Amazing Quest: Stories from Ecuador | Somewhere on Earth: Ecuador | Free Documentary

[Music] [Music] [Music] today somewhere on earth is off to discover ecuador this little south american country is bordered by the pacific ocean with its long sandy beaches the andes cut across north to south this is the realm of majestic volcanoes to the east lies the vast amazon basin and its ageless forest xavier left pepino in france 20 years ago this ornithologist moved to equator for its incredible biodiversity always on the lookout for new discoveries his curiosity has drawn him to the roof of ecuador jorge is a ulm pilot whenever the weather permits this adventurer takes to the air to slalom through the clouds and mountain peaks today he'll be helping his friend armando study a rather surprising animal the mountain taper on the rio napo the river men live in harmony with nature teo is setting off for the heart of the amazon with one foot in his ancestral culture and another in today's modern world teo is well placed to understand this hostile environment and take care of us [Music] marry up maria maria is a farmer when he bought this plot of land in the forest he did what everyone else here does he started to clear it for planting but then one day he discovered a new family the creatures of the forest hundreds of birds that he has managed to tame and since he has established a rather surprising relationship with them her name is shakira i called her that actually because she dances like that young colombian performer they're part of my family like maria the bird we were looking for this morning a giant which is my wife's name [Music] lives in the cloud forest at an altitude of 1400 meters this wondrous world is inhabited by gigantic trees and a myriad of colorful birds [Music] when his friend zavier pays him a visit ahel is only too happy to share what he's managed to preserve [Music] his passion for the wildlife all around him has changed his life now he earns his living by taking bird lovers on tours to observe his family of feathered friends thanks to endless patience the birds respond to his songs and come to eat out of his hand [Music] these are the kind of spots you can share with people who have the same passion this makes it twice as much fun because you're not alone you think i'm not crazy there are other people who are a little off the wall too it's a good feeling it's reassuring savier a frenchman from pepino has been living in ecuador for 20 years this is where he truly discovered the realm of birds and became an ornithologist ecuador is home to 13 percent of the world's bird species 1 600 in all xavier is now the director of a natural reserve on the fringes of the amazon its goal is to protect this incredible biodiversity [Music] he spends most of his time in the forest alert for the slightest flutter of a wing lens animal in any case man has an animal instinct so the act of tracking down these birds to observe them or to photograph them i think it's a throwback to the hunter instinct it's an attempt to get closer to nature in this case it's for a good cause with others it's for a bad cause but i think that deep down the physiological drive is really the same punta blanca a little village situated on the equator looks out onto the pacific ocean xavier is making a little visit to his friends elsa and maria two ecuadorians who have become fisher women with a philosophical bent [Music] where are you going what for where have you been no way ask me no questions i grab my things and i take off where i like i don't depend on anyone [Music] when xavier gets together with his friends they love to spend hours discussing the state of the world to the lapping of the ocean waves on the shore for me that phrase pretty much sums up ecuador we don't earn much but we do have fun it's the festive aspect a bit latino the preference for an enjoyable way of life rather than a rich way of life it's not what most people are after you're much more aware of the days and years going by when you're in that frame of mind than trying to fight against time here in ecuador xavier has found what he was looking for big hearted people a rapidly developing country and above all lush thriving wildlife he's always on the lookout for that rare bird and he's ready to go hundreds of kilometers to get a shot of a frog in the amazonian forest or a migratory bird on its way through the andes today he's headed to antisana a volcano close to 6 000 meters high to meet some glaciologists from quito this route we're following here snakes back and forth north and south across the equator it's very symbolic of ecuador itself really one of the best representations you could get we're right in the middle of the world it's funny because i went from perpeno which according to salvador dali is the center of the world to this place the middle of the world there's always that same feeling that has a kind of hold on me [Music] [Music] xavier is now crossing the andes through a barren zone of majestic volcanoes and glaciers here up at 4 000 meters one finds a totally different landscape [Music] you pass from one landscape to another one atmosphere to another one extreme temperature to another in the blink of an eye it's really wild it's fascinating and you don't get tired of it you can do it again and again and each time you'll see the landscape in a different light with a different atmosphere with new animals new colors it's so rich xavier is nearing antisana for several years now he