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Madagascar animals of africa [full nature wildlife documentary]
this is Madagascar home to one of the last
untouched rainforests and some of the rarest plants and animals on earth
that much of this extraordinary diversity of life is found in the forest
canopy
which up until now has been virtually inaccessible
to scientists
now for the first time a scientific expedition has been launched
to try and get on top of the canopy over 40 meters above the ground
it's a dangerous mission and they've had to come up with some unusual ways to
reach this on
world
its an opportunity to access habitat day
otherwise is not available the science and we have high hopes of finding
perhaps a few new species
time is running out for the rainforest but if they can reach the canopy
and unlock in sequence it could be the key
to its future survival com
the meeting
land
well
this is the mass while the pendency
in Madagascar situated off the coast of Africa
Madagascar has been cut off from the rest of the world
eighty million years
this isolation led to the evolution of the unique
animal and plant species
75 percent are found nowhere else on Earth
Co in
but in Madagascar as in much of the world
tropical forests are under attack
in cutting down the trees for firewood coal-burning them to cultivate the land
man is in danger the rare species
the rainforest is protected and cherished persona non
for on the mass while a national park
is the largest wilderness left a panic ask it is a replaceable
we have no idea how many species remain in describing the songs
bed with deforestation rate this actually very little
time next to study I'm and the phone I'm
a scientific expedition has been set up
the document the forests extraordinary diversity
and to identify new species before they lost forever
a team of over 100 people has been assembled
working from a makeshift lab set up on the edge of the forest
70 international scientists are collaborating with local experts
who's nominated the forest is invaluable the movies
okay during the three-month expeditions hours they will study the plants
insects frogs and reptiles to produce a comprehensive survey of Rs life
but the main aim of the expedition
is to study the most diverse habitat herbal
the canopy
they believe that many undiscovered species live
only in the treetops
before they explore the canopy they set out to investigate the forest floor
my weakness
on
this
alright I'll write you know that amount prosecutors
only guess hello legalize pot
yeah it's I thought on the side keep looking at you
company think the first
probably I don't think I wasn't a hard to find his service very
earlier in the day yeah it to figure out which one or both
needed that okay
haha at first sight
the tropical forest seems chaotic hot in reality
plants and animals live here in perfect symbiosis
each life forms both host and parasite
predator and pray supporting the forests delicate ecosystem
love
home
the balance a sophisticated a precarious
it relies on the complex interaction between microscopic organisms
huge trees humble insects and highly developed models
bomb
them
the professor Frances honey
is an expert on the tropical rainforest to him
it is a constant souls London even a simple tree creeper
the Leon his mysterious the fights tonight and what seems to be
particularly interesting in the case at the Anna
is that they are by far the least known plant in the forest
with the grasses anyone can pick them or rootless plants that need in the
treetops
people are fascinated by them and they are worldwide collections
prelude to shift to me even with the trees one can cut them down and connect
the leaves
but how are you going to cut down something like that have awesome in
festival we don't even know which part of the ground it comes from
and even if we could find the bottom it's clear that cutting it would not
make a full
fishkin defiant only probably can't imagine that this leanna is attached to
that treat their
but most likely it also attached to this one also sunni she should and that one
and that one hand so to cut down something like that
you'd have to cut down a hectare of forest 2012 that's why we know so very
very little about the Leon
to us to see their trick is that they can live without a trunk
so they climb very quickly and with a reduced metabolism
this enables them to be very activate the Gulf
they have a considerable leaf surface an enormous *** activity because Liana
our plans with an overabundance of flowers
as is the case with the Madagascan Jasmine or the bougainvillea
flowering plants appeared on earth relatively late
but they adapted so well but they colonized almost every natural
environment on the planet
John Labatt
his the expeditions leading botanist public would
we don't see many flowers but often does lot of species that have really small
flowers
and it's only once you look closely that you can see them
like here nope days elite LDS gorriak climbing up here
it doesn't have many flowers
heey
loan repayable on is an insect specialist from the Natural History
Museum in Paris
there over four and a half thousand species of butterflies and moths in
Madagascar
he believes many are only found in one small part of the island
and nowhere else on Earth he knows that some rare species have not make a
collective cocoon as part of their reproductive cycle
