All language subtitles for B.W.S01E14.Mysterious.Reptiles.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

I'm Coyote Peterson, and
today, we're on the search

for the elusive water anole.

I got one right
here off this ledge.

I got it!

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"

From a bird's eye view, the
rainforests of Costa Rica

seem to be nothing
but endless tree tops.

Drop beneath the canopy, and you
will find that the terrain is

incredibly rugged,
yet intricately

laced with miles of canyons, cut
into the wild by flowing water.

Wow, this environment
is seriously challenging.

Everything is so
slippery and all

the rocks are sharp and jagged.

It's almost like
controlled falling,

you do everything you
can not to hurt yourself.

All right, well, we're working
our way up through this canyon

and hopefully that's where we're
going to find the water anole.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"

When it comes to
the Osa Peninsula,

the landscape is
absolutely epic,

and the biodiversity that
thrives in this remote paradise

is an animal enthusiast's
dream come true.

The Brave Wilderness
team and I have embarked

upon many grand adventures,
but nothing would push us

to the limit like our quest
to find one of the rarest

lizards in the country.

A tiny dragon that
can only be found deep

in the heart of the rainforest.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"
Look

at that, that's a baby one.

Wow, I'm might
trying to grab him.

Got him.

Look at that!

Well, we found one.

He's just really, really tiny.

That is a baby water
anole right there.

All right, we're going to
put this little guy back

on his leaf, and try to find
one of his big brothers.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"

Encountering a
juvenile water anole

was a definite sign that we were
headed in the right direction.

But then, the rain hit.

For nearly two hours, we hiked
through a torrential downpour.

And with the main
cameras packed away,

GoPros captured the journey as
we navigated the dense jungle.

Our destination,
a remote waterfall

that was rumored to be the
one place on the Osa Peninsula

where the largest water
anoles can be found.

Local guides talked
about these lizards

as if they were mythical rain
forest dragons, creatures

of the shadows that could
spring from cliff sides

and disappear into the watery
abyss in the blink of an eye.

Just to see what would be rare.

To capture one would be epic.

In the distance, the
sound of falling water

echoed through the canyon.

And as we rounded the
bend, before I knew it,

we had entered
the dragon's lair.

I got one right
here off this ledge.

Hold on.
Got it?

Hold on.

I got it!

Nice catch.

Yes.
Woo!

Woo!
Look at that.

Beauty.

And it is a male.

Look at that dewlap, watch this.

Oh, yes.

The elusive water
anole, there it is.

All right, I imagine
you probably don't want

to film next to this waterfall.

Let's bring him back
into the better light,

and get him up close
for the cameras.

Yes, we finally got one!

Ah, look at that.

That is water anole.

You guys have no
idea how much effort

it has taken to land
ourselves in this canyon

and find one of these
elusive lizards.

We've been hiking
for hours, we've

been dealing with
rainstorms, got a waterfall.

And finally, as I
came across that turn,

shining with my flashlight,
and said, this is the moment.

That is a male, that is the
one that I have to catch.

Now, this lizard--
as an anole, you

may be thinking, oh, Coyote,
we've seen so many anoles.

But trust me, you have not
seen an anole like this.

This lizard is incredibly
well-adapted for this water

ecosystem.

What they will do--

and fortunately for me, I
was quicker than he was--

they'll wait on the edges
of the canyon like that.

And as soon as a
predator gets close,

they dive off of the
wall, into the water,

and find a crevice to go into.

They sit there, and they wait
until the danger is gone.

Then, bl-bl-bloop,
they merge back up

and go about their
daily business.

Wait, how
do they go again?

Bl-bl-bloop.

They emerge back up and go
about their daily business.

Now, [pant] hold on.

Let me catch my composure,
because this was

such a tough lizard to catch.

My hand is actually shaking.

We did catch a female
earlier, and they're

a bit smaller than the males.

But look what he's doing.

You see that?

He's being completely
limp in my hand

because he wants me to
think that he's dead.

He's not, trust me.

At any second he could
go blop, just like that,

and launch off of my hand.

I can't do that for
too long, because he'll

realize that I don't have a good
hold on him-- whoa, come here.