has been working with a group of glaciologists who are measuring the effects of the climate change [Music] basically it's thanks to my nosy character that i got to know these glaciologists working on the antesano volcano going out in the field with them to help in their observations of these glaciers has given me a better understanding of how this ecosystem works and it's allowed me to assimilate a lot of complementary information and that information will help me in my own conservation work [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] gustavo an accomplished mountaineer is leading the climb juan and xavier have to follow the pace set by the high mountain guide [Music] 5 100 meters up the three men attained their first objective one of ecuador's highest weather stations we have to come and do this job every month we'll analyze the data later in the lab what happened did it snow what kind of temperatures have we had the hardest part is just coming up here [Music] the climbers continue to make their way up antisana juan and xavier are aiming to reach a corridor of ice 5 300 meters up once there they'll take a course sample from the heart of the glacier every year they come here to study the evolution of the ice and listen to the creaking of this immense frozen torrent this mountain is situated in the eastern part of ecuador it's under the influence of both the amazon and the pacific we even have certain evidence proving that the climatic phenomena like el nino and la nina have an effect on the amount of precipitation this mountain gets we work on site in the mountains as much as in the laboratory but in the end our natural lab is right here this part here is more recent snow it's fresher here it's older more compact this represents about one year of precipitation i just love all this if i could work up here every day it would be ideal when i climb this volcano my face just lights up this mountain is part of me [Music] is one of my favorite spots firstly because it's so beautiful it's really quite extraordinary it's a very rugged climb but at the same time very beautiful so it's a trade-off plus at the base of the glacier there's an unbelievable biodiversity [Music] people who come to ecuador and fall in love with it do so because of the amazing landscapes and the generosity of nature which has given us all this vast space and riches [Music] xavier has found here the vistas that fulfill his dreams of freedom he has found his place at zero degrees latitude on the equator [Music] then [Music] um [Music] [Music] [Music] traveling the wilderness of ecuador is a unique experience jorge is an adventurer of the sky and a pioneer of ultralight aviation in south america he's been flying over his country with its limitless horizons for 27 years [Music] it gives you such an intense feeling of freedom you can enjoy the scenery and fly wherever you want without worrying about the road or traffic with this plane you're free it's not at all expensive and you can go wherever large planes can't and land on much shorter runways you're flying with the wind blowing through your fingers and on your face [Music] ecuador is a small country with a lot of diversity you're in these six thousand meter mountains and an hour later you can be down on the pacific coast on the beach or in the tropical forest it's very rich [Music] jorge is a pilot writer and high mountain guide a photographer as well his books on ecuador from the sky have made him famous throughout the country now he's preparing for his next flight into the paramo a mountainous zone 4 000 meters up there he's going to meet a friend armando a naturalist [Music] i have to make a flight he's got a problem with the instrument he uses to locate the wild animals i'm going to bring him a spare cable up near ayakache then i'll come back [Music] so jorge the self-taught aviator built his first ulm in his own hangar he learned how to fly without an instructor he was a pioneer 30 years ago he flew above the andes in his ulm all the way down to patagonia the southernmost point of south america jorge is flying over the paramour it would be impossible for him to land in these swampy mountains he spots armando from the plane and decides to fly in closer he has to drop a little parachute with the equipment that will allow armando to carry on his mission [Music] [Music] [Music] armando and his team are trying to locate mountain tapers the emblematic mammal of the paramo some of them have been equipped with radio transmitters this timid animal is an endangered species but armando hopes that by studying its behavior he will be able to do a better job of protecting them without this cable it's practically impossible to locate the taper we know he's in this area but it's going to take some time to find out exactly where but then he might get wind of us and we won't be able to get close without the radio localization we can't do anything so many thanks to jorge who managed to fly up here despite the bad weather conditions but he's really an ace now that we have it we'll be able to localize the taper and track him down i hope we'll be able to observe him without disturbing him the ulm is an all-terrain machine thanks to it jorge can do precious favors for those working in the country's more isolated regions [Laughter] [Music] [Music] jorge and his ulm have helped a good number of scientists in their research he takes up archaeologists on observation flights over the inca sites volcanologists to get in close to