Documental Gladiadores - Marismas
En el templado noroeste de los Estados Unidos, rodeado de bosques y de altas cumbres se extiende un territorio de mareas, de arroyos glaciares, marismas saladas y costas. Los animales que aquí sobreviven están curtidos contra los elementos, depredadores de media tonelada, fieros luchadores aéreos y pequeños pero poderosos cazadores. Son resolutivos oportunistas adaptados para soportar este desierto invernal que cuando llega la primavera se entregan a una actividad frenética para sacar provecho de una estrecha ventana en la que el alimento está disponible gracias a la migración del salmón pacífico.
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00:00In the temperate northwest of the United States, surrounded by forests and high peaks,
00:17a territory of tides, glacial streams, salty seabed and coasts extends.
00:29The animals that survive here are cursed against the elements.
00:34Predators of half a ton,
00:38fierce aerial fighters
00:41and small but powerful hunters.
00:45They are opportunistic resolves, adapted to withstand this winter desert.
00:52And when spring comes,
00:57they surrender to a frenetic activity.
01:01They fight to dominate the sky.
01:04They fight to assert their dominance.
01:08And they use their cunning to take advantage of a narrow window of available food.
01:15Opportunities are fleeting.
01:19So while the clock is ticking in this time of abundance,
01:24the only option is to act or die.
01:47After six months of brutal cold,
01:53the northwest coast of the United States is bathed in the warm spring sun.
02:00And it has awakened one of the largest of this sand,
02:08the brown bear.
02:16It has survived the winter hibernating in its mountain shelter.
02:22It went down to the seabed a week ago, and its metabolism is accelerating.
02:33During the winter, it lost a third of its body weight.
02:39It is hungry.
02:42And its main objective is to feed.
02:48It needs to make the most of these warmer months
02:53and gain weight before the cold returns.
03:05The best food for it after its long hibernation is juncea grass.
03:13It is full of proteins.
03:17So this exuberant meadow is its life saver.
03:24But the grass is just a snack.
03:29Later in the season, the stream that crosses it will be full of salmon.
03:48But keeping this place of food for itself will not be easy.
03:57Other bears are waking up from their sleep.
04:04All in search of a place to feed.
04:10But this time of year is not just for eating.
04:13It is time for the males to reestablish their hierarchy for the rest of the season.
04:19A large male goes to the brown bear plot.
04:32The brown bear must eat 14 kilos of grass a day to gain the weight it needs.
04:44But fighting when it is so low in energy is not the smartest thing to do.
05:06It recognizes the smell of the outsider.
05:09A male with whom it has already met before.
05:14The brown bear has learned to read the subtle changes in posture that can reveal the state of a rival.
05:23And it knows that its opponent is nervous.
05:38The brown bear tries to calm it down with a slap.
05:44An open fight could cause both to be seriously injured.
05:56It turns its body to one side, indicating that it is not looking for a fight.
06:03But the outsider wants a confrontation.
06:07It sees an opportunity to rise in the social hierarchy.
06:18It grabs the brown bear with its claws and teeth, in a clear attempt to establish its dominance.
06:27Its loose fur makes it difficult for the aspirant to hold it.
06:37It proposes a bite in the ear of the brown bear, with enough strength to break a bowling ball.
06:51It is too much for the brown bear.
06:57Experience tells it that it does not need to wage all the battles for dominance.
07:04Taking the risk of being injured so soon in the season is not smart.
07:09So it retreats.
07:12For now.
07:24The brown bear has had to give way to a privileged place in this river meadow.
07:30Now it must use its wisdom and experience to claim a new place to feed.
07:47As the spring sun heats this sand,
07:50creatures of all kinds appear to take advantage of the improvement of the conditions.
08:05Overflowing above all,
08:08the bald eagle.
08:14Winter has passed further south.
08:17Where the lakes were not frozen.
08:23Now it has returned to take full advantage of the spring climate
08:27that turns this bay into a rich fishing territory every year.
08:32During the last twelve seasons, it has managed to impose itself here.
08:40Its territory of four square kilometers is not only important for feeding.
08:47It is also a place of great interest for the bears.
08:52At a height of 50 meters, in a hollow of dunes,
08:55there is the great nest that it built for the first time with its own body.
