1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:06,239 DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: Madagascar, 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,559 an ancient island adrift in the Indian Ocean. 3 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:10,799 (BARKING) 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,119 Its animals and plants, in isolation for millions of years, 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:17,079 have evolved in their own way, 6 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,479 so that now over 80% of them 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,359 are unlike any others anywhere else in the world. 8 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:31,239 And by far, the greatest concentration of its highly-specialised wildlife 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:32,599 is found here, 10 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,239 among the mountains and rainforests of the east. 11 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,679 A journey down these eastern slopes, 12 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,159 from isolated mountain peaks to tropical shorelines, 13 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,919 reveals the huge variety of this island's wildlife. 14 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:25,799 160 million years ago, Madagascar lay between Africa and India 15 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,719 within a much larger supercontinent called Gondwana. 16 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,479 As this giant landmass slowly broke apart, 17 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,519 the upheavals created a 1,000-mile long range of mountains 18 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,719 that stretch the length of Madagascar. 19 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,119 Separating west from east, the Andringitra highlands 20 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,559 are one of the high points along this rocky backbone. 21 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,359 Over two and a half thousand metres high, 22 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:02,599 they rise like inland islands far above the surrounding plains. 23 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:21,119 Over an immense span of time, these huge granite domes and plateaus 24 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,719 have been sculpted by the elements. 25 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,519 The climate on these isolated tops 26 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,159 is the most extreme found on this tropical island. 27 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,279 The days are scorching hot, 28 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,839 the nights bitterly cold. 29 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,159 It appears deserted and yet, there is life here. 30 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:54,599 Usually found in warm forests, a few small troops of ring-tailed lemurs 31 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,159 make their home in this desolate, windswept place. 32 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,079 To combat the cold 33 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,239 they've evolved larger bodies and much thicker coats 34 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,519 than their lowland relatives. 35 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,879 And they have another trick up their sleeves. 36 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,439 After spending the freezing nights huddled together in a crevice, 37 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,719 they start the day with a spot of sunbathing. 38 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,479 (CHIRPING) 39 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,079 Only drought-loving plants like aloe and cactus 40 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,919 can survive in this high-altitude desert. 41 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:47,359 During the dry season, 42 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,359 these succulent plants are the lemurs' only source of moisture. 43 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,999 It may be a tough, hand-to-mouth existence 44 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,759 but they have few competitors up here. 45 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:02,359 Even so, 46 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:07,359 venturing out on these exposed summits is not without its dangers. 47 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:24,679 Madagascar buzzards are quite capable of snatching an unwary lemur. 48 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:28,439 (LEMUR BARKING) 49 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,879 A barked alarm call sends them all scuttling for cover. 50 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,679 (BARKING CONTIN U ES) 51 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:01,759 (BARKING) 52 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,199 Ring-tailed lemurs are just as suited to life on the ground 53 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:08,799 as up in the trees. 54 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:13,439 And that makes them far more adaptable than most of Madagascar's lemurs. 55 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,119 Several troops of ring-tails manage to make a living in these highlands. 56 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,479 Some of the luckier ones occupy a more sheltered valley 57 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,439 where a few trees have managed to take root. 58 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:41,399 Morning fog condensing on leaves is an important source of water. 59 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,239 (ANIMALS CALLING) 60 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,399 Although the mornings still have a chill to them, 61 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:50,679 life here seems more relaxed. 62 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:52,879 (SQU EAKING) 63 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,359 But also more crowded. 64 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:06,999 (CAWING) 65 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,039 Pied crows need to be moved on. 66 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:14,199 Not least because there are some vulnerable arrivals in the troop. 