Original subtitles

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT’S THE LAST WILDERNESS,

HOW THE ENTIRE CARIBBEAN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hUSED TO BE

\h\h\hBEFORE MAN LEFT HIS DESTRUCTIVE MARK.

THIS WAS ONCE FIDEL CASTRO’S PERSONAL DIVING PLAYGROUND,

\h\h\h\hA PLACE CALLED GARDEN OF THE QUEENS...

A FORGOTTEN OCEAN PARADISE,

OFF LIMITS FOR 50 YEARS.

IT’S LIKE STEPPING BACK IN TIME.

EXOTIC SPECIES RARELY SEEN \hELSEWHERE IN THE REGION

THRIVE HERE.

IT’S THE CARIBBEAN’S LOST JURASSIC PARK,

\h\h\hBUT HOW LONG CAN THIS PRISTINE WILDERNESS SURVIVE?

♪

FORGOTTEN IN THE VERY HEART \h\h\h\hOF THE CARIBBEAN SEA

\h\h\hLIES THE HUGE, RAMBLING ARCHIPELAGO

OF JARDINES DE LA REINA.

STRETCHING AROUND 140 MILES

ALONG THE SOUTHERN \h\hCOAST OF CUBA,

IT’S ONE OF THE LONGEST \hBARRIER REEF SYSTEMS

IN THE WORLD.

THIS WILD AND UNTOUCHED \h\h\h\h\h\hCUBAN REEF

\h\hIS PERHAPS THE CARIBBEAN’S MOST IMPORTANT MARINE RESERVE.

A RESERVE THAT CAME INTO BEING

AS MUCH BY ACCIDENT \h\h\hAS BY DESIGN.

THANKS TO FIDEL CASTRO,

IT’S BEEN A NO-GO AREA \h\hFOR OVER 50 YEARS.

AFTER THE REVOLUTION IN 1959,

MANY CUBAN CITIZENS ATTEMPTED \h\h\h\hTO LEAVE THE COUNTRY

ON JUST ABOUT ANYTHING \h\h\hTHAT WOULD FLOAT,

\h\h\h\h\h\hMOST OF THEM TRYING TO REACH FLORIDA.

TO PREVENT THIS HAPPENING,

CASTRO’S GOVERNMENT

\h\hWOULD NOT PERMIT BOATS TO FISH THIS FAR OFFSHORE.

IF THEY HAD ENOUGH FUEL \hTO GET HERE AND BACK,

THEY COULD JUST AS EASILY

CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE U.S.

\h\hSO, WHILE THE REST OF THE REGION’S REEFS

WERE BEING OVER-EXPLOITED,

FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY,

\h\hTHIS MOST PRECIOUS OF THE CARIBBEAN JEWELS

LAY INACCESSIBLE AND UNTOUCHED,

FORGOTTEN BY THE WORLD,

A LAST HAVEN FOR CREATURES \h\hOF LAND, SEA, AND AIR.

♪

DAWN,

AND DEEP INSIDE THE LAGOON, \h\h\h\hTHINGS ARE STIRRING.

AS THE SUN CREEPS HIGHER,

\h\h\h\h\hITS FIRST LIGHT PENETRATES THE MANGROVES,

AND HUTIA TAKE ADVANTAGE \h\hOF ITS WARMING RAYS.

ON MAINLAND CUBA,

\h\h\h\h\hTHESE PLUMP RODENTS HAVE BECOME VIRTUALLY EXTINCT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOUT HERE, ONE OF THEIR LAST OUTPOSTS,

THEY THRIVE.

BUT WHILE THEY PEACEFULLY \h\h\h\h\hSOAK UP THE SUN,

\hTHEIR ARCH-ENEMY IS NEVER FAR AWAY.

HERE, IN THIS SHALLOW LAGOON, \h\h\hTHE CROCODILE IS KING.

HE OWNS THESE ISLANDS.

NOTHING HERE WILL PREY ON HIM.

HE IS THE APEX PREDATOR

\h\hAT THE VERY TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

AMERICAN CROCODILES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 240 MILLION YEARS.

AN ENDANGERED SPECIES ELSEWHERE,

\h\h\h\h\hHERE IN JARDINES, THE POPULATION IS HEALTHY.

THEY ARE ONE OF THE PLANET’S \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLARGEST CROCS,

\h\hGROWING TO OVER 20 FEET IN LENGTH.

\h\hWHEN DINOSAURS ROAMED THE PLANET,

THE CROCODILE WAS STALKING \hTHE MANGROVES AND LAGOONS

OF THE CARIBBEAN.

THE DINOSAURS ARE LONG GONE,

BUT THE CROCODILES REMAIN.

\h\h\h\hCROCODILES ARE AIR-BREATHING REPTILES.

