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00:00In this shadowy world of understated power, where waters quietly shift and pulse,
00:20life is conjured into being.
00:26Apparitions own the night.
00:30And beasts are concealed within its depths.
00:37Nothing is what it seems.
00:41Here, plants become hunters.
00:45And decay fuels vibrant growth.
00:50This is the mystique and majesty of the swamp.
00:57Take a dive into our planet's mesmerizing world of water.
01:04From the monumental open ocean to the rugged coasts that serve as the dividing line between
01:11two worlds.
01:12From the changing rivers that carve through continents to mysterious lakes and swamps.
01:18Immerse yourself in the magic that unfolds.
01:25Immerse yourself in the magic that unfolds.
01:32Immerse yourself in the magic that unfolds.
01:39Immerse yourself in the magic that unfolds.
01:46As we reveal the secrets of our enchanted waters.
01:53Or when forests.
01:54Or when forests are at the sea.
01:55Or when forests are at the sky.
01:56Or as we are in the magic that unfolds.
01:57Or when forests are at the sea.
01:58Or when forests are at the sea.
01:59A swamp is like a giant sponge…
02:00A swamp is like a giant sponge, quietly drinking up excess water and keeping carbon and pollutants
02:23safely tucked away. It might look dank and stale, but don't be fooled. Swamps are a magnet for life.
02:35Because beneath the murk lies a treasure trove so rare it can't be found anywhere else.
02:44In the forests of Ranthambore, India, this female sambar deer has been lured from the
02:55shelter of the trees into wetter surroundings. The aquatic plants that thrive in these swamps
03:07make up more than half of her diet.
03:14She just can't get enough of these hidden riches.
03:20They're high in magnesium, sodium and iron.
03:27And in the height of summer, they also contain twice as much protein as any of the land plants that grow here.
03:34The extra protein and minerals that the swamp brings could be needed at any time,
03:48because sambar deer mate all year round.
03:56And a lustful male is never far away.
04:00even their courtship rituals happen elbow deep in swamp water.
04:11She ignores his unsubtle advances. Too enamored with her lunch.
04:29But in this swamp, overindulgence often comes at a price.
04:33The amorous buck isn't the only one with eyes on her.
04:47In Ranthambore, where there are swamps, there are marsh crocodiles.
04:52The early morning sun has left this male primed and ready to seek out his own nourishment.
05:09Marsh crocodiles are part of this swamp's makeup.
05:12You would think he was nothing more than a piece of floating debris.
05:23His strength is in his ambush.
05:27Waiting for the moment she lowers her guard.
05:42But not today.
05:46For the swamp, this tightrope walk between life and death is essential.
05:52It takes advantage of the deer's passion for aquatic plants,
05:56to halt any overgrowth that could choke its waters.
06:03While encouraging crocodiles to patrol, so no creature multiplies beyond its welcome.
06:08Even in death, nothing is wasted.
06:14The swamp reclaims any remains, locking away the goodness,
06:19that keeps this female sambar deer coming back for more.
06:23Swamps are magical realms where the aquatic and terrestrial merge.
06:40In North America's steamy subtropics, a forest has been slowly manipulating its surrounding waters for centuries.
06:49Stem opens their eyes, or is it the other way around?
07:01When rain pools or hidden springs bubble up, they invite water-loving trees and plants to quench their thirst.
07:09...encouraging them to spread their roots and creep ever closer.
07:19But nothing lasts forever.
07:22When the trees and plants eventually die, they don't just disappear.
07:29They break down bit by bit.
07:33Their remains adding to the soft, spongy earth.
07:39This allows swamps to hold almost as much water as the whole of the Earth's atmosphere.
07:48With all this death and rot, the final ingredient is a spark of life.
08:01The shallow, slow-moving pool encourages more aquatic plants.
08:06Along with algae, bacteria, and fungi, to colonize its water and feed off this nutritious broth.
08:18As the sun beats down from above, and decay gives off heat from within, the water warms,
08:31causing oxygen to escape and rise into the air.
08:35So, the swamp relies on this community of oxygen-producing plants to top up its supply.
08:45With the help of frequent rainfall.
09:05The warm, steamy conditions encourage breeding insects.
09:09The warm, steamy conditions for the plants.
09:13While the dense undergrowth provides sheltered living quarters.
09:17For birds.
09:20Frogs.
09:21And reptiles to move into.
09:30A swamp is born.
