1
00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,880
Nestled in the northeastern corner
of Argentina...

2
00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:15,760
the Iberá wetlands.

3
00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,720
This is a diverse water world
teeming with wildlife...

4
00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,080
hundreds of animal species,

5
00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:29,520
and over 1,000 different plants
flourish in this tropical Eden.

6
00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,480
But this strange paradise
is not without its perils.

7
00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,200
Stalking the shadows
of the river boughs,

8
00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,320
and lurking beneath the surface
of the tranquil waters,

9
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,880
hidden killers lie in wait.

10
00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,040
Above the hunters,
monkeys haunt pockets of forest...

11
00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,000
giant birds
adorn the tops of the trees,

12
00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:02,560
and the smallest creatures
glitter and dance.

13
00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,560
But even in Eden,
beauty can be deceiving.

14
00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,960
The Iberá wetlands
of northern Argentina

15
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,760
are still one of Earth's
secret wonders.

16
00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:06,680
Secluded swamps...

17
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:10,640
grassy marshes...

18
00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:13,200
and deep sunlit lagoons...

19
00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,720
spill out across
13,000 square kilometers.

20
00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,240
Such an expanse,
that this kingdom of water

21
00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:30,840
covers an area over 16 times
the size of New York City.

22
00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,720
Long, hot sunny days

23
00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,320
make Iberá
a riot of vibrant colors.

24
00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,040
In the language
of Iberá's first inhabitants,

25
00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,080
ts name means brilliant waters.

26
00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,880
And it's easy to see why.

27
00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,600
Over 20% of Argentina's biodiversity

28
00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,840
can be found
in this patch of paradise.

29
00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,480
Underneath the glassy waters
and sandy soils

30
00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,680
s one of the most important
freshwater reservoirs

31
00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:19,160
on the continent.

32
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,760
In rare periods of drought,
the reservoir feeds the wetlands...

33
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,440
ensuring the leaves never brown
and the flowers never wilt.

34
00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,080
But not all is as it seems
in this water wonderland.

35
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,400
Amongst the color,

36
00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,600
the wetlands' most dangerous
residents are hard to find.

37
00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,200
But as the dry season
nears its peak,

38
00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,680
stifling humidity heralds
their sudden appearance.

39
00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:04,880
It's July.

40
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,920
At this time of year,
the water level of the wetlands

41
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,440
s at its lowest.

42
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,120
The stagnant pools have shrunk,

43
00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,640
and grown warm
in the daily 30-degree heat.

44
00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,960
In the middle of the day,
Iberá is quiet.

45
00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:42,040
All of the wetland wildlife
seeks silence and shade.

46
00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,080
Except for one resident.

47
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,760
Yacare caiman,
a member of the crocodilian family,

48
00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:08,680
have been forced together
by the ever-dwindling pools.

49
00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,880
Though these caiman are
relatively small for their species,

50
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,640
with males averaging
over two meters long...

51
00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,280
t's still
an uncomfortable crush...

52
00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,320
and tensions are running high.

53
00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,320
It's now that the normally silent
inhabitants of these water worlds

54
00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,480
draw attention to themselves.

55
00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,160
A female senses her moment...

56
00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,960
and with a grunt indicates her
presence to the males around her.

57
00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,920
Initiating a strange ritual.

58
00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,840
Lifting his head
and arching his tail,

59
00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,360
this male inflates his throat.

60
00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:35,080
And the water dances
with an infrasonic boom.

61
00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,440
Other males respond in turn.

62
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,920
This mysterious ceremony
is thought to indicate strength.

63
00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:11,000
Only the toughest will earn the
right to father the next generation.

64
00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,440
For a creature so often the villain
of the wetlands,

65
00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,480
this is an oddly democratic way
to assert one's authority.

66
00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,600
As the water falls still once again,

67
00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:49,840
the hierarchy
has been established.

68
00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,160
When the dry season
draws to a close,

69
00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,800
this female will know
who to mate with.

70
00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,600
But while the water levels are low,

71
00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,000
there are more pressing
matters at hand.

