Spy in the Wild (2017–…): Season 2, Episode 1 - The Tropics - full transcript

DAVID TENNANT (VO): The animal world
is full of spectacle and wonder.

But what's it like to be right
in the heart of the action?

To find out, our team of spy creatures
goes undercover.

They not only look like
the animals they film...

they behave like them, too.

Armed with the latest camera technology...

they are heading across the globe.

From the heat of the tropics...

to the lands that lie in the north.

From the islands of the southern seas...

to the snow and ice of the frozen poles.



Our spies reveal the astonishing
variety of life that thrives there

from inside their world.

On this assignment, our spy creatures
join the animal families

that dwell in the hot and humid tropics.

In the tropical zone,
life is abundant

and the dry and rainy seasons influence
animals in remarkable ways.

When the dry season comes
to the mountains of Uganda...

it brings cool nights and warm days.

As the morning mist clears,
a glimpse of the wonders to come.

For now, there's just one lone baby.

His camera eye, the only clue
he's not as real as he seems.

His aim, to join this family
of mountain gorillas.

But first, he must gain their trust.

One wrong move and it could all be over.



They are a close-knit family.

They don't take kindly to strangers.

He offers a hand of friendship.

Will they accept his introduction?

A promising start...

but somehow he must convince everyone.

She peers into his eyes
to make a connection.

Gorillas learn a lot
from each other this way.

But he remains inscrutable as ever.

Now it's the baby's turn.

Gorillas are very tactile.

A touch is an invitation
to get to know each other.

But is it all too good to be true?

GORILLA ROARS

SPY GORILLA GRUNTS

The great silverback.

He won't be so easily impressed.

HE GRUNTS

Here, he's the boss.

Spy gorilla won't be welcomed
without his say-so.

SILVERBACK GRUNTS

A warning.

Everyone must stay back.

Can our spy win him over too?

They await the silverback's decision.

SILVERBACK GRUNTS

until then,
there's a line no one can cross.

His arm, a barrier
between them and the newcomer.

To show respect,
our spy averts his gaze.

Decision made.

Spy gorilla can stay.

Everyone can relax once more.

In adults,
chest beating is a show of power.

For youngsters,
it's an invitation to play.

But games easily get out of hand.

Oops.

His look says it all.

Best pretend it never happened.

But it's not the end for our spy.

He lives to film another day.

SPY GORILLA GRUNTS

The dry season has also come
to Brazil.

The Pantanal is the world's
largest tropical wetland

but at this time of year,
it's drying out fast.

Life gathers in spectacular abundance
around the few pools

of open water that remain.

As well as egrets,
caiman congregate in their thousands...

some of the ten million
found across the Pantanal.

Such abundance attracts other predators.

Meet the world's first spy jaguar cub.

CAIMAN HISS

Caiman are the jaguar's favourite prey.

But they have little to fear
from a solitary cub.

Having basked in the sun,
they're primed and eager to hunt.

Spy caiman is ready and waiting.

BIRDS CHATTER IN BACKGROUND

He's now just one of the locals.

Wherever they go, he goes too.

It's soon clear why everyone is here...

thousands of fish are trapped
in the vanishing pools.

But there is little oxygen
in these waters

and as the day warms,
it holds even less.

The caiman is ready.

Catfish are coming to the surface for air.

All good things come to those who wait.

It's a feeding frenzy.

The morning feast lasts
just a brief moment.

Soon everyone can eat no more.

Only now do the capybara venture out.

They are the world's largest
living rodent

and one of the most intelligent.

They welcome the dry land
that's now appearing.

It's perfect for a spot of sunbathing.

But they must keep
their wits about them.

Something else now piques his interest.

JAGUAR PURRS

Jaguars Kill the cubs of others.

JAGUAR ROARS

But curiosity overcomes aggression.

This isn't the only jaguar here.

JAGUAR CALLS IN DISTANCE

A rival.

Jaguars are fiercely territorial.

THEY GRUNT AND ROAR

The result is a draw...

neither willing to risk their life.

Is this the reason for the brawling?

A partner worth fighting for?

In courtship, it seems,
the female takes control.

Having put him in his place,
she turns on the charm.

A rarely filmed moment
of tranquillity

in one of the busiest wildlife spots
on earth.

Costa Rica is next to host
one of the tropic's great events.

Black vultures gather in anticipation.

This year they have company...

a vulture that can film.

