Puerto Rico: Island of Enchantment Natural World

There's an island in the Caribbean

that made such an impression on early European sailors

that they called it the Isle of Enchantment.

A lush, exotic landscape

teeming with charismatic creatures,

many only found on these shores.

We have boas,

we have manatees,

we have turtles,

we have parrots -

so diversity is vast here

and I love it.

But this paradise is in danger of being lost.

An explosion of development,

industry and agriculture

is pushing nature to the edges.

Now, a dedicated group of naturalists

are working tirelessly to protect

the island's most threatened wildlife...

..and they're willing to go to extraordinary lengths to succeed.

Moving two animals that are 600 pounds is dangerous.

These animals are fragile, they could die.

The team use science,

rehabilitation

and even seduction

to help vulnerable species.

We provide the dating service,

we provide the room,

just for them to make love, sweet love!

The people of this island have woken up to its natural treasures...

..and now they're fighting to save them.

It is a way of life, it's actually a vocation.

It's not a job.

So, you do it with passion,

you do it because you think it's important to do.

This is an island that wants to remain enchanted.

This is the island of Puerto Rico.

In the heart of Puerto Rico's rainforest,

a vast natural sinkhole

hides a strange structure.

This is the world-renowned Arecibo telescope.

A gigantic metal ear

listening for whispers of life

from far beyond our planet.

Its extra terrestrial mission continues day and night...

..but the forest it lies in

echoes with its own alien sounds.

RHYTHMIC WHISTLING

This might sound like ET lost in the woods...

..but it's actually a tiny frog called the coqui.

Although it's no bigger than a thumbnail,

the male's ear-splitting call

has been recorded at over 100 decibels.

It's thought to be the loudest frog in the world.

The males use their call

as a mating song to attract female coquis.

Their chorus can be heard all over the island...

..and the frogs' nightly serenade

has a special place in the hearts of Puerto Ricans.

# Yo, where my coquis at?

# Let 'em know how we get down

# Come on, sing along COQUIS WHISTLE

# I just love that sound

# I'm Puerto Rican and proud

# I've been doing this since the '80s

# I represent a true believer from the heart

# I don't do this for the love of the money

# I do this for the love of the art

# Reppin' the crew known as the Almighty

# Like an empire... #

The Taino tribe, who ruled Puerto Rico over a thousand years ago,

even carved its image into the rocks

and it remains a national symbol to this day.

Once we hear that song of theirs,

we just fell in love with it.

-# Where my coquis at?

-Coqui! Coqui!

# Let 'em know how we get down

HE WHISTLES LIKE A COQUI

-# Come on, sing along

-Coqui! Coqui!

# I just love that sound HE WHISTLES LIKE A COQUI

# Hey, yo, where my coquis at? #

Coqui! Coqui! It's beautiful.

It's something that's part of us.

# Come on, sing along

COQUIS WHISTLE

# I just love that sound. # COQUIS WHISTLE

Despite people's fondness for this little frog,

they have not always protected its forest home.

Puerto Rico is 1,000 miles from Florida

on the eastern edge of the Caribbean Sea.

The main island of the archipelago

is only 100 miles long.

When Columbus first landed here, in 1493,

it was covered in ancient rainforest.

Gradually, as the modern world encroached,

the island's natural resources were diminished.

By 1900,

only 5% of its forest remained.

One special creature that can be found nowhere else on the planet

was pushed to the brink of extinction.

PARROTS SQUAWK

The Puerto Rican amazon parrot.

At one point,

there were only 13 of these precious birds left in the world.

Today, they're so rare

that each individual

is fitted with a radio transmitter

so it can be tracked...

..and they are still the island's most endangered species.

The Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Programme

is based at a secret location in the rainforest.

A captive breeding centre for these birds.

In specialised enclosures,

they're encouraged to mate.

Their progress is monitored around the clock.

The chicks they produce will be released back to the wild...

..and this year, they plan to let out the largest flock

of Puerto Rican amazons so far

into the El Yunque National Forest.

The man running this rescue mission loves these birds.

Jafet Velez-Valentin

has devoted his entire life

to saving Puerto Rico's parrots.