72
00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,920
It isn't only the caiman who have
been marooned by the shallows.

73
00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,880
Fish, too, flounder
in the warm waters.

74
00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,960
As vegetation in the water rots,
it consumes oxygen,

75
00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,360
stagnating and starving
the small pools.

76
00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,520
It's now that the wetland
gives up its treasure.

77
00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,200
In their desperation for oxygen,

78
00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,920
fish are driven to the surface
of the water...

79
00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:41,440
nto hungry beaks.

80
00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:50,560
Over 300 different species of
wetland birds are waiting for them.

81
00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,320
Herons, storks and egrets
share the bounty...

82
00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:01,040
wading their way through the
shallows easily picking off victims.

83
00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:20,000
In the Iberá wetlands of Argentina,
isolated in a tree-top fortress,

84
00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,400
hides a bird so large and so strange

85
00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,720
that it appears to be
from the age of dinosaurs.

86
00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:40,360
This is a jabiru,

87
00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:43,720
the tallest flying bird
in South America,

88
00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,560
standing at around
one-and-a-half meters.

89
00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,480
Despite their colossal size,
these are shy animals,

90
00:09:54,560 --> 00:09:57,320
and raise their chicks
in relative privacy.

91
00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,200
Their name means swollen neck.

92
00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,360
This band of brightly colored skin

93
00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,960
acts as indicator
for the jabiru's mood.

94
00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:14,640
The more scarlet the coloration,
the more irritated the bird.

95
00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:20,560
Despite their shyness,

96
00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,920
they won't hesitate
to aggressively defend their nest.

97
00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,680
It will be another two months before
the chicks are really to fledge.

98
00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:40,000
By then they will be
almost fully grown.

99
00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,200
Life in a jabiru nest
can get very crowded.

100
00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,560
If the nest
wasn't already busy enough,

101
00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,640
monk parakeets
have moved in underneath...

102
00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,760
and seem intent on undoing
the jabiru's construction.

103
00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,120
They make for extremely
noisy neighbors.

104
00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,360
It's a smart move for the parakeets.

105
00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,840
The jabiru will fend off
any potential predator

106
00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,480
from their nests, too.

107
00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,240
Others haven't been so lucky.

108
00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,680
This lone male parakeet
has just returned

109
00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,840
to find his nest
totally devastated.

110
00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,840
It becomes clear who the culprit is.

111
00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,680
A caracara is enjoying
a post-meal preen.

112
00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,040
The normally busy home is empty.

113
00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:23,720
His whole family are gone.

114
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,000
But there isn't time to mourn.

115
00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,080
Dark clouds are gathering.

116
00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,000
As October approaches,

117
00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,840
huge electrical storms
appear on the horizon.

118
00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,120
The rainy season has arrived.

119
00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,280
Rivers swell,
and burst over floodplains.

120
00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:13,320
As much as 20 centimeters
falls in the space of 24 hours.

121
00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,120
The wildlife of the wetlands
takes cover.

122
00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,760
In the weeks
that follow the downpour,

123
00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,640
Iberá's marshes and lagoons
become a riot of color.

124
00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:08,160
Water hibiscus envelops the wetlands
with purple blooms...

125
00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,720
and dry yellow grasses flush green.

126
00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:25,040
In November, with the wetlands
finally refreshed by the rains,

127
00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,720
Iberá becomes a hive of activity.

128
00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,960
The rainy season sparks
a baby boom in the wetlands.

129
00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:40,440
It's the busiest time of year
for the largest rodent in the world.

130
00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:41,920
Capybara.

131
00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,040
These water beasts
can weigh up to 79 kilos.

132
00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,880
They're well adapted
to an aquatic existence.

133
00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,880
Their body density
is only slightly higher than water,

134
00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:06,680
giving them perfect buoyancy...

135
00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:14,200
and partially webbed feet
make them incredible swimmers.

136
00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,880
A capybara's eyes, ears and nostrils

137
00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,720
are also positioned high
on their heads,

138
00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:26,200
so they can stay submerged
as long as they want.