The gathering begins
on the third quarter of the moon

when the tides are at their minimum.

Olive Ridley turtles.

Many travelled over 1000 miles
to get here.

They're returning to the beach
where once they were born.

When the tide is out
and the surf is calm...

they come ashore.

Where one leads, others follow.

For those breeding for the first time,
15 years have passed

since they hatched on this very beach.

Now they compete for a place
to lay eggs of their own.

This is the great turtle Arribada.

Twenty thousand may arrive in a single day.

Only so much can be seen from the air.

As they keep coming,
so do our spy creatures.

Spy turtle is here
as our eyes on the ground.

Turtles lay above the high water mark,
so first our spy must climb the beach.

In water,
turtles are effectively weightless.

Now flippers meant for swimming
must haul huge bodies across the sand.

Spy turtle is soon in prime position...

ready to film their nesting techniques.

Her flippers become scoops...

tools to dig a nest.

Now the moment she came for.

Each egg is carefully placed...

up to 100 in every clutch.

She must bury them quickly.

They're what the vultures were
waiting for.

Those already buried are beyond reach.

But turtles still laying,
must fend off thieves.

As things hot up,
spy turtle needs backup.

A clutch of hidden cameras.

So far the vultures
have had little reward.

That's about to change.

There are so many turtles,
every spot has been taken.

Eggs of previous visitors
are batted away like ping pong balls...

straight into the mouths of the vultures.

They finally get their reward.

But all is not lost.

Beneath the sand,
enough eggs will survive

to produce the next generation.

As the turtles' epic undertaking ends

they return to the sanctuary of the sea.

Around 50 days will pass
before their eggs are ready to hatch.

As the turtles' eggs are left to incubate,
Zambia is in the grip of its dry season.

The vast Luangwa river is reduced
to barely a trickle.

Desperate animals gather,
seeking the only available water

for hundreds of miles.

Everyone is feeling the pressure.

Especially the hippos.

HIPPOS GRUNT

The shrinking river has forced families
closer together.

Rivals now live cheek by jowl.

Tensions mount.

What must it be like
inside this pressure cooker?

Spy croc is about to find out.

It could be a dangerous mission.

Hippos and crocs co-exist
in an uneasy truce...

enough to allow spy croc into their midst.

The reason lies just beneath the surface.

Fish are everywhere...

attracted by the waste the hippos produce.

With plenty of fish for crocodiles to eat,
hippos have little to worry about.

But in the middle of the pod,
where the youngsters are found

croc attacks are still a real threat.

This is a job for spy hippo.

HIPPO GRUNTS

To succeed,
he must give off all the right signals.

This is a high security area.

Here the dominant bull
watches over the mothers and young.

But he seems surprisingly amiable.

Even letting spy hippo approach a baby.

Here, the youngsters can safely play.

For now, it's just a game.

One day, they'll be fighting
for the best spots in the river.

An intruder.

A male, looking for females.

The resident bull must defend his position.

HIPPO SNORTS

It's wise to get out of the way.

But spy hippo is right in the battle zone.

It doesn't get riskier than this.

The rival is unceremoniously despatched.

HIPPO ROARS

As tempers calm,
the hippos settle down

doing what they do best.

Sleeping, for up to 16 hours a day.

While for some,
drought is a time of hardship.

Carmine bee eaters
relish this time of year.

The exposed riverbanks provide
safe nest sites.

Spy egret is at the
heart of their colony...

poised to capture a bird's eye view.

SPY EGRET SQUAWKS

It's the avian equivalent
of an apartment block.

Back in Uganda,
spy gorilla is now one of the family.

BRANCH CRACKS

It's an opportunity
to explore their intelligence.

Fruit cam is a replica of a local fruit

and is totally non-toxic.

GORILLA SNIFFS

Being smart means
they're fascinated by anything new.

Their social nature makes them
happy to share.

It's now a game of pass the parcel.

But what about this?

Spy grub...

one of our more outlandish spy cams.

GORILLA GRUNTS

GORILLA SNIFFS

Whatever her baby finds,
must be checked out.

Impressed?

Not so much.

But the other spies are recording
something truly ground breaking.

GORILLA SINGS

They've caught our gorillas
singing as they eat.

It's a chorus of appreciation

the first time this phenomenon
has ever been recorded

among wild mountain gorillas.

GORILLAS SING

They not only sing for their supper

consuming 20 kilos a day
is bound to have consequences.