BUT BY REDUCING THEIR HEART RATE TO JUST 2 OR 3 BEATS A MINUTE,

THEY CAN REMAIN UNDERWATER \h\h\h\h\hFOR UP TO AN HOUR

ON JUST ONE BREATH OF AIR.

♪

\hWITH A LIFE SPAN OF UP TO 80 YEARS,

MANY OF THESE CROCODILES \h\hWOULD HAVE BEEN HERE

DURING THE MILITARY DICTATORSHIP OF PRESIDENT BATISTA--

\h\h\h\h\hWELL BEFORE CASTRO FIRST SEIZED POWER FROM HIM

HALF A CENTURY AGO.

\hWHILE THE CROCODILE DOMINATES THE LAGOON,

THE SHARK RULES THE OUTER REEF.

♪

\hPACKS OF SILKY SHARKS PATROL THE OPEN WATER,

\h\h\h\h\hANY HINT OF PREY DRAWING IN LARGE NUMBERS.

♪

IF THE HEALTH OF A SEA

\hIS SAID TO BE MEASURED BY ITS SHARK POPULATION,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEN THE OCEAN SURROUNDING THE JARDINES REEF

IS VERY HEALTHY INDEED.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hSHARKS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE

\h\h\hTO THE IMPACTS OF MAN’S OVERFISHING

\hDUE TO THEIR SLOW REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE.

♪

\hTHEY PRODUCE ONLY A FEW YOUNG A YEAR,

AND THOSE YOUNG SHARKS \h\h\hARE SLOW TO GROW,

SOME SPECIES TAKING 20 YEARS \hTO REACH SEXUAL MATURITY.

MANY ARE KILLED BEFORE THEN

BY OTHER MARINE PREDATORS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOR BY MAN.

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

\hTHANKS TO FIDEL CASTRO, THIS FORGOTTEN REEF SYSTEM

\hHAS BECOME ONE OF THEIR LAST REMAINING

CARIBBEAN STRONGHOLDS.

♪

THE MANGROVE FORESTS OF JARDINES ARE ITS LAND BUILDERS--

THE CREATORS OF THE ISLANDS

WHERE THE SHALLOW REEF COMES CLOSE TO THE SEA’S SURFACE.

[BIRDS SQUAWKING]

THESE FORESTS OF THE TIDAL ZONE ARE UNIQUE IN THE TREE WORLD.

MANGROVES HAVE EVOLVED \h\h\hTO OCCUPY A NICHE

WHERE NOTHING ELSE \h\hCOULD SURVIVE.

THEY ARE TREES CAPABLE OF \hGROWING IN SALT WATER.

MANGROVES HAVE EVEN EVOLVED A UNIQUE MEANS OF SPREADING.

\hUNLIKE THE SEEDS OF ANY OTHER TREES,

INSIDE THE CAPSULE,

THE MANGROVE SEED IS READY TO SPROUT

AS SOON AS IT CAN \hATTACH TO LAND.

SO WHEN THEY FALL,

IT’S LIKE THE TREE IS GIVING \h\hBIRTH TO A NEWBORN BABY,

READY TO GO AS SOON AS IT CAN HOOK ITSELF TO THE SEA FLOOR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSOME ARE LUCKY AND ANCHOR WHERE THEY DROP.

FOR THOSE THAT DON’T,

THE SEED POD HAS EVOLVED

\hTO FLOAT WITH THE TIDES VERTICALLY IN THE WATER.

THAT WAY THEY ARE \hWELL-POSITIONED

TO CATCH ONTO THE SEA FLOOR \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND TAKE ROOT.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA NEW TREE, SPROUTING FROM THE SEABED,

WILL BE THE FIRST OF MANY

AS THE MANGROVES SPREAD

\hAND COLONIZE ANOTHER SECTION OF THE LAGOON.

MANGROVES ARE THE NURSERIES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE OCEAN.

IN THE INTRICATE MESH \h\h\hOF THEIR ROOTS,

A UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM EXISTS.

FISH COME TO BREED;

\h\hOTHER FISH LIVE OUT THEIR WHOLE LIVES HERE,

\hWHILE JUVENILES OF LARGER SPECIES

FIND SHELTER AND FOOD

TILL THEY’RE LARGE ENOUGH \hTO MIGRATE TO THE REEF.

ON THIS SHALLOW REEF SYSTEM,

THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE TIDES \h\h\h\h\h\hIS THE LIFEBLOOD.

\hHUGE SECTIONS OF THE REEF TOTALLY DRY OUT TWICE DAILY.

