been sitting in my tent for the past two days I got dropped up on top of this
days I got dropped up on top of this
days I got dropped up on top of this coolie by helicopter and it’s been
coolie by helicopter and it’s been
coolie by helicopter and it’s been raining ever since
hey Bruce are you doing
hey Bruce are you doing I feel like I’m drowning that’s it well
I feel like I’m drowning that’s it well
I feel like I’m drowning that’s it well you’ve heard of the dark heart of Africa
you’ve heard of the dark heart of Africa
you’ve heard of the dark heart of Africa in a sense this might be called the dark
in a sense this might be called the dark
in a sense this might be called the dark heart of South America we’re on top of
heart of South America we’re on top of
heart of South America we’re on top of up about a mile high to pooi which is a
up about a mile high to pooi which is a
up about a mile high to pooi which is a flat-topped Mesa a really remote one
flat-topped Mesa a really remote one
flat-topped Mesa a really remote one that I’ve lusted to return to for many
that I’ve lusted to return to for many
that I’ve lusted to return to for many many years this is called why acid pool
many years this is called why acid pool
many years this is called why acid pool it’s in Guyana
we’re exploring this because it is a
we’re exploring this because it is a biodiversity hotspot on the planet
biodiversity hotspot on the planet
biodiversity hotspot on the planet meaning that a large number of species
meaning that a large number of species
meaning that a large number of species occurs here and what’s really exciting
occurs here and what’s really exciting
occurs here and what’s really exciting to a biologist most of them are new to
to a biologist most of them are new to
to a biologist most of them are new to science
oh my goodness I hear one of the most
oh my goodness I hear one of the most beautiful sounds in the world a ringing
beautiful sounds in the world a ringing
beautiful sounds in the world a ringing whistling call it’s coming from the
whistling call it’s coming from the
whistling call it’s coming from the little toads that I’m looking for here
little toads that I’m looking for here
little toads that I’m looking for here it’s what the expedition is all about on
it’s what the expedition is all about on
it’s what the expedition is all about on the summit’s of tepui as you might
the summit’s of tepui as you might
the summit’s of tepui as you might expect the animals and plants there also
expect the animals and plants there also
expect the animals and plants there also to be ancient and so I’ve come here to
to be ancient and so I’ve come here to
to be ancient and so I’ve come here to look at a group of little toads that
look at a group of little toads that
look at a group of little toads that populate tepui summits to find out if in
populate tepui summits to find out if in
populate tepui summits to find out if in fact they are as ancient as you might
fact they are as ancient as you might
fact they are as ancient as you might expect I’m here with Mark Senate a North
expect I’m here with Mark Senate a North
expect I’m here with Mark Senate a North Face climber and Joe Reese National
Face climber and Joe Reese National
Face climber and Joe Reese National Geographic photographer on a previous
Geographic photographer on a previous
Geographic photographer on a previous expedition over on Roraima I had seen
expedition over on Roraima I had seen
expedition over on Roraima I had seen the deep chasm on why I so poo so in
the deep chasm on why I so poo so in
the deep chasm on why I so poo so in order to explore the chasm and study
order to explore the chasm and study
order to explore the chasm and study this bizarre little toad I needed mark
this bizarre little toad I needed mark
this bizarre little toad I needed mark to help me get down there and especially
to help me get down there and especially
to help me get down there and especially back up this is a small crevasse in Rock
back up this is a small crevasse in Rock
back up this is a small crevasse in Rock leading down to this giant chasm I want
leading down to this giant chasm I want
leading down to this giant chasm I want to explore the forest in the bottom of
to explore the forest in the bottom of
to explore the forest in the bottom of it so mark is like less than 200 feet
it so mark is like less than 200 feet
it so mark is like less than 200 feet down and that’s our next challenge my
down and that’s our next challenge my
down and that’s our next challenge my next challenge the three of us headed
next challenge the three of us headed
next challenge the three of us headed down into the hole that it was Bruce’s
down into the hole that it was Bruce’s
down into the hole that it was Bruce’s first rappel and he told me that
first rappel and he told me that
first rappel and he told me that straight out so the guy’s 71 his first
straight out so the guy’s 71 his first
straight out so the guy’s 71 his first rappel is a free hanging rappel into a
rappel is a free hanging rappel into a
