1 00:00:04,003 --> 00:00:09,658 Dream of the Caribbean and you might imagine palm-fringed islands 2 00:00:09,683 --> 00:00:11,538 and endless sunshine. 3 00:00:14,083 --> 00:00:18,058 But stretching over a million square miles, 4 00:00:18,083 --> 00:00:20,898 with over 7,000 islands, 5 00:00:20,923 --> 00:00:24,618 this is the home of extraordinary natural wonders. 6 00:00:27,603 --> 00:00:30,498 I want to show you the wild heart of the Caribbean. 7 00:00:30,523 --> 00:00:31,698 PARROT SQUAWKS 8 00:00:31,723 --> 00:00:33,378 HE GRUNTS 9 00:00:33,403 --> 00:00:35,618 MONKEY HOWLS 10 00:00:35,643 --> 00:00:38,258 I'm Liz Bonnin. 11 00:00:38,283 --> 00:00:41,538 The Caribbean shaped my childhood 12 00:00:41,563 --> 00:00:45,018 and inspired me to explore the natural world. 13 00:00:46,203 --> 00:00:47,858 Oh! 14 00:00:47,883 --> 00:00:51,058 It's a place of incredible variety. 15 00:00:51,083 --> 00:00:53,778 That was mind-blowing! 16 00:00:55,803 --> 00:00:57,858 'I be traveling across the Caribbean's 17 00:00:57,883 --> 00:01:00,218 four distinct regions... 18 00:01:00,243 --> 00:01:03,538 This place is so surreal. 19 00:01:03,563 --> 00:01:08,018 ...to celebrate its astonishing and awe-inspiring creatures. 20 00:01:08,043 --> 00:01:12,618 Everything about this island speaks to highly sophisticated evolution. 21 00:01:12,643 --> 00:01:15,698 Their remarkable habitats are under threat. 22 00:01:17,683 --> 00:01:21,498 I'll meet the people protecting these precious ecosystems... 23 00:01:21,523 --> 00:01:23,338 It's just a beautiful thing - 24 00:01:23,363 --> 00:01:25,938 to watch an animal going back to its home. 25 00:01:25,963 --> 00:01:32,058 ...and discover the relationship between life, land and sea 26 00:01:32,083 --> 00:01:34,898 that you can find nowhere else on Earth. 27 00:01:37,163 --> 00:01:40,658 There's more to this place than meets the eye - so much more. 28 00:01:50,963 --> 00:01:54,298 I'm ending my incredible journey around the Caribbean 29 00:01:54,323 --> 00:01:57,018 on its most southerly island, Trinidad. 30 00:01:57,043 --> 00:01:59,218 Just off the coast of Venezuela, 31 00:01:59,243 --> 00:02:01,458 it's part of the dual-island country 32 00:02:01,483 --> 00:02:04,738 of Trinidad and Tobago, my ancestral home. 33 00:02:06,083 --> 00:02:08,018 Can I get coconut water, please? 34 00:02:09,883 --> 00:02:13,938 Coconut water tastes like my childhood here in the Caribbean, 35 00:02:13,963 --> 00:02:16,018 and it just brings me back. 36 00:02:16,043 --> 00:02:19,298 I've loved this place. I remember it so well. 37 00:02:19,323 --> 00:02:21,498 My great-aunts lived down there, 38 00:02:21,523 --> 00:02:23,778 my father worked over there, 39 00:02:23,803 --> 00:02:25,418 my mum was born here. 40 00:02:26,923 --> 00:02:30,498 And even though I've never lived here, I feel like I've spent 41 00:02:30,523 --> 00:02:33,018 a lot of my childhood growing up here. 42 00:02:34,403 --> 00:02:38,098 These special times spent in Trinidad made me fall in love 43 00:02:38,123 --> 00:02:39,898 with the natural world. 44 00:02:41,523 --> 00:02:44,658 Just outside the capital city of Port of Spain 45 00:02:44,683 --> 00:02:47,858 lies spectacular bio diverse landscapes, 46 00:02:47,883 --> 00:02:52,418 home to remarkable and unique wildlife of all kinds. 47 00:02:52,443 --> 00:02:55,858 And there's still so much I haven't seen, 48 00:02:55,883 --> 00:02:58,818 including Trinidad's elusive primates. 49 00:03:00,123 --> 00:03:02,658 Trinidad is the only Caribbean island 50 00:03:02,683 --> 00:03:04,978 home to native species of monkeys. 51 00:03:06,443 --> 00:03:09,698 Red howler monkeys and white-fronted capuchins 52 00:03:09,723 --> 00:03:12,698 are extremely social, intelligent animals. 53 00:03:13,763 --> 00:03:16,978 Both species live in troops in the forest canopy. 54 00:03:17,003 --> 00:03:21,738 It's thought they have each evolved into their own subspecies here 55 00:03:21,763 --> 00:03:24,538 that can be found nowhere else on Earth. 56 00:03:28,763 --> 00:03:32,938 Very few people have ever seen them, let alone filmed them. 57 00:03:42,363 --> 00:03:43,938 I hear there's a lot of bugs in here. 58 00:03:43,963 --> 00:03:45,978 Yeah, lots of mosquitoes, 59 00:03:46,003 --> 00:03:48,578 so...insect repellent! 60 00:03:50,443 --> 00:03:53,538 I've joined a team of nature enthusiasts 61 00:03:53,563 --> 00:03:57,098 to head deep into Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary - 62 00:03:57,123 --> 00:04:01,138 32 square miles of tropical forest, savanna and swamp, 63 00:04:01,163 --> 00:04:04,818 and home to over 200 animal species. 