09:02This is the first time that it has used its body to build a nest.
09:12The first time it built a nest,
09:15it was when it was a little girl.
09:18The great nest that it built for the first time with its partner for life,
09:22more than a decade ago.
09:27Every year the couple returns to raise a new layer of chicks.
09:32And the young of this year, eight weeks old, is growing rapidly.
09:39With one more mouth to feed, protecting its territory is of utmost importance.
09:44And this season, an invader has arrived before expected.
09:50A young bald eagle,
09:53scouting the area to see if it can fish here.
10:04This intrepid outlander is clearly testing his luck.
10:09The sharp territorial call of the bald eagle is its war cry.
10:14It will reverberate through the bay, warning the intruder.
10:22But the young does not let himself be dissuaded.
10:39The 7,000 feathers of the bald eagle work in unison,
10:43producing the maximum support with impeccable air control.
10:51The feathers of the wings and tail of the young are longer than those of the adults.
10:57They are more suitable for slow flight.
11:01But the shorter feathers of the bald eagle produce less resistance,
11:05allowing it to flap faster and fly at greater speed.
11:22Using the tail as a brake, the young turns to stand behind it.
11:35To minimize the resistance, the young extends the tips of its wings,
11:40and then turns to attack.
11:54The bald eagle unfolds its claws to catch the young.
11:58By folding its wings, it forces it to descend.
12:14The feathers of the young are not waterproof.
12:18It is an easy target.
12:22The bald eagle falls in a pinch,
12:26the bald eagle falls in a pinch at great speed,
12:32and launches itself into attack.
12:39It aims at its target with eight sharp nails like needles.
12:43The young twists to avoid being pierced,
12:49and is saved by the hairs of the injured.
12:56The young is escorted out of the bay,
13:02leaving the bald eagle alone to ensure its next meal.
13:17The price for preserving this privileged fishing place
13:20is a daily battle against opportunists.
13:34As spring progresses, the competition is increasingly intense.
13:39The marisms are about to undergo a drastic transformation,
13:44inviting a multitude of new adversaries to this arena.
13:58During the first days of the season,
14:02the competition is fierce,
14:05and during the high tide,
14:08the deep waters cover the marisms.
14:16Under the flotation line,
14:19the newcomers prowl through the weeds.
14:23This is a sapu fish.
14:28Every year, the spring conditions attract millions of them
14:31to prowl along the coast.
14:36For now, the sapu fish are safely hidden under the water.
14:47But in the coming days,
14:50this coast will undergo a drastic change,
14:55exposing a feast of marisms
14:58that will attract predators of all kinds.
15:10The bald eagle must be ready to fight.
15:17While the fate of the animals
15:20above the flotation line hangs by a thread,
15:24in the stream of sweet water that feeds the estuary,
15:28there is another small but deadly creature
15:32preparing for its own battle.
15:36Nympha libellula.
15:40A 5 cm long aquatic hunter.
15:48It survived the winter by burying itself in the sediment.
15:54When it entered a suspended animation state,
15:58it was able to resist the cold temperatures.
16:02But now that it has come out,
16:05it is ready to feed.
16:17Its strategy...
16:19The ambush.
16:24Its two huge eyes are made of 30,000 separate parts.
16:2980% of its brain is dedicated to processing vision,
16:35which gives it a perception of 360 degrees of its world.
16:40It hits the prey with its claws in 10 milliseconds
16:45and drags it towards its mouth.
16:51It is a very fast predator.
16:54It is a very fast predator.
16:57It is a very fast predator.
17:00It is a very fast predator.
17:03It is a very fast predator.
17:05It is a very fast predator.
17:14This beetle releases a nauseating chemical substance.
17:21Nympha chooses to find a more appetizing meal.
17:29Fortunately, the spring conditions have brought a plentiful amount of food.
17:35of newly born fish.
17:37The
18:05powerful grip of the nymph's dented jaws makes it impossible for the fish to escape.
18:23Only the most powerful of the insects can hunt vertebrates.
18:27His two mouthpieces come together to cut the meat and the bone.
18:54He takes his weapons and prepares for the next meal.
19:02He must make the most of the abundance of spring, because this year is the most critical for Nympha.
