Life in Cold Blood (2008)
S01E02 Land Invaders
Episode Overview
The second episode delves into the fascinating realm of amphibians, showcasing around 6,000 known species. Attenborough travels to Australia to highlight how lungfish, capable of breathing air, were the first vertebrates to adapt to land, with their ancestors evolving into amphibians. The Japanese giant salamander, the largest of its kind, is seen engaging in territorial battles. In North America, the marbled salamander thrives primarily on land, maintaining skin moisture through damp leaf litter. A female caecilian is observed nurturing her young, who grow rapidly by consuming her skin, which regenerates every three days. Frogs and toads, the most successful amphibians, communicate during the breeding season with calls that impress females through loudness and frequency. The toxic Panamanian golden frog employs a unique 'semaphore' display, while many others, like the South American red-eyed tree frog, rely on camouflage. An African bullfrog is depicted protecting its tadpoles by digging a canal