139
00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,040
Normally,
they're pretty lazy creatures,

140
00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,040
but the rains ignite
a sudden burst of energy.

141
00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,960
Capybara aren't fussy
when it comes to choosing a mate.

142
00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,400
Males and females will mate
with numerous partners.

143
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,720
But the females
don't just give it up.

144
00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,040
The attention of a male
isn't always welcome.

145
00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,360
Fortune hasn't been kind
to this male.

146
00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,040
He's smaller than most...

147
00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,680
but, luckily, for a capybara,

148
00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,400
t's all about being in
the right place at the right time.

149
00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,560
But it doesn't mean the female
is going to make it easy for him.

150
00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,200
The thrill is in the chase.

151
00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,840
These games could go on all day...

152
00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,320
but he's determined to win her over.

153
00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:00,960
When he finally catches up...

154
00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:03,800
the reward is brief.

155
00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:20,280
In 150 days,
she'll give birth to his legacy...

156
00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,040
and if he's really lucky,
so will many others.

157
00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,840
In Argentina there's a baby boom

158
00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,440
for the largest rodent
in the world,

159
00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,160
the capybara.

160
00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,360
In Iberá's capybara society,

161
00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,920
the responsibilities of parenting

162
00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,880
are shared amongst
other females in the group.

163
00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,840
Most mothers seem neither to know
nor care which baby is her own.

164
00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,760
But the young capybara learn fast.

165
00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,160
They learn to graze
after one week...

166
00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:12,800
are fully weaned at three months...

167
00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,000
and travel in groups together
for safety.

168
00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,600
But they get tired very easily
at this age,

169
00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:24,400
which makes them vulnerable.

170
00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,560
Life is perilous
for a little capybara.

171
00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:42,120
As night draws in,
capybara leave the water

172
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,120
to sleep in the grassy islands
dotted around the wetlands.

173
00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,280
But the night brings terrors.

174
00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:00,800
There are monsters lurking.

175
00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,040
Caiman do most of their hunting
when the sun goes down.

176
00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:37,960
A baby capybara has fallen victim
to Iberá's very own villain.

177
00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,760
But then a caiman has to eat, too.

178
00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:03,080
Caiman aren't immune to
the hidden dangers of the wetlands.

179
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,800
Even an armored giant has enemies.

180
00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,600
Like most reptiles,
caiman are cold-blooded.

181
00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:25,760
They rely on the hot Argentine sun
to raise their body temperature.

182
00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,360
This early in the morning,
they're out in force,

183
00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,200
soaking up the sun.

184
00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,840
But their daily warm-up
leaves them exposed.

185
00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:56,680
The caiman has reason to fear.

186
00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,800
The jaguar is the top predator
of neotropical forests,

187
00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:04,880
but now they are more often found

188
00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,280
n the continent's legends
than the landscape.

189
00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,760
Humans have hunted jaguar to prevent
them stealing their livestock.

190
00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:16,200
Now, they are only occasionally
seen in Argentina.

191
00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:20,200
But they still roam
the Atlantic Forest and waterways

192
00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:21,840
not far from Iberá.

193
00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,280
Relative to weight, jaguars
have one of the strongest bites

194
00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:28,360
of all big cats in the world.

195
00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,440
This male could easily
chew through a turtle's shell...

196
00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,520
so a caiman would pose no problem.

197
00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,800
He's the king, and he's hungry.

198
00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:52,840
Hiding in the long grass
won't help the caiman now.

199
00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:22,200
The jaguar's incredible jaws
easily puncture the caiman's armor.

200
00:22:28,360 --> 00:22:32,560
It's a rare payback for the
greediest hunters of the wetlands.

201
00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:44,280
No one seems to notice the drama.

202
00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:46,720
Routines resume.

203
00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,040
As soon as they are warm enough,

204
00:22:52,120 --> 00:22:55,440
the caiman slink back
to the shallows.

205
00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:01,200
A safer distance
from the lethal jaws of the jaguar.

206
00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:10,200
In Iberá, Argentina's wetlands,

207
00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,080
with water levels
at their highest of the year,

208
00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:16,440
fishing becomes an art form
for yacare caiman.

