so full of surprises that here, nearly 3000 km from the nearest ocean, there are even Jungle dolphins." "While rivers are a magnet for many animals, secluded pools and streams offer a window into the heart of the forest, giving us tantalising glimpses of some of its most secretive inhabitants." "But there's one kind of water that's essential to everything that lives here." "It's rain, the sprinkler system of the entire forest..." "This is the lifeblood of all rainforests... the reason that this lush, vibrant jungle can exist, and support so many kinds of animals." "And while in most places rain is measured in millimetres or centimetres, here in the Amazon it's measured in metres." "But why does it rain in the rainforest?" "You might think it's just part of the weather system here... but it isn't." "The forest itself can make rain and it's trees like this that make it possible..." "Each of these trees may suck up hundreds of litres of water every day, but they only use some of it." "The rest goes back into the atmosphere as water vapour... released through tiny pores on their leaves." "It's as if the trees are breathing out..." "and the best time to see it is at dawn." "It's wonderful and it's not just the view that's spectacular, but these swirling mists..." "which are the breath of the forest, the water vapour that the trees themselves have created overnight..." "Winds blow the vapour out across the canopy, collecting more moisture as they go..." "This saturated air is then carried far out over the forest, until it falls again as rain..." "New trees suck up the rainwater..." "and so the cycle continues..." "The forest acts as a giant conveyor belt of moisture, travelling right across a continent..." "In fact, half of all the rainwater that falls here in the Amazon is down to the trees themselves." "The scale of the system is simply staggering, this forest is so big it creates its own climate." "A single droplet of water can take an incredible trip..." "It might be recycled through dozens of different trees and downpours, and travel more than 3000 kilometres... before it reaches the heights of the Andes." "Winds from the Atlantic ocean blow the water vapour westward, watering the whole Amazon basin as it goes, until finally it reaches an impassable barrier of mountains..." "I'm high up in the Peruvian Andes, far removed from hot, steamy jungles..." "But these mountains hold the key to the waters of the Amazon." "The water that the jungle trees recycle ends up here, cooled and collected by the mountains in the form of mist and cloud..." "This ensures that none of the precious water is lost... instead, the clouds build until the mountain slopes are covered in fog..." "I never imagined that the Amazon would bring me to a place like this... it's cold and damp and can feel just like winter." "But the real surprise is that these windswept moors mark the place where the Amazon jungle itself starts to grow..." "It's a mysterious forest... where many plants absorb more water from the air than from the ground!" "And it's up in these mountain cloud forests that the mighty Amazon river begins too..." "up to 4000 metres above sea level." "This is where I really start my journey through the Amazon... in a secret garden of mosses and lichens... home to the real life Paddington Bear..." "They're actually called spectacled bears - and it's easy to see why!" "They range all across the Andes, including, of course, darkest Peru!" "They're real cloud forest specialists... but, unlike Paddington, they don't need red wellies and duffle coats to survive." "Their dense fur keeps out the cold and damp." "Cloud forests really live up to their name, they're soaking... all year round." "It's just dripping with moisture, it's the wettest kind of forest there is and underfoot it's so soggy, it's like walking across a bog." "And this is what makes the cloud forest so important." "By absorbing water from the clouds and trapping it in the soil, it acts as a kind of giant sponge... collecting water for the whole Amazon system." "This makes the cloud forest a paradise for plants... and rather surprisingly it's the natural home of many of our beloved garden flowers." "Like begonias!" "Or fuchsias." "But no chance of such exotic visitors in my garden!" "Here's one flower you probably don't grow back at home-an Angel's trumpet - with its own personal pollinator, the sword-billed hummingbird." "In this cloudy light, plants need to make sure they're not overlooked by pollinating birds and insects..." "So some-like these orchids - are among the most vivid, flamboyant flowers in the world..." "Cloud forests really are super saturated... it can rain any day of the year..." "but too much water can be a problem." "So most of the plants here have waxy, water-resistant leaves, complete with gutters and drip tips to drain away excess rain..." "So much rain falls in the cloud forest - up to 7 metres a year - that even this giant sponge can't possibly absorb it all..." "And as water is constantly on the move, there's only one way for it to go and that's down..." "As it trickles and cascades and flows through these mountains, it very gradually wears down the rocks, picking up minerals and nutrients..." "This liquid fertiliser is then washed downstream to trees thousands of kilometres away." "The Andes don't just collect water for the Amazon forests - they provide plant food too." "Just look what happens when these mountain streams get faster and join forces!" "These are water features we could only dream of..." "Amazingly, some creatures, like these torrent ducks, spend their whole lives on a