64 00:04:07,123 --> 00:04:08,618 Hi, everybody. 65 00:04:08,643 --> 00:04:10,578 WHISPERS: Check out your camera. 66 00:04:11,923 --> 00:04:14,018 Are you taking great pictures today? 67 00:04:14,043 --> 00:04:15,938 Yeah. Maybe I should stick with you. 68 00:04:15,963 --> 00:04:18,778 It's really nice to meet you all. 69 00:04:18,803 --> 00:04:21,938 The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 70 00:04:21,963 --> 00:04:25,858 is a group of volunteers who, between them, share a vast knowledge 71 00:04:25,883 --> 00:04:27,858 of this forest and its wildlife. 72 00:04:29,123 --> 00:04:32,498 They're game wardens, schoolteachers, farmers, 73 00:04:32,523 --> 00:04:37,178 office workers, and a ten-year-old who is particularly passionate 74 00:04:37,203 --> 00:04:39,218 about the birds of Trinidad. 75 00:04:41,603 --> 00:04:44,138 Now, your dad says that I can name a bird 76 00:04:44,163 --> 00:04:48,418 and you'll find it in the book like this, but I don't believe him. 77 00:04:48,443 --> 00:04:50,698 Can I try you out? Yeah. 78 00:04:50,723 --> 00:04:52,618 I'm going to go for an easy one - 79 00:04:52,643 --> 00:04:55,058 the national bird, scarlet ibis. 80 00:04:55,083 --> 00:04:57,698 Scarlet ibis. Scarlet ibis. Boom! 81 00:04:57,723 --> 00:04:59,818 So, do you know all of these birds...? 82 00:04:59,843 --> 00:05:02,938 Yeah. You know, all of the birds of Trinidad? 83 00:05:02,963 --> 00:05:07,138 You can tell me... Not really all, because they discovered new species. 84 00:05:07,163 --> 00:05:09,618 I don't got that much information of them. 85 00:05:09,643 --> 00:05:12,738 Fair play, Xavier! 86 00:05:14,123 --> 00:05:18,218 I'm here to help the club conduct the first-ever complete survey 87 00:05:18,243 --> 00:05:21,098 of the monkey population here. 88 00:05:21,123 --> 00:05:25,258 Biologists Laura Baboolal and Sinead Stewart are leading the research. 89 00:05:27,283 --> 00:05:29,498 So, there's a lot of work to be done. 90 00:05:29,523 --> 00:05:32,098 Is this what you plan to do for the rest of your life, 91 00:05:32,123 --> 00:05:35,938 to work in conservation? I really love working with tropical wildlife 92 00:05:35,963 --> 00:05:37,458 and tropical ecosystems, 93 00:05:37,483 --> 00:05:40,898 like, yeah, this is my dream. 94 00:05:43,643 --> 00:05:45,698 Dan tends to lead the way. 95 00:05:45,723 --> 00:05:48,618 He's got his eyes peeled on everything. 96 00:05:48,643 --> 00:05:52,458 The way he observes the forest is really quite impressive. 97 00:05:52,483 --> 00:05:55,738 I'm sure we're going to find lots of other things on the way, 98 00:05:55,763 --> 00:05:58,618 including poisonous snakes. 99 00:05:58,643 --> 00:06:00,218 A self-taught botanist, 100 00:06:00,243 --> 00:06:04,378 Dan Jaggernauth has studied Trinidad's plant life for decades. 101 00:06:04,403 --> 00:06:06,298 HE WHISTLES 102 00:06:15,003 --> 00:06:17,258 It's called Hernandia son or a, or toporite, 103 00:06:17,283 --> 00:06:19,498 or the whistling fruit of the forest. 104 00:06:19,523 --> 00:06:22,058 Wait, so the wind will make it whistle, too? 105 00:06:22,083 --> 00:06:23,338 Yeah, yeah, yeah, the wind. 106 00:06:23,363 --> 00:06:25,498 When the wind blows here... The monkeys will hear - 107 00:06:25,523 --> 00:06:27,858 there's fruit, the wind is blowing through the fruit? 108 00:06:27,883 --> 00:06:29,698 Yeah. They love that toporite tree. 109 00:06:29,723 --> 00:06:32,298 It attracts howlers AND capuchins? 110 00:06:32,323 --> 00:06:34,738 Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Keep blowing it. 111 00:06:34,763 --> 00:06:36,858 HE WHISTLES 112 00:06:41,003 --> 00:06:42,738 With a bit of luck, 113 00:06:42,763 --> 00:06:46,578 Dan's whistling should coax the monkeys out, 114 00:06:46,603 --> 00:06:50,258 lured by the sound of their favourite musical tree. 115 00:06:51,523 --> 00:06:53,298 So there's a singing tree in the forest 116 00:06:53,323 --> 00:06:56,578 where there are white-fronted capuchins that munch on the leaves. 117 00:06:56,603 --> 00:07:00,058 I mean, Disney couldn't make a better scene if it tried. 118 00:07:13,683 --> 00:07:15,458 Guys, guys, monkeys... 119 00:07:20,843 --> 00:07:22,458 BRANCHES SNAP 120 00:07:24,283 --> 00:07:26,778 WHISPERS: I can hear the breaking of branches. 121 00:07:33,083 --> 00:07:35,178 Oh! 122 00:07:36,563 --> 00:07:39,538 Howler monkey! 123 00:07:39,563 --> 00:07:43,058 Red howler monkeys are one of the largest species of primates 124 00:07:43,083 --> 00:07:45,178 in the Caribbean and the Americas, 125 00:07:45,203 --> 00:07:48,538 and the largest of all the howler monkeys. 