the best chance of finding one his deep inside the rainforest
should it will call the from here we are looking for clues
the big triangular cocoons that are spun collectively by a number of
caterpillar's to form the chrysalis formation
sir
that takes place here on the lien as that hun
under this big tree the
of pay I can see one there it is
the slow as usual there are a lot of bands
you can see here these granules each correspond to a cell in a month
individual cocoon end up with you and there we have a collective cocoon which
always ans in a point like that suspended from a branch
washer lawyer inside there is a question of silk which must be a good insulator
obviously the cocoons are completely sheltered from the weather until the
mouth and merge
get image of the best reply I think the month inside doesn't have to eat in fact
I'd be curious to know if by any chance it has a proposed a suspected
your the month maids lays eggs and then dies
and some other don't even eat by which they live on the reserves collected by
the caterpillar
or repair sets off to the lab
to study the cocoon for only additions will not get what's remarkable is the
variety in the size of the cuckoo insulated
look at this one it into sections because I believe that was in the middle
on time and then you have cocoons which are absolutely
enormous it depends on the size of the community of caterpillar's which spin
then
him down to a small community of the handful of caterpillar is that make me
cocoons
there's a month on the cocoon was just come out as we were looking for some
others
so for months have come out today and two came out yesterday
year when he examines the cocoon in more detail
he discovers that the martz work the only inhabitants
secede from the union this is an old nest its abandoned
the month that'll come out you don't know and inside we can see all the
individual cocoons
showing if we open up a cell like this
an individual cocoon we can see all the degrees inside from the skin of the
Christian is that emerged nikki Haley
K Coolio last month that's very interesting because in fact it's not
enough that came out here
no way here you can see a pupa
which means that the month had a parasite and was killed by the La Perla
the fly
dude and mission military law is sick left but the funniest thing is that the
Pew paint turn has been killed by micro hi I'm not turn
and that whole was made by the parasite shame the
so there's a whole chain the chrysalis was killed by a fly larvae I which
aidid the fly larva became a pupil me and many people as you keep on
but it was then killed by the parasite which emerged at the end of the chain
instead of the month
with you is
two weeks into the expedition and it's the moment
table been waiting for
much of course are always say our dream as it was only for a dream about the
news to buy overtures to
I have access to the crime to be because 022
the most drive intensive biosphere on whose world
with the initial exploration at the forest floor complete they are finally
ready for their first attempt to reach the canopy
the only way to get to the top trees is from a bump
and this is how they plan to do it with a giant
400 square interrupt nicknamed the pretzel
it's been specially designed for the expeditions
the airship will try to deposit the pretzel on top of the canopy
forty meters above the forest floor
it's never been tested before this is its first
treetop landing
you know
and
and now my
night
it's a delicate operation if it's positioned on a week apart in the canopy
it could be dangerously unstable
no
the
nope
a
on you
thanks to the distribution of weight over a large area
the tree top bra can literally flux on some of the forests most fragile
branches
you
professor alan has finally realized his ambition
while he's made it onto the top of the trees
more at last he has a chance to explore the incredible diversity
of this unique ecosystem
after only a few minutes he find something unusual
an A in today s something I don't know
look
there something red it's beautiful what is it
well that's great a red flower from the your *** nations family in a sick
kiddo
you free today setup this looks like a very important plant
I think that mother discussion treasure this type of lower
the house has a big seems unbelievable but it's a kind of lax
the pound key there are plants that back home in Europe are small grass is like
flax
here they take the form a huge *** vines plants like this Liana
will have to identify that bosque de Jean I think that people who really love
these forests are extremely rare
hot in any case they aren't any in governments
join the circle to decision-makers certainly not amongst the economists
consequently the tropical rainforest
is in the hands of people who don't appreciate it so in these conditions how
can we hope to save it
nearly a hundred and fifty thousand square kilometres a tropical forest
is destroyed throughout the world every year equivalent to the size of the
England and Wales combined
even if it grows back the diverse city up the original forest
is lost forever you have to understand
that when a forest is destroyed the first three seasons grew again
are not the ones that were destroyed looks at me it seems paradoxical
but when the forest is intact the only plants that can germinate
are those plants that can tolerate shade tweet West
