1 00:00:00,201 --> 00:00:04,010 (birds chirping) (light majestic music) 2 00:00:04,010 --> 00:00:06,803 Landscapes of bewitching beauty. 3 00:00:09,690 --> 00:00:11,690 Unique. (ethereal singing) 4 00:00:11,690 --> 00:00:13,990 Species rich. 5 00:00:13,990 --> 00:00:14,823 Exemplary. 6 00:00:21,530 --> 00:00:23,650 Because something extraordinary 7 00:00:23,650 --> 00:00:25,260 is happening here. 8 00:00:25,260 --> 00:00:28,380 These natural habitats remain in tact 9 00:00:28,380 --> 00:00:31,653 only because humans use and shape them. 10 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:36,089 A new pact with nature. (men yelling) 11 00:00:36,089 --> 00:00:38,256 (howling) 12 00:00:45,536 --> 00:00:50,536 (birds chirping) (ethereal music) 13 00:00:51,350 --> 00:00:56,280 Where sky, mountains, clouds and forest become one, 14 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,053 life flourishes. 15 00:01:02,081 --> 00:01:05,160 (steady instrumental music) (birds humming) 16 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,763 Ecuador's cloud forests are a paradise for birds. 17 00:01:10,870 --> 00:01:12,163 Amphibians. 18 00:01:13,300 --> 00:01:14,583 And mammals. 19 00:01:19,330 --> 00:01:20,610 But for centuries now, 20 00:01:20,610 --> 00:01:23,600 humans have been clearing the mountain forests 21 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:25,148 of the Andes. 22 00:01:25,148 --> 00:01:26,680 (animals calling) 23 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,330 They've had to give way to cattle pastures and roads. 24 00:01:34,740 --> 00:01:39,580 (cars honking) (sirens wailing) 25 00:01:39,580 --> 00:01:43,210 Ecuador's population is growing year by year. 26 00:01:43,210 --> 00:01:45,923 And pushing nature further and further back. 27 00:01:51,170 --> 00:01:54,070 Inhabitants and conservationists 28 00:01:54,070 --> 00:01:57,103 are looking for a way to preserve the forest. 29 00:01:58,370 --> 00:02:00,952 And at the same time, to profit from it. 30 00:02:00,952 --> 00:02:04,910 (ethereal singing) (bright instrumental music) 31 00:02:04,910 --> 00:02:09,273 Is it possible to save the last of the cloud forests? 32 00:02:10,908 --> 00:02:13,658 (birds chirping) 33 00:02:28,818 --> 00:02:30,969 (steady instrumental music) 34 00:02:30,969 --> 00:02:33,719 (water crashing) 35 00:02:36,038 --> 00:02:38,705 There's water here in abundance. 36 00:02:43,481 --> 00:02:44,314 (birds chirping) 37 00:02:44,314 --> 00:02:47,440 The Western side of the Andes in Ecuador 38 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,053 is one of the world's rainiest regions. 39 00:02:51,363 --> 00:02:52,400 (rain pattering) 40 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,300 It's an extreme climate, 41 00:02:54,300 --> 00:02:56,913 to which the flora and fauna have adapted. 42 00:03:06,490 --> 00:03:08,650 Hundreds of tree varieties 43 00:03:08,650 --> 00:03:11,253 compete for space on the steep slopes. 44 00:03:16,050 --> 00:03:17,920 On their trunks and branches, 45 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:20,490 they bear hanging gardens, 46 00:03:20,490 --> 00:03:22,560 bromeliads and other plants 47 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,433 that draw water and nutrients from the air. 48 00:03:26,580 --> 00:03:28,609 (steady instrumental music) 49 00:03:28,609 --> 00:03:31,490 (leaves rustling) 50 00:03:31,490 --> 00:03:33,240 The plant world is a feast 51 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,880 laid out for countless animals. 52 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,003 Capuchin monkeys tuck into leaves and fruit. 53 00:03:44,830 --> 00:03:48,433 And bizarre predators make rich pickings. 54 00:03:48,433 --> 00:03:51,346 (hissing) 55 00:03:51,346 --> 00:03:53,596 (chirping) 56 00:03:54,700 --> 00:03:56,363 Whether centipedes, 57 00:03:58,540 --> 00:03:59,603 frogs, 58 00:04:02,445 --> 00:04:04,240 or birds, 59 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,080 hardly any habitat feeds such a variety of species, 60 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,883 as the primeval forests of the Andes. 61 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:13,980 There's many a small paradise 62 00:04:13,980 --> 00:04:16,213 usually enveloped in mist. 63 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,660 The rain clouds, which move in from the Pacific Ocean, 64 00:04:23,660 --> 00:04:25,060 get caught in the mountains. 65 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:27,713 As around the town of Mindo. 66 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,490 The hills here are still green and full of trees. 67 00:04:33,490 --> 00:04:36,410 In Ecuador, that's the exception. 68 00:04:36,410 --> 00:04:38,900 So why is there still so much in tact 69 00:04:38,900 --> 00:04:41,003 cloud forest around Mindo? 70 00:04:41,885 --> 00:04:45,020 (upbeat music) 71 00:04:45,020 --> 00:04:47,550 Mindo's natural world attracts 72 00:04:47,550 --> 00:04:49,123 a very special species. 73 00:04:52,470 --> 00:04:53,850 Tourists. 74 00:04:53,850 --> 00:04:56,180 Looking for jungle adventures. 75 00:04:56,180 --> 00:04:58,780 The local inhabitants have grasped this 76 00:04:58,780 --> 00:04:59,973 as an opportunity. 77 00:05:11,815 --> 00:05:15,320 Henrry Patino is a small scale entrepreneur. 78 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,913 He owns a simple lodging house in the town. 79 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:23,333 He offers his guests a very special thrill. 80 00:05:26,027 --> 00:05:27,933 ♪ Yeah ♪ 81 00:05:27,933 --> 00:05:30,618 ♪ Yeah ♪ 82 00:05:30,618 --> 00:05:32,276 ♪ Yeah ♪ 83 00:05:32,276 --> 00:05:35,226 Riding the rapids on the River Mindo. 84 00:05:35,226 --> 00:05:37,031 ♪ Yeah ♪ 85 00:05:37,031 --> 00:05:39,864 (water splashing) 86 00:05:42,950 --> 00:05:44,730 It's not only Henrry Patino 87 00:05:44,730 --> 00:05:46,620 who benefits from the tourists, 88 00:05:46,620 --> 00:05:48,280 but his crew as well. 89 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:49,970 Youngsters from the village 90 00:05:49,970 --> 00:05:50,950 earn themselves a little 91 00:05:50,950 --> 00:05:52,530 when they accompany the visitors 92 00:05:52,530 --> 00:05:53,773 safely down the river. 93 00:05:55,714 --> 00:06:00,714 (water splashing) (laughing) 94 00:06:09,810 --> 00:06:12,180 This mixture of nature and action 95 00:06:12,180 --> 00:06:15,600 goes down well with a lot of younger tourists. 96 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:17,610 Mindo long since stopped being 97 00:06:17,610 --> 00:06:19,393 a sleepy Andean village. 98 00:06:26,964 --> 00:06:29,270 (dog barking) 99 00:06:29,270 --> 00:06:30,790 Year in, year out, 100 00:06:30,790 --> 00:06:34,300 this place attracts over 50,000 tourists 101 00:06:34,300 --> 00:06:37,240 from Ecuador and the rest of the world. 102 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:38,990 In recent years, it's grown, 103 00:06:38,990 --> 00:06:41,263 from a village into a small town. 104 00:06:56,283 --> 00:06:59,910 Mindo's Mariposario, the butterfly garden, 105 00:06:59,910 --> 00:07:03,820 offers close-up encounters with marvelous creatures. 106 00:07:03,820 --> 00:07:08,050 The staff here breed 25 varieties of butterfly, 107 00:07:08,050 --> 00:07:10,910 including the most colorful and shimmering species 108 00:07:10,910 --> 00:07:12,500 of this region. 109 00:07:12,500 --> 00:07:14,740 From caterpillar to butterfly, 110 00:07:14,740 --> 00:07:18,080 tourists can experience the fluttering diversity 111 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:19,789 of the tropical beauties. 112 00:07:19,789 --> 00:07:23,706 (speaking in foreign language) 113 00:07:28,650 --> 00:07:29,780 Mindo has learned 114 00:07:29,780 --> 00:07:31,800 to turn tropical nature 115 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,803 into a lucrative business model. 