Between the continents of North and South America is a tropical paradise: The Caribbean. This is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands and reefs, lying within the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. From just a few metres wide, to hundreds of kilometers across, every island is different, and each has its own unique wildlife.
This film reveals the Caribbean’s secret wild side. Under the cover of darkness, giant leatherback turtles visit Trinidad’s beaches to lay their eggs. Dominica’s volcanic heritage gives it fertile soils, making the island rich in flowering plants. These provide food for some of the Caribbean’s fastest movers: hummingbirds.
The Caribbean’s coral reefs are one of its richest treasures. Many of the species that find shelter here are found nowhere else. These warm, calm waters provide sanctuary for ocean giants too. Humpback whales travel thousands of miles to raise their young in the Caribbean Sea.
As summer approaches, these sun-drenched islands become an altogether darker place. The Caribbean is in the firing line of some of the most ferocious storms on earth. Hurricanes bring waves up to 20 metres high, sometimes destroying the reefs themselves. A troop of lobsters undergoes a night-time march to safety.
Trinidad, connected to South America until just 12,000 years ago, has its own unique legacy of mainland life. Flocks of luminous scarlet ibis probe the mud for crabs. White-throated capuchin monkeys make the most of island life, searching for conches at low tide. In its tropical forests, manakin birds dance in a bid to attract a mate.
In July, the young leatherbacks leave the safety of their nests. Once grown, the females will return to the Caribbean’s beaches to lay their eggs, just as their ancestors have done for the last 100 million years.