[Music] Borneo and Sumatra Tropical Islands of Epic Proportions wild and unpredictable gigantic and Majestic animals somehow Thrive alongside each other captured within a dense jungle w a unique playground for the mighty and the Misfits but around every corner battles are [Applause] [Music] fought these are the islands of monsters [Music] [Music] 12,000 years ago during the last ice age these islands were one land mass as climates warned sea levels Rose and these separate fragments were formed Borneo is the world 's third largest island almost 3 quarters is Indonesian territory the rest is split between Malaysia and
brunai it is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth surrounded by Rich Waters teeming with Tropical [Music] Life extensive mud flats and Mangrove habitats Fringe these coastal areas but what dominates this island is almost 400,000 square km of ancient rainforest monsters have been evolving and multiplying in these dark jungles where have they come from and what is allowed so many to thrive in one place there's a creature that seems perfectly suited to Island life and is found only here in Borneo since being isolated from other monkeys in Asia they've evolved a very odd body
part the male prosis monkeys have the biggest noses of all primates and the alpha has the largest by far but it's more than just to attract the females it's a trumpet and he uses it to establish his authority when one of your ladies starts eyeing a young Intruder you need to have a big voice to keep her in check this roaming Bachelor encourages her advances anyway clearly upsetting the alpha he retaliates by demonstrating his strength and the young male soon Retreats prosis monkeys have been nicknamed The Dutch men and it's not just because of their
large noses they're also famous for their huge pot bellies their stomachs have evolved like fermentation tanks split into Chambers and loaded with bacteria they can digest even the most undesirable vegetation that would be poisonous to most other animals a clever trick is they can eat almost anything and that's exactly what they do all day long these successful monkeys live in large family groups which definitely has its advantages there's always someone there to help keep the bugs at Bay and the young have a choice of Playmates on [Music] hand but not everyone can join in [Music]
[Music] newborn prosis monkeys have bright blue faces making them obvious to the rest of the group because it's not just their mothers that suckle and care for them it's any adult female but these faces aren't just a beacon to their family some monsters in this Forest are silent stalkers with large round eyes a heightened sense of smell and perfect hearing this Beast is acutely aware of what the forest has on offer the clouded leopard is a skilled secretive and stealthy Predator blessed with an exceptionally long tail and flexible joints they are masters of balance and
can move silently through the dense canopy but having a loud family has its benefits with so many watchful eyes and a sophisticated alarm call system they quickly clear the danger zone the defeated leopard disappears back into the Shadows the coastal mangr that these monkeys live in lie in the edge of the island it's the meeting point between Land and Sea this can be a difficult place to survive life is strictly governed by the time Es as the water recedes it is feeding time for the wealth of animals that live buried underneath the waves mud skippers
and crabs make the most of this rich food sauce with their wept feet the monkeys can Wade out across the soft mud and enjoy the fresh new leaves as the tides turn it's time for the mangroves residents to Baton down the [Applause] [Music] hatches at high tide this habitat is a network of waterways cutting through the mangrove trees these murky waters are an ideal hunting ground for a somewhat bizarr looking reptile the soft shell turtle without the protection of a hard shell he spends most of his time hidden under the [Music] [Applause] sediment all that
is visible is his piglike snout small but sharp eyes keep watch as fish flitter around unaware of his presence he waits the cantos or froge head is a remarkable Turtle it's a staggering 2 m in length in complete contrast to its sluggish cousins it's one of the fastest strik on the planet beating the Cobra hands down and it can deliver a bone crushing [Music] bite but another danger lurks in the water the monkeys are faced with a dilemma they need cross this River to reach feeding grounds on the other side although they're excellent swimmers the
risk is just too high crocodiles kill more prosis monkeys than any other Predator so it's time for a leap of faith it's a precise calculation to see them across the infested water one force move could be fatal and with so much River debris it's not always easy to judge the best route [Music] it's not just borneo's coastal areas that are inundated with water many channels carve their way through this Limestone landscape absorbing nutrients as they go mineral streams are an important Life Source for another monster in the forest these beautiful Giants are rajer Brooks Bird
Wings one of the the largest butterflies in the world easily spanning the size of your [Music] hand these newly emerged males have gathered here to warm up their wings [Music] the water is packed full of sodium and potassium salts that are vital for their flight muscles to develop this male can easily lap up many times his body weight in water and the excess gets squirted straight out the other [Music] end but it's time well spent they're amongst the strongest flyers in the butterfly world and once they take to flight each butterfly will spend the majority