116 00:07:34,732 --> 00:07:38,537 (speaking in foreign language) 117 00:07:38,537 --> 00:07:39,370 In this community, 118 00:07:39,370 --> 00:07:42,212 90% of the people live from tourism. 119 00:07:42,212 --> 00:07:44,210 Directly or indirectly, 120 00:07:44,210 --> 00:07:46,223 it's an important economic factor. 121 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,890 Shops, restaurants, hotels, 122 00:07:50,890 --> 00:07:52,150 and the nature guides. 123 00:07:52,150 --> 00:07:53,763 It's all very positive for us. 124 00:07:56,710 --> 00:07:58,550 Many tourists come here, above all, 125 00:07:58,550 --> 00:08:01,383 for our world famous Mindo Nambio Forest Reserve. 126 00:08:04,951 --> 00:08:06,300 (upbeat instrumental music) 127 00:08:06,300 --> 00:08:07,490 This community has been 128 00:08:07,490 --> 00:08:10,570 protecting its cloud forest on its own initiative 129 00:08:10,570 --> 00:08:12,460 for over 30 years. 130 00:08:12,460 --> 00:08:14,870 And making a good living from it. 131 00:08:14,870 --> 00:08:17,583 That makes Mindo a trailblazer in Ecuador. 132 00:08:18,689 --> 00:08:19,522 (birds chirping) 133 00:08:19,522 --> 00:08:21,070 The great variety of plant life 134 00:08:21,070 --> 00:08:23,473 attracts flying gemstones. 135 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,310 Hummingbirds are truly airborne acrobats. 136 00:08:28,310 --> 00:08:31,030 They hover like mini helicopters. 137 00:08:31,030 --> 00:08:32,440 They're the only birds 138 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,319 who can even fly backwards. 139 00:08:35,319 --> 00:08:38,069 (birds chirping) 140 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:44,280 Hummingbirds are constantly 141 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:46,422 on the lookout for flowers. 142 00:08:46,422 --> 00:08:49,005 (bird humming) 143 00:08:53,670 --> 00:08:57,100 That's where the birds tank up on their fuel. 144 00:08:57,100 --> 00:08:57,993 Sweet nectar. 145 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,400 There are over 20 varieties of hummingbird 146 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,200 in Mindo alone. 147 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,670 Altogether, over 400 species of bird 148 00:09:12,670 --> 00:09:15,020 live in the town's vicinity. 149 00:09:15,020 --> 00:09:16,273 A world record. 150 00:09:17,710 --> 00:09:21,050 Mindo's example shows that mankind and nature 151 00:09:21,050 --> 00:09:23,830 need not be in opposition to each other. 152 00:09:23,830 --> 00:09:26,000 Forest conservation benefits 153 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,840 not only the hummingbirds and other animals, 154 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,080 but the communities human population 155 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,043 of over 2,000 as well. 156 00:09:34,433 --> 00:09:39,433 (birds chirping) (steady instrumental music) 157 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:44,820 But what functions so well in Mindo 158 00:09:44,820 --> 00:09:46,910 is the exception. 159 00:09:46,910 --> 00:09:49,780 Elsewhere, things usually look different. 160 00:09:49,780 --> 00:09:51,180 Nearly everywhere in Ecuador, 161 00:09:51,180 --> 00:09:54,380 the forests are being cleared for agriculture. 162 00:09:54,380 --> 00:09:58,730 The trees have to make way for fields and pasture land. 163 00:09:58,730 --> 00:10:01,870 Over 90% of the cloud forests 164 00:10:01,870 --> 00:10:04,193 have already been destroyed in this way. 165 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,480 The loss of the forests endangers thousands 166 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,663 of animal and plant species. 167 00:10:16,470 --> 00:10:18,893 And the soil is getting washed away. 168 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,810 Just 50 kilometers away from Mindo 169 00:10:28,810 --> 00:10:31,220 lies Toachi Valley. 170 00:10:31,220 --> 00:10:33,830 As nearly everywhere else in the Andes, 171 00:10:33,830 --> 00:10:36,150 agriculture is predominant here. 172 00:10:36,150 --> 00:10:37,690 And the few remaining forests 173 00:10:37,690 --> 00:10:39,533 are getting smaller and smaller. 174 00:10:40,565 --> 00:10:43,232 (water rushing) 175 00:10:47,105 --> 00:10:48,150 (camera shutter clicking) 176 00:10:48,150 --> 00:10:50,460 When the Italian Giovanni Onore 177 00:10:50,460 --> 00:10:53,680 first visited the valley over 30 years ago, 178 00:10:53,680 --> 00:10:55,760 this was all untouched forest, 179 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,940 full of animals. 180 00:10:57,940 --> 00:11:00,540 At the time, Onore was a professor of biology 181 00:11:00,540 --> 00:11:03,270 in Ecuador's capitol, Quito. 182 00:11:03,270 --> 00:11:05,720 And he fell in love at first sight 183 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:07,113 with Toachi Valley. 184 00:11:11,839 --> 00:11:14,540 (speaking in foreign language) 185 00:11:14,540 --> 00:11:17,600 It's a long time ago, back in 1980, 186 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:21,000 that I came upon virtually intact jungle here. 187 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:22,912 My paradise. 188 00:11:22,912 --> 00:11:26,780 One day, a friend came to visit, a beekeeper. 189 00:11:26,780 --> 00:11:28,700 He wanted to see the forest. 190 00:11:28,700 --> 00:11:30,030 So off we went, 191 00:11:30,030 --> 00:11:32,523 and marveled at the birds, 192 00:11:32,523 --> 00:11:35,510 the orchids, and the butterflies. 193 00:11:35,510 --> 00:11:38,833 Then suddenly, we heard a chainsaw. 194 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,063 Someone was felling trees. 195 00:11:45,168 --> 00:11:49,070 My friend asked, "Why are they cutting them down?" 196 00:11:49,070 --> 00:11:53,140 The answer is, poor people fell the trees to survive. 197 00:11:53,140 --> 00:11:55,900 To make way for pastures for cattle. 198 00:11:55,900 --> 00:11:57,400 And what can be done about it? 199 00:11:58,304 --> 00:11:59,137 Nothing. 200 00:12:02,582 --> 00:12:03,870 (steady music) 201 00:12:03,870 --> 00:12:05,440 But nevertheless, 202 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,960 Onore was determined to do something. 203 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:09,900 Apart from being a biologist, 204 00:12:09,900 --> 00:12:13,060 the Italian is also a Catholic churchman. 205 00:12:13,060 --> 00:12:15,010 As a monk and missionary, 206 00:12:15,010 --> 00:12:17,270 he keeps coming back to the region. 207 00:12:17,270 --> 00:12:20,250 He's fully aware that the people on the land 208 00:12:20,250 --> 00:12:21,733 need to make a living. 209 00:12:24,490 --> 00:12:27,600 Most of the people who live in the valley are farmers. 210 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,540 Many of them see land on which trees are growing 211 00:12:30,540 --> 00:12:33,253 with no cattle grazing as worthless. 212 00:12:35,630 --> 00:12:38,060 Giovanni Onore wants to help them 213 00:12:38,060 --> 00:12:40,183 find a way out of the dilemma. 214 00:12:44,030 --> 00:12:48,227 Can agriculture and nature exist side by side 215 00:12:48,227 --> 00:12:49,833 in the Toachi Valley region? 216 00:13:04,568 --> 00:13:06,253 (rooster cawing) 217 00:13:06,253 --> 00:13:11,253 (door slamming) (speaking in foreign language) 218 00:13:13,310 --> 00:13:14,660 In the mountains, 219 00:13:14,660 --> 00:13:18,440 Giovanni is meeting his old friend, Cesar Tapia. 220 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:22,160 Cesar is a farmer, like everybody else here. 221 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,903 He's also Onore's chief ally in the region. 222 00:13:27,179 --> 00:13:32,179 (light suspenseful music) (cattle mooing) 223 00:13:38,460 --> 00:13:41,130 At one time, Cesar also cut down 224 00:13:41,130 --> 00:13:44,403 more and more trees for more and more pasturage. 