209
00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,800
But they've been doing it
since the dinosaurs.

210
00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,960
They float just below
the surface of the water,

211
00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:33,080
with their legs spaced wide apart.

212
00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:43,640
Staying perfectly still they pick up
the vibrations of passing fish.

213
00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:50,640
They bide their time.

214
00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,920
They'll only expend precious energy
for a big enough fish.

215
00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:07,680
And when it comes...

216
00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,640
their reactions are lightning-fast.

217
00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,960
Any fish could become
an unlucky victim...

218
00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:32,160
but a yacare caiman's favorite meal
is the piranha.

219
00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,120
In the brilliant waters
of the wetlands,

220
00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,200
piranha steal the show
with their glittering scales.

221
00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:47,400
These fish
are ancient inhabitants of Iberá.

222
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,760
Their ancestors were freshwater
residents of the continent

223
00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:53,200
over 25-million years ago.

224
00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:58,800
These are social fish,
and travel together in shoals.

225
00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,760
Despite their ferocious reputation
and scary teeth,

226
00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:12,040
piranhas aren't known to attack
large mammals unprovoked.

227
00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,680
But if another fish
strays too close,

228
00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,880
t only takes one piranha
to make the first move.

229
00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,960
Nipping the fin of a passer-by...

230
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,680
before the others follow
and a frenzy begins.

231
00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:36,320
The piranha
strip the meat from the bones.

232
00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,920
Their tooth enamel structure
is similar to a shark's.

233
00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,480
Interlocking teeth make light work
of shredding their meal.

234
00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:50,640
It's over in minutes.

235
00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,680
These voracious fish can be found
all over South America.

236
00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,320
Linked by the great river systems

237
00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,400
that still weave their way
across the continent.

238
00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,080
The Iberá wetlands cover

239
00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,920
what was once the meandering
channels of the Paraná River.

240
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:24,440
After the Amazon, this is the
largest river in South America.

241
00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,400
It once flowed freely
across these lands,

242
00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:33,840
but tectonic activity forced it
to carve its course westwards.

243
00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,920
Its ancient tracks
are still evident today.

244
00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,160
Lakes have formed
in the place of ancient eddies,

245
00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,000
and shallow rivers
follow the deepest grooves

246
00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,440
nflicted by the fierce currents
of the old river.

247
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,880
Now the wetlands
behave like a dam...

248
00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,400
trapping rain in the depressions
of the ancient riverbed...

249
00:27:03,360 --> 00:27:08,040
and filtering water down into one of
the largest underground reservoirs

250
00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:09,640
n the world.

251
00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,800
Cut off from much of Argentina...

252
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,400
these wetlands are pristine.

253
00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,680
Wildlife has flourished.

254
00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:35,200
Small pockets of subtropical forest
are dotted all over the wetlands.

255
00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,280
They are a reminder of Iberá's past.

256
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:49,160
These forests once stood on islands
in the Paraná River basin.

257
00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,480
Today they remain disconnected.

258
00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,560
And are still occupied
by an old resident.

259
00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:09,240
In the early morning a strange call
sounds out from one of the islands.

260
00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:16,960
This ghostly noise
is from Iberá's only primates.

261
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:22,920
Howler monkeys.

262
00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:32,480
Every morning they howl
to let other troops in the area

263
00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:33,960
know their position.

264
00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:45,760
These pockets of forest are prime
real estate for howler monkeys.

265
00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:48,880
It's important
they keep their distance.

266
00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:00,360
The males have specialized
vocal chambers

267
00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:02,880
to help them project their calls.

268
00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,240
Their voices carry
up to five kilometers away.

269
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:16,400
Males are jet black,

270
00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,200
but the females and young are gold.

271
00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,800
This is thought to help the males
know who to fight with,

272
00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,720
and the females who to mate with.

273
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:35,520
After their morning ritual

274
00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,920
they lazily forage for food,
and nap during the hottest hours.