permanent white water ride!" "Right from the moment they leave the nest, these little ducklings teeter on the brink of being washed away..." "But somehow these tiny tots learn how to duck and dive and beat the current... and they're not alone..." "What were once gentle streams are now raging torrents from now on, we go by river..." "And the best way to appreciate the sheer force of this water... is to ride it..." "And by the way, this is the dry season... the river's only running at quarter of full flow!" "Thousands of waterways like this pour down from all across the Andes, trading the cool mountain cloud forests for the hothouse of the lowlands slowing down and spilling out across the great Amazon basin." "Down here is what we really think of as the jungle thousands of kilometres of dark, impenetrable forest..." "This is the jungle of legend!" "Home to fabulous creatures..." "and untold dangers..." "Now at last it's time for me to explore the forest itself..." "This is great..." "look at the size of some of these trees;" "it's nature at its most exuberant." "Looking up at the canopy it's like looking at a cathedral..." "And once you've got your eye in you see strange surprises everywhere." "Some scientists believe a third of the world's insects and other creepy crawlies live in the Amazon." "There are so many, most don't even have a name." "Even air is full of life... butterflies like these handsome heliconias are one of the Amazon's highlights..." "This is a morpho..." "But where there's beauty, there are also beasts!" "This wealth of insects makes fast food for hunters, like the Saddleback tamarin." "But in the jungle, it's wise to watch what you pu and there are some small creatures you should just leave well alone..." "This is a poison arrow frog." "It's called that because its skin makes poison which the local Indians use to tip their arrows..." "There's one kind in Colombia, which is so poisonous it'll kill you if you touch it." "This brilliant diversity of life is all around." "The Amazon is so vast and so varied, even the water comes in different colours." "Clear water streams like this..." "White water, full of sediment, that makes it look like chocolate." "And perhaps - most remarkable of all-black water..." "It's just like tea because of all the tannins dissolved from dead leaves..." "And different kinds of water mean different kinds of fish..." "This is the natural home of many fish we'd normally see in an aquarium..." "Red-tailed catfish use their long 'whiskers' to feel their way through the dark or murky water." "And hatchet fish lurk just below the surface, ready to flip out if danger threatens!" "In black water, cardinal tetras need bright colours to keep track of other members of their shoal." "And gangs of angelfish hang out around the tangled roots and branches for protective camouflage." "Back on land giant jungle tree are also havens for life for the harpy eagle and the toucanette these old boughs offer a secure nest site and larger animals, like the coati and the tamandua," "feel safe in the treetops too." "But even the mightiest trees are vulnerable." "Rainforest rivers are dangerously unpredictable, especially when in flood..." "This cutting edge can swallow 25 metres of riverbank each year..." "Wrenching the giants of the forest to their deaths." "And this is the aftermath..." "it's like a crashed space-rocket, and where once this tree would have played a vital role in the forest, now all it is, is food for termites." "This is a drama played out over and over throughout the whole Amazon basin." "As I get further downstream, the sheer numbers of tree carcasses make the rivers dangerous to navigate..." "It's yet another stark reminder..." "of the power of water." "The rivers form huge cliffs as whole slices of the forest disappear..." "This destruction isn't all bad - it creates the venue for the biggest and most raucous of all jungle parties!" "Enormous flocks of parrots and macaws are gathering, attracted by a very special kind of party food..." "The sky is full of birds..." "More and more keep coming..." "There are hundreds and hundreds of parrots in lines along the seams of minerals." "The reason for this gathering is that these birds eat seeds, which are laced with highly poisonous toxins." "Clay and minerals found in these cliffs are a lifesaving antidote." "It must taste nice because there does seem to be quite a lot of bickering over lumps of clay." "I love the way they come in, calling as though greeting each other..." "These get-togethers are just as much about socialising." "As one scientist put it, you don't just go down to the pub because you're thirsty." "Couples stay faithful to each other all their lives and the chicks actually remain with their parents for two or three years." "I can really understand why people like having them as pets, they are so beautiful and intelligent and friendly, but this is the way I like to see them," "socialising with each other and flying free." "The clay these birds love is exposed by swollen rivers sweeping by..." "But the same force that cuts the cliffs on one side of the river has the opposite effect on the other..." "Here, instead of destroying the land, the river helps create it, producing some rather unexpected scenery..." "Although this is a riverside, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were by the sea." "There are beaches in the Amazon-but they're not your average holiday beach." "Stingrays a metre across hunt in the shallows and caiman lurk, waiting to take anything that comes for a drink." "But once a year, thousands of visitors can hit these