126 00:07:48,563 --> 00:07:50,458 I just got a glimpse of it. 127 00:07:50,483 --> 00:07:51,978 I can't even see its face. 128 00:07:52,003 --> 00:07:55,578 All I can see is the side of its russet fur. 129 00:07:58,323 --> 00:08:01,338 Are there two? Yeah. There are two. 130 00:08:01,363 --> 00:08:03,938 There are two. 131 00:08:03,963 --> 00:08:08,698 And you can spot that one's tail wrapped around the branch 132 00:08:08,723 --> 00:08:10,298 it's sitting on. 133 00:08:10,323 --> 00:08:12,738 And they're called prehensile tails. 134 00:08:12,763 --> 00:08:16,098 It's because they use those tails a bit like an extra Limb. 135 00:08:16,123 --> 00:08:19,218 It helps balance as they're moving through the trees. 136 00:08:19,243 --> 00:08:21,858 It helps them when they're hanging on to something. 137 00:08:21,883 --> 00:08:23,578 And it's wrapped beautifully. 138 00:08:23,603 --> 00:08:25,698 It's slightly paler than the rest of its body, 139 00:08:25,723 --> 00:08:28,978 and it's wrapped beautifully around the branch. 140 00:08:29,003 --> 00:08:33,378 They even use them to hang upside down as they're feeding on leaves 141 00:08:33,403 --> 00:08:35,378 or fruits or flowers. 142 00:08:35,403 --> 00:08:38,738 And they are highly social animals, 143 00:08:38,763 --> 00:08:42,858 so it's quite likely that the troop are close by. 144 00:08:42,883 --> 00:08:44,578 Led by a dominant male, 145 00:08:44,603 --> 00:08:48,978 the monkeys live in small family troops of three to ten individuals. 146 00:08:49,003 --> 00:08:51,938 At this time of year would there be babies? When do they mate? 147 00:08:51,963 --> 00:08:55,458 Well, Trinidad howler monkeys - just all the year round. 148 00:08:55,483 --> 00:08:57,378 There's enough food. Why not? 149 00:08:57,403 --> 00:09:00,858 Yeah. So we can probably see some babies if we're lucky. 150 00:09:00,883 --> 00:09:02,938 Oh! There's a small one! 151 00:09:02,963 --> 00:09:04,258 Yeah, I just saw it. 152 00:09:04,283 --> 00:09:06,738 I can't even believe that's just happened for real. 153 00:09:06,763 --> 00:09:10,258 A small...a young... definitely a baby.. just walked... 154 00:09:10,283 --> 00:09:12,578 Oh, I lost it. Oh, it's just up there. 155 00:09:15,723 --> 00:09:18,298 There it is, there it is. 156 00:09:18,323 --> 00:09:21,738 Mothers care for their babies for a year, teaching them 157 00:09:21,763 --> 00:09:23,538 all the survival skills they need 158 00:09:23,563 --> 00:09:26,698 before they're ready to form a troop of their own. 159 00:09:26,723 --> 00:09:29,418 What are the threats to the howler monkeys? 160 00:09:29,443 --> 00:09:33,338 I would probably say habitat loss, but, luckily, in Trinidad, 161 00:09:33,363 --> 00:09:37,138 we have places like this that... You know, we're protecting it. 162 00:09:37,163 --> 00:09:39,658 We have to do a lot more research to find out 163 00:09:39,683 --> 00:09:42,778 the exact numbers and, like, the population in here. 164 00:09:42,803 --> 00:09:46,458 But I would say that almost every single time I've come, 165 00:09:46,483 --> 00:09:50,738 I've heard them. OK. So I think that's a good indicator. 166 00:09:50,763 --> 00:09:52,658 How often do you get a sight like this? 167 00:09:52,683 --> 00:09:55,298 Every time you come in the forest? Not every time. 168 00:09:55,323 --> 00:09:56,978 I think you all brought some luck. 169 00:09:57,003 --> 00:09:58,818 CHUCKLING 170 00:09:58,843 --> 00:10:01,098 I can't believe how lucky we are, then. 171 00:10:02,403 --> 00:10:05,298 50 miles long and 40 miles wide, 172 00:10:05,323 --> 00:10:09,698 Trinidad is one of the most bio diverse islands on Earth. 173 00:10:09,723 --> 00:10:12,298 Ever since I was a kid coming here, 174 00:10:12,323 --> 00:10:15,658 I used to look at the ranges to the north 175 00:10:15,683 --> 00:10:20,138 and the thick forests in it and just marvel at them. 176 00:10:20,163 --> 00:10:23,778 It's really relatively recently in geological terms 177 00:10:23,803 --> 00:10:26,418 that Trinidad separated from Venezuela. 178 00:10:26,443 --> 00:10:27,858 It's just a chunk of South America. 179 00:10:29,163 --> 00:10:32,218 And so all of this incredible biodiversity 180 00:10:32,243 --> 00:10:37,458 came with the island of Trinidad and then continued to evolve on its own, 181 00:10:37,483 --> 00:10:40,538 and that's why it's got a whole raft 182 00:10:40,563 --> 00:10:44,458 of unique endemic species or subspecies found only here, 183 00:10:44,483 --> 00:10:46,618 nowhere else on Earth. 