225 00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:51,010 But over the years, 226 00:13:51,010 --> 00:13:53,790 he's gradually become a kindred spirit 227 00:13:53,790 --> 00:13:55,800 for Giovanni Onore. 228 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,660 Because he also harbored a love of nature, 229 00:13:58,660 --> 00:14:01,100 of the plants, and of the multiplicity 230 00:14:01,100 --> 00:14:03,500 of animals in the forests. 231 00:14:03,500 --> 00:14:05,863 He wasn't happy to see them all disappearing. 232 00:14:06,909 --> 00:14:10,402 (animals calling) 233 00:14:10,402 --> 00:14:13,640 (chattering in foreign language) 234 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:15,860 The two friends made a pact. 235 00:14:15,860 --> 00:14:19,380 The missionary supported Cesar and his family, 236 00:14:19,380 --> 00:14:21,980 and arranged for the education of his nine children. 237 00:14:22,910 --> 00:14:26,320 In return, Cesar promised to help Giovanni. 238 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,050 Together, they wanted to save the forest. 239 00:14:29,050 --> 00:14:30,403 Or what was left of it. 240 00:14:31,557 --> 00:14:33,320 But would it be possible to recruit 241 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:35,673 other local farmers for their dream? 242 00:14:44,900 --> 00:14:47,530 Cesar opened doors for his friend 243 00:14:47,530 --> 00:14:49,930 to meet the people of the area. 244 00:14:49,930 --> 00:14:53,060 Today they are visiting a small sugar factory. 245 00:14:53,060 --> 00:14:54,410 Most of the families here 246 00:14:54,410 --> 00:14:56,540 earn just a few hundred dollars a year 247 00:14:56,540 --> 00:14:58,943 from sugar, vegetables, and milk. 248 00:15:00,062 --> 00:15:01,970 (speaking in foreign language) 249 00:15:01,970 --> 00:15:04,503 Most just manage to scrape by. 250 00:15:05,950 --> 00:15:07,050 In the large vats, 251 00:15:07,050 --> 00:15:10,220 the farmers boil down the juice of the sugarcane. 252 00:15:10,220 --> 00:15:12,280 The result is the panela, 253 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:13,960 brown cane sugar. 254 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,840 But the work is hard and doesn't pay much. 255 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,430 For most of the farmers, though, 256 00:15:18,430 --> 00:15:20,680 nature conservation seems like 257 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:24,129 the distant notion of rich people in the city. 258 00:15:24,129 --> 00:15:25,810 (rooster cawing) 259 00:15:25,810 --> 00:15:28,100 But many farmers could suddenly imagine 260 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:30,210 doing a deal with Giovanni, 261 00:15:30,210 --> 00:15:32,470 and selling him stretches of land 262 00:15:32,470 --> 00:15:36,099 which yield particularly low returns. 263 00:15:36,099 --> 00:15:37,717 (light music) 264 00:15:37,717 --> 00:15:40,490 Bits of land always remain unused. 265 00:15:40,490 --> 00:15:42,280 Especially on steep slopes, 266 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,590 Giovanni Onore found remnants 267 00:15:44,590 --> 00:15:46,890 of the old cloud forests. 268 00:15:46,890 --> 00:15:49,260 He collected money among friends in Europe, 269 00:15:49,260 --> 00:15:51,810 and bought parcels of land like this 270 00:15:51,810 --> 00:15:53,013 from the farmers. 271 00:15:55,183 --> 00:15:59,327 (speaking in foreign language) 272 00:15:59,327 --> 00:16:02,050 At the time, buying land was the only way, 273 00:16:02,050 --> 00:16:04,220 but it was a nightmare. 274 00:16:04,220 --> 00:16:06,310 I had to go to the surveyor's office, 275 00:16:06,310 --> 00:16:08,400 the lawyer, the notary. 276 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,910 Finally, I bought the first bit. 277 00:16:10,910 --> 00:16:12,120 I was applauded, 278 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,240 and received further donations. 279 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,860 And I bought more land. 280 00:16:15,860 --> 00:16:18,790 Again, I had the runaround with the authorities. 281 00:16:18,790 --> 00:16:20,963 All the red tape and bureaucracy. 282 00:16:27,130 --> 00:16:29,640 That's how it went on and on. 283 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,660 The forest grew and grew, 284 00:16:31,660 --> 00:16:34,013 and in the end, I fell in love with it. 285 00:16:36,510 --> 00:16:39,000 (light instrumental music) 286 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:40,210 Piece by piece, 287 00:16:40,210 --> 00:16:42,640 Giovanni Onore managed over decades 288 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:46,060 to put together a private conservation area. 289 00:16:46,060 --> 00:16:48,487 More than 1,500 hectares of land, 290 00:16:48,487 --> 00:16:52,275 for leaf cutter ants, and many other species. 291 00:16:52,275 --> 00:16:54,847 The biologist named his forest 292 00:16:54,847 --> 00:16:56,680 the Otonga Reserve, 293 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,510 after a giant earthworm that lives here. 294 00:16:59,510 --> 00:17:01,060 A foundation of the same name 295 00:17:01,060 --> 00:17:04,040 became the official owner of the reserve. 296 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:07,520 Giovanni made Cesar his administrator. 297 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,960 Don Cesar now oversees and protects 298 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:11,770 this natural paradise. 299 00:17:11,770 --> 00:17:14,770 He plants trees on the perch's pasturage. 300 00:17:14,770 --> 00:17:16,270 He lays down paths, 301 00:17:16,270 --> 00:17:18,120 thereby opening up the forest 302 00:17:18,120 --> 00:17:20,233 for biologist Giovanni Onore. 303 00:17:25,530 --> 00:17:26,930 But Giovanni the missionary 304 00:17:26,930 --> 00:17:28,630 is not yet satisfied. 305 00:17:28,630 --> 00:17:31,010 He wants not only to save the forest, 306 00:17:31,010 --> 00:17:34,100 but also to change attitudes towards it. 307 00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:35,980 He wants to infect the locals 308 00:17:35,980 --> 00:17:37,563 with his love of nature. 309 00:17:41,211 --> 00:17:42,150 (speaking in foreign language) 310 00:17:42,150 --> 00:17:44,580 Snakes are not necessarily dangerous 311 00:17:44,580 --> 00:17:47,370 because not every species is poisonous. 312 00:17:47,370 --> 00:17:50,040 But that's never interested many local inhabitants 313 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:51,570 who just killed every snake 314 00:17:51,570 --> 00:17:52,770 that crossed their path. 315 00:17:54,228 --> 00:17:58,145 (speaking in foreign language) 316 00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:03,470 This one is not poisonous. 317 00:18:03,470 --> 00:18:04,813 It's completely harmless. 318 00:18:05,866 --> 00:18:07,740 It can't even really bite. 319 00:18:07,740 --> 00:18:08,943 It's teeth are tiny. 320 00:18:13,100 --> 00:18:14,420 But he didn't just want people 321 00:18:14,420 --> 00:18:16,040 to look after snakes, 322 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:19,420 but to stop hunting in the protected forest. 323 00:18:19,420 --> 00:18:22,750 (speaking in foreign language) 324 00:18:22,750 --> 00:18:25,625 That wasn't easy for me. 325 00:18:25,625 --> 00:18:29,230 The people were used to hunting wild bore. 326 00:18:29,230 --> 00:18:31,053 Birds and armadillos. 327 00:18:32,540 --> 00:18:34,633 And now they were expected to give it up. 328 00:18:35,750 --> 00:18:38,333 You are a nasty person, they told me. 329 00:18:39,860 --> 00:18:41,080 It wasn't nastiness, 330 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:42,910 but love of nature that motivated 331 00:18:42,910 --> 00:18:44,900 Cesar and Giovanni. 332 00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:47,540 But that didn't really convince the locals. 