Sunset marks the change between two worlds.
Grasslands, pools and jungle are transformed in the light of the moon.
New creatures come out with the night, creatures that never see the sun,
the least well-known inhabitants of the plains.
In the jungle, the moon guides the way for some old friends of ours.
As they did at dawn, the peccaries return to the edge of the jungle,
again in search of the treasure that has fallen from the trees during the day.
But, as they feed on the fruits, this time the two wild boar are watched by eyes of fire.
A jaguar has heard movements in the undergrowth.
He is perfectly equipped for night-time hunting, and silent as a shadow he approaches the peccaries.
Unfortunately for him, the wind is not in his favour,
and though there is just the slightest breeze, thanks to their keen sense of smell, the boars have detected the feline,
and they immediately run for safety.
The most beautiful killer in the jungle will have to continue on his nocturnal round.
Outside, in open territory, another lover of the dark has emerged from the termite mound where he has spent the day.
And the capybaras leave the pools and venture out onto the meadows to eat the last remaining grass that the sun has not yet scorched.
An army of shadows comes to life on the plains and, among them, our heroine plods on,
steadfast in her determination to reach home.
Nightfall seems to mark a kind of truce.
The tortoise now comes across more relaxed animals, feeding.
Or, like this turtle, laying their eggs in a hole,
which she will scrupulously cover before dawn to keep them safe from predators.
Night will soon be over, and you have to be ready for a new battle in the inferno.
The arrival of the dawn marks the beginning of the cycle of the plains.
The creatures of the light return, and those animals that fear the sun take advantage of the early morning hours.
For the morrocoy tortoise the new day brings pleasant surprises.
On the horizon, in the distance, she can see the outline of a forest,
and with renewed strength she continues on her way.
A little further on, another surprise awaits her.
He comes across another morrocoy tortoise walking in the opposite direction.
For our tortoise, this meeting is something extraordinary.
He knows the hardships the other morrocoy will face if he ventures out onto the plain,
but she has no way of telling him this.
Finally, she continues on her way, without having been able to share information and experiences.
If she had, perhaps our tortoise would have understood why the other one was fleeing from the forest.
Ahead, a column of smoke signals the greatest danger of the plains.
Vast extensions of dry grass are rapidly devoured by the flames,
and the fire advances at the speed of the wind.
The flames pass swiftly by.
There is no wood to slow them down,
and the fire literally flies across the grasslands without reaching high temperatures.
But, though they quickly pass, the flames prove fatal for many of the animals on the ground.
And, as always, opportunists appear to take advantage of the misfortune of others
For a tortoise out on the pasture these fires are a deadly trap.
The unfortunate morrocoy knows that her home is close by,
but experience out on the open plain has taught her that here death is even closer than any goal,
so when she smells the smoke he turns back and desperately seeks shelter.
Death is biting at her heels when, finally, luck smiles on her.
Below a bush, an armadillo's tunnel will be a lifesaver.
The wind rapidly spreads the fire.
From inside the burrow, the flames can be seen for just an instant,
and the smoky breath of their passing indicates the moment it is safe to return to the surface.
Outside, the sea of grass have been laid to waste.
Slowly, the tortoise continues on her way, somewhat disorientated.
The smoke blinds her, and there are still glowing embers on the ground which cause painful burns.
With a firm step, though still frightened,
she tries to make it to the forest across a now unrecognisable landscape.
She sniffs for the smell of the humus and the trees, but the only smell she detects is that of death.
Not everyone has been as lucky as her.
The other tortoise did not find a burrow, and in his case the fire won the race.
The proximity of death confuses her.
The shell of another of her species makes the dangers and tragedies of the plain affect her
as they had not done up to now.
It is time to return to the safety of the jungle where she was born.
And, above the smell of scorched pasture and meat,
she finally detects the sweet, cool smell of the forest.