275
00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,840
It might seem
like an easy life now,

276
00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:14,040
but dangers await
the youngest members of the group.

277
00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:19,160
When they reach adolescence,
they will have to cross the wetlands

278
00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:22,440
under the cover of darkness
to join a new group.

279
00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,720
It's a daunting initiation
into adulthood.

280
00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:30,920
The stretches
between patches of forest

281
00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,080
can be several kilometers wide...

282
00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:39,040
and there's no guarantee
of being accepted once they arrive.

283
00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,800
The howler monkeys
aren't the only residents

284
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,760
of this northern corner
of Argentina,

285
00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,560
who have to contend
with perilous journeys.

286
00:30:56,040 --> 00:31:01,040
A tiny creature has a way of making
its mark on Iberá's landscape.

287
00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:05,440
Their tracks signal their presence
all over the wetland.

288
00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,720
These tracks
have been worn into the ground

289
00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:11,800
by up to eight-million
leafcutter ants.

290
00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,320
And the nest could be
over five meters deep.

291
00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:28,000
These ants are highly organized
little creatures.

292
00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,480
Like all ant societies,
every leafcutter has a role

293
00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,680
that they are specially adapted to.

294
00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,400
These ants are one
of the largest in the colony.

295
00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,080
They shear off pieces of leaf

296
00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,480
by vibrating their jaws
1,000 times a second.

297
00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:04,880
And drop the goods down to
a waiting convoy of smaller ants...

298
00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,720
who then transport it
back to the nest.

299
00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,760
Back in the nest,
these tiny pieces of vegetation

300
00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:22,880
are broken down and turned into
a fungus garden for the ants to eat.

301
00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,760
They're Iberá's very own
underground farmers.

302
00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:40,040
But not everyone here
has the ability to cultivate food.

303
00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:46,040
Some meals are salvaged
from an unsavory source.

304
00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:58,160
A capybara has died making
the crossing between lagoons.

305
00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:06,880
Capybara can live
to around six years in the wild,

306
00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,560
but they rarely
get to die of old age.

307
00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:15,760
This male might have
been attacked by another,

308
00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:18,200
or simply fallen victim
to the midday sun.

309
00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:26,880
The corpse is several days old,

310
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,000
and is rotting quickly
in the humid wetland.

311
00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,440
In a frenzy
the flies feed and lay eggs,

312
00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:37,680
which hatch into maggots.

313
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,040
Other visitors follow.

314
00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,360
Caracaras have
a poor sense of smell,

315
00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:53,840
but they are extremely clever birds.

316
00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,000
They rely on visual cues
to find their food,

317
00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,000
and the flies
have shown them the way.

318
00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:06,200
In the pecking order
of the wetlands,

319
00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:08,840
the caracara
is fairly low down the list.

320
00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:24,240
An Argentine gray fox
has also tracked the capybara down.

321
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,080
But she has company.

322
00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,680
Her mate follows her lead.

323
00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:37,640
She lets him know to wait his turn.

324
00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:45,600
She needs more food than him.

325
00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:51,840
She's producing milk for their pups
hidden in a den nearby.

326
00:34:56,080 --> 00:35:00,320
Until they're weaned, they're
totally dependent on her milk.

327
00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,160
Many in the wetland benefit
from the capybara's misfortune.

328
00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:22,880
And nearly everyone here
is a scavenger.

329
00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,640
In the middle of December,
summer in the wetlands

330
00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:38,680
drives the midday temperatures
to almost 40 degrees.

331
00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,400
Some of the wetlands
most notorious scavengers

332
00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:47,480
are starting to feel the heat.

333
00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,760
American black vultures
are carrion feeders.

334
00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:04,240
They know all too well
the hunting skills of caiman.

335
00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:09,880
And they have
an understandable fear of the water.

336
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:14,320
But birds don't have sweat glands,

337
00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:18,000
so the searing heat
forces them into the shallows.

338
00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:27,680
This bank is a popular spot,

339
00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:31,480
and with everyone wanting a dip,
squabbles are common.

340
00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:49,920
The water provides some relief,
but they don't hang around.