rappel is a free hanging rappel into a sinkhole on tepui kind of a tough place
sinkhole on tepui kind of a tough place
sinkhole on tepui kind of a tough place to learn how to do this
to learn how to do this
to learn how to do this when he was on the way down Bruce kind
when he was on the way down Bruce kind
when he was on the way down Bruce kind of got pulled over backwards by his pack
of got pulled over backwards by his pack
of got pulled over backwards by his pack and he was kind of dangling upside down
and he was kind of dangling upside down
and he was kind of dangling upside down I was down below doing like a fireman’s
I was down below doing like a fireman’s
I was down below doing like a fireman’s break to slow down his descent which
break to slow down his descent which
break to slow down his descent which appeared to me was getting out of
appeared to me was getting out of
appeared to me was getting out of control
control
control anyways he made it and we got him down
anyways he made it and we got him down
anyways he made it and we got him down down to the bottom well I’m in this
down to the bottom well I’m in this
down to the bottom well I’m in this several hundred foot deep chasm after
several hundred foot deep chasm after
several hundred foot deep chasm after trying rappel for me this is what I
trying rappel for me this is what I
trying rappel for me this is what I would call a lost world within a lost
would call a lost world within a lost
would call a lost world within a lost world and tonight I’m going to be
world and tonight I’m going to be
world and tonight I’m going to be wandering around in here with my lights
wandering around in here with my lights
wandering around in here with my lights looking for a frog that’s only known
looking for a frog that’s only known
looking for a frog that’s only known from down here this particular tepui and
from down here this particular tepui and
from down here this particular tepui and the chasm is crucial because it’s kind
the chasm is crucial because it’s kind
the chasm is crucial because it’s kind of an intermediate stage between the
of an intermediate stage between the
of an intermediate stage between the lower elevation cloud forest species
lower elevation cloud forest species
lower elevation cloud forest species which climbs up trees and the higher
which climbs up trees and the higher
which climbs up trees and the higher elevation to pooi summit species that
elevation to pooi summit species that
elevation to pooi summit species that are called pebble toads they have the
are called pebble toads they have the
are called pebble toads they have the same kind of feet they’re obviously all
same kind of feet they’re obviously all
same kind of feet they’re obviously all very related to each other but the
very related to each other but the
very related to each other but the question is which came first so we’re
question is which came first so we’re
question is which came first so we’re going to go back in the hole today we’re
going to go back in the hole today we’re
going to go back in the hole today we’re going to see if Bruce found his frog see
going to see if Bruce found his frog see
going to see if Bruce found his frog see how he did during the night
how he did during the night
how he did during the night Joe and I just came up with a back-up
Joe and I just came up with a back-up
Joe and I just came up with a back-up plan for getting him out of the hole but
plan for getting him out of the hole but
plan for getting him out of the hole but none of that’s going to occur until
none of that’s going to occur until
none of that’s going to occur until until he finds his frog
until he finds his frog
until he finds his frog oh I spent my first rugged night here
oh I spent my first rugged night here
oh I spent my first rugged night here and did not find this frog I’m convinced
and did not find this frog I’m convinced
and did not find this frog I’m convinced it is a unique species because of
it is a unique species because of
it is a unique species because of several things the call and the like I
several things the call and the like I
several things the call and the like I have to dig all around all day to find
have to dig all around all day to find
have to dig all around all day to find one and do whatever it takes today
one and do whatever it takes today
one and do whatever it takes today tomorrow what we haven’t we have to have
tomorrow what we haven’t we have to have
tomorrow what we haven’t we have to have one I’m just about to say boy this is
one I’m just about to say boy this is
one I’m just about to say boy this is going to be tough we’re gonna have to go
going to be tough we’re gonna have to go
going to be tough we’re gonna have to go back in the morning and really dig dig
back in the morning and really dig dig
back in the morning and really dig dig around all this Moss again and there on
around all this Moss again and there on
around all this Moss again and there on a little leaf sack one of these
a little leaf sack one of these