the still active volcanoes and biologists to spot birds nesting in the canopy of the amazonian forest it's total freedom there's no private property up in the sky no stop lights no reckless drivers if you're curious about what's on the other side of the mountain you just go there if you want to take a look at the bottom of a valley you fly down no you're living a form of freedom plus it allows you to see the beauty of the world from a different point of view this motor is adapted for flying it's totally reliable because the vital parts are backed up with a spare [Music] but it's rather simple you have to take good care of it because if something happens up in the air you can't just pull over and take a look under the hood but it's rather simple and very dependable it runs well she's a good guy flying up at 5 000 meters in such a light craft is not something just any pilot can do jorge has the humility of those who are living out their dreams to the fullest and who aren't afraid of anything [Music] [Music] now armando's detector is working he and jorge have taken to the air to locate the mountain tapers fitted with radio transmitters not much is known about this strange rare animal armando is the world's specialist on spectacled bears and mountain tapers two endangered species [Music] foreign [Applause] the area jorge and armando just flew over is a reserve but elsewhere the mountain taper is hunted these two men are studying all the wild animals living in these protected but inaccessible regions jorge has been a great help in locating the animals we're studying he gives me their coordinates and tells me if they're on the move where he has detected them frankly the only way to pick up the signal in this region is the ulm it's not possible otherwise and it's very expensive to run a helicopter i take pictures while i'm flying i also use this opportunity to listen for the signals from the bears sometimes i'll go up without armando just to see if the bears say [Laughter] in hello a few minutes clouds moving in from the amazon have heaped up on the paramo mountains and a storm obscures the horizon the flight with jorge has allowed armando to home in on the mountainside where a taper is living he's now continuing his pursuit on foot the terrain is tough going with high grass and pockets of icy water at last they arrive at the mountain tapers sanctuary it's really close now [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] it's very important to study this animal because we know so little about it [Music] if we were to know it a little better we might be able to protect it and save it [Music] [Music] the paramount lies on the fringe of two worlds between sky and earth armando in his study of the last mountain tapers is merely passing through these age-old landscapes that will remain forever untamed jorge on board his ulm never tires of flying over these territories which he finds so fascinating and even though he knows that he's merely skimming the surface of these vast virgin expanses he is fulfilling his dreams of adventure [Music] [Music] [Music] teo is on his way home to his village after a long scientific expedition on the rio napo [Music] teo is one of the best guides of the amazon one of the few to dare travel these rivers that snake deep into the jungle he'll be collecting plants from the river banks all along the way home [Music] [Music] for me there's nothing better than living an adventure like this we see the wonders of the amazon which is like the eye of the world the center of the earth and if we don't take advantage of it now all this will be lost with the passing of time all this vegetation will disappear here nature's at her very best [Music] when teo was 20 he had the opportunity to leave his country for england in leeds he discovered another jungle the city he studied natural sciences and earned a diploma in biology then a few years later he came back to ecuador where he quickly resumed his place in his native community on the banks of the rio napo deep in the forest navigating this river is a lesson in patience and solitude it winds through the amazon for over 1 000 kilometers it takes its source in the west in the glaciers of the andes and meets the amazon river in peru [Music] is the ideal boat for traveling down the river he has christened it gold like the wind [Music] it's a long and dangerous trip down the river there are many obstacles and they're constantly shifting sand banks and submerged tree trunks become mortal traps tail in the prow keeps his eyes glued to the surface of the river he's looking for the best path through the water and guiding claudio the pilot and here's what happens most of the time the water level is very low has to pull the boat along the shore it's the only way to get past the shallow sand bank and here is the gateway to the vast amazon basin [Music] this is the world's largest rain forest one and a half times the size of europe the amazon is a legend it looks like a vast green poncho rolling off into the endless horizon an el dorado covered it for its riches it evokes both a green inferno and paradise lost the amazon is menaced by deforestation and the extraction of oil for years now the indigenous communities like teos have been organizing and taking action for the recognition of their ancestral rights [Music] once nomads of the forest they have gradually become the main defenders of this green continent termites are a delicacy for piranhas the little predators serve as bait to catch