And do that.

And do that.

Try to spring off.

But let's take a look at
this lizards camouflage,

because they are
incredibly cryptic.

And I was only able to
spot him with my flashlight

because the striping and
those little yellow dots

are what stood out.

He looks just like the
mosses and the lichens

that are covering these rocks.

You're very good at
camouflaging, buddy.

You know that?

But if you look at
him from the side,

you can see that
bluish stripe that runs

down the length of the body.

Incredibly beautiful.

Kind of reminds me a
Dilophosaur from Jurassic Park.

Now, you guys want to
see this lizard's dewlap?

It is pretty cool.

All right, get ready for this.

This is the coolest
part of this lizard.

Now, because this is a male,
all male anoles have a dewlap,

and they are
absolutely beautiful.

And this doesn't hurt the
lizard in any way whatsoever.

Whoop.

Wow.

Look at that.

Now what they use the dewlap
for is to attract the ladies.

So this gentleman will puff
up his chest, extend out

his dewlap, and then
he'll bob up and down

and say, ladies, how
good-looking am I?

And that he is, one
handsome little fellow.

Aside from being incredibly
handsome-- here you go, buddy--

he's also a really great hunter.

What they're out here looking
for, pretty much any little

invertebrate they
can come across.

But they specialize in
catching water nymphs.

And, of course, because
they're adapted for water,

they go down in there, look
for their food, grab a meal,

bring it up onto the sides of
the canyons, and have a feast.

So he has a pretty limited diet
in an environment like this,

but as you can see, this lizard
looks incredibly healthy.

That's about average
size for a male.

The males are a slight bit
bigger than the females.

Yeah I see you, I know.

You're an excellent hunter.

And he's a little discouraged
right now, because he was

caught by a potential predator.

Now, these lizards are really
well-adapted to this canyon

waterfall ecosystem, and
their skin is actually

really hydrophobic, which means
that water will bead up on it

and run right off.

Let me grab a handful
of water and show

you what that looks like.
Hold on a second.

Check this out.

We'll drip some
water down on him.

Look at that.

You see how the water just
beads up and runs right off?

So he's staying
dry, because we're soaked?

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"
He's

much dryer than I am right now.

I'm soaked, having to
go under that waterfall

to catch this lizard.

But right now,
this guy just wants

to get back up onto the rock
so he can continue hunting.

What an awesome adventure to
get down here into the canyon

and catch the
elusive water anole.

I'm Coyote Peterson.

Be brave, stay wild.

We'll see you on
the next adventure.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"

Every time we deploy into
the wild, mother nature

tests us with some seemingly
impossible challenges.

And there are certainly
times where the team

and I have wanted to give up.

To throw in the towel and say,
you know what, this episode

just isn't going to happen.

But this is Breaking Trail.

So when the going gets tough,
the Brave Wilderness team

gets going.

And mother nature
always rewards hard work

with something spectacular.

To this day, I still can't
believe that we actually

caught a rainforest dragon.

I'm Coyote Peterson.

Right now, we're hiking
in the southern swamps

of Texas, which is home to two
different water snake species.

One is venomous, and one is not.

If your life depended
on it, would you

be able to tell the difference?

Stick around, because
we're about to show you.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"

As the sun cut through the
tops of the cypress trees,

I carefully made my
way into the swamp.

Every step counts when you
are in the back country

of south Texas.

And as my boots slowly splashed
through the dark water,

my focus was completely
in-tune with the environment.

I knew that it was
only a matter of time

before I would find the
one reptile that most

people are terrified of.

Coyote, what
are you looking for?

Snakes, and nothing yet.

You know, most people are
out there and they're hiking

and they stumble upon snakes
when they don't expect to.

Me, I'm always looking for them.

But if you do come
across one in the wild,

I think it's really important
to identify the species.

A lot of times, you have
a non-venomous snake that

will look like a venomous one.

Unfortunately, these
non-venomous snakes are then

vilified as being venomous,
and a lot of times,

they end up being killed.

Now, my goal today is to catch
one non-venomous snake and one

venomous snake so we can show
you the distinct differences

between the two.