67 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:19,039 (CALLING) 68 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:22,439 Almost every female is carrying an infant, 69 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,359 an indication that life is comparatively easy up here. 70 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,759 With more protection from the elements and a little more food, 71 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:39,879 this troop is particularly large 72 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,399 and can devote plenty of time to their social lives. 73 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:54,319 (CHATTERING) 74 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,479 One female even has twins, 75 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,039 a rare event amongst ring-tailed lemurs 76 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,799 and a direct result of a good food supply. 77 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,039 But this valley troop still has to work hard 78 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:18,759 to collect food in this broken landscape. 79 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,759 Few lemurs are such good rock climbers. 80 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,159 There's a real bonanza at this time of year. 81 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:52,719 While some gather canopy fruits, 82 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,799 the mother of the twins stays lower and gathers fresh leaves. 83 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,439 The young are born during the fruiting season 84 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,279 when demands on the mothers are heaviest. 85 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:13,439 After such a heavy meal, 86 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,719 the troop head off in search of their next course, 87 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:19,439 the daily dose of dirt. 88 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,999 Eating soil is thought to help with digestion. 89 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:35,999 But it also provides minerals 90 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,079 and even helps the lemurs to cope with troublesome gut parasites. 91 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,839 These troops are becoming even more isolated 92 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,879 as farmers push up into the high valleys. 93 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,199 Now, surrounded by rice paddies, 94 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:14,479 these highland lemurs are marooned in their mountaintop islands. 95 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,119 Here, away from the rest of their kind, 96 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,039 they've had to adapt in order to survive. 97 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,679 (LEMUR CALLING FAINTLY) 98 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:35,079 It's a story that's repeated all across these eastern mountains. 99 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,759 Each peak is effectively an island. 100 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:52,199 And each is home to its own unique collection of animals and plants. 101 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,559 This mountain range is home to one of these rarities, 102 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,839 the Andringitra jeweled chameleon. 103 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,799 Swollen with eggs, this female is on a mission. 104 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:35,879 As the rainy season approaches, she begins to dig. 105 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:42,279 The only safe place for her clutch is deep underground. 106 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,959 But her first attempt ends in disaster. 107 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,759 Unearthing an ants' nest is not a good start. 108 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,279 She moves on and tries again. 109 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,039 She needs to find just the right spot. 110 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:09,439 Her eggs will remain hidden here for several months. 111 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:16,479 It takes her a whole day to excavate the nest. 112 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:24,799 Finally, she reverses in and lays around a dozen eggs. 113 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,639 (THUNDER RUMBLING) 114 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:42,079 It becomes a race against time to get the eggs under cover. 115 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:50,039 She carefully hides her tracks. 116 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,079 And then she abandons her eggs to their fate. 117 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,119 (THUNDER CONTIN U ES RUMBLING) 118 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:19,959 Madagascar's mountainous spine 119 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,239 is the reason the island's eastern side is so wet. 120 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,799 It blocks the tropical winds blowing in from the Indian Ocean. 121 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,799 As the warm, moisture-laden air hits this barrier, 122 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:40,039 rain condenses from the clouds and drenches these slopes. 123 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,999 Over five metres can fall here in a year. 124 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:52,239 Rain-swollen torrents pour over giant steps towards the ocean. 125 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,639 They descend into a richer, greener, more enclosed world. 126 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:23,799 The mist-shrouded Marojejy mountains lie in the northeast of the island. 127 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:36,039 These cloud forests are a rich many-layered world 128 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,039 that offers huge opportunities for life to flourish. 129 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:59,879 One bird dominates the dark tangle of the understorey. 130 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,359 It's another of Madagascar's many oddities, 131 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:09,759 the Helmet vanga. 132 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:15,959 These wet, eastern forests are its only home. 133 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:19,999 (CHIRPING) 134 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,639 Why the Helmet vanga possesses such a vivid blue bill is a mystery. 135 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,559 But it's certainly a lethal weapon. 