19:09He has lived in this stream for four years, and if he is able to reach summer, he will change
19:22his skin and emerge as a fully developed adult libelula.
19:29But to survive, he must be on guard, ready to face a millennial enemy.
19:46Surviving in the seabed is not just a matter of powerful jaws and brute strength.
19:55The tactic of Garza Azul is to go unnoticed.
20:04He is a stealthy thief of one meter in height, who moves slowly over ponds and scans the
20:12landscape with his powerful binocular vision.
20:24He spends 90% of his waking hours hunting.
20:38In the calm waters, he moves meticulously, without waves.
20:45Then he waits, motionless, for a prey to approach.
20:59The fish of these slow streams are only halibut.
21:05But soon, an unusual tide will offer a greater prize.
21:13The only drawback is that this fishing place is closely guarded.
21:25It is the territory of bald eagle.
21:33The stealthy fishing of a territorial raptor will be a high-risk game.
21:37Finally, the time has come.
21:54The seabeds begin their dramatic transformation.
21:57As the water in the pond drains, the tide begins to descend.
22:07But several times a year, the tides here overload.
22:16When a full or new moon passes near the earth, its gravitational force amplifies.
22:25It is the Peruvian spring tide.
22:30The level of the water descends many meters below normal, leaving an extension of one
22:37kilometer and a half of oyster beaches to be discovered.
22:50Hundreds of toadfish remain stranded and exposed through this vast extension of tide.
23:12From the forests located behind the beach, Garza heads towards the oyster beaches.
23:28The long-distance vision of a bald eagle is eight times better than that of a human.
23:35It can see a rabbit three kilometers away.
23:40If it discovers Garza in its territory, it could attack it and even kill it.
23:49Garza takes a break to scour the intermarine plain in search of possible dangers.
23:58But these extremely low tides will only last a few days.
24:02If it wants to take advantage of this window of optimal fishing, it has to act now.
24:23The oysters that float to the surface are as sharp as knives.
24:29Fortunately, Garza's long fingers act like snow rockets, distributing its weight.
24:44Its large eyes carry an incorporated zoom.
24:49They go from telescopic vision to close-up vision to locate the fish trapped in the
24:55puddles left by the tide.
25:06A carnivorous toadfish.
25:12To defend itself, the fish extends its pointy dorsal fin.
25:23Then Garza uses its beak as a spear to cut its spinal cord.
25:34Garza's activity has not gone unnoticed.
25:37Consumed in the vicinity, the bald eagle has a zero tolerance policy with other fishing birds.
25:45But Garza has done nothing but start.
25:48Its large stomach can expand to swallow half its body weight in fish.
25:58The bald eagle begins its forceful maneuver of dissuasion.
26:03Elevándose 100 metros sobre la bahía, su aguda vista le permite calcular su ángulo
26:09exacto de ataque.
26:20Repliega una de sus alas y se lanza en picado a una velocidad cercana a los 160 kilómetros
26:27por hora.
26:34Hasta este momento Garza no ha sido consciente del ataque.
26:41No tiene tiempo de engullir su captura.
26:53Extiende toda la envergadura de sus alas y despliega su afilado pico.
26:59Águila hace un quiebro para esquivarlo y asesta un devastador golpe al cuerpo.
27:10Garza se repone para recuperar su pez junto a un puñado de algas.
27:16Águila calva es tres veces más rápida que Garza.
27:20Pero Garza es un pezo ligero y la supera en resistencia.
27:26Con sus dos metros de envergadura se inclina bruscamente esquivando el ataque.
27:38La pesada carga de peces que transporta Garza ralentiza su vuelo.
28:01Tiene que desprenderse de su comida robada.
28:29Garza huye hacia la zona limítrofe de la bahía.
28:41Pero los problemas de águila calva no han hecho más que empezar.
28:45Las mareas extremadamente bajas han atraído a visitantes de toda la región.
28:54Las jóvenes y adultas llegan desde muchos kilómetros a la redonda con la esperanza
28:59de pescar aquí.
29:15Y también acuden más garzas azules.
29:33Su territorio ha sido invadido.
29:47Y las águilas forasteras intentan apoderarse del festín que ofrece la bajamar.