when the forest is destroyed the only plants that Germany to those plants that
can tolerate the Sun
demand so obviously they're not the same on a friend if you need
if the Madagascan forrest was razed to the ground
Seattle it would remain destroyed there would be no generation of primary forest
your regeneration the forest is only possible
if parts of the forest to be made yes that is why the National Forest is so
important
this is it is a genuine primary forest reserve
you can you the plan is after 4p
the pretzel is not the expeditions only method of getting into the treetops
PS shippers lowered this metal tree house into a fork up a tree 30 meters up
it is an ideal observation platform for the scientists
so they move in for a few days
the logistics at the camp are entrusted to professional climbers
this
and then the scientists takeover
don't even only as an expert in frocks
this is his first chance to look for them high up the canopy
be enforced like this is a unique opportunity for us primary force like
this
is uncut and their
the animal that we see here are are very special
this is one of the last untouched Parenthood Madagascar are
and it's actually a treat to be able to get up in here
any its an opportunity to access habitat bit
otherwise is not available the science and we think that
the possibility is probs breeding entry holes in living in the canopy
Liz hi we we have high hopes of finding
perhaps if you speak used gone
it's good good
history
35 feet higher than an anti
looking down on the day eventually killed
this incredible K
he yeah chameleon right here %uh this is great
no call did you get it
mark we have a bag for you hold on
wat okay okay I
cool
the demonstrating that chameleons Canada can be quite successfully
there yeah scientists suspect that some animals living in the canopy
man never set foot on the forest floor we believe that there are amphibians
don't ever have to go to the ground they can live their entire lives in the
treetops
and we believe that they've come up with some
strategies to
avoid having to go down like utilizing very small pools and water
located up in the canopy so we'd like to try to figure out
K holiday a little adaptations
that have taken place yet will allow franz to survive
any inhospitable place like the forest and he added
ravin the botanists are also up in the canopy
they're collecting samples to help them identify plasticity
I say no way to the BSA
in order to get the cutting lotta John well needs to move from one tree to
another
I'd but it's too dangerous so an expert research
does Apple have hope there's no need to reply dated
that I his agility
enabled him to move among branches no thicker than his arm
at a high top 10 stories about the ground
room how is allowing I hold lifted after
tejan corporate he's completely mad
its and delivered the bomb that and I wanted to take lesson but
I could never managed to do that it is not possible is also hoping to find new
species
it could be useful to science
the biggest outweighs Madagascan now we have programs that where the skin is
ignition Easter they work on research into active ingredients and we help them
by determining the plant cell indicating similar species
only which may contain the same active ingredients sedated but
maybe in larger quantities of me just like chemical difference
that could perhaps be my pected be crucified
little got we are like it
plant dictionary for the other scientist male bet as well as being a dictionary
we tried to provide a life-history where did various species come from
one that closes relay teams are but ancestors where intense haha source all
on a very ancient levels who were said we are not just
a dictionary but more an encyclopedia
on
as the study at the forest progresses it becomes clear that some animals and
plants
have evolved distinctive and exceptional chemical properties
the
the scientists believe that if they can find these chemicals it could help
prevent the destruction
the forest on the key to this strategy
is economics d exploiting these compounds without damaging the forest
could provide commercial opportunities and if the forest can generate money
it will be worth protecting
before hey Steve get we have to stop destroying primal forests is just
unacceptable
she cooked up for me the future is in the vast range of biochemical resources
this deal it forms the basis of industries that are far more
sophisticated than simply the timber industry
peacekeeping if the basis of the pharmaceutical perfume and flavoring
industries
the added values enhance you can I could disappear
I'm
the
you
the hunt for these new economically valuable resources
will start high up in the company
it's the home at many rare flowers as well as the insects they attract
the pretzel will get the scientists access to species
it had never been studied before
way
testimony would you let what's going on are you pulling on the rope down there
or what
before they can even start work
came as make up forty me to climb up to the top
global mall the market for a cell phone call
cue
only appear once to trap insects occurred had useful chemical properties
first he has to catch them going on he likes
wait a minute let's not make a mistake homes but
personally 1h is at the top in the open this summer so this is 18 year
I shall the team set out a series a buck it's on the edge at the rocked