GORILLA FARTS

They live in a semi-permanent
state of flatulence.

GORILLA FARTS

GORILLA FARTS

GORILLA FARTS

GORILLA FARTS

Back in Costa Rica,
two months have passed

since the great turtle Arribada.

Only one lonesome turtle is still here...

ready to record
the next great moment in their lives.

The eggs have finally hatched.

To find the sea, the hatchlings turn
to face the brightest horizon.

But there's trouble ahead.

Frigate birds have travelled
far for this event.

For the hatchlings,
it's a race against the odds.

The frigates are spoilt for choice.

Spy turtle is still at the nest site.

There's always one who's left behind.

She cannot stay here.

She, too, must run the gauntlet.

But the terrain is treacherous.

Ahead, the aerial attack is relentless.

But the urge to reach
the sea is overwhelming.

Now, it's all down to luck.

Another is lost.

This is her new home.

It will be 15 years before she returns
to this beach to lay eggs of her own.

In the tropics of South America,
the rains have arrived

and the Amazon rain forest
is undergoing a magical transformation.

The daily deluge causes
the mighty Amazon river

to burst its banks
and flood the surrounding forest.

Water levels can rise as much as 15 metres.

For the animal inhabitants,
life changes completely.

To investigate,
spy creatures are everywhere.

Staked out in the trees,
and in the water below...

they don't have to wait long.

MONKEYS CHATTER

Capuchin monkeys are territorial.

They make their feelings clear...

MONKEY CHATTERS ANGRILY

...but they've never seen
a monkey quite like this.

MONKEY CHATTERS

Irritation turns to intrigue.

And curiosity conquers caution.

MONKEY CHATTERS

With the forest floor under water,
the monkeys must forage in the treetops.

Conveniently, it's the season
when many trees bear fruit

a treat not just for monkeys.

Scarlet macaws come from far and wide
to enjoy the harvest.

SPY MACAW SQUAWKS

Spy macaw is here to greet them.

SPY MACAW SQUAWKS

Gorging on fruit helps them
reach prime breeding condition.

MACAWS CHATTER

Everywhere, love is in the air.

Even spy sloth seems to have gained
an admirer.

As sloths rarely cross paths,
she'll take the opportunity when she can.

Her first move is to rub noses...

followed by a mating call.

SLOTH WAILS

But this time, her calls go unanswered.

Never mind, there are plenty more
eligible sloths in the forest.

Down below, a rather bizarre
spy creature takes over...

a replica of the animal
it has come to film...

Amazon river dolphins.

It's an other-worldly meeting.

As eyes are of little use in murky water,
they've become tiny.

Other senses compensate.

Sensitive hairs on her beak
react to the slightest vibration...

while sensors in her mouth
detect the electric fields of prey.

The greeting is an alien
sensory experience.

Courtesies over, it's down to business.

The best hunting is found
among the submerged trees.

Fish are drawn to the food
and shelter they provide.

To catch them, the dolphins hunt together.

One flushes the fish from hiding...

the other reaps the reward.

It's a technique that rarely fails.

A fish supper served up
among the trees

that are usually high and dry.

In Australia's tropical north,
as the cool season arrives

the continent's greatest gathering
of mammals occurs.

A hundred thousand of them in all.

They are little red flying foxes.

Mothers gather together
in huge nurseries among the eucalyptus.

Today a new bat has joined them.

A way of taking a closer look at life
inside their world.

But first, spy bat must earn their trust.

She has been anointed with smells
from the colony.

She can also mimic their friendship calls.

SPY BAT SQUAWKS

Having passed inspection,
she fits right in...

capturing the most intimate views
of a maternity roost ever seen.

Mothers and their babies are never parted.

Even when they fly,
there's a baby on board.

BATS SQUEAK

They're caring and attentive,
washing their pups

to keep them clean and fresh.

She won't miss an inch.

At several weeks old,
the youngsters never stay still

making bath time a challenge.

The mothers raise their young in wintertime,
in what should be the coolest months.

But today, they must flap their wings
just to keep cool.

Even spy bat joins in.

As the climate changes,
winters are becoming hotter than ever.

Heatstroke is now a common threat.

Only the cool of evening
brings some relief.

As they leave, spy bat quietly follows.

Its wings are designed to dampen
the sound of its motors.

It also has a low light camera,
able to film at dusk.

After the extreme heat of the day

the river is a place
to cool down and rehydrate.

