deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest lies the largest collection of River Islands in the world thousands of kilometers from the nearest ocean these are some of the most unusual habitats on Earth stranded on the mighty Rio negro the islands are engulfed by seasonal floods changing their landscape completely everything living here is forced to adapt or die this is life on the floating forests of the Amazon [Music] the Amazon rainforest covers 4 million square kilm of our planet sprawling across almost half of the South American continent it is fed by the mighty Amazon [Music]
River and at its heart are a group of islands known as the anav yanas and mariaa archipelagos [Music] more than a thousand islands stretch along the Rio negro branch of the Amazon River and together make up the largest collection of River Islands in the world thousands of kilometers from the nearest ocean these River Islands are unique surrounded not by Cor reefs and crystal clear waters but by flooded forests and hidden dangers this is home to some of the most unusual creatures in the [Music] world flooded for 6 months of the year the islands are a
mass of submerged trees and wandering Vines this is a world like like no other the forest floor becomes the river bed fish feed from the Treetops and canopy dwellers are stalked by creatures that lurk beneath it's May and the flood waters are starting to rise the lives of the animals that call the islands home take a dramatic [Music] turn only two primates live here red howler monkeys and the more common squirrel monkeys who have the run of the canopy [Music] because they spend much of the year cut off from the mainland they've learned to adapt
to life above the water it's early morning and a large group is heading out on a foraging EXP [Music] tion the monkeys make the most of the daylight hours as they move through the [Music] canopy they're on the lookout for fruits flowers and insects that make up their diet long tails provide them with excellent balance and aided by Nimble hands and feet they're able to investigate any [Music] [Music] opportunity but the canopy offers Slim pickings surrounded by water the archipelagos do not support the abundance of food that is available to monkeys elsewhere in the [Music]
Amazon some of the young males aren't impressed with what's on offer so they decide to venture Down Deeper inside the flooded Forest [Music] the rewards are worth [Music] it young monkeys have incredibly good eyesight and they're able to spot food amongst the dense vegetation with [Music] ease [Music] they found a [Music] favorite the clitoria flowers sweet nectar is [Music] irresistible after a frantic morning foraging one of the youngsters is desperate for a [Music] drink but it's a risky business black cayman lur below an alarm call alerts him to the danger but he's not out of
trouble yet the slightest slip could be fatal for the Plucky Prime finally he makes it back to the canopy where he's safe for now giant reptiles are not the only Predators patrolling these waterways none has a more fearsome reputation than the [Music] piran blood and the water will whip them into a Feeding Frenzy these red belly piranhas could strip a monkey to the bone in a matter of seconds Jaws filled with razor sharp teeth are designed to slice off bite-sized pieces of Flesh as the waters continue to rise many animals become cut off a three-toed
sloth is forced to Brave the treacherous Waters in search of a new home despite the dangers it has no choice Built For Life in the Treetops sloths are surprisingly good swimmers they paddle efficiently with their long arms and are able to move much faster than they do on land but not quickly enough to go unnoticed green anaconda are always on the lookout for an easy meal this is an opportunity too good to be missed for one of the forest's deadliest Predators chemo receptors on the snake's tongue help it track its prey's movements through the water
finally the sloth makes it to a suitable tree but it's a Long Way to the Top and time is against it once caught the sloth stands no chance of Escape after such a big meal the giant reptile will last for weeks or even months until it has to hunt again life on the River Islands is Ever Changing as water levels continue to rise the flood waters originate hundreds of kilomet away high up in the andian Peaks in December as temperatures begin to rise melt water from the mountains starts to pour down the Amazon's many tributaries
they flow East and gather forces these are joined by rainwater as the wet season begins in Earnest on the Rio negro rainfall is measured not in centimet but in meters the river bursts its banks and overflows flooding the River Islands amazing the rainforest creates almost half of the yearly rainfall itself while the other half blows in from the Atlantic Ocean the islands of the anaval yanas and mariaa archipelagos are transformed water penetrates for a distance of up to 20 km on either side of the main channels whole islands disappear underwater and in places only the
Treetops [Music] remain by June the flood waters have risen by up to 10 m but there's still more to come curtains of green hide the Island's mysterious inner [Music] World trees and plants have developed a number of techniques for surviving their months [Music] underwater some choose to hibernate some lose all their leaves and some even continue to photosynthesize while submerged throughout the River Islands animals are adapting to the new challenges of waters bring over 200 species of birds live on the islands of the anival yanas archipelago while some are looking for food others are looking
for love living Out Of Reach of the flood waters birds are able to put all their energy into courtship a male streak-throated hummingbird uses its enchanting song and simple display to attract potential mes although the flash of tail feathers is impressive It's usually the best song that wins the female's heart deeper in the forest another bird goes to even greater extremes to find a mate the wiet tailed mannequin there are over 50 species of mannequin in the world and the majority of these are found in the forests of South America [Music] stiff tail feathers give