bigger ones today's menu amazon purana [Music] it's over 40 degrees and the sweltering heat beats down like a hammer on the men and nature the amazonian jungle may appear harsh and inhospitable yet for teo and his companions it's like a childhood friend a land of plenty all within easy reach [Music] [Laughter] i'm happy here because i'm living in the lungs of the earth in the center no pollution no buildings no skyscrapers all you can see are huge trees incredible lagoons unspoiled rivers like this one here [Music] there's no relief from the heat here even after the sun goes down with the darkness a different world is unveiled [Music] [Music] to get back to his village teo crosses the panacocha lagoon a labyrinth of channels lakes and flooded forests [Music] water light and a world of exuberant greenery life is bursting out here in all its forms [Music] the lagoon is an eerie mirror reflecting the image of an age-old inaccessible garden [Music] [Music] it's really important first off that we all trust one another you have to have a tightly knit group we have to be able to anticipate what needs to be done and prepare very carefully for the expedition to be a success because it may look easy but in the jungle you have to make sacrifices and sweat for the group to keep functioning smoothly and to get what you're after [Music] three centuries ago the early explorers also experienced the hardships of an adventure in the amazon in 1736 a french research expedition led by xiaomi de la condamine landed in ecuador they came to verify whether the earth was a perfect sphere or not and they paid a very heavy toll for the measurements that they carried out the expedition was ravaged by tropical diseases for the return journey to france la condamine undertook the tremendous gamble of heading east across the amazon jungle the explorers with their native guides had to survive in the heart of the forest they followed the rivers down to the amazon and eventually reached brazil [Music] during this return trip chalmari de la condamine mapped the rivers of the region and made a detailed description of the cincona tree which yields quinine used to prevent malaria he also discovered the rubber tree and the usage of curare the expedition would last 10 years [Music] at the heart of native spirituality are strong links between man nature and the cosmos this culture is deeply ingrained in teo in the jungle he feels the force of the spirits that dwell there he recalls the legends that his mother passed on to him as she would drink guayusa a brew of forest plants this tradition is a time-honored ritual it's the moment for the elders to relate the stories that continue to forge the native culture the shamans always invoke pachamama the sacred earth mother [Music] they say that the goddess pachamama has the power to petrify the animals of the forest this goddess will return when the earth can no longer bear what we've been inflicting on her she will come back as a very old person with a long beard and then she will release all the petrified animals who will exterminate the humans this indigenous spiritual vision allows one to understand how the world was before and how to live better in today's world as well these stories tell how at the beginning pachamama had blessed our planet she's the one who created things as they are for us this harmony of nature man i firmly believe in this vision which has been handed down to us through these stories uh commentary transmitted has asked him to collect certain specific plants for a long time the communities of the amazon kept the secrets of medicinal plants to themselves even now all the communities on the rio napo still use these natural remedies look this one's good go ahead make a cut here we use it as a natural medicine it can be used to treat malaria and diabetes we call it dragon's blood this is one of the most useful trees in the amazon it has a number of virtues for example you can use it to heal wounds you do like this and it becomes a cream it's also good as protection from the sun plus with one two maximum three drops of sap you can purify one liter of water [Music] [Music] okay here we have a very special tree of the amazon this species of palm tree grows straight up to benefit from the sunlight but if another tree overshadows it and takes the light it will start to move it can move up to 60 centimeters a year or one the pregnant women here use it during labor because it helps dilate the cervix and ease the birth it's one of the best natural remedies we have around here nowadays the younger generation doesn't care about medicinal plants they want what's easy they just go to the pharmacy if they have a stomach ache for example they buy pills whereas here there's so much more and it's natural no chemicals it's in chemical [Music] the modern world has been knocking at the amazon's door for quite a while now and today teo's life balances between these two opposing cultures that he would like to unite i see things from the indigenous point of view our planet will explode like a bomb look at all the wonders we have here all this beauty we should be careful with it and cherish it then mama will thank us and take care of us [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary

Views: 231,231

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), somewhere on earth, amazing stories, amazing stories from ecuador, amazing quest, ecuador

Id: bMl5Sx3iGb0

Length: 52min 6sec (3126 seconds)

Published: Wed Dec 28 2022