of its life on the wing in his search for a [Music] mate borneo's rivers and streams are a Lifeline for the Island's residence and this water can be traced back to its highest point Mount Kinabalu lying on borneo's Malaysian side it Towers above the swampy forests but its presence influences the whole island this huge Granite plug pushed up through the surrounding Rock 15 million years ago and it's still growing Rising half a centimeter a year this colossal Peak reaches over 4 km into the air it's home to 6,000 species of plant more than in the
whole of Europe it's a different world up here lower temperatures and thinner soils present challenges to plant life and they've evolved a variety of coping mechanisms some plants in this alien world have developed a new taste they've become [Music] carnivores attracted by this picture plant's sweet nectar a fly dances with death dangerously close beneath lies a deadly Reservoir a vat of digestive enzymes ready to break down anything unlucky enough to fall [Music] in this trickster's ribbed Edge is designed to make prey lose their footing but the fly takes off just in time a moth is
not so lucky but pit PL PLS are not just agents of death over time this fluid is diluted by rainwater and the plants are colonized by mij and fly ly in return for a safe home these squatters help to digest the plant's prey [Music] Borneo is in direct line of rain bearing winds each day rain clouds build up over the forest and are driven upwards by the bulk of Mount Kinabalu this is one of the wetest places on Earth with some parts of the island receiving up to 4 m in a year plentiful water intense
equatorial heat and fertile volcanic soils has created a jungle unrivaled in its richness there's always abundant fresh vegetation for the forest residents to feed [Music] on and they themselves play a key role in maintaining Ain in this abundance borneo's elephants are amongst the most important seed disperses on the island these herbivorous Giants will Hoover up over 100 kilos of vegetation each day almost the weight of a newborn calf and they aren't fussy eaters consuming 162 different species of plant figs are also a tasty treat but nothing beats one freshly picked from the tree it's lucky
some of the other Forest residents have a sharing streak they might seem like giants actually these pygmy elephants are the smallest elephants in the world standing almost a meter shorter than their Asian cousins and they're found only here on the island of Borneo unlike other Asian elephants these pygmies are a lot less aggressive and they've got a comical almost childlike look about them their faces are rounder their ears are bigger and their tails almost reach the ground all all of this feeding is thirsty work a dip in the river proves irresistible they can cool [Music]
down quench their thirst and even the mud has its benefits providing calcium to keep their tusks and Bones healthy led by a matriarch pygmy elephants have strong family bonds and it's not surprising as they can live up to 60 years in the Wild by 10 years of age male Pyne elephants start to become sexually active a mature bull has to reprimand this feisty youngster [Applause] but when his back is turned another the young Pretender tries his luck with the ladies and he's very persistent but it doesn't work out for him this time in a few
years he'll mature and get pushed out of this herd to sew his seeds elsewhere but for now he has to tow the [Music] line monkeys and apes provide the soundtrack to these magical forest fors and the steamy jungles of Borneo have a more unique variety than any other place on [Music] Earth if monsters were defined by their size there would be none greater than the aratan or man of the Forest the largest tree dwelling mammal in the world e although there may be a few physical differences they share 97% of our genes and certain traits
are uncannily familiar [Music] the young spend the first nine years of life under the watchful eyes of their [Music] mothers they cling on tightly to build their strength the first stage of their canopy [Music] masterclass as juveniles they take their first solo steps [Music] testing out their navigation [Music] skills and coordinating their sometimes clumsy climbing [Music] limbs they have a lot to [Music] learn what to eat and what not to [Music] eat and what creatures to definitely stay away from a Silent Assassin is out on the hunt reaching lengths of 5 m the king cobra
is the largest of all venomous snakes they rule over this multi-dimensional world one drop of Venom could bring an adult orangutan to the ground in minutes this young female has strayed far from the watchful eyes of her mother it seems the Cobra has her in his [Music] sights but she's in luck the king cobra only has a taste for other snakes using the tree as a vantage point he searches for prey on the forest [Music] floor a rat snake with his super sharp eyesight and Keen sense of smell he locks on to his Target with
one swift strike his powerful Venom is delivered a lesson learned for the youngster but an experienced old male knows there are no true Predators on the forest floor of this island and with his size sometimes it's just easier to walk orangutans used to be found across southeast Asia today these ancient forests of Borneo are one of their last refuges the only other is a neighboring Island but over there the forest floor is far from safe 300 M across the sea from Borneo lies the island of Sumatra like Borneo it became separated as sea levels Rose