333 00:18:47,540 --> 00:18:49,465 Many of them couldn't see what use 334 00:18:49,465 --> 00:18:51,593 the reserve was to them. 335 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:54,640 However fascinated the two were 336 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:56,250 by the remarkable way in which 337 00:18:56,250 --> 00:18:59,240 many species had adapted to the rainforest, 338 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,540 they had to think up a new plan for the locals. 339 00:19:02,540 --> 00:19:04,810 The conservation project had to be good, 340 00:19:04,810 --> 00:19:06,550 not only for the wildlife, 341 00:19:06,550 --> 00:19:08,950 but for the people in the Toachi Valley as well. 342 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:15,627 (Giovanni speaking in foreign language) 343 00:19:19,140 --> 00:19:20,440 The cloud forest 344 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:23,270 had to produce benefits for its neighbors. 345 00:19:23,270 --> 00:19:25,400 That became increasingly clear. 346 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,910 Preferably work and an income. 347 00:19:27,910 --> 00:19:28,910 If that didn't happen, 348 00:19:28,910 --> 00:19:30,743 the project had no future. 349 00:19:32,029 --> 00:19:35,589 (leaves rustling) 350 00:19:35,589 --> 00:19:37,228 (speaking in foreign language) 351 00:19:37,228 --> 00:19:38,470 You can buy anything with money. 352 00:19:38,470 --> 00:19:39,830 That's easy. 353 00:19:39,830 --> 00:19:42,110 But changing people's hearts 354 00:19:42,110 --> 00:19:43,510 is the hardest thing of all. 355 00:19:46,878 --> 00:19:50,030 (driving instrumental music) (traffic sounding) 356 00:19:50,030 --> 00:19:51,400 Whether Giovanni the monk 357 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:52,760 was to prove successful 358 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,750 depended less on help from Heaven above 359 00:19:55,750 --> 00:19:57,330 than on people seeing sense 360 00:19:57,330 --> 00:20:00,323 in nature protection throughout the country. 361 00:20:02,690 --> 00:20:04,920 His reserve is about two hours by car 362 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:06,353 from the capitol Quito. 363 00:20:15,250 --> 00:20:18,160 Here too, where now the world's highest 364 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:20,150 lying capitol is expanding, 365 00:20:20,150 --> 00:20:22,800 used to be dense cloud forests. 366 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,860 It's hard to believe that this was once 367 00:20:24,860 --> 00:20:27,320 a wild, natural landscape, 368 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:29,603 where large predators used to hunt. 369 00:20:31,470 --> 00:20:32,740 But this is still the case 370 00:20:32,740 --> 00:20:35,465 right on Quito's doorstep. 371 00:20:35,465 --> 00:20:37,890 Just 30 kilometers away, 372 00:20:37,890 --> 00:20:42,510 along a narrow path at an altitude of 2,800 meters, 373 00:20:42,510 --> 00:20:45,033 lies the small village of Yunguilla. 374 00:20:45,951 --> 00:20:49,850 (speaking in foreign language) 375 00:20:49,850 --> 00:20:51,510 Today, the villagers are holding 376 00:20:51,510 --> 00:20:52,943 a crisis meeting. 377 00:20:54,564 --> 00:20:58,400 Ecologist Santiago Molina has come from Quito 378 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,060 because there's a problem with an animal inhabitant 379 00:21:01,060 --> 00:21:02,740 of the district. 380 00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:04,740 A predator totally unexpected 381 00:21:04,740 --> 00:21:06,720 so close to a major city 382 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:08,403 is causing upset in Yunguilla. 383 00:21:09,999 --> 00:21:11,677 (dog barking) 384 00:21:11,677 --> 00:21:13,290 (speaking in foreign language) 385 00:21:13,290 --> 00:21:15,340 The men show Santiago Molina 386 00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:17,383 a shaky cell phone video. 387 00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:20,461 (speaking in foreign language) 388 00:21:20,461 --> 00:21:21,870 A large Andes bear 389 00:21:21,870 --> 00:21:25,554 is surprised in the process of killing a cow. 390 00:21:25,554 --> 00:21:29,471 (speaking in foreign language) 391 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:36,200 An unpleasant surprise for Santiago Molina, 392 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,430 because the predator is an old acquaintance. 393 00:21:39,430 --> 00:21:40,823 A bear called Yumbo. 394 00:21:42,908 --> 00:21:45,813 (speaking in foreign language) 395 00:21:45,813 --> 00:21:49,070 Yumbo is a bear that was found close by. 396 00:21:49,070 --> 00:21:50,583 Abandoned by his mother. 397 00:21:51,750 --> 00:21:54,010 It was obvious that if we didn't rescue him, 398 00:21:54,010 --> 00:21:54,883 he would die. 399 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,570 He was in a bad way, 400 00:21:58,570 --> 00:22:00,640 with fly eggs under his skin, 401 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:01,610 which showed that his mother 402 00:22:01,610 --> 00:22:03,930 had left him some days earlier. 403 00:22:03,930 --> 00:22:05,910 So we decided to rescue him, 404 00:22:05,910 --> 00:22:07,780 in order to release him again later on 405 00:22:07,780 --> 00:22:09,347 here in Yunguilla. 406 00:22:12,001 --> 00:22:14,501 (light music) 407 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,854 He stayed in a nursery for two years. 408 00:22:24,854 --> 00:22:27,830 And in 2015, we took him back 409 00:22:27,830 --> 00:22:29,430 to the place where we found him. 410 00:22:31,750 --> 00:22:32,920 He's the first bear to be 411 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:35,903 successfully released back into the wild in Ecuador. 412 00:22:39,540 --> 00:22:41,000 Yumbo's return to Yunguilla 413 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,180 was a media event locally. 414 00:22:43,180 --> 00:22:45,670 It took a lot of manpower to lift the by then 415 00:22:45,670 --> 00:22:49,328 fully grown bear into a large wooden crate. 416 00:22:49,328 --> 00:22:51,863 Yumbo's last stage in captivity. 417 00:23:01,060 --> 00:23:03,430 But how would the other bears in the area 418 00:23:03,430 --> 00:23:05,443 react to Yumbo's return? 419 00:23:14,209 --> 00:23:17,041 (speaking in foreign language) 420 00:23:17,041 --> 00:23:19,450 In this case, the other bears accepted him, 421 00:23:19,450 --> 00:23:20,663 because he was family. 422 00:23:21,644 --> 00:23:25,140 Oh, I know you. 423 00:23:25,140 --> 00:23:27,453 So, for two years, everything went well. 424 00:23:28,510 --> 00:23:30,760 Yumbo survived together with the other bears. 425 00:23:32,132 --> 00:23:34,860 But then, four months ago, 426 00:23:34,860 --> 00:23:36,853 he found a dead cow nearby. 427 00:23:40,727 --> 00:23:41,950 (light melancholy music) 428 00:23:41,950 --> 00:23:43,860 Cows sometimes stumble 429 00:23:43,860 --> 00:23:45,480 in the steep meadows. 430 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:48,970 Some fall and are so badly injured that they die. 431 00:23:48,970 --> 00:23:50,980 The cadaver is then an easy target 432 00:23:50,980 --> 00:23:52,143 for bears like Yumbo. 433 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,090 Once they have a taste for the meat, 434 00:23:55,090 --> 00:23:57,783 some move on to attack living cows. 435 00:24:07,390 --> 00:24:09,330 Understandably, that doesn't please 436 00:24:09,330 --> 00:24:10,833 the Yunguilla farmers. 437 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:13,950 But in the meantime, (rooster crowing) 438 00:24:13,950 --> 00:24:15,350 the villagers have come to see 439 00:24:15,350 --> 00:24:18,513 that they too can profit from the bears. 440 00:24:22,406 --> 00:24:24,860 (speaking in foreign language) 441 00:24:24,860 --> 00:24:27,423 Bears can also offer prospects for tourism. 442 00:24:28,273 --> 00:24:29,590 Visitors can see the animals here, 443 00:24:29,590 --> 00:24:31,390 living in their natural environment. 