136 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:47,799 Vangas are ambush hunters, pouncing on ground-living millipedes 137 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,319 or snatching cicadas and lizards from tree trunks. 138 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,439 Around 20 species of vanga live on the island, 139 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,039 all descended from a single ancestral species 140 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,319 that became isolated here millions of years ago. 141 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,599 (ANIMALS CALLING) 142 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:17,359 There's a much more ghostly presence in these tangled forests, too. 143 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:25,359 The high canopy is home to one of the world's rarest primates. 144 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:30,639 There may be only 200 silky sifakas in existence. 145 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:40,759 Extremely sensitive to disturbance, these large lemurs have retreated 146 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,919 to the region's most inaccessible valleys. 147 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,719 Leaves and flowers make up the bulk of their diet. 148 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,559 But such food is difficult to digest 149 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,479 and they take long rests after each meal. 150 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,639 However, these essential halts do give them time 151 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:06,479 to indulge their gentle, playful natures. 152 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,999 The whole family gets drawn into the games. 153 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:29,359 Even the older members, distinguished by their paler faces. 154 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:35,959 As with most lemurs, 155 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:39,039 the female sifakas are only sexually receptive 156 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,399 for just one or two days each year. 157 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,879 So it's crucial for the males to keep a very close check on them. 158 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,079 The females leave scent marks on the tree trunks. 159 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,439 And the dominant males are quick to move in 160 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:00,799 and check the subtle messages. 161 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,599 They can't afford to miss the one opportunity in the year 162 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:08,159 to father a baby. 163 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:21,999 The name "lemur" means "spirits of the dead", 164 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:26,119 and with only a few hundred of these brilliant white sifakas left, 165 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,039 the name here could be only too prophetic. 166 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,159 Lower down the mountains, 167 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:46,639 cloud forest gives way to warmer, wetter rainforests. 168 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:59,639 Great clumps of bamboo thrive in the tropical heat and damp. 169 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,639 The tangle of bowed and broken poles 170 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,679 creates a natural climbing frame, a playground 171 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,999 for one of Madagascar's most specialised group of animals. 172 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,999 Bamboo lemurs are Madagascar's pandas, 173 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:23,719 depending almost entirely on this overgrown grass for food. 174 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:36,719 Bamboo is tough and woody. Hard to chew, let alone digest. 175 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,079 But hardest of all, 176 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,999 the leaves of some species are packed full of cyanide. 177 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,399 Yet, three species of bamboo lemur live here 178 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,639 eating these plants day in, day out. 179 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:56,359 Two of them favour parts of the plant low in poison. 180 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:02,639 But the third, the golden bamboo lemur, is the real specialist. 181 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,839 It eats the tips of new leaves that are loaded with cyanide. 182 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,119 It's not known how they cope with the poison 183 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:16,999 but they can tolerate up to 12 times a normally lethal dose. 184 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,359 Only through these subtle differences in diet 185 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,279 can all three species share the same small patch of rainforest. 186 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,519 Bamboo thrives here because this part of Madagascar 187 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:36,799 is very wet throughout the year. 188 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,599 And these lower eastern slopes 189 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:44,359 are exposed to the full fury of the cyclone season. 190 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,279 For a few months each year, these powerful tropical storms 191 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:54,959 sweep straight in from the Indian Ocean. 192 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:01,959 Lasting for days, they create paths of destruction across the island 193 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:05,559 and pour huge amounts of water onto these forests. 194 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:40,679 But for the bamboo lemurs, these dark clouds have a silver lining. 195 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:47,559 In their wake, something peculiar starts springing up all over the forest floor. 196 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,239 It's what the lemurs have been waiting for all year, 197 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:53,879 bamboo shoots. 198 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,359 The greater bamboo lemurs in particular find these spikes irresistible. 199 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,799 These new shoots are particularly rich in sugary sap. 200 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:35,639 It might take half an hour or more to consume a single shoot. 