184 00:10:46,643 --> 00:10:50,938 The red howler monkeys disappear into the canopy, 185 00:10:50,963 --> 00:10:53,498 and our search continues, 186 00:10:53,523 --> 00:10:57,218 this time for the even more elusive and rare 187 00:10:57,243 --> 00:10:59,938 white-fronted capuchins. 188 00:10:59,963 --> 00:11:02,458 Threatened by poaching and habitat loss, 189 00:11:02,483 --> 00:11:06,178 there are just 50 left in the whole of Trinidad, 190 00:11:06,203 --> 00:11:08,498 so this is no easy task. 191 00:11:08,523 --> 00:11:11,538 So we're under a cannonball tree - 192 00:11:11,563 --> 00:11:13,538 for obvious reasons! 193 00:11:13,563 --> 00:11:17,538 If a cannonball fruit falls on your head, you'll know all about it. 194 00:11:17,563 --> 00:11:20,538 That's why it's called a cannonball fruit. 195 00:11:20,563 --> 00:11:24,858 Sinead and schoolteacher Savira Ali are looking for signs of capuchins 196 00:11:24,883 --> 00:11:26,978 amongst the dropped fruit. 197 00:11:27,003 --> 00:11:28,458 So... Take a whiff. 198 00:11:28,483 --> 00:11:30,138 Do I need to take a whiff...? 199 00:11:31,683 --> 00:11:33,298 No, it's all right. 200 00:11:33,323 --> 00:11:36,058 Well, it's kind of, like... a bit bitter. 201 00:11:36,083 --> 00:11:37,898 So you guys have both been studying 202 00:11:37,923 --> 00:11:39,818 the white-fronted capuchins. Is that right? 203 00:11:39,843 --> 00:11:43,378 And talk me through what you've observed with this fruit and... 204 00:11:43,403 --> 00:11:45,058 What's inside it? 205 00:11:45,083 --> 00:11:47,058 OK, so, well, this one? 206 00:11:47,083 --> 00:11:48,458 Can we smash it open or no? 207 00:11:48,483 --> 00:11:50,578 Yeah, we could, actually. 208 00:11:50,603 --> 00:11:52,138 Oh! Yeah. 209 00:11:52,163 --> 00:11:54,098 Oh! This one is rotten. 210 00:11:54,123 --> 00:11:57,218 This has some insects and stuff feeding on it. 211 00:11:57,243 --> 00:11:58,698 So if you look closely at... 212 00:11:58,723 --> 00:12:01,938 You're a brave woman for picking that up. That is something else. 213 00:12:01,963 --> 00:12:03,258 ...you will see the grub. 214 00:12:03,283 --> 00:12:05,498 So once it rots on the ground, it is food 215 00:12:05,523 --> 00:12:08,578 for a whole myriad of different species. 216 00:12:08,603 --> 00:12:11,578 The insects move in and they're feeding on the rotten fruit? Mm-hm. 217 00:12:11,603 --> 00:12:14,738 OK. But what did you observe when it comes to the capuchins? 218 00:12:14,763 --> 00:12:17,738 There was one day when we came and we saw the capuchins. 219 00:12:17,763 --> 00:12:20,858 We saw them going down and picking up something and then coming back up 220 00:12:20,883 --> 00:12:22,738 and, like, picking through and eating it. 221 00:12:22,763 --> 00:12:24,778 They would knock it on the tree, 222 00:12:24,803 --> 00:12:26,858 one they find that they were near to, 223 00:12:26,883 --> 00:12:29,618 to kind of open the... open the cannonball. 224 00:12:29,643 --> 00:12:31,138 I'm getting the whiff now. Sorry. 225 00:12:31,163 --> 00:12:34,098 I didn't get the full whiff! 226 00:12:34,123 --> 00:12:37,378 These white-fronted capuchins have learned 227 00:12:37,403 --> 00:12:40,858 that instead of eating the fruit when it first drops from the tree, 228 00:12:40,883 --> 00:12:44,698 they can leave it to rot and feed on the protein-rich meal worms 229 00:12:44,723 --> 00:12:46,658 that grow inside. 230 00:12:46,683 --> 00:12:49,458 This is what they would pick off and...enjoy. 231 00:12:49,483 --> 00:12:50,738 THEY LAUGH 232 00:12:50,763 --> 00:12:52,738 Mm-mm-mm! 233 00:12:52,763 --> 00:12:55,138 Thank you for introducing me to that stink bomb. 234 00:12:55,163 --> 00:12:57,458 That's going to stay in my nose for the day. 235 00:12:59,083 --> 00:13:01,898 For me, that's what science is all about. 236 00:13:01,923 --> 00:13:04,618 What people who are local to an area, 237 00:13:04,643 --> 00:13:08,218 who are immersed in it, observe is invaluable information. 238 00:13:12,643 --> 00:13:15,818 We've been trekking through Bush Bush all morning. 239 00:13:18,843 --> 00:13:21,218 We're still on the lookout. 240 00:13:21,243 --> 00:13:23,698 Honestly, I have no idea what time it is. 241 00:13:23,723 --> 00:13:25,818 I've lost track of it. 242 00:13:27,723 --> 00:13:31,298 Venturing deeper into the forest, more of its incredible wildlife 243 00:13:31,323 --> 00:13:34,378 is on display, if you know where to look. 244 00:13:38,323 --> 00:13:40,658 Ooh! Ooh! 245 00:13:40,683 --> 00:13:42,458 What species of bat is that? 246 00:13:42,483 --> 00:13:45,178 It's on the family of sac-winged bats. 247 00:13:47,243 --> 00:13:49,138 Sac-winged bats get their name 248 00:13:49,163 --> 00:13:51,658 from the small pouches on their wings. 