09:37It's this connection between vegetation and water
09:40that forges this sultry kingdom.
09:53Triggering a perpetual cycle of life and death.
10:00Growth and decay.
10:02A swamp may not be top of the list when choosing somewhere to live.
10:24But one creature's wasteland is another's paradise.
10:29A short distance away from Zambia's Luangwa River, a peaceful community thrives.
10:44These swampy backwaters are the perfect spot for two hippos living out their twilight years.
10:56In the river.
10:59Life moved at a faster pace.
11:03The younger, rowdier hippos constantly jostled for power.
11:10It all proved too much for these older gentlemen.
11:15Unable to physically compete anymore, they looked for a quieter life.
11:19And the swamp offered them sanctuary.
11:27Its waters are calm and tranquil.
11:31Deep enough to cool a hippo's sensitive skin.
11:33And great for lounging.
11:39Without the risk of being disturbed by testosterone-fuelled young bulls.
11:43They even have their own privacy fencing.
11:51The dense carpet of Nile cabbages shields them from onlookers.
11:55But that's not to say they don't like visitors.
12:06It's the height of the rainy season.
12:07The hippo retirement home is blessed with a constant stream of guests.
12:21From the hippo's presence.
12:22And it's the height of the hippo's.
12:23The hippo's presence.
12:24Hippos' presence, because despite being past their prime,
12:32these new residents have a lot to offer.
12:37Hippos graze for hours at a time,
12:41which creates enormous amounts of dung.
12:48By adding their dung to the swamp's already soupy waters,
12:52they're providing an extra dose of fertilizer,
12:57much to the delight of the fish, insects,
13:01and even those Nile cabbages.
13:06And by keeping up their daily pursuits
13:08of wading and wallowing, they stir up the water,
13:12bringing these small, swamp-dwelling critters closer
13:24to the surface.
13:35So they're accessible for all who stop by.
13:42Including the hippo's neighbors, the jacanas,
13:51whose lightweight bodies and long, slender toes
13:56allow them to walk effortlessly across the floating vegetation.
14:04But unlike the other birds here, jacanas have short beaks,
14:08and are unable to access everything the swamp has to offer.
14:16Instead, they pick through the leaves for anything
14:19that has been dislodged by their larger swamp companions.
14:27Or, if they don't want to get their feet wet,
14:31they can simply use their friends as a mobile dining table.
14:42It all seems so idyllic.
14:47But this is not a year-round paradise.
14:50It's not a year-round paradise.
15:01With the rainy season now over,
15:06the swamp begins to shrink.
15:08Having adapted to living submerged in water
15:19over thousands of years,
15:23hippos can't live without a pool to wallow in.
15:25They risk sunburn, and dehydration.
15:32They risk sunburn, and dehydration.
15:42Under the intense heat of the dry season,
15:45their once welcoming retreat has become a death trap.
15:49The hippos face a stark choice.
16:08Make their way back to the main river,
16:10and face the territorial young males.
16:12The hippos face a stark choice.
16:14Make their way back to the main river,
16:15and face the territorial young males.
16:19Or, wait it out.
16:28The swamp will bounce back with the changing season.
16:33But these are unpredictable times.
16:36And nobody knows when relief will come.
16:49When the rains arrive once again,
16:56when the rains arrive once again,
16:58one old bull still remains.
17:02He held his nerve,
17:04and remained faithful to his swamp.
17:06And his gamble paid off.
17:10His fellow old-timer has not returned.
17:13Maybe he wasn't so lucky.
17:20This could be this old bull's last wet season.
17:25But one thing is certain.
17:27However unpredictable.
17:30This swamp has given him some respite.
17:34And purpose in his golden years.
17:38For the first time of the war,
17:40the first time of the war begins.
17:40This is not my loveless,
17:47but it is the first time of the war.
17:49Oh, God.
17:50In a place where life and death intertwine so closely, it's no wonder swamps are steeped
18:10in mystical tales of spirits and ghosts.
18:20For centuries, travelers shared eerie stories of spectral visions, souls drifting silently
18:30above the murky waters as flickering unearthly lights.
18:38These fleeting glimmers were once thought to be the spirits of those lost to the swamp,
18:46their bodies never to be found.
18:52But these apparitions weren't merely tall tales.
18:56They were real, just misunderstood.
19:04The ghostly glow was caused by a flame-like phosphorescence, created by gases released
19:11from decaying swamp plants submerged in the water.