FOR MANY OF THE RESIDENTS,

THE PULL OF THE OUTGOING TIDE

IS THE SIGNAL FOR MASS MOVEMENTS FROM THE INNER LAGOON.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHESE SARDINES SPEND A LARGE PART OF THE DAY

\hIN THE SHELTER OF THE MANGROVES AND THE SAFETY OF SHALLOW WATER,

WHERE FEW OF THEIR NATURAL \hPREDATORS WILL VENTURE.

BUT AS THE TIDES START TO FLOW AND THE CURRENTS BEGIN TO PULL,

THE SCHOOL WILL LEAVE \h\hITS MANGROVE HAVEN

\h\h\h\hAND HEAD OUT THROUGH THE CHANNELS TO THE OPEN SEA,

WHERE DANGER LURKS.

♪

♪

BENEATH JARDINES,

DEEP SLASHES AND GULLIES \hRUN THROUGH THE REEF...

ANCIENT FRACTURES,

TUNNELS STRETCHING FOR MILES

\hFROM THE LAGOON TO THE OPEN OCEAN

\hTHROUGH WHICH MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER PUMP DAILY,

\h\hFILLING AND THEN DRAINING THE LAGOON.

\h\hSOME HOLES IN THE REEF ARE LIKE DRAINS IN A BATH.

\h\h\h\h\hAS THE TIDE FALLS, THEY EVEN CREATE WHIRLPOOLS,

DRAWING THE LAGOON WATERS

\h\h\h\h\hINTO THE LABYRINTH OF HIDDEN CAVES AND CAVERNS.

THE VORTEX INCREASES IN POWER

AS THE OUTGOING TIDE \h\hBECOMES A FLOOD.

♪

♪

AS THE TIDE CONTINUES TO EBB,

THE EXPOSED PARTS OF THE REEF

\h\h\h\hCREATE A HARSH SUPERHEATED ENVIRONMENT

WHERE NOTHING CAN SURVIVE.

WITH THE WISDOM OF THE AGES,

\h\h\h\h\hTHE CROCODILE KNOWS THE BEST PLACE TO CATCH PREY.

ITS MAIN DIET IS FISH,

BUT HERE IN JARDINES,

THEY SUPPLEMENT THEIR DIET \hWITH PLUMP, JUICY HUTIAS.

\h\hTHIS LITTLE FELLOW IS FLIRTING WITH DEATH,

THOUGH HE DOESN’T KNOW IT.

\h\hTHE CROC HAS PICKED UP THE VIBRATION OF SOMETHING SWIMMING

AND QUICKLY LOCKS ON TO IT.

♪

THIS TIME THE HUTIA IS LUCKY.

\h\h\h\hIT REACHES THE SAFETY OF ANOTHER CLUMP OF MANGROVES

BEFORE THE CROC COULD STRIKE.

HE PROBABLY HAS NO IDEA JUST HOW CLOSE HE CAME.

BUT THE PRIMEVAL PREDATOR ISN’T THAT EASILY BEATEN.

IT GOES INTO STEALTH MODE \h\h\h\h\h\hAND SUBMERGES.

THE CROC LUNGES.

\hTHE PANICKED RODENT SCRAMBLES FOR SAFETY,

BUT THE CROC ISN’T BEATEN YET.

♪

THE HUTIA HAS TO BE \hLUCKY EVERY TIME.

THE CROC ONLY NEEDS TO GET LUCKY ONCE.

FIDEL CASTRO WAS AN AVID DIVER \hAND OFTEN VISITED JARDINES.

IN FACT, HIS LOVE OF DIVING

\h\h\h\h\h\hRESULTED IN ONE OF THE MORE BIZARRE

CIA ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS.

\hGRAZING ON ALGAE ON THE SEA FLOOR,

THIS HARMLESS HERBIVORE

COULD HAVE ONCE CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY.

\hKNOWING CASTRO’S PASSION FOR DIVING,

THE CIA PLOTTED TO PLANT \h\h\hAN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

IN A CONCH SHELL,

\hBRIGHTLY COLORED AND UNUSUAL LOOKING

\h\h\hSO IT WOULD BE SURE TO ATTRACT HIS ATTENTION.

THE PLAN WAS NEVER PUT INTO PRACTICE.

CASTRO CONTINUED TO DIVE,

\h\h\hUNAWARE OF HIS NEAR MISS WITH AN EXPLODING SEA CREATURE.

\hTHIS WASN’T THE ONLY SCUBA-RELATED ATTEMPT

ON HIS LIFE.

ANOTHER INVOLVED A WETSUIT

\h\h\h\hCONTAMINATED WITH INFECTED SPORES.

\hTHERE WERE SO MANY ATTEMPTS ON HIS LIFE

THAT CASTRO WAS QUOTED AS SAYING

THAT IF SURVIVING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS WAS AN OLYMPIC EVENT,

HE WOULD WIN GOLD.

