Original subtitles

NARRATOR:Meet Rio,

the baby giant river otter.

For this youngster,

growing up wild is one giant adventure.

To survive in Brazil's famous Pantanal wetland

he must learn the rules of the river.

How to hunt underwater

and avoid the jaws of the river's many predators.

Rio's parents provide for him,

but when he goes it alone,

will he sink

or swim?

All across South America,

baby animals are taking their first steps,

and tackling their first challenges.

Their generations are the future of their species.

They are...

theNew Kids in the Wild.

Dawn, in South America.

Enjoying an early morning swim,

this is Orla,

and her partner for life, Oscar.

Two giant river otters

living in a remote corner of Brazil's Pantanal.

As few as four thousand giant river otters

remain in this sprawling network of rivers and wetlands.

The banks of the Vermelho River

is where Orla and Oscar have made their home.

They make a formidable team.

[TRILLING]

Their close bond is what makes them so successful.

They protect each other from predators...

[SNORTING]

...hunt more effectively,

and it also makes them better parents.

Last year, Orla and Oscar

adopted a son, Rocky,

a teenage otter whose own parents were killed by a caiman.

[TRILLING]

Almost fully grown,

he's already a key member of the family.

Rocky follows the pair everywhere.

On land,

and in the water.

[TRILLING]

The three otters

are fiercely protective of one another.

They are also extremely loud!

[TRILLING]

[WHISTLES]

For Orla and Oscar,

having this extra adult on their team will come in handy.

Rocky is no longer an only child.

This year, their family has grown.

A new son, Rio.

For the last two months,

the pup was safely hidden in the den,

feeding greedily on Orla's milk.

But today,

Rio has emerged for the very first time.

There's lots to see,

but no time to take it in.

Orla wants Rio to learn to swim, immediately.

It's a skill he'll need to escape predators,

like jaguars that stalk the banks.

The water looks scary,

but Rio won't be going in alone.

Orla had four babies.

Two boys, two girls.

One by one, they take the plunge.

They all stay close to shore.

For Rio, just keeping his head above water is hard enough.

The other pups cling to the bank,

while Rio keeps trying

to stay afloat.

He hasn't quite got the hang of treading water.

[TRILLING]

It's hard work,

but this morning's swimming lesson isn't over yet.

Oscar wants Rio to learn to hold his breath,

and there's only one way to learn.

His dad may be a tough teacher,

but throwing Rio in at the deep end appears to be working.

That's better.

Swimming just takes a little more confidence.

His furious dog paddle keeps him afloat.

[TRILLING]

But this technique will quickly sap his strength.

He hasn't yet learned to use his secret weapon,

his amazing tail.

When he's a bit stronger,

it will help power him through the water,

just like his parents!

Inspired by Rio,

his siblings join in,

and today's first swimming lesson

ends in success.

[TRILLING]

Exhausted,

the pups have earned a long rest.

Back into the den to dry off.

The next morning,

another hot day in the Pantanal's dry season.

At this time of year

the riverbanks become a focus for all the wetland creatures,

including predators.

Now that Rio and his siblings are big enough to leave the den,

it's time to move house.

Their parents have already built a number of holts,

up and down the river.

From now on, the family will move regularly

to stay one step ahead of the big cats

that stalk the banks.

Orla and Oscar chatter constantly,

to let the pups know where to go.

As they round a bend,

the giant otters come across another big family in the grass.

Capybara,

the world's largest rodents.

But as strict vegetarians,

they don't pose any real threat to Rio.

This family is also teaching its babies to swim.

[♪]

After their trek through the forest,

the pups are eager to cool off.

They join the capybara in the river,

despite the watchful eyes nearby.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[♪]

A yacare caiman.

[♪]

One of the Pantanal's biggest predators,

drawn here by the young capybara splashing nearby.

But Rio could also be a target.

With Orla and Oscar on life-guard duty,

big brother Rocky acts as lookout.

[CALLING]

[♪]

If it were to slip into the water,

this ambush hunter would be almost invisible.

So Rocky needs to keep it in his sights.

The adults could easily outmaneuver the caiman in the river.

But Rio, only just able to swim,

wouldn't stand a chance.

Today, the caiman isn't hungry.

Content soaking up the sun.

The otters continue their journey to the new den,

and work up an appetite of their own.

As soon as they arrive,

Rio and the pups head towards the bank to play...

[TRILLING]

...while the adults display their hunting skills.

Rio has already developed his taste for fish.

Luckily, his mom and dad

are some of the most prolific aquatic hunters on the planet.

Their sensitive whiskers

pick up the movement of fish hidden in the murk.

[SQUEAKING]

Working in unison,

Orla and Oscar's webbed feet and flat tails

provide incredible acceleration.

Rocky joins in.

The three hunters drive the fish into the shallows,

trapping them against the bank.

It looks effortless.

It will be a long time until Rio masters these skills,

but Orla's happy to share her catch.

It's a family feast.