which contain chemicals to attract the insects who solves the problem I'll
possibly Australia Asia solution this has never been done before
the traps have always been tested on ground level it's clear that the forest
appear compared to the forest on the ground is not the same environment
you this at the four-star there is a diffusion up the molecules
here were in the open air with the wind and if you look down in the undergrowth
it's dark and humid with very little air movement
that the Yukon so there are two completely different environments
UTC we have a whole series of molecules to test one after the other
will be able to see the results soon but right now we're heading into unknown
territory of the settlers
reappears in said studies
could have enormous economic potential scientists have already discovered a
species are
and that produces the most efficient insecticide on earth
but the potential resources are the forest
don't stop with the insects
and professor alley it's clear that the canopy is one of the most productive
chemical laboratories on the planet
15 for about 10 years now we've shown that biochemical activity in canopies
is much greater than in the undergrowth 15 on the biochemical activity is what
makes the plans potentially useful for medicine
this is key shaking confident when he's on the team now shut it research for
medicine all plants until now has been done on the ground
people take a leaf into a test and when the result is negative they say okay
this species has no interest for us
but it did we have demonstrated that the biochemical interest is not
on the ground but in the canopy lead on a Kindle
during the growth period trees use most to the energy to increase in size
and to move towards light once they reach the sky
their colonized by animals that feed on the leaves
such as caterpillars the plants under attack
begin to develop chemical defenses natural versions have pesticides and
herbicides
these active compounds help protect them from the leaf eaters
some of these molecules have already been exploited by man
with remarkable result the rosy periwinkle
a tropical rainforest plant produces antitumor agents
that increase the survival rate of children with leukemia from 20 percent
day eighty percent on
I'm
the moon
it's not just medical chemicals that could have commercial Banyan
the airship is taking up this morning with perky specialists Dave Apple
and Roman Kaiser
that goal is to trap fragrances from the endemic Madagascan
promise
they're using a new piece of equipment corrupt
that is suspended from the airship it specially designed so they can cover a
large area of the canopy
insurgent these potential aromas
May 10 2010
good thing I hear okay
table hey yes 53 hard
the smell of certain plans disappears when the account
p right to capture the scent Dave and Roman enclose the flowers in a glass jar
using a small air pump the perfumed molecules are then drawn out
and fixed into an absorbent material
okay everything is set
fantasy fine Greenville
dubstep/grime I
this will be hiding three
yes here yes yes okay no
T
foothold crash you think
think it's Matt well
nothing
down
okay
yeah
as the mission progresses it becomes clear that the tropical forest
is an almost inexhaustible reservoir up new molecules
on the ground a local botanist as a surprise to rome in a day
okay home tell you anything I would come in somewhere in your
the only better yeah the issue yes
your proposal I'll keep these in the water
ideology is absent in the evening yeah could have gone
college football Italia
the final part to the team's strategy is to find new types of food
as a hot air balloon this folded away day bones Joe
is to test the samples uproot collected this is very cool
taste like like this is another
this is another good one not a tasteful speeches that the
look
dave is looking for new flavors
that could be used in saugerties yogurts offer unknown prints
which could be the next Kiwi all night she it's interesting
think this was not quite right yeah
long
this is another long the sale really very interesting because it its cry and
it's not going to think
I'm but it actually tastes more like dairy them
proof it's very creamy on milky
but also has some quite an interesting criticized close like imagine this for
instance in ice cream
all mix with with the more well-known fruit like strawberries
I am all mango or something like that just to get an exotic combination
a new twist something will turn world we don't already have
always looking for new ideas missed this punishment this was pretty interesting
the search for new species that may have economic value
has already led to some potentially value discoveries
cash
E
p
p
even after dark the hunt for a new species goes on
K many insects are nocturnal
so the only chance to see night illegally
he he he said the party
carla Gugino only Pierre and his team have come up with a very low-tech
approach to catching nighttime insects
that wraps are nothing more than a bright light
suspended behind a white cloth they positioned one in the undergrowth
and 140 meters up on the canopy p
well cohesion I just can't he lied
shop yesterday lead a presumed livingstone
yes yes he he he these are your you'll hate me
is already have quite a few things terrorized by the fifth
yes yes a he of poll
10 a he can make it a decedent
you can show your you have read about p.m.