Originally, when I began to work in this programme,

I thought it was going to be something temporary,

but once I start learning about them,

working with them in the wild,

working with them in captivity,

you literally fall in love with the species and...

..it's a decision I will never, ever regret.

We need to have happy, healthy, fertile pairs.

If we have that,

chicks will be a by-product.

Sometimes we call ourselves matchmakers for parrots,

eHarmony for birds,

and when you're working with a pair

and you are able to study their behaviour

and finally make a good match,

it's great.

PARROT SQUAWKS

But it's not always as simple as it sounds.

One of his couples is producing infertile eggs...

..so he's called on the island's specialist wildlife vet,

Doctor Antonio Rivera.

I have the privilege to work with our endangered species.

These animals mean a lot.

They're part of our nature,

they're an icon for all Puerto Ricans -

but once we lose a species, it's gone forever.

We can't bring it back.

To investigate the parrots' reproductive organs,

Antonio needs to sedate the birds.

PARROT WAILS The male is first.

The Puerto Rican parrots are very hard tempered,

they could die in your hands

just because they're mad.

They don't want you to handle them.

I make sure that they're strong,

that they're breathing,

I try not to stress them too much -

because they're different, they're very special.

Antonio makes a small incision

and then uses a tiny camera probe

to inspect its testicles.

That's the testicle there.

It's got a great colour,

the membrane doesn't look inflamed.

In general, it looks good.

A few stitches

and he's ready to go.

There's nothing wrong with this male.

So, what about the female?

PARROT SQUAWKS

She's almost gone.

I see the cranial pole of the kidney

and then the ovary should be right there...

and there is

what looks like an undeveloped ovary down there

and that might mean that she's having problems,

that's why she's not producing any chicks.

Puerto Rican parrots usually choose one mate for life

but, in the case of this pair,

Jafet is going to have to intervene.

The value of the male, it's very high -

so I'm going to divorce them

and I'm going to get another female for him

and another mate for her

because probably she will be a great brooder.

By doing this, the healthy male's genes can still be passed on.

Hopefully, the female's urge to brood can still be fulfilled.

Jafet has already observed

her strong, maternal, nest-building instinct.

I will try to work with her,

providing her fertile eggs about to hatch

and she will be our next foster mother.

But there's always a danger

that surrogate parents will reject

and even destroy their newly-adopted eggs.

The first 24 hours are critical

to find out if a pair will make good foster parents.

The Puerto Rican mainland

has over 300 miles of coastline.

From rugged, rocky shores...

..to the canals that meander through the mangroves.

Beautiful beaches...

..and vast beds of seagrass

in the shallow seas.

This is home to the island's

most endangered marine mammal.

Puerto Rican manatees cruise these waters,

spending most of their time

feeding on the seagrass.

But while they graze,

they're vulnerable to being struck

by speeding jet skis and boats.

There are fewer than 700 manatees

alive today in Puerto Rico.

And with so few left,

the survival of each individual is important.

Just outside the capital city of San Juan

is the Manatee Conservation Center.

Toni Mignucci rehabilitates injured and orphaned manatees here.

He has three pools where manatees in need can be cared for.

The smallest pool holds baby Tureygua,

who became separated from his mother at birth.

He's still being fed formula milk

six times a day.

Guacara is in the biggest pool.

Unfortunately, he was so badly injured after being hit by a boat,

that he will never swim well enough

to be returned to the ocean...

..but he is happily spending his retirement playing on his float.

And in the middle pool

are two juvenile manatees

that Toni is preparing to return to the wild.

Both are getting used to wearing tail collars

so that they can be satellite tracked after their release.

In this tank, we have Yuisa and Aramana.

They were brought in as calves.

Aramana, the male,

was orphaned by its mother in the town of Dorado

four and a half years ago.

Yuisa got separated from his mother

because of high tide and bad weather,

and the mum couldn't find it any more.

So, we brought her.

She is only two-and-half years old

and she has outgrown the older male.

Our last release was six years ago

and what's special about this release

is this will be our first-time releasing a pair together.

They have been in the pool, bonding, for the past six months,

in the hope that they will stay together.