201 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,799 These bamboo-loving primates 202 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,439 are one of the most highly-specialised animals 203 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,799 to have evolved during Madagascar's long isolation. 204 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:54,439 But this has left them vulnerable as their forest home disappears. 205 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:01,919 As few as 1,000 of them now live in these dappled bamboo thickets. 206 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:14,479 The dense canopy means little light reaches the forest floor. 207 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:19,159 To survive in this shadowy world, animals need to blend in. 208 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:34,439 At just three centimetres long, this brown leaf chameleon 209 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,159 is one of the smallest of its family. 210 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:43,759 Its long flattened body gives it excellent camouflage 211 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:47,039 as it hunts among the debris of the forest floor. 212 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:53,239 (FLIES BUZZING) 213 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:57,559 Today, it's also getting some help from upon high. 214 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,879 (LEMURS CALLING) 215 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:12,239 This mess is being created by the largest of Madagascar's 80-odd lemurs, 216 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,519 the indri, 217 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,959 an unlikely ally for the tiny chameleon. 218 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,479 The fallen fruit is the perfect bait, 219 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:26,639 attracting all sorts of insects, including swarms of fruit flies. 220 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:33,279 But this tiny predator has its sight set on something a little larger, 221 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:35,919 a cockroach. 222 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:06,879 As night falls, the forest floor becomes a different world, 223 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:11,039 where smell and sound and touch are the primary guides. 224 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,399 (INSECTS CHIRPING) 225 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:18,679 (ANIMALS CALLING) 226 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:29,239 A family of striped tenrecs starts truffling through the dead leaves. 227 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:34,239 They may look like hedgehogs, but tenrecs are unique to Madagascar. 228 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:39,519 And these striped tenrecs are only found here in these eastern rainforests. 229 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:50,679 One of the youngsters has been distracted 230 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:54,199 by the discovery of a particularly juicy worm. 231 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,959 A tenrec's teeth are small, but needle-sharp 232 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:01,679 and well-suited to dealing with this soft, slippery food. 233 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,759 By the time it's subdued its struggling prey, 234 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,359 the rest of the family has moved on. 235 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:19,239 This is not a good place to be out on your own in the dark. 236 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,479 It needs to get back to its family. 237 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,639 But how to find them in the tangled undergrowth? 238 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:32,279 They have a unique solution. 239 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:34,839 Specialised quills on their backs. 240 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:36,519 (QUILLS RATTLING) 241 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:49,999 As these quills rub together, they create a high-pitched noise 242 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:52,879 that cuts through the din of the forest. 243 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:55,079 It acts like a homing beacon, 244 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,159 guiding wayward offspring back into the fold. 245 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:06,159 These are the only mammals in the world to communicate in this way. 246 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,559 Eastwards again towards the coastal lowlands. 247 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:24,759 All that stands in the way 248 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:28,439 are the last cliffs and ravines of the escarpments. 249 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:59,999 As the gradient slackens, the rivers slow and spread. 250 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:10,279 Down here, the forests are even more luxuriant. 251 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,319 (CRICKETS CHIRPING) 252 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:24,519 It's so wet that some tree frogs don't need to lay their eggs in water. 253 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:33,839 Instead, they stick them to the underside of leaves, 254 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,319 well out of reach of hungry fish. 255 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:41,279 In less than a week, they've already developed into tadpoles. 256 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,119 They mature very quickly. 257 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:51,079 But not quite fast enough in this case. 258 00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:58,959 (BUZZING) 259 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,359 The most unlikely of predators has stumbled 260 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:04,399 on these clumps of spawn. 261 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:14,079 The protective jelly merely slows down the wasp's smash-and-grab tactics. 262 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,599 The wasps return again and again, 263 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:37,999 chewing up tadpoles before taking them back to their own nest. 264 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:54,839 And yet, the tadpoles aren't entirely helpless. 