444 00:24:38,310 --> 00:24:39,680 To go bear watching, 445 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,530 people need to know how many bears there are, 446 00:24:42,530 --> 00:24:45,500 and where they are most likely to be found. 447 00:24:45,500 --> 00:24:46,720 So again and again, 448 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,260 Molina joins guides from Yunguilla 449 00:24:49,260 --> 00:24:50,943 on short expeditions. 450 00:24:54,146 --> 00:24:58,063 (speaking in foreign language) 451 00:25:06,690 --> 00:25:08,450 But it's not easy to locate 452 00:25:08,450 --> 00:25:12,257 bears in the wild. (engine rumbling) 453 00:25:12,257 --> 00:25:15,840 (light instrumental music) 454 00:25:23,150 --> 00:25:24,790 The search takes Molina 455 00:25:24,790 --> 00:25:26,650 and his guide Edison deeper 456 00:25:26,650 --> 00:25:28,273 and deeper into the forest. 457 00:25:29,892 --> 00:25:34,892 (leaves rustling) (blade hacking) 458 00:25:43,060 --> 00:25:44,823 But today, they don't see any. 459 00:25:45,830 --> 00:25:47,733 The trek isn't wasted, though. 460 00:25:56,090 --> 00:25:58,543 Modern technology comes to the rescue. 461 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,350 Molina and Edison have laid 462 00:26:03,350 --> 00:26:07,180 automatic photo and film traps everywhere. 463 00:26:07,180 --> 00:26:09,703 They're triggered by the smallest movement. 464 00:26:19,710 --> 00:26:21,933 And capture whatever's in front of the lens. 465 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,303 There are a lot of deer around Yunguilla. 466 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:33,433 And even pumas. 467 00:26:38,150 --> 00:26:41,890 Again and again, the cameras capture Andes bears as well. 468 00:26:44,002 --> 00:26:45,520 (speaking in foreign language) 469 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:47,740 Because of their distinctive marking, 470 00:26:47,740 --> 00:26:50,383 they're also known as spectacled bears. 471 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,963 Even if some don't have spectacles at all. 472 00:27:01,230 --> 00:27:03,700 Small predatory cats also appear 473 00:27:03,700 --> 00:27:04,963 in front of the camera. 474 00:27:05,844 --> 00:27:06,677 Ocelots. 475 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,623 And time after time, pumas. 476 00:27:21,730 --> 00:27:24,070 It was a surprise for the biologists 477 00:27:24,070 --> 00:27:26,910 just how many large predators go hunting 478 00:27:26,910 --> 00:27:28,793 so close to humans. 479 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,310 The conservationists attract the animals 480 00:27:34,310 --> 00:27:37,360 to their camera traps with a vanilla scent. 481 00:27:37,360 --> 00:27:39,660 Some bears love the perfume so much 482 00:27:39,660 --> 00:27:42,070 that they can't get enough of the bait. 483 00:27:42,070 --> 00:27:44,480 The biologists were able to identify 484 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:46,183 over 60 bears. 485 00:27:48,870 --> 00:27:51,340 (speaking in foreign language) 486 00:27:51,340 --> 00:27:52,530 For us scientists, 487 00:27:52,530 --> 00:27:54,480 and also for the people of Yunguilla, 488 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,960 it's good to know that we have bears here. 489 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,137 It's an attraction that helps people get to know the area, 490 00:28:00,137 --> 00:28:04,190 and the forest. 491 00:28:04,190 --> 00:28:06,473 If they're very lucky, they see a bear. 492 00:28:07,486 --> 00:28:10,520 If not, they can see one from the camera traps. 493 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:12,930 The spectacled bear is the only bear 494 00:28:12,930 --> 00:28:14,083 in South America. 495 00:28:15,090 --> 00:28:18,540 Everybody will be happy to see an Andes bear. 496 00:28:18,540 --> 00:28:21,453 Or at least to be there, where the bears live. 497 00:28:23,337 --> 00:28:27,630 (light instrumental music) 498 00:28:27,630 --> 00:28:30,050 The bears and the beauties of nature 499 00:28:30,050 --> 00:28:33,020 have already changed life in Yunguilla. 500 00:28:33,020 --> 00:28:36,090 The locals rent rooms to tourists. 501 00:28:36,090 --> 00:28:38,850 And would like to see a lot more visitors. 502 00:28:38,850 --> 00:28:41,840 But things have to develop at a gentle pace. 503 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,513 And benefit as many villagers as possible. 504 00:28:46,150 --> 00:28:48,430 This vegetable garden, for example, 505 00:28:48,430 --> 00:28:52,203 is part of the sustainable tourism concept of the village. 506 00:28:58,010 --> 00:28:59,620 Carrots and other vegetables 507 00:28:59,620 --> 00:29:01,493 are processed on the spot. 508 00:29:03,500 --> 00:29:04,920 In the new restaurant 509 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,343 that all the villagers have built together. 510 00:29:11,180 --> 00:29:13,860 The number of tourists coming to Yunguilla 511 00:29:13,860 --> 00:29:15,333 is still manageable. 512 00:29:21,180 --> 00:29:24,140 Most are on day trips from Quito. 513 00:29:24,140 --> 00:29:26,350 Around 5,000 visitors a year 514 00:29:26,350 --> 00:29:29,090 are already providing the people of Yunguilla 515 00:29:29,090 --> 00:29:31,267 with a bigger income than farming. 516 00:29:35,521 --> 00:29:38,271 (metal scraping) 517 00:29:39,233 --> 00:29:40,280 Young women from the community 518 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:41,900 use the milk from the cows 519 00:29:41,900 --> 00:29:44,960 to make queso de Yunguilla. 520 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,670 The villages own cheese dairy is a thriving business, 521 00:29:48,670 --> 00:29:52,683 because the tourists now also buy the local products. 522 00:29:54,950 --> 00:29:59,950 (speaking in foreign language) (water pattering) 523 00:30:05,830 --> 00:30:07,300 The locals keep coming up 524 00:30:07,300 --> 00:30:09,210 with new ideas. 525 00:30:09,210 --> 00:30:12,178 Some of the women process many papayas, 526 00:30:12,178 --> 00:30:13,723 and other fruit into jam. 527 00:30:20,970 --> 00:30:24,387 A popular souvenir made in Yunguilla. 528 00:30:32,043 --> 00:30:35,960 (speaking in foreign language) 529 00:30:38,060 --> 00:30:40,580 All of us in the community feel pride. 530 00:30:40,580 --> 00:30:43,080 When someone asks, where are you from? 531 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,600 We reply, I live in Yunguilla, 532 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:47,440 where we conduct village tourism, 533 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:48,707 where we protect nature, 534 00:30:48,707 --> 00:30:51,053 and where we improve peoples quality of life. 535 00:30:52,740 --> 00:30:54,210 That's why I believe everyone 536 00:30:54,210 --> 00:30:55,830 who lives here in Yunguilla 537 00:30:55,830 --> 00:30:57,490 and works on the project 538 00:30:57,490 --> 00:30:59,440 is very proud of what we're doing here. 539 00:31:03,980 --> 00:31:05,560 The initial successes 540 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,650 of sustainable tourism are enabling Yunguilla 541 00:31:08,650 --> 00:31:12,710 to become ever more involved in conservation. 542 00:31:12,710 --> 00:31:15,480 Hardly anyone is still felling trees. 543 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:19,460 Rather, Yunguilla is reforesting the forest. 544 00:31:19,460 --> 00:31:21,130 The seedlings for this are grown 545 00:31:21,130 --> 00:31:23,740 in the village tree nursery. 546 00:31:23,740 --> 00:31:27,200 Santiago Molina is happy to get hands on 547 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:28,853 when plants are involved. 548 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:34,720 It's the community that's important 549 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:36,520 for most of the locals. 