♪

♪

\h\h\h\h\hIRONICALLY, CASTRO’S RULE IN CUBA

\h\h\h\h\h\hHAS HAD ONE UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCE.

LIKE ALL MARINE RESERVES,

JARDINES PROVIDES A SANCTUARY \h\h\h\h\hFOR FISH TO BREED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hSTOCKS SPILL OUT AND FUEL NEIGHBORING REGIONS.

\hTHE U.S. HAS BENEFITTED HUGELY FROM THIS MASSIVE MARINE RESERVE

ACROSS THE FLORIDA STRAIT.

THE FISH DON’T NEED A VISA TO ENTER U.S. TERRITORIAL WATERS,

\hAND THE CUBAN RESERVE HAS BEEN REPLENISHING FLORIDA FISH STOCKS

FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY.

♪

IT’S UNUSUAL FOR A DIVER TO BE TRYING TO TEACH A SHARK TO EAT.

\h\h\hBUT CAMERAMAN NOEL FERNANDO LOPEZ

IS ON A ONE-MAN CRUSADE

\h\h\h\hTO COUNTER WHAT SCIENTISTS HAVE LABELED

\h"THE MOST DISASTROUS MARINE SPECIES INVASION EVENT EVER."

\h\h\h\h\h\hLIONFISH ARE UNWANTED ALIEN INVADERS IN THE CARIBBEAN,

AND THEY ARE DESTROYING \h\hNATIVE FISH STOCKS.

BY SPEARING LIONFISH

\h\hAND TRYING TO FEED THEM TO THE SHARK OF THE JARDINES REEF,

\hNOEL’S PLAN IS TO ENCOURAGE THE SHARKS

TO START PREYING ON THEM \h\h\h\h\hINSTINCTIVELY.

IT’S TAKEN TIME AND PATIENCE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hBUT AT LAST, IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING.

CREATURES OF THE INDO-PACIFIC,

LIONFISH FIRST ARRIVED HERE \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE MID-’80s.

FLORIDA FISH COLLECTORS \h\h\h\h\h\hARE BLAMED.

\h\h\h\hAS SPECIMENS GREW TOO BIG FOR THEIR TANKS,

SOME WERE RELEASED INTO THE WATERWAYS.

A RECENT STUDY OF DNA EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE WHOLE PLAGUE

\h\h\h\h\h\hCAN BE NARROWED TO AROUND A DOZEN LIONFISH

THAT INTERBRED.

\h\hA LARGE FEMALE CAN PRODUCE UP TO TWO MILLION EGGS PER YEAR

THAT DRIFT ON THE OCEAN CURRENTS

\hBEFORE THE SPAWN SETTLE ON THE REEF.

SO IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG \h\h\hFOR A FEW ALIENS

TO BECOME A SCOURGE.

GROWING UP TO A FOOT LONG,

\h\h\hPROTECTED BY AN ARRAY OF HIGHLY VENOMOUS SPINES,

AND WITH A LIFE SPAN \hOF UP TO 15 YEARS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hLIONFISH HERE HAVE NO NATURAL PREDATORS

TO KEEP THEIR NUMBERS IN CHECK.

AS A RESULT, THEY’VE SPREAD \h\h\hAT A PRODIGIOUS RATE.

VORACIOUS FEEDERS,

THEY TAKE ANYTHING \hTHEY CAN CATCH--

NOT ONLY SMALL FISH,

BUT ALSO THE YOUNG OF LARGER SPECIES.

\h\hTHEY HAVE DECIMATED NATIVE FISH POPULATIONS

\h\h\hTHAT HAVE IN PLACES BEEN REDUCED BY OVER 80%.

THEY ARE A PARTICULAR THREAT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN MANGROVES

THAT NORMALLY PROVIDE \h\h\h\hA SAFE NURSERY

FOR THE YOUNG OF MANY FISH.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THEIR SPREAD SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN.

CHANGING THE SHARKS’ \h\hFEEDING BEHAVIOR

COULD BE THE SALVATION \h\h\h\h\hOF THE REEF.

♪

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

FROM THE SHELTER OF THE BUSHES,

\h\hTHE HUTIA CHECKS THAT IT’S ALL CLEAR.

AS THE SUN HAS CLIMBED \h\hHIGHER IN THE SKY,

\h\h\h\hSHE’S VENTURED FROM THE SAFETY OF THE MANGROVES

DOWN TO THE BEACH.

AS THE TIDE FLOWS OUT OF THE LAGOON,

STRETCHES OF BEACH ARE EXPOSED

\h\hWHERE THE HUTIA SCAVENGE FOR FOOD.

BUT SHE’S NOT ALONE.