265 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,839 By the time they're only five days old, 266 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:03,279 they're already able to react 267 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:06,759 to the vibrations created by the hunting wasps. 268 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,439 They hatch prematurely when stressed like this 269 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,279 and, as the jelly liquefies, 270 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:24,999 the tadpoles dribble down to the leaf tip and into the water below. 271 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:29,759 They may be underdeveloped, 272 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:31,119 but they can swim well enough 273 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,719 to give themselves at least a fighting chance 274 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,319 away from the jaws of the wasps circling above. 275 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:49,639 These lowland forests are full of sinister and unlikely predators. 276 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:59,039 Some plants have become meat eaters. 277 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:05,959 The shores of Lac Ampitabe are thick with pitcher plants. 278 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,319 (INSECT BUZZING) 279 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,759 Their closest relatives are found in Indonesia, 280 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:25,959 a place last connected to Madagascar 18 million years ago. 281 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,279 The liquid-filled cups are modified leaves. 282 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:42,759 Insects are attracted by the plant's bright patterns and sweet nectar. 283 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,199 But it's a fatal attraction. 284 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,839 The rim of the pitchers is very slippery. 285 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,959 And the sap appears to have a narcotic effect. 286 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:15,639 Once trapped inside, there's no escape. 287 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:22,559 Prey is slowly dissolved 288 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,079 in the soup of enzymes secreted by the plant. 289 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:30,679 On this island of specialists, 290 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:34,399 some creatures have even made this unwelcome place home. 291 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:41,559 Ants live in and around the pitchers collecting nectar from the rim. 292 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:46,759 Day geckos also sip at the sweet liquid, 293 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:49,999 and hunt the insects attracted to the plants. 294 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:56,239 The ridged soles of their feet make them super sticky, 295 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:59,039 able to grip on just about any surface. 296 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:06,519 But there are still dangers around these pitchers. 297 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:12,719 Striped snakes love this tangle of vegetation. 298 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,079 And eating geckos. 299 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:25,399 At the first hint of danger, the geckos retreat to the nearest cover. 300 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:33,239 An old dried-up pitcher is an excellent refuge. 301 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:04,479 In these forests, staying safe is often best done by keeping a low profile. 302 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:08,479 But paradise flycatchers are hard to miss. 303 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:10,399 (TWITTERING) 304 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:21,799 And with their nest just a metre off the ground, 305 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,599 the chicks are vulnerable to snakes and other birds. 306 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,199 Flycatchers, like many birds, have a trick 307 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:44,759 that reduces the chance of their nest being discovered. 308 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,679 The chicks enclose their waste in white faecal sacks. 309 00:33:57,280 --> 00:33:59,599 Just dumped over the side of the nest, 310 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:02,199 these would attract a lot of unwelcome attention. 311 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:05,239 So the adults collect and dispose of them. 312 00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:26,599 Others living in this forest 313 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:29,799 don't seem to mind being the centre of attention. 314 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:41,559 This big, noisy bird is Madagascar's very own cuckoo. 315 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:43,999 (SH RILL CRY) 316 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,319 All these calls are directed at its tiny foster parents. 317 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:56,839 Having disposed of their young long ago, 318 00:34:56,920 --> 00:35:00,999 this supersized impostor is monopolising their attention. 319 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:07,439 They seem unable to resist its incessant demands. 320 00:35:09,240 --> 00:35:11,479 But now that the cuckoo is nearly full-grown, 321 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:14,399 their exhausting ordeal will soon be over. 322 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:30,879 These lowland forests also contain a curious throwback, 323 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:33,159 a plant that reveals a link 324 00:35:33,240 --> 00:35:37,239 to a time when Madagascar was still connected to mainland Africa. 325 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:42,599 The traveller's tree is only found in Madagascar, 326 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:46,319 but its closest relatives are the bird-of-paradise flowers 327 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:48,479 growing in southern Africa. 328 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:58,639 Over on the mainland, those plants are pollinated by nectar-feeding birds. 329 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:05,719 But in Madagascar, the traveller's tree has evolved 330 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,039 to attract another pollinator. 331 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:13,759 Not a bird, but something altogether stranger. 