They have a novel technique.

They belly flop.

Plunge diving traps water in their fur,
convenient for in-flight refreshment.

But all this splashing attracts attention.

Fresh water crocodiles are moving in.

All they have to do is wait.

For the crocs, it's a matter of timing.

For the bats, it's a matter of luck.

There's always one whose luck runs out.

Refreshed, the survivors head off
to find nectar.

As they feed, they pollinate
millions of trees.

In this way,
Australia's great eucalyptus forest

depends on flying foxes for its survival.

As the year moves on

the dry season comes
to Borneo's mysterious forests.

The creatures of the forest now congregate
around the life-giving rivers.

Most are found nowhere else on earth.

Proboscis monkeys,
the most aquatic monkey of all.

They live alongside
another denizen of the forest...

but this one is a spy.

He's here to meet whoever visits the river.

The group is led by a dominant male

easily distinguished by his massive nose
used to amplify his calls.

MONKEY CALLS

So the button-nosed youngsters
have some way to go.

The rest of his troupe is made up
of mothers and their offspring...

including young males spoiling for a fight.

But there's only one
who's really in charge.

MALE MONKEY CALLS

Real orangutans are also drawn
to the plants that thrive near the river.

Any new orangutan always creates a stir.

Best check out this one from afar.

Now for a closer look.

Perhaps wisest left alone.

There's yet one more unique
animal to meet.

ANIMAL SNORTS

The elusive pygmy elephant.

The smallest elephant in the world.

ELEPHANT GRUNTS

These surprisingly gentle creatures
are rarely seen...

but in the dry season,
they visit the river more often.

Here, another spy awaits.

SPY BIRD CAWS

At this time of year,
the river is their main source of water.

It's where they drink and bathe.

Today they won't be bathing alone...

assuming they let spy elephant join them.

ELEPHANT TRUMPETS

They are notoriously shy,
so it's a sensitive moment.

But he's soon closer
than ever thought possible.

ELEPHANT TRUMPETS

It's mission accomplished.

But who can resist meeting a baby elephant?

The reception could
hardly be more positive.

A magical close encounter

with one of Borneo's rarest inhabitants.

Then as quickly as he came...

ELEPHANT TRUMPETS

...he's gone.

But not quite.
- SPY BIRD CAWS

There's a downside of being
in the heart of the action.

SPY BIRD CAWS

Like all good spy creatures,
he carries on filming.

ELEPHANT TRUMPETS

But he's certainly seen better days.

As the tropical year turns full circle

the Peruvian coast is the venue
for another astonishing spectacle.

Two million Guanay cormorants nest here

attracted by the fertile Humboldt current
that passes just offshore.

It also sustains an extraordinary
tropical penguin...

the Humboldt.

The chicks' fathers have yet
to return from fishing.

They are starving.

But the waiting will soon be over.

PENGUINS SQUAWK

Spy penguin prepares
to meet the returning males.

They've been catching fish for days
to feed their chicks...

but the hardest part of the journey
still lies ahead.

First, a few formalities.

Now they face a trek of over a mile.

But there's a problem...

sea lions.

And not just a few.

There are 50,000 in all.

Or is it 50,0017

A spy, with cameras in both eyes.

SEA LIONS BARK

It can even move to capture
the best angle.

To feed their hungry chicks,
the penguins must take on the sea lions.

It's so easy to put a foot wrong.

Somehow, they make it through.

But their problems are far from over.

The Atacama desert hugs the coastline.

To reach their chicks,
they can't avoid it.

Spy penguin keeps them company

as they tackle
the driest tropical desert in the world.

They must pace themselves,
or risk overheating.

Finally, their destination is in sight.

But now, another problem.

The two million nesting cormorants.

Their take-off zone lies right in the path
of the penguin colony.

The returning penguins are trapped.

Reaching their chicks is now impossible.

The mothers protect them
any way they can.

And still they come.

The great exodus takes two hours.

As calm returns...

the valiant penguins finally make it back.

PENGUINS CALL

Their chicks are fed at last.

It's also time to put
our spy creatures to rest.

In Uganda, the great silverback
is making his bed for the night.

A moment to relax with family and friends.

For mothers, that's easier said than done.

But eventually, sleep comes to all.

Even our spy can finally stop filming.

GORILLA FARTS

Next time, we travel to the lands
north of the tropics...

where life is governed
by the changing seasons.