19:19Whether you know them as will-o'-the-wisps, jack-o'-lanterns, or perhaps even restless
19:25souls, these phantom glimmers are an enduring part of swamp folklore.
19:36They symbolize the delicate balance between life and death, a haunting reminder of a swamp's
19:43lasting duality.
19:44Either that, or they are genuinely magical places.
20:00Drawn to its charm, this female tree frog instinctively recognizes the swamp as a cradle for new life.
20:09She's searching for the best place in which to bring her babies into the world, and is
20:17an expert in sniffing out a suitable location.
20:24She needs humidity, frequent rainfall, warm, stagnant water, and plenty of vegetation.
20:44And her nose has led her here.
20:49The pumps give off a unique odor, a concoction of various decomposing processes.
20:58And that distinctive aroma means she has found her spot.
21:05In order to reproduce, this mother-to-be has to do everything herself.
21:10Well, almost.
21:11It's fair to say that, in terms of this relationship, she is firmly in the driver's seat.
21:22And her partner appears intent on being a passenger.
21:29She gets the two of them into position, overhanging the water.
21:37And if she hasn't done enough already, now she has to build her nest.
21:52She feverishly rubs her back legs together.
21:56By lathering up her own skin secretions, she produces a thick nest of foam.
22:07The ideal cradle in which to suspend her brood.
22:15It's hard work.
22:17And to make things worse, she now has an audience.
22:22More males watching and not helping.
22:30She deposits her eggs into the froth.
22:33And her partner completes his one job.
22:36To fertilize them.
22:40And then he's off.
22:43She won't be giving him a lift back home.
22:51She patiently waits until her foam nest hardens in the sun.
22:56Then carefully prises herself away.
23:02She's done her bit.
23:07She's one of many tree frog mums who now entrust the care of their young to the swamp.
23:21Six days after these tadpoles were left hanging, they have grown too heavy for their nest to support them.
23:32They readily drop into the warm, tranquil waters.
23:38Just as nature intended, eager to start the next chapter of their lives.
23:46But beneath the water, it's an altogether different story.
23:55The tadpoles fall into a world where nothing is what it seems.
24:18Under its calm surface, this swamp is a killing zone.
24:26Down here, even the sticks are deadly.
24:36This is Ranatra linearis, better known as a water scorpion.
24:45With a powerful stinging proboscis, rather than a sting in the tail.
24:51But he does have one thing in common with a true scorpion.
24:57A lethal grip.
25:06He drains his victims until they are merely a husk of their former selves.
25:14And that's not the most terrifying thing down here.
25:24A monster patrols the swamp floor.
25:29Tadpoles are this hinged terrapin snack of choice.
25:40And while this dragonfly larva looks friendly, he's actually the most bloodthirsty of them all.
25:53Tadpoles.
25:54Tadpoles.
25:55Bugs.
25:56Even fish.
25:58In fact, whatever he can get his articulated jaws around.
26:08But then again, in this den of horrors, even the predators aren't safe.
26:15A tadpole's only hope in this place is to grow some limbs so it can fight back.
26:33If you survive down here, and make it to adulthood, you deserve the chance to get out of the water.
26:49Alligator mums have a more hands-on approach to parenting than their fellow swamp dwellers, the frogs.
26:56They know how unforgiving the swamp can be.
27:01But these apex predators haven't acquired the status of undisputed ruler by chance.
27:10It has taken millions of years of delicate persuasion.
27:20In the freshwater swamps of North America, more miniature hunters are beginning to emerge from the undergrowth.
27:32This alligator female has been protectively standing guard.
27:38Her clutch of eggs, laid in the height of summer, are swaddled within a mound of mud and leaves.
27:49With careful positioning of her nest, she uses the swamp as a natural incubator.
27:59It gently warms her eggs, as it has done for thousands of generations of alligator mums.
28:08Muffled, high-pitched squeaks resonate from within the eggs.
28:14These alligator babies are ready to break free.
28:21They appear fully formed.
28:27Scaled-down replicas of their parents.
28:36These kids are natural-born swamp dwellers.
28:41Their colouring blends into their surroundings.
28:46And they instinctively know how to swim.
28:51The new arrivals are ushered into a ready-made baby pool.
28:56A small depression, shaped by their mother.
29:00Heated to an optimum 21 degrees by the swamp.
29:04Much below that, their metabolism stops working.
29:09And the little monsters won't grow.
29:11The hatchlings get stuck in.