332 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:21,159 The large flowers produce huge amounts of sugary nectar. 333 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:24,959 And they are tough enough to withstand rough handling. 334 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:32,519 And they need to be when aye-ayes come calling. 335 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:47,399 They may not look much like one, but the aye-aye is a lemur. 336 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:55,639 As it feeds, its snout becomes coated with pollen, 337 00:36:55,720 --> 00:36:58,599 which it then carries to other traveller's trees 338 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:01,679 as it makes its nightly rounds of the forest. 339 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:12,559 For the aye-aye, nectar is just a passing fancy. 340 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:15,559 What's really shaped their extraordinary appearance 341 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:18,319 is a love of beetle grubs. 342 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:24,439 Its large ears, gnawing teeth and long thin fingers, 343 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:29,439 are all beautifully adapted to detect and winkle out juicy larvae 344 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:31,959 from under the bark of rainforest trees. 345 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:43,119 In a few places, the rainforest extends right down to the ocean. 346 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:56,839 The largest stretch left in Madagascar 347 00:37:56,920 --> 00:38:01,399 grows on the remote Masoala Peninsula in the north of the island. 348 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:07,439 Here, there are hundreds of square miles of pristine jungle. 349 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:14,999 Growing right next to the ocean brings its own particular challenges. 350 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:19,319 The forest trees must cope with shifting sandy soils 351 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,439 and being regularly showered with salty spray. 352 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,799 Nonetheless, the forest is full of wildlife. 353 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:44,599 (TWITTERING) 354 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:53,479 Standing water can be hard to find here 355 00:38:53,560 --> 00:38:56,759 because the sandy soil drains so quickly. 356 00:38:57,240 --> 00:39:02,119 That makes life very difficult for frogs looking for somewhere to lay their eggs. 357 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:06,399 But storm-damaged bamboo stalks provide the solution. 358 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:16,919 These rain-filled reservoirs are communal meeting places 359 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:20,759 for Madagascar's unique golden bamboo frogs. 360 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:26,679 In the breeding season, this community spirit breaks down 361 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:31,119 as individual males compete for the water-filled stems, 362 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,919 and start calling to attract mates. 363 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:37,239 (FROGS CROAKING) 364 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:47,199 In response, females are drawn to the males at their bamboo pools. 365 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,879 This female is a late arrival on the scene, 366 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,199 and she needs to be very wary. 367 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:02,519 Another female has been here and there's already a tadpole in residence. 368 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:05,959 There's very little food in these pools. 369 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:07,439 And the last thing she wants 370 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:11,199 is her valuable egg to end up feeding another female's tadpole. 371 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:17,599 So she rejects the male's advances and moves on. 372 00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:24,759 Eventually, she finds an unoccupied pool, 373 00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:27,319 where she could be sure of laying the first egg. 374 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:32,639 And she has a way of getting around the shortage of food, too. 375 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:36,279 Once her egg is hatched, 376 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:40,079 she'll return repeatedly to lay an infertile egg 377 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,119 on which her tadpole will feed. 378 00:40:57,640 --> 00:41:00,119 This is a highly-competitive world. 379 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:05,319 Predatory birds like couas and Madagascar coucals 380 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:07,679 have leaf geckos on their menu. 381 00:41:09,240 --> 00:41:11,719 But, first, they have to find them. 382 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:18,519 These geckos are able to stay absolutely motionless. 383 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:22,599 Some have evolved ragged fringes around their bodies 384 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:24,999 to help break up their tell-tale outline. 385 00:41:30,720 --> 00:41:33,519 The largest, up to 30 centimetres long, 386 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:38,159 hide on favourite tree trunks that match their particular skin colouration. 387 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:49,519 But, as night falls, they're transformed. 388 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:52,719 The hunted become hunters. 389 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:02,279 Now it's not about camouflage, but stealth and surprise. 390 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:11,759 Their huge eyes help them track prey in the darkness. 391 00:42:15,720 --> 00:42:20,279 Large mouths packed with sharp teeth help them tackle difficult prey. 392 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:23,959 But not necessarily to deal with smaller pests. 393 00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:44,719 Their sight is 350 times more sensitive than the human eye. 394 00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:49,119 These geckos can see colour even in the dimmest moonlight. 395 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:20,239 They have no eyelids, 396 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:23,519 so licking is the only way to keep their eyes clean. 