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THE ISLANDS ON THE EDGE 2 × 50 min. Executive producers: Roman Landauer, Sabine Holzer, Walter Köhler

4K, 5.1 and Stereo The Philippines have been formed by ’s powerful forces for millions of years. , , volcanos and the diverse marine life at the edge of the Coral Triangle make these islands a truly unique natural paradise on the Pacific .

Mindanao is home to the tarsier, which inhabits PART I: ABUNDANCE the lower branches of trees and spends much A shadow drifts across the green of the rainforest. of the day sleeping hidden among the leaves. It is early afternoon and the warm, damp air rises Tarsiers are small enough to fit in a human hand. far above the steaming trees. Two massive wings Their most distinctive feature is their large eyes. circle lazily above the treetops, as though the Their tiny fingers resemble those of human babies. movement of individual feathers is sufficient to detect the perfect air current. A pair of eyes stares The Agusan swamps and the marshes near out between the wings, never losing sight of the Ligawasan are the perfect habitat for the trees below. Not for an instant. Philippine crocodile, but only an estimated 250 of the reptiles remain as a result of hunting and The bird of prey’s attack comes out of nowhere. deforestation. These freshwater— unlike crocodiles the saltwater don’t Its target: a group of macaques that have settled pose much risk to humans comfortably high in the branches. The surprise crocodiles that frequently inhabit the brackish attack provokes screeching and screaming as the waters of the Philippine river deltas: “Salties” monkeys scatter… The Philippine eagle’s attack captured near Bunawan have been up to has been a failure, it will have to seek out new 6.5 metres long. These crocodiles have no problem prey. These spectacular birds have a wingspan killing buffalo or, indeed, humans. of up to two metres and hunt monkeys, reptiles, flying squirrels, other aerial predators like owls PART II: DIVERSITY and colugos. When the evening sun falls across the surface of the , an unusual predator emerges to hunt. Colugos, also known as flying lemurs, are noc- Although it is also known as the bearcat, turnal gliding mammals that inhabit the higher it is more closely related to the Asian palm civets reaches of the rainforest and search for food in than to bears or cats. Binturongs prefer to live the early hours of the morning or in the evening. alone or in small groups led by dominant females. They move slowly, making them easy prey for the These short-legged, somewhat plump-looking Philippine eagle. There are just two species of mammals eat fruits as well as fish, insects and colugo worldwide. One of these is the Philippine birds. gliding lemur, which is found primarily on the islands of Bohol and . Waters are shallow around the western side of the Philippine archipelago. 18,000 years ago, this The Philippines consist of more than 7,000 islands part of the Philippines was connected to the Asian and are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire. by way of , Sumatra and the The archipelago connects the two main Malay Peninsula. At the end of the Ice Age the islands, Luzon in the north and Mindanao in the inland ice melted, and the ensuing rise in sea south. Here, the mighty eastern Pacific Plate levels created the islands around the Sea. pushes itself under the Philippine Plate, creating This is reflected in the local animal population, one of the world’s deepest submarine trenches which contains very few endemic species but off the coast of the islands. The Philippine Trench many that are also found on Borneo or the main- is more than 10,000 metres deep and 1,300 kilo- land — like the Balabac chevrotain or Philippine metres long. A little further east lie the Palau, mouse-deer, a nocturnal ruminant. It is the world’s Yap and Marianas trenches. This deeply unstable smallest hoofed mammal. tectonic situation leads to increased volcanic activity on the Philippines, where tropical rain- forests and volcanos lie side by side and saltwater and freshwater mix. It is the perfect environment for stunning biodiversity. NATURE NATURE

also the with the . On the surface shipping is busy as the The area around the limestone caves of strait opens the world for Manila, housing the National Park attracts not less than two million people. But slide an incredible variety of bird species and into the water and you meet the most the is also home to around 1,000 exciting treasure planet earth can offer: different plant species. The Palawan here, scientists verified more than thou- peacock-pheasant has become a symbol of sand species of fish and more than three Puerto Princesa. Like the olive-backed sun- hundred different kinds of corals. Nowhere bird, it lives off the sweet nectar provided else has anybody found such a broad by the colourful blossoms of smaller plants. variety of species. The Palawan hornbill, on the other hand, spends much of its time in the treetops. Riffs never fully cover the ground. Shimmering Philippine dwarf kingfishers The flat seabed has a layer of dark sand, make their homes near bodies of water. a nourishing substratum for the Isla Verde Strait’s diverse microfauna. Pfeffer’s The Puerto Princesa National Park is home flamboyant cuttlefish chase careless hermit to one of the world’s most extensive crabs, devil fish and scorpionfish lurk for cave systems. A subterranean river flows prey, unmoved, which does not apply for through the large limestone caves. The the male thorny sea horse: it lovingly cares discovery of a 20-million-year-old fossil of for its offspring that hides in his belly fold. an extinct sea cow species a few years ago The variety of— shapes at least and as colourslong as seemshumans to attracted international attention. be unlimited The mangrove forests and surrounding don’t interfere in the natural flow of this areas are home to Asian water monitors, fascinating manufactory of species and life. spitting cobras and reticulated pythons. The country’s biodiversity is considered The reefs of Palawan and the Sulu Sea are one of the greatest in the world. However, the primary breeding grounds of green rising sea levels once again threaten to sea turtles, and sharks have established significantly alter the face of the region, nurseries in underwater caves. Pygmy with far-reaching consequences for people, seahorses hide among the coral branches. flora and fauna. How will the animals and Eagle rays drift through the waters in twos plants of the Philippines react to the rapid and threes. A mimic octopus has settled on and dramatic climate changes facing the the sandy seabed. region? Up in the North, Isla Verde Strait not only links the isles of Luzon and Mindanao, but

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