If they did, it will be a beautiful story.

Aramana and Yuisa need to weigh at least 600 pounds,

the weight of three men,

before they can be released...

..so Toni's team of students and volunteers

prepare two manatee-sized vegetarian feasts every day

so that they can put on enough weight.

Aramana and Yuisa eat more than half their weight in fruit and vegetables

a week, including 50 lettuces a day.

Before the manatees can be released,

the team needs to ensure that they're in good health.

Manatees are aquatic mammals

that have lungs and breathe air

so, if managed carefully,

they can survive out of water.

Doctor Antonio Rivera

has learnt to be a highly versatile vet.

As well as helping the parrot recovery programme,

he's been working with the manatees for 15 years.

Today, he will drain a small abscess on Aramana's back.

To carry out this surgical procedure,

the team will need to turn him over onto his belly...

..but he's not so keen on the idea.

Manatees do not always respond well to sedation...

..so Toni's team use a group hug

to restrain him during surgery.

We do get on top of the animals and we wrestle them down.

So, we had 13 of my students and technicians on top of the animal.

Prep and go!

We're going to open Aramana's abscess to drain.

If we do not open it,

then it's going to keep building up and building up,

and it's not going to be able to cure -

so we have to open it with a blade.

OK.

Using a sharp scalpel on a bucking manatee is dangerous.

One slip could be costly.

For people that haven't seen this,

it's kind of disgusting.

It is like a big pimple.

Oh, my God!

Aramana's abscess is worse than Antonio expected.

He's going to have to drain the infection.

I have to make a larger opening there.

THEY SPEAK SPANISH

THEY SPEAK SPANISH

HE SPEAKS SPANISH

Aramana is becoming stressed.

He hasn't taken a breath for over a minute.

Unlike land mammals that breathe all the time,

marine mammals are voluntary breathers

so, actually, if you put them out of the water,

their nostrils will be closed

and they have to think to be able to breathe.

We may have to stop for a short time

and he hasn't been breathing like we want to.

They pour water over Aramana's nose

to mimic the feeling of surfacing for air

in the hope that he will take a breath.

He could die if he doesn't breathe soon.

Much to the team's relief, he starts breathing.

OK. We're done.

Toni is hoping Aramana will recover quickly

so he can be returned to the ocean.

We have to change protocol,

providing antibiotics orally,

which is a challenge,

but also we have to clean that wound.

If we slack off,

then we're not going to have a releasable animal.

For now, Aramana is content,

playing in the water as his pool fills up.

The warm, tropical waters surrounding Puerto Rico

are some of the richest in the Caribbean.

They're home to coral reefs

and other precious oceanic life.

Five threatened species of sea turtles

can be found in these waters.

Carlos Diez is a world-renowned turtle conservationist.

He captures critically endangered hawksbill turtles

as part of a research programme

that's helping to save the species.

Hawksbill turtles are a valuable commodity,

prized for their shells and meat.

Carlos gathers evidence

to help make laws to protect them.

HE SPEAKS SPANISH

When we start our work 25 years ago,

we started with the hawksbill turtle

which is a very rare species, it's critical endangered...

and there were many gaps in its biology

that we were able to help answer.

HE SPEAKS SPANISH

We learned things about the growth rate

and how fast those animals can mature, that tell us, you know,

how many turtles will be in the future

or if it's feasible to harvest them or not in a sustainable way.

Carlos provided vital evidence

to support a new international agreement

to ban hawksbill turtle shell trade.

Since the ban,

their numbers have been rising steadily in key nesting areas...

..but Carlos isn't stopping here.

Now that turtles are coming back,

that means that we will have more interaction with humans

because we share some of their areas, we share nesting beaches,

we share the reef

because man wants to do marinas and want to do ports,

and there's a lot of problems with habitat degradation.

Carlos is now turning his attention

to one idyllic stretch of beach

where another species of vulnerable turtle lays its eggs.

Dorado Beach is one of the most important nesting sites

for leatherback turtles in the whole Caribbean.

Unfortunately, this beach also attracts property developers

keen to cash in on its natural beauty.