397 00:43:57,880 --> 00:44:00,919 This caterpillar, apparently, doesn't taste good. 398 00:44:07,560 --> 00:44:12,519 But a bad taste doesn't stop the gecko getting in a little retaliation. 399 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:33,359 The richness of these coastal forests is unrivalled on the island. 400 00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:41,119 Although the Masoala rainforest covers only 2% of Madagascar's surface, 401 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:45,719 over half of all the species found on the island are thought to live here. 402 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:50,199 The tallest trees of the peninsula's most remote valleys 403 00:44:50,280 --> 00:44:53,839 are home to one of its most spectacular inhabitants. 404 00:44:55,080 --> 00:44:57,999 Red-ruffed lemurs are big and noisy. 405 00:44:58,120 --> 00:44:59,919 (SQUAWKING) 406 00:45:01,240 --> 00:45:03,279 This troop has hit the jackpot. 407 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:07,559 Two trees, a fig and a harami, practically next door to each other, 408 00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:10,239 and both loaded with ripe fruit. 409 00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:15,999 With so few seed-eating birds on the island, 410 00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:18,919 the trees rely on lemurs like the red-ruffs, 411 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,839 to disperse their seeds through the forest. 412 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:30,399 After gorging all morning, the clan settles down nearby 413 00:45:30,480 --> 00:45:32,079 to sleep off their lunch. 414 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:43,319 But while most doze, 415 00:45:43,400 --> 00:45:45,599 one lemur stays behind. 416 00:45:46,080 --> 00:45:49,679 It's his job to guard the trees from fruit robbers. 417 00:45:52,480 --> 00:45:54,079 And in such a rich forest, 418 00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:56,599 a fruiting tree quickly becomes a magnet 419 00:45:56,680 --> 00:45:58,879 for other interested parties. 420 00:45:59,720 --> 00:46:00,879 (PIGEON COOING) 421 00:46:03,000 --> 00:46:04,079 (SQUAWKING) 422 00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:07,719 Madagascar green-pigeons are quickly seen off. 423 00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:14,359 A vasa parrot has slipped in under the lemur's guard. 424 00:46:16,080 --> 00:46:19,239 But it makes little impact on the supply of figs. 425 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:31,279 Others need to be watched more carefully. 426 00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:41,239 A gang of white-fronted brown lemurs 427 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:44,479 has spotted the fruiting trees and want to share. 428 00:46:53,720 --> 00:46:56,679 The males have striking white caps 429 00:46:56,760 --> 00:46:58,679 and they lead the raid. 430 00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:08,319 (SQUAWKING) 431 00:47:20,320 --> 00:47:24,759 It takes the red-ruffed guardian a while to catch on to what's happening. 432 00:47:36,560 --> 00:47:38,959 The brown lemurs are quick and agile. 433 00:47:45,960 --> 00:47:48,559 And with ten of them and one of him, 434 00:47:48,640 --> 00:47:51,519 it's not that easy to get control of the situation. 435 00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:18,479 By the time he's finally seen them off, 436 00:48:18,560 --> 00:48:22,839 the rest of the clan are on their way back to feed in the harami tree. 437 00:48:41,640 --> 00:48:44,159 With food just an arm's length away, 438 00:48:44,240 --> 00:48:48,079 these particular lemurs appear to be living the good life, 439 00:48:48,160 --> 00:48:49,799 at least for the moment. 440 00:48:51,480 --> 00:48:53,959 But red-ruffed lemurs are only found 441 00:48:54,040 --> 00:48:56,879 in this one stretch of coastal rainforest. 442 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:12,639 Their extreme specialisation, developed over millions of years, 443 00:49:12,720 --> 00:49:15,239 enables them to exploit every opportunity 444 00:49:15,320 --> 00:49:17,279 that this forest offers. 445 00:49:18,040 --> 00:49:19,639 (SQUAWKING) 446 00:49:21,560 --> 00:49:24,559 But it also comes at a heavy cost. 447 00:49:25,480 --> 00:49:29,079 It leaves them vulnerable if that opportunity disappears. 448 00:49:31,360 --> 00:49:35,199 The few miles that separate Madagascar's highest mountains 449 00:49:35,280 --> 00:49:37,159 from these tropical shores 450 00:49:37,240 --> 00:49:39,879 are crowded with animals and plants, 451 00:49:39,960 --> 00:49:42,639 trapped in their own very narrow world. 452 00:49:46,400 --> 00:49:50,399 And with these eastern forests rapidly disappearing, 453 00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:52,239 these unique worlds 454 00:49:52,320 --> 00:49:54,719 and their extraordinary inhabitants 455 00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:57,119 may soon be lost forever. 456 00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:15,319 Working in Madagascar's most isolated corners is a real challenge. 457 00:50:15,400 --> 00:50:19,799 And this trip to film red-ruffed lemurs proved to be one of the hardest. 458 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:25,759 For this shoot, cameraman John Brown and producer Ian Gray, 459 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:30,039 have been joined by expert tree climbers Tim and Pam Fogg. 460 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:36,239 They will be responsible for getting John into the forest canopy, 461 00:50:36,320 --> 00:50:38,519 where these rare lemurs live. 462 00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:45,719 The easiest way onto the Masoala Peninsula, 463 00:50:45,800 --> 00:50:48,519 a four-hour ride in a fast boat. 464 00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:54,759 The crew rendezvous with their local guides 465 00:50:54,840 --> 00:50:58,239 at a little-used research station on this isolated coast. 466 00:51:03,120 --> 00:51:06,919 They need to be entirely self-sufficient while working here. 467 00:51:11,000 --> 00:51:12,399 (INAU DIBLE) 468 00:51:14,880 --> 00:51:17,959 That's the toilet. N ice. 469 00:51:18,800 --> 00:51:21,999 Luxurious, lovely. Better than the huts outside. 470 00:51:25,240 --> 00:51:27,159 ATTENBOROUGH: Red-ruffed lemurs are endangered, 471 00:51:27,240 --> 00:51:30,079 and these forested mountains are their last refuge. 472 00:51:33,320 --> 00:51:36,599 It might seem like looking for a needle in a haystack, 473 00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:39,479 but the crew have a cunning plan. 474 00:51:43,680 --> 00:51:45,399 (GRUNTS) Uphill all the way. 475 00:51:45,480 --> 00:51:47,639 ATTENBOROUGH: Red-ruffed lemurs love to eat fruit. 476 00:51:47,720 --> 00:51:49,799 So, find a fruiting tree 477 00:51:49,880 --> 00:51:53,039 and the red ruffs shouldn't be too far behind. 