341
00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:57,680
They dry off on the bank,
holding their wings out in the heat.

342
00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:00,960
This is thought
to help sear off bacteria.

343
00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:20,280
Even reptiles spend the hottest part
of the day in the shade.

344
00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:31,880
The black and white Argentine tegu

345
00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:33,720
s a giant amongst lizards,

346
00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,520
with the males
growing over a meter long.

347
00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:48,600
These beasts
spend most of their time

348
00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:51,480
patrolling their territory
in search of food.

349
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:58,680
Tegus use their long, forked tongues
to smell the air around them.

350
00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:02,600
The tongue collects
scent particles in the air,

351
00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:07,000
and transfers them to a special
organ on the roof of their mouth.

352
00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:11,600
They're not fussy.

353
00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,280
Anything small enough
to fit in their mouths is eaten.

354
00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,560
And anything besides is worth a try.

355
00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:25,000
He's found an abandoned rhea egg.

356
00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:30,040
Some rhea eggs
are used as decoys for predators,

357
00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:32,000
and are then left behind.

358
00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:38,720
It's a fantastic find,
and it'll be a delicious feast...

359
00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:43,920
f he can ever crack it open.

360
00:39:12,720 --> 00:39:15,880
His attempts
are nothing short of embarrassing.

361
00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:29,800
On the bank of a marshy lagoon
in northern Argentina,

362
00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:34,800
an unusual nest sees the first sign
of movement for months.

363
00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:40,960
The nest is well disguised.

364
00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:47,400
A heap of rotting leaf litter,
twigs and mud

365
00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:50,800
rests just above the high
water level of the wetlands.

366
00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,480
Strategically placed for a getaway.

367
00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:03,600
With determined force

368
00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:07,200
the first of the miniature mysteries
breaks through.

369
00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:27,320
Baby caiman are surprisingly cute.

370
00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:32,560
Though they'll grow up to be fierce
and unforgiving hunters,

371
00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:35,400
at this age they are defenseless.

372
00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:46,120
Unusually for a reptile,
their mother is very protective.

373
00:40:46,720 --> 00:40:49,560
She waits in the wings
for the rest of her offspring

374
00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:51,040
to make a break for it.

375
00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:01,360
Within minutes there's
a mass exodus of baby caiman.

376
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:13,400
Their survival instinct
begins at birth.

377
00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:16,760
They head straight for the water.

378
00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:31,120
But even the water
isn't safe at this size.

379
00:41:36,720 --> 00:41:40,520
The hatchlings spend the first year
of their life hiding,

380
00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:44,440
staying close to their mother's
territory to avoid predators.

381
00:41:53,840 --> 00:41:56,880
But some don't even
make it this far.

382
00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:07,160
A curious caracara has picked up
an unopened egg from the nest.

383
00:42:12,800 --> 00:42:15,840
This little guy
didn't stand a chance.

384
00:42:23,240 --> 00:42:27,640
Those that do survive stay together
in little rafts for several years.

385
00:42:29,240 --> 00:42:30,960
There's safety in numbers.

386
00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:37,560
But it won't be long
before the tables will turn.

387
00:42:38,720 --> 00:42:41,360
Many of the creatures
that hunt young caiman

388
00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:44,840
will in the future
become their prey.

389
00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:09,040
Northern Argentina's wetlands
are an emerald jewel

390
00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:11,320
n South America's crown.

391
00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:15,600
A pristine Eden...

392
00:43:18,240 --> 00:43:21,040
rich in color and creatures.

393
00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:28,400
In Iberá the jaguar
is a seldom-seen king.

394
00:43:30,320 --> 00:43:34,320
And every animal and plant
has its place in his domain.

395
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:41,160
In these lush and fertile lands,

396
00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:43,800
wildlife thrives,

397
00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:46,360
even in death.

398
00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:51,800
Whether
beneath the surface or above...

399
00:43:54,320 --> 00:43:59,920
Argentina's Iberá's water kingdoms
are a paradise on Earth.

400
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:02,600
Subtitles: Asha Chong
www.btistudios.com