It's a long search
out here in swamps.

I'm not giving up.

We are going to
find some snakes.

Got a snake.

Yes.

Yes.

Check it out.

OK, little bitey, little bitey.

Ah, ah, ah.

Ah, he's got my finger!

Ouch.

Good news for me, though, is
that this one is non-venomous.

Bring him up into the light.

Check that out.

That is a broad-banded
water snake.

Whew, OK.

That is half of the
equation right there.

Watch your Go-Pro.

He's trying to bite you.

Well, that's the safe one.

Now we got to find the moccasin.

Phew, awesome.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE" PETERSON:
Definitely got my thumb.

A bite from this one, and
I'm going to be just fine.

But the other snake
we're looking for,

the water moccasin, if
that attacked my thumb,

we wouldn't be getting shots.

We'd be on our way
to the hospital.

Look at that.

Let me get him up closer
to the camera, there.

Whoa.

He's bitey.

Beautiful snake.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"
OK, cool.

Well, let's keep
searching for moccasins.

What you do not want to
do is just accidentally

step on a venomous snake.

This is definitely
moccasin territory.

There's a moccasin right there.

OK, come up slow.
Where?

Right up against
the side of that tree.

Oh, I see it.

Wow, look at how big it is.

OK, now this is the real deal.

Stay back.

OK.

Stay a couple steps back.

Now, they usually
move pretty slow.

I'm going to try to hook it and
bring it up here on your path.

You ready?
Yeah.

Careful.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"
Come here.

It started moving.

Careful.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"
Grab that tail.

Grab that tail.

OK, there we go.

Do not want to take a
bite from this snake.

That one will send
you to the hospital.

OK, bringing it up
on the path here.

Wow, OK.

Ooh, rattling the
tail a little bit.

That is his defensive sign.
OK.

Ah ah ah.

Ts, ts, ts, ts.

It should just stop for us.

Come here, come here.

There we go.

All right, what
we need to do now

is just get the
snake under control

so that we can get it up
close with the cameras.

Let me move it back
a little bit here.

Ha, my nerves are going.

Just looking into the water
there-- and that's how

well these things camouflage--

I just saw it out of
the corner of my eye.

Just an obscure
shape up against that

cypress, and that's what
these snakes will do.

You don't often see them just
slithering about like you

would have water snake.

They'll often be just like this,
curled up in a ball somewhere.

Trying to stay camouflaged,
trying to stay away

from any potential predators.

Then again, if you were going
to try to eat this snake,

you better be quick.

Because if you're
tagged by those fangs,

you are going to be
in a world of trouble.

Now, this is a water
moccasin but they are

famously known as cottonmouths.

And watch this, I'll get
the snake to open its mouth

and you'll see
that white throat.

Look at that.

That is a defensive--
oh, you see?

And look, you got the
tail going out, too.

You see that?

Mimicking a rattlesnake,
saying I am venomous.

Yes, we know that
you are venomous.

I can actually see
the fangs tucked back.

Woo, I am [panting] dripping
bullets of sweat right now.

Let me back up a touch.

OK.

Well, perfect.

We have the two
snake species that

are indigenous to this habitat.

A water moccasin and a
broad-banded water snake.

One venomous, and
one that is not.

Stick around, and we'll
show you which is which.

Wow.

Check this out.

Completely calm now,
considering the fact,

just a few minutes
ago, this snake

was doing everything it could
to bite me and get away.

This is the broad-banded
water snake.

And look at this
incredibly calm demeanor.

And I noticed the same thing
with Lake Erie water snakes

and northern water snakes.

At first, It's all
about fight or flight.

If they can't get away
and you catch them,

they immediately
try to bite you.

Now the good news for
me, like I said before,

is that this is a
non-venomous species.

So how big
do the snakes get?

I mean, do these snakes get as
big as a Northern water snake?

Yeah, they do.

I would say this is
about average size

for one of these snakes.

It is, I'd say, about two
and a half feet in length.

But they can grow to be about
three and a half or four feet

at a maximum size.

Females are larger
than the males,

and I do believe it's a
male, looking at its cloaca.