THERE’S A PREHISTORIC REPTILE

\hTHAT ALSO COMES DOWN TO THE BEACH TO FEED,

THOUGH UNLIKE THE CROCODILE,

THIS ONE IS NOT A DANGER TO HER.

THE CUBAN IGUANA

IS ONE OF THE LARGEST LIZARDS \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE CARIBBEAN

\h\h\hAND ALSO ONE OF THE MOST ENDANGERED.

BUT HERE IN THE GARDEN \h\h\h\hOF THE QUEENS,

WITHOUT ANY NATURAL PREDATORS,

THEY ARE FOUND IN ABUNDANCE.

♪

♪

[IGUANA HISSING]

♪

[HUTIA SQUEAKING]

HUTIA AND IGUANA ARE EQUALS HERE,

\hNEITHER AFRAID OF THE OTHER AS THEY SQUABBLE OVER MORSELS.

LIKE MINI PREHISTORIC DINOSAURS,

THE IGUANA ALSO SORT OUT \h\h\h\hTHEIR OWN ISSUES.

[TAILS SLAPPING]

[SLAP]

[SLAP]

♪

[SNIFFING]

\h\hTIRED OF COMPETING FOR FOOD ON THE BEACH,

THE HUTIA RETURNS TO HER HOME

IN THE LOWER BRANCHES \h\h\hOF THE MANGROVE.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, THE CROCODILE \hHAS SENSED HER MOVEMENTS--

THE VIBRATIONS OF THE BRANCHES CARRYING FAR THROUGH THE WATER.

SHE’S CLOSE TO THE WATERLINE,

\h\hHOPING THE TIDE WILL BRING WITH IT

SCRAPS OF VEGETATION TO FEED ON.

\h\hTHE HUGE KILLER MOVES WITH INCREDIBLE STEALTH.

AS IT CLOSES IN ON HER,

\h\hITS MOVEMENTS ARE SO SUBTLE THAT IT BARELY CAUSES A RIPPLE.

SHE’S JUST GOTTEN LUCKY,

THE EBBING TIDE HAVING CARRIED \h\h\hWITH IT A SCRAP OF FOOD

THAT SHE’S PLUCKED \h\hFROM THE WATER.

♪

IT’S INCREDIBLE THAT SHE DOESN’T SEE THIS PRIMEVAL PREDATOR.

SHE IS SO ENGROSSED \h\h\h\hIN HER FOOD

\h\h\hTHAT HIS APPROACH GOES TOTALLY UNNOTICED.

[SQUEAKING]

CLAMPING THE STILL STRUGGLING \hHUTIA IN HIS POWERFUL JAWS,

THE CROCODILE CASUALLY DRAGS IT \h\h\hDOWN TO THE LAGOON FLOOR.

♪

♪

♪

THE HARSH REALITY OF LIFE AND DEATH

IN THE GARDEN OF THE QUEENS.

♪

[WIND WHISTLING]

FOR HOURS NOW,

PARTS OF THE INNER LAGOON \h\h\h\h\h\hHAVE BEEN DRY,

PARCHED BY THE HEAT OF THE SUN.

BUT RELIEF COMES AT LAST.

EVENTUALLY THE TIDE CHANGES,

\h\h\h\hAND LIFE-GIVING WATER CREEPS BACK OVER THE SHALLOWS.

♪

AS THE TIDE FLOWS \hINTO THE LAGOON,

\hTHOSE SAME SINKHOLES THAT IT DRAINED OUT OF

\h\hNOW BECOME A MAGNET FOR SCHOOLS OF SNAPPER.

♪

♪

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY’RE ATTRACTED BY THE INCOMING TIDAL WATERS,

RICH IN FOOD AND NUTRIENTS \h\h\hFROM THE OUTER REEF.

\h\h\h\hAT THE HEIGHT OF THE FLOODING TIDE,

HUNDREDS OF FISH ARE SCHOOLING.

♪

[WIND WHISTLING]

[FROGS CROAKING]

DUSK ON THE OUTER REEF,

\hAND THE SHARKS CONTINUE THEIR RELENTLESS PATROL.

THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT

THEY’LL BE CRUISING IN THEIR NEVER-ENDING HUNT FOR PREY.

♪

\h\h\h\hTHE RICHNESS OF LIFE AMONG THIS STRING OF ISLANDS

HAS RESULTED IN A CONCENTRATION

\h\h\h\hOF BIG, HEALTHY CARIBBEAN REEF SHARKS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWELL FED ON THE UNLIMITED FOOD SOURCE.

SHARK POPULATIONS IN MOST OTHER REGIONS OF THE PLANET’S OCEANS

ARE IN FREEFALL,

PLUMMETING TO A TINY PROPORTION \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF WHAT THEY WERE

JUST TEN YEARS AGO.

BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF FISHING,

JARDINES IS ONE OF THE FEW LOCATIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN

WHERE SHARKS SEEM TO BE \h\hHOLDING THEIR OWN.

♪

♪

THE NOCTURNAL NURSE SHARK

IS AS NON-AGGRESSIVE A SHARK \h\h\h\hAS CAN BE IMAGINED,

LAZING UNDER THE SHELTER \h\hOF A CORAL OVERHANG,

\h\h\hWHILE A REMORA EXPLORES ITS GILL SLITS FOR PARASITES.

ANOTHER SHARK, RATHER THAN BEING A SCARY PREDATOR TO AVOID,

BECOMES A RUBBING BOARD

\h\h\h\h\hFOR FISH TRYING TO RID THEMSELVES OF PARASITES

\h\h\hON THE SHARK’S SANDPAPER-LIKE SKIN.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTHE JARDINES HAVE MANY DIFFERING ECOSYSTEMS.

THE SEAGRASS MEADOWS \h\h\hAND SAND FLATS

\h\h\hPROVIDE A HUNTING GROUND FOR MANY CREATURES OF THE REEF.

♪

THE FLOOR OF THE INNER LAGOON

\h\hHAS BEEN COLONIZED BY A BIZARRE CREATURE.

\h\hUNLIKE OTHER JELLYFISH THAT DRIFT WITH THE TIDES,

THE CASSIOPEIA,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOMMONLY KNOWN AS THE UPSIDE-DOWN JELLYFISH,

IS USUALLY SEDENTARY,

\h\h\hSETTLING UPSIDE DOWN ON THE SHALLOW SEA FLOOR.

INTRIGUINGLY,

THIS STRANGELY EVOLVED JELLYFISH NEEDS SUNSHINE TO SURVIVE.

WHY?

BECAUSE THE JELLYFISH \h\h\h\hIS A FARMER,

GROWING ITS OWN FOOD \hTO SUSTAIN ITSELF.

IN THE SHALLOW SUNLIT WATERS,

THROUGH A PROCESS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS,

\h\h\h\hIT GROWS ALGAE INSIDE ITS TENTACLES,

\h\h\h\h\h\hPROVIDING ITSELF WITH A CONSTANT FOOD SUPPLY.

A SHADOW PASSES OVER THE REEF.

A HAND-BUILT WOODEN BOAT...

\hA BATTERED RELIC FROM DECADES PAST.

FISHERMEN HAVE ARRIVED.

LOBSTER ARE SHY CREATURES,

\hGENERALLY HIDING IN THE REEF BY DAY.

SO IN THIS UNIQUE FISHERY,

THE TRICK IS TO PROVIDE SHELTERS WHERE THE LOBSTER FEEL SAFE

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND PROTECTED FROM NATURAL PREDATORS...

AT LEAST UNTIL THE FISHERMAN \h\h\h\h\hTICKLES THEM OUT.

\hTHE TECHNIQUES OF THESE LOBSTERMEN ARE A FAR CRY

FROM THOSE OF INDUSTRIALIZED \h\h\h\h\h\hFISHING VESSELS.

THEY DON’T USE POTS, TRAPS, \h\h\hOR LONG TANGLE NETS--

THE TOOLS OF LOBSTER FISHERMEN ELSEWHERE.

THESE FISHERMAN’S TOOLS \hCOULDN’T BE SIMPLER--

JUST A SNORKEL, MASK,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA TICKLE STICK TO CHASE THEM OUT FROM COVER,

\h\h\hAND A HAND-HELD NET THAT THE PANICKED LOBSTER JETS INTO.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH]

WHEN THE ROWBOAT HAS A GOOD HAUL,

THESE ARE TAKEN BACK TO THE MOTHER SHIP--

IN REALITY, JUST A SMALL \h\hINSHORE FISHING BOAT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS HAS A UNIQUELY DESIGNED HULL,

ALLOWING FRESH SEAWATER \h\h\h\h\hTO CIRCULATE

\h\hDURING THE VOYAGE BACK TO THE MAINLAND,

KEEPING THE CATCH ALIVE AND HEALTHY.

\h\h\h\hTHIS SINGLE BOAT IS THE ONLY ONE LICENSED

TO COLLECT STRICTLY CONTROLLED \h\h\h\h\h\hNUMBERS OF LOBSTER

FROM THE JARDINES REEF.

IT’S A LOW-IMPACT, LOW-TECH FISHERY--

MAN’S ACTIONS NOT IMPACTING \h\h\h\hON NATURE’S BALANCE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS A RESULT, LOBSTER ARE MORE ABUNDANT HERE

\h\hTHAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA.