as the micro but a very large yes money large micro launched or treated path
quick quick know you mustn't the damage it of
have you heard of him but let's hang tough QB he's good
yes Paul life-and-death
yes is it interesting for you yes for the moment I'm just completely wrapped
up in this supply hold
trying to disentangle myself up yeah
he he he I yeah penny
part where is mine it he or she may have
okay so this is just a comedian who met design iterations cancer
terry has made in breach not in a million get this in France pocket spring
it
very useful in these kind of mission when they just lying on electing
daughter really happy take up to several hours are trying to catch insects
only p.m. David are in for a big disappointment
seeking laptop there's almost nothing you'd expect to get more in a
and yeah I E sheet hung as
gotten some I'm in London Paris
on a summer's night or even on a winter's night
yet despite their small catching insects
they think they may have discovered a new species I've never seen anything
like this color fashion before
I don't even know what can the season bed to businesses time having okay
yes I'm running pure here's an idea
imagine Madagascar has the hold multiple longest time in the world
it's called i win predictor paul LePage we've got some creatures tonight that
we've never had the chance to catch down below so that some consolation
is efficiency for you yeah okay he is
people for once down in the undergrowth
the results were bad he its elite but he knew like
a bit like a giant englanders or that perhaps a hybrid
up is it in the Sun the organic matter right now know mister flown away
the small hole love insects in the canopy could be G to the moon
skillful in the undergrowth the forest blocks out
most of the blue light so the artificial light is very attracted to the insect
cup on the canopy lamb
pails in comparison to the
K
the next morning
the scientists are up early to continue the hunt for insects
despite an uncomfortable night he went here so we do it Kesha
any him and he has Kenneth during now
yeah again without the aid of a light trap
David resorts to a more traditional and catching insects
down on the beach
they're trying a very different method yeah
season
go ahead take it easy to get too much momentum he did reaffirm speed it's a
helium-filled balloon
called the canopy bottle the post but people don't use all your energy at the
start take the
the bubble allows the scientists to move freely over the tree canopy
30 meters above the forest floor
thanks to this morn balloon the insect catches can happily levitate above the
canopy
guided by Rep collecting insects in the treetops has never been so easy
will have to do now I was tapped the trees to make them fall into a less
mine
Lincoln but it doesn't always go smoothly
when it's only peers turned to go up in the balloon
it gets smacked in the branches you can't defeat
you have to push summed up in the ring yeah few days earlier the catch
lack the rain
the eight days a pulley you open it up
and try to fasten it that said as soon as you can read the rope
but the block against the Wipro and I'm
as the rope inside first up on it
gone rather have no knowledge air highly detailed I just hear coming to get you
K
luckily help is at hand to untangle
his class K
who
good
later that night at base camp the scientists discuss their findings
this is one minute remarkable things on
comes across so in the crate on packed minimally guess he praised
look at this little fella it's less than the size have any
10 pence piece those 55 basic means nine many gaskets could even be 256 taken she
is a hope with caterpillar which was discovered today by my colleague David
Lee's
what's absolutely extraordinary are these two input to Prince is here on the
body
it's completely unknown but should correspond to a previously described
species but we don't know which one because the caterpillars are not nearly
as well known as the adults
moment when you you will all be you know that means a smoking cannabis
it i living room dial again
as the expedition draws to a close
just the scientists embark on a unique study looking at the tallest tree in the
forest
every time is on hand to help
this list does it is
professor Alice first go is to classify the species
but it's hard to identify it just from the leaves
she assured me from Yahoo you we really need flowers and fruit
for example the tree will run here
I only know the family tradition I can say anymore until we have the flowers
and fruit the Philly free
perhaps I can see some floral buds their just
can use it just went on to view their you see the needs a opposite
yes right there yet now bunches girl
he thought he did just below the league's home well that's very
interesting very interesting
haha take a back full please yes
it's fine love them I will be able to find the species now
yes critters ala identifies the tree
as among likened Ironwood it's nearly 500 years old
he wants to test out a theory
the tree has undergone subtle genetic changes
throughout its long life for she could we know that trees like this one
don't have immune systems week we know that mutations are common
as with any animal or plant organism but the absence
%uh the new system means that the mutations don't get