30:16Consunido en las inmediaciones, águila calva no ve con buenos ojos a estos intrusos.
30:24Para reafirmar su dominio debe hacer una poderosa demostración de fuerza.
30:30Fija su atención en una gran hembra adulta con el pico lleno.
30:49Su objetivo huye con el botín.
30:57Pero águila calva no está dispuesta a dejarla escapar.
31:01Su rival protege hábilmente la presa mediante un giro de barrena en el aire.
31:20Águila calva escoge el momento preciso y se lanza de lleno sobre su adversaria, volteándola
31:25y obligándola a soltar su captura.
31:35Pero su rival ha viajado cientos de kilómetros para tener la oportunidad de pescar en este
31:40territorio privilegiado y está dispuesta a presentar batalla.
31:48La calva la atrapa y la arrastra hacia el suelo.
31:59Luego da media vuelta y se abalanza sobre su adversaria, cargando contra ella con sus
32:08demoledoras garras.
32:12Su rival, superada y derrotada, emprende la huida.
32:28Mientras las águilas se peleaban, el caos se ha adueñado de la bahía y un enemigo
32:57muy familiar se está aprovechando al máximo de la situación.
33:02Es garza.
33:07Ha capturado suficientes peces sapo para alimentarse durante días.
33:14Ha atiborrado con kilos de comida.
33:19Regresa a la cubierta del bosque.
33:28Luego cuando cambie la marea volverá la calma a la playa de Águila Calva.
33:46A lo largo de la costa, Oso Pardo se ha estado fortaleciendo y aprovechando la baja mar en
33:52su beneficio.
33:58Siguiendo su olfato, localiza un tesoro escondido.
34:11Almejas.
34:14Las garras ganchudas de 10 centímetros de largo de Oso Pardo no solo sirven para luchar,
34:19son útiles abrelatas.
34:26Es una habilidad que solo los osos más diestros dominan.
34:42Oso Pardo come lo suficiente para saciar su hambre.
34:53Pero las almejas son un alimento que requiere mucho trabajo.
34:56Y hay un olor más tentador en el aire.
35:11De cara al viento, Oso Pardo sigue a su nariz.
35:20Su olfato es excepcional, siete veces más sensible que el de un sabueso.
35:32La parte de su cerebro que identifica los olores es cinco veces mayor que la de un humano.
35:38Y ha detectado el rastro de algo que podría ser el hallazgo de la temporada.
36:09En el estuario del arroyo, Nympha libélula está cada vez más cerca del día en que
36:17podrá volar.
36:24Pero en esta arena, nada está garantizado.
36:34Acechando entre la maleza, hay otro monstruo, una chinche gigante.
36:45Con sus seis centímetros de largo, es uno de los insectos acuáticos más grandes de
36:49la tierra.
36:51Es el doble de grande que Nympha y su mayor obstáculo para alcanzar la edad adulta.
37:02Puede abatir presas mucho mayores que él.
37:07Incluso devora sus propias crías.
37:33Los finos pelos de las patas de Nympha perciben cambios sutiles en las corrientes subacuáticas.
37:41Le han alertado de la presencia de algo grande.
37:44¿Un posible bocado?
37:49La curiosidad la impulsa a acercarse.
38:03Al rodear una piedra, la misteriosa criatura se hace evidente.
38:20Cada uno ve al otro como una posible presa.
38:22Nympha hace el primer movimiento, pero está demasiado cerca para que sus pinzas sean efectivas.
38:46Y Chinche la arrastra bajo su cuerpo para inmovilizarla.
38:52Nympha se retuerce y consigue liberarse.
39:09Su cola funciona como una moto acuática expulsando un chorro de agua a presión que la impulsa
39:15hacia adelante.
39:16¿Es más ágil?
39:23Tal vez.
39:26Pero Chinche es más fuerte.
39:38La atrapa por segunda vez e intenta usar su pico en forma de aguja para inyectarle saliva
39:44digestiva.
39:47El exoesqueleto de Nympha está recubierto de un duro blindaje.
39:52Chinche busca cualquier punto blando entre las placas protectoras para insertar su pico.
40:00Nympha es incapaz de liberarse, pero cuenta con un salvavidas.