478 00:51:54,400 --> 00:51:56,399 Oh, this is a cruel hill. 479 00:51:56,800 --> 00:51:58,359 You just look up and it just goes on. 480 00:51:59,000 --> 00:52:01,439 On and on up, hundreds of metres. 481 00:52:01,640 --> 00:52:02,839 It's a brute. 482 00:52:06,480 --> 00:52:11,039 ATTENBOROUGH: Then, on the second day of searching, they get a lucky break. 483 00:52:14,640 --> 00:52:17,199 That tree looks like it's loaded with fruit. 484 00:52:17,280 --> 00:52:18,839 Oh, yeah, yeah. 485 00:52:19,160 --> 00:52:20,599 Can't see any lemurs, though. 486 00:52:20,680 --> 00:52:22,959 No. It's a lovely tree, though. 487 00:52:24,760 --> 00:52:26,159 (LEMURS CALLING) 488 00:52:26,240 --> 00:52:29,199 BROWN: Those are definitely red ruffs. Aren't they? 489 00:52:29,560 --> 00:52:31,479 Over there somewhere, I think. 490 00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:33,399 ATTENBOROUGH: This is encouraging. 491 00:52:33,480 --> 00:52:37,279 It's only the second day and things are looking distinctly promising. 492 00:52:40,400 --> 00:52:43,999 But we've lucked out finally. We found a big fruiting harami tree, 493 00:52:44,080 --> 00:52:45,439 just over the ridge here. 494 00:52:45,640 --> 00:52:48,239 And there are red ruffs working in these trees. 495 00:52:48,880 --> 00:52:51,239 And best thing is, there's another tree next door to it 496 00:52:51,320 --> 00:52:53,399 which we think we can get the platform into. 497 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:55,039 We'll see what tomorrow brings. 498 00:52:55,400 --> 00:52:57,079 (THUNDER RUMBLING) 499 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:01,079 ATTENBOROUGH: Rain. Lots of it. 500 00:53:03,320 --> 00:53:06,079 And this is supposed to be the dry season. 501 00:53:07,560 --> 00:53:11,439 The tropical paradise is suddenly losing some of its glamour. 502 00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:16,559 Hoping the rain will soon pass, 503 00:53:16,640 --> 00:53:20,439 the crew heads off into the forest to rig the filming platform 504 00:53:20,520 --> 00:53:23,639 so that it's ready when the weather improves. 505 00:53:24,560 --> 00:53:28,039 But, if anything, the rain is getting worse. 506 00:53:34,440 --> 00:53:35,799 (SQUAWKING) 507 00:53:39,720 --> 00:53:41,639 (INDISTINCT CONVERSATION) 508 00:53:43,320 --> 00:53:46,639 The hardest part is getting a line up into the tree. 509 00:53:51,480 --> 00:53:54,079 This will be used to pull up a rope. 510 00:53:54,160 --> 00:53:55,239 MAN: Yes! 511 00:53:56,160 --> 00:53:58,679 ATTENBOROUGH: And then haul up the filming platform 512 00:53:58,760 --> 00:54:00,519 and fix it in place. 513 00:54:01,080 --> 00:54:02,559 (MEN LAUGHING) 514 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:04,599 30 metres up, 515 00:54:04,680 --> 00:54:08,119 this will put John level with the lemurs as they feed. 516 00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:17,479 By the end of a very wet day, 517 00:54:17,560 --> 00:54:21,519 the only camera still working is on a mobile phone. 518 00:54:23,080 --> 00:54:26,759 It's a bedraggled team that arrives back at camp. 519 00:54:29,440 --> 00:54:30,519 Oh, dear. 520 00:54:39,720 --> 00:54:42,159 ATTENBOROUGH: Everything has been thoroughly soaked. 521 00:54:42,240 --> 00:54:46,239 The crucial thing now is to try and get the cameras dried out. 522 00:54:52,560 --> 00:54:55,519 What's really annoying is you kind of know 523 00:54:56,080 --> 00:54:59,839 that the animal that you've come halfway around the world to film 524 00:55:00,080 --> 00:55:03,439 is probably doing exactly what we would want them to be doing, 525 00:55:04,160 --> 00:55:05,799 looking fantastic somewhere up a tree. 526 00:55:15,720 --> 00:55:18,719 ATTENBOROUGH: All anyone can do is to be patient 527 00:55:18,800 --> 00:55:21,399 and hope for a change in the weather. 528 00:55:41,680 --> 00:55:43,919 After eight long days, 529 00:55:44,000 --> 00:55:46,279 there's a small break in the clouds, 530 00:55:46,360 --> 00:55:48,959 so it's quickly back up the hill once again 531 00:55:49,040 --> 00:55:50,879 and onto the platform. 532 00:56:01,400 --> 00:56:04,359 Well, this is day eight of the shoot 533 00:56:04,440 --> 00:56:07,879 and so far I've shot about two minutes of film, 534 00:56:08,360 --> 00:56:13,479 and it looks like there's another storm coming in across the bay that I can see. 535 00:56:13,560 --> 00:56:15,079 (THUNDER RUMBLING) 536 00:56:15,320 --> 00:56:16,799 ATTENBOROUGH: As the storm breaks, 537 00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:21,159 being up a tree on a metal platform doesn't seem to be a good idea. 538 00:56:22,920 --> 00:56:25,359 Time for another hasty retreat. 539 00:56:27,440 --> 00:56:31,039 BROWN: So far, I'm not sure we're gonna get what we need. 540 00:56:32,160 --> 00:56:34,599 But we'll just keep trying cause, 541 00:56:36,240 --> 00:56:37,319 well, what else can we do? 542 00:56:38,360 --> 00:56:41,319 ATTENBOROUGH: Desperate times call for desperate measures. 543 00:56:41,400 --> 00:56:44,399 The key thing is to get rid of the condensation 544 00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:46,479 without melting the lens. 545 00:56:51,560 --> 00:56:52,839 Day nine. 546 00:56:53,400 --> 00:56:55,199 It's stopped raining. 547 00:56:56,160 --> 00:56:57,519 No, it hasn't. 548 00:56:57,640 --> 00:56:59,279 Still raining, and it rained all night, 549 00:56:59,440 --> 00:57:02,959 and we're all going absolutely stir crazy. 550 00:57:05,440 --> 00:57:06,959 I see why you married him. 551 00:57:07,040 --> 00:57:08,079 (LAUGHING) 552 00:57:08,600 --> 00:57:10,279 I think all of us could do with seeing the sun 553 00:57:10,360 --> 00:57:11,679 and getting dry underwear on. 554 00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:14,199 That would make life a lot better. 555 00:57:18,120 --> 00:57:21,479 ATTENBOROUGH: Finally, the storm fronts blow through. 556 00:57:22,480 --> 00:57:26,319 It's time for one last slog back up to the platform. 557 00:57:28,160 --> 00:57:32,279 So, after 10 days of trials and tribulations, and a lot of rain, 558 00:57:32,640 --> 00:57:34,199 we finally got John up in the tree, 559 00:57:34,280 --> 00:57:36,879 so now all we need are the red ruffs to come and do their stuff. 560 00:57:36,960 --> 00:57:40,119 I can hear them calling already, so, hopefully, that's a good sign. 561 00:57:41,320 --> 00:57:43,079 We're having a very strange 562 00:57:43,160 --> 00:57:46,079 meteorological phenomenon known as blue sky, 563 00:57:46,480 --> 00:57:50,079 and the lemurs have been in and feeding 564 00:57:50,160 --> 00:57:53,679 and sunbathing, and it's been just such a relief. 565 00:57:58,080 --> 00:58:01,319 So, yeah, it's amazing what difference the weather makes. 566 00:58:05,440 --> 00:58:07,199 (SQUAWKING) 567 00:58:11,120 --> 00:58:14,639 ATTENBOROUGH: In the next episode, we cross Madagascar's mountains 568 00:58:14,720 --> 00:58:16,639 into the southwest of the island, 569 00:58:16,720 --> 00:58:20,599 a land that is gripped by dryness for most of the year. 570 00:58:21,240 --> 00:58:23,399 Among these dramatic landscapes, 571 00:58:23,480 --> 00:58:26,799 lives some of the strangest wildlife of all.