eliminated he believes that these mutations are caused by the Suns
ultraviolet radiation hippies right
way the should be more genetic changes in the samples they collect from the top
of the tree
which is exposed to the Sun
I don't want to live anymore so him the same branch
you can take from a bit to the left there there
that would be number one 2 through 5 no to your left
there I've already taken that one i foot want are you on that one
okay so this is 1230 right set up to you later Francis
he's easy France's
you burn your hand the samples will have to be analyzed back in the lab
Kripa Sally hopes the results will help them understand
how mutations allow trees like this to adapt to the changing environment
K
after three months have scientific exploration
the expedition is finally over before the scientists leave the island
they can't resist a preliminary analysis small
the amphibian team have already found something unusual this one
perhaps as a new species wanna good
interesting characteristics for these two white spots that her
on the back I hopefully will look to the literature look through papers and see
if anybody else is described the fraud like this
and if not then we'll be able to describe this as a as a new species
and they're excited about a different from they found
which they believe was poisonous
this is a nice little mental the clues in the comer
this guy's not that one in colored
on top night and then he he certainly has a bright colors
in his son franz there's a an
defensive mechanism our behavior called the UNK in reflex wendell are
they're back and endpoint upwards the undersides in their hands and feet
and what happens is a defensive mechanism in the think bit be
sudden revealing a bright colors by the sudden display a bright colors
I would scare predators bright colors typically warned
have toxins looks a lot like
leapfrogged in South America don't and I've seen a lot other poison dart frogs
they have a *** the trigger talks in making cars a
death within minutes and the Indians the
chuckle and they remained in columbia is the from the poison dart frogs as the
trigger talks into
kill monkeys and hunting and stuff like that so these it's a lot less toxic but
they're still studies going on how to use these talks and the for anesthesia
and
other things like that the medical field but if if we lose all the frogs to
deforestation overpopulation of course there can be enough studies because
muster these frogs don't contain their toxins and captivity
because they're not eating the same diet as a %um major out of the 142
butterflies and moths collected
David Lee's thinks they have found two butterflies
which have never been described before more than 550 plant species have been
identified over the last few months
out of six ok it's discovered since the mission began
shortly 3 are totally unknown wireless router
says want their sign this John Noel about
now has declassified preserve all the samples wanna see
not only then commit again the scientific analysis
which could take up to two years she admits he said history
on pipe bomb we work for ourselves and for future generations who will be able
to study what we have gathered
perhaps these new methods have expiration on your technology that maybe
we have no idea today
when but but and it's the past any plans
they didn't know that one day we study the DNA of plans and yet we do that now
based on the web at: before
your so already sees a continuum it's only the technology to divorce and
enables us to explore nature in a different way
line item for gotta in the tropical zones we had a stage where we are
learning to read nature and to decoded
because hits this is really about deciphering
tropical rainforests are diminishing resource for a civilization
shrinking as rapidly has scientists got approved for their importance
but there may be a solution a pretty long gash
there are several languages used today concerning the preservation of tropical
forests
some say don't cut them down because they don't belong to us
they are the treasury of humanity for our children and our children's children
that's the language of civilization and nobody gives a damn
nobody listens customer Nash and then there's the language of threat
you don't cut the forests down because they absorb greenhouse gases
and so they protect us from the greenhouse effect and if you cut them
the climate will heat up and the ice caps will mount
the language of threat has no effect on our leaders either
they just don't hear it renew hold on guys could relate to
but the new language that I would like to be given credit for is
new don't cut down the forests because we can all make
lot more money by exploiting the canopy without harming it
then we can by logging its would comparable
professor Holly believes this offers a new way
to protect rainforests around the world if he's right
then this might be the expeditions greatest legacy
unlocking the economic potential of the rainforest
could be the key to ensuring their future survival
for generations to come
on
next week horizon travels halfway across the solar system
to make first contact with Saturn's mysterious moon Titan
in such a vital clues to the origins apply
in the middle