Trials of Life (1990)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Attenborough explores the diverse strategies animals use to acquire food. He starts in the vibrant South American rainforest, where an abundance of flora and fauna complicates the search for nourishment. Many plants harbor toxins, requiring cautious consumption, while others entice pollinators with nectar, fostering unique relationships with hummingbirds. Squirrel monkeys thrive on fruit, which aids plant reproduction. Parrots and macaws ingest kaolin to counteract toxic seeds. A massive flock of knot and dunlin seizes a low tide to feast on small mollusks. Attenborough also observes predatory barracuda driving fish into bays, where pelicans face competition from gulls. A gecko skillfully distinguishes between worker and soldier termites, and the intricate webs of orb spiders are showcased alongside the kleptoparasitic behavior of argyrodes. The episode culminates with tropicbirds, laden with food, being ambushed mid-flight by frigatebirds