249 00:13:51,683 --> 00:13:54,218 Filled with urine and gland excretions, 250 00:13:54,243 --> 00:13:58,298 males waft the scent during displays to attract females 251 00:13:58,323 --> 00:14:00,138 or ward off competitors. 252 00:14:03,243 --> 00:14:06,658 Definitely...little monkey hand might have reached into that. 253 00:14:07,963 --> 00:14:10,778 But the capuchins stay out of sight. 254 00:14:10,803 --> 00:14:14,418 Most active during cooler morning temperatures, 255 00:14:14,443 --> 00:14:18,778 our chances of continuing the survey fade as the midday heat approaches. 256 00:14:23,643 --> 00:14:25,658 That way? Yeah. Yeah. 257 00:14:26,763 --> 00:14:28,618 He's big. 258 00:14:28,643 --> 00:14:30,258 So that's capuchin. 259 00:14:37,963 --> 00:14:40,098 They're so close. 260 00:14:42,203 --> 00:14:44,818 MAN WHISTLES 261 00:14:46,843 --> 00:14:49,858 WHISPERS: You can hear them, you can hear them. 262 00:14:59,163 --> 00:15:00,778 MAN WHISTLES 263 00:15:02,603 --> 00:15:03,858 SHE GASPS 264 00:15:03,883 --> 00:15:05,418 Look. Yes! 265 00:15:05,443 --> 00:15:08,458 SHE GASPS 266 00:15:08,483 --> 00:15:11,898 It's enough to make your heart stop beating! 267 00:15:11,923 --> 00:15:13,578 Here, here, here. 268 00:15:13,603 --> 00:15:15,258 Here, here. 269 00:15:15,283 --> 00:15:16,978 MAN WHISTLES 270 00:15:19,923 --> 00:15:21,698 WHISTLING CONTINUES 271 00:15:21,723 --> 00:15:25,098 There he is, there he is, there he is! 272 00:15:25,123 --> 00:15:27,418 White-fronted capuchin. 273 00:15:28,883 --> 00:15:30,778 There he is. 274 00:15:33,963 --> 00:15:36,578 Ooh. 275 00:15:36,603 --> 00:15:38,378 WHISTLING CONTINUES 276 00:15:41,123 --> 00:15:45,858 There are only 50 mature adults left on the entire planet, 277 00:15:45,883 --> 00:15:51,538 because they only exist here in Trinidad and here in Bush Bush. 278 00:15:51,563 --> 00:15:53,858 We don't even know how many there are. 279 00:15:53,883 --> 00:15:59,818 And to see one back lit against this most beautiful environment 280 00:15:59,843 --> 00:16:02,578 is just beyond words. 281 00:16:02,603 --> 00:16:06,538 The capuchins live in troops of 10 to 35, 282 00:16:06,563 --> 00:16:11,058 and, like howlers, one dominant male leads the females and babies, 283 00:16:11,083 --> 00:16:13,338 so the rest of this group isn't far. 284 00:16:13,363 --> 00:16:15,818 And they're calling to each other. 285 00:16:15,843 --> 00:16:19,738 They're highly social, incredibly intelligent animals. 286 00:16:19,763 --> 00:16:22,818 They've got a really high brain-to-body ratio. 287 00:16:22,843 --> 00:16:24,218 That's super-important 288 00:16:24,243 --> 00:16:26,978 when it comes to estimating the intelligence of these animals. 289 00:16:27,003 --> 00:16:30,738 And they're known to use tools in the sense of using leaves 290 00:16:30,763 --> 00:16:35,618 as cups for water, breaking open fruits and seeds with rocks. 291 00:16:38,123 --> 00:16:40,938 These are so rare, so precious, 292 00:16:40,963 --> 00:16:43,738 so unique to Trinidad. 293 00:16:45,003 --> 00:16:47,258 And I've just set eyes on one. 294 00:16:58,043 --> 00:17:01,498 Spotting one of the rarest animals of the Caribbean 295 00:17:01,523 --> 00:17:04,498 is the perfect start to my time in Trinidad. 296 00:17:07,963 --> 00:17:12,538 To be here... I am really proud to have Trinidadian blood in me, 297 00:17:12,563 --> 00:17:15,738 and to be able to share the story 298 00:17:15,763 --> 00:17:19,498 of places like this with everyone. 299 00:17:21,763 --> 00:17:24,138 This club is really special. 300 00:17:24,163 --> 00:17:27,578 They know far more than I could ever learn from a textbook, 301 00:17:27,603 --> 00:17:31,178 observing things that haven't even been documented. 302 00:17:43,443 --> 00:17:46,938 A two-hour drive from the forest of Bush Bush, 303 00:17:46,963 --> 00:17:50,058 and I've arrived in central Trinidad. 304 00:17:50,083 --> 00:17:54,018 Here, monoculture farms of sugar cane and tropical fruits 305 00:17:54,043 --> 00:17:55,338 dominate the landscape. 306 00:17:57,403 --> 00:18:02,018 This type of agriculture uses high amounts of chemical fertiliser, 307 00:18:02,043 --> 00:18:04,338 depletes the soil of nutrients, 308 00:18:04,363 --> 00:18:08,738 and leaves little to no habitat for wildlife. 