(splashing)
- I'm Coyote Peterson, and today we're on the search
for the elusive water anole.
(rushing water)
I got one right here, off this ledge.
I got it.
(fast drumming)
(roaring)
(slow guitar music)
From a bird's-eye view, the rainforests of Costa Rica
seem to be nothing but endless treetops.
Drop beneath the canopy, and you will find
that the terrain is incredibly rugged,
yet intricately laced with miles of canyons,
cut into the wild by flowing water.
Wow, this environment is seriously challenging.
Everything is so slippery.
And, all the rocks are sharp and jagged.
It's almost like controlled falling,
you do everything you can not to hurt yourself.
All right, well we're working our way up
through this canyon, and hopefully
that's where we're gonna find the water anole.
When it comes to the Osa Peninsula,
the landscape is absolutely epic.
And, the biodiversity that thrives in this remote paradise
is an animal enthusiast's dream come true.
The Brave Wilderness team and I have embarked
upon many grand adventures, but nothing would push us
to the limit like our quest to find
one of the rarest lizards in the country.
A tiny dragon that can only be found
deep in the heart of the rainforest.
Look at that.
That's a baby one.
Wow, I'm gonna try to grab him.
Got him.
Look at that.
Well, we found one.
He's just really, really tiny.
That is a baby water anole right there.
All right, we're gonna put this little guy back on his leaf.
Try to find one of his big brothers.
(upbeat music)
Encountering a juvenile water anole
was a definite sign that we were
headed in the right direction.
But then, the rain hit.
(raindrops plopping)
For nearly two hours we hiked through a torrential downpour.
And, with the main cameras packed away,
GoPros captured the journey,
as we navigated the dense jungle.
Our destination, a remote waterfall that was rumored
to be the one place on the Osa Peninsula
where the largest water anoles could be found.
Local guides talked about these lizards
as if they were mythical rainforest dragons.
Creatures of the shadows, that could spring from cliff sides
and disappear into the watery abyss, in the blink of an eye.
Just to see one would be rare.
To capture one, would be epic.
In the distance, the sound of falling water
echoed through the canyon. (rushing water)
And, as we rounded the bend, before I knew it,
we had entered the dragon's lair.
(dramatic music)
I got one right here, off this ledge.
Hold on. - All right, cool.
- I got it.
- [Mark] Nice catch.
- Yes, woo!
Look at that. - Beauty.
- And, it is a male.
Look at that dewlap, watch this.
Oh yes.
The elusive water anole, there it is.
All right, I imagine you probably don't wanna
film next to this waterfall.
Let's bring it back into better light,
and get him up close for the cameras.
Yes, we finally got one!
Oh.
Look at that.
That is a water anole.
You guys have no idea how much effort
it has taken to land ourselves in this canyon
and find one of these elusive lizards.
We've been hiking for hours.
We have been dealing with rainstorms.
Got a waterfall.
And, finally as I came across that turn,
shining with my flashlight, and said this is the moment.
That is a male, that is the one that I have to catch.
Now, this lizard, as an anole, you may be thinking,
ah Coyote, we've seen so many anoles.
But trust me, you have not seen an anole like this.
This lizard is incredibly well adapted
for this water ecosystem.
What they will do, and fortunately for me
I was quicker than he was, they'll wait
on the edges of the canyon like that.
And, as soon as a predator gets close,
they dive off of the wall into the water
and find a crevice to go into.
They sit there, and they wait until the danger's gone,
then (blooping) they emerge back up,
and go about their daily business.
- [Mark] Wait, how do they go again?
(blooping)
- They emerge back up, and go about their daily business.
Now, (sighing) hold on, let me catch my composure
because this was such a tough lizard to catch.
My hand is actually shaking.
We did catch a female earlier,
and they're a bit smaller than the males.
But, look what he's doing, you see that?
He's being completely limp in my hand
because he wants me to think that he's dead.
He's not, trust me.
At any second he could go bop, just like that.
And, launch off of my hand.
I can't do that for too long because he'll realize
that I don't have a good hold on him.
Oop, come here.
- And do that. - And do that.
Try to spring off.
But, let's take a look at this lizard's camouflage
because they are incredibly cryptic.
And, I was only able to spot him with my flashlight
because the striping and those little yellow dots
are what stood out.
He looks just like the mosses and the lichens
that are covering these rocks.
You are very good at camouflaging buddy.
You know that?
But, if you look at him from the side,
you can see that bluish stripe that runs down
the length of the body.
Incredibly beautiful.
Kinda reminds me of a dilophosaur from Jurassic Park.
Now, you guys wanna see this lizard's dewlap?
- Yup. - It is pretty cool.
All right, get ready for this.
This is the coolest part of this lizard.
Now, because this is a male, all male anoles have a dewlap.
And, they are absolutely beautiful.
And, this doesn't hurt the lizard in anyway, whatsoever.
Woop. - Wow.
- Look at that.
Now, what they use the dewlap for,
is to attract the ladies.
So, this gentleman will puff up his chest,
extend out his dewlap, and then he'll bob up and down,
and say ladies, how good looking am I.
And, that he is.
One handsome little fella.
Now, aside from being incredibly handsome,
here you go buddy, he is also a really great hunter.
What they're out here looking for,
pretty much any little invertebrate they can come across.
But, they specialize in catching water nymphs.
And, of course, because they're adapted for water,
they go down in there, look for their food,
grab a meal, bring it up onto the sides of the canyons,
and have a feast.
So, he has a pretty limited diet
in an environment like this, but as you can see
this lizard looks incredibly healthy.
That's about average size for a male.
The males are a slight bit bigger than the females.
Yeah, I see you, I know you're an excellent hunter.
And, he's a little discouraged right now
because he was caught by a potential predator.
Now, these lizards are really well adapted to
this canyon waterfall ecosystem.
And, their skin is actually really hydrophobic.
Which means that water will bead up on it
and run right off.
Let me grab a handful of water,
and show you what that looks like.
Hold on a second.
(magical music)
Check this out.
The little drips of water down on him.
Look at that.
You see how the water just beads up,
and runs right off.
- [Mark] So, he's staying dry as we're soaked.
- He's much dryer than I am right now,
I'm soaked having to go into that waterfall
to catch this lizard.
And, right now this guy just wants to get back
up onto the rocks so he can continue hunting.
But, what an awesome adventure.
To get down here into the canyon,
and catch the elusive water anole.
I'm Coyote Peterson.
Be brave, stay wild.
We'll see ya on the next adventure.
Every time we deploy into the wild,
Mother Nature tests us
with some seemingly impossible challenges.
And, there's certainly times when
the team and I have wanted to give up.
To throw in the towel and say, you know what,
this episode just isn't going to happen.
But, this is Breaking Trail, so when the going gets tough,
the Brave Wilderness team gets going.
And, Mother Nature always rewards hard work
with something spectacular.
To this day, I still can't believe
that we actually caught a rainforest dragon.
If you enjoyed this encounter,
make sure to go back and watch
as we get the cameras up close
with some of the planet's most fascinating animals.
And, don't forget, subscribe, and click
the notification bell, so you can join me and the crew
on our next wild adventure.
(roaring)
(animal calling)