Finding a Niche in a Crowded Jungle Ecosystem
In Finding a Niche in a Crowded Jungle Ecosystem, narrator Sir David Attenborough discovers how animals like the indri — a large lemur native to Madagascar — adapt to survive in one of the most competitive environments on Earth. In the dense jungle, the indri has developed unique strategies to find its place in this crowded ecosystem. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth II, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
Lesson Express
Q: What challenges do animals face in crowded ecosystems like jungles?
A: They must compete for food, space, and resources while avoiding predators.
Q: How does the indri communicate with others in its habitat?
A: It uses loud, distinctive calls to mark its territory and stay in contact with its group.
Q: Why is finding a niche important for survival in biodiverse areas?
A: A niche allows a species to reduce competition by specializing in specific food sources or behaviors.
More Like This
In Visit the Natural Playground of Costa Rica, host Simon Reeve and his guide explore lush forests filled with iguanas, butterflies, toucans, macaws, and even capybaras! Discover how this small country, packed with over 500,000 species of wildlife, is a world leader in protecting nature as children plant thousands of trees in a reforestation project that’s growing forests for the future. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America
In The Coral Reef Habitat, narrator Sir David Attenborough examines the animals that live on the coral reef, one of the most diverse places in the animal world. Learn about animals that live in the reef, climb out away from the reef, or return to the reef from the open ocean. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In Kakadu National Park, Biodiversity Hot Spot, host Simon Reeve explores this large national park in Australia. The park is teeming with life, but it used to be home to even more species before an invasive species came in. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Australia With Simon Reeve, a show in which Reeves goes Down Under to learn all about the animals that make Australia amazing.
In Phytoplankton, the Life-Giving Force Beneath the Waves, geologist Iain Stewart explains how oceans are vital to life on Earth, especially because of tiny phytoplankton which produce 50% of the oxygen we breathe! These microscopic organisms feed sea creatures and help turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy. Oceans also have a vast network of currents that connect all the seas, proven when 29,000 rubber ducks drifted across the world, showing how these currents link every ocean. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Earth: The Power of the Planet, a documentary series in which Dr. Iain Stewart discovers how Earth's forces can shape nature, species, and even the climate.
In Visit the Natural Playground of Costa Rica, host Simon Reeve and his guide explore lush forests filled with iguanas, butterflies, toucans, macaws, and even capybaras! Discover how this small country, packed with over 500,000 species of wildlife, is a world leader in protecting nature as children plant thousands of trees in a reforestation project that’s growing forests for the future. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America
In The Coral Reef Habitat, narrator Sir David Attenborough examines the animals that live on the coral reef, one of the most diverse places in the animal world. Learn about animals that live in the reef, climb out away from the reef, or return to the reef from the open ocean. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In Kakadu National Park, Biodiversity Hot Spot, host Simon Reeve explores this large national park in Australia. The park is teeming with life, but it used to be home to even more species before an invasive species came in. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Australia With Simon Reeve, a show in which Reeves goes Down Under to learn all about the animals that make Australia amazing.
In Phytoplankton, the Life-Giving Force Beneath the Waves, geologist Iain Stewart explains how oceans are vital to life on Earth, especially because of tiny phytoplankton which produce 50% of the oxygen we breathe! These microscopic organisms feed sea creatures and help turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy. Oceans also have a vast network of currents that connect all the seas, proven when 29,000 rubber ducks drifted across the world, showing how these currents link every ocean. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Earth: The Power of the Planet, a documentary series in which Dr. Iain Stewart discovers how Earth's forces can shape nature, species, and even the climate.