29:17They're born with up to 80 tiny, razor-sharp teeth.
29:23And a killer instinct.
29:26It's just their technique that needs practice.
29:39Once they've outgrown the pond, it's time to enter the enormity of the swamp.
29:47A little gator in a big pool needs protection.
29:57There are eyes everywhere.
30:02But alligators make good mums.
30:05For a reptile, at least.
30:08She'll watch out for them.
30:11And offer them the occasional ride.
30:14Giving them a head start in life.
30:17But even with her encouragement, less than 5% of alligator babies make it to adulthood.
30:25Snatched up before they're big enough to defend themselves.
30:29Despite these early losses, alligators and swamps share an unwritten understanding.
30:40Together, they form a partnership that has influenced each other's evolution and survival over millions of years.
30:51Once they're fully grown, only then will they rule these waters with little to fear.
30:58Carnivores are nothing new in a swamp.
31:15But it is a little more unexpected when it's a plant that develops a taste for meat.
31:27This tiny, swamp-loving plant is a sundew.
31:34As its colorful tendrils quiver in the breeze, it looks as harmless as any other flower.
31:42But this plant is lethal.
31:48And it was the swamp that turned it into a killer.
32:00All plants need a wholesome tonic of nitrogen and phosphorus to survive.
32:07These essential nutrients are usually sucked up from the soil via their roots.
32:16But if the soil can no longer supply these life-giving elements...
32:22The plant either dies...
32:25Or goes rogue.
32:31Over millions of years, the sundew evolved a darker side.
32:37A coping strategy for laying down roots in this waterlogged realm.
32:48When water floods the soil, it forces out air.
32:52And the soil's oxygen supply dwindles.
32:59Without oxygen, the swamp's chemistry goes in a different direction.
33:07Normally, the soil's bacteria would work its magic.
33:14Converting nitrogen into useful compounds to help the plant grow.
33:19But instead, the nitrogen escapes into the air as gas.
33:26Phosphorus is also lost.
33:32Not to the air, but to the surrounding water.
33:35When the sundew could no longer gather these vital nutrients from the soil...
33:43It looked for other ways to get its fix.
33:47And found its salvation in something the swamp had plenty of.
33:53Insects.
33:55Genes that were once designed for roots and defense...
34:02Were repurposed to catch live prey.
34:07A sundew's sweet-smelling dew-like beads...
34:12Are a sticky glue in disguise.
34:16And insects find it irresistible.
34:20Game over.
34:33But these insects are not fuel for the sundew.
34:36Like all other green plants, the sundew's energy comes from the sun.
34:47These victims are harvested purely for the nitrogen and phosphorus found in the insects' bodies.
34:57The sundew is not alone in its carnivorous ways.
35:00Eight hundred other plant species have also made this switch.
35:06All of them evolving in habitats that are low in nutrients.
35:12In a place literally swamped in water, those rooted to the spot have to do what it takes to survive.
35:25There's no need to move.
35:28In this swamp, everything comes knocking.
35:34For this female golden orb weaver, the swamp is a fitting venue for a grand design.
35:49Her tactically well-positioned web spans over a metre, more than enough to accommodate
35:57her saucer-sized frame.
36:01The web is so fine, it blends in seamlessly with her swamp surroundings.
36:12Now she gets down to the finer detail, weaving a spiral of silk.
36:23A slight recalibration of her silk protein ensures that these trap lines are stickier
36:29and more flexible than those used to make the web's rigid outer edge.
36:34All in all, this gives her victims a little more bounce on landing, with added glue to
36:44keep them secure.
36:51But her dinner guests aren't the only thing she must consider.
36:58While the swamp presents her with plenty of passing trade, it's also known to deliver
37:04the odd curveball from time to time.
37:09When you live in a swamp, excess humidity is a hindrance.
37:14But sudden downpours could be catastrophic.
37:21Not so for this spider.
37:24She simply adjusts her building materials so they absorb less water, and modifies the
37:31thread tension so that her web doesn't sag under the weight of the rain.
37:38Flooding sometimes forces her to pack up and climb higher.
37:46After which, she rebuilds, anchoring her threads to more reliable points above the rising water.
37:56Narrowing or widening her spirals, depending on the size of the prey the swamp has on offer.
38:05She has every situation covered.
38:09And with such a prosperous setup, there are others keen to pay her a visit.
38:20This spider is 50 times smaller than her.
38:25She's a male golden orb weaver.