40:05Puede respirar bajo el agua a través de las branquias de su abdomen.
40:09Mientras que Chinche respira aire.
40:12La batalla está agotando su oxígeno.
40:17Si Nympha consigue alargar la lucha, Chinche se verá obligado a salir a respirar.
40:24Chinche ajusta su cuerpo para alcanzar la superficie.
40:29Es justo lo que Nympha necesita para liberarse.
40:49Desplegando un snorkel desde su parte posterior, Chinche inspira tan rápido como puede.
40:58El aire bajo sus alas como un tanque de buceo y corre a buscar a Nympha.
41:10Pero es demasiado lento.
41:14El camuflaje de Nympha es como un manto de invisibilidad.
41:20Desaparece en la oscuridad.
41:24Está un día más cerca de conseguir sus alas.
41:28Chinche deberá continuar su hambrienta búsqueda de comida.
41:42Oso pardo ha seguido el atrayente rastro de olor.
41:54Es una ballena, arrastrada por una tormenta reciente.
42:03Veinte toneladas de carne altamente calórica.
42:12Es una mina de oro.
42:14Pero hay un inconveniente.
42:28Alguien más ha descubierto el botín.
42:36Un gran macho y dos hembras que disfrutan a sus anchas del festín de su vida.
42:50El macho tolera que las hembras compartan el cadáver con él, pues no suponen una amenaza
42:57para su posición jerárquica.
43:01Además hay una alta probabilidad de que le permitan aparearse con ellas.
43:14Si oso pardo quiere un lugar en la mesa, tendrá que luchar por él.
43:24Con las orejas hacia adelante y la boca abierta, deja claras sus intenciones.
43:31Esta vez está dispuesto a entablar una lucha sin cuartel.
43:35Las hembras presienten que no podrán comer en paz y se alejan, pero el gran macho se
43:45mantiene firme.
44:15Cada oso pesa más de 450 kilos.
44:35La fuerza de sus patas delanteras supera a las de cualquier otro depredador y sus mandíbulas
44:41son capaces de matar bisontes y lobos.
44:46Pero enfrentarse a una de su propia especie es harina de otro costal.
44:51Oso pardo, en la esquina izquierda, siente que las fuerzas están equilibradas.
45:00Para imponer su dominio debe convencer a su adversario de que él es el más fuerte.
45:08Su rival se alza sobre las patas traseras hasta superar los dos metros y medio de altura,
45:13pero no puede mantener el equilibrio entre los cantos rolados.
45:18Oso pardo le golpea con sus patas tratando de desequilibrarlo.
45:28La posición de su rival es inestable y oso pardo le empuja hacia atrás hasta el agua.
45:36Este tipo de batallas por el dominio se ganan desgastando al rival.
45:58Es un combate prolongado en el que cada oso intenta cansar al otro hasta la sumisión.
46:03Los incesantes mordiscos y zarpazos de oso pardo están abrumando a su adversario, agotándole
46:17poco a poco.
46:18Finalmente, su rival, sin un ápice de energía, asume la derrota.
46:39Tras el macho vencido se lame sus heridas, oso pardo se alimenta de su premio de 20 toneladas
46:50de carne de ballena.
47:03Solo la grasa contiene unas ocho mil calorías por kilo.
47:17Engordará casi tres kilos con cada sentada, lo que le asegurará estar lo suficientemente
47:26gordo para sobrevivir al próximo invierno.
47:44Los lobos tendrán que conformarse con las sobras.
47:55La rotunda demostración de dominio de oso pardo no ha pasado desapercibida.
48:01Una hembra ha vuelto a mostrar su interés.
48:04Y una vez eliminada la competencia, la pareja puede dedicarse a lo suyo sin ser molestada.
48:24A lo largo de las marismas, el buen tiempo ha cumplido su promesa.
48:49Bajo el sol dorado, osadas estrategias han permitido a los más audaces y valientes obtener
48:56grandes recompensas.
49:01Una vez más, la calma ha vuelto a estas llanuras intermareales, y ya se están escribiendo
49:07nuevos capítulos.
49:09Los lobos han ganado sus batallas, su premio, vivir un día más y sobrevivir otro invierno
49:22en las marismas salvajes de Norteamérica.