a little leaf sack one of these priceless little babies and then I
priceless little babies and then I
priceless little babies and then I realized oh they do what the lower
realized oh they do what the lower
realized oh they do what the lower elevation one does they smae sit on
elevation one does they smae sit on
elevation one does they smae sit on leads and I start looking within ten
leads and I start looking within ten
leads and I start looking within ten minutes I found another one and then by
minutes I found another one and then by
minutes I found another one and then by 9:30 I’d found four this is fabulous I I
9:30 I’d found four this is fabulous I I
9:30 I’d found four this is fabulous I I do want to stand of the night I’d like
do want to stand of the night I’d like
do want to stand of the night I’d like to do some more work on their ecology I
to do some more work on their ecology I
to do some more work on their ecology I didn’t have my camera with me on and on
didn’t have my camera with me on and on
didn’t have my camera with me on and on and on the audio yacht about we’re
and on the audio yacht about we’re
and on the audio yacht about we’re successful yeah
Tipu e’s are an evolutionary archipelago
Tipu e’s are an evolutionary archipelago just like the Galapagos Islands but
just like the Galapagos Islands but
just like the Galapagos Islands but what’s really interesting about tapu e’s
what’s really interesting about tapu e’s
what’s really interesting about tapu e’s is they are potentially much older
is they are potentially much older
is they are potentially much older whereas the Galapagos made 5 million
whereas the Galapagos made 5 million
whereas the Galapagos made 5 million maybe 5 million years old at most the
maybe 5 million years old at most the
maybe 5 million years old at most the tapu e’s could be in the 40s to 50s
tapu e’s could be in the 40s to 50s
tapu e’s could be in the 40s to 50s millions of years and this little gal
millions of years and this little gal
millions of years and this little gal and her friends on to poi summits may
and her friends on to poi summits may
and her friends on to poi summits may give us the answer to how long they’ve
give us the answer to how long they’ve
give us the answer to how long they’ve been isolated
I’m trying to set up basically the
I’m trying to set up basically the beefiest rig that I’ve ever set up in my
beefiest rig that I’ve ever set up in my
beefiest rig that I’ve ever set up in my life just to make sure that that we can
life just to make sure that that we can
life just to make sure that that we can get Bruce out of the hole I pretty much
get Bruce out of the hole I pretty much
get Bruce out of the hole I pretty much tied together this entire troll forest I
tied together this entire troll forest I
tied together this entire troll forest I think I have ten trees interlinked this
think I have ten trees interlinked this
think I have ten trees interlinked this is one of the crazier things that I’ve
is one of the crazier things that I’ve
is one of the crazier things that I’ve ever setup I can confirm that he just
ever setup I can confirm that he just
ever setup I can confirm that he just moved up about six inches so he’s got
moved up about six inches so he’s got
moved up about six inches so he’s got 199 and a half feet to go alright I’m on
199 and a half feet to go alright I’m on
199 and a half feet to go alright I’m on three hunkler whoo this is the rope that
three hunkler whoo this is the rope that
three hunkler whoo this is the rope that you came off on did you know Bruce is
you came off on did you know Bruce is
you came off on did you know Bruce is just what is brill
it matters for us to do basic science
it matters for us to do basic science like this because it answers all kinds
like this because it answers all kinds
like this because it answers all kinds of fundamental questions that human
of fundamental questions that human
of fundamental questions that human beings are concerned with and if it
beings are concerned with and if it
beings are concerned with and if it weren’t for science I wouldn’t have
weren’t for science I wouldn’t have
weren’t for science I wouldn’t have these clothes on I wouldn’t have a metal
these clothes on I wouldn’t have a metal
these clothes on I wouldn’t have a metal cup I wouldn’t be drinking coffee I
cup I wouldn’t be drinking coffee I
cup I wouldn’t be drinking coffee I wouldn’t be flying up here in a
wouldn’t be flying up here in a
wouldn’t be flying up here in a helicopter science is important and I’d
helicopter science is important and I’d
helicopter science is important and I’d like to think I’m a scientist
so to learn we’re all about diversity is
so to learn we’re all about diversity is and then learn about how we can conserve
and then learn about how we can conserve
and then learn about how we can conserve it is in my opinion one of the most
it is in my opinion one of the most
it is in my opinion one of the most important things I can do in my lifetime
”
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