Daintree Rainforest Documentary in 4K | Australia Nature | Queensland | Original Documentary

[Music] daintree national park is one of the oldest tropical rainforests on earth surviving for 180 million years it is 10 million years older than the amazon outliving the dinosaurs and the last ice age it is home to a diversity of natural species so extraordinary it has been declared a world heritage area we are going to take you on a journey to discover the natural wonders of the daintree [Music] located on queensland's tropical northeastern coast the daintree is the largest continuous expanse of rainforest in australia covering 1200 square kilometers daintree national park is 16 times larger than the country of singapore its landscape is wide and varied from mountain ranges to coastal lowlands it is a region of significant natural diversity home to half of all australia's bird species incredibly it is estimated that there are more plant species in one hectare here than there are in the entire united kingdom and one such species is the bumpy saturn ash a rainforest tree that has an unusual property it flowers directly from its trunk this puts its fruit within easy reach of wildlife on the forest floor [Music] one creature with a particular appetite for satinash fruit is the southern cassowary [Music] these bizarre looking birds have been described as modern day dinosaurs [Music] the large helmet-like cask on the cassowary's head signifies its age and dominance weighing up to 70 kilograms cassowaries are australia's heaviest bird casawaras are enthusiastic eaters of rainforest fruits and berries dispersing large quantities of seeds they play an important role in the regeneration of the rainforest [Music] daintrees southwest is bound by the main coast range here moisture blown in from the ocean is trapped creating rainfall that feeds the mossman river over millions of years its flow has formed mossman gorge high in the rainforest canopy we find a kangaroo that lives in the trees kangaroo their limbs have adapted for gripping and climbing their long tail used as a counterbalance living solitary lives they feed mostly on tree and vine leaves rarely venturing down to the forest floor much of their day is spent resting i in the treetops [Music] beneath the canopy we find another creature that has adapted to living in the trees this is boyd's forest dragon with the tail twice the length of its body it belongs to the family of lizards that include bearded dragons and iguanas relying on its natural camouflage it sits completely motionless waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey [Music] unlike other lizards boyd's forest dragon can match its body temperature to the surrounding air this allows it to remain below the canopy without the need to bask in the sun [Music] in a pond beneath this waterfall this australian scrub python is searching for prey scrub pythons are capable swimmers entering the water in search of frogs lizards or rats but today he's having no luck the scrub python is the largest and longest species of snake in australia although non-venomous keep your distance they can deliver a nasty bite [Music] in the quieter reaches of the rainforest streams we find the sore shell turtle native to australia its name comes from the serrated edges on the rear of its shell [Music] sore shell turtles spend most of their time in the water here they hunt for aquatic creatures such as fish crustaceans and frogs they have developed an ability to stay under water for lengthy periods by absorbing oxygen through their skin [Music] one of the most distinctive plants in the daintree is the australian fan palm preferring the shady protected stream banks they can grow to heights of 20 meters when mature they produce circular leaves up to two meters wide descending from the mountains daintrees waterways stretched to the coastal lowlands here fresh water mixes with the ocean in the tidal zone [Music] hiding in the thick undergrowth is a nanky night heron he's waiting for nightfall to hunt at the water's edge [Music] in the trees above is a colony of black flying foxes [Music] with a wingspan that can exceed a meter they are the largest of all bats in australia by day they roost in noisy colonies near the water's edge [Music] it gets hot sleeping under the tropical sun at night they can fly up to 100 kilometers to feed on nectar and fruit [Music] lurking in daintrees waterways is one of australia's most feared predators the world's largest living crocodilian the esterine crocodile with the most powerful bite in the animal kingdom these predators have a fierce reputation living up to 70 years mature males can weigh a thousand kilograms and grow to lengths of seven meters [Music] the dane trees waterways reach the ocean at these margins we find a variety of flowering plants like this swamp lily or the native hibiscus this australian tree snake prefers the edge of the rainforest here in the lush vegetation he preys on skinks geckos and other small reptiles [Music] mangrove forests are a living buffer between the land and the sea their complex root systems have evolved to trap silt mangroves also provide shelter and food for many coastal species [Music] this snail is in search of microscopic algae [Music] another creature that lives on the coastal margin is the sacred kingfisher he's on the lookout for prey despite its name the sacred kingfisher rarely eats fish it prefers to feed on crustaceans reptiles and insects [Music] [Music] cape tribulation is a prominent headland 36 kilometers north of the daintree river it is the only place on earth where two world heritage sites meet the wet tropics of queensland and the great barrier reef [Music] cape tribulation is surrounded by mountains resembling a giant amphitheatre [Music] rains trapped by these mountains create some of the highest rainfall in the daintree averaging close to four meters a year beyond the daintree sandy beaches are fringing reefs its exposed edge is comprised of dead coral where we find this odd looking creature a sea cucumber growing up for meat along with a downward facing mouth it gathers food using its bushy tipped tentacles beneath the water the reef extends seaward and contains around 140 species of coral further from shore this eagle ray glides the shallows in search of small fish and crustaceans eagle rays have a venomous stinger on their tail for use in defense against predators [Music] one predator that won't be worrying the eagle ray is the black-tipped reef shark preferring small fish they are no threat to large marine creatures [Music] beyond the daintree shores the coral sea extends east to the great barrier reef [Music] we have traveled through the extraordinary landscapes and discovered many of the unique creatures that inhabit the daintree this region and its significant diversity are now protected by international convention the natural world is however facing the consequences of a rapidly changing climate and with this uncertain future humanity must ensure the continued protection and survival of these natural wonders of the daintree [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Into the Wild Films

Views: 161,968

Keywords:

Id: qSm93-hhZGg

Length: 16min 31sec (991 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 09 2022