the birds their name a male surveys the forest from his private display perch he's ready to strut his stuff at the first sign of a female it doesn't take long for one to arrive but unlike most mannequins who display on their own wiet tailed mannequins dance in pears as they attempt to win the female's [Music] affections the pair take to the [Music] stage it's a dance off and both are desperate to impress [Music] the female sizes up her sutors from a [Music] distance keeping a close eye on [Music] proceedings the dance comes to an end
with a show of dominance and the female makes her choice all the loser can do is look on as she leads the Victor [Music] away mannequins are not the only Island inhabitants preoccupied with passing on their genes throughout the islands the larger and more established trees have been waiting all year for the flood waters to arrive now finally they get what they've been waiting [Music] for the trees use the waters to distribute their seeds far and wide the PODS of a manguba tree have spent the dry season [Music] maturing now they burst open in spectacular
style revealing seeds hidden amongst the giant balls of fluff the seeds are scattered in the wind each is attached to a parachute to carry it on its [Music] way the seeds will be transported throughout the islands hopefully germinating where they land and helping to maintain the forest but the mongu trees need to be quick fresh food doesn't go unnoticed for long on these [Music] islands twe parakeets make the most of the freshly open seed pods the Monga tree is a favorite they use their beaks to prize the seeds from their fluffy [Music] cocoons it doesn't
take long for the Hungry Birds to strip [Music] apart at this time of the year there's more food than they could wish for and they quickly move on to the next tree [Music] parakeet are not the only animals to take advantage of the fruiting trees some seeds make a break for freedom and float down into the forest where more hungry mouths lie in weight [Music] while trees adapt to life in the water fish adapt to life among the [Music] trees South American trout or Bron leap from the water to be first to the falling seeds
they can jump up to four times their body length in their quest for [Music] food each mouthful is a Priceless source of protein for the Hungry Fish even though the seeds of the manguba tree don't last long some trees have learned to use the fish to their [Music] advantage Amazonian flooded forests are the only only place in the world where fish act as the major seed disperses trees can rely on more than 200 species of fish to distribute their [Music] [Music] seeds [Music] many eat the fleshy fruit before spitting out the unpalatable seed and by
doing so they help the trees to deposit their seeds throughout the archipelagos the flooded islands are inundated with aquatic visitors of all different shapes and sizes but despite the wealth of food the islands are not always the easiest place for fish to live the quantity of decaying leaves in the water means that oxygen levels are low bacteria and other microorganisms use up supplies as they break down the leaves as more and more of the river's oxygen is used up very little is left for the animals that live here the electric eel is a deadly predator
but without a regular supply of oxygen it will not be able to hunt like many fish in the black Waters it's forced to the surface to gulp air its mouth acts like a lung absorbing oxygen from the world above another air breather is the gigantic pikik puku one of the largest known freshwater fish in the world fully grown adults can weigh up to 200 kg the 3 m long monsters rise to the surface every 10 to 15 minutes to breathe this armor plated giant has survived for nearly 100 million years the anaval yanas and mariaa
archipelagos still provide a safe haven for them and many other creatures the these ancient Islands were formed during a time of change in the Amazon over 1500 years ago then the black Waters of the Rio negro did not flow so freely into the mighty Amazon River conditions were much [Music] calmer sediment arriving from the Rio Branco to the north started to settle joined by Waters from the Rio negro's upper reaches pockets of forest started to [Music] form they developed into the islands we see [Music] today over time the Rio Negra once again picked up pace
and started to flow back into the [Music] Amazon the islands were left and survived to this day but they wouldn't exist at all if it weren't for the white waters of the Rio [Music] Branco where even to this day life doesn't just survive it [Music] flourishes one of the Rio branco's most charismatic creatures is the giant river otter the otter spend most of their time hunting moving as a pack they're able to Corral fish before picking them off one by [Music] [Music] one fresh fish make a fine breakfast otter need to fuel their energetic lifestyle
and can crunch through up to 4 kg of fish a day catching the fish with their mouths they then hold them with their fore paaw as they devour their prey scaled all but these deadly predators have a softer side and when breakfast is over it's time to [Music] play giant river otters live in large family groups and it will be some time before last year's Cubs head off to form families of Their Own [Music] [Music] family life revolves around the den the mother remains hidden while she raises the Next Generation with several dens dotted around
their territory the family move regularly in the search for fish and to avoid unwanted attention from [Music] predators just a few months old the Cubs must be carried as they're still too young to [Music] swim the family head off up River [Music] [Music] arriving at their next den the first priority is to get the Cubs inside where it's [Music] safe the father keeps watch while his family settles into their new [Music] home the males scent Mark the entrance to warn others that they are now in Residence it's a pungent concoction that will keep even the
nosiest neighbors away [Music] all along the Rio Branco life flourishes on the sediment Rich Waters the river banks are dotted with wildlife [Music] including the largest rodents in the [Music] world closely related to the guinea pig cppy bars are equally at home in or out of the [Music] water but the wealth of animals attracts unwanted attention a Jaguar stalks the River Bank Cy baras make a tasty meal the Amazon's apex predator is rarely found far from the river and the abundance of food on the Rio Branco makes it an ideal hunting ground when escaping dangers