[BIRDS SQUAWKING]

\h\h\h\hBUT THE LOBSTER HAVE OTHER THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOUT OF THE MURK EMERGES THE GOLIATH GROUPER,

ONE OF THE REEF’S TOP PREDATORS.

THIS ONE IS OVER 5 FEET LONG.

\hDUE TO ITS SIZE, IT FEARS NOTHING,

NOT EVEN THE SHARKS OF THE REEF,

LIVING COMFORTABLY \h\hALONGSIDE THEM.

IT’S LIKE A SUMO WRESTLER,

TREATING THE SHARK WITH DISDAIN,

AS MERE LIGHTWEIGHTS IN CONTRAST TO ITS COLOSSAL BULK.

♪

\h\hREMORAS USUALLY ATTACH TO THE SEA’S BIGGEST FISH,

SUCH AS WHALES AND SHARKS.

\hHERE THE GROUPER HAVE GROWN SO BIG

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL REMORAS.

THESE GIANTS OF THE REEF

\h\h\h\h\h\hHAVE BEEN FISHED TO SUCH AN EXTENT ELSEWHERE

THAT THEY NEVER GET THE CHANCE TO GROW

TO THE SIZE OF THE GROUPER HERE.

\h\h\hTHEIR THICK FLESHY MEAT FETCHES EQUALLY FLESHY PRICES

\h\hIN RESORT RESTAURANTS THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN,

\h\hSO ENCOUNTERS WITH ANY BUT THE SMALLEST ARE RARE.

HERE THEY ARE IN A POSITION \hOF UNCHALLENGED DOMINANCE.

ITS HUGE MOUTH CREATES A VACUUM

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT SUCKS IN RATHER THAN BITES ITS PREY.

♪

♪

THE PROFUSION OF LOBSTER

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPROVIDES AN IMPORTANT FOOD SOURCE

NOT ONLY FOR THE GOLIATH,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT FOR OTHER LARGE FISH OF THE REEF--

BLACK GROUPER AND SNAPPER \hTHAT ALSO GROW FAT HERE

ON THE PERPETUAL LOBSTER BANQUET.

♪

ANY LOBSTER FOOLISH ENOUGH

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO STRAY OUT INTO THE DAYTIME SEA FLOOR

IS FAIR GAME.

♪

AND WHEN THE GOLIATH \hCHOOSES HIS PREY,

NONE STAND IN HIS WAY.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[SQUAWKING]

Narrator: THE FRIGATEBIRD’S WINGSPAN CAN EXCEED 6 FEET,

AND THEY ARE KNOWN TO STAY IN THE AIR

FOR UP TO A WEEK.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT DESPITE THEIR INCREDIBLE FLYING ABILITY,

FRIGATEBIRDS CAN’T SWIM,

SO MID-OCEANIC OASES \hSUCH AS JARDINES,

WHERE THEY CAN ROOST,

ARE ESSENTIAL TO THEM.

♪

THE COLONY HERE IS BUSIEST \hDURING THE MATING SEASON,

\h\h\h\h\hMALES INFLATING THEIR RED THROAT POUCHES

TO ATTRACT FEMALES IN ELABORATE \hCOURTSHIP AERIAL ACROBATICS.

♪

\hTHE SHARKS HAVE BECOME AGITATED AND ARE CLEARLY IN HUNTING MODE.

SOMETHING HAS FIRED \hTHEIR ATTENTION,

AND SURPRISINGLY, \hIT’S A LIONFISH.

♪

IT APPEARS THAT NOEL’S FEEDING LESSONS TO THE RESIDENT SHARKS

ARE PAYING OFF.

♪

WITH THE ACTION SLOWED DOWN, IT’S CLEAR WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

♪

ON THIS OCCASION, THE SHARK’S OVERRIDING PREDATORY INSTINCT

WINS OUT OVER ITS SUSPICION \hOF THIS ALIEN IN ITS SEA.

IF THE CARIBBEAN SHARKS ACTUALLY LEARN TO FEED ON LIONFISH,

IT COULD BE THE FIRST STEP

TOWARDS RESTORING BALANCE \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE REGION.

♪

AS THE TIDE STARTS TO RUN OUT \h\hOF THE LAGOON ONCE MORE,

THE MASSIVE QUANTITY OF WATER

\h\h\h\h\hIS CHANNELED INTO NARROW PASSAGES IN THE REEF,

AND THE CURRENT FLOWS \h\hFAST AND POWERFUL.

\hTHIS IS THE TIME OF ONE OF JARDINES’ FINEST SPECTACLES.

ALL THE FISH THAT HAVE SHELTERED IN THE LAGOON

AND AMONG THE MANGROVES

\h\h\h\h\h\hARE NOW DRAWN BY THE PRIMEVAL PULL OF THE TIDE

TOWARDS THE OPEN SEA.