Yeah, you're a handsome
fellow, aren't you?

Now, these snakes are
often misidentified.

People see them near the
water, and they automatically

think it's a water moccasin.

This is a very common
species all across

the southeastern United States.

And the reason people mistake
it for a water moccasin

is mostly the fact that,
A, it's right by the water,

and B, the coloration.

I'm going to turn the
snake just a little bit.

You see all that dark brown that
runs the length of the body?

And then that faded
banding looks just

like a younger water moccasin.

But then, of course, if
you flip the snake over and

look at its belly--

Look at all that
copper checkering.

You will not find that
on a water moccasin.

And not that you'd
ever necessarily see

the belly of the snake, but
I just think that that's

really, really cool-looking.

This is actually the
first time I have caught

this species of
snake, and it is just

so incredibly calm right now.

I cannot believe how comfortable
this snake has gotten with us,

and we've only been handling
it for a few minutes.

But it did musk on me.

There you go.

See that white stuff
on my hand right there?

Ew.

Eugh, yeah.

It stinks.

That is another
defense mechanism.

Poop on a potential predator,
if it's trying to eat me.

All right, but I'm
not going to eat you.

Don't worry, we could just
hang out and be friends.

Wow, this snake is so cool.

Well, I think at this
juncture, we should

bring out the water moccasin.

I'm going to hand this
snake off to Mario.

He's going to bring
in the moccasin.

This can be a little
bit more dangerous.

Hopefully we'll get that
snake to just calm down

on the ground, and we'll get
the cameras up close for it

so we can show you the distinct
field markings of that snake.

All right, you ready?

Yep

All right, now we're going
to bring in the water moccasin.

Just keep your wits about
you, because this is going

to be slightly more dangerous.

OK, let me bring him over here.

Come here, come here, come here.

Slightly is
an understatement.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"
Yeah.

I got it, I got it, I got it.
Sling it in.

Calm down.

Hold on, I'm going
to get her to stop.

Tsh, tsh.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"
There we go.

So, Coyote, the water
snake you just held had

anti-coagulant in its saliva.

This snake has venom.

What would this snake do to you?

This snake would--

depending how your body reacted,
it could potentially kill you.

There are not many
reported deaths

from water moccasin bites.

However, that venom
is incredibly toxic,

and it will break
down red blood cells.

You could lose a finger,
you could lose your hand.

Let's just put it this way.

If I'm tagged by the snake,
we are leaving the scene

and we are heading
to the hospital.

So I need to be extra
careful right now.

Mark, we've got you a
couple feet past the snake.

We've got Mario just
off camera here,

making sure if the
snake makes a move,

he can keep it away
from you, Mark.

But other than that, if we
just stay calm and collected,

just like this in front of the
snake, we should be just fine.

You see, the snake's
not trying to flee.

It's just keeping itself low
to the ground, its body spread.

Look how wide and
girthy that snake is.

Now these snakes, like
the banded water snakes,

are aquatic.

However, they do not dive
down underwater to hunt.

You will see them occasionally
moving from pocket of water

to pocket of water,
but they usually

are hunting on the embankment.

These snakes do not have
rattles, like rattlesnakes,

and they rely on their
camouflage to keep them hidden.

A lot of times, people will
be walking down the trail.

You accidentally
step on the snake,

and that's how you were bitten.

This snake has no interest
in chasing or hurting humans.

If you just admire this
animal from a safe distance,

you're going to be just fine.

OK, so the most important
part of this episode

is that we want to show you
a comparison of this snake

next to the broad-banded
water snake.

Now, to do that, I'm going to
have to get the water moccasin

under control, which
means I'm going to use

my snake hook to
gently pin it's head,

and then pick the snake up.

Mario is going to bring in
the broad-banded water snake.

We're going to put them
side by side and show you

the distinct field marks
so that you can properly

identify these
snakes if you ever

come across them in the wild.

Let me get
in for the shot.

I am gently going to
get position of her head,

just like this.

There we go.

I want my fingers just
behind the head like that.

This is the most
dangerous thing you

could do with a venomous snake.
- Yeah.