jungle beaches... the world's largest freshwater turtles haul up en masse to lay their eggs." "Each female may lay up to 100, but both eggs and turtles are a local delicacy, so today these gatherings are becoming increasingly rare." "And it's not just egg thieves that pose a problem for the turtles..." "Breeding here is a race against time... the eggs must hatch before the wet season floods wash the beaches away..." "Turtles are powerless to stop this..." "but jungle plants fight back, mounting a military style campaign..." "Tessaria plants are in the front line in the fight to claim back new territory..." "These paratrooper plants invade as airborne seeds..." "It's the dry season, the enemy is at its weakest, so this is their chance to entrench their position." "These tiny plants are vital - where they lead, others can follow..." "Next, reinforcements arrive..." "Massed ranks of cane... like the infantry, which help to consolidate the position." "And behind them the heavy guns..." "cecropia trees." "Each wave of plants creates the right conditions for the next to germinate and grow..." "until finally, the jungle wins the battle." "But it doesn't win the war..." "Although the trees reoccupy the beaches, it's the rivers that are really in control." "They're always on the move-meandering in giant loops across the floodplain..." "Nothing stays the same... the waterways constantly redesign the jungle tapestry." "But rather than leaving behind a trail of destruction, they create tranquil lakes... forgotten cul-de-sacs that have their own special character." "Known as 'oxbow' lakes, they're really stranded river bends, left behind when the main river cuts through the neck of an old loop." "In contrast to the turbulence of river life, these lakes are still and peaceful... sanctuaries for all kinds of animals and birds fishing holes for egrets..." "cormorants... and snake birds." "Here I'm hoping for a glimpse of something really special... yes!" "There they are... giant river otters!" "They're spending a lot of time milling around this area, so the den is probably close by." "They live in extended families, where older youngsters help to look after the babies." "It's only actually when they get out of the water that you appreciate the size of them." "The adults are up to about 35 kilos, that's a very big otter." "Some people call the otters 'wolves of the river'... and like their namesakes, they're skilled hunters that work in packs." "They are such graceful swimmers and wonderfully agile hunters, they make catching prey seem like pure fun..." "Sadly, families of otters like this are a rare sight today." "They were nearly hunted to extinction for their thick waterproof fur." "Now though, they're protected, so hopefully, their future should start to look better." "But like everything else in this waterworld, the otters will have to adapt to a changing environment." "Their tranquil lakes won't last forever..." "Swamp palms often mark the old location of a dried up oxbow lake." "Like all rainforest plants, the palms fight for a space to grow in... and the shallow edges of the lakes are a soft target for invasion..." "Slowly but surely they move in, until the lake is transformed, ending up as a palm swamp..." "The fruit of these aguahe palms are a favourite of jungle animals." "But they provide much more than food." "They're known locally as the Tree of Life, but even in their death they're very useful." "Dead palms are like derelict buildings and squatters are quick to take advantage..." "These house hunters - blue and gold macaws - are always on the lookout for a cosy nest site, and the hollow trunks of rotting palms are perfect." "Security is top priority... it takes a month for the mother to incubate her eggs and then almost another three months for the chicks to fledge." "And with prime real estate in such short supply, the parents can't even afford to trust their neighbours..." "Rogue pairs would kill to get their foot in the door!" "So if you're a macaw with an ideal home, you guard it well!" "The macaws can't rely on these dwellings forever;" "this area is earmarked for redevelopment..." "The forest is taking over." "It's the final chapter in this water-driven cycle of change." "It's incredible that a river simply changing course can so dramatically transform the whole landscape around it..." "And that means that the very spot where I am standing can be:" "A forest" "A river" "A cliff" "A beach" "A lake" "A swamp" "And maybe eventually a forest again..." "And it's this incredibly dynamic system that makes the Amazon so rich and diverse." "In a world where nothing's permanent, the plants and animals that live here have to be flexible..." "The rivers rule... and shape the lives of everything around them." "And it's only from the air that you can really get your head round the true scope of the system as a whole... flying for hours across a vast ocean of green..." "Thousands of tributaries snake across this jungle, and eventually they all combine to make one massive waterway... the mighty Amazon river itself..." "This is the largest flood plain in the world, draining an area almost the same size as Australia." "The scale of it is just mind blowing..." "It's 6,516 kilometres long, and that's not even including the bends." "And at points the banks can be 11 kilometres apart." "It's the world's largest river." "But it's not just the Amazon's statistics that are huge - it's home to some real monsters too." "This jumbo-sized fish is the pirarucu." "It can reach more than four metres long and weigh a quarter of a ton - that's about the same as 4 of