In episodes 7 and 8 of the series, the journey moves from the towering Andes to the tropical Caribbean, revealing two worlds where wildlife survives through astonishing specialization. In the Andes, spectacled bears guide their cubs down perilous cliffs, rare marvelous spatuletail hummingbirds fight and dance for mates, frogs endure freezing nights high beside retreating glaciers, torrent ducks master near-boiling mountain rivers, and thousands of flamingos gather at toxic high-altitude lakes in spectacular courtship displays. The Caribbean offers an entirely different struggle for survival. Sailfish coordinate high-speed attacks on sardine shoals, sperm whales dive into the deep around Dominica, millions of red crabs cross Cuba’s forests on their migration to the sea, and animals on isolated islands develop remarkable ways to exploit scarce resources. On Isla Jicarón, white-faced capuchins even learn to use stones as tools to crack nuts, showing how intelligence and adaptation can make the difference between survival and failure in paradise.
During 1959-1961 both the Americans and Soviets are planning manned space flight, and we see both sides preparing to do so with the development of the Vostok programme (Russia) and Project Mercury (USA). After difficulties and failures on both sides, the Soviets succeed in putting Yuri Gagarin into space first, with the Americans putting Alan Shepard up shortly afterwards.
The Caribbean offers an entirely different struggle for survival. Sailfish coordinate high-speed attacks on sardine shoals, sperm whales dive into the deep around Dominica, millions of red crabs cross Cuba’s forests on their migration to the sea, and animals on isolated islands develop remarkable ways to exploit scarce resources. On Isla Jicarón, white-faced capuchins even learn to use stones as tools to crack nuts, showing how intelligence and adaptation can make the difference between survival and failure in paradise.