309 00:18:08,763 --> 00:18:12,338 But a pioneering farm here has been working WITH nature 310 00:18:12,363 --> 00:18:13,978 instead of against it. 311 00:18:15,363 --> 00:18:19,178 Flower farmer Erle Rahaman-Noronha has spent decades 312 00:18:19,203 --> 00:18:23,178 nurturing and cultivating his 35-acre farm. 313 00:18:24,803 --> 00:18:27,778 Hi, I'm Liz. Hiy, Liz. Nice to meet you. 314 00:18:27,803 --> 00:18:30,138 It's very nice to meet you, too. Welcome to Wa Samaki. 315 00:18:30,163 --> 00:18:32,698 Let's take a walk around. Thank you. What's it called? 316 00:18:32,723 --> 00:18:35,378 Wa Samaki. Wa Samaki. 317 00:18:35,403 --> 00:18:39,018 Erle grows tropical flowers for local markets and shops 318 00:18:39,043 --> 00:18:41,058 across the country. 319 00:18:41,083 --> 00:18:43,658 Originally, 25 years ago, when we bought this, 320 00:18:43,683 --> 00:18:47,258 it was a citrus estate, so there was just citrus everywhere. 321 00:18:47,283 --> 00:18:50,938 But there was a lot of chemicals being used to maintain the citrus, 322 00:18:50,963 --> 00:18:52,458 and so we started planting trees. 323 00:18:52,483 --> 00:18:55,018 More and more wildlife, started showing up. 324 00:18:55,043 --> 00:18:57,098 We've just kind of gone from there. 325 00:18:57,123 --> 00:19:01,218 So it's about living on the site, making your income from the site, 326 00:19:01,243 --> 00:19:03,698 but not destroying the site. 327 00:19:03,723 --> 00:19:07,178 By planting trees and encouraging more wildlife 328 00:19:07,203 --> 00:19:08,698 back on the farm, 329 00:19:08,723 --> 00:19:11,578 everything thrives, including his flowers. 330 00:19:11,603 --> 00:19:13,458 What can I help you with today, then? 331 00:19:13,483 --> 00:19:16,378 Well, we have a few flowers that I need to cut for an order, 332 00:19:16,403 --> 00:19:19,698 so if you want to help me, we can go and cut some flowers. 333 00:19:19,723 --> 00:19:21,738 This one's ready to cut. 334 00:19:21,763 --> 00:19:24,498 You get down as low as possible. 335 00:19:24,523 --> 00:19:28,138 You cut one out, and then you snip off the leaves. 336 00:19:31,003 --> 00:19:33,458 So it's this here, right? Yep. 337 00:19:33,483 --> 00:19:36,178 I nearly went for the flower. Could you imagine? 338 00:19:36,203 --> 00:19:37,978 HE LAUGHS Over there. High up? 339 00:19:38,003 --> 00:19:39,658 Right there. Yeah, that's great. 340 00:19:39,683 --> 00:19:41,378 And the next one. 341 00:19:41,403 --> 00:19:43,058 This is what pays bills, 342 00:19:43,083 --> 00:19:45,778 so every week we get an income from it. 343 00:19:45,803 --> 00:19:49,338 The plants themselves don't require a lot of chemicals on them, 344 00:19:49,363 --> 00:19:52,418 and they support the wildlife that's within the areas. 345 00:19:56,363 --> 00:19:59,298 So what we practise is really something called chop and drop, 346 00:19:59,323 --> 00:20:02,458 where... Chop and drop? Yeah. Chop and drop. 347 00:20:02,483 --> 00:20:05,418 You chop all of this organic matter and it just goes back into the soil, 348 00:20:05,443 --> 00:20:08,538 and as it breaks down, it encourages a lot of stuff. 349 00:20:09,923 --> 00:20:13,218 Healthy soils, enriched by this diverse habitat, 350 00:20:13,243 --> 00:20:15,338 and the pruned vegetation 351 00:20:15,363 --> 00:20:19,378 result in crops that are more resistant to pests and disease. 352 00:20:19,403 --> 00:20:21,098 Erle knew from the start 353 00:20:21,123 --> 00:20:25,498 how important a balanced environment was for keeping pests at bay. 354 00:20:25,523 --> 00:20:29,378 When we bought the place, we had a huge problem with rats. OK. 355 00:20:29,403 --> 00:20:32,178 There were rats everywhere, and, really, the previous owner 356 00:20:32,203 --> 00:20:33,778 used to kill all the snakes. 357 00:20:33,803 --> 00:20:36,658 So by us just leaving the snakes alone... 358 00:20:36,683 --> 00:20:39,538 Cos the snakes can eat the rats. The snakes eat the rats. 359 00:20:39,563 --> 00:20:41,778 So we don't have a rat problem any more. 360 00:20:41,803 --> 00:20:44,898 We have plenty more snakes, but we hardly ever see them. 361 00:20:44,923 --> 00:20:47,698 With the snakes controlling the rats, 362 00:20:47,723 --> 00:20:50,698 in turn, birds of prey are drawn back here 363 00:20:50,723 --> 00:20:53,138 and keep the snake numbers in check. 364 00:20:53,163 --> 00:20:57,138 When given the chance, nature bounces back quickly, 365 00:20:57,163 --> 00:21:02,018 delivering all sorts of benefits to wildlife and humans alike. 366 00:21:02,043 --> 00:21:05,858 And it seems the animals keep coming. 367 00:21:05,883 --> 00:21:09,258 What's shown up in the past that sort of threw you a curve ball? 368 00:21:09,283 --> 00:21:11,538 Most interesting that showed up was an otter. 