me!" "And this fish has a shocking reputation." "It's the giant electric eel, and it can generate up to 800 volts - enough to kill a man." "Black caiman also cruise these waters... but perhaps most spine chilling of all is the world's largest snake... the anaconda, thicker than my waist..." "and capable of swallowing me whole!" "Which is why I'm staying up here!" "There's one monster though, even the mighty river can't withstand, and that's the fury of the tropical wet season..." "In the tropics there are just two seasons, Wet and Dry." "But the Amazon basin is so huge, even if one part is drying out, somewhere within the river's reach it's always raining." "And when the wet season combines with melt water from the Andes... even the Amazon river is overwhelmed..." "The result is flooding on a massive scale." "But far from being a disaster, it produces the most amazing world of all-the flooded forest." "Around 120,000 square kilometres of rainforest is submerged." "This doesn't happen anywhere else - it's the largest flood on earth." "It's a surreal, fantastic place where one world suddenly becomes another..." "For half the year this forest is much like any other, but for the other half it's a topsy-turvy world that's stranger than fiction." "The trees are adapted to spend six months of the year standing in up to 20 metres of water." "Fish swim where flowers once grew..." "And a whole cast of forest creatures - from the tapir to the armadillo - has to sink or swim!" "The three-toed sloth now has to doggy paddle when it wants to change tree..." "While the water-loving jaguar has a more graceful style..." "And smaller creatures have emergency procedures too." "Fire ants link legs to make a raft and float their young to safety." "Anything that can climb heads upwards, to the treetops..." "Meanwhile, great shoals of fish invade the flooded trees... with all this brand new territory, it's bonanza time to feed and breed..." "a whole new world." "Fish take over the diet of the forest animals, plucking stranded insects from the water surface..." "But it's not just fish that take advantage of the floods." "Many trees release their fruit and seeds during this time..." "Some float away to colonise new areas, while others become fish food..." "Some fish help to disperse the seeds... a job that in a 'normal' forest would be done by animals, like monkeys and toucans." "But then, this is no ordinary jungle..." "Here, there's even the fish equivalent of a parrot... the pacu, which can crack nuts with its beak-like jaws..." "These waters may look cool and calm... but, believe me, you don't want to take a dip!" "There are lots of piranha in here." "Actually, piranhas aren't quite the bloodthirsty killers you might think." "They're only dangerous if there's blood in the water, or if they get trapped somewhere without enough food..." "But if they're hungry and overcrowded, just a whiff of blood can spark a feeding frenzy..." "But even the piranhas have their enemies..." "The packed shoals are juicy mouthfuls for the caiman's crushing jaws..." "Some hunters of the flooded forest don't make such a splash, though, which makes them much more difficult to see." "I'm looking for one of the most surprising and enchanting creatures in the entire Amazon..." "I've heard of an unusual way of attracting them." "I'm not entirely convinced, but let's give it a go..." "The reason I'm splashing the water and whistling and playing music, is that I am trying to lure one of the most mysterious animals in the Amazon..." "Apparently they are very curious and all this noise should grab their attention..." "I'm not sure if this is quite their scene." "No, still nothing." "Well, this is obviously a hit... a glimpse of a boto... a pink river dolphin!" "They just surfaced for a few seconds, which might be partly why they have such an intriguing reputation." "They're the stuff of Legends;" "local people here think that they might whisk women off into the night..." "I can't resist..." "I'm just going to have to go and see if I can get a closer look..." "The water's dark and murky, but the dolphins use echolocation to sense what's around them with sound." "And their flexible necks help them scan from side to side." "So they know what's going on..." "But I've got no idea where they are..." "so they can easily catch me out." "And they certainly have no problem catching fish." "They do look almost ghostly in the gloom..." "I'm not surprised the botos have such a magical reputation!" "Well, despite my top DJ mix, that's about all you get, just a tantalising glimpse." "The flooded forest is truly unique... and an extraordinary ending to my journey..." "Everything living here has to survive incredible extremes..." "Where else do trees swap flocks of birds for fish?" "But the flooded forest is just one part of the Amazon." "This massive rainforest, fed by towering mountains... creates a gigantic cradle of life... with more variety than anywhere else on earth." "Driven by clouds... sculpted by rivers and transformed by floods this is a waterworld that spans a continent." "Millions of animals and plants depend on it." "But if we take away the trees, the whole system will crumble... and the Amazon basin could dry out - forever." "Though that's just what we're doing." "Each year, areas the size of whole countries are being stripped of trees." "And recently the pace of destruction has increased to an alarming rate." "Imagine if this waterworld and all its life was turned to dust." "For now at least, the Amazon is still the biggest and richest rainforest on earth." "The challenge is to keep it that way..."