Guyana - Season 1

In north-eastern Guyana, almost 460 km of coastline defy the Atlantic Ocean. Mangrove forests and brackish water swamps are the habitat of sea turtles or the bizarre four-eyed fish. Here, 90% of Guyanese live in a constant struggle against the water. And yet Caribbean serenity characterises everyday life.

Most of the coast is protected by the "Seawall", numerous sluices regulate the water level in the channels. Already, many coastal areas are below high tide, and the sea level is rising.

Hoatzins, Guyana's heraldic birds, breed in the shore trees. Their young protect themselves from enemies by jumping into the water. A young anaconda lies in wait in the canals of the capital Georgetown. An exciting combination of Caribbean and former British colony, six different ethnic groups live peacefully together here.

Guyana, the small, unknown country of South America, is the world of giant otters, jaguars and the majestic harpy, as well as a variety of other impressive animal species.

In the southwest of Guyana lie the endless savannahs. Spread across the vast plains, the cattle of the indigenous cowboys, the vaqueros, graze.

Small ponds and island forests provide shelter and a home for numerous animals: the bright orange "cock of the rock" uses the thicket for its extraordinary mating dance. The anaconda hunts in the shallow water. If the dryness increases, it ventures on a long, dangerous migration through the savannah.

After months of drought, the rainy season finally sets in. Soon the rivers burst their banks and turn the savannah into a unique lakeland. When the flooding is high enough, a mysterious lake is born, Lake Parime.

Guyana, the small, unknown country of South America, is the world of giant otters, jaguars and the majestic harpy, as well as a variety of other impressive animal species.

Most of Guyana is covered by seemingly endless rainforest, one of the last contiguous jungles on earth. Between the canopy and the forest floor there is a huge diversity of species.

While the jaguar searches for its prey in the undergrowth, the spider monkeys wander long distances from one fruit-bearing tree to the next. They are constantly on guard against the harpy. Black caimans nest on the banks of the rivers, sharing their habitat with the giant otters.

In Guyana's green heart lies one of the country's oldest protected areas. The mission of the rangers is to track down illegal gold miners and protect the forest from waste of natural resources.