Never ever, ever do what
you see me doing here.

I get full control of the body.

There we go.

Yeah, all right, you'll
notice my hand is shaking.

Now never ever, ever try
to pick up a venomous

snake like you just saw me do.

And the only reason
that I headed this snake

is so that we can get both of
these right next to each other.

I've got a gentle yet firm
grip on the back of her head,

just behind the venom glands,
and full control of the body.

You won't see me moving too
much more for this scene.

I just got to kind of
collect my nerves, stay calm.

Mario, go ahead and bring in
the broad-banded water snake.

There we go.

Cool, look at that.

Little nervous?

Little bit.

Kind of have a dangerous
snake here in my hand.

She's calmed down a bit.

You see your tongue flicking
out now, so that's good.

She's not trying to
expose her fangs.

Now, the water moccasin,
because it is a pit viper

and it has these two
massive venom glands,

has a very
triangular-shaped head.

You pan over to the
broad-banded water snake,

and its head is
actually very narrow.

However, when these broad-banded
water snakes are threatened,

they will flatten their
heads and puff them up,

forming them into a triangle.

Which, oftentimes, causes
people to misidentify

them for water moccasins.

It's good news for the snake
if it drives off a predator,

but it's bad news if
that predator is a human.

And then, unfortunately,
that snake

usually ends up being killed.

Um, sorry, a little nervous.

Let's look on the heads as
well, at the snake's eyes.

So I'm going to
just slightly turn--

I'll move.

You just stay there.

You'll notice that
the water moccasin has

a vertical pupil,
while the banded water

snake has a circular pupil.

I don't imagine anybody
out there watching

is ever going to get
face-to-face with either

of these snake species.

But if you happen upon one
and you see a vertical pupil,

you know it's a moccasin, and
you know that it's venomous.

Now the last difference on
the face of these snakes

is the fact that the water
moccasin is a pit viper.

Now right up front there
you'll see a nostril,

and just behind that
you see another hole

in between the
nostril and the eye.

That is the heat-sensing pit,
which allows these snakes

to detect not only their
prey, but potential predators

in the environment.

Now, when you look at the
broad-banded water snake,

you'll notice that
it does not have

pits, just eyes and nostrils.

When you look at these
two snakes overhead,

you can see how similar
they are in coloration.

Now the broad-banded water
snake has more distinct banding,

but if you were to just see
these snakes at a quick glance,

they are pretty similar-looking.

But you'll notice that
the water moccasin has

a much girthier,
flattened body as compared

to the banded water snake.

Look at that
difference, right there.

But their
scales look similar.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE" PETERSON:
They do, don't they?

And both species have
rough, killed scales

which allows them to
quickly be able to move

through this rugged environment.

Should we see the bellies?

I know that's another
big difference.

Wow, look at that.

Now, you're never likely
to see the belly of these two

snakes next to each other.

But, as you can see,
the banded water snake

is beautiful and checkered, and
the water moccasin is just kind

of plain and cream-colored.

Not that that makes the
snake any less special.

I smell
something, Coyote.

You do.

I smell that same thing.

Both of these snakes right
now are musking, which

is a final defense
tactic in the event

that something
tries to eat them.

That musk is coming out
of their bottom ends.

And if you're a predator and
you get that in your mouth,

it tastes really bad.

So, as you can
tell, these snakes

have many different defenses
against potential predators.

For everyone out
there watching, we

want you to know
that these two snakes

are very difficult to
distinguish from one another.

And if you see a snake
out there in the wild,

definitely treat it
as if it's venomous.

If it's a moccasin
and you take a bite,

you're going to be
in a lot of trouble.

So it's best to
just always admire

these animals from a safe
distance I'm Coyote Peterson.

Be brave.

Stay wild.

We'll see you on
the next adventure.

All right, are you
ready to let them go?

Let's do it.

Back into the wild
with these snakes.

NATHANIEL "COYOTE"

Working with snakes
is one of the most

dangerous aspects of this job.

And the reason I
do it is so that we

can learn about these
incredible animals

and hopefully walk away with
a newfound respect for even

the ones that we are afraid of.