And Rio's appetite is finally satisfied,

for now.

As everybody tucks in...

[SQUAWKING]

...Orla hears an alarm call,

from the other side of a nearby creek.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[♪]

She heads into the water to investigate,

then calls for back up.

Oscar arrives,

and they approach.

[♪]

Patrolling the waterline is a jaguar,

the most powerful

of all the big cats.

[♪]

Rio and the pups keep their distance from the female hunter,

but Rocky

joins the adults.

With strength in numbers,

the otters aren't backing down.

[TRILLING]

Oscar presses forward.

He wants to drive the jaguar away from his pups.

[CALLING]

The cat appears to relax.

Oscar's no fool,

and remains just out of striking distance.

He keeps the jaguar in his sights,

but its partner was the real danger.

[OTTER CALLING]

Jaguars normally hunt alone.

But right now it's the mating season,

and this breeding pair are working together.

Oscar's agility in the water saved his life.

With the jaguars so close to this den site,

Rio's family decide to keep moving.

Orla and Oscar are prepared.

They have several more dens to choose from along the river,

but the nearest one is another kilometer upstream.

[TRILLING]

This will be Rio's longest swim by far.

The pup stays close to Mom,

as they set off.

[TRILLING]

There are fewer predators in the deeper part of the channel,

but the currents are strong for Rio's little legs.

As always,

Rocky acts as lookout,

as they make their way upriver.

Orla and Oscar help their two daughters.

They're smaller, and the weakest swimmers.

But it's a marathon for Rio.

The young pup begins to struggle.

He gets a short respite with Mom,

but there are only two parents,

and four pups.

Rio's ride doesn't last long,

and he's back to swimming by himself.

Keeping up is almost impossible.

With Rio falling behind,

Orla leads the group back towards the river's edge,

where the water is calmer.

But these shallows

are the caiman's hunting ground.

The pups are exposed.

Big brother Rocky moves in,

and guides Rio away from danger.

Rocky's swift action

gives Orla the chance to move the pups

to the safety of the other bank.

[TRILLING]

They continue along the shoreline.

But Orla and Rio walk straight into a juvenile caiman.

That was close.

[HOOTING]

After the toughest journey of their lives,

the pups finally reach their new home.

[HOOTING]

They can't wait to get inside and explore.

[TRILLING]

But Rocky has some important housekeeping to do.

Scent marking outside the den.

The adults must always protect the pups from predators,

but this scent-marking

is to warn off other otters.

Rocky gets the word out

loud and clear!

Rubbing his scent into the sand

makes it last longer.

It's messy work.

Rio comes out to see what's going on,

and walks straight into Rocky's scent pool.

As if being covered in stink weren't enough,

he gets caught in the firing line, once again.

This time it's Orla,

clearing sand from the den.

Rio is one messy pup!

He stays in to wash out the scent and sand.

Orla swims over to help him clean up.

Like all kids,

Rio's not a fan of having his hair washed.

Oscar and Rocky join in as well.

Rio's fur is getting a deep clean.

The job's not quite finished,

but an impatient Rio has had enough.

Exploring this new territory

with his siblings is much more fun.

But after today's adventures,

he doesn't stray too far from the grown ups.

And that gives Orla the chance to finish the job.

[TRILLING]

Five weeks later,

Rio's been growing fast.

He's more than doubled in size.

But it's been a hard road for the family.

They've had to flee to a new den site yet again.

[SQUEAKS]

[SAD MUSIC PLAYING]

And they've lost one of the pups.

[♪]

Rio's smallest sister

was killed by a caiman.

[♪]

Many giant otter families are up to 20 strong.

Rio's is now just six.

With fewer eyes to look for danger,

they'll need to work even harder to protect each other.

At three and a half months old,

Rio is more agile than when he first left the den,

but still relies on his parents for food and protection.

And today marks the start of a new challenge.

[THUNDER CLAPS]

The wet season has arrived.

It's the first time the pups have seen rain.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

But this is only a taste of what's to come.

The morning after the downpour,

Rio emerges to a changed world.

The river is already starting to swell.

The currents, stronger than the pup has ever felt.

But Rio's been practicing every day,

mimicking his parent's movements.

His tail now powers him through the water.

Not just his legs.

[TRILLING]

All this swimming is hungry work.

Orla and Oscar

are already out searching for breakfast.

Today, Rio wants to join in.

[SQUEALING]

Catching his first fish

will be the biggest moment

in this otter pup's life.

But after a few attempts,

he isn't fast enough to trap his prey.

Frustrating,

especially on an empty stomach.

He needs to watch and learn.

But Rio is hungry.

It might be quicker for someone else to catch one.

[SQUEAKS]

[♪]

But even the grown ups aren't having much luck.

Finally,

Rio spots Orla with a fish.

[♪]

This is his chance.

Surely, Mom will share.

But she's not playing ball.

Rio is older now.

And Orla wants him to start practicing hunting on his own.