369 00:21:11,563 --> 00:21:13,018 SHE GASPS 370 00:21:13,043 --> 00:21:15,858 I just happened to be walking by the stream one day and I saw this wave 371 00:21:15,883 --> 00:21:18,178 going up the stream, which didn't make sense, 372 00:21:18,203 --> 00:21:20,738 and I just stood there and this otter popped out. 373 00:21:24,923 --> 00:21:28,498 Neotropical river otters are endangered, 374 00:21:28,523 --> 00:21:32,018 with only a few hundred remaining in Trinidad, 375 00:21:32,043 --> 00:21:36,818 but Erle's farm could provide a much-needed haven for them. 376 00:21:36,843 --> 00:21:39,018 After that, it was kind of like a sign 377 00:21:39,043 --> 00:21:41,698 that we're doing stuff right here. HE LAUGHS 378 00:21:41,723 --> 00:21:44,938 Incredible! So, since then, we've put in more ponds 379 00:21:44,963 --> 00:21:47,898 to try and attract the otters, because they get hunted 380 00:21:47,923 --> 00:21:49,418 all over Trinidad, 381 00:21:49,443 --> 00:21:51,818 and a lot of their environment has been destroyed. 382 00:21:53,283 --> 00:21:55,778 Safe in Erle's rivers and ponds, 383 00:21:55,803 --> 00:21:58,498 these top predators would undoubtedly contribute 384 00:21:58,523 --> 00:22:01,898 to the balance of the entire ecosystem. 385 00:22:01,923 --> 00:22:06,898 Erle's farm is now also home to armadillos, agoutis 386 00:22:06,923 --> 00:22:08,698 and sac-winged bats, 387 00:22:08,723 --> 00:22:11,538 who live amongst a variety of vegetation, 388 00:22:11,563 --> 00:22:14,458 from native palms to dwarf banana plants. 389 00:22:15,683 --> 00:22:18,618 They're all part of the complex ecological cycles 390 00:22:18,643 --> 00:22:21,298 that Erle has coaxed back to health. 391 00:22:21,323 --> 00:22:24,858 It's all about letting nature do its work. 392 00:22:24,883 --> 00:22:26,938 Letting nature do its work. 393 00:22:26,963 --> 00:22:29,858 There's something incredibly satisfying about just helping you, 394 00:22:29,883 --> 00:22:32,978 even just a tiny bit, to let that happen here. 395 00:22:37,643 --> 00:22:41,818 Even insects that most farmers consider to be destructive pests 396 00:22:41,843 --> 00:22:45,138 are left to carry out important roles here. 397 00:22:45,163 --> 00:22:48,258 So, these are leaf cutter ants. Look at that. 398 00:22:48,283 --> 00:22:50,418 It always amazes me 399 00:22:50,443 --> 00:22:52,618 how big the pieces of leaf 400 00:22:52,643 --> 00:22:55,538 they can carry. Yes, so they will go and forage, 401 00:22:55,563 --> 00:22:58,058 and, like, they've taken all the leaves off of this. 402 00:22:58,083 --> 00:22:59,418 Look at that, look at that! 403 00:22:59,443 --> 00:23:01,338 Right, so they've stripped this off completely 404 00:23:01,363 --> 00:23:03,138 and they carry it off to their nest 405 00:23:03,163 --> 00:23:05,258 and then they farm with it, basically. 406 00:23:05,283 --> 00:23:07,578 They'll grow fungus, and then they feed on that fungus. 407 00:23:09,123 --> 00:23:12,218 In nests that can span 30 metres, 408 00:23:12,243 --> 00:23:16,018 the leaf cutter ants feed the shards of leaves to a fungus 409 00:23:16,043 --> 00:23:20,098 that then serves as food for the ants and their brood. 410 00:23:20,123 --> 00:23:21,978 Relying on each other to survive, 411 00:23:22,003 --> 00:23:23,738 it's another stunning example 412 00:23:23,763 --> 00:23:26,658 of the mutually beneficial relationships taking place 413 00:23:26,683 --> 00:23:29,218 all across the natural world. 414 00:23:29,243 --> 00:23:31,938 You're farming, they're farming, everybody's farming! 415 00:23:31,963 --> 00:23:34,138 HE CHUCKLES Yes, there's millions of them, 416 00:23:34,163 --> 00:23:36,738 and they're performing their role in the environment. 417 00:23:36,763 --> 00:23:38,618 Supposedly, they're pruners, 418 00:23:38,643 --> 00:23:41,298 so they don't destroy an area in general, 419 00:23:41,323 --> 00:23:44,378 they will selectively take things that need pruning a lot. 420 00:23:44,403 --> 00:23:46,978 So they keep vegetation in check, 421 00:23:47,003 --> 00:23:50,738 and they use it to feed a fungus that then feeds them? 422 00:23:50,763 --> 00:23:52,418 Yeah. 423 00:23:52,443 --> 00:23:53,858 Hard at work. I love it! 424 00:23:53,883 --> 00:23:56,578 Life is thriving and doing what it's supposed to do. 425 00:23:56,603 --> 00:23:59,258 There's life surrounding us everywhere at Wa Samaki. Fantastic. 426 00:23:59,283 --> 00:24:01,218 And that's what we enjoy. 