BONEFISH ARE LONE HUNTERS \hOF THE LAGOON SHALLOWS

\hBUT SCHOOL TOGETHER TO RIDE THE CURRENTS.

AND THE SARDINES THAT HAVE BEEN SHELTERING AMONG THE MANGROVES

ALSO START TO MOBILIZE,

\hSTREAMING OUT TO SEA WITH THE EBBING TIDE,

HEADING TO THEIR FEEDING GROUNDS.

PREDATORS ARE READY TO ATTACK,

\h\h\hBOTH FROM THE SEA AND ALSO FROM THE AIR.

\h\h\hIT SEEMS AS THOUGH EVERY FISH IN THE LAGOON

\h\h\h\h\h\hIS HEADING IN ONE SINGLE DIRECTION

ALONG THE CHANNELS TO THE OPEN OCEAN.

BUT DANGER LURKS JUST OUTSIDE \h\h\h\hTHE CHANNEL ENTRANCE.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE PREDATORS OF THE OPEN OCEAN KNOW

\h\h\h\hTHAT THE CURRENT BRINGS WITH IT A BANQUET

AND WAIT WITH ANTICIPATION.

THE SHARKS SPRINT IN \h\h\hFROM THE BLUE.

\h\h\h\hTHE OUTPOURING OF WATER FLOODING FROM THE SHALLOW LAGOON

BRINGS WITH IT THEIR PREY.

WHEN PREDATOR AND PREY MEET,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE OCEAN BOILS WITH THE FRENZY OF THE FEED.

WHALE SHARKS ATTACK FROM BELOW

AND DRIVE THE SCHOOL \h\h\hTO THE SURFACE,

LEAVING THEM NOWHERE TO GO.

IT’S A SYNCHRONIZED BALLET

\h\h\h\h\h\hPERFORMED BY TWO OF THE PLANET’S GREATEST FISH

AS THEY CIRCLE ROUND, \h\hEATING THEIR FILL.

♪

♪

♪

THEIR HUGE SIZE TOTALLY DWARFS THE SILKY SHARKS

THAT HAVE ALSO COME TO JOIN THE FEAST.

♪

♪

TIMELESS IN ITS DRAMA \h\h\hAND ITS BEAUTY,

\h\h\hTHIS BALLET HAS BEEN PERFORMED AGAIN AND AGAIN

ON CASTRO’S SECRET REEF,

BUT RARELY HAS IT BEEN WITNESSED IN THIS REMOTE WILDERNESS.

♪

♪

♪

♪

MEANWHILE, FARTHER OUT TO SEA,

A SMALL GROUP OF SARDINES

\h\h\hHAS BEEN LOCATED BY A PACK OF SAILFISH,

\h\h\hAMONG THE OCEAN’S MOST EFFICIENT KILLERS.

GROWING TO AROUND 10 FEET IN LENGTH

\hAND ABLE TO ACHIEVE SPEEDS OF UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR,

THESE STREAMLINED HUNTERS

HAVE A DEVASTATING TURN \h\h\hOF ACCELERATION.

THEIR HUNTING BEHAVIOR \h\h\h\h\hIS AN EXAMPLE

\h\hOF RARELY OBSERVED COOPERATION AMONG FISH.

\h\h\hWHEN SWIMMING, THE SAIL IS NORMALLY KEPT FOLDED DOWN.

BUT WHEN THEY FIND PREY, SAILFISH ACT AS A GROUP.

RAISING THEIR FINS,

MAKING THE INDIVIDUAL FISH \h\h\h\hAPPEAR EVEN LARGER,

THE PACK USE THEIR SAILS TO HERD A SCHOOL OF FISH

INTO AN EVER TIGHTER BALL.

\hTHEY THEN DART IN TO SEIZE THEIR PREY.

FEW OF THE SARDINES WILL SURVIVE

\h\h\hTHIS COORDINATED AND DEADLY ONSLAUGHT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S A SPECTACLE THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THESE SEAS

BEFORE MANKIND WALKED THE EARTH.

BUT WITH THE BURGEONING \h\h\h\h\hRELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN CUBA AND ITS NEIGHBOR, \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE UNITED STATES,

IT MAY BE ONLY A MATTER OF TIME \h\h\hBEFORE A FLOOD OF TOURISM

INTRUDES UPON THIS FORGOTTEN \h\h\h\h\hAND FRAGILE WORLD.

IN THE MEANTIME,

THE DAILY CYCLE OF LIFE \h\h\h\h\hAND OF DEATH

IN THE GARDEN OF THE QUEENS

CONTINUES AS IT ALWAYS HAS.