large animals became marooned Castaways from the Asian mainland constantly evolving they developed unique adaptations to fit their Island [Music] life the Sumatra Nang is a rare Beast confined to the far north of this fertile volcanic island they eek out a fragile existence and acire different from their borian cousins for one thing even the largest of males prefer to stay up in the trees their hair is longer and brighter orange in color and they are much more sociable than their neighbors in Borneo happily dining together in fruiting trees residing so far above the ground it is
vital to keep sh footed at all times a Tumble from these Heights can be fatal but there's more danger than just the impact alone the jungle floor is is ruled by the king of this island the Sumatran tiger this lethal Predator may be the smallest of the five surviving species of tiger but it would make an easy meal of an orangutan whilst the orangs remain in the Treetops they're safe but the eye of the tiger is ever watchful of all the forest Delights the orangutans here in Sumatra favor the durian fruit it's packed with essential
nutrients but it's a little tricky to handle this youngster watches his mother as she carefully locates a fracture line and skillfully prizes it open it will take him years to master this art but she makes sure there'll be plenty around when he does the hard spiky shell presents a challenge to first timers a classic school boy [Music] era unaware of the Tiger's presence this doting adult puts her life on the line he luckily this Tiger has other things on her mind she's one of only 400 Sumatran Tigers clinging to existence so she has to ensure
her Legacy lives on and she's got three boisterous Cubs to educate these tigers hunt close to water [Music] with darker and more densely packed Stripes to other Tigers these Hunters are perfectly camouflaged in the [Music] shadows they wait for unsuspecting prey to come and drink and then use their long rear legs to pounce out from the dense [Music] bushes play fighting with siblings is a good way to develop their hunting skills [Music] for these Cubs getting used to the water is essential but some are more keen than [Music] others starting a family is even more
important for another Sumatran inhabitant this somewhat prehistoric herbivore is a rare site among these thickets the Sumatran Rhino of the five remaining species of rhino they are the smallest and the hairiest these solitary animals are inexhaustible walkers but she's a creature of habit always following the same circular path she'll cover 15 km in a night in search of prime plants to feed on this female has bigger worries on her mind with only 200 left on this huge island meeting a mate is like finding a needle in a Hy stack so she must find a way
to advertise her [Music] presence any male in the area will now know she's here and available now she just has to sit and wait and what better way to pass the time than a full body mud bath finding a mate in this vast Forest can be a tough task for the Sumatran Rhino but back in the forest of Borneo the king cobra faces the opposite problem because males seek out only the largest females as it's their young that have a greater chance of surviving to adulthood Rivals often come head-to-head a fight is inevitable these two
males are immune to one another's Venom so this is a contest of sheer strength some fights in this Kingdom of monsters are [Music] vicious but with this slick serpent it's more of a hypnotic dance [Music] battle for throne has been won the defeated snake Retreats the Victor claims his territory and wins access to the females within it perhaps this hypnotic and mesmerizing dance is the reason for the king Co ra being the basis of local [Music] folklore these mystical forests and the Monsters within are the source of many myths and [Music] legends but it is
the Sun that has the strongest presence in Indonesian mythology its ability to descend into the underworld without dying and return each morning has been the inspiration for the name given to one of the forest [Music] residents this is the smallest of all bears standing at just 70 CM they'd barely reach your knees small yet far from graceful with their inward pointing feet they look like Misfits on the forest floor Legend has crisen them the sunbear their distinct markings resemble the golden orb that rises over the forest each morning like the rest of his bare cousins
this cumbersome male is led by his nose fixed on a scent and with his sickle like claws at the ready he sniffs out a tasty treat but often gets [Music] distracted eventually the nose of this honey monster does guide him to treasure using his claws to strip the bark he gets access to the Sweet sugary sap inside and the many insects that call this place home rivaling the Amazon in its productivity borneo's trees grow incredibly fast as a result these Lan jungles house the world's tallest rainforest trees almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty
towering 80 M and [Music] upwards this secret high-rise World contains multiple layers of [Music] life but with over 30 m to the lowest branches the fresh Leaf growth on most of these trees is a long way from ground level in this plentiful Forest there's always a tree and fruit but it takes an experienced knows to find the best one to exploit and he's [Music] off with his claws wrapped around the trunk and hairless souls to maximize his grip he makes light work of the Towering climb [Music] sunbears spend more time in the canopy than any