For now, leatherbacks still haul their enormous bodies

out of the water to nest at night.

These turtles can weigh over half a tonne

and measure over six-and-a-half feet.

Leatherbacks are amazing.

In the old days, they were considered sea monsters.

They are the largest turtles in the world.

It's a big animal.

Some people compare it with a Volkswagen.

Using only her back flippers,

this female will dig a hole over two feet deep.

Without ever seeing what she's making,

she delicately creates a chamber.

They manage to make a perfect hole.

Basically like a bottle, you know,

that it has a neck and then suddenly becomes wide...

..and then she will start laying the eggs.

TURTLE GROANS

Leatherbacks lay about 80 eggs per nest.

TURTLE GROANS

Each egg is almost as big as a tennis ball.

They will hatch in two months' time.

Once her eggs are laid,

she gently presses sand into the hole.

TURTLE GROANS

She then returns to the ocean

and has nothing more to do with them.

In his fight to protect leatherback turtle nest sites,

Carlos must occasionally swap his flippers and snorkel

for trousers and a shirt.

He is presenting the case

in the Puerto Rican court.

IN SPANISH:

Carlos isn't the only person to give evidence.

Buenas tardes.

The judge's verdict will decide whether or not

the turtle nests sites will be protected.

Without this intervention,

Dorado Beach could be sold to the highest bidder,

leaving the turtles with an uncertain future.

HE SPEAKS SPANISH

Puerto Rico's natural habitats

are under constant threat from one dominant species.

The human population here has doubled in the last century.

Now, after years of neglecting their environment,

many Puerto Ricans want their island to be green again.

Today, more than 60% of the island's forest has started to recover.

Many of the spectacular native species

are being given a chance to thrive once again.

Some, like the Puerto Rican parrot,

have been rescued from the edge of extinction.

At the breeding centre,

the infertile female

and her new parrot partner

have settled into being foster parents.

The female has been incubating the adopted eggs

as if they were her own.

Now, on the grainy monitors,

the team watches as her eggs start to hatch.

The technique of sneaking fertile eggs under good mothers

has dramatically improved the number of chicks

that they've been able to hatch.

Back in 1979,

the first chick was ever produced in captivity

and after that, a good year for the programme

was maybe one or two chicks per year.

When you look at right now,

as of today,

chick number 43 of the season

just hatched this morning.

We are very excited because this guy, in about two months,

is going to be a fledgling

and probably, within the next couple of years,

he's going to be a free-flying Puerto Rican parrot.

Another one for the wild.

While the new chicks are enjoying their home comforts...

..last year's hatchlings

are now juveniles.

Living as a flock in the main aviary.

We call this cage "flight school"

because this is the first big step

before they are finally selected

for the release group.

Releasing this flock could boost the wild population of 200 parrots

by more than 10%.

There we have Pink Heart.

Pink Heart,

he's a one-year-old male

and seems to be one of the best candidates for the release group.

Before we installed the dog tags,

we used beer caps.

And one bird that was identified as Heineken

and another bird started showing some behaviour as a pair.

They're flocking together,

flying together,

spending a lot of time together

and they will be released together into the wild.

Heineken, Pink Heart and the whole flock

receive regular training

to build up the strength of their wing muscles

in this aerial gym.

When you have a group of birds in captivity,

they've got fresh water every day,

fresh food every day,

the only thing you've got to do

is just wake up in the morning,

stretch your wings, get the food

and forget about the rest of the day.

Well, we don't want that to happen to the birds

we're going to release into the wild.

We don't want them to become couch potatoes.

It's not just about exercise.

If they're to make it in the wild,

they must learn to avoid predators.

When a hawk attacks a group of parrots,

we have been able to time how long it takes them to kill a parrot.

And usually,

if the parrots can fly

for more than a minute and 30 seconds,

the chances for the hawk to get them will be very, very, very low.

So, we want to make sure that they can fly over three minutes

without losing their stamina.

So that's why it looks like we are harassing an endangered species!

We are not doing that!

On the contrary, we are making sure they will survive in the wild.

-Dos, uno...

-WATCH BEEPS

Time is up for today's training.

