Follow Diego Arauz Chaves, an ecotourism guide in Costa Rica, as he takes filmmakers on his boat into the mangroves to get up close to a Capuchin troop he knows intimately. These capuchins represent one of the most charismatic animals in the area and beneficiaries of hummingbirds in these areas.
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TRANSCRIPT
- So for The Hummingbird Effect, we wanted to feature other animals that depend on hummingbirds.
The connection between the capuchins and the mangrove hummingbird is pretty incredible because the mangrove hummingbird, even though it's a super rare species and difficult to find, it's responsible for pollinating all of these mangrove flowers that are in the area and once they're in bloom, you can see the capuchins.
They come over, they feed on them, they usually don't finish everything, and what they don't finish falls to the forest floor and then all the other animals in the area take advantage of it.
So it's really kind of this trail of food and this pathway of food, if you will, and it all starts with the mangrove hummingbird.
Diego is such a valuable resource because he has grown up on this property.
His family has owned it for decades and they've preserved it.
So this river right here is tucked in between two palm oil plantations.
So if Diego's family would've given up this property, then the monkeys would have absolutely nowhere to go.
(birds and monkeys chattering) - So right after they've been hanging up on the treetops, eating and then napping, this is the time to play.
Getting themselves where they know this is a safe area.
There are selected areas in which it's considered as a drinking spot.
They know that it's a safe, no crocs, no danger.
And this is one of the most enjoyable times to watch them.
- Diego, he has every single individual named.
He knows their family tree and legacy and story.
He knows the dramas that play out amongst them.
He knows the pathways that they take.
So we've always been able to get ahead of the monkeys and anticipate them coming because it not only helps us get the shots, but it ensures that these animals are gonna be around long after us.