other bears in the world enjoying the delicious fruits of these magnificent trees this Giant's branches also provide an ideal perch for a monster on the wing Borneo is home to eight species of hornbills the largest and noisiest of all birds in Indonesia a unique feature of these winged Giants is the casque a hollow structure that runs along the upper part of the beak reinforcing their huge bills and acting as a resonating chamber for their calls [Music] as its name suggests the rhinoceros horn bill has the biggest of them [Music] all their oversized bill is an
Ideal tool for many things but not so much when it comes to feeding they can pluck fix from the tree with enormous Precision but getting them down the hatch is a skill that comes with practice these ancient trees are essential to sustain life high up in the canopy and they even go on giving after they die often being hollowed out by termites in their old age these giants can't be supported by their shallow roots eventually they come crashing to the ground and form an extra Dimension to the forest floor in the damp of the Jungle
a Fallen Tree soon begins to Decay it is then host to a variety of bugs and this is where his Keen sense of smell once again guides the sunbear to the hidden treasure [Applause] [Music] using his powerful claws his 30 cm long tongue and the strongest canines in the bear family he can prize open even the toughest of Ironwood [Applause] [Music] trunks his reward a bounty of tantalizing [Music] termites insects make up a large portion of his diet and he feasts on over a hundred different species but some are harder to get than [Music] others
the jungle canopy may be home to the obvious Giants yet the forest floor is the territory of the real monsters on these islands and can provide the secret to the forest's formation dark damp and iry the unknown linger in the shadows more than 3/4 of the animals here are insects it's a world where appearances are deceptive what may seem to be a giant can be misled [Music] leading giant mpins have existed on the earth for over 400 million years and are the key recycling agents in the leaf [Music] litter 100,000 different species of insects are
packed into this jungle battles are common place here you need to be specialized to survive camouflage is one option the Dead Leaf mantis perfectly disguised to blend in with its Leaf litter surroundings this monster can Ambush insect prey whilst being undetected by its Predators but there is danger much closer to home these beasts are highly territorial wandering into another mantis's Lair can only spell trouble it's a battle of poses to begin with they size each other [Music] [Music] up striking faster than the blink of an eye it is certain death seeing the opportunity in every
kill the Victor eats his reward cannibalism is common here and nothing goes to waste the smell of death travels far in this underworld he unwittingly shares his Prize peace by peace it is dismantled ants play a critical role in this forest ecosystem recycling dead organic matter they feed nutrients back into the soil in turn the enchanted forest floor is scattered with many different waste processors including one bizarrely sophisticated and beautiful the bridal veil fungus absorbs nutrients from the decaying Leaf litter and through a network of filaments connected to tree roots acts as a portal to
return life back to the forest but despite its appearance it emits a smell so rotten only Carion flies find it truly attractive using rancid smells to attract pollinators is a widely used tactic but there are plants in these jungles that take it one step further the corpse flower or raia lives exclusively in Borneo and Sumatra cabbage-like growths parasitize The jungle's Vines after 9 months and only when it's ready to reproduce it opens to reveal a massive five petal flower its appearance and odor mimic Rotting Flesh tricking passes by into believing it's a meal worth pursuing
it's the largest single flower on earth spanning a meter across and weighing up to 10 kilos and to further Trump that flower nighttime reveals a more sin Master trick a heat sensitive camera reveals an object that steadily heats up to 10° hotter than the [Music] surroundings it's the flower of the elephant yam not only wreaking a Rotting Flesh it has further evolved to mimic the warmth of a dying animal the heat also lifts the odor up into the forest air increasing the flower's chance of attracting caran beetles and when they arrive they are captured the
waxy walls ensure the Beatles cannot Escape but tumble straight into the center of the monster flower Dawn arrives and the capts are held throughout the day on the second night a rain shower of pollen occurs within the flower voting The Beatles below they've paid their dues and are now free to go miraculously the inner walls of the flower change texture inviting The Beatles to climb to freedom and spread the pollen this incredible tactic is just one of many evolutionary Master Strokes that keep the islands of Borneo and sumantra [Applause] [Music] regenerating these plants and animals
have developed unique adaptations to Island life the monsters have become many and the small have super sized each one claiming their own realm the forests owe their wealth to the actions of their residents in this well oiled machine nothing goes to waste the cyclical nature of the animals lives Echoes the Urban Flow of the Island's habitats after thousands of years a delicate balance has been struck ensuring success for both the islands and their inhabitants for many years to come [Music]
