No island in the Caribbean is like its neighbors. Each has a different history, flora and fauna. Trinidad and Tobago have a very special position within the diversity of the Caribbean islands. Although the two islands are in the Caribbean Sea, they have a close connection to the South American continent. Both were once part of the mainland, they have a rich fauna and flora similar to the continent. And yet they are very different: the period of isolation has changed them.
A legend of the Warao Indians tells of the “great flood” that separated Trinidad from the mainland. That was 1,500 years ago, as geologists now know. For many species this meant a stroke of luck, their life is now relaxed like in the Caribbean. Because the big robbers could not survive on the island. The biggest predators on land are quite small, like the dachshund-sized tayra from the marten family and the ocelot, a small big cat. This gives space to other islanders.
Only in the rivers and swamps do anaconda and crocodile caiman still rule. But Trinidad is also good for a surprise there: capuchin monkeys use branches as an anvil to get to the meat of large snails, while the clever monkeys always keep an eye on the caiman.
Tobago, the smaller of the two islands, has been separated from the continent for 10,000 years: Only a few species such as boa constrictors, agoutis and armadillos have survived here. The island is a bird paradise and a safe haven for countless seabirds.
The documentary “After the Flood” shows how flora and fauna develop when conditions change. Suddenly an island: what does that do to nature? What was left of the continent? Who wins who loses in island survival game?
For nature, the islands are a springboard between South America and the Lesser Antilles. This bridging position and the diverse habitats make it rich in species. Thanks to particularly light-sensitive cameras from space research, the documentation can come up with sensational images from the darkest caves and the deepest night. Extremely light-sensitive birds could be filmed for the first time ever, and the natural behavior of leatherback turtles laying eggs could be observed and filmed for the first time.
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Film by Marion Pöllmann
Like no other area on earth, we connect the Caribbean with paradise, a Garden of Eden. But behind this common stereotype there is a far more interesting Caribbean to discover, more biodiverse than almost any other region, a model of evolution, with life in constant motion and everything seems to follow a wild rhythm.
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