Heineken and Pink Heart's flock

is almost ready to be released into the wild.

If they remain strong, they will be freed in just a few weeks' time.

At dusk, another creature is taking to the sky.

Across the island,

the mouths of caves

erupt with a nocturnal exodus.

13 species of bat are found in Puerto Rico.

300,000 live in this one cave alone.

But another animal has been waiting for this moment, too.

The Puerto Rican boa.

It's too dark for the snakes to see the bats,

but they're able to sense them as they flit past.

Once they've caught one,

they envelop it and squeeze out the bat's last breath.

There is no escape.

The Puerto Rican boa is one of the island's top native predators.

Nowhere is off-limits for these determined hunters.

At the parrot breeding centre,

an unsuspecting pair

is dosing with two new-born chicks

and one unhatched egg.

In the middle of the night,

the monitors record an intruder in the nest box.

Unless the parents wake up,

the chicks are doomed.

PARROT SQUAWKS

The moment they realise the danger, they attack.

Sharp beaks and talons drive the snake away.

CHICK CHIRPS

Incredibly, both chicks and the unhatched egg are safe.

The Puerto Rican amazon

is clearly a fighter,

just as well for such a vulnerable species.

On the south-western tip of the island,

lies Puerto Rico's

most alien landscape.

These are the Cabo Rojo salt flats.

They're a Mecca for wading birds.

Species like this plover nest here.

Surrounded by water

that is both supersaturated with salt

and a rather unusual colour.

The pink comes from a high concentration

of colourful microorganisms

that thrive in these salty conditions.

Humans have harvested the salt in these salt pans

for thousands of years.

At the manatee pools,

they use this same salt

to turn fresh water into ocean water.

It's been two weeks

since Aramana started his course of antibiotics

and he's now due for a checkup.

We had to work a lot to make sure the infection went away,

but it finally receded and they have a small scar,

but that's all that's left

and, in time, we'll barely be able to see that.

Now, they must pass a crucial weight test.

They need to have plenty of fat reserves

while they learn how to feed themselves in the ocean.

They must weigh at least 600 pounds each.

725 pounds.

Yuisa is a big girl...

..but Aramana is smaller

and if he's not sufficiently heavy,

he won't be released.

639, heavy enough.

It's good news.

Toni can now make the final preparations

for their release.

Sunrise at Dorado Beach.

60 days after the leatherback turtle eggs were laid,

tracks in the sand show that most have hatched...

..but there are still a few stragglers emerging.

These baby leatherbacks

have dug their way upwards

through two feet of sand.

Sea birds patrolling the beach

are always ready to strike.

The baby turtles have only one option.

To make a mad dash for the ocean.

While the drama unfolds on the beach...

..a courtroom drama

that will determine the fate of future turtle generations

is reaching its climax.

The local community loves their turtles...

..but the decision whether to protect the beach

still hangs in the balance.

The local people have presented a compelling case

and the court declares the beach a protected zone.

CHEERING

It is very important because

this beach will be now protected,

especially from urban development

and light pollution.

In the future,

when these hatchlings are adults,

they'll be able to return to Dorado

and find a safe haven to lay their own eggs.

Back inland,

another nest of hatchlings is growing up fast.

In just a few weeks,

the foster parents' adopted brood

has developed from bald, blind, helpless hatchlings...

..to chubby chicks...

..and are now demanding juveniles.

Soon, they will grow feathers...

..and it won't be long before they're moved into the aviary

to learn how to fly.

But first, this year's class in the "flight school" must graduate.

Every parrot that's about to be released

will be fitted with a radio transmitter

so Jafet's team can track them in the wild.

Trap it down.

24 of the parrots have made the grade,

but there are always a few high school dropouts.

Some of the birds,

like the case of Pink Heart,

he didn't make the cut.

His feathers were not in perfect condition.

The bird was not flying properly,

his landing skills were not the best...

..and he was over preening a little in certain areas of his body...

..so we're going to keep that bird under training for another year

and see if we can successfully release him next year.

After a month acclimatising at a secret location,

deep in the rainforest,

the day has come for Heineken,

and the successful graduates, to be released.

Once you open the cage,

you are wondering what's going to happen.