the giant rodents can dive and remain underwater for up to 5 [Music] minutes the Jaguar stalks off silently to continue its search for food back on the River Islands the mid- morning peace is [Music] shattered red howler monkeys can be heard throughout the islands [Music] these secretive primates don't only use their roaring calls to deter Predators they also use them to mark their territory unlike their Island neighbors the squirrel monkeys they tend to travel in smaller groups and stick to the top of the [Music] canopy excellent acrobats the monkeys rarely come down to the ground
and during the floods they're even more reluctant all too aware of the dangers that look [Music] beneath [Music] it's now Late July and water levels are at their Peak the forest floor has sunk under 50 m of water the flood waters bring about a change in everyone's lives a colony of fire ants has been forced out of their underground home by the rising water levels providing an easy meal despite their painful sting this tree will provide a safe haven until the waters fall and they can return to the forest floor the resilient ants quickly move
into a vacant crack in the [Music] bark some animals don't just survive they thrive in the new conditions [Music] leaf cutter ants swarm through the trees able to carry pieces of leaf weighing 20 times their body width they're borne to work these are no ordinary ants it's believed there are separate species to the ones who Nest underground and they've developed a unique [Music] Behavior they've swapped the forest floor with the [Music] Treetops by building their nests in the canopy they avoid the annual floods so despite the rising Waters they continue undisturbed colonies can contain up
to 8 million individuals making it one of the most dominant creatures in South America and one of the river Island's most resilient residents worker ants are sent out to collect supplies [Music] foraging far and wide they're able to find their way home by laying down a pheromone Trail the pheromone is so powerful one gram of the scent would be enough to lay an an tril all the way around the world only the freshest and juiciest leaves are selected powerful jaws slic through the cellulose with [Music] ease once loaded up the ants then begin their Journey
Back to the [Music] nest leaf cutter ants cultivate a special fungus Garden deep within a [Music] nest and are almost entirely dependent on the fungus for [Music] food [Music] maintaining the garden is crucial to the survival of the [Music] colony only the queen is able to produce Offspring she's capable of laying thousands of eggs per day most of which are destined to become [Music] workers the ants are true Forest Specialists and out of the reach of the flood waters they continue to dominate other insects have not adapted to their new aquatic home quite so well
some are forced to venture across the water's surface in search of dry land it's a Crossing fraud with Danger arowana lur beneath the fish Patrol close to the surface scanning for prey no insect is safe as the flood waters rise more and more get washed into reach it's a time for the arowana to fatten up before the long dry season returns some of the waterways more unusual creatures are also taking advantage of the new food available needlefish lie just beneath the surface their slim profile helps them to avoid detection they hunt by sight and are
ready to take advantage of any stragglers unlucky spiders are picked off with ease carnivorous fish are not the only underwater animals enjoying a glut of food one of South America's largest animals lurks in these [Music] Waters the Amazonian manate is an iconic symbol of the anaval yanas and mariaa [Music] archipelagos hiding out in the quiet backwaters they gorge on the food that arrives with the flood waters for the manity this is a time of Plenty and also a time to rear their [Music] young these shy mammals give birth to a single car once every 2
years the mother will spend time teaching the youngster the best routs through the Maze of river channels the calf will need all its mother's knowledge and support with the dry season fast approaching it's now August and the rainy season is coming to an end water levels are finally starting to fall the animals and plants that have survived the floods can look forward to drier times ahead eing out a living on the Ever Changing Islands can be a challenge but there are always ways and means of doing so as the flood waters start to fall spectacular
fish begin to appear in the shallows of the forest Cardinal tetras are found deep in the heart of palm forests along the black Waters of the Rio negro this family makes the 8-hour round trip from their Village each day in order to gather the tiny [Music] fish [Applause] [Music] their catch is destined for exotic fish tanks around the world and provides the family with a vital source of income come midday it's time to head back to the [Music] [Music] Village on their return the fish are quickly sorted the highly prized Cardinal Tetris are separated and
piled into boxes a th000 fish sells for around $5 a decent income that the family supplements by hunting and fishing [Music] once the morning's work is done the pace of Village Life [Music] [Music] slows by the end of September the heavy rains cease and the water engulfing the River Islands has fallen by almost a [Music] third as the levels drop beaches reappear for many Life Starts to become [Music] easier butterflies feed on freshly exposed land [Music] migrant birds return to [Music] Nest newly exposed plants burst back into life with a flush of green squirrel monkeys
are less fearful of the world below as the retreating flood waters lead the dangers away [Music] which is also good news for the sloths but for the Island's wet season visitors it's time to move out the manate mother and C have feasted for the past 4 months they must now prepare to return to the main channels and begin their dry season [Music] fast and fish are also forced to leave the Island's flooded forest and return to the deeper River [Music] channels [Music] the anaval yanas and mariaa archipelagos spread along a 1,000 km stretch of the
Rio negro they provide a home for some of the hardiest animals in the [Music] world as floodwaters engulf the islands each year those that live here are Force to endure incredible [Music] extremes but animals have developed ways of coping and have learned to master their everchanging environment it's either sink or swim here in the floating forests of the Amazon [Music] [Music] e [Music]