38:35She'll emit pheromones if she's willing to mate.
38:40Chemical clues that suggest to the male that he may approach, albeit with caution.
38:48She could still end up as her next meal.
38:53While he waits for her signal, he takes advantage of her hospitality...by stealing.
39:01He boldly casts his own dragline...to get him as close as possible to her quarry...without alerting
39:09her with his vibrations.
39:16Then he swiftly transfers the food parcel from her web to his own line.
39:29He can now enjoy his meal at a safe distance, while she is still blissfully unaware that she's
39:35been robbed.
39:39Or perhaps despite these losses, she instinctively knows that the swamp will provide.
39:47And she will continue to weave to its unpredictable rhythms.
40:04To live in a swamp can require efficiency, order, and good time management.
40:14Mangrove swamps are sticklers for timekeeping.
40:22Lining the coast, its daily timetable is set by the ocean.
40:29And its rising and falling tide.
40:34Most of the residents that live here abide by this strict schedule.
40:40As soon as the tide goes out, the countdown begins.
40:54The crabs work against the clock to busily cache the food left behind by the retreating water,
41:00before it's lost to the ocean.
41:09The mangrove trees use this time out of the water to load up on oxygen.
41:15Their snorkel-like roots poke up through the waterlogged soil so they can breathe once exposed to the air.
41:27For the hordes of mangrove snails, it's a race against time to descend down the tree trunks to feed on the ocean's leftovers.
41:37Moving at a snail's pace can be risky in a time-pressured situation.
41:48If they get it wrong, they'll drown.
41:55Their poor eyesight means they have to set their clocks using changes in air pressure and humidity.
42:03By reading these subtle cues and calculating their own speed limitations, they manage to outpace the incoming tide every time.
42:17As regular as clockwork, the tide turns and the working shift is over.
42:28The never-ending cycle of flood and retreat offers opportunity for all.
42:35Its strict regime is what keeps this swamp ticking.
42:40In Zambia's Kasanka National Park, time is marked by the first rainfall of the season,
42:58carrying with it a spellbinding significance.
43:02Over the next few days, a tiny, seemingly insignificant evergreen swamp in the corner of the park is about to become the most popular place on the planet.
43:19If you're a straw-colored fruit bat.
43:25This isn't just a colony-wide gathering, this is continent-wide.
43:33Once a year, 10 million of these bats travel thousands of kilometers from rainforests all over equatorial Africa.
43:44To congregate in an area just a quarter of a square kilometer.
43:51Making it the biggest migration of mammals on Earth.
44:03But what's even more remarkable is that this epic migration is made mostly by pregnant females and nursing mums.
44:14Why would so many of them risk travelling vast distances at such a delicate time?
44:24Because this patch of swamp offers a reward that can't be found anywhere else.
44:33Its trees are rich in wild fruits.
44:40The water berries found here are just what these new mums need to raise their young.
44:53Nourished by the swamp water in which their trees grow and ripened by the seasonal rains, these fruits are worth the journey.
45:05The bats collectively gorge on over a billion of them.
45:11In return, the swamp is treated to an amazing aerial spectacle.
45:18This huge influx makes roosting a cozy affair, when only the largest, sturdiest trees can bear the extra weight.
45:43After two months, it's time to embark on their journey back to their home range.
45:57The consequences of so many bats in such a small space is trees stripped bare and left in tatters.
46:10But despite the superficial damage, the benefits the bats bring to this area are immense.
46:23They are the secret gardeners of the swamp.
46:30As the bats consume the fruits from the swamp trees, they eat the seeds and all.
46:39When they fly, the seeds are dropped, potted in a dollop of guano, ready to germinate wherever they fall.
46:52Regenerating not just the swamp, but also the park and the ecosystem it supports, year after year.
47:06The bats use the first seasonal rainfall as a signal to begin their pilgrimage, while the trees use it to begin seed production, ensuring both are in sublime synchrony.
47:25Swamps weave together life and death in perfect harmony.
47:38Those who reside here have no choice but to embrace its dual personality.
47:45They must adapt, improvise, allow themselves to be shaped by its perpetual cycle, or get out of the swamp.
47:57They must adapt, to involve a Chernobyl, as Instant Yoga girly, while all that are present.
47:59As an academic project behind relationship, they will scale their strength.
48:01fotografies are shortly meny Advisory Station to engage its national time
48:09and will ensure that the challenges of such a particular society will appear.
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