But he's determined to seize the fish right in front of him!

Whimpering and begging isn't working.

[SQUEAKING]

He isn't giving up.

Edging closer and closer to his mom,

Rio gets a nibble.

And Mom finally gives in.

But Rio can't relax.

Now, his brother and sister want

to steal his hard-won fish.

His sister is persistent,

and sneaky!

But Rio is quicker.

Finally,

he gets to enjoy his meal.

Over the coming months

these parental handouts will stop altogether,

and his mom will force Rio to catch all his fish

on his own,

no matter how hard he begs.

Breakfast over,

Orla leads the family

towards her current favorite rest spot.

[TRILLING]

It's usually caiman free,

and in the warmth of the rising sun,

there's space to stretch out

and unwind.

[♪]

But Rio is feeling fidgety.

He takes his brother off to explore.

[♪]

The expedition quickly turns into a wrestling match.

Having already learned not to stray too far,

Rio leads them back to the beach.

[TRILLING]

Their noisy return wakes up the whole family.

Oscar is in no mood to play.

[TRILLING]

He's got an important job to do instead.

At each den site,

the adults must clearly mark

the edge of their new territory.

[TRILLING]

Oscar uses his own signature move.

Swinging his hips to clear space,

and then scent marking

high up on the riverbank.

[TRILLING]

Rio's curious.

He decides to have a go himself.

So far so good,

but he forgets to rub it into the sand.

Luckily, dad Oscar

is there to finish the job.

[TRILLING]

As the day heats up,

Rio finally settles down for a nap.

By midday,

Orla's fully rested,

and decides it's time to head back to the den.

She announces their departure.

The others follow.

[SQUEAKS]

All but one.

Exhausted from his adventures,

Rio sleeps in.

The family continues

the long swim back home.

Five minutes pass by,

before Rio eventually wakes up.

His family are nowhere to be seen.

- He calls out. - [CALLING]

No reply.

[CALLING]

It's the first time Rio's ever been on his own.

[CALLING]

Without his family to protect him,

the pup's extremely vulnerable.

He needs to act fast.

Heading upriver alone

is his only option,

but will be putting his life on the line.

Around the bend,

Orla realizes her pup's missing.

[SQUEALS]

She raises the alarm,

and turns around.

[CALLING]

Rio makes as much noise as he can...

[CALLING]

...hoping his parents will hear him.

But he's already been spotted.

[CALLING]

Unaware, Rio is swimming towards danger in the shallows.

A two meter caiman senses the opportunity,

and breaks cover.

Orla returns...

[CALLING]

...just in time as the caiman closes in.

[CALLING]

She's not going to lose another pup.

[SQUEALING]

Rio takes his chance,

and escapes.

Orla is now the one in danger.

Rio's out of harm's way,

but there's no sign of his mom.

Just the caiman.

Finally, she appears.

Her speed and agility gave her the victory.

The caiman retreats downstream,

to find an easier meal.

[TRILLING]

Orla finally reunites with her pup.

She came out unscathed.

But while Rio is safely back with his family,

the scars of this adventure

will be more than just mental.

The caiman left its mark on the pup's leg.

The wound will take some time to heal,

and it's a day Rio won't forget in a hurry.

Another lucky escape.

Few otter pups,

left alone on this river

would have lived to tell the tale.

Two months later,

and Rio is no longer a baby

struggling to keep his head above water.

He's an accomplished swimmer,

and his leg

is fully healed.

[SQUEALS]

Life is looking up.

But there's still one goal

that he's yet to reach.

To catch his own fish.

And today,

if he wants to eat,

Rio will have to step up to the plate.

They head out to hunt for breakfast.

But today,

it's catch your own.

The adults have decided

now is the time for tough love.

Rio's usual begging tactics aren't working,

on any of the adults.

[SQUEALS]

It's every otter for itself.

[SQUEAKS]

Rio's watched his parents hunt hundreds of times before.

But can he put all he's learned into practice?

[TRILLING]

Orla follows at a distance,

as the three pups start looking for fish,

with no help from the adults.

It takes speed and skill,

but Rio isn't having any joy.

[CALLING]

Sometimes you just need to keep trying.

Success!

Rio proudly displays his prize.

It wasn't begged for,

nor given by a grown up.

This is his very own fish.

He heads off to find somewhere to enjoy it

all on his own

Away from his siblings,

still trying for their first catch.

It's Rio's biggest step

towards adulthood.

Over the next year,

he'll continue practicing hunting on his own.

Becoming less reliant on the adults for food,

until he achieves independence.

In six months, Rio has grown in so many ways.

Bigger,

bolder.

He's overcome life or death adventures

thanks to the care, and courage of his family.

The young otter is prepared

for whatever the future holds

on the Vermelho River.

Whether he stays with his parents,

to help raise their future pups

or eventually leaves

to start a family of his own...

[SQUEALS]

...Rio will play a key part in the next generation

of giant river otters.

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

[♪]