427 00:24:01,243 --> 00:24:04,458 Erle's farm now grows 20 varieties of root crops 428 00:24:04,483 --> 00:24:06,938 and a large collection of greens, 429 00:24:06,963 --> 00:24:11,258 as well as selling over 1,000 tropical flowers each week. 430 00:24:11,283 --> 00:24:14,378 By harnessing the power of the natural world, 431 00:24:14,403 --> 00:24:19,098 it's now one of the most productive farms in the area. 432 00:24:19,123 --> 00:24:22,498 I've only just arrived, and I am buzzing, 433 00:24:22,523 --> 00:24:25,458 not only at what I'm seeing everywhere around me, 434 00:24:25,483 --> 00:24:28,938 but how Erle approaches his business. 435 00:24:28,963 --> 00:24:31,298 He's producing produce here, 436 00:24:31,323 --> 00:24:35,138 but in a way that most people tend to have forgotten. 437 00:24:35,163 --> 00:24:38,138 I mean, look at this. This is his farm. 438 00:24:38,163 --> 00:24:42,778 When is the last time you saw a farm that looked anything like this? 439 00:24:42,803 --> 00:24:44,818 And that's really exciting. 440 00:24:48,123 --> 00:24:53,018 For Erle, dedication to sustainable farming also means putting an end 441 00:24:53,043 --> 00:24:56,738 to longstanding and destructive farming practices. 442 00:24:58,483 --> 00:24:59,938 So, this is an area 443 00:24:59,963 --> 00:25:02,458 that we've been trying to plant trees for the longest while, 444 00:25:02,483 --> 00:25:04,058 but it keeps burning. 445 00:25:08,043 --> 00:25:11,338 Traditionally, what happens is people start clearing the land 446 00:25:11,363 --> 00:25:13,418 and then they burn it. 447 00:25:13,443 --> 00:25:16,938 Dating back to the colonial plantation era, 448 00:25:16,963 --> 00:25:20,858 slash-and-burn is a cheap way to destroy so-called pests 449 00:25:20,883 --> 00:25:24,298 and clear the land for the next planting season. 450 00:25:24,323 --> 00:25:27,378 For the 25 years I've been here, I've fought 25 fires. 451 00:25:27,403 --> 00:25:30,738 One a year? At least. At least. At least one a year it's happened... 452 00:25:30,763 --> 00:25:33,058 ...that certain sections of the farm, 453 00:25:33,083 --> 00:25:36,138 10 years', 15 years' worth of work has just disappeared in a day. 454 00:25:42,443 --> 00:25:45,138 And one of my staff has been killed in a fire here 455 00:25:45,163 --> 00:25:48,898 so we are very careful around fires. That happened... 456 00:25:48,923 --> 00:25:51,178 Erle, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that. 457 00:25:51,203 --> 00:25:53,938 And so, yeah, I've had to physically carry someone out 458 00:25:53,963 --> 00:25:56,538 that's passed away from fighting the fires. 459 00:26:03,443 --> 00:26:05,058 Do you ever want to give up? 460 00:26:05,083 --> 00:26:07,418 Every time we've had one of those bad days, 461 00:26:07,443 --> 00:26:09,898 something's popped up on the farm that kind of inspires you, 462 00:26:09,923 --> 00:26:12,498 because there's just so much happening 463 00:26:12,523 --> 00:26:15,498 that it keeps getting you to do the next day. 464 00:26:15,523 --> 00:26:17,218 And then... 465 00:26:17,243 --> 00:26:20,098 It's just having people visit the farm and being inspired 466 00:26:20,123 --> 00:26:22,978 that actually keeps us going as well. 467 00:26:23,003 --> 00:26:26,658 As he continues to develop this place, Erle hopes to inspire 468 00:26:26,683 --> 00:26:30,938 more Trinidadians to reconnect with farming and with nature. 469 00:26:30,963 --> 00:26:33,618 Both slavery and indentured labourers, 470 00:26:33,643 --> 00:26:36,938 when they came to Trinidad, were forced to work the land. 471 00:26:36,963 --> 00:26:39,138 A lot of them now tell their kids, 472 00:26:39,163 --> 00:26:41,058 "Don't do anything with farming, 473 00:26:41,083 --> 00:26:43,258 "because that's something that we did in the past 474 00:26:43,283 --> 00:26:45,018 "and was really hard lab our, 475 00:26:45,043 --> 00:26:47,498 "and go become a doctor or a lawyer or something like that 476 00:26:47,523 --> 00:26:49,058 "that'll pay lots of money." 477 00:26:49,083 --> 00:26:52,338 If you go around a lot of affluent people's houses now, you'll just see 478 00:26:52,363 --> 00:26:54,098 that they've concreted everything, 479 00:26:54,123 --> 00:26:56,218 like, there's not even a blade of grass growing, 480 00:26:56,243 --> 00:27:00,418 which shows their disconnection, or they're trying to get away 481 00:27:00,443 --> 00:27:03,858 from some of the issues in the past that... 482 00:27:03,883 --> 00:27:05,458 ...are all based on agriculture. 483 00:27:09,883 --> 00:27:12,018 Because when I started 25 years ago, everyone said, 484 00:27:12,043 --> 00:27:14,658 "Well, that's just a dream. You're going to fail.