How are they going to behave?

Are they going out of the cage fast or slow?

It's time, OK, place your bets, who's going out first?!

Then you've got the sudden movement.

You see this magical blue carpet just taking off.

It's just amazing when you can see

their bright colours finally flying free in the wild.

The release introduces 24 new parrots into the wild.

Heineken is still with his partner.

Jafet is optimistic that they will soon be raising their own family.

These Puerto Rican parrots almost became extinct

but, thanks to the breeding programme,

they're making a remarkable comeback.

This year, we got over 700 parrots in the wild

or being bred in captivity.

We're going to have thousands of them

within the next 50 years.

At the manatee centre,

Aramana and Yuisa's pool

is being drained for the last time.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

This is the morning,

everybody is anxious, we need more coffee.

Everybody's going to come here in a couple of minutes and start working.

In true Puerto Rican style,

everyone wants to help the manatees

and Toni's used this to his advantage.

The National Guard,

the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources...

..the police force...

and dozens of volunteers

have all come together to move the manatees.

Once the manatees are safely loaded onto the military trucks...

..the convoy has an 11-mile drive to the beach.

This is the last big hurdle

before their return to the ocean.

The journey is stressful for all involved, especially the manatees.

There's a risk they could stop breathing

or worse, suffer a heart attack.

Moving two animals that are 600 pounds is quite dangerous.

They could move and hit someone.

Injure them.

But also, in the transport,

these animals are fragile.

They could die.

Toni and his team

monitor their vital signs constantly -

checking their breathing and heart rate,

and regularly cooling them with water.

THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE

News of the release has spread across the island

and a large crowd has gathered

to give the manatees a send-off.

Jafet and Carlos have come

to lend their support on this momentous day...

..and vet Antonio is on hand

to give the final all-clear.

The team attaches a radio transmitter

to each manatee's tail collar,

so that they can be tracked in the ocean.

After one year of being monitored in the wild,

the collars will be removed.

Just like when you're raising a kid,

and when you're letting them go to college,

you have to step back a little bit.

That's a little bit of what we're doing right now.

It's that moment where they have their graduation,

their graduation is that they have been rehabilitated.

Now, they're going to college.

At last, the moment they've all been waiting for.

He's free.

This is the culmination

of five years' dedicated rehabilitation.

Hopefully, they will become a couple

and that is what is important

in terms of conserving species.

In a very, very reduced population of 500 to 700 animals,

every animal counts.

So, if Yuisa lives to her full life expectancy,

she can contribute potentially 20 more manatees

to the population in Puerto Rico.

And in a dwindling population,

small population like this,

that is a huge help.

Yuisa and Aramana are finally in the ocean together.

There's just one thing left to do.

Celebrate!

CHEERING

We've been with them for so many years now -

all day, all night at the beginning -

and you get attached to them.

For all that, this is the best.

I will probably remember this day for the rest of my life.

I'm really excited,

I've always wanted to work at this since I was very young,

so this was one of the best days of my life.

Yuisa and Aramana will acclimatise in this fenced-off bay...

..then, after three months,

the gates will be opened

and they'll be free to explore the wild ocean.

This day is... It's amazing.

This is a beautiful day.

It's a day of achievement.

This is a great day for conservation,

which is really what this is all about.

For the manatees, parrots and turtles -

as well as the scientists that study them -

it's been an exceptional year

for wildlife conservation

in Puerto Rico.

INAUDIBLE

The team know that their work is not finished.

CHEERING

For many years, Puerto Rico's natural resources and environment

have been abused.

But now we have turned the corner

and there are numerous organisations working together

to save the wildlife.

We are working to get rid of our own jobs

and hopefully we will get to the point

that we will have so many birds

that we will not need an aviary -

and I hope this will happen to many, many other species.

The key for the future survival of Puerto Rico's natural wonders

is the awakening of the island's people

to its unique wildlife.

When you see people that used to eat turtles helping you out,

kids going to a public hearing...

..or when you get politicians

that support you, you know,

then you feel that things are moving on.

CHEERING

It's difficult, but we try, you know.

We try, and we don't quit.