550 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:39,343 So there's never a shortage of helping hands. 551 00:31:48,630 --> 00:31:51,500 The long term plan is to turn the pastures 552 00:31:51,500 --> 00:31:53,960 where the cows still graze today 553 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,630 back into a cloud forest. 554 00:31:56,630 --> 00:31:59,190 Biologists used to think it was impossible 555 00:31:59,190 --> 00:32:00,700 to bring the forest back, 556 00:32:00,700 --> 00:32:04,620 but it can be done if people lend a hand. 557 00:32:04,620 --> 00:32:06,910 But it's not enough simply to wait for the trees 558 00:32:06,910 --> 00:32:08,870 to spread themselves. 559 00:32:08,870 --> 00:32:12,793 The first trees have to be painstakingly planted out. 560 00:32:19,670 --> 00:32:22,300 It's exclusively indigenous species 561 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:25,070 that get this startup support. 562 00:32:25,070 --> 00:32:26,100 When they're bigger, 563 00:32:26,100 --> 00:32:29,020 other seeds brought in by birds and bats 564 00:32:29,020 --> 00:32:30,843 can germinate in their shadow. 565 00:32:34,900 --> 00:32:36,570 For that to happen on this meadow 566 00:32:36,570 --> 00:32:38,123 will take a few years yet. 567 00:32:45,612 --> 00:32:49,195 (light instrumental music) 568 00:32:50,450 --> 00:32:52,163 In the last 20 years, 569 00:32:52,163 --> 00:32:55,690 Yunguilla has reforested 3,000 hectares of land. 570 00:33:04,283 --> 00:33:06,370 What looks like virgin jungle 571 00:33:06,370 --> 00:33:09,120 is in fact recreated forest. 572 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:13,130 Not yet as species-rich as a primal cloud forest, 573 00:33:13,130 --> 00:33:16,193 but already pumas and bears are hunting here again. 574 00:33:21,830 --> 00:33:23,800 Santiago Molina is pleased 575 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:25,550 with developments to date. 576 00:33:25,550 --> 00:33:27,660 His dream is that other communities 577 00:33:27,660 --> 00:33:29,930 will follow Yunguilla's example, 578 00:33:29,930 --> 00:33:32,130 so that isolated areas of forest 579 00:33:32,130 --> 00:33:33,860 will grow together again 580 00:33:33,860 --> 00:33:36,193 into a large scale habitat for the bears. 581 00:33:41,550 --> 00:33:44,080 This would guarantee the long term survival 582 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:45,980 of the small bear population 583 00:33:45,980 --> 00:33:48,943 living so close to the major city of Quito. 584 00:33:56,220 --> 00:33:58,040 When the fruits of a species 585 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,110 of wild avocado ripen, 586 00:34:00,110 --> 00:34:03,480 it's the best time for biologists and tourists 587 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:06,760 to observe Andes bears in the wild. 588 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:08,150 They climb the trees to get 589 00:34:08,150 --> 00:34:09,873 to the small avocados. 590 00:34:11,002 --> 00:34:13,835 (leaves rustling) 591 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,093 Sometimes a branch has to make way. 592 00:34:18,722 --> 00:34:21,472 (bear grumbling) 593 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:25,270 And then the feast is there for the taking. 594 00:34:36,141 --> 00:34:38,724 (bear panting) 595 00:34:39,690 --> 00:34:42,714 Santiago Molina and the village of Yunguilla 596 00:34:42,714 --> 00:34:43,740 have already done a lot 597 00:34:43,740 --> 00:34:46,940 towards protecting the Andes bears. 598 00:34:46,940 --> 00:34:48,550 But there are other animals 599 00:34:48,550 --> 00:34:51,333 which people can't help on their own. 600 00:34:53,542 --> 00:34:55,007 (camera shutter clicking) 601 00:34:55,007 --> 00:34:58,674 (upbeat instrumental music) 602 00:35:00,810 --> 00:35:03,120 In Quito, Ecuador's capitol, 603 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:05,610 specialists are using modern methods 604 00:35:05,610 --> 00:35:07,970 in a bid to save a whole group of animals 605 00:35:07,970 --> 00:35:10,163 threatened with gradual extinction. 606 00:35:11,045 --> 00:35:13,545 (dog barking) 607 00:35:15,029 --> 00:35:15,862 (door slamming) 608 00:35:15,862 --> 00:35:17,370 Morely Reid from Britain 609 00:35:17,370 --> 00:35:21,720 is an expert on lizards, snakes, newts, and frogs. 610 00:35:21,720 --> 00:35:23,830 He's returning today from an expedition 611 00:35:23,830 --> 00:35:26,020 to remote cloud forests. 612 00:35:26,020 --> 00:35:27,810 He'll be presenting his findings 613 00:35:27,810 --> 00:35:31,033 to the director of the Jambatu Frog Research Center. 614 00:35:44,890 --> 00:35:48,490 Ecuador is a paradise for amphibians. 615 00:35:48,490 --> 00:35:51,826 Nowhere else is home to as many different species. 616 00:35:51,826 --> 00:35:55,350 But this diversity is under threat. 617 00:35:55,350 --> 00:35:56,183 Leaf by leaf, 618 00:35:57,222 --> 00:35:59,030 walking very slowly up the river. 619 00:35:59,030 --> 00:36:01,770 And we spent two more nights looking for-- 620 00:36:01,770 --> 00:36:03,540 Luis Coloma founded 621 00:36:03,540 --> 00:36:07,070 the Jambatu Center because many species of frog 622 00:36:07,070 --> 00:36:09,220 are facing extinction. 623 00:36:09,220 --> 00:36:11,210 Mysterious fungal diseases 624 00:36:11,210 --> 00:36:15,620 are decimating countless amphibian species worldwide. 625 00:36:15,620 --> 00:36:18,850 Sadly, in Ecuador's forests, too. 626 00:36:18,850 --> 00:36:20,060 The animals are dying, 627 00:36:20,060 --> 00:36:22,100 even in places where their habitat 628 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:24,480 still seems fully intact. 629 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:27,750 During a trip, but managed to get 630 00:36:27,750 --> 00:36:29,520 a number of really interesting ones 631 00:36:30,420 --> 00:36:31,253 after we collected it. 632 00:36:31,253 --> 00:36:33,240 So I had that likely arrived 633 00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:35,230 at about 1:00 in the morning. 634 00:36:35,230 --> 00:36:36,530 I didn't get much sleep. Coloma wants 635 00:36:36,530 --> 00:36:39,850 to research the causes of the frog deaths. 636 00:36:39,850 --> 00:36:44,020 And save the endangered species of amphibian. 637 00:36:44,020 --> 00:36:46,123 Some frogs have become so rare 638 00:36:46,123 --> 00:36:48,970 that biologists have to spend a long time 639 00:36:48,970 --> 00:36:50,870 looking for the last of their species. 640 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:53,755 Some whistling notes as well. 641 00:36:53,755 --> 00:36:57,330 (speaking in foreign language) 642 00:36:57,330 --> 00:37:01,265 We have built an intensive care unit for frogs. 643 00:37:01,265 --> 00:37:04,020 In the laboratory, we're trying to breed 644 00:37:04,020 --> 00:37:06,980 and rescue varieties facing extinction. 645 00:37:06,980 --> 00:37:09,010 We'll then return them to the wild. 646 00:37:09,010 --> 00:37:10,800 Once we've understood the factors 647 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:12,180 that are threatening them. 648 00:37:15,667 --> 00:37:19,430 (driving instrumental music) 649 00:37:19,430 --> 00:37:20,980 With his research center, 650 00:37:20,980 --> 00:37:24,180 Luis Coloma has created a Noah's Ark 651 00:37:24,180 --> 00:37:25,760 for some of the rarest 652 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:28,183 and most beautiful of Ecuador's frogs. 653 00:37:29,368 --> 00:37:32,118 (frogs chirping) 654 00:37:33,620 --> 00:37:37,730 But researching and rescuing amphibians costs money, 655 00:37:37,730 --> 00:37:41,580 and in Ecuador, there's hardly any public research funding. 656 00:37:41,580 --> 00:37:44,130 To become independent of government funds, 657 00:37:44,130 --> 00:37:47,360 Coloma set up the Wikiri Company. 658 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,330 It's business concept is new, 659 00:37:49,330 --> 00:37:51,283 and not without controversy. 660 00:37:52,630 --> 00:37:54,780 The company and the research center 661 00:37:54,780 --> 00:37:56,500 share not only the same premises, 662 00:37:56,500 --> 00:37:58,950 but also the same know-how. 663 00:37:58,950 --> 00:38:01,270 They breed frogs. 664 00:38:01,270 --> 00:38:03,080 The difference is that Wikiri 665 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,560 sells the amphibians to enthusiasts 666 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:07,530 all over the world. 667 00:38:07,530 --> 00:38:09,470 That's legal, as long as the animals 668 00:38:09,470 --> 00:38:11,533 are born here in the laboratory. 669 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,580 Equipped with official certificates, 670 00:38:16,580 --> 00:38:20,330 the frogs are air freighted to their new owners. 671 00:38:20,330 --> 00:38:22,190 This is also intended to undermine 672 00:38:22,190 --> 00:38:24,913 international trafficking by smugglers. 673 00:38:27,328 --> 00:38:29,090 (speaking in foreign language) 674 00:38:29,090 --> 00:38:30,950 These people come to Ecuador 675 00:38:30,950 --> 00:38:34,550 and pay locals a pittance to collect frogs. 676 00:38:34,550 --> 00:38:37,330 Then, they smuggle the animals in their luggage 677 00:38:37,330 --> 00:38:39,393 to supply the international markets. 678 00:38:43,180 --> 00:38:45,199 This further decimates the populations, 679 00:38:45,199 --> 00:38:47,850 and not a penny stays in Ecuador. 680 00:38:47,850 --> 00:38:50,720 All the money flows to Europe, 681 00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:52,303 and other markets abroad. 682 00:38:58,650 --> 00:39:01,220 So the firm is dealing in frogs 683 00:39:01,220 --> 00:39:03,820 in order to protect frogs. 684 00:39:03,820 --> 00:39:07,280 This works because affluent frog fans 685 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,773 pay up to 600 Euros for rare amphibians. 686 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:15,290 It can take years to breed a species successfully. 687 00:39:15,290 --> 00:39:17,523 That makes the animals relatively expensive. 688 00:39:19,316 --> 00:39:22,066 (frogs chirping) 689 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:27,370 But a share of the profits, finances, 690 00:39:27,370 --> 00:39:30,450 Luis Coloma's research center. 691 00:39:30,450 --> 00:39:33,639 Another part is used to buy and conserve 692 00:39:33,639 --> 00:39:34,780 forest areas in Ecuador 693 00:39:34,780 --> 00:39:37,083 that are especially in need of protection. 694 00:39:47,090 --> 00:39:49,300 The trade in frogs also supports 695 00:39:49,300 --> 00:39:53,335 the work of biologist and monk Giovanni Onore. 696 00:39:53,335 --> 00:39:55,835 (saw buzzing) 697 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:03,150 Giovanni Onore is still looking for ways 698 00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:06,673 to protect his Otonga Reserve long term. 699 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:09,340 But the people of the region 700 00:40:09,340 --> 00:40:12,690 also need to profit from his cloud forest. 701 00:40:12,690 --> 00:40:15,823 So Giovanni is counting on paying guests. 702 00:40:17,090 --> 00:40:20,930 Helped by Italo, the son of his business director Cesar, 703 00:40:20,930 --> 00:40:23,540 he's building a small guest house. 704 00:40:23,540 --> 00:40:26,543 Giovanni employs only local workers. 705 00:40:28,533 --> 00:40:31,170 (saw buzzing) 706 00:40:31,170 --> 00:40:33,510 He has a very special clientele in mind 707 00:40:33,510 --> 00:40:35,220 for his guest house. 708 00:40:35,220 --> 00:40:38,907 He hopes to let the 30 rooms to students and scientists 709 00:40:38,907 --> 00:40:40,953 from home and abroad. 710 00:40:42,980 --> 00:40:45,620 Their field of research would then be 711 00:40:45,620 --> 00:40:47,713 directly on the hotel's doorstep. 712 00:40:49,045 --> 00:40:52,937 (speaking in foreign language) 713 00:40:52,937 --> 00:40:54,910 The hotel and its guests 714 00:40:54,910 --> 00:40:58,010 will yield enough to safeguard the forest. 715 00:40:58,010 --> 00:40:59,700 We need a watchman, 716 00:40:59,700 --> 00:41:01,870 someone to keep the paths open, 717 00:41:01,870 --> 00:41:04,450 someone to make sure the trees aren't felled. 718 00:41:04,450 --> 00:41:06,870 Someone to receive the guests. 719 00:41:06,870 --> 00:41:08,600 That creates jobs, 720 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:11,040 and at the same time, produces a profit 721 00:41:11,040 --> 00:41:12,693 to conserve the jungle. 722 00:41:14,652 --> 00:41:19,652 (upbeat instrumental music) (birds chirping) 723 00:41:22,790 --> 00:41:25,250 Even before the last finishing touches 724 00:41:25,250 --> 00:41:28,280 are made on Onore's jungle hotel, 725 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:30,860 the first guest registers. 726 00:41:30,860 --> 00:41:32,173 An old acquaintance. 727 00:41:35,790 --> 00:41:38,660 Morely Reid of the Jambatu Frog Center 728 00:41:38,660 --> 00:41:41,433 is visiting the reserve on one of his expeditions. 729 00:41:52,326 --> 00:41:54,410 Morely is looking for a species of frog 730 00:41:54,410 --> 00:41:56,440 that used to be common in this area, 731 00:41:56,440 --> 00:41:58,253 but today is increasingly rare. 732 00:42:13,670 --> 00:42:16,800 (chattering in foreign language) 733 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:18,540 The best chances of encountering 734 00:42:18,540 --> 00:42:22,430 this very special animal are along small streams 735 00:42:22,430 --> 00:42:23,733 where it's very wet. 736 00:42:24,850 --> 00:42:27,840 (speaking in foreign language) 737 00:42:27,840 --> 00:42:29,460 The scientist always carries 738 00:42:29,460 --> 00:42:31,410 a recording device to capture 739 00:42:31,410 --> 00:42:34,940 the typical croaking of all the different frogs. 740 00:42:34,940 --> 00:42:37,820 A song which the biologist doesn't recognize 741 00:42:37,820 --> 00:42:41,243 would indicate a new species still un-described. 742 00:42:42,280 --> 00:42:45,460 Until it's dark and the objects of study become active, 743 00:42:45,460 --> 00:42:47,930 the small group of researchers presses on 744 00:42:47,930 --> 00:42:49,143 into the forest. 745 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:56,330 On the way, the three of them make further discoveries. 746 00:42:56,330 --> 00:43:00,810 Morely has already noted over 200 species of snake. 747 00:43:00,810 --> 00:43:02,000 In the whole of Europe, 748 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:03,733 there are just 50 species. 749 00:43:05,319 --> 00:43:09,402 (chattering in foreign language) 750 00:43:14,240 --> 00:43:16,380 Giovanni Onore is fascinated 751 00:43:16,380 --> 00:43:19,350 by the emerald green anolis lizards. 752 00:43:19,350 --> 00:43:20,923 Which hunt on leaves. 753 00:43:24,790 --> 00:43:25,883 How angry it is. 754 00:43:26,827 --> 00:43:30,744 (speaking in foreign language) 755 00:43:36,890 --> 00:43:38,060 The lizard is bagged 756 00:43:38,060 --> 00:43:40,273 for closer examination later. 757 00:43:44,215 --> 00:43:49,215 (water splashing) (chatting in foreign language) 758 00:43:51,796 --> 00:43:54,546 (birds chirping) 759 00:44:02,023 --> 00:44:05,260 (light music) (animals chirping) 760 00:44:05,260 --> 00:44:06,630 As darkness falls, 761 00:44:06,630 --> 00:44:09,480 the frog concert begins. 762 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:11,570 Morely is keyed up about finding 763 00:44:11,570 --> 00:44:12,763 what he's looking for. 764 00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:23,520 The biologists push ever further 765 00:44:23,520 --> 00:44:24,653 into the undergrowth. 766 00:44:27,312 --> 00:44:30,423 (speaking in foreign language) 767 00:44:30,423 --> 00:44:31,800 Oh look, here's a snake. 768 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:33,313 Let's see if I can catch it. 769 00:44:34,487 --> 00:44:36,242 (rhythmic drumming) 770 00:44:36,242 --> 00:44:38,642 Still not the frog Morely is after. 771 00:44:42,440 --> 00:44:44,093 But then, success. 772 00:44:45,092 --> 00:44:46,820 (speaking in foreign language) 773 00:44:46,820 --> 00:44:48,194 Sitting on this leaf. 774 00:44:48,194 --> 00:44:50,524 (narrator speaking in foreign language) 775 00:44:50,524 --> 00:44:51,970 The gold nugget tree frog 776 00:44:51,970 --> 00:44:54,780 is a real beauty with huge eyes. 777 00:44:54,780 --> 00:44:57,223 An adaptation to life at night. 778 00:45:03,060 --> 00:45:05,230 I'm hoping we might hear some calling tonight, 779 00:45:05,230 --> 00:45:07,340 but so far, we haven't had any luck. 780 00:45:07,340 --> 00:45:08,800 It's a male or female? 781 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:11,940 That is most probably it's a male. 782 00:45:11,940 --> 00:45:14,933 You can see, it's a very nice golden yellow color. 783 00:45:15,960 --> 00:45:17,163 Big eyes. Yeah. 784 00:45:18,478 --> 00:45:20,880 (speaking in foreign language) 785 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:22,160 Morely isn't able 786 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:24,350 to record the croaking of the gold nugget 787 00:45:24,350 --> 00:45:26,580 tree frog on this occasion. 788 00:45:26,580 --> 00:45:29,963 But his hunt for frog calls is still successful. 789 00:45:35,410 --> 00:45:36,978 Yeah. 790 00:45:36,978 --> 00:45:38,363 I think it-- 791 00:45:38,363 --> 00:45:39,539 On the ground? 792 00:45:39,539 --> 00:45:41,160 I think it was just over there. 793 00:45:41,160 --> 00:45:43,743 (frog calling) 794 00:45:46,040 --> 00:45:48,769 (speaking in foreign language) 795 00:45:48,769 --> 00:45:51,019 (chirping) 796 00:45:52,681 --> 00:45:53,981 Yes, it's recording now. 797 00:45:55,366 --> 00:45:58,033 (frog chirping) 798 00:46:08,670 --> 00:46:10,240 Male frogs croak 799 00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:12,993 in order to attract females willing to mate. 800 00:46:21,110 --> 00:46:23,800 Frog researchers like Morely Reid, though, 801 00:46:23,800 --> 00:46:26,693 are interested in the croaking for other reasons. 802 00:46:30,960 --> 00:46:33,060 The more songs that are known, 803 00:46:33,060 --> 00:46:35,580 the easier nature conservation becomes 804 00:46:35,580 --> 00:46:36,883 in the dense jungle. 805 00:46:37,770 --> 00:46:40,970 If a particular frog song is heard less and less, 806 00:46:40,970 --> 00:46:43,783 it's a warning that the species is endangered. 807 00:46:45,846 --> 00:46:48,596 (frogs chirping) 808 00:46:55,560 --> 00:46:57,470 At worse, like so many others, 809 00:46:57,470 --> 00:46:59,393 it can die out altogether. 810 00:47:01,918 --> 00:47:05,835 (speaking in foreign language) 811 00:47:13,230 --> 00:47:15,040 Giovanni Onore uses the night 812 00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:17,620 for his own scientific research. 813 00:47:17,620 --> 00:47:20,400 His specialty is insects. 814 00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:22,670 With a bright light and a white sheet, 815 00:47:22,670 --> 00:47:25,106 he can attract moths. 816 00:47:25,106 --> 00:47:29,023 (speaking in foreign language) 817 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:41,820 No other animal group 818 00:47:41,820 --> 00:47:45,513 in the cloud forest has as many species as insects. 819 00:47:47,330 --> 00:47:50,430 There are an estimated 60,000 820 00:47:50,430 --> 00:47:53,760 different butterflies and moths here. 821 00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:55,270 There are as many varieties 822 00:47:55,270 --> 00:47:57,960 of butterflies and moths in the cloud forest 823 00:47:57,960 --> 00:48:00,240 as there are of vegetation. 824 00:48:00,240 --> 00:48:03,633 Most of them are dependent on just a few plants. 825 00:48:09,689 --> 00:48:13,356 (steady instrumental music) 826 00:48:15,850 --> 00:48:17,770 A healthy cloud forest, though, 827 00:48:17,770 --> 00:48:20,080 doesn't benefit just the insects, 828 00:48:20,080 --> 00:48:23,050 but the humans living nearby as well. 829 00:48:23,050 --> 00:48:26,550 The trees capture the water out of the clouds, 830 00:48:26,550 --> 00:48:27,693 and purify it. 831 00:48:32,930 --> 00:48:35,470 Clean water has long been taken for granted 832 00:48:35,470 --> 00:48:37,400 in rainy Ecuador. 833 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:40,450 But intact rainforests are crucial 834 00:48:40,450 --> 00:48:43,423 as a natural supplier of pure drinking water. 835 00:48:44,298 --> 00:48:47,048 (water crashing) 836 00:48:50,303 --> 00:48:53,100 (speaking in foreign language) 837 00:48:53,100 --> 00:48:55,313 Nature has its own value. 838 00:48:57,206 --> 00:48:59,406 More and more people are understanding that. 839 00:49:00,920 --> 00:49:03,460 Politicians come from the town in the region, 840 00:49:03,460 --> 00:49:06,093 looking for water here for their inhabitants. 841 00:49:07,665 --> 00:49:09,940 The doctors say, 842 00:49:09,940 --> 00:49:13,243 the clean water means fewer gastrointestinal diseases. 843 00:49:15,930 --> 00:49:18,320 There's a direct link between humans 844 00:49:18,320 --> 00:49:19,823 and nature conservation. 845 00:49:22,900 --> 00:49:24,594 I've got a photo of it. 846 00:49:24,594 --> 00:49:25,911 We found, where did we find? 847 00:49:25,911 --> 00:49:28,570 Morely Reid and Giovanni Onore 848 00:49:28,570 --> 00:49:30,950 use the following morning to analyze 849 00:49:30,950 --> 00:49:32,853 what they caught in the night. 850 00:49:34,116 --> 00:49:34,949 That's what I know. 851 00:49:34,949 --> 00:49:35,782 It's alright. Yeah. 852 00:49:37,070 --> 00:49:39,753 In the very first bag, a rarity. 853 00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:45,130 In Ecuador's rainforests, 854 00:49:45,130 --> 00:49:48,140 there are snakes with a very special diet. 855 00:49:48,140 --> 00:49:51,490 Snails are on the menu of this slender beauty. 856 00:49:51,490 --> 00:49:53,620 Using their small pointed teeth, 857 00:49:53,620 --> 00:49:55,993 they pull the prey from their shells. 858 00:49:58,120 --> 00:49:59,540 I'm trying to get the head side on... 859 00:49:59,540 --> 00:50:02,129 More and more varieties of snake 860 00:50:02,129 --> 00:50:03,990 are being discovered in Ecuador. 861 00:50:03,990 --> 00:50:06,910 Almost every one of Morely Reid's expeditions 862 00:50:06,910 --> 00:50:09,430 comes back with something new. 863 00:50:09,430 --> 00:50:10,340 With the yula. 864 00:50:11,201 --> 00:50:12,934 Beautiful colorful. 865 00:50:12,934 --> 00:50:15,059 To land. 866 00:50:15,059 --> 00:50:18,293 Frogs, snakes, insects. 867 00:50:19,457 --> 00:50:21,330 In the cloud forests of the Andes, 868 00:50:21,330 --> 00:50:24,253 biologists still have a lot to discover. 869 00:50:25,120 --> 00:50:26,620 For Giovanni Onore, 870 00:50:26,620 --> 00:50:29,770 that's the greatest value of the forest. 871 00:50:29,770 --> 00:50:33,853 And the strongest argument for preserving his paradise. 872 00:50:35,200 --> 00:50:37,620 That's why I invite researchers. 873 00:50:37,620 --> 00:50:39,260 When they find something new, 874 00:50:39,260 --> 00:50:44,010 they name it Otongico, or Otongensus, after the reserve. 875 00:50:44,010 --> 00:50:45,320 It's a clear message. 876 00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:46,260 Don't touch. 877 00:50:46,260 --> 00:50:48,510 Here is biodiversity. 878 00:50:48,510 --> 00:50:50,910 What laws and politicians fail to do, 879 00:50:50,910 --> 00:50:52,443 scientists achieve. 880 00:50:54,253 --> 00:50:55,086 (upbeat instrumental music) 881 00:50:55,086 --> 00:50:57,180 Giovanni Onore is confident 882 00:50:57,180 --> 00:50:59,870 that his approach will work. 883 00:50:59,870 --> 00:51:04,030 People and nature can benefit from each other. 884 00:51:04,030 --> 00:51:05,720 If used carefully, 885 00:51:05,720 --> 00:51:09,770 the magnificent cloud forests are not lost. 886 00:51:09,770 --> 00:51:11,773 Instead, they even grow back. 887 00:51:25,278 --> 00:51:30,278 (water splashing) (laughing)