Life in Cold Blood (2008)

Episode Overview

Title: Armoured Giants Plot: In the concluding episode, the focus shifts to the oldest reptiles: crocodiles and turtles. David Attenborough explores the Galápagos Islands, where he reveals how giant tortoises evolved their protective shells against predators. He highlights the eastern box turtle, which features a unique hinged shell. The pig-nosed turtle has a fascinating reproductive trait; its eggs must be submerged to hatch, as demonstrated by Attenborough when he drops one into water, leading to an instant hatching. In the ocean, male sea turtles engage in fierce battles for mates. In northern Australia, Attenborough observes crocodiles strategically waiting to ambush migrating mullet. He delves into the sophisticated communication of American alligators and showcases how young caimans call out to their mother in Argentina, who instinctively helps them reach